LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 238
Chapter 238: Side Effects (2)
Black Sword Corps’ exclusive barracks.
The Bespectacled Man was working when he briefly glanced aside.
He looked toward the direction where the Hell Training Camp was located.
“It should have started by now.”
Muttering to himself, the Bespectacled Man adjusted his glasses and recalled the conditions Yuri had requested.
It was quite unexpected.
[My conditions aren’t much. Just, when the 51st batch enters the Hell Training Camp… let me handle their training. Oh, and if you could get me a red cap, that’d be great.]
The training to instill discipline and order in the 51st batch.
Yuri, who originally had Black Sword Corps’ duties, asked to take it on himself.
Even going so far as to cut down three million points for it.
When asked why he wanted it, he answered with a truly wicked smile.
[Training the newbies? And, it just seems like it’ll be fun.]
That last part probably revealed his true intentions.
Taking on the training of the 51st batch just for fun.
Normally, such a request wouldn’t have been approved.
However, since he had already entrusted Yuri with the role of the “Tiger,” refusing this would have seemed unreasonable.
‘Besides, we’re already short on manpower, and I’d even accept help from a cat’s paw at this point, so I agreed…’
Still, he felt uneasy about entrusting the training of new recruits to someone who was only one year their senior.
Even if other Black Sword Corps members were overseeing the Hell Training Camp.
After some thought, the Bespectacled Man stood up.
“…I should go and take a look.”
He was curious to see how Yuri was doing.
Also, he wondered why Yuri had asked for a red cap.
So, the Bespectacled Man left the barracks and quickly walked toward the Hell Training Camp.
* * *
Gunther appeared, silhouetted against the light.
Mucci recognized him and widened his eyes in surprise.
‘Gu-Gunther-senpai?’
Mucci, the youngest in the Demon King’s castle, had a few direct seniors.
The calm and pretty Theresia-senpai.
The lively and pretty Arin-senpai.
And the oddly approachable Poppy-senpai.
All of them adored Mucci, and it was easy for him to get along with them.
But there was one senior Mucci still couldn’t get close to.
That was Gunther Irons.
‘Why is that senior here?’
Gunther never got particularly angry or anything.
But whenever Mucci met his disciplined and emotionless gaze, he felt inexplicably intimidated.
His legs would go weak, so to speak.
That’s why Gunther was even scarier for Mucci than Yuri.
‘When he’s with the other seniors, Gunther-senpai is kind of relaxed…’
Actually, it seemed more like the other seniors were teasing Gunther unilaterally.
So, Mucci had been sulking, thinking Gunther was only strict with him.
However, after hearing rumors about Gunther among his peers, he realized that wasn’t the case.
The Iron-Blooded Noble who appeared in the Forest of Beginnings.
The one who knocked down countless members of the 51st batch, reducing their numbers by half.
That was Gunther Irons.
Hearing this, Mucci realized for sure that Gunther wasn’t just being strict with him.
‘It’s just that the other seniors are so casual… to tease someone like Gunther.’
The impressive ones were those seniors who treated someone like Gunther so casually.
As Mucci gazed at Gunther with slightly awkward eyes, Gunther’s gaze grew colder as he watched the still-dazed juniors.
“It’d be wise to get up now while I’m still speaking nicely.”
His cold voice, tinged with faint hostility, spread throughout the barracks.
The members of the 51st batch, who were already starting to regain consciousness, were startled by the hostility piercing their eardrums.
“Huh?!”
“Wh-what’s going on?!”
It was as if someone had thrown cold water on their faces; the 51st batch members woke up in shock one by one.
When they saw Gunther, the source of the hostility, they were aghast.
“Gah?! Iron-Blooded Demon!”
“What? That’s the Iron-Blooded Demon?!”
Apparently, Gunther even had a nickname among the 51st batch, as several of them recoiled upon seeing him.
Amid the commotion, the remaining 51st batch members started waking up as well.
Shortly after, once all of them were awake, Gunther scrutinized them briefly before stepping forward and speaking.
