She touched his cheek and winked at him.
Dale blushed. He didn’t want a hundred females interested in him, but the nurse…
“What’s your name?” he asked. He barely squeaked out the question.
“Tina,” she said. She put her hand back on his shoulder. “I’m Tina, and it’s been a pleasure helping you recover so you can return to duty and help save the world.”
She smiled with all her teeth and then walked away from the hospital bed.
“Okay, officers,” Tina said as she left the room. “He’s all yours.”
...........................
“You’re at crossroads in your life, Dale.”
The Captain spoke in a stern military voice, but Dale thought he sounded a bit like his dad at the same time.
“You can decide to go back to your old life, and well, there’s no shame in not wanting to sacrifice for others. It’s not heroic, either, but there’s no shame in not being a hero. Not every man is cut out to be a hero, Dale, but we hope you are. We see it in you, son. We hope you’ll put people—well, son, people like that pretty nurse—we hope you’ll put their needs ahead of your own, for the benefit of all of us, son. What do you say?”
Dale looked the Captain in the eye.
“Okay.”
...........................
System Message
Verbal agreement accepted.
Terms: Full commitment to UEDA.
Rank: Rank upgraded to Corporal.
Skill: Skill level upgraded to level 2.
Talents:
Pressure under fire: +3
Ability to gauge loyalty/honor: +4
Romance: +2
Knife combat: +3
Resistance to toxins/poisons: +12
Rewards:
Rhith Coin signing bonus: 5,000
Gold bars: 50
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
To be in a war, you must learn the rules of survival… to win a war, you must break every fucking one of those rules.
~ A. J. Vega
There are a million ways to kill, but some of them are vastly more efficient.
~ Drill Sergeant Green
...........................
“Welcome back,” Private Smith said. “Some of the guys thought you’d retired, but I knew you’d be back.”
“Yes, glad you’re back, buddy,” Private Daniels said.
Dale ignored him. He wasn’t ready to forgive Brian. He wasn’t sure if he ever would be, but regardless of the future, he wasn’t going to be friendly with him now.
“You guys have no idea,” Dale said. He wanted to explain what he’d gone through, but then he thought better of it. Why give everyone anxiety? And how could he explain things he couldn’t comprehend himself?
Erin, are you with me again?
Yes, of course. I’m always with you while you’re a solider, honey, I’m standard gear.
Good. What’s the posted schedule?
Training starts in one hour fifteen minutes on range fourteen.
Thanks.
“Is it true you felt pain? Like real pain?” One private had asked the question, but everyone turned and looked at Dale. Everyone wore an expression that pleaded for an answer.
“You have no idea.”
“Shit.”
“Maybe that’s a design feature to, you know, get us motivated?”
“I don’t know, but…” Dale didn’t know how to explain it without sounding crazy.
“I was in the hospital for two weeks,” Private Smith said. “They’re getting better with treatment protocols, but it’s still an ordeal. I didn’t know who I was afterwards. You don’t want to die if you can help it.”
“Shit.”
...........................
“Let’s go! You maggots! Move it, move it, move it!” Drill Sergeant Green stood at the top of a small hill.
Dale was behind everyone. He had a lot of working out to do in order to be back up to par. He reached the top of the hill and looked at the drill instructor.
“Sorry, Drill Sergeant. I’m not myself, yet. I’ll be back a hundred percent soon.”
“Welcome back, Private— excuse me—Corporal Brown. Let’s go.” Drill Sergeant Green jogged and Dale followed behind him. They caught up to the rest of the platoon at a gray building with a large number fourteen painted on the front in a brownish green color.
“Take a knee, platoon.” Drill Sergeant Green stood in front of them and began a lecture.
“Today we start basic sword skills. The first stage of the Nagant Wars will be fought with middle age type weapons. Bronze, steel, and wood. Swords, knives, bows, and bludgeoning weapons will be the main infantry arms that you’ll be using and facing.”
He lectured for an hour.
Short sword technique was the topic, although he briefly discussed long sword techniques, as well as mentioning that there would be training sessions on other specialties such as Japanese and other martial art sword fighting styles.
After lecturing, they entered the training area.
...........................
The short sword practice training involved repeating defensive moves and offensive moves over and over.
“Wax on, wax off,” someone joked.
“It’s why you’re so good at fapping,” another said back.
“You know it.”
Dale soon became bored, and his mind wandered while his body went into autopilot mode.
That nurse sure was cute. I wonder what it would take…
Are you talking to me? Erin’s voice broke into his thoughts.
No. Go away.
Okay, don’t be rude.
They practiced with their shields after lunch.
Blocks, parries, counter-attacks, lunges, guards, feints, and various combinations that Drill Sergeant Green taught them.
“I call this move the turtle and boar,” he’d say while demonstrating. Then he’d have the students practice that particular sequence over and over until everyone had a basic grasp of the moves and why they were useful.
