"I DON'T want to hear about your background or what you want to be. If I say that you will be shield-bearer then you will be one if I say, archer, then you will be one. My words will be the first thing and the last thing you will hear." The man had one leg, standing there with the help of a cane. The sun hasn't risen yet but all the recruits were gathered in the opened ground. "There 7234 of you are here. Do you even dare to think that all of you will be recruited? Most of you will die or run back home crying. Only 5000 will be recruited, not more, might be less."

"The royal court only suggested that there will be only 10% reserve in the army. The Red Corps have 50000 so they will have 5000 reserve force. And that type of thing only happens when we are going on a war. I told you." JB added the words from the side. Kinoya couldn't be more surprise JB.

"For the first month there will be basic training of bodybuilding and weapon training depending on the type of squad you will be. Then there will be advanced training for one month, after that, you will select in the squad, for the last month you will do tactics training. But don't fly too high. You have to survive the first month. Now move your asses over to the tents quick. Listen if you want to survive then follow the rules as your life depends on it."

Soon there was rush all over the place. People lined up outside the tent. It was almost 2 hours before he got the chance to get in. It was the same process all over again. Kinoya put his hand on the orb and it lights up. The panel was both side view.

[NAME: Kinoya Arviga

Age: 12

Record: No criminal record.

Recommendation: The Arviga Duke, The Moon general, ########

Title: Apprentice General

Pseudo Title: Little Moon General

####@@@

Strength: 68

Dexterity: 72

Intelligence: 182

Health: 264

####@@@]

The status it was showing was little different from the one shown in another orb. It was for the first time Kinoya was seeing Record, recommendation or pseudo-title. Now he could understand how the general knew about the title. On the other hand, there was no talent or skill was showing here.

The examiner was surprised too. "This is the third time, today. Call the Major." He then turned to Kinoya, "Sit and relax. Major will talk to you personally. Next."

Kinoya moves to the side as the next one came in. Next one status got checked but Kinoya couldn't see it.

"High dexterity, low health. Rearguard, archer." The examiner tossed a red badge to him with a bow design.

"Why are you looking for me?" A heavy voice came from the outside. The examiner whispered something in his ear and a smile appeared on the face.

"Boy come with me." Kinoya hesitated for a moment. "Don't worry you will be back soon."

"Sit down, boy. You are Kinoya, right?" Kinoya nodded as he continued, "Listen, you are just 12 and you will be able to become a mage if you join the magic academy of the capital."

"I know I was going there."

The Major just fall into his sit hearing the answer. "You know The Mage has the highest standing in Empire, you can even become a Magic Knight."

"I will become one. But I am not of the age to enter the academy. I will spend some time in the army then go to the academy"

'I thought with 182 in his intelligence stat he will be much wiser. But it is a child after all.' The Major thought out loud, "Well you needed to be 14 years old to be an army."

"But I have the stats, and the Moon general said I could join in if got the stats. If there is a problem I can go to the Moon legion or whatever of it left."

"No that is not the problem, but you know you can die even before you hit 16."

"Don't worry I won't."

"You really made up your mind?"

"That is why I am here after all." Kinoya can really feel the goodwill from the person but it is not like he was going to change his mind because of that. Rather he became numb to the fear of death. Constant death and reincarnation made him numb.

[Did you really think that you can die?]

Another sarcastic remark hits him hard. But the Major broke his train of thoughts.

"If you really going to join the military I can take you in. I am Major From of 3rd regiment."

"Of general Korai?"

"You know him?"

"He brought me in."

"That will make the thing easier. Just complete your training." With the smile, the major added "With your stat and 2 hidden stats you can really easily make it through"

"Can there is a way to know my hidden stats?"

"Only the Special orb of capital can show it. By the way what type of soldier you wanted to be? With your stat, you are suited for almost anything."

"I will be infantry, the swordsman."

The major was little disheartened with the answer. " Just finish your training and I will arrange something from you. With your stats, it will be easier to get promoted if you are a cavalry. Now go back to the ground."

Kinoya stood up from the seat and bowed, "Thank you sir, but I must reject that offer. With my [Intermediate Sword Mastery] I will be more suitable as heavy infantry than a cavalry at least for now." And left the tent.

'For a 12-year-old it will be hard to get basic weapon skill, but intermediate skill? This kid couldn't be a simple one.' With the thought, he left to find the general.

Kinoya came back to the area of recruitment and it was still going on. He got back to the tent and got his red infantry badge with a sabre symbol on it.

"So you got it right?" JB greeted from behind.

Kinoya about to answer but stopped at the crestfallen look on his face. "What about you?"

"I was told I wasn't clean enough." JB hesitated to speak about it, "Well I was orphan and did all kind of thing to live. But that is not a problem. I am sure that I will be well-known mercenary in no time."

Kinoya couldn't say anything to him. In this life, he never got close to other than his sister and the old man. On top of that, he just meets JB for one day but for some reason he was feeling bad for him. It was not for him, rather for his talent. It was a talent worth cultivating.

