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"Oh. Awesome."
"If knights like that patrol the capital, no one would dare to steal, right?"
"Exactly. The area around Kanzar City is famous for having no crime syndicates."
After a while, the tour group arrived in front of the 4th Guards' garrison in the heart of the capital.
The garrison was surrounded by tall walls, and a large jaguar emblem was emblazoned on the gate.
Creak.
The garrison gate opened.
"Welcome. Welcome to the 4th Guards."
Professor Wendy stepped forward and greeted them politely.
"Commander of the Guards, isn't it? To come out and greet us in person."
"Isn't this the day that the future of Alkancia is touring our garrison?"
After a brief greeting with Professor Wendy, the Guards Commander's eyes quickly scanned the students.
His gaze stopped on one student.
A sly smile crept onto his lips.
'He came here on his own two feet. Davian Onhane.'
Zagur Farkins.
The Commander of the 4th Guards, the Jaguar Guards.
He was invited to the friendly match between Elton Academy and Kanzar Academy last week and ordered his adjutant to contact Davian's family and academy.
He was going to find Davian separately.
But he came here on his own two feet.
'I'll show you exactly what the 4th Guards is like. So that you'll be itching to join the Guards. Davian Onhane.'
Commander Zagur shouted cheerfully.
"Welcome, first-year students of Elton Academy! This is the 4th Guards. Also known as the Jaguar Guards. You are lucky! It just so happens that we have important training today, so let's move."
Following Commander Zagur's lead, the students moved to the training grounds behind the garrison.
"Today is the day for the platoon competition training. Our Jaguar Guards are the unit most often deployed in various wars. The ability of the commander and the individual skills are important to the outcome of the war. But what is most important is teamwork. An organic, interconnected battle with comrades whose backs you can trust. This is the greatest force that leads the war to victory."
The Commander paused for a moment, raised his hand, and pointed to the back of his head.
"We humans don't have eyes in the back of our heads. We only have two hands to hold weapons and shields. War is completely different from nobles or famous warriors trying to show off in one-on-one duels."
The Commander pointed to the center of the training grounds.
About a hundred Guardsmen were engaged in mock battles.
At a glance, they were divided into platoons of five to ten people, moving organically.
Truly well-trained movements.
"When you encounter ten well-coordinated enemies, fighting separately becomes a 10-on-1 battle. But if we also gather ten people, it becomes a 10-on-10 battle. You don't need me to explain which is more advantageous."
Nubes nudged Bellum in the side.
"Bellum, doesn't it feel like we're in class?"
"Yeah. That Commander is so passionate. It feels like a war and tactics class."
The students lined up along one side of the training grounds and watched the Guardsmen's mock battles.
Whoosh!
One of the Guardsmen created a large fireball.
"Huh? A mage? The Guards don't just have swordsmen?"
Bonita shook her head.
"What are you talking about? There are archers, offensive mages, healing mages, even summoning mages. All the classes needed for battle are here."
"Oh, really? I just imagined Guardsmen wearing shiny armor and carrying big swords..."
Bellum pointed to the mage.
"He is wearing shiny armor. And he's carrying a sword."
"Oh? So that mage also uses magic and swordsmanship like Davian? He's carrying a sword?"
Bonita added an explanation.
"No. They're just carrying swords to look the same. Maybe there aren't even blades in those scabbards."
"Why carry a sword just for show?"
"To not reveal their role within the platoon when they encounter an enemy?"
Davian nodded.
That's right.
If you know there's a mage in the opposing party during a war, they'll obviously be the first target to eliminate.
At least until they prepare and unleash their first magic attack.
A large mage sometimes pretends to be a tank, holding a large shield and standing at the front.
Then, when the battle starts, they unleash a pre-prepared attack spell from right under the enemy's nose and retreat.
Boom!
One of the Guardsmen blocked the fireball with a large shield.
He was pushed back quite a distance by the huge explosion.
Another Guardsman with a shield quickly filled the gap.
Well-trained movements.
The clatter of joints in steel armor.
The sound of steel swords clashing.
The sound of magic exploding.
The sound of long spears piercing shields.
Even the sound of arrows cutting through the air from time to time.
The training grounds were filled with sounds reminiscent of an actual battlefield.
Some of the students watched the training with their mouths open.
Each Guardsman's individual skill was outstanding.
But their organic, interconnected movements, as if they were a single living organism, were impressive.
That was the appearance of a well-trained Guards unit.
It was a training scene that shocked the students, who had only been doing individual training until now.
Nubes, who had been watching the training with his mouth open, said.
"Amazing. A real Guards unit's fight. That's why the local nobles can't do anything..."
"Yeah. Really amazing. That's what a real, well-trained soldier looks like."
Bonita, who was listening to Nubes and Bellum's conversation, also nodded.
