Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Time passed quickly.

It felt like just a few days of preparation, and suddenly, the day of enlistment had arrived.

“...It begins now.”

Although it hadn’t been long since his return, standing in front of the training camp filled Damian with a new sense of nostalgia.

It felt like he was back at the starting line.

But this was a necessary step he had to take to achieve his ultimate goal.

‘This time...’

In his past life, he had crumbled without even daring to dream big, but this time would be different.

‘This time, I’ll conquer the Empire.’

Instead of being swept away by their destructive path, he would stop them and turn the tables.

With his resolve strengthened once more, Damian entered the training camp and headed toward the barracks where he was assigned.

3rd Training Company, 1st Platoon.

This was the unit Damian was assigned to.

Of course, once the training period was over, they would be reassigned to the main units.

‘Apel seems to have been assigned to a different platoon.’

Even though there seemed to be no other peers his age, he felt a bit disappointed that Apel wasn’t around.

Nevertheless, Damian entered his assigned barracks and began to unpack his belongings.

“Welcome, everyone. For the next month, I’ll be your platoon leader, Brian. As of this moment, unpack your belongings at your assigned spots. And just so you know, any food, drinks, or tobacco products—especially cigarettes—must be handed over immediately. If you’re caught with them later, you’ll be doing extra drills on the spot.”

Brian, the platoon leader, spoke with a stern expression, causing some of the recruits to flinch and start handing over prohibited items.

It was clear that they had bought these items from shops near the training camp.

‘...Idiots. If you’re going to give them up so easily, why bother buying them in the first place?’

They probably didn’t intend to give them up at first, but the platoon leader’s intimidating glare must have scared them.

Damian glanced around the barracks at the other recruits.

‘...That guy seems like he’s hiding cigarettes.’

A few of the recruits had brought prohibited items but hadn’t handed them over.

But it didn’t matter.

Smoking or indulging in other vices wouldn’t be a problem for Damian.

‘Back on the battlefield, people went crazy when they ran out.’

In his previous life, he had smoked quite a bit, but...

‘This time, I won’t even touch them.’

With a resolution similar to a New Year’s vow, Damian looked at the platoon leader approaching him.

“Hmm, nothing unusual here. You’re good.”

“Thank you.”

“...How old are you? You look pretty young.”

“I’m thirteen.”

“Thirteen?”

Brian’s eyes widened in surprise.

He had heard there were a few young recruits among the new trainees, but he didn’t expect one to be this young.

Some of the other recruits chuckled derisively at Damian’s words.

“Damn, it’s the end of the world. Kids are joining the army to find their future now.”

“How lazy do you have to be to join the army at thirteen? Haha.”

Damian made a mental note of their faces.

They would soon learn that getting hit by a kid hurts just as much.

Ignoring them, Damian waited for Brian to finish his inspection.

The platoon leader must have noticed the hidden items as well because he stood in front of one of the recruits and spoke sternly.

“Hand over what you’re hiding. Now.”

“Uh? What are you—”

“Right now! Hand it over!”

Brian’s commanding voice made the recruit flinch and reluctantly pull out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

Brian frowned.

“Consider this your final warning. If I catch anyone else with prohibited items, you’ll be running laps around the field all night!”

Brian glared at a few of the recruits.

It was clear he knew they were hiding something.

Intimidated by Brian’s glare, the recruits reluctantly handed over all their contraband.

They might have resisted the first time, but they couldn’t hold out a second time.

One of them, a massive guy, was especially notable.

“...Damn it.”

He handed over not just cigarettes but also a small flask of alcohol, muttering curses under his breath.

Of course, Brian heard him.

“What did you just say?”

“I didn’t say anything, sir!”

Seeing how things were shaping up, Damian couldn’t help but chuckle quietly.

“Kekeke.”

It was already turning into a comedy show from the start.

After the chaotic inspection and a brief settling in, the platoon leader looked at the roster.

He had already checked the number of recruits, but this list seemed to contain some basic information about each one.

“Now then... We need to select an acting platoon leader, someone who will manage the soldiers when I’m not around.

