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A piercing whistle shattered the morning stillness.
“GET UP, RUNT!”
Kaida jolted awake, his limbs tangled in the silk sheets of his luxurious bed. His heart pounded as his sleep-fogged mind caught up to the voice barking at him.
The door to his chambers was thrown open, and standing there in all her terrifying glory was Temu Zennen, her arms crossed, tail flicking impatiently. She looked unimpressed, her feline ears twitching in mild annoyance.
“Sun’s been up for hours, and you’re still lying in bed like a damn noble,” she growled. “Get dressed. You have ten minutes. If you’re late, you run laps. If you backtalk, you run laps. If you breathe the wrong way—guess what?”
“…I run laps?” Kaida muttered, rubbing his face.
She grinned, flashing sharp canines. “You learn fast, runt. Nine minutes.”
She slammed the door shut, leaving Kaida to groan as he rolled out of bed.
By the time Kaida arrived at the training grounds, he was already regretting every decision in his life.
The Crystal Empire’s training yard was nothing short of massive. A sprawling open field, surrounded by high stone walls, with various obstacle courses, sparring rings, and even a track loop for endurance training. Several warriors were already present, going through drills.
Temu stood waiting, arms crossed, along with four other people Kaida had never seen before.
“This is your team,” Temu announced, gesturing toward them. “You’ll be training together, fighting together, and suffering together.”
Kaida glanced at the four individuals, sizing them up.
The first to step forward was a broad-shouldered young man, his chest puffed out with confidence. His silver hair was tied back into a short ponytail, and his piercing green eyes had a sharpness to them. He carried a massive shield on his back, his armor polished to perfection.
“Alric Voss,” he introduced himself, his voice firm. “Human. Tank. If you’re reckless, I’ll be the one pulling your ass out of trouble.” He smirked slightly. “Try not to make my job harder than it already is.”
Kaida huffed. “No promises.”
The next to step forward was a woman with wild, shoulder-length red hair. Her toned arms and the two curved daggers at her waist marked her as someone quick and deadly. Her brown eyes held a playful glint as she smirked at him.
“Seraphina Vale,” she said smoothly. “Human. Attacker. I specialize in speed and precision. If you get in my way, don’t expect me to slow down.”
Kaida nodded, already noting that she seemed like the overconfident type.
Next was a tall, thin young man with dark brown skin and short, neatly kept black hair. His glasses rested on the bridge of his nose, and unlike the others, his posture was more relaxed, almost scholarly.
“Lorien Endell,” he introduced himself with a slight bow. “Human. Sorcerer. I handle the magical side of things.” He adjusted his glasses before giving Kaida a quick once-over. “You don’t seem like the magical type.”
Kaida shrugged. “Not yet, anyway.”
Finally, the last member stepped forward—a young woman, about Kaida’s age, with dark blue hair and striking sapphire eyes. Unlike the others, she carried herself with an air of dignity, yet there was something more—something fiery beneath the surface.
“Lysara Von Estria,” she said simply. “Princess of the Crystal Empire.”
Kaida blinked. “Wait—you’re the—?”
She crossed her arms. “Yes. And no, I won’t be sitting around waiting to be rescued. I fight just like everyone else.”
Kaida let out a low whistle. “Royalty and combat training. Not what I expected.”
She arched a brow. “Disappointed?”
He smirked. “Nah, actually, I respect it.”
Lysara simply nodded, but there was a flicker of approval in her eyes.
Temu clapped her hands together. “Alright, now that the introductions are out of the way—enough chit-chat. Training starts now.”
Training Montage: Hell Begins
It was brutal.
Kaida quickly learned that Temu Zennen did not believe in taking it easy.
Push-ups, sit-ups, squats, running laps—over and over. His muscles screamed in protest, his breath came in ragged gasps, but Temu never let up.
“FASTER!” she barked as they sprinted across the field.
Kaida’s legs felt like jelly.
“AGAIN!” she yelled as he collapsed mid-push-up.
He groaned but forced himself back up.
And then—sparring.
Kaida was paired with Alric, who promptly sent him flying onto his back within seconds.
“You’re slow,” Alric said, stepping back. “Get up.”
Kaida groaned. “Yeah, yeah, give me a second—”
WHAM.
Seraphina knocked his legs out from under him the moment he tried standing.
She grinned. “You left yourself open.”
Kaida lay there, staring at the sky. ”…I hate both of you.”
Lorien snorted from the sidelines, flipping through a spellbook. “You’ll get used to it.”
Lysara, meanwhile, was sparring against Temu herself.
The difference in skill was staggering.
Lysara was good—really good—but Temu was a monster. She dodged every strike effortlessly, countering with brutal precision.
Kaida winced as Lysara was knocked flat.
Temu loomed over her. “You’re too stiff, Princess. Loosen up. Try again.”
Lunch Break: The Eye of the Storm
By the time midday arrived, Kaida was half-dead.
The team sat at a long table in the lunch lounge, where warriors and trainees alike gathered for meals. Kaida barely touched his food at first, too exhausted to do much more than sit there.
Seraphina smirked at him. “Aw, is the hero tired already?”
Kaida shot her a glare. “I’m conserving energy.”
Lorien chuckled. “You mean pouting.”
Kaida sighed. “Okay, maybe a little.”
Alric leaned back in his chair. “You did better than expected, at least. Thought you’d collapse an hour in.”
Kaida frowned. “That was supposed to be a compliment, wasn’t it?”
Lysara, who had been mostly quiet, finally spoke. “You kept up.”
Kaida blinked, surprised. “Uh… thanks?”
She nodded. “That means you have potential.”
Kaida sat back, letting the conversation flow around him.
For the first time since arriving in this world…
It didn’t feel so unfamiliar.
He wasn’t alone.
And maybe—just maybe—he could do this.
