A Chemist's Interstellar Saga
Chapter 36: Training Starts

Chapter 36: Training Starts

The next morning in the dormitory, Maya woke Arix first, then continued to rouse the next person.

The girls, sleepy and yawning non-stop, gradually got up and changed into their training gear. Then they headed to the sinks to start freshening up.

After breakfast in the cafeteria, Arix and her group walked to the training ground. By this time, the square was already filled with many early students.

The students from the five military academies naturally clustered together. Centered around their own academies, they intuitively formed five groups, each keeping to themselves.

Where there are people, there is isolation and scheming.

There was also a hierarchy of disdain among the military academies. For instance, students from the Ceres Military Academy looked down on those from the Mulado Military Academy for being pretentiously aloof; whereas the Mulado students were envious of the Ceres Academy’s abundant resources.

Similarly, the wealthy students of the Snorri Military Academy scorned the poorer students from the Hecaris Military Academy. However, the Hecaris students had no respect for those from The Snorri Academy who solved problems merely with money.

The students from The Koros Military Academy were generally ignored by the other four academies, as they were known to be battle-crazed and best left unprovoked.

While waiting for the instructor, even Arix received several scornful looks from the wealthy Snorri students.

Looking at this group with their noses in the air, Arix’s fingers twitched slightly. It took all her willpower to resist the urge to stick her fingers up their nostrils.

Fortunately, at that moment, the instructors for the five military academies arrived, and Arix nearly broke her demure demeanor. She breathed a sigh of relief.

The three instructors responsible for the Hecaris Military Academy arrived as well.

Ortiz blew his whistle hanging around his neck first. The piercing sound drew all students’ attention towards him.

"All students, follow my command. Each dorm forms a line, with the dorm leader at the front. The first row should form three teams, with 18 people in each line. The last fifty-five teams, align with those in front. Execute immediately!" Ortiz commanded loudly and sternly.

"Yes, Sir!" responded the students from The Hecaris Military Academy, and in a short while, they were neatly arranged in three vertical rows.

"Good, today is the first day of training. This morning, we’ll start with something simple, like a 20-kilometer weighted cross-country," Ortiz said, then turned to Virtanen and Bauer. "The weight rings can be distributed now."

"Okay," Virtanen and Bauer nodded. They locked heavy weight rings around the limbs of every student present.

Arix’s limbs were fitted weight rings, each weighing roughly 50 kg. She felt that, perhaps, the weights carried by each person seemed to vary.

After all students from the Hecaris Military Academy had their weight rings on, Virtanen and Bauer reported back to Ortiz.

Ortiz, seeing students murmuring doubts, spoke sternly and seriously, "The weight rings are custom-made according to each of your physiques. So, stop wondering why others’ weights differ from yours."

His words brought a moment of realization to the students, and they all quieted down.

After pulling a fast one on the students, Ortiz whispered to Virtanen, "You set Arix’s weight rings to Star-Class, right?"

Virtanen didn’t respond verbally but gave Ortiz an ’ok’ gesture.

Satisfied, Ortiz smiled and joined the other two instructors in the back of an off-road vehicle. He shouted to the students, "Now, all of you, follow me."

"Yes, sir!" the students from the Hecaris Military Academy shouted energetically. They then started running behind the off-road vehicle.

Students from the other four military academies watched as The Hecaris Military Academy’s students followed the off-road vehicle out of the training base. Then, they too began their own training exercises with their respective instructors.

Outside the base, The Hecaris Military Academy’s students had already run 5 kilometers following the off-road vehicle.

A small group managed to keep up at first. As time passed, however, their legs grew increasingly sore and weak, and breathing became more difficult. Still, they clenched their teeth and struggled to keep up with the vehicle.

Arix was among them. Her physical condition was below average among other students, and the instructors had given her "special attention" with the weight rings—a situation that made it nearly impossible for her to keep up with most. She gradually found herself falling behind the group.

"Ortiz, it looks like Arix is falling behind," Virtanen said worriedly, looking back.

"Just this little distance and she’s struggling? She’s supposed to have Planet-Class physical power, after all," Ortiz frowned, clearly disappointed.

Virtanen explained, "I heard she was only Moon-Class a month ago. It seems she only reached Planet Class through a Planet-Class Booster." He regretted setting Arix’s weight rings to Star-Class.

Hearing this, Ortiz’s frown deepened. He dropped a "I’ll check on her" and started running towards the back of the group.

Some of the students had been slacking off, but seeing the instructor coming towards them, they suddenly found their legs no longer hurt and sped up.

Ortiz squinted slightly, silently memorizing the faces of these students. He decided to increase the weight of their rings next time.

However, his current concern was Arix. Ortiz suspected she was slacking, but she genuinely looked like she was running for her life.

With this thought, Ortiz, feeling unusually guilty, touched his nose. Then, with a determined look, he made his way to the back of the group and started shouting, "Speed up! If we encounter an insectoid, even chickens would outrun you!"

"Running this slow, you might as well go home and farm! At least you won’t starve to death then!"

"Come on! Say it loud: "Lose skin, lose flesh, never fall out! Bleed, sweat, but never shout!"" Ortiz roared.

"Come on! Say it loud: "Lose skin, lose flesh, never fall out! Bleed, sweat, but never shout!" The students at the back, nearly crying, chanted the slogan.

"Such a quiet voice, didn’t you eat? Use all your strength!" Ortiz yelled.

"Come on! Say it loud: "Lose skin, lose flesh, never fall out! Bleed, sweat, but never shout!"

This time, the chant was deafening. Not just the students at the back, but even those at the front joined in, as if to motivate their fellow classmates.

Arix was also shouting. She clenched her lips tightly, pushing herself to her limits to keep up with the main group, determined not to fall behind.

Ortiz, observing Arix’s twisted but determined face, didn’t find it ugly at all. Instead, he felt a genuine sense of relief and approval from deep within.

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