Finally Got Stronger but Ended Up Regressing

Chapter 16 It Doesn’t Work on Me (3)

The exhausted privates who had finished the arduous climb were resting while panting heavily.

They were all gasping for breath, still exhausted.

Some had relatively easily completed the climb due to their related abilities, but even they looked tired with dark circles under their eyes.

So one person stood out even more.

It was Private Gu Yunho, who suddenly regained his vitality as if he had found some elixir while climbing.

“Hmm.”

Lieutenant Colonel Park Eui-cheol was standing in the shade of a tree at the top, watching Private Gu Yunho. Captain Oh Jun-beom was fanning him diligently beside him.

“His physical strength is definitely much lower compared to the other privates.”

“Are you talking about Private Gu Yunho?”

“Yes. Seeing him in person, I understand why he was passed over for promotion three times. Physical strength is the most basic thing for a hunter.”

“According to his records, he barely graduated from the training camp.”

“That makes sense. His muscles and bones are a mess. He seems to have exercised quite a bit, but being a hunter is not just about exercising. You need the talent to unlock abilities and the sense to enhance their efficiency.”

“You’re absolutely right.”

Lieutenant Colonel Park Eui-cheol clicked his tongue in disappointment. He looked regretful.

“Private Gu Yunho seems to have almost no abilities related to physical strength. At best, he might have [Strength] or [Stamina].”

“You saw it correctly. That’s exactly what he is.”

“But you know.”

I saw Private Gu Yunho as we were coming up. From about halfway up, he was already as good as eliminated. His running posture was as if he were floundering in water.

Yet, he managed to reach the top.

Without exceeding the time limit.

“His tenacity is remarkable. His stamina was already depleted, but he made it up here with sheer determination.”

“It can’t have been easy. Especially for a low-ranking private.”

“Indeed. How could such mental strength come from such a young man?”

Among the passers, there were those who made it in 45 minutes. But to Lieutenant Colonel Park Eui-cheol, they were all the same.

Just a bunch of privates with a single stripe.

Nothing particularly impressive.

That’s why Private Gu Yunho felt more special.

He made the impossible possible.

‘I thought he would either give up or come in way past the time limit.’

Lieutenant Colonel Park Eui-cheol watched him again. Private Gu Yunho was pouring water over his face. It must have felt so refreshing that he exclaimed, “Ah, this is great! This is the taste!” like a man in his forties.

“Are you interested in Private Gu Yunho because of his tenacity?”

“My interest developed here.”

“Excuse me?”

Today, Private Gu Yunho filmed a real-time growth drama. Lieutenant Colonel Park Eui-cheol was captivated by it.

“As of today, physical strength will no longer be an issue for Private Gu Yunho. Look, he was struggling to the point of near death, but as soon as he arrived, he regained his vitality. What do you think that means?”

“Could it be a physical strength-related ability…?”

“Exactly. Private Gu Yunho’s body has finally awakened. The method to enhance physical strength.”

A confident voice continued.

“He must have unlocked an ability that either enhances or supplements his stamina.”

But he was completely wrong.

The [Instant Fatigue Recovery] that Private Gu Yunho unlocked was more of a buff, a blessing, rather than physical strength.

It couldn’t even be compared.

Physical strength abilities are generally considered ‘ordinary,’ but blessing abilities are considered ‘special.’

They are on a different level.

Lieutenant Colonel Park Eui-cheol was, of course, aware of the existence of [Instant Fatigue Recovery].

However, it was impossible to apply that to Private Gu Yunho.

How could a greenhorn, who had just started, unlock abilities that even seasoned officers and sergeant hunters barely managed to unlock?

Absurdly enough, Private Gu Yunho was exactly such a case.

He had spent a whopping 25 years on the battlefield.

In terms of experience, he was not inferior to Lieutenant Colonel Park Euicheol.

*

“Everyone’s here now.”

As the last private entered, the physical strength assessment finally concluded.

