Chapter 12 – Immortal

5:55 AM.

*Vrrr.*

Se-min opened his eyes wide.

His number one treasure, a vibrating alarm wristwatch, was announcing the wake-up time.

Se-min silently got out of bed, picked up the kettle, and left the living quarters.

In the hallway, he saw the duty soldier stretching. Se-min immediately saluted.

“Immortal!”

“Se-min, you’re fast as always.”

“No, sir!”

“The others are still sleeping, so lower your voice.”

“Yes, sir.”

Se-min went to the water purifier, filled the kettle, and returned to the living quarters.

At the same time, the sound of a bugle shook the barracks.

Se-min shouted.

“Wake up! Wake up! Please wake up!”

Shouting, Se-min threw open the windows of the living quarters to ventilate the room. After tidying up his bedding, he changed into his combat uniform and rushed to Sergeant Kim, the highest-ranking soldier.

Sergeant Kim, whose discharge was just around the corner, was sleeping soundly with earplugs in.

Se-min gently tapped him.

“Sergeant Kim Hee-in. You have to wake up.”

“Ughhh…”

“Sergeant Kim Hee-in. It’s morning. Today’s duty officer is Captain Han.”

“Right…”

Kim Hee-in staggered up, rolled off the bedding, and began to doze on the bare floor. Yoon Woo-jae, who was in the adjacent spot, startled and moved out of the way.

“Se-min, fold it for me…”

“Yes, sir.”

Se-min organized Kim Hee-in’s bedding in an instant. When he patted the blanket with the edge of his hand infused with aura, a razor-sharp right angle was formed as if by magic.

Kim Hee-in was still rolling on the floor. Se-min gently whispered in his ear.

“You have to change.”

“You dress me.”

“Yes, sir.”

Se-min stripped Kim Hee-in and began to dress him in his military uniform. Kim Hee-in snoozed with his eyes half-closed, taking off and putting on his clothes like a puppet as Se-min moved him.

“Help me up.”

“Yes, sir.”

Se-min slowly lifted him up using his aura.

Kim Hee-in squinted.

“Is it all done?”

“Yes!”

The other unit members were already perfectly dressed in their military uniforms.

“Woo-jae, let’s go.”

“Yes.”

As Yoon Woo-jae left the living quarters, the unit members swarmed behind him.

Roll call took place on the training ground.

The Immortal Unit, to which Se-min belonged, did not have many members. Each squad reported their numbers and finished the gymnastics, which was nothing more than a mere formality.

The duty officer spoke briefly.

“Since some kids are returning today, let them rest, and the mole crickets are acting unusual, so stay alert. That is all.”

Although his voice was not loud, it was heard as clearly as if he were speaking right in front of them. He was a former active Raider who had joined the military.

When roll call ended, the seniors standing in front asked Se-min.

“Se-min, what’s on the breakfast menu today?”

“Yes! It is white rice, dried pollack soup, cabbage kimchi, seasoned seaweed, and stir-fried pork and bean sprouts!”

“And lunch?”

“Yes! It is curry rice, bean sprout soup, cabbage kimchi, and seasoned fried chicken!”

The seniors nodded at his unhesitating reply.

“Se-min, you’re excellent.”

A month had passed since Se-min was assigned to this Immortal Unit. In order not to remain a nuisance, he put his heart and soul into everything.

The foolish recruit who had brought a private weapon was now reborn as the undisputed ace of the platoon.

“Se-min, you heard what the duty officer said earlier, right?”

“Yes.”

“Our squad leader is really returning today, so be on your toes. You just need to keep doing what you’re doing now.”

“I understand.”

The returning personnel the duty officer spoke of referred to the dispatch team.

The Immortal Unit occasionally carried out operations. An operation meant going beyond the iron fence and roaming the North Korean region for a specific purpose.

Se-min’s squad leader was also included in this dispatch.

“But why do they go on dispatches?”

“I don’t know either, but there must be something going on with them. I heard it’s to support the North Koreans, but who knows.”

