The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 115

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front (115)

Wooooooong!

With a small resonance, the 4th Platoon members sitting in place trembled slightly.

Is this… mana?

Some were feeling it for the first time in their lives, while others had already been sensing it faintly.

But most of them didn’t know that what they felt was mana.

Those who clearly felt the movement of mana through Arteon…

“Everyone, open your eyes.”

Slowly opened their eyes at Arteon’s following words.

Then Arteon spoke.

“You all felt it well, didn’t you?”

“…Yes.”

“It’s amazing, Platoon Leader.”

“So this is what mana is.”

They had thought there would never be a chance to feel something called mana in their lives.

Wasn’t mana a relic of those who possessed it, an exclusive privilege of the strong?

Then Arteon continued speaking to the 4th Platoon members.

“From now on, you’ll have to train diligently without laziness. Since you must do this along with maintaining your current training, you might have to spend even busier days.”

Arteon looked at Grain.

“Grain, I’ll be dedicating myself to training the Punishment Soldiers by order for a while. It’s not something that will end in a day or two, and I won’t have time to look after you during that period.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll carry out what the Platoon Leader has ordered with my life on the line.”

For the 4th Platoon, the training Arteon had given was exactly that.

Something to be done with their lives on the line, without missing a single day.

Moreover, hadn’t he even taught them that precious Mana Cultivation Method this time?

Not some trash-like Mana Cultivation Method that any random person could obtain in the market.

‘…A real Mana Cultivation Method.’

If they mastered this, they could truly reach higher levels themselves.

At Grain’s words, Arteon nodded.

“Don’t be lazy. The path our 4th Platoon will have to overcome from now on will truly be the hellish path of the Northern Region.”

And one more thing.

“I plan to fill the platoon’s vacant positions with them while training these Punishment Soldiers. But… when I return, those who fall short won’t be able to preserve their positions.”

Though it was a calm voice, all the platoon members knew.

That those words were sincere.

But not a single one of them had any complaints.

Because this position was that kind of position.

Being with Arteon meant being an iron-blooded warrior who could break through hell…

‘We all… must become like that.’

To follow in Arteon’s footsteps, they had to become strong.

Because everyone belonging to the 4th Platoon knew this.

“Understood!”

“Don’t worry!”

“We absolutely won’t be pushed around by some newcomers!”

The 4th Platoon members stood up from their seats and shouted toward Arteon.

That spirited voice.

Eyes filled with determination.

Solid bodies.

At their appearance, Arteon’s lips curved into a faint smile.

“Then I’ll look forward to it.”

“Unit, attention!”

Grain’s shout echoed loudly through the barracks.

With sharp sounds, the 4th Platoon members took precise attention positions.

“Salute to the Platoon Leader!”

“Steel hearts!”

A resonance that seemed to warm their hearts.

Arteon, who had been turning around, turned back to face them and brought his feet together.

Snap!

And…

Thump!

Striking his left chest hard with his right fist.

“Steel hearts. I’ll look forward to seeing you all improved.”

With those words, he turned around.

He didn’t know how many months it would be.

But when the real war begins…

‘Many things must have changed.’

Them, and also…

‘Me too.’

Behind the turning Arteon, the cold northern wind began to blow fiercely.

*    *    *

Arteon.

Those four letters were engraved in the minds of the Punishment Soldiers like a tattoo in just a few days.

“In, Instructor… huff… huff!”

His legs wouldn’t move.

The five hundred or so Punishment Soldiers continued moving their bodies under the urging of their respective instructors.

“Huff… huff… huff…!”

“Wa, wait… ugh…!”

Due to the intense physical training, they were truly tasting the limits of their bodies.

Of course, some with good stamina were somehow keeping up.

“Are you abandoning your comrade? Is it over if you just run ahead alone?”

Arteon, who had run up beside them, kicked their thighs and pointed to the collapsed Punishment Soldier behind them as he shouted.

“Remember this clearly! If everyone can’t do it together, you’ll all start over! Do you think your fallen comrade is a burden?!”

Perhaps some of those with good stamina were thinking exactly that.

But Arteon knew that such thinking itself was wrong.

‘First of all…’

Though he had gathered trash-like guys, they couldn’t remain trash forever.

Simply learning stamina and tactics was easy, but the evil and camaraderie needed in real war weren’t easily created.

Without that, they would just be baggage that caused damage to allies too.

‘I’ll fix this rotten mentality first.’

That’s why he was pushing them to the extreme.

Because only those who could care for their comrades even in such desperate situations could survive.

‘In this northern battlefield… being outstanding alone has no meaning.’

Learning how to work together was the foundation of this training, and it was the way to make them capable of at least pulling their weight on the battlefield.

‘Naturally, there will be a lot of noise at first.’

But even that noise wouldn’t come out.

He would completely exhaust them, taking away even the energy to cause conflicts.

From sunrise to sunset, they had to move without rest.

