# *TANG—!!*
Ivan fired his gun into the air as he surveyed the area ahead. As expected, the students of the Hero Party could only cower in fear, unable to think of how to respond.
If they had developed Line-of-Fire Detection, they would have jumped out and attacked the shooter before even recognizing the gunshot. That's how Transcendents fight.
The method to awaken Line-of-Fire Detection is simple. Strengthen the body with magical power and then stimulate survival instincts.
"Perhaps I should change the ammunition type."
"...Pardon?"
An agent serving as his assistant shooter asked with cold sweat running down his face.
Ivan was a rational person, so rather than answering, he fell into contemplation.
'Even with a first aid kit, injuries from live ammunition can't be completely healed without a priest's help. It would be possible with a Healing Potion, but...'
Healing Potions weren't items to be used on disciples.
Ivan was a rational person who knew how to distinguish tools according to their purpose. This was a time for education through appropriate levels of trials, not for torturing young kids by putting bullets in them.
"Sir...?"
"Fire at intervals of 10 minutes, 15 minutes, and 5 minutes. Don't aim for the head, and if possible, target areas that won't impair bodily function."
Ivan gave brief instructions and left his position. He needed to prepare for the next plan.
It would have been easier if Dmitri or Pavel were here. With only field agents deployed under the highest commanding officer, the chain of command was a mess.
Ivan found himself smirking without realizing it.
He was thinking completely with a commander's mindset.
He put away his pistol and pulled out a wire, wrapping it around his wrist. Then he grabbed an axe in one hand and a dagger in the other before looking up.
From the beginning, he was closer to being the one carrying out missions rather than giving orders.
So now, it was time to return to his main job.
[Doubt safe places.]
Elfihera screamed as soon as she leaned against the cover and discovered a note attached above where her head was positioned.
"KYAAAAH!!"
The ground behind the rock, which had looked perfectly normal and ideal for hiding, suddenly collapsed.
Isabelle, who reached out her hand upon hearing her scream, barely managed to pull her up.
"Fortunately, they didn't place spears or spikes at the bottom."
"What kind of crazy talk is that, Oskar?"
"The Annihilation Squad would have done that."
"I'm scared of this country now."
Oskar examined the trap and nodded. Even he hadn't noticed the trap design beforehand.
What made it even more malicious was that it was positioned in the opposite direction from where the gunshots were heard. In other words, it was designed to ensure that anyone using this rock as cover would fall into it.
"Is anyone injured?"
"It hurts like hell, but fortunately I can still move."
"Were you all hit in the back?"
"I was hit in the thigh..."
At Asidis's words, Oskar glanced at her thigh before deliberately averting his gaze.
She was wearing unnecessarily flowy clothes that were now covered in mud from rolling on the ground, making the sight quite stimulating. Especially in Asidis's case.
And at the same time, he realized: Well, that kind of injury wouldn't impair movement.
Typically, trained shooters aim for the stomach or chest when sniping. If they have other intentions, they target areas that would impair movement, like knees, shoulders, or elbows.
The head is a different matter. Unless there's a guarantee of hitting the head precisely, it's generally too small a target for long-distance aiming.
Therefore, in basic shooting training, the aim is always aligned with the center of the body.
Yet none of the party members had sustained such "fatal" injuries.
An ordinary person might think, 'Ah, they're going easy on us because it's a training situation.' But Oskar was an agent who had received professional training (at least up to the trainee level).
So at that point, he felt a chill run down his spine.
'The agents' training level is too good.'
Basically, shooting training is something conscripts learn. Otherwise, it's covered at a general education level. After all, the skill of shooting ultimately doesn't apply to "decisive powerhouses."
And in this forest, there must be at least ten agents. Perhaps around twenty.
How many people would be needed to control the entire mountain, predict the trainees' range of movement and routes to set traps, and maintain surveillance 24 hours without rest?
And what are the odds that all of them could perform "shooting that avoids fatal injuries without a single error" in long-distance sniping?
'Moreover, these aren't live rounds.'
The fact that they aren't live rounds doesn't just lower the trainees' guard. It also reassures the shooters.
Ah, these aren't live rounds. Even if I make a mistake, no one will die.
Such reassurance tends to dull a shooter's fingertips. Considering the number of bullets fired at them over the past 24 hours, what does it mean that they hit only their targets with not a single error?
'Not every shooter here can be Krasilov's elite agent.'
This must be the hidden strength of the Krasilov Intelligence Headquarters. At least one aspect of it.
Even the low-ranking agents assigned to guide trainees can perform errorless sniping regardless of day, night, or distance.
And the fact that they can expend such high-value personnel just for trainee education.
Oskar looked into the forest with intense eyes before following the departing group.
Northern operational area, at the 12 o'clock position on the tactical map, 250 meters above sea level.
Ivan slowly raised his head from among the dense summer foliage. He had heard the distant sound of rustling leaves.
When focusing his hearing to the maximum, he could distinguish 42 types of wild animals by sound. If one understands that each animal has differences in stride, weight, center of gravity, and walking style, anyone can reach this level through training.
Therefore, the fact that he heard a sound that couldn't be matched to any of the 42 types of wild animals meant only one thing.
In this place where civilians and troops had all been evacuated, a "bipedal" entity weighing over 100kg had intruded. In other words, humans or humanoid beings had entered.
'They're here.'
Not knowing the audible range of the opponent, Ivan slowly rose while holding his breath.
There were no traps or traces in this area. Placing such things would only stimulate the opponent's vigilance.
