That was true. Crystallizing users were the most energetic and hotheaded of the kingdom's Crystal people. Born in such a low temperature island, by the coldest people of all lands, most of the population had low energy and mild temperaments in their genes. However, with power came competition, breeding clashes of high energy that made them unusual demi-humans of the Crystal people. They couldn't even come near in comparison to their volatile Volcano rivals, but they were the closest in the kingdom, making any losses and deaths have the hardest impact on them than their non-crystallizing loved ones. And in competitions, at times, it was almost as if fire burned in their veins instead of ice. Ironically, the weaker in talent they were, and the more proud in nature, the more they strove for betterment and shows of power.

The only reason Dillon would care for power, on the other hand, was so he could serve his truest purpose on their planet: to protect those who needed it. Otherwise his grief would be magnified a hundredfold.

"I hope not. Please grant me a passive but cooperative team," Dillon pleaded, without jest, eyes raised to the ceiling.

"Passive, huh? Good luck with that. Maybe one or two people at most."

Also true. Why was Rone deflating all of his meager hopes at the start? No matter how right he was, couldn't he pray without judgment?

Dillon stood up, collecting his tray. "It's almost ten. I'll see you later," he said, stowing away his empty dishes.

He left the building, almost dragging his feet, full of dread at the coming meeting. He dreaded a new team of seven serving him, following his command, seeking guidance. Only two were new soldiers, with the rest having been on the same team for a few months. They may poke fun at his ignorance, as some tended to do to rookie generals.

Tales of the past surfaced: Cedric receiving jokes about his misplacing work documents, missing a strategy meeting due to sleeping in, lacking a badge of valor to prove his rank, a crooked name tag. Other general soldiers that were more scatterbrained would get lost in how to guide their subordinates, stammering and floundering as they tried to direct them on the correct path to their destination, or figuring out which battle plan or strategy to use in any given situation. At least Cedric never had a weakness with his authority or stage presence, passing the correct decisions, judgments, and answers right off the bat.

Remember, baby steps.

Several minutes later, as Dillon arrived at the Assembly Pavilion, a tall, square space within a tent with a transparent crystal glass ceiling, he slowed and gazed at the dozens of uniforms gathered inside that were buzzing with excited chatter. It was a nightmare come true. Turning around was, unfortunately, not an option. Breath held, he joined the fray, seeking spaces where he would not brush anyone's shoulders.

Seeing the numbers on the insides of the tent's high pillars, he sought his number, 0-26. A small group of troops milled about under the number, making small conversation and sharing their plans for the upcoming Games later that week. Dillon approached with heavy footsteps, stopping and waiting for them to notice and acknowledge him before he would salute them back.

"I am your team leader. As you can see from my name tag, my name is Caudry." He swept anxious but observant eyes over the group, noting their array of expressions from fatigue to interest. Two of them seemed disinterested, which was never a good sign among military personnel. It meant they weren't disciplined enough. "It's ten, so I get that you're all tired. Let's go inside and find a room. Did one of you reserve one?"

A man stepped forward, saluting him. "I did, sir. Room 060."

As they entered the Assembly Hall, a massive white building attached to the Pavilion, they followed the soldier who reserved the room down three long winding hallways, their marching footsteps echoing along the way. Their sounds matched each other's pace, none stronger or weaker than the others', which was a good sign. It meant they knew how to march in tandem, and that they knew how to cooperate well with one another. As far as this, Dillon probably had nothing to worry about.

In their room, a long blackboard stretched from one wall to the other on one side of the room, while the rest of the room contained rows upon rows of audience seats, much like a large classroom, extending up to the far wall with stairs. Each seat was a light blue color, with cushions and foldable tables. On the wall with the single entry door, where they came in from, two sets of windows made of pure crystal glass looked into the halls.

Team 0-26 took seats in the front row, aside from Dillon, who went to the blackboard. He picked up a crystal pen that sat on its edge. In bright blue ink, he wrote down the names that he memorized from his information paper: Hallio Jasper, Omo Lio'Da, Lana Umi, Bren Gin, Addam Eustace, Vin Tinara. Except for one.