“I’ll count to ten. Anyone still in here by then will be considered as ignoring my words… and will pay the price.”
Srrrk- Sshhk-.
Gunther pulled out his sword and thrust it into the ground with an emotionless gaze.
At this, the 51st batch members were left staring at each other, clueless as to what was going on.
What on earth was happening?
What was going on?
They looked to each other for answers.
But Gunther didn’t give the 51st batch time to grasp the situation.
“Ten.”
“Huh?”
“Nine.”
“…Wha?”
“Eight.”
“…?!”
As his crisp voice counted down, chills ran down the 51st batch members’ spines.
The hostility intensified with each decreasing number.
It was clear that staying inside would result in some serious consequences, threatening their very safety.
“I-I’m leaving!”
“I’m going!”
Those who knew how Gunther had rampaged in the Forest of Beginnings were the first to flee.
Once a few people ran out, the rest, without thinking too deeply, stood up and rushed outside as well.
“Five.”
“Aaah!”
“Four.”
When Gunther’s count reached four, no one was left inside the barracks.
* * *
“Why the hell is that senior acting like that?!”
“What does he want from us?!”
Flustered and bewildered.
The 51st batch members, frightened by Gunther, poured out of the barracks in droves.
They were greeted by one man and one woman.
“I’m hungry!”
“Alright, alright, you newbies who’ve just run out of the barracks? Follow me, your senior!”
A blue-haired girl and a bald, burly man.
The two waved their arms at the 51st batch members.
Mucci’s eyes lit up when he saw them.
‘Arin-senpai? Poppy-senpai?’
Momentarily pausing, the 51st batch members spotted the newcomers wearing red epaulets.
Most of them had the expression of ‘Who are these people now?’ and wondered, ‘Why are they ordering us around?’
However.
Whoosh-.
“What are you all doing just standing there?”
The 51st batch members were startled when Gunther appeared from behind, and they had no choice but to flock in the direction indicated by the two.
They soon arrived at a barracks labeled [Court].
“Alright, get in! Get in!”
“I’m hungry!”
Urged by Arin and Poppy, the 51st batch entered the Court.
Moments later.
“Ah…”
“What is this…”
“Damn it…”
The 51st batch emerged from the Court, sentenced to a basic 8-hour Hell Training Penalty.
They had already lost what little leather they had, and now they faced punishment on top of that, leaving them staring blankly at the sky.
And that was the last moment of respite they enjoyed.
“Is everyone here?”
This time, someone else greeted them as they exited the Court.
Mucci’s eyes sparkled when he saw her.
‘Theresia-senpai!’
The newcomer was none other than Theresia.
Mucci recognized her and looked pleased, but then quickly flinched.
‘S-so scary.’
The Theresia before him wasn’t the usual senior he knew.
Normally, Theresia had a calm and gentle demeanor.
‘C-chilly…’
But now, she was both calm and cold.
“Eek!”
“She’s a senior from the 49th batch?”
Her aura was colder than a northern wind.
More precise than Gunther, and sharp enough to pierce through one’s heart.
The 51st batch members instinctively recoiled, swallowing nervously.
Theresia glared at them with a frigid gaze before turning away.
“If everyone’s here, follow me.”
Mesmerized by her beautiful voice, the 51st batch members followed her lead.
After moving about 20 meters.
‘What is this… smell?’
‘It’s unpleasant…’
They arrived at a large, fenced-in clearing and immediately noticed a foul odor.
It was the concentrated stench of blood and sweat.
A few, with keen senses, quickly realized the smell was emanating from the ground they stood on.
As they wrinkled their noses and continued walking, they were greeted by a wide platform.
On it stood a black-haired boy with his hands behind his back.
Most of the 51st batch instantly recognized him.
“Huh, isn’t that guy?!”
“The Tiger?”
More than half of the 51st batch had been beaten unconscious by the Tiger last night.
So, even though Yuri wasn’t wearing his tiger-patterned vest today, it was natural that some recognized his face.
And those who looked closely at Yuri were further astonished.
“The Tiger… is from the 50th batch?!”
