Squad leader

The 15 laps around the training camp were more than most could take and it ended up taking the whole day and when the sun was setting all the cadets made their way to the training field to find the two instructors and the expressions still as ugly as before.

'What took you so long just to do a simple 15 laps tomorrow you owe me 20 laps' said one of the instructors and this time no complaint could be heard from the cadets.

'look to your left, see those containers each of them contains weights each of you must go and pick four, two for your hands and the other two for your legs. All the weights have a minimum weight of 15 kilograms and that is only for today and every day it will continue to increase until they all reach 100 kilograms each.'

All the cadet looked at the containers with a heavy heart when the instructor spoke again.' From now on you will be grouped in squad's and the squad is your life and if one member of the squad fails it means that the whole squad has failed. All squads will live to getter and train together and with the squad leader in charge now I will begin calling the squad leaders.'

'the first squad will be lead by the cadet who made it to the training camp first and he made it before the deadline cadet 1189 step up and take your weight'

Zero walked out of the line of cadets with a proud and mighty walk showing power and confidence since the cat was already out of the bag the only thing Zero could do was to make the best out of it.

Other twelfth names were called to make up the 13 man squad and they looked at Zero with different looks some were envious and the were others that had worshipping looks as they looked at the only cadet to make the time limit.

Squad, after squad was, were called and soon all the cadet had to wait with the squad leader in front and the rest of the squad behind them.

They were still 7 odd men out that did not fit in a squad and one of the instructors looked to Zero and said "since you could make it here within the time limit these seven are my gift to you".

Looking at the extra member Zero frown, more members meant that Zero would have to work twice as hard as the other squad leader just to keep them in line.

' all the dorms are number with your squad number your now dismiss see you tomorrow. And the two instructors walked away.

Zero lead his squad to their new dorm, this was the first time Zero saw the dorms and for once Zero saw something he expected the dorm was one big building that was about the size of a football field and it was all one room with no divisions except for the little room at the corner of the large hall that was marked squad leader.

20 bed filled the large hall with a little drawer next to the bed for personal possession except that the was nothing else in the room.

Zero stood in the middle of the room and called his squad to him and looked at every single one of them and it was bad.

Looking at all the cadets in his squad Zero could tell that the instructors were making things hard for him. Most of the cadets in the squad Zero knew them as they were the ones who struggled the most with the 15 laps.

With the way, things looked it was as if the instructors were trying to make him fail, it would not be easy to take this sorry bunch of cadets and turn them into something that resembles a proper squad and Zero did not have that much time.

What he needed to do was strike while the iron was hot and now was the time while they still have some respect for him.

Zero knew that he was not the speech and move people type of person, if he could use a speech to move his squad into action it would have made what he wanted to do simple but he was not that type of person.

'you all suck' Zero started to speak when all the attention was on him and his first words displeased them all. Zero could see different expressions from the cadets some were confused, angry, disappointed and there were even a few who were so shocked that they could only just stare at Zero.

'you all know it so don't look at me like that if there is any among you who feels that what a just said was incorrect then feel free to tell the others how you did in the 15 laps today. If the is any among you who did not struggle, who did not stop and walk the rest of the way speak up now'

Zero waited while the cadets looked at each other trying to see who will speak up after some time no one stepped up and spoke and this was what Zero wanted to see.

'the truth is the truth no matter how much you hate it you must accept it or it will destroy you. The current you all suck but that is only the current you that I am talking about what you are tomorrow is not determined. I cadet 118 was the first to arrive at the training camp and I also made it before the deadline ended why do think that is. The answer is very simple and it's because the current me is better than the current you. And that is the truth so let it hurt you because only by embracing it will it never hurt you again'

All the cadets were now invested in what Zero was saying they took in every word like it was the water of life.

'I will tell you all why I am here but before I tell you that let me tell you where I come from, I am an orphan like most of you and I have nothing but my life in this world and that is all I am. I came here for one reason and one reason only and that is to change my life. I want to be strong, I wanted to be a legend, and what I want most of all to be more than what I am today.

I wanted to do this all by myself because why should I care about the lot of you. I only just met you and you are all nothing to me but my plans have been changed and there is nothing I can do about it and that is the truth I don't like it but what can I do about it.'

At this point Zero got a little emotional and took a long pause and the silence forced all the cadets to think about what all this meant for them and the smartest among them figured out what Zero was trying to say but the were some who still needed a push.

'your faith and mine have been tied together and we will rise to gather or fall together but the one thing that you all must know and that is that I did not come here to fail. Now you all have a choice to make either you want to rise or you want to fall but remember one thing that if you want to rise like me and be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with me at the top you must work hard for it and all I asking from you is 3 hours every night that's all just 3 hours and I will help you rise so after dinner those who want to rise will meet me outside our dorm '

Then turned and left, Zero looked proud and confident while he walked away as if everything was going according to his plan but deep down Zero was nervous. Manipulating people was not something he was good at the only thing going for him was that he was good at judging a situation and judge of people.

All the cadets were still burning with the fire to improve themselves, all of them wanted to be stronger but they did not know how to do that but from where they are standing Zero knew how to be strong, and now that he offered them a helping hand how could they not take it.

…

Soon dinner was over and Zero was waiting on open space next to the dorm, space was not that big but it was more than enough for Zero and his squad to practice on. Zero waited and waited and when he was starting to have second thoughts the was movement from his dorm and soon all the cadets in his squad were in front t of him in full practice gear.

Zero smiled and looked at all of them with a calm that Zero had never felt in his life and this was not just any calm but the calm before the storm and calm of anticipation of the storm.

'thank you all for coming and let's not waste any more time and get right into it. Tomorrow the is 15 laps to do and what makes tomorrow a challenge is that we will be wearing weight making tomorrow's 15 laps harder but do not be discourage yet because the instructor will never give a challenge that can not be completed.

The Prideful Soldier is our only salvation and you ask why the answer is simple if we all step into the level 1 Mortal Origin stage running 15 laps will not be as challenging as it is now so tonight I will try to help you make that step.'

Zero words shocked and excited the cadets but one among them frowned and then he raised his like a child in school would do to get the teacher's attention.

Zero looked at the one who rise his hands the boy was small for his age and was showing signs of malnutrition. 'yes ' zero said to acknowledge him and the boy step followed and took a deep breath before looking at Zero 'you said that you will help us take a step into level 1 Mortal Origin stage but from what I know only people who are at that stage or higher can do that so my question for you is are you at Level 1 Mortal Origin stage?'

'YES'