Tantalizing Training

As soon as I entered the building, stuffy moisture tickled the tip of my nose.

Bullet marks were rampant on the walls of the abandoned building, and collapsed concrete exposed rebar here and there due to shell impacts.

‘Is this a building from the Great War?’

Anyone would think it was one of the ruins created during the past war, or one of the buildings shattered when the Federation fought a civil war due to revolution.

That’s how realistic it was.

It meant it had a different, eerie and realistic atmosphere compared to artificially created environments. Didn’t it feel like we were on an actual battlefield rather than receiving education?

“Are you ready, Cadet Yena Freud?”

“Yes, I am.”

For that reason, I approached the training with a solemn mind.

“Then I’ll explain a few points to be aware of and the goals for this training, so listen carefully.”

I focused intently, opening my ears wide to the words of the new instructor who seemed to be Gartel’s subordinate.

‘It’s the same.’

I soon smiled slightly.

The evaluation criteria and precautions coming from his mouth were no different from when I experienced this training in the past. They were points I had already memorized to the point of knowing by heart.

Therefore, there was no need to focus on the instructor’s words.

All the things he was reciting were information I had grasped in the past, and the firearms management rules he was expounding as precautions were something I had long since learned through physical experience.

I can handle guns better than anyone. Isn’t that something I can be confident about? I had already thoroughly learned the firing rules to the point where they had become a kind of habit.

“Did you understand well?”

“Yes.”

However, I silently listened to the instructor’s words and maintained tension until the end. Although it was a story with no substance at all, I showed an attitude of desperately trying to memorize it.

‘I must uphold a cadet’s virtues.’

Isn’t showing the best appearance to superiors the proper attitude of a subordinate and the true demeanor of an officer?

It was a decision made to give the instructor a good impression of me, and furthermore, for the sake of points.

‘Well, it’s not really a big deal to call it a decision…’

Doesn’t it look more professional to call it a decision for the future rather than a plan concocted by racking my brains? It seems more fitting.

“Then load the live ammunition.”

“Yes.”

I received the heavy clip magazine from the instructor with a composed face, maintaining that atmosphere.

Click, clack─!

Then I pulled the bolt handle to form a gap, placed the clip against it and pushed the bullets in, completing the loading smoothly without any rounds sticking out.

“I’ll also be evaluating reaction speed and accuracy of subsequent responses and judgment. There are fifteen targets in total, five rounds per magazine, so keep that in mind.”

“Understood.”

I then received two more magazines from the instructor and tucked them into my sleeve to finish preparations.

‘This is my first time with moving target practice.’

To be precise, it’s my first attempt in this world.

Because of that, an expectation and excitement different from usual enveloped my body.

“Now put on this belt on your arms and legs”

“What is this?”

“It’s a kind of restraining device that suppresses mana. To prevent injuries, it’s planned to be used in tomorrow’s individual duels as well. Consider it as adapting in advance”

That thing made those emotions grow even larger.

‘So I can’t use mana.’

That means the privilege of mana that only awakened ones have is restricted, and soon I’ll return to the physical abilities of a normal person, right?

‘I’m looking forward to it.’

That means I have to complete the training solely with my own abilities, doesn’t the thought that I can have a more realistic and arduous experience make my heart pound!

“No unusual conditions?”

“No.”

“Keep in mind there’s a time limit.”

What kind of obstacles will appear to make the training interesting in this realistic environment, I wonder how well I’ll control recoil now compared to past shooting practice, and so on…

Click─!

While various thoughts filled my mind, I focused my senses on the hard, cold gun handle, breathing heavily due to elation.

This place is enemy territory now and I’m an Imperial soldier trying to escape, Federation and Allied forces trying to kill me are swarming all around…

“Whew.”

Inwardly, I tried not to let my guard down for a moment by continuing to imagine to immerse myself in this situation.

“Ready (Auf die Plätze)!”

And,

“Set (fertig)!”

Finally, from the instructor’s mouth,

“Go (los)!”

