Chapter 34 Dream? Is it the strongest in the world?

The next day, the reorganized recruits continued their journey.

In everyone's minds, Loya was already considered a member of the elite battalion. However, that didn't mean he had stolen anyone else's qualifications. As Kuzan had mentioned, the top three recruits still had a chance to join the elite camp based on the strength they demonstrated during the assessment. It wasn't about a fixed top three passing—it was about working hard and proving themselves.

Lying bored on the shore, Loya held a blade of grass in his mouth, napping with his hands behind his head.

After arranging the recruits' supplies, Lieutenant General Mole hesitated for a moment before approaching Loya.

Hearing the sound of rustling footsteps getting closer, Loya opened his eyes. "Lieutenant General Mole, I put the photos in a file for you. Don't disturb my nap."

Joking aside, after being unexpectedly hit—twice—by Mole the day before, Loya wasn't in the mood to be friendly.

Mole, who had been conflicted, grew angry upon hearing this and glared at him. "As I said, I agreed to speak to Teacher Zefa on your behalf if you gave me the photos. But you only gave me one! Don't think I've forgotten—you showed me three when you were blackmailing me!"

"Ugh, why do you have to remember that so clearly?" Loya muttered in frustration. He then quickly surrendered before Mole could get angrier. "Okay, okay, I'll give you the rest of the photos when we get back. Geez, you're really holding onto this at your age."

Mole: "...You shameless little brat."

Mole paused, then suddenly sat down next to Loya. Loya glanced at him, waiting for him to speak.

When someone has something on their mind, their aura changes, and Loya, with his heightened senses as a dragon, could clearly feel the shift in Mole's presence.

For a while, the only sound on the quiet shore was the lapping of the waves. The occasional screams coming from the forest behind them were best ignored.

Unable to bear the silence any longer, Mole finally spoke.

"Hey, Loya. Do you have any dreams?"

The question was surprisingly deep, and Loya almost imagined Mole transforming into a wise mentor. Shaking off the strange thought, Loya looked at him curiously. "Dreams? Why do you ask?"

"Just curious. Go on, tell me," Mole replied, not giving a direct answer but urging Loya to speak.

Loya found it odd. Mole wasn't usually one to play the philosophical mentor, but everyone had their moments. Mole's words stirred something in Loya, unlocking old memories he thought he had buried. Memories of his simple, uneventful life before he ended up in this world.

Loya's eyes took on a nostalgic sadness as he answered, "Everyone has dreams, and not just one. As we go through life, some dreams get closer, while others drift further away."

Images from his past flashed through his mind. He remembered a stormy afternoon when he was still in elementary school. He'd spent the day playing outside instead of attending class, only to get drenched and run home in the rain, where he was met with a scolding—and a beating.

"I just wanted to go home," Loya said quietly. It was a simple, childlike dream, but one that felt impossibly far away at times.

After a moment's pause, Loya continued, "Back then, my dream was to have enough to eat and wear, to live comfortably, without worrying about where my next meal would come from or stressing over daily survival. I imagined myself being rich one day, eating steak every day, living in a big house, and having servants to care for me. That was my dream of a perfect life."

He gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Pretty pathetic, right?"

Mole nodded solemnly. "Yes, very."

Loya: "..."

Well, since Mole had decided to be blunt, Loya decided to ignore the insult and keep talking.

"I never had elaborate plans for my future. What I said just now really was my dream," Loya went on. "But life is full of surprises."

He thought back to his life as an ordinary civilian, busy with the routine of school: elementary, junior high, high school, university. His days were filled with study, with no end in sight.

In junior high, he'd had a crush on a girl and, after working up the courage to confess, ended up getting beaten by her boyfriend. That was the first time a young, confused Loya realized how unpredictable life could be.