"I missed someone's name, didn't I?" he asked, turning to find out who.

A soldier with shaved white hair, sharp azure eyes, clean features, and respectful air stood up. "Nolanas, sir. Riley Nolanas."

Dillon smiled, glad to notice that he was one of the team members with such an honest disposition, though his unwavering eyes and high chin expressed great pride. He filed a mental note on him in case he spelled trouble later down the road. On a positive note, pride could mean he had incredible talent.

"I have a problem with remembering 'N' names." He resisted the urge to cross his arms as he continued, "I'll tell you a little about myself. You've probably heard about me already. I hope the whispers behind my back don't worry you. We'll be spending the coming months together, so let's not stress the small things. It took me about nine months to become a general soldier. It's been a hard and long journey, yet it's still not ended. I'm working on my issues, so it's my hope that you won't hinder my progress, or each other's."

He wondered if he had said too much by hinting at issues behind the scenes. However, anyone who brought up Dillon as a topic would not avoid bringing up those issues either, whether it was his rough relationship with his first superior, his first public fight with a few soldiers throwing a fit at his win in year 201's Double Barrier game, his burdens on the team out in the city, or his multiple breakdowns in the middle of active war. Such rumors had already spread far and wide; any new recruits who didn't know of them would hear it sooner or later.

In an outsider's shoes, Dillon was unsure he would trust a new general soldier with such a reputation as his team leader at first. So how could he melt away all doubts?

"Stay standing, Nolanas. Rise if you're Jasper."

Jasper rose.

"Lio'Da." The one who was called rose. "Umi. Gin. Eustace. Tinara."

One by one they rose. He examined each of them.

Jasper was tall and lean, his physique not quite fit but not weak either. He had clean hair the color of tree bark and almond-shaped blue eyes. His lack of expression made him seem indifferent and quiet.

Lio'Da was shorter, about Dillon's height, with snow white hair and clear eyes the color of the lightest blue crystal, like an ice crystal. His lips curved up slightly, as if the eerie smile, almost sneering, was his default expression, lending him an image of mystery and subtlety that Dillon detected but couldn't understand.

Umi stood next to him. She was a young girl with a long ponytail of a beautiful shade of white and serious aqua-colored eyes. She wore square glasses with white frames, accentuating the shine of her hair and eyes. She was the shortest woman and soldier in the room. Because of her immaculate uniform and appearance, Dillon guessed, with approval, that she was a serious textbook and law follower.

The shortest man was Gin, who avoided the eyes of anyone around him and fiddled just a bit with his gloves. His hair was a beige color, clean cut, and combed well, while his body frame and limbs were thin even under the uniform. He was one of the newcomers. Because of his nervous ticks, he guessed he would have to keep an eye out for this one.

Eustace had a startling clear head of an aquamarine crystal shade, cut short around his ears, and rather pretty eyes in their shape and light silver color. He was the second tallest soldier, and the most muscular out of everyone. His active body hugged the uniform well, leaving little about it to the imagination, which was a physique that was rare even for crystal military soldiers. His eyes darted around, glancing at all individuals in the room more than once, and he shifted his feet in a restless manner that suggested an energetic personality.

With a tall, curvy body, Tinara had straight midnight black hair that ended at her shoulders, layered with style, and small, sharp, light blue eyes that tipped upward. Her permanent smile was almost wolfish in a charming but cruel, intimidating way, pasted on her face as if she would smile even while piercing an enemy straight through the chest. What her appearance exuded, more than beauty, was the strong character lying within. Her eyes were unflinching and intense on him.

Dillon perused his notes, reminding himself of the pieces of trivia to each person that they shared with him.

The most interesting was Tinara's dual powers of crystallizing and double barrier crystallizing, causing Dillon to wonder if she was also the strongest next to him in terms of strength and speed. Eustace's birthplace was distant, on a small island next to the Kingdom of Crystal called Beryl Min, a place said to bear the most mixed genes within the eastern island region. Gin's strength lay in writing and journalism, with a literary portfolio and decal[3] of 89-0, up to the requisite level of the Scholar Sector.

