(Idk I just thought his mindset fits the military. You could be a basic trainee or a Sergeant.)

The air in the training yard was thick with grit, sweat, and the drill sergeant's roaring disappointment. Most recruits were reduced to shivering, uncertain obedience, but not Kyojuro Rengoku.

He stood at absolute attention, his white t-shirt and camouflage trousers already stained with mud and effort. The dog tag necklace rested against his collarbone like a badge of honor he was already determined to earn. Though physically exhausted, his posture was faultless, radiating a pure, unshakeable energy that seemed to defy the punishing humidity.

Sergeant Reyes—a man who prided himself on breaking recruits down to their last nerve—stalked toward Rengoku, searching for the slightest fracture in his resolve.

“Recruit Rengoku!” Reyes bellowed, stopping inches from his face, eyes narrowed. “You were the first man through the obstacle course, you carried the heaviest pack, and you were still yelling encouragement at the last man in your squad! What are you running on, Recruit? Are you even human?”

Rengoku’s golden-red eyes met the sergeant’s without blinking. His voice, usually a cheerful, booming declaration, was compressed into the sharp, disciplined volume required by the rank structure, but the conviction remained a burning core.

“Sir! I run on the conviction to protect, sir!” Rengoku yelled, his voice cutting through the exhaustion of the other recruits.

“Protection?!” Reyes sneered. “This isn't a nursery, Recruit! This is war! I want a real answer, Rengoku! What is your limit? What is your breaking point?!”

A wide, unwavering, utterly genuine smile split Rengoku's face—a smile that seemed to radiate heat even in the fading light.

“Sir!” he roared back, his chest expanding with pride. “My limits are only markers of where I must begin! I will never stop striving! If my efforts can save even one person from sorrow, then my strength is endless! I will uphold the flame of duty! Sir!”

The sergeant paused, utterly deflated by the sheer, unyielding sincerity of the man. He had seen dedication before, but Rengoku's was a force of nature.

Reyes backed away, shaking his head. “Fine, Rengoku! Get back to your platoon! And try not to inspire everyone so damn much! It makes my job difficult!”

Rengoku snapped a perfect salute. “Sir! Understood, sir!”