Terraforming, Whatever
Terraforming what—even so, I had no intention of changing how I treated Baby Angel. I had no idea how long it would take for her to become an intermediate angel, and she might even change her mind about turning female along the way.
"Try your best. I'll cheer you on."
"...P-Pardon? Ah, y-yes... Th-thank you...?"
"What, does it feel weird 'cause I'm cheering you on so nicely? Want me to bully you some more?"
"Eek! N-No! It's fine! Well, since all your questions seem answered, I'll be off!"
Baby Angel vanished from before me like she was fleeing.
'Good. Finally, time to sort out my thoughts.'
The major event of the first chapter was set to unfold a few days later. And the location? Right inside the Northern Training Camp. I had to be there when it happened.
Truth be told, this was an event from the chapter I had zero interest in getting tangled up in. No matter how closely I'd scoured the novel, there wasn't a single angle where I came out ahead.
'If only there wasn't that damn hard mode quest!'
It was the very first quest, one that boosted karma earned from clearing all general quests by a whopping 25%. How insane would a reward with an actual penalty attached be?
But pass it up without even peeking at the reward just 'cause it's risky? I couldn't stomach wasting something like that.
First, I'd check whatever quest popped up. If the math didn't add up, I'd drop it clean. Simple.
Of course, pulling off the whole plan meant heading back to the training camp. I'd have to put this hellish grind on temporary hold, which meant convincing Brack was key.
"Damn... already an hour gone..."
From a distance, I spotted a muscular bald head charging toward me. Training time again.
Tak-tak-tak!
He propelled himself forward, kicking the ground with leg strength that peeled back the veneer of humanity.
'Hmm... yeah, staying away from camp for two whole weeks... way too risky.'
Chris Bennett knew exactly the mindset she adopted for playing the villain. And he always felt sorry for her because of it.
If he had even a shred of talent for putting on a shameless act, he wouldn't have dumped this role on her soft heart.
At this rate, he'd have no face left to show his friend—the one he might never see again.
'Guess I'll have to keep showing my face at the training camp every day, one way or another.'
There was a reason he visited the Northern Training Camp that he couldn't share with others. He had to stay true to his role: reining in Instructor Bennett whenever she went berserk on schedule, shielding the trainees from her, and serving as their mental anchor.
If he slacked...
'All her hard work so far would go straight down the drain.'
Without him at the camp to hold her back, Instructor Bennett—who had no one else—couldn't cut loose. Not for a full two weeks. More than enough time for humans, those forgetful beasts, to erase their first impressions.
That couldn't happen. The trainees would grow harder to wrangle. This headache of a charade wasn't for nothing.
His solution? Use "post-meal exercise" as cover to swing by the training camp every lunch hour.
He'd just wrapped up their pre-rehearsed performance without a hitch and was heading back.
'Next rampage scheduled for three days from now, right?'
Tak-tak-tak!!
Of course, Instructor Bennett didn't go berserk every single day. It was mostly every two or three days on a cycle—she'd rampage, he'd intervene, repeat.
Next scheduled outburst: three days out.
Still, he'd show up at camp tomorrow and the day after, too. To dodge any trainee suspicion.
If he only popped in right when she lost it, like he'd been lying in wait... anyone sharp would sniff out the act in a heartbeat.
That's why he had to make steady appearances, even on her off days.
Tak-tak-tak... Tak!
Destination reached at last.
"Trainee Park Chanyoung! Warm up! We're starting right away."
"Haa... Got it..."
He'd barely arrived before addressing the trainee who'd been waiting.
Just a one-hour breather. But with his mana awakening and special ability in tow, the kid had shaken off all morning fatigue, buzzing with energy. A training-optimized physique that was damn hard not to envy.
'And that's not all...'
First time laying eyes on this trainee, he'd figured breaking him in wouldn't be smooth. The body screamed years of sloth.
But the kid talked gruff—then buckled down silently, giving every instruction his all once training kicked off. Hell, he'd even flashed mental fortitude that stunned him, after coaching hundreds.
Impossible not to like the guy.
"Good! First drill..."
...
"I think I should head to the training camp, too."
