"If I may ask you all, what is the nature of your enemy?" Instructor Kain said as he stepped forward toward the students, and unconsciously, each of them stepped backward.
"You, Alpha right there..." Instructor Kain said as he appeared before the werewolf guy with crimson eyes.
"You have a family, don't you? A pack awaiting your return, don't you?" Instructor Kain asked, and the guy replied,
And then Instructor Kain left him, moving to another student and grabbing him by his shoulder.
This student was from the aquatic race, with a blue crown on his head.
"And you, you have grand dreams, do you not? You have a future, don't you? Perhaps one brighter than the majority of the ones in this place, don't you?" Instructor Kian asked, and the blue-haired guy also nodded his head.
"Well then, it's a fact. We all have our dreams, our families, and our futures. We can envision them and dream them. Is there anyone who thinks I'm wrong?" Instructor Kian asked, and everyone kept silent.
Of course, he was right.
Even Ryuk himself had a dream—of hunting down whatever killed his uncle and getting back all of his body parts.
Everyone here had a dream, and even if they didn't, they had a family to return to.
And even if they didn't have a family, they had the vision of their future deep in their dreams.
"But tell you what..."
"Your enemy doesn't care. He cares not for your dreams, your family, or your future."
"He exists solely to destroy you! That is the nature of your enemy—to destroy you!" The man said, his growl reaching a level that shook their hearts.
"You dare hesitate before him? He never does."
"You falter before him—he rips away your life, along with your dreams and future, perhaps even your family, if given the chance."
"If you have not been told before, then let me be the first to break it to you."
"Endearth is a battlefield with enemies in every nook and cranny you can find."
"To survive, you must become what your enemies fear the most. And that is a weapon!"
"Sharp, unyielding, merciless."
"That is why I raise no soldiers. I raise weapons forged for the sole purpose of killing. I raise Endearths who are sharp, unyielding, and merciless."
"In short, I raise survivors!"
"Through death, I will nurture you to live." Instructor Kain said, taking hold of his wrath.
Then he paused, his voice receding to a much lower tone.
"No lesson I teach you can match the cold truth of war itself. You will only learn through blood—yours, or someone else's. The battlefield will not be a test; it will be your execution or your triumph."
"And you will carry the scars—both on your body and your soul—for the rest of your life," he completed, as attention was drawn toward the scar on the side of the man's face, which suddenly began flaring with dim crimson lights.
Every word of his was the cold, harsh reality they would witness for themselves.
He was a living embodiment of what he said, eliminating the slightest trace of doubt from their hearts by his mere presence.
"Brutality is not savagery. It is instead decisiveness. It is understanding that mercy is not weakness, but sometimes, a dagger to your heart is kinder than letting your enemy suffer."
"Brutality ensures survival, and survival is the only victory that matters."
"Remember this: The battlefield, though dangerous, is not your enemy. It is your forge."
"War will break you, bend you, and beat you until there is nothing left but steel—sharp and unyielding."
"If you survive, you will not be greenhorns like you all are now. You will be something more. You will be true Endearths!"
"But first, you must learn to embrace the brutality of war, or it will embrace you in your grave."
"In our next class, come prepared for true pain. Prepare yourselves well for it, and steel your hearts and minds. Only then will the combat class begin..."
He said as he turned his back and walked forward, a golden vortex appearing in the space before him.
He stepped into it, disappearing from the grassy plane. The vortex remained, waiting for the students.
Watching the man leave, 100% of the students suddenly collapsed onto their backs, heaving heavily.
Only now did the toll of standing before a warrior take its toll on them, as their bodies curled down under the ruthless pressure. E
ven Ryuk himself was no exception.
The man's presence wasn't affecting them because he was so strong.
It was his overwhelming will that pressed onto theirs, crushing completely, draining away and dissipating life from them.
Ryuk could only wonder...
If the man could truly enforce his directive will onto one of their foes, then the probability of them imploding to nothing would probably reach the 90% and above mark.
'I can only wonder. What type of hell he must have walked through and survived. Now the scars seemed to make more sense...'
He thought to himself as the students remained heavily breathing until, after an hour, they finally mustered the little energy to rise up to their feet and slowly exit the gate.
They had thought the Interdimensional Gate was already tough to deal with, but the combat class was like another level above.
And yet, the combat class had yet to even begin.
It would begin in the next class, and as for how hellish it would be, they would all be finding out very soon.
{All Classes Done for the Day.}
{New Classes Begin Tomorrow at 6:00.}
{What Type of Class Will Be Announced Before Then.}
The notification rang out through their Apex watches, as Ryuk eventually regained himself. He quickly walked through the gate and immediately slithered away before Vilora could find him, making his way to his dorm room.
Arriving within, he was surprised to find the door was actually half-opened, and instantly his gaze changed to one of surprise and faint displease.
'There's someone in my dorm room?'