The day after the combat power assessment.
Ichan and Arin, who had reported for duty, entered the standby room amid praise from the 1st Company, 3rd Platoon.
Clap.
Clap, clap.
The two made puzzled expressions at the seniors’ applause.
“W-why is this happening?”
“Did we do something wrong?”
The seniors were only smiling and sending applause and cheers, which made them even more anxious.
When the applause stopped, the 3rd Platoon Leader spoke with a smile.
“The battalion commander reviewed the results of this combat power assessment and has bestowed an award upon Staff Sergeants Baek Arin, Hong Ichan, and Bu Sinhyeok.”
At the platoon leader’s words, the two’s expressions brightened dramatically.
“R-really!?”
“Wow!”
More than anything, they were happy at the thought that they had been acknowledged, even if only a little, because it was an award directly bestowed by the battalion commander.
“The award is…”
When the 3rd Platoon Leader opened his mouth, everyone waited with subtle anticipation.
“What could it be?”
“Probably a good item.”
Arin and Ichan focused on his mouth.
“It’s a Hero-grade workshop crafting commission ticket.”
At his words, the seniors let out exclamations of admiration and envy.
“Wow. They’re giving that.”
“Jackpot, that’s generous.”
“So jealous. Hey, you couldn’t buy that even if you offered up your entire fortune.”
“Kekekeup.”
However, Ichan and Arin, who did not know much about the workshop, tilted their heads in confusion.
“Excuse me?”
“Is it good?”
The 3rd Platoon Leader said with a smile.
“Ask Staff Sergeant Bu Sinhyeok later. He’ll explain it well.”
“Seeing that, they really are chicks.”
“Right. They don’t even know about the workshop yet.”
“Alright, everyone, attention. I’m briefing you on an emergency dispatch order.”
At the platoon leader’s emergency announcement, everyone sensed unease.
“Why does it feel like I’m about to hear my leave getting cut?”
“I’m probably going to get cursed out badly by my wife….”
The platoon leader did not disappoint everyone’s expectations.
“Starting today, you will be deployed for Gate raids and closure operations.”
Everyone sighed.
“Ah, as expected.”
“I’m screwed. I told the kids we’d go to my parents’ house to hang out.”
The platoon leader explained the circumstances and situation.
“As you heard before. The Gate Break cycle has shortened. As a result, domestic F and E-class Gates are on the verge of popping all at once, but we lack personnel.”
“Ah.”
In other words, a terrible disaster was about to occur.
“It’s a situation where we have to tour the entire country and destroy Gates. I’m sorry, but all leave schedules are canceled. Please check your equipment. We deploy in the afternoon.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Yes, sir.”
Everyone nodded and complied obediently.
After hearing the briefing, Ichan and Arin thought that they were finally going out.
The platoon leader looked at the two and spoke immediately.
“Of course, you two aren’t going. It’s your base standby period.”
At those words, the 3rd Squad Leader of the 3rd Platoon raised his hand.
“Yes, 3rd Squad Leader?”
“Then how are they going to level up? Normally, when our operations are on break, it’s the period when we should attach them to us and sync up and get our teamwork right.”
The platoon leader made a troubled expression.
“That got a bit tangled too. For now, you’ll have to stay on base standby and postpone it.”
“Oh man, if they stay here, they’ll have to stick with the Sergeant Major.”
“The Sergeant Major will work them to death.”
“I pray for your peace in advance. Don’t go AWOL.”
At the brutal advice, the two’s expressions rapidly died.
“Right. You two are fixed on night patrol duty for the time being. Probably the three of you will be fixed.”
“Wow, are all of you going?”
The platoon leader nodded with a dead-like expression, saying nothing.
“Sigh, I want to rest too.”
Everyone chuckled at the platoon leader’s muttering.
“What can we do? This is our job. Hurry up and pack, let’s go!”
The platoon sergeant and 1st Squad Leader shouted energetically.
Everyone laughed and nodded.
Baek Arin spoke with a blank expression in this atmosphere.
“Then are we really going to be abandoned at the unit without doing anything?”
“Seems like it.”
Everyone hurriedly packing their equipment said a word or two to the two.
“Don’t slack off just because we’re not here.”
“Train your fitness and skills hard.”
“Especially Ichan, you should practice searching. You seemed pretty good at it.”
One person glanced at Ichan and said casually.
A slight smile formed on Ichan’s face at that person’s reaction, which had been cynical and cold toward him all this time.
“Yes, sir!”
“Good energy. Just do that. Then no matter what you do, no one will curse you. They won’t even glare at you.”
At the serious advice, everyone nodded silently.
“As for you two, hmm, what should I have you do?”
