Chapter 43

We returned to the base with high spirits. And then…

“Welcome back, sir.”

The soldiers guarding the base came out to greet us.

“Did everything go smoothly?”

“Yes, sir. And how did the mission go?”

We had departed on a mission to procure supplies.

The soldiers guarding the base couldn’t contain their curiosity about the outcome.

I spoke with a grim expression.

“Sorry, but…”

“Ah…”

“Um…”

Disappointment spread across the faces of the soldiers.

“Things don’t always go as planned on missions, you know? Don’t be too disheartened.”

“It’s not easy to move everything at once.”

“Don’t be disappointed—”

Ignoring the bewildered soldiers, I reached behind and opened the cargo compartment of the modified truck.

Creak.

And then…

“What… what is this?”

“The quantity is overwhelming.”

“It was impossible to move everything in one go. Sorry, but you’ll have to help unload.”

“Was that the meaning behind it?”

As we unloaded the supplies, the soldiers who had been unaware of the situation looked stunned.

“This isn’t all of it. How did you…?”

“We got lucky.”

Turning my head slightly, I saw Suyeon and Suhyeok, siblings who were disembarking from another vehicle.

“Wow…”

“We’ll have time to admire later. Let’s get inside for now.”

The siblings, holding hands, moved towards the base with Lee Sang-ah.

Even in this situation, the base looked impressive.

Looking around as we explored, I thought, “We were really lucky.”

In truth, this mission was supposed to fail.

The mart we visited for supplies was already raided by other survivors.

Normally, the mission would have failed, and we would have returned empty-handed.

But then we met those kids.

And thanks to the information they provided…

“It’s a jackpot.”

We have acquired a substantial amount of food, necessities, medicine, and even luxury items like cigarettes and alcohol.

Thanks to that, our unit’s life got a bit easier.

“Sorry, could those who were resting lend a hand with unloading?”

“Yes, sir. We’ll get everyone.”

“And the squad leaders, gather for a moment.”

Finally, the time had come to expand our influence.

All the vice guild masters were gathered in a room, in one of the buildings.

Leaving them behind, I glanced out the window.

“Damn, I need a smoke.”

“Oh! Remember, only one pack per person!”

“Where is even one pack? It’s been over a month since I was forced to quit smoking.”

“I don’t smoke.”

“Huh? Then can’t you give it to me? I’ll pay you back later—”

I observed as they unloaded and distributed the supplies.

“I managed to secure quite a bit of food supplies. We also have some basic medical supplies.”

“Just by looking, we can slack off for a while, right?”

The atmosphere among the gathered leaders wasn’t bad.

But…

“This is not the time to relax.”

Even though we had some slack, we couldn’t afford to be complacent.

Corporal Seo Su-hyeok nodded in agreement with my words.

“We’ve just temporarily gained some breathing room; the long-term issues remain.”

“Yes. With this newfound breathing room, I believe it’s time to strengthen ourselves.”

“What do you mean by strengthening?”

“It’s time to address the things we’ve been putting off.”

The biggest reaction to my words came from none other than Corporal Seo Su-hyeok.

He looked at me with expectant, sparkling eyes.

“Are you suggesting—”

“Yes.”

I nodded in affirmation.

“We need to increase the number of awakened individuals.”

“Ah… I see. That’s what you meant.”

Then, Corporal Seo Su-hyeok’s expression suddenly darkened.

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing.”

It didn’t seem like nothing.

His expression hinted otherwise.

Corporal Jeong Gwang-il answered my question.

“Haha. Su-hyeok is disappointed because it’s not about securing ammunition.”

“Be quiet.”

“Securing ammunition?”

“Oh, no, not really. It’s just that increasing the awakened would be more efficient.”

Corporal Seo Su-hyeok was the team leader of the marksmen and the first marksmen awakened in our unit.

But now, our unit was almost out of ammunition.

Considering the talk of strengthening, it seemed natural to think about replenishing bullets.

The marksmen, who formed the core of our firepower, couldn’t function properly without them.

