The recruits lay sprawled across the packed dirt, their bodies battered and drained from the continuous brutal drills.
Ari's arms and legs twitched but refused to obey him.
Beside him, Rory's chest rose and fell in uneven, ragged breaths.
Isla pressed her fingers into the soil, gripping it hard as if the solid ground were the only thing keeping her steady.
Valeria stood over them, arms crossed, her stance steady and unyielding.
The polished mandibles at her side caught the morning sun, flashing with each slight movement.
Her gaze swept across the three recruits before she spoke.
"You have endured pain," she said, her tone calm but carrying weight. "You've pushed past exhaustion. You've learned what it means to be strong. But strength alone means nothing if you cannot fight."
Ari lay flat on his back, his brown exoskeleton dull with sweat and dust.
His antennae twitched weakly as he forced out a shaky chuckle.
So… what? You're saying we suffered for nothing?
Valeria's lips shifted in the faintest smirk.
Her own antennae angled forward, catching every flicker of movement from the three of them.
"I'm saying your suffering is only half of what it takes to survive."
Rory groaned as he propped himself up on his elbows, his exoskeleton scraping faintly against the dirt.
His antennae sagged low with fatigue.
"So what's next? More torture?"
Valeria's smirk widened, the sharp edge of her exoskeleton catching the light.
"Something far worse."
Valeria turned, one arm sweeping toward the training grounds.
Rows of practice weapons gleamed under the sun—pairs of mandibles honed to lethal sharpness, their edges catching the light like blades.
"The final stage of your training," she announced, her antennae standing tall with authority, "is learning how to use your mandibles in combat."
Isla's face drained of color.
Her antennae twitched nervously, curling tight against her head.
"Wait, wait, wait. You mean… we're fighting for real? Like… actually slicing each other up?"
"Correct," Valeria replied without hesitation.
Her mandibles shifted slightly as she spoke, gleaming in the light.
"Mandibles are your primary weapons. You must learn to wield them with precision. And since you are already at your weakest, this is the perfect time to begin."
Ari forced himself upright, sweat stinging his eyes and running down the grooves of his brown exoskeleton.
Dust clung to his plates from the morning drills, and his antennae twitched nervously as he scanned the ground and the training space around him.
How does being weak help us learn? he asked, voice hoarse, rasping over the dry dirt beneath him.
Valeria's gaze sharpened, as her antennae angled forward, tracking every minute twitch of the recruits' movements.
"Because when you're at your limit, you stop relying on brute force and start relying on technique. You learn to fight with intelligence, not just instinct."
Rory exhaled sharply, rubbing his sore forearms and shoulders, his antennae sagging low with fatigue.
"Alright… let's get this over with. What do we have to do?"
Valeria turned back to them, shifting her weight so the dust at her feet puffed faintly into the air.
Her stance widened, mandibles poised and ready in both hands.
"You will all take up your mandibles and attack me at once. I will be using mine as well. If even one of you lands a clean hit on me, the training ends."
Ari's antennae twitched rapidly, jerking as if trying to recalibrate.
She's joking, right?
Rory's antennae sagged in disbelief, then flicked sharply as he exhaled through his mouth.
"You want us to attack you? In this state?"
Dust stirred faintly beneath his feet as he shifted, bracing himself.
Valeria's antennae twitched, tracking the faint vibrations beneath their feet.
"You won't get an opportunity in battle to fight only when you're well-rested. If you cannot strike me now, you won't stand a chance against a real enemy."
Isla's hands trembled as she gripped her mandibles.
"I-I don't think I can do this…"
"You don't have a choice," Valeria said, voice cold, shifting her stance slightly.
Rory exhaled, antennae flicking in resolve.
"Fine."
Without another word, he lunged.
His mandibles raised high, Rory leaped, bringing them down in a powerful arc.
The movement was fast, but measured.
Valeria didn't flinch. She tracked his motion, body tense but balanced.
With a flick of her wrist, she blocked his strike with one mandible.
The impact reverberated through Rory's arms.
His limbs shook from the force, and his momentum sent him stumbling backward a step before he could regain footing.
"Strong," Valeria said, her tone almost approving.
"Thanks to your warden training. But strength alone is predictable. And predictable isn't enough."
Before Rory could react, Valeria slashed upward with her free mandible.
Rory barely managed to raise his own mandibles in time.
The contact rang out—steel against steel—with a harsh, metallic clang that vibrated through his arms.
The force knocked him off balance, sending him flying backward.
