Don't Want to Be Ordinary Even Though I'm an Extra Character-Chapter 109: [108] Survival training (2)

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After a long, grueling fight, Erik and his team finally managed to fend off the Shadow Hounds that had surrounded them. Their breathing was heavy, their bodies drenched in sweat, and some bore minor injuries.

But most importantly—they survived.

Amidst the exhaustion, one of the soldiers from the opposing team, who had previously been their enemy, stepped forward. His face was still smeared with mud and monster blood, but his eyes held a glimmer of respect as he looked at Erik.

"We’ll be taking the monster corpses back," he said firmly. "And... I formally acknowledge my defeat this time, Erik. But if we ever have another training like this, I’ll be the one who wins."

With that, he turned and began coordinating his team to return to camp. They hoisted the bodies of the Shadow Hounds onto their shoulders, using them as proof of their courage in the battle.

Erik gave a small, amused smirk, a bit impressed by the man’s attitude.

But beside him, Hanes scoffed. "Heh... acting cocky, huh?" he muttered, almost mockingly.

"Shhh!" One of their teammates immediately nudged him in the ribs, making Hanes wince slightly. "Respect the moment," he whispered.

Hanes simply shrugged, choosing not to argue further.

Erik let out a deep breath, then turned to his team. "Alright, let’s rest for a while. After that, we keep moving."

Some soldiers nodded, while others collapsed onto the ground, savoring the rare moment to breathe freely.

"For now," Erik continued, "we’ll set up camp here."

They still had a few days left in the trial.

---

Six Hours Later

After a brief rest, Erik and his team were back on the move. They couldn’t afford to stay in one place too long, especially since their previous location wasn’t favorable. The other two groups were still nowhere to be seen, making them even more cautious.

After traveling a few kilometers, they finally arrived at a marked border—the maximum boundary of the training area.

"This is the border," Erik said after inspecting the sign. "We can’t go any further. Let’s head back."

Everyone nodded in agreement and turned around.

But then—

BANG!

A gunshot rang out, and in an instant—

Hanes took a hit straight to the head.

Of course, it didn’t penetrate his skull, but thick blue paint now covered nearly his entire face.

"Are you kidding me?!" Hanes yelled, absolutely livid.

"AMBUSH! TAKE COVER!" Erik shouted, his instincts reacting faster than his mind.

The soldiers moved immediately, diving behind trees and bushes, their weapons raised, their eyes scanning the surroundings.

Amidst the chaos, Hanes wiped the paint off his face, grumbling. "Damn it, I know exactly who did this..."

He didn’t even bother hiding anymore.

Technically, he was already eliminated from the trial.

Erik clenched his jaw, his gaze narrowing toward the dense forest ahead.

"For someone to take that shot so suddenly without us noticing their presence... I already know who it is."

Gav, crouching beside Erik, muttered under his breath. "Seriously? This paint rifle only has an effective range of 10 meters! There’s no way they’re far from here, but we still can’t see them?!"

Hanes scoffed, still frustrated. "Can that bastard really blend into the environment this well!?"

Everyone knew who they were talking about.

"The Ghost of the Wilds."

The most dangerous soldier in this trial had just begun his hunt.

"I’ve heard stories about this guy," Gav whispered, his eyes still scanning the trees. "They say he came from a small village on Lawrence’s border. Used to be just a regular hunter."

Hanes, still wiping paint from his face, clicked his tongue. "You don’t need to tell me that. He introduced himself to all of us, remember?"

"That’s exactly what makes him dangerous," Erik interjected. "He’s not just a normal soldier. He was raised to hunt—to kill in silence. If there’s anyone who can hit us from the effective range of this rifle without us noticing, it’s him."

From their position, the forest was eerily silent.

Too silent.

Erik could feel his heartbeat quicken.

They were being watched.

"Erik, what do we do?!" one of the soldiers behind him asked.

Erik furrowed his brows, analyzing the situation.

"Damn it... I don’t see his team anywhere. That means he’s alone, waiting for us to make the first move!"

"No." Gav shook his head, his tone more serious than before. "I saw movement to the east. His team is coming this way."

Immediately, Erik cursed internally.

They weren’t just dealing with one silent killer.

His entire unit was moving toward them.

"We’re about to clash," Erik said quickly, keeping his voice low to avoid being overheard. "But before that, we need to find this bastard first. If we enter a full-on battle while he’s still out there... we’ve already lost before the fight begins."

Everyone nodded.

They understood that their priority wasn’t just surviving—they had to hunt the hunter first.

Erik’s eyes swept across the trees.

Then, with a sharp smirk, he thought—

’Alright, Ghost of the Wilds... You want to hunt us? Let’s see who hunts who.’

---

’For Someone Like Him... No Wonder the Commander Took Notice. ’

Hiding behind the bushes, Hans kept his eyes locked on his target.

His body remained perfectly still, blending seamlessly into the surroundings. His face was smeared with camouflage paint, merging with the darkness of the forest. His rifle lay buried beneath a layer of leaves, with only the very tip of the barrel barely visible.

Six hours.

He had been in this position for six hours without moving.

Even a squirrel hopping across a nearby branch hadn’t noticed his presence.

