Chapter 308
Chapter 308
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 308
Chapter Title: Training Like Combat, Combat Like Training (7)
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The next morning, on the Manfel Plains.
Peter Jaeger, who commanded the Reich Empire's 7th Guard Division, once again reviewed the strategy he had devised with his officers the night before.
Normally, a battle at the division level involved an enormous number of variables, but the operation Peter Jaeger had chosen was incredibly straightforward.
The soldiers who had their supplies seized would have eaten properly by now one way or another, but their bodies would still be wracked with immense fatigue and a sense of helplessness.
Assuming they wouldn't hold out long in a head-on clash against another army, it was a straight-up fight with no tricks involved.
Peter Jaeger swung his command baton, extravagantly engraved with gold, and issued his orders.
"Infantry, press the enemy from the front. Though they are not our true foes, make them see the honor and pride of the 7th Guard Division clearly."
His command spread instantly through bugle calls and messengers.
The infantry of the 7th Guard Division stepped forward toward the enemy with majestic dignity in response to the order.
"Show your mettle in a way worthy of Her Highness the 4th Imperial Princess Louise's expectations! Do not tarnish Colonel Jaeger's name!"
"Any bastard who treats this mock battle lightly will be dead by my hand before disciplinary action even begins!"
"Fight bravely, just like our predecessors who laid down their lives for His current Majesty, those proud souls who faced knights outnumbering them more than two-to-one armed with nothing but spears!"
The officers under Colonel Jaeger brimmed with pride simply from serving beneath him, demanding honor and courage from the troops.
The soldiers, too, were filled with self-respect—born as serfs, they had risen this far by fulfilling their destinies, now fighting under a man worthy of being called the empire's greatest general.
Thus, from Peter Jaeger himself acting as division commander down to the lowliest private, everyone was fully resolved to treat this training as if it were the real thing.
The non-commissioned officers and officers who had served at Rischen Hill—living legends in their own right—bellowed at the top of their lungs.
"If you show even a hint of defeat or yielding against those weakened bastards who lost their supplies, this platoon leader will don the red hat!"
"Choose! Will you give a proper thrashing to those moth-like fools daring to challenge our 7th Division, or will you be the ones rolling under Colonel Jaeger yourself?!"
"3rd Battalion, forward—loose your battle cry! Put your resolve to teach those pups a real lesson into every shout!"
Normally, soldiers would grumble inwardly at such bluster from commanders, officers, and NCOs, but everyone here was akin to living legends themselves.
They were people who had proven their superhuman combat prowess in every training exercise, to the point where one wondered if they were even human.
Disappointing them meant enduring training so horrific that death seemed preferable—it was plain as day.
The 7th Guard Division soldiers advanced in perfect formation, maintaining a tense silence without even the casual banter common in real combat.
From the side, it might have looked like the dignity and majesty befitting the empire's elite, but for the 18th Division facing them head-on...
"Fuck, what the hell are those guys? Don't normal soldiers chat to ease the tension before a battle?"
"I thought they'd slack off a bit since it's just a mock battle. Look at that killing intent."
"And we're supposed to fight those monsters in this state?"
Perhaps because the 7th Guard Division wore the Reich Empire's black uniforms, to them, the men looked like walking grim reapers.
The officers clamped their mouths shut to maintain noble decorum, but they harbored the same thoughts—the situation spoke for itself.
Each unit's commanders knew that failing to fight properly here would invite far worse terrors.
What if 'Colonel Peter Jaeger' showed up in his capacity as overall commander, expressing profound disappointment to the 18th Division's commander...?
Many of the division's officers could face severe promotion blocks or even be stripped of their uniforms based on Colonel Jaeger's fair assessment.
The survivors would have to transform the 18th into an army worthy of satisfying that terrifying figure, enduring hellish training in the process.
'We've been training from dawn till night these past two months, with overtime into the wee hours and no weekend outings except one day— if the commander himself comes and whips us into shape...?'
The officers stopped imagining further out of sheer fear, but at minimum, everyone from privates up would face weekend training grind without leave, unless on official holiday.
Loath to experience such hell firsthand, they bellowed loudly.
"Hesitate or fight half-assed here, and we're all dead! Learned nothing from two months under Colonel Jaeger's training?!"
"Spears up and focus! Shut your mouths and eyes on the enemy only! The 7th Guard Division isn't just a pack of one-man-army freaks!"
"One-two! One-two! Align properly—duck when arrows and spells fly! Follow the company commander's orders, and we'll make it through!"
As the saying goes, a small fear can be forgotten in the face of a greater one. Soldiers more terrified of being drilled in guerrilla training by those red-hatted demons than facing the 7th Guard Division in this exercise snapped to attention.
Mock battles meant just getting beaten a bit extra, but guerrilla training kicked off with Colonel Jaeger's so-called 'military discipline calisthenics' pushed to human limits, followed by days—weeks—of near-death exertion into the afternoon.
Once aware of this, Colonel Jaeger would say something like:
'Appropriate discipline with just cause boosts unit morale this much, so let's properly drill any soldier who can't keep up in future training—for their physical and mental improvement, of course.'
And so, the 18th Division soldiers—having barely eaten for two days—gripped their spears, steeling themselves to avoid the guerrilla training that would start with Colonel Jaeger roasting their own commander.
At that moment, arrows and spells flew from both sides.
The spells were just light orbs that'd blind you if they hit; the arrows had cloth pouches filled with colorful dye powder instead of tips—hard-to-wash stains marking hits.
In this exercise, getting tagged meant immediate withdrawal. Some soldiers even wanted to take a quick hit on a non-vital spot and bail.
But getting caught by officers or controllers meant lashes or the whip, so everyone moved with grim seriousness.
"Eyes on your feet. Dodging arrows or spells by watching them is pointless."
"If an arrow hits flesh instead of armor, withdraw immediately. Lingering for more 'fighting' just earns heavy punishment later."
"Combat like training, training like combat. That's the mock battle motto—follow it, got it?"
Then, a rain of arrows and light orbs flew wildly between the armies.
Arrow-hit soldiers voluntarily withdrew spears in hand to avoid severe penalties; those seemingly tagged by spells were dragged out by squad-assigned controllers.
Squad controllers were typically sergeants from other units, but with Colonel Jaeger's authority backing them...
"You there, soldier and lieutenant—you've been hit by a light orb. Both KIA. Withdraw from the line and head to the casualty area."
"You, out! Arrow hit, you're done. In real combat, you'd be skewered— what are you waiting for?"
"Failure to obey a controller's legitimate orders may constitute mutiny against Colonel Jaeger's command. Severe cases go to military tribunal."
From field-grade officers down to privates, all meekly obeyed even lowly sergeant or warrant officer controllers.
That said, some soldiers showed their hit spots, protesting they weren't instant-kill or critical wounds and should keep fighting.
Such cases were logged as active participation, earning minor bonus points—not mutiny.
Still, no one tried funny business.
Thus, the soldiers of the 7th and 18th Divisions soon faced off, spears leveled at each other.
They eyed gaps, ready to thrust in unison—but the brigade commander overseeing the 7th's infantry barked first.
"All infantry of the Reich Empire's 7th Guard Division—charge! Press forward while maintaining formation!"
The 18th Division commander, who saw infantry as the biggest issue, was personally leading them.
Seeing it, he was momentarily stunned by the 7th's superior training discipline.
But he couldn't show passivity here, so he drew his training wooden sword and ordered:
"The enemy is stronger than us. Tighten your defenses even further!"