Chapter 14

When the cadets got back to the practice field, the instructor was already waiting for them to gather around so the second movement technique could be explained and executed.

"Ok cadets, we are going to learn the second movement technique. Who can tell me what formation we would typically use when terrain is rough or visibility is low and what the disadvantages are? Asked the instructor.

Mackenzie, waiting for her moment to strike yelled "Sir, the File formation sir!" "The wedge formation can be contracted into a file formation if the terrain or visibility gets too bad. The disadvantages to the file formation is it is less flexible, less secure, and prevents the team from firing to the front and rear."

"Another outstanding answer cadet!" Said the instructor. "The file formation consists of the team leader at the point followed by a rifleman, a grenadier, another rifleman and the the squad leader followed by the second team. This was a single column formation where all soldiers were about 30 feet apart. but could be shrunk or enlarged depending on the situation."

[New Quest: Learn the File formation]

[Quest reward: New passive skill]

"Yes!" thought Arthur as he walked over with his group and got everyone into the wedge formation. "A passive skill, that means it's active all the time right? I wonder what it could be."

Arthur threw himself into learning everything there was to know about the File formation so he could earn his new passive skill. He started out in the wedge and then methodically showed the cadets how to appropriately fall into the file formation as he had been reading up on these basic formations since he found the manuals on his tablet. By the time dinner arrived, his squads formations were extremely fluid and well executed. His squad had the best reaction times to commands and he felt like he really had a grasp on the basic movement techniques.

Arthur's system apparently felt the same way as a system notification snapped him out of his training.

[Quest Complete: Learn the File formation]

[New passive skill obtained: Brilliant Tactician]

Arthur quickly pulled up his status screen to see what the effects of his passive skill were.

[Brilliant Tactician I: User gains an extra 10% EXP per soldier under users direct command to a max of twenty. Soldiers share the same benefit as the user - upgradeable]

"What kind of broken nonsense is this!?" thought Arthur as he was thinking of the implications. As he was thinking this, the passive went into effect right as the training ended.

[19,000/100,000 EXP]

"So we do get experience for the training" thought Arthur, "That means my broken skill gave me an additional 9,000 EXP since I was technically the squad leader for these 9 other people.

Just then Strong walked up to him and whispered "I got a level up just now, For some reason that training was worth a lot more than the last. I wonder if it was because it was a completed day and not just a lesson"

"I'm not sure" replied Arthur as he started walking towards the instructor. "I noticed the EXP gain as well, you're guess is as good as mine"

The instructor told them all good job and dismissed everyone for dinner telling them they would be spending the day at the field tomorrow as well. Arthur was excited to get back to it now that the rewards were finally getting good. It was an addicting feeling.

On the way to dinner the two girls talked about their massive experience gain for the second lesson just like Strong had when he came up to Arthur earlier. Arthur didn't have the heart to tell them he had a new broken passive skill. He would have to subtly take the lead from the others so everyone could continue to gain additional EXP from his passive so they could get a good jump on the other cadets.

The four cadets filed in the chow hall and were pleasantly surprised again when dinner was actual food and not nutrient gruel. The menu tonight was meat loaf and mashed potatoes. It wasn't on Arthurs favorite list in this life or the last, but it was a welcome change to the monotonous gruel they were used to seeing.

The cadets quickly ate and returned to their rooms so they could study what they learned today and what they expected to learn tomorrow.

When Arthur closed the door to his room he told Strong about his new passive skill.

"I leveled up to level 6 today and gained an upgradeable passive skill that gives a bonus experience gain to everyone under my command up to a maximum of twenty people. The gain is 10% experience per person" said Arthur

"That's super broken and makes perfect sense now. I didn't even think there were passive skills like that" said Strong as he thought about the implications. "I am going to be your best friend forever, I don't even care if I have to take your commands as long as I get the experience gain. Didn't you say it was upgradeable?" asked Strong

"That's what it says" replied Arthur. It could increase the soldier cap, or I guess it could grant additional benefits. There's nothing that shows me what needs to happen to upgrade so it may just be a level up thing. Only time will tell."

"We will have to make sure you take command in all the training exercises. There's no way I'm missing out on this experience gain. It may be a good idea to tell the girls when we get a chance. I know it's risky to expose secrets but they may be against giving you command all the time unless they have a good reason." said Strong.

"I've thought the same. They are competitive and I can only imagine Mackenzie complaining every time I took the lead over her" said Arthur, thinking about the best way to tell the girls. He didn't want to miss out on this experience gain either.

Both cadets lay down on their beds and pulled their tablets out to look at materials for tomorrow. Arthur remembered there was a forum and decided to look around and see if anyone had reported any skills they had gained to see what was out there. When logging into the forum you could sign in as anonymous to protect your identity and ask questions or be an internet troll. Whichever you wanted to be at that point in time.

Arthur logged in as anonymous and searched skills in the forum. He found a slew of different reported skills. There were weapon skills that granted increase in damage, there were movement skills, there were even targeting skills that worked the same way as a targeting computer would. What Arthur didn't find were passive skills or any mention of them anywhere.

"That's interesting" thought Arthur as he logged off his tablet and closed his eyes to sleep.