ALL NOVEL chapter 28
Chapter 28 Dragon’s Tail (5)
I lowered my sword.
The [mystical snake] that had been coiled around the blade burst like a small firecracker.
Of course, it only appeared that way.
It could be manifested again anytime if I gathered enough energy.
‘Though the energy is somewhat lacking.’
Compared to other hunters, or even to my pre-regression self, the difference in quantity and concentration is vast.
Without the week-long special training, the [mystical snake] might have been swallowed by the ice chunk instead of swallowing it.
I could see clearly how the magic would unfold, so I would have won anyway, but such a clean victory would have been difficult.
Anyway, that’s that.
Despite some regrets, I am very satisfied.
A small snake that hasn’t even become a dragon yet.
So to speak, the tail of a dragon.
Even in such a state, the legend was mighty.
“Winner, Private Gu Yunho!”
With the operations officer’s shout, applause erupted from the stands.
It was the usual reaction for the duel winners.
“Wow, was that manifestation just now?”
“That guy is really crazy, he’s insane.”
This time, the reaction was particularly intense.
Although it wasn’t impossible for a private to use manifestation, they probably didn’t expect me to use it.
Until now, I hadn’t even properly handled prayer, let alone manifestation.
“When Gu Yunho fought Jo Taekwang, there wasn’t anything like that, right?”
“There wasn’t.”
“Then does that mean he unlocked manifestation in just fifteen days?”
“That’s right. I still can’t believe it. That someone like him failed to get promoted three times.”
Amidst the murmuring, someone spoke.
“That just now was manifestation, right?”
“Yes.”
It was Private Gong Eunseol, her face flushed red. She was that surprised.
She lowered her gaze and looked at my sword.
The faint remnant of the [Mystical Snake] was still there.
“Can we call it a snake?”
“That’s right?”
To be precise, it should be called a snake imbued with mystical energy, but that would be too much TMI.
I had no intention of revealing my manifestation anyway.
It would obviously just become a hassle.
“Hmm.”
A brief conversation continued in the training ground. The operations officer, who had to prepare for the next training, was quietly listening beside us.
As if he was also very curious about what had happened.
“You’re amazing.”
Regardless, Private Gong Eunseol sincerely exclaimed.
“Manifestation in just fifteen days. I can’t imagine how much training you must have done.”
I swallowed the words, “I got it by capturing a legend,” and replied.
“I just worked up a good sweat.”
“I see.”
She bowed her head deeply, as if embarrassed.
“Anyway, I presumptuously challenged you without knowing that.”
“Don’t say that. You did well too, Private Gong Eunseol.”
“No, thanks to you, I’ve learned a lot.”
And then he bowed.
I bowed back.
“It was a good match.”
I came down from the training ground.
Unexpected people were there to greet me.
“Youngest!”
“Gu Yoon-ho!”
They were the seniors from our squad. Come to think of it, the schedule changed suddenly today, so the seniors came to watch.
I just remembered.
“Yoon-ho, you did well.”
“Thank you.”
Sergeant Sun Ah-rin was also there. I smiled and went into their arms.
“Hey, you know I’m quick-tempered, right? What’s this? What kind of manifestation is it? Is it a snake?”
Congratulations were secondary. Starting with Corporal Kwak Woo-hee, the seniors asked urgently.
It was understandable.
If it were me, I’d be dying of curiosity too.
I laid out the answer I had prepared in advance.
“My parents run an orchard, don’t they? So I’ve seen animals, especially snakes, often since I was young…”
It was true that I had seen snakes often. And manifestation follows the nature of the hunter.
It’s not a complete lie, right?
*
Outside the training ground, in the officers’ seats.
“A private with a manifestation. It’s surprising.”
The officers said in unison as they watched Private Gu Yoon-ho go down to the stands.
Lieutenant Colonel Park Eui-chul, who had been silent, spoke up.
“Usually, you have to be at least a private first class to handle a manifestation, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Then there’s nothing surprising at all.”
Lieutenant Colonel Park Eui-chul’s gaze was fixed on Private Gu Yoon-ho in the distance.
“That guy has been at the level of a private first class for a long time. So there’s no reason he can’t handle a manifestation.”
“Ah. Yes, that’s true.”
“But the period for handling it is too short. Even during the last intensive training, it seemed like he couldn’t even properly unfold his energy, let alone materialize it.”
“Yes, his growth rate is fast. Even though he’s a private, this kind of case is rare.”
“What do you think it is?”
“The type of materialization?”
“Yes.”
There was no need to ponder over it.
Regardless of the amount or concentration of energy, the form clearly represented a certain creature.
“It’s a snake.”
“Yes, the effect also reminded me exactly of a snake. Wrapping around the sword to increase its power, or opening its mouth to extinguish magic.”
“I think so too. It was definitely a snake.”
The voice was agreeable but mixed with doubt. It became evident in the following words.
“Except for one strange point.”
“A strange point?”
“Didn’t you feel it while watching?”
“It was a bit small, but that would be because Private Gu Yunho’s energy couldn’t support it enough… Other than that, I don’t know.”
The operations officer spoke. The other officers seemed to agree, as they didn’t say anything else.
“Is that so? I felt an aura.”
“An aura?”
“Yes, an aura. Something alien, with a very strong presence.”
In this field, the superior’s word is law. Even if an apple is called a pear, you just agree and move on.
But this time, it was hard to understand.
Alien, fine, but a very strong presence?
I saw it with my own eyes.
Of course, it was impressive.
Cutting through ice magic and penetrating the opponent, and swallowing the ice chunk with the materialized snake.
There was nothing to criticize.
