We soon arrived in front of the training camp.

Although they said it is a training camp, it is more like a well-fortified military base, a Castra with 20ft tall stone ramparts and four 35ft tall wooden watchtowers on all four rounded corners. In front of the wall were ditches filled with water and wooden spikes, with a downed wooden drawbridge for a gate.

In front of the gate stood four Legionaries in red decked in Lorica Segmentata and Legionary gear. Manning the battlements of the walls and watchtowers were soldiers wearing Lorica Hamata¹Riveted Chainmail shirt with reinforced shoulders and holding either slings or bows. There were even Scorpios²Awesome roman artilary placed on the battlements, ready to hurl spear-sized projectiles at high speeds.

We continued walking until we reached the gate. After Cnaeus chatted with one of the guards for a minute, the guard let us in to the training camp (Military Stronghold) without any more holdup.

As I walked in, I took in my surroundings.

The inside of the camp is huge, around 27 hectares, able to house four cohorts with ease. I also noticed three more drawbridges on all of the camp's other sides.

A large and lofty building stands in the center, a hospital building to the left, and an opulent villa to the right. According to Cispia, the middle building is the command center, the Principia, and the villa is the accommodation of either a high-born senator or a Legatus commanding a Legion, the Praetorium.

Besides a few workshops of unknown nature here and there, as well as a small bathhouse, there were also rows of barracks occupying a large part of the area, as well as a patch of land serving as a training field for the troops.³Accurate and detailed. For you, my readers.

We soon arrived at the training field. Although it was still dark outside, I could see groups of soldiers and children aged between 7 to 16 training here. The children were likely like me, either the subordinates of noble houses or children of nobles.

"Alright, we are here. Men, you go ahead and train by yourselves. You know the drill." - Cnaeus turned to the soldiers that guarded us and said.

"Yes, sir!" - The soldiers saluted and went to an area with training racks.

Cnaeus then turned to us and said, "Kids, today we will be doing some endurance training, and then split up. Those 14 and above will be training javelin throwing and formations with me. Those between the ages of 11-14 will practice archery. Those below 11 will practice slinging today. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir!" - We all replied.

"Good, Now let's get started. Follow me to the weight rack and pick suitable weights for yourselves. Anyone below 11 is exempt from using weights."

After we all picked suitable weights, we started our training session. It was the same as Faevyre's training; Just exhausting yourself with repetitive exercises. Unlike Faevyre, however, Cnaeus was less strict. He gave us more resting time and didn't force us to train until we collapse from exhaustion. However, I chose to exhaust myself because he said it is more effective. Most of the kids didn't train until exhaustion, nevertheless.

Just like yesterday, I got to use the training water three times. Also, by the end of the training, I managed to run another time back and forth. I can feel myself improving already!

Cispia, Livia, and my eight future subordinates also got to use the water, however, the other kids that came with us only got to use it once.

When I secretly asked Cispia about it, she answered, "They are not the mistress's men, so why would she invest in them? Just getting to use it once a day is already a great treatment for servants. Regular soldiers don't even get to use this."

"Sounds fair. This thing is costly, after all."

After we finished the training, we gathered in front of Cnaeus. By this time, it was just before dawn broke.

Cnaeus looked at us and nodded, "Alright, good enough. Now, all of you, split up and go to where we discussed earlier."

"Yes, sir!" - We all saluted and went to different areas.

I naturally didn't know where the slinging area was, but I followed Tertius and the other young kids, so I managed to arrive.

The place was a large empty area, with straw dolls placed at a distance as target practice. Waiting there were other kids my age or younger. All of them are humans. I stuck out like a green apple in a pile of red apples. And as expected, one of the 8-year-old kids that seemed more well-off couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"Hey! Why is there a dirt-blood in here? Isn't he supposed to be in the Auxilia?" - He said rudely while pointing his chubby little hand at me.

"Idiot. The instructor can hear you." - I inwardly mocked as I looked at the cold-faced instructor silently coming from behind him.

The instructor this time was a lanky and short man with long and muscular arms. He was wearing a linen tunic and had a belt with a sling and a pouch on it. He gave the air of being more on the agile side rather than being a straight-up fighter.

Soon, the man arrived behind the kid and raised his hand with an open palm.

Smack*

"Ouch! My BUTT! Who is the bastard who did that?!" - The kid screamed as he held his behind.

"I am." - Said the instructor in a cold voice as he smacked the back of the kid's head next.

Thwack*

"Ouch! Instructor Grava! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say that!" - The kid said as he now held the back of his head.

Smack*

The instructor smacked the kids behind again as he reprimanded, "Calling me a bastard is one thing, but singling out a fellow soldier and calling them a dirt-blood is a military crime that demoralizes the troops. If you dare say that near the Auxilia, it can get you killed, now say your sorry and apologize to him."

Only then did the kid seem to understand something as he turned to me and slightly bowed, "I'm sorry! Please forgive me!"

"It's fine, just don't do that again." - I waved.

"That's better. I see you are a new face here, so allow me to introduce myself. I am Grava, the slinging instructor. Care to introduce your name and origin?" - The instructor's cold face melted a bit and asked.

"Yes, Instructor Grava! I am Mog, the personal servant of mistress Consentia Fidelis of the Fidelis family." - I introduced myself.

"Nice to meet you, Mog. Do you know anything about slinging?"

I shook my head and said, "No, Instructor, I only know that it is to throw rocks with a rope."

