Oh.
That’s what they said.
After telling his peers, who failed to achieve their goals, that he would enjoy their share as well, Kim Minjun laughed mischievously.
“Such a dog-like guy.”
“I wish he would just die already.”
The remaining trainees lost their appetite and slumped their shoulders.
“Attention, everyone!”
The platoon leader on the platform gathered everyone’s gaze.
“We’re entering the last week of training, and only half of you have passed the standard. This batch is severely lacking in capabilities compared to the previous one.”
In truth, the difference wasn’t that significant, but the platoon leader deliberately exaggerated the gap.
“If you graduate from the training center like this and get assigned to your unit, over half will die within a month. Do my words sound like a lie?”
Of course, it was also an exaggerated fact.
The platoon leader created a sense of crisis by telling this lie to every batch to pull out the trainees’ abilities to the fullest.
“Enough of the harsh words; the platoon leader will now announce a reward.”
Having used the whip, it was time to give the carrot.
“There are only 7 days left until graduation from the training center. However, the dungeon adaptation training at the end is the highest scoring.”
The platoon leader mentioned offering a reward leave for any trainee who achieved outstanding results in dungeon adaptation training that could be used at any time.
“Of course, as long as it’s not an emergency, we’ll exclude the training as well.”
Not just a day, but a full 2-night, 3-day reward holiday.
Moreover, it was a valid leave even after joining the unit.
At this point, the soldiers should have been motivated.
Huh? Why do they look like this?
The platoon leader had a puzzled expression at the unexpected listless reactions.
The trainees’ expressions seemed to resemble resignation as if the owner of the holiday leave had already been decided.
“I’ll enjoy it this time too, guys.”
Kim Minjun gave a thumbs-up to his peers.
Army life.
It’s much more enjoyable than I thought, huh?
***
“Wow. This is insane. Is this the legendary Hunterria?”
“How many layers of beef patties are there?”
The trainees cheered at the sight of the hamburgers, known as the last supper.
Hunterria was called the last meal because the worst training after it would tear the soldiers’ souls away.
“It’s not so bad going to Hunterria, right?”
“Why are you talking like someone who’s about to die?”
Kim Minjun watched his peers eating with sauce all over their mouths and laughed silently.
“Hey, this is crazy. If I knew it was this good, I would have gone all out sooner.”
At his peer’s rave review, Kim Minjun tried a bite of the Hunterria as well.
Juicy—
“Oh, this is crazy!”
The juice from the patty overflowed, wetting the corners of his mouth and spilling out.
A regular burger wouldn’t even come close in terms of quality.
Eating a hamburger of this level outside would cost at least 20,000 won, not just 10,000.
“I heard the neighboring training center serves Armyria.”
“Armyria? Is it good there?”
“They say it’s a direct hit to constipation if you eat it.”
“I’d rather eat a Nastyleeria than that.”
Kim Minjun continued chatting noisily with his peers.
There wasn’t anyone to particularly reprimand them.
After all, the worst training awaited them before graduation from the training center.
***
The trainees received theoretical training in the morning to prepare for the dungeon adaptation training in the afternoon.
“You never know what situations may occur within the dungeon. Starting with item 1 of the explanation…”
The last and most crucial training for the trainees.
However, with the platoon leader’s lullaby-like lecture, they started nodding off one by one.
Having entered the Hunter Army Training Center, they had undergone intense training, except for the minimum rest time, so it was understandable.
What is this? Is it a skill?
Kim Minjun, who had only slept about an hour a day, was no exception.
Although he wasn’t physically tired, he felt strangely sleepy whenever he heard the platoon leader’s voice.
“Okay, that’s it for now. Everyone, think of it as real training and proceed.”
The platoon leader didn’t bother to wake up more than half of the sleeping trainees.
No, it was better for them to fall asleep.
That way, they would experience the harsh reality of the dungeon.
***
2 PM in the afternoon.
The trainees lined up in front of the dungeon, nearly 1km from the base.
They swallowed their saliva as they looked at the dungeon’s entrance, which resembled a cave.
“This is the dungeon I mentioned during the lecture this morning, and it’s the training ground.”
The platoon leader took a small baton and pointed to one of the spots.
“From now on, you will form groups of six and enter the variable-type dungeon.”
It’s called a variable-type dungeon because the internal structure changes in real time.
Dungeons usually disappear when all the monsters inside are dealt with, but occasionally, some dungeons remain in their form, like this one.
It had become an excellent training ground for the hunters in such cases.
“You all will face the hounds in the dungeon for an hour. You can use any means necessary. I’ll mainly evaluate your crisis-handling and combat abilities.”
As soon as the squad leader finished his explanation, military vehicles lined up and arrived.
“Kekeke!”
“…We’re supposed to face those?”
Seeing the monster hounds for the first time in real life, the trainees broke out in cold sweats.
And looking at the thick protective suits placed in front of them, they could guess what kind of training they were in for.
“If you’re afraid of just hounds, why did you apply for the Hunter Army!”
The squad leader scolded the frightened trainees.
The hound was the weakest among the monsters.
For trained soldiers, so long as they cooperated well, they could handle such a monster.
“Are you going to act like that in the brigade!”
“No, sir!”
“Do you want to disgrace the squad leader’s face!”
“No, sir!”
“Then hurry up, put on the protective suit, and get ready!”
