Circumstances 1

What is the greatest honor given to those who dedicate their bodies to protect their homeland?

Some might argue money.

Saying that proper compensation for actions is valuable.

Some might argue position.

Saying that the right position for one’s beliefs is valuable.

Certainly, material value will bring temporary satisfaction.

But there is something more valuable than material satisfaction.

Honor.

And the pride that comes from honor.

That was a value that couldn’t be exchanged for anything.

Even if dying as a mere soldier, as long as it was for the country.

Even if defeated, risking one’s life for the people.

Everything for the safety of the country and its citizens.

Thus, the free nation of South Korea has always remembered the infinite sacrifices of its senior comrades.

It never forgot their blood, sweat, tears, and dedication to the homeland.

It resolved to create a free country so that their sacrifices would not be in vain, with a determination to improve day by day.

South Korea became great.

It became one of the world’s leading wealthy nations.

A country that blossomed with the most beautiful culture in the world.

An achievement that couldn’t have been realized without a strong military to protect that beautiful culture.

For a soldier, the homeland was like a heart.

It was the driving force that allowed them to live and breathe.

Soldiers were always prepared to sacrifice their lives for their country.

Prepared to die.

Even if cartoon-like events became reality.

Even if the opponents were monsters only seen in movies.

They would fight to the end even if miserably killed.

To protect even one more innocent citizen.

“Eight people, I guess that’s about everyone.”

But cruelly.

What awaited them was a reality different from cartoons.

“Then from now on, let’s begin the demotion ceremony for the generals of the 7th Republic of Korea.”

The beloved homeland spoke.

More precisely, the con artist who deceived the beloved homeland whispered.

She was a young woman with bright blue hair.

Perhaps just turned twenty.

Numerous medals were embroidered on her gray-white uniform, making a jingling sound with every step.

Red hair like a lion’s mane.

A hunter wrapped in bestial killing intent.

Lee Yeon.

Self-proclaimed hero.

“Let’s start with you first.”

Experienced generals of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces were gathered before her.

Unable to raise their heads, like elementary school students being scolded by a teacher.

The woman walked nonchalantly.

It wasn’t the proper attitude of a young person towards old soldiers who fought for the country.

“Major General Kim Il-soo.”

The woman spoke down to the old soldier as if it were natural.

“You abused the conscription system to enslave innocent citizens.”

It was nonsense.

Everything was for protecting the country.

“Despite being a commander, you used soldiers as meat shields and only sought your own safety from the rear.”

It was sophistry.

The most important thing on the battlefield is the commander.

A front line that loses its commander is bound to collapse.

“Moreover, even after the Gate crisis was resolved and government functions were restored, you did not respond to military trials and continued to use conscripts like private soldiers without disbanding them.”

It was laughable.

A blatant lie trying to cover the sky with a palm.

A government set up as a puppet of the con artist.

There was no way such a government could be recognized as the legitimate government of South Korea.

“This is treason, like a coup d’état.”

They were patriots.

The true traitor was the con artist who called herself a hero.

“As of this moment, all your positions and status as a soldier are stripped,”

Yet despite this.

“I sentence you to demotion to private and erasure of your military record.”

The patriots lost their honor.

They were robbed of the pride they had devoted their whole lives to.

“Come on, what are you doing? Report quickly.”

As if an officer addressing a soldier.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t even practice properly. What a pathetically incompetent display.”

The con artist treated the old soldiers nonchalantly.

“No, in a sense, it’s as expected. What more can you expect from those who enslaved citizens for their own greed?”

No objection could be raised.

“Come on, say it slowly, word by word.”

“Chung, sung…”

No matter how strong their spirit was like steel, after being tortured repeatedly, the old soldiers’ bodies and minds were broken.

“…I report. Major General Kim Il-soo, as of August 18, 2033, has been ordered to be demoted 15 ranks from Major General to Private Second Class. I hereby report.”

The will to grit their teeth had long been stripped away.

“Chung, sung…”

They fought for their homeland.

But they misjudged.

They didn’t know that the true enemy was not external.

“Your voice is too low. Again.”

They didn’t forget.

They would not forget this humiliation.

They swore, without fail.

That someday they would reclaim their beloved homeland.

And thus, they would reclaim.

The honor their comrades had lost.

That was the founding purpose of the organization called TROKA.

True Republic Of Korean Army.

They were the legitimate armed forces of the Republic of Korea.

Even though the con artist and her followers often mocked them as terrorists.

“Denied.”

The subordinate’s request to avenge his fallen comrade.

The intention was admirable, but it couldn’t be granted.

“Why not!”

Captain Maeng Jeong-hwan raised his voice at Major General Kim Il-soo.

“Lieutenant Choi Min-hyuk was a brilliant soldier! He was a proud junior who would have achieved great things! How can you be so calm when such a junior is being treated as a terrorist!”

How could he not be calm?

If he weren’t calm, he would be a puppet of the con artist, not a soldier.

“Not yet.”

Major General Kim Il-soo shook his head.

“They must have strengthened their defenses after this incident. Without a substantial plan, it would be difficult to breach their heightened security.”

Know yourself and know your enemy.

It was a basic principle of Sun Tzu’s Art of War.

The con artist and her puppet faction were the main enemies that should be punished.

But that didn’t mean they should be underestimated.

No matter what anyone says, she’s a con artist who deceived the country.

They had to be prepared for her deception skills.

