No matter how notoriously hard it was to survive and endure in the Northeast Academy, they were still not that cold-blooded to ask the students that they had not yet taught to fight in this absurd situation. 

Thanks to the location of the Northeast Academy, they were facing the problem of having monsters scattered all over the place. So even if the professors wanted to teach the kids nicely, the surrounding conditions did not give them any leeway. All they could do was to teach the kids strictly so they could survive longer. Since the academy was intentionally placed in this area teeming with monsters for real-life training, they naturally would encounter some problems along the way. 

Everytime something unexpected like this happened, the students had to cooperate and fight against the monsters. But if something like that happened during the period where they were still focusing on the basic training, the professors had no choice but to fight against the monsters since their students were not yet equipped with the capabilities to fight those monsters alone.

But the new students had just arrived yesterday. This meant that they had not even undergone any training yet and were still people unaccustomed in fighting against monsters. However, the bigger problem was the fact that the current monster invasion was twice the size of the normal monster invasion that attacked the academy.

“How about the support troops?!”

“It will take three hours for them to arrive!”

“Goddamnit!”

Hearing the words of the old professor, the younger professor lifted his weapon to fight. Although the professors and the soldiers could stop and kill the monsters, their numbers were still too high. Even the clever monsters were trying to scatter in all directions as they vied for the young and tender food that were gathered in the training area. 

“Let’s set up the barrier earlier! They’re creating a real and actual battle! Awoo!”

One of the professors shouted loudly in anger as he wielded his weapon against the monsters. However, the sly and sneaky monsters kept on entering the academy. 

“Block them as best as you can! Don’t let them get to the freshmen!”

“Take care of the freshmen first!”

There were so many monsters flocking around them that they had no choice but to select which area they should deal with first. 

Meanwhile, the wall blocking their way fell and the monsters finally reached the area where the children were gathered. 

“They got through?”

Although the monsters that broke through were of the lowest rank, Jaiden still prepared himself to move right away as he muttered under his breath. 

Even though they were asked to come fully armed, the other children just wore some light gloves while bringing their main weapons. However, Jaiden was different. He made sure to bring everything that he needed to bring. He brought the dagger for basic military training, the gun that could shoot magic bullets, and his sword. 

Bang!

“As expected, jjambap doesn’t really go anywhere.” 

He immediately grabbed the small gun that was adapted to suit a child when he swiped his hand on his shoulder and fired it against the monster. However, he felt that it was a pity that he couldn’t control the accuracy at a longer range so he had to fire it at a much closer range. 

“Gun?” 

“Did that guy fire the gun?” 

“Is that a magic bullet? Can it even penetrate through the monsters?” 

Jaiden had already moved again while everyone was still busy making a fuss. Seeing him move, some of the children began to pull out their weapons to move with him.

The children that were holding guns like him also began to shoot at the monsters. But they weren’t as good as Jaiden. No matter how talented these children were, they would not be able to shoot at those slick and slippery monsters in one shot. In addition, it was difficult for them since they weren’t aware of the monsters’ characteristics. 

“Shoot at the goblin’s body. You won’t be able to get them if you continue to aim for their heads. Their arms and legs are extremely thin so all you have to do is shoot them in their bodies.” 

“But they’re wearing some mana-infused armors?” 

Jaiden gave a piece of advice when he passed by a student that was flustered by the goblin’s agile movements. The student looked at him with teary eyes when he found things to be extremely difficult even after receiving his advice. 

As long as they had their heads, the Goblin would know what their weaknesses were. They were considered to be one of the top ten most clever monsters so it was only natural for them to have at least one piece of equipment that could protect their weakness. 

“It doesn’t matter. Even if the magic bullet can’t pierce through it, it can still shock and stun them.”

Jaiden even demonstrated it to him. Jaiden fired a magic bullet and shocked the goblin from the impact of the shot. Then, he quickly pulled out his sword and easily cut the disoriented goblin with a single slash. Although his sword was not a sword infused with mana, the goblin still collapsed after receiving a powerful slash to its body. 