Although it was not known to the public, North Korea had collapsed. Only a small number of warlords were guarding their cities at a few strongholds, and most of it was the territory of magic beasts.

South Korea, China, and Russia each had to form a defensive line to prevent magic beasts from leaking out of North Korea.

“Get on Sergeant Jeon Woo-yeon’s good side. He’s no ordinary person.”

Se-min nodded.

The so-called dispatches were only carried out for officers and volunteers.

Sergeant Jeon Woo-yeon, whose face he had not even seen yet, had chosen to leave for the territory of the magic beasts on his own. He was certainly not an ordinary man.

When he returned to the living quarters after finishing his meal, a man was sitting on the bed.

“Sergeant Jeon Woo-yeon! Have you returned!”

He looked a mess, not having even unpacked all his luggage yet. He swept back his hair, which was long for a soldier.

“Who is he?”

“He is the new recruit.”

His eyes turned to Se-min. It was a face where it was hard to imagine a smiling expression.

“Alright. Let me wash up first, then we’ll talk.”

Perhaps because he had rolled around roughly, dried blood and black grime were smeared all over his body. He quickly stripped off his combat uniform and flung it onto the floor.

Se-min reflexively picked them up.

Jeon Woo-yeon’s naked body was as majestic as a statue from Greek mythology. He headed toward the shower room wearing only his underwear. In the midst of all this, they were luxury private underwear.

“Guys, unpack that.”

Se-min and his immediate senior, Yoo Gil-hoon, clung to the pile of luggage.

Each took charge of the military gear and duffel bags. A foul odor stabbed their noses.

“Woah!”

Yoo Gil-hoon, who was opening a duffel bag, backed away in surprise.

“What is this?”

Something fell out of the half-open duffel bag with a thud.

It was the dried head of a magic beast.

Se-min reflexively muttered.

“Hazardous Magic Beast System No. 10, Emerit…”

“Emerit?”

The Emerit was a high-grade magic beast that only those with a Gold mark or higher could hunt alone. The creature remained still, its eyes wide open, with one of its horns cut off.

“Did he hunt it over there?”

“Amazing.”

After separating the laundry and equipment and starting the washing machine, Se-min and Yoo Gil-hoon returned to the living quarters.

Jeon Woo-yeon was sitting on the bed, receiving a report on what had happened in the meantime. Looking at his clean face, he was a handsome man with sharp features.

“And, the new recruit brought a private weapon.”

“A private weapon?”

“Yes. He said he really bought it after believing the saying that one should buy a weapon when enlisting.”

While most people would just laugh upon hearing this, Jeon Woo-yeon only tilted his eyebrows slightly.

“Let me see it.”

“Yes.”

Although the use of private weapons was not prohibited, due to the unique absurdity of the military, good weapons were allocated to seniors.

Se-min had also had his claymore confiscated and was using a military-issue greatsword.

His sword had been kept safely in the warehouse, stored until the squad leader, Jeon Woo-yeon, arrived.

“This is it.”

Jeon Woo-yeon lifted the claymore.

After checking the balance, he stared intently at the engraved trademark.

“Name.”

For a moment, Se-min did not realize he was being addressed and stood blankly, but as soon as Yoo Gil-hoon nudged his side, he quickly replied.

“Private! Lee! Se! Min!”

“Do you like this sword?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Alright. Then you use it.”

Jeon Woo-yeon smiled faintly.

When the corners of his usually stiff face went up, his impression looked completely different. Se-min was dazed for a moment before answering.

“Yes! Thank you!”

Originally, that sword was scheduled to be given to another corporal, but since Jeon Woo-yeon declared that he should use it, it was now Se-min’s.

“Did you come here after preparing to be a Raider?”

“Yes, sir!”

“I see.”

Jeon Woo-yeon handed the claymore to Se-min.

The returned claymore was heavy.

“Everyone, do what you have to do. I’ll rest, so let’s talk again later.”

“Yes, sir!”

Se-min stood awkwardly holding the claymore, but as the soldiers began to move, he hastily followed.

Yoo Gil-hoon nudged Se-min with his elbow.

“Good for you, Se-min.”

