"Alright, I'm up!" Vivian flicked her hair and strutted up to the podium on her slender heels. Her speech was so formulaic that Yuka almost yawned after listening for a bit. Luckily, Vivian left the auditorium soon after finishing, not noticing Yuka's half-asleep state.
Then, the white-haired principal appeared on the big screen, a cat cradled in his arms and a beach-floral shirt on, waving at everyone, "Hello, students!" Yuka had seen his memes on the forums and heard that the principal was a laid-back and kind old man.
"Work hard this new term, and remember, enjoying your studies is key," the principal said, glancing back at his desk, "Ah, my fresh oysters are ready, gotta go, bye!" Yuka thought to herself... 'yep, definitely laid-back.'
She lowered her head and continued to nod off.
The big screen switched back to the UUA background, and Ayoi, lowering her voice, excitedly nudged Yuka: "Admiral Kuba's here! And he's in uniform, oh my gosh, so cool!"
Yuka barely opened her eyes and looked up at the podium. Kenji, in his dark blue military uniform with four gold stars on his shoulder, looked even more imposing under the warm yellow lights of the auditorium. His features appeared sterner than when he was in casual clothes.
The previously buzzing auditorium fell silent.
"First off, on behalf of the Alliance Army, I extend my warmest greetings to all," Kenji said, placing his hands on the podium and scanning the students, "This term, I'll be teaching mecha practicals to the first-year students of the UUA Combat Department."
Someone in the back row sarcastically whispered, "Has he been demoted or something? Why else would he be teaching?"
The people around glared furiously at the speaker, and even Yuka couldn't help but turn and look.
The bald student's face turned red as he defended himself, "What? Am I wrong?"
"Some of you might wonder why I'm here teaching," Kenji continued into the microphone.
Yuka couldn't shake the feeling that he glanced her way.
"The reason is simple," Kenji's expression softened slightly, a small smile playing on his lips, "The Alliance Army needs fresh, vibrant new blood. I'm here to scout for outstanding talent among you to offer direct enlistment into the Alliance's First Legion."
It was like a drop of water in hot oil – the auditorium was silent for two seconds and then erupted into a cacophony of noise, loud enough to lift the roof.
Ayoi, red with excitement, shook Yuka's arm, "It's the First Legion! Direct enlistment into the First Legion! Oh my stars, am I dreaming?"
The Alliance Army is made up of thirteen major legions, with the First Legion, led by Kenji, being the strongest and most prestigious. This legion, primarily composed of mecha soldiers but also including individual combatants and logistical personnel, is the top dream destination for anyone wishing to enlist. However, getting into the First Legion is no small feat. It requires passing through numerous selections and having at least a second-class merit to even be considered.
But direct enlistment? That's like skipping all the tests and going straight into the First Legion upon graduation!
The students from other departments looked on with envy as the Combat Department went wild, standing up, hugging, and cheering. One of them even shouted, "Thank you, sir, we'll work hard!"
Yuka, feeling utterly overwhelmed, leaned back in her chair with an emotionless expression, watching the surrounding frenzy. 'I only find their cheering disturbing,' she thought.
"Just a moment," Kenji said curtly, and like chicks quieting at the sight of a hawk, the Combat Department students immediately ceased their screams and sat down.
Kenji adjusted the microphone and continued, "I can feel your enthusiasm. I hope you maintain this passion in your studies and don't give up halfway. And try not to doze off in class or while someone else is speaking." He glanced at Yuka as if by accident.
Yuka felt singled out.
In conclusion, Kenji said, "The future of the Alliance is both created and protected by you. Let's strive together." The applause lasted long after the ceremony ended, with many still energized by Kenji's speech, heading to the training field, ready for their first class.
Yuka checked her schedule – the first class was physical training. Turning to Ayoi, she suggested, "I want to grab something to eat, you?"
Ayoi nodded, "Yeah, gotta eat to have energy for class."
Yuka bought two giant sandwiches and a big bag of jerky. Seeing Ayoi's surprised look, she calmly explained, "I have a big appetite."
Ayoi, taking a bite of her rice ball, nodded in understanding, "My two brothers are really strong and eat a lot too. They've always been rigorous about training at home, so I've gotten quite fit by joining them. I heard the first class is a weighted cross-country. If you can't carry the weight, I can help you out."
