TSCU 09

Chapter 9

After finishing his private meeting with Black Hammer and returning to the dormitory, Kang Hyuk immediately found himself the center of attention.

The others approached him with curious looks.

They asked him all sorts of questions, but when Kang Hyuk politely told them he needed some time alone to think, most of them backed off. Perhaps because he had already built up a favorable impression among them, everyone was surprisingly cooperative.

He already had plenty to think about. If they had kept crowding around him, it would have been extremely bothersome.

“Mr. Kang Hyuk!”

That was why he found it very, very, extremely annoying when Lee Tae-beom approached him again, completely oblivious to the situation.

“Yes?”

“Did everything go well? That orc called Black Hammer was terrifying. Just making eye contact with him made my knees weak. Are you all right?”

“Ah, yes… Nothing happened.”

“That’s a relief! By the way, today was seriously brutal. If your team hadn’t gone first and shown us how to deal with them, we could’ve been in real danger.”

Kang Hyuk looked at him with bewilderment.

He had done his absolute best to make it obvious that he was annoyed, yet Tae-beom didn’t seem to care at all.

At this point, Kang Hyuk wondered if he was doing it deliberately.

“Yes. Yes. But I’m a little tired, so I’m going to rest now.”

“Ah. I was bothering you too much. Get some rest.”

Even after Kang Hyuk had directly expressed his desire to be left alone, Tae-beom looked disappointed as he walked away.

Only then could Kang Hyuk calmly continue thinking.

‘Tomorrow evening. It’s earlier than I originally planned, but the difficulty will actually be lower.’

His original plan had been to execute his escape three days from now, and Black Hammer was the biggest obstacle standing in his way.

But if Black Hammer left the training camp tomorrow evening, everything changed.

‘There’s no way he’d go alone to greet the people dispatched from the main base. He’ll definitely take two instructors and several assistant instructors with him.’

The main base was, simply put, the backing behind the Black Claw Training Camp.

Managing a training camp like this was a lucrative position in itself, so it couldn’t possibly be controlled by a group with no backing whatsoever.

The organization backing this place was the Black Claw Tribe, which shared its name with the training camp.

Perhaps because they were relatively intelligent for orcs, they had a short history but had already grown into a fairly powerful organization.

‘Fortunately, they’re smart.’

The fact that they possessed intelligence above a certain level worked in Kang Hyuk’s favor.

They were smarter than ordinary orcs and even knew how to engage in things resembling political maneuvering.

If they had been idiots, they wouldn’t have made such a fuss about going to greet the visitors in the first place.

With several people leaving, there would naturally be more gaps in the security.

‘That’s because that’s exactly how highly they regard humans.’

The orcs periodically reminded the humans of the gap between them and surrounded every path in the training camp with tall fences.

Apparently, they believed that was enough, because the actual security wasn’t all that tight.

This wasn’t mere speculation.

It was something Kang Hyuk remembered from his past life.

“Lights out! Everyone go to sleep!”

While he was modifying and reviewing his plan in his head, an assistant instructor suddenly opened the door and shouted.

Soon, the lights went out, and Kang Hyuk lay down in his place.

He closed his eyes and thought.

‘Tomorrow. I escape.’

---

“Everyone, get up! Get up!”

Kang Hyuk opened his eyes to a roar loud enough to make his eardrums feel like they were going to burst.

He immediately sat upright.

Everyone seemed to have gradually gotten used to waking up to the thick, rumbling voices of the orcs. They all got up and immediately began getting ready.

The assistant instructor watched them for a moment before silently closing the door and leaving.

‘My condition…’

He stretched his body from head to toe.

‘Not bad.’

Perhaps because he had emptied an entire bottle of recovery potion before going to sleep, he felt fantastic.

Kang Hyuk finished getting ready without being late and headed outside.

Breakfast was the same as always.

