Number one

In a stark, pristine white room, a single figure was standing at its center, casually engrossed in a portable console. It was Gaku, though far from the boy he once was. Now a tall, powerfully built young man with bluish-gray hair slicked back and red eyes lined with a sharp edge of eyeliner at the corners, he cut an intimidating figure. His high-collared navy blue jacket hung loosely around his muscular frame, its sleeves rolled up to reveal bandaged hands and arms crisscrossed with scars. Square black earrings glinted against his sharp jawline as he absentmindedly tapped at the console, his relaxed posture belied by the hefty, cube-headed mace slung over his shoulder, wrapped in worn bandages.

Suddenly, the silence of the room was broken by the shuffle of footsteps and the shift of shadows. Without lifting his gaze, Gaku smirked, tapping a button on his game. "Already bored of standing around?" he muttered to himself.

A group of masked men and women rushed forward, attacking from all sides. Gaku's attention remained glued to his console, thumb calmly flicking over the controls, as he sidestepped the first strike. With a quick twist, his bandaged fist shot out, cracking into his attacker's mask and sending them flying backward.

Another came from his right, lunging at him with a blade. Gaku barely glanced, shifting his weight with a lazy elegance as he dodged, the blade missing him by a hair. He kicked out, sending the attacker crashing into the wall. Each move was precise, fluid, and effortless—he dispatched them all with strikes and swings, all while never once looking away from his game.

In a final flourish, he spun around, sweeping his mace across his shoulder and knocking the last attacker to the ground, leaving a dent in the floor where they fell.

He let out a bored sigh, still tapping at his console as more footsteps approached. The sound of reinforcements, another wave closing in.

Without lifting his head, he spoke calmly, his voice carrying a low, almost amused edge. "If you wanted to keep sending waves, you could've at least picked better opponents."

The attackers halted for a moment as if realizing what was about to happen. Gaku's gaze hardened, his eyes sparking with a force that filled the room. In an instant, a pulse of sheer, overwhelming will erupted from him, Conqueror's Haki surging outward. The masked men and women dropped to the ground one by one, collapsing under the weight of his presence alone.

As the last of them fell, Gaku finally paused his game, lifting his gaze and taking in the sight of the defeated figures littered across the floor. He gave a small, unimpressed smile, rolling his shoulder as he glanced at his console with a casual shrug.

"Well, that was a nice break," he muttered, eyes sharp with a flicker of amusement. Then, returning to his game, he walked leisurely out of the room, his footsteps the only sound echoing in the silence.

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(Location : Cafeteria)

In the sprawling, sterile halls of Project Mirage, Gaku was known as something of a legend. His name was whispered in hushed tones, his abilities unmatched. In every aspect—strength, speed, precision—he was the benchmark. The instructors no longer asked him to participate in the weekly combat tests, convinced he had long surpassed them.

The training arena was alive with the clamor of recruits, all of them preparing for the weekly test. They polished their weapons, adjusted their stances, and sized each other up. For them, this test was a chance to rise, to improve their standing within the project.

Amid the activity, Lydia made her way over to where Gaku sat in a quiet corner, lounging against the wall, his hands loosely crossed over his lap. She was a striking figure with her sleek, dark hair with streaks of white and sharp, calculating eyes. Lydia had always been strong, second only to Gaku himself, and though she projected a cool confidence, her relationship with him was... complicated. Beneath the rivalry, she harbored a small crush that Gaku, oblivious as ever, failed to notice.

"Skipping the test again, Gaku?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she tilted her head to meet his gaze. "I suppose they don't make you participate since you're already too good to bother with us regular people."

Gaku barely looked up, his red eyes half-lidded as he shrugged. "Doesn't seem like much of a test for me."

She rolled her eyes, both amused and irritated. "You know, for someone who's the best, you sure lack any enthusiasm. You ever get tired of looking down on the rest of us?"

Before he could reply, two more figures approached. Granad, loud and boisterous, sauntered over, grinning widely as he clapped a heavy hand on Gaku's shoulder.

