First Day of Training

The shrill sound of the alarm jolted Kai awake, shattering his peaceful sleep. Groaning, he rubbed his temples and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. It's so early... he muttered to himself, grabbing a towel as he shuffled toward the bathroom.

The shower was quick—five minutes at most—just enough to shake off the lingering drowsiness. He dressed in the exercise uniform delivered the night before, the snug fabric molding comfortably to his frame. Its high-tech design adjusted seamlessly to his body temperature and movements—a small but constant reminder that this world was light-years ahead of anything he knew back on Earth.

Breakfast was no luxury either. As soon as Kai stepped into the kitchen, a mechanical hum signaled the automatic toaster at work. Moments later, a single slice of toast popped out, just enough to stave off hunger. Clutching it between his teeth, he darted out the door, which locked itself with a soft click behind him.

Kai glanced at his wrist device as he jogged toward the training facility. 6:50 a.m. Great... Just ten minutes to make it. His pulse quickened—not from the run but from the pressure. Being late wasn't an option, not on the first day.

Kai burst into the training hall, his breaths coming in heavy gasps. His chest rose and fell as he straightened up, glancing around the massive space. It was eerily empty—no rows of recruits, no bustling activity. Just silence.

Except for one figure.

In the center of the hall stood a man, towering and motionless, his gaze fixed directly on Kai. The man gestured with a single, deliberate motion, beckoning him forward.

Kai hesitated, his heart racing, not from the sprint but from the quiet intensity radiating from the figure ahead. With a swallow, he began walking toward him, each step making the man loom larger.

By the time Kai stopped in front of him, he realized just how imposing the man was. Nearly two meters tall, with a broad, muscular frame that looked as though it could crush him with ease. His skin was sun-kissed, tanned from years spent outdoors, and faint wrinkles lined his face—evidence of age that only added to his aura of experience and authority.

The man's sea-blue eyes bore into Kai, sharp and calculating, contrasting with the dark hair streaked with silver at the temples. The slight graying hinted at a man likely in his fifties, though his presence felt ageless. He wore a uniform similar to Kai's, but subtly different—sleek and tailored, perhaps marking his rank or authority as a coach.

Kai instinctively straightened his posture, feeling like a mere shadow under the man's looming figure. Whatever lay ahead, it was clear this man wasn't here to go easy on him.

"You arrived in time. Not bad for a new recruit," the man barked, his deep voice booming through the hall like rolling thunder. "I am your coach. Only address me as Coach. I will be training you for the next six months, shaping you into the perfect soldier. My only rules are: no talking back and follow every order I give. Do you understand?!"

The sheer force of his voice seemed to vibrate through the walls. For a moment, Kai wondered if the man was even human.

"Y-Yes, Coach!" Kai stammered, quickly straightening his posture.

"I can't hear you! Do. You. Understand?!" The coach roared, his volume somehow doubling, his tone sharper than a blade.

"YES, COACH!!!" Kai shouted back with all the force he could muster. His throat already felt raw, unused to this kind of vocal strain.

"Good," the coach said, his expression unmoving. "Lesson number one: hand-to-hand combat. Fight me."

Kai froze. Did he hear that right? Fight him? The man looked like he could break steel with his bare hands. How was this even a fair match? He opened his mouth to protest but caught himself, remembering the first rule: no talking back.

He swallowed hard, steeling himself. "Fight me" sounded like a death sentence, but he had no choice. Taking a shaky breath, he shifted into the only stance he knew—basic self-defense training he'd picked up on Earth.

The coach, however, didn't move an inch. He simply stood there, arms at his sides, radiating unshakable confidence. "Come at me," he ordered, his voice calm yet commanding.

Kai hesitated before surging forward, his heart pounding as he aimed a punch at the coach's torso. If he could just land one hit—

WHAM!

Before he could react, a crushing blow exploded into his ribs, sending him flying across the hall. He hit the ground hard, skidding to a stop in the corner.

"Gah!" Kai gasped, clutching his side as pain radiated through his body. His vision blurred, and he struggled to breathe. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth as he coughed violently. "What... what just happened?" he croaked, barely able to move.

The coach stood exactly where he had been, unshaken, his stance as casual as before. He watched Kai struggle with a faint look of approval.

"You're tougher than I thought, soldier," he said, his voice steady. "Most new recruits pass out after my first blow. Again."

Kai's blood ran cold. Again? He stared up at the coach, dread filling his chest. This was just the first lesson? I'm going to die...

Five grueling hours later...

Kai staggered down the hallway, each step a painful reminder of his first "lesson." His body screamed in protest, aching from head to toe. Scratches crisscrossed his arms, and bruises throbbed beneath his uniform. He could still feel the phantom weight of Coach Armstrong's blows. It was a miracle he was even upright, let alone walking—or attempting to.

He reached the classroom door, which slid open with a soft hiss, revealing a room that looked more like a control center than a traditional classroom. A lone figure stood at the podium, their posture rigid and commanding.