The portions were excessive, while the food itself was nothing special. After finishing their meal, everyone gathered in the square and began some light warm-up exercises.

They ran fifty laps around the training field and performed each of the orc-style physical exercises one thousand times.

Afterward, they were given about ten minutes of rest.

‘At least there’s no morning roll call.’

Kang Hyuk thought that if they had even sung the national anthem, it would have felt exactly like being back in the military.

He looked around.

Lee Tae-beom, Mirian, James, and the others.

Everyone he had been keeping an eye on from the beginning was fine. Aside from Hiro, all those who had stood out in his previous life had survived without falling behind.

They would undoubtedly become valuable fighting forces in the future.

‘But I have to escape alone.’

Originally, he had intended to take a few important people with him when he escaped.

But after experiencing life as a trainee, he had realized something.

‘They’re all too weak right now.’

Taking them along would only hinder him during the escape.

Because of his memories of the future, he had overestimated them and imagined them to be much stronger than they actually were.

Seeing them in person had made it clear.

They still had a long way to go before becoming truly useful.

“Everyone, pay attention!”

Kang Hyuk stopped thinking and looked ahead at the voice that struck his ears.

Black Hammer was standing on the platform.

Unlike usual, he was wearing his formal uniform.

“Today’s scheduled training has been postponed! Until two in the afternoon, you will undergo weapons training under the guidance of the assistant instructors and instructors. After that, you will be given free time to rest!”

The trainees’ expressions visibly brightened at Black Hammer’s announcement.

The horrifying monster hunt had been postponed for a day, and they were even being given rest time—something they had never been given before.

No wonder they were happy.

“That is all!”

He ended his speech much more briefly than usual before stepping down from the platform.

Since he immediately headed somewhere accompanied by the instructors, it seemed he was preparing to leave early to greet the visitors.

That was undoubtedly why the training schedule had been changed as well.

‘Perfect.’

Kang Hyuk thought to himself.

He had already received the reward that was normally given on the second or third day.

He had also received one more bonus point than the others and obtained armor, so there was no chance he would receive any additional rewards anyway.

Following the assistant instructor’s instructions, Kang Hyuk moved with the others while opening his status window.

[Kim Kang Hyuk]

[Lv. 11]

[Race: Human]

[Class: Trainee]

[Strength: 18]

[Vitality: 20]

[Agility: 17]

[Mana: 0]

[Remaining Points: 3]

[Ability: Predation (Acidic Fluid, Confusion)]

[Skills: Running, Speechcraft, Beginner Throwing, Beginner Spearmanship, Beginner Martial Arts, Basic Stealth, Talisman Crafting]

Compared to two days ago, his level had increased by two, and one or two of his stats had naturally increased as well.

He had already used all the points he possessed before.

The only ones remaining were the three he had received yesterday.

He thought for a moment before moving his lips.

‘Three points into Agility.’

[Agility stat has reached ‘20.’ Your movements will be different from before.]

A message appeared once his stat reached 20.

It was the same message he had received when his Vitality reached 20.

Normally, stats increased in proportion to the points invested in them.

However, whenever certain thresholds were surpassed, their efficiency increased dramatically.

20, 50, 100, 200, and so on.

That was why Kang Hyuk had been debating whether to raise either Strength or Agility to 20.

In the end, he had chosen Agility.

‘The orcs have a minimum Strength stat of 30 anyway…’

Trying to compete with them in strength would be nothing short of idiotic.

He also had his Strength Enhancement Necklace, and he could use a talisman in an emergency.

This was undoubtedly the best choice.

Just as he finished distributing his stat points, the assistant instructors began assigning the trainees.

There were now only fifteen trainees left, so unlike in the beginning, the orcs were now able to teach the trainees one-on-one.

“Kang Hyuk. Come here.”

An orc called out to Kang Hyuk, who had been waiting for his turn.

Kang Hyuk turned his head, recognized who had called him, and his eyes lit up.

“Yes.”

