CHAPTER 17

If you had the skills, you could meet a prostitute even inside here.

I heard that prostitutes preferred entering the unit over going to city or rural towns.

For one, they could earn more money than usual.

Even though it was known secretly, this wasn't something that happened under military law and discipline.

The men you met here, whether they were soldiers or commanders, were extremely averse to causing a scene.

No one enjoyed creating a troublesome situation by getting caught calling for a woman.

Therefore, this place was full of big spenders.

'Even so.'

You're quite skilled.

No matter how much you want it, there are those who can do it and those who can't.

'Big Eyes must have arranged this.'

"Well, um, I'm envious. You're quite skilled, aren't you?"

"There's no need to live with unfulfilled desires, is there?"

He wasn't wrong.

If you can do it, living that way isn't a bad thing.

Jaxon buttoned up his shirt as he walked.

It seemed he was truly only connected to the woman in the tent through money, as he didn't even look back.

A red kiss mark was visible through the unbuttoned shirt.

It looked like he had quite a passionate time.

Jaxon's reddish-brown hair fluttered slightly in the wind.

His appearance was strangely attractive. Ordinary yet handsome.

Yeah, with looks like that, it's no wonder women would flock to him.

"What's the matter?"

Jaxon asked, glancing at Encrid.

He was the same as usual. Easygoing and unpretentious.

Squad member Jaxon.

Rem evaluated him as a pervert who preferred to exploit weaknesses.

Encrid briefly recalled Jaxon on the battlefield.

If Rem resembled a charging beast, then this one was...

'Not particularly.'

Encrid had never properly seen Jaxon fight.

All he knew was from what Rem had said.

And he had seen Jaxon poke an enemy's back with a spear once.

That was all.

However, you could infer his skill.

Even Rem, who was very skilled, would often get minor injuries.

But Jaxon had no such wounds. It was very rare for him to get injured, and when he did, it was only minor.

"Are you going to fight properly or not?"

Occasionally, Rem would growl and say this.

And Jaxon would openly sneer at him.

"I don't enjoy seeing blood."

"If you don't enjoy seeing blood, then just die or don't stay here, you sly bastard."

"That's none of your business."

"Oh yeah? Should I split your head open or your body?"

"Before that, I'll make two thumb-sized holes in your heart."

That was as far as their conversation went.

Encrid had stepped between them, seeing Rem with a bleeding arm holding an axe, and Jaxon quietly standing up.

"If you want to kill each other, wouldn't it be easier for one of you to go to the enemy's side, rather than doing it here?"

After that, they still glared at each other as if they wanted to kill, but they didn't fight.

Words alone wouldn't stop them, but if someone physically got between them, they would miraculously calm down.

There were quite a few squad members who had been stopped this way.

Rem called Jaxon a sly wildcat.

And Jaxon called Rem a crazy barbarian.

Encrid had seen Jaxon poke an enemy's back with a spear he had picked up from somewhere.

Even after being stabbed, the enemy couldn't find Jaxon's position.

As Jaxon crouched down, Encrid's ankle was kicked.

The image of the enemy flailing on the ground with a spear stuck in his back was vividly remembered.

Curious about how that was possible, Encrid had asked during some free time.

"It was because the enemy's attention was entirely focused on the front."

There were no detailed explanations.

Rem was the type to easily share what he knew and had, but the same couldn't be expected from Jaxon.

Still, Encrid didn't give up easily.

"Squad Leader?"

Jaxon stopped walking. Before they knew it, they were in front of the infirmary where Encrid was.

Hearing the question about what was going on, Encrid fell into thought.

There was no need to ponder the answer to that question.

Encrid didn't aim to become the Squad Leader of the troublesome squad of the 4th platoon of the 4th company.

Who could plan to form such a relationship?

So, there was no need to worry.

If he was curious, he asked.

If he needed something, he demanded it.

Encrid treated his squad members like that.

"If a guy like you were to stab me in the back, how would I avoid it?"

Jaxon understood Encrid's words immediately.

He had pestered him countless times to teach him the method of sneaking up behind someone.

It was persistent to the point of being relentless.

Every few days, he repeats the same question.

It would have been easier to deal with if he had whined about it.

He could have scared him off just enough to chase him away.

