The scout enlistment ended around noon, when the sun was at its peak. What was left of the hundreds of hopeful candidates were but mere dozens.

As Samael approached the trainees, he swiftly counted their numbers.

42 candidates from over 500 participants, he thought.

It was fairly surprising how many knights were trimmed out. He expected there would be more, considering many warriors from the other smaller camps purposely made their way here.

The 42 remaining warriors were a mix of watchers, knights, and soldiers. The majority of them were watchers, which didn't come as a surprise for Samael.

Samael inched closer towards the group, his steps silent and quick. Before they even knew it, he was already standing before them.

As he revealed himself, murmurs and whispers lingered in the air, along with the judging gazes of the bystanders and soon-to-be scouts they procured.

"So that's the rumored grim hound?"

"He's not even an adult..."

"That kid's going to teach us?"

Samael felt as though hawks were eyeing him, akin to prey. But if they think in such a way, they're fools. He didn't get his title.

He earned it.

A suffocating surge of pressure downed the field, devouring it without mercy, along with those unfortunate enough to be near him.

The warriors couldn't help but sharply suck in air as they tensed their bodies. Had they not, they feared oxygen would've left their lungs long ago.

Those too weak to withstand Samael's presence buckled under his authority, slamming down the ground and stirring the dirt upon impact.

The bystanders watching all fell silent, cold beads of sweat trickling down their foreheads.

They couldn't move.

They couldn't breath.

They couldn't look Samael straight in the eyes.

It was like a knife was hovering near their throats, and one wrong move is all it takes to end everything.

Samael took one step closer, increasing the pressure he's emitting, forcing more to buckle under his power as he spoke, his tone cold and heavy.

"My name is Samael. I will be your instructor for the next few months of our stay here."

Taking another step forward, a dozen more struck the ground with their faces, burying themselves in the earth. Their muffled screams emanated in the air.

"Starting today, you 42 candidates will look upon me as your teacher. I will not tolerate disrespect and disobedience," Samael stated, his gaze narrowing down as he eyed the last few men still standing.

It seems some of them have talents, he thought.

Taking one last step forward, a far more violent surge of astral pressure knocked down the last standing candidates, forcing them to kneel as their astral veils were torn to shreds.

"I look forward to your cooperation," Samael said before turning around.

The titanic pressure weighing down the field seized at once, fading out of existence as though it were never there in the first place.

The buried warriors all gasped in unison, their faces bathed in crimson hue and large pulsing veins as they hungered for air. Ice-cold sweat drenched their backs as their hearts galloped.

Shifting their gaze at Samael, who was sitting on a chair, silently watching them, they couldn't help but swallow involuntarily.

Samael learned from Icarius and Aphemis that a demonstration of power will drill fear into the hearts of your men along with a sense of respect.

He may not earn their loyalty now, but that doesn't mean he'll tolerate their blatant disregard for his authority.

The warriors slowly rose to their feet, their bodies visibly trembling as they fell into formation.

Their gazes remained low, fear glimmering off their pupils. How can they not? Astral pressure was the culmination of killing intent, bloodlust, and soul strength. For Samael, a "kid" to release so much means...

He was a monster.

Samael gave a small nod. This was more like it. He would rather they despise him but survive out there than like him but perish the moment they step out of these towering walls.

"I won't waste your time, so I'll get straight to the point," Samael said.

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"Due to the time constraints, I'll only be teaching you what's necessary to survive out there," Samael pointed out.

"Later, you'll be given a document containing the lessons you'll undertake under my guidance," Samael stated before rising up and leaving the field.

The warriors were probably already tired from the elimination, as it contained a series of tests that may prove difficult for some.

Regarding his lesson plan, it goes like this: Samael will teach them basic survival abilities that they may use in the wild.

All while he continues to drill the importance of preparedness and awareness into their skulls.

Once those two lessons are out of the way, Samael will proceed to train them in the art of stealth. It may not look like it, as he fights in a rather peculiar way, but he knows how to hide his presence when need be.

He'll conduct all this training outside the Stellaris camp. It's dangerous, but it'll help them improve the most, as the threat of death will keep them on their toes.

Lastly, Samael will teach them the power of observation and navigation. Although he will only be able to impart the basics, it is better than none.

It was quite vexing considering the time frame he has, but he'll have to make do with what little he has.

If push comes to shove, he'll cram all the lessons they would need simultaneously and call it a day.

Upon leaving the field, Samael found himself in his tent with a hunch of documents stacked beside him.

Within those pieces of paper were drawn images of the successful participants in the scout regiment program, along with their personal information, history, powers, and affiliations.

None of them had any history regarding scouting, which didn't really come as a surprise. However, some of them did have experience with stealth missions or night raids, which will hasten one of his lessons.

