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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Leopard and Water Buffalo - 1
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A Gate is a phenomenon where a dimensional rift occurs, allowing monsters to invade through the gap.
It has been about eleven years since this unknown phenomenon was first observed, yet there is still no way to predict its 'cause' or 'timing.'
Therefore, the 'best' that could be done for Gate defense operations was to monitor all major locations in real-time and respond the moment a Gate was detected.
"It's truly a good thing that our sentries responded well. However."
As the battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Kim Kang-seok, trailed off, a chill filled the Command and Control Center.
He was a capable soldier who had reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel at the young age of thirty-five. But he had an even greater claim to fame…
He was ranked 166th among Korea's Players.
That was why his every word carried such weight.
"...We need to be certain. You all know very well that reporting to the Brigade Commander that an F-rank soldier single-handedly stopped a Gate's initial 'outbreak' is hardly plausible. This isn't a matter of formality. It's a matter of common sense. What I mean is, the report needs to be believable."
He did not believe for a second that an F-rank soldier had accomplished such a feat.
"Everyone, I'll ask again. What exactly happened at our base this morning?"
Not a single officer from the Initial Response Team in the Command and Control Center dared to answer rashly.
There was no evidence of any kind.
CCTV cameras were installed throughout the base, but the massive amount of mana released when the Gate opened had temporarily disabled all nearby electronic equipment.
All that remained were fragmented testimonies.
The sentries from Guard Post 6, who had witnessed the situation up close, had not yet recovered. The assistant guard at Post 5 was a private, which somehow made his account seem less reliable.
It was then that someone spoke.
"Battalion Commander, the soldier you summoned has arrived."
Kim Kang-seok gestured for him to be let in, and Lee Hyun-wook entered the Command and Control Center.
"Salute!"
But Kim Kang-seok did not return the salute.
The 1st Company Commander, Captain Gwak Yong-jun, stood up.
"Battalion Commander, this soldier is Corporal Lee Hyun-wook, who was on duty at Guard Post 5 at the time of the incident."
Kim Kang-seok nodded, looking Lee Hyun-wook up and down.
Lee Hyun-wook, in turn, looked back at him.
His eyes, though filled with fatigue from being woken so abruptly in the dead of night, seemed all the sharper for it… It was a gaze that could intimidate not only ordinary soldiers but even most officers.
'Kim Kang-seok, the B-rank Druid Player known as the Mountain Lord of Namsan…'
Kim Kang-seok. As far as Lee Hyun-wook knew, it was a name he would hear quite often in the future. He was currently B-rank but would soon be promoted to A-rank. In just a few years, he would become a one-star Brigade Commander, and a few years after that, a three-star A.M.T. Assault Operations Commander. He was a big shot.
After a long, thoughtful pause, he finally spoke.
"...I heard a lone soldier took down an Elite Boss, so I thought it was Sergeant Choi Young-jun."
His voice was indifferent, his words dismissive of Lee Hyun-wook.
"Hmph, but you… Soldier, is it true that you repelled the initial outbreak?"
"Yes, sir. I spotted the Gate while on duty and responded immediately."
Lee Hyun-wook answered without hesitation. But Kim Kang-seok's expression remained as hard as stone.
He rose from his seat in silence.
As his towering 193cm frame, built like a fortress, stood up, a thick shadow fell over the operations table.
His imposing presence did justice to his title, the Mountain Lord of Namsan.
"Well now, under normal circumstances, soldier, you… would have been torn to shreds on the spot."
He continued with rather harsh words, as if trying to pressure the truth out of Hyun-wook.
"My judgment is that there's no way an F-rank could have defeated an 'Elite Boss Monster' alone. It seems a lot has been omitted. For instance, perhaps the lightning magic that ricocheted from Guard Post 6 luckily struck the 'Goblin Shaman,' leaving it near death… Yes, wouldn't that make more sense?"
At Kim Kang-seok's cynical remark, Lee Hyun-wook boldly shook his head. And then…
"Sir, I don't understand what you're saying. And… I feel deceived."
The sudden bombshell silenced the Command and Control Center.
"...Deceived? Did you just say deceived?"
Kim Kang-seok's eyebrow twitched.
"Yes, sir."
"...Why is that?"
Lee Hyun-wook looked Kim Kang-seok straight in the eye and replied.
"There is something you have emphasized every single time you've held collective training for the battalion members. You've never once failed to mention it. Do you remember what it was, sir?"
Kim Kang-seok didn't answer, and Lee Hyun-wook continued.
