He drank the cup quickly and stood up, holding his bat.

"I'm going back to training. I think I can break a new record now!" Kay announced, walking away.

"That's not normal!" Yumi commented, watching him in amazement.

"Kay's always been like that. You get used to it over time!" Mira explained, shaking her head. "But if you said you wanted to see him train, do you want to train with me? He's not leaving any time soon!" They heard another bang and a new punching bag exploded in the background.

"All he needed was a little rotation in his body!" Kay commented, indifferently.

"Are you kidding? He must have hit it, right?" Yumi asked, surprised.

"Kay is lazy, but he takes his training seriously!" Mira said, with a proud smile.

"Now it's four trees' turn!" Kay announced, determined.

"Don't even think about it! There's no place to put all that at home!" — Mira said, cutting it.

“But…” Kay began, hopeful.

“No “buts.” Just cut one!” Mira insisted firmly.

Kay stopped in front of a tree, her expression serious.

“No tantrums,” Mira said, looking him in the eye.

Kay braced himself, taking a deep breath as he prepared himself. With a shout of determination, he swung at the tree with all the strength he had. The sound of impact reverberated through the air, and in an instant, the bat hit the wood with brutal force. The tree was cut in half, shattering and falling heavily to the ground.

“A sword can do this in one strike, but with a bat? Who are these people?” Yumi thought in amazement, her eyes widening in disbelief.

Kay put the bat away, her gaze now fixed and focused, as she picked up a chainsaw that was beside her. The engine roared, cutting through the silence of the forest, and he held her tightly, his muscles contracting under the strain of the equipment.

“I’m going to make firewood for your mother!” Kay said, focused, his eyes fixed on the task ahead.

“Leave it there. Do you want to come train with me?” Mira exclaimed.

“Yes!” Yumi replied excitedly.

The two of them left Kay’s side, and the days passed quickly. Yumi devoted herself to training with Mira and Kay, developing her skills and strengthening their bond. A week later, Yumi’s parents took her away, returning to their country.

“And she never called me master!” Kay said, a hint of frustration in her voice.

“Shut up! Now that you mention it, we didn’t even ask her name!” Mira replied, shaking her head.

“She complains less than you do. I’m sure she’ll keep training wherever she is, and maybe come back to learn more. Then you can ask her name!” — Kay said, trying to calm the situation.

The scene changes.

— So it was you! Your hair was dark at the time — Kay said, with a surprised look.

— I dyed it as a way of reminding myself that I needed to get stronger and find you again! — Yumi replied, with a determined smile.

— So you remember Mira! Why did you act like you didn't know? — Kay exclaimed, her curiosity growing.

— I was annoyed because you went to Takemichi's division instead of mine. It was because of Mira, wasn't it? You don't even like Takemichi! — Yumi said, crossing her arms.

— Call me master. "Ka-chan" sounds too intimate! — Kay joked.

— I don't! — Yumi retorted, a defiant smile on her lips.

— Why are girls so difficult? If I trained you, then isn't it correct to call me master? — Kay murmured thoughtfully.

— They've been talking for a long time — Thais said, watching.

— I think they really knew each other! — Kratos commented.

— He's friends with a captain, and Mira is acquaintances with another captain! There's something to it! — Sarah said, intrigued.

— I don't know, Mira doesn't seem happy with the situation either! — Viviane said, pointing to Mira, who was watching from afar.

“She’s been noticed!” — Slayer said, watching Kay, gesturing to Mira.

Mira approached the two, her gaze curious.

“What’s going to happen now?” Thais asked, with a glint of expectation.

“Mira looks surprised!” Sarah said, observing her expression.

“Now she’s hugging the captain. What’s going on there?” Kratos exclaimed, perplexed.

Mira sat down next to the two.

“You can’t imagine it was you, that girl. You even became a captain!” Mira said, with a sparkle in her eyes.

“I apply the training you taught me to my soldiers. I wanted you in my squad; I would keep you in high positions!” Yumi declared, her voice full of enthusiasm.

“This is close to home. I can go visit my mother!” Mira said, with a smile.