“That’s how you should do it. If it’s hard for you to use a dagger then use your gun and shoot it in the head until it’s dead.”

“Y… yeah.”

Jaiden wasn’t sure if he could do what he said but he still moved again leaving behind the student who was nodding his head and saying that he would try his best.

This time, he met with a group of gnolls. The monsters that he had met during his exam.

“Killing mutts is the easiest.”

Although dozens of gnolls were coming at him, Jaiden still smiled. After all, he was armed down to the teeth. Jaiden quickly checked the remaining bullets with him before loading them in his gun and rushing towards the group of gnolls. 

Then, he immediately fired a couple of shots straight at the gnolls’ heads. The gnolls that were shot immediately stopped when he fired at them. Although the sword with him was the sword that was just a student’s sword and not a sword fit for training, it was still more than enough to blow away the gnolls’ heads. 

After that, he saw some kobolds sniffing around and running crazily like dogs. Kobolds were creatures that only lived in mines. He did not even know where they came from but there were also giant rabbits here and there. However even if other creatures appeared, he was still able to target their weaknesses. 

He was literally flying around the battlefield. He could fight easily since he did not need to use his stamina to the limit to climb the mountain while fighting consecutive battles like he did on the exam a day prior.

As a result of that, the children began to flock around Jaiden. They fought while imitating his fighting style. In fact, just following Jaiden’s movements could guarantee that they would be able to easily handle the monsters.

“Now, I feel like my body is starting to warm up.”

His body was slowly starting to react to the practice and training that he hadn’t done in quite a long time. He could feel that the mana in his body that had long been sluggish started to move and imprint all over his body. 

Encouraged by the condition of his body, Jaiden began to move even more. He was thinking that adding a bit more aggressiveness to his attacks might bring his body to the perfect 2nd Stage. He even hoped for more monsters to come in while he chopped the low ranked monsters like crazy. He even borrowed magic bullets from the children next to him as he went on a rampage and killed the monsters in front of him. 

As the monsters in front began to get killed in front of them, they moved more violently just like specialists trained to kill monsters. They looked like they did not want to lose as they started to rampage. More than 300 students ignited their fighting spirit as they fought against the monsters. They had built their momentum making them feel that they had won the battlefield already. 

Meanwhile, the professors, who went to them while worrying whether they were in danger, watched blankly as their students fought fiercely. Especially Jaiden. Their eyes couldn’t be helped but be drawn to his figure that was running wild. He looked just like a fish in the water with how swift and suave his movements were. 

“He’s just like a veteran who has fought on the battlefield.” 

“I know. He’s killing those monsters so easily too.” 

Number 13 was excellent. However, it was normal for them not to know his excellence. After all, those within the 20s had inferior skills and talents. Numbers 1~10 were students who had completed and climbed the 2nd Stage. In fact, students 1, 2 and 3 were all preparing to ascend to the next stage. Especially number 3. Number 3 was the most monstrous among the top three students. Number 1 and 2 were both 13 years old but number 3 was just 9 years old. Looking at this, it seemed like number 13 was the most underappreciated talent among all of these monsters.

“He’s experienced.” 

“That’s right. It shows. Especially when he gives pieces of advice to those students who were lagging behind and having a hard time. I can see the qualities of a commander in him.” 

“He doesn’t need to be a knight. His talents in being a commander are more than enough.” 

“It will be good if he comes to our academy as a professor later. He looks like he will teach well.” 

Jaiden had received countless positive evaluations from the professors. However, he was not aware of this since he was focused on achieving the perfect 2nd Stage by cutting and shooting the monsters dead. 

“Heok… heok… No more?

Perhaps it was because of his hard work but when he stopped to take a breather, he saw that there were no more monsters loitering around in the training grounds. Jaiden was not the only one who moved to kill the monsters, there were more than 300 students that slashed and shot at the monsters so it was only natural that there weren’t any more monsters left in the surrounding area.

―You have earned the title: ‘Vigorous Freshman!’.

“Huh?” 

