Chapter 47: the graduation ceremony begins

The much-anticipated Monday finally came as cadets came out from their rooms in the brand-new Spartan military uniform. Clark came outside alongside Leo, after admiring how good they looked on the uniform they smiled before moving forward to the assembly ground.

Captain Spoky smiled as he addressed the cadets. “Cadets…, he became slightly dazed a little before he quickly recovering, I won’t call you cadets again as from today you are all bonafide soldiers of the Sparta republic. Some of you may already know but this cadet training base is the 2nd best training base here in Southern Sparta”.

“It is a great honor for all of you to take the warship The Megalodon to the ceremony on your graduation. Try to behave yourself as well as possible because the warship will carry us together with the cadets from the best training military base here in Southern Sparta”.

After an elaborate session of advice and instructions by the captain they finally went out as the warship arrived. Captain Spoky accompanied them together with the 5 sergeants in the base.

This time they didn’t have to climb ropes as the warship released a teleportation field. They walked into the field and instantly disappeared as they appeared inside the warship. It was a very novel experience to the cadets. Clark moved forward with the others still awed from the use of the advanced technology, this was probably all the cadet’s first time entering a teleportation field. Teleportation fields is a marvel created from the increasing technological skills used by humans.

After entering they moved forward to the main compartment where they saw another group of soldiers already seated. “These are probably the graduating soldiers from the best Southern training base,” Clark thought while silently observing them.

A fair skinned burly looking soldier stood up from this new group of cadets as he came to greet their captain with a smile. “Spoky after such a long time we meet again my good brother”. The man said while smiling broadly.

“Really, Spoky is that wrinkles on your face I’m seeing. Hahaha, old age is finally catching up to you,” he laughed loudly as he advanced to give Captain Spoky a handshake.

Captain Spoky returned the handshake while slightly smiling as he remarked, “old age is catching up to the both of us so pipe down mate. Stop talking and acting like a kid”. They behaved like 2 naughty kids who finally saw each other after a decade long separation. After bickering back and forth for some time, the burly man finally spared the cadets some attention.

“Good morning captain,” the sergeants greeted as the cadets also quickly greeted having already recognized his identity by now. The man just laughed as he scrutinized Clark and the rest cadets, “hmmm these little guys really look ferocious”. He commented with a laugh.

“They really look like record breaking cadets to me,” he casually replied.

“All soldiers are expected to be seated as the warship is ready to move,” the emotionless voice of the warship’s A.I finally intervened as it spared the cadets from the blabbering of the 2 captains.

The cadets quickly located seats at the side as they sat down while they observed the other cadets sitting beside them. The other cadets reciprocated as they also observed them. While this happened their 2 leaders sat together nonchalantly ignoring their staring contest, talking of their youthful glory days. The warship finally moved away as it flew straight to the Southern Sparta military headquarters. None of the soldiers talked except the 2 captains as the warship silently moved forward.

Minutes later the warship finally decelerated as it arrived at the huge government building. The huge graduation hall was only a small part of the military headquarters but itself alone was already extremely long and wide. The huge hall was already filled with a sea of people, as the main protagonists of the ceremony they naturally came last. After teleporting them down, the soldiers from the best training base moved in first as Clark’s group followed shortly after.

It was just like a red carpet show as the lights focused on them while their captain led them forward. Clark felt a little shaken from the huge crowd but very excited also as thousands of eyes looked at them and admired them as they moved forward uniformly.

They were allocated the front row seats together with the soldiers from the best training base. The military cadet training bases had no names as the government called them based on their ranks.

Other bottom ranking training bases frequently fluctuate in the rankings but the 2 best training bases in South Sparta never changed ranks as their cadet’s performance were always the best. Despite them taking most of the limelight they were not the only graduating soldiers as thousands of graduates from other training bases sat behind them.

After their arrival the ceremony officially started as the Spartan national anthem was played from the hidden sound amplifiers. The atmosphere felt very epic to Clark as the national anthem played on.

After the national anthem the officials of the ceremony did a lot of procedures before we they finally asked to take the military oath.

All the new soldiers spoke with vigor as Clark also said the oath. “I Clark Pendragon pledge to always abide by the rules and regulations of the Sparta republic, I promise to not betray the republic but to protect it and its citizens with my life, I promise that I will listen to my superior’s orders and to never do anything that will endanger the republic and I promise to not become complacent but to continue working hard to become a strong pillar of the Spartan military, so help me God”.

A wave of applause rose from the audience as Clark felt on top of the world. “Mom, Dad I finally did it, I’m now a bonafide soldier of the Spartan republic,” he muttered in a melancholic tone.

After the oath taking was done the ceremony finally moved to its most anticipated part, the price giving ceremony to exceptional soldiers.

[Thank you for reading this chapter I really appreciate. Please if there is any problem with the translation quality or there is any wrong spelling or sentence, indicate I'll try to fix it immediately.]