《Re: Jager [Mecha Isekai/LitRPG]》 1. Oh Coffin In Hell ARC I: THE KNIGHT¡¯S COFFIN ¡°They called it the ¡®Wanderfalke¡¯¡ªthe Walking Falcon. And as I watched that sole Wanderfalke overlooking the broken defenses of the Confederacy, I wondered what its pilot was thinking at that moment, for he was the last mech that escaped just before the Aldorf Bridge was detonated. He must have been a fine pilot to survive that.¡± - Journal entry of a Confederate Army Officer after the fall of Aldorf City. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Confederation of Lotharingia - Haubliz City 2044 Common Year [XXX Panzerkorp S¨¹d] [5. Leichte Mech-Brigade ''Gro?herzogin Amelie''] [12. Straf-Mech-Bataillon] [E Company] Lieutenant Hans Hoffman wouldn¡¯t go down today without a good fight. His six-legged Wanderfalke mech landed on the asphalt, sparks flying as it almost drifted. The enemy¡¯s sluggish tank tried to turn its turret to aim at him, but a round was already slammed ready into Hans¡¯ main gun by the Wanderfalke¡¯s autoloader. May you find peace. He pulled the fire trigger. The shot from his main gun silenced the Imperial behemoth, its gun lowering as puffs of smoke came out from it. Hans watched as their commander, burning in the inferno inside emerged from its hatch. His agonized scream echoed on the battlefield. ¡°Damn you! Burn to hell, Lotharingian!¡± He didn¡¯t understand his foreign Flandrish tongue, but he knew that the man cursed him when he heard the word ¡°Lotharingian¡±. Yet Hans was merciful, as he gave him a final burst of machine gun fire from his mech¡¯s double coaxials, ending his agony. He looked around at the mess around him. The enemy soldiers had already retreated into the lanes and streets. All that was left was the corpses of those that he gunned down, the wrecks of their mechs and tanks, and the burning corpse of their commander. A tiny smile grew on his face as he stared at his macabre art. Truly, I¡¯m despicable. ¡°Lieutenant!¡± Captain Adelyn von Wittenstein¡ªtheir commanding officer, shouted at the comms. The usual aristocratic condescension was now gone in her voice. Almost as if she was truly concerned for his well-being at this very moment. ¡°Lieutenant! Why has your platoon not retreated yet?! Why are you still deep in enemy lines?!¡± Before Hans could respond, however, two allied Wanderfalke mechs of Einweg Company arrived behind him. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Sergeant Franz Richter¡ªanother ace within his platoon, said, as his corresponding voice icon in Hans¡¯ head-up display lit up. ¡°Our platoon¡¯s ambush position is possibly compromised.¡± ¡°They¡¯re dropping arty on our positions,¡± Corporal Hedwig Volker¡ªanother one of his underlings in 1st Platoon, reported. ¡°I think we gotta follow Miss Princess¡¯ orders, sir. She already gave us a fallback line.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t the rest of our company already retreated?¡± ¡°They are retreating already, very fast too. Seems like our platoon stopped their spearhead element from interfering with our pullout from this sector. Still, we have to¡ª¡± All of their turrets turned into an approaching mech behind them. Eight-legged, slightly better armored, and with a bigger main gun¡ªit was a Wanderadler Main Battle Mech. Captain Adelyn finally arrived. ¡°Seems like Miss Princess is here,¡± Hedwig quipped with pure venom. ¡°I wonder what that newbie aristocrat wants now.¡± ¡°Have respect,¡± Franz said. ¡°She¡¯s still our commanding officer.¡± ¡°Captain, this is a dangerous¡ª¡± ¡°You three will retreat, NOW!¡± her mech stopped, as her voice spoke through their comms. ¡°No one¡¯s dying in a pointless fight today. No one. And especially not you, Lieutenant.¡± It seems she doesn¡¯t understand the situation yet. Their sector held an important highway that if captured easily, would completely derail the Lotharingian pullout in this district. With it, Hans knew they could use it to simply drive past the retreating elements of his brigade¡ªthe 5th Light Mech Brigade. And with it, the rest of Einweg Company and the 12th Penal Mech Battalion. I¡¯d rather die before that happens. It was why he held on to this position hard with his platoon. Lose it, and they would be encircled. Running wasn¡¯t an option unless someone stayed as the rearguard. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you care so much about us,¡± Hedwig said, this time, on the company-wide comms, which meant she could hear it for herself. His venomous sarcasm. All of it finally exploded this time. ¡°We¡¯re just a bunch of dirty commoner convicts, no?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean¡ª¡± ¡°Captain,¡± that silenced her from making any further comebacks. ¡°Captain, you have to understand that someone has to threaten them in this sector to delay them from using that highway.¡± ¡°The Colonel, she already called for air cover to stop them. This is of no use.¡± ¡°There is no Lotharingian Air Force above Haubliz City today, Captain. You and I know that.¡± Hans kept his patience, as her naivety almost boiled his blood. ¡°Someone has to stay.¡± ¡°But we¡­we already delayed them long enough, Lieutenant. We already did what we could do. I can¡¯t order any of my men under my command to sacrifice more. It¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Then 1st Platoon shall retreat with you, Captain.¡± ¡°Lieutenant?!¡± Franz¡¯s voice was almost furious. ¡°No! Absolutely not! I¡¯d rather die here with you than run with my tail behind me!¡± ¡°You will. The two of you will. Captain, if I die here, I recommend Sergeant Franz Richter as a suitable replacement for 1st Platoon¡¯s commanding officer until you find a proper commissioned officer¡ª¡± ¡°No! No!¡± Franz fiercely denied it. ¡°I can still fight. We can still do this together¡ª¡± Multiple distant booms distracted all of them. The green icons of 1st Platoon, all under Hans¡¯ command, most of them lined on or near the highway to ambush advancing Imperial armor, showed firing or reloading icons on Hans¡¯ tactical map. ¡°There¡¯s too many of them!¡± one of his underlings reported. ¡°We downed at least five of them, and they¡¯re retreating, but I¡¯m afraid their artillery is about to rain on us, Lieutenant.¡± Hans¡¯ mech turned to face Franz¡¯s mech. ¡°No, we can''t stay here any longer, Sergeant. Lead the retreat. Captain¡­¡± his turret turned at Adelyn¡¯s mech. ¡°Lead Einweg Company to their survival.¡± She immediately voiced her protest. ¡°Lieutenant, I can¡¯t just abandon you here¡ª¡± ¡°I trust you,¡± no more replies of opposition came from her. Hans knew that, unlike their previous COs, she cared for them, even though they were in a penal unit. She even fought knee-deep with her own mech with them¡ªon the frontlines. And Hans knew that she herself achieved six kills during their last engagement, even when she was but a newbie on the front. A fine pilot, and a fine officer. Sure, a bit overbearing, haughty, and prideful¡­ But he trusted her. Her defeated voice replied. ¡°I¡­Lieutenant, if you don¡¯t come back¡­¡± Hans could swear that she was holding back tears. ¡°I¡¯ll absolutely make you regret it¡­¡± Hans didn¡¯t know that this woman valued his life this much. That was certainly a surprise. ¡°How ominous,¡± he coldly replied as his mech¡¯s chassis turned. ¡°I¡¯ll be off then.¡± ¡°Lieutenant, don¡¯t you dare die¡­¡± Franz said, even when his mech didn¡¯t follow Hans. ¡°I¡¯ll try¡­¡± it was all he could say. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± At last. Their icons on the tactical map finally turned around as they retreated, alongside the rest of his platoon. It¡¯s just me now. So many battles. So many fields of death. Not even two years into his service. Not two years since this blasted war started. Not two years since he was convicted of ¡°disrespecting¡± her¡­ Who knew that the daughter of a Duchess can ruin you at a whim¡¯s notice? He could shout at how unfair it was, but Hans had long given up. This was his fate. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. To be the last one out. And if not¡ªthe last one dead on this field if need be. His mech finally lunged in the one direction left for him¡ªforward into the fire. +++ My company will escape¡­this time¡­ This time¡­ These words of vows escaped Hans¡¯ mind. Again and again, as if it was a broken recorder, he vowed to ensure that conclusion to this battle. Even when this city was nearly encircled. Even when the rest of the XXX Southern Armored Corps was now on a full retreat. Even when the elements of his own brigade were on full retreat. Even when he himself ordered his own platoon to leave him as the final rearguard. He¡¯d hold them off from passing through this highway¡ªto the last round. I swear, this won¡¯t be another Aldorf. The Flandrians were all hot on the tail of the collapsing Lotharingian forces. Hans could not deduce the situation outside of Haubliz City¡ªthat would be something only the Colonel herself would know. But he could tell by the situation in his sector that things were bad. It sorely reminded him of Aldorf City. When most of his company mates died. Left behind as a sacrificial rearguard till the last moment. Left behind as those bridges detonated. Our company cannot afford any delays. His mech stopped on a turn in the constricting, snow-strewn streets of Haubliz City. If I¡¯ll be the last one out, then so be it. To always be one of the few survivors¡ªhe was tired of it. The ace of the southern front awaited like a prowling hunter. His six-legged mech¡¯s propulsion system stood ready for any quick movement that would be needed once his enemies appeared. The Army classified it as a ¡°Light Legged Tank Destroyer¡±, a designation that Hans took to his heart when piloting his eighteen tonners of a mech. The two bluish sensors on the cheeks of his Wanderfalke¡¯s turret shone through the dark night, as it scanned for the Imperial invaders which he expected to appear on his head-up displays. Even with the gunfire and explosions across the city, his hearing wasn¡¯t wrong. Those metallic rumbles. The sounds of their approaching engines. Seems like a Murat MBM¡­and that¡¯s definitely a Petain MBT too. An armor-piercing round was prepared and primed for his use, just as an Imperial Flandrian behemoth crossed the street¡ªa Murat Main Battle Mech. Unlike his six-legged mech, the Murat MBM was eight-legged. It was heavier. Well-armored on its turret. And most of all¡ª One shot, one kill. Dead when he pulled the trigger on his control stick. Its turret, circular by design, reminiscent of Flandrian Main Battle Tanks of this day and age, flew to the skies after a violent explosion in its ammunition racks. The Flandrian soldiers that accompanied it scattered in panic, just as two supporting Petain MBTs rushed forward to retaliate against his attack. But Hans already foresaw that. His mech jumped away from its original position, just in time when two anti-tank rounds flew straight into it¡ªrounds that would have obliterated his unarmored vehicle had he been there. The double coaxial heavy machine guns of his turret opened up, suppressing the Imperial infantry ahead of him. All as two smoke canisters dropped on the street, obscuring their vision as his mech disappeared. Hans may be outnumbered, but he was known as the Falcon Ace for a reason. His mech drove rapidly through the battle-ridden lanes, the small profile and nimble mobility of his mech fully concealing him. Two grappling cables from his chassis fired, which allowed him to scale a relatively small apartment. Upon reaching its rooftop, his Wanderfalke lunged forward, jumping roof to roof to flank his foes. They¡¯re still trying to react. His gun sights fell to his targets below. They were still trying to recover the crew of the downed Murat MBM, all while their two MBTs sat in the open, their turrets turning left and right on the streets. Heh¡­Flandrian morons. His turret turned and his gun depressed to aim at one of them. They should have known where I am. Another shot rang out from his mech. The blowout panels on the turret of the Petain MBT below released a fiery inferno into the skies, as they all turned in his direction. But this time, he needed no reason to not charge forward. Two anti-tank missiles fired by their infantry flew straight into him. Yet his mech jumped off the apartment, dropping down into the streets as their missiles slammed on a nearby building instead. A hail of rifle fire greeted his advance, as his mech¡¯s legs clocked a speed of sixty-five kilometers in just eight seconds after landing, almost screeching as sparks flew with each step as he pushed it into its utter limits. A shot from their Petain MBT boomed, yet his mech nimbly dodged it¡ªthe enemy anti-tank round nearly grazing the side of his mech¡¯s low and angular turret. Power surged into its legs, as his mech jumped forward¡ªand Hans could almost imagine in glee the terror the Imperial soldiers below must be in, as they watched his grayish, almost demonic mech jump and pounce on their remaining Petain MBT. Especially when they finally saw the glistening insignia on the lower side of his turret¡ªa simple peace symbol. He pulled the trigger. The firing pin of his main gun struck the primer of his loaded round, releasing a long depleted uranium penetrator that began spinning due to its fins¡ªstabilizing it for its short journey. The sabots around it detached in milliseconds once it was in the air, as it careened straight into the armored cheeks of the enemy turret. Armor that wouldn¡¯t defeat a dense depleted uranium penetrator that could penetrate even eight hundred millimeters of armor thickness¡ªsending a storm of spalling into the crew of the Imperial tank, finally silencing it. But Hans didn¡¯t stop¡ªhis instincts predicted in advance the incoming hostile mechs that were rushing into his position. The Flandrians were deranged, he could tell, as heavy artillery strikes dropped around him. That¡¯s worse than danger close. He scoffed as his mech jumped from rubble to rubble. They still had infantry near their downed armor. They¡¯re firing on their own men just to kill me. His mech drifted on the roof of one of the rooftops that overlooked the highway¡ªall as another round was prepared by his autoloader. His gloved hands held his control sticks tightly, as his remote-controlled turret tracked the advancing Murat MBMs on the road. He aimed for their lead vehicle. Seems like I¡¯d be downing another dozen before I die. He pulled the trigger, as they panicked on the road. Another round was slammed into his main gun, as his turret shifted to the last tank on their convoy that was desperately backing down. Another shot boomed¡ªnow all of them were stuck on the highway for him to feast on. They wouldn¡¯t give him mercy once he was done. He wondered how much longer he would last. But their artillery answered as it struck block after block as his main gun sang its chorus of death, downing tanks and mechs one after another methodically. Their artillery didn¡¯t hit him yet, but he knew they would¡ªeventually. Not much longer then. Yet he laughed as another Murat MBM exploded on the highway. Better make the most of it then. +++ His mech made its final pained crawls. The battle had been short¡ªbut demanding. The propulsion system was already banged up badly by that heavy artillery strike. In fact, most of the city, and the areas around him were being demolished by heavy metal rain all around him. Nine rounds left. He painfully thought, looking at the half-damaged displays of his mech. No more friendlies. There were already holes in his armor, after a few close passes with their artillery. My propulsion system is malfunctioning. His hands also bled, as some of the spalling rained on him inside whenever his armor cracked from the artillery. And I¡¯m almost surrounded. Deep inside enemy lines, there were so many red icons on his tactical map, slowly converging on him. I guess I¡¯ll die here then¡­ Yet he pushed on. He had held them for twelve minutes already. His company mates, his platoon, they must have made it far already. He only needed to buy more time, and surely¡­surely they¡¯ll live. Another shot from his main gun boomed, surprising a Petain MBT that was hunting for him and disabling it. So far, his game of hide and seek and mobile ambushes worked well, but his mech¡¯s legs were already too badly mauled to keep it mobile much longer. Hans sprayed his machine gun on the scattered soldiers ahead of him, as he pulled his mech back. Then¡ªan artillery strike slammed into a building just on his side. His mech painfully limped backward, as its turret desperately turned left and right to fire its coaxials, desperately stopping the horde of Flandrian infantry that attempted to storm him. A shot from one of them¡ªsomeone carrying a recoilless gun, perforated his cockpit, and Hans screamed in pain as some of the spalling and hot jets painfully implanted themselves in his legs and lower torso. He finally gave up. The Flandrian infantry cautiously approached his downed mech, many of them looking in fear and hatred at the number of kill rings on his main gun. Almost four dozen, all of which indicated his kills of Imperial armor. They wanted to capture the Falcon Ace. Hans painfully picked up his pistol, just as some of them began climbing the Peacemaker, the name of his mech. He pointed it at the hatch on top of him, just as they forcefully opened it. A shot rang and dropped one of the Flandrian soldiers before the hatch closed back again. Hans wheezed painfully, still unable to properly move inside. This was the end, that he knew. That man must have opened it to ask for his surrender. And he shot him. Damned invaders. Filthy Imperials. He thought. I¡¯d never surrender to any of you. The hatch was opened again, just as pineapple grenades fell into his cockpit. Three of them in fact. All of them primed to explode. His life flashed before him¡­just as he laughed. His final thoughts¡ªthe chocolate rations this morning sucked. The Flandrian soldiers ran away, just as a tiny boom from the inside was heard. The Peacemaker was finally silenced. The dark burning night over the ruins of Haubliz City settled¡ªhis main gun still slightly pointed to the sky. One could only wonder if the Peacemaker found peace at last¡­ +++ Do not despair¡­ I¡¯ll put you back together¡­
Oktagon-Systeme Wanderpanzer II Falke Ausf¨¹hrung H (OS 2.5) main control software booting up¡­ Internal modules online¡­ Controls restored¡­ Sensors restored¡­ Routine scan commencing¡­ HUD booting up¡­
A glowing hand caressed Hans¡¯ heart. Its warmth soothed his weary soul, as Hans heard an ethereal, feminine voice. Wake up¡­my child. You still have a chance. A new chance. For you. Yet¡­another cold and otherworldly voice stepped in. Unlike the warm touch of the previous soul, this new one corrupted as it pulled him in an embrace away¡ªpossessively. Its dark, feminine giggles were faintly heard by Hans¡¯ unconscious soul. No. He¡¯s mine. Mine. He¡¯ll live better under my guidance. Goddess of Truth¡­this soul from your world. Is now mine.
[WELCOME TO AESTIA, TERRAN SOUL] [SYSTEM INTEGRATION: COMPLETE] [SYSTEM CLASS SET¡ªMECH PILOT (VANGUARD)]
2. A Casket Anew ¡°Today, I took my first ¡®kill¡¯. It was an armored car that passed through my gun sight, nearly a thousand meters away from my concealed position. I feared pulling the fire trigger. I feared revealing my position. I feared death. I feared to kill. Yet I pulled the trigger after my CO shouted and chastised me. She called me a moron, a coward, and that she¡¯d personally shoot me should I not fire. I panicked and pulled the trigger. How stupid. How pathetic. I have nothing to say, except watching them scramble out of their burning vehicle from the thermals¡ªit may have changed something in me.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Light. Peace. And flowers. That was the first thing that Hans saw and felt after his consciousness returned, as the HUD in front of him booted up and showed what was ahead. For many moments he merely stared at the beautiful scenery around him, captured by the high-quality cameras of his mech. His mech was idle alone in a flower field that seemed to stretch into the distance. The ground and the distant hills almost seemed like a carpet of purple from the flowers that covered it. It was a beauty that Hans had never seen. His life had only been the almost cold megacities of the Confederation. Or the rubble-filled battlefields of his homeland. Or the burning trench lines that seemed to stretch into infinity. The muddied roads filled with craters. So much so that the mere sight of it left him in a silent puzzlement. Why¡­why am I still breathing? He asked, his hands subtly touching his legs and forearms, as he remembered the painful shrapnel that once embedded deep inside of them. I¡¯m supposed to be dead. He looked at the HUD. It was working perfectly. His controls. There were no holes in his mech. No damage. No injuries. Even when moments ago, he could still vividly feel the pain of slowly bleeding out. When he couldn¡¯t even pull his control sticks. And even his final moments¡­ He breathed out, shaking away the tugging terror that he felt. It hurt. It definitely hurt. It hurt in ways he couldn¡¯t describe. He didn¡¯t want to feel it again. He popped his hatch open, climbed out of his cockpit, and emerged atop the chassis of his mech. His mech¡¯s turret was turned to the side¡ªits main gun, still slightly aimed at the pinkish skies. Strangely enough, it was almost as if it was downed¡­in an almost strikingly similar position that it held in its final moments. Yet instead of a cold coffin on broken asphalt, now, it looked as if his mech, a machine of war that shouldn¡¯t be here, was lying peacefully on a field of flowers. As if it had finally found its resting place after a long journey¡ªa journey through war and death, as Hans¡¯ vision of the peaceful landscape suddenly changed back into the grayish fields, with bullets, craters filled with mud, and dead everywhere. A small surveillance drone passed over him, the type of drone used to spot targets, just to take them out with loitering munitions, or an anti-tank missile. Hans always feared seeing these things, yet in just a split second, he realized he was merely looking at a butterfly that was about to land on his turret. Straight to my insignia, huh? Do you like that name? The butterfly seemed to choose exactly where his namesake and insignia were placed. His insignia was really just a simple peace symbol, which was ironically placed just above the nearly four dozen of the small Confederation Army¡¯s cross patt¨¦e emblem stickers that were used to denote kills in their company. He didn¡¯t really like the idea of bragging about his kills and placing a stupid decal on his turret (when he already had kill rings on his main gun), but his last CO was a controlling, prideful woman. Showing off the aces of her company was her thing to show off her ¡°commanding skill¡± and he didn¡¯t have the right to cross her desires. I should probably remove that soon. He thought to himself. It looks pretentious. He jumped down his chassis, trying to carefully avoid stepping on the flowers, but eventually, he gave up, choosing to simply walk forward. It seemed that he indeed was in a flower field, in the middle of nowhere. Where the hell am I? He asked, staring at a flock of distant white birds that were seemingly migrating en masse somewhere. Must be doves. He thought to himself. So perhaps he was still in Terra? Well, of course, he was on his own planet! What the hell was his mind thinking? There were no other worlds discovered. Ridiculous. He¡¯d probably have to find a settlement or something to figure out where he was. Regardless of where he was, he needed to contact High Command and find his way back to his company. Unfortunately, there were no comms, and his GPS maps weren¡¯t working for some reason. Perhaps his mech wasn¡¯t as undamaged as it seemed? You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. He looked back at his Wanderfalke Mech, still in that awkward position when his mech¡¯s legs lost power during the fight, and it collapsed on the ground. It must have already finished restarting everything. Hans thought, taking a deep breath of the seemingly fresh air around him¡ªuntainted by gunpowder and the smell of death. He shook his head, and made his way back to his mech, climbing down into his cockpit as his hands returned to his control sticks, and his feet on the pedals. He¡¯d have to find his way back alone. It probably shouldn¡¯t take long, he thought, as his entire world was at war. Two great alliances, locked in a conflict said to be so apocalyptic, that if one side lost enough, nukes would rain hellfire on Terra. Which was the strangest thing about all this. It seemed¡­silent. Too painfully silent for a world at war. He really wondered where he was. But most of all, he wondered why he was alive¡­when all of that seemed too real. +++ His mech had been driving for thirty minutes already. So far, it has been nothing but empty land, except for flora and fauna. In fact, he had never seen as many animals in the wild as he did today. Was this how the countryside looked like before the war? He seriously doubted that. Most of the native biospheres of the Confederation and the developed world had been long overtaken by humanity. Farms yes, but wild untamed lands¡­that didn¡¯t really exist. Which meant he was perhaps further away from the Confederation and the front than he had expected. And what made it worse was when he found an unpaved road right beside a massive lake, nearly an hour into his journey. His mech stopped just beside it, as his turret turned to the side, straight into the direction of the lake. He popped his hatch once more and personally took a look to see it for himself. No, his camera wasn¡¯t lying, it was a massive lake that stretched beyond his range of vision. And the worst part, he took his own map of the Confederation with him. He knew the answer already, yet he double-checked it. There was no lake with an area greater than ten thousand square kilometers in his country. Neither were there any lakes of that size in the Imperium. He pulled out his binoculars to watch the serene lake, as his denial grew and grew. It was impossible. He was in Haubliz City, fighting with his company. He could still vividly remember everything. Why? Why was he suddenly here? It made no sense. No one could transport a destroyed mech like that from a battlefield, much less revive a dead man. I must be dreaming. He said, watching a lone fish jump from the water, as it fell back. It was impossible. He couldn¡¯t be alive. He was dead. They dropped three grenades on him. He was bleeding before it all. Those moments splashed back into him, as his binoculars looked at the puddle of water after the fish landed. Instead, it turned into a muddy puddle, just after the mech of his old friend, a buddy that he had in his first week, detonated after being shot point blank by an enemy mech while he was stuck in the crater¡¯s mud. His cries of help snuffed from his platoon-wide comms, as Hans pulled back in fear¡ªstill too inexperienced to face the enemies he was fighting. Hans placed down his binoculars¡­wondering to himself¡­ ¡°Did I die¡­?¡± He asked. ¡°Did I really die, like them? Then where am I?!¡± His shout was heard by no one, aside from two birds perched on a nearby tree that flew away after hearing him. There were no enemies in sight for his sensors. No enemies. Nothing. The fact that he was idle in a seemingly flat plain, on a field where an enemy Flandrian mech or tank could easily snipe him from kilometers away, didn''t seem to matter. His combat instincts protested it. It went against every training he had. But none of it mattered. There were no attacks. No sudden anti-tank round or an artillery shell headed for him. Nothing. Even the wind, which seemed to breeze by him, seemed to whisper that for now¡­perhaps he was safe. Away from the battlefields he was used to. Well, what now then? He really wondered what he could do. High Command was gone. No friendlies, no enemies, nothing. There was just nature around him. He¡¯d still yet to see a single human being. It was almost as if he was far away from civilization itself. All but the unpaved road served as its trace for him. Hans seriously debated his options. Should he prioritize regrouping with the Confederate Army, or should he desert? Should he even search for them? And what if he wasn¡¯t in Terra anymore? It was a ridiculous proposition, but something told him that things weren¡¯t normal. Just earlier, he saw a horned white horse in a forest he passed through. He didn¡¯t remember a horned horse species existing in Terra. However, he debated if his eyes lied or not since the creature ran away and disappeared before he had a good look. Naturally, his mech must have scared it away when it saw a metallic spider that cruised at sixty kilometers per hour with its six legs. I¡¯d have to confirm that theory first though. But, it hardly made sense. Did he perhaps die and find himself sent into a different world then? In that case, was it perhaps divine intervention? Did the Goddess somehow pity him? No, the first question is if she¡¯s legit. Hans thought. He was a nonbeliever in the divine. Which made it worse, because if she did exist and he never prayed¡ª He slapped himself. He needed to focus. There was a road in front of him. That meant it must lead somewhere. Perhaps, he might even meet someone on the way. Maybe he could even ask a thing or two if they didn¡¯t find themselves spooked by his Wanderfalke. But what if a Murat MBM ambushed you on the road? Yeah, that¡¯d mean you¡¯re a moron! The other part of his mind condescendingly shouted. No, shut the hell up, stupid! There¡¯s literally no one around us! ¡°Our COs sure sucked except for Captain Wittenstein, but damn it, I could help to have some of their wisdom at deciding here¡­¡± On second thought, he pushed it down. Only Adelyn¡¯s wisdom would have worked here, considering how braindead her predecessors were. And that left him wondering. 1st Platoon. Hedwig. Franz. The Captain. Did they make it out alive? He certainly held them for a good while. Surely¡­surely they¡¯d have escaped. He hoped they did. Hans pulled himself back down into his cockpit, closing his hatch as he returned to his seat. His mech¡¯s legs stood up, just as his turret returned to its default orientation¡ªforward. Whatever happens¡­happens. Once more, he drove his mech to the one option seemingly available for him¡ªforwards. 3. The Grey Knight ¡°I suck at children. Goddamnit, out of everything, I can¡¯t deal with them. How the hell can someone even raise one? They must be a pain to manage. And I somehow am suddenly required to save one. Everything is a joke.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Aliz¨¦e Amboise +++ Unknown ¡°Attention! Whoever survived over there, lower your heads immediately!¡± A young girl, crying as the gigantic wolfish creature opened its mouth, turned in the direction of the unknown metallic voice. The carriage convoy that was carrying her was ambushed by these magical beasts¡ªcompletely tearing down their security contingent alongside her parents. Yet somehow, someone came. The foreign voice¡¯s language was familiar to her, even if she didn¡¯t understand it. Instead of cowering into the ground however, her eyes locked on another seemingly demonic monster that appeared from the darkness¡ªgray, six-legged, with seemingly two blue glowing eyes on its head, the monster charged forward, and it began spitting fire on the night wolves that attacked her and her family¡¯s convoy. The sight of it made her scream, as the metallic creature¡¯s almost long nose, similar to the ¡°cannons¡± that those ¡°soldiers¡± fielded, boomed¡ªturning one of the massive night wolves into red mist. One of the night wolves snarled and growled, launching magical soundwaves that broke trees and stone¡ªbut the metallic creature dodged it, before unleashing a hellish torrent of fire and downing the night wolf. The last two night wolves glowed red, channeling their magic for the fight, as they charged at the metallic creature. But it jumped on one of them, before slicing its back with its legs that protruded a razor mid-air, just as its head turned into the last night wolf that seemed to be terrified of the new apex predator its pack just encountered. But the terror in its eyes didn¡¯t last, its blood pooling down after a full hail of the fiery death that its head angrily spat. The girl shivered in fear, as the monster¡¯s frontal legs sliced out of the downed night wolf, its body now slightly covered by the splashes of blood from its defeated foes, before it slowly crawled throughout the road, its head seemingly inspecting the surroundings for any remaining enemies. She curled further in fear, her head slightly shaking, as if begging the creature not to slaughter her as well, tears streaming down her eyes¡ªuntil something opened. A man emerged from it¡ªa Vanus, like her, with dirty brown hair, glowing blue eyes, glasses, and a uniform of a similar color pattern to the beast he seemed to ride. He was holding something similar to what her family¡¯s guards held, those ¡°matchlock muskets¡± as they called it, but it was smaller, jet black, and far sleekier. He seemed almost a dark shadow in the night as his glowing blue eyes locked at her, yet his voice was warm. ¡°It¡¯s okay, little one. It¡¯ll be alright.¡± +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Oh no. Yep¡­I probably scared her. Right¡­so how am I supposed to approach this? Hans certainly didn¡¯t expect whatever that was. Nor did he expect whatever the hell that [SYSTEM] that kept appearing on his vision and HUD was. What he did know was that he downed the [NIGHT WOLF] entities that were around this convoy¡¯s vicinity, which seemed to have attacked them before he arrived.
[QUICK REPORT INCOMING] [FOUR NIGHT WOLVES (LVL. 5) LIQUIDATED] [PROGRESS TO LVL.2: 75%] [AVAILABLE ARCANE POINTS: 18]
Hans ignored the anomalous ¡°reports¡± that were appearing in his vision, focusing on the girl before him. He¡¯d figure out what the hell that was later on. For now, his attention was solely aimed at the young girl before her. She wore a frilly black dress, and she strangely had silver hair, he noted. Dyed perhaps? And¡­was that a horn? Her ears were also¡­a bit strange, almost knife-like? More importantly, the young girl seemed deathly terrified of him. And so, Hans slowly climbed down from the chassis of his mech, slinging his SMG (Submachine Gun) to his back and assuming a non-threatening pose. He began speaking to her to calm down, telling her that everything was alright, but the girl squirmed backward, away from him, into one of the half-destroyed carriages. And then, she spoke, stuttering in fear. ¡°Please...sir, please don''t kill me¡­¡± Hans didn¡¯t understand that. Her accent definitely was way off, but he knew those words sounded suspiciously Flandrish, the language of the Flandrian people. Was he then in the Empire¡¯s countryside? Cautiously, Hans tried to ask something stupid in the roughest accent he could muster in an ill attempt to speak Albionese. ¡°Albion? Do you¡­do you speak Albionese?¡± The girl, as expected, didn¡¯t understand him, as she just stared at him. Hans didn¡¯t know what the hell could he do. There was¡­a bit of a language barrier here. And while he knew some Flandrian, it was mostly the unfortunate words that¡­well¡­had their other uses¡­ I mean, at least we have the courtesy to use their tongue to insult them before shooting them. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Hans mentally slapped himself. He could have at least learned some other words and phrases like, ¡°Please don¡¯t shoot,¡± or ¡°I surrender,¡± and even, ¡°I¡¯ll gladly kiss the Emperor¡¯s boots.¡± Instead, all he knew was, ¡°Die Imperial pigs,¡± or, ¡°Eat shit,¡± and every other ¡°useful¡± phrase he would find no use in this situation. He held his hand up as he kneeled to her, the little girl still looking at him suspiciously. Now how would he calm her down? Crap if he knew. He wasn¡¯t a babysitter, nor a daycare worker, and he was never particularly good with children, but¡­ She probably lost her family here. And that¡­that was bad. The entire carriage convoy was down. There were dead horses and armed people on the road. The girl must be really badly traumatized. Briefly, he wondered if there would be emergency services of local authorities speeding toward this area to check in and maybe help her. But considering we¡¯re in bumfuck nowhere¡­ It seemed that task would fall to him. He sighed, trying to figure out a way to perhaps soothe the terrified girl. Awkwardly, he tried to fish out something from his pocket, pulling out a chocolate bar from it. He tried presenting it to her with an awkward smile¡ªthe best he could muster, as the girl stared at him blankly. Internally, Hans was dying at his pitiful attempts. Why does everyone have to look at me as if I¡¯m about to poison them just for offering food? ¡°Chocolate¡­¡± he attempted, pointing at it with his gloved hands. ¡°Chocolate¡­yes, chocolate¡­¡± +++ +++ Aliz¨¦e Amboise +++ ¡°Chocolate...yes, chocolate...it''s good, yes. I swear, no kidding.¡± The girl, Aliz¨¦e, seemed less terrified of the man before her as he attempted to present to her¡­something. Aliz¨¦e wasn¡¯t stupid, this man, this¡­whoever this man was, he must be trying to give it to her, for some reason. He kept repeating the words, ¡°Schokolade¡±, ¡°gut¡±, and ¡°ja¡± to her, which Aliz¨¦e understood as food of some sort, and that the man must be attempting to feed her with it because it was ¡°gut¡±, or something. Does he mean¡­good? The man at this point seemed¡­nervous. Almost as if he was panicking at her lack of response. The little girl found that quite curious, as her initial fear slightly waned. Perhaps this man was just a bystander who really tried to rescue them, instead of a hostile being. She had initially assumed him to be a bandit of sorts, but instead of looting her and her family¡¯s convoy, he was here, trying to calm her down. ¡°Goddess¡­this isn¡¯t working.¡± The man seemed to be close to giving up on her. Meekly, Aliz¨¦e accepted the offering, as the man¡¯s smile returned to his face. She didn¡¯t really know what it was, who he was, and if it was safe. But Aliz¨¦e tried to return a meek, thankful smile that immediately turned into an embarrassed blush when her hungry stomach growled. The man gave a hearty laugh at her display. ¡°You seem hungry, yes?¡± The man assisted her to open it, revealing something similar to what she always loved to drink at home. Chocolate, it was chocolate, she realized as she took her first bite. It was soft and sweet. And it definitely helped her hunger. Aliz¨¦e¡¯s guard finally faltered, as she began snacking on it, trying to forget the nightmarish scenes earlier of her mother and father being devoured by those wolves. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Helping someone who could be an Imperial civilian and possibly revealing your position? Hans, you¡¯re about to get court-martialed. However, who cared about the Confederate Army¡¯s higher chain of command at this point? He laughed inside. Considering the fact that these people used horses and the fact that there were those strange creatures that attacked them¡ªHans was now taking things at face value. There was a high chance that he was nowhere on Terra. Hans stood up, looking at the surroundings as the girl ate her chocolate. It seemed that she really was the last, and no one else survived. He was far too late. Not that he had much of a chance as he only managed to attack upon finding them on the road¡ªwhen all of them were already devoured except her. And I thought I could ask the locals out for some intel. Well, that was now off the table. He looked back at the silver-haired girl, who seemed to be in her own world as she ate her chocolate. She was closing her eyes at each bite until some tears streamed down her cheek. She seemed to be muttering something about her ¡°mama¡± or ¡°papa¡± from what Hans could deduce. Hans heard a growl from the side. One of the wolves seemed to be mewling out in pain, bleeding on the side from the wounds that Hans¡¯ MG24 inflicted on it. While the beast must have indeed murdered these people, Hans knew that much like everything else in nature, it was merely trying to survive. He fished out his pistol and approached it. He prepared his Ruger Z08 pistol while giving the beast¡¯s head a gentle pat with his gloved hand. It growled at him, but it was too weak to attack any further. His pistol was gently aimed straight at its head, as Hans spoke to it softly. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright¡­it¡¯s all over now¡­¡± He pulled the trigger to end its misery. Hope she didn¡¯t see or hear that. His Ruger was suppressed, so what came out of his dirty job was nothing but a silent pew. Damn, these creatures are pretty big for wolves too. Certainly, they seemed gigantic. He could also see these patterns that he remembered to be glowing yellow on its body. Now, there was none of it. How fantastic. His mind thought. A new undiscovered species. I bet the nutheads back home would have a field day if they saw this. Hans returned to his task. He began scouring each carriage for anything of importance. He found some maps, notebooks, and other paper items that he imagined would be useful if he understood the words that these people used. He kept a close eye on the young girl who seemed to be keeping to herself after she finished her snack, making sure that nothing would threaten her. Hans however avoided even touching any of the bodies to loot them. Instead, he began pulling them to the side of the road in order to line them up into a neat row on the grass. While he didn¡¯t have time to bury them all, he¡¯d at least place them to the side so no speeding dipshit would just drive over them. By the time he was done, he gave them a solemn bow of respect, before doing a brief prayer for them. He didn¡¯t believe in the goddess, but if souls and heaven existed, he wished them a good journey toward it. He turned back to the girl and kneeled to her. ¡°Hey, kid. Let¡¯s go?¡± The girl looked up at him before she muttered something. ¡°Aliz¨¦e,¡± she said, pointing to herself. ¡°Aliz¨¦e.¡± He understood what she was trying to say. Aliz¨¦e huh? So that was her name¡­ ¡°Hans,¡± he said, pointing to himself. ¡°Hans¡­¡± he then pointed to her. ¡°Aliz¨¦e.¡± The girl nodded meekly before she pointed her finger at him as well. ¡°Hans.¡± ¡°Yep, that¡¯s my name kid¡­or, well, Aliz¨¦e.¡± He held his hand to her. ¡°Let¡¯s get you somewhere safer.¡± The young girl took his hand, as Hans made his final plans for her. Surely, there would be someplace somewhere that could take her in. He just needed to give her a ride there. 4. Protector of the Weak ¡°Holding the line on this side of the Aldorf has to be the stupidest crap high command would give us. Why? Why can¡¯t they just retreat the Army to the already half-fortified defenses behind the Aldorf? Are we supposed to buy time here? Then why are we launching counter-offensives for no reason? But what do I know? I¡¯m no Confederate General. Perhaps the old ladies in the Confederal Assembly have better ideas on the conduct of war than some unknown sod down here on the frontline. Still sucks ass. Tomorrow, the entire corps would be tasked with retaking four cities. My brigade and company would have to advance twenty kilometers forward. Even a Lieutenant like me knows that crap ain¡¯t possible. Bet we¡¯d just end up on a well-placed ambush on the way. Not that Captain Victoria would listen.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown The Peacemaker was driving relatively well through the rough terrain, Hans noted. For hours through the night, he had been driving forward while following the map that he obtained from that ambushed convoy. The map¡­well, he didn¡¯t really quite understand the writings and what those words meant. Strangely enough, it was written in the Imperial Script, which was the universal standard of writing from his world, born out of the time of the First Flandrian Empire, when they ruled half of the world before the Age of Revolutions. Now they¡¯re at the ¡°Third Empire¡±. Briefly, Hans laughed internally at those invaders. Flinging feces at those pompous people had been a natural pastime for Lotharingians like him. While he would never claim to be a red-blooded Lotharingian nationalist, Hans hated the Flandrians more than he hated his own government. They had always been the Imperialist bastards that already waged multiple wars each time their government collapsed and the new one needed a way to unite their people. Retake Albion! Their last Empress shouted. Retake Sicilia! Their last President shouted. Retake Lotharingia! And the rest of the continent! Their new Emperor shouted. And thus, the story of the last three Great Wars that ravaged his continent. The Flandrians always wanted to restore their former glory, for some insane reason. They¡¯d always blame their neighboring countries for ¡°rebelling¡± and ¡°destroying their nation¡±. And their colonial network across the seas would always be dragged into their wars in his continent. Thankfully, Lotharingia, Albion, Sicilia, and other nations of the developed world had banded into an alliance this time. Even then, somehow, the Lotharingian and Sicilian fronts were both collapsing. The world, again, was supposed to be at war, but right now, Hans was seeing nothing. Nothing at all that indicated war. Nothing. There were just endless forests, and endless flora and fauna, but no Flandrian artillery, Sicilian tanks, Lotharingian mechs, nor Albionese aircraft around him. Just him and this¡­girl that he saved from those beasts. He sighed. She was already asleep now, leaning on him. She was sitting on his lap since the Wanderfalke¡¯s cockpit was only designed for one person, but thankfully, it had enough space between him and the control sticks and displays in front of him. Earlier, she had been nothing but entranced by the sight of the machinery and displays around her, that she even tried to poke on one of the screens that showed his main gun¡¯s targeting feeds, before she retracted it upon hearing Hans laugh. Eventually, watching Hans drive around with the control sticks probably bored her, and she fell asleep. As expected of children, especially young girls. He doubted whatever he was doing appealed to her in any way. Still, what could he do? He was no babysitter after all, and entertaining children was the last thing he had in his skill set. Ah¡­crap. He reminded himself of something. It¡¯s already past nine, and I haven¡¯t eaten yet. Or fed her. Of course, just like any soldier in a survival situation, eating was far behind Hans¡¯ priorities. But damn it, he wanted to head smack himself for forgetting that he had a girl to temporarily tend to, and he certainly should not extend his brain-damaged habits to her. She needed to eat. This is why no one should trust me with kids. He began driving his Wanderfalke into the side of the road, continuing on into a decently well-covered part of the forest. His mech stopped, and Hans, carefully, tried to shift Aliz¨¦e into his own seat as he popped his hatch open. ¡°Just stay here,¡± he said, almost in a whisper. ¡°I apologize, young miss, but I¡¯m a bit clumsy for forgetting you should eat. I¡¯ll prepare food, then I¡¯ll just wake you up later.¡± He tried his best to ensure that she was sitting in a comfortable way before he left his mech with his gun on him. Now what? As usual, he¡¯d have to clear the area, maybe gather a bit of wood and crap to start a fire, then grab his MREs to do¡­well, whatever food he could make. On that note, I only have a week¡¯s worth of rations. He scratched the back of his head. I¡¯d definitely need more to stretch that as best as I can. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Which was a bit of a complication, since there was a kid with him now. Technically, he could go around and forage for whatever crap he could forage, mix it with the MREs, and get a disgusting soup that shall not be named but definitely good enough to fill him, but¡­he doubted he could feed someone like her with that. Ah well, I¡¯ll just sacrifice one full package for her. I bet if I reach that town, she¡¯d be out of my care by the next day anyway. He looked around at his surroundings, trying to ascertain if there was any danger anywhere. Luckily, his MS22 SMG had a fine sight with it. Its ACOS (Advanced Combat Optical Sight) had a 2x magnification, alongside a night-vision setting on it. Now that he looked at it, his SMG was probably the best thing he had for whatever he would face. He had enough ammo to last through multiple firefights, he could see at a good distance, and it fit him well. Certainly, being an ace pilot had some perks in the liberties he could take with his weaponry. He began scanning the surroundings for any contacts, or anything that could possibly threaten them, but he found nothing. Hans sighed, before looking back at his mech. It was time to gather crap and start cooking. The plight of every grunt. Turning his safety back on, he walked back to the Peacemaker to begin the work. Now¡­he just needed to choose what to feed him and her. +++ ¡°Hey, wake up,¡± Hans said, as he shook her as gently as he could. ¡°Wake up, kid. I got food. I know you¡¯re hungry. Come on.¡± Her eyes soon opened, and it was clear the young girl was still sleepy as hell. He wondered if it was the brightest idea to wake her up for food, but damn it, sleeping on an empty stomach was not something he¡¯d let her undergo. His mother never allowed him to starve before sleeping, and neither would he to this kid. After a little bit of encouragement, that Hans doubted she understood, Aliz¨¦e voluntarily climbed out of the mech with him. Outside, Hans set up a little campfire, some wood to sit on, alongside the MRE pouch with the main dish that he already cooked using the heaters in the package. He gave it to her, alongside a plastic spoon, and she looked at it with a bit of suspicion, before she gave its contents a smell. ¡°It¡¯s chicken soup, come on, it¡¯s got lots of meat in it,¡± Hans said. ¡°Eat.¡± ¡°Food? It smells¡­kinda nice¡­¡± she replied, but Hans didn¡¯t really understand. Still, he was a bit elated that the girl was speaking this time. ¡°Thanks, Sir Hans.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying, but I¡¯m telling you, that thing rocks. One of the best MRE types out there,¡± Hans said, before he turned to his own thing. On the other hand, Hans was a bit more conservative with his food. Instead of using up his MRE, Hans tore the biscuits, bread, and other crap left from the package and mixed it with some herbs and berries he found in the vicinity. That way, he didn¡¯t have to open up another package. Naturally, his food looked¡­well, more of an abomination on the cooking pot he had above the fire, but Hans didn¡¯t give a crap. Food is food. He soon poured the¡­whatever that thing was onto his plate and began eating it. Not the greatest, nor the worst (those berries tasted strange with the applesauce flavor) and the greens were probably no good, but it filled the belly. Man, at this rate, I can be a five-star cook. He wanted to cry at this point. He didn¡¯t know his survival foraging training would ever have to be used, but now, he was utterly cut off from rations and the battalion¡¯s cooks. Sure, they fed them shit food compared to the regulars in the Army, but he was at least an officer so he received something half-decent. Now, he was eating a slurry that was probably worse than Flandrian war crimes against Lotharingian women and children. He shook his head and looked at the young girl, who seemed to be savoring the actual food little by little. Hold on, you mongrel! You¡¯re the one who decided you¡¯ll only use one MRE package to feed two people. Die by that decision! Hans began force-feeding himself faster to prove that he¡¯d eat even the abomination he cooked if he had to. Meanwhile, beside him, the young girl seemed to already enjoy the product of Lotharingian food technology with delight. Hans himself loved the chicken soup MREs, and it was one of his top favorites. It genuinely tasted like the real one, even if it was processed and filled with salt and crap. He sighed, realizing that his plate was already empty. He probably wasn¡¯t as hungry as he thought considering the mild nausea he was feeling from its atrocious taste, but he should be good until tomorrow. And if those berries were poisonous (he swore it had to be the same species from his homeland, unless¡­if his eyes were lying to him), well, good game and all that. The young girl also seemed to be already finishing her meal, so, Hans took the remaining biscuits from the MRE package he opened and placed the strawberry jam that he wasn¡¯t mad enough to add to his concoction of ¡°food¡±. Spreading it with a clean plastic spoon, he gave two of the biscuits to her. She seemed to have finished her thing already, and she looked at Hans¡¯ offerings curiously. ¡°Come on, I get it, I¡¯m just another dude who can¡¯t cook. I ain¡¯t no chef, yes, but this thing is half-decent, I swear.¡± She looked at him with those curious eyes of hers. ¡°Can I really have this, Sir Hans?¡± ¡°Look, I swear, I¡¯m not poisoning you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re strangely kind for a Vanus. Mother said our kind has always been evil even to each other, because we¡¯re mostly arrogant nobles, but¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s strawberry if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it with gratitude then, Sir Hans.¡± She took it and began eating it. Hans himself only had one biscuit for himself, and he snacked on it slowly. After all¡­it had been the only good food he had that night. He laughed¡­he couldn¡¯t imagine himself giving up the good stuff for another person before all this, but¡­ I guess children just have that effect on you. He soon ate it fully, satisfied with his decisions for now. 5. The Grieving ¡°Corporal Franz Richter is some fine folk, I must say. Said he got into this place because he murdered some guy. Don¡¯t know why he did, I wouldn''t really ask why. Quite frankly, I¡¯m here not because of a violent crime, but many of my peers certainly are here at times with¡­dark pasts, I suppose. Yet, he doesn¡¯t strike me as evil, in any way. Always been kind, and helpful, and he saved that Private¡¯s ass when his mech popped two of its legs yesterday during the firefight. I dunno, is he hiding things? It¡¯s difficult to say. I¡¯m here for a nonviolent offense, so it¡¯s quite hard to say if I¡¯m even remotely close to this man¡¯s position.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Aliz¨¦e Amboise +++ Unknown Aliz¨¦e opened her eyes groggily. Her sleep had been, strangely enough, one of the best ones she had. For some reason, no terrors or nightmares came in her sleep. This¡­thing she was inside of, was also comfortable. The air was neither too hot nor too cold. It was almost at the right temperature, which helped her sleep. Somehow, she was not suffocated at all inside. Even when she could not see any place for air to come inside of this¡­this thing. Most of all, Aliz¨¦e, for some reason, felt a strange comfort at being with this man. He seemed to be a fellow Vanus, like her, and that probably helped. Aliz¨¦e wasn¡¯t the most trusting of other races at this point, not after what happened to her family since they were exiled once more by her own homeland. But for a Vanus, this man didn¡¯t seem adept at using their language. Instead, he was using that language that others outside of her family used. The strange mirrors that showed what was happening outside showed that their strange carriage suddenly stopped. ¡°Hmm¡­you¡¯re awake?¡± The man said to her. She was, once again, resting on his lap. Aliz¨¦e last night found it difficult to sleep anywhere else, even if this ¡°Hans¡± person was a stranger. To her, he was¡­he appeared almost a mythical Knight of sorts. But¡­more than that, he reminded her of her parents. The food, the sweets he¡¯d give, and the fact that he saved her. And the way he spoke to her with nothing but genuine kindness. Aliz¨¦e really thought many times to heed her mother¡¯s warnings about strangers, and she swore she¡¯d do everything to defend herself if this man did anything. But he didn¡¯t do anything. Not through the night when she was asleep. Not since her most vulnerable point. ¡°Sir Hans?¡± She looked back at him. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°Breakfast, huh? You¡¯re probably hungry. I bet that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking, kiddo. Well, see¡­ugh, damnit, what am I saying? I should just feed her.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand, do you?¡± ¡°Yeah, I get it, kid, I suck. Say that to my face, ¡®Oh, why didn¡¯t you wake me up for breakfast?¡¯ Well, sorry, I ain¡¯t trained for babysitting children. And to be fair, the MREs I got are too limited so sending you to that town should be the best option I have¡­what the hell am I even saying? You don¡¯t even understand my ramblings.¡± ¡°Sir Hans, you speak a lot, don¡¯t you?¡± She smiled a bit. ¡°I don¡¯t understand you, but you sound funny, in a way¡­¡± ¡°You want chicken soup? Well, sorry for that one, but you already ate my last stock, if that¡¯s what you wanted. Hmm¡­you know, we should probably park this thing and set up camp for a while¡­¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± she tried. ¡°Sir Hans¡­I wonder how we would be able to understand each other at this rate. I don¡¯t know how to cast language-learning spells. Mother does, but she¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I get you. I¡¯m parking it now. You''re hungry and all that. Don¡¯t worry your poor soul about it one bit,¡± he laughed, as their strange carriage moved again, straight to the side of the road, into the woods. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ll like on my stock of rations, but I¡¯ll try to get you something good.¡± Aliz¨¦e, again, didn¡¯t understand what he meant. But, when she was reminded by her mother, she felt¡­extremely awful, yet almost immediately, this man, Hans, seemed to try to soothe her instead of those memories. She smiled at him, still not understanding what his words meant. But she understood his intentions¡­even if she wasn¡¯t fully sure about it. He just wanted to take care of her. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s good, ain¡¯t it?¡± Hans nodded a bit as the girl downed the beef stew main dish that he heated up. He didn¡¯t really take any breakfast for himself, as he only used one single-meal MRE package for now. The bread and biscuits did enough to satiate Hans¡¯ stomach, as he had already eaten quite a bit of that abomination last night. Even still, Hans made sure to save a loaf of bread for her, and he placed some peanut butter on it. Not as good as the strawberry jam last night, probably, and he wondered if the kid was even truly enjoying his MRE rations that were¡­probably not up to her palate. In a way, this girl seemed to not be of the poor or middle-class variety. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The dress she was in seemed well-made, and she seemed to have pristine skin untainted by work or any disease. Most of all, Hans already long accepted that he may be in a technologically backward world. Yesterday, he denied the fact that he saw those corpses wielding a strange version of musketry as just delusions, but it was as true as any. He¡¯d take things at face value from now on. He probably died and found himself in this strange place. Was it perhaps the Goddess? Was she true that she granted him a new life? Hans didn¡¯t seem fully sure. But with that assumption, he looked back at those carriages he found. There was wealth there. Gold bars, jewelry, the whole shebang. He felt it would be a grave crime to loot it, so he left most of it in that place. It led him to a quick conclusion though, her parents must have been some wealthy aristocrat, of some sort. Perhaps merchants even. Which is why it was best to leave everything there intact. Hans would try his best to report what happened when he reached that town. Perhaps get into contact with this girl¡¯s relatives so they would retrieve her, their belongings on that ambush site, and the corpses of what must have been their hired guards. Don¡¯t wanna piss off people in an alien place after all. Plus, Hans noticed the protruding horns on the girl¡¯s head since he met her (which he initially thought to mean nothing earlier). It was small, perhaps due to the fact that she was a child, but Hans realized she wasn¡¯t exactly human. Or if she were, she was definitely a strange sub-race of sorts. Not that he noticed anything on those soldiers. He wasn¡¯t exactly such a corpse mangler that he¡¯d remove their headgear to check if they were human or not. It was a long night for Hans, merely driving in silence as he pondered about the place and situation he found himself in. Especially about this young girl and her nature. Or about his nature. Hans for one questioned the screen-like visions he saw earlier, but he didn¡¯t really have a way to check for it again. Perhaps waking up in this strange place simply did strange things to his mind? He didn¡¯t know. He was brimming with so many questions, yet the only person in front of him was a child, a girl, probably still ten years old at worst, who spoke a language he didn¡¯t understand. He took maps and notes from them, and while they had the same script that his people used, he didn¡¯t understand a single word. Hans¡­hated it, a bit. How little intel he had in this situation. Yet he found himself compelled to simply keep on. To push forward. Then he met her. And saved her. Now, he wasn¡¯t just driving on some unpaved path aimlessly, he was now driving to a destination, with a goal in mind. Get her back to her people, or anyone who would take care of her. It was a tiny, noble goal that Hans sufficed as something that kept him somewhat sane through all of this. He didn¡¯t really trust himself about it, and perhaps he was just using her as an excuse to go there and finally find answers. Perhaps he was even planning to use her as a way to seem less threatening to people he might meet there. After all, a young man who saved a young girl from a disaster would seem more like a hero to people than a random barbarian who appeared out of nowhere. Maybe my cynicism has really just been way too high. But that was who Hans was, that he knew. He¡¯d always been a cynic, yet¡­ Taking care of this girl made him feel truly better in some ways. Perhaps the best he ever felt since he found himself pressed into service into a penal battalion. This time, he wasn¡¯t living and fighting aimlessly to defend a country that didn¡¯t care for him. He was¡­wasn¡¯t this the job of soldiers? To serve and protect? He was protecting a child, wasn''t he? Somehow, even for someone who murdered so many people in his service, Hans felt a bit of his sanity returning. He felt¡­not an evil entity. Strangely, he felt more human, even in this brief time with her. He was helping. Feeding a kid. Keeping her off from the threats in their hostile environment. Like a guardian. Instead of being a faceless nightmare on the battlefield. A feared man who drove a ghost that murdered anything it could see. He felt his stomach rumble a bit. ¡°Ah¡­well, I guess some bread and biscuits ain¡¯t enough for me,¡± he laughed. Silly him, of course, it wouldn¡¯t be. But he was so close to that town. Maybe he¡¯d find a way to eat something more decent there if lucky. Perhaps they¡¯d even give him a free meal, saving him from using up his rations. Realistically, probably not¡­ ¡°This¡­is strangely, really good, Sir Hans,¡± the young girl said. ¡°I wonder why you only ate some bread. We could share this, you know?¡± ¡°You¡¯re some hungry kid, aren¡¯t you? Gave you the main course and you¡¯re still looking at my loaves of bread.¡± Hans chuckled. ¡°No worries, kid. Saved half of it for you. A growing girl has to eat, after all. At least, as they would always say. You know, parenting¡¯s a tough job, I guess.¡± Hans took another bite of his bread and looked back at the skies. Parenting? Would he ever have a chance to do that? He finished college, but never actually got a job. Well, except for murdering people after getting arrested just months after graduation. Didn¡¯t exactly get a chance for the routine first step of building your own family, after all. And now, he felt extra bad for the poor girl. She really did just lose her family, didn¡¯t she? He wondered if her father was a good one. She seemed well-cared for, after all. A tragedy, truly, especially how she would sometimes cry about her ¡°mama¡± or ¡°papa¡± silently last night. Somehow, a little pat on the head and some shitty humming (of war songs that he slowed down) would calm her down, but still. She must have really loved them. He smiled a bit. They must have loved her well. Then his smile faltered. And she just lost them. It was the reverse in his case then. For him, it was his mother that lost their son. Hans wondered how his mother was right now. Well, he did lose his father a decade ago when he died in a distant war in the Far East. His mother, his own beloved mother who had already suffered enough from the loss of her husband, must have already received the letter about the death of her useless criminal son. I¡¯m sorry again Mom. He looked down. I disappointed you again. Or perhaps not, Hans thought. Perhaps, he finally freed her from her headache. Yet that form of denial didn¡¯t work. He could imagine¡­his mother was really crying for him, right now. ¡°Sir Hans,¡± he heard the girl call. ¡°You seem¡­sad?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, I forgot,¡± Hans laughed awkwardly, noticing that she was done eating. ¡°The peanut butter sandwich. Here, have it. It¡¯s good, trust me.¡± ¡°Um¡­isn¡¯t that supposed to be yours?¡± ¡°Yeah, like the strawberry last night, yes, it¡¯s also not natural.¡± Hans smiled. ¡°But, come on, eat up.¡± He handed it to her, even when she seemed confused. Still, she began nibbling on it, before she began devouring it after tasting it. She really is a growing girl. Hans chuckled. Yeah, I really gotta get her to those people. Someone¡¯s gotta properly take care of her. 6. The Innocent ¡°Who¡¯d have known that demons existed? In fact, why was I even classified as one? Being transported into a different dimension, or world, or whatever this place is, sure, that¡¯s something surprising, especially after, well, dying. But to become anything but human? I struggle to imagine what changed about me. I think, in a way, I am terrified. Especially since my race changed. That¡¯s some top black magic if you think about it.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Hans was staring at the display feeds with shock. In front of him, was the town that he expected to be his first stop. There was no town. It was¡­it was something else. Overgrown reddish biomass filled the town, and it seemed to be devoid of all life. Immediately, Hans covered Aliz¨¦e¡¯s eyes, as he scanned it further, before turning it off. ¡°Sir Hans? Why are you covering my eyes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, kiddo. Stay calm. I''ll check on them. Stay here, please.¡± Hans said to her as he turned off the display feeds. Giving her instructions as best as he could to not touch anything, Hans took his N3 CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear) Gas Mask. It was good that a mech pilot¡¯s suit protected its user from CBRN elements, and so was his mech. This place will be the safest for her. Still, he won¡¯t drive his thing close to that place. Not with her inside of it. He pulled another chocolate bar for her, gave it, and gave her a pat on the head. The young girl looked up at him, confused, but Hans just smiled to calm her down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back. You¡¯re safe here.¡± He donned his gas mask and raised his suit¡¯s hood to fully protect himself. Popping his mech¡¯s hatch, Hans emerged and climbed off his mech¡¯s chassis after closing the hatch. Now was another recon mission, and all he had with him was himself and his trusty SMG. The town was at least eight hundred meters away, and so, it took a while for Hans to cautiously walk forward, as he flicked his gun¡¯s safety off. What the hell happened here? Hans didn¡¯t know, but he had to know. This was the only route he could take, and it was blocked. He didn¡¯t want to drive back and take a different path only to bleed his fuel. Even if he had at least eight hundred kilometers of travel range since his fuel tanks were full when he woke up, Hans didn¡¯t want to risk it. Especially when he didn¡¯t know if we would have a fuel source soon. At some point, I¡¯d probably have to abandon the Peacemaker. Unless he found some way to circumvent that problem. There was still the problem of munitions and spare parts for repair and maintenance though. Ah, shut the hell up, brain! Not the time for pointless ruminations! The trees seemed dead, and so was the area near the town. Blackened grass and that strange reddish biomass filled the area, and Hans feared that continuing on would be a danger to his continued existence. Regardless, he steeled his nerves and braved onwards. ¡°Hello?¡± He shouted. While he was a man who would prioritize his safety, he was still a soldier. And soldiers always checked for civilians to protect. ¡°Is anyone there? Anyone?¡± He continued trudging forward, his gun already raised to meet anything that might attack him. His gas mask showed an alert on his HUD. And it worried Hans greatly.
ALERT: UNKNOWN CONTAMINANTS DETECTED!
Contaminants? I guess that seems clear. He¡¯d need to disinfect everything before coming in close with Aliz¨¦e. Luckily, he had a portable CBRN cleaner pack with his mech. Pretty much standard practice in Confederate forces ever since the Empire launched tactical nukes, chemical weapons, and even biological weaponry six months ago on the frontlines. This is probably biological in nature. He looked down to view one of the fleshy biomass below him. It seemed almost plant-like too, in a way. That was certainly strange. He took a dead twig he found beside a dead tree and poked it, but it only glowed for a bit. Disgusting. He shook his head. What the hell could have created these things? His eyes snapped to the side. Movement. With his raised SMG, Hans came face to face with something. It was¡­ He almost stumbled backward upon seeing it. A cruel smile laced its face, and it was almost bleeding. Most of all, it was floating. The thing¡­it looked down at him, its silvery hair flowing to reveal purplish glowing eyes that were staring down at him. It¡­it was demonic. ¡°I see¡­¡± it said, and Hans wondered what it was. A male or female? Its body was too disfigured for him to know. ¡°A corrupted kin¡­¡± He raised his gun at it, he shouldn¡¯t assume things. What if it was a victim? ¡°Ma¡¯am? Sir? Are you alright?¡± But instead, its hostile movements intensified, which almost prompted Hans to pull the trigger. ¡°Stand back!¡± He shouted at it. ¡°Fuckin¡­oh, goddess. This is bad.¡± He began retreating, trying to figure out a way to deal with it. That was possibly a hostile thing, and he didn¡¯t want to play stupid. Scratch that, it was definitely hostile. ¡°What strange language you speak,¡± he didn¡¯t understand the entity, but he knew it wanted to murder him. ¡°I wonder what you would bring, my new prey. This town¡­oh, they were delectable, but a fellow demon¡­you¡¯d be my appetizer!¡± It lunged at him, way too fast. A hail of his SMG¡¯s bullets greeted it, stopping its long appendages from hitting Hans. Hans retreated, all while firing burst after burst on its body, creating bloody holes that seeped crimson blood from it. It began wailing in pain, but Hans didn¡¯t know if he was truly winning. It¡¯s a monster. A damned monster! His mind shouted. Of course, in a new world, he¡¯d have to meet a damned monster. Of course. And it seemed like it wanted nothing but to eat him. He would not let that happen. Screw this! Just before it lunged at him further, Hans rained bullets on its knees. Then, he pulled out his incendiary grenade and tossed it at the creature. It burned, it burned badly. I bet it killed this village and spread its corruption. He now charged forward and began placing more three bullet bursts at it, until his magazine ran out. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! It continued burning from the incendiary grenade¡¯s fire, as he fished out his Ruger. Aiming it straight at its skull, Hans pulled the trigger three times, until its pained wails ended.
[DEMONIC ENTITY (LVL. 8) LIQUIDATED] [LEVEL UP! NOW LVL. 2!] [30% PROGRESS TO LVL. 3] [40 AP NOW AVAILABLE]
¡°Goddess-damned thing,¡± he looked down at it as it burned. ¡°What the hell are you?¡± ¡°For a [LVL. 1], you killed something so powerful. You really must be quite strong¡­¡± he looked back, and it was the young girl behind him! She was looking down at the corpse with a neutral stare. But that wasn¡¯t what worried Hans. She was completely unprotected from potential CBRN elements! He picked her up, carrying her, and began running as fast as he could. ¡°Damn it, Aliz¨¦e! I told you to stay put! I even sealed the hatch! How did you get out!?¡± That was when he noticed it. Everything around the village, the reddish contamination, began burning into this ash-like smoke, before disappearing. Even the alerts about the unknown contaminants disappeared. What the hell? It just¡­it¡¯s all gone. Did that thing really cause it? A monster, perhaps, that consumes everything around it? It almost sounds like a nasty parasite. Was it also consuming those trees? The land itself? The fauna of this place¡­world, perhaps, is quite unusual. Screw that, unusual is an understatement! ¡°Sir Hans?¡± He turned back to the girl that he was carrying. Instead of terror, her eyes held nothing but a confused stare at him. Naturally, Hans was still a little bit pissed at the fact that she tinkered her way out of his mech and went completely exposed outside straight into a contaminated environment, but¡­there was nothing that indicated she was hurt or anything. ¡°This isn¡¯t good. I¡¯m gonna have to observe you for a while from now on¡­¡± An hour, a day, a week even? How long? How long would radiation damage, or chemical damage¡­wait, what if it was a biological virus? How long would it manifest in her? Wait, could he even handle her without full CBRN protection from now on? He was no doctor, so he wouldn¡¯t know how to handle her if she was somehow hurt by it. Then again, I wouldn¡¯t even know what it would be. Radiation sickness, chemical injury, or a bioweapon infection. He didn¡¯t want to imagine himself just soothing her as he gave her a cyanide pill and a prompt bullet to the head if she started turning deathly sick from whatever that was. Though¡­if what must be done had to be done¡­ No, no, hold those thoughts out! His brain came to a screeching halt. What if those contaminants really only came from that entity, and didn¡¯t have any other effect on living beings? Well, he wouldn¡¯t know that, now would he? This is difficult¡­ ¡°Aliz¨¦e, please, don¡¯t do that again,¡± Hans said to her. ¡°Please, it really is just dangerous. This is why we need to understand each other. Somehow. But it¡¯s just¡­damn it, what can we even do to get to that point?¡± He felt compelled to do something. Then¡ªa split second later, Hans felt a darkened mist touch him. He wanted to run as far away as he could, but he couldn¡¯t. His body¡­it wanted its warmth. He could not escape. He could not breathe. Its hands almost hugged him, and Hans could swear he heard a feminine whisper. ¡°Use¡­your status¡­it will aid you, Hans Hoffman¡­¡± He collapsed to his knees while carrying her, still hyperventilating as he let Aliz¨¦e leave his hand. He looked up at her with dilated pupils, as he tried to smile, even when she wouldn¡¯t be able to look through his gas mask. ¡°I¡¯m okay, I¡­just a little hiccup, is all¡­¡± ¡°Sir Hans?¡± The young girl asked. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to look okay. Is that mask perhaps blocking your breathing? I¡­I can remove it from you if need be!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± his gloved hand touched her shoulder, and gave her a pat. ¡°I¡¯m alright. We¡¯re alright¡­¡± His hyperventilations continued, but it was already stopping. With a wince, he stood up and looked around him. There didn¡¯t seem to be anything that could have caused that. And so Hans wondered¡­what the hell happened to him? It was¡­as if something embraced him from behind and filled him with the worst terror he could imagine. He literally collapsed from it. But there was nothing. Nothing at all¡­ Don¡¯t tell me all those ghost stories are real. He laughed a bit inside, but it came off as more of a nervous one than a funny one. Should I start praying to the Goddess? Until he remembered that it reminded him to do something. As if instinctually, his mind acted on its own to do just that. Status check. +++
Current Status: Healthy (Mild Hunger) Name: Hans Hoffman Age: 25 Race: Vanus Type: Demon, [REDACTED] General Tier: I LVL: 2 Class: Mech Pilot (Vanguard) Passive Skills: [REDACTED] Active Skills: N/A Available Arcane Points: 40 PTS
+++ That was strange. It seemed¡­almost a scroll-like computer display in his eyes. He had seen its ¡°notifications¡± appear many times, but he always thought it was just his mind playing tricks on him. But this time, this seemed clearly as no trick. So¡­he was a demon now? And what the hell even was a Vanus race? What even were those ¡°redacted¡± things? That was strange. Was he supposed to look like whatever the hell he had just killed soon? That¡¯d mean he needed to run away from Aliz¨¦e as fast as possible then! Wait, no¡­he should check her. For some reason, when he turned to her, he had another seemingly instinctual response. A response he should probably not have¡­but that thing seemed to have implanted it in his mind. Target Status Check. +++
Current Status: Healthy (No Special Health Effects) Name: Aliz¨¦e Amboise Age: 10 Race: Vanus Type: Uncorrupted General Tier: I LVL: 5 Class: ??? Passive Skills: ??? Active Skills: ??? Available Arcane Points: ???
+++ I see then¡­so she¡¯s perfectly alright. Judging by her lack of special health effects. I suppose that contamination must be something¡­perhaps magical? My helmet¡¯s sensors probably mistook it for something radioactive. That¡¯s a viable hypothesis. Not that I¡¯d want to test it¡­ But still¡­so she was alright. Then the environment must be alright. On that note, it was he who wasn¡¯t alright, judging by the ¡°mild hunger¡± effect on his status screen. To be fair, that¡¯s intentional on my part. Rationing would always result in some level of hunger. So long as he wasn¡¯t starving, Hans surmised he should be fine. He removed his gas mask. There did not seem to be any more need for it. He wondered¡­if he was a demon, then where would his horn be? He tried touching his forehead, but he found nothing, unlike this little girl. He supposed that made sense. So¡­I guess, the other world hypothesis has been fully confirmed then? He had no more way of denying it left. He truly was in another world, filled with new challenges, new monsters, and new enemies. And even my own self was changed. No longer was he a simple human then. A demon¡­that was who he was. Then this changes everything. His strategies, his actions, his protocols¡­all of it would have to serve the new things he would see in this world. Whatever they might be¡­ His new encounters from here on out¡­ He¡¯d need to prepare for it. 7. The Vulnerable ¡°Was my sacrifice worth it? Was everything I worked for even¡­worth it if this is the end result? I don¡¯t know the answer to that. Lord knows, I fear the answer to that. Isn¡¯t that why I¡¯m writing in a journal instead right now? It¡¯s difficult to say. She¡¯s, look, why is she here? Did she die? Did she just find herself portalled or something? I suppose that¡¯s the reality of war anyway. Perhaps, the actions of the individual grunt truly mean nothing in the grand picture of it.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Confederation of Lotharingia 30 Kilometers West of the Aldorf River ¡°Lieutenant?!¡± Hans shouted over the comms. His Wanderfalke crawled slowly through the damaged earth. Had his mech been a little heavier, he¡¯d have long sunk in the softened mud, and the craters filled with water that he was traversing on. He pulled his controls to a stop, as his eyes laid on the burning mech of 1st Platoon¡¯s commanding officer. There was nothing to it. It stood there, burning ever so subtly as smoke flew in the direction of the wind. The legs were completely dead, its chassis¡¯ front section almost half buried in the mud, while its turret¡­well, there seemed to be no more turret attached to it. The autoloader ammo rack must have detonated, judging by the distance its remote-controlled turret flew into. ¡°Lieutenant¡­?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe it. He just¡­was he the last then? ¡°Lieutenant, I thought we¡¯d make it out of here!¡± He could not accept it. Why did it have to be this way? He had only known them for a month, but they were 1st Platoon. He struggled to accept the first. The second. He completely broke down on the third. But now¡­with the last before him dead too¡­he could only stare. Why am I the only one left now? He turned his turret to the left, foregoing any ideas of staying in this compromising position any further, as he drove his mech down into a crater filled with muddy rainwater. The scars on his lands, on Lotharingia, had been something he was used to. The frontlines, in just a few months, had turned into a nightmare for those who had seen it. The mud. The craters created by the artillery¡­he knew a million shells must have rained in just a ten-kilometer radius from him since the war started. The barbed wires, tank traps, and landmines¡­and of course, the corpses he was with. His sensors were so effective that he had full video feeds of three Lotharingian corpses, most likely already decayed for months and left unrecovered, still unceremoniously lying dead on the crater he took as shelter for himself. All that was left on them was their helmets and torn uniforms, but he could imagine that they held out here before being taken out. Three brothers in one crater. In a way, he felt jealous of these corpses. They died side-by-side with their brothers. Meanwhile, he and the 1st Platoon died in separate, solitary metal coffins. He wondered, if he died here, would the next one that would go here find him in such a way too? Just another faceless skeleton of a destroyed disposable war machine? I don¡¯t want to die. His body trembled as he shakingly pulled himself back away from his mindless mullings into the war he was fighting. I don¡¯t want to die. He pushed his mech forward, ever so slowly, raising its turret just enough so he could take a look through its targeting sensors. A peek, it was all he needed, to see the battlefield in front of him. If it was safe or not. He needed to find a way to get out of there and clear the area out. I don¡¯t want to die. He tried to check his comms, to check if anyone would respond to his desperate pleas for aid. But all he got was the garbled interference, most likely due to the Flandrians sabotaging their comms. Still, Hans wanted to at least talk to Captain Victoria. Hate her, as much as he wanted, but¡­he wanted to at least screech out to that damned woman his last words if he died. He wanted to ask for her help. Maybe she would not come to his aid. Maybe the other platoons were indeed too far. Maybe¡­maybe they were dead. But he wanted her to hear his voice as he died. That she sent them into this absolute disaster. That she sent the 1st Platoon to their deaths. For Hans, she deserved to confront that. He and his brothers were no faceless useless ¡°convicts¡± to throw away. They were people. But¡­but no reply came. Only static. Hans wanted to bash it, but¡­well, there was nothing he could do. At least, if he found a way out of here, he could take his words to her, and give her at least a form of payback for damning his platoon. But he needed to survive first. It was three Murat MBMs, all advancing toward his position. One thousand five hundred meters away. Spread out, with infantry covering them from behind. Hans took a deep breath, as he turned his gun to their lead vehicle. Who even was he to face all this? He was just a stupid greenie who couldn¡¯t even pilot his mech properly. All kills that he had, were soft-skinned vehicles. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He had never taken out a single Murat MBM, even when the Wanderfalke¡¯s main gun was designed specifically for anti-tank purposes. He held his breath, as the enemy continued advancing. APFSDS. He told himself, as he heard the autoloader subtly changing out the previously loaded round on the chamber. Aim at the turret cheek. He slowly turned it down there. Or at the lower chassis. He felt his cold sweat building up, but he persevered. Alone or not, he was trained for this, damn it! Yet¡­he really wanted to just squirm and run. Maybe he should just pop the hatch open and pathetically wave a white rag at them, shouting in his lungs, ¡°I surrender!¡± in Lotharingian, only for them to shoot him. He held off that tugging urge to collapse. I don¡¯t want to die. He couldn¡¯t pull the trigger. What if¡­what if it missed? What if it bounced off? What if he screwed up and all that he would have is him revealing his position? He¡¯d be dead meat. So, so dead. I didn¡¯t want to be here. Why? Why? Why? I don¡¯t wanna die! ¡°Just pull the goddamned trigger, damn it!¡± I don¡¯t want to die! ¡°Just do it, Hans, just, fuckin do it and fight, why can¡¯t I fight?! Just fight back!¡± I don¡¯t want to die! ¡°They killed your goddamned platoon mates, Hans! Fight back!¡± I don¡¯t¡ª He pulled the fire trigger¡­and thus, the first kill ring on his main gun. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Hans¡¯ eyes opened. 0633 Hours huh? He must have slept for way too long. He looked down at the sleeping girl on his lap. Once again, it seemed that Aliz¨¦e was still dreaming about, well, whatever children dreamt about. He wiped the cold sweat on his forehead. For some reason, his heart was palpitating a bit when he woke up. That wasn¡¯t probably healthy. Last night, Aliz¨¦e certainly ate decently. Not him. Perhaps that gnawing hunger was catching up. Not that he wanted to use up his rations yet. He truly needed to stretch it, as he didn¡¯t know when he would find proper foodstuff. And he¡¯d rather beat himself than let a child starve. No way would he take food that he already designated for her. And so, with a little bit of stretching, he turned the engines and the propulsion system of his mech back on. So far, he had only traveled not even three kilometers from that village after that encounter. Hans¡­didn¡¯t feel safe about his surroundings. What if one of those appeared out of nowhere? He didn¡¯t want to end up in an ambush, so, yesterday was more of him conducting a cautious recce of the area. Right now, he probably needed to do that again. But considering that no attacks came when he and Aliz¨¦e slept while his Wanderfalke was parked on the side of the road¡­ Perhaps the path forward was safe. I still need to find civilization after all. He returned back on the road. However, something¡­seemed strange. As the minutes bled by, he started seeing something on the road. A trail. Not just any trail¡­it seemed to be created by a mech. Goddess¡­ Hans¡¯ combat instincts returned in a snap. Immediately, he was out of the main road, back into the woods. His turret turned left and right, as he engaged every sensor he had. Unfortunately, due to the forest, his field of sight was bad. But Hans wasn¡¯t stupid. He wouldn¡¯t fall into a trap or ambush created by a Flandrian mech. If there was an enemy here, he would not be the one found first. He would find them first. And he¡¯d place an APFSDS (Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot) round straight into them first. He continued moving, relocating as best as he could while staying under cover. The woods were hard to traverse, and he imagined if he had a tank, these irregularities in the terrain would have significantly hindered him. But not his Wanderfalke. At least, unless the density of the trees were too extreme. It wasn¡¯t. He continued driving through the forest, jumping through a pond and through a rocky area, and climbing what appeared to be a hill of sorts. He seemed to be in good cover, and so, he drove to the direction of the road, using the hill as a vantage point. Captain¡­Adelyn? His eyes must not be lying. It couldn¡¯t be. That was ridiculous. Why the hell was she, of all people, right here? Did she die too? No, this was utterly ridiculous. Did he die then? Or was he teleported out before that, and she too was involved? No, the problem was she was here! And what the hell was she doing outside of her Wanderadler in the open?! ¡°You absolutely naive woman¡­¡± His blood almost boiled. ¡°What if you died there?¡± He pressed a button for his external speakers. ¡°Captain Wittenstein! This is Einweg 1-1! Interrogative: Why are you in an exposed position in a possible combat zone?¡± He watched as she suddenly turned around, dropping the binoculars she was using as she stared at Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke with muted shock. Many seconds passed, where Hans deduced that his COs brain must have been frozen for some reason until she shouted back at him. ¡°Hans?!¡± She refers to me on a first-name basis now. She moves fast. ¡°Affirm, it¡¯s me, Captain,¡± Hans breathed out. ¡°I¡¯ll be going down there in a sec, out.¡± He looked up at the skies on the displays, somewhat both relieved and tired. ¡°I guess I have another one to babysit now. Even in another world¡­I guess¡­¡± To be fair¡­he was supposed to find his way back to his superiors anyway. He¡¯d almost trashed that idea. But it seemed that fate wanted otherwise. 8. The Naive ¡°She¡¯s, well, she¡¯s probably just some newbie out of officer school. I don¡¯t have much of a high opinion of her kind, nobles. But, unlike Captain Victoria, she seemed to be taking things seriously. She vowed to us earlier that she would try her best so all of us would go home. Quite naive, but beats having a speech about us deserving our current position, you know?¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journals. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Captain Adelyn von Wittenstein¡­seemed different from what Hans had expected. Right now, she was ranting on and on about the fact that each of her communication systems seemed down, that she had been driving for a while around the area in vain, and that they seemed to be in a very different place. She continued on, blaming it on the Flandrians, then on herself (how could incompetence lead to this situation? Hans struggled to know), while Hans stared at the new addition to his Captain. Above her head (and while he would not stare for too long at her), he could see a floating yellow halo of sorts. As if she was an angel. It seemed that like him, his Captain didn¡¯t understand what was happening, and nor did she notice anything different to her. Hans knew that he was now¡­a different race, for some reason, so it would not be too surprising to know that whatever must have transported both of them here would change hers. But a halo? If he was a demon of some sort, then was she an angel of some sort? That was ridiculous. Even in a new life, he would be screwed over by divine providence! Truly, Hans wondered when his misfortunes would end. But at the same time, he felt relieved of that. If his Captain, who¡­well, probably had a kinder character than some blood-lusted psychopath like him (perhaps that was why he was given this role, was this the purgatory?) was an angel, then, he hoped that she would find herself in a better position to the locals. Little Aliz¨¦e might be better off under her, than him. In fact, Hans feared his demon type. He didn¡¯t want to turn into whatever that thing was. Not in front of Aliz¨¦e and his Captain. ¡°Captain,¡± Hans interrupted. ¡°Could I perhaps ask¡­how did you get here, and when?¡± Adelyn immediately stopped her confused tirade, before sighing. ¡°Just hours ago. I woke up here after a tense skirmish. I made the mistake of driving my mech too aggressively, and¡­¡± For a few seconds, Hans noticed Adelyn¡¯s green eyes dilate a bit, as she breathed a little bit deeper than normal. A forced smile took over her face instead. ¡°Nothing¡­just¡­well, something happened, and well, what would you know? I woke up in this, whatever place this is.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­you sure it was nothing?¡± ¡°Absolutely, Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn cleared her throat. ¡°Anyhow, fix yourself up. As my sole remaining officer at the present moment¡ª¡± ¡°Mhm¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me. As I was saying, we have a duty to the Confederacy,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Thus, you and I, our first mission right now¡­would be to find a way back. We have our own mechs in pristine condition, with full fuel, so I¡¯m sure that we would find a way, Lieutenant.¡± Hans nodded. It seemed that Adelyn was still operating under the assumption that they were in Terra and that it was possible to come back to where they were supposed to be. And also, he imagined, this noblewoman had an actually positive home for herself, unlike him. And so, Hans held off for now from shattering her ideal bubble. He wasn¡¯t the cruel type of a man to a woman. Not to mention, he had always been careful at speaking to noblewomen. After all, in the Confederacy¡­the thought of even crossing their words would not result in fun times¡­as he learned the hard way. Not that Captain is that type of a woman. He then tried something on her. Target Status Check. +++
Status: Healthy (No Special Health Effects) Name: Adelyn von Wittenstein Age: 24 Race: Virtus Type: ??? General Tier: I LVL: 5 Class: Mech Pilot (Finisher) Passive Skills: ??? Active Skills: ??? Available Arcane Points: ???
+++ A Virtus? Hmm¡­so I¡¯m a Vanus, and she¡¯s a Virtus. I assume then that she¡¯s of the ¡°Angel¡± race, and I¡¯m¡­whatever the hell I am. Aliz¨¦e is also Vanus like me, but she does not have the demon classification, even if she has horns¡­a long knife-like ear, and I¡¯ve noticed sharp fangs. Perhaps Vanus is a lower form of demons? Wait, her type is ¡®uncorrupted¡¯...so does that mean I¡¯m¡­? Of course, that ignored the fact that she was somehow starting out at level five while Hans started out at level one. Whoever summoned them must be quite the biased one! Regardless, Hans was confused about this whole ordeal. And why the hell was he able to understand whatever the hell that ¡°status¡± screen was, but not the writings of this land? I can¡¯t even understand Aliz¨¦e yet. All I know is her name. If only I could ask her. He really hoped the kid was at least educated. If she was of a noble or merchant background, then surely, she¡¯d have been schooled. Not that Hans expected any sort of advanced knowledge from her, but he didn¡¯t have any locals to talk to right? He¡¯d take anything. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Goddess¡­learning their language would take too long if I need to. This is a pain. ¡°Captain, I have something to tell though,¡± Hans said, and Adelyn immediately nodded. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You see¡­I found one of the locals,¡± Hans said. ¡°Convoy of carriages¡ª¡± ¡°Not the time for jokes, Lieutenant.¡± ¡°They were ambushed by these big glowing wolf-like things¡ª¡± ¡°I understand you¡¯re of the creative kind, but Lieutenant, don¡¯t suggest nonsense.¡± ¡°And I saved a young girl from that convoy. She¡¯s the sole survivor. Her name is Aliz¨¦e. Wanna see her?¡± Adelyn nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± The two of them then went to the Peacemaker, which was parked side by side with Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler Mech, named the Diligence. Not exactly as cool as Hans¡¯ name for his mech, but Hans chalked it up to Adelyn¡¯s personality. The two of them climbed up on Hans¡¯ mech, and Hans opened his hatch, just as Aliz¨¦e opened her eyes and yawned. Adelyn could merely look at the girl with muted shock as the girl spoke. ¡°A¡­a Virtus?¡± +++ ¡°I want to know, did you even feed her last day? She seemed really hungry earlier when I fed her.¡± ¡°Of course I did, Captain,¡± Hans replied. They were back on the road once more, with Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke leading the charge, almost forty meters ahead of Adelyn¡¯s mech to scout out a way for her. After all, when attacks happened, the first one down was always the lead vehicle, not the one behind. Earlier, when Adelyn laid her eyes on Aliz¨¦e, she immediately checked the girl for everything, from injuries to signs of deprivation, as she questioned Hans about everything that had happened. Of course, Hans at last informed Adelyn of the situation, what happened, and how he retrieved her. Adelyn¡­as Hans expected, immediately acted protectively of Aliz¨¦e. Due to the fact that the Diligence was better protected than Hans¡¯ rustbucket, the two of them decided that Aliz¨¦e would be under Adelyn¡¯s care until further notice. The girl seemed amicable with his Captain, luckily, as she even briefly played with the girl in the hopes of cheering her up before they continued on. ¡°I fed her last night, 1600 hours to be specific,¡± Hans said. ¡°Gave her my MRE rations.¡± ¡°Rations aren¡¯t good for children, Captain,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°We need to find a place to get proper food for her.¡± Hans felt his stomach rumble a bit. Indeed, he was a tad bit hungry himself. ¡°That¡¯s the plan. Find a place to resupply, and get in contact with the locals. Maybe even tell them what happened, and maybe even return her.¡± ¡°That sounds good,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°She looks so cute¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Hans smiled a bit. ¡°That she is, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°And her horns¡­and ears. She looks like she¡¯s out of a fantasy book.¡± Hans laughed. ¡°You¡¯re growing fond of her quick, huh, Captain?¡± ¡°I handled children sometimes at our family¡¯s orphanage,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°They¡¯re pure creatures. I¡¯m sure she is too.¡± Hans fell silent for a while. ¡°Hey, Captain.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Did¡­did you and E Company¡­escape?¡± ¡°Escape?¡± ¡°From¡­Haubliz?¡± She seemed to have fallen silent. ¡°What do you mean? Of course, we did. You pulled off that rearguard action so masterfully, after all. Know what, you should really help our Company mates with those techniques of yours.¡± But¡­but I failed and died? Did she perhaps¡­ Hans tried to consider his theories. She didn¡¯t seem to think that he died. That was strange. Then again¡­considering that he got here through wacky black magic or whatever the hell caused it¡­perhaps she was¡­not from the same timeline where he met his end? That was certainly a plausible explanation. ¡°Oh¡­okay, I see then.¡± ¡°Was something wrong, Lieutenant?¡± ¡°Err, ahem, nothing¡­just. Just remembering something, is all.¡± There was another silence from her end of the line. ¡°I understand, Lieutenant. You went through so much.¡± ¡°...Thank you, Captain.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she laughed. ¡°Anyhow, we just need to find our way back, as I¡¯ve said, and it¡¯ll be all fine.¡± ¡°Sure, Captain. It¡¯s why you¡¯re in charge, after all.¡± ¡°Are you jesting?¡± Hans laughed. ¡°Nothing, nothing.¡± Hans heard a frustrated huff from the other line. ¡°You¡¯re one of my most difficult platoon leaders.¡± ¡°Whatever you say, Captain.¡± +++ It was already afternoon when they stopped. Their progress had been significantly slowed down by Hans¡¯ insistence on caution. Rarely would they drive too fast in order to check if the environment was safe. Again, Hans didn¡¯t know what kind of dangers lay ahead, so he had used his mech as a recce unit of sorts. Adelyn would stop in a secure area, while he would move forward to check the road ahead. Rinse and repeat, until this point. ¡°Hey, Lieutenant. I think we should make a stop. Aliz¨¦e seems hungry.¡± Hans stopped his mech, just as they found another town ahead. ¡°Found something.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Abandoned settlement, again,¡± Hans said, as Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler stopped behind him. He checked his thermals for any contacts inside of the town, but he found nothing. With a sigh, he spoke to the comms. ¡°That¡¯s the second one this time around.¡± ¡°I see¡­I really have bad feelings about this, Lieutenant.¡± ¡°Captain, I volunteer to once again recce that town,¡± Hans said. ¡°You and Aliz¨¦e stay here. Maybe heat her up a meal over there and wait till I come back. I¡¯ll drive there, check if it''s safe, maybe go on foot for closer inspection of anything that might help us, and I¡¯ll return here to report.¡± ¡°Are you sure of that, Lieutenant?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°Look, you can count on me to come with you.¡± ¡°No,¡± Hans said. ¡°Take care of Aliz¨¦e. You¡¯re with her. There¡¯s no reason to take her to a risky situation.¡± ¡°Just report back if you see anything then,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°I¡¯ll rush there if any trouble arises.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Hans said. ¡°I¡¯m going then.¡± ¡°Be careful, Lieutenant. That¡¯s all. Out.¡± 9. Bleed He Must ¡°As a soldier, I always wondered when death would come to me. It seems to simply surround me, after all. Always in the corner. Always waiting. Its dark hands looking for the opportune moment to snag me from the state of being alive. Many of my comrades have fallen to it, and I am no fool to believe I would not be next. I just want to ask. When? When would I fall?¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Alright, here goes nothing. Hans cautiously drove his Wanderfalke forward into the abandoned town. Finally, he didn¡¯t have any kids to worry about as he ventured here. Just him¡­him alone in a potentially dangerous environment. One of the things he worried about after all was having Aliz¨¦e be in his little death coffin should things go awry. Wouldn¡¯t be pretty to have a kid die from a stray shell. For a brief moment, he stopped, subtly feeling the stabbing pain of shrapnel on his legs. He¡­really went through that, didn¡¯t he? To die? Yet now, he was alive. Still, for a brief moment¡­he was there. And Hans felt it hard to move as he felt his heart collapse into itself for but a brief moment. Am I¡­going to die? He certainly felt like it. As if something was wrong. Adelyn did say something felt wrong after all. If there was anything he knew about Captain Wittenstein was the fact that she had a keen eye for danger. Rarely had their unit been ambushed or were they caught in surprise since she took over E Company. An on-the-books commander, yes, but she was also adaptable. In a way, it was why he trusted her. She should be able to handle any situation. If he was good at killing hostile forces, Adelyn certainly was better at keeping E Company and him alive. That was where she excelled at. Hans continued on through the abandoned town. Like the last one, it seemed desolate. As if some sort of monster rampaged through it. He wondered where the bodies were, considering that there were many signs of fighting. In fact, he wondered why exactly was there no response force of some sort from that threat. If that was a demonic entity, then it might have eaten these people. The Peacemaker trudged forward, stopping right in front of a market stall that seemed to still have some goods before whatever attack killed these people. Hans checked his sensors, especially his motion sensors, for anything close by and found absolutely nothing. He took his SMG, alongside his pistols. He needed to inspect things by himself. Popping his hatch open, he cautiously jumped down, straight into the stone roads of this area. He looked at one of the houses beside him, the glasses on it seemingly smashed by something. That certainly didn¡¯t bode well for him Something definitely attacked this place. And the silence¡­it was consuming him. It wasn¡¯t the good type of silence. It was the bad type. But his sensors already showed that no contacts were inside. Most importantly, he had a gun. These people didn¡¯t, or at least, their weapons were no good. Unlike them, Hans was a soldier of the Confederacy, one of the most advanced nations on Terra. He piloted a mech that while vulnerably unarmored, had good merits. It was fast, with an array of powerful sensors that kept its users well aware of the battlefield at all times. Most of all, it had a double coaxial and a 90mm main gun. Fear? It was unfounded. He also held an SMG. Even outside of his mech, Hans was a soldier who packed teeth. And he had already proven it earlier when he killed that monster. Perhaps he wouldn¡¯t be able to fight a level 8 demonic entity barehanded, not that he would be able to even if he was equal to it. But he sure as hell could equalize that with modern weaponry. He laughed, attempting to comfort himself. Level two huh? Let¡¯s see how they work against my guns. He checked the stalls, especially the papers and books, trying to glean anything from them. They can come at me, and I¡¯ll just rain them bullets. Courtesy of modern technology. Still, Hans recognized that overconfidence was not good. For this world seemed fantastical, he feared what magicks or whatever nonsensical creature was here. He was still a glass cannon, and so was his mech, and so was Adelyn¡¯s mech. Even the Wanderadler was only well-armored on its remote-controlled turret, its important compartments, and its front. Its side armor was notoriously vulnerable, for example. Too much armor after all would be a strain on a mech¡¯s agility and mobility, which was the main reason why it was even introduced in the first place. To move in the battlefield and irregular terrain like a true monster, unhindered by merely relying on tracks for propulsion. The legs, for example, were a very vulnerable part of every mech, even if it could run with some of it knocked down (in comparison to a tracked MBT). Considering the creatures here, he really should be cautious. Still, he didn¡¯t need to fear that much. He¡¯d shoot them first before touching his glass cannon of a vehicle, or his squishy body. That was who he was after all. The Falcon Ace of the Southern Front. He wouldn¡¯t be beaten by some medieval junk. +++ Hans exited the fifth house he had visited near the vicinity of his mech. All he really had to show for himself was a few trinkets and looted books and papers. He dropped on one of the stalls, taking his flashlight as it was already getting darker, and sifting through it. And damn there was nothing he could understand. He was hoping that there was anything, anything at all that resembled Lotharingian. At least, if there was, he¡¯d glean something. Intelligence was the most crucial part of every warfare after all. And right now, he certainly treated the environment he was in as a battlefield. To be blind would mean he would not know where an unknown threat would strike. To be blind would mean he would not know how to strike. And for a glass cannon, that was an unacceptable death sentence. To strike first was the entire SOP of a Wanderfalke Pilot. Of any pilot in fact. Even tankers subscribed to that idea. Armored warfare had always been a question of who struck first. A game that usually lasts in milliseconds once it starts. Armor and mobility were all second factors to spotting the enemy first and firing one¡¯s gun first. And Hans continued to follow that doctrine. In this case, whatever seemed to be threatening them, he must find and strike it first. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. But it was hard right now. If there was any equivalent to armored warfare in his situation, his optics were damaged. That essentially would render him useless. ¡°Alright¡­it¡¯s really getting dark,¡± Hans said. Movement. Quickly, he flicked off his safety, dropped to his knees, and faced something in the darkness. On the far distance of the street¡­something stared at him. Yellow eyes. He couldn¡¯t see it properly, almost as if it was a shadow. He tried to do something. Target Status Check.
[WARNING! STATUS CHECK FAILED!]