He answered briefly before walking over and standing in front of the orc.

The orc grinned, exposing his characteristic thick tusks.

“Take up your weapon.”

“Understood.”

“You are skilled, so I will teach you through sparring.”

“Thank you.”

Thick Molars frowned, apparently displeased by Kang Hyuk’s indifferent response.

“Hmph.”

His weapon was a club.

The same club he usually carried around for disciplinary purposes rather than actual combat.

“Come at me.”

Kang Hyuk stared at him while holding his short spear.

Thick Molars’ intentions were obvious.

Kang Hyuk had sent a message through Yoo Hyuk-soo last time, so the orc was undoubtedly furious.

Under the original schedule, Thick Molars would have had difficulty getting his hands on Kang Hyuk during training or finding an opportunity to deal with him separately.

But now he had been given this opportunity.

He was obviously planning to use the sparring session as an excuse to beat Kang Hyuk to his heart’s content.

‘Stupid orc bastard.’

But Thick Molars didn’t know one thing.

Kang Hyuk was actually very pleased with the situation.

‘If it’s sparring, I can beat him senseless without worrying about the consequences.’

Not only could he attack someone he normally couldn’t even touch, but Thick Molars could never inflict serious injuries on Kang Hyuk.

Unlike the first time Thick Molars had laid hands on him, Kang Hyuk had now firmly caught Black Hammer’s attention.

And tomorrow, even orcs from the main base would be coming to see him.

So if he provoked Thick Molars enough right now, there was a good chance the orc would act exactly as Kang Hyuk expected.

“Haa!”

Kang Hyuk glared at Thick Molars before suddenly lunging forward.

He struck upward with the shaft of his spear, knocking Thick Molars’ club up.

Clack!

The spear shaft and club collided with a dull sound.

Thick Molars was startled by the unexpected strength behind the blow and tried to bring his club down.

But by then, Kang Hyuk had already slipped around to his right.

He spun the spear shaft and slammed it into the orc’s side.

Thwack!

“Grrrk!”

Thick Molars staggered with a strange groan.

Kang Hyuk was about to follow up with another strike when an ominous feeling made him step backward.

Whoosh!

The club missed him by the narrowest of margins, making a terrifying sound as it cut through the air.

If Kang Hyuk hadn’t pulled himself back, that single blow would have caved in his skull.

‘Is this crazy bastard serious?’

Kang Hyuk stared at Thick Molars in disbelief.

Then he noticed that the orc himself seemed startled.

But the orc soon grinned and pretended nothing had happened.

‘He swung without thinking, realized he’d almost gone too far, and is now relieved because I dodged.’

Kang Hyuk could practically see through him.

He clicked his tongue and charged again.

Whoosh!

The club, this time carrying slightly less force, came flying toward his shoulder.

Kang Hyuk bent his waist and dodged it, using the momentum to thrust his spear forward.

Thwack!

Thick Molars’ head snapped backward.

If Kang Hyuk had attacked with the spearhead, the fight would have ended with that single strike.

No matter how tough the orc was, it would be difficult to continue fighting with a hole punched through his jaw.

Thick Molars seemed to realize that as well, because his eyes became even more savage.

“Grr. You filthy monke—”

Smack!

A crisp impact rang out.

Kang Hyuk watched with satisfaction as Thick Molars’ head snapped to the side.

But it wasn’t over.

“You bas—”

Whack!

“You—”

Thwack!

Kang Hyuk broke into a refreshing smile.

Thick Molars was no longer merely furious.

He was utterly dumbfounded.

He had known that this monkey was fairly skilled, but the current situation was far beyond anything he had expected.

Even if the first blow could be attributed to carelessness, Thick Molars had clearly tried to dodge or block the attacks afterward.

Yet he couldn’t.

Kang Hyuk’s attacks were simply faster than expected, flying toward his blind spots.

