2 light of hope

Instead of bathing after his long run, he decided not to waste water since he would be getting sweaty again while testing to see if there were any other physiological changes. He wanted to check if he had become stronger, more retentive, and if his cognitive abilities had improved, such as his calculatory power and reflexes.

Leaving the bustling gym, which was now empty due to the curfew, he headed towards the weight rack. Ed started with some light weight reps to warm up and stretch his muscles, ensuring he didn't strain himself. Once adequately prepared, he began curling weights, starting with his original max of 70 pounds.

As he completed three curls effortlessly, he couldn't help but notice a slight shock when he caught sight of himself in the mirror. His build appeared larger, his muscles more defined. Standing at 6'3" with nicely tanned skin, he now had a noticeably chiseled jaw partially covered by hair. His dark brown hair, cut in a military style, featured highlights of blond. His blue eyes seemed more vibrant than ever, complementing his enviable complexion. Overall, he looked amazing, or at least that's how he saw himself.

Realizing that he should have looked in the mirror earlier to notice his changes, Ed sighed at his lack of vanity. Shaking off the distraction, he focused his attention back on the weights. Adding more weight, he pushed himself to curl 110 pounds and finally hit his max after three successful reps.

To balance his muscles, he repeated the lifting test with his other hand, achieving the same impressive results. It was odd to see his left hand matching the strength of his dominant right hand when it had always been weaker. Moving on to work out his legs, he decided to test his dexterity to a certain extent. With his hands open, he started making different shapes at varying speeds, and he noticed a significant improvement in his left hand's proficiency compared to before his "death."

(Time skip - the duration it took him to test his new physical capabilities)

Returning to the barracks after a refreshing shower, he laid down on his bed, closing his eyes to avoid interacting with the other people present. He wasn't being antisocial; he simply needed time to process his thoughts. The revelations about his improved physical capabilities overwhelmed him. His legs could now lift 300 pounds! After conducting various tests, he observed significant improvements in all aspects of his physicality. His capabilities rivaled those of professional athletes, while his dexterity was akin to that of a skilled martial artist. Even his memory and mental capabilities had noticeably enhanced.

Overall, he felt ecstatic, residing on cloud nine and unwilling to come down anytime soon. Contemplating his future plans, he decided to set short, achievable goals that would lead him towards a vague destination, as he had always done.

Every day, he set a goal to run at full speed for two hours, stretch for two hours, lift weights until muscle failure for each muscle group, read a book, and dedicate an hour to practicing boxing.

(*His week of "rest" was over, and he was sent back to training from the beginning with a new squad since his old one didn't want him holding them back. He went to the designated meeting place, where his trainer would be. After a few minutes, a nearly bald man with glasses and a well-groomed white beard approached him.)

"Hello, are you Mr. Edward Hodges?"

"Yes, sir! Edward Hodges reporting for duty, sir!"

"At ease. Hello, Edward. My name is Dr. Abraham Erskine. I've heard about what happened to you and your recent behavior. I understand your heart stopped, and now you're training even harder than before. is this correct?"

""Yes, sir, Dr. Erskine. In the face of death, all men are weak. I wanted to grow stronger to avoid encountering death for a while, sir."

"Well said, soldier. I have a question for you. Do you want to kill some Nazis?"

"Yes and no, sir. I want to fight for my country, and I do believe that some of the people we are fighting are as bad as they are said to be. However, I also believe that they are humans fighting for what they believe in, just like us. Besides their goals and methods, they aren't too different from us. So, while I am willing to kill my enemies to survive, i find no joy in the idea of killing anyone. "

"Lovely. I would like you to join our training camp. It will be more rigorous than others, but it offers opportunities that others won't."

"I appreciate the opportunity, sir. Thank you, sir."

(Hello, I've decided to start this again. might as well.)