The New Platoon Leader
There was no real training to speak of on the northern front.
There was only one reason for that.
No one ever knew when they might be thrown into battle, so every man had to maintain his own condition at all times.
As a result, it was generally accepted that no one interfered with how a soldier spent his free time.
“……You little bastards……!”
Bolgren, who had guided Arteon to the 3rd Platoon’s barracks, scowled at the sight of every last soldier sprawled out asleep.
He had clearly told them a new platoon leader would arrive today……
He never imagined they would ignore the news this blatantly.
Bolgren took a step forward as if he meant to thrash them within an inch of their lives right then and there.
But at that moment—
“Sergeant Bolgren.”
“Don’t try to stop me. These dogs deserve a beating until they can’t stand. The sheer insolence of such an open provocation……”
“I’ll handle things here, so you needn’t concern yourself. Thank you for your consideration.”
“……Are you certain you’ll be all right?”
Bolgren looked at Arteon with open worry.
He had heard the stories.
How Arteon had risen to sergeant, and what monumental feats he had accomplished in the northwest.
He had even been the central figure of the first imperial rewards ceremony held in years.
Every battlefield was ruthless about results and process, but the northern front was especially so.
No one ever received a medal for inflated or nonexistent achievements.
That was why Bolgren respected him.
And yet……
……Even I find it hard to believe when I look at him.
Arteon’s outward appearance was simply too young.
His body had developed enough that one could no longer call him a boy, but his somewhat childish face had not yet fully shed its youth.
If they see him in person, they might ignore him even more……
Seeing the concern on Bolgren’s face, Arteon offered an easy smile.
“Don’t worry. And would you grant me one favor?”
“……A favor?”
At Bolgren’s question, Arteon nodded and spoke.
When he finished—
“If that’s all, leave it to me. I’ll make certain of it.”
“That will be enough. I’ll leave it in your hands.”
“……Understood. Then I’ll take my leave.”
Once Bolgren had gone, Arteon surveyed the 3rd Platoon soldiers still lying asleep.
They were divided by squad, but—
Roughly…… twenty men, give or take.
The fortunate part was that none of them carried any serious injuries.
Of course, that also meant everyone else had died on the battlefield.
The number we’ll need to replenish…… is about ten.
But that was a matter for later.
First—
“Well then, shall we begin?”
Arteon stepped outside the barracks and looked back toward the tent where the 3rd Platoon slept.
Then he poured mana into his voice and roared.
“Enemy attack! The enemy has breached the lines!”
With precise mana control, he directed the shout solely toward the 3rd Platoon’s barracks.
Of course, that did not mean the sound was completely inaudible elsewhere.
But he had already asked Bolgren for a favor, so there would be no unnecessary uproar.
After the cry, Arteon pulled the pocket watch from his belt and checked the seconds.
Ten seconds…… twenty……
The second hand ticked rapidly onward.
Inside the barracks, urgent shouts and the clatter of chaos had already erupted.
And after roughly a full minute had passed—
“Where are they?!”
“Platoon, assemble! We move to the combat zone immediately!”
The man who burst out first barked orders as he scanned his men.
Centered on him, the 3rd Platoon formed up with impressive speed.
What was especially praiseworthy was that in a mere minute they had all properly donned armor and weapons.
Arteon gave a small, impressed smile at the striking first impression.
“The claim of an enemy attack was a lie.”
“……What?”
“What did you say?”
At the voice from behind them, the 3rd Platoon soldiers turned to look at Arteon.
The man at the front fixed him with a murderous glare.
“You crazy little shit…… There’s a limit to pranks. Who the hell are you?”
It was a face none of them had ever seen.
A soldier this young simply did not exist on the brutal northern front.
Arteon calmly held out the documents he carried to the man glaring at him.
It was the appointment letter for 3rd Platoon Leader, received from the company commander.
“I am the newly appointed 3rd Platoon Leader. State your name and rank.”
“3rd…… Platoon Leader?”
The man craned his neck toward the papers Arteon offered.
In that instant, the earlier briefing came flooding back.
—A new platoon leader is coming. But…… I hear he’s extremely young.
—How young are we talking?
—Word is fifteen? Sixteen? Something like that.
—……Sir?
That was why they had pulled this childish stunt.
And looking at the boy in front of him now, everything clicked into place.
The document he held bore the company commander’s signature and appointed him 3rd Platoon Leader.
Any act of insubordination would bring immediate disciplinary action.
“……Acting Platoon Leader, Sergeant Grein.”
Grein bit down hard on his lip.
Having to speak respectfully to a brat this young was utterly absurd.
Yet Arteon regarded him as if it were nothing at all.
“Sergeant Grein. Maintain current gear. You and the men will run with me. Anyone who does not fall behind will receive one week of free time at the platoon leader’s discretion.”
