บท 21: Training

Location: External Base

POV: Kyle's

Mackensen stayed back to draw up war plans together with the general staff, It was only me and the Hauptmann of the golden skulls. ''Say, Hauptmann what is your name? I have kept calling you Hauptmann.'' I said while he drove the car down towards the drill grounds. ''I have no name sir, I was born as an orphan, I had to fight in the streets for bread and flee the police. They called me a red hand, as I would always leave a bloody handprint on the area I robbed.

Afterwards, I was recruited into the SS, I hated their ideals of being supreme, so when Rudolf contacted me for a job transfer I immediately agreed. To be Honest, I didn't expect much, but when I saw what was being built, and that Panther over there I was convinced sir, you are a gift sent by the gods to guide Humanity! The might and willingness, the technological advancements there are too many to count!'' Hauptmann almost shouted, before continuing:'' If the Marshall wants just call me by my code, the code given to each skull. My number is Zero, as I was the first one to join.'' 'Zero is a good name' I thought to myself. ''Okay Zero, I will call you that from now on,'' I said.

The car stopped at the entrance of the drill grounds, Zero exited the car and handed over his Black card to the white skull. ''All is in order, Please enter. IN THE MARSHALL WE TRUST!'' The white skull shouted as we passed by. ''What is it with soldiers saying that?'' I ask Zero. He replied in his ever continuing serious tone:'' They say it because they mean it, we place our fate in your hands, we entrust you our lives. God has sent you here, so our trust is now on you instead of God.''

As we walked further towards the training camp the more shouts we hear. But not only that, we see a soldier on a brancard every 10 seconds. Zero replied to my probing gaze,'' The training schedule is very harsh, only the elite of the elite can make it. The top scorers will get placed into silver skull squads, Black skull squads and the lowest ranking gets placed in white skull squads. from the 1000 people, we carefully select each month only 10 will make it into the silver squads and only 100 in the Black skull squads.

The other 500 die or get to injured to continue and 200 or so people get to be transferred to the white skulls. Making the White skulls the most abundant type of soldier, but after a few battlefields, they can get promoted to black skulls. About 1 out of every 5 people die in our training program. It is deadly. But we Gold skulls... We went through something even worse than this,...'' Zero started to shiver when he thought back to his training days. ''Compare my training to this is like comparing gold with iron.''

''Zero, go tell the instructor that another recruit has joined'' I said with a smile.''As you wish Marshall.'' Zero replied with a peculiar expression on his face. He walked over to the instructor to inform him, I already took off my obvious clothing and weaponry, I currently only have basic army fatigues and a bag prepared beforehand with the necessary equipment. The instructor turned around to check me out, in the sense if I am good soldier material, ''GET A MOVE ON MAGGOT, YOU ARE THE SLOWEST PERSON I HAVE EVER SEEN, MY GRANDMA EVEN WALKS FASTER, AND SHE IS DEAD!'' The instructor screamed at me as I walked towards the queue. ''ARE YOU A MAGGOT PRIVATE? ARE YOU?'' He screamed again,''No sir'' I replied, ''I CAN'T HEAR YOU!'' He screamed. ''SIR NO SIR!'' I screamed as well. He nodded in satisfaction.

''NOW LISTEN UP MEN, OR GIRLS AS I SHOULD CALL, SINCE YOU ALL, LOOK LIKE THEM, NO MUSCLE ALMOST!'' The instructor started to berate the recruits. ''THIS IS THE ELITE OF THE ELITE, NOTHING IS MORE PRESTIGIOUS THAN ENTERING OUR ORGANISATION, BUT CAN YOU MAGGOTS MAKE IT?'' He continued a speech on how great the Organisation was and blablabla,' I am getting bored with this.' But when he started to give details on the training did I finally take it seriously, forced march with 50 kilograms, run 20 kilometres, 10 sets of maximum pushups, pullups, situps for 60 seconds each set. 50 squads with 50 kilograms, 4 sets. the more the instructor continued the more pressure I got. 'What is this absurd training, only 1 in a 100,000 can do this kind of training!' And this for only one day.....

I did the exercises together with the recruits, I was the only one being able to complete them, but afterwards, I was almost dead inside. I followed the men into the barracks. ''Damn bro, you a beast, being able to complete this kind of training, what did you do with your childhood?!?'' all kinds of compliments come from the other recruits. I skipped Dinner and just went straight to sleeping. at 6 am in the morning did I leave the Barracks to meet with Rudolf. I talked about buying the materials on credit he found it a great idea, so I tasked him to incorporate it into the plan.

''This will take another 2 days to incorporate it, Kyle, afterwards, we can start operation Citadel on your command. I have also booked a trip for you on the Hindenburg, from Munich to London, your flight will leave in one week time.'' Rudolf said. ''Thank you, Rudolf, I owe you a lot, but now is the time to prepare, I will start a second base in Norway, get the required personnel ready for transfer when I have found a suitable location.'' I stood up and started to head back to the barracks. Rudolf was deep in thought when I left.

I continued my training, sadly I only improved partially on the endurance stat over the past week, another training was mostly useless. Due to gaining the Japanese martial art skill did all my attributes rise exponentially. Only endurance was a bit lacking.

Zero arrived at the drill grounds, ''Marshall we need to head towards the landing zone for the Hindenburg!'' I stopped training and walked towards zero, ''PRIVATE WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING?!? GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!'' The Instructor screamed. Zero quickly used the organization code through signs, that they learned from Rudolf. ''Thank you, Instructor, continue with this, and we will have mighty fine soldiers,'' I said before entering the car. All blood left the instructors to face, but he still saluted: ''IN THE MARSHALL WE TRUST!'' Before heading off towards the other recruits.

''How was this training Sir?'' Zero asked curiously, ''It was pretty good, I improved my endurance, but that is it, so in the end pretty useless for me, but very good for finding diamonds in the rough.'' I replied while putting on my wanderer's clothing again and equipping my equipment. ''Let's head off Zero, we have a long road ahead of us.'' I said while starring off in the distance,''Yes sir, we do indeed.'' Zero replied as he stepped on the gas.