Returning to the barracks, it didn't take long for Theo and his friends to notice a gathering around the captain girl who was talking about something to the candidates that listened to her.
"You bunch of idiots, I gave you a clue on how to do your duty, and you ended up ignoring me, and as a result ended up among the bottom of 5 squads in effectivity." said the captain girl, releasing a sigh, "I don't know about my comrades, but I need extra merits for your supervising, so open your ears and listen carefully."
"At first, why did you rush to complete your duty without even thinking on how to make it better and in a more effective way?" asked captain girl, looking at candidates in front of her, "You should have realized that it was too uncomfortable to repeat the same process every time you delivered water."
Many candidates nodded, agreeing with her.
"If you realized that it was too uncomfortable, why didn't you create a system to get rid of that problem?" asked the captain girl with a clear irritation in her voice.
Many candidates exchanged glances among each other before one of them asked her.
"Shouldn't we compete against each other? Why should we work as a team when everyone before you told us that it was a competition?"
"You, idiots," muttered the captain girl, shaking her head, "Indeed it is a competition, but nobody told you not to work in groups to facilitate the process,"
"While you were delivering water without organization, wasting huge amount of time to return to carriages, your opponents created a system and divided themselves into 2 groups. The 1st one delivered water to enchanters while the 2nd delivered water from enchanters to the final places. They swapped places after several hours and continued to work in that way," explained the captain girl, looking at the dumbfounded candidates.
"I am emphasizing once again that you should deliver water, and nobody would care how you do as long as you use your own forces," said the captain girl, releasing another sigh before turning and leaving the barracks.
Many started pondering about her words before starting to provide their ideas to other candidates, and as a result, half of the 5th squad spent the next hour, talking about the ways on how to increase their effectiveness.
As a result, they decided to copy the same tactics their opponents were using, but also decided to divide their squad into small groups that would each have a certain area where they will have to deliver water. If one squad finishes their objective, it can move and help to the nearest, increasing the effectiveness in the process.
Spending an hour, talking with other candidates, he and his friends ended up getting one of the closest streets to the enchanters.
***
Finishing their business in the barracks, the company moved towards the dining room. The dining room was a big building made of magic, there was a huge space where tables and chairs were placed for the visitors.
Entering the dining room, it didn't take long for them to notice that there were hundreds of other candidates together with official water porters eating their dinner. Just a glance was enough for Theo to quickly notice the difference between the candidates and official water porters.
Official water porters got better food, occupied the best places in the dining room while candidates got several small portions, occupied areas near the entrance and it was clear that there were much fewer candidates than real water porters. Even places from which candidates took their food were located near to the entrance.
Taking their own salvers with food, Theo and his friends stopped when several water porters approached 2 girls in the candidate's uniform and started blocking the way for them, talking with them in the process. They didn't care a bit that their actions blocked the whole row, and made every candidate wait for them.
Throwing a glance at the two guys that were only around the 3rd squire's rank, Theo's veins started twitching, he had no problem if they interfered in the business of those girls, but he hated when someone interfered into his own plans, making him waste his time. Besides, he couldn't even believe when was the last time he suffered from a similar form of hazing because of slightly elder ones. He as an ex archmage has long ago forgotten about such thing as age or status difference. In short, he was just too used to be at the top.
So, it didn't take long for several fireballs to appear, flying at those guys, bumping into their energy shields, sending them into the wall. It was clear that Theo just wanted to send them away, and didn't use the full power of his spells.
*Boom*
A moment and all the attention was quickly concentrated at the black-haired youth that unleashed his sword, aiming at those guys.
"I don't care if you interfere in the business of others, but never again, make me waste my time," said Theo, changing his expression, and starting emitting a dangerous vibe.
The 2 guys exchanged glances among each other before standing and throwing much more attentive gazes at Theo.
At the same time as they adjusted their clothes, more water porters appeared, throwing threatening glances at Theo.
It didn't take long for his friends to start chanting spells. Moments later, several basic spells appeared around them and Theo while the water porters unleashed their weapons and started preparing energy techniques.
"You are just candidates, you don't have any rights in here. This is our dining room and our camp," said one of the guys, Theo sent to the wall.
"Indeed, we are candidates, but you sure that you can behave with us in the same way you behave with others?" asked Theo, creating a fire snake around his arm that threw a threatening glance at them.
"You seem to be too arrogant for the candidate, let us teach you a lesson, and show you your place," said the 2nd guy, Theo sent towards the wall, and started creating several energy slashes.
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Just as Theo and those guys wanted to start fighting, several groups of water porters entered the dining room and quickly noticed everything that was happening in there.
They quickly read through the situation before approaching them.
"I have already talked with Chris, and we ended up agreeing, don't you remember that?" asked the same guy who was Theo's and the other 4 squads' supervisor.
When those guys and water porters around them heard him, they immediately lowered their weapons, dispelling their techniques before looking in the direction of the voice.
"It wasn't our fault, candidates were the 1st to attack us," said one of the bullying guys.
The supervisor moved his glance from that guy at Theo and other candidates around him before returning his attention at that guy.
"I don't care if they were the 1st to attack because it is obvious who provoked them. You better stop hazing the candidates because you never know if the certain situation from the past wouldn't happen again just because of your and your leader's greed," said the supervisor with a smile on his lips.
The two guys exchanged glances among each other before throwing a scrutinizing glance at the supervisor and leaving with their other comrades back to their seats.
When all of them returned, the supervisor moved his glance back at Theo and his friends.
