VIVIAN
The next morning, Vivian was already exhausted.
She had just finished jogging around the military district when she returned to her father’s residence, breathing heavily.
Arin handed her a bottle of water while Robot 99 followed behind them.
"Princess..."
"Don’t call me that."
Robot 99 paused. "Vivian Lilian."
"Better."
Vivian wiped the sweat from her forehead.
"Where’s Dad?"
"Commander Isaac went to work," Arin answered.
Vivian frowned.
"Already?"
"There was another report from the border."
Arin lowered her voice.
"After yesterday’s Mecha attack, several military units were sent to investigate."
Vivian’s eyes narrowed.
"So there really was an attack."
Vivian turned to Arin. "Arin, I want you to enroll in my school. You can be a soldier. You shouldn’t always be at home. I will talk to father about it."
Arin screamed. "What? Miss am..a slave..I.."
Before Arin could say more, Vivian’s communicator suddenly vibrated.
A military notification appeared.
NEW RECRUIT VIVIAN LILIAN.
REPORT TO INDIVIDUAL SOLDIER TRAINING GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
Vivian’s eyes widened.n"Already?"
She turned around.
"I haven’t even had breakfast!"
Robot 99 raised a mechanical hand.
"You can take a nutrient solution.."
"That’s not the point!"
Vivian rushed toward her room. "Arin! Help me!"
30 minutes later, Vivian ran through the academy grounds in her military uniform.
The uniform was black and fitted closely to her body, with silver lines running along the sleeves.
A golden eagle emblem rested on her shoulder.
Its wings were spread wide, symbolizing the Haxia Military Academy’s warriors...the eagle represented freedom, strength, and the duty to protect Haxia’s borders.
Vivian had no time to admire it.
She was late. Very late.
She sprinted toward the training ground.
When she finally arrived...Everyone was already standing in formation.
Hundreds of students turned their heads.
Vivian stopped.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
She placed both hands on her knees.
"Haa..."
"Haa..."
The instructor standing before the formation slowly turned toward her.
His expression darkened. "Vivian Lilian." Vivian raised one hand weakly.
"I’m here."
The man’s eyebrow twitched.
"Is that how you report to a superior?"
Vivian immediately straightened.
She pulled her cap down and raised her hand into a proper salute. "New Recruit Vivian Lilian reporting!"
A few students snickered.
The instructor’s face became even colder.
"Everyone!"
The students immediately stood straighter.
"Kneel!"
The entire formation dropped to their knees.
Vivian blinked. "What?"
"You heard me."
Vivian looked around. "Why are they kneeling?"
He said. "Because one member was late."
Vivian’s face fell. She felt guilty immediately.
She stepped forward.
"Sir."
The instructor looked at her.
"You can punish me alone."
The surrounding students looked at her in surprise.
"It’s not their fault."
Vivian continued.
"I was told today that I would be an individual soldier. Nobody told me where the individual soldier training ground was."
She sighed. "I had to stop several times to ask for directions."
The instructor’s eyes narrowed.
"So you’re saying this is my fault for not telling you where to report?"
Vivian stared at him.
"No."
She rubbed her forehead.
"It’s nobody’s fault except mine."
The instructor looked at her for several seconds.
Then he pointed toward the kneeling students.
"Stay kneeling.."
He pointed at Vivian. "You stand."
Vivian blinked. "Sir?"
"You want to complain to your father later?" His voice was cold. "Go ahead."
Vivian immediately understood.
He’s targeting me because of Dad.
She clenched her fists. But she said nothing.
The other students looked irritated.
Some glanced at Vivian with obvious hostility.
After several minutes, the instructor finally spoke.
"I’m Vincent Hale."
His voice echoed across the training ground.
"S-Rank Frontier Soldier."
Every student immediately became serious.
Vincent walked slowly in front of them.
"Today, three recruits will be joining my unit."
He called two names. Herbert Valen, Serial Alvin
Then..."Vivian Lilian."
Vivian stepped forward. Vincent looked at the three recruits.
"These three entered through the back door."
The atmosphere immediately changed.
"Why?"
"Because their parents are either military commanders or members of the royal families."
Murmurs spread through the formation.
Vincent smiled coldly.
"Unlike the rest of you, they didn’t earn their place through blood and sweat."
