Several years ago, there was a program that swept the nation. It was a TV variety show that gathered former special forces members and made them compete against each other. At one point, they asked about the toughest training during the corner sessions.
Everyone, regardless of whether they were from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Air Force, answered “Hell Juice.”
I felt the same way too.
My fellow trainees and I were left stranded on a snow mountain, starving without food, and we had to undergo non-stop training in the scorching summer heat without sleeping.
At that time, it was so hellish that even someone who doesn’t believe in God thought that if hell was anything like this environment, they would want to believe in religion just to avoid going there.
Still, when I thought I wouldn’t have to go through such training for the rest of my life after being commissioned… I never expected to experience it again in the world of Hearts of General.
“Are all of you safe? Is anyone experiencing any abnormalities?”
“No, no, no one is.”
Every time I opened my mouth, white steam billowed out. Even though spring had passed and it was a sunny summer day, a biting cold enveloped us.
The area ‘Biyaltock’ in the northernmost part of Okhraine, which borders the Chernaos where the Third Battalion is located.
Even though it’s already cold in the Northern Hemisphere, we were in the middle of the most rugged terrain, the Calpas Mountains.
“If you feel hypothermia coming, make sure to take shelter deep inside a cave to raise your body temperature. Remember, magic can be used, but it must not be detected. Phew… No, it cannot be.”
“Yes, understood… I will instruct the soldiers accordingly.”
Lumina’s teeth chattered. It was a perfectly physiological response. Even wrapped in cold-resistant gear, she could still feel the cold. As a Red Mage, Lumina did not have any resistance to cold.
“I’ll go check on the First and Second Platoons deployed below. How is Supply Officer Roxanna doing?”
“I’m fine, Captain. There’s no need to worry too much.”
Surprisingly, Roxanna was in fairly good condition. Since her heart was practically a mana core, mana constantly flowed through her body, making her less sensitive to the cold.
“This body can be useful sometimes.”
“That’s good news.”
I stood up and said. The platoon currently resting inside the cave was Sergeant Erwin Ruth’s Third Platoon.
The remaining three platoons were spread out to the south, west, and east based on the cave as a reference point.
Since I had also taken enough rest, I needed to visit each platoon to gather information about their current situation and plan strategies accordingly.
The goal of this training was simply survival.
Being dropped off in a snow mountain with no prior connection, and having to survive for 72 hours without external support or supplies. It seemed easy at first glance, but it was actually quite different.
One of the conditions for survival was that neither the battalion commander nor the chief of staff should interfere.
It was not allowed to easily start a fire. Using magic to raise body temperature or hunting wild animals had to be done very cautiously. If magic usage was detected by Chief of Staff Joseph or Major Sony while patrolling, a barrage of spells would immediately follow.
If that happened, we would have to abandon our position and forcibly move.
Currently, the priority was to use as little magic as possible.
Last night, due to the extreme cold, Bella Meyer tried to start a fire with magic, but was chased, causing a big commotion.
As I left the cave and headed toward the east where the First Platoon was deployed, a restrained voice came from not far away.
“Halt, halt, halt, Griffin!”
“Phoenix.”
There was no mention of a reconnaissance team, but considering Sony Chepelin, a woman, it was highly likely that she would deploy a reconnaissance team. This was a prearranged code phrase for the platoon.
“Who is it?”
“Captain of the First Platoon.”
“What’s the business?”
“Inspection of small units during training.”
“Your identity has been confirmed.”
Whoosh, a soldier in a white cold-weather uniform stood up from the front. He had stuffed leaves into his thick cold-weather gear.
“…What’s that?”
“The company commander said it would be a bit warmer this way.”
It served as some kind of insulating material. Not bad for a makeshift solution.
“But where is Captain Claude?”
“He is on a regional patrol with Sergeant Hamel.”
“What about the other troops?”
“They are scattered in pairs of two based on deployment.”
As I turned my gaze to the soldier’s words, I noticed another person aiming a g*n at me not far away. I hadn’t noticed him because my attention was drawn to the first person.
Even if only blanks were issued for safety reasons,
If this were a real battle instead of training, the thought of a weapon loaded with real bullets aimed at me sent shivers down my spine.
In any case, the state of alertness was clear.
In a world where the concept of magic was prevalent, hallucination spells or potions could cause confusion.
