Chapter 37: Spearman’s Willpower

[Gold in Possession: 1,900 Gold]

“This stuff is practically a fatigue recovery tonic.”

Kim Hyun-joon’s lips curled up as he looked at the gold he had painstakingly gathered. A subtle sense of satisfaction washed over him whenever he collected this gold.

“Is there any more gold to be had from hidden missions or other tasks?”

He had planned to save more before going on a shopping spree, but unfortunately, what he had now was everything.

Still, it was fine. This amount should be enough to purchase the items he had in mind.

‘There are plenty of items like elixirs and equipment… but now isn’t the time to buy those.’

His current rank of Corporal was a bit of a hurdle, and moreover:

[Gae Bolg: 9,000,000 Gold]
[Spear of Longinus: 10,000,000 Gold]

The equipment items all had wicked price tags the moment they started looking good. The spears, in particular, were exceptionally expensive—to the point he couldn’t even dream of touching them.

“…Can anyone actually buy those?”

He wondered if they were just displayed in the shop for people to gawk at. They were weapons he felt he couldn't afford even if he saved for a hundred years, let alone ten.

“Let’s just buy what I originally planned.”

After a brief moment of window shopping, he entered the Skill Shop.

“Actually, as long as my mana holds out, I could probably handle everything with just Vital Point Thrust, but….”

The world wasn't that easy. Another disadvantage of Vital Point Thrust he had recently discovered was that the mana consumption increased drastically with repeated use.

From the third use onward, the mana cost multiplied several times over, as if telling him not to use it anymore.

Thinking about it, it made sense. It was a skill that automatically tracked and attacked the target’s vital points, so it was only natural that the cost of use was high.

It also meant he couldn't just focus on the skill's power alone.

“Rather than an offensive skill right now, an auxiliary skill would be better.”

He had felt it before, but he felt it even more clearly when raiding the dungeon where the Lava Turtles appeared. He was lacking in stamina. Even when utilizing the Acrobatic trait, he had struggled so much he thought he would run out of breath.

He was consistently training his physical strength, but that was a long-term goal. To see immediate effects, buying a skill or an elixir was the surest way.

“Elixirs are too expensive, so I’ll pass on those for now.”

Kim Hyun-joon turned his gaze to the skill he had in mind.

[Spearman’s Willpower]
Can be used when health drops below half.
Fully restores health upon use.
Can be used once per day.

Price: 1,500 Gold
Purchase Restrictions: Level 4 or higher, possession of at least one spear-related trait.

Unlike other skills, this one came with purchase restrictions.

“It’s a shame it doesn’t give exact numbers.”

It was inconvenient that numbers didn’t appear like they did in a game.

While it was a pity, he couldn't exactly complain about a hidden trait that had almost everything else. He purchased the skill without hesitation. He judged that a skill requiring specific conditions to purchase would be better than an ordinary one. Even just reading the description made it seem worthwhile.

“Shall I give it a taste?”

He could use it once his health dropped below half. If that was the case, he just had to repeat his training until then.

“Starting with Lannachal, if I train in Imperial Spearmanship and Acrobatics, I’ll be able to use it in no time.”

If it worked as described, wouldn't his physical condition return to peak form the moment he clicked it, just like in a game? His body was itching to test it out immediately.

***

At the same time, in the Company Commander's office.

Captain Do Min-gyu, the commander of the 3rd Company, sighed after hearing Second Lieutenant Kim Dong-woo’s report.

“Phew. So that’s what happened.”

A sigh mixed with relief and worry escaped his lips. This dungeon raid team had been extremely unlucky. They had encountered an accident that could have easily turned into a major catastrophe.

Fortunately, one soldier had shown great resourcefulness, and not a single injury occurred. That soldier, of course, was Kim Hyun-joon.

“The Battalion Commander has been pestering me to push Hyun-joon lately, so I pushed him into the team even though it was a bit much.”
“Yes. You must be having a hard time lately.”
“Don't even get me started. Ugh.”

The Company Commander shook his head, saying they both would have been in big trouble if things had gone wrong.

