When I returned to the training field the next day, half of Class C was already there.
Julien was stretching like he was preparing for a duel. Leo was sitting cross-legged, muttering what might have been prayers. Wallace was tweaking something that looked suspiciously like a landmine, and Felix—well, Felix was trying to tie his boots and failing. Miserably.
"Good morning, my future disappointments," I announced cheerfully.
Julien raised a brow. "What's today's theme? Pain? Humiliation? Existential dread?"
I tossed a scroll at him. "Team formation drills."
Leo groaned immediately. "Teamwork? With them?"
"Consider it your biggest challenge yet. You're going to form squads of three. Your mission: capture the banner in the center of the field." I pointed to a tall flagpole stuck in a small hill. "You'll be scored on coordination, execution, and how little you embarrass yourselves."
Wallace looked up. "What if we explode the banner?"
"You lose points."
