The next day, Thora kicked off the training plan. When everyone got their training guidelines, they froze. Shock and a new kind of respect flickered in their eyes as they looked at her. No one had expected her to put together customized drills for each person's strengths overnight. Without years of real combat and a deep understanding of tactics, there was no way to make something that precise. "Starting today, I'll train with you. We'll split into two groups—veterans in one, rookies in the other." Thora paused, her gaze cold as it swept over them. "In a month, I'll check your results. If you fail, you're out!" A heavy pressure hit everyone at once. They clenched fists and shouted, "Yes, Commander Green!"Then, they slipped straight into training mode. Luke was a tech soldier. Besides basic strength and endurance drills with the group, he could handle his own schedule. But he was used to staying at home. Even the conditioning nearly broke him. Thora set his intensity high enough to push him hard, but not past what he could handle. As the vets trained, they started seeing the special recruits in a new light and learned about their backgrounds. Aside from Ashton and Harvey, Shirley and Luke were already considered prodigies that multiple states wanted to recruit. Hearing that made the vets want to smack themselves. If those two were losers, then the rest of them were basically scrap. Harvey and Ashton didn't have that kind of standout talent. But as training went on, the "rookie" label quietly faded. Their real strengths started showing. Harvey was great at solo ops and holding back enemy fire. Ashton was sharp at quick tactical calls. And beyond that, Thora's skill range left them speechless. Close combat, precision shooting, battlefield command, tactical layouts—she seemed unstoppable. How could one person be that good at everything? "The last drill today is a 1,200-mile weighted run. Finish last, and you do everyone's laundry!" Thora called. "Yes, Commander Green!" They all took off at a sprint. A tiny smile flickered across Thora's face as she started running as well. At first, she hung back, but before long, she shot ahead. Trailing behind were Ashton and Luke.Barely 20 minutes in, Luke was wiped out and dropped to the rear. He'd been stuck at a desk for years—his body wasn't exactly ready for that. Up front, Tristan and Harvey were pushing hard. Tristan's eyes widened as Harvey caught up. A grin tugged at his sharp features. "Guess I underestimated you." Harvey snorted. "You underestimate a lot of things." They couldn't actually fight each other, but a little competitive push? No harm in that. Tristan's grin vanished. He pumped his legs and arms faster, instantly pulling ahead. Harvey's expression hardened. He kicked it into high gear to keep up. The two tore forward like they were racing. That little spark lit a fire in everyone else. The rest of them went all-out, charging hard.Thora kept a steady rhythm. When she saw Luke fall to last, she slowed, running alongside him. "Can you hang in there?" Luke panted, "I ... I think so ... " Thora blinked, then said, "If you finish last, I'm taking your computer." Then, she surged forward, back to the front. Luke's brain froze. She was serious about taking his computer?! Right as Thora hit the first tier of the pack, a gust of wind whipped past everyone. What was that? What just happened? What just blew by? A swarm of question marks ran through their minds. "Luke? Did he take some kind of drug?" Tristan asked, dumbfounded.Thora stayed calm. "Relax. He'll burn out in a second." He froze, then realized she'd pulled up right beside him. His eyes locked on her. She was textbook perfect—steady breathing, eyes forward, sharp as a blade. That calm, striking face didn't look like a 16-year-old at all. When she barked orders, she was all professional—no fluff, no wasted words. Her skills covered every area, and even he had to admit that he couldn't match her. Thora didn't have one flashy super skill, but every part of her game was solid. And that kind of balance? It meant every move she made hit top-tier. From the first doubts to now, every veteran had more respect for her. In just a few days, she'd proven herself. There was nothing left to question. Sweat trickled down Thora's temples onto her cheeks. Tristan's eyes followed it down to her neck before he realized it. His gaze shifted as he looked over her whole figure and that sharp, cool face. A suspicion formed, but he didn't dare voice it.