Hmm, it seems we have someone in our platoon who passed with top marks. Who’s Damian?”

Brian looked up at the recruits.

He hadn’t expected someone who topped the practical exam to be in his platoon.

‘Is it that big guy from earlier?’

Although it was frustrating that the guy had tried to hide prohibited items, the military often overlooked such things if someone had exceptional skills.

Brian naturally turned his gaze toward the big guy. But...

“...?”

The big guy blinked in confusion as if wondering why Brian was looking at him.

“That would be me, sir.”

The voice came from the opposite direction.

When Brian turned his head to the right, he saw a young boy raising his hand.

“...You’re Damian?”

“Yes, sir.”

Damian responded crisply.

Brian’s eyes widened in shock.

“Didn’t you say... you were thirteen?”

“Yes, sir.”

“...”

Could a thirteen-year-old really pass the practical exam with the highest score...?

The thought briefly crossed Brian’s mind.

But having called him out, it would be awkward not to say anything.

Brian looked at Damian with a troubled expression. But then...

“...This is ridiculous.”

Whether permanent or temporary, the acting platoon leader had the authority to issue commands to the soldiers in the platoon leader’s absence.

And this kid was supposed to become the acting platoon leader?

“Sir, I believe that the acting platoon leader should be someone with solid leadership qualities. I don’t know how this kid got those scores, but if he becomes the acting platoon leader, it will undermine discipline in the platoon.”

“...Huh?”

Damian turned to look at the recruit who had spoken.

He hadn’t been interested in becoming the acting platoon leader, but this guy was provoking him?

Smirking, Damian replied.

“Still, I think I’d be better than a musclehead who’s all brawn and no brains.”

“What did you say?”

The big guy shot to his feet, and Brian frowned.

“Your name is Kyle, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“If I hear you belittling a fellow soldier again, it won’t end with just a warning. But...”

Brian looked at Damian and the other soldiers.

“Kyle does have a point. The acting platoon leader role comes with authority. If you can’t show leadership, it could indeed disrupt discipline.”

“Then how about this, sir? I propose a duel between me and that kid... whoever wins becomes the acting platoon leader.”

“...Are you okay with that?”

Brian asked Damian.

In fact, Kyle’s suggestion was the cleanest way to settle the matter.

While the military did value strategy and other factors, there was no denying that raw strength played a significant role.

When Brian asked Damian, Kyle sneered and spoke up.

“Heh, if that kid wins, everyone here will accept it. Does anyone have a problem with this ‘duel’?”

Kyle looked around at the other soldiers.

Damian turned his gaze back to Kyle.

‘So, this guy’s name is Kyle.’

He had heard the name before.

In the 3rd Training Camp, the name “Kyle” had come up several times during tests. Rumor had it that while others struggled to lift the heavy boulders, Kyle had casually tossed one into the air like it was nothing. He was also known for leading the charge during the long-distance run, breaking through the instructors’ blockade at the end.

‘He must be confident in his strength...’

That much was clear since no one seemed to argue against Kyle’s proposal.

Damian stood up.

“Fine. I wasn’t really interested in becoming the acting platoon leader... but if that’s what you want, I guess I’ll have to take the role.”

“Heh, did you misunderstand what I meant?”

“No, I understood perfectly. All I have to do is break you, right, big guy?”

“Big guy?!”

Kyle glared at Damian with bulging eyes.

Seeing this, Brian put on a serious expression and addressed the recruits.

“Alright, everyone, follow me to the training ground.”

This was shaping up to be interesting, Brian thought, struggling to suppress a smile as he led the platoon to the training ground.

Once they arrived at the training ground...

“Since there’s a difference in size, you’re allowed to use weapons. You can choose any training weapon you like.”

“Heh, I don’t need any weapons.”

“And you?”

“I’ll go without a weapon as well.”

Brian raised an eyebrow at Damian’s response but quickly nodded.

“Very well. No striking vital points, and the duel will stop immediately when one of you surrenders. Any questions?”

“Nope, let’s get this over with.”

