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Episode 8
‘Honestly, it deserves to be canceled.’
I didn’t mention it much, fearing the disappointment would be great, but the intensity of the downpour was absurd.
‘If we run in weather like this, we’ll fall, break teeth, and cause chaos.’
The purpose of running is training, not combat.
-Instructor broadcasting to all cadets.
Just as I was sitting in a chair, resisting the urge to lie down on the bed.
The instructor’s voice came through.
-Today’s scheduled running training is canceled due to adverse weather conditions.
-Instead, we will proceed with Magic Engineering Grenade theory and practical training. Cadets, please put on your rain gear and assemble in the small parade ground.
-That is all. End of transmission.
“Nice!”
I shot up from my seat the moment the instructor finished speaking and clenched my fist.
‘This is more like it, this is the weather!’
I doubted it would happen, but it really got canceled.
Of course, we got Magic Engineering Grenade class instead, but from any angle, that’s easier than running.
‘Is it okay to be this happy?’
For a moment, I wondered, but I deserve to be a bit happy.
“I thought it wasn’t right to do it in this weather. What a relief.”
Ion also patted his chest with an expression of having escaped a close call.
“hyungs, by rain gear… they mean that, right?”
Derek pointed at the pile of rags stacked in one corner of the room.
‘Seems correct. Sigh, they want us to wear that?’
How should I describe it? It looks like bugs would crawl out if you shook it.
“I don’t want to wear it. What if we just get rained on…”
-Didn’t you hear the order to wear your rain gear! Down for push-ups!
A high-pitched voice from outside cut through my thoughts.
There was no choice.
“Aah, this is really not it.”
Ion picked up the rain gear slightly with his fingertips, wearing a horrified expression.
‘No bugs are visible.’
It’s a miracle.
That there are no bugs when it’s stored like that.
“They all look the same size. Let’s each take one.”
“Let’s do that.”
“Ugh, getting rained on would be a hundred times better. Before that, is this even waterproof?”
Derek’s question, which in a way was fundamental.
Common sense says rain gear should be waterproof, but I’m not sure about this.
“Well… shouldn’t it be?”
“I suppose so?”
“Let’s go out first. If we’re any later, we’ll get another earful.”
Closing my eyes tightly, I was the first to drape the rain gear over my body.
‘Ugh, this is really awful.’
A damp feeling.
Goosebumps rising all over my body—the word ‘worst’ couldn’t be more fitting.
“Ugh!”
“I don’t know!”
Everyone let out a scream as they put on the rain gear and left the room.
“Running even in the rain is true training. Cadets, aren’t you disappointed?”
As if he’d taken some medicine, the instructor who climbed onto the podium spouted nonsense.
“D…Disappointed, sir!!”
The expression on their faces and their words were completely mismatched.
Fortunately, the instructor didn’t criticize their expressions.
“However, unfortunately, your seniors—the previous batch—suffered a fracture accident from running in rainy weather, so we had no choice but to cancel training.”
He wore a genuinely disappointed expression.
It’s because guys like him conduct training that accidents happen.
‘This damn military is never satisfied unless someone gets hurt.’
You could say society is the same, but the military doesn’t change; it just pretends to.
‘No running when it rains? Will that last half a year?’
There’s a high possibility they’ll make us do it as if nothing happened from the very next batch.
“No one will protect your bodies. You must manage them properly yourselves! Understood!”
“Understood, sir!!”
Who’s causing the injuries? Hearing him spout that, it’s just absurd.
“Before the weather worsens further, we will hurriedly move to the training ground.”
Seeing the rain intensify, the instructor came down from the podium and took the lead.
Wearing a clean, new-model rain gear that was clearly different from ours, by the way.
“It’s really far.”
“Yeah.”
Already 15 minutes since we started.
It wasn’t physically hard, but the further we went, the more I felt the rain penetrating the rain gear.
‘I thought it might not be waterproof, but I didn’t think it was true.’
It’s truly an amazing thing.
“Enter and take seats as you are in formation.”
It wasn’t a mountain, but after climbing one more hill, the training ground finally revealed itself.
While open on all sides, a roof was installed overhead, blocking the rain.
“Once seated, remove your rain gear. Do it.”
“Do it!!”
Everyone now somewhat skillfully repeated the order and, as if they’d been waiting, threw off their rain gear…?
“Who throws their clothes like that! Is this a space for cadets to use alone?!”
The instructor suddenly had a fit.
It seemed one cadet had stripped off his rain gear like peeling skin and thrown it to the side.
“S…Sorry, sir!”
“One-point demerit for improper conduct.”
Pat pat pat pat!
At the word ‘demerit,’ the cadets who had been gauging the situation began to move swiftly.
‘They really are scared of demerits.’
Here, it holds power almost comparable to the Emperor’s.
“The instructor will be here soon. If any cadet is caught dozing or not paying proper attention during class, that cadet will return to the barracks doing the duck walk! Understood!”
“U…Understood, sir!!”
Due to the ingrained fear, the voices of the cadets, including mine, trembled.
‘Must absolutely not doze off.’
To be honest, we just ate, and the gloomy weather from the rain makes us a bit tired.
‘This is the biggest hurdle of my life.’
Honestly, maybe running would have been better.
“All, stand up. Do it.”
As I was blankly staring outside at the falling rain, a new instructor who climbed onto the podium gave an order in a husky voice thick with the smell of cigarettes.
“Do it!!”
While repeating the order, I examined the instructor’s face.
‘I can’t see anything because of the face mask.’
Just from the voice, it doesn’t give a good feeling at all.