“But…!”

“As you said, Lieutenant Choi Min-hyuk was an excellent talent.”

Player.

One of the few in TROKA with the potential to defeat Lee Yeon.

Lieutenant Choi Min-hyuk was a capable talent.

He was a promising new recruit.

Yet he was brutally murdered.

“Even Lieutenant Choi Min-hyuk couldn’t handle it and lost his life.”

Maeng Jeong-hwan was a B-class Awakener.

He was a talent with some ability.

But he wasn’t a Player.

“But we don’t even know who killed him or how. At this rate…!”

They couldn’t honor the spirit of their fallen comrade.

It was truly thoughtful comradeship.

Even Major General Kim Il-soo didn’t know who had killed him.

The videos released to the public were all edited versions.

The focus was on the powerless hero.

There was no doubt it was media play.

It must be the con artist’s trick to hide the swordsman who made the star fall.

“…”

They had only suffered losses unilaterally.

They couldn’t even honor the spirit of their fallen comrade.

What if Lieutenant Choi Min-hyuk had returned alive?

Even if he was no longer a Player, if he had just returned alive.

Then could they have calmed this boiling anger a little?

“…Indeed, it’s not like us to just keep taking hits.”

The basic strategy of the armed forces is defense.

It’s far from preemptive strikes.

However, that doesn’t mean they don’t counterattack.

Rather, it’s the opposite.

They prepare for counterattack.

That was the grand strategy of the armed forces with a long history and foundation.

“Once is chance. But twice is inevitability.”

If the Hunter Academy is attacked twice in this short period, it’s only natural that Lee Yeon’s authority would be cracked.

If voices suppressed under the dictator’s authority revive, the beasts will try to tear each other apart.

“…You mean!”

“The operation will be in 3 weeks.”

A massive operation is not possible.

Large-scale troop deployment is a trump card, the final move.

It had to be saved and conserved for later.

Carefully.

The operation will be carried out when it can produce the most efficient results.

“Let’s aim for a complete victory.”

They lost talent.

Then shouldn’t they force an equal, or greater, loss on the opponent?

Complete Victory Festival.

An Academy event created using the name of Army Chief of Staff Kim Wan-seung, who was active from the early days of the Gate crisis along with the hero Lee Yeon.

It was usually held around April.

It was one of the Academy’s skill evaluations, also serving as the practical exam for midterms.

At the same time, it was a kind of festival.

A wordplay on humanity’s complete victory over Gates and monsters.

The format was a tournament.

Ability battles between students.

It runs for 3 days.

One day for preliminaries and round of 16.

One day for round of 16 and quarterfinals.

One day for semifinals, third place match, and finals.

Despite also serving as a student performance evaluation, there are spectators.

Not just spectators, but even broadcast coverage.

The reason was simple.

Didn’t Caesar do the same?

The public needs bread and circuses.

This is the bread and circus that Lee Yeon presents.

An event that draws a lot of attention.

Not just mobilizing spectators, but there were also practical and capitalistic aspects.

Here, students could appeal not only for test scores but also to scouts from large guilds and the Hunter Management Bureau observing the students.

Simply put, it was a showcase.

An event like this being attacked would be something the whole world would pay attention to.

And the villain of this episode will commit that spectacular act.

‘Well, it’ll end up as just a minor happening anyway…’

It was only an attempt after all.

‘The villain of this episode isn’t even a Player.’

The issue was the scale of damage.

The villain of this episode is Maeng Jeong-hwan.

A fool who thinks he’s a true soldier.

He was an ordinary Awakener, not a Player.

Neither particularly capable nor with a backstory.

A guy who got caught by a soldier while secretly ordering delivery food during guard duty, abused his subordinates to cover it up, got marked with a red line in a letter of conscience, and now makes emotional appeals with implausible lies.

His act of pretending to care for his junior is all a lie.

Later on, he shows all kinds of ugly behavior.

The very embodiment of anger management issues.

No, an idiot who’s an insult to people suffering from anger management issues.

He could be called a truly pathetic villain.

Moreover, this incident is Maeng Jeong-hwan’s independent action.

Other villains won’t get involved.

There will be no damage.

Rather, the important part to focus on in this incident is Lee Ha-yul.

If not careful, an 18-year-old child might end up killing someone.

Because Lee Ha-yul will try to kill Maeng Jeong-hwan.

The opponent is a terrorist, and an incompetent villain at that.

It’s like being given a legal opportunity to murder.

Lee Ha-yul wouldn’t pass that up.

This had to be prevented.

She’ll be hated even more than now.

One of the reasons Lee Ha-yul comes to hate Han Seoyeon in the original work was the protagonist’s foolish act of saying murder isn’t allowed even when the opponent is a terrorist.

Still, it couldn’t be left alone.

This time, the depressing original work had to be followed.

A foolish protagonist who gives a chance for rehabilitation is needed to tell an adolescent child who isn’t yet an adult that they shouldn’t kill people.

“Senior.”

“What is it?”

However, the difficulty of the episode itself is easy.

The opponent isn’t a powerful villain, and only Lee Ha-yul needs to be stopped.

Rather, what’s truly challenging is the event that follows this.

“After the exam, is there anywhere you’d like to go?”

So, before that.

She planned to play while she could.

The day when midterms end and students temporarily enjoy their freedom.

On that day, Han Seo-yeon will seduce Michaela no matter what.