Chapter 10

“You should listen carefully in class. Especially since most of you will be assigned to the front lines, practical tactics are essential.”

At Jabein’s words, the cadets’ expressions immediately darkened.

‘Being assigned to the front lines… just thinking about it is terrifying.’

I might seriously desert.

‘Still, it will not be everyone. I can avoid it.’

Thanks to the bonus points from the magic bomb incident, there is still a thread of hope.

“I talked a bit too long. Next is naval tactics. Since the Kingdom of Osiris, a maritime kingdom, is allied with the Aditz Empire, memorize this entire section as well.”

A strange and horrifying teaching method.

Every time he opened his mouth, the exam range increased like crazy.

‘Stop it… you bastard.’

“From now on, we will conduct a barracks inspection. Check the scoring sheet for the standards.”

While all the cadets were attending class, the assistants and instructors gathered secretly in the barracks, preparing their operation.

• Barracks Inspection Scoring Sheet –

Trash on desk. Entire room minus 1 point

Blanket not folded. That cadet minus 1 point

Clothes not properly arranged. That cadet minus 1 point

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“If we follow these standards, no room will survive.”

An assistant spoke with a very human expression, completely different from the one he showed in front of cadets.

“That is true. The current cadets are hopeless.”

Lieutenant Gevin, the discipline officer, shook his head in disgust.

“They are unprecedented.”

“That is why we must use points to create differences and force them to wake up.”

“Understood.”

“Then let us begin.”

After dividing their assigned areas, Lieutenant Gevin started with the first floor.

“Room 1.”

The room closest to the entrance.

The moment he opened the door, he frowned.

‘What is this?’

The desk was a mess as if they had rushed out, and the blanket was not folded.

“They just shed their skin and left. Looks like what they wore to sleep.”

The assistant pointed at underwear thrown on the bed.

“There is not a single item that passes the scoring sheet. Haa.”

In his two years as an instructor, this was the worst first room he had ever seen.

“Next.”

He sighed and moved to Room 2.

“Uh….”

The sight inside was just as shocking.

Blankets in chaos, chairs knocked over as if there had been an explosion.

Lieutenant Gevin’s blood pressure rose instantly.

“These idiots.”

Usually, instructors force themselves to shout and get angry at cadets.

They know the standards are often too harsh.

But this… this was too much, even on a human level.

“There is nothing here we can skip on the sheet.”

“Record everything. I thought we were strict enough. They still have not come to their senses.”

As he checked more rooms, his expectations died completely. He just sighed and walked out each time.

“Room 7. I wonder what madness awaits me here.”

He opened the door with a tired expression.

And then both he and the assistant froze.

“Why… is it clean?”

The floor had no trash.

The desk only had proper items like writing tools.

Clothes were neatly hung.

Normally, this would be standard. But after the shocking six rooms before, it felt like a miracle.

“Instructor, this cadet even folded his blanket.”

Normally they would search for dust with hawk-like eyes. But now they were satisfied.

The assistant looked at the folded blanket like he had discovered a new civilization.

“Who owns this bed?”

“Palan Oclo… sir.”

“Palan? I heard that name before… the one Captain Edental mentioned.”

Before the inspection, the lieutenant had eaten with Captain Edental and other instructors.

Naturally, the story of the magic bomb incident came up.

Captain Edental had proudly told the heroic story of Palan preventing a disaster.

“Is he a problematic cadet?”

“Not problematic. Captain Edental praised him highly. I cannot share details, but he prevented an accident during training.”

“A cadet did that…?”

The assistant tilted his head in confusion, but the lieutenant said no more.

Incidents in the army are better buried quietly.

‘The blanket is not perfectly aligned, but this is more than enough.’

In a previous batch, he would have at least warned him to fold it properly.

But this batch is beyond hopeless.

Just folding the blanket is heroic.

“What was the bonus for best barracks cadet?”

“2 points.”

“Give it to him. Even though we have not finished, this is clearly the cleanest room.”

As expected, from Room 8 onward, it was hell again.

Thus, Room 7 was chosen as the best room, and Palan as the best cadet in the first inspection.

“He might be the most useful one. We should keep an eye on him.”

“I will inform the other assistants.”

“Haa, I am exhausted.”

I do not even know how time passes anymore.

Run, drop, run, eat, sleep.

No personal time. Just waiting to lie down on the bed, then waking up again immediately.

Before I knew it, it was already Friday, the last weekday in this hell.

‘Just endure today. The weekend will be a break.’

It may sound like false hope, but the Empire always guarantees weekends.