“None, sir.”

With both men ready, Brian nodded.

“Begin.”

As soon as the duel started, Kyle clenched his fists and rolled his neck, loosening up like a street thug. Damian chuckled at the sight.

“Quit messing around and come at me, big guy. You look like some thug flailing around in a back alley.”

“You’ve got a sharp tongue for a little brat. Don’t cry when you’re licking your wounds later, and know it’s your mouth that got you beaten like a dog!”

Kyle roared as he charged at Damian.

Despite his bulky frame, he moved with surprising speed.

‘He’s good.’

Kyle’s level was impressive, even compared to soldiers from the chaotic war era.

But that’s all it was—impressive, nothing more.

“Hup!”

As Kyle’s fist swung toward Damian’s face...

Whoosh!

“...!”

Kyle’s eyes widened as he first cut through empty air. He was sure it would hit.

‘Not that fast, but...’

What was that movement just now?

It felt like Damian had predicted where his punch would go before Kyle even threw it.

“This little punk must’ve picked up some tricks...”

Kyle gritted his teeth and started throwing a barrage of punches.

Each time his hammer-like fists sliced through the air, the sound of the wind being cleaved echoed.

But not once did Kyle’s punches come close to grazing Damian.

“What the...?”

Even Brian, who was watching the duel, couldn’t hide his surprise.

He could see it happening, but it didn’t make sense.

It was as if dodging the big guy’s punches was the most natural thing in the world for this young boy.

“Hyah!”

Kyle let out a yell as he threw another punch at Damian.

Whoosh!

But again, his punch met nothing but empty air.

Kyle’s expression twisted into one of despair.

It felt like he was fighting a ghost.

“Y-you little...!”

Kyle screamed as he spread his arms wide, charging at Damian.

If he couldn’t land a punch, he’d just grab the kid and slam him into the ground.

But as Kyle barreled forward...

Swish.

Damian casually sidestepped, letting Kyle rush past him, only to find himself suddenly behind the big guy.

“...!”

Kyle’s vision blurred for a moment, as if the boy had vanished right before his eyes.

“Where... where is he?!”

Kyle frantically looked around.

And then...

“Right here.”

“...!”

The quiet voice made Kyle whirl around, just in time for Damian’s left fist to slam into his side.

Thud!

“Guh!”

Damian’s punch landed squarely on Kyle’s right side, where his liver was located.

‘Even a strong guy wouldn’t be able to withstand that.’

Especially when the punch was reinforced with mana.

Kyle’s ribs might’ve even cracked, but...

“Grrrrrr...!”

Just as his knees buckled and he was about to collapse, Kyle’s eyes flared red as he forced himself back up.

Damian watched in disbelief.

‘...Tough guy.’

Damian was genuinely surprised.

But despite standing up, Kyle was barely able to breathe, his chest heaving as he wheezed and gasped.

Swish.

Damian glanced over at Brian.

“...”

Brian’s face was stern, but he didn’t intervene, indicating that the duel wasn’t over yet.

He knew that if he stepped in now, it would disrupt the establishment of hierarchy among the recruits.

Gritting his teeth, Damian turned back to Kyle.

The big guy was glaring at Damian with bloodshot eyes, his face flushed red from pain and effort.

He was barely holding himself up, but his resolve was clear.

‘I’ll give him credit for his guts.’

But...

Boom!

Damian slammed his foot into the ground, launching himself toward Kyle.

Kyle, in a desperate attempt, threw another wild punch...

‘To the left...’

Swish.

Damian ducked to the right, effortlessly dodging Kyle’s fist.

His path now clear, Damian’s fist shot toward Kyle’s exposed left side.

Boom!

“Gwah...!”

The sound was like a sledgehammer smashing into a wall as Kyle’s body crumpled to the ground.

Thud.

Kyle lay there, completely unconscious.

The other recruits stood in stunned silence, their mouths agape as they stared at Damian.

How could someone so small generate such power?

Damian scanned the circle of recruits surrounding him and spoke.

“Anyone else want to try?”

No one answered.