The Brightest Star

Sit-ups strained their muscles. Squats burned their thighs. Frog jumps made their lungs ache. It was a brutal rhythm, each movement pushing them closer to becoming real soldiers.

The tests came one after another, a never-ending series of challenges. They ran, jumped, and crawled. Everything was going well, except for the rope climb. That tall, swaying rope seemed impossible. It wasn't just about strength; it was about how badly they wanted to succeed.

By eleven in the morning, a wave of tiredness swept over the field. The tests were finally done.

Sergeant Monka looked down at his small notebook, his eyes stopping at Roya's name. Next to it were a bunch of "Excellent" marks, shining like stars. This kid was something special. His score put him in the top three, showing just how much effort he had put in.

Monka snapped the notebook shut. The sound echoed in the quiet air.

"Free time!" Monka shouted, his voice booming across the field. "Everyone meet back here in half an hour!"

"Yes, sir!" The recruits roared back, their voices filled with energy. Except for a few who looked worried about being kicked out, everyone was excited. You could see it in their faces.

Months of hard work had led to this moment. They were on the edge of something new.

While the recruits celebrated, the officers huddled together, looking at their own notebooks. They were carefully studying how each recruit had done, arguing over who was good enough.

Sergeant Monka walked up to Colonel Rhodes, his face serious.

"Colonel," he said quietly, "Roya's performance is... amazing. I think we should really focus on helping him grow. If he messes up, punish him like you would anyone else, but please don't go after him for no reason."

"Hmm?" Colonel Rhodes looked confused.

Why would I target Roya? He's one of our best recruits! He was very happy to have such a talented soldier.

Realizing what Monka was thinking, Rhodes chuckled, "Sergeant Monka, I understand. Don't worry, I'll be fair to everyone."

"Thank you, Colonel!" Relief washed over Monka. He saluted smartly and went back to his job.

The 153rd Branch doesn't have a lot of resources. It would be a waste if someone as talented as Roya was held back because of personal feelings.

---

The half-hour flew by, like a bird in flight.

The new recruits stood straight and still, waiting for Colonel Rhodes to tell them what to do.

Rhodes walked to the front, commanding their attention. He saluted back and then pulled out the list. The moment of truth had arrived.

"Fullbody!"

"Here!"

"Evaluation result: Excellent!"

Getting an "Excellent" wasn't just a good grade. It meant a promotion to Second Class Soldier. A step up, proof that their hard work had paid off.

"Roya!"

"Here!" Roya stood a little taller, his heart pounding.

"Evaluation result: Excellent!"

A wave of happiness washed over Roya. He knew he had done well, but hearing it out loud made it even better.

"Rokaku!"

"Here!"

"Evaluation result..."

As the results echoed across the field, you could see all sorts of emotions on the recruits' faces. Some were happy, others were disappointed, especially those who had almost gotten an "Excellent."

Normally, it took months to get promoted from Third Class to Second Class Soldier. These tests were a shortcut, a chance to get ahead quickly.

When the roll call was finished, out of all the new recruits, eighteen had passed. That was pretty good, but only four had gotten the "Excellent" rating they all wanted.

Colonel Rhodes, looking important, gave each recruit their Marine Epaulettes: one bar for Third Class, two bars for Second Class.

"You should all be proud..." he said, his voice strong.

After a few words of encouragement, Colonel Rhodes pulled out two more badges. He walked over to Fullbody and Roya and carefully pinned the badges to their chests.

"Also," he said, a twinkle in his eye, "Fullbody and Roya have done an outstanding job with their chores this month. Therefore, they are awarded the Chores Champions! badge!"

Chores Champions!

Two badges, shining brightly in the afternoon sun, decorated their uniforms.

The other recruits were stunned. Their eyes went wide, and you could almost hear them thinking, Wow!

Chores Champion! didn't sound like a glamorous title, and it didn't come with any special benefits. But getting recognized like that was a big deal.

After all, chores were boring and nobody liked doing them. Not many recruits were willing to work hard at them, let alone do such a good job that Colonel Rhodes noticed.

Did they scrub the toilets until they sparkled? Some of the recruits wondered.

These guys are really something!

"Clap clap clap!" A loud round of applause broke out, filling the air.

"Alright, alright," Colonel Rhodes chuckled, holding up his hand to quiet them down.

"You must all be starving. This afternoon, Sergeant Monka will show you around and explain your new duties. Dismissed!"

"Yes, Colonel Rhodes!" The recruits stood up straight, chests puffed out, and stomped their feet in unison.

"Salute!"

As the officers left, the recruits relaxed and started celebrating. New recruits who had been waiting outside for their own tests rushed over, eager to join the excitement.

Roya was surrounded by his friends, who were all congratulating him.

"Roya, you're amazing!"

"An 'Excellent' rating! That's incredible!"

"You were the star of the whole evaluation!"

"You made us proud!"

Roya's score might not have been the highest, but the fact that he was so new made his success even more impressive. He was a symbol of hope for everyone.

The other rookies felt proud to know him.

Even if we're not as good as him yet, Roya is strong. As his friends, his success makes us look good too. They knew that Roya's future achievements could help them all.

After a lot of pats on the back and excited chatter, Roya's stomach rumbled, reminding him that he needed to eat.

"Let's go get some food," he said.

"Haha, we'll get it for you!"

"I heard lunch is extra special today!"

And it was true. The mess hall was serving a feast, with extra-large portions of delicious Sea Beast Meat.

Full and happy, Roya went back to the barracks, surrounded by his admiring friends, and escaped to the communal toilet.

"Haa!" He enjoyed a cold shower, the water washing away the sweat and tiredness.

Roya put his hands on the edge of the sink and looked at himself in the mirror.

A month of hard training had changed his body. He was now muscular and strong, a sign of his dedication.

The unsure look in his eyes was gone, replaced by a sharp, determined glint.

He was a different person.

He was stronger, inside and out!

Roya grabbed a hair tie and pulled his long, dark hair back into a short ponytail.

With his face clear, his features looked sharper and more defined. He looked ready to take on anything.

This was the image he wanted to project.

He wanted to shine, to be confident!

"Knock knock!"

A quick knock on the door startled him.

"Roya, it's time to go."

"Got it!"

In the afternoon, Roya and the other newly promoted Marine soldiers gathered on the training field.

No more hard drills, no more boring chores.

Their job for the afternoon was to follow Sergeant Monka on a tour of the duties of a real Marine soldier. This included patrols and other everyday tasks, in addition to regular training.

Monka led them to another training area, where experienced Marines were practicing their swordsmanship.

"The mornings will still be for physical training. The afternoons, when we're not on duty, we'll be here, improving our combat skills..." Monka explained, his voice firm.

Swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat were required for all Marine soldiers. There were special courses to determine what kind of soldier someone would be.

For example, those who were good with guns might be assigned to the gunnery unit. Others might end up in close-combat assault units, artillery units, and so on.

The less talented, those who didn't work hard, would be sent to the logistics support unit, where they would load ammunition and do other jobs that didn't involve fighting. It was a safe place, but it wasn't a way to become a hero.

"Hey, Roya," Fullbody said, nudging Roya with his elbow and winking. "Which unit are you hoping for?"

"Me?" Roya looked around the training field, his eyes full of excitement.

"I want to try them all!"