Pyarod Army 3

The First Morning of Training

"WAKE UUUUUUUUP!!!"

The deafening shout of Instructor Naoso sent a shockwave through the sleeping recruits.

Recruits: "Wha—?! Huh?! It’s still dark outside!!"

Naoso: "I don’t care! Get outside and line up in the training field! You have one minute! MOVE!"

Panic set in as the recruits scrambled out of bed, throwing on their boots and racing toward the field.

They barely made it, standing in an uneven formation, some still half-asleep.

Naoso’s piercing gaze scanned the group.

Then—his voice rang out like thunder.

Naoso: "WHY. ARE. YOU. HERE?"

Several recruits raised their hands eagerly, waiting to answer.

Naoso: "I’ll answer for you. You are here to die—to sacrifice your lives for the safety of others. There are no objections. This is the first and most important rule."

A chilling silence followed—then, in unison, the recruits shouted:

"Understood, sir!"

Naoso’s gaze swept over them.

Naoso: "Now, does anyone have an idea how to kill a Silamodor Scorpion?"

Several hands shot up again.

Naoso: "You. Introduce yourself and answer."

A young recruit stepped forward.

Recruit: "I am Brozo Saloyik from Branduz Village. We kill them by cutting off their heads!"

Another stepped forward.

Recruit: "I’m Faloy Shwaz from Kamanio Village! We slice them in half!"

Naoso burst into laughter.

Naoso: "Fools! You think that’s enough?! A Silamodor Scorpion does not die by beheading. It does not die if you pierce its heart! Their bodies can regenerate, and the stronger they are, the faster they heal!"

The recruits exchanged nervous glances.

Naoso: "To truly kill one, you must sever its spinal core—and only then strike its heart."

A recruit hesitated before asking:

Recruit: "Why do Silamodor Scorpions attack us?"

Naoso’s expression darkened.

Naoso: "Because they feed on us. Specifically—our livers. Some, the stronger ones, feed on hearts instead. And those are far more powerful."

A cold shiver ran through the crowd.

Naoso: "Enough talk! Training begins NOW!"

---

Three Grueling Months of Training

Month One

The recruits endured endless running, pushing their bodies beyond exhaustion. Sweat, pain, and aching muscles became their daily reality.

Month Two

They were forced to navigate deadly trap zones, testing their agility and reflexes. The strain was unbearable—but they survived.

Month Three

The recruits stood before a vast training ground—500 stone scorpion statues stood in their path.

Naoso: "Each of these statues is crafted from an extremely hard stone. You must destroy all of them. Traps are set throughout the field. If you don’t all make it out with every statue shattered, you’ll do it again."

The recruits charged. It was brutal—the traps, the weight of their weapons, the sheer endurance needed. By the time they emerged, they were barely standing.

Naoso surveyed the group.

Naoso: "Well done. You have officially completed the first phase of training. Tomorrow, you will learn what remains. For now—rest."

---

A Night of Reflection

Back in their quarters, Brozo stood before his fellow recruits, his voice full of excitement.

Brozo: "We’re gonna be warriors! We’ll hunt down the scorpions and save people! Just imagine how amazing this will be!"

A recruit named Kambian frowned.

Kambian: "I wouldn’t be so sure. I’ve heard things… Things we still don’t understand about the Silamodor Scorpions."

Another recruit, Zianai, laughed.

Zianai: "I bet half of us will quit before we even see a real scorpion."

Sumiko turned to Rogan, whispering.

Sumiko: "That’s exactly what Dariko said…"

Rogan clenched his fists.

Rogan: "Then we’ll just train harder. We will become stronger."

---

The Final Challenge

The next morning, the recruits gathered in the training field.

Naoso stood before them, his expression unreadable.

Naoso: "You have reached the key to the final phase."

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

Naoso: "To prove yourselves, you must cross that mountain. The forest is thick and treacherous. But at the other end—your final test awaits."

Brozo smirked.

Brozo: "That’s it? A mountain hike?"

A recruit named Jitrako chuckled.

Jitrako: "This is gonna be easy."

Naoso’s lips curled into a smirk.

Naoso: "Is that so? Because this time, for the first time, you will face real Silamodor Scorpions. There is no turning back. To proceed—you must survive."

Sumiko: "W-WHAT?!"

Jitrako: "Wait… Are we actually ready for this?!"

Rogan stepped forward, fire in his eyes.

Rogan: "Why are you afraid? We’ve trained for this exact moment! Every single one of us has endured hell to be here. Don’t doubt your strength. Don’t waste all this effort. We can do this."

The recruits straightened. Rogan’s words ignited something within them.

Naoso’s grin widened.

Naoso: "Now, then… ARE YOU READY?!"

Naoso: "Ready, recruits?"

Recruits: "Ready!"

Naoso: "Move out, get ready to run! Go!"

The recruits, each armed with a simple sword, begin their trek into the heart of the forest, the Silamodor Scorpions lurking in the shadows.

Rogan: "Sumiko, you and I will team up to kill the scorpions. Let’s make our way around the mountain together."

Jitrako: "Mind if I join you guys?"

Rogan: "Of course! With all three of us, we’ll be stronger."

The trio arrives at the base of the mountain, where the dense trees tower over them. Each of them takes a different direction to scout ahead. Suddenly, they hear laughter in the distance.

Out of nowhere, a Silamodor Scorpion appears and charges at them. The trio quickly attacks, landing several strikes, but the scorpion deflects them with ease.