"Well," Kinoya took out a pouch from his dress, "Take it. It is not much but it will help you."

JB opened up the pouch that Kinoya shoved into his hand. He opened it and was dumbfounded. "Even a silver level mercenary don't earn this much in a year, And why are you given it to me? I know you for a day at most. I can't take it."

"Don't worry I got it from the bandit base, and here I don't have any use of it. You take it."

"Even if you don't need it now, you will need it someday."

Kinoya closed in and whispered in his year, "If you are right I will be going to war soon. I don't even know whether I can use this money in other country or not, and you really think I would need money. I am the one recommended by the Moon general, money will come to me."

JB just stood there for some moment not knowing what to say, but came forward and hugged him, "Bro If you need anything any time come to Moma, I will give you anything you want. I will be big mercenary by the time you come back. And don't you dare to die on me."

Kinoya couldn't help to smile on his words. It was too soon to say he was a friend or not but somehow he got these feeling that the will be in the future. The recruitment process went on for the whole day. Almost 400 people were sent back home.

At the end of the day, there were 5 people left in the cave. There were two cavalries, Akori and Chanakya, one infantry and one archer. It came with no surprise that Biskas became a shield-bearer.

A loud drum beat woke Kinoya up in the morning. With old man training it wasn't any problem to wake up. Without hesitation, he left the cave for the training ground. Chanakya was there even before him. There were five poles around the place with the flag of bow, sword, spears, shield and horseshoe. After ten minutes 10 people came to the platform with the one-legged one. By the time the ground was jam-packed.

"42, that one who came late can pack your bag and go home." With the words, the crowd outside the ground broke into an uproar. It was soon turned silent with the sound of whip slash.

"Your enemy won't get easy on you just it is your first day in the war, they are not going to ask you before attacking whether you are ready or not, they won't wait to listen to your excuse. Those who can stay conscious after 10 whips will be staying at the camp other will be sent home."

Soon enough only 7 people return out of 42. The one started to shout again, "What you think it isn't fair? Well, welcome to the real world. And don't worry about the whips. It was a special gift for the first day, from tomorrow if you are late, you will be given 50 whips and then thrown out of the camp."

"Now you will be divided into a group of 500. You have to run around the city by the wall within 3 hours. The good news is it is just 50 km and the bad news are the time will decrease every day."

"I am an archer, do I really need to run that much?" Kinoya shook his head hearing the words. 'Forget about the question, he is going to get whipped just for talking.' And right he was.

"10 whips to the one who talked without permission. It doesn't matter whatever you are when I told you to run you have to do it without any question. Now quick assemble in 25X25. Shorts are in front of the large one in the back. We will start in ten."

And it was a total mess. It was impossible all the civilian to be arranged in the perfect array just because they were ordered. But with a whip and some strict administration, it was ready. Though 12 years old he can be easily mistaken as 10 years old due to his height. It was quite natural that he was standing right in front of the array.

There was instructor running in front of them and leading the way. Kinoya didn't need to run fast, he just needed to follow the instructor. Some people came from behind and overtaken him, some lagged behind during the course of the route but the distance between the instructor and him never increased nor lessened.

After perfect 2 and half hours, they reached the starting line again. Looking at his back the instructor shook his head and turned to the front never to look back again. Not even 100 people were able to reach the fishing line with the first group and only 12 people were left standing after reaching the place. None of his cave mates was here it was quite natural as none of his cave mates was infantry. Soon people started to flood in.

After 3 hours were up the instructor turned back again. It didn't matter to him whether all the one returned or not he just started talking.

"You are all chosen to be infantry, a swordsman on that. There are two types of it. One is sword shield infantry and the other is dual sword infantry. Now we will have to choose one type of mastery. We will teach you the basic and then you have to earn basic skills named [Basic Sword-Shield mastery] or [Dual-Sword mastery] depending on the path." The instructor looked at Kinoya who has raised his hand with questioning eyes.

"What?" The instructor was clearly irritated.

"Can I learn both of them?" With a moment of silence, jeers started to appear in the crowd.

"Look at the tiny, don't even know his own limit."

"Do you even know what skill is?"

…

All of it turned silent with the shout from the instructor. The instructor wasn't surprised because of the question. In every batch of recruitment, there are some who overestimate himself only to fail miserably in the future. But the one asked question surprised him. It was the same one who took down bandit camp himself. Not just that the boy was recommended by the moon general. He must have his worth.

The instructor didn't show any expression in his face. "You are welcome to do whatever you want as long as you can get the basic mastery by the end of the month. No matter who you are if you aren't able to get the basic skill at the end of the month you are out."

Another hand of the crowd stopped him. "I want to use a two-handed bastard sword." The one was quite tall well built.

"As long as you can get the basic mastery. Now we will move to the training yard 4, where you will train for the first month. There will be an instructor who will teach you through the course of a month, now move." Soon they were lead to the training yard. "You two come with me." The instructor pointed towards Kinoya and another one who ask the question. The other could feel what misfortune was going to fall on them.