Field Trip # 2
Field Trip # 2
First period was Instructor Lee So-ra's class anyway. I skipped morning assembly like always, and class got started.
"7.62mm MK-05. This is the standard-issue rifle of the Korean Defense Force. MK stands for Monster Killer, and it's a small arm specifically designed for anti-monster combat."
A futuristic-looking firearm appeared on the classroom screen. That was the same gun the soldiers had been carrying back then. The powered suits were so damn impressive that those were all I remembered, but now that I think about it, yeah, they were all carrying rifles like that.
"The monster farm we'll be visiting on the field trip produces Langst Dust, which is used in this weapon's ammunition. The Langst is an F-rank monster."
—clack clack.
Instructor Lee So-ra tapped her laptop and the screen changed.
"Ooh."
A moth monster the size of a pig. Look at the wingspan on that thing. It looked way tougher than the murderous Tinkerbells I'd fought to death back in the military—not even in the same league. How many recruits lost their lives to those Tinkerbells... just thinking about it is horrifying.
Anyway, the Langst's face had octopus-like tentacles hanging off it, and its plump body had about ten pairs of short legs that looked kinda like rhino horns sticking out.
"Once the Langst larva reaches a certain size, its tentacles, wings, and muscles are surgically removed. A tube is inserted into its throat, and it's raised that way. The marked area here is the Dust Sac. The dust is collected by squeezing it, much like milking a cow."
"Hmm... maybe it's because they're monsters from another world, but that seems even rougher than how they handle factory-farmed chickens, doesn't it?"
"The Animal Welfare Act does not apply to monsters."
Fair point.
"The dust collected like this is used as material for ammunition. When the dust effect is stacked, it can even be somewhat effective against D-rank monsters. Once the dimensional shield is neutralized, they can even be taken down with machine guns. Though, admittedly, the efficiency is poor, so it's really just a last resort."
I listened to Instructor Lee So-ra's lecture pretty intently like that. It was tough material, but it felt like listening to military stories, so it was actually fun.
"Hah, you all look bored out of your minds."
Then the instructor just said that.
This class is boring?
"What? This class is boring? I'm having the time of my life right now."
"Alright everyone, a round of applause for Kim Geun-cheol. That's an excellent classroom attitude. Everyone snap out of it. Theory class matters too."
—clap clap clap.
The other cadets rubbed their eyes and clapped.
Seems like being hero cadets, they all lean toward classes where they actually get to move their bodies.
"Don't think there will only be solo operations carried out solely by heroes. Military support is an absolutely essential component of any operation. So cadets must also learn about the military."
Well, that makes sense.
"Therefore, you will also be studying military organization and operational planning for anti-monster warfare, anti-monsterkin warfare, and anti-villain warfare. You'll also have to memorize all the specs of standard-issue equipment. We haven't gotten there yet, but you'll be learning that starting next week. So get your heads in the game."
What. So it wasn't just storytelling—it was the preview?
"Whoa, but Instructor. Don't heroes have way too much stuff to learn?"
But seriously, there's a fuckton to learn.
Isn't being a hero a goddamn brutal job?
Actually, though, it's true. Heroes and the military are inseparable. Heroes alone can't hold back the sheer volume of low-rank monsters flooding in, so military support is absolutely necessary.
That's why heroes need to fully master military organization and operational planning. All that "theory" they teach at the academy is taught because you have to use it in real combat.
It's way different from high school, where you just studied to get into college.
"That's exactly why you learn less of the standard academic subjects, Kim Geun-cheol. You may be called cadets, but fundamentally, you're still high school students. You have to study as if you're preparing for the college entrance exam. And likewise, you have to master combat ability."
"It's hard!"
It is hard!
"The path of a hero has always been a harsh one."
And so first period passed with Instructor Lee So-ra's theory class.
* * *
Break time.
I gathered my friends and told them all about the real combat I'd been through over the weekend.
"Oh Geun-cheol! Really! Oh yes! Very, very unbelievable!"
Brian clutched his head.
"A gate that appeared with no omen? For real?"
Woo Yu-ri tilted her head.
"Yeah. Ask Leona. We were just eating, had no clue about anything, and then boom—gate appeared."
"That's... really surprising. If that's true, initial response is going to get a lot harder."
Ken nodded.
"Well, it looked like everyone evacuated pretty well and bought some time. Even if initial response is harder, civilians are probably used to it by now."
