Is That My Alter Ego

5 – Who Exactly Are You…

[Name: Hans / Age: 25 / Gender]

[Unique Ability (Spear Mastery): You possess an innate talent for the spear above any other weapon. Significant bonuses are applied to spear proficiency.]

“Hmm… Hans. Try using a spear instead of a longsword.”

“A spear? I’ve never even touched a spear once…”

“Stop with the nonsense. Just trust me once.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Hans, who had been looking at me with a piercing gaze, put down his sword and swung his spear a few times before widening his eyes and looking at me with a surprised expression.

It must have been his first time swinging it, but it seemed much more familiar to him than the sword he had been using his whole life. It must have been because Hans himself realized it.

“Commander. I have something to ask.”

“What is it, Sergeant Ceris?”

Ceris, who had been watching Hans swinging his spear with a blank expression by my side, hesitated for a moment before starting to speak to me.

“By any chance, do you know all the mercenaries here?”

“…That’s unlikely, Sergeant Ceris.”

Ceris looked at me and the mercenaries with eyes full of doubt. I had a rough idea why he had that kind of look.

It was probably because he saw noticeable growth in the mercenaries every time I gave them advice. Not just a few, but all of the mercenaries had undergone significant changes. And in a positive direction!

From Ceris’ perspective, it might seem like I picked people I knew and pretended they were capable. There had been such remarkable growth that it was natural to have such suspicions.

“I can’t believe it. Commander. How is it that every mercenary I advise…even Hans, the last one remaining, is the same?”

“I just used my unique ability, ‘Talent Appraisal.'”

But… I only used my unique ability, ‘Talent Appraisal,’ to give them a little advice.

“Sergeant Ceris, my advice is nothing special. I simply showed them their inner potential. It was the mercenaries’ own effort that led to their growth, recognizing that potential.”

No matter how much advice I gave, it would be meaningless if the recipients didn’t accept it. However, the mercenaries, even though they initially doubted, eventually trusted me and embraced the changes.

In the end, I only nudged them forward a bit. It was their own achievements that propelled them.

“Commander, just who are you…”

“Hmm? What did you say? I didn’t quite catch that.”

“…No, Commander.”

Did I just hear something? Must have misheard.

Nonetheless, I watched with satisfaction as the young sprouts grew splendidly.

‘Yes! This is the joy of nurturing. Right?’

It felt like watching the heroes I chose in a story game grow stronger right before my eyes!

Alright. Let’s keep this up!

***

Seris witnessed Hans reborn as a spearman, following the advice of Commander Venice.

‘Commander. What in the world are you…’

Finally, even Hans, the last one, changed. To the point where it was visibly evident that every member of the mercenary group had grown incomparably to their past selves.

Initially, Seris had doubted the commander.

‘All he did was make us sprint relentlessly.’

They hadn’t conducted any training other than sprinting for days on end. When she asked if they shouldn’t do other forms of training, the response was “Please trust me and wait once more.”

Seris was full of misgivings, but… decided to trust just one more time.

And the result was… beyond imagination.

Everyone. Not just a few, but all members of the mercenary group changed 180 degrees, no, even more, as soon as they followed and executed Venice’s advice.

To be honest, when they first joined the group, the combat level of the mercenaries was terribly dismal.

At best, they were slightly stronger than ordinary people, barely capable of defeating a second-class monster, which was a basic requirement for a mercenary group.

After seeing their transformation, doubts about Venice, who had just briefly reviewed and chosen the mercenaries, grew strong. It was inevitable.

However, all the words of Commander Venice, who said there was a plan for everything, turned out to be true.

Look at those mercenaries. The inexperienced appearance has disappeared, and they seem like professional mercenaries, don’t they?

At this level, they can handle not only 3-star monsters but also challenge 4-star ones.

“Commander Venice.”

Commander. Who on earth are you? I still don’t understand you well.

You, who appear like the wind, filling everything of mine like air. Just who are you?

Appearing to me, who has given up everything, effortlessly solving miraculous things as if it’s natural. Are you going to do that?

“Commander. Just who are you…”

“Huh? What did you say? I didn’t hear well.”

“No, Commander.”

You, charismatic yet gracious. You feel heavy, but there’s a cute clumsiness somewhere.

Venice. My commander.

I want to believe in your mysterious and unknowable self a bit.

***

“Okay. Today is ‘that day.’ Is everyone prepared and determined?”

“Yes, Commander!”

The sight of mercenaries perfectly prepared is so satisfying. Today is the long-awaited first mission day for the Scar Mercenary Unit.

It’s the story of the designated mission that will be the first step in the legendary tale of the Scar Mercenary Unit!

Thump, thump, thump…

“Vice Commander Seris. Are you ready?”

Quietly, as if not to be heard or seen by the tense Vice Commander Seris, the mercenaries asked.

“Lea…Leader. I…I am not ready yet…”

Seris spoke to me, her body and voice trembling. No matter how much she was the vice-captain, she was still the youngest among us. This meant she was the least experienced.

In fact, from what I heard from Seris, this mission was her first. Naturally, it was also her first time fighting monsters.

Because of the lousy leadership of the other captains, excluding her father, she had never been on a mission or fought monsters before.

It was only natural for her, who always seemed strong, or rather pretended to be, to be scared.

She didn’t even realize how great her talent was.

“Leader… I…I…”

“Vice-Captain Seris. Look into my eyes.”

“………..”

When I quietly spoke and held her trembling shoulders, Seris met my gaze with her shaking eyes.