“Not at all.”

“Sergeant Jeon Woo-yeon doesn’t smile often. By the way, where is that sword from?”

“It’s from Geoseong Metal Industries.”

Yoo Gil-hoon burst out laughing as if he understood.

“You bastard, scoring points like this.”

“What do you mean?”

“Geoseong Metal Industries belongs to Sergeant Jeon Woo-yeon’s father.”

“Really?”

A company that manufactured Raider weapons would be on the level of a semi-conglomerate. To top it off, he was an outstanding aura adaptant himself, making him the ultimate golden boy. No wonder his underwear was a luxury brand.

“Is Sergeant Jeon Woo-yeon very scary?”

“He won’t touch you as long as you do what you’re supposed to. But if you make a mistake during combat, you die.”

“He seems like a true soldier.”

“Calling someone who’s about to be discharged a true soldier? That’s an insult.”

***

Today was magic beast countermeasure training. The entire platoon gathered on the training ground and put on protective gear.

The vice platoon leader asked Se-min while pulling his gloves up to his wrists.

“Hey, recruit over there. Cutie.”

“Private! Lee! Se! Min!”

“Hey, I’m not deaf. Explain what a Brucus is.”

“Yes! System No. 23, the Brucus, resembles a grasshopper and is also called a mole cricket! They cling and bite with their teeth, and while a single entity is not a great threat, they are tricky to deal with due to their swarming nature! Their outer shell is hard, so you must attack their weak point, the abdomen! Sometimes, a large Brucus Warrior appears, and because its combat power is different from the regular Brucus, there are talks that a completely new system number should be assigned to it!”

“Stop.”

He looked at Se-min.

“It rolls right off your tongue. Did you study something like magic beast ecology back in society?”

“I was just an aspiring Raider!”

“Right. Excellent. A Brucus is that kind of creature. Everyone got that?”

The corporals and sergeants giggled.

“Vice Platoon Leader, did you not know either?”

“That’s right. I didn’t know either. That bastard is amazing.”

“He’s the new ace.”

“Is this the appearance of a little Jeon Woo-yeon?”

The vice platoon leader stood his spear shaft up and drew a picture on the ground.

Even if crudely, it took the form of a large grasshopper. He drew a circle on the lower abdomen.

“As the youngest said, this place is the weak point. The rest is surprisingly hard. Then what should we do? Woo-jae?”

“Attack the weak point.”

“Right, how?”

Yoon Woo-jae raised his sword and thrusted into the sky.

“You just have to thrust well.”

“Correct. When killing a Brucus, just thrust. If you swing, it will just bounce off, so it’s important to quickly thrust the weak point. Does everyone understand?”

“Yes!”

“Then, practice thrusting on your own.”

Since they were a unit of aura adaptants, practice was also free. The vice platoon leader disappeared somewhere after only leaving instructions to practice thrusting, and the remaining platoon members gathered in their respective squads and thrusted into the empty air.

Aura flashed here and there.

“Se-min, stand here.”

“Yes.”

“Look. This is my special move, the Asura Five-Point Thrust.”

Kim Hee-in, a playful senior sergeant, set Se-min up and thrusted his sword.

The tip of the sword rushed in, aiming at Se-min’s forehead, both shoulders, and thighs at a hair’s breadth. It was quite a fast speed. He was better than most of the applicants he had met in the second test.

Se-min immediately began to play his role.

“You are amazing. The sword is so fast I can’t even see it.”

“Right?”

“Were you always this skilled in swordsmanship?”

“I became like this after rolling around with magic beasts here. Practical experience is the best teacher. Do you want to see my second special move, the Asura Mind-Soul Slash, too?”

“Just hearing the name makes my knees tremble.”

Although he was still in the recruit protection period and did not directly participate in battles, engagements with magic beasts continued to occur at the Military Demarcation Line.

Several times a day, his seniors were deployed to the iron fence to hold back the magic beasts.

Beyond that was no different from a Gate. In a way, it was an experience close to a Gate subjugation battle.

South Korea’s hidden experts were here.

“How good is Se-min? I have to see.”

