NOVEL NEXT chapter 32
Chapter 32 Treasure in Hell (3)
“Yoonho, didn’t you stand guard at dawn?”
“Private First Class Koo Yoonho. Yes, I did. I stood with Corporal Byun Jitak.”
“Then why do you look so lively?”
On the morning of the second day of guerrilla training, Sergeant Song Giyong looked puzzled as he saw my energetic self.
Corporal Jung Yesom, who was organizing the blankets, also agreed.
“Yoonho, did you sneak out at dawn to dig up some wild ginseng?”
He probably meant that I looked in good condition, but I felt a pang of guilt for a moment.
Because I did consume an elixir similar to wild ginseng.
“Hey, do you think wild ginseng would grow in a place with no grass?”
“But isn’t it strange? He looks unusually fine.”
“That’s true.”
Corporal Kwak Woohee, who had been scolding me, nodded her head.
She, too, was now looking me up and down.
“Well, it’s good to be sturdy. I was worried because you looked weak yesterday.”
“Private First Class Koo Yoonho. I will do my best.”
“Alright, our youngest.”
I expressed my determination and finished organizing the bedding.
I felt a cold gaze from behind.
Corporal Byun Jitak and Private First Class Kang Sungjun were looking at me with dissatisfied eyes.
They probably couldn’t understand.
Just as Corporal Kwak Woo-hee said, the guy who was on the brink of death just before going to bed yesterday is now as lively as a fresh fish.
This was all thanks to the power of [Gang-gol].
The morning passed by busily.
After quickly finishing the meal that arrived for breakfast, we gathered at the training ground.
The second day also started with PT exercises.
The wailing from yesterday echoed all around once again.
“3rd Company, is this all you’ve got?”
“Ack!!”
“Louder, louder.”
“Ack!!!!”
It’s only the second day, but most of the trainees had already lost their voices.
I had already rested as much as I could.
Even though I had never smoked, my voice came out hoarse.
“Private Gu Yoon-ho.”
“Yoon-ho, your voice has become quite unique.”
As we were moving to the training ground after barely finishing the PT exercises, Sergeant Sun Ah-rin burst into a small laugh.
I responded in a whisper.
“You’re not much different, Squad Leader.”
“Do I sound strange too?”
“It’s like there’s phlegm bubbling in your throat.”
“…”
Sergeant Sun Ah-rin’s lips pouted, perhaps because my comparison was too much.
Even though she’s older than me and a superior officer, she has a girlish charm at times like this.
“But usually, your voice is as clear as morning dew.”
“Pfft, Yoon-ho, you must be popular with the ladies, judging by the way you talk.”
“Not at all. I have no popularity whatsoever.”
“Maybe they’re just not expressing it?”
Is that so?
It was at that moment that a shout echoed from above.
“Move up quickly!”
“Argh!!”
This time, the instructor was with the assistants.
It looks like we’ll be having a hard time from the start.
As expected.
The instructor, following the example of the captain, didn’t give us a moment’s rest and kept pushing us.
The muscles that had been sore all over my body yesterday were about to burst.
I could hear the sound of someone dying.
On the other hand, I was relatively fine.
No, I was just fine.
Rolling on the ground and overcoming obstacles was, of course, tough at the moment, but I felt fine soon after.
Rather, I felt energized.
The effect of [Strong Bones] was already being felt.
We ran around the training ground all morning.
In the afternoon, we entered a training ground where we could catch our breath around 3 PM.
A circular dirt field reminiscent of a wrestling ring.
There were about six red and blue bands placed there.
“In this training ground, we will conduct training to utilize physical strength.”
“-“
“The team leader and the deputy team leader will take turns picking one member each for their team.”
“-“
“Once the team selection is complete, you will enter the arena in order and compete.”
“-“
“The method is very simple. Just push your opponent out.”
“-“
“Of course, the use of energy, magic, or weapons is absolutely prohibited. You must only use your body, that is, physical strength.”
At least there was no need to worry about traps or monsters.
Only the elite soldier, Jeong Ye-som, was in tears.
“Ugh, then I’m just a complete outcast.”
Although magic soldiers train their physical strength more rigorously than close combat soldiers, they can’t overcome the innate difference.
Sergeant Sun Ah-rin patted her shoulder as if to say not to worry.
“Since we’re taking turns picking with Giyong, Yesom, you’ll also be paired with a similar opponent.”
“Oh…! So, does that mean the team leader will pick me?”
“Well, I’m not sure about that.”
The other seniors chuckled as they watched Sergeant Sun Arin turn her head away slyly.
It was the sorrow of the wizard.
“Hey, but you usually have it easy. You don’t even carry things like firebombs or magic bullets unless there’s something special.”
“That’s that, and this is this.”
“Why is it so noisy over there? Do you want to cancel the training and bury your heads in the ground?”
“No, sir!”
“Then be quiet.”
“Ugh!”
Corporal Jung Yesom, who had been grumbling, immediately shut his mouth.
Soon, Sergeant Sun Arin and Corporal Song Giyong started picking team members one by one through rock-paper-scissors.
Naturally, the senior soldiers were picked first.
Since physical strength is important, close combat soldiers were particularly favored.
Even Corporal Byun Jitak was a popular star today.
“I’ll take trainee Byun Jitak.”
Corporal Song Giyong quickly snatched him up as if he had been waiting.
“I’ll pick trainee Kwak Woohee.”
One by one, team members stood behind Sergeant Sun Arin as well.
I was picked almost at the end.
“This time, I’ll choose trainee Kang Sungjun.”