The red epaulet, hidden by the vest the previous night.
It was shocking enough that the Tiger had suddenly appeared here, but learning he was just one batch above them was even more surprising.
As Yuri scowled at the gazes directed at him, he shouted again.
“You damn idiots, you
still haven’t come to your senses, huh!”
The sudden outburst made the 51st batch flinch in confusion.
As they stood in bewilderment, Yuri’s voice grew hostile.
“You punks, can’t you stand in line properly? Do you think you’re here for a picnic?!”
“Huh?”
“Form five columns immediately!”
Yuri’s head tilted in irritation.
The huddled 51st batch members hesitantly lined up.
Mucci was among them.
Seeing Yuri’s face, he recalled the events of the previous night, and a bitter smile spread across his lips.
‘Yuri-hyung…’
The overwhelming defeat from the night before.
A fight so dismal that it rendered the efforts of the past year meaningless.
‘He’s really… strong.’
He had somewhat sensed it.
That he couldn’t match Yuri.
That’s why he hadn’t hesitated to fight him.
But facing the outcome still left him feeling dejected.
As Mucci let out a soft sigh, Yuri also sighed and clicked his tongue.
“Haaah, when will these clueless idiots become useful? Tsk tsk.”
“……”
“But don’t worry too much. My nickname back in the day was the Human Reformer. You guys are lucky to be entrusted to me. Over the next seven days here… you will be reborn as new beings!”
Though not loud, his voice wasn’t small either, causing the 51st batch to grimace.
Seeing this, Yuri sneered.
“Oh? Feeling annoyed?”
“……”
“What are you gonna do if you’re annoyed? Worthless punks with nothing but swollen pride.”
“Senior, isn’t that a bit… harsh?”
“Oh, look at this, a busted-headed guy spouting off because he’s got a mouth. Just wait a bit; I’ll sew up your busted head soon.”
Yuri smirked at the one who had voiced his displeasure.
Terrified by an unknown fear, the complainer trembled.
Taking his eyes off him, Yuri scanned everyone.
“Alright, since it’s the first day, I’ll be a gentleman and give you a warning.”
Thud-.
Yuri, who had been standing with his legs spread shoulder-width apart, took something from behind his back.
It was a red cap.
Yuri slowly brought it up to his head.
“Among you, there are probably quite a few who met me last night. Then I said, didn’t I? The Tiger won’t hurt you.”
Yuri’s low voice, laced with mana, echoed throughout the clearing.
At the same time, the temperature around them dropped significantly.
“But.”
Yuri carefully, almost meticulously, donned the red cap.
Smoothing his hair neatly.
The brim of the cap tilted slightly forward, casting a bit of shade over his eyes.
Clap-.
He put his hands behind his back again and arrogantly tilted his chin up, casting a lazy look over the 51st batch.
“This instructor has no problem tearing your limbs apart.”
“……?!”
The wide brim of the hat cast a shadow.
From within, his golden eyes gleamed.
Rumble-!
A dreadful killing intent surged from Yuri, enveloping the 51st batch.
Fwoosh-!
It was as if prey had come face-to-face with a predator.
As the intense killing intent washed over them, the faces of the 51st batch turned pale.
Some, particularly faint-hearted, had to cover their mouths to suppress the urge to vomit.
Except for one person.
“Ah…!”
Lisa trembled, her face flushed as she faced Yuri’s killing intent.
After retracting his killing intent, the 51st batch’s gazes toward Yuri quickly changed.
From ‘Who does this senior from the 50th batch think he is, talking to us like that? Who does he think he is?’
To a gaze tinged with faint fear.
‘Who is that person…?’
With that, Yuri had swiftly brought the 51st batch under control. He snapped his fingers.
“Instructors, step forward.”
Clack-.
At the crisp sound, Theresia, Arin, Poppy, and Gunther lined up in front of the 51st batch.
With them positioned, Yuri licked his lips as he gazed at the 51st batch.
Like someone staring at a delicious meal.
“Alright, then… shall we play?”
With those words, the 51st batch’s reformation training officially began.