C86 Drill To Kill

He stepped back, gesturing to the racks of armor.

"Begin."

The room exploded into a flurry of motion as the recruits scrambled to their feet and rushed to the armor racks.

Yin and Yang quickly grabbed their sets, their hands shaking as they fumbled with the chest and back plates.

The weight of the armor was heavier than it looked, and their already exhausted bodies struggled to keep up with the pace.

Yin struggled to secure the straps on her chest plate, her fingers trembling as she fumbled with the locks.

Yang wasn't doing much better, her hands shaking as she tried to attach the leg plates.

"Twenty seconds!"

Julian barked, pacing around the room like a predator hunting for weakness.

Yin's heart pounded in her chest as she rushed to put on the helmet. The clock was ticking, and she knew they were running out of time. Her movements became frantic, her hands fumbling with the fasteners.

"Ten seconds!"

Yang finally managed to get her chest and back plate on and reached for her helmet, but her hands were trembling so badly she couldn't get it to lock into place.

"Five… four… three…"

Yin's breath came in ragged gasps as she finally snapped the helmet into place, but she hadn't even touched the leg plates yet.

"Time's up!"

Julian's voice cut through the chaos like a knife.

The recruits froze, sweat dripping down their faces as they looked up at him, their hearts pounding in their chests.

Julian's face was a mask of cold fury as he walked through the rows, inspecting the recruits with icy eyes.

"Pathetic,"

He muttered as he passed recruit after recruit.

"If this had been a real battle, half of you would be dead right now."

He stopped in front of Yin, who had only managed to get the chest and back plate and helmet on. She stood at attention, sweat pouring down her face, her heart hammering in her chest.

"Push-ups,"

Julian barked, not even bothering to look directly at her as he dropped to the floor.

"Ten, right now."

Yin immediately dropped to the floor, her arms shaking as she began pumping out push-ups with the heavy weight of the armor making each movement feel like torture.

Beside her, Yang was doing the same, her arms trembling from exhaustion. Every push-up felt like a mountain, her muscles screaming for mercy.

Around them, the other recruits were also being punished for their slow performance, each one doing push-ups while counting loudly.

"Faster!"

Julian barked.

"You think this is hard? You're not ready for combat until you can suit up in under sixty seconds while being shot at!"

After the push-ups, Julian barked out more orders as he stood up.

"Up! Try again!"

The recruits scrambled back to their feet, grabbing the armor pieces and trying to move faster this time.

The fear of further punishment drove them to move with more precision, their hands shaking less as they worked to attach each piece.

This time, Yin managed to get her chest and back plate and helmet on faster, her fingers working quickly to secure the locks.

Yang followed suit, her face set with determination as she rushed to put on the leg armor plates.

"Better,"

Julian muttered as he inspected them, but his voice still carried that edge of dissatisfaction.

"But don't think for a second that this is good enough. You're still too slow."

Yin and Yang exchanged a brief glance, their hearts pounding. The physical punishment was one thing, but the looming fear of not being able to suit up in time when it really mattered was even worse.

Julian turned his back to them, his voice hard and final.

"Tomorrow, you'll do it in fifty seconds. Fail, and you'll regret it."

The lesson ended, but the recruits knew the challenge had only just begun.

...

The next lesson felt like it came too soon, and Yin and Yang, along with the rest of the recruits, could barely catch their breath as they entered yet another mission briefing room.

The exhaustion from the previous drills weighed heavily on them, but they had no choice but to push forward.

Inside the room, Darius stood at the front, his towering figure casting an imposing shadow over the high tech weapons lined up on the table.

His presence was as intimidating as ever, his face a mask of hardened resolve. He had that aura about him the kind that made everyone instantly shut up and focus.

"Alright, listen up!"

Darius bellowed, pacing back and forth in front of the display of firearms.

"Today, you're going to learn how to operate these smart rifles and heavy weapons. This is the gear that will keep you alive. And if you screw up, it's not just your life on the line, it's your whole f*cking unit!"

The recruits stood at attention, their eyes fixed on the weapons. The sleek, matte-black 6.8mm smart rifles, each equipped with under-barrel grenade launchers, sat next to the heavier mass sniper accelerator rifles and smart RPGs.

A few laser light machine guns (LMGs) were propped up in the back, their barrels gleaming under the harsh lights.

Darius picked up one of the smart rifles, holding it up for the recruits to see.

"This,"

He began, his voice booming across the room,

"is your standard 6.8mm smart rifle. It's got an integrated computer assisted targeting system that Is directly linked to youre helmet, but don't think that makes you a marksman. You still need to aim and fire like a f*cking professional. The under-barrel grenade launcher loaded with 40mm grenades will take care of those pesky cover spots, and the smart optics will help you mark your targets in real-time."

He moved his hand along the barrel, pointing out the key features with precise, military efficiency.

"Safety is on the side. Bolt action, single-shot, or full auto. Always check your f*cking safety otherwise, you'll blow your own head off."

Darius picked up the next weapon, a mass accelerator sniper rifle.

"This beauty here is the mass accelerator rifle. This is for when you need to punch through armored targets. It uses electromagnetic acceleration to fire solid slugs at hypervelocity. But remember, it's heavier, and the recoil will snap your f*cking shoulder off if you're not braced for it."

The recruits watched in silence as Darius then moved on to the smart RPG, showing them how to load the smart RPG round, check the sights, and prepare for firing. His explanation was short but deadly serious.

"Smart RPGs. Simple but effective. Don't fire unless you know exactly what you're aiming at. You miss, and you've wasted one of the most powerful tools in your kit."

Finally, he lifted the laser LMG, hefting it with ease despite its weight.

"This is your laser light machine gun. It's great for suppression. It's got enough juice to cut through a light vehicle's armor as long as Its level 1 tech. But this thing will drain fast if you don't manage your fire properly. Don't spray unless you've got enough power in the pack. Now, you're all going to learn how to operate each of these weapons. Safety first, as always. Anyone screws up, and there will be consequences."

Darius set the LMG back on the table and stared at the recruits, his gaze sharp.

"Pair up and get started."

Yin and Yang, still sore from the previous drills, quickly partnered up again. They approached the table, where the weapons gleamed ominously.

Yin grabbed one of the smart rifles, its weight heavier than she expected, while Yang reached for the mass accelerator rifle.

As they followed Darius' instructions, they went through the motions of loading the weapons, checking the sights, and performing safety checks.

Everything was going smoothly, until a loud *clunk* echoed from one corner of the room.