"Hey, look at the big guy!" Granad teased, voice booming. "Too good to even show us what he's got. Must be nice being top dog, huh?"

Gaku didn't bother responding, but Granad's laughter was cut short by Ruki, his much quieter companion. With a shy glance at Gaku, Ruki spoke up, his voice soft yet sincere.

"Gaku... I really respect you," Ruki murmured, his admiration plain. "I mean, I know everyone does, but I... I want to be like you one day. You're... unstoppable."

Granad snorted, rolling his eyes. "Ruki, don't tell me you're still trying to be all humble while admiring this guy."

Lydia crossed her arms, smirking as she looked between the three of them. "You three realize he's not even listening, right?"

But despite his aloof demeanor, Gaku had noticed them. Lydia, with her competitive streak and barely hidden affection; Granad, with his loud and good-natured teasing; and Ruki, with his earnest admiration—they were the only ones who saw him as something more than an untouchable force. For them, he was Gaku, the friend they could look up to and joke with, even if he didn't always respond. And even if he didn't say it, there was a glimmer of appreciation in his eyes.

And in this world, where life held little value and death was just another risk, they'd learned to bury their fears, their doubts. For Gaku, Lydia, Granad, and Ruki, laughter and small talk served as a thin shield against the reality of being trained assassins.

As they sat together, a sudden announcement crackled over the intercom, the cold voice of their superior, Commander Argos, echoing throughout the training hall.

"Gaku, report to Mission Command. You have an assignment."

The casual atmosphere shifted instantly. Even Lydia's usual banter faded as she watched Gaku stand up, his face as unreadable as ever. She gave him a nod, a subtle gesture of acknowledgment and respect. Granad offered a thumbs-up, his usual bravado dimmed by the tense reminder of what these "assignments" often meant. Ruki, quiet as always, looked at Gaku with a mixture of worry and admiration.

Gaku left without a word, making his way through the stark, winding corridors that led to Mission Command. His thoughts were steady, calm; he'd learned long ago to separate himself from any emotion before a mission. He entered the briefing room, where Commander Argos waited, expression as sharp and cold as a blade.

"Gaku," Argos began, sliding a folder across the table. "This mission will be... different. Your target is a boy, around your age. He's proven to be a risk and needs to be eliminated."

Gaku scanned the dossier without a hint of surprise, committing details to memory as Argos spoke. Once he had the location and a rough description, Gaku gave a short nod and left, his mind already focused on the task.

Hours later, he was tracking his target through the city streets, remaining inconspicuous while keeping the boy in his sights. The trail led to an arcade, bright neon lights flashing in the night. As Gaku followed him inside, he couldn't help but notice the place was filled with rows of gaming consoles and flashing screens, alive with the sounds of virtual battles and chiptune music. He felt a strange pull, his gaze drawn to the machines.

Gaku's own console back at the project was a gift he'd been given for his endless success—a rare treat in a place where luxuries were unheard of. But the games here were leagues beyond the simple ones he'd grown used to.

He turned, eyes catching on a game in particular. Resident Evil. On the screen, pixelated characters faced off against looming zombies. Curiosity sparked in him, and for a moment, he almost forgot why he was there. He found himself drawn to the controls, picking them up to try the game.

As he maneuvered through the levels, the excitement of the game washed over him, an escape like nothing he'd felt before. Minutes turned into hours as he played, his mission momentarily forgotten. Eventually, the arcade started to close for the night, and Gaku realized he'd lost his target completely.

But instead of regret, he felt an odd sense of relief, a pull toward something more than the life he knew. The mission, the project, the tests—it all felt like a distant memory, eclipsed by this strange new world he'd found. Without a second thought, Gaku made up his mind. He would leave the project, no matter the cost, to pursue this life and discover what lay beyond the walls of Project Mirage.

For the first time, he would be free to live his life by his own rules, driven not by orders but by his own desires. With a small smile, he left the arcade, already making plans to slip away from the only world he'd ever known.