When the signal to start was heard, I immediately kicked off the ground.

There’s nothing on the left, high chance of a target popping out from around the corner… I moved my feet busily while meticulously continuing calculations.

Whether mana was restricted or not was not even a consideration.

Having trained without missing a single day and continually grown, enduring the pain of countless muscle tears and reattachments to build my body, would I move laboriously just because there’s no mana?

The answer to that was ‘No’.

Although my physique had shrunk and I didn’t have as much muscle as before, I had more than enough strength left to lightly handle my body while holding a rifle.

Bang, click, ta-dang─!

The current scene showed just that. Even when targets lying on the floor suddenly popped up, I responded calmly without being flustered at all. Rather, I showed expert-level skills.

I calmly aimed through the sight, fired a bullet, and reloaded immediately, carrying out all those actions as naturally as flowing water.

“H-Hmm…”

Even the instructor following behind for evaluation and safety was surprised by my skills, blinking his eyelids forcefully. I could clearly see the emotions he must be feeling without even having to ask.

‘Let’s produce the best results.’

But I didn’t pay much attention to him.

I focused only on the current drill.

The most important thing for me right now is getting points for winning the final joint training, that is, getting a perfect score in the training. There’s no way I have time to care about a man whose name I don’t even know, right?

‘There are still many targets and traps left.’

If my memory is correct, this was a considerably tall building with 5 floors in total. So the reality was that there was still a long way to go.

Not wanting to waste time frivolously,

Click, rattle─!

Even as I finished checking the first floor and was about to climb the stairs, I took out a clip magazine from my sleeve and loaded it into the gun.

Because a catastrophe must not happen. I absolutely must not make the stupid mistake of pausing in front of a target with no bullets to fire. Doing such a thing on the battlefield would be no different from suicide.

Clang─!

I filled the magazine again, and soon upon entering a new floor, a wooden floor that opened widely greeted me for the first time.

It was an unending series of traps.

But I wasn’t surprised. I had long been fully prepared, and as always, I calmly and coolly dealt with the crisis without being swayed by emotions.

Bang, ta-dang─!

Rather, I even showed a bold aspect of actively seeking out and hitting targets.

‘Three more shots.’

After passing through the entrance without taking any damage, I saw target boards rushing towards me at a fierce speed as if on a conveyor belt. Without hesitation, I pressed the stock against my shoulder,

I knelt on one knee to control the recoil. Then I pulled the trigger from within my fluttering coat tails.

Bang!

Once again, an intense gunshot struck my eardrums.

‘Now two shots.’

But I couldn’t hesitate in this fleeting moment, so without delay I pulled the bolt handle to eject the steaming cartridge,

And stepped forward, my long straight hair and skirt fluttering. To reach the rooftop which was the final destination, I didn’t stop even though I was getting more and more out of breath.

Rattle, boom─!

I made my way through booby traps set in doorways and paths, simulated bullets fired from hiding in the building debris, and smoke that suddenly burst to obscure my vision.

Starting with passing the first floor without issue, there were targets and traps appearing in different ways on each floor as I went up, but they couldn’t block my path.

Since I skillfully reloaded ammunition during the intermittent breaks and moved, I didn’t face any major crises while moving.

I performed various tasks without difficulty.

‘Even though I look like this, I’m the one who led the Great War to victory.’

How could I not be able to do this one thing?

In less than a few minutes, I reached the rooftop in an instant.

“F-Fast. Cadet Yena Freud.”

Perhaps because of that, the instructor’s face was a series of astonishments.

Finally finishing the building run and looking at his face, the man blankly looked around at the target boards I had hit with one shot each to the head and chest as per the manual,

“I-I never imagined you’d have such skills.”

And endlessly marveled.

“I received words of recommendation from Administrator Gartel, but I really didn’t expect such outstanding results. Ah, it seems your father raised his daughter very well.”

“You’re too kind.”

