Six months had passed since the commencement of military training.
By now, everyone had acclimated to the harsh standards of military life to a satisfactory degree.
Wake before 4 a.m.
Report to the training grounds by 4 a.m.
Depart the training grounds by 9 p.m.
Repeat.
Their existence became a monotonous cycle, an unbroken routine devoid of anything beyond this relentless pattern.
The only deviations were brief visits to the infirmary for treatment or to the cafeteria for sustenance.
The changes were undeniable, evident to any discerning eye.
Some had grown bulkier, their frames hardened with dense layers of muscle.
Others had become leaner, their physiques honed and compact, built for speed and precision.
Their footsteps grew lighter, yet every movement carried weight, deliberate, calculated.
Their guard rose instinctively, subtle yet ever-present, as if their bodies had long abandoned the notion of vulnerability.
