"My casting speed is 1.2 seconds too slow. I need to cut it down by at least one second. My restriction magic is too weak—it needs to be 40% stronger. That means using more mana, but I'll burn through my reserves. Then I'll have to expand my mana pool."
William muttered to himself in the middle of a burning forest.
Up close, he looked awful—messy hair, sunken eyes, and pale skin. He looked more like a sick patient than a soldier.
Lost in thought, he didn't notice a golem charging at him.
"William! Watch out!"
A rough voice shouted through his earpiece, snapping him out of his daze. He turned just in time to see the golem rushing in.
Instead of dodging, William's entire hand began glowing red, casting a fireball, and prepared to face it head-on.
"Damn it!" the voice yelled again—this time from a man in heavy-powered armor sprinting toward him.
"Faster, stronger, more power…" William muttered, eyes wild like a fanatic, as the golem neared.
Just as the fireball finished charging, he fired it at point-blank range. The blast exploded, shaking the ground.
Cain, the armored soldier, reached William just in time. He shielded him from the explosion with his own body.
The shockwave hit them both—William rolled across the ground, and Cain crashed through several trees.
"What the hell!!" Cain shouted, climbing from the wreckage. His armor was scorched and dented.
William stood up, not checking for injuries. He stared at the destroyed golem in a daze.
Cain stormed over. "God damn it, William! Why are you zoning out again?"
William blinked. The situation finally registered.
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." He bowed deeply.
"Stop apologizing and get back into the fight!" Cain barked.
"Yes!"
William returned to the battle, and the squad finished the training session without more problems.
During a short break, Cain walked up to him again.
"Do you want to explain yourself, William?"
"I'm very sorry. It won't happen again." William bowed, sounding panicked.
Cain sighed and scratched his curly brown hair. His voice softened.
"Listen. I don't know why you're so desperate, or why you were assigned here with no real training. But you need to slow down. You're not in the right headspace."
William kept bowing, clearly missing the point.
"Yes, I'm sorry. I'll make sure it never happens again."
Cain stared, frustrated. "That's not... Fine. Just rest and be ready for the next session."
"Yes!" William saluted.
After a few minutes, the next training session began.
But in the middle of the fight, William felt his focus slipping again.
He tried to stay alert, but it didn't work. He started hurting himself to stay awake.
"Huff… Huff…"
By the end of the second round, William's world started spinning. A wave of anxiety hit him.
His breathing sped up, and his body began to shake. Trying to stay calm, he chanted the Sleepless Magic.
Slowly, his vision cleared, and his breathing steadied.
He waited, tense, but the symptoms didn't come back. He sighed in relief.
Some teammates noticed something was wrong but brushed it off as just fatigue.
After a short rest, round three began.
But this time, in the middle of the fight, the dizziness came back—much worse. William nearly collapsed.
He tried to chant the Sleepless Magic again, but it didn't work, and moments later, William fell to the ground.
***
"How's his condition, Doctor?"
"The scans show low blood pressure, a high resting heart rate, severe muscle strain, and unstable mana flow."
"All common signs of sleep loss and overtraining. But his condition is much worse than usual—it looks like he hasn't slept in days."
As the sergeant and doctor talked, William's eyes snapped open. He sat up quickly.
"Sir Sergate! Dr. Jana!" he called, moving to salute.
Dr. Jana looked surprised. "Hey, kid. When was the last time you slept?"
"Four… no, maybe seven days ago?"
"I see. Are you using any anti-sleeping spells?"
"Yes…"
"What's it called?"
"Sleepless Magic."
"I figured," the doctor muttered, falling into thought.
"Is… there a problem?" William asked, uneasy.
"No, not exactly. But this kind of spell is usually used by scholar mages. What were you doing while using it?"
"I've been training non-stop. Running to build stamina. Casting healing spells on myself. Practicing all kinds of magic."
"I thought so. You've been using the Sleepless Magic wrong. It needs a lot of mana to keep going, but you used all your mana on training."