Claude Rain had fully prepared for such situations.
“There are no issues here. Are there any injured or those complaining of abnormalities?”
“No, Captain. The method the company commander recommended is quite effective.”
“That’s good…? Spread this to other platoons. When the company commander returns, tell him I’ve been here.”
“Yes, understood!”
It seems they were thoroughly trained not to salute during exercises. As expected of Claude Rain. He does things properly when he needs to.
Considering that usually, the First Platoon takes on the role of the elite, Claude’s platoon was more than sufficient to be considered the elite of our platoon.
Feeling completely satisfied, I moved towards the next unit.
The unit adjacent to the First Platoon and deployed to the south was Bella Meyer’s Second Platoon.
Although no one saluted as I approached, indicating slightly less vigilance compared to the First Platoon,
This place was not entirely unprepared. Soldiers were hidden in various places, dug into the ground.
Strictly speaking, it was more like an igloo rather than a trench, but it suited the geographical feature of the snow mountain perfectly.
“Bella Company Commander?”
“Oh, Captain!”
Bella Meyer poked her head out of an igloo. Unlike yesterday, when she greeted me shivering from the cold, she looked relatively comfortable.
“How do you like it? My idea. It’s easy to preserve the temperature inside.”
“Excellent. But if it’s just made of snow, wouldn’t it be easy to collapse?”
“Hehe, how could it? Did you forget what color mage I am?”
“Oh.”
I examined the igloo closely. Even if the snow was packed tightly, it would break under pressure. However, the surface and interior of the igloo were frozen solid.
Indeed, a Level 1 Blue Mage.
Using her specialty, she generated a tiny amount of mana undetectable to others to create water and freeze it, supporting the exterior and interior surfaces.
“A perfect reconnaissance camp. But since it can’t detect enemies approaching from behind, it would be better to deploy forces to watch the rear.”
“Oh! I didn’t think of that…”
“It’s okay. We still have another day to endure. When we reorganize the squad later, please set up similar camps in other areas.”
“You can leave it to me!”
Bella Meyer laughed and shrugged her shoulders.
Given the possibility of memory loss due to extreme stress and cold, Bella’s condition wasn’t as bad as I feared.
For now, the Second Platoon didn’t seem to have major problems.
“Now, the last one is the Fourth Platoon… That’s a bit uncertain.”
Unlike the other platoons led by their respective leaders, the newcomer Captain Hilton Callia lacked charisma.
Fortunately, the relations within the platoon weren’t bad, otherwise, Captain Hilton might not have been able to easily control the platoon if it had been rougher.
Such a lack of leadership would be magnified in extreme situations like this.
With a slightly worried heart, I approached the Fourth Platoon’s encampment.
Even though I had approached close enough, unlike the First Platoon where soldiers jumped out immediately, no sound came from here.
“What’s going on?”
Unlike the Second Platoon, which dug trenches and waited, there was nothing like that here.
Suddenly, I sensed something was wrong.
Bang—!!!
A gunshot echoed through the snow mountain, piercing my eardrums.
“F*ck…”
My body moved before my mind did. I started chasing the source of the sound, plunging into the snow.
Bang! Bang!!!
Additional gunshots rang out.
Not just one, but multiple shots. This wasn’t an accident. What’s happening?
It could be the opposition forces. That would be better. At least, it means that 4th Platoon, led by Hilton, discovered and responded to the enemy early.
But if it wasn’t… whatever it was, it was the worst-case scenario. Even if it were blanks, the sound was loud enough to echo throughout the entire snow mountain. Chief of Staff Joseph or Major Sony Chepelin might have already detected the location.
“Hilton, 4th Platoon!”
“…Captain! Captain is here!”
Finally, my voice reached a soldier not far away, who exclaimed with a look of relief.
The faces of the dispersed soldiers turned towards me simultaneously, and I could see a huge shape swaying beyond them.
The first thing I saw was a mass of white fur covering the entire body. Then, the thick legs standing on the ground.
Just by looking, it appeared to be over 3 meters tall, with a width twice that of a bear.
And facing this furry giant head-on was none other than Captain Hilton.
“Captain! Captain!”
“Aaahhh—!!!”
A native creature of the snow mountain and a Grade 2 beast.
A Yeti.