He landed in a pile of sticks, which splintered beneath him with sharp cracks, and a jolt of pain shot through his shoulders.
Sliding across the dirt, Rory groaned, leaving a shallow trail in the soil as he tried to gather himself.
Ari instinctively took a step back, eyes widening.
That looked like it hurt. I hope he's okay.
Isla, standing a few paces away, had been frozen.
She let out a small, shaky squeak.
"I—I…"
Valeria turned her gaze to the younger girl.
Her eyes were sharp, unyielding.
"If you're too afraid to attack, you've already lost."
Isla's body trembled.
She bit her lip, trying to will herself forward.
Her mandibles felt heavy in her hands.
After a moment, she let out a small, terrified cry and swung.
Her eyes were squeezed shut, and her entire body quivered as she did.
Valeria sighed softly.
She shifted her weight, stepping aside.
Her motion was almost casual, fluid.
Before Isla could comprehend it, Valeria spun midair, delivering a sharp kick to her chest.
She hit the ground hard, the impact rattling through her limbs.
She rolled several times, dirt and small stones scraping against her exoskeleton before finally coming to a stop.
A sharp groan escaped her throat as she pressed a trembling hand to the ground, every muscle aching from the fall.
Dust clung to her legs, and her breath came in short, ragged gasps.
Ari's chest heaved as he watched.
Sweat ran down the side of his face.
He had seen Valeria's strength before, but witnessing it up close left no room for imagination.
She wasn't just fast; her precision was terrifying.
She held off Vladimir. Even General Ivan. And I only helped a little.
He clenched his fists, forcing his thoughts away from fear.
I have to think. I can't just rely on strength.
Ari adjusted his stance, lowering himself slightly, mandibles raised.
He had speed on his side, but Valeria wasn't simply strong—she was fast, aware, and strategic.
Charging blindly would get him knocked out before he even landed a hit.
He darted forward in a zigzag, pushing off the dirt with each step, shifting left, then right.
His legs bent and twisted to absorb the jolts from the uneven ground, keeping his body low and agile.
The movement was jagged, unpredictable, designed to throw off his opponent.
Valeria's eyes narrowed, tracking each motion with precise focus, her mandibles twitching in her hand in readiness.
"Better," she acknowledged, her voice sharp but approving, carrying easily over the scrape of feet on dirt.
Ari used the momentum to launch himself toward her head.
Valeria raised a mandible just in time, the sharp clang of their collision echoing through the clearing.
Predictable. He had counted on her expecting a direct strike.
At the last possible moment, Ari twisted his body, dodging her counterattack instead of trying to block.
Air rushed past his body as he spun, rolling lightly on landing.
Dirt and small stones scraped against his exoskeleton, and he pressed a hand to the ground to steady himself, coming up into a ready stance.
Valeria's eyes softened slightly, a hint of approval in her gaze.
"Good. You learn fast."
Ari exhaled sharply, lungs burning from the effort, heart hammering.
Relief and adrenaline mixed in a hot rush through his body.
I can do this.
Ari lunged again, mandibles raised, trying to keep his strikes sharp and precise.
He darted low, then twisted, bringing every ounce of his strength into a downward slash—but Valeria met him instantly.
Their mandibles clashed with a metallic clang that echoed across the clearing, vibrating up Ari's arms.
He staggered back, dirt kicking up beneath his feet.
His muscles screamed with effort, sweat stinging his eyes, but Valeria barely shifted.
Her stance was fluid, every movement controlled, almost effortless.
Ari feinted to the left, hoping to bait a reaction—but Valeria anticipated it.
With a single, precise step, she swept her mandible in a tight arc, forcing Ari to spin away midair, scraping his exoskeleton against the dirt.
Another clang rang out as he barely blocked her follow-up strike.
He tried to regain momentum, launching into a rapid series of slashes, each faster than the last, trying to overwhelm her defenses.
But Valeria moved like water, flowing around his attacks, each parry producing a sharp metallic ring that seemed to mock him.
Ari's chest heaved.
This is… too fast… too strong…
He could see the strain in his own limbs, the tremor in his grip—but Valeria remained composed, eyes narrowed, every counter precise and punishing.
Another strike connected—or at least, it should have.
Ari swung hard, aiming for her shoulder, but Valeria twisted just enough, letting his momentum carry him past her.
Clang! The metallic clash of mandibles rang sharply, sending vibrations up his arms.
