NOVEL NEXT Chapter 17: (2)
Kaiyan was taken aback when someone who looked younger than him made such a comment, but unfortunately, rank mattered here.
If he wanted to blame someone, he can blame his rank that was lower than that person’s. And significantly so.
“From now on, you two will be part of the 7th Special unit under my command as centurion. You will assist me in leading the soldiers,” Tarien announced.
“Thank you!”
“…Thank you.”
Kaiyan had never even been a squad leader before, and suddenly he was being appointed as a centurion. While Jeff had the skills and experience to be a centurion, honestly, Kaiyan felt extremely bewildered because he knew he wasn’t at that level.
“If both of you have a wish, speak up,” Tarien said. “As a celebration of becoming centurions, I will grant you a small wish.”
Kaiyan thought to himself, ‘A small wish.’
The words “noble’s wish” sounded as sweet as a devil’s temptation.
And so, unlike him, Jeff immediately stated his desire without hesitation.
Money was the reason why Jeff had joined the battlefield, so there was no reason to belittle him as materialistic.
Tarien chuckled in response to Jeff’s request. “Hahaha! Money? Alright, how much do you want? Would 50 gold be enough?”
“Yes! I would be grateful if you could give me that.”
Kaiyan watched Tarien’s willingness to offer 50 gold and couldn’t help but feel a tinge of surprise.
50 gold was an amount that even a commoner would struggle to accumulate in a lifetime. While individuals like Jeff, who were somewhat exceptional, could earn such a sum with hard work, it was undeniably a large amount of money.
’50 gold… Should I ask for money too?’
Kaiyan felt a slight greed arise at the thought of that sum of money.
With that much money, he could exchange it for the finest weapons and armor at the market.
‘If I could only exchange this sword, which is on the verge of breaking…’
“Kaiyan! What do you desire? Do you also need money?”
Kaiyan took a moment to compose himself, suppressing the immediate urge to answer.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that may never come again.
So, through Tarien, he would obtain what he needed most at this moment.
“…I would like to have a sword.”
After a brief contemplation, Kaiyan decided that he desired a sword rather than money.
“A sword? How peculiar. Go and bring any one of my swords,” Tarien commanded.
“Yes!”
A subordinate went into the room behind Tarien and returned with a single sword in hand.
At first glance, the sword appeared to be extraordinary.
“Well then, from now on, Kaiyan, you shall wield this sword. It should be sufficient, right?”
“Thank you.”
As Kaiyan carefully examined the sword Tarien had handed him, he realized that even the hilt of the sword was exceptional.
The hilt featured a beautifully crafted and fierce-looking carving of a wolf. The fact that such a carving was engraved on an iron hilt, rather than a wooden one, indicated the remarkable skill of the craftsman.
“The knight will stay. The rest of you, go back now.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
As they lowered their heads in response to Tarien’s command and stepped outside the command post, Kaiyan couldn’t help but notice a slight curling of his lips. It was because of the sword he held in his hand.
Though he hadn’t unsheathed it yet, there was an unusual sensation emanating from the hilt itself.
‘I’ve obtained something truly exceptional.’
It was almost too valuable for an ordinary soldier like him, who wasn’t even a knight.
“Kaiyan, you made a good choice. If it’s a sword used by nobles, it must be an excellent one.”
“I would have been satisfied with just a sword that knights use. I never expected to receive a sword like this.”
Although Kaiyan had asked for it, he didn’t anticipate that he would be given the very sword the noble had been using.
Kaiyan thought that he would receive a sword similar to the ones knights use if he performed well.
“Why don’t you draw it from the scabbard?”
“Should I?”
With a trembling heart, Kaiyan drew the sword from its scabbard.
Swish–
“Wow…”
A sigh of admiration escaped as he beheld the pristine white blade.
An exquisite sound accompanied the sight of the sword drawn from its scabbard, and without realizing it, a smile formed on his face.
A sword that sparkled beautifully, reflecting the sunlight. It emitted a beauty that the iron sword he had been using until now could never compare to, although he felt sorry for his old weapon.
“It’s an exceptional steel sword.”
“Really?”
“Look at this pure white blade. It means there’s hardly any impurity in the sword. It was undoubtedly made by a skilled craftsman.”
As he ran his hand over it, he noticed that the surface was much smoother than that of an iron sword.
It was difficult to imagine just how much polishing skill went into the making of this sword.
“If I use this sword… Can I slay monsters more effectively?”
Indeed, the sword was beautiful, but what Kaiyan needed at the moment was a powerful weapon.
Since he had never used a steel sword before, he was curious about how effective it would be against monsters.
“Of course! The sword you were using will pale in comparison. With this sword, you’ll be able to cleave through the skin of most monsters with a single swing.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
‘How many monsters will I be able to kill with this sword?’
Kaiyan whispered to himself, keeping Jeff in mind.
‘Even if I have to stain it with green, I will do it.’
His eyes reflected in the sword were filled with a fierce determination.
‘I’ll slay them all…’
Swiftly.
The boiling anger that had been surging quickly subsided under Jeff’s rough touch.
Now was the time to rest, not engage in battles against monsters.
“Let’s head back. Max is waiting for us.”
“Yes…”
Returning to the barracks, they explained what had transpired to Max. His response was a single nod, as if he had expected such a turn of events.
“…Aren’t you surprised?”
He had become centurion, yet Uncle Max merely nodded once.
Uncle Max’s calm reaction was so composed that Kaiyan couldn’t help but ask.
“Well… I was a bit surprised. But I had a rough idea already. Why would the commander personally summon soldiers? Ah, congratulations on becoming centurions!”
Was this what experience was all about?
To be able to deduce the situation from small facts. Truly fitting for someone like Uncle Max, who had lived as a soldier for decades.
“Haha… Thank you.”
“How does it feel to be a centurion? You’re probably the youngest among the commoners to become a centurion at the age of fifteen, right?”
“Well… It feels a bit overwhelming. Uncle Jeff, in many ways, is more than qualified to be centurion, but I still have a long way to go.”
It wasn’t false humility. Kaiyan genuinely felt that he was lacking in becoming a commander.
No matter what anyone says, he was just a young 15-year-old who is experiencing war for the first time. Yet, here he was, ascending to the position of a centurion leading 100 soldiers.
“Kaiyan, with how well you led the other soldiers today, why would anyone say such things?”
“Yeah, this guy. I didn’t know you could lead soldiers so well.”
Tap, tap.
The touch of the two men patting Kaiyan’s shoulder felt warm, as if reassuring him not to worry.
However, deep in his heart, he couldn’t lift his face due to the rising sense of inferiority.
The reason Kaiyan could do well on the battlefield was all thanks to the player system, not his inherent abilities.
“If I hadn’t been chosen as a player, I would still be struggling on the outskirts.”
Yes, that was him. A weak existence barely struggling against goblins, that were threat to his life at the time.
“…I’m going out to train a bit.”
“Sure, there’s nothing better than practice. Just don’t push yourself too hard, take it easy!”
Leaving behind the shouts of the men, Kaiyan clenched his fists as he walked out of the barracks.
“Now that I have this privilege, I have to… I have to work even harder. If it was truly a god who bestowed this ability upon me, then may that god have no regrets. It should be clear that it was right to give this ability to none other than me.” Kaiyan thought with determination.