Patience was his greatest weapon.

In the distance, Erik and his group remained in place, still unaware that they were being watched from dangerously close range.

’Yes... Keep waiting right there.’ Hans thought, the corner of his lips curling into a faint smirk.

He knew that his team was already closing in on Erik’s location.

’And once they arrive... we’ll take your flag without a fight.’

---

Erik’s POV

Pressing his back against a tree trunk, Erik quickly scanned his surroundings, analyzing every possible scenario.

"Hanes, Gav," he whispered, keeping his voice as low as possible. "We can’t just sit here. If we wait, we’ll only give them more advantages."

Hanes, still slumped against a tree with his face covered in blue paint from the earlier shot, scoffed in frustration.

"What do you mean? I’m already dead, technically."

"Forget about him, Erik. Just tell us the plan," Gav cut in, keeping his focus on the situation.

Erik adjusted his tactical headset, ensuring their voices wouldn’t be heard beyond their intended range. In operations like this, even the slightest sound could mean the difference between survival and elimination.

"Our target—Ghost of the Wilds—is still nearby. He’s the type of hunter who waits for his prey to make a mistake before taking the shot. We know he’s here, but we can’t see him."

Gav nodded. "So?"

"We make him move first."

Erik’s plan was simple but dangerous.

"We’ll split into two groups. Gav and I will circle to the left, pretending to leave the area. Meanwhile, the others will stay here and create distractions."

Hanes gave him a skeptical look. "So you want to make him think you’ve left, then wait for him to come out of hiding?"

"Exactly," Erik confirmed. "No matter how skilled a hunter is, he’s still human. He has instincts. If he thinks his prey is escaping, he’ll take the risk to get a clearer shot."

Gav smirked. "Unless he’s smart enough not to fall for it."

"That’s the dangerous part," Erik admitted. "If he doesn’t take the bait, we’ll have to adapt quickly."

The group exchanged glances, then finally nodded.

They were no longer just soldiers in training—they were facing a realistic battlefield scenario.

In the real world, the first one to make a mistake dies.

---

Hans’s POV

From behind his six-hour hideout, Hans remained motionless, observing his targets.

But then—

Something changed.

Erik’s group was moving.

Or at least, some of them were.

They walked slowly toward the left, while the others remained in place.

’What is this?’ Hans studied their movements carefully.

He knew battlefield tactics well—this wasn’t random movement.

’They’re trying to make me move.’

Hans narrowed his eyes, holding his breath, staying perfectly still. He needed to be sure.

Inside his mind, he calculated the wind, the distance, his team’s current position, and every other variable.

If he fired now, his position would be exposed.

If he stayed still, he might find a weakness in Erik’s strategy.

Hans didn’t move, suppressing his breath beneath the thick bushes.

He knew that in this kind of situation, a single careless movement could turn him from hunter to prey.

But he also knew that his teammates were almost here.

Time was on his side.

The training rifle they used only had an effective range of 10 meters, but Hans was an exception.

With his technique, he could land accurate shots from 15 meters.

Additionally, his position was ideal—slightly elevated, hidden behind thick foliage, with a clear vantage point over his target.

He didn’t need to attack now.

He just needed to wait.

But then—

Something happened.

In the distance, Erik’s team suddenly sprinted toward safer ground.

’Shit!’

Out of reflex, Hans made the slightest movement—just a fraction of an inch—but it was enough.

Gav saw him.

Like a hunter sensing its prey, Gav reacted instantly—raising his rifle and firing directly at the bush where Hans was hiding.

BANG!

The paint round exploded against a branch just inches from Hans’s face, splattering blue paint into the air.

"I SEE HIM!" Gav shouted, signaling the start of their counterattack.

Hans had no more time to hide.

’Damn it! They forced me out!’

From his new position, Erik immediately gave orders.

"SURROUND HIM! DON’T LET HIM ESCAPE!"

Hans clenched his jaw, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

He knew he could still fight back.

But with his position compromised and Erik’s team spreading out in all directions—

---

The Aftermath

Hans now sat against a tree, his face covered in blue paint—a clear sign that he had been eliminated from the trial. A few steps away, Erik stood with heavy breaths, his eyes locked onto him.

They had finally removed the biggest threat in this exercise.

"At least the one I was most worried about is out of the picture," Erik murmured, exhaling slightly in relief.

But this victory came at a cost. Hans had managed to eliminate three of their teammates, including Hanes.

Now, Erik’s team was down to six soldiers. They had started with ten—one had fallen in an earlier skirmish, and now three more were gone.

Hans let out a quiet scoff, his expression one of dissatisfaction. He turned his gaze away, refusing to look Erik in the eye.

"Hmph... Don’t think this means we’ve lost."

Erik frowned. There was something in Hans’s voice that sent a chill down his spine.

Then—

A voice called out from the distance. Calm. But heavy with an undeniable presence.

"That’s right."

Erik snapped his head up.

From behind the trees, new figures began to emerge. They were not alone. Hans had only been the first piece of the puzzle. The second wave had arrived. A slow gust of wind rustled the leaves, carrying with it a rising tension. Erik could feel his adrenaline surging again. They weren’t done yet.