As Gaku slipped into the night, his thoughts lingered for just a moment on Lydia, Granad, and Ruki—the trio who had, in some way, managed to make him feel almost human in a life built around bloodshed and discipline. But his resolve remained firm. He couldn't afford attachments, not if he wanted to live on his own terms. He set his jaw and pushed their faces from his mind, the thrill of freedom overshadowing the tug of guilt he felt.

Meanwhile, the news of Gaku's escape hit Project Mirage like a bombshell.

In Mission Command, Commander Argos's furious voice echoed through the halls as he demanded answers, his stoic mask cracking for the first time in years. Melydia and Guernika, two of the highest-ranking officers, gathered with an intensity that bordered on fear.

Melydia's heels clicked sharply on the cold command room floor as she paced, frustration rolling off her in waves. "How could he just vanish like that?" she snapped, her tone edged with disbelief and rising panic. "We were right there, tracking his exact location with the GPS implant. That thing was supposed to be foolproof!"

Guernika scowled, his fingers drumming a tense rhythm on the table. "If he's gone, then it's clear he somehow removed it. I don't know how he figured it out, but he must have." His expression grew darker as he considered the implications. "He's always been a step ahead—too resourceful for his own good."

Melydia's eyes narrowed. "And the failsafe? The kill switch embedded in his brain? If he'd gone rogue, it should have triggered. We designed it to respond to even the slightest deviation. Yet here we are."

"Unless..." Guernika's voice trailed off, but Melydia caught his glance, dread tightening her throat.

"Unless he knew about it," she whispered, the fear in her voice uncharacteristic. "Or worse, he disabled it."

A tense silence settled between them, memories of Gaku's brutal efficiency and coldly executed missions replaying in their minds. This was the boy who had taken down heavily-armed targets without hesitation, often facing whole squads single-handedly with a chilling ease that had even his handlers unnerved. His brutal precision had made him the ultimate asset—and, terrifyingly now, perhaps their deadliest mistake.

"Just how long has he been aware?" Melydia muttered. "If he's turned on us, there's no telling what he could be capable of."

Guernika's gaze hardened, a flicker of fear crossing his normally controlled face. "Then we'd better hope he's just distracted by his games." But even as he said it, he knew how hollow the words sounded. Their ultimate tool had slipped from their grasp, and if Gaku was capable of evading the government's most dangerous safeguards, there was no telling the havoc he might unleash.

Guernika exhaled, forcing calm as he straightened in his seat. "We have resources—plenty of them. Gaku's clever, but there's only so far he can go. When we find him—and we will find him—we'll send an Admiral. He may be formidable, but he's no match for that level of power. He has the potential, but he hasn't reached that state... yet."

Melydia gave a nod, her features settling into a cold, controlled mask. "Agreed. A swift, forceful response is what's needed. Gaku's been our most promising tool, yes, but he's still just that—a tool. If he's gone rogue, we must neutralize the threat. Impel Down could handle him."

Guernika's expression darkened, the ghost of a scowl tracing his lips. "Impel Down? Don't tell me you want him to live after all this. Gaku's shown more strength and cunning than any of our operatives. Even restrained, he could still pose a threat. Killing him would be the safest route."

Melydia's voice softened, almost chilling in its gentleness. "No. He's too valuable to simply discard. We've invested too much. With a bit of persuasion... perhaps even the right kind of conditioning, he might still serve us."

"Physical torture won't break him," Argos Locke chimed in, his voice weary but resolute. "You trained him yourself, Melydia. He's been conditioned to withstand anything physical."

Melydia's lips curled in a slight, almost sinister smile. "Oh, I have no intention of relying on physical pain to break him. I know him well enough by now—Gaku may be tough, but his mind is where we can reach him. Strip him of the one thing he values, and he'll be in our hands once again."

Guernika watched her, a spark of intrigue crossing his face. "Mental torture. You really think he'd bend that way?"

"Yes," Melydia replied confidently. "He'll bend, and eventually, he'll break. And then we'll have him back, perfectly loyal. Gaku might think he's a free spirit now, but he'll soon see... he'll never be free from us."