NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 14: Boot Camp Bloodshed
The recruits barely had time to catch their breath before Soldier barked another order.
"ON YOUR FEET, LADIES!" he roared, pacing back and forth like an enraged drill instructor who had too much coffee. "I HAVE SEEN CORPSES MOVE FASTER THAN YOU! AND THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE LEGS ANYMORE!"
The unfortunate villagers-turned-trainees scrambled to stand, legs wobbling from the sheer brutality of Heavy's earlier endurance drills. Some of them still had mud on their faces—courtesy of Soldier's spontaneous trench-digging exercise, which mostly consisted of him shouting 'DIG, MAGGOTS!' until someone collapsed from exhaustion. A few unlucky ones had even been volunteered for live sparring with Heavy, an experience none of them wanted to repeat. One particularly scrawny recruit was still seeing stars from the moment Heavy merely tapped his shoulder, sending him flying into a pile of crates.
Heavy, standing nearby with his arms crossed, nodded approvingly. "Is good strength training. Weaklings will not survive battlefield."
"Damn right!" Soldier declared, tossing a live grenade over his shoulder. "IF YOU CAN DODGE A GRENADE, YOU CAN DODGE A BULLET!"
Panic immediately spread among the recruits as the grenade clattered to the ground. Some screamed and dove for cover, others ran in random directions like headless chickens, and one unfortunate soul simply froze, whispering his last prayers. Another simply fainted on the spot. One ambitious recruit attempted to kick the grenade away like Medic had done earlier—only for it to bounce off his foot and roll toward a group of recruits, inciting another wave of mass hysteria.
Thankfully, Medic, who had been standing idly by with his arms behind his back, calmly walked over and kicked the grenade away, which promptly exploded in a harmless puff of smoke.
"Ja, ja, dummy rounds only," Medic said with a grin. "For now."
One of the recruits, still lying face down in the dirt, groaned. "I think I saw my life flash before my eyes."
"Then you vill see it again if you don't stand up!" Medic replied cheerfully, giving the recruit a light (but still terrifyingly strong) nudge with his boot, sending him rolling onto his back with a yelp.
Soldier wasted no time clapping his hands together. "ALRIGHT, YOU SAD SACKS OF WET CARDBOARD, IT'S TIME FOR YOUR FIRST RECON EXERCISE!" He yanked out a crude map he had drawn himself. Based on the scribbles, it was unclear if it was meant to depict the surrounding forest or an abstract nightmare. Several drawings of explosions and skulls littered the edges. "YOUR MISSION: SNEAK THROUGH HOSTILE TERRITORY, LOCATE THE ENEMY STRONGHOLD, AND RETURN WITHOUT GETTING CAUGHT!"
One recruit hesitantly raised a hand. "Uh, sir… what's the enemy stronghold?"
Soldier squinted at his map, then shrugged. "NO IDEA! FIGURE IT OUT! THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT A RECON MISSION!"
Another recruit tried to peek at the map, only to recoil in horror. "Sir… is that a giant skull drawn over half the forest?"
"YES! BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU WILL END UP IF YOU FAIL!" Soldier shouted proudly. "CONSIDER IT MOTIVATION!"
Another recruit pointed at another drawing on the map. "Wait… and what's that thing next to the skull?"
Soldier's face twisted into a scowl. "THAT, PRIVATE, IS A BEAR! YOU SEE, A TRUE SOLDIER MUST BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING! EVEN A SURPRISE BEAR ATTACK!"
The recruits exchanged nervous glances. One of them muttered, "We are so gonna die."
Heavy grinned. "Da. But it will be fun."
Spy, who had been silently watching the madness unfold from a nearby tree, exhaled a cloud of smoke and muttered to himself, "I am surrounded by imbeciles."
Before the recruits could even think about backing out, Soldier threw a pair of binoculars at one of them. "MISSION STARTS NOW! MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!" He then pulled out his rocket launcher and fired into the sky, sending an explosion high above them. "FOR DRAMATIC EFFECT!"
The recruits screamed and scattered into the forest, tripping over their own feet as they desperately tried to avoid whatever nightmare Soldier had planned for them.
Medic chuckled. "Ah… zhis vill be interesting."
The recon exercise was going about as well as expected—which is to say, not well at all. Half the recruits had already tripped over tree roots, two had walked straight into each other and knocked themselves out, and one particularly unfortunate soul had managed to get his head stuck in a hollow log. Another had somehow managed to tangle himself in his own gear, flailing helplessly like a panicked fish.