“Try fighting Gil-hoon once.”

“Oh, how could I be a match for my seniors. I’m just a nobody.”

“I’m telling you, guys like him have hidden skills.”

Se-min waved his hands in refusal.

It was then.

An unpleasant sound rang in their ears.

It was an emergency siren.

The vice platoon leader came running.

“Prepare for deployment. We are heading out immediately.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Hey, youngest, how long has it been since Se-min arrived?”

“It’s been about a month!”

“Alright. You go too. Ready?”

“Yes! I’m ready!”

“Good voice.”

The entire platoon aligned in rows and columns and began to run. They left the barracks. The vice platoon leader shouted.

“It’s Brucus! Remember what I taught you earlier? Thrust the weak point!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Don’t die! The compensation will be a pittance.”

“Immortal!”

It was the custom of the Immortal Unit.

To words related to survival, they always answered with ‘Immortal’.

That was the highest priority goal for those who fought magic beasts on the front lines.

“Check the landmines carefully!”

Landmines were buried here and there in the DMZ. Although most of them had exploded as the magic beasts came down, a significant number still remained. Therefore, dangerous areas were marked.

An explosion sound was heard from far away.

“It’s over there! Guard Post 17-2!”

Now that North Korea had collapsed, the mission of the front-line units was to deter magic beasts that crossed the former North Korean iron fence.

To this end, new guard posts were built repeatedly in the DMZ, and troops were deployed when magic beasts that the guard personnel could not handle attacked.

Good heavens.

Se-min gasped.

There were disgustingly many Brucuses.

The sight of Brucuses, about the size of medium-sized dogs, filling the field of vision like a swarm of ants was bizarre beyond words.

The creatures clung to the guard post and banged on the walls to enter, but upon discovering new enemies, they raised their antennae.

“Spread out!”

The soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder, forming a long line.

“Don’t get surrounded!”

One Brucus rushed in first.

The vice platoon leader, who was at the front, thrusted his spear.

The Brucus was pierced.

“I am a staff sergeant of the Republic of Korea Army, you mole cricket bastard.”

With that as the beginning, a bloody battle broke out. Brucuses jumped from the ground and rushed at the soldiers.

Although they resembled mole crickets, the teeth on their jaws were as sharp as saws, so a single bite would tear limbs apart. Their saliva had a slight paralyzing effect, making the body sluggish if bitten.

They were malicious magic beasts that slowly drained the enemy to death like a swarm of ants.

“Watch out!”

Even in the midst of this, his immediate senior, Yoo Gil-hoon, placed Se-min behind him and blocked the enemies. Gradually, Brucuses swarmed in from the left and right.

“Private First Class Yoo, watch out!”

Se-min shouted. However, Yoo Gil-hoon did not hear and focused on the swarm of Brucuses in front of him.

Above his head, a Brucus was falling with its teeth bared.

Se-min raised his claymore.

He trembled.

It was a different feeling from when he faced the Cincus. Small, terrible things gathered in swarms, scattering the murderous intent of another world.

As he had felt before, he was that kind of person. He was of a constitution that easily felt fear at the aura of natural predators emitted by magic beasts.

Even so, he was not as helpless as before.

The Tai Chi Accord flowing from his dantian pushed his body forward.

The will residing deep in his heart raised the Tai Chi Accord.

And aura moved his body.

Everything happened simultaneously.

Intent and form were one, and the two could not be separated.

The claymore pierced the Brucus.

*Crunch.*

It was his first kill.

The eyes of the dying Brucus turned to him.

His first eye contact with a magic beast he killed.

Body fluids flowed down his sword and into his hands.

In this warm fluid, the history of things born, raised, and evolved in another world would be embedded, but the same was embedded in the blood of humanity.

The species that survived would carry this on.

Se-min shook off the claymore. The Brucus’s corpse fell off and rolled on the ground. Starting from that moment, Se-min also became a target.

Se-min stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with Yoo Gil-hoon.

“Youngest, watch out!”

“Immortal!”

His ears were deafened by the continuous shouting.

“Over there!”