That was bad. Hans turned on the night-vision mode of his scope and placed his eye on it. It seemed to be near a fountain. The creature¡­it looked pitch black, massive¡­like a dog¡­its tails¡­no, that didn¡¯t make sense. Why did it have four of them¡­and why did it extend that way? It snarled at him. Local fauna perhaps? He should probably return to his Wanderfalke. This wasn¡¯t looking good. It was almost two hundred meters away, and while he could test out his SMG on it, it wasn¡¯t attacking him yet. Perhaps it only wanted to observe him. Perhaps he didn¡¯t have to enter this area that it marked as its territory. There was no need to poke a beast unless it truly attacked you. ¡°Hans!¡± His radio suddenly blared out. He leaned his shoulder and pressed a button. ¡°Captain?¡± He stood up and continued aiming his SMG on it, as he methodically backed away to his mech. ¡°Captain, what¡¯s happening out there?¡± ¡°Local fauna of some sort. There¡¯s¡­there¡¯s three of them¡­surrounding my mech. I retreated myself and Aliz¨¦e, and I¡¯m not engaging. But shouldn¡¯t these things go away?¡± ¡°Captain¡­hold your breath and don¡¯t do anything stupid,¡± Hans said. ¡°We might get swarmed if we¡¯re not careful. Do not provoke it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m inside the town,¡± she said. ¡°My mech is backing off in your direction.¡± ¡°Captain, what?¡± Hans said. ¡°There¡¯s one of them here. Be careful.¡± ¡°Should we not engage, Lieutenant?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. Not yet,¡± Hans said, as he climbed back on the Peacemaker. ¡°Not yet. I¡¯ll try to find a way out of this town. If we can retreat without hostility¡ª¡± ¡°I have a 120mm main gun and an MPAT round locked and loaded for these creatures,¡± Adelyn warned. ¡°We¡¯re driving Confederacy mechs. We shouldn¡¯t see any issues.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Hans said. ¡°But caution, Captain. We do not know what these things are, or what they are capable of. We¡¯re blind.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± He closed his hatch and returned to his controls. Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke stood alive, as its chassis turned in the direction of Adelyn¡¯s mech, while he kept his turret and main gun locked on the unknown creature. In merely ten seconds, he stopped behind Adelyn¡¯s mech. ¡°Follow me, we¡¯ll try this route,¡± Hans said. ¡°Copy that.¡± The two of them drove through the tight lanes of the town. Due to its nature, the streets were only a few meters wide, and they had to raise their mech¡¯s chassis in order to reduce the distance of their legs from the center of their mechs. This, however, meant that they were slightly more unstable, and in an actual combat environment, it would be a detriment, as raising one¡¯s height only meant giving the enemy a bigger target. However, it wasn¡¯t like these creatures had cannons to take them down, so Hans didn¡¯t worry much. They continued on, passing through the minor lanes until they were back on the main street, and their mechs lowered their chassis again. Suddenly, something slammed into Hans¡¯ mech. He heard Aliz¨¦e scream on the comms from Adelyn¡¯s mech, and his Wanderfalke was thrown nearly eight meters and slammed into a building. A warning appeared on his displays, with two legs being suddenly disjointed. He however forced it back up, and while his mech stood up shakingly for a second, it snapped back in place, and his turret turned into the creature that knocked him down. Gunfire from Adelyn¡¯s mech opened up, but the creature dodged it, climbing into one of the houses, as Hans¡¯ double coaxial opened up. Tracers filled the night sky, as Hans followed it, while it ran from him. It jumped down on his mech, but he dodged it, firing a loaded MPAT from his main gun, and obliterating a house instead. ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s fast!¡± He shouted. ¡°I¡¯m down! I¡¯m down!¡± Adelyn was distressed over the comms. ¡°Damn it, it sliced off two of my legs! Its tails Hans! Its tails can slice my Wanderadler¡¯s legs!¡± ¡°What?¡± A sudden movement charged from his left, and out from a tight lane, was the creature. He jumped away from it, but one of its tails sliced clean through the two aft legs at the left side of his mech. Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke dived into the road face first, as sparks appeared, stopping right in front of Adelyn¡¯s disabled mech. The area was too tight. Too tight! And the damned thing was now jumping above them! With his mech completely immobile, Hans knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to fight it with his turret. In fact, it seemed that Adelyn knew the same, as she popped her hatch open, and began firing her gun wildly. ¡°Adelyn!¡± He shouted. ¡°Adelyn, what the hell?!¡± He took his gun, opened his hatch, and jumped down into the road. Damn it, this escalated in ways he didn¡¯t expect. Now their two mechs were out of commission! He ran straight to Adelyn, noticing the creature charging at her, but the thing¡­its dark tail sliced through her clean. Its paws threw Adelyn¡¯s body straight to Hans, dropping both of them down on the road. ¡°Captain!¡± He shouted as he caught her bloodied form. Her kevlar body armor was sliced clean, fresh blood pooling straight from her abdomen. Hans fired his SMG at the creature with one hand, his other hand wrapped tightly at her as he pulled her away. ¡°Captain! Stay with¡ª¡± It was sharp¡­and he had not even a second to react to it. He looked down at the arm of his that used to hold his SMG as it flew on the sky, and dropped on the road. Pinkish shards of light however attacked the creature, and Hans looked at a crying Aliz¨¦e that was running straight at him and Adelyn, her hands aimed at the creature as she fired off magic of some kind. But Hans only felt the raw, bloody pain reverberate on him, as he dropped with Adelyn on his arm. Strangely, he couldn¡¯t breathe. That was when he realized it. He was already drowning in blood. His neck¡­it was¡­ No¡­no¡­it¡¯s¡­ It hurts¡­ He couldn¡¯t choke anything out. He couldn¡¯t cry for help. He couldn¡¯t shout out, ¡°Aliz¨¦e, run!¡± He couldn¡¯t do anything. Was this it? My blood¡­it¡¯s everywhere¡­her blood. Her golden blonde hair had his crimson red blood on it. Her halo. It was gone. Her body was right on top of his. And no more could he control his other hand. Everything¡­everything was turning black¡­ No¡­no¡­I can still¡­ No¡­ Why did I fail? Why? His singular job. To protect them. And he failed. The last thing he heard¡­was Aliz¨¦e¡¯s cries turning into a blood-curdling scream¡­just as all the pain stopped. 10. Struggle He Must ¡°I wish my sanity remained intact.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Hans opened his eyes. And he was breathing raggedly. With his eyes dilated. The ghost pain on his arm was still there as looked at it, his other hand touching his neck in an almost frantic manner. What the hell had happened? Why was he here? Did that happen? Did he¡­did he¡­ There were soft, peaceful breaths in front of him. Hans looked forward and realized that he was on his mech. Aliz¨¦e seemed to be sleeping peacefully on his lap, and she almost nuzzled herself in her arms after she felt Hans¡¯ distressed movements. Taking control of his deep breaths, Hans almost wanted nothing but to hug the kid to comfort himself. He did not of course. What the hell just happened? I was¡­ He almost choked, still feeling that raw¡­flesh, warm blood flowing from his own neck. But there was nothing. It was intact. No matter how many times he touched it¡­there was nothing there. None of that searing, painful slice that he felt in his final moments. It was¡­okay. 0633 Hours. Indeed. He was inside of his mech, with Aliz¨¦e still asleep, right on that hour. Just before he met Adelyn. But that didn¡¯t make sense. Why was he here? Why was he alive? It all¡­it all felt too real. Was it¡­nothing but a vision of the future? He didn¡¯t know. And he started breathing in an ever worse fashion. ¡°Hrng¡­¡± Aliz¨¦e opened her eyes. For a second, Hans was frozen. He just screwed up and woke up a sleeping girl. Great, right when she needed rest. Aliz¨¦e gave a cute yawn, that for a moment, almost wiped the sheer terror that gripped Hans. She looked behind her. ¡°Sir Hans¡­it¡¯s morning huh? Hmm¡­are you okay, Sir Knight?¡± Hans forced a gentle chuckle off from him as he ruffled her hair. ¡°Good morning, kid. Had a good sleep?¡± Of course, Hans knew she didn¡¯t understand it, but he felt nice that Aliz¨¦e merely accepted his patting. He really felt at ease now. How could all that happen? He would not let Aliz¨¦e¡­ Her scream. That¡­that scream that imprinted itself on his mind. I¡­I am sorry. I am sorry. I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. ¡°In comparison, I¡¯m okay, kid,¡± Hans said, as he tried keeping his expressions calm in front of her. ¡°I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m sure of it. Nothing at all happened. Must¡­must have been bad dreams. Hah¡­guess that¡¯s what happens when you¡¯re in a different world, no?¡± Hans smiled at her. It was alright. Everything was going to be alright. It was nothing but a vision. A very vivid vision, yes, but merely a vision nonetheless. He was alright. And she was safe. She was alive, and Hans was sure that Adelyn was too. It would be alright. There was nothing wrong at all. +++ ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem hurt,¡± Adelyn said. She was checking Aliz¨¦e on the side of her mech, hidden from Hans. Hans, for his part, was merely standing alone on the road, looking at the rising sun¡­the same direction to the town, at least, from his visions. ¡°Told ya,¡± Hans replied, as normal as he could. Meeting Adelyn at the exact location he found her in that¡­dream was surreal to Hans. Especially when right now, everything that had happened was happening the same. Almost as if he followed the vision down to the letter, things might not be too far from it. He felt¡­wrong. Looking at Adelyn¡¯s intact self, he couldn¡¯t stop remembering how it felt when he caught her. It was¡­so vivid. Way too vivid for his comfort. The way her body dropped to his arms as if she was a tossed doll. With her blood spraying in all directions, bathing his uniform with her fresh blood. But right now, again, she was alright. As if none of those happened. Adelyn didn¡¯t even show any signs of distress, as far as Hans knew. And neither did Aliz¨¦e show any signs of distress. They were, in all sense, perfectly alright. Not sliced in the belly like Adelyn. Not whatever happened to Aliz¨¦e¡­ Technically, he was also¡­fine, yes. He had no injuries. But he¡­he¡­he could see it all vividly. He shook his head. This wasn¡¯t the time to despair for some nonsense. If it was a vision, then he needed to get his act together. He needed to start preparing for what could be the inevitable. And so, he started running his thoughts back on that creature. The night wolves, yes. Was it perhaps close to that? A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. But it was pitch black. That must mean it was of a different species. But he wasn¡¯t able to check it with a [Target Status Check], so he wondered how exactly he would know what it was. Were levels perhaps connected to it? Then that¡¯d mean he was dealing with an enemy with possibly way too high of a level compared to him. But it¡¯s the only route forward. Retreating¡­would that be an option if this route was a sunk-cost fallacy? That could certainly be something he could do¡­probably. If he could rush right now without caution, he¡¯d most likely reach it within a few dozen minutes. Perhaps, without the advantage of nighttime, he would be able to get his machine guns locked into it and kill it fast. All assuming that those visions are real. Otherwise, I might just be fighting childish imaginations. To describe Hans as some sort of a man who believed in dreams was the furthest thing one could do. If he barely believed in spiritual nonsense, faith, and other mystical concepts, the idea of a dream becoming true was something that sent him an increasingly severe sense of discomfort. And so, Hans rejected it. It was impossible! Dreams could not predict the future. But¡­it did predict this very moment. He felt as if he lived through it. The first time he met Adelyn again in this world. Her reaction. Her reactions to Aliz¨¦e. It all lined up too disgustingly well. Which again, but worried and disconcerted it. What exactly could be the explanation for that? And what exactly could he do now to avoid it if it was true? The priority must shift then. Hans thought. I cannot allow the two of them anywhere close to that area. My Wanderfalke is designed for rapid deployments, reconnaissance, and armor elimination. I should do my job. Clear the path for them. Fast and efficient. Without worrying about their safety. If he could go in alone, put the beast down, or sufficiently check the area for its presence, and allow Adelyn to pass through without a hunch, he¡¯d succeed. Now¡­all he needed was to find an excuse for Adelyn to go forward. Alone. Crap. She hates these kinds of ideas. He turned back. It seemed that Adelyn was checking the girl¡¯s mouth with her flashlight. Hans wondered what the hell came to his Captain¡¯s mind to do that. Dental health, at this time and moment? ¡°Ah, there, just keep it open, we need to make sure that there¡¯s really nothing¡ª¡± ¡°Captain,¡± Hans interrupted, and Adelyn turned and stood up. ¡°Yes, Lieutenant? What seems to be the problem? You look troubled.¡± Hans waved it off. ¡°Anyone would be in this situation. Captain, I¡¯d like to volunteer to check the route forward. Considering that you have a child that would be in your vehicle, as we agreed to, I believe it would be dangerous for you to continue forward in a possible ambush. Let me check first.¡± ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn frowned. ¡°I am a soldier of the Confederacy. I can defend myself. Perfectly well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying you cannot,¡± Hans said. ¡°But my Wanderfalke is designed for fast recon. I¡¯d just be doing my job.¡± ¡°We can recce the route together,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°You just need to be first in the column. So if a Murat MBM shot you dead, your Captain will be just behind to save you.¡± Hans laughed. ¡°What?¡± Adelyn said. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea. It¡¯s just the two of us here left, so we have to stick together as much as possible. I mean, look at her. She doesn¡¯t understand us. Sure, she¡¯s docile, well, she¡¯s a cute kid after all. Harmless. But imagine if some of the locals see us¡­.¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯m not gonna start trouble, Captain¡ª¡± ¡°Sure he says that,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°But I know that you¡¯re too reckless at times. Always getting in trouble. Always in the frontline of every battle. Always the last to retreat.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Hans fell silent. ¡°Yeah, see. Cat¡¯s got your tongue. I¡¯m right again,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°I¡¯ll be behind you. Let¡¯s get this child back to her home.¡± Hans sighed. Well, he tried what he could. Perhaps he could propose it again later when they were closer to that town. If it existed. Defeated, Hans walked back to his mech. Behind him, he heard the faint giggles from Aliz¨¦e. He looked back. Adelyn was already toying with the girl, as she repeated her name to her again and again. Of course, his Captain and her childish tendencies. Though, I suppose that¡¯s why she¡¯d be better at handling a child. Hans laughed a bit inside. He was truly never trained for it. That kid needed to feel comfortable after being¡­well, orphaned by a goddamned monster wolf. And what did he do? Give her chocolates. That was it. Truly, a fine performance from him. Well, I¡¯m a soldier. Not a damned daycare worker. Maybe in a different world, I can handle children. The best I can do is to prevent them from getting shot. Yet¡­ Remembering his dreams¡­he looked down at the legs of his Wanderfalke. Could he even do that job? Should the worst come this time again, could he defend Aliz¨¦e from that fate? Or would he just hear that¡­that¡­scream of hers¡­ Again. Hans shook his head and climbed his Wanderfalke. He looked at his turret¡­a peace symbol. That was his name. The Peacemaker. He always liked the sound of it. Fighting for peace. But¡­it was an oxymoron, perhaps. There were so many kill-rings on his main gun. He was a damned killer. He certainly didn¡¯t live up to his name. What more if I tried being a daycare worker? He dropped back into his cockpit, as the displays booted up. Taking a deep breath, he wondered again how he could beat that thing should it come to kill them again. He defeated those night wolves so easily. But not that thing. For some reason. That tail. He felt a bit of a cold chill. That tail sliced through our legs so easily. This vehicle. His guns. The weapons he held. The technology of his people. Defeated by this place¡¯s fauna. If it was true¡­the implications¡­ He looked back at Adelyn. Even she was beaten. His current skills might not be enough. If a mere animal could do that thing to them, Hans feared about actual thinking beings. If need be, I¡¯ll get stronger. I¡¯ll get better. He was fighting with the assumption that he was fighting tanks or mechs. Not organic life forms. He needed to find a way to change his style of fighting then. For his survival. And for their survival. He pressed the microphone button. ¡°Captain, let¡¯s get a move on,¡± he said over the speakers. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t waste daylight. Not in this situation.¡± 11. Carry On He Shall ¡°The battle was long and arduous. I suppose that¡¯s what war is, isn¡¯t it? I have no choice in the matter. Maybe I don¡¯t love my homeland. Maybe I don¡¯t have much to defend. But I am here to fight for my comrades.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Some would say that modern technology was imperfect. Hans refused to believe that. The idea that his modern mech, his Wanderpanzer II Falke Ausf. H, would in any way, lose to a mere beast of nature was utterly unacceptable for him. What was his mind thinking, conjuring up such a nonsensical story for him? Just to make him fear nonsense. There was absolutely no way he could be killed by that thing. Perhaps he was angered, angered by the idea that he, the Ace of the Southern Front, with a name so infamous that the Flandrians hated him with a special passion, would fall to a damned entity like that, and fail his Captain. It was a joke! A damned joke. Still, he controlled himself. As he drove with Adelyn hot behind him, his mind ran an endless analysis of the memories that were on his mind. First, his main mistake¡ªhe wasn¡¯t in his Wanderfalke during the start of the engagement. Second of all, he went in blind. In every battle that he fought in, he knew the enemy, inside and out. The Flandrians were a prideful bunch. Elan, as they would say, was the favorite nonsense of their officer corps. To charge forward like fools, prideful fools into the front. He had read history about it, of the many wars Lotharingia fought against the Flandrians. Of how they would charge to death to musket fire. Of how they would charge to cartridge-loaded rifles. Of how they would send human waves to machine guns, barbed wires, and trench lines. Of how they would send a column of armor against prepared anti-tank emplacements. Of how they would fight ambushing Lotharingian mechs in dense city blocks. And he always used that in his style of fighting. To wait for them to attack him. To let them expose themselves, for him to take a shot. He would always be the one hiding, and the Flandrians foolishly on the offensive. And he¡¯d punish them for it. He knew the speed of most of their vehicles based on how they moved. He knew the rates of their acceleration. He knew the maneuvers that a Murat MBM could not take. He knew how fast their turrets turned, and how fast their guns depressed. All of it, all of it was how he hid, dodged their attacks, fired his main gun with dead-eyed accuracy, and one-shot them on the weak points of their armor. And so he wondered, from that dream, what did he learn of that beast? It was fast, no doubt about it. His mech, according to it, was badly vulnerable. It could toss a damned eighteen-tonner vehicle if it charged on it. It had four extremely sharp tails that could slice his legs (and, from that, he deduced it could definitely slice through his nonexistent armor). And it was¡­perhaps impervious to his machine guns. No, that must not be it. He never saw any of his shots hitting it. Perhaps it was too fast for his turret to catch up on. After all, even if his remote-controlled turret turned fast, it had limitations. That was simply a mechanical reality. No turret would make a three-hundred-sixty-degree turn within just two seconds. That would be ridiculous, and he imagined even point-defense AAA mounts would not do such a thing. Especially when it seemed to operate close to him. On a close radius of engagement, thus greatly increasing its ability to outspeed his turret¡¯s turn rate. Most of all, it used the cover and hid using the structures of that village. Almost as if he was a Flandrian in a Murat MBM, and he was fighting himself. Going from that¡­the best strategy, undoubtedly¡­ He didn¡¯t need Adelyn. That was for sure. She was an extra factor to worry about. And her mech was slightly slower due to its protection upgrades. It was an MBM, not a street brawler. Her mech was designed to go hull-down, only expose its turret armor, fight an enemy tank or mech at medium to long ranges, and act as a C3 (Command, Control, and Communication) unit of E Company. As far as analysis goes, he needed to weed off vulnerability factors. Adelyn¡¯s unsuitable mech for an enemy of this type. The terrain disadvantage. The range disadvantage. And the movement disadvantage. His goal was to place himself in a position wherein he would be able to comfortably spot it, mark it, and fire a 90mm MPAT (Multi-Purpose Anti-Tank) shell set to airburst to scatter its innards on the road of that town. Which means it would be best for me to engage it outside of the town. Outside of the forest. Preferably on an open road outside of the town. The sun was still far from going down. He should have perfect visibility. If this thing¡­if it was truly there, and his vision was right, he would be able to hunt it with daylight. He needed to convince Adelyn to not follow him, and to remain far enough away to prevent her from falling prey to it. After all, it was not out of the possibility that its tails would not pierce through the Wanderadler¡¯s notoriously weak side armor. Endangering both of them would be unacceptable. Just as being defeated by that thing was unacceptable. No, he would go on, and fight it on his terms, on his own. If that vision was true, and he would fail and die, then it was all fine if only he would meet such a grizzly end. ¡°Captain,¡± he said in his comms. ¡°We are nearing a settlement. Please let me recce the area.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Lieutenant? What do you mean? We can go¡ª¡± ¡°Negative Captain,¡± Hans said. ¡°The chance of ambush is too high. I am your recce unit, aren¡¯t I? Your vanguard in all things. Let me do my job, and I¡¯ll clear the path.¡± ¡°Why do you always insist on being this way, Lieutenant?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t just for your safety, Captain. You are holding a civvie. That¡¯s for her too.¡± Hans took a deep breath, as he saw her mech take a stop on his electronic maps. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be going in. Don¡¯t come until I say so, Captain.¡± +++ His mech stopped just five hundred meters from the abandoned town. It was midday, so the sweltering sun was right above the battlefield. Visibility was utterly perfect. Hans had been in worse visibilities than this, and he triumphed. His eyes looked left and right. How strange that this town, for some reason, only had two roads going into it. But it was whatever. Even now, there was no activity inside, or outside. His vision however was too sensitive, as he felt a familiar fear rush through him, pumping his blood with adrenaline. Even a simple pigeon took his attention. His eyes snapped again to the side. Even a simple rustle of the wind. He wouldn¡¯t complain. It just meant that the creature wouldn¡¯t too easily sneak up on him. He checked the environment further, looking for any flat area. Much of the place was covered by the thick forest outside of the town, but he could see that there were some flatlands near the river where the town was situated. Perhaps he could wait there for it. Or perhaps, he could also fight it on the bridge on the other side of the town. If, assuming, it didn¡¯t come from where they came from, but instead, in the direction that they were going toward, he could rush through the town, position himself on that bridge, and prepare an ambush. It could dash at him at ninety kilometers per hour for all he cared, he¡¯d slap it with an MPAT at three hundred meters. His mech drove down. The town was at a lower elevation, so Hans also considered the possibility of waiting for it here and firing at it once it came to his sight, but that would be impossible if it found cover on the town¡¯s streets. He raised his mech¡¯s legs at full acceleration, and dashed through the entrance of the town like some racing sports car, as he kept himself on the main road. His eyes peeled left and right, as he passed through the minor streets of the town. He was assuming that the creature was outside of the town as of now (or non-existent), but he was taking precautions regardless. After all, it would be an embarrassment if he¡ª Its fangs were ivory white as it snarled at him. It was a mere millisecond of him seeing it on the left side of his mech as he dashed through the main road. He passed through a street that merely led to what appeared to be the mansion area of this town¡¯s administration. As he sped through so fast, he pulled on the brakes, and his mech¡¯s chassis turned a sudden ninety-degree turn, his mech¡¯s legs leaving a plume of smoke as it drifted to a halt. Damn it! It¡¯s real! Weapons were engaged fast, and so was his turret. The creature charged on him, but just in time for his turret to turn¡ªand fire. An MPAT shell was fired from his main gun, sending a powerful boom that possibly terrorized the creature, and it ducked, the round passing just centimeters above it¡ªallowing the MPAT to activate¡ªand detonate in a violent boom. Except¡­it didn¡¯t¡­that was merely the product of his mind. He was too slow, and he fired it prematurely. The round was launched at the wrong angle of attack, too far on the left, and too high, multiple meters away from the ducked creature, enough that his MPAT¡¯s proximity fuse didn¡¯t sense it. And it flew on the far distance¡ª He pushed his feet and slammed on the pedal hard, dodging the creature just in time as it almost pounced on him, one of its tails slicing a tiny part of his rear legs. His mech slid through the stone road, as his double coaxials opened up an angry barrage of machine gun fire behind him, just as the creature disappeared from his view. Damn it! I can¡¯t let it get away! Quickly, his mech¡¯s legs turned his chassis at one hundred eighty degrees, fully reorienting his mech back on the main road. Pre-emptively, he turned his turret straight into the direction where that creature disappeared, and emerged back on the main road, the creature definitely gone from his sight. Where the hell did it go? A sudden voice distracted him. ¡°Lieutenant! I just heard a gun discharge! Was it you?¡± ¡°Captain, stay put!¡± He said. ¡°I am engaging an unknown biological lifeform.¡± ¡°Without my permission?!¡± ¡°This is not the time¡ª¡± Slash¡­straight through his frontal armor. Hans looked at the pierced display screen, as it turned off. Pain¡­indescribable pain. Slowly¡­he looked down at his abdomen. A pitch-black tail¡­extending straight inside¡­straight at his guts. He was¡­ An iron-like taste flooded his mouth, as blood, his blood, oozed up his throat. Even more so when it suddenly pulled right out of him, his blood splattering the interior of his cockpit. A loud guttural scream came from Hans, as his gloved hand held the wide-open, blood spurting wound on his gut. ¡°Lieutenant?! Hans?! Hans?!¡± He had no answer. He failed her. Again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, A-Adelyn,¡± he said in sheer agony. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so¡ª¡± He heard a powerful growl, as two of the tails of the beast slammed and pierced the top of his cockpit, their triangular arrow-like form locking on his hatch. The creature pulled it up and ripped the hatch off from his vehicle. He was truly a dead man. The two tails stabbed Hans¡¯ abdomen again, creating two wounds on him. He could only whimper this time as a reaction to the indescribable pain it gave him, as he was slowly pulled out of the mech, then roughly when a cracked metal that was sharp enough sliced through his right foot. Hans let off a cry of pain as he was raised up in the sky, hoisted on the hot sweltering midday sun. The beast looked at him hungrily. Hans¡­he could only shout at it. ¡°Damn you!¡± He shouted with his last strength. ¡°Damn you! You monster!¡± A third tail, this one with a sharp claw-like mouth stabbed straight into his heart¡­and Hans fell silent as he stared at the creature one last time. Mercy¡­he begged for it without words¡­he begged for it again and again, perhaps a hundred times in just a mere second¡­but he found no mercy. The tail ripped his heart away. Hans¡­could only stare at the tail¡­his heart inside its claw-like mouth. What¡­? What did I do to deserve this? To die¡­like this? What? What? No answers. His vision¡­turned pitch black. 12. Through the Pain ¡°Regret. It¡¯s a powerful thing, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ve always wondered if I would regret the act of killing people. I certainly killed a lot of people, real people. I am, in a sense, a murderer now. I wonder¡­one day, if I¡¯m in their position¡­would I regret what led me to that point?¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Hans opened his eyes. And his hyperventilations turned extreme. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out¡­yet he couldn¡¯t stop the suffocation. He needed air, he gasped for it, yet he couldn¡¯t get it inside. He felt completely suffocated, as his body convulsed in utter terror. He died. He died. He died. He truly died. Worse than dying. He was brutally mangled. He¡­he¡­ His senses returned. Right in front of him were the same screens of his Wanderfalke. 0633 Hours. That same time. That same damned time. It was back. He was back at that time. The same time on the same day that he died for the first time in his memories. And the same time he died for the second time on this same day. Just moments ago. Just¡­just¡­ He shook his head slowly, almost in denial, his breath tightening further. No¡­no¡­ It can¡¯t be¡­ No¡­ It couldn¡¯t be. It couldn¡¯t be that way. He wanted to run. To curl up. He could still feel it all vividly. His throat. His arm. His abdomen. His feet. His¡­ His own heart¡­ I don¡¯t want to die. It could not be that way. I don¡¯t want to die again. He died enough already! He died¡­in¡­in Haubliz, then that, then that¡­then¡­ Please don¡¯t be that way. He begged. He begged reality that it was a lie. That it was all dreams. That he wasn¡¯t back here. That he was always here. That he always had traveled here, and he just slept, and now he was simply having nightmares. He wanted it to say that those two times¡­ were just an extremely bad nightmare. It couldn¡¯t be the truth. He¡­ What more? He didn¡¯t want to die again. He didn¡¯t want to. He wanted to run. It hurt. It hurt in so many ways that he still felt it burned into his mind. Memories? Nightmares? They were never this way. They were never meant to be this way. Was he mentally ill? Was he going nuts? PTSD? Shell-shock? Was his mind tricking him? Was it all a bad jest? He wanted¡­he wanted someone now, to just give him an answer. To tell him that he was just having a bad day. But nothing. Nothing. ¡°Sir Hans?¡± Hans looked down. Aliz¨¦e¡­her red eyes, it looked¡­she looked almost frightened. She looked up at him as if she shared the fear and agony that had consumed him. And she too, unable to understand him, must be searching for answers as well. ¡°Is¡­is everything alright?¡± ¡°Aliz¨¦e¡­¡± Hans said. ¡°You¡­do you remember¡­?¡± ¡°Sir Hans¡­?¡± ¡°Aliz¨¦e¡­did that¡­did that all happen? Did¡­¡± He breathed out again and closed his eyes. He was a soldier. A soldier of the Confederacy! Not some¡­not some soft-hearted doe-eyed teenage boy. He was forged in the fields of battle. Of steel monsters clashing against steel monsters. Of battlefields where chemicals that ravaged the nervous system were breathed by its participants. Where diseases designed by humanity that caused victims to die bleeding internally in just days spread from bombs. On radioactive battlefields where the power of the sun was dropped merely days before he fought there. But¡­but now¡­ No, he took control. He shut it down. One by one. The fears. The pain. The terror. Like a well-oiled machine, by the time he opened his eyes¡­he could finally muster a confident, slightly upbeat expression to the young girl who relied on him. She didn¡¯t deserve to fear. He gave her a pat. ¡°Nothing. Nothing. Let¡¯s go search for my Captain, then let¡¯s have breakfast. Sounds like a plan?¡± ¡°Sir Hans, why¡­why are you suddenly smiling?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes, Aliz¨¦e,¡± Hans said¡­but his words¡­it was weak. None of that bravado and confidence of a seasoned ace pilot. Almost as if he doubted his tone. What did that even mean? Hans struggled to know. He was¡­he was doubting himself. He almost wanted nothing more than to talk to her, and ask her¡­ask her why that happened. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. If that happened at all. Hans however said, ¡°If it¡¯s true, I¡¯ll kill it. No?¡± Yet it came out a question. Of course¡­he was asking a kid. A child. Someone that should not even have a concept of ¡°killing¡±, if he was capable of killing that threat. He was¡­he was asking a damned child. How could he be bought this low by a mere dream? Bought this low by a mere story. A scene from a novel meant to shock its audience. A scene from a movie meant to up the tension for the main character. Fantasy. It was fantasy. Nothing but, creations of the foolish mind. A pitch-black, yellow-eyed, almost demonic (he was sure it was demonic) wolf-like monster with multiple sharp tails capable of slicing through metal, through Confederacy steel¡­and defeating a damned ace pilot of a powerful machine? That¡­that was nothing but a lie. That was impossible. Utterly out of the question. Again, fixations of the foolish mind that would create such absurd tales, like another world. Or¡­or a being with¡­ He looked down at Aliz¨¦e¡¯s horns. Then to her knife-like ears. ¡­He remembered her on that pitch-black night, rushing to save them, launching pinkish shards that scared off that same monster. ¡­Aliz¨¦e¡­ The girl was right in front of her lap. The same girl he had saved. True as anything else. Corporeal, someone he could touch. Someone who existed. Not just a mere fantastical dream. He¡­he had a creature of fantasy¡­right on his very own lap¡­ ¡°Sir Hans?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± No more words came out of his mouth. She was as true as anything else. Which means¡­which means¡­ Fantasy¡­ The impossible¡­ The same thing that he wanted more to classify as creations of the mind¡­ Was a true, living, breathing, and talking being to him. The confident facade he had just restored¡­ collapsed for but a brief second¡­until he breathed out. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll find a way¡­¡± +++ Captain Adelyn von Wittenstein¡­ Hans felt nothing but a strange sense of relief to see her standing in front of him. His tired¡­almost lethargic pace of walk, now, returned back to his more officer-like stance. He straightened himself and wiped the traces of anguish on his face. It was her. Captain Wittenstein. He wasn¡¯t alone. He had her. It should¡­it should be all right, in the end. Everything would be alright as long as he had a comrade in arms. Right? ¡°Captain,¡± Hans said. ¡°You may be surprised but¡ª¡± ¡°Lieutenant Hoffman!¡± Adelyn¡¯s smile turned radiant. ¡°It really is you! Dear Goddess. I thought I was lost in this strange forest alone. See, I had been driving for hours already, but get this, none of our comms are working. More accurately, I¡¯ve been picking up no one. And we don¡¯t seem to be close to any Confederacy forces, so I was starting to get worr¡ª¡± Hans smiled. The way she spoke so fast and almost slightly nervously just to explain her situation¡­it was a consistent side to her in the last two times he had met her. This¡­this was their Captain. A sheltered noblewoman at heart who would always collapse into this almost¡­well, adorable mess at the sign of true trouble. ¡°I¡¯m sure it has been a¡­a terrifying phenomenon for you, Captain,¡± Hans said. ¡°Being alone must have been scary. Especially for, you know, a lady like you.¡± Now she crossed her arms. ¡°I refute that statement. Look, to be quite fair to my situation, Lieutenant, being alone in a combat situation, especially in the day of combined arms warfare, is a serious matter. As such, you do not get to make fun of me for being scared. Get that to your skull, commoner.¡± ¡°Gee, you get irritated fast today, huh?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Nobles. Whatever. Back to the situation. ¡°So Captain. I want to report something.¡± ¡°What? Did you find any friendly units? Look, it¡¯s just¡­it¡¯s just been such a confusing mess since I woke up. W-we cannot embarrass ourselves this way to our men, you know that, right? What would they think of me, suddenly disappearing and all-¨C¡± ¡°Captain,¡± Hans interrupted her tirade. ¡°Look, we¡¯re in a bad spot. No jokes. We are¡­in another world. Definitely.¡± Adelyn stopped and looked at him. For many uncomfortable seconds. Hans felt judged. How could her expressions alone call him stupid? Wait, now it called him a clown? A writer? What the hell did he do to this woman to deserve that?! ¡°I thought no jokes, Lieutenant?¡± Gah! He briefly imagined himself waving his white flag to the Flandrians. That would finally end his suffering once and for all when they shoot him anyway. Truly a euphoric alternative to this embarrassment. ¡°Look, I am serious.¡± ¡°I see that,¡± Adelyn replied, before stroking her chin. ¡°Goddess¡­that¡¯s such a lamentable tragedy. I knew it would reach this point. Hah¡­if only you weren¡¯t a penal soldier. I could have intervened with my connections and money. Not that mental health services exist for even regular soldiers nowadays. Goddess¡­¡± ¡°Captain,¡± Hans'' eyes turned tired. ¡°I am perfectly fine. What is not, is our situation. It is pretty bad because we are completely cut off from our world. And I have proof. Follow me please.¡± +++ ¡°See Captain, as I was saying¡ª¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Adelyn said, already checking Aliz¨¦e like some concerned parent. ¡°Lieutenant, move yourself and grab my medical kit in the Diligence. Chop chop. Now!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Hans gave up. Of course, her top priority as always, unchanging, would be Aliz¨¦e. He could not blame her. Even he was the same. ¡°Fine, Captain.¡± He walked away from them, straight into Adelyn¡¯s mech, which was now parked on the side of the dirt road, right beside Hans¡¯ mech. Hans looked at her own turret. On its side was really just the cross-pate emblem of the Lotharingian Armed Forces. Same with his turret. And of course, on the lower front side, the smaller personal insignia of hers. The Shield Cross of House Wittenstein. Said to represent their family¡¯s endless commitment to defending the common people of Lotharingia from injustice. Perhaps it was why this woman went out of her way to go down to the ranks of men condemned to penal manpower. Considering how she acted to Aliz¨¦e, and to the men of E Company¡­ Even if there were some tensions¡­it was nice to see someone living up to good ideals. He climbed on her mech¡¯s chassis, opened her hatch, and dropped inside. Of course, unlike Hans¡¯ mech, her cockpit was more spacious. Being manned by just one person for its size, it had enough for it to be a true officer¡¯s lounge room. Or at least the closest for a war machine. Funnily, she even designed things. There were plushies tied on some storage shelves. Ladies. Even in war, they go there girlishly. He grabbed the first aid kit as she ordered, and climbed back up. He looked back at the two of them, both already trying to know each other. They¡­they were two good souls, weren¡¯t they? It relieved Hans¡­even for a while. They were something at least. Something to distract his nightmares. Perhaps¡­even people who could help him through this. 13. Through the Ordeal ¡°Today, October 22, 2036, defense contractor Oktagon-Systeme introduced the so-called ¡®Wanderpanzer I Vulture¡¯ after winning a mass production contract from the Armed Forces. These new ¡®Spider Mechs¡¯ are a product of Lotharingia¡¯s advanced robotic technologies, featuring high-performance multi-legs in comparison to normal wheel-based or track-based propulsion. New doctrines are already being formed, centered in these new light, high-mobility, all-terrain capabilities that these vehicles can place on the table. These developments, however, are being matched rapidly by neighboring nations.¡± - Excerpt from ¡®The Confederal Post¡¯. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Hans was still rethinking his course of action. Beside him, both Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e were blissfully enjoying their own meals. For once, Hans decided to eat with them, using his own MRE. Quite frankly, the hunger he was experiencing was messing with his mind, and he needed to keep it clear this time around to fully grasp his situation. Not to mention, eating made his brain work. And right now, all sorts of questions were bubbling in his mind. What exactly was that thing? Why exactly did he see those visions? No, right now, he was fully doubting the visions theory. A more outlandish idea had already been forming in his mind, and he didn¡¯t like it one bit. He already had been revived from death from the fields of the Lotharingia. Then he was transported in what appeared to be a fantastical world¡­with¡­with magic, of course. Of course, add that. Second, in both of his ¡°dreams¡±, he died and woke up at the right moment. Two times. 0633 Hours. As if¡­as if each time he died, he would hop back in time. Right at that point. At 0633 Hours. Right at the moment of his waking time in his first death. Loops. It¡¯s as if I¡¯m looping through time. That was the only theory he could string right now. Each time he seemed to die, he returned to that same point in time. It was outlandish! Oh so outlandish. The mere idea of time travel alone was something of the realms of science fiction. Something that the same minds that created the Wanderpanzer had no way to grasp yet. More importantly. I am being revived from death each time it happens. That was even more outlandish. Death was¡­death was death! The entire concept of death is the ceasing of one¡¯s biological existence. This¡­this was truly in the realms of outlandish religions. Something which his mind had rejected¡ªrejected even harder now in denial! To return to the state of living¡­or, as they would call it, ¡°reincarnation¡±, after death, that was utter folly! Yet, his situation suggested that he was completely breaking such universal rules that it infuriated him. Did that mean he was immortal then? Who the hell told anyone to turn him into this?! The last thing he wanted was to trudge on any further in his bleak life¡­though granted, that didn¡¯t mean he wanted to have his heart ripped out as an alternative to being a disposable penal soldier, but, damn it! He thought he¡¯d at least be free from this hell called life within a few years in a peaceful manner, or maybe a good shot from a Flandrian tank. Fast, clean, quick, and easy departure from living. No, he was now completely denied from it. Which means¡­ My responsibility just increased. Gah! He already had to babysit one civilian, and a naive officer younger than him. Now, they were in a bad spot, and only he was able to see the future and avert it for them. How devious, whoever damned soul placed him in this situation! Was it the Goddess? If she existed, Hans now wondered again why the hell people worshiped her. None of that matters yet though. The problem right now is that if I don¡¯t change course¡­if I don¡¯t change things¡­then¡­then if those things really happened and I¡¯m merely looping back into this point, it won¡¯t end. More importantly, the two of them would die. Seeing¡­Adelyn¡­and hearing Aliz¨¦e die. That was already one too many times. They may be fine right now, but the idea that they would suffer such a grizzly end if Hans didn¡¯t pull off what he must pull off right now, something only he could pull off with the knowledge of the future¡­ That would be a crime beyond comprehension. He shook his head. He needed to find a way through this whole ordeal. To save them and himself. Running away from a responsibility he already assigned to himself was something Hans would not be able to accept. Just as he wasn¡¯t able to accept failure that would lead to the Einweg Company¡¯s deaths, he would not be able to accept failure now that would lead to Adelyn¡¯s and Aliz¨¦e¡¯s deaths. Not for these two souls. Especially Aliz¨¦e. She already went through enough of losing her family in one damned night. Quite frankly, Hans needed to make sure this entire thing should not even terrorize the girl. He needed to dispatch that monster cleanly before Aliz¨¦e could fear for her life again. Hans breathed out. This was such a pain in the arse¡­ ¡°Hey,¡± Adelyn suddenly spoke up. ¡°You look awful over there.¡± Hans stuffed another spoonful of beef stew in his mouth. ¡°Nothing. Just strategizing.¡± ¡°Well, I suppose that¡¯s just normal for a soldier,¡± Adelyn said. Aliz¨¦e then looked at a sandwich that Adelyn prepared from her rations. ¡°You know, for a girl of your age, you certainly eat a lot.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°She does,¡± Hans said. ¡°Fed her most of my MREs since I met her.¡± ¡°You did?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°What did you eat then?¡± ¡°Whatever I could scrounge up,¡± Hans answered. ¡°Reserved all of my rations for her until further notice. Thankfully, no need to do that now. She can eat yours instead.¡± ¡°You really are a special breed of evil.¡± ¡°Comes with being a penal soldier.¡± ¡°You are a nonviolent¡ª¡± ¡°Could be a tax evader for all you know,¡± Hans said. ¡°Or maybe a drug dealer. Feel scared now?¡± ¡°I know the sound of a liar,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Nope!¡± Hans ate up the last spoonful of his beef stew. ¡°Well, you¡¯re free to form your own theories.¡± +++ ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡± Adelyn asked. Hans was still devising ideas, but he seemed to have run out of time at this point. They were in the process of preparing for a departure, but Hans still had no idea how exactly they should do this. Perhaps a retreat would do well. ¡°Hey, do you really think we should continue in that direction?¡± Hans asked. ¡°I¡¯m just saying. It¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Lieutenant?¡± Adelyn furrowed her brows. ¡°Are you alright? You¡¯re¡­you¡¯re shaking a bit.¡± ¡°What? Why would I¡­¡± He looked down at his gloved hands. The idea¡­the idea of even going in that direction, sent a cold chill up his spine. For a second, he was once again back there¡­those tails, stabbing through his guts¡­or¡­or slitting his throat. He almost wanted to vomit. But he held it off by breathing in deeply. ¡°Nothing. Must have been just the food.¡± ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn walked forward and leaned close to see his eyes. Instinctually, Hans backed off a bit. ¡°Something is wrong with you.¡± ¡°Well¡­maybe that¡¯s true.¡± Adelyn backed off. ¡°Well, as your commanding officer, your well-being is my responsibility. So please, if it¡¯s something bad bothering you, I just want to say again that my ears are open. I understand if you want to hide it, but, if you do want to speak¡­¡± ¡°I understand, Captain,¡± Hans said. ¡°Plus,¡± She looked away a bit and crossed her arms. ¡°You¡¯re the ace of my unit, with the highest kills. So before you think that I see you as just another guy in E Company, think again. If I lose you to something silly, I would be badly affected.¡± She turned back to him. ¡°Get that, Lieutenant?¡± Hans nodded. ¡°Clear copy, Ma¡¯am. I understand my importance to your career.¡± With that, Adelyn merely breathed out exasperatedly. ¡°You¡¯re beyond dense, I never said that you¡¯re just a tool for me climbing the ranks,¡± but she seemed to give up. ¡°Whatever, Lieutenant. Just¡­if something is wrong, tell it to me, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Good,¡± this time her slight frown disappeared. ¡°So, as I¡¯ve said, what¡¯s the plan? Got any ideas? You¡¯ve been in this world slightly longer, so I¡¯ll need an idea from you. First, we need to reach a local settlement quickly.¡± Hans nodded. ¡°Yes, I know.¡± ¡°Second, get there safely.¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°Third, eat as little fuel as possible, so we need a map.¡± ¡°I get that.¡± ¡°So¡­you said you found a settlement earlier,¡± she said. ¡°And you fought something over there. Anything to report in particular about what happened during those fights? What exactly is the local fauna? How did they present the threat to you? Anything, anything at all?¡± Hans looked back at those fights. First were those night wolves. Quite similar in a way to the creature that already ¡°killed¡± him two times. But they were significantly easier to dispatch. Then¡­that ¡°demonic entity¡± that he downed with his small arms. Hmm¡­this was¡­ Wait. He looked back at the first ¡°death¡± of his. Unlike the other entities, he was never able to [TARGET STATUS CHECK] it for some reason. It said that it failed. There were many reasons that it could be possible, but one of the theories he ran was that it might be of a higher level than him, but he scratched that theory quickly, maybe undeservingly. Levels. Hold on. That¡¯s something. His mind immediately locked on that idea. The idea of levels. Connecting with his last fights, Hans noticed that whenever he killed those creatures, that scroll-like vision would appear in his eyes, telling him that he ¡°progressed¡± a certain percentage to the next level. In that case¡­ Running under the assumption that my level is too low to see what that creature is, and gather enough intel about it to fight it. Then that would mean he¡¯d have to raise his ¡°level¡±. How? By killing other creatures. Beasts. Beasts that he could already kill. Using them to propel himself to a higher level, Hans would be able to use [TARGET STATUS CHECK] on that creature. Assuming his assumptions were right. In fact, Adelyn could definitely do the same. No¡­she was of a higher level than him, no? Unlike him who started at level one, both Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e were already at level five. Unfair yes, but perhaps there was something he could use from that? No, using Aliz¨¦e is definitely out of the equation. Meanwhile, I¡¯d have to expose Adelyn to that monster if I want her to do it. And not to mention, it was his duty as her subordinate to do the fighting. She commanded him, he was under her. Her role was to provide direction to go through an ongoing situation. The minutiae details and the execution were his role. And she had already given him the orders. Get to a living settlement, where the girl could be safe, in a safe manner (thus necessitating the liquidation of the obstacle in that town), and finally, gather proper intel about their situation. ¡­In that case¡­he needed to raise his level himself. To kill multiple night wolves, or whatever beasts roamed the forest. With that, he could comfortably hunt that entity, vanquish it, and allow his group to continue on unabated. ¡°Captain, I think I have a plan,¡± Hans said. ¡°Remember what I said to you earlier when I told you to check that ¡®screen¡¯?¡± ¡°Huh¡­yeah, it certainly is strange, no? But I suppose being in a fantasy realm makes the outlandish possible.¡± ¡°Exactly, Captain,¡± Hans said. ¡°The outlandish is normally impossible. But it is in front of us right now. As you have said, possible. Thus¡­let¡¯s do the outlandish. Aliz¨¦e is already waiting on your mech, no?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Then get back there,¡± Hans said. ¡°Before we proceed to unknown danger, let¡¯s face known dangers first.¡± 14. Through the Blood ¡°The offensive failed. I suppose that was set in stone, no? Breaking through the contact line alone was almost impossible. What more at pushing deep into the enemy line to, what was that? Ah, ¡®encircle them¡¯, ¡®surround them¡¯, ¡®force them into a rout¡¯. Absolute fools, High Command, all of them! I just lost three, THREE in my platoon. I care not if Captain Victoria tells me that our casualties are relatively light, it is one too many, always one too many! To them, we may be numbers here, but I knew those guys. Henry was just a kid. A damned kid who got taken in by gangsters because he had always been poor. And for that, they sent him here, to this Battalion, that formed the spearhead of the assault. A kid. A damned kid! And he died under my command. I heard his screams. I heard him calling for us as he bled to death. What can they tell, that this is just a ¡®mistake¡¯, and that they will just ¡®re-evaluate¡¯? Damn them all!¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown ¡°I got my sights on it, Captain.¡± Hans calmly reported. He eyed three strangely deformed wolves of some sort. No, they were just normal night wolves, at least, based on his memories. Should be quite easy targets. ¡°It¡¯s local wildlife, Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn said, worried. ¡°Is this really necessary?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Hans answered. Unfortunately, Adelyn wouldn¡¯t really understand his drive to do this. Unlike her, she didn¡¯t see the future. Hans knew that Adelyn was definitely still confident in herself. She trusted her Wanderadler to serve her against that entity, just like him before his second death. Well, trust was now out of the window. Hans didn¡¯t know if those levels truly meant something, but he needed it to test out his hypothesis. If for anything, all he would lose was a few MG rounds and a slap on the wrist from whatever environmental authority this world had (which he doubted was something that even existed). Well, if they have regulations not to shoot local wildlife, I can just claim self-defense. His turret turned to them. They were near a pond of some sort below the hill he was on. There were also a lot of trees on the way, so he wouldn¡¯t be risking being spotted immediately. Funnily enough, he definitely chose this to be hull down if his current targets spotted him. While the Wanderfalke¡¯s turret would definitely resist a tank round careening into it, he sure as hell liked only exposing his turret. Especially when the Wanderfalke had a perfect ten degrees of gun depression. That meant he was always a smaller target whenever he had a choice. But such tactics usually only mattered when the enemy could fire back. Not in this situation. I guess old habits simply die hard. ¡°Engaging, Captain,¡± he said. ¡°Copy, Lieutenant. I got your six covered.¡± ¡°Much appreciated.¡± He pulled his fire trigger. Reddish tracer rounds rained through the forest, as Hans spray-painted the wolf pack with well-placed bursts, conserving ammo as much as possible. Three separate bursts of death, and only the whimpering of the last night wolf was left, as it walked and bled on the pond. He pulled the trigger for a split second, sending another burst of bullets on the limping night wolf, and dropping it on the pond. Even when he was merely using it to test his delusions, Hans wasn¡¯t a fan of making any living creature suffer more than necessary.
[THREE NIGHT WOLVES (LVL. 10) LIQUIDATED!] [LEVEL UP! YOU ARE NOW LVL. 3] [PROGRESS TO LVL.4: 25%] [AVAILABLE AP: 70 PTS]
¡°Hostile entities dispatched, Captain,¡± Hans reported. ¡°Did it work?¡± ¡°It did,¡± Hans replied. ¡°It said I¡¯m now level three, so that¡¯s something. I still need more progress to confirm my hypothesis.¡± ¡°...Wait¡­for what is this even?¡± ¡°What are you doing, Captain?¡± ¡°Checking my status screen, as you taught earlier.¡± She paused. ¡°It says¡­mech upgrade available?¡± Hans'' eyes widened upon hearing that. Mech Upgrades? What did that even mean? So if she was level five, she had access to such a thing? Now, something¡­something was even bubbling on his mind. Level five huh? He opened his status screen. Level three, with twenty-five progress to level four. He only needed a few more to reach it. And perhaps I might have that too. ¡°Hey, Lieutenant¡­¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Have you¡­noticed that button on our left? Of your control panel. It¡¯s not normally there. It¡¯s bright red. It wasn¡¯t there before, only now did I notice it.¡± Hans looked at his controls. Indeed¡­there was a strange red button on it. He immediately pressed it. Suddenly, the displays that were showing the feeds of the outside world suddenly changed.
WELCOME TO THE MECH PILOT (VANGUARD) CONTROL SYSTEM! CURRENT MECH: WANDERPANZER II FALKE AUSF¨¹HRUNG H. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. CONTROL GUIDE: JUST PRESS THE SCREENS!
Immediately, Hans pressed the [UPGRADES] prompt. And it was utterly empty, except for one instruction.
OBJECTIVE: REACH LVL. 5 FIRST!
So that was that then. He went back to the main screen. There was another prompt.
PILOT ASSISTANCE SYSTEM.
Naturally, he pressed it. Technically, his mech already had one, but this might be special. If¡­his assumptions that magical powers were at play here, then the possibility of his Wanderfalke itself being magical¡­ Well, he already said it himself. He must always consider the outlandish.
ENABLE? Y/N.
He pressed yes.
SYSTEM¡ªMECH INTEGRATION¡­COMMENCING¡­
+++ ¡°I guess your hypothesis is right then,¡± Adelyn said. They were now parked on the side of the road again. They had hunted another wolf pack, and Hans was now at level four. Indeed, that was some good progress at least, but he wasn¡¯t at level five yet. ¡°Magic. Our mechs. They¡¯re magical too.¡± Adelyn nodded¡­before slowly¡­a childish grin spread through her face. ¡°Magical. Lieutenant! Can you believe that? In that case, would we eventually be able to make these things fly? Oh¡­maybe our rounds would soon be all electrical and stuff! Oh, the possibilities.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, you¡¯re getting ahead of yourself, Adelyn,¡± Hans said. ¡°What exactly did you pick again?¡± ¡°I picked this¡­¡®UPG: Arcane Autofrabricator¡¯ thing. I think it was called that way. Why? It sounded better than the other one.¡± ¡°Wait what, did I hear that right? What does it do?¡± ¡°Says it allows my Wanderadler to replicate munitions, fuel, and even bullets for my rifle,¡± Adelyn smiled. ¡°Logistics! The center of all warfare. It¡¯s why I chose it. Think about it, Lieutenant, that wipes our main problems.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Hans said. ¡°What¡¯s the other one?¡± ¡°¡®UPG: Missile of Justice¡¯, was what it said. The description was just something about turning my shots into an anti-demon locking thing. Interesting, but I have confidence in my skill of hitting things without it¡ª¡± ¡°Captain, wait,¡± he held her suddenly, his eyes widening. ¡°Can you change it?¡± ¡°Um, Lieutenant, you¡¯re¡ª¡± ¡°Captain, can you change it?¡± ¡°No, I cannot. Lieutenant, you really are¡­you¡¯re¡­¡± Hans suddenly realized what he was doing. He took his hands off her and looked down at his own hands. Again¡­it was trembling. For a brief moment¡­he even saw his own blood on it. That moment¡­that same moment when that entity¡¯s tail sliced straight through him. Hans¡­he didn¡¯t want it again. He didn¡¯t want to fail this loop. If this was truly a brutal labyrinth he couldn¡¯t escape without death¡­then he wanted it to stop now¡­ And, the idea that her other mech upgrade was something that allowed her to use her main gun¡¯s rounds as a missile that would lock on it? His main combat problem had been getting his shot to connect on it. With such an upgrade, he wouldn¡¯t worry about it. Maybe it would dodge it. Maybe more. But still. Better than an unguided shot, perhaps. Or perhaps not. Regardless¡­she chose a logistical upgrade instead of something that would aid him now. And how could he blame her? She must be thinking long-term, of what would happen once this day was over. Meanwhile, Hans¡­he was panicking. All he was thinking was today. The day he would die, according to his past lives. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± he felt her hand touch his hands. He looked at her green eyes, eyes that showed nothing but concern and worry at Hans¡¯ condition. ¡°Lieutenant, do you need rest? Just tell me, please.¡± ¡°No,¡± Hans replied. ¡°I don¡¯t need rest, Captain. I need to move. We need to keep acting. Fighting. Looking for a way¡­a way out of this bloody¡ª¡± ¡°Bloody?¡± Adelyn tilted her head. ¡°Lieutenant, what really is happening? Please¡­would you tell me?¡± ¡°Captain¡­¡± Hans held himself off, looking down to control his breathing. Why? Why did the simple idea of that creature¡­or of telling her, cause a deep sinking feeling in his inner being? As if he was collapsing. He couldn¡¯t do it. But¡­she was asking¡­ He needed to give her an answer, as his commanding officer. ¡°Captain, I believe a threat exists in this environment. And I¡¯m worried that our combat capabilities are not enough to face it,¡± Hans said. ¡°I apologize for this display. It¡¯s just been¡ª¡± ¡°Stressful,¡± she nodded. ¡°Perhaps even worse. I don¡¯t understand it, but when I look at you, your eyes have been¡­it¡¯s as if you¡¯re deathly terrified of something since I first met you earlier.¡± She smiled bitterly, as she let Hans¡¯ hands off. ¡°I guess that¡¯s how war affects the mind, no?¡± ¡°Captain?¡± She looked away. ¡°It¡¯s cruel. Beyond cruel. To reduce a person this way. I really am sorry. That¡¯s why, I¡¯m trying to find a way out of this damned thing too. No one deserves to be in bad situations such as this.¡± She looked back at Hans. ¡°You don¡¯t trust me, Lieutenant, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Captain, respectfully, why would I do that?¡± Hans said. ¡°Why would I think of my commanding officer that way? No, Captain Wittenstein, I trust you now, just as I entrusted E Company to you. I¡¯m merely worried. If anything, I¡¯m more concerned about my abilities to get us out of this¡­situation.¡± ¡°Why is that, Lieutenant?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°You¡¯re my best pilot in E Company. Your kills alone say it all. You¡¯re one of a kind. Someone capable of not just surviving on a battlefield, but dominating in it. Meanwhile, what am I but just another sheltered noble you all detest, acting as if I can fight on the battlefields.¡± ¡°You can, Captain. We¡¯re all soldiers. We¡¯re trained for it.¡± ¡°If you say so¡­¡± She paused. ¡°I still cannot pinpoint it. You¡¯re a difficult man to understand.¡± I guess she doesn¡¯t really understand it. Hans wanted to shout it at her, but for some reason¡­no words came out of his mouth. His mind, all it said, almost scathingly, as if by instinct, was that she would not believe it. That he would just embarrass himself in front of his commanding officer. Shame¡­it flooded him. ¡°It cannot be said, Hans. Do not do it. Do not.¡± That cold feeling again. He didn¡¯t like it, but he obliged to whatever it said. He didn¡¯t even hear it, but for some reason, his mind placed it on his rules. And with that, he couldn¡¯t speak any further to his own commanding officer¡­ Hans merely breathed out. ¡°Maybe I do need some time to cool off,¡± Hans said. ¡°I¡¯ve been acting strange, Captain. I apologize.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to apologize for, Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn replied, her concerned tone still there. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Aliz¨¦e. Please, drink some water or something. Take care of yourself.¡± ¡°Roger that.¡± She nodded, before turning around. Hans meanwhile walked back on his mech, opened his hatch, and dropped to his seat. He thought he had long held mastery over his own emotions. That war had already completely shaped him as an emotionless husk that only dealt death. Yet¡­ He completely slackened in his seat, wishing for salvation from this ordeal. He didn¡¯t want to meet a bloody end again. 15. He Shall Search ¡°E Company was almost lost. Truly, it¡¯s a massive joke. We were almost surrounded during the retreat because Captain Victoria could barely communicate with C and A Companies. I suppose it¡¯s game over. The Battalion Commander chastised her, so I¡¯ve heard, after compromising the Battalion¡¯s pull out. There¡¯s talk she¡¯ll replace her, but I can¡¯t be too sure. I honestly cannot trust the greenie nobles from officer schools that they¡¯re pumping here in the front as officers. Perhaps Lieutenant Kruger from 2nd Platoon should get promoted, but¡­eh, they don¡¯t seem to like guys, no less penal guys, above the Lieutenant rank unless he¡¯s a special cookie. It is what it is, I suppose.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Hans closed his journal with a heavy breath, as he placed it back on a bag of his. His journal had always been his little stress reliever. Each time he wanted to rant about something, that was where his thoughts would be. He would write almost endless essays on it, as it always helped clear his mind from whatever he was experiencing. For some reason, angrily using his pen to scribble every damned thought he had on paper had that effect. This time, all he placed on his journal entry for today was about the situation they were in. Hostile entities. System and status shenanigans. Levels. Upgrades. He even ranted at how no one even told him that his Wanderfalke now had the potential to be magical. That could have helped. That would definitely have helped. Hans looked back at the displays. The skies were already pinkish. They just paused on their journey, as now, Hans was planning to return to where he and Aliz¨¦e came from. In that same settlement where he met and killed the first ¡°demonic entity¡± he encountered. But he was already doubting the idea of his current operation. They, at this point, were just wasting daylight trying to ¡°raise¡± his level. He hadn¡¯t found more night wolves to use as target practice, which meant he had no progress to show for himself. Just hours wasted, reducing visibility. Still, he hoped that with the distance they covered, that entity wouldn¡¯t be able to chase him. If it was chasing him even. Hans certainly hoped that it merely treated that area as its own territory. Like an animal. Well, as far as analysis went, that thing was no normal wolf. What kind of a wolf even had four tails that could slice through Confederation steel? But, he didn¡¯t have any other intel to work on. Assuming that it was a mere animal with animal instincts was best for his sanity. And going by that train of thinking, that entity should stay in that town¡¯s vicinity. ¡°Captain,¡± Hans spoke to his comms. Immediately, Adelyn¡¯s audio icon opened up on his screens as a result. ¡°Yes? Sorry, Aliz¨¦e fell asleep on my lap.¡± ¡°She did?¡± ¡°Well, I guess those plushies eventually bored her,¡± Adelyn replied. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m back on the controls. Are you ready to move out?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Hans said, placing his hands back on the control sticks and his feet on the pedal. ¡°We¡¯re really burning daylight. We should get back moving. Hunt for more.¡± ¡°Is this even a good plan?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°Having no intel to work with really sucks.¡± ¡°It¡¯s why I¡¯m your recon unit,¡± Hans said. ¡°Our class specialization said it already. You¡¯re the finisher, I¡¯m the vanguard.¡± ¡°I find it ridiculous. What does that even mean?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find out how different our upgrades are,¡± Hans said. ¡°Once I get myself to level five.¡± Immediately, he powered his mech back on the road. Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler followed hot behind him. This time around, both of them went close to their one hundred kilometers top speeds, speeding through the forest way too rapidly for most of its normal inhabitants. While Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler lagged behind due to her mech¡¯s lower acceleration, she soon caught up, as they both synchronized their speeds down to eighty kilometers. If there was anything where the lighter family of Wanderpanzers excelled, it was this. Mobility through most terrain. It most likely helped that even Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler was close to half the normal tonnage of modern Main Battle Tanks. Of course, the downside was that their construction frames were significantly lighter, with Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke being less armored than a comparable eighteen-tonner wheeled tank destroyer that the Confederacy employed. Of course, that didn¡¯t matter to Hans. He wouldn¡¯t be able to use a wheeled vehicle in three-dimensional movement. It was how he and Lotharingian mechs dominated outside of flat terrain after all. The ability to utilize all forms of irregularities and deformations in the terrain, and move through it. And that was also his problem right now. He truly felt as if he was the one in a tracked or wheeled vehicle, and that beast was a Wanderfalke. His options of movement were, in comparison to it, severely limited, by virtue of him still being in a six-legged vehicle with a full metal body, too rigid and inflexible to combat that monster anywhere outside the open. As such, he thought, fighting it outside the open should be the best option. Much like how an MBT would almost always beat an exposed Wanderfalke in Lotharingia¡¯s flatter plains in the south, so would his mech beat that entity in a terrain where its flexibility would be negated. Hell, with the Wanderfalke¡¯s reverse speed of almost forty kilometers, he could even keep himself at a good distance. Unfortunately, even then, here, he was in no flat ground. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Hans¡¯ eyes looked left and right, almost paranoid, as they passed through the dense forest. Anytime, anywhere, anything could easily ambush him and Adelyn through this thin dirt road from the dense forest. And then what? His movements through the forest, while slightly better than in the dense town blocks, would still be partially limited by the trees. He didn¡¯t want to fight here either. He really needed to search for the perfect battleground if that thing was still on their tail. +++ ¡°So this is where you downed that¡­demon?¡± Hans stopped his mech right where its burned corpse lay. The first demon he killed earlier. Hans removed his hands from the controls of his vehicle, took his SMG, and opened his hatch. He jumped down, walking straight into the corpse. For some reason, something tugged at him and he needed to inspect this being for answers. ¡°Yes¡­it seems like it changed a bit,¡± he said to his radio. He kneeled down and looked at it. Right now¡­it seemed almost human, save for its horns. As if its demonic ¡°mutations¡± disappeared. Instead, what he could see was now a bullet-ridden, burned, half-decomposed¡­it was a woman. Perhaps a Vanus woman. Like Aliz¨¦e. The hair alone showed it. She had a white-like garment of some sort. While Hans prided himself on not being a corpse desecrator, this¡­this was needed. He pulled something from it. It was a letter of some sort, somewhat half-burned. He looked at it, and the letters on it¡­ Scared. Soldiers. Scared. They chase me. Sister. Where are you? He didn¡¯t understand it. It was written in red blood. Strange, how she wrote it that way. He supposed that was simply how demons worked. But Hans¡­for some reason, even if he didn¡¯t know the words on it¡­he felt pity for the creature. It was almost as if she wrote it in a deep pit of despair. The way it was written, almost frantic in a way. Not that he found any regret at killing it. Perhaps, she went crazy. And she tried killing him, and Aliz¨¦e, so he had no choice. It was kill or be killed. It seemed that it killed the people in this settlement anyway. Truly, that was simply the truth in life, perhaps. Kill or be killed. He stood up and muttered a silent, solemn nod of respect to the dead creature. He supposed there would not be much intel from it. He sighed. He should probably give her a proper resting place, if for nothing else. ¡°Wait, my motion sens¡ª¡± A slicing sound¡­then screams. Hans immediately turned back. Four hundred meters away from him, where Adelyn¡¯s mech was parked¡­was the creature, standing right in front of her mech. He was frozen still, as the two of them screamed bloodily through his radio. He watched as the creature tore the hatch of Adelyn¡¯s mech, and two of its blackened tails entered. What. What. What am I supposed to¡ª Their screams fell silent, and Hans watched as two sliced heads emerged from Adelyn¡¯s mech. Adelyn¡¯s and Aliz¨¦e¡¯s. Hans backed off in horror, but his muscles went stiff as the creature turned, and showed him the faces of the two people he swore to protect from it. The beast snarled at him, and Hans¡­ could not even raise his gun to fight¡­ I don¡¯t want to die. I don¡¯t want to die. I don¡¯t want to die. ¡°You,¡± the beast spoke. ¡°Killed my little sister. Revenge. Revenge. Revenge.¡± Hans didn¡¯t understand what it said. But the sheer hate from it as it slowly walked forward¡­ ¡°I desire¡­revenge¡­.¡± ¡°All I wanted is a way out of this¡­¡± Hans weakly begged. ¡°I just wanted to get them both out of this. To search for a way out. Why¡­you damned monster¡­why chase us here?¡± But then¡­what¡¯s the point now? He looked at the two of their faces¡­those blooded faces¡­it burned into Hans¡¯ mind. This¡­this¡­ The cost of his sloppiness. The cost of his inaction. The cost of his incompetence. The cost of his failure¡­to search for a way out¡­ When he could see the future. I am¡­ The beast lunged at him, and Hans opened fire with his SMG. Blood, blood sprayed from the creature¡¯s body, as Hans screamed at the top of his lungs. If this was going to be his last stand on this loop, then he¡¯d take as much revenge as he could for himself. Against this damned creature. Against this beast that killed the child he swore to protect, and the Captain he served. But the beast was unabated, seemingly unaffected, as it sunk its claws into Hans¡¯ body. Hans felt himself thrown, his back bashing into something solid. The sound of his spine cracking left Hans in a silent pain, as he tried to hold himself off from screaming in despair. Blood trickled from his open wounds, his uniform and Kevlar armor completely torn open, with three diagonal slashes that left him bleeding so badly. He tried to open his eyes and reach to his SMG, but he couldn¡¯t move anything. Not his feet. Not his hands. Nothing responded. He could only stare at the beast¡¯s yellow eyes, as it stared at him with nothing but predatory hate. And Hans returned the same. For it killed those who mattered to him. Kill me! Kill me! You animal! The beast growled at him, as it towered on his fallen body. Hans looked up, the moon high above its demonic face¡­its white fangs almost as white as the moon behind it. It was¡­there was nothing he could do now. He would not give it the satisfaction of hearing him scream anymore, and so¡­ Hans peacefully closed his eyes. His fate that night¡­in this life¡­was sealed¡­ A stabbing pain¡­as he felt something bite deep into his neck¡­the familiar pain of his life once again leaving his body, as his mortal form was crushed and mangled once more. How many times had he felt this? How many times more? And Hans was gone in mere seconds. 16. He Shall Scout ¡°The defense of the nation is at your hands! Join the Confederacy Army Scout Cavalry now! Pilot your own illustrious Wanderfalke¡ªuse its speed, find the enemy, mark them, and eliminate them, like knights of the old! Beat back those snot-nosed frog-eaters back to the nest of infestations they crawled from! Nearest recruitment centers!¡± - Lotharingian Wartime Recruitment Poster. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Once again¡­he was back. Hans slowly, and tiredly opened his eyes, already expecting what he would see again. And as expected, it was exactly that. Aliz¨¦e blissfully and peacefully sleeping on his lap¡ªthen the displays of his Wanderfalke controls showed the rising sun and the almost warm rays of morning light that bathed the Peacemaker. The fact that his body¡­was uninjured and uneaten. And of course. 0633 Hours. Hans gave a sardonic laugh. It was true. It was damned true. His own hypothesis was that he was truly looping back into this point in time. He was stuck, in a damned cycle of death and living. Starting at this exact point in time. 0633 Hours. He looked at the damned time again, laughing a bit. The number. It was almost as if it was mocking him. Here he was back again. At the same time. 0633 Hours. He supposed that would be his afterlife then? What a cruel joke. He breathed out the oppressive buildup of trapped air in his lungs as he looked down at Aliz¨¦e¡¯s pure silver hair. This¡­this was his thing then? That when he died, he would return to a point in time. He wondered why then. Of course, there has to be a greater reason for this, but¡­ He knew he wouldn¡¯t know it yet. Just as he didn¡¯t fully know what that creature was, why it wanted to kill him, and how he could kill it first. For all he knew, that creature was forcing him into some sort of cruel torture trap. He wondered what he could have done to that thing for it to desire his death. Not that his analysis was a sure one, but¡­ He wanted more reasons to hate it¡­ I¡¯m sorry Aliz¨¦e. He gave her a tired pat on her hair, and the sleeping girl reacted with positive mumbling to it. She was¡­so innocent. So young. Someone who deserves neither horror nor death. Yet¡­her head¡­her bloody detached head¡­it was seared to Hans¡¯ mind. Shame, indescribably shame, it flooded his soul. He had a damned duty. A damned responsibility for this girl¡¯s safety. In a way, when he found this girl from the remains of her parents¡¯ site of death, Hans felt as if their souls had commanded him to bring their daughter to safety. To a place, they couldn¡¯t bring her to. Yet Hans was failing at such a task. He just needed to drive through that town, break through it, and find the next town on this endless road, as indicated by the map that he received from that convoy. That was all he needed to do¡­ He had a damned Wanderpanzer II Falke Ausf¨¹hrung H with him. The latest damned mech of the Confederacy, the latest war machine of humanity, capable of beating most armored threats when needed. He was a damned Ace Pilot for heaven¡¯s sake! His main gun¡¯s kill rings showed it already. How could he be beaten by a mere animal of nature? He even had the ability to see the future. What kind of excuses did he¡ª He took a deep breath to calm himself. This was no way to do it. Yet that was how his mind and heart reacted. He had always been raised to take responsibility when he had the means to take it. Especially when life and death were involved. Perhaps it was why he ended up in this hell. Perhaps it was a folly. But that was who Hans was. To go against that would go against Hans¡¯ inner being. No. Damn it. He would find a way out of this. He¡¯d scout out a way out of this. There was no way that damned thing would stop him this time, not when he already gained a decent amount of intel about that thing. He¡¯d do what must be done. He saw it in its eyes. That monster¡ªit wanted them. It wanted to kill him. It wanted to kill Aliz¨¦e. It wanted to kill Adelyn. Why? He didn¡¯t know. It didn¡¯t matter. That damned thing was no mere animal. No mere local fauna of this world¡¯s ecology. No damned simple beast that the construct of modern humanity itself, the vehicle he drove, would trump because he said so. To underestimate it would be the prime of stupidity. And so, Hans decided enough was enough this time around. Three deaths. One day. Three damned deaths. More if he counted the deaths of Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e in his failed lives. To one damned creature. He needed a concrete action plan, and perhaps, he finally found it. In his last life, he had learned much about its style of fighting. More about how it killed. More so about the vulnerability of both his and Adelyn¡¯s fighting machines to it. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Even more about the nature of his mech now. That it had new upgrades from that mysterious [SYSTEM] that he had foolishly ignored as nothing but hallucinations since he woke up in this world. And most of all, he knew how to gain those upgrades¡ªby way of increasing his own level to five. Perhaps, for the first time since this ordeal, Hans felt some of his bravado return. That familiar confidence of an Ace Pilot on a sortie with his mates on an anti-Flandrian combat patrol. That same feeling when one knew of the enemy¡¯s weakness, and knew how to take it down with monstrous precision. In those three lives, Hans was prey. In those three lives, Hans was a failure. In those three lives, Hans was dead meat. Now, he vowed. He would not be one. He would not fall again to such a creature that he already knew much about. Not when he already knew more about his situation. That sense of responsibility, when he already had these many advantages against it¡­ commanded Hans one order. Kill. This time, Hans would be the hunter. +++ Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke faced Adelyn once more. As expected, his commanding officer was surprised at meeting him, as she always had. Hans exited his mech and dropped down to the dirt road. Walking straight to Adelyn, he watched as a relieved expression grew on her face. Briefly again¡­he remembered that face of hers¡­her halo gone¡­being hoisted to the skies by a pitch-black tail¡­ He shook his head and gave her a smile. ¡°Captain, it seems like we¡¯re in a bit of a situation.¡± ¡°Lieutenant¡­it is you,¡± she smiled. ¡°Finally, I thought I was truly alone in this. I was having such a bad problem with my comms, not picking up any friendly units. Second of all, I woke up in my own mech, in this weird place, for no reason. That¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? Especially when it¡¯s already early winter¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the problem, exactly, Captain,¡± Hans said. ¡°See¡­don¡¯t look at me weird, for heaven¡¯s sake. We are in another world.¡± She blinked. ¡°Are you hearing yourself, Lieutenant?¡± ¡°What? Does it not make sense to you? Look around you. Do you think we¡¯re anything close to our continent? Do you really think a place in Terra looks like this anymore¡ª¡± ¡°Well, there are still underdeveloped¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, exactly the point. Listen, hear any sounds? Planes, helicopters, booms? Does that make sense to you? Yeah, no.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°And most of all, you said it yourself. It doesn¡¯t make sense that you woke up here out of nowhere. Unless someone kidnapped you and sent you here. But I doubt they¡¯d send your thirty-tonners of a war machine with you if they kidnapped you now won¡¯t they?¡± Hans clapped. ¡°We have to get a move on. I have a big proof of my words. Time is of utmost importance. As you always say to me, chop-chop.¡± +++ Suffice it to say, Adelyn was, as usual, both baffled by Hans¡¯ revelations and already partially excited by Aliz¨¦e¡¯s existence, as expected of her. And so, since it was morning, Hans, Adelyn, and Aliz¨¦e started off again by having breakfast on the side of the dirt road. This time, however, Hans¡¯ mind was clear as he ate spoon after spoon of his beef stew. ¡°She truly is a hungry girl huh?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°That¡¯s two MREs I used immediately¡­.¡± ¡°We should get into a civilized settlement before that,¡± Hans reassured. ¡°Doubt she¡¯d use up your MREs too much. More importantly, after this, we¡¯ll try that upgrade thing that I was talking about.¡± ¡°You seem to have a lot of intel about this unknown situation quickly huh?¡± Adelyn asked, a little bit baffled. ¡°Then again, I suppose that¡¯s who you are. 1st Platoon¡¯s ace, always the first at the front, and the first to see the enemy.¡± ¡°Well, I should warn you about that then,¡± Hans said. ¡°I have a feeling that our old ways of fighting would not bode well in this situation. Remember, those doctrines are made for fighting armored vehicles.¡± ¡°I seriously doubt that it¡¯s possible that anything can threaten us here,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°We have modern weaponry. You said it yourself. They had muskets. Muskets! Those weapons were hundreds of years ago. We might as well be in the age of colonization when our forefathers subjugated innocent people with guns and¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting pissed again, Captain.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s evil!¡± She said. ¡°Anyhow, in this case, I believe our goal is to not cause as much trouble to the natives, find our way out of this place, and perhaps find a way back to our world. As officers of the Confederacy, we have a duty to our men not to desert them in their time of need.¡± ¡°And thus find our way back to them,¡± Hans finished. ¡°Um¡­¡± Adelyn turned. ¡°Well, I guess you think the same way, huh?¡± Of course, I¡¯ll know what your next words would be. I¡¯ve been here multiple times already. He placed another spoonful of beef stew in his mouth. Hmm¡­ these things certainly tasted empty still for him at the moment. While he wanted to act all stoic in the face of his upcoming battle, which he was sure would happen, it seemed that the fear was still subconsciously implanted in his mind. He was more like force-feeding himself to stave off hunger, even when his gut didn¡¯t seem that interested in eating. I suppose that¡¯s what seeing bloody death three times does to you. Hans wanted to shake his head. What the hell did he do to end up in this situation? Such a difficult one. But bellyaching would not help anymore. He needed to start working on getting himself out of this cycle. He didn¡¯t want to taste anything sharp stabbing or slicing through his skin and flesh again. And he certainly didn¡¯t wish to end up like the cow on his ration again. Certainly helped him realize perspectives for once though. So that¡¯s what it¡¯s like to be eaten. Better get himself out of this then. He hoped this little meal would keep him sharp for what would be coming next. He certainly would need it. 17. He Shall Find ¡°Searching for an enemy target is quite a difficult task. So does concealing one¡¯s self on the battlefield. It¡¯s a life-or-death situation. He who spots first fires first. He who fires first kills first. Of course, there are exceptions, but it¡¯s a good lesson to learn regardless.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown ¡°The first thing we need to do¡ª¡± Hans¡¯ mech stopped right in front of a pack of night wolves. The same pack he had targeted in his past life. ¡°Is to kill wildlife.¡± He pulled the trigger. The wolves didn¡¯t even have a chance to react, as a rain of machine gun fire from Hans¡¯ coaxials terrorized them. Burst after burst cut the pack of animals down, one by one, in split-second intervals. After Hans killed the last, he released his finger from the fire trigger.
[THREE NIGHT WOLVES (LVL. 10) LIQUIDATED!] [LEVEL UP! YOU ARE NOW LVL. 3] [PROGRESS TO LVL4. 25%] [AVAILABLE AP: 70 PTS]
¡°And as I expected, I reached level three from it, Captain.¡± ¡°Well¡­if that isn¡¯t the interesting development,¡± Adelyn replied over the comms. ¡°So the lesson from this is that¡­killing people helps make us stronger?¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s the cruel lesson,¡± Hans said. ¡°What a brain-dead situation, is it not?¡± ¡°Brain dead? Lieutenant, this is worse! It¡¯s almost psychotic. Almost as if it justifies trophy hunting of innocent wildlife. Quite frankly, I am appalled.¡± ¡°As I am,¡± Hans replied. ¡°But, we have to operate by the new rules. And in this case, Captain, considering that both of us are in a foreign hostile land, where we don¡¯t understand everything fully, wouldn¡¯t it be best to take preemptive measures?¡± ¡°I suppose you have a point, Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn replied. ¡°Still. This is distasteful. I refuse to partake in it unless necessary. I still do not understand how something might beat our mechs. It¡¯s impossible. If any legitimate threat comes, we¡¯ll do what we¡¯ve been trained to do, and fight in self-defense. And I¡¯m sure that if anyone tries to challenge two Confederacy soldiers riding modern mechs¡­well, the results will be grizzly for whoever does that.¡± ¡°You have a point, Captain,¡± Hans said. He looked down for a second, at the corpses of the dead wolves. He supposed this was going to be the result of it, no? That he¡¯d have to start murdering living beings just to level up¡­and for what, strength? It was¡­indeed, psychotic, in a way. He wondered how this would affect the society he would find in this world. A society where killing things strengthened them. Perhaps there were other ways to level up, and he just had insufficient knowledge to do so. But still¡­it rewarded killing. That indeed was psychotic. What kind of a madman would create a world that was this way? He struggled to grasp the rationale for it. But I have no choice but to roll with it. Adelyn may not understand it yet, but he knew. He knew what would be the cost if he and she didn¡¯t do this. They could not do it. As they would say, when there was a different set of laws and you stepped into another country, you would have no choice but to follow such laws until you made it out of that country. This was no different. The laws. The system. The way of life. What this world would have, would be way too different than his. Different than what he grew up with. As such, he would have to adapt to it. Until he found his way out. I really hope there is a way out. His world may be at war, but damn it, it didn¡¯t have these kinds of psychotic natural laws. Imagine how war would be in this world. Would it be so brutal, that people would wage war to raise the levels of their own group? The implications alone were a nightmare scenario for Hans. Especially when he looked back again to his level. Level three. A child like Aliz¨¦e, for example, was level five. A ten-year-old child. A damned ten-year-old child reached such a level. While he, a grown-ass man, started out at level one. Now, he was barely scratching five. He was badly behind for his age! This was such a ridiculous situation. Then again, it wasn¡¯t like he was killing simple living beings. He killed wolves multiple times the size of a mere normal wolf. Second of all, it was possibly a magical beast. He reminded himself that these things managed to kill Aliz¨¦e¡¯s convoy, with its guards. ¡­That meant that he was dealing with the monster that kept killing him, which was truly abnormal. Perhaps beyond a beast. And if there was any indication to its nature¡­perhaps, similar to the demonic entity he killed¡ªthis one was also demonic. That was even more worrying. In that case, he might indeed have no chance to escape it unless he killed it. If both of them, the first one he killed and this new one, were demonic, and that thing¡­that thing stared at him with such a brutal gaze¡­ You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. No¡­that thing. It spoke. It even played with him. It played with them. It didn¡¯t merely kill him and Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e like some normal animal searching for food. It killed them in psychotic manners. As if it was driven by hate. As if it wanted nothing more than to brutalize them, either for sport or¡­ Or if both of them were demonic entities, and he simply wasn¡¯t able to [TARGET STATUS CHECK] the second one because it was stronger or something¡­then that meant¡­ Vengeance¡­that thing¡­ It¡¯s possibly vengeful. And he was the one who killed the other demon. That meant¡­he had a massive target painted on his back. ¡°Lieutenant?¡± Adelyn spoke again on the comms. ¡°So should I do the upgrades now?¡± ¡°Wait, we¡¯ll talk about it later,¡± Hans returned to his controls, giving one last look to the animals he killed. If it¡¯s vengeful¡­then it really won¡¯t stop chasing us. +++ ¡°So¡­what were your two options?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Hmm, two things were given to me,¡± she said. ¡°The first one is called ¡®UPG: Arcane Autofabricator¡¯. The second is ¡®UPG: Wrath Against Sinners¡¯. Seems like both are interesting, yes, but I¡¯m leaning to¡ª¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± It changed. Earlier, she said it was something about a missile of justice. Now it¡¯s¡­it¡¯s not that? Cold sweat almost trickled through Hans¡¯ forehead as that sudden change tossed an unexpected bolt on his knees. Damn it! Why did it change this time around? Was it perhaps randomized? That was such a bad thing. He couldn¡¯t even predict which one would show then. This is bad. The description of a missile of justice upgrade, or whatever she told him last time¡ªhe was counting on it. He hoped that it could synchronize well with whatever he would get once he reached level five. First of all, a missile meant that Adelyn¡¯s mech would essentially have a demon-locking ATGM, or at least, from what he remembered, her rounds would be able to lock and follow a targeted demon. That was massive! Imagine an MPAT that could simply trail that thing. No chance in hell it would dodge it. That was massive for Hans. But instead¡­ ¡°Wait, tell me about the second one,¡± Hans said. ¡°Um, but Lieutenant¡­the first one is all about logistical things. I¡¯d get a literal magical autofab on my vehicle. Imagine that! We¡¯d be able to replenish our supplies and munitions while we are completely cut off. Long term, our survival would depend on it. Especially since I doubt anyone here can produce what we have. It even allows us to enchant our bullets. And okay, technically, it costs ¡®Arcane Points¡¯ or whatever the hell that is, but it seems that it¡¯s recharging incrementally on my case anyway.¡± ¡°It¡¯s recharging for you?¡± ¡°Yeah? I watched it. Like, slowly trickling up. Said I gain around thirty ¡®Arcane Points¡¯ each day. I do have a cap though, it appears¡­¡± ¡°Mine¡¯s uncapped¡­but I don¡¯t have any gain rate¡­¡± ¡°You said you gain some from killing though,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Yours sound extra psychotic in that case.¡± ¡°Okay, well, regardless, Captain. This discussion is off course. While I see the merits of the logistical options¡ª¡± ¡°Merits? No, Lieutenant. I believe it is of utmost necessity, don¡¯t you think?¡± Adelyn said. ¡°We have weaponry already. I do not think I really need many upgrades on it at the moment. It¡¯s a 120mm main gun, for heaven¡¯s sake! What kind of a being would survive that? Quite frankly, if we cannot kill it with that, we might as well be toast anyway.¡± Well, she¡¯s technically not wrong with that. Quite frankly, what was he thinking? She was right! If they were unable to beat that thing with their, well, already powerful weapons, then what chance did they have? They¡¯d die anyway. Which was¡­well, that was exactly the case. They died again and again. The only difference, Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e didn¡¯t remember anything. And now, the doubts were back on his mind. How exactly was he so sure that anything they would gain from this entire [SYSTEM] thing would help them short term? How exactly was he sure he would even find something useful once he reached level five to counteract that creature? How was he so sure? Indeed! He wasn¡¯t. He was merely theorizing possible solutions, and testing them out. Almost trial and error in a sense. And this was his next idea. How sure was he that he would beat it this time? What if, the only way to beat that creature, was good old-fashioned positional tactics and luck? What if he needed to truly study its movements to the muscle, and engage it with conventional weaponry in the perfect manner? Well, he also hadn¡¯t yet tested how an MPAT would affect it. He imagined that even a non-direct hit would down it. In his second life, he was technically so close, wasn¡¯t he? It was merely a slip of his hand, merely a split-second miscalculation, that was all of it, that was what doomed him. Perhaps, not the fact that his weapon was inadequate, but because he screwed up at the last moment, and luck was simply not on his side. Regardless! I cannot rely on luck and my piloting capabilities alone. I died enough to prove that! ¡°Captain, look, I understand. But we have to stack our capabilities right now. We¡¯ll figure out something about the supply situation later. Our immediate survival is the priority¡ª¡± ¡°Lieutenant, I understand in your eyes that you¡¯re beyond paranoid of something that I know nothing of, but please. You and I know that supplies will determine if we live or die sooner enough.¡± ¡°And we will figure it out,¡± Hans said. ¡°Captain, I faced a demonic entity, and while I downed it, we have no idea what¡¯s next. We need specialized weaponry. That thing withstood a lot of my bullets. My bullets, of my own gun. We don¡¯t know, Captain, so please¡­¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see¡­the second one, it tells me that it ¡®unlocks¡¯ anti-demon munitions, both for MPAT and APFSDS, and that each ¡®Tier¡¯ increase would unlock more specialized munitions,¡± Adelyn sighed. ¡°It¡¯s strange¡­almost sounds like¡­¡± ¡°Some childish card game,¡± Hans breathed out. ¡°Anyhow. In that case¡­well, it¡¯s for anti-demon purposes¡­thus¡ª¡± ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°While I would admit that we have a lot of available fuel and munitions, it is not possible to stretch this for¡­more than two months at most. What if this upgrade, the first one, is a one-time thing? We¡¯d be screwed.¡± Hans nodded in astute agreement to Adelyn¡¯s assessment. ¡°Indeed, we¡¯d be very screwed. And her too.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Adelyn said, looking back at her mech. Aliz¨¦e was merely sitting on top of Adelyn¡¯s mech, eating some sweets that Adelyn gave her, as she watched the two argue with those curious eyes of hers. ¡°I have a feeling she¡¯ll rely on us a lot.¡± Well, regardless, we¡¯d be screwed anyway if we don¡¯t find a way to kill that¡­demon. The next three months don¡¯t seem to matter a lot when¡­ Well¡­it didn¡¯t seem to matter a lot to Hans indeed at the moment if they¡¯d be dead by nightfall, and he¡¯d find himself restarting this damned thing again. He really didn¡¯t want to feel the cold embrace of death ever again. And to see these two dead again. Hans sighed. ¡°Alright, Captain. I think we should hold for now. I¡¯ll see what I¡¯ll get when I reach level five, then we¡¯ll decide.¡± 18. A Safe Path ¡°I struggled to understand. Quite frankly, one wonders if I even understood it all. But then and there, I had an inkling of the why. These two¡­were lost, pained souls I drove further apart.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Captain Adelyn von Wittenstein +++ Unknown Adelyn struggled to understand what had driven Hans to such paranoid behavior. Ever since she found him, he¡¯d been¡­withdrawn, his eyes and hands twitching every other moment. Right now, he was back on that ¡°leveling up¡± shtick that he kept focusing on for some insane reason. Still, Adelyn didn¡¯t block his efforts, letting her soldier do what he thought was best. Not because he was necessarily right, but because a plan was always better than no plan at all. Especially one coming from an ace like Hans. Such was the vow she¡¯d lived by, ever since she graduated from the officer¡¯s academy. To always believe in the instincts of those who had seen the fields of war more than she did. As an officer, her goal had always been to give them direction, as well as tactical cohesion, and let her experienced NCOs and Lieutenants handle the rest. In her experience, more autonomous platoons were more combat-effective. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t really know if the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Platoon liked it. She didn¡¯t know if her lieutenants viewed her in any sense of positivity for it. Hell, many of the enlisted viewed her as a nuisance. Just another ¡°Princess¡± for them to worry about when they were fighting in a life-or-death situation. And she didn¡¯t want that. She heard that E Company¡¯s previous CO had been¡­an extreme control freak, from what she had gleaned from her men. And they resented her for it. E Company had been nothing but a shattered unit then, a supposed lost cause, and it had only been a matter of time before it was broken up and sent to reinforce other units¡¯ ranks. It was slashed down to a third of its founding strength after the disastrous Battle of Aldorf, where the previous captain¡¯s incompetence and the company¡¯s role as the rearguard had resulted in utter decimation. Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡­had been alone when she found him. He¡¯d been the sole survivor, and former commander, of 1st Platoon. She hadn¡¯t yet learned enough about him, but she knew that it wasn¡¯t the first time he''d left the battlefield as the last man standing. It was why she allowed him much leeway under her command. He was one of the most highly regarded aces of the Southern Front after all, were it not for the fact that he was a penal soldier. And that was the same this time around. She was giving him much leeway to act again. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± she stopped her mech. Aliz¨¦e, who was sitting on Adelyn¡¯s lap, glanced up, before turning back to the display screens. ¡°Why are we going this way? Didn¡¯t your map indicate that the possible direction of a settlement is over there? We¡¯re basically going back, while you do your¡­erm¡­wildlife hunting¡­¡± Adelyn found what she and Hans were doing distasteful, to say the least. They had been randomly shooting these¡­strange, monstrous wolves, who otherwise presented no threat to them. If there was anything that Adelyn disliked, it was the needless death of anything. Animals included. It was why she was starting to feel disapproval of Hans¡¯ latest actions. Doubt brewed in her mind even as Hans continued insisting that it was necessary. Still, she didn¡¯t want to obstruct her most competent soldier. Not in this situation. She really hoped that what he was doing had a reason. That it was justified. That it was right. Otherwise, even if she didn¡¯t want it, she would pull rank to reign him in. ¡°The point is, I don¡¯t think this is a good idea. So why?¡± ¡°Tactical maneuvers, Captain.¡± Hans plainly responded. ¡°We need to be ready before we go there.¡± ¡°I understand that you engaged a¡­¡®demonic threat¡¯, as you put it earlier, but Lieutenant¡­are you really sure? I see nothing. Not with my sensors. If for nothing else, if there really is a demonic threat, we should probably get moving quickly to find civilization. After all, what if going back and lingering around here might just attract their¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s hunting¡­nothing. Look, Captain. We need to be prepared. And I have reason to believe that a hostile being that¡¯s with that thing may be hunting for us. We need to be ready to face it. And position ourselves in the last settlement to face it in familiar terrain.¡± ¡°That terrain isn¡¯t familiar for me, Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Captain¡­please, just trust me. And listen. I¡¯m close to level five. This is the only way to a safe path out of this.¡± ¡°The only way? But we haven¡¯t tried any other way yet.¡± Hans¡¯ mech returned to the dirt road, back in front of Adelyn¡¯s mech. There was blood again on the front legs of his mech¡­most likely, he made use of his leg¡¯s razors once more by pouncing on those wolves. Adelyn¡­felt a little disgusted by the imagery of it. ¡°...I wish you¡¯re right about that, Captain.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. He turned away, back on the path to the place where he killed that first demonic entity, and Adelyn followed. Still, Adelyn¡¯s mind was stuck on that enigmatic sentence of his. What the hell does he even mean by that? Adelyn looked down at Aliz¨¦e, and the girl looked up at her with just as unsure of an expression. See! Even a kid who doesn¡¯t understand me is in agreement. Lieutenant¡­you¡¯re being very mysterious. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Hans¡¯ mech stopped in front of more night wolves. He had been hunting them like some blood-lusted maniac, but he didn¡¯t care. All that mattered right now was reaching level five before the sunset. He looked at the display screens, as his targeting locked onto one of the night wolves. 0245 Hours. He didn¡¯t want to see that damned number again. If he wanted to see 0633 hours again, he wanted to see it on the next damned day. He took a deep breath, considering the likelihood of an ambush, switching between normal sight and thermal imaging mode again and again, as he surveyed his surroundings for any further night wolves nearby. He found nothing, and focused back on this pack, as they continued feasting on what appeared to be a dead deer. Indeed¡­these beasts were apex predators. Enough that they could overwhelm even soldiers armed with firearms. And they certainly feasted on the other members of the Animal Kingdom as well. He didn''t blame them. Kill or be killed. Eat or be eaten. Again¡­just like him¡­they were just trying to survive. He pulled the trigger, firing rapid bursts through the dense forest. Wails of pain emanated from the fallen creatures for a few seconds before deathly silence descended on the forest. Hans¡¯s mech emerged from the shallow pit he¡¯d used as cover, towering over the twitching carcasses. A six-legged metal predator. A beast made by man to kill man, now let loose upon Mother Nature. Hans thanked the forest for its sacrifice, and read the reports from the [SYSTEM] as they appeared.
[TWO NIGHT WOLVES (LVL. 9) LIQUIDATED!] [LEVEL UP! YOU ARE NOW LVL. 5!] [PROGRESS TO LVL.6: 10%] [AVAILABLE AP: 100 PTS] [NEW MECH UPGRADE AVAILABLE!]
I did it. He immediately pressed the red button to interact with the [MECH-SYSTEM PILOT ASSISTANCE INTERFACE], and it opened up. Hans went straight into the available upgrades and checked the two options presented to him. +++
[UPG: EYE OF PARANOIA (TIER I)] Description: The mech¡¯s sensors will automatically detect and track any demonic entities within a short radius of the user¡¯s mech. Costs twenty (20) Arcane Points per hour at base rate (Subject to increase by Tier). Tier I: Sensors will automatically detect and track all demonic entities within a fifty (50) meter radius from the user¡¯s mech. Costs twenty (20) Arcane Points per hour. [UPG: TRACE THE DOTS (TIER I)] Description: Unlocks specialized tracer MG rounds for the mech¡¯s coaxials for anti-demon purposes. Further tier increase unlocks more specialized MG rounds. Tier I: Unlocks ADI, MG24 (Anti-Demon Incendiary, MG24), and ADAP, MG24 (Anti-Demon Armor Piercing, MG24). Requires [UPG: ARCANE AUTOFABRICATOR] for specialized bullet self-production. Costs arcane points during production.
+++ Then why the hell did you even give me the [UPG: TRACE THE DOTS] as an option?! That was just a sense of BS! The damned [SYSTEM] just had to be a penultimate asshole. While Hans found that [UPG: TRACE THE DOTS] was something he could possibly use in this case, by virtue of it being a specific anti-demon weapons upgrade, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to use it without a second upgrade. Then again, it was also for his MG24s, which slightly reduced its usefulness. Granted, he imagined that a good burst of his MG rounds would do most damned creatures in, and Hans preferred using his MG24 coaxials whenever he faced anything that wasn¡¯t a Petain MBT (he sometimes even used it on the vulnerable rear of Murat MBMs to set their fuel tanks on fire), he would still have found more use in getting a specialized anti-demon upgrade on his main gun, just like one of Adelyn¡¯s current option. Then again, [UPG: EYES OF PARANOIA] seemed like a good upgrade for him. An automatic warning system linked to his sensors that would detect any demonic entity at a fifty-meter radius would surely help him. That¡¯d significantly reduce the chances of an enemy demon sneaking up on him. While his sensors were good, a three-hundred-sixty-degree automated demon detection upgrade was something else. His sensors were front-facing¡ªnot three hundred sixty degrees. He had a ninety-degree sensor FOV (Field of View) on his turret¡¯s targeting feeds and another ninety-degree sensor FOV for his driver¡¯s viewing screens. That was a major limitation to his detection capabilities. Hell, even just the act of looking up and down was something many pilots found hard, as they needed to keep track of two screens in combat (most usually focused on the targeting feeds). But it also meant that unless he turned his turret to his rear, or to his sides, those areas were effectively blindspots for him. So, he supposed [UPG: EYE OF PARANOIA] would be the best upgrade that he could take. The other one was simply not an available option, and while he would lament the fact that it was a wasted opportunity for another more useful upgrade that he could have as an option¡­there was nothing he could do. He had to roll with what he had now. All that was left was to get Adelyn to pick the anti-demon munitions upgrade so they would be synergized as a perfect demon-hunting team for the time being. Hans could see it already¡­the dynamics of how they would work once they faced that thing. Hans would be the eye, warning her of any attacks. He¡¯d also most likely get the first shot. If it did not fall immediately from a direct hit of Hans¡¯ 90mm MPAT¡­then Adelyn could fire her specialized rounds at its face. They had a chance now. Surely, he wouldn¡¯t see 0633 again. He¡¯d have a bloody safe path out of this now. 19. For These Two ¡°Revenge is quite the awful thing to desire. I have seen many veterans of the front looking for it. Because the Flandrians ¡®did this¡¯. Because they ¡®took her¡¯ or ¡®him¡¯ away. I understand the sentiments. I doubt I¡¯d react far from how my comrades acted if I were in their place. In a way, I also want it¡­due to what they did. But¡­he didn¡¯t need to charge so foolishly to avenge his dead brother. I couldn¡¯t stop it. Perhaps it was also my fault. In the end¡­he did what he chose to do. I hope he found peace that way, and that he found his brother in the end anyway. Even in the afterlife.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Hans¡¯ and Adelyn¡¯s mech were racing through the road. The sky was already slowly dropping,¡­and Hans felt that tugging terror come back again. That damned thing could attack them anytime now. Even the fact that both of their mechs were finally upgraded didn¡¯t fully calm Hans down as he kept himself focused on the road. On the screens, the [MECH-SYSTEM PILOT ASSISTANCE INTERFACE] was fully online. Alongside [UPG: EYE OF PARANOIA], it should warn him if the creature tried anything. Even Adelyn¡¯s mech was tailing twenty meters behind him, which meant that she was also covered by Hans¡¯ fifty-meter automatic detection range. Technically, they were already hunting. But it would be best if they reached that town first, and found good positioning on the slightly flat, and uncovered hills nearby. He needed to kill that demon quickly. It seemed that turning on the [UPG: EYE OF PARANOIA] practically burned through arcane points. Twenty AP per hour to be specific. And he only had a hundred. Even magic couldn¡¯t bend the fundamental laws of mathematics; he had five hours to liquidate the beast. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn suddenly spoke through the comms. She had already taken his advice, taking [UPG: WRATH AGAINST SINNERS], and unlocking [ADI, MPAT 120mm], which appeared to be similar to his [UPG: TRACE THE DOTS] upgrade. It seemed that tier one only unlocked the most basic anti-demon munitions. Hans imagined the incendiary part of these special rounds would deal more damage to a demonic entity. It was in the name: Anti-Demon Incendiary. But still¡­the downside¡­ ¡°The ¡®enchantment¡¯ process for my loaded round is finished. That took almost thirty minutes and all of my Arcane Points. Lieutenant, this¡­is for one round. One MPAT. I need the ¡®UPG: Arcane Autofabricator¡¯ to reduce the cost. This means it really is a de facto prerequisite and thus supposed to be taken first. And again the logistical¡ª¡± ¡°Captain, we are dealing with a severe threat in the short term,¡± Hans said. ¡°I need that one anti-demon round. And I need you to hit. We¡¯ll figure out the logistics later. The focus now is to hunt that thing and survive this night, nothing more.¡± ¡°...Lieutenant, I wished you trusted my decision-making a little bit more.¡± ¡°I do, Captain,¡± Hans didn¡¯t like how he made Adelyn feel about all this. But¡­he needed her to do this. She may outrank him, but she could not see the future. If for anything, Adelyn shouldn¡¯t be ashamed of Hans having a different idea. For Hans, Adelyn was merely working with what she knew. And if he was in her position, he would no doubt think that long-term logistics take priority. Unfortunately, Hans knew that long-term supply issues would matter when they would die tonight. He stopped his mech, and so did Adelyn. ¡°Movement,¡± he warned, as he turned his turret to the left of his mech. Hans eyed the dense forest, and so did Adelyn. ¡°Keep your eyes peeled, Captain. I cover the right flank, you turn to the left.¡± This could be it. ¡°Don¡¯t engage with your main gun unless¡ª¡± ¡°Unless you say so. And I¡¯m only permitted to fire with my coaxials if a hostile creature appears. I know your orders, Lieutenant.¡± The way her words came out laced with bitterness was obvious to Hans. While she was certainly more humble than her peers, she was still the superior, and the CO. Hans knew that she definitely felt a hit on her pride, being ordered by her subordinate on how to fight. Ordered by a mere commoner at that. Yet, he knew that Adelyn paid his words heed. Her turret turned to cover their right flank, ensuring that they had eyes there. He also noticed on his tactical digital map that she turned her chassis as well to the rear. Now, they had a close to a three-hundred-sixty-degree FOV combined. Alongside the active [UPG: EYE OF PARANOIA] and its fifty-meter radius of automatic demon detection range, Hans hoped that there was absolutely no chance of this creature managing to surprise them in a pounce attack. ¡°Movement, Lieutenant¡­left flank, four hundred meters¡­wait, it¡¯s gone again¡­¡± Hans didn¡¯t turn his turret away from their left flank, his eyes looking up and down on the screens with a subtle twitch of paranoia. ¡°It¡¯s circling us. Using the darkness. Keep checking our front and rear feeds. It¡¯s trying to close in. Don¡¯t engage with anything till two hundred meters.¡± ¡°Copy that, Lieutenant. Also¡­I¡­I covered Aliz¨¦e¡¯s eyes with my handkerchief too.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t have a problem with it?¡± ¡°I told her there¡¯s scary stuff. Doubt she understood me exactly, but she took it. She¡¯s¡­hugging the plushie I gave her tightly.¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°Good,¡± Hans replied. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to see this.¡± Hans saw a sudden pitch-black pass far in front of his mech. ¡°Movement on our front. Three hundred meters. It¡¯s using the dense woods as cover.¡± ¡°Damn it, what the hell even is this?¡± ¡°Just keep alert, Captain,¡± Hans said, as he drove his mech backwards, to get closer to Adelyn¡¯s mech. It seemed that even she did the same. The sun really was falling down, with the skies¡¯ pinkish lights already dimmed enough that he began switching to both Thermals and Night Vision sensors. ¡°It¡¯s too fast, too fast!¡± Adelyn said, also moving her mech closer to the Peacemaker, that they were now only a few meters apart. Hans turned his turret left and right¡­he had an MPAT already locked and loaded, set in airburst mode. He just needed to get a good shot. Unfortunately, it must be a very good shot. An MPAT round after all would detonate should it hit a tree instead. Hans knew that even a small screw-up like that would be the end of them. Taking a deep breath, Hans saw it at last. ¡°Visual! Two hundred meters away! Opening fire!¡± He pulled the trigger for his coaxials. Immediately, a rain of 12.7x99mm tracers from his MG24 lit up the darkening forest, and he heard the creature wail for a second in pain as it disappeared. ¡°It¡¯s on our right flank. I¡¯m keeping an eye on it.¡± ¡°Copy, copy. Damn it, is it not down after that?¡± ¡°Damned demons!¡± Hans shouted as he focused on where he last saw it. Just before that, it appeared on his interface.
HOSTILE DEMONIC ENTITY DETECTED! FORTY-EIGHT METERS! NINE O¡¯CLOCK!
¡°Captain, break formation now!¡± Immediately, both Hans¡¯ and Adelyn¡¯s mech jumped off from their original positions as the pitch-black beast dropped on the road. Rapidly, Hans turned his turret to his rear, taking aim at the creature¡ªthis time, properly¡ªand pulled the trigger. The firing pin struck the loaded MPAT round in his main gun¡¯s chamber and fired it off straight at the creature. This time, the proximity fuse detected the beast¡ªand a violent explosion followed, obscuring the creature for a second, and showering the normally silent forest with what must have been the most powerful booms it would ever hear. Still, Hans saw it running to the right. A torrent of tracers lit up the trees on their left flank, as Adelyn rained the retreating demon with everything she had. ¡°Cease fire! Cease fire! Captain!¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t die! It shrugged off a direct hit!¡± ¡°I said cease fire!¡± Her MG24s fell silent. ¡°Sorry. Sorry. It''s just¡­Lieutenant¡­it¡¯s gone again.¡± Both of them were now looking at the dark, dense woods of their left flank. Where that creature disappeared. ¡°It retreated. It should be badly injured now.¡± ¡°Or we just enraged it,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°We need to keep moving,¡± Hans said. ¡°We can¡¯t go deep in the woods to chase it. Too tight. We¡¯d be at a severe disadvantage. And I have a feeling it¡¯s a trap.¡± +++ The night had fully fallen when the two of them arrived in the first town Hans visited. Immediately, they set up a position on the hilly flat lands. Conveniently next to the corpse of Hans¡¯ first demonic kill. Hans had a feeling that the creature¡­was in some ways connected to the first demon he killed. And thus, it should come here. Eventually. Hans¡¯ and Adelyn¡¯s mech, as was usual to their last firefight, was hugging each other closely, merely being twenty meters apart. They were observing the entire forest, the town, and the approaches to the hill. Disconcertedly, Hans was eyeing a distant, old, and massive tree. He could still remember his death near there. Where he stared that beast eye to eye. His turret also twitched at times to the site of Adelyn¡¯s and Aliz¨¦e¡¯s death, still remembering how the creature decapitated their heads and presented it to him so cruelly. Hans found a silent poetic note to it. These fields¡­somehow, would be the sight of the deaths of them all. All that was left was to kill that demon here too. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn suddenly said. ¡°Movement. It¡¯s emerging from the woods. Three hundred meters away¡­¡± Immediately, Hans¡¯ mech turned around, and his main gun was aimed at the almost limping creature that emerged to assault them. It was moving in their direction¡­the same direction as the corpse of the first dead demon. Hans looked at the creature¡­its pitch-black skin was no more. He could see exposed red flesh on it. He could see it bleeding. One of its yellow eyes was even gone. Yet that hateful gaze¡­ But it seems to be over now. My shot. It did half of the work already. I¡­did it. If for nothing else, it seemed that this demonic entity was merely defiantly charging in its last hurrah. Still¡­merely looking at those tails¡­those same tails that caused him so much agony¡­ Even in its injured state, Hans felt that chill on his spine. ¡°Should I open fire¡ª¡± Adelyn¡¯s request was interrupted when Hans pulled the trigger first. The shot went directly into the face of the creature, the explosion causing birds to fly off around the forest. But out of the smoke¡­the creature emerged once more¡­still in that pained defiance. Charging at them. Even when its pace was almost nothing. Fear coursed through Hans¡¯ veins. It was getting way too close. ¡°Damn it! I don¡¯t care! Waste that round now, and open fire, Captain!¡± ¡°Firing,¡± was her only response, as her Wanderadler¡¯s main gun opened fire. The round left off a reddish trail of light as it traveled through the night¡ªslamming in a direct hit into the beast. A brutal blue inferno developed, and Hans felt himself looking away for but a moment due to its almost blinding flash. He looked back at the carnage¡ªand it emerged from the fires. Burning violently. As it roared in an agonized death¡­that Hans¡­even after all that it did to him¡­ He felt pity for it. In just seconds it dropped on the fields of grass¡­only a few meters away from the first demon Hans killed. Still burning as the final vestige of its life rose with the smoke to the skies. And with that¡­Hans left off a breath he didn¡¯t realize he was holding. This night¡­ This endless cycle of deaths¡­ At last¡­ He found a way out for them.