“But I heard that guy Hyun-joon got another trait?”
“That’s correct. It’s called Acrobatics.”
“Huh. Only the female soldiers who have a background in dance usually have that? Him?”

He was a strange one. Not only did he suddenly manifest a trait in a critical situation, but he also had the presence of mind to utilize it on the spot the moment it appeared. He was no ordinary guy.

“Even if he has the trait, he would usually need a training process.”

The Company Commander had no choice but to acknowledge the Battalion Commander's foresight. It meant he had looked this far ahead. He thought that, indeed, a Colonel is a Colonel for a reason.

“Now, what does that make me for opposing the Battalion Commander’s opinion?”

The Company Commander had opposed putting Kim Hyun-joon in this dungeon raid team. They didn't even put in most Corporals, yet they were putting in Kim Hyun-joon, who had the shortest service period? He thought an accident was bound to happen. And in fact, an accident did happen.

However, since the boy had played the biggest role as if the accident was nothing, the Company Commander couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

‘I guess a gifted one is just gifted.’

That day, without even knowing it himself, Kim Hyun-joon had changed the perception of the strict Company Commander.

***

The next morning, before the daily routine began.

Kim Hyun-joon was warming up on the parade ground. His body, which should have been tired from the aftermath of the dungeon raid and personal training, was surprisingly in great condition.

“As expected, the skill is good.”

The effect of the stamina recovery skill, ‘Spearman’s Willpower,’ was certain. His tired body had become as clean and refreshed as if he had woken up from a deep sleep the moment he used the skill.

Although there was a limit of only being able to use it once a day, even this was incredible. It was the most worthwhile gold he had spent recently.

‘It’s not a skill that perfectly heals injuries, so I’ll have to think carefully before using it.’

However, what it recovered was strictly stamina. Minor injuries were not treated. Of course, it was still an excellent skill nonetheless.

“Corporal Kim Hyun-joon!”

Just as he was about to prepare for his routine with a refreshed feeling, someone ran toward him quickly from afar. It was Private First Class Jeong Ye-na.

“Are you okay? If something that big happened yesterday, you should have told me!”

It seemed the incident that occurred in the dungeon yesterday had reached PFC Jeong Ye-na’s ears as well. She reached out toward Kim Hyun-joon’s face, looking closely to see if he was hurt anywhere.

“Did you go see the medical officer? Shall I go with you?”
“Hey. What’s with you all of a sudden? Am I a kid?”

Since she looked genuinely worried, he told her he was fine.

“You didn’t say a word to me. Do you know how upset I am?”
“That’s because I went straight to the private training room as soon as the dungeon raid was over.”
“…Who on earth would think of going to the training room after experiencing that?”

PFC Jeong Ye-na shook her head as if she were fed up. Looking at her, a question suddenly popped into Kim Hyun-joon’s mind.

‘But why does she seem to be treating me so well lately?’

If before she had approached him out of interest, now it felt like she was treating him like a close friend. It might just be his imagination, though.

“Corporal Kim Hyun-joon.”

As Kim Hyun-joon was thinking that, PFC Jeong Ye-na spoke up tentatively.

“Did you know? You’re surprisingly popular among the female soldiers these days, Corporal.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

He was genuinely surprised because the words were so unexpected. Normally, after finishing his duties and training, he would shut himself in the private training room. This meant he rarely had private encounters with female soldiers after hours.

Yet, to be told he was popular? He wondered if that even made sense.

“Wow. Are you pretending not to know? If you live your military life that diligently, it’s only natural to be popular.”

PFC Jeong Ye-na asked if he hadn't helped female soldiers when they were moving heavy objects or were in difficult situations during the daily routine.

……Looking back, he had. He had just helped them while passing by, though.

“Women are touched by small things like that. Especially in a place like the military.”

She added that his physique had improved lately, making him quite the sight to behold, as she sneakily reached out her hand toward his arm.

“Where do you think you're going?”

Kim Hyun-joon naturally raised his hand and blocked her ominous touch.

“Tsk. You’re so stingy.”
“If you want to touch, pay up first.”
“Really? How much do I need to pay?”

After a bit of bickering like that, the daily routine officially began.

“Attention, everyone. We are scheduled for fortification work today. We will be doing maintenance in the operational area….”

