Finally Got Stronger but Ended Up Regressing

Chapter 31 Treasure in Hell (2)

The green wave surged like a fierce tide and reached the company members in the blink of an eye.

Protruding molars and muscles that seemed about to burst.

And a huge axe.

Their eyes were already rolling back.

“Graaah!”

Even though the company members knew they were summoned creatures, they couldn’t help but be tense.

The creatures exuded a lifelike killing intent.

“Only the platoon leaders follow me! All squad leaders and below, deal with the orcs!”

“Yes!”

Captain Oh Jun-beom’s orders were very concise.

He was already charging towards the giant monster in the shape of a gorilla, Lerux.

The platoon leaders quickly followed behind him.

The rest was now up to the company members.

There was nowhere left to run.

The squad leaders drew their weapons first and charged at the orcs.

Sergeant Sun Arin also held a staff in her hand.

A crystal ball shining blue.

A lightning bolt strikes from the empty air.

“Damn it, let’s go!”

“Kill them!”

The company members also picked up their respective weapons.

I picked up my sword.

Before I knew it, a green giant was right in front of me. An axe raised high in the sky came crashing down towards my shoulder.

Clang!

The orc was far stronger than the Nolina Deripon, not to mention the Hexstone we recently captured, but that didn’t matter anymore.

Because I had become just as strong.

Clang!

I blocked its axe strikes in succession.

No matter how strong its brute force was, it couldn’t break my sword, which embodied [Efficient Parrying] and the [Mystic Snake].

Screech.

After blocking twice, I counterattacked.

The sword, extended in a straight line, activated [Sharp Thrust] and tore through the thick belly skin.

“Graah!”

The enraged creature swung its axe at me in a counterattack.

An anticipated attack.

I twisted my sword and deflected the blue axe blade.

《No matter how strong the attack, if you use the moment, you can deflect it with minimal force.》

《New ability [Deflection] has been unlocked.》

《From now on, you can deflect the opponent’s attacks more easily and simply. The opponent will momentarily lose their balance.》

So it has already come out.

I cheered and once again clashed my sword with its axe.

No, I deflected it as if brushing past.

Its body leaned forward.

The effect of [Deflection] had activated.

I extended my sword again.

A blue snake bit his neck.

Then the sword pierced through.

“Gwaeeek!”

With a sound like a pig being slaughtered, his body completely collapsed.

Blood spurted like a fountain from the hole in his neck.

I turned around.

The next prey was approaching.

*

The battle finally ended after an hour and twenty more minutes.

Everyone collapsed, exhausted.

“Haah, this is the worst, the worst from the start.”

“Didn’t we only face guys like Hexton during last year’s guerrilla training? Why the hell are there orcs this time?”

“No matter how they are summoned, this is too much.”

“Huff, huff.”

Only the officers were relatively unscathed.

Behind them lay five Luxes sprawled out in a large shape.

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault for throwing away my gear…”

“I have no excuse.”

The rookie soldiers who caused the trouble apologized to the senior soldiers.

But no one scolded them.

It was only natural.

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

“Cheer up, it’s always like this.”

“Do you think we didn’t do the same? I even threw away my combat helmet.”

The harder and tougher the training, the stronger the bond between comrades. If they tear each other down and scatter, the way out only narrows.

Our squad leaders, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, all looked at me at the same time.

“But there’s a mutant here. Yoonho, how come you didn’t even blink?”

“Did you all see the youngest? He went out with a sword as if he was waiting for it.”

Even Corporal Byun Jitak was surprised this time. Of course, he didn’t say anything like ‘well done.’

“You told us in advance. So I wasn’t surprised and could follow the company commander’s orders.”

“Hey, do you think they didn’t hear such things from their seniors? When you’re actually in that situation, your body trembles uncontrollably.”

“Yeah. I almost peed myself too.”

Corporal Song Ji-han nodded at Corporal Jung Ye-som’s words.

Actually, I felt the same way.

