Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Weapon Training
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The other hunters' movements were clumsy, so his swordsmanship naturally caught the instructor's eye.
"Alright, privates, halt! Private First Class Kim Minjun, come up to the platform!"
At the instructor's command, all the privates' gazes turned to Kim Minjun.
'What the hell.'
He'd just been swinging his sword casually, relaxed.
"Private First Class! Kim Minjun! Yes, sir!"
Fine, if that's how it was, he'd show them properly.
Kim Minjun stepped up onto the platform.
"Listen up. After observing the privates' movements, I've seen a lot of choppy sections and awkwardness. Watch how Private First Class Kim Minjun does it."
The instructor directed Kim Minjun to demonstrate forms one through four.
The corporals and sergeants pretended not to care, but they stole glances at him.
"Yes, sir."
Kim Minjun executed the forms from one onward.
He even slowed his pace so the privates could follow along visually and learn.
The instructor watched silently, sunglasses on.
"Alright, halt."
"Halt!"
"See this spacing here? You need to maintain exactly this interval—it's ideal for parrying a monster's attack."
The instructor approached the paused Kim Minjun and pointed at his legs with a baton.
The privates were too busy trying to mimic his stance to pay attention.
'Huh. This feels just like...'
Being a drill instructor.
Not that he minded, except for the baton prodding his body.
"Next, form four! As I said, forms one through four rely heavily on lower body strength. For form four..."
The training continued until the break time was called.
"Twenty-minute break, then we resume! Hydrate properly!"
"Yes, sir!"
At the instructor's order, the hunters dispersed briefly to grab water.
As Kim Minjun started to step down from the platform.
"Kim Minjun, good work. You really impressed the instructor. Eat this later."
The instructor slipped something into his pocket.
"Private First Class! Kim Minjun! Thank you, sir!"
Red packaging.
A Choco Pie.
'...So this is what they call pulling rank.'
The education officer, the instructor—same deal.
Why were they all so obsessed with Choco Pies?
"Minjun."
No sooner had he stepped down than Private First Class Lee Dongjin approached.
His upper body was soaked in sweat—he'd clearly trained diligently.
"Private First Class Kim Minjun."
"You're damn good with Hunter Army swordsmanship. Mind checking my form during break?"
"No, sir. I'm still inexperienced. But if it helps, I'd be happy to take a look."
"Nah, you're good. I could learn from you."
Lee Dongjin's main weapon was a sword.
Right in front of Kim Minjun, he executed the textbook forms flawlessly.
'Nothing to nitpick here.'
That was Kim Minjun's honest take.
You could tell he'd put in the hours.
Straight out of the Hunter Army swordsmanship playbook.
"Private First Class Lee, I don't see any flaws."
"Really?"
"Yes, sir."
"Hmm... Truth is, every time I fight monsters with a sword, the results aren't satisfying."
Lee Dongjin spoke with a slightly downcast expression.
He worried he lagged behind other hunters even when following protocols.
"There's live combat training later, right? I'll watch you closely then, sir."
"I'd appreciate that. Thanks."
"Yes, sir."
He was a senior who'd looked out for me, so this much was the least I could do.
"Assembly!"
The twenty minutes flew by, and the instructor's voice signaled the next drill.
"Weapon training ends with sparring against monsters!"
The instructor pointed to the monsters caged behind iron bars.
Goblins.
Among low-tier monsters, they were on the tough side.
Sly bastards—if you let your guard down, you'd regret it.
"Kieek! Humans!"
"Kill!"
Instead of their usual clubs as weapons, they gripped training dummies—blunt sticks.
"All privates, return weapons and fall back! Execute!"
"Execute!"
Privates couldn't take promotion exams for a year, but they still had to train.
This time, though, with goblins as opponents, privates were sidelined.
They usually practiced on orcs.
"One by one from the front—step up and prepare."
"Yes, sir!"
Kim Minjun was slotted last.
To observe and learn from the seniors' techniques.
"Ready? Begin immediately!"
"Yes, sir!"
At the instructor's signal, the cage door swung open.
First up: Private First Class Lee Dongjin.
'Let's see how he does.'
Lee Dongjin closed the distance to the goblin cautiously.
'Stance is solid.'
But the problem started right away.
Dragging it out too long.
"Lee Dongjin! Scouting battles are only for unknown types! Why waste time on a goblin?"
"Private First Class! Lee Dongjin! Sorry, sir!"
Kim Minjun's assessment was spot on.
The instructor called out the exact same issue.
'Being cautious is fine.'
Minor slips could snowball into disasters.
But that didn't mean wasting time was okay.
The moment you entered a dungeon, your stamina started draining.
