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Chapter 6: Vanguard Military Academy
The vast black van screeched to a stop, kicking up a whirlwind of dust and dead leaves as it parked just outside the gates of Vanguard Military Academy—the most prominent military school in the entire northern states.
Elliot looked through the window as the double gates creaked open. Towering walls stretched high into the sky, lined with massive banners marked with the academy's emblem: a golden phoenix rising through a ring of fire and soul. The air was thick with discipline, ambition, and something Elliot hadn't felt in a long time—uncertainty.
The van door slid open with a hiss.
Vos stood outside, arms crossed, not saying a word.
Elliot stepped down, his boots hitting the gravel with a heavy thud. He looked up at the grand structure in front of him: the entrance hall alone was bigger than the dome he'd lived in. Soldiers patrolled the walkways, instructors barked orders, and everywhere he turned, there were new recruits—thousands of them.
Boys and girls from different cities. Different worlds. All wearing basic gray uniforms, all filled with hope, fear, and fire in their eyes.
Elliot's arrival barely made a ripple in the sea of freshers. To them, he was just another kid with a bag and a dream.
"Follow the path," Vos said, handing him a small black card. "This is your identity. Don't lose it."
Elliot looked at the card. His name. His age. And one word stamped in red: Fresher.
"Good luck," Vos said, then turned and walked back into the van. No long goodbye. No hug. Just the way Vos always was.
The doors closed. The van drove off.
Elliot tightened the straps on his pack and walked toward the academy.
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Inside, chaos ruled.
Freshers were being grouped and herded into testing fields. Loudspeakers blared instructions from above, and the scent of sweat and adrenaline filled the air.
A digital board flashed in the sky above the field:
ENTRY TESTS IN PROGRESS. NO RETRIES.
"Hey, fresher!" a soldier barked. "ID card!"
Elliot flashed the black card, and the guard pointed toward a line.
"Line three. Speed test first. Move!"
Elliot jogged into place. Around him were dozens of students stretching, hopping in place, sizing each other up. There was no warm welcome here—just steel and expectation.
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Test One: Speed
The track stretched out like a metal snake. Robotic sensors lined the path. "You have ten seconds to hit the end. Less is better," the instructor growled.
Elliot took his mark. The whistle blew.
He dashed forward. His muscles screamed, lungs burned, heart pounded. But he'd trained under Vos—this wasn't new. He hit the line in 8.2 seconds.
"Not bad," the soldier muttered.
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Test Two: Strength
A towering machine stood in the center. A power gauge. "Hit it. As hard as you can."
Elliot stepped forward, clenched his fists, and launched a full punch into the core.
BOOM!
The meter lit up: 7,812 force units.
A few students nearby gasped. Elliot just walked away.
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Test Three: Stamina
The test was simple: run nonstop for 10 minutes inside the energy treadmill room. If you stopped—or passed out—you failed.
The room spun. Wind pushed against them. Some students dropped before the five-minute mark.
Elliot kept going, eyes sharp, legs moving like machines. When the timer ended, he was the last one still running.
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Test Four: Soul Energy
This one was different.
They were led into a dark room, one by one. No instructions.
Elliot entered and found a glowing orb suspended in the air.
A voice spoke from the shadows: "Touch the soul core. Let us see... what lives inside you."
He reached out and placed his hand on the orb.
At first, nothing.
Then—
BOOM.
The orb pulsed. Dark red, black sparks, and finally a white flame flickered through. The instructor watching from behind the glass leaned forward, shocked.
"That's... unstable but controlled," she whispered.
The orb shut off.
Elliot stepped out.
No applause. No reaction.
But something had shifted.
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He was later led to the waiting bay where the names of those who passed would be announced.
He sat alone on a bench, watching the crowd, until finally a robotic voice echoed over the speakers:
"Those who passed, proceed to the west courtyard. Your unit assignment begins now."
Elliot stood up.
It had begun.
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