Chapter 158: Miss Devil's Training...

Jack and Cindy endured an entire month of hell under Zoey's Special Hero Training. If the training wasn't bad enough, they still had to go to school every weekday. Completely exhausted and sore all over, they had to suffer both physically and mentally under Miss Devil. They're training made them realize just how fitting their teacher's name truly was.

Zoey decided to start with flexibility training. Their days started at the crack of dawn where Zoey had them performing intense flexibility exercises. While she didn't think that flexibility would be all that important out of everything, they needed to learn. It was another combat asset that was better to have than to not. Zoey would ensure they weren't lacking in any area. After all, she was basically funding and supporting children into doing crimes. (Being a vigilante)

She had them practice yoga! During her time in magji prison, she's gotten a hell of a lot more flexible practicing those yoga routines Callie sent her. Her next boyfriend was in for a big surprise when he realized just how far she could bend and stretch. Surprisingly, Jack had an easier time than Cindy in the flexibility department. It was difficult for Zoey to wrap her head around why this was, but she didn't think much of it.

Next came physical training. Zoey incorporated endurance exercises into their daily routine. Push-ups, sit-ups, burpees, weightlifting, running – the list seemed never-ending. She wanted them to build strength and stamina so that they could handle even the most grueling battles without giving in to exhaustion. Endurance was one of Zoey's strongest skills. If there was anyone who knew the importance of lasting long in a fight, it was definitely her. Zoey's only made it this far because she's focused so much of her time on her Body stat. She'd be freaking dead ten times over if she focused on Magic or Mental with the Box.

Combat training was another important part. Zoey taught them parts of her personal fighting style: Zoey's Victorious Boxing. She didn't teach them everything but parts of it that would fit well with their fighting styles. It was a little too dangerous to teach them the whole thing.

Zoey has transformed it into an actual killing art through the bodies of all the opponents she's defeated thus far. The core of the fighting style was winning by any means necessary, with a focus on striking. It wouldn't be very responsible to teach children something that can be compared to The Art of Killing, at least, in Zoey's opinion. If she did, the kids might become accidental murderers before they became proper teenagers.

So, under very careful passing down of her techniques, she had them spar with one another. At first, they looked very clumsy. Their showing of Victorious Boxing didn't hold any of the natural lethality, dangerous but smooth flow, and the simple brutality that was naturally present within the fighting style. It made sense. What would children know about killing and hurting people? Doing all of that just for the sake of winning. Their opponent could be an old person, an alien, or hell, even a baby, but if they wanted to truly understand Zoey's Victorious Boxing, they had to win no matter who their opponent was. Without that mindset, Zoey didn't see them progressing far. Something like that could only be gained through experience. Plus, Zoey didn't think it would be helpful for them to try and master the full thing as heroes anyway. Their focus should be on saving people first, not hurting others.

First-aid training was also a must. Zoey knew that injuries were inevitable in their line of work, and they needed to know how to administer basic medical care in emergencies. She had them go through publicly available classes and learn how to do so. Zoey, Jack, and Cindy all were taught how to bandage wounds, perform CPR, and handle various medical scenarios. Well, they only learned as much as expected for a regular civilian.

[First-Aid Lv1]

This was also how she earned a useful skill that she probably could've used a long time ago.

Mental training was an aspect that Inner Zoey stressed, and Zoey agreed. It was similar to physical training, but not exactly. She incorporated mental discipline exercises into their routine, such as meditation and image training. While Zoey constantly debated whether mental strength was just as important as physical strength, she thought it was better to force feed it down her students' brains.

The Meditation skill she got from prison was a lot more useful than Zoey thought it would be. It was very helpful in helping her destress, focus, and get rid of annoying thoughts that weren't relevant at the moment. Unknown to Zoey, Jack, and Cindy would take to learning meditation like fish in water. It turns out that being able to clear their thoughts or focus on other things while undergoing grueling body-breaking training was very helpful. Not to mention that Zoey also had them wear weights on their bodies at all times except when they were sleeping or bathing.

And then there was knowledge - the one thing that even Zoey knew she could improve on and also couldn't help them with. She had Prometheus introduce them to tutors with knowledge of history, law, and ethics. She wanted them to understand the world they were trying to protect and the complexities of right and wrong. Zoey wanted Jack and Cindy to be informed and thoughtful heroes, not just reckless criminals causing trouble in pursuit of justice.

As the days turned into weeks, Jack and Cindy went through the rigorous training with determination, tears, complaints, and much much suffering. They broke, they shattered, they blacked out, but they never gave up. Zoey watched them grow stronger and more determined with each passing day, and she knew they were on the right path. Teaching was an absolutely bullshit skill.

Honestly, Zoey should be imprisoned for what she's put these two through, but somehow they came out the other end better than ever. If a normal person went through what she put these two through, they would've been hospitalized halfway through the first week. Zoey didn't know 100%, but she had a damn good feeling that Teaching was the only reason these two managed to survive. Well, that and their fixation on becoming superheroes.

Finally, after a month that felt like a lifetime, Zoey gathered Jack and Cindy together, the exhaustion and weariness evident in their eyes.

"What are we doing today…?" Jack looked spiritless and wistless, like a person on the verge of becoming a ghost.

"Jack, did you write down Mrs. Johnson's notes for the social studies test? Becky's brother deleted the picture off her phone somehow, and I was sleeping during her class." Cindy asked with a look of frustration on her face. She's never behind on schoolwork and refuses to let it start now, no matter how exhausted she is.

"I got it. I'll let you copy my notes later…" Jack yawned.

"Training is over," Zoey announced, and for a moment, Jack and Cindy could hardly believe their ears.

"I knew it." Jack didn't even hear the words that came out of her mouth. He was already expecting something crazy like- "Wait, what did you say?!" Jack's eyes widened in shock.

Jack and Cindy exchanged glances, their faces beaming with joy and relief. They knew that the training was complete torture, and they couldn't be happier that it was over.

"You two are as ready as you'll ever be." Zoey had to give them credit.

She might call all of her students monsters, but these two really take the cake. In what world could anyone see pre-teens or teens being capable enough to fight grown adults? It wasn't like Jack or Cindy were ridiculously tall or big, either. They were normal-sized children for the most part. Zoey said for the most part because the month-long training session did wonders for their little bodies. Jack shed all of his excess fat and gained a nice buff little body. Cindy was no different, except she didn't have fat to shed. What she did have was muscle to grow and none of the awkwardness of being self-conscious about her body while growing through puberty.

"Thank god…" Cindy didn't know how much longer she could continue this, even if it was by her idol.

Zoey has never forced Cindy and Jack to continue their training. On the first day of their training, she told them straight out. If they ever wanted to give up, they could give up. She wouldn't stop them from quitting. But if they did decide to give up during training, they could not become a superhero no matter what. If Zoey saw them or heard about them out in the streets trying to be heroes despite giving up in her training, she would stop them herself. There was no threat more meaningful than that for Cindy and Jack. Having an undefeated fighting pseudo-champion come after you personally? How many people could hear such a thing and react calmly?

"Don't be so relieved. This is only the start, heroes." Zoey started. "It's only going to get harder from here on since you've both decided to go down this path. You'll have to keep up with your training and studying otherwise, the criminals will take advantage of your laziness." She seriously warned them. "This isn't a game. Your lives and the lives of others will be at stake. But never forget, you can always come to me for advice or to talk." Zoey reassured them with a rub of their heads.

"Yes, Miss Devil." They said together, understanding that being a hero was a lot heavier than it was in the cartoons.