Chapter 8: New Plans

Within ten minutes, Toby had converted Phoenix’s dilapidated living room into a makeshift command center. Wires snaked across the floor, glowing blue crystals hovered over stripped copper cables, and a tiny, repurposed drone engine sputtered to life in the corner.

BZZZZ-CLICK.

The rusty overhead light fixture flickered, buzzed, and burst into a bright, steady glow. A distant hum echoed through the floorboards as the ancient water heater groaned back to life.

"We have power!" Toby cheered, wiping a grease smudge off his cheek. "And high-pressure hot water! Well, medium-pressure. And slightly orange, but if you let it run for two minutes, it clears right up!"

Phoenix stood near the broken window frame, a fresh mug of instant coffee in her hand, looking at the glowing breaker box like it was a pile of pure diamond.

"Toby," Phoenix said, her dark brown eyes gleaming with genuine affection. "You are an absolute genius. If anyone ever tries to bully you in the lower sector, let me know. I’ll break their fingers and feed them to the local wildlife."

Toby shuddered, offering a weak, nervous smile. "I... appreciate the sentiment, Miss Wraith!"

"Call me Phoenix," she said, taking a sip. "Now, what’s the catch? Nobody comes to the outer sector offering free hot water out of the goodness of their heart. What do you need?"

Toby’s cheerful expression instantly collapsed. He slumped onto a overturned wooden crate, staring at his grease-stained boots.

"It’s the monthly wilderness practical," Toby muttered, adjusting his glasses nervously. "It’s scheduled for tomorrow. Because I'm an E-rank Support Cadet with zero combat capability, none of the Sentinel squads will take me. If I don't form or join a squad by midnight tonight, the academy board automatically flunks me and revokes my scholarship."

Phoenix leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms. "And let me guess: the noble squads formed their little elite clubs weeks ago?"

"Yeah," Toby sighed. "Travis formed the 'Apex Vanguard' with Lionel and the top three Sentinels from Class A. They’ve already reserved the best hunting zone in Sector 4. The rest of us washouts and low-ranks are left picking up the scraps in the high-danger zone near the outer barrier."

Phoenix’s lips twitched upward into a dangerous, blade-sharp grin.

A wilderness practical? In a high-danger zone filled with aggressive monsters, zero surveillance cameras, and complete tactical freedom?

This wasn't a school test. This was her natural habitat.

"Toby," Phoenix purred, stepping over a tangle of loose wires. "How are the points calculated for this little field trip again?"

"Each monster kill grants points based on rank," Toby explained, pulling up a holographic map from his wrist comm. "E-rank beats are worth 10 points, D-ranks are 50, and C-ranks are 200. But the team with the highest overall score gets first pick of the Imperial Vault resources."

"And let me guess," Phoenix chuckled, tapping her mug. "Travis is expecting to cruise to an easy first place, collect his shiny reward, and look glorious on the academy news broadcast?"

"Pretty much," Toby nodded. "Everyone expects his team to wipe the floor with the rest of us."

Phoenix finished her coffee in one gulp and set the mug down on a dusty shelf with a firm clack.

"Not anymore," she said, her dark brown eyes flashing with pure, predatory excitement. "Toby, grab your gear. You and I are officially forming a squad."

Toby blinked, staring at her in sheer disbelief. "Wait... just the two of us? A defective Guide and an E-rank Support cadet?!"

"Quality over quantity, my boy," Phoenix grinned, clapping him on the back so hard his glasses nearly slipped off again. "We're going to enter that forest, steal every high-value target from under Travis’s nose, and take that Imperial Vault reward for ourselves."

She turned toward the window, looking out over the dense, shadowy forest stretching past the perimeter wall.

"Tomorrow," Phoenix whispered softly, her smile turning utterly ruthless, "we go hunting."