“Is that why you chose to stay too?” — Yumi exclaimed, realizing the connection.

— Mira will make me coffee every day — Kay said, with a playful tone.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

— Just for that? Come to think of it, you don't drink coffee made by someone else. That balance thing! — Yumi observed.

— Mira has balance. Other people's coffees don't please me or cheer me up. It has to be Mira's! — Kay said, sincerely.

Mira was embarrassed, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.

— I get it! So it can't be anyone other than Mira! — Yumi said, with an amused look.

— That's not what he said! — Mira protested, although her smile betrayed her pleasure in the conversation.

— No, she's right. It can't be anyone else! — Kay said, with a serious expression.

— What a shame! I would accept both of them in my squad, but Takemichi won this one! — Yumi said, with a hint of discontent, as the vice-captain of the fourth division approached.

— My time has come. It was good to see you again! — Yumi said, a smile on her face, but with an air of farewell.

— I say the same! I never imagined our reunion would be like this! — Mira replied, a glint of nostalgia in her eyes.

The vice-captain stopped next to Yumi, ready to take her away.

— See you around! Come visit my division sometime! — Yumi invited, before walking away.

— Yes, we will! See you later! — Kay and Mira said in unison, waving to their friend.

— See you! — Yumi replied, walking away.

— Hey, Yumi! You've grown really strong, I'm proud of you! — Kay shouted, her voice full of sincerity.

— I want to see you take this seriously, no jokes! — Yumi said, turning to Kay with a serious look.

— I'm not going to... — Kay began, but was interrupted.

— See you later! — Yumi exclaimed, walking away before he could finish.

Kay smiled to himself, thinking: I was going to say that I'm not going to take this seriously. I only came in because Mira asked me to!

— And there she goes again! — Mira commented, watching Yumi's figure walk away.

— At least now we know where to find her! — Kay said, with a touch of satisfaction in her voice.

— You're right! Let's train? — Mira exclaimed, excited.

— It's not during my training schedule, and I found good places! — Kay replied, her smile widening, as if she was keeping a secret.

— Good places for what? — Mira asked, curiosity lighting up her eyes.

Kay just smiled mysteriously and started to leave, leaving Mira intrigued.

— Tell me what you're up to! — Mira said, following him closely, but unable to decipher his enigmatic expression.

On the other side of the base, the vice-captain watched Yumi with a confused expression.

— Why is she smiling like an idiot? Who were those people? — thought the vice-captain, intrigued by the relationship between Yumi and her friends.

A few hours later, the powerful sound of helicopters echoed through the base. The place was filled with excitement, and all the recruits, except Kay, were focused on their exercises in the training area. When the hum of the engines intensified, a wave of excitement ran through the young soldiers, who rushed outside, barely containing the expectation of seeing their team back.

But the scene that unfolded in front of them was anything but comforting. Nurses, with pale and determined faces, emerged from the base, pushing stretchers towards the helicopters. The once joyful atmosphere quickly turned into a heavy silence, a harbinger of the gravity of the situation.

“Are they injured?” Mira exclaimed, concern etched in her voice as her heart raced.

“It’s normal, when you’re fighting ghouls, you can’t come out of the war unscathed!” Slayer said, his voice deep and carrying a serious, almost sad tone. The words fell like a stone into the silence, echoing in everyone’s minds, a brutal reminder of the reality they were dealing with.

The soldiers who had returned from the mission placed the injured men and women on stretchers, their expressions marked by intense and somber focus, and quickly headed for the infirmary. The looks of horror on the recruits’ faces reflected the helplessness and fear that were now beginning to haunt them.

Kratos, Raven, Slayer, and Fiona, hardened veterans from the training of those who had come from war, were among the first to step forward, saluting the soldiers who were carrying the wounded. Their discipline was a show of respect, an honor to those who had faced the horrors of combat. The other recruits, overcome with fear, hesitated, but soon joined them, doing the same, though their eyes still twitched in terror at what they had just witnessed.