At the end of the day, he called them together.
“Gather around. Take a knee.”
The drill instructor gave them feedback and then let them know they had a meeting after chow.
“You all need to meet me at classroom Nine-C, except Private Daniels. Daniels, you have an appointment with the Captain in his office at 19:00 hours. Platoon, Attention!”
The group stood in formation.
“Disssss—missed!”
...........................
The platoon gathered in the classroom as instructed. Dale wondered where Brian was for a moment and then reflected on the fact that he didn’t care.
Drill Sergeant Green opened the door, and the room went silent.
“Platoon, I have a couple of announcements to make. The first one concerns Private Daniels. He has been relieved of all duties and sent home. His actions inside Mount Dog during training exercises exposed his lack of commitment to the principles of honor, loyalty, and teamwork. He allowed his brother to fall because he put his own needs and desires first.
“This war is going to be won, or lost, as a team effort. There will be times for gathering loot. I’d suggest that groups enter team agreements to share loot when you quest. This decision is up to the individual soldiers themselves, but I think it’s good policy. What I do know is the army cannot afford individualism on the battlefield. Do I have any questions regarding this?”
Nobody spoke.
“Okay, next item on my agenda, tomorrow’s training exercise. You will be meeting on stage thirty-seven. Check in with Private Chance at the front desk before 05:00 and then proceed to the weapons room where you’ll be outfitted with new gear.”
He spoke to them for another twenty minutes about the skills they’d practiced on the range, and he answered questions about team-work in sword melees and other tactical issues.
“If there are no more questions?”
Nobody spoke. Everyone was tired.
“Disssss—missed!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
To the brave crew and passengers of the Kobayashi Maru…sucks to be you.
~ Peter David
Who would have thought that studying ancient battle strategies and swords would have helped me get a promotion?
~ Lieutenant Brinkmann
...........................
Dale got fitted for a shield and short sword that were both custom designed for his size. He had a new helmet on, a higher grade of chain mail, and an emblem on his shield that said Mad Dog Dale. It was a platoon joke, and he took it in stride. He liked being one of the guys.
After everyone had been armed and outfitted, they marched together for three kilometers to a training battlefield. The march itself was part of the training program because battles rarely took place when soldiers were well rested and fresh.
They sang old marching songs on the way to the field.
Your left.
Your left.
Your left, right.
Your left, right.
Right-o-left, right-o-left, right-o-left.
Your left, right.
Your left, right.
A little bird. A little bird.
On the sill. On the sill.
I lured him in. I lured him in.
With crumbs of bread. With crumbs of bread.
And then I smashed. And then I smashed.
His fucking head. His fucking head.
Which goes to prove. Which goes to prove.
To get head. To get head.
You need the bread. You need the bread.
Your left.
Your left.
Your left, right-o-left.
Right-o-left, right-o-left.
Your left.
Right.
The platoon numbered twelve again, a private from another company had been transferred to replace Brian Daniels, who was now back in the real world, with a real life, and probably happier. Dale put him out of his mind.
The platoon had been divided into three groups of four teams this time, with Lieutenant Brinkmann leading in the field and not from a remote location. Dale’s team consisted of Private Smith, Private Reynolds, and Private Wong, the transferred soldier. Dale felt happy about the arrangement because he trusted Smith completely and had observed Reynolds and thought she was a good soldier. Wong, being new, had no reputation, but Drill Sergeant Green had personally spoken with Dale, Smith, and Reynolds and had assured them that the new soldier was competent and a good addition to the platoon.
When they approached the field of battle, they moved in between two other platoons, both from Alpha Company. The opposite side of the field had soldiers from Delta Company, warriors on the same side ultimately, but not today. Today the Delta Company would try to squash the Alpha Company and vice versa.
“Attention, attention!” a herald shouted. “All soldiers focus on the following instructions, they will not be repeated, and the field of battle will soon open. This first round will be a melee. All swords have been programmed to register injuries and fatal blows, however, you will only feel pain at 5%. We don’t want any more of you jokers going to the hospital. If you are struck with a fatal or incapacitating blow, the system will instantly notify you internally, and you’ll be required to remain in place on the field. Stop striking your opponent if you are the victor; you do not need to kill a soldier that has already been designated as dead or incapacitated. If you make a kill, be on guard, and move to your next opponent. If you are incapacitated, you may not help your side, nor hinder your opponents. All soldiers on the victorious side, who remain alive and fighting until the very end of the battle, will be dining with the base commander tonight. I hear it’s going to be an assortment of your very favorite foods as recorded in your profiles, so I hope you answered that question seriously. Otherwise, you’ll be getting your fill of Peanut Butter Captain Crunch.”
Dale wondered if the announcer had read his profile.
Erin, can I change my profile to Chinese food?
Yes, but it’s too late for tonight’s dinner, main control accessed those files yesterday.