The instructor was cold.

“Those who reached the summit within the time limit will have good scores recorded in the log. Those who didn’t will have their scores deducted by the amount of time exceeded.”

Cheers from some, sighs from others. My eyes naturally went to the latter.

I know that feeling better than anyone.

But this field operates solely on skill.

If something doesn’t work out, you have to find a way yourself.

Instead of being frustrated.

So, I repeated training to a ridiculous extent.

That was the only method I found.

It took an incredibly long time, but eventually, I produced tangible results.

I turned a life destined for failure into a somewhat successful one.

Yes, that’s how it was back then.

I finally understood the saying that pain becomes beautiful when it turns into a memory, as I marched down the mountain.

It was close to 17:00 when I finally emerged from the dungeon.

I went straight up to the barracks.

“Private Gu Yunho, reporting back after intensive training.”

The seniors who had been patrolling the perimeter were already in the barracks. They greeted me as they lay watching TV or fiddling with their phones.

“Oh, Yunho. You’re back now.”

“Yunho, good job~”

Corporal Jeong Yesom took out a can of cola from the mini-fridge and handed it to me.

“Drink this.”

“Private Gu Yunho. Thank you.”

“Oh my, look at this sweat. Did you start with the physical fitness test?”

“Yes, I did.”

Corporal Jung Yesom had also gone through this training before. Even if I didn’t say anything, she already knew everything.

“It must have been tough. Hurry up and take off your gear.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I quickly went to my spot and started removing my gear. My combat uniform was as rough as unwashed hair for several days because of the sweat. But since it’s May, it’s not too bad. If it were midsummer, it would have been soaked in salt.

“How did it go? Did you do well?”

“Fortunately, I made it within the time limit.”

“Oh! Really?”

“Yes.”

“Our Yunho is really changing. As your caring sister, I’m so happy.”

After changing clothes and coming out to the bed, Corporal Jung Yesom sat next to me, giggling. Other seniors, hearing the story, were also surprised, saying, ‘The physical fitness test? Yunho?’

“That’s right, Yunho. You haven’t checked yet, have you?”

“Checked what?”

“The reward money! It came in earlier. Check it out.”

I wondered why she was giggling, and it turned out the reward money had come in.

“Yes, ma’am.”

As a hunter, mental and moral duties are important, but in the end, it’s all about making money.

What’s the point of saving citizens if you don’t get a single penny for it?

It just makes you feel empty.

I gulped and opened my mobile banking account.

Let’s see, the balance is…

“Wow, how many zeros are there? Do they usually give this much?”

“It seems the district office gave us extra. We also received a plaque of appreciation, remember?”

Ah, the plaque of appreciation. I had momentarily forgotten because of the commendation for the heroes who shone in the defense.

A smile naturally formed on my lips as well.

“No matter how much money you receive, it never feels burdensome.”

“Hehe, right? I’ve already picked out a bag~”

“Are you talking about the messenger bag you mentioned earlier?”

“Yes. Yunho, what are you going to spend it on?”

“I.”

There was no need to hesitate.

It was already decided the moment I decided to receive the reward.

“I plan to buy gifts for my family.”

“What?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I suddenly feel like an unfilial daughter. I should forget about buying a bag.”

“Haha, no. Corporal Jeong Yesom, you are always filial.”

“Me?”

“You get promoted smoothly, you win reward vacations, and you grow up beautifully. If anyone were to name an example of a filial daughter, they would name Corporal Jeong Yesom.”

“Our Yunho knows something.”

Corporal Jeong Yesom poked my arm and thought, ‘But the amount is so large that there will be plenty left even after buying a bag. I should buy gifts with it too.’

“I especially like the last part~”

“Do you mean the part about being a model of filial piety?”

“No, no, the part about growing up beautifully.”

“Ah, that’s an obvious fact. Everyone would agree.”