But the Squad Leader didn't do that.

All that was visible was the desire to know, to learn.

While he wasn't impressed by that passion, one thing was certain.

If left unchecked, he would probably continue to ask the same question every few days for his entire time in the squad.

If he knew this guy for a lifetime, he would probably ask for a lifetime.

Jaxon doesn't easily call someone persistent. He knows the limits of people too well.

He understands the hollowness of terms like mental strength, conviction, and willpower.

And yet...

To him, Encrid was a relentless man.

His passion for the sword and martial arts was hotter than anyone else's.

Could that passion be driving him this way?

"Why are you so eager to learn?"

"Knowing it would increase my chances of survival, wouldn't it?"

Spending all the money he earns on some training center, what's the point of surviving longer?

Jaxon almost asked him what he wanted to do so badly.

What would be the point of knowing?

Isn't this a fleeting connection anyway?

After that, although it wasn't easy, Jaxon explained sincerely.

Of course, the Squad Leader couldn't master it.

Naturally.

It wasn't something useful for his 'type.'

But today's question was a bit more refreshing.

"Do you think your ribs were injured by a blind strike, or rather a blind kick?"

To Jaxon, it was an obvious question.

If Encrid thought that getting kicked by Frog in the previous battle was due to not sensing his presence, he was greatly mistaken.

"No, it's because the opponent was overwhelmingly strong."

"Then?"

Rarely, the question continued.

"Curious?"

Encrid, in turn, asked back.

He knew Jaxon's usual demeanor well.

Jaxon wasn't the type to be curious.

He just kept an appropriate distance from everyone, neither getting too close nor too distant.

There was no one who considered Jaxon very close.

Except for the members of the 444th Squad, there was no one who particularly disliked him either.

A proper distance.

That was Jaxon's usual way.

So it was awkward for him to ask like this.

And Encrid knew that if he asked like this, Jaxon wouldn't inquire further and would give an answer.

This wasn't an intentionally established relationship, but over time, he had come to understand their usual reactions and stances well.

"No. If there's someone trying to stab you from behind, you just need to notice it first."

As expected, the explanation was the worst.

Rem might say he can't explain things well, but compared to Jaxon, Rem could be a prestigious swordsmanship instructor.

Fortunately, Encrid had met and experienced various teachers.

Some were better at teaching than their actual skill suggested.

Some were skilled but terrible at teaching.

From all those teachers and moments, Encrid always got his money's worth.

Therefore, he had more than enough methods to learn effectively.

"How do you notice it first?" Encrid asked.

"Always keep an eye on your surroundings."

"What if you get caught even after looking around?"

"Look around more frequently."

"You can't spend all day turning your head, can you?"

"If you're the Squad leader, you can."

"No, I can't."

Jaxon sometimes makes him out to be a strange person.

Unlike Rem, who jokes around, Jaxon is serious.

From several experiences, Encrid had learned how to respond.

He had to firmly say he couldn't do it.

As if Jaxon changed his mind at that firmness, he looked around and then walked slightly to one side.

It was a place where various items were stacked beside the infirmary.

Sitting down on them roughly, he leaned slightly against the adjacent tent and said,

"It seems like this will be a long talk."

"Today is a long day."

At least until bedtime, he had plenty of time.

"Don't we need to eat?"

"Will you die if you miss one meal? I'll take your place as the meal duty officer for the rest of my life. Ah, of course, only while we're in the same squad."

Anyway, a promise that would disappear after today.

Encrid made promises freely.

"If that was a joke, it wouldn't be funny."

Funny enough, all members of the 444th Squad hated doing dishes and meal duties the most.

They'd rather fight.

The reason? They hate taking care of what other squad members eat and cleaning up after them.

They're consistently crazy, but there's a lot to learn.

At least in battle and combat, they were the best teachers for Encrid.

What if Jaxon couldn't solve this?

Instead of worrying about this nonsense, he would focus.

If that still didn't work, he would find Rem or another squad member later today.

A soldier without residual scars from battle.

Whether Jaxon was truly skilled or not, Encrid wasn't sure.

He hadn't seen it with his own eyes.

But the conclusion was that Jaxon was an exceptional soldier.

Rem's attitude vouched for Jaxon's skill.

So there must be something to learn.

