The sharp blare of the morning horn tore through the stillness of dawn.
It was only four in the morning, and the sanctuary sky was still painted in deep shades of blue, the sun barely peeking over the horizon. The cold air bit into their skin as all twenty-seven candidates stood lined up on the open training field, dressed in simple gray uniforms that clung to them in the early mist.
Their breaths came out as white fog. The air smelled faintly of metal and soil. Some rubbed their hands together for warmth, others blinked sleep from their eyes, but none dared to move too much.
Sargent Drake stood in front of them like a statue carved from steel hands behind his back, expression as rigid as ever. Beside him, Dr. Elen held her ever-present tablet, quietly noting each candidate's vitals.
"Today marks your first step as awakeners," Drake said, his voice carrying over the field. "You might think awakening grants strength. It doesn't. It only gives you potential. From today, your body will decide if you're worth keeping that power or if it breaks you from the inside."
A faint groan came from somewhere in the back.
Drake's eyes immediately locked onto the sound, and the candidate suddenly found something very interesting to stare at on the ground.
"Fifty kilometers," Drake said flatly.
A few jaws dropped. Tang Yu, standing beside Kalen, blinked. "Uh, wait… fifty kilometers? Sir, you mean meters, right?"
Drake turned his head slowly, like a predator who'd just spotted his meal.
Tang Yu immediately straightened up, saluted, and shouted, "Fifty kilometers! Very short distance, sir!"
A few people snorted, trying to hide their laughter. Even Kalen's lips twitched.
Drake didn't smile. "You'll run fifty kilometers while maintaining breathing rhythm. Your lungs, muscles, and bones must align with your energy flow. Lose control, and you'll end up coughing blood before you finish the first twenty."
He raised his arm, blew the whistle, and shouted, "Run."
The candidates started forward, their feet thudding against the dirt track.
At first, it was easy the morning air was cool, the sky slowly brightening. But after the first few laps, their breath grew heavy. Muscles burned. The once-steady line began to break apart.
Kalen focused on his breathing like Drake had said in through the nose, out through the mouth, steady rhythm. He could faintly feel a pulse of energy in his chest, syncing with his heartbeat. It was wild, untamed, but it responded faintly to his breathing, like a beast recognizing its owner's voice.
Beside him, Tang Yu was already gasping for air. "Bro… I think my ancestors are watching me right now… and laughing."
Kalen gave him a sideways look. "Just breathe properly."
"I am breathing properly!" Tang Yu wheezed. "It's the ground that keeps moving away from me!"
A few chuckles came from nearby runners, but soon even laughter took too much effort. The rhythm of footsteps and labored breathing filled the air.
By the thirtieth kilometer, many were drenched in sweat. Some stumbled, others slowed down to a jog. But no one dared stop Drake's presence loomed behind them like a shadow, silent but heavy.
When one candidate tripped and fell, Tang Yu slowed, pulled him up, and half-dragged him forward. "If we die here, I'm haunting you in the afterlife," he muttered.
By the time they crossed the finish line, the sun was high in the sky, burning bright above them. Most collapsed on the ground, panting, trembling, but alive. Their legs felt like lead, their lungs burned, yet deep down, a strange warmth spread through their chests pride.
They had done something they never thought they could.
Drake stood with his arms crossed, scanning them silently.
"Not bad," he finally said. "No one died. That's progress."
Breakfast followed soon after. The candidates gathered in the mess hall, filling plates with rice, soup, and steamed vegetables. The food was plain but delicious after running fifty kilometers, even water tasted divine.
Tang Yu was the first to dig in, nearly swallowing half his meal in one go. "If training's like this every day," he said between bites, "I'll become the strongest man alive… or die trying."
Kalen smirked. "Mostly the second one."
Laughter rippled quietly through the table. For a brief moment, the heavy atmosphere from the morning lifted.
Dr. Elen soon entered the hall, standing near the front with her calm composure.
