THE HIDDEN DESTINY ARC

Chapter 17: The First Training

The officer finished reading the assignments, and the recruits slowly separated into their respective groups.

Vale walked toward the group he had been assigned to. He kept his head slightly lowered, allowing the mask to remain the main thing people noticed about him.

Each group gathered around its captain.

The captains stood before their new recruits, studying them carefully.

Some captains spoke calmly, explaining the responsibilities of their squads. Others immediately began giving instructions. The recruits quickly realized that every squad had its own way of doing things.

Vale listened to the captain addressing his group.

"You have been assigned here because the Knight Squad believes you have the potential to serve in this division. Do not expect special treatment simply because you passed the entrance test. From today onward, your actions will determine whether you remain here."

The captain continued explaining the rules, training schedules, and expectations.

Across the training grounds, another captain was already speaking to his recruits.

Captain Puchi stood before the Kitchen Knights, looking at the recruits who had been assigned to him.

"Some of you may think this squad is nothing more than a place where knights prepare food."

Several recruits lowered their heads.

Puchi smiled.

"Then you have much to learn."

He explained that Kitchen Knights were responsible for more than cooking. They could move around the base without attracting attention, gather information, notice suspicious behavior, and sometimes assist in rooting out spies.

Raven listened carefully.

"So that's what we're really doing," he muttered.

Puchi heard him.

"Exactly."

Raven straightened immediately.

Meanwhile, another group stood before Captain Vandora, whose medical squad was already discussing healing techniques and emergency procedures.

Captain Greg's recruits received similar instructions from their captain, who emphasized discipline and the importance of keeping injured knights alive during missions.

Elsewhere, the long-range fighters were being taught about observation, positioning, and precision.

But one group received almost no introduction.

Captain Darius stood before his recruits with his arms folded.

The recruits waited for him to speak.

Darius looked at them one by one.

Then he said,

"No time to waste."

Several recruits looked at each other.

"Your training starts immediately."

A few nervous murmurs spread through the group.

Darius pointed toward the large training area surrounding them.

"My squad's training ground is approximately two hundred and fifty metres long and two hundred and fifty metres wide."

He looked at the recruits.

"You will run around the entire training area ten times."

Silence.

One recruit raised his hand.

"Captain, ten times?"

Darius stared at him.

"Did I stutter?"

"No, Captain."

"Then start running."

The recruits immediately began moving.

Within seconds, complaints filled the training ground.

"Why are we starting with this?"

"My legs are already tired!"

"We just finished the entrance test!"

"I thought we'd receive proper training first!"

Darius's expression hardened.

"You call this training?"

The recruits became quiet.

He stepped forward.

"If you are already complaining after one command, what will you do when an enemy is chasing you?"

Nobody answered.

Darius shouted,

"RUN!"

The recruits immediately increased their pace.

Vale watched them for a moment before joining the group.

He didn't complain.

Instead, he felt something he hadn't expected.

This is exactly what I need.

He had trained before, but most of his previous training had been controlled. He had never been forced to train under such brutal conditions.

His body had strength.

His spiritual energy was powerful.

His swordsmanship was far beyond what he had shown during the entrance test.

But physical endurance was different.

If he wanted to continue his investigation without exposing himself, he needed to make sure his body could keep up with his abilities.

Vale began running.

One lap.

Then another.

The recruits around him were already breathing heavily.

Some slowed down.

Others tried to hide their exhaustion.

Darius watched them from the center of the training ground.

"Don't slow down!"

A recruit shouted back,

"Captain, we're trying!"

"Trying isn't enough!"

Darius's voice echoed across the field.

"You joined the Thirteen Knight Squad because you wanted to become knights! Then train like knights!"

Vale continued running.

The sky above them had become darker.

Clouds gathered overhead.

A cool wind swept across the training grounds.

Vale looked toward the sky.

Rain.

A few drops fell onto his mask.

Then another.

And another.

The recruits groaned.

Darius smiled.

"Perfect."

The rain began falling harder.

Some recruits immediately became slower.

Their clothes became soaked, and the ground began turning muddy.

Vale, however, kept running.

The rain made the training even more difficult, but he didn't mind.

In fact, he enjoyed it.

He could feel his muscles working harder with every step.

His breathing became heavier, but he maintained his pace.

This is good.

I've never trained in conditions like this before.

If I can become stronger while keeping my abilities hidden, then this training is exactly what I need.

Darius noticed Vale maintaining his pace.

He didn't say anything.

He simply watched.

The recruits eventually completed the tenth lap.

Some collapsed onto the ground.

Others stood bent over, trying to catch their breath.

Darius looked at them.

"That's enough for today."

The recruits immediately began celebrating.

"Finally!"

"I thought I was going to die!"

"You almost made me regret joining!"

Darius turned away.

"Tomorrow will be harder."

The celebration instantly disappeared.

"What?"

Darius continued walking.

"You heard me."

The recruits stared at one another in disbelief.

Vale remained standing.

The rain was still falling, but he didn't seem bothered.

A familiar voice suddenly came from behind him.

"You seem to be enjoying this."

Vale turned.

Raven stood a short distance away, still wearing the uniform of the Kitchen Knights.

His clothes were damp from the rain.

Vale smiled.

"Absolutely."

Raven laughed.

"I knew there was something strange about you."

Vale raised an eyebrow.

"Strange?"

"You just ran ten laps in the rain and you're smiling."

Vale shrugged.

"I like difficult training."

Raven shook his head.

"You're definitely strange."

He looked toward Darius's group.

"So, what about your squad?"

Vale glanced at him.

"What about yours?"

Raven sighed.

"Captain Puchi gave us a completely different kind of training."

He lifted the wooden box he had been carrying earlier.

"We're learning how to prepare meals, organize supplies, move around the base unnoticed, and observe people without drawing attention."

Vale became interested.

"That sounds useful."

Raven smiled.

"That's what I thought too."

He lowered his voice.

"And apparently, sometimes the Kitchen Knights get sent to investigate spies."

Vale's expression remained calm.

But his attention sharpened.

Raven noticed nothing.

Instead, he continued talking.

"Honestly, I think I might like this squad."

Vale nodded.

"I think it suits you."

Raven laughed.

"Because I can cook?"

"That too."

Raven shook his head.

"You really are something, Rayon."

The two stood together in the rain for a moment, watching the other recruits leave the training grounds.

For Vale, the first day inside the Thirteen Knight Squad had already been more useful than he expected.

He had learned how the squads operated.

He had met someone he could trust.

And now he had begun training his body under conditions he had never experienced before.

The investigation could wait for a little while.