I went down to the cadet quarters of squad 5 only to be met with a pile of bodies of my comrades in exhaustion and gasping for breath.
"IS THAT ALL YOU GOT OR DO I HAVE TO KNOCK YOU DUMBASSES EVEN MORE!"
As I looked in the direction of the voice I was astonished to see a middle-aged man holding a wooden sword heading towards the pile of soldiers he gave a terrifying look which made most of the cadets stiffen as he glanced towards me, and he was taller than I expected he wore the same as the commander but the only difference is that instead of having gold stars on his coat he has golden skulls on the top of his shoulder I looked at him in awe as he brushed his short dark-brown hair, he glanced at me and moved toward me his figure towering over me.
"What's your name kid?"
"Modred"
"You're the new cadet, I guess I must introduce myself I'm Bran the captain of squad five but I like to call it the shadow striders."
He looked at me with a playful smile, he went to the other cadets took a wooden sword, threw it to me, and gestured to me to attack him.
"Let's see what you got kid if you're worthy of becoming a strider."
The other cadets withdrew to the sidelines, watching us from a distance. They all looked in silence, hoping to learn something from the mock battle. He drew a circle around himself and looked at me with a smirk.
"The challenge is that if you can make me move out of this circle then you win, simple as that."
Was he looking down at me? All that I was thinking at the moment was to beat that smug face of his to a pulp he reminded me of an arrogant bastard who I came to despise.
With a sly smirk, he tilted his head slightly and extended his hand, curling one finger in a smooth, beckoning motion that spoke of quiet confidence, I then put my swords down and looked at him gripping the wooden sword hard. I dashed towards him with enough force only for my attack to be parried my sword with ease, I again went towards him in force forming an after image which surprised him and I attacked him at his legs while the after image distracted him but to my surprise he easily caught up with me and again parried my attack.
"Damn, kid you're better than most of the cadets here."
He looked up, and he saw Emily looking at him with a grumpy look while pointing at the clock. I saw his face turn pale. He gave a sigh while holding his temples.
"Unfortunately kid I've got to attend an important meeting and I'm behind schedule let's end this quickly."
"WHAT DID YOU SAY OLD MAN!"
I burnt in anger as I looked at him as he looked down at me, my emotions got the better of me, and I dashed him once more but this time unknowingly I used some mana which surprised him at first but still he smiled which angered me even more. As my blade came hurling toward him, he barely moved. With a flick of his wrist, his sword met the attack in a sharp, ringing clash, redirecting the strike effortlessly. The momentum carried me off-balance just enough. Before I could recover he lunged forward, a blur of precision, driving his fist into my gut with a bone-rattling force. I staggered back, gasping, while he stood motionless in the circle, his stance unbroken, his eyes cold as steel
"You're great kid but you got to control that temper of yours or it will cost both you and your comrades on the battlefield."
I was barely clinging to my senses after the blow he gave me to the gut, he approached me with a smile.
"Congrats kid you are officially are a strider, even though you weren't able to beat me but I see potential in you."
"Screw you old man-n-n-n...…."
I collapsed on the ground, well damn this guy truly deserved to be called captain, he looked at my weak body and he laughed uncontrollably he then gestured the other cadets toward him.
"Take him to the infirmary when he wakes up take him to his designated dorm and show him around."
"Yes sir."
With that he turned and left towards the building, in which he finally entered the commander's office meeting with Emily and three other people.
"You're late dumbass!"
Emily then gave him a knock on the head which made him moan in pain, as he wanted to return the hit at her the commander finally spoke.
"Enough you two, it's time we finally get this meeting started."