Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Harsh Conditions Training - 3
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The monster dropped from the ceiling died before its feet even touched the ground.
It was due to a single punch from Kim Min-jun.
"Team 15! Pass!"
The low-grade monster bounced away viciously.
The moment the instructor saw that scene, he signaled the training pass.
"Lee Dong-jin."
"Corporal Lee Dong-jin."
The training facility, which had been full of all sorts of chaos, fell silent.
They had completed the training successfully.
Kim Min-jun grabbed Lee Dong-jin's arm and helped him to his feet.
"Good work. Just keep doing it like that from now on."
"Th-thank you...."
The guy was still out of it, half out of his mind.
He dragged him out just enough and handed him over to the medic hunter.
"Attention, everyone!"
"Attention!"
As Team 15 came out, the instructor gathered the hunters' gazes.
"As you all know, the purpose of this training is to demonstrate a certain level of skill even in the most adverse conditions. It means a strong mental fortitude is key."
He explained that if they conducted the training like Team 15 had just done, they could pass without issue.
"Ah. That's because Sergeant Kim Min-jun is so damn strong."
"Tell me about it. If I'd been on the same team as Sergeant Kim Min-jun, I think I could've held out somehow too."
Of course, most of the hunters didn't buy the instructor's explanation and grumbled in low voices.
**
The harsh conditions training ended, and it was 9 p.m.
At Hunter Headquarters, the division commanders were holding a meeting.
"Lately, irregular monsters have been appearing frequently around the 104th Division. Make sure to conduct even more thorough investigations before tackling the dungeons."
"Yes, sir! Understood!"
"A sealed dungeon with thirty red ogres? Whew... That was a close call. You're sure the preliminary investigation was done properly?"
"Yes, sir! It was a dungeon where an irregular had appeared, so we put extra effort into the survey!"
Major General Park Jung-ho let out a sigh of relief only after reading the report a few times.
The dungeon that the 104th Division's 2nd Company's 2nd Platoon had raided not long ago.
Without Sergeant Kim Min-jun's performance there, the entire 2nd Platoon would have been wiped out.
"My thinking was shortsighted. I need to stop assuming that just because someone's capable, we should pull them into special forces."
He was the one who had recently suggested requisitioning Sergeant Kim Min-jun for the Hunter Special Operations Unit.
If Sergeant Kim Min-jun had agreed to the transfer and moved to another unit...
Hunter Headquarters would have been turned upside down.
His own path to promotion would naturally be blocked, and in the worst case, he could face severe disciplinary action.
A star's position required that much responsibility.
"And what was it? They said he took them out with some incredibly clever method?"
"Yes, sir!"
At Major General Park Jung-ho's words, the captain displaying the PPT quickly began the explanation.
"The moment Sergeant Kim Min-jun was certain there were a significant number of red ogres, he gathered spare flame-resistant suits to create a kind of wall! Then, using a whip, he lured them one by one through holes in the wall! It seems he thoroughly understood their habits and exploited them!"
"Hmm...."
As the explanation continued, the corners of Major General Park Jung-ho's mouth turned up.
Exceptional situational awareness and improvisational skills to boot.
He felt fortunate that he hadn't transferred to another unit.
"Heh. So he wields a whip like a ghost. I'd love to see it with my own eyes sometime."
Major General Park Jung-ho solidified his resolve.
He had to keep Sergeant Kim Min-jun in the 104th Division somehow.
"Alright. We'll review other peculiarities later. What do you all think about Sergeant Kim Min-jun's special promotion?"
"Special promotion?"
At the mention of special promotion, most of the general officers wore uncomfortable expressions.
Of course, it was true that Sergeant Kim Min-jun had achieved absurd results ever since his private days.
And it wasn't just results.
He had aced every training nearly perfectly.
The harsh conditions training conducted today was also a perfect score.
Even officers struggled to pass it.
"We agree on Sergeant Kim Min-jun's outstanding abilities. However...."
One brigadier general hesitated before speaking.
It was because of the issues that would arise if Sergeant Kim Min-jun were specially promoted to sergeant.
"Major General Park Jung-ho. Sergeant Kim Min-jun's service period is less than a year. It's already unprecedented for him to go from enlisted to officer rank in such a short time, and another special promotion on top of that...
Abilities to command soldiers, a sense of duty befitting the rank, and so on.
Those were skills that accumulated over time, he said.
If they promoted based solely on performance and an accident happened, the responsibility would fall squarely on them, he added.
"Not just me, but Hunter Headquarters is voicing negativity on this point as well."
Most of the general officers expressed concerns.
"Hmm...."
Major General Park Jung-ho swallowed a groan.
He agreed with the issues just raised.
'My greed got ahead of me. We'll have to take it slow.'
For Sergeant Kim Min-jun to be promoted to sergeant here, he needed one big achievement.
Of course, taking down nearly thirty irregular monsters with just one platoon was already a major feat.
But that alone wouldn't sway Hunter Headquarters.
'Making it known to the public would be the best way.'
Like the gate incident in Chuncheon City not long ago.
'Situations like that happen once every two or three years, if that.'
