Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Hunter Army Training Camp - 3
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Oh.
So that’s how it is.
Kim Minjun turned to his comrades who hadn’t met their goals and declared that he’d eat their shares deliciously too, then grinned.
“You dog bastard.”
“Man, I wish you’d just drop dead.”
The rest of the recruits smacked their lips and slumped their shoulders.
“Attention, all!”
The platoon leader on the platform drew their eyes.
“We’re entering the final week of training, and only half of you have passed the benchmark. This class is severely lacking compared to the last one.”
It wasn’t actually that big a difference, but the platoon leader exaggerated the gap on purpose.
“If you graduate like this and get assigned to your units, more than half of you will die within a month. Does that sound like a lie?”
Of course, this was exaggerated too.
To maximize the recruits’ potential, the platoon leader instilled a sense of crisis with these little white lies every class.
“I’ll stop with the tough talk there. Now, as your platoon leader, I’m offering a reward.”
He’d whipped them with the stick, so now it was time for the carrot.
“There are only seven days left until training camp graduation. But the dungeon adaptation training at the end carries the most weight in your evaluations.”
The platoon leader announced that one recruit who excelled in the dungeon adaptation training would receive a reward vacation usable anytime.
“Of course, unless it’s an emergency, you’ll be excused from training too.”
Not just a day off, but a full three-day, two-night reward vacation.
And it was valid even after assignment to a unit.
At this point, the troops should’ve been fired up.
‘Huh? Why do these guys look so deflated?’
The platoon leader frowned at the unexpectedly lackluster response.
The recruits’ faces were resigned, as if the vacation pass owner was already decided.
‘I’m gonna eat well again this time, guys.’
Kim Minjun gave his comrades a thumbs-up.
Army life.
Way more fun than I expected?
**
“Whoa. They’re insane. This is Hunteria?”
“How many beef patties are stacked in there?”
The recruits cheered at the sight of the burgers dubbed the last supper.
If you’re wondering why it’s called the last supper, it’s because the brutal training afterward would wring their souls dry.
“At least we get Hunteria before we go, right?”
“Why talk like we’re about to die?”
Kim Minjun snickered at his comrades scarfing down burgers with sauce smeared everywhere.
“Dude, this is nuts. If I’d known it was this good, I would’ve run my ass off from the start.”
At his comrade’s rave review, Kim Minjun took a bite of his Hunteria.
Drip—
“Oh, damn!”
The juices oozing from the patty didn’t just wet his lips—they overflowed.
Regular burgers couldn’t even compete.
To buy this quality outside, you’d need at least ten thousand won.
Twenty thousand, more like.
“I heard the camp next door does Armyria.”
“Armyria? Is that any good?”
“They say it plugs you up solid.”
“Might as well eat Nottoria then.”
Kim Minjun bantered noisily with his comrades.
No officers reined them in.
The worst training awaited them before graduation.
**
To prepare for the afternoon dungeon adaptation training, the recruits got theory lessons in the morning.
“You never know what might happen inside a dungeon. Let’s start with item one...”
It was their final—and most important—training for the recruits.
But with the platoon leader’s lullaby-like lecture, they began nodding off one by one.
They’d endured intense training nonstop since arriving at Hunter Army Training Camp, save for minimal rest, so it was understandable.
‘What is this? Some skill?’
Even Kim Minjun, who’d only slept an hour a day, felt the same.
No physical fatigue, but the platoon leader’s voice inexplicably made him drowsy.
“Alright, that’s it for now. Treat it like the real deal and get to training.”
Even though over half the recruits were asleep, the platoon leader didn’t wake them.
No, it was better if they slept.
That way, they’d taste the dungeon’s full spiciness.
**
2 p.m.
The recruits were lined up in front of a dungeon about a kilometer from base.
They swallowed dryly at the cave-like entrance.
“This is the dungeon I explained this morning. It’s also your training ground.”
The platoon leader pulled out a small baton and pointed to one spot.
“You’ll form groups of six and enter that variable dungeon.”
A variable dungeon, where the internal structure shifted in real time.
Dungeons usually vanished once all monsters inside were cleared, but some lingered like this.
In those cases, they made perfect training grounds for hunters.
“You’ll face hounds inside for one hour. Use any means necessary. We’ll evaluate crisis response and combat ability mainly.”
As the platoon leader finished, military vehicles rolled in one after another.
“Grrr...”
“...We have to fight those?”
The recruits broke into cold sweats at the sight of the hounds—monsters they were seeing in person for the first time.
The thick protective suits laid out ahead hinted at what kind of training was coming.