Laughter spread. I was the one who even pleased the picky senior sergeants. Making our Yesom nuna happy is no big deal.

As I always say, she is indeed pretty.

“You two get along very well.”

Sergeant Song Giyong, who was almost lying down in the squad leader’s chair watching TV, turned his head this way.

“Are you that excited?”

“Hehe, today is a day to feel good~ The reward is enormous.”

“Well, you did accomplish something big. Anyway, can we expect a treat to celebrate?”

“Of course. Let’s go out for dinner later.”

“As expected, our Yesom is very proactive. Guys!”

He clapped his hands and shouted.

“Eat lightly for dinner today. The beautiful Corporal Jeong Yesom is treating us big time.”

“Wow!”

“Sounds good!”

“Sergeant Song Giyong, I’ll chip in too!”

I raised my hand too, but it was immediately ignored.

“Hey, no matter how much reward money you got, we can’t let the youngest treat us. Just buy snacks for the weekend lantern festival.”

“Ahem. Understood.”

It’s good for me to save money, but isn’t it tough for Yesom noona to pay for everything alone?

Looking around at each bunk, I concluded that it would be fine.

Sergeant Byun Jitak, who was just tapping on his phone as if he didn’t care.

Private Kang Sungjun, who was similarly engrossed in his comic book.

And a few others who definitely wouldn’t come. They’d feel too proud to follow.

“Yoonho, what’s for dinner today?”

“Private Gu Yoonho! Today’s dinner menu is…”

It was almost dinner time. Reciting the menu, I organized the situation board on the squad bulletin board by the door. It showed where each squad member was currently located with magnetic markers.

The seniors had all returned from patrol, so I put them back in the living quarters.

I put myself back too.

Everyone could be in the living quarters.

Except for one person.

Currently, our squad has one person on leave. They’ve been away for quite a while, combining regular leave with reward leave, so I haven’t seen their face since I returned.

Of course, I already know who it is since I’ve seen them for a long time before returning, just like Sergeant Jung Yesom.

Sergeant Kwak Woohee.

Tomorrow is her return from leave. She was quite a troublesome senior in many ways.

*

The next day, the second day of intensive training for privates.

The privates gathered again at the training ground from yesterday. Today, it started right from the morning.

The instructor stepped forward holding something in his hand.

“Hunters usually move in teams in most situations. Dungeons are full of not only monsters but also many other dangers. The Hunter Corps is the same. Unless there’s something special, they always move with their comrades.”

“-“

“Today, we’ll proceed with a cooperation exercise to match the rhythm with your comrades.”

“-“

“The method is simple. We’ll form temporary squads based on specialties, and those members will go to designated areas to defeat monsters.”

The instructor shook what he was holding.

It was a monster capsule.

“Although they are created through [summoning] and are much less hostile to humans than the real ones, a monster is still a monster. If you fight recklessly, you’ll get hurt badly. If you force a win, your score will be deducted just like the physical strength section yesterday.”

“-”

“So, put your heads together and come up with a good strategy. Of course, who you elect as the squad leader is also important.”

No matter how good the tactics are, if the commander’s ability is lacking, you will be pushed back.

That was what he was saying.

“You have two chances in total. If the first attempt yields a bad result, it might be a good idea to boldly replace the squad leader. Naturally, it would also be good to revise the strategy.”

“-”

“There will be no intervention from the trainers this time either. You might wonder what kind of training this is, but intensive training is not a learning process. It’s a process of action.”

“-”

“Think of it as unraveling everything you’ve seen, heard, and written since you transferred to the unit.”

“-”

“Why aren’t you answering?”

The privates, who had been listening quietly, responded immediately.

“Yes, sir!”

“Good. That’s all for the explanation. Raise your hand if you have any questions.”

“Will all squads go to the same area?”

“Yes. There’s nothing that requires fairness as much as this. The monsters are the same, so don’t worry about that.”

“Yes.”

“Any other questions?”

It seemed that was all they were curious about.

