Chapter 15: The Human Backpack

“Yes! That’s right! He told me to decide by tomorrow morning!”

There was some commotion—it turned out the 3rd Company Commander had suggested I join the training scheduled for a week from now.

‘In just a week… that’s the Dungeon Escape and Rescue Training.’

Dungeon Escape and Rescue Training.

It’s one of the types of training you start receiving from the rank of Corporal.

Except for shield-bearers with superior physical abilities, most people receive it starting from Corporal.

The reason the training targets start from Corporal is mostly due to cost and the difficulty level of the training.

‘The training is pretty intense. I used to gag a lot before my regression, too.’

I’d barely been a Private First Class for any time at all, so getting this offer meant those above had expectations for me.

Probably the result of placing first in the promotion exam.

‘Or maybe they just want to test me.’

Let’s see just how far this guy can go—that kind of thing.

Since it was a good opportunity, there was no reason to refuse.

As tough as the training was, if you did well, you could score plenty of points.

“Of course I’ll do it. I’ll let them know myself, so go back and get some rest.”

“Yes! Thank you! Loyalty!”

Watching the Private sniffle and return to the barracks, I felt a twinge of guilt.

He’d probably been running around everywhere trying to find me… but at the time, I’d just happened to be at the archery training facility.

No wonder the Private couldn’t find me.

‘I planned to rest today, but looks like that’s out of the question.’

If I want to participate in the Dungeon Rescue and Escape Training, I need to boost my specs, even if just a little.

I headed straight to the personal training room and started warming up.

“Anything interesting today?”

Before I began the serious training, I took out my smartphone and skimmed the news.

Mostly looking up Hunter-related news.

Ever since regressing, I’d gotten into the habit of searching through news whenever I had time.

It was because the sudden regression left me with vague memories.

I remembered the big events, but it wasn’t possible to recall every little detail.

Hunter news served to revive those blurry memories.

[Baekho Guild acquires the Knight’s Executioner Sword from an A-rank dungeon.]

[Knight’s Executioner Sword is ranked Unique, according to tests. Worth whatever someone will pay.]

“Ah. If only I’d gotten my hands on that.”

Every time I saw news about big guilds picking up high-grade items or one-time-use artifacts, my stomach twisted with envy.

Because the things I just saw were all information Kim Hyunjun already knew.

I even roughly remembered which region’s dungeon it appeared in and when it was found.

Even so, the reason I had to just watch, sucking my fingers, was… I was just a Private First Class, barely promoted.

“How could a Private First Class have the power to enter an A-rank dungeon?”

To monopolize loot in an A-rank dungeon, you’d have to be at least Mugunghwa level.

And it’s not just about rank.

If I went into an A-rank dungeon with my current abilities, I’d be dead within minutes.

Even if I tried to grab a spoonful, Second Lieutenant was probably the bare minimum.

In the end, to reap any benefits from regression, I’d have to reach at least Diamond.

“At the rate I’m going, by the time I reach Diamond, even the knowledge I have from regression will be useless.”

Ah.

I want to get a taste of that regression honey, too.

As I grumbled in regret, something flashed through my mind.

“…Wait. What month is it now?”

Just then, a memory surfaced.

After the dungeon escape training, while the training grounds were being checked, a soldier from the dungeon investigation team got his hands on an item.

The timing was about the same as now.

“I’m sure of it. That guy went on leave and sold it off secretly.”

The item he dumped for peanuts at a Hunter auction turned out to be—never mind ten times, it was worth twenty times as much.

I remembered it being not only rare but also having an effect on stats or traits.

Whether it was stats, traits, or skills, I wasn’t sure.

But I was sure it was a good item.

“This time, I’ll get it.”

Kim Hyunjun burned with resolve.

His body screamed for rest, but he had no intention of stopping personal training.

If I wanted to monopolize both the upcoming training and that item swallowed up by the dungeon investigation team, I had to do it.

---

A week later, the day of training.

The soldiers of the 2nd and 3rd platoons assembled in front of the dungeon for the Dungeon Escape and Rescue Training.

Except for a few shield-bearer privates, most were Corporals and Sergeants.

“Ugh. I don’t want to do this.”

“Damn Hunter Corps—when one training ends, there’s always another.”

“I even applied for leave, but it got rejected. Told me to finish training before I go. Shit. I’ve only got three months till discharge.”

The soldiers moaned in anticipation of the training.

This was because the training would be conducted inside a real dungeon.

Not only that, but just entering the dungeon slowly saps your stamina, so it was naturally harder than other trainings.

‘The higher the dungeon’s rank, the faster the Hunters’ stamina gets drained.’

Kim Hyunjun studied the dungeon entrance.

Unlike other dungeons, this one’s entrance was wide open.

It matched the training dungeon I’d visited several times as a Corporal before my regression.

Usually, dungeons disappear once cleared.

But rarely, some dungeons leave behind an empty space and don’t vanish.

No monsters would appear, so it wasn’t dangerous, but the dungeon’s unique properties remained.

Hunters called these empty dungeons “tin can dungeons.”

‘Only the military could come up with the idea of repurposing a dungeon for training.’

Even the big guilds started following the Hunter Corps’ example after seeing it.

‘Still… I really need to find that item inside.’

Could I find it in such a vast dungeon?

Where should I even start searching?

As I agonized, a snappish voice came from beside me.

“Hey. What’s your deal?”

It was Corporal Kang Cheolsu.

