Chapter 369: Rules

"Fuu..." Amanda released a long breath, her eyes closed as she concentrated. Sweat had gathered along her forehead and neck, trickling down her skin as she steadied her breathing.

Before her stood the last training dummy in the gym. The other forty-three were scattered across the floor, broken beyond repair and no longer usable.

She clenched her fist and drew it back, Genesis swirling around her knuckles. It was the only visible indication of the power she radiated, the energy gathering tightly around her hand without spilling beyond her control.

From the side, Layena watched her in silence, her attention fixed on Amanda’s stance, breathing, and every minute movement. Truthfully, she was in awe.

"Ha"

Amanda suddenly threw a punch.

She struck only once, stopping her fist a breath away from the training dummy. Her knuckles never touched its surface, yet the force of the blow caused the fabric covering its face to tremble slightly.

But that was all.

Amanda silently watched the dummy for another breath before turning around and walking away.

Layena’s brows rose. For a moment, she wondered if Amanda had simply missed her target this time.

Then...

DHAK! DHAK! DHAK!

Three consecutive impacts erupted from the exact position where Amanda’s fist had stopped. The training dummy’s entire head was violently knocked from its body, flying backward before slamming into the wall and falling uselessly to the floor.

Layena stared at what remained of the dummy, her curiosity finally overcoming her usual reluctance to speak.

"Is that a new technique?"

Amanda had been aware of Layena’s presence for quite some time, so hearing her voice did not surprise her. What did surprise her was that Layena had initiated the conversation herself.

A faint smile touched Amanda’s lips as she glanced back at the headless training dummy.

"Well, a few tweaks to my technique made me realize that I don’t have to physically attack someone to produce every effect I want. That one, for example. One punch was enough to create three shockwaves, each one carrying enough force to produce almost the exact same result."

Layena was both surprised and impressed by the application. Amanda’s ability to understand and refine her power was developing at an astonishing pace. She had already handled three ghouls alone over the past few days, surprising everyone with how quickly she was growing.

At this rate, she really was becoming difficult to measure against ordinary standards.

"I think you could easily surpass me at this rate," Layena admitted.

Amanda shook her head.

"I’m nowhere near perfection with my skill. Besides, I don’t think a delayed effect like this is enough to reach Special Grade."

She raised her hand, examining it thoughtfully.

"I still can’t produce a spark. Without one, I can’t draw my Field."

Drawing one’s Field was the most basic requirement for climbing the ranks and reaching the highest echelons of the Nightwalker world. Without it, no matter how powerful someone became, there was a limit to how far they could truly advance.

However, Layena tilted her head slightly.

"Do you really care about ranks, Amanda?"

Amanda snickered.

"Not at all. But you can’t deny the opportunities that come with ranking up. Take me, for example. I can already handle a Second Grade Rift by myself."

Layena agreed with that, but her expression remained serious.

"Just don’t force yourself to learn everything at once. Your body needs time and rest to adapt to your growing power."

Those words immediately reminded Amanda of Kyle.

God, she was already missing him.

She shook the thought away before looking at Layena.

"Have you finished your training? Want to come to the cafeteria together?"

Layena looked slightly surprised.

"Don’t you usually sit with Ethan and the others?"

"Yeah, so?"

Amanda tilted her head.

"Are you not familiar with them?"

The lavender-eyed girl hesitated.

She usually ate alone and rarely interacted with her teammates unless they were on a mission. Even this conversation was already the longest conversation she had held with someone at the base without a mission being involved.

And although the subject itself was something she found interesting, Layena usually avoided speaking more than necessary.

"What? Not up for the idea?" Amanda asked, tilting her head to the other side now. "I mean, except Clara, everyone else would probably appreciate your presence."

Layena was still confused about why Clara disliked her, but Amanda was right about everything else.

Perhaps she should open herself up a little.

The Commander had told her to do so, and someone else had said the same thing to her a long time ago.

’Be yourself, and everyone will like you.’

She could no longer remember exactly who had said those words, but that person had possessed an extraordinary amount of faith in her.

Perhaps more faith than she had ever possessed in herself.

After a brief silence, Layena nodded.

"Okay. Let’s go."

...

When Kyle entered the briefing room, he quickly realized that there were more people who needed this lecture than he had expected.

Four others were already seated around the classroom, or whatever this place was supposed to be called.

As Kyle and Elena entered, the man standing behind the podium looked toward them and gestured toward the front.

"Take your seats at the front."

Kyle nodded.

Much like him, Elena also took a seat in the front row, despite the obvious scowl on her face.

As they settled into their seats, the bespectacled man, who was definitely not Jimmy, began fiddling with his terminal. A moment later, the digital screen mounted across from them flickered, presumably responding to whatever he was doing.

While he worked, Kyle caught a few murmurs from behind.

"Mm... don’t do that. Not here, Rey."

A woman’s voice, followed by a quiet laugh, suggested that the man beside her was teasing her about something.

Kyle paid them little attention and leaned back in his seat. He had no intention of getting involved in whatever was happening behind him.

Unfortunately, his attempt to stay out of the room’s gossip did not last long.

The man seated directly behind him leaned forward.

"Hey. So you’re the new guy, huh?"

Kyle nodded without turning around. He immediately regretted not bringing a book with him. At least then he could have pretended to be occupied.

"Hm, lucky you, sharing a room with the babe."

The man’s voice carried an unmistakably lecherous tone. Kyle glanced sideways at Elena and noticed the subtle shift in her expression. Her jaw tightened, her eyes narrowing for the briefest moment, yet she still said nothing.

That alone told Kyle enough. This clearly wasn’t the first time the man had bothered her, and judging by her lack of reaction, she had probably learned that responding only encouraged him.

Still, since Elena herself wasn’t saying anything, Kyle decided not to interfere. He simply faced forward again and focused on the screen.

Thankfully, the conversation ended there.

The digital screen brightened, displaying a neatly arranged list of instructions.

The bespectacled man cleared his throat.

"Here are the few rules you need to be very careful about during your stay in the base."

The man went through several basic rules, beginning with the simplest one: trainees were not permitted to leave the dormitories after seven unless they had a scheduled activity or had received prior authorization.

They were only allowed to move freely within the designated building and were forbidden from venturing beyond its boundaries. Even within the building itself, however, certain floors and sections remained strictly off-limits to trainees.

Attacking another trainee was also prohibited unless the altercation took place during an officially conducted spar. Any deliberate assault outside such circumstances would be taken seriously, with appropriate disciplinary action imposed on those involved.

Attempting to flee the premises, however, was treated far more severely. Everyone housed within the facility was considered a potential danger until the authorities deemed them responsible enough to control and wield their powers properly. Until then, none of them were permitted to simply walk away.

Finally, the man made it clear that breaking the rules could result in consequences ranging from something as simple as being forced to retake the briefing to more severe forms of physical punishment. The warning was repeated several times, particularly for the trainees other than Kyle.

After all, most of the people sitting in that room were there precisely because they had already broken one rule or another.

After the lecture finally ended, nearly an hour later, the trainees were dismissed and allowed to return to their rooms. They were expected to begin training early the following morning, so there was little reason for them to remain in the briefing room any longer.

Kyle and Elena left together, walking down the corridor toward their dormitory. However, Kyle’s phone suddenly rang with an incoming call.

"I’ll take this."

Elena merely shrugged and continued ahead without waiting for him.

She had barely gone a few steps when she caught sight of the same bastard who had been provoking her earlier. He was heading straight toward Kyle, his expression carrying the same irritating amusement he had worn during the briefing.

Elena slowed down and glanced back at the two men.

"Guess I’m about to find out how severe those punishments can be."