Administration building was bigger but quieter than the arena.
Soren followed the AR directions through corridors, lined with holographic displays showing past rankings, Decades of academy history compressed into walls of scrolling data.
The top ten were being processed in separate rooms.
His room was small.One Desk with two chairs, holographic interface. A middle-aged woman in academy uniform sat waiting.
"Soren Cross. Sit."She ordered him.
She pulled up his file on the holographic display. His face, stats, combat footage rotating in midair.
"Tenth place. Tiger beetle DNA at ten percent integration. No formal combat training background." Her eyes met his. "You're an anomaly."
"That a compliment?"
"An observation." She scrolled through data. "You're one of only four insect DNA users in all of New Geneva. You made top ten through raw perception and tactical adaptation. But Against trained opponents you were completely outmatched."
"I noticed."
"Good. Self-awareness is useful." She pulled up his assessment matches. "You see this?"
"Yeah."
"That's what happens when talent meets training. You have the talent . He has both." She closed that file. "Top ten comes with privileges. Advanced training access, priority for field missions outside the city, first choice of enhancement resources. But."
"But?"
"you're the weakest of the top ten by considerable margin. Your ranking is largely due to insect DNA's rarity and your performance against untrained opponents." She leaned forward. "The academy is investing in you because insect DNA users are valuable. Don't waste it."
"Wasn't planning to."
"Good." She tapped commands into the interface. "Your schedule's been updated. Mandatory combat training starts tomorrow at 07:00. You'll be grouped with other untrained students. Additionally, top ten get specialized instruction twice weekly."
A new schedule appeared in his AR.
**DAILY SCHEDULE - SOREN CROSS:**
07:00-09:00: Basic Combat Training (Group A)
09:30-11:30: Enhancement Integration Drills
12:00-13:00: Lunch
13:00-15:00: Weapons Training
15:30-17:30: Tactical Sparring
18:00: Personal Training Time
**ADDITIONAL (Tuesdays & Thursdays):**
19:00-21:00: Advanced Tactical Training (Top 10 Only)
"That's... a lot."He was overwhelmed by the fact that how much training he has to do.
"You're first-year enhanced at an elite academy in a world full of mutant beasts. Yes, it's a lot." She pulled up another file. "You've also been flagged by three guild recruiters, two military contractors, and one corporate sponsor."
"I know. They messaged me."
"Ignore them. You're first-year at ten percent integration. They're circling because insect DNA is rare, not because you're ready. Get trained, get stronger, then consider their offers after getting strong enough to protect at lest yourself." Her expression softened slightly. "You've got potential, Cross. But potential means nothing if you die because you don't know your own limits."
"Noted."
She closed the files. "Report to Training Facility C tomorrow at 07:00. Bring your student ID and a willingness to get hurt. Dismissed."
Soren stood. "Thanks."
"Don't thank me yet. Wait until after your first week of actual training."
He left Administration feeling heavier than when he arrived.
Outside, the sun was setting. New Geneva's skyline lit up. The city looked peaceful from here. But Past the walls was different. Mutant beasts, toxic zones, villages barely surviving. A dangerous world where it tests you everyday if you are capable of surviving or not.
A world Soren would eventually have to face.
His AR pinged. Multiple messages.
**Jake: Tenth place! That's top ten! Drinks on you!**
**Mom: We watched everything! You were amazing! Even when you lost, you tried so hard!**
**Dad: That last fight showed your weaknesses. But now you know what to work on. Proud of you.**
**Lyra: Made top ten. Not bad for untrained beetle boy.**
**Mira: Seventh place. You got tenth. Next time we both finish higher. Coffee tomorrow before training?**
He replied to each while walking back to his dorm.
**Soren: Jake - I got destroyed but sure, drinks sound good.**
**Soren: Mom - Thanks. I'll try harder.**
**Soren: Dad - Working on it. Training starts tomorrow.**
**Soren: Lyra - Thanks. You made first. No surprise there.**
**Soren: Mira - Deal. Coffee at 06:30?**
**Mira: Perfect. Cafeteria?**
**Soren: See you there.**
Back at the dorm, Jake had already gathered people. Some first-years celebrating making it through assessment. Others just there for the social aspect.
"There he is!" Jake raised a drink. "Top ten!"
Everyone cheered. Soren felt weird about it. He'd gotten tenth. But he barely made it.
But looking around the room, most of these people hadn't made top thirty. Top fifty. Even top hundred. To them, tenth place out of three hundred was an achievement.
Maybe it was. He didn't know, he was slow from the beginning at these kinds of things.
"Speech!" someone called.
"No no no…. No speech," Soren said.
"Come on!"we are here to celebrate.
"Fine." He grabbed a drink. "I made tenth place by getting my ass kicked less than everyone else. Actual trained fighters destroyed me. Tomorrow we all start learning how to not suck. Cheers."
Everyone laughed and drank.
Jake pulled him aside later. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Just... processing what to do next."
"You made top ten, man. That's huge."
"That's not important right now the important thing is I'm the weakest of the top ten. By a lot."
"So?" Jake shrugged. "You started with no training, insect DNA that should've killed you, and two weeks of prep. Everyone in top three has been training since they could walk. You did better than you had any right to, Just cheer up and enjoy your victory."
"Maybe."
"Definitely." Jake grinned. "Plus you're now officially interesting to guilds and corporations. That's gotta count for something."
"Administration told me to ignore them. I am not capable enough to even protect myself."
