Chapter 41
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: First to Secure a Gigant
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The cadets who stepped out of the vehicle stared at Kaul with eyes filled with confusion, shock, disbelief, and questions.
Kaul continued speaking as if utterly unfazed by their gazes.
“Well, it’s just the beginning, but everyone get off and assemble up front.”
The cadets exchanged wary glances for a moment before disembarking and gathering ahead.
As he got out, Abel scanned the surroundings.
There had clearly been a massive roar echoing everywhere, yet neither the vehicle nor the area around it bore any notable traces.
Noticing this, a few cadets furtively glanced at the vehicle and the path ahead.
Kaul was the one who explained the reason.
“The sound was fabricated. Everything’s intact, so no need to worry.”
Even after hearing the explanation, their doubts didn’t fade easily.
They simply hadn’t been told why it had happened.
At that moment, Kaul spoke up again.
“What just occurred was a simple test.”
“A test?”
“Correct. I was checking your ability to respond in an emergency.”
But when the bewilderment in the cadets’ eyes refused to lift, Kaul smirked as if he fully understood.
“You all look like you have plenty of questions. Unfortunately, I can’t clear them all up right now.”
He wiped the smile from his face and continued.
“You’re already smack in the middle of a practical exercise—war itself.”
That was when Abel posed a question to Kaul.
“You said we passed, so what happens to those who failed?”
“An excellent question. It’s simple. Failures get nothing. Passers, on the other hand, receive benefits commensurate with their success.”
As if he’d been waiting for this, Kaul drew two sheets of paper from his pocket and handed them to Abel.
“And this is that benefit.”
The papers Abel received were none other than maps.
“This is the last time I’ll so kindly inform you of pass or fail.”
Kaul opened his mouth and pointed at the map in Abel’s hand.
“That map marks the destinations you need to reach. Naturally, with two destinations, you’ll have to split into teams.”
Abel didn’t bother asking what lay at those destinations.
He wouldn’t have been told even if he had, but it didn’t matter anyway.
Abel already knew what was there.
‘Gigant.’
Gigants awaited at the marked locations.
No matter what it took, they had to reach those spots on the map.
And not merely for a good score in the practical.
Uninvited guests would crash this exercise.
Bare-handed, overcoming that danger was impossible.
While Abel mulled over his thoughts and calculations, Kaul covered a few more details before saying this.
“Then, give it your all.”
With those words, Kaul departed, leaving only the ten cadets, Abel included.
By then, Abel had finished his deliberations and addressed the visibly flustered group.
“Everyone, focus.”
Gazes converged in an instant.
Abel shook the two maps in his hand.
He was effectively claiming the leader role, yet no one voiced any objections.
Having witnessed his cool-headed performance and judgment moments ago, they had all tacitly acknowledged him.
“Two maps. Ten people.”
The worries were numerous, and the concerns piled high, but the immediate action was clear.
“Let’s split into two teams of five and move out.”
Secure a Gigant first.
* * *
Dividing into teams wrapped up quickly.
They first negotiated and split the maps pointing to different destinations, then assigned members accordingly.
The maps clearly indicated distinct objectives.
One appeared relatively safe but farther away.
The other was riskier, yet much closer.
“All set.”
Naturally, Abel chose the nearer one.
Once he made his choice, Daniel and May joined his team without a second thought.
Darin, who shared some camaraderie with May, followed suit.
That much was predictable, but the final member came as a slight surprise.
“Looking forward to working with you.”
It was Kallian, a red-haired cadet like Hena.
The surprise stemmed from Kallian’s occasional displays of hostility toward Abel.
He’d never picked an outright fight, but his glares spoke volumes.
Still, there was no reason to turn him away, so Abel nodded.
“Alright, teams formed. Let’s plan right now.”
Abel set aside his thoughts on the group and unfurled the map for all to see.
It wasn’t as precise as a modern chart, but it was legible enough.
“This is our current position.”
Abel first indicated the map’s bottom-left corner, then tapped the top right.
“And this is our destination.”
“There’s a forest in the middle.”
“Right. We could skirt right all the way around to avoid it, but that’d set us back tremendously time-wise.”
“Crossing straight through the forest is way shorter in distance, but we’d have to stay alert, so wouldn’t it slow us down?”
Abel nodded at Kallian’s observation.
“Likely. But we have to factor in that Instructor Kaul handed us this map.”
Even without elaboration, the others grasped his meaning immediately.
Darin spoke up hesitantly.
“S-so, there might be traps?”
“Exactly. Opting for the bypass prioritizes safety, but we’ve got no assurance it’s secure.”
Under normal circumstances, it’d be a straightforward choice: risk danger to save time, or take the safe but longer route.
But things were different now.
They couldn’t judge solely on the environment and map; the academy’s intentions had to be considered.
Kallian furrowed his brow.
“But what if they’ve hidden a bigger trap in the forest? Even the bypass should beat the other team’s time, right? Our destination’s way closer to begin with.”
“Fair point.”
Abel nodded without hesitation.
Kallian had been tossing out negatives nonstop, but his attitude wasn’t misguided.
