"Welcome to hell, everybody!" Lieutenant General Arjun shouted from the stage.
"You still have a chance to back off before a gruesome session begins. And don't think you just have to survive one month to enter the Para SF forces. Every single day from today until you retire will be frightening, scarring, shocking, and dangerous.
There's a real chance your dead body may never reach your parents—or you might not even know how you died… which bullet, grenade, or bomb took you out.
This isn't a place for weaklings. Hundreds of you come and go every year, and only a handful survive this hell.
So if you want to back off, now's the time. Otherwise, I promise this: for the next six months, you'll wake up every day wishing you were dead."
General Arjun's voice sent a chill down everyone's spine.
"Now, for the first day—you have a 60 km run. Each of you will run with your group. There are no breaks in between. If your feet can move, you survive.
And once again... Welcome to the hell."
[Dev's pov]
After hearing the General's voice, I could see fear on the faces of the trainees—though it soon turned into motivation. As for me? Man, it didn't have any fucking effect. Our school's principal used to give the same threatening speech whenever our results weren't helping the school's ranking. And like that was our fault… ahem, I went off topic.
I reached out to one of the instructors, asking which group I'd be running with, and I was told—Group D.
Soon, a buzzer sounded. Group A started running.Oh, and if you're wondering what happens if you aren't fast enough? That's what the instructors and assistants were assigned for. They had long, thin wooden sticks—and if you think thick sticks hurt more, man… once you get hit by a thin stick, your skin comes out with it.
The fourth buzzer sounded, fifteen minutes after the third. Karan and I took off, maintaining a perfect pace.Oh—and did I forget to mention? Karan was in Group D too. He told me about it yesterday.
We had one simple task: follow the jeep at a steady pace until it stops.
Karan and I were running side by side, somewhere in the middle of the group.After 5 Km
Swush!A sharp sound came from behind, followed by a painful shriek. All the trainees instinctively turned their heads to look back—only to find an assistant striking the last trainee.Somewhat scared, all of us picked up the pace.
My eyes landed on the jeep. Captain Mahender—guessing from his gestures—just ticked something on the notebook he was holding. Maybe… eliminating that candidate?
By the time we hit the 20 km mark, we saw two guys laying on the side—one panting, one vomiting. And, probably influenced by the sight, two from our group fell to their knees.What followed them?That goddamn thin stick on their butts.
After crossing the 25 km mark, more people started dropping. Panting, vomiting blood, passing out—even with all the hardcore training and adaptation from the previous days, I started feeling pain creep into my legs.
I looked at Karan—he seemed focused on maintaining his breathing, but the sweat on his scrunched-up face told me he was in pain too.
By the time we crossed 45 km, man, my legs were screaming. Out of 29 groupmates, only 15 remained. The rest had either passed out or started vomiting blood.
Karan and I were somehow managing to hold on, but I noticed something—the jeep's speed reduced a bit. Not enough for others to notice, but I did. A few subtle units slower. Maybe a small mercy?
Soon, we reached the final 5 km.Every muscle in my body was on fire. My feet? Numb. I was just moving.I knew—if I slowed down even a little, I'd collapse.Only adrenaline was keeping me upright.
My mind had just one thought looping over and over:Run. Run. RUN.
I wasn't noticing anything anymore neither how Karan is nor ho many candidates are left.
I was just running.
Soon, a sight came into view—three jeeps stationed ahead. Trainees lay sprawled out, passed out or chucking water while panting like animals.
My body was at its limits, completely broken. And finally… that jeep stopped.
Thud.I heard a sound beside me. Karan had passed out.Seeing that, my legs wobbled—and I fell backward onto my bum, panting, breathing hard to fill my lungs. My vision started getting blurry… and then I passed out.
[Dev's POV Ends]
Cold water splashed on Dev's face, snapping him awake. He choked a little before coming to his senses.
"Sit in the jeep. We're going back," he heard an officer say, standing beside him.
Dev tried to stand up—only to fall back again, jaw clenched because of extreme pain in his legs.
"Here, let me help."With the officer's help, Dev finally managed to climb into the jeep.
The pain in his legs was still there—raw and unbearable, almost enough to make him cry.
He looked around and found Karan staring at him.
Through their eyes, they asked each other, You alive?
After fifteen minutes, they were back in front of the dormitories.
"Tomorrow, same time—you all should be gathered in the training ground. And I hope you won't think of backing off after just a single day," the officer shouted, smirking.
Dev and Karan, supporting each other, limped their way back to their room.
The moment they stepped in, they sat on the ground—no strength left to care about anything else.Both began removing their shoes… and that was the worst experience possible.They were completely blood-soaked—a horrifying scene. Some blood was still oozing out, and skin was stuck to the socks, making it impossible to tell how to remove them without peeling more flesh.
Suddenly, a knock on the door.
"It's open," Dev shouted weakly.
A woman in a camouflage green-grey army uniform walked in, holding a first-aid kit and a paper bag. Her face—strikingly beautiful.
"Who's first?"
After bandaging Karan, it was Dev's turn. And just like Karan, every time his socks peeled away, a suppressed painful scream escaped his mouth.
After treating their wounds, she handed them the paper bag.
"It contains fast-healing, nutrient tablets and painkillers. Take both—three times a day while you can take painkiller as per your choice," she instructed while packing up her kit.
"Miss Angel, you're leaving us so soon? And that too without telling us your name?" Dev asked, smirking despite the pain.
The doctor gave him a side glance.
"I think the training is starting to get lenient these days," she muttered, leaving Dev speechless, and walked out.
"You still have the energy to talk?" Karan said, chuckling a little.
"Shut up. Let me rest," Dev replied, half-angry, half-dead inside.
It was already 12:00 p.m. by the time they had made it back to their room. And now, their stomachs started growling.
Thankfully, a meal had been sent to their room by some kind soul.