Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Severe Winter Training - 2
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“Sergeant Kim Seo-hyun!”
She looked downcast, probably because they hadn’t secured enough rations and had lost points for it.
He handed her a plate piled high with meat.
“There’s hardly any snow in Isgard.”
“Huh?”
“Anyone but me would struggle to adapt. You’ll do fine from here on out.”
Kim Min-jun patted her shoulder and walked off.
Kim Seo-hyun stared blankly after him for a moment, then took a bite of the meat.
“…It’s delicious.”
**
The first day of severe winter training passed without incident.
“Ughhh. I’m freezing to death.”
“Man, I’ve done winter training three times, but this is on another level.”
The hunters woke up shivering, having endured the brutal cold with just a military tent and sleeping bag.
No matter how thick the tent and sleeping bag were, the chill of Cheorwon in Gangwon Province was merciless.
That’s why most of the hunters had stuffed their gear with hot packs like crazy.
“I’d have frozen solid without these hot packs.”
“How many you got left? I think I used five just yesterday.”
Hot packs were technically not allowed, of course.
But with this unprecedented cold snap, it seemed they were turning a blind eye.
The battalion commander had said before training started that they’d leave the gear inspections to the hunters’ own consciences.
“Hey, anyone short on hot packs, take some.”
Kim Min-jun generously handed out the ones he’d brought to his platoonmates.
He, of course, wasn’t affected by the cold at all.
The only reason he’d brought hot packs was to share them with the troops.
“Sergeant Kim Min-jun, you’re not using any?”
“We’ve got consciences too, you know.”
“If I was cold, you think I’d be telling you guys about the hot packs? Take ’em quick.”
“No way! You’re really giving them to us?”
“Thank you, sir!”
In the current situation, hot packs were like water in a parched desert.
The platoonmates bowed deeply as they took them.
“We’ve still got a long way to go in training, so stay sharp. Monsters show up without warning starting day two.”
“Yes, sir!”
“We’ll work hard for full marks!”
Day two of training began.
The current scores for 2nd Company 2nd Platoon and 2nd Company 3rd Platoon were perfect.
“Sergeant Kim Min-jun… showed skills even more proficient than the scout hunters. And the new deputy platoon leader for 3rd Platoon, Kim Seo-hyun, right?”
The supervisor paused while filling out the evaluation sheet to glance at Kim Seo-hyun packing up the tent.
He’d expected Kim Min-jun, being such an outstanding hunter, to adapt well to winter training.
He just hadn’t anticipated he’d exceed those expectations so thoroughly.
“A hunter NCO from overseas, too. Full of surprises.”
Unexpectedly, the 3rd Platoon deputy platoon leader’s performance was solid.
This place, Cheorwon in Gangwon Province.
The Invincible Hunter Unit’s training was brutally intense.
An inexperienced sergeant thrown into winter training right away? Seven out of ten couldn’t adapt properly.
Even seasoned corporals or sergeants often outperformed them.
“Some distant relative of Sergeant Kim Min-jun? Talk about hunter army royalty.”
The supervisor added bonus points for 2nd Platoon’s Sergeant Kim Min-jun.
He’d seen how readily he cooperated with 3rd Platoon.
“2nd Company 2nd and 3rd Platoons. Keep up the energy from day one, and full marks are yours. Give it your all.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Got it!”
The supervisor’s brief evaluation ended.
The hunters immediately set off toward the secondary objective.
Hearing they could score full marks must’ve lit a fire under them.
Their faces were brimming with motivation.
“On the way to the secondary objective today, there’s a section you’ll have to cross using a military rope!”
Mid-march.
At Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min’s words, the hunters flinched.
Cross using a military rope.
That meant tightrope walking.
“Crazy. Tightrope’s one thing, but how the hell do we even set it up?”
“Exactly. What’s with the intensity? It’s only day two.”
Crossing on the rope? The hunters could manage that.
But safely rigging a military rope was tough even for seasoned officers.
“This is insane. Over 50 meters.”
“The ones setting it up are gonna lose their minds.”
The longer-than-expected march distance.
The hunters swallowed hard at the dizzying cliff height.
Sure, nets were installed below so no one would get hurt if they fell.
But those nets looked so flimsy.
‘They made it look like it’d rip in the wind.’
Kim Min-jun glanced down and smirked.
Seeing the safety nets brought back memories of his instructor days.
Of course, they only looked rickety.
The nets were plenty durable.
‘Obvious intent.’
Give the hunters excessive tension to burn through their stamina faster.
“Platoon leader, I’ll head to the other side.”
“Sergeant Kim Min-jun? Yeah, you handle 2nd Platoon. 3rd Platoon leader, you taking yours?”
One person was enough to cross over.
But training regs required two.
So they decided on one cadre member per platoon.
“Corporal Kim Seo-hyun! I want to give it a shot!”
“Huh? You? No reason not to, but… this is trickier than it looks.”
The platoon leader glanced at Kim Min-jun as Kim Seo-hyun shot her hand up.
Two had to cross together, so teamwork was key.
