Chapter 78: Southern Training Camp (4)

McBurney thought to himself.

Perhaps.

Roman Dmitri didn't know the system of the Southern Training Camp and was just standing there with him.

If that were the case, there might be problems later, so McBurney approached Roman and asked,

"Sir Roman, the Southern Training Camp does not force 'nobles' to undergo training. If you do not wish to participate, you can watch the training from the shade like the others."

Occasionally, there are such people.

Those who wait in the scorching sun, thinking they must undergo training, only to complain about discriminatory treatment when they see other nobles, mentioning their family names.

McBurney had seen such trash to the point of being sick of it.

Baron Vale Frank holds absolute power in the Southern Training Camp, but instructors like McBurney cannot even speak informally to the trainees.

He was just a nominal chief instructor.

McBurney had no authority at all.

Roman said,

"Is this because of them?"

Roman's gaze turned toward the shade.

They seemed more engrossed in telling each other amusing stories than in listening to their conversation.

McBurney nodded.

For him, it was a somewhat embarrassing moment.

However,

"I will undergo the training."

Roman, knowing the truth, did not go to the shade.

The nobles at the Southern Training Camp.

He knew what they were thinking.

They believed that the Southern Front rarely saw war and that commanders only needed to issue orders to soldiers.

War, after all, was something soldiers did.

Their 'common sense' was that of a commander who watched the battlefield from a distance, but those who had experienced war thought differently.

Looking at McBurney,

Roman calmly expressed his thoughts.

"You are not wrong. In battle, the enemy's attacks do not spare anyone based on their status. It is only natural for even nobles to receive basic training, and they are under the great misconception that the commanding officer, who is in charge, will be safe. War on the plains might be relatively safe, but if the army suffers a major defeat and is pursued, or if the enemy attacks from the rear, nobles, due to their weak physical condition, will not be able to give proper orders, let alone regain their composure."

It's not just that.

War does not only take place on the plains.

Mountains, rivers, swamps, and more.

To fulfill their role as commanders in various terrains, they needed at least the physical strength to keep up with the soldiers.

And,

"I understand the Southern Training Camp's training as a process to assess the soldiers' capabilities and receive the experience of those who have spent a long time in the South. There's no need for that look. I have decided to undergo the training because I believe it is necessary, and I am prepared to undergo any training, regardless of status."

He finished speaking.

Now, it seemed he was urging the training to begin.

Standing there, watching McBurney, McBurney felt a sharp sensation in his heart.

'Ah.'

Roman Dmitri.

McBurney had fallen for the man in front of him.

* * *

They say a person will risk their life for someone who understands them.

Just a day ago,

McBurney's motivation had hit rock bottom.

He had felt a great sense of despair as a training instructor, but after hearing Roman's words, his pride swelled again.

'He perfectly understands my intentions.'

It was the first time.

A noble who shared his thoughts and was willing to take the training seriously.

It wasn't just empty talk.

Having been through many battles, McBurney could tell from a person's eyes whether they were genuine, and Roman's calm gaze was not that of someone who knew nothing about war.

For the first time in a long while,

His motivation was reignited.

Thinking that he could be of help to someone like Roman, he wanted to provide the best training possible.

'I was planning to compromise and proceed with the training as usual. But from now on, I will conduct the most challenging training. Even if a disaster strikes the Southern Front, I will ensure that they have at least the basic physical strength and military knowledge. I will do my best.'

With that decision,

The gates of hell opened.

The first week of training.

It was a period for physical conditioning.

Originally, it would start with a simple jog to warm up, but from the beginning, a mobile training exercise involving carrying military gear and climbing a mountain was conducted.

"The purpose of this training is not just to improve physical strength. War can break out at any time and place, and there are frequent instances where one must climb a mountain with heavy gear. Through this training, we will not only build physical strength but also learn how to move quickly in the mountains. From now on, we will climb the mountain every day, regardless of the weather."

Thud.

Hundreds of soldiers.

They ran up the mountain with pale faces.

Climbing a steep mountain was already a death sentence, and carrying gear made them feel dizzy.

The mountain training was just the beginning.

Soldiers who had completely exhausted their strength in the morning gathered at the training ground after a simple meal.

"This training is for basic physical conditioning. War is a mental battle that can last indefinitely. To fight until the end without losing consciousness from morning till night, one must constantly test their limits during physical training. We will now begin an unlimited chopping exercise with no set number of repetitions. I warn you, do not give up. Those who give up will undergo extended training with limited sleep."

"Ah."

"Damn."

Swear words flew from all over the training ground.

As regular soldiers, they could not refuse the instructor's orders, and the reality they faced was extremely harsh.

McBurney's warning was not an empty threat.

Under the scorching sun, soldiers collapsed.

Some foamed at the mouth and shivered, but he did not flinch and continued the training.

'On the battlefield, one must accept even more cruel situations as a matter of course.'

The Southern Front is no exception.

