Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Even I did not know exactly how Jeong Hobin died.

Back then, I had been half out of my mind because of Father’s death, and I had no time to care about what was happening in the world while looking after Mother and Eunha.

All I knew was that a large-scale Transference phenomenon had occurred around Jebudo, where the Special Force Training Center was located, and that Jeong Hobin had been caught up in it and died.

Of course, I did know a few fragments of information, but.......

‘Talk about bad timing. Of all people, I have to be in the same cohort as Jeong Hobin.’

Ra Sihyeon alone was already surprising, but being in the same cohort as someone who was scheduled to die soon made my head throb already.

‘Should I withdraw from training or something.......’

As far as I knew, the large-scale Transference phenomenon that occurred on Jebudo was by no means easy to deal with.

If one wrong move could get even me caught up in it and killed, then it was undeniable that training with this cohort was dangerous.

‘I need to think about this. About what I should do.’

As I thought that, Ra Sihyeon opened her mouth again.

“Mr. Soldier.”

“Yes, Miss Sihyeon. Please speak.”

“You know I am a Mage, right?”

“Yes, I am very well aware.”

“Is it not only natural for a Mage to receive special treatment?”

“We did give you special treatment. In the case of other entrants, we instruct them to take a bus from the assembly point or come by their own means of transportation. But we sent a helicopter for you, Miss Sihyeon, so it is not as if we did not treat you well.”

“Then why did I have to ride the same helicopter as an ordinary Role Category? He said he is not even a Mage.”

Ra Sihyeon pointed at me and challenged Captain Im.

“It seems there has been a misunderstanding. Haha.”

“What misunderstanding? How can there be a misunderstanding when you treated me, a Mage, the same as someone with an insignificant Role Category?”

“Mm.”

Captain Im thought for a moment before opening his mouth.

“I am truly sorry to say this, but the helicopter was not actually prepared for you, Miss Sihyeon.”

“What does that mean?”

“In terms of priority...... Prospective Hunter Cha Eunseong here came first, and you were second, Miss Sihyeon.”

“What?!”

“To be precise, we had Miss Sihyeon ride along in the helicopter that was sent for Prospective Hunter Cha Eunseong. It was not a helicopter prepared for you from the beginning.”

“S-so.”

Ra Sihyeon’s voice trembled.

“You are saying that person is more important than me? More than a Mage?”

“That is correct.”

“Th-that makes no sense!”

Ra Sihyeon strongly denied it.

“You are saying there is a Role Category more important than a Mage? What is it? What Role Category does that person have for him to be more important than me?”

“That is something we cannot tell you for security reasons.”

Captain Im drew a line there.

“However, what I can say clearly is that while you are also an important person, Miss Sihyeon, our Defense Strategy Department gives Prospective Hunter Cha Eunseong here top priority.”

As Captain Im said that, he winked at me.

“.......”

Ra Sihyeon glared at me as if she simply could not believe it.

I cleanly ignored her and moved together with Captain Im.

“Did you have a good weekend?”

“I went out with my family and had a nice meal.”

“Did people recognize you? Were there any troublesome incidents?”

“There were some, but they were mostly just whispering among themselves. Nothing particularly uncomfortable happened.”

“Haha. Then that is a relief.”

GRIND!

I could feel Ra Sihyeon’s sharp gaze from behind me and hear the sound of her grinding her teeth, but what did that matter?

Who did she think she was, just a Mage?

***

“This is the space where you two will be staying from now on.”

The place Captain Im brought Ra Sihyeon and me to was a kind of living quarters.

Inside, there were field cots and lockers placed within six large Cages, and a large table and chairs stood in the center.

It was a place trainees and Instructors called the [Cage], but this was not where we ate or slept.

The Cage was more like a shared living room for the Prospective Hunters belonging to the same team.

“You two have been assigned to Bravo Team. You will be trained together with the other four Prospective Hunters for the next five weeks.”

Bravo was not bad.

At the Special Force Training Center, teams were made up of six people.

In alphabetical order, they were Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, and Foxtrot.

Traditionally, in every cohort, Bravo Team was where the most promising prospects were gathered, so it was only natural that Ra Sihyeon and I were assigned to Bravo Team.

In the past, I had been assigned to K, or Kilo Team.

“I will step out for a moment. Before the other Prospective Hunters arrive, please exchange greetings and have a brief conversation.”

As soon as Captain Im left, I went to the Cage by the window on the far right and lay down on the field cot.

“Hah!”

Ra Sihyeon reacted as if she was dumbfounded, but I cleanly ignored even that.

What was the point of indulging a child just because she was irritated?

‘A 10-Star Hunter receiving training. Heh.’

A laugh escaped me on its own.

At first glance, the Special Force Training Center might sound like a military boot camp, but in reality, it was the opposite.

The Special Force Training Center was a place that rapidly taught the essential knowledge and techniques a Hunter needed to possess within the short span of five weeks.

As such, there were no empty formalities, pointless military discipline, or corrective punishments.

Only education, followed by more education.

The living conditions were also fairly excellent.

