Chapter 40: The Tiger’s Eye

"This concludes today's training. I will see you tomorrow."

5:00 PM.

With those final words from Second Lieutenant Park A-young, the service members cleared their seats and stood up.

The NCOs and officers commuted off-base on their own. The enlisted soldiers, however, were to stay within the unit for the duration of the training.

"Soldiers, please step forward."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Second Lieutenant Park A-young organized the soldiers from the other units and assigned them to vacant living quarters.

Naturally, the living quarters for the Special Task Force were separated by gender.

Following the instructions, the soldiers headed toward the barracks with their duffel bags slung over their backs.

Kim Hyun-jun followed behind them toward the living quarters.

'Calling him here was definitely a good idea.'

Meanwhile, Second Lieutenant Park A-young nodded as she watched Kim Hyun-jun’s retreating figure.

Was it just her imagination? Corporal Kim Hyun-jun seemed particularly eye-catching today.

It might have been because he approached the lectures with more passion than the other soldiers, but...

'How long has it been since I received this many questions?'

Not only did he listen quietly to the lessons, but he also immediately asked about things he was curious about whenever she gave time for questions.

The level of his questions was also quite high, considering he was a soldier. Thanks to that, she actually felt a sense of enjoyment while teaching.

This was because most soldiers usually treated these training sessions as a way to just kill time.

Giving the same lectures to people like that every time was something she didn't enjoy, but she had no choice. It was the unit's policy.

'I'll observe him through the practical training, and if he's good, I should deploy him to the field.'

She had already half-decided to put Kim Hyun-jun into an actual field operation.

The practical training coming up later? To Kim Hyun-jun, who had already experienced a real-life situation, it would likely be nothing.

***

"Wow. These facilities are seriously killer."

Kim Hyun-jun's eyes sparkled as he entered the assigned living quarters.

It was a spacious area reminiscent of a US military base. It even looked like four people shared the space. They said the rule was four people per room.

Compared to the Biryong Unit, which had ten people per room, this was at the level of a three-star hotel.

"I heard the special forces facilities were good, but I didn't know they were this good."

"This place is four to a room? We're ten to a room."

"Is your unit like that too, mister?"

Kim Hyun-jun briefly introduced himself to the soldiers he would be living with during the training period.

They were all Sergeants, but since they were from different units, he comfortably called them "mister."

A notable point was that they were all Sergeants who intended to become professional soldiers.

"I'm going to head to the training facility."

As soon as he unpacked his things and changed his clothes, Kim Hyun-jun headed for the integrated training facility.

Even if he was staying at another unit during the training period, he intended to keep up his training consistently.

It was also the place he was most curious about among the facilities of the special forces, which were known for receiving a large budget.

"...This is truly amazing."

Kim Hyun-jun's jaw dropped.

The public training facility was built as wide as an auditorium. The scale seemed more than three times larger than that of the Biryong Unit.

"If the public one is this good, the branch-specific training facilities must be even more incredible."

He was curious about those as well, but since he came from another unit, access was prohibited.

That was fine, though. The public training facility alone had everything he needed.

'I'll just do what I usually do.'

As long as he didn't make it obvious that he had hidden traits, there would be no problem.

After a light warm-up, he picked up a training spear and began his training.

The repetitive mission Rannachal, and the practice of Imperial Spearmanship. He was even in the middle of mana manipulation training when...

"That's not how you do it."

A familiar voice came from behind him. Turning his head, he saw Private First Class Park Ye-rin holding a training staff.

"Your mana seems to be on the heavier side. Doing it like a regular hunter doesn't suit you, Kim Hyun-jun."

It seemed she had grasped the nature of Kim Hyun-jun's mana to some extent in a short amount of time.

"Looking at the color and texture of the mana, it seems like a special ability is dwelling within it. Am I right?"

"Can you tell just by looking?"

"Not exactly, but roughly."

"...Wow."

Kim Hyun-jun felt a sense of awe at Park Ye-rin's answers, which came out as smoothly as a machine.

Are all elite mages like this?

"I awakened when I was young, so I think that's why."

It seemed she was a special case.

"That's why Kim Hyun-jun's mana quality is as good as a mage's..."

Park Ye-rin, who was about to continue speaking, suddenly closed her mouth.

"Ah... I'm sorry. It's mana I've never seen before in my life."

She was usually the type who didn't talk much, but she realized she had been chattering away on her own. When it came to magic, she became like this if she let her guard down for even a moment.

Actually, she didn't do this with just anyone, but Kim Hyun-jun felt different from other soldiers. It was just... how should she put it, he felt strangely comfortable.

"It's okay. I like stories like that. I'm interested in mana too."

Kim Hyun-jun didn't mind. More than that, he asked for her opinion on how he should handle mana, as she had mentioned just now.

He trusted the training and guidance from his hidden traits 100%. However, an elite known as a magic soldier was right in front of him. He couldn't help but want to hear another opinion.

"Would you like to try emitting your mana?"

"Yes."

Park Ye-rin went beyond a simple opinion and guided him on how to handle mana.

'I definitely feel like it's gotten better.'

She taught him a customized way to efficiently draw mana from his body, and it was highly effective. Even though he had only received guidance for three hours, he could feel the difference.

'This is why people get expensive tutoring from top university students.'

The lecture effect of the elite magic soldier was incredible!

'When gathering mana and when circulating it with the cultivation method, I should do it the way I just learned.'

Kim Hyun-jun bowed his head toward Park Ye-rin with a satisfied expression. Half-joking, he said, "Thank you, Master."

"...I'm glad it was helpful. Continuing to train your mana like that will be beneficial in the future."

While she wore a faint smile, she asked him not to call her "Master."

'What's this? Her reaction is completely different from when I talked to her earlier.'

