My Special Ability is Growing Muscles

Saturday morning…

The morning air in Nexus Academy's east wing was unnervingly heavy.

For once, the assembly hall wasn't filled with chatter or laughter. Instead, hundreds of freshers sat quietly in their uniforms, backs stiff, eyes darting from one corner to the other.

The weight of expectation and fear hung over them like a gloomy cloud.

Kairo sat with Mira, her arms folded and her expression deliberately calm, though her foot tapped anxiously against the stone floor.

Across the room, Valek lounged in his seat like he owned the hall, his serpent crest gleaming against his collar. Selene was unreadable as always, her serene face framed by her moonlit hair.

And at the far end, Adrain sat upright, his posture perfect, gaze forward like a commander already preparing for battle.

The trio radiated confidence despite knowing that was coming ahead.

The rest of the students radiated nerves.

Kairo, though, radiated hunger. Well, not in the badass way you're thinking though, he radiated hunger, literally as his stomach growled audibly.

Mira facepalmed, then elbowed him hard before anyone else could notice. "F*cking glutton!" She hissed.

"Ugh!" Kairo complained.

Then, the hall doors groaned open.

Professor Elara strode in. The woman didn't need to raise her voice, her very presence commanded silence.

Draped in her black and silver combat robe, with her hair tied into a high knot, and a longsword sheathed at her hip, she looked more like a warrior-general than a lecturer.

Her eyes swept across the room once, sharp and steady, before she spoke.

"Today is no longer class," Elara began, her voice even but laced with steel. "Today begins your first field mission, seven days in the wilderness."

A ripple moved through the students. Kairo caught one boy gulping hard, another whispering a prayer under his breath.

"You will escort a caravan of supplies to the Blackthorn frontier outpost".

"That is the backbone of our defense against demonic incursions from the east. If those soldiers starve, they die. If they die, the frontier collapses. If the frontier collapses, Arcanum Nexus itself will be vulnerable".

Her words were blunt, cutting through any illusion of safety.

"This is not a simulation," she continued. "Out there, when something claws you, you bleed. When it bites, you lose flesh. If it tears too deep, you die."

She paused, letting the silence deepen. Even Valek's smug smirk twitched slightly in the unnerving silence.

Elara clasped her hands behind her back.

"You will march, you will camp, you will fight, and most importantly," her eyes narrowed, "you will follow orders".

"The caravan will have instructors, C Rank veterans assigned to each platoon. They are strong enough to protect the mission. They are not strong enough to fight for each and every one of you".

Her eyes locked on the room.

"This is a mission for the lot of you to survive and evolve".

"You want to survive? Don't break formation, don't waste mana, don't wander, and don't foolishly play the hero".

She paced slowly, letting the tension sink in.

"At night, guard shifts will rotate".

"You will eat rations, not feasts. You will learn to sleep lightly, because out there…" she paused, eyes narrowing, "…your worst enemy is not the beasts, nor the demons, but your own fatigue and carelessness."

Then her tone shifted, sharp yet enticing.

"For those of you who still crave glory, there is reward if you survive… Contribution Points".

The room stirred again.

"At the end of the mission, you will be individually assessed. Every kill, every act of support, every wagon you protect, every ally you save, and every cargo you preserve, every single one of your actions will be measured".

"And points will be assigned".

"Contribution Points are your currency inside Nexus Academy. With them, you will gain access to new skills, combat techniques, and privileges."

Her eyes swept over the nobles, their hungry eyes already glinting with ambition. "But remember," her voice dropped cold again, "many died chasing glory. Dead heroes earn no points".

She clapped once and crystal glyphs spun into the air, forming holographic names. "You will be divided into five platoons of thirty two each".

"Each platoon is led by a C Rank Instructor. Learn their names, because they will decide if you return with scars or in coffins."

She waved her hand and a holographic projection appeared in the air, showing the different platoons and their assigned instructors.

[Platoon One: Captain Mara Duskfang, Shield-bearer.]

[Platoon Two: Captain Helios Veynar, Fire Manipulator.]

[Platoon Three: Captain Roran Steelspine, Spear Master.]

[Platoon Four: Captain Lirae Windlash, Wind Manipulator.]

[Platoon Five: Captain Korran Blackpeak, War Axe Wielder.]

Kairo squinted as his name appeared under Platoon Three. Familiar names were also in his platoon as Mira was right below him. But his gut clenched when he spotted another familiar name in the same group… Valek Drakar.

As soon as they saw each other's name, their gazes met across the hall in a wordless battle of slumrat versus noble serpent.

Sparks flew silently between them.

Selene was assigned to Platoon Four, while Adrain to Platoon One. The Academy had deliberately split the Monster Trio. Was this a test or a safeguard? Kairo didn't know.

But he knew one thing, his platoon was already boiling with tension. Nobles whispered among themselves, glaring openly at him even as Mira leaned closer.

"Well, looks like you're going to have fun."

Kairo smirked. "Fun isn't the word".

Elara stopped pacing and looked at the students one last time. Her voice lowered, heavy with finality.

"Return in seven days, and you will no longer be children. You will be cadets of war. Nexus Academy does not coddle survivors, we forge warriors."

She turned toward the doors, her cape brushing the stone.

"Remember this… even if you survive, even if you bring back a hundred kills, even if you earn mountains of Contribution Points, none of it will matter if you lose your life".

"This is your crucible, survive it".

Her footsteps echoed as she left.

As soon as she left, the hall became so quiet you could hear the draft beasts outside groaning in their pens.

Hours later, the students gathered outside the Blackstone gates.

The wagons stood ready, loaded with supplies as the draft beasts snorted and stamped. The air was thick with the smell of hay, iron, and mana-charged leather harnesses. The five platoons assembled, instructors barking sharp orders.

Kairo adjusted the strap of his dagger sheath and stared at the horizon.

For the first time since leaving the slums, it truly sank in.

This wasn't training.

This was war… in its smallest form.

He felt a tingle of excitement surge through him. 'Let's hope this ends well'.