Chapter 15

15. A Shocking Proposal, and a Vacation – 3

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The first day of his vacation after the regression had arrived.

The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was a system message.

- Congratulations! You have been granted a new 'Skill' for meeting special conditions.

- Name: Breath Room (Flame)

- Rank: D

- Effects:

1) Internal Furnace: Metal absorption speeds up. (+50% ~ 250%). The more efficient the furnace, the more pain is inflicted on the body.

2) Fire Breath: Some of the metal can be stored in the Breath Room and launched as a 'Breath.' (1 time per 3kg)

* The skill rank will improve if hidden conditions are met.

The Medal of the Demon (Inferno) was completely absorbed, forming new internal organs called the 'Internal Furnace' and 'Breath Room.'

"Hmm... ."

The pain that had tormented him for two days vanished as if washed away.

Moreover, he had obtained a decent skill, so he felt he could start his vacation in high spirits.

'The timing was perfect. I can absorb a lot during this vacation.'

For soldiers, a successful vacation inevitably included eating as much delicious food as possible, especially the kinds they couldn't get in the military.

Although it might be a bit different, Lee Hyun-wook also had a lot of eating plans.

'I will spend almost all my time during this vacation absorbing metal.'

He couldn't properly gauge how much he would grow during the 3-night, 4-day vacation, but it would be incomparable to anything he had experienced so far.

"An Min-tae, take good care of the squad. Keep the guys exercising regularly."

"Yes, don't worry, and have a good rest."

"Ah, and don't just exercise. Also do combat training and CBRN training."

"Um, gas masks... ?"

"Right, if we hadn't used the gas masks properly in the last battle, what would have happened?"

"Ah... I understand. It's a hassle, but I'll do it whenever I can."

Mentioning the gas masks was for a reason.

Soon, the time would come when he would have to wear one all the time.

"Park Jun-mo, you especially need to train your abilities well. You're quite capable, after all."

"Yes! I understand! Thanks to Corporal Lee Hyun-wook, I've realized it!"

"Don't just say that to be nice."

"I really mean it!"

Park Jun-mo, like Lee Hyun-wook, had a growth characteristic beyond levels, indicating he possessed tremendous potential.

The only question was when he would discover the method to grow.

After reporting to the administrative team, Lee Hyun-wook went down to the command and control room to receive the 'Mana Messenger' for emergency communication during his leave.

This item, which looked like a beeper, communicated through mana rather than radio waves, allowing communication even in situations where radio waves were disrupted by mana scattering.

- 3rd Class Mana Messenger (Transmit/Receive: 3 times)

Of course, the number of uses was extremely limited.

"Hey! Hi!"

Someone greeted Lee Hyun-wook warmly.

It was Sergeant Choi Seon-ah.

"Reporting. Sergeant, are you going to ride in the lead vehicle?"

"No, I'm on leave too! My first leave since transferring! Hehe."

Choi Seon-ah looked very excited, like a puppy going on its first walk. Without her helmet and tactical vest, she looked much smaller, and indeed, she had an appearance that didn't quite fit a soldier.

The two of them chatted while waiting for the leave vehicle.

Most of their conversation was about the operation from the day before.

"To be honest... I didn't know Corporal Lee Hyun-wook was this amazing. Why didn't you step forward before?"

It was a difficult question.

"Um, I just found out myself. I didn't know I could do this... ."

"Really?"

"Yes. I guess I didn't have the chance to fight because I just followed orders."

"Wow! You were a hidden genius!"

Genius... Lee Hyun-wook chuckled.

"No, I'm still lacking. Please take care of me in the future."

"I should be the one to ask for your help! Still, since you're practically my senior... Ah, no, you're older and have more combat experience, and I'm stronger, so I think I have a lot to learn from you."

"I'll do my best to be of help to you, Sergeant."

"Hehe, thanks."

Soon, a 15-passenger bus arrived.

"Leave personnel, get on quickly!"

Someone shouted, and the leave personnel started boarding the bus.

There were six in total.

"Driver, are these the only leave personnel today?"

"Yes, there are only six."

A lead vehicle rider, who looked like a mage player, was in the front passenger seat, and a private with a shield was dozing off in the back seat. He was the vehicle guard.

The bus soon departed.

"Where's your home, Corporal Lee Hyun-wook?"

"I live in Suwon."

"Really? That's close to me! I live in Hwaseong."

"Is that so?"

"Ah! Then, where did you go to high school?"

High school... a question a 20-year-old might ask.

Meanwhile, the conversation of the two soldiers in the back seat was also audible.

"Is that guy in front, the one from 1st Battalion, the F-class hero?"

"Seems like it. That was Corporal Lee Hyun-wook, right?"

"Should I ask if all the rumors about him are true?"

"Hehe, they're all lies. If he's F-class, he's probably weaker than us."

They seemed to be soldiers from the headquarters company, openly discussing Lee Hyun-wook.

Lee Hyun-wook didn't pay any attention.

'It's strange to hope for silence.'

However, Choi Seon-ah, who seemed to have heard the conversation, looked uncomfortable. She probably felt she should say something as the deputy squad leader of 2nd Squad, but lacked the courage to do so.

Then,

"Stop!"

The lead vehicle rider shouted,

Bang!

Something flew in and hit the front of the bus,

Squeal!