The woman turned her head toward Kai, her sharp gaze immediately assessing him. "Ah, you've arrived. On time, even," she said, her voice firm and precise, tinged with faint surprise. "I'm impressed. Most recruits coming from Coach Armstrong's sessions are either unconscious or at the nursery by now." She crossed her arms, her expression hard to read. "Take a seat."

Kai swallowed hard, feeling a mixture of dread and relief. At least this wasn't another combat session. He glanced around the room, noticing only one desk—his. The classroom was sleek and futuristic, with no traditional chalkboards or whiteboards. Instead, a massive monitor dominated one wall, flanked by glowing holographic displays. His desk looked more like a command console, equipped with a flat, interactive surface. It could serve as a notebook, textbook, and testing station all in one.

He sank into the chair, the motion eliciting a sharp wince as his bruised muscles protested. His teacher watched him with a critical eye, her stance exuding authority.

She appeared to be in her mid-forties, her sharp features framed by jet-black hair tied neatly at the back. Her tailored professional attire—complete with low heels—seemed to enhance her strict demeanor. The faint lines on her face hinted at years of experience, and her piercing gaze suggested she tolerated no nonsense. She was around 160 centimeters tall, though her commanding presence made her feel much taller.

Kai shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, already dreading whatever grueling intellectual challenge lay ahead. He just barely survived Coach Armstrong's physical training—now, it seemed, his mind was next on the chopping block.

"My name is Professor Madya Louisiana," the woman began, her voice firm and commanding. "But address me as Professor only. I have been assigned to teach you everything." She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in. "That's right—all ten subjects will be taught by me alone."

Kai blinked, his already weary mind struggling to process this revelation. Ten subjects? His stomach sank as he mentally listed them off: History, Economy, Mathematics, Geography, Geopolitics, Language, Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, and Computers.

The professor continued, her tone sharp and precise, brimming with confidence. "Here are my rules: No talking back. Listen to the lectures. Raise your hand if you have questions. All homework must be completed on time. And absolutely no eating or drinking in my classroom."

Kai could only nod, already feeling the weight of her strict expectations pressing down on him like a boulder.

"One last thing," she said, her piercing eyes locking onto his. "There will be no tests or exams throughout the lessons—except for the final exam. To pass my class and qualify as a captain, you must achieve full marks in all ten subjects. Not 80%. Not 90%. One hundred percent. Anything less, and you fail."

Kai felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Full marks across all the subjects? Was this woman trying to set him up for failure? He swallowed hard, trying to steady his nerves, but the weight of her expectations was suffocating.

"Now," she said, turning toward the massive holographic monitor behind her, "lesson number one: History."

A sprawling visual display of this planet's history lit up the room, vibrant holograms depicting ancient civilizations, wars, and the evolution of its societies. Kai did his best to focus, but the lingering pain in his ribs and the pounding headache from earlier made it difficult to keep up.

Still, he forced himself to scribble down notes, his hand struggling to keep pace with the professor's rapid explanations. It was going to be a long day, and Kai could already feel the exhaustion creeping in. 

Five hours of relentless lectures and two precious hours of napping later...

Kai found himself standing by the edge of the swimming pool, the cool air causing goosebumps to rise on his skin. He was already dressed in the provided swimsuit, his muscles still sore from the earlier combat session. The pool was massive, its surface shimmering under the artificial lights, but like the training hall earlier, it was eerily empty—save for a lone figure standing beside the pool.

The man noticed Kai and turned to greet him with a bright smile, a stark contrast to what Kai had encountered so far. "Hey, you're Kai Izanagi, right?" he said, his tone friendly and approachable. "I'm your swimming coach, Leo Amsterdam. You can just call me Coach Leo."

Leo was as tall as Kai but noticeably more athletic. His pale white skin almost gleamed under the lights, as if he'd never spent a day under the sun. His sky-blue eyes seemed to radiate calmness, an odd relief for Kai after the stormy encounters he'd had that day.

Caught off guard by the coach's demeanor, Kai hesitated before shaking the extended hand. It felt strange—too relaxed to be part of the brutal training regimen he'd been enduring.

"I assume you have some basic swimming experience?" Leo asked, tilting his head slightly.

Kai nodded.

"Good. Then we can skip the basics," Coach Leo said with a grin, clapping his hands together. "Today, we'll focus on increasing your stamina and breath-holding capacity. But here's the catch—you're not allowed to step out of the pool for the entire class. If you do, there will be a punishment."

Kai's stomach dropped. Of course, it wasn't going to be as easy as Leo's demeanor had suggested. Three whole hours in the pool sounded less like a lesson and more like a survival challenge.

His body protested at the thought, but he knew by now that hesitation wasn't an option. As he stepped closer to the pool's edge, he muttered under his breath, "Why did I even think this would be any different?"

The water gleamed invitingly beneath him, but Kai already knew—this was going to hurt.