Dr. Jana sighed. "You stayed awake for seven days, so the spell kind of worked. But it didn't protect you from the side effects."
She narrowed her eyes. "Who gave you this spell? It's rare—someone important must've taught you."
"It was Dr. Lenny," William answered without thinking.
"Of course it was him," she muttered, rubbing her forehead. "Alright. Starting now, you need at least one full day of rest. No training."
William flinched. "Doctor, I'm fine. I don't need rest—I can keep going."
"This is an order," the sergeant stepped in at this time and said firmly.
"No training until the doctor clears you."
"…I understand, sir," William replied, bowing his head.
***
Later that evening…
Cain stood stiffly in front of a desk, frustration written all over his face.
"Sir Sergate, I don't think William suited in this unit," he said firmly.
"And why's that?" The Sergeant looked up from his paperwork.
"He's reckless and inexperienced. He could drag the whole team down."
"But hasn't he shown major improvement these past few days? Give him a little more time—he might turn into an asset."
"Yes, but he's too desperate and reckless. Our unit needs discipline, not desperation."
The Sergeant sighed. "Fair enough. But, I didn't assign him—General Isaac did, and he let him skip standard training."
Cain paused. "The general is backing him?"
"All I know is he wants to save someone poisoned by a Toxcarver."
"…"
"It'll be fine. The general wouldn't send a kid to his death."
"He's only been given two weeks to meet our unit's basic standards. If he fails, he goes to regular training. If he passes, he gets deployed."
Cain frowned. "Still… he does realize joining this unit won't make the cure come any faster, right?"
"Does it matter? It's better than sitting around doing nothing, isn't it?"
Cain had no answer.
"If that's all, you're dismissed."
"Yes, sir." Cain saluted and left.
Outside, in the canteen…
"Hey, Cain! How'd it go?" a few squad members asked as he walked in.
"Turns out William was personally assigned to our unit by the higher-ups."
"Damn. Are they trying to get that kid killed?"
"No. He only gets deployed if he passes our standards."
"Well, judging by his progress, he might actually have a shot."
"I just hope he doesn't get us killed," one member muttered.
"Poor kid," someone else added.
The squad kept talking as they ate.
"What do you think, leader? Will he make it?"
"…Don't know." Cain didn't answer directly. He just waved the question away and focused on his food.
***
Midnight.
Cain was still awake, tossing and turning in bed. After a while, he gave up and went out for a jog to clear his mind.
As he ran through the forest, a small white dot moving in the distance caught his eye.
He focused on his enhanced vision. It was William.
Cain frowned. William was supposed to be resting. He changed course and headed toward him.
Before Cain could reach him, a loud, overly excited voice echoed across the field.
"MEDICS! We've got a runaway! Don't let him escape! Charge!"
A cloud of dust rose as the group caught up to William and captured him with ease.
Cain watches the absurd scene unfold and approaches the group.
The group wore brown and white combat uniforms, each holding a long metal staff that could change shape—one had already turned into a net, trapping William and leaving him dangling in the air."
"Oh! It's a young one!" shouted the overly enthusiastic leader, staring at William with sparkling eyes.
Cain walked up with a controlled expression.
"You're from the Beast Control Unit, right? Why are you here, and why are you capturing a patient like that?"
The group turned toward Cain. Their eyes lit up with interest—until they saw his uniform. Then they immediately lost interest.
"We are," one of them said. "But we got reassigned to catch runaway patients.
After a certain 'escape' incident involving a certain 'training maniac.'"
"In such a rough way? He's a patient. You could've hurt him."
"I mean, he's running just fine, right? Looks pretty healthy to me."
Cain sighed and pointed at William. "So... are you letting him down now?"
"Oh. Right."
They released William and patted his back. "Head back now, okay?" the leader said cheerfully.
Cain frowned. "Aren't you going to take him back?"
"To be honest, we kind of hope he runs again. Gives us something to do."
Cain stared at the leader's face, which clearly said I've done nothing wrong.
'They don't seem reliable at all,' Cain thought.