The majority of them wielded uncommon elements, namely mud, sand, and wood. But a few rare warriors held quite the rare elements, such as sound and mist.

At Samael's request, he made sure to separate the living quarters of the scouts. That way, he can access them easily.

Samael ended the rest of his day by examining each participant and practicing his control over his element.

As the sun peeked through the horizon, Samael was greeted by yet another busy day.

Without wasting time, he made his way towards the designated camp sites, where he gave the trainees a lively good morning.

"ATTENTION!" Samael roared, his voice amplified with his ability [Encompassing Voice].

The warriors jolted up, forcefully stripping themselves away from the lovely embrace of their beds.

Some of the trainees fell face first down the ground, while others panicked to get into formation.

Distraught and confused, the participants could only grunt as they straightened their backs.

Samael shifted his gaze to a golden clock nesting in his hands before pressing down a button and stopping the timer.

"It took you 5 minutes to wake up and get into position," Samael said, his tone sharp and cold.

The trainees couldn't help but sweat in fear as their bodies stiffened upon remembering the events yesterday.

"As future scouts, preparedness and readiness for any scenario is your forte. If we were in the wild, you'd all be dead," Samael berated in a calm manner, his piercing gaze slowly traveling through the warriors.

The cadets couldn't help but remain silent as Samael slowly passed through them.

"I'm sure you've all read the training plans. I'm also certain General Timeus has provided all the necessities we'll need," Samael said before taking a brief pause.

"With that being said, I want you all geared up and ready to go in the next 5 minutes. Meet me at the gate of the camp," Samael said before his figure turned to a blur followed by one loud bang.

The warriors eyes widened as they hastily jumped at their bunks, swiftly taking out the packages sent to them yesterday.

Without uttering another word, they jumped into their gears, completely disregarding the mess they left before bolting out of the tents and onto the gate.

The other bystanders couldn't help but furrow their brows as they watched dozens of men and women run frantically as though something was chasing them.

Arriving at the spot, the warriors were left stumped, as Samael was nowhere to be found.

"What the hell?"

"Is he serious?"

"What's going on?"

Their murmurs were soon answered as a flock of ravens came from above, forcing them to fall back as the swarm merged together in Samael's shape, revealing their mentor.

"You all failed again," Samael said.

The cadets exclaimed in confusion. How did they fail when they did as he asked?

"As scouts, we remain hidden as we advance forward. That also entails that we never leave any sign of our presence," Samael pointed out.

"All of you left your posts unattended and in a state of chaos. If the enemy found your camp, they would've tracked you down, and you'd have sabotaged the safety of everyone with you," Samael said, his gaze piercing through each and every trainee.

The warriors fell silent, their eyes peering down in shame.

"With me," Samael monotonously said before storming out of the camp.

The warriors exchanged looks before catching up to Samael.

Samael led the group towards the towering trees, some of which were already showing signs of severe decay.

The warriors could only swallow as they felt the chill caress their spines as the cold wind blew their hair back.

"Lesson 1: As scouts, knowledge is power. Does any of you know how to keep warm without the presence of fire?" Samael asked.

The group of cadets fell into contemplation before some raised their hands.

"Perhaps by bringing extra layers of cloth?" A woman answered.

"Wrong," Samael replied before looking at a man raising his hand.

"By moving more often?" he answered.

"Wrong," Samael replied, shutting down the man without mercy.

"Anyone else?" Samael asked before looking around.

"None?" he asked.

"While the first two answers are not inherently wrong, they're not a very good choice either," Samael pointed out.

"The answer doesn't rely on your gear alone, but to use nature to your advantage," Samael said before crouching down.

"Simple things like dirt can help you combat the cold winds and help you retain heat and stay hidden at the same time," Samael said.

"It will also help you lesson your baggage and move faster as you don't need to bring extra weight with you nor will it waste your energy unnecessarily," He resumed.

The warriors nodded in unison as they silently watched Samael rise up.

"We'll go deeper," Samael said as he proceeded forward.

As he goes further and deeper into the woods, the more lessons Samael gives out.

Grunts and groans echoed in the decaying woods as silhouettes slowly made their way up the trees, where Samael sat at the top, watching the cadets in silence.

It took some time, but they eventually arrived at their destination, where they were greeted by the setting sun staining the sky orange in its grace.

The warriors couldn't help but feel breathless for a moment as they watched the glowing star leave the horizon.

"Taking the high ground will allow you all to know where you are headed and provide shelter for the upcoming night," Samael said as he leaned back.

This brought back some memories of his past. The day he escaped, he had to learn how to climb a tree.

It was one of his first memories of freedom. One he will remember till the end of his time.

As the sky slowly dimmed, bringing forth the dark, cold wind and the bright stars that illuminated the sky, yet another day has ended.