The 3rd Platoon Leader wore a troubled face as he worried about what to have them do.
“Why don’t you go to the Logistics Department? There’s always grunt work there.”
“Yes, understood.”
The two trudged toward the Logistics Department.
* * *
“Congratulations, Sinhyeok.”
Sinhyeok, who had checked in for work at the Logistics Department administration office, made an expression that didn’t understand the section chief’s words.
“For what?”
“The battalion commander gave you an award. He said since you did well on this combat power assessment, he’s letting you use the workshop.”
“What’s with that old man being so generous all of a sudden?”
The section chief chuckled at Sinhyeok’s muttering.
“But he says you’ll be the one making it.”
“What?!”
“That dwarf has been blabbing that you’ve learned Synthesis now, and when he heard that, the commander said, ‘Then Sinhyeok can just make it from now on.’”
Sinhyeok’s expression rapidly crumbled.
“Ah.”
His legs wobbled.
“A workload bomb.”
“Kekeup, I told you to take it easy. First, let’s go to the armory. Many teams are deploying. We need to issue equipment.”
The section chief grabbed a tablet and held it out to Sinhyeok.
“Take this and check the unit, list, and quantities carefully.”
“Yes, sir.”
Sinhyeok headed to the armory with the chief.
People were already lined up.
“Wow, everyone’s hardworking.”
“Hey, logistics rookie. You’re pretty late~”
“Hurry and open the door so we can go out.”
Listening to their familiar words, Sinhyeok followed the chief into the armory.
“Let’s issue them.”
Issuing according to the list, Sinhyeok distributed goods according to the supply requisitions submitted in advance.
“Done.”
Captain Ryu Jihyeon stretched and let out big yawns.
“Anyway, that’s it for today, Sinhyeok. You just need to go to the workshop and help the dwarf with his work.”
“Ah. If I go, I’ll just get run ragged again.”
He offered words of comfort seeing Sinhyeok getting worked over by the dwarf.
“Hwaiting. You’ll be able to get a junior under you someday too.”
Sinhyeok couldn’t even laugh at those words.
“It took you almost ten years to get me, Chief.”
“….”
Captain Ryu Jihyeon made an awkward expression at his words.
“H-hold onto hope.”
“Sigh, I’ll go try to suck the dwarf’s spine dry then.”
With the thought of stealing the secret technique of ten thousand years, he headed to the workshop.
When he went to the logistics department, Arin and Ichan were waiting with blank expressions.
Captain Ryu Jihyeon spotted them and spoke.
“You two, what’s going on?”
“Ah, our platoon leader told us to go help with work or something. He said you’re deploying on an operation in the afternoon.”
At those words, the section chief remembered the current situation.
“Ah…… everyone’s going out.”
Not knowing what was going on, Sinhyeok asked furtively.
“Don’t tell me it’s related to that Break?”
“That’s right. They say the Break has shortened. It’s probably support for low-rank Gate closures.”
Roughly guessing the reason, the section chief opened the workshop door.
“Come in and help Sinhyeok.”
They headed inside the workshop.
When they went inside, Ichan and Arin looked around as if fascinated.
“There was a place like this?”
“Hyung, this is amazing.”
The section chief smiled briefly at their innocent appearances and went out.
“Sinhyeok, I have an external meeting. I’ll be back late, so clock out when it’s time.”
“Yes, sir.”
Once the chief quickly left, Ichan and Arin looked around and asked Sinhyeok.
“Mister, is there anything we can help you with?”
“Well, probably nothing. They probably just meant for you to do skill training here.”
Sinhyeok indicated their surroundings, referring to the environment.
“This place has the densest mana concentration in the entire unit. It’s the best place to build skill proficiency.”
“Ah.”
“Aha.”
The two looked around and began their usual training.
Sinhyeok immediately went into the dwarf’s workshop.
“Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey!”
Aurumstone glared at Sinhyeok with bloodshot eyes and came running over quickly.
Sinhyeok stepped back slightly at the burdensome dwarf’s glaring.
He grabbed the door handle, preparing to bolt at any moment.
“How did you do it. How!? It’s a secret technique that only a few in our clan can perform!”
Seeing him sincerely surprised despite having said with his own mouth that Sinhyeok could do it, Sinhyeok replied gruffly.
“What, you said with your own mouth that I could do it. Look at you getting surprised now that I’ve actually done it.”
“Keuheup, keuheoheom.”
Aurumstone cleared his throat and subtly stepped back.
“No, I meant you would be able to do it someday!”
“Yeees. I just did it a little early. Backed into a corner, I suddenly ended up doing it.”
At the absurd explanation, he was at a loss for words.
