Chapter 13
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: A Drastic Proposal and a Vacation - 1
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Lee Hyun-wook checked the item that had popped out of the kobold's body again.
- You have acquired the ‘Daemon Medal (Inferno)’.
It looked like a small jewel.
‘How absurd. To think this would drop here...’
Daemon Medal.
As its name suggested, it was an item containing the power of the demonic race, the ‘Daemons’.
‘Among the medals of the superior races, the Inferno was one of the most useful.’
Inferno commonly meant ‘hellfire’.
‘At first, the savior of Busan, Inferno, was the one who had this...’
Inferno was an incredibly strong Player even now, but by obtaining this item that so perfectly matched his nickname, he would come to wield an even greater power over flames.
The way he could conjure magma and sweep everything away like an ocean wave... Lee Hyun-wook swallowed dryly, unknowingly, as he recalled that crimson catastrophe.
But even someone like Inferno was no match for the ‘Necromancer’.
The savior of Busan fought alone to hold back the undead legion that swarmed the seas before the city, but in the end...
‘...he became just another one of the undead.’
After that, this medal also fell into the Necromancer's hands.
‘I heard he used it to create that horrific bioweapon, the Corpse Golem of Brimstone.’
The corpse golem, dozens of meters tall, smashing the skyscrapers of Marine City in Busan's Haeundae District... The concrete jungle, brutally ravaged by green flames...
Lee Hyun-wook clicked his tongue without realizing it as he vividly recalled the scene.
The Necromancer was truly the worst of enemies.
"...With this, I'm one step—no, two steps—ahead of that bastard."
Gulp—
Wary of prying eyes, he immediately swallowed the item.
It was stained with kobold blood, but he had no time to worry about such things.
- Warning! A ‘metal’ is already being absorbed. Absorption will be delayed.
"Whew... Corporal Lee Hyun-wook, is it over now?"
Ahn Min-tae asked as he approached.
"Don't let your guard down yet."
At Lee Hyun-wook's words, the entire squad began to scan their surroundings.
But there were no living kobolds.
Even to Lee Hyun-wook's senses, there was no moving metal aside from his squad members.
"Deputy Platoon Leader. I think it's all over."
"Ah..."
Choi Seon-ah nodded, her expression dazed.
Lee Hyun-wook looked back at his squad. They wore expressions similar to Choi Seon-ah's.
‘I need to help them sort out these complicated feelings.’
Lee Hyun-wook decided this was a moment that called for praise, for the sake of the future. He would have to lead them into battle several more times, so he needed to instill confidence in them, if only for his own benefit.
"You all did well."
At his words, all eyes turned to Lee Hyun-wook.
"Not a single one of you made a mistake. You handled it well, just as I instructed yesterday."
Only then did they realize that Lee Hyun-wook's words—his advice that if they neglected their training, they wouldn't even be able to protect their own lives—had come true, as if it were a prophecy.
Lee Hyun-wook then met Park Jun-mo's gaze.
"Especially you, Park Jun-mo. You played a crucial role in cleaning up the stragglers."
"...Ah! Th-Thank you!"
Park Jun-mo nodded, startled.
He was the one who had acted foolishly when the gate appeared on base and they faced the goblins, and he'd been despondent after getting an earful for it.
But this time, he received immense praise. A crucial role, even... Park Jun-mo felt his eyes welling up pathetically and lowered his head.
"Ahn Min-tae, you were as reliable as a corporal should be."
"Well, that's a given, of course. Haha..."
Though he said that, the guy couldn't hide his gummy smile.
"And Deputy Platoon Leader."
"Yes?"
"It's a bit funny for me to be saying this, but your order for suppressive fire at the end was perfectly timed. If we had hesitated for even a split second, we might have missed a few of them. It was a real relief."
"...Ah!"
In truth, when she gave the order, the squad members had hesitated and looked at Lee Hyun-wook. They only followed her command after he raised the barrel of his gun.