'I finally understand what it feels like to be cursed at with someone's eyes.'

Meanwhile, the soldiers who caught a glimpse of the two tilted their heads in confusion.

They had tried talking to her just a moment ago, but the responses they got were cold as ice.

- I'm sorry. I have to train.

She cut them off so abruptly that it was embarrassing for the person who initiated the conversation.

She was clearly like that, yet she stayed right by Kim Hyun-jun's side and even gave him one-on-one guidance.

'I wish all handsome guys would just die.'

'I hope he collapses from mana exhaustion.'

All the soldiers could do was grit their teeth inwardly.

***

The villain response training proceeded gradually. After the theoretical education ended, the practical training period mainly involved physical movement.

For Kim Hyun-jun, who had been listening to lectures for two days straight, it was welcome news.

"Villains are different from monsters. They will use their brains until the very end in a crisis."

The instructors of the Special Task Force reenacted the way actual villains spoke and the incidents they caused.

Since there were many unexpected, spontaneous actions, the service members belonging to the regular Hunter Army were constantly flustered.

Instead of dealing with the situation, many ended up becoming hostages themselves.

"In a real-life situation, you can expect it to be even worse than this."

That was a scene similar to any other time, so Second Lieutenant Park A-young didn't particularly scold the service members. To be precise, she just didn't have much interest.

However.

Two people reacted differently.

"Corporal Kim Hyun-jun utilized his long-reach weapon, the spear, well according to the situation. His response prioritizing the safety of the hostage was impressive."

"Private First Class Park Ye-rin chose a method of stripping the villain's mobility with ice magic. In the situation just now, it can be said to be the best choice."

It was because Kim Hyun-jun and Park Ye-rin had perfectly handled the mock training.

"Ahem."

"Cough."

The NCOs who saw that avoided their gaze. It was embarrassing for the officers to have failed at something even a Corporal and a Private First Class had accomplished.

'This is more doable than I thought.'

For Kim Hyun-jun, the training was easier than expected. It made sense. Hadn't he struggled quite a bit when he caught that level 4 mage villain before?

The magic that guy was firing at the time was difficult to handle even though it was basic magic. If it weren't for the skills he purchased from the hidden trait shop, he probably would have lost the guy. It was a moment where he felt that training and real combat were different.

After going through four days of practical training like that, the sixth day arrived. The training ended with an exam evaluating everything they had learned so far.

Depending on the grades, a badge—a mark of completing the training—was awarded, and the criteria for this training were high.

'Back when I was here before the regression, I received it as long as my grades weren't in the bottom tier.'

Nearly half of the NCOs did not receive the badge. Since the record of completing the training remains, it wasn't a huge problem, but there was the matter of pride.

'It would be a bit depressing not to get it when everyone else is.'

Kim Hyun-jun didn't realize that he was the reason the standard had become so high.

***

After the practical training ended, most of the service members left the auditorium with relieved faces.

However, a few of them remained behind; they were the soldiers who had received individual instructions from Second Lieutenant Park A-young.

Those soldiers were Corporal Kim Hyun-jun and Private First Class Park Ye-rin. Both had been selected for actual field deployment. However, there was one problem regarding Park Ye-rin.

Originally, only Kim Hyun-jun was scheduled to be deployed, but a message had come from the higher-ups to include Park Ye-rin as well.

'Her skill is good. She's excellent for a Private First Class. But if you ask if she's at a level to be put into actual combat, the answer is no.'

Park Ye-rin's magic skill was on the superior side. Her casting speed, power, and accuracy were flawless. However, that was only an evaluation of her as a general magic soldier.

As for whether she was at a level to be deployed to catch villains, she wasn't quite there yet. Villains weren't monsters, after all.

So, Second Lieutenant Park A-young opposed it, saying it was dangerous, but in the end, she couldn't refuse the decision of the higher-ups.

The response she got was: if a Corporal is being deployed, why can't a Private First Class be? Even when she tried to persuade them by saying Corporal Kim Hyun-jun had experience capturing an actual villain, the answer remained the same.

'Tsk. This is why soldiers with connections in the Hunter Army are a problem. It's not a dangerous site, so there probably won't be any issues, but still.'

She didn't have any particular ill will toward Park Ye-rin, but it was a situation where she couldn't bring herself to like her.

"The two of you are scheduled to be deployed to the field with the 4th Squad of the 4th Platoon of the Special Task Force."

Second Lieutenant Park A-young added a few explanations, saying that this was an offer made only to those with excellent training completion scores.

The various benefits received while serving in the Special Task Force. The state-of-the-art facilities and training within the unit. The provision of expensive training equipment.

And even the fact that if they showed good performance in the field, they could transfer into the Special Task Force.

"We don't even spare a glance for just anyone. That is our unit's policy."

Park A-young spoke as if they should be proud just for receiving this offer. Hearing it like this, it almost felt as if she was tempting them to join the Special Task Force.

'All the hard work was worth it.'

Kim Hyun-jun was surprised by the unexpected offer, but he felt proud that he had achieved a different result than before his regression.

He didn't know if his training grade was first, second, or third... but since he worked hard, he hoped he had placed first.

"Corporal Kim Hyun-jun. I wish to experience a real combat situation."

His deliberation wasn't long. Kim Hyun-jun expressed his intention to participate in this operation.

He had done well so far, so shouldn't he show a good performance until the very end? Furthermore, if he could catch a villain by being lucky like before...

'It leads to duplicating my achievements.'

The path to becoming a Sergeant would become even smoother.

"Private First Class Park Ye-rin. I will also participate."

With Park Ye-rin also expressing her intention to participate, their deployment to the operation was finalized.

A Corporal and a Private First Class being deployed to a Special Task Force operation was quite unprecedented. So much so that there had been very few instances in the history of the Hunter Army.