After breakfast, they returned to the Third Squad's floor.
"We already toured the thirteenth floor yesterday. There's also a public bath in the back, but since you're a Concept User, your room has its own bathroom, so you probably won't need it. You've also seen the Force training room, so let's head straight to the fourteenth floor."
They climbed the stairs.
The fourteenth floor was lined entirely with training rooms. Unlike those downstairs, every door here was painted purple, and each looked even heavier than the ones below.
"These are the Concept training rooms. There are ten in total. Everyone has one assigned exclusively to them. You can choose from whichever rooms are still vacant."
She pointed toward the end of the corridor.
"The very last room is the sparring arena. That's where we'll have our match seven days from now."
After showing Ethel around the floor, Yinbing led him back to the center.
Between two Concept training rooms was a short hallway ending at a single door.
The pale violet door bore a circular crest composed of countless bubbles.
"Captain Oenone's bedroom."
Yinbing shrugged.
"I guess that's one of the captain's privileges."
She was referring to the space itself.
On the thirteenth floor, the same amount of space had been divided into numerous small rooms for Concept Users and Force Users staying overnight.
On the fourteenth floor, however, the entire area belonged solely to the captain.
"Then again, she shoulders responsibilities that match the privilege, so it's fair enough."
"She usually sleeps until sometime after noon. If you need anything, come knock after that."
"She doesn't have morning grumpiness or anything."
"...Though sometimes you have to knock more than once before she actually wakes up."
Yinbing put her hands on her hips, looking completely satisfied with her explanation.
"Alright, that's everything."
"Command assigned your daily training to us."
"Our usual schedule is basic physical conditioning in the morning, Force training in the afternoon, and separate Concept training for Concept Users."
"How's your physical fitness?"
"Below average."
"What about after reinforcing yourself with Force?"
"...Still below average."
Yinbing blinked.
"Someone who can perform full-body Force Enhancement is still rating himself below average?"
"What kind of standards do you have?"
She sighed.
"Never mind. We'll find out soon enough."
"Come on. Everyone should be here by now."
When they returned to the physical training room on the thirteenth floor, several people were already inside.
Abby, Layle, and Oak were there, along with several unfamiliar faces.
The moment they spotted Ethel, everyone crowded around him.
"So it's true?"
A girl Ethel had never met before—the closest one to him, probably a Force User—asked excitedly,
"You really participated in an outdoor demon subjugation?"
"Uh... yeah."
The room instantly erupted.
"What was the demon like?"
"Is the First Squad really strong enough to take on a hundred enemies?"
"Did Captain Tia really defeat it in a single attack?"
"Were you scared?"
"Can you get Captain Tia's autograph for me?"
"Oh, whoa, whoa! Hold on!"
Unable to watch the chaos any longer, Yinbing stepped in.
"At this rate we'll be here all day."
"You only get three questions."
"Training starts after that."
A chorus of disappointed groans followed, but at least order was restored.
"Layle, you're first."
"What kind of demon did you encounter?"
"A Concept: Spring."
"It was about four stories tall."
"It seemed capable of turning Force into fountain-like streams and controlling them."
"Next... Anrique."
Yinbing pointed to the girl who had rushed to the front the moment they entered.
She looked considerably younger than Ethel.
"How did Captain Tia defeat it?"
"She flew directly in front of the demon, released her Concept, and burned it completely to ashes."
"That must've been Captain Tia's signature move—Supernova!"
Anrique's eyes sparkled.
"It burns demons with temperatures approaching the sun until not even ashes remain!"
"Last one."
"Craig."
A tall, steady-looking man who appeared to be a few years older than Ethel stepped forward.
"What was it like?"
"Your first outdoor demon subjugation."
Before Ethel could answer, Yinbing quietly whispered behind him,
"Most people here have never been on an outdoor subjugation."
"Make sure you explain it well."
Ethel nodded.
"First, we drove south of Sunblaze Citadel for several dozen minutes."
"Then we continued on foot until we reached the demon."
He slowly recounted everything that had happened.
Most of the room listened in complete silence.
He tried to be as detailed as possible.
From the vice captain and the three Force Users probing the demon...
...to the sudden moment when the demon unleashed its Concept...
...and finally to Captain Tia taking over the battlefield and ending the fight.
Most people had never known that Tia handled the majority of the actual combat herself.
Because of that, Ethel deliberately described the probing phase in great detail while glossing over Tia's battle, leaving the impression that everyone had fought together side by side.