"Thanks," Yuka said with a smile.
As they arrived at the training field, Yuka noted its distinct contrast to the regular infantry training grounds near their dorms. The class area, situated beside the school's gymnasium, was encircled by a wall of metal and stone, looking like some wasteland. Part of it was an open-air area with a sign that read 'Combat Specialization Area.'
The area designated for their class had sunshades, under which two distinct groups of students stood, clearly divided. Yuka, initially heading towards the larger group, was promptly redirected by Ayoi, who whispered, "That's for the infantry students. We mecha folks are over here."
Yuka blended in seamlessly with her group, quickly observing the differences between the two specializations. The infantry students were generally taller and more muscular, including the females, like the short-haired girl with the visibly toned abs. Yuka sighed nostalgically, recalling her past life's impressive physique.
In stark contrast, the mecha specialization students were slender, with fairer skin, exemplified by a golden-haired boy who seemed even shorter than Yuka, shyly shrinking into the crowd.
Instructor Yonda, wearing a deep blue short-sleeve shirt that accentuated his muscular chest, approached from the other end of the field, bellowing, "New students, I don't care what your specialization is, right now, line up from left to right by height, in five rows!"
His voice boomed, echoing in their ears, "Two minutes! Hurry up!"
Ayoi and Yuka, being of similar height, stood close together in the third row. Ayoi murmured, "That's Instructor Yonda. He only teaches first-year students. His nickname is 'Mastiff'."
"Why is he called that?" Yuka asked.
"Because he's tough," replied the short-haired girl from behind, "and when he gets angry, it's scary." She smiled at Yuka and Ayoi, "I'm Donny."
After Yuka and Ayoi introduced themselves, Donny's smile faded slightly, her tone turning peculiar, "Oh, so you're the pretty girl Vivian mentioned."
"Stop moving! No talking!" Yonda's shout silenced any chatter, and the students immediately straightened up.
"My name is Yonda," he began, hands clasped behind his back, pacing along the rows, "I'll be conducting your physical training classes. Let me be clear: my standards are high and strict, but because we have mecha specialization students this year, I'll slightly lower the standard."
"Oh, and one more thing," Yonda added, stroking his chin. "Your regular performance counts for half of your final grade, focusing mainly on cross-country and combat. The final exam will be an individual combat test, though we haven't decided on the location yet. Today, for our first class, let's start with something light."
He smiled mischievously, "Go grab a 25-pound weight pack from the back and run thirty laps around the training field."
"Thirty laps?!" the mecha specialization students exclaimed in shock, while the infantry side smirked, "Just thirty? Can't be serious, you guys can't even manage that?"
The mecha students glared back, secretly admitting few of them could complete the task.
Unfazed by their reaction, Yonda continued, "You have one hour. Finish within the hour for a full score. There's no extra credit for finishing early, but for every minute you're late, you lose a point."
Yuka quickly calculated that if she managed to complete the run in 110 minutes, she'd still pass with a score of 60. But to give herself some leeway for future grades, she decided to aim for finishing in 90 minutes.
After everyone strapped on their weight packs, Yonda, sitting by the track, instructed, "Leave your opticomputers here. Pick them up after you're done."
"And next time you come to my class, wear athletic or running shoes," he advised, particularly noting a mecha specialization girl in high heels, who he directed to a spare pair of shoes.
Yuka placed her opticomputer aside and instructed the butler, "Start timing when the instructor says to begin, and remind me every ten minutes."
"Understood, Master," the butler programmed himself.
Yonda's devilish grin widened as he announced, "Ready? Go!"
As he spoke, the infantry specialization students dashed off, leaving the others behind. Yuka almost joined their sprint but managed to hold back, adjusting her pace to stay in the middle-back of the group.
Ayoi caught up with Yuka, gently reminding her, "Long-distance running is more about endurance. Just focus on finishing."
Yuka nodded in agreement.
However, she hadn't anticipated that after just five laps, some mecha students would faint. By the tenth lap, most of them had slowed to a walk. After fifteen laps, fewer than ten were still running.
Yuka felt like she couldn't fake it anymore. 'How can I pretend to struggle when she wasn't even breaking a sweat? She slowed down even more, desperately thinking of a strategy.