However, there was no immediate solution.

On the other hand, there were those whose complexion darkened for different reasons.

“Sigh…”

It was Lee Sang-ah, the squad leader.

Unlike Corporal Seo Su-hyeok, the reason for her concern was clear.

“I’m worried. They’re the people who trusted and followed me. How could I not be worried?”

Increasing the number of awakened individuals meant awakening the survivors who stayed in the unit.

And most of them belonged to her group.

Even if we exclude herself and the five criminals, there were still over twenty people.

Leaving such a number idle without awakening them was a loss in itself.

“I hope nothing bad happens.”

“To awaken them, we must directly confront the monsters.”

It was a risky endeavor, accompanied by significant dangers.

In fact, Sergeant Park Taejun had suffered injuries severe enough to prevent him from walking.

Her concerns were understandable.

“Don’t worry. We’ve dealt with such situations many times in the unit.”

Corporal Jeong Gwang-il addressed Lee Sang-ah’s apprehension with a mixture of concern and reassurance.

It was a different attitude from when he dealt with frightened soldiers.

“Initially, accidents did happen among unit members, but our soldiers have gained expertise in subduing monsters. There shouldn’t be any significant risks.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Please trust us. After all, isn’t this what Sergeant Shin ordered?”

Ah.

Why did my name suddenly come up?

From my perspective, it was quite an absurd logic.

“You saw it this time too, right? When Sergeant Shin perfectly identified the monsters… Even though they looked like ordinary refrigerators, he ordered us to attack! And when we followed without hesitation, it turned out to be those silver slime monsters!”

“That’s right. It was remarkable.”

“After that, he systematically identified ordinary objects as monsters, and we just had to attack where he directed us, right?”

The guy who talked about me while pounding his chest.

“If you think that way, then certainly!”

And there was someone who agreed with that nonsense.

“Should we just overlook something good because it’s good?”

“Hey, Gwang-il, how long will you throw around Senior’s name?”

“Hehe. I only trust Sergeant Shin.”

“Sigh. Let’s talk properly.”

It was playful banter, but fundamentally, it was meant to comfort the worried Lee Sang-ah.

“In reality, this is his original personality.”

Fundamentally gentle and kind-hearted.

When he shows his warrior-like side…

Honestly, it sometimes makes me feel guilty.

I wonder if I’ve done something terrible to this gentle soul.

“No. Let’s not think like that now.”

Those are thoughts to entertain only when survival is securely guaranteed.

There’s no room for depression.

What’s important right now is…

“Increasing the awakened.”

After the squad meeting.

Lee Sang-ah, along with other leaders went to find the survivors. Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ N0vᴇlFire(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

They spoke to them about awakening.

“So, now it’s our turn.”

Grandpa Park responded calmly.

“As long as the soldiers are with us, there won’t be any danger.”

“I know. I’ve been waiting for this day.”

“Really?”

“It’s not easy to just rely on protection without doing anything.”

Tasks involving risks.

Contrary to what I expected, their response wasn’t hesitant.

“I felt the same even when I was old and retired. Just idling around gets boring.”

“Is that so?”

“Now that I can finally do something, I feel more at ease.”

“I can’t believe you were thinking like that. “Once you wake up, I’ll have to push you hard enough that you’ll think it was a good time.”

“…Don’t the younger ones these days know the word ‘respect for elders’?”

Well.

Setting aside the banter with Grandpa Park.

The other survivors seemed a bit tense compared to him.

However.

“Mommy…”

“It’s okay. Mommy’s here with you. Listen to the uncles, okay?”

“Sis… Will it be, okay?”

“You saw how strong those soldiers were at the market, right? You don’t have to worry. Besides…”

With a child and parents.

Even siblings who joined the unit not long ago.

Among them, there was no one who rejected awakening.

They all seemed to understand.

“If we want to be strong like those soldiers, we have to go through this process.”

In this wild world.

It has become necessary to be able to protect oneself.

The barracks were located on the outskirts of the outskirts.