But it wasn’t extraordinary enough to be described as having a ‘very strong presence.’
“I don’t quite understand how you felt that way…”
The operations officer expressed his doubt.
Lieutenant Colonel Park Eui-cheol rather seemed to understand.
“I don’t know the reason either, but that’s the feeling I get, the feeling.”
“I see.”
How much was he fixated on Private Gu Yoon-ho?
How fixated was he to say such absurd things?
The officers quietly muttered.
Ironically, they were wrong.
Lieutenant Colonel Park Eui-cheol was right.
The beginning of the legend.
It must have a different aura from the usual manifestations.
Because its very foundation is different.
The problem was that even Lieutenant Colonel Park Eui-cheol, who raised the objection, couldn’t think beyond that.
It was natural.
At this point, not even the existence of such a being had been revealed, let alone the beginning of the legend.
In fact, Private Gu Yoon-ho was the first.
So it was impossible to grasp.
Lieutenant Colonel Park Eui-cheol, who was lost in thought for a moment, looked back at Captain Oh Jun-beom.
“Company Commander, what happened to what I mentioned last time?”
The quick-witted Captain Oh Jun-beom immediately understood.
“Are you talking about Private Gu Yoon-ho’s post-discharge plans?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve already told the new squad leader. I told him to schedule an interview and find out.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
“Well done. By the way, who is the new squad leader?”
“Her name is Seon Ah-rin, a newly commissioned sergeant who just graduated from the Hunter NCO Academy. Her specialty is electric magic.”
“A newly commissioned sergeant. It’s time for her to learn fieldwork.”
“That’s right.”
“Company Commander, teach her well.”
“Yes, understood-“
“Don’t end up like Kwon Min-chan.”
Captain Oh Jun-beom answered in a panic.
“I, I will make sure that never happens again.”
That was the end of the conversation. Lieutenant Colonel Park Eui-cheol left the room.
He had no interest in the sparring of other privates.
*
After dinner, all members of the 3rd squad gathered at the PX under the command of Corporal Kwak Woo-hee.
“Congratulations, Yoon-ho!”
“Yoon-ho, man, congratulations.”
“You did it in the end, huh.”
We pushed three tables together and took over the whole area.
In front of me, various snacks were piled up like a tower.
It was a hunter-style cake.
Something you only get to eat on your birthday, but today was the day.
“Come on, blow it out.”
In celebration of my promotion to Private First Class.
“Whooo.”
“If you blew it out, you have to get your promotion punch, right?”
“Ah, please spare me!”
Such pitiful cries did not work on the seniors.
I had to lie face down in the middle of the table and get my back pounded.
Maybe because of his double axe specialty, Corporal Kwak Woo-hee’s hands were especially harsh.
Hurry up and become a sergeant.
I will definitely get my revenge.
“Hey, Yoon-ho.”
“Private Gu Yoon… Private First Class Gu Yoon-ho.”
“Pfft, I thought so, so I called you once. You need to get used to your new rank.”
Corporal Jung Ye-som teased me from the side, poking my arm with his finger.
“Private First Class Gu Yoon-ho. Private First Class Gu Yoon-ho. Private First Class Gu Yoon-ho.”
“Yap yap.”
“Private Koo Yoon-ho. Private Koo Yoon-ho. Private Koo Yoon-ho.”
“Yap yap.”
Oh, this sister is really something.
“Yesom, you might get the same treatment?”
“Corporal Jung Yesom! I was just about to stop, sir.”
Corporal Gwak Woo-hee said while chewing on shrimp crackers, and Corporal Jung Yesom quickly withdrew her hand.
“Now, how about a toast?”
There was a cup of drink placed at each seat. Corporal Jung Yesom muttered, “Hing, it would have been better if it were soju.”
I cleared my throat and stood up.
“I am always grateful to my seniors who always take good care of me and lead me well…”
“Boring.”
“Oh, no fun.”
“Yawn. Hey, rookie. This is dull.”
These people, really.
I knew this would happen, so I prepared another line.
“You guys better work hard. You might get overtaken by me.”
“Puhahaha.”
“Yeah, that’s how a toast should be.”
The seniors burst into laughter.
The glasses clinked together in unison.
The excitement spills over like the fizzy drinks.
Good times with good people.
“Are you doing this without me?”
“Sergeant Song Ki-yong, today’s main character is not you but Yoon-ho.”
“Well, I admit that.”
Even Sergeant Song Ki-yong, who joined late due to work, enjoyed the celebration party until the duty cleaning time.
We returned to our daily routine when we went back to the barracks.
Although I officially became a private after reporting my promotion to Sergeant Sun Ah-rin earlier, it was just one more stripe added.
I faithfully carried out my original duties.
I organized the squad status board, put the scattered slippers back in place, and washed some rags.
After cleaning, it was already time for the squad meeting.
“…so, that’s all for today’s announcements.”
There was nothing special. Except for the ‘large-scale training’ next week that all soldiers hate, no, despise.
But I was actually looking forward to it.
Because I can gain a lot from it.
“And Yunho.”
“Private Gu Yunho!”
“Yunho, can you come to the squad leader’s office for a moment? I have something to talk about.”
Something to talk about? We had individual interviews last week.
I already reported my promotion earlier.
It’s not something that would call me alone at this late hour.
So what could it be about?
“Understood.”
“Let’s go.”
Sergeant Sun Arin left the living quarters first.
Corporal Song Ki-yong whispered softly.
“Yunho, don’t get any funny ideas. Our squad leader is mine.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Hiding the truth that the squad leader wouldn’t go to him anyway, I followed Sergeant Sun Arin.
“Hey, Yunho.”
So, late at night, I was alone with her.