Training Day 3. In a way, this could be considered the most crucial day of the entire training period. Whether or not we can get through today safely will determine our pass or fail.
Surviving for three days on this island is the bare minimum requirement for passing. Falling short means a dreaded supplementary training awaits.
Perhaps sensing the importance, the trainers had prepared meticulously. Right in the center of the island, they had summoned a training monster.
It seems they have no intention of passing us easily.
─KUUUUUUGHHH!
The monster roared once.
Its neck length, towering over surrounding trees, was particularly striking. It reminded one of a Brachiosaurus.
Its name is Bazakh, a training monster created based on the data of an A-Rank monster.
Of course, since it’s a training monster, it can’t inflict fatal injuries on people. Its attacks are akin to a taser gun, merely rendering the opponent temporarily paralyzed.
But that doesn’t mean we can relax. If caught by Bazakh, there’s a risk of exposing the number tag on our backs.
That’s something to keep in mind during the engagement.
KUUNG! KUUNG!
“Seems like it’s coming this way.”
They must have targeted us from the start. Among all people on this island, we possess the most supplies.
From the trainers’ perspective, we’d inevitably be the biggest thorn in their side.
“Arna, bring the duffel bag immediately.”
“Why the sudden need for the duffel bag?”
I stuffed as much food as possible into the duffel bag. No need for living essentials. Just food and water.
“Alright, carry this duffel bag and go.”
“Are you suggesting we run away? What about that monster? Are we just going to leave it be?”
“Not leaving it be. We obviously have to confront it.”
We can’t keep running from the monster for the rest of the training. At some point, we have to bring it down.
As the saying goes, “A job worth doing is worth doing well.” It needs to be subdued right from its appearance.
“Surely you don’t mean for me to fight with this duffel bag, right…?”
“Hmm… Arna, surely you can do it.”
“Absolutely not! How am I supposed to fight with this huge sandbag on my back?”
“Good.”
“IIIIIIEEEEK…!”
KUUNG! KUUNG!
The footsteps were getting closer. Time to act.
“Rather, why don’t you take it? I’ll handle the fight on my own. Isn’t that more efficient?”
“I can’t be the one to carry it. I have something else to take care of.”
“Something else? Are you trying to mess around again?”
“This isn’t the kind of guy who’d have such a moral breakdown, so don’t worry. I’ll follow soon, I promise.”
Arna’s narrowed eyes showed her lingering doubts.
“You said ‘something else’… what exactly is it?”
“I’m going to make use of some thief cats.”
“Thief cats…?”
KUUNG! KUUNG!
Really, there’s no time left. There’s no way we can execute any plan like this.
I pushed Arna forward with the duffel bag.
“Arna, hurry. You don’t have to fight the monster. Just luring it away is enough. The rest, I’ll take care of.”
“Wait a second! You should at least explain properly before sending me off…”
“Just trust me. That’s all.”
“Ugh…”
Arna had no choice but to carry the duffel bag toward the monster. Even with its weight, she should be able to buy us some time.
Meanwhile, I have my own tasks to take care of.
“Then, let’s see…”
I looked around. They should be about to appear.
Swish Swish─
Right as Arna left, the bushes that had been silent began to stir violently. As if waiting for just this moment, the students started to emerge one by one.
“Ugh…”
They all looked gaunt, having missed meals. Collectively, they resembled a horde of zombies.
“Hey… Shin Yoon-seong… you should share some of those supplies with us soon…”
Naturally, what they were after were the supplies I had. Behind me, countless crates were piled up.
“Pathetic. To take advantage of Arna’s absence like this. Can you call yourselves students of Han-yul Military Academy’s combat division?”
“You have no right to say that… You’ve been lounging behind Arna this entire training!”
“Though painful, that’s fair. I admit it.”
“Ughh. Garbage.”
The students slowly advanced towards the crates one step at a time, so hungry they were dripping saliva.
“Stop.”
I had to stop them from getting any closer.
I pulled out an oversized spoon and poured all the alcohol I’d been supplied with onto it.
Glug Glug─!
“That’s the smell of alcohol…? Were we given alcohol as supplies?”
“Now I understand why we were given alcohol.”
Next, I held up a lighter. It was something Arna had found before.
Chik─!
“Hey, hey! Shin Yoon-seong! What are you doing!”
“What? I’m about to burn all these crates.”
“Hold on… hold on! Why burn perfectly good food? You should give it to us instead!”
“Why should I do someone else, especially a competitor, a favor?”
In any case, they were the enemy. I’d rather burn this crate than hand it over nicely to the enemy.
Isn’t that the essence of a survival game?
“Hey, you heartless brat! Is it really so painful to throw us a piece of bread? Please, give us a chance to live!”
The students knelt down begging in front of the spoon, hoping I’d put away the lighter.
“Hm, it’s not like I can’t help if you’re begging like that.”
“Wait, really?”
“However, if you want this food, there’s a condition.”
