Ch.133Side Story – A National Disaster-Level Monster Enlists in the Army (3)

“The training schedule has been changed a bit this time.”

“The training schedule, sir?”

“Yes, originally the individual combat course was supposed to be on the last day of training… but the schedule’s been shifted, so we’ll be conducting it in two days.”

“I-individual combat, sir?!”

“I’ve heard that the Hunter Division’s individual combat training is extremely dangerous…!”

It was right after the afternoon schedule had ended.

Individual combat training—the so-called flower of basic training that always comes right before the march.

But perhaps the Hunter Division’s individual combat training was different.

The reactions from the trainees were like those typically seen during a 20KM march, yet this was just for individual combat training.

I could only float question marks above my head as I watched my fellow trainees around me.

“Ahem! Of course, both this instructor and the assistant instructors are aware of the dangers. That’s why we’re changing all training schedules starting tomorrow to individual combat practice. I suggest you master it in advance. That is all!”

Naturally curious, I asked my suddenly quiet fellow trainees as soon as lights-out time came.

“Hey, what’s wrong with everyone?”

“Aren’t you scared, Shinwoo?”

“Scared of what?”

“The Hunter Division’s individual combat training is on a completely different level from regular trainees’ combat training.”

“I’ve heard they use actual monsters to provide a more realistic combat experience!”

“R-real monsters?!”

So that’s why everyone was scared.

Now I understood after hearing that explanation.

Even so, it seemed extreme to bring actual monsters into the individual combat training field.

‘Is this really okay?’

Obviously, I couldn’t easily transform into a monster inside a military base.

If my identity were discovered, I’d immediately be in combat with the Korean military.

But in my human form, I only had the abilities of an average person. How was I supposed to fight monsters in individual combat training…

‘Thinking about it this way makes me nervous too.’

But the military wouldn’t assign an impossible mission.

The military was an organization that only ordered tasks that were possible to complete.

So I had no choice but to wait anxiously for tomorrow’s individual combat training practice and try to sleep with my fellow trainees.

***

The next day.

After waking up at 6:30 AM, running, and eating breakfast, we headed to the individual combat training ground where a high hill was visible.

“Now, this instructor and the assistant instructors will explain the individual combat training.”

They must have prepared extensively.

Normally, only Assistant Instructor Gon Hakseon would be here, but today the instructor brought several experienced red caps in addition to the private first class assistant.

There were exactly four of them, just like us.

“I briefly explained yesterday, but to add more details, tomorrow we’ll be demonstrating individual combat training in front of the regimental commander.”

“R-regimental commander?!”

“The regimental commander… that’s someone with three chrysanthemums!”

“Everyone quiet! Yes, I understand you’re nervous about meeting the regimental commander when you’ve been trainees for less than a week. But! Nevertheless, you are soldiers.”

Regimental commander?

This wasn’t even an assigned unit yet, and we were already meeting the regimental commander.

It was absurd.

But in the military, you do what you’re told.

“For that reason, this individual combat training will be taught thoroughly from start to finish under the guidance of this instructor and highly qualified assistant instructors.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Especially you, Trainee Number 1.”

“Yes, Trainee Number 1, Han Shinwoo!”

“In individual combat, the squad leader’s orders are particularly important. So show us your best this time as well.”

“Yes, sir!”

And so, instead of the simple structure of regular training center individual combat where we would just take turns shouting and running, we began learning truly systematic combat methods.

“Trainee Number 1. Do you see that slightly hollowed-out hole about halfway up that hill?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. During tomorrow’s live training, an E-rank monster called Molearia will appear from there.”

“You mean the creature that comes out of the ground looking for prey?”

“Yes, that’s the first real monster that Hunter Division individual combat trainees encounter.”

Assistant Instructor Gon Hakseon explained that in the Hunter Division’s individual combat training, real bullets fly and dangerous situations occur repeatedly as trainees capture high ground and real monsters appear.

A training so dangerous that one casualty occurs every ten years.

There had been several discussions about abolishing it, but each time, the military leadership, especially the Army Chief of Staff, had strongly insisted:

“If someone doesn’t have even this level of determination when enlisting, let them go home beforehand!”

That might make sense for conscripts.