There was nothing but simply running, walking, and crawling.

But when the sun set and blade-like cold came rushing in, they had to forget the emotions from the day’s training and endure the pain embracing their comrades.

Like that… a month passed since Arteon took charge of training the Punishment Soldiers.

The things that had been creaking at first disappeared one by one, and at some point, the outline of the Punishment Soldiers’ training began to emerge little by little.

“Hurry up and run! If you lose to Squad 10 again today, you’ll all get beaten to a pulp!”

“Uaaaaaaah!”

“Climb up! If you can’t climb with two legs, crawl up on all fours!”

“Uaaaaaaaaaaak!”

The snow-covered uphill path of the gorge.

Dozens of punishment soldiers climbing that path screamed like madmen as they ran and ran again.

A total of 10 squads with 50 men each.

Arteon began educating… no, training them using the most primitive method for humans.

“Come out!”

“Uaaaaaaah! I won!”

The soldier who first snatched the flag at the summit let out a cry that was almost like howling.

Seeing this, one of the instructors watching from below said.

“…Squad 4 finally won today.”

“They kept losing to Squad 10 every day.”

“Today Squad 4 can eat a bit more heartily. We’ve had so much trouble with them constantly whining about being hungry.”

The instructors each voiced their hardships from the past while looking up.

And Arteon simply watched them while muttering quietly.

“Physical training is… I’d say the basics are established now.”

“…?”

“Excuse me?”

At that muttering, the instructors turned their heads at light speed to stare at Arteon.

The past month.

All that training where they treated them worse than animals.

‘That was… just physical training…?’

‘This kid… is he some kind of demon?’

Without a doubt, the training conducted over the past month was of such tremendous intensity that even among the regular army, few could perform it 100%.

Naturally, none of the punishment soldiers had kept up with all of that training.

Perhaps each day had been hell for them.

They might have spent every night experiencing time to repent for their sins.

Yet all of that was merely physical training.

But Arteon simply turned his head at their words.

Before he knew it, Lieutenant Ruocal, the battalion commander, was standing where his gaze reached.

“Is the framework established?”

“Yes, that’s correct. After giving them three days of rest starting tomorrow, we can properly organize the unit and proceed with the basic education that regular army receives.”

“Much faster than expected. Honestly, I thought it wouldn’t be completed even by the day war begins.”

Ruocal was genuinely impressed.

It was proven that the decision to entrust this matter to Arteon was correct.

Moreover, those who dropped out for menial duties didn’t even reach twenty.

He had completely established the foundation for the Punishment Unit.

“…”

However, this might have been natural.

In his past life, the ones Arteon had dealt with most were punishment soldiers.

‘…I was one too.’

That’s why he could best understand what they thought and wanted.

Of course, he hadn’t been faithful to this mission simply because it was the battalion commander’s order.

“Battalion Commander, then that condition I mentioned initially… may I receive it?”

Arteon said to Ruocal.

Ruocal’s gaze turned to Arteon.

A moment of silence.

But there was no hesitation.

“Of course. I’m well aware that you worked considerably hard for that.”

“Thank you. I’ll select them as a priority.”

The one thing Arteon had requested from Ruocal.

After this training ended, he would select some of them to supplement the 4th Platoon.

From Ruocal’s standpoint, since they belonged to his battalion, there was no reason to refuse.

Even if it were another battalion, he knew that promises made should be kept.

“Everyone has worked hard during this time. Please continue your efforts.”

Now, as of today, his duties as supervising instructor were finished.

Arteon spoke politely to the instructors who had educated the punishment soldiers alongside him and turned to leave.

And when he headed toward where the punishment soldiers were gathered.

“…”

Gulp.

Ten punishment soldiers stood before Arteon.

The ones Arteon had designated as he finished the final training.

Their very eyes had changed from when he first saw them.

Arteon looked at them and said.

“If you follow me, it’ll be so difficult you’ll think this place was heaven. But… are you really okay with that? It’s not too late even now. Those who want to change their minds can go to other units.”

“Why, why do you keep repeating the same thing? We’ve already made our decision.”

The one who immediately objected to Arteon’s words was Kamarkan of the Turak Tribe.

On the first day.

He was one who left quite a strong impression even among the punishment soldiers, and he had endured Arteon’s training to the end without falling behind even once.

Kamarkan spoke with sharp eyes.

“Somehow I feel that if I follow you… I might become strong like you.”

That miraculous power he had seen on the first day.

‘Can I too…’

Become like that?

Then Arteon looked at the others at that question.

“Do you all think the same?”

There was no answer.

But this silence revealed their will more firmly than any resolute response filled with determination.

At that, Arteon looked at them and said.

“Welcome to my platoon.”

Though he said my platoon…

Was it an illusion that it sounded like hell?

The moment everything was confirmed, they tried hard to ignore the fleeting thought of wanting to back out.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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