Moved by Roman's words, McBurney wanted to share everything he had seen and learned on the Western Front.

"Ugh."

"Please, let's take a break."

The soldiers, on the verge of death.

They were conscripts.

For soldiers who had not received proper military training, the extreme training was unbearable.

If most of them had shown similar reactions, the training would have been stopped.

But that was impossible.

Roman's troops.

They, led by Roman, perfectly carried out the training from start to finish.

* * *

Swish!

He swung his sword.

An action repeated hundreds of times.

His skin was red from the sun, and his body was drenched in sweat, but Roman did not stop training.

Without using mana,

Roman was fully immersed in physical training.

People looked at him as if they couldn't understand.

He could have rested in the shade like others, but he trained alongside the soldiers from start to finish.

'Before fighting, one must refine the sword, and I need to strengthen the bond with my soldiers.'

Bai Zhongxue.

He did not start at the peak.

He began from the bottom and understood the emotions and thoughts of those who received orders.

Dissatisfaction often stems from trivial things.

If a commander lounged in the shade while soldiers trained in the scorching sun, what would the soldiers think? Naturally, they would feel resentment.

This does not mean it would lead to a rebellion, but the weight of orders would become lighter.

If we assume there are two commanders, one who trains with the soldiers and one who does not,

Which commander's orders would the soldiers follow more faithfully?

It is a difference that cannot be overlooked.

Soldiers will follow the orders of a commander who has suffered with them more than one who only talks.

This difference can often change the outcome of a war.

It's not about always rolling in the dirt with the soldiers.

At least until complete trust is formed.

And if the action is judged to have a significant impact on the war, there is no reason for the commander not to act for victory.

For multiple reasons.

To train himself.

To strengthen the bond with his soldiers.

Bai Zhongxue did not avoid such times.

Always leading from the front, raising his voice for the soldiers, the demon sect members followed him blindly.

The conquest of the martial world.

It was not achieved by individual might alone.

The bond between Bai Zhongxue and the demon sect, forged from the bottom up, toppled the massive mountain of the Central Plains martial world in one fell swoop.

"Huff, huff."

"Ugh."

Roman's soldiers.

They looked as if they were about to die.

The urge to give up, like the other soldiers, arose at any moment, but they couldn't because of Roman.

If their commander was working so hard,

How could the soldiers give up?

Around them, other nobles' soldiers collapsed one by one.

They took secret breaks, panting on the ground, but Roman's soldiers did not cheat.

That day,

Until the training ended,

Not a single one of Roman's soldiers fell behind.

* * *

The first day of training ended.

As the sky grew dark,

The soldiers, having finished their training, came to a stream under the moonlight to wash their bodies.

Splash.

"Ah, I feel like I'm alive again."

"The rumors that the Southern Training Camp's training was easy were all lies. No one said it would be this intense on the first day."

The grumbling soldiers.

At least Roman's soldiers still had some life in their expressions.

Perhaps because this bothered them,

A soldier from another noble, washing nearby, said with a face full of complaints,

"Why do you only think about yourselves? You could have gone easier on the others."

Throughout the training,

They could not openly ask for breaks because of Roman's soldiers.

If everyone found the training unbearable, McBurney would not have pushed so hard, but the presence of those who perfectly carried out the training left no room for leniency.

He couldn't stand how much he hated Roman's soldiers, who were panting on the ground.

Their strong physical condition was clearly the result of years of training, but the situation was different for the conscripts who were forcibly drafted to the Southern Training Camp.

For this reason,

Seeing the well-conditioned Roman's soldiers made him irritable.

Taking advantage of the encounter by the stream, the soldier from another noble raised his voice.

"We are different from you; we were selected as conscripts. The training period is short, so how can we endure the same high-intensity training as you? If we had enough time, we could have done the same as you."

At that moment,

One of Roman's soldiers stepped forward and said,

"Out of curiosity, how much training have you received to claim you didn't have enough time?"

The soldier's appearance was intimidating.

With his shirt off to wash, the moonlight illuminated his body, which looked like a sculpture.

Clearly, he had trained for a long time; his ripped muscles were so impressive that even another man would marvel.

The soldier from the other noble was startled.

Though slightly intimidated by the other's presence, he still had to speak his mind.

"We only received a year of training. Unlike you, who have been training for years, we need to go easy. That way, Instructor McBurney will lower the intensity of the training."

A year.

Not a short period.

Roman's soldier laughed.

Hearing that they had been training for a year, the other's words sounded like a tantrum.

Perhaps because the past came to mind,

Roman's soldier could not speak gently.

"Don't make excuses about not having time. We didn't even have a year. We started our training with our current unit less than half a year ago. Or, if we only consider the training period, it's barely over three months. And you say you didn't have time to prepare? Don't delude yourself. You had enough time, but you didn't give your best during that time."

The soldier's identity.

He was a successful recruit.

A civilian-turned-soldier who had trembled in fear during the test.

His name was

Henderson from Lawrence.