At the same time, in the 2nd Battalion Commander’s office…
“What? The entire 2nd Platoon passed? Without any injuries?”
“Yes! That’s correct!”
The battalion commander sprang to his feet upon hearing the company commander’s report that the entire 2nd Platoon had completed the training.
Being a major training exercise conducted every four years, it naturally made the battalion commander feel tense.
After all, this training was also linked to his own promotion prospects.
“The officer in charge of the 2nd Platoon is… First Lieutenant Kim Chulmin.”
Only after confirming the well-being of his platoon members did the battalion commander’s tense expression relax.
This was because, compared to other battalions, the 2nd Battalion’s training performance had been the most subpar.
“These guys saved my butt. Phew.”
Meanwhile, all members of the 2nd Platoon had completed the training.
Not a single one was injured.
This was certainly significant.
“They say that the 2nd Platoon members responded perfectly to every situation! There were hardly any points deducted!”
“Is that really true?”
“Yes! I’ve just received the report from the supervisor! Especially in terms of situation handling, Corporal Kim Minjun stood out, and he even completed the training carrying Corporal Son Eunseo on his back!”
“Kim Minjun… Keuk! I feel like running over there and giving him a hug myself.”
The battalion commander’s face bloomed into a smile as he listened to the company commander’s report.
Thanks to the 2nd Platoon, they had managed a dramatic turnaround.
“Include First Lieutenant Kim Chulmin and grant the entire 2nd Platoon members a reward vacation.”
“Yes! Understood!”
“Give Kim Minjun a four-day leave, and the rest a two-day leave.”
“Yes!”
After finishing his orders, the battalion commander leaned back in his chair with a relaxed expression.
Kim Minjun. And he even took care of Son Eunseo.
Since the promotion exam, he had thought Kim Minjun was exceptional, but to think he could perfectly carry out the Hunter Mobility Training that even officers found challenging.
I’ll have to keep a closer eye on him.
The battalion commander chuckled as if amused.
***
“Guys, you did really well!”
As the training concluded, First Lieutenant Kim Chulmin shouted with a joyous laugh.
“Thank you all for following through so well, you rascals! They say we’re the only platoon where all hunters completed the training!”
“It’s not true!”
“It’s all thanks to the platoon leader for leading us well!”
At that response, First Lieutenant Kim Chulmin smiled pleasantly.
“Yeah. You guys worked hard. Go straight to the barracks and get some good rest. There’s no morning roll call or running tomorrow.”
“Keuh!”
“That’s a relief…”
“I don’t need anything else. Just gonna sleep. Only sleep…”
The Hunters staggered back to their barracks, relieved expressions on their faces as if they had narrowly escaped death.
“Ughhh…”
“How did we manage to do all that?”
Their movements were like a horde of zombies.
“Minjun.”
“Corporal Kim Minjun.”
After the other platoon members had left, only First Lieutenant Kim Chulmin, Corporal Son Eunseo, and Kim Minjun remained.
“You had the toughest time. Always moving ahead and never shying away from danger.”
“No, thank you!”
“What do you mean, no? Whenever the platoon members were struggling, you were the one boosting their spirits from behind. That sort of thing really makes a big difference.”
Kim Chulmin did not hold back in praising him, saying that the reason they had completed this training smoothly was thanks to him.
It’s true, but it feels a bit embarrassing.
Thump, thump.
“Could you let me down now, please?”
At that moment, Son Eunseo, who had been hanging over his shoulder, spoke up.
Ah. I forgot. She needs to go straight to the hospital.
The moment that thought crossed his mind, the medics from the base rushed out hurriedly.
“I’m sorry for being a burden to the platoon.”
She apologized to First Lieutenant Kim Chulmin as she was placed on a stretcher.
After all, it was true that her stubbornness had caused Kim Minjun extra trouble.
“Minjun chose to do it, and he said he could take responsibility, so I allowed it. There was no burden at all. In fact, you did well.”
Kim Chulmin waved it off with a nonchalant smile.
“I’ll definitely repay you next time.”
Son Eunseo’s gaze turned toward Kim Minjun.
“Then promote me. To Sergeant.”
“That’s beyond my power.”
“I know. I was just saying.”
“You’re going to be like this until the end?”
“I can joke around a bit, right? Fifty…”
“Please, just stop!”
After a brief exchange, she was carried away on a stretcher to the medical station.
“Minjun, you should head in too. Rest well.”
“Yes! Platoon leader, you’ve worked hard during the training as well! Loyalty!”
“Yeah.”
After finishing his conversation with Kim Minjun, First Lieutenant Kim Chulmin immediately gave further instructions through the broadcast.
– “All Hunters of the 2nd Battalion! Ensure you take a shower and get some sleep. The platoon leader will be checking the barracks, so make sure to do it.”
As soon as the Hunters returned to their barracks, they showered quickly and fell asleep.
If not for the platoon leader’s orders, all of them would have likely jumped into bed soaked in sweat.
The day after the Hunter Mobility Training had ended, the barracks were as silent as a mouse’s whisper.
As it had been a major training lasting three nights and four days, there was no duty scheduled for the following day.
“Uh? What’s this? Wasn’t the Hunter Mobility Training over yesterday?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
In an empty soldier’s cafeteria, apart from some other company cooks and a few chefs, Kim Minjun was the only one inside.
Everyone must have been overwhelmed with sleep after the big training that just ended yesterday.
Knowing this, the cooks prepared less food than usual.
“By the way, you’re from the 2nd Platoon of the 2nd Company, right, Mr. Kim Minjun? You look really sprightly.”
“Yes. I have a bit of stamina.”