Rogan: "Alright, here’s the plan. Jit and I will distract it from the front. Sumiko, you go for its spinal cord!"

Sumiko charges at the scorpion, but its tail swipes and blocks his every attempt.

Sumiko: "I can’t do it! Its tail keeps blocking me!"

Rogan sees an opening and charges from a different angle.

Rogan: "Now’s your chance!"

With a swift strike, Sumiko severs the scorpion's spinal cord. Jitrako follows up and plunges his sword into the creature's heart with precision.

Jitrako: "Yes! We did it!"

Rogan: "Let’s move! There’s still more to go."

Meanwhile, Zianai strolls casually through the forest, unaffected by the chaos around him.

Zianai: "What a boring forest... Where are the scorpions? Are they scared?"

He walks a little further, only to be startled by Brozo, who appears suddenly in front of him.

Brozo: "What’s wrong with you, idiot?! Why are you yelling like that?"

Zianai: "I haven't seen a single one of these scorpions! Are they afraid or something?" He laughs.

Brozo: "Lower your voice! Are you treating this like a joke?"

Zianai: "Stop being such a coward! Grow a spine!"

Brozo: "Look out behind you!"

Just as Brozo warns him, a Silamodor Scorpion attacks at lightning speed. Brozo shoves Zianai to the ground, taking the full brunt of the scorpion’s sting to his chest. He collapses, groaning in pain.

Zianai: "Brozo!!!"

The scorpion laughs menacingly and approaches Zianai. It grabs him by the collar and lifts him into the air before slamming him into a tree. It sneers:

Scorpion: "Surprised? Why didn’t I eat him, you ask? Because many of my brothers have already died. We’re stuck here, and if I kill him, I’ll die too. But listen... one day, I’ll be free."

With a powerful toss, the scorpion throws Zianai to the ground and scuttles away.

Zianai struggles to his feet, wincing in pain as he approaches Brozo.

Zianai: "I owe you one, my friend. I won’t let you die in vain."

He carries Brozo on his back and begins walking, determined to find help.

Meanwhile, the remaining recruits are either fleeing in terror or wounded, their bodies battered from the relentless attacks of the scorpions.

Rogan, Sumiko, and Jitrako, however, face more scorpions along their path. Thankfully, these scorpions are easier to deal with than the first one.

Eventually, they reach the end of the mountain, where they are joined by Zianai, Brozo, and many other recruits who have barely survived.

They find themselves in an open space, a clearing devoid of trees, looking around in confusion.

Sumiko: "What now?! What’s next?" His voice trembles with fear.

Zianai: "Brozo’s bleeding! His wound’s inflamed!"

Rogan: "What?! We need to do something!"

Another recruit intervenes.

Other Recruit: "There’s nothing you can do for him now. Just leave him for now. He needs to be taken to the Piayrod Medical Center as soon as possible."

The weight of their mission now felt even heavier. The recruits couldn’t afford to waste any more time. They had to continue their journey—the real battle was just beginning.

Rogan: "Who are you?"

Kanji: "I’m Kanji."

Rogan: "How do you know all this?"

Kanji: "My father told me about the Piayrod Army, and many things about what goes on here... including the scorpion that attacked him with its deadly venomous technique—the flaming swords."

Rogan: "Alright, we’ll place him here."

Rogan carefully sets the injured recruit next to a wall. But before they can even catch their breath, a massive Silamodor Scorpion appears before them.

The giant scorpion speaks mockingly: "Well, well, my dear friends. I see it's not time for dinner just yet."

The recruits hesitate but soon charge at it, but their attacks are in vain. The scorpion deflects them effortlessly, and the air is filled with the sound of grunts and struggles as the recruits suffer cuts and burns.

Scorpion: "Is this really all your strength?"

Sumiko: "Shut up!"

Sumiko rushes forward with determination, slashing at the scorpion. However, the creature quickly strikes back with its tail, knocking Sumiko to the ground.

Rogan seizes the opportunity, leaping from behind, sword raised to strike the scorpion's spine. But before he can land the blow, the scorpion’s sharp claws block the attack and slashes at Rogan’s shoulder, leaving him wounded.

Jitrako: "We need to work together to kill it!"

The group splits into two, with some charging forward to distract the creature while others take positions from behind.

Kambian and another recruit slice the scorpion's legs, causing it to stumble. Rogan and Sumiko seize the chance, swiftly cutting its spinal cord. From the front, Jitrako and another recruit leap forward, plunging their swords into the scorpion's heart.

Jitrako: "Yes, we did it!"

Rogan: "Let’s keep moving. We’ve got more to do!"

The recruits cheer in victory, exhausted but proud of their teamwork. Rogan hugs Sumiko in appreciation.

Naoso: "Attention!"

The recruits immediately fall into formation. They are quickly ushered into the medical unit, where Brozo and other injured recruits are carefully transported to Piayrod’s medical center.

The recruits, drained and battered, lean on each other for support. The fatigue is evident as they barely catch their breath.

Kanji: "Rogan, tell them you’ve been poisoned by its venom. Don’t forget."

Rogan: "You're right."

Naoso: "I believe you’re all done for today... Tomorrow will be a historic day for you. You will discover the true strength of the Piayrod Army. Tomorrow, you’ll learn the most dangerous skills."

Rogan follows the medical team to the Piayrod medical center, where the injured are treated, while the remaining recruits, under Naoso’s guidance, head toward their rest area to recuperate. Tomorrow’s training promises to be even more intense, and the recruits can only wonder what challenges lie ahead.