A gate that appears without any omen. Everyone thought that was dangerous. Up until now, there was always some kind of warning sign before a gate appeared.
"Maybe it's some new weapon from the villains or monsterkin? They could've developed that kind of technology, right?"
Woo Yu-ri said that while running her tongue over her lips.
Wait.
New technology from monsterkin or villains?
"That actually sounds pretty plausible."
The main quest is called Omen. The omen of some special phenomenon... If that's the case, there might be something out there causing that phenomenon. Maybe some insanely powerful monsterkin or villains developed that new tech to destroy the world.
Story-wise, that's the classic setup. If stopping that is the goal, it'd be perfect.
"If it's not a natural phenomenon but an artificial one... the culprits couldn't be anyone but them."
Leona, who'd joined us at some point, picked up on Woo Yu-ri's comment.
"Right? It couldn't be anyone else, could it?"
"No. However, I find the monsterkin more suspicious. There's no way villains would have that kind of technological capability."
"True. Those drug-dealing bastards definitely don't have that kind of tech."
Woo Yu-ri and Leona talked it over like that. Honestly, villains might be called villains, but apparently most of them are just involved in profitable crimes like drug dealing.
"Still, there's also that group called the Human Federation, right? Villains and monsterkin might've joined forces and created some kind of new technology together."
"Human Federation? Si-hoo, what's that?"
"It's a group where villains and monsterkin have allied together."
Villains teaming up with monsterkin happens a lot.
Their interests align.
"They're like some kind of cult. The villains in the Human Federation believe that for the sake of human purity, all Awakened must be eliminated. So they've joined hands with monsterkin to hunt down Awakened. They're utterly evil bastards."
"Wh-what?"
What the hell?
"But aren't those villains Awakened themselves?"
"Correct."
"Then they should start by killing themselves. Why don't they?"
"Geun-cheol, you know this already, but you can't reason with cultists. If they were reasonable in the first place, they wouldn't be villains."
"That's insane."
Si-hoo gave a quick explanation.
The Human Federation's villains, under the ideology that all Awakened must be killed to restore humanity's purity, have allied with monsterkin from other dimensions and are fighting against Awakened. And while doing that, they commit acts of terrorism and massacre civilians.
A preposterous criminal organization that teams up with monsterkin for the sake of human purity and considers killing people a noble act.
They're insane.
"...They're total pieces of shit."
"Exactly. The rule is to shoot on sight. That is precisely a hero's duty."
Woo Yu-ri said it grimly. Leona nodded as if it were obvious. Anyway, we kept talking like that for a while.
"Hey, Kim Geun-cheol."
"Yeah. Woo Yu-ri, what's up?"
"So you went and got real combat experience this time. Did you, uh, manage to fix that screaming habit of yours?"
Looks like she's taken enough of an interest to try teaching me stuff.
"Don't even start. Kim Geun-cheol survived this time because of his screaming."
"Whoa, Leona. You're telling them that?"
"You did something heroic, so of course I'm telling them. Listen. Kim Geun-cheol screamed and..."
So Leona explained my exploits, and soon my friends burst out laughing. I'm seriously dying of embarrassment. Is there really a true story about a tanker who draws aggro by screaming?
"As expected of Scream Man! To use his talent to save lives! Truly a hero!"
"Yeah... ah, fuck. Still embarrassing though."
I couldn't even look at Ken's face while he said that laughing.
* * *
And just like that, it was time to go home.
"I'm aware of the incident. Once the investigation concludes, everyone from the Chairwoman down to me will be informed."
When I submitted my report to Instructor Lee So-ra, that's what she said.
"You were actually on the scene, though? Cadets are not encouraged to engage in real combat. It was dangerous behavior. You're not heroes yet. You haven't even received real-combat training."
"That's... you're right. But, Instructor, how could we just stand by when we were right there? We moved too, and that's how we were able to save that kid—the elementary schooler."
"That is true. An elementary schooler—no, a child. You saved a child. That was very well done."
—ruffle ruffle.
Instructor Lee So-ra reached out and patted my head. And Leona's and Si-hoo's too.
"This is just my personal opinion, but... gates appearing without omens. If that's true, then perhaps."
"Yes."
"It may be the omen of an even greater incident to come. I should be on alert as well. I've received your report. I'll submit it up the chain. Doing your vacation homework in advance like this... you really are diligent cadets."