“I am Captain Edental, conducting this training. Before we start, this training is among the most dangerous you will undergo until graduation.”
Well, that’s obvious.
Since we’re handling actual weapons.
“Therefore, while I am often called an angel in society, for this training alone, I will maintain strict discipline to prevent accidents.”
The word ‘angel’ from his own mouth.
With that red cap on, it’s hard to believe.
“First, we will repeat the three important things for this training. First, Swift Action.”
“Swift Action!!!”
The cadets responded with fairly loud voices.
But the instructor frowned as if he’d been waiting for it.
“Down for push-ups.”
‘Damn it, that was fine!’
Shouting my grievances inwardly, I placed both hands on the ground.
“Only by hammering it into your heads with force and volume can accidents be prevented! But your voices were as weak as ants crawling.”
He clearly has an auditory problem.
“As I currently have a cold, I don’t want to shout. Understood?”
“Un…Understood, sir!!!”
“Since it’s the first time, I’ll let it pass, thinking you made a mistake. All, rise.”
Contrary to the expectation of punishment, we got up without much pain.
‘Is he… really a nice person?’
For a moment, my favorability towards him was about to rise, but the red cap isn’t red for no reason.
“Let’s repeat. Swift Action.”
“Swift Action!!!”
“Target Confirmation.”
“Target Confirmation!!”
“All down for push-ups.”
Insane bastard.
“The Magic Engineering Grenade I will show you today is the MB 400. It is an older version of the MB 550, currently mainly used on the battlefield, but they only differ in power; the appearance and weight are the same.”
The instructor pulled a Magic Engineering Grenade from a wooden box while explaining.
‘It looks quite different from what I imagined.’
I expected a modern grenade, but the Magic Engineering Grenade in the instructor’s hand was a perfect sphere.
“If this seal visible on the outside is damaged, the Magic Engineering Grenade will immediately explode for security maintenance, so do not pry at it even out of curiosity.”
From the mention, there clearly must have been accident cases.
“The operating method is simple. If you pull this red safety pin running through the center of the grenade, it will explode exactly 7 seconds later.”
Whoosh!
With a skilled motion, the instructor threw the grenade with the pin pulled far across the training ground.
And a few seconds later.
BOOM!
A loud explosion sent dirt flying.
‘Despite the different appearance, its performance is exactly like a grenade.’
The blast radius and destructive power were considerable.
‘Magic Engineering is scary.’
It’s not a world you can look down on just because advanced science isn’t developed.
‘In a place like this, I should originally be active as a great mage.’
But unfortunately, beings called mages do not exist in this world.
No, to be precise, they existed long ago, but as generations passed, magical sensitivity gradually declined until they disappeared at some point.
“A single mistake with this weapon can directly lead to death. Therefore, maintain appropriate tension when handling Magic Engineering Grenades. Understood?”
“Understood, sir!!!”
Perhaps because they saw the power with their own eyes.
The cadets’ eyes had changed.
“In a wartime situation, we cannot consume over a thousand training grenades. Unfortunately, I cannot give everyone a training opportunity.”
We somewhat expected it, and everyone nodded at a reason anyone could accept.
‘Since Magic Engineering is involved, the unit cost must be quite high. It would be difficult even without the wartime situation.’
Magic Engineering is all good, but since it can only be made by hand, the production cost skyrockets even with a little bit of it.
“Therefore, I will give the training opportunity to only ten volunteers. There are no bonus points, so only those who truly want to should raise their hands.”
Flash.
As expected, the noble young masters.
They might not know other things, but this looked fun, so almost all of them raised their hands.
‘That’s quite scary.’
The noble young masters always exceed expectations.
The thought of weapons in their hands sent a chill down my spine.
“Such proactive behavior is excellent. That cadet there.”
With nearly 90% volunteering, the instructor thought briefly and then arbitrarily pointed out ten people.
“Cadet Ion Bell burn!”
“You on the right.”
“Ca…Cadet Cal Bay ton! Thank you!”
.
.
The cadets stood up, stating their rank and name.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t among them.
‘Ugh, I still wanted to try throwing it once.’
Given that we’ll be sent to the battlefield right after graduation, the opportunity to handle a weapon holds very high value.
‘Guess I’ll just have to watch.’
Watching Ion go forward enviously, I kept my eyes wide open to observe their practice process.
“As you heard in theory, be ready to throw immediately after pulling the safety pin. Understood?”
“Understood, sir!!”
The chosen cadets lined up in front of the table where the grenades were placed.
“Prepare to throw.”
“Prepare to throw!!”
True to the military, the cadets repeated the order and picked up the grenades.
‘Everyone looks nervous.’
Well, being nervous is normal.
It’s dangerous training where an accident could happen with one wrong move.
“Target: maximum range forward. Remove pin and throw.”
“Remove safety pin and throw!!!”
Click.
With resounding voices, the cadets pulled the safety pins from the grenades.
Then, the throwing motion followed smoothly.
Whoosh!
Nine grenades flew in a parabolic arc toward the front.
“Huh?”
‘What…?’
If my memory is correct, the number of cadets granted the training opportunity was ten.
Therefore, common sense says the number of flying grenades should also be ten.
The moment I sensed something was off and rolled my eyes,
I could locate the position of the remaining one grenade.
“Aaaaah! Dodge!!!”
“Someone help!!!”
Not flying towards the training ground, but drawing a parabolic arc towards where the cadets were seated.
Do you know what’s even more unlucky?
Damn it, the end of that parabola is right in front of me.
Whoosh… Thud.
It landed within arm’s reach.
‘Fuck.’
