Chapter 23
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: The Wager
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Demian, when will this war end? Or will it ever end?”
A question Dianal had asked me in the past.
I couldn’t answer.
The future was as uncertain as his anxiety.
If I had to answer…
“Wouldn't it end if we surrendered?”
“I heard that when the Meladion Kingdom surrendered, all the royalty were killed and the citizens enslaved.”
“Then the higher-ups will never surrender.”
The war didn't end.
But through it all, Dianal always looked after his men and fought at the very front.
“Demian.”
“Why do you keep calling my name today?”
“Don't you die before I do.”
“Did you eat something bad? Why are you talking nonsense today?”
“Heh heh, just don't die.”
In a way, I kept that promise.
I lived longer than he did.
“…You son of a bitch.”
I told you so many times not to be a hero and just find a way to survive.
Still, I got your revenge.
I took the head of the enemy general who pierced your heart. So… rest in peace.
*Fwoosh!*
Suddenly, the darkness lifted, and Demian opened his eyes.
It was late at night.
The fog was so thick that even the training grounds on the other side were a blur.
Getting up, Demian clicked his tongue at the sudden memory.
*‘Damn memories.’*
It would have been nice if a happy one had come to mind.
Demian shook off the thoughts and stood up.
It was best not to be caught practicing his mana cultivation method.
*Shhh.*
Demian carefully slipped out of the barracks.
He had already scouted a good place to practice his mana cultivation.
Of course, no one would say anything about him wandering around at night.
Some guys even snuck out to the red-light district to be with women.
*‘This is nothing.’*
Just saying he couldn't sleep and was taking a walk would be a sufficient excuse.
Demian headed toward the spot he had picked out. But then...
*Woosh! Swish!*
A familiar sound came from beyond the fog.
Demian stopped.
*‘At this hour?’*
He moved cautiously.
And there, swinging a sword through the fog, was Dianal.
It was Dianal.
He was swinging a crude, thick-bladed sword.
He was using a heavier sword, better suited for monsters.
*‘...So it started back then.’*
It wasn't surprising that Dianal was practicing in secret.
He was always that kind of guy.
In the past, Dianal had been a training fiend, even doing extra drills after the official training was over.
No, it would be more accurate to say he was that desperate.
That was why he and Demian had grown close.
But one thing bothered him.
The heavy sword Dianal was using now didn't suit him.
*‘I understand why he's using it, but...’*
Dianal was from the Neokalitz Unit.
Though he was later transferred to a front-line unit during the turbulent war.
In any case, Dianal's first experience was fighting monsters, not people.
Therefore, he chose a weapon that could kill monsters with a more powerful strike.
*‘A lot of the guys in the Neokalitz Unit use swords like that.’*
If not that, they use broadswords.
But Dianal was the type who should compete with speed, not power, using a lighter sword.
In his past life, he'd changed his weapon and grown stronger after getting his ass handed to him by Demian.
“Hmm...”
He was itching to say something.
He wanted to tell him that wasn't the way.
*‘If I say anything now, I'll get the shit beaten out of me.’*
There was no need to lose the goodwill he had just earned.
An opportunity to tell him would come when the time was right.
Demian smiled fondly and turned away.
***
“Riiise and shiiine!”
The first morning in the Neokalitz Unit had dawned.
Unlike other units, the Neokalitz Unit had a fairly liberal atmosphere.
During personal time, no one really cared where you went or what you did.
Moreover, while there was training, it was mostly just a formality.
“Ugh, so boring.”
“Hey, anything fun to do?”
“Wanna make a bet? What's today's training?”
“Physical training.”
At someone's reply, the soldier who suggested the bet let out a small laugh.
“Heh heh, how about we bet on whether the rookie can last until the end today?”
“That sounds fun.”
A few of the guys said excitedly.
“I'll bet 10 silver he won't even finish the morning session!”
“I'll bet 20 silver he passes out after the morning session!”
“I'm also betting he won't last the morning!”
A boisterous atmosphere.
Demian stared at them blankly.
*Shhh.*
No one made any move to stop them.
They were used to this kind of atmosphere.
“...”
It felt like watching the old Punishment Squad.
Demian turned his gaze to Dianal.
Dianal was watching the seniors setting up the bet with a look of disapproval.
But as the youngest, there was nothing he could do, so he silently tended to his gear and tied his bootlaces.
“What the hell are those guys doing? Are they betting on us?”
Kyle, who had been listening from the side, frowned.
“How disrespectful can they be... Huh? Demian, where are you going?”
Kyle asked, watching Demian suddenly stand up.
Demian walked over to the senior soldiers who were collecting money and took out a gold coin.
“Can I get in on this?”
“Whoa! You scared me. What's this, the man himself shows up?”
“Oh... this kid looks loaded. That's 1 gold.”
“Do you even know what the bet is about?”
One of the senior soldiers asked Demian.
To which Demian replied.
“Of course. But I'd like to change the terms of the bet a little.”
“To what?”
The senior soldier who had first proposed the bet asked.
Demian answered.
“I'll bet this 1 gold that I can beat every single one of you here in today's training.”
Demian said with a grin.
At the same time, Dianal's expression hardened.
“...He's a psycho.”
Demian's words instantly chilled the atmosphere. But...
“Hoh, is that so?”
“The rookie's got some serious fighting spirit.”
The seniors' eyes glinted.
It had been a while since they'd seen a rookie with this much resolve.
