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Chapter 321: Strengthening the Territory
The next day, Crusoe took the 200 Death Corps soldiers, and left Atlas territory for their special training on a beach located nearby.
“Run!!! If you arrive late, I’ll have you run back and forth another time!!!”
Crusoe’s running drill was extremely unique and special, with many powerful monsters blocking their course. However, the Death Corps just ran forward without stopping. It was as if they were already used to this drill.
Dash, dash, dash, dash―
They were not tasked to hunt. So, they weaved through the monsters and avoided them, while continuing their run. In just a blink of an eye, they had already left hundreds of monsters behind them! The sight was so thrilling and could bring a chill down one’s spine. However, through this method, they would be able to gain a strong mental fortitude and quick feet. They kept on running like crazy because they wanted to survive and live.
[Soldier Rocard’s AGI has increased by +1]
[Soldier Laerito’s AGI has increased by +1]
The notifications rang constantly! After doing their running drill, the Death Corps were then tasked to kill 200 monsters, one for each of them. However, the soldiers using swords were given wooden swords, the soldiers using spears were given wooden sticks, and the soldiers using bow and arrow were given carved wooden arrows to fight against the monsters. They might have easily killed the monsters with their usual weapons, but Crusoe’s method was pushing the soldiers to their limits. This method could also quickly increase the soldiers’ swordsmanship, spearmanship and archery skills. Once their morning training was over…
“Sir Crusoe.”
“Yes, Centurion Park?”
“Do you think the training in Atlas territory is going well?”
“...”
Crusoe could not assume that it was going well. After all, all 200 of the soldiers present here had seen those weirdos too. Crusoe just said, “When we return and the soldiers’ level has not increased by four, I will immediately tell Minhyuk to make them step down. Minhyuk’s probably calling them instructors because he’s very kind, but…”
He did not need to say anything anymore, everyone understood what he meant.
***
The night before, the soldiers of Atlas were told that they would receive a completely different training from the people that came from Valhalla territory! Just before they went to sleep, one of the soldiers, Leo, said, “Speaking about the instructors, aren’t they a bit weird?”
“It’s not a bit, they’re really weird. Will they really be able to train us?”
The soldiers that remained in Atlas were all worried. However, some of them also thought like this…
“It seems like we’ll be able to rest a lot.”
“I know right. Fufufufu. We can just sit on the ground and grill some pollock. Ah, someone should bring some alcohol in a bucket too!”
The soldiers completely ignored the people who migrated from Valhalla territory, even the lord’s vassals. Perhaps it was inevitable. After all, they were people that wielded their swords and spears to protect their loved ones and survive! As for the people that came from Valhalla, they looked completely far from their desperation. Meanwhile, Leo fell asleep with a smile on his face, believing that he would live a comfortable life for a week from the weird, weak-looking instructors that they had. Alas, they had not even slept for a few hours when…
“Wake up!!!”
A loud voice shook the entire barracks, waking the soldiers up in surprise. Grandpa Ben, with his luxurious long black hair, stood there with his spear.
“Ah, gramps. It’s still early. Why are you waking us up already?”
“That’s right! We need to get more sleep. Training can start at nine o’clock. Yawn,” Leo said with a yawn.
But then, a man suddenly appeared behind the soldiers and threw water at their backs.
Shwaaaaaa―
The man was none other than Corr.
“You should be in the training grounds in 20 seconds. Those who arrive late will have to run 30 laps around the training grounds.”
“Ah. Okay…”
The soldiers wondered why Grandpa Ben and the other instructor did this. Simply put, they thought that it was ‘troublesome’. It was common to feel that way especially when they felt that the people that were going to teach them were worse than them. They just openly ignored their words and came out leisurely to the training grounds.
“Twenty seconds are long over. Run 30 laps in the field!”
“Ehhhh! How can we run 30 laps like that~”
“Thirty laps means that I have to run 20 kilometers. How can I run that far, instructor?”
“Then, how about the instructors run instead! Hehehehe!”
When they heard their words, Grandpa Ben showed them a wide smile and said, “Hohoho. Look at them?”
The soldiers laughed slyly at Grandpa Ben. After all, they were soldiers of Atlas territory! A weak old man could not make them move! But then, Grandpa Ben said, “Instructors, forward!”
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
With his words, the strange God of Dishwashing, the paladin with a recorder and the other member of their group stepped forward in unison. Then, Grandpa Ben gave each of them a pair of wooden chopsticks. After he did that, he looked at the soldiers and said, “All of you hold your spears, your swords and your bow and arrows. If you’re able to land a hit on your instructors with your weapons, then we will exclude you from training.”
