Chapter 1: Entering the Training Room

The heavy door of the training room screeched as she stepped in. No greeting eyes, no words to emphasize her presence, just slow, steady steps, as if she were walking on her own ground. Loose clothes, hair tied haphazardly, yet her eyes did not flinch — they looked, observed, measured every detail in the room.

The smell of sweat, rubber, and the metallic tang of training equipment filled the air. Recruits shouted, laughed, and punched their gloves together, paying no attention to her.

Standing in the center, Major Harlan Briggs crossed his arms, exuding authority. A man who believed that loud volume could become power, and fear was the fastest path to discipline. When he saw her, a contemptuous smile appeared: “A guest? This is a closed session.”

One of the instructors whispered in his ear, and for a moment, his expression changed — but only briefly. His pride quickly pushed the doubt aside: “Fine, if she wants to observe, let her observe.”

The recruits couldn’t take their eyes off her. No one thought she was an instructor, even less that she was a soldier. She was just a strange figure, standing silently amid the noise.

Briggs hated confusion. He hated anything that made him uncertain. He clapped his hands and commanded: “Recruits, line up. We’re having a demonstration.”

She looked up, not fearful, not angry, just a strange calm, as if she had predicted everything that would happen.

Briggs pointed at three of the strongest recruits: “Take her down,” then laughed, “Break her nose.”

A few recruits chuckled. A few winced. Most were still unsure what to do. But she simply stepped forward, tying her hair a little tighter.

For a moment, the whole room went silent. Everyone felt something unusual — not physical power, but the mental pressure radiating from her.

In just three seconds, everything changed.

Chapter 2: The Three Seconds of Horror

She didn’t say a word. She simply stood, eyes tracking every move of the three recruits. When they charged, her body moved in a rhythm no one could predict: a dodge, a hip twist, and with just a slight but precise strike, all three fell to the floor.

The sound of joints snapping, pained cries, and heavy breathing echoed throughout the room. Briggs’ jaw dropped, unable to believe his eyes. A man accustomed to controlling through fear was now paralyzed by the “guest.”

She stood straight, fists clenched calmly, staring at the Major as if to say: “Don’t judge me by my appearance.”

But inside her mind, everything was still racing. She remembered the sweaty Delta training hours — sleepless nights, drills that pushed her body to the limit, and the fear she had endured — now transformed into a weapon. She did not fear. She had learned to turn fear into absolute focus.

The recruits lay on the floor, unable to believe what had just happened. A few tried to stand, trembling, eyes full of bewilderment. She looked at them, showing no regret, but also no satisfaction. This wasn’t about showing off strength; it was a lesson in preparation and awareness.

Briggs stepped forward, voice shaking with anger: “Who… who are you?!”

She shrugged calmly: “Someone who learned how to survive.”

In that moment, the training room fell completely silent. The silence wasn’t from fear, but from the realization that they had just witnessed an unmatched skill.

She felt every gaze on her, every heartbeat racing, and something in the Major — doubt, fear, an unprecedented worry — became evident.

She knew she had made her mark. But this was only the beginning.

Chapter 3: Pressure and Challenge

The next day, she was formally invited to join Delta training. Every drill was brutal, testing not just physical strength but mental endurance. The recruits now looked at her with a mixture of respect and fear. She remained silent and focused, doing the work.

While everyone else exhausted, she maintained her pace. Every punch, every sprint, every throw — executed perfectly. But inside, she was still battling emotions few could understand: loneliness, the weight of responsibility, and memories of harsh training that made her who she was.

Major Briggs, used to controlling everything, now had to accept that he could not control her. The external pressure was nothing compared to the mental pressure she exerted on him. Every time she stared directly at him, it was a reminder that not everyone could be subdued by orders and authority.

One afternoon, training outdoors under the blazing sun, Briggs ordered the recruits into combat drills. She stepped forward, quietly observing, then suddenly joined, moving in perfect sync with her partners, leaving everyone stunned. One flip, one lock, and the group realized: this wasn’t just strength — it was strategy.

She felt fatigue, but her eyes remained bright. Every movement calculated, yet in her heart, a part of her thrilled — just like the first time she stepped into the training room, when the Major ordered her nose broken.

Pressure, she realized, did not come only from others. It came from within — the relentless demand a Delta Operator places on herself. And failure was not an option.

Chapter 4: True Strength

During the final week, Major Briggs organized a full-scale outdoor simulation where recruits had to complete life-or-death drills. She knew by now no one doubted her abilities, but the ultimate challenge remained: to convince Briggs that true strength came not only from physical force but from intellect and tactics.

A surprise scenario was set: three recruits had to approach a target, but were suddenly “attacked” by a simulated force. Briggs shouted: “Take them down, or they’ll take you down!”

She observed, analyzed, and acted. Calmly, without panic, every step calculated. She used deception, locks, counters, and finally neutralized all threats within seconds.

But the scariest part wasn’t her strength — it was her terrifying calm. Briggs approached, breathless, eyes filled with respect and fear.

She looked at him and said gently: “True strength doesn’t come from making others afraid; it comes from controlling yourself and knowing when to act.”

At that moment, she was no longer a guest. She was a Delta Operator, acknowledged by the entire training room. And more importantly, she had proven that appearance never determined a person’s true capability.

The recruits watched her, eyes full of admiration. Briggs, though silent, had learned a major lesson: not loud voices, not fear, but determination, intellect, and courage create real strength.

She stepped out into the late afternoon sun, calm but commanding, like a living symbol of what few could imagine from someone who seemed so unassuming.