[1 DEMONIC ENTITY (LVL. UNKNOWN) LIQUIDATED!] [LEVEL UP! NOW LVL. 7] [PROGRESS TO LEVEL 8: 95%] [AVAILABLE AP: 92 PTS]
20. From His Coffin in Hell ¡°At the very least, those two found their resting place. Side-by-side.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Hans took a deep breath as he observed the two corpses on the ground. In the end¡­all it took was a few shots to end the battle. The beast¡­its body, it had already disintegrated with the fire. All that was left now was the slightly burned of what clearly was a young woman, similar to the first demon he had killed. This time, she was black-haired. Hans looked at their work. The other Vanus woman, black-haired, unlike the first, was merely fifteen meters away from the resting place of the first demon he had killed. He sighed. She looked¡­it was as if all she wanted in her last moment was to reach the other woman until the fire from Adelyn¡¯s attack killed her. Strange. This thing¡­she killed Hans, Adelyn, and Aliz¨¦e¡­many times. In all those failed loops. Hans always wondered what truly was its motivation. No¡­her motivation, now that he knew of her true form. It seemed that demonic entities truly shed off their monstrous forms when they died. Which was why he wondered why he was nowhere near them. Was he perhaps a special type then? No¡­what he wondered more, was what led them to this. Unfortunately, being dead, he doubted he¡¯d find many answers about that. He approached the corpse of the second woman and began inspecting it. He noticed something on her half-burned dress. In its pocket¡­there was a small leather book that protruded from it. He pulled it and began checking it. He leaned down and checked the book for himself. Fortunately, it was untouched by the inferno. That was the strange thing about all this. He imagined with such an intense fire, all of her body would have burned away. Then again, being demonic in nature, it must have had some resistance. He began flipping through the pages. ¡­It was normal writing. Sure, he didn¡¯t understand it. He understood nothing of the language on it even if it was using the same characters of his own country. But it seemed normal. So much so that he could almost imagine that this person would be sitting in her room after a long day, just to write with her ink and quill near a gas lamp before sleeping in her bed. Hell, he even saw some¡­drawings on it. Like flowers, and even animals. This woman must have had quite some artistic qualities in her. It was¡­innocent. Why then? Why did she turn out this way? Much of the book however turned empty, save for the last page. There¡­ He saw it. An almost crazed, frantic drawing of two girls. One black haired. One clearly white-haired. There were black splotches of ink on it. Almost as if she was panicking¡­or breaking down when she used the last page. Underneath the crazed drawings¡­were lines of phrases that he didn¡¯t understand. Most even seemed to be repeating themselves. I will find you. I will find you. I will find you. Just hold on. Please. Please. Please. He sighed and closed the leather book. Must have been some journal of sorts. Clearly, something happened to these two. Very bad things, it seemed, as he remembered the letter he fetched from the first girl. His eyes looked down again on the black-haired girl, noticing something on her wrist. It was a bracelet. With what appeared to be a ruby on it. He walked away and went to the corpse of the first girl. She had the same bracelet. Goddess¡­they really are related. ¡­He had no more words. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn suddenly approached him from behind. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s really clear?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± That was all Hans could say. He tossed the leather book to her. ¡°Check it out. I retrieved it from the creature we killed. Her corpse is over there.¡± Adelyn sifted through the book after catching it, before looking at the corpses herself. Soon¡­her originally frightened expression turned into melancholy. ¡°Lieutenant¡­I think these two are siblings,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s over now,¡± Hans said. He turned away. ¡°The area is all clear. Good job to us, I guess.¡± +++ Hans wiped his sweat using his handkerchief. The morning sun was still rising, which meant they should have a lot of daylight to burn once they departed. He placed the shovel he acquired from the town on the side of the tree he was close to, as he took a seat. Damn it. Burying bodies sure is a chore. Adelyn soon approached him. She was holding two cups of coffee, it seemed. Hans took one of it, as Adelyn looked at the burial site of what they assumed to be sisters or twins. They weren¡¯t really sure. ¡°The second one almost got us yesterday,¡± Adelyn mumbled. ¡°You know, I wonder what it could have done. It shrugged off multiple shots from a literal cannon. No living thing¡­does that¡­¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Hans sipped the coffee. If there was anything he liked about Lotharingian MREs, it was the fact that the coffee, chocolate, and tea that would come with the packs would always be a decent drink. ¡°Lucky we didn¡¯t have to know that then, Captain.¡± ¡°That we are,¡± she sat a bit, looking down at them. ¡°You know, predicting that there¡¯s a second one from your first kill sure is something.¡± ¡°I suppose,¡± Hans said. ¡°The first thing you learn in warfare is that enemies don¡¯t come alone. There¡¯s always backup. There¡¯s always retaliation. There¡¯s always someone covering the downed soldier. The downed tank. The downed aircraft. And so on.¡± Adelyn nodded. ¡°I guess that comes with your experiences. I have the same, even if I only saw the front for a few months.¡± ¡°Enough to learn its horrors regardless,¡± Hans said. ¡°Being a newbie doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re ignorant. I certainly knew it would be a crappy experience since I first climbed into my Wanderfalke.¡± Adelyn chuckled a bit. ¡°Guess the propaganda didn¡¯t work on you.¡± ¡°It did. A bit.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see that.¡± ¡°I thought it¡¯d at least be a bit cool,¡± Hans said. ¡°I mean, Wanderfalkes. Just look at it. It still looks like something that should exist in the future to me. To this day.¡± She groaned a bit. ¡°Men and their overenthusiasm for soulless machines. I bet you played with robot toys in your childhood.¡± ¡°I apologize, but I struggle to take those words seriously coming from a woman driving to the battlefield with plushies. You would think that the military police would have confiscated it as contraband, but eh, I guess nobles get a pass.¡± ¡°They¡¯re collector plushies!¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a new one to me.¡± ¡°And for the record, the girl likes it,¡± she smirked smugly a bit. ¡°In a way, they¡¯re humanitarian assets.¡± ¡°Damn, you really are forward-thinking. Did you think you¡¯ll get to show that off to Flandrian civilians or to folks in occupied Lotharingia?¡± She shook her head. ¡°To be fair, there might be a chance, okay? What if the brass found a genius idea to push them back?¡± Hans laughed a bit. Now that was truly funny. High Command somehow growing a brain and actually pushing their enemies back into the border? He imagined he¡¯d see magic first before that. Actually, now that he looked into it, he already did. There was no chance in hell and heaven that such a scenario would happen in the next few years. Not with the brain-dead generals and politicians in charge that is. He took a quicker sip of his coffee. Gee, that really woke him up well. That would just never happen. ¡°Anyhow, Lieutenant. Have you had your breakfast yet? We¡¯re departing at 0630 Hours. Much as I¡¯d like to waste time in the middle of nowhere, we really need to make contact with civilization. Anything.¡± He looked at his watch. 0545 Hours. He still had almost an hour before they would leave. ¡°Well, sorry, I had to finish what I started last night. My half-assed attempt at burial looked embarrassing when I woke up earlier. But, yeah, guess I¡¯ll fix myself up quickly. Shouldn¡¯t take too much time.¡± ¡°Good,¡± she said. ¡°I already fed Aliz¨¦e, so we¡¯re clear on that part.¡± ¡°You woke her up this damned early?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Adelyn frowned. ¡°We wake up for school at 0500 Hours. Even at 0400 Hours back when we were children. Or are you the type of student that wakes up thirty minutes before schooltime?¡± Naturally, Hans felt himself slapped by that. ¡°Oi, I¡¯ll have you know, I have never been late back in my time at school.¡± ¡°Regardless, of course, I did that,¡± she took a sip of her coffee again. ¡°A kid should not go on a road trip without having a good breakfast.¡± ¡°Road trip is the last thing I¡¯d call this thing,¡± Hans said. ¡°Well, if anything, that¡¯s what I want for her,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°You said it yourself, she already dealt with enough trauma. At the very least, a peaceful drive to this place¡¯s civilization, whatever it may be, is something good to desire.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, I guess,¡± Hans said. ¡°I¡¯m still keeping my main gun locked and loaded.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not shooting anyone again until I say so,¡± the way she spoke this time was so threatening that for some reason, Hans immediately bent and replied quickly. ¡°Of course, Captain! I apologize for my earlier insubordination.¡± She huffed. ¡°Good. I almost thought you forgot who your commanding officer is. I will say it now, no pointless wildlife hunting until I permit it.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Hans said. ¡°I was simply desperate to find counters to that thing.¡± ¡°I can see that. Still¡­regardless of the rules of this world, I have to remind you, Lieutenant, that you are under me. And you are under my rules. And under the rules and regulations of the Army. The rules of engagement take effect as long as anyone is under my command.¡± ¡°Of course, that is very clear in my mind, Captain,¡± Hans said. Of course, the true lesson he could take for himself. Even in another world, he would not escape the rules of Army bureaucracy. +++ Hans watched as Aliz¨¦e placed a few flowers on the graves of the two sisters. The little girl, for some reason, even when Adelyn kept her away from it, insisted on carrying a bunch of flowers she picked from a nearby field so she could place it on top of them. Adelyn sighed. ¡°Look, she wanted it.¡± ¡°I guess that just goes with her,¡± Hans said. ¡°At the very least, the corpses are buried so she would not see it.¡± ¡°Still such a smart kid,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°She definitely knows people died, and is reacting accordingly.¡± Aliz¨¦e stood away from the graves, before seemingly giving them a silent prayer. So it really seemed that the girl was schooled in religion before he found her. He supposed it made sense. He looked to his side. Even Adelyn seemed to be praying for them now. Should¡­should I? He watched as they prayed. Silently of course, as he found himself stuck in indecision. These things¡­they¡­they killed him and these two so many times. Especially the stronger one. He was brutalized many times. He watched both Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e be brutalized many times. He¡­of course he struggled. To pay a prayer to these sisters, especially to the older ones? He could not stomach it. In a way, he still felt hate towards the stronger one especially. He even told himself that it was all for his smug satisfaction that he buried them. He truly wanted to tell himself that he merely did it to rub it on them. That they lost to him. But¡­ Hans sighed. There was no point to these worries. He still hated them. Especially when they probably murdered hundreds of people too in the two wiped-out towns. But¡­he gave them a solemn bow and a wish that they find peace somewhere else. He soon turned away, just as the two finished praying. ¡°Anyhow, we need to go now,¡± Hans said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°I hope they reunite though. If they really are siblings. May the Goddess forgive them both.¡± Hans, normally, would have groaned at Adelyn¡¯s overly religious words. But he didn''t. He wished them the same too anyway¡­even if he wanted to deny it. Soon, they finally left the two graves for their vehicles. Hans didn¡¯t look back as the displays on his cockpit went online. He turned the engines back on, and soon, they were back on the road. Hans looked at the time. It was 0633 Hours. But¡­it wasn¡¯t yesterday again. Finally¡­we¡¯re driving away from this hell. Finally¡­it¡¯s over. ARC I END: THE KNIGHT¡¯S COFFIN 21. His Paths of Torment ARC II: ITS LABYRINTH ¡°Being sent to a world that resembles the past sure is quite something.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡± Hans was snacking on biscuits from his recently opened rations at the moment, leaning on one of the legs of his parked Wanderfalke. They stopped on their journey mid-afternoon. Beside Hans was Adelyn, who was doing much the same as she sipped tea that she brewed. Both of them were watching the sunset, as Aliz¨¦e played with some sort of light magic with her palms near the sunflower field beside the road. Quite frankly, their Wanderpanzers seemed like an unnatural sight on the idyllic natural landscape. An intrusion of modern technology in a world stuck in the past. But¡­well, they were here now. ¡°Shame we can¡¯t understand her,¡± Hans replied to Adelyn. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s magic, so, that¡¯s quite something. Would like to ask her how she does it.¡± ¡°Hoping you¡¯ll learn it too?¡± ¡°Nah¡­¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°Unless it''s useful, I don¡¯t need that light party trick coming from my palms. I got night vision equipment, a powerful sensor suite, a flashlight, and a gun.¡± ¡°Well, imagine if you have one, you might entertain the locals once we meet them.¡± ¡°What? Am I a court jester to you? You¡¯re a fool.¡± She laughed. ¡°Well, a court jester would be an appropriate designation for you. I think being a diplomatic representative of Lotharingia is too high of a task to place on your hands. Making funny jokes however would be something on your means, and it¡¯ll help us cooperate with people.¡± Hans cracked a quick frown from his Captain¡¯s condescending tone. ¡°Why am I the clown?¡± ¡°Fits your theme, I guess? Some call you ¡®the Joker¡¯ due to how you weasel your way out of literal encirclements, so I guess throwing smokes and mirrors to anyone that might suspect us in this world would be your specialty?¡± ¡°And what are you?¡± Hans laughed. ¡°A ¡®diplomatic representative of Lotharingia¡¯?¡± And with that, Adelyn smugly looked up at the skies as that aristocratic pride in her tone finally shined at full force once more. ¡°Of course. I am, after all, the youngest daughter of House Wittenstein. Not only am I a commissioned officer of the Confederacy, I am also a high noble. It¡¯s only natural that my standing will demand such a responsibility. I may not officially represent the nation since I was not appointed here, but I am the face of Lotharingia here, in this new world. And I shall execute that duty with utmost grace expected of a member of my family.¡± With that, Adelyn nodded to herself, almost as if she was convinced of her greatness. The fact that her halo shined a little bit brighter and cast some light on Hans further added to the image¡ªan image of someone delusional, at least from Hans¡¯ perspective. ¡°Yeah, you go get ¡®em, Princess,¡± Hans said. ¡°Just call me up if the locals skewer you in the wake of a Lotharingian-styled diplomatic fumbling.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me! I¡¯m having my moment here. Can you at least let a woman have her fantasies?!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t,¡± Hans said, attempting to look innocent. ¡°Just being a good subordinate is all.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from a guy who charges into the fire when I say defend.¡± ¡°Sorry, not sorry.¡± ¡°As expected of you,¡± Adelyn sighed. ¡°This is why Lieutenant Wilhelm, or maybe LIeutenant Weizmann should be here. They¡¯re the ones who can deal with you.¡± ¡°Yeah, that they are,¡± Hans laughed. Usually, in E Company, Adelyn would hide behind her two yesmen during problems. Unlike Hans and 1st Platoon, the other platoons were closer to their Captain, which was why they pulled out immediately during the Battle of Haubliz while Hans and 1st Platoon disobeyed. It was Hans¡¯ style under Captain Adelyn. Independence. Something which he struggled to receive from their previous company commander. Adelyn of course would chastise Hans whenever he disobeyed orders in favor of his preferred tactical options, but, all she would do was nothing more than a slap on the wrist. Thus, she would sometimes use Weizmann and Wilhelm to convince Hans, after all, both of them were his friends. ¡°You know, I wonder what Lieutenant Weizmann and Lieutenant Wilhelm would do in our stead. Hell, what if they¡¯re here?¡± Hans asked. Adelyn smiled. ¡°Well, I have no doubt they¡¯d survive. E Company after all is some of the finest units out there. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d be moving as quickly as possible to find friendlies and regroup, all while surviving, and all while following the rules of the Army.¡± ¡°You have quite the high opinion of a unit of miscreants, huh,¡± Hans said. ¡°I honestly wonder why you refuse to look at the crimes each of us committed. That should shake you up quite quickly.¡± ¡°I know more than half of E Company was convicted of nonviolent crimes,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°But, the reason why I don¡¯t want to look it up, is as I¡¯ve said. I¡¯m not here to judge. The courts already did that. And they already gave you this position as a punishment. All I¡¯m doing here is to lead you all into redeeming yourselves off your sentences by keeping you all alive until the war is over.¡± ¡°Quite a tall, and naive mission to give to yourself,¡± Hans said. ¡°But whatever, you do you.¡± +++ ¡°A farm¡­¡± Hans said. Just ahead of the road they were in, were endless fields of wheat. They were already mature, but it was just so damned massive that Hans was a tad bit surprised. For a supposed technologically backward world, this place seemed¡­more well off agriculturally than he expected. ¡°Lieutenant, please dismount then,¡± Adelyn ordered. ¡°Let¡¯s try to make contact without scaring them first. Our vehicles aren¡¯t exactly the most friendly-looking types¡­¡± ¡°Copy that,¡± Hans replied. ¡°What about Aliz¨¦e?¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°She¡¯s coming, of course,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°I mean¡­we can¡¯t understand their language, now can we?¡± ¡°You have a point.¡± Their Wandpanzers stopped on the road, making sure that they were some distance away from the settlement. Naturally for Hans, he immediately took his SMG as he dismounted. Quite frankly, he didn¡¯t know how friendly the locals would be. Not that he would be starting any trouble, but having a good boom-stick to scare them off would come in handy during extreme situations. He watched as Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e dismounted as well, with Adelyn still encouraging Aliz¨¦e to come out of the hatch. He sighed¡­hopefully, Aliz¨¦e would speak well about them once they made contact. That would certainly make things easier, by a huge margin. ¡°Lieutenant, you¡¯re carrying your gun?¡± Adelyn asked. Unlike him, she wasn¡¯t holding anything (although, he knew she had her pistol concealed). Hans nodded. ¡°Look, we can just say I¡¯m your guard or something. That¡¯d make sense anyway. Plus, we traveled through hostile lands. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll understand.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t do anything stupid,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Unless I say so, you¡¯re not flicking that safety off. Okay?¡± ¡°Rog, Captain.¡± The three of them advanced through the road, with Hans leading a few meters ahead. He made sure to keep his gun lowered, as they finally saw two men meandering about around what appeared to be a bunch of pack mules. Unlike Aliz¨¦e however, these two didn¡¯t have anything special on them. Not even a halo similar to Adelyn¡¯s case. They were like him, very much human in appearance. They turned their attention to the trio before they returned to conversing with each other. Almost as if they were nothing special. But what surprised Hans was¡­ ¡°And those damned merchants raised the price of the powder!¡± A bearded man said to what appeared to be a farmer. The other man merely nodded exasperatedly. ¡°Damn that company. I knew it, being dependent on their new crap wasn¡¯t going to be good. Okay, it helped with the yields. But look at some of my field laborers, they snort the damned thing! Rumor is, the damned thing makes you go crazy¡ª¡± Wait, they speak Lotharingian? ¡°Sir, can I have a word for a moment, please?¡± The bearded man groaned. ¡°Just go straight on that road young lad. If you wanna get to Rousselot, it¡¯s straight ahead. Ain¡¯t no point asking ¡®round a bunch of oldies.¡± ¡°You both speak Lotharingian?¡± The two of them reacted emptily upon his mention of that word. ¡°Is that some funny place in the East? I dunno mate, I¡¯m speaking continental.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t know they changed the name of our language,¡± the farmer said. ¡°Ah, damn those stupid academics or mages and their fancy nothing. I¡¯ve seen them a lot in the city. Always going on and on about this and that.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that their entire thing though?¡± The farmer asked. ¡°Ponder about the world and all?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter to me unless it''s pondering how to stop the bugs pestering on my goddamned farm.¡± Adelyn and Hans looked at each other, as the two of them continued rambling about everything else. It seemed that the two really spoke the same language. And ¡°continental¡±? What the hell did that even mean? Why would an entire damned continent speak one language? Wait, why did they not understand Aliz¨¦e then? Just then, Adelyn stepped forward, clearing her throat. ¡°Gentlemen, would you warrant me to ask a few questions, please?¡± The two of them looked at her, up and down in surprise. They seemed to have focused on her halo. ¡°Crap, she¡¯s a Virtus¡­¡± The bearded man smacked the other man, and their surprise turned into submission, almost bowing in the presence of Adelyn. As if they just saw someone important walk in front of them. ¡°I¡­I apologize, lady¡­this guy¡¯s just a nut head. Please, ask away.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, no need to bow¡ª¡± ¡°But you¡¯re a noble,¡± the bearded man said. ¡°Sorry, your guard blocked the way, and we didn¡¯t see. We dearly apologize¡­¡± Adelyn looked back at Hans, who merely shook his head. He too had no idea what they meant by that. Did that mean that people of the Virtus race were widely considered as nobility in this land? Well¡­he supposed her summoner made sense in turning her into one then. She sure as hell was cut for that role. ¡°Alright then. I would like to ask, where are we?¡± The two of them looked at each other strangely. The bearded man soon answered, a bit unsure. ¡°Um, we¡¯re in Ygeia. The westernmost Principality of the continent, and of the Holy Empire. Shouldn¡¯t you¡­know that?¡± Adelyn smiled, shaking her head. ¡°I apologize, sir. But an accident happened, and we three have been very lost. I would be very pleased if you could perhaps tell me more about this land.¡± ¡°Oh¡­you three got into a situation¡­?¡± The bearded man looked at Aliz¨¦e, who began hiding behind Hans. ¡°A Vanus child? Silver haired? Hmm¡­I swear, I saw her once¡­¡± ¡°Oh, on that note, she seems to be speaking¡­something¡­different? Do you two perhaps understand her?¡± Adelyn asked. The bearded man shook his head. ¡°Probably just another sheltered Vanus noble. They have their own language they keep to themselves. I think there are a few of them in Rousselot who can help you understand her. But we cannot.¡± Adelyn nodded. ¡°We saved her from the forests over there,¡± she pointed in the direction that they came from. ¡°There were two villages there that seemed to have been attacked. We were wondering why no one is there to¡­um, help. The place also seemed deserted. No merchants¡­no nothing¡­¡± ¡°Oh¡­the Vanus villages over there,¡± the two turned shifty. Especially the bearded man. ¡°Sorry, lady, but we don¡¯t want to associate with them. The authorities already warned us not to trade with the rebels over there. Can¡¯t get on their wrong side nowadays.¡± ¡°Rebels?¡± ¡°Eh, you know what they keep doing since their Republic lost,¡± the bearded man said. ¡°To be fair, I think they ruled us better,¡± the farmer said. ¡°Ah, shut up old man. Virtus. Vanus. The Republic. The Holy Empire. It doesn¡¯t matter. We humans are below the totem pole. If anything, it¡¯s nice that these Vanus folks are having the suck handed to them with the change in management. Especially when there¡¯s rumors that the damned bastards keep turning into monsters for no reason¡­¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Hans whispered to Adelyn. ¡°They¡¯re back on it again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like they forgot about my existence,¡± Adelyn said. She however smiled. ¡°Well, at the very least, now we know that humans exist in this world too. And there is civilization. Look at them argue.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost comical,¡± Hans said. ¡°Though, I don¡¯t get that man¡¯s problem with the Vanus race. Like her. Or¡­well, me, apparently.¡± Adelyn shook her head. ¡°Come on, Lieutenant. They can¡¯t distinguish you from a human anyway. Only I have a distinctive identification of being not human. And it works for my benefit, as demonstrated here.¡± ¡°Or not, and you end up getting skewered for having the blood of the ruling elite.¡± ¡°Your pessimism in everything¡­¡± ¡°That, and Aliz¨¦e is clearly a Vanus girl. If this world has some sort of hatred of her kind for being the previous elites, we¡¯re in hot water¡­well, especially her. And, probably me too.¡± Adelyn shook her head. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯ll protect her if need be.¡± ¡°I know that. I¡¯m just saying¡­I feel like there¡¯s more danger going forward in this path. We can¡¯t get too sloppy with this one.¡± Adelyn nodded, before turning back to the two arguing men. ¡°Thanks for helping us out, sirs! We appreciate it.¡± Damn it. That was all that was left in Hans¡¯ mind, as he looked back at Aliz¨¦e, who was doing everything to make herself look small behind Hans. Damn it. This entire thing just turned even more complicated for him going forward. Then again¡­why did he even hope that his problems would end there? 22. Must He Flee? ¡°Sometimes, the idea of retreating from what¡¯s in front of me consumes my mind. Would it be a viable option though? I seriously doubt that. Not in this situation. There¡¯s only one way forward, and that¡¯s making contact with these people and dealing with them as it goes on.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ En Route to ¡°Rousselot¡± It seemed that those farmers couldn¡¯t care less about the fact that they were driving literal weapons of war from modern Lorathia. Hans and Adelyn advanced through the road, through two men, still arguing on the side of the road, without much hiccup. They barely even batted a further eye on their vehicles. ¡°Isn¡¯t that strange?¡± Adelyn suddenly asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like¡­they don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Eh, they have bigger fish to fry in their lives,¡± Hans answered. ¡°They probably just think we¡¯re another fancy-nothing burger. I mean, if I¡¯m a farmer trying to get by in a magical world, where shtick like what we¡¯ve seen with Aliz¨¦e is something to go by, getting surprised by everything some fancy rich schmuck would do with party tricks is going to get stale pretty fast. And it looks like those two already found their lives stale.¡± ¡°I suppose farming does that¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a peaceful occupation, at least¡­or not¡­can¡¯t say with how things are going on around here.¡± ¡°So¡­would we be working on our cover story?¡± ¡°Cover story?¡± ¡°Lieutenant, we¡¯re driving around with walking armored vehicles that are a product of a nation probably a few centuries more advanced than the people around here. We need something.¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d just tell them we¡¯re Lorathians, and that we got lost.¡± ¡°Exactly, but we need to make it better. More believable. We can¡¯t just say, ¡®Oh, we suddenly found ourselves here¡¯. That¡¯d look bad. I have a suggestion.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We¡¯re from the high seas! We¡¯re explorers from a very distant land, an ocean away, who found ourselves stranded here. These people respect prestigious titles. That way, they¡¯ll treat us better.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know my Captain is a professional liar.¡± ¡°Survival, Lieutenant. Plus, it¡¯s not really that far off. We¡¯re lost travelers in a foreign land. Think about it. Would you attack a traveler from a distant land carrying such advanced technologies? A traveler just exploring your lands and helping your people?¡± ¡°Oh, sure, why not? Our mechs will probably be worth quite a fortune out here. Assuming they can run it. So why wouldn¡¯t they send a company or two to put us down and take our toys away? Certainly not out of the realm of possibility.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a pessimistic possibility that I won¡¯t discount¡­¡± ¡°Assuming that they can take me out,¡± Hans laughed. ¡°They can try. I¡¯ll rain bullets on them.¡± ¡°That cockiness again.¡± She chuckled over the line a bit. ¡°You know, I remember something. For some reason, you were really afraid of that black monster even when it was limping forward. Did the ¡®Peacemaker¡¯ finally find the enemy that¡¯ll make him shiver? I could swear, you would coldly charge to Flandrian armor, but you almost shouted like a scared boy for me to open fire on that hill.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me. To be fair, that thing was damned scary.¡± ¡°He¡¯s defensive.¡± ¡°It is scary,¡± Hans almost wanted to bash his head in shame. Yeah, that battle wasn¡¯t his finest display in front of her. The fact that he was acting all paranoid for that entire day, constantly shaking like some child with monsters in his bed, completely abandoning his tactic of ¡°charge forward and screw them up!¡± made him look very un-ace-ly to Adelyn. His ego certainly took a massive hit from that. Then again, he knew the truth! She didn¡¯t. That thing damned bloodied them multiple times. Multiple times where he simply stood no chance against it. Hans didn¡¯t even want to remember it. It was¡­genuinely¡­a damned terror. He¡¯d bet that sleeping at night would be hard if he remembered that same demonic entity slicing through him. Still, he tried to remain lighthearted in his response. ¡°Also, shut up. You were just as panicky.¡± ¡°Oh, but that¡¯s long been in line with me. You always all made fun of me for being a ¡®Princess¡¯ scared of an actual fight. And hey, I admit to that. You won¡¯t though.¡± ¡°Ugh, shut up. Can we keep working on that cover story instead?¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Sure,¡± she took a pause. ¡°But, I¡¯m just saying, Lieutenant. If something is genuinely wrong, it¡¯s alright. Please do report to me. I was very concerned watching you act that way. Not that I¡¯ll poke too deeply. I just want you to know, I¡¯m open to hearing the problems you¡¯re facing. Especially when it¡¯s connected to the threats around us.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Hans looked down on his controls, his hands and feet settling into autopilot mode. Remembering all those things, and having to keep to himself¡­ It bore down on him. But he would bite through it. Telling someone that ¡°I saw you die¡±, and ¡°I died but I came back in time¡± was just something too absurd to do. Not that he wanted her to know that. Quite frankly¡­all she needed to know whenever this situation would arise would be what Hans learned to fight back. The other details¡­that was his problem. Thus, his responsibility. And why would he be so weak to need to flee those memories and vent to her instead? He wasn¡¯t that kind of a man. ¡°Thank you, Captain. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Good.¡± +++ ¡°They¡¯re really just ignoring us¡­¡± Hans muttered on the comms as they advanced through the road. They were already meeting carriages on the road, pulled by horses. All of them must be merchants, carrying goods or whatever on the road. Hell, outside of their horses being momentarily frightened, and their riders shouting at them some profanities for that, these people barely batted an eye to them. ¡°I guess we¡¯re not so special to these people then?¡± ¡°That just makes it even stranger,¡± Hans said. ¡°These people must be living in strange levels of apathy. Then again, it¡¯s not like us Terrans aren¡¯t the same.¡± ¡°True¡­¡± They continued on, eventually stopping when a group of horses stopped right in front of them minutes later. There were three of them, two of which had men with what appeared to be pistols riding on top, their headgear (with what appeared to be feathers on top), and plate armor almost reminiscent of the old Reiter cavalry centuries ago. Though they didn¡¯t seem to be in full-plate armor, outside of their cuirass. In the middle, was what appeared to be a human clergyman in his late twenties. He shouted at the top of his lungs as he held his horse to a halt, the two men forming a blocking position in front of them. ¡°Halt! You strange carriages! By the authority granted to me by the Countess of Rousselot, you shall stop in your tracks at once!¡± Now these people have some balls. ¡°Lieutenant, whatever you do, do not move threateningly.¡± ¡°Copy that, Captain,¡± he replied. Then, he moved his mech to the side of the road, as Adelyn pushed forward. Just then, Adelyn¡¯s speakers boomed. ¡°I am Captain Adelyn von Wittenstein, hailing from a land called Lotharingia. The two of us have found ourselves lost in this land when our ship suffered a catastrophic accident. We are but lost travelers, please¡­do not shoot.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± the clergyman asked. ¡°Your strange carriages have been a cause for concern. Are you two not of demonic origins?¡± ¡°Captain?! What the hell are you¡ª¡± Suddenly, Adelyn popped his hatch open and dismounted, presenting herself to them. Naturally, Hans groaned inside, as he took his SMG for a dismount. By the time he left his Wanderfalke, Adelyn was already marching forward to them, arms raised. ¡°Please, as I¡¯ve said, we are just lost travelers from a distant land,¡± she reiterated to them. ¡°We come here in peace.¡± ¡°Captain! What the hell are you doing?¡± ¡°Lieutenant, calm down. They¡¯re lowering their guns.¡± Hans looked back at the trio. It seemed that they were lowering their pistols already. The clergyman also dismounted his horse, approaching the two as he stared at them with suspicion. ¡°A young Virtus woman meandering about in the countryside,¡± he said. ¡°Quite strange, but I see that it was just a false alarm. What was the name again, Milady?¡± ¡°Captain Adelyn von Wittenstein, sir.¡± The man nodded, before looking at Hans and his weapon. ¡°Is that your guard?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s my subordinate. An officer too.¡± ¡°So you two got lost from the high seas?¡± he said. ¡°Strange, but certainly not too crazy. You two do wear some strange apparel and you¡¯re rocking some¡­dangerous equipment. I believe that we¡¯d have to inspect that for safety, but, then again, we¡¯re already dealing with too much. You two can go ahead to Rousselot, just make sure not to create trouble.¡± He seemed to be treating them with great respect, Hans noticed. For some reason, Adelyn¡¯s halo would probably be their greatest safety valve around here. These men¡­it was almost as if just seeing a Virtus was a sign to lower their arms and talk politely. He laughed at it. Or maybe, it was just the fact that Adelyn always had that disarming air to her. ¡°Sir, would it be possible to ask your name?¡± Adelyn said. ¡°In fact, if it would be possible, I¡¯d like to ask, are you perhaps¡­of the clergy?¡± ¡°Why, of course, I am, young lady,¡± he said. ¡°While I am very much not a Virtus like you, I serve the gods and the church much the same. I am a priest, yes. I am leading a group of men around this area for anti-demon operations. One of those things has been terrorizing the towns near Rousselot. But that¡¯s not your problem. My only advice is don¡¯t interfere with us and don¡¯t add to our headaches. These men behind you are powerful mage musketeers. And if you think that fancy contraptions of yours would be an excuse to make trouble, we won¡¯t hesitate to put you down.¡± Adelyn didn¡¯t flinch at his threats, as expected. ¡°Of course, we have no plans to cause trouble.¡± ¡°Good. The last thing we need in this time of crisis after all is for us, the children of the gods, to continue bickering in the face of the Great Infestation,¡± he sighed. ¡°Name is Galen Olbrich. It¡¯s a good day to meet you, Milady.¡± ¡°I share the sentiments,¡± Adelyn smiled. ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly calm at dealing with¡­unknown aliens.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my virtue, thank you very much. And in any case, I have bigger headaches to worry about outside of two unknown travelers riding a fancy contraption. Word of advice, don¡¯t bring those things inside Rousselot, unless with a written permit. Those things would cause quite the stir.¡± ¡°We understand, Father Olbrich.¡± Adelyn almost bowed piously at him in respect. Hans wanted to laugh at it. He almost half expected her to look down on him for even speaking of ¡°Gods¡±, which was something only pagans would do. ¡°Thank you¡­but, we actually need help.¡± ¡°I apologize, but we are dealing with important matters,¡± the priest replied. ¡°Please, just drive forward.¡± ¡°No, Father Olbrich, I¡¯m afraid we cannot,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°We have something to tell. And we need help with it.¡± Oh¡­she¡¯s going to use Aliz¨¦e for this. Hans already expected that. Of course, she¡¯d use her as a chip to make him help them. I guess that¡¯s her slyness at work now. 23. Must He Abscond? ¡°Well, I suppose the hopeful expectation that these folks are really that behind in technology has been squashed. They have cannons and matchlock muskets. They have magic and skills from the system to top it all off. And Rousselot City¡ªit sure does remind me of the fortifications in the early days of gunpowder.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ En Route to ¡°Rousselot¡± ¡°I see then¡­¡± the Priest muttered after talking to Aliz¨¦e. The girl seemed¡­well, extraordinarily frightened by the presence of the human musketeers on horseback earlier, with her refusing to leave Adelyn¡¯s mech for some reason. In fact, the sheer terror on the little girl¡¯s eyes as she looked at them almost made him want to return her to Adelyn¡¯s mech, but¡­ The Priest knew her language. ¡°She¡¯s definitely in a bad spot,¡± Father Olbrich said. He looked back down at the girl and spoke that Flandrian-like language that she and he seemed to be using. It was the language of the Vanus people. And apparently, the Vanus people were the former elites of these lands. A special race of ¡°humans¡± with horns, sharp canines, and long ears, who ruled the majority of normal humankind for centuries. He didn¡¯t glean many more outside of that, and he held Adelyn from asking too much. He didn¡¯t want them to look way too suspicious. Luckily, she understood him clearly, and so, they continued watching as they conversed. ¡°I would just like to ask, have they helped you?¡± She nodded meekly. ¡°They¡­he¡­he saved me,¡± she muttered, before pointing at Hans. Not understanding anything, Hans naturally almost flinched back. Damn it kid, are you calling me out for something? What the hell did I do? Father Olbrich looked at Hans and smiled. ¡°Lieutenant Hoffman, that¡¯s your name isn¡¯t it?¡± He nodded quickly. ¡°Yes, Father Olbrich.¡± ¡°Well, the kid says she¡¯s thankful for your help.¡± ¡°Oh, come on¡­tell her it¡¯s no big problem,¡± Hans laughed awkwardly. ¡°Was just doing my job as a soldier and all. Do you have any solution to her situation?¡± The priest looked back down at the child and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. She¡¯s a Vanus. I reckon, at this point, she¡¯s practically orphaned. Unless some remaining Vanus nobles take her, I doubt her chances on the streets.¡± ¡°Wait, we¡¯re not leaving her in the streets!¡± Protested Adelyn. ¡°I mean¡­screw that, if you all hate their people so much, there¡¯s no reason to involve an innocent kid.¡± Father Olbrich nodded. ¡°Well, as I¡¯ve said, it¡¯s up to the both of you how to deal with her. Though¡­maybe it is possible. About those contraptions of yours. ¡± ¡°What about them?¡± ¡°You killed a demonic entity with it, no?¡± Hans looked at Adelyn. He wasn¡¯t quite sure how to respond properly to this one. Adelyn however nodded resolutely. ¡°Yes, Father Olbrich. It was difficult, but our main gun is a cannon.¡± ¡°I know that,¡± he said. ¡°A siege weapon on legs. Perhaps it¡¯s magical in nature, but I¡¯m quite unsure. Still¡­fascinating, and most importantly, I believe it¡¯ll be useful against those damned demons. Isn¡¯t it, Captain Strobel?¡± The musketeer on horseback merely nodded. ¡°Aye, Father. Those damned demons are too fast for our artillery pieces to nail them. I can see quite a lot of tactical applications for these machines. Perhaps, we might even get a kill this time.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± Hans looked at Father Olbrich. ¡°You folks¡­struggle at killing them?¡± ¡°What kind of a question is that, Lieutenant Hoffman?¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°Demonic entities are powerful creatures. They slaughter entire towns, and villages, ravaging the countryside. We have even heard reports of them destroying cities in the distant Principalities. Mages, musketeers¡­they¡¯re our best line of defense, but only at keeping them at bay, and at gruesome costs. Pikemen and cavalry have all but been rendered useless against them. Prepared artillery is best, but that¡¯s under the assumption that you hit them first before they slaughter you. The fact you two killed one is¡­quite special, in a way.¡± That made sense. The damned thing killed Hans and Adelyn many times. If their modern equipment struggled to kill that thing¡­what more of these people? They seemed to only have early firearms. Even if they were enhancing it with the [SYSTEM] and their magic similar to the skill Adelyn now had, they would still run into issues, wouldn¡¯t they? And wait demons? He said it that way, didn¡¯t he? He said it in plural. Which means¡­demons. This world has a lot of it. That means. Holy heavens above, he was screwed. He was very screwed. No, wrong, he, Adelyn, and Aliz¨¦e, and probably these people, were very screwed. He had so many questions. How many were there? Were they active all at once? What level of devastation were they dealing with? Was this a new threat or something this civilization had been fighting for a long time already? No, wait, did those things reproduce or not? And if they did, at how fast? Questions, questions. So many questions stirred in his mind. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. He needed intel. More and more intel. Because he literally found those things in a remote forest. He could run away from civilization, but it wouldn¡¯t even matter then! And what if he was a prime target? He was a damned demon too. Wait, could he possibly turn into one of those things? Or not? Or maybe¡­ He was looping back in time, wasn¡¯t he? Was that perhaps connected to that? Black magic of sorts, and thus, he would be classified as a demonic entity. But he was not a crazy maniac that killed all those in sight. What even created one then? He gulped. The fear of not understanding it all¡­it was back. He almost felt frozen as Adelyn and Father Olbrich conversed with each other. This was bad. What if they found out? Would he be screwed then? ¡°Hey man,¡± someone suddenly tapped him from behind. It was one of the musketeers. He nodded at him as he cleared his mind. ¡°That¡¯s a fine firearm you got there.¡± ¡°Captain Strobel, was it?¡± He removed his hat and almost bowed. ¡°Aye, mate. Captain Ebert Strobel to be exact. 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment. Serving with the Rousselot Garrison. Ain¡¯t got much work nowadays, so my unit¡¯s out with the Father for anti-demon missions.¡± The man laughed heartily as he continued. ¡°Dangerous, very dangerous, I tell ya, but it pays well. The men like it. I like it.¡± ¡°Demons¡­they¡¯re quite a major threat in these lands, no?¡± ¡°Oh, you have no idea about that,¡± he looked at him up and down. ¡°So you two came from the Western Ocean? They say great leviathans are out there. But there are far distant lands just waiting to be discovered. I had been laughing at those fools, but I see that they may be onto something after all.¡± He laughed, and so did Hans, though, Hans was really just laughing along. ¡°The Company is going to get interested in ya son,¡± the musketeer said. ¡°Very interested. Also, that kid you¡¯re trudging along with. Why are you even with her?¡± ¡°She¡­again¡ª¡± ¡°I know the story, I heard it.¡± The man looked at Aliz¨¦e suspiciously. ¡°But I should tell ya, there''s a rumor that them, they, you know, Vanus folks. They¡¯re responsible for all this demonic crap going around. Losing the war and all that, so they¡¯re striking back by unleashing these monsters.¡± ¡°Sounds like nothing but rumors then?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s worse,¡± he once again shook his head. ¡°For all you know, that innocent girl could turn into one of those. Can¡¯t be too safe with them around these days, I tell ya. Especially when she came from the woods. The place you came from¡­¡± He leaned into and almost whispered to Hans. ¡°It¡¯s a nesting hub of Vanus rebel groups. Republicans. That¡¯s what they call ¡®em. We¡¯re keeping a closer eye on her if you¡¯re going to Rousselot, get that?¡± Hans nodded. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Then again, the Countess¡¯ a softie to them,¡± he laughed. ¡°Eh, who am I kidding? She¡¯s one of them. Still strange how the Empire hasn''t booted her off.¡± Hans only nodded awkwardly, not really knowing what the hell was this man ranting on and on about in front of him. ¡°I see that. But, please, I¡¯ve been with her for days, and she was a good girl. Safe. Innocent. Harmless. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± ¡°Sure you do, outsider,¡± the man said. ¡°Sure you do.¡± +++ Somehow, Adelyn struck a deal with Father Olbrich. Apparently, he was active inside Rousselot City as well and had powerful connections inside. In fact, it was why he was leading the anti-demon operations outside of the city. It seemed that the man had the task of investigating and stopping one of them that was reported to be ravaging the countryside. And so, taking interest in their mechs, Father Olbrich gave them a proposition. Hans and Adelyn would take their ¡°mobile siege artillery pieces¡±, and aid Father Olbrich and Captain Strobel in taking down an unknown demonic entity they were dealing with. In exchange, Father Olbrich would give them the permission to enter the city himself, give them supplies, the opportunity to gain knowledge about this land (and as he said, gain a ¡°good reputation¡± quickly), and most importantly, a deal to temporarily give Aliz¨¦e and them shelter in the St. Heka church inside the city. Of course, Hans was shifty during the entire deal. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure of whether or not he could trust these men. Especially considering how¡­hostile those two musketeers were viewing Aliz¨¦e. He was certainly worried about their safety. Even if he had a gun, and he reckoned that those muskets should not have the power to pierce his Kevlar armor, he still didn¡¯t want to risk it. But damn it, Adelyn was right. Whether they liked it or not, they could not just simply operate as essentially outlaws living off the land. They needed to get in and connect to the natives. And she spoke well with the priest. Her being a Virtus helped a lot in them taking her seriously. Thus¡­now Hans was driving straight to Rousselot City, following the tracks of the three men on horseback. Of course, since they weren¡¯t rushing toward there, and he could not exactly just breeze past them like some damned barbarian at sixty kilometers per hour, he drove slowly as night settled in. ¡°Damn¡­¡± Hans muttered as they descended down on the road. In the far distance was the city. It was still a bit lit up, but what took his attention was its design. It was a star fortress. Or at least, a badly maintained one¡ªor a damaged one. As they entered closer to the city, he looked at the walls and the elaborate designs of its defenses. The ravelins outside the main walls, protected by the outer glacis made of stone. The bastions with their angled walls that seemed to still have artillery pieces on them. Damn, he could swear there was a bastion every one hundred meters¡ªthat was a lot of overlapping fire possible. He supposed the main walls were around twenty to twenty-five meters high. Certainly, it was a decently impressive fortress city for the early gunpowder age, it seemed. He imagined this city could hold on against a determined siege for a year at its best condition. It also seemed to be a coastal port city, with a ship leaving its inner harbor just as they arrived. Unfortunately, again, it looked badly maintained. There were vines everywhere. He could see cracks, and for some reason, it seemed that one section of the angled curtain walls in the distance was wide open. Battle damage perhaps? Almost as if a mine was once detonated beneath it. There were also very few garrison troops on top. But maybe that was only because of the night. The men in front of him ordered them to dismount just a hundred meters in front of the city gates. ¡°Well, there¡¯s their order,¡± Hans said over the radio. ¡°Just comply with it, Lieutenant.¡± Hans sighed, as he prepared himself to dismount. Sure, the city seemed more secure than the towns he saw from¡­those things, but at the same time¡­he wasn¡¯t liking it one bit. The damned thing was badly maintained, damaged, and he wasn¡¯t sure about those artillery pieces. And they would be staying inside of that? His guts protested it, and he almost half-wanted to run. But¡­at the same time, what choice did he have? He took his SMG and opened his hatch. No way except forwards, it seemed. 24. Must He Embrace? ¡°Distrust is one hell of a drug.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City The city was, very strangely, quite active even in the night. ¡°Welcome to Rousselot, ladies and gents,¡± Father Olbrich said, as he guided Hans, Adelyn, and Aliz¨¦e inside the city. Merchants, workers, stores, and stalls, all of it was still operating animatedly. Due to the fact that they left their vehicles outside of the city under Captain Strobel¡¯s temporary custody (though, Hans lied that they shouldn¡¯t tamper inside due to stored explosives, which, surprisingly, was something Captain Strobel understood, perhaps since he was adept to explosives), both of them carried their full firearms. Adelyn had her rifle slung on her, and so did Hans with his SMG. Quite frankly, the two weren¡¯t taking things to chance, even if Father Olbrich was acting all friendly to them. ¡°It seems¡­nice?¡± Hans said. ¡°Though, this city also seems¡­¡± ¡°Ah,¡± the priest turned a bit less jolly as they continued on through the streets. ¡°The city of Rousselot has not been the best since the Great Siege of Rousselot a decade ago. This city was one of the last bastions of the dying Republic before it surrendered. After two years of siege, this city stood. And the Empire¡¯s soldiers weren''t kind when they entered.¡± ¡°Ah¡­I guess that makes sense,¡± Hans said, looking around. Many homes were definitely fixed, and the streets themselves seemed alright, but he could see certain buildings that still held some damage. ¡°Two years of siege, huh? Were you here back then, Father Olbrich?¡± ¡°Ah, I was not,¡± he laughed a bit. ¡°I¡¯m actually a missionary from the Principality of Asfaleia. I went here five years ago, looking to spread the teachings of Asfaleia¡¯s patron goddess, the Goddess of Prudence in this land. But more than that, I¡¯m really just searching for meaning. I suppose aiding the most devastated lands of our former Republic sounded like my calling.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing a lot about this, ¡®Republic¡¯ and ¡®Empire¡¯. Could you perhaps¡­fill me in on that?¡± He laughed. ¡°You two really must be quite from a distant land to not know that, huh? Alright. In this continent, said to be the last bastion of humanity, only one nation rules. The Holy Empire of Virtus. On the far east lies the lands of monsters. Here, is the land of civilization. This is the westernmost part of the continent, once ruled by the Republic of Vanus.¡± ¡°Ah¡­I see¡­and I assume the Holy Empire wiped out the Republic?¡± ¡°A decade ago,¡± they looked at one of the buildings around. It was a massive one, with signs that said, ¡°Imperial Ygeia Company¡±. ¡°The Republic ruled three Principalities of the seven Principalities of this continent. Ygeia, Nomos, and Asfaleia. But, we were soundly defeated by the Holy Empire from the east. Now, they rule all of mankind. At least, out here.¡± ¡°Is that why people like Aliz¨¦e aren¡¯t¡­under the best terms?¡± The priest nodded. ¡°Look, the Republic of Vanus was named that way because they ruled these lands. The Holy Empire of Virtus is named that way because we are ruled by her kind,¡± he looked behind to Adelyn. ¡°We humans, the majority of mankind, are, of course, nothing but fodder to them. But now, with the defeat of the Vanus, they¡¯re probably in a worse position than us.¡± He seems to be assuming I¡¯m human. That¡¯s good. Fake it till he made it, that was his only plan now. ¡°Still, some Vanus nobles still rule this land. Though, I seriously doubt that any of them are anything but blackmailed puppets,¡± the priest laughed. ¡°It is a great shame. The children of the gods are always in an eternal war with each other, all to step upon each other for some insane goal of reaching something above.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s just how it is,¡± Hans muttered, and the priest looked back. ¡°I assume the same is in your lands?¡± Hans looked back at the constant wars on Terra. Or, the one ongoing right now. He nodded. ¡°I suppose¡­¡± ¡°See,¡± the priest shook his head. ¡°In a way, it makes you lose hope. But faith, son. Faith. It¡¯ll be better one day. Absolutely.¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± Hans said. ¡°Though, I¡¯m not really of the religious kind¡­¡± ¡°I can see it in you,¡± he said. ¡°Your superior seems quite close, though she seems undecided on the matter¡­¡± ¡°Well¡­I can¡¯t exactly prove if they exist or not, can I?¡± Adelyn suddenly awkwardly said. ¡°Better just follow what they teach. I mean, there¡¯s nothing bad about the scriptures. It¡¯s all about being good, no?¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°That¡¯s up to your mind to decide for, Captain Wittenstein,¡± he looked back at Hans. ¡°Though, your friend over here seems to have decided for himself.¡± Hans crossed his arms. ¡°Unless I see it face to face, I assume the most direct answer to the question of god or gods existing. They don¡¯t.¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve said,¡± the priest laughed. ¡°It''s up to you to decide. I¡¯m not really up to the task of preaching to unwilling nonbelievers, but¡­I believe in her because it¡¯s nicer. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± They stopped right in front of what appeared to be a cathedral. It was, well, quite standard to the old cathedrals that Hans remembered in Lotharingia. He supposed that those things really were centuries old. The striking resemblance of this world to old Terra certainly gave him the chills, but¡­he reminded himself that this was a world where things called ¡°demonic entities¡± existed. This was still no Terra. ¡°Welcome to the St. Heka church,¡± he said. ¡°This is where you¡¯ll stay for the duration of the deal. I hope it will be accommodating to you.¡± +++ The meal was quite simple today. Quite frankly, most of the church¡¯s staff didn¡¯t really bother them when they entered. It seemed that Father Olbrich had quite the authority inside the church, even if he wasn¡¯t actually the main priest inside. Still, they managed to acquire lodging in two guest rooms. Aliz¨¦e was supposed to go to the orphanages temporarily, but the girl was too scared to detach herself from Adelyn for some reason, and his Captain dragged her to her own guest room. Adelyn didn¡¯t want Aliz¨¦e too far away from them. Hans sighed. Adelyn sure was getting extremely attached to that girl. And so was Aliz¨¦e to Adelyn. He certainly didn¡¯t expect that. Then again, the two had always been in one mech. He supposed Adelyn was just acting all motherly to the kid, which he wouldn¡¯t blame her for. Aliz¨¦e was pretty cute to care for. His room was¡­well, it was pretty barebones. A bed, some lamps, and other things. That was what was inside. Luckily, he carried his bag and thus, his personal belongings, so Hans merely sat down on the bed after placing his weapons and bag on the table. He sighed to himself. Finally¡­ He was now alone. Alone to ponder where he would go forward from now on. He already talked to Adelyn about it, especially the mission. Of course, Adelyn didn¡¯t know much better about the demon threat. All she knew was that she managed to kill that¡­wolf thing back in those towns with one magical MPAT round. Hearing how many people those things were apparently killing made Adelyn go all, ¡°duty and responsibility¡±, as they were the only ones with ¡°effective anti-demon technology¡± lying around. Of course, Hans believed the same. It was¡­in a way, their duty and responsibility now that they were wielding these weapons in a land where such weapons simply didn¡¯t exist. Hell, he imagined, if Lotharingia was at peace and saw these things, they¡¯d be going in a frenzy to intervene for ¡°humanitarian reasons¡± to wipe out the demonic threat (though, that¡¯d most likely just be a mere cloak to their true intentions of research and gaining concessions, as usual), but¡­ Well, those things were a genuine threat to him and Adelyn. He wasn¡¯t one to underestimate his enemies, especially when he already literally died three times to just one of the damned things. What if the next one was worse? What if it was stronger? But then¡­the deal. This was, quite frankly, the only way they¡¯d survive long-term. Running around with their vehicle on the loose without connection to the authorities would only result in them being boned eventually. Hans imagined that if he made actual enemies high above, and had this entire Empire chasing him down, he¡¯d be dead regardless of how much he revived himself back in time. And he absolutely didn¡¯t want to go down that path. Then, there was the fact that they needed money. Supplies. Shelter, and most importantly, friends in this world. Technology alone wouldn¡¯t win you your survival, as Adelyn said. They needed allies. And what better way to gain allies in this land than to use what they had to stop the demonic threat? Father Olbrich already seemed cordial with Adelyn after all. What more after they start killing demons left and right? Of course¡­the problem was that Hans would be the one taking the big hit should things go very wrong. He would not allow Adelyn to be on the chopping block, as he¡¯d always be the tip of her spear against these things. And if things go bad¡­well, he¡¯d be dead again. He buried his head in his hands. Death. Death. It already happened way too many times to him, and each one of them was still seared in his mind. He didn¡¯t want to die again. He didn¡¯t want to feel that¡­that sheer pain of dying. It stormed his mind. It ate his guts. It made his hair rise uncontrollably. He feared death. But¡­he was the only one who could go face to face with these demons, and figure out how to kill them. He was an ace pilot, skilled at using his Wanderfalke, and he had a magical Wanderfalke, most importantly, if even that failed¡­he¡¯d return back to life to face what killed him anyway. In other words¡­a thousand soldiers could die to these demons, but they would not be coming back to fight them again, live again, or finally stop them. He could. But the cost to himself¡­ He stood up and began removing his Kevlar armor, leaving his basic uniform only. He should probably get some decent sleep. The answer to that dilemma, he didn¡¯t know yet. He wondered if he could even find an answer to it. To run away from all this would be shameful, and he¡¯d rather kill himself than choose that. But to charge forward¡­ In the battlefields of the Southern Front, when he was new, he had always run away. He had always hesitated. He always found himself as that stupid greenie who would endanger the whole team. And in many ways, he did. He watched as platoon after platoon was wiped out¡­leaving all but him alone. Until he got better. Until he stopped running from the fight. Until he chose to charge forward, instead of running away with his tail on his back. But now¡­ He felt stuck back on those days. When he would freeze up in fear¡­unable to fight¡­and only able to flee¡­ He silently plopped down on the bed and hugged one of the pillows on it as he closed his eyes. Soft¡­ He wanted nothing more than something soft as he drifted to sleep. Without answers in his mind. 25. His Radiant Partner ¡°One of the darkest realities of existence, I believe, is that virtue alone cannot win fights. Does everything awful perhaps stem from that fact? Is it an excuse then to abandon virtue to win a fight?¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City ¡°Men, present arms!¡± Musketeers in blueish uniforms stepped forward, all human, all wearing the same brown hats with feathers on top. Heavy matchlock muskets were placed by their users on their musket rests, as slow matches (slow-burning chords used for ignition) burned ever so slowly on their guns. ¡°Take aim!¡± Then they began aiming at the targets in the courtyard. ¡°Fire!¡± The cracks of gunpowder echoed through the garrison¡¯s courtyard, as they looked away. White plumes filled the air, as their targets, mere straws designed to look like humans, around a hundred meters from their firing positions, were pelted down. Hans clapped. That was certainly a fine display of marksmanship for men using ancient weapons. ¡°Bravo, bravo,¡± Hans said. ¡°That was damned good.¡± The man beside him, Captain Strobel, who was watching the early morning drills of the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment cracked a laugh as Hans complimented his men. ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s nice that officers, even from a far-off land, understand the importance of daily drills. This costs a lot of gunpowder, but boy, it is worth it when the fight happens. Especially with the speeds of those demons.¡± Hans nodded. ¡°I believe that to be true. Training and preparedness are of utmost importance. Next to experience and logistical wellness.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Captain Strobel turned around. ¡°You¡¯re a man well-versed in military theory, no?¡± ¡°I believe yes, Captain,¡± Hans replied. ¡°Your men. They stand in lines for volume fire, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Indeed¡­¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°It¡¯s the current standard of warfare for the Imperium. And I suppose for the Republic before we defeated their scrawny arses. A line of musketeers would act as one¡¯s long-range weapon. Felting terrifying firepower until the enemy retreats. Then, should they charge forward, we have pikemen to defend them.¡± Hans nodded. He understood how pike and shot warfare happened due to officer school. It was essentially the closest to rock-paper-scissors in warfare, some said. Pikemen were the best defense against cavalry, but they were vulnerable to musket fire. Musketeers were best against pikemen, but cavalry would absolutely decimate them without pikemen. And pikemen were always defense against cavalry, but again, partially useless against musketeers. Pikemen defeat cavalry. Cavalry defeat musketeers. Musketeers defeat pikemen. Of course, the reality on the battlefield was always different, especially with the addition of artillery, but it still fascinated Hans. Modern warfare was greatly detached from warfare of the past, but this¡­he was seeing early gunpowder warfare right before his eyes. The great grandfather of firearms-based warfare, pike-and-shot warfare, wherein artillery and shot weaponry began reigning the battlefield¡ªwas in front of him. ¡°The problem is, we haven¡¯t been able to fully develop the best tactics against those demons¡­¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°We¡¯re still scratching the surface of their very nature. Their power is terrifying, they killed many already and devastated the continent, but we haven¡¯t been able to fully form a counter to them.¡± The drill officers pulled another rank of musketeers forward, ordering them the same¡ªpresent, take aim, then fire¡ªfilling the air with more white gunpowder smoke as the cracks of their fire reverberated through the city. Hans nodded in understanding to Captain Strobel. ¡°When did they even appear?¡± ¡°Demonic entities have been rumored for centuries prior,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°Hell, the far-eastern lands, the edge of civilization, is said to be filled with such monsters that the Imperial Mage Corps had always kept at bay until the Great Wall of the East was constructed. But they were rarely reported. That changed five years ago, they began appearing, sporadically in mankind¡¯s lands. One year ago¡­this entire thing turned into an infestation.¡± Another volley of musket fire boomed through the courtyard as he finished his explanation. The drill officers ordered the rank that fired to go back behind, as the next rank advanced forward, planting their musket rests on the dirt as the officers ordered ¡°Present!¡±. ¡°So¡­that¡¯s why you people called it¡­the Great Infestation Crisis?¡± Hans asked as Captain Strobel nodded. ¡°Mhm¡­unfortunately, that¡¯s only a word we grunt on the ground use. The Imperial Government refuses to even recognize this problem. Fools I say. Even the pompously greedy wankers of the Imperial Ygeia Company recognize it and hire mercenaries to deal with it.¡± ¡°To be fair¡­it seems that the devastation these things bring is going to cause a dent in their money.¡± ¡°Well, it sure as hell would make a big dent in the Empress¡¯ coffers when her continent loses its people,¡± another crack of musket fire volley punctuated his statement. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re drilling hard today. We¡¯re going to be hunting one of the bastards. Unlike those at the top, we¡¯re out here protecting the people.¡± ¡°Are you¡­from here, Ygeia?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m from the Principality of Exousia. I was deployed here a decade ago to keep the peace on our newly conquered lands,¡± he breathed in deeply. ¡°I still serve that mission. They say us Imperial soldiers are nothing but marauders that loot the lands of those we conquer. Hah, bastards, my men ain¡¯t just some landschneckt mercenaries paid to skewer babies with their zweih?nders, we¡¯re out here serving the Empress and the mission she gave us. Keep the peace.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°And that¡¯s what the 4th does?¡± ¡°Yep. Ever since this entire thing started, we¡¯ve been in charge of protecting the County of Rousselot. Though, of course, lamentably, most of the ¡®protecting¡¯ is being done by paid landschneckte. Still, we hunt the bastards best, I think. And we keep them off this city.¡± ¡°I see then¡­¡± Hans said. ¡°Do you think you stand a chance?¡± He took a long time to answer. ¡°No, we don¡¯t.¡± The final volley from his men cracked through the courtyard, as the drill officers finally ended their morning training. +++ ¡°Our target¡¯s a major problem,¡± said Father Olbrich. There were four of them in the room now. Adelyn, Hans, Father Olbrich, and of course, Captain Strobel. They were now discussing the demonic entity they would target starting today. ¡°We call it the ¡®Rodent of Pestilence¡¯, fitting for a creature that resembles that of a massive rat, and spreads a strange disease of sorts¡­¡± ¡°Disease?¡± ¡°Yes, indeed,¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°The creature has now devastated six villages. Two major towns. Thousands dead. We¡¯ve been unable to deal with it yet, but that¡¯s the scale it has done. And we only have two companies of the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment to deal with it that we can rapidly deploy." ¡°Can¡¯t leave Rousselot unguarded after all,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°Even with the city garrison.¡± ¡°Indeed. The Countess, naturally, wants this thing gone from her lands. Everyone is in agreement with that. It will be a disaster if it reaches Rousselot while we are still preparing our defenses. And it''d be devastating if it continued running around the countryside,¡± Father Olbrich continued. ¡°Wait,¡± Hans interrupted. ¡°Why isn¡¯t the Imperial Ygeia Company sending mercenaries then? Isn¡¯t this a major port city?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s true, but technically, we are behind walls. More importantly, it has not reached this city ever since it appeared. The Company doesn¡¯t care about some lost towns and villages in an already remote county. They¡¯ll only send people if that thing threatens the port here.¡± ¡°Not that they¡¯d be able to stop it,¡± Captain Strobel added. ¡°Rumors say they haven¡¯t even killed three of the bastards. They celebrate too much after killing one, that they think we have everything to fight them all along.¡± ¡°They¡¯re overconfident,¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°Thus, the task falls to us.¡± ¡°Have the 4th ever met that thing?¡± Adelyn asked. Captain Strobel nodded. ¡°Yes, we have, but an entire company was wiped out. A hundred men. They only managed to wound it with concealed artillery. Once. Before it annihilated them. Only three men who escaped managed to report to us.¡± ¡°When did that happen?¡± ¡°Two weeks ago.¡± Both Hans and Adelyn fell silent. That certainly sounded like a massive problem. ¡°Worse of all¡­is the disease it spreads. The areas it annihilated seem to be infested with the living dead. They bite and spread their curse. Thus, we have already blocked anyone from going there, and there is a kill-on-sight order for anyone suspected of bites¡­¡± ¡°That sounds horrifying,¡± Adelyn muttered. ¡°It is,¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°That¡¯s why we have to stop it, now. Before that thing spreads its curse, its disease. We plan to do that by finding it, luring it to flat lands with our cavalry, and surprising it with prepared infantry. After it¡¯s been wounded, we have horse artillery prepared to give it the takedown blow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where you two come in,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°You two¡­now, will be our horse artillery.¡± Father Olbrich nodded. ¡°We are placing faith on those cannons you have. They look impressive. And if that doesn¡¯t work, well, the original plan is still in the works. Do you two have a skill?¡± That question made both Adelyn and Hans look at each other until Adelyn answered. ¡°Um, yes, Father Olbrich. It¡¯s connected to our vehicle. I for one have ¡®UPG: Wrath Against Sinners¡¯, it allows me to send special anti-demon rounds from my vehicle¡¯s cannon.¡± Captain Strobel raised his eyebrow. ¡°Rounds?¡± ¡°Equivalent of your cannonballs in our machines,¡± Hans quickly answered. ¡°Captain Wittenstein,¡± Father Olbrich suddenly spoke up. ¡°The name of that thing. It sounds¡­almost similar to the skills said to be wielded by the Seven Angels.¡± ¡°Seven Angels?¡± Captain Strobel turned to Father Olbrich. ¡°Father, come on. Don¡¯t suggest nonsense out of nowhere again. What are you talking about?¡± ¡°...Nothing,¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°Must just be a coincidence. Regardless, that¡¯s what we face. If you have specialized anti-demon weapons from your ¡®system¡¯ skills, then all the better. Perhaps, you would indeed be our weapon in this fight.¡± ¡°Thank you?¡± Adelyn awkwardly replied, almost backing a bit near Hans. ¡°That¡¯s all for now. You two are dismissed.¡± +++ ¡°Like the Seven Angels, huh¡­¡± Adelyn mumbled as she and Hans left the room. ¡°Well, I¡¯d say it fits you. Maybe.¡± ¡°You absolute flatterer,¡± Adelyn crossed her arms. ¡°First of all, while I do admit that I have a halo on top of me now¡ª¡± ¡°Well, maybe that¡¯s why our summoner turned you into a Virtus.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t break my speech, Lieutenant.¡± Hans immediately stopped speaking. She definitely looked like a demon about to skewer him now. ¡°Okay, okay, Captain. Gee, calm down?¡± She huffed. ¡°As I was saying, even if I have a halo, I am definitely nowhere near saintly.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°Second of all, why would they turn me into an Angel? That sounds like a big job.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°Third of all¡­¡± she stopped. ¡°Don¡¯t you think¡­that the Virtus, supposed rulers of this continent, aren¡¯t at all acting so¡­¡®saintly¡¯ or ¡®angelic¡¯?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Hans said. ¡°I have an inkling that they¡¯re the ones responsible for¡­what appears to be¡­hatred of people against Aliz¨¦e¡¯s race? The Vanus? Hell, have you seen how people here speak of their lord? Just because she¡¯s also a Vanus. We don¡¯t know the full story. But you¡¯re right¡­they seem fishy¡­¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Adelyn nodded to herself. ¡°As such, I absolutely am not like them, okay? In fact, screw this, I¡¯ll treat Aliz¨¦e to some good stuff. See you.¡± Immediately, Adelyn broke off and went straight to the stairs, definitely to the guest rooms. She¡¯d probably spoil the girl again, considering that Father Olbrich already paid them some money for joining in on the mission. Hans sighed. And she calls herself ¡®not an Angel¡¯. He shook his head. Captain Wittenstein, I swear¡­ 26. Her Light Shines ¡°Lately, I¡¯ve been very much afraid of things. For some reason, that confidence I had when facing the fight isn¡¯t there anymore. For some reason, I feel constricted. Unable to breathe. I haven¡¯t been able to sleep well. Is this the cost of that?¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown Hans¡­ Was walking alone in the darkness. What? He didn¡¯t know where he was. Nor did he know why he was here. Quite frankly, he vaguely even remembered what he was doing moments ago. But he was here. Again. This¡­darkened place. He had seen this place many times¡­he remembered. Ever since¡­since everything that happened there. Always trapped in this place. In this¡­almost maze-like purgatory. Hans didn¡¯t really feel himself to be in the right. Everything¡­it felt wrong. As if all of this was just a mere fixture of his mind. But he was here. And that¡­that tugging feeling, of wanting nothing to run. It was building up inside. Run. He needed to run. Run. And he did. Running. Running as the black mist that consumed everything around him parted away. Running as he emerged through a familiar forest. A forest that he knew many times more than he¡¯d have wanted to. He continued running though, even when he ran out of breath. Even when he¡­ He dropped to the green grass, panting to himself. Why? Where¡­where am I? What¡¯s¡­ He looked up. It was Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler, parked at a weird angle. He looked up further, on its front chassis¡­and it was damaged. Cracked open, its hatch¡­ He remembered. He remembered that night¡­ Shakingly, he stood up and inspected it. He climbed up the chassis of her mech, even if he wanted nothing more than to continue running away, and he looked down on the wide-opened, bloodied hatch. Aliz¨¦e¡­and Adelyn. Shame¡­horror¡­and sickening despair¡­it all consumed him¡­ He looked behind and faced that same creature, staring at him with hate-filled yellow eyes. Its tails still carried Aliz¨¦e¡¯s and Adelyn¡¯s detached heads. Is this¡­ No¡­ Is this what I¡¯ll be facing from now on? He didn¡¯t want to be in this hell. It continued staring at him, as his ears were assaulted by the gradually deafening screams of Aliz¨¦e and Adelyn. Their screams had been seared into his mind. Screams from his failures at protecting them from that thing. A thing that he could meet again. Then¡­his own screams¡­ +++ Hans woke up from his bed, hyperventilating deeply. It was all dark, and he felt extremely dizzy, confused, and off-balance, but he stood up in panic, still trying to chase his own breaths. Water, he needed water. He fumbled through his table, searching for his glasses, but he couldn¡¯t find them. Water. Damn it¡­he needed water. Almost collapsing, Hans frantically opened his door and rushed outside through the hallways. He couldn¡¯t breathe¡­worse, he couldn¡¯t even see his steps, as he rushed through the church¡¯s darkly-lit hallways. Worse, he even felt as if something was chasing him, as he rushed down through the stairs, still searching for water. Anything. Anything that would remove whatever was choking him. That was when he felt himself stopped, pulled by someone. ¡°Lieutenant! Snap out of it!¡± That one command, and immediately, Hans stopped. His well-drilled instincts as a soldier kicked in, and his hyperventilations ended. Hell, he almost stood firm in attention due to the commanding voice of the woman who said it. All it took was that, and he was back to his senses. He took deeper breaths as he steadied himself. ¡°What¡­the hell just¡­happened to me?¡± ¡°Lieutenant,¡± he suddenly felt someone pat his back. He looked down, and of course¡­it was her. Blonde hair, that green eyes¡­and her faint halo lighting the darkness ever so slightly. Hans gulped. ¡°I¡­I apologize, Captain. I don¡¯t know what happened to me,¡± he shook his head. ¡°Gee¡­I didn¡¯t know bedtime nightmares can still get me nowadays.¡± ¡°Lieutenant¡­¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He continued laughing nervously. ¡°That was weird. Very weird.¡± ¡°Lieutenant,¡± her stern and firm voice once again snapped Hans back to her. ¡°Lieutenant, do you need something right now?¡± Well, his throat was very dry, and he still felt as if he had run an entire mile just moments ago. ¡°...Water.¡± She slowly nodded. ¡°Please¡­wait here.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± What the hell is happening to me? +++ Water was a strange thing, Hans thought. Quite frankly, the Confederacy Army¡¯s logistical capabilities were quite great, especially for someone like him. Being an officer, water was perhaps the lowest of the things he ever had a problem obtaining. If he wanted water, there was usually always water. He always imagined that unless he found himself in an actual death scenario, he would never be worried about water. And so, he had always found water as a resource that he could just have at a moment''s notice. Rarely ever special. Just another thing to deal with each day. Not exactly something to be enjoyed. Well, this time, he definitely enjoyed it. This wasn¡¯t just thirst. Holy hell¡­water really tasted damned good right now. As if it was washing every bad thing inside of him and telling him, ¡°It¡¯s all good now!¡± He drank more and more, even with Adelyn silently mumbling ¡°Slow down¡± in the background. No, he needed more. He really felt like he ran a goddamned mile just there. He placed the cup on the table. ¡°Well that was good,¡± Hans said. He turned around to Adelyn, who only stared at him with that concerned expression of hers. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Do you need anything else?¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good. I think I just needed sleep¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± she pointed at his eyes. ¡°Look at those eye bags. You definitely do.¡± ¡°Eyebags?¡± He swore¡­well¡­no, actually, ever since they left those two villages, he definitely wasn¡¯t falling asleep well. Yesterday, for some reason, he didn¡¯t sleep well either. Today, well, he had that thing in his mind again. If only he knew that he¡¯d end up in another world! Damn it I would have packed some sleeping pills. He shook his head. ¡°Well, I guess I really do need more shuteye.¡± ¡°The question is, can you get a shuteye?¡± Hans scoffed. ¡°Of course I do.¡± ¡°That so?¡± She tilted his head. ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°Look, when a soldier needs sleep, he can sleep anywhere. I can sleep like a log when I need to. Clearly, right now, I¡¯m well rested, which is why I struggle to sleep.¡± ¡°You can keep telling yourself that, Lieutenant, even if you don¡¯t even sound convinced of yourself.¡± ¡°Fine, what am I supposed to say? I get nightmares about bed monsters?¡± ¡°Well, that could be a plausible explanation. Do you need a fairy or an exorcism in your room? Maybe Father Olbrich can arrange something.¡± ¡°First of all, aren¡¯t churches supposed to be immune to evil spirits? Second, why is a fairy involved in all these? They¡¯re a worse nightmare. Third, I would probably prefer a bad spirit on my side than whatever the hell I saw.¡± Adelyn sighed. ¡°...Lieutenant, what did you see?¡± ¡°Look¡­it¡¯s not¡ª¡± ¡°I get it, ¡®It¡¯s not your business¡¯, blah blah blah.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, and I¡¯ve said it again. All men under E Company are under my care, and their issues are my issues, if they want to, of course. Do you want to say anything?¡± ¡°...No.¡± She only stared at him for a while. ¡°I understand,¡± she stood up and took a cup of water for herself. Adelyn didn¡¯t really trust the water of this place, so she took the water from the wells and treated it with their survival water purifier tablets. Imperfect, but they both knew that outside of brewed beverages, well¡­this was the past. They didn¡¯t want whatever horrors they could face in the event of that. Bloody diarrhea was better left in the realm of history books than them experiencing it. Luckily, both Hans and Adelyn had survival kits in their vehicles. There was a lot of genuine fear of nuclear armageddon after all. And that included enough water-purifying tablets that could probably last them a year or two in this situation. She poured the water she treated into the cup and drank it. Placing it down, she looked back at Hans. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be alright up there?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Hans nodded, even if he was unsure. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure I will. It¡¯s just a one-off thing, really. Guess I just got way too comfortable on the bed, and¡­well, this happens. But, that¡¯s just a part of being a soldier¡­I guess¡­¡± ¡°Lieutenant¡­I know your history in E Company. Sure, I do not know everything that happened, but I know what happened to 1st Platoon and how it ¡®changed¡¯ since E Company first fought on the frontlines. And Lieutenant, I know what soldiers go through after they go through ¡®that¡¯.¡± ¡°Look¡­¡± Hans said. ¡°You¡¯re no psychologist, and definitely not a therapist. Plus, I¡¯m technically broke.¡± ¡°Why the hell did paying me even come to your mind?¡± ¡°Err, well¡ª¡± ¡°And I¡¯m not trying to diagnose you of anything. But I¡¯m still concerned. Look, you¡¯re the last man of E Company in my presence at the moment. I have a right to be concerned. Regardless of how we lie to each other, in this damned world, you and I know that your well-being is my interest.¡± ¡°I know¡­I know, look, I¡¯ll manage, Captain. None of this will affect my combat performance. I think you can still count on me.¡± ¡°...Even then, it¡¯s not just about that. I don¡¯t like it when people around me go through this.¡± ¡°Captain, not everything is your problem,¡± Hans replied. ¡°Yes, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll run from other people¡¯s problems when I can deal with it. But up to you Lieutenant. If you think you need space for now¡­have it. Take your time. Just¡­I¡¯ve said this again and again that if you need to talk about it¡­¡± ¡°Your ears are open.¡± ¡°Good to know you¡¯re remembering my words well.¡± ¡°Of course I will,¡± Hans said. ¡°Your words are my standing orders, Captain¡­¡± ¡°Exactly. But¡­of course, know that it¡¯s okay if you want to keep it to yourself. But¡­look, sometimes, you need someone to listen to you venting it all out. It¡¯ll make you feel better at times.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all really. Have a good evening, Lieutenant.¡± She gave him a gentle pat on the back and climbed upstairs. That¡­that¡¯s the pinnacle of shameful display. He could only breathe out in shame. What the hell was he thinking? Acting like that in front of his commanding officer? Damn it¡­he really needed to straighten his damned self back into proper discipline. This was all getting out of hand. So what if he died? So what if his mind was possibly scarred? He was a soldier of the Confederacy, still serving his country, and as an extension, serving under her. This¡­would drive his damned combat efficiency down, and now, his own commanding officer just watched him suffer something like that. Now, she was probably second-guessing his combat capabilities. Plus, his ego was hit again. Looking like that to her¡­ Damn it¡­this is the worst¡­ He rushed back to that container of water she treated and poured it into his cup. He really needed that damned water. Still¡­ Even if he didn¡¯t manage to say anything to her, Hans felt a bit better with her small pep-talk. Yeah¡­he could probably sleep tonight better for the preparations tomorrow. Probably. 27. Light That Saves ¡°Rousselot City fascinated me upon the first time I laid my eyes on it. Truly, it was a bastion fort of magnificent proportions. Quite frankly, in Terra, the age of early gunpowder warfare had always been a subject of my fascination. This city boasted defenses so formidable that it apparently was never taken by a direct assault even when one of its curtain walls was destroyed by a mine during the tail end of the centuries-old conflict between the Republic and the Holy Empire.¡± - Excerpts from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City JUN 22, 1538 Continental Era (CE) ¡°Well¡­I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Hans said. They were on top of one of the bastions of the city walls, apparently overseeing the northern approaches of the city. Both he and Adelyn were holding their binoculars. Behind them, Captain Strobel himself was also looking at the distance with his spyglass. Hans lowered his binoculars. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re right, this city has an impressive defense, but do you really think your artillery from up here would hit a demonic entity rushing through that?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°At the very least, we expect it to struggle at breaching the walls. This fortress held on its own for two years, Lieutenant. Two years of starvation, constant shelling, and endless trench warfare.¡± Hans returned to his binoculars, looking at the flattened approaches to the city, many of which opened up by roads from the distance. According to Captain Strobel, the city garrison torched the trees around the city a month ago, in fear of that entity reaching the city. It was standard practice, he supposed. The city was technically in a partial mobilization for a siege. They were partially stockpiling powder, food, and supplies, and they were repairing the defenses. Hell, the reconstruction of the destroyed curtain wall on the eastern approach of the city was ongoing, even if the city¡¯s treasuries were already strained. But at the same time¡­he thought this was partially unsound. ¡°It¡¯s as if you¡¯re all preparing for an army to besiege you.¡± ¡°Well, all the same, Lieutenant,¡± Captain Strobel retorted. ¡°Standard procedures. We¡¯d still be fighting it with gunpowder and iron. The walls will act as a barrier it cannot scale. The ditches will be flooded with water to prevent it from entering. The artillery cannonade will kill it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­not¡­really how it would go down,¡± Hans said, looking down at the workers bringing in craters that definitely contained cannon balls in one of the detached ravelins. ¡°Look, that thing isn¡¯t going to surround this city, rain down cannon balls on its walls, starve it out, or assault it slowly with trenches and mining tunnels over months. That thing is alone. Powerful. Hard to kill. Nimble. Quite frankly, if it managed to enter¡­all these defenses might be the death knell if the city folks can¡¯t escape.¡± Captain Strobel sighed. ¡°Regardless, this is the only way to inspire calm to the people. The news of the disease and that entity has been a massive terror. The people need walls, Lieutenant, between the horrors outside and them. More importantly, this only means we get to stockpile more weapons and supplies. Rousselot is not meant to be attacked, we are the ones who will sortie out and attack. This city is merely our well-stocked headquarters.¡± ¡°I suppose that makes sense,¡± Hans said. He turned to Adelyn. ¡°Captain, what do you think?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she lowered her binoculars. ¡°It¡¯s both overkill and possibly useless.¡± Hans turned to Captain Strobel. ¡°Exactly my point.¡± ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll take your words to the garrison commander. Still, our job anyway isn¡¯t to defend this city. It¡¯s to hunt that thing. And by the grace of the God of Courage, we shall vanquish that damned thing.¡± +++ ¡°I¡¯ve been reading more about the situation,¡± Adelyn said to Hans once they were back at the church. The preparations of the 4th were still ongoing, with their cavalry detachments still scouring the countryside for the beast. Quite frankly, Hans was feeling quite shifty about their position in the city. The deal effectively locked them here, and they would only sortie once Captain Strobel and Father Olbrich ordered the attack. Luckily, for the time being, they were free to gather intel with the money they acquired from the deal. Adelyn was tasked with learning whatever she could about the demonic threat, something which she could easily do in the church libraries. Hans on the other hand scoured merchants and bookstores for the history of this land, the geography, and the political situation. He dropped the books he had acquired on the table. While it was a struggle to find books penned in continental, which was the closest to Lotharingian outside of a few alien words, he managed. Most books he found however were either in ¡°Vanus¡± or ¡°Virtus¡±. While they both used the same script, it was the equivalent of him trying to read a book in either Flandrian or Sicilian, and that was simply impossible. Shame, they seemed to be the high-quality ones, but it made sense. The Vanus and Virtus races were the elites of this land. They must be the ones well educated, and they must be keeping the knowledge of the intelligentsia only for themselves. Adelyn did the same. She dropped one of the books on the table, this one named, ¡°An Emergency Treatise on the Subject of ¡®Demons¡¯¡±, penned apparently by an Exousian military engineer named ¡°Daniel Specke¡± just a year ago. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°According to this book, the things really did only appear five years ago. He described them as an ¡®unholy abomination of both monster and man¡¯, and ¡®quite possibly summoned with dark magics, the intervention of the Archdemons of Hell, or created by the Vanus¡¯.¡± ¡°That¡¯s interesting¡­Archdemons?¡± Adelyn shook her head. ¡°No idea, but apparently, there are nine gods and goddesses, facing nine archdemons.¡± ¡°Must be superstitions,¡± Hans said. ¡°I believe these things are biological mutations. Maybe disease-based? Maybe even connected to the ¡®system¡¯ or magic. Well, we don¡¯t even know what magic does to a person. What if it turns them into that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m worried,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Daniel Specke made a few hypotheses about the origin of these things. One of the worrying hypotheses he made is that these beings are a ¡®product of the misery of the mind¡¯, as he puts it, which drives an individual into insanity¡ªand corruption by the Archdemons. We could pin that with magic or the ¡®system¡¯, but that¡¯s a substitute. Again¡­it¡¯s worrying.¡± ¡°What more?¡± She began flipping through the pages and pointed at one of the passages. ¡°Here, he also described five demonic entities that have been given a name by active ¡®anti-demon¡¯ organizations of the Holy Empire. These demonic creatures, they say, are possibly responsible for raising more of them. The immediate threat to us is that it says here that one is active in Ygeia. It¡¯s called the ¡®Calamity of Desire¡¯ after the Archdemon of Desire, and she¡¯s been said to have taken down at least twenty settlements in the north by herself for the last three years.¡± ¡°How the hell can the Holy Empire even act stupid and not mobilize against this?¡± Hans said. ¡°Alright, this continent is massive, yes. Hell, the Principality of Ygeia alone is apparently near the land area of West Flandria, but¡­at this rate, humanity is going to be destroyed.¡± ¡°I talked to Father Olbrich about it,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°But they don¡¯t understand it either. From what I have gathered, it seems that the authorities of the Principalities are the ones taking action against these things. You should also understand that a lot of this is kept in a tight lid to the general population. This book I have¡­he only gave it to me because I¡¯m a Virtus.¡± ¡°...Gee, you really have some racial privilege now, eh?¡± ¡°Shut up and focus.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± ¡°Continuing on, during the time of the writing of this thing, Daniel Specke mentioned that there has only been a recorded five times takedown of these entities. That¡¯s¡­not great. He also mentioned that in one of the battles, the ¡®Pacification of the Black Vulture¡¯, volunteers of the Imperial Mage Corps and hired mercenaries suffered eight hundred casualties during the battle until magically supported artillery took the thing down. That¡¯s not looking good.¡± ¡°Seems like all of these things are taken down by artillery,¡± Hans said. ¡°Even our kill, we took it down with your magical round.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Adelyn collapsed on the chair. ¡°Lieutenant, do you see the problem for yourself? We both have brains, no?¡± ¡°Yes, obviously.¡± ¡°And I think you can understand that we¡¯re screwed if all of these fall apart while we¡¯re stuck here, with no way back home.¡± ¡°...Yeah, I¡¯d definitely much rather prefer that this civilization stands over having those nightmares run around. We¡¯d probably be dead if we get overwhelmed.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Adelyn then smiled. ¡°But you see, the thing is, we¡¯re technically speaking right now, the most powerful tool mankind has in this continent against these things. You and I are seasoned veterans of a modern battlefield, riding modern military equipment. Most of all, our vehicles are now magical. And who knows how much ¡®upgrades¡¯ or skills we would have if we advanced in this ¡®levels¡¯ thing. Think about it¡­we can tip the balance. I mean, killing that demon raised my level to nine, and yours to seven. What do you think? Come on, Lieutenant, aren¡¯t you with me here?¡± Her halo lit up more, as she stared up at Hans with that overenthusiastic grin of hers. Hans almost felt himself blinded by the sheer optimism radiating from this woman. This was dangerous, there was no way he could deny her that! Her effects on him almost washed away the doubts and fear he had, which was not something Hans wanted because he knew that would be stupid! ¡°Okay! Okay! I get you. You have a point. We¡¯re screwed if we don¡¯t help them anyway. But still¡­we need to be cautious. I don¡¯t know. These things are an unknown threat. But still¡­is this really what you¡¯re suggesting? The two of us¡­saving people?¡± ¡°Lieutenant, we¡¯re Lotharingian soldiers. Have you remembered your oath to the Confederacy?¡± He didn¡¯t really like reciting it much, mainly because he was a damned penal soldier, but whatever. He liked one line of it. ¡°That I shall serve in humanity¡¯s best interest to the best of my abilities.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Adelyn nodded. ¡°Lieutenant, not just as two individuals who know how to pilot a powerful weapon centuries ahead of this continent, we¡¯re Lotharingian soldiers, who swore that we will serve humanity to the best of our abilities. I have the flag of my country on my shoulder, and so do you. If the Holy Empire¡¯s government is so stupid not to fight this, then why not give them an example? Two soldiers from a foreign land riding powerful machines, ending demonic threats wherever they two go. Wouldn¡¯t that make us allies to survive?¡± ¡°Your level of fantastical imagination is almost scary,¡± Hans replied. ¡°Also, we run the risk of facing the damned things in the first place, Captain.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, that¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you. Should we try it out? Or should we turn tail, run from this city, abandon the defense of this world? Is there even a way back home? What if this is our only home? What then, Lieutenant?¡± ¡°I see your point¡­¡± Hans surrendered. ¡°But still, we have to be very cautious.¡± ¡°Of course, we have to,¡± she declared firmly. ¡°That¡¯s why, don¡¯t do stupid maneuvers, Lieutenant. Always prioritize yourself, and your survival. If we have to retreat from a fight to another day, then we shall. Look, we might be holding the lives of tens of millions on our hands, if we are lost¡­we¡¯ll be doing them a great disservice.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, we¡¯ll try it¡­¡± Hans said. ¡°And quite frankly, this might be the only option we have anyway. Better do it in the name of duty and responsibility, as soldiers of Lotharingia¡­¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Adelyn extended her hand. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you in, Lieutenant Hans Hoffman,¡± she smiled. ¡°In the mission to save this world with me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re being weird.¡± Now she looked like she was about to cry. ¡°Lieutenant¡­when will you learn not to ruin a girl¡¯s imagined moments?¡± ¡°Gah, fine, damn it,¡± Hans groaned, as he shook her hand. ¡°This is stupid.¡± ¡°Exactly. Forward Lotharingia! Sounds stupid, but that¡¯s how we go in the Army.¡± ¡°Fine¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°I swear, the Goddess must have cursed me.¡± 28. Light That Guides ¡°The political situation of this place is quite dire. I have spent hours reading through multiple books about the now-defunct ¡®Vanus Republic¡¯ and the reigning ¡®Holy Empire of Virtus¡¯. All I can say¡­this world is doomed at this rate.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City JUN 28, 1538 CE ¡°Make way everyone! Make way!¡± Both Hans and Adelyn ended their endless discussions about what they had learned from their ¡®intel gathering¡¯ as three men rushed through the streets just right in front of the church. Aliz¨¦e for her part, who was with them eating breakfast, only leaned through the table to look through the glass windows. ¡°Well, that looks bad,¡± Hans said to Adelyn. ¡°Men on horseback¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯d she say?¡± Hans asked as it was only Adelyn who was actually learning her language. ¡°Something about horses,¡± Adelyn answered. ¡°Go check on Father Olbrich. I think something¡¯s up.¡± Hans nodded, and immediately made his way out of Adelyn¡¯s room, rushing down through the stairs and the church¡¯s halls. Quite frankly, the St. Heka church was pretty massive, and he had sometimes been mesmerized by the elaborate stained glass art that depicted the nine gods and goddesses, or their so-called ¡°Angels¡±, but he was already used to that. Just as he was used to navigating the once-confusing hallways and rooms that the church boasted. He stopped right in front of Father Olbrich and Captain Strobel, both of them tensely discussing something. ¡°Is something up?¡± ¡°Oh, Lieutenant,¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°Tell your Captain to prepare. Our scouts have found the beast. We need to move out quickly.¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± Captain Strobel turned to his direction. ¡°Northeast of Rousselot, close to the town of Belancon. The civilian population of the town is now being evacuated by the town militia. My forward platoons are now engaging it on horseback.¡± ¡°Shadowing it?¡± ¡°Aye, can¡¯t let it get away after all. The problem is, I doubt those men are going to last. That thing will annihilate them soon. Second of all, we have to move through the shortest road that is blocked by an infested village that fell three weeks ago. Since we cannot take the long route¡­we¡¯d lose it¡­we also have to clear that village.¡± Hans shook his head. That¡¯d slow them down. ¡°Our vehicles are fast. Very fast. We might be able to reach it within hours.¡± Father Olbrich and Captain Strobel looked at each other. ¡°Do we let him?¡± Captain Strobel asked. ¡°No,¡± Father Olbrich answered. ¡°We can¡¯t send our best unit unsupported. We¡¯d squander them. I refuse. We will clear that village quickly, then chase it, as one unit.¡± ¡°Or maybe we can bypass the village and wait for you while supporting your already engaged cavalry?¡± ¡°Look, Lieutenant Hoffman, you don¡¯t understand. That thing sends in these strange scalpel-like blades, flying at high speeds and penetrating everything with precision. You told me your machines have essentially no armor, no?¡± Hans gulped. Of course¡­their eternal bane. Demons and their sharp things. He imagined this thing would definitely skewer through his vehicle. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then we cannot. We need to have more units in the field to distract it and allow you to place the killing blow. I already reiterated it again and again, losing you two will be unacceptable. Especially when you demonstrated the accuracy of your weapons two days ago.¡± ¡°...Alright, Father Olbrich.¡± ¡°Move, all of you. Captain Strobel, get the men ready. A and B Company. Get them assembled in an hour.¡± The Captain nodded, and so did Hans. This was it. +++ ¡°It¡¯ll be alright, okay?¡± Adelyn softly said to Aliz¨¦e. ¡°We¡¯ll be back by tomorrow. I¡¯m sure of it. Everything will be alright.¡± Father Olbrich promptly translated what Adelyn said to Aliz¨¦e, and the girl merely nodded in a half-tearful display. It seemed that she was really afraid when she figured out that they would be leaving to engage that thing. Hans himself also kneeled to Aliz¨¦e. ¡°Be a good kid to the nuns and the folks out here,¡± was all he said. ¡°It¡¯s safe out here, I¡¯m sure of that.¡± He gave her a pat, as Father Olbrich once again translated it to her. Aliz¨¦e nodded before she was taken in by the nuns of the church. Hans sighed and stood up. ¡°Alright. A mouse demon spreading unknown diseases. Can¡¯t believe we¡¯d be dealing with something like that, but eh¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯d have to be quick on clearing out that village,¡± Father Olbrich said, pulling out what appeared to be a fancy drum-like brass-covered clock watch tied to his clothing. ¡°At most, even an hour would be too much. Hopefully, those weapons of yours prove quick to dispatch the undead if a complication occurs, but we¡¯d stick with the plan of not using it unless we have to.¡± ¡°Good. And I¡¯m sure our weapons will do fine if need be,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°I mean, if your musketeers can keep them at bay, and even clear it, we sure as hell can.¡± Hans nodded. ¡°Hopefully, twenty minutes would be sufficient. Then we¡¯ll blast through with our heavy equipment and infantry through that road, and reach them quickly.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°We already sent a hundred cuirassiers ahead of time,¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t find ourselves in any surprise.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it then,¡± Hans replied, as Adelyn nodded. +++ ¡°Prelim checks green,¡± Hans reported, as he fumbled through the controls of his mech. Outside, the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment assembled in full. They had eight pieces of light artillery, two hundred musketeers and pikemen already marching through the road, and of course, the mounted cuirassiers on the side of their formation. ¡°Copy. Powering up engines. Systems are all green.¡± ¡°Affirm,¡± Hans turned on the [MECH-SYSTEM PILOT ASSISTANCE INTERFACE] and gave a brief check on his current statistics according to the [SYSTEM]. Status Check. +++
Current Status: Healthy (No Special Health Effects) Name: Hans Hoffman Age: 25 Race: Vanus Type: Demon, [REDACTED] General Tier: I LVL: 7 Class: Mech Pilot (Vanguard) Passive Skills: [REDACTED] Active Skills: N/A Mech Upgrades: [UPG: EYE OF PARANOIA I] Available Arcane Points: 92 PTS [UNLIMITED CAP]
+++ Damn it¡­why does it keep calling me a ¡°Demon¡± and why are some of my skills hidden from me¡­ah, whatever¡­ That certainly bothered him greatly, but he stowed those worries away for now. Not that he can ask around how to deal with it. Everyone except Adelyn thought of him as human, as far as he knew, and he¡¯d like to keep it that way. Hell¡­Adelyn didn¡¯t even know that his type was ¡°Demon¡±. Screw that designation. I don¡¯t look like a goddamned mouse monster to me. I absolutely am not one. He¡¯d take that crap to heart. Plus, he was killing demons. Why would a true demon do that? ¡°Captain, I¡¯m ready to move out,¡± Hans reported. ¡°Lead the way, One-One.¡± Oh¡­so that was how it was going to be now huh? Hans smirked a bit, the faint nostalgia hitting him this time. ¡°Copy that Einweg Actual, moving out now.¡± He pushed his feet down on the pedal. The ride out of the city of Rousselot was quick. Hans and Adelyn sped forward through the main formation, especially since both Hans and Adelyn were given a map of the local area. The infested village itself was only twenty kilometers away, an hour¡¯s drive for them at a quarter of their top speed (and around three hours on forced march for the main force). Still, both of them advanced through the dirt road at medium speeds. Quite frankly, their remaining range was now down to six hundred kilometers due to fuel usage, and they still hadn¡¯t reached level twenty-five for the next upgrade on their mech. That was all they knew really. Quite frankly, their ¡°skills¡± weren''t actual skills yet. From what they have learned, skills were gained at levels ten, thirty, and forty-five, before the ¡°general tier¡± is increased at level fifty, and an individual would start out at level one again. So far, Hans and Adelyn hypothesized that their special classes gave them a special upgrade for their vehicle at levels five and twenty-five (and they didn¡¯t know if there would be a next one) plus the skills. Thus their game plan was to limit the use of their mech, get to level ten first, and utilize whatever ¡°skill¡± they could gain. They would, as much as possible, use their small-arms weaponry for the time being, and grind up to twenty-five. Quite the chore, but until they had [UPG: ARCANE AUTOFABRICATOR] to, apparently, constantly replenish their supplies at the cost of arcane points, they must not squander their fuel and ammunition. Or it¡¯d be game over. No one in this world would be able to make their fuel, ammo, or rounds. Only that thing would be able to provide it. It was why they needed the killing blow and that damned ¡°level progress increase¡±. It would be the only way to reach it faster. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn said as they reached the village. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re here.¡± The two of them stopped at around nine hundred meters from the village upon establishing visual contact with the enemy. Hans and Adelyn then began driving their Wanderpanzers to the side of one of the hills overlooking both the road and the village. It should provide them with a good vantage point once the shooting starts. Then, they both dismounted and began observing the contacts with their binoculars. Goddamn¡­they were ugly. ¡°Lieutenant, do you see that?¡± Adelyn was now right beside Hans, both of them using the cover of the bushes to conceal themselves and their mechs on the hill. ¡°Those are children¡­¡± ¡°Their bodies are rotting,¡± Hans said. ¡°They seem to be wandering aimlessly¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a biological disease isn¡¯t it?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°Yeah. Think we should be in our CBRN gear?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Adelyn placed her binoculars back. ¡°Though, don¡¯t you think it would be kinda useless? They spread it by bites¡­¡± ¡°Well, CBRN suits are definitely not reinforced against bites, but, I don¡¯t know, what if it¡¯s airborne?¡± ¡°Then it¡¯d have spread like wildfire already and we¡¯re probably already dead meat.¡± ¡°...Point taken.¡± They continued observing it, as Adelyn took a pencil and a leather notebook from her vest pouches. With his binoculars, Hans began listing her every contact that they could spot around the village, as Adelyn drew the terrain around them and began marking the contacts with ¡°X¡± symbols. It wasn¡¯t really for them, as much as it was a preparation for the arrival of the main force. They already left a sword two kilometers away from the village where the main force would deploy. Only Captain Strobel and his personal guards would be dashing straight into this hill so as to not attract attention. The plan after all was to find a good position for the pikemen and musketeers, while Captain Strobel and the cavalry would lure them out by sound. With that, A and B Company would whittle them down with gunpowder and pike. Hans and Adelyn were only tasked to recon the area, and they were forbidden to waste any of their shots unless things went awry. ¡°Alright, so what¡¯s your big plan, Captain?¡± She finished drawing, pointing at the hills around the village. ¡°Alright, look at these areas. Pretty good elevation. That should slow down the advance of these¡­things. We¡¯ll place our pikemen and musketeers, A Company on this hill, B Company on that hill over there. We¡¯ll get Captain Strobel and his men firing their guns two hundred meters from the village, and bait them to a chase to A and B Companies.¡± ¡°Then volley fire¡­¡± Adelyn nodded. ¡°Correct. Secondarily, if things go awry, we can have the artillery pieces unlimbered on the road down there. They¡¯ll cover an unexpected retreat down the road. Also, we¡¯ll position our mech on both sides of the road. You support B Company, I¡¯ll keep watch on A Company.¡± Hans nodded, before he returned to his binoculars, while Adelyn continued looking at the makeshift map she created, using her pencil to preposition the units that they had on it. Hans lowered his binoculars. ¡°Alright, what¡¯s our range of engagement?¡± ¡°Two hundred meters,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°The musketeers should open fire once those things cross three hundred meters.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be inaccurate at that range. They¡¯re using antiques. Muskets.¡± ¡°I know, but they¡¯ll get hits. Look at how densely packed those things are. Again, they have the ability to manufacture their musket balls. We can¡¯t yet. We have to conserve. Hopefully, they¡¯ll get them before they reach the close-quarters engagement range. If not, then we¡¯ll cover them with our HMG fire. Also, triple bursts only, no spray and pray.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Hans breathed in. He then crawled back to his Wanderfalke and watched their rear with his binoculars. There they were, Captain Strobel and Father Olbrich, rushing in on horseback alongside a dozen cuirassiers. ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s regroup with them.¡± Both of them returned to their vehicles and silently withdrew. 29. The Darkened Maze ¡°The most common form of musketry, the heavy matchlock musket, is the best line of defense against these demonic creatures in the hands of the common human soldier. Current observations in past battles, including failed suppression missions against these things, have shown that with the enhancement of musket fire with basic skills, musket fire may wound or deter a demonic entity. It is recommended however that further innovations in musketry be made, focusing on improving its penetrative potential by reinforcing the barrel to withstand more powder, all while employing more efficient locks to increase the fire rate of the men on the field. Indeed, this may in turn make the weapon heavier for conventional conflict, but a specialized anti-demon musket is not designed to fight man, but monsters.¡± - Excerpt from ¡°An Emergency Treatise on the Subject of ¡®Demons¡¯¡± by Daniel Specke. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ En Route to Belancon ¡°Quite frankly, I agree with her,¡± Captain Strobel said. They were now positioned one and a half kilometers from the overrun village, the men resting temporarily on the side of the road as they conducted their meeting beside the parked vehicles of Hans and Adelyn. Adelyn was presenting her plans on a hastily set up table to Father Olbrich, Captain Strobel, and the Lieutenants of A and B Company that surrounded them. She had explained their positionings, the sighted concentrations of the beings, and the terrain around it. ¡°However, I have my doubts on firing at four hundred paces, Father,¡± Captain Strobel explained. ¡°My men¡¯s muskets are only effective at a hundred twenty paces. A hundred sixty would be pushing it. We might as well be shooting blindly in this case.¡± Hans looked at Adelyn. ¡°A hundred paces is not even a hundred meters, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adelyn nodded, turning to Captain Strobel. ¡°Captain, unfortunately, at such a distance, we might have no chance to intervene if things go wrong. You need to start opening fire at four hundred paces. At that distance, your guns should still have enough energy to devastate their rotten flesh¡­¡± ¡°Young lady,¡± Captain Strobel reacted sternly. ¡°Know that it would require a lot of powder. We traveled here with light stocks, just enough for two fights. At four hundred paces, we¡¯d have to place more powder in our guns, and our accuracy would be in question. At most, my men would fire six times each.¡± Adelyn frowned. ¡°This is bad. How many musketeers do we have?¡± ¡°Eighty in both companies. Forty in A Company, and forty in B Company. Accompanied by sixty pikemen on both companies. They would be on both sides of the pike formations, twenty men each, four ranks each in countermarch for constant fire. Should these ghouls get close, my men would hide on the main pike formation.¡± The answer from Captain Strobel seemed to have forced Adelyn into a frenzy of quick calculations. ¡°At that rate, the entire formation would be firing eighty shots spread out per minute. Assuming a quarter of the hits would land¡­it would take eight minutes and thirty volleys of twenty shots from both companies to put down a town of approximately one hundred fifty people¡­¡± ¡°...Um¡­Captain,¡± Hans awkwardly interjected. ¡°I feel like your twenty-five percent hit rate assumption is quite optimistic.¡± Adelyn shook her head. ¡°But it¡¯s what must be done, gentlemen, unless we''re asking for casualties. Hell, we¡¯re not even sure how fast these things move. We have to engage at four hundred paces, hell, even more¡­perhaps¡­¡± ¡°Remind me, how far can those¡­rapid firing guns of yours hit?¡± Captain Strobel asked. Hans answered. ¡°At eight hundred meters of an assumed effective range, that would be at a thousand paces, give or take. And Captain Wittenstein and I would be able to output at least a hundred rounds per minute if we take careful aim for each burst. Unfortunately¡­as we said¡­our bullets are irreplaceable at the moment¡­¡± ¡°Unacceptable,¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°Captain Strobel, get your men ready. Follow all of Captain Wittenstein¡¯s advice, and engage at four hundred paces. Tell your men to aim well. And if things go south, only then will I let these two engage. We¡¯ll figure out something once we find that rat. If need be, we¡¯ll check that village for gunpowder and ammunition. I know some merchants were inside there when it was overrun.¡± Captain Strobel looked at his Lieutenants, who all merely grunted. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll do our best.¡± He then climbed his horse, just as the cuirassiers followed his lead. ¡°Men! Let¡¯s slay some undead.¡± He then pulled his saber and aimed it in the direction of the village as the footmen stood up and returned to their formations. ¡°Come on pick up your paces, let¡¯s get a move on lads!¡± Both Adelyn and Hans turned to each other as she closed her notebook. ¡°This feels like a difficult puzzle,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Welcome to early modern warfare, Captain.¡± +++ ¡°Gentlemen, it should begin now¡­¡± Father Olbrich said as he returned his clock watch to his pocket. Hans and Adelyn both parked their Wanderpanzers to the side of the road, a kilometer away. Eight wheeled artillery pieces, which they called ¡°minions¡±, were unlimbered and set up. They were merely packing 76mm calibers on it, but Hans knew these things were exactly the best ones they could have. This was basically the lightest artillery available to them that could be moved quickly by their horses. Both Hans and Adelyn watched with their binoculars as Captain Strobel and his men rode straight to the village. The infected inhabitants, upon seeing them at two hundred meters, began chasing them, as Captain Strobel and his men fired off their pistols, and began retreating. Just as silently, Hans observed as B Company and A Company finished positioning themselves on the hills, all while Captain Strobel and his men began dashing to the positions of A and B Company, with the infected horde chasing them from behind. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. At that point¡­Hans began panicking. ¡°They¡¯re fast,¡± Hans exclaimed. ¡°Captain, they¡¯re too fast!¡± Adelyn lowered her binoculars, a look of horror in her eyes. ¡°Father¡­listen, you must let us intervene, now!¡± Father Olbrich himself merely breathed in deeply, watching as the undead almost sprinted, albeit slower than a living human, straight into the positions of A and B Company. In fact, some already began dashing straight into their positions, as the musketeers that covered the artillery unit, twenty of them lined up in irregular lines of five men ahead of Hans¡¯ and Adelyn¡¯s position, began visibly shaking in fear as the things dashed toward them. Hans¡¯ blood ran cold. He wasn¡¯t dying to those things. ¡°Do it then,¡± Father Olbrich ordered as the first cracks of musketry opened up through the fields. ¡°Move. Men! Prepare your guns and your swords! Don¡¯t despair, the Gods are on our side against these unholy beings!¡± Both Hans and Adelyn however cared not for the preachings of Father Olbrich as they dashed quickly to their vehicles. Hans immediately fumbled on the controls as he dropped on his seat, and he took to the control stick. ¡°Adelyn! Get those ADI MPATs you prepared loaded! Set it on airburst mode. We¡¯ll waste rounds if we have to!¡± ¡°Copy that, Lieutenant.¡± Just then, their two beasts of metal sped through the battlefield. First, Hans charged straight into the undead rushing through the main road, and with his targeting interfaces taking aim at the beings, still comfortably eight hundred meters away¡ªhe pulled the trigger, launching a torrent of 12.7x99mm rain on them, dropping them rapidly. Beside him, Adelyn was doing much the same, until the last of the undead dropped dead right in front of them. Immediately, they diverted their attention to the companies they were assigned to. On the top of the hill, however, it seemed that the plan was working. The undead was dropping as they were slowed down on the hills. Captain Strobel¡¯s men, like a well-oiled machine, unleashed fire in disciplined order at the two hordes that were climbing their respective hills. Both Hans and Adelyn hesitated again on intervening, as it seemed that they were doing their job. ¡­Until they realized, it was really going wrong. Captain Strobel¡¯s men were opening fire at the planned three-hundred-meter mark, yes. But the things¡­they were rushing in fast. Way too fast, and they were dropping very little of the undead. Each volley, at most, only dropped ten or so, and they continued on. Even if the musketeers of A and B Company fired their guns in a systematic manner. The first rank would fire, then they would retreat to the back¡ªas the second rank advanced forward, placing down their musket rests on the dirt, taking aim, and firing a volley, then the next, then the next. But in just thirty seconds, both Adelyn and Hans could see that they had yet to even shave half of the numbers advancing to them¡ªand they were now closing in at one hundred fifty meters. Hans wouldn¡¯t wait any further. ¡°Damn it! I¡¯m charging, Captain!¡± ¡°Permission granted. Go! I¡¯ll cover A Company.¡± ¡°Rog,¡± his feet pushed on the pedal, and the Wanderfalke¡¯s legs went into overdrive. He pulled the trigger on his MG24s as he took his targets on the move. Rapidly, the hail of machine gun fire cut down the advancing lines, and Hans stopped just two hundred meters on the side of B Company¡¯s formation, helping them clear out the horde. But¡­many were getting through, and to his surprise¡ªthe formation broke down. Panicked musketeers suddenly peeled away in a sprint, slowed down by their guns. Others entered the pikes as the pikemen opened up their ranks in a few seconds, before reforming it and presenting their pikes on the undead. Hans charged forward, trying to cut as many of the undead as he could before they reached B Company, but he was too late. Many had already begun hitting the formation, and Hans couldn¡¯t just open fire at them! He could only shoot those still running up the hill. A boom distracted him for a millisecond, and he looked at the other hill. It was the same there, and it seemed that Adelyn deployed her magical ADI MPATs, judging by the masses of burning undead. Hans did the same. He finally pulled the trigger for his main gun as he aimed at the base of the hill. The MPAT round careened straight out of his main gun, dropping straight at a mass of at least two dozen undead¡ªand sending them, alongside dirt and grass, straight into the air as a violent explosion downed even more with the shrapnel. Hans continued his job. Adelyn¡¯s estimates of a hundred fifty undead seemed inaccurate. There was definitely more. Perhaps there were even three hundred or four hundred from what he could see. He continued spraying MG24 fire on the undead rushing both to the Peacemaker and B Company, though he didn¡¯t have much that he could do in the melee between pikes and angry flesh. All he could really do now was to stem the horrifying tide upon them. Another MPAT round was loaded by his autoloader, and Hans took no hesitation and fired it again at the base of the hill, continuing on with his frenzied gunfire. Suddenly, his screens turned red. One of the coaxials overheated, and the automatic barrel replacement system kicked in. He still continued firing the other coaxial as it took eight seconds for the mechanisms on his turret to replace the overheated barrel. ¡°Damn it! There¡¯s damned too many of them!¡± More booms¡­he could hear it, coming from the road. It seemed that the artillery was now opening fire, sending in solid-shot cannon balls at the undead rushing on the main road. Momentarily, Hans turned his turret there, and aimed at a mass of probably thirty undead, loaded an MPAT, and let it loose. The road was silent again. He sure as hell wouldn¡¯t just let Father Olbrich die to these things. He turned back to B Company. They seemed to have reformed and regained their morale, as their pike formation began pushing away the undead that managed to get close, their pikes bloodied from those they literally stabbed with it. On their sides, the musketeers returned, firing their guns shakingly, as Captain Strobel and his men fired their pistols too while on horseback. In fact, two curraisers covered his sides, both of them slicing any undead that got close with their sabers, now crimson red from the blood of their victims. Hans for his part continued firing his machine gun¡­left and right, up and down. He felt lost. They must have lost men in this fight. They must have¡­ His final shot downed the last undead on the hill, who plopped pathetically when he released his fingers from the MG triggers. Almost simultaneously, Adelyn¡¯s gunfire ended on the other hill, and Hans looked there. A Company seemed to be standing still¡­and so was B Company, as they all looked at the hundreds of unmoving and moving bodies around them, that pure rage still twitching from the bloodied and disfigured bodies of these diseased creatures¡­ ¡­This is hell. ¡°Gentlemen! See if anyone is bitten. Apprehend them and tie them up! Check each of you, and I swear if any of you dares hide it, your heads will be flying off from my saber!¡± That was the last thing he heard outside from Captain Strobel, as he released his hold on his control stick. They hadn¡¯t even met the actual demon yet.
[123 INFECTED UNDEAD (AVERAGE LEVEL: 8) LIQUIDATED!] [LEVEL UP! NOW LVL. 11!] [PROGRESS TO LEVEL 12: 16%!] [AVAILABLE AP: 140 PTS] [NEW SKILLS UNLOCKED!]
30. The Traveler Inside ¡°The recorded attacks of these ¡®Demonic¡¯ creatures have been increasing for the past five years. Economic devastation, attacks on significant settlements and population centers, and loss of farmland, industries, and trade routes, all constitute a crisis that the Imperium must recognize and act upon. The actions alone of individual field armies, mercenary companies, local lords, and the Principalities will not be enough. This treatise shall thus analyze in depth the threat that the continent is facing in the hopes that our venerable Empress would finally present herself to the people with a plan to counter these unholy threats.¡± - Excerpt from ¡°An Emergency Treatise on the Subject of ¡®Demons¡¯¡± by Daniel Specke. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ En Route to Belancon This was a damned massive problem, Hans knew. ¡°Damn it! This guy¡¯s turning!¡± The shout from one of the musketeers distracted the four from observing one of the tied undead soldiers, and they made their way to the other tied soldier¡­or at least, a former soldier. The musketeers that were on watch backed ever so slightly, their muskets aimed at the creatures as Father Olbrich arrived, obviously ready to open fire should he escape. ¡°Gentlemen, where was this man bit?¡± ¡°He was bitten on the legs, Father,¡± one of the musketeers answered. ¡°It¡¯s only been five minutes at most.¡± ¡°Damn it¡­it¡¯s a fast-acting disease,¡± Hans mumbled, as the former soldier tried to lunge at them. They had formed a semi-circle about ten meters away from it, surrounding it. The soldier was salivating like a rabid dog, eyes completely devoid of his pupils, and of course, he had those blackened veins¡­ Seeing them upfront, Hans certainly felt that sheer terror. He didn¡¯t want to turn into whatever the hell that was. ¡°That it is,¡± Father Olbrich said, his voice heavy. ¡°And that¡¯s our secondary worries about all of this. What if this thing escapes this county? No¡­what if it already did? What if it even reaches Rousselot?¡± ¡°It¡¯s disgusting¡­¡± Adelyn said, her body hair definitely raised as she almost flinched each time the creature twitched. ¡°Goddamnit and I thought those bioweapons the Flandrians were sending was brutal.¡± ¡°I thought being nerve-gassed was brutal,¡± Hans said, as he continued observing it. ¡°So this is the crap we¡¯re dealing with. And there¡¯s supposed to be more than a dozen demonic entities running around already. And more are coming. Damn it¡­this could be a full-scale epidemic¡­¡± ¡°This certainly doesn¡¯t bode well,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°Fifty years ago, a great plague swept through the continent so bad that the Republic and the Holy Empire almost stopped fighting at the sheer damage it inflicted on us.¡± ¡°Is this even still contained in this county?¡± Hans asked. ¡°The 4th is trying,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°Our mounted units have already blocked all access routes, and are killing these things whenever they are sighted outside of the overrun towns and villages. It¡¯s quite a bit of luck that this county is massive for its population, and there are only a few routes out of it, except for the sea¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s Rousselot City doing to prevent these things from getting in?¡± Hans asked. ¡°The Garrison of Rousselot City has already swelled to at least ten thousand militiamen,¡± Captain Strobel answered. ¡°Half of them are armed with muskets. We also have a number of mages already keeping order alongside the priestesses and priests of the St. Heka church monitoring and dealing with the population.¡± ¡°Quite¡­the organized response, huh?¡± Father Strobel nodded. ¡°The Countess is meticulous. The Company and the Principality can abandon us in our time of need, but we¡¯re all going to do what must be done to save this county.¡± ¡°...Do we have anything to counter it? Magic, or anything? Maybe we can cure these things?¡± Hans asked. ¡°No,¡± Father Olbrich answered quickly. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Is anyone trying to find a cure for it?¡± ¡°No. There is no cure,¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°I already tried it. It failed. Again and again. There is no point. All we can do is shoot them.¡± ¡°...You tried?¡± Father Olbrich¡¯s gaze darkened as he looked at Hans. ¡°I am a priest. Of course, I tried. It¡¯s my job. I even dissected these things just a night before I met you two. There¡¯s nothing we can do. There¡¯s nothing I can do. I¡¯m not Grannus Courbet. I¡¯m not him.¡± ¡°Grannus?¡± Father Olbrich held his tongue. ¡°Nothing. Gentlemen, shoot these things. Free them from their misery.¡± With that, Father Olbrich turned around and left, leaving Adelyn, Hans, and Captain Strobel. Captain Strobel sighed, turned to his men, and gave the order. ¡°Lads, you heard him. Kill everyone who turned. Open fire.¡± Both Adelyn and Hans didn¡¯t have time to cover their ears when the musketry went off all around them for the last time in this battle. +++ ¡°What the hell was his problem with that Grannus guy?¡± Asked Hans as Captain Strobel returned to his horse. Captain Strobel turned around, almost hesitating to answer before he gave up. ¡°Best priest of the St. Heka church. Also a Vanus. Originally the head priest of St. Heka church even. His healing magic can almost reverse all ailments¡­almost like the green powder of the company. Was a good man, I remember. He¡¯s Father Olbrich¡¯s closest friend. Perhaps why it¡¯s a sore topic to Father Olbrich. He disappeared two months ago after his mother died.¡± ¡°...Didn¡¯t this thing appear two months ago?¡± Hans asked. ¡°What happened to his mother?¡± ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know the full story either. All I know is that his mother died of an ailment he couldn¡¯t cure with his magic. Rumor said Father Courbet threw all of his money to acquire H-Grade Green Powder from the Company. For some reason, they didn¡¯t give him any. Then his mother died. Days later, he¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°And all this suddenly happened?¡± ¡°Painful coincidences my friend,¡± Captain Strobel mounted his horse. ¡°For all we know, he died from this thing, that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t return. He was a grieving man in his last days. Not exactly the best types to survive these kinds of things. A shame really, he was a brilliant man. Both a medical scholar and a priest. We lost someone too valuable, even if he was a known anti-imperial priest.¡± ¡°Wait, if he can reverse diseases with his skill, shouldn¡¯t we prioritize conducting search and rescue for him?¡± Hans asked. ¡°He might be our best asset if found. And if he''s, as you said, basically the equivalent of a medical scholar, wouldn¡¯t he be the best to search for a way to fight these things?¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°We already did. We didn¡¯t find him. That¡¯s why Father Olbrich is inconsolable when his name is uttered,¡± Captain Strobel frowned. ¡°Now get back to your vehicle. Our mission will continue. If we cannot find a cure to this, then we¡¯ll slay that beast. Stop the spread from the source.¡± He turned back to his men, who were still packing the bodies of their fallen comrades into a ditch. ¡°Everyone, quicken your pace, please. We¡¯ll mourn later. Torch them now, and we¡¯ll move forward. No other choice.¡± +++ ¡°Lieutenant¡­¡± Adelyn spoke through the comms as they drove through the route. They were once again acting as the tip of the spear, as the main force either looted the village or continued forward through the road behind them. Both Hans and Adelyn however now advanced forward more aggressively after their blunder in the last engagement. They could not afford any further blunders. ¡°I have a new skill available.¡± Hans nodded, as he focused on driving. ¡°I know. Me too.¡± ¡°Should we check it now?¡± Hans looked left and right through the environment they were passing through. It seemed¡­desolate. Outside of a few crows that would fly from the fences on the side of the road, it seemed as if this place was truly overrun by those things. That tugging distaste was one back in his mind. He didn¡¯t know enough. He hadn¡¯t even seen that thing yet. In fact, since the conclusion of the last firefight, the skies had been slowly darkening. He had a bad feeling about that. If it rained¡­then this entire operation might turn into a disaster. Hopefully, though, this was just a bad fluke, or they still had a few hours to track that thing and kill it before it rained. Otherwise, it¡¯d be another battle only Hans and Adelyn could fight. Worse, he didn¡¯t even know how it started this¡­this literal bioweapon attack. A demonic rat that killed people by spreading this kind of disease¡­ He was not part of a CBRN unit. He and Adelyn were never trained to deal with these kinds of threats outside of donning their protective suits or staying in their vehicles, which yes, could resist chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear elements/threats outside. But to actually deal with biological contamination? They were stretching their appointed specialization with this. Hans and Adelyn specialized in killing Flandrian armor. Not this. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s make a pit stop. But we cannot choose yet. We¡¯ll just check it out.¡± The two of them stopped right on the side of the road and then dismounted with their weapons on them. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it first,¡± Hans said. Status Check. +++
New Skills Unlocked! [PAS: CYCLE OF TRUTH¡ªOnly Available to the Angel of Truth/Fallen Angel of Truth!] - Allows the user to return back in time to a predetermined set-point by the user''s patron Archdemon/Deity whenever the user dies. This is a time-bending skill, and other time-bending users can interfere with this unless the user''s time-bending skill tier is higher than their time-bending skill tier. Picking this increases its Tier to Tier II! [PAS: PROGRESS OF LIES¡ªOnly Available to Fallen Angel of Truth/Calamity of Lies!] - Whenever a user dies and returns back in time, level progress is reset. However, a progress booster will be in effect until the user returns to his previous life''s level. Alongside this, the user''s status sheet will be hidden to all entities, except for those who have a higher tiered status check active skill than the tier of this skill. Effects: +25% Progress Boost until level is restored to the user¡¯s level in his last loop (Tier I). This skill is kept upon death.
Status Sheet Updated! Current Status: Healthy (No Special Health Effects) Name: Hans Hoffman Age: 25 Race: Vanus Type: Fallen Angel of Truth/Calamity of Lies General Tier: I LVL: 11 Class: Mech Pilot (Vanguard) Passive Skills: [PAS: CYCLE OF TRUTH I] Active Skills: N/A Mech Upgrades: [UPG: EYE OF PARANOIA I] Available Arcane Points: 140 PTS [UNLIMITED CAP]
+++ Hans¡­ Didn¡¯t know what to say to Adelyn now. He didn¡¯t know what he should even do now. What the hell did it mean by that? Fallen Angel of Truth? Calamity of Lies? Wait¡­so that was why he kept looping back in time upon death? It was¡­truth¡¯s ability? This was bad. Very bad. Worse of all¡­his fears were confirmed. He was one of the Calamities. He was¡­he was truly a goddamned demon. Well¡­maybe it fits. He was a bloodthirsty ace pilot. He had killed so many people in his service. That was his entire thing. Murder. Endless murders. Innocent lost traveler his arse¡­he was¡­he was a walking Calamity that managed to hide in the ranks of normal people¡­ He turned to Adelyn, trying to keep himself awkwardly composed. Should he¡­should he tell her anything? No¡­of course not. No¡­this has to be a lie. A joke. He wasn¡¯t one of those things. He would not cause any of these. He would never. He would absolutely never. ¡°Lieutenant¡­¡± Adelyn seemed befuddled. ¡°Um¡­I have a confession to make¡­¡± ¡°Uh, what exactly did you see?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m the Angel of Justice. It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s on my status sheet now. When I took a look at my unlocked skills, it was literally that. ¡®PAS: Angel of Justice.¡¯ And then my status sheet was updated. I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m one of them¡­¡± Shit¡­so she¡¯s now supposed to be my enemy? He shook his head. ¡°Um¡­okay, that¡¯s¡­oh boy, that¡¯s¡­¡± Adelyn almost seemed frustrated. ¡°Lieutenant¡­what the hell is this? Why would they do this to us? They turned you into a Vanus, a race already hated by everyone, and me, I¡¯m supposed to be an Angel. That¡¯s such a dangerous¡ª-¡± ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s hold our horses here,¡± Hans said. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­erm, we¡¯ll navigate this. First of all, we¡¯ll definitely have to hold off this information until it¡¯s safe¡­¡± ¡°Alright¡­wait, what about you? What skills did you find available?¡± Hans found his tongue twisted. ¡°Erm, yeah¡­it¡¯s pretty crap actually. Something about hiding my status? Yeah, that¡¯s all really. I mean, it¡¯s useful for counterintelligence, but¡­yeah, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to stick with my normal guns for now.¡± ¡°Did¡­did you find out anything? Did anything in your status sheet change?¡± Hans scratched the back of his head. ¡°Yeah¡­nothing, really. I guess I¡¯m just another Vanus compared to you. Like Aliz¨¦e, I¡¯m just noted as ¡®uncorrupted¡¯...whatever the hell that means.¡± Adelyn breathed in. ¡°Damn it, so I¡¯m soon going to be the prime target of these things. And it¡¯s going to be my job to kill them. What if¡­what if they actually start hunting me? I thought I could just hide from the shadows and hunt them when they least expect it. You know what it¡¯s like with demons and angels¡­they¡¯re mortal enemies. I have a target painted on my back.¡± ¡°Alright, look,¡± Hans tried to calm her down. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with this. If the bastards try to come in and hunt you, then again, we¡¯ll make allies, we¡¯ll put them down together, as we planned. If anything, this could be something good. Tell me, what are your two skills about?¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡®PAS: Angel of Justice¡¯ seems to be all about me somehow detecting anything that committed injustice to their fellow beings¡­whatever the hell that means.¡± ¡°Okay, next?¡± ¡°The second one, ¡®ACT: Wrath of the Law¡¯ is termed as a basic attack spell. I get to¡­apparently, use special anti-demon fire magic. I can turn my bullets into incendiaries¡­or I can apparently use it to cast my own magic. All I understood is I get to burn demons with this ability.¡± ¡°Okay, that¡¯s cool. It seems that most of your skills are connected to burning demons alive. Fitting for the Angel of Justice¡­¡± ¡°Ugh, I don¡¯t want to hear that title!¡± She seemed embarrassed by it. ¡°The God or Goddess of Justice must have a special defect in their mind to choose me for that role.¡± I think whoever pulled me into this world is the same. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll figure this out later. It might be useful against this undead, so if you think you have to, choose the second one. But we¡¯re not sure yet if we¡¯ll need the first one, so¡­well, try to delay as much as possible.¡± Adelyn sighed and nodded. ¡°Alright¡­I get it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get moving. I feel like it¡¯s about to rain. We have to find it already.¡± Adelyn nodded before she returned to his mech. As for Hans¡­he already picked his choice of skill. [PAS: PROGRESS OF LIES] it would be. Not only did he need that progress boost whenever he died¡­ He¡¯d hide this thing for now until he figured out what to do with himself. 31. The Lost Inside ¡°Rain and mud is the enemy of horses, of artillery, of gunpowder. In the third Republic¨CHoly Empire War over the borderlands of Asfaleia, the Duke of Toussaint, Jean Bossuet attempted a counter-incursion on the Principality of Exousia, with his field army defeating two Imperial armies, but his campaign was slowed down, and he had to lay siege on the city of Mantia right during the rainiest season of the year. A hundred fifty artillery pieces failed to breach the walls of Mantia, all because of constant rain.¡± - Excerpt from ¡°The Eternal Rivalry of the Republic and the Holy Empire¡± by Joel Brandt. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Near Belancon It was already 1450 hours. No sight of the ¡®Rodent of Pestilence¡¯. But Hans and Adelyn were certainly drenched in rainwater. The worst had come to them. The damned rain. Hans lowered his binoculars. They were camouflaged on the treeline that overlooked a flat field to the now-abandoned town of Belancon. Well¡­abandoned as far as he could tell. The evacuation was definitely badly done, and they could see with their binoculars the sign of fighting that must have happened hours ago. Hell¡­Hans could even see the occasionally shambling undead with his binoculars. No sign of the cavalry detachments that were said to shadow it earlier either. Even when both Hans and Adelyn scoured the countryside for two hours. All that they had to show for themselves was their drained fuel stocks, nearly eight hundred MG24 rounds fired in total, and the fact that Hans was now down to twenty-two rounds, and Adelyn down to twenty-six rounds both in their main gun rounds. They were using it up too much in order to not get bogged down and speed up their search. It was the only way to deal with the straggling undead circling the ring of infested towns and villages near where that monster was reportedly sighted early morning. All while the main force both lagged behind and according to Captain Strobel, who they met just forty minutes ago because he rode ahead of the main column¡ª-they were now down to a third of their powder after yet another minor engagement. All in all¡­their detachment was being drained of supplies by the undead. All while being slowed down anyway. All while that damned rodent escaped their grasp. Hans wanted nothing more now than to punch the leg of his parked Wanderfalke. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have to wait it out,¡± Adelyn tiredly said as she lowered her binoculars. ¡°Well, obviously. Their artillery and muskets won¡¯t work until this rain parts away. And they have to stop to keep their powder dry. Damn it¡­if only their infantry had wheelocks at least¡­¡± ¡°Got plans to introduce those things to them?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if you give them flintlocks,¡± Hans replied. ¡°It¡¯d still take decades before they adopt it. Captain Strobel and his men use snaphaunce, but you¡¯ve heard it. Too expensive in scale.¡± Adelyn nodded. ¡°Unfortunate. Holding all this modern knowledge but being unable to use it to its fullest.¡± ¡°Secondarily, I know how to use a gun, but don¡¯t ask me to make a flintlock,¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°Ain¡¯t no damned engineer for that.¡± ¡°Point taken.¡± The two fell silent again, watching as the rain turned the flat plains into muddy puddles. The last thing they would want is for their legs to be impaired by soft ground. Momentarily, Hans almost remembered the muddy fields of Lotharingia. Craters and mud. ¡­Damn it, this rain was taking way too long. ¡°Do you think we should continue the recce for it?¡± Hans asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°But at the same time¡­if you think about it, if we find it, all we¡¯ll really need is one good shot. Even if it¡¯s a tough nut to crack, an MPAT is bound to devastate it enough that it¡¯ll be easy to put in the takedown shots. We¡¯d finish this quagmire in minutes.¡± ¡°I only have five MPATs left,¡± Hans said. ¡°The rest are APFSDS. Think it¡¯d do well against it?¡± ¡°No doubt,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Though, you definitely have to aim it better since it¡¯ll be a solid shot without explosive filling or proximity fuse. But I¡¯m positively sure that a round designed to destroy a literal tank is going to skewer that thing¡¯s innards.¡± ¡°...Alright.¡± Hans paused. ¡°Then what about Captain Strobel¡¯s plan?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­we need to time it well. Though Captain Strobel and his remaining cavalry might try to bait it, that¡¯s really our job at this point. The main force is already tired. Moving any further is going to be detrimental.¡± ¡°We expected this to be a quick takedown. Now it''s a damned maze and we¡¯re lost in it.¡± ¡°Strange, the last monster almost sought us. This one is hiding obsessively in comparison. It¡¯s scary¡­in a way. What if these¡­these demons, or ¡®Calamities¡¯ aren¡¯t just mindless monsters like the last one we fought,¡± she turned to him. ¡°What if they have a mind like us?¡± ¡°...That¡¯d be troubling.¡± She turned back to her binoculars and observed Belancon for a few moments. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll continue the recce. Try to bait it to the main force if possible. We can¡¯t wait any further.¡± ¡°Aye, Captain.¡± +++ Hans released his hold on the machine gun trigger.
