The first week of Marcus's intensive training fell into a strict rhythm. Each day began before dawn—at five o'clock sharp. Kara was waiting for him on the padded floor, already warmed up, and without wasting a word she pushed him straight into sparring drills.
From five to ten, Marcus fought, blocked, countered, and repeated, cycling through bare-handed combat and exercises with different weapons. Though his background in MMA gave him a foundation in technique and reflexes, he never won a single sparring session. Kara allowed no mistakes, exploiting every opening, every hesitation. But that was the point: each loss taught him more about timing, distance, and control.
One thing Kara emphasized repeatedly was the logic behind weapons training. Even when Marcus fought bare-handed, she insisted on practicing with weapons. "If you want to understand how to fight someone who fights with a weapon, you have to train with one," she told him. Each sword, staff, or knife drill was a lesson not just in technique, but in perception and anticipation.
After a quick shower, breakfast followed in silence. Then came the mornings of applied survival skills—but in practice, these sessions were largely theoretical. Kara would stand at the front,
explaining to Marcus the basic knowledge about Transformers and essential survival principles while Marcus took notes meticulously. She described how to identify edible plants and distinguish them from toxic ones, how to read animal tracks, and how to recognize signs of predators in different terrains.
They went over navigation techniques, using landmarks, the sun, and even improvised tools to maintain orientation. She explained methods for building emergency shelters, purifying water, and starting fires in adverse conditions. Kara presented various scenarios: sudden ambushes, unpredictable weather, or scarce resources, asking Marcus to plan his approach verbally before moving on to physical practice.
In the afternoons, they had two to three hours of theoretical explanation about the types of monsters found on the island. Kara would go through each species, their habits, strengths, and weaknesses, while Marcus took careful notes in his book.
By the end of the day, Kara finally allowed Marcus a pause. She reminded him firmly that rest was just as important as training: his body needed it to recover, and his mind needed it to process everything he had learned. Skipping proper rest would make all the day's efforts less effective.
Marcus followed her instructions. He took a second shower, feeling the tension in his muscles ease, and then had dinner quietly, reflecting on the full day's lessons—from the sparring and weapon drills to the survival theory and monster studies. Once the meal was finished, he returned to his room with the Survival Guide in hand, reviewing all the principles, scenarios, and techniques Kara had emphasized throughout the day.
Finally, he lay down on his bed and drifted into a deep, exhausted sleep, his body recovering and his mind processing everything he had experienced that day.
This routine repeated throughout the week: waking before dawn, training, eating, studying, having dinner, reviewing the Survival Guidend and finally sleeping. Each day reinforced his skills and knowledge, and by the end of the week, Marcus felt stronger, sharper, and more prepared for what lay ahead.
After a week of grueling preparation, Marcus and Kara were on their way to the next phase of his intensive training. They rode in a rugged, all-terrain vehicle, Kara at the wheel, cutting through the early morning mist with calm efficiency. Marcus was still wearing his gray tracksuit, while Kara had added a leather jacket and rugged cargo pants over her training attire, prepared for the forest environment. Their destination was the Blackthorn Forest, a dense and rugged area perfect for hands-on practice.
This was the practical portion of Marcus's training—a chance to apply everything he had learned over the past week, from survival theory to combat techniques, and, importantly, to practice controlling his monstrous form. Kara had explained that such transformations were best trained in open spaces, where there was room to move, test limits, and adapt without risking the confines of indoor areas. The forest would give him the freedom he needed to explore the full potential of his abilities safely.
After a few moments of silence, Kara glanced at him briefly. "So Marcus, tell me about your transformation—your monstrous form. Explain a little. How does it feel? What can you do? I need to understand it before we start practicing."
Marcus took a deep breath, recalling everything he had been told after the initial tests of his monstrous form. "Well… my transformation is mostly oriented toward assault," he began, his voice steady. "It takes a humanoid shape, and my body can grow these armored plates—they're extremely hard but surprisingly light, so they don't slow me down. My endurance is far above average—even the scientists were surprised at how long I could keep going under extreme stress. The duration I can maintain this monstrous form is also well above average, which gives me more time to act without tiring.
"The rest of my physical abilities are only slightly above average for now. The size of my form is about average for assault types—big enough to hit hard and take space, but not so large that it sacrifices mobility. So far, I've only awakened one special trait: I can accumulate ether in a specific part of my body, which lets me manipulate the thickness, size, and shape of the plates. I've never really had the chance to test this in actual combat, so I don't fully know how it will perform under pressure."
"I think this forest will finally give me space to practice and experiment with the plates, to see how I can use them effectively while moving and fighting."
Kara nodded quietly, taking her time to absorb the information he had just shared. Her expression remained calm but calculating as she mentally began evaluating the virtues and weaknesses of Marcus's transformation, considering how to enhance his strengths and address any potential vulnerabilities.
An hour later, the vehicle finally came to a stop at the edge of the Blackthorn Forest. Kara stepped out first and opened the trunk, retrieving the training equipment they would need. Marcus followed, adjusting his gray tracksuit and preparing himself mentally for the exercises ahead.
After walking for a short while into the dense forest, Kara signaled for Marcus to set up the camp. Everything he had learned over the past week would be put into practice as he organized the space, testing his skills in a real outdoor environment.
After Marcus finished setting up the camp, Kara led him toward an open clearing a short walk away. The forest thinned here, revealing a flat, spacious area ideal for practicing combat and transformations. Once they reached the center of the clearing, Kara stopped and turned to him.
Kara looked at him with a serious gaze. It was time to put theory into action. She nodded slightly, signaling that it was time. "Okay, let's see your transformation."