"Smart. You're too green." Jake finished his drink. "But in a year? Two years? You could be terrifying. Insect DNA with actual training? Destroying others in combat, killing mutant beasts and earning huge merits"
"Only If I survive the training."
"You survived the integration process rest will be child play for you, now let's go everyone is waiting for you!"
They rejoined the group. More drinks with even more stories, more people sharing their assessment experiences. Some had been eliminated first round. Others made it further than expected. But everyone had learned something.
Around 22:00, Soren excused himself from everyone .he has to start tomorrow early.
He collapsed on his bed fully clothed. Too tired to care about proper sleep preparation.
**[Tenth place.]**
*Yeah.*
**[Not bad for someone who nearly died during integration.]**
*Could've been better.*
**[Could've been worse. You could've been eliminated first round. Or died during integration. Or never tried insect DNA at all. So what happened was the best thing can ask for. Be grateful . Be happy and trust yourself.]**
*True I will try to not think more about unnecessary things.*
**[Real Training starts tomorrow. You ready?]**
*Not even a little.*
**[No one can ever be or ever was truly ready, but they do it because it has to be done.]**
After hearing this Soren didn't said anything he just laid on his and sleep came fast…too fast.
Somewhere in there, in his sleep his past life bled through before his . Again same dream he has been having repeatedly Marcus dying in flames, reaching for beetles that couldn't be saved. Then darkness.
Morning arrived at 06:30 his AR rang loudly with alarm.
Soren hardly dragged himself out of bed. Every muscle still aching and protecting against him fir moving. Medical treatment helped but couldn't erase the after effects of two days of combat.
He checked his AR for turning off the alarm but he noticed he was going to be late at this pace. He yanked himself out of the bed.
He showered, dressed without wasting any time .checked his AR for the updated schedule.
07:00: Basic Combat Training.
Ok but first coffee with Mira.
He ran towards cafeteria. The cafeteria had already flooded with students preparing for classes, enhanced humans burn food like gas in some old rusty engine and they all were fueling up before training.
After searching for some moments he found her.
Mira who was already sitting at their agreed table. Two coffees already waiting.
"You look tired," she said."For you."
"Very." He sat and grabbed a cup. "Thanks for this."
"We survived assessment.Seemed worth celebrating." She studied him over her coffee and continued again. "You got destroyed by Reeves."
"Yep."
"I watched your match . He's from a combat academy. Five years training."
"I know."
"You lasted two minutes. That's not bad. Actually you did pretty good."
"But it felt bad, have you ever tried getting hit my a stick that moves like snake."
"No. And you are not feeling bad cause you got hit you are feeling bad because you're comparing yourself with trained people." Mira leaned back. "I got seventh. Know why? Because I had three years of training before integration. My family isn't famous or have any deep martial art or combat background but they taught me basics. You had none of that."
She widened her eyes. Putting coffee cup on table she said
"And still you made tenth."
She smiled slightly. "Two insect DNA users in top ten. That proves something."
"We survived what kills most people, then performed well enough to rank." Mira finished her coffee. " After some real training and experience. We'll both get better."
"You're already trained."
"I know basics, not advanced combat techniques no proper weapons mastery, no tactical information on how to use my abilities." She stood. "We're all learning just some of us are just starting from different points and it was always like this we have to face it. We just have to do what we can do and improve ourselves."
After some more exchange while finishing their coffee and breakfast. They walked to Training Facility C together. And joined the other students gathered there.
Instructor Vale waited inside the training facility.
Behind her stood four other instructors. Each with enhancement visible. Glowing eyes, visible cybernetics.
"Welcome to students," Vale said. "Yesterday's assessment showed us who has talent and who has skill. Most of you have talent but very few of you have skill."
"We fix that. Starting now."
One of the instructors stepped forward. Old man, scarred face. He announced in very robust voice despite being old.
"I'm Instructor Torren. I'll be teaching basic combat to Group A. That's everyone who made top one hundred but lacks formal training background."
Another instructor stepped forward. A woman with cybernetic arms, "Instructor Hayes. Weapons training. If you don't know which end of a blade to hold and how to swing it without cutting yourself first even before pointing it towards your opponent, then I'll teach you how to handle weapons properly."
Third instructor. Younger guy with shark DNA. "Instructor Mako. Enhancement integration. You'll learn to use your abilities with actual technique with me instead of flailing around hoping instinct saves you."
Fourth instructor. Middle-aged woman with tiger DNA, golden eyes despite her age she looked fierce. "Instructor Wei. Tactical sparring. You'll fight each other under controlled conditions until you stop embarrassing yourselves and gain actual combat experience under me."
After every instructor finished their instruction. Vale step forwarded again and announced. "You've got four hours of training today. The training time will increase as the days pass. Yes. This will hurt you all will hate it. But you will improve or you will die when you face real threats."
**[This is going to be painful.]**
*Yeah.*
**[Very painful]**
**Yeah do you really have to say it twice.**
**[Yes brace yourself.]**
*Easy for you to say you don't even have a body, do you even feel pain.*
**[No I don't. But you do you have a perfect fine body. Better make it somewhat useful.]**
Torren started organizing students. "Group A, over here. We're starting with footwork fundamentals. I know i know Yes, it's boring. And Yes, it's crucial. Move. Fast."
Soren followed the group.
His assessment was over. Tenth place secured.
Now came more chapters of learning how not to be the weakest link.
One painful training session at a time.