Chapter 6

6. Leopard and Water Buffalo – 1

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A "gate" refers to a phenomenon where a dimensional rift occurs, and monsters invade through the crack. It has been about 11 years since this unknown phenomenon was first observed, yet there is still no method to predict the "cause" or "time" of its occurrence. Therefore, the best course of action for the "gate defense operation" is to monitor all major locations in real-time and respond immediately upon detecting a gate.

"Your sentries responded well, which is a good thing. But, let me ask you something."

As Kim Gang-seok, the battalion commander, trailed off, a chill filled the command and control room.

He was a capable soldier who had achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel at the young age of 35. However, he had an even greater reputation...

He was ranked 166th in the "Korean Player Rankings."

The weight of his words was due to this very fact.

"......We need to be clear. Everyone here knows that reporting an F-rank soldier single-handedly blocking the first 'eruption' of the gate is highly implausible. This isn't just a matter of form; it's a matter of common sense. What I'm saying is, we need to report something that is plausible in common sense."

He clearly did not believe the report that an F-rank soldier had performed so well.

"Let me ask you again. What exactly happened to our unit this morning?"

None of the officers from the initial response team in the command and control room could answer confidently.

There was no evidence.

CCTVs were installed throughout the base, but the large amount of mana that erupted with the gate temporarily disabled all electronic equipment in the area.

All that remained were fragmented testimonies.

The sentries at Outpost 6, who were closest to the incident, had not yet recovered, and the assistant at Outpost 5 was a private, making his testimony less reliable.

At that moment,

"Commander, the soldier you called for has arrived."

Kim Gang-seok gestured for him to enter, and Lee Hyun-wook stepped into the command and control room.

"Attention!"

However, Kim Gang-seok did not acknowledge the salute.

Captain Kwak Yong-joon, the 1st Battalion Commander, stood up.

"Commander, this is Private First Class Lee Hyun-wook, who was on duty at Outpost 5 during the incident."

Kim Gang-seok nodded and scanned Lee Hyun-wook from head to toe.

Lee Hyun-wook also looked back at him.

Despite the fatigue from being woken up so early, his eyes were sharp and piercing... a gaze that could make even seasoned officers feel intimidated.

'Kim Gang-seok, the mountain lord of Namsan, a B-rank druid player...'

To Lee Hyun-wook, Kim Gang-seok was a name he would often hear in the future. Currently a B-rank, he would soon be promoted to A-rank. In just a few years, he would become a "brigadier general" with one star, and a few years after that, a "commander of the AMT offensive operation" with three stars.

After a long pause, he finally spoke.

"......I thought it was Sergeant Jeong Young-joon, that guy, when I heard that a soldier had taken down an elite boss alone."

His tone was indifferent, and his words seemed to dismiss Lee Hyun-wook.

"Hmm, but you... Soldier, is it true that you repelled the first eruption?"

"Yes, sir. I detected the gate opening during my shift and responded immediately."

Lee Hyun-wook answered promptly, but Kim Gang-seok's expression remained stern.

He stood up without a word.

At 193 cm tall, his imposing figure cast a thick shadow over the operations table.

His presence was as threatening as his title, the mountain lord of Namsan.

"......If it were a normal situation, you would have been torn apart on the spot."

He continued, seemingly trying to pressure Lee Hyun-wook into revealing the truth.

"An F-rank soldier couldn't have taken down an 'elite boss monster' alone. There must be a lot of details missing. For example, a lightning spell from Outpost 6 might have hit the 'goblin shaman' by chance, putting it in a near-death state... That would make more sense, wouldn't it?"

In response to Kim Gang-seok's sarcastic remarks, Lee Hyun-wook shook his head boldly and...

"Commander, I don't understand what you're saying. And... I feel deceived."

His sudden bombshell made the command and control room tense.

"......Deceived? Did you say deceived?"

Kim Gang-seok's eyebrows twitched.

"Yes, sir."

"......Why?"

Lee Hyun-wook looked Kim Gang-seok straight in the eye and answered.

"Commander, you always emphasize something when you conduct collective training for the battalion. You never fail to mention it. Do you remember?"

Kim Gang-seok did not respond, so Lee Hyun-wook continued.

"You always emphasized that even a low-rank player can defeat a troll if they use the correct response method. Even if they are D-rank, or E-rank, they can face a troll."

It was a statement he had heard many times, but it stuck with him.

"Following your training, I don't think it's strange that an F-rank like me could have defeated a goblin. I followed the AMT guidelines and repelled the enemy. But now, you're saying that my victory, which I achieved at the risk of my life, is impossible... I feel deceived."

He let the words hang in the air, but they had already made a significant impact on Kim Gang-seok's thoughts.

"......"

Kim Gang-seok looked at Lee Hyun-wook silently. Lee Hyun-wook did not avoid his gaze. Though his expression remained unchanged, the anger that had briefly flashed in his eyes when he said he felt deceived had disappeared.

'Up to this point, it was emotional pressure. Now, I need to use logical persuasion.'

Lee Hyun-wook took a deep breath and continued.

"Of course, I was lucky. When the lightning spell went off at Outpost 6, I spotted the goblin shaman near the gate. I realized it was an elite-level goblin, not a regular one, and decided it would be better to move in a different direction rather than rush to support Outpost 6."

Kim Gang-seok's expression had subtly changed.

Lee Hyun-wook said he was lucky, but Kim Gang-seok would not see it that way. Instead, he would recognize the careful assessment of the situation.

As a seasoned soldier and player, he knew the importance of such a small decision.

"......Go on."

Indeed, he showed interest. Lee Hyun-wook nodded and continued.

