The Dark Mage’s Return to Enlistment

Chapter 11: shooting-2

“Ah, I don’t want to clean the gun.”

“Even after special shooting, I have to clean the gun. Ugh.”

Before and after shooting training, cleaning the gun was mandatory.

It was also to prevent any potential gun accidents, as the instructors were very strict about it.

The hunters skillfully disassembled their guns, which were based on the M16 and had similar disassembly methods.

However, lubrication was prohibited because it could cause internal explosions.

They just had to use a white cloth to thoroughly clean and check for any foreign materials.

“Oh! Minjun, you’re doing well.”

“Thank you.”

While cleaning the gun with a cloth, Private Dongjin approached and started chatting.

He had been watching to see if there were any mistakes, but Minjun handled it competently on his own.

“You hit 19 shots during shooting. You could just serve a normal term.”

“But didn’t you hit 13 shots, Private Dongjin?”

“Well, I just have a lot of free time, that’s all.”

While chatting quietly, they finished cleaning their guns and it was time for special shooting training.

“You guys were chatting earlier. If you don’t do the training properly, you’ll be in trouble.”

“Yes! Understood.”

“The youngest did well in regular shooting, so he’s an exception. The rest of you, be tense. Understood?”

“Yes!”

The seniors joked around and left the dormitory with mischievous remarks.

“Hey, we could have a conversation.”

Kim Min-jun glanced quickly at the soldiers getting up with a gloomy expression.

“Guys, just hold on a bit.”

I’ll quickly get promoted to sergeant and discipline these guys.

**

1 p.m.

The hunters gathered in front of the battalion headquarters for special marksmanship training.

“All right! Let’s head to the combat training facility from now on!”

The combat training facility was a state-of-the-art building recently completed, mainly used for monster utilization training.

“Hey, rookie. Even if you fly long at the training camp, this will be tough.”

“This is harder than you think. You need some rest.”

As they entered the training facility, the senior soldiers of the platoon said they would show a demonstration.

“Designated personnel can distribute roles so that they can prepare civilian and hunter roles separately!”

Following the instructions of the education officer, hunters assigned to civilian roles began to put on reinforced suits.

“Oh, hey, rookie. Watch and learn from what I do.”

“Yes, Corporal Kim Min-jun!”

This time, he was paired with a sergeant named Kim Kwang-sik.

He looked like a mischievous senior.

“If you can’t do it even though it’s your first time, you’ll get in trouble.”

“Yes, understood.”

Kim Min-joon, who was assigned to the role of a civilian, changed into an enhanced suit and remembered the instructions from the instructor.

“What’s important in this training is not shooting ability.”

Of course, they also assessed how well the hunters could use mana guns.

However, the key was how safely they could rescue the civilians.

It was closer to comprehensive training than special shooting training.

“Civilians, take your positions!”

“Taking positions!”

Kim Min-joon was second in order.

The hunter assigned to go first entered the training facility.

It was a space modeled after a small building.

“Take your position in a more secluded area!”

“Yes, understood!”

“Good. Get ready to go in right away!”

“Yes, sir!”

Following the instructions of the instructor, the hunter took a position in a secluded corner of the building.

As soon as the soldier assigned to the role of a hunter entered the building, the training began.

During that time, other hunters were able to monitor the training situation in real time through a large screen.

“Please, help me! Save me!”

The hunter assigned to play the role of a civilian acted realistically and requested help.

“I’ll go right away!”

After hearing that sound, the hunter moved, and monsters were released frighteningly.

“Kiri-ri-lik!”

The monster that was released through the ceiling was a giant rat.

“What? A giant rat from the beginning?”

“It’s tough from the first start, huh?”

The hunters watching the screen were unimpressed when they saw the giant rat.

Although it wasn’t a particularly threatening monster, it was difficult to deal with.

“When you kill it, green fluid bursts out of its body, and the smell is terrible.”

“Even if we wear gas masks, it can still penetrate through.”

The smell emanating from its body was already unbearable, and when it died, the smell became even worse.

“Krik!”

When the giant rat saw a living human, it charged with its sharp teeth.

Ting! Ping!

Of course, the hunter was fully protected by the reinforced suit, so it only made a sound like scratching metal.

“How should we deal with this?”

Kim Min-joon watched the screen quietly and observed how the senior hunters handled the situation.

The giant rat had completely grabbed a civilian hunter.

If they provoked it here, the civilian could end up dead.

[0:57]

They only had one minute to handle the situation.

The hunters calmly closed in on the giant rat.

The creature was fixated on the human in front of it.

“Please save me! Hurry, save me!”

The civilian hunter flailed their arms and purposely spoke in a loud voice as the hunter got closer.

The hunter drew his mana gun from his waist and brought his index finger to his lips in a gesture for calm, trying to soothe the civilians as much as possible.

Suddenly, the monster rat was within striking distance. The hunter seized one of the rat’s arms and fired at the other.

“Kiririk!”

But killing the monster rat with just the mana gun was difficult. The hunter’s only goal was to rescue the civilians.

“Uaaaaaaah!”

As soon as the hunter confirmed that the rat was momentarily subdued, he grabbed it and threw it to the other side.

“Wow, as expected of Iminho. He’s got some strength.”