"I'll take him back."
"Tch." The leader clicked his tongue, annoyed, and led his team away.
Cain and William walked in silence under the night.
Finally, Cain spoke.
"Aren't you supposed to be resting?"
"Yes."
"Then why are you out here?"
"...Training."
"Didn't the nurse tell you to stop?"
"She did. But it's fine if I only use my mana for Sleepless Magic, right?"
Cain felt a wave of exhaustion. He wasn't sure if it was from the late night or the people he had to deal with.
He didn't want to argue, so he changed the subject.
"I heard you're trying to save someone poisoned by a Toxcarver."
"But what can you do? You only have two weeks of training. Do you think you can speed up the cure?"
"Wouldn't it be better to leave it to the experienced soldiers? Instead of risking your life—and others too?"
William stayed silent. They kept walking.
Only after a second did William speak.
"…You're right," he said at last. Me joining this unit won't change anything. I might even be a burden. It's selfish."
"But honestly… I don't care."
"I've always been selfish. I grew up in a noble family. Got everything I wanted."
"People bowed to me. And the ones who offended me… disappeared."
"Then, overnight, I lost everything."
"I fell into despair. Thought about ending it more than once. But I was too scared."
"It wasn't until I started treating the poisoned soldiers that I felt hope again."
"I heard their stories, saw their regrets… watched families break down—and others fight to live with nothing but willpower."
"It made me feel grateful for my life, but also helpless at the same time."
William stopped walking and looked at Cain.
"So I just want to do something. Anything. Even if it's meaningless. I just want to calm this restless feeling inside."
"So please, Captain... for the time I have left, let me give it everything I've got. I want to be useful—just once."
Cain was quiet for a long moment.
"I understand."
William let out a deep breath of relief.
Then—WHACK—Cain landed a strong chop to the back of William's head.
As William collapsed, Cain caught him before he hit the ground.
"But first," Cain said calmly, "you need to rest."
***
The next day, William shot up in bed, eyes wide.
Spotting the nurse nearby, he asked in a panic, "How long have I been asleep?"
"Hmm? About a day and a half? It's 9:00 a.m. now."
As soon as he heard the time, William leaped out of bed and sprinted out of the infirmary.
At the training ground—
"I'm so sorry! I'm late!"
William, hair a mess and out of breath, rushed over to the drill sergeant.
The sergeant glanced at him, then silently pointed toward the ongoing training match.
Without a word, William jumped into the fight.
After the session ended, the squad was given a short break.
During the pause, William shot Cain a resentful glare. Cain noticed.
Crossing his arms, Cain said casually, "You were going to be forced to rest anyway. I just sped it up a little."
William was still frustrated, but he couldn't argue. He let it go with a sigh.
Suddenly, Cain raised his voice. "Alright, squad, listen up! Now that William's back, just like we planned, we're going to help him train."
The squad's reaction was mixed.
"Are we seriously doing this? This is gonna suck."
"Come on, it's not that bad. A little more pain to help a desperate kid? Worth it."
"Oh, shut up, easy for you to say—you're a backline mage!"
As the team bickered, William stood frozen, utterly confused about what was happening.
Cain walked over and placed a hand on William's shoulder.
"Let me explain. After I knocked you out the other night, the squad and I talked. We decided to help you train."
From the back, someone shouted, "I was forced into this!"
"…Well, most of us agreed," Cain added.
He turned to the squad, clapped his hands, and gave a firm command. "Alright, enough talking. Get into formation!"
Cain looked back at William. "You're now responsible for taking down the Toxcarver Golem."
"Me? Alone?"
"Yes."
"But—"
Before William could say another word, the squad had already moved into position and prepared for battle.
"…" ( ﾟДﾟ)
***
During the training—
"God damn it, William! You let it get away again!"
The dog-sized golem, shaped like a scorpion, scurried behind other monsters for cover after firing a stream of paralyzing poison at the dwarf tank.
With their front-liner incapacitated, the squad quickly fell apart.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" was all William could say.
