Chapter 3 - Wait, I... (3)
Chapter 3 - Wait, I... (3)
'If I had to put a label on it, is this waiting time?'
The community screen that had popped up without warning vanished on its own the moment I thought I didn't want to see it anymore.
Nothing changed immediately after. The [Dormitory] room remained silent.
To the point where I wondered if I'd finally gone crazy from the stress and was seeing things that didn't exist.
But thinking about it, it wasn't actually that strange.
When a Player recruits units at Eisenblut, they need a bit of waiting time.
In other words, it's a kind of preview.
Thanks to that, they can identify candidates in advance, secure necessary resources or plan strategies accordingly, and then take the unit they've chosen.
"I guess this is a lock..."
I don't know who the Player managing this world is, but if they went as far as entering the [UltiField Gallery] to ask, I didn't think they'd pass me up.
Besides, that newbie Player, who seems a bit loose in the screws, is the type to have a rebellious spirit, so it's a problem even if they do pass me up.
Hardcore? It triggers several times more events than other difficulties.
Even if the Player passes me up and raises others, if they ultimately fail the clear, what will happen to this world?
A bad ending definitely exists.
Everything destroyed by the encroaching enemies, everyone killed or enslaved.
Most players would just turn it off and start a new game before it gets to that point, but as a resident of this world, I can't exactly just say, "Let's start the next game," with a light heart.
An unblockable technique. In other words, an unblockable attack.
It seems I've been hit by one of those.
"Hey, Trainee!"
That was when the firmly shut door burst open with a bang.
It would be normal to be startled out of my skin, but surprisingly, I wasn't very surprised.
Could the [Strong Spirit] trait already be working?
"Why the hell is it taking so long?! Do you intend to make everyone else wait because of you alone!"
The person shouting in a clear, high-toned voice was a woman with dark black hair grown down to her waist.
Even though there was still a youthful look on her face, she clearly looked like an older senior compared to 'the current me.'
Her beautiful face was scrunched up enough to wrinkle her brow, and her deep purple eyes were glaring at me.
She was wearing a uniform similar to mine, except for the skirt.
However, on one arm of hers, crossed as if she were displeased, was an armband decorated with gold thread.
"Who might you be?"
"My name is Rosaria... I am an instructor cadet for this 1279th Class. It seems you still haven't grasped the situation."
As I tilted my head, she let out a scoff as if she were dumbfounded and gave a bitter smile.
"At Eisenblut, your status and background from the outside mean nothing. This is a place where you are trained to fight the enemies of the Demon World. I already know what kind of young master from what family you are. But you shouldn't expect the treatment you received there."
Oh, an explanation that felt somewhat familiar drilled into my ears.
But what to do. Memories of the past, where I'd already done enough of this, came flooding back, making me feel even worse.
Re-enlistment. I can't believe I'm re-enlisting!
"I was just about to head out."
"...It seems you've seen something somewhere. But you'll have to learn from the beginning."
When I raised my right hand and gave a half-assed salute, she sighed and shook her head as if she'd seen something she shouldn't have.
Can't be helped.
I was already a soldier whose service time was long over; the experience of giving a proper, sharp salute was too long ago.
"A, a special transfer student?"
"If you want to put it that way, yes. It's an order that came down directly from the Central Steering Committee, so we have no right to refuse."
Shortly after Leon arrived and met Helena after receiving the summons notice.
Including Rosaria, the 10 people selected as instructor cadets for the 1279th Class, recognized for their innate traits and training results, heard a somewhat shocking explanation from the battalion commander of the 3rd Training Battalion they belonged to.
It was a notification that a new recruit would be joining the class, even though training for the 1279th Class was already quite far along.
"...Furthermore, the high-ranking official from the Central Committee who played a major role in summoning you 'personally' pointed out that boy and called his talent unprecedented. He'll have to prove it, but there's no way that person would be wrong after seeing him."
The battalion commander, who glossed over Helena—whose existence is barely known to the general public—as just a high-ranking official, glanced at Leon's file on his desk with a tense face.
[Strong Spirit], [Martial God], [Dead Eye], [Limit Break].
These four traits aren't just highly valued by Players.
Even those living within this world considered these traits to be cheat-tier; if you were born with even one, your future was guaranteed.
Even if they didn't come to Eisenblut, paths like becoming an escort knight or a high-ranking mercenary were wide open.
'No... no way.'
Rosaria, who possessed the [Martial God], [Combat Intuition], and [Perfectionism] traits, was rendered speechless upon hearing the traits Leon supposedly had.
While she had put in the effort herself, what ultimately made her the representative of the 1279th Class, which had just taken its first steps, were her innate traits.
For the past few weeks, she had reigned as the representative of the 1279th Class as the most excellent person and the one born with the most superior traits.
However, there is always a sky above the sky.
She started as the daughter of a merchant family, but the sense of exhilaration from being able to stand above trainees from high-ranking noble families due to her innate abilities was instantly crushed by the youngest young master of the Marquis Leberk family, who was known to have even greater talent.
"Don't be too disappointed."
When Rosaria was about to leave the office for the last time, the battalion commander caught her with a bitter smile.
"It might not resonate much with you all, who have just begun to awaken to the abilities you harbor, but having innate talent is one thing, and using it perfectly is another."
The battalion commander was also a commoner. He was even the son of a tenant farmer, much poorer than Rosaria's family, which at least had money.