He pointed at Vivian. "Take good care of them."
Several students exchanged confused looks.
Vincent continued.
"They must not suffer any serious injuries."
A student whispered, "So we’re supposed to babysit them?"
Another scoffed. "Why are they even here?"
Vincent raised his hand.
The murmuring stopped.
"However..."
His smile became sinister.
"This academy has rules."
He turned toward the students.
"Your first mission is survival."
A massive holographic image appeared behind him.
A dark forest filled the screen.
"Beyond this screen is the Abandoned Forest."
The image changed to Mutated plants. Massive beasts. Dead trees with glowing eyes.
"Every student who survives earns merit."
Vincent looked at them.
"Eight merits are required to advance to the next semester."
The students’ eyes sharpened.
Then Vincent smiled.
"But..."
He pointed toward Vivian and the other two recruits.
"Shooting one of these three backdoor students earns you ten merits."
Silence. Vivian’s eyes widened. What?
One student slowly smiled.
Another cracked his knuckles.
Ten merits. Enough to skip an entire semester.
Vincent’s voice became cold. "Do whatever you need to survive."
He pointed toward the portal.
"Vivian Lilian."
"Serial and Herbert"
"You will enter first."
A huge portal opened. Dark energy swirled inside it.
Vivian stared at the forest beyond. "This school is insane. But I grew up fighting for my life with other kids like me. In that scientist base. This is still little compared to there."
The three recruits stepped forward.
The moment they crossed the portal they disappeared.
ABANDONED FOREST
The moment Vivian’s feet touched the ground, the atmosphere changed.
The air was cold. The trees were enormous.
Thick vines crawled across the ground like snakes.
Vivian looked around.
"This place is creepy."
One of the boys scoffed. He is Herbert.
"Don’t slow us down."
Vivian looked at him. He was tall and muscular.
His military uniform displayed an A-Rank insignia.
He folded his arms.
"You’re Zero-Class."
"So?"
"You should’ve stayed home."
He looked her up and down.
"Go marry someone instead of coming here and dragging the rest of us down."
Vivian’s eyebrow twitched.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
He stepped closer.
"Don’t expect us to protect you."
Vivian smiled.
Then....Bang!!
Her foot slammed into his stomach.
The young man flew backward. His body smashed into a tree.
Vivian walked toward him. I may be new here but I won’t let anybody bully me.
She grabbed his collar and pulled him upright.
"Is this your A-Rank strength?"
She tilted her head.
"Pathetic."
The boy’s face turned red.
"You ambushed me!"
He pushed her hand away. "Fight me properly!"
Vivian folded her arms.
"Even If I let you. A little fly like you can’t touch my hair."
The second boy Serial shook his head. "Two idiots..."
The tree behind them suddenly moved.
CRACK.
Everyone froze. The bark split open.
A long vine slowly crawled from the trunk.
Vincent watched from the observation room through the surveillance hologram.
His expression changed.
"Fools."
He leaned closer.."They’re fighting beside a mutated tree."
The vine suddenly snapped forward.
"Move!"
The second boy Serial shouted.
Vivian turned.
"What?"
The vine shot toward her.
She jumped aside.
The thorned branch smashed into the ground.
BOOM!
Vivian stared.
"What the hell?"
Another vine moved behind her.
The boy’s eyes widened.
"Vivian!"
She turned. But it was too late.
A massive thorned vine pierced straight through her shoulder.
Vivian’s eyes widened.
Her body froze.
Blood spilled from her mouth.
"Ah..."
The pain was unbearable.
Her knees weakened.
She looked down at the thorn buried deep inside her body.
Then...She coughed.
A mouthful of blood splattered onto the ground.
The two boys stared at her in horror.
"Vivian!"
Her vision blurred.
The mutated tree slowly pulled the vine backward.
Dragging her with it.
Vivian’s fingers trembled.
Am I... going to die?
The world around her began to spin.
And somewhere deep inside her consciousness...
The mysterious lotus suddenly moved.
A strange golden light spread from its petals.
The thorn inside Vivian’s shoulder suddenly began dissolving.
Her torn flesh slowly closed and the bleeding stopped.
Vivian’s eyes snapped open.
She stared at her shoulder. "What?"