Hearing my honest words, the instructor looked at me blankly and then burst into wild laughter.

"Hahahaha! Well, you are at least honest! Slinging is indeed about throwing rocks or metal pieces with a rope made out of tendons, hair, leather, or plant fibers."

He then returned to his serious look.

"...However, it is also a fact that it is one of the deadliest of weapons in our ancestors' arsenal even before the ages of antiquity. It can crush bones, it can rupture organs, it has a range of over 400m, It is quiet when hitting, and it can break the morale of armies. Our enemies even nicknamed it the silent death out of respect and fear. In the right hands, it has more potential than the bow."

He then added, "Also, it is cheaper, easier to carry, and easier to learn than the bow. Ammunition is everywhere on the ground, the sling is easier and cheaper to make, and it barely takes three hours to learn how to throw a rock in the right direction and with enough force to injure someone."⁴100% historical accuracy.

"Hah... If it is that effective, why do we use bows, then?" - I asked in wonderment.

From all these points, the sling sounded superior to the bow, so why would anyone use the bow, then?

"Because bows are easier to master and are generally more accurate and with better penetrative power against armor. It takes only two years to train a novice archer to hit the bullseye most of the time, but for a slinger, it takes his entire youth. It is a function of effort and productivity. That is why most of our expert slingers are Lepunian mercenaries of the Lepus islands. I learned their ways as well since young."⁵Based on the Balearic slingers of ancient times. They were elite mercenaries of those times.

My eyes widened as I stared at him.

The Lepunian mercenaries. Father talked about them. They are rabbit-kin elite slingers hired by all the nearby nations and empires. Father only gave me a warning about them.

"If you find yourself unlucky enough to be against a Lepunian slinger, find cover! Even the worst of them can accurately snipe you from over 200 feet away. Almost lost my life to one of those bastards when I tried to escape."

After pondering for a bit, I asked, "So, if it is so hard to master, why do we need to learn it, then? Isn't it better to learn other things?"

"Well, you are not wrong, but not right either. Indeed, it is hard to master, but it is easy to learn and light to carry, and it can even serve as a mace at melee combat, so it is an effective secondary weapon aside from the pilum. Well, now that you know why we use the sling and wasted five perfectly good minutes, let us get started."

Instructor Grava then pointed at a box filled with slings and said, "Kids, go pick a sling each. Those who trained for over two years, train the Lepunian throw⁶Balearic style. Those between a year and half a year, you will be practicing overhand throw. Those below half a year will practice the underhand throw. The rest, practice the middle throw⁷Greek. As always, I will correct you if there is a need. Mog, you with me today, I will teach you personally."

"Yes, sir!" - We all saluted and went to four separate groups while I stayed.

I then went with the instructor to a more secluded area where the instructor taught me how to sling correctly.

"Okay, Mog. The sling is made up of three pieces. The main component is the cradle, which holds the projectile. Next, is the handle, where you hold the sling always. The last part is the knot, where you hold it with your thumb and forefinger. The knot is released when you intend to throw the projectile." - Grava pointed at the middle part and the ends of the sling.⁸Straight out of wikipedia

I nodded at his explanation as he continued, "When you want to start, hold both the handle and the knot together, place a projectile in the cradle, swing the sling, and when you wish to release the projectile, let go of the knot and the projectile will be set loose. Simple, right?"⁹Physics!

I thought for a bit and nodded, "That sounds simple enough. But I am sure it isn't easy in practice, though."

Grava nodded, "Correct. Not only do you need a good body, but you also need the instincts to pull it off correctly. Many young people want to start with the Lepunian throw and end up injuring someone or themselves, and that is why we will train the underhand swing to get a feel for it, first."

He then took the sling in his right hand and put a rock in the cradle, "Let me demonstrate the underhand swing."

I watched him carefully as he took a position, swung the sling in reverse, and after a full swing he gently let go of the knot as the rock was tossed at a target, hitting it square in the center.

"Did you watch it carefully, Mog? Did you notice what I did with my wrist and arm? That is the trick to throwing. I will demonstrate it two more times, and then you shall try it."

I nodded as he demonstrated two more times, executing the throw beautifully each time and hitting the target square in the chest.

He then turned to me and gave the sling.

"Now that you know the basics, your task is to grasp this feeling. Now go and practice it. I will stay behind you and help if needed. And remember to do it slowly at first."

I took the sling and said, "I understand, thank you."

I carefully got into position, and Grava corrected me, "Don't stand like this, you are not throwing a spear. Stand more like this. There we go. Now put the stone into the sling."

As instructed, I put the stone into the cradle of the sling, but then the stone fell.

"You didn't hold the knot right. Remember, between thumb and forefinger. Now, try again..."

I failed a few more times before I managed to hold the stone correctly in the cradle.

"Good enough. Now, gently swing your arm backward, and throw it at the target. Remember to use the wrist and let go of the knot."

"Yes, sir." - I replied.

Nervously, I did a backward swing and threw the stone, together with the sling itself, at the target fifty feet ahead, magnificently hitting it right in the center.

"..." - I stared dumbfoundedly at the target.

Some of the kids and nearby soldiers who glanced at me doing my first throw stared while covering their mouths filled with stifled laughter.

Grava's left eye twitched as he commented, "...Very good. You managed to hit the bullseye your first time slinging, something even some of the most talented slingers don't manage to do. But, next time, can you please not throw the sling together with it?"

"Ops..."