"The type of gun I make can end up at a different grade from the one Priscilla or Veda makes," Ezra said.
Gena stood up and brushed the dust from her back, rolling her shoulders as she stretched.
"I know about grading," she replied. "While you were sleeping like a dead man in the infirmary, we had our last classes with Teacher Freya. Gun grading was part of it."
She lifted her arms and stretched again, joints popping lightly.
"She said the same gun can be made in ten grades."
She counted them out with her fingers.
"Ninth Grade.
Eighth Grade.
Seventh Grade.
Sixth Grade.
Fifth Grade.
Fourth Grade.
Third Grade.
Second Grade.
First Grade.
And… Zero Grade."
Gena rested one hand on her waist and waved the other as she spoke.
"She mostly talked about how we should treat formulas seriously and stuff like that." She sighed. "It was too much for me, so I slept through almost the whole class."
Ezra stared at her without blinking.
"As expected of you."
"Huh?!"
"You've rested enough," Ezra said, already moving. He wrapped a thick rope around his waist. The other end was strapped tightly to a massive sandbag—three hundred kilograms.
"We're jogging with this," he said, gripping the rope.
Gena's eyes slowly dropped from his face to the sandbag.
Then back up.
Her mouth opened. Tears welled instantly.
Before she could scream…
"Eh, that looks tough."
The voice came softly from behind.
Gena jumped and spun around.
Vera stood there with Nina beside her.
"Lady Vera!" Gena yelped and immediately dashed behind Ezra, hiding like a scared animal.
"What are you two doing?" Vera asked calmly, her hands behind her back.
"That's what I should be asking you," Ezra replied flatly.
"Hey!" Nina snapped, stepping forward. "My Lady asked you a question, and you ignore her? Just because she left you to Lady Pamela, you think you can talk however you want?"
She pointed straight at him.
Vera watched the scene with clear amusement, eyes moving between Ezra, Gena, and Nina standing protectively in front of her.
"Come on," Vera said lightly. "You heard her."
Ezra stared at her for a moment, then sighed.
"Well, as you can see." He pointed at the sandbags and scattered training equipment. "We're training."
The tone was flat. The meaning, clear.
Isn't it obvious?
Vera smiled faintly, her eyes saying I don't care.
"I'm here to train too," she replied. "With my kids, as always. Thanks for asking, by the way."
I didn't ask.
Ezra blinked.
"Aren't you supposed to be with your group?" Vera stepped closer, leaning in slightly. "Why are you alone, cheating on me with another girl?"
She smiled.
Gena shrank further behind Ezra.
"What do you mean…" Ezra started.
Vera placed a finger on his lips.
"Sheesh."
She held it there for a few seconds before pulling away, then turned to Gena.
"I see," she said softly. "A boy and a girl training together when no one else is."
She wiped an imaginary tear and turned to Nina.
"You know, Nina," she said, holding her shoulders, "I confessed to him. Gave him my heart. And he cruelly rejected me, saying he wanted to focus on surviving."
She dramatically collapsed to the floor.
"And now look at him."
"My Lady!" Nina rushed forward and grabbed Vera's arms, holding her tightly as if she might collapse at any moment. Her face flushed red, more from shock than effort. She turned sharply and glared at Ezra, eyes burning.
"You bastard! How dare you!" she barked, then snapped her head toward Gena. "And you… you bitch hiding behind his back, come out and show your face! Stop using him as a shield…"
She froze mid-sentence.
Her eyes narrowed.
"…Wait. You look familiar."
Her thoughts clicked together too fast.
She turned stiffly toward Vera.
"Wait, Lady Vera."
"Yes?" Vera answered calmly.
Nina swallowed. "You just said… you confessed to your fiancé's killer?"
Her voice cracked at the end.
"What if I did?" Vera replied, tone casual, as if she had just admitted to borrowing sugar.
"Ehhhh?!"
Something inside Nina snapped.
Her eyes went blank. Her mouth opened but no sound came out. It was like her brain had tripped over its own thoughts and fallen down a staircase.
"My Lady… actually confessed… to a random Lowline…"
Smoke might as well have been coming out of her ears.
"Hehe." Vera laughed softly. "She blanked out."
She bent down, slipped one arm under Nina's knees and the other behind her back, lifting her effortlessly. Nina didn't resist. She was completely gone.
Vera straightened and glanced back at Ezra and Gena, both frozen where they stood.
"What?" she asked, tilting her head to the right. Her eyes were clear, innocent. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Ezra finally snapped out of it.
"Why would you say something like that?" he asked, irritation clear on his face.
Vera's eyes sharpened instantly.
"Are you questioning me, idiot?" she shot back.
Ezra didn't back down. "Who are you calling an idiot, and, even, why?"
"I can call you that," Vera replied without missing a beat, "because you are one."
She turned away, lips curving slightly, clearly satisfied with herself.
"Carry on with your training."
Ezra clenched his jaw.
"This crazy girl…" he muttered under his breath. "I swear, I'll never get used to her."
"Wow." Gena smiled brightly, eyes sparkling. "It's fun watching Lady Vera tease you."
