The midday sun continued to cast sharp shadows over the AMSO training grounds, and the clang of steel and the sharp bursts of gunfire echoed in the air. The recruits were scattered across the field, assigned to different drills, from hand-to-hand combat to weapons proficiency and tactical maneuvering.
Theo adjusted his grip on the combat knife as the instructor barked, "Next group, tactical blade to firearm transition! Move!"
He stepped forward, falling into place, and for the first time since entering AMSO officially, Theo felt something… exciting.
Back when he was surviving on his own, everything he'd learned was self-taught or something granted by his Mutation Abyss System. But those weapons - their weight, form, and balance - only ever materialized from within the System.
Real, physical weapons? Training with them? This was different. Real steel in his hand, real recoil at his shoulder.