According to training rules, a squad had to successfully capture the Toxcarver golem ten times per day. If they failed, they had to keep going until they did.
Since William took over the task of capturing the mimic Toxcarver, they hadn't won a single match.
The golem mimic thrashed them again and again.
As day turned into night—and night back into day—squad members began collapsing one by one from sheer exhaustion.
Watching the unconscious team, Drill Sergeant Sergate sighed and called for medics.
'What the hell is going on,' he thought.
The Next Day
"AHH! Where is he?! I'm going to kill that kid!!"
At the crack of dawn, the dwarf burst out of bed, grabbed the nearest soldier by the collar, and screamed in his face.
"I… I heard he… went to the training ground…" the poor soldier choked out.
Without another word, the dwarf stormed out of the infirmary—still in his hospital pajamas.
At the training ground, William was already there, drenched in sweat from early morning practice.
"That's enough," Cain said. "You've improved a lot already. Pushing yourself too far now will only hurt you."
"Hah… hah… I understand." William replied.
Suddenly—
"AHHHHHHHHH!!"
"???"
"Die, kid!!"
Screaming, the dwarf charged at full speed, ready to tackle William to the ground. But just before impact, a heavy kick slammed into his side, launching him in the opposite direction.
Cain sighed. "What are you doing, Drakna?"
Drakna scrambled up from the ground, furious. "What am I doing?! If it weren't for this kid, we wouldn't have looked so pathetic last night!"
"Come on, we already talked about this."
"I never agreed to it!"
As Cain and Drakna argued—one calm, the other fuming—Drill Sergeant Sergate stepped up behind them, arms folded.
"As I recall, your squad still owes me eight successful captures from yesterday," he said coldly.
"With ten more added for today… Don't even think about sleeping until you get 18 successful captures."
Cain and Drakna snapped to attention.
"Yes, sir!!" they barked in unison.
"Then get to it."
***
Fully equipped in battle gear, the six-man squad stood in formation.
"We'll follow the same strategy as yesterday. Understood?" Cain asked.
"Yes," the team replied—though with far less enthusiasm than before.
"Then let's begin."
The makeshift battlefield was riddled with small mounds and potholes. The squad's beast tamer scanned the terrain, tracking traces of the Toxcarver mimic.
Suddenly, the ground trembled violently.
"It's coming from below, scatter!" Cain shouted.
A moment later, a massive rhino-like golem burst out of the earth, sending rocks and dirt flying.
"Drakna, pull aggro! Aeris, keep an eye out for other monsters! Lina, locate the Toxcarver! William, stay alert!"
Cain barked out commands while moving to help Drakna hold the creature's attention.
The golem charged, its crystalline horns crashing into Drakna's shield with bone-rattling force.
Cain quickly loaded a specialized bullet and fired—his shot piercing the golem's skull cleanly. It fell instantly.
"A large swarm's approaching! Three o'clock!" Aeris called out.
"Lina, have you found the Toxcarver?"
"I sense it near the rear of the horde!"
"William, prep a trap. We'll isolate the rear group."
"Yes!"
"Aeris, lure the horde away. Everyone else, set up an ambush!"
Aeris crushed a pouch, releasing a pungent mineral scent. She then fired a few shots and dashed into the woods, drawing the monsters behind her.
The others ducked into craters, waiting in silence.
Lina closed her eyes, feeling for the Toxcarver's presence.
As the horde of monsters strode past, Lina shouted. "Now!"
Cain and Drakna sprang from cover as the mages unleashed their spells. Greenlight erupted from the earth as roots burst out, entangling several enemies, but only briefly. The monsters tore through them with brute force.
Then it appeared.
Perched on the side of a charging rhino golem was the Toxcarver mimic—dog-sized and armored, clinging tightly.
"Drakna!" Cain shouted.
"I've got it!"
Drakna's arms glowed golden runes as he shoved aside smaller golems and braced himself for the rhino's charge.
BOOM!
The impact echoed as he held his ground, shield locked with the creature's horns.
