CH.19 The big day The Training Begins

A new day dawns, a fresh start, An enemy approaches with a jealous heart, Will the nomad rise and show his might, Or falter in the face of the coming fight?

The big day The Training Begins

Jack strolled through the grand corridors, marveling at the white marble walls that towered overhead, almost reaching the sky. He knew his way to the dining hall thanks to Commander Menes's guidance during yesterday's journey. "I have to prepare for the training," he thought to himself, "It'll help me unlock my power and allow me to research and uncover the secrets of the Chronotex."

As Jack approached the dining hall, a large gathering of people caught his attention. The men of the Royal Army, armed with swords, spears, bows, and shields, were standing together. Jack felt a bit uneasy as their gazes turned towards him, and he heard them whispering among themselves.

"I bet I could kill him with one hand."

"Apparently, he has unique powers just like the Commander."

"I heard he fought Anubis."

Suddenly, Ramon, Commander Menes's right-hand man, spotted Jack and greeted him with a wave of his hand. "Heyyyyyy, Jack!"

Relieved to see someone he knew, Jack smiled and replied, "Hey, Ramon, how are you?"

"I'm good," Ramon answered. "Want to eat?"

"Sure, I'm starving," Jack said, rubbing his hand over his stomach.

As Jack sat down on the long bench that extended to the end of the room, he noticed a spread of bread, porridge, fruits, and some meat. However, he couldn't help but think to himself, "Oh no, I don't like this kind of food too much. I miss the biryani, lamb, and kebabs from Pakistan."

Letting out a big sigh, he started to eat the porridge and meat.

Ramon asked Jack, "How did you sleep?"

"I slept well," Jack replied, smiling. "The room was spacious and comfortable."

Jack then asked Ramon, "Why is everyone talking about me?"

Ramon responded, "Oh, you've noticed it too. Well, Jack, it's hard to get into the army. Some people even host competitions and fights just to prove their strength and get a chance to join. They know that being in the army means a job and the ability to provide for their families. Moreover, they take pride in being a part of the army. Since Commander Menes invited and picked you, they are just jealous. Therefore, you need to work hard and prove yourself. If you don't, Commander Menes's efforts will go to waste."

Jack replied with dedication, "I will do my best."

Ramon then informed Jack, "That's great to hear. Commander Menes is currently filling out your paperwork for the army. He's with General Setka."

The army personnel sprang into action, rushing towards the exit with a clear objective.

Ramon, brimming with enthusiasm, informed Jack, "It's time for training."

Jack replied in a subdued tone, "Alright," as he stood up from the bench and strode through the vast wooden doors of the dining hall. He proceeded down the long, chilly, white marble passageway, reminiscent of clouds.

Upon leaving the palace, the soldiers found themselves in a vast sandy field, about the size of a football field. They stood in formation, with their chests held high, while Commander Menes and Ramon stood at the front.

"Today, we are delighted to welcome a new member to our team, Jack Sterling. Come forward!" announced Commander Menes with a solemn tone.

Jack felt a sudden surge of anxiety as he navigated his way through the rows of soldiers, unintentionally jostling them. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Excuse me," he muttered as he pushed through.

As Jack's shoulder brushed past one of the soldiers, he grumbled in displeasure.

"I'm here, Commander!" Jack shouted, struggling to make himself heard over the noise.

Commander Menes announced, "Welcome to the army, you will be training with us from this moment on."

Jack replied, "Thank you, it's a pleasure."

"Alright, let's begin by finding a partner," shouted Commander Menes.

The soldiers started moving around, talking to each other, and finding a partner. Jack was alone and confused until a muscular man with black hair rose out of the crowd and nervously asked, "So, do you want to train, Jack?"

Relieved to have found a partner, Jack replied, "Yes."

Soon, the soldiers were standing in rows, and each pair was given a task. Menes commanded, "Run two rounds around the field as fast as you can."

They all shouted, "Yes, Commander!" and started to run. The soldiers' movements caused a brown cloud of dust to form. As Jack ran, he kept getting pushed aside by the others who despised him. He fell to the ground as the soldiers pushed him out of the crowd.

Determined to rise again, Jack said to himself, "Why are they hitting me, and where is my partner?" He used his hands to get up, and eventually managed to stand.

He said to himself, frustrated and angry, "These bastards need a lesson. I'll beat them with some common sense. Let's begin."

As Jack rises from the ground, his body is filled with a sense of determination. He stands tall, with his shoulders pulled back, chest out, and head held high. Taking a deep breath, he steadies himself for the task ahead.

"Alright, let's get started," he says to himself.

As he begins to run, Jack adapts his stride to take shorter, quicker steps that allow him to maintain his speed without expending too much energy. Unlike the other soldiers, who simply ran without giving it much thought, Jack lands his feet mid-foot, avoiding injury and maintaining proper form.

Fuelled by his anger and frustration, Jack channels his emotions into his arms, swinging them back and forth in a controlled motion to propel himself forward and increase his speed. Accelerating faster and faster, he passes all of the other soldiers with ease, maintaining a consistent top speed.

But winning the race requires more than just physical strength. Jack knows that to succeed, he must stay mentally focused on his goal and avoid distractions. Unlike the other soldiers, who run without form or strategy, Jack completes two rounds of the field with ease, while the rest of the soldiers struggle to finish even one. Thanks to his vast knowledge of science and common sense, Jack emerges victorious.

Ramon's eyes widened in amazement. "Wowwwww!!" he shouted, impressed by Jack's speed. "That is the quickest time we have ever had! You were faster than Commander Menes!"