Spy, watching from a safe distance, exhaled a long, suffering sigh. "Merde."
Then, the sound of gunfire ripped through the forest.
The recruits froze. Heavy stopped mid-chuckle. Soldier immediately whipped around, his eyes wide with glee. "AH-HA!" he bellowed. "A TEACHABLE MOMENT APPROACHES!"
Through the trees, they saw it—a squad of Imperial soldiers, completely and utterly out of their depth as a massive Danger Beast—an Apeman—rampaged through their ranks. The beast was enormous, covered in thick, matted fur, with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp claws that carved through armor like butter. Imperial soldiers screamed as they were flung into the air like ragdolls. One unfortunate man was grabbed by the leg and used to bludgeon another. Another tried to stab the beast, only to be casually backhanded into the treetops like an inconvenience.
The recruits, predictably, panicked.
"WE SHOULD LEAVE!" one recruit shrieked. "WE ARE NOT READY FOR THIS!"
"THIS WAS NOT ON THE TRAINING PLAN!" another wailed.
"I JOINED FOR THE COOL HATS, NOT THIS!" a third sobbed.
Soldier, however, was grinning ear to ear. "NONSENSE! THERE IS NO BETTER TRAINING THAN THE REAL THING! WELCOME TO YOUR FIRST BATTLEFIELD LESSON, MAGGOTS!"
Heavy cracked his knuckles. "Hah! Tiny beast thinks it is strong! We show it TRUE strength!"
Medic was already rolling up his sleeves, his expression one of unsettling enthusiasm. "Oh ho ho… zis vill be fun!"
The recruits, on the other hand, looked ready to bolt. "NOPE. NOPE NOPE NOPE. I DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS."
Soldier stomped forward, slamming his foot into the ground so hard a small crater formed beneath him. "COWARDS! LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT FEAR! FEAR IS THE MIND-KILLER! FEAR IS THE ENEMY! FEAR IS THE REASON WE DO NOT WIN EVERY SINGLE WAR IN EXISTENCE! BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT BEATS FEAR?!"
"…Running away?" one recruit whispered.
"EXPLOSIONS!" Soldier declared. He then pulled a grenade from his belt and, with absolutely no hesitation, hurled it directly at the Apeman.
It exploded against its back, sending up a burst of smoke and fire. The Apeman turned, glaring at them. It roared, shaking the trees, its fur smoldering where the grenade had hit. For a moment, it locked eyes with Soldier, assessing the threat. Then, as if deciding "yes, that one needed to die first," it let out a bloodcurdling howl and charged.
The recruits collectively screamed.
"RUNNING IS STILL AN OPTION!" one recruit squeaked.
"TOO LATE! WE FIGHT OR WE DIE!" another yelped.
Soldier laughed. "THAT'S THE SPIRIT! NOW, WHO'S READY TO KICK SOME MONKEY ASS?!"
The recruits stared at him. Then, slowly, hesitantly, one of them raised a fist. "…Y-you know what? YEAH! YEAH, LET'S DO THIS!"
Another recruit, eyes wide with terror, clenched his trembling fists. "I DON'T WANT TO DIE A COWARD!"
A third nodded, shaking but determined. "BETTER TO GO OUT FIGHTING THAN TO END UP LIKE THOSE POOR SOLDIERS!"
Soldier grinned. "THAT'S MORE LIKE IT! NOW, CHARGE!" And with that, he sprinted forward, rocket launcher in hand, yelling at the top of his lungs.
Heavy followed with a booming laugh, Medic cackling behind them.
The recruits hesitated for a moment—then, screaming wildly, they charged into battle, half of them tripping over their own feet as they did. One even managed to drop his weapon before picking it back up with a sheepish, "Oops!" and diving into the fray.
Spy, still watching from the shadows, rubbed his temples. "Idiots. Every last one of zem."
The Imperials marched through the dense underbrush, weary but alert. Their mission had been routine—a simple patrol through contested land. But then the silence shattered.
A guttural roar ripped through the trees, and before they could react, the Apeman was upon them. Towering over them at nearly eight feet tall, its grotesquely muscular frame was covered in thick, matted fur, with long, sinewy arms that nearly scraped the ground. Its face was a twisted fusion of man and beast—razor-sharp fangs protruding from its maw, and soulless, bloodshot eyes scanning its prey with primal malice. The air was thick with the stench of death and raw savagery.