Emotion aside, someone had to approach this cautiously.
“Hmm.”
Abel feigned deliberation while recalling information he already knew.
‘Crossing the forest would get us there at breakneck speed. We’d be among the fastest, even combining all the other classes.’
The bypass, even if cleared smoothly, would likely land them around the same time as the others.
Of course, both scenarios assumed a clean run.
‘The issue is traps on every path.’
No truly safe route existed.
The academy had rigged every option.
There was no easy path to the goal from the start.
However, not all traps were equal.
Abel’s eyes returned to the map.
The bypass, being longer, featured less perilous traps.
The forest, by contrast, was extremely hazardous.
Dangerously so—practically a blockade urging them not to go that way.
Considering that, the answer was obvious.
“Opinions split, so let’s go by majority vote.”
Abel made his call.
“I say we go through the forest.”
Extreme danger meant that, if overcome, transit would be lightning-fast.
And that was the crucial part.
The quicker the passage, the higher the score.
Whatever happened later in the exercise, initial points carried straight to their grades—an absolutely vital factor.
“What about the rest of you?”
Abel asked despite knowing the outcome.
A majority vote was tantamount to doing things his way.
“I’m in for the forest.”
“Same.”
Daniel and May tended to follow Abel’s lead.
“Then... me too.”
Darin eyed the group and went along.
Kallian wore a dissatisfied expression but yielded to the majority.
Clap!
The moment the decision was made, Abel clapped to draw eyes and spoke.
“Good. We move out now.”
A smile tugged at his lips.
“I’ve got a plan—hear me out.”
* * *
Five cadets traversed the darkened forest.
Over thirty minutes had passed since entering, yet the woods remained eerily silent.
According to the map, a straight shot would get them to the destination in about an hour.
Meaning they’d covered half the distance already.
But they couldn’t afford to celebrate.
‘It’s about time.’
The prepared peril was due any moment.
Everyone knew it, tension ratcheted up as they quickened their pace.
After another ten minutes or so.
Rustle—.
Abel caught the sound of grass shifting nearby.
The instant he registered it, he raised his sword.
The others sensed the anomaly too, gripping their issued weapons.
They exchanged glances simultaneously.
Rustle!
Abel attuned his ears to the approaching noise, biding his time.
When the unidentified presence drew right up to them.
“Now!”
Abel bellowed.
At the same instant, Daniel—positioned mid-front—launched forward like a coiled spring.
Crack!
The figure lurking in the grass revealed itself.
Seeing it veer toward Daniel, Abel instantly intercepted its path.
Clang—!
Swords met, sparks flying.
The one emerging from the grass wore dark clothing.
It unleashed a flurry of swings at the obstructing Abel.
Clang, clang, clang—!
Abel parried with effort, sizing up the foe.
“Two on the flank!”
Darin shouted then.
While the first drew focus, two more slunk in to strike from the sides.
These were the forest’s traps.
Abel already knew their identities: academy assistants.
“Cluster center!”
Abel roared, drawing the other four inward.
The attackers unleashed ferocious strikes to prevent it.
It didn’t carry the same near-death stakes as the Gigadeus Fragment, but they were far from pushovers.
Still, Abel smiled.
‘They’re in a bind now.’
Their objective was straightforward: tie up the cadets as long as possible.
Under normal circumstances, they had no reason to rush.
‘But they have no choice now.’
The reason was simple.
They’d lost one.
Clang—!
Swords clashed once more.
The assailants swung with intent to drop the cadets.
But Abel and the others didn’t go down easily.
Despite the skill gap favoring the assistants, they couldn’t land serious wounds on the cadets.
The group exploited that, holding out tenaciously.
Even better than the attackers had anticipated.
Abel’s team boasted above-average prowess as well.
May went without saying; Kallian ranked among the top in raw combat ability.
The skirmish dragged on longer than expected.
“Ugh!”
But all things end.
The most precarious, Darin, lost his sword and crumpled.
With one down, the assailants ramped up, pressing the remaining three.
Thud!
“Guh!”
Kallian took an abdomen hit next and dropped to a knee.
Abel felt his defenses buckling.
‘At this rate, we’ll all be taken down in seconds.’
The thought crossed his mind.
“Urk!”
Kallian groaned, sent flying backward.
He’d swung from his knees only to eat a kick to the gut.
“Eek!”
Darin followed with a scream, collapsing to the ground.
A sharp blade hovered at her throat.
In a blink, two were subdued.
Only May and Abel remained.
The masked foes were unscathed—if this continued, the rest would fall swiftly.
“Damn.”
Shadow fell over Abel’s face.
But then.
Boom—!
A massive sound erupted from afar.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
It came at steady intervals, drawing nearer.
“Tch!”
The assailants clicked their tongues in frustration and bolted into the shadows.
Everyone, bewildered by the turn, turned toward the noise.
Meanwhile, Abel exhaled in relief as he gazed at the source.
Far off, atop a towering tree, something jutted out.
It raised one arm high and waved it side to side.
Daniel had brought the Gigant right on schedule.
“Cleared.”
In other words, Abel’s team had secured a Gigant.
Likely the first.