“Then I’ll take trainee Koo Yoonho.”
Private Kang Sungjun joined Corporal Song Giyong’s team, and I joined Sergeant Sun Arin’s team.
Naturally, my opponent was also decided to be Private Kang Sungjun.
We were of the same rank.
However, as a shield soldier, physical strength has a greater impact than any other specialty.
In many ways, it was a fight where I was at a disadvantage.
“Since we’re selecting from a limited number of people, it’s inevitable that there will be some imbalance. But remember, you never know the outcome until you try. Do your best. Understood?”
“Yes, sir!”
“The winning team will rest, while the losing team will do PT exercises until they move to the next training ground.”
The mention of PT exercises ignited everyone’s competitive spirit.
“Argh!!”
A brief strategy time was given afterward.
There was nothing special.
“Like the instructor said, we won’t know until we try. Let’s win somehow.”
Sergeant Sun Ah-rin said, huddled with her team members.
Still, the outcome of some matches was already clear.
Corporal Jung Ye-som, the magic soldier.
And me.
The seniors saw the latter as a throwaway match.
“Yoon-ho, don’t feel pressured. You can’t beat Kang Sung-joon even if you come back to life.”
Corporal Song Ji-han patted my shoulder.
Corporal Kwak Woo-hee, who was stretching and loosening up, also chimed in.
“Yeah, Yoon-ho. I’ll cover for you.”
Meanwhile, the first match began. The participants were Sergeant Sun Ah-rin and Sergeant Song Ki-yong.
Sergeant Sun Ah-rin showed exactly why she was the squad leader in that match.
Despite being a mage, she utterly crushed Sergeant Song Ki-yong, the spearman.
Thud.
The tall body was pushed back. Sergeant Song Ki-yong, who had fallen on his butt, lifted his head.
His body was already outside the arena.
It ended in one blow.
“Wow! Squad leader!”
“We won!”
Up until then, the atmosphere was good.
However, we lost the second and third matches in a row.
Corporal Kwak Woo-hee, who went out fourth, managed to put out the fire and balance the score to 2:2.
But then Corporal Jung Ye-som lost, putting us back at a 2:3 disadvantage.
Now it was my turn.
“The 7th match is the ace match, so if the squad leader goes out, we’ll definitely win… but we can’t make it to the 7th match.”
“Sorry, I should have won.”
The defeat was imminent.
Everyone already had visions of PT exercises.
I rotated my wrist and said,
“If we go to the 7th game, it’s our victory, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then I’ll go win.”
“…Huh?”
Leaving the bewildered seniors behind, I entered the arena.
Sergeant Sun Ah-rin, who I saw briefly, also tilted her head in confusion.
It was that obvious of a fight.
“Hey, hold on just enough. If it ends too easily, it won’t be fun, right?”
The opponent thought the same. A sneer formed on Private Kang Sung-joon’s lips.
“But don’t put too much strength. You might get hurt. You have to finish the guerrilla training.”
He giggled and smeared dirt on his chest with his palm.
He struck a pose.
There wasn’t a hint of tension.
“Are you two ready?”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
The instructor standing in the middle put his arm between us.
That arm soon rose into the sky.
It was the signal to start.
Private Kang Sung-joon slowly tightened his grip on me. Except for the officers, the role of the shield bearer was always to face the monsters at the forefront.
It was evident from his body.
He was like a rock.
Even without touching, you could feel the hardness.
“Haah!”
With a rough shout, the giant stretched out both hands.
The place where the heavy shield was always held was as big and thick as a cauldron lid.
If I wanted to avoid it, I could have easily done so.
But there was no need to drag out the time.
I spread my legs and extended both hands.
Slam!!
Our palms collided.
Private Kang Sung-jun’s eyes wavered for a moment.
“…?!”
His expression momentarily showed disbelief, as if saying, “This can’t be happening.”
I didn’t care and applied force.
《With the ability [Strong Bones], my physical strength has increased dramatically.》
Even without checking the notification, I could tell from the flow of the match that my physical strength had changed.
“Ugh…!”
“-“
It wasn’t my body that was being pushed back, but Private Kang Sung-jun’s.
His rock-like body was being pushed outward, not inward.
He was bewildered.
Cold sweat dripped down both sides of his temples.
“Damn, damn it!”
The trainee cursed, but neither the instructor nor the assistant instructors reprimanded him.
They were also surprised.
“!”
“!”
Voices of astonishment could be heard from outside the arena.
Meanwhile, something was writhing inside my body, as if it was about to burst.
Physical strength.
It was the power generated from the body itself.
I grabbed Private Kang Sung-jun’s hand.
I twisted it sharply in the opposite direction.
“Aagh!”
His muscular forearm was flipped over without any resistance.
The giant’s center collapsed.
I kicked his exposed upper body.
Thud!!
And then I tried to push him out completely.
Boom.
There was no need for that. The giant had already been thrown out of the arena.
Rolling on the ground, clutching his abdomen.
A heavy silence fell.
For a moment, there was no sound.
“Ugh. Gah. Hah.”
Only the pitiful screams of Private Kang Sung-jun echoed sadly.
The instructor’s hand belatedly pointed towards me.
“The, the winner of this match is…! Trainee Koo Yoon-ho…!”
It was the first time I saw the instructor stutter.
I brushed off the dirt on my body and walked out of the arena.
Instead of cheers for victory, eyes filled with shock were directed at me first.
Sergeant Song Ki-yong muttered half-dazed.
“…What did I just see?”
Private Kang Sung-jun was just getting up. His muscular upper body was covered in bright red bruises.