The surroundings were practically like village.

And around that barracks.

“We found them.”

“Finally.”

Dozens of soldiers were patrolling around.

“How many?”

“Lucky us. There are three.”

“One of the monsters we encountered on the way down from the mountain. Sergeant Shin’s strategy should work.”

“Not bad.”

“Then.”

“Alright. Let’s go for them.”

Three monsters wandering near the fields.

The soldiers approached, surrounding them.

And then.

Crunch!?

Attack!

Kaaahhh!

We had the numerical advantage.

There were no variables in the hunt.

“Combat over!”

“Any monsters approaching due to the noise?”

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

“Good, then.”

I glanced towards the soldiers.

And there, among them, came out the one who was being protected.

“My turn.”

“It shouldn’t be too difficult.”

The man was older than me.

But now, he will become a junior member of the unit.

It felt a bit awkward, but I decided to speak.

Other soldiers also encouraged him.

“Don’t be nervous and relax.”

“If there’s a problem, we’ll rush in immediately. At that time all you have to do is calmly withdraw.”

“Yes.”

The soldiers handed him a rifle with a bayonet.

Holding the gun with a bayonet, he said, “You asked me not to be nervous, but actually…”

“Yes?”

He spoke while facing the monsters with his blade.

“I’m surprisingly calm to the point of being fascinated. Don’t worry.”

With a calm demeanor.

Phew.

Oh my god!

Watching this hunting process, Leader Lee Sang-ah seemed incredulous.

“To think awakening could happen like this, I never imagined.”

“Huh? Is this such an amazing method?”

“When I led the survivor group, I didn’t even know the awakening method… Even now, after knowing it, it still seems difficult till…”

Engaging in combat with monsters itself is a life-threatening task.

And to subdue those monsters alive.

It’s an act that comes with tremendous risk.

That’s why survivors usually hide and evade the monsters.

The scarcity of awakened among the survivors could be due to this survival method.

“Hunting monsters like this, swarming around them, isn’t amazing; it’s just absurd.”

But we were the complete opposite.

We actively seek out monsters.

“Because we have over a hundred awakened.”

Unlike survivors who consider having two awakened in a group to be plenty.

We have over a hundred awakened members making such actions possible.

It might seem brute force.

“But effectiveness matters more than being brute.”

The awakening proceeded smoothly.

“You’re an Ice Mage, right?”

“Are you a mage too, unni? Yes, I’m a Fire Mage.”

The sisters, Hyunji and Hyeji who used the same room as Grandfather Park.

The two of them awakened as mage twins.

Seeing this the mage awakened soldiers muttered.

“So, does this mean the mage team is getting new recruits too? Finally, I’ll no longer be the youngest!”

“That’ll be the case for now. But you know, from now on, it going to be all about skill, not rank.”

“…We need to be careful and not to get caught.”

And the person who just spoke was Grandpa Park.

“A blacksmith, huh.”

“A blacksmith?”

“To become a novice blacksmith at this age. Haha.”

I wondered what he was doing when he sharpened my knife.

But to become a blacksmith at his age? Unexpected.

He must have been doing that kind of work originally.

“An increase in production type awakened is a good thing.”

Unlike combat roles, production roles are more effective in larger groups.

They should be able to make some major contributions to the guild.

As the awakening proceeded smoothly.

“Oh? Sergeant Shin.”

“What’s up?”

“Come here for a moment.”

A soldier who was scouting the surroundings seemed to have found something.

He called me from behind.

As I walked a few steps toward him.

From a distance, a sound began to echo.

Boom…

Clang…

Sounds resembling clashes of weapons.

And then.

– Aaaah!

– Sir!

Voices of people.

Though it was an unfamiliar situation.

Understanding this situation itself wasn’t overly difficult.

“Survivors, perhaps.”

As we got closer, their figures became visible.

A group of survivors locked in combat with monsters.

Unlike the sibling pair, Suhyeok and Suyeon, who had separated from the group and seemed somewhat substantial in size, relative to the group.

