Chapter 6 – The First Step of the Regular

The sky above the Gatez Academy remained a hazy blue-gray as dawn broke. The crisp morning air mixed with the biting chill of the wind, carrying faint echoes of activity from the new recruits. Outside the academy, the weather could shift drastically depending on the nearest Gate's location, but within the academy, the temperature remained stable due to its advanced environmental control system.

Ezie took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of metal and oil lingering from the equipment used the previous day. The Gatez uniform he now wore felt heavier than before—not because of the fabric but because of the responsibility it carried. As a regular member, he was no longer a mere cadet who could hide behind the academy's system. Now, he was part of the front line, facing real danger.

The morning routine started earlier than it did as a cadet. Regular members had to wake up before sunrise for physical training, followed by strategy and mana management sessions. Afterward, they were assigned daily tasks such as patrols, equipment maintenance, and studying the creatures found within the Gates.

"Hey, Ezie!"

Cylez jogged up to him, slightly out of breath. "We've got a training session with Kael today, you know that, right?"

Ezie simply nodded. He had already expected it.

Kael was one of the senior instructors responsible for training the regular members. Unlike Gaze, who was known for his strict and disciplined approach, Kael had a more relaxed demeanor—but that didn't make her any less dangerous. She had a reputation as one of the best fighters in Gatez, and her training methods were notoriously brutal.

When they arrived at the main training hall, Kael was already standing in the center of the room. She was tall and lean, her long silver hair tied back. Her sharp eyes seemed to pierce through people's thoughts with just one glance.

"Welcome, kids," she said lazily. "Starting today, you are part of a world far harsher than the academy. If you still think this is just regular training, you should leave now."

No one moved.

Kael smirked. "Good. Because today, we'll be diving deeper into mana control. You won't survive out there just by swinging your weapons recklessly."

Some of the regular members, including Cylez, looked excited. But Ezie remained quiet, listening carefully.

Kael raised a finger, and in an instant, blue sparks of light ignited at its tip.

"Mana is the foundation of all power in this world. But many of you still use it crudely and wastefully. Today, we'll learn how to control its flow efficiently."

The regular members began their training, attempting to focus their mana into a single point, channeling it into their weapons or bodies in a more controlled manner.

Ezie closed his eyes, feeling the mana coursing through him. Since the last exam, he had sensed a subtle yet powerful change within himself.

In truth, Ezie was far more skilled in mana control than the others.

Kael walked around the hall, observing each member with her keen eyes. When she stopped in front of Ezie, she gave a small nod.

"Interesting," she murmured. "You have pretty good control for someone at the regular rank."

Ezie merely shrugged.

From the corner of the hall, Kazek let out a scoff, clearly unimpressed. "That's just luck. Anyone can look good on the first day of training."

Velka, standing nearby, shot him a sharp glance. "Don't underestimate others just because you're already an Elite. Everyone here has potential."

Kazek simply shrugged again, but Ezie could sense the tension between them.

---

After the training session ended, the regular members were assigned their first small mission—securing a logistics route near the academy.

Unlike missions inside the Gates, this was more of a surveillance task, ensuring there were no sudden attacks from wild creatures or bandits.

Gatez Academy was strategically located, far from the city center, surrounded by hills and dense forests, making it an ideal place for intensive training. Aside from being a center for education and development for future Gatez members, the academy also served as a refuge for those who had lost their homes, families, and lives due to the devastation caused by the Gates. Its remote location provided additional security from external threats while creating a more controlled environment for its inhabitants.

Ezie, Cylez, and a few others walked through a small forest near the academy. The sun was high, but the shadows of the trees kept their path cool.

"This is pretty boring," Cylez complained.

"Stay alert," Ezie replied.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, they noticed something moving in the bushes.

Suddenly, from within the undergrowth, a rustling sound broke the silence. The team stopped in their tracks. The wind carried a faint, acrid scent. Cylez felt his hair stand on end—his instincts were warning him.

"I hope it's just a bunch of rabbits," Cylez joked nervously.

Then, from the darkness of the trees, small creatures with filthy bodies and primitive weapons leaped out. Their glowing red eyes burned with hatred and savagery, born from years of surviving in a ruined world.

"It's goblins," Ezie said calmly.

"Goblins!" one of the regular members shouted.

These weren't ordinary creatures. These goblins were remnants of the horrors left behind by the Gates' destruction. They might have once been weak monsters emerging from dimensional rifts, but years of surviving in the outside world had made them more ferocious and cunning. Their greenish skin bore deep scars, and they wielded rusted daggers and wooden clubs studded with sharp nails. Some even wore pieces of armor scavenged from previous victims.

"Attack!" one of the regular members yelled.

The battle erupted instantly.

A goblin swung its dagger at Cylez, but he swiftly parried it with his sword before countering with a quick slash. The goblin dodged, leaping backward with surprising agility.

From the side, two goblins tried to attack Ezie from behind. But he was ready. With one fluid motion, he spun around, slashing one goblin across the chest, causing black blood to splatter onto the ground. The second goblin screeched in rage and lunged at him with a dagger, but Ezie swiftly ducked and sliced at its knee. The goblin collapsed, and in one decisive move, Ezie ended its life.

Meanwhile, Cylez and the others struggled against a larger horde. One goblin pounced on a regular member, clawing at his face before another teammate stabbed it with a spear.

"Arrgghh!" a member screamed.

"Don't let them surround us!" an Elite member shouted.

"Don't panic! They're just weak creatures!" another Elite tried to calm the group.

The goblins fought more viciously, growling and snarling as if they feared nothing. One of them, larger than the rest, swung a rusted axe with enough force to break a small tree.

Ezie saw it and immediately moved. He lunged forward, blocking the goblin's axe strike with his sword. The impact sent a numbing sensation through his arm, but he didn't back down. With a swift kick to the goblin's knee, he knocked it off balance.

Cylez seized the opportunity, driving his sword into the goblin's neck. The creature let out a final, guttural scream before collapsing, its black blood soaking the earth.

After several minutes of fighting, the remaining goblins realized they couldn't win. Some began retreating into the forest, leaving behind the corpses of their fallen kin.

Cylez wiped the sweat from his brow and exhaled deeply. "I guess we're not that bad, huh?"

Ezie didn't answer immediately. He simply stared at the lifeless goblins, their dark blood staining the ground.

In a quiet voice, he murmured, "This is just the beginning."

"They're running away!" a regular member called out.

"Quick, tend to the wounded!" an Elite ordered.

In the distance, hidden within the shadows of the trees, another pair of glowing red eyes watched them silently. The goblins may have retreated, but had they truly left? Or were they merely waiting for the right moment to strike again?