The bus came to a sudden stop.

"Ah!"

Choi Seon-ah's body was about to fly forward, but Lee Hyun-wook caught her and helped her sit back down.

"Huh! What's happening?"

"..."

Black smoke started rising from the engine.

"Um? The engine won't start!"

Looking out the window, Lee Hyun-wook saw they were still on the mountain road halfway up Namsan.

"Damn it, what the hell! Hey! Raise the shield!"

The lead vehicle rider shouted, and the guard, who had been dozing off, hastily raised his shield, hitting the ceiling.

At the same time,

Bang!

The window shattered, and something heavy flew into the bus.

In that instant, Lee Hyun-wook knew what it was.

It was metal.

A chunk of metal weighing about 3.5kg,

It was about to crush the driver's skull...

-Whoosh!

Lee Hyun-wook used 'Control' to stop it.

"Ah! ...A, an axe?"

The driver, terrified, buried his head in the steering wheel.

'What's happening?'

In his previous life, he hadn't gone on leave at this time, so he didn't remember it clearly.

But suddenly, a memory flashed through his mind.

Contents he had indirectly experienced, even if he hadn't directly experienced them...

'Right, it's the incident where two people died.'

The so-called 2nd Battalion leave bus attack...

Bang!

Something hit the automatic door of the bus.

Bang!

The door was damaged by the impact.

"Damn it! What do we do?"

"We don't have any weapons right now!"

All weapons had to be stored in the battalion armory during leave, so they were all unarmed.

No matter how skilled they were in AMT, they couldn't fight without weapons.

The next moment...

Crash!

The automatic door was torn off.

And behind it stood a massive figure.

A muscular body over 2 meters tall, a skeleton twice the size of a human...

Grrr-

It was an Orc.

"Ah, ah!"

"No way!"

The giant squeezed through the torn door.

The Orc, a medium-sized monster with enough strength to strangle a bear with its bare hands, could easily tear a human in half.

"Ugh..."

The guard raised his square shield to face the creature but was pushed back by its overwhelming presence.

"Odong-jin! What are you doing! Stop that Orc from getting in!"

The lead vehicle rider shouted.

He was crouched on the floor, making a phone call.

"No, how can I stop it alone... ."

The guard answered in a trembling voice, raising his shield.

Bang-

Average weight 190kg,

The Orc's left foot landed on the bus, causing it to shake violently.

Bang!

"Ah!"

While the confrontation was happening at the bus door, something broke through the rear window and entered.

It was, of course, the Orc's 'throwing axe.'

"Ah! There's one behind us too!"

"Ah! There's another one in the forest! Find something we can use as a weapon!"

They were surrounded.

It seemed impossible to escape, and it would be foolish for soldiers to try to fight back.

Lee Hyun-wook pulled Choi Seon-ah, who was sitting by the window, to the inside.

"The window side is dangerous."

"Ah, but what do we do? I'll try to contact the base... ."

"Yes, do that."

However, the base was 10 minutes away, and the 5th standby team wouldn't arrive in time this time either.

'According to the plan, two people will die.'

Fortunately, he had already saved one of them.

By stopping the axe that had broken through the front window, he had prevented the driver's skull from being crushed.

Lee Hyun-wook looked around.

'...Three in total. They are Orc scouts.'

Orcs are a smarter race than Kobolds.

While they are known for their barbaric discipline, making them seem more brutish than cunning, they are not stupid in battle.

Every individual is a seasoned warrior, making them top-tier in straightforward combat.

'That's why, regardless of player abilities, it's impossible to face an Orc in a frontal battle with mediocre skills.'

Neither the guard nor the lead vehicle rider seemed capable of handling an Orc.

Bang!

At the entrance, the Orc's 'battle axe' struck the guard's shield, creating a loud noise.

"Ugh!"

The guard's knees buckled.

He tried to counterattack by stabbing the Orc with the sword in his right hand, but...

Clang!

It was futile.

"Damn it!"

It seemed the next victim would be the guard.

'I need a weapon.'

Lee Hyun-wook closed his eyes.

- Current controllable 'metal' weight: 5,499g

'...Axes.'

He sensed the two 'throwing axes' that had broken through the front and rear windows.

Hum-

Lee Hyun-wook used his control to lift them.

"Guard, move back."

"Um, what?"

Without explaining, Lee Hyun-wook grabbed the guard's shoulder and pulled him back forcefully.

Immediately, an Orc's throwing axe flew through the gap.

Thud!

It embedded itself in the Orc's left shoulder.

He had aimed for the head, but the creature had moved at the last moment.

Grrr-aaa-aaa!

It was still a significant hit. The Orc screamed and retreated.

"Can I borrow your shield?"

"Ah, yes... ."

"Give me your sword too."

"Here, here it is."

Lee Hyun-wook held the shield in his left hand and the sword in his right, then walked out of the bus.

'Yesterday, the battalion commander said that I wouldn't be able to handle an Orc... .'

During the meal in the officers' mess, while highly evaluating Lee Hyun-wook's combat ability as C-class, the commander had clearly stated that it was limited to small monsters and that facing an Orc would be too much.

That might have been an accurate judgment.

Based on the skills he had 'shown' so far.

'...I have no choice but to raise his expectations a bit more.'