The words hit out of nowhere. They'd wrapped afternoon training without issue, and now, over dinner, the trainee dropped that bomb—leaving him a touch rattled.
"...Why's that?"
"Why...? You weren't planning to bar me from the training camp for two weeks, were you?"
Hmm... Jealous of his lunch runs to camp? Kid probably had buddies he'd bonded with there...
No real harm in dragging Trainee Park Chanyoung along. He'd held off till now only because of one snag.
"...Your legs aren't like mine. Round trip'd eat two hours. Training schedule'd be toast that day."
"Well..."
"Don't tell me you're asking for a piggyback like the trip here? Hm... lugging the same guy around like that twice feels off..."
Injury evac? Sure. But justification for hauling him to camp like baggage? None.
"Give me a solid reason to bring you, and I'll think on it. But 'to see friends'? Kid stuff like that won't fly."
"...Combatants all operate in teams, right?"
"Hm? Haven't covered that yet... Where'd you hear?"
"Instructor Gwangnyeon-i. She mentioned it day one, didn't she? No street smarts here, and your whole team gets wiped."
"...Yeah, sounds like her."
"Piecemeal guesswork. Hit the mark, though. Obvious when fighting monsters, teams make sense."
Day one, dropped into this world's chaos—he'd snagged a throwaway line in passing. Dumb luck?
Kid admitted as much himself...
Decided to hear him out.
"Anyway. If combatants mostly roll in teams, camp's gotta have team drills."
"Spot on. Post-basic conditioning, team training ramps up. But so what?"
"Keep this up, and I'll miss proper team training."
"What?"
He mulled the implication. Drew a blank.
Why that conclusion?
Answer came straight from the trainee.
"Trainees at camp—my two-week absence—they'll familiarize, grind harsh drills side by side."
"Camaraderie builds. Part of why training's brutal: forge bonds."
"Exactly. They'll trust each other as allies, more or less. All fifty... except me."
"..."
"Time'll smooth the awkward vibes eventually... but team drills? I'll drag my squad down. Prep now, cut waste—smart play, no?"
"Hm..."
"No shared grind, but faces memorized... side effects minimal."
...
Blind spot for him. Never pulled a trainee aside for solo sessions before.
'Haa... still got gaps... instructor outread by his own trainee on training matters...'
Now it clicked. No fluke, him catching Instructor Bennett's day-one slip.
This trainee? Polar opposite of his looks. Lazy vibe, but diligent. Sloppy air, but fierce drive. Dumb front, but sharp as hell.
Wondered how that combo ended up with such a neglected body.
"Uh... Instructor? Something lacking in what I said? Why no answer...?"
"Ah. Sorry. Zoned out. Yeah. Makes sense."
"So...?"
"Next time I head to camp, you're with."
The trainee grinned.
"Huu..."
Back on Earth, he'd double-checked the novel for review. Event: three days out. Perfectly synced with a lunch window when he'd be at camp.
Lady Luck herself, puzzle pieces slotting flawless.
'Damn... waist's killing me...'
He didn't love Brack piggybacking him either. Intense motion, skin-to-skin with a dude? Old him would've died refusing.
Ride sucked. Brack's build? Fortress wall solid.
Endured anyway. All for that hard mode quest...
Went this far—hope it coughed up a sweet one, sincerity noted.
"Chanyoung-ssi! Been ages!"
"Holding up okay?"
"Eh, same old. Brutal drills, crash hard... days blur. Huh? Taller? ...Nah, seeing things?"
Damn, eagle eyes.
Medicine bumped him 14cm over a month—0.5cm daily. Earth + Terraforming World time totaled ~6 days: ~3cm gain, obvious.
Sensing it? Peak protagonist.
"Haha! Think so? Kid me botched some herbal meds. Fresh air here's flushing toxins maybe."
"Aha! Makes sense..."
Planted seeds for wild growth spurts ahead. Too quick for "just herbs," but he'd claim herbs, they'd see results—had to buy it.
Lunch chit-chat with Lee Kangin.
Grinding teeth, death-glaring Gwangnyeon-i waving all cheery at him.
Evening grind, quests cleared.
Next day. Next. At last, dawn of event day.