Though new recruits didn’t join the Brown Legion immediately, they weren’t allowed to idle during the interim. Those with skills worked technical jobs, those without did manual bor, and spare time was spent on physical training. Augustine was assigned some menial tasks in this time.

  After some time, the initiation ceremony was set to begin. Practically everyone was gathered except for those who are needed elsewhere to keep the fortress functional. The newcomers stood at the center, surrounded by Legion members arranged in concentric circles based on seniority—those with the least experience closest to the recruits, and the most experienced farthest out.

  The Legion’s leaders stood on a raised ptform: the commander, the heads of various professions, and the fifteen captains responsible for external missions. As a recruit brought by Norbert, Augustine stood in front of him.

  Once everyone was assembled, the commander stepped forward, his voice carrying to all: “The initiation ceremony is about to begin! Those who don’t wish to join, step aside!”

  Seeing no one move, he continued, “Very well! Let the ceremony commence!”

  An ornate giant cauldron was pced on the ptform. Filled with water, the commander produced a fist-sized ruby, squeezing it until a single drop of crimson liquid fell into the cauldron. The water instantly turned a deeper red than wine. One by one, the leaders approached, slicing their hands with swords and letting their blood drip into the cauldron. Miraculously, the water became clear again.

  Each newcomer received a cup filled with the liquid, and the commander decred, “Embrace your new life!”

  The recruits drank, and their cups slipped from their hands. Those who joined with malicious intent died in agony. Those unworthy are consumed by the power within the liquid. The unfortunate fell into an endless sleep. Only the rest would awaken as true members of the Legion, Augustine numbered among them.

  “This batch of recruits isn’t bad,” the commander remarked. “The survival rate is high. Let us pray for those lost to forces beyond their control.” He closed his eyes in silent tribute for a few minutes before saying to the other leaders, “I leave the rest to you.” With that, he left the square.

  Those with technical skills or talent were assigned to continuing work in relevant areas, successors followed their mentors, and the rest took odd jobs until they found their pce. Norbert took Augustine to the commander to prepare for what y ahead.

  The commander said, “Since you’re Norbert’s successor, you’ll help me prepare alongside him. Using your mind and staying active as a child never hurts. When you’re strong enough to wield a sword, you’ll start combat training.”

  Augustine’s routine began: learning to read, exercising, eating with other members, and preparing for training. At first, Yuris tried to teach Augustine magic, but he showed no aptitude, so Yuris gave up, allowing Norbert to focus more on his training. “Human lifespans are too short,” Norbert believed. “There’s no point fretting over what you’re not good at. Rather than obsessing over your weak points, focus on your strong suits..”

  Once Augustine could swing a sword, he began sparring with other members. The strongest were the external mission teams, so Augustine trained only with them.

  Though Augustine wanted to spar with Norbert, the captain said, “Azmond’s stronger than me—you’ll gain more from him. I haven’t trained properly in a while, so sparring with you now might embarrass me.”

  Only after Augustine grew accustomed did Norbert join the opposing side.

  “That’s unfair!” Augustine compined. “I haven’t won a single match, and now I’m up against two people!”

  “The primary objective in combat is your own survival,” Norbert replied. “Killing your opponent is secondary. You need to adapt to every scenario: one-on-one, one-against-many, many-against-one. What you can learn in the fortress is limited, but you must master what you can before venturing out.”

  As Augustine’s skills gradually matched those of other Legion members, further training yielded diminishing returns. His strength had pteaued, cking the crucible of real combat experience. Thus, beyond maintaining his abilities, most of his time was allocated to other duties.

  One day, the commander summoned Augustine to a hidden location. Without the commander’s guidance, Augustine would never have noticed its existence. Through an unremarkable wooden door and a pitch-bck corridor, they emerged into a blindingly lit space.

  “This is…” Augustine gasped, awestruck.

  The sheer scale of the chamber was staggering, so much so that the idea of such a pce being hidden would have seemed impossible. Even without a single light source, the space glowed with an unearthly brilliance.

  The commander spoke: “This is the heart of the Legion—its core, from the past to the present and into the distant future. You’ll soon leave for missions and may not return here. So, I’ll fulfill my duty as commander here. Before we were the Brown Legion, we were the ████ Holy Knights. Under our god’s guidance, we ended the world’s camity and built this pce. Soon, as our god foretold, our final mission will come: to repel the demon race once more.”

  The commander handed Augustine an ancient book and said, “This records everything that happened then. May you never forget its teachings.” The moment Augustine touched it, the book crumbled like an ancient relic, dissolving into ash finer than if burned by fire.

  The commander expined, “It’s a one-use artifact, not a true book. The knowledge you need will gradually surface in your mind. In time, you’ll understand.”

  As they walked back, Augustine asked, “Aren’t you Holy Knights? Why does no one else act like it, except you?”

  The commander replied, “Our god doesn’t care for the adoration of the masses. He values those who follow him quietly over being a beacon of faith. People come here with their own gods, and we have no right—nor does he need—to demand their devotion. Only those truly worthy can become one of us.”

  From that day, Augustine’s schedule included a new task: faith training with the commander and others.