**"Ready... go!"**
The moment the signal was given, the recruits surged forward, each gripping their chosen stone. The training grounds erupted with the sound of heavy footsteps pounding against the hardened dirt. Some recruits took off with impressive speed, their muscles straining under the weight, while others stumbled, struggling to find their balance.
Duke immediately secured his grip on the massive stone, hoisting it onto his back with a grunt. "Tch... heavier than I thought," he muttered, his legs already burning from the effort.
Jack, right beside him, wobbled slightly before regaining his footing. "Damn it... Why did I pick the biggest one?" he groaned but pushed forward, determined not to fall behind.
Ahead, Kairoz moved like a machine, his steps steady and unshaken. Varian, on the other hand, dashed forward recklessly, his laughter ringing through the air. "Come on, slowpokes! This is nothing!"
Further back, Touka struggled to lift her stone, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
"Why am I even lifting this?" Touka muttered to herself, struggling under the weight of the stone.
"Push, Touka, push! We can do it!" Samaira encouraged from behind. "I'll keep you motivated!"
Touka groaned, her breath coming in short gasps. "If you really want to help me… please, just keep quiet!"
"Uff… ufff…" she huffed, pressing forward despite the burning in her muscles.
"That's so rude, Touka!" Samaira pouted, but she didn't stop following.
"If I fail… I'll make sure to kill her today," Touka grumbled to herself, gritting her teeth as she pushed forward.
Samaira, completely oblivious to Touka's growing frustration, continued to cheer her on. "Come on, Touka! Just a little more! We've got this!"
Touka groaned, her muscles screaming in protest. Why is she like this…?
Jack pushed forward, his arms trembling under the weight of the stone. His breaths were heavy, but he refused to slow down.
Suddenly, a force slammed into him from behind. "Move aside!" Varian barked, shoving Jack without hesitation.
Jack lost his balance, his stone slipping from his grasp as he crashed onto the ground. "Ugh—!" He gritted his teeth, pushing himself up. "Hey! Watch where you're going!" he snapped, his anger flaring.
Varian came to a halt, adjusting his stone with ease before turning to face Jack. His eyes burned with irritation. "Got a problem with me?" he growled, his tone daring Jack to respond.
"The problem is that you pushed me, and that's why I lost my balance!" Jack said angrily.
Varian dropped his stone with a loud thud. "Hah! You're the one who can't walk straight, and now you're blaming me? Do you want trouble, punk?"
Before Jack could say anything, someone pushed Varian from behind. "Ah, sorry! I lost my balance," Duke said quickly.
Varian stood up, looking mad. "You've got some nerve," he said, walking towards Duke. He grabbed Duke by the collar. "Do you know who you're messing with, punk?"
A soldier stepped in. "Stop fighting now, or you'll both be disqualified!" he ordered.
Varian glared at Duke, his grip tightening on the collar, but Duke didn't flinch. His expression was calm, even as the tension between them thickened.
"You're lucky the soldier showed up when he did," Varian growled, shoving Duke back. He turned, muttering curses under his breath.
Duke stood still, watching him for a moment before glancing at Jack. "You good?" he asked, his voice low.
Jack nodded, still fuming, but he didn't say anything. He could feel his heart still racing from the confrontation, but the soldier's presence kept him from doing anything rash.
The soldier eyed them both with a stern look. "Keep it together. This isn't over yet. Focus on the challenge, not on fighting each other."
Varian huffed, clearly irritated, but he didn't say anything else. He picked up his stone, slinging it back over his shoulder with a sneer, and walked ahead, leaving Duke and Jack to gather themselves.
Duke turned to Jack, offering a half-smile. "Let's just get this over with," he said, trying to lighten the mood. Jack didn't respond, but the small gesture was enough to cool his anger, at least for the moment.
As the recruits continued up the mountain, the air grew colder, the weight of the stones growing heavier with every step. The path was steep, and the challenge was far from over. But for now, at least, the fight between them was momentarily forgotten.
As Duke and Jack pushed forward, the tension from the earlier scuffle still lingered in the air. But there was no time to dwell on it—the climb was getting steeper, and the weight on their backs wasn't getting any lighter.
Ahead of them, Kairoz moved with a steady pace, his expression unreadable. While others were struggling, he carried his stone like it was part of him, his breathing controlled, his steps precise.
Jack exhaled sharply, watching him. "That guy… he doesn't even look tired," he muttered.
Duke smirked, shifting the stone on his back. "Yeah, well, some people are just built different."