Law and science ran in the family background of Umi's ancestors, spanning for many generations of the past. They raised strict and disciplined households that didn't leave much room for pastimes and amusement. Lio'Da worked to see peace in his future, intending to end the War in his lifetime and forge a different career path after. Jasper sought after the one woman of his fantasies, dreaming of a warm family and home. Nolanas was motivated to become a Commander in the military and one day win in The Games of Crystal.

"Uh...so my plan is to have us do an icebreaker, since there are two new soldiers with us. As am I. On that note, any questions for me?"

A hand shot up in the air. "Yes. Is it true that you fought a General and broke his nose?" Tinara's eyes fastened on Dillon's, her voice serious and deep. "Or did someone else break it for you?"

His worried smile froze. "I...I wouldn't say so."

"Is it true your power is still growing to this day? Can I have some of that overflowing power?" Eustace asked, expectant.

Lio'Da added, still smiling the same way, "Did you cheat during last year's Games?"

Dillon clenched his pen. "Where did these details come from? My power stopped growing recently, only one month ago. No, I did not cheat."

"Did the power growth make you feel high? Drunk on power? I hear it feels great."

"Not 'high'. Overwhelmed. My body could not take it." He had fallen ill for a period of months last year. Expending so much power in war and during the Games, however, relieved some of the pressure.

"Really? That sucks." Eustace opened his mouth to say more, but was cut off.

"Word of warning: Addam will talk our heads off if you let him and not let us a word in edgewise," Nolanas said, smirking at him. "So, my question. If you didn't cheat, how did you get a record of 0.02 seconds for a double crystal barrier on the first stage?"

Dillon shook his head. "It was not 0.02. It was 0.5 seconds. As you know, it's not possible to do a double barrier in 0.02 seconds, even with a magic tool."

Nolanas whistled. "That's still the best record, you know..."

"Let's not fret over past records—"

"Not fret? We want to see your barrier."

"Show us!"

"I want to see if it's better than ours with my own eyes."

Rone's prediction looked more and more likely. Dillon walked up the stairs. A group of seven was nothing compared to the crowds of the Games, even if they were closer up. Even while hesitant, he shot his arm out and chanted for the barrier, unwavering in his conjuring. In exactly 0.5 seconds, a hazy, thick, and large barrier stretching from one side of the room to the other appeared. Going up, everyone crowded in front of it to test its prowess. Speed, size, intensity, resilience, texture, and appearance—everything about it impressed them. To some of the people on this team, impressing them was not an easy feat.

When they sat down, they still felt in awe. Everyone thought they couldn't beat that.

Head down, he remained motionless. "Right...We can play our sparring games later. Back to introductions. When it's your turn, stand up, state your full name, and list three facts that you can think of about yourself. It can be anything as long as it's not false. Then, like in popcorn, say someone else's name. I'll give you five minutes to think. I'm first, then Umi, you're next."

They nodded their understanding. He found a seat himself, already knowing his facts before meeting the team. He was a planner, not the spontaneous type. The only situation he would adapt a spontaneous habit for was during war and combat; they were ever changing and unpredictable circumstances, so plans were not always followed.

In five minutes, he spoke up when they looked at him. "My name is Dillon Caudry. I have an undying sense of respect for my former team leader, General Soldier Aster, because he has saved me on numerous occasions—the best of it being the transfer from Team 0-13. Some rumors about me are true, such as the fight outbreak after my victory in the Double Barrier round. I won't spare all the details, but I was harassed and accused of cheating, even by those who saw me at the Games. A general soldier might have been involved, but overall, the one fight was not that major; no blood was shed, nor was there need for a medic. It resolved before it got worse, thanks to my team, so don't get your hopes up thinking about anything grandiose."

Some faces fell at his last statement. If he was a snorter, he may have snorted. "My third fact is a warning for all of you. I am...highly sensitive, so I may shut down to hide it. As a leader, I should not act a robot, so I am working on it. Please don't think I don't care about any of you or your problems."

A mixture of astonishment, perplexity, and appreciation were writ on their features. Not all team leaders were so forthright about their personal complications, giving others a sense of inferiority and unfairness, so they could at least admire his honesty.