Sleeping quarters were assigned two to a room with people of the same gender. Three buffet-style meals made by skilled chefs were provided every day, and weekend outings and overnight leave were allowed.

In summary, the curriculum and living conditions of the Special Force Training Center were extremely systematic and well-designed. In my opinion, it was an essential training course that Prospective Hunters absolutely had to complete.

But that only applied to fledglings who knew nothing. For a seasoned Hunter like me, it was no different from a waste of time.

Perhaps because of that, my body strangely kept relaxing without end.

It even felt as if I had become a melted marshmallow.......

‘Huh? Why am I sleepy?’

My eyelids suddenly grew as heavy as stones, and my eyes closed on their own.

‘Is this what they call Reservist Syndrome?’

I felt as if I understood why reservists in the Republic of Korea became so lethargic whenever they went to reservist training.

Though I myself had no military career because I became a Hunter.

‘At this rate, I really might fall asleep.......’

As I lay there half-asleep, the door opened, and the other four Prospective Hunters entered the living quarters.

“Everyone, attention.”

A middle-aged Instructor wearing a red cap opened his mouth.

“Good to meet you. I am Kim Sangeung, and I will be your dedicated Instructor.”

The moment I heard that name, I shot upright.

Instructor Kim Sangeung.

A Hunter from the Naval Special Forces, and Father’s junior by several cohorts.

I remembered him clearly because I had seen him a few times when I was young.

“The Prospective Hunters here have been assigned to Bravo Team. Since Bravo Team consists of promising prospects with the greatest potential in every cohort, I hope you will strive to serve as an example for the trainees in the other teams. Also, for educational purposes, this Instructor may sometimes have to speak to you informally. So please do not hate this Instructor too much, and I ask for your cooperation.”

As Instructor Kim Sangeung swept his gaze over us, his eyes met mine.

‘Haha.......’

Thinking that I would be trained by Father’s junior felt somewhat burdensome.

“Then I will now give you your first mission. I will give you exactly thirty minutes, so choose a team leader within that time.”

“What method should we use?”

The largest of the four Prospective Hunters who had entered with the Instructor asked.

“Anything is fine. Discussion, a fistfight, drawing lots, whatever it may be. As long as you choose a team leader within thirty minutes.”

“Is there anything good about becoming team leader?”

There was.

Several benefits, in fact.

However, those benefits were given because the team leader had many things to take responsibility for.

In the end, it was a six-of-one, half-dozen-of-the-other situation. In truth, team leader was a position where the weight of leadership mattered more.

After all, one’s judgment and command could determine whether team members lived or died.

“Benefits, you say.”

The Instructor repeated those words and spoke.

“You will enjoy more things than your teammates. On weekends, you will be allowed unconditional overnight leave, and you will not have to handle various miscellaneous chores.”

“That sounds good.”

“However, you would do well not to forget that team leader is a position with immense responsibility. Then I will return in thirty minutes, so choose a team leader by then. That is all.”

Once Instructor Kim Sangeung left, silence fell.

Everyone had just met for the first time, and now we were being told out of nowhere to choose a team leader, so we had no choice but to gauge one another.

Since I had not the slightest intention of becoming team leader, I stepped back mentally and examined the faces of our fledglings.

It was annoying, but I would be living with them for the next five weeks, so I was somewhat curious what kind of people they were.

***

First, the guy who had asked Instructor Kim Sangeung a question had a large build and fierce eyes, giving off the impression that he had used his fists quite a bit.

At a glance, he was probably a Guardian or Warrior Role Category.

Another guy was slender, but his impression was sharp and fierce, so there was a high possibility he belonged to the Assassin line.

Next was Jeong Hobin, of all people.

‘Was he a Ranged Damage Dealer?’

For the lead vocalist of a popular idol group to Awaken into a rare Role Category that received somewhat noble treatment, it made me think that people destined to succeed really did succeed.

Finally, the pretty-looking but slightly timid woman was probably a Supporter Role Category.

If a Supporter had been assigned to Bravo Team, there was a high chance she had Awakened an ability specialized in protecting or healing allies.

And with Ra Sihyeon the Mage included, Bravo Team was well-balanced across the Role Categories, as expected.

Of course, that was excluding me, whose Role Category was unidentified.

Even I was still in the process of learning about my own Role Category.

“I am Oh Taegwon. Warrior Role Category.”

The guy who had asked Instructor Kim Sangeung the question opened his mouth first.

Since he seemed likely to step forward and say he wanted to become team leader, I lay back down on the field cot.

From my perspective, as long as Ra Sihyeon was not the team leader, I did not care who became it.

An adult could not get involved in a fight between chicks.

Yes, absolutely.

“Hey, you over there. The bastard lying down.”

“......?”

“Cha Eunseong, right? Come out. Let us have a match.”

“Are you talking to me?”

“Who else here is Cha Eunseong besides you? The TechnoMart guy, right?”

“What if I am?”

“Come out and fight me, you bastard.”

Oh Taegwon’s eyes bulged as he provoked me.