As if sensing their stares, Kairoz glanced over his shoulder. "Don't waste your energy talking," he said calmly before refocusing on the climb.
Jack rolled his eyes. "Easy for you to say."
Up ahead, the path narrowed, forcing the recruits to walk in a single file. The ground was uneven, and every step had to be careful. A sudden gust of wind howled through the mountains, making some of the weaker recruits stumble.
Kairoz barely reacted. But just as he was about to take his next step, the ground beneath him shifted. A loose rock gave way, and in a split second, his footing was gone.
For the first time, Kairoz's calm expression faltered.
Duke's eyes widened. "Kairoz!"
Would he manage to regain his balance, or was he about to fall? The mountain was no place for mistakes.
Kairoz managed to steady himself at the last second, shifting his weight and planting his foot firmly on a stable rock. His expression darkened, irritation flashing in his usually calm eyes.
"Tch… annoying," he muttered under his breath, adjusting the stone on his back.
Duke let out a low whistle. "Close one," he said with a smirk.
Jack, still struggling with his own stone, scoffed. "Even the great Kairoz almost fell, huh?"
Kairoz shot him a sharp glare. "Shut up and focus on climbing," he snapped, clearly annoyed.
The recruits around them kept moving, too focused on their own struggles to care about the exchange. The mountain was only getting steeper, and the real challenge was far from over.
"Well, thanks to Grandpa, I do this shit every day," Duke thought, gritting his teeth as he adjusted the stone on his back. "It's just like carrying those crazy big wooden logs... nothing new."
Despite the burning in his legs and the weight pressing down on his shoulders, he pushed forward. Compared to the brutal training back home, this was just another day.
Kairoz glanced at him, noticing how Duke moved with surprising ease. "Hmph. Not bad," he muttered, focusing on his own balance as the incline grew steeper.
After a while, the path widened, giving the recruits more space to move. Duke glanced at Jack and smirked. "Hey, Jack, see you later," he said before suddenly picking up speed. It was as if he had been conserving his energy all along.
Kairoz's eyes widened in surprise. That wasn't even his full speed? he thought. Without hesitation, he pushed himself forward as well, matching Duke's pace. He, too, had been saving his energy.
Duke and Kairoz picked up their pace, their strides growing stronger as they closed the gap between the recruits ahead. Darius,Varian, and the others were just within reach, their forms silhouetted against the steep incline.
The cold wind howled through the mountains, but neither Duke nor Kairoz paid it any mind. Step by step, they gained ground, their competitive spirits pushing them forward.
Darius gritted his teeth. Damn, he's already catching up? The thought irritated him, but he pushed himself harder, refusing to be overtaken so easily.
Varian glanced back and scoffed. "Hey, that punk and Nox are right on our heels," he muttered, adjusting his grip on the stone. "Tch… annoying."
As Duke and Kairoz pushed forward, the gap between them and the others began to close. Soon, they were neck and neck with Darius and Varian, their strides matching the pace of the others on the steep climb.
Darius glanced over at Kairoz, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Hey, Kai, I'm not letting you win this time," he called out, his voice laced with challenge.
Kairoz didn't even look over. His focus remained fixed on the mountain ahead, his steps steady and measured. The top was within reach, and nothing was going to stop him now. He wasn't interested in Darius's challenge, but the competitive spark in his eyes flickered, just for a moment.
"Focus," Kairoz muttered under his breath, barely audible as he pushed forward with renewed determination.
Varian, who had been trailing behind, saw the shifting momentum and immediately moved to block Kairoz's path. His eyes gleamed with the intent to disrupt. "Not so fast, Nox," Varian sneered, stepping into Kairoz's line of movement and trying to force him to slow down.
But Kairoz wasn't one to be easily stopped. With a quick sidestep, he avoided Varian's obstruction, not even breaking his stride. He shot a cold, calculating look in Varian's direction before continuing his climb, leaving Varian fuming in his wake.
Duke, however, wasn't concerned with the drama unfolding behind him. His legs pumped with relentless speed as he surged ahead, eyes locked on the top. The cold air burned in his lungs, but he welcomed the challenge.
"Catch me if you can," Duke muttered to himself, pushing even harder. His training back home had prepared him for this moment—he wasn't about to lose to anyone.
As Duke passed Darius and Varian, his pace only quickened. The challenge to reach the top was more than just a race—it was a test of endurance, and Duke was determined to come out on top.
As they neared the top of the mountain, the finish line came into view—a thin, fluttering flag marking the end of the grueling climb. The cold wind howled around them, but the sight of the goal spurred everyone into a final burst of energy.