As the hours slipped by, the sky began to pale, and the people's foot steps echoed across the dorms. One by one, the candidates emerged dressed in their test uniforms, faces drawn, eyes heavy.
The atmosphere was thick. Not with fog, but with silence.
No one spoke. Determination flickered in some eyes raw, burning, desperate. Others wore grim expressions, haunted by yesterday's pain and unsure if they'd survive another round. The air felt colder than it should have, as if the ground itself was bracing for what came next.
Kalen and his group stood together, quiet but composed. Tang Yu muttered something about leg betrayal. Michael stretched in silence. Xia and Leo scanned the crowd, noting who looked ready and who looked ready to break.
Then, from behind the formation, came the sound of boots crunching gravel.
Sergeant Drake approached like a storm in slow motion datapad tucked under one arm, croissant in the other. His grin was back, wide and unapologetic.
"Well, well," he said, voice slicing through the silence. "Look at you all. Survivors the day...ha."
He took a bite of his croissant, chewed thoughtfully, then added, "I see fewer tears today. That's some real progress."
A few candidates shifted uncomfortably. One coughed. No one dared speak.
Drake stopped in front of the line, scanning the crowd like a director before the curtain rises.
"Today," he said, "we find out who's got more than just muscles and motivation. We test your minds, your reflexes, and your ability to not cry when things get weird."
He paused, then added with a wink, "Also, there will be running. Again. Because I'm cruel and consistent."
A few groans escaped the crowd. Tang Yu whispered, "I knew it. He's a running enthusiast with a vendetta."
Drake clapped his hands. "Alright, brats. Let's begin."
As Sergeant Drake finished his speech, a sharp whistle cut through the morning air.
Without another word, the candidates began to run.
The first few kilometers passed with gritted teeth and heavy breathing. Muscles still sore from yesterday's punishment protested with every step. The cold air bit at their lungs, but it was the burn in their legs that truly tested them.
By the fifth kilometer, the cracks began to show. Faces twisted in pain. Limps appeared. Some slowed to a crawl. Others stopped entirely, clutching their knees or calves as cramps took hold. The fatigue from Day One had never really left it had just been waiting.
By the halfway mark, more than half the candidates had dropped out of the run, unable to push through the pain. Some sat on the sidelines, heads bowed in frustration. Others simply lay on the ground, staring at the sky as if hoping it would offer mercy.
But Kalen and his group pressed on.
Michael and Kalen kept a steady pace, their breathing controlled, their focus unshaken. Leo and Xia pushed themselves to the 11-kilometer mark before slowing to a stop, choosing to conserve strength for the tests ahead. Tang Yu, ever the strategist, tapped out at 10 kilometers, muttering something about "energy budgeting" and "not dying before lunch."
Kalen and Michael reached the 12-kilometer mark before finally stopping, sweat dripping from their brows, but their posture still upright.
They weren't unscathed but they were still standing.
Around them, the field was a mix of exhaustion and quiet defeat.
After the brutal morning run, the candidates were given a short break just enough time to catch their breath, not enough to recover. Water was passed around. A few collapsed into the grass, others sat in silence, staring at their shoes like they'd betrayed them.
Then came the next phase.
An officer stepped forward and announced, "Mental and reflex tests begin in five minutes. Form groups of five. Follow the markers."
The candidates shuffled into position. Kalen's group stayed together, naturally. They were tired, but focused. Tang Yu was already muttering calculations under his breath, trying to psych himself up. Xia looked calm. Michael and Leo stretched quietly.
The first test was a reaction wall a grid of lights that flashed randomly. Candidates had to tap them as fast as possible. Some flailed. Others froze. Sergeant Drake stood nearby, arms crossed, watching like a game show host.
"Tap faster, people! You're not swatting flies you're proving you have a brain!"
Tang Yu tapped with surprising speed, then collapsed dramatically. "I'm not saying I'm gifted," he said, "but I might be the chosen one."
"Chosen for what?" Xia asked. "Drama school?"
Next came a logic puzzle station a series of timed riddles and pattern challenges. Kalen breezed through most of them, his mind sharp despite the fatigue. Michael and Leo kept pace. Yu struggled with one puzzle, then solved it by accident. Xia raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
The final test was a reflex gauntlet dodging soft projectiles launched from random angles. Some candidates got hit repeatedly. One kid took a foam ball to the face and just lay down in defeat.
Drake laughed so hard he had to sit down. "This is better than breakfast TV!"
By the end of the second phase, the scores were tallied.
Day Two Midpoint Scores:
- Kalen: 740 points
- Michael: 735 points
- Xia: 728 points
- Leo: 720 points
- Tang Yu: 715 points
- Lowest scores: Dropped below 500, with several candidates failing to complete the reflex gauntlet
The group sat together during the next break, sipping water and trying not to collapse.
Tang Yu leaned back against a tree. "I'm officially out of brain juice. If the next test involves thinking, I'm just going to cry and hope for mercy."
"You already did that during the puzzle," Leo said.
"Those were tactical tears," Yu replied.
As the candidates sat through their final break, sore and half-delirious, whispers spread about the last test of the day. Some expected an obstacle course. Others feared another run. Tang Yu was already negotiating with his legs, promising them snacks if they didn't collapse.
Then Sergeant Drake stepped forward, clapping his hands once.
"Alright, brats," he said, voice loud and cheerful. "Time for the final test of the day!"
Groans echoed across the field. Tang Yu whimpered audibly.
Drake paused, letting the tension build. Then he grinned.
"There is no test."
Silence.
Blank stares.
A few candidates blinked, unsure if they'd misheard. One kid looked ready to cry from sheer confusion.
Drake chuckled. "What? You thought I'd make you crawl through mud after all that? I'm cruel, not heartless."
The silence deepened. It wasn't relief it was disbelief. After everything, the sudden absence of pain felt suspicious.
Drake's grin faded just slightly. "You've done enough for today. Some of you proved you can push through. Some of you learned what breaking feels like. That's good. That's real."
He turned, already walking away. "Rest up. Tomorrow's not going to be kind."
The candidates didn't cheer. They didn't speak. They just stood there, absorbing the moment. The absence of a final test felt heavier than any obstacle.
Kalen looked at his group. Tang Yu was frozen mid-stretch. Xia raised an eyebrow. Michael exhaled slowly. Leo muttered, "I don't trust it."
Some have doute some simply do not care but they all know that they had survived the day.