• All trainees are to assemble at the main drill ground in full gear with swords equipped. End of message.

Thud thud thud thud.

Five days since entering the training camp.

Like Pavlov’s dogs, the cadets rushed out into the hallway.

Of course, I also grabbed my sword and ran to the front row.

Why?

‘At least it is safe.’

Not to gain points, but to avoid losing them.

“Who dropped their sword! Would you treat it the same if it were your heart?!”

“I… I am sorry!”

“Push-up position!”

A cadet who failed to secure his sheath properly dropped his sword while rushing.

‘Poor guy.’

It is just a sword. Why scream like that?

“One, the sword. Two, your second heart. One!”

“The sword!”

“Louder! Two!”

“Your second heart!!”

“One!”

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Harsh punishment.

Disgusting and inhuman, yet I feel nothing anymore.

‘That scares me. I need to escape.’

Thank goodness it is only two weeks.

“Cadets, did you eat well this morning?”

“Yes!!!!”

Their unified voices were sharp and disciplined.

‘Even the young masters look like soldiers now.’

Huge improvement.

“Today’s running is canceled. Instead, we will conduct individual combat training.”

‘What did you just say?’

Individual combat training.

One of the three worst trainings in the army.

“Wow, no running.”

“Lucky day.”

Some cadets quietly celebrated, not knowing what it meant.

‘You idiots. This is the time to cry.’

I am the only one panicking.

“Individual combat training builds essential battlefield skills. I will personally conduct it. Anyone who drops out will receive strict discipline and minus 3 points. Understood!”

“Yes!!!!”

At the word “minus,” Ion’s face brightened.

‘He is obsessed with points.’

It is scary. He reduced his sleep from four hours to two just to get full marks on the tactics exam.

‘Thanks to him, I study harder too. But sometimes he goes too far.’

It is a miracle he has not collapsed yet.

“Do not give up. First Company, First Platoon, move to the main drill ground!”

At the signal, they marched in step.

‘If someone saw them a week ago as noble young masters, they would not believe this.’

Humans adapt quickly.

“Cadet, guide.”

At the drill ground, the instructor pointed to the center cadet.

“Guide!”

“Extend arms. Align left and right.”

“Ah!!”

We made strange noises while aligning.

“Among various individual combat moves, I will first teach low crawling. Assistant, forward.”

Thud. Thud.

The assistant moved like a machine and stepped forward.

“Assistant, low crawl. Step one!”

“One!”

Thump.

He pressed his entire body flat to the ground.

“This is the first position. Bend elbows, keep arms close, and do not spread legs.”

The cadets looked relaxed.

As if today would be easy.

“Step two!”

“Two!”

He extended his left arm forward and lifted his upper body slightly.

“The key is not to lift too high to avoid enemy exposure. Step three!”

“Three!”

He pulled himself forward using his right arm.

Minimal leg use, mostly arm strength.

It looked exhausting.

“That is low crawl. Understood?”

“Yes…!!”

“Begin. Step one!”

Now it was our turn to enter hell.

‘Damn it.’

I pressed my body flat to the ground.

“Hold your sword with both hands. Dropping it means giving up your life. Strict discipline will follow!”

The instructor threatened as he walked around.

“Step two!”

“Step two!!!!”

Lifting the upper body.

Still manageable.

But someone struggled.

“Who told you to straighten your back like that! Do you not understand the purpose?”

“N… no!”

“Explain why this move is necessary in battle.”

A deadly question.

“To conceal ourselves and survive without being detected by the enemy.”

“Correct. Then is raising your back correct?”

“No!!!”

“Do it properly.”

“Yes!!!”

He survived.

‘Is he Bear Grylls or something?’

But the real hell was next.

“Step three!”

“Step three!!!!”

Shhhhk!

Nearly a thousand cadets moved at once, raising sand.

“In a battlefield filled with arrows and magic tools, this is essential. Repeat. Step one!”

“Step one!”

One repetition is not hard.

The problem is it never ends.

“Now continuous motion. Low crawl forward!”

“Yes!!!!”

Thirty minutes passed.

After more than fifty repetitions, my elbows began to ache.

‘Damn it. This is why we need protective gear for this.’

If I had known, I would have at least worn extra socks.

“Cadet, what was that? Will you freeze like that on the battlefield?!”

A tired cadet paused for a second and was caught.

“From now on, when others do one, you do two. Understood!”

“Yes!!”

“Continuous low crawl!”

Shhhhk! Shhhhk!

“The training will not end until every cadet masters it perfectly!”

Which basically means he will keep us rolling until he feels like stopping.