Honor of Kings-Chapter 5: Enlistment

Ms. Airi was still in a daze, while murmurs began to grow among the students. Sky leaned in, straining to catch snippets of the privileged discussion, and Katie did the same, though her eyes remained fixed on the Corporal standing before them.

"Serums? The thing the President mentioned yesterday in the news...?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"I did a bit of research, and fortunately, some information about it leaked later that evening. It's said to give whoever is injected supernatural powers..."

"WHAT!?" Sky exclaimed, unable to contain his shock. Quickly, he composed himself as all eyes turned toward him.

'Is this what the President meant by 'pushing us to supernatural limits.'?'

Clearing his throat, he leaned back in his chair and folded his arms, trying to regain his composure and cool legacy.

The students were soon interrupted again by the Corporal, drawing their attention back.

"One thing is for sure: you cannot be cowards. If you're thinking of running away from this, then you're not fit to live in this world."

Ms. Airi challenged him.

"Excuse me, you can't say that to them. What do you think you're doing? I expect you, as an adult, to—"

She was interrupted by Donald, who placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, signaling her to hold back.

She sized him up and shook off his grip.

Without hesitation, he released her and bowed slightly in apology before turning back to the class.

The students were showing signs of withdrawal and wariness towards the unfolding situation.

"Can I say something?" Ms. Airi asked the Corporal with a slightly annoyed tone.

He gave her a long stare, his expression was a mix of contemplation and skepticism. After a short while, he nodded, granting her the floor to speak.

"Students, please, this is all based on your decision and your parents' consent. I would like you to inform your parents about this before coming tomorrow, perhaps getting a permission letter from them."

Katie suddenly raised her hand.

"Yes, Katie?" Ms. Airi inquired.

In a low voice, Katie asked, "And what about our upcoming Major Examination? The UGE?"

Ms. Airi confirmed, "Do you mean the University Gateway Examinations?"

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"Yes..."

Everyone gave Katie strange looks; some were irritated by her insistence on discussing an examination at such a critical moment. They all had their points.

Corporal Levitt interjected, "Good question. The examination is likely not to be held due to the current global situation. However, if it does take place, a new system has been prepared: Points will be used to assign marks to any student who gets enlisted.

"For instance, if your military training performance is above average, you automatically receive 10 Points, which roughly translates to 20% of your total marks out of 100. Additionally, for each day you successfully complete military training, you will earn 2 Points."

The students were taken aback by this revelation. This meant that without even participating in the examination, they could secure 20 marks if their training performance was above average.

However, it also raised concerns; military training was notoriously challenging, and the rumored serum that could grant them "Spectrums" might turn them into Beholders, as some leaks suggested.

Corporal Levitt continued, "Nonetheless, the same applies if you fail during training or make mistakes; 10 Points will be deducted from your total."

"Woah!" exclaimed the blonde student at the back, clearly impressed. This system seemed beneficial yet fraught with risks.

Sky, however, was not fooled by what he perceived as a flawed system. To him, it felt like a cheat. He calculated that there was an 89% chance the examination would not occur, and even if it did, the system was still problematic. If he trained for ten days and earned 20 points, plus the additional 10 points for above-average performance, he would have a total of 40 points—equating to 80% of the marks.

Yet, if he made just one mistake, he would lose 10 points, dropping his score to 60. Another mistake would bring him down to 40 points.

In a more sensible analysis, Sky realized the penalty deduction strategy was absurd. It required extreme focus and precision, which was nearly impossible for him and many others in the class, as per the harshness to be felt during the training.

The pressure to perform flawlessly, coupled with the risk of losing points, created an environment of anxiety rather than encouragement.

Whatsoever, he wasn't interested in the training, serum, or examination. He felt detached from the whole situation, as if it were happening in a different world. The stress and expectations felt overwhelming, and he simply wanted to focus on what mattered to him, away from the chaos and uncertainty surrounding them.

***

Corporal Levitt and Private Donald were about to leave with Ms. Airi, and Levitt took one last glance at Sky before exiting the classroom.

The students began sharing ideas and information among themselves. 99% of them were eager about the Enlistment, oblivious to the potential consequences. The remaining 1%, who remained in denial about the entire situation, was Sky.

After several hours, the school closed once again, and each student was meeting their parents, informing them about the day's events.

They had been told that they would be boarding at the school during training. By the end of the day, many were intrigued by the idea of taking the serum and joining the training.

***

"Can you believe this? They've all been foolishly manipulated by the United Army, completely unaware they're being sent to die," Sky lamented during a conversation with his therapist in the therapy room.

She sipped a glass of red wine, jotting down his grievances. She was the only person Sky could freely confide in, and while it was exhausting for her, there was a glimmer of hope: if Sky enlisted, she would have a break from him for a while. With that thought, she prepared to advise him on the prospect of joining the training.

Since he had no parents or family to guide his enlistment, she was bound to act as his guardian, which brought a wide, emoji-like smile to her face.

Moments of peace might finally be within reach for her.

She was ready before he was.

After a lengthy monologue, Sky finally fell silent, waiting for her to speak.

She said, "Yeah, I agree with what you just said... But isn't it preferable if you join? There are plenty of benefits to gain. Yes, I know it means you're heading toward death's door, but just look at it from the bright side, and see—"

Sky interrupted, "What 'bright side,' if I may ask?"

As she was about to speak again, a loud bang echoed at the door, as if whoever was behind it was extremely angry.