He seemed suspicious, since I was receiving a training that only mercenaries who’d raided dungeons or Corporals could get.

He was probably wondering if I had connections somewhere.

‘The fact that you’re only asking now says a lot about your head.’

Other seniors had asked me that when I went to take the promotion exam.

“Private First Class Kim Hyunjun. I have nothing.”

“Really? And yet you’re here? You’re not a shield-bearer, just a spearman?”

“My training scores have been good lately. The officers seem to think well of me.”

“Bullshit.”

Corporal Kang Cheolsu looked at me like, “You? Seriously?”

I was about to reply with my usual confidence when an answer came from behind.

“Cheolsu. I recommended Hyunjun. Got a problem with that?”

It was Captain Do Minkyu, commander of 3rd Company, 3rd Battalion.

He must have overheard us as he walked past the soldiers.

“Corporal Kang Cheolsu! No, sir!”

“Really? Your face is full of complaints, though.”

His face in black sunglasses leaned close to Corporal Kang Cheolsu.

“Cheolsu. After you got caught slacking in the last training, your voice sure got loud, huh?”

“…Sorry, sir!”

“This time, I’ll be watching closely to see how well you do.”

“Yes, sir!”

Corporal Kang Cheolsu hung his head in defeat.

Apparently, he’d gotten caught slacking off in a previous training and got marked by the captain.

‘So you were goofing off and got caught, and you have the nerve to talk to me?’

That was something I hadn’t known even before regressing.

I’d seen his face around the barracks, but we didn’t always train together.

‘Before regression, this guy always looked down whenever he saw the captain. So that was why.’

Of all people, why’d he have to get marked by Captain Do Minkyu?

Normally he seemed easygoing, but when it came to training, he did a complete 180.

Training was always by the book.

If you got on his bad side about anything training-related, your military life got a lot harder.

‘But if you did well in training, he’d treat you pretty well in return.’

Not that I cared about being in the captain’s good graces.

“Attention!”

“Attention!”

After a moment.

Captain Do Minkyu stood before the soldiers, drawing their attention.

“Today’s training is Dungeon Rescue and Escape.”

Then came the captain’s explanation.

This training wasn’t about clearing the dungeon, but rescuing civilians.

‘Civilians, unlike Hunters, don’t realize quickly when something changes in a dungeon.’

Even before my regression, I’d sometimes see news about civilians dying in dungeons.

Some went in out of curiosity.

Some wandered in drunk.

Some entered because they heard there was some item inside.

Most went in of their own accord.

But whenever an accident happened, the Hunter Corps got chewed out from all sides.

Why didn’t you protect the people, they’d say.

‘That’s just the fate of a soldier protecting the country.’

When those things happened, the Hunter Corps’ goal was to secure and rescue any civilians isolated in the dungeon.

Today’s training was to prepare for that scenario.

“From now, you’ll have 30 minutes. Pair up in teams of two.”

One would play the role of a civilian trapped in the dungeon, the other a soldier rescuing the civilian and escaping.

This training required the two to alternate roles in pairs.

“Want to team up with me?”

“If you team up with me, you’ll get good scores!”

And thus began the partner selection.

The soldiers, especially the men, chased after the female soldiers.

It was because the rescuer had to carry their partner piggyback while running.

Female soldiers were generally lighter, and naturally, the men didn’t want to carry another man.

Of course, the female soldiers felt the same.

Carrying a man was harder, but it was natural for them to be drawn to the opposite sex.

“Hyunjun, want to team up with me?”

“Let’s team up. She’s a magic soldier, she’s dead weight.”

“Dead weight? That’s not fair. I’m good at running!”

Usually, the men chased after the women, but sometimes the reverse happened.

Kim Hyunjun was one such case.

Female soldiers from 2nd and 3rd platoon were trying to pair up with Kim Hyunjun.

Even though it was just three or four, for Kim Hyunjun, it felt pretty new.

‘Back when I was a Corporal or Sergeant, nobody wanted to pair up with me.’

An average spearman usually wasn’t treated very well.

Not as physically gifted as shield-bearers, and in rescue situations, a long weapon like a spear only got in the way.

Since training scores were affected by who your partner was, it was natural to try to team up with the best soldier.

“Thank you for the offer. Next time, I’ll approach you first.”

Kim Hyunjun politely declined the female soldiers’ proposals.

Was it because he didn’t like the women?

No.

‘Kang Cheolsu. Let’s have some fun today.’

This training was also a chance to get back at Corporal Kang Cheolsu.

“I’d like to pair up with Corporal Kang Cheolsu. We’re in the same squad, after all.”

Corporal Kang Cheolsu was dumbfounded by the unexpected response.

“Hey. You out of your mind? You want to team up with me?”

“I’m confident I’ll do well. And since we’re squadmates, I think we’ll work well together.”

“Bullshit. Get lost.”

“Aren’t you worried about getting on the captain’s bad side?”

At the mention of the captain, Corporal Kang Cheolsu faltered.

Since the captain had just said he’d be watching, it would be hard not to care.

“Haa… damn it. If you get in my way, you’re dead.”

“Leave it to me.”

In the end, Corporal Kang Cheolsu scratched the back of his head and teamed up with Kim Hyunjun, as if he had no choice.

‘Haha. Got you, you bastard.’

Of course, Kim Hyunjun only planned to look out for his own score.

All while dragging down his partner, Corporal Kang Cheolsu.