Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player



The next day, Klaus woke up excited for another day at the NIST Special Program Campus. As usual, he woke Andrew, got ready and went to the classroom where he found most of his classmates already gathered, discussing the previous day's activities and other things.

As they waited for the teacher to start the first lesson, everyone seemed a little anxious and more excited than usual. Then Klaus leaned over to Andrew and asked:

"By the way, do you have any idea what we are going to do today? Everyone seems more excited than usual.

Andrew scratched his head. "No idea, man. But something will happen. Don't you remember that yesterday the professor asked that no one dare miss the first mandatory class today? He didn't give many details, but it looks like there's going to be something different."

Just then, the fitness instructor entered the room and greeted the class. He had short gray hair, but a fit body for a 50-year-old former military man. His youngest assistant stood next to him.

All the students settled into their chairs, eager to find out what was in store for them.

The professor noticed the anticipation on their faces and smiled. He began to speak, breaking the silence in the room:

"Good morning, class! Today I have a special surprise for you. We are all going on an off-campus field trip."

The students looked at each other in confusion and surprise. Some began whispering to each other, trying to guess where they were going and what they were going to do on the trip, others couldn't believe it, and the room was filled with murmurs and exclamations of surprise.

The teacher noticed the confusion and continued. "This field trip is part of a special program of interaction, cooperation, and development. It is an opportunity for you to see new places, have enriching experiences, and strengthen the bonds between you as well as develop yourselves."

The voices quieted as the students paid attention to the teacher's words. A few smiles appeared, showing the growing excitement.

"During the tour, you will have the chance to explore different areas of knowledge, not just physical training, so in addition to using what you have best, it will also be necessary that you were able to get the best out of your fellow students. And, of course, there will be time for moments of relaxation."

Once again, the room was filled with murmurs of agreement and excitement. The students began to exchange looks of excitement as they imagined the possibilities that awaited them.

The teacher noticed the positive reaction and smiled even more. "Besides being a fun experience, the field trip will also have an associated assessment. Your performance during the activities will be worth 50% of your final grade. In other words, this will be important for everyone as it will directly affect the amount of points each of you will have to use next month. Also, those who do not do well may not be allowed to visit their families or travel the week after the exams."

The students looked at each other again, now with a mixture of excitement, determination, and fear. The field trip was not only an opportunity to have fun, but also an opportunity to show off their knowledge and skills, so it was definitely not like the field trips they had taken in their school days, which was to be expected.

The teacher finished his explanation and instructed the students to prepare for the trip by first dividing into groups of four. The room buzzed with activity as the students packed their belongings and chatted animatedly about forming groups.

At that moment, Klaus and Andrew looked at each other, already knowing that the two of them would be in the same group, which only left the question of who the other two people would be. Just as Klaus was about to ask Andrew if he had anyone in mind, a girl approached them. She had red hair and a friendly smile on her face, and almost hidden behind her was a blonde girl who seemed more shy and afraid.

"Hi guys, I'm Emily. I heard you talking about forming a group. Do you already have two people to complete the quartet?"

Klaus and Andrew looked at each other and realized that they had found the other two people for their group. Klaus stood up and replied with a smile as he held out his hand:

"Hi, Emily! My name is Klaus and this is Andrew. We don't have one yet, so if you want to join us, no problem."

Andrew nodded his head in agreement. "Nice to meet you, Emily."

Emily seemed excited by the response. "Really? That's really nice! By the way, this is Cleo. Come on, Cleo, introduce yourself. Don't worry, she's excited too!"

The blonde girl stepped forward and said without looking Andrew or Klaus in the eye:

"Very nice to meet you. My name is Cleo and I'm looking forward to working with you." Every now and then she glanced up in Klaus' direction, but her pride never stayed there for more than a second.

Klaus, Andrew and Emily could tell that Cleo seemed shy, but that did not discourage them. They were determined to create a welcoming and cooperative environment so that there would be no problems during the tour. So Klaus took the first step.

"It's a pleasure to have you with us, Cleo. I'm sure we'll do a great job together and make the most of it".

Andrew added:

"We are here to support and learn from each other. So let's have fun and face the challenges together."

Cleo smiled shyly. "Thank you for having me. I'll do my best to contribute and have fun."

With the team formed, they began to discuss their ideas and expectations for the trip. Meanwhile, other groups were forming around the room. The atmosphere was full of enthusiasm and determination as the students prepared. The fitness instructor, pleased to see the groups formed and the conversations productive, approached each team to provide additional guidance. He emphasized the importance of effective communication, mutual respect, and team problem solving without outside interference.

The students listened intently. They realized that the field trip would be a challenge as well as an opportunity.

After the groups were formed and the teacher's instructions were given, the class of 28 was divided into 7 groups, and it was not only Klaus and Andrew's class that would go on the trip, but all 10,000 students in the Special Program, that is, more than 2,000 groups in all. Certainly not all of them would go to the same place.