Bonita was also secretly amazed by the Guards' training.
'It's not always about fighting alone at the front. If the opponent shows that kind of movement, the person who stands out alone will be the first victim.'
Something hot welled up in Bonita's chest.
'So this is what it's like. The Guards. If the 4th Guards are this good, what about the 1st Guards?'
It was the moment when Bonita's future path was being decided.
On the other hand.
The Guards Commander, who was satisfied with the students' changing expressions, stopped at Davian's face.
'What is it, Davian? Are you not impressed by this much?'
Okay. I'll show you a real fight.
"Adjutant."
"Yes!"
"Raise the platoon competition level to A."
"Huh?"
"Did you not hear me?"
"Ah, no!"
The adjutant ran to where the signalman was.
"Training level A!"
"A level? Suddenly?"
"It's the Guards Commander's order."
"Wow... the infirmary is going to be overflowing today."
"Just fire the signal flare!"
"Yes!"
The signalman got up from his chair and headed for the signal flare launcher next to him.
The signal flare launcher was shaped like five long tubes facing the sky.
The signalman placed his hand on the second tube from the left and poured in magic power.
Pop!
A signal flare was fired.
Bang!
It exploded in the air.
Red smoke covered the sky.
"What?"
"A level?"
"We weren't told about that!"
"Damn it! I have a date tonight! I won't forgive anyone who touches my face!"
"Which guy is going to be half-crippled today?"
The Guardsmen who were training for the platoon competition looked at the sky and each said something.
But.
Complaints were just complaints.
This was one of the continent's best military groups.
The Guards knights soon began to reform their formation.
The gaps between them, which had been close together, widened slightly.
Then.
Whoosh.
Auras gathered on dozens of swords.
As if it were a transformed state of the aura, a faint blue light was also cast on the shields of the Guardsmen standing in the front.
"Wow..."
"They manifested an aura on their shields?"
"Wow... is that the real 모습 of the Guards?"
Clang!
Shields imbued with aura collided with each other.
A sound like a building collapsing echoed.
Bang! Bang!
Huge fireballs exploded here and there.
The atmosphere had completely changed from before.
Even the first-year academy students who didn't know much about magic could see that the power had increased by several levels.
One of the Guardsmen jumped high and swung his two-handed longsword greatly from top to bottom.
Clang!
The knees of the Guardsman who raised his shield to block it buckled.
Tremendous power.
The surprised students watched the training with their mouths open.
It was as if they were watching an actual war.
Before long, casualties began to increase.
"Wow... amazing, really. The Guards."
"Awesome. Look over there. The formation never breaks."
"If I had such reliable comrades, I wouldn't be afraid to face anyone!"
"Oh? They're collapsing over there!"
"I've been watching them too, and the side that's pushing is really strong!"
Bonita asked.
"Davian. What's your dream?"
"Me? To graduate."
Bonita stared at Davian.
"Your dream is to graduate?"
"Yeah."
"I don't think you have the skills to worry about failing."
What are you talking about?
Graduating is so difficult.
"Well, anyway. I have to graduate first before I can do anything else."
"I guess so. Actually, I just wanted to use the best swordsmanship... That's all I promised my dad when I was little."
"But?"
"I might apply to the Guards after graduation. I think true strength is here."
"Good idea. You'll definitely pass. So let's graduate first."
"Why do you keep talking about graduating?"
I'm telling you, it's difficult. Graduating.
Bang.
A signal flare marking the end of training exploded.
Green smoke fluttered in the sky above the training grounds.
Only then did the auras disappear from the Guardsmen's weapons and shields.
The Guardsmen, who had been attacking and defending as if they were going to kill each other just a moment ago, reached out and helped those who had fallen.
Commander Zagur stood looking at the students.
"Did you see well? This is the battle of the Guards. The individual skills of the knights are also excellent, but if they fight in platoon battles like that, they can easily overcome the differences in individual skills."
The students' eyes were different from before.
All the students were looking at the Commander with admiration.
"Do you know the minimum unit of a platoon?"
Bellum raised his hand.
He had been watching the platoon competition training closely.
"Five people! I counted them all, and five was the least!"
"Sharp eyes. But that's wrong. The minimum unit of a platoon is two people. One dealer and one tank. All platoons start from here. Now, is there any student who wants to do a platoon battle practice with the actual Guardsmen?"
The students murmured.
"Oh, I can't do it."
"After watching that training, you want me to fight with those people?"
"I can't even imagine it. I can't even imagine it."
Someone raised their hand.
"Oh, a brave student. Come to think of it, I remember seeing you during the friendly match with Kanzar Academy. What's your name?"
"Bonita Portis."
"Now, is there anyone else? A student to fight in the platoon competition with this young woman."
Ting.
A notification sound that only Davian could hear.
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