In any case,
Choi Seon-ah finally regained her spirit and grinned.
"Thank you! I'm so glad no one was hurt, really..."
Then, weren't those tears welling up in her eyes?
It was because the tension had suddenly broken.
Indeed... Seeing her like this, it seemed she hadn't quite shed her high school demeanor.
It was then.
Thud—
A heavy vibration echoed from somewhere. Everyone lowered their stances and raised their guns.
Something had landed on the brown brick wall behind them.
"Huh, that person is..."
It was a knight clad in black ‘full plate armor’.
‘Seo Eun-ha.’
Thunk!
She leaped lightly toward the ground, landing with a heavy thud.
‘Tsk, I figured this was her flashy entrance phase, but this is ridiculous.’
Lee Hyun-wook found himself glaring at her with disapproval.
In the distant future, Lee Hyun-wook would tell her time and again to move more carefully, no matter how heavy a Knight-class Player's body was.
There was no need to land so stylishly, as if it were some kind of ‘superhero landing’.
‘This, too, was probably one of the things she whined about while drunk and miserable.’
For a moment, Lee Hyun-wook wondered if he had been unknowingly nitpicking, just like 2nd Platoon Leader Lee Hee-min.
But no matter how he thought about it, his advice had been constructive and beneficial.
‘Of course. It was only natural.’
Clank—!
Just then, Seo Eun-ha's faceplate, her ‘visor’, lifted.
It revealed her utterly bewildered expression.
"..."
"Good work. An unexpected situation occurred, but we have successfully suppressed it."
Lee Hyun-wook offered her a salute.
But her eyes were filled with an inexplicable hostility.
The next moment, she raised her greatsword and pointed its tip at Lee Hyun-wook.
"...Hey, you."
"Yes, ma'am."
"...You, what the hell are you?"
Something similar had happened not long ago.
A sudden incident, her hurried dispatch only to find the situation already resolved, and that soldier standing perfectly fine in the middle of it all...
One of Seo Eun-ha's eyebrows twitched. A flush spread across her pale, makeup-free skin. It was due to intense suspicion.
"Ma'am? What do you mean?"
"Last time, too. How on earth did you do it?"
"...I'm still not sure what you're talking about."
It was then.
"...Everyone!"
A commotion began to echo from the inner alley.
"P-Prepare for battle!"
It was the voice of the 2nd Platoon Leader, Lee Hee-min.
He had returned in a hurry, leading the 3rd and 4th Squads.
But like Seo Eun-ha, he was a step too late.
"...Huh? Huh?"
He scanned the area with a bewildered expression, then looked at Seo Eun-ha.
"S-Seo Eun-ha! What? Why are you here... Don't tell me you handled all this?"
Seo Eun-ha shook her head without a word.
"What? You didn't? Then what, what, what happened?"
Lee Hee-min looked even more flustered than Seo Eun-ha, drenched in a cold sweat.
It was only natural.
He was the one in charge of the checkpoint, and a rather serious problem had occurred, so he would surely be reprimanded.
His confusion turned to irritation, which he naturally directed at the Deputy Platoon Leader, Choi Seon-ah.
"Hey! You! Choi Seon-ah! What the hell happened! Dammit, I told you to manage things properly so nothing would go wrong!"
"Ah, Platoon Leader, that's..."
He stomped toward Choi Seon-ah, looking like he was about to strike her, and she instinctively took a step back.
It was clear how much she usually endured, as her shoulders hunched instinctively.
Just then, Lee Hyun-wook stepped in front of him.
"Platoon Leader, I will make the report."
"What? Who the hell are you? Didn't I, fuck, tell you to know your place?"
Unable to control his anger, Lee Hee-min was like an enraged billy goat, bumping his combat helmet against Lee Hyun-wook's.
"...Understood. Then I'll report directly to the Battalion Commander."
