"My head hurts again," Asher started complaining in his thoughts. He opened his eyes and noticed he was still lying on the metal platform.

  "I just woke you up. I don’t have time to watch you sleep. There are others I need to take care of," Arnold appeared beside the boy.

  The twelve-year-old looked at him and asked, "How does the Signature Module work?"

  "I can only tell you that it's a multifunctional chip. Inside, there's a special piece of a Monster Core that resonates with your body. That knowledge will have to be enough for you at your current level of military clearance," the scientist explained, looking straight into the boy’s eyes without averting his gaze.

  Without a hint of fear, meeting Arnold’s stare head-on, Asher asked, "And what are its functions?"

  "Among other things, it's a whip for people like you, whom the Legion doesn’t fully trust. At any moment, in case of unjustified insubordination toward a superior, it can kill you. With just a flick of a finger," Arnold brought his face within a few centimeters of Asher’s. He didn’t even blink.

  Madness began to gleam in Asher’s eyes. "Hmph, as long as I can kill Monsters, I don’t care," he replied nonchalantly, refusing to back down before the scientist from the White Division.

  "What’s this fanatic’s problem with me?" Asher wondered.

  The standoff lasted about 15 seconds. The air was thick with tension and the scent of metal.

  The blond scientist finally stepped away from the twelve-year-old and continued explaining, "But it also has other functions. The core analyzes the mutation levels in your cells, which in turn is one of the most important indicators of your power. However, your strength doesn’t solely depend on mutation levels. Obviously, another key factor is how well you can utilize that power. Just because you might have a higher mutation level than someone else doesn’t necessarily mean you’re stronger than them."

  As he spoke, Arnold walked over to a desk and began pulling out some bracelets.

  Asher listened with interest. He knew this was important and useful information.

  "These data will be displayed on this specialized bracelet. It will serve as a measure of your strength and that of those around you. It's commonly referred to as an identifier," the researcher approached the boy and began fastening the identifier onto his left wrist.

  "It actually looks pretty cool. The black metallic color and that modern display give it some charm. Hopefully, it doesn’t break too easily," Asher examined his new possession.

  Arnold continued explaining, "It contains a map of locations you have access to. The locations of the members of the squad you’ll be joining will be marked there. You’ll be able to communicate with each other using it. It supports voice communication, and you can also write messages. When you receive a mission, it will appear there as well. In about fifteen minutes, it should finish downloading all the data from your body. Don’t lose it."

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  "Squad?" Asher asked, slightly confused.

  "Yes, recruits will be formed into five-person squads. The Legion of Rebirth has decided to change the training methods for its future members. Now go back to your room and wait. You’ll learn everything this evening. You already know the way." Arnold responded mechanically, without emotion.

  Asher left the room and entered the empty hall next door. He glanced at the massive doors before stepping into the corridor, deep in thought. "I didn’t expect this. I thought we’d be operating as lone wolves. This complicates things a bit... Oh well."

  He followed the map’s directions to his room.

  Upon arriving, he opened the door. He scanned the room before him and saw the disdain in Vera’s gaze.

  He looked at the chain securing her to the floor.

  "They must have deemed her unstable, so they completely restrained her. She’s lucky they didn’t just kill her outright. Bad news for me, though…" he sighed in resignation.

  He approached the area where Lys’s voice had come from earlier.

  He saw a perfectly clean bed, as if it had never been used. Next to it, sitting on the floor, was a boy with an unusual appearance.

  His wavy, shoulder-length green hair looked like floating snakes.

  His sharp, intensely blue eyes seemed to analyze Asher just as much as Asher analyzed him.

  He had pale skin, but his facial features were full of unwavering determination. It was as if life had forced him to mature early. However, due to his age, that maturity was not yet fully formed.

  It’s worth mentioning that both Lys and Vera were also twelve years old.

  "Come, sit on the chair. I prefer sitting here," Lys smiled cheerfully, pointing to a dark wooden chair beside his bed. Similar chairs were placed next to each bed, and in front of them stood small desks.

  Asher sat down on the chair, which let out a loud creak, as if it might break apart. It’s worth noting that Asher was quite small for his age.

  He was slightly surprised but paid it little mind.

  "They implanted the Signature Module in you too?" Asher asked, looking at Lys.

  Vera’s voice came from Asher’s left. "Yeah, it wasn’t a very pleasant experience. That bastard Arnold doesn’t seem too nice," she cursed, looking at her bracelet with a slightly sad expression. It was on her left wrist, glowing green, displaying the number -2.

  "Guess she’s already forgotten she threatened me earlier," Asher shook his head in his mind.

  "Asher, do you know what your power is yet? We should at least know that much about each other since we’ll be in the same squad," Lys brought up from Asher’s right.

  "How do you know we’ll be in the same squad?" Asher asked, intrigued.

  "I have my sources and connections. I know a thing or two," Lys answered mysteriously.

  Asher glanced at Vera to see if he could read anything from her expression. But she looked just as surprised as he was.

  "Arnold said the squads would be five-person teams, but there are only three of us here. Two beds are still empty. Where are the other two supposed to come from, and who will they be?" Vera asked skeptically, eyeing Lys with a hint of distrust.

  "I have no idea who they’ll be, but I’m certain that the three of us will be part of the same team. We need to stick together and try to trust each other. Anyway, Asher, do you already know what your power is? Look at your bracelet," Lys turned his gaze to the boy with black eyes.

  Asher raised his left hand.

  Asher raised his left hand. The number 2 immediately caught his eye.

  "Oh, not bad. Each of us has the number 2. That doesn’t happen often. Click the button with the soldier symbol at the bottom of the band," Lys instructed.

  Asher did as he was told, pressing the button. His information appeared on the bracelet:

  Name: Asher

  Age: 12

  Codename: ??

  Power: Telekinesis

  Unit: ??

  "I have telekinesis," Asher said indifferently. He lifted his gaze, wanting to see his future companions' reactions. What he saw completely surprised him.

  Vera’s entire expression showed astonishment. And Lys's eyes revealed a slight hint of excitement.