The System Archivist

Snake Calendar, Year 2025

9th Day of August, Afternoon

Unity College of System Studies, Skill Gymnasium

As noon approached, the Skill Gymnasium was filled with a cacophony of groans and labored breathing. Half of the students had already succumbed to the morning's punishing drills, sprawled across the gym floor as instructors carried them off to rest areas. The remaining half clung to consciousness, though most barely had the strength to stand. Among them was Accel Winchester, drenched in sweat and swaying slightly as he trudged toward the cafeteria with his friends Hannah, Lila, and Ewan.

"Accel, remind me why we signed up for this again?" Ewan asked, wincing as he tried to stretch his sore arms.

"Because we had no choice," Accel replied dryly, slumping into a seat. His legs felt like lead, and the simple act of sitting down was almost too much to bear.

Hannah, usually the group's optimist, let out a half-hearted laugh. "They said this would make us stronger. I just didn't think 'stronger' meant surviving death every day."

Lila, normally composed, groaned as she poked at her food with a fork. "I can't even feel my fingers. How am I supposed to eat like this?"

The cafeteria buzzed with low murmurs from other students, many of whom were in similar states of exhaustion. Plates of food sat untouched on the tables, as eating felt like another herculean task. Accel forced himself to take a bite, even as his body protested.

"Come on, eat something," he urged his friends. "We'll need the energy this afternoon. You heard Instructor Brax. He's not letting up."

Hannah shuddered. "The Demon of the Gymnasium… I thought it was just a nickname. Now I get it."

When the lunch break ended, the students staggered back to the Skill Gymnasium, where Instructor Brax and his team of 250 instructors awaited. Brax stood in the center, his booming voice cutting through the groans of the crowd.

"Alright, you lazy maggots! The morning was just a warm-up. This afternoon, we're going to push those limits even further!" He grinned wickedly, clearly enjoying their misery.

The instructors began dividing the students into groups, each assigned to a specific exercise station.

"You, you, and you!" barked one instructor, pointing at a line of students. "Group One: jogging! Ten laps around the gym—no stopping!"

"Group Two: sprinting drills! You'll run until your legs give out, then you'll crawl if you have to!" shouted another.

"Group Three, over here! Obstacle course! Climb, jump, and crawl your way through without falling!"

Accel and his friends were placed in Group Four, tasked with energy-channeling exercises. They were led to a section of the gym filled with strange devices that pulsed with faint energy.

"This is where you'll learn to control your energy output," the instructor explained. "Channel it into the devices and maintain a steady flow. Fail, and you'll feel the backlash."

Accel placed his hands on one of the devices and felt a strange warmth coursing through him. At first, it seemed easy—until the device began to resist, forcing him to concentrate harder to keep the energy flowing. Beside him, Ewan was already sweating bullets, and Hannah let out a frustrated groan as her device flashed red, signaling failure.

"You call that effort?" Brax's voice echoed through the gym as he strolled past their group. "If you can't even handle this, you might as well quit now!"

Lila gritted her teeth, her face a mask of determination. "I won't give him the satisfaction," she muttered, doubling her focus.

The hours dragged on as each group rotated through the various stations. Accel found himself at the sprinting drills, his legs screaming in protest with every step. Beside him, Hannah stumbled but caught herself, shooting him a tired smile.

"You good?" Accel asked, panting.

"Define 'good,'" she replied, before resuming her run.

At the obstacle course, Ewan nearly slipped off a climbing wall but managed to grab a ledge at the last second. "This is insane!" he shouted, pulling himself up.

"Keep moving!" an instructor barked, clapping his hands.

By the time the clock struck 4:30 PM, the gym was a battlefield of exhaustion. Students collapsed where they stood, their bodies too drained to move. Brax, ever the sadist, clapped his hands together with a satisfied grin.

"Not bad for a bunch of amateurs," he said, his tone mocking. "But don't get too comfortable. This is just the beginning."

As the students slowly filed out of the gym, Accel glanced at his friends, their faces pale but determined.

"Well," he said, forcing a smile. "We survived Day One."

"Barely," Hannah replied, slinging an arm around Lila for support.

Ewan groaned. "If this is what 'basic' training looks like, I don't even want to think about advanced."

As the exhausted students shuffled out of the Skill Gymnasium, some paused to check the holographic screens displaying the class schedule. When they noticed that the Combat Application Course's practical training sessions were scheduled only once per week, a wave of relief swept through the crowd. Cheers erupted from those who still had the energy to celebrate, and even the faintest smiles appeared on the faces of the most fatigued.

"Once a week?" Ewan exclaimed, practically collapsing against a nearby wall. "I could kiss whoever planned this schedule."

Hannah let out a weak laugh, her shoulders sagging with relief. "Finally, some good news. I don't think I'd survive doing this every day."

Accel smirked, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "Enjoy it while it lasts. Brax probably has something worse planned for next week."

The group exchanged knowing looks but chose to savor the small victory, their spirits lifted by the knowledge that they'd have six days to recover before facing the Demon of the Gymnasium again. Accel went back home using the Transportation Hub and according to his three friends they lived in the Unity College Dormitory Complex, the Right Wing for Men and Left Wing for Women. They lived there because they lived in a different city, not the City of Nova Asta.