I just got used to these situations and training after going through them dozens or hundreds of times.

“3rd Company! If you’ve dealt with the enemy, you should head to the base! What are you all doing?”

The guerrilla commander’s stern voice rang out.

That was the end of the break.

The march resumed.

Passing through the plains, along the long river, and over several hills, we finally arrived.

It was the base for this guerrilla training.

A barren land with not a single tree, flower, or even a blade of grass.

Various obstacles were set up around it.

“Are there traps set up along with those obstacles?”

“Yes.”

“This won’t be easy.”

“It would be fortunate if it’s just not easy. There was a guy who stepped wrong and got a dozen nails stuck in his butt.”

“!”

The senior soldiers warned the junior soldiers again.

There was not an ounce of exaggeration, it was all true.

“Nice to meet you. I’m the guerrilla commander.”

As all the company members gathered at the base, a brief introduction followed.

Not even the rank or name could be known.

The ranger hat was pulled down low, obscuring the face.

Even that was hidden behind sunglasses.

The instructors and assistants standing behind were the same.

“I want to emphasize just three things in this training.”

“-“

“The first is enthusiasm.”

“!”

“The second is enthusiasm.”

“!”

“The third and final is enthusiasm.”

He very simply conveyed the message that if you don’t work hard, you’ll be killed.

The loud shouts of the company members, no, the trainees, erupted.

“Yes!”

“Trainees, from now on, the answer will be unified as ‘evil’.”

“Evil!”

“Look at your voices, you’re not ready to commit properly yet. Everyone, lie down.”

PT exercises started immediately.

Lying down with only their backs touching the ground, they held up their arms, legs, and heads for several minutes.

A mournful sound echoed across the wide guerrilla training ground.

After completing the initiation like that.

“From this moment, we will set up the campsite. Finish by 11 o’clock and gather here again. Understood?”

“Evil!!!”

The trainees quickly dispersed.

For the campsite setup, each squad was given a 15-person tent.

The space was quite large compared to the number of people.

“From now on, you will move to each training ground by group and overcome the obstacle courses. Understood?”

“Evil!!!”

Then they began to pass through each obstacle course one by one in earnest.

“Trainees, move to the next training ground. The squad leader will lead.”

“Evil!!”

The squad leader was Sergeant Sun Arin.

The haggard squad members followed her up tall mountains and hills, and now crossed a cliff with a suspension bridge installed.

Every step they took, bombs exploded in the air.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

“Trainees, if you go slowly, the bombs will blow up the bridge. Move quickly.”

“Evil!!”

Corporal Song Ji-han screamed as he ran. His chubby face had already become half its size.

It wasn’t just the simple bombs that were the problem.

There was a river flowing below the cliff where we first came, and a monstrous creature was opening its mouth in it.

“I don’t know if it’s a crocodile or what… but if we go into that mouth, we won’t even be able to retrieve our bones.”

“This guerrilla training is really set up brutally.”

Even Sergeant Song Ki-yong and Corporal Kwak Woo-hee, who were watching, stuck out their tongues.

Even for those who had been through a lot, the difficulty was too high.

It was due to the guerrilla leader’s disposition.

‘Captain Lee Jae-yeol of the Cheongma Battalion. It’s gotten worse since he became a battalion commander after being promoted to lieutenant colonel.’

How do I know? Because he was my superior before I returned.

I had a really hard time under him.

It’s still similar now, though.

“Whew.”

We went around each training ground all day.

If we met a strict instructor or drill sergeant, we had to do PT exercises in between.

There wasn’t a part of my body that wasn’t sore.

“Yoon-ho, it’s your first time in guerrilla training too, right?”

On the way down to the campsite after the long first day, Sergeant Sun Ah-rin asked.

“Yes.”

“How was it? Manageable?”

It was also Sergeant Sun Ah-rin’s first time. I felt like I could be honest with her.

“No, I thought I was going to die.”

“Pfft, me too. It’s several times harder than I thought.”

