The next morning, Kaiden found himself standing in formation with the rest of the trainees. They were at ease for now, with a few minutes left until the official start, but most seemed far too excited to stay silent. The usual quiet tension before their start had given way to buzzing whispers, each trainee talking excitedly in hushed tones about their latest unexpected development. Kaiden felt his own mix of anticipation and curiosity stirring as he took in the new sergeant standing beside Boran by the stump.

The stranger was indeed a sergeant he’d never seen before, and Kaiden was certain of it. Faces and details had a way of sticking with him, especially when he made the conscious effort to take them in. It helped hone and hopefulyl level up his Mindforge ability, so he’d made it a habit to remember as many new people as he could. But this woman didn’t just stand out because she was unfamiliar—she was, frankly, stunning, even in the unflattering military uniform. She had striking red hair twisted back into a neat knot, her skin freckled and sun-kissed, with an intense gaze that seemed to sweep over them all with barely restrained impatience. Every detail, from the slight narrowing of her amber eyes to her rigid posture, broadcasted one thing: she was pissed off.

A few of the more outspoken recruits exchanged quick glances, eyebrows raised, and whispered as they took in her expression.

Crates of gear lined the ground beside the stump where Sgt. Boran and the new sergeant stood, the metal glinting under the morning sun. Unfortunately, they didn’t look to be enchanted gear this time. Kaiden used Arcane Vision and confirmed as much. He really missed the Boots of Kicking Curse. They were quite comfortable too.

Finally, Sergeant Boran raised his hand, calling for quiet, and the murmuring ceased. The new sergeant seemed to somehow straighten up even further, her gaze sweeping over them with piercing scrutiny.

Boran stepped up seriously and his voice boomed, “27th Platoon, Attention!” He put a surprising amount of force into it, more than usual—likely to show some strength in front of the new sergeant. Instantly, everyone snapped their heels together, eyes moved forward and silence settled over the platoon like a blanket.

Boran continued, “I’ve been called back into action. Now, yes, I know it’s unusual for an instructor to leave training once it’s begun, but orders are orders.” His gaze hardened, reinforcing the gravity of the statement. “My party’s been tasked with clearing a certain Dungeon of Opportunity, and these things don’t wait around.”

Boran gestured to the red-haired woman beside him. “That’s why Sergeant Farron here will be taking over my duties. She’s a very accomplished Dungeoneer—much more than myself—and I have no doubt she’ll be able to finish what I’ve started here.”

If Sergeant Farron felt any pride or acknowledgment at the compliment, she didn’t show it. Her face remained set in that hard, almost predatory expression as her amber eyes raked over the rows of privates with such intensity that Kaiden half-expected her to start handing out punishments right there. She eyed each private as if we had stolen her lunch money and she was out for revenge. It wasn’t exactly... comforting.

Kaiden tried not to squirm, but there was no question about it: she was strong. He wasn’t sure how he knew, but he could tell.

Sgt. Boran’s voice softened as he addressed the platoon for the last time, “I wish luck to each and every one of you. You all have the skills needed to pass the dungeon.” He turned toward Farron, who gave him a brief nod. Boran returned it, then strode away without another word.

Sgt. Farron took his place at the front, her gaze sweeping over the formation as if daring anyone to step out of line. Kaiden did his best to keep his eyes forward, but his curiosity got the better of him. He snuck a glance at the new sergeant, taking in her appearance as she was closer now. She looked young—around his age, maybe. Most of the recruits were in their early twenties, and a few had joined in their mid-twenties like him. But seeing a sergeant at his age? That was something rare. She must’ve been exceptional to reach that rank so quickly.

A tense silence hung over the platoon until Sgt. Farron finally spoke for the first time, her voice slicing through the quiet. “You. are. all worthless. And I mean worthless as in you are worth less than my time.” She let the words sink in, her sharp gaze flicking over each of them, assessing, judging. “But I’ve been assigned here, so I will do my duty. As Sgt. Boran said, ‘Orders are orders’, and I will fulfill mine to the best of my ability. And my ability is quite high, so I expect a lot from you. Is that understood?”

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A scattered, half-hearted “Yes, Sergeant,” echoed back from the platoon. Farron’s eyes narrowed, her voice cracking like a whip as she shouted back, “I said, is that understood!”

This time, the answer was immediate and loud: “Yes, Sergeant!”

“Good,” she replied, her voice calm but loaded with an edge. “Much better. Now, looking at you, I can tell you’re all weak.” She paused, letting the insult settle. “But that’s fixable. First, let’s see what we’re working with. Everyone, gear up and fall back in formation. You have one minute. Fall out!”

