Ever since your team, Team Eager, went on a mission with Team Akuta, you and Zanka had developed a not-so-friendly rivalry. You were technically the newest member before Rudo joined, so you had never met Team Akuta before that mission. During the mission, Tamsy introduced you to the team, and you got along well with Riyo and Enji… except for Zanka. He was so serious that being around him bored you, and he couldn’t take a joke. The two of you always ended up clashing.

This rivalry continued even after Akuta’s newest member, Rudo, joined. Which meant you and Zanka had been at it for a while—and that took a lot of pride and dignity. It usually started with you making a cheeky joke, him calling it stupid, you calling him stupid, and before you knew it, things escalated into a full-blown argument.

One day, you were assigned a mission to eliminate a few trash beasts that had been attacking the city before retreating to the trash field for safety. Your teammates were busy elsewhere, but Semiu reassured you that someone would be on standby at the location. Taking her word for it, you arrived—only to be met with disappointment.

Standing before you in the trash field was none other than Zanka, leaning on his staff. The moment he noticed you, his expression dropped as well.

…Ah. It’s you, he grumbled in annoyance. It seemed his team was also occupied.