Chapter 4 Trial By Training

The werewolf attacks on cities are spreading and becoming increasingly rampant. They strike randomly, spreading terror among every citizen. Captain Murdock grows more frustrated with their behavior and decides to recruit new members to be trained as werewolf hunters. In a few days, trained individuals gather, ready to be forged into skilled werewolf hunters.

Captain Murdock assembles all the prospective hunters in a secret specialized training location. One by one, they undergo training in shooting, swordplay, martial arts, and other skills. During the training, the captain becomes interested in the abilities of one particular candidate: Leonardo, a man with a tall and muscular physique. The captain sees great potential in him, combined with adequate body posture.

"Evan, what do you think of Leonardo?" the captain asks Evan.

"He's amazing. We need someone like him," Evan enthusiastically replies.

Captain Murdock calls Leonardo and appoints him as the war leader under Evan's command. Leonardo is thrilled with his new role.

"Thank you, captain. I will do my best in this task," Leonardo says.

"Good. From now on, you can coordinate with Evan as your superior," Captain Murdock replies.

"Understood, captain," Leo (Leonardo's nickname) responds.

Captain Murdock is also surprised by the progress shown by Arva and Chelsea. They have truly become battle-ready soldiers.

"You're all incredible. I never expected you to come this far," the captain positively comments to Arva and Chelsea. They have trained very hard because they are aware that the enemies they will face are not ordinary humans.

Elsewhere, Livie stands watching everyone's enthusiastic training. They show high spirits and seem to have extra motivation. Livie smiles when she sees Chelsea waving at her, and she responds with a broad smile.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Chelsea asks Arva.

Arva smiles, "Yes, unfortunately, she's still young," Arva jokes.

The training continues with more challenging stages. They train their physical strength through running, swimming, and weightlifting exercises. Many struggle with the physical training.

Out of the thousands who tried to join, only about a hundred remain. Evan is somewhat disappointed with this number, but he remains optimistic. As long as the remaining candidates have capabilities equivalent to his own, he feels greatly supported.

Captain Murdock is amazed by Chelsea's unexpected progress, as she endures the increasingly intense training.

"Your spirit of revenge has enabled you to endure until this stage," the captain tries to distract Chelsea. Chelsea smiles tensely and continues her training.

In another corner, Arva focuses on training her shooting skills. She faces difficulties due to her poor eyesight and thick glasses. Evan patiently teaches Arva the proper shooting techniques.

Captain Murdock approaches Livie, who is watching the soldiers train with great enthusiasm. The captain sits next to her.

"Initially, I thought you were just a burden, which is why I was angry when you first came here. But Chelsea took the right step by vouching for you," the captain speaks with authority.

Livie, who doesn't understand the captain's words, remains silent and looks bewildered. The captain pats her shoulder and says, "You possess a power that ordinary people don't have."

As the captain walks away, Livie remains pensive, contemplating the meaning of his words. Chelsea notices Livie's confusion and approaches her.

"What's wrong, dear? You look confused," Chelsea greets her.

"The captain said something about me, but I don't understand his meaning and intentions with his words," Livie explains.

"Don't overthink it. You're safe with me," Chelsea tries to make Livie feel comfortable. Livie feels at ease when Chelsea is by her side. Livie sees Chelsea as her own mother figure because she is caring and protective.

The training ends as the evening approaches. They all clean themselves up and rest to prepare for the training the next day.

Chelsea, who is very active, heads towards the central control room, and Arva follows suit. Livie is the last one to head towards the control room.

"Hey, Livie, how are you doing?" Arva asks Livie in a friendly manner.

"I'm doing fine, brother," Livie replies with a smile.

As they watch the CCTV monitor showing a corner of the city, they are shocked by a sudden attack by the werewolves. Chelsea, who sees this, immediately turns around and intends to leave.

Suddenly, Livie grabs Chelsea's hand. "Don't, sis, not now," Livie stares at Chelsea with a sharp and deep gaze. Chelsea is surprised to see a different look in Livie's eyes. Chelsea falls silent and starts pulling Livie to go to a secluded place.

"Come with me for a moment, I want to talk to you," Chelsea invites.

Livie and Chelsea walk towards Livie's room and engage in a brief conversation.

"Livie, explain to me, who are your parents?" Chelsea starts becoming interested in uncovering Livie's background.

"My father is Dany, a farmer. My mother is Maya, a seamstress. Both of them were killed right in front of my eyes," Livie replies briefly.

"Any other information?" Chelsea presses on.

"That's all, sis. What else would you like to know? I'm confused," Livie innocently answers. Chelsea takes a deep breath and then embraces Livie.

"It's okay, dear. We're safe here," Chelsea replies.

Captain Murdock steps out to see the CCTV footage showing the werewolves brutally attacking innocent city dwellers. The captain feels angry because he can't do much at the moment.

"Captain, can we prevent their actions?" Chelsea asks with concern.

The captain turns around and looks at Chelsea. "We have coordinated with the local security forces, but it seems they were caught off guard, allowing those creatures to enter," the captain looks disappointed and returns to his office.

Evan, who is also present, speaks softly to Chelsea. "Tomorrow is our last day of training. Hopefully, we can take immediate action and prevent further casualties," Evan calmly delivers his message, soothing Chelsea's heart.

In the ammunition room, Arva is busy teaching the crew how to insert the formula into the bullets.

"We'll use these bullets tomorrow. Hopefully, they work effectively," Arva says enthusiastically.

The team spent the rest of the day preparing for their final day of training, fine-tuning their strategies, and making sure all their equipment was in order. Captain Murdock joined them later, his disappointment replaced by a determined expression.

"We might have been caught off guard this time, but we won't let that happen again," Captain Murdock declared, his voice filled with resolve. "Tomorrow, we'll be prepared, and we'll do whatever it takes to protect our town."