It moved with terrifying speed, a blur of muscle and rage. A soldier barely had time to scream before the Apeman's clawed hand gripped his torso and tore him in half, his blood splattering across his comrades. Panic erupted. The formation broke, men scrambling to fight back, but their weapons barely scratched the beast's iron-hard hide. A second soldier raised his spear, but before he could thrust, the Apeman's massive fist hammered down on him, flattening his skull and crumpling his armor like paper. Another soldier tried to flee, only for the Apeman's long arm to snatch him by the leg and slam him violently into the ground like a ragdoll.
Some soldiers fought back, striking desperately at its limbs, but their blades chipped against its hardened muscles. One Imperial managed to stab deep into its side, only for the beast to wrench the weapon free and hurl the soldier into a tree with bone-cracking force. The Apeman let out a guttural snarl, its eyes burning with predatory delight as it relished their fear. It was toying with them, reveling in their futile resistance.
The Imperials were losing ground fast. Fear gripped their hearts as they realized—this was no mere animal. This was death incarnate.
Then, another sound cut through the chaos.
"WELL, WELL, WELL! LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE NEEDS A LESSON IN COMBAT SURVIVAL!" Soldier's voice rang out like a battle cry.
The REDs had arrived.
The battle against the Apeman was nothing short of brutal. The recruits, still green and uncertain, hesitated as the monstrous creature loomed over them, its muscled frame radiating sheer primal fury. The Imperials had already suffered heavy casualties, their formation shattered and their morale in pieces. Now, it was up to the recruits to prove themselves—or die trying.
"DO NOT HESITATE!" Soldier bellowed, his voice like cannon fire. "HE WHO HESITATES IS DEAD! NOW CHARGE!"
Spurred by his orders, the recruits rushed forward, their weapons trembling in their hands. Heavy took the front line, his immense frame a living wall against the beast. He planted his feet firmly, intercepting a wild swing from the Apeman's massive arm. The impact sent a deep shockwave through the ground, but Heavy did not waver.
"Stand your ground!" he commanded, his voice calm yet firm. "No fear! Fear is weakness!"
The recruits obeyed, tightening their formation. The Apeman roared, its sharp fangs bared as it lunged again. This time, the recruits fought back. Spears, makeshift blades, and even their fists struck against the beast, each blow hesitant yet determined. A particularly bold recruit managed to slice across the Apeman's thick hide, drawing its first blood.
"HAH! A SCRATCH IS A START!" Soldier cackled. "NOW SHOW ME YOUR KILLER INSTINCTS! PRESS THE ATTACK!"
Encouraged, the recruits moved with greater confidence. Heavy blocked another massive swing, giving the others an opening. One recruit ducked low, slashing at its Achilles tendon, causing the Apeman to stagger. Another struck its ribs, forcing a pained grunt from the beast.
The fight was still uneven, but they were learning. They were adapting. The Apeman, now bleeding from multiple wounds, lashed out in fury. One recruit was nearly knocked aside, but Heavy caught him and steadied him back on his feet. "Keep moving! Do not stop!" Heavy ordered, his voice unwavering.
With renewed vigor, they redoubled their attacks. The Apeman fought back with unrelenting ferocity, clawing wildly, its breath hot and rank against their faces. It lunged at Soldier, aiming to tear him apart—but Soldier laughed.
"YOU THINK THAT SCARES ME?! TRY HARDER!"
He ducked and drove his boot squarely into the beast's chest, sending it stumbling back. It roared in frustration, but the REDs pressed the attack. A recruit jumped onto the beast's back, stabbing furiously into its shoulders. The Apeman howled in agony, thrashing wildly to throw him off.
"That's it!" Heavy nodded in approval. "Work together! Hold the line!"
The Apeman, enraged and wounded, let out a feral scream and charged recklessly. It was the final mistake it would make. The recruits, now more in sync, dodged in unison, leaving the creature exposed. Heavy's massive fists crashed into its chest, sending it reeling.
"NOW, FINISH IT!" Soldier roared.
With a final coordinated effort, the recruits delivered the decisive blows, cutting the Apeman down as it let out one last defiant snarl before collapsing. The ground trembled as its lifeless body hit the dirt. Heavy exhaled, stepping back as silence settled over the battlefield. Then, a single triumphant cheer rose from the recruits, soon joined by more until their victory cries echoed through the clearing.
Soldier folded his arms, smirking. "LESSON LEARNED! NOW, WHO WANTS ROUND TWO?!"
The recruits groaned in exhausted protest, but deep in their eyes, something had changed.
They weren't just villagers anymore. They were warriors in the making.