And their faces were full of confidence.
This wasn't the first time they'd had a rookie like this.
Of course, none had joined the betting, but there had been plenty who showed confidence in their training.
They thought Demian was just another one of them.
The senior in charge of the bet grinned and said.
“Alright, you're on. But let's change it a bit. If you win, you take all this money. But if you lose, you do all our laundry for a month.”
“Ooh, that's a good one.”
“Heheheh, kid. If you're not confident, you can back out now.”
A senior with a red nose said with a sneer.
However.
“Deal.”
Demian replied.
“You seem pretty confident in your stamina.”
“Hoh, you'll regret being so prideful. This isn't the training center.”
Demian shook his head.
“Even if I lose, I'll happily do the seniors' laundry. Wouldn't this make the bet a little more fun?”
“Kekekekek, this guy gets it.”
The senior soldier who organized the bet said.
“In return, I'd like to add one more condition. Since I'll be doing laundry if I lose.”
“Hmph, now you want to change things?”
“Let's hear him out first.”
The seniors were enjoying the situation as if it were an amusing game.
Demian answered.
“If I win, give me free time during training hours for one month.”
“What did you say?”
“Doesn't this balance the terms of the bet? I have to do the daily laundry for over a dozen people here for just 1 gold.”
“That's...”
The senior soldier looked troubled.
He didn't have that kind of authority.
But at that moment.
“Fine, we'll do that.”
“Captain?”
When Tarone suddenly appeared and answered, everyone's eyes widened.
Tarone looked at Dianal.
“Dianal, you join this bet too.”
“Sir? Me too?”
“What, you think you'll lose to a junior?”
Dianal's expression stiffened at Tarone's words.
“Of course not. But I don't have any money, sir.”
“Here, 10 silver. I'll cover Dianal's bet.”
The atmosphere instantly heated up.
Tarone said.
“If you perform better than the seniors in training, I'll give you a month of free time during training hours. You can train or not, as you please.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Save your thanks for after you've won.”
Tarone looked at the senior soldiers participating in the bet.
“And any of you who lose... will have extra training starting tomorrow, so be aware.”
“C-Captain?!”
“Wait, Captain! Isn't that too harsh?”
“Doesn't seem like an excessive punishment for someone who loses to a rookie who just arrived yesterday.”
“...”
The mood shifted in an instant.
Realizing Tarone was serious, the expressions of the seniors changed.
And.
“This is gonna be fun.”
“This will be a good show, hehehe.”
The seniors who weren't part of the bet snickered and laughed.
As for those who were in the bet.
“...That arrogant rookie.”
“You're dead today.”
“We need to put him in his place.”
They gritted their teeth, their fighting spirit blazing.
Seeing this, the corners of Demian's mouth lifted.
It was all going according to plan.
There was one reason Demian had made such a bet, even if it meant being called arrogant.
It wasn't to get free time, as the bet's condition suggested.
Free time would be nice, but he had no intention of skipping training.
It was to change the rotten atmosphere of the Neokalitz Unit.
*‘Of course, this alone won't change everything, but...’*
This could be the start of a small change.
Units like the Neokalitz had a certain characteristic.
The anxiety of not knowing when they might die made them abandon all hope for the future.
Those senior soldiers who started the bet.
Even if they died and came back to life, they couldn't beat Demian in their current state.
The reason was simple.
They were likely slacking off in their training.
Guys soaked in alcohol.
Guys with potbellies.
It was obvious without even looking.
They were just guys living day to day without any hope.
*‘At least...’*
The other guys seemed a bit better, but there was no guarantee if this atmosphere continued.
When everything was settled, Tarone spoke.
“Everyone, get ready and assemble at the entrance to the rocky mountain behind the barracks.”
***
Behind the Neokalitz Unit's barracks was a small, rocky mountain.
Though it was closer to a hill than a mountain.
The first training exercise was to run up a slope that was a little over two hundred meters in a straight line.
“Hehehe, my eyes didn't deceive me.”
“What?”
“The fact that you're a psycho.”
Standing at the entrance of the rocky mountain, Kyle burst out laughing as he looked at Demian.
He never would have imagined he'd do something like this.
Demian answered with a smirk.
Soon, Demian slowly began to circulate the mana in his Mana Hall.
Mana surged, strengthening his body, and vitality flowed through him.
Besides.
*‘For this kind of training... the Ring of Invisibility is a huge advantage.’*
Thanks to the Ring of Invisibility he received at the training center, Demian felt lighter than his actual weight.
Of course, even without it, he wasn't confident.
Confident that he could lose, that is.
Tarone said.
“Everyone, line up. And bring those over.”
*‘Those?’*
Demian tilted his head. But...
“Wow.”
Kyle, standing next to him, let out a small gasp.
The things prepared for the training.
“These are 30kg logs. You'll run carrying these.”
At Tarone's words, the unit members' faces twisted.
“Ugh! Captain, we don't normally do this!”
“This is too hard even for us!”
The unit members burst out in complaint.
The training intensity was much higher than usual.
However.
“Quiet.”
Tarone's expression hardened.
Faced with his serious gaze, the complaining unit members shut their mouths.
It had been a long time since they had seen the captain with such a serious expression.
*Shhh.*
Tarone looked at Demian.
The rookie who had glanced at him while adding 'free time' to the bet.
The kid must have had some intention in involving him in the bet.
*‘I don't know what you're thinking.’*
But I'll be watching.
The training began.