“Really?”
“Oh! I can rest easy until Sir Crusoe comes back!”
“Eyyy~ How can you even deal with us with just chopsticks alone?”
“You’ll just get hurt. Haha!”
Then, Grandpa Ben said, “Start.”
The soldiers were laughing with ease, but they immediately rushed forward the moment they heard Grandpa Ben speak. The soldier Leo was even the first to rush towards Grandpa Ben.
‘Let’s have a relaxing week!’
However, a pair of wooden chopsticks stabbed him strongly in the chest.
“Keoheok!!”
Leo could not breathe from the pain!!! While he screamed in pain, another soldier rushed towards Conir.
‘This little kid looks the easiest!’
So, the soldier swung his sword, trying to scare the little boy away. But then, Conir stabbed the tip of the soldier’s sword with his chopsticks.
Clink!
The boy did not stop. He gently rotated his body and slammed his head on the soldier’s face.
“Keoheok!”
As for the boy hailed as the God of Dishwashing… he picked up his chopsticks and stabbed the soldiers easily and leisurely, effectively suppressing them.
Stab, stab, stab, stab―
And it did not end there. Corr threw away his chopsticks and took out his recorder and easily overpowered the soldiers. Just like that, the hundreds of soldiers began to collapse without even touching a single hair of their instructors!
“Keheok!”
“Ugh, aaaack!”
“Keuaaaaack!”
“Aaaaack!”
The soldiers screamed loudly as they rolled on the floor in pain one after the other. However, Grandpa Ben and the rest of their instructors did not stop. The person that got hit on the head by Grandpa Ben’s chopsticks felt like an iron hammer had slammed on his head.
“Keuaaaaack!”
The one that got stabbed by the young boy, Conir’s chopsticks felt like he was stabbed by a sword.
“Keheok!”
Not long after, all of the soldiers had collapsed from the pain.
“Stand up!”
Ben’s words might be short, but his words were strong and filled with momentum. The soldiers hurriedly stood up, groaning in pain as they did so.
“Ugh. How, how can this be…”
“This, this is impossible…”
Then, Ben told them, “You still have the energy to chat?”
“...”
“...”
Everyone turned silent at his words.
“Run 30 laps around the field! Double time!”
“...Yes, sir!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Yes, sir!”
That was when the soldiers realized that they would be in trouble for a week, no, perhaps even in the future.
***
The soldiers’ bodies were hurting all over as they gasped heavily after morning training. They were so exhausted that they were dragging their bodies to the mess hall. However, the moment they entered the mess hall, they saw their training schedule…
[Training Schedule]
4:00 a.m.: Wake up
4:00 a.m - 6:00 a.m. : Morning training and running
6:00 a.m. - 7:00 a.m.: Breakfast
7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.: Soldier’s personal training (e.g. swordsmanship, spearmanship, etc.)
9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.: Underwater training at Dragon King’s Sea
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.: Lunch
12:30 p.m. - …omitted
11:00 p.m.: Lights out
“...!”
“...!”
“...!”
Leo and the rest of the soldiers looked at the training schedule in shock and astonishment.
‘What, what the hell…!’
‘Why, why is it so packed?!’
‘Hiiik!’
What would happen to them if they continued training with the same intensity as the one that they experienced this morning? Just imagining their schedule was terrifying enough.
They ate the moment they entered the mess hall. Their breakfast was a set of ‘seaweed soup, vienna sausage, seasoned seaweed, and kimchi’. They felt like breakfast after working out and exercising hard in the morning was the best. To their pleasant surprise, Minhyuk was even the one working in the kitchen.
“Wow. It’s really delicious.”
“This is the most delicious breakfast that I ever had.”
Leo looked around with his aching body as he said, “I wonder how delicious that seaweed soup is?” Then, he scooped a spoonful of soup filled with plenty of seaweed and beef.
‘Huh?’
Leo scooped another spoonful. His eyes widened in shock from the deep flavor of the beef and seaweed broth that had the appropriate amount of soy sauce and sesame oil. Then, Leo quickly scooped some rice together with his seaweed soup. He also made sure to add some kimchi on top of that spoonful. And when he placed it in his mouth…
Crunch, crunch, crunch―
The crispy and crunchy sound of the kimchi together with the warm seaweed soup spread in his mouth. Then, Leo took a bite of the vienna sausages. The flavor and warmth of the food made him feel like his fatigue was going away. That was when the notifications rang.
[You have eaten Seaweed Soup & Vienna Sausage.]
[The food helps you recover from your fatigue.]
[Your ability to acquire EXP and learn skills will increase by 15%.]