Even if it wasn't immediately useful, it would definitely come in handy later.

The Heart of the Beast, after all, was useful from the moment he learned it.

"I'm not idle enough to make empty promises."

"Didn't you say we had all day earlier?"

"That was a different matter."

"Alright. You'll keep your promise, right?"

Encrid nodded. He also sat down right in front of Jaxon.

A few passing soldiers noticed them, but no one bothered to speak.

Between the passing soldiers and the supply carts, the two sat facing each other.

One was sitting on a pile of items, so his eye level was higher, but it didn't particularly matter.

Jaxon felt a strange emotion.

Encrid had plopped down and was looking at him.

With gravel and embedded stones on the ground, it must have been uncomfortable.

Moreover, the carts passing by kicked up dust, but he seemed to forget about the environment.

He was fully focused on Jaxon's story without a hint of doubt.

Moved by Encrid's serious gaze, Jaxon began to speak.

"Humans have five senses."

"You mean eyes, nose, ears, that kind of thing?"

"Yes. Sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch."

Why bring that up now?

One might have such a question, but not Encrid.

He just listened intently.

It was a good attitude, enough to make unexpected words come out.

Jaxon initially intended to say that training the five senses was enough, but he began to explain.

It was a voice that came from the heart, not the mind.

"If you can't keep turning your head, you need to put eyes on your back."

Words coming from the heart aren't necessarily kind.

Jaxon thought what he said sounded like nonsense even as he spoke.

The explanation was wrong.

"I see."

But Encrid nodded.

'Well, this is something.'

Jaxon chose his words carefully.

He hadn't expected to teach something like this, but there was no reason not to.

He could just teach a part of what he had trained in.

He knew from watching him all this time.

The Squad Leader was ordinary. His senses were ordinary.

He wasn't naturally gifted.

But that was okay.

The training they were about to do would be effective even for a regular person. If done consistently for a few months, it would yield quite good results.

Originally, this training was done in a cave-like place.

A better training method would be to be threatened by an assassin intent on killing the Squad Leader dozens of times, but that's not realistic.

"You can't always look around with your eyes, but you can with your ears."

His explanation was still crude.

"Oh, right, because sound doesn't distinguish between front and back."

Encrid, in his attentive stance, quickly understood.

"To be precise, sound does have front and back. By distinguishing sounds, your hearing will develop. It's a training you can do even while sitting down. Now, listen."

Of course, various sounds were heard.

The sound of carts rolling, the grumbling of soldiers, the groans of patients, the indifferent doctor's voice telling them to endure, and even the sound of the flag fluttering in the strong wind today.

After a brief silence, Jaxon spoke.

"Today, the wind is from the west, and the doctor is in the third tent from here in the front. And that cart has a loose left wheel joint. If we're lucky, it will last two more days; if not, the wheel will come off today."

Just as he said, the well-rolling cart wheel creaked and collapsed to one side.

"Damn it!"

The soldier driving the cart shouted in frustration.

"By distinguishing and discerning sounds, you can always keep an eye on your surroundings."

Encrid was surprised.

Is this really possible? Jaxon had just demonstrated that it was.

"How to put eyes on your back—training your hearing. Can you do it?"

This auditory training depended on the environment; the method itself wasn't difficult.

It was all about distinguishing sounds.

Of course, that didn't mean it was easy.

"It would help to listen to and distinguish the same sounds repeatedly, right? And then change methods once you get used to it?"

The Squad Leader was definitely good at listening, separate from his swordsmanship and martial arts skills.

Being a good listener also meant he understood quickly.

The Squad Leader quickly grasped Jaxon's words.

"Yes, that's correct. One of the ways to detect the footsteps or presence of a silent-moving assassin is by distinguishing the sound of the air around you. If you know an assassin well, it would be good to ask them to sneak up and target your neck. That would be the best training method."

Half of what he said afterward was a joke.

He even spoke with a slight smile.

It was a joke, but he definitely said something unnecessary.

Understanding his lousy explanation so well, Jaxon said it without realizing.

He also thought it was something that would never be relevant to the Squad Leader.

But then.

"Really?"

The Squad Leader's eyes lit up even more.

An incomprehensible man.

That was Jaxon's assessment of Encrid.