The camp is silent.
The once-blazing fire has long died out—no smoke, no embers, just cold ash.
The tents lie empty.
Where is everyone?
The camera pans through the stillness until it lands on a wind-swept field.
There, the Emeralds stand gathered like warriors before battle.
Sebastian, his tone uncharacteristically serious, steps forward.
"Today is the day your training begins, Sukiro," he declares firmly.
Sukiro gives a nervous smirk. "Okay then... what do I have to do first?"
Sebastian tilts his head, amused. "Do first? Good question. You have to do everything."
Sukiro blinks. Sweat drips. He gulps.
"Wh-What do you mean everything?"
Klaus adjusts his glasses, the morning light gleaming off the lenses.
"This training isn't normal, Sukiro," he says with clarity. "Through this, we'll discover your class, your endurance, your strength… and most importantly, your willpower."
Elijah, leaning coolly with arms crossed, chimes in.
"What he's saying is: your training's split into five parts—each based on the five standard classes. There are more classes, obviously, but these five are the foundation."
He continues, voice calm but commanding,
"That means you'll be training under each one of us… on different days."
Sirius steps forward, a confident grin spread across his face.
"And today, you'll be training under me," he says, thumbing his chest.
Sukiro's eyes shift across them. "So… each day I train for a different class?"
"Exactly," Sebastian nods. "Today, you'll train under Sirius for endurance, strength, and stamina. It'll prep your body for the rest of the training.
Not that it's gonna help." He laughs.
Sukiro chuckles nervously. "Haha…."
I'm dead, aren't I? he thinks.
---
The scene shifts.
Sukiro and Sirius stand alone in the open field. The grass rustles under the breeze, tension thick in the air.
Sirius claps his hands. "Ready for your first day?"
Sukiro nods, nervous but excited. "Yeah."
Sirius grins. "Today's training is relatively easy… compared to what's coming next."
Sukiro exhales. Today's going to be easy, huh?
Guess I don't have to worry that much after all.
But Sirius' grin widens. "Strength, endurance, stamina—those are what you'll need if you're gonna be a tank. So let's start with the basics."
"Let's do it," Sukiro says, smiling.
Cut to:
The two now stand beside a massive 50-kilogram boulder.
Sirius casually gestures to it. "We'll start with strength. Lift this boulder over your head."
Sukiro freezes. His eyes go wide.
Didn't he say this was gonna be easy?!
"I thought this was supposed to be easy?" he asks, voice cracking.
Sirius blinks, confused. "It is easy… right?"
"HELL NO! How does this look easy to you?!"
Sirius laughs and backs up. "Okay, okay! Just lift it to your shoulders for now. After today's session, we'll try overhead."
Sukiro slumps. Still gotta do it, huh…
"Yep!" Sirius beams. "It's easy though—just concentrate your mana in your hands and legs, then lift."
Sukiro stares at the boulder, deadpan. "Haha…"
I'm supposed to lift this thing? Not like I have a choice.
He steps forward.
This is gonna be one hell of a task. He smirks.
---
Two hours later...
"WHY THE HELL IS THIS SO HARD?!" Sukiro yells, collapsing to the ground.
"Kid, it's just 50 kilos. Ain't anything hard about it," Sirius replies, lying in the grass, eyes closed like he's sunbathing.
Sukiro's palms are blistered. Sweat pours down his brow.
"I know, but I can't get the grip right!"
Sirius sits up slightly. "Instead of focusing on the lift, why not focus on your mana? Push the earth below you."
Sukiro mutters, "Yeah, like that'll help…"
Still, he sighs and sits cross-legged on the grass.
The wind brushes gently over him.
Absorb mana. Focus it in your hands. In your feet. Push the earth down.
He breathes in. Deep. Calm. Focused.
Minutes pass. Stillness.
Then—he opens his eyes. Determined.
If the grip's the issue… then I'll make a grip.
His feet dig into the ground. His hands press against the boulder.
Mana floods into his limbs.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
His fingers sink into the stone. His feet anchor in dirt. The rock lifts, slowly, trembling.
But then—
It shakes. It drops slightly.
Sirius watches closely, frowning.
He's doing it… but it's not his day. He's still got a long way to go.
But Sukiro doesn't give up.
His veins bulge. His teeth grit. Sweat flies.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Sirius' eyes widen.
The sun disappears behind something massive. A shadow looms over him.
Sukiro stands tall.
The boulder raised above his head.
His muscles trembling, on the verge of giving out. He's panting, yet standing.
But—
The rock slips.
Before it can crush him, Sirius flashes forward, kicking the boulder away in a blur of motion.
It thuds to the side.
Sukiro collapses to one knee, gasping, supported by one hand.
He looks like Superman after a crash landing.
Chest heaving. Arms trembling. Skin glistening with sweat.
Sirius stands over him, his shadow falling over Sukiro's collapsed figure.
He grins. "Guess you do have it in you, kid. That's the strength of a tank."
Sukiro grins back, still panting. "You think so?"
"Oh, I know so," Sirius says proudly. "You're gonna be one heck of a tank."
He steps back, cracking his knuckles.
"Now… it's time for the rest of your training."
Sukiro, still gasping, slowly rises to his feet. "Yeah, yeah…"
A smirk spreads on his face.
"Bring it on."
Sirius smirks back.