While the number of Brucuses was gradually decreasing, an anomaly occurred.

The vice platoon leader was thrown back, collided with the unit members, and rolled on the floor.

“It’s a Brucus Warrior!”

It was a new entity. It was twice the size of a normal Brucus and had long, sharp teeth. Furthermore, it sliced the surroundings with its blade-like wings.

When the unit members hesitated at the energy emitted by the Brucus Warrior, the creature immediately leaped toward the rift in the front line it had created.

As the creature spread its limbs, blade-like sawteeth were revealed on its six legs as well.

Platoon members and Brucuses tangled together and were torn apart.

It was a slaughter.

Blood splattered.

“Aaargh!”

“Vice Platoon Leader!”

“Quickly, get out of the way quickly!”

The remaining platoon members tried to help, but countless Brucuses bit and clung to them, leaving no room to step in.

“We must go and help!”

“Shake these things off first!”

“Dammit!”

“Request backup!”

It was a scene of chaos.

Watching that, Se-min’s heart pounded violently.

He recalled the pool of blood spreading beneath the feet of the Cincus when he encountered the Missing Gate.

Human life was decided so easily.

Se-min rushed out.

“Lee Se-min!”

Amidst the sea of blood, only the vice platoon leader barely raised his body and resisted the Brucus Warrior.

The moment the Brucus Warrior was about to strike the vice platoon leader.

Se-min’s claymore struck the Brucus Warrior.

*Clang!*

The sound of metal colliding arose.

The Brucus Warrior immediately turned its body and rushed at Se-min. Aura flared up from Se-min’s body.

Although his entire body trembled and the enemy’s murderous intent grabbed his legs.

He was used to it now.

As long as he wanted to be a Raider, fear was his friend.

“Watch out! You have to thrust the weak point!”

Where was the weak point? Was it the head, or the creature’s abdomen hidden among its six limbs?

Such things were useless against the Brucus Warrior. Since it had sawteeth on both its wings and limbs, it attacked indiscriminately. Things like weak points were erased in the fierce speed of the battle.

Se-min raised the claymore.

The creature’s outer shell looked hard.

However, what was strong was broken by what was stronger.

A sinister aura gathered on Se-min’s claymore. The Tai Chi Accord was a divine art. It changed its form in response to his will.

Murderous intent was no exception.

Se-min swung the claymore.

The blade collided with the Brucus Warrior.

The wings shattered.

The body split apart.

Scattering body fluids in all directions, the Brucus Warrior was cut in two.

Se-min drenched his entire body in the foul-smelling fluid, Se-min staggered once, unable to control his strength.

But the fight was not over. Se-min raised his sword again and charged forward. Brucuses were leaping toward the defenseless soldiers.

The greatsword tore the Brucuses apart. Smelling the blood, the Brucuses rushed in like moths to a flame, only to die as their entire bodies were split.

Aura danced along Se-min’s path of movement.

The flashing light of aura at the tip of the sword and the bursting body fluids mixed, making the surroundings dizzying.

“Finish them off!”

Soon, the battle ended.

The last Brucus that had attacked the guard post died. Soldiers were coming out of the guard post.

As his tension relaxed, his body went limp. Se-min slumped down. The surroundings were completely filled with blood and body fluids.

“Se-min…?”

Yoon Woo-jae called him cautiously.

Ah.

Se-min jumped up.

“Private! Lee! Se! Min!”

He was the youngest and a recruit who had transferred in less than a month ago. He could not show a relaxed appearance just because he had gone through one battle.

He would become an ace who was respected by his juniors and adored by his seniors.

“By the way, why… did you come here? Because you failed the Raider exam…?”

“Yes, sir!”

“How did that happen…?”

“I am weak at essay writing!”

“Still, that’s…”

Yoon Woo-jae tilted his head dubiously.

“Great job, everyone! Would you like some water!”

He took a canteen out of his back pocket. However, the canteen was caked with Brucus body fluids, making it completely unfit for drinking.

“Take it away.”

“Th-this just needs to be washed. Please drink!”

“I said no, you bastard!”

