On the training ground.
Shanks and a soldier named Buggy faced off with wooden swords.
Both watched for openings in the other's guard.
But Buggy was clearly more hot-tempered. He soon lost patience and charged, swinging his sword.
Seeing this, Shanks swung his own sword to block. The two traded blows for more than a dozen rounds.
In the end, Shanks proved the better fighter and knocked Buggy to the ground.
"First squad, Shanks wins!"
After Garon helped Shanks escort Buggy away, he announced, "Second squad, let the match begin!"
Jon Snow faced off against a man in his thirties who was missing a finger on his right hand.
After a hard-fought battle that lasted dozens of rounds, Jon managed to defeat him.
"Second squad, Jon Snow wins!"
"Next, the third squad will begin."
Garon spent the afternoon selecting captains for all sixty squads.
As dusk fell, he gathered everyone and made an announcement.
"I'll give you ten days to get used to your squads."
"Starting now, each squad will spend five days on duty and five days training freely."
"In ten days, we'll select the captains of the hundred-man companies. This test will be about teamwork."
"Does anyone have any objections?"
Everyone fell silent.
After the afternoon's selections, the veterans had discovered that only five of their own had won. Every other captain came from the Steel Fist Company.
Their excitement from noon had vanished without a trace.
Seeing the veterans' low spirits, Garon thought, The afternoon's selections hit them hard. If they don't cooperate with their captains, the squads will remain a disorganized mess.
I need to find a way to lift their spirits again.
His eyes shifted as an idea quickly came to him.
Garon clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention.
He scanned the crowd, then