[22 INFECTED UNDEAD (AVERAGE LVL: 8) LIQUIDATED!] [PROGRESS TO LVL.14: 32%] [AVAILABLE AP: 168 PTS]
Well¡­if there¡¯s one good thing about all these, we¡¯re progressing at a massive pace in just a day. Well¡­killing hundreds of deadly undead that he imagined a regiment of this world¡¯s soldiers would struggle on was certainly something that would of course reward them with a lot of progress. What did he expect? ¡°All clear, Captain.¡± ¡°All clear on our rear too!¡± Both of them were now on a road between two infected villages north of Belancon. Still no rats in sight. Worse, they were now six kilometers away from the place where the main force took position, which they were now apparently fortifying in preparation for Hans and Adelyn pulling off the bait chase. They continued on, advancing through the road as the rain started tapering off. What was a heavy downpour earlier was now turning into a light rain. Still, the wet dirt road slowed them down greatly. It was definitely putting a strain on their vehicles, as Hans imagined that staying still for too long would partially sink their vehicles in these conditions. They stopped. One and a half kilometers away¡­was something. The village ahead, to Hans¡¯ targeting feeds, was definitely overrun. But he was staring at something different. Red glowing eyes. Almost greenish skin. About five meters tall¡­almost in a pouncing position. It was the rat. And it was staring at them¡­straight at them¡­from that distance. Hans looked to the side, nine hundred meters away. There was a lone horse. Behind it¡­a shambling infected cuirassier. His armor seemingly cleanly sliced on the torso. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡­They definitely shadowed it till their last breath. ¡°Captain¡­you seeing this?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­how¡¯d it even see us at this distance and foggy visibility?¡± ¡°No idea, Captain. Switching to thermals. Goddamn¡­it¡¯s cold. Not even a sign of body heat.¡± ¡°Alright¡­let¡¯s try this out slowly¡­turn your chassis around¡­¡± Hans complied, and both of them commenced their neutral steering, keeping their turrets aimed straight at the beast while turning their chassis straight into the direction of the main force. The beast snarled further. ¡°Alright¡­¡± Hans took a deep breath. ¡°You got more rounds. Wanna try it out first?¡± ¡°...Loading APFSDS,¡± he heard her breath deeply. ¡°What the hell are those floating things around it¡­?¡± ¡°No idea,¡± Hans replied. ¡°Opening fire?¡± ¡°...Firing.¡± The Diligence¡¯s main gun opened fire, and Hans watched as her shot flew in a flash straight into the face of the beast¡ªbut suddenly, one of the floating things slammed on it, and her shot slammed straight into one of the houses instead. ¡°...Run.¡± Hans pulled the trigger as both his Wanderfalke and Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler broke into a sprint, and the creature rushed straight into them. Just as it began, Hans could hear the distant cracks of musket fire and cannon fire in the direction of the main force. Just as his MPAT was slashed by those flying things, and detonated right in front of the beast that was probably chasing them at sixty to seventy kilometers per hour. ¡°Ah, shit! Get the next shot out, Captain!¡± ¡°Firing!¡± Another shot boomed from Adelyn¡¯s mech, but her APFSDS was once again deflected. Horror rose in both of their voices, as Hans began frantically pulling the fire trigger until his main gun fired. Once again¡­he wanted nothing more than to run now. That thing¡­that thing! It wanted them dead! He pushed on the pedal harder, as his mech reached sixty-kilometers per hour, and he was starting to outpace Adelyn. Shot after shot came from them, almost every seven seconds due to their autoloaders. But the beast was unrelenting. And it continued charging. But Hans noticed one thing. It was losing those flying things. It seemed that the energy of their shots was completely destroying it whenever those things intercepted it. ¡°Captain! We just need to keep firing and exhaust that rat¡¯s defenses. It¡¯ll run out eventually!¡± ¡°On it!¡± They continued firing at it in an alternating pattern. Adelyn would fire a shot, then Hans would fire another one in three seconds, then Adelyn four seconds afterward, all while their Wanderpanzers sprinted on the muddy plains¡ªslowed down greatly by the soft ground. By the second minute, almost halfway through their journey, they had already attracted hordes of undead along with the beast. ¡°I¡¯m down to ten rounds!¡± ¡°I¡¯m down to eight!¡± But it seemed that they had only shaved half of that thing¡¯s flying knives¡­well, no, those things were shaped like oversized scalpels to Hans¡¯ targeting feed. Still, they were far from exhausting it, and they were now almost completely out of ammo! He began spraying MG24 fire on it. ¡°Die! Die! Die! Damn it! Where are they firing at?!¡± Unfortunately, they had no way of knowing it, as the elevation completely blocked their vision to see the main force, but it was clear that they too were fighting something, most likely the hordes of undead that must have spotted them. Soon, they finished climbing the slope in the fields and began driving down¡ªrevealing the hill where the main forces seemed to have taken their position, two kilometers away. They were being swarmed by at least a few dozen undead, but they were firing their muskets and cannons. Thank god the rain stopped minutes ago. But Hans and Adelyn knew they would be screwed soon with the hell creatures hot on their tails. Hans keyed his mech¡¯s speakers. He hoped they¡¯d hear him. ¡°Attention! Aim the goddamned artillery in our direction now! The rat is coming!¡± Just as the beast emerged, Hans and Adelyn opened fire, as cannonballs flew overhead. The thing¡¯s flying scalpels intercepted it, even if it didn¡¯t seem to be accurate, further whittling it down. But Hans and Adelyn were almost out. Hans pulled his MG24 once more, as the last vestiges of its defensive flying scalpels disappeared. But it was now only four hundred meters behind them¡­no, two hundred meters behind Adelyn who was lagging behind. ¡°Damn it I¡ª¡± One of the scalpels sliced through her mech¡¯s chassis¡ªand Hans watched as it sliced clean through Adelyn¡¯s cockpit, emerging straight out of it with her blood still dripping from it as her mech drifted and slid on the mud. Hans immediately pulled his Wanderfalke to drift on the side, as he locked his main gun straight on the beast¡¯s head. It was now almost out of its oversized magical defensive scalpels, and he was very close. He fired his shot, and his APFSDS completely skewered clean through its head. The beast tumbled down on the mud, dropping down a few hundred meters near Adelyn¡¯s downed mech, as the hordes of undead descended on them. But the thing wasn¡¯t even dead yet! It began rising and limping away, as the cannonade from the main force began hitting it. But Hans could see the undead closing in to swarm Adelyn¡¯s mech. He had no other option. He opened his MG24 on them, slicing through them as he rushed back to her mech. However, by the time he closed in, his two coaxials already overheated. But he didn¡¯t care anymore. Not about his mech. Not about his life. Not even about the damned demon that they were pounding with their artillery. He pulled his SMG and jumped out of his hatch. Controlled burst. Controlled burst. You¡¯ll get to her! One by one, he downed the remaining undead charging toward him and Adelyn¡¯s mech. One, two, three, four¡­five, he racked up kills next by next, until his magazine ran out. Pulling out his Ruger, Hans shot the last two undead straight into their heads. He didn¡¯t waste any further time and rushed straight to Adelyn¡¯s downed mech. Damn it! Please be alive! Please! Please! With heavy breaths, he climbed her mech¡¯s chassis and forced her hatch open. Down below was Adelyn. The damned thing sliced straight through her mech. Of course, it would, the Wanderadler¡¯s rear had no armor. It could barely even stop small arms. She was going to die. ¡°H-hans¡­don¡¯t¡­please, just run¡­leave¡­¡± Adelyn breathed out, blood pooling out of her mouth. Hans however merely went down and removed her seatbelts as gently as he could. Father Olbrich was a healer. A priest. He just needed to get her straight into the main force as fast as he could. ¡°Absolutely not! I swear, if it¡¯s the last thing I¡¯ll do, I¡¯ll get you there, just hold on!¡± He pulled her out and began carrying her out of the hatch, pushing her out first, before he emerged himself, and carried her. She was breathing raggedly, as Hans placed her on a fireman¡¯s carry as quickly as he could. It was just an eight-hundred-meter sprint. He could do it. But just as he was doing that¡­ She suddenly bit him on his shoulder. Hans screamed as he felt her teeth bury deep, drawing out blood. When she pulled her head out with some of his flesh still in her mouth¡­Hans saw none of her humanity¡­only that feral, bloodied rage, as she forced him to the ground. He tried pushing her head away with his other hand. Captain Adelyn¡­how¡­ Why did you turn? He tried to slowly overpower her, as he cried in pain. Why? Why? They were already so close! Why did this have to¡ª A shot silenced her. All as her blood pooled from her skull, and trickled down on Hans¡¯ face. He looked at the distance. It was Captain Strobel on horseback, his musket pistol still smoking as he stared down at them. For many moments, Hans refused to move, as regret laced Captain Strobel¡¯s face, but it seemed that determination returned on the veteran soldier''s face. ¡°Lieutenant Hoffman,¡± he shouted. ¡°It¡¯s over now. You¡¯re bitten.¡± Silence. He could not accept it, but¡­ He could only nod, as he sat up, still cradling Adelyn¡¯s dead body in his arms. She was¡­she died. Again. Again. And he was next. He was bitten. He failed again. And he could only stare at her bloodied face. Again¡­ Again¡­ He heard Captain Strobel pull his saber behind him, as he held Adelyn one last time. He gave her golden blonde hair a few pats, as he tried to hold off the tears pooling in his eyes¡­ I¡¯ll do better next time. I swear¡­ Captain¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry for lying¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ For failing you again¡­ ¡°You¡¯re both honorable, Lieutenant Hoffman,¡± Hans heard. ¡°Thank you for your service, lost travelers. I won¡¯t let you turn into one of them.¡± Hans nodded again one last time, giving him permission to be offed. Then, in a split second¡ªa slash. Time almost felt slow, as his head flew in the air¡­until it all turned pitch black, right as his head dropped into the mud. What a failure he was. Lost again in this bloody maze. 32. Will She Remember? ¡°I hope one day, I¡¯ll find the meaning to my struggles.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City Hans¡­ Only opened his eyes to see the dark ceiling of his room. His eyes seemed devoid of life, as he lay still on his bed, feeling that oppressive boulder on his chest that constrained his breaths. Of course. Of course, he was back. And he could do nothing about it. He failed. Again. He sat up on his bed and lethargically rubbed his eyes to wake himself up. She died. He was once again too careless at fighting with her, and prioritized his survival¡ªand in the end, she died right behind him. What foolishness. Hans couldn¡¯t even imagine how disappointed she must have been in her last moments. Perhaps it was why she succumbed so fast to the disease. Why even struggle against it when her subordinate was such a useless dude who drove faster than her Wanderadler¡¯s top speeds during the chase? He touched his neck a bit, almost subconsciously. That certainly was something. Being decapitated while grieving his dead comrade on the muddy fields. ¡°What now?¡± Hans asked himself, as he looked at the floor of his room, the faint moonlight shining through his windows. ¡°What now?¡± He asked again. He looked around and fumbled on his table for his glasses. Placing it on his eyes, he opened his room¡¯s door and shambled out of the hallways. He needed some water to clear his mind. Suddenly, one of the rooms opened, and out came Adelyn. Hans could only look at her, remembering that rage-fueled eyes and bloody face that she had when she attacked him. Now¡­there was once again none of that. Instead of disease-fueled hate, all he could see was concern for him. ¡°You''re still awake, Captain?¡± Hans asked, and Adelyn nodded. ¡°I can say the same about you,¡± she crossed her arms. ¡°Lieutenant, are you alright?¡± Hans waved it off. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just a little thirsty, is all.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem that way to me,¡± Adelyn retorted. ¡°Bad dreams?¡± He looked back at that entire chase. How they ran out of munitions as it reached them. How that flying scalpel skewered Adelyn''s vehicle. Those undead creatures who looked like the literal product of hell. How Adelyn turned into one of them and how she bit through his shoulder¡ªthe raw feeling of her teeth sinking through his flesh still seared to his shoulder¡¯s nerves. And of course, being decapitated by a saber¡­ ¡°Just a mild one,¡± Hans chuckled weakly. ¡°Nothing much, really.¡± ¡°You say that, but you look like you¡¯ve gone through hell and back, Lieutenant.¡± ¡°Probably just lack of sleep.¡± ¡°Exactly. You¡¯re barely sleeping well,¡± Adelyn walked forward and began checking Hans¡¯ eyes with her fingers. Hans shifted backward, but she held him firmly as if she was a doctor checking on him. ¡°Deep eye bags, dilated pupils¡­you don''t even seem to be looking at me. Like you¡¯re not even looking at anything. Can you even tell me where you are, Lieutenant? Or are you stuck in your mind?¡± He pushed her hand off. ¡°Look, I¡¯m fine. As I¡¯ve said, I just need water.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re not fine,¡± Adelyn said as she retracted her hand and looked down. ¡°But, alright. Go downstairs. The water I treated is still there.¡± Hans nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Please¡­get better, Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn softly said. ¡°If you need help, I¡¯m here. Or you can ask Father Olbrich. Anyone. Don¡¯t take this all alone. It¡¯ll just affect you when you¡¯re in the fields. Okay?¡± ¡°Okay¡­okay,¡± Hans this time tried to laugh her off. ¡°Look, you¡¯re being such a worrywart.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°Let me try visualizing this for you in a way you¡¯ll understand since you like practicality first and foremost. You, the better one at fighting, and the only fellow Lotharingian with me, and thus the one I can rely on the most in this world, would suddenly come out of his room looking like he¡¯s about to beat himself up after the worst nightmare he saw. And he keeps telling me that he¡¯s absolutely fine. Now, should I believe that, or should I be very concerned for my only Lotharingian partner in this world?¡± Okay¡­she does have a point when she puts it that way. Her stern expression then turned softer. ¡°Of course, there¡¯s more to that, but¡­that¡¯s what you¡¯ll digest most easily.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, look, I¡¯m not stupid, I get it. You need me at my best combat abilities,¡± Hans replied. ¡°I¡¯ll manage this. And if I can¡¯t, that¡¯s when I¡¯ll say so. For now, I think you should go back to sleep. We have a lot of intel gathering to do tomorrow.¡± Adelyn merely nodded, seemingly defeated at getting Hans to open up. ¡°Have a good evening then, Lieutenant. Or at least, half of the evening.¡± Hans chuckled. ¡°You too. Thanks.¡± As he descended down on the stairs, Hans momentarily stopped until he heard her close her door. Briefly¡­he wondered in vain that she knew until it was crushed. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. No, he was alone in this. As always¡­it¡¯s only me who remembers. +++ Rousselot City JUN 22, 1538 CE ¡°It¡¯s three Imperial Marks sire,¡± The shopkeeper said. ¡°I cannot lower it further. Why are you even haggling for such a prized book? Knowledge has no price, sire.¡± Hans stammered. ¡°Well, you know how it is these days, gold is short,¡± not that he was sure if he was being robbed here. Quite frankly, since he wore what was straight up a foreigner¡¯s apparel (and a well-maintained one at that), it meant that he looked very robbable. Quite frankly, he didn¡¯t really trust this guy, considering that last time, he bought a five hundred gram bread for one Imperial Mark, meanwhile, the townsfolk bought it for around twelve ¡°Light Marks¡±, the silver version of his Imperial Mark, and all he knew was that a hundred light marks were equivalent to one Imperial Mark. So¡­goddess damn it, he was definitely being robbed here. He didn¡¯t really want to waste too much of their money, as the deal only gave them two hundred Imperial Mark, with the rest of the payment locked until they killed the ¡®Rodent of Pestilence¡¯ (which meant they were now technically a very expensive mercenary unit), and Adelyn only gave him twenty Imperial Marks to run around and buy books with. But¡­ ¡°Alright, fine¡­¡± He gave it up, and the shopkeeper happily gave him the book. He soon left the bookshop and emerged in the streets of Rousselot. As usual, it seemed busy, and Hans could see many of the city folks lined up to a bunch of priests and priestesses conducting magical examinations in the distance. From what he knew, priests of this world doubled as medical workers with their ¡°blessing¡±, and thus, they have been assigned to frontline duty to check for the ¡°curse¡± in this city. Especially with all the refugees coming in. He began walking in the other direction, planning to return to the St. Heka church to resume his research and planning. He needed a concrete plan on how to deal with that thing without endangering the 4th and Adelyn. Luckily, he had seven days since the monster was spotted on June 28. Quite funny that these people used the same Flandrian Calendar that Terra used, but he didn¡¯t question it any further. He had too much crap to deal with. He continued walking through the dense street until he came across someone. Just in another lane, was a middle-aged woman surrounded by three musketeers. She had brown hair, a black cloak that seemed to have the insignia of Rousselot on it, and of course¡­she had horns. A Vanus. Strangely enough though, unlike Aliz¨¦e, she had none of those knife-like ears. She seemed to be talking to some children, smiling at them, before giving them a few coins. The group of children ran away, as she stood up, seemingly conversing with the musketeers guarding her. In the last loop, she apparently had no time to deal with us. Hans never actually saw her in his last life. All he knew was that she approved the hiring of them for the expedition. Well, he supposed he had more pressing issues to deal with, considering the crisis and the fact that she was a Vanus trying to hold on to her rule while being under the anti-Vanus Holy Empire. Hans began walking away, trying not to attract attention, but of course¡ª ¡°Are you the foreigner we hired?¡± Hans slowly turned to his back. How the hell did she cross that in seconds¡­? Magic. Definitely magic. Okay¡­so how am I supposed to address this? ¡°I¡¯m Lieutenant Hans Hoffman, Ma¡¯am,¡± Hans awkwardly replied. ¡°Glad to see you. I¡¯ve heard you''re a¡­well, a just ruler.¡± She didn¡¯t have much of a reaction to that. ¡°I suppose Father Olbrich still talks about me with positivity then. I should say, you and your partner have a massive task ahead of you.¡± She looked at Hans¡¯ pistol holster. ¡°I¡¯ve heard your weapons are quite the new ones.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­it¡¯s from my country, Lotharingia. It¡¯s, well, I should say, more advanced than what¡¯s in here.¡± She nodded. ¡°Interesting. Carry on then. May you two and the 4th succeed. I expect results, Lieutenant.¡± Hans gulped and nodded. Damn, the way she spoke certainly was scary. She had that air of noble authority in her and all. Soon, she turned, alongside her guards. Hans breathed out deeply. She almost reminded him of Captain Victoria with the way she spoke. Quite frankly, Hans never had the best experiences with noblewomen who really pressed their authority on his arse. Didn¡¯t help that she sent 1st Platoon so much crap. Well, guess that¡¯s that then. Finally saw the lady who wants us to kill that thing. He sighed. I swear, they can turn scary in a split second. +++ Hans was reading deliriously. Quite frankly, he still had a tower of books he needed to skim through on his side of the table. More than that, right now, he was skimming through the reports that the city recorded about the attacks of the ¡®Rodent of Pestilence¡¯ for the past two months. Where it started, what village it first attacked, and how it was being fought. Apparently, a total of six hundred men had already been lost in the fight against it. That was certainly a lot. The main problem that the County of Rousselot faced was the fact that it had no support from the Imperial Ygeia Company outside of Rousselot City itself (where they sent a few Frigates apparently to show their ¡®support¡¯). The task of defending the county thus fell to the Imperial Garrison in the county, which was Captain Strobel¡¯s unit, the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment. Second, they needed to garrison the exit routes from the County to prevent the spread outside of it (though, he seriously doubted that it hadn¡¯t reached other areas of the Principality already), which meant that right now, the 4th only had at most eleven or twelve hundred men at their disposal for the expedition. In the last loop, they didn¡¯t go full-in, as only two companies were musterable in time, but this time, Hans had foresight. If he could get the two full battalions (or four) of the 4th on the move a day ahead (thus, no rain), and mobilize all of their sixteen ¡°minion¡± horse artillery into the right positioning, Adelyn and Hans could reasonably expect a good battle. Last battle, he knew that they almost took it down. Quite frankly, he was sure that even if they died, he had already injured it enough that they would have killed it with the cannonade. The bad part was, they blundered hard. They used up a lot of their munitions fighting the undead, all while wasting time. Second of all, Hans and Adelyn had to be chased right after it rained hard. ¡­Quite frankly, realizing all that, the amount of munitions they expended on the chase alone would have doomed them already long-term even if they had survived it. He was down to six APFSDS by the time he left his Wanderfalke to save Adelyn. Their role should be takedown, fast recon, and bait. Not be the main fighting force and waste all of their munitions for a job that cannonballs could do. The question now was¡­how would Hans deal with it with this knowledge in mind? Something distracted him. It was Aliz¨¦e, and she was carrying what appeared to be a book. She walked to Hans¡¯ chair and cutely presented it to him. ¡°This book¡­Sir Hans¡­¡± she tried squeaking it out. ¡°Lady Adelyn seed¡­um¡­¡± Oh, she¡¯s trying to speak continental¡­ He seriously wondered how this girl¡¯s parents isolated her so hard that she struggled to speak nor understand the most common language of her land. He simply gave her a pat and took it from her. Quite frankly, he really hoped that their stay here would at least give her some education to speak Lotharingian¡­or, err¡­¡°continental¡±. She apparently was well-spoken in Vanus, according to Father Olbrich, so it wasn¡¯t like she was uneducated or stupid. She just couldn¡¯t speak this land¡¯s peasant language. ¡°Thank you.¡± Well, come on, he only knew a few words in her language from his brief readings. Okay, he did know other words considering Vanus seemed similar to Flandrian. Unfortunately, all those were profanities. 33. The Paths ¡°I like to maximize my advantages, even if it costs me dearly.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City JUN 24, 1538 CE Hans finally had a plan. ¡°How much would we need for a cannonade, sire?¡± Asked the quartermaster to Captain Strobel. Captain Strobel merely turned to Hans for a brief moment, before turning back to the quartermaster. ¡°Enough for two hundred shots of our full sixteen light battery, according to this man.¡± ¡°Are you sure¡­?¡± The quartermaster asked, looking straight at Hans. ¡°That would require me taking away stock from the city¡¯s defenses. Bloody heavens, could you lot even manage to take that much rapidly when you spot the beast and intercept it? At most, we¡¯d only be able to call to arms a hundred or so men in an emergency.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re not planning for an emergency, waiting for it to attack,¡± Hans said. ¡°I have a plan. I¡¯ll find it. I¡¯ll bait it. On an exact date, on an exact time, on an exact field. It¡¯ll be the only way that this city won¡¯t fall. We¡¯re fighting it on our terms.¡± ¡°...Ambitious,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°But that requires you to come out of this city¡¯s gates to find the creature, and plot its positioning within¡­what was your date of attack again?¡± ¡°Twenty-seventh of June, Captain,¡± Hans answered. ¡°We need that cannonade to whittle its defenses down. You said it has these¡­flying sharp objects of sorts?¡± Captain Strobel nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what the reports said. I¡¯ll make a confession, neither I nor Father Strobel ever saw that creature. Those who saw it¡­are more than likely already shambling undead, or shot dead by our mounted cavalry. Quite frankly, there are only two people who have seen it under me up close. And they¡¯re both retired as they¡¯ve descended into lunacy. Look, we can¡¯t have you two end up in the same situation.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s that,¡± Hans said. ¡°But my vehicle is fast. Capable. Mobile. With powerful tools to see from afar. Adelyn¡¯s much the same, but, again, as you¡¯ve said, we cannot risk everyone. That¡¯s why my plan is simple. I¡¯ll recce it well in preparation. I¡¯ll do my best not to engage in it, but I''ll get my report out. No matter what, I''ll write it down as I go. Adelyn has the equipment to find where I am even if I fall in battle. Thus, if I don¡¯t return, you would all just need to recover my corpse, and you¡¯ll know where it is and how we would defeat it. But that¡¯s the worst-case scenario.¡± Captain Strobel looked intrigued. ¡°Bold plan, my friend. Have you talked to Father Olbrich or Captain Wittenstein about this plan? This requires that you place yourself at great risk. I can do my part of mustering sixteen minions to the field and the entire regiment if need be, though, I might have to do some verbal spar with the Countess to get full permission. But you¡­this is a big job. A big risk. And both Father Olbrich and Captain Wittenstein have been very clear not to risk the two of you due to how valuable you two are in the plans.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Hans said. ¡°I have not. I have a feeling my superior will just stop me and ride with me. This has to be a plan between you and me only.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Captain Strobel leaned in. ¡°You know how ladies go, Lieutenant. Your Captain would be greatly displeased by this.¡± ¡°Oh come on, she¡¯ll manage,¡± Hans said. ¡°Look, I¡¯ve done my research for the last two days and I have a plan. We need to execute that plan as best as we can. This is the only way, I¡¯m afraid. I¡¯ve even checked the reports.¡± ¡°...When will you ride out?¡± ¡°Night of the twenty-sixth,¡± Hans answered. ¡°I¡¯ll come back by noon next day. If I¡¯m alive, then great. If not, I¡¯ll try to bait that creature as close to my planned engagement site. Captain Wittenstein already knows her role so all she would need to do is bait it fast to your positions once you deploy. But again, I¡¯m not banking on that. If all things go well, I¡¯ll return by morning and drag you all to the best route to the best fields and bait it with her.¡± Captain Strobel reluctantly nodded. ¡°Gods¡­you¡¯re an insane man, Lieutenant Hoffman. Let¡¯s see to it then.¡± Hans nodded. Now that part of his plan was done. +++ No¡­Hans didn¡¯t plan to win in this loop. Quite frankly, he just needed to get them to let him do the recce himself. He¡¯d die in this life. He knows that he¡¯ll be revived on the night of the twenty-first anyway, but if he can extract everything that he can in this life without placing Adelyn and the 4th at any risk. Then he would. It was the only plan that Hans came up with for the last two days. Quite frankly, he could try hard to live on in this life, but Hans gave up on that. They screwed up badly last life due to a lack of intel and preparation. He needed to see everything first before he would ask Adelyn to even come to the fighting. In his next life, Hans expected to have everything for him to play with. Intel. Routes. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Positioning. Even the concentration of the undead so that he could guide the 4th into a route where they would not have to engage a single one of them. With such a plan, Hans could ensure a one-sided, perfect, set-piece battle. The perfect takedown of a beast for the hunter. He would only have to bait the damned thing to them, and unlike the last time, he¡¯ll ensure that he¡¯ll be firing at it from three kilometers away to keep a massive distance, run at the main force, then have them engage it in the flat fields at a three kilometer distance at minimum. That way, Hans and Adelyn wouldn¡¯t have to waste a single shot to remove its defenses. They would only engage at the opening to bait it, and at the last moment to put in the kill shots. But such a perfectly planned battle required¡­unrealistic planning. All of the pieces must be perfectly placed at the right time and at the right place for all of them to come together. That required ridiculous foresight of the future. Hans¡­had that. He laughed at himself last night when he realized that. He literally had the key to that now. It didn¡¯t matter if he didn¡¯t know the enemy, he would always know them at the successful loops to win. He would know them inside out. He would know the best ways to kill them. He would know perfection with the truth. The only payment would be his deaths in the loops where he didn¡¯t have enough information for him to leverage. The last thing he wanted was another path where he would watch Adelyn die. Or Aliz¨¦e. Or anybody for that matter. He wanted the perfect path for them. Thus¡­he realized that to do that¡­all he needed to do was walk in the brutal paths himself alone, so he could guide them away from it. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± he chuckled a bit. He was standing alone in the barracks courtyard of the garrison¡¯s and the 4th¡¯s headquarters. Where these men trained and trained each day just to fight that thing. Quite frankly, he was never really one who drank liquor, but he had one just for today. He stared at the moon. ¡­Could he really accept this fate? He asked himself that again and again. While he tried his best to react much to what happened, watching Adelyn bite him angrily had been¡­something that ate at him subtly. It wasn¡¯t some detached failure. No¡­she was right in front of him. And she almost seemed to be chastising him for failing her so hard. To Hans¡­what if that timeline was true? What if¡­in another story, that Adelyn who died was true? Just because he was back in time, back in this moment where Adelyn spoke and acted and lived normally didn¡¯t mean he could ignore the fact that he failed there and she died. Or what about all those men who died during their blunders? What about them? He drank another shot from the liquor he bought. Damn, it sucked. Too hot, and he certainly wasn¡¯t even used to it. Again, he never really drank, so this was damned shite. In fact, he almost wanted to vomit it out. He even asked himself why the hell did people even drink this crap when it tasted like this. Or why he even chose to drink it himself. But he took it all in again, this time, draining the entire water jug where he placed the thing he bought. Damn it¡­too hot, he certainly shouldn¡¯t buy this crap again. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± a soft voice suddenly distracted him from behind. Of course¡­it was her again. He didn¡¯t turn around to face her. ¡°What is it Captain?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been asking around to find you. You just¡­you disappeared earlier without a trace. It¡¯s almost dinnertime in church, and Aliz¨¦e¡¯s searching for you.¡± Hans breathed in. ¡°Apologies. Had to run around to check everything. Appraise the quality of the troops around here and all. Also inspected the artillery pieces with Captain Strobel.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­I see.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be going soon,¡± Hans said. ¡°Go. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re drinking.¡± ¡°Soldiers do it all the time.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve known since I entered E Company is that you¡¯re one of the odd ones who can¡¯t handle alcohol.¡± ¡°I just tried their thing here,¡± Hans looked back. ¡°Just tried it out. I couldn''t exactly waste it when I realized it was shite. So I just force-drank it.¡± She didn¡¯t seem impressed. ¡°You¡¯re turning more pitiful by the day, Lieutenant.¡± ¡°...Are you doubting the agreement we made that day? Of saving this world together?¡± She sighed. ¡°I said a lot of things that day. But if¡­if you think it¡¯ll be a detriment to your own¡ª¡± Hans immediately cut her off. While she didn¡¯t know yet that she was the Angel of Justice, Hans already knew that. It was why he agreed to her deal even when he knew the risk involved for him. He knew her role moving forward. Either she¡¯d kill these things, or she¡¯d be killed. ¡°No,¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°No. We¡¯ll do what must be done, regardless. We talked about it already. It¡¯s the only way out of this. I¡¯m just trying to figure things out.¡± ¡°...I just don¡¯t want to be pushing you to a place you wouldn¡¯t want to be.¡± ¡°Look, I just drank, okay, no big deal,¡± Hans took a deep breath. ¡°Okay, look, I¡¯ll fix myself up. Just, I¡¯m being weird for a while because this is all weird. Nothing more. Maybe I¡¯m just adjusting, I mean for hell, we¡¯re suddenly in a fairytale world. That¡¯s crazy. So, I¡¯m being¡­well¡­me right now. Look, I¡¯m a soldier, Captain. I¡¯ve seen worse. This is all nothing.¡± She sighed. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Thanks¡­I¡¯ll be coming later. I¡¯ll just go check in on Captain Strobel. Give me thirty minutes.¡± She nodded. ¡°I¡¯m still talking to the Countess. So if you¡¯re searching for me, just wait at the Church.¡± ¡°Talking to the Countess?¡± ¡°Mhm¡­I wanted to get a better deal for us. Looking at how much you¡¯re preparing for it, it seems obvious that this is a bigger threat than I first thought. If we¡¯re risking our necks big time, then we should get better rewards and ensure that they¡¯d be allies.¡± ¡°...Is she receiving you well?¡± She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m a noble too, did you forget? Did you really think I can¡¯t soothe big egos to placate them in my way? In fact, I even have a good bargaining chip as a Virtus myself. She¡¯s gonna bend.¡± ¡°...Well, that¡¯s good. You deal with the strategic stuff, I¡¯ll deal with the tactical. The usual. Just good teamwork.¡± She nodded. ¡°Just don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± ¡°Yeah, I get you.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Finally, she turned around and left. Don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll push myself as hard as I can to maximize everything. Goddess willing, that thing will be dead in the most calculated manner next life. 34. Only He Walked ¡°The continued failure of the Imperial Government to react to the Great Infestation Crisis will only lead to the collapse of mankind long term. If the Empress is ambivalent to the idea of acting, then I shall call upon the Imperial Parliament to see reason. If not¡ªmay the Imperial Army act. Mercenaries and garrison units would not be enough, and there is no reason to not act when the Republic has collapsed to oppose the Imperium.¡± - Excerpt from ¡°An Emergency Treatise on the Subject of ¡®Demons¡¯¡± by Daniel Specke. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City JUN 25, 1538 CE The morning in the barracks was once again filled with the sounds of musketry firing. With the planned date for the attack inching closer and closer, Captain Strobel began intensifying the drills for the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment. This part of the plan was certainly something he would hatch on the third loop. He¡¯d ensure that the 4th was fully ready to engage in full. ¡°How¡¯s the preparations, Captain?¡± Hans asked as they watched the musketeers fire another mass volley on their targets. This was certainly an endeavor that required a lot of powder, but both Hans and Captain Strobel knew that it would be needed. ¡°I¡¯ve already gotten four of the battalions partially ready. That''s twelve hundred men in total. However, we cannot do your plan of having two musketeers per pikemen plan. It just isn¡¯t possible in this timeframe. I see the merits in your argument that more shot units would be best against this creature that¡­well, spread diseases, but, unfortunately, we cannot do that in short order.¡± Hans nodded. ¡°I understand. In any case, the infantry is just secondary anyway. What we need the most is the light artillery.¡± ¡°All ready for the combat, I assure you,¡± Captain Strobel laughed. ¡°You¡¯re mighty confident in this plan of yours, huh?¡± ¡°And you folded easily, Captain Strobel,¡± Hans said. ¡°You know, I wonder. Why¡­why are you in charge of a full regiment?¡± Captain Strobel leaned on the balcony that was overlooking the courtyard. He shook his head. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m in charge. De facto. But I¡¯m not really the one in charge of this entire thing officially. The Imperial Army¡¯s just too inept to send a new one here.¡± ¡°Why? Where¡¯s the guy supposed to be in charge?¡± ¡°He died during the first altercations with the beast,¡± Captain Strobel answered. ¡°Meanwhile, the Battalion Commanders either died with the first cavalry recce, thinking it¡¯d be an easy fight with a few men, while the others fled. Quite frankly, the last two months were chaos for the 4th. And I¡¯m the only one who could restore order.¡± He turned to Hans. ¡°Thus, me, a lowly Captain, is now suddenly in charge of this mess. How great. Bet they¡¯d just boot me off anyway once this entire thing is over instead of promoting me. But what can I do¡­?¡± So their senior leadership all either died or fled and this guy¡¯s all that¡¯s left. Hans shook his head. What an utter disaster. ¡°So why follow my plan so quickly?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a thinking man, Lieutenant Hoffman,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°Unlike most officers I¡¯ve seen, you¡¯re focused on the details. On the tactical level. On the fight. Not for some vanity goals. Not for some farcical luxuries in times of crisis. You act decisively. I guess I wanted a fellow soldier who has a brain to help me out of this thing. Because truthfully¡­I don¡¯t see a way of killing that thing without doing this either.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I convinced myself that the walls would stand, or that me and Father Olbrich would somehow intercept that thing and kill it,¡± Captain Strobel looked down. ¡°But Lieutenant, you and I know that walls don¡¯t stop diseases. It keeps it in. This city¡­is a trap.¡± Hans felt his body turn slightly colder as Captain Strobel continued. ¡°All these defenses. All this artillery. What would it do if the disease spread inside, Lieutenant? At least outside, I can ride around with my cavalry to flee. Here¡­I¡¯d have to defend these people while being trapped by the walls. Do you know how many people are in here, Lieutenant?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Forty-thousand souls, Lieutenant,¡± his words struck deep. ¡°Can your machines even deal with that, if those forty-thousand souls turned into whatever the hell that unholy being is turning people into?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°And neither would we,¡± Captain Strobel looked at the far distance of the city. ¡°We¡¯re dead meat inside here. And trust me, Lieutenant, you do not want to turn into one of those things. I watched my brother turn into one of them a month ago. And I had to slice his head off with my own saber.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ll be going all into this plan? Just to avoid that?¡± Captain Strobel laughed. ¡°Of course, I would. So we better kill it, Lieutenant. If not, I¡¯ll grab my horse and run as far as I can. I¡¯m not turning into one of them.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Strange how you¡¯ll declare that you yourself would desert in front of me.¡± He only laughed. ¡°What? Do you not think that you¡¯ll also run if you come face to face with one of them?¡± Hans looked back at how Adelyn bit him. And how he struggled to keep her off from her literally mangling his face off. He breathed in. That was certainly the nightmare. But¡­but to run? No, he¡¯d be doing the reverse. He would be charging forward because that was his duty and responsibility. ¡°No. I¡¯ll face it head-on, Captain.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why I¡¯ll follow your plan, Lieutenant,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°Have a good morning, I¡¯ll go grab my breakfast.¡± +++ Hans finished inspecting what he had in his mech, holding a notepad where he noted everything that he checked in the entire process. He tried his best to repair anything that he could, but, quite frankly, maintenance wasn¡¯t his best forte. He barely had any idea how to even fix the sensitive mechanisms of his turret, autoloader, and¡­well, the propulsion system outside of the engine was basically out of his capabilities. Which was the most worrying part of all this. Hans realized¡­not only did they need to reach level twenty-five to take [UPG: ARCANE AUTOFABRICATOR], but he also needed to make sure that the two of them would not damage their vehicles in any way that they could not fix. Quite frankly, if he had no good idea on how to maintain his Wanderfalke, he doubted Adelyn was any better. Not that they were ever trained or expected to do that. The complexity of the Wanderpanzers and the Confederacy¡¯s policy of making sure that they were crewed by only one person (to greatly reduce manpower use¡ªless meat, more metal) meant that they had always relied on rear-based maintenance platoons. Tank crews could usually do basic maintenance and even repair, but Wanderpanzer pilots were one-man crew per vehicle. It simply was impossible to even expect them to repair their own vehicle, especially when the control systems of the propulsion were so complex it was more likely that the pilots would just screw up fixing it anyway. Thus¡­Hans and Adelyn had surface-level training. I really hope there¡¯s a magical upgrade in self-repair eventually. Thankfully, with the fact that [UPG: ARCANE AUTOFABRICATOR] exists, it should be there. Though¡­the unfortunate part was the fact that the choices presented to them seemed to be randomized. He hated that part of the equation. Luck. Hans knew that good luck had always been partially necessary on the battlefield, yes, but everyone, he included, hated it. Having your lives be determined by a dice roll wasn¡¯t something to be excited about. Anyhow¡­ He checked the tallies of his available munitions and fuel. It seemed that he still had six hundred fifty kilometers of fuel range with his tanks at the moment. He had always been thankful for the brutally efficient engines of his vehicle, more so now, as it could reach 2.7 kilometers per liter of fuel. Well, Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler was less efficient, as it could only go 1.8 kilometers per liter, but she had a four hundred twenty-five liters fuel tank, so she still had seven hundred fifty kilometers of maximum cruising range. It was one of the advantages of the Confederacy after all to the heavier mechs of the Imperium. Not only did their Wanderpanzers feature more advanced sensors, one-man crews, and high all-terrain mobility, but they also had fuel economy on their side. Of course, none of that mattered anyway when they had air supremacy and the Confederacy had fewer Wanderpanzers available due to his nation¡¯s industrial unpreparedness, but still, he was thankful right now. He wouldn¡¯t want to be in a sluggish, low-range, three-man crewed Murat MBM in this situation. Sure, he had no armor, but it wasn¡¯t like Murat MBMs would do better here considering it also had non-existent side armor. He imagined he¡¯d just screw up a lot more against demons here with their worse mobility and worse sensors (their thermals apparently doesn''t even work half the time). Unfortunately, his logistical advantages would quickly evaporate once he looked at his munitions situation. He was down to thirty-one rounds available (from thirty-five maximum) after they demonstrated their guns to Captain Strobel and Father Olbrich plus the fight against that black demon wolf thing. Adelyn should be in a better situation since she had forty rounds by the first day he met her in this world, and she only used three rounds so far. Of course¡­the main culprit to them running out of rounds during his last death was that damned undead. They used up too many MPATs trying to cut through them considering how much they tried surrounding Hans and Adelyn. But also, it was with the intent of clearing a path for the main force, since they wanted them to punch through quickly through the cleared routes so there wouldn¡¯t be any delays once Hans and Adelyn found the demon. That plan obviously didn¡¯t work, and both Hans and Adelyn nearly ran out of munitions during the chase, which was one of the reasons why they panicked and shot everything they had in the process. This time around, Hans calculated that he only needed three volleys at most from that sixteen ¡°minion cannon¡± battery of Captain Strobel¡¯s unit to fully destroy everything that the beast had, and Hans and Adelyn could do a comfortable takedown with only four rounds of APFSDS at maximum (this creature didn¡¯t seem to be as agile as the last one, so no need for MPATs and its proximity fuse). Then, he looked at his tallies on the available 12x99mm rounds that he had on his two coaxials. All in total, he still had four thousand rounds available, two thousand on each coaxial. Not great, but not terrible either. He had only used a few hundred so far. The problem would arise if he engaged the undead. Last time, he was down by at least eight hundred bullets by the time he died. Not good long-term. Hans sighed. He still needed to plan out a lot of the logistics for tomorrow¡¯s lone (and secret) expedition to his¡­well, journey to death. Then he needed to fully plan out the logistics for his next life. He needed to ensure that he gathered every intel he would need so that he wouldn¡¯t even have to engage a single undead on the next life once he guided them to the deployment area. Of course, he¡¯d still need to do a recon mission himself that he could spin as a reason for them to believe him (all he would need to do differently is to stay in a safe area during the night and return by noon), but¡­ He looked down at his notepad. Not only would he be doing this all alone¡­ He certainly would be lying a lot to them for this to work. To Adelyn. To Captain Strobel. To Father Olbrich. To all of them. Guess this is a fitting path for me. He sighed. Calamity of Lies, huh? He wouldn¡¯t let Adelyn end up that way again. If he needed to lie to kill that beast before it killed her. Then so be it. He closed his notepad. 35. Only He Witnessed ¡°I have said it once and I shall say it again, the battle against these beings does not lie in the hands of the Vanus and their pompous worship of blood and black magic. Nor does it lie in the hands of the Virtus and their self-righteous search of greater power through the System¡¯s grace that are handed to them by the Gods in a silver-platter. Nay, it lies in the hands of humanity, of good common men, who without the grace of the System or of magicks fight on with the humble musket, the humble pike, the humble artillery, and the humble saber with their basic skills and lowly forms of basic magic that these ¡®high races¡¯ laugh upon. It is not of the elaborately styled chants for equally elaborate magical attacks from high-tiered individuals that would find triumph for us, nor would it be the so-called ¡®Angels¡¯ who promise upon us the end of this threat any moment now. No, it is of gunpowder, guts, and steel that mankind shall triumph against darkness. Thus I tell you now to simply give us another month and I swear we shall reinforce you brothers over there, and stop that pestilence together in the name of our gods.¡± - Letter from the Colonel of the 8th Holy Ygeia Regiment to the Captain in charge of the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment after the Rousselot fiasco. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City JUN 26, 1538 CE ¡°That indeed is quite the strongly worded letter from your friend, Captain,¡± Hans said after reading the letter that Captain Strobel showed him. ¡°Indeed, Lieutenant. That man, Colonel Florian Kohler, is a part of the Reformists in the Imperial Army. They are humans who demand more rights and privileges for human officers. Humans who demand more funding for the continued restructuring of the Army away from the structures of the Virtus and Vanus battlemages, and into the structures proposed by advocates of musketry and artillery. Humans who have long sided with the interests of the Imperial Parliament, instead of the Imperial Court.¡± Hans frowned. So it seemed that he was right from his theories on the readings he had. That in this land, the majority of people, humanity, like him¡­at least, before he got yanked off from Terra, had a lot of grievances to the two ruling races of the land¡ªthe Virtus and the Vanus. Accordingly, humans apparently struggled to gain progress in leveling up, and a human being above that of the general tier I had always been exceedingly rare. The Virtus and the Vanus in comparison, like him and Adelyn, advanced quickly through the ladder. Apparently, most nobles were at least in the General Tier of II, with the best ones at III and IV. And that meant that their repertoire of skills was higher, which meant more powerful magic and abilities. Some would even be blessed with unique ones. Which was why humanity had always been under their thumb in both the Republic and the Holy Empire. The Virtus and the Vanus were essentially¡­superhuman. ¡°Do you believe his words, Captain?¡± ¡°Of course I do,¡± Captain Strobel looked up. ¡°Lieutenant, after seeing the capabilities of your weaponry, I have now realized further the futility of holding onto outdated ideas of the primacy of magic and powerful individuals in warfare. You told me that you do not know how to replicate your weapons, well, that does not matter on the grand scale of things. The fact that it exists¡­means we can do it, eventually. If it takes two centuries then so be it. We humans are the majority of this world. If we are grinding them down now with our new technologies so much that they rely on us to do war¡­then tell me, what then in the next few centuries? I believe we have triumphed.¡± ¡°...On that note, that¡¯s what I¡¯m wondering about. Where is this¡­Imperial Mage Corps? I have read that they are individuals with great powers. Supposed to be the best of the best. Some are even capable of destroying entire armies alone.¡± And with that, Captain Strobel laughed mockingly. ¡°Have you not read the letter? They¡¯re of course not here, where the fight is in! They¡¯re over there, on the Eastern Walls, slaying monsters that would never threaten us anyway or whatever nonsense to ¡®cultivate our General Tier into more heights¡¯ as the people of the continent burn! The Imperial Mage Knights are nothing but a bunch of fools, pups, and arrogant rascals who should be the first in line against the demons but are instead first in line to the feasts of vanity and excess. The fact we call those bastards soldiers is an insult to the Imperial Army. That¡¯s why reformists hate them. If they want to do their ¡®search for greater levels¡¯ then they should do it themselves, not while draining the Imperium¡¯s coffers for their self-sighted goals.¡± He slammed his fist a bit on the table they had set up a map for the planning. It seemed that Captain Strobel had a special hate for them. ¡°What are they? Are they purely Virtus? Or Vanus?¡± ¡°Most of them are Virtus. There are some Vanus who they probably only keep because of their high General Tier. Then there are a few humans who managed to get over Tier II or III. But mostly Virtus. If only they¡¯d use their powers for the benefit of mankind¡­¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Hans sighed. ¡°Seems to me that they have other goals with their powers.¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°...I have seen very few Virtus or Vanus who use their powers for anything other than the endless desire to gain more power for the sake of power. Maybe the Empress is like that, as she apparently is one of the few who have not even reached above tier I because she apparently focuses on administration. But it had been a long time since she presented herself to the public. I don¡¯t know much. Maybe your partner. She does have that air of noble arrogance in her, but she still has some humility.¡± ¡°The Countess?¡± Captain Strobel shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t like talking about that woman. Sure, she¡¯s not like most Vanus or Virtus, but she had two companies of the 4th dead last month because of her blunders. Bastard.¡± ¡°I see now why you have much¡­hatred of the Vanus¡­¡± ¡°And the Virtus,¡± Captain Strobel leaned forward. ¡°But at least the Virtus cannot hide their bright haloes. The Vanus, Lieutenant, some of them lack horns. Some lack the sharp canines. Some lack their long-ears. The rare ones even lack all of the physical features that they could blend in with us normal humans except for their abnormal abilities to progress in the System. Especially half-lings. Tell me, Lieutenant¡­are you one of them?¡± Hans felt his throat dry. So this guy wasn¡¯t that blind. ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ve heard in one of your conversations with your Captain,¡± Captain Strobel frowned. ¡°I respect you, Lieutenant. In some way. Especially considering how you¡¯re not some mindless buffoon who can only fight with a sword wand. But I ask you, now that you¡¯re on our lands, where would you side? To your race, or to our people?¡± ¡°...Captain, do you hate me?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Or Aliz¨¦e?¡± ¡°I have a right to be suspicious,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°But right now, our interests align, and you seem to be dead set on slaying this demonic beast. Even if you have to risk your life for it. That¡¯s rare for a Vanus. I know that¡¯s not something you can find around the corner. I¡¯ll say, you and your partner¡­you two strike me more as a human. The way you two move. Act. Think. That¡¯s perhaps why I¡¯ll follow you two in the fight. But that girl? I do not know. She can¡¯t even understand how I speak. How you speak. I¡¯d bet she looks down on us for using this ¡®peasant¡¯ language.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t,¡± Hans argued. ¡°She¡¯s an innocent child.¡± ¡°She grew up in a Vanus household,¡± Captain Strobel scoffed. ¡°She¡¯d have been indoctrinated about her potential for power and she will abuse it one day.¡± ¡°I am firmly on the side of the people of this land, Captain,¡± Hans answered. ¡°As my Captain said, we come in peace, especially for the people of this land. In our lands races are all equal. None of all this nonsense. And I believe Aliz¨¦e would be the same in belief one day, just as Adelyn, or me. You have no reason to hate us, Captain Strobel.¡± ¡°I do not hate races, Lieutenant. I hate those who live in a bubble. If you do not live in one¡­then I view you as a part of mankind.¡± Captain Strobel stood up. ¡°The four battalions are ready for the march tomorrow. Lieutenant¡­I wish you good luck tonight in your lonesome journey. May you return in one piece.¡± ¡°Thank you, Captain.¡± +++ It was already nightfall. Hans left the St. Heka Church the moment his watch struck eleven o¡¯clock in the evening. Just as he had expected, Captain Wittenstein was dead asleep in the study room she occupied, buried in endless books and the flashlight she used to read things. He felt sorry about his actions¡­ But it wasn¡¯t like this timeline would exist soon enough. Hans walked through the deserted lanes of the city. Certainly, he was very much alone, outside of the few shambling guardsmen who were already instructed to let him be. In a few minutes, he reached the city walls, and the few pikemen guarding it, who were all half-asleep, barely even heeded him when he walked out. Outside, on the outskirts, were the few remaining buildings commandeered by the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment. Hans made his way quickly to where his Wanderfalke was parked, right beside one of the houses on the side of the road. Only a singular cuirassier greeted him. ¡°Lieutenant Hoffman! The route ahead is clear, sir. Captain Strobel sends his highest regards. I must also say that I hope your mission succeeds.¡± Hans looked at the cuirassier and nodded. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I am Lieutenant Martin Hecke, good sir!¡± the cuirassier replied. ¡°Second in command of the 4th, in charge of the cavalry. I¡¯ll be the first to find you in the event of disaster if need be.¡± Hans nodded. ¡°You have my thanks then.¡± ¡°Have faith, good sir. The Gods are surely with you.¡± The man gave him one last bow, before running straight inside of the city. They certainly are very religious. Hans went straight to his Wanderfalke, checking the exterior for any signs of damage. The inspection lasted for a few minutes before he finally decided to enter his vehicle. He took a deep breath as the Peacemaker powered up and the HUD booted open. Soon, the full view of the outside was back on his display. Taking final diagnostic checks on the engines, propulsion, weapons, cooling, turret, and every module of his vehicle, Hans found it all green. He placed a copy of the map of the County of Rousselot on the side of his cockpit, as his gloved hands took his control sticks, and his feet pushed on the pedal. Slowly, he drove it straight on the road and oriented the Peacemaker straight into the pitch-black countryside. ¡­He really would be going on it alone, to his death. Should I run¡ª He stomped on that thought quickly. No¡­the only option left is forward. Forward into this path. Alone. He pushed his feet on the pedals, and off he went, on a reconnaissance, to death. 36. Only He Bears ¡°The lone wolf operates best when alone.¡± - Unknown +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot County¡¯s Countryside JUN 27, 1538 CE Hans was finally free. For some reason, scouting without anyone to worry about, or without even caring for his fate liberated him. This¡­this was what he loved. Quite frankly, in rearguard actions, he always operated best whenever it was him alone. When there was nothing but himself to worry about. And nowhere was that as obvious as today. It was already 0100 Hours, just shy of an hour since the date changed. And Hans had been on the move relentlessly. Already, he covered three kilometers and a village in his scouting mission. Quite frankly, his goals now were three-fold. Fully develop the battle plans and their positionings, alongside the concentrations of the infected so they could avoid them. Scout out the location of the ¡®Rodent of Pestilence¡¯ at specific hours. And most importantly¡ªdiscover everything that he could find out about it. Even if it meant his death. Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke rushed through the dirt road, his MG24 cutting through a group of shambling undead, fifteen of them. He had a twenty-five percent boost at the moment until he reached his level of fourteen in his last death. Already, he was up to level ten at the moment, and he was racking up kills. While it was surely a massive downside¡ªHans was looking to kill as many undead as he could in this scouting trip. All the while he marked every area where he engaged them on his map. While he knew he wouldn¡¯t have this map once he died and returned in time, roughly knowing which areas they would avoid alone was a massive boon. Not to mention that twenty-five percent progress boost. He needed to rack up as many kills as he could and reach levels eighteen to twenty. With [ACT: PROGRESS OF LIES I] in effect, he essentially could breeze through level twenty-five in his next life in no time if he did his best to kill as many enemies as he could at the moment. Perhaps, if I even manage to kill that beast¡­ Hans stopped his vehicle. Four kilometers away, on the flat lands, near one of the tree lines, Hans spotted the creature rushing. Unfortunately, switching to Thermals, it was practically invisible. He only spotted it with his less effective night vision sensors, and he already lost contact. That was the main problem he and Adelyn faced. Thermals were their best long-range sensor. In fact, they had always been trained to use it since that was standard procedure against armored vehicles. They were hot, which meant that on the modern battlefield, both infantry and vehicles would be lit up for a perfect shot kilometers away with thermals. These things weren¡¯t, and Hans had to rely on old-school daylight cameras to spot it (or, in this case, night vision), which he only really used for the final firing stage. The spotting stage was best done with thermals, but these damned things were low-temperature bastards. At this point, if it had been a tank (even if it had a magical point-defense system around it) Hans would have dead-shotted it at ridiculous distances. But he couldn¡¯t. It was truly gone on his thermals. He clicked his tongue and marked the direction in which he found it on the map using his pen, all while placing ¡°0122¡± on it. He continued on. For the next two hours, Hans began plotting the possible locations for the engagement. The first one was the sight of their death, due to how flat it was. It was twenty-six kilometers from Rousselot, north-east, just south of Belancon. He noted how they could use the hills that overlooked the direction of the village where Hans and Adelyn spotted the beast last loop, and he imagined that if they had placed a thousand men on that hill, they would be able to fire their sixteen cannon battery on it for at least two or three salvoes, in comparison to the last loop where they positioned themselves on the hills behind these hills thus blocking their firing lines (and screwing up Adelyn and Hans in the process). He marked it on his map with an X symbol, calling it ¡°Plan A¡±. He would choose it if he spotted the beast at 1000 to 1200 hours in a radius of six kilometers from it. Hans soon moved westward, five kilometers from ¡°Plan A¡¯s¡± site. It was a good treeline that overlooked four kilometers of flat grazing fields northward. It also faced the direction where he spotted the beast at 0122 hours. It wasn¡¯t the best, he noted, as the treeline might cause a disaster should it reach them and box them from retreating, but it would be perfect for bait-and-shoot tactics. He marked it as ¡°Plan B¡± with an X symbol on the map, same with first, he¡¯d pick this if he spotted the beast in a six-kilometer radius in the 1000 to 1200 hours time range. Honestly, there was a bit of a complication with the distances of these engagement sites from Rousselot. On average it would take five hours to reach these sites on foot from Rousselot if the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment marched out at a good six to seven kilometers per hour. This meant that he really would have to find a way to convince Captain Strobel and Father Olbrich to begin preparations for the 4th in the early hours of the twenty-seventh. By 0500 or 0600 hours, the main force should be in march to Hans¡¯ predetermined route and engagement site to reach it by 1000 hours. Being late would be unacceptable, not when he was perfecting the timing of this operation down to the last detail. Hans continued scouting all of the routes leading to Belancon for the next three hours. He shifted his goal away again from shadowing the creature back into threat assessment of the routes. He deliriously marked every engagement site that he could mark as he wasted metric tons of bullets over the hours, forming a general outline of the concentrations of the undead on his map with red-colored circles. By dawn¡­Hans sighed as he watched the rising sun, with another few dozen fallen undead surrounding his vehicle. It was already getting early. Luckily, Captain Strobel would delay Adelyn as much as possible from searching for him. Should things go well, Adelyn would focus on her task of talking to the Countess or gathering intel straight into the afternoon, where she would definitely start gaining considerable suspicion. Doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯d be dead by then. +++ It was 0835 hours. Hans finished marking the ¡°Plan C¡± location, another flatland that was in the middle of Plans A and B. By this point, Hans was already running out of time. His munitions were already badly spent by the morning recon, and his map¡­well, it was a beautiful art that he seared to his mind. Alongside that, he marked every hour and location where he spotted the beast at a comfortable distance. 0544 hours, it seemed to be circling an infected settlement seven kilometers from Plan B¡¯s site. 0632 hours, he spotted it at a three-kilometer distance from Plan B¡¯s site. 0712 hours, he spotted it at a two-kilometer distance from Plan A¡¯s site. Close call, but he was well camouflaged. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. 0744 hours, he spotted it at a five-kilometer distance from Plan C¡¯s site. He was also on top of a fairly high hill by that point, and he made sure to only present his turret, so as to not alert it. And his last sighting¡­0815 hours. Seven kilometers west of Belancon. It seemed that the creature was almost preparing for an attack on the town before it swung back west. Which was the general pattern he observed. The settlements west of Belancon were overrun, and that was where the creature seemed to be running around. Almost as if it was circling its territory. It was an interesting phenomenon for Hans. Almost as if it was defending the undead in that area. Perhaps it really has some semblance of control on them. He soon circled the area where he was sighting it and marked a rough five-kilometer ¡°exclusion¡± zone around it with his red ballpen. Truly¡­he bastardized the map he acquired. But Hans didn¡¯t care. He was searing in his mind what he had learned here. This was essentially how he could abuse his ability to return in time upon his death. Death was a high price to pay¡­he needed to extract as much value from the cost. And the best way to do that was eating as much intel as he could. This level of intelligence was something most militaries would be salivating for. But Hans held himself. He still needed to enact the final part of his plan. Engage it. He pushed his feet back on the pedal. +++ Hans had his answer. 1008 hours¡­and it was five kilometers away from Plan A¡¯s site. There was no more discussion to be had. They¡¯d be fighting and killing it on the same field where Hans and Adelyn died on his first loop. He marked the site¡¯s X symbol with a cross symbol, signifying it as his final target. Picking up his blue ballpen, Hans traced a line from Rousselot to Plan A¡¯s site, taking care to avoid any concentrations of undead on the way. And with that¡­he seared on his mind his plans. A simple line to this hill, which he now marked as ¡°Hill Belancon¡± due to the fact that it was unnamed and the fact that it was just southwest of the town, and it was done. With this in mind¡­he closed his map and took stock of his remaining munitions. He took a deep breath. Thirty-two rounds. Thirty rounds that he could expend till his death. For a few moments, Hans felt a bubbling surge of fear on his spine. What if dying to that thing sucked? What if it would be too painful? What if¡­what if. He shook his head. Onwards. Activating [UPG: EYE OF PARANOIA I], Hans pushed his Wanderfalke forward in a surge. He kept his targeting feeds as much as possible on his target. On his way, immediately, hordes of undead blocked his path. Hans wasted no time giving them an ounce of care¡ªhis target was that thing after all. Alright. Tailing tactics. Bait, retreat, bait, retreat, kill. In eight minutes, he finally had a visual. Close to an infected settlement, just eight hundred meters away. Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke drifted to a stop on the dry grass, as his main gun turned to the rat that was running westward. ¡°Got you on my sights.¡± He pulled his trigger. And its magical point defense system blocked his APFSDS. Hans smirked as the monster turned around and roared at him¡ªbefore rushing fast. Except this time, the ground was solid. Dry. Ready to support his mech¡¯s overclocked speeds. Hans turned his chassis to the other side and prepared his next round¡ªfiring it. A chase of death began. Hans rushed his mech away from it, firing four more shots before he dashed into the cover of a bunch of trees¡ªcompletely disorienting the thing from chasing him. Quickly, Hans repositioned himself westward, rapidly covering a distance of two kilometers and gunning down anything that stood in his way. Soon, he spotted the creature again¡ªand it charged at him. Hans pulled the trigger again, firing shots one after another as the creature¡¯s magical scalpels were depleted. The problem with his APFSDS solid shots was that they were always deflected by that thing¡¯s magical defenses. It was to be expected. The APFSDS penetrator was thin, and while dense, only a slight application of energy from another direction would either make it lose energy¡ªshatter it¡ªor divert it away from its original direction of attack. The sheer speed of those magical scalpels meant that they must have enough energy to completely shatter the dense penetrator or slice it in half. Thus¡­Hans switched to MPAT as he turned straight into the infected settlement. Time for urban combat. Soon, Hans entered the roads as he was swarmed by the undead, his MPAT raining hell on them every seven seconds. Hans fired his mech¡¯s grapnels on one of the houses and scaled it. Immediately¡ªhe had a clear shot of the creature. Firing two more shots, he jumped down on the stone roads and cleared his path with his MG24, slicing through dozens of packed undead that tried to swarm him. He was now up to level sixteen. Soon, he watched as flying scalpels began raining down on him¡ªand Hans began dodging it, lowering down his mech¡¯s chassis while turning left and right through the ruins of the town as it rained above him. By the time he emerged outside, he engaged his engines at full power, racing at seventy kilometers on the dirt, just as the beast continued chasing him. Hans turned his turret back again on the rear and rained a hail of shots on it as it tried to chase him. Three more APFSDS shots rained on it¡­then Hans rained another two MPATs on it, trying his best to observe which round type would work best. Soon, his mech once again drifted on its side as he turned his direction to Plan B¡¯s site¡ª-disorienting the creature who struggled to turn with the same agility, as he continued firing on it. And with it merely only four hundred meters away, its depleted defenses didn¡¯t deflect Hans¡¯ final shot¡ªhis APFSDS skewering through the creature¡¯s belly. The demonic rodent momentarily winced, but Hans found two scalpels skewering through his mech¡¯s legs after he botched his dodge attempt. His vehicle skidded through the ground as one of his legs was completely decapitated while two failed due to the slice damage on them. But Hans¡¯ main gun didn¡¯t relent, firing another two shots at the running creature, and detonating one MPAT on its tail as it retreated. Heh¡­so my maneuver skills haven¡¯t died yet? The creature ran away, almost limping, with Hans holding off from firing any further. It seemed that at extremely close ranges, the creature¡¯s defenses turned useless at stopping their high-velocity shots. Shame¡­it also meant they were easy pickings for its defenses that also served as an offensive weapon. Hans sighed on his controls, watching as a horde of sprinting undead rushed on his immobile vehicle. This was it. He did what he could do. Alone. Hans fired two more MPATs on the horde, killing at least fifty, and raising him to level seventeen in the process, before he finally gave up, and grabbed his SMG when his two coaxials ran out of ammo. All he had left now was five APFSDS, which were useless against the undead. He¡¯d get overwhelmed in no time. He popped his hatch open, dropped to the ground, and began shooting them as they rushed into him. One by one, he dropped them, but the tide was too many. He estimated he attracted at least two hundred with the stunt that he did. And they were too fast. Hans pulled out his Ruger when his SMG¡¯s magazine ran out, but¡ªa man in his forties, frothing with blood on his mouth, pounced on Hans and dropped him on the grass before he could pull off his first shots. He could only look at the blue sky as the intense pain slowly dulled, his body rapidly torn apart by dozens of undead feasting upon him. Slowly¡­his vision turned blood red. +++ Hans¡­he had no control of his body. Instead, he was in an endless¡­excruciating pain with his body as he shambled around the undead that killed him. His head¡­ felt like it was in a constant state of swelling as if it would pop at any moment, but it didn¡¯t. His body moved¡­but he couldn¡¯t control it. Most of all¡­he wanted to scream, but he couldn¡¯t. Instead, Hans watched as minutes bled by, the pain slowly turning into dull defeat as he lost his semblance of humanity. By the tenth minute¡­hunger for everything had overtaken him. Most of all¡­rage. Rage at why they abandoned him. Rage at why he was alone. Rage. Soon, sudden flashes of light overtook Hans¡¯ hypersensitive senses. Gunfire scattered all around him, and the undead around him was cut down. Hans¡¯ body ran, charging with the horde at whatever the hell was shooting them. He thought it was food. And so his body followed. Until¡­it was just him running on the field, the gunfire falling silent. Hans however continued charging, even if his target, a vehicle of sorts, was a kilometer away. It was sleek¡­gray¡­and¡­ Out from its hatch came a single woman. She was shouting at him. Her pistol was aimed at him. ¡°Why?!¡± She shouted. ¡°Why?!¡± Her cracked voice echoed through the empty fields. Again and again. But Hans merely rushed in rage at her, unable to control his body. Only when he was close did he realize her familiar face¡­now laden with tears, as a final shot from her pistol dropped him. ¡­She didn¡¯t abandon him. He only lied. But only he would remember this. 37. No Matter What ¡°In the case of the Imperial Mage Corps, a Tier III Virtus Mage Corps Knight managed to single-handedly slay a demonic entity on the Principality of Anesi. Through the use of her powerful fire-based skills, the demonic entity named ¡®Pillar of Stones¡¯ was liquidated after its twenty-day rampage, which killed approximately eight thousand people, and nine hundred musketeers/pikemen. While conventional warfare certainly trumps the usage of the Imperial Mage Corps due to their low numbers, it is in these kinds of emergencies that even a so-called ¡®outdated¡¯ institution would be needed by the Imperial Army to augment its forces.¡± - Excerpt from ¡°An Emergency Treatise on the Subject of ¡®Demons¡¯¡± by Daniel Specke. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City JUN 21, 1538 CE Hans opened his eyes in a cold sweat. Damn it. That was the first thing that came to his mind after realizing what he had just done. Damn it you insensitive man! He couldn¡¯t believe it. She¡­she came all the way from Rousselot to track him! Of course, she would. Not even the pain of being turned into one of the undeads terrified him, no, it was the fact that his actions made her kill him! Hans felt every fiber of his being turn cold at that fact. The sheer shame of what he did assaulted him. How could he lie to her on such a scale? She¡­she looked utterly confused. Betrayed. That was what Hans saw, even if his memories of the time he was undead were nothing but a hazy one. All he could really remember was the glimpses of what happened with his blood field vision. The gunfire. And of course, that tearful eyes of her as she hesitated to pull the trigger on him. Hans sat up and buried his head in his hands. Goddess-damn it¡­he screwed up badly. That was¡­that was utterly disgusting. He really thought that the moment he was bitten, it would be game over, and he¡¯d be back here. No¡­he was wrong. These creatures, the undead¡­ They weren¡¯t truly dead. They were alive. Only kept in a state of primal rage due to the disease. And with that¡­ Hans took a deep breath. He needed to steel himself. Regardless of the absolute ethical blunder that he committed, Hans managed to get most of the intel he needed to kill off that absolute monster. Hell¡­he now knew the area that it considered as its territory, roughly where it would be (and also confirmed that it should not come outside of its exclusion zone until the twenty-eight) and confirmed the best fields of battle with it. He also confirmed that at close range, its defenses were nearly useless against the high-velocity threat of his main gun. He also confirmed that it was very weak against APFSDS (technically not, since, with the level of energy it would impart by impact, its damned insides should be liquified, but apparently not with these demons) so¡­ No¡­he actually never managed to fully kill it. Yes¡­he damaged it to a limping point and forced it to flee, but for all he knew, those things weren¡¯t enough. He wasn¡¯t sure. Still¡­damn it¡­ What the hell did I do to her? That was probably the lowest of the low of the crimes he could commit against his superior. She trusted him¡­and what did he do? Lie and go on a lone suicide expedition. What the hell was he thinking? Absolute moron. Fool. ¡­He sighed. Ultimately, if he hadn¡¯t done that entire stunt, their vulnerabilities would be significant this time around. With what Hans did¡­should they pull this off well, not even a single man of the 4th would die. And they would stop it before Belancon falls. Still¡­ You¡¯re a fool, Hans Hoffman¡­ Hans laughed at himself. This ability. What the hell was it doing to him? He was now¡­willingly killing himself and harming his trusted comrade in the process. It was¡­lunacy. That was right! It was utterly lunacy. To plan and execute his death like that. Hans continued laughing at himself. Oh¡­how low had the Ace of the Southern Front sunk into? +++ Rousselot City JUN 22, 1538 CE The battle however was far from over. By morning, Hans merely followed what had happened on this day just like his last loops. He talked to Captain Strobel in the morning. He took a shopping sortie for books come 0800 hours. Then, before lunch, Hans and Adelyn once again discussed the demonic threat they were facing¡­ And Hans struck the deal with Adelyn to hunt hostile demons with their modern technologies and find more allies in this world. Shoot¡­she was even more ecstatic at her proposal. Unlike his first or second loop where Hans pathetically broke down on the night of the twenty-first, Hans strategically controlled himself last night from any shameful displays of weakness to his Commanding Officer. If anything¡­Hans was trying his best to repair his reputation of being an unchallenged ace pilot. From morning to afternoon, Hans tried his best to keep up his confident demeanor to those around him. There would be no displays of weakness until the twenty-seventh. Hans needed to ensure that from today onward, he would be acting in full control. Everything to ensure that all of them would trust and fall in line with his decision-making. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. There would be no sloppiness. No miscommunications. Not even any arguments. They would go in, with full intel on their hands, for a simple liquidation mission, and return, with zero casualties. Not even tactical flexibility would be necessary, as Hans would have planned everything down to the minutiae of details. And that was exactly what he was doing right now¡­ ¡°Captain,¡± Hans said. ¡°I have already analyzed the maps of Rousselot County in great depth. I request that I commence reconnaissance missions immediately.¡± To say that Adelyn was surprised was an understatement. Hans was holding a map on his side, as he explained to her why they needed to act quickly and, in his own words, ¡°strike first¡±. Quite frankly, Hans still felt shame at facing Adelyn after what happened, but again¡­ Appearances. ¡°Lieutenant¡­¡± Adelyn frowned. ¡°You¡¯re being strangely aggressive lately. Are you sure about this?¡± ¡°Captain,¡± Hans started. ¡°I am riding a Wanderpanzer II Falke into the battlefield, against mere monsters. You will be riding a Wanderadler, still stock full of fuel, ammunition, and 120mm high-velocity rounds. Do I look like someone who would be joking about all of this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Adelyn shook her head. ¡°In that case, I¡¯d be joining you on recon.¡± ¡°No, absolutely not. This city needs protection, Captain,¡± Hans said, which was, well, a lie. Rousselot would never come under attack. But she wouldn¡¯t know that. Which was Hans¡¯ goal. Adelyn would be guarding a city not under any threat, ensuring that she would be in full preparedness in the twenty-seventh for the takedown. ¡°We cannot leave Rousselot together. Plus, you must remain in contact with the people around here. And Aliz¨¦e. What, are you going to leave her for an extended period of time with people we can¡¯t fully trust yet?¡± Adelyn shook her head. ¡°W-well, of course not. Not especially when they seem to distrust her¡­¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Hans smirked. ¡°Look, Captain, I¡¯ll be fine. Just inform Captain Strobel and Father Olbrich that I¡¯d be on scouting duty. I wouldn¡¯t even engage any ¡®undead¡¯ or the demon itself. I also have sensors, and my Wanderfalke is fast. I¡¯ll withdraw if danger is ahead.¡± ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn¡¯s response was stern. ¡°I know we planned to do whatever it takes to stop the demonic threat, but I told you that our survival was first. Needlessly endangering ourselves would be counterproductive to our goals.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m taking that into account, Captain,¡± Hans retorted. ¡°Look, the intel about the enemy is the most important thing in combat. We¡¯ll be entering combat, but our only intelligence is from the locals. That¡¯s unacceptable under Lotharingian Army doctrine. You know that right?¡± Reluctantly, Adelyn nodded. ¡°Yeah, you do have a point in that.¡± ¡°Besides, these guys are on horseback and are gathering intel in great danger and using eyesight only. I have better equipment. And I¡¯m piloting a goddamned light tank destroyer. Local biological fauna don¡¯t stand a chance.¡± ¡°Lieutenant, don¡¯t use euphemisms to downplay a threat to me.¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯m just saying, I can defend myself while gathering intel for the interception,¡± Hans said. ¡°I¡¯ll come back within a few hours with a preliminary plan. Then I¡¯ll be scouting it each day until we have a concrete assault plan. Once we have one, we won¡¯t need to anxiously wait to spot it and react¡ªwe will find it, and make it fight on our terms. The Lotharingian way.¡± And with that, Adelyn gave a defeated sigh. ¡°Well¡­fine. I see the merits of your plans. Just¡­for goodness'' sake, radio me if anything happens. I¡¯ll absolutely chase you to hell if you die stupidly because you¡¯re going at it alone.¡± Hans felt a bit light-headed as she said that. Chase me, huh? Indeed¡­she did do that, didn¡¯t she? Still, he cracked a joke instead. ¡°Gee, that¡¯s quite scary, Captain.¡± ¡°You should be scared, you absolute rascal,¡± Adelyn crossed her arms and huffed. ¡°You always keep charging head-on to every threat you face. Do you know how dangerous that is? I swear, if you continue this, you¡¯ll die at this rate, Lieutenant. And let me tell you, dying sucks, okay? Don¡¯t be fooled by your, ¡®But me no fear death!¡¯ nonsense. So don¡¯t die. Plus, it¡¯s a massive hassle to be alone in an alien world, and I¡¯d be very greatly displeased if you desert me in your line of duty by dying.¡± Okay, how dare you make fun of my last life¡¯s mentality like that. It was like his soul was shot by a damned Ruger with that. And goddess, I thought Captain Victoria¡¯s possessiveness of her troops was insanity. This woman just forbade me from the right to die under her command. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Hans replied. ¡°It¡¯s just a scouting duty, Captain. Someone has to do it anyway, so it¡¯s no big deal. We faced Flandrians mechs and dominated them.¡± ¡°And we¡¯re not facing Flandrians in this land, Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn turned to him. ¡°We¡¯re in a land where we just confirmed magic exists. A land where demonic entities apparently eat cannons like it''s nothing. A land where our last encounter resisted your MPAT shots. Caution. We still have to exercise a lot of caution. We don¡¯t know what we¡¯ll face. Magic has endless possibilities. Possibilities we don¡¯t understand. What if one of them can just rearrange the atoms of our mechs at a distance? Well, game over, eh?¡± Crap¡­I don¡¯t want to face a demon like that. Hans definitely felt that fear that Adelyn was striking on his spine hit him. I don''t even know how I¡¯ll fight that. At least the last two demons we faced could be killed by conventional means. ¡°I see your point¡­¡± ¡°Hence why we should also learn a lot about magic,¡± Adeyn suddenly smirked. ¡°Which is great, because I absolutely plan to do just that, Lieutenant. I need that damned title under my name, ¡®Adelyn von Wittenstein, the first Lotharingian mage!¡¯, ah, it already sounds perfect just hearing it. That should definitely be a part of the history books. I cannot rest until I have an interwiki page on my name like my ancestors.¡± Oh¡­yep, there she is again. She¡¯s already flashing that pose like she¡¯s in a portrait for a historical general or something. Now she¡¯s just basking in the rays of sunlight. You can¡¯t make this level of self-grandeur up. The halo just made it worse. ¡°...Well, crap, your blinding delusions took control of you again.¡± ¡°Regardless, Lieutenant. I told you the terms of your mission. You¡¯re going to be doing a scouting mission, but you will not, as much as possible, fire a single bullet, or be in a position where you¡¯ll find the need to fire even a single bullet. Is that clear?¡± ¡°Clear as your halo, Captain,¡± Hans said with as much artificial innocence to hide his sarcasm. But of course, she took it as an unironic complement. ¡°Oh, yes, indeed. Glad you noticed. You know, I think this is the best addition for me after I looked in the mirror for an hour this morning. While it feels ironic, looking more angelic feels kinda prettier¡ª¡± Did she just say she looked at her face in the mirror for an hour? Hans merely turned around and ignored her ramblings with a sigh. She sure as hell can be a weirdo at times. But¡­it strangely enough comforted his growing cynical core. That innocence. That normalcy she exuded, and her more optimistic outlook. Strangely¡­it was light he could cling to even after being tormented by death. Thus, it was something Hans wanted to preserve, no matter what. 38. Hell Protect Her Soul ¡°Combat is best decided as swiftly as possible.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City JUN 23, 1538 CE ¡°Gentlemen, ladies,¡± Hans said, as he entered the meeting room. He placed his map on the table. The map was already filled with red markers for infected towns and settlements, alongside that, he drew a massive red circle that he marked as an ¡°exclusion zone¡±, and of course¡ªthe site of Plan A. ¡°Here is the plan that I have crafted after last night¡¯s reconnaissance mission,¡± Hans confidently reported. ¡°I have tried my best not to engage, but utilizing my vehicle¡¯s advanced tools, I have spotted and observed most hostile instances of the diseased¡­and, of course, the beast itself.¡± Hans then pointed at the crosses on the map, all of them marked with time. ¡°There¡­right there, is where the beast is active. I have reason to conclude that it will thus soon strike the settlement of Belancon, within days.¡± Everyone in the room looked at each other. Yesterday, Hans¡¯ insistence on going on a lone-wolf recon mission took the attention of Captain Strobel and Father Olbrich. Even the Countess, who Hans learned was named Julie Fresnel, took interest in his ¡°aggressive¡± strike-first plan. Well¡­she was, after all, the one funding this whole racket anyway. Adelyn crossed her arms. ¡°I see then. So you plan to engage it there?¡± ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± Hans turned to Captain Strobel. ¡°We need to prepare.¡± ¡°...Lieutenant,¡± the Countess suddenly interjected. ¡°I must ask. Have you ever even seen that beast up close?¡± ¡°No, Ma¡¯am. Only from a distance.¡± Hans paused. ¡°I have stayed away, and I have no idea of its combat capabilities, but I reasonably believe that we should be able to overwhelm it with cannon fire.¡± For some reason, however, talking to the Vanus noblewoman made Hans really feel small. Her eyes carefully judged him, and Hans instinctively kept himself straight, with his mouth shut. Captain Victoria¡­Captain Victoria¡­ It reminded him of her. Her mannerisms. The way she only asked short, authoritative questions, yet was obviously in control of all those in a room. ¡°Do you have confidence in your plan?¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°And if the troops under my service are taken into slaughter. Will you take responsibility?¡± Suddenly, Adelyn turned, a slight hint of anger in her voice. ¡°Respectfully, madam, I cannot accept anyone presuming that my subordinate lacks hon¡ª¡± ¡°I am not asking you, young lady,¡± the Countess sternly replied. ¡°I am asking him.¡± You¡¯re asking me if I¡¯ve seen it. Asking me if I¡¯ll be leading everyone into slaughter. Asking me. Me? I¡­who¡¯ve seen this damned thing two times, charged straight into its jaws, died two times¡­all to craft a perfect plan so no one dies? You¡¯re asking me? Hans merely gave a brief nod. ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am. I shall be taking responsibility if this plan fails. In fact, I shall say that I won¡¯t run from the fields of battle if need be until the job you contracted us into is done. We¡¯ll slay it. Once and for all.¡± ¡°Then we shall do it as you planned,¡± the Countess declared. ¡°Father Olbrich, Captain Strobel, mobilize your men to confirm this man¡¯s findings. If it can be reasonably confirmed, then please execute the plan posthaste. I expect this crisis to end before this month is over.¡± ¡°Absolutely, milady,¡± Father Olbrich and Captain Strobel said, almost lowering their heads in a bow. The Countess merely walked back from the meeting table, and turned, walking straight into the exit. But she stopped right beside Hans, and she almost whispered at him, even if she was looking at the door. ¡°I know you¡¯re a Vanus, young man,¡± she said, completely neutrally. ¡°Don¡¯t be so foolish to believe you can do it all yourself.¡± And with that, she turned to leave, with groups of her musketeer guards following her. Hans absolutely understood nothing from her cryptic words, but he was mostly scared about how she outed him as a Vanus just like that. I guess hiding my race by being an undercover human is game over. When he looked back to both Father Olbrich and Captain Strobel, Father Olbrich only gave a sigh, while Captain Strobel laughed bitterly. ¡°Take responsibility my arse,¡± Captain Strobel scoffed. ¡°Damned woman. Just because she lost her husband, she acts like that. As expected of a Vanus. She didn¡¯t even apologize during that botched evacuation.¡± ¡°Captain, would you please not speak ill of a high noble in the presence of our foreign guests?¡± ¡°So what? She¡¯s a Vanus. She wouldn¡¯t count as a high noble sooner or later once the Imperium enacts their entire plan.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re not in the employ of the Imperium anymore, Captain,¡± Father Olbrich was now visibly angered. ¡°They abandoned us already, you included. Not that the Empire can even enact anything anymore. It might as well be a rotting corpse at this point.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll be her lapdog. The 4th remains independent,¡± Captain Strobel turned to Hans. ¡°Anyhow, Lieutenant. I¡¯ll see what I can do. We¡¯d need to do more recon missions though. Prepare for the attack.¡± ¡°Twenty-seventh,¡± Hans suddenly said. ¡°We¡¯ll strike at the twenty-seventh. Enough for further preparations, but not too late that it could attack any further settlements.¡± Hans then took his red ballpen and encircled an area, approximately a radius of sixteen kilometers from the epicenter of attacks. ¡°Every settlement here must evacuate immediately though. Belancon included.¡± ¡°We are evacuating them,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°The locals simply don''t believe us nor trust our troops on the ground. Plus, evacuating the farmlands they live off from? It simply doesn¡¯t work. Where are we going to send them with Rousselot County under self-imposed quarantine? Here? People here already demand that we close the damned walls.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Well, the 4th will have to make it work then,¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°No, we cannot fail at making it work. People will die. Force them if you must. It¡¯s in the interests of the military anyway. The fewer people infected, the fewer people we¡¯d have to shoot for the takedown mission.¡± ¡°...Alright,¡± Father Olbrich nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll see what we can do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sending in the cavalry,¡± Captain Strobel added. ¡°For victory.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Father Strobel grimly nodded. ¡°For victory.¡± +++ ¡°I apologize, Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°I didn¡¯t defend you well enough in front of her. It¡¯s just, I thought we were already talking about the deal well enough, then that happened.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. That¡¯s not our problem right now. Killing that thing is,¡± Hans walked down the stairs of the church. ¡°I¡¯m going to be going on another recce mission. Keep tracking it.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Lieutenant, since we spotted it, can we not just shoot it, and take it down for once in a standard long-distance engagement?¡± ¡°No,¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m observing it closely. Thermals don¡¯t work on the damned beast. It¡¯s way too fast when it travels in a straight line. Second, it hides on the terrain well. Third¡­if any complication occurs, we¡¯d have to use too much munitions. You said it yourself, long term is our target. We need to let the locals do their part and only intervene at the most critical point.¡± ¡°So is that¡¯s your plan? That we won¡¯t take it directly down, and we¡¯ll just act as glorified planners, scouts, or an emergency button?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Hans turned to her. ¡°That¡¯s what they hired us for anyway. You said it yourself in the deal. And we agreed on it already. Our survival first. I consider limiting munitions usage as a part of that. Plus¡­once it¡¯s weakened, we can fire an MPAT or two on it. It¡¯d be dead.¡± ¡°Is it really not the same as the last one? We took it down with a few shots.¡± ¡°No,¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°No, Captain. No, it isn''t. Anyhow, I¡¯ll be going on the sortie. You hold the fortress, as normal. Remember, if it attacks here, your priority is holding out until I can support you.¡± She looked down. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I just¡­I think I¡¯m being useless at this point, Lieutenant.¡± ¡°Absolutely not. You¡¯re defending forty-thousand people. I on the other hand am just running around the countryside playing hide-and-seek with a demon. You¡¯re doing well, Captain. Plus, in the takedown operation, it¡¯s only you who¡¯ll have that anti-demon round¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll still use incendiary, no?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± she took a deep breath. ¡°Don¡¯t get too cocky then, Lieutenant. Keep up the job.¡± ¡°Rog,¡± Hans soon stepped out of the St. Heka church. While there were some complications in this timeline¡­as it seemed that he was truly pushing everyone into a rushed attack with his actions this time around, the pieces were still falling in line. A smirk adorned his face. That thing will go down perfectly well. With zero casualties for them. Just as his design¡¯s stated goal. +++ Rousselot County¡¯s Countryside JUN 24, 1538 CE 0552 hours. It was raining. And Hans had just slaughtered another hundred undead shambling around the potential routes that they would be taking to Plan A¡¯s site.
[53 INFECTED UNDEAD (AVERAGE LVL: 8) LIQUIDATED] [PROGRESS TO LVL.12: 50%] [AVAILABLE AP: 128 PTS]
Hans released his hands from his control sticks, as he took a deep breath. His job was¡­quite the drudgery. For hours, he had only been conducting ¡°shaping¡± operations around the routes that they would take. Clearing out stragglers. Clearing out the roads and the countryside. He was quite sleepy too, quite frankly. Really, even yesterday, he had not managed an ounce of sleep. Neither did he sleep on the yesterday properly. It was almost a painful grind just to ensure that his plans would have perfect results. And it tired him. His eyes showed not even an ounce of energy as he looked at his displays. Captain Adelyn ordered him not to engage, but again, Hans was going to just disobey that. He was on a recon mission anyway. He had to engage anything that noticed him. But more than that, he really just wanted to raise his levels. He needed to reach level twenty-five eventually. Adding more progress now was thus the only way he could triumph. Hopefully, that demon gives us a lot of progress points. Hans sighed. We would certainly need everything that we can have. He rested his back, looking at the displays as they showed the rain around him. Briefly, he wondered how she¡­Adelyn, or maybe Aliz¨¦e was doing over there in Rousselot. What about Captain Strobel or Father Olbrich? Or of the Countess? The church¡¯s staff? Those soldiers? Were they sleeping fine today? He hoped they were. He remembered in his first loop since they reached Rousselot that last night was supposed to be a peaceful one. He remembered that he spent hours just reading books and talking with Adelyn about this new world, and how they would plan to tackle the demonic threat. They talked for hours about how they would try to find a way back home. And he listened to her ramble on and on about what she learned about magic. She was like a child that night. And Hans, tiredly, remembered that he slept well as the rain crept in. It was a peaceful night. This time, he was on constant scouting duty. Battling endless undead while he tried to remain undetected. Poking that beast close at times just to observe its movements. Constantly on the move, constantly fighting, even as the rain poured through the pitch-black night. It was certainly different to warfare in Terra, Hans thought. It was¡­really dark at night. Daylight cameras were thus useless. He could only see the green of his night-vision displays, or the Thermals. But¡­even the thermals turned quite useless, considering the rain turned everything colder, including the already cold bodies of the undead and the beast. Back in Terra, he never was this alone in the fight. The frontline, day and night, had always been active. And he was never always on the move. On the contrary, Hans remembered that warfare had been nothing but hours of him and E Company taking concealed positions and just¡­waiting, and waiting, and waiting, for anything to cross their sight lines. He remembered that driving around was very much not advisable unless you wanted to get shot by some unspotted tank a few kilometers away. It was terror. This¡­was also a kind of dull terror. No allies. No sounds of war. Just him, shooting targets, grinding, and¡­ Well, for some reason, the real terror for him was the idea of failing his comrades now. He always feared that back then in Lotharingia, but the war there was different. Ultimately, he could fight as hard as he wanted, failures and defeat would come. He could always find solace in the fact that defeat wasn¡¯t his sole responsibility, for he was just another pilot. A small element in the bigger picture. This time, he had control of time. Control. He had so much control over shaping the fates of people with his new ability, but¡­it was fragile control. And control he had to pay with his death and agony. Was this what being a demon meant? He wondered why he was even turned into one of them¡­the Calamities. He wondered if he would ever succumb and turn like them. It was¡­almost terrifying, after all. How he was now starting to play god. How he¡¯d disregard those around him and plan his death just like that. His death wasn¡¯t just going to affect him, after all. It would affect them. Even if everything would be reset. The harm¡­he was doing harm with his ability. Hans wondered how much further he would go with this. Would he ever go worse, and truly become a ¡°Calamity¡±? He sighed. The rain was unending. So was his mission. And what was his justification for all these anyway? To save her? Regardless¡­ Hans placed his hands back on the controls. I can mock my own motivations all I want. But this is the only way to prevent that. He wouldn¡¯t fail this time. 39. From This Torment ¡°They say the goddess fights on the side with the best artillery. I suppose there are merits to those words.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City JUN 26, 1538 CE Days of preparation had already passed. Days that were spent with evacuations, mobilization of all battalions of the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment, scouting and shaping operations, and of course, endless planning. Plannings and plannings, where Hans tried his best to spin everything that he found in his scouting missions as arguments for the three men and women in charge of the operation, Captain Strobel, Captain Wittenstein, and Father Strobel to agree to his plans. The final meeting today ended, which included the Captains and Lieutenants of the 4th, especially the artillery officers. Apparently, there even were two Vanus battlemages in the ranks of their artillery group. Hans was certainly surprised about it. Low-tiered mages, they were called. They were the ones in charge of the artillery. Apparently, it was why their shots were managing to destroy those magical scalpels. Hans didn¡¯t see it during the battle, but they definitely were using magic to greatly enhance the speed of their shots. And Hans knew that more speed meant more energy to kill the beast. It was all shaping well. They had everything planned out. They even had alternative plans should the main plan fail. They have established the positionings of each battalion on the field. Where the artillery would be and where they would be pre-aimed. When and how the cavalry would respond. How the pikemen would deal with the undead. Hell¡­they even established what basic skill all the musketeers would be using when firing their first volleys. The simplest of them all, [ACT: IMPROVED SHOT I], something which practically all musketeers were trained to gain (most apparently were level ten to fifteen) in order to allow them to devastate their enemies in battle, would be available. With it, their bullets would essentially travel to more than three-fourths of the muzzle velocity of a modern rifle. Considering the weight of their musket balls, that beast would certainly be in a lot of pain if it closed by. Not that it would be deterred by it, their MG24s after all were something it could shrug off, even if it penetrated its body. Please¡­work. Hans begged as he laid his back on the wall, as the officers and other men from the meeting room of the Rousselot City Barracks left, each of them conversing with each other about random topics uninvolved with their strike tomorrow. It baffled him how these officers could problematize with things outside of the threat they faced, but considering how the meeting went, he saw enough egos from them. Apparently, most officers in the Imperial Army below the General rank were sons and daughters of the human elite class¡ªthe petty nobility and the mercantile class, all of them with varying crap to prove to their families and to themselves. It reminded him a bit of the Lotharingian military. Even here, nobles truly had an iron grip on everything. And it was probably why they were losing even with their technically superior technology. ¡°Lieutenant Hoffman,¡± Father Olbrich suddenly distracted him. Hans looked up at him and nodded. ¡°Yes, Father?¡± ¡°May I have a word with you?¡± Hans looked around, as everyone fully left. ¡°Sure.¡± He followed Father Olbrich straight into one of the balconies of the barracks. It was already night-time, so the skies were pitch black, only barely illuminated by Rousselot City¡¯s weak lighting systems. It was what fascinated him more about this land. Unlike in Terra, where night didn¡¯t exactly mean that the city was dark¡ªin fact, it seemed to be the opposite, there were more lights in the cities of Lotharingia at night, here, it was truly dark at night. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Father Olbrich started. ¡°I must ask. You¡¯re a foreigner, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°...Father? I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°You have no obligation to the people of this land,¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°Outside of being hired due to your Captain¡¯s insistence, you¡¯re no more than a paid mercenary, in reality. A foreign one lost in an alien land, as your Captain said. So why? Why the sheer initiative? The sheer¡­risk-taking, just to take down a threat you have only seen for days?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s a threat, Father. You said it yourself. A threat against human life must be put down.¡± ¡°Lieutenant, you didn¡¯t even gain much monetary compensation from this. It¡¯s your Captain who received it all. You merely received some from her grace.¡± ¡°Well, money isn¡¯t my goal. My goal is survival. Captain Wittenstein and I. And to protect that child I saved. Nothing more.¡± ¡°Nothing more?¡± ¡°Well, maybe I¡¯m an egoist who wants the prestige of killing that beast,¡± Hans laughed. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put that past myself. It¡¯s certainly in the realm of possibility. Lots of potential for self-prestige in my nation¡¯s history books by virtue of being first here, after all. Though, only if we make contact again though.¡± ¡°Ah, that does sound quite selfish, Lieutenant,¡± Father Olbrich nodded. ¡°Indeed. But you don¡¯t strike me as someone who would operate in such a way. In fact, you have so far kept your head low.¡± ¡°Well, maybe I¡¯m a stealthy one,¡± Hans chuckled. ¡°About that, you, Father Olbrich. Why? You¡¯re in the church. Why fight with these men? Why try to stop it yourself?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a demon, Lieutenant,¡± Father Olbrich said, his seriousness returning. ¡°The enemy of the church. Of the gods. And it¡¯s not just any demon, it¡¯s a demon that spreads diseases. One of the things that the church must deal with.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°But more importantly,¡± Father Olbrich breathed in. ¡°Have you ever lost¡­a brother? A comrade?¡± ¡°...I did, many times,¡± Hans laughed again, a bit bitterly. ¡°In a way¡­I almost lost count.¡± Father Olbrich closed his eyes for a brief second. ¡°I still have to find him, Lieutenant. That¡¯s why I¡¯m doing this. He doesn¡¯t need to go into any further torment. He¡¯ll be free. Eventually.¡± ¡°Who¡­?¡± Father Olbrich shook his head. ¡°If you finish this task¡­you have my greatest thanks, Lieutenant. I¡¯m sure his mother would too.¡± Father Olbrich turned around and left. Whatever¡­I¡¯ll just take the thanks I guess. Hans looked down. Not that it¡¯ll be me doing the lion¡¯s work of killing it tomorrow. It¡¯s all up to them now. Even still, Hans feared his chances. Things could still go wrong. That night, Hans prayed to the Goddess of Terra. +++ Rousselot County¡¯s Countryside ¡°Belancon Hill¡± JUN 27, 1538 CE 0955 hours. Hans sighed. They were finally situated on the hill. Four battalions, all from one regiment, and a full two batteries of eight light artillery pieces each. Beside him, Adelyn was watching over the deployment and the distant settlements with her binoculars, as cavalrymen and officers on horseback circled around the site. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. On the ground, the men of the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment began erecting whatever barriers they could make. Men planted palisades in front of their positions, all while the artillerymen improved their artillery positions with basic earthworks, giving them a semblance of cover with the earth. It was a beautiful sight, unlike the rushed engagement attempt they had last time. Most of all, they even arrived at the sight thirty minutes ago¡ªenough time to preposition and prepare their defenses. All while the cavalry cleared the surroundings of undead stragglers, ensuring that none would manage to sneak behind and cause a panic. Most of all¡­they arrived without hiccups. Hans already cleared the routes they would use to reach this place, so what they met on the road was literally nothing that a few men with swords couldn¡¯t handle. Not a single casualty. Not a single tragedy. Adelyn lowered her binoculars. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± she called. ¡°Yes, Captain?¡± ¡°Are you ready?¡± Hans took a while to look back at the preparations. Their Wanderpanzers were both parked on the western flank of the hill, both overlooking the flatlands to the west. Hans sighed¡­this was it. ¡°Yes, absolutely, Captain,¡± Hans briefly smiled. Organized. All of it. For some reason¡­he felt oddly proud of himself. ¡°Let¡¯s get this thing finished.¡± Adelyn nodded. ¡°I have two ADI MPATs ready.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Hans replied. ¡°If fortune smiles at us, we won¡¯t have to use up more than four shots each.¡± ¡°I hope it does,¡± Adelyn took a deep breath herself. ¡°The Countess, she¡­no, they all expect something big from us. Of course¡­we¡¯re the ones with the shiny toys, and this is your master plan. So¡­¡± She extended her gloved hand. ¡°Let¡¯s write this world¡¯s history ourselves, going forward¡ªwith a few shots of our main guns.¡± Does she really think she sounds epic with the way she said that? Hans could only laugh. No matter what¡­this woman always liked that dramatic flare on her. No matter which timeline. No matter which moment. Hans really wanted to ask what the hell led her mind to always think of the things unfolding in front of her as some sort of a fairytale, and that she would be the protagonist of it. But¡­ I suppose that¡¯s just fitting for the Angel of Justice, even if she doesn¡¯t know it yet. She¡¯d definitely be in for a great surprise once this battle ended. He shook her hand. ¡°Alright, Miss ¡®Princess¡¯,¡± Hans sarcastically said, which only made her frown a bit. ¡°You just can¡¯t go by your day without ruining a girl¡¯s imagination, huh?¡± ¡°Sorry, not sorry, Captain.¡± ¡°Whatever, get in your vehicle. And¡­please don¡¯t get too cocky. If I say retreat, you will retreat.¡± ¡°Rog.¡± ¡°Good luck to us then.¡± Hans only nodded. Soon, they were inside of their vehicles. Calibrating their subsystems for one final time, Hans and Adelyn pushed their feet on their pedals when Captain Strobel rode by with a yellow flag in his hand. The main force was ready. All they needed now was to bait the beast. 1000 hours. Hans smiled. Perfectly timed. At once, their two Wanderpanzers raced through the Rousselot countryside. Unlike that rainy day, their legs were driving well on the solid, dry ground. Hans and Adelyn rapidly reached seventy to eighty kilometers per hour on the green fields, rushing straight into where Hans remembered as the location of that creature. Indeed, it only took them four minutes of searching, finding it on the road west of Belancon, seemingly patrolling the area. It was three kilometers away from them¡ªjust somewhere at the effective range of their main guns. Hans immediately relayed the location to Adelyn, who positioned her mech just fifty meters behind him. ¡°Captain, I¡¯ll be taking the honors,¡± Hans said, as his turret tracked the creature. ¡°Can I?¡± ¡°Permission granted, Lieutenant. Take the shot.¡± ¡°Rog,¡± Hans gripped his control sticks, as one of his fingers moved from the buttons that controlled the turret¡¯s movement, and hovered around the fire button. He also pushed the left control stick forward, causing his mech to turn neutrally to the left until he was facing the direction of the main force. It seemed that Adelyn did the same as well. ¡°APFSDS, range, two thousand eight hundred meters¡ªopening fire.¡± At once, the Peacemaker¡¯s 90mm main gun roared, as an APFSDS round was launched from its barrel¡ªthe sabots detaching as the round flew at a thousand eight hundred meters per second¡ªtraveling like a flash of light on the green landscape. Only for one of the beast¡¯s magical defenses to react, as one of the oversized flying scalpels intercepted and sliced the APFSDS rod four hundred meters from the demonic creature. The Rodent of Pestilence turned¡ªand roared at the new threat it faced. Come at me, rat. The chase was on. The legs of both Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke and Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler engaged fast, dashing through the plains as the monster chased from behind them, kilometers away. Due to the terrain conditions, there was nothing hindering the mobility of the two light metal beasts. And so, in just seconds, the two were outrunning the monster, who hopelessly chased after them with rage in its eyes. It knew they weren¡¯t just some pesky humans that could only poke at it. It felt the power of Hans¡¯ shot¡ªand it knew it had to kill Hans and Adelyn. But the two of them separated on the fields, Hans running to the left flank of the main force, and Adelyn to the right, as the beast continued onwards, until they were only two kilometers to the main force, and Hans and Adelyn had already reached their ¡°firing¡± positions. Hans keyed his speakers, and his voice that called to open fire was carried through the battlefield. Hans watched as the first booms of the two artillery batteries thundered through the fields¡ªraining round cannonballs sped up with magic all straight on the beast. Its magical defenses reacted, trying to stop the brutal barrage, and indeed, most cannonballs were sliced and disintegrated by the sheer force of impact by the magical scalpels¡ªbut its true vulnerability was exposed. Two cannonballs pierced straight into the beast as it reached a thousand meters from the prepared musketeer lines. The beast however only roared and continued charging forward, but the first volley from the musketeers cracked open as it reached four hundred meters on the main force¡¯s line, as hundreds of magically sped-up lead balls slammed straight into its body, blood pooling out of it as it cried in pain. Hans almost felt frustrated at why they didn¡¯t use that back then¡ªthey could literally shoot at four times the lethal range of unaided musketry with their basic magic! Then again, they must have been conserving their Arcane Points for the actual beast instead of the undead. A second volley pummeled in just seconds, as the next rank marched forward, all with freshly-loaded guns, but this rank had soldiers that didn¡¯t use their skill. Their shots floundered on the fields, barely anything hitting the beast. But the third rank marched forward and engaged their basic skill¡ªand their volley devastated the limping creature, even if most of their shots missed. None of the flying scalpels were reacting. The beast knew it needed it for the upcoming volley of the ¡°big guns¡±, but, Hans knew, it must have learned by now that they led it to the most perfectly crafted trap. From the hills¡ªthe light artillery batteries opened up at last for the second time, and the defensive scalpels responded, intercepting most of the cannonballs that flew to it, but four normal ones punched through the body of the beast, and two special ones¡ªseemingly glowing white, pierced through the center mass of the beast, flying in and out, sending a bloody mess on the ground. The Rodent of Pestilence locked its eyes on Hans¡¯ mech, as he had only been watching its takedown. It was the plan, after all, to lure it right in front of the main force, while Hans and Adelyn would be directly to the left and right of it, waiting for their turn. Hatred¡­sheer hatred that wanted nothing more than to kill him radiated from the demon. What a tough cookie you are. Hans laughed. Demons can really soak an unnatural amount of damage. True abnormalities of biology. Nay¡­Hans at this point knew biology wouldn¡¯t apply to these creatures. Thus¡­they should be liquidated. He pulled the fire trigger¡ªlaunching an MPAT straight into its face, and utterly burning through it with a thunderous detonation. Direct hit. But it continued on. It was pained. Nearly dead. But it limped forward. It wanted to kill him. For Hans led him to this trap. But¡­ ¡°Captain,¡± Hans said on the radio. ¡°It suffered enough. Let¡¯s end this.¡± A deep breath from the other line. ¡°On it¡­¡± A boom erupted from the other side, as Adelyn¡¯s 120mm main gun launched an MPAT round that left a reddish-glow behind. The shell slammed straight into the rear of the beast¡ªgenerating an incinerating blue flash that almost blinded the entire field before the creature burned in an inferno that turned blue to yellow. It left off its last monstrous wail¡ªas Hans too pulled his trigger, sending an APFSDS round straight into its skull, skewering it, and finally, giving it its merciful end. The beast, still burning¡ªcollapsed on the fields at last. The battle¡­was finally over. With not a single casualty. Except for Hans¡¯ momentarily hysterical laughter that only Adelyn heard. Laughs that she would never understand.
[1 DEMONIC ENTITY (LVL. UNKNOWN) LIQUIDATED!] [LEVEL UP! NOW LVL. 17] [PROGRESS TO LEVEL 18: 50%] [AVAILABLE AP: 205 PTS]
40. Only He Endured ¡°Four shots¡ªand with it, history changed. A fair Virtus noblewoman in a steel mount, and a Vanus knight in gray, both claiming to hail from a distant land, killed the demon with utmost efficiency and accuracy. The continent had not seen such a show of force with mere weapons of technology.¡± - Account from the Battle of Belancon Hill, 1538. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Belancon Hill JUN 27, 1538 CE ¡°...So it¡¯s a he,¡± Hans muttered. Much of the common soldiery had already returned home, outside of Hans, Captain Strobel, Adelyn, and of course¡ªFather Olbrich. It was already afternoon, with the cleanup of the battlefield taking a few hours. The only real good news, however, was that all of the undead suddenly died. All of the infested towns were now filled with corpses and unmoving bodies. Almost as if the disease really was more magical in nature than anything. And without the puppeteer¡­there were no puppets. Father Olbrich finished his solemn prayer. ¡°May he rest well. The gods know, he suffered enough as it is¡­.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s him?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Captain Strobel shook his head with despair. ¡°The rumors¡­it¡¯s damned true. People are turning into these things. Father Courbet¡­he¡­why would someone who hated diseases to the heart spread such a thing in that fashion?¡± ¡°The company failed him,¡± Father Olbrich muttered. ¡°Any man would snap at such a thing. Perhaps, he lost faith in the idea of medicine. The death of one¡¯s mother when he was one of the finest practitioners of medicine and healing magic¡­I knew it would be too much for him.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s that then?¡± Adelyn muttered. ¡°Daniel Specke¡¯s hypothesis could be true?¡± ¡°Misery of the mind,¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°Goddamnit¡­¡± ¡°Nothing is set in stone yet,¡± Father Olbrich answered. ¡°It¡¯s all just theorizing. For all we know, he had only suffered enough that his soul was weakened for demonic influences to take control.¡± ¡°...He¡¯s one of the few good Vanus I knew,¡± Captain Strobel kneeled down and removed his hat to pay respect. ¡°Rest well, old man.¡± Shakingly, Father Olbrich stood up and looked back at Hans and Adelyn. ¡°I have nothing but words of thanks to the both of you,¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°You¡¯re both heroes of the day.¡± With that, Adelyn suddenly awkwardly chuckled. ¡°Ehe¡­that¡¯s quite the tall credit, Father. I believe all of us participated in the battle. I only fired a shot.¡± ¡°And all I did was run and fire three shots,¡± Hans smiled. ¡°Father, this is the work of the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment. They stopped the Rodent of Pestilence well.¡± ¡°You can both say whatever you want. But tomorrow, you both will be given a hero¡¯s honor for saving the County. Not just from any threats, but from a demon. Something which has rarely been killed ever since they appeared. The Countess already prepared medals for you two, so you both better come to the festivities well-dressed.¡± Hans now finally spluttered backward. Damn it. More decorations? He already had enough trinkets he acquired in his years of service for killing Flandrians. He didn¡¯t need more. He looked to his side though. It seemed that his Captain however had different ideas on the matter. Her eyes seemed to be shining in glee. ¡°Medals!?¡± She smiled widely and turned to Hans while shoving him with her elbow. ¡°Lieutenant, this is good! Medals. Reputation in these societies is massive. Plus, recognition. Think about it. From a foreign nation!¡± Hans however only groaned. ¡°Ah, get off me. Trinkets. Nothing more.¡± ¡°Just accept it! This guy, Father. All because he¡¯s received a lot of medals from his homeland, he already started hating it.¡± It¡¯s not even worth anything. Hans simply grumbled as he watched Father Olbrich and the now overly excited Adelyn. He looked back at the corpse of the fallen Vanus-turned-demon. He certainly looked to be in great agony when he died. ¡­Hans wondered now¡­would it be possible to end up in that way too? He shook his head. Never. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Hans spoke. ¡°Time to end the charade, everyone. Let¡¯s get the old man to a proper resting place. We¡¯ll just spin it as him being one of the undead victims.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°This man¡¯s popular. Even if he¡¯s a Vanus, all because of his contributions to the city. We could use him and those he killed to rile up the people against demons.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Hans said. ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡± He killed me many times. Hans soon looked away. But I guess¡­well¡­I don¡¯t know. I hope he really is just a victim too. I hope¡­ +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City JUN 28, 1538 CE Been a while since I even wore this thing. Hans fixed himself in front of the mirror. It was nice that he had everything in his mech, even his issued officer¡¯s ceremonial dress in Lotharingian gray. He stepped back and fixed his cap to its proper place. Adelyn absolutely drilled him to ¡®fix yourself¡¯ yesterday for some reason. She wanted the ¡°representatives¡± of her nation¡¯s Army to be in absolute tip-top shape, he supposed. Hans was quite apathetic to her entire thing. Unlike a noblewoman obsessed with her image, Hans was a commoner and a penal convict at that. Then again, his crime wasn¡¯t so severe that he ever was treated like a true penal convict. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. It was why he was allowed to become an officer after all, besides the fact that he was an ace pilot. To them, he was the ¡®more decent¡¯ kind who led the worst dregs of Lotharingia¡ªthe actual kind of people his nation wanted to rid of in the most useful manner. That was who he was. Soon, he exited his room to check outside. ¡°There you are,¡± Hans looked to his side, hearing her voice. Her golden blonde hair was now tied in an elegant braid, and she too was wearing her dress uniform. And damn it, did she doll herself up for this event. Strangely enough, Hans noticed that her cap didn¡¯t block her halo at all. It was still on top of her head. ¡°There, see? You look like someone who could be in a fancy painting. That¡¯s good, we have to look civilized to these people so they don¡¯t mistake us for barbarians.¡± ¡°We¡¯re in full gray, Captain,¡± Hans retorted. ¡°Pretty much the reverse of wealthy nobility in this time period.¡± ¡°Ah, such a naysayer. I tell you what, this is a symbol of Lotharingian military discipline and uniformity. That¡¯s something respectable for soldiers. As I¡¯ve said, in this time period, it is not just wealth that matters. It is appearances. More than in our homeland. That¡¯s how powerful people respect you. That¡¯s how we¡¯ll gain allies. And again, the Countess herself would be giving us decorations. Appearing to a noblewoman in a ceremonial moment with your battle dress and kevlar will be quite the insult. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll look respectable.¡± ¡°Or we¡¯ll look arrogant.¡± ¡°With the level of self-deprecation you go through, that¡¯s practically impossible.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. I get it,¡± Hans sighed. ¡°I see your wisdom. It¡¯s why you¡¯re in charge.¡± She smiled. ¡°Good. Also, you seem to be starting to grow a beard and mustache there, Lieutenant. While it¡¯s unnoticeable, please be sure to razor it clean by tomorrow.¡± ¡°W-what? The hell are you, my mother?¡± ¡°Regulations, Lieutenant.¡± ¡°The regulations only say that I can¡¯t grow my mustache beyond the edges of my mouth.¡± ¡°My regulations. Anyhow, I¡¯ll go check on Aliz¨¦e,¡± she soon turned around and went down the stairs before Hans could defend himself. All Hans could do was run his hand on his face. To be fair, I always liked to be clean-shaven anyway. He frowned. But come on, why did she have to say it!? Damn it, that woman¡¯s definitely messing with me. +++ Both Hans and Adelyn were kneeling in front of the Countess. The entire proceedings, quite frankly, only seemed like a blur to Hans. It was quite strange to be given this kind of recognition when they two were officers of a nation that didn¡¯t exist here, and they were technically just foreign mercenaries (or in the case of Adelyn, a foreign noblewoman). Still, just like Captain Strobel and some of his officers who participated in the takedown operation, Hans and Adelyn received recognition. Hell, the damned head priest of the St. Heka church even blessed the two of them, even if they didn¡¯t believe in their religion. Of course, Hans and Adelyn never said that they didn¡¯t believe in their religion. In fact, one of the first things the two ever did was read about their theology and their gods and goddesses, or of their church. That way, they could blend in as normal ¡°slightly secular foreign soldiers¡± instead of literal ¡°foreign heathen barbarians¡±. While Hans initially refused, Adelyn¡¯s argument when she presented him with those two options quickly folded him. There was indeed merit in trying not to look like a heathen in a backward land. Quite frankly, Hans would never have started doing all these blending in culturally without Adelyn. Unlike Hans, Adelyn was meticulous at curating their image in an extremely positive light to these people. Hell, Hans feared she would soon drill him of etiquette at this rate. In contrast, Hans really wanted to just cough and piss off from this ceremony. He imagined if he was alone, he¡¯d have already screwed up and disrespected something he shouldn¡¯t. ¡°Rise, you two heroes,¡± the Countess said. She too seemed, well, just as serious as everyone else in the area. Hans and Adelyn stood up, having practiced the entire procedure of receiving it yesterday from Father Olbrich¡¯s guidance. The Countess soon looked straight at Adelyn, as a servant carried the box that held the medals on top of red cushions. The Countess pulled one of them and pinned it to Adelyn¡¯s chest. Adelyn respectfully stepped back. Soon, the Countess moved to Hans. Naturally, he didn¡¯t give a crap and just stood straight. Well, at least until the Countess looked him straight in the eye. She merely gave him an understanding nod of respect, before pinning the second medal into him. ¡°You did well, Lieutenant.¡± He didn¡¯t know what to say, so, well, he only gave her a slight bow before stepping backward to Adelyn¡¯s line. The proceedings soon ended, and the actual festivities for the victory began. +++ ¡°Haha! You should have seen yourself over there, Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn laughed demurely as Hans tried to eat his chicken. ¡°Were you really that badly spooked by all those religious priests?¡± Spooked? Screw that. I¡¯m apparently a Fallen Angel or a Calamity but I can get inside a church or work with a priest. Clearly, I am either so strong or all this religious nonsense is truly just a farce. ¡°Are you going to eat that thing or what? You barely touched your food.¡± ¡°Oh, a glutton in fine dining? Yeah, I think I have to expand my cultural training program for you. You can¡¯t just eat like that, Lieutenant. Not in high society. You¡¯re wrong, I¡¯m right.¡± Well, she did have a point. Unlike the nobles and wealthy city folk inside the Countess¡¯ residency who ate with this overly elaborate social nonsense (and he swore these people were talking and laughing more with each other than actually eating!), Hans was eating like a goblin. Even Aliz¨¦e ate much like Adelyn, and Hans knew that girl too was a hungry machine when outside. But so what? He was here to eat, damn it. He straight-up ate faster instead though. ¡°Sorry, Captain, I can¡¯t hear you over this tasty chicken. Damn¡­there¡¯s less meat than I expected though.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not factory farmed with modern methods you dullard,¡± Adelyn carefully sliced her meat. ¡°You know, you¡¯re already on your third slice.¡± ¡°Well, these things are malnourished by my standards,¡± Hans stuffed more into his mouth. ¡°I need more. Damn it. What even is the point of eating roast chicken without peas? This sad mashed potato isn¡¯t enough.¡± Adelyn snorted before laughing. ¡°Goddess, you¡¯re a pain.¡± ¡°Well, if I¡¯m getting this world¡¯s version of fine dining as a reward for finally fixing up the crisis that spooked their nobles and businesses, I better get the best bang for my buck.¡± Hans emptied his plate. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s good. I¡¯d probably need more. Yeah, don¡¯t care, I¡¯ll shamelessly take more.¡± ¡°Is Sir Hans going to grab another full plate?¡± Aliz¨¦e, who was sitting on the side of the table, shook her head and pointed her fork at Hans with a laugh. ¡°Bad.¡± ¡°Where the hell did she learn that word?¡± Hans asked, and Adelyn simply smiled. ¡°She¡¯s picking up ¡®Continental¡¯ fast, Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn replied. ¡°Then again, she needs to. She¡¯s already rabidly reading her fair share of books to teach herself. That and the nuns are tutoring her. Seems like the Countess took some interest in the kid.¡± ¡°She did?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Well¡­she is a noble after all. Think she¡¯d adopt her or something?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Plus¡­for some reason, she dislikes going too far away from me. That¡¯s hard to deal with.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess,¡± Hans sighed. ¡°We have to find a way to deal with her. Can¡¯t just leave her in unsafe hands after all.¡± Adelyn then gave Aliz¨¦e a few headpasts. ¡°Yeah. I won¡¯t leave her in unsafe hands.¡± She then turned back to Hans as she pulled up her teacup. ¡°Regardless, just like the last problems we faced here, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll figure out a way through it. Right, Lieutenant?¡± Hans hesitated for a moment. It had been¡­well¡­a journey for him, really, just to get to this point. It was painful. So damned painful just to get through it all so perfectly. For a moment¡­he could still remember her face¡ªfull of rage and blood as she attacked him. But now, she, like him, was here, all fine and dandy. No blood on her¡­just the gentle smile of a noblewoman in a calm situation. Was it worth it then? That all of his struggles culminated to this point? A gentle peace, even if it was so brief? Hans didn¡¯t know yet, but he mustered a smile. ¡°Absolutely, Captain. I guess we will.¡± ¡°Great then. I¡¯m glad we¡¯re in agreement on that.¡± Hans nodded. For their sake, he¡¯d believe it too. Because for now¡ªhe was finally safe from the constricting maze of this debacle. ARC II END: THE LABYRINTH 41. Oh You Poor Child ARC III: ONE MAN ¡°A demon alive is worth ten thousand men. Thus, it must be found how to stop these creatures from appearing in our lands. Otherwise, none of our measures will be sustainable. Mankind cannot be allowed to be overwhelmed.¡± - Excerpt from ¡°An Emergency Treatise on the Subject of ¡®Demons¡¯¡± by Daniel Specke. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City JUL 11, 1538 CE ¡°And may the gods¡­and goddesses, bless our souls¡­¡± The mass in the St. Heka church this Sunday was now finally closing. Hans tried his best to hold his yawn from compromising his position, only for Adelyn to shove his side. What the hell¡¯s your problem? She merely frowned at him sternly. Hans understood his superior¡¯s orders with just that glare. Naturally, Hans stiffened up and returned back to the last words of the head priest, and when the words ¡®Amen¡¯ were uttered, Hans promptly followed it. Goddess damn it, and I thought the Lurist masses in Terra were boring. Quite frankly, Hans had only paid lip service to the Lurity faith of his homeland. On paper, he was a reformed Lurist, a branch of Lurists that denounced the original Sicilian Church of Lurity (and thus, the High Papacy), but he rarely went to churches when he was a child. Strangely, it seemed that the religion here was similar to old polytheist faiths before Lurity became dominant, but the way they conducted their masses, rituals, and even the imagery they used to show their gods and goddesses was remarkably similar to how the Sicilian Church used idolatry (something which reformed lurity rejected vehemently) of the Goddess. Soon, he, Adelyn, and of course, Aliz¨¦e, who unlike the two, seemed to have prayed really hard left with the crowd. Hans could only sigh. ¡°Well¡­that was interesting the second time¡­he sure preached other stuff now.¡± ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn suddenly turned around. ¡°Look, I saw you getting all sleepy throughout the mass. That¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°Err¡­well¡­¡± ¡°Look at me in the eye,¡± she seemed to be absolutely not amused. ¡°Lieutenant, you and I know that it¡¯s dangerous to be branded as anything less than devout in this type of situation. Hell, I dislike praying to pagani¡ª¡± She held her tongue. ¡°A different¡­set of particular beliefs, but I¡¯m still going to try because we have to. Lieutenant, remember, down here¡­¡± ¡°We believe in the same faith as they do.¡± Hans followed, and Adelyn nodded. ¡°Good. You understand that clearly. Don¡¯t wanna end up in a pitchfork.¡± ¡°Well, me neither.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Adelyn nodded to herself. ¡°That¡¯s why you and I have to do this. Just like how you really need to work on your table manners. We¡¯re going to be meeting the Countess and other nobles soon again. So please, don¡¯t act unrefined on the table.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am¡­¡± She seemed irked by that. ¡°I¡¯m not yet in my fifties, Lieutenant.¡± Hans merely gave her a shit-eating grin. ¡°Apologies. I appreciate the clarification, Miss.¡± ¡°Goddess, you just had to pray in a mass for an hour and you immediately turned into a menace to society,¡± she laughed. ¡°You¡¯re a massive pain.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± she huffed and turned to Aliz¨¦e. ¡°Now, who¡¯s the good girl? Unlike the other person over there, someone acted quite well in the presence of the public.¡± Adelyn began doting and patting on Aliz¨¦e once more, and Hans almost backed away in fear. Is she turning full-on mama mode on that kid? Gee, putting a young girl and a woman with over-affection to anything cute would truly result in a disaster. Quite frankly, ever since Adelyn took the mantle of ¡°temporary caregiver¡± to Aliz¨¦e, she had begun taking extra care of the girl. Which was, well, of course, something Hans wouldn¡¯t complain about. One of the things he feared was the confirmation that the Amboise family (the same noble Vanus family she was a part of) was¡­well, not in the greatest position before they disappeared meaning she was essentially under her ¡°temporarily permanent¡± care at the moment. Quite frankly, their main goal now was to find a new caregiver for the girl. Especially when Adelyn figured out the fact that she was the Angel of Justice and the fact that her entire job from now on would be fighting demons. It was probably why her skill was so effective at killing demons if her shots could do a direct hit. The fires her MPAT produced from those anti-demon shells would literally toast a demon to death beyond what a normal fire would do. Hans knew that from now on, keeping this kid with them would only place her in great danger. Thus, she and Adelyn had been petitioning the Countess to at least ¡°adopt¡± her. Both of them wouldn¡¯t accept leaving her in a goddamned orphanage here in the church anyway. Still¡­that was just the first plan. If things went awry, well, he still didn¡¯t have any other plan. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Certainly not me though. Hans told himself. Daycare ain¡¯t my specialty. ¡°Um¡­food¡­?¡± Aliz¨¦e awkwardly squeaked out as Adelyn patted her head. ¡°Food? Oh, you¡¯re hungry?¡± Aliz¨¦e nodded. ¡°Yes, Lady Adelyn. The mass was quite tiring. Sorry.¡± ¡°Yeah, I think she¡¯s saying she¡¯s hungry, Captain.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite obvious,¡± Adelyn stood up. ¡°Unfortunately, I have an appointment to make.¡± ¡°What, with who?¡± ¡°Bunch of other nobles asking about our vehicle,¡± she winked. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of explaining things to them.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, the hell are you dumping on me now?¡± ¡°Her, of course,¡± Adelyn smiled. ¡°What, you can¡¯t feed a child?¡± ¡°Of course, I can,¡± Hans defensively said. ¡°I fed her first. For days, mind you. With¡­with rations, and stuff.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll absolutely murder you if you feed her MREs,¡± she tossed a few Imperial Marks at Hans. ¡°There, take that. Get her something good. I¡¯ll be going. Chop chop, Lieutenant.¡± ¡°Wait¡­and, well, she¡¯s gone,¡± Hans watched as Adelyn¡¯s form became smaller, leaving the two outside of the church¡¯s premises. Hans turned to Aliz¨¦e, who was looking up at him expectantly. Oh¡­come on¡­ Hans kneeled to her level. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Sir Hans?¡± ¡°So, food eh?¡± Hans smiled. ¡°What do you want?¡± She raised her fist, almost demanding something. ¡°Chicken!¡± ¡°Veggies?¡± ¡°Or beef!¡± Her expression now really showed extreme hunger. ¡°Okay, so greens? A salad perhaps?¡± ¡°Maybe fish. Good fish, Sir Hans. Like fried salmon! Since we¡¯re near the sea!¡± ¡°Damn it, now I¡¯m lost,¡± Hans facepalmed. ¡°Are you demanding sweets or what? Seriously, I don¡¯t think I can give you too much sweets. Well, if there even is some. Plus, no modern toothpaste and stuff for your teeth too. Actually¡­crap¡­that means I can¡¯t eat sugary crap too¡­¡± ¡°And also cake!¡± She grinned. ¡°I want real cake.¡± ¡°I seriously doubt they have pasta here, Aliz¨¦e.¡± ¡°Meat!¡± She almost shouted. ¡°Just¡­meat, okay. I want that. Maybe you can understand that, Sir Hans.¡± ¡°Oooh¡­¡± Hans smiled. ¡°Meat, huh?¡± Then he dropped his smile. ¡°But you already eat too much meat. That woman¡¯s feeding you like a barbarian. And she calls me an unrefined glutton. We are having veggies.¡± Her smile dropped. ¡°Yay¡­we¡¯re eating meat¡­right?¡± Hans smirked. ¡°Sure we are, kiddo. Whatever you¡¯re saying. Sure we are.¡± +++ He was now stuck with a petulant child. Why are you crossing your arms now on me? Hans was utterly flabbergasted. Wait, wait, you¡¯re looking away from your plate? ¡°Uhh¡­Aliz¨¦e, you should really eat your greens now.¡± Her cheeks seemed puffy. ¡°No!¡± ¡°I think I can understand you mean no,¡± Hans sighed. ¡°I mean, come on, it¡¯s good food. The folks say this restaurant¡¯s good¡ª¡± ¡°Ey! Sir Knight, you are indeed right!¡± One of the customers, seemingly a drunk laborer, shouted. ¡°Damn right, it is the best one. Best beer out there.¡± Hans lowered his head a bit. ¡°Goddess¡­.shut up,¡± he really hated how his name was so popular now around town. ¡°The Grey Knight¡±, they called him. The guy who rode with the ¡°Golden Angel¡± to slay the Rodent of Pestilence. Damned reputation, he¡¯d bet their current PR team, in other words¡ªAdelyn, was crafting this entire crap from the shadows. ¡°I hate being a semi-celebrity¡­¡± ¡°Hmph! Still not eating it.¡± ¡°Are we really going to play hardball, kid?¡± Hans laughed. ¡°You¡¯re one demanding girl. You know, to grow stronger and healthier, you gotta stuff up the veggies. I tell you what, maybe your canines will become whiter and stronger. Trust me on that!¡± ¡°Nope!¡± ¡°Is that a variation of no?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Well, surprisingly, the first ¡®no¡¯ you said was shorter than what you said before your last no, so I¡¯m inclined to not believe you.¡± ¡°Not eating salad today. I want meat, Sir Hans. I mean¡­¡± She finally turned to her plate, and Hans almost felt elated at finally getting through to her. Oh, his mind conjured such a great scene in just a split-second. Aliz¨¦e, finally deciding not to be a headache, and finally eating her greens. Such a scene, of a good girl eating healthily to Hans¡¯ approval¡­ Never materialized when she looked like she was about to cry. ¡°It looks so sad¡­¡± Ah, crap, he pushed her too hard. Hans naturally folded to the desires of a mere child took her plate and threw the salad on his plate. ¡°Okay, damn it,¡± Hans turned around. ¡°Wait here.¡± He stood up and rushed straight to the counter. He was beaten. Utterly beaten and defeated. Now he was shelling out a bunch of Light Marks for another order like a man without spine. Naturally, Hans bought meat, specifically, a seared tuna steak (damn were they lucky at being in a coastal area) because, well, technically it was meat, but at least a little bit healthier, no? Defeated, he walked back to Aliz¨¦e with another plate in hand, and immediately, a hungry grin formed on her face. Hans placed the plate on the table, and in no time, she began digging on it ravenously. It seemed that whatever noble-like attitude she showed whenever they dined in refined settings melted. Well, it was why they only ate at a mid-level restaurant. Hans knew that this girl was running two personalities after all. In settings where there were notable figures, she¡¯d act like a proper kid. Out here, her true colors would shine. It was kinda funny for Hans. Until he looked down at his plate. It was just a sad salad. On her plate was a shiny seared tuna steak she was enjoying. He looked back down at his own plate. Sad salad. Well¡­if it isn¡¯t the consequences of my actions. He really didn¡¯t want to eat salad either, but, as one said, to convince a child, the adult must make himself an example to follow. He ate it. At the very least, it was actually palatable. Still¡­damn it, he was the one who lost this mind game. Ask him to handle his Wanderfalke into a firefight and he¡¯d handle it well. Ask him to handle a poor orphaned child, and well¡­he looked more like a defeated sack of potatoes. 42. Dont You Slip ¡°The Imperial Ygeia Company, by the charter of the Imperial Government of Virtus, shall be formed to operate in the Principality of Ygeia and facilitate its economic development for the interests of the Virtus State. To the people of Ygeia, let it be known that we have one motto. To face the sea for the triumph of mankind.¡± - Declaration of IYC takeover over the Principality of Ygeia. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City JUL 20, 1538 CE Day and night had already rapidly passed in Hans¡¯ and Adelyn¡¯s stay in Rousselot City. Quite frankly, it was all time for Hans and Adelyn to acclimatize at least with the new world that they found themselves in. One month. For one month, Hans and Adelyn had been here, forging bonds, alliances, and agreements with the locality. Adelyn¡¯s grand strategy was hers though. Hans had resigned himself to his normal job as her secondary officer. Those jobs were the maintenance of both his and Adelyn¡¯s Wanderpanzers, the vigilant surveillance of any and all immediate threats to them in this city, though, they somehow lacked that, and if anything, Rousselot City was becoming their greatest ally by proxy to their unofficial service to the ruling lord. And of course¡­intel gathering. Hans closed another ¡°history¡± book that he was reading. It was of course a waste. That wasn¡¯t a history book. It was a goddamned grimoire that detailed the general historical development of magic and he didn¡¯t understand crap about it. He sighed. He just spent two days skimming through the technical details of many spells all while only taking the critical intel. Quite frankly, he¡¯d probably need some guidance to understand all this specialized knowledge, but it wasn¡¯t like he was looking to use it. No¡­he was reading the book to understand the development of magic and the system-based ¡°skills¡± that supported it. Of course, all skills that the ¡®system¡¯ could give, whether it was passive, active, or even the most likely unique ¡®upgrades¡¯ that they use for their mechs due to their [MECH PILOT] class were magical in nature. But, apparently, in the system-based ¡°skills¡±, there were still two types outside of passive and active skills. If a passive skill was something that applied to an individual at all times, and an active skill was something that would be activated by an individual at the cost of AP¡ªopen and closed skill types also existed in tandem to describe their nature. Thus, a passive skill could be open or closed¡ªand so would an active skill. It could either be open or closed. Essentially, open skills were something most individuals salivated over due to their flexibility. These skills allowed the use of spells that individuals could learn, develop, and use¡ªbut only if the spells/magic type was covered by the open skill. In Adelyn¡¯s case, [ACT: Wrath of the Law] opened the possibility of her using specialized anti-demon fire magic to purge them. Both as spells if she used a foci that was attuned to her (e.g., a wand, staff, or, even a gun) to channel her AP into magical spells, or, she could use it to enchant items that she wanted. Of course, that required knowledge of magic theory, so all she could do for now was the basic spell that the skill provided¡ªthe ability to enchant her bullets into anti-demon incendiary ones. Quite fitting as usual for the Angel of Justice¡ªburning demons for a living. That was of course separate from what Hans had. [UPG: EYE OF PARANOIA], [PAS: CYCLE OF TRUTH], and [PAS: PROGRESS OF LIES] clearly fell under the so-called ¡°closed skills¡±. He wouldn¡¯t be able to use these skills to conjure up his own magic. These skills only did what was stated in their description, nothing more. For example, the most common skill of the [MUSKETEER CLASS], generally used by Tier I commoner soldiers, was [ACT: IMPROVED SHOT I]. It was an active, but closed skill. It wouldn¡¯t give a user the ability to enchant or enhance their bullets for something more special outside of its stated ability to increase the speed and energy of their shots at the cost of AP. Magical, yes¡ªbut they were no mages. This meant that at the moment, while Hans knew he certainly exhibited magical qualities naturally (he could literally loop back in time¡ªthat was beyond black magic, even Hans knew that), he was no mage, just like the average commoner soldier. In fact, if anything, the new skill that Adelyn took, [ACT: WRATH OF THE LAW] essentially turned her into a fire mage. Thus¡ªonly she could count as a mage (and definitely a very low-level one). She now had basic fire magic attacks. Most of all, if she spent time reading these grimoires and forayed into magical theory, she could, again, do more than turn her bullets into specialized anti-demon incendiary rounds by consuming her AP. Hans meanwhile¡­well, what would he do with [PAS: PROGRESS OF LIES], aside from, well, lying about his stats? Sure, not even Adelyn could poke through him now, much like how they could not simply just do a [TARGET STATUS CHECK] on full-fledged demonic monsters, and he did ensure that he would at least find some use in dying from now on. But¡­well, what more? And thus, Hans¡¯ early obsession with finding counters to all forms of magic. He¡¯d absolutely not get curb stomped by some Virtus mage who spent a decade in some fancy academy to learn the ins and outs of using their innate skills to cultivate powerful magical attacks¡ªno, absolutely not. He¡¯d rain goddamned lead on their face first. And if he dies in the process, he¡¯ll put more by the next life, more effectively. If he wasn¡¯t destined to be some mage with four open skills that allowed them to do four types of magic classes or whatever, then he¡¯d find a way to kill them first by avoiding the abilities their magicks could inflict on him. After all, once their spells failed¡ªthey sure as hell wouldn¡¯t be able to talk crap to a 90mm MPAT. In fact, it seemed that to Hans, even demons cracked whenever their primary defense was shattered. The first one relied on extreme, unnatural stealth¡ªHans'' skill negated that, and they killed the bastard within a few shots. The Rodent of Pestilence was no different. Its main defense was its magical active protection system, as Hans likened to call it. He struggled against it due to the fact that it was seemingly perfectly designed to take on around forty shots from heavy artillery. That essentially would turn it invulnerable to almost all combat engagement, due to the nature of mobile battles. One cannot simply afford to fight a creature that could negate more than forty shots. You would lose. But Hans¡¯ stratagem of war, the act of baiting it straight right where sixteen artillery pieces and hundreds of musketeers were waiting, decimated its primary defense¡ªwhich allowed Hans¡¯ and Adelyns¡¯ main guns to put it to an end. In other words, he and Adelyn were powerful glass cannons, which was literally the entire design point of the Wanderpanzer. They were meant to be a numerical force multiplier with their extreme mobility, firepower, and sensor systems. The downside, once they were exposed to attack, not many defenses outside of mobility existed. It meant that Wanderpanzers always suffered constant casualties on the frontlines even if they could kill hostiles in a two-to-one or three-to-one ratio. And in this case, unless Hans could find a way to ensure that the 90mm would talk first and bash through a magical foe¡¯s primary defense, he would most likely be dead meat. Thankfully, it seemed that we could do a lot against that. Most of the spells he saw were some combination of firing a magical projectile, enchantment of certain weapons (like swords), stealth, and among others. Though of course, it still seemed that the Wanderpanzer would be vulnerable to a dedicated magical attack, Hans knew that unless there was a complete surprise, like an ambush, the Wanderpanzer¡¯s extreme mobility, long-ranged sensors (and thus the ability to fight at extreme ranges), and weaponry meant that when all the novel threats that a hostile could present had been identified, Hans and Adelyn would triumph. It was how they beat the Rodent of Pestilence after all. Hans eliminated and accounted for every new thing it could do, determined its exact weaknesses and positioning, and annihilated it at a distance. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Still¡­being at level seventeen, and with Adelyn still stuck at fifteen (though, she advanced extremely well during the takedown¡ªit seemed that she did the most damage from that fire), they were still dealing with severe logistical challenges. Level twenty-five and [UPG: ARCANE AUTOFABRICATOR] would be something akin to a holy grail to them right now. It was either they get that, or they would run out of munitions and fuel and die. And Hans wasn¡¯t a fan of dying. +++ ¡°Um¡­Sir Hans. Hello, I am¡­Aliz¨¦e¡­I am¡­my name is¡­¡± ¡°Whoah, gee¡­¡± Hans clapped. ¡°Captain, you¡¯re a fine teacher. She can talk now.¡± ¡°Did I say it right?¡± Just immediately, the little girl went to her little notebook and began reading out line after line again. While Hans certainly wanted to poke Adelyn a bit about her little teaching side job, Hans only smiled as he watched the girl dedicate herself to learning ¡°Continental¡±. ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯m doing it well,¡± Adelyn looked down at a book she held as well. It was a book that translated Vanus words and phrases into Virtus. ¡°It¡¯s mainly the church staff doing the heavy lifting, in reality.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s to be expected,¡± Hans said. ¡°Y¡¯know, I¡¯m just noticing. She sticks to you a lot, doesn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°I guess I¡¯m just that good at children,¡± Adelyn smugly smiled. ¡°Dealing with orphans in the shelters my family founded has given me great experience.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­it¡¯s great I guess,¡± Hans said. ¡°Though¡­I think it¡¯s not just because of that,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Hans, she¡¯s¡­she¡¯s very scared, from what I understood when I try to talk to her with this.¡± ¡°Scared? Scared of what?¡± ¡°Scared of those who attacked her family,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Hans¡­you know what happened right?¡± ¡°Look, for goodness'' sake, there¡¯s no reason anyone would pick on her just because she¡¯s an Amboise. It¡¯s a damned ten-year-old girl. An orphan.¡± ¡°Or someone would find a way to put a nail in the coffin of her family.¡± ¡°Alright, maybe someone will,¡± Hans crossed his arms. ¡°They¡¯ll go through my guns first.¡± ¡°And mine,¡± Adelyn declared. ¡°But still¡­at the same time, being with her isn¡¯t going to make her safer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a tough dilemma¡­¡± ¡°As I was saying, she¡¯s scared, Hans,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°That¡¯s why she¡¯s trying her best to learn this language. Apparently, she has been kept hidden by her family after all. Insulated. Just to protect her. Now¡­she¡¯s got no protection left. She¡¯s a kid that can only understand the language of a race of mostly fallen nobles.¡± ¡°I think the Countess will figure out something eventually,¡± Hans optimistically said. ¡°Or not, but until then, I¡¯m not sure what other plans we could have.¡± ¡°Leaving her in the orphanage is a no-go,¡± Adelyn muttered. ¡°She¡¯s a Vanus. And worse, a Vanus who cannot speak continental. She¡¯d get picked on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s such a pain¡­¡± Hans looked at the kid as she tried her best, her very best, just to read every passage and translate it into her own language. Quite frankly, while the kid would smile and smile at Hans¡¯ presence, at a distance, it was almost like he was just watching a terrified young girl trying to cling on whatever she thought would help her be safe. Thus¡­study, study, study. Just to not end up in an unfortunate situation. Just like Adelyn. Just like Hans. +++ ¡°Hmm¡­now what is she doing?¡± Hans found Aliz¨¦e meandering about in the library section of the church. She seemed to be trying to sneakily grab a book that she was probably not supposed to grab. It was high up, it seemed, and she was trying to balance the chair that she probably took. Hah¡­couldn¡¯t she just have asked the people here? ¡°Kiddo,¡± Hans said, mustering a smile as he approached her. The girl almost tumbled off the chair she was trying to climb, spooked by Hans'' sudden appearance. ¡°Now, now, what the hell¡¯s the bad girl doing? Around here? You could have just asked, you silly muffin.¡± Aliz¨¦e stared at Hans for a while, then, she was suddenly slightly tearing up. ¡°Me? I have been called a bad girl by Sir Hans?¡± Crap! Damage control! Damage control! She really could understand a lot of phrases now. But not enough to understand Hans¡¯ overly sarcastic lines. Naturally, Hans began fumbling to the girl to explain himself posthaste. ¡°Okay, okay, wait,¡± he pointed at her. ¡°You, yes you. Good girl. Okay? Good? Please understand me, please.¡± ¡°But you said bad, so how?¡± ¡°Okay, crap, she¡¯s really about to cry¡­wait, how do you say it¡¯s a joke in Flandrian again?¡± Hans immediately pulled out a little pocketbook in the sling bag he carried around with himself. Flipping through the translation manual for Flandrian to Lotharingian, Hans desperately tried to find something useful. Surrender or die. If you fire, we will fire back. Your emperor is a pig. Your leaders abandoned you. Raise your hands. Raise your white flag. Lower your weapons. He now started panicking further. This was all useless! And she was now nearing a full-on crying session. Goddess, he wouldn¡¯t be able to salvage his reputation with Adelyn if she found Hans near a crying Aliz¨¦e! Go home, invader. Your food is terrible. He really wanted to strangle whoever propagandist officer thought it was more important to add twelve pages of insults to Flandrian culture than something that would actually be useful! These fools must be asking for their soldiers to get shot if they ended up as POWs. Until Hans saw the pages for the actually useful phrases like greetings and stuff. Of course, they¡¯ll put the peaceful ones behind the more ¡®useful¡¯ ones. Goddamned jingoistic nationalists. ¡°Um, okay, Aliz¨¦e, it was a joke, okay?¡± The little girl stopped her little lite-crying moment, and then she laughed at Hans. ¡°Got you! You looked so scared, Sir Hans!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Hans laughed. ¡°I was just joking. Good to know you get it. Nice one kid. Now¡­¡± ¡°I tricked you!¡± ¡°Yeah, I swear, I won¡¯t do it again,¡± Hans stood up with a laugh. Oh, he de-escalated that quickly. He could at least breathe a sigh of relief. He pointed at the books she was trying to reach. ¡°Now, what up there were you trying to take?¡± ¡°That¡­that one,¡± Aliz¨¦e said, pointing at a book with a red cover. It was pretty damned thick, so that was surprising. Hans took it, trying his best to avoid having an avalanche of falling books if his hands managed to screw up the simple act of pulling a book out. When he had it, he looked at the title of it. Ah, well¡­it¡¯s in Flandrian, or¡­well, Vanus. He sighed, checking the book itself. It seemed to be about certain magical stuff. A grimoire perhaps? Gee¡­why was a ten-year-old girl searching for something like this? He didn¡¯t really fully know, but hey, he did see Aliz¨¦e play with magic. Hell, she even had something¡­which she¡­ He remembered that one. She attacked that demon with that thing, didn¡¯t she? She had some form of combat magic in her hands that she could use. But why? Why the hell would a child be taught how to fight with such a dangerous tool? Hans kneeled down to her level and showed it to her. ¡°This, really?¡± She nodded rapidly. ¡°Um¡­okay, you know, why not storybooks or something else?¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir Hans!¡± ¡°Okay¡­whatever you said, that sounded like you really wanted this,¡± Hans opened the book again and scanned its contents. He didn¡¯t understand jack. He looked back at her. ¡°You almost slipped off that chair all for this thing,¡± Hans said. ¡°A kid your age reading something this complex. Have you even unlocked skills to use¡­anything out here?¡± ¡°Um¡­please give¡­¡± Ah, well, she¡¯s already begging for it in Continental, even if it''s a bit broken. Hans smiled and handed it to her. He swore, the girl¡¯s eyes almost sparkled for a moment. Funny how that happened. ¡°Well, whatever,¡± Hans stood up. ¡°If you want to find some more party tricks there, go on. Just be careful.¡± Immediately, Aliz¨¦e skipped off from the library with the book in her hand, as if she found a new toy to play with. You know what? Hans sighed to himself. I should probably keep watch of her today. He looked up at the place where the book was from. After all, it¡¯s magic. He laughed to himself. Wouldn¡¯t want her slipping into an accident there either. 43. Harden Your Heart ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a dilemma that I¡¯m facing here. On the one hand, staying in the confines of this city feels decently secure, now that the immediate threat has been stamped down. Still, at the same time, remaining here, it feels like we¡¯re stuck in limbo. What if another threat comes down here and we¡¯re still here? I suppose all I can do is prepare for that case. Still, it sucks that there seems to be no rest for the two of us from now on. Those demons¡­I can¡¯t lose to them.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City AUG 1, 1538 CE ¡°Morning, Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn sleepily said as she passed by him, with Hans still reading his early morning books about, well, everything really. ¡°Morning.