“He just trained with weights in the gym. He just threw the monster rat away like it was nothing.”

“Ugh, he needs to use the mana gun. What will happen if he just throws things around like a brute?”

Private Iminho succeeded in rescuing the civilians with only 10 seconds to spare.

“Fifty seconds. Not bad, but try to reduce the time you spend thinking. Your body needs to move as soon as you see the monster.”

“Private Iminho! Yes! Understood!”

“Good job. Next up! Get ready!”

Kim Min-jun and Kim Kwang-sik entered the room at the instruction of the trainer. The monster rat left in the training ground disappeared as the floor opened up beneath it.

“Shall we see how quickly our best soldier finishes it?”

Kim Kwang-sik entered the training ground with a playful expression.

“Succeed within a minute, or I’ll torture you.”

Although half-joking, it was still a warning that failure would not be tolerated.

“Private succeeded in 50 seconds.”

This means that ordinary privates or corporals usually fail in such training.

That’s how difficult the special shooting training was.

To ask a private to succeed in that is ridiculous.

You’re going to get in trouble with me.

“Yes, understood, Sergeant Kim Kwang-sik. Would you like to make a bet with me then?”

“Oh? The youngest is proposing a bet to me? That’s interesting. What kind of bet?”

At the mention of a bet, Kim Kwang-sik raised his chin and asked for an explanation.

“How about a Time Attack bet with me? The loser grants one wish to the winner.”

“Oh, that’s interesting. Are you confident?”

“Yes, I am confident. If I lose, I will do anything for a day.”

“Private has some guts. Okay. If you lose, you have to walk around all day imitating a pigeon.”

“Understood.”

Kim Min-joon’s answer was that he would do anything.

At that, Kim Kwang-sik laughed contemptuously.

“Yeah, let’s do it. When you’re unable to beat my record, you have to imitate a pigeon over there. Okay? I’ll keep making you do it if it’s not realistic.”

“I’ll do that.”

That’s why a recruit is a recruit.

Kim Kwang-sik laughed inwardly.

“That guy doesn’t understand the essence of special shooting training.”

Just because he’s good at shooting doesn’t mean he can easily digest this training.

“No matter how skilled he is, can he handle special shooting training?”

Even the sergeant himself only has a best record of around 51 seconds.

It was impossible for a mere private to succeed in the given time.

“Then it’s settled, Sergeant Kim Kwang-sik?”

“Yeah. A man keeps his word. Go and take your position.”

“Yes, understood!”

Kim Minjun smiled brightly and headed towards his designated spot.

Just the thought of being able to act freely as a senior for the next 24 hours made his heart race.

“Release the monster!”

The training began.

Following the orders of the instructor, a monster was released from the ceiling.

It was an Armageddon monster that resembled a hedgehog.

“The monsters are random every time.”

The Armageddon monster rolled itself into a ball and charged at its target.

It was difficult to detach its thorns once they were embedded in the body.

One had to be quick and attack the monster as soon as it appeared to draw its attention away.

Swift reaction time was essential.

“I wonder how good this guy is.”

Kim Minjun crouched down and screamed convincingly.

“Help me! Help me!”

His voice was much louder and more intimidating than his previous civilian role.

“Kiki?”

The Armageddon monster immediately attempted to attack Kim Minjun.

Tang! Tang!

Kim Kwang-sik aimed for the monster’s shell and fired his mana gun.

“Ah! It’s a monster! Help me! Help me! Waaaaah!”

Kim Minjun screamed in terror.

“This is crazy…something’s not right.”

Normally, when firing a mana gun, Armageddon would switch its target. But Kim Min-joon’s voice was too loud.

Armageddon curled up into a ball without paying attention to the mana gun.

“I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die! Hey, soldier, what are you doing? Hurry up and save me! What are you doing?”

“Okay, I’ll come now!”

Kim Kwang-sik was momentarily taken aback, but quickly ran towards Kim Min-joon.

“Hurry up! Get me out of here! He’s going to kill me!”

“Calm down! It’s okay! Lower your voice, please!”

“I’m gonna die!”

“Please, shut your mouth!”

“What kind of thing are you saying to a civilian? Where are you from? Identify yourself!”

“Please calm down and be quiet, please!”

Meanwhile, hunters watching the training scene through the screen burst into laughter at Kim Min-joon’s convincing acting.

“Wow. He’s really something.”

“To translate:

“That civilian earlier was okay, but this one is a real civilian. It’s giving me chills how similar he is to someone who causes trouble.”

“Ugh, looking at Kim Min-joon reminds me of when we faced a civilian a year ago.”

The training officer also nodded his head at Kim Min-joon, who was diligently participating in the training.

“Hey! What are you doing?! Hurry up and get me out of here! Are you even a hunter after doing this?”

“You crazy… Please calm down! If you shout, you’ll only provoke the monster!”

Kim Kwang-sik stood in front of Kim Min-joon and quickly surveyed the area.

Armaggedon would be rushing towards them soon.

They had to get through this situation somehow.

“Please stay still behind me!”

As soon as Armaggedon jumped up,

Kim Kwang-sik picked up a drum placed in the corner.

The drum was filled with concrete, so the monster’s thorns couldn’t pierce through.

“Wow, this guy is lucky.”