2

Yan wasn't a native of the Belfort Federation, a fact only known to him.

His family had come from an even smaller country.

Edrea, a small domain that held to military traditions.

It had birthed countless warriors skilled in the Edreal sword art. This art was just an overly improved version of swordsmanship basics. Making its warriors just look like proficient veteran fighters, as it lacked flashy and extremely technical moves.

The countries power was held by a chosen elder from within the military families which created the highest sphere of influence within Edrea.

Yan was the sole survivor of the Vulf family.

One of the military families that had held back the Federations forces.

He was also the sole inheritor of his family's secret technique - Concentration.

The fall of Edrea was a sure outcome from the very beginning, their scattered and scarce elite warriors were no match for a country like the Federation. At the time Edreas technology wasn't a match to their enemies.

The Federation's main advantages were their mana wielding troops and long range weapons.

The elites in Edrea consisted of what they called 'The Children of Agren'.

Agren was the war god of the Edrean's, so they named the warriors that inherited and trained in their families combat techniques his children.

Even though this system of inheritance created powerful beings it had an underlying flaw that ultimately led to the downfall of Edrea.

The technique couldn't be shared out of its corresponding family leading to a limited amount of power on the side of the Edreans.

But all of these techniques had now been lost, the great martial families slain by the federation.

A legacy undone, futures unfulfilled, the flames of Glory extinguished.

But not yet.

Still one remains.

…

Yan had arrived at the recruitment centre of the Federations Theodore conscript academy. On his back, he had, had a tattered cloak and an ordinary sword by his side.

"I want to be accepted as a conscript into the Federations army."

A young voice sounded from underneath the grey hood.

"Son. Do you know what the word conscription means?"

The confused secretary asked from behind his counter.

"Doesn't matter. If we don't force you then it's even better."

With a cheery smile, he continued.

"Welcome to the army. May I have the pleasure of knowing your name recruit?"

"Yan."

"Well, I wish you the best in your military career conscript Yan."

Yan answered with a slight bow.

"The pleasure is all mine. Just remember this old man when you are rich and famous."

With a wink, the man waved him off in the direction of the academy.

Walking towards some buildings Yan muttered quietly under his breath.

"I guess not all citizens of the Federation are monsters..."

Throughout the entire conversation with the secretary, his hand had never left his sword.

…

[Day 1 of conscript bootcamp]

Five thousand youths filled the training grounds, facing a slightly elevated stage. On it, there was a group of gruff looking people.

"Conscripts!"

Silence.

The young men and women, all around the age of 16, looked on at the lady on stage. They were stunned by her good looks.

Around the age of 15 - 16, most humans reached the age of maturity, with their hormones buzzing, they could call themselves adults.

So this dark haired 19 year old beauty made both genders start to salivate unconsciously.

Yan's seemingly dead eyes only glanced for a second at the alluring woman.

"Fucking Federation scum..."

Because of the well endowed distraction on stage, no one seemed to hear his comment.

After a deep breath, he calmed himself down and took his hand off of the hilt of his blade,

"I mustn't give myself away so easily."

He thought to himself clenching his fist.

"I'm not strong enough yet."

"In these 3 months you'll be subjected to rigorous training, it'll temper both your mind's and bodies making you into fine soldiers."

The 'spell' was broken by a middle-aged man.

"It'll consist of intense conditioning, martial arts, spell chant memorisation and execution and close and ranged weapon training."

"Come up to the stage, you'll be assigned your barrack's!"

*Thud*

Yan placed his issued uniform on his bed, it consisted of a shirt and a pair of trousers.

No one had been told this at the gathering but all the barracks were not split into men and women, and due to budget deficit normal conscripts had no privacy whatsoever.

"Uncultured swine's..."

Yan sighed as he started to take off his travelling cloak.

Every conscript was doing the same thing, they were all glancing around trying to get a good look at everybody, judging their bodily assets.

Whistles and catcalls resounded throughout the building.

Still, Yan's gaze was always to the floor as he undressed in silence.

Taking off his shirt he reveal a lean yet extremely muscular physique that gave him a powerful aura.

No one could count the sheer amount of scars and old wounds all over his body. The most visible was a huge cross slash on his back and two of what looked like bullet wounds around the area of his stomach. Anyone that looked the way was immediately fascinated by the collage created on his body.

Alas, before they could think twice about it, he had already donned his military issued shirt and pulled up his trousers completely covering it all.

He was quickly forgotten about as he sat down on his bed and started cleaning his sword with an oilcloth.

…

*Pant* *Pant*

Heavy breathing sounded all around him.

The conscripts were being made to run one of the many obstacles located on the grounds of the Theodore academy.

Although most of the conscripts were not in great shape there were some like Yan that had gone through some training in the past, yet still, the majority were not faring well.

In front of them was a tall wall that they needed to scale. On top of it were a few conscripts that had already cleared this obstacle.

Their instructor had encouraged them all to work as a team so these faster few were waiting atop the wall ready to help pull up the people behind them on the course.

The wall was extremely wide and about four metres tall with old ropes hanging from the top.

Yan wasn't at the start of the group as he didn't want to show off and attract any unnecessary attention. He watched on as the ones in front of him tried to scale the wall with varying degrees of success.

When a young guy made it to the top he was helped up by two colleagues. With a grin, he thanked them and positioned himself to help the next conscripts.

"Come on this way we can help you guys!"

This conscript's name was Derrick, he was an extreme extrovert and had tried to make friends with everyone back in the barracks.

They had run 6 km already and they all looked relieved that there was a group willing to help, everyone started to group around the part of the wall where they would get help.

Yan grabbed a rope and started to make his way up strongly and steadily, unfazed by what was going on around him.

Someone reached out a hand to him as he was nearing the top, ready to help him up.

But this hand was completely ignored.

Yan was the first one to jump off the other side of the wall, executing a perfect combat roll negating any fall damage, he wasn't willing to help these people.

"The federation is weak..."

He muttered venomously.