Ezra flicked her forehead.
"Ow!"
"Quiet," he said. "And get ready. Back to training."
Before she could protest, he wrapped the rope around her waist and tightened it. The other end was already fixed to the sandbag behind her.
"Nooooo!" Gena screamed, her knees going weak. "How many rounds?!"
"Fifteen."
Ezra cracked his fingers one by one.
Gena laughed weakly, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "Damn you!!!"
She started jogging.
The sandbag jerked hard, yanking her backward. She stumbled after two steps and crashed onto the ground.
"Ouch."
She lay there for a second, then lifted her head and looked at Ezra with watery, puppy-like eyes.
"It's just fifty kilograms," Ezra said flatly, staring down at her. "Why are you being so dramatic? Even normal people can handle this, let alone someone awakened."
He sighed and shook his head.
Gena pushed herself up, brushing dirt off her knees, her expression stubborn.
"I can do it," she said. "I just didn't expect it to feel like this."
She hopped in place twice, took a deep breath, then ran again.
The rope stretched tight. The sandbag dragged behind her, carving shallow lines in the dirt. Her veins stood out, shoulders trembling, breath coming in harsh bursts.
Ezra followed behind her, keeping the same pace. His breathing was heavier than normal, but he didn't complain or show it.
"You know," he said, watching her form, "you can reinforce your body with Cognis to help you."
He frowned slightly.
Shouldn't her physical level have risen after awakening?
"Maybe I should use that to build a training plan for her," he muttered quietly.
Gena glanced back at him. His face was tense, eyes distant.
What's he thinking so hard about?
Her legs burned. Her lungs felt like fire.
This is getting really hard…
She looked around the yard, panting, and realized something that made her heart sink.
They hadn't even gone that far from where they started.
Ahhhhhhh!
Gena screamed inside her head, the sound sharp and desperate, but she didn't slow down. Her legs shook, her breath burned, yet she kept moving. Stopping was not an option. Not now. Not in front of him.
Ezra stayed right behind her, close enough to see the strain in her shoulders and the uneven pull of the rope. His eyes, however, were distant. His mind had already drifted elsewhere.
If I'm going to help her properly…
His thoughts tangled as he ran.
If I use my ability, but, how should I even apply it? It only shows me knowledge gained through experience. And I doubt there's any recorded experience on how to train a spoiled rich girl's daughter from scratch.
The thought almost made him laugh.
Inside his mind, the familiar space opened.
The Book of Shard Memories appeared quietly, floating in the dark like it always did. Ezra's gaze sharpened as he scanned through it. Pages flipped on their own, revealing fragments—knowledge about exercise, body control, early training methods, simple routines meant for beginners.
Something like this… something that fits her pace.
Then…
A scene forced itself forward.
His breath caught.
A woman appeared in his mind. She wore soldier training clothes, plain and worn. Her posture was straight, movements sharp and clean. Ezra couldn't see her face clearly, no matter how hard he tried.
But he knew her.
She was the woman he remembered.
The one assaulted by the terrorists.
The memory didn't linger on pain or fear. Instead, it shifted. It showed structure. Discipline. A method built from the ground up.
And suddenly, it clicked.
This is it.
The perfect training guide for Gena.
***
The first stage focuses on posture and basic movement. Standing correctly. Walking without dragging the feet. Holding simple positions. These train awareness of the body before strength is even considered.
Short wall holds, light squats, and slow steps are used to wake unused muscles without causing injury.
Breathing is trained early. Slow, steady breaths during movement prevent panic and delay fatigue. Simple stretches and gentle core holds help the body adapt without being overwhelmed.
Balance is introduced carefully. Standing on one leg. Controlled turns. Slow heel-to-toe walks. These build stability and reduce clumsy movement.
Upper-body training stays light. Wall push-ups, arm holds, gentle pulling motions. The goal is control and posture, not raw power.
Diet is clean and structured. Eggs. Milk. Fish. Rice. Bread. Fruits and vegetables. Plenty of water. Sugary snacks are reduced to prevent fatigue and weakness.
Training sessions are short but consistent. Complaints are ignored.
Over time, posture improves. Endurance grows. The body responds.
This marks the first step away from indulgence, and toward discipline.
***
Ezra opened his eyes.
A small smile tugged at his lips as he looked at Gena, still struggling forward, sweat dripping from her chin.
"Nice," he muttered.
I'll write it out for her later.
His expression shifted slightly.
But that woman…
Why does my chest always feel tight whenever I see even a trace of her?
Ezra pressed a hand against his chest, then exhaled slowly.
"Tsk…"
He shook his head and focused forward.
"Gena!" he called out, suddenly speeding up.
His footsteps grew louder as he closed the distance between them.
"Increase your pace before I catch you," he said evenly. "We just completed the first lap."
"Nooo!" Gena cried out.
Her eyes sharpened.
She reinforced her body with Cognis without hesitation, energy flooding her limbs.
"I don't care anymore!" she shouted back; teeth clenched. "Let's see how long my energy can carry me through this run!"
Her pace increased.
The rope snapped tight.