Late on the first day

The morning sun hung low in the sky as Ash laced up his boots, rolling his shoulders as he adjusted his jacket.

The soreness from yesterday still lingered, but it was manageable as awakened had a higher recovery rate.

Today was his first day in the Hunter Training Program.

Lena sat on the couch, kicking her legs as she finished her breakfast. "You nervous?"

Ash smirked. "Me? Nervous?"

She scrunched up her nose. "You should be. They're gonna make you run and climb and do all that army stuff. And you hate running!"

Ash groaned, rubbing his face. "Great. Thanks for reminding me."

Lena giggled before hopping off the couch and wrapping her arms around his waist. "Good luck, Uncle. Just don't get kicked out on the first day."

He ruffled her hair. "No promises."

After dropping Lena off at school, Ash made his way toward the Middle Sector.

The journey was long, and as he neared the border, the difference in atmosphere was obvious.

The Outer Sector was cramped, filled with makeshift homes and struggling businesses, but the Middle Sector had wider streets, actual greenery, and buildings that didn't look like they were on the verge of collapse.

Approaching the checkpoint, he was stopped by two guards, both armed and scanning the crowd of people passing through.

"Name and purpose?" one of them asked, his tone bored but firm.

"Ash. I'm heading to the Hunter Training Program." Ash pulled out his temporary ID, watching as the guard scanned it.

The second guard raised an eyebrow. "First time in the Middle Sector?"

Ash nodded. "Yeah."

The first guard handed back his ID. "Try not to get lost. Zone 5's a long way in."

Stepping past the checkpoint, Ash took in his surroundings. The streets were cleaner, the buildings taller, and the air itself felt different. More refined.

It was clear this was where the wealthier and stronger people lived.

But he didn't have time to admire anything.

A notification popped up on his watch, marking the location of the academy. He checked the time. Shit. If he didn't move quickly, he'd be late on his first day.

Ash broke into a sprint, weaving through the streets, his boots slamming against the pavement.

Even with his stamina still recovering from yesterday, he pushed himself forward, ignoring the strange looks he got as he ran past well-dressed citizens.

Zone 5 was massive, a dedicated district filled with multiple academies catering to different groups of Hunters.

Ash barely had time to take it all in as he rushed toward his designated academy, his breath coming out in short bursts. The building loomed ahead—tall, reinforced, and built for combat training rather than aesthetics.

Just as he neared the entrance, he collided with someone, the impact jolting him back a step. A sharp voice snapped at him. "Watch it!"

Ash blinked, looking up to see a young woman, probably around his age, with sharp amber eyes and short, dark red hair.

She wore the standard academy training uniform, but had an unmistakable air of authority about her. She dusted off her sleeve, glaring at him. "You in that much of a rush to make a fool of yourself on the first day?"

Ash exhaled, already irritated. "Look, it was an accident. No need to get all dramatic."

Her brow twitched, and for a second, he thought she might deck him. Instead, she scoffed, stepping aside. "Figures. Another Outer Sector recruit with no discipline. Try not to trip over yourself in training."

Before he could respond, she strode past him into the academy, leaving him standing there with a scowl.

Great. First impression? A disaster. And he didn't even know who she was.

He reached the doors just as the time hit the exact minute class was supposed to begin.

Stepping inside, he quickly navigated the hallways, checking his watch for the classroom number. Room B-07. He found the door, took a deep breath, and walked in.

The moment he entered, a heavy presence filled the room.

"You're late."

The voice was sharp, commanding.

Ash looked toward the front of the room, where a tall, battle-hardened man with a scar running down his cheek stood with arms crossed.

His uniform was pristine, the insignia on his chest marking him as a instructor. His eyes, however, were filled with thinly veiled disdain.

Ash forced himself to stay composed. "I arrived exactly on time."

The instructor scoffed. "You think a real Hunter walks in the second training starts? You're late the moment you have to rush. You should've been here early."

Ash bit the inside of his cheek but nodded. "Understood."

"Tch." The instructor turned away, looking over the rest of the class. Ash quickly scanned the room—nineteen other trainees, each standing at attention. His eyes landed on someone familiar.

The wind user from before.

The same guy who had tried to flee the soldiers in the Outer Sector. The one who got caught. His expression was tense, shoulders stiff under the instructor's gaze.

Ash could already tell he wasn't welcome here.

"Listen up," the instructor barked. "My name is Instructor Vaughn. I've already reviewed your files. Some of you are promising. Some of you are dead weight. And some of you are just cowards."

The wind user visibly flinched. Ash noted how Vaughn's gaze hovered on him, then briefly flicked to Ash himself.

"Here's the deal," Vaughn continued. "This program isn't a walk in the park. You will train. You will fight. And if you fail? Tough. No second chances. No safety nets. If you don't have what it takes, it's too bad, you will still be sent out there regardless after a year."

He let those words hang in the air before smirking. "Any complaints?"

Silence.

"Good. Now, since we have a runner in our class—" Vaughn's eyes locked onto the wind user, who swallowed hard, "—why don't we start with some endurance training? Five laps around the entire facility. If you fall behind, you don't stop. You keep running until you collapse."

The class stiffened but said nothing.

"What the hell are you waiting for? Move!"

Ash barely had time to react before everyone broke into a sprint. So much for an easy first day.

And, more running!