Officers have superior combat power in every aspect compared to soldiers, but Sergeant Sun Ah-rin is a bit different.

Because she’s a mage, her physical strength is relatively low.

Moreover, guerrilla training doesn’t give any special treatment to officers.

The only difference is the rank insignia.

She didn’t show it because she was the team leader, but she was probably having a hard time like me.

“Just hang in there a little longer. This will all be good fertilizer for your growth in the future.”

“Yes.”

Listening to her wise words, we went down to the campsite.

To the exhausted trainees, that place was heaven.

“Ha, finally!”

Before they knew it, a meal had been prepared.

It was a simple rice ball.

“Yunho, get out the tonic.”

“Private Gu Yunho. Here it is.”

The seniors sprinkled flavor sauce on it.

They had brought 20, so it was my turn too.

After finishing the meal, we finally had some leisure time.

Even the guerrilla leader had returned to the quarters, so it was quiet.

If anyone caused trouble, he would rush over and shout, but no one was foolish enough to do that.

“Look at that guy, can he even complete the course like that? He looks like he’s going to drop out halfway.”

After roughly washing my body in the makeshift shower, I returned to the tent where Corporal Byun Jitak and Private Kang Sungjun were giggling at me.

They weren’t entirely wrong.

Unlike them, who were relatively fresh, my whole body felt like a ton of bricks.

It was obvious from the outside too.

I didn’t react to the two of them at all.

Anyway, it would be resolved by dawn.

“Our squad will be in charge of perimeter security. The shooter and the assistant shooter will be paired up…”

Before going to bed, each squad selected personnel for sentry duty and perimeter security.

My shooter was, of course, Corporal Byun Jitak, the same swordsman.

Before the regression, I really disliked this pairing, but after the regression, I was rather glad.

Thanks to him, the work would be much easier.

*

“Damn, I’m so sleepy.”

In the early dawn, shrouded in darkness, Corporal Byun Jitak grimaced and got up.

We were on the fifth shift.

As expected, he lay down under a nearby tree as soon as he left the tent.

“I’m going to take a nap here, so you stand guard properly.”

“Yes, do as you please.”

As soon as I closed my eyes, I could hear him snoring loudly behind me as I climbed up the small hill.

I could see the situation room tent over there.

‘They say it’s darkest under the lamp, who would have thought it was this close.’

Without hesitation, I moved towards it.

The light was on, but a quick glance showed that everyone was lying down and sleeping.

The situation soldier was also dozing off with the radio in his hand.

Exactly twenty-five steps behind the situation room tent, I stopped there.

I took out the field shovel I had prepared in advance.

And then I started digging.

Digging in the middle of the night, anyone who saw me would think I was crazy, but it was worth enduring such words.

Thinking about the treasure that would be under here.

“Heck.”

Normally, I would have finished digging long ago, but today, my speed was slower.

Due to PT exercises and various obstacle courses, my body was that much more damaged.

I massaged my numb hands and continued digging.

After a while.

Something suddenly poked its head out from the small hole.

‘Found it.’

I grinned and put down the field shovel, carefully digging around it with my hands.

Soon, a fist-sized lump emerged.

Its bumpy surface reminded me of a potato or sweet potato.

‘So this is what it looks like.’

I gently brushed off the dirt.

It only looks like this on the outside, but it’s not a potato or sweet potato.

It’s an elixir.

An elixir that forcibly unlocks abilities like a rune.

After roughly sprinkling water on it, I took a big bite.

Bitter.

But medicine that’s good for you is always bitter.

Two bites, three bites, it all went into my body in an instant.

It took less than a minute for the reaction to come.

My whole body warmed up.

The notification rang at the same time.

《You have consumed the elixir.》

《A new ability [Strong Bones] has been unlocked.》

《From now on, all physical stats and growth rates will be greatly increased.》

Suddenly, my exhausted body was filled with vitality.

An overwhelming power gathered in my clenched fist.

‘With this, one of my weaknesses is resolved.’