The Enlistment

The bustling army registration office was teeming with young men, all eager to prove their worth. Among them were Sung Dubland and Sean Allen, lifelong friends and adventurers at heart. They stood shoulder to shoulder, their eyes scanning the room for any potential danger. They were in a world far from home, a realm filled with magic and unknown dangers, and their only way to survive was to become stronger.

Sean, with a thoughtful expression, broke the silence. "You know, a crossbow is better than any other weapon."

Sung quirked an eyebrow at his friend. "A crossbow needs ammo, Sean. A katana or a spear would be better. Imagine this, you have a crossbow but you only have three arrows left. The guy you're trying to beat is wearing a chain mail vest. How do you win?"

Sean shrugged, "Shoot him in the head?"

"That's one way," Sung replied, "But if you had a spear or a katana, you could slash or stab him. No ammo needed."

Their lively debate was interrupted when their names were called. Anticipation coursed through their veins. This was it. The next step in their journey.

With a shared glance, they raced to the front desk. Sung, with his athleticism, nimbly navigated through the crowd, while Sean, with his charm, politely asked others to step aside. It was a close race, but they both managed to reach the desk at the same time, breathing heavily.

The soldier at the desk eyed them with a stern expression. "Why are you late?"

Sean, ever the diplomat, apologized, "Sorry, sir."

Sung, with a hint of defiance, retorted, "We're just 20 seconds late."

The soldier merely grunted, "Write your names and you'll be enlisted."

With a quick exchange of glances, Sean and Sung wrote down their names. Once they were done, they were handed basic cloth uniforms and directed towards a large carriage. As they climbed aboard, they knew they were one step closer to surviving in this magical world. Their training was about to begin, and they would be ready for whatever came their way.