¡± Father Olbrich however arrived, and Hans could overhear the two talking on the hallways outside of the study room. Naturally, Hans sensed that it must be something important, and so he closed the book he was reading, and rose up, dragging himself straight into the hallways where Adelyn and Father Olbrich were. ¡°That girl, Captain Wittfield¡­¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°She can be taken by our orphanage instead if need be.¡± ¡°No, I was petitioning that she be under the direct care of the Countess,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Or something. You¡¯ve seen how the other kids are bullying the girl, Father.¡± ¡°And we¡¯re taking immediate action.¡± ¡°What seems to be the problem, everyone,¡± Hans said, as he stood next to Adelyn. His Captain turned to him and frowned. ¡°Bad news. The Countess isn¡¯t confident at admitting her to her household, even as a servant or something¡­¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°She said she doesn¡¯t want an unstable Vanus child near her home,¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°...See, the thing is, the Vanus aren¡¯t the most safe kind in their childhood. Not especially orphans. They¡­they have a lot of magic at their age, magic they cannot control. What more of this girl? She¡¯s not in the best state of mind since she arrived here.¡± ¡°Okay, maybe not,¡± Hans laughed. ¡°But I swear, I was joking and laughing with her, and she¡¯s already slowly understanding our language. The kid¡¯s a damned kid. Harm? She displays no sign of instability. She¡¯s fine. She¡¯s not gonna blast out spells in a tantrum.¡± ¡°Regardless, the Countess isn¡¯t taking care of her,¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°Which leaves our orphanage, or the streets.¡± Adelyn turned red. ¡°That¡¯s such a¡ª¡± Before Hans intervened. ¡°Okay, okay, maybe we can renegotiate this thing. Does the Countess need anything from us for a good deal? Actually, is there any other place where she can take shelter that''s safe and not somewhere where she¡¯d be picked on because of her race?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lieutenant. But there¡¯s no other place in this city that¡¯s any more secure than this church. Except for the Countess¡¯ estate.¡± ¡°Father¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to the two of you now how¡¯d you decide,¡± he said, not entertaining Hans¡¯ pleas. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But that¡¯s just the reality for her. Have a good morning, you two.¡± Soon, he turned around and left, leaving Hans and Adelyn to themselves. Adelyn breathed out deeply in a slightly pissed-off manner, while Hans sighed. ¡°Okay, first of all, I am absolutely not taking that girl with us. That¡¯s the epitome of unsafe,¡± Hans said. ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°Second of all,¡± Hans now frowned. ¡°Where the hell are we leaving her in?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem. I can¡¯t. I¡¯d shoot myself first before leaving her in these kinds of places. Lieutenant, you and I know how that''s going to end up long-term.¡± ¡°Exactly. This is a pain. I didn¡¯t know saving one girl could complicate everything this hard.¡± ¡°Oi, oi,¡± she suddenly turned stern. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say you now regret taking her in temporarily. A good deed isn¡¯t ever bad.¡± ¡°Well, no good deed goes unpunished, now ain¡¯t that the truth?¡± Hans said. ¡°Still, I agree, yet, but damn it. When I picked her up, I thought I¡¯d just drive her to a settlement and be done with it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite naive in that way of thinking then.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°...Should we go drive to a different city and find a better place that could take her in?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s an option, but I¡¯m still securing the patronage of the Countess.¡± ¡°Or not,¡± Hans said. ¡°I mean, she¡¯s a Vanus, so her position¡¯s already shaky as it is. The only reason she¡¯s still up there is that the Company is willing to tolerate some Vanus nobles to remain in control.¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Should we go to the Company then?¡± ¡°What, sell her as a wage slave?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Adelyn stammered. ¡°Just¡­maybe, I don¡¯t know. Is there anything we can do? The Amboise Family is nowhere to be found, and they¡¯re probably already all dead.¡± ¡°Or not,¡± Hans said. ¡°Just because the Imperium targeted them doesn¡¯t mean that some didn¡¯t slip through. Maybe we can still find some distant relatives or anything.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the long hard route. But at the same time, if we¡¯re sending her back to an Amboise, assuming we even find one, we¡¯re going to be associating her back again to a family declared enemy of the state.¡± ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s like this world stacked the bad luck on top of her,¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°Damned¡­I don¡¯t understand why her family even tried to go all in at resisting the IYC takeover. They knew that was absolutely stupid. Should have just sucked on them instead, sure, the Principality will be out of the control of House Amboise, but I doubt they¡¯d be this dead. Fools even tried to raise an army. Goddammnit¡­¡± ¡°Well, we can blame her father and mother for their fatal political maneuvering all day long, but that¡¯s not something the girl should suffer from. And again, we weren¡¯t even here when that all happened. What we can do now is figure out a way to fix her fate.¡± ¡°It¡¯s moronic anyway,¡± Hans turned even more frustrated. ¡°Back in our country, someone would have taken her in. The government, or¡­friggin something. Here the only ones doing it is a goddamned church that¡¯d probably neglect her anyway once we¡¯re out of the picture.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­that¡¯s why we can¡¯t be out of the picture.¡± ¡°This place¡­can¡¯t believe it¡¯s us Lotharingian foreigners willing to do something for a poor kid.¡± +++ Hans wasn¡¯t going to let any crap happen to that girl. Quite frankly, it had been something plaguing his mind this month, even when he was focused on the demonic threat. Sure, she was in no way related to him, and quite frankly, Hans really only planned to give her a ride to safety, but still. The girl was already someone he had long interacted with, and in a way, he knew the girl looked up to him as some sort of guardian. ¡­But Hans had watched her die multiple times under his care. But then what the hell was this place offering to her in comparison? It was almost overrun without him and Adelyn. It was the difficult part. Leaving her meant her safety would be out of his control. The safety of a child he briefly took responsibility for. But keeping her with him would mean she would eventually face the same threats he would face, and his responsibility would increase. He opened the door to one of the balconies, finally finding the little girl standing on the railings, merely watching the stars in the skies. She was hugging a stuffed toy, a bunny one, that Adelyn gave her. Quite frankly, it was a unique thing out here, where such toys didn¡¯t exist, as far as he knew. And naturally, being soft and cute, the kid liked it. Hans slowly approached her and kneeled to her level. ¡°Hey, kid,¡± Hans said. Actually, she didn¡¯t turn back to him for some reason. She simply stared off at the sky. ¡°Hey¡­hey. Are you okay?¡± ¡°No.¡± That little answer from her absolutely devastated Hans in more ways than one. He really didn¡¯t expect all of it to turn this way. He was really hoping that there would be something, somewhere in this place where he could leave her in and be safe. Nope. Just earlier, Hans could only watch as the other human kids absolutely rejected her from their quarters. Aliz¨¦e had no place here, and she knew that. Without Hans and Adelyn, she would have been functionally out in the streets. ¡°Um¡­¡± Hans struggled to say anything reassuring to her. ¡°We¡¯ll find something. I swear. Okay?¡± No answers. ¡°There will be something, Aliz¨¦e. It¡¯s just¡­taking a little extra while. Just a little bit more time, you know? But the adults are trying. We¡¯re not leaving you in the hands of bad people. I¡¯m sure of that.¡± Still no answers. ¡°You know, one thing I know about you, is that you¡¯re a good, smart girl. Okay? You study hard. You¡¯re well-behaved. You don¡¯t start trouble. That''s very nice. Don¡¯t let them say that you¡¯re ever evil just because your mom or dad wasn¡¯t a good ruler. Don¡¯t believe them when they say that you¡¯re a danger.¡± She still made no moves, preferring to simply hold the plushie Adelyn gave her tighter. Children. Damn it. They¡¯re such a difficult type of people to appease. Hans breathed out. But I have to do this. Even if she barely understands me. ¡°Your horns, it doesn¡¯t mean anything. Just like them, you¡¯re a person. And you¡¯re someone with¡­with value in this world. So, yeah.¡± Okay, screw this. If empty platitudes don¡¯t work¡­ ¡°Look, I¡¯m just saying, those kids are stupid, scrawny, morons, and they¡¯re absolute little devils for bullying you off. Or not playing with you. Or not accepting you. Yeah, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m on your side, okay? Hell, I¡¯d cheer you on if you beat ¡®em to a pulp. That¡¯s a joke. What the hell am I saying to a child? Someone should punch me.¡± The girl then finally turned to Hans, and well¡­ Crap, she really is crying. There were tears that spilled down her cheeks. It seemed that she really had been crying in this place for a while. Hans probably should have kept a closer eye on her. Leaving her this way ever since that fiasco with the excuse of ¡°giving her space¡± was probably not the brightest idea. But he couldn¡¯t speak. He really made a child cry just by fumbling so hard. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Is that true, Sir Hans?¡± This time, her words were clear, as if she practiced just that phrase endlessly. ¡°You both¡­wouldn¡¯t leave me?¡± What? Expectation. Desperation. A silent plea for hope and salvation. It was all in her red-ruby eyes. Eyes that were crying just moments ago. Did¡­did Father Strobel tell her everything already? No¡­the nuns must have. That was why¡­wasn¡¯t it? She knew. She knew what was happening. She really wasn¡¯t as blissfully ignorant as Hans wanted to believe. He knew it already. That was why she was studying so hard and making such extreme progress for a ten-year-old child in a span of a mere month. She didn¡¯t want to be abandoned. But¡­but I can¡¯t. Hans couldn¡¯t tell her anything. Not leave her? Why? That would imply that he would have to take her in with his and Adelyn¡¯s journey. That wasn¡¯t the safest option for her. But¡­at the same time. What other safe option did she have? But to take responsibility for the safety of a child long-term? Hans was no damned adult who could do it. He could barely even take care of himself. What more of her? ¡°Sir Hans?¡± This time¡­it was he who had no answer to her. What could he even do now? What solution could he even find for her? He didn¡¯t know. 44. Watch Him Try ¡°Countering the demonic threat requires great valiance. Many suppression forces had been sent in an attempt to pacify or liquidate these creatures, however, usually, these forces fail to achieve their objectives. Most simply force the beasts to merely retreat and lick their wounds, unable to press forward due to lack of morale and supplies. Others fold entirely, and rout. And in a rout, casualties run high, causing more terror for the next suppression forces that would follow. It is why demonic creatures usually receive a moniker. A demon with a moniker is one that routed those who have attempted to liquidate it. While we cannot stop the demoralizing effect of people giving these beings monikers, we must acknowledge that giving in to fear all because of a fancy name would only serve to fail an operation, for morale is of utmost need when fighting them.¡± - Excerpt from ¡°An Emergency Treatise on the Subject of ¡®Demons¡¯¡± by Daniel Specke. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City AUG 4, 1538 CE ¡°Gentlemen! Ladies!¡± The sudden presence of Captain Strobel inside the room silenced the discussions between Father Olbrich, Hans, Adelyn, and the Countess. ¡°I have, by my hand¡­a piece of paper. That¡¯s all they¡¯re sending us.¡± Hans sighed. ¡°That¡¯s it? I thought they were sending in mercenaries?¡± ¡°Well, unfortunately, the Calamity of Desire has apparently just wiped out a city up north,¡± the Captain laughed. ¡°Twenty-thousand dead, ladies and gentlemen. The IYC has now stated that¡­well, we deal with this crap coming for us, and they¡¯ll deal with the Calamity. Oh, and they¡¯re sending a few agents to see our new capabilities, but that just means they¡¯re not here to help. They¡¯re here to possibly take the two of you from our jurisdiction.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good. What about the other regiments?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°The other regiments are either busy fighting Republican guerillas¡­others¡­are fighting the other demons all around Ygeia, and¡­¡± He approached the table and stabbed one of the minor towns just up north of the County of Rousselot. It was a coastal town, up in the County of Hainaut-Halm. ¡°There, is where the so-called ¡®Tentacled Eel¡¯ last attacked,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°House Hainaut-Halm has now¡­in posthaste, ordered an evacuation of every coastal town right on the path of the beast. Count Hainaut-Halm would also most likely not challenge it, I mean, why would he?¡± Captain Strobel laughed as he looked at the Countess. ¡°It¡¯s clearly en route to your city, not his.¡± The Countess seemed devoid of any expression. She looked around the four of them, before coming into a decision. ¡°Restart the fortification of this city,¡± the Countess said. ¡°We¡¯ll determine if evacuation is needed later. All towns up north¡­yes¡­please evacuate them, however.¡± ¡°We need to form up a defense line,¡± Hans said. ¡°Up north. Triple defense lines. We¡¯ll try to engage it as it advances. If it¡¯s too strong, we¡¯ll retreat as needed.¡± Father Olbrich smiled. ¡°You¡¯re already strategizing.¡± ¡°Of course I am,¡± Hans adjusted his glasses. ¡°Do we have sappers in the 4th?¡± Captain Strobel nodded. ¡°Of course we do, Lieutenant. They¡¯re a part of our support units. What kind of a self-sustaining regiment doesn¡¯t have engineers ready to do siege works?¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯re not conducting a siege, Captain. We¡¯ll be stopping a second Siege of Rousselot. Or more accurately, we¡¯re going to be stopping its slaughter,¡± Hans said, as he pulled a red marker, and began drawing lines north of Rousselot city. ¡°Defense Line A, thirty kilometers north, will be a lightly manned outpost. I propose that we build light observation towers over here alongside a one-alarm cannon that will be fired when the beast is spotted. The line should cover six kilometers at least. ¡°Defense Line B, twenty-five kilometers north, will have prepared artillery mounted in double dug-in for an assault on any sector. It¡¯ll cover five kilometers. We¡¯ll have ten artillery pieces in total, and this is where we¡¯ll fully engage the beast for the first time. If it proves too strong, we¡¯ll retreat. ¡°Defense Line C will be similar to Defense Line B, ten kilometers from here, but it will only have the remaining cannons, and will only be a delaying line for the evacuation of the city.¡± The lines Hans drew on the map were looked at by the rest of them. He didn¡¯t just draw it willy-nilly either. He had some knowledge already of the terrain up north due to his days-long scouting operations there before they killed the Rodent of Pestilence. All of the lines took into account the terrain drawn on the map, alongside the (now abandoned) towns and villages around it. ¡°Quite the ambitious plan, Lieutenant,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°We¡¯ll need at least five thousand laborers to support our sappers in this. We should be able to finish it within ten days.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be paying for that,¡± the Countess declared. ¡°Ten days? What if the beast is too fast?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t do anything about that,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°But I see the merits in this. A fortified line means it cannot simply charge in. We¡¯ll erect elevated trenches covered with palisades and dug-in artillery. I¡¯d like to see a demonic eel charge through that and musket fire.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Hans looked at Captain Strobel. ¡°Sir, have you perhaps participated in a siege?¡± The Captain laughed. ¡°Oh, of course I did. Before I was deployed here, I fought during the invasion of the Republic. If there¡¯s anything I can give the Vanus people credit for, I¡¯d say it¡¯s their forts. I rarely see such beautifully constructed bastion forts in the Imperial core. Shame¡­their field armies evaporate quickly and those walls mean nothing when the supply runs out.¡± ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to hear my dead nation¡¯s former enemy mock me on my land,¡± the Countess said. ¡°Can we please proceed in planning the defense further? And Captain¡­you¡¯re pushing my buttons too much at this point. I am not pleased.¡± ¡°Apologies, Milady.¡± I still don¡¯t get how this guy managed to be still under her. Hans thought. Then again, he¡¯s the only half-competent officer she has to lead her defense forces. It is what it is, I guess. Then again, they¡¯re an Imperial Regiment. If anything, his job here is to control her. ¡°Then just do your jobs, gentlemen,¡± the Countess turned around and went to the windows, looking at the distant harbor of the city. ¡°This city never fell to the Imperium¡¯s armies by force.¡± She looked back. ¡°I¡¯m not letting it fall to a mindless beast.¡± +++ ¡°They sent something,¡± Captain Strobel said. The two of them were walking down the city¡¯s streets straight to the harbor when they received the big news. ¡°Eight frigates. Under the 14th Imperial Naval Squadron. I think they have troops in that too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a damned good news, we need more men after all.¡± ¡°Yeah, but that might be the last good news we¡¯ll have.¡± Soon, they were at the harbor. In the distance, Hans could see four wooden sail ships with some artillery on their sides docking at the port. The ships flew the flag of the Imperium¡ªa simple saw-toothed blue saltire on a white field. Said to both represent the blue cross of the Goddess of Modesty, the patron goddess of the Imperial Family, and the distant Principality of Armonia, which was widely considered as the Imperial Core. Funnily enough, being considered as a quasi-free county, Hans rarely saw that flag in Rousselot. In fact, the usual flags he would see on Rousselot was the flag of either the Imperial Ygeia Company (the vertical black-white-red tricolor of the Principality of Ygeia with the words KYK on the middle¡ªmeaning Kaiserliche Ygeia-Kompanie) or the black-white-red tricolor of Ygeia itself. ¡°Are we keeping the ports open then?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Course we,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°We¡¯re receiving a lot of refugees from ships up north. Folks are fleeing the demonic threat. Can¡¯t really deny them protection.¡± ¡°But Rousselot is in danger.¡± ¡°All the more reason to keep it open, just like our gates. We need to be able to evacuate people off here fast when need be. Plus, it¡¯s not just us that needs to evacuate. Again, people are still using this city as a stopping point to flee down south.¡± ¡°I understand that,¡± Hans said. ¡°But¡­really, why are we even waiting whether or not we should evacuate or not.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of a nation you come from where evacuating a city can happen that fast. But this city is people¡¯s lives, Lieutenant. Once they leave this place, who knows where the hell they will find their livelihoods afterward? Or if there¡¯s even any place that would accept them. Gods¡­the south, the east, all of it, are under threat of the demons.¡± The two watched as men finally disembarked from the frigates, as two more arrived from the seas. ¡°Quite frankly, we¡¯re still hoping that it turns around, and it doesn¡¯t attack us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not on my strike distance,¡± Hans said. ¡°I want to go in and recon it, but my fuel¡¯s running low.¡± ¡°That''s why you want a defensive approach, no?¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°Better fight in a terrain you know so you move less.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Hans said. ¡°I¡¯m almost down to just two-thirds of my original full tank, or well, fuel. Realistically, I cannot go down any further. Fighting requires movement. Movement costs fuel. Without it, I can¡¯t kill demons.¡± ¡°Well, lucky we can try the defensive approach,¡± Captain Strobel said. He turned to Hans. ¡°You know, that thing can still bypass it though.¡± ¡°Not if it doesn¡¯t know what it¡¯s going into,¡± Hans said. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to bait it again into our defenses. Worked on the last one, might work this time. If it¡¯s hungry to slaughter people down here, it¡¯d rush through the shortest route, which would mean it will charge straight south.¡± ¡°Assuming it¡¯s that mindless,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°Now, enough about ruminating our defenses, we already have decided the course of action on that. No, Lieutenant, what about you? And that kid that¡¯s tagging along with you? Heard that the Countess rejected taking her in her household. Honestly, I don¡¯t understand why you expected her not to do that. The Vanus are ruthless people, even to their race. Cutthroat bastards that they are.¡± ¡°Come on, now,¡± Hans said. ¡°I¡¯m sure she has her reasons. Plus, we just asked. She has a right to say no, even I can understand that. Not that I don¡¯t feel a bit angry at everyone just¡­pushing the girl away.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re a part of that, Lieutenant,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°You saved her, no?¡± ¡°Yeah? Doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m supposed to take care of her,¡± Hans laughed. ¡°Look, we¡¯re planning to specialize in hunting demons to make our living. We¡¯d be glorified mercenaries. Dragging a kid along would just endanger her.¡± ¡°You say that as if leaving her in this city would keep her safe. Now, I¡¯m still skeptical of that kid too, so, for all I know, she could be a danger to you even¡ª¡± ¡°Come on, why the hell are you all acting as if she can be of any danger,¡± Hans frowned. ¡°It¡¯s a damned kid. Do you all think if you gave her sweets she¡¯d just bloodsuck the crap out of you with her sharp canines?¡± ¡°Well, you never know, she¡¯s a Vanus.¡± ¡°Well, so what?¡± Hans asked. ¡°I¡¯m a Vanus. You seem to be working with me just fine.¡± ¡°Again, you seem, and you appear human. You¡¯re most likely half-human anyway. Not that I¡¯d ask. Plus, it¡¯s not about their blood itself. It¡¯s their damned culture and tradition. You and Adelyn obviously grew up in a more human one.¡± ¡°...The only damned Vanus I¡¯ve seen is the Countess, and I don¡¯t even know yet what¡¯s wrong with her.¡± ¡°They¡¯re arrogant¡ª¡± ¡°And they¡¯re greedy and bloodthirsty, and all they care about is their General Tier, and their magic, or whatever,¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°Look, I¡¯ve heard enough. Aliz¨¦e is none of that. She¡¯s just an innocent kid who needs a home to, I don¡¯t know, grow into a good person. She just got hit by bad luck. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°You know¡­that¡¯s why I asked you. It¡¯s obvious that no one wants to take that Amboise girl. Quite frankly, you should be very happy that we¡¯re even willing to hide an Amboise in this city. But you two, you¡¯re the only ones who give a crap about her.¡± Captain Strobel straightened himself. ¡°I¡¯d be going into the barracks. The decision is up to you in the end anyway, Lieutenant.¡± 45. Watch Him Defend ¡°I would never bend for some corporate thuggery.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City AUG 5, 1538 CE ¡°Well, crap, here they come.¡± Captain Strobel¡¯s words were cut short as two officers arrived in the room. Both of them seemed well-dressed, with the signature black tabards of the elite Imperial Musketeer Guards. And they certainly looked like they meant business when they entered. Both Adelyn and Hans straightened themselves, as the two Imperials took their flashy headgear and bowed with it. ¡°Ladies, Gentlemen,¡± the lead one introduced with a smile. ¡°I am Captain Jonas Weibel. This fellow here is Lieutenant Malte Preisner.¡± The second man smiled too. ¡°Aye. Greetings everyone.¡± ¡°We¡¯re sent here by the Company,¡± he looked at Hans. ¡°Fine uniform you have there, Sir.¡± ¡°The Company?¡± Hans looked at Captain Strobel. ¡°I thought they¡¯re Imperial Musketeer Guards.¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Captain Weibel laughed. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? The Imperium is possibly bankrupt and is downsizing. The Company is not, and they¡¯re searching for more employees. Thus, here we are.¡± ¡°You two got dismissed too?¡± Captain Strobel asked. ¡°Well, they couldn¡¯t even be bothered to give the dismissal officially. They just stopped paying us.¡± ¡°Guess we really are all the same out here in Ygeia.¡± The two musketeers laughed. ¡°Ain¡¯t that right? Glory to the Empress! Who doesn¡¯t pay her soldiers!¡± The mirth in the face of Captain Weibel disappeared as he walked forward. ¡°Anyhow, you two. The Company needs you. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here, to appraise our new¡­erm, recruits.¡± Hans frowned. ¡°Sir, I apologize but¡­¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t consented to anything yet,¡± Adelyn finished as she crossed her arms. ¡°Is this how it is? The Company can now just waltz in and ask us to be under your payroll. Apologies, but for now, we have an obligation with the lord of Rousselot and her citizens.¡± ¡°That may be so,¡± the musketeer calmly took a seat. ¡°But, the two of you, I¡¯ve heard you two can take down a demon with just a few shots. I¡¯m sure the Countess has rewarded you well financially for that, but lady and knight, the Company can reward you more.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not really looking for great financial compensation,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Our goal is to eliminate what we can eliminate and do what we can to help. Nothing more, nothing less.¡± ¡°Well, the more money you have, the better you¡¯d be at killing them,¡± the man said. ¡°What? Does the word ¡®mercenary¡¯ taint your pure vision of yourself?¡± ¡°So you sold your soul to the Company?¡± Asked Adelyn. ¡°You could say that,¡± the musketeer replied calmly. ¡°You could do the same. So what if the big wigs on the top are some greedy fat cats who have practically turned this Principality into their little enterprise, eh? At least they pay well. And our bosses want the two of you under us, doing the deed that must be done.¡± ¡°Spit it out,¡± Hans said. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Kill the Calamity of Desire,¡± he said with hollowness. ¡°And end its disruption on the business of the Imperial Ygeia Company in this Principality. We¡¯re offering you a deal of a lifetime. The initial offer is a hundred thousand Imperial Marks. The current bounty on the Calamity of Desire.¡± ¡°...Two hundred thousand Imperial Marks?¡± Hans asked again, and Captain Weibel¡¯s smirk grew. ¡°Oh, I see that your partner is being tempted here, Miss Angel,¡± the man said. ¡°Come on, are you playing that Virtus type of act again? ¡®Oh, I¡¯m above earthly needs such as gold¡¯, please, get off your high horse. The Principality needs to stop that creature, or people will die. And you two killed the Rodent of Pestilence using a machine none in this continent can use.¡± ¡°How the hell do you even know so much?¡± Adelyn worriedly asked. ¡°Come on. Every kill of a demon is widely publicized in Principalities that declared them as an existential threat,¡± Captain Weibel explained. ¡°The report from Captain Strobel over here has already been copied hundreds or even thousands of times and distributed to all military formations in the Principality or in the continent. If it¡¯s about a demon, words spread fast, missy.¡± ¡°To be fair, it wasn¡¯t like you were hiding it either, Captain,¡± Hans added to her. ¡°Yeah, yeah, still, it¡¯s kinda disconcerting how they waltz in here with like some loan shark or a predatory salesman.¡± ¡°I apologize, but we¡¯re not asking, Miss Angel,¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°Word of warning, we¡¯re being very nice at asking you this, because we see the need to be nice to our potential assets. The threat that the Calamity of Desire has presented to the Principality and the IYC means that we have the right to take any means necessary to take it down.¡± ¡°Yeah, and what if we deny your proposition?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that the Principality won¡¯t be a very welcoming place to you,¡± the man said, before turning to Hans. ¡°And don¡¯t be such a squeamish man, Sir Foreign Knight. That girl you saved¡­you can thank the IYC¡¯s kindness for canceling the Imperial Government¡¯s order of hunting down every noble who tried to rebel last year. Still¡­that doesn¡¯t mean she won¡¯t be caught in the crossfire if we get¡­shall we say, displeased.¡± He slipped in a bunch of papers¡ªcontracts, Hans could see, on the table, all tied together. Adelyn quickly took it and began reading it, as the musketeer leaned back on his chair. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°We¡¯ll give you the two of you, two weeks,¡± he raised two fingers on his hand. ¡°Two. Enough time to decide, and perhaps enough time to help in the defense of Rousselot if need be. We¡¯ll be staying here too, if you two need some advice or counsel. In the meantime, think it through well.¡± He stood up and looked at his companion. ¡°Right, let¡¯s go have a drink at the local tavern Malte, this entire thing stuffed me.¡± ¡°Aye, sir,¡± his subordinate said, as he followed him off the door. ¡°Have a good day, ¡®Golden Angel¡¯ and ¡®Grey Knight¡¯, have a good-arsed day.¡± What the hell did I do to earn that damned nickname? They were really in some trouble now. +++ Rousselot City AUG 8, 1538 CE He was just supposed to drink a bit an hour after the meeting while watching the men drill on the barrack¡¯s courtyard. Unfortunately, his brief time to ruminate was cut short by distant sounds of automatic gunfire¡ªthen musket fire. ¡°Get the hell out of the way!¡± Hans rushed outside of the barracks as musketeers of all kinds from the city¡¯s garrison ran through the streets minutes later after he retrieved his gun from the meeting room. Captain Strobel, alongside the two IYC mercenaries, was already gone by the time he reached the meeting room and exited the barracks, which meant¡ªhe was sorely late on the action. Outside, cuirassiers and men on horseback also dashed through the streets, shouting orders to the soldiers advancing forward. Hans wasn¡¯t really in his full Kevlar gear, but when he left the church, he had already taken his Ruger ZO8 and SMG. While he knew it would be foolish to fight on the streets considering that he was no well-trained infantryman, and his SMG was really just for self-defense for the most part, Hans needed to find Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e quickly. It¡¯s impossible. Hans ran as he followed a squad of musketeers. It¡¯s impossible. ¡°Officer!¡± Hans shouted at one of them. ¡°What the hell¡¯s happening?!¡± One of the musketeers turned around. ¡°Sire! There¡¯s someone attacking the Countess¡¯ estate. We¡¯ve been called to reinforce the area!¡± Civilians of all kinds were already flooding the streets, shouting ¡°Demon!¡± and ¡°Run!¡± from the top of their lungs. Hans gritted his teeth, following the soldiers rushing toward the Countess¡¯ estate. It was near the center of the city. Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e went there early in the morning to petition again, and, well, Hans on the other hand met with Captain Strobel on organizing the defense lines, as he always did, for that was his task. Thus he was badly separated from them. However, it simply was impossible! How the hell could a demon even enter the city when it hadn¡¯t even reached the frontlines they set up north yet? Did it sneak through? But there had been nothing that attacked the walls! Hans heard the loud cracks of gunpowder in the distance, as he continued rushing through the streets. Soon, he stopped, seeing a line of musketeers and pikemen forming up a barricade on one of the lanes. They all prepared their weapons, as an officer shouted, ¡°Fire with your skills!¡± The lane was immediately obscured by gunpowder smoke, preventing Hans from seeing what was up ahead. He rushed to the side of one of the buildings and kept himself in cover as he watched the men battle just ahead of him. The musketeers hid behind the few pikemen that shakingly kept their pikes aimed ahead, all while they reloaded their guns. It was slow. Very slow. And as the smoke dissipated¡ªHans saw it. It wasn¡¯t an eel. No¡­what he could see was a man covered in a tattered black cloak. But his head was gone. Instead, it was almost as if he had a dozen tentacles on top of him. The man marched forward, slowly, as the soldiers began shouting for him to stand down, to no avail. ¡°Crap! Everyone! Retreat!¡± The shout from the officer immediately collapsed the entire formation, as he ran, and his soldiers followed behind in a panicked rout, almost throwing their pikes and guns in the process. Goddess, please give me strength. How could they have been attacked by this thing? He aimed his gun at the creature, and due to the fact that the soldiers were still retreating in front of him, Hans took very careful shots. A burst, and another, and another. It was ineffective. Damn it! He was now about to follow the running soldiers. He definitely needed to retreat. Suddenly, however, someone dropped in front of the creature. The Countess. Almost as if she flew right in. She pulled out something from her hip, hidden underneath her coat. It was a saber¡ªand it quickly glowed fire-red. Hans immediately rushed forward to support her. ¡°Countess Fresnel¡ª¡± ¡°Stand back, Lieutenant,¡± she said. ¡°Go find your Captain and that kid. I¡¯ll deal with this man.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Her face turned to face him. ¡°But what?! I told the two of you time and time again. This place isn¡¯t safe. Not for us. Not for her. You two should not have kept pestering me and just left.¡± The creature stopped. ¡°That thing¡­he did something to the girl,¡± the Countess said, a little calmer this time. ¡°She and Adelyn are in the estate. If you still have any balls between your legs, you better move now and help those two. I¡¯ll hold this off.¡± ¡°Julie! You¡¯re a traitor to the cause!¡± Hans almost flinched back as the thing shouted. ¡°But you can still join me! Join us! We have already found the perfect replacement for our daughter! We can still rebuild our family. And destroy those invaders at last!¡± Hans slowly backed off, not really understanding the Vanus language being used by the creature. ¡°You¡¯re not him anymore,¡± the Countess growled. ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a false corpse that succumbed to your desire for revenge.¡± What the hell even is happening? Was the two related in some way? Were the two mortal enemies? Who the hell was that man that he was now attempting to converse with the Countess? One of its tentacles struck forward¡ªbut a sudden fiery slice dropped it, chopping it off on the floor. More followed¡ªand the Countess sliced it off with ease, barely even touching her, and leaving a grizzly mess of dissolving tentacles on the road. But the creature¡¯s tentacles began growing back again, almost just as rapidly. ¡°Jacques¡­I¡¯ll give you rest soon enough¡­¡± The Countess charged forward, as Hans cowered and ran away onto the direction of the estate. He didn¡¯t need to see whatever the hell was about to happen there, with just the powerful sounds of their battle the only thing he could hear. Down on the streets, Hans saw lines of dead soldiers and civilians, dozens upon dozens¡ªall of them extremely wet. They all seemed to have been hit by a powerful pulse of water. Hans kneeled to check one of the dead musketeers. His torso was blown open bloodily, and he was completely wet with water. In fact, he looked back, as a fiery blast detonated on the battlefield behind him. The Countess dropped on the rubble of a collapsed building, her coat now gone¡ªand her white shirt now soiled with subtle cuts that oozed blood. A barrage of glowing water orbs slammed into four fiery runic circles that appeared when the Countess aimed her sword in the direction of the creature¡ªnow in its true form, a bluish eel eight meters in height as it towered on them, and with its head replaced by tentacles. ¡°I said run!¡± the Countess ordered with her last breath. ¡°Go now!¡± Hans immediately complied, even if he still had no idea where he should go first. To his Wanderfalke. Or to the Countess¡¯ estate. 46. Watch Him Bleed ¡°All demons, to date, have all appeared to present a different body structure, abilities, capabilities, and threats to mankind¡¯s forces. While the use of steel and gunpowder against these creatures have proven as the best weapons for most demons encountered, the so-called ¡®Calamities¡¯, demons theorized to be responsible for expanding their numbers¡ªnone have been killed by conventional weaponry.¡± - Excerpt from ¡°An Emergency Treatise on the Subject of ¡®Demons¡¯¡± by Daniel Specke. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City Right in front Hans¡­ It was a pure nightmare. The streets were almost half-frozen. There was rubble everywhere. And he could swear the blood of hundreds of bodies were laden on the streets. The Countess¡¯ estate, the center of Rousselot City itself¡ªwas now half destroyed. Down on the wider streets leading to it, there were just not even a hundred musketeers left. All of them, standing on the hasty barricades and defensive structures they erected with carriages, barrels, or even the rubble from the destroyed buildings all around them¡ªeven two artillery pieces¡ªtheir guns and pikes, all of it, were aimed at a singular person standing in front of the entrance of the Countess¡¯ estate. Silver hair, two black horns, a red eye that glowed, and most terrifying to Hans, six sharpened appendages from her back. Had¡­she¡­? Misery of the mind. Misery of the mind, Hans remembered. Misery of the mind. The girl. Aliz¨¦e, the singular girl that this city merely tolerated, but never accepted. The girl without anything left, and fearing abandonment. Was this where it all led into? Hans¡­did he perhaps fail her? All because he focused more on the defense of the city than protecting her? Then reassuring her that everything would be alright? She was a child. Her mind was weak. And to put her into this type of torment. When Hans was one of the few that she could trust in her time of crisis¡­ He was gone¡ªworking instead on organizing fortifications that turned out useless. This is my damned fault. Again! ¡°I knew it!¡± Right on the front-most section of the battlefield, in front of the cowering musketeers who couldn¡¯t even fire their guns, were five persons facing her directly, all of them cautiously retreating as they kept their weapons trained on her. Captain Strobel was backing ever so slightly, hatred clear on his face, his two wheellock pistols aimed squarely at Aliz¨¦e¡¯s demonic form. Captain Wittenstein, just behind, was clutching a bloody hole in her torso, her bloodied hand holding her pistol, as one of the IYC mercenaries, Lieutenant Preisner tried to keep her standing as he tried to pull her back into cover, to no avail as Adelyn denied it. Then Captain Weibel, his saber, which had a light blue glint from it, most likely magical in nature, was aimed squarely at the girl as five slowly backed down. And finally, Father Olbrich, now holding a staff of sorts, aimed it directly at Aliz¨¦e. ¡°I damned knew it!¡± Captain Strobel shouted. ¡°That girl. I knew she was gonna turn into one of them!¡± ¡°Would you please shut up!¡± Adelyn countered. ¡°That monster clearly used that crystal on her! That monster corrupted her! It¡¯s not her fault!¡± ¡°Well¡­shite, I¡¯ve never been face-to-face with a human-like demon before,¡± Captain Weibel tried to muster up a cocky smile. ¡°I must say, she certainly has the spooks in her looks.¡± ¡°Damn it all! Am I supposed to fire lethal magic on a child?!¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°This is disgusting!¡± ¡°Is this my fate?!¡± Aliz¨¦e shouted as despair oozed from her eyes. ¡°To be abandoned?! By you all?! What? What did I do to deserve all of this?!¡± ¡°She¡¯s talking crazy,¡± Captain Stobel said. ¡°That thing¡¯s talking crazy! Men of the 4th! Fuckin¡­why are none of you all opening fire?! Open fire damn it! Anyone who retreats will have their blood on my saber!¡± ¡°Cease fucking fire all you muppets!¡± Hans advanced forward, and the five turned to him. SMG raised, he passed through the lines of soldiers that kept watch, many of whom began deserting their positions as he moved forward. Even the crew of the cannon promptly ran away as Hans passed by them. ¡°I¡¯ll put a goddamned bullet on anyone who harms her!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see?!¡± Captain Strobel shouted. ¡°That damned girl you dragged here turned into one of them. She¡¯s gone, Lieutenant Hoffman! You can¡¯t bring her back. Damned Vanus, it¡¯s them. It¡¯s really them turning into demons!¡± Hans didn¡¯t give the clearly panicking officer any heed, as he advanced straight to Adelyn. She eyed him with the most apologetic look in her eye. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Adelyn said. ¡°I¡­I couldn¡¯t just tell her that we¡¯ll take her in. You said it yourself. She¡¯d be in danger. Then¡­then that monster. It attacked the estate, took her hostage, and then¡­¡± ¡°Then what?¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°Some sort of black crystal,¡± Adelyn started turning hysterical. ¡°Then¡­then she started attacking everything, while the Countess chased the other demon. I can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Sir,¡± the man holding her, Lieutenant Preisner, spoke up. ¡°She¡¯s badly injured. The girl attacked her with some sort of ice magic when she tried talking to her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m sure it didn¡¯t hit anything critical¡ª¡± ¡°No you¡¯re not,¡± Hans nodded. ¡°Drag her out of here now, and get some of those priests or whatever to heal her. Off you go, Captain.¡± ¡°I still need to talk¡ª¡± Her voice became more and more silent as the IYC mercenary dragged her off to the backlines. Hans sighed and stood as confidently as he could. Aliz¨¦e seemed to be emitting some sort of cold wind around her, and Hans could feel the temperatures drop rapidly to sub-zero as he advanced. It was cold. Oh so cold. But he lowered his SMG, as she stared at him. Raising his hands, he attempted to talk to her. ¡°Aliz¨¦e,¡± Hans said. ¡°Please calm down. I know it¡¯s all awful right now. I know there have been a lot of mistakes that have happened around you. I really am sorry for all of it. I am. I¡¯m sure Adelyn is too.¡± ¡°Stand back,¡± she replied, but Hans didn¡¯t understand it. ¡°Stand back if you don¡¯t intend to die!¡± ¡°Look, just calm down,¡± Hans continued trying. ¡°There is always another way, Aliz¨¦e. We¡¯re going to put down that monster, it won¡¯t touch you again.¡± ¡°I said stand back!¡± She looked like she was crying, as she raised her hand in Hans¡¯ direction. It started glowing a terrifying blue. ¡°You¡¯re going to abandon me. So don¡¯t you dare talk to me like that!¡± ¡°Lieutenant Hoffman!¡± Captain Weibel shouted from behind. ¡°She¡¯s going to freeze everything! We have to retreat now!¡± ¡°Go retreat your asses if you want to!¡± Hans shouted at them. ¡°She¡¯s unstable,¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°That crystal. Whatever it is, it seems to have intensified her emotions greatly. Now she¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Spit it out, Father.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been studying how demons work since we learned that it was Grannus Courbet who turned into that creature¡­and¡­I think they¡¯re purposely corrupting individuals with high potential for magic when they¡¯re in their lowest emotional state into whatever that thing is.¡± ¡°Great, so we¡¯re really dealing with people gone crazy and turned into monsters?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°Then why is she holding her position instead of going into a full-on blood-lusted rampage?¡± ¡°...She¡¯s probably not yet fully corrupted.¡± Damn it. Hans looked at her. Then around them. It was clear that she already killed a lot of people, and she probably must have been responsible for some of the destruction around them, and she already harmed Adelyn, but right now, she was seemingly holding off from blasting Hans to smithereens. Hans absolutely would not strike her down in this condition. Absolutely not. If anything¡­he¡¯d rather die and do this all again than live in a world where he killed a child that relied on him. He stepped forward. Maybe he could still pull her out of it. Slap some sense to her. Make her realize that there was still good in the world. ¡°Aliz¨¦e,¡± Hans said. ¡°I know you don¡¯t understand me¡­well, maybe you do, very little. But I want to tell you now. It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s alright. There are still solutions in the works. We¡¯re thinking hard about it, and all¡­¡± ¡°Thinking hard about abandoning me in this city?!¡± ¡°Just¡­look,¡± Hans continued forward, but a sudden spike of ice slammed just above his ear, slamming straight into one of the buildings and freezing its upper structure. Hans stood still¡­that was powerful. Certainly way too powerful judging by the distant sounds of panic from the troops that still had the balls to remain and confront this new demon. But¡­ He smiled at her. ¡°Aliz¨¦e¡­¡± Hans breathed in. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°There¡¯s still hope, okay?¡± Hans said. ¡°Come back to us. I said it back there, and I¡¯ll say it again. You¡¯re a good girl. Just in a bad situation and all. Hell, I doubt you¡¯d end up like this without that damned creature scrambling your brains or whatever. You¡¯d just¡­go back to your room, and probably cry silently to yourself.¡± Hans laughed to himself. ¡°And you probably did that a lot already, I just¡­never noticed. I¡¯m kinda stupid that way. But this time, I¡¯m sure that if you need to cry, hey, you have someone who can listen, even if I can understand jack about you.¡± Hans raised his hand to her, almost as if gesturing for her to take it. ¡°We won¡¯t abandon you. And as I¡¯ve said when I rescued you that dark night¡­everything will be alright.¡± Aliz¨¦e stared at Hans¡¯ hand silently, almost debating whether or not she should take it. Slowly¡­more tears appeared on his cheeks. She couldn¡¯t even hold her hand up, as the glow, both in her eye and her hand slowly dimmed. Hans held his position, just slowly waiting. She was getting back to her senses. Hell, he could notice the traces of corruption, those appendages starting to wither. Come on, kid. Just a little bit more. ¡°Sir Hans¡­I¡­¡± she cried out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ª¡± ¡°Open fire on her! It¡¯s our last chance!¡± A shout emanated from behind. Hans immediately dropped flat on the stone road as the powerful cracks of musketry opened fire all around him after Captain Strobel¡¯s orders. He looked at her, as dozens of musket balls sped up by magic slammed straight into her small body. Aliz¨¦e stood, blood oozing from the many holes in her. Then¡­she laughed hysterically. ¡°Liars! All you adults always lie! Lie! Lie! Lie! Endless lies!¡± Great¡­thanks, Captain Strobel, for ruining it. Guess I¡¯m dead again then. The demonic corruption present in her body intensified, as she raised her hand forward. The appendages that were supposed to be withering, zoomed out of her and brutally stabbed six random musketeers in various areas. As her hand glowed an even stronger blue, the rest of the remaining soldiers retreated in a complete, panicked rout. Even Captain Strobel returned to his horse and dashed the hell out of the area, before being killed brutally by one of the tentacles from the eel that finally arrived on their rear, slaughtering most of the running soldiers. Captain Weibel, seeing doom, finally lowered his saber and began patting his uniform and fixing his hat in its proper place to ensure that he would die in a well-fashioned manner. The IYC mercenary sighed. ¡°Guess I won¡¯t see my next pay then. Quite a disappointing development. Ah¡­at least I¡¯d look well-dressed when frozen. Hmm¡­is this a good pose?¡± All while Father Olbrich gave up, collapsed on his knees, and muttered prayers. And Hans¡­simply stood back up, and mustered her the last smile that he could. What a useful bunch of fortifications he worked on¡­only for all of it to be useless. Still¡­he could probably count on doing it all again. Hopefully¡­in a better manner next time. For her. And for his survival. ¡°I¡¯ll still fix this all¡ª¡± ¡°Freeze.¡± In just moments, the temperature around Rousselot City dropped to nearly absolute zero. Everything, the walls, the artillery, the buildings, the still fleeing civilians, the routing soldiers, the Countess who was still trying to beat the Tentacled Eel, the Tentacled Eel itself, even Adelyn who still tried limping back to Aliz¨¦e and Hans¡­ And Hans himself, holding his last smile to reassure her¡­was frozen. Hans¡¯ eyes watched her one last time in his dying moments, as she lowered her hand, and crumpled to cry by herself in the frozen wasteland she created. All alone. 47. You May Not Know ¡°Allied forces¡ªoverrun. Bullets¡ªlow. Hostiles¡ªmany. May Aldorf be remembered.¡± - Last Confederate Army broadcasts from Aldorf before bridge detonation. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City AUG 1, 1538 CE ¡°You both¡­wouldn¡¯t leave me?¡± Hans felt himself frozen, as he stared back right at her. Instead of red eyes glowing in both hate and despair¡­it was now replaced by the crying eyes of an innocent child. He¡­ He really died again. And not just to anyone. But to the same child right in front of him. Hans felt his throat go dry, as he stared at her without any words. It was that same night. When she asked him that question, he left the balcony without any answers. For what could Hans tell her? How could he promise that he would never leave her? That was a promise too massive, and too likely to be broken, that it would be a massive lie to tell her that. He was a soldier. So was Adelyn. They weren¡¯t meant to stay with a child who was supposed to remain at home and grow into a person. Really, they were just her temporary caretakers trying to find a new home for her. After all, he¡­he wouldn¡¯t have the means to give her a proper home, now didn¡¯t he? ¡°Sir Hans?¡± ¡°Aliz¨¦e¡­you see¡­¡± Hans didn¡¯t, again, he couldn¡¯t give her a direct answer. He continued thinking about it, but there wasn¡¯t any. Truth was, there was no answer. They were still searching for it. Anything he would tell her would be subject to change. And he didn¡¯t like that one bit. ¡°Look, we¡¯re still¡­¡± She looked down. ¡°I understand¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed.¡± Just then, Aliz¨¦e passed by Hans, who still knelt, and left. Hans stood up and sighed to himself. He probably blundered again. Damn it, he blundered way too many times in the defense of the city. He had to fight two demons (not that he intended to fight the second one) in the worst possible tool set. What was he even planning to do with his peashooter anyway? ¡°Damn it¡­¡± He ran his hands on his face. He could still feel that painful, stabbing cold. Quite frankly, he could barely remember anything except for her last words, the painful freezing pain, and the last hazy vision he had of her falling to her knees and crying. ¡°How the hell did that thing even get in?¡± Hans asked. ¡°How? We were preparing defenses up north¡­¡± More than that, it wasn¡¯t in its monstrous form when it arrived. It even wore a cloak of some sort. This was¡­this was beyond bad. That creature must have been an intelligent variant of a demon. Or perhaps, it was more in control with its rampage. He didn¡¯t know. He needed to recce this entire situation. But the problem¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t just use my Wanderfalke in this city,¡± Hans realized. ¡°And all I have is small arms if it ever gets in.¡± Or he could adequately prepare and have his Wanderfalke ready inside for a quick interception if it arrived. But that required planning of the timetable and about its nature. It must have sneaked its way in. That was all Hans knew. They were letting in so many refugees for days before the attack. His eyes almost bulged out in fear. Every day. Hans realized. Every day could be a potential time of attack. Shakingly, he looked at his gloved hands. If it sneaked in, there was no way that he would know where it was, nor would he know when it entered. For all he knew, it was already inside on this day. For all he knew, it was already watching every step and move he was taking. ¡°I have no proper magic on myself,¡± Hans knew that problem. ¡°I took the progress of lies skill instead of anything proper.¡± Hans banged his fist on the banister. How would he even counter it in a densely populated city? In an environment without his Wanderfalke? Hans was no man-to-man fighter, he was a pilot, damn it. The last thing expected about him was fighting an enemy in a CQC situation with his own gun. Hell, their defense weapons, his SMG, or in Adelyn¡¯s case, her rifle, was only supposed to be used in utter emergency. It was only used when their mechs were downed, and they had to defend themselves while awaiting rescue. The Countess. Hans thought. Maybe they could? Or them. Those IYC mercs. Or Captain Strobel. Or Father Olbrich. Unfortunately, it was clear to Hans that only the powerful lord of the city, the singular Vanus here aside from him and Aliz¨¦e, was capable of fighting demons with her magic and sword. Think, damn it! Hans shouted to his mind. Think! What were his priorities? His goals? His methods? This was probably why those demons were devastating everything they touched, Hans thought. If he and Adelyn, two modern soldiers, could barely even contain it without perfect planning, preparations, and stratagems, then what hope did the scattered, underfunded, unpaid, and barely surviving troops of the Imperial Army do? Maybe the IYC could do something good. Maybe the Imperial Mage Corps had a chance (it seemed that they could kill it when they wanted to), but there was not a single one of them in this city. Not one. Absolute bastards. Hans tried to contain his fury. They should have been here. Not there. What the hell are they even doing?! Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Countess Fresnel managed to not just fight, but hold it off. That¡­that was the power of the Vanus, Hans finally realized. They had something material. Something worth the thousands of soldiers of this city that barely even stood a chance against Aliz¨¦e and the ¡°Tentacled Eel¡±. That was of course, quite useless if the Vanus and Virtus races were really as rare as they said. And of course, it was only good news if Captain Strobel was wrong about their arrogance and uselessness. ¡°Useless elites, useless people in power, useless people with power, maybe except the Countess, and¡­¡± Hans looked in the distance. ¡°What the heck am I fighting for?¡± ¡­What indeed? ¡°It¡¯s okay, little one. It¡¯ll be alright.¡± Those words¡­ The same thing he told her when he picked her up from that burned-down convoy of carriages. I guess I¡¯m still fighting for something though. But Hans sighed. Still¡­what a pain in the arse. All of this could probably have been avoided if someone on top just had another functioning brain cell. I wonder what the Empress of this world is up to. He looked at the stars. For but a moment, Hans really wanted to at least have his platoon back. His last platoon wasn¡¯t perfect, sure, but through all the screw-ups of High Command, he and 1st Platoon, and to a lesser extent, E Company, had always been in good control of the battlefield. It was how he turned into a full-fledged ace after all. He always had buddies right behind him supporting him in all of his fights. Now it was just him and Adelyn. And while Adelyn was a good pilot¡­she was no member of the crack group that was 1st Platoon. If only they were here, would they perhaps manage to fix all these screw-ups? In a way, Hans wanted the old crew at times to back him up. If this place was a circus, those clowns would fit right in to at least make this entire thing bearable. Not that he would want to drag them all in this fate of his. It was cold. Really damned cold. I need some goddamned sleep. He supposed, for now, he¡¯d figure it all out alone. After all¡­no one but him knew what would happen in the future. No one but him. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Confederation of Lotharingia Southern Front ¡°I¡¯m just saying, el-tee,¡± Hedwig was once again rambling over the comms. ¡°My theory is absolutely true. It¡¯s why they¡¯re invading us. If only these morons had some better ladies they would have been more happy. And a happy Flandrian is a Flandrian who won¡¯t invade us. Imagine if we give them a Lotharingian lady each. Again I tell you all this war is all about a lack of good¡ª¡± Suddenly, the other members of 1st Platoon stopped him before he could even utter another word from his deluded and most likely drug-induced mad ramblings. ¡°One-Three can you shut up over there? I¡¯m trying to keep watch on my side and you¡¯re filling the platoon-wide comms with your perversions. You need duct tape on that mouth of yours.¡± ¡°Can someone please mute that clown?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just enlightening you all,¡± Hedwig countered. ¡°Franz, I know you¡¯re in on this theory man. What, you¡¯re out of it now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t drag me into your bullshit, Hed. I have an intact mind out here.¡± Hans laughed. Quite frankly, it was a boring ass night today on the southern front. They were all just sitting on the tree line, their Wanderfalkes all camouflaged, all as the thick snow fell on the battlefield. His entire platoon had been sitting here for half a day now, not a single order from above except to keep watch. Thus¡­his men were all irate and bored as hell now. Corporal Hedwig Volker, the certified clown of their platoon, was naturally spazzing out endlessly on the comms, delivering his ¡°enlightened¡± theories on why this ugly war even started in the first place. Naturally, Hans had long wanted to just turn off his radio and relax without that annoying mosquito buzzing endlessly on his internal speakers, but, then again it was partially entertaining. ¡°Tell me, Hedwig,¡± Hans keyed his comms. ¡°Did you ingest too much Hi-Fuel again?¡± ¡°What, you got a problem with that? Ain¡¯t nothing stopping me. In fact, I need to loot you bastards one by one tomorrow morning for it. Doubt the clowns up top are sending more. I need my fill.¡± ¡°Well, you better cut back on that one,¡± Hans replied. ¡°And that¡¯s an order. I don¡¯t need sub-crackheads in my platoon tonight or tomorrow.¡± ¡°Well, you can come over to my shack and rip it off my hands, el-tee.¡± Hans laughed. ¡°And this is exactly the problem when you¡¯re high on that dose. You keep buzzing like some old grandma at the fish market. You¡¯re filling the comms with too much noise.¡± ¡°Aye¡­aye¡­fine¡­.¡± It finally turned quiet. Quite frankly, that was a nice change of pace. Hans watched the peaceful, cold winter ahead of them, only broken at times by distant explosions and gunfire. It was pretty sporadic though, and it was clearly not intense. Unless something went wrong, for now, they were far enough away from the actual frontlines. ¡°But come on¡­¡± ¡°Just when I had my peace you¡¯re on it again¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m just telling man, this entire thing is multifaceted. I mean, the question is, how the hell are we losing? That¡¯s strange. I mean have any of you seen A Company¡¯s great old adventures? Fuckin¡¯ Captain ¡®Princess o¡¯ the High Rivers and All Things Opulent¡¯ went all in on that stupid stunt of her charging¡ª¡± ¡°Franz, can you shut him up?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think I can, el-tee.¡± ¡°Like she went all in with her platoons charging in forward through a braindead flanking maneuver without even bothering to call air first. Then we had to save her arse out. What, did she think she was going all tactical and shit with that?¡± ¡°Hedwig, much as I¡¯d like to hear your colorful feedback on our sister company¡¯s commanding officer, I believe you¡¯re quite sleep-deprived and in need of immediate relaxation,¡± Hans calmly said. ¡°Have you been staring at your displays for too long?¡± ¡°I¡¯m staring at a special magazine.¡± Hans sighed. ¡°Yeah, great, read that instead and shut up. Your theories, while quite the interesting thought experiment, is something I believe that should better fester in your mind instead, thank you very much.¡± ¡°I suppose you all simply want to live in blissful ignorance then.¡± Franz laughed over the comms. ¡°If being ¡®enlightened¡¯ entails your thinking process, I believe that we would all be better if you do all the thinking, Sir Wise.¡± Hans nodded to himself as he added his thoughts. ¡°Better watch the zoo animal than be the zoo animal.¡± ¡°Agree on that, el-tee.¡± ¡°Wait, what the hell are you two talking about?¡± Hedwig asked. ¡°At this rate, I¡¯ll absolutely snitch on the two of you and report to our new lord and savior Captain von Wittenstein for a swift disciplinary measure for your collective bullying of this innocent person.¡± ¡°And there it is, gentlemen, he¡¯s finally playing the victim,¡± one of the other members of 1st Platoon pointed out as he laughed. ¡°Well, go on baby boy,¡± Franz taunted. ¡°Go tell your new mama how you¡¯re being picked by the meanies over here.¡± Just then, everyone soon exploded into laughter in the comms, Hans and even Hedwig included. Quite frankly, they were really just having some good fun on a cold, winter night. Even if they were all technically alone in their vehicles, they were all in this hell together, something which Hans valued at the very least. Everyone at least was with him. In this cold¡­he wasn¡¯t alone in this fight. Even if he was surrounded by absolute clowns. ¡°Hedwig¡­please unfuck yourself.¡± ¡°Copy, el-tee.¡± 48. You May Not Listen ¡°Magic is one of the greatest beauties offered by the world. Its cultivation should bring, first and foremost, not violence and harm, but art and beauty. Productivity and bounty. Many eschew the learning of a spell that keeps the blight off one¡¯s farm, in favor of magic to scare off bandits. While indeed there is more use of combat magic in life and death situations, life¡­requires more than weapons.¡± - Excerpt from ¡°A Compilation of Useful Spells for One¡¯s Farm¡±. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City AUG 2, 1538 CE ¡°Get the hell off her!¡± Hans¡¯ shout against the other children scattered them off from picking on Aliz¨¦e, who silently sat with an empty stare at the gardens on one of the benches. He had just returned from another meeting with the officers of the 4th, which was his constant day-to-day task. To advise them on better gunpowder tactics. Except, this time, Hans tried his best to piss off as quickly as possible from his task and get back to St. Heka church. He needed to check on her more. Naturally, Aliz¨¦e turned her head in Hans¡¯ direction upon hearing him, and just as immediately, Hans saw the girl muster up a cheerful smile. He had been observing her for many seconds before he struck though, and he knew she looked extremely distraught by the annoyance of the other children against her, yet she had not acted, and simply kept to herself. Now, those expressions were gone, replaced by that smile she would always give him. But Hans now knew it was nothing but bull. Quite frankly, it was scary how this girl could so efficiently put such a mask on her emotions at this age. Hell¡­it almost shattered her heart. ¡°Sir Hans,¡± Aliz¨¦e stood up. She almost bowed at him respectfully. ¡°I¡­was just looking at the flowers.¡± ¡°That so? I swear those kids were¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay!¡± She squeaked out. ¡°Also¡­you¡¯re early today¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± ¡°You sure?¡± She nodded rapidly. Hans sighed to himself. This was really difficult. He kinda wondered whether he should start learning her language or just wait until she was fully fluent in ¡°continental¡±. Then again, he had a translation pocketbook with him. He kneeled to her level and began flipping through it. Skimming past the more ¡°useful¡± pages at the start, he settled for the more peaceful phrases and words. Awkwardly, he said it in an almost grade-one manner. ¡°So¡­how are you?¡± ¡°Good!¡± He flipped through his pocketbook. ¡°Re¡­really?¡± Crap, did he even pronounce that right? ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Because good!¡± He flipped back up again. ¡°Why¡­¡± he continued flipping to find another word. ¡°Ah, there¡­why good?¡± Aliz¨¦e paused, a faint, subtle hint graced her face of her earlier discomfort. It seemed that she almost wanted to stop lying, but then, the smile on her face returned, as she answered in her own language. ¡°Because you¡¯re here.¡± What? Crap, he didn¡¯t catch that. He began flipping through his pocketbook, trying to remember exactly what she said in order to check, but, just as rapidly, his short-term memory betrayed him. He looked back up at her, trying his best to remember, but his mind was empty-handed. ¡°Can you repeat that?¡± She frowned. ¡°Can¡­I¡­what?¡± Hans looked back down at his pocketbook, searching for the right phrase. ¡°Would you please repeat¡­that?¡± Hans asked. ¡°I said because you¡¯re here!¡± Hans tried to pick it up again, but¡­he realized he really wouldn¡¯t be able to pick up any long phrases unless he had studied her language a bit. Still, looking at the eager smile on her face, it must be something¡­decent, at least. Well, we can¡¯t do anything about that. Hans stood up and sighed, giving her a head pat. ¡°Alright, alright. I guess I¡¯ll just tell you, that I won¡¯t let those miscreants come near you when I¡¯m around, okay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand, but¡­¡± she smiled again. ¡°Okay, Sir Hans!¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The two sat back on the benches. It was¡­really, a peaceful garden, Hans could say. Quite frankly, being inside the city, he was surprised that such a well-maintained one could be inside. Then again, the Countess¡¯ estate was well-designed, and so was the St. Heka church. For a while, the two just stayed silent, watching either the chirping birds on the trees or the butterflies on the flowers. Really¡­he just wanted to accompany the girl for a while. Nothing much really. He didn¡¯t know, again, how to convince her that everything was alright. This was about the best he could do, to be quite frank. It was almost lamentable how little means he had of keeping the girl away from the torment and fear of being left behind in a dangerous situation. ¡°You know¡­¡± Hans tried, and the girl perked up to look at him. He didn¡¯t continue speaking for a while, just watching her curious eyes look at him. What can I even tell her? ¡°I¡­well, I tried¡­you know,¡± Hans said. ¡°Do you even understand me?¡± She looked down, as her smile turned a bit more melancholic. He watched as she began playing with her feet, swaying it slowly in a childish way. ¡°Bit by bit, but not really. I wish I could fully. But¡­maybe I know you¡¯re trying to be nice, Sir Hans.¡± ¡°Well¡­that¡¯s a pretty long speech,¡± Hans said. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll still start speaking then. You don¡¯t really need to understand each of my words. Maybe you¡¯ll pick up on it by listening. Well, assuming you even listen. You would, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± No answer. Hans smiled a bit. ¡°As I expected. Well, as I was saying, I tried, you know. I tried to find¡­every way to get out of that bind. Quite frankly, I¡¯m still trying right now. You know, it¡¯s a bit hard to keep¡­trying, and always failing.¡± Hans looked back at his past platoon mates. So many of them¡­that he failed to save, or fight for. So many died, and he was unable to change it. Really, over there, in that war, once it happened, there was no going back. A blunder. A slight miscalculation. A word said too callously and too recklessly. When a fight went awry. When a wrong order was given. When a wrong turn was taken in the winding city blocks. When a wrong coordinate was sent. When a battle was lost. When a friend¡­was lost. He wouldn¡¯t have control of all of it. All he would be able to do¡­was accept those losses. All he would be able to do was bear it, waiting for all of it to end. And he tried. He did try. He always tried. Even when he only had one life there, and in the end, had that taken too. There¡­fate was unchangeable. ¡°I failed hard a lot of times,¡± Hans said. He looked at her. She was simply looking at the flowers. ¡°I failed you too, you know? I failed you¡­a lot.¡± Hans sighed. ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t know. Just as Adelyn wouldn¡¯t know how much I failed her many times. Just like this city won¡¯t know its fate all because of a blunder I didn¡¯t have the foresight to avoid. Well¡­I still tried though, with what I did know. ¡°I tried defending this city. I tried. I¡­really did. I thought it was all going to work out. I mean, the last one, we killed it when we used a prepared defense position. It went¡­oh so perfectly well. You know, if you were a soldier, you would have appreciated how well we took it down. It was¡­a good methodology. ¡°Back in the place I came from, a good methodology could always be applied¡­well, relatively, in a lot of situations that may arise, so we use that a lot. We even call it doctrines, you know. We apply it to most combat situations because it works. Sure, there will be variations depending on the situation, that is natural, but I doubt we have to burn it down every engagement. ¡°Hell, we could even apply blanket rules that while imperfect, we can usually follow, and it¡¯d, a lot of times, usually work. Like Rules of Engagement. RoE, we called it. You know? With those rules, for example, we shouldn¡¯t shoot civilians, or someone clearly unarmed, because, well, they¡¯re not a part of the fighting. It¡¯s predictable that we¡¯d just waste bullets on it. And it¡¯s predictable that it¡¯s bad and unnecessary. ¡°Not a lot could change in those situations, really. What we are trained on, what doctrines we have, what we experienced, we could¡­create a certain¡­preconceived standard operating procedure to everything we fight. It feels nice. Sure, being shot at, bombed, whatever, it¡¯s crazy, but, that¡¯s really just what happens where I come from. It¡¯s hellish, but it¡¯s predictable hell, for the most part, except for the unfortunate times where it isn¡¯t, in which case, people sometimes die, but, hey, it¡¯s war. ¡°This is a different war I¡¯m fighting, Aliz¨¦e. Bit of a¡­crazy war, I should say. It¡¯s kinda hard, you know? The enemies are always¡­all different. I mean, if I had to fight a Murat MBM, a vehicle that my nation¡¯s enemy uses, well, it¡¯d always be a Murat MBM. Its weak points will stay the same. Its speed will stay the same. So would its weapons. I also know that usually, the pilots who use it can¡¯t be arsed to even drive properly. ¡°You know, there¡¯s less¡­fancy gimmicks. It¡¯s a tank on legs, just like my allies, and a tank is a tank and will act as a tank. Just like a soldier with a rifle will act like a soldier with a rifle. Or a jet with CAS as its mission will do close air support. Out here, there are friggin rats with¡­flying magical active defense systems, friggin wolves with these¡­sharp tails that can cut through steel. Steel, Aliz¨¦e, can you believe it? How¡¯s that even possible? ¡°There are even eels with¡­with tentacles as its head, and it fires water that kills. How the hell can water even kill? It¡¯s ridiculous. I haven¡¯t tried it yet, but I bet that would damage and kill even my Wanderfalke. What? Does it turn into acid? Does it melt people? I don¡¯t even know yet. And all I would have to fight it is the equivalent of a peashooter or a vehicle I can¡¯t just use willy-nilly. And¡­and then there¡¯s girls who can freeze an entire city by herself. How the hell can I even account for all that?¡± Hans sighed. Aliz¨¦e, for her part, simply continued listening. She definitely understood nothing about Hans¡¯ sudden endless rants. ¡°Still¡­I¡¯m trying, Aliz¨¦e. And damn it would I continue trying. I¡¯ll¡­I know I have to. Because it¡¯s my duty. That¡¯s¡­I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Hans buried his head in one of his hands and breathed out. ¡°What am I even doing? I went into a full-on rant about military tactics on a ten-year-old who doesn¡¯t even speak my language. I went here to give her some company, but all I did was vent out to her like some moron.¡± Hans laughed at himself. ¡°How hopeless.¡± He looked back at Aliz¨¦e. Suddenly, she smiled eagerly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were saying, Sir Hans, but more! Your voice sounded cool!¡± Hans laughed. ¡°Well, I guess at least I sound half-comical when I¡¯m whining. Actually, I almost forgot something.¡± He pulled something out of his pocket. It was a chocolate bar, straight out from his rations. Quite frankly, he had a lot of MREs he wouldn¡¯t touch due to the fact that fresh meals always existed here. Still, he decided to open one of them just to find some sweets to give her. ¡°Here, chocolate. Want some?¡± Immediately, her eyes shined, as her hunger spiked up. ¡°Yes! Give please!¡± Well, I guess she cares more about chocolates than some officer¡¯s bellyaching. Hans opened it and gave it to her. Immediately, she focused everything on enjoying the treat. Whatever¡­ Hans looked up. The clouds looked kinda funny today. ¡°You know what, screw that. How about we just talk about my favorite food? Shrimp. Yeah, that¡¯s right. You know, Aliz¨¦e, there¡¯s actually so many ways you can cook shrimp. Back when I was a kid, I would always ask my momma to cook it in certain ways¡­¡± And for hours, he went¡­on and on and on. Just speaking and speaking to her one-sidedly about random topics she knew nothing about. For some reason¡­Hans felt at peace. And Aliz¨¦e, for some reason, stuck with him till the skies and clouds looked pink. Even when she couldn¡¯t understand Hans. She listened. 49. You May Not Recall ¡°The ineptitude of our Vanus leaders is the cause for the defeat of the Republic! No more is it in the interest of the common people of the Republic, nor of the Armies of the Republic to continue the fight for our Vanus overlords. What even is the point of serving these decrepit horned and bloodsucking bluebloods? At least the Imperium has the decency of giving autonomy to its people. At least the Imperium makes the common man pay less taxes. Why should we not surrender then? Why continue the fighting?¡± - Letter from one of the generals of the Republican Army before ¡®the Great Mutiny¡¯. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City AUG 4, 1538 CE ¡°Gentlemen! Order in the council please!¡± The city¡¯s garrison guards barged into the door of the Rousselot City Council hall. On the sides, the various burghers, merchants, and councilors jeered and protested the decision of the Countess, with many condemning her for daring to bring soldiers inside. The musketeers and soldiers however formed two lines to separate the protesting councilmen and push them back into their benches, as the Countess entered in, her coat draped above her shoulders. The shouting temporarily subsided, as everyone who was seated respectfully stood up, removed their hats, bowed, and then returned back to their seats. The Countess sighed. She removed the hat that she wore, a wide-brimmed one with red feathers on top. Already, murmurs began all across the chamber, as officials began criticizing her new policies or even her own reputation. ¡°Gentlemen,¡± she calmly spoke. ¡°I¡­apologize for barging in and interfering with your privilege, but I believe I must make my position clear on the matters ahead of us. And unfortunately, you have rejected my entrance three times, necessitating this use of¡­unfortunate force.¡± The city officials were finally silenced as her words settled in. Behind, Captain Strobel, Adelyn, and Hans entered forward. Hans especially went in first, just behind the Countess. ¡°Everyone, I must present to you this man behind me, Lieutenant Hans Hoffman, the foreigner mercenary I have hired¡ª¡± ¡°Why do we even¡ª¡± Suddenly, the Countess¡¯ voice raised. ¡°Would everyone please let me speak without breaking the decorum of this chamber? You fools disrespect the halls that govern this city. If you all do not plan on contributing to the betterment of the citizens of this city you claim to serve, then would you please vacate and return to whatever fish stall you belong to?¡± Hans looked at the man who attempted to challenge her, and while the Countess didn¡¯t even so much as look at him, the man immediately folded and returned to his seat. ¡°Thank you,¡± she walked again, forward into the center. ¡°Now, as I was saying, we have just received the news of the attacks of the so-called ¡®Tentacled Eel¡¯ on Count Hainaut-Halm¡¯s territory up north. We have also received news that the beast is apparently on a path to our city at the moment.¡± ¡°Why are you planning to close our port and walls immediately?!¡± One of the merchants shouted. ¡°Our businesses will suffer!¡± ¡°Aye, aye!¡± Another councilor stood up, holding a piece of paper. ¡°Gentlemen, there are also thousands of our own countrymen fleeing the north and using our city as a staging zone to resupply and continue their journey. Why would we deny them this benefit? Would we deny thousands of our own fellow humans the right to be afforded the care and provisions of this city?¡± ¡°Heartless! Absolutely heartless!¡± The chamber shouted. ¡°Get out of here you Vanus woman. We¡¯re not letting our fellow man suffer. And we¡¯re not going to damage the economy of this province any further.¡± Another merchant stood up. ¡°Gentlemen, I propose a motion to deny the Countess¡¯ new policies. She had already mismanaged the crisis with the ¡®Rat of Pestilence¡¯ earlier. Why shall she have the right to make us listen to her desires?¡± Hans tried to approach the Countess as the city council all cheered in approval to the motions of their fellow councilmen. It appeared that they were using every excuse not to place the city back under a lockdown. It was something that they already expected anyway. The city¡¯s businesses suffered greatly during the two-month crisis with the ¡°Rat of Pestilence¡±, and the Countess¡¯ popularity was at an all-time low. Worse, while she had the right to propose policy changes and rule, her powers ever since the takeover of the Imperium and the IYC over the Principality of Ygeia stripped her of her right to rule absolutely in her own fiefdom. The Rousselot City Council was a major pro-IYC faction of the county too, due to the fact that the IYC was one of the few major organizations in the Imperium dominated by humans. And probably because all of them were on their payroll. Quite frankly, it was the position of most Vanus nobles that decided to bow to the Imperium by the time the Republic collapsed. They were now either puppets of the Imperium¡¯s Virtus nobles, or puppets of the local human-led autonomous councils. ¡°Countess Fresnel,¡± Hans whispered from behind. ¡°Do you have a plan?¡± ¡°You need to make your case, Lieutenant,¡± she calmly replied, not even bothering to look back. ¡°While I¡¯d like to act with authority, my right to rule this county stands on shaky grounds. I do not rule this place by my right but by their pleasure. And if my proposal for enhancing the security of my city is not in their pleasure¡­then I¡¯m afraid I have no power.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± The Countess cleared her throat. ¡°Gentlemen, before anyone votes for any motion, would the council perhaps listen to the man who had saved this city before? I believe we ought to listen to someone who already slayed a demon, before deciding whether or not the demon that is said to be poised to attack our city, is a threat to be taken seriously, or not.¡± The council¡¯s leader, who had so far remained in a seated position at the speaker¡¯s table with a neutral expression, nodded. ¡°The Countess¡¯ request is approved. Sir Hoffman, would you please present yourself before the council?¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Aye, sire,¡± Hans replied as he humbly bowed. The council leader seemed pleased. ¡°Then please make your case, Sir Hoffman.¡± Hans stepped forward. ¡°Gentlemen, honorable councilors of the city of Rousselot,¡± Hans started, as he felt eyes stare daggers at him. ¡°The proposal to tighten the security in the council is not a hasty decision taken by Lady Fresnel. Instead, it is a decision made after my advice to the 4th Imperial Ygeia Regiment after the initial reports about the upcoming threat to these lands had been received by the Regiment. While we have decided that defenses shall be prepared up north to receive the attack, and possibly slay the beast, we are also tightening security under the fears that the monster may sneak in.¡± Hans paused. It seemed that the councilors of the city were listening to him. He supposed that came with the reputation of being the mastermind of the masterfully done takedown of the Rat of Pestilence. ¡°Thus, I ask¡­if these new temporary policies are possible to be approved, hastily, preferably.¡± The murmurs around the council grew, and Hans looked around as they all talked amongst each other. The leader of the council studied him for a while, and Hans instinctually kept his back straight under the pressure being pinned on him. Eventually, the man leaned backward. ¡°Councilors, you¡¯ve heard Sir Hoffman make his case, I now thus ask you, who approves of this motion, say aye and raise your hand.¡± The ayes were noticeably silent, with barely even ten raising their hands in support of Hans¡¯ proposal. He looked down with a deep sigh. ¡°For those who do not approve, please raise your hand and say nay.¡± The rest of the council rose in staunch disapproval of the new policies, drowning out any chances of pushing it forward. The council leader looked at Hans and then to the Countess. ¡°Sir Hoffman, Lady Fresnel, I¡¯m afraid that the new policies are now rejected by the city council. Please vacate the chambers at once.¡± Damn it! I told her to use the soldiers to force the damned vote! All you morons are going to be dead meat within a week. Dead! But, behind him, the Countess respectfully turned around, as she ordered the soldiers to vacate. Hans naturally followed as the jeers of victory overran the chamber. It seemed that unlike him, the Countess would rather follow the voice of the city¡¯s elites than enforce order by way of steel. Of course, she would. Unlike me, she barely believes my idea of a sudden internal attack. She doesn¡¯t know. Defeated, Hans followed them as they exited. This entire thing was going down as a disaster. He knew it already. ¡°Victory against tyranny!¡± They shouted. ¡°Victory against tyranny!¡± +++ ¡°Our position is worsening,¡± Hans tried to follow the Countess. ¡°Lady Fresnel, please. You and I know that we have to act. That damned thing can sneak past¡ª¡± She suddenly turned around and glared at Hans. ¡°First of all, don¡¯t get too close to me,¡± she warned. ¡°Second of all, you have no proof about the possibility of this beast somehow getting through our walls. Demons are monsters. They cannot simply get in that easily. We will intercept it outside. Third¡­you heard the council, Lieutenant Hoffman. You heard what they said.¡± Suddenly, Adelyn placed herself between Hans and the Countess. ¡°Alright, I apologize if he¡¯s acting this recklessly to you, but please do not lecture my subordinate so condescendingly.¡± ¡°Young lady, I am simply laying down the reality to him.¡± ¡°And Lieutenant Hoffman is simply acting in the best interests of your city,¡± Adelyn retorted. She turned to Hans. ¡°Lieutenant, come on.¡± ¡°Captain, what? I¡¯m still¡­¡± She pulled his hand and dragged him off. ¡°I said come on.¡± Hans naturally followed Adelyn¡¯s orders, following her to where she would drag him. Hans looked back, as the Countess sighed, almost just as tired of the situation, until she turned back. Damn it¡­I pushed her too hard. Hans thought. I got too desperate. He definitely placed her in a worse position by making her drag the garrison into enforcing his plans to the city¡¯s elites. But what could he do? These were desperate times. They would be dead within days at this rate. ¡°Captain, where are we¡­¡± The two of them stopped in a deserted area of the Rousselot City Hall. Adelyn looked down. ¡°I¡­apologize, I didn¡¯t back you up well in that speech of yours,¡± she said. ¡°I could have probably helped better.¡± ¡°Not your fault, Captain.¡± ¡°Anyhow¡­¡± She looked at Hans seriously. ¡°Is what you are saying¡­something true? That whatever that thing is, could suddenly spring up and attack here? That it can sneak through the city walls?¡± ¡°Wait, you believe me?¡± Adelyn frowned. ¡°Why would you think that I won¡¯t? You¡¯re my fellow countryman, my partner in this entire crapstain of a situation, and the remaining member of E Company that¡¯s with me in this world. Of course, I take your words seriously.¡± ¡°I¡­well, I didn¡¯t know that,¡± Hans said. ¡°I thought I lacked proper proof.¡± ¡°I told you many times, Lieutenant. If you have something to tell, my ears are wide open at all times,¡± her eyes softened. ¡°Just as you place your trust in me, I place my trust in you. And what you are saying is something unprecedented. Something that¡¯ll affect my damned life. Your life. The life of forty-thousand people in this city.¡± I suppose that¡¯s true¡­ ¡°Hans. Look at me now. Stop looking away.¡± Hans looked at her. ¡°Apologies, Captain.¡± ¡°As I was saying¡­look, you killed three demons.¡± Hans laughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill three. Only one. It was your shots and magic that killed the last two.¡± ¡°Yeah, but it was you who planned the tactics to take them down each time,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so special about that brain of yours, but I know you¡¯re a goddamned ace pilot, which means it must have something special out there¡ª¡± ¡°Could be a special kind of damage.¡± ¡°Not the time for jokes.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°But, yes. I trust your mind. And if you¡¯re saying we need to prepare now, then for heaven¡¯s sake, tell me how we¡¯re going to prepare. If my job is to strategically position us into the best outcomes in the big picture, I know you¡¯re good at dealing with the tactical field. And I¡¯ve seen your foresight enough to know that you¡¯re good at these things. So¡­¡± She frowned. ¡°What kind of an officer do you think I am to not see where my men are good at?¡± ¡°Okay, fine, fine, I get you. I won¡¯t doubt your job assignments for me from now on,¡± Hans sighed. ¡°Alright¡­yes, I do think it¡¯s possible. I mean, it¡¯s an eel. What if¡­you know, it sneaks by sea?¡± Hans wanted to slap himself with that. It was made-up bullcrap, but what could he do? Tell her he died because the demon got in by shapeshifting into a semi-humanoid form as it absolutely obliterated them in the process. ¡°...You do know that even when we close the ports and the walls from refugees, we can¡¯t stop that possibility?¡± Hans nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­well¡­¡± ¡°Still, in that case, you¡¯re right, it¡¯ll still get inside and thus bypass the defenses we¡¯re building outside, forcing us into a tight battle in close quarters,¡± Adelyn nodded to herself, deep in thought. ¡°Indeed, that¡¯d be disastrous. We¡¯d struggle to maneuver our Wanderpanzers too in order to engage due to civilian panic.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Well, in that case then,¡± Adelyn smirked. ¡°You have me. Well, if it¡¯s just the two of us who believe this threat, then what can we do but prepare, together, hmm?¡± ¡­Well, at least he had some progress then. 50. Believe You May Not ¡°One thing I have not considered is that sometimes, corporate thugs have more brains than a council of ¡®representatives¡¯.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City AUG 5, 1538 ¡°I suppose that indeed is a possibility,¡± Captain Weibel said. Hans and Adelyn, instead of flat-out denying the two this time, chose to more ¡°closely¡± cooperate with the two IYC mercenaries. On the side of the room, Lieutenant Preisnel silently cleaned six wheellock pistols, all the while Captain Weibel smoked his pipe calmly. ¡°So what? Are you two in or not?¡± ¡°What kind of question is that Lieutenant,¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°Your name is Captain Jonas Weibel, a former Imperial Musketeer Guard¡ª¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask what I told you earlier,¡± Captain leaned forward. ¡°I¡¯m not just some random Imperial Musketeer Guard who¡­chose to suddenly be in the employ of the IYC.¡± Lieutenant Preisner finished cleaning two and handed it to Captain Weibel, who placed it on his pommel holsters as he leaned back on his seat. ¡°No, I am Captain Weibel, one of the best gunpowder mages that the Imperial Musketeer Guard ever fielded,¡± he cockily said. ¡°And let me tell ya something, that¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m in. Think about it, do you know what level of honor and glory I¡¯ll find if I kill a demon? I have killed many bastards in the Imperial Mage Corps already. But not one demon. I need to change that quickly.¡± Hans then tried something. Target Status Check.
[STATUS CHECK FAILED! HIGH TIER INDIVIDUAL DETECTED!]
Captain Weibel laughed. ¡°I¡¯m Tier II, Lieutenant,¡± he said. ¡°Can¡¯t check me like that.¡± ¡°Ah¡­well, in that case, do you think you can fight a demon and win?¡± Captain Weibel laughed. ¡°Maybe, maybe not. That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to find out. One thing I know about the bastards is, they¡¯re tough cookies. Can¡¯t just spell ''em to death, you know. I¡¯ve used a lot of gunpowder-based spells on the bastards in the past, my favorite is sending them a good bullet to set them on fire, but¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± ¡°Well, I gotta still keep trying even if it keeps failing,¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°You see, the IYC son is the only bastard on this side of the continent with the balls to fight. Sure, the bigwigs are doing it for nothing but self-gain. I mean, fuck¡¯s sake, they want her ¡®crystal heart¡¯ or whatever. One million Imperial Marks for the intact body of the Calamity of Desire¡ªfive times the bounty of her damned death! That¡¯s enough to fund a goddamned army with that bounty. Not that I believe they¡¯d pay that sum to whoever dumb bastard gets her heart, but what¡¯s clear is those narcotic dealers want to do something about it. And I gotta give them what they want to be rewarded handsomely.¡± ¡°Wait, narcotic dealers?¡± Captain Weibel laughed. ¡°Ya really are a foreigner. Our signature product, the Green Powder, is some crazy crap. Are you wondering why the food out here is somehow not in bad shape even with all these demons running around? Yeah, L-Grade Green Powder. Makes the goddamned farms yield tenfold than normal when used on the soil. But just like H-Grade Green Powder that can turn around a godforsaken full-blown headshot in a span of seconds if applied quickly, L-Grade Green Powder has got its magical healing properties too. But it turns you into a greenie.¡± ¡°That sounds like a drug addict.¡± ¡°Makes them lotsa money,¡± Captain Weibel laughed. ¡°Y¡¯know, all by sellin¡¯ that crap to some sick morons that don''t have any idea. Then, what do you know, they are sneakily snorting it for some ¡®health benefits¡¯. So many farmers, laborers, workers, you name it. They just gotta give them a good deal. We give you the greenie powder you like, wink wink, you give us tea, sugar, wheat, spices, the whole shebang at abnormally low prices. Flood the continental market with it, then win. Morons in the east are still trying to compete, but sorry, it¡¯s IYC supremacy, good sir.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re just making the two of us feel queasy about joining you two,¡± Adelyn muttered with distaste. ¡°Least I¡¯m an honest agent. What, you two wanna gun a solo mission of this crap? Ain¡¯t no way. You need money. You need protection. You need more guns,¡± Captain Weibel leaned forward. ¡°On the other hand, we need sickos with a highly mobile artillery piece who can slug in a magical cannonball straight into the monsters. The IYC can cover your asses from here, to the furthest reaches of the Great Eastern Wall.¡± ¡°...And how are you going to help us in that case?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here, son,¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°Tentacled Eel you say, infiltrating this city? Oh¡­do you wager the bastard is open to some saber duel? I¡¯ve been itching for some good action.¡± ¡°Sire, your ass was kicked the last time we engaged a demon,¡± Lieutenant Preisnel said. ¡°Oi, can you shut up and focus on the wiping? I¡¯m trying to convince our customers out here. Also, technically, it¡¯s only because the bastard caught me in low AP. Would have beaten it with the trap we prepared if not for that dumb officer.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure, sire,¡± Lieutenant Preisnel laughed. ¡°Keep saying that to yourself.¡± ¡°I swear, I¡¯ll be gloating on your arse when I get my first kill,¡± Captain Weibel turned to Hans and smirked. ¡°So what? When are we doing the big hunt?¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°So it¡¯s a yes?¡± Captain Weibel nodded. ¡°Absolutely. D¡¯you know how much money is the bounty for that bastard?¡± ¡°Twenty thousand Imperial Marks?¡± He laughed. ¡°I need good retirement money. Maybe even get to buy my nobility title. We¡¯d be working together, but, who gets the last shot for the kill, gets the money. It¡¯s a race, son, and I ain¡¯t letting some dumbass artilleryman get ten thousand Imperial Marks off my palm because he managed to gut it first before me.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not in your palm yet.¡± ¡°Sorry, but I like to think that way.¡± +++ ¡°Alright, so what¡¯s our big plan then?¡± Adelyn asked as they traveled through the city¡¯s streets. Hans shook his head. ¡°Honestly, my only plan as of now is to gather allies. A coalition of the willing, you could say.¡± ¡°Well, I suppose everything comes with the first step,¡± Adelyn sighed to herself. ¡°It¡¯s just surprising how lax the reaction of this city is. You would have thought that they¡¯d have known already what threat these demons pose, but no.¡± ¡°Well, even Captain Strobel is frustrated about it,¡± Hans said. They stopped at one of the alleys that they could use to get into the denser city slums. ¡°So¡­we''re going in?¡± ¡°You¡¯re already armed,¡± Captain Weibel said offhandedly. ¡°Why the terrified face? ¡°Well, you too,¡± Hans said. ¡°You don¡¯t look that confident either.¡± Captain Weibel¡¯s smirk momentarily faltered. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a demon.¡± ¡°And there¡¯s your answer, sir,¡± Hans replied. All four of them were already armed with their choice of small arms. Quite frankly, the slums near the northern entrance of the city weren¡¯t the most inviting of places already, but the fact that many entered it in the past days meant that it had the highest risk of being the place where that thing could have entered. And thus, a place where it could be hiding. It also didn¡¯t help that it was already night. ¡°Well, this is your idea, Lieutenant,¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°So¡­well, are you going to back up now?¡± ¡°Would you?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± he said. ¡°Quite frankly, I already smell a lot of weird crap from this place. It''s just¡ª¡± Suddenly, a tentacle sliced through the air just in front of them. Almost at light speed, Captain Weibel reacted, pulling his saber quickly to slice it off. Lieutenant Preisnel, who was the closest to the monster, immediately ducked and pulled out two of his pistols. Hans watched as two shots that glowed white punched straight into the creature, causing it to stagger¡ªand lighting it up with a glow. ¡°Marked it!¡± the IYC mercenary shouted. ¡°I knew it, something was tailing us for a while now!¡± ¡°You noticed someone was tailing us?!¡± Hans shouted as he pulled out his SMG, both he and Adelyn finding cover, while the two IYC mercenaries stood in the frontlines. ¡°Well, our intuitions aren¡¯t always accurate, so it¡¯s hard to automatically,¡± Captain Weibel said, defending his partner. ¡°But, looks like you were right on the money, Lieutenant Hoffman. Maybe that¡¯s why it attacked us. Malte, you take the left, I¡¯ll take the right. You two, support us with those guns of yours.¡± ¡°Copy that,¡± Adelyn replied. Immediately, Adelyn¡¯s gun glowed red. Hans felt a pang of jealousy flare up, as she fired two bursts of magical bullets straight into the direction of the beast. She certainly had the better skill sets from the ¡®system¡¯ compared to him. The shots however were intercepted by four tentacles from its head, setting it on fire, before it fell off, and new ones were regenerated. ¡°Oh no¡­that looks dangerous.¡± ¡°Obviously. Crap, it¡¯s about to attack¡± Hans began unloading bursts of gunfire on it. First, it was just test shots straight into its legs. His bullets, unlike Adelyn¡¯s, were normal. Nothing was special about it except for its kinetic power. But Hans wasn¡¯t going to give up. Immediately, he flicked full-auto and graced the city with its first taste of twenty bullets violently raining in just a few seconds. The beast was stunned for seconds, and immediately, Lieutenant Preisner tried charging at it, saber drawn. It seemed that both of these IYC mercenaries were musketeer mages, with spells and skills beyond that of average footmen. Lieutenant Preisner¡¯s saber sliced two tentacles before he was forced to block and retreat from the third one. ¡°How the hell can it just regenerate that fast?!¡± He shouted. ¡°I just lopped it off!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a question I¡¯d like to ask myself. Wait, let me test this.¡± Captain Weibel was different. He gave it one tap of his pistol, and the bullet slammed through it in a violently fast manner, penetrating its shoulder bloodily. But the demon only seemed to be more enraged by it, instead of being actually damaged. Captain Weibel withdrew his pistol back to his holster with a disappointed grunt. ¡°Well, that¡¯s quite underwhelming, that was my strongest skill,¡± he said. ¡°And that was forty AP. Guess we¡¯re screwed then. We have one option left. Let¡¯s hope that the garrison is alerted at least.¡± Adelyn fired another three bursts to hold it off, as the two retreated closer to the positions held by Hans and Adelyn. ¡°One option? What the hell are you talking about?¡± Hans asked as he reloaded his gun. The demon stood at the main street imposingly, as Adelyn ran out of bullets in her rifle¡¯s magazine. Two of its tentacles sprang forward, trying to attack them, but the two IYC mercenaries intercepted it. Then, all around it, small droplets of water that grew coalesced in the air. The four only stared at it with growing horror. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean Captain Weibel wouldn¡¯t let off a shaky grin as he answered Hans. ¡°Well¡­of course, as is customary in these trying times, we¡¯ll bravely advance in the other direction! Run for your lives!¡± Immediately, the four broke into a disorganized sprint in the other direction, as the demon chased after them. The magical water attacks slammed like a barrage on them, almost hitting them, but they managed to escape. Due to Lieutenant Preisnel¡¯s work, it was glowing white, marking it for everyone to see. That didn¡¯t change the fact that the four were running for dear life, as the sounds of combat alerted civilians and the occasional soldiers on the road. ¡°Run! Run! Run!¡± Adelyn, who was in the lead, shouted at four soldiers they passed through. ¡°It¡¯s behind us!¡± The half-awake soldiers, who hadn¡¯t had time to react, were left by the four as they panicked. Their guns, being matchlocks, weren''t prepared due to their matches not being lit. And so, they immediately tossed their weapons as they tried to follow the four¡ªonly to die brutally to its tentacles that pierced through them as if they were nothing. Soon, however, the four stopped as a dozen musketeers from the city garrison formed up on the end of the street they were running to, their guns aimed squarely at the direction of the demon after they had set up their musket rests. The officer behind them, who was on horseback, ordered the four to join the firing position, and they complied. Both Hans and Adelyn dropped into a crouch right in front of the formation, followed by Lieutenant Preisner and Captain Weibel. The officer on horseback shouted for them all to fire with their skills, and the street turned white from their musketry. Adelyn and Hans however didn¡¯t relent their gunfire, even if they couldn¡¯t see properly, until the smoke cleared and showed the beast standing with multiple bloody holes in its body. ¡­But also, it had two dozen droplets of water floating in the skies. Without even managing to shout, ¡°Run!¡±, the magical counter-barrage dropped on them, and Hans felt his torso almost blow open as he was pierced by the attack, dropping him straight into the road in a bloody manner. Quite frankly¡­he didn¡¯t feel much as he felt himself dragged desperately by Adelyn. He could only look at the demon as his eyes rapidly turned back, vowing to get it next time. At least¡­he now knew it was truly hiding in the city. Shame, only three people believed him. 51. He Shall Accept ¡°I don¡¯t know why Aliz¨¦e turned out that way. But one thing I could assure myself that I do know of is that I would never accept the fate they unfairly condemned the girl with.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City AUG 1, 1538 ¡°You both¡­wouldn¡¯t leave me?¡± That same question again. The same question he always struggled to answer. At this point, Hans asked how thin his sanity had become. How many times would he be stabbed by that same painful question each time that he died so painfully? Really, this time, he once again couldn¡¯t bring himself to even look at her eyes directly. What was the point of it all? While it had only been five days of work, Hans really thought he had been making progress with her. He told her so many things. He tried to soothe her, to tell her that everything was alright. He even tried finding other solutions other than sending her to the Countess or leaving her in the St. Heka church. Anything, and everything to make her feel that she wasn¡¯t just going to be left willy-nilly. But all of it was gone now. All of it. And worse of all, again, he had no concrete answer to give her. Hell, he didn¡¯t even have an idea how to deal with that demon yet. He didn¡¯t know how to stop it from rampaging in the city. He didn¡¯t know how to even stop it from getting to Aliz¨¦e and doing¡­whatever the hell it planned to do to her. Worst of all, he still didn¡¯t know why Aliz¨¦e really turned into one of them. All that happened was him dying pathetically on the fifth day of August without anything to show to himself. ¡°It¡¯s such a hellish thing to be metaphorically alone in this fight,¡± Hans answered. ¡°Why? Why do all of you have to rely on me? Why am I the only one who can stop you all from¡­¡± He looked down at the floor. ¡°Damn it.¡± ¡°I¡­Sir Hans?¡± He looked up and saw Aliz¨¦e already crying tears fully. ¡°You¡­don¡¯t want to let me be with you two? You really don¡¯t want me? You¡¯d¡­you¡¯d leave me?¡± ¡°What?¡± He tried to smile at her awkwardly. ¡°Wait, wait, did you understand anything? Wait, no, it was nothing. J-just a slip of the tongue.¡± Suddenly, the girl ran away in tears, leaving Hans alone. He tried to stand up and chase after all, but¡­then again, what did it matter? He acted so disgustingly in front of her. That kid didn¡¯t need to understand him. It was painted clearly on his face. Hans clearly didn¡¯t want to go through all that hell to save her at that moment. To her, it was clear that Hans was now starting to debate whether or not he and Adelyn should leave her in this¡­awful environment. It didn¡¯t matter if he said yes or no, just the idea that he was stuck in the middle would be enough to shatter the kid¡¯s hopes. It was a damned kid after all. Of course¡­nuance was something she¡¯d struggle to understand. It was either she was left alone, or she¡¯d tag with the two people who already saved and treated her well since her parents died. Nothing in between. As for Hans, he could only give up for now. No answers. No progress. Hell, he probably had a setback at that moment. How would he even repair the girl¡¯s mind now that he partially rejected her hopes for salvation? Blunder after blunder. Hans simply ran his hand through his hair. What to do? What to do? Fight? Fight how? Leave her or not? Goddess¡­why is it always me who¡¯s supposed to answer these damned questions. Me. Me. Me. I died enough. They don¡¯t even remember all those things that happened to me. Or all the crap I had to go through just so they can see another damned day. It¡¯s just me, again and again! And all because of a little slip of the tongue, I¡¯m suddenly an awful person?! Then, this goddess-damned city doesn¡¯t even listen to my words. They¡¯d rather sabotage my plans to prevent everything from falling apart. Then, the only bastards who¡¯d believe me are my CO who I¡¯d rather not die in all of these, or two damned mercenaries who''re literally blackmailing us into working for a drug empire. Damned¡­ He stopped himself. This was going too far. He was now just whining. Whining and bellyaching. What was he, a child? Was he a ten-year-old girl like Aliz¨¦e who had the right to throw a temper tantrum all because things didn¡¯t go as he¡¯d like? No, he stopped his thoughts then and there and took a deep breath to calm himself. Sure, he already died two times in this entire crisis. One time being completely frozen by the same kid he was trying to protect. And another time having his body blown bloodily open by a water-based magical attack. But he mustered a grin. Who the hell was he again? He was Lieutenant Hans Hoffman, of the Southern Front. One of the best damned Lotharingian pilots of the Wanderpanzer II Falke light-legged tank destroyer series. The same bastard who commanded a crack unit into so many victories in the face of the unstoppable Flandrian tide on his homeland. So what if he died so many times already? So what if he didn¡¯t even have 1st Platoon to back him up in these painful times? So what if he was technically alone in this fight, being the only one who could see the future and react to it? So what if he was in the crappiest situation possible? The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. He was a Lotharingian ace pilot, with a magical Wanderfalke that he could use. With modern weaponry. And he was literally unstoppable in the long term. So what if the demon, or Aliz¨¦e, or anyone else killed him a hundred painful times? He¡¯d come back knowing more and ready to try a different method to win. He could always win. For his CO. For Aliz¨¦e. For the innocent people of this city. And for himself. What excuse did he have to whine and moan tonight? Alright¡­if I have to die again, whatever. I¡¯ll finish this damned fight. After all, he had no excuses for failure. He turned around. Time for another hunt. He¡¯d know everything that he must know. And kill that demon. And save Aliz¨¦e. That was his mission after all. And he¡¯d accept it. +++ Rousselot City AUG 3, 1538 ¡°Preventative measures? Sure¡­whatever. Have at it. Just don¡¯t go way too crazy with it. Off you go.¡± Quite frankly, talking to Adelyn for a few Imperial Marks was something Hans didn¡¯t expect to be that hard. He certainly felt like a boy asking his mother for some pennies for new toys. Regardless, he did it, and now, he had thirty Imperial Marks on a pouch that he was holding deathly. Counters, counters. Yes, indeed. He needed counters, damn it. And while he wanted to trust his SMG and Ruger pistol, it was clear that his small arms, unaided by any significant skill from the system, weren''t going to cut it. In the next engagement, without magical trinkets, he was, in the most blunt terms, going to be a very dead man. And a very useless man at that (at least Adelyn had the open skill ¡°Wrath of the Law¡± to apply fire magic to her bullets) due to the fact that the skill he chose was a closed one that essentially only masked all of his stats to people. Indeed, he managed to do counterintelligence in the best way possible, but, really¡ªthe only thing he hid with it was the fact that he was both the ¡°Fallen¡± Angel of Truth and the Calamity of Lies. Now, he didn¡¯t know if people could actually know that. No one had figured out that Adelyn was the Angel of Justice, and she had so far made no attempts to hide it. But then again, Hans just accepted that he was a paranoid man. Perhaps it fitted him well. His main mech upgrade after all so far was [UPG: EYE OF PARANOIA]. Really, perhaps he already partially embodied the corrupt practices of the ¡°Calamity of Lies¡±. He was a paranoid liar. And a shady man who kept hiding his ugly smell from the people around him. I really wonder why I¡¯m not going crazy if I¡¯m one of the Calamities. Hans shook his head. But then how can I be an Angel while being a Calamity at the same time? What? Am I in a quantum superposition type of situation? He really wondered what the hell could have led to that situation. Then again, he was summoned here after dying, and so was Adelyn. At this point, it would be ridiculous to assume that there wasn¡¯t some higher power pulling the bullcrap on both of their asses that they were in this position. It was a funny-looking shop, and he entered it. ¡°Oi, oi, don¡¯t you dare touch¡ª¡± Hans stood dazed, as he tried breathing out the puffs of smoke that invaded his nostrils. Absolute pain in the arse! He just wanted to shop for whatever magical trinkets he could probably use to counter that creature, and wouldn¡¯t you know it¡ªhe found himself immediately in an accident. ¡°What the hell?!¡± He coughed. ¡°Friggin¡­is this tear gas?! My eyes!¡± ¡°A-apologies, Dad!¡± Someone girly shouted in the store. ¡°I thought it was supposed to be placed there.¡± ¡°Damn it, Felizia! Now our customer¡¯s all¡­¡± Soon, the smoke emptied, and Hans was now tearfully watching two robed mages, one, who looked like a man in his forties. Near him was a teenage girl, also in those fancy-looking robes that he always imagined mages wore, who first looked at him apologetically, before she gave an awkward smile. ¡°First of all, I should say that it was an¡ª¡± The older man, who he assumed to be the girl¡¯s father growled at the girl, who shrieked and picked up a wand of some sort, before flying away up the stairs. ¡°Going upstairs, Dad! Good luck with him!¡± ¡°Get back here you¡ª¡± Before she could retort, however, the two heard a loud bang upstairs, alongside the obvious sounds of her moaning and whining about her bumped head. The older mage merely gave up and sighed. ¡°Apologies, good sir. Unfortunately, as you can see, my daughter¡¯s a gigantic pain in the rear.¡± ¡°I can hear you down there, Dad! Also, I need ice!¡± Hans could swear that the old man¡¯s veins almost popped after he heard that. ¡°Anyway, ignore that brat,¡± the man said. ¡°Thankfully, none of my wares seems to have been touched, except for you. Don¡¯t worry, the tearing effect doesn¡¯t last.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with her anyway?¡± ¡°You know how it is with children. My wife brought her here again yesterday and left her here for a while. Now it¡¯s all chaos.¡± ¡°I can see that,¡± Hans wiped the tears in his eyes. ¡°Okay¡­so, I¡¯m here to, erm, look for magical weapons? Do you have any idea?¡± ¡°Enchanted weapons?¡± The mage scowled. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I probably lack that. Unfortunately, I¡¯m no mage smith. So if you¡¯re asking for an enchanted sword that can slice through a Wyvern with just the mild application of AP without any active skill, well, you¡¯re out of luck, good sir.¡± ¡°Great, so those kinds of things really exist in this world. Okay, potions? Tactical throwables? Anything that doesn¡¯t require specialized ¡®open¡¯ skills? Something even a child soldier can use?¡± I don¡¯t know man! Anything. Like, if even twelve-year-old guerillas in the jungles of some impoverished country in my world can have weapons to frustrate modern armored vehicles, there has to be an equivalent here! Of course, Hans didn¡¯t say that part out loud, but he was hoping for something similar. ¡°What are you even talking about?¡± ¡°Magical tools for unconventional tactics, sir. Something I can use to say, take down someone two tiers ahead of me. I¡¯m no proper mage, but I can shoot with my guns. But, I don¡¯t have any skills from the system to enhance them. And again, I can¡¯t do ¡®real¡¯ magic. I¡¯ve read about enchantments though. Potions. specifically, throwable ones. Perhaps even the magical equivalent of IEDs.¡± ¡°First of all, what even is an IED?¡± ¡°Just, you¡¯ve heard enough, sir. You¡¯re an expert in this, right?¡± He nodded. ¡°Can you get me something? I have thirty Imperial Marks,¡± Hans said. ¡°And I¡¯m very willing to spend.¡± Immediately, Hans saw a greedy glint in his eye take over. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see what I have for you then.¡± 52. He Shall Bear ¡°Magical items, while usually ineffective so far against demons, may be useful in unique circumstances. Unfortunately, it requires a user to get way too close for comfort. However, some combatants found use in grenade-based magical explosives, and enchanted projectiles.¡± - Excerpt from ¡°An Emergency Treatise on the Subject of ¡®Demons¡¯¡± by Daniel Specke. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City ¡°So you specialize in err, alchemy type of magic?¡± Hans asked as the old man continued checking his wares. All around them were different glass jars filled with colored powders. Now, Hans was no chemist, and he was no mage, but he knew these things were serious business. He almost felt a childish elation with it. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the mage answered. ¡°They can be used to so much stuff. Healing. Explosives. Explosives mainly. You can¡¯t believe how many folks love explosives nowadays. They like putting them inside hollow lead balls. Or the new fused exploding shells they use with cannons. Desperate times call for new weapons after all.¡± ¡°And you help supply that?¡± He opened one of the jars. It was marked, ¡°Quick Freeze¡±. That certainly sounded like a good thing. At the moment, Hans was searching for anything that¡¯ll screw up the water-based capabilities of the ¡°Tentacled Eel¡±. Who knew? Maybe throwing a grenade filled with ¡°Quick Freeze¡± on it would work? ¡°Yep. Here, this¡­this is enchanted gunpowder,¡± the man said. ¡°Musketeers use it for special hollow lead balls. It¡¯s quite tricky to place them inside it, as without some magical guidance, it has a chance to detonate when the gun is fired.¡± ¡°I¡¯d absolutely rather not freeze myself if I fired that.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± the mage smirked. ¡°I have a service to offer you. I can enchant the bullets so this powder only detonates when it hits its target. That requires some AP, so I expect¡­twenty Imperial Marks per ten musket balls. Are you up for that?¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why they don¡¯t usually use it,¡± Hans muttered. ¡°It¡¯s expensive.¡± ¡°It is. I think I¡¯d use quite a massive amount of AP myself to get these things inside,¡± the mage said. ¡°This is why most musketeers utilize their own magic for their bullets. It¡¯s also generally more effective, but as you¡¯ve said¡ªyour situation is less than ideal. That¡¯s why enchantments exist after all. So that he who has no skill or magic¡ªcan still use something similar to it.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Hans said. ¡°Any other special bullet types? Damn it¡­I¡¯d need to buy some pistols too.¡± ¡°I recommend the new ¡®dog locks¡¯ or ¡®snaphaunce¡¯ ones around the market here,¡± the mage said. ¡°Very expensive, but I heard they¡¯re simpler to use than the wheel locks most folks use nowadays.¡± ¡°How much is it, do you wager? Also, why the hell would they be more expensive if it¡¯s simpler?¡± ¡°Still new developments. The Army hasn¡¯t adopted it, so the cost is high.¡± The man frowned. ¡°Probably twenty to forty Imperial Marks.¡± ¡°Okay¡­that, well¡­¡± Hans sighed. He had no idea how to operate a flintlock, much less the previous locks that came before it. ¡°How much is a normal wheellock at least then?¡± ¡°Sixteen Imperial Marks, last I checked,¡± he answered. ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you and that Virtus woman save the city? Surely, you have the money to buy anyway.¡± ¡°We¡¯d rather save,¡± Hans said. ¡°And¡­I need at least four of them on my holster anyway if I wish to even fight my target. Ready loaded. That sounds expensive.¡± ¡°What about your guns then?¡± he asked. ¡°I see that pistol on you. Looks like a very good one.¡± ¡°Oh, this?¡± Hans pulled out his Ruger. Then, he had an idea. Releasing its magazine (which he always kept loaded due to his rapidly increasing paranoia), he showed his bullets on the table. ¡°This sir, are 5.7x28mm LFI high-velocity rounds that my pistol, this Ruger ZO8 I¡¯m holding, and my PDW, the MS22 SMG, use. Err, well if you¡¯re confused about the names, it¡¯s just my ¡®long gun¡¯. I didn¡¯t bring that other gun, but I did bring the whole magazine containing thirty rounds for my PDW, alongside the rounds for my pistol. Can you enchant the bullets itself for a total of forty rounds?¡± The mage looked at the rounds that Hans presented, and immediately, he could see a glint of interest spark in his eyes as he inspected one of them. ¡°These¡­these aren¡¯t normal musket balls, aren''t they?¡± the mage asked. ¡°Yes, they are¡­err, a more advanced type. The ¡®gunpowder¡¯, or well, really, we call it smokeless powder, is inside the cartridge. It¡¯s a bit hard to explain, but inside, again, is the special gunpowder it uses. My gun essentially ignites it, and the bullet, the tip over there, is fired, while the cartridge case itself is ejected. I need you to enchant it without touching the inside. Like¡­literal, magic it, or whatever.¡± ¡°Give me ten of these bullets,¡± the mage said. ¡°What?¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°And¡­¡± he smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll normally charge you eighty Imperial Marks for the scale of the job you want me to do, but I think I want to study these rounds in detail. This¡­this is an absolute mechanical masterpiece. Quite frankly, while I¡¯m a mage who specializes in ice-based magic, gunsmith related work with my colleagues on the side. I¡¯ll charge you thirty Imperial Marks instead. Oh¡­and can you give me a quick run-down about that pistol of yours, and how it works from the inside out?¡± ¡°Are you planning on¡­learning how my gun works?¡± ¡°Hey, again, I work with blacksmiths and gunsmiths at times,¡± he flashed a grin. ¡°I think I¡¯ll have a new experiment with my friends in town the next time we do another project.¡± Hans stared at him. This was a massive deal. He gets special enchanted bullets¡ªat the cost of possibly giving a mage who was clearly greedy for knowledge of the technological know-how for weapons centuries ahead. Then again, even if he finds out how it works, replicating it requires specialized manufacturing techniques. They still haven¡¯t even simplified their gun locks enough to fully optimize them. The best he¡¯ll learn is the idea of cartridge rounds¡­ And in exchange, I get to fight like Adelyn. ¡°Fine, it¡¯s a deal, sir.¡± He extended his hand for him, and the mage greedily took it. He could already see it in his eyes. This man was definitely planning to make a crap ton of money from this. And Hans imagined that due to the demonic threat, people who sell guns¡ªand even better guns, would be the bastards making bank in this day and age. +++ Hans pulled the trigger. Immediately, the shot he discharged flew straight into one of his targets¡ªa cup that held some water. His shot glowed an icy blue as it traveled at seven hundred meters per second. The shot slammed into the target, producing a split-second bluish flash, leaving his target completely frozen. He lowered his Ruger as he heard claps approach him. ¡°Bravo! Bravo!¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°That¡­that was a powerful one. Damn¡­I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d be one to splurge so many Imperial Marks for damned bullets, but hey, I suppose these enchanted bullets are some good stuff.¡± The mage, who Hans found out was named Moritz Pilzer, approached from behind and inspected his work. A proud smile graced the old man¡¯s face as he looked at it. ¡°Well, I suppose all the AP I used for that is worth it,¡± the old man laughed. ¡°Now I have two months¡¯ worth of cash for my own self-leisure.¡± Hans looked back. ¡°Months worth?¡± Captain Strobel laughed. ¡°You absolute daft man, that money you paid is some massive stuff,¡± he then pulled out his own wheellock pistol and fired a sudden shot. The shot glowed red and shattered the frozen mug with ease. ¡°Improved Shot II right there, son. All it costs me is ten AP. Sure as hell doesn¡¯t cost me a month of my pay from the Countess.¡± Hans looked at his Ruger. Well, considering they earned a few thousand Imperial Marks from the Countess due to the killing of the beast, he never really had time to think about how much the money was. Quite frankly, it could be said that at this point, they already have money that would set them up for life if they split it (which was their agreement). Of course, Hans didn¡¯t handle the money, Adelyn did. He always had been a moron with money, he admitted again considering how much he spent just for a few dozen bullets for his gun. She on the other hand had so far used it more sparingly, buying supplies, and books, and even spending it to find allies and connections in the city. He, on the other hand, blew the equivalent of Captain Strobel¡¯s monthly salary straight into magical bullets. Truly, the peak of his financial skills. ¡°Well, I think I¡¯ll need this, so I had to do it,¡± Hans said. He looked at Moritz, who began to chant with his staff on the box filled with 5.7x28mm bullets. Truly, this was the strangest thing that Hans had seen. Someone chanting as if blessing his weapons that dealt death. ¡°And I don¡¯t have the levels to get some fancy schmancy skills yet. Think I¡¯ll just leverage the money I got instead for now. Stopgap measures.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not so much of a bad idea,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°You two did get a lot of money, after all. You better spend it for the next mission. Because who knows if you¡¯d have to engage a demon outside of your vehicle. Getting prepared is for the best.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Hans nodded. ¡°Though considering these enchantments on bullets exist, I wonder¡­how effective is it against demons?¡± Captain Strobel looked at the shattered frozen mug. ¡°Hmm¡­it¡¯s always better than musketry unaided by magic. But still, it¡¯s not an end solution. Say, your bullets, even if you freeze the creature at certain sections of its body during an engagement, it¡¯d probably just shatter it anyway. Maybe you¡¯d be able to temporarily immobilize it though.¡± ¡°Do you think it can¡­just, do the killing itself?¡± ¡°No, I doubt it. The shots of your enchanted bullets are for freezing the target. Demons are probably extremely warm inside. And they¡¯re¡­very physically rugged. The effects of that will most likely be temporary, perhaps counted in seconds. Still, synchronize it well with other weapons, and it might work. Say, freeze it first, then fire a musket ball with ¡®Improved Shot I¡¯, or whatever good skill¡­yeah, I suppose it might.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll never know if we don¡¯t try, after all.¡± ¡°Exactly why there is a huge lack of effective anti-demon weapons and skills,¡± Captain Strobel shook his head. ¡°While we can try using enchanted musket balls, cannon balls, and shells, it¡¯s hard to pin a demon into the perfect situation where we can try it in full. For most engagements, demons will simply avoid our cannons. Avoid our shots. Then annihilate us with their powers. That leaves very little room for experimentation, and thus, learning.¡± ¡°I can see that,¡± Hans said. ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Moritz said. Hans then went straight for the box, his bullets still glowing a subtle light blue, before they returned back to their normal color. ¡°That should do you well in combat. Though, I do not recommend it against demons per se. Most likely, it¡¯d kill you in seconds before you can even throw half of those shots.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯d ever fight one alone,¡± Hans said. ¡°This is just another tool in my arsenal.¡± Good. Now I can tick off the first thing on my checklist. A possibly effective magical solution to a magical problem. Considering how impossible it would be to grind levels for a few days and get to the next level requirement for new skills or upgrades, this will be a nice stopgap solution. He smiled. I hope this turns out useful. And well, if not, he¡¯d be dead anyway, in which case, he now knew where to go. Straight to this old man. ¡°Thanks for this one, I¡¯ll be happy to come back if I need more.¡± Moritz nodded. ¡°Sure, just throw more Imperial Marks at me, and I¡¯m open.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± 53. Hell Still Continue ¡°Protecting the weak is the job of soldiers. We¡¯re the ones standing in front of those vulnerable to threats, and the ones trained to deal with said threats. I cannot accept failing that duty.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City August 5, 1538 CE ¡°A demon inside the city?¡± Captain Weibel seemed, well, obviously, suspicious of the findings that Hans and Adelyn presented. Quite frankly, even Adelyn herself wasn¡¯t fully convinced by Hans¡¯ ideas that the ¡°Tentacled Eel¡± that they were preparing against could possibly get inside the city and infiltrate it. ¡°Absolutely, sir,¡± Hans said. ¡°I spotted it earlier. Humanoid. Clearly hiding its head, but I did see tentacles coming off its head. Isn¡¯t that the features of the ¡®Tentacled Eel¡¯, that its heads are all tentacles?¡± ¡°Lieutenant Hoffman,¡± Captain Weibel dismissively said. ¡°I must say, that yes, that is indeed the confirmed description of the demon apparently heading to this city, but it is serpentine in nature, not humanoid. In fact, I seriously struggle to imagine how those monsters could be humanoid. They usually present themselves as large animal-like monsters or abstract entities like the ¡®Eight Floating Eyes¡¯. It¡¯s just out of the question.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, unfortunately, I engaged with a humanoid demonic entity when we first got stranded and separated in this place, over in the isolated villages. Even the child I saved can vouch for it. I mean, Captain Wittenstein here absolutely can.¡± ¡°Yeah, I witnessed it,¡± Adelyn said, though she was, of course, not entirely being truthful. She really only saw the first demon Hans called in the aftermath, not when it was fully active. ¡°Though I only saw its remains, I am sure that Lieutenant Hoffman here will not lie about these matters. If this is a serious threat we must tackle, then we must tackle it.¡± ¡°Have you informed the city garrison?¡± Captain Weibel asked. ¡°Yes, Captain Strobel and Father Olbrich are already using their best musketeer squads to scour the city silently. We should receive word by nightfall. Or we can join in the search.¡± Hans said. ¡°I assure you, I am not lying. I saw it with my own eyes and it retreated before I could pull off my pistol. I assume it¡¯s trying to lay low and wait for an opportune moment to attack, which is why I am deathly concerned. Captain Weibel, I¡¯m telling you, we¡¯re not facing some stupid monster. This is a cunning one.¡± ¡°Where did you spot the demon?¡± He asked as he began wearing his gloves back. Already, Lieutenant Preisner began handing him his wheellock pistols, as Captain Weibel calmly placed them on his holsters. ¡°We need a quick location. If we end up ambushed, it¡¯d be a disaster.¡± ¡°The slums.¡± The man sighed. ¡°Well, that¡¯s bad. How are we going to find it out there? Does the garrison have much presence there?¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°No. Except for the new ones Captain Strobel sent in, no, it¡¯s not really a well-policed area. The city¡¯s defenses are concentrated in the central district, alongside the city walls. Most aren¡¯t even in the city, but in the defense lines we¡¯re constructing up north.¡± ¡°Well¡­that¡¯s not exactly ideal if that thing is in this city,¡± Captain Weibel stood up. ¡°Though, it doesn¡¯t matter. In these situations, numbers wouldn¡¯t really ensure that we¡¯d win. We need speed, accurate information, and most importantly¡­¡± He tapped his pistols. ¡°Someone who has the ability to go toe-to-toe with a demon.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being too overconfident again, Captain,¡± Lieutenant Preisnel boredly said from behind. ¡°Oh, shut up, Malte. I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯re too queasy mate. Come on, I¡¯m sure we can pull this off. I mean, we have a Vanus and Virtus with us. Foreign soldiers who also pack quite the punch, plus,¡± he looked straight at Hans then Adelyn. ¡°They seem serious in their jobs. It¡¯s nice to have professionals for once.¡± ¡°I assume you fight a lot with¡­ non-professionals?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Comes with being a mercenary,¡± he said. ¡°Seems like nowadays they¡¯re just draggin¡¯ whoever is willing to die for gold regardless of quality. Then again, it¡¯s only greedy fools that¡¯d be stupid enough to think they can take on a damned demon. Like me.¡± ¡°...I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d call yourself a fool considering how confident you act, Captain Weibel.¡± The IYC mercenary laughed as he passed by Hans and Adelyn. ¡°Trust me, you don¡¯t seem to be too different, matey. Anyhow, let¡¯s get moving. This city will not be alive in a few hours if your reports are true, Lieutenant.¡± +++ Hans¡¯ woes however weren¡¯t over even with him already giving advance warning to the city¡¯s garrison (especially when they wouldn¡¯t even do their job fully due to how spotty Hans¡¯ intel was). First of all, he had two things to deal with¡ªmustering a capable force to spot, intercept, and possibly eliminate the main demonic threat to the city, the ¡°Tentacled Eal¡±. But at the same time, Hans needed to deal with Aliz¨¦e. The truth was, the girl was a massive danger to the city if the demon succeeded in ¡°corrupting¡± her by exposing her to that dangerous crystal thing. The problem was, Hans, couldn''t just watch the St. Heka church constantly, considering the fact that he had to find ways to counter the demon, possibly spot its location even though he already knew that it should be near the slums today, and talk to his allies to organize a response. Really, his only current working strategy was to intercept it before it reached Aliz¨¦e, who was currently stuck in the St. Heka church doing her daily studies. There was to be no way for the demon to attempt an attack on the church, as, why would it? There was no target there. The real threat to it was the Countess, as far as Hans¡¯ analysis went. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Currently, he was assuming that Aliz¨¦e was just an unfortunate casualty turned into an opposition force in the first loop, mainly because she wouldn¡¯t have been in the danger zone if Adelyn hadn¡¯t mistakenly dragged her to the Countess¡¯ estate right during the attack. Now, however, Hans could reasonably prevent that scenario from happening by keeping Adelyn on high alert against the demonic threat, meaning they were not going to continue their efforts at petitioning Aliz¨¦e¡¯s case to the Countess. But that still isn¡¯t enough. Hans thought to himself as he prepared his SMG, finally flicking his safety off as they entered the slums. It was already dark, and the streets were deserted. ¡°It smells so bad out here,¡± Adelyn mumbled as they continued forward. ¡°It¡¯s like¡­is this place even being maintained? Ugh, what the hell are those?¡± ¡°Greenies,¡± Captain Weibel answered, a bit silently. In the distance, in one of the isolated lanes, only lit by faint candles, a bunch of rough laborers were all gambling on benches while laughing at each other. Hans could even see them snorting something on the table, a slightly glowing green powder of sorts. ¡°Ignore them. Bastards must be wasted anyway. They¡¯re a non-issue.¡± ¡°That¡¯s such a¡­¡± Adelyn covered her nose with her handkerchief as they continued onward. Even Hans started to feel pissed at how bad the smell in this area was. ¡°Damn it, and you guys in the IYC sell them those drugs.¡± ¡°They¡¯re agricultural items, Lady,¡± Captain Weibel replied. ¡°Really, while I can say that I pity them, no one told them to snort the damned thing. It¡¯s literally worse than opium. Well, then again, maybe that¡¯s why.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just focus on the demon,¡± Hans snapped at them. ¡°I feel like we¡¯re in an ambush alley again.¡± ¡°Yeah, we probably are¡­¡± The four continued onwards, fumbling deeper and deeper throughout the slums as the sun went down. First, they mainly scoured the main streets, making sure that there was nothing. They even passed by a few patrolling squads of the city garrison, many of them questioning home after home if they sighted ¡°a strange individual¡±. Naturally, Hans, Adelyn, Captain Weibel, and Lieutenant Preisner cooperated with their allies on the search. But as hours bled by, there were no sightings. No leads. Not even a single attack. They even started going deeper into the more isolated lanes of the slums, checking in on the residents of run-down homes. Many times, it was only Hans and Captain Weibel doing the questioning on the locals, meanwhile Adelyn barely kept herself from gagging at the deplorable conditions she was witnessing. Hans soon approached Adelyn after another failed questioning, as she stared at one of the abandoned homes, handkerchief in hand. ¡°Hey, Captain¡ªgoddess¡­that smells so bad¡­¡± Hans almost choked, and he himself took his handkerchief as he looked at the building. ¡°What the hell¡¯s inside that place? It¡¯s like there¡¯s a rotting corpse or something.¡± ¡°How can they even tolerate this?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°It¡¯s so awful. Though, this doesn¡¯t seem like a sanitation issue like earlier.¡± ¡°Damned¡­¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. It doesn¡¯t seem so. The damned stench¡­it¡¯s like¡­oh, boy. See, this is why I¡¯m at least thankful I¡¯m in the LMB formations instead of the grunts in the trenches. This sucks.¡± ¡°Lieutenant, do you think we should check?¡± Hans turned to her. ¡°Huh? I mean, come on, we check inside, it¡¯s probably just some guy or family or something that died of malnutrition or disease. Actually, no, I¡¯m not in my CBRN gear, Captain. Please don¡¯t order me to get inside that building.¡± ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t, now that you bought that up,¡± Adelyn muttered, as she stepped back. ¡°Yeah, nope. You¡¯re right. I am not checking that building.¡± ¡°What seems to be¡ªoh, balls, that¡¯s definitely dead people inside there,¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°Malte, do a quick scan for any curses or diseases. Gods, that¡¯s pungent. Were they rotting in that shack for days or what?¡± ¡°Sure, Captain,¡± Lieutenant Preisner said, as he pulled out a stick from his belt. With a quick chant of something Hans didn¡¯t understand since it was probably Sicilian or something, a faint golden glow appeared around the abandoned home. It immediately glowed red before dissipating. ¡°There seems to be something bad inside there, Captain. Definitely contaminated, or something.¡± ¡°Well, we better steer clear then,¡± Captain Weibel ordered, and the four stepped back until the smell was gone. ¡°We should be fine though. Just, someone please mark this place so we can tell the folks at the church to clean this up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell Father Olbrich later,¡± Adelyn said, with Captain Weibel nodding. ¡°Is it their job to clean this up?¡± Hans asked. ¡°I mean, they¡¯re the ones who can deal with diseases,¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°You wanna clean this up?¡± ¡°Well, absolutely not.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t blame ya.¡± ¡°Already too dark,¡± someone muttered behind them. It was Lieutenant Preisner, who kept watch on their rear. He turned to Captain Weibel. ¡°Sir, I think we should abort the search. The other parties probably did it already anyway.¡± ¡°Well, unfortunately, Lieutenant Hoffman¡¯s report might indeed be too spotty,¡± Captain Weibel said. Of course, Hans knew it wasn¡¯t. He knew that it definitely only managed to hide. Perhaps, due to the fact that he fully alerted the garrison this time to conduct searches inside the slums compared to his last death where only the four of them tried to find it forced the creature into hiding. He wasn¡¯t really sure. But, it was clear that it was already really dark. He looked at his watch, and it was already 20:00 hours, with practically the whole city asleep. The lighting in the slums didn¡¯t help either. It was truly pitch black down here. And so, he conceded. They failed. If they pursued further, they might just provoke the creature to attack at a disadvantageous time when they were practically blind. Hans knew that the creature wouldn¡¯t attack for days from this day unless provoked. Or at least, if they provoked it without enough numbers (in which case, as this time showed, it went into hiding). Guess it¡¯s time to abort. Hopefully, there¡¯s still time. That, and he hoped that tomorrow¡¯s search would be better. He also briefly wondered if he should bring in his Wanderfalke, but the streets of the slums were so tight that he knew it would be impossible. That¡¯d just turn the entire slums and even the city itself against him if he drove his vehicle around and disrupted everyone¡¯s lives for no reason, at least from their perspective. After all, it''s my eternal damned problem. Only I know. They don¡¯t. At this point, Hans wondered when his faith in the people he was trying to save would run out. ¡°I apologize,¡± Hans said. ¡°Let¡¯s retreat. Continue the search tomorrow. Maybe we¡¯ll find more luck.¡± ¡°I hope so¡­¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°Though, I really hope that you¡¯re actually wrong now, Lieutenant Hoffman. The way this one is acting¡­it¡¯s worrying.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Lieutenant Preisner said. ¡°I thought only Calamities have a chance of being sentient. Unless¡­he saw a Calamity.¡± ¡°No, unlikely,¡± Captain Weibel staunchly denied. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯m sure it will be all wrong, and we¡¯ll get a report of another sighting of the ¡®Tentacled Eel¡¯ up north. Then we¡¯ll abort this entire charade midday, and resume normal business, right, Lieutenant Hoffman?¡± Hans looked into Captain Weibel¡¯s eyes. So you really do feel fear too, huh? ¡°I won¡¯t be offering reassurances, sir,¡± was the only thing Hans could say. They soon retreated from the slums, unable to continue their search. 54. Hell Still Fight ¡°The angels are one of the best counters to demonic threats. They appeared three years ago, mostly Virtus, said to have gone through enlightenment through the gods and goddesses, which granted them powerful skills and magic. However, while these individuals are said to have managed to kill as many as eight demons of all kinds, which have not been counted and should not be counted as kills of mankind, as it is simply not acceptable for us to rely on a scant few individuals claiming to represent our gods, the status of these ¡®angels¡¯ are as of yet unknown after an expedition against the calamities.¡± - Excerpt from ¡°An Emergency Treatise on the Subject of ¡®Demons¡¯¡± by Daniel Specke. +++ +++ Aliz¨¦e Amboise +++ Rousselot City That voice again. Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Aliz¨¦e couldn¡¯t properly focus on the book she was reading, nor could she focus on the notebook where she practiced her continental. That voice had been bugging her for days already, always asking her painful questions again and again. But she couldn¡¯t tell anyone about it. She didn¡¯t want to bother them anymore. ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t you believe they would protect you? Didn¡¯t you believe that they would not leave you alone? Didn¡¯t that man promise you that he would make sure that everything would be¡ª¡± Please! Shut up! Shut up! Lady Adelyn and Sir Hans have their own missions. It¡¯s disrespectful to demand too much from them. They¡¯re not even my parents! ¡°Then what? Would you accept that you really are nothing but an orphan, and soon to be abandoned?¡± Aliz¨¦e looked at her book in crushing despair. Why? Why did that voice nag her endlessly about these things? Was her mind this cruel? She prayed and prayed to the Goddess of Purity just as her mama had always taught her. Why wasn¡¯t that working? Shouldn¡¯t those prayers ward off these evil voices? She was even in a church! Who the hell was speaking to her? Was it those demons that Hans Adelyn and all the adults were fighting against? Or was it something else? She just wanted peace and silence. She didn¡¯t need any of these. So why was someone speaking and speaking and speaking in her mind? For what? To mock her? I¡¯m not going to be abandoned by them so easily. She tried to respond defiantly. I¡­they¡¯re no bad people. They¡¯re good. And even if they did, they¡¯ll make sure I¡¯m left in good hands. Sir Hans would never¡­ ¡°Yet that man cannot answer your questions. Does it not remind you of your papa? He never told you why he did what he did didn¡¯t he? He never even told you why all those bad men came to your estate. No answers.¡± Aliz¨¦e almost spilled the ink that she had on her table. The voice¡­wasn¡¯t it so right? Every time she asked any adult about what was happening, all they would do was blind her. Leave her blind with no assurances that anything would be fine. Just¡­just leaving her alone, isolated from a world that she needed to know in order to survive. Why? Why would they do such a thing to her? To protect her? Yet why did it not work out? She wouldn¡¯t be in this situation if she had been more free wouldn''t she? No answers from them¡­yet she also couldn¡¯t leave her cage of "protection" just to protect herself. Even here, she was tucked away, unable to leave this church without the watchful gaze of the priests and nuns. She would only be able to do that if Hans and Adelyn wanted to let her have some fresh air outside. Otherwise, she was kept here so they could ¡°protect her¡± from all those people outside who ¡°disliked her¡±. Why was she even so disliked? What did she do to all those kids, to those adults, to these people that they looked at her with hostility? And why were the only two people who regarded her with innocence so tight-lipped and unsure whether or not they should keep her or leave her in this hell? ¡°What do you really believe in, Aliz¨¦e?¡± No¡­no, shut up! You¡¯re wrong. You¡¯re wrong. People can be kind. They¡¯ve always been kind. I¡¯m sure they wouldn¡¯t be so cruel to just leave me here. ¡°Is there really purity in this world, Aliz¨¦e?¡± Yes. Mother showed that to me many times. There is good. I just¡­the Goddess will be with me. She¡¯ll protect me. Good people will protect me. It¡¯ll all be fine in the end. It has to be. ¡°Yet all the people around you only desire. Desire for money. Desire for status. Desire for self-image. Desire for power. In such a world, what place would you be in? What are you but a burden? Your interests collide with their desires. So why not take what you desire the most yourself? Your own safety. Your own survival.¡± No¡­no, I¡¯m not¡­ ¡°You can, Aliz¨¦e. All you need to do is accept what you want. What do you want? Is it really that pure and innocent life you say you yearn for, or is it the assurance that you will be safe at all costs? Would that really come from other people? Or would it come from you when you take action yourself? What do you believe in? That they¡¯re all just lying? Or that you can trust them?¡± Tears slowly streaked in her cheeks. No¡­she would not accept whatever that voice wanted. It was¡­it was nothing but tempting her to do evil. How would she be safe if she acted in her own self-interest by eliminating all those who disliked her? No¡­she could still trust people. Surely she could. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Can you really?¡± She wiped her tears and closed her book. The voice subsided, but its questions remained. And she couldn¡¯t answer it herself. Instead, she ran to her bed, and prayed again and again to the Goddess of Purity, trying to desperately find answers. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City AUG 6, 1538 Hans woke up very early today. It was only 06:00 hours, but he knew he needed to continue moving. Luckily, when he looked outside, it seemed that the city was fine. Indeed, they managed to delay or dissuade the creature from attacking at least. That was a good development. But a short-term one. August 8, was the first time it attacked. Then, in my last death, it attacked on August 5, presumably because we poked it. Now, we poked it hard by bringing a lot of troops to the slums, forcing it into hiding. And thus, he survived on the sixth day of August. Good, but not completely good. He didn¡¯t know yet if it would attack today. Or tomorrow. Or on the eighth day. He really didn¡¯t know what its motives were. Well, except for destroying the city. In which case, he wondered how long their deployments would deter it. After all, it could defeat the garrison if it wanted to. He even wagered that if he used their Wanderpanzers in the city to counter it, the combination of those powerful water-based projectiles and the constricting urban environment would greatly hamper their ability to effectively combat it. It might even have its magical defenses, just like the last one. After all, he saw the Countess block those attacks with fire magic. And he had read that defensive magic was something big in this world, which meant that these creatures could, in essence, drain them of rounds before dying. That gave him a massive headache. Damn it. In Terra, all it took was one or two or three shots to kill a tank or mech. Nothing more. All you needed to do was spot the enemy, mark it, and place the kill shot. Why the hell does magic have to place more layers of defense on my enemies now? This is bullcrap¡­ He really wished they had his entire unit here at least. While these things were strong, he imagined that a determined Lotharingian LMB (Light Mech Brigade) formation would absolutely curbstomp this entire demonic threat alone. Well, assuming they had a supply line to keep one hundred twenty-eight Wanderfalkes and the dozen command Wanderadlers alongside the two thousand mechanized infantry riding in their IFVs and the support elements (medical, maintenance, attached artillery batteries, etc) on the fight. Which was the problem Hans and Adelyn faced. They had no supply lines. They had no proper intel from high up that would at least give them an idea of what the enemy was, how strong they were, or where they were. They also had none of the proper support elements of a modern combined arms force. No infantry. No air support. No artillery to call in case of overwhelming opposition. Hell, Hans now missed the foot soldiers who would relay him his targets when he had a good and safe concealed position. Quite frankly, he wasn¡¯t an ace by his own efforts alone. He was an ace because forward observers, allied tanks and mechs, drones, and other elements would always keep him informed about how a battle was going. But of course, all of this belly-aching didn¡¯t matter. He had to keep going in on this fight. And that was why he needed to make sure that they could find a way to kill that thing at last. Level twenty-five, again, he needed level twenty-five. Their main goal was to fix this damned munitions supply shortage. So that if demons had gimmicks to drain their rounds, well, they could replenish it and throw more rounds in. Demons, especially ones that had been very active, seemed to be progress pinatas. Kill that thing, and they¡¯d be closer to the goal. That, and they¡¯d actually survive. +++ They were now ready for the second round of their expedition to the slums. 06:30 hours. Hans sighed. Captain Weibel sure takes his sweet time to get himself ready. ¡°Alright, so what¡¯s our plan this time around?¡± Captain Weibel asked. ¡°Last night kinda sucked.¡± Adelyn unfurled a map of the city on the table as she spoke. ¡°First of all, yesterday, we only managed to cover a third of the slums. That¡¯s not great. I talked earlier with Captain Strobel, and his squads covered only at least a third as well. None of us delved to the center of the slums, but¡­it¡¯s not that advisable anyway.¡± Hans sighed. ¡°Yeah, Captain Strobel warned me about the criminals over there. But, I don¡¯t really think that¡¯s enough of a reason not to comb down there. Hell, that might be where that creature is hiding in.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a possibility,¡± Captain Weibel placed another musket ball into one of his pistols. ¡°It¡¯s the area without eyes from the city¡¯s garrison. If this creature is as smart as you claim, then it¡¯d go there. But that¡¯s assuming it isn¡¯t on the move. I believe that if it is indeed inside, then it¡¯s already preparing its attack.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Hans then pointed at the center of the city itself. ¡°Then in that case, if it would attack, then it must be searching for the head of this city.¡± ¡°The Countess¡¯ estate,¡± Adelyn muttered. ¡°Then¡­that expands our search area. And we can¡¯t just go house to house here. Not especially in the wealthy areas. That¡¯d get us into trouble.¡± ¡°I wonder why it didn¡¯t attack yesterday then,¡± Lieutenant Preisnel suddenly said. ¡°While me and Sir Weibel remained on high alert, the city itself didn¡¯t. This city was literally asleep hours ago. I don¡¯t know, this feels wrong. If Lieutenant Hoffman¡¯s assertions that it is inside the city yet it isn¡¯t attacking at the most immediate time where we are at most vulnerable¡­then it¡¯s either you¡¯re wrong, and the demon isn¡¯t here, or that demon must be doing something more sinister.¡± ¡°Well, I wish we can find and ask, ¡®Why are you delaying the fight?¡¯, but we all know that ain¡¯t possible,¡± Captain Weibel laughed. ¡°Thus, this entire goose chase. Lieutenant Hoffman, I just want to tell you, that while I¡¯m taking this entire chase seriously, we are diverting resources and time to a possible ghost that doesn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re all free to disbelieve me all you want, but I assure you all, I saw what I saw. And if we don¡¯t act now, forty-thousand people are dead meat.¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Lieutenant Preisner countered. ¡°While there would surely be heavy casualties, most will probably escape. From the reports about the ¡®Tentacled Eel¡¯, while it is powerful, it isn¡¯t so fast and its destructive rampages take time. The city is too dense for it to be destroyed in the span of a day with determined resistance. More than half of the people here can evacuate in dire times.¡± ¡°Still, I refuse not to take action,¡± Hans said. ¡°People are going to die if we do not act now. So¡­whatever, please, let¡¯s just start our search. We¡¯ll try to swing by the slums for an hour or two, maybe just in the entrance and exit points, then we comb the central district.¡± Adelyn looked at Hans with a degree of skepticism, but she simply nodded. ¡°I would have preferred it if we checked the routes to the important targets, like the barracks, the Countess¡¯ estate, or the St. Heka church instead, but alright. Sounds like a plan. Maybe, we can still catch it in the slums before it¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± The four soon moved out. 55. Hell Struggle ¡°The Flandrians are insane. I wonder what really drives them to charge into all of this, so determinedly. Is it foolishness? Is it out of pride? Is it for some strange ideology? Or perhaps it''s for national pride? And what ideology? A nation with bigger borders? Do they really think that destroying their neighbors will somehow make them safer? Their desires are quite appalling.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City The expedition to the slums failed. After two hours of circling around the slums, they came out empty-handed. Literally, nothing that would point to the existence or location of the demon that Hans was searching for. All they did was piss off the locals for their interrogation-like interviews to extract any intel from them. ¡°Hah¡­Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn suddenly said from behind. ¡°You really need to cool off.¡± ¡°Sorry, I just got too¡­yeah, you¡¯re right. I should definitely hold my tongue a bit more. It¡¯s just, we really need damned information.¡± She shook her head in disapproval. ¡°That¡¯s not how you gather intel, Lieutenant. You can¡¯t just make someone spit information they don¡¯t know even if you aim a gun barrel on their face.¡± Captain Weibel laughed from behind. ¡°Ah, come on, young miss. The lad seems like a good future interrogator. You know, he might have a future in the Imperial Musketeer Guard. Hey, want me to give you a recommendation?¡± ¡°You two have long been fired,¡± Adelyn scowled. ¡°Don¡¯t plant bad ideas in his mind.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll have you know, it¡¯s a prestigious organization. And you two would fit right in. I¡¯m sure once this crisis is over, the Imperium will be back in full force.¡± ¡°Or we¡¯ll be IYC thugs for the rest of our lives,¡± Lieutenant Preisner cynically said. ¡°Heh, think about it. At this point, the Empress already gave her authority to the Principalities by not even acting on this crisis. It¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Oh come on, I told you it¡¯s a temporary arrangement. For us, and for them. I mean, even I can¡¯t stand working for some fatass rich men.¡± ¡°Neither can we,¡± Adelyn angrily said. ¡°You know, I sometimes wonder, why the hell did the Company send two agents who hate its institution to the guts in order to essentially force us under their payroll?¡± ¡°Simple, they want this job done well,¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°Call the IYC whatever you want, but even they aren¡¯t morons who do not know that their ¡®loyal¡¯ units are absolute wankers when it comes to competency. What option do they have? Send someone bootlicking their arses who¡¯d probably die on the way? Or give us good money to follow their orders for now? Well, it doesn''t matter now. They chose the latter option. And hey, again, we¡¯re up for some good cash.¡± ¡°So it all really comes down to money¡­¡± Adelyn grumbled. ¡°What? The IYC are bastards, and we¡¯re paid gun bastards too. If you think about it, it¡¯s a perfect marriage.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a surprise you all haven¡¯t stabbed each other in the back yet.¡± ¡°Kinda hard to do that when you have damned monsters to manage,¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°But eh, if you give me a chance, I¡¯ll absolutely blast the ¡®Executives¡¯ of the Company if need be. They¡¯re some wicked bastards. And they probably pay us less than they¡¯re supposed to do so.¡± ¡°You run your mouth everywhere you go about our employers,¡± Lieutenant Preisner said. ¡°I swear, at this rate, it¡¯s only a matter of time before we¡¯re compromised, sir.¡± ¡°What, can¡¯t an employee verbally abuse his employer?¡± ¡°Not if he wants to get paid.¡± ¡°Malte, I¡¯ll smile good to them once we come back. And hey, we got these two clowns in on the agreement anyway. They¡¯ll pay us well regardless. It¡¯ll be fine, we''ll smile, shake hands, the boss tells us ¡®good job¡¯, gives us money, and all we gotta do is hold off from shooting him afterward. I told you back there, this is straightforward. Easy money.¡± ¡°So easy that we¡¯re now stuck hunting a damned demon on foot.¡± ¡°Well, the scriptures did say¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pull the words of the gods on me you godless twat.¡± ¡°Yeah, you two really are peak-paid goons,¡± Hans said, breaking the back and forth between the two. ¡°Anyhow we still need to comb the rest of the city. This time, we¡¯ll be going with Captain Wittenstein¡¯s plan. We¡¯ll check every route to the high-value targets of this city. Then we¡¯ll go from there.¡± ¡°Yeah, that seems to be¡ª¡± Captain Weibel¡¯s words were cut off when suddenly, a cuirassier on horseback arrived right in front of them, almost in panic. ¡°Sir Hoffman!¡± the man shouted, as he handed a piece of paper to Hans. ¡°Message from Captain Strobel. Someone attacked the St. Heka church. The staff are dead. The Vanus girl is missing.¡± +++ ¡°Damn it! Damn it! I thought those men we assigned in the church were enough!¡± Hans complained as they arrived in haste at the St. Heka church. It was a disaster site. Musketeers and pikemen formed a perimeter around the area, as bodies, dead bodies of those inside, were picked up by the soldiers and carted off. Immediately, Hans and Adelyn rushed straight into where Captain Strobel was, as he and one of his officers talked. The man noticed Hans and Adelyn approaching, and immediately told the officer he was talking to his last words, before telling him to go off. Hans stopped as Captain Strobel turned to meet him. ¡°Well¡­I concede,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°I have one question,¡± Hans said. ¡°Where is the girl?¡± Captain Strobel frowned. ¡°She¡¯s not the priority. The priority right now is to evacuate the city. Word is already out. The troops have opened the gates. You two have new standing orders now. Get to your vehicles, as we¡¯re commencing anti-demon operations immediately.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Mobilize search parties. Give me two of your platoons. Captain Weibel, Lieutenant Preisner, you two will be under me right now, we¡¯ll be searching for the girl. Lieutenant Hoffman, go take your Wanderfalke and get on the move, follow Captain Strobel and his men in hunting the demon and killing it.¡± ¡°Wait, Captain, what the hell¡ª¡± ¡°Those are my orders,¡± Adelyn said. Captain Strobel shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t just grab my men, foreigner. They¡¯re under my command.¡± ¡°You can command the rest, Captain Strobel,¡± she replied with concealed anger. ¡°The girl is clearly a high-value target if that creature attempted to abduct her specifically. In that case, it is a major threat that must be tackled immediately. And I¡¯ll be leading that part of the mission today. You can have my subordinate under your command in exchange. Now get me the men.¡± What the hell? Hans stared at Adelyn. Damn it! I want to search for her too. ¡°No¡­please, just trust me on this,¡± Adelyn replied, almost as if she understood Hans¡¯ pleas. ¡°And if the demon is with her, I¡¯d need armor backup immediately. Move out, now.¡± Orders were orders. And she had a point. ¡°Fine,¡± Hans said. ¡°Tell me your location immediately. I¡¯ll get there quickly.¡± She nodded. And while Captain Strobel called for the men that would accompany Adelyn and the two IYC mercenaries, Hans turned around and began running to the location where his Wanderfalke was parked. If she asked for that armor support, then he¡¯d absolutely get that part of the job done. +++
INITIATING MECH-SYTEM PILOT INTERFACE¡­
Hans rushed the pre-drive checks on his mech. One by one, each module was confirmed green, and he immediately began pressing on the HUD in front of him to activate his only ¡®upgrade¡¯, the [UPG: EYE OF PARANOIA I]. With a fifty-meter automatic detection range for his tactical maps, it should help greatly in finding and tracking the hostile entity within the city. Within forty seconds, his feet pressed on the pedal, and his mech rapidly drove through the open gate, as the soldiers that controlled the panicked crowd pushed them to the side to make way for Hans¡¯ mech. Of course, he also raised his chassis to make sure that his mech¡¯s legs didn¡¯t take too much space, allowing him to once again traverse the tight streets and roads at the sacrifice of increasing his height profile. But it didn¡¯t matter. Hans wasn¡¯t trying to hide. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. He wanted to get to that demon and retrieve Aliz¨¦e fast. He couldn¡¯t believe that he had been duped. She was the target of that thing all along. And he failed to recognize that. Now, the kid that trusted him was in the hand of a demon, corrupting her or goddess knows what. He wouldn¡¯t forgive himself if she died of all this. +++ +++ Aliz¨¦e Amboise +++ The strange man tossed her into the dark room. Aliz¨¦e naturally whimpered in pain, as the monster called her a weakling before she tried attacking it with the only attack spells she knew with her most barebones open skill that ran in her family due to their allegiance to the Goddess of Purity.