“I’ve heard rumors that your platoon scored perfect marks in the training?”
“Is that so?”
The cook looked at him with interest.
“I overheard the officers talking while they were eating earlier. The Black Claw, did you really take care of it all by yourself?”
“Ah, yes. It just turned out that way.”
“Wow… was that for real? Doesn’t one platoon have to pour out mana bullets like crazy?”
The cook kept exclaiming in admiration.
He seems excited, huh. ㅋ
To Kim Minjun, it was not particularly surprising.
It was only natural to get perfect scores.
After all, he was in the 2nd Platoon.
“Amazing. I heard this mobility training was insanely intense. More than 70% of the privates and private first-class soldiers dropped out.”
The cook looked at him with amazement, then suddenly seemed to remember something and headed off.
“Oh. Just wait a moment, please.”
“Yes?”
The cook returned shortly after.
He came out with a large plate piled high with fried chicken legs.
“This is a special dish for today. Since the other hunters won’t be coming, and we have a lot of leftovers, would you like some?”
“Oh, really? Can I eat it all?”
“Yes. We have to throw it away anyway.”
What a windfall.
Fried chicken legs, of all things.
“Then I’ll enjoy it.”
To the cook, it might be just getting rid of leftovers, but who cared about that?
Crunch!
“Ah. This overflowing oil….”
It was so delicious.
***
“Uh? What’s that?”
Sssss—
While he was gleefully tearing into a chicken leg.
The Night Walker reported discovering an area with mana.
This had become possible as its skill grade increased.
Of course, it also meant using a lot of mana, so it wasn’t very efficient.
Where is it? Show me.
Sssss—
A village on the brink of ruin flashed through his mind.
It looked as though it had been ravaged by monsters.
What region is it? Where?
Sssss—
The Night Walker answered that it was in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province.
What? How did you find this? You asked for some mana earlier; was it for this?
Sssss—
The Night Walker affirmed it was.
Sssss—
The Night Walker seemed to be seeking praise.
You crazy thing! You sucked up so much mana and this is all you found? If the mana from this place is low, you’ll be in trouble with me.
Sssss….
The Night Walker quietly slipped into the shadows.
“Good timing. I was just feeling restless and had requested leave. It fits perfectly.”
Kim Minjun headed straight for the duty officer’s room to report for his leave.
“Loyalty!”
“Oh, Kim Minjun, you’re on leave today?”
“That’s correct.”
The duty officer confirmed the one-night, two-day leave and tilted his head.
“You know you can split your regular leave as you wish, but with just one night and two days, it’s barely enough time to go home and come back. Are you sure you’re using it properly?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
The Hunter Army allowed soldiers to split and use their regular leave as they wished.
Of course, they could also use it consecutively.
Kim Minjun was saving his leave days to absorb mana.
“Alright. Then take care and have a good trip.”
“I will return! Loyalty!”
Taking a leave the very next day after the Hunter Mobility Training…
“Just like the rumors, he really does have monster-like stamina.”
The duty officer marveled at Kim Minjun, who showed no signs of fatigue.
***
“What’s this? The timing is killer.”
Hwacheon, Gangwon Province.
The place the Night Walker found was already occupied by the Hunter Army.
“There are only female hunters here. They must have come from another company.”
Psssh- Psssh-
The women hunters were spraying a special disinfectant chemical into the soil.
The equipment they carried on their backs resembled pesticide sprayers.
“Ah… when will this end…”
“I had no idea we’d be called for civil support the very next day after failing to properly complete the Hunter Mobility Training. The battalion commander must be really upset.”
“Ah… I’m so tired… I wonder when the monsters appeared here.”
Areas attacked by monsters must undergo disinfection with special chemicals.
If traces of monsters remained, it could attract other monsters.
The female hunters seemed to still be fatigued from the mobility training, dozing off as they sprayed the chemical.
So, where exactly is the location? Find it.
Sssss—
Kim Minjun released the Night Walker and pondered how to proceed.
I should have bought some casual clothes had I known this would happen.
His military uniform was too conspicuous.
What’s that? Why is she over here?
As he scanned the area, a familiar face caught his eye.
During the Hunter Mobility Training, Son Eunseo had come to owe him a favor.
“Wow. Looks like you’ve used some expensive potion, huh?”
Son Eunseo was strolling around, spraying chemicals perfectly fine.
“I should come back here at night once these guys leave. Can’t do it now.”
Just as Kim Minjun was about to turn away and distance himself from the Hunter Army,…
“Hey! What are you doing without a sprayer!”
A sharp voice rang out from behind.
It was Corporal Son Eunseo.
“…What the. Why is Kim Minjun here?”
Upon spotting him, she wore an expression of disbelief.
“I’m on leave.”
“Don’t lie. Who wears a military uniform while on leave? You clearly look like a deserter. I should report you to the base right away…”
“I really am on leave. Look at this.”
Kim Minjun pulled out his leave permit from his pocket and showed it to Son Eunseo.
“…It’s real.”
“See? I told you it’s real.”
“Why would someone on leave come here in military uniform? Don’t you know this is a restricted area?”
She looked at him with suspicious eyes.
He couldn’t exactly reply, “I came here to absorb the mana.”
“I had some business near Hwacheon, and I knew other company hunters were coming here for civilian support.”
“Civilian support? Why’s that?”
“Figured I had nothing to do, so I wanted to help out. Earn some performance points too.”
“…You didn’t forge that leave permit, did you?”
“It’d be harder to forge this and get out of the base.”
As they were talking…
Sssss—
“What? They’re coming out soon?”
As the Night Walker’s report came in, an emergency situation arose.
