As the fifteen students settled into their teams, the air was thick with anticipation and nervous energy. They'd barely scratched the surface of what lay ahead, and each team was dealing with the unknown in its way.
Team 1 gathered in a loose circle, leaning in as In-su, their natural leader, took charge. Tae-young sat back with his arms crossed, exuding a confident, almost indifferent aura. Kyu was silent as ever, his focused gaze flickering over his teammates, while Hana and Chin-hwa leaned in, paying close attention to In-su's strategy. Despite the gravity of the situation, Team 1's planning session was relatively relaxed, almost casual.
"Look," In-su began, folding his hands in front of him. "We don't know what's coming, and honestly, there's no use over-planning if we're stepping into the unknown. We'll be flexible—assess the situation as it unfolds, and go from there."
Tae-young smirked, clearly on board with this approach.
"Works for me. I'd rather not waste time on hypotheticals."
In-su nodded, appreciating the alignment.
"Exactly. We know each other's strengths, and that's all we need for now. We react on instinct and adjust as we go. Stay sharp, stay adaptable."
Hana glanced around, nodding with a small, determined smile. She liked the simplicity of In-su's approach; it felt like they were a team already. Kyu offered a subtle nod, and Chin-hwa, though generally talkative, seemed to find a sense of calm in their go-with-the-flow mindset. With In-su calling the shots, Team 1 felt ready—or as ready as they could be.
Meanwhile, Team 2's discussion was more intense, with Joon-ho at the centre, his voice strong and direct.
"We don't know what's coming, but that doesn't mean we go in blind. We'll stick to a basic formation and adjust based on what we see. Baek-hyeon, you'll stay at the back, and Min-jae, you'll work with Soo-jin to cover the front."
Soo-jin nodded thoughtfully, running through potential scenarios in her mind. Jin-kyong, who typically preferred a more laid-back approach, seemed to be weighing Joon-ho's strategy with a serious expression. There was an unspoken understanding here, a desire to be prepared for anything, and Joon-ho's confidence seemed to instil a quiet resolve in his teammates.
Baek-hyeon, though still nursing a bit of lingering tension from earlier conflicts, gave a short nod.
"Sounds good. I work as told."
"We work for real this time," Min-jae, no longer a bad guy as portrayed before, agreed.
They might not be best friends, but their shared objective was enough to unite them for now.
Finally, Team 3 was deep in discussion as well, though their approach was more collaborative. Kang-dae, ever the gentle giant, listened intently as each team member offered input. Kyung-mi, usually reserved, surprised the others by suggesting a plan.
"I think we should stick close, and work as a single unit," he said, glancing at his teammates. "We don't have to overcomplicate things. Just watch each other's backs."
"And let's assign signals for when we spot anything out of the ordinary. A quick tap on the shoulder or a hand sign. Just something subtle," Hyun-ae chimed in.
Sang-hee, ever the observer, nodded approvingly.
"Makes sense. If we stay close and keep communication tight, we can react to whatever comes our way."
Hi-ah, the newest and perhaps the quietest among them, gave a small nod. She was still finding her place, but the solidarity within Team 3 was reassuring. Despite their different personalities, they felt like a team, and that was enough.
With their plans—or lack thereof—in place, the teams settled back, each group brimming with a distinct sense of readiness. They may not have known exactly what was in store, but as they looked at one another, there was a shared understanding that whatever came, they'd face it head-on.
The students gathered at the starting line, buzzing with anticipation as they listened to the instructors' final briefing. Just as they were about to set off, Tae-young raised a hand with a confident smirk.
"So, what do we get for winning this?" he called out, his question punctuated with a playful grin.
Instructor Ji-woo raised an eyebrow, exchanging a glance with the other instructors before answering, "Let's just say… the winners will enjoy a luxury lunch. Think about that while the rest of you might get something that makes this morning's meal look gourmet."
