"No!" Kai thought, ducking just in time as the wooden sword sliced past his shoulder. Even seeing it coming, it moved faster than his calculations allowed.
Gray didn't pause. His strikes came in rapid succession, a relentless double assault.
Each blow was brutal, precise, and faster than the eye could follow—enough to shatter Kai's balance, even if they weren't meant to kill. Pain screamed in anticipation with every missed strike.
Eyes widened around the courtyard as Gray's movements accelerated to a blur.
Kai's body screamed in protest, muscles straining and reflexes fraying. He didn't have time to think; instinct had to carry him.
Then, a memory flickered—the footwork and blade maneuvers of the soldiers in his village. He stopped dodging and swung the wooden dagger, slicing through the air to meet Gray's strike head-on.
A thunderous clash exploded as steel met wood. Kai was hurled backward, crashing across the courtyard like a ragdoll, while Gray remained perfectly anchored, calm as a storm.
Kai flipped mid-air, landing on his feet with a grunt, lungs burning. Shadows had merged around him, hiding the trembling in his hands. But Gray saw it—the faint glow leaking from Kai's grip into the blade, a restrained power barely held back.
Gray surged forward faster this time. Kai clenched his daggers tighter, every sinew taut, predicting Gray's motion as if it had been etched into his mind.
He didn't block directly. He deflected, twisting the strike aside with a sharp snap of his arms.
The wooden stick spun out of Gray's hand, smashing against the ground with a deafening crack and splintering into fragments.
Before he could savor the small victory, Gray's palm lunged inches from his chest. Kai's arms crossed in a desperate shield—but still, the impact slammed through him like molten fire, knocking him off his feet again. Pain shot up his arms, bone scraping against bone.
Kai stared at Gray's calm expression, struggling to inhale.
I thought I was stronger… but he's faster, stronger, unpredictable. Did I let their stares control me?
Gray's hand rose again, a blur of motion, when a soldier shouted, "Two minutes passed!"
Kai collapsed onto the hard ground, chest heaving, limbs trembling.
"Haha! Brat. No, Kai, congratulations. You've passed as the first novice soldier of the year yet to be assigned a badge and a skill grade." Gray approached with a sincere smile on his face, extending his hand to Kai, and helped him get up.
Kai had mixed feelings, but happiness overshadowed all the feelings of getting what he wanted.
'This isn't as bad as it looked. Lieutenant Gray is absolutely the strongest and fastest person here. If he trains me, I can defeat him easily,' Kai said in his mind, staring at Gray.
Gray felt a slight shiver when he noticed that look. It was as if the boy had made a rival out of him.
He found it amusing but liked the boy even more than the previous ones he had faced throughout the years.
A sudden rumbling sound came from Kai's stomach, letting him tear his gaze from the lieutenant, who was now looking at him with sharp eyes.
"I'm hungry. I need food," he said, brushing his hand slightly over his chest.
"Alright. Max, take the boy to the cafeteria to eat before the others," Gray said, pointing to the soldier who had first hated Kai.
No one uttered a word as Kai and the soldier walked out of the courtyard.
When the door shut, Gray looked at the ground where his wooden katana stick had broken. He clenched his fist, remembering the whole fight.
'This kid is truly a reincarnated monster. His strength, reflexes, reaction time, speed, and fighting instinct are all above those of an ordinary human child. The only thing that makes him less alarming is his small body.'
'His awkward movements make sense if he's never fought before. But what I still don't get is how he followed all my movements as if he had them drawn in his mind.' Gray sighed and turned toward the remaining recruits.
'His eyes—how can a human have eyes of two rivalries? He'll surely surpass me in less than a year if he's consistent with this attitude. But this place is too small for him.'
"Share the rest among yourselves," Gray said, crossing his hands on his chest and watching the soldiers move in groups toward each and every recruit.
…
'This child has the talent to achieve what I couldn't. I'll train him with everything I've got and send a letter to the headquarters to come for him when I'm done,' Gray said with a happy face as he walked out of the courtyard entrance.
The other recruits, who were waiting for their turn to step into the arena, stood there reminiscing about how the lieutenant fought with the little boy.
Some tried repeating the moves they learned through that fight and got the chance to defeat or reach exactly one minute before falling.
"Wipe those looks from your eyes. Don't try comparing yourselves to the little boy. He's someone only strong people can fight against. You can try him if you don't want your life," the junior soldier said, gesturing toward the group Kai had left.
After all the fights had taken place, some sat on the courtyard floor, clutching their shoulders, while the few ladies among them stretched themselves on the ground as if dead.
…
'What food am I going to choose when we get to the cafet… what word was that?' Kai thought, scratching his hand on his scalp as he followed the steps of the soldier.
The smell of meat and fresh bread hit them after walking for a long time. It was practically empty when they got inside, only six soldiers sitting and chatting in a corner.
The soldier went and brought meat and five loaves of bread, but the little boy finished them within minutes, forcing the soldier to go back for another set.
He felt happy, finally being able to eat properly after coming to the city. In fact, ever since his body began to grow stronger, he'd been feeling hungrier than usual.
Meanwhile, the conversation of the other soldiers reached his ears.
"How many do you think will pass this year?" one of them said.
"I doubt ten will even pass, at most maybe seven, same as the number that passed last year," another grumbled.
"No, this time it's different. I saw more numbers than usual. Also, both the bandits and monsters are cutting off our only supply route for food. If the number keeps being the same, famine will strike the city into chaos."
Kai chewed the second set of bread that was brought to him as he listened to every word.
'The bandits are what? I know of monsters. But the lieutenant I fought with is strong. I think he alone can fight the monsters,' he thought curiously.
At that moment, Gray entered the cafeteria. The six soldiers stood up and greeted him respectfully. He nodded back before approaching and sitting at the table where Kai was.