One slip-up burdened the other completely.
“I’m fine with it.”
“Alright. It’s Kim Seo-hyun’s first training too, so getting experience early isn’t bad. 3rd Platoon leader, you good with that?”
“Of course.”
And so, Sergeant Kim Min-jun and Sergeant Kim Seo-hyun were chosen to cross.
Couldn’t they just send a private?
No, in these situations, manual called for cadre first.
Sergeants second if no cadre.
That’s how risky it was.
‘I could just leap across, but that wouldn’t teach the troops anything.’
The rope spanned about 50 meters.
Easy enough to jump with a good push, but he didn’t.
Gotta set an example for the soldiers.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, sir!”
Kim Min-jun headed to the far side with Kim Seo-hyun, rope in hand.
Dizzying cliff.
Precarious ledge with barely room to stand.
They pressed their backs to the rock face and inched along.
“Whoa…”
“What?”
To Kim Min-jun and Kim Seo-hyun, it was slow and steady, but the platoonmates saw it differently.
“How’s he that fast?”
“Sergeant Kim Min-jun looks like he’s just running.”
“Sergeant Kim Seo-hyun’s no slouch either, but he’s so quick the gap’s widening.”
“Crazy. They’ll do it in under five minutes. What the hell?”
Minimum time to cross and rig was 30 minutes.
Sometimes up to an hour.
Rope setup was that grueling and dangerous.
Even 40 minutes earned full marks in evaluation.
“This side’s done. You guys good?”
“Yes, sir! Almost finished!”
Kim Min-jun and Kim Seo-hyun rigged the rope and confirmed safety in just 20 minutes.
A miraculous speed.
“Haha. Min-jun’s one thing, but that new deputy platoon leader’s no joke either.”
“Yeah, I didn’t expect this. And look at their teamwork.”
They crossed without a single straggler.
The platoon leaders grinned as they chatted.
Most platoons lost points on this, but 2nd and 3rd got perfect scores.
“Alright, we’ve reached the secondary objective. Secure the perimeter and…”
Arriving at the secondary objective, the platoon leader was giving orders when—
“Kieeeek!”
“Keeeaak!”
From the snowbank directly ahead, monsters with pale white skin emerged.
Lizard-like monsters with white skin.
White Lizardmen.
“White Lizardmen! Form up!”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
“No panicking! We’ve got time!”
The lurking monsters appeared.
The hunters swiftly formed ranks.
White Lizardmen were cold-resistant monsters.
Tougher strength and stamina than regular Lizardmen.
But vulnerable to mana rounds and blades, mid-to-low difficulty.
For the currently unarmed 2nd and 3rd Platoons, though, it’d feel mid-to-high.
“Eight White Lizardmen total! Block their first attack clean, and they’re easier to handle—you know that!”
“Yes, sir!”
“We do!”
“No need to freak! These are training-adjusted monsters!”
The monsters charged fiercely.
Kim Min-jun shouted encouragement from the front.
“Kueeek!”
“Raaah!”
“Push that bastard left! Gang up on this one first!”
“Roger!”
Hunters clashed with the White Lizardmen.
A tense struggle ensued.
No gear issued, so they fought barehanded.
“Damn! They’re pushing us here!”
“Urk! Aren’t these training monsters? What’s with the strength…”
But as time passed, the monsters gained the edge.
Environmental factors.
‘White Lizardmen thrive in the cold. Of course they’re adapted.’
Hunters couldn’t perform at full strength in the freeze.
Snow hampered movement, and stamina drained fast.
‘Time for me to step in.’
As his platoonmates tired out, Kim Min-jun loosened up and moved forward.
“Hey, you ugly bastards! Come at me!”
“Kek?”
“Kueeek!”
He grabbed the tail of one that took the bait.
“You’re my weapon now.”
“Kr, kek?”
“Let’s test your performance!”
The thrashing monster, tail gripped.
He swung it at the others.
Thwack!
“Double!”
Crack!
“Triple!”
Monsters flying limply.
Even holding back, this was the result.
Moment he truly felt his power growth.
‘I’m a full-on strength mage. Strength mage.’
Killing White Lizardmen barehanded? Tough.
Near impossible for NCOs, at least.
“Whoa…”
“Crazy. He took them all out.”
But Kim Min-jun handled eight with his fists.
In the most bizarre way.
“They’re drugged anyway—give it time, they’ll all croak…”
“As expected of Kim Min-jun! Wiping the rest clean! Haha!”
The supervisor inspected the corpses in a daze.
Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min laughed heartily.
“What kinda strength is that?”
The impact sites were caved in.
Snow Lizardmen resisted blunt force well despite mana and blade weakness.
“Never seen anyone wield a monster as a weapon before.”
As the supervisor marveled—
“Decent tool.”
Kim Min-jun set down the Lizardman he’d used as a weapon next to the others.
“You killed these guys, so it’s on you. Rot in hell.”
The one used as a weapon had suffered most, but Kim Min-jun didn’t care.
“Hm?”
As he turned—
Something came out of the mouth of the Lizardman he’d used as a weapon.