“I mean it sincerely. I’ve been assisting various instructors’ classes for nearly three years, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a scene. You must have had your mana suppressed, and yet…”

It’s an unprecedented score, it’s the first time someone has reached the destination at this speed, it’s remarkably excellent marksmanship considering you’re a cadet, and so on.

The instructor gave nothing but praise in his commentary.

‘It’s disappointing.’

However, I couldn’t hide my disappointment. No matter how much excellent evaluation I received from him and was certain of a high score, I couldn’t erase the gloomy feeling.

‘The difficulty level is too easy.’

Even with mana blocked and having a normal person’s body, it wasn’t very enjoyable. To be considered true training, I should be panting for breath and rolling my body feeling the situation as desperate as if participating in a real war,

But what is this!

I’m not even out of breath, my body doesn’t feel heavy, and the traps occupying various spaces weren’t very threatening either, there was no excitement constricting my whole body!

‘It’s good that I’ve gotten stronger through training, but…’

I didn’t know I’d become this powerful. Of course, it was an understandable situation given that I had trained through endless battles and exercise every day, but I couldn’t help feeling somewhat disappointed.

Ah, it’s not that it wasn’t fun.

It was a beneficial time where I could freely experience gun recoil for the first time and shoot to my heart’s content while moving around without being confined to one spot.

It’s just that it didn’t meet expectations.

“How many minutes did I take?”

An activity with nothing more to proceed with now,

“…4 minutes 52 seconds.”

“What grade is that?”

“Don’t worry. It’s the highest score among cadets. As it’s graded on a relative curve, it will surely be the top level.”

“I see.”

“You can go now. Give me the gun.”

Following the instructor’s order, I handed over the rifle as is, then turned my body around and headed back to the first floor.

Hoping that tomorrow’s individual duel, and the plot Wolf and the maintenance officer are scheming, would fill this feeling of 2% lacking happiness,

“Whew…”

I unbuttoned the top button of my sweat-soaked shirt and took a deep breath,

Step─ Step─

And left the place.

---

After Yena left like that, in the abandoned building,

“Ad-Administrator.”

“What is it?”

“About the results for Yena that you mentioned…”

“Hmm? Is that real!”

All the instructors fell into bewilderment.

They were all surprised by Yena’s skills that exceeded expectations. It was understandable, as she showed the steepest growth curve of any cadet in history.

Who wouldn’t be astonished?

We already knew she was a child with innate talent for techniques, but now we’ve also learned that her basic physical abilities like stamina and strength are superior to anyone else’s.

“Heh, hehe…”

Gartel’s reaction of laughing meaninglessly stood out in particular.

It was only natural that his attitude was the most enthusiastic, as Gartel was the one who observed Yena most carefully among anyone working at the military academy.

‘Truly amazing.’

In the room filled with silence, Gartel inwardly gave sincere praise to Yena with silent applause.

It means she made painful efforts alone for nearly a month. That girl completed this training wearing mana-restricting equipment, so she had to use only her own body.

But look at the present.

A girl with baby fat still on her cheeks and small stature has proudly taken the lead, surpassing all cadets in history. He could only think it was just incredible.

‘Then it would be proper for an instructor to repay that effort.’

Gartel inwardly vowed. He would show favor by giving proper treatment to Yena, who focused on his class until the end and showed changed appearance every day.

“You, can you do me a favor for a moment?”

“Wh-What is it, sir?”

For that reason, Gartel called one of his subordinates and ordered.

“Arrange a meeting with Director Serti for me.”

“For what reason…”

Manfred von Eckart, who has a record of intentionally damaging Yena’s diving equipment in the past, may still be plotting conspiracies.

The best repayment possible now is to protect Yena’s safety, so isn’t it right to eliminate that danger?

“There are some points I want to ask about tomorrow’s schedule.”

“Understood.”

“Excuse me for a moment. Let’s resume the training now.”

“Yes sir.”

Gartel’s eyes flashed sharply as he finished the conversation.

‘I must protect her somehow.’

He firmly steeled his resolve to carry out what he was thinking and protect Yena.