“Looks like I’m getting tired of this…”
“I can’t just eat this for a month, can I?”
The trainees mumbled while chewing on dry chicken breast. Since it was the Golden Guards’ cafeteria, the meals served were decent for bulk cooking, but for active soldiers, the portions were small, and there was a lack of meat dishes.
On the other hand, the meals provided by Ho Cheon-an were abundant enough to last, and even though it was limited to chicken breast and eggs, they were happy to eat as much as they wanted…
But now it felt like the fishy smell from the chicken breast and eggs was rising up.
“Ugh, they only give us rice the size of a pebble, and I can’t find the strength.”
After turning three training dummies into stars today, Gwang Jae-ryeon had been firmly warned by Ho Cheon-an. The saying that food is strength wasn’t for nothing. You need to consume carbohydrates in large quantities to exert energy immediately.
“By the way, I’m worried about the afternoon exam… It doesn’t seem like the instructor will just let the failures slide.”
The trainees looked enviously at Jo Gab-deok and Jae Sang-hae. Neither of them could be said to have reached a level where they could boast about having learned Hidden Weapons, but they were still much better than complete beginners. Jo Gab-deok sincerely appreciated the senior who had forcibly taught him some skills, while Jae Sang-hae puffed out his chest arrogantly.
“Heh heh, I had to at least master something like Hidden Weapons.”
“Tch, I can’t say anything to that.”
Jo Ga-ju looked at Jae Sang-hae, who was revitalized.
“The training instructor seems thrilled now that performance goals have been introduced.”
Jae Sang-hae’s talent was outstanding. Jo Ga-ju acknowledged that point. He hadn’t made a single mistake in the slogans for three days. It seemed like he had some experience practicing the technique, and even considering that, his level was rising alarmingly fast.
But still, he’s just a rookie.
He was more hasty in his self-confidence than cautious in observing the situation. Jae Sang-hae wasn’t acting foolishly; it was just that those who were born with good backgrounds often developed an arrogant personality because their arrogant behavior became ‘natural’ for them, without any consequences.
Having lived his entire life that way, could he change just because Ho Cheon-an taught him a tough lesson once?
Jo Ga-ju thought of Ho Cheon-an. Would Ho Cheon-an recognize Jae Sang-hae just because he was showing rapid growth due to his talent?
It seemed unlikely, but you never know.
As Jo Ga-ju contemplated what could happen during the throwing technique assessment later, the sound signaling the start of the afternoon session rang out.
“Let’s go! I’m going to show off my skills today!”
With the cocky Jae Sang-hae, the afternoon training began.
Surprisingly, the number of trainees who passed and failed in the training was evenly split.
“I got it right!”
“Trainee Seong Yeol-hwi, stop celebrating and return to your place.”
“Ugh!”
“That’s good. The evaluation is over for now. To assess, I would say that both Jo Gab-deok and Jae Sang-hae have a solid foundation. The rest of the passers can be considered lucky.”
“Ugh!”
Notably, Jae Sang-hae’s response was loud. Ho Cheon-an continued lightly.
“First, I’ll set the next training goals for the passers. Jo Gab-deok and Jae Sang-hae must hit three or more out of five targets in the next exam. And you will have to throw within one second of my signal.”
Jo Gab-deok and Jae Sang-hae were left dumbfounded. Wait… did the difficulty suddenly just spike like that?
“What’s the answer?”
“Ugh!”
“Ugh!”
“As for the trainees who just passed, you will have to hit two out of five with the same conditions as now.”
“Ugh!”
“The remaining trainees will train with this instructor until they pass.”
“Ahhhhhhh!”
“The successful trainees will conduct self-training. Please keep your distance, as there’s a chance of injury from the blind throwing.”
“Ugh!”
As soon as Jae Sang-hae distanced himself from Ho Cheon-an, he burst into complaints.
“Does this make any sense? If we passed the exam, we should have some rights! We’re being discriminated against just because we learned the technique outside!”
“Ugh… this is killing me.”
“Heh, I could tell from the moment you started boasting.”
“The training instructor knows how to train too!”
“Hahahaha. Let’s practice martial arts before we get scolded by the instructor.”
The trainees were laughing. Jo Gab-deok sighed as he set up a target and picked up a throwing weapon. Watching Jo Gab-deok, Jae Sang-hae panicked.
“Hey, if you’re going to practice Hidden Weapons from now on, wasn’t it pointless to pass? At least enjoy yourself, or do some martial arts training.”
“I’d love to, but if I want to pass the next exam, I’ve got to work hard starting now.”
Jo Gab-deok frowned and gestured.
“Ahhhhhhh!”
“Ughhhh!”
As Jae Sang-hae watched his fellow trainees rolling on the ground during training, he gulped nervously.
“This is just hurting us!”
“What can we do? The instructor said so…”
Jo Ga-ju was focused on the bickering between Jae Sang-hae and Jo Gab-deok as he picked up a sword. He hadn’t had the chance to practice swordsmanship during his waiting period and had no energy left to train in sword techniques since starting training with Ho Cheon-an.