"You better stop behaving like that, or you will get many problems from a certain portion of water porters," said the supervisor before following after others towards another hall, dedicated to official water porters.
Theo threw a short glance at the back of the supervisor before giving a sign for his friends to continue their way.
Just as they sat near the nearest empty table, the 2 girls appeared, looking at them.
These 2 girls were the same girls with who those 2 guys were talking. It was clear why those guys approached them.
They were quite beautiful, had fit bodies, brown hair, yellow eyes, and were clear that they were twins.
The 1st girl that seemed to be the leader was 1st to speak.
"Thank you for your help," said Natalia.
"Thank you for your help," said a bit shy Olivia.
Leonardo and others nodded their heads while Theo didn't react and just continued to eat his soup.
"It happened that we are from the same 5th squad, can we sit here with you?" asked Natalia, throwing a glance at the company of boys, looking for the leader.
The 3 boys looked at them before throwing a glance at the indifferent Theo that was now immersed deep in his own thoughts.
So, they just nodded, letting the new members of their company join the group.
It didn't take long for the 2 girls around 13 years old to become friends with Leonardo, Felix, and Zed, and when Theo returned from his memories, they were already friends, and Theo could only sigh, and accept them as his new comrades. His friends spent the rest of the day helping them move into their barracks and talking with them while Theo talked with other 5th squad leaders about their tactics for tomorrow.
***
The next day when all the squads gathered around the carriages, Theo and other leader's exchanged glances before nodding and starting taking leather containers one by one.
At first, everything seemed similar to the way they worked before, but an attentive glance was enough to see that candidates moved in small groups, were faster, and much more organized than before.
So, it didn't take long for them to deliver all the water to enchanters, responsible for water purification. Finishing gathering all their leather containers, they left 2 groups of 5 people to look after them while half of the squad rushed back to the carriages to deliver another portion of the water while another prepared themselves to start delivering it, according to a certain strategy.
The captain girl who observed after their actions nodded with a satisfied smile on her lips.
After finishing with water purification, Theo's group and other groups moved out in different directions and started water delivery. Unlike before they rushed to deliver as much water as they could because each of them knew that they had only a restricted period of time when they will be able to earn more merit points for water delivery than water purification.
In such a way, they continued to work, and several hours later, groups swapped with each other, letting others deliver water.
In short, the 5th squad quickly filled the water demand of their part of the sector and even several groups entered into other parts of the sector and filled a certain portion of their water demand. Today, more than half of them earned more than 50 merit points, and there were many tired, but smiling candidates when they returned, gathering around the carriages in front of the captain girl.
The captain girl threw several glances at her subordinate, counting how many merit points she must have earned thanks to them before smiling.
"This is the right way. You showed me a different, organized, structured, and faster method than before. That's good, and it means that you aren't idiots that can't think of ways how to work with each other without harming own interests," said the captain girl with a smile on her lips, "However, don't relax yet, your opponents will also create new methods and tactics, and the closer you get to the end of the challenge, the more competing the process would become. Get ready for that, and think of new ideas on how to improve your effectiveness."
"By the way, I suggest you, saving your merit points instead of wasting them on water porters that will come, suggesting you many different offers. You would need them if you become an official water porter," said the captain girl, leaving her subordinates.
Many of them cheered and ignored a certain portion of her words, moving out towards barracks and bathhouse while a certain portion rushed to the dining room where they wanted to order meals, using their merit points.
Theo moved his glance through his comrades before sighing and agreeing to enjoy the comfort of VIP in the bathhouse today. Leonardo and others that were covered in sweat and dust cheered before rushing towards the bathhouses.
***
At the same time as Theo and his friends were making their 1st steps to become water porters, there was a unique and secret meeting, happening several thousand meters away from them near the river in which many green creatures swam without any obstacles.
There was a big green naga with many scales around its body, standing on her tail inside the quite damaged fort near other nagas looking at the shadow in front of them.
Several moments later, hissing at the black shadow, it released several slow human words.
"How much damage should we inflict them?" asked the naga head, hissing at the shadow in front of him.
"As much as you can, it would be good if you destroy several squads of elite knights and mages. The more you inflict damage to those units with those insignias, the better it would be," explained the shadow.
"What about the treasure? When will we get it back?" asked the naga leader with a vicious light in his eyes.
"As soon as I get the messages about the damages you inflict on them," said the shadow, showing no signs of fear in front of the naga leader and hundreds of nagas that concentrated their angry glances at him, "Your nagas in the ocean nest would get them if you complete your part of the deal,"
Almost immediately, many nagas expressions changed and they gripped their tridents tightly while their shamans prepared themselves to start giving blessings as soon as the leader gave an order.
The naga leader spends several moments looking at the shadow before hissing and nodding.
"Fine, human, we will complete our part of the deal, but you better keep yours, or Syndicate will get a new fatal enemy here on the east," said the naga leader, releasing a dangerous vibe to emphasize his words.
The shadow raised his head, looking at the naga before something resembling a smile didn't appear on its face.
"Don't worry naga, Syndicate is famed for keeping their promises," said the shadow, raising its hand.
A moment later a certain object appeared on his hand and flew towards the naga.
"This is the magic shield which would help you to hold longer against humans," said the shadow, disappearing from their sight, "Use it wisely, or we won't send other resources to help you,"
Several moments later, the naga leader finished checking the object, before hissing and starting giving orders to his subordinate to prepare for coming battles.
After finishing giving orders it turned around and looked at the position where the shadow stood several moments before.
"I know it, human, but I also know about blood bath you can make," said the naga, hissing in the process.