The veterans pushing the stretchers glanced quickly at the new recruits, but quickly returned their focus to the task at hand, moving with almost mechanical determination, carrying the wounded to the infirmary. The scene, marked by the brutality and urgency of war, left an indelible mark on the young soldiers, who for the first time began to understand the true nature of what it meant to fight the ghouls.

Each recruit felt the cold, hard reality of war sink into their hearts, making it clear that the road ahead would not be easy and that the fight for survival was only just beginning.

“What is he doing?” Slayer exclaimed, watching Kay enter the infirmary.

Mira ran to him, followed by the other recruits, their hearts beating fast with worry and curiosity. As they entered, they were greeted by a nurse with an irritated expression, her hands on her hips, as if she was tired of unwanted interventions.

“You can’t come in here!” she scolded Kay, her voice firm, but there was a hint of apprehension in her eyes.

“Do you have medicine to treat them?” Kay exclaimed, ignoring the warning.

“Sorry, what are you doing, Kay?” Mira pulled him, trying to bring him back to reason.

“You have to amputate one of their legs before it gets corrupted and he ends up dying!” Kay said, the deep tone emerging from her chest.

“What are you talking about?” the nurse exclaimed, a mix of confusion and skepticism in her eyes.

“I’m saying that ghoul blood was injected into him!” Kay snapped, her voice echoing in the room.

“Come in!” the nurse finally relented, her protective instincts and concern for the wounded overriding protocol. Kay and the recruits entered the operating room, where the air was filled with a medicinal smell that was now becoming oppressive. “Why did you bring the recruits in?” one of the veterans exclaimed, frustration evident in his tone. “He’s saying something strange, I want to check it out!” the nurse replied, her gaze fixed on Kay, trying to decipher his urgency. Kay was standing in front of one of the injured soldiers, analyzing the situation intensely. “That’s the one who’s the least injured!” Slayer commented, concern visible on his face. “If you want to save him, you better take off that suit and cut off his right leg! The poison has spread to his knee, and when you cut him, don’t inhale the smell!” Kay said, her tone sharp as a blade. “Cut off my leg? What is this guy talking about? My leg isn’t hurt!” — the soldier protested, disbelief tinging his voice.

“It’ll take about ten minutes for it to start spreading! Living without a leg is better than dying!” Kay insisted, her eyes burning with determination.

Realizing that her plea was falling on deaf ears, Kay left the room.

“My legs aren’t hurt! Look, the suit wasn’t even scratched in that area!” the soldier shouted, now in despair.

The recruits began to retreat, the tension palpable in the air.

“What are we going to do? The captain’s not here!” one of the nurses said, uncertainty tinging her tone.

In the courtyard, the recruits waited anxiously, Kay’s words still echoing in their minds.

“Bunch of idiots!” Kay exclaimed, oblivious to the confusion around her.

— What happened? — Mira asked, her face a mask of concern.

“It stinks! He’s dead!” Kay said, moving away, the discomfort clear on her face.

“He really died?” Viviane exclaimed, disbelief and fear intertwining in her voice.

“We can’t tell,” Raven murmured, doubt weighing on her words.

The soldiers left the infirmary, their faces marked by defeat, as if a cloak of sadness enveloped them.

“We managed to save the wounded. They’ll be fine, but that soldier refused to cut off his leg and died!” one of the soldiers said, his voice full of regret.

“Let’s report what happened here to the captain. Keep what you saw here a secret until further notice!” the soldier ordered, his tone resolute, but with a trace of compassion.

“Okay! — the recruits said, saluting, the gravity of the situation not lost on them.

The soldiers withdrew, and a cloud of silence settled over the recruits.

— He could have been saved! Damn it! — Kratos said, frustration overflowing in his voice.

— You can't trust a recruit's word. The soldier made his choice, and the others respected it. If this happens again, they'll trust Kay's word! — Slayer pondered, the tone of his deep voice reflecting the harsh reality.

Meanwhile, Sarah stood, her eyes closed, in a silent prayer, an attempt to bring comfort to such a terrible situation. The recruits remained silent, their faces marked by pain and reflection, as a sign of respect for the sacrifice made.

The trucks returned carrying the soldiers. In the courtyard, the recruits and veterans waited, anxious and silent.