I tied my hair into a tight ponytail, trying to shake off what had just happened in the corridor, then turned to re-enter the room. Raising my voice, I shouted, "Erika! Get up now, or Commander Raio will punish you!"
I knew she understood exactly what that meant. Erika didn't need a reminder about Commander Raio's punishments. He was notorious for his zero tolerance for lateness or slacking in any of our duties. Everyone who knew him understood that he never hesitated to enforce his rules with strictness. Even the smallest mistake could lead to severe consequences. At the Aviation Academy, his punishments were always harsh—and sometimes, unpredictable.
In an instant, Erika bolted upright, her eyes widening in panic. "What?!" she exclaimed, now fully awake. "I just needed one more second!"
"There's no time for jokes, Erika!" I shot back, already heading toward the door. "If you don't get up immediately, Commander Raio won't spare you. Move it—quickly!"
She knew there was no room for delay or excuses. Taking a deep breath, she muttered, "Got it. I'll be ready in a moment."
A sarcastic smile tugged at my lips as I stepped out of the room, listening to Erika scrambling to get ready as quickly as possible. It was amusing how she was always late in the mornings, as if she didn't fully grasp that Commander Raio had no tolerance for such things. But I knew she wouldn't dare delay any longer after my warning.
I found myself chuckling inwardly as well. There wasn't anything truly funny about the situation, but the act of threatening her helped ease some of my own tension. It felt good to keep things under control, even if there were brief moments of amusement amidst the grueling challenges.
In the end, we all had to be ready, no matter the circumstances.
I continued down the narrow corridor quickly, but suddenly, I collided with a broad figure, causing me to step back forcefully. I quickly looked up to find myself directly facing Commander Raio. He stood there, motionless, in a stance that radiated authority. His presence was unmistakable even in the dim light, his tall, well-built frame standing out in his military uniform that clung tightly to his body.
His eyes were sharp, staring at me with no expression, as though he could read my thoughts. I felt my blood race through my veins, as if I had made a serious mistake. There was no room for error, especially when it came to him.
"Where are you going at this hour?" His voice was deep, firm, and each word seemed to carry weight. His tone was calm, as usual, but it held an undeniable sharpness.
I stopped in my tracks, trying to appear composed, despite my heart pounding in my chest. "I was just on my way... to the training grounds," I answered quickly, trying to maintain my calm.
I saw a scrutinizing look in his eyes, as if he was examining every word I said. He didn't speak, but I knew without a doubt that he knew more than he was letting on.
Raio hummed thoughtfully and gave me a sharp look, as if he wanted to make sure I fully understood what he was saying. "Alright, but watch your surroundings. You're a soldier, not just some fool."
His words were firm, heavy like a stone. I felt as if they were pressing down on my chest, as though I had made a fatal mistake. Those words weren't just an instruction—they were a warning. It was clear that he would not tolerate any negligence or weakness when it came to discipline. Raio made it known that we were here to fight, and training wasn't just a task—it defined who we were.
Silence followed his words, and I tried to hide the unease creeping into me. I turned my face slightly, avoiding letting him see the tension in my eyes. "Understood, sir," I whispered, wanting to continue on my way, but his gaze remained fixed in my mind, hard to shake off.
I muttered to myself under my breath, barely audible, "Looks like he's going to take revenge on me in training today..." A hint of anger stirred deep within me, but I buried it quickly. It's not like I did anything wrong! I thought. He was standing in my way like a wall!
No matter how he stood there, with his heavy presence and imposing aura, it wasn't justification for making it seem like I had committed some great mistake. I knew that Captain Raio had his own way of handling things, but sometimes, he made everything seem harder than it really was. He watched everything, and it felt like I couldn't breathe unless it was under his watchful eye.
I felt a bit of irritation, but I tried to push those negative thoughts away. I needed to focus on what awaited me in the training yard. Whatever he had planned, I knew it wasn't going to be easy.
Saki arrived at the training field, where the place was filled with movement and noise. The ground was covered with gravel, and the high fences surrounding the field made the place look like a prison for soldiers undergoing harsh training. The atmosphere was charged with tension, especially since today called for more than just a routine exercise.
Saki could see the soldiers gathering in lines, preparing to execute the task ahead. Raio stood several meters away at the far end of the field, his sharp eyes watching everyone closely, his serious face betraying no emotions. He wore a stern expression, as if he were testing each one of us from the moment we arrived, making sure we were all ready for the toughest challenge of our careers.
She walked across the field with steady steps, her eyes never leaving her commander, who was no doubt watching everyone's movements. Erika was behind her, stumbling in her steps due to her delay in preparation, but Saki wasn't about to make any excuses for her.
Saki stood in line with the soldiers, her silver necklace swinging around her neck, as Raio began speaking in his deep voice that filled the field.
"Today, there will be no room for mistakes. You will fight not only against an environment full of dangers but against yourselves as well. The goal is to survive and achieve the objective as quickly as possible. You will judge yourselves by your actions."
Saki smirked cynically inside. Here he was, repeating his usual speech again... but she knew that behind these words lay a real challenge. Raio wouldn't be the commander he was without a reason.
As Saki stood in line, she felt movement beside her. She turned to find Kairo and Raine standing next to her, both in a ready stance. There wasn't much communication between them, just fellow trainees. They stood in the same place, but each of them was focused on what would happen in the next few moments.
Kairo stood firm, his eyes focused on Raio, who had begun speaking. As for Raine, he was observing the situation with a tense gaze, though he was trying to hide it.
There was no conversation between the three of them, just a heavy silence that filled the air, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Their eyes would occasionally meet, but it was clear that each one of them was more focused on the upcoming training than anything else.
Finally, Raio fell silent as he began outlining the task that would face them today, and that was enough to make them all feel the rising tension.
Suddenly, the giant screens scattered across the training field powered on, displaying the details of the mission they would face today. The images showed the complex terrain of the training forest, with clear markers for hazardous areas such as deep water channels, scattered rocks, and traps that could catch any unexpected movement.
The screens also showed the unmanned attack drones that would be hunting them in the sky. The drone flight paths were displayed, along with the time it would take for them to reach specific points. A countdown clock appeared on the screens, heightening the tension in the air. Everyone knew that time would be the biggest challenge in this mission.
Raio stood in front of the screens, carefully observing everyone. His hand moved between the buttons to display further details before he looked up and spoke in a deep voice, "Today's objective is teamwork. Move fast, stay in sync. Any mistake will cost you dearly."
The images on the screens now showed the movement patterns the team would need to follow. The path they should take to avoid the drones, the places they should hide, and the areas that contained equipment they needed to secure.
The instructions were being passed quickly, with the screens showing everything the soldiers needed to know. Everyone was now preparing to enter the complex environment that would test both their physical and mental abilities.