"The exercises you performed," she began, "are not modern inventions. They originated in the time of the old world before awakening, before monsters, before chaos. Humans used such training to temper their bodies and minds. And when the world changed, those same techniques adapted to work with energy flow."
She tapped her tablet, projecting holographic images showing different breathing stances and postures.
"These are breathing alignments ancient yoga and combat postures. When done correctly, they stabilize your energy and strengthen your inner energy channels. Many of you might think they're outdated. But remember before awakeners existed, humanity still survived. They didn't have energy. They had willpower."
Drake leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed. "She means stop whining. Pain builds character."
Tang Yu raised a hand timidly. "Sir, how much character do we need before we can skip running?"
A few muffled laughs echoed. Drake didn't answer just gave him that cold glare again. Tang Yu froze. "Never mind, sir. I love running. Favorite hobby."
Even Dr. Elen's lips curved slightly the closest thing anyone had ever seen to a smile from her.
The rest of the day was spent in physical conditioning. Push-ups, squats, stretches, balance drills, and slow-controlled breathing exercises followed one after another. Every motion felt simple yet brutally effective. Their bodies screamed in protest, but the rhythm of their breaths and the faint warmth of energy circulating through their veins gave them strength to keep going.
Kalen could feel every muscle ache, but beneath it was a strange clarity. His body was slowly changing stronger, steadier, more aware.
Tang Yu, however, looked ready to collapse. "I swear… if enlightenment doesn't come after this, I'm switching careers."
Kalen chuckled weakly. "To what?"
"Professional sleeper."
As the sun began to set, the day's training finally ended. The candidates gathered near the benches, drinking water and trying to stretch their sore limbs.
Drake and Dr. Elen stood before them.
"You survived your first day," Drake said. "That's good. But remember today was the easiest you'll ever have. Don't let your guard down."
Dr. Elen added softly, "A strong foundation makes a strong warrior. Respect your body. It's your first weapon and your last defense."
With that, they were dismissed.
The dorms were quiet that night. Most trainees were too tired to speak; only the soft hum of the building's ventilation filled the silence. The air carried the faint scent of sweat and sterilized metal.
Kalen lay on his bed, muscles aching, body heavy yet oddly relaxed. He turned his wrist slightly the small communicator on his watch blinked with a soft blue light. A group call request popped up: Tang Yu, Tang Xia, Michael, Leo.
He smiled faintly and accepted.
"Is everyone alive?" Leo's voice came first, dry but teasing.
Tang Yu groaned immediately. "Barely. My soul left my body around the thirty-kilometer mark and still hasn't come back."
Tang Xia's calm voice followed, a hint of amusement in it. "That's because you waste more breath complaining than running."
"Hey! Complaining is how I survive pain," Tang Yu protested.
Michael chuckled softly. "You looked like you were running from your own shadow, man."
"Because it was chasing me! With a whip!" Tang Yu said dramatically.
Even Kalen couldn't help but laugh. The exhaustion in his chest loosened a little. "You'll thank Sergeant Drake one day when you can actually run without dying."
Tang Yu groaned again. "If that day comes, I'll build a statue of him."
They all laughed quietly tired, genuine laughter that came from shared suffering.
After a moment, Tang Xia's tone softened. "Still… we made it through the first day. That's something."
Leo hummed in agreement. "Yeah. Painful as hell, but… it feels good, you know? Like we're actually doing something real."
Kalen looked up at the ceiling, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "We are."
For a brief moment, none of them spoke just the sound of breathing and faint static through the comm.
"Alright," Michael finally said, his voice calm. "Tomorrow's going to be worse. Get some sleep before Drake decides to test how far we can crawl."
Tang Yu mumbled, "If he does, I'm crawling home."
The line filled with quiet chuckles before one by one, the icons on Kalen's watch dimmed as each friend signed off.
Kalen stared at the fading blue light, then closed his eyes.
His body ached, his mind was tired, but beneath it all was a steady flame small yet unyielding.
The first day was over.