"You stressed that even the lowest-rank Player could take on a Troll if they followed the correct tactics—even if they were D-rank, or even E-rank."
It was something he'd heard a long time ago, but he'd heard it so many times it was seared into his memory.
"According to your teachings, sir, it doesn't seem so strange that an F-rank like myself could subdue a goblin, if not a Troll. I fought according to the A.M.T.'s
*I feel deceived.*
He let his sentence trail off without repeating the words.
But they had already had a considerable impact on Kim Kang-seok's thinking.
"..."
Kim Kang-seok stared at Lee Hyun-wook in silence. Hyun-wook did not avert his gaze. While his expression was unchanged, the flicker of anger that had appeared when he heard the word 'deceived' was now gone.
'That was the emotional pressure. Now for the logical persuasion.'
Lee Hyun-wook took a breath and continued.
"Of course, I was lucky. The moment the lightning magic erupted from Guard Post 6, I spotted the Goblin Shaman near the Gate. That's when I realized it wasn't an ordinary Goblin Gate, but an Elite one, and I judged it would be better to move in a different direction rather than rushing to provide support."
Kim Kang-seok's expression had subtly changed.
Although Hyun-wook said he was lucky, Kim Kang-seok wouldn't see it as mere luck. Instead, he would rate it highly as a careful assessment of the battle situation.
As a soldier and a Player who had fought countless battles, he knew just how important such a small judgment could be.
"...Continue."
Just as expected, he was showing interest. Lee Hyun-wook nodded and went on.
He explained that, given the Goblin Shaman's ability to command numerous goblin minions, he decided it was better to use the endangered Guard Post 6 as bait and strike the boss monster directly rather than trying to support them… He then detailed how he was able to take down the Elite Boss Monster one-on-one.
"...Although my F-rank ability only allows me to control small pieces of metal, I moved the Goblin Shaman's necklace to choke it. When it showed an opening, I moved its own dagger to stab it in the neck. In this way, I believe I inflicted damage using the best methods available to me."
It was a flawless report, explaining how an F-rank could have been effective in that situation.
"As you said, sir, I am F-rank, and my only weapon is an enchanted M9 bayonet. Therefore, all I can do is prepare for the worst and fight with my best."
*Prepare for the worst and fight with your best.* Even that last line was something Kim Kang-seok often said.
It was both an assertion and a form of flattery.
Kim Kang-seok slowly nodded.
"...Understood. You're dismissed."
He turned away, and Lee Hyun-wook saluted before exiting the Command and Control Center.
Silence fell once more.
The duty commander, who had been sitting at his post, swallowed nervously.
The battalion commander was already on edge due to the unfortunate incident on base, so seeing a mere enlisted soldier state his case so articulately didn't seem like a good sign.
Kim Kang-seok clasped his hands and fell into thought, and no one dared to speak.
About a minute later, he finally broke the silence.
"...If you were F-rank, do you think you could have fought the way that soldier just described?"
No one answered. Neither agreement nor disagreement felt appropriate at that moment.
Amidst the silence of his staff, Kim Kang-seok stared into the distance.
For a brief moment, he was lost in old memories.
When the first Gate opened, when he was a second lieutenant, when he faced monsters for the first time…
He recalled the old days, when countless real soldiers had died like flies.
"Now I understand. That soldier, Corporal Lee Hyun-wook, didn't fight as an F-rank Player. He fought as a prepared soldier, and that's how he won. Shamefully, I misjudged him, forgetting that he was a soldier."
He had decided to believe Lee Hyun-wook's testimony.
"First Company Commander."
"Yes, Battalion Commander!"
A faint smile touched Kim Kang-seok's lips—an expression rarely seen.
"I'm going to grant that soldier a special commendation under my authority as battalion commander. Oh, and… tell him to pick any weapon he needs from the battalion armory, with no restrictions. Does it make any sense for a soldier like that to have only a bayonet as his personal weapon?"
***
Lee Hyun-wook had left the Command and Control Center without hearing the outcome, but he was confident his plan had worked.
'My answers would have been perfectly tailored to his tastes.'
Lieutenant Colonel Kim Kang-seok was what one would call a true soldier.
Around the time he graduated from the military academy and was commissioned as a second lieutenant, the Gates began to open. A few days later, he found himself in a battle against a horde of orcs… and lost his entire platoon.
Immediately after, he awakened as a Player and became one of the founding members of the A.M.T.
