Silence took over the room. As the minutes passed, everyone drifted into a deep sleep.
When the sun was barely peeking over the horizon, a loud bang echoed through the room, shaking the floor and jolting everyone awake.
"Up! Time to get moving!" Jack's commanding voice thundered.
The sudden shout startled everyone out of bed, and they quickly sat up. Without wasting a second, they hurried to get ready for the day ahead.
After dressing, the group gathered in the training room, waiting for Jack's instructions. He watched them closely, analyzing every detail with a sharp, calculating gaze.
Finally, Jack spoke with a firm voice, but with a touch of enthusiasm.
"Listen up, guys. This is the first room we'll be using. Today, I'll run a test to measure your strength and endurance. Depending on the results, you'll either move on to the next room or stay here until you reach the necessary level to advance."
Everyone was stunned. They hadn't expected that they might be able to move on to the next room if they showed enough strength.
Jack carefully observed the entire group before giving his first order.
"Fain, if you don't mind, would you go first?" Jack said, pointing to the center of the room.
Fain nodded and made his way to the center, ready to hear Jack's instructions.
Jack turned around and looked at Fain, then at the group, his eyes fixed on everyone as he spoke in an authoritative voice.
"Alright, in order for you to demonstrate your strength and determine which level you should be at, you will perform three fundamental exercises. The first will be the bench press, an exercise that will allow us to measure your upper body strength. The second will be deadlifts, ideal for assessing your total strength as it involves multiple muscle groups at once. And last but not least, squats, a crucial exercise to measure your leg strength, which is essential for any type of combat or endurance on the battlefield."
Fain, who was in the center of the room, listened attentively and looked at Jack as he pointed to a barbell loaded with weights.
"Come on, Fain. The first exercise is the bench press, and this is the weight you need to lift to advance to the next level." Jack pointed to a loaded barbell. "To pass, you must lift 120 kilos with proper technique for 8 reps."
Then, he looked at the rest of the group and added firmly,
"Remember this well. It's not enough to complete just one of the exercises. You must surpass all three to move on to the next level. So focus and give your best."
Fain nodded and prepared to lie down on the bench, placing his hands on the correct grip and making sure to have the proper distance. The weight seemed challenging, but he wasn't willing to give up. Although he didn't know his exact strength, he knew this was the perfect moment to measure how far he could go.
"Remember, Fain, do it with proper technique. That's key. It doesn't matter how much it weighs, if you do it wrong, it won't count, understood?" Jack said in a firm tone.
"Yes, understood!" Fain replied with determination.
He began to lift the bar with difficulty, but little by little, he found his rhythm. By the fifth repetition, he started to feel it getting much harder, but he wasn't going to give up. With tremendous effort, he completed the eighth repetition, his muscles burning and his breath ragged, but relieved to have made it.
"Good, good! You did really well, Fain, that's what I like!" Jack exclaimed with an approving smile. "Rest for a few minutes, and then we'll move on to the next exercise, okay?"
Fain, breathing heavily from the effort, nodded his head, grateful for the brief rest Jack had given him.
While Fain rested, Jack turned to Reik.
"After Fain, it'll be your turn. Is that okay?" Jack asked.
"Yes, of course," Reik replied with a determined look.
After a few minutes, Jack returned to Fain, ready to continue with the test.
"Shall we continue, Fain? You've rested enough," Jack said in a firm tone.
"Yes! I'm ready to go on," Fain answered with enthusiasm.
Jack liked Fain's enthusiasm, but there was something that intrigued him even more: Reik. From the moment he saw him, Jack had a slight suspicion about him. There was something in his presence, something that even Reik himself didn't seem to understand. Jack was eager to find out exactly what he was hiding.
Jack pushed those thoughts aside and focused again on Fain.
"Let's continue with the next exercise, follow me. The next one will be the deadlift. As I mentioned before, it's a very complete exercise that will test your entire strength, from your legs to your back and grip. I want you to lift 150 kilos with good technique, for six reps."
He paused and then added seriously:
"Before you lift, make sure your feet are aligned with your shoulders. When you grab the bar, lower your hips and keep your back straight. Don't try to pull with your arms, the power should come from your legs and hips. Keep your chest up, and when you lift, push the ground with your feet instead of pulling with your back."
Fain took a deep breath and aligned his feet with his shoulders. He lowered his hips, grabbed the bar firmly, and felt the tension in his legs. He tightened his core, remembered Jack's words, and pushed the ground with strength, lifting the weight in a controlled manner.
He felt the tension spreading throughout his body as the bar ascended. His muscles contracted with every inch gained, and for a moment, he thought he wouldn't make it. However, he stayed focused and made sure to keep his back straight.
He reached the upright position, holding the weight for a brief moment before slowly descending, controlling the movement just as Jack had taught him.
"Well! The technique was excellent. Do five more like that, and you'll have it. You've got this!" Jack said, encouraging him.
Fain nodded and repeated the movement with the same precision. Repetition after repetition, his legs began to burn, and the weight became increasingly challenging, but he wasn't thinking about stopping. There was nothing that could hold him back now.
Reik watched intently, surprised by how difficult it was for Fain to complete the repetitions. He couldn't help but wonder if he himself would be ready to lift those weights. Still, he stayed alert, analyzing every detail to make sure he knew exactly what to do when his turn came.
Fain finally reached the last repetition. His muscles were burning, and for a moment it seemed like he wouldn't make it. His breathing was shallow, the weight trembled in his hands, and his legs were threatening to give out. But, in one last effort, he let out a shout, gathered all his strength, and managed to lift the bar to the final position.
Jack nodded in approval.
"Well done, Fain! You've passed the test."
As soon as he heard Jack's words, Fain collapsed to the floor, completely exhausted. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to catch his breath, satisfied with having overcome the challenge.