“If you’re scared of mere hounds, why join the Hunter Army!”
The platoon leader jabbed at the terrified recruits.
Hounds were the weakest monsters.
To trained soldiers, they were manageable with good teamwork.
“You gonna act like that in your units too!”
“No, sir!”
“You wanna tarnish your platoon leader’s face!”
“No, sir!”
“Then suit up and prep, now!”
At the platoon leader’s bellow, the recruits scrambled.
‘What kind of barbaric thing is this?’
Kim Minjun followed suit and donned the suit.
It offered zero comfort.
Felt like compressed steel plates.
Each one cost fifty million won? Unbelievable.
‘Last training, huh.’
Kim Minjun eyed the caged hounds.
Some glared back; others averted their gazes in fear.
‘After graduation and unit assignment, real Hunter Army life begins.’
He recalled the instructor saying camp life was just like finishing the tutorial in a game.
“Hunter Army Recruit #128, Kim Minjun. Question for the platoon leader, sir.”
“Shoot.”
Kim Minjun raised his hand high, eager to ditch the clunky suit ASAP.
“If we take out the hounds, is the training over?”
“Yeah. Clear them all within the time limit, and you’re good.”
Anyone else, he’d have warned against overconfidence.
But it was Kim Minjun, the top trainee, so the platoon leader answered straight.
“Psh. Even the top guy can’t handle that.”
“Dude, you’ll get hurt. It’s training, but basically half-real combat.”
His comrades agreed: even Kim Minjun couldn’t clear hounds that fast.
‘Just wanna ditch this suit. It’s suffocating.’
The man himself didn’t care.
“Dungeon adaptation training, begin! Team 1!”
“Yes, sir!”
Soon after.
Instructors arrived to supervise and protect, and training commenced.
‘Ah, damn it!’
Kim Minjun, planning a quick finish, drew the last slot.
Stuck waiting for everyone else.
“Hey, if a hound charges, don’t freak—grab two legs and fold it in half like this.”
Kim Minjun shared his ten-second hound-kill tip.
“Crazy talk.”
“Even Sergeant Lee would struggle.”
His comrades dismissed him as nuts, of course.
“Hounds in!”
“Releasing!”
About twenty minutes after Team 1 entered.
At the platoon leader’s order, an instructor unchained the hounds at the entrance.
The three freed hounds sauntered into the dungeon.
“Weird how they’re not charging us.”
“Monster instinct. Locked up all day, then a house right there? They’ll go in.”
Kim Minjun chatted idly with a comrade, waiting his turn.
“Huff... pant...”
“Hoo...”
An hour later, Team 1 emerged.
Bite marks and claw scratches marred their once-pristine suits—they’d struggled hard.
“Team 1, good work. Fall back and stand by.”
The platoon leader filled out eval sheets based on the soldiers’ reports.
“Team 2, next! Go! And I’m warning you—ask about the training or spill details, and it’s forced discharge.”
The recruits prying for info flinched back at the threat.
“Next!”
Training proceeded smoothly until it was finally Team 30’s turn.
‘Why make us suit up early if we’re waiting?’
Grumbling about the airtight suit, Kim Minjun entered the dungeon.
**
Thirty minutes after Team 30 entered.
Kim Minjun yawned, trailing his teammates.
He could’ve waited at the entrance and wiped the hounds at once, but that wouldn’t train the others.
‘No one’s as considerate as me.’
He’d rolled enough in that other world to gain power and return, but these recruits hadn’t.
They needed max training here.
“They should be coming soon.”
“Roger. Positions. Plan for up to four.”
The troops claimed hound-friendly terrain and took posts.
Kim Minjun held the center.
To cover all five teammates.
“Incoming!”
Moments later.
Three hounds drooling dashed at the recruits.
“Don’t panic—just fight! Suits are tough!”
Kim Minjun bolstered his hesitating comrades and punched at the hound lunging inward.
“Grr!”
“Oh? Dodged?”
The hound twisted aside, kicked off, and leaped airborne.
“Sh-shit!”
“Wh-what?!”
The troops fumbled, unsure how to handle the jumping hound.
Despite prior team huddles, real combat froze them.
“Where you going, punk.”
Kim Minjun leaped, grabbed its hind leg, and slammed it down.
“Yelp!”
“Yelp my ass. Die!”
Before it could rise, he struck its torso.
‘Black Mana Average Punch!’
Thwack!
One hit.
His fist pulverized the hound’s skull.
‘No way... he really lifted the red stone?’
‘One-shot like that?’
The distant instructors gaped inwardly at Kim Minjun.