"What? How dare an F-rank bastard like you bring up the Battalion Commander!"
But Lee Hyun-wook was looking somewhere other than at Lee Hee-min.
"Huh? This bastard, where are you looking...?"
Next, a scene unfolded that made Lee Hee-min's heart sink even more violently.
Vroooom—
The sound of an engine came from behind.
It was Vehicle One.
The Battalion Commander's vehicle had passed through the alley and stopped in front of the checkpoint.
Thud—
Soon, the passenger door opened, and the Druid of Namsan, Battalion Commander Kim Kang-seok, stood tall.
Looking up at that massive frame, Lee Hee-min sucked in a sharp breath.
"S-Salute! Battalion Commander, sir, a situation of unknown origin occurred, and while it has now been, uh, resolved, we, uh, we do not have precise information yet! I will report after further investigation!"
His saluting right hand trembled like an aspen leaf.
Kim Kang-seok's thick hand landed on his shoulder with a thud.
"Second Platoon Leader."
"...Hah! Second Platoon Leader, Lee Hee-min!"
"Second Platoon Leader, step aside."
"S-Sir?"
"You just arrived from outside the checkpoint. What do you know that you're trying to force a report? Don't waste my time. You know I dislike formalities, don't you?"
"...I-I apologize!"
Kim Kang-seok passed Lee Hee-min without a word.
Lee Hee-min trembled, his eyes darting to watch the Battalion Commander's back. He stopped in front of Lee Hyun-wook.
"Fifth Squad Leader."
"Corporal, Lee Hyun-wook!"
"You report."
Unlike the trembling Lee Hee-min, Lee Hyun-wook nodded with a calm expression. Watching this, Lee Hee-min couldn't help but look like he'd just chewed on shit.
"Yes, sir. I will report. During the checkpoint setup and perimeter security operation, a wide-area status-abnormality spell of the dark magic type originated from the sewers. We responded by initiating MOPP Level 3. Afterward, a pack of kobolds attempted a surprise attack, which we suppressed after a battle. We believe they were remnants that had evaded detection and hidden during the first wave."
"..."
"Battalion Commander, sir, shall I provide a detailed report? Specifically, on how an F-rank like myself responded."
Kim Kang-seok shook his head.
"I'll hear about that later. The operation is still ongoing, so I will issue the next order."
The Battalion Commander began to scan the signs of battle scattered throughout the checkpoint.
A dozen or so corpses, the M9 combat knives embedded in them... Lee Hyun-wook saw Kim Kang-seok's eyebrow twitch once.
"...Alright. From now on, First Lieutenant Seo Eun-ha is in command of this checkpoint."
Kim Kang-seok said, looking at Seo Eun-ha.
She seemed somewhat taken aback but immediately saluted.
"Yes, sir. I will do so."
Lee Hyun-wook waited for what would come next.
"And Lee Hyun-wook, you will carry out the duties of 1st Squad Leader, as I mentioned before. First Lieutenant Seo Eun-ha and the other members of the Assault Platoon will be on standby nearby, so there will be no chance of you endangering two squads as you were worried about... or rather, pretending to be worried about. Is there any valid reason to refuse this order?"
"...No, sir."
"Move out immediately. And prove to me, without holding anything back, the best you can do."
Lee Hyun-wook saluted, then looked at Ahn Min-tae and nodded.
It was a sign for him to take care of the 5th Squad.
As he turned toward the gate, his eyes met with Cheon Myeong-ho, who was sitting in the back seat of Vehicle One.
"..."
Lee Hyun-wook saluted him and quickly passed by.
Cheon Myeong-ho watched his retreating back with a blank expression.
"Hah..."
He let out a low sigh, unknowingly, as he gazed at the scene Lee Hyun-wook had left behind.
"What in the world is that guy..."
He shook his head.
"I really misjudged him, completely."
Now, there was even a hint of irritation in his tone.
