Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Hunter Guerrilla Instructor-3
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Ding.
[Your Agility stat has increased by 1.]
‘It actually went up?’
It was unexpected.
For other hunters, their stats would shoot up steadily, but he was different.
Having trained with already high stats, his growth was inevitably slower by comparison.
‘From basic training all the way to now, just a single point.’
He hadn’t expected anything at all, but it turned out there was some growth after all.
If he compared it to a game, it was like a level 100 adventurer hunting down tens of thousands of level 1 slimes.
‘Better than nothing.’
**
The special obstacle training continued all morning. The trainees had only the tightrope walk—the final obstacle course—left ahead of them.
“Today, the trainees’ attitudes are much more to my liking than yesterday. Make sure you tackle the remaining training schedule with the same effort! Understood!”
“Yes, sir!”
The spot where they were lined up was a training ground equipped with only the bare minimum safety measures.
“Whoa… this is dizzyingly intense.”
“That descent training earlier was just child’s play compared to this…”
The hunters gulped as they peered down at the cliff below.
In the previous guerrilla exercise, the tightrope had been done perfunctorily, but this time it was fully by the book.
“The tightrope ahead is 100 meters long. The left rope is Line 1, and the right is Line 2. Grip these ropes and cross one at a time. Understood?”
“Yes, sir!”
“You there, Trainee 206! Why are we doing this training?”
Mid-explanation, Kim Minjun tossed a question at one of the trainees.
“The tightrope is mainly used during dungeon raids when you encounter swamps or poison pits that can’t be crossed by normal means.”
Son Eunseo answered flawlessly, as if it were no big deal.
‘Tch, I asked because she was spacing out, but what a shame.’
To demonstrate, Kim Minjun clipped his safety line to the rope.
‘This is probably the toughest one for the other hunters.’
When regular troops did tightrope training, the distance was about 50 meters.
The hunter unit had to cross double that—100 meters—relying on just the single rope.
That alone would be manageable, but midway through, the drill instructor would release flying monsters.
‘Small Peckers. They look like woodpeckers, right?’
Small Peckers were low-grade monsters like Hounds, but on a tightrope, they were no different from demons.
On top of that, wearing an 80kg power suit made resisting them extremely taxing.
‘It’s a training where you’re supposed to take hits from the start.’
The point was to cross while minimizing damage to the body.
“Trainees, watch the expert demonstration from the instructors and follow suit perfectly! Understood?”
“Yes, sir!”
“It doesn’t matter if you fall while wearing your power suits! So don’t be scared! Understood?”
“Yes, sir!”
A special-material safety net was strung below the rope.
It was so secure that even if a bunch of suited trainees plummeted down, there’d be no worries.
“Trainee 00! Ready for crossing!”
Kim Minjun hooked his right ankle to the tightrope and assumed the crossing position.
To let the trainees see and mimic it well, he held the perfect posture for a set time.
“Cross!”
At the other instructor’s command, Kim Minjun began traversing the tightrope bridge.
‘This speed should be about right.’
Normally, he’d zip across, but right now he was an instructor.
He had to deliberately slow down to accommodate the trainees.
“Releasing monsters now!”
After passing the 50-meter mark, the drill instructor on the far side unleashed two Small Peckers.
“Chirp-chirp-chirp-chirp!”
“Chirp-chirp!”
The small birds with long beaks swarmed toward Kim Minjun.
Whoosh! Swoosh! Whoosh!
The Small Peckers relentlessly targeted his head, arms, and legs.
‘Ugh, damn. Almost killed these pests.’
Remembering the drill instructor’s order not to kill the monsters, he just flailed his limbs around in defense.
“Chirp-chirp!”
“Chirp-chirp-chirp!”
Frustrated by their misses, the beasts went all out, swinging their beaks with full force.
‘Don’t get cocky.’
Kim Minjun glared at a Small Pecker and flicked its forehead.
“Squeak…”
The struck one fled backward in fear.
“Squeak, squeak-chirp!”
The other flapped its wings and backed off too.
“What the—those things?”
Stunned by the monsters’ unexpected behavior, the drill instructor quickly yanked the leashes around their necks to retrieve them.
“Guerrilla!”
As Kim Minjun’s demonstration ended, the hunters wore baffled expressions.
“What was that? Just one forehead flick?”
“Real stat monster. He said this is a training where you have to take hits, but the guy didn’t get touched once?”
“Maybe the Small Peckers are just scared of that move.”
“Oh, could be.”
Afterward.
The hunters tried flicking the Small Peckers’ foreheads while crossing, only to be met with furious beak strikes.
“Eek! Get away!”
‘Pfft. Guess even the division commander’s daughter can’t handle those?’
Kim Minjun smirked as he watched Son Eunseo flail about.
‘No idea why, but it’s fun watching my squadmates and that girl struggle.’
**
The second day’s training passed like that, leading into the third day.
“It’s finally here! Trench brawl day!”
The day for the trench brawl training Kim Minjun had been eagerly awaiting arrived.
“You like training that much?”
“Just do it all yourself.”
His squadmates looked exasperated at Kim Minjun humming a tune.
“I’ll let you in on some premium intel. The squad that wins the trench brawl gets a squad outing pass from the drill instructor.”
“Oh?”
“For real?”
At the mention of a squad outing, his squadmates’ eyes went wide.
Nearby hunters who overheard reacted the same.