It had genuinely been a long time since he practiced swordsmanship, so Jo Ga-ju cleared his mind and inspected his sword skills.
After performing the basics of the swordsmanship he had learned about three times, Jo Ga-ju came to a conclusion.
“I’m regressing.”
Ho Cheon-an’s training had affected his physical condition. With the addition of new training on top of the body that had been finely tuned over a long period, changes in his physique began to occur. Jo Ga-ju frowned. He wasn’t sure what results Ho Cheon-an’s training would yield, but one month felt too short.
While thinking about this, Jo Ga-ju looked around the training ground.
Other instructors were also conducting training at the grounds. Call it training. Each was practicing their techniques, and occasionally pointing out any shortcomings they noticed.
Occasionally. No, frequently, the previous trainees sneered while glancing at them during their training. The fact that they looked down on them made Jo Ga-ju briefly scowl…
“Jo Ga-ju.”
Suddenly pulled back to reality by Ho Cheon-an’s voice and the object he held out, Jo Ga-ju widened his eyes.
A spear.
“What is this…”
“How about giving it a try? Trainee Jo Ga-ju.”
“I must admit I’ve been interested in the spear, but my primary weapon is the sword. Training with a spear right before the important selection test of the Golden Guards seems excessive.”
“I agree.”
Jo Ga-ju hesitated, unsure of what to do if Ho Cheon-an insisted he practice with the spear.
Jo Ga-ju looked into Ho Cheon-an’s eyes. Despite conducting intense and ruthless training, there was a madness and darkness boiling in his gaze, yet over the past three days, he had kept his personal feelings hidden. Even with madness flickering in his eyes, he remained focused solely on training without expressing emotion.
As a person, it would be natural to let out an emotion or slip up, but Ho Cheon-an only expressed feelings through his gaze. He had never once acted outside the limits he established.
It was a bizarre principle, but Jo Ga-ju found a bit of trust in Ho Cheon-an, who stubbornly adhered to those principles… recommending something that could cause him to fail the Golden Guards exam?
“Trainee Jo Ga-ju, did you think your body was very well-trained?”
“I thought I had taken good care of it, to some extent.”
“That’s right. You put in effort. Effort not to break down.”
Effort not to break down. Jo Ga-ju was left speechless by Ho Cheon-an’s words. After reaching the peak, he felt a wall in various ways. And so, he had tried his hand at other weapons under the pretext of preparing for the Golden Guards’ exam.
“Trainee Jo Ga-ju’s diligence is something I, the instructor, can definitely feel even after just a few days of not seeing you. There must have been continuous effort to achieve your current physique and swordsmanship. However, diligence alone cannot solve everything.”
Jo Ga-ju’s eyes widened. Memories of working silently under a decades-long tyrannical superior resurfaced. Stealing credits or dumping tasks was common, but Jo Ga-ju continued to endure. He believed that if he piled up like this, an opportunity would eventually arise to set things right.
However, Jo Ga-ju never received that chance. It was because a soldier, unable to tolerate the superior’s wrongdoing, took a petition directly to the governor.
The governor was furious, and the wrath led to immediate consequences, but the side effects were considerable as well.
Due to the soldier’s actions, numerous victims also appeared. Those who had either turned a blind eye or bent to the superior’s tyranny also held culpability, yet received excessive punishments in comparison to their transgressions, leading to the near disbandment of the unit.
Jo Ga-ju’s recommendation for the Golden Guards came from the new unit’s superior, who felt that advancement under the current governor would be difficult for him and thus suggested the Golden Guards instead.
“Up until now, trainee Jo Ga-ju has come this far under the banner of diligence. However, trainee Jo Ga-ju, have you never sensed a wall?”
“That’s…”
“Do you have a reason you must become a Golden Guard immediately? I will respect you if you do. But if not, if you want to break through that wall and climb higher, why not break the mold surrounding you?”
Breaking the mold. Suddenly, Jo Ga-ju thought. Quietly doing his part under the tyrant had ultimately been out of fear of breaking the mold that surrounded him. The sturdy framework built through sincerity and effort… wasn’t it perhaps too precious to let go?
Was he unable to gather the courage to break it, even though it was the only way to move forward?
“Trainee Jo Ga-ju doesn’t need to be afraid.”
As if seeing through that heart, Ho Cheon-an said.
“Did you not say you have thoughts of wielding the spear? If that’s the case, now is the optimal time. Trainee Jo Ga-ju, you are a trainee right now. Even if your power decreases by taking up the spear instead of the familiar sword, what of it? You’re just a trainee with no obligation to lose as a military officer.”
“….”
“The first time a bird flaps its wings, it jumps off a hill and flutters. If it fails to fly, it’s just a fall. However, through that descent, enduring pain and injury while flapping its wings, it learns how to fly. If you simply wish to remain at the hill of passing the Golden Guards now, I will respect that. But if you want to soar in the sky…”
Ho Cheon-an held out the spear before Jo Ga-ju.
“How about giving it a challenge?”
As if entranced, Jo Ga-ju grasped the spear and said.
“Ugh!”
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