Screech
[Johnson blew the whistle, the sharp sound slicing through the air and officially marking the beginning of the new session.]
[The large training field echoed with the sound of footsteps as students gathered in a line, standing before the towering figure of their mentor.]
Johnson: Alright. New day, new lesson.
Johnson: Today's lesson is called Combat Lessons. But don't get too excited—you won't be fighting just yet.
Johnson: Most of you don't even know what your Soul Pet is capable of. Starting you off with a fight would be like throwing twigs into a bonfire.
[Some students muttered. Others looked more disappointed than surprised.]
Johnson: First order of business—run around the field three times. That's about 500 meters per lap. You can take short rests… but don't laze around. You'll regret it.
Student: HUH?! BUT TEACH, THAT'S NOT FAIR! WHY SHOULD WE RUN?!
[A few others echoed in agreement, groaning.]
[Gray remained silent. Azure adjusted his gloves. Solace stood with arms crossed, unfazed. Ivory quietly stretched her legs, eyes steady.]
Johnson: Fair? You think the outside world is flowers and rainbows?
Johnson: Yeah, your pets might look strong now. But what happens when you're out there, cornered by ten beasts? What happens when they don't wait for your little strategy session?
[He stepped forward, gaze cold and voice harder.]
Johnson: You have two choices in this world. One: Train until your bones cry out and your soul burns—and protect the ones you care about.
Johnson: Two: Hide behind walls, use your name, and live like a coward under the illusion of safety.
Johnson: This world isn't a game. We don't even fully understand what this world holds, let alone what's beyond it. Enemies don't wait for you to get ready. They strike.
[There was silence. No one protested again.]
---
Training Routine:
1. Lecture – Finished
2. Run 500m – 8 Times
3. Weight Drag Training – Starting from 10kg up to 80kg
4. 200 Pushups and Squats
5. Record Reading
6. Sparring
---
[The students began the run.]
[Gray didn't waste energy. His stride was steady, his breathing measured. The silver-black fox followed beside him, ghostlike in pace.]
[Azure was faster than expected. Despite his slimmer frame, he ran with explosive bursts of energy. Dandelion vines curled slightly with each push forward, releasing faint pollen trails.]
[Ivory moved quietly and consistently. The Earth Crocodile stomped beside her in sync, heavy yet efficient.]
[Solace, though visibly burdened, didn't let herself slow. Her dark lion-bull beast kept its head low, tail flicking with a warning to anyone who dared pass.]
[By lap four, many were gasping. Solace fell once but stood up again without a word.]
---
[Next: Weighted Plate Run]
[Large steel plates were handed to each student. One per lap, it increased: 10kg, 20kg, 30kg…]
[Gray gripped the rope with both hands, dragging the weight without complaint.]
[Azure stumbled in his second lap but recovered with help from Dandelion's vines giving small bursts of momentum.]
[Ivory's steps were slow but solid. The Earth Crocodile ran ahead like a bulldozer, drawing eyes.]
[Solace gritted her teeth. Blood on her palms. 60kg. 70kg. 80kg. She didn't stop.]
---
[Pushups and Squats – 200]
[Students collapsed. Gray did his with clean, robotic rhythm. Azure's arms shook by the 150th but he didn't quit.]
[Ivory clenched her fists. Her breathing was heavy. She looked forward, not down.]
[Solace's legs buckled near the end—but her beast gave a small growl, and she finished the last few reps.]
---
[Reading Records]
[Students were handed files containing stats of beasts—known types, evolutions, abilities.]
[Gray stared at his own page longer than the others.]
[He didn't need to ask why it was mostly redacted.]
---
[Sparring Prep]
Johnson: Enough.
[His voice cut through the air like steel.]
Johnson: You all made it through the basics. Barely. But you did.
Johnson: This world doesn't need perfection. It needs preparation.
Johnson: Go back. Rinse off. You're done for today. Next time, we start with controlled sparring. Pray you're not matched with someone hungry.