“Kim Minjun. You doing the trench brawl too?”
“Corporal Kim Minjun. Yes, sir.”
“Yeah? Watch out if you run into me. I took first in the last trench brawl.”
Choi Seungwoo—the corporal who’d put them through hell during PT calisthenics—patted his shoulder as he passed.
‘Oh? Look at this guy.’
Seemed like he’d built up some grudge from the PT calisthenics.
“Alright! It’s day three of guerrilla training! The drill instructor will decide whether to grant recreation time on the final day based on today’s attitudes!”
“Yes, sir!!”
“Yes, sir!”
In front of the trench brawl arena.
The drill instructor dropped the unexpected term “recreation time.”
‘Whoa… for real?’
‘The training’s been so brutal, I didn’t even hope for it.’
The trainees’ eyes blazed with motivation.
Normally, on the evening of day four of guerrilla training, they gave recreation time like a guts trial as a reward for the hardship.
They’d assumed there’d be none this time, but now there was a sliver of hope.
‘I’ll push to the end, even if I pass out midway!’
Recreation time was a prime chance for male and female hunters to bond.
They resolved to take the trench brawl seriously.
“Alright! The winning squad gets a squad outing pass from the drill instructor. Conversely! The lowest-performing squad will do extra PT calisthenics with the instructors.”
Even for trench brawl, the drill instructor ordered them to treat it like combat.
‘Oh yeah, mud pit. This is the trench brawl.’
Plus, a massive pit big enough for one platoon.
Kim Minjun waited his turn with excitement bubbling.
“All trench brawls are single elimination. Proceed by squad, regardless of gender or rank!”
“Yes, sir!”
As the instructors finished pairing squads, the hunters’ eyes scanned Kim Minjun’s group.
“Wow, already getting death stares.”
“Gotta be ’cause of Minjun. His strength and agility stats are monster-level!”
“More importantly, let’s plan our formation. Put Lee Seungho and Kim Minjun up front.”
It wasn’t even a full leave pass—just a squad outing—but the hunters prepared for the trench brawl with fervor.
“2nd Platoon, 2nd Squad versus 3rd Platoon, 3rd Squad first!”
“Yes, sir!”
Their squad drew first match.
The opponents included Corporal Choi Seungwoo.
The squad that had won the previous trench brawl.
“Kim Minjun. I’ll show you the magic of beating 60 strength with my 40.”
“Looking forward to it.”
“No way, insane! Why is there a sergeant on their side of all places?!”
His squadmates despaired at the officer mixed into 3rd Squad.
“Luck’s part of skill. If you’re mad, you know what to do…”
Choi Seungwoo lowered his stance with a smirk.
“Should… we switch formations?”
Kim Minjun’s panicked squadmates quickly huddled.
“Stick to the formation. Me and Kim Minjun take the sergeant and Choi Seungwoo. You guys buy time so they can’t get to us.”
“Got it!”
At Corporal Lee Seungho’s orders, the squadmates took their positions.
“…….”
Ten seconds of silence passed between the squads.
Tweet!
“Let’s goooo!”
“Waaaaah!”
At the drill instructor’s whistle, the squad members yelled and clashed.
“Grahhh!”
“Just grab and hold! Don’t let them reach Minjun or Seungho!”
“Arghhh!”
The rules of trench brawl were simple.
Push the opponents out of the trench.
Naturally, punches or kicks were forbidden.
“I’ll take Kim Minjun!”
“Yeah. Let’s finish quick and rest.”
As squadmates splashed mud while shoving each other.
Corporal Choi Seungwoo and the sergeant leisurely walked to the trench center.
“Corporal Lee Seungho. Can’t help you even if you lag behind?”
“You focus on yourself, punk.”
“Got it.”
Alright.
Time to test out the skill.
Been itching to use it since earlier; my fingers are tingling.
‘I already activated Singularity of Demonic Energy.’
This made his demonic energy completely colorless and odorless.
‘Let’s go for a 5-second takedown!’
Kim Minjun activated Grasp of Demonic Energy.
A massive, colorless hand of demonic energy formed, dragging Choi Seungwoo over.
“Wh-what?”
Caught by the sudden pull, Choi Seungwoo tumbled forward in a somersault.
“Ow, Corporal Choi Seungwoo. You need to lose some weight.”
Kim Minjun casually grabbed his side and hoisted him overhead.
“What the hell?! What was that just now?! Crazy!”
“Corporal Choi Seungwoo. You rolled so dramatically—did you snag something? Thought I was watching a Lamer vid.”
Swoosh!
“Urk!”
The once-confident Choi Seungwoo was tossed out of the trench in just 10 seconds.
‘Oh, those two are evenly matched.’
Turning his gaze, Corporal Lee Seungho was arm-wrestling the sergeant with both hands locked.
“Grahhh!”
“Grraaah!”
Lee Seungho was being pushed back by a hair.
‘Leave those guys for now. One-on-one between men; butting in would be rude.’
More importantly, save our squad first!
‘Dark Grasp!’
Kim Minjun used Grasp of Demonic Energy on his squadmates about to be thrown out.
They rolled back to his side like ghosts.
“What was that just now?”
“Damn, no clue. Felt like something yanked me hard?”
“More importantly, Corporal Lee Seungho’s done for!”
One squadmate pointed toward Lee Seungho.
“Give up, you punks.”
There stood the sergeant, stretching his neck and shoulders.