Shit.
Why complain? You love Peanut Butter Captain Crunch.
True.
“Warriors, take your positions. Three, two, one. Commanders, you may advance your troops at will.” The herald shouted and then blew a horn.
Soldiers began moving all across the battlefield.
“Diamond formation!” yelled Lieutenant Brinkmann.
The platoon moved into position. The formation was made up by positioning the three teams into an ever circulating diamond shape, the spearhead of the diamond would engage the enemy, then move backward into the diamond, allowing it to reform with the original spearhead in the rear, hopefully alive. If the tip of the diamond fell, at least the enemy soldier would be surrounded.
In theory, it worked out pretty well, but in real battles, even ones with simulated death, theory was just that.
Dale had been placed in the rear. This wasn’t because of his lack of skill, but rather the opposite, by the time the enemy was engaged, anything could change, so it was generally considered best strategy to put your most adaptable soldier in the rear.
The unit that they engaged first had approached in a column formation with three soldiers per row.
The spearhead soldier was a private named Furst, and he feinted an attack and dropped back, pulling his opponent into the middle of the formation where that enemy was killed. Dale watched his platoon respond as trained which brought him right into the center mass of the enemy.
Dale flung his sword in a violent attack on the enemy to his left while raising his shield to block a blow from the enemy soldier on his right. He hoped that with one enemy down, and himself dealing with two, the rest of the platoon would do well because they’d outnumber their opponents. He didn’t have time to look.
Dale shifted to his left and engaged.
Swords flew, shields rang out like dull gongs, and strange noises echoed across the field. Soldiers grunted, yelled, and sometimes screamed in pain.
Erin, can you verify that we are at 5% pain?
No, sorry, that request requires administration privileges I do not possess. Keep your mind on the battle.
One of Dale’s platoon members had fallen in between the second enemy, the one that had been on his right, and himself. That meant Dale could concentrate on fighting against only one opponent. A fortunate circumstance because his opponent was skilled.
Dale feinted to the left, moved right, and swung his sword diagonally in a downward sweep meant to catch his opponent in the legs. His sword was blocked by the other fighter’s sword, but his opponent overextended his block and was slightly off balance, Dale moved quickly around his opponent forcing him to attempt to block a vicious downward thrust.
As the enemy lifted his shield to block, he became even more unbalanced. Dale did not follow through on the thrust that his opponent was trying to block, but instead he twisted back to his original position and stuck the fighter’s sword arm.
...........................
System Message
Enemy Incapacitation
Trials & Testing mode: Do not continue.
Experience: Short sword +4
...........................
Dale moved around the soldier he’d knocked out and joined the remainder of his platoon. They’d taken losses, but still outnumbered the platoon they were engaging. Because of this, when Dale entered the fight, they overpowered their opponents. Each individual battle Dale entered was automatically a two on one against their foes and in minutes they’d killed or injured the entire number of them.
Lieutenant Brinkmann was among the surviving members, as well as Private Smith, who nodded to Dale.
“Defensive outward facing formation soldiers,” the lieutenant said to his platoon.
They gathered around him in a circle, and he asked for a r
eport.
Dale gave the approximate state of battle in his direct view. “Even.”
The next soldier said, “Even.”
Private Smith said, “Plus two.”
“Even,” said the next soldier.
“Even.”
“Plus one.”
“Negative two,” someone to Dale’s rear shouted.
“Move on negative two,” the lieutenant shouted. “Dale, rear guard, move, move, move.”
The platoon ran towards the fight in which their side was down and outnumbered. On arrival, they soon overpowered the enemy, and Lieutenant Brinkmann took command of the remaining soldiers of the platoon he’d just assisted.
“Defensive outward facing formation!”
The new members of their platoon joined them in a circle, and they all reported the state of battle in front of them, which gave the lieutenant the information he needed to move his troops.
In hand-to-hand melee battles, all else being equal, the side with an overwhelming number advantage usually won. In the remainder of the battle, Dale was able to kill or injure another three enemies.
The sound of a loud horn echoed across the field. The fight was over.
...........................
System Message
Victory Bonus: 50 gold bars
Skills:
Short Sword: +7
Melee: +3
Following orders: +4
Defensive Short Sword: +8
Bonus:
Dinner at Base Commanders Table: 17:30 cocktails in officer’s lounge
Accept & RSVP: Y/N?
...........................
Dale accepted.
Erin, shouldn’t that have been an auto-accept?
No, it was not a direct order to attend.
Okay, you can surmise in such situations, I’ll attend.
Program updated. Dale?
Yes?
The main system is asking me to confirm Peanut Butter Captain Crunch, shall I substitute Chinese dishes?
Yes. Walnut Shrimp, Orange Chicken, and combination fried rice, if they’re asking.
Nagant Wars: A LitRPG Novel (Nagant Wars Series Book 1) Page 11