[ACT: SHARDS OF LIGHT I].
She aimed her hand at the creature, shouting ¡®Briller¡¯, firing a barrage of pink bolts of energy at the creature. ¡®Briller¡¯ was the most basic spell under the ¡®Shards of Light¡¯ skill. The demon tried blocking it with its tentacles, but Aliz¨¦e¡¯s most basic attack spell was an un-exhausting barrage, slicing and piercing its tentacles one after another until it finally ran out. No¡­no¡­ She tried casting more, but her body was evidently tired as her legs wobbled. She made a mistake that her mother had always warned her about. To use up a large amount of magical power within a few seconds would cause a weak body to give on. She tried to channel more of her AP from the ¡®system¡¯ out, causing weak flashes of pink from her palms, but it failed. No¡­no¡­no¡­ Why? Where was everyone else? They said they¡¯d never let this happen. Then why? Why? Why was she alone in a dark room about to be killed by a monster? The creature seemed stunned by her attacks, but it stood up and pulled out a glowing shard. Aliz¨¦e retreated further in fear, as her eyes begged the creature not to come any closer. Just as the voices grew in her head. ¡°So what now, little girl?¡± Shut up! Shut up! ¡°Isn¡¯t it real? It¡¯s just you. Just you. All alone. Did they lie or not? Can you even still trust the adults? Can you? Would they really give you what you want, a peaceful, pure life? Or have they left you for their selfish wants?¡± No¡­they¡¯ll still come back! ¡°Are you sure? Do you really still trust the world, that there is a shred of pure innocence out there? That there are people who would care for an orphaned Vanus like you?¡± She stepped back and felt her back against the wall. No¡­no¡­ Tears streamed down her cheeks. No¡­they lied. They all lied. They lie and lie and lie to me. I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m gonna die now. I don¡¯t wanna die. No¡­I¡¯ll never trust anyone again. I¡¯ll¡­ She gritted her teeth¡­
[SEVERE MENTAL BREAKDOWN DETECTED!] [WHERE DO YOU STAND?]
All of it was a lie. Innocence. Purity. The Goddess¡­ How stupid of me. I¡¯m so silly. I¡¯m so¡­why did I trust them when I knew they¡¯d just leave me alone?
[CORRUPTION (DESIRE) STAGE I ACHIEVED] [IDEAL (PURITY)¡ªSHATTERING] [CORRUPTION: CRYOWAVE (DESIRE) I PARTIALLY MANIFESTED]
Aliz¨¦e began changing. Her skin turned ever more pale. Her eyes started to glow red, as she backed down in despair at the creature in front of her. She felt something within her change. Was it power? Was it a desire for something greater? She didn¡¯t know, but slowly, she felt herself growing more confident to take on what was in front of her. Yet¡­yet she continued to cry, as one of the tentacles struck the wall above her¡ªthe strange crystal¡¯s glow intensifying. Damn you! Damn you! Why¡¯d you promise me that everything will be fine if the truth is like this? Why even tell me sweet lies?!
[CORRUPTION (DESIRE) STAGE II ACHIEVED] [CORRUPTION: CRYOWAVE (DESIRE) II PARTIALLY MANIFESTED]
The demon in front of her continued attacking Aliz¨¦e, even if it didn¡¯t hit her. Almost as if all it wanted was to scare the girl further and push her to the edge. And Aliz¨¦e did, as she collapsed on the floor, unable to even act against the creature in front of her, as sharp appendages began appearing in her back. Why? I prayed and trusted you all. I even tried to learn your language. I tried everything. But¡­ But you all hated me¡­ You all wanted to leave me¡­ That must be why you all wanted to lie to me¡­ To keep me as a weak stupid naive girl. Just a weak naive girl that¡¯s easy to leave. Because she¡¯s useless! I hate you all! I hate you all! Aliz¨¦e laughed and laughed, as the voices that mocked her turned true. It was right. They were right! Why listen to her mom¡¯s words¡ªher mother who died and left her? Why listen to the teachings of the Goddess? The church she was in didn¡¯t even like her. Why listen to Hans and Adelyn? They left her here! ¡°So what is it then, little girl? Do you still believe your ideals?¡± Aliz¨¦e looked down at the floor, tears falling down on it. No¡­no¡­ No, I don¡¯t. Screw this cruel world!
[CORRUPTION (DESIRE) STAGE III ACHIEVED] [IDEAL (PURITY) SHATTERED] [FULL CORRUPTION COMPLETED] [CORRUPTION: CRYOWAVE (DESIRE) III FULLY MANIFESTED] [TAKE WHAT YOU DESIRE FROM THIS CRUEL WORLD¡ªWITH CRUELTY IF NEED BE]
Innocence¡­is weakness¡­ +++ This is bad. Hans fired his third MPAT of the day. The shot slammed into a blue shield-like circle that detonated his shots. He gritted his teeth as he dodged another tentacle-based strike from the enemy, dashing through the broken and tight streets of Rousselot. ¡°Lieutenant! We finally found her!¡± Adelyn shouted on the radio. ¡°Damn it¡­she¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°What happened?!¡± ¡°She looks different. I¡­I¡¯ll try approaching her¡­goddess, what did that demon do to her?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t damn it! Pull back and hold position. I¡¯ll suppress this damned thing first, then I''ll come there.¡± Firing his grappling hooks into one of the buildings, Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke scaled it, and its legs gripped the rapidly collapsing structure of the building, as he tried to aim his gun at the rushing serpentine demon. This time, an APFSDS round was slammed into the chamber by his autoloader, and Hans wasted no time firing it. The shot slammed through the water-based shield that the creature used, piercing its head in a bloody manner, causing it to stagger and retreat into cover into the street it was closest to. Good, it¡¯s injured. Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke jumped back on the road and ran like hell straight into Adelyn¡¯s position. In just thirty seconds of constant turns through the deserted streets, Hans¡¯ mech drifted to a halt in an area where dozens of musketeers faced off with one girl in front of the IYC¡¯s Rousselot branch building. Hans knew what was happening. Just like the last time, she had once again been corrupted, or something. Immediately, he opened his hatch, carried his SMG and pistol, all loaded with the enchanted bullets that he acquired, and ran straight in the direction of the troops under Adelyn¡¯s command. He could see his CO already trying to talk to Aliz¨¦e, as she shouted for everyone to hold fire, and he stopped. ¡°Adelyn, get out of there! She¡¯s unstable!¡± He shouted as he tried covering Adelyn. ¡°Go back to cover, I¡¯ll deal with this.¡± ¡°No, damn it, if she¡¯s that dangerous then I¡¯ll be here too,¡± she insisted. ¡°Aliz¨¦e¡­please, calm down. We¡¯re here now. It¡¯s alright. Everything will be alright.¡± Her eyes¡¯ glow intensified, as her dead voice replied. ¡°Liar.¡± She spoke in perfect Lotharingian. She looked straight at Hans. ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°Aliz¨¦e,¡± Hans flicked the safety of his SMG off. ¡°I would never lie to you. I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯ll all be fine. We¡¯re already dealing with demons. Just bear with us, please.¡± ¡°Liar. You two abandoned me.¡± The temperature began dropping around them began dropping, and Hans knew what was about to happen. Just then, on their left, the ¡°Tentacled Ear¡± appeared, now in its humanoid form. Immediately, Adelyn ordered the musketeers to turn to it and respond, and they all immediately formed a firing formation to target it before sending in a scattered volley. Hans, Adelyn, Captain Weibel, and Lieutenant Preisner all joined, firing their weapons all at once at the creature. Hans¡¯ bullets glowed blue, and Adelyn¡¯s glowed red. Hans¡¯ shots began doing its work, his bullets freezing sections of the demon¡¯s body as it growled in pain. Then, Adelyn¡¯s bullets struck at just the same time, shattering the frozen limbs and causing them to fall off as frozen shards on the ground. But the demon regenerated quickly. Still, Hans began conserving his bullets, flipping his firing mode to a single shot. He began firing it in controlled shots to the face, torso, legs, and arms. And each time he fired a bullet, Adelyn followed suit, coordinating their shots as if it were natural. Suddenly, however, Aliz¨¦e¡¯s long appendages that came from her corruption struck them from behind, hitting multiple musketeers¡ªand Hans. Aliz¨¦e¡­you¡­ Why? Why? He didn¡¯t even have the energy to scream in pain. Did I really lie so badly to you¡­ That you¡¯ll kill me this way? It stabbed out of him, as blood spurted out of the open hole in his abdomen. He heard Adelyn¡¯s orders, as everyone retreated under her direction. Hans however merely collapsed the road, as he pulled out his Ruger and began firing at the ¡°Tentacled Eel¡±. Someone then began pulling him off the ground he was on. He looked up, it was Adelyn. She was dragging him to their fallback line, firing her rifle with her one hand. More attacks from the ¡°Tentacled Eel¡± struck them, downing four more musketeers as they tried to respond with their volleys, which tore through both Aliz¨¦e¡¯s body and the body of the ¡°Tentacled Eel¡±. Soon, Adelyn placed him on the side, shouting at him as she desperately pulled out her first aid kit to cover his wound. Unfortunately, Hans felt the sheer amount of blood that oozed out of him was way too much. He was going to die. ¡°Adelyn¡­¡± he tried to breathe out. ¡°Run. Please.¡± She didn¡¯t. Instead, as more attacks came, she returned fire at them, before she tried picking him up, carrying his half-conscious body on her back. Hans didn¡¯t expect that she could do it to him, but she managed to do it without collapsing or breaking his neck in the process, and she began running as everyone retreated in a broken rout. Still¡­Hans felt his vision darkening until there was no more. The pain, the sounds of battle, all of it faded away. The last thing he heard was the same thing he would tell her if the situation was reversed. ¡°Just hold on! I¡¯m not leaving you!¡± 56. To Save You ¡°I see light in this world, even if so many things went awfully bad. I want to believe that my mama and papa are still looking out for me. I want to believe that the Goddess will keep those bad men away. I want to believe that I wouldn¡¯t just be left alone in a scary place. All I want is some nice things.¡± - Excerpt from Aliz¨¦e Amboise¡¯s Notebook Scribbles (Later Journal). +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City August 1, 1538 CE ¡°You both¡­wouldn¡¯t leave me?¡± Hans tiredly looked up at Aliz¨¦e¡¯s eyes. The same girl who killed him so gruesomely again. Again. This¡­girl in front of him, someone who killed him with sheer hatred. Like he was nothing. Hans wanted to feel hatred against this girl. For how ungrateful she was. He did¡­he did so many things for her. He saved her. Cared for her. They even acted as her temporary caretakers. Yet, all of that, for them to just be backstabbed during the attack? She¡­no, literally, this girl stabbed him on his back. Stabbed him in the back while he was fighting the ¡°Tentacled Eel¡± to protect her. How could she do such a thing to him? How? Aliz¨¦e¡­you¡­you¡­ Yet, she was crying in front of him right now. Again. Begging him in tears to not be left alone. Begging and begging even when she couldn¡¯t even fully speak his language. Hans laughed at himself internally. What kind of a man was he? To blame a child for breaking down in this situation, when he, the only guy left who could even take responsibility for her safety¡­dared not even give her anything that would place her mind in a better place. I¡¯m exceptionally cruel, huh? Damn it. Why do I keep running from it? Why? What am I, a coward? The first thing I told her was that everything would be alright. Are my words that damned cheap? That I¡¯d just¡­throw it, and betray it the moment it becomes too hard to achieve¡­ He died three times already. Three damned times since the ¡°Tentacled Eel¡± appeared. How could even promise her now that all would be fine, or that she would be fine under his care? What was he, some sort of child guardian who could actually take on threats that clearly targeted her? What arrogance of him? But what carelessness would it also be if he left a child without anywhere else to go in a dark place? He might as well be no better than those Flandrians who bombed children¡¯s hospitals or worse. Truly, he would be living true to his name as a penal soldier. A dishonorable bastard who broke the law of the land and paid for it by fighting to the death. Someone without proper morality who deserved his own position in life. ¡­Did he really want to be like that? Didn¡¯t I tell myself, ever since I stepped on this goddamned war¡­that I¡¯d prove to them all that I¡¯m not supposed to be in that unit? What happened to that vow? What happened, Hans? He laughed at himself. What happened to your code of conduct? You¡¯re so jaded by the violence now that you¡¯d leave a child in a warzone? What cowardice. Maybe I do deserve to be a penal soldier. Or¡­ he could continue his vow. But how? How would he even do it? Fight for the right thing? Save his comrades? Follow Adelyn to whatever noble goal she wanted to be completed. To save this child from her fate? Then what? Would he be some sort of her long-term guardian then? Some madman who¡¯d intercept demons and corrupt government goons sent to kill or push an innocent child to insanity just for whatever twisted desires that they had? Was he even up for that task? He told it himself a million times. He was no caretaker. No babysitter. Children weren''t his best-damned forte. He didn¡¯t know how to properly take care of them. Interact with them. Feed them. Clothe them. Raise them. All he knew was to shoot any bastard who¡¯d try to shoot them. He told himself that all he needed to complete was to give her a ride to a safer place. What if¡­that simple vow, a simple side-mission he gave himself in that forest¡­would be a ride that would take months or years? What if that ¡°ride¡± would mean a hundred brutal deaths for him in the end? Was he ready to pay for all those costs himself? ¡°Sir Hans?¡± No¡­I have no damned excuses. Nothing. I can¡­I can come back and come back and come back indefinitely until she¡¯s safe. Just as I can come back endlessly to keep Adelyn safe. If she¡¯s really in this great of a risk that demons target her just to turn her into one of them¡­then I cannot just leave her to someone who can¡¯t do what I can do. Because if I do that. I might as well just give her a merciful end. And he would never stomach to do that to a child. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. He looked back at her tearful eyes and mustered a determined smile. ¡°Do you really want to come with us?¡± Hans finally asked. ¡°Do you want to?¡± The little girl¡¯s eyes brightened for a second before she looked down almost embarrassedly. ¡°I like Lady Adelyn so much. She¡¯s¡­very nice, and¡­she takes care of me. You on the other hand are also kind. You always keep the bad guys away from me. And¡­and you¡¯re why I¡¯m still alive¡­ ¡°And I am scared of the bad guys¡­they¡­they want to take me, for some reason. I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m¡­so scared.¡± She closed her eyes and spoke as loud as she could. ¡°So please, don¡¯t leave me alone!¡± Hans patted her head, even if he didn¡¯t know what she said with the rest of her words, she sure did know how to say the last, most important part of her answer. ¡°There, there, you scaredy-cat,¡± Hans laughed. ¡°We won¡¯t, kid. Damn it, we won¡¯t. I told you these words already, but I¡¯ll say it again. They can all come right at us. They can all try. I won¡¯t leave you alone to face them. I¡¯m sure Adelyn wouldn¡¯t either. We wouldn¡¯t. Aliz¨¦e¡­I promise you, everything will be alright. Just bear with us, please, okay?¡± The girl meekly nodded, before she hugged him in tears. Hans didn¡¯t really know how to react, as she began crying at him. Was he supposed to pull out the handkerchief now? Would a chocolate bar work this time around? Ah, stupid moron, just pat her back. And that was what he exactly did as he sighed. She really was crying hard, wasn¡¯t she? Just what kind of an insensitive moron was he? He just needed to give her an ¡°everything will be fine¡± talk. She was a damned child. Things would be simple for her. Those words¡­should be enough to keep her sane for a while. As for Hans, however, he knew those few words wouldn¡¯t be simple for him to complete. To save her from a dark fate, would mean great danger for him. But whatever. I¡¯ll die by that decision. +++ Rousselot City August 3, 1538 ¡°You¡¯re asking me if I can fight a demon one on one?¡± The Countess¡¯ words were cold and icy. She didn¡¯t even bother looking at him, as she petted a white cat in her lap, sitting with her back against him in her ¡°office¡± of sorts. Hans looked around the paintings in the room, many of them depicting different members of the House Fresnel. From Vanus men on horseback who waved guns and wands, to wizard-like noblewomen who wielded these large staffs, and the last one, a respectable-looking man who stood in what appeared to be a hill with artillery in the background, his spyglass aimed in the distance. Indeed, House Fresnel was once a powerful, prestigious family that produced great officers, battlemages, and statesmen and women for the Republic. Now, however¡­it was reduced to this one solitary matriarch of her non-existent family, silently petting the only companion she had in her home. ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am,¡± Hans said, trying his best to sound respectful. ¡°I just, I heard¡ª¡± ¡°Whatever that man told you is not far from the truth,¡± she replied. ¡°I can. Perhaps. Would I though?¡± ¡°Well, I would think you would, Ma¡¯am,¡± Hans said. ¡°Say, if it attacks this city, or something.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather flee this city in an attack than waste myself, Lieutenant Hoffman,¡± the Countess replied. ¡°You¡¯re operating under wild assumptions. I am not taking on a demon on my own, even if I can. I am not stupid.¡± Yet she fought that creature during my first death. Is she just lying to me? She laughed to herself as the cat yawned. ¡°Just like the last time. Isn¡¯t that why those men hate me? Well, I don¡¯t blame them. The lives of puny humans aren¡¯t something I¡¯d sacrifice myself for.¡± ¡°...Then why defend this city?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Why remain in this position?¡± ¡°Am I supposed to answer the questions of an outsider I hired for my interests?¡± ¡°No, Ma¡¯am¡­¡± ¡°And you¡¯re not long under my command anyway. The IYC will soon come for you. Just as I am their unwilling puppet, so will you. The two of you will soon inevitably dance to their tunes. That¡¯s how it works in Ygeia now, young man.¡± Hans couldn¡¯t reply. Truthfully, he knew that it was unavoidable once this battle was over. His past lives also showed that. The IYC had a deal they wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse. That faceless, distant, uncaring entity that seemed to not have a shred of human morality, only interested in saving Ygeia because of their profit motives¡­was a giant that neither he nor the woman in front of him could confront. He remembered how she fought that demon with her own power. That was¡­something that he wouldn¡¯t be able to do. Not without his mech. Yet she, a simple woman with a sword wand, was capable of doing so. She didn¡¯t even need a gun like Captain Weibel, or Lieutenant Preisner. Yet just like those two, ultimately, she was powerless. ¡°Do you hate them?¡± Hans asked. ¡°The Company?¡± The Countess remained silent. ¡°Do you?¡± He asked again. ¡°The Imperium took everything away from me,¡± she silently said. ¡°If I could¡­I¡¯d like to see that Virtus woman on the throne of the Holy Empire burning from my own magic.¡± She sighed. ¡°But I¡¯m tired of fighting. I want none of it anymore,¡± she shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s why I hire other fools to do it for me. It¡¯s a tiring endeavor. Quite frankly, I¡¯d like to consider it below me. And what does revenge do other than push you into stupidity? I¡¯m not interested. That¡¯s why¡­if I¡¯ll fight, I¡¯ll only do it to tie up loose ends at last.¡± ¡­So did she consider fighting that monster as ¡®tying up loose ends¡¯? She fought it to the blood end after all. I wonder then¡­ He looked at the last painting. The Vanus man who overlooked the battlefield with his spyglass. ¡°Who is he?¡± He asked. ¡°He¡¯s¡­the last out there.¡± The Countess did not so much as turn her head to look at the painting. ¡°None of your business,¡± she said, clearly a bit irritated. ¡°But if it eases you, he¡¯s just another fool who thought he could do it all.¡± She laughed, strangely though, a bit warmer this time, even if it only lasted for a few brief seconds. ¡°Just another fool who deserves a proper rest, one day.¡± She gently placed the cat on the floor off her lap, and stood up, going straight to her table to serve herself another serving of tea in her cup from her kettle. Hans understood that the woman wouldn¡¯t be open to any further questions, so he respectfully bowed. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave then, Ma¡¯am.¡± She looked at him for a second, almost judging him, before she simply nodded. ¡°Take care then. And good luck with that girl with you. The gods know she needs someone good to take care of her.¡± Hans nodded, already knowing that he and Adelyn finally conceded their petitions to the Countess yesterday after the two talked about the fate of Aliz¨¦e. She¡¯d be coming with them until the situation ¡°improved¡±. ¡°Thanks. And to you too, Ma¡¯am,¡± Hans replied. The woman turned to him, with a hint of confusion in her face. Naturally, Hans thought he fumbled again. ¡°Good luck, I mean, on tying up loose ends, or whatever that is.¡± Her expressions remained. ¡°Y-yeah, thanks for the meeting, Ma¡¯am. It was a pleasure.¡± He bowed quickly and retreated as fast as he could. Women sure could be scary. 57. Youre No Devil ¡°To that end, I have a tall mission ahead of me. To prevent the destruction of a city. To kill a serpentine water demon. And to prevent a child from falling into a disastrous series of events that would doom us all. I suppose that¡¯s my job now. From shooting Flandrians in a soul-sucking battlefield, to this. Someone who has to hunt and kill the most dangerous creatures this place has to offer. From the frying pan¡ªstraight into the fire.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City AUG 4, 1538 CE It¡¯s only me who can do this. Hans closed his journal as he prepared himself for today. He placed the cap back on his pen, as he tried gathering his thoughts. Truly, this¡­this was a difficult ordeal he had to fight. There was still no way for him to stop it from getting inside the city and fighting it in favorable terrain for both his and Adelyn¡¯s Wanderfalke. Thus, he abandoned all thought of fighting it outside of the city. He was now operating under the assumption it would arrive either today or already arrived before the news of its incoming attack would reach their offices for the emergency meeting later. He¡¯d assume the latter. That meant, this city, from now on, was marked as a compromised position, and he¡¯d be operating from that assumption. The St. Heka church and the Countess¡¯ Estate had also been marked as a danger zone in his mind, so much so that he now wondered if he could evacuate Aliz¨¦e or not. He checked his magazines. He had already acquired his enchanted bullets, just like he did last time, from Moritz, the singular mage he knew that could help him. This time, he even acquired more than twice his previous, already expensive and hefty acquisition. A hundred enchanted 5.7x28 LFI rounds, both for his pistol, and SMG. He wasn¡¯t going to rely on it though. Really, he only needed it for the first phase¡ªthe spotting phase, where he¡¯d need the SMG as his personal defense weapon. Quite frankly, it was why he held a simple PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) instead of a rifle. Unlike most other pilots, he vowed to never need a rifle in his service life. Why? Because he was a damned Wanderfalke pilot. His greatest trump card was his Wanderfalke. Plus, he liked the fact that it shared the same rounds that his pistol used. That, and again, he planned to use his Wanderfalke on the tight streets of Rousselot this time. How would the battle go? He didn¡¯t know, but he already made adjustments. First of all, he had already been hinting to the Countess that it might be a good idea if she joined in on the fight. This time around, he¡¯d report to her directly about his lie of spotting the creature. And that was the good part¡ªhe had a working theory that the ¡°Tentacled Eel¡± was somewhat connected to the Countess. Someone, who she would have to fight to ¡°tie the loose ends¡± as she said. Second, he¡¯d get Captain Weibel and Lieutenant Preisner again on the search, alongside the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment on the fifth day of August, to fully follow the last timeline, and prevent it from attacking on the fifth of August and delay it to the sixth of August. Third¡ªhe¡¯d need to find a way to get Aliz¨¦e inside the Countess''s estate. It was a ruthless tactic, but Hans had been acting very kind to Aliz¨¦e since he made the promise that he wouldn¡¯t leave her. Why? It was clear that the demon wanted her alive, and that it wanted her to turn into whatever abomination that Aliz¨¦e became in his first and third death. Yet, his first death showed that he could reverse it, easily, by pulling her back to her senses. Thus, Hans hoped that with his recent actions, Aliz¨¦e would be in a better mental position to withstand the effects of the demon even if it abducted her. Ruthless yes, but with it attacking the Countess¡¯ estate to get Aliz¨¦e¡ªthe Countess would recognize the demon, and join the fight. All I¡¯d need is to lie to Adelyn to make her visit the Countess with Aliz¨¦e in tow while we¡¯re preparing outside for the big fight. He smirked at his magazine after he finished loading it. The Countess is a powerful woman. She¡¯d stop that thing from harming Adelyn, at least, well enough. I already reminded Adelyn to carry her pistol anyway, and she had been studying up a few spells for her guns from my advice since I returned in time. That way, Adelyn would be able to survive the chaos, while Aliz¨¦e would be abducted¡ªthen, Hans, Captain Weibel, Lieutenant Preisner, and the rest would rush into the Countess''s estate to confront the demon in a location where it would one hundred percent be in. It was an elaborate plan that required so many lies and manipulations, but Hans knew the truth. Without a little mental gymnastics to ensure that the pieces on his chessboard fell in line¡ªwithout his little lies to move everyone to the right position in order to counter a credible threat he met many times, they¡¯d all die. Either to that demon¡ªor to Aliz¨¦e freezing the city. No¡­Aliz¨¦e isn¡¯t the demon here. Hans told himself, as he placed his loaded magazine on his Ruger. It¡¯s me. The only man who knows the truth of what¡¯s happening. He frowned. And the only bastard with the balls to lie about it. +++ The meeting went about as much as he had expected. So far, he remained true to the timeline of his last death. Considering that Captain Weibel and Lieutenant Preisner still hadn¡¯t arrived, he held off from alerting the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment about him ¡°spotting¡± the ¡°Tentacled Eel¡± inside of Rousselot. He didn¡¯t want to mess up the timeline of events until the critical moment, which would be tomorrow when they would start the search by afternoon and fully place the 4th and the Rousselot Garrison in a ready posture. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. What he did though was use his power as a sort of ¡°military advisor¡± to preposition Captain Strobel¡¯s units throughout the city. Specifically, he proposed for a ¡°military parade¡± to be prepared on the routes close to the St. Heka church and the Countess¡¯ estate on the 6th under the guise of ¡°improving public morale¡±. He also, this time, scrapped suggesting his north defense line plan. No, all sixteen pieces of the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment¡¯s light cannons were inside of the city. The plan he hatched for now was for the cavalry to scout the north, as he still needed to keep his reputation of being a reliable advisor to the city¡¯s defense. Now, he had at least four hundred musketeers, veterans of the takedown of the ¡°Rat of Pestilence¡± posed inside the city, close to the area where he expected the fight to begin, alongside six of their artillery pieces right on the city barracks, which was close to the Countess¡¯ estate, the rest being dispersed in the city. But that didn¡¯t matter, this time around, they¡¯d have thrice of the firepower they had compared to the timeline of his first death. A battle for the Countess¡¯ estate would still be a surprise attack that would cause panic¡ªbut they would have more troops on the ground, and more artillery pieces ready for rapid redeployment by the time of the attack. Both the St. Heka church and the Countess¡¯ estate, instead of being an easy high-value target, were now both traps for the demon. All that was left now was ensuring Adelyn¡¯s and Aliz¨¦e¡¯s safety once the attack arrived, which he wasn¡¯t sure how he would guarantee. It was honestly disgusting, as he was using them, the same people he wanted to save from this, as bait. But what could he do? He knew it was impossible to intercept the demon. He knew that their efforts of searching for it would fail (but they would have to do it to make it delay its attack) and thus they wouldn¡¯t be able to stop it from getting to Aliz¨¦e. And Hans knew that it targeted Aliz¨¦e specifically. He had already resigned himself to the reality of the situation. Aliz¨¦e would be abducted. What he could do was maximize his chances of disrupting the plans of that demon as best as he could. Thus prepositioning Aliz¨¦e and Adelyn in the Countess¡¯ estate, which would force the Countess to act and hunt the demon later on, prepositioning the city garrison to the perfect spot on the sixth day of August, and of course, starting a determined search attempt in the fifth of August to ensure that the attack would happen in the sixth of August. Having the power to see the future sure is disgusting. He shook his head as he walked back to the St. Heka church, as the afternoon sun drew down, and the city became ever more relaxed as people went home. It was, honestly, strange. These people, most of them, were calm, carrying on as if business was usual. Even the city¡¯s leadership, even Adelyn, even the Countess, was treating the demon problem as an unconfirmed threat. Yet¡­if he failed in his elaborate plans, in just days, thousands would die inside the walls of Rousselot. Most people he passed through rarely regarded him with much interest. Quite frankly, he had the reputation of being the closed-off ¡°hero¡± in comparison to Adelyn. He certainly wasn¡¯t popular with the cityfolk. Even to the officers of the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment, he was regarded with neutrality. It was only really the soldiers of the 4th who saw him hatch a plan and execute it in order to kill the ¡°Rat of Pestilence¡± where he imagined he had a truly positive reputation. Not that it matters. He shook his head. Sometimes, he wondered what it would be like if he led the 4th himself, and made them act under his directives. Would that give him comfort? Being in control might, certainly. But really, it wouldn''t change the reality of the situation. It was just him who knew and who could restart endlessly to change the fate of forty-thousand people. He could go through this a hundred times, and not much would change. In fact, he imagined once all of this was over, while he would be regarded as a competent officer who saw a threat early and acted decisively against it, ultimately, no one would know the rest of his efforts. Well, there was a silver lining to that, he supposed. No one too would know how much he failed them. He wasn¡¯t sure if that was a good thing or not. ¡°Sir Hans!¡± By the time he was back at the St. Heka church, he didn¡¯t expect that the first thing to greet him was Aliz¨¦e. She rushed to greet him, genuinely joyful, and she began showing him her ¡°notebook¡±, really just a bunch of papers stitched together, and excitedly showed him many pages filled with phrases. ¡°Look! Look!¡± He checked on it. All of it was in Lotharingian¡ªerr, ¡°continental¡±, mostly, simple words and phrases like, ¡°I like chicken soup!¡±, or ¡°I want to play¡±, or really just simple things like, ¡°I want to be friends!¡±, repeated again and again in dozens of lines below. The girl was certainly a determined self-studying student. He gave her a head pat. ¡°Gee, this looks good,¡± Hans said. He kneeled down to her level and pulled out a ballpen. Now that he thought of it, he had a lot of ball pens, while this girl continued using nothing but ink and quill. She curiously looked at his pen, as he removed the cap, and began writing on her paper. All he placed on it was a star symbol, writing down, ¡°10/10¡± on it, and placing a big check below for extra measure. She looked at what he did curiously. ¡°There, full marks,¡± Hans smiled. ¡°You did good. Just keep up the good work. I¡¯m sure you can ask for chocolates next time more fluently.¡± ¡°Thanks, Sir Hans!¡± She took the paper, and her eyes lit up, almost as if the marks that he gave her were now her little world. Hans checked his pen. He had a lot of spares anyway, and since the kid¡¯s all determined to be a student, he thought she¡¯d definitely do better with a piece of easier equipment to use. After all, writing all that using ink and quill must be a pain. ¡°Hey, also,¡± Hans showed her his pen, demonstrating how to place and remove its cap. ¡°This¡­this is your reward.¡± She didn¡¯t seem to understand it. ¡°Okay, gift.¡± ¡°Gift?¡± She smiled. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± he took her paper again and began demonstrating how to write on it. ¡°See this? Yeah, look, it¡¯s easy. You just write, and write, no worries. And then when you¡¯re finished¡­¡± He placed back the cap on it. ¡°Just cover it up with this. It looks stylish too, so that''s an extra, I guess. Um, just don¡¯t eat it, for god¡¯s sake. That¡¯d be silly.¡± He handed it to her. She looked down on it, almost hesitant, until Hans took her hands, and placed it on her palms. She accepted it. ¡°Thank you, Sir Hans,¡± she said. ¡°This is so nice¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, that. Actually, you know what, let¡¯s get to your room. I suck at teaching languages, but I sure as hell can teach you how to use that. How about it?¡± She nodded eagerly. ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Right. Then, let¡¯s get to it, kid.¡± He stood up, and immediately, Aliz¨¦e followed him. He sure as hell didn¡¯t expect himself to teach a kid how to use a pen. 58. Your New Guardian ¡°In the event of an attack on a town or a city, it is not recommended to hold on and confront a demonic threat. Instead, authorities must prioritize a ¡®fighting retreat¡¯, holding the monster off from its rampage with just enough time to let the people escape. In fact, in most cases, preserving combat strength by completely abandoning the populace may be a necessary desperate measure. Most engagements with demons are a hopeless endeavor. Involve civilians, and it is a situation that has gone beyond out of control and a waste of lives to fight for.¡± - Excerpt from ¡°An Emergency Treatise on the Subject of ¡®Demons¡¯¡± by Daniel Specke. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City AUG 5, 1538 CE Hans, Adelyn, Captain Strobel, and of course, even the newly arrived IYC mercenaries¡ªCaptain Weibel and Lieutenant Preisnel, arrived at the Countess¡¯ Estate in the afternoon. Earlier, Hans executed his first phase of the plan. He went to the slums and reported back to both Captain Strobel, then Adelyn, and then they went to grab the two mercenaries. Of course, the duo was easy to get. All he needed to do was to tell them that there was money involved. Specifically, the bounty for the ¡®Tentacled Eel¡¯. That, and the deal that would bind Adelyn and Hans into the interests of the IYC too. Like the last time, the deal meant they essentially smoothly finished their main goal of going into this city. And so, Hans got them in on the operation. All that was left was the Countess. She would be a hard lady to nag in order to join the fight, Hans imagined. But he was going to report to her and make it clear that she must join them in the fight. Sure, it violated her desire to remain out of the fighting, but Hans needed a truly strong individual to stack the odds in their favor. When they arrived at her office the Countess, as usual, was calmly tending to her books, her cat merely looking at them for a scant few seconds, before yawning in disinterest. Even the presence of Captain Strobel seemed to not even elicit a response from her. Captain Strobel removed his hat, and so did Captain Weibel and Lieutenant Preisner before they all bowed respectfully. Captain Strobel then walked forward and straightened himself. ¡°Milady, we bear bad news,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°Lieutenant Hoffman here has reported a possible sighting of the ¡®humanoid form¡¯ of the demonic entity we were preparing against. The ¡®Tentacled Eel¡¯ might be in this city.¡± Silence. ¡°Who told the three of you to bring two rats to my office?¡± the Countess asked, a hint of hateful distaste in her otherwise serene tone. ¡°It is not a pleasure to conduct business with those things. You know that, Captain Strobel.¡± Captain Weibel left a split-second chuckle before he composed himself. ¡°I apologize, but these two also have some experience dealing with demons,¡± Captain Strobel replied. ¡°They¡¯d be participating in the search. I¡¯m also mobilizing the available units in the city to conduct the searches. But we also need you¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost late afternoon,¡± she flipped another page of her book. ¡°What kind of fairytale does the bunch of you live in to believe you can find a monster in the darkness? I¡¯m no military commander, but I know that commoner footsoldier with¡­pardon me for belittling these men¡ªa mere musket and torch won¡¯t be able to effectively find it, nor would he have a chance to fight, escape, and report back to us should Lieutenant Hoffman¡¯s findings be true.¡± Hans frowned and walked forward. ¡°Respectfully, Madame, that¡¯s why we¡¯re trying to get you in on this,¡± Hans said. ¡°That demon is a threat to the city. Your city. You must act.¡± ¡°Or I shall evacuate at once¡ª¡± ¡°It looked like a middle-aged human male in obviously aged and ruined clothing¡­but his head has been replaced by tentacles,¡± Hans added. ¡°And he¡¯s trying to hide in the darkness. Preparing to strike when we¡¯re vulnerable. I know it. That¡¯s why you must act, Countess Fresnel. You must.¡± The woman was clearly disturbed by Hans¡¯ speech, but she took a deep breath to recompose herself. The five watched as the Countess closed the book she was reading, and stood up to face them. At last, in Hans¡¯ mind, he made progress. All he needed was to push further, and the Countess would fold. ¡°Then what¡¯s your plan, Lieutenant Hoffman?¡± the Countess asked. ¡°Good, perhaps it is in the city. Then we¡¯re doomed. Should I order an evacuation this late for an unconfirmed threat? Should we cancel our plans? You even made the plan to have a parade tomorrow, should we cancel that? You might be bringing unintended chaos to my city.¡± ¡°No, no plans are getting canceled,¡± Hans said. ¡°We¡¯re sticking to it. I have reason to believe that the monster would either attack tonight or tomorrow. Where, I do not know, but we need a stronghold for that.¡± ¡°And what stronghold would that be?¡± ¡°Your Estate,¡± Hans said. ¡°Captain Wittenstein will cooperate with you to fortify this estate in a reasonable manner should an attack happen. This is also where you are, Countess Fresnel, and we expect you to defend this estate at all costs. It¡¯ll be our headquarters once the chaos starts. Our staging ground. And where we¡¯ll muster our forces before attacking the demon. You will lead it, Countess Fresnel. You will.¡± She laughed a bit. ¡°You¡¯re ordering me¡­¡± ¡°I am,¡± Hans said. ¡°Now, that¡¯s your job, Captain Wittenstein, and Countess Fresnel. Captain Strobel here will be in charge of our forces, as usual. He¡¯ll be coordinating the search attempts tonight, and then tomorrow. Me, Captain Weibel, and Lieutenant Preisnel will be on the ground too. We¡¯ll try to cover as much ground as possible.¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Hans,¡± Adelyn cut him off. ¡°What about our Wanderpanzers? Shouldn¡¯t we deploy now with it?¡± ¡°Only once the sighting and location are confirmed,¡± Hans replied. ¡°We can¡¯t lose those assets. We have to use them carefully. We use it now to search for the entity, not only would we be sitting ducks on the search, but we¡¯d also be disturbing the peace. Immediate panic right now will only hamper our efforts and will just¡­trigger that thing. We need to mobilize our troops here in relative peace. And we only have at most one night left to do that and rest.¡± ¡°What if it attacks us right when everyone¡¯s asleep?¡± Countess Fresnel asked. ¡°Simple. We stick to the plan and kill it. Everyone in the higher chain of command will be on high alert. No one¡¯s sleeping tonight.¡± +++ Aliz¨¦e seemed confused when Hans and Adelyn returned to the St. Heka church to pick her up. Quite frankly, Hans didn¡¯t know if what he was doing was truly right¡ªhe was, after all, putting her directly in harm¡¯s way based on what he knew from his past lives. He really couldn¡¯t be sure about how it¡¯d end up. What if instead of abducting her, the demon simply killed her this time? Hans didn¡¯t know for sure, which ached his heart more. He was probably the worst guardian to a child that could ever exist. But he had already convinced himself that this was a necessary thing to do. He needed Aliz¨¦e as bait to get the Countess to fight. He needed to make sure she¡¯d be surrounded by powerful people when the demon tried to take her. And he permitted himself to just that plan all because his mind was convinced that Aliz¨¦e wouldn¡¯t corrupt this time around. His entire strategy. His entire plan. All of it hinged on this little girl not turning into one of them. He hoped it¡¯d work. ¡°Aliz¨¦e,¡± Hans kneeled to her level. ¡°How are you doing today, hmm?¡± She tried to smile. ¡°Studying, Sir Hans.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he gave her a pat on the head. ¡°Hey¡­you know, you don¡¯t actually seem too fine to me. Come on¡­tell me if anything¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°I¡­will it really be alright, Sir Hans? Am I¡­useless?¡± ¡°Where did you learn those words?¡± ¡°The voices¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± The girl looked down, her hands gripping the hem of her skirt. ¡°S-studying¡­¡± ¡°Focus on positive words and phrases first, okay?¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°If you understand that, of course. But no, you¡¯re not useless, Aliz¨¦e. Get that? You are not. You are valuable. Important. To us. You know, me and Adelyn over there. Look, things¡­aren¡¯t looking up right now, but it¡¯ll be alright. Trust me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to be scared,¡± Hans said. ¡°I am too. Everyone is. But you need to remain strong. Alright. You¡¯re a strong girl. A good girl even. Just keep that up. What monster is going to stand against that? What bad men would? So long as you can keep your head high, I want you to know, you will be fine, eventually. And if not, maybe you¡¯ll fall. But you¡¯ll fall with grace and dignity. This world is cruel. But you must remain strong.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m weak.¡± ¡°The strength of the mind can be more important than the strength of one¡¯s fist,¡± Hans said. ¡°Your mind is your guidance. And you must keep your guide in its best condition. Trust. Belief. The hope for a better future. I can¡¯t tell you fully if it will be alright, but right now¡­just believe, for your sake. We¡¯ll do our best.¡± Hans paused. ¡°You don¡¯t fully understand me, no?¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± She looked down again. ¡°But I¡¯ll remain strong. I¡¯ll trust you. You will stop anyone trying to harm me. You will. Because¡­because you always did, Sir Hans.¡± ¡°Alright. You¡¯ll be staying with Adelyn in a safer place. Just¡­just stay there, and hold on. It¡¯ll be over soon. I swear by that. I would never break the trust you place on me if you placed it on me. I¡¯ll die first before that happens.¡± And I mean that literally. ¡°So, be a good, strong girl. That¡¯s all you need to do. Things will work out.¡± Hans stood up and guided Aliz¨¦e to Adelyn, who was standing behind him. ¡°Captain, take care of her. Keep her safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Adelyn replied. ¡°Just¡­radio me when it¡¯s spotted. I¡¯ll act quickly.¡± ¡°Noted.¡± +++ The night drew in quickly. Quite frankly, as Hans expected, it was a hopeless search for the trio. They even mustered multiple platoons of the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment to scour the slums, but alas, the presence of the demon didn¡¯t materialize. As expected. More importantly, it was already too dark that further search attempts would be suicidal. And so, Hans turned to face Captain Weibel and Lieutenant Preisner. ¡°So¡­what do you think?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Seems like it¡¯s hiding well.¡± ¡°Assuming it¡¯s even really here,¡± Captain Weibel said. They looked around. The group of run-down buildings around them was already too painfully silent, its inhabitants most likely asleep or attempting to avoid them by remaining silent. Lieutenant Preisner, who had his wheellock pistol out, sighed. ¡°Sir, I think this search is futile,¡± the IYC mercenary said. ¡°Think we should pull back?¡± ¡°Lieutenant Hoffman?¡± Captain Weibel turned to Hans, the question being passed to him. ¡°I¡¯d say so¡­perhaps,¡± Hans said. ¡°It seems the beast prefers to stay low right now. Strange¡­it should attack us. It shouldn¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯m starting to feel like we¡¯re just expendable bait at this point,¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°The plan of yours. You know, it looks desperate, I must say. I believe there¡¯d be severe casualties.¡± ¡°It is desperate,¡± Hans answered. ¡°I¡¯m not joking when I say that a demon in an urban area is a death sentence. We are in a death sentence type of situation. And in these situations, extreme measures have to be taken.¡± ¡°You think the Countess is the prime target, no?¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°Or that someone in her estate is.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I can see it in your eyes, Lieutenant,¡± Captain Weibel laughed. ¡°You scheming son-of-whatever place you came from. You want to bait out that demon, if it exists, and attack our best strong point. Hence, the concentration of forces in the Countess¡¯ estate.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Hans couldn¡¯t answer him properly. How the hell did he find out so easily? He wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°I¡¯m still hoping we can find it. And force it into a fight outside of the city center. It¡¯s the main plan.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not the plan that¡¯ll work in your mind, Lieutenant,¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°I hope whatever scheme you prepared, it will work. Because if it doesn¡¯t¡­well, our pay might be in danger. And I don¡¯t like it when my money is in danger.¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°Believe me, there are things more important than your pay that are in danger in my plans,¡± Hans said. ¡°But it¡¯s a necessary sacrifice to win.¡± 59. Hell Forgive You ¡°I hate the world. I hate those who want to hurt me. I hate the monsters that kill people. I hate those who don¡¯t care. I hate those who lie, and lie, and lie. But¡­I refuse to believe in only hate. Sir Hans. Lady Adelyn. Mama. Papa. They proved to me that there is good in this world.¡± - Excerpt from Aliz¨¦e Amboise¡¯s Notebook Scribbles (Later Journal). +++ +++ Captain Ebert Strobel +++ Rousselot City AUG 6, 1538 CE Ebert wasn¡¯t liking this situation one bit. Quite frankly, the plans of Lieutenant Hoffman baffled him greatly. Why did he place his troops in the most obvious main target of the beast? What exactly was he hoping for in this battle? That the demon would just easily fold to their defenses? Did the battle over Belancon Hill perhaps cloud that man¡¯s judgment? Ebert didn¡¯t know. All he knew was that he was hoping that the venerable Lieutenant Hoffman was wrong and he didn¡¯t spot a damned demon right inside this city. That would be a disaster too far. He knew that the only way they¡¯d triumph without much losses in this situation would come from a miracle. A miracle that he doubted to be possible. Even with the Countess in the fight, I doubt she¡¯d be able to hold off the beast for long. If she struggled with the ¡°Rodent of Pestilence¡±, what more with this situation? She¡¯s a strong Vanus sword mage, but other than that¡­she¡¯s already alone. ¡°Attention!¡± He emerged in front of the gathered men of the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment. They were mostly officers¡ªthe various Lieutenants and remaining Captains of his Regiment. They all looked to him for attention, even when they were mostly still sleepy at being awakened early in the morning, or because they genuinely had no sleep, as multiple companies were ordered not to sleep and remain on high alert through the night. ¡°Men of the 4th!¡± He looked around them as he paused for effect. The men straightened themselves further. Good. ¡°Today, you all face a task¡­so great, that it may determine the fate of this very city you are in. Men of the 4th! I have ordered many units already yesterday for various tasks. The orders¡­were vague. But now, I shall divulge the truth to you. The feared ¡®Tentacled Eel¡¯ may be inside of this city¡¯s walls.¡± Silence. Ebert could see it in the eyes of his men. Panic. Fear. All were repressed by their training, and by the sheer fighting experience they had. Yes, fear. They all feared demons. But these men were no greenies. They killed a demon. With their own artillery. With their own musketry. With their gunpowder and lead. They feared, yes¡ªbut he knew these men had good reason to believe that there was a chance. A chance for victory. ¡°Men of the 4th! You shall fight, in one of the most important battles in the struggle against these malformed monsters. Your names will go down in the annals of military history. I wish that the monster and the reports of its presence in this city are untrue. And that we shall not fight yet today. But if it is true, then we shall fight. Know that every soldier of the Holy Empire will give up his left nut for the honor of being in this battle. Do not waste it. Do not run from it. ¡°Men of the 4th! Rousselot¡­is watching. Ygeia¡­is watching. The Empire¡­is watching. The Countess¡­is watching. But most importantly, I am watching. I expect great results from you. Trust your training. Trust your instincts. Trust your officers. And the men fighting side-by-side with you. And most importantly¡­¡± He grinned. ¡°Keep your powders dry, gentlemen. That¡¯ll ensure our final victory.¡± Placing back his hat and walking forward, the men roared. Victory! They shouted. Victory! He hoped that such triumphant roars would be heard once the day was over. Lieutenant Hoffman¡­I swear, that miracle you¡¯re looking for must work, you dirty rascal. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ I see then¡­ The first distant cracks of gunpowder. The sounds of chaos from the center of the city. All of it finally came in an intensifying crescendo, stopping the trio from continuing their morning search in the slums. Captain Weibel, Lieutenant Preisner, Hans, and even the few soldiers of the 4th all looked in the direction of the central district. That tugging coldness almost overcame Hans¡¯ spine once more. And he felt his hands tremble a bit. The unspoken question that he feared¡­once again repeating itself endlessly in the back of his mind. Will I die again? Will I? Would she turn¡­and kill me again? Hans took a deep breath, as the dumbfounded IYC mercenaries with him walked back slightly, with Captain Weibel even gulping from the sounds of the obvious attack. ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s true¡­¡± He muttered. ¡°Heh, lost your nerve?¡± Hans asked, looking at Captain Weibel. The IYC mercenary frowned before he steeled himself to hide his obvious fear. ¡°Just a bit surprised, is all. Besides, you don¡¯t look much better, Lieutenant Hoffman.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Hans replied. ¡°But¡­well, we can¡¯t do anything else than stick to the plan now. I shall contact my Captain, all while running back to grab my vehicle. You two, go to the Countess¡¯ estate and organize the fight. Hold on till I return.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Lieutenant Preisner drew his saber and nodded. ¡°At once. Let¡¯s go, sir,¡± he said to Captain Weibel. ¡°Let¡¯s get this damned thing done. Can¡¯t believe we¡¯d really fight a demon in the city, but it¡¯s real.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Captain Weibel pulled out his pistol. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Lieutenant Hoffman, make haste, please. This¡¯ll be a tough fight.¡± ¡°Heh, look at the bright side. If we win, that¡¯s a lot of money.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± And with that, the two dashed in the direction of the fight. On the other hand, he ran in the direction of his Wanderfalke. The only true weapon he had in this fight. The only real reason that he was useful in these fights. All while everyone else, soldiers of the city garrison and the 4th, all followed the calls of the two IYC mercenaries. Hans¡­meanwhile ran in the opposite direction, as he took his radio to contact Adelyn. And as the static buzz gave way to her voice, Hans grinned as he heard her. ¡°Lieutenant! The monster! It broke through the defenses and abducted Aliz¨¦e! Well, then that part of the plan worked too. She really was the true target. All that was left now¡­was how it would go for her. It¡¯s all up to you now kid. Hans thought as he ran faster on the streets. Will you believe me¡­.or corrupt me into a demon? I hope you¡¯ll choose the right one¡­Aliz¨¦e¡­ He had already died many times painfully to her, but Hans¡­ trusted her. In fact, no, if she had even blamed the girl for his pain, he knew, and trusted her, that this time around¡­ He¡¯d be able to forgive her. +++ +++ Aliz¨¦e Amboise +++ Pain. Pain at being dragged and carried roughly. Pain at being thrown like a broken doll. Pain from the terror. Pain resisting the monster. Pain at being separated¡­and seemingly abandoned. Aliz¨¦e¡­she didn¡¯t know what to do, as she tried standing up to the monster. Why? Why her? Why¡­ That strange crystal. That voice. It all intensified. ¡°Can you really not see it, little girl? That they only led you to your death.¡± Aliz¨¦e winced and tried to block it, as she aimed her palm at the demon in front of her. ¡°Briller!¡± A barrage of her magic slammed at the demon, who blocked it with its tentacles. Stand tall. Stand tall. She tried to keep herself from crying, but tears already streaked down her cheeks, as her tiredness crept in from the amount of AP she was expending in her attacks. ¡°Die! Die! Just die!¡± But it was futile¡­the demon merely continued to stop her attacks with its tentacles that regenerated endlessly. Aliz¨¦e backed, and backed, as the demon advanced, her futile attempts unable to even stop or tire it. ¡°You can¡¯t, kid. Not with your state. Not with what you are right now. Haven¡¯t you asked yourself? Why would they come here to save you¡­when you can¡¯t even do it yourself?¡± ¡°Liar! They¡¯ll come here and save me!¡± Aliz¨¦e insisted with a scream. ¡°Just get out of my head! You¡¯ve been lying to me! Again and again! You must be the demon in front of me! You¡¯re evil! Evil!¡± ¡°Oh, but I¡¯m not. That thing in front of you is not me. I am but an idea, asking you questions. I offer no answers. I only ask the questions that¡¯s already in your mind¡­¡± Aliz¨¦e felt her knees giving in, and she collapsed in pain. No. Why would I ask such¡­evil questions? She finally cried. I trust them. I trust them. I¡¯m not like you! ¡°Really? Then why the severe denial? You know it from your eyes. Your memories. Your experiences. You know it because of what is happening. That¡¯s why your mind asks this question. All I am¡­is a voice asking you the most important question. What is your answer¡­to the struggles of your mind?¡± The demon stood tall in front of Aliz¨¦e. It was poised to attack her. It had already dropped the crystal that it was holding. And Aliz¨¦e¡­she was alone, weak, and on her knees. How pathetic of her.
[SEVERE MENTAL BREAKDOWN DETECTED!] [WHERE DO YOU STAND?]
¡°No¡­¡± The tears in her eyes stopped. ¡°No¡­you¡¯re right. I¡­I have to face it¡­as you¡¯ve said. These questions. These things. Mama. Papa. Sir Hans. Lady Adelyn. Their words¡­their promises¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± ¡°I think I know the answer now. This world¡­is cruel. So evil to me. But¡­it¡¯s not all clear cut.¡± She frowned, and stood up, slowly walking to the demon. ¡°No¡­just as there is evil. There is good. There are good people out there. And¡­and I refuse not to believe them. In fact, no¡­¡± She shouted at the demon. ¡°I refuse to fail them!¡± The demon staggered backward, as light coalesced around the little girl.
[IDEAL (PURITY) STAGE I REALIZED!] [CORRUPTION (DESIRE) SHATTERING]
Slowly, her body changed. Aliz¨¦e felt not just the cool air around here, but the drive. The drive to do what she must do. This demon¡­this evil entity. This creature that would kill so many people, two of them, people that she valued¡­ must be killed. But she was still too weak. She needed more¡­ ¡°You¡­you wretched creature! I¡¯ll end you!¡± She shouted, as around her, the light transformed her dress into a white armor of sorts, her body now clad in pink-colored metal plates that made her resemble a knight¡ªan angelic knight. Then¡­a strange crossbow materialized in her hands. For some reason, even when the weapon was unfamiliar to her, a surge of information washed her mind. She knew how to use this.
[IDEAL PARTIALLY MANIFESTED] [IDEAL: CROSSLIGHT (PURITY) I GRANTED AND SUMMONED]
So it¡¯s my weapon. She looked at her status sheet and saw it. It called her the ¡°Angel of Purity¡±. That only further pushed her forward. Purity. Purity. Was she then the one that the Goddess of Purity, the same Goddess she prayed to many times, appointed as a new angel to vanquish demons? And the evil of this world? Then if that¡¯s my task¡­ She moved forward and aimed her crossbow at the demon. It realized its mistake, dropping the crystal and forming a shield with its tentacles.
[REALIZE YOUR IDEAL¡­AND PURIFY THE DARKNESS WITH LIGHT]
An arrow, glowing pink, plowed through the body of the demon. Blood exploded everywhere, as Aliz¨¦e heard a scream of pain that was almost as awful as the screams of her parents when they died. She¡¯d show the corrupted world her light. 60. For Your Sake ¡°The importance of protecting this child just grew for me that day.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City ¡°I¡¯d rather die first than let that thing do whatever it wants to do to her.¡± The words from Adelyn had fully turned cold. While Hans couldn¡¯t see her Wanderadler, as she was traveling in a parallel road, he knew that she was rushing through the chaos just as fast, both of their mechs dashing through the tight lanes as fleeing masses tried to make way for their vehicles. ¡°I know,¡± Hans responded. ¡°And I agree. How much ADI MPAT have you readied?¡± ¡°Four.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke made a tight turn on the lanes, emerging on the main road that was headed to the central district. Right as he turned however, the Diligence almost drifted as Adelyn also turned and rushed forward in front of him. Hans followed her closely, as the sounds of chaos in the city intensified. Muskets. Cannons. All of them cracked left and right. Not just that. He could hear the beast itself¡ªas a sudden blue beam of water sliced through the buildings just a few hundreds meters ahead of them. Already, Hans pulled his mech to one of the buildings, fired his grapnels into its roof, and scaled it. ¡°Captain, I¡¯ll do the flanking. Be careful.¡± ¡°Noted.¡± Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke however proved too heavy for the fragile stone structures of the buildings, and so, he wasted no time moving before the structures underneath him collapsed. One after another, his Wanderfalke moved and jumped, building to building, house to house. He even made one long gallop over the streets, landing on what appeared to be a merchant¡¯s or noble¡¯s home, before he dropped to the streets, sparks flying off as the Peacemaker¡¯s legs screeched through the stone road. Ahead of him¡ªwas two light cannons of the regiment being prepared. He ignored it, speeding up¡ªand jumping above the dumbfounded soldiers. Ahead of him, on the square near the Countess¡¯ estate, was the demon itself, slittered on one of the buildings as steam rose from a rapidly closing hole on its body. Hans pulled the break, as in front of him, on the square¡¯s central fountain, the Countess¡¯ feet dropped on the head of a lion statue, her sword drawn for combat, and blood pooling out of her multiple wounds. Hans keyed his speakers. ¡°Artillery units! Move forward in haste! Deploy and take aim!¡± Behind them, musketeers and the men who manned the cannons rushed into the square. Staggered fire, all of them powered by skills, cracked left and right from the muskets of determined men trying to stop the monster ahead of them. The shots all flew straight at the massive target, each of them piercing through its skin, only for the wounds to close immediately. Four artillery pieces, finally readied in their firing positions, were aimed at the demon. Behind Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke, Captain Strobel, who rode his horse, shouted atop his lungs for the artillery crew to open fire at the creature, his saber pointed straight at its tentacled head. The shots, although uncoordinated, with one cannon ball missing entirely, pierced through the beast¡¯s body. Immediately, it destroyed the building it was in, as its head rushed to the ground, its tentacles, now almost uncountable, ravaged through the soldiers on the ground. Musketeers, pikemen, artillery crew, Hans saw dozens meet a grizzly end, as a shot from behind him boomed. It was from Adelyn, her 120mm main gun releasing an ADI MPAT that slammed straight to the head of the creature, casing it to burn in a brutal inferno. Unfortunately, water particles formed above the demon our of the air, raining down and taking the fire out. ¡°Damn it! Loading APFSDS!¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing the same!¡± Hans said, as he took aim to the center mass of the creature. Pulling the trigger, the depleted uranium penetrator gutted the creature in and out, his shot overpenetrating and exposing the innards of the demon, with the house that was hit by the slowed down round still collapsing from the sheer energy of Hans¡¯ shot. The demon soon looked at Hans, its tentacles extending to strike him. A hail of machine gun fire peppered it, stopping it from its tracks at attacking Hans. At the same time, the Countess jumped, her sword slicing through the mass of tentacles as Hans¡¯ gunfire stopped in order to prevent friendly fire. One after another however, the tentacles began assaulting the Countess, who experly slashed her way through all of it, until four runic circles appeared around her, firing a red beam on the body of the demon, and stopping further attacks on her. The Countess however was injured, as some of the tentacles managed to slice through her even with her dodges. Perhaps out of exhaustion from her injuries, alongside her heavy usage of magic and skills, Hans watched as she slammed her sword on the stone road and use it as support from collapsing. ¡°You should have never gone there, Jacques,¡± she shakingly said as she looked at the creature. ¡°Look at what the desire for revenge has done to you. Now¡­you¡¯re nothing but a monster.¡± ¡°Damn you, Julie! You fool. You absolute fool of a woman. Traitor! Traitor! You work with them! You fight for them! The same Empire that killed our daughter! And now that I found the perfect replacement for her, you betray me?! You traitor!¡± She laughed, as she tried standing up. ¡°You¡¯re just a ghost¡­deluded beyond reprieve. Who told you that you can simply abduct a child to replace her¡­¡± She picked herself up, and aimed her sword at the monster. ¡°Burn.¡± Suddenly, a massive inferno torched half of the demon¡¯s body. Hans heard the most blood-curdling screams come from it, as it began running and retreating. Its water magic, instead of attacking anyone, began desperately raining water on its body instead to set the fire off. The Countess however finally collapsed from exhuastion, as Hans and Adelyn rushed forward to chase the retreating demon, their main guns opening fire side by side. Adelyn¡¯s mech drove through the road itself, while Hans¡¯ mech scaled another building and began chasing it, and firing at it from rooftop to rooftop. ¡°It¡¯s just us that¡¯s left!¡± Adelyn shouted on the comms. ¡°Fire everything we have!¡± ¡°On it!¡± His autoloader worked in overdrive, slamming APFSDS after APFSDS to the firing pin, each shot gutting the beast, leaving thick pools of blood on the streets that it crawled on. Then¡­ Wait¡­Aliz¨¦e? Alone from one of the ruined houses ahead of them, was Aliz¨¦e. She seemed¡­different. Her body was now covered in a pink armor of sorts, which would have looked not so fitting for a girl of her age, and would probably fit more if Hans was watching a TV show. But, Aliz¨¦e now held a determined stance. The crossbow in her hand was also aimed at the creature. ¡°Aliz¨¦e!¡± Hans shouted through his speakers. ¡°Get out of the way.¡± ¡°No!¡± She shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll kill it now, and end of all of this!¡± The arrow from her shot glowed pink, piercing and ripping through the demon¡¯s flesh with ease. Blood sprayed everywhere, covering the buildings and streets, as the beast finally collapsed on the road. Hans wasted no time, as his Wanderfalke jumped straight into what appeared to be the head of the ¡°Tentacled Eel¡±. Engaging his forward leg razors, it stabbed through its skull in a sickening slice. The creature tried to resist, its head shaking left and right to shake Hans¡¯ eighteen tonner mech off to no avail. ¡°Captain! Finish it with an anti-demon round!¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Adelyn¡¯s mech stopped, her main gun aiming straight at the head of the demon. Hans didn¡¯t need to be told, and he disengaged his leg razors, and jumped off from the beast¡¯s head as Adelyn fired her shot. The tentacles that attempted to grab the legs of the Peacemaker didn¡¯t have a chance, as they burned in a blue inferno. His mech landed just a few meters from Aliz¨¦e, who, just like the Countess, finally collapsed from exhaustion.
[1 DEMONIC ENTITY (LVL. UNKNOWN) LIQUIDATED] [LEVEL UP! NOW LVL. 23] [PROGRESS TO LVL.24: 75%] [AVAILABLE AP: 275 PTS]
Hans however cared not for that. Not that the demon was dead. Not even about the city. Not his safety. No, he pulled out his helmet, removed his seat belts, and popped his hatch open unarmed, climbing off to run and take Aliz¨¦e. He had already endangered the kid enough with his plan, and the last thing he wanted was her being injured at this point. Glowing lights surrounded her body, as the armor and weapon she had dissapeared. By the time Hans finally got to her and checked her for injuries. One after another, he checked her hands, feet, neck, and head. Everything while keeping her in the same position. But aside from scrapes and bruises in her knees and elbows, it appeared that she was fine. ¡°Goddess¡­¡± Hans breathed out, pulling her up and finally placing her on his arms in the most careful way he could. If she had any bone injuries or internal damage, he didn¡¯t want to exacerbate it. He needed to get her to the priests or anyone capable of medical magic quickly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry¡­I lied¡­I¡­¡± ¡°Sir Hans?¡± Aliz¨¦e weakly spoke, as she finally opened her eyes. ¡°Is it¡­over?¡± ¡°Aliz¨¦e?¡± Hans looked at her eyes. Why did I do this to her? He gave her head a gentle pat. ¡°Tell me, is there anything wrong? Do you feel anything off? Tell me quickly, please. Please. Please understand me.¡± Panicked, he fumbled for the translation booklet in his pocket. It was a struggle considering she was in his hands, but before he could pull it out, she spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± she said. ¡°I just feel a little tired¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± She smiled at him. ¡°Thanks¡­for saving me, again¡­Sir Hans.¡± What? I didn¡¯t save you! I used you as bait! Now¡­now all this happened¡­ ¡°What? How can you say this much already?¡± ¡°I ¡®memorized¡¯ it.¡± She giggled a bit. ¡°I want¡­chocolate too.¡± ¡°Chocolate?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Already, behind him, he could already hear the starting commotion as soldiers rushed to this street. Then, the sounds of a walking Wanderadler that stopped just behind them. Hans could only chuckle a bit. Even if he felt extreme guilt for his actions¡­it seemed that she was fine, for now. ¡°Alright¡­I¡¯ll make sure to open another MRE pack for you then, Aliz¨¦e.¡± +++ Rousselot City AUG 8, 1538 CE To say that Rousselot City had seen better days would be quite the understatement. Truth was, the ¡°Tentacled Eel¡± had damaged the city pretty badly. Buildings. Businesses. The roads. The defenses. Public spaces. The Countess¡¯ estate. The City¡¯s Council Hall. Even the port facilities were struck by the water beam that the ¡°Tentacled Eel¡± fired. Two Frigates of the IYC, both moored in the harbor, were also struck, their seaworthiness in question. But what truly struck the city the most, was in its population. As of now, the city almost seemed¡­dead. Many people fled even when the threat was gone. From a city of forty-thousand souls, he doubted that twenty-thousand (mostly poor commoners) still remained in the city. The devastation. The casualties. Hell¡­the tallies of dead remained unknown outside of their estimates¡ªat least a thousand civilian fatalities, and two hundred thirty men of the Rousselot Garrison and the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment according to their latest counts. ¡°Regardless,¡± declared Captain Strobel in front of the Countess, Hans, Adelyn, Father Olbrich, and the two IYC mercenaries that were about to take Hans and Adelyn to the IYC. They were now discussing the future plans for the city. ¡°We killed the ¡®Tentacled Eel¡¯, thus, it should be fine now to declare that the County of Rousselot is safe. Cleared of demonic threats.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be too hasty?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you all take this time to prepare for the next instead? Quite frankly, I seriously doubt that there wouldn¡¯t be another attack.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve accounted for that,¡± the Countess replied. ¡°But, now¡¯s the time for recovery. The city. The county¡­it needs her people back. To pick up the pieces. The more we remain in this state of high security, the worse the state of our county would be.¡± Hans crossed his arms. ¡°That¡¯s complacency,¡± he said. ¡°Quite frankly, all of the Imperium must remain in a war footing at once. This is ridiculous.¡± ¡°Heh, foreigner, you have no idea how braindead those at the top are,¡± Captain Weibel said with a laugh. ¡°Lady Fresnel here can only do so much. I can understand if her priorities from now on is to place her domain into recovery. All demonic threats near Rousselot has been eliminated, after all.¡± ¡°That, and this place won¡¯t be your responsibility no more,¡± the Countess said. ¡°You two did well. But, I believe that there is a greater calling in Ygeia for the two of you. My county won¡¯t be your problem from now on.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°The deal. From now on, you two will be with us, hunting the big one. The Calamity of Desire. The defense of Ygeia relies on that. And hey, one hundred thousand Imperial Marks too. Quite the bounty for the kill.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll actually be joining in on that,¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°I¡¯ve learned quite a bit about demons from the carcasses we have retrieved. I believe we need to learn more. If we¡¯re taking down that one next, every knowledge we have would be needed.¡± ¡°Hmm, he has a point,¡± Hans said. ¡°Rousselot now contains the most experienced people when it comes to battling demons. Is the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment really going to remain here?¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s true,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°But we lost a number of our assets. Three of our artillery pieces and their crew were lost. The men are more motivated than ever, yes, because we managed to do the impossible, but regardless¡­demons are demons. Without Captain Wittenstein and Lieutenant Hoffman, we would have failed.¡± ¡°But we required that extra firepower to fight,¡± Adelyn said, turning to Captain Weibel. ¡°Hey, can you negotiate with the IYC? We need a proper plan if we¡¯re serious at hunting that beast. And I¡¯d honestly like to have men we worked with already in this fight.¡± ¡°I can,¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°So long as the Calamity of Desire is killed, the IYC will do anything. But then, what about the city?¡± ¡°The city will be safe,¡± the Countess said. ¡°I believe there¡¯s no more threat. Not in the near future for us at least. And my coffers are dry. I cannot pay the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment any further if I¡¯m hoping to rebuild my lands. I advise that you, Captain Strobel, find someone to employ you all now, or be forced to disband.¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Hans broke the discussion. ¡°We have a week or two to decide anyway. For now, how about we check our options well?¡± ¡°That¡¯s definitely a better thing to do,¡± Father Olbrich said. ¡°Well then, I believe we still have our jobs to do. I shall take my leave.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go check the men,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°See where they stand.¡± One by one, the others left the room, as the meeting ended, leaving just Adelyn, Hans, and Countess Fresnel inside. Quite frankly, Hans still hadn¡¯t asked the Countess about the demon, and why she retrieved the body, but¡­ ¡°You two,¡± she smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I wasn¡¯t sure what to do with you two since you arrived, but¡­you helped me greatly.¡± ¡°Um, Ma¡¯am, I actually have a question,¡± Hans said. ¡°Is¡­is the demon¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be sure that he rests well from now on.¡± The Countess replied. ¡°For now you two should focus on what matters the most. That kid. And prepare for the next fight you shall see. That¡¯s¡­your final task from me. I would be greatly pleased if you can end the demonic threat in Ygeia. Rousselot needs true reprieve. That¡¯ll only come from that.¡± ¡°I see then¡­¡± Hans replied. ¡°We¡¯ll do our best,¡± Adelyn declared. ¡°Thanks¡­for letting us in your city. We won¡¯t forget the hospitable kindness you showed us. Even if we¡¯re just a bunch of foreigners.¡± She merely nodded, and soon, Hans and Adelyn too left. Still, Hans knew that the fight was very much not over. No. Perhaps, now his role in it had just increased further, knowing what happened to Aliz¨¦e. He¡¯d need to figure out what exactly happened to her, and why she was a problem. Then, the Calamity. The other demons. The IYC. ¡°This is such a pain¡­¡± Hans said. ¡°Well, at the very least, it won¡¯t just be us doing the fighting,¡± Adelyn declared. ¡°Hey, are you alright over there? I noticed¡­you really looked more and more tired since¡­this whole thing started.¡± Hans smiled. Of course I¡¯m tired. It¡¯s just me who knows all those failures. It¡¯s only me who went through all those¡­it¡¯s still etched in my damned mind. But¡­ ¡°Eh, probably just a lack of sleep,¡± Hans said. ¡°Quite the busy few days, after all, hehe.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°But, I swear, since we got the first quarter of the bounty rewards, I think we should splurge a bit in an R&R for ourselves. Yeah, that¡¯s right. Before we leave Rousselot, I¡¯ll make sure that the money is spent for our enjoyment. I think Aliz¨¦e needs some fun after all.¡± ¡°Well, sure you do, Captain,¡± Hans said. ¡°You control the money and my paycheck anyway.¡± ¡°You sound so disgruntled about it.¡± ¡°Come on, I mean, if I can grab a few dozen muskets¡­¡± ¡°Stow it to your fantasies. You have a PDW with you. See, this is why you entrust it to me. Even you yourself know you¡¯d suck at handling money.¡± ¡°Fine¡­I¡¯d rather we do not go broke soon while we¡¯re here anyway. Cut off from the Army and all¡­¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Hans smiled as he followed her. Well, sure, he was quite in a bad place with all these, but he had a team with him. And a partner that suffered from less brain damage than he did. Things should soon be fine, he supposed. He really hoped for that. For their sake. [ARC III END: ONE MAN] 61. My Lonesome Path ARC IV: CONDEMNED INSIDE ¡°Logistical issues are the current bane of our operations. Quite frankly, being cut-off from the Army meant not just a significant decline in our combat efficiency, but also a complete collapse of our logistical certainty. While we have significantly cut-down the usage of our mechs to the point of them merely sitting Rousselot¡¯s designated parking area (covered at least from the elements using a constructed roof by the garrison), recent combat operations have slashed our fuel to half of its original volume. We¡¯re in a bad situation.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City AUG 18, 1538 CE ¡°Sir Hans¡­¡± Aliz¨¦e playfully swayed her feet as she watched him work on his Wanderfalke from a bench inside of the ¡°hangar¡± that the Garrison made for their vehicles. The ¡°hangar¡± of course was barebones, more like a solid box of wood created so that the rain wouldn¡¯t just wet their vehicles badly. Still, it was half-decent, especially when Hans was conducting maintenance work. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Hungry.¡± Hans emerged from the back of his underside of his Wanderfalke, still holding a few tools that he placed down on his toolbox. He had checked his vehicle¡¯s engines and propulsion system for any obvious damage to hopefully repair it. Fortunately, it seemed that mechanically, it was fine. Still, preventative maintenance was something important, even with the lack of proper equipment and personnel (he wasn¡¯t supposed to be the one doing all this). ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Hans replied. ¡°Why¡¯d you even come here with me then? I¡¯m still busy. Okay¡­busy.¡± ¡°Then stop being busy!¡± She cheerfully replied. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry too?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Hans said, wiping his face with some of the soot and dirt from his vehicle. He then climbed his mech and began checking the turret. Its interior wasn¡¯t exactly the most human friendly when he opened its hatches. It wasn¡¯t designed to be. Instead, it was all machinery¡ªmostly the autoloader for his main gun and his coaxial machine guns. Seems like it¡¯s all fine. He had a bit of a close call yesterday when he and Adelyn was hunting monsters to reach level twenty-five. For some reason, his MG24 coaxial¡¯s automatic barrel replacement system failed for a good two minutes after it jammed. That was quite concerning. He checked the machinery with his flashlight, and fumbled inside closely, checking for exposed wirings, cracked or rusted equipment, and whatever else based on the manual that he had. Hmm¡­could it have been a software screw-up then? Well, he¡¯d be in a bad position if that was the case. He was no IT nutjob. Fumbling around with the OS and the programs that operated his mech¡¯s modules was basically going to be a death sentence since¡­well, he had no idea how to even change a single thing on it. Sometimes, he really wished the Wanderfalke was as simple as a conventional tank, without all the fancier electronic systems it was reliant on. He sighed, turning off his flashlight and closing the turret hatch. ¡°Just give me five more minutes,¡± he told Aliz¨¦e, as she pouted in her seat. Hans however ignored the petulant child that should probably be in her room studying continental further, and dropped into his cockpit. Booting up the internal systems, the HUD, and the [MECH-SYSTEM PILOT ASSISTANCE INTERFACE], Hans began checking on everything. He began running diagnostics and tests on his vehicle, especially again in regards to the MG24 automatic barrel replacement system. And it worked fine. So it¡¯s all really fine. He then looked at his current available munitions and fuel. That wasn¡¯t going very well. Eleven APFSDS and twelve MPATs left. Fuel¡­down to a meager one hundred sixty liters¡­that¡¯s¡­around four hundred thirty kilometers of range left if I¡¯m lucky. Let¡¯s see¡­very bad on the machine gun rounds as well. MG number one and number two are both down one thousand five hundred and one thousand four hundred fifty respectively. I¡¯m figuratively screwed. He listed it all in his notepad using his pen. The previous page detailed Hans¡¯ assessments of the Diligence, Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler earlier in the morning. They were both roughly in the same figures. Really, fighting the ¡°Tentacled Eel¡± took quite a number of their extremely limited resources that they still had no way of replenishing. That was why they resorted to wildlife hunting in order to raise their level progress a fair bit. They hoped that by level twenty-five, they could gain a mech upgrade and take the so-called ¡®UPG: Arcane Autofabricator¡¯ and finally utilize their unused arcane points in magically resupplying their munition numbers and most importantly fuel. All those fancy-schmancy maneuvers that Hans and Adelyn constantly conducted whenever fighting demons used up a large amount of their fuel. Forcing their mech to jump for example always required a sudden surge of horsepower from the engine¡ªwhich burned a lot of fuel in a short burst of time. For context, during the entire engagement with the ¡°Tentacled Eel¡±, Hans ate an average twice of his normal fuel consumption on normal cruising speeds. Thus, Hans checked his stats again¡­ +++
Current Status: Healthy (No Special Health Effects) Name: Hans Hoffman Age: 25 Race: Vanus Type: Fallen Angel of Truth/Calamity of Lies Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! General Tier: I LVL: 24 Class: Mech Pilot (Vanguard) Passive Skills: [PAS: CYCLE OF TRUTH I], [PAS: PROGRESS OF LIES I] Active Skills: N/A Mech Upgrades: [UPG: EYE OF PARANOIA I] Available Arcane Points: 302 PTS [UNLIMITED CAP]
+++ At least I¡¯m close to level twenty-five. Hans thought. That, and he had a massive amount of arcane points available¡­technically at least. That meant, should he need get ¡®UPG: Arcane Autofabricator¡¯, he¡¯d be able to resupply¡­at least in his mind, in a decent amount. Nothing too outrageous that he¡¯d be able to fire his guns willy-nilly and drive as he saw fit, but enough that it would be at least serviceable for the time being. Which is what I¡¯m hoping for. Hans turned his mech¡¯s systems off, and climbed out of his hatch. Emerging outside, Aliz¨¦e seemed to have gone back to the little notebook she kept for herself reciting words slowly. Hans smiled as he watched her. Yeah, that was the good kid right there, occasionally. Naturally, when she saw Hans was done, she closed her notebook and frowned at him. ¡°You took too long!¡± ¡°Woah, gee, so you learned that phrase too, huh?¡± Hans laughed. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯m hungry too anyway.¡± +++ ¡°So what¡¯s the big plan, eh?¡± Hans asked. ¡°We¡¯re going out by next week. You all really need to decide.¡± ¡°The thing is, it¡¯s hard,¡± Captain Strobel said. The two were walking outside of the walls, checking the ongoing repair works around the city, alongside the efforts by the Countess to refortify and rebuild the destroyed section of the walls. ¡°Many men are afraid of the idea of¡­hunting more demons as a regiment.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­I can see that,¡± Hans replied. ¡°Are you afraid too?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Captain Strobel nervously laughed. ¡°Being face to face with that¡­thing sure did put the fear on my veins. They¡­they¡¯re no jokes, aren¡¯t they? They really fit that name. Demons.¡± ¡°But we did fight. We did. We¡­pummeled it with our firepower. Your men. Me and Adelyn. The Countess. Even¡­even¡­¡± ¡°The girl?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± It was an unspoken secret amongst those who had seen it. Only the Countess, Hans, Adelyn, Captain Strobel, Father Olbrich, and the two IYC mercenaries who were informed of what happened. Father Olbrich especially was keeping a close eye on Aliz¨¦e for any changes. Quite frankly, no one yet asked her about it. It was mainly Adelyn¡¯s request. She didn¡¯t want to remind the girl of what happened, and force the kid to relive it. And so, while Hans and Adelyn did see how she changed, they had no concrete idea on what happened. Especially when her stats were now completely obscured from them. They had no idea who she turned into, or how she did it. Of course, if she turned into a demon in my failed loops, then the only working hypothesis right now is that Aliz¨¦e is somehow an Angel. Just like Adelyn. And no one can see her stats either. And the same was true for Hans. His passive skill, ¡®PAS: Progress of Lies I¡¯ completely obscured anyone from seeing his critical stats with the [TARGET STATUS CHECK], except for those who had a specialized skill for it (and they must have a higher tier than his ¡®PAS: Progress of Lies¡¯ skill). It was¡­quite the lineup then, Hans thought. Him, basically a man that was¡­somewhere between a ¡®demon¡¯ and an ¡®angel¡¯, and, well, Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e, possibly both angels. Quite frankly, he wondered if someone high up was setting up all of this. None of it seemed coincidental to Hans. It was a chilling thought. That they were just puppets dancing to someone¡¯s strings. But why then? Why would they¡­set us up to be like this? Is there even someone doing it, or is it all just because of probability? Well¡­he¡¯d take being a lotto winner over this entire thing. This was certainly the worst ¡°win¡± in the game of life. Not that he really wanted to live after he died¡­in Haubliz. But there¡¯s no other choice than to trudge forward with what I have. I can¡¯t leave the two of them in this disaster. ¡°Still, again, we did do something, Captain,¡± Hans repeated. He stopped walking, and faced the man. ¡°Look, the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment are fine men. I know it. I¡¯ve seen it. Sure, I can say that none of you hold the best equipment relative to what I¡¯m used to. But I see young men ready to use what they have with skills and guts to face monsters that people with more powerful magic would run away from.¡± Captain Strobel smiled proudly a bit. ¡°Doesn¡¯t help when their leader¡¯s a coward,¡± he looked down and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, during the fight, I¡­¡± ¡°You wanted to flee.¡± The man laughed a bit. ¡°Being inside a city felt like a death sentence. I¡­don¡¯t want to die to a damned monster. Living feels better.¡± ¡°I can see that,¡± Hans said. ¡°But I think everyone¡¯s the same. Quite frankly, we¡¯re always toeing the line between a rout and a determined final charge whenever we face demons. It¡¯s normal.¡± ¡°A leader has to lead his men, Lieutenant Hoffman,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°Running is shameful. My mind¡­I¡¯m not sure if I can stop it from doing a shameful thing in the heat of the moment. I laugh at our previous officers who ran and abandoned us into this state. I want to say to myself that I rebuilt and restored order in the ranks of the 4th when we were practically disbanded when the pay ran dry. And I want to tell myself that I¡¯ll keep the 4th together until the next fight. Until the next pay. But I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°How many of the 4th are willing to go and fight, Captain?¡± ¡°More than half,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°I believe the regiment will become a much smaller force if we decide to move out. And I cannot stop it. We¡¯re a regiment on paper. Officially in service. Unofficially, the Holy Empire already decided that it won¡¯t pay for us. Some dipshit at the top probably took everything already. Tell you what, the entire Holy Army of Ygeia is practically a goner at this point. You¡¯re either under the control of the local lords, or under the Company.¡± ¡°And the local lord who maintained you guys are giving up on you.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± he shook his head. ¡°I sure hope the pay that the Company offers us is decent. They need every soldier right now after all. But then after that, once the Calamity of Desire is dead, what then? Quite frankly, for most of my men, this fight is slowly turning pointless. Going back to our homeland in the Imperial Core is practically impossible without money. And we¡¯re aliens in this land. Just occupiers. Might as well just leave and find a real job. There¡¯s a lot of jobs rebuilding things after all. At least¡­they¡¯d have a chance of living afterward.¡± ¡°Well, if we do kill the Calamity¡­¡± Hans said. ¡°Perhaps we can use the money to move out of the lands of the former Republic. After all, Adelyn is not planning to just stay in this far away Principality once the fight here is over. Maybe you guys can come with us. I mean, again, we do need a supporting army of our own to fight. Two mobile artillery systems can¡¯t win a war like this alone. We need guys who can cover the ground and fight.¡± ¡°Heh¡­going back home sure might become a nice idea for the men. I¡¯ll think about it, and discuss it. But, it¡¯s a tall order. From peacekeepers¡­to lost men in an occupied distant land¡­to men fighting the worst thing mankind faced just to get back home. I sometimes want to say, ¡®screw the Empress¡¯.¡± ¡°Well, indirectly, her management of the Army is probably a contributing cause to you guys being abandoned and stranded here.¡± ¡°The Empire¡¯s in its last legs,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°Its control over the lands of the former Republic is in question. If it isn¡¯t the Vanus nobles who¡¯d rise up and retake this land, it¡¯d be the Company.¡± ¡°Or it¡¯d be a wasteland if those demons win.¡± Hans said. ¡°That¡¯s why it''s better to kill them first. Kill or be killed. After all, it¡¯s just us who can do it. Just us.¡± 62. Will They Know? ¡°They left us already. The Empress won¡¯t pay us any further, nor will she send money and resources to get us back home to our homelands. She sent us here to keep the peace, and when the peace collapsed, she left us here. At the very least, they could have given us a heads-up that they¡¯re abandoning this Principality to those demons. But perhaps that¡¯s why we¡¯re left here without further supplies, funding, and reinforcements. They want us to buy time. Those dirty mongrels don¡¯t deserve to rule this nation.¡± - Letter from Colonel Florian Kohler, 8th Holy Ygeia Regiment, to Captain Ebert Strobel, 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City AUG 19, 1538 CE It was a long day today. The IYC representatives finally arrived to finalize who would be mobilized in the fight. Long grueling talks between Hans, Adelyn, Captain Strobel, and the relevant officials that Captain Weibel brought here had drained the hours. Then there were the checks to their vehicles that the agents conducted during noon. They had to even expend two shots during a test run, just to impress the IYC representatives. Hans didn¡¯t exactly find that development a fun thing: every munition was an important resource to him, but Adelyn decided that a little demonstration would be good. Then, in the afternoon, they had to check on the rest of the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment and their condition. A few hundred men gave up, mostly, those who had enough of fighting demons. The remaining artillery pieces, twelve intact, were also inspected by the IYC representatives and they had conducted brief exercises outside of Rousselot in the afternoon. The news that the Imperial Government had truly officially abandoned them had been a very sour thing for the men. The IYC representatives broke the news in the bluntest way possible after all. The defensive efforts in Ygeia have now been passed to the only Imperial entity that had interests left in the Principality. The Imperial Ygeia Company. Hans wanted to laugh at it. It was¡­a cruel joke. Of course, the moment the government found their new colony as a drain to their stretched coffers, they¡¯d abandon it. Fortunately, the IYC had its entire business base (mines, farms, mills, and their burgeoning weapons industry for cannons and guns) in the Principality. Ultimately, this meant that de facto, he was now inside of a corporate state. Then again, he remembered that back during this era of his world, Albionese and Flandrian charter companies controlled distant colonies of great scale. There were even some parallels between the narcotic side of their business to the IYC. Just like the Albionese Eastern Company that sold and traded both spices and opium¡­the IYC seemed to be exporting large amounts of food/spices to the Imperial Core using the so-called ¡°green powder¡±, a powder that when used on land, acted as a magical fertilizer¡ªor an addictive narcotic when consumed. Of course, there was an extra to that. They after all said that the most refined form of the ¡°green powder¡± was used by the richest to heal any and all ailments, injuries, or diseases, but¡­he seriously doubted it could do whatever the hell people claimed it could do. At least until he could see it. Right now, he was just taking his time off outside of the meeting room where the rest of his new allies, and Adelyn of course, discussed what they would be doing from now on out. Hans for his part merely drank some wine that he bought with their bounty money. It was¡­well, half-decent, he thought. They already took hours there. Hans thought, looking at the closed door. Must be quite tense then. For him, his main priority right now was to really just finish this entire thing. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly what the Calamity of Desire was, except for the fact that it was actually a ¡°she¡±. Current reports said that ¡°she¡± presented herself as a humanoid teenage girl who wielded extremely powerful magic. There were a lot of concerning reports about the Calamity of Desire from Hans¡¯ perspective. In the settlements she destroyed, the Calamity of Desire apparently utilized some sort of high-pitched amplified noise that ¡°drove anyone who heard it insane¡±, causing hysteria, chaos, and people apparently killing each other. That was¡­certainly, something. He had seen enough demonic creatures to not underestimate them from doing those kinds of insane crap. Worse was that she used this strange otherworldly magic that turned anyone hit by it into a fleshy doll. That was some nightmare fuel type of crap. If true of course. All reports about the Calamity of Desire so far had been deemed unreliable and were as trustable as rumors. The Calamity of Desire left very few survivors, and the few cavalrymen or civilians that managed to survive and flee her attacks were usually delirious crazies. We¡¯ll really need that mech upgrade. If we face that thing¡­we can¡¯t get way too close. I¡¯m not dying to a damned scream or becoming a doll. No damned way. Absolutely no damned way. They¡¯d have to prepare for a final hunting spree to grind out their next level with another hunting spree of local monsters¡­again, the night wolves. After all, they sometimes attacked merchants traveling from town to town, placing further strain on the County. But mostly, Hans and Adelyn wanted to be as prepared as possible for the next fight. They needed a goddamned resupply. They already had the arcane points for it. They just needed that one upgrade. He really wanted to limit the extreme caution they were forced to take due to a lack of munitions/fuel when fighting demons. Again, of course, he imagined that the upgrade would not exactly mean they would be brimming with an unlimited MPAT supply, but¡­ It would still be good to at least be assured that if he fired ten APFSDS rounds, he¡¯d get at least eight or ten to replace it. Just enough that the rate of consumption and rate of replenishment would be roughly equal. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Hah¡­I wonder then¡­am I going to die again? He took another sip of the wine from his canteen. Dying sucks ass, but¡­if that thing is that way, realistically, I now have to brace myself again for the potential of dying. I¡­I¡¯ll definitely probably die. He let out a defeated laugh as he ran his hand on his hair. Why am I the Fallen Angel of Truth? Hans asked. And why am I the Calamity of Lies? What does it all mean? Why designate me as this kind of thing? Am I a Demon? Or am I an Angel? Does being a fallen Angel simply mean that I failed some god or goddess and that now I¡¯m on the side of the Demons? He looked at the floor. If I¡¯m on their side, then why? Why has no one whispered to me to start killing everyone? I¡¯m not doing any of that? Why would I do any of that? Was I corrupted during my summoning? But why? Why would I be corrupted? Hans felt his chest tightening a bit at the thought. The Cycle of Truth gives me the ability to return back in time whenever I die. But I have no control over it. Not yet at least. Perhaps if I upgrade it, I would. But¡­not now. And Progress of Lies¡­well¡­ I have skills both from being the Angel of Truth and being the Calamity of Lies. But that doesn¡¯t make any sense. Why would I represent both Truth and Lies? The two are literally opposites of each other. Then who do I represent really? If Calamities represented the Archdemons of this world, which were said to be the reverse of the Gods and Goddesses, which were represented here by the so-called ¡°Angels¡±, then which side was he really with? Were this any laughing matter, he¡¯d find it comedic that he seemed to be in between the possession of the Archdemon of Lies and the God/Goddess of Truth. The funny thing was¡­in all the books he read, there were only seven gods and seven archdemons. There was no such thing as a ¡°God/Goddess of Truth¡±, and there was no such thing as an ¡°Archdemon of Lies¡±. What existed in the religious text was purity, justice, prudence, courage, restraint, love, and modesty in the pantheon of gods. Then on the other side was their reverse. Desire, injustice, recklessness, cowardice, avarice, hate, and hubris. At least Adelyn, apparently the ¡°Angel of Justice¡±, most likely represented the Goddess of Justice. Meanwhile, Hans knew that the Calamity of Desire¡­of course, probably represented the Archdemon of Desire. But then that name was only really given by humanity. There was no telling if any of the so-called ¡°Calamities¡± really represented these demonic powers. Angels like Adelyn could at least be checked, provided they asked them. But otherwise, no one also knew where the rest were, or if they were still even alive. Information about these seven great heroes supposed to save humanity was very much obscure. And no one but Hans knew that Adelyn was the Angel of Justice. The greater fear for the two of them was the possibility that the old seven were all dead, and they were now being replaced. It was a possible explanation for their summoning here. Perhaps the gods wanted them as replacements. Still, again, Hans was in a goddamned confusing situation. It didn¡¯t help that he couldn¡¯t tell anyone about it. He would never say to anyone, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m actually a Calamity too,¡± because that¡¯d mean game over for him. Thus¡­he was, by all accounts, truly alone at cracking what really was happening to him, to Adelyn, and to the world. He couldn¡¯t let them know who he really was. He was¡­hiding information from them. And that meant that he wouldn¡¯t be able to count on their help to solve this. That sucked. ¡°Ugh¡­damn it¡­¡± ¡°Lieutenant,¡± he looked to the side. The door finally opened and out came the four IYC representatives, the Countess, and the visibly tired Captain Strobel following closely behind. Captain Weibel and Lieutenant Preisner on the other hand are talking about something, passing by in front of Hans. Adelyn on the other hand stopped in front of Hans, smiling at him a bit. ¡°Hey, you alright over there?¡± ¡°Yeah, of course I am,¡± Hans said, shaking his head to wake himself up a bit. ¡°How was the meeting?¡± ¡°Pretty good,¡± Adelyn smiled. ¡°We get their help, we give them help, basically. They¡¯re organizing a new task force to take down the Calamity of Desire, and everyone in it is going to be rolling in cash once it¡¯s over. The 4th is downsizing to three battalions after the¡­manpower losses, but they¡¯re joining in too. A few specialist battlemages and landsknecht mercenaries will be joining in too once we¡¯re close to the deployment site. In essence¡­we¡¯re going to be a part of a decently-sized force to take it down.¡± ¡°Heh¡­well, good then,¡± Hans said, looking down at the floor. ¡°I hope they¡¯d be useful in the fight.¡± ¡°We¡¯re getting multiple pieces of horse artillery,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Plus, again, the battlemages. Mostly tier II human and Vanus volunteers.¡± ¡°Volunteers?¡± ¡°Err¡­well, the Imperial Mage Corps¡­is really MIA in this Principality. So they¡¯re just grabbing anyone with a high enough tier to the fight. Um¡­mostly motley small mages that deal with monsters. You know, golems, ogres, goblins¡­¡± ¡°Those things exist?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adelyn laughed. ¡°Strange isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Well, I imagine those things are not really that much of a threat compared to what demons are.¡± ¡°Well, yeah¡­¡± Adelyn¡¯s smile faltered. ¡°Lieutenant, they just told me that another city was destroyed by a demon most likely controlled by the Calamity of Desire. They called it the ¡®Hired Gun Against Gold¡¯, mainly because it¡¯s a strange floating thing that had guns floating around it. And it likes to kill mercenaries. The city that was attacked had¡­well, three thousand died.¡± ¡°Goddess¡­¡± Hans said. ¡°How many demons are there in the whole of Ygeia anyway?¡± ¡°Probably around six to eight active,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Mostly concentrated in the northwestern parts. But, the Calamity of Desire and the ¡®Hired Gun Against Gold¡¯ attacked cities and settlements close to Rignon. The Principality¡¯s capital and where the HQ of the IYC lies.¡± ¡°So our goal will be the defense of that city?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Rignon is a city of a hundred thousand souls,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°We cannot let it get to its walls. No, we¡¯re gonna stop the Calamity of Desire before ¡®she¡¯ reaches the towns thirty kilometers north of Rignon. That¡¯s our mission. So we¡¯re gonna have to regroup with the rest of the suppression force, then find that demon¡ªand liquidate ¡®her¡¯.¡± ¡°The IYC is hoping that the death of the Calamity of Desire will stop the rest then?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the current hope of the higher-ups,¡± Adelyn answered. ¡°That might not materialize. Still, we have to do what we have to do. There¡¯s too many people relying on us, Lieutenant.¡± Hans looked up at her, then to her halo. ¡°You¡¯re living up to your name now, huh?¡± ¡°If I must, then I will. That¡¯s my duty, after all.¡± Hans nodded, a little bit demoralized by the possibility of dying again in this expedition. ¡°Sure, Captain.¡± 63. Will Anyone Find? ¡°To that end, hiding the truth is quite a difficult task for me. It¡¯s a strange thing. I tell myself that I trust her. Yet I cannot bear myself to speak. I wonder then¡­will she find out? If you¡¯re reading this. I¡¯m sorry, Captain.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City AUG 20, 1538 CE A military parade. It was a somber day for all of Rousselot, as the city garrison and the men of the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment played their drums and fifes in front of the destitute civilian onlookers. Homes. Businesses. Lives. The city itself. So many things were lost. So many grieved. And so many suffered and would suffer onward. Weeks after that fateful day, the city however had some semblance of recovery. The rubble was being cleared. Laborers left and right tore down destroyed buildings or began patching up those that could be repaired. Priests and nuns left and right treated countless injuries for free, as best as they could. The rich and the nobility even opened up their coffers and grain stocks for the city¡¯s emergency relief efforts. Many had crappy food, yes¡­but the Countess¡¯ kitchens distributed large amounts of it. So far, not many would starve. Even those in the slums wouldn¡¯t. As such, Hans found it¡­quite nice, he supposed. The nobility of this time period, according to history books, were usually vile people, usually. And that certainly seemed the case. Many were greedy. Uncaring. Indeed, vile. But in front of him, he could see that everyone was trying to recover. Hell, the most hard-hit district was the wealthy central district. The merchants and nobles of the city certainly had their fortunes destroyed by those strikes. It wasn¡¯t like every noble/merchant was filthy rich folks who could simply lose their estates without it being an extremely significant setback. That was for the high nobility, like the Countess. But even she took a significant hit. All in all, all of Rousselot was mostly coming together to recover in the wake of the attack. And that, to Hans, was the symbol of this parade. A symbol of strength for the city. That humanity, and its forces, were standing. It was why he told the Countess that it was a good idea. It was why he told Captain Strobel the same. It was why they organized it. This was war, Hans knew. And while he was but a lowly Lieutenant who had only experienced the frontlines, he had a grasp of strategy. National morale was important for any war effort. So was national unity, which the Holy Empire sorely lacked. While this wouldn¡¯t make a dent in those problems, he still hoped that this parade would be a start. Victory¡­victory must be possible. That was the message that Hans wanted for the people of Rousselot, even if it was a tall order that might not turn true. To achieve victory against the demonic threat, mankind must believe that if it rallied behind the flag of their forces¡ªvictory would be possible. He felt Aliz¨¦e grip his hand tightly as they watched the parade. He looked down at the girl. She seemed to be keeping herself very close to Hans. Certainly, soldiers with muskets didn¡¯t seem to be the thing that the girl enjoyed seeing. It was¡­sad, Hans thought. Their family sure screwed up that the kid now had the trauma of seeing soldiers that looked like the same ones who raided the Amboise family. He leaned down in her direction. ¡°Hey,¡± he called to her. She looked up at him. ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Hans,¡± she said with a forced smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­scared.¡± ¡°Scared?¡± She nodded and held Hans¡¯ hand tighter, almost making herself look even smaller in the presence of the marching soldiers. She frowned a bit as she watched them. ¡°They kill¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°I do so too,¡± Hans said bluntly. ¡°And just like them, I kill monsters too. Or, well, help with that.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re good.¡± Hans laughed and ruffled her hair. ¡°Alright, alright. Do you want to leave now? Eat? Anything? Hmm?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Maybe?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but laugh again. Was this kid serious? She wasn¡¯t sure about her answer. Come on¡­don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s at that phase already. Soon, the kid would be a damned teenage girl. Which meant¡­pain. Hans wanted to facepalm at his decision. Where would they be within two years in this setup? ¡°Come on, kiddo, just answer. Wanna eat, or something else.¡± ¡°I want books.¡± ¡°Books?¡± ¡°Mhm. About magic.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°So I can fight them if they do bad things,¡± she said. ¡°Like¡­like shoot you!¡± ¡°Whoah, gee. That¡¯s¡­well, I mean, I¡¯m flattered you¡¯re interested in protecting an adult, but¡­hey, that¡¯s not really your job, okay? Just do what you do, and stuff. Keep learning the language. You¡¯re a fast learner after all. Maybe in a month or two, you¡¯ll be a good speaker of our language. Then again¡­children are fast learners when it comes to this stuff¡­¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. She looked up at him and tilted her head. Hans sighed. One of the problems with Aliz¨¦e was that while she was picking up simple phrases and questions (and responding to them) after nearly two months of delirious studying, she still really had a long way to go. She probably barely understood him with his last tirade. He kneeled down to her level. ¡°Alright, look. All I want to say is that you are a child, okay?¡± He pointed his finger at her. She nodded. ¡°And me,¡± he pointed at himself. ¡°I¡¯m an adult. Which means, you¡­a child is not supposed to protect me. Because I¡¯m an adult.¡± She frowned. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to do that to you, so you can live happily. Get that?¡± ¡°I want to be strong!¡± ¡°Maybe when you¡¯re eighteen or something. Like, a big girl!¡± ¡°Too far!¡± ¡°Eh, you¡¯re supposed to enjoy being a kid.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not enjoying it.¡± ¡°We¡¯re trying to change that, okay?¡± Hans smiled at her and gave her head a good pat. ¡°Hey, look, I¡¯ll try to buy you some extra magical stuff from¡­some guy¡­I hope he¡¯s still doing alright, and¡­well, let you in on some of that good stuff to ¡®make you strong¡¯.¡± She remained silent. ¡°Yeah, exactly, yeah. But, listen to this. You just study, okay? Study, study, study. No fighting. That¡¯s what I want for you. As much as possible, no fighting.¡± ¡°Sir Hans,¡± Aliz¨¦e shook her head. ¡°I can fight. I¡­I want to fight. Those monsters.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°I did.¡± Hans paused, remembering that entire¡­thing that happened. Yeah¡­he supposed. She could. She did, after all, fire something that nearly sliced the ¡®Tentacled Eel¡¯ in half. But regardless, it was unintended for Hans. He didn¡¯t place her in that danger so she would fight. He simply recognized that she was the target and that the only way for him to win and save her¡­was to let her be captured in a manner he could control. Ultimately, he lost control regardless. The plan went less than perfect. But she did save it, perhaps in its last moment. That shot from her ¡°knightly¡± form¡ªwhatever equipment she had summoned during that day, stopped the demon in its tracks and allowed Hans and Adelyn to place the final shots to kill it. But still. He never intended for that. He would not be able to stomach using a girl for the fight. ¡°Aliz¨¦e¡­so you remember what happened?¡± She nodded. ¡°You¡­did that on your own volition.¡± ¡°It tried to kill me¡­and other people!¡± Aliz¨¦e said. ¡°So¡­I wanted to kill it.¡± ¡°Listen. No. Not happening again,¡± Hans said. ¡°Not under my control. Not unless I fail so badly. You¡¯re a kid. Okay? I vowed to be your guardian. I am not letting you fight. Don¡¯t think that way. Please.¡± She shook her head. ¡°If someone hurts Lady Adelyn or Sir Hans, I will,¡± she defiantly replied. ¡°I have my powers. I will use it.¡± ¡°You can summon it again?¡± This time, her eyes widened, and she looked down. He waited for a while for her answer, as his ears focused away from the parade¡¯s sounds, to her. But no words came, she merely looked down. Hans sighed. He wouldn¡¯t push further. He really needed to keep a closer eye on her. +++ ¡°Well¡­¡± Captain Weibel passed a piece of paper to Hans and Adelyn. Adelyn slowly read it for a while, before she gave it to Hans. It was a call to arms by the IYC to their forces to gather for the suppression mission¡ªand the planned liquidation of the Calamity of Desire. ¡°They expect us within six days on the gathering site. The Calamity of Desire is moving forward. Nobles, merchants, the rich¡­they¡¯re all fleeing Rignon. Folks in the countryside are moving inside of the city¡¯s walls. Powder is being stocked. Men are being pressed into service. It¡¯s an incoming catastrophe, and they¡¯re preparing for it like it¡¯s a goddamned siege.¡± Hans read the paper and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s us that¡¯ll really be standing between the city and that thing, no?¡± Hans asked. ¡°If it entered the city, it¡¯d end up like Rousselot,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°But without proper anti-demon forces. Just¡­dudes with muskets and what else. It¡¯ll be a bloodbath. Like the last cities that the demon destroyed.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll grind and figure out resupply tomorrow,¡± Hans said. ¡°Then we move out the next day. The rest of you guys will force march. We¡¯ll drive ahead of the pack, and use our mobility.¡± ¡°Maybe even scout out the threat,¡± Adelyn added. ¡°There¡¯s nearly six thousand mercenaries and soldiers that would be involved in this. We can¡¯t squander that by having incomplete information. Where is the gathering site?¡± ¡°Fort Elmo is our staging ground,¡± Captain Weibel answered. ¡°Other units will be in different areas, they want to disperse their forces until the last moment. In fact, we¡¯re being joined by another raised army by the Duke of Lignon. Eight thousand strong. They¡¯re not bringing a lot of men, but they¡¯re bringing a lot of horse artillery. Forty-eight pieces last I heard.¡± ¡°That much?¡± Hans asked. ¡°The way you two fought has been analyzed by local military commanders and the IYC,¡± Captain Weibel explained. ¡°There is a general understanding that cavalry and musketmen act best as blocking forces. Just pawns to be used to distract a demon. But what¡¯s really needed is mobile artillery that can pack a punch. Hence¡­they¡¯re now focusing on mobility. It is¡­grievously expensive though, and the Duke of Lignon apparently stripped a dozen naval frigates of their artillery just to get what he¡¯s packing. That and, I think they¡¯re not even bringing in many foot soldiers. They¡¯re mostly light cavalry. That man must be planning for something.¡± ¡°How long would it take to reach Rignon?¡± ¡°It can take a week¡­maybe eight to nine days,¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°They don¡¯t exactly have the ability to move as fast as you do. That, and, we have fears that the demons in Ygeia might ambush them. Who knows. Really, right now, we¡¯re ignoring other demons in favor of ending the Calamity of Desire. If we fail in that¡­the IYC will abandon Ygeia fully, and it¡¯ll be every man for himself.¡± ¡°What of Rousselot?¡± Captain Weibel merely smiled. ¡°Look. No one¡¯s telling anyone that there¡¯s going to be an organized evacuation for everyone in the Principality. No one in charge, the elites, would say anything about it. Of course, if we¡¯re defeated, the remnants will think they can still hold on, but the rest of the important fucks, the Vanus, the Virtus, the merchants, nobles you name it. They¡¯ll all fully flee like the rats they are.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s just your theory,¡± Hans asked. ¡°Speculation or not, this is obviously going to be Ygeia¡¯s last organized effort to remove the demonic threat in this Principality. If we¡¯re defeated, all that will be left is the few disbanding garrisons of the Holy Empire. I¡¯m just making it clear. This isn¡¯t just about the bounty anymore. This is about all of Ygeia. And you two¡­will be a central piece in the upcoming, most likely, decisive battle to decide the fate of this Principality.¡± 64. Will You Play? ¡°Leveling up is quite the funny routine for me. You need to expend munitions to ensure that you can reasonably advance forward in your ¡®level¡¯ and ¡®tiers¡¯, which is¡­nice from the firepower growth perspective¡ªbut the calculus for the munition consumption ratio to the munitions reward by way of Arcane Points is¡­the worrying part. It almost plays like a game. A very cruel game of balancing things.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot County AUG 21, 1538 CE ¡°Those are some strange kinds of monsters, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah, I mean, the locals call them ¡®orcs¡¯. Should explain why.¡± Hans replied. Their two Wanderpanzers were now taking a concealed hull-down position as they observed a gathering of possibly a dozen orcs. According to a nearby town, this group had ambushed a convoy of merchants that were carrying valuable tools for the repairs of Rousselot. These orcs, apparently, were mindless ¡°monsters¡± that usually targeted mankind¡¯s settlements. It was mostly hired ¡°free companies¡± of mercenaries that controlled these things, but with most of them already being hired by the IYC for the fight against demons, there was no one really dealing with these things, outside of a few young ¡°monster hunter¡± parties made up of Vanus/Virtus civilian mages trying to level up by killing these things. These parties unfortunately were probably in short supply for the locals to call upon due to the danger levels of the Principality. As such, it was an opportunity for Hans and Adelyn to play the game that these Vanus or Virtus mages would play by doing exactly what they would do. Kill monsters to level up. Truly, the two of them were quite the ¡°innovative¡± foreigners for coming up with that idea. ¡°Alright, Lieutenant. Standard combat procedures. Prep your HMGs on the targets. We¡¯re going to test that out first. I¡¯ll take the overwatch position and cover your six. You do the frontline.¡± ¡°Aye, copy that.¡± Except, unlike some childish teenagers doing these nonsensical challenges for the sake of power growth, Hans and Adelyn were professionals killing these things for a purpose. Hans moved forward through the cover of the boulders and overgrown bush. In the distance, Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler dashed silently into a good cliff that overlooked the creek in front of them that the orcs took as their apparent resting site. Hans didn¡¯t exactly know how strong these monsters were, but realistically, they were no demons. Unlike demons which were capable of extreme biological feats (and most likely more than that with their magic), monsters were usually dispatched by normal mages, fools armed with swords and steel, or, if the situation was serious, a company of professional musketeers and pikemen. Hans circled a small elevation ahead of the river banks, before emerging in an area once again covered by bushes near a treeline. What was perfect about it was that he now had a good line of sight on the group of orcs. More importantly, once the fighting began, he would attract them here¡ªthen Adelyn could fire at their flanks. Bastards would be decimated. ¡°Setting up target IDs,¡± Hans reported to Adelyn, as his sensors marked each orc that he could see, giving them an ID on the tactical map. The information was rapidly shared with Adelyn¡¯s mech, which meant that she could now see what he was seeing on her map as well, alongside what he was targeting. ¡°Checking all approaches. No further hostile entities spotted. I¡¯m targeting contact designated ¡°Echo-02¡± first.¡± ¡°Copy. Commence firing at once.¡± Hans pulled the trigger, and the Peacemaker¡¯s MG24s opened fire, letting off a total of twelve HMG (Heavy Machine Gun) rounds at the target. The unfortunate orc that received the first gift of the modern age found itself peppered with holes, making it cry in pain as it collapsed from Hans¡¯ shots. Its companions, alerted by the foreign sounds, all turned to Hans¡¯ vehicle. They wielded these strange clubs, which made him worry for a second that these things might not just be some simple mindless creatures, but Hans steeled himself and gave his trigger a squeeze again, downing two of the monsters in a few short seconds. ¡°Report: Good effect on target. Three contacts down. MG fire is effective.¡± ¡°Hostiles charging to your position, Lieutenant. I¡¯m opening fire.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s finish this charade.¡± As the orcs tried to charge at Hans¡¯ position in vain, which was almost two hundred meters away from them, Hans and Adelyn took their shots at the dispersing mass of orcs. Hans¡¯ HMG fire devastated their ranks from the front¡ªmeanwhile, Adelyn¡¯s shots, which came from their flanks, then their rear when they charged further forward, denied anyone even the ability to run away from the maelstrom. Within just fifteen seconds of controlled fire, the last monster of what must have been fourteen orcs fell on the shallow water in pain, their red blood staining the clear blue waters of the creek. They didn¡¯t even stand much of a chance. It was the usual truth for Hans and Adelyn whenever they faced the various monsters of this world. They were simply an attritional threat to their limited stocks of critical munitions. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Otherwise, they might as well not even count as a threat to their modern weapon systems. Once again, Hans¡¯ hypothesis was that these demons were truly an unnatural incursion of the supernatural in this world¡¯s biosphere. They were more like anomalies. Threats capable of great damage beyond the strength of common monsters in this world.