The Toxcarver mimic reacted—it spat a stream of venom toward Drakna.
But it struck an invisible forcefield and splashed harmlessly.
"William, now!"
William's eyes and hands glowed purple as he pulled, sending a strong force toward the Toxcarver, trying to tear it free from the rhino golem.
"Come on!" he shouted, the purple light glowing more intense.
But the mimic clung tighter, its mandibles anchoring deep into the rhino golem's plating.
"Damn it!"
The spell failed.
Then, a second horde arrived. The first one looped back.
Overwhelmed, the squad was forced to retreat.
Later, the squad regrouped atop a small mound. Everyone looked drained—physically and emotionally.
"We should just go back to our usual strategy," Drakna muttered.
No one replied. But they glanced at William.
They still wanted to support him... but last night's failure had shaken their trust.
William stared at the ground.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"Give me one more chance. If I fail, we'll go back to the old plan."
He looked up, eyes blazing with resolve.
In the silence of the others, Cain finally spoke. "Alright. One more chance."
***
William's POV
'Why am I doing this? What can I even contribute? Wouldn't it be better to leave this to real soldiers?'
Doubt clawed at him.
He gripped his staff tightly, its surface glowing in a faint light.
'What good am I? A criminal? Trying to save someone?'
His eyes began to glow a pale violet as he faced the charging rhino golem alone, the Toxcarver mimic clinging to its side.
'Just give up.'
William cast the gravity spell once more. The pull latched onto the mimic, but just like before, it held on tight.
But this time, William was ready.
Having prepared a gun, he fired an explosive round at the rhino golem's side.
The blast tore off chunks of armor and flung the mimic into the air.
With nothing to cling to, the Toxcarver was yanked midair by the gravitational pull.
It screeched and tried to fire venom at William, but a barrier around William blocked it.
But William was alone. And fully focused on sustaining the spell.
He was wide open.
The Toxcarver noticed this. It twisted midair, mandibles out, and lunged.
Just before it struck—
A massive shadow loomed over them.
It was the rhino golem, charging straight at them both.
William immediately canceled the spell and reinforced his barrier.
CRUNCH!
The mimic was smashed between the rhino golem and William's shield.
The impact shattered William's barrier, sending him flying across the dirt.
He tumbled hard, skidding several meters.
Dazed, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
His leg bent awkwardly as he dragged himself up.
The rhino golem charged again.
But suddenly, it froze and tumble to the ground
In its field of vision, William—bloodied and barely standing—was aiming a fired gun at it.
The bullet, coated with paralyzing venom that William had secretly collected using gravity magic, struck the golem's head.
Though the golem wasn't truly affected by the paralyzing agent , its behavior protocols simulated real monsters.
Upon detecting the toxin, it locked itself in place—"paralyzed" per training logic.
"Haa… huff… huff…"
William staggered toward the Toxcarver, now wounded but still alive.
He pulled out a crystal sphere etched with floating runes. It dissolve into strings of magical runes, and wrapped around the Toxcarver sealing it.
Then William shot a blue flare into the sky, signaling the success of his mission.
All the members at this point are distracted and fighting the 2 hordes of monsters.
***
In an open field, the squad sat on the ground, catching their breath and tending to equipment.
William's injuries had already been healed by the combat medic, but he sat silently, emotionless, even after the success.
"You did well, kid. You should be proud," Cain said, walking over.
"We still owe the sergeant seventeen captures," William replied flatly.
"One step at a time. Thinking too far ahead won't help."
After a brief rest, the team headed for another round. The simulated capture mission continued through the day, relentless as ever.
Days passed.
The squad had both victories and failures.
They fell, got back up, and fell again. But each time, they improved.
By the time they collapsed from exhaustion once more, they had secured sixteen successful captures—though they had failed twenty-one times.
Still, the tide was turning. Every day, the wins grew more frequent. The losses are fewer.
And then—
The end of the second week arrived.
Deployment day.
But more than that, for William…
It was the day he would be tested.