The soldiers were in a buzz. This was because Minhyuk’s buff abilities were amazing and great.
After their meal, Leo swung his sword towards the wooden doll in front of him during his swordsmanship training.
‘Ah, why isn’t it working?’
Leo also wanted to grow further and stand on the next level of his swordsmanship. However, it was not going as well as he thought.
Slash, slash, slash!
Leo swung his sword at the doll but nothing was improving. Then…
“Instructor Conir!!! Your Instructor will not bully you if you listen well!!!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Conir says to relax your arm and only bring your strength into your attack when you stab!!! Conir is telling you that you’ll see improvement in your swordsmanship if you do that!!!”
“...?”
Leo was confused but he smiled as he thought, ‘Relax my arm? What nonsense is he talking about?’
Leo believed that he would miss his target or lose his sword if he relaxed his arm holding his sword. Missing a target or losing his sword in the battlefield would bring him close to death. Still, Leo tried out Conir’s advice. He relaxed his arm and only put his strength when he stabbed. Then, at that moment…
Shwaaaa!
“...!”
Fierce wind accompanied his sword as the tip stabbed deeply into the wooden doll.
“Conir will explain!!! Trainee Leo is using too much strength, because of that Trainee Leo’s sword cannot show its proper strength. Trainee Leo loses strength even before Trainee Leo swings his sword!”
“...I…I see. Th…thank you! Thank you!!!” Leo shouted, bowing repeatedly in gratitude.
Minhyuk, who watched everything from afar, heard a series of notifications.
[The soldiers are starting to learn swordsmanship.]
[The Atlas’ soldiers’ understanding of swordsmanship has significantly increased.]
Meanwhile, Lute brought the archers to the peak of the mountain. Then, he pulled his bow and shot his arrow somewhere.
‘What is he doing?’
‘No, why did he shoot in the air?’
Then, Lute said, “Go to the place where I shot my arrow.”
The soldiers ran with grim expressions on their faces. When they arrived at the location, they saw the arrow piercing through a very small rabbit. This was the prowess of the former archery gold medalist Lute! In fact, with the game Athenae’s influence, the title ‘Godly Archer’ was not a waste on him.
“At least two weeks. You’ll have to be able to shoot like this in two weeks. Pull the strings of the bow, no. Hold your breath and pull the bow string as hard as you can. Don’t close your eyes, that’s right. Do it like that.”
Woosh―
Stab!
Rapier, a soldier known for being the worst among the archers, followed Lute’s instructions and shot an arrow so fast that it looked like he was a master archer.
‘Wow…!’
‘That, that’s crazy…!’
“Thank you, instructor! Thank you!”
[The soldiers are starting to learn archery.]
[The Atlas’ soldiers’ understanding of archery has significantly increased.]
The surprises did not end there. Kaistra sat on his horse and taught the cavalry unit some horsemanship. He had been training with wolves ever since he was five years old, and teaching this much was nothing.
“The destructive power of the spear increases in the hands of those riding the horse. It is important to know how to use your spear on a horse, but it’s also important to learn how to handle the horse. You must be one with the horse in mind and body,” Kaistra said, showing his high intimacy with the horse. Then, he urged the horse to run towards the targets and…
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
Kaistra successfully hit the target plate dead on the center while still riding on top of the horse.
[The soldiers are starting to learn horsemanship.]
[The Atlas’ soldiers’ understanding of horse riding has significantly increased.]
The soldiers grew incredibly fast in just a single day! After all, they received a x2 buff for growth and EXP rate. They were even nurtured by Minhyuk’s buffed dishes and their amazing instructors!
***
During that time, a man wearing a black robe and riding on top of a huge snake was moving quickly.
‘I’m almost there.’
The man had a smile on his face. This man was none other than Black Mage Ali. He had successfully changed into the Royal Class Moldoron’s Descendant! Not too long ago, he read from the official website that Legend Guild had disbanded to form a new guild. Knowing the new owner of the new guild, Ali wanted to lend his strength to him and stay by his side. Just when he was smiling at the thought…
“Oh? That boy?!”
“Over here!! Black Prema… No, Black Mage Ali!!!”
Black Mage Ali turned to look at the source of the shout. Then, he saw the people calling for him. He said, “Oh. Aren’t you the Four Hyenas? By any chance…”
Hearing Ali’s words, the Four Hyena’s, also known as the chairmen of Nottogi, Ilhwa Distribution, Ilhwa Electronics and Ilhwa Construction, answered Ali’s question with, “Yes. We also want to join Minhyuk.”
“Hahaha! I see. I want to do the same thing too!”
Strong players were starting to gather in Atlas territory.