Within the confines of the Exercise square, one could view the scene of fifty youths diligently tempering their bodies. Now equipped with weights as they were carrying out a myriad of exercises such as pushups, planks and squats, the youngsters were the epitome of the human adverb 'no pain, no gain'.
Sweat slid in rivers down the side of their faces. The blazing sun above did nothing to ease their torment. The trainees' uniforms were damp, almost entirely soaked in perspiration save for a few spots.
The aspiring novices wondered who the hell thought black was an appropriate colour for their uniforms. If they were to come across the person, hell would be the least of that person's worries, they silently promised in their hearts.
Standing to the side with a smile that contained all the glee in the entire world, William watched his students train with dark excitement. This was always the part of the day he most looked forward to.
Witnessing the agony on the youngsters' faces soothed his vengeful heart without fail.
This was his own form of daily therapy to recuperate from life's many difficulties.
Five days had passed since the duels had occurred and the white-haired instructor was satisfied with his trainees' progress. Of course, there was the occasional one or two who were at the bottom of the pecking order, unable to handle the extra strain he now put them through.
William was unbothered though.
If they weren't able to cope with the Training Camp, it did not equate to being unable to form a mana core. That said, most people who did not graduate from the Camp often found themselves in mundane auxiliary jobs.
The particularly lucky ones could even acquire administrative work in large corporations such as the Merchant Association or any Guild that required their services.
To the underwhelming youths who had lofty dreams, this was a fate worse than death. Every adolescent in Crelerath, whether they were a teen or approaching the age where they could form a core, dreamed of being the one to bring about a stop to the war against the Demons.
The honour and prestige that came with the title of a saviour were too good to pass up for many. Unfortunately, reality often differed from fantasy. That was why it was called reality, after all.
Still, in the white-haired man's eyes - a person who was among the sizable number of people not able to form a core - working mundane jobs was not the be-all and end-all.
In his opinion, the trainees who could not manifest a mana core should be grateful that they still lived.
After all, as long as one remained living, they had access to many opportunities. The dead, however, did not.
Besides, as long as they paid an appropriate fee and did not surpass a certain age, the opportunity to undergo the Awakening Ceremony a second time was not outside the realm of possibilities. Much more 'impossible' feats had occurred than gaining a second chance to form a core, so there was still some hope.
William shook his head and cut his musings short. He noticed the trainees' state and their apparent bone-deep fatigue, before releasing a bitter sigh.
"That's enough for today. The session has ended." He clapped his hands.
A wave of cheers so loud that William had to cover his ears for fear of going deaf, resounded. The white-haired man was tempted to state that if his trainees had enough energy to rejoice, then they hadn't worked hard enough, but ultimately refrained.
As much as he didn't like to admit it, his students deserved some rest.
William's scowl deepened at the thought. His only solace was with what he was about to reveal next.
An evil grin split his face.
The trainees paled and shivered seeing their instructor show that expression.
The Head instructor cleared his throat, his smile widening, "Listen up, I have another announcement to make."
A hush descended on the Exercise square. By now, the youths knew to pay rapt attention whenever William was making an announcement. As more often than not, it involved some sort of test or trial that they would have to face.
"After spending around twenty days in the Camp, the time has come for your missions to be given to you. These missions are there to help prepare you for the trials you will face at the end of your time here. It is of utmost importance that you give your all in these assignments."
The trainees all wore serious expressions at the mention of the trials. If they could graduate from the Training Camp, then that would give them that much-needed confidence boost before they experience the harrowing 'Awakening'.
"You will find these missions posted on the board in the centre of the Camp. The difficulty and what are you required to do are included within the posting. You will complete this assignment with your fellow cabin mates. It is on a first-come, first-serve basis so if you don't get the mission you want, that's on you. If you have any other queries, you can come and ask me. Dismissed."
The trainees shared a glance with each other, suddenly nervous now that they would have to carry out a proper mission. This would be a completely different beast than the duels and their training.
The stakes were much higher, as well. The possibility of injury and even death, if they weren't careful enough, was not low...
Hopefully, they would not end up with an insanely difficult quest… was what most of the trainees thought.
Nico glanced to his right where his two companions stood. The human and half-blood each had varying expressions.
Leon had an expressionless face that gave no clue of how he felt about the sudden revelation. Henry's pale face meanwhile, turned a little paler, as if afraid of what they would have to do in the mission.
The farmer shook his head and shifted his gaze, locking eyes with the brown-haired youth. A wry smile appeared on his face, "Try not to get injured this time."
Nico cracked a sheepish grin as an amused chuckle left his mouth. "I'll do my best."
He stared at the large throng of his fellow peers that was quickly dwindling with every passing second before he uttered with a hint of urgency in his voice, "We should get going."
If they were to get a more arduous quest just because all the simple ones had already been taken, that would leave a bitter taste in Nico's mouth.
The trio of trainees from hut three began making their way over to the Camp's centre with hurried steps.