“Sir?”
“A whole week of free time?”
“Crazy……”
Grein and the rest of the 3rd Platoon stared at Arteon in blank confusion.
But Arteon simply walked up to one of the assembled soldiers, pulled the man’s helmet off, and jammed it firmly onto his own head.
Then—
Thok.
“Wha—?!”
Something flashed, and the soldier whose spear had been snatched from his hands gaped in shock.
Arteon, holding the spear as if it were the most natural thing in the world, addressed them all.
“This way the weight should be roughly the same…… So later I don’t want to hear any nonsense about whether I was wearing a helmet or not.”
In an instant Arteon had seized complete control of the atmosphere.
The soldiers could only stare at him, dumbfounded.
“Platoooooon! Attention!”
At his shout they snapped into perfect attention without even realizing it.
Arteon smirked.
“Run!”
With that single word he took off.
The 3rd Platoon soldiers followed on his heels without understanding why, but soon the corners of their mouths twisted upward.
Fuck, no matter what kind of achievements he racked up in the northwest, this is the northeast.
Some bastard who had it easy out west…… thinking every battlefield is the same.
I’m confident in my stamina. I’ll flatten that cocky brat’s nose for him.
There was nothing particularly different running through the minds of the men behind him.
Everyone had been thrown by the sudden situation, yet not one of them doubted that Arteon would soon collapse from exhaustion.
Their heads were already filled with the promise of a full week of free time.
But……
“……?”
“H-how long are we supposed to keep running……?”
After about an hour, the soldiers trailing Arteon began to look bewildered.
Quite some time had passed, yet the pace had not slowed in the slightest.
The armor they wore grew heavier by the moment.
The spears in their hands felt two or three times their normal weight.
By the two-hour mark, every trace of ease had vanished from their faces.
“Haaah……! Haaah……!”
“Huk……! Huk……!”
Just how long was this going to last?
Before long the only things in their vision were the soldiers of other platoons staring at them in curiosity and the sky spinning lazily overhead.
“Uweeeek!”
“Uwek!”
More than half the men finally gave out, collapsing to their knees and vomiting.
Arteon glanced back. Only Grein, the acting platoon leader, and five others remained.
Even they looked on the verge of death.
The corner of Arteon’s mouth lifted.
……These ones are pretty good.
There was a reason they had survived this long.
Of course, stamina alone could never fully measure a soldier’s skill, but this level had already crossed into the realm of sheer willpower.
Even Arteon could not have run this far without using mana.
His body and stamina were still far from fully tempered, after all.
Still……
For a first meeting…… it’s best to crush them thoroughly.
Arteon spoke.
“Good. We’ll finish in ten more minutes. Anyone who stays within ten meters of me until then will be considered successful!”
No answer came.
Only ragged breathing.
The men who lacked even the strength to reply simply kept chasing him in silence, their will to endure the full ten minutes burning bright.
But then—
Tadadak!
Arteon, still running, suddenly increased his speed.
The abrupt acceleration made them flinch and try to close the gap, but—
“Uwek!”
“I-I can’t……!”
Thud!
“Haaah……! Haaah……! Haaah……!”
“Just kill me…… fuck.”
They failed to keep up for even a single minute before collapsing to the ground, gasping like madmen.
Arteon looked at Grein.
“Gather the men and have them assemble in front of the platoon barracks. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Y-yes, sir……! Haaah……!”
Grein forced himself to his feet with difficulty.
The look in his eyes had already changed a little.
It was only natural—the young superior he had completely dismissed possessed monstrous stamina.
Seeing their expressions, Arteon allowed a small smile to touch his lips.
For now…… this should be enough.
The earlier hooligan-like behavior would not reappear.
The reason they had ignored their superior and acted like thugs was simple.
On a battlefield where their lives hung in the balance, the commander standing before them had been someone they could not trust.
Think about it.
No matter how great the achievements, who could easily accept a blood-soaked child who had not even reached adulthood as their superior?
But by proving himself this way, the atmosphere had completely transformed.
Simply crushing them once with the most basic measure of stamina was enough to establish fundamental military discipline.
Of course, there was still much more he would have to show them……
You’ll all have to be tested as well.
Whether they possessed the qualifications to survive this place and seize glory, or whether they were fated to become nothing more than a handful of ash that would scatter and vanish here.
“Everyone, on your feet.”
At Arteon’s words the soldiers lurched upright like zombies.
Watching them, Arteon turned away.
The Northeastern 4th Defense Line……
The barren yet familiar landscape of the north filled his view at a glance.
The reason he had risked coming here.
Arteon reminded himself of that reason once more and closed his eyes.
When he slowly opened them again—
“Hoo.”
Arteon steeled his heart for life in this new place and walked toward where his soldiers waited.