A New Dawn of Warfare
I dropped my sweaty gear onto the floor, the thud echoing through the stillness. The thought of a refreshing shower was tempting, but I quickly pushed it aside. Time was of the essence now, each second ticking by with a sense of urgency. If I wasted time on trivial comforts, it could mean the difference between life and death when facing the dangers of the gates. No, I had to stay focused - even if it meant powering through the grime and discomfort. At least I had the reassurance that Mana could heal me if I fell ill, a failsafe against the toll that my vigilance and training might take on my body. With the constant infusion of Mana bolstering my system, the likelihood of succumbing to any mundane sickness was incredibly low. The healing energy acted as a shield, fortifying my body against more than just the physical strain of my training.
I had established a routine of showering once a day, a simple act of self-care that also served as a reminder of the life I had left behind. Now, every minute I spent on such mundane tasks felt like a minute wasted. Time was a commodity I could ill afford to squander. The gates were a looming threat, and I knew that my turn to face whatever lay beyond would come sooner than I expected.
The military wasn't one for patience, especially when the fate of nations hung in the balance. If the soldiers from Valoria and other countries' gates returned, it would only be a matter of time before Alstropia sent its own Awakened into the fray. And I, a mere cog in the military machine, would be among those thrown into the chaos of the gates.
The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I had to make every second count. If I didn't, I'd regret it when I was knee-deep in whatever horrors the gates held in store for us. I had to be ready, stronger than I had ever been. It wasn't just about survival anymore; it was about taking the fight to the enemy, about closing those gates and ensuring the safety of the people who had become my responsibility.
The gates didn't discriminate, wreaking havoc wherever they appeared. Shopping malls, schools, government buildings—all were equally vulnerable to the destruction they brought. The economic impact was staggering, with countless lives upended by these unnatural phenomena. People were forced to flee their homes, businesses were disrupted, and the very fabric of society was being tested.
But those concerns were distant to me now. My world had narrowed to the confines of Haven's Bastion, to the relentless training and the constant push to become more. I was just a soldier, one of many, but I was determined to make a difference. I couldn't change the world, but I could change myself. I could become stronger, faster, more adept at harnessing the power of Mana that flowed through me.
I lay back on my bed, my thoughts racing as I contemplated the challenges ahead. The room was silent, save for the steady rhythm of my own heartbeat. I closed my eyes, focusing on the sensation of Mana coursing through my veins. It was a power that I was only just beginning to understand, a tool that could mean the difference between life and death in the battles to come.
I knew that the time would come when I would be called upon to step through one of those gates. And when that time came, I would be ready. I would stand alongside my fellow soldiers, and together, we would face whatever lay beyond.
For now, though, I would rest. I would gather my strength and prepare for the next phase of training. Because when the time came, I couldn't afford to hesitate or fall short. The title "Awakened" was more than a label; it was a tool that could carve out a new life for me in these tumultuous times. My decision to join the military was a strategic move, leveraging the advantages of my condition to ensure my family's well-being and my own advancement. It was about seizing opportunities in a world turned upside down, ensuring that I could thrive amidst the turmoil and secure a future for myself in the midst of uncertainty.
With that thought, I allowed the weariness to wash over me, letting the silence of the room lull me into a fitful sleep. The intense training would go on, driving me to harness my newfound powers. Now, though, I would rest and dream of a future where the gates no longer cast a shadow over our world.
As the days at Haven's Bastion unfolded, I had immersed myself in the rigors of training with an intensity that I hadn't known I possessed. Over the past eight days, I had thrown myself into the crucible of training with a ferocity that surprised even me. Each day was a relentless march toward self-improvement, each session a chance to mold my body and mind into something formidable. The weights in the gym had become my adversaries and my partners in growth. My muscles, once accustomed to the sedentary rhythm of office life, now throbbed with newfound power and definition. The barbells and plates that I had struggled with during my first days at Haven's Bastion now felt like child's play under my intensified strength.
My shoulder press had doubled from a respectable 75 kilograms to an impressive 150 kilograms. The bench press, a lift I had rarely focused on, saw an increase from 140 kilograms to 180 kilograms. My squats, a true test of overall strength, had exploded from 110 kilograms to 230 kilograms. Even the deadlift, an exercise I had neglected in favor of sprints, had skyrocketed from 145 kilograms to 240 kilograms. These numbers were milestones on my journey, markers of my transformation from an average joe into something more, something that was beginning to resemble the action heroes of my childhood.
The physical changes were unmistakable. My shoulders broadened, my chest expanded, and my legs became pillars of raw power. My weight crept up from 80 kilograms to 82 kilograms, a healthy combination of muscle and a small amount of fat that actually aided my stability with the hefty weapon I had been assigned. This newfound mass didn't hinder my movement; instead, it made me feel more anchored, more in control when handling my firearm. The mirror reflected back an image of an athlete poised for action, toned and honed for the battles that lay ahead.
My endurance and speed had experienced a renaissance as well. The 100-meter dash, once a challenge, was now a sprint that I could complete in just 7.1 seconds. It was a remarkable improvement, though it paled in comparison to the sub-5 second dashes that some of my fellow Awakened had achieved. In the 500-meter sprint, I shaved precious seconds off my time, dropping from approximately a minute to a lightning-fast 45.2 seconds. There was no need to waste time on a 5-kilometer run when the 500 meters provided all the test I required.
But it wasn't just about brute force and swiftness. There was a new dimension to my abilities, one that was as fascinating as it was practical. I had learned to manifest water from the very air around me, a skill that others on Chatter and EchoChat were only just beginning to explore. The speed at which I conjured water surpassed the progress of those I followed online. I was careful to keep this skill hidden, a secret weapon nestled within the arsenal of my expanding capabilities.