[7 ORCS (AVERAGE LVL. 39) LIQUIDATED!] [LEVEL UP! NOW LVL. 25] [PROGRESS TO LVL. 26: 45%] [AVAILABLE AP: 350 PTS] [NEW MECH UPGRADE UNLOCKED!]
His ¡®system¡¯ notifications sure showed that clearly. He imagined these orcs, who had an average level of thirty-nine, would be a pain for the locals to dispatch. Yet, with modern technology, they were mowed down mercilessly. It gave him some sense of comfort. At the very least, this world¡¯s biosphere wouldn¡¯t be much of a real threat to him and Adelyn unless they seriously screwed up. May that never happen then. He hoped he didn¡¯t jinx himself with that. He checked his ¡®status¡¯. +++
Current Status: Healthy (No Special Health Effects) Name: Hans Hoffman Age: 25 Race: Vanus Type: Fallen Angel of Truth/Calamity of Lies General Tier: I LVL: 25 Class: Mech Pilot (Vanguard) Passive Skills: [PAS: CYCLE OF TRUTH I], [PAS: PROGRESS OF LIES I] Active Skills: N/A Mech Upgrades: [UPG: EYE OF PARANOIA I] Available Arcane Points: 350 PTS [UNLIMITED CAP]
+++ Then he checked his new mech upgrades using his vehicle¡¯s HUD. +++
New Mech Upgrades Unlocked! [UPG: ARCANE AUTOFABRICATOR I] Description: Unlocks fabricator mechanisms. The Mech can self-produce fuel, munitions, and even duplicate existing small-arms ammo at the cost of Arcane Points. Costs are reduced by Tier increase. Enchantments to small-arms munitions also become possible, with more enchantment unlocked per tier increase. Tier I: Allows for the most basic form of resupply for the user. Mech items are fabricated and placed automatically on the ammo racks/fuel tanks. User items are fabricated and placed in the rear storage space of your vehicle (space limitations apply). Tier I Production Sheet (Major Items): x1 90mm Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) round = 50 AP. x1 90mm Multi-Purpose Anti-Tank (MPAT) round = 40 AP. x1 12.7x99mm belt (300 rounds each) for MG24 HMG = 20 AP. 150 liters of JF-8 fuel resupply = 40 AP. [UPG: TRACE THE DOTS I] Description: Unlocks specialized tracer MG rounds for the mech¡¯s coaxials for anti-demon purposes. Further tier increase unlocks more specialized MG rounds. Tier I: Unlocks ADI, MG24 (Anti-Demon Incendiary, MG24), and ADAP, MG24 (Anti-Demon Armor Piercing, MG24). Requires [UPG: ARCANE AUTOFABRICATOR] for specialized bullet self-production. Costs arcane points during production.
+++ ¡°I reached level twenty-five,¡± Hans heard through the radio after he was done checking himself. ¡°Um¡­I should say¡­the resupply is quite¡­expensive, huh?¡± ¡°Well, unlike you who can recover AP naturally, I can¡¯t,¡± Hans groaned. ¡°This is just pain. This means I¡¯ll have to kill more monsters carefully with my MG24 just to have a chance. With my current AP reserves, I can just¡­well, recover an outstanding seven APFSDS rounds for myself. How friggin awesome¡­¡± ¡°I hear you,¡± Adelyn sighed on the other end. ¡°One APFSDS round for me costs eighty arcane points. That¡¯s¡­painful.¡± ¡°Mine, it costs fifty.¡± ¡°Because you have a lower caliber than me,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Naturally, my rounds have either more penetrative power and damage potential due to the mass of my APFSDS penetrators, and my MPATs also contain more explosive ordnance. Of course, it¡¯s going to cost more for me.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± Hans checked it further. ¡°We¡¯re picking this, no?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°At the very least, the fuel cost is reasonable. I just need sixty AP for two hundred ten liters of jet fuel. That¡¯s¡­around half of my fuel tanks.¡± ¡°Same with me,¡± Hans added. ¡°It¡¯s¡­pretty cheap for what it can do.¡± ¡°At least now we can run around the fields with impunity so long as we can support this. Yeah, pick it up now. Then resupply the fuel. As for the munitions¡­I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s just see what we¡¯ll use up in our next fights and see what we should replenish. For now, you will not use it up. I, on the other hand, am fabricating three APFSDS for myself.¡± ¡°Captain, that¡¯s a lot of AP cost,¡± Hans said. ¡°Did you forget that I replenish my AP stores naturally each day? In my case, it¡¯s best strategically if I keep using it and then let my AP stores run back up to capacity again rather than keep it unused and at full capacity. The only problem with that approach is that I would be screwed if an emergency happens and I have no large stock of AP¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Hans sighed. ¡°My other option is about special machine gun ammo again¡­anti-demon stuff. But if your ADI, MPAT in the 120mm caliber takes a few shots to kill demons, I doubt it¡¯d be useful.¡± ¡°The second choice doesn¡¯t really matter,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Fixing our logistical difficulty trumps everything. Quite frankly, I think we should always take the option to increase the tier of this upgrade to lower the cost of resupply whenever possible. We rely on supplies so we can regenerate ourselves. Even if you have some special fancy schmancy nonsense, none of it is useful if you don¡¯t have the bread-and-butter tools. It¡¯d be all bling but no basics.¡± ¡°Okay, gee¡­I get it,¡± Hans conceded. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll¡­pick it. It¡¯s the only choice after all. I¡¯m running below half a fuel tank right now. I really have no other choices.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Still¡­this is quite the ridiculous game to play, Captain,¡± Hans said. ¡°Extremely ridiculous.¡± 65. The New Truth ¡°Effect of light artillery operated by battlemages appears to be the most successful form of deterrence against more minor demonic threats. However, the Imperial Mage Corps must soon respond to these threats, as conventional deterrence is proving to be inadequate until further improvements against these threats. Otherwise, the stability of Ygeia is at extreme risk.¡± - Letter by the 44th Free Regiment ¡°Leviathan¡± to the IYC leadership. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City ¡°So how does it look? Come on, I¡¯m open to being called gorgeous.¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s something¡ª¡± ¡°Just answer it! Also what does being ¡®something¡¯ even mean?!¡± ¡°Okay, it¡¯s half-decent.¡± Hans watched as Adelyn crossed her arms and frowned at him. She was now wearing one of the new clothes she had procured from a local tailor. Apparently, weeks ago in advance, she already had herself sized in order for them to design and produce a few sets of clothing for her. It was a part of her ¡°blending in¡± strategy. Being a Virtus ¡°noblewoman¡±, she had an air that she must keep maintaining going forward if she was going to be in more and more civilian activities. In other words¡­to rub shoulders with the local nobility, she had to become truly one of them. Hans of course had no need for that, so he really just bought a few sets of normal clothing (and a cavalier hat he fancied) from the tailor, and all of them weren¡¯t custom designs for him. He had his own modern clothing anyway. Well¡­all of them were military-issued, but it wasn¡¯t like he was out of duty. ¡°I sometimes wonder if you ever have the ability to at least say, ¡®damn, you look good¡¯, Lieutenant Hoffman.¡± ¡°You know, that probably violates a few regulations, Ma¡¯am,¡± Hans tried his best not to grin from stabbing her with his words, but it came anyway. ¡°Well, from now on, I''ll decide what the regulations are!¡± Adelyn declared. ¡°And in my new regulations, well, we¡¯d be like special forces. Like, I don¡¯t know, light infantry scouts who go and train rebels. Folks who have to blend in. See? Now the regulations for that problem are gone.¡± ¡°We¡¯re a part of an LMB formation,¡± Hans laughed. ¡°We¡¯re not SEG commandos.¡± Not that Hans wanted to be in the SEG (Sondereinsatzgruppe). He imagined that they probably must be having the worst time in his homeland by virtue of being tasked with the most high-risk and secretive combat operations. Not fun. Fighting Flandrian armor using his mech was a pain. Being inserted behind the line to sabotage Flandrian logistics or organize partisan warfare? Screw that. Being in a light mech brigade formation was a pain since they were usually the main stopping force against hostile breakthroughs or were the tip of the spear during counter-attacks, but at least it wasn¡¯t that bad. ¡°Well, to be honest, you¡¯d need to update that thinking already, Lieutenant.¡± Adelyn countered. ¡°Why?¡± Adelyn shook her head with a smirk. ¡°You¡¯re so clueless. Can¡¯t you see? We¡¯re both cut off from our world, but we have such extreme powers we can cultivate. I mean, I¡¯m the Angel of Justice. It¡¯s an awful title to have considering the duties it must entail, but that sure does mean we¡¯re quite the special team from now on. See? Special forces.¡± ¡°You know, you really have a grandiose mind.¡± She nodded while closing her eyes, a soft smile gracing her face. She seemed to have accepted Hans¡¯ words as a compliment. ¡°Of course, of course,¡± she said. ¡°Just comes from being a noble. As the daughter¡ª¡± ¡°Spare me your speech.¡± ¡°Come on¡­¡± ¡°Anyhow,¡± Hans leaned down and took the bags where she placed her other folded clothing inside. Being the guy, he was naturally her pack mule. ¡°What else do you think we need tomorrow? I mean¡­we¡¯ve got some clothing for the three of us, food¡­hmm¡­supplies. What more?¡± Adelyn pulled out her notepad and checked it. Quite frankly, shopping around Rousselot for everything they¡¯d need in the expedition was a massive pain, but it had to be done. They needed to be prepared wherever they would go. And hey, the bounty money was large, so they were able to budget enough to splurge some of it for their needs (and in Adelyn¡¯s case, some of her womanly luxuries). ¡°Hmm¡­I think we need to go buy some¡­medical stuff. Think about it. Those potions and stuff. Elixirs and the like.¡± ¡°Yeah, as if I¡¯m trusting something concocted by an alchemical madman that never went through clinical testing.¡± ¡°Well, you do have a point in that,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°But, weren¡¯t you the first one who told me that we have to accept a new, outrageous reality? Healing potions sound stupid, but magic is true. We¡¯ve seen it heal people. Sometimes even better than modern medicine. I mean, one of the nuns closed a major stab wound in just five minutes.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I get that. But we have so many antibiotics. Pills. Painkillers. The whole shebang of medications that we might need in a first aid situation. I don¡¯t know, do you really wanna trust¡­those things? I mean they put strange things on it. Like¡­friggin glowing herbs and other crap. It¡¯s scary.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Well, they don¡¯t die drinking it.¡± ¡°And what if it¡¯s a placebo?¡± Adelyn groaned. ¡°We watched them heal people clean within minutes. That crap ain¡¯t placebo and you know it. You know, it¡¯s funny how distrustful you are of magical items. I mean, you¡¯re still running around with multiple magazines of enchanted bullets.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve tested it and it works so I have a good reason for it. Plus, unlike you, I don¡¯t have an open skill that actually lets me use magic, Miss Privileged.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why we should expand the scope of things to magical healing items too. We have the money for it, so it should be a good investment. Then we¡¯ll check what further things we can do with it. Hmm¡­do you want armor?¡± ¡°No. I like being mobile. And I got Kevlar. Plus, I doubt any trinket will survive a slash from an anomalous demon. If you get hit, it means you¡¯re dead. Useless.¡± ¡°Fair. A sword?¡± ¡°Anyone who brings a sword in a modern conflict is a moron. And unlike Countess Fresnel, I¡¯m not parrying a goddamned demon. I prefer being at least three hundred meters away firing my bullets at it, thank you very much.¡± ¡°W-well, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re in a modern setting¡­¡± Hans still shook his head. ¡°Nah.¡± ¡°I just, well¡­you know, I feel it¡¯s kinda unfair that I get to buy all that while you have none,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°I mean, swords, armor, and some stuff are like¡­I thought they were cool guy stuff.¡± What am I to you?! A six-year old? ¡°Are you trying to gift me?¡± ¡°I feel self-conscious!¡± ¡°Okay, first of all, I¡¯m not a child. Second of all, I never disapproved of you buying those stuff. You have a good reason for it. Plus, hey, you¡¯re a woman, so you¡¯re naturally going to incur higher maintenance costs¡ª¡± ¡°Now I feel more self-conscious.¡± ¡°How much did it all cost?¡± ¡°Erm¡­seventy-eight Imperial Marks. But still! I feel bad.¡± ¡°Okay, it was a joke, relax,¡± Hans chuckled. ¡°I mean I wasted more buying enchanted bullets. Look, I just found it amusing watching you going all fashionista with an outfit shopping spree. I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t imagine I¡¯d see that in the middle of a war. Nor did I imagine I¡¯d see my commanding officer doing it.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± she seemed a bit flustered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry then¡­¡± ¡°I said I was joking. You know, making fun of you. Gee¡­did that go over your head? Ma¡¯am¡­you really need a good head check.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t Ma¡¯am me! Anyway¡­I wanna check that store you got your enchanted bullets from. See what they have. Maybe we¡¯ll find some half-decent items there. Anything that might, I don¡¯t know, help us.¡± ¡°I think what will really help is more APFSDS or MPAT rounds.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But hey, you never know. What if the unexpected happened and we needed it? Better to have something to pull during those situations than have nothing.¡± ¡°Alright¡­alright¡­we¡¯ll go see it¡­¡± I seriously doubt there¡¯s anything there that¡¯d be useful. Then again, maybe I can get some better-enchanted bullets from Moritz. Maybe¡­maybe¡­ +++ Moritz seemed half asleep on the counter when Hans and Adelyn arrived. But while the old wizard¡­or mage or whatever he was sleeping soundly on the counter¡ªhis little girl certainly wasn¡¯t. He remembered he called her Felizia. The girl¡¯s eyes widened as Hans and Adelyn went inside, closing a book she was holding and standing. Hans could even swear that the teenage girl¡¯s eyes shined when she saw him. ¡°Wait, it¡¯s the metal knight!¡± What the hell did you call me?! Why¡¯d I turn into metal?! And why does everyone have to refer to me as a knight?! ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you just woke up your father. We¡¯re buying crap¡ªow!¡± He felt Adelyn pinch his side as she glared at him. ¡°Don¡¯t act like an asshole to a girl. She¡¯s clearly looking up to you, you moron. I swear, your pastime must be breaking everyone¡¯s hearts.¡± He looked back at the girl. She certainly looked dejected. ¡°Okay, okay! Sorry. It¡¯s just¡­why¡¯d you even get all excited seeing this goober?¡± ¡°You two saved this city!¡± the girl said. ¡°Like¡­against that demon. You two looked so awesome doing it!¡± ¡°Did you even see us doing it?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Nope! But other folks did. And they say you guys did it so awesomely!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone saw the last part considering how deserted the streets were¡ªokay fine, whatever.¡± Adelyn huffed. ¡°Just let her have her hero, Lieutenant.¡± Well, I¡¯m not anyone¡¯s hero. I refuse to be that. Gee¡­your propaganda to paint us positively is starting to get a little on my nerves. I bet you were the one who started spreading this behind my back¡­can we have some OPSEC, please? Then again¡­propaganda was a part of all warfare anyway. And he seriously doubted that the Calamity of Desire was monitoring anything and everything that ¡°she¡± would attack for OPSEC (Operations Security) to be a big deal. Perhaps, he really was stupidly treating all of this as if he were fighting a normal state actor. Hans mentally succumbed to Adelyn¡¯s wisdom. ¡°Papa! Wake up! Your previous customer is here. And he also dragged the lady knight with him! I think they¡¯re buying big stuff.¡± ¡°Felizia¡­I told you to flip the placard on the door¡ª¡± Moritz sleepily raised his head off the counter. ¡°Oh. Lieutenant Hoffman. You¡¯re back again.¡± ¡°That I am old man,¡± Hans grinned. ¡°I gotta buy more crap from you. Up for more enchanting? I got sixty more bullets I¡¯d need. And I¡¯m willing to pay. Big time.¡± Moritz yawned and stood up. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll see what I can do tomorrow.¡± ¡°No not tomorrow, tomorrow we¡¯ll move out with the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment. Big mission.¡± Moritz frowned. ¡°What?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll hunt the Calamity of Desire itself,¡± Adelyn answered in Hans¡¯ stead. ¡°And we need any magical items that you have that you think will help us. Enchanted bullets. Elixirs. Potions. Um, anything really.¡± ¡°As much as I can see the hopes in both of your eyes rising, I seriously doubt that whatever my shabby store has can fight that thing,¡± Moritz replied. ¡°The truth is, if that was something possible, we wouldn¡¯t be in this situation in the first place. I know I¡¯m no demon killer like you two, but I think it¡¯s pretty obvious that if that thing attacks you and hits you, none of my healing elixirs here is going to help.¡± ¡°You know, you should be trying to advertise your product to get our money,¡± Hans said. But Moritz simply shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d never do that to the saviors of this city. And if you do succeed in your next mission, the possible saviors of Ygeia. I believe I, like everyone else in this city, owe you two big time. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll be blunt with the reality here. My simple ass magic isn¡¯t going to help you two. That¡¯s just the truth.¡± 66. The New Fate ¡°At the very least, we¡¯d be leaving Rousselot today with a decent supply situation. I¡¯m not sure yet if it would be enough though. I can already feel that there will be consequences to us charging against this ¡®Calamity¡¯ head-on with limited intel. And I¡¯m not sure how to fully prepare for it.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rousselot City AUG 22, 1538 CE Hans, Adelyn, and Aliz¨¦e woke up quite early today. Well, of course, it was a big day, Hans supposed. And it wasn¡¯t just them. The entire 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment, various mercenary specialists, and even some human priests and academic mages interested in watching and studying the upcoming fight were preparing to depart from Rousselot today. ¡°Okay! You¡¯re free to check now.¡± He heard Adelyn call him. Hans peeked from the side of the door after Adelyn frantically dressed Aliz¨¦e in the new clothes she bought for her. There were already piles of her other clothing in Aliz¨¦e¡¯s bed that Adelyn tried out earlier, but she seemed to have kept switching to test out things to try it out. Of course, the little girl only looked at Hans with a flushed stare. Not feeling cruel today, Hans just smiled and shrugged. ¡°I think it¡¯s good enough.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­okay¡­?¡± Adelyn stood up and cupped her chin. ¡°Perhaps pigtails would suit you better. What do you think, Lieutenant?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really into playing dress up when we¡¯re going to¡­I don¡¯t know, a big fight?¡± She looked back at Hans, a bit appalled. ¡°Hey! Did you just forget that we¡¯re making a pit stop in Fort Elmo? Aliz¨¦e has to look presentable to the Duchess before she receives her for temporary protection,¡± Adelyn shook her head. ¡°Gosh¡­you really don¡¯t understand our culture. Status, Lieutenant. It¡¯s important so the other party will respect you.¡± ¡°Um¡­okay,¡± Hans only sighed. The Duchess of Lignon had taken some interest in the daughter of the disgraced Amboise family after all, mainly because Aliz¨¦e¡¯s father was the previously appointed Imperial Viceroy of Ygeia who had¡­a lot of scuffles with the Imperium when the IYC was trying to consolidate control in the Principality. While her husband would be campaigning for war, she sent a letter to Countess Fresnel asking about how her Aliz¨¦e was doing. Apparently, the Duchess of Lignon was the sister of Aliz¨¦e¡¯s father. Naturally, that meant that Aliz¨¦e finally had a family member who might¡­just might perhaps take care of her, or at least, help in deciding what to do with her, now that the Imperium had reversed calling Aliz¨¦e¡¯s family as enemies of the state (mainly, because of the actions of Hans and Adelyn) considering that she was potentially the last remaining member of House Amboise¡ªsave for those married out to other noble families. It was all in good time, as the Duchess of Lignon took temporary refuge in Fort Elmo, mainly because it was well protected, and because it wasn¡¯t Rignon, which could be attacked any second now. Therefore, it was a good opportunity for Hans and Adelyn to have someone to leave her to during the planned attack. ¡°You really are clueless,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°That I am. Frankly, I take great pride in it, Milady¡­¡± Hans even tried to bow gracefully in her presence. Adelyn naturally simply rolled her eyes as she watched Hans¡¯ endlessly brimming sarcasm toward everything related to status and nobility. And Hans, for his part, took great pleasure in watching her exasperation. Adelyn turned around and pulled out her notepad. Hans stopped joking around and straightened himself. ¡°So, are you¡­um, actually ready for this one, Captain?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Ready? Hmm¡­I¡¯ll be honest, the last demon we fought really almost got us killed. It¡¯s¡­kinda scary now, I guess.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel¡­kinda uneasy about all this?¡± Hans asked. ¡°We¡¯re moving out blind. Without really good¡­you know, proper intel, I suppose. It¡¯s like we¡¯re going in empty-handed to a battle.¡± Adelyn sighed. ¡°Look, as much as I¡¯d like to deal with doom and gloom, I doubt it¡¯d help that much. We¡¯ll do the standard routine by going into a sortie to recce it. Then, I think we¡¯ll be able to come up with a concrete plan on how to fight it. There¡¯s really not much we can do to get around that. At least for now.¡± ¡°Killing the first ¡®Calamity¡¯ will certainly be a new one for humanity,¡± Hans looked up at the ceiling. ¡°It makes me wonder what we¡¯ll learn from it. Do you think it¡¯d be the same as the last demons we encountered? Just¡­normal people, usually, who turned into those things.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Adelyn checked something in her notepad as Hans looked back at her. She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, folding the tiny booklet back close. ¡°We¡¯ll see, Lieutenant. We¡¯ll see.¡± +++ ¡°The battalions are ready to move out,¡± Captain Strobel said, as Hans, Adelyn, and Aliz¨¦e followed him to the city walls. All around them, the men of the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment were already being mustered on the streets by their respective officers, as they prepared at once to march on foot to Fort Elmo. ¡°We¡¯ll take our sweet time to reach that though, so it¡¯s up to you two to charge ahead of us.¡± ¡°We understand,¡± Adelyn replied with a nod. ¡°Are we to commit to an immediate scouting mission against the Calamity of Desire?¡± ¡°Depends on what the commandant of Fort Elmo instructs you to,¡± he looked back at Hans and Adelyn. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not your superior officer or anything. Again, from now on, you two report to the IYC. Not to me. The commandant of Fort Elmo is a mercenary under the direct command of the IYC. I think he¡¯ll be the one that¡¯ll give you orders until the Duke of Lignon arrives.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be our overall commander?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Most likely. He¡¯s the one bringing in the largest amount of artillery and men into the battle after all. Though, of course, he was most likely bankrolled by the IYC. But yes, I believe that once he arrives, it¡¯ll be him calling the shots on how the operation will go, alongside the rest of the nobles and officers going into this attack.¡± That made sense to Hans. Quite frankly, this ¡°Duke of Lignon¡± guy seemed to be someone serious if he had too much artillery that he ripped off from naval vessels. That meant he had quite the authority to do things. Then again, he had a Ducal title. He imagined that someone like him really was a big shot in Ygeia¡¯s local politics. ¡°I wonder who that guy really is though,¡± Hans said. ¡°Like, is he human, or¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s a Virtus,¡± Captain Strobel said, a hint of distaste in his voice. ¡°One of the nobles from the Imperium who migrated here to take vacant titles after many of the Vanus nobility were shafted for having ties with the Republican resistance. And of course, to legitimize his claim to his title of being the Duke of Lignon, he married an Amboise.¡± ¡°What, why?¡± Hans asked. Adelyn looked back down at Aliz¨¦e, who seemed to be ignoring the entire conversation around her as she held Adelyn¡¯s hand while walking. ¡°Simple,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°House Amboise was a major family before Aliz¨¦e¡¯s father did what he did. I bet he wanted to show the people here that he was ¡®integrating¡¯. It¡¯s definitely a political marriage.¡± Captain Strobel nodded to Adelyn¡¯s explanation. ¡°Indeed. That and, the Margraviate of Amboise is a massive fiefdom. It¡¯s why he got the Viceroyalty position. Margrave Amboise may not be the most powerful Vanus considering his sickly nature, but he was a major statesman of the Republic before. He held a lot of prestige and political sway in Ygeia. And the Imperium initially wanted to present itself as a fair and just force, so they needed him as a puppet.¡± ¡°Until he realized that and supported the resistance,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Yes. And being a rebel is one of the best ways to get your head sliced by the Imperium,¡± Captain Strobel laughed. ¡°He certainly had the balls though, so there¡¯s that. But yeah, now it¡¯s the Virtus themselves calling the shots here, and that includes the Duke of Lignon. Bet that guy wants to prove himself to be a capable savior of the locals here to further legitimize himself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite the shady thing to do,¡± Hans said. ¡°Politics,¡± Adelyn simply shook her head. ¡°Not like Lotharingia was any better. Even I was supposed to be just¡­married off if I hadn¡¯t joined the Army.¡± There was a brief silence between the trio as Adelyn looked down with a grim smile before she turned and laughed a bit at Hans. ¡°Well, come on, it¡¯s just how the nobility goes,¡± Adelyn said, trying her best to be cheerful. ¡°I¡¯m the youngest daughter, so it¡¯s not like my family has much use for me, except for¡­well, political gains¡­mostly economic¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, I wonder what House Wittenstein is,¡± Captain Strobel asked. Adelyn looked ahead, a bit serious. ¡°My family is a part of the Junker class in my homeland,¡± Adelyn explained. ¡°We¡­own large tracts of land for our businesses. Wittenstein AG is the name of the corporation that my father manages. We¡­make lots of things. Medicine. Chemicals. The list can go on¡­¡± Hans could notice a certain tinge of shame in Adelyn¡¯s voice. He wasn¡¯t sure why, considering how she would always present herself as someone proud of her own family name. Then again, House Wittenstein, much like all of the preeminent nobles of the Confederation, had always been¡­involved in less than clean corporate or political business. ¡°But my mother was a part of the Confederal Court,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°And, and I guess I¡¯m trying to follow her path. Fighting for the right thing. Justice. Even¡­even if we¡¯re not exactly perfect.¡± ¡°That¡¯s admirable,¡± Captain Strobel grinned. ¡°Say, if I ever have a chance to get to your country, I¡¯d appreciate a big name giving me a good recommendation. It seems like your father has a nice business for me to join in. Just a favor to a friend, eh? Hehe.¡± ¡°Grh, nepotism in broad daylight!¡± Adelyn almost recoiled. ¡°You really have no shame¡­¡± ¡°A man¡¯s gotta do what he¡¯s gotta do,¡± Captain Strobel chuckled. ¡°Having someone vouch for you is a nice proposition. Then again, I doubt I have much experience in alchemical matters or medicine.¡± Captain Strobel sighed as they reached the gate, and the four stopped. Captain Strobel breathed out and spoke. ¡°So, this is it then, huh?¡± He said. ¡°Have a safe travel ahead, you three. We¡¯ll meet you in Fort Elmo.¡± ¡°Safe travels to you guys too,¡± Hans said. ¡°Make sure the lads make it to the fight alive.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do our best. That, and¡­well, it¡¯d be unfortunate to die before the actual battle. And again the same goes for the three of you. Wait for the rest of the force. Don¡¯t act too rashly. This is a fight of Ygeia for Ygeia. It¡¯s not just your fight. It¡¯s our fight. So let¡¯s fight that bastard together. Not piecemeal.¡± Hans nodded. ¡°We understand.¡± ¡°Good luck,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°We¡¯re going off now.¡± 67. The New Game ¡°AP management is becoming a chore rapidly. It seems like at the moment, most of my AP is completely irreplaceable. Granted, the volume of AP I have is greater than Adelyn, but I must find ways to game the system to get me some extra AP naturally.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Ygeian Countryside AUG 22, 1538 CE Hans heard a muffled yelp come from Aliz¨¦e. ¡°Is she fine over there?¡± He asked as he positioned his mech rapidly into the firing position he chose. Already, he had activated ¡®UPG: Eye of Paranoia¡¯ ever since they entered combat operations. En route to Fort Elmo, Hans and Adelyn found themselves suddenly cut off by the presence of hostile monsters attacking them. ¡°Not really,¡± came the answer from Adelyn. Her mech was trailing Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke close from behind. It was dark at night, the rough road and the thick forested foliage masking their movements well. But in the darkness, Hans could see on his camera the warm bodies of the monsters attacking them. ¡°She seems uncomfortable. She told me that she feels like we¡¯re in danger.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no demons here,¡± Hans said, as he looked left and right at the cameras, his mech continuing its cruise rapidly through the dirt road. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°I know,¡± suddenly, behind him, Adelyn¡¯s mech stopped, as her heavy machine guns opened fire in the darkness. Hans stopped his mech and turned his turret to his rear, the legs of his Wanderfalke stopping and creating deep marks on the soil as he stopped. ¡°Hostiles on my left!¡± ¡°Copy, covering you!¡± Hans said as he took aim at these bull-like creatures that had a reinforced horned head. They also seemed more buff, and heavier, and their bodies seemed to have these blackened plate-like armor. The group of bulls raced on the dark forest, charging straight to Adelyn¡¯s mech as she sprayed her bullets at them. Crap, they might get her. He pulled the trigger. One after another, his bullets struck the racing monsters. Unfortunately, a lot of his bullets began missing, or they struck its heavy armor¡ªarmor that somehow resisted his gunfire. Hans tightened his hold on his controls, as he tried to lead his shots better. He sprayed a few more at one of them, hitting its legs and causing it to tumble and slide on the rough soil brutally. Adelyn, sensing danger in her position as the rest of the monsters reached her, jumped out of the area with a surge of power on her mech¡¯s legs. Due to the speed and momentum of the monsters, they weren¡¯t able to turn and redirect their charge to her, causing many to slam straight into thick trees on the other side of the road. Hans winced as he saw the old, thick, and supposed to be durable trees simply crack from the power of their charge, with one completely collapsing on the road. The two however finally gained the upper hand. The monsters, completely disoriented by their impacts, were unable to react much when Hans and Adelyn jumped them from behind with their focused gunfire. The rear of the monsters was unarmored, and their bullets slammed into it easily, killing them into a bloody mess when Hans and Adelyn decided that each of them should receive a dozen bullets on their asses.
[4 HARD BULLS (AVERAGE LVL. 28) LIQUIDATED!] [LEVEL UP! NOW LVL. 27] [PROGRESS TO LVL. 28: 15%] [AVAILABLE AP: 380 PTS]
¡°Clear! Alright, cease fire!¡± ¡°Copy,¡± Hans said, as he let go of his controls. ¡°Damn, what the hell are these things?¡± ¡°Hard bulls?¡± Adelyn muttered over the comms, clearly bewildered. ¡°I guess¡­that¡¯s weird. These things are weird. Free level progress points though, so I¡¯m not complaining.¡± ¡°I used up nearly two hundred forty machine gun rounds ever since we started this fight earlier,¡± Hans said. ¡°I am quite a bit annoyed.¡± ¡°Well, fighting tends to do that. I expended three hundred rounds. Mostly just by firing wildly at the darkness.¡± ¡°We really have to control our usage of bullets,¡± Hans said. ¡°Even with the arcane autofabricator, we¡¯re still strapped low on AP. Would be bad if we ran out in an emergency.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adelny¡¯s mech drove forward to the corpses of the downed ¡°Hard Bulls¡±, almost as if she was inspecting them. ¡°I think I¡¯m kinda hungry.¡± At that, Hans suddenly laughed. ¡°Being the main target tends to do that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unfair! Why¡¯d they target me more than you? I swear, you must be cheating or something.¡± ¡°Not my fault that you¡¯re a juicier target, Captain.¡± ¡°I am not!¡± ¡°Well, those ¡®Hard Bulls¡¯ seem to disagree,¡± Hans relaxed in his seat. ¡°But yeah, I guess I¡¯m kinda hungry too. Up for a pit stop?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­I think Aliz¨¦e¡¯s the same too,¡± Adelyn replied. ¡°Yeah, sure, let¡¯s take a pit stop for now. And have some chow.¡± ¡°Sure, Captain,¡± Hans said, giving the area a quick scan with his turret. ¡°Yeah, it seems like it¡¯s safer now. Let¡¯s find a place to camp.¡± +++ Their Wanderpanzers were now parked on the side of the road. They had driven a few kilometers forward to avoid any further packs of the beast, and finally, took camp in this area. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Aliz¨¦e now sat on one of the logs, as Hans tried to keep the fire he started in the middle of their motley camp. On the other hand, Adelyn was heating up three MRE packs beside the campfire. ¡°There, that should be good,¡± Hans said, as he stepped away a bit. ¡°Helps to have proper light.¡± He turned off the flashlight that he used, as he didn¡¯t really want to run out of batteries quickly. Aliz¨¦e, watching the fire, smiled a bit as she raised her hand close to the campfire to feel the warmth. That¡¯s cute, Hans thought. Hmm, I guess for a kid it¡¯s already kinda cold at this point. ¡°You know,¡± Adelyn sat beside Aliz¨¦e on the log. ¡°They said this route was supposed to be clear of infestations by monsters, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they said,¡± Hans said, eyeing the fire. ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s reality.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adelyn placed her hand on her chin, thoughtful. ¡°Seems to me that those creatures wanted us badly. That seems weird. I mean, why would those ¡®bull¡¯ things want to kill us? Predation? Territorial protection? What really was their motive? I don¡¯t get it. It doesn¡¯t make sense to me.¡± ¡°Well, apologies, but I don¡¯t understand ¡®Hard Bull¡¯ language, Captain,¡± Hans grinned as he looked at her. ¡°Maybe you should ask their corpses.¡± Adelyn crossed her arms. ¡°Oh yeah? You¡¯re gonna keep pushing with that?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°You know, you¡¯re becoming meaner and meaner to me as time goes on.¡± ¡°Pfft, who the hell uses ¡®mean¡¯ at that age?¡± ¡°Why is there an age limit to words now?!¡± Adelyn¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. And silly. Plus, I am free to speak and use any words I like with impunity. I don¡¯t get to be restricted, I¡¯m the one who restricts!¡± Yeah, sure, lady. I¡¯d be laughing if a guy¡¯s that edgy to me. ¡°Hey, Aliz¨¦e,¡± Hans called. Aliz¨¦e looked at Hans. ¡°I got a question for you, kid.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Hans?¡± ¡°That woman beside you,¡± Hans said, and Adelyn interjected. ¡°Your superior officer, you jerk!¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s a bit childish isn¡¯t she?¡± Hans asked. Adelyn giggled. ¡°She likes sweets too much!¡± ¡°What, no. What, it¡¯s a crime for an adult now?¡± Adelyn asked as she looked at Aliz¨¦e. She raised her finger, almost scolding her as she shook it a bit. ¡°Kiddo, I bet you¡¯d love sweets too even when you grow old. It¡¯s not child-like. Get it?¡± ¡°But mother and father rarely ate sweets,¡± Adelyn looked at the sky, swinging her feet a bit as she leaned back. ¡°They always only give it to me.¡± ¡°What¡¯d she say?¡± Hans asked. ¡°No idea,¡± Adelyn answered as she looked at Aliz¨¦e curiously. ¡°Ah, actually,¡± Hans backtracked, seeing an opportunity. ¡°I know what she said. She did say, ¡®but¡¯, which means she¡¯s saying I¡¯m right and you¡¯re wrong.¡± ¡°You¡¯re weaponizing translation issues! Lieutenant, how far will you stoop just to make fun of me?¡± ¡°I can understand her just fine,¡± Hans joked, tapping his head with his finger. ¡°I win.¡± Adelyn glared at him, as she closed her eyes, clenching her fist in faux anger. ¡°Alright, I see then Lieutenant. You got the girl¡¯s favor for now. I¡¯ll have you know, that advantage is fleeting. She¡¯ll like me more by tomorrow. You¡¯re playing a game that you¡¯ll lose.¡± ¡°Heh, I found her first, so she obviously prefers me more,¡± Hans grinned. Adelyn on the other hand just smiled with a twinge of pain as she backed a bit, completely in denial. ¡°She likes me more, you meanie.¡± ¡°Words of propaganda.¡± ¡°I''m hungry!¡± Aliz¨¦e broke the discussion between the two as she nursed her belly. ¡°I demand food!¡± The two looked at the girl for a second, their back-and-forth ending. Then, Adelyn and Hans looked at each other, as they both smiled uncontrollably, the same words coming out of their mouths. ¡°She¡¯s so cute!¡± +++ ¡°Thanks for the food!¡± Aliz¨¦e cheerfully said as she finished her meal, placing her plastic spoon on the MRE pouch. Adelyn smiled beside her and gave Aliz¨¦e a pat. ¡°Good, you ate it all!¡± Adelyn said. ¡°No worries. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll stop by a town and get some actual food.¡± ¡°Real food?¡± Aliz¨¦e¡¯s eyes shined. ¡°Yes, real food!¡± Adelyn replied as Aliz¨¦e made a ¡°yay¡± sound. Hans merely shook his head as he watched the two from the side, still busy munching on his share. Crap, she¡¯s fast. Hans took another spoonful of his food, as Adelyn gave Hans a side-eye, a competitive glint coming off from her eyes. I can¡¯t lose. I never lose. No, wait, I still have my options. I might have to use the tactical chocolate soon, but if I have to¡­ Aliz¨¦e suddenly stopped relishing Adelyn¡¯s gentle headpats, as the girl visibly stiffened. Her eyes narrowed, as she became visibly guarded of their surroundings. Naturally, that alerted Hans, as his ears and eyes began scanning the surroundings for anything that might be a threat to them. Already, his hands grew dangerously close to the SMG slung on his body. ¡°Aliz¨¦e?¡± Adelyn cautiously asked. ¡°Is anything wrong?¡± ¡°Bad,¡± Aliz¨¦e muttered, as she left her seat, and stood up. ¡°Bad guys.¡± Immediately, Adelyn ordered Hans to check things, and Hans followed her order by dropping his MRE to the side and checking their surroundings again. Even Adelyn stopped and flicked the safety of her rifle off. ¡°Alright, you two,¡± Hans said, as he walked straight into the road, while Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e looked around. ¡°Get back to your vehicle now. Right now. Immediately.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adelyn said, aiming her gun at their rear. ¡°Aliz¨¦e, get back inside. I¡¯ll be following you.¡± Aliz¨¦e complied, following Hans, with Adelyn walking backward, keeping her eyes trained on their rear, while Hans cleared the area where their vehicles were parked. Suddenly, from the darkness, a night wolf appeared and pounced straight in Hans¡¯ direction. His life flashed before him, as the wolf¡¯s massive body fell rapidly in his direction. Dead¡­again? But before he could even dodge or train his gun on it, a bright pink flash of light sliced through the creature¡¯s body, illuminating the darkness for but a brief second. The wolf didn¡¯t even have a chance to react to it, as its neck completely disintegrated, separating its body from its head. Hans immediately turned around, seeing Aliz¨¦e, her eyes widened and her hands were still aimed at the creature. He tackled her to the ground as the head of the creature flew past above them, doing his best to shield her from impact by turning around, his shoulders hitting the dirt. ¡°Aliz¨¦e!¡± Hans shouted as the girl looked down at him. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Um, Sir Hans?¡± the girl spluttered. ¡°Ahh! Sorry! You¡¯re hurt because of me again¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± That was when Hans felt the searing pain on his shoulder. ¡°Oww, goddamnit, pfft¡­did I hit a damned splinter or something.¡± He pulled himself up as he winced, while Aliz¨¦e separated himself from him, all while keeping her hands close to her chest. Hans checked his shoulder a bit, already half worried that he may have dislocated something from the impact. Goddess, that was very reckless of me. He looked at a boulder that was near his impact sight. He could already imagine a different scenario where he bashed his head flat into it by mistake. Ouch. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn spoke behind them. The two looked up at her. Adelyn¡¯s eyes were extremely surprised, as she turned her head to Aliz¨¦e. ¡°She¡­she just killed that thing. With one magical attack. Again. Like¡­like what she did to the tentacled eel. Last time.¡± Hans looked at Aliz¨¦e, who just smiled awkwardly. ¡°Did I do anything wrong?¡± She asked awkwardly, hiding the hand she used to fire her magic. 68. Only I Play ¡°This bridge was erected for the defense of the Great Republic. Glory to the defenders against the Imperium!¡± - Inscription on a Ygeian Stone Bridge. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Ygeian Countryside AUG 23, 1538 CE ¡°Morning, Captain,¡± Hans laughed over his radio as he heard the sounds of Adelyn¡¯s snoring replaced by her yawning. A flustered yelp came from the other line, which pushed Hans further into his laughing fits. ¡°Had a good sleep?¡± ¡°Goddess¡­I left it open?!¡± came the panicked voice on their comms, before Hans heard the characteristic thud of her turning it off. Now, Hans was left without his ¡°entertainment¡±, and so, he sighed and relaxed on his seat, taking a few sips on the cup of coffee that was beside him. It was still slightly warm, and each sip pushed his sleepy mind back into working condition. Gonna be a few more kilometers of driving from here. Hans thought as he took a deeper sip. Gotta be ready. Maybe we should make a pit stop in a few villages? That might be a good idea. Yet, even with the caffeine, Hans¡¯ sleepy state wasn¡¯t really fully changed. Due to the nature of their rotations, Hans took the lion¡¯s share of remaining awake throughout their rest period. In fact, he was supposed to wake Adelyn up at three AM to make her keep watch until Hans had his share of sleep, but Adelyn didn¡¯t wake up. And Hans couldn¡¯t bring himself to walk out of his mech to wake the woman up for her job. He told himself that it was for the sake of just letting the two sleep well, and he just rolled with it. So right now, he was kinda sleepy. But, nothing a few more cups wouldn¡¯t fix. Hans fully downed his coffee. Well, it would have sucked harder if something sneaked up on us. Glad we¡¯re safe. That¡¯s mission one checked out as successful. He popped his hatch open after stowing away his mug to its proper place. Walking straight into the direction of Adelyn¡¯s mech, which sat just ahead of him, Hans climbed their mech and began banging on their hatch to make Adelyn open it. ¡°Hey!¡± He shouted. ¡°Wake up sleepyheads! We still have a long drive to go!¡± ¡°Go away!¡± Adelyn¡¯s muffled voice shouted from inside. ¡°We¡¯re fixing ourselves!¡± ¡°Huh? How¡¯s that even possible?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s really unfair. How¡¯d you even have enough space there to play fashion stuff?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fashion stuff, just fixing up!¡± Adelyn shouted back, followed by another childish voice. ¡°Yeah!¡± Aliz¨¦e shouted. ¡°Listen to Lady Adelyn, hmph!¡± ¡°Damn, okay,¡± Hans laughed, before backing off and jumping off her mech. He then sighed to himself, as he awaited for them to leave. For the next five minutes, he simply opened one of the biscuits he bought from Rousselot that he kept in a sealed plastic container. He remembered the container was something that came with the stolen chips that he once ¡°procured¡± from the battalion kitchens. He began snacking on it, which soothed his sweet tooth for a bit. While he had a considerable supply of chocolate rations with him, he had already relegated it to the role of gaining Aliz¨¦e¡¯s attention. Or to placate the kid if she ever cried or something. After all, Hans was a terrible pick at raising a child. He needed everything that he could have to bribe the girl into proper behavior. And so, he only had this. Which wasn¡¯t exactly bad. The cookies weren¡¯t the hardtack ones that he stashed in his tank¡¯s storage, so it was soft. But it only would have a shelf-life of a few days, and so he preferred to enjoy it already before it spoiled in the container, or something worse. Man¡­this kinda makes me miss Rousselot. Hans looked down at the half-bitten biscuit. They had all kinds of confectionery there. And Adelyn kept buying that stuff. Hopefully, the next stop has some goodies. A greedy glint took over his eyes. We have the money for it anyway. Maybe I can negotiate to get her to buy me and Aliz¨¦e some? No, wait, I just need to lure her into the direction of a good bakery, and kablam! The scheme would work because she¡¯d do the job by pure instinct herself. Then, she¡¯d have to soothe her pride of being ¡®equal¡¯ by sharing with us. ¡°What the hell are you scheming over there, Lieutenant?¡± Adelyn suddenly called from behind. Hans turned around, just in time to see Aliz¨¦e catch up behind Adelyn, who crossed her arms as she looked at Hans. Hans smiled sheepishly, as he turned around. ¡°You look like a gremlin.¡± ¡°Was just having breakfast, is all,¡± Hans coughed to clear his throat. And then he straightened himself. ¡°Anyhow, according to the map, we should only be a few hours away from the next town. I think we should do a good pit stop, and let, well, Aliz¨¦e decompress a bit from the long road. You know, kids and all. I mean, the rest of the force is still far behind anyway, and we¡¯re already halfway on the journey to Fort Elmo.¡± ¡°True,¡± Adelyn shrugged, before looking down at Aliz¨¦e, who seemed to hide a bit behind her. ¡°Hey, kiddo. What do you want?¡± ¡°Chocolates¡­¡± Came Aliz¨¦e¡¯s request, as she tugged on Adelyn¡¯s uniform. ¡°I want¡­a sweet morning meal!¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Adelyn giggled and kneeled at Aliz¨¦e¡¯s level. ¡°Hmm¡­okay? I can get you some nice stuff. But the real nice stuff will be in the town ahead. Is that alright? For now, we¡¯ll snack on some simple cookies and a nice hot cocoa drink. How¡¯s that?¡± Hah! I didn¡¯t have to act, and my scheme already worked! Hans celebrated. Meanwhile, Aliz¨¦e¡¯s eyes shined as she smiled widely at Adelyn¡¯s suggestion. ¡°That¡¯s a good breakfast, Lady Adelyn!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Adelyn tilted her head a bit as she smiled. ¡°You¡¯re really becoming good at pronouncing continental words, huh? Well, considering how good you¡¯re studying, of course, I¡¯ll really give you an extra nice treat today once we take our mid-journey stop, okay?¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Thanks!¡± Adelyn then gave Aliz¨¦e a head pat before she stood up to return to her mech and prepare their breakfast. Meanwhile, Hans already walked away, mounting his mech. ¡°Hey!¡± He called to Adelyn as he climbed on the Peacemaker¡¯s chassis. Adelyn turned around. ¡°Can I have permission to sortie for some side-quests, Captain?¡± ¡°Um, sure?¡± Adelyn replied as she looked at Hans confusedly. ¡°What side quests exactly?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll only cover a few kilometers around here while you guys eat breakfast,¡± Hans said. ¡°Then we¡¯ll regroup. I just need to pad my levels a bit. Get it up to something worthwhile. Maybe even get a few extra AP from it.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adelyn chuckled. ¡°So you¡¯re going wildlife hunting?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adelyn however crossed her arms as she stared at Hans sternly. ¡°But only now because we¡¯re preparing for a big fight. In normal conditions, I would never¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I get it,¡± Hans said with a laugh. ¡°I get your policies. I¡¯m going off now. See you both later!¡± +++ Cautiously, Hans maneuvered his Wanderfalke into a good firing position. Ahead of his mech were the targets that he had been shadowing for the past minutes or two. Following a few groups of goblins in the area, approximately eight kilometers away from their original camping position, Hans found himself near what appeared to be a cave that these green-skinned monsters were using. He approached them silently, again as standard with the doctrines in combat for the Wanderfalke, from the treeline, concealed by the bushes. He lowered his hull with the maximum setting that he could afford to keep moving, as he counted their numbers. There were a lot of things that he wished that he had right now upon seeing this juicy target. Chief of which were magical tank rounds, but alas, he¡¯d have to work with the standard 90mm MPAT rounds that he had for this. That, and his trusty heavy machine gun. So far, he had been trying his best to break even with the AP consumption that he was taking whenever he fabricated extra HMG bullets while killing things. One of the main problems he faced was the fact that, unlike Adelyn, he only regained AP from killing things and leveling up. Essentially, a massive lump-sum of AP that he could use one time. That was good in an emergency, he could resupply massive amounts of munitions and fuel at once if need be. But once the reserves were used up? He¡¯d be screwed. Henceforth was his drive now to reach Tier II. While the ¡®System¡¯ didn¡¯t say much in his ¡®Mech-Pilot System Interface¡¯, it seemed that he¡¯d be unlocking a new feature only once he reached Tier II that would allow him to gain AP disconnected from leveling up or killing. The ¡®Achievements¡¯ mechanics. Based on that name, he imagined it would be similar to how most humans gained AP even with their low skills aside from natural AP regeneration. Do things and the ¡®System¡¯ would give him an ¡°achievement¡± that should correspond to a lump sum of AP. He certainly wanted that quickly. But he was still half-way from that point. He had a lot of levels to grind for. Hmm¡­that¡¯s really a lot of them. Hans thought, as nearly a dozen goblins exited the cave. A settlement perhaps? I heard these creatures live in underground areas. Which means this place must be their town or village. Well, the closest equivalent of it at least. He continued waiting for the big opportunity, watching as more and more of them gathered outside. He wondered what they were doing, with many of them coming out armed with basic knives, axes, and what else. And Goddess, these cretins did look quite the ugly beasts. Most of them were small, nimble, and light in build. Similar to that of human children. Yet, their faces were gnarly and resembled that of malformed elderly. Even orcs at least had some sort of a terrifying facial structure in comparison. These things were straight up just¡­well, Hans had one word for it. They¡¯re disgustingly ugly. Then, there were some larger ones, probably as tall as humans if not for their hunched backs. They held these strange staff-like sticks that resembled the ones used by mages in Rousselot. He wondered then why they were gathering such a large force. Was it for a strike? Captain Strobel told me that goblins are a pain for rural communities. Just like most other things, they raid and kill trade convoys. Or in sufficient quantities, they can overwhelm town guards and raid and sack them. If they were gathering this many, then¡­ They might be plotting for something. Hmm¡­perhaps the villages nearby? He held his control sticks tightly, his finger already hovering over the buttons that controlled his coaxial machine guns. Well, if for nothing else, if I wipe these guys out, not only do I get to level up... He smirked. I get to save some civilians too. He opened fire. Unleashing terror on the goblins, he held back nothing by going full auto all of a sudden. First, he targeted the taller ones, mowing them down to death as they tried to find him. His gunfire completely shocked him, and many only blindly fired their spells in the wrong directions before being cut down by his gunfire. Then, Hans sprayed the hell out of the smaller goblins scattered in the fields. Many cowered and hid behind the rocks and boulders, but the majority were cut down in the opening seconds. Hans made his move, charging forward and further terrifying the little cretins. Those who hid behind the terrain or the corpses were hunted down by Hans¡¯ mech mercilessly, his turret rotating left and right to clean up the remnants. Within just a minute, the field was strewn by bleeding, small, green bodies. Hans further expanded his bloodlust by even running over many of the little cretins, using the deployable blades of his front legs to slice anyone who dared to be in front of his mech¡¯s legs as he circled their little settlement. By the second minute, there was nothing standing outside of their cave, and Hans¡¯ mech stopped right in front of their entrance. Checking his thermals, he could see so many contacts hiding inside of the cave, all of them cowering in fear at the unknown gray metal demon that found out the place they called home. Hans gave no second thought. He wanted those levels. And so, he gave them a gift in the form of a 90mm MPAT round set to airburst mode. The first round created a violent, fiery boom inside, which somehow ignited something and caused it to burn inside. I guess they have some wooden tech inside. Hans grinned as he readied a second round, pressing on his machine gun controls as burning goblins scrammed out of their cave, screaming in pain as the fires toasted their bodies. More were mowed down before Hans gifted them a final MPAT round to fully toast the interior. Due to the heat of the growing inferno inside, Hans couldn¡¯t see any more of them on his thermals. They should all probably die of suffocation. Hans thought. Whoever¡¯s left that is. He waited for a few minutes as the tally of kills in his interfaces grew. It was already at the high two hundred, but the tally merely grew and grew as the inferno went on. Boredly, Hans grabbed a few more biscuits to snack on, as the ¡®System¡¯ further increased his count of kills to three hundred. By the end of it, five minutes later, his final count was three hundred eighty-plus goblins killed.
[384 GOBLINS (AVERAGE LVL. 15) LIQUIDATED!] [LEVEL UP! NOW LVL. 36] [PROGRESS TO LVL. 37: 50%] [NEW SKILL UNLOCKED!] [AVAILABLE AP: 580 PTS.]
Heh¡­that¡¯s a lot. Hans smirked. And all I needed was leverage modern tech to liquidate this thing. I guess I murdered a literal entire horde. I don¡¯t think anyone can claim to be capable of killing hundreds of goblins in a span of minutes in this world. A new idea was forming in his mind. Those demons were strong, yes. But¡­if he could just fully leverage this to crank up the bullshit powers of his mech¡­ Maybe he had a good chance of winning this game. 69. Each Lives, I Hate ¡°Reports on the design philosophy of the Wanderpanzer II Falke have shown a strong emphasis on the utilization of organic and external sensor systems in order to fully leverage speed and firepower. Lending to these developments, the Wanderpanzer II Falke proves to be a capable platform usually only in ¡®hit-and-run¡¯ engagements, and pilots must be discouraged from engaging a hostile threat in a brawl-type vehicle-to-vehicle engagement. Any extended/sustained skirmish with superior armor negates the high-mobility advantage of the Wanderpanzer II Falke, allowing hostile armor to leverage its usually superior firepower and armor (in the case of Flandrian designs) to defeat Lotharingian units.¡± - Preliminary report to the Lotharingian High Command (LHC) regarding their ¡®future weapon systems¡¯ program. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Ygeian Countryside The village in front of them¡­was nothing. ¡°I¡¯m not picking up anything from my end,¡± came the somber report from Adelyn. ¡°I think this place got wiped. There¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡± ¡°Same in my case,¡± Hans said, eyeing the displays that showed nothing but ruined houses, trampled and burned crops, and even a few carriages that were obviously burned earlier. ¡°There¡¯s bullet holes on some of the carriages. That¡­hmm, doesn¡¯t make sense. Did someone from the Imperial Army raid this place?¡± There was an outraged gasp that came from Adelyn, as her mech turned to Hans¡¯ direction. ¡°Them? Doing something this heinous? Why would they? That¡¯s disgusting. We¡¯re in a crisis and they¡¯ll choose to loot and pillage?¡± ¡°Well, considering the state of Captain Strobel¡¯s regiment, I think there are units with worse conditions than them. And in the case of not good conditions, I think there¡¯s a chance that they might resort to banditry if pushed to desperation. Especially when they¡¯re far away from their home Principalities.¡± ¡°But still¡­¡± Adelyn already aggressively drove her mech into the village, and Hans reluctantly followed. The houses were filled with holes, bullet holes everywhere¡ªas if the place saw the same fighting that modern Terran settlements would see nowadays. ¡°Look at these¡­they murdered so many civilians! I can¡¯t even show it to Aliz¨¦e. I gave her a blindfold because of it. Lieutenant, if we catch these vagrants, I¡¯ll absolutely cut them down. Hack them down to pieces!¡± ¡°Whoah, gee, Captain¡­I mean, I get the appeal, but, like¡­they¡¯re supposed to be friendlies, you know?¡± ¡°I choose my friends, Lieutenant. And that does not include bandits¡­or soldiers who loot and pillage. They are a stain to the name of all soldiers. And in this case, with the breakdown of law and order, the only way to dispense justice to soldiers gone AWOL is to shoot them.¡± ¡°So you¡¯d be dispersing field court marshals because you¡¯re very outraged right now? And to members of a foreign Army no less?¡± ¡°Why not? They are a threat to the citizenry of the Imperium anyway. Regardless, once we¡¯re done with the demon problem, we also really need to mop this up. In fact, this should be easier to mop up since it¡¯s just normal humans. I cannot stand these atrocities happening under me. Not when I can just produce bullets out of thin air anyway!¡± She sounds really worked up by this. Hans sighed. Well, I guess that¡¯s just her, really. What can I really do? Hans drove his mech rapidly toward Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler, which was parked on the side of a burned-down store, the family inside obviously killed by the amounts of bullets that pierced its walls. Adelyn¡¯s mech seemed to be inspecting the damage closely, and silently, and Hans did the same. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange though?¡± Hans asked. ¡°How can those stone walls be pierced like that? I don¡¯t think the normal musketry that they have right now can do this. It¡¯s like¡­I don¡¯t know, don¡¯t get me wrong with this, it¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°Magic perhaps?¡± Adelyn¡¯s voice turned even more outraged. ¡°Disgusting then. Using such a wonderful tool just to mindlessly slaughter civilians. Tsk. Makes me want to really chase them in the countryside now just to teach them a lesson. That, and we have to stop them now. They¡¯re just going to kill more people.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that,¡± Hans replied. ¡°I mean, we still have the whole ¡®hunting the Calamity of Desire¡¯ shtick going on. I think we should focus on that and slate this issue on the later side of things. We can clean up once the bigger fish are done.¡± ¡°I get that. Still, I¡¯m keeping track of this. And if we find them somehow on this route, then we¡¯ll make them pay, understood?¡± ¡°Understood, Captain.¡± ¡°Good¡­¡± Adelyn took a deep sigh. ¡°I¡¯m keeping note of this to report it to relevant authorities once we reach Fort Elmo. They¡¯ll know of this. And if this is more widespread than just something contained here, then I¡¯ll absolutely egg them to act.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll listen to you, Captain.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make jokes right now.¡± ¡°Err, sorry¡­¡± ¡°Anyhow¡­¡± she huffed a bit. ¡°Let¡¯s move out.¡± ¡°Copy.¡± +++ Hans and Adelyn finally parked their mechs at the gate of a small town in front of them. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The town¡¯s guards seemed extremely suspicious about the two until Adelyn presented them with a document with the seal of the Countess of Rousselot and the Imperial Ygeia Company. Naturally, the guards immediately allowed Adelyn and Hans to proceed inside with their mechs, which the two did. The people in the town were clearly new to their new technology, and many looked and gawked at the two alien, metal behemoths driving through their streets. Children, the elderly, the working men, and young ladies¡ªHans could see them turning their heads in the direction of their vehicle. He knew that word about two powerful machines had already spread throughout Ygeia, which meant that these people must have known the rumors already. Hans made sure to follow Adelyn¡¯s order to the letter, keeping his mech away from touching or damaging anything that these people possessed, as they tried to weave through the streets. Makes you really want to wipe your sweat. Hans thought as he tried his best to focus on driving. Damn¡­they¡¯re already talking crap about us. Wonder what they¡¯re saying? He turned on his exterior audio receivers and immediately heard a childish shout from outside. ¡°Mama! It¡¯s the legendary knights! The ones who can defeat demons!¡± shouted an overly eager boy, his eyes shining as he looked at Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler and Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke passing by, all while his mother tried to keep him off the road. ¡°Mama! They look so scary! But also so good!¡± ¡°Heh¡­I guess we¡¯re quite well-known now, huh?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Well, imagine if, on Terra, aliens that can destroy entire cities arrived, something that humanity cannot beat. But then, soon, another two rare aliens arrived¡­and only they can kill those things reliably.¡± Her voice became lower. ¡°It¡¯d be humanity¡¯s propaganda to keep everyone¡¯s morale up high. We¡¯re basically angels for these people. The ones who can go toe-to-toe with a demon that they cannot fight.¡± Already, as the rumors and murmurs spread amongst the crowd, Hans saw that many eyes began to shine as they pointed at them. The town¡¯s guards kept them on the side, but many were clearly overjoyed at their arrival. Hans could even hear many say that they were saved and that the ¡°heroes¡± had arrived, but¡­ Quite naive. Hans thought. Were it not for my twisted ability, we¡¯d have been dead from day one. The only reason we¡¯re still here¡­fighting against their worst monsters¡­is that I can try and try again until I win. His eyes became more glazed and devoid of warmth as he stared at the displays showing the ecstatic townsfolk around them. Being a celebrated hero, when he had died more times than he imagined any human being ever did¡­it sure was a strange thing for him. ¡°We¡¯re close to the location of the inn that they gave us,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Should be good for us to stay on for a while. I received a magical communique from the IYC.¡± Oh, yeah¡­that thing she bought. Hans thought, remembering the strange glass ¡°tablet¡± that was attuned with another magical artifact used by the IYC. It¡¯s funny how they have those things, yet still struggle to properly coordinate things. It was way too expensive though, and the only reason it was offered to them was that they had the bounty money, and they were the ¡°fastest unit¡± of the IYC to date. Thus, their leadership wanted to give them an extra trinket to keep in touch. Unfortunately, the thing used Adelyn¡¯s AP whenever she activated it. So there was that. ¡°What¡¯d they say?¡± ¡°They¡¯re postponing the attack,¡± Adelyn sighed. ¡°The Calamity of Desire has so far stopped its activities. That, and a string of demonic attacks placed the operation temporarily off-balance. They want us to hold a dispersed position close to our rallying points.¡± ¡°I guess that makes sense¡­¡± Hans sighed. ¡°And setbacks? Hmm¡­do you think we should take the initiative and move on our own?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Hans mentally remembered the last battles they fought. If¡­judging by the fact that whatever the Calamity of Desire was would be stronger than them, would mean that Hans and Adelyn would not stand much of a chance without a larger force to back them up. Even something as little as bait, or generally just wearing down that creature was something he knew they¡¯d sorely need. Otherwise, the tactical picture would be ugly, especially due to how many unknown factors there were about the Calamity of Desire. But then¡­then, there comes the problem that if we do not act immediately, we¡¯d be in a bad bind. Hans tightened his hold on his control sticks. I still need to figure out what skill to take too. Alongside all the other stuff. Maybe a few more days of prep would be nice. Or perhaps he could just bang his head on the wall again and again until he somehow found a way to kill that demon. He did have this damned ability. So why not use it? Because dying is painful. Hans laughed at himself. What a joke, until now, it¡¯s still hard to debate whether to just¡­maximize the pain for the win or draw it out. What even is the better option? Damn it¡­I¡¯m starting to hate dying and living¡­ ¡°We¡¯re here, Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn suddenly said, and Hans responded by stopping his mech just behind Adelyn¡¯s mech. They were right in front of one of the inns near the central area of the town. Due to the width of their legs however, it took quite around half of the street, which would probably impede a few things passing through the area, but, Adelyn already opened her hatch and dismounted. Hans followed suit. Opening his hatch, and taking his personal pistol, Hans took a brief look at their surroundings, before closing his hatch shut and jumping off his mech¡¯s chassis. He then went straight to Adelyn, who was already conversing with the innkeeper, before she slid a few Imperial Marks into his hands. Adelyn then turned to Hans with a smile. ¡°We have permission to park here,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°You sure?¡± Hans asked. ¡°I mean, won¡¯t carriages pass around here?¡± ¡°Carriages don¡¯t pass through this specific street,¡± the Innkeeper said, as he pulled his hat down a bit. ¡°Welcome to Torei. We¡¯re a small town, but I¡¯m sure that the folks here are glad of your presence.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hans looked around. A few town guards approached them, and one of them bowed in the presence of Adelyn. ¡°Miss,¡± one of the guards said. ¡°I am the Captain of this town¡¯s guards. I have been ordered by the town¡¯s mayor to keep guard of your steeds. We assure you that your stay here will be a safe one.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Adelyn smiled a bit. ¡°Well, tell him thanks then. We appreciate the help you guys can give us.¡± ¡°No, Miss,¡± the guard said, looking down at the stone road. ¡°We appreciate your killing of those demons! We may be lowly, and we know it¡¯s more of you doing the protecting with your presence here, with those things, but we shall still do our job here well!¡± ¡°No need to bow,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°I¡¯m not really a big fan of it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss.¡± The guard stepped back, and Adelyn immediately called for Aliz¨¦e from inside her vehicle. Hans just eyed the few musket-holding men, as they formed their posts near their vehicles. He just shook his head. They sure are treating us as VIPs. Hans thought. I guess Adelyn¡¯s strategy really worked well. Dear¡­this is too much. Is this how royalty feels? 70. The Lines I Drew ¡°Reaching Tier II seems to become a major objective as each day passes.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Ygeian Countryside AUG 26, 1538 CE ¡°Bastards¡­¡± Hans muttered those words with a tinge of satisfaction at his work. The dead group of goblins he massacred filled the fields, all of them riddled with bullet holes and the like. Their green bodies, still freshly bleeding, were nothing but a sign of Hans¡¯ growing ruthlessness in pursuit of greater levels. If there¡¯s anything I can do in the meantime, it¡¯s this. He drove his Wanderfalke forward, one of his front legs disengaging the razors it had that he used to bloodily stomp a large goblin earlier. Quite frankly, the level of Hans¡¯ rampages for the past few days, fueled by him simply generating machine gun rounds with his auto fabricator to farm more AP by killing goblins (and farming levels) meant that the town they had been staying in had become progressively safer. The death toll for the local monsters, however, had seen a sharp increase¡ªas a few surviving goblins, who hid in the green bushes, cowering and hiding, watched the blood-slicked metal armor of his Wanderfalke, which drove ominously on the fields that became their tribe¡¯s resting place. Hans however didn¡¯t care, as one of the other reasons he did this was that the town¡¯s mayor specifically requested for it. That, and the road the town was situated in and the surrounding areas could be something that reinforcements going to the fight against the Calamity of Desire could use. He continued driving forward, slowly, almost as if he was trying to attract attention to himself, as he calmly pressed buttons on his interface. Already, he reached level forty-three, a rapid departure from his previous levels. In fact, he was only a few levels away from reaching Tier II. That, and he already had good news for him. His AP count had reached a massive eight hundred twenty points, as it seemed that the number of points awarded for him each level was increasing¡ªand he now had a skill slot for himself (which he purposely left open) and an upgrade option open for his mech. Hmm¡­, still, the options are not good. Hans thought, eyeing the [SYSTEM] screens in front of him. Once again, it¡¯s only just the ¡®Trace the Dots¡¯ upgrade for my machine guns. Then, the skills I can unlock aren¡¯t even open ones. It¡¯s only going to give me a personal sensor of sorts. I mean, it¡¯s useful, but¡­ Hans stopped his vehicle. Ah, whatever! I¡¯ll deal with it. If I can¡¯t get an open skill yet and get actual real magic, then damn it, a closed skill it is. We¡¯ll make do with what we have. And as for my mech upgrade. His eyes looked at the two options. It was either [UPG: TRACE THE DOTS I], or [UPG: SMOOTH RESPONSE I]. ¡®Trace the Dots¡¯, again, was focused on the offensive. It¡¯d give him the ability to fire enchanted rounds at the enemy, even specialized anti-demon rounds. ¡®Smooth Response¡¯ on the other hand, was focused on giving him a new form of mech defense. A magical shield. It was a one-time use though at its tier. And the activation times left much to be desired. Tactically, in combat, once I activate this upgrade, I only get one chance. One chance of making a mistake¡ªand that¡¯s it. No redos. Well¡­ He laughed a bit. Except in redoing it when I died. +++ [UPG: TRACE THE DOTS (TIER I)] Description: Unlocks specialized tracer MG rounds for the mech¡¯s coaxials for anti-demon purposes. Further tier increase unlocks more specialized MG rounds. Tier I: Unlocks ADI, MG24 (Anti-Demon Incendiary, MG24), and ADAP, MG24 (Anti-Demon Armor Piercing, MG24). Requires [UPG: ARCANE AUTOFABRICATOR] for specialized bullet self-production. Costs arcane points during production. [UPG: SMOOTH RESPONSE] Description: Summons a magical shield surrounding the mech that can block an attack capable of destroying the mech once. Increased tiers grant more chances of blocking attacks. Shield cooldown time is also reduced per tier. Tier I: Activation Cost: 20 AP Activation Duration: Three Minutes Blocking Chance: 1 (+0) Cooldown: Four Hours +++ It¡¯s a strange rule though, but I suppose it makes sense. Hans thought. So this skill will only block an attack capable of, I¡¯m assuming, one-shotting me. As in, a flying APFSDS going straight to my ammo rack type of shtick. Or¡­I don¡¯t know, those demonic crap. At the very least, that means the chances won¡¯t be used up when I get hit by something the armor can shrug off. But still¡­only once, and it¡¯s four hours of cooldown? That essentially meant that he¡¯d need to really increase the tier a lot just to make it useful. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. I mean, cool, but, I think if I fumbled enough that I¡¯ve been hit once by¡­something bad, then it¡¯s unlikely that I¡¯d get out in time to prevent dying from the next one. Then again¡­the other one is for my machine guns. It¡¯s hard enough to kill demons with the main gun, how are the machine guns supposed to be useful even if I can fire special ammunition? At this rate, the best he¡¯d be able to offer Adelyn during combat would be his ability to scout and suppress. Then again, perhaps that made sense, Hans thought. Perhaps, he never was meant to be the one who would kill their opponents. It was her. My job then¡­as the Vanguard¡­is to scan for threats. Learn what they are. And either pin them in place or distract them for the Finisher¡ªAdelyn, to finish them off. That must be why her skills are all dedicated to killing demons directly. While mine are usually only for detection. I¡¯m her glorified sensor. Perhaps, that explains why I have the ability to loop through time. Each time I came back, I would always conjure a better plan for Adelyn to eliminate those demons. Perhaps, perhaps that indeed made sense. Then should he take the skill that would give him the ability to pin and suppress demonic threats? Sure, a hail of heavy machine gun rounds designed to deal with a demon wouldn¡¯t be able to kill it¡ªbut it would hurt it. Force it into positions it shouldn¡¯t be in. And he could attack with impunity and rapidly. Hmm¡­I¡¯m not yet sure though. The defense upgrade, while not perfect, is still very good and something I shouldn¡¯t just pass by without a second thought. This is after all the last upgrades I¡¯ll be able to take until the next tier. Wait¡ª Out of nowhere, Hans¡¯ instincts flared, and he pulled off his mech back as a glowing bullet slammed straight into the dirt. The bullet pierced through it deeply, and Hans immediately activated his ¡®Eye of Paranoia¡¯ skill as he drove into a rapid retreat, clocking twenty to thirty kilometers per hour of reverse speed with his mech¡¯s legs in just a few short seconds. He moved his turret left and right, scanning for anything that he could pick up. Already, he switched back to his thermals and found himself looking at an ominous-looking floating metal shaped like an X in the woods. The thing seemed to have these small things that he couldn¡¯t make sense of floating around it, and the thing was exceedingly hot¡ªalmost a beacon on his thermals. The floating things suddenly opened fire¡ªwhich forced Hans to take cover in the hills, only exposing his turret, as more shots came from the other floating objects around it. He zoomed further with his thermals, finally realizing what it was. They were guns. Muskets. Both long muskets and pistols. Floating around a hot, metallic, floating X. It¡¯s a demon. Hans realized. It can¡¯t be anything else. I thought they¡¯d only take the form of a damned malformed creature, but this thing¡­ His grip on his controls tightened. This thing is different. ¡°An abstract, almost alien-like appearance,¡± Hans said as he gave it a good look. Suddenly, it flew straight in his direction, and Hans responded by pulling the trigger on his main gun. The shot immediately whizzed in its direction, but it dodged it, as two more muskets flew and aimed in Hans¡¯ direction. Hans immediately pulled out of his previous position, as one shot grazed above him, and another pierced straight through his hull. He however only continued driving away, as a warning appeared on his displays. His fuel tanks were damaged¡ªin fact, one of the hit fuel tanks already exploded into an open blaze in a split second, only ended by his automatic fire control systems. This is bad. +++ Hans had been parrying the enemy demon for a while now. It seemed that it was scared of his shots¡ªtaking cover whenever Hans opened fire with his main gun. But the same mentality was shared in Hans¡¯ case. He already had himself hit by its guns a few times, damaging some of his mech¡¯s components. Already, his engine, propulsion, and even his mech¡¯s turret ring were struck by those fast bullets. The damage however was limited. The advanced maintenance systems of his mech managed to mostly patch up the superficial damage that got through his vehicle¡¯s hull. But Hans was already worried. The damage to his turret ring for example struck something bad, that his turret¡¯s turn rate was slowed down. He was having trouble keeping his main gun pointed at his adversary as they circled each other in the woods. But Hans had another good chance. The demon decided to expose itself to fire its floating guns¡ªright when Hans peeked out of a boulder. In a second, his main gun was aimed, and he opened fire. The 90mm APFSDS round careened toward his target as Hans pulled back into cover, slamming straight into one of the corners of its X-shaped body. The solid shot went through it, creating a hole that went from one side to the other. And Hans internally celebrated the small win. But the thing glowed golden in response, changing from its gray, metallic color. As it did, Hans watched as all of the guns spinning around it flew in a dispersed manner, all of them aiming straight at his mech as it flew into a direction that exposed Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke. Naturally, Hans decided that it wasn¡¯t advantageous to be targeted by that, and pulled out as quickly as he could, trying to use the woods as a way to hide himself. But, it tracked him expertly, flying and chasing him from behind. Naturally, Hans punished it for that mistake, firing his main gun again to force it to stop and duck into the cover of the forest. But it was taking a toll on him. Damn it. I might need Adelyn¡¯s aid soon. I thought I could take on it alone! Hans stopped his mech, as he pulled the trigger for his machine guns, all while tracking the demonic X object chasing him. It was already starting to fly high to chase him, about forty to fifty meters above the sky. Beads of sweat already appeared on Hans¡¯ forehead, realizing that he was now practically exposed no matter how hard he used the terrain around him. Damn it! It¡¯s like an attack helicopter or something! He pulled hard on his control stick to make an emergency turn, as the guns that floated around it opened fire, raining bullets on the place ahead of him where he would have been had he not pulled a last-second hard turn. But Hans didn¡¯t stop. He continued driving on the deer trail that he spotted, trying to get out of the woods as fast as he could, all while his machine guns tracked and opened fire on the demonic object that glowed gold as it continued chasing him. Already, his senses suffered an overload, as he tried to drive at high speed on one hand, and keep his turret (aimed at the sky and his rear) on the target and keep his guns firing. It was¡­pain. Especially when another set of shots finally rained on his mech¡¯s rear, causing yet another fire from his fuel tanks. This time, however, his mech stopped to a bloody halt as the engines shut down. Damn it! Damn it! Get back up! He began tapping on his screens to get the automatic maintenance systems up into action, first engaging the auxiliary fire control systems, then trying to get the engines back on. But more shots began slamming into his unarmored Wanderfalke. One of which went straight into his cockpit, creating a hole into one of his displays as it exited. More shots began raining on his mech, each of them disabling component after component on his mech. The engine. The autoloader. One even pierced the sensitive instruments for his thermals, essentially blinding him. Hans banged his targeting display as it shut down dead, before grabbing his pistol and SMG, realizing that his mech was essentially dead on the ground, completely disabled by the continuous attacks. But before he could reach for his hatch and exit, a shot pierced through his Kevlar vest¡ªgoing in and out of his chest. Heh¡­of course¡­ He laughed, as he fell back into his seat, feeling the hot, searing pain flaring out as he struggled to breathe. More shots pierced his downed mech, with another one hitting his shoulder, then his legs. Blood began to ooze from his wounds. Of course¡­ It was supposed to be just a hunting side job. Of course¡­ He coughed up blood, as the sounds of shots continued around him. Out of nowhere, I¡¯ll be ambushed by a demon alone¡­ He took his pistol in his unaffected hand, and he slowly took his pistol into his mouth, as for the first time¡­he was tired of slowly dying in pain after an unexpected screw-up. He¡¯d be back anyway. Screw it. The last bang came from the Peacemaker¡¯s cockpit. 71. Each Loop, I Lament ¡°The cost analysis doesn¡¯t usually favor me.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ AUG 23, 1538 CE Ygeian Countryside Coffee. Hans sighed, watching as the sunset rose from the horizon with his displays. His eyes fell on the time¡ª05:44 hours. Early morning. Just a few minutes before Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e awakened during the last loop. So this is my new reset point? Hans chuckled a bit, looking straight into his holster, and his pistol. I just¡­I did that¡­I¡­ He continued laughing at himself, but as each laugh came out, it became slower and slower, as his volume slowly tapered off. He touched the back of his head and tried moving his mouth a bit. Strange. So blowing your brains out feels like that? Hans tried to feel any lingering pain in his head. Aside from the normal ghost pain that he was starting to get used to, there was nothing too bad. Crappy, but at least it beats being beheaded. Or bleeding out. Or¡­being turned into a damned undead¡­ Hans looked again at his pistol. For a brief few seconds, his mind started to see another tool. Was it the right thing? Could he use it all he wanted? Could he just, from now on, whenever he failed, even in minor things, just¡­ He slapped his cheek to wake himself up. ¡°Snap out of it, you moron,¡± Hans chastised himself. ¡°What kind of thinking is that?¡± He reached for his mug of coffee and took a sip from it, waking himself up further, until at last¡­he heard it. Adelyn¡¯s snoring. He spat his coffee a bit upon realizing it. That was right. I was making fun of her that day. He immediately closed his comms. What a goddamned weirdo I am. He took another sip of his coffee. Well, to be fair¡­only a goddamned lunatic would start looking at his pistol as if it¡¯s a loophole out of his misery. He popped his hatch open, exiting his mech, cup of coffee in hand, as he climbed down off his mech. The sounds of nature were peaceful. The gentle breeze of the morning wind allowed Hans to breathe fresh air and lighten his mood a bit. He placed his cup on his mech¡¯s chassis, stretching a bit. Sitting for so long certainly took a slow toll on his body. Hah¡­another death, another goddamned loop. Hans thought, eyeing the flying birds. Kinda gets old at this point. I made so much progress too. Now I¡¯m back again to square one. He shook his head. I have to do all that goddamned work again. Kill goblins. Kill monsters. Then¡­fight that demon too. Actually can¡¯t I just bypass it? He entertained that idea for a while, before shaking his head. No, impossible. This road is too important. And that thing is in the rear of the frontlines. It¡¯ll just raid supplies coming through here. It¡¯s also attacking local towns and villages. It¡¯d be too difficult to ignore that. But then, I can¡¯t exactly risk Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e too, so¡­hmm, I might have to go solo. Until he remembered what happened whenever he went solo. Not exactly the most fun of results. No, I need Adelyn. Maybe that¡¯s why my shots weren''t doing anything. It wasn¡¯t¡­effective. Not anti-demon. Maybe I should invite Adelyn into hunting trips to raise her level too? Get her a good mech upgrade to take it down quickly and easily. He looked back at his mug of coffee, grabbed it, and took another sip from it. Well, quick and easy is a theoretical concept. I also haven¡¯t triggered it enough to know its full range of capabilities. So far, it can shoot magical musket balls that can pierce through my armor. Cool, but not exactly the most painful way to die. Unless my fuel tanks went to hell. But even that¡¯s just a few seconds of agony. He looked back at the trees, thinking about his stupid idea for a little while. He already did it back then. Purposely dying just to gain intelligence. Just to¡­test things out. He wondered for a second if he should really entertain it this time. Adelyn will be sorely disappointed in me. Hans took another sip of his coffee. Maybe I should go the reasonable route and just help her prepare for it. Then we can take it down together. It¡¯s a better plan, not too disgusting to her conscience, but again, that places her at risk. He then looked at Adelyn¡¯s parked Wanderadler. Last loop, she mostly stayed in the town to protect it, and, really, to keep watch of Aliz¨¦e. But really, Aliz¨¦e is probably safe. The town seems to be quite receptive to her. Not much anti-Vanus hate for some reason. Which is nice. And she has some sort of power capable of killing demons. For a moment, Hans looked at that possibility too. She keeps hiding it, but I imagine that kid¡¯s got something. But, it¡¯d be immoral to use her. That was when his eyes widened. Wait¡­no. He looked back again at Adelyn¡¯s mech, imagining Aliz¨¦e again. The last demon¡¯s target was her. What if this one is the same? It managed to locate me. Somehow. It managed to find where exactly I was in a remote area. It¡¯s not out of the realm of possibility that it¡¯s scouting this place for Aliz¨¦e. The last one targeted her directly in the city to do¡­something to her. This one¡­ He shook his head. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The first one was something, but the second one¡­it cannot be a coincidence. I can¡¯t just be getting attacked again and again for no reason ever since I bought that kid with us. Risky. Very risky. But Hans¡­he wouldn¡¯t back out of it now. He drank his coffee in one go. Time to devise another gambit to get out of this loop. +++ The goblins didn¡¯t stand much of a chance. Hans watched as the cave, once again, much like in his last loop, burned violently in front of him. And just as the last time, his eyes were dead empty as he watched the inferno from his display screens, silently munching on some biscuits as he did. Sure, it gave him a lot of levels, but this wasn¡¯t going to cut it, that he knew. I still need more. Hans however wasn¡¯t sure if he could get to a general tier of Tier II in just three days. That seemed like a very unlikely proposition. But it was a damning nice idea. Facing that demon would be a lot easier if he had two more skills to back himself. Perhaps, even ¡®Trace the Dots¡¯ would be nice if he could upgrade it to its Tier II version. He finished one of his biscuits, pulled another one from the container, and snacked on it again as he waited for his kill count to rack higher and higher. Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e must have finished their breakfast already. Hans looked back a bit. Hmm¡­again, what should I do? Should I just observe things by following the last loop? One goblin however suddenly rushed out of the cave, rushing into the direction of Hans¡¯ mech as it burned, but Hans just pulled the trigger to put it down, returning back to his thoughts. Hmm¡­again, that¡¯s a bad idea generally speaking, but¡­if I do that, I can drastically improve the chances of complete success in the next loop. His kill count wasn¡¯t rising further. The ¡®system¡¯ screens showed that he was now at level thirty-six, which was the same as the last loop. He also had the same number of kills. Consistent as expected. It was nice, Hans thought, but he started driving his mech around the vicinity, hunting for more. Maybe I still have a few more minutes. Have some fun and raise it a bit more before we continue. He drove his mech further into the woods, activating his specialized sensors, his thermals especially, to look for any biological creatures that he could hunt. Each kill counts. Each AP counts. If I spend all of my time doing this, I¡¯d reduce my problems rather quickly. His mech went deeper and deeper into the woods, as Hans began spotting more monsters. First, he murdered another group of night wolves when he spotted them within three minutes. It only took a few machine gun rounds, but it inched him closer to level thirty-seven. Then, he continued further. He even started shooting deer and other wildlife for no apparent reason. But the effects were pretty small. Kinda useless, Hans thought, as he eyed a dead, strange bird the size of an ostrich that he thought counted as a monster. I¡¯m now at level thirty-eight though, so that¡¯s something. But normal animals grant very little progress. Only monsters matter. He turned his turret to a dead deer somewhere, riddled with bullet holes. Ack¡­Captain will chastise me for this if she sees this. Hans shook his head. Well, screw her regulations. If she can¡¯t see it, she can¡¯t have a moral crisis. Not that I¡¯d continue hunting random wildlife. After all, they didn¡¯t seem to be very useful. Just a waste of machine gun rounds. Hans continued further until the twenty-minute mark, as his mech moved rapidly to hunt in the forest. With its powerful sensors, each and every monster in his hunting rounds, whether they be night wolves, goblins, orcs, or, strangely, slimes, died from his mech. By the time Hans returned to the road to reunite with Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e, he had already reached level forty. His mech was also very much bloodied, as Hans took every opportunity to save bullets by using his mech¡¯s legs and razors to murder something in close range. And so, when he drove back to Adelyn¡¯s position, his mech looked more like a steed of a seasoned marauder. ¡°Lieutenant! What the hell was that?¡± Adelyn snapped on her radio as Hans approached them. ¡°I heard a lot of gunfire. Care to explain?¡± ¡°Lots of monsters, Captain,¡± Hans said. ¡°I suggest you do the same too soon. Pretty useful. I reached level forty.¡± ¡°In just an hour?¡± ¡°This place seems quite dense,¡± Hans replied, as he stopped his mech right next to the place where Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e dined, with Aliz¨¦e even covering her nose a bit as she smelled the stench of guts and blood on the armor of the Peacemaker. Hans popped his hatch open and climbed off his mech to explain things a little bit more to Adelyn. As he approached her though, Adelyn seemed a bit annoyed, her hands crossed. ¡°What did you mean dense?¡± ¡°I meant there¡¯s a lot of monsters in a relatively small area,¡± Hans answered. ¡°Though, I probably cleansed the area for other people to hunt around for a year or two. I don¡¯t know. I¡­well, I wiped out an entire goblin nest for one.¡± ¡°Uhuh, how many rounds did you use?¡± Hans smiled nervously. ¡°I used up nine hundred plus,¡± Hans said. ¡°It was¡­a target-rich environment, you see.¡± ¡°I can see that,¡± Adelyn sighed. ¡°You said side mission, and you do this. Are you sure this is important, or justified? I mean, we already managed to get the auto fabricator thing.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Hans answered curtly. ¡°I am sure it is. In fact, come on, doesn¡¯t the idea of reaching a Tier II not sound good to you? It¡¯ll help us big time.¡± ¡°Yeah, but like¡­okay, fine, we¡¯ll do it,¡± Adelyn shook her head. ¡°Just don¡¯t attract too much attention. This is kinda wasteful. You know, normally, people kill monsters not just to get levels off them, but also to take the special stones off them. And it¡¯s important in the local economy. They can even refine it to AP regeneration potions.¡± ¡°I mean¡­yeah, but¡­¡± Hans scratched the back of his head. ¡°Well, I guess¡­but you know, we kill monsters en masse with our weaponry. It¡¯s kinda impossible for us to process that much anyway. Hmm¡­actually, maybe next time, we can just¡­massacre an entire field and hire dudes to get it for us.¡± ¡°Ah, business-minded now, aren¡¯t we?¡± Adelyn chuckled. Right then, Hans¡¯ eyes suddenly widened, looking at Adelyn incredulously. ¡°Wait, AP potions?¡± ¡°Huh? Haven¡¯t you read about them? It¡¯s expensive, but, well, it¡¯s there.¡± Hans suddenly shook Adelyn roughly, as her eyes widened. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?! My logistics could have been fixed much more easily!¡± ¡°Hold your horses, you fool!¡± Adelyn replied as Hans continued shaking her shoulders. ¡°Also, you¡¯re treating me way too roughly!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been grinding my arse to Tier II because I can¡¯t regenerate AP properly, and you just didn¡¯t even tell me!¡± ¡°I said calm down!¡± Adelyn exclaimed as she pushed him off a bit, while Hans stopped. ¡°Gee, look, again, it¡¯s an expensive process. I mean, can you stomach shelling two hundred Imperial Marks to regenerate one hundred AP?¡± ¡°Erm¡­well, probably not?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Besides, it requires a lot of those special stones from those monsters. And it takes time to produce. Days in fact. So places that produce it are specialized production shops. Usually ones close to major academies that have a large demand for it. Something, which, guess what, is non-existent in Rousselot. At least, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve read. Again, expensive, with limited supply, and limited availability. Not to mention, you drink it, it tastes like crap, and you can¡¯t go too far and overload yourself with AP.¡± ¡°Get me to a city quickly!¡± Hans demanded. ¡°I mean, my cap is unlimited, so maybe I¡¯m more resistant. I can finally have my ammo stores full. Think about it! I can finally spam my shots to my pleasure!¡± ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Adelyn laughed a bit. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll try doing that. Next time.¡± ¡°Oh come on!¡± ¡°Well get there when we get there,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Anyhow, get back to your vehicle. We have a bigger job to do for now. Unless you want to drive hundreds of kilometers to find a city for it first?¡± ¡°I guess not¡­¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± 72. The Means I Employ ¡°Platoon tactics is where the Wanderfalke has really enjoyed its supremacy. Normally, during combat, I¡¯d have three sections of two Wanderfalkes each in the Platoon. They keep each other well covered, and each section keeps the other sections supported during combat maneuvers. Franz Richter, my friend and wingman, has always kept my back well covered during fire and maneuver. Lamentably, none of that exists in this situation. I can¡¯t even conduct basic fire and maneuver tactics properly at times¡ªexcept for charging alone while Adelyn covers me. That¡¯s a bit of a problem.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Ygeian Countryside AUG 24, 1538 CE ¡°Quite the target that we have,¡± Hans said over the comms as he watched the pack of white-skinned reptilians on the open field. ¡°They say these things are a close relative of wyverns and dragons. Very rarely killed by the local forces, just like dragons. Usually, only high-tiered individuals or hunting parties get them.¡± ¡°So, you tracked these things since last night?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°Lieutenant¡­they look like dinosaurs to me.¡± ¡°Well, they probably are,¡± Hans said. ¡°They seem to have magical properties though, so beware of that. Just like wyverns, they can fire these ¡®fireball¡¯ energy attacks according to the locals.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­think they can attack us at this range?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Hans replied. ¡°I mean, at two thousand meters, we¡¯re practically invisible to them if they¡¯re just normal reptilians. I doubt that assessment though. And look at them. Those scales. It¡¯s like armor. Bet your ass it¡¯s going to take a few sabot shots to take down.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± He heard Adelyn breathe in, as she pushed her Wanderadler to Hans¡¯ left flank, just thirty meters away from him. ¡°We¡¯ll do long-range fires then?¡± ¡°Maybe bait them into a fire and retreat maneuver?¡± ¡°Yeah, that might work since we¡¯re in an open plane,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Or we can circle them. Drive by this dirt road and use the treeline to confuse them while we drive around them. Then we focus fire on anyone that gets close to us.¡± ¡°Kinda risky though, if they reach us, we¡¯d have to scatter. Hard to focus fire in that sense. Baiting them into a fire and retreat maneuver would mean we¡¯re running away as a formation while firing at them while they¡¯re chasing us. Your idea would do best if we had another section of two Wanderfalkes covering our ass.¡± ¡°True,¡± Adelyn sighed. ¡°But, well, that requires them taking the bait. What if they don¡¯t?¡± ¡°We do your plan.¡± ¡°Heh, simple guy, huh?¡± Adelyn chuckled. ¡°Alright, Lieutenant. Let¡¯s do this then. Since you insisted so hard to reach Tier II already. I swear¡­this could just be a waste of munitions in the short term.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯ll replenish them once we start combat operations with the Calamity of Desire. For now, our goal¡­is to prepare for that.¡± ¡°And how?¡± ¡°Well, maybe two more upgrades on our mech would do wonders, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°You have a point.¡± ¡°Take the first shots now.¡± ¡°Clear copy.¡± Adelyn and Hans both drove their mechs close to the dirt road around the open fields, spacing themselves at around twenty to thirty meters. Adelyn positioned herself behind a few trees to conceal herself, while Hans did the same. Hans coordinated himself with Adelyn¡¯s targeting, aiming his main gun on the first out of the tree reptiles. Briefly, the words of the town mayor came back to his head. ¡°You do know you¡¯d be disturbing such ancient creatures of great power?¡± He chuckled. Well, if that¡¯s what it takes to kill emergent creatures of great power¡­ Adelyn¡¯s main gun boomed, finally taking their first experimental shot of the day against these creatures. So be it. Hans watched as the shot flew through the sky, and pierced the reptilian creature straight into its chest, creating a nasty hole that oozed blood and guts. The creature roared in great pain, attracting the two other reptile¡¯s attention, who seemed to be resting on the grasslands, their heads raising and turning to the beast that Adelyn shot. ¡°Confirmed over-penetration,¡± Adelyn reported dryly on the comms. ¡°Seems like the shot went through it clean. But look at it. It¡¯s still standing. Its eyes are glowing.¡± ¡°Yep, seems like it¡¯s in great distress,¡± Hans said, observing as the creature tried to continue walking, clearly in great pain. Suddenly, a violent light began growing on its chest, then its body, as its screech became high-pitched. ¡°You got visual on that? It seems to be trying something.¡± ¡°Take fire now!¡± Hans immediately pulled the trigger right as the creature began turning to Adelyn¡¯s position, its mouth opening as a violet glow came out of it, but his APFSDS round pierced through its neck in time, causing the creature to stagger again, as the violet glow died out in its choked death. One of the white reptiles already ran to support the smaller beast, its feet touching and grabbing its bleeding form, before turning to Hans, its high-pitched growl of anger almost sending shockwaves even from two thousand meters. Stolen story; please report. Damn, pretty impressive. Fauna in this world is really quite something, huh? ¡°Seems like it¡¯s their kid,¡± Hans said. ¡°Those two, I believe, are its parents.¡± ¡°They¡¯re taking a challenger¡¯s stance on us,¡± Adelyn said, as they watched the two remaining beasts form a side-by-side formation, slowly walking toward them with clear anger, the lines on their white-skinned bodies glowing purple. ¡°They¡¯re going to attack us.¡± ¡°Well, I would too if I¡¯m a mother or father and some dipshit shot my kid out of nowhere,¡± Hans said. ¡°But, hey, it¡¯s for the name of humanity. Captain, we¡¯ll focus on the left one first. Then the right one. Two shots, right?¡± ¡°Gotcha.¡± Immediately, their engines revved up, as Hans and Adelyn turned their vehicles in their direction of retreat. Hans took the first shot as they finally charged, piercing the second beast through its head, and downing it in one go. The third beast however fully charged its magic, and suddenly, a flying violet orb of light slammed into the direction of Adelyn¡¯s mech, which she dodged in time when she jumped out of it. Hans watched as Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler dropped on the dirt, and her main gun opened fire in a split second. The 120mm APFSDS didn¡¯t make a joke when Hans looked at his targeting interface, watching as the skull of their target literally disintegrated into pink mist from Adelyn¡¯s shot. ¡°Well¡­I guess the fire and maneuver plans we had were quite useless¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­it?¡± [3 SNOW DRAGONS (AVERAGE TIER III, LVL. 30) LIQUIDATED!] [LEVEL UP! NOW LVL. 46] [PROGRESS TO LVL. 47: 25%] [NEW SKILL UNLOCKED!] [AVAILABLE AP: 1450 PTS.] ¡°Wait what?! Snow Dragons? You said they¡¯re just close relatives?! Wait, I¡¯m now level forty-three?! How¡¯d I gain that much?¡± ¡°Gee, who knew killing a monster that¡¯s multiple Tiers away from us is going to yield that much?¡± Hans said. ¡°Unfortunately, it seems that unlike with demons, their powers can¡¯t compensate when it comes to fighting modern technology.¡± ¡°This is psychotic¡­¡± ¡°Well, if it works, it works.¡± ¡°I prefer gaining levels through the achievement system,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°This sucks ass. You know, I¡¯ll just practice actual magic and get levels that way instead of doing this. I feel so bad. That¡¯s like killing¡­what must be an ancient endangered species.¡± ¡°Gee, you really are a moralist,¡± Hans said. ¡°And why do I only unlock that mechanic in Tier II anyway? I swear¡­being a Vanus is such a handicap. No wonder these people want to advance through the ¡®system¡¯ at all cost.¡± Hans then focused his sights on the dead corpses of these ¡®Snow Dragons¡¯. They probably just massacred an entire family. ¡°You¡¯re right. Psychotic indeed.¡± +++ Town of Torei Hans parked his vehicle right behind Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler. It was already noon when the two returned to the town. The townsfolk of Torei seemed to be bustling with joyous celebrations. Hans looked around to see what was happening, when they spotted three individuals¡ªtwo Vanus and one Virtus, proclaiming something to the crowd. ¡°The great three beasts of this province have finally been slaughtered!¡± A Virtus woman in¡­wait, Hans wasn¡¯t sure why she was wearing that, a ¡®nun-like¡¯ outfit, proclaimed the news to the masses. ¡°We vanquished them with our holy magic. At last, this town and the trade routes to it will be safe.¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Adelyn chuckled as Hans approached her. ¡°Liars. They probably watched us from a distance.¡± ¡°Those guys¡­they seem¡­¡± ¡°Must be a party of sorts,¡± Adelyn boredly checked her wallet. ¡°Let them take the credit. It¡¯s whatever. Let¡¯s go find a good lunch for us and Aliz¨¦e. I think we pretty much deserve it.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess,¡± Hans followed her through the streets and crowd, as they tried to find a good place to buy cooked food. The celebrations kinda masked their movement, which Hans liked. There was too much attention being paid to them considering they used such modern mechs and had the audacity to park them in their town. I should egg her to pay those guards nicely when we leave. Hans thought. Gee, imagine if someone actually tried to touch our mechs. It¡¯d be a headache. Suddenly, he felt someone pull him from behind. Hans instinctively slapped his hand off, pulled out his pistol, and aimed it at the man behind him. ¡°Stand back!¡± The sudden commotion stopped the sounds of the crowd, and Adelyn turned back to Hans. Meanwhile, the man, most likely in his early twenties, with a very obnoxiously large horn, ridiculous plate armor, and a sword¡ªhad his cheeky smirk wiped out. ¡°Uh, chill out, man,¡± the Vanus guy said, backtracking a bit with an awkward expression. ¡°I was just reaching out.¡± ¡°Did you touch him?¡± Adelyn asked angrily. ¡°Don¡¯t do that again,¡± Hans warned, lowering his gun, as the two other allies approached him. One was another Vanus dude who carried a fancy bow, while the Virtus woman sighed at the sight. ¡°Mathieu,¡± the woman chastised. ¡°I told you to just ask them out.¡± ¡°Err¡­¡± the man named Mathieu now seemed to truly lose his cocky demeanor. ¡°Sorry, Priestess.¡± Hans narrowed his eyes as he scanned the three. ¡°Shut up,¡± the woman Mathieu behind her, while the other Vanus guy pulled him, chastising him further. She however only briefly looked at Hans and went straight for Adelyn. ¡°Anyway, I apologize for his uncouth behavior. I am Laura Klein. I believe you¡¯re the two¡­demon slayers?¡± Adelyn glanced away from the woman to Hans, suspicion clear in her eyes, but Hans just returned his pistol to his holster, preferring to wait for their words. ¡°I¡¯m Captain Adelyn Wittenstein. Now¡­that¡¯s quite the title that I¡¯m not sure about,¡± she answered. ¡°I cannot say anything about¡ª¡± ¡°Do you really think a virtuous servant of the gods such as me would be a demon¡¯s pawn?¡± Laura said as she looked at the side, closing her eyes. ¡°Look, just like the two of you, we three are here to aid the efforts of Ygeia against the Calamity of Desire.¡± Or you fools are just after the money. ¡°Uhuh¡­?¡± Adelyn replied. ¡°Okay. Well, good luck then.¡± ¡°Are you two not on the big mission to vanquish it?¡± Laura asked, her eyes shining for a second. ¡°I¡¯m sure you two are. Of course, you two are. Why wouldn¡¯t you be? All of those¡­silly soldiers and mercenaries are talking about you two like some sort of a messiah. Surely, you¡¯re on the expedition.¡± ¡°I have nothing to say about that,¡± Adelyn answered. ¡°Anyhow, steer clear of it, you three. You¡¯re all young. Too young. This isn¡¯t your business.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Mathieu suddenly raised his fist. ¡°Don¡¯t insult us like that Madame! We¡¯ve trained for this. Miss Priestess here is a seasoned mage herself. And I¡ª¡± His sword glowed for a second before Laura promptly aimed her staff in his direction, immobilizing him. ¡°You¡¯re too painful, Mathieu,¡± Laura chastised as she crossed her arms. ¡°Please behave.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! I won¡¯t do it again!¡± Mathieu exclaimed, still unable to move, with their last compatriot shaking his head as everyone looked at his frozen pose. At that point, Hans felt Adelyn¡¯s hand grab him, and within seconds, he was pulled out of the area, with everyone distracted. Hans naturally followed Adelyn¡¯s lead as they exited the scene, but he looked back for a second. That ¡®Priestess¡¯...she stared at them. No, not at him, but at Adelyn. Damn¡­what¡¯s that woman¡¯s big deal? By the time they were out of range, Adelyn turned around and gave Hans a cheerful smile. ¡°Anyhow, what would you like for lunch?¡± 73. Each Death, I Deplete ¡°The specifications of the Wanderpanzer II Falke¡¯s main gun are technically quite deficient in modern combat. The 90mm main gun, while capable of firing powerful MZ90-SM APFSDS rounds, the latest kinds produced for the Confederate Army designed to defeat most mech threats, it has still proven to be deficient at countering the Petin tank employed by the Flandrian forces at excess of two kilometers. The gun also fails upon contact with modernized Jaguar 2A6 main battle tanks of the Army at the same range due to the new armor plates and ERA protection mounted on it. Newer Cuirasse-type ERA blocks employed by Petin-MOD2044 also seem to prevent successful penetrations at one thousand four hundred meters. Unfortunately, the turret size and weight constrictions are now confirmed to render a redesign of the Wanderpanzer II Falke to house the 120mm smoothbore gun mounted on newer Wanderpanzer V Adler main battle mechs impossible.¡± - Report from the Confederate Arms Committee. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Torei AUG 24, 1538 CE Why is she here? It was already night when one of the guards called Hans. Upon seeing the Virtus woman they met earlier, his eyes immediately narrowed as he looked around the dark-lit streets. For a second, he glanced at their parked vehicles in front of the inn. The new rotation of guards seemed to be standing and watching it with too much determination in their eyes. I guess that¡¯s what happens when they fear demons so much. Hans looked back at the woman. She seemed to hold a neutral expression, that Hans wondered if he was exactly the one she was searching for. ¡°Miss Laura, was it?¡± Hans asked as he approached her. The woman gave him a businesslike smile. ¡°Indeed. But it¡¯s not you that I was searching for. Would you please call your master?¡± Master? Do you want me to dropkick you? I can do it right now, I swear! How dare you view me that lowly. Also, she¡¯s asleep, so absolutely not. Hans held the brief flash of rage in his face, before masking it with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that isn¡¯t possible,¡± Hans answered. ¡°The Captain is asleep. And I believe she doesn¡¯t need to have her rest intruded upon. Please ask for an appointment next time.¡± ¡°Would your Captain find it pleasing to offend a servant of the Goddess of Purity?¡± She doesn¡¯t even believe in your religion. ¡°Of course not, but again, she had a long day, and I prefer her having her required amount of sleep, Miss Priestess. Please, meet us next time when we have free time. I¡¯m afraid I need sleep too. And I believe you¡¯re the same. Have a good evening.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll talk to you,¡± she replied. ¡°You¡¯re not weaseling out of this. If I cannot talk to her, then you would be sufficient. Who are you?¡± Should I? Eh, whatever. ¡°Lieutenant Hans Hoffman, miss. I am an officer serving under her.¡± ¡°Under the Imperial Army?¡± ¡°A little bit like that.¡± She raised her eyebrow. Just get the heck out of here. Shoo! Shoo! I wanna sleep for once! ¡°Then what¡¯s that flag on your shoulder,¡± the woman asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one like that before.¡± ¡°We are an elite unit,¡± Hans warned. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯ll have no business with us. Understand?¡± ¡°I came all the way here to vanquish that demon!¡± She raged. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be bickering about secret identities and rules and what else but cooperating!¡± ¡°You lied earlier to the crowds,¡± Hans replied boredly. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can trust you.¡± ¡°Yeah, and it was the only way to gain your attention, I knew you two wouldn¡¯t bat an eye on us without me doing a stunt,¡± she replied with determination. ¡°Look, I need to come with you and your Captain to join in the fight. I believe that is for the good of the church and the Goddess that this vile wretched abomination is wiped at once. I have researched my way into this fight. I know that the Calamity of Lust controls all demons in Ygeia. I know what it can do and what it wants to do!¡± ¡°Or you¡¯re a lunatic. Or a liar. A con-woman. And I don¡¯t know why. Do you think you¡¯ll get money, fame, glory, or what else if you kill it? Look, you¡¯re risking your life for stupidity.¡± ¡°I¡¯m risking my life to take it down!¡± Hans sighed. ¡°Look, can you like, just, go to your church or something and keep praying and preaching? I mean, I believe that works too. Maybe if you pray hard enough the demons will disappear.¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°Huh?! My job as a Priestess isn¡¯t just to spread the words of the gods, but to protect the masses.¡± ¡°That¡¯s noble and all, but you¡¯re probably like nineteen¡ª¡± ¡°Eighteen!¡± ¡°Worse. You¡¯re not supposed to be in on this fight. That¡¯s why you should just go,¡± Hans replied. ¡°I am not going away until that thing is dead,¡± she clenched her fist. ¡°Just let me join you. I can do things. I can help. Those two with me, may not be the best, but they are trying. We are trying. We will try.¡± ¡°Look, why are you so deeply into this?¡± She looked down, as a tear appeared on her eye that she promptly wiped out. ¡°She¡­I know who it is,¡± she explained. ¡°No one believes me. But it¡¯s her. I know why she turned that way. I couldn¡¯t stop it. And when she was gone, all hell had befallen this land. Demons turn from people. Normal people. One of those people was my mother.¡± ¡°...Okay?¡± Hans cautiously said. ¡°I need you to calm down. Why would you even think this way? And why do you want her dead so bad if she¡¯s your mother?¡± She suddenly laughed painfully. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? That demon¡­it¡¯s a mockery of her. You don¡¯t believe it either, don¡¯t you?¡± She laughed again. ¡°It¡¯s worthless. Ignore it. Have a good evening, Lieutenant.¡± Soon, the Virtus woman turned around with a bitter expression, disappearing in the night. Hans just sighed. Okay, did I mess up or something? He shook his head. You really are bad at dealing with people. Then again, she¡¯s just as bad, I guess. He turned away to return to their inn. I¡¯ll talk to her next time. She seems to know something. Still¡­quite the suspicious gal she is. He scratched his head as he yawned. I need some damned shut-eye. +++ Torei AUG 25, 1538 CE Hans finished driving his vehicle early in the morning. Quite frankly, the cool thing about being able to regenerate his fuel tanks at the cost of forty AP was that well¡­he really had the ability to drive around and keep his driving skills sharp. That, and he could patrol the town as much as he wanted. By the time he entered the town back again, Hans felt half-awkward at the townsfolk having to be disrupted by his vehicle essentially blocking the streets as he returned to the inn. Really a godsend that no one uses that street to drive carriages or anything else. Hans thought as he gave a silent apology to everyone around them. I bet the only reason they tolerate us here is that we kept things safer. He now, at the very least, reached level forty-eight after today¡¯s grind (where he used up another hundred machine gun rounds). There were no more upgrades or skills that he could unlock until he reached level fifty. With his remaining skill and upgrade options granted from levels thirty, forty, and forty-five still unused, Hans continued debating himself about his options, since tomorrow was the big day, as he expected. He soon stopped his Wanderfalke right behind Adelyn¡¯s mech, before checking the available upgrades for his mech again.
