Today was another day. It was the first day of training for the new recruits. Adam had woken up earlier than others to complete his daily quests on time before morning drills as stated by the academy's punishment bureau.
The deafening sound of the dorm bell drove the cadets who were asleep into a crazy state to wake them up. It was ear-piercing to everyone except Adam, who had alot of resistance to such things.
"All cadet recruits, move to drill site G for morning drills ASAP. Any late coming by cadetswould result to a drill penalty given by the drill instructor in-charge."
Adam didn't care about whatthat person anouncing those shit said in the end as he had already reached the training site. He was suprisingly the first person, which made the instructor notice him.
Sergent Otto Heim looked at Adam with a scrutinising gaze. He felt this kid was a little off from normal. 'This kid looks like someone who dosen't care about his life or death. It's as if he's running away from something, or someone. Like he feels suffocated when he sees people. What is he really? I feel a lot of pressure from this guy!'
Otto didn't know howto answer hisown questions, so he decided to keep everything to himself. Many cadets reached the training site before the thirty minutes countdown was over. While the late cadets were taken to another training site for a crushingly hard to complete exercise.
"All of you, Cadets know me already, so I'll skip the introduction. Your exercise today will be a four level compound drill, which is the minimum it could get with me as the instructor. The first level would be for you to run a twelve kilometer distance through the forest with the tree clusters being your obstacle. The second level is for you to pass the heat zone which I believe is not difficult. The third is for all cadets to cross the mountains and rocky hills with your own capabilities. And lastly, You all are to swim pass the twenty feet deep pond and return back to this site."
"That's going to be piece of cake!"
"Our bodies are genetically advanced, and we also have people with superior genes and special awakened abilities. This is a sweet pie."
While others were ranting about how simple the drill was going to be, Adamhad received a quest from the system. A quest that best explains the real deal.
<Quest>
<Complete all training level without any ability>
<Reward: Level up, New skill(rare), Awakening rank upgrade, Access to potion store>
<Punishment: -20 from strength for four hours, Demerits>
<Accept><Reject>
"Great! now it seems more difficult and interesting to play. I accept this quest. Let's go with the flow then."
Adamsaid as he clenched his fist in determination. Although he seemed strong-willed and cold outside,he was warm and timid inside. You could the emotions of his anonymous and notorious inner-demon has always been in control since he awakened his ability.
"Cough cough! You all are not permitted to use special abilities. And you all would be strapped with seventy kilogram net weight straps all over your body during the drill."
Sergent Otto's last statement was like cold water. They now felt the gravity of the drill. They were now quiet and wore their weight straps on their body parts. The seventy kilogram mass of the weigh strap would seem normal if on earth worth the total of seven hundred newtons, but on this planet called White snow island, it weight a thousand or more newtons, which was less exagerated than its actual value.
Adam wasn't part of the crowed for three minutes now and nobody noticed him leave except Sergent Otto, who felt the pressure disappear immediately as he left. He had crossed two kilometers in three minutes, which was already crazy if other cadets found out.
Suddenly, Adam heard souds of mechanism beneath the ground after reaching a distance of four kilometers. He had been right all this time when he suspected the Head trainer during the briefing. Steel arrows shot from directions parallel to his route of travel, converging on him like a crazy hordes of mini killing agents.
"That Otto guy is really depicable to not warn anybody about the trap mechanism. No wonder he said 'trees as obstacles' and not 'trees as the only obstacle'. Good thing I have a very reliable perception, or else I would be disqualified."
Adam wasn't angry at Sergent Otto for his petty means. He was actually excited for what lying in wait up-front. This was going to be thrilling to play.
Other Cadets reached the four kilometer mark an hour after Adam only to face the extreme fire of these steel arrows. Many cadets were injured by the arrows, but none died because of humans augmented genes which gave both gender good builds and strong bodies.
Adam had reached the end of the forest and entered the heat zone. One hour was enough for him to reach the middle of the heat-zone. This place was extremely hot and unbearable for Adam. His stamina was depleting already and he could hardly pass.
<Stamina: 40% remaining>
<Energy: 62% left>
<Fatigue: 69% accumulated>
Adam figured out that others would feel less than this if they were here because a lot of people would share the burden here. But he was not the type to work with anybody. He preferred going solo in his games. He even regretted playing the 'team guy' during his VR game the previous day.
"You think I will give up just because I'm going solo? Never! My life has been solountil those two came. I depended on them. Butthey died in the end. Why shouldn'tI play solo? I don't need partners in this shit. Never! Urgh!!"
Adam continued to hold his ground as he passed the heat-zone. He didn't care about the energy/stamina depletion warning anymoreand his fstigue was skyrocketing like never.
"Urgh! I'm no trash like those meatbags! I'm a legend! I am royal! Don't make feel...worthless! Ahhhh!"
Adam gave his all during this period when he knew there no turning back any longer. He had made a decisive choice today that he must, shall and will follow to the end. What effect would this decision cause in the future? It is still early to be seen.