MIGHT AS WELL BE OP-Chapter 373: Official rank

After surveying the room, Anthony did what was most pressing in his mind.

He took a bath.

The warm, soapy water embraced him as he sank into the bathtub, the steam rising to fill the bathroom with a soothing haze.

For a moment, all was quiet except for the soft lapping of water around him.

"How could anyone possibly substitute this feeling with just mana?"

Anthony mused aloud, his voice barely a whisper.

He let out a contented sigh, the tension in his body slowly melting away.

"Can't trade this for anything else"

He muttered again, his words heavy with appreciation as he sank deeper into the water.

After a while, Anthony stood, the warmth of the bath still lingering as he rinsed off and dressed himself.

The others were in their rooms as well.

Some, still riding the high of having passed the trials, had ventured into the non-restricted areas.

They explored for an hour or two, savoring their brief freedom before returning to their rooms.

Now, their focus turned inward.

They needed to refill their mana cores, for they could never be certain of what the military had planned next.

After the unpredictability of the first and second trials, no one dared assume that the worst was behind them.

There was a nagging suspicion that a "third and final test" could be lurking just around the corner, waiting to catch them unprepared.

With that uncertainty hanging in the air, the necessity of caution became all too clear.

And just like that, the hours slipped by in a quiet, almost rhythmic fashion, each passing minute marked by the sounds of quiet training.

Well... not everyone was focused on their practice.

Anthony, in stark contrast to the others, lay sprawled across his bed, seemingly indifferent, his body relaxed as he slept without a care.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, twenty-four hours finally elapsed.

A sudden, deafening blare of sound pierced the air, like the shrill cry of a fire alarm, vibrating through the entire building and shaking the stillness in every room.

"Mountain range in two minutes"

Eyes snapped open all around him.

In an instant, motion erupted. Bodies surged into action, moving with the kind of urgency that could only be triggered by the sharp call of an imminent challenge.

They had already taken the tour the woman had given them earlier, so they knew exactly where to go.

The path was etched into their minds, and within moments, they were on the move, their feet carrying them toward the location.

In precisely two minutes, they all arrived.

Out of five thousand recruits, only about eight hundred remained.

They were the ones who had passed the grueling trials, the few who had earned the right to face whatever came next.

Colonel Vazeryth appeared once again, his presence commanding immediate attention.

"Congratulations"

He announced, his voice carrying the weight of authority.

"You are now one of us. You are now full-fledged soldiers"

At his words, smiles blossomed across many faces, a mix of relief and pride evident in their expressions.

"Since you are now soldiers, shall we begin?"

The question hung in the air, heavy with promise.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Corporal Daniel, who had been serving as the Colonel's right-hand man, stepped forward, his movements precise and calculated.

This time, however, he wasn't distributing the familiar restriction bracelets.

Instead, he held something different in his hands.

A cloth.

A uniform.

The fabric was a vibrant orange, the color striking against the backdrop of the recruits' varied expressions.

It was long-sleeved with a collar, the material seemingly tailored for both utility and comfort.

"I will give you twenty seconds to put those on"

Corporal Daniel's voice cut through the air, sharp and direct.

His words caused a collective frown to spread across the recruits' faces.

Were they supposed to change here?

In front of everyone?

The answer quickly became apparent as some of the quicker-thinking recruits manipulated their elements.

They formed protective domes around themselves, using their mana to shield their bodies as they changed with swift efficiency.

Anthony, however, took a different approach.

Without a word, he wove his mana and formed his own dome, but instead of changing into the orange uniform, he allowed his universal clothing to adapt, shifting its design to match the new attire.

He casually tossed the orange cloth into his inventory before lifting his dome, the fabric now seamlessly integrated with his existing outfit.

"Welcome to the military"

Colonel Vazeryth's voice boomed, steady and unwavering.

"With this cloth on, you are no longer ordinary people. Your life belongs to the military. Your death belongs to the military. Your losses belong to the military. Your wins belong to the military. This only stops the day you retire"

His words were stern, a sobering reminder of the gravity that came with the uniform they now wore.

He paused, letting the weight of his message settle before continuing, his gaze sweeping across the recruits as he saw that everyone had changed into their new attire.