He was a man who lived with a sense of duty to protect his land from the unknown invasion.
'He couldn't possibly dislike someone who perfectly carries out the very principles he emphasizes.'
Every single word Lee Hyun-wook had spoken was a keyword meticulously designed to win over Kim Kang-seok.
A short while later, the company commander, Captain Gwak Yong-jun, came to find him.
"Lee Hyun-wook, good work. You were a bit too blunt, but… fortunately, the battalion commander seems to have taken a liking to you. You'll be issued 'Reward Points' by tomorrow, and you'll probably receive a certificate of commendation too."
Reward Points, part of the A.M.T.'s reward system, could be used for leave or overnight passes, as well as exchanged for items at the military item shop. Any item exchanged for became the soldier's personal property.
"And if you go to the supply section tomorrow, they'll transfer ownership of an item from the battalion armory to you. It's an order from the battalion commander, so you can pick anything without restrictions. Make sure you choose carefully."
Hyun-wook cheered internally. He had gotten the exact reward he wanted.
Kim Kang-seok, who valued combat power above all else, often gave out items as rewards. Hyun-wook's intentional mention that his only weapon as an F-rank was an enchanted M9 bayonet must have played a significant role.
"This is the first time in my military career I've seen an F-rank get a commendation. I've misjudged you, Lee Hyun-wook."
"I was lucky, sir. Thank you."
"Sure, luck was probably part of it, but you did well."
Gwak Yong-jun smiled good-naturedly and patted Hyun-wook on the shoulder.
He still believed it was mostly luck.
And it was understandable. The Lee Hyun-wook he had commanded for the past several months did not possess the combat prowess to take on a Goblin Shaman alone.
"Alright, get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yes, sir."
It was already 8 a.m. Having been up since 3:30 a.m., he was getting tired, but he couldn't rest yet.
- Time until metal absorption complete: (05:12:49)
He needed to quickly absorb the expensive Adamant and then consume the 'Mana Stone' he had hidden away. To do that, he had to exercise to shorten the absorption time.
'Sleep is a luxury. I'll work out for a bit and then plan my leave.'
And with the reward points, he could now take a reward vacation.
***
The story of the Gate incident on base that morning, and the F-rank Player who had been the hero of the hour, spread rapidly throughout the unit. Most reacted with a mixture of doubt and amazement.
However…
In the company counseling room, Gwak Jin-cheol and Oh Sang-guk were sitting on the sofa.
"Sergeant Oh, does this make any sense? They say that bastard took down a Goblin Shaman all by himself."
Even though his duty adjutant shift was over, Gwak Jin-cheol couldn't sleep.
"I feel like I'm dreaming. I'm worried I'll wake up to find myself dozing off at my desk in the admin office and getting chewed out by Lieutenant Seo Eun-ha… I'd rather that be the case. This is just unbelievable."
He exhaled a cloud of smoke, his face gaunt.
"Hey, don't worry about it."
Sergeant Oh Sang-guk, on the other hand, was as relaxed as ever.
"I don't believe it either, but this is good for us. If that bastard gets all high and mighty from this, he'll be more likely to accept Won-seok's challenge without backing down, right? Hehehe…"
A Goblin Shaman might be a tricky monster to deal with, but Oh Sang-guk believed it was no match for a D-rank Barbarian Player who was practically C-rank.
"He'll probably end up with a few broken bones. It'll take a couple of healers draining their mana pools to fix him up. After a humiliation like that, all these rumors about Lee Hyun-wook doing something amazing will vanish."
Oh Sang-guk cackled as he spoke. Gwak Jin-cheol managed a smirk, but… he felt a sense of unease.
'But no matter how I think about it, something feels ominous. He seems completely different.'
He recalled the moment he had confronted Lee Hyun-wook yesterday. His expression then… was it like that of an old predator? In any case, it had felt unsettling.
Just then, someone knocked on the counseling room door.
"Private First Class Lee Won-seok! May I enter?"
"Yeah, come in!"
A group of large, buzz-cut soldiers barged in. It was the Barbarian, Private First Class Lee Won-seok, and his peers.
"Man… look at our June enlistees. You guys really look like an orc tribe."
"Seriously, if you put these guys in green clothes, they might get shot at with a machine gun."
The privates burst into boisterous laughter at their seniors' words.
These June enlistees were known as 'the Bruisers.' Regardless of their traits, they were all so large that when they moved together in a group, they had the intimidating presence of a gang of thugs.
And among them, the Barbarian, Lee Won-seok, stood a head taller than the rest.