"So what was your job?"
Anrique immediately asked.
She had stared at him the entire time he was telling the story, her bright, innocent eyes making Ethel strangely self-conscious.
"Anrique."
Yinbing folded her arms.
"I said three questions."
"You already used yours."
"B-But..."
"Besides, if you want to know his Concept, you'll have to figure it out yourself."
"Those are the rules."
"Alright."
"Story time's over."
"Everyone, get back to what you were doing."
The crowd dispersed immediately.
At least they were quick about it.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZQUZ2Uzi7
"Do you already have a regular training routine?"
"No."
"Then go see Oak. He usually helps train the newcomers."
"I'm going to work on my own training."
With that, Yinbing left.
Remembering yesterday, Ethel found the bearded man. Before he could even speak, Oak had already guessed why he'd come.
"So, what do you want to specialize in?"
"Guns or blades?"
"Or, more broadly, close combat or ranged combat?"
"I've never really thought about it."
"What would you recommend?"
"Normally it's personal preference," Oak replied.
"But Concept Users usually choose whatever best complements the growth of their Concept."
"So, what's yours?"
"Go ahead and tell me."
"I stopped caring about that rule ages ago."
Ethel briefly explained his ability.
Oak analyzed it almost immediately.
"If your goal is to maximize your Concept's potential, I'd recommend close combat."
"It lets you make much better use of your advantage."
"That doesn't mean abandoning firearms completely."
"Everyone here learns to use all kinds of weapons."
"You just pick one as your specialty."
"What do you think?"
"I'll trust your judgment."
"Then I'd suggest trying both short daggers and a longsword."
"We'll see which suits you better."
"Come on."
"I'll help you choose."
"Won't this interfere with your own training?"
Oak laughed.
"I've been training for almost twenty years."
"Missing one session won't kill me."
Oak led Ethel to the second-to-last training room.
Unlike the others, this one didn't have a large observation window.
After pushing Ethel inside, Oak headed toward the final room.
"Wait here."
The first thing Ethel saw upon entering was his own reflection.
The room was lined with mirrors, along with training dummies and various practice equipment.
A few minutes later, Oak returned carrying several weapons.
"Judging by your build, these should fit you."
"Come try swinging them."
The rest of the morning passed with Ethel testing weapon after weapon.
In the end, he settled on a sword and a pair of daggers.
The sword was more of a backup.
He clearly preferred the daggers.
Throughout the entire process, Oak seemed to understand exactly what Ethel needed.
A little heavier here.
A little shorter there.
Slightly different balance.
He adjusted everything until it matched Ethel perfectly.
"That should do it."
Oak nodded with satisfaction.
"You're especially comfortable with daggers."
"You don't look like someone holding them for the first time."
"...I'm not."
Ethel gave a wry smile.
Even if his memories had become blurred...
...his body still remembered.
Oak studied him for a moment but didn't press the issue.
"I'll place the order for your custom weapons."
"They should be ready in a few days."
"You go have lunch."
"I'll clean up here."
"Thanks, Oak."
Ethel stretched his sore arms.
Switching constantly between normal swings and Force-enhanced swings—while repeatedly adjusting the amount of Force he used—was exhausting for someone who hadn't trained seriously in years.
Back in the cafeteria, Ethel sat with the rest of the Third Squad.
No one continued asking about yesterday's subjugation.
Perhaps Yinbing had already told them not to.
Instead, everyone seemed far more interested in the spar between Ethel and Yinbing scheduled for the following week.
"Big Sis Yinbing is going to wipe the floor with you."
Anrique declared confidently.
Ethel recognized her as the same energetic girl who had bombarded him with questions when they first met.
"Well, she is the vice captain."
"She's earned that position."
"So you all know what Yinbing's Concept does?"
"Of course."
Craig answered before anyone else could.
"Only newcomers keep their Concepts secret."
"But not for long."
"You have to build teamwork before going into battle."
"If you don't even know what your teammates can do, you've already lost."
"And with Big Sis Yinbing's ability..."
Another squad member chuckled.
"...everyone gets caught off guard the first time they see it."
"So it's one of those abilities that's unbeatable the first time you encounter it?"
Ethel asked.
Everyone exchanged glances before shaking their heads in perfect unison.
"I'll just say this."
Craig spoke as briefly as ever.
"It doesn't stop being useful after the first time."
The others all nodded in agreement.
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