"As of this moment, you now hold the rank of recruit, the lowest rank in the military"

At this, smiles once again spread across their faces, a glimmer of pride flashing in their eyes.

Finally.

They had earned their official rank.

They had taken the first step into the world they had all aspired to enter.

"Now, toss me your space rings"

Colonel Vazeryth commanded, his tone firm and authoritative.

Without hesitation, the recruits obeyed, each one tossing their space ring toward him.

Vazeryth caught each ring with a practiced flick of his hand, then began going through them one by one.

His eyes scanned the contents, his expression unreadable as he searched for anything of particular value, perhaps an inheritance or something of importance that could be returned to its owner.

Finding nothing but mundane items, he simply crushed the space rings with a swift gesture, destroying both the rings and their contents in a single motion.

"Nothing from the outside world is allowed in the military base"

He stated coldly.

"Everything here must be earned, from the beginning to the end"

A collective sense of loss swept through the recruits.

Some of them felt their hearts bleed as they realized what had just happened.

They had saved for months, toiled, and sacrificed just to acquire those items, only for them to be casually destroyed in an instant.

But what could they do?

Nothing.

They could only endure.

"There are a few things the military doesn't tolerate"

Colonel Vazeryth continued, his voice hard and unyielding.

"I will mention only a few of them: disobedience to orders from a higher rank, lateness, racism, and betrayal"

He let the words hang in the air, the weight of them settling over the recruits like a heavy shroud.

"In here, time is everything"

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He said, his tone sharpening. "Even a second of lateness could lead to the death of your entire squad. We do not tolerate any form of tardiness. Rank is the only strength here. Not your cultivation rank. Not your background. Not your talent. Every order from a higher rank is paramount"

Vazeryth's eyes swept over the group, his gaze cold but piercing.

"We in the military entrust our backs to each other on the battlefield. There are no divisions between races. If I notice you cannot change this view over time, you will be relieved of your duties without hesitation"

He paused, his words hanging in the air, giving the recruits time to absorb the gravity of the message.

"How could the military function if it were divided?"

Colonel Vazeryth mused, his voice carrying an edge of introspection.

"Even I, a Dragon, have Daniel, a human, as my right-hand man. A Corporal serving as the right-hand of a Colonel. Our might, race, and military ranks are light-years apart, yet we stand united. That's the strength of the military, unity, regardless of race or origin"

He allowed the recruits to absorb his words before continuing, his gaze darkening as he shifted to a more dangerous subject.

"Now, for betrayal"

He continued, his voice turning cold and ominous.

"The military does not take this lightly. You will be subjected to the Military High Court, where you will face a trial to prove your innocence. But if you are found guilty..."

He let the silence stretch, letting the weight of his words hang in the air.

"You won't be the only one to suffer. Your family will suffer. Your friends, your colleagues, your backers, everyone you hold dear will burn before your very eyes"

A glimmer of something almost predatory flickered in Colonel Vazeryth's eyes as he spoke of betrayal, the highest sin in the military.

"Understand this: Betrayal is not just a personal crime. It is an assault on the very foundation of everything we stand for. And if you betray us, you will pay the ultimate price"

He let his words sink into their very souls, each one resonating like a deep echo in the hearts of the recruits.

Unlike the top families, who manipulated the weak by forcing them into mana contracts, the military did not resort to such underhanded tactics.

They didn't need to.

Their method of control was far simpler.

The military's punishment for betrayal knew no bounds.

It was absolute.

They did not stop.

They did not care.

They did not negotiate.

They did not pity.

Betrayal would bring down their wrath without mercy.

"Now, for the final matter"

Colonel Vazeryth's voice grew even more imposing, the atmosphere around him thickening with his presence.

"While you are all allowed to please your sexual urges, there are strict rules governing reproduction within the military. Women are not permitted to get pregnant without first informing the military. If you become pregnant, even by mistake you must inform us within the first two weeks, so we can arrange for you to take leave"

A sharp pause hung in the air as his gaze swept across the room, his words landing heavily.

"But this rule does not apply to you"

He continued, his voice unyielding.

"You are still at the lowest military rank. If you get pregnant before earning a higher rank, you will be dismissed from the military, effective immediately"

The air seemed to crackle with tension as his words reverberated through the recruits.

A hushed murmur spread, but the weight of what had just been said fell hardest on the women.