My Desertion Would Be Faster Than Heros’ Obsession

I didn’t even need to memorize the monsters from the original novel—they were already ingrained in my memory. But there was still a mountain of new monster knowledge I had to learn.

‘A Class-3 monster… that’s the most common and ordinary type of monster, right?’

Monsters are categorized into four grades, from Class-1 to Class-4.

Class-2 signifies a dangerous grade. Class-3 is considered average, while Class-4 consists of bugs or creatures that even regular imperial citizens can handle without much trouble.

‘So the monsters we usually deal with are mostly Class-2 or Class-3.’

Class-1 monsters, on the other hand, are creatures so dangerous that even a group of well-trained heteros couldn’t defeat them. These monsters were so rare that most people wouldn’t encounter one in their lifetime.

“Skeleton extermination method.”

Plato’s piercing gaze landed on me as he began his line of questioning.

“Target the joints where the bones connect and ensure you separate the head from the body at the end.”

“Habitat of a Ghast.”

“They live in sunless areas, like underground or caves.”

“Extermination method?”

“Lure them into a bright area where they’ll die from exposure to light. If that’s not possible, use fire. Of course, you can always just cut them all down with a sword.”

I remembered…

I recalled the scene where the original heroine, Dalin, got herself into trouble fighting Ghasts. She ended up nearly getting herself killed because she was completely useless until Aquila saved her.

Thanks to his fire-attribute aura, Aquila was able to wipe out all the Ghasts in one fell swoop. Watching this, Dalin broke down in tears, lamenting her own incompetence.

‘If you know you’re useless, why don’t you train or something?’

But no, in the original novel, instead of facing her shortcomings and training, Dalin spent her time hugging Aquila in a dark underground space devoid of light.

“Sob, Aquila… Why am I incapable of changing anything?”

“There’s no need for you to try. You don’t need to suffer like this. I swear on my name, I’ll protect you so that not even a single finger of yours gets hurt.”

And then, of course, came an overly romanticized description of their heated embrace that lasted for what felt like forever.

Even thinking about it again now made my blood boil.

‘The original was supposed to be a romance fantasy novel. Why does it feel like I’ve been dragged into a military survival story?’

And the original Aquila was part of the problem, too. He knew full well that Dalin’s refusal to contribute made the rest of the unit suffer more, yet there he was, spouting nonsense about protecting her.

“Alright, you pass.”

While I tried to calm the bubbling anger rising within me, Plato seemed satisfied with my answers. He nodded and immediately moved on to the next recruit sitting nearby—Cal.

Unfortunately, Cal couldn’t answer the question right away.

“Hey! Ogre! Ogre! You still haven’t memorized all the monster names, huh? You’ll be deployed in actual combat in a week. If you want to die, just say so, and we’ll kill you ourselves instead of the monsters!”

Watching Plato’s boot fly straight toward Cal, I could only offer him a silent prayer.

‘Just endure for 7 years, 11 months, and 8 days….’

“Plato! This is urgent!”

At that moment, our senior, Isina, came rushing toward us, panting heavily. I instinctively turned my head toward him but quickly reverted to my original position before Plato could catch me.

“What is it?”

“A Class-3 Ghoul has appeared in the village just below the mountain! April ordered us to gather our gear from the barracks and prepare for an emergency extermination mission.”

“A Ghoul?”

Plato’s face darkened.

“Got it. Isina, head back first. I’ll explain the situation to the recruits and follow right after.”

“Understood.”

Emergency extermination?

A Class-3 Ghoul isn’t particularly dangerous to heteros. Sure, we recruits might struggle, but even Isina, who had only three months of experience more than us, could handle a Ghoul alone without much trouble.

‘So there’s no need to get so worked up over a Ghoul….’

Even if the Ghoul had come down to the village, it shouldn’t pose much of a threat. Ghouls aren’t fast, so the villagers would have had plenty of time to evacuate. All we’d need to do is head over and eliminate it quickly.

“Recruits, listen up and steel yourselves.”

Plato’s face was as stiff as a board as he addressed us.

“Salvia, do you remember the traits of a Class-3 Ghoul?”

“Yes, sir. They resemble humans but lack a complete human form. They stand on two legs, but their posture is hunched and unsteady. They’re grotesque in appearance and emit groaning sounds. They live underground or in graveyards and rarely venture into bright places—”

I paused mid-sentence, realizing something wasn’t right.

Plato nodded slowly, as if confirming my thoughts.

“That’s right. Ghouls don’t go down to villages. Moreover, this village doesn’t have a graveyard within its limits. Instead, the graves are located on the mountain. So, there’s even less reason for a Ghoul to appear in the village.”

A sense of foreboding washed over me.

“If a Ghoul, which usually stays in the mountain graveyard, has come down to the village…”

Damn it. This situation was starting to sound all too familiar.

“It means a far stronger monster has appeared in the mountain.”

It was unlikely to be a Class-2 monster. After all, monsters generally maintained some sort of balance and didn’t cross into each other’s territories lightly.

So this could only mean one thing….

“A Class-1 monster has appeared in the mountain. And we’re going to hunt it.”

‘…Is this a death flag or what?’

