Although he was a bit surprised that Tristana had arrived so quickly, Faen wasn't overly caught off guard. He quickly gathered his thoughts, bid farewell to Lulu's parents, and went outside to meet up with Tristana.
Stepping outside, Tristana's eyes flashed with a hint of pleasant surprise and approval when she saw Faen, who was already fully dressed and ready.
She had originally assumed that mischievous Lulu would keep pestering Faen, causing him to miss his morning workout and inevitably sleep in.
But looking at him now, an instructor truly lived up to the title of instructor. To be up and ready this early, it seemed he hadn't been affected by Lulu's antics in the slightest.
"Instructor Faen!" Tristana threw a crisp, excited salute and declared, "Private Tristana requesting your training!"
"Excellent, full of spirit!" Hearing Tristana's words, Faen nodded in deep satisfaction, then said:
"I hope our training will serve as an excellent starting point for your journey from an ordinary soldier to an elite! But before we begin, let's assess your current physical capabilities!"
"Yes, sir! Instructor!"
Tristana answered with brimming excitement.
The first round was marksmanship.
There wasn't much to say about this. Even while wielding a hand-cannon that would be impossibly heavy for an ordinary human, under Tristana's control, whether it was precise aiming or continuous rapid-fire, her accuracy was terrifyingly high.
At least, in Faen's view, there were probably very few people in the entire material realm who possessed more natural talent for cannon marksmanship than Tristana.
He nodded, clapped, and offered his praise. And at this moment, Faen shifted his full attention directly onto Tristana herself.
"Then next up, we need to test your physical capabilities."
"Physical capabilities?!"
Hearing this, a look of worry surfaced on Tristana's face.
Just as Faen had anticipated, as a squishy ADC, although Tristana's physical capabilities were commendable compared to an ordinary human, they were still leagues away from those of a true warrior.
Seeing this, Faen nodded and said, "It looks like what we need to focus on next is strengthening your stamina and endurance."
Hearing Faen's words, Tristana, who had just followed Faen through a rapid series of intense fitness exercises, raised her hand while panting heavily. It took her quite a while to catch her breath before she belatedly asked:
"Um, I have a question, Instructor. Why do we need to undergo physical endurance training? I'm clearly an artillery gunner, right?"
Hearing Tristana's question, a smile curled on Faen's lips. He then replied, "For an ordinary soldier, your physical fitness has completely met the standard, and your exceptional marksmanship far exceeds it."
Hearing this, a look of pride appeared on Tristana's face. But immediately after, Faen continued, "However, that is only looking at it from the standard of an ordinary soldier. If we're talking about an elite soldier, then the capabilities you've displayed so far are nowhere near enough!"
Looking earnestly at Tristana, Faen said with a completely solemn and serious expression, "Tristana, you vastly underestimate the effort required and the price one must pay to become an elite soldier."
"Huh?"
Hearing this, a look of blank confusion appeared on Tristana's face.
Faen stayed silent for a moment, then nodded. He rubbed Tristana's head and said:
"Of course, I know this is because you've lived in Bandle City your whole life. You haven't seen true elite soldiers, nor do you know what qualities a true elite soldier must possess."
"Therefore, before the real training begins, I must make you understand exactly what capabilities a true elite soldier must have. At the same time, I need you to be absolutely certain that you can overcome these hardships and truly become an elite soldier!"
"I can!" Hearing Faen's question, Tristana responded with fiery excitement, "I am fully prepared!"
"Excellent!" Faen nodded in satisfaction.
This was the one thing about Yordles that he loved the most. As long as you hit their pain points and guided them step by step, you could reach third base incredibly quickly.
Thinking this, Faen continued, "A truly exceptional soldier must possess environmental adaptability and team coordination far beyond that of ordinary people, along with absolute discipline to obey orders instantly."
Looking at Tristana, Faen spoke with the calm, authoritative aura of an experienced veteran:
"Because they are not merely 'strong individuals,' but warriors who have honed their bodies, skills, and consciousness into precision tools of the battlefield.
"In these true elites, every single trait serves the ultimate goal of completing the mission efficiently and maximizing the probability of survival!"
Hearing Faen's explanation, Tristana's mouth dropped wide open.
Because before this, although Tristana harbored intense emotions and an absolute obsession with becoming an excellent soldier, to be completely honest, Tristana truly didn't know what it actually took to become one.
But now, hearing Faen's lecture—even though it was just a few simple sentences briefly describing the necessary capabilities of an elite soldier and how those capabilities should be applied—Tristana felt as if a heavy fog had been lifted from her mind. It was as if all the confusion and bewilderment she had accumulated in the past had finally found their answers at this exact moment.
Amidst her excitement, Tristana threw another crisp salute and declared, "I will work my absolute hardest!!"
"Excellent!" Faen nodded in satisfaction. He then led Tristana to a desolate, uninhabited clearing in the forest.
Meeting Tristana's gaze, Faen spread his hands. The moisture in the surrounding environment rapidly condensed, forming a surging torrent that continuously slammed into the ground.
Although it looked exceptionally violent, during this scouring process, the water didn't seep into the surface in the slightest. Instead, the continuous impacts powerfully compacted and hardened the earth.
Very quickly, the previously messy forest clearing—filled with fallen leaves, dead branches, and weeds—was completely renewed under the rushing waters controlled by Faen.
Although there were countless Yordles in Bandle City capable of casting water magic—in fact, it merely depended on whether a Yordle was willing to learn it—there was absolutely no doubt that even in such an environment, Faen's absolute, effortless mastery over water magic was something Tristana was witnessing for the very first time.
Faen, however, wore a perfectly calm expression, acting as if this were nothing more than a trivial matter barely worth mentioning.
And in truth, for Faen, this really was nothing special. Meeting Tristana's gaze, Faen spoke with a calm, profound tone:
"Do not be deceived by the superficial appearance of things. Tristana, true strength must originate from one's own inner heart, from the resolute execution of what one believes in. And your training will be exactly the same."