The trainees scrambled, rushing for the equipment staged near the stump—helmets, swords, shields, and armor. Everyone moved rather quickly until Farron’s voice began the countdown, loud and unyielding, “30... 29... 28...”

Holy shit! She wasn’t kidding about that one minute.

Like a switch had been flipped, everyone went into overdrive, frantically grabbing whatever gear they could, even if it didn’t fit perfectly.

“And time!” Farron called out. “Fall in!” Every private hustled back into formation, standing at attention in their hastily donned dungeon-diving gear.

While everyone stood at attention, Sgt. Farron grabbed some gear from the crates and quickly strapped it on: medium-scale armor, helmet, short sword, and a buckler. “Prepare to double-time. Left face!” she barked.

The platoon snapped left, and Kaiden’s mind raced. No way she expects us to run in this gear in formation. It wasn’t just him. A glance left and right confirmed the same disbelief reflected on every face. They’d never done anything close to this with Sgt. Boran. Hell, as far as he knew, no platoon had.

“Unsheathe your weapons!” Farron’s voice cut through the morning air. When the response lagged, she roared, “Weapons in hands! All of you!” The metallic scrape of swords, spears, and other gear coming free broke the silence as they raised their weapons.

We’re running with weapons out too? She’s crazy!

“Run!” she yelled, and with no time to think, the platoon started off at a jog.

“Faster!” she ordered, setting a brutal pace.

The platoon surged forward, and for the first stretch, most recruits kept up. They were all mostly fit from basic training, but at Dungeoneer training where PT was your own responsibility, many opted out. They skipped morning runs, and some overindulged at the mess hall. It was starting to show for them. Even the ones who kept up with their conditioning soon found themselves struggling. Running with armor, weapons, and shields was no simple feat, and it quickly became clear this wasn’t the same as the forced marches they'd done before. Marching had been hard, but they hadn’t worn armor or carried their weapons at the ready. Not to mention the pace was much slower.

Now, everyone felt the impact of the extra gear. Scabbards banged against legs, throwing off strides, and quivers jostled on backs, digging awkwardly into shoulders with each step. Swords and flails shifted wildly, tugging belts out of place, while shields strapped to arms felt heavier with every stride. Each person, regardless of role, was wrestling with their own awkward load, struggling to stay upright as they pushed forward.

Defenders had it the worst though. Stuck with the heaviest armor, biggest shields, and longest weapons meant every jarring step was a struggle.

Soon enough, recruits began falling out, too winded or weighed down to keep up, but Farron’s gaze never wavered. “If you fall out, get your asses back to the stump!” she commanded, and they finally began a return loop. By the time they reached the stump, less than half of the platoon had made it.

Kaiden was among the survivors. As he gulped in air, he didn’t miss the fact that Sergeant Farron, fully outfitted in her own armor, stood calm and steady as if they’d been out for a brisk walk. For the rest of them, sweat poured down their faces as they fought to steady their breaths. All the Defenders had fallen out including Davick.

“At ease,” Farron said.

Kaiden allowed himself a quick swig from his canteen, relishing the ache. He resisted the urge to activate his Regeneration. Partly because he wasn’t sure if it was allowed, but mostly because he relished the challenge. The ache in his body was proof he was pushing himself hard, and there was something exhilarating about feeling the full strain of his efforts. Testing his endurance like this to see what his body could do felt incredible. He’d never take this feeling of pain from a hard day’s effort for granted, never having had the chance back on Earth. He’d already vowed to himself to use his newfound body to its absolute potential.

Others, however, didn’t share his sentiment and loathed the idea of being pushed to their limits. Slowly, the platoon filled back up, each of the stragglers huffing and limping their way back, looking worse for wear. When the last private finally made it, Sergeant Farron addressed the group. She hadn’t said a word since they’d arrived and she forbade anyone else from talking either. She glared across the line of exhausted faces, then spat, “That was pathetic. Worse than I could’ve imagined. And you call yourselves the 27th Platoon?” She snorted derisively and shook her head, then paced in front of them, scanning each private as she went.

“No,” she continued coldly. “From now on, you’re Zero Platoon. You haven’t earned the right to a number. If you want to be recognized as the 27th, you’re going to have to earn it.”

The announcement hit like a punch to the gut, and a wave of shock rippled through the group.

Could she even do that? Could she just… demote us like that? Zero Platoon? What the hell does that even mean? Kaiden’s mind raced as he exchanged a quick, bewildered look with Davick.

The whole platoon stood in stunned silence, trying to process the insult and the challenge packed into her words.

“Now, Zero Platoon, tell me. What have you learned?”