“Wow…… That’s so unfair.”
He looked at Sinhyeok with an expression of sincere contempt.
“What’s this dwarf saying? He taught me to do it, and now that I’ve done it, he’s making a fuss.”
“H-heup! H-heup! T-that’s what I mean! But don’t get cocky! Talent like yours is a dime a dozen in our clan!”
Sinhyeok recalled the words from earlier that only a few could do it.
‘You said only a few could do it.’
However, he didn’t bother saying it out loud.
“So what are you going to teach me today?”
“Hmm? Why would I teach you anything? You just practice that Synthesis repeatedly. How many can you mix right now?”
“What do you mean how many can I mix? Can’t I just do all of them?”
At these words, the dwarf put his hands on his waist with a meaningful expression.
“Ha, this is exactly why you’re called a dimwit.”
“Yes, yes, I’m a dimwit, so hurry up and tell me.”
“Hmph! Synthesis has stages too! How many types of materials you can fuse into one depends on your proficiency!”
“Aha.”
“If you’ve just learned it, you’re at two types at first glance. And that’s only with low-grade materials that are easy to handle.”
“Hm, ah. You’re right.”
Recalling the scene where he had Synthesized, he nodded at the dwarf’s words.
“Just focus on that for now. You need to get the freshly learned technique into your hands.”
Sinhyeok nodded at his words.
“Alright. Then what should I Synthesize?”
The dwarf made an ambiguous expression.
“There aren’t many repairs right now. Organize the warehouse a bit. Synthesize things, name them, and organize descriptions and such.”
Sinhyeok distinctly remembered this dwarf bastard saying, “Why would you even do that?” and “It’s enough if the echo tells you.”
“Didn’t you ask me why I would do that and tell me not to?”
“You don’t need to do it for raw ore. But you need to do it to some extent for alloys.”
With a nonchalant face, Aurumstone turned the warehouse door handle twice to the right.
‘There’s another space?’
The door opened, revealing a mountain of items piled up chaotically without any organization.
“Here you go. You’ve done it before, so you’re familiar with it, right?”
“Ah, goddamn it.”
Sinhyeok trudged toward the room of menial labor.
“Ah, I don’t want to do this. Just send me on an operation instead.”
He picked up whatever and tapped it.
“Synthesis.”
[Attempting Synthesis.]
[Failed.]
“Just do it already. If it’s a system, it should go click-clack like a game when you just say the word. Why does it have to be so realistic!”
Sinhyeok sighed and recalled that sensation from that time.
‘Mana. What needs to be mixed and woven is the mana of the material’s essence.’
He attempted it while recalling that sensation.
[Synthesis successful.]
[An unnamed alloy has been created.]
[Partial skill experience is granted to the main skill, Synthesis.]
“Okay. Let’s do this.”
The dwarf watching from behind stared at Sinhyeok with narrowly slit eyes.
“I was thinking it would take at least several years, and you just go and do it in one day? Heh-heh, what a crazy bastard.”
Aurumstone’s mentality crumbled at the insane talent.
“That’s not something you just go and do. It’s a technique that handles mana itself; how can a mere mortal who hasn’t even achieved transcendence handle it?”
Unable to understand the phenomenon and situation at all, Aurumstone gave up trying to understand.
“This is truly impossible. At this rate, he’ll leave us all in the dust soon.”
* * *
“Arin.”
“I told you to properly call me noona.”
“Attitude.”
The blade of Arin, who was training, touched the top of Ichan’s head.
At the blade touching the top of his head, polite words came out of Ichan’s mouth.
“Noonim. I’m bored. We’ve meditated for like two hours; what do we do now?”
“Then dominate more wraiths.”
“I’m telling you I’m bored.”
Arin pushed away the annoying Ichan, nudging him with her foot.
“Just train. At your level, does it make sense to say you’re bored?”
“Tch, how am I supposed to level up when I can’t even go to a Gate? Sigh. I want to go on operations too. I can fight monsters excitingly too.”
“I want to too.”
Ichan plopped down on the floor and blankly stared at the workshop ceiling.
Suddenly, a good but dangerous thought occurred to him.
“Noonim.”
Sensing the dangerous scent in his tone, Arin instinctively ignored him.
“Nooonaa~”
At Ichan’s creepy whining, Arin closed her ears.
“Are you crazy?!”
The blade flew again.
Looking at the sword touching his chin, Ichan smirked and proposed.
“Want to sneak into a Gate during night patrol? Let’s just catch two or three.”
“….”
Arin glanced around cautiously, then soon nodded her head subtly.
“Mmm…… Call.”
“Ahem. Then let’s just rope in Hyung.”