Chapter 124: Learning How to Drive Part 1

Words : 1074 Updated : Oct 8th, 2025

The sun had barely lifted over the horizon when Inigo stepped onto the training field, hands behind his back, boots crunching lightly over the dew-covered grass. The recruits, still stiff from the previous day’s simulated combat, emerged from their tents slowly. Some rubbed their eyes. Others walked with a limping gait, sore from bruises and awkward rolls. But today’s field looked different. Gone were the straw dummies, the target barrels, and painted barricades. In their place were colored cones placed in sweeping arcs, forming wide lanes and tight turns. The center of the field had been cleared entirely, leaving only the rising fog. Lyra stood beside Inigo, scribbling something on her notepad with a feather quill. She didn’t speak—just watched with quiet interest as the recruits formed up, murmuring and exchanging glances. "Another battle test?" Hal called from the back. "Or did we finally earn a morning off?" Inigo turned to face them. "Neither." A few groaned. "Yesterday, we taught you how to fight. But that’s not enough." He raised his voice now, carrying it over the soft wind. "We need more than strength. We need speed. We need mobility. We need to cover ground faster than our enemies, hit them where they don’t expect, and vanish before they can react." He reached into his coat. "This world is large. Demons will strike towns a day’s ride apart. You can’t walk to every battle." Inigo navigated to his Freedom Shop and selected the vehicle section. Then seconds later, asound followed—a deep, mechanical growl that rose from nowhere. The recruits froze as the ground began to tremble. Then the beasts arrived. Two massive, armored vehicles rolled into view, summoned from thin air. Tan-colored, angular, and broad, they moved like lumbering monsters. Each bore four oversized wheels, reinforced plating, and thick glass windows. Their engines rumbled like caged thunder. The recruits stepped back in unison. "What in the hell is that?" Sark breathed. "I have no idea." Brenna squinted. "They looked like a carriage?" "They don’t move on their own," Inigo said calmly. "They move because I tell them to." Lyra leaned over. "They’re called JLTVs. Joint Light Tactical Vehicles. I’ve ridden in one before. You don’t forget the first time." "Are they alive?" Lio asked. "No," Inigo said. "But they may as well be." He stepped toward the first vehicle and grabbed the door handle. With a metallic clunk, it opened sideways. He climbed inside, the heavy door closing behind him. The engine roared louder. Gasps spread through the group. The JLTV rolled forward. With deliberate control, Inigo guided it through the cones, turning smoothly, accelerating briefly before slowing again. He pressed forward, spinning the wheel and weaving the machine through the open lanes like a seasoned rider. Dirt kicked up behind it, mist trailing along its sides like a cloak. At the end of the loop, he brought it to a sudden stop. The engine idled as he stepped out, boots hitting the earth with a firm thud. "In our town," he said, brushing dust off his gloves, "these machines carry troops across deserts and mountains. They outrun big machines. They take hits and keep going. You won’t find anything like them in this world—but now, they’re yours." Silence. Then, a tentative voice. "We’re meant to... drive those?" Meryl asked. "Yes," Inigo replied. "Every one of you." Lyra raised a brow. "Even me?" Inigo glanced at her. "You’ve ridden, sure. But you haven’t driven. You’re joining today’s session." Lyra blinked. "You mean right now?" He tossed her a pair of gloves. "You’re up first." She caught them with a grimace. "Fine." Inigo turned back to the group. "This is your new lesson. I’ll show you how to start it, how to move it, and how to stop it without flipping it over. Then we rotate." He gestured toward the second JLTV. "Watch and listen." He climbed back into the driver’s seat, leaving the door open this time. Lyra sat beside him, hands tight on the door frame. "This is the ignition," he said, tapping a switch. "Turn it—engine starts." He demonstrated. "This is the gear lever. Forward, reverse, neutral. Don’t yank it. Ease it." "This—" he pointed to the rightmost pedal "—is your accelerator. Left pedal is the brake. Don’t confuse the two. If you panic, take your foot off both." "Steering wheel—obvious. Mirrors—use them. And this—" he reached down "—is the parking brake. Always pull it when you stop." Lyra took the wheel with cautious hands. "I’ll take it slow." "Good. Until you don’t need to." She pressed forward. The JLTV rolled ahead with a jerk. "Easy," Inigo coached. "You’re not breaking it—you’re guiding it." Lyra adjusted, the vehicle smoothing out as it entered the cone path. Sark and Lio leaned forward. "She’s doing it!" They watched as Lyra completed the loop, barely clipping a cone. As she brought it to a halt, Lyra let out a shaky breath. "Not bad. Little terrifying." Inigo nodded. "Terrifying is fine. So long as you’re in control." He turned to the recruits. "Now it’s your turn." He gestured to the second JLTV. "I’ll drive. You’ll ride. Learn the feeling of the road, the weight of the engine, and the motion of the vehicle." He led Brenna, Lio, and Sark into the back seats, then started the loop once more. The JLTV lurched forward, picking up speed. Inside, the trainees braced themselves, their eyes wide. Sark nearly lost his balance on a bump. "By the gods—this thing flies! It’s faster than any horse!" Brenna laughed. "It’s not flying—it’s pounding the earth!" Inigo swerved gently through the turns, then skidded to a halt. They tumbled out one by one, cheeks flushed, breaths short. "Again!" Lio called. "Let me try next!" "Patience," Inigo said. "You’ll all get your chance." He turned back to Lyra, who was watching the second JLTV with an analytical stare. "You good to coach the next one?" he asked. She nodded. "I’ll ride with Meryl. She looks terrified." Meryl, standing beside the passenger door, looked like she’d rather face another demon. "Come on," Lyra said, opening the door. "You won’t explode unless you do something really stupid." Meryl gave a nervous laugh, then climbed in. Inigo smiled faintly to himself. By the time the second round began, the field buzzed with tension and excitement. And as the sun climbed higher, roaring engines and shouting voices filled the air—steel thunder across a field of dreams.

Chapter 124: Learning How to Drive Part 1

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