Due to the environment requiring sound to distinguish distant opponents, all nearby troops had also been evacuated. This meant there was no need for friend-or-foe identification.
Therefore, anyone appearing before his eyes, crossing the restricted line where civilians were prohibited, was an enemy.
It was simple.
Forest. Within the operational range, he alone was friendly; all other entities were presumed hostile.
It was always a reconnaissance mission. And Ivan had never failed a reconnaissance mission. No matter who the opponent was, they wouldn't be at the level of elite soldiers residing in the Dragon King's palace.
"Is this the right direction?"
A voice was heard from a distance. Ivan silently climbed up a tree trunk and focused on his hearing and vision.
Between the trees, something was moving through the dense leaves.
'About 30 individuals. All armed except for two.'
A small voice continued.
"There's no trace of humans at all. Are you sure this is the right place?"
"Are you doubting now?"
"I've never doubted the 'Eye.' But... it's strange, isn't it? They were making such a fuss since morning about a great calamity!"
'Great calamity? Magician? The expression "human," they're not human. Elves... obviously not. Too polite in speech for elves.'
Ivan frowned as he saw the faint gleam of weapons between the trees.
'No metal coating. Either they lack field experience or... they're a race that dislikes camouflage coloring.'
There were several such races among the demon folk. Some races specialized in close combat would refuse camouflage coloring to display their own version of "bravery."
Naturally, most who made such foolish choices became extinct.
Soon, the figures from beyond the forest drew closer. At that point, Ivan identified their identity.
He quickly assessed their forces before hiding deeper into the forest.
"HQ. This is O1."
"O1. HQ receiving."
Ivan pressed behind his ear and spoke in a low voice.
"Operation A1-2 is canceled. C2 situation has occurred."
"Confirmed. C2 situation. Is that correct?"
"Affirmative. What about the field strike team?"
"Team 7 is being deployed."
Ivan recalled the operation map in his mind.
If Team 7 is deployed, then Team 3 is on surveillance, and Team 5 is on standby.
"Message to 5-1. C2 situation response 2."
"Confirmed. C2 situation response 2. Implementation time?"
"10 minutes from now."
"Confirmed. Operation 'Crisis Provision.' Implementing at 1232."
After the final response, Ivan tucked the axe into his waist and held the dagger in his right hand, extending his arm.
'The protagonists need to become stronger than they are now.'
'According to academy clichés, it's impossible to strengthen protagonists through training.'
'Therefore, the protagonists need crises and trials.'
These were Ivan's thoughts when he first formulated the plan.
Taking one step further from there:
'It's common sense that enemies attack during an academy retreat.'
Inevitably, he had to reach this point. Because Ivan was a sensible person.
And from there, adding another thought as an agent:
'As long as the attackers aren't all fools, it's possible to guide them to a suitable position for attack.'
'If the attackers are sufficiently capable, they can be good teaching material for intelligence headquarters agents who lack real combat situations.'
The hypothetical enemies that could be anticipated at this point were:
The Crown Prince faction, remnants of purged nobles, rebels from other countries, international terrorist organizations.
These were problems that the intelligence headquarters agents needed to solve. However, in this academy genre, there was one more predictable attacking force.
A long-standing hostile force that had continued from the train terrorism to the surprise attack during practical classes.
The demon folk.
This was obviously a trial that the protagonist had to resolve. The intelligence headquarters was an intelligence organization, not a demon-handling unit. Contrary to many people's misconceptions, the Annihilation Squad had been deployed in full-scale war only once in history.
The demon folk must be handled by the protagonists. However, the protagonists would believe that the intelligence headquarters agents would protect them.
And that...
"Cannot be a trial."
In a famous novel from Earth, there's a saying: [If you have enough courage, turn life into a trial.] More simply expressed, it means [What doesn't kill me makes me stronger!]
Ivan knew this truth was correct. Because his life had actually been that way. And as a rational educator, he should be able to teach the training he experienced to his trainees.
Through appropriate difficulty adjustment and situation control, by precisely arranging only "trials that cannot kill"...
"Kheuk!!"
Isabelle raised her sword toward the direction of the sound and stepped back cautiously.
What kind of crazy stunt are they trying to pull now?
Sadly, the image of the kind, warm, and caring (he was never like that) man no longer existed in her heart.
All that remained was the strange person who lured college students out during vacation with promises of dates, dumped them in the mountains, and then fired guns at them.
But now the situation was different.
Because the person who emerged from the forest with a scream was a large agent with careful camouflage coloring.
"W-w-what? What is this? Is this part of the training too?"
"Run... run away...!"
The agent coughed up a handful of blood, staggered, and then collapsed.
The party immediately fell into chaos.
"KYAAAH! A-are you okay?!"
Just as Asidis screamed and tried to run forward, TANG! A gunshot rang out, and blood spurted like a fountain from the agent's back.
Soon, with the next gunshot, a small mound of dirt flew up at Asidis's feet. She screamed and quickly hid behind cover. It was a swift cover that Ivan would have given extra points for if he had seen it.
"What's going on? What what what?! What is this!"
"L-live ammunition! Everyone get down!!"
With Oskar's shout, more gunshots followed. There was a choking sound, and the sound of someone running through the forest.
"An attack...? Are those men really being attacked?"
"I-it seems so!?"
Then who's going to protect us?
The four looked at each other simultaneously, then surveyed beyond the forest with terrified faces.
Under the bright summer sun, the forest became terribly quiet.