A murmur of excitement rippled through the group. Some students glanced at each other, already visualizing the spread of a hearty, flavorful meal—anything to wipe away the memory of that bland breakfast. A few smirked, while others looked more resolute, the idea of a real prize igniting their determination.
"So, it's a food fight then," Tae-young said, nudging In-su with a chuckle. "Guess it's time to eat for real!"
In-su shot him a competitive look, then shrugged, matching Tae-young's confidence. "Hope you're up for it. We're not about to let you hog all the good stuff."
With the prize firmly in mind, the instructors gave the signal, and the students took off. They started at a controlled pace, conserving their energy, but beneath their steady strides, excitement simmered. Tae-young surged forward, determined to prove his self-assurance, pulling ahead as if to set the standard. In his wake, In-su and Chin-hwa maintained disciplined strides, pacing themselves but not letting Tae-young out of sight.
As they rounded the first bend, the path wound down a hill, where the dappled morning sunlight filtered through the trees, casting a golden glow on the trail. Nature seemed alive around them, with birds darting across branches and the rustle of leaves adding an undertone of energy to their steps.
Markers had been set up along the way, guiding them through a well-planned course mapped by their instructors to test both physical stamina and mental sharpness. It was clear that this wasn't just a straightforward race—obstacles awaited, scattered strategically to push them to their limits. The path twisted and narrowed, and some of the boys took risks, leaping over rocks and weaving through tree gaps to get ahead.
The girls, too, had picked up the pace, watching each other's backs for any sudden obstacles. Hana was at the forefront, her mind sharpened with a new sense of purpose. Her earlier misstep was still on her mind, and she wasn't about to let anyone outdo her this time.
As they reached the course's first incline, muscles tensed and lungs worked harder, but the drive for the reward spurred them forward. They all knew that the real trials were yet to come and that this was just the beginning. Their instructors' warning that "hell" would be unfolding today was becoming more real with each step.
The group walked in near-silence, the morning sun casting long shadows across the training grounds as the instructors led them deeper into the complex. The air around them was tense but charged with anticipation. This was the start of the real test, and each step closer seemed to heighten the stakes, as though with every stride, they were leaving behind a familiar world and entering something entirely unknown.
Finally, they came to a halt in front of a towering structure—a high, rugged wall lined with ropes, footholds, and various challenges that seemed purpose-built to test every muscle, every ounce of balance and endurance they possessed. The wall loomed above them, and at its summit, faintly visible, were flags marking the finish.
"Whoa…" Min-jae muttered under his breath, tilting his head back to take in the sheer height of it. The challenge was clear: they would have to scale this wall, one way or another.
Jin-kyong let out a low whistle.
"That's… not exactly what I expected," she said, a mix of awe and dread flickering in her eyes.
Beside her, Soo-jin cracked her knuckles, a confident smirk on her face.
"Well, guess it's time to see if they were serious about this whole 'no mercy' thing."
Instructors Seung-hyun and Min-ji stepped forward, their expressions unreadable. The students are also a bit surprised, to see how quickly they got there like.
"This is your first task," Instructor Seung-hyun announced his tone as flat and firm as stone. "No shortcuts, no easy paths. Each of you will face this alone, but remember—there's a reason you're here as a team. You may rely on each other as needed, but in the end, you'll need to find your way up."
Instructor Min-ji added.
"This wall is not just an obstacle—it's a lesson. To climb it, you'll need more than strength. You'll need strategy, resilience, and above all, trust in your abilities."
The students exchanged glances, sizing up the wall and, perhaps more importantly, each other. Here, in the presence of their instructors and the towering wall that seemed to mock their uncertainties, they felt the first true weight of what this training would demand of them.
Kyu glanced at his teammates, then back at the wall.
"Guess we're really in it now."
With one last look at the wall, the students braced themselves, knowing that this was just the beginning of what awaited them. And as they stood there, poised at the foot of this impossible-looking wall, the chapter closed on the cusp of their first true trial—a moment suspended between hesitation and grit, as each of them prepared to face the climb ahead.