Morning came faster than I expected.
The air was crisp as I rode through the road with Karayel, my horse, he was moving steadily beneath me. A soldier had been sent to guide me, leading the way toward the minister. We rode in silence.
When we arrived, I dismounted, giving Karayel a quick pat before following the guide inside.
The minister sat behind his desk; hands folded neatly in front of him. He looked up as I approached.
"Roy," he greeted, his tone measured. "I assume you have the names?"
I nodded and handed him the list. "This is my team."
He glanced at the paper, scanning the names without much reaction. Then, with a small nod, he folded it and set it aside. "I believe you've made strong choices."
I nodded and said nothing.
The minister looked at me carefully before offering a slight smile. "Leave the rest to me."
That was all. No further discussion. No questioning for my choices.
I exhaled and turned to leave.
By the time I come back to the camp and entered the hall, the energy in the room was thick. More than 100 soldiers stood together, some whispering among themselves, others dead silent, all waiting for their names to be called.
I found my team in the crowd. Andrew was standing with his arms crossed, Sophia calm as always, Crimzo looked like he was waiting for something entertaining to happen, and Lauren, though composed, seemed slightly more alert than usual.
Then, the selection began.
One by one, names were announced.
Something felt… off.
It wasn't random. It wasn't just names being pulled from a list. It was controlled, like someone had arranged everything perfectly.
And when our names were called, it was just as I expected. Every single person I submitted was approved.
By the end, 12 teams had been formed. Some of our comrades didn't make it, and the realization hit them hard. They had no place in this new system.
Daniel stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension.
"This is our new structure," he began. "Each team will have 1000 soldiers under their command. It is not necessary for the team to have a Leader as long as you agree with each other to make decisions, but every team will have a Commander to guide them in large-scale missions, and his command will be obeyed."
A low murmur spread through the crowd. This was bigger than expected.
Daniel's expression remained firm. "Above all of you, I will remain as General. I will oversee all teams, all operations. You will follow orders. You will not act recklessly. Do I make myself clear?"
A chorus of yes, sir echoed across the hall.
Daniel began appointing the Commanders. Then came the announcement that I had already seen coming.
"For Team Eleven… your commander will be Yuri."
That confirmed it.
He had spoken to the minister. He had made sure this would happen.
I glanced at Yuri, standing near the front. His expression was unreadable, but his presence alone made it clear, he wanted this role.
But the real question was, why?
Daniel continued, but my mind lingered on that thought.
"From this point on, every team will have its own story. You will train together, fight together, and learn everything required to survive in this new era. What you've been through so far? That was just the beginning. The real challenge starts now."
The room was silent, everyone listening intently.
"Each team will be assigned its own base, a place where you and your soldiers will live, train, and form a strong unit. You will not just be warriors; you will be leaders, responsible for the men under your command. When orders come, you will be ready."
I exchanged a glance with Andrew. This was bigger than we thought. We weren't just soldiers anymore; we were responsible for one thousand men.
Daniel continued, his tone unwavering. "Your service schedule will be 22 days on, 8 days off per month. During your time off, you may choose to stay at the base or visit your families. But when you return, I expect discipline, strength, and focus."
He paused for a moment before delivering the final announcement. "For now, you all have two days off. If you have family or friends, go see them. After that, you will receive the location of your assigned base and the program of your schedule service and also the rest of the information, such as your insurance and salaries."
A murmur spread through the hall.
Some soldiers sighed in relief; others looked uneasy. Two days didn't seem like much, but for those who had loved ones, it was everything.
Andrew turned to me and exhaled quietly, shaking his head. "Guess this doesn't change much for us."
I nodded. "Yea, I guess so."
I glanced at the rest of our team, Sophia, Crimzo, Lauren. They all had the same expression, like they were processing what this meant.
Lauren was the first to break the silence. "So, what now?"
Andrew crossed his arms. "We could start planning ahead for our next adventure."
Sophia spoke calmly while looking at Andrew. "Or… we take advantage of the free time we have."
Crimzo stretched, grinning. "I say we enjoy the break while it lasts."
I thought for a moment. The upcoming mission with Drayton wouldn't be easy. War was becoming more inevitable with every passing day. But there was one person who I really want to go and check in for now, it was the professor.
I looked at Andrew. "We should visit the professor."
Andrew smirked. "Knew you'd say that."
Sophia frowned slightly. "The professor?"
Andrew glanced at her. "He's like our father. Took care of us when we were kids. And he's a wise man, you'd like him."
Crimzo leaned back, exhaling. "I was planning to see my mother… but if this guy is that important, we can stop by first." He paused before adding with a grin, "After that, you all can come stay at my place. We're out in the forest, it's quiet there, no one will bother us. Good place to relax."
I looked at them. "Trust me, you won't regret visiting him."
Lauren and Crimzo exchanged curious glances before Crimzo finally shrugged. "Alright then. Let's go meet this mystery man."
And after everything is over, and our stuff were collected, we mounted our horses and finally left the camp after what felt like forever.