***

“Salvia, you’re here? Yuri! Help her pack her gear!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Inside the cramped barracks, belongings were scattered all over the place. April, busy scribbling something in her notebook while organizing her things, appeared completely preoccupied.

Yuri, the tall senior soldier with her black hair tied into a single ponytail, approached me instead. She had never been fond of me, rarely spoke to me unless absolutely necessary, and even now, her frosty demeanor made it clear she was only helping because it was an order.

“Recruit, you should know how to pack your gear by now. Show me how you do it, right here.”

“Yes, understood.”

“Wait. That’s too bulky—you need to pack it at the bottom first.”

“Oh, sorry…!”

“Hey, why are you putting that there?”

‘Do you even know what that’s called?’

I grumbled internally as Yuri continued to give cold, detached instructions without even once saying my name. It was always like this—the seniors didn’t seem to think of me as a person.

After packing everything as per Yuri’s orders, I rushed out to the training field and lined up with the other recruits.

“Is everyone ready?”

Our platoon leader stood on the platform with a stern expression.

“A group of Ghouls has been spotted in the village. Gamma Platoon will handle them, while Alpha Platoon will take care of the Class-1 monster presumed to be in the mountain. We need to eliminate it before it reaches the village. Beta Platoon will join us soon, and we’ve requested additional support from other companies.”

Even the seniors who usually exuded confidence—like Plato, Leon, and Louise—looked tense.

“We are the Border Defense Army. Officially, our mission is to subdue the Class-1 monster.”

The platoon leader’s next words made me freeze in place.@@novelbin@@

“But our real mission is survival.”

I subtly shifted my gaze toward Isina, trying not to draw attention.

Over the past month, I had grown attached to my seven fellow recruits, even Aquila, despite having barely exchanged a word with him.

I couldn’t imagine how Isina had felt when his batch had been wiped out. If it were me, I’d have completely lost it. But Isina was the third male lead from the original novel—he probably had the mental fortitude to match. That’s the kind of mysterious allure male leads had these days: kind on the outside, dark and scheming on the inside.

‘But more importantly, I just need to survive first.’

“In front of a Class-1 monster, we cannot retreat. If we fall back, the villagers are doomed. We must fight with our lives on the line.”

Someone audibly swallowed.

“That doesn’t mean you should throw your lives away. Survive at all costs. I don’t want to lose a single member of this platoon. That’s all.”

As the platoon leader finished speaking, a solemn and determined atmosphere settled over the recruits standing in formation.

Even my heart began pounding in my chest.

Before enlisting, I had cursed each miserable day spent in the orphanage, enduring the director’s abuse.

After enlisting, I cursed the grueling training, the constant shouting of the seniors, and the brutal reality of this world.

But never before, in all those dreadful days, had I felt this kind of tension.

“Move out!”

With a faltering stride, I followed the formation, the heavy pack on my back anchoring me to reality.

A quick glance around revealed that I wasn’t the only one stumbling awkwardly. Most of my fellow recruits were just as stiff and jittery. Cal, in particular, was so terrified that his arms and legs moved in sync like a puppet on broken strings.

Damn it. Seeing everyone else so nervous just made me even more on edge. It was a vicious cycle.

“Pathetic…”

April’s voice cut through the tense silence like a blade. Her golden hair shimmered under the light, making her look almost radiant as she surveyed us with a condescending smirk.

“Why are they so tense?”

The other seniors quickly joined in.

“Hey, think carefully. What’s scarier, the monsters or us?”

“I bet these kids will turn tail the moment they see a monster. Just remember, if you run, we’re right behind you.”

“Relax. You won’t die as long as you don’t screw up. But if you do, we’ll kill you before the monsters get the chance.”

‘Wow, that’s oddly reassuring.’

Listening to their relentless scolding, I felt my fear of the monsters being replaced by a different kind of dread.

‘Yeah, there’s nothing scarier than these people.’

Dealing with the monsters would probably be easier. If a monster pissed me off, I could just kill it. These seniors, on the other hand, were untouchable—no mutiny allowed.

The thought of failing and triggering April’s wrath lit a fire of determination inside me.

‘I’ll make it. I have to make it.’

Humans built the pyramids. Surely we can hunt a Class-1 monster.

“Elliot, seriously, what are we supposed to do?”

At the head of the formation, April whispered to the commanding officer, Elliot, ensuring the recruits wouldn’t overhear.

Elliot, who always carried an air of apathy, was one of the most experienced officers in the company. Despite his laid-back demeanor, even April leaned on him in situations like this.

“What do you mean, ‘what do we do’? We kill the damn Class-1 monster and come back.”

“The recruits haven’t even been here a month. You know they’re not ready for combat, let alone against a Class-1 monster.”

“So what? Should we tell them to stay back and guard the tents like cowards? You know the drill—we follow orders from the top.”

“Even the 89th batch lost five recruits to a Class-2 monster.”

“And yet, thanks to you, this group got whipped into shape fast. Any harsher, and they’d have all deserted. You’re tough as nails, April.”

April hesitated, her lips twitching as if debating whether to say the words. Finally, she spoke.

“...You know, some of them are going to die.”