As expected of a monkey, Kang Hyuk didn’t have enough strength to inflict a fatal injury.

But the humiliation was unbearable.

Thick Molars failed to realize that this was precisely what Kang Hyuk was aiming for.

The orc gripped his club tightly and prepared to issue a proper warning with a threatening expression.

“You insolent bas—!”

Of course, Kang Hyuk had no intention of listening.

In fact, the sight of the orc constantly running his mouth annoyed him so much that he swung the shaft of his spear directly into his mouth.

Crack!

This time, the sound was different.

Kang Hyuk flinched for the first time, startled by the impact.

Thick Molars initially twisted his face in pain, but then his eyes widened.

“Hrrng… Hng.”

A conspicuously large tooth was lying neatly on the ground.

It was none other than one of Thick Molars’ prized tusks.

“Hng… Grrrr…”

The orc suddenly began breathing heavily and lowered his club.

Kang Hyuk watched as Thick Molars’ eyes glowed red and heat seemed to rise from his body like a mirage.

‘Oh. He’s lost it.’

Berserk was a class skill belonging to Berserkers.

Thick Molars was so enraged that he was even preparing to use a class skill.

Judging by the heat rising from his body, he had undoubtedly begun drawing upon the mana he hadn’t used until now.

Until this point, Kang Hyuk had managed to hold his own thanks to his high stats for his level.

But the moment his opponent started using mana, his chances of winning dropped to zero.

Before Berserk could fully activate, Kang Hyuk shouted loudly.

“Instructor Thick Molars! Thank you for teaching me!”

He bowed deeply while loudly expressing his gratitude, making sure the others could hear him.

Immediately, everyone’s attention focused on them.

Thick Molars visibly panicked when he noticed the attention.

Using mana and a class skill while supposedly “teaching” a trainee was absurd.

The red glow in his eyes quickly faded.

“G-Grr. Y-Yeah. Good work.”

Thick Molars gritted his teeth and nodded.

No matter how recklessly he wanted to act, all the remaining assistant instructors and instructors were gathered here.

In such circumstances, seriously injuring Kang Hyuk—a very high-grade “product”—would be foolish.

No matter how furious he was, there was nothing more he could do here.

If he lost control in front of everyone, he would only damage his own standing and become a laughingstock.

He seemed about to say something else, but when he noticed that everyone was still watching, his face turned bright red.

As he passed by Kang Hyuk, he muttered,

“Hmph. Good work.”

Kang Hyuk watched Thick Molars walk away after giving his shoulder a light tap.

He couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction.

---

“Wow. How long has it been since we’ve had this much free time? Is this the first time since we came to the training camp? This is great. Really great. Right, Mr. Kang Hyuk?”

“Ah, yes.”

After training ended, Tae-beom returned to the dormitory and excitedly struck up another conversation.

Kang Hyuk simply nodded and lay down in his place.

“Huh? You’re going to sleep?”

“Yes. I’m tired.”

He even closed his eyes completely.

Tae-beom wandered around nearby for a while before finally backing off with a disappointed expression.

Kang Hyuk ignored him and went to sleep.

The assistant instructors didn’t interfere with them at all until sunset.

Only when evening came did they call the trainees out for dinner.

Kang Hyuk finished every last bite of his meal before returning to the dormitory.

Then, midway through, he claimed he needed to use the bathroom and went outside.

‘There are definitely fewer people.’

He had carefully observed the surroundings both on the way to dinner and on the way back, and confirmed that the number of people was significantly lower than usual.

Kang Hyuk walked all the way to the place they called a bathroom—though he privately called it a cesspit.

Then he took a talisman from his inventory.

Swoosh.

The moment he stuck the talisman onto his body, his figure became blurry.

While in that state, he lowered his body and activated the Stealth skill he had finally acquired through countless hours of repeated practice.

‘Let’s go.’

At last, it was time to escape this wretched place.

Kang Hyuk carefully began to move.