Five minutes passed, and Jack approached Fain again for the final exercise.
"Are you ready?" Jack asked, smiling.
"Let's go, let's finish this and move on to the next room!" Fain replied, visibly excited.
Fain was so motivated by the idea of overcoming the room and advancing that he couldn't help but feel great satisfaction for what he was about to achieve.
Following Jack, they reached the free squat area.
"Alright, I want you to watch how I do it so that it's clear both for you and for the others," Jack said, and without further ado, he began to perform squats with 100 kilograms, lifting the weight with surprising ease, as if it were just air.
The whole group stood there with expressions of surprise, as if they were watching a moving work of art. Jack lifted those 100 kilos with astonishing ease, as if they weighed nothing on his shoulders. Of course, his body was large and strong, but for the group, who wasn't used to training this way and only knew weapon training, seeing someone move with such skill was like witnessing something extraordinary.
Jack finished and looked at the group, who were staring at him as if he were a Greek god or something like that.
"I hope you've got it clear. This is how you do a squat. It's normal that it seems easy for me, you're not used to this type of training, but I've been training here for over ten years. For me, it's completely natural. Trust in yourselves, and you'll be surprised at how far you can go. Alright, Fain, it's your turn."
"Yes!" Fain responded, determined.
Fain approached the squat bar and prepared himself.
"Remember well how I did it," Jack said, his voice low and firm. "Focus on the technique, not the weight. If you managed that deadlift, you'll handle the squat. Make sure you do it right and with no doubts. Do 6 repetitions."
Fain took a deep breath and stood before the squat bar, determined to finish the exercise once and for all. He adjusted the bar on his shoulders, feeling its weight, and began to lower himself slowly. Each repetition flowed more naturally, and as he progressed, the difficulty didn't seem as high as with the deadlift. He completed the six repetitions with surprising ease, and in the end, he realized that the squat wasn't as challenging as the deadlift, which had cost him much more effort.
"Well, that wasn't so hard," Fain said with joy.
"You did great, Fain. Congratulations. You can move on to the next room while I continue with the others," Jack said, pointing to a door in the corner.
"Great, guys! I'll see you there, I'll go ahead!" Fain said as he quickly headed toward the door.
"I won't be long, Fain, we'll see each other soon," Reik replied.
Fain quickly smiled at the group and crossed the door, leaving the room behind.
Jack looked at Reik and approached him.
"Your turn," Jack said, smiling.
Reik nodded and quickly made his way to the bench press. There was no need for any instruction, as he had paid close attention earlier and carefully analyzed how to do it correctly. So, without Jack saying anything, he began the exercise. It was tough, and he had to fight with tremendous strength during the last repetition, but he eventually managed to complete it.
"I liked that, you're interesting, Reik," Jack commented with a smile. "I knew you'd make it, but I'm still surprised. You don't weigh as much as Fain, and normally, this should be harder for you to lift. You don't have as much defined muscle, yet you're incredibly strong."
Reik looked at Jack, smiling, though he wasn't sure whether to feel grateful for his words or slightly uncomfortable. Jack had pointed out that he didn't have much muscle mass and that his weight was on the lighter side, yet he also acknowledged a strength beyond the ordinary, one that didn't match his build.
Several minutes passed before Jack approached Reik, who had already moved to the deadlift area.
"Am I ready to proceed?" Reik asked, with a determined look.
"Of course, go ahead!" Jack replied, nodding.
Reik prepared himself, adjusted his stance, and began lifting the weight again and again, completing the repetitions with ease, which surprised Jack.
"Have you ever trained before, Reik?" Jack asked, with a curious tone.
"No, aside from sword training and hand-to-hand combat, nothing else," Reik replied.
"Interesting," Jack murmured, thoughtful.
Jack observed closely, surprised by Reik's strength. It was becoming more and more apparent that his suspicions were being confirmed.
Minutes passed, and Reik headed toward his final exercise. But just before he could start, they all heard shouting coming from the other room.
Reik quickly moved toward the door, but before he could take another step, Jack stepped in front of him.
"Do the exercise, and if you complete it, you can pass. But no one can enter that room without finishing this one first," Jack said firmly.
"But... those screams are Fain's! Are you crazy? Let me through!" Reik said, his concern evident.
"I know, but we can't intervene, no matter what happens in there," Jack replied calmly, standing his ground.
Reik didn't insist any further; it was clear Jack wouldn't let him pass until he finished the exercise. He wasn't going to waste time arguing when he could finish quickly and go directly to help Fain. So, he prepared to do the final set of squats, while Fain's screams continued to echo through the air. The group, visibly angry and concerned, kept demanding Jack take action.
Once Reik finished the repetitions correctly, he quickly ran toward the door and crossed it, telling his teammates,
"Relax, I've got this, keep going!"
"Reik! Wait!" Laira said, stepping forward.
Laira shot an angry look at Jack and moved toward him.
"I want to be next!" Laira said with determination.
"I'm sorry, but you're not doing these exercises, Laira," Jack replied.
"What do you mean, no?" Laira asked, visibly upset.
"For you and Tharion, we have something different prepared. Trust me, it's for the best," Jack said.
Tharion furrowed his brow and stepped forward.
"What are you saying, man? Are you discriminating against me because I'm small or what?" Tharion asked, angry.
"I'm not discriminating against you for being small, nor her. I just know you wouldn't be able to complete this test, so I've prepared something different for both of you that will make you stronger, even if it's not physically," Jack replied.
Laira and Tharion exchanged confused looks.
"Well, let it be, we want to go with Reik," Laira said impatiently.
"You won't see him until all the rooms are done. You two go separately. Wait a few minutes, and someone will come to train you," Jack replied.
Both were still puzzled but stopped insisting, though the anger was still visible on their faces.