He barely managed to block her follow-up strike, but the force of her push sent him skating across the training ground, legs scraping against the dirt.
I can't keep up with her speed, Ari thought, chest heaving.
Every blow behind the swing of her mandibles is devastating. Plus… she has years of experience.
His arms burned from blocking, his legs trembled from trying to stay agile, and sweat ran into his eyes, stinging.
Every move he made felt slightly too slow. Every reaction left him exposed.
He was on the defensive, barely holding on as Valeria controlled the pace completely.
Valeria closed the distance with the precision of a predator, each step controlled, deliberate.
Ari swung again, desperate, hoping to regain some advantage, only for her to parry and flick him backward with a subtle, effortless movement.
Dirt sprayed into his face, sticking to sweat and dust on his skin.
He stumbled, legs trembling, muscles burning with exertion.
"You're adapting well," Valeria said, her voice low and steady, carrying the weight of experience.
"But it will take more than strategy to complete your objectives."
Rory, still nursing his earlier fall, got up, brushing dirt and splintered sticks from his exoskeleton.
He charged again, coming in from the right.
Ari moved to the left, keeping his distance while trying to maintain constant pressure.
Isla, trembling but determined, forced herself forward, attempting a strike from behind.
Valeria met Rory's attack without effort, her mandibles clashing with his in a sharp clang that reverberated through his arms.
She sidestepped Ari's swing, letting it pass harmlessly.
When Isla's attempt came, Valeria deflected it with a controlled push, sending the recruit sliding across the dirt.
Valeria parried another of Rory's swings with a small twist of her wrist, mandibles striking cleanly.
"One-on-one, you have no chance," she remarked, her movements precise and measured.
"But if you work together… you might have a slim chance."
Ari's mind raced.
Together…
He glanced at Rory.
Their eyes met, and a silent understanding passed between them.
No words were needed. They nodded.
Coordination was their only option.
Ari moved first, dropping low and lunging toward Valeria's legs.
Dirt kicked up beneath his feet, muscles tensing with the effort.
Valeria's eyes flicked downward, tracking his approach.
She shifted her weight, mandible ready to intercept—but that movement was deliberate, calculated.
Rory leaped from above, mandibles arcing down with force.
Valeria twisted on her heel to avoid the strike.
The pivot left a small, fleeting opening.
Ari's chest heaved, adrenaline spiking as he seized the chance.
Ari lunged at the same moment.
His hand connected… or so he thought.
Ari froze, fingers pressing against something soft.
It wasn't the firm resistance of Valeria's exoskeleton.
He squeezed instinctively.
A cold shiver ran down his spine.
Valeria's eyes darkened.
A low, controlled growl escaped her throat.
Ari's face burned, not from pain, but from the mortifying realization of what he'd just done.
Before he could react, her fist struck his face.
The impact drove him backward.
Arms flailed, legs scraping dirt, and dust puffed up around him as he hit the ground hard.
Silence followed.
Isla, still lying on her back, stared in disbelief.
"…Did he just…?"
Rory, frozen mid-motion, slowly lowered his mandibles, watching Ari sprawled in the dirt with a mix of awe and horror.
Valeria exhaled through her nose, rubbing her temple with a faint blush.
"…Training is over."
Ari twitched on the ground, dirt caking his exoskeleton.
His limbs were sprawled at awkward angles, muscles aching from every block, dodge, and swing.
He tried to shift, but each movement sent another wave of soreness through his arms and legs.
Isla exhaled sharply, letting herself collapse fully onto her side.
"Finally… it's over," she murmured, her chest rising and falling quickly as she caught her breath.
Rory shook his head, brushing splintered sticks from his armor.
A weak chuckle escaped him.
"That… was a weird way to end it," he said, voice rough from exertion.
Valeria turned away, arms crossed, her posture rigid.
"Rest up. Three days. No excuses."
Isla groaned, pressing a hand to her chest.
"Three days? What does that even mean?"
Rory smirked, brushing dirt and splinters from his exoskeleton.
"No idea. But at least we survived."
Ari lay on the ground, half-conscious, limbs stiff and covered in dirt.
His chest rose and fell quickly, sweat stinging his eyes.
One thought dominated his mind:
I can't believe I squeezed them… they were so soft.
He clenched his fists, still aching from every block and swing.
But… I did it. I actually landed a hit.
His mind raced, determination pushing past exhaustion.
I was weak before. I have to become strong. And… maybe one day… I'll find a way back home. Wait for me, Keiko.