The Gran Hill Training Camp is located in the plateau basin of the southern border of Eramia, guarded by surrounding mountains and hidden within misty forests. This is the starting point for all young humans entering military service—if the central army is the heart of power, then Gran Hill is the forge that molds soldiers.
In the early morning, before the mist had dissipated, Cain and dozens of other recruits stood in front of the camp's gate, a heavy stone-paved road beneath their feet, leading to a massive black iron gate—like the mouth of a giant beast, silently waiting to swallow each new recruit. Inscribed on the gate was the camp's motto:
"Forge the body and mind, fight for your comrades."
As the iron gate opened, what greeted them was not cheers but a loud and simple command:
"Recruits, line up and report according to number!"
The voice belonged to a short but imposing middle-aged sergeant, whose chest badge identified him as the "Chief Training Instructor"—Brack Thorn. Nicknamed "Stone Face," it was rumored he could curse for three hours in freezing conditions without wearing a coat or drinking water.
Once inside the camp, the recruits were assigned to the wooden dormitory area known as "Yellow Pine Lodge," with each room accommodating six people. The furnishings were sparse: a bed, a locker, and a folding chair.
"Get up at 5:30 every morning, morning drills at 6, followed by physical training and academic rotation at 8. Free activities in the afternoon, report logs in the evening, lights out at 10. Anyone who dares to wake up late will run ten laps around the field." Brack's words were as rhythmic as a military drum, devoid of unnecessary emotion.
With that said, the new recruits began organizing their personal belongings and familiarizing themselves with the training camp's facilities.
The entire training area was divided into:
The central training ground for physical tests, combat skills teaching, and group drills;The Wisdom Tower, established with the assistance of the elves, where knowledge of coexistence with nature, rune interpretation, and basic strategy were taught;The Forest Training Zone, where humans learned natural survival, sensory training, and basic magic adaptation, under a cooperation agreement with the elves;And the dining plaza for meals.
Cain was assigned to Room 10 in the six-person dormitory. Just as he settled onto his bed, the door was kicked open.
"Who took my top bunk?" The voice was cold, with a hint of impatience.
Everyone turned to see a silver-haired boy standing at the door, eyes sharp, carrying a simple bag, and showing no courtesy. Though not tall or strong, his presence instinctively made others tense their backs.
Cain glanced at him, replying calmly, "I was here first."
The other boy stared at him for a few seconds, seemingly assessing something, then just snorted, "…Then I'll take the bottom bunk."
He tossed his bag onto the bed and began organizing his things without introducing himself or explaining his background.
Cain frowned and was about to speak when another recruit intervened to smooth things over: "Alright, alright, greet each other instead of looking like you're about to duel. We just got here today, save some energy."
The one speaking was named Tario, a burly local lumberjack's son, who spoke with a rural accent but was quite friendly.
Tario whispered to Cain, "What's this guy's deal? His eyes are as sharp as the instructor's."
"No idea," Cain replied succinctly.
The silver-haired boy heard this but did not react, simply buckling his hooks and discreetly scanning everyone with his eyes.
During the afternoon break, some people played with friends they already knew, while others who didn't get along ended up brawling. After all, a group of hot-blooded youths was bound to be impulsive and conflict-prone, inevitably facing military punishment.
Everyone was curious about the new environment and food. During meal times, someone discovered a strange fruit resembling grapes, entirely golden with lightning-like marks.
"Lightning Burst Fruit," an older recruit from the previous batch told them, with a mischievous grin.
He only mentioned the name but didn't explain its purpose, seemingly wanting to see the new recruits' reactions.
"Lightning Burst Fruit?" A group of people eagerly grabbed it.
"I think I've read about it in a book, but I forgot what it does," a nearby recruit said.
"Ah, who cares what it does, as long as it's edible," said another, grabbing a handful and stuffing it into his mouth.
"Ah… ah… ahhh!!! Why is it so tingly?!" The recruit who ate the fruit experienced the electric sensation it brought.
"Ah… ah… ahhh!!! I remember now, that fruit is for new recruits to prevent constipation when they first enter the training camp," the recruit pointed out from his notebook.
"One fruit can clear a week's worth of 'stuff'," he added.
"Why didn't you say so earlier!" the recruit who ate the fruit shouted, drooling, as the sensation hit him.
"No doubt, he'll be living in the bathroom today," a recruit's comment made everyone burst into laughter.
In the evening, the recruits took turns bathing in the hot spring pool at the forest's edge, washing away the day's fatigue. The bathwater was mixed with herbs and mineral salts provided by the elves, said to relieve muscle tension and stabilize the mind.
Cain sat by the pool, gazing at the stars in the night sky, when the silver-haired boy sat beside him and asked,
"Ailes… a descendant of the resistance?"
"You know me? Who are you?" Cain frowned, eyes fixed on the silver-haired boy.
"Ze Carrion," the silver-haired boy introduced himself simply.
Cain, who had followed the ark to this land without any memories, had no recollection of Akaser and was even more puzzled by the young man before him.
"Resistance… descendant…" Cain muttered to himself.
"You know my parents?" Cain asked excitedly.
"Ailes, I've only heard my parents mention the surname. As for its owner, I don't know," Ze replied indifferently.
Hearing this, Cain felt a bit disappointed.
"My parents… didn't come to this planet with me," Cain quickly calmed down and said to Ze.
"Because of them, we managed to escape; otherwise, we might all still be enslaved," Ze's tone carried a hint of resentment.
Hearing Ze's words, Cain bowed his head in silence for a long time.
Cain didn't know what his parents looked like, what kind of people they were, or even if they were still alive. All he knew was that he came to the training camp to save his parents.
"I'll find you… just give me some time," Cain whispered, clenching his fists.
He didn't know how much time he needed, and more importantly, how much time his parents had left. Thus, there was always a sense of restless anxiety deep within Cain, but reason reminded him not to act rashly.
"Do you really think coming here will change anything?" Ze's voice came, with a hint of probing.
"If you do nothing, then nothing will change."
Cain replied calmly, then closed his eyes.
Ze looked at him for a moment, said nothing more, just smiled slightly. That smile seemed to carry some admiration, as well as curiosity.
Under the gentle breeze of the night, Cain slowly fell asleep by the pool. After sharing his thoughts with someone, he hadn't slept this well in a long time.
Life in the training camp was not as intense as imagined, yet it was like the surface of a lake with hidden undercurrents, ready to surge at any moment.
This was a place of honing and selection.
Starting tomorrow, they would begin group physical training—running, weight lifting, sensory tests, and intellectual challenges and wilderness survival tasks.
The real "team competition" would commence after the basic training ended.
By then, they would not just be dorm mates but competitors, even adversaries.