"...He's not a leopard, he's a full-blown tiger, isn't he?"
In his eyes, Lee Hyun-wook's retreating figure appeared much larger.
***
That day, around 7 PM, the gate closed, and the entire operation concluded.
And the next day,
in the counseling room of the 1st Company's barracks, three Privates First Class were sitting on a sofa.
"...Whoa! Crazy! So, what happened after that?"
The one asking with an excited face was Gu Seong-min, a Private First Class from the 1st Squad.
He had been on leave during the last Itaewon operation, so he didn't know about the many incidents that had occurred before and after. He was now hearing about all the amazing events from two of his peers.
"What do you mean, what happened? Corporal Lee Hyun-wook suddenly came up to us and..."
He furrowed his brow and began to imitate Lee Hyun-wook.
"...I will be commanding you. Yes, you'll have complaints. I know. I don't care if you show it like you are now, but if you don't follow my orders, you will be dealt with on the spot. This is a real battle, and my words are the commands of your leader."
"What? Does that even make sense? Stop lying!"
"It's true! Anyway! When he said that, a few guys quietly answered yes, but, hmm... the atmosphere was really strange. Especially the look on Corporal Kim Geun-ho's face, who was the temporary squad leader... phew..."
Lee Hyun-wook had carried out the duties of the 1st Squad Leader as ordered by the Battalion Commander.
And quite successfully at that.
"The more shocking part was during the third wave."
"...Why, what happened?"
The story that followed was practically a heroic epic.
During the third wave, an elite monster, the ‘Kobold Bomber’, appeared.
It was a rather tricky foe that carried explosives on its body, either throwing them or self-destructing.
Moreover, they were mixed in with numerous kobold minions, making it difficult to single them out and deal with them.
But Corporal Lee Hyun-wook had identified their locations, ordered a wide-area ‘freezing’ magic attack around them to immobilize them, and then directed snipers to take them out, completely conquering the threat.
"...On the other hand, the 2nd Squad, led by the Platoon Leader, had three tankers injured. I mean, that's still a pretty successful result, no doubt, but Corporal Lee Hyun-wook was just perfect."
"Whoa... So you're saying he made better judgments than the 1st Platoon Leader?"
"Essentially, yeah."
"No, wait! The 1st Platoon Leader is an elite, isn't he? I heard he's about to become the Assault Platoon Leader for the 3rd Battalion. You're saying an F-rank did better than someone like that?"
Gu Seong-min still looked unconvinced.
It was then.
Creeak—
Speak of the devil, the counseling room door opened, and Lee Hyun-wook walked in.
"...Huh?"
"Ah! Corporal Lee Hyun-wook..."
"G-Good work, sir!"
The three of them hid their surprised expressions and bowed their heads.
Lee Hyun-wook gave a slight nod and opened the communal refrigerator.
"Um... Corporal Lee Hyun-wook."
"Yes?"
"Congratulations!"
"...For what?"
"The! Aren't you receiving a commendation from the Battalion Commander today? I heard he's visiting in person during the evening meal formation."
"Ah, that? Yeah, thanks."
Lee Hyun-wook said, taking out a drink.
"Um, Corporal Lee Hyun-wook!"
As he was about to leave, one of the privates called out to him.
The private hesitated, then gave an awkward smile and spoke.
"During the last battle, I thought your command was truly perfect. I was one of the ones with a disgruntled look on my face back then... I apologize, even if it's late. I'll be more careful in the future."
Lee Hyun-wook chuckled and nodded.
"Yeah, thanks for following my orders well back then."
"Yes, sir! Rest well!"
After Lee Hyun-wook left...
"Phew..."
The privates finally let out shaky breaths.
"Hey, was talking to Corporal Lee Hyun-wook always this nerve-wracking?"
"Tell me about it. I got tense without even realizing it. Phew..."
And Gu Seong-min finally nodded his head repeatedly.
