Time resumed its normal flow, and Casia continued his relentless, disciplined training. Whenever he had spare moments, he either ran to the sword-practice area or took on grueling labor duties, carrying increasingly heavy construction materials through the biting cold.
This life had become second nature.
The academy had collected all wills. Casia had intended to write a letter to his mother and sister, but every night when he opened his pen, he found himself unable to put words to paper. His monthly contact with them remained limited to the funds he sent.
"Casia, have you picked up your mission equipment yet?" Atohwan asked, trailing behind Ye Jielin. He carried the weapons and ammunition that both he and Ye Jielin had selected, including operational bulletproof vests worn under standard clothing.
The equipment applications had been submitted a week ago. Ye Jielin, Atohwan, and Selmer had even gathered all their alliance members for a small meeting. As elite children of noble and corporate families, Ye Jielin and Atohwan knew far more about firearms in practice than from textbooks.
To help alliance members choose the most suitable gear, the senior leader Ye Jielin and second-in-command Atohwan had put considerable effort into guiding selections. Casia's own application had been completed with their help. His recent training results and his twenty-four inhibitory tubes were taken into account, making weapon selection a delicate matter.
"I haven't yet. I checked, and because this mission also involves Second-Star Academy students, most weapons are custom-made. Mine are still being prepared. They said I could collect them the day after tomorrow," Casia paused, waiting for them.
"Good. You leave the collection until the night before departure, or you'll be fighting empty-handed and making a name for yourself for the wrong reasons," Atohwan said with a grin. Ye Jielin, however, remained impassive.
"At worst, there are standard issue weapons. You won't be left defenseless," Casia replied, following them. Atohwan's physique had endured three months of grueling training without any sign of diminishment—a testament to his resilience. While Casia's daily routine alternated between dormitory and training fields, Atohwan's routine was food hall and training grounds.
Walking through the seventh-floor dorm corridor, Casia noticed many students returning with their equipment. Previously quiet dorms now buzzed with energy, the scent of gunpowder and ink filling the air. Steel guns and cold blades glinted in the light, the tangible assurances of life in the missions ahead. Familiarizing themselves with teammates during these rare breaks became a top priority.
Time passed quickly. Two days before deployment, the academy announced a class suspension, giving students time to practice and prepare.
Casia's routine remained unchanged. Most of the two days were spent in the sword-practice area. This time, Ye Jielin had chosen a rapier for him instead of his preferred steel sword. The mission notice specified no particular battlefield, so a small, easily portable weapon like the rapier was the preferred choice.
After an early dinner, Casia hurried to the logistics department to collect his long-awaited gear.
Outside the logistics building, Casia spotted Coach Borong, his steel-like frame leaning against the counter, speaking to staff.
"Good day, coach!" Casia greeted, presenting his ID and explaining his purpose.
"You seem energetic. First time on a mission, yet not nervous—probably only your cohort behaves this way," Borong commented, stroking the stubble along his jaw. "I hope your name won't appear on the casualty list after this mission."
"Of course not. Trust your student," Casia said with a smile, though Borong's faint worry made it hard to laugh.
Two staff members arrived, each carrying a wooden crate filled with different weapons and gear.
"Coach, are you going on the mission too?" Casia asked, surprised. He verified his own equipment before inserting his key card and confirming the transaction.
"Of course. Do you think our tasks are only to train you? Academy instructors may not all be top-tier, but every one of us is an elite. The Empire won't let valuable assets sit idle," Borong replied, inspecting the blue-ringed ammunition in front of him as if appraising fine art.
"Your ammunition was selected by Ye Jielin, right?" Borong returned the blue-ringed bullets to their bag, noting the slightly smaller rounds in Casia's crate. "These are tricky to handle."
"I'm not familiar with them. The textbooks don't cover this, but Ye Jielin insisted I include them," Casia recalled submitting the weapon application a week prior. He knew that regular gunpowder was standard, while platinum powder was seven times as powerful. A .20 caliber round with regular powder could only penetrate a bull's skull; with platinum powder, it would shatter it.
The ordinary rounds had copper rings, whereas platinum rounds had prominent white rings. Casia now held rounds with a glowing blue ring—Ye Jielin's so-called Blue Silver Bullets.
"Few know about Blue Silver Bullets without advanced theoretical courses. Luckily, your ally Ye Jielin is one of them," Borong said, collecting his own gear.
"Blue Silver Bullets don't use platinum powder. Instead, they contain a more powerful explosive called Nanshui, developed in the Empire's southern territories. In southern forests, it's frequently used. Its explosive force is four times that of platinum powder. If you survive this mission, you'll soon access these advanced courses," Borong explained casually.
"You don't seem to have much faith in your students, coach," Casia remarked, detecting the subtle sigh beneath Borong's easy tone.
"Of course. I won't claim your cohort is the worst I've trained. Your basic physical capabilities and training outcomes are better than previous classes. But training is training; missions are life-or-death. The atmosphere, experiences, decisions, and pressures you'll face are unmatched. Only then is true strength revealed."
"According to the academy's data," Borong continued, "the highest survival rates come from orphaned mercenary children. The most vulnerable are noble heirs. Even with at-home training, they were always protected. It doesn't help much in reality."
Casia smiled, but Borong delivered a reality check.
"Don't get cocky. The second-highest mortality comes from commoners. They lack culture, training, and fitness. Their only advantage is resilience. That's it."
"Anyway," Borong added, "I hope your name won't appear on the casualty list." He waved, turning down another corridor, leaving Casia to return to his dorm with his gear.
"All right, time to get ready," Casia said, exhaling as he set his equipment on the bed, speaking to himself.