As the ti of the training for the battalion of Camp Xie continued, Gabriel kept his concentration on trying to break through another understanding of the Shadow Movent Technique. He had tried plenty of tis, but he was still stuck on the part where he summoned a shadow.
"Shadow!" Gabriel mumbled and concentrated on having his will overshadowed by the shadow. His eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration, and after a few seconds, his own shadow moved and his toes slightly blended with the shadow. However, after a few seconds, he suddenly felt a snap reaction from his toes, making him pull it out.
"Ouch..." It turned out to be a lingering pain from earlier that had been triggered. And as soon as he felt that there was no other way to add his understanding of the technique, he stopped.
"Probably, for now, I should focus on the training of the battalion," Gabriel mumbled and started flying.
He went straight to Death Lake and saw so of them struggling with the course he gave. With his deep eyes, he looked for soldiers that had the most potential among them.
***
As Camp Xie started moving to Death Lake, they started to feel the nace of Death Lake. They were near it. In fact, it was just a few hundred ters away from the camp, and finally arriving there, they could only gulp their nervous saliva down their throats.
The Death Lake just looked like any other normal lake, but the difference with it was the living creatures in it. They were extrely dangerous, not just because they were called "monsters," but also because of their tenacity.
The reason why it was called Death Lake was that people who tried to hunt monsters here ended up dying because of the seemingly undying creatures. And as the soldiers from Camp Xie marched down to the Death Lake, they could feel their fear overtaking their systems.
"There is no way I am going to survive in this hell. How could the general be good-looking yet cruel at the sa ti? "
"There is no justice if I die here. I should not die here!"
"Dumbwits. To live, you must know how to escape. General Fang wants us to learn how to escape grave situations. Take , for example. If I die here, I am useless. If you die on the battlefield without having the ability to live, you are useless."
"Shut the crap out of your mouth. Trying to boast while others were nervous, how deep your ego could reach the Death Lake, huh?"
"Hey, please be quiet. You will be making the sleeping creature under the water notice us. Stop making unnecessary sounds."
"Hmmm... Who should start first? I will not go first because I will look out for your backs."
"Ah... No one is going first, then I will pick one and I will throw you into the water. Pick."
"Hey, you brat. No one will be making the decisions here. You are not higher than us. So, in the na of equality, we will go to the water together."
"That is right! We should go to the water together. When I count to 3, we will put our feet in the water. In 1... 2... 3!"
***
Gabriel arrived at Death Lake and noticed how the training went. His face showed deep frustration and disapproval as he noticed that so of them had died and so of them were wounded. However, he didn’t pay any heed to them and just looked for the best soldier in the course.
Gabriel was looking for an observant one, and as he saw a group of soldiers leading the way, swimming through the threats of the Death Lake, he couldn’t hide his smile as he watched them.
"Not bad... There were still so that had the potential to be the leaders of the rescue assault team. Not bad..."
He continued to watch them, and after 6 hours straight, everyone finally reached the other end of the lake. At this point, it indicated that he must go down and catch up with them.
Despite having a death in the training, Gabriel didn’t pay much attention to it as he already had his mind fixed on the matter of life and death.
"I already told you that you, as a soldier, must learn how to face fear and know that you will die on the battlefield. But, unfortunately, so of you died without putting up a fight against the monsters."
"I apologize for that harsh training. But there is a lesson to be learned here that you must never forget. There are tis when you must not fight but only focus on one goal. It is either to escape, return to your group, or even just ignore people. Rember that."
Gabriel’s mindset had been honed from the war in which he had participated. And as those experiences turned out to be lessons for him in life, he was willing to share them with other people who had never had the sa privilege as him.
He knew it well. He had an advantage in fights because he was privileged. The constitutional body he had was an example of his advantage throughout his life. However, he didn’t stop thinking that, despite having the privilege, he must stop pursuing the peak.
That was why he showed his people a similar way to live on the battlefield.
"You can take a rest, and we will mourn for others."
It might be absurd or hypocritical for Gabriel to act like this, but small lives were sacrificed for others to learn and survive.
***
[Port Ling...]
Lukros had already arrived in Port Ling, and what he noticed first was the organized structure of the system of the Elite Squad. However, it was not enough for them to defend the coming threats from their continent’s enemies.
"There is a lack in this place, and it is already fixed as I have already arrived."
Lukros was still flying in his human form. When he descended, he t with the elite soldiers that were dispatched to the port. Everyone noticed him, but not everyone realized who he was. But then, as he nonchalantly walked down the street, his sword on his waist without any similarities to others, they thought that Lukros might be just lost.
"Uhm, excuse . I can see that your scabbard is different from the given uniform of the Elite Army. May I ask about your identity, mister? "
Lukros let out a sigh and picked up an identification tab from his robe. And as he showed it to the soldier that approached him, it was a golden tab, having a similar appearance to a jade slip.
When the soldier realized what Lukros had shown, his eyes turned wide and he imdiately beca stoic and gave Lukros a salute.
"I am sorry for not recognizing you, Sir." The solider beca stiff and then continued. "Everyone! Greet the Elite Commander, mber of the Lucas faction, esteed senior Lukros!"
Even though they were still doing so of their tasks, they dropped them and stopped, saluting Lukros when they heard the soldier’s shout. Lukros just swayed his hands to carry on and just ignored them.
Lukros observed things up close, and as he reached the endpoint of the port, where small walls were being ford, he couldn’t help but smile a little, as from a distance, he could see a sign of the vicious and violent presence of spiritual energy.
So soldiers were entertaining Lukros, which he gladly received and put to his use. And just as he learned the situation, he looked for the person who was the commander of the elite army in Port Ling.
"He is coming, Sir Lukros."
"Carry on."
Lukros waited for the commander to arrive, and as he was also one of the circles in the Xiao Dynasty, they greeted each other with deep respect.
"How are you, Senior Brother Lukros?" A young in appearance, yet old in age, a man appeared before him and greeted him. He was a tall man and had majestic robes, but his aura was violent and could be mistaken for hostile intent.
"I am good, Junior Brother Adam."
Adam Xim, a competent war-strategist, was the commander of the Port Ling. He also bore the heaviest responsibility in the upcoming war because he was the continent’s number one strategist. Apart from this, Adam was the 5th strongest of the official mbers of the circle in the Xiao Dynasty.
"I am amazed that you can keep up with the pressure of the war, Junior Brother Adam."
"I know, Senior Brother. But I trust the reinforcents in the nearby camps. That is why I accepted the task." Adam replied in a soft tone, with his head lowering slightly in his reply.
"Still, admirable," Lukros comnted. "By the way, I have already sent a proposal to the dynasty. I am here to convey the ssage from the circle. We will reform the defense, Junior Brother."
Adam raised an eyebrow. "What? Is that true, Senior Brother? But, as I see it, there is not enough ti to reform the defense unless we fill the nearby camps with reinforcents and defend their lines." Adam pressed.
"I understand that, Adam. But, hear out, will you?" Lukros followed with a sly smile after his words.
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