Medusa

Following the good looking soldier, Reigner had his eyes going around the field with a faint smile lingering on his face. He saw the muddy training ground with tires, nets, and all other facilities prepared to train up the new rookies.

These rookies had formed two ranks and now were carefully being eyed by the lady whose name was 'Instructor Unni'. Her hand held something akin to a small whip that was slapping the recruits from time to time.

For now, she was only slapping commoners who couldn't stay straight or moved their eyes around. Her tight clothes were kinda alluring and so many youngsters had fallen to her mere tricks.

Of course, the lady didn't form two ranks only to look at the faces of rookies.

"Medusa Reigner."

"Hoh, that's a unique surname."

"..."

To this, Reigner just became expressionless. He lost that smile and just kept his eyes looking forward as if struck by some enlightenment. Still, Instructor Unni liked that change as she found finally something that can make this stupid smile disappear.

Other than learning about their names, Instructor was also searching for the soft spots of the new rookies. It was kinda surprising to see the most irritating one fell first. Nonetheless, Instructor then ordered everyone to run straight into the moody field and the 'hellish' training began.

[Medusa?]

Ignoring the reincarnation, Reigner pressed forward. He was one of the people who had fallen first which had shocked him at the beginning. But then, he got reminded about his life and everything became clear.

Those people were commoners, but it's not like they had buses, cars or any means of easy transport. They also had to move in their common lives a lot contrary to Reigner who was still a student.

He spat out some mud from his lips, then crawled in the mud.

[The body is important, but do you think such training will actually be beneficial to you?]

"There has to be beginning. Unlike you, I won't clad myself in the cringe cover to increase the stats."

[Cringe cover? Stats?]

Nightmare felt like killing time, but what he got was more questions. He tilted his head in Reigner's body while keeping that 'cringe' form, then cursed out loud. This fool had joined the army instantly upon arriving in the capital.

If he had waited for a little, then during the night, Nightmare would be able to gather a lot of nightmare elements just by attacking the row of houses in the avenue! The first steps of a nightmare path are very easy ones and just common people are enough to boost his powers.

Not even the origin is needed to store up the gathered element.

But Reigner's powers are more based on the items. The limit of these items was unknown for now, but if he has a weak body, then swinging the weapon for a little would be enough to tire him down... Reigner needed body and his own power to be sure that Nightmare won't easily take down him.

He could just waste his nightmare points by summoning the mere arm blade, but that would lead them nowhere.

So the training was needed.

"Medusa."

"..."

"Why did you stop moving?"

'This bitch.'

Swallowed up by the mud, Reigner stopped as he was just tired. It was unquestionable that he is one of the weakest yet Instructor Unni's whip reached out for his back as she slapped him hard. He felt stinging pain rippling on his skin, then spread a little around.

It hurt, but he mustered up enough strength to talk.

"I believe... the intervals are an important part... of the... training?"

"Hah! Not here. If you are so damn weak, then even light armor is enough to slow you down. Trash like you wouldn't be even able to move on the battlefield!"

Slap! Slap! Slap!

"Ugh!"

As if he spoke too much, Instructor Unni slapped Reigner's back three times before kicking some mud into his face. Her eyes let out satisfied gleam, then a cruel smile spread as she saw Reigner crawling slowly with his body shuddering from the overexerting.

[At least fifty thousand nightmare elements are needed to kill her.]

"I am going... Instructor Unni."

"..."

The moment Reigner's smile came back, the soldier above him narrowed her eyes. It felt like her black cold eyes could pierce through him and even freeze! The young man didn't stop, however. And that smile could be seen amid the splashing mud.

"You have five minutes to reach the nets."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Slap!

Leaving the slap behind, Instructor Unni left Reigner alone. A moment later, the already well known slaps reverberated on the other youth's back as he struggled forward... The first part of the training was to force their bodies to reach the limits, then just push forward...

'At least... two years... If I don't reach home in two years...'

-

Reigner dragged his body out from the shower. It was the first time he was taking the shower with other men where everyone basically could see each other's bodies... No one was looking at each other though...

Even the joke with soap didn't flash through Reigner's mind.

He felt exhausted and even now, the slaps of Instructor Unni scorched on his back... His whole body was screaming from the pain, bones cracking from time to time...

'I fucking fell from the nets.'

There were more or less thirty laps in this hellish 'first' training. It was on the twenty-eighth lap that Reigner momentarily lost all his strength and fell from a height. He was not the first one to fall nor the last one though.

With his body talking as he moved, Reigner reached the barracks. There was already allotted room to him and as he opened the doors, the sight of other rookies groaning in pain reached his eyes... He felt annoyed by the sounds coming off from them, but not like he could do anything to his own body.

Thud!

The first thing Reigner did was to plop down on the bed, then sleep.

[I will wake you up in four hours. Remember the deal.]

"..."