A while had passed and another training session had begun.
Same people as before but different approach than last time.
It wasn`t just a hangout for training.
This time, they felt the NEED to be better.
Everyone has seen the danger in the monster invasion. Many of them more than once.
Some have lost someone close, other were traumatized by the news.
Adam, wasn`t really "traumatized", but still a need for strength was inside him.
But, since internet videos and a book with nothing important gave him little, the training session became much more important.
Grant came out of the gym to see a nice double-line of 20 people waiting for him.
"Nice nice" he clapped as he walked down the stairs "But you know I won`t change the program for that right?"
He pointed to the cars again.
"5 laps. Go" And he signaled the start
Everybody ran. Not a single person walked or stayed.
Adam sprinted in front of the group again, but most could catch up to him
"Slow down mother f****er" Ben tried to catch up too but he was quite larger
"nope" and the distance grew bigger.
5 laps later, all tired and catching their breath, the trainee`s went into the building.
Inside, the board had the same exercise list and the group looked at each other again, with a simple thought in mind - who gets the bench first
Adam and Ben left again, leaving a crowd to their "disputes"
Everybody was done incredibly fast.
Almost no quarrels, except one maybe, swift changes on the equipment , and again, they lined up in front of the gym for Grant.
"Nice nice. Again, I don`t change the program" again with the clapping
"100 downwards swings. 100 thrust. 100 attacks and blocks with your partner"
And quietly, the crowd swung and thrusted and blocked.
0 problems.
After the session was done, and everyone got a nice message
[Your training session is now over. You added 2 hours to your training quota]
And the crowd dispersed. except for Adam, who went to Grant to ask him something
"Heyyy Grant" he grabbed his shoulder "You got a minute?"
"Sure umm...Adam. Sup?" He had to remember any name he heard around here
"You got any .. more training?"
"Not really, why?"
Adam pulled out the book and showed it to him
"Cause I bought this thing....and there`s almost nothing here. Did your system had anything about that?"
Grant checked out the book and after seeing the blank pages got as confused as Adam
"Not really. I got this" and pulled out a similar book, but called [Basic Swordsmanship training manual for Human soldiers] "But it`s filled, with how to train you"
"You tried doing it?" He asked Adam
"F**k you mean 'doing it'. I`m not f****ing the book"
"no NO, i meant like, reading. Doing what`s in here the...downwards swing. Oh" he pulled back and then actually read what the book had inside
"Brother please, we`ve been swinging here a 100, I do it a home, I kill monsters this way. OF COURSE I did what the book wanted."
"I don`t know man, this is a bit different. Besides. I saw you train" He looked at Adam judgmentally "You make mistakes. Fix your form. Maybe then this will show something else"
Grant passed the book back to Adam and went back to the gym, and Adam went back to his house.
Later that day, there was another scheduled gate, so after a large dinner and some preparation of bringing sports drinks and bandages with him, he went out and followed the compass.
At the location, sadly were only 9 people. Marcus , Ben and Adam as well as 6 others who were fighting together last time.
"Well. This is pretty bad, I won`t lie" Marcus started a briefing 15 minutes before the gate timer.
"So we prepare as much as we can"
"Everybody ate and drank before this" *8 nods in agreement*
"Bathroom needed?" *8 shakes of saying no*
"Wounds healed? " *general noises of neither yes or no*
"Well. We can`t fix that so....Anyways, I have a plan for today"
He pointed at a nearby construction
"Grab the biggest thing you can and we`ll make a barricade"
Soldiers started to grab concrete blocks, a broken table and some metal poles and other general trash.
What was created was.....bad. Garbage on both sides of the street maybe about half a meter tall. In the middle, space for the soldier line.
"I mean. Its good enough right" Ben commented at the end of the job
"Yeah. probably" Adam added.
"ALRIGHT SQUAD. Line up. Everybody front" Marcus started to command again as the timer was running out.
The gate cracked out and goblins came out of it.
[The gate is now open. Prepare for combat]
[Wave 1 is now starting]
Goblins with spears and shields came out, and behind them a new kind - archers.
While they didn`t really change their numbers, they looked much better.
And their commander too. Taller, with colored fabric around him and a large flag.
He pointed forward and screamed out
*KARUUGHAAA*
and archers prepared to fire.
"MEN. ARMOR UP AND PREPARE FOR ARROWS"
as every body shouted out ARMOR a small puff of smoke with each of them, created a cloud around them
*KIREEEE* and the arrows flew high, and then low to the squad
But, inside the cloud were already metal covered men, with swords out and ready to go.
"FORWARD MARCH" Marcus got out of the smoke with his blade pointed towards the enemy
"URA" the soldiers shouted out and went to battle
Their charge was much more terrifying than goblin running at them.
Goblin spears broke when they hit their armor, or even if they injured the unprotected parts. Just the weight of a running soldier could destroy them and the goblin holding it.
Adam broke into 2 spear men, pushing them far and imminently bashing their shields. As another one started to attack, he just struck him down. And another one and another.
*fwoosh* and wooden sharp stick flew by his head.
Archers got enough time to fire more. And all of them started to shoot, disregarding their fellow monsters. Their commander frantically shouting out the firing command and waving the standard.
It didn`t really change much. First line went down fast. Second was dead too. Archers shot and shot and shot, hitting maybe 5 actual hits. But, a squad of metal men was too much for flying toothpicks.
So they died.
"GET BACK" Marcus shouted out
[Wave 2 will now begin]
The goblin commander , who managed to run back to the gate, started to summon another wave of goblins.
The soldier squad started to get back to the "barricades", but as they walked away from the gate.
*fwoosh, whissh* more arrows came out. These ones weren`t just sticks with sharp tips.
These were actual arrows. Metal tip and feathered ends, making it far more dangerous.
They hit the legs, they hit the backs, grounding 2 men and injuring another 4.
Adam got hit in his left arm while retreating but got to the barricade.
As others got there too, they formed a weak line and looked at the enemy.
30 archers, fit with bows and quiver full of arrows, and a row of shielded goblins in front.
No spears, just a larger shield and a small blade.
The goblin commander chuckled.
*KARUUGHAAA* bowstrings got pulled back and arrows were fitted
*KIREEEE* and they flew
"COVER" Marcus shouted and jumped to the barricade, as arrows rained down on the squad