***

Rumors circulated that an incredible recruit had entered.

“What’s for breakfast today?”

“It is white rice, tofu kimchi soup, diced radish kimchi, seasoned seaweed, and stir-fried Vienna sausages!”

Se-min, the protagonist of that rumor, also worked hard today to become an ace.

Today’s unit schedule was free training. Jeon Woo-yeon, wearing protective guards, called him.

“Lee Se-min.”

“Private! Lee! Se! Min!”

Se-min’s voice grew louder.

“Come out.”

“Yes!”

For a moment, he almost asked back with a rising tone, ‘Huh?’, but managed to muster strength in his abdomen and shout.

“I heard you have great skills. They said you went out alone when dealing with the Brucus.”

“I’m sorry!”

“No, you did well.”

Jeon Woo-yeon smirked. It was rare for him to praise others. In the first place, he was not a man of many words.

“Raise your sword.”

Se-min raised his sword awkwardly.

It was a duel.

Se-min looked at Jeon Woo-yeon’s sword. It was a well-balanced longsword. The guard and pommel were elegantly carved on the smooth blade. It was not inferior to the luxury sword from Iron Heart Company that he had seen in a store before enlisting.

Noticing Se-min’s gaze, Jeon Woo-yeon spoke in passing.

“The KS152. It’s a high-end line that Geoseong Metal Industries poured its heart and soul into. It’s named 152 because it was completed after testing 152 prototypes.”

Wondering what that meant, Se-min soon replied loudly.

“Understood!”

“Your sword, the KCL2, is also an excellent sword. It’s a practical sword made sturdy enough for long-term use while maintaining the traditional elegance of a claymore.”

Choosing his reply, Se-min shouted.

“Thank you!”

“No need to be thankful. Just use domestic products from now on.”

Se-min and Jeon Woo-yeon’s eyes met. Se-min ended up laughing. Jeon Woo-yeon also laughed quietly.

“I will patronize Geoseong Metal Industries.”

“I will remember those words.”

Nodding, Jeon Woo-yeon rushed at Se-min. Se-min retreated and defended. His sword flew in, aiming at various parts of Se-min’s body.

Se-min thought he blocked it.

However, Jeon Woo-yeon’s sword proceeded on an unexpected path and struck Se-min’s protective guard.

Se-min retreated.

It was strange.

It was completely different from the Raiders like Kim Seon-ha he had seen, or the trainees of various companies with whom he had directly crossed swords at the test center.

There were no preparatory movements or unnecessary motions.

It was as if he were a person who had repeated this motion a thousand or ten thousand times.

“Focus. This time, you come at me.”

“Yes, sir! Here I come!”

The unit members watched the fight.

It was a duel between the monster recruit who was said to have failed the exam due to essay writing and one of the most skilled men in the unit.

Se-min suffered a loss in every clash. Since it was an informal duel with suppressed aura, they were not doing their best, but Se-min, on the contrary, could not shake off the feeling of being alive.

Every movement had an introduction, development, transition, and conclusion.

However, Jeon Woo-yeon’s attacks skipped those steps and flew in instantly.

Se-min could not collect his senses at the strikes without warning.

“Se-min.”

“Yes.”

“In your opinion, do you think I can become a Raider?”

“Of course.”

It was more difficult than dealing with Bang Yu-bi. In her case, it was hard to handle her due to her aura output and terrifying demonic energy, but against Jeon Woo-yeon, he was being defeated by combat ability itself.

Se-min had the confidence to win against most Raider-aspirant levels, and even Blue marks.

However, Jeon Woo-yeon was different.

It was his first defeat since obtaining the Tai Chi Accord.

“If it were in the past, I would have lost to you.”

“No, sir!”

“Since I went over and returned, I’ve become stronger.”

Jeon Woo-yeon gestured with his chin toward the side.

It was the direction of the iron fence.

“After surviving the brink of death, I became stronger.”

Se-min stared blankly at the north.

The words of Jeon Woo-yeon, who had returned from the north where demonic beasts were rampant, somehow seemed to push him beyond that.