Even a soldier being too outstanding was a problem.
Major General Park Jung-ho realized the meaning of that today for the first time.
"Prepare an Outstanding Hunter commendation or something. That should be fine."
**
The day after the harsh conditions training ended.
The hunters targeted for retraining headed to the parade ground like cattle being led to the slaughterhouse.
Because they had to go through that horrific training once more.
"Sergeant Kim Min-jun? Aren't you supposed to be resting today, Sergeant Kim Min-jun?"
Corporal Kim Kwang-sik, who had been changing into his uniform with a gloomy expression, looked puzzled at Kim Min-jun, who was suiting up in combat gear.
Soldiers and officers who passed the harsh conditions training could get combat rest on retraining day.
Naturally, Kim Min-jun had passed it and was on combat rest.
"Heading to the gym."
Kim Min-jun replied calmly.
Seeing him like that, the squad members shook their heads as if fed up.
"Wow... You're really hardcore."
"If it were me, I wouldn't move a muscle all day today."
"Don't worry about me. You guys just make it through today."
Kim Min-jun waved his hand side to side at them and headed to the gym.
"Alright. Door's definitely locked."
The moment he confirmed the door was locked, he pulled an item from his pocket.
A small box.
It was the monster box that the Night Walker had dropped before.
"Today, I'll let this guy out and raise some skill proficiencies."
Click.
When he opened the monster box, hazy smoke poured out from inside.
And in an instant, it took the form of a monster.
"Whoa...."
The monster filled more than half the spacious gym.
Kim Min-jun grinned broadly at the unexpected result.
It should have been a mid-grade monster, but an upper-mid-grade ogre had appeared.
"Stronger than an orc, tough skin, and it even has solid regenerative abilities, though not quite troll-level."
Perfect for experimenting with skills and playing around.
"You're playing with me all day today."
He immediately used Demon's Grasp, whose skill rank had just risen.
"U, uwoooook?"
The ogre, not yet fully aware, was yanked forward by the powerful pulling force.
"Now that it's C-rank, even an ogre's a breeze. That's it. Now it's actually usable."
An ogre was a hefty monster due to its massive size.
Even after dealing with it relatively intact, transporting it would be too much hassle to bother.
Yet such a monster couldn't move a finger under one of Kim Min-jun's skills.
"U, uwooooook!"
The ogre swelled its muscles, struggling to break free somehow.
"The soundproofing here's perfect. Scream your lungs out."
Of course, it was all meaningless flailing.
"Grrraaaah!"
The monster was tossed around by Kim Min-jun so pitifully that onlookers would feel sorry for it.
Spun around while gripped by Demon's Grasp, or beaten with training blunts and swords.
"What? Already dead? I heard monsters from monster boxes are on the weaker side, but this is too weak."
The ogre from the monster box turned to smoke in less than two hours.
The item melted away limply.
"Ah. If I'd just grinded skill proficiencies all day today, I could've raised the ranks a ton."
Kim Min-jun smacked his lips regretfully at the messages floating before his eyes.
[Blunt Technique proficiency has greatly increased!]
[Basic Blunt Technique skill rank has risen to D!]
[Basic Swordsmanship proficiency has greatly increased!]
[Basic Swordsmanship skill rank has risen to C!]
If the ogre had tougher hide, he could've gained even more.
"Soldiers aren't allowed individual activities. Opportunities like this don't come often."
Maybe he should've held back on the power.
He got too excited and just wailed on it.
"Hey. Kim Min-jun."
"Sergeant Kim Min-jun."
As he stepped out of the gym, Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min approached with a big smile.
Something good must've happened.
"You weren't in the barracks, so I figured... Gym again? Why don't you rest when you're supposed to?"
"My body's itching if I just sit still. More importantly, Platoon Leader, you seem extra cheerful today."
"That obvious? Smoothly passing the harsh conditions retraining... Nah, that's nothing."
He cleared his throat a few times, then handed over the paper he was holding.
It was a commendation.
The Outstanding Hunter commendation he'd received once as a private.
"It's yours. You've racked up that much in such a short time, so you deserved two originally... But the higher-ups are sticklers."
Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min continued in a regretful tone.
"If you'd had more time in rank, you could've made sergeant."
It stopped at one commendation due to short service time, he explained.
Any other hunter might've been upset, but Kim Min-jun just smirked like it was no big deal.
"Then I'll just pile up even more achievements, right?"
Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min laughed as if conceding at that confident expression and attitude.
"Yeah. I figured you wouldn't be disappointed. Like you said, prove it with overwhelming achievements, and even the top brass won't have a choice."
In the military, which rarely allowed exceptions, this guy had caused major changes in a short time.
'At this rate, sergeant in six months.'
Thinking that, he headed to the platoon leader's office to handle the backlog.
He could dump it on the deputy platoon leader, but he was benefiting plenty from Kim Min-jun.
Instead, he'd handle the miscellaneous work so the guy could focus on missions.
"Good luck, sir. Loyalty!"
"Yeah."
Alright.
Guess I'll head back to the gym for more training.
As he thought that and moved—
'Huh?'
Mana rapidly drained from his body.