"Lee Dongjin, eight minutes for one goblin! Even perfect form and response mean nothing if it takes that long!"
"Private First Class Lee Dongjin! Sorry, sir!"
Even well-trained privates first class could handle goblins in five minutes.
Eight with your main weapon? Definitely slow.
"Hey, Dongjin, that's why you can't make corporal. Stop hesitating—charge in hard!"
"Private First Class Lee Dongjin! Sorry, sir!"
"Right. Fix that, and you're good."
"Yes, sir."
Next up: Kim Kwangshik.
His main weapon was a special saw-like blade.
"Kieeeek!"
Kim Kwangshik took down the goblin in a mere three minutes.
"Next!"
Starting with him, all the corporals and sergeants handled their goblins with ease.
"Promotion exams are 100% live combat! One mistake, and you're dead! No complacency—stay sharp!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Understood!"
They were safe in preliminary training now, but promotion exams had zero safeguards.
Pure real-world conditions.
That's why serious injuries happened occasionally during exams.
"Privates first class, step it up. At this rate, you'll never make corporal."
"Yes, sir!"
Training pressed on until only Kim Minjun remained.
"Kim Minjun."
"Private First Class! Kim Minjun!"
"You haven't finished main weapon training yet, and it's a goblin. If it's too much, tell the education officer now."
"I'll give it a shot!"
The instructor nodded once at Kim Minjun's resolute reply.
"Good attitude for a Hunter Army soldier. Pick any weapon you like."
"Yes, sir!"
Swords had felt boring anyway—perfect timing.
Kim Minjun headed to the weapon rack and scanned it.
'Hmm. Sword or spear, that's it.'
Not exciting.
He preferred smashing over slashing or stabbing.
'I want my own weapon. Oh?'
His eyes finally stopped on the last one.
'This. This has vibe.'
A blunt weapon made from dungeon byproducts.
Looked like an iron bat, but it had serious weight when he hefted it.
'Damn. They even wrapped it with wire to make it hurt monsters more.'
Great looks, perfect grip.
Love at first sight.
Kim Minjun picked up what might be a weapon most hunters avoided.
"What, why'd he grab that?"
"First training, probably doesn't know."
"Bet it hurts like hell if it connects, though."
The seniors eyed the iron bat Kim Minjun lifted with puzzled looks.
That thing was heavy—carrying it alone drained stamina fast.
A few swings, and you'd be gasping without realizing.
Even high-strength sergeants had tried it, but no one could wield it properly.
"He's holding it, at least?"
"Wow, just lifting it is tough."
"Born with stats, huh."
"No wonder he smashed those thirty Middlebats solo."
Hunters' gazes locked onto Kim Minjun.
Even the instructor stared at the weapon, intrigued.
"Ready? Begin!"
"Yes, sir!"
The cage opened at the signal.
"Kreeeek! Human! Die!"
Unlike the others, this last goblin charged the instant the door opened.
Eyes bulging.
Face twisted in rage.
It had watched its comrades die pointlessly—lost its reason to fury.
'No way, this psycho?'
A goblin spitting at me?
"Kreeeek!"
"I'll split you in half, you little shit!"
The second goblin spit hit his clothes, Kim Minjun swung the iron club.
Spluuurt!
One strike.
A casual swing, and the goblin split clean in half, dead.
"Kim Minjun, fifteen seconds! Excellent."
The instructor checked his stopwatch, then looked back at Kim Minjun.
"......"
"Huh..."
The other hunters were speechless too.
They stared at him, dumbfounded.
"He really soloed thirty Middlebats...?"
"See? No wonder he made PFC so fast. Told you!"
"Man, didn't expect a one-shot on a goblin, though."
They buzzed excitedly for a moment.
"Training's not over! Shut it!"
"Sorry, sir!"
The instructor quelled the hype.
'As expected. That guy's officer or academy material.'
From marksmanship to emergency response to that demo.
No average hunter could pull it off.
'Anyway, having a top hunter in the unit is a win.'
The instructor cleared his throat.
"You saw it—monsters aren't machines. No fixed patterns. That's why adaptability matters."
The silent hunters nodded one by one.
'Ah. Wonder if someone's claiming this.'
Kim Minjun returned the club reluctantly.
Only one weapon with that heft and quality.
'I'll use it in the promotion exam.'
Training continued as planned afterward.
Kim Minjun enjoyed it lightheartedly.
"It's here."
And the next day, Saturday.
The day of the promotion exam he'd been waiting for finally arrived.
"Corporal, here we come!"
**
It was 5 a.m., still too early to wake, but Kim Minjun and Lee Dongjin were chatting outside.
"You're too cautious against monsters, Private First Class Lee. Fine for hordes, but overkill for singles."
They were discussing yesterday's training.