“Vice-Captain Seris. I trust our mercenaries. And… I trust the vice-captain more than anyone else.”

“Are…Are you referring to…me?”

“That’s right. You are… aren’t you the vice-captain of the Ska Mercenaries? The glorious ‘Ska Mercenaries’ that once commanded the empire.”

“……….!”

Seris’s eyes widened, and then she made a determined expression.

“Vice-Captain Seris. Stand tall. We shouldn’t show weakness to our members, should we?”

“…..Yes! Understood, Leader! Mercenaries, are you all ready?!”

“”Yes! Vice-Captain!””

Hearing my words, Seris approached the mercenaries with a resolute expression. From her retreating figure, the remnants of fear and terror were nowhere to be seen.

“Good. Then let’s depart. Vice-Captain Seris?”

“Yes! Mercenaries, follow me!”

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.

With Seris, our platoon leader, at the forefront, we began to head towards our mission location.

Let’s go. For the scene that will decorate the first page of our legend!

***

Outside the walls of Leria Village, there is a massive forest. Just as immense as the forest itself, numerous animals inhabit it.

Naturally, monsters are also abundant. Among them, we received a request to exterminate the “Iron Claw Monkey,” which has caused dozens of casualties.

The client, along with their long-time friend, went into the forest to gather herbs and encountered the “Iron Claw Monkey,” losing their friend and barely surviving alone.

They spent a large sum of money for revenge on their friend.

The “Iron Claw Monkey” has a habit of attacking any organism that appears to have a body as strong as rock and hands with steel-like blades.

Because it was such a monster, it was like a natural disaster to ordinary people.

How do I know all this? Of course, I read it in a book.

Since I read so many books about the subject, knowledge in this area overflowed.

“Everyone, stop.”

Anyway, we have been searching the forest for the Iron Claw Monkey for several hours. Suddenly, Seris, who was leading the way, raised his fist.

As we had agreed beforehand, we quietly silenced ourselves and looked in the direction Seris was facing.

Wooh- woogook-! Woohuaaak-!

Crazy. What is that? Some kind of monkey wearing a house?

Its face was horrifying, and its palms had blades that seemed capable of cutting through even steel. The muscles covering its entire body seemed impenetrable even to bullets.

“Wow. It’s even more horrifying to see it in person.”

I had only encountered demons in books, so it was my first time seeing them in real life.

“But I don’t feel scared.”

Who would feel scared while playing an RPG game? Maybe if they were thinking about how to defeat those demons.

“Huff… Huff…”

“Is it possible…?”

Since it was just an avatar, I wasn’t scared like the mercenaries. Of course, they would be scared. They only had one life.

“Everyone, calm down. And… focus. We can do this.”

When I spoke to them calmly and intensely, everyone’s breathing became steady, and their complexion improved slightly.

“I will take the lead. Just follow as you trained.”

“Yes, Captain…!”

In response to my words, the mercenaries answered quietly. Well then… shall we begin?

“Seris, Vice Captain. I will attract attention at the front. I request your support.”

“Yes, Captain…!”

Hoo… Let’s go!

Tadadak-!

Huh-?

As we ran quickly, Iron Claw Monkey turned around upon hearing our footsteps.

Uwaaah-!

After spotting us, it started screaming in terror. It felt like witnessing a living catastrophe right before my eyes.

Thump-thump-thump!

Woah!

“This way!!”

Ironclaw Monkey started charging at me, who was at the forefront, as if insane. At the same time, he raised his right arm.

‘An attack with the right arm…!’

Graaah!

Splat!

“….Ugh-!”

Because the posture was too obvious, I easily avoided the attack. However, the subsequent left arm attack was narrowly avoided by sheer luck.

Kraaah!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Splat!

As I skillfully dodged the attacks, Ironclaw Monkey mindlessly continued to unleash attacks without changing his stance.

‘Left. Left… Down. Right!’

I see it all. Maybe because of his bulky size, but I roughly grasped the pattern.

Whoosh! Splat!

“Ugh-!”

I narrowly evaded several more attacks. Okay, adaptation complete!

At this point, I might not get hit at all.

Ngh… Graaah!

Thud! Thud!

Frustrated by the continuous failure of his attacks, Ironclaw Monkey angrily started pounding the ground with his fists.

I looked around, adopting a defenseless posture. And I had been waiting for this situation to come.

Thud-!

Ceris, who had been waiting for an opportunity, seemed to swiftly rush out from Ironclaw Monkey’s corner.

Thunk-!

“Ugh-!”

Splat-!

Ceris’s succinct and fast sword strike was aimed at Ironclaw Monkey’s body.

Good. If I continue a few more times like this, I can subdue…

Swoosh-!

Thud-! Thump-!

“….Huh?”

Ceris looked down at Ironclaw Monkey’s body with a bewildered expression.

Ironclaw Monkey, who had been the nightmare of Leria Village, had been decapitated so easily by Ceris’s single sword strike.

“……..Huh.”

That’s right. Ceris was the future Swordmaster, right? Even so, I never expected Ironclaw Monkey to be cut in half with just one attack.

I looked at Ceris and the bisected Ironclaw Monkey in dismay.

“….Huh?”

“….Uh-uh?”

I laughed in disappointment, and Ceris, still seemingly unaware of the situation, looked at her sword and Ironclaw Monkey several times.

The members of the mercenary unit stood frozen in the same spot where they had been running, their first mission having ended without achieving anything.

And so, the first page of the legend of the Scar Mercenary Unit came to a close with just one line.