"What is the name of your father?" Gray said, looking at the boy.
"I don't know his name. I have never seen him since I was born," the boy responded, chewing the meat.
"What do you mean by that? Didn't your mother ever mention his name?" Gray retorted, frowning slightly.
"No," the boy said, pausing and staring at Lieutenant Gray.
The six soldiers turned toward Gray's direction in shock, hearing how the boy responded.
"It's time to separate the recruits and dispatch them to where they need to be," Gray said, standing up after slightly gazing at his black wristwatch.
…
"Of the twenty-one recruits gathered here right now, only eleven will be rookie soldiers."
"As I said earlier, it wasn't necessary to surpass one minute in this test. Just be on your feet, and then I will mold you into soldiers." Gray's voice echoed through the silent courtyard as he pointed toward all those who collapsed at exactly one minute.
"For the remaining ten that managed to surpass the time, you will be classified under the military skill grade E and will have the inscription 'Awakened' on your tags. Don't let that boost you to engage in fights above you. You'll die if you try."
Some had proud smiles. There were also those who didn't want to be there, but Gray's threat not to hide their strength had ended up making them give their all.
"You now have to choose. You can live in your homes or in the barracks. But be here before the sun rises. No delays. UNDERSTOOD?"
"UNDERSTOOD, LIEUTENANT GRAY!" they all shouted, even louder than Gray's own.
"What you went through is just the surface training. The actual and real training begins in two days. You're dismissed!" Gray said, turning toward the four soldiers.
After turning back to the young men's and women's angle, no one was there except Kai and the lady with white hair and a thick body.
"Follow them," he said, tapping on the shoulders of the junior soldier and the three senior soldiers.
Reaching the exit door, Gray paused and turned.
"Kai, you won't train with the others. I will train you personally. I'll be in the courtyard as soon as the sun rises tomorrow," he said, smiling shallowly.
…
The rest of the day passed like air. Kai and the lady were given their separate rooms. Kai didn't stay idle in the room.
He walked all over the small room, moving from angle to angle. It had a bed, a wooden chair—longer than his height—a wardrobe, and a table. There was also a book with all the rules and things a soldier should do there.
After reading it, Kai quickly lay down to sleep but saw the shadows he hadn't been seeing during the test now moving around him. He fell asleep without knowing he was sleeping.
When he opened his eyes, it was still night but starting to lighten. For some reason, that was the same time he had always been waking up since he was little and under his mother's care.
He moved from his bed, entered the small bathroom, and took a quick bath. Then he left the room quickly and sat on the courtyard floor, waiting for Gray to arrive.
After about an hour, heavy footsteps finally broke the silence.
Kai opened his eyes and saw Gray already in front of him, holding two wooden sticks shaped in the form of daggers. He handed one to Kai and kept the other to himself.
"Hmm, you arrived earlier than I expected. It's good to be excited and also start like this," Gray said, brushing his hand through the boy's black and blue hair.
"I'll tell you how we're going to start. Usually, I start by training the bodies of new soldiers, but for you, you will go beyond that."
"I don't know exactly how you have that ridiculous strength. Were you born like this?" Gray asked curiously.
"Mm, actually no. But ever since I was born, I've been seeing shadows everywhere and glows around everyone I lay my eyes on. Like here, for example, I see seven shadows—slightly like humans—dancing around you. And I see a glow around you as well. I don't know what they are, but I've always commanded them, and then one day I suddenly became stronger, enough to carry my mother's body."
Kai spoke sincerely about what happened, pointing to various shadows present, hoping Gray would know something about them.
"Shadows and glow around humans?" Gray asked, confused, seeing nothing as he turned around.
"Yes, I've always seen them, but I don't know what they could be. Do you know? Also, my eyes, do you know that as well?"
"No… I have no idea what those things are. But the eyes—I have only seen heavenly beings having blue eyes and monsters having red eyes," Gray said with great sympathy.
"I only know of ways to get stronger. One is to train your muscles to the limit. The other is to use a martial arts technique to temper the body and become a good martial artist."
"For the second, only a few people have the courage and will for it, but I know you'll definitely master it with ease. That's the main reason why I chose to test your strength before letting you join the recruitment. If you'd failed, I would have just made you go back home," Gray said excitedly.
Kai wasn't fully getting what Gray meant but became happy as he understood it was to make him stronger.
"Alright, enough of the talking. Let's start. Attack me," Gray said, extending both hands.
Kai hesitated, staring at Gray before speeding toward him, but when Gray looked at the speed and stamina the boy was moving with, he became extremely surprised.
Gray raised his stick, blocking the attack and sending Kai flying meters away. He shook his trembling hand the moment the boy straightened himself.
Although still surprised, Gray frowned. He approached Kai slowly until he was just an inch beside him. Kai thought Gray was going to praise the stance and the strike. But he was wrong.