228 Prince of Devils?

“Getting in to the special ARC curriculum was one of the luckiest breaks I ever had in my life – and at the same time, one of the unluckiest. That short period will forever be etched on my soul. It was then I learned the true meaning of hardship. There were so many times when I just wanted to quit, to walk away. But, every time those thoughts entered my mind I looked to the people standing beside me. If they could sustain in the face of these difficulties, why couldn’t I? Of course I could! I would think about my future, about what would happen if I became a legendary pilot. I promised myself that the first thing I’d do was defeat the demon drillmaster! Not just a demon… he was the Prince of Devils, and I promised myself I’d show him the torture he put us though.”

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These crack students were very familiar with the sim pods that dotted the warehouse. One after the other, they entered them as naturally as climbing in to bed.