Squad Leader, Han Lee (9)

'Our new and original members need some time for our teamwork. Rather than group drills, we should focus on personal training drills to understand everyone's weaknesses and strengths.'

Amongst the squad members that had scattered, one remained and vacantly stared across to Han. He sported black hair and looked to be of Korean descent.

"Hello, Squad leader Han."

"Do you have anything you want to say, Kijo?"

Jung Kijo had been recruited from Korea like Han. He had spent one year as a second year now.

"No, no. I just wanted to talk a bit since we are both Korean. What do you think?"

Kijo didn't speak in English, but Korean. Han received a strange feeling from him. The familiar Korean words flowed to his ears. He let out a sigh and sat down.

"Our country of origin is meaningless in Ark."

At Han's words, Kijo laughed.

"You're too uptight. Since I came to Ark before you, I can be considered your senior. Let's work hard together, Han."

"….."

Han glanced to Kijo. His words were making Han feel uncomfortable. He stuck to Han like a piece of gum.

"…."

"My father is a major general. He was overjoyed when he found out I was a psyker. You should pay back Korea for all the kindness you've received now that you're a psyker. There are not too many Koreans in Ark. The only useful people seem to be you and me, just the two of us."

"And your point?"

"Please include me in your battle plans. With your skills, it shouldn't be impossible. I've wasted my time in the second year for one year now. I want to transfer into the third year as soon as I can. My dad keeps nagging at me."

Han's furrowed his brows. He shook his head.

"Kijo, I will hand out the tasks to those that are skilled to do so. I will be as fair as possible to everyone. If you wish to show off your strength, then prove it to me with your skills. I don't have plans to drive my squad into danger for your 'trivial' reasons."

Han responded coldly. Kijo's lips twitched. The glint in his eyes instantly became hostile.

"Yes, yes. That's a very good decision. Of course… anyway, let's work hard. Command leader Han. We're both Koreans after all."

Kijo turned around and went to his room. He could hear him quietly cursing in Korean under his breath. Han pretended not to hear.

One week with the new squad had passed. Han held a meeting together with Canute and Jose in secret, without the squad knowing. Jose and Canute were Han's right and left arms. They were trustworthy and had excellent judgment skills. Han asked for their advice on many subjects.

"What do you think of our new recruits?"

"Everyone has good balance. One of them has already developed their own unique skills."

"He has psychic body enhancement skills. He's the perfect candidate to become the main assaulter."

"But, there is one guy with horrible personality."

Canute said. Han and Jose immediately thought of a person.

"Are you talking about Kijo?"

"His results from the training drills aren't too bad, but he has strong pride. Also, he shamelessly goes around to announce to everyone that he's your close friend. He's selling you out based on the fact that you're both from the same country. Is he really going to get you places when you return to Korea?"

Han scoffed.

"Can't be, I don't want such a position even if they give it to me for free."

Jose also burst out laughing.

"I knew it would be like that. I'll just wait and see to judge him, but he worries me a little."

Han nodded. It was almost the day of their squad battles. Their opponents said 10 members would participate, so all of the squad 13 members would be deployed. Han explained their battle plans and each members' roles to his squad together with Canute and Jose.

"We're able to execute more elaborate battle tactics now that we have more members in our squad. However, I'm not able to control the situation by myself anymore. I need you guys to make the calls for minor interruptions along the way."

Han and the youths spent the rest of their time preparing for their next squad battle.

'The easiest target is probably Kuro.'

Kijo observed the hierarchy of power from within squad 13. Squad leader Han took charge with his charisma and combat capability. Just below was Canute and Jose. They had been friends for awhile and their teamwork is near perfect. The last, Kuro, made the fourth member and makes up the core strength of squad 13.

Kijo attempted to infiltrate into the core of the squad by sticking to Han, but it had been fruitless. Han is very strict to separate business and personal feelings. He remains objective when dividing out roles for the squad based on individual skill.

"Tch. That cheapskate, he should be more flexible since we're both Korean."

Kijo narrowed his eyes like a snake. He held his gaze at Kuro. Kuro was in the middle of reading during his free period.

'That black guy is incapable of being mean. Described in a good way, he's a gentle guy, but in reality he's a pushover.'

Kijo leisurely walked over to Kuro.

"What are you reading, Kuro?"

Kuro was startled and looked to Kijo.

"Just a novel. You won't know even if I explained it for you."

"Hm, is that so? What are you a sissy reading a novel like that? This is why you're bad at fighting. You should exercise more instead. Do you know exercise?"

Kijo flexed his own muscles as he spoke.

'Let's start by making this black guy my subordinate. This kind of pushover should be as easy as pie'

Kijo planned to cement himself as one of the core members of squad 13. It would be impossible to climb up to second rank, but he would have a higher hierarchy amongst the squad if he were to have Kuro under him.