"Heh heh heh, right?"
After receiving Instructor Lee So-ra's praise like that, we stepped out of the classroom.
"See? Good deeds really do bring blessings. Aren't you glad you came along on my volunteer activity?"
"I think I'm starting to understand what noblesse oblige actually means."
"What noblesse are you talking about, Kim Geun-cheol? Aren't you the one who's supposed to be on the receiving end?"
"Heh heh heh, well. True, I guess. But Leona, if you've received, you should give back too."
"You really do talk a good game! Well, still, you actually put it into action, so you are setting an example. I'll be heading off now. Both of you get home safe."
"Yep."
We parted ways with Leona right there.
"Si-hoo, you go on ahead today."
"Okay. You're getting swordsmanship training from Woo Yu-ri today?"
"Something like that. Take care."
"Got it. See you tonight, Geun-cheol. Don't forget, the field trip's tomorrow."
"Yeah."
I parted ways with Si-hoo too and headed toward the training ground. When I got there, Woo Yu-ri was leaning against the wall, waiting for me while looking at her phone.
"Hey! Woo Yu-ri! I'm here!"
"Did you hand in that report?"
"Yeah. Got exempted from vacation homework."
"Wh-what? What're you talking about? What's that?"
Woo Yu-ri tilted her head. But her face is so naturally fierce that she looked like some gangster about to shake me down.
"Cadets have some mandatory activities they have to do, and apparently you usually do them during vacation. So it's basically an exemption."
"You little shit. Explain it properly, and fast."
With an intrigued expression, Woo Yu-ri came over and walked beside me. So I told her the story as we headed into the training ground together.
"Hmm... so that's what happened. Still, seeing how you acted in real combat, seems like you've got some basic guts, huh?"
"Right?"
"If you can just stop flinching when shit flies at you, we can move right into swordsmanship training."
"I feel like I could handle that right now."
"Bullshit. Stop mouthing off and stand there. We're doing the don't-close-your-eyes drill again today."
"Yeah, yeah."
—bzzzt.
Woo Yu-ri immediately wrapped her sword in a force field, and I took my position. Right away, Yu-ri's sword came flying at my face.
—whoosh!
And I.
Stared straight at it.
"Oh? You didn't flinch this time?"
I was scared shitless at first, but maybe I've gotten used to it from doing it so much. I flinched a tiny bit, but the scream didn't try to escape this time.
"Hey, keep going. I think it's finally starting to work."
"Hoh. Look at this little shit getting confident. Did the real combat actually help you grow?"
Woo Yu-ri grinned as she said it.
Well, could be.
I've got real combat experience under my belt now.
"This right here is what they call talent, I guess."
"What're you on about. The talented ones get past this in a day."
"Ah."
So anyway.
—swish!
I kept training with Woo Yu-ri. Stare at the incoming blade until the very end. If she told me to dodge, I probably couldn't, but at least I could manage to keep my eyes on it.
Some time passed.
"Huff. Hey, Yu-ri. Let's take a break."
"Sure."
I plopped down on the spot and rested.
"Hey, Kim Geun-cheol."
"What."
"You said you saved a kid over the weekend."
"To be precise, Si-hoo saved the kid. I was on aggro duty."
"You really drew all the monsters' attention just by screaming?"
"Yeah. Hey, but seriously, no joke—I screamed, and suddenly all the monsters' attention locked onto me. That's how I survived."
"Hmm... I do know there've been cases like that. But doing it deliberately... that's fucking wild. Can you try it right now? I wanna see it for myself."
She wants to see my scream?
"Well, fine."
I was worried her eardrums might burst, but it should be fine. Leona was right next to me and she was okay.
"Since you're my swordsmanship teacher, I'll give you a special demonstration."
And I'd been wanting to properly test out the new skill myself anyway. In the training ground, I can scream as much as I want.
"Hurry up."
"Alright, here goes?"
—thud.
I stood up.
And chanted the activation word in my mind.
—War Cry!
"KIIIIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
As the scream exploded out of me in full force, I felt the sensation of the mana inside my body being drained. Ah. That felt like it landed properly. If it's this strong, I can definitely draw aggro!
"Ah fuck! Hey! Stop! Stop, stop!"
Right then, Woo Yu-ri shouted while covering her ears.
"How dare you cover your ears at my scream?"
"What're you saying!"
Someone in agony from hearing my scream... this is kind of satisfying, actually?