But the Hunter Division was entirely voluntary, and trainees could withdraw at any time during basic training.

‘Sir… that makes sense which makes it even more frustrating…!’

As the only conscripted soldier among volunteers, I could only swallow my tears and prepare myself.

“But as dangerous as it is, the assistant instructors and instructors are always standing by behind you. So don’t worry too much.”

“Ah, yes. I understand.”

By the way, Assistant Instructor Gon Hakseon.

As a private first class, he’d barely shed his civilian identity and was still in the difficult period of military life.

But right now, it felt like I was dealing with someone several years older than me.

That’s probably why I felt somewhat reassured.

“But don’t we get any weapons to use against the monsters?”

“Of course you do. During this training, you can use whatever you can—whether it’s hunter abilities or anything else. And every soldier will be given 60 rounds of monster ammunition and 2 grenades.”

“…!”

Sixty rounds meant two magazines worth of ammunition.

And they were giving us two grenades—something we’d only thrown once during training and would likely never handle again during our military service.

‘This is really something to be tense about.’

Even with heavy armament, it was still a matter of ordinary humans fighting monsters.

With that in mind, especially as the squad leader, I carefully listened to and recorded all the tricks of the individual combat training ground that Assistant Instructor Gon Hakseon explained.

After receiving all the education from the assistant instructors,

“Now, from this point on, the trainees will plan their strategy separately!”

“Yes, sir!”

Now that we understood the training method, we gathered separately to discuss our tactics and organize our formation.

“So right now, Lee Bak is the only one here who’s stronger than an ordinary person, right?”

“I was an E-rank Hunter, so I should be able to handle up to two monsters of the same E-rank danger level by myself.”

“Um… actually, I’ve taken the Hunter exam twice before. I barely failed both times, but I’ve been continuously training while working as a monster cleaner until I came here.”

“So you have some combat ability?”

“Well, it’s hard to say exactly, but I should be able to take down one E-rank monster barehanded, just barely.”

Besides Lee Bak, it seemed Kim Palnyeon, the former monster cleaner, also had surprisingly useful combat ability.

That meant we had two soldiers who could act as shields at the front.

“I’m pretty confident in my shooting. If you two go to the front line, I can provide covering fire from behind.”

“Now that’s what I like to hear!”

“That’s reassuring, Squad Leader Shinwoo.”

“So the only person left is Suah…”

As a former researcher, she would be most helpful in non-combat subjects.

But what we needed to do now was combat, where survival and strength took priority over clever knowledge.

“I guess I’ll just be a burden this time…”

“Ah, that’s not what I meant when I called on you!”

“Come on, Suah. Cheer up!”

“That’s right! Just providing rear support with a gun is plenty helpful!”

“But I’m not even good at shooting…”

I wondered if there was a way to maximize the strengths of Suah, the former researcher.

While I was pondering this,

“…strategy.”

“?”

“I didn’t quite catch that.”

“Suah. Strategy. As a researcher, you must know a lot about monsters.”

“Ah, yes. That’s right!”

The monsters I remembered were only the named bosses from the setting book.

Even I only roughly knew about the low-ranking E-class monsters, not perfect information.

But Suah, a former researcher who studied monsters, would surely know facts that even I didn’t.

Therefore,

“Suah, please tell us everything you know about Molearia. Additionally, if you have any information about unexpected situations caused by monsters during individual combat training, I’d like you to share it all.”

“…! Yes, I will! I’ll definitely do that.”

I designated Suah as the brains of our squad.

While I would do the actual commanding, she would support me from behind.

With our meeting concluded, we began running one by one into the individual combat training ground where assistant instructors dressed as monster costumes were waiting.

“Alright, let’s go everyone!”

“Yeah!”

Meanwhile.

‘Isn’t individual combat training usually done on the last day?’

Army Chief of Staff Lee Seokgyu, pretending to be a master sergeant, was observing the individual combat training ground from a distance.

While puzzled by the schedule that differed from the usual training center routine,

“Now, you two forward!”

This kid… he used to say he hated being a soldier before coming here.

He smiled warmly as he watched his son, who had become the squad leader of this Hunter Division class, giving orders.

“I should say I’m coming to watch tomorrow’s individual combat training too.”