21:Kill The Prisoner

BANG!BANG!

A small shockwave liberated around.

He clapped his hands sharply to draw everyone's focus.

A few men emerged from the crowd, dragging aside the clothes to reveal several cages. Inside were old men and children, their eyes wide with fear and confusion.

Roland's smile turned sinister as he addressed the recruits. "For your next task, you must kill these prisoners."

"This your last and final test to fit as my soldiers."

The sudden announcement hit like a shockwave.

Gasps of horror and disbelief rippled through the crowd. Some recruits staggered back, their faces pale with fear. A few protested loudly, their voices trembling with a mix of anger and dread.

Roland's expression remained unyielding. He clapped his hands again. "Those who are unwilling to complete this task, step to the side now."

"We need strong willed people not weakling.In war, the battle of will of what to do or not do is a significant thing."

"Being decisive is the key."

The recruits faced a grim choice as they looked toward the cages, the weight of their decision settling heavily on their shoulders. The air was thick with tension, and the next move was uncertain.

The recruits stood in a tense, uneasy silence. The revelation of the cages and Roland's chilling command had thrown them into a moral and emotional turmoil. The weight of the decision pressed heavily upon them. Hesitation marked their faces as they wrestled with the gravity of the situation.

Among them, Lucas the former farmer and Kara emerged as the first to act.

Lucas, his hands trembling but his resolve firm, stepped forward. His voice cut through the murmur of the crowd. "This isn't right. We're here to fight, not to murder the innocent!"

Kara, her usually composed demeanor showing cracks of anger and disgust, nodded in agreement. "I stand with this double little man."

"What little?"Lucas shouted in anger but Kara continued ignoring her.

"We came here to defend and protect, not to commit acts of brutality."

Their stance sparked a ripple of support among the recruits. More stepped forward, their faces marked by a mix of fear and determination. Derek the Former Soldier and others joined

Lucas and Kara, expressing their unwillingness to participate in the heinous task. Soon, about one-third of the recruits moved to the side, their decision made.

Roland's gaze swept across the assembly, his face an unreadable mask. "Are you not going to carry out the task?"

The recruits remained silent, their heads bowed in contemplation. The internal conflict was visible; their thoughts were a whirlwind of doubt and fear. The weight of Roland's command and the sight of the caged prisoners seemed to freeze their voices.

Roland's eyes narrowed, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. "Speak up! If you are unwilling to proceed, then you have chosen your path."

The recruits who had chosen not to step aside were now called to action. Roland's eyes glinted with a cold, calculating intensity as he addressed them. "Pick up the weapons and line up. You will be the ones to carry out this task."

At the rear of the training field, several large tents had been set up, each one obscured by heavy drapes. The recruits watched in grim silence as prisoners were led one by one into the tents. The sounds of struggle and the occasional muffled scream escaped from within, filling the air with a sense of impending horror.

One by one, recruits entered the tents, emerging with bloodied hands and faces. The expressions varied from trembling fear to a cold, detached demeanour. Some had clearly struggled with the task, their hands shaking uncontrollably. Others, however, walked out with a chilling calm, as if the brutality had hardened them.

Lucas , unable to bear the sight any longer, shouted, "Sir, this is too much! You have no right to make us do this!"

Kara , her voice shaking with a mix of anger and desperation, echoed his sentiment. "This is inhumane! We're soldiers, not murderers!"

Their cries of protest sparked unrest among the other recruits. A few attempted to rebel, their faces etched with defiance and fear.

In a flash, Roland's cold, ruthless demeanor took over. He drew a dagger with a swift motion, and a sharp scratch appeared on the face of a young rebel who had tried to challenge him.

Before anyone could react, Roland leaped with terrifying speed, landing effortlessly in front of the crowd. With a single, precise kick, he sent them crashing to the ground, thwarting their voices.

The recruits watched in stunned silence as Roland's aura of deathly authority enveloped the training field.

His long white hair and unyielding expression conveyed an air of menace that made the air itself seem to chill. His eyes, devoid of warmth, swept over the assembled recruits, instilling a deep-seated fear in their hearts.

Roland's voice, icy and authoritative, cut through the tense atmosphere. "My place, my rules. Those who defy them will face the consequences."

His haughty tone left no room for dissent, and the recruits' looks of despair and anger were met with his indifferent gaze. It was clear that their thoughts and curses meant nothing to him.

When the grim task was completed, Roland stepped to the centre of the field, his expression shifting to one of mockery. "Congratulations to all who participated," he announced with an unsettling smile. "You have passed the test."

Cheers erupted from those who had complied, their joy short-lived. Roland's voice boomed again, cutting through the celebratory noise. "No, not you. I am referring to those who chose to stand aside."

He pointed towards the corner of the field where the dissenters and those he had subdued were gathered. "It is they who have passed."

The sudden twist left the cheering recruits in stunned silence. The realization that they had been judged and found wanting, while those who had refused were deemed worthy, settled heavily on the field. The mood shifted from triumph to confusion, and Roland's smirk only deepened seeing their reaction