wow 1/4th inch thats is short. What number guard is that a five? WHen you cut it that short, do you find sometimes the hairs want to not lay flat down on the scalp. For example your first picture. the very back. Although not noticeable at all, to even hair wearers, I recognize the way the hair is jutting up slightly. That happens on my piece too sometimes in the back. I gotta keep combing that part with wax down. It sometimes wants to stick up.

U probably are cutting your system shorter than anyone. the shortest i went was one guard below 1 inch. I think it was a number six.

One day if you have an old piece, u should cut the whole thing to 1/4 inches , and see how it comes out. U might have the first semi-buzz style