[Gray stood, drenched in sweat. Azure helped Ivory up. Solace didn't move for a moment—then pushed herself upright.]
[The fox, the crocodile, the flower, and the lion-bull walked behind their tamers.]
[No one said a word. But something had changed in all of them.]
[The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the training field. Most of the others had left. But four figures remained.]
[Gray stood near the center, stretching his shoulder. Azure sat cross-legged, Dandelion coiled beside him like a protective bloom. Ivory leaned against the Earth Crocodile's side, quiet, calculating. Solace stood in silence, her blonde hair catching the gold light, beast beside her like a crouching storm.]
[Johnson stepped back onto the field, arms crossed, expression unreadable.]
Johnson: You four again. You just don't know when to stop, do you?
Azure: I don't see why we should. Every second counts, right?
Johnson: Hmph. Good answer.
[He tossed a stopwatch into the air and caught it.]
Johnson: This isn't part of the schedule. No safety net. You break something, you crawl back. This one's pure grit.
---
Evening Training Schedule
1. 500m Sprint – Max Speed Only
2. Weighted Climb – 40kg rope climbs, 3 rounds
3. Soul Pet Sync Drill
4. Rapid Sparring – 30 seconds rotation
---
[500m Sprint – Max Speed]
[Gray dashed forward without warning—his fox trailing beside like a silver blur.]
[Azure followed, leaves spinning around him from Dandelion's energy boosts.]
[Ivory pushed harder than usual. The crocodile galloped beside her, thudding powerfully.]
[Solace sprinted as though fire burned behind her. The lion-bull beast roared once, sending small cracks through the air.]
---
[Weighted Rope Climb]
[Thick ropes dangled from tall wooden structures. Each had a heavy chain belt—40kg.]
[Gray's arms bled slightly from earlier. He climbed anyway, no hesitation.]
[Azure grit his teeth, slipping once but catching himself.]
[Ivory's breath was labored, but she kept climbing. Step by painful step.]
[Solace stared at the rope as if it had insulted her. She tore into the climb with fury.]
[One down. Two. Three. The final landings were silent.]
---
[Soul Pet Sync Drill]
[Johnson placed four colored stones far apart.]
Johnson: Pet moves, you follow. Your steps mirror theirs. You fail, the pet drags you. Keep up or collapse. Go.
[Gray's fox moved unpredictably—dashing, vanishing, reappearing. Gray kept in sync, matching the strange rhythm.]
[Azure moved with Dandelion like dancing. Twists, rolls, jumps. It wasn't clean, but it was fluid.]
[Ivory synced with the Crocodile—slow, heavy, deliberate steps. The earth trembled with each movement.]
[Solace mirrored the lion-bull's feral charges. She was fast, but wild. Still, she refused to fall behind.]
---
[Rapid Sparring – 30 Seconds Rotation]
[No words. Just motion.]
Round 1: Gray vs Azure
[Clash. Gray moved fast, sharp, slicing air. Azure evaded with unnatural reflexes, vines shielding weak spots.]
Round 2: Ivory vs Solace
[Power met power. Ivory's grounded style deflected Solace's storming strikes. Dust flew.]
Round 3: Gray vs Solace
[Fire and precision. Solace struck hard, wild. Gray ducked, redirected. A brutal exchange.]
Round 4: Azure vs Ivory
[Agile and sturdy. Azure danced around but Ivory landed a solid hit to the ribs.]
[And it went on… until the light fully faded.]
---
Johnson: That's enough.
[He walked forward, hands behind his back.]
Johnson: You want to stand above others? This is what it takes.
Johnson: Pain won't ask for permission. Neither will victory.
[He looked at the four.]
Johnson: Get some water. Get some rest. This wasn't even your real lesson.
[He turned to leave.]
Johnson: But… keep this up, and the world might just fear your names before it even sees your faces.
[The field darkened. No applause. No ceremony.]
[Just breathless silence, aching limbs, and quiet determination.]