The 3rd Platoon Leader, Second Lieutenant Kim Dong-woo, delivered instructions to the platoon members as usual. While doing so, his eyes narrowed when he saw Kim Hyun-joon. He looked as if he had seen something he shouldn't have.

“Hyun-joon. Didn't I tell you to rest today?”

This was because the raid team that had caught the Lava Turtle yesterday had been granted combat leave. The Battalion Commander had personally granted them combat leave to manage their condition after experiencing such an ordeal.

All the other soldiers from the raid team were currently resting. Meanwhile, Kim Hyun-joon had come out, saying he would participate in the fortification work.

“Corporal Kim Hyun-joon. I am fine. I actually want to move my body.”
“….”

The Platoon Leader scanned Kim Hyun-joon’s body carefully, but he looked perfectly fine compared to the other raid members who were groaning in pain. He had even confirmed that the Sergeants were knocked out cold on their beds in the barracks. It was mind-boggling.

“If there’s anything wrong with your body, make sure to report it.”
“Understood.”

As the Platoon Leader said, Kim Hyun-joon could have taken a break. However, he had no intention of doing so.

‘This will eventually all go into my performance points.’

He intended to take care of even the smallest details. He was in peak condition after recovering through his stamina recovery skill.

‘I was lucky enough to reach Corporal from Private First Class, but Sergeant isn’t something you get by luck alone.’

This was because one had to pass much stricter procedures compared to when he became a Corporal. That is, if he wanted to aim for a special promotion. So, while aiming for a special promotion, he also planned to become a Sergeant through the regular promotion exam.

‘It’s fun to tease Kang Cheol-su every now and then even now.’

He wondered what kind of fun things would await him once he became a Sergeant. Thanks to Corporal Kang Cheol-su, his greed for promotion seemed to grow even more.

***

Fortification work in the military involves repairing and expanding various positions and trenches. It is mainly carried out on aging or damaged fortifications.

The process of fortification work is the same whether it’s the Hunter Army or the regular army. The only difference is that the materials used by the Hunter Army are significantly heavier. This is because they must be built to withstand monster attacks.

“Wow… what kind of beast rammed into this for it to end up like this?”
“I heard a Black Horned Boar tore it up.”
“Argh. That thing came all the way here? This is crazy.”

The platoon members fell into despair upon seeing the collapsed fortification. In cases like this, they had to tear down the fortification entirely and rebuild it. This meant there was a hell of a lot of work to do.

“You know the Platoon Leader’s style, right? He won’t bother us as long as we do what we’re supposed to. Let’s finish quickly and rest.”
“Yes….”

At Second Lieutenant Kim Dong-woo’s instruction, the platoon members moved to their assigned areas listlessly. Some soldiers worked with shovels and pickaxes, while others transported heavy materials. Regardless of gender, everyone faithfully performed their assigned roles.

Of course, not every soldier was like that. Once they reached the seniority of a Corporal, soldiers who slacked off were bound to appear. However, even they moved their bodies quite diligently this time, as they felt self-conscious.

“You’ll get hurt if you lift it like that. Give it here.”
“Yes. Thank you!”

This was because Kim Hyun-joon, who should have been resting on combat leave, was not only participating in the fortification work but was also working noticeably hard. Kim Hyun-joon worked so hard that his entire body was drenched in sweat. Finding his sweat-soaked clothes bothersome, he simply took off his shirt.

“Whoa.”
“Wow….”

Along with the sound of people gulping, gazes focused on him. In particular, a few of the female soldiers openly admired Kim Hyun-joon’s physique.

‘I don't mind them looking.’

Someone else was trying to touch his stomach every chance they got, after all. He continued the work without paying them any mind.

Two days later. He felt a strange sense of accomplishment as he looked at the fortification they had built up from scratch.

‘The stamina recovery skill is great for this.’

To be able to maintain peak condition even while juggling both daily routines and personal training—it felt like his quality of life had changed.

When he returned to the barracks after finishing the routine with a sense of satisfaction, the squad members gave Kim Hyun-joon a thumbs up. Along with words of thanks.

‘What’s this about?’