It was about time I brought them to the negotiation table. I put down the lighter and pointed far away to where the monster Bazakh was.
“Take down that monster immediately.”
“What? You’re telling us to defeat that monster?”
“Can’t you?”
Isn’t that a decent proposal? If they just sat here, this food would be doomed to burn eventually. Better to go do something and come back. If successful, there’s a chance to obtain this food.
It’s worth a challenge.
“Really? And you won’t change your mind later? Because if you do, there’ll be real knives involved!”
“I have no reason not to keep the promise, no? Even if I didn’t keep it, you wouldn’t sit quietly.”
“Just wait! In 10… no, in 5 minutes, we’ll beat it and come back! Don’t run away in the meantime!”
WAAAH─!
The thievery group rallied all their strength and charged off to the battlefield. The moment they transformed into mercenaries.
By the way, all this piled-up food won’t be eaten till the end of training. Just the amount Arna took should be enough.
In that sense, hiring mercenaries was the right choice. Arna, who’s currently struggling, will be pretty satisfied too since she won’t have to fight alone anymore.
“Hmm…”
Will the third day of training pass without a hitch with this?
If this continues, a luxury cruise ship might not be just a dream, after all.
*
“Teacher.”
Late evening, inside the passenger ship’s bridge. A woman approached Instructor Kim Dong-hak who was in the midst of writing a daily summary report.
Her perfectly aligned single braid and expressionless face, with every movement measured and precise,
It was Assistant Professor Seo Dan-ah of the Combat Division.
Krik─
Seo Dan-ah gave a salute with her mechanical arm. Kim Dong-hak gestured her to lower her arm quickly.
“We’re not soldiers, so there’s no need to do that every time. This isn’t a juvenile military school or anything.”
“Understood, sir.”
“So, what’s the matter?”
Seo Dan-ah pulled out a black USB from her pocket.
“I’ve recovered the black box placed inside Bazakh.”
“Oh, great work.”
Kim Dong-hak inserted the USB into his laptop port and played the video file.
“I expected it to last at least half a day.”
“Me too. I was surprised when Bazakh was defeated in just two hours…”
The video was playing from Bazakh’s perspective.
Without exception, the students swung their weapons actively, coordinating with each other.
“Such excellent unity is unprecedented.”
It was nothing but astounding.
This training was, in principle, a survival game aimed at individual survival. Normally, one would expect the students to evade Bazakh and run all over the place.
But the current video showed the situation unfolding completely contrary to expectations.
Everyone was giving their all with burning determination, as if they had some personal grudges.
“And here’s another USB I’ve brought along.”
“Is it from the reconnaissance drone’s black box?”
Seo Dan-ah nodded.
Kim Dong-hak proceeded to play the next video.
“Shin Yoon-seong.”
Without looking closely, it was clear who it was. There’s only one student in Han-yul Military Academy who carries a spoon like that.
“What’s he doing?”
The video showed Shin Yoon-seong sitting in front of the supply crates and sharing food with the students.
Looking closely, it was the students who had fought Bazakh earlier.
“Hmm, so that’s how it is.”
Through this video, Kim Dong-hak understood why the well-prepared monster fell in just two hours.
Who would’ve thought he’d unite the students by leveraging the supplies? The supplies were prepared to instigate competition among them.
And the students receiving the food weren’t the kind to obediently follow Shin Yoon-seong’s commands. Why would they sit there listening to Shin Yoon-seong when they could just take the supplies by force?
Clearly, some kind of negotiation must’ve taken place in the middle. He’d have to separately call Shin Yoon-seong to find out what exactly it was.
“Assistant Professor Seo.”
“Yes, instructor.”
“How many survivors remain?”
“Currently, 134 students are alive as of 22:41.”
If we survive tonight, the training will enter its fourth day. Since the fifth day is practically meaningless, that means clearing this race by somehow managing tomorrow.
Initially, it was estimated that around 70 people would survive by the third day. However, there are currently 134 surviving students.
“As a trainer, it’s a bit embarrassing to end this like this.”
There was not even a hint of him letting go of the luxury ship easily. Kim Dong-hak strongly wished to reduce the number of survivors.
─KUUUUUUGHHHHHH! If you’re going to play baseball like that, go rent a room in Busan, you jerks! ─
Meanwhile, in the corner of the bridge, Assistant Professor Geum Gye-jun was scratching his head wildly in front of the TV.
It was a typical day in the life of a baseball fan.
“Why’s Instructor Geum acting like that?”
“He gave up all three games in the midweek series against the Eagles. And they were home games.”
“Oof.”
─Just disband already! ─
Kim Dong-hak stroked his chin while watching Geum Gye-jun wailing. Suddenly, he smiled as a good idea came to mind.
“Assistant Professor Seo.”
“Yes, instructor.”
Seo Dan-ah stood at attention, waiting for Kim Dong-hak’s instructions.
“As soon as the sun rises tomorrow, set out to the island with Instructor Geum.”