Commander Menes gave Jack a suspicious side-eye, as if he was angry. Jack immediately got nervous. "Ah, that's not the case. I just used my knowledge to run at my best potential," Jack explained, hoping to calm the commander's suspicions.

"I see," Commander Menes said. "Well, all these men have only finished one round, and you are already finished with two. Furthermore, you were kicked and fell to the ground. Who was it that pushed you?" Commander Menes asked in a serious tone.

"I don't know, Commander," Jack said, genuinely confused.

"We'll find out when they all come back," Commander Menes said, clearly not satisfied with Jack's response.

As the rest of the soldiers finally finished their second round of the field, they were all tired, drenched in sweat, and visibly angry. They all gave Jack a death stare. "Uhh! This bastard, how did he do that?" one of them muttered. "I bet he used black magic," another soldier whispered to his comrade.

But their chatter was soon interrupted by Commander Menes. "All men, line up with your partners!" he commanded. All the soldiers proceeded to line up, and Jack's partner soon accompanied him. He too was frustrated with Jack.

"Okay, men. Which one of you pushed Jack Sterling to the ground? Come out now!" Menes commanded. Silence filled the field as the soldiers started to look at each other nervously. "I already know who it is, but it's better that you admit it yourself. If not, I will personally humiliate you and expel you. So come out now!" Menes said in a serious tone.

"It was me, Commander," a voice next to Jack could be heard. It was Jack's own partner who had pushed him.

"So, Kasib, it was you," Menes said in a disappointed tone.

"Yes, Commander," Kasibreplied.

"Kasib, you may be the strongest soldier I have, but you are worthless unless you show respect to your comrades. This time, I will allow you, but your punishment will be to do ten rounds of the field. But next time, there will be no chances. You will be kicked out of the army. Understood?" said Menes in a commanding and serious tone.

"Yes, Commander," Kasib said, humiliated.

"Pick up your swords, all of you," Menes commanded the group.

The men replied with a "Yes, Commander," still shaken by Menes's outburst towards Kasib. They made their way to the armoury picked up their swords and returned to the training area without a word.

Menes instructed, "Now, Spar with your partner. But don't kill each other, this is just a warm-up exercise."

Kasib, fuming with anger due to Jack's success, rushed towards him with his sword drawn. Jack, bewildered by the sudden turn of events, struggled to defend himself against Kasib's powerful attacks.

"Wait, calm down," Jack pleaded, his mind racing to make sense of what was happening.

"I don't care, this is training," Kasib shouted, fuelled by his anger.

Kasib launched a powerful attack from the side, and Jack, relying on his muscle memory from his previous fight with Akhet, managed to deflect it but not without taking a hard blow that sent him flying a few meters away. Though he managed to protect his vital organs, Jack's body still absorbed the impact, and he lay on the ground coughing up blood

Jack got up with a fierce determination in his eyes. Blood trickled from his mouth as he wiped it away with the back of his hand. "You want to fight like this? Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you. I'll make you regret it," he growled, his smirk widening.

Menes observed the two fighters, a sly grin creeping onto his face. "Interesting. So that's how you plan to win, Jack. I'll enjoy seeing it for myself."

Meanwhile,Kasib was consumed with fury. "How dare you underestimate me! I'll make you pay for your arrogance!" With a guttural yell, he charged at Jack with all his might.

Their swords clashed, sending a deafening "Tnnnnnn" through the air. The spectators held their breath as the two fighters traded blows, moving in a blur of steel. Jack was holding his own against Kasib's relentless attacks, but it was clear that he was starting to tire.

Breathing heavily, Jack tried to catch his breath as Kasib pressed forward with renewed vigour. But Jack's wounds from previous battles were starting to take their toll. Kasib saw his opening and made a vicious attack from the side.

Jack tried to dodge, but he was too slow. The blade cut deep into his side, and blood sprayed out in a sickening "Splt" sound. With a groan of pain, Jack collapsed to the ground.

The spectators gasped in shock and horror, unsure of what to do. Menes watched with cold detachment, his eyes glinting with a sinister light. And Kasib stood over Jack's prone form, a wicked grin on his face. It looked like the fight was over, but Jack was not one to give up easily.

Kasib proceeded to kick Jack's body, the impact making a loud "thh" sound. Jack stumbled away from Kasib. Jack was so tired that his legs wouldn't even move. He coughed up blood and was bleeding heavily from his side.

Kasib started to come closer and closer to Jack with every step, his sword raised high with both his hands. "Today will be your last!" Kasib shouted with a fierce determination in his voice.

Meanwhile, Ramon turned to Menes and said, "Shouldn't we stop him? He's mental. He'll kill Jack."

"Ahahah!" Menes let out a laugh. "Don't worry, Ramon. It was all part of his plan."

"Huhhhhh!" Jack laughed with a smirk on his face, even as he knelt on the ground, blood pooling around him.

"Why are you laughing? I will kill youuuu!" Kasib proceeded to strike his sword at Jack with all his might, letting out a deafening "Ahhhhhhh!" in fury.

However, just as the sword was about to connect with Jack, there was a sharp "Tchhhhhhnnnnnnn" sound, and the blade of Kasib's sword shattered into pieces. Silence filled the atmosphere as Jack stood up, a smirk still on his face.

Kasib and everyone else's faces were visibly in shock as they saw the hilt of the sword Kasib was holding cut in half, and one of his fingers was flying in the air, with blood splattering everywhere.

"Spltt" Kasib's blood and index finger landed on the ground with a sickening thud. Kasib soon fell to his knees in pure shock. He was defeated for the first time by a soldier in his life.