Given the characteristics of the 'goblin shaman,' which commands multiple goblin minions, he decided to use Outpost 6 as bait to directly confront the boss monster, the goblin shaman. He then explained how he managed to defeat the elite boss monster in a one-on-one battle.

"......Although I can only control small amounts of metal as an F-rank, I moved the goblin shaman's necklace to strangle him. When he showed a weakness, I used his dagger to stab his neck. This is how I dealt the maximum damage I could with my abilities."

It was a detailed and flawless report on how an F-rank could have performed in that situation.

"Like you said, Commander, I only have an enchanted M9 greatsword as my weapon. Therefore, I can only prepare for the worst and do my best."

Preparing for the worst and doing one's best—this was a phrase Kim Gang-seok often used.

It was both a statement and a compliment.

Kim Gang-seok slowly nodded.

"......I understand. You can go now."

He turned and said this, and Lee Hyun-wook saluted and left the command and control room.

Silence filled the room again.

The duty commander, who was sitting, swallowed hard.

It didn't seem like a good scene for a mere soldier to confidently present his arguments in front of a sensitive battalion commander, especially after an unpleasant incident in the camp.

Kim Gang-seok, with his hands clasped, was lost in thought, and no one spoke.

After about a minute, he finally spoke.

"......If you were an F-rank, do you think you could have fought as he described?"

No one could answer. It was a moment where neither a positive nor a negative response would be appropriate.

In the silence of the staff, Kim Gang-seok looked into the air.

For a moment, he was lost in old memories.

When the first gate opened, when he was a lieutenant, when he first faced a monster...

He recalled the countless real soldiers who died like flies in those early days.

"Now I understand. That guy, Private First Class Lee Hyun-wook, didn't face the situation as an F-rank player but as a prepared soldier, and that's how he won. I admit, I overlooked the fact that he is a soldier."

He decided to believe Lee Hyun-wook's testimony.

"1st Battalion Commander."

"Yes, Commander!"

Kim Gang-seok smiled faintly, a rare expression.

"I will award him a special commendation with my authority as battalion commander. And... he can choose any weapon he needs from the battalion armory without restriction. Is it reasonable that a greatsword is the only weapon for someone like him?"

***

Lee Hyun-wook left the command and control room without hearing the result, but he was confident that his plan had worked.

'That was the perfect answer to his preferences.'

Lieutenant Colonel Kim Gang-seok was a typical soldier.

He graduated from the Military Academy and was commissioned as a lieutenant just as the gates began to open. A few days later, he fought a group of orcs and lost all his squad members.

He then awakened as a player and became one of the founding members of AMT.

He is a man who lives with a sense of mission to protect the land from the unknown invasion.

'He can't hate someone who follows the principles he emphasizes.'

Each of Lee Hyun-wook's words was carefully crafted to appeal to Kim Gang-seok.

A short while later, Captain Kwak Yong-joon came to see Lee Hyun-wook.

"Lee Hyun-wook, good job. You were quite bold, but... fortunately, the commander seems to have a good impression of you. You'll receive 'reward points' and probably a commendation by tomorrow."

Reward points were part of AMT's reward system, allowing for leave, off-base trips, and the exchange of military items from the item shop. Items obtained this way become the personal property of the recipient.

"Also, when you visit the logistics department tomorrow, you'll be able to transfer ownership of an item from the battalion armory. The commander has given you free rein to choose anything, so choose carefully."

Lee Hyun-wook inwardly rejoiced. As expected, he had received the reward he wanted.

Kim Gang-seok, who values combat power the most, often awards item rewards. Lee Hyun-wook's deliberate mention of having only an enchanted M9 greatsword as an F-rank had a significant impact.

"I've never seen an F-rank receive a commendation in my military career. I'll have to take a second look at you, Lee Hyun-wook."

"It was just luck. Thank you."

"Yeah, of course luck played a part, but you did well."

Kwak Yong-joon smiled and patted Lee Hyun-wook's shoulder.

He still thought it was just luck.

After all, the soldier he had commanded for a few months, Lee Hyun-wook, did not possess the combat power to face a goblin shaman alone.

"Alright, get some rest and see you tomorrow."

"Understood, sir."

It was already 8:00 AM. Though he had woken up at 3:30 AM and was feeling tired, he couldn't rest yet.

– Metal absorption will be complete in (05:12:49).

He needed to quickly absorb the expensive adamant and consume the 'mana stone' he had hidden away. To do this, he needed to shorten the absorption time through exercise.

'Sleep is a luxury. I need to exercise and plan my leave.'

And with the reward points, he could go on a reward leave.

***

The gate incident in the camp that morning and the performance of the F-rank player at the scene quickly spread throughout the unit. Most reactions were a mix of curiosity and surprise.

However...

In the battalion counseling room, Kwak Jin-cheol and Oh Sang-guk were sitting on the sofa.

"Corporal Oh, is this for real? That guy took down a goblin shaman alone."

Kwak Jin-cheol couldn't sleep even after his duty as a duty officer ended.

"I feel like I'm dreaming. If I wake up, I'll probably be dozing off at the administrative desk and getting scolded by Lieutenant Seo Eun-ha... I'd rather be in that situation. This is just too unbelievable."

He puffed out smoke with a haggard face.

"Man, don't worry."

In contrast, Corporal Oh Sang-guk was still relaxed.

"I don't believe it either, but it's a good thing. If that guy gets arrogant because of this, he'll be more likely to accept a challenge from Won-seok. Hehe..."

While a goblin shaman is a tough monster, it's not on the same level as a D-rank barbarian player, who is essentially a C-rank.

"He'll probably break a few bones and need a couple of healers to treat him until his mana is drained. Once he's thoroughly humiliated, the rumors about his great achievement