"Wow! So everything you said was true?"
"Told you, you punk!"
"Wow... Corporal Lee Hyun-wook's gaze is completely different. He seems like a totally different person, doesn't he?"
"Yeah, that's what I'm saying..."
It wasn't just Lee Hyun-wook who had changed.
The way the company members looked at Lee Hyun-wook had changed as well.
Just like that, establishing an overwhelming record of achievement changes one's standing.
After all, the most important factor in judging a person is, indeed, their skill.
***
"Keuk!"
Lee Hyun-wook chugged the drink he'd taken from the communal fridge, then rushed to the bathroom.
Thump!
He gripped the toilet and groaned.
It was because of a pain that felt like his insides were burning away.
The reason was...
- Metal absorption complete. : Daemon Medal (Inferno)
* Controllable metal weight has increased: 499g
Caused by this...
- A ‘Breath Room’ is forming in your stomach. (2%)
* May be accompanied by extreme pain!
It was because of this.
It was the process of absorbing the Daemon Medal and gaining a new skill.
The so-called Breath Room was, to put it simply, a special organ found inside monsters that could spew a ‘breath’ attack, much like a dragon.
And at this very moment, such an organ was being created inside Lee Hyun-wook's body.
‘I've been through this once before, but this body is still weak, so it's much more painful.’
His whole body felt like it was boiling, his stomach melting.
The Breath Room was a kind of ‘blast furnace’ and, at the same time, a ‘combustion engine’ like a jet engine.
The idea of such a thing forming inside a frail human body was as horrifying as it was incomprehensible.
"Kuh, ugh..."
As he sat collapsed on the floor, groaning, he heard Park Jun-mo's voice from outside.
"...Corporal Lee Hyun-wook! Are you in here?"
Lee Hyun-wook suppressed his groans and slowly caught his breath.
"Hoo... Yeah, right. I'm in the bathroom."
"Ah! My apologies! They said the commendation ceremony is about to start. The Company Commander's orders are for you to be on standby for the rehearsal."
He had felt worse pain in his past life. This much, he could endure.
"Alright, I'll be out soon."
He pushed himself up, using the wall for support.
***
"Corporal! Lee Hyun-wook! Thank you, sir!"
With all the company members gathered, Lee Hyun-wook received his commendation.
And unlike usual, the Battalion Commander himself came to present it.
Clap-clap-clap-clap-clap—
‘This is insane.’
A pain like his whole body was on fire surged through him, but he did his best not to show it.
Perhaps because his face was a little flushed, he heard comments from those around him that Corporal Lee Hyun-wook seemed quite moved, but that was the extent of it.
The Battalion Commander spoke.
"You've achieved far more than during the gate incident on base, so you will receive a considerable reward. If there's anything you want, you can tell me directly."
Two meritorious deeds in a few days. Because of this, a significant number of reward points had accumulated.
‘I can exchange a good amount for leave and still have enough to do some shopping.’
It seemed he could get some decent items from the military item shop.
First, he thought, he needed to buy something like a pain relief potion to suppress this burning agony.
"Ah, and one more thing. Let's have dinner together tonight. I have something to discuss with you."
"Yes, sir."
‘...Dammit.’
Unfortunately, there was no time to buy a potion.
Lee Hyun-wook followed the Battalion Commander to the officers' mess hall.
Staff officers were seated around a circular table, the kind you might find in a Chinese restaurant, and glassware was set out.
The atmosphere was quite luxurious, unbecoming of the military, but the food itself was only slightly better quality than the enlisted mess, prepared to a normal standard.
"You remember what I said yesterday, about testing you."
"Yes, sir, I do."
Kim Kang-seok raised his coffee cup and looked at Lee Hyun-wook.
He took a sip of coffee, pausing for a moment, then slowly began to speak.
"...Commission as an A.M.T officer, Lee Hyun-wook."
Once again, a drastic proposal had been thrown his way.