"Depending on your specialty, some of you will have the ce to dissect Orks iure. But it's unnecessary to have a deep uanding of xenobiology to know that they are more adapted and evolved for bat than the human race."

  At the front of the room, the hum of the holographic projectan as e typed on the semi-transparent keyboard floating in front of him. After finishing, hundreds of images and videos were projected, each depig gruesome Ork attacks on civilians and military forces. It was easy to see how humans were overwhelmed by their power.

  "Professor, if the difference is so big, how are we still alive today?" one of the students in the sed row asked, visibly disturbed by the brutal ses and the stark differen power betweewo races.

  "That’s a very intriguing question; each expert would likely expin it differently. However, within the NEA, we believe it's due to two factors: biology and teology," e began to expin.

  He typed a bit more on the keyboard, and an image of a human appeared side by side with that of an Ork.

  "Biologically speaking, humans are capable of reprodug much faster. An Ork typically reproduces once every 20 months and rarely has more than one offspring per incubation. Oher hand, they live lohan humans. At this point, we don’t know how much longer."

  The captain paused while new holograms showcased different ons on the s, ranging from Z-Crystals to Mechas.

  "The sed factor is teology, humanity's primary tool for adaptation. It’s what gave us Ranger Armors, ons, and all the great feats of engineering that have kept the human empire standing."

  More images appeared in the holograms, featuring famous stists arepreneurs from the beginning of the First Wave. However, few were still well-knowo the secrecy surrounding Z-Crystal research.

  "The Z-Crystal ivotal to our survival during the first wave. It has many different effects and uses, but the primary effect was allowing humans to 'evolve.' Not in a Darwinian sense, but it enabled us to use eic potential to develop abilities and optimizations previously thought impossible."

  The instru typed a bit more, and the holograms slowly faded. At the same time, e walked toward the front row of students.

  "When a human first es into tact with a Z-Crystal, they automatically undergo the First Evolution. At this stage, humans will develop their physical capabilities and acquire what we call 'Boon' and 'Glitches.' In the end, it's yeic potential that will determine what ges will happen to your bodies."

  e tinued walking in front of the first row, eventually reag the back of the room. He kept looking outside, fog on the gymnasium where other students were sprinting.

  "However, we're not limited to just this one evolution. Our bodies are capable of undergoing further developments, which result in a variety of outes. From enhang our physical abilities to further developing our Boons. Yet, to achieve these 'miracles,' a person must be put under extreme stress, whether in bat or physical challenges. After reag a certain threshold, the evolution process begins."

  As the professor tinued expining the process of evolution, Oliver began to sehat something was different about him. Not only could he tell when he was about to evolve, but he could also dey it until a more veime. He looked around at his cssmates' faces, trying to see if anyone else was fused by the expnation, but apart from a feere sleepy and some who were chatting, no one seemed to disagree or have issues with the information.

  "Captain, are there limits to evolutions? How do we know if we've already undergone one?" one of the more enthusiastic students asked without raising his hand.

  "So far, we haven't identified any limits. However, each subsequent evolution bees harder to achieve. The easiest way to tell is by using yauo monitor your physical capacity. If there are variations, it means you've gohrough an evolution." e expined.

  "However, sometimes the gau isn't even necessary. If the physical ges are signifit, you might just be able to see them in the mirror. In some cases, evolution increases muscle density or height, and in rarer cases, even ge their hair and eye color.” e dispyed a few more holograms, showing people dressed in military uniforms in several before-and-after photos.

  "But are there any side effects? For example, do we feel pain during evolution?" This time, it was Oliver who asked. He knew he could evolve at any moment, and it was better to be prepared.

  "It depends on the effect of your evolution. There have been cases where people experienced signifit increases in strength, and in sustahey felt as though their muscles were being torn apart and rebuilt. Others, whose evolutions affected their Boons, experieno clear physical ges." e looked at the boy while answering.

  Oliver pohis, realizing that his experience would depend on his luck. He didn’t know much about the world, but it was clear that information was vital, and even more so, trolling that information. It didn’t make seo reveal his situation; depending on who found out, it could be a blessing or a curse.

  o him, An seemed ued. He hadn’t undergone a sed evolutio, and the lesson wasn’t c anything he hadn’t already learned in House Aqui.

  After a few more expnations and questions, e was ing up the lesson.

  "To provoke your evolutions, the Academy will further increase the iy of your training. F evolutions is essential to improving your ces of survival against the Orks. Be prepared!" e's expression showed as he spoke to his students.

  The css was dismissed with this final warning.

  The students already khey had two weeks until their first test, and because of that, many professors had begun inf them that the training would be more intense. However, each css would be ducted in its own way.

  After the lesson ended, several small groups of students began walking, each heading to their css: Specialty bat. The main topic of versation was evolution. Many Sed Battalion students hadn’t yet reached their sed evolution but were excited about the possibilities for the future, especially as they felt they were growing rapidly.

  Unfortunately, Oliver didn’t know any students taking Ranger onry, but he kept walking near others he reized were also headed to the gym. Oliver remained deep in thought as they walked between the modern buildings and along paths through dense forests that camoufged the entire Academy.

  ‘How much time does an evolution take?’ Oliver thought, questioning himself for not asking this sooner.

  The boy didn’t want other students to know he had evolved. If he activated it now and experienced pain or physical ges, it would be evident to everyohat he had undergone his sed evolution.

  'At night, maybe I hide it if there’s any physical ge. If it’s just my hair color, I shave it off,' the boy thought. 'But if it’s my eye color or height… I’m screwed.'

  ‘I’ll wait’. Oliver finally decided that a few hours wouldn’t make much difference.

  As they tinued walking, jokes were exged betweeudents, and the pace was fortable. It didn’t feel like they were in the military, much less training to face humanity’s greatest threat. For a brief moment, Oliver felt ected to someone, or at least to this group of students.

  The gym was in the distance. Oliver could already see some students preparing for the css, mainly iing the arenas where the battles took pce, while others discussed with their sparring partners.

  The css rivalry had grown signifitly over the past few weeks, pushing every student to want to stand out, especially against the trio from the First Battalion. But so far, those efforts had been in vain.

  Oliver was one of these students but had a more realistic view. He didn’t expect to be able to defeat them anytime soon.

  ‘But who knows after the sed evolution?’ The boy thought, trying to stay positive.

  "Priii!" A loud whistle echoed throughout the gym.

  Captain Musk was holding the whistle. The students hadn’t noticed him yet, but after the sudden silehey could hear the clicks and ks of his prosthetics.

  "Your professors have probably already warned you that there will be an increase in the difficulty of your uping training. However, it’s not just about the workload. It’s also about the realism of these trainings." Musk warned.

  The old trainer walked to the ter of the gym. Oliver stopped his stretches to follow the instructor. He also noticed Katherine oher side of the gym, tying her boots while trying to listen. He couldn’t help but imagihe possibilities that would open up after his sed evolution and the press her.

  The boy shook his head, not uanding his thoughts. 'Why do I want to impress her?'

  Oher hand, Astrid, another rival from the First Battalion, ractically glued to the professor, her face beaming with excitement at the prospect of a new challenge.

  "You will have your first field css and finally face real bat!"

  GCLopes