No more hands were raised.

“Looks like there are none. Then I will call out the members of each squad.”

After that, names were called one by one.

“…So, Private Koo Yoon-ho and Private Jo Tae-kwang will also be part of Squad 7, making a total of 8 members. Next, Squad 8…”

I was in Squad 7. Just like before the regression. Even being grouped with Private Jo Tae-kwang was the same.

“…That concludes the squad assignments. Each squad will follow their assigned trainer.”

“Yes, sir!”

The assigned trainer was also Second Lieutenant Noh Young-il, just like before the regression. Of course, being in the same company doesn’t mean you’ll get better scores.

If anything, he might be stricter.

“I am Noh Young-il, the leader of the 1st Platoon, 3rd Company.”

“Salute!”

“Salute. From now on, Squad 7 will follow me.”

“Yes!”

The place they arrived at following him was a forest located in the west.

Thick trees and a few large rocks.

A terrain often seen in dungeons.

In Lieutenant Noh Young-il’s hand was the capsule from earlier.

“The monster you will face is a Jabbrick.”

Usually, a briefing would follow, explaining the physical characteristics of the Jabbrick and the most effective strategies to tackle it.

But today, there was none of that.

Discussing it among themselves was the task for Squad 7 from now on.

“The meeting time is 30 minutes. Not a second more. Solve it within that time.”

Lieutenant Noh Young-il then stepped aside completely. Soldiers from other companies who didn’t know him well grumbled briefly.

“Sir, is that guy always this strict?”

They were asking me, who belonged to the same company. I nodded and replied.

“Yes. He’s a master of FM.”

“Geez, it’s going to be hard to get a good score.”

“No, that’s why our squad actually has the advantage.”

“Huh? Why?”

“If we do it by the book, he will definitely give us full marks.”

“Ah! If it’s FM, that makes sense. But will it be that easy?”

“We’ll have to find out from now on. First, let’s each share what we know about the Jabbrick, and then we’ll come up with a strategy.”

Somehow, I ended up leading the conversation. Not because I like to take the lead, but because I have the most experience here. I’ve led dozens of squads like this in my 25 years as a non-commissioned officer.

Not just squads.

I’ve led even larger groups.

“Hey.”

At that moment, a voice that sounded like it had phlegm interrupted. Private Jo Tae-kwang was curling one corner of his mouth into a sneer.

“We need to elect a squad leader first. Any group needs a leader to function properly.”

He stepped forward a couple of steps among the seven squad members standing in a circle.

As if he should be the center of attention.

“And if the leader also has strength, things will run even more smoothly.”

The next words were the same.

“That kind of leader is exactly me.”

Private Jo Taekwang’s specialty was the Daebu. He was holding something the size of an adult man’s body without any difficulty.

His body itself almost reminded one of a gorilla.

His impression was already fierce, so the squad members flinched momentarily.

“Anyone dissatisfied? Of course not. Then I’ll take the squad leader posi-“

“Me.”

I, who had been listening quietly, stepped forward. I don’t remember exactly what I said, but hearing it now, it comes back to me.

Anyway, he’s an interesting guy in many ways.

“I have a complaint.”

“What? This guy.”

Private Jo Taekwang’s eyebrows twitched. Veins bulged on the hand holding the Daebu.

Before the regression, I was afraid of that strength. So I kept my mouth shut.

But now, he just looks like a kid full of bluff.

“Do you want to die?”

“From ‘hey’ to ‘kid’, now you’re even threatening to kill.”

“This b*stard is really getting on my nerves.”

Suddenly, his closely shaved head was right in front of my nose. I met his murderous eyes with a grin.

“Go ahead, then.”

“…What?”

I spread my arms wide.

“You said you want to kill me. Go ahead and try.”

The bomb that seemed like it would explode at any moment suddenly became quiet. Private Jo Taekwang unconsciously avoided my eyes.

He was scared of me now.