The military itself seemed to be weighing the potential of such elemental manipulation. In hushed tones in the cafeteria and with furrowed brows over tactical maps, conversations about the benefits of training soldiers in the art of water creation had begun. It was clear that possessing the ability to quench one's thirst or tend to wounds with fresh water right at the battlefield was invaluable. Especially within the unpredictable confines of the gates, where the scarcity of survival resources was a looming concern, the ability to create water could prove invaluable.
Yet, with all these advancements and the relentless grind of my training schedule, I had become almost monastic in my existence. The world outside of Haven's Bastion had faded into a blur, its drama and breaking news barely registering against the backdrop of my disciplined life. But as I sat in the cafeteria, digging into a hearty meal with Marcus and Tristan, the outside world decided to make its presence felt once again.
"Did you hear the news, Ryan?" Tristan's voice snapped me out of my food-induced reverie. His eyes were bright with the thrill of gossip.
Marcus chimed in before I could even swallow my mouthful of food. "Valoria's soldiers—some of them have returned from the gates."
I shook my head, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. "No, I haven't heard anything," I admitted. The truth was, I had become so engrossed in my training that the rest of the world could have erupted into chaos without my noticing. "Can you tell me more about it?" I asked, looking between Marcus and Tristan. "What's the news saying?"
Marcus leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Nothing concrete. Valoria is keeping things tight-lipped. The whole world is waiting for their conference about the gates."
Tristan nodded, the excitement in his voice hard to miss. "People are saying it's because they've discovered something inside the gates—something big. There's talk of cultivation techniques, even magic spells."
A shiver ran down my spine at the mention of 'magic.' It wasn't too long ago that the existence of Mana would have sounded equally fantastical. Had the gates brought with them more than just monstrous threats? Were we on the cusp of a new era where the arcane was once again possible?
The next day, Valoria's conference made headlines across the world. More soldiers from the global superpower had returned from their respective gates—and they weren't alone. Tyrandis, the most populous nation on Aurion, had also seen soldiers emerge from the gates. The world waited with bated breath for Tyrandis to reveal their findings, as Valoria seemed to be holding its cards close to its chest, offering little in the way of concrete information. However, it was Valoria who took center stage, perhaps eager to claim the spotlight and reap the political capital of their discoveries.
The clatter of cutlery against plates and the low hum of conversation filled the cavernous cafeteria as Marcus, Tristan, and I managed to find a table amidst the sea of faces. The anticipation in the air was thick; everyone knew that today's conference could very well shape our immediate future. The topic of the gates was inescapable, a constant backdrop to our lives within the walls of Haven's Bastion.
We were lucky to have arrived early, securing a spot close to one of the many TVs suspended from the ceiling. Each screen was tuned to the same channel, a silent countdown ticking away in the corner as the start of Valoria's conference drew near. The room buzzed with speculation, every soldier here eager to glean some insight into the mystery that had upended our world.
When the screen flickered to life, it wasn't the face of Valoria's Prime Minister that greeted us, but that of Thomas Granger, the Chief of Defense. It made sense, I supposed. Granger was the one who would have the most up-to-date information on the military's response to the gates. His stern countenance and piercing gaze commanded attention, and the room fell silent as he began to speak.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Granger's voice boomed through the speakers, steady and authoritative, "I stand before you today with a message of hope. The gates that have appeared across our world can be cleared. The number of monsters contained within them varies, from a few hundred to a couple of thousand. But I assure you, mankind is equipped to handle this threat."
A murmur rippled through the crowd at his words. The idea that these enigmatic gates could be cleared, instead of closing themselves after releasing a few rounds of monsters, was both comforting and daunting. It meant that there was an end in sight, but also that we would be the ones to face the dangers that lay beyond.
"Our Awakened weapons have proven effective against these creatures," Granger continued, his tone firm. "We are not defenseless. Our soldiers, equipped with these advanced arms, have made significant progress in combating the monsters within the gates."
As Granger spoke, my thoughts turned to the Vanguard MAR-30 I had trained with. It was a solid piece of craftsmanship, and knowing that Tyrandis's soldiers, likely armed with the same weaponry, had managed to return from the gates provided a tangible sense of reassurance. This success was no doubt a strategic showcase for Tyrandis, bolstering the confidence of foreign countries in their arsenal.
"There is another aspect to these gates that we have discovered," Granger said, his voice lowering slightly. "Once our soldiers enter a gate, they are unable to exit until the area is cleared of monsters. It's as if there is a... goal that must be fulfilled. The gates remain visible from the inside, but attempting to pass through them reveals a physical barrier. This is the same barrier that forms when the gates deem themselves full."
The revelation sent a shockwave through the cafeteria. The gates weren't just doorways; they had strict rules. Once our soldiers went in, they couldn't get out until they'd dealt with the monsters inside. It was like the gates wanted something done before they'd let anyone leave. Even trying to get back through the gates while they were still full of monsters was a no-go. It was as if an invisible wall was blocking the way.
"We've put the barrier to the test from within," Granger stated, his voice firm. "Despite our tanks and weapons firing at it, the barrier didn't budge. This has confirmed our theory: this physical wall will only disappear once all the monsters inside the gates have been eliminated. That's the condition we must meet to close these portals."
As the conference continued, I realized that my time was running short. The call to action would come sooner than I had anticipated - perhaps in the next few days. I exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of this new reality settle on my shoulders. There would be no more months to prepare; the gates were an imminent challenge that I and the other Awakened soldiers would have to face. I clenched my fist, knowing I had no choice but to be ready, even if I didn't feel the part of the heroic soldier. This was my new reality, and I would have to confront it, no matter how uncertain the future seemed.