"The psychic drill instructor had told me to focus on my psychic strength rather than my physical strength. He said it would be better if I was an expert at one thing rather than being a master of none."

Kuro explained. Kijo furrowed his brows like he had been waiting for these words.

"Are you saying my words are a load of rubbish?"

He didn't hide his hostility for the other in the least. Kijo looked down on Kuro while raising his voice gradually.

"Ah, no. That's not what I'm saying but it's what my drill instructors told me."

"Haa, I just wanted to help you out, but you're making me lose face by treating me this way."

He was trying to force the situation. But Kuro was getting affected by his words a bit. Kuro's eyes reflected confusion.

'Maybe I made a mistake saying those words….'

"Sorry, I didn't mean it that way."

"It's fine. I just wanted to be your friend, but your words are like that. I won't just let you step all over me."

Kijo said coldly, pushing Kuro. Kuro hesitated a bit and grasped onto Kijo's clothes.

'This guy is a total idiot, isn't he? How did this kind of guy get promoted into second year?'

"I'm so sorry. Let me apologize."

"Hm, hmm. Then, are we friends from now on? Kuro."

He pat Kuro's shoulder while speaking. His lips held a crooked sneer.

'You're now my underling.'

Kijo stabbed at Kuro's sense of guilt. Kuro spoke like he would do whatever for him.

"Ah, it's a cat."

While chatting, Kuro discovered a cheese colored cat.

Many cats permanently resided on the artificial island, Ark. In the beginning stages when Ark was being built, many individuals suffered from loneliness and raised pets to cope. The pets that people had raised bred together and multiplied to the current population today. These cats would drop into the student dorms for food scraps.

'We were in the middle of an important conversation here. Tsk.'

Kijo clicked his tongue and kicked the cat. Kuro didn't have enough time to stop him. The cat went flying and slammed against the far wall. The sound of its bone breaking seemed to echo in the area. The cat twitched and its body spasmed.

"Ah, ah."

Kuro groaned from the sudden shock. Kijo spoke matter of factly.

"My day becomes unlucky whenever I see cats in this place. They're devils."

Kuro gripped his hands into fists. His body trembled from head to toe.

"You're wrong. They are considered mystical creatures from where I'm from. Also… you shouldn't treat animals who can't speak for themselves so cruelly."

"Well, anyway. Where did we stop? Canute likes cola, Jose likes ice cream right? Hmm, this is an important matter. What does our squad leader Han like?"

"I don't have anything to say to you."

Kuro said coldly. He walked to the cat with heavy steps. The cat was close to death. Kuro's sixth sense was superior than normal psykers and he could tell instantly. He could feel the tears welling in his tears about to burst out. Kuro was more tender hearted than the children his age. He had much sensitivity that didn't fit with the military lifestyle.

"Hey, are you going to talk like that to me again? There are tons of cats like that in Ark."

The cat stopped breathing.

"I'm going to dig its grave."

"Just toss it in the rubbish."

Kijo tried to snatch the cat from Kuro. Kuro's eyes grew wide. Blue light glowed from his eyes.

"Let go."

Kuro words were short, but stern. His determination seemed to make his strength exponentially stronger. A chilling psychic wave flowed like a tidal wave. The sand and dust from their surroundings began floating in the air.

Wwwuuu!

Cold sweat fell from Kijo's forehead. The steel rubbish bin next to him was instantly crushed. The rubbish bin was crumpled into the size of a tiny fist through telekinesis.

"H,huh?'

'This isn't how it should be.'

Kijo became dumbfounded. This had been the first time he had seen Kuro getting mad. Kuro had always laughed off all sorts of harsh jokes and bullying. However, due to this personality type Kijo had forgotten one important aspect.

"Get lost. Kijo."

Kuro's blue eyes made him look like a goblin. Kijo shut his mouth and nodded. He realized he might get himself killed by making the wrong move. His whole body became drenched in sweat. His instincts warned him that he was in grave danger.

"Haa, haa."

Kijo could only breath after escaping from Kuro. The manifestation and surge of psychic power had made it hard to breath. Such density of psychic energy was enough to reverse the flow of oxygen.

'He's psycho, wanting to kill a man for kicking a measly cat.'

Kijo felt overwhelming regret. He had let his emotions get the better of himself, but he never knew the cat would die from such a weak kick.

The next squad battle would be capture the flag. This was one of the battles that Han had the most confidence in. He had trained for this type of battle since his first year of Ark. Han gathered his squad members and briefed everyone on today's battle plans. He would divide their squad into three teams with the designated leaders of Han, Canute, and Jose. The three teams would attack the opponent's command center in rotations.