'Well, a guy like him could probably tear a Goblin Shaman in two with his bare hands.'
How could a guy who only did pull-ups possibly beat a man with the grip strength to split logs?
"So, Won-seok, you remember what I told you?"
"Yes, I do. Corporal Lee Hyun-wook from the 5th Squad…"
"Right, right, let's not say it out loud. Gotta be careful, you know?"
"Ah! Right, I forget sometimes."
Normally, an apology would have been expected, but Lee Won-seok just chuckled. Sergeant Oh Sang-guk didn't call him out on it, though. It was special treatment.
"That guy's at the training facility right now. Want to go meet him for a bit?"
"Ah! Should I go hang out with him right now?"
"Yeah, we'll follow a little later. It would look weird if we all went together, right?"
It was an order to assault a senior, but Lee Won-seok showed no signs of nervousness.
"You don't have to worry. I'll handle it very smoothly. Haha!"
Lee Won-seok had worked as a club bouncer from age eighteen to twenty-four before awakening at twenty-five and enlisting in the A.M.T. to fulfill his 'mandatory Player service period.'
He was a Player with potential, who might soon be commissioned as a non-commissioned officer and had a good chance of joining a decent guild after his discharge.
"Working at the club, I had to drag unruly customers to the bathroom and beat them up quite a few times. If you don't hit them hard enough, they make a scene and it becomes a hassle. But if you rough them up properly without breaking anything, they get scared and keep quiet."
"Hahaha! This bastard's a total pro."
"Well then, I'll go take care of it!"
At his core, he was a thug, well-accustomed to this kind of rule-breaking harassment.
***
"Hoo…"
Lee Hyun-wook sat inside a Combat Box in the <2nd Indoor Training Facility>, catching his breath.
A Combat Box was, simply put, a square ring. However, its four sides were enclosed by a 'magic barrier' to allow Players to use their skills.
Hyun-wook had just finished a close-quarters combat training session against an AI training dummy.
His head was foggy from lack of sleep, but he felt refreshed.
And more importantly…
- Absorption complete.
- Controllable 'Metal' Weight: 2,558g
'Adamant is incredible. Even with the absorption delay, my total metal capacity has increased massively.'
The amount of metal he could control had jumped by over a kilogram in an instant. It was an increase incomparable to the scrap metal like padlocks he had been swallowing until now. Ingesting high-quality metal was clearly more effective.
'At this level, I should be able to control not just a dagger, but a decent longsword.'
And that wasn't all.
- Congratulations! You have met a special condition and will be granted a new 'Skill'.
Growth beyond levels—a characteristic where abilities could be improved through hidden methods rather than leveling up. This also applied to acquiring 'skills' like this one.
In Lee Hyun-wook's case, swallowing a 'magic metal' with a special effect would grant him a corresponding skill. Repeatedly consuming that metal would strengthen the skill.
'Adamant grants a particularly useful skill. Getting it this early is a stroke of luck.'
[Skill Information]
- Name: Body Hardening (剛體化)
- Rank: D
- Effect: Consumes (5) Mana to temporarily 'strengthen' a part of the body.
* Ingesting a certain amount of 'high-hardness magic metal' will improve the skill's rank.
It was still a low rank, but even at this level, it could defend against most bladed or blunt weapons.
"And…"
Lee Hyun-wook raised his left hand.
*Crr-ack-*
His fist began to harden, taking on a diamond-like quality.
'This alone triples my grip strength.'
Just then, the door to the training facility opened, and a group of large figures stormed in.
'What's this?'
Lee Hyun-wook felt something was off.
The hulking figures were staring openly at him as they approached.
As if to confirm his suspicion, they stopped right in front of the Combat Box where he was.
The largest man among them, Lee Won-seok, stepped forward.
"Corporal Lee Hyun-wook, are you using that box right now?"
Lee Hyun-wook silently nodded in response to Lee Won-seok's question.
"Hmm… Looks like you've been using it for a while by yourself. Mind if we use it now?"
The man smirked as he spoke, and his cronies snickered along.
It was blatant disrespect.
'Look at these guys…'
"Or, how about a match with me? I'd like to learn a thing or two from you."
Hyun-wook immediately understood the context of the situation.
'Oh Sang-guk and Gwak Jin-cheol. How childish. A stupid prank like this.'
Lee Hyun-wook released the Body Hardening on his left hand and gestured.
"Fine. Come on up."
This little prank of theirs was something they would never be able to pull again.