* 54%


    Leopard stepped forward, voice thunderous, "Raven has shown remarkable courage. As of now, she''s your squad leader for the duration of this training. Her words carry the weight of my own. Anyone who dares disobey her-consider it defiance against your instructor and grounds for expulsion from Regalhold University."


    The room fell into stunned silence.


    Whispers erupted almost immediately.


    "Didn''t he just call her arrogant and promise to push her to the edge of death? Now, barely ten minutester, she''s suddenly ''courageous''?"


    "What kind of 180 was that?"


    "And if her word isw, just like the instructor''s... then what about those of us who mocked her earlier...?


    Several trainees slowly turned toward the group who''d just ridiculed Raven.


    The color had already drained from their faces.


    They hadn''t known her long, but one thing was clear-Raven wasn''t the type to forgive and forget.


    It meant... they were screwed.


    Before panic could fully set in, Jaxton stepped forward, fixing Leopard with a calm but firm gaze.


    "It''s true instructors sometimes appoint squad leaders, but they''re usually just assistants-notmanders. Giving her this much power won''t benefit her or the ss. It may even encourage her to challenge your authority. You might want to reconsider before this backfires."


    That earned him a chorus of support.


    "He''s right. Anyone who dares to triple their workload clearly doesn''t respect your training methods."


    "You''re just fueling her arrogance by handing her this much power."


    "She already thinks she''s better than you-don''t hand her the reins."


    Leopard''s voice cracked like a whip. "Enough! Silence!"


    The words hit like a p. The entire room froze.


    00


    Leopard''s gaze swept over them like a de. An icy aura radiated from his presence, sending shivers down their spines. In that moment, only one word came to mind: terrifying.


    His strength was beyond question. If the entire squad took him on at once, they still probably wouldn''t stand a chance.


    Then he spoke again—slow, clear, andmanding. “What I say isw. Your job is not to question. It''s to obey. From this moment forward, I don''t want to hear a single ''no'' from anyone. Anyone who does-get out."


    No one dared to move. Even those who''d once underestimated Leopard-thinking he was just another washed-up veteran dumped into a training role-now saw their mistake.


    They could feel it from his presence alone. This man belonged on the battlefield. The respect in their eyes was instant and unanimous.


    14.02 Sun, 20 Apr


    Leopard saw the shift in their demeanor, but his expression remained cold.


    "Did everyone hear me?" he asked.


    The trainees all stood up straighter, then shouted in perfect unison: "Yes, sir!"


    00.,54%-


    From that moment on, no one questioned Raven''s authority. No one imagined she could actually challenge Leopard, not with a presence like his.


    Leopard finally allowed himself the faintest smile. He turned to Raven, and if you looked closely, there was even a flicker of ttery in his expression.


    "Raven," he said, "you may begin the training."


    Raven merely looked at him, cool and silent. ''What a calcting man, she thought.


    She hadn''t expected Leopard to have such an instinct for survival.


    Appointing her as his stand-in? That was bold-if not desperate.


    As he met her gaze, Leopard started sweating. Did she see through him? Had she noticed how he''d tried mimicking her earlier, barking orders just to get a taste of being the "demon instructor"?


    It had just been for fun! A one-time roley!


    He hoped to God she wouldn''t punish him for it.


    Just then, Raven''s gaze slid off him and onto the trainees. Her voice rang out, sharp and crisp. "Tenps. Two hours. Finish them-or..." she smiled faintly and continued, “...feel free to find out what happens if you don''t."


    A collective gasp swept through the squad. For some reason, Raven''s smile scared them more than Leopard''s roar ever had.


    Then someone scoffed, "Tenps? In


    Murmurs followed.


    two hours?"


    ''Is she insane? Regalhold''s track is ten times the size of a normal one. Even in peak shape, no way we finish tenps in two hours. Four maybe, but ten?''


    Some began to smirk. ''Let''s see what she does when we don''t make it. What''s she gonna do-kill us?''


    What they didn''t notice was the cold sweat already beading on Leopard''s forehead. That smile on Raven''s face-it was the smile. The one he''d learned to dread over ten soul-crushing days under hermand.


    He remembered it well... and what had followed. He couldn''t even bring himself to relive it.


    And now, watching her smile at them, he found himself feeling... sorry for the trainees.


    Then Raven turned her head, locking eyes with Jaxton. "They run ten. You run a hundred. Same time limit-two hours. For everyp you miss, you''ll be punished ordingly."


    Jaxton let out a soft, scornfulugh. His eyes said it all. "You''re a joke."


    Leopard sighed and shook his head. He quietly mourned for Jaxton... and everyone else.


    But before he could fully bask in his pity, Raven''s gaze turned back toward him.


    And then she said it. "As the instructor, you''re the standard. You''ll run the same as Jaxton. A hundredps. Two hours."


    14:52 Sun, 20 Apr


    Silence. Absolute silence.


    A full hundred eyes stared at her like she''d gone mad.


    She wasn''t just abusing her new authority. She was training the instructor?


    Had she lost her mind?


    Surely Leopard would snap now, strip her title, and toss her out on the spot.


    But instead... Leopard just looked wounded.


    Then he said something no one sawing-something that made even Jaxton''s


    jaw drop.


    田