“Oh. They shouldn’t be engaging the monster like that.”

“They seem unaware of its weaknesses.”

“Hmm.”

They were helplessly struggling against the monster.

Even if it’s a monster we can deal with, it would be a huge threat to the survivors, who at most have one or two awakened people.

“What should we do?”

The soldiers asked me.

“Don’t we have to rescue them?”

“They’re fighting so loudly. If we intervene, other monsters might come running when they hear the noise…”

The soldiers seemed divided in their opinions.

Between rescuing immediately or letting them fight on their own.

In the past, the former opinion might have prevailed mostly.

But now, prioritizing the survival of the group was the norm.

The latter opinion slightly edged out.

However.

“After all, to awaken, they need to hunt monsters.”

The awakening process was nearing completion.

There were only a few survivors left who hadn’t awakened yet.

We wanted to finish this task as quickly as possible.

And the monster attacking the survivors over there seemed to have a small number.

A prime target.

There was no need to let it slip away.

“Everyone, arm yourselves.”

“Affirmative sir!”

“Affirmative, sir!”

As I gave the command, even those who suggested letting them fight on their own retrieved their weapons without hesitation.

– Damn it, everyone run! We’ll meet again at point 3!

– Run away? How do we escape from a place like this…!

– I’ll buy some time somehow…

– Wait, hold on!

“Squad 2 and 3, take care of the one on the right! Remember, don’t cut off their airway!”

“Yes!”

“The rest of you, follow me to deal with the one on the left!”

Some soldiers headed in the opposite direction.

I focused on the nearby monster.

A colossal creature resembling an elephant.

Its teeth were sharp, and its muscular body was agile for its size.

But.

[Activated Chef’s Eye]

[You have already learned the handling method of the given target]

It had already been hunted before.

I lunged toward it and stabbed my knife towards its weakness.

Swoosh!

Its weakness was its trunk.

With its vital organs concentrated there.

A single strike could be a fatal blow, rendering it unable to fight.

Sizzle…

Even though I wasn’t particularly skilled in combat, it didn’t meant I could handle formidable opponents.

Boom.

“Sergeant Shin!!”

“That was a nice shot.”

“Are you guys just letting the chef fight and watch from far?”

“Well, after seeing that, no one would think you’re just a chef.”

It was a monster with a clear weakness.

It would be quite a formidable foe if you didn’t know its weakness, but once you did, it became rather straightforward.

Knowing this, the other unit members seemed relaxed, but…

“What, what’s this?”

“Did that giant monster go down in one hit…?”

To those who didn’t know its weakness…

It seemed like quite an impressive feat.

I felt the gaze of the survivors engaged in combat with the monster, filled with astonishment, directed towards us.

Hmm.

Though it’s for awakening.

“Is everyone okay? Don’t worry. We’ve definitely subdued this guy.”

Still, helping the survivors was a fact.

I thought I might receive a word of thanks at least.

However.

“…Hm?”

“It’s… military attire.”

…Something was off.

“Geez.”

“Thought I’d dodged the fox, only to meet the tiger.”

“Shh! Everyone quiet down. No need to provoke unnecessarily.”

A completely different reaction from what I had anticipated.

Rather than gratitude, it seemed more like…

‘Are they afraid of us?’

I couldn’t help but feel a grimace forming on my face.

Even though there was an intention to quickly complete our awakening on this side…

Still, we had helped.

Yet, this reaction…

‘Isn’t it a bit disrespectful?’

At that moment.

“Oh, sir.”

“Step aside. I’ll handle this. Let me talk to him.”

Amidst the group of survivors, a middle-aged man stepped forward.

Based on the conversation, he might be the leader of this group.

Just as I was about to speak to him…

He nervously spoke up first, with a tensed expression.

“Wh-What business do deserters have with us!”

A statement filled with suspicion.

But.

There was one word that caught my attention.

“We have nothing to offer deserters. So just leave!”

Deserters?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Translator: One Force

TL Note:

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