Upon hearing the mechanical voice, Jaiden immediately raised his head. And in front of him was a translucent window. The window popped out together with the mechanical voice.

― You have shown your monstrosity in the infamous Northeast Military Academy. This reputation and fame will remain as long as the Northeast Military Academy exists.

― Title Effects: 30% increase in Dignity, 30% increase in Stamina, and a slight increase in mana whenever you fight in an actual battle.

― ※ Title effects can be overlapped and stacked.

― You have acquired your first title. As a bonus, you will receive mana imprinting. The rate of mana accumulating in your body increases with each use of mana in the future.

― The professors and instructors are in awe of your experience.

― You have earned the title: ‘Jjambap Doesn’t Go Anywhere!’. The effect of the title increases your chances of dealing a critical strike by 200% if you know the monster’s weakness.

― You are the first to earn two titles in a row. As a reward, the title effects will be increased.

After the mechanical sound faded, his body that he felt was lacking in some ways began to change completely. At the same time, the mana’s gentle light started to flow all throughout his body. 

Thanks to the bonus of mana imprinting, he was able to ascend to the perfect 2nd Stage in one fell swoop. 

“Monster…”

Jaiden looked at the child who had called him monster. The child had the number 140 on his chest. Jaiden looked at this child as well as the other children around him that had blood on their gloves. All of them had worked hard.

Perhaps it was because they felt a sense of urgency when seeing Jaiden fight so numbers 1~3 also showed a crazy performance during the second half of the fight. They looked like they were trying to cover up their lack of experience with their overwhelming skills and talents. 

This actual battle had confirmed the gap between Jaiden and numbers 1~3 and the rest of the students in the Academy. 

“Why are you staring at me?” 

He thought that the other children were looking at him because he had jumped too high. But the problem was they were looking at him when there was 1~3 near him. In fact, he truly couldn’t understand the situation at all. In terms of skills and abilities, even the children numbered 4~20 were far above him. But since he showed them the strength of his jjambap that overwhelmed 1~3, they had no other choice but to stare at him to keep him in check.

The children believed that they could still catch up with 1~3 but Jaiden had shown them a completely different kind of strength. It was something that they couldn’t easily catch up with so the children had no choice but to keep him in check. 

‘How do I catch up with that?’ 

‘How can I train to become like that?’ 

‘Where did that guy learn to fight that well?’ 

Because of these kinds of thoughts, Jaiden was recognized as the academy’s strongest recruit. However, from Jaiden’s point of view, the real monsters were 1~3. Especially number 3, number 3 was extremely monstrous. Even though she was a girl and she did not have enough muscles on her body, she was catching up quickly with 1~2 just with her pure talent for mana alone. 

‘The real monster is number 3. If she survived, will she be among the ranks of heroes?’ 

Receiving the title Hero meant that they had become the best among the masters, in other words, they had become grand masters. Her talents were so brilliant that Jaiden thought that she had the potential to climb to that stage. 

‘I think she’s like the youngest…’ 

Jaiden thought that the person with the greatest talent was his youngest brother but he felt that he would be changing his mind by today. 

While Jaiden was busy looking at number 3 with envy, the other children were looking at him with the same eyes. He had an overwhelming experience that no one at the age of nine could ever have. And it was something that those kids were envious of.

However, Jaiden remained oblivious to this fact. He just strode back to the Academy building, leaving numbers 1~3 behind while mumbling that he did not understand why they were doing that to him.

***

Notes

[Jjambap] 짬밥 – It’s a slang to indicate seniority among the conscripts. It is also used to express how many years someone has worked in that field. This word originated in the military that literally means military meal or army rations. Eating a lot of jjambap/military meals meant that your stay in the military is long so you have a lot of experience. The same was true if your rank is higher, it means that you have eaten a lot of jjambap and are now more experienced than those who have eaten less jjambap.

TL’s corner!

I will continue to use jjambap in the future since it’s a slang that I hope to preserve in the translation. It’s something that we don’t have in the English language (or do we have a similar slang or expression?).

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