Blood is thicker than water, and the battalion commander, who had trained quite a few trainees, encouraged Rosaria, who looked shocked.
"That young master from the Marquis Leberk family is still young. He's a pampered young master raised in a greenhouse. It will take quite some time for him to adapt to a completely different environment, so instead of keeping him in check and being anxious, think about developing yourself further and leading him. Keep this in mind. At Eisenblut, only skill is everything."
'Yes. The battalion commander is right.'
His words certainly helped Rosaria steady her heart.
Eisenblut is a place that operates on laws completely different from existing common sense, notions, and systems, for a single purpose.
It is a place that values only skill, where skill overwhelms everything, and where only the strong are favored—it is the very definition of "survival of the fittest."
Also, the saying that innate talent is not the same as skill was true.
Handling innate talent is also part of skill, and that is why they are summoned here and rolling in the dirt.
"Hey, Trainee!"
'Ha, as expected.'
That was why Rosaria, while going to fetch Leon who wouldn't come down, was angry but inwardly breathing a sigh of relief.
Because the silver-haired, red-eyed boy looking at her while wearing a black uniform looked as frail as he looked noble, and as immature as he looked beautiful.
If he looks like a younger person to take care of rather than a rival, there's no reason to keep him in check.
"The only thing that matters at Eisenblut is one thing. Skill. Status and background from the outside world mean nothing. Only according to skill and performance do rank and position change."
Rosaria injected the same content she had learned into Leon. It was because of her belief that she could just make him submit with skill.
"..."
After that day, Leon, who officially started living with the 1279th Class, didn't show much of a reaction.
Rumors about his talent had already spread far and wide.
Fellow trainees kept their distance and whispered while looking at Leon, and it was a common occurrence for seniors from other classes, as well as officials, to come by and glance at him.
The emotions they held while looking at Leon might be different, but the interest was ultimately the same.
Whether or not he could properly blossom that legendary talent.
"Those with melee traits, over here. Leon, you follow too."
The incident happened as the 1279th Class began full-scale training.
According to the [Martial God] trait, about half of the personnel arrived at the training ground where various weapons were laid out, led by Rosaria to become melee-only units.
Leon, who had decided to also undergo long-range training due to the [Dead Eye] trait, visited here first as well.
"Pick up a weapon that suits your individual traits. After that, we start with basic posture training."
As the instructor said, the trainees scattered. Those with the [Powerful Strike] trait chose blunt weapons, those with [Trajectory Analysis] chose fast and sharp swords, and so on.
Depending on the trait, the preferred weapon is also different.
'But if the weapon proficiency of a unit that was pulled well is wasted because the career path is set to a weapon type that deviates from the tech tree the Player has raised, it's all for nothing. That's why Players clutch their heads. Asking if they have to gacha again after already gacha-ing.'
Leon also followed behind the other trainees toward the rack where countless weapons were hanging.
As a Player who considered himself somewhat of a veteran, he hesitated in his choice, fidgeting with his fingers in front of the rack.
Once he confirmed the existence of the Player, the options would diverge depending on what build that Player was riding.
"You and I have the [Martial God] trait. Since we can quickly build proficiency and increase our skills no matter what weapon we pick up, it's better to increase proficiency even a little bit more in the time you spend worrying."
Rosaria, misunderstanding Leon's attitude, laughed and confidently pulled out a large spear.
"If it's a spear, I can teach you too."
It was the spear that she had been training with since she was young, and it was the spear she wanted to increase proficiency in first, as she showed confidence.
[Post: Hey, what should I raise for weapon and equipment crafting tech? It's divided by weapon type, what is this?]
ㄴChoose carefully. If it deviates from the unit that will be your main force later, you're screwed.
ㄴAh, it's the guy who went to the top posts earlier for pulling a legendary unit. You have the Martial God trait, but do they give you proficiency-raising time for free? If you mess up your pull here, you'll suffer for a long time.
ㄴIt's better to go with something safe. It's the early game anyway, so it's not that urgent. Wait until you check the stats of that unit you posted earlier in detail.
But while Rosaria was chattering, Leon was frozen with a blank face, looking at the window that only he could see.
'The fact that it pops up without any warning hasn't changed. Could it be that it only pops up when the Player posts something?'
It wasn't his first time, so he grasped the situation quickly.
The Player who was about to start the game in earnest was asking for advice on the community, and those who were already aware of Leon's existence gave standard answers.
To align development according to the actions of the early main unit.
ㄴThe spear is kind of pulling me in. There's a glaive too. Looks cool.
ㄴAbsolutely NOOOOOOO. Don't decide first, wait!
ㄴOK OK
Since the Player was a newbie, the atmosphere was one of suppressing their ego and listening to the users.
Having confirmed that much, Leon reached out and grabbed a long, single-edged sword.
'Align it to me?'
He pulled out the blade, checked his face reflected in the edge, and smiled faintly.
The community users advised the novice Player to always align the direction with the unit.
It was the standard method, and Leon had done the same when he was a Player.
However, it was never an easy task.
Because, as if the algorithm was playing a prank, the units never acted the way the Players induced them to.
Now, that relationship was reversed.
'This is actually more comfortable.'
The crappy controls, limited freedom, and erratic behavior of units he used to curse at when he was a Player.
The moment he realized that those were now his weapons.
Leon's eyes glinted red.