The trainees hustled under the squad leader’s scolding.
Why did they make this suit so primitive?
Kim Minjun followed his peers and put on the suit.
The suit wasn’t designed with any consideration for how it felt to wear.
It just felt like a thick metal plate that had been compressed.
It was unbelievable that this primitive suit cost 50 million won each.
Is this the last training?
Kim Minjun glanced at the hounds trapped in iron bars.
Some of them glared back, while others looked away out of fear.
After completing the training camp, I’ll officially be part of the Hunter Army in the brigade.
The assistant’s words comparing the training camp life to a game tutorial came to mind.
“Trainee Kim Minjun of Hunter Army 128, I have a question for the squad leader.”
“Go ahead.”
Kim Minjun raised his hand high, wanting to get out of the stupid metal suit even a bit faster.
“So, once we deal with those hounds, our training is over?”
“Yes. As long as you handle them all within the time limit, there’s no problem.”
In a situation where anyone else would have been warned not to be overconfident, but since the one speaking was Kim Minjun, who was overwhelmingly ranked first in training, the squad leader kindly answered his question.
“Hey, this is different even if you were first in training.”
“Hey, you’ll really get hurt doing that. It’s called training, but it’s more like semi-real combat.”
His fellow trainees unanimously agreed that handling hounds in a short time was impossible, even for Kim Minjun.
I just want to get this protective suit off as soon as possible. It’s suffocating.
However, he himself didn’t have any particular thoughts about it.
“Starting the dungeon adaptation training now! Group 1!”
“Yes, sir!”
A moment later, the assistants, who were simultaneously supervising and protecting the trainees, arrived, and the training commenced.
Ah, this is crazy!
Kim Minjun, who had planned to finish the training quickly, was unfortunately placed in the last group.
He had no choice but to wait until the rest of his peers finished.
“Hey, don’t be scared when the hound rushes at you. Just grab both legs like this and fold it in half. Like this.”
Kim Minjun shared a killer tip on how to kill a hound in less than 10 seconds with his fellow trainees.
“You’re crazy.”
“Even Lee Seungho wouldn’t be able to do that.”
Of course, his peers treated him as a madman.
“Release the hounds!”
“We will release them!”
It had been about 20 minutes since Group 1 entered the dungeon.
The assistant unleashed the hounds at the dungeon entrance at the squad leader’s order.
The three freed hounds leisurely disappeared into the dungeon.
“It’s amazing that the hounds don’t charge at us.”
“It’s their monster instincts. Imagine being locked up all day and seeing a house right before you. You’d go in instead of wandering around.”
Kim Minjun chatted with his peers while patiently waiting for his turn.
“Heuk… Heuk…”
“Huuuk…”
An hour passed, and Group 1 emerged from the dungeon.
Judging by the scratches and claw marks on their once pristine protective suits, they seemed to have had a tough time.
“Group 1, you did well. Move back and stand by.”
The squad leader carefully wrote the evaluation form based on the statements of the soldiers who had supervised the training.
“Next, Group 2! Enter immediately! And let me remind you, if you ask about or leak any details about the training, you’ll be expelled immediately.”
The trainees, who were trying to get information from the squad leader’s warning, backed off with a start.
“Next!”
The training proceeded smoothly, and finally, it was the turn of Group 30, the last group.
If this was going to happen, why did they make us wear protective suits in advance?
Kim Minjun grumbled as he stepped into the dungeon, wearing a suit that didn’t even let a single breeze through.
***
It had been 30 minutes since the 30th squad entered the dungeon.
Kim Minjun yawned while following his fellow trainees.
It would have been easier to just wait at the entrance of the dungeon and take out the hounds all at once, but doing so wouldn’t help his fellow trainees improve.
There’s no one as considerate as me.
He had rolled around in another world, gained strength, and returned, but the other trainees differed.
They needed to learn as much as possible from the training center.
“It seems they’ll be coming soon.”
“Okay, let’s get in position. Be prepared for up to four of them.”
The soldiers preemptively secured terrain advantageous for fighting the hounds and moved to their assigned positions.
Kim Minjun took a spot in the middle.
He planned to care for all five of his fellow trainees.
“They’re coming!”
A moment later.
Three hounds drooling saliva charged toward the trainees.
“Don’t be scared. Just fight! Our protective suits are sturdy!”
Kim Minjun breathed courage into his hesitant comrades and threw a punch at a hound that was burrowing forward.
“Kroong!”
“Achoo, did it dodge?”
The hound twisted its body to dodge Kim Minjun’s punch, stomped on the ground, and leaped into the air.
“Cr-crazy!”
“Uh, uhh!”
The soldiers dithered, unsure how to handle the airborne hound.
Their bodies seemed to freeze even though they had previously discussed tactics with their fellow trainees.
“Where do you think you’re going, you rascal?”
Kim Minjun stomped on the ground and jumped, grabbing the hound’s hind leg and slamming it to the ground.
“Kkaeong!”
“What do you mean ‘kkaeong?’ Just die!”
Without giving it a chance to get up, he struck its body.
Dark Mage’s Ordinary Punch!
Puk!
Just one hit.
With a single punch, he crushed the hound’s head.
Insane… Was it true that he was able to handle the Red Stone?
One hit, and it’s done like that?
The instructors watching from a distance admired Kim Minjun in secret.
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