[UPG: ARCANE MAINTENANCE SYSTEM] Description: Unlocks emergency self-repair mechanisms. The number of damaged major components and their type determines AP cost and repair time. Cost to Repair/Time to Repair at Tier I: Engine: 400 AP/60 minutes Legs: 200 AP/20 minutes per piece Cannon Breech: 80 AP/10 minutes Barrel: 80 AP/10 minutes Radiator: 200 AP/20 minutes Fuel Tank: 200 AP/20 minutes Autoloader and Ammo Rack: 500 AP/120 minutes Coaxial Machine Guns: 40 AP/4 minute Sensors: 450 AP/90 minutes Hull Armor: 500 AP/100 minutes [UPG: SMOOTH RESPONSE] Description: Summons a magical shield surrounding the mech that can block an attack capable of destroying the mech or catastrophically damaging it in one hit. Increased tiers grant more chances of blocking attacks. Shield cooldown time is also reduced per tier. Tier I: Activation Cost: 20 AP Activation Duration: Three Minutes Blocking Chance: 1 (+0) Cooldown: Four Hours
Hans sighed. ¡®UPG: Trace the Dots¡¯ was now gone¡ªreplaced by what appeared to be a logistical solution again. An arcane maintenance system, huh? Hans was certainly quite interested in that. That was definitely a necessary upgrade, considering that they couldn¡¯t even do anything to fix and maintain their vehicle. But damn it! It¡¯s so expensive in terms of AP cost. It¡¯s prohibitive in that case. Not to mention, if you¡¯ve been attacked by a demon that your engine is out¡ªI doubt you¡¯d survive the next one, or if you survived it at all! Hans naturally gravitated to the second option, as at least, that would block any catastrophic damage to his vehicle during combat. With upgrades, the shield would block more. His main enemy from most demons, after all, was their powerful one-time attacks that he just wouldn''t survive once hit (considering his vehicle was a glass cannon). But the last demon isn¡¯t that! It was firing what was the equivalent of magical small arms rounds. None of which would count as capable of destroying me in one shot or catastrophically damaging my mech. Unless it operates on a special logic that it¡¯ll block something if it¡¯s headed for my ammo racks, it¡¯s only for countering really strong attacks, not a succession of rapid weak attacks. He sometimes wondered why the ¡®System¡¯ was so cruel as to not grant him an upgrade that would have fewer limitations and just, well, a shield that blocked it all! But, Hans had an inkling that this was normal for ¡®Tier I¡¯ abilities, and he¡¯d probably only see the full potential once he reached something close to III, IV, or V. For now, he¡¯d have to deal with just having this. Essentially, the trial versions of his upgrades and skills. How fun. Just as he pulled his belongings to pop his hatch open, he remembered his two open skill slots. I have to check that later too. Hans thought. But, to be honest, I don¡¯t really need special abilities yet as an individual. I need more mech upgrades! Soon, Hans exited his mech. He glanced at his watch for a moment. Just in time for breakfast. Then, he yawned. He really woke up early today for no reason other than to raise his levels. The work just to gain those skills and upgrades was getting to him, and the promise of new things as his General Tier increased. It¡¯s just the pursuit of necessities. Hans thought as he chuckled. Call it military exercises. Dying again and again was starting to get old, after all. 74. The Sanity I Have ¡°Evil knows no bounds. And demons represent this the most. They will massacre and massacre mankind until there is nothing.¡± - Excerpt from ¡®An Emergency Treatise on the Subject of ¡®Demons¡¯¡± by Daniel Specke. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Torei AUG 25, 1538 CE ¡°I met the Virtus woman last night,¡± Hans said, as he sliced the piece of steak on his plate. Adelyn on the other hand took a sip of her tea while reading some sort of publication from the local press. Aliz¨¦e, who, as usual, was seated at the center of their table, obliviously munched her way on the roasted chicken that she had for lunchtime. ¡°You did?¡± Adelyn asked as she took a spoonful of her omelet, clearly quite disinterested about it. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure she told you some quite irrelevant lies again. Perhaps she bragged a bit about things?¡± She chuckled, while Hans shook his head. ¡°She said something about people turning into demons,¡± Hans said. ¡°Again, it¡¯s one of our hypotheses, no?¡± ¡°Well, the mechanism is quite interesting, but it¡¯s not yet set in stone. After all, we never saw it happen. Except for the aftermath,¡± Adelyn replied. Hans¡¯ eyes slightly widened, until he realized why. ¡°Though, it might be a strong possibility.¡± Oh¡­she¡­ She never saw Aliz¨¦e turn into whatever that is. Because that timeline¡­never happened. Hans looked down at his steak. I¡¯m the only one alive who saw that. ¡°She said her mother turned into one.¡± ¡°Well, just like how her ¡®party¡¯ killed those snow dragons. Youngsters. They say all kinds of things. Though, okay, maybe that does have some possibility.¡± ¡°Think we should ask her about it?¡± Aliz¨¦e stopped chewing on her chicken for a second, looking at Hans cutely. ¡°Maybe you should!¡± She cheerfully said. ¡°Helping people is nice!¡± ¡°Pfft, you absolute muffin,¡± Hans replied with a chuckle, while Aliz¨¦e resumed eating obliviously. ¡°Well, the little lady here said that. Think we should heed the kid¡¯s advice?¡± Adelyn giggled as she watched Aliz¨¦e. ¡°Well, did she ask for help?¡± ¡°Yeah, she wanted to join the big hunt for the Calamity of Desire,¡± Hans said, as Adelyn¡¯s expression turned more serious. ¡°She seemed determined about it. And she said she knows what it is, and its origins. Maybe she ain¡¯t lying, I don¡¯t know.¡± Adelyn, finishing her main course, turned to the pudding on the smaller plate beside her, taking a taste before she shook her head. ¡°Hmm¡­I don¡¯t know. How would such a young girl have more idea about that strong demon than the IYC or the relevant authorities? Doesn¡¯t make much sense. Besides, letting kids join in on the hunt¡­sounds too risky. I¡¯m not into it.¡± ¡°Well, to be fair, a lot of the mercs joining on the hunt are young dudes blinded by the big pay,¡± Hans said. ¡°And you and I know those kiddos won¡¯t have a chance except at becoming meat shields for us to do our work if that thing is too strong.¡± ¡°I admit the last demon almost got us,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°But should we do things right, we can minimize casualties well. Hopefully, with the munitions abundance we have now, we can just wipe them out easily. Oh, by the way, I took one of the options for the mech upgrades already.¡± Hans watched as Adelyn grinned. ¡°What did you take?¡± Hans asked. ¡°¡®UPG: Arcane Maintenance System¡¯,¡± Adelyn replied. ¡°Now I can repair and maintain my mech well. Quite the natural priority, I believe. I already have a powerful offensive upgrade after all. Though¡­I do plan to turn ¡®UPG: Wrath Against Sinners¡¯ into a Tier II upgrade soon enough. But that¡¯s for future plans.¡± Hans nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m also leaning into doing that upgrade too,¡± Hans said. ¡°It¡¯s in my options. Though, isn¡¯t your AP cap still too low to exploit that?¡± Adelyn awkwardly looked at the side. ¡°Ugh¡­yeah, half of it is effectively locked for me because of that.¡± But then, she shook her head and gave Hans a determined expression. ¡°But I¡¯m not worried, I checked the books. They say that at Tier II, I may have the option for a specialization path that gives attributes that expand my AP cap and regen rates.¡± Oh, that thing too¡­ Apparently, it was how many Virtus and Vanus people gained superhuman abilities. Outside of the skills that they had due to higher tiers, at Tier II, they gained these ¡®attributes¡¯ based on their specialized classes. Most seemed focused on AP management, with Virtus individuals expanding their AP cap and regen rate, while some of the Vanus race could gain attributes that would give them a regen rate slightly weaker than what humans had. Each tier would mean that new ¡®attribute¡¯ options would come in, strengthening their bodies or giving them superhuman senses (which must be how the Countess managed to take hits from the ¡®Tentacled Eel¡¯ and fight it on her own terms). Hans however wasn¡¯t really interested in that, and he most probably would focus on things that would give him an organic regen rate for his AP to fuel his needs in the mech side of things. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Though, we¡¯re already classed as ¡®Mech Pilots¡¯. Hans thought. Maybe that¡¯ll give us more things to support the mech upgrades instead of changing our bodies directly. That¡¯ll be more useful. Maybe, they¡¯d be able to get something cool from it, Hans hoped. He really hoped. Advancing rapidly with their levels using their modern weapons was one thing, actually benefiting from it was another. One thing he knew about these demons was that many outside of Ygeia wouldn¡¯t just have simple magical and physical attacks. Some were said to cause environmental changes. Some were said to manipulate minds. Some could even create music that could burst people¡¯s heads if they heard it. So many anomalous powers that Hans struggled to determine a good conventional approach against them. Sure, the ole cannon was always the universal option, but when something could pop your head from a distance just by listening to it¡ªwell, how¡¯d you get the cannon in position to fire at it? ¡°Well, yeah, hopefully you¡¯ll have that,¡± Hans replied. ¡°I¡¯m also hoping for solutions on my no AP regen problem thing anyway. Oh, and¡­hmm¡­about something. Are you up for some¡­I don¡¯t know, preventative recce?¡± ¡°Preventative recce?¡± Hans sighed. Should I really drag her into this? Nope¡­he had no other choice. I need my only ally to fight and win. That¡¯s final. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later,¡± Hans said, and Adelyn¡¯s expression turned more concerned. Before she looked at Aliz¨¦e and attempted a smile. Hans on the other hand continued eating, thinking back about that demon. Perhaps, if attacked by two Wanderpanzers, it¡¯d go down easily. +++ ¡°An unknown magical entity?¡± Adelyn asked in a hushed tone. Hans nodded resolutely. ¡°Spotted it in the woods,¡± Hans said. ¡°Very bright on the thermals. I can¡¯t check its levels or whatnot. Which means it must be overwhelmingly powerful. It appears to be a flying X-shaped object. I retreated and refrained from engaging it.¡± ¡°Good job,¡± Adelyn nodded. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll try checking it out. And try taking it out. It sounds like a demon.¡± ¡°A random ominous magical entity or element roving around in a remote area randomly. There¡¯s no mistaking it. Normal wildlife, they¡¯re always documented. I haven¡¯t seen any documentation from the locals about an X-shaped metallic object.¡± Adelyn frowned a bit as she looked to the side. ¡°That sounds really ominous, Lieutenant. It¡¯s like you¡¯re describing an alien object.¡± ¡°Well, considering the names of other famous demonic entities, and the appearance of what we¡¯ve seen, I think being otherworldly and messed up is their entire shtick.¡± ¡°Mhm¡­in that case, this town is potentially in danger. I¡¯ll warn the town mayor to call for an evacuation. Even if this is a false alarm, it¡¯s better to be safe than to have hundreds be wiped out in an attack if it¡¯s true. We can¡¯t risk it.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­I guess¡­¡± Hans said before an idea popped into his mind. ¡°Hmm, then, perhaps, we can just evacuate the people and act as their escort? I mean, they¡¯d need to get out in carriages and stuff anyway, many on foot. They¡¯d be unprotected on the roads to other settlements. At least, this way, we can move out of the town too, and get closer to Fort Elmo.¡± Perhaps, if we do this, I can just avoid having to confront that demon. If the town leaves, the town is safe. I met it in our rear anyway, kilometers away from this place. Assuming we move toward the east, we¡¯d be able to get out of this situation. Then, Hans cringed a bit. But then, some of our allies will have to use this road. That¡¯s why I decided to take it out, after all. If it threatens the soldiers of the IYC in transit, then¡­then it¡¯d be bad. Especially if some of the 4th marches through here. That, and there was still the possibility of that demon targeting Aliz¨¦e again for some reason, and Hans now felt shifty about that plan. Still, Adelyn makes sense with the evacuation plan. That¡¯s what any responsible military personnel does whenever civilians are in danger from combat operations. We literally have no choice in that case. Still, considering that he was attacked on the 26th, they had a day to pack up and flee at once. It would be best to act now if they weren¡¯t planning for an actual defensive operation for the town. ¡°Alright, go warn the mayor,¡± Hans said. ¡°I¡¯ll go prepare our Wanderpanzers. And about Aliz¨¦e¡­? She¡¯s¡­she might be in danger again during combat.¡± Adelyn sighed. ¡°Well, I have no choice. I¡¯ll take the more cautious approach while she¡¯s with me. I¡¯ll stay at the backline and not expose myself unless needed,¡± Adelyn said, before smiling at Hans. ¡°So, please do things well, okay? And don¡¯t die. I¡¯ll have your back.¡± ¡°Well, I am your designated Vanguard after all,¡± Hans replied. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this done.¡± +++ It was already afternoon, with the skies slowly turning dim when the majority of Torei¡¯s civilians finished their preparations for the evacuation, the sun already beginning to set under the August landscape of Ygeia. Carriages clogged the streets of Torei as the evacuation order came from the mayor. Guardsmen already deployed to also escort the civilians, helping people left and right to prepare. Many poorer residents on the other hand had no choice but to carry nothing but their barest essentials on foot, while the more well-off ones couldn¡¯t do much either and left their heavier belongings. Hans right now for example was trying to help with the guards, as he pushed a stuck carriage on the side of the exit roads from the town. The guardsmen around him shouted as they pushed it forward, before raising it up from the muddy ground. The family that drove it thanked them and apologized profusely, while Hans merely told them to leave their extra stuff out to lighten their load. ¡°Hey, thanks man,¡± one of the guards said with a thankful smile afterward. ¡°Didn¡¯t know you¡¯re the type of an officer down for the dirty work.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, that¡¯s what the Captain ordered,¡± Hans replied. ¡°We have to speed up this thing as fast as possible.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true.¡± Hans looked back at the two parked Wanderpanzers outside of the town, facing the distant woods. Aliz¨¦e, sitting on top of Adelyn¡¯s mech, was still cheerfully snacking on some chocolate bar while swaying her feet, with Hans hearing a tinge of that cutesy music that Adelyn was playing for her, while Adelyn herself watched the flat, distant plains with her binoculars. Hans smiled as he made his way to them. ¡°Hey, Captain!¡± He called out, and Adelyn turned back. ¡°The last of the civilians are getting out of the town. We should be clear to set out for the op.¡± Adelyn nodded. ¡°Alright,¡± she then gave Aliz¨¦e a glance. ¡°Aliz¨¦e, get back inside.¡± ¡°Okay, Lady Adelyn!¡± Just then, Hans turned to his mech, as Adelyn and Aliz¨¦e went inside of the Diligence. When he climbed his mech¡¯s hull, he looked back at the lines of civilians trying to flee. Then, his eyes turned to the town, and for a second, his vision changed. The town was on fire¡ªand the road was filled with bleeding civilians. But, it was immediately back to normal. Still, it raised Hans¡¯ body hair, just as a cold breeze of air grazed his back. Hans just sighed. These visions are getting way out of hand. Hans thought as he opened his eyes. What the hell is happening to me? 75. All Of It Fell ¡°The locals here seemed to be really good people. Mostly farmers and the like. It¡¯s a shame that a town like Torei could be potentially wiped out due to a demon attack. It¡¯s defended¡­by no one.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Ygeian Countryside AUG 26, 1538 CE ¡°Everyone!¡± Hans called with his mech¡¯s microphone, his Wanderfalke standing on top of a ridge that overlooked the path that was being used by the civilians below him. ¡°It¡¯s already way too dark. You are to set up camp for now. We will continue the journey tomorrow morning.¡± The announcement left many of the civilians distraught. Hans himself merely frowned as he turned his Wanderfalke to the side, looking at Adelyn¡¯s mech that watched their rear. The carriages continued to move forward, while many began to park to the side, near the trees. Hans made his way down the hill, continuing his role of patrolling the area around the evacuating civilians. ¡°Quite the tedious thing, huh?¡± Adelyn asked on the comms as Hans passed by her. ¡°Yeah,¡± Hans said. ¡°This is really risky.¡± ¡°Would have been more risky to stay there,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Remember those towns.¡± Hans definitely remembered more than that. I¡¯ve even seen thousands die to a demon inside a city. Hans thought. Quite the unfortunate fate if they had stayed there. ¡°How¡¯s Aliz¨¦e doing?¡± Hans asked. ¡°She fell asleep.¡± Hans just nodded to himself, as he returned his focus to his screens. ¡°Good.¡± For the next few hours, the two watched as the civilians settled to sleep in their carriages, or to areas around them. Many merely ate some bread or drank water before finding their sleeping areas quickly, while the town¡¯s guards remained standing, on the perimeter. It was¡­all, in all, a shoddy defense. Still, they had been quite mobile, and Hans calculated that they had traveled eighteen kilometers already from the town. Unless that demon was quite the tenacious one at hunting people in a town it hadn¡¯t targeted yet (as far as Hans could remember), then it was unlikely that it¡¯d attack them. Unless it did. In such a case, evacuation was still the best solution. At least running away had a chance of making people survive. Standing fast and holding on to the town¡­would have killed them all by now if it attacked. As each hour bled by, the darkness continued, and Hans felt himself becoming sleepier and sleepier as he patrolled the perimeter with Adelyn. They already expanded their search to a three-kilometer radius from the area occupied by the civilians, circling it again and again as cautiously as they could. By four AM in the morning, Hans stopped his mech for a quick coffee break. When he checked his coffee pouches though, he noticed that he was now really running quite thin. Nevertheless, he brewed himself a quick cup and began sipping it. ¡°Captain,¡± he called on his comms. ¡°How¡¯s the situation on your end?¡± ¡°Pretty fine,¡± Adelyn replied. ¡°Hey¡­you can go back and park your vehicle. Take a nap. I¡¯ll keep watch,¡± Hans shook his head with a laugh, looking down at his coffee. ¡°Absolutely not. I¡¯m already caffeinated.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m of the belief that my subordinates should be well-rested.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m of the belief that my commanding officer should be well-rested so she doesn¡¯t give me a stupid order,¡± Hans chuckled. ¡°Can bite back right at ya.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always difficult.¡± Hans just sipped his coffee. It was still kinda hot, so he decided to put it on the side as he relaxed in his seat. Really, one thing he loved about the Wanderfalke was that it was created to give a good level of comfort to its inhabitants. Briefly, he pitied the folks running around with those older tanks without¡­AC and everything. Here¡­he could just rest on his comfy seat, feeling like he was inside his own personal, cozy, and comfortable battle room. The comforts of being in an advanced combat vehicle sure were astounding, Hans thought. At least, until someone sprayed him with 25mm APFSDS that his vehicle¡¯s armor wasn¡¯t rated to resist. Briefly, he winced, remembering the countless comrades he had who got shredded by Flandrian IFVs and their autocannons. The Petin or Murat was never the Wanderfalke¡¯s greatest enemy. It was enemy IFVs. Kinda like that X demon. Hans thought. It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s a demon that fires projectiles that practically act like those autocannons. Well, except an IFV autocannon would spray him to death with quite the RPM (rounds per minute). He looked back at his mug. The faint signs of steam coming from it had dissipated. And so, he took another sip. Then a deeper sip. Noticing that it was already decently cold enough, he decided to rapidly consume it. It only took him a minute before he was done, feeling his senses slowly return. With some level of clarity in his mind, Hans returned to the patrols. The night wasn¡¯t over yet, after all. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. +++ Adelyn and Hans didn¡¯t expect it¡­ But it finally happened. ¡°Firing APFSDS!¡± Adelyn¡¯s shot perforated the demon¡¯s metallic body on its upper left side, forcing it down. Already hard golden, shots from it began raining on both of their positions, as Hans and Adelyn drove toward the hills and other natural obstacles, desperately trying to keep themselves out of the open to be shot. But unlike Hans¡¯ last attempt, this time, the duo was holding the demon out pretty well. After Adelyn¡¯s shot, Hans poked his Wanderfalke out of its cover, firing a second APFSDS shot straight at its core, causing it to stagger, and finally retreat. Hans also noticed that it released a lot of blood. Its shape began changing into that of a star before two golden pulses of light shaved off the hills and boulders they were using as cover. ¡°Goddess! That was close!¡± Adelyn said, her Wanderadler driving fast behind Hans, while Hans attempted to poke at it, using his gun depression to keep his hull hidden. This time, his autoloader reloaded a HEAT shell on the breech at Hans¡¯ choosing. It was clear white on his thermals when he aimed at it. He lazed it briefly, as it was moving too fast, causing his main gun to elevate automatically based on the results of his laser rangefinder. Immediately, he pulled the trigger when he aimed it at its core¡ªwith the shot slamming through the metal, and exploding near the center. The demon let off a high-pitched shriek, as blood sprayed out of it, its shape changing again and again from a star, to an X, then to a diamond, and firing a concentrated golden pulse of light in Hans¡¯ direction. Fortunately, Hans already jumped out of the place, and Adelyn¡¯s mech popped again from another direction, firing another shot that pierced through the sides of the flying demon. ¡°Hit the core!¡± Hans called out on the comms. ¡°That should work!¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying, it¡¯s so fast¡ª¡± A rain of bullets from the flying guns around it struck Adelyn¡¯s position, forcing her to also run back into cover. By then, the two elected to begin retreating from their combat positions, driving as fast as they could to get out of the woods. Looking back, however, Hans noted on his thermals that the demon was retreating too. ¡°Hey!¡± He called out, and the two stopped. ¡°We lost contact. It¡¯s flying away.¡± ¡°I think we harmed it well enough,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°That thing¡­it¡¯s got lasers and floating guns!¡± ¡°It bleeds¡­and it changes shapes. It can scream too. That¡¯s seriously messed up.¡± ¡°We need to check on the civilians.¡± ¡°Yeah, right, I¡¯ll try to keep contact. I think we delayed it well enough at least.¡± The two then drove out of the woods, emerging on the flat plains ahead of them. They quickly drove back into the main route used by the civilians, and finally¡ªHans and Adelyn laid their eyes on the result of the first chaotic minutes when it arrived. Multiple carriages, still on the road, either peppered with bullets or burning. People¡­dead people. Both on the road and the carriages. Hans could only grit his teeth, as he turned his turret back on the forest to keep watch of the rear. On the other hand, Adelyn already parked her mech to the side, popping her hatch open and dismounting. ¡°Wait, why did you stop?¡± ¡°I need to check on these people, Lieutenant!¡± She replied. Hans turned his turret in her direction, and already, she was running left and right checking the carriages and corpses around them. ¡°Captain!¡± He shouted with his speaker. ¡°They¡¯re all dead! Get back to your vehicle!¡± ¡°Just give me a minute. It¡¯s not chasing us right now. We can¡¯t leave anyone if they¡¯re injured or what else.¡± Hans frowned before he parked his mech right behind Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler. He briefly looked to his side, seeing a curious Aliz¨¦e watch them, her head peeking out of Adelyn¡¯s hatch. ¡°Just¡­just go down. Cover your ears,¡± Hans said. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Hans then pulled out his pistol and cocked it. Adelyn on the other hand really found people, injured people, and she was trying to carry them to the side of one of the carriages. Hans looked at them. They were all badly injured, the shots creating large perforations on their bodies, causing them to bleed profusely. He especially looked at a wounded girl, already half-conscious from the shot on her chest. Adelyn frantically checked her, while Hans clicked his tongue. ¡°Captain. There¡¯s no point. They¡¯re all going to die in a few minutes. Or seconds. That kid¡¯s going into shock. She¡¯s a goner. And we have no magical healers here. Or magical supplies for that matter. Nothing will help them.¡± Adelyn placed her first aid kit to the side and glared at Hans. ¡°How about you come here and help me¡ª¡± A powerful flash of his pistol was the answer to Adelyn¡¯s demands. One of the wounded men had his head explode in a bloody manner. Then Hans moved into the next. Then the next. Then the next. Until, when he pointed his pistol at the girl, there was only an empty click. Just then¡­it seemed that the girl stopped breathing, her life being drained away before Hans could give him mercy. ¡°You just¡­¡± ¡°Get back up. Back to your Wanderadler. We¡¯re going to continue maneuvers to protect their rear. We can¡¯t be too sure that it retreated fully.¡± She punched the ground, staining her gloves with dirt. ¡°Damn it! How did it even catch up to us?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Captain, you made the right call. Things just will never go so perfectly when you¡¯re fighting these kinds of monsters,¡± he extended his hand to her. ¡°Come on, we still have a mission to finish. I intend to finish it.¡± She breathed in, before taking Hans¡¯ hand and standing back up. ¡°You¡¯re right. I apologize. The sight of them all bleeding out¡ª¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°...Well, I guess you¡¯re always like that to me.¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Adelyn picked up her first-aid kit, and the two of them then walked back to their Wanderfalkes, with Hans taking a brief look at the forest with his binoculars. ¡°Any sightings?¡± Adelyn asked, as she took a deep breath and looked at the ground, still a bit shaken by Hans¡¯ actions. ¡°Nope,¡± Hans lowered his binoculars. ¡°I think we harmed it well enough. At least now we have an idea about what it can do. I noticed that its laser beams¡­or whatever it is, charge slowly. Like¡­fifteen seconds.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­long,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°That, and firing at its core, its center mass, that seems to do the trick. It hurts it. It makes it bleed. Maybe it has a heart there. Or some sort of biological center. We just need to hit it more, and maybe¡­maybe that¡¯ll work.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Hans looked back at her. ¡°Still capable?¡± ¡°Of course I am,¡± she shook her head. ¡°No, there¡¯s still hundreds of survivors trying to run. I won¡¯t let them die. Not when I¡¯m here.¡± Hans looked back at the dead civilians on the road, before sighing. ¡°Yeah¡­me neither. Let¡¯s just keep going. And going. No choice.¡± 76. Where is Hope? ¡°The protection of the civilian populace is one of the greatest tasks of the Army. It is unacceptable for any Confederate soldier to abandon this mission. First and foremost, before even our stated mission to preserve the state, a soldier must prioritize the people.¡± - General Elsa Ludendorf +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Ygeian Countryside AUG 26, 1538 CE Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke stopped right beside a treeline, as he opened up his thermals, scanning the flat open fields ahead of them. He moved his turret and sights left and right, checking for any signs of that demon if it somehow managed to be ahead of them. No such sightings came to Hans¡¯ attention. ¡°Nothing¡¯s on my end. The route ahead is clear, over.¡± ¡°Copy. I¡¯m relaying it to the mayor. Warn me of any changes.¡± ¡°Gotcha, Captain.¡± Hans frowned. He wasn¡¯t going to be complacent with this anymore. In front of them, or in their rear, he had already instated full paranoia in his mindset. That demon could and would chase them. That was why he was both scouting ahead and behind them. Soon, he passed by on the road, as the lines of clearly tired, hungry, and afraid civilians trudged forward. Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke sped beside them like a knight on horseback, giving them a brief resurgence of hope at knowing that a metal beast was watching over them. Yet, just like Hans, it wasn¡¯t perfect. Fear. Fear had been everywhere, ever since the attack. And for Hans and Adelyn, that fear was compounded by the sheer scale of lives that were relying precariously on their actions today. That, and the two absolutely had no ounce of sleep since yesterday, so Hans was already starting to feel foggy with the fatigue that he was dealing with. Nope, power through it. Hans told himself, as he continued driving to the rear end of the mass of civilians. Just keep going. You did it in the war. You can do it here. As the day continued, the two continued circling the people they were protecting deliriously. Quite frankly, it was the blessing of having a high-mobility vehicle in their hands. Their carriages advanced slowly, and many who were on foot lagged behind. This meant that Adelyn and Hans needed to patrol a few kilometers around the group constantly. But that charged a lot of fuel. Really, really lots of fuel. By 14:00 hours, Hans stopped his vehicle on the side, as he used up his AP to refill his fuel tanks with the auto fabricator. During that time, he checked on the people lagging on the rear, asking questions from them. ¡°Hey!¡± He called, approaching groups of civilians that were clearly barely hanging by. ¡°Are you guys alright down there?¡± They turned at him, and many just shook their heads. ¡°No!¡± One of them shouted. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty!¡± ¡°My son is hungry, and¡­my baby¡ª¡± Hans frowned, as he shouted back at them. ¡°Just keep going! We¡¯re going to keep that demon out of our tail. But you have to keep going!¡± Hans then rushed back to his vehicle and grabbed a few cans of treated water that he bought with him. Going down the slight hill, he carried his cans to them, especially to the families that had children with them. He placed the three cans on the road, as the civilians surrounded him. ¡°Alright, alright! We¡¯ll do this quick and easy. Form two lines, on me. Bring cups or whatever you have. I¡¯ll try to stretch what I have for everyone!¡± Someone suddenly tapped him from behind. It was the Priestess that they had met earlier. Behind her too was her two companions handling their horses, both of them looking at Hans as well. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± she said. ¡°We can help.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I can do some water magic,¡± she turned to her two companions. ¡°You two, fetch water from the river nearby when he empties those things. I¡¯ll purify it.¡± ¡°You got it, Priestess!¡± the man who Hans remembered as Mathieu saluted with a grin. Hans turned back to the woman. ¡°Alright. It¡¯s good that you three aren¡¯t dead then,¡± Hans said. ¡°I admit, I rejected your attempt to offer help, but if you¡¯re a good mage, I¡¯d like to get your help, Miss Laura.¡± ¡°Point us to the place that needs protecting and we¡¯ll join you two,¡± she said with determination. ¡°We can do it. Somehow. I think.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Alright¡­¡± The four then proceeded to distribute water at the lines of civilians. It was a quick process. They would present whatever cups they had to Hans, and Hans filled them with water. Each person only received one cup, with the more dehydrated children and elderly receiving slightly more from Hans. But once they were done, they moved forward, at pace, to catch up with the rest. Then, Laura¡¯s two companions would grab Hans¡¯ empty cans, and refill them with water from the river. After that, Laura would do whatever magic she somehow conjured with her staff. Hans was quite impressed at the glowing blue lights the first time she did it, but soon, he returned to the repetitive task of distributing water. By the time they were done with it, Hans just carried his refilled cans back to his Wanderfalke, placing them back inside, before turning back to the trio. ¡°Alright, here¡¯s the deal,¡± Hans said, taking his personal radio with him, and showing it to Laura. ¡°This is a radio.¡± ¡°...Interesting,¡± the Priestess said, eyeing it. ¡°Look, I¡¯m gonna let you borrow this, but essentially, your task is to keep an eye on the rear. You three will stay here, behind the civilians, and act as our early warning. You will be able to hear me speak here. To speak back, you just press this button. Understand?¡± Hans demonstrated it for a bit before Laura nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay, good,¡± he then handed it to her. ¡°Now, do not try to fight the demon alone. Hide. Retreat. Whatever. Just warn us and we will come here. Immediately. We will deal with it. As for the civilians, if you see the demon at a distance, you will warn them and make them run or hide. Is that clear?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Laura replied. ¡°And¡­can we please talk later, once this is all over? I know you don¡¯t believe me yet, but¡­¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯ll listen to what you have, but outside of this, I still cannot in good conscience drag you and your companions into a fight with that Calamity. The only difference here is that you¡¯re actively in a survival situation, so that leaves me without a choice. Otherwise, just tell us what you know, and we¡¯ll take it from there.¡± +++ Adelyn¡¯s speech to the gathered crowds ended. The mayor himself reluctantly gave the order, but, to Hans¡¯ surprise, the civilians reacted to it positively. One after another, they emptied their carriages of their belongings, placing them on the side of the road to let those walking on foot in. Hans smiled. ¡°Damn¡­so that worked.¡± ¡°We should have done this at the start,¡± Adelyn replied, as she looked down. ¡°We could have avoided more casualties.¡± ¡°Well, we did try, but they refused. That¡¯s just how people are. They can¡¯t easily leave their belongings to help the poor. Not unless¡­¡± ¡°Not unless they see many die behind them.¡± Hans looked back at Adelyn, who was standing beside her parked Wanderadler. Soon, after the town¡¯s guards organized everyone to mount the carriages, their lines began moving again, leaving a trail of various bags, clothes, and crates on the side of the road. It was already a hard afternoon, with the sun beginning to set on them. Which meant darkness soon. It wasn¡¯t a big problem to Hans though, as they had thermal sights to see almost just as well at night, but for the rest of the convoy? They wouldn¡¯t be able to see things properly. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll position myself at the rear of the convoy,¡± Hans said. ¡°I¡¯ll stay there and cover them. You stay at the front.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Hans said. ¡°I got support there too. Just radio me if need be, alright?¡± Adelyn nodded. ¡°Okay. Oh, by the way, we¡¯re close to a nearby settlement. Just thirty kilometers away from us. We can actually drive straight there already to check it out if we have to.¡± Hans looked down at the carriages driving forward. ¡°It¡¯ll still take us a day or two to reach it safely if we have to protect them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just worried about the safety of that place,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°I thought¡­we might need some forward scouting. But we can¡¯t exactly separate ourselves too much.¡± ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re basically already driving around them a kilometer or two apart. That¡¯s not¡­good. With the new arrangement, you¡¯d be nearly a kilometer ahead of me and those at the rear.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­yeah¡­about your munitions. Are you doing alright there?¡± ¡°Yeah, I have enough AP for now to keep things stable. Twelve APFSDS and six HEAT. Should be fine during an engagement, I think.¡± ¡°Mhm¡­alright,¡± Adelyn shook her head. ¡°You go back to the rear. I¡¯ll just give Aliz¨¦e a chow. And, yeah. Keep in touch, please.¡± ¡°I know.¡± +++ It was already night. Yet, Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke trailed the rest of the moving column just as alertly. In front of him, Laura¡¯s group rode with their horses, which walked moderately. Hans himself maintained a walking speed for now, just shy of twelve kilometers per hour, as he tried to battle his ever-gnawing need for sleep. However, it was clear that everyone was too tired, too fatigued, and too sleep-deprived to continue, with the horses themselves barely even managing to continue pulling the carriages. He could even see Laura softly checking her horse for a while, which clearly had been trotting slower compared to its speed late afternoon. Suddenly, a transmission from Adelyn came. Hans immediately accepted it. ¡°Lieutenant, the mayor is calling for a temporary halt,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°The horses¡­they¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re all tired.¡± ¡°Yep. They need a few minutes or an hour of rest. Can we conduct combat patrols for a while?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± Hans said. ¡°Hey, are you still alright out there?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I took some coffee and uhh¡­well, I¡¯m a bit dizzy.¡± ¡°Dizzy, huh?¡± She chuckled on the other end. ¡°Yeah, I guess. What about you?¡± ¡°I can still do the combat patrols.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m telling the mayor that we can halt.¡± ¡°Roger that.¡± The comms closed, as Hans temporarily stopped his Wanderfalke on the road, leaning back to his seat. Hopefully, it isn¡¯t chasing us anymore. He sighed, tiredly. But, we¡¯ll probably have to fight it again tonight. Goddess¡­if you exist, why did you even send us two here? He looked at the stopping column in front of him. Is it just to hopefully save these people? Surely you could have done a better job than dragging us here, no? 77. Where is Help ¡°How can you cover hundreds of civilians with just two Wanderpanzers? Unfortunately, you don¡¯t.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Ygeian Countryside AUG 27, 1538 CE ¡°I got it on my sights!¡± ¡°Open fire!¡± Adelyn and Hans both opened fire at the charging demon from the hilltop. The force of their shots shook the early morning¡¯s landscape, with the grass below their mechs feeling the shockwave, and the birds resting on the trees beside them flying in distress. The demon, still in its X-shaped form, found itself surprised when the shots struck it. Hans¡¯ and Adelyn¡¯s Wanderfalkes were extremely accurate even at extreme distances due to the digital fire control systems on its well-stabilized guns, and both of their shots struck the core of the demon hard. A high-pitched screech of what Hans imagined must be rage emanated on the battlefield, as the demon flew up, blood falling from the closing hole. Why does something like that even bleed? ¡°I¡¯m firing another sabot on it!¡± Hans said on the comms, and so did Adelyn. ¡°Second round is being reloaded!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get this in the bag! Priestess, are you and your companions in position?!¡± There was a brief delay in her response, as Hans imagined that the woman still had to fumble with the radio he lent to her. He briefly remembered how Adelyn first outright refused their assistance, believing that using such youngsters to fight would be a liability at best and a moral failing on their part as adult soldiers at worst. But in a brief second, he heard her voice respond, showing their resolute desire to fight side-by-side with Hans and Adelyn. ¡°I can see it now!¡± Laura shouted before Hans saw a massive blue runic light in a triangular shape appear from her position. He could even hear how she chanted many unknown words, which again, reminded him of Sicilian soldiers, as the two more of the runic lights appeared on the side, this time colored orange. ¡°In the name of the Goddess of Purity¡ªPulirae!¡± Three beams of light slammed into each other, forming one white beam that went straight into the demon that was hovering above the fields. Hans and Adelyn both froze, watching as they finally saw for the first time what kind of magic Virtus was capable of. Then, it slammed into the beast¡¯s core, the beam slicing from one end to the other end. An explosion of blood from it followed, nearly flooding the environment around it with the strange red liquid it seemed to release before it crumpled down on the ground. The flying weapons around also disappeared in a flash of light. There was silence on the battlefield. Hans and Adelyn didn¡¯t really count on taking it down like that, what they were really just doing was rearguard action for those fleeing. But¡­but if they did it at last¡­ That would be nice. ¡°Is¡­is it over?¡± Hans asked, almost like a fearful child. It was something he didn¡¯t expect to blurt out, but, to be fair, he died to it once. Well, most specifically, he had to shoot himself once because of it. So to see it be defeated so well. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°I¡­I think so?¡± He checked his thermals if it was still warm. For a second, he doubted his assessment¡ªjudging its black signature on the thermals as a ruse. That was when its center suddenly turned into an intense white again, indicating that it was warm. Extremely warm. ¡°No, no, no! It¡¯s coming back up!¡± He zoomed in as best as he could with his sights, finally seeing the truth laid bare to him. They hit its core¡ªyes, but they hadn¡¯t managed to fully destroy it. Somehow. The demon was still alive. Suddenly, a flash of light struck the hill that Hans and Adelyn were parked on. But he had shouted to her to dodge it, and so did he, pulling on the control sticks hard as he pressed his feet on the gas. His mech nimbly lowered its body as it did a sudden right-ward turn, just enough to dodge the beam of light that was about to hit him. ¡°Damn it! Why do they have these kinds of weapons? This is worse than sci-fi plasma!¡± ¡°Get a sabot in! Aim at the core! We need to destroy it absolutely!¡± Hans and Adelyn scattered away from the hill, as the demon reformed its X shape, turning its metallic surface back into gold again. Hans instructed Laura and her team to get the hell out of the battlefield area, but he wasn¡¯t able to, as she didn¡¯t respond on his radio hails. When he looked at them with his turret¡¯s sights, he saw that her companions were already dragging her unconscious form away from the battlefield.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Must be that AP burnout thing they mentioned. Hans thought, reminding himself of one of the problems with expending AP magically with one¡¯s body. It was an energy-intensive activity to the mind, not so much the same with him imbuing his AP into his mech for its upgrades, which seemed to have a reduced strain on his body. He then heard Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler fire off its main gun in the distance, and Hans watched as a round sliced through the side of the demon as it dodged. He gripped his mech¡¯s control stick hard as he placed his foot on the break¡ªorienting his main gun straight into the center mass of the demon. He pulled the trigger. Once again, the demon moved out of the way for a few dozen centimeters, causing his shot to miss just enough that there was no effect. Suddenly, the weapons flying around it reappeared¡ªall of them aimed at Hans¡¯ mech. Sweet melons¡­ His random brain fart aside, he pulled his mech into a quick jump backward as the shots from it all converged at him, dodging it well enough. He returned on the move, driving in circles around the demon to avoid giving it even an inch of an opportunity to kill him. ¡°That was way too close!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to try again!¡± He watched as Adelyn¡¯s mech stopped, and opened another shot on the demon. But it once again dodged it, before firing a beam at Adelyn, forcing her another emergency dodge to get out of the way. Hans banged his fist, pissed at how difficult it was to kill. Damn it! If this was a modern tank, it would have been dead ages ago! How is the spall damage not killing it? Those sabots carry so much energy per shot that it¡¯s impossible for that thing to survive our shots! Hans tried to steady his main gun on the center of the demon, but it moved again, which forced Hans to break off his attack by diving into another depression on the terrain, hiding just in time for the shots from the floating guns to hit him. But some certainly did¡ªas the fire went out from his fuel tank, momentarily stopping his Wanderfalke on a dead drift down the hill. ¡°Damn it! Put it out!¡± Hans shouted as the automatic fire control system opened up to control the fire. Unfortunately, his engine gave out, and Hans panickedly began checking his damage control interfaces. ¡°Captain! I¡¯m immobilized! Give me thirty seconds. I¡¯ll try to restart the¡ª¡± He heard another boom from the distance, certainly from Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler before she replied to him. ¡°It¡¯s retreating,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Again, it¡¯s retreating.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Seems like we hurt it enough again,¡± Adelyn replied. ¡°That thing. It¡¯s too resilient.¡± Hans continued to check things until his computers gave the final report¡ªhis radiator was also damaged. Crap¡­ ¡°I see then¡­¡± Hans said as he frowned, looking at his screens. ¡°I¡­well, I need to repair my mech. The radiator and fuel tank are out. I got myself mobility killed.¡± ¡°Crap.¡± ¡°No worries,¡± Hans pressed a few things as he gave himself a breather. ¡°I kept my skill slot open for this. Seems like I have no choice but to take the upgrade now. And use it for the first time. That¡¯s just what I¡¯ll do. Protect me please.¡± He chuckled a bit on the comms before the tenseness in Adelyn¡¯s voice turned more relaxed. ¡°Alright. Take your sweet time then.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± +++ I¡¯m never going to magically recover from this. Twenty minutes after Hans picked ¡®UPG: Arcane Maintenance System¡¯ as his upgrade, and after he commenced the repairs on his mech¡¯s fuel tank and radiator (damn was his mech glowing a pale white during the process something cool to look at), Hans despaired like a bankrupt man as he looked at his remaining AP available when he willed his stat screen to appear. From one thousand to six hundred. He certainly felt like a broke man now. That¡¯s just fun ain¡¯t it? ¡°Did it work?¡± Adelyn curiously asked below, as Hans opened his hatch. Already, the Priestess woke back up from her impromptu unconsciousness, and she and her friends were also watching Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke which was stuck in an awkward pose on the ground, with its legs obviously dead and its hull buried front-first on the soil like a crashed aircraft. ¡°Yeah, I think it did. Steer clear of my way everyone!¡± Hans dropped down on the hatch and back inside his mech¡¯s crew compartment. He immediately gave his modules a structural integrity check, even when he already checked their physical conditions a minute earlier. Seems like it¡¯s green. Magically green. Normally, fixing the damned radiator would take the techs days. Unfortunately, Hans despaired again at his remaining fuel. It seemed that most of it had been eviscerated by the fire, which meant he was going to burn even more AP for the fuel. Damn it! It was just two stupid shots that clipped me! I can¡¯t believe it has to eat up nearly half of my desperate reserves just to fix crap. Then again, he also silently thanked the heavens that as Vanus, he had no cap with his AP. Adelyn in comparison, with her four hundred AP cap, might have the ability to, yes, regenerate a good amount of AP per day, but boy, would she be unable to pull off these kinds of crazy AP consumption at the drop of a hat. Especially if a more important component was struck (like the autoloader). Hans soon pressed his feet on the gas, and immediately, his mech¡¯s legs raised the hull back up and drove it forward. For some reason, an uncontrollable smile suddenly appeared on Hans¡¯ face as he did it, holding his control sticks as he drove. It was working! Almost in pristine condition even. He remembered that his engine was already having random split-second breakdowns due to the lack of proper maintenance on it. But now it was driving almost as good as he remembered during the last time he visited the battalion¡¯s workshop! But more importantly, it was something that gave Hans a surge of satisfaction. Sure, there would be no help coming from his homeland¡ªbut from now on, they had both of the things they needed to keep their mechs on the fight so long as they had the necessary AP to keep things going. They could use the auto fabricator for fuel and munitions. And they now had this upgrade to also fix their mech whenever needed. I guess some things can work out well in the end if you work hard enough, huh? He pressed his speakers as he stopped his mech. ¡°Alright! It¡¯s working now!¡± 78. Would I See It ¡°Skirmishing a demon seems to be an effective delaying tactic. It appears that these tactics are the most popular ones used by the Imperial Army. However, it is also clear now how utterly useless it is. It seems that for some sick reason, these demons will chase their prey no matter what. For sick satisfaction? For some sort of magical reward? A result of whatever puppeteered them? I have no idea.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Ygeian Countryside AUG 27, 1538 CE ¡°Sir Hans,¡± Aliz¨¦e perked up in Hans¡¯ direction as the two ate near his Wanderfalke. In front of them were the continuous lines of civilian carriages still trudging onward as they fled the demon assumed to be in their wake. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should run.¡± ¡°Aliz¨¦e?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t I tell Adelyn to keep your blindfolds on? You don¡¯t need to see it, okay? Just keep your head low, and everything will be fine.¡± She frowned and raised her fist with a pout. ¡°But not everything is fine!¡± ¡°You can speak a lot of continental now, huh?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± ¡°Okay, well, look,¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t have the numbers or firepower.¡± She tilted her head curiously. ¡°¡®Fire¡­power¡¯, what?¡± ¡°It means¡­¡± Hans facepalmed. ¡°Okay, look, what I meant is, we¡¯re too weak. We can only poke it and keep it at bay. That''s the best we can do. It¡¯s too strong with all that magic it can do.¡± ¡°I can do it too!¡± ¡°Nope, nope, nope, absolutely not.¡± ¡°I¡¯m strong!¡± Crap, letting her get those kills really started bad ideas to fester in her mind. Hans needed to act quickly. I gotta nip this in the bud now. Like a good adult would. ¡°No, you¡¯re not, you should play with coloring pencils and drawings and you should be reading storybooks and crap. We¡¯re close to defensible places and help now. Believe me, as long as we can keep that thing out of our backs, which we are doing, as best as we can, it¡¯ll be fine. And you¡¯ll be back in a safe room again where you can sleep and learn and do all of the children''s stuff.¡± Hans gave her a cheeky grin and a thumbs up. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°But if we don¡¯t remove that demon,¡± Aliz¨¦e shook her head. ¡°It will kill people. Lots of people. Good people. People that need not to die.¡± ¡°And if you try to fight it outside of Adelyn¡¯s mech, I¡¯ll have a good innocent girl that¡¯d be dead,¡± he ruffled her hair. ¡°Just keep your head low, and listen to Adelyn¡¯s instructions, okay? It¡¯ll be fine. Eventually.¡± When Hans looked at her face, it was clear that the girl wasn¡¯t convinced. Sure, he watched her kill a demon, practically blasting it away with her magic. Or saving his life from a monster, but¡­he didn¡¯t know what powers she had. For all he knew, it could corrupt her, or worse. Until I find proper answers as to what¡¯s happening to you, I can¡¯t let it. That, and to let children fight a battle that adults must protect them from. That would never go well with Hans¡¯ conscience. ¡°Okay, look¡ªwe¡¯ll do it. This time, we¡¯ll ambush it and kill it.¡± +++ Hans stowed away his journal as he stared at his displays. Parked on a ridge behind the convoy, Hans and Adelyn watched the road here for hours already, letting the people of Torei flee from these lands as they acted as rearguards since they could catch up relatively quickly anyway. That, and Hans and Adelyn both finally received their well-deserved few hours of rest, with Hans watching over first, then Adelyn taking over later. Unfortunately, it was only two hours for both of them, so not exactly a lot, especially since the sleep they had ever since the evacuations was so low that their energy levels were just sapped. Normally, even in intense combat, such as shelling or worse, soldiers and units could be rotated in and out. The responsibility to watch over a section of the frontline wasn¡¯t something that a soldier would do for days on end without an ounce of sleep. No, there were always a lot of other soldiers or vehicles watching the front for the rest, and rotations happened. This time around, there was none of those. Adelyn and Hans were one unit. A cohesive whole, the equivalent of a section. They couldn¡¯t realistically switch roles and rest in alternative fashions while covering thousands of square kilometers and protecting hundreds of civilians without slicing their combat power by half every time they rotated between activity and inactivity.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Really makes me wish that 1st Platoon was here. Hans smiled a bit. Goddamnit, I would have assigned Hedwig on night duty already. That guy can scream like a girl well on the comms if he sees that thing lumbering toward us. He chuckled to himself a bit, before sighing. Whatever. Still, this ambush position was nice. Both Hans and Adelyn had their hulls hidden, with their turret being the only one sticking out of the terrain. That, and ahead of them, was four kilometers of unimpeded flat terrain. Briefly, he remembered how his platoon loved to set up in these kinds of environments during the early days of the war before drones became so commonplace on the front. When they could just¡­sit in the open, and wait for Flandrian tanks charging in the open. Hans imagined that it would be how that thing would do the assault it must be planning to do¡ªby charging in this flat terrain, hot in pursuit of its fleeing victims. But, see, Hans and Adelyn were here. They could dissuade it once again. Maybe even kill it. Hans had been studying his thermal returns well during the last battle. Its core was hotter. More obvious to his thermals. He only needed to get one well-aimed shot and he imagined that whatever biological matter controlling it there (maybe a brain, or heart, or whatever) would eat a sabot round badly¡ªkilling it. But such a pipe dream¡­ Hans shook his head. It moves too much for it to be likely. Still, if they could execute this well. This quagmire could be over. +++ ¡°Laura,¡± Hans called on his comms. ¡°Laura. Is your team awake?¡± ¡°Ah! Yes! Yes, we are. Apologies, I almost¡­¡± Hans shook his head with a sigh, his thermals watching the distant forest kilometers away from them. ¡°Alright, just wake up and get into your positions. Captain, I¡¯m loading a sabot now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to try HEAT,¡± Adelyn replied, as her mech drove forward a bit onto the ridge. ¡°See if it does things. AT mode.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe it¡¯ll do things,¡± Hans said. ¡°But it might just fail at penetrating it. That metal armor seems tough.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s composite armor, so it won¡¯t hurt to try.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure, sure,¡± Hans could finally see it¡ªthat white signature of an X-shaped object on his thermals. Once again, it was back. Still as unrelenting as ever. ¡°Everyone, ready up. It¡¯s coming. If it survives our shots, Laura, you know what to do!¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Alright¡ªhere it comes!¡± The demon, Hans imagined, finally pissed at the cat-and-mouse game that they were playing, flew a few hundred meters above the ground, which meant that they were now exposed. The main guns of the Peacemaker and the Diligence both tracked the targeted demon, elevating upwards, with their fire control systems calculating solutions rapidly to ensure a hit. ¡°Alright, aim for the hottest part. Center point.¡± ¡°Copy¡ªaimed and tracking!¡± ¡°Tracking too!¡± With their sights zeroed in at that point, both of their mech¡¯s computers began tracking it dead at that point. At this point, all that would matter would be whether or not the dispersion of their rounds would hit it or not. Hold on, just keep steady. ¡°Ready fire!¡± ¡°Take the shot!¡± Hans pulled the trigger¡ªand the first explosion of the night lit up the fields. Two cracks, as two rounds flew up high into the sky. One of them was a 120mm HEATFS round from the Diligence, and the other was a 90mm APFSDS round from the Peacemaker. And the demon, still charging up whatever magic it was preparing, wouldn¡¯t be able to respond. Good. ¡°Now!¡± Preemptively, both Hans and Adelyn jumped out of their static positions, their mechs running in opposite directions to confuse the demon. In a split second, their two shots slammed at the flying demon, causing it to stagger¡ªas some of its red liquid once again fell to the ground. The weapons around it, flying muskets, both long guns and pistols, flew around it faster, as a rain of bullets fell on the ground. Hans and Adelyn both expertly dodged it just in time, as it loaded its next attack. ¡°Missed it by a few centimeters again!¡± Hans snapped at the comms, his gloved hand holding his control sticks hard. ¡°Loading sabot again!¡± ¡°My shot was deflected!¡± Adelyn shouted. ¡°I¡¯m loading a sabot too!¡± ¡°Laura! Do your thing now and run!¡± ¡°I shall begin!¡± Near the treeline, Laura¡¯s magic lit up again as it charged. Her chants filled the comms due to her radio remaining on. Meanwhile, Hans and Adelyn both pulled themselves into an immediate break to prepare for their second shot. The demon was now staggered and suppressed. Laura¡¯s attack¡ªshould pin it in place. ¡°Pulirae!¡± Her voice echoed on the battlefield, as the white light from her three runic circles struck the flying demon. Hans watched as his thermal displays were overcome with a bright light, as extreme heat dissipated from the Virtus woman¡¯s attack. This time around though, both Adelyn and Hans knew what to do once the demon began falling down into the ground. Their main guns, tracking the center of the weakened beast, waited as the heat dissipated to the point that the white-hot center became fully visible to both of them. ¡°Alright! We have it now!¡± ¡°Firing!¡± Two booms punctuated the battlefield, with Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke and Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler firing at the same exact time. Their shots, with the sheer power of depleted uranium hitting the beast¡¯s core, caused it to scream in the most painful, high-pitched metallic screech the moment they penetrated its armor. The golden light of its armor died out, and Hans didn¡¯t relent. ¡°Loading sabot again!¡± ¡°Gotcha! Double tap it!¡± The two waited for their autoloaders to grab their rounds from their turret bustles, which contained their ammunition. Slamming it straight to their main gun¡¯s breeches at different times, Hans reported that he was ready first¡ªthen Adelyn second. The two pulled the trigger at once, and two more sabot rounds pierced its center. The last thing that Hans saw on his thermals was the heat from the demon¡¯s surface rapidly dissipating¡ªuntil it was dead black on his display. 79. Would I Receive It? ¡°I¡¯d consider it as a half-decent success, all things considered.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Ygeian Countryside AUG 27, 1538 CE The battlefield was serene. Two mechs, parked on a hilly area, separated by hundreds of meters, watched the fallen demon as it slowly disintegrated¡ªthe metallic body around it literally melting into a red bloody puddle. There was no more rage nor hatred that emanated from the demon. It was in all manners¡­silent. Dead. And Hans saw what he was waiting for¡ªthe rewards of his hard work.
[1 Demonic Entity Liquidated!] [ASCENDED TO GENERAL TIER II!] [ATTRIBUTES MECHANIC UNLOCKED!] [ACHIEVEMENT MECHANIC UNLOCKED!] [LVL UP! NOW LVL. 1] [PROGRESS TO LVL. 2: 45%] [AVAILABLE AP: 950 PTS]
He sighed, looking down at his screen as it showed a number of achievements he completed.
[HEAVY METAL: GRANTED 60 AP] [LONG ROAD: GRANTED 20 AP] [DEMON SLAYER: GRANTED 100 AP]
He then checked what they were for.
HEAVY METAL: FIRE 5 APFSDS ROUNDS WITH DIRECT HITS. LONG ROAD: DRIVE 100 KILOMETERS.
He supposed he finally had another extra AP source at the very last. Goddess, it took me this long. He shook his head. Why was it even locked out from me? And the damned mechanic doesn¡¯t even grant me much. How¡¯s sixty AP going to compensate for losing five expensive APFSDS rounds? He lamented how little he knew about the elusive [SYSTEM]. It was simply a pain in the arse, Hans thought. But then again, now, with this, his mech was stronger than ever. He was stronger than ever. And well, perhaps he¡¯d get more goodies with the [ATTRIBUTES] mechanic soon. Body enhancement? Skill enhancement? Maybe he¡¯d even get his own AP regenerated over time. Who knew¡­ Another long grind ahead of me, I guess. He sighed. Another long-ass grind¡­ Whatever he received from the ¡®System¡¯ wasn¡¯t enough, even when it somehow managed to prevent him from dying more than once this time around. He needed more. ¡°Lieutenant,¡± his comms suddenly opened up, the voice of his Captain bleeding through his cockpit. ¡°Good job. We did it.¡± Hans just chuckled, completely tired of the affair. ¡°That we did, I guess,¡± Hans said. ¡°That we did.¡± ¡°I knew we could pull it off. Just a good amount of teamwork.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess¡­¡± ¡°And as for those tag-a-longs you dragged with us, fine, I see now. They¡¯re useful.¡± ¡°Well, one of them is useful.¡± He heard Adelyn chuckle. ¡°Well, I suppose Virtus mages can do certain things we can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Are you planning to become one too?¡± He heard a tired laugh from her. ¡°I just opened up a bunch of skill slots now that I reached General Tier II. I think I¡¯d like to be the first Lotharingian mage. It¡¯d very much be an honor, hehe.¡± ¡°Yeah, good luck on that, Princess,¡± Hans sarcastically responded. ¡°I¡¯m going to slice your tongue one day.¡± ¡°Gee, the kid¡¯s with you, right? Have some tact, Milady. That¡¯s not so ladylike of you, now is it, hmm?¡± Hans teased. ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re such a¡­whatever¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, congrats too, your shots were very useful,¡± Hans said. ¡°Did you use any special rounds?¡± ¡°Yeah, the last one was called ¡®Anti-Demon Armor Piercing¡¯, so, ADAP APFSDS.¡± ¡°Damn, so it enhances the penetration of something already marked as ¡®armor piercing¡¯?¡± ¡°I guess I just have better upgrades than you,¡± Adelyn smugly replied. ¡°But yes, it says it enhances the penetration values of my APFSDS by twenty percent, alongside, I assume, it enhances the damage it¡¯d cause. Since the demon was all metal, I thought that would work.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°I guess in the end you got the actual kill again,¡± Hans thought. ¡°And here I thought it was finally me getting it.¡± ¡°Stop moping around, you got to Tier II too, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then you contributed well enough. The system rewarded that duly well. Again, good work.¡± Hans felt his chest become lighter at her words. He had thought that because he didn¡¯t die enough, he failed to maximize the information-gathering work to kill the demon in the most efficient manner. But¡­ I guess she still counts this as a success. Even though Hans didn¡¯t get to prevent those deaths. I guess that¡¯s good enough, for now¡­ He settled his back on the comfortable, soft seat of his. The battle was truly over, for now. +++ The six were huddled together near a large campfire as they ate. Laura and her team, alongside Hans, Adelyn, and Aliz¨¦e were all having a blast in the post-battle impromptu feast, which, in Hans¡¯ opinion, all of them more than earned (even the group of civilian youngsters with them). ¡°Damn, you¡¯re quite a cook, huh?¡± Hans asked as he took a bite of the seared pork from the wild boar that their resident hunter and archer, Charles Gaubon, killed and cooked. ¡°This is well done, I should say.¡± ¡°Cooking was something I studied passionately, alongside magic, in the Grand Academy of Lorraine, good sir.¡± ¡°Academy of Lorraine?¡± Hans raised his eyebrows. Laura smiled. ¡°The three of us studied there. It¡¯s a prestigious magic academy of the Duchy of Lorraine. One of the three great duchies of the Ygeian Principality.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­cool,¡± Hans replied. ¡°You know, Adelyn, in Flandria¡ª¡± ¡°I know,¡± Adelyn replied, nodding. ¡°They invaded from there.¡± ¡°Mhm¡­just funny how the name¡¯s the same and all,¡± Hans clarified. ¡°The same?¡± Charles curiously asked. ¡°Where we come from, we have this enemy nation, the Empire of Flandria,¡± Adelyn explained. ¡°One of their borderlands of the Empire was the Grand Duchy of Lorraine. It was a fortified border region, part of the so-called ¡®Lorraine Line¡¯ by the enemy. Except, during the war, they never used it for defense. They used that place to invade our nation, Lotharingia.¡± Laura narrowed her eyes. ¡°I thought you two were from the West,¡± the Virtus woman said. ¡°Like¡­you know, my father. From the Holy Empire. And what even is Lotharingia?¡± ¡°We¡¯re foreigners,¡± Hans explained. ¡°And, well, we¡¯re stuck in this continent until the foreseeable future. So, yeah, I suppose we are in the employ of the Imperium. No other choice, you know?¡± ¡°My question though, is why you three,¡± Adelyn pointed at them. ¡°Seemingly children of the nobility, or the clergy, would be traveling like buffoons in a dangerous land. It¡¯s dangerous! You three can die roaming around this place, you know?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s our duty!¡± the swordsman named Mathieu Appell replied. ¡°Besides, how will we hone our skills and magic without adventuring? It¡¯s how we gain experience. To travel and fight for the people.¡± ¡°Technically, he could have just sat in his family¡¯s estate and relaxed,¡± Laura jested with a laugh. ¡°And you could have just stayed yourself in that church you work at!¡± ¡°Well, as I¡¯ve said, I have more than enough of a reason to kill the Calamity,¡± Laura said, looking down. ¡°So you understand why I¡¯d leave my homeplace. Praying won¡¯t cut it.¡± ¡°I¡­well¡­yeah¡­¡± Mathieu, a bit ashamed, slackened and turned away, retreating to his food. Hans found it amusing how cocky and forward Mathieu was. He definitely is that kind of a dumbass dude who¡¯d sign up for some distant expeditionary war. Hans shook his head a bit as he ate his pork. In Terra or here, really. There¡¯s always those kinds of people. ¡°Charles here though is really doing this for practical reasons,¡± Laura said. ¡°His family had been stripped of their noble rights by Imperial Authorities.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I travel,¡± the normally silent hunter said. ¡°To find employment. Maybe become a Knight. Or a mercenary. Whatever works. My home is decrepit. There¡¯s no funds nor future there.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s dangerous,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°But I guess I can¡¯t judge you. The magic you place on your bow and arrow seems impressive.¡± The mage-archer bowed a bit. ¡°Thanks for the good words, Lady Wittenstein.¡± Adelyn chuckled. ¡°Alright, alright, I was just joking when I introduced myself that way to you three,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°I¡¯m not that stiff. Just call me Adelyn.¡± ¡°Do you feel benevolent with that?¡± Hans shot from her side. ¡°But here I thought you were one and above these fellows as a high Lotharingian aristocrat?¡± ¡°Just shush.¡± Hans just chuckled at her expense as he returned to his meal. +++ ¡°So¡­¡± Laura sighed as she held her arm. The rest of their group was already asleep in the hastily set up camp they made near their mechs, leaving Adelyn, Hans, and Laura as the sole ones awake. ¡°I think I¡¯ve proven myself enough to you two that I can tag along, right?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t understand why you did that in the town,¡± Adelyn shook her head in disapproval of the younger woman. ¡°It just made you look sketchy.¡± ¡°Well, again! I had to take your attention.¡± ¡°Teenagers¡­¡± Hans chimed beside Adelyn. ¡°Maybe they are that you know¡­special.¡± Laura pouted a bit at Hans. ¡°I think your use of the word ¡®special¡¯ isn¡¯t a very positive description of me.¡± Hans grinned. ¡°Though she is quite perceptive.¡± The young woman pouted even more at Hans¡¯ teasing. ¡°Alright, alright, fine. I get your moves. I did literally ignore your claims quickly,¡± Hans admitted with a shrug. ¡°I get that you¡¯d feel the need to go the extra mile to gain our attention.¡± ¡°At least you can understand that,¡± Laura said, as she deflated. ¡°Anyway, now that it¡¯s behind us,¡± Adelyn uncrossed her arms. ¡°Speak. What really is happening? Why are you so adamant about chasing the Calamity of Desire?¡± ¡°And that¡¯s where her claims go funky,¡± Hans said to Adelyn. ¡°My mother was the one who turned into that thing,¡± Laura explained. ¡°It was years ago. I was still but a helpless child. But my mother was saddled with many problems with my Virtus father.¡± ¡°Ah¡­crap¡­¡± Hans said, his frown now becoming genuine. ¡°Is that why she¡¯s called that way? Shit, she probably snapped.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what happened,¡± Laura started tearing up. ¡°It was an awful night. They were arguing hard while I hid in the bedroom. Until¡­until it happened¡­¡± ¡°Okay, stop now,¡± Adelyn said, distressed at how Laura began genuinely crying. ¡°W-when I went out¡­everything was¡­and he was just¡­blood and guts¡­¡± ¡°Okay, just stop!¡± Adelyn shouted, holding the woman close. ¡°Calm down, no need to explain further. It¡¯s okay now. We understand. You don¡¯t need to relive it.¡± ¡°Goddess¡­¡± Hans said, backing down a bit, as Adelyn tried to soothe Laura. ¡°I guess it¡¯s starting to make sense then. Something¡­something extreme happening to people corrupts them.¡± ¡°I suppose,¡± Adelyn said, as she tried to pat the girl¡¯s head. ¡°That¡¯s also Father Olbrich¡¯s main running theory right now. And¡­and Daniel Specke made a few detours to that idea as their potential origin.¡± ¡°The problem is, no one knows because encountering them almost always means certain death,¡± Hans said. ¡°When they turn, they must¡­¡± He remembered the failed loops where Aliz¨¦e turned into one of them. ¡°They kill everyone and everything around them in a rampage,¡± Hans concluded. ¡°I was lucky,¡± Laura sobbed. ¡°I was just lucky.¡± Slowly, it now really made sense for Hans. And as it did, he felt his gut turn upside down once more. 80. I See No End ¡°The former lands of the Republic have been hit hard by these demonic infestations. With stretched military resources for security, corrupt Virtus authorities, and the Imperial Crown de-facto abandoning them, it is no surprise that humanity is falling at the seams in the region.¡± - Excerpt from ¡°An Emergency Treatise on the Subject of ¡®Demons¡¯¡± by Daniel Specke. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Ygeian Countryside AUG 28, 1538 CE Hans pressed the button to turn on his displays. Hnrh¡­I didn¡¯t remember that the sun looked that good. Hans closed his eyes again for a second, trying to adjust himself on his seat, before opening it back up again. He looked to the side of his display, checking the time itself. 06:22 Hours. He smiled a bit. We had quite a long sleep for once, huh? Well, to be fair, it was the first time in days that Hans and his team had the chance to sleep at something close to how healthy humans slept. He stretched a bit, cracked his knuckles, and relaxed back on his seat. For now, things are fine. Hans smiled at that thought. We¡¯ll drive straight to peaceful settlements, then wait for the next goddamned disaster. Until then though, he hoped to get a good rest and see Ygeia a bit more. After all, he imagined that he would be dying quite a bit because of that thing. And that¡­he could only chuckle at. Of course¡­ Hans shook his head. If it can destroy literal cities so quickly, if it¡¯s so powerful no one even knows much about it except for its name¡­ He breathed out. Of course, I¡¯d be the one who¡¯d deal with it again, and again, and again. He facepalmed. Before once again laughing at himself. He chose this path after all. He chose duty over running and fleeing like a coward. He chose to protect Aliz¨¦e and Adelyn. He chose to band up with the IYC to protect Ygeia. He chose¡­to be a goddamned demon hunter. The conversation last night with the Virtus Priestess, Laura, hadn¡¯t given the two much of an idea about the Calamity of Desire. The only thing they knew now was that something was turning people into murderous, anomalous, and destructive hell creatures. That, and the fact that Laura had connections to the Calamity of Desire, which, according to IYC authorities, was the one controlling all lower demons in Ygeia. Interesting tidbits, but nothing that helps us figure out a way to counter it. Hans shook his head. We don¡¯t even know its behavior. What it does to people. How it¡¯d kill us. Briefly, his hand ran through his belly, remembering how Aliz¨¦e skewered him. Or to his neck, remembering how he was beheaded. Only one way to find out, I guess. Hans thought. So should I start preparing for the inevitable? He really wasn¡¯t sure yet if it would be a good idea. To kill himself as a way to win¡­was something that Hans viewed as an idea of lunacy. But¡­ He grabbed his mug, ending his mindless mulling. He opened up another one of his rationed coffee pouches. There were so many of them, that Hans wondered why whoever summoned him made sure that his mech was filled to the maximum capacity of its supplies, but he had no complaints. He poured it into his cup, then poured the heated water from the self-heating bag that he used up. Gently, he started to mix the contents, and the water turned into warm, brown water. He gave it a few whiffs, before sipping its contents. Next, he cracked open his biscuit rations and ate it with the coffee. By the time he was done, he exited his hatch to finally begin the day. But, when he looked in the direction of his comrades¡ªthey were all clearly asleep. Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler, parked in front of him, was dead as ever, its hatch shut. He looked at the place where the trio slept¡ªthe campfire was dead, and the three were huddled together with their blankets and the shoddy ¡®tent¡¯ they made for themselves. All asleep. Hans sighed. Oh well. He jumped off his mech. Time to wake them up I guess. ¡°Hey! Hey! Everyone! Rise and shine!¡± He shouted as he clapped loudly. ¡°Rise and shine!¡± +++ ¡°We should be quite close, according to the map,¡± Adelyn¡¯s voice said over the comms, as Hans mindlessly drove through the dirt road forward. ¡°Then, a few more kilometers, and we should get to Fort Elmo.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°That¡¯s nice,¡± Hans said. Their mechs were following the lead of Laura¡¯s group, who were all on horseback. Due to this, they were really only driving at the speed of a horse, so they were taking in their sweet time. ¡°But what about the refugees?¡± ¡°Well, the mayor said that they¡¯d scatter out as best as they can while they flee.¡± ¡°So they¡¯ve dispersed?¡± ¡°Indeed. It was the best thing they could do. At least if they all went to different locations, the chances of their survival would increase. No one really knew which place was a safe one when we had to detach ourselves from them.¡± ¡°Any news from the IYC?¡± ¡°None. They seem silent. For some reason.¡± ¡°That¡¯s concerning.¡± ¡°Or they¡¯re just waiting for the right opportunity to give the call to arms. Could be anything really.¡± ¡°Uhuh, well, I hope you¡¯re right in that.¡± ¡°Come on, if their main bases were gone, they¡¯d have long informed us about it. Besides, such a demon can¡¯t just decapitate the command of a Principality-spanning chartered company. That¡¯d be ridiculous.¡± ¡°Be careful of yourself there,¡± Hans laughed. ¡°You could jinx it, and those executives at the IYC won¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Rignon¡¯s fine. It¡¯s unlikely that the Calamity of Desire had it. If they had, we¡¯d have known it already.¡± ¡°Why do we even have no idea about what happened to the 4th?¡± Hans complained. ¡°Or to the Duke? Or to the rest of the suppression force? I¡¯m gonna be honest, they all suck at organizing. Whoever¡¯s on top of this somehow topped the incompetence that our brass is capable of.¡± He finally heard Adelyn giggle a bit. ¡°Gee¡­you have such hatred for everyone on top of you, huh?¡± ¡°Course I have. I think it¡¯s correct. They all suck. We were losing the war, so of course it¡¯s their fault. We¡¯re losing in Lotharingia because they suck. We¡¯re losing here because the guys running Ygeia, they suck ass.¡± ¡°Fair point, I suppose.¡± ¡°That, and realistically¡­¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think their big plan is going to work. Lots of people are about to die as meat shields with this whole operation. They''re literally only going to be there to be the first ones to die.¡± ¡°Well, I know that. It¡¯s what I¡¯ve been uncomfortable about, after Rousselot, and¡­that, and all those past battles. Sure we didn¡¯t die, but¡­they seem really dangerous. Enough to threaten us. We had enough close calls.¡± Hans¡¯ eyes fell down on his control sticks for a second as he listened to Adelyn¡¯s words before they raised back up to look at the road. We didn¡¯t die, huh? He sighed. Close calls, huh? Then again, could he blame her? Hans imagined that in her perspective¡­ Everything went well, and we always won. No failures. Outside of what happened to those soldiers. Or to those civilians. Well, she doesn¡¯t have to know anyway. I¡¯ll deal with it. ¡°Yeah, if those things can even disable my mech¡­that just means one thing. The Calamity of Desire must be strong enough to wipe out entire armies. That¡¯s why this is worrying. Those men that are coming with us. The 4th. The mages. The Duke¡¯s Army. What roles will they really serve except to become a distraction for us?¡± ¡°Well, in that case, we better kill it quickly then,¡± Adelyn said, her conviction bleeding through Hans¡¯ headset. ¡°That way, there won¡¯t be many of them killed. Say, would you be up for some combat recce?¡± ¡°You mean, we¡¯ll directly hunt for it ourselves and kill it?¡± ¡°I guess? It sounds risky, but¡­¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Hans said. ¡°We¡¯ll see if we can do that.¡± +++ ¡°Goddess¡­this is¡­¡± Hans looked to his side. Laura had collapsed on her knees, as she started praying, almost deliriously. Their mechs and horses were parked behind them, and the five of them were looking at the worst carnage they had ever laid their eyes on. Ahead of them, was a city¡­or at least, what was once a city. And, underneath the cliff they were on, was another road beside a farming field, the cool brown wheat fields stained red blood with thousands of corpses. Soldiers. Musketeers. Pikemen. With tattered banners of great houses and merchant companies, flying in an endless sea of death and destruction weakly. It was¡­a disaster. Is this the Suppression Force? ¡°Well¡­that changes the calculus a lot then¡­¡± Adelyn said, her eyes still wide in shock. ¡°Is that city¡­¡± ¡°No further reasons to check that city,¡± Hans shook his head, disinterested. ¡°That thing certainly murdered everyone in there.¡± Beside them, Charles merely crouched, the archer frowning as he stared at the destroyed settlement. ¡°That¡¯s the city of Le Gran,¡± Charles said, his voice empty. ¡°Twenty-thousand souls lived there. From the looks of it, they¡¯re all gone now.¡± ¡°Fort Elmo should be nearby,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°We just need to keep following this road, and we should reach it. If that¡¯s the staging ground, then¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Fort Elmo is the staging ground anymore,¡± Hans said. ¡°Quite frankly, we might need to do this in a different manner. We¡¯re the most mobile unit, right?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I say we start acting like how the cavalry must act,¡± Hans said. ¡°You, Captain. Can you lead armies?¡± ¡°No, I believe not.¡± ¡°Well you have to start doing it from now on,¡± Hans said, shaking his head. ¡°Assuming this is an unfortunate regiment that messed up and had an unplanned uncoordinated confrontation with the Calamity, the IYC must be braindead. That, or they genuinely cannot control multiple armies trying to hunt one entity with what they have.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying we should now take charge and organize this entire thing?¡± Hans pulled out his binoculars and looked in the distance. Again¡­the flat fields were filled with the dead. Many men died mercilessly to a creature that was beyond their means to fight. Cut down like nothing but ants. He even saw multiple horse artillery pieces¡ªnow left abandoned on the fields. ¡°Well, if they can¡¯t do this damned thing well on their own,¡± Hans lowered his binoculars. ¡°Then we have no other choice. Let¡¯s find the 4th. Find the Duke. Find anyone heading to the big fight. And then¡­¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°...We¡¯ll figure out how to kill that damned beast, once and for all.¡± [ARC IV END: CONDEMNED INSIDE] 81. You Think Id Back Down? ARC V: ENDLESS PRISON ¡°Why is it that now I¡¯m appointed to head you, that the seats of Rignon are down to a quarter? I tell you why¡ªwhen Ygeia bleeds, the traitors flee.¡± - Countess Aurelia Foscarini of the Ygeian Imperial Council +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Fort Elmo AUG 29, 1538 CE ¡°Well, it just gets worse and worse,¡± Hans said, as the group eyed the distant star fort¡ªnow reduced to ashes. Its wall and bastions were completely wrecked, smoke rising from its interior. Beside him, Adelyn was deliriously looking at the corpses of people who must have tried to escape it on the road at the south side of the bastion fort using her binoculars. Hans just tapped her. ¡°Alright, stow it away. There¡¯s no point in that.¡± ¡°Goddess¡­¡± ¡°You know,¡± Hans turned around to Laura. ¡°One of the reports I have heard about the Calamity of Desire is that she ¡®presents herself as a teenage girl¡¯,¡± Hans chuckled. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve already said that I have no doubts about your words, but I don¡¯t understand why¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s a trick of hers,¡± Laura said plainly. ¡°That¡¯s how she gets inside of major cities and fortresses. Like that. Perhaps it¡¯s how she¡¯s moving so fast. So¡­unspotted. She¡¯s not like the other demons who appear as these massive monsters at all times. No¡­she¡¯s closer to a human. That¡¯s how she controls them.¡± ¡°And how do you know that?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Three months ago, we survived Preci,¡± Laura said, her eyes devoid of warmth. ¡°I saw her there, while we were hiding. She arrived in the city as just another refugee. Then¡­then¡­wouldn¡¯t you know it, some crazy woman was slaughtering the entire city with her staff or axe." ¡°That¡¯s¡­well, concerning,¡± Hans said. He pulled out his binoculars momentarily. ¡°I can definitely see heavy blast damage on those stone walls. Most likely caused by those energetic explosion things that your magic creates.¡± ¡°We need to continue our recce,¡± Adelyn said, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯m thinking if we take one of the routes that the 4th might pass through, somewhere near Lotagne¡­¡± ¡°Lotagne?¡± ¡°Another town just twenty-eight kilometers from here, westward,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°It¡¯s got a major road toward Rignon. Currently, that road runs through there.¡± Adelyn pointed at the road running at the northern side of the fortress. It was of course worrying¡ªsince the demon must have come from the north. Which means that the place is a danger zone. ¡°We have to get the 4th and the other reinforcements to divert away from an uncoordinated direct engagement with it. If Laura here is correct, and that the demon isn¡¯t going to be fighting in the open¡ªbut that she prefers infiltration, we¡¯d have to check the cities nearby for any attack.¡± ¡°I suppose it makes sense,¡± Hans said. ¡°If she presents herself as a vulnerable young girl, she¡¯d be able to just hop into the most vulnerable population centers.¡± ¡°Or fortified ones, in that case over there.¡± ¡°Yeah, exactly. I think I¡¯m seeing the patterns clearly to support Laura¡¯s story. The attacks she has been doing for the past few months have been against cities and towns and have this pattern of¡­, wait, can you give me the map?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adelyn handed him the massive map. Hans immediately placed it on his mech¡¯s front, grabbing a red marker pen. ¡°Give me the list of recorded attacks.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adelyn pulled out her notepad, and she began listing the towns and cities that the demon attacked. Hans, on the other hand, marked them one by one with an X mark on the map, until they created an image of the distribution of her attacks. ¡°Look at that,¡± Hans showed it to them. ¡°Notice how the attacks are almost random in a sense. There¡¯s no set place or territory that she¡¯s expanding. She¡¯s just attacking any place she wants without order.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a trend for the last ones though,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°She¡¯s targeting cities closer and closer to Rignon.¡± ¡°Which can only mean one thing. Our search will actually turn easier this time. This is a gamble, but assuming that her only goal is to maximize casualties and chaos¡ª¡± he promptly marked Rignon, the biggest Ygeian city, with a massive X mark. ¡°I said it already at Rousselot. Their preparations for a siege won¡¯t work if they are the target. And they are literally fish stuck in a barrel.¡± ¡°So we shall head out to Rignon?¡± Laura asked. ¡°That¡¯s¡­where the Empire rules Ygeia¡­¡± ¡°And where the IYC headquarters is,¡± Hans said. ¡°Hence why, if the attacks are random because she¡¯s just infiltrating places¡­then that means, to maximize damage¡ªRignon is the only place that makes sense for her attack.¡± Hans folded the map and handed it to Adelyn. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this in a simpler way. Since it¡¯s unlikely for the Calamity of Desire to still be here, we¡¯ll use this as a meeting point. Laura, you and you three shall check Rignon if it¡¯s still alive. Be quick and be back here by tomorrow. And don''t you dare fight it.¡± Laura nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll be swift in our mission then.¡± ¡°Then, us?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°We¡¯ll grab the scattered armies,¡± Hans said. ¡°Get them here, and get them moving quickly to Rignon. If she¡¯ll attack there, then we better have everyone moving quickly to that city at once.¡± Adelyn sighed.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Alright¡­guess it¡¯s time to talk to people now.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move out.¡± Laura¡¯s group immediately dashed to their horses, mounted it, and rode away. Adelyn on the other hand went straight for her mech, while Hans mounted the Peacemaker. However, before he entered his mech, he saw something on the side of one of the trees. It was¡­a strange fleshy thing. Why does that look like a human being? It was utterly revulsing, but¡­ A fleshy¡­doll? He looked back at the destroyed fortress, and then to the strange thing on the ground. It was bloody too, almost as if it was just flesh stitched together into a macabre horror. Goddess¡­ He shook his head and dropped down into his mech. That¡¯s absolutely disgusting. +++ Lotagne ¡°Hello?¡± The speakers from Adelyn¡¯s mech boomed through the desolate ruins of the Ygeian city. Hans felt himself sickened as he looked around. It was a site of¡­absolute massacre. Bodies were strewn throughout the city, with deaths of all kinds that he wanted to just look away from. ¡°Is anyone alive?¡± Their two mechs drove slowly through the streets, trying their best to avoid the mountains of corpses left by the Calamity of Desire. It was almost as if it was turned into a warzone, with entire crowds of bodies just lying around, rotting slowly. Strangely enough, many of them didn¡¯t seem to die from any magical attacks. ¡°It¡¯s like they stabbed each other,¡± Hans said. ¡°Or¡­.or they killed each other¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­I can see something on the side,¡± Adelyn said, her voice clearly quivering in fear. ¡°His head has an axe¡­just¡­there¡­.¡± ¡°What the hell happened to this place?¡± ¡°Whatever that thing is, it¡¯s madness.¡± The two continued driving toward the city center. The horrors that this ¡°Calamity¡± seemed to create were astounding. Perhaps the rumors about its capabilities weren''t far off. It certainly seemed that whatever power it had, it drove people mad. Very mad. And that was what worried Hans and Adelyn greatly. Do we even have any countermeasures to her magic? ¡°I don¡¯t know, but¡­¡± The two of them stopped in front of the city center¡¯s square. A scream came out of Adelyn, as Hans¡¯ eyes widened. It was¡­ ¡°Fleshy dolls?!¡± ¡°Goddess¡­what the hell is that?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wanna see it! I¡¯m out of here!¡± Adelyn promptly drove her mech away, while Hans stared at the mountain of ¡°dolls¡± near the fountain. What kind of a sadist would create something like this? He couldn¡¯t believe it. They were small. But they were stacked together like a fleshy mountain¡­of disgusting things. He felt his hair rise just by looking at it. Certainly, whatever it was, it emanated evil. But a worse kind of evil. It almost seemed childish. He could almost imagine that ¡°young woman¡±, sadistically laughing as she magically turned people into these things. Almost as if she desires nothing but creating toys¡­twisted toys. He backed away instinctively, his mech driving in reverse, following Adelyn¡¯s panicked retreat. ¡°Okay, okay¡­that¡¯s¡­well, now we have an idea what it does.¡± ¡°Why is it like that?! Why?! Why?!¡± ¡°Calm down!¡± Hans snapped. ¡°We should keep going. Maybe the 4th is already nearby. This city is lost, but we can still stop this from happening to other places. We just¡­we just need to muster everyone to Rignon and kill that thing there.¡± ¡°Why would it do something like this? Turning people into that¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s a demon!¡± Hans shouted. ¡°Now get back to your controls as we need to keep moving.¡± ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± he heard her try to breathe in and out. ¡°Okay¡­it¡¯s just¡­this was quite the different horror than I¡¯m used to. I get gunned down people or what else, but that¡­that¡¯s just different. I can¡¯t¡­I just¡­¡± ¡°Now, now, don¡¯t puke out of nowhere.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to puke! I just¡­sorry, it just got through my skin,¡± she breathed in deeply. ¡°Okay¡­I¡¯m good now. I think.¡± ¡°Did she see it?¡± ¡°No, of course not, I¡¯m keeping her blindfolds on. She¡¯s kinda pissed about it already though.¡± ¡°Why do I have to always wear this?¡± ¡°Hey, shh¡­¡± ¡°Okay, just turn off your internal speakers, please,¡± Hans said. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to hear any of this.¡± ¡°I did, she only hears me.¡± ¡°Yeah, but I know something bad is happening, Lady Adelyn!¡± Hans just sighed. ¡°Okay¡­okay,¡± Hans turned his mech back to the¡­¡°art piece¡± in front of them. ¡°Bleugh, that just, ehh¡­man, okay¡­damn it¡­okay, yeah, you¡¯re right, it¡¯s straight up yuck. I don¡¯t wanna be turned into that.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± ¡°Okay¡­holy¡­goodness¡­yeah, um¡­do you have any ADI MPAT with you?¡± ¡°Of course, I keep some of them with me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­can you like, fire it at them? Start an inferno or something? Geez, those exposed rotting things are a goddamned biohazard in the making. ¡°Sure, on it.¡± Hans drove his mech to the side to make a path for Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler, as she turned her main gun straight into the direction of the mountain of fleshy dolls. In one shot¡ªa massive inferno appeared, burning the fleshy mass into blackened, crispy things. The two soon looked away, driving out of the area. There was a brief silence between the two as they continued driving, as they observed the bodies around the streets. None of them were seemingly converted into that fleshy mass, which was strange. Why would she turn some of them into that but not everyone else? Hans found the behavior of this thing both fascinating and terrifying. It¡¯s like a twisted game of some sort¡­maybe to that thing, it is. She turns some people mad to make them¡­I don¡¯t know, kill each other? Others¡­she turns them into her toys. I wonder then what purpose those dolls serve¡­ He wanted to ask Laura why her mother would turn into this strange monster. It didn¡¯t make any sense to him. ¡°We really need to kill that thing.¡± ¡°Quite frankly, I¡¯m having second thoughts about trying to challenge it now but screw it. I¡¯d rather die fighting it than die like that while running.¡± ¡°Yeah, you got a point.¡± Hans breathed out¡­looking at another corpse on the side of the streets. For some reason, his mind imagined an imagery¡ªa young demonic woman, giggling at her sick, sadistic creations. Someone that must be silenced¡­before more of this could happen. There would be no backing out. 82. You Think Id Fear You? ¡°Those who abandon their duty to fight shall be denied access to help or food.¡± - IYC poster in Lotagne +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Unknown ¡°Hey¡­¡± It was dark. Hans looked at the person staring down at him. Her voice. Her face. It was¡­hard to vividly describe. Her hair cascaded down as she touched his cheek, and a cruel, white smile grew on her face, in contrast to its shadowy silhouette. ¡°You have a big job coming,¡± she said, almost soothingly sick. ¡°Take her out for me, will you?¡± Cruel giggles emanated from her. ¡°I know you can do it¡­¡± Then, she dived in close to her ears, her feathery-light voice sending the worst fear that he had felt into his nerves. ¡°Eventually¡­you¡¯ll die a lot for me, won¡¯t you? Just like how you do it for her?¡± For some reason, Hans felt himself angered by the audacious demands of the strange shadow woman¡ªhis hand reaching out to grab her neck and crush it. But nothing. ¡°You¡¯re such a mean boy¡­¡± Near Lotagne AUG 30, 1538 CE Hans¡¯s eyes shot wide open. He looked at his gloved hand, stretched out to grab something that didn¡¯t exist in the air. Why? He asked. What the hell happened? For a second, he just continued, his hand curling into a fist before he retracted it downward. He allowed his back to rest on his seat for a good while, as he tried to make sense of what happened. Must just be another weird dream. Hans yawned a bit, as suddenly, the beep of his alarm rang. He looked at the display screens¡ªit was 06:00 hours already. The sun was wide above them, above their two mechs which were parked on a road just a few kilometers outside of Lotagne. Hans immediately pressed his comms, and he was greeted by Adelyn¡¯s sleepy voice. ¡°Hey, morning, Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Just woke up to my alarm too. Are you good over there?¡± ¡°As good as ever, Captain,¡± Hans said, smiling a bit to himself. ¡°Alright, I think we should continue now¡ª¡± Suddenly, his words were cut short, as flags and banners appeared on the road. Horses advanced forward¡ªartillery behind them. And of course, the most iconic of them all¡ªlines upon lines of rugged musketeers, followed by the armored cavalry of the Imperial Cuirassiers. Hans found his smile grow at the sight in front of them. ¡°Well¡­well¡­would you look at that, isn¡¯t that quite the pretty sight?¡± ¡°It¡¯s them!¡± ¡°Damn it, it is,¡± Hans said, looking at four men on horseback leading the lines of soldiers. Captain Strobel, Captain Weibel, Lieutenant Preisnel, and a strange-looking older Virtus man, his halo glowing just above his feathered hat. Behind them, a priestly-looking man also caught up on them, his horse charging at a good gallop¡ªit was Father Olbrich himself. ¡°Looks like the 4th got us beat on the punch then.¡± ¡°We searched far and wide last night,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°How?¡± ¡°I guess our worst-case scenario didn¡¯t materialize. They must have just taken their time to get here,¡± Hans said, laughing. ¡°Thank Goddess for that. My gut tells me we¡¯ll need everything for this damned thing.¡± +++ The old Virtus man, who they found out was named ¡°Duke Lorenzo Morosini of Lignon¡± curiously stroked his beard as he looked at Adelyn, who¡­because of his gaze, had decided that Hans was her best defense by hiding just slightly behind him. ¡°I sense a great magical potential from you, young lass,¡± the Virtus nobleman said. ¡°Does the foreign lady stay true to the faith? Have your lands learned of the good words of the gods?¡± ¡°Y-yes?¡± Adelyn squeaked. ¡°I pray and pray and pray. It makes my heart feel all the better.¡± ¡°Good, keep praying, because you and your man here are about to be in a fight of a lifetime,¡± the man said, before sitting on a chair set up by one of his attendants. A table was quickly set up in front of him, as a few more officers¡ªalongside Captain Strobel, the two IYC mercenaries, and Father Olbrich, assembled around their ad-hoc war council. ¡°Ah, now that wouldn¡¯t do. Get the map in here.¡± Another one of his attendants rushed quickly, placing the map in front of him, as the Duke smiled. He then raised his hand. ¡°Now, I want all of you to listen clearly with this one,¡± he looked around, especially at Hans¡¯ and Adelyn¡¯s direction. ¡°It will be a glorious day, but many will die. That simply is our expectation. But one thing¡¯s clear, we shall smite the devil¡¯s cretin from these holy lands, in the name of our great Empress¡ª¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. He suddenly coughed and wheezed, grabbing his handkerchief to cough on it, interrupting his tirade. The old man shook his head and coughed another one, before looking at his audience with dead serious eyes. ¡°It shall be glorious! Yes. We have artillery now. We have the cavalry. We have¡­YOU,¡± he pointed at Adelyn and Hans. ¡°And your contraptions, which I have heard many things about from these fine gentlemen of Rousselot.¡± Captain Weibel and Captain Strobel seemed to both smile forcefully at the words of the Duke. ¡°Now, we have at our disposal¡­eight regiments. Eight fine regiments of the Holy Imperium. All arrayed to kill one demon. Yes, one demon¡ªthe Calamity of Desire. That thing. Woman. Whatever this vile wretched creature is¡­we have received word, yes, word, that two more cities up north had fallen, and that Fort Elmo has also succumbed¡­thankfully, just after most evacuated it days prior¡­but indeed, it is close to the crown jewel of Ygeia¡ªRignon.¡± He coughed again, as he stood, pulling out a knife, and stabbed the city of Rignon on the map. ¡°This, gentlemen, and ladies, is the target,¡± the Duke said. ¡°We shall stand guard on that city, and kill it once and for all once it arrives. That is the plan.¡± ¡°Milord!¡± One of the officers spoke. ¡°What shall be our battlelines?¡± ¡°Battlelines?¡± Hans asked. ¡°No, we¡¯re not going to deploy in a very linear fashion. I believe that until the final moment, we must disperse our forces well during the engagement. We¡¯ve just fought and killed a demon that had these¡­beams that can break through great ranks of men. It would be unwise if we¡¯re not spread out.¡± The group of officers all turned to him, their eyes casting doubt upon him. Captain Strobel and Captain Weibel both however backed him with their words. ¡°That man is right,¡± Captain Strobel said. ¡°The infantry must disperse into companies. The cavalry must remain mobile at all times. And the artillery¡­it should be kept out of the battle until the demon is sapped, and trapped. That''s how we killed the first monster at Rousselot.¡± ¡°In cities, it can be chaotic,¡± Captain Weibel said. ¡°If I were to say anything, I¡¯d prefer we don¡¯t fight inside Rignon. We were barely lucky during the second attack at Rousselot.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± the Duke looked down at the map, seemingly in deep thought, before he pointed his hands at Adelyn and Hans. ¡°You two, shall move ahead of us, right now, and find the demon. We¡¯ll prepare around the city of Rignon. Then, once we have spotted the demon, we shall deploy in a spread-out manner throughout the countryside. We shall try to encircle it¡ªand trap it.¡± This time, Adelyn finally gathered her courage and stood beside Hans, placing her hands on top of the table. ¡°If I may,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°I request that you send a messenger to order the complete evacuation of the citizenry of Rignon.¡± ¡°The citizens inside of the city have entered it in the hopes of finding safety behind its walls,¡± the Duke replied. ¡°They have no protection outside of the city. And we cannot have random peasants going about and disrupting our battle once it begins.¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve said earlier,¡± Captain Weibel reiterated. ¡°We have concerns of a potential city battle. It¡¯d be dangerous if that happens.¡± ¡°Unlike all the other places destroyed by the Calamity, Rignon is a city defended to the teeth,¡± the Duke insisted. ¡°It is one of the safest places in the whole Principality. That demon cannot enter it. It would be blown to bits by the wall artillery that Rignon boasts. Not to mention the Grand Magus himself who resides in the city. That, and the priestly battlemages of the Church of Purity¡­.¡± ¡°And will any of that mean anything if the Calamity gets inside?¡± Adelyn challenged. ¡°No. That, and I have heard that most of the mages in the city have already fled. The nobles. The priests. You name it. They clearly felt enough fear not to cross it.¡± ¡°But the Grand Magus¡­¡± ¡°Milord, I¡¯m afraid that the lady has a point,¡± one of the officers said to the Duke. ¡°We received word that the Grand Magus was nowhere to be found yesterday.¡± ¡°Preposterous! How can they all leave Ygeia so fast? This is a shame on the name of the Virtus race!¡± Hans and Adelyn could only look at each other. They needed to get to Laura soon. +++ ¡°The city¡¯s fine,¡± Laura said, as the trio rested their horses near the parked mechs of Hans and Adelyn. ¡°It seems that many have deserted the walls though. We went to the nearby towns too. The leadership of Ygeia seems to be gone. All that¡¯s left running the show is this Virtus noblewoman, named Aurelia Foscarini.¡± ¡°Well, if that isn¡¯t what we expected,¡± Hans said, shaking his head at the news. ¡°Everyone and their mother is running the crap away from this place.¡± ¡°Not many of the Virtus settler nobles are left,¡± Laura shook her head. ¡°All that¡¯s left are the footsoldiers, alongside the human and Vanus administrators ill-equipped to even deal with this.¡± ¡°Actually, on that note,¡± Hans pointed at Laura. ¡°You¡¯re Virtus, right? I wonder why, but you don¡¯t seem like you have that¡­type of naming that I¡¯ve been seeing with Virtus folks.¡± Laura smiled. ¡°I¡¯m native here. My family was native here. That¡¯s why my name is of the Continental stock. In fact, I am mixed. My mother was a Vanus. My father was a Virtus. Those settler nobles, they only really arrived here after the Republic fell.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Hans nodded. ¡°So why get a ¡®human¡¯ styled name? Isn¡¯t that quite the commoner thing?¡± It was something he had noticed after all. It seemed that nobles of the Vanus type had a Flandrian-esque name. Those of the Virtus types seemed to have something Sicilian-like. While commoners had a Lotharingian-like type of name. ¡°Well, it¡¯s what my father chose,¡± Laura smiled bitterly. ¡°I guess that¡¯s what they wanted for their halfling daughter. A ¡®common¡¯ name. It¡¯s just a name though, so I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Pardon me for my curiosity.¡± ¡°No worries, you¡¯re a foreigner anyway.¡± ¡°Everyone!¡± Adelyn called out, coming out of her mech with her map at hand. ¡°We¡¯ll set out now for Rignon. At once.¡± She unrolled her map on the ground. ¡°Since the Army will be surrounding the area, our goal then is to pre-emptively find the demon in the towns and settlements around the city, or in the city itself. You three will follow us, as closely as you can, and provide magical support. As for us¡ªour guns will be the ones making the noise upon contact. Once we find it, we¡¯ll open fire as quickly as possible to draw the entire Army to our location¡ªthen we¡¯ll kill the demon.¡± ¡°Pretty bold plan, huh?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like we have a choice. Rignon may be standing right now, but I have a gut feeling that we¡¯re already too late.¡± Hans understood her words. It was certainly an opinion he shared. For a split second¡­he could see his blood again in the ground before it turned back into green. Soon. Perhaps, this attempt¡­would be just another dead end. But perhaps, there''s no point to be afraid. If death awaits me¡­then I''ll just cheat it. He grinned. Until I win. 83. Would You Give Up? ¡°Calamity of Desire, huh? Quite the strange name, to be honest. I¡¯d like to see how she¡¯d fight two modern Wanderpanzers.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Near Rignon AUG 30, 1538 CE It¡¯s raining again¡­ The pools of rainwater splashed upwards as the fast-moving legs of Hans¡¯ Wanderfalke ran over it. Behind his mech, Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler sped forward, as the two raced through the abandoned town. It was only a few dozen kilometers north of Rignon, and it was to be the first town that they had visited. Gone were the people. The soldiers. The merchants. Everyone. Hans deduced that it must have been a hasty evacuation, considering the chaotic remnants on the streets. There were wagons, abandoned. Food stalls, still filled to the brim with grain and produce. Even the few clothing stores seemed to have been hastily looted. But Hans and Adelyn didn¡¯t mind it, speeding further and further throughout the town until they reached the center. Just then, three horses stopped in front of them. Hans looked at Laura¡¯s hand signals as she pulled her horse to the side¡ªno sighting. He sighed. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get to the next one,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Copy, Captain.¡± The trio on horseback dispersed at once, and Hans and Adelyn followed, driving straight out through the main road to exit the town. Above them, the rain clouds turned the afternoon ever darker, as the downpour intensified. How would those using powder fight in these conditions? Hans thought, but he stowed it away to the deepest part of his mind, as they drove out straight into the countryside¡¯s dirt roads. In just a few dozen minutes, they entered another town. Just as abandoned as the last one. They drove and drove, with Hans and Adelyn taking different routes to comb through the settlement, until they reached the center, and drifted to a stop. ¡°Nothing¡¯s on my end.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± He heard Adelyn sigh loudly. ¡°This is getting more and more dangerous.¡± ¡°At this point, I¡¯m going to believe the infiltration idea,¡± Hans said. ¡°She most likely is inside the city itself.¡± He watched as Adelyn popped her hatch open, exposing herself to the rain outside. Hans stayed in his mech, his turret turning left and right to act as overwatch, while Adelyn went straight into a poster nailed into a door of a local church. He heard her speak through her radio after she read it. ¡°Seems like the new Viceroy ordered a mass evacuation from outlying towns into fortified cities,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°The edict was given out¡­just yesterday.¡± ¡°That means many must still be moving out toward the cities,¡± Hans said, crossing his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s try to intercept some of the refugees coming into Rignon then. See if they have something weird going on with them.¡± ¡°Mhm¡­someone notified me on the magic tablet about Rignon¡¯s status. They¡¯re still fine over there.¡± Adelyn said as she walked back to her mech. ¡°So that means that it wasn¡¯t attacked yet.¡± ¡°Well, we wouldn¡¯t know, what if she¡¯s just biding her time?¡± ¡°The Duke sent a few battalions to check in and comb through the city,¡± Adelyn said, pulling her hatch up and entering back inside her mech. ¡°So that¡¯s them covering the city search problem. Us? We¡¯ll continue with our job. If the towns are out and evacuated, we should focus on the roads and the lines of refugees.¡± ¡°I suck at interrogating people,¡± Hans said. ¡°If we¡¯d have to go on foot to comb through them, maybe I should start getting in on the whole skill upgrades thing. Hmm¡­you already upgraded yours, right?¡± ¡°Yeah? I spent mine on ¡®Act: Wrath of the Law¡¯,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°It¡¯s now at Tier II, and also I unlocked ¡®Act: Ray of Light¡¯, something about a powerful basic skill spell against demons. It requires¡­too much AP though. So it¡¯s kinda awkward¡­I don¡¯t know if I can use it¡­yet¡­¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Hans said, checking his open skill slots for once. I haven¡¯t chosen one because I¡¯ve been fighting on my mech. He thought it¡¯d be pointless to rush for it. ¡°I¡¯ll just check on mine.¡± +++
[ACT: ONE SHOT, ONE KILL] Description Allows the user to fire a high-powered shot from his firearms. The singular shot would deal at least sixfold damage to the target. Tier I: Shot damage increases by at least six folds. Costs twenty AP per shot. Specialized shots (Incendiary/Explosive) have twice the AP cost. [ACT: LIARS DETECT LIARS] Description When activated, the positions of hostile entities within a ten-meter radius are revealed to the user. Tier I: The range of detection is ten meters. Costs twenty AP per minute upon activation.
+++ Not a single one of them is an open skill! Even now I still can¡¯t use actual magic like her!You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Wait¡­¡± Hans looked back at the second one. Okay, that looks like it¡¯s a worse version of my ¡®Eye of Paranoia¡¯ upgrade. But then, he supposed it made sense. One was an enchantment type of shtick for his mech¡¯s sensors to depict demons. Another would be a skill that his body itself would be doing to magically detect something. ¡°I just¡­had a skill out here,¡± Hans said. ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®Liars Detect Liars¡¯. Says I can detect any hostile entities within ten meters from me upon activation. That demon counts as a hostile entity, so I guess I¡¯ll take this now.¡± ¡°Liars detect liars? Quite the title, huh?¡± ¡°I guess the ¡®system¡¯ just likes to make fun of me,¡± Hans chuckled nervously. ¡°I get all the bad titled skills and upgrades and you get the angelic ones. Kinda unfair.¡± ¡°Err¡­well¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, I think we¡¯d be doing your idea then,¡± Hans said. ¡°I got two skill slots so I¡¯m taking both of these. Then, ugh¡­let¡¯s move out. And find her. I¡¯ll activate this when needed while we interrogate people, and maybe we¡¯ll find the Calamity of Desire that way.¡± ¡°But that requires you to be ten meters from her.¡± Hans felt his heart sink. ¡°You''re right¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°Well, I can also do ¡®Eye of Paranoia¡¯ if need be,¡± Hans said. ¡°So maybe I can just drive past a refugee group?¡± ¡°Yeah, you can try that.¡± ¡°Yeah, that might work too,¡± Hans said. ¡°I¡¯m still taking this for redundancy¡¯s sake. I would never know when I might be outside of my mech and need something to¡­find demons hiding. Better safe than sorry, I guess.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± +++ The two continued their mad drive through the countryside as the ongoing rain intensified above them. Hans was already bleeding through his AP as he kept the ¡®Eye of Paranoia¡¯ upgrade activated for his mech, each hour passing by on their search slowly whittling down his limited reserves. Something which he knew he¡¯d need soon for his ammunition, fuel, and repairs. Still¡­none of that matters until we find that thing. Hans was determined wholly to that singular quest. Just¡­find it. And kill it. But even with his mech¡¯s protection, and the power it held, as the day wore on, he felt his grip on his controls slowly becoming more nervous. Why, he asked himself. Yet he had no proper answers. He told himself that if death would be inevitable¡­he¡¯d be prepared for it. But¡­ ¡°We got a line of civilians up ahead of us!¡± Adelyn shouted. Hans nodded, and confirmed it, as he was leading the pack. ¡°I know. We¡¯ll just do a quick pass by, then I¡¯ll try to personally check on them on foot. You cover me.¡± Adelyn immediately peeled off, as the group of civilians on wagons and carriages looked at Hans¡¯ mech, speeding past them. Hans checked his tactical map, nothing, nothing at all indicated that there was a demonic entity on this convoy. He pulled his mech to a stop right in front of the refugees, blocking them. Pulling out his pistol and SMG, he opened his hatch and jumped down. ¡°Everyone!¡± He shouted. ¡°I¡¯m of the Imperial Army. I am here for an impromptu inspection of all of you!¡± ¡°Sir Soldier,¡± an older man, who dismounted his wagon, removed his hat as he approached him. ¡°We are but townsfolk fleeing the great demons of the north. The Madame Viceroy has given us the order that all of us shall seek refuge in our walled cities. So we''re here.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Hans said, looking at the group of civilians ahead of them. ¡°I¡¯ll just check and then I¡¯ll let you go on.¡± ¡°We hold nothing but women and children, and the elderly,¡± the old man said. ¡°We are no rebels or anything¡­and we have no supplies to offer¡­¡± ¡°I never said you are.¡± Hans walked past him, checking the terrified civilians one by one. He took a deep breath, activating his skill, and suddenly, his vision changed. When he got close to people, they had this light blue glow on them. I assume then that anything out of the ordinary would be a demon. He continued walking. There were boys, girls, young children, their mothers, and some old sickly men amongst them. Most likely because the men were either pressed into service to fight or work. Many were covered in thick clothes to hide from the cold and rain. Hans felt pity for these people, but there wasn¡¯t much they could do to help them. And it sucked that they probably were making things worse now. One of them was particularly jumpy, a middle-aged woman who Hans noticed was hiding a knife behind her, all while her two kids huddled near her. He backed away a bit. ¡°Calm down,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything, Ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°You Imperials are crazy goons,¡± the woman said, her eyes accusatory. ¡°You all ransacked our village months ago.¡± Hans couldn¡¯t say much about that. He just backed off and continued, until he reached the end. He looked down at the ground, as the droplets of water fell. Nothing. ¡°Alright!¡± He shouted at them. ¡°You will all move on now! There is no¡ª¡± He noticed something. Someone, inside one of the wagons, wearing a thick and raggedy white cloak, had a red glow. She was inside a wagon that contained a bunch of children, conveniently hidden away. And upon seeing it, Hans¡¯ guts turned down. It¡¯s¡­. He couldn¡¯t say anything, and the civilians all looked at him in surprise, his eyes wide agape in fear. No words came out, as he backed down a bit. Should, should I¡­ The person with the cloak turned their head to him¡ªno, it was a she, and her eyes, red as fire, glinted as she stared at him. She knows. She knows! Hans backed further, still muted, as he looked back at the civilians. He wanted to raise his gun, straight at that woman, and drag her away from the children inside the wagon, but he knew, a demon hiding amongst them, it would be the death of them, and him. He was frozen in place. ¡°She¡­¡± he croaked, as he pointed at the strange woman. ¡°W-who is she?¡± ¡°You ingrate! She¡¯s a poor woman who survived a demonic encounter! How dare you set your eyes upon someone who suffered that way?¡± An older woman said, placing herself between Hans and the carriage. The children all turned their heads at the commotion, but the woman looked back down. ¡°You Imperials are animals!¡± Before he could respond, his radio buzzed. ¡°Lieutenant, back out now,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°They¡¯re becoming agitated.¡± ¡°Captain, I think I¡­¡± ¡°I know,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Get the hell out of there now and drive back to me. We¡¯ll figure things out. Get out. GET OUT!¡± Hans, hearing the authoritative voice of his commander, immediately obeyed and scurried back to his vehicle. The civilians, clearly distrustful of Imperial authorities, all looked at him with scorn as he ran away. I probably shouldn¡¯t have declared myself as one of them. Hans nervously thought as he climbed back on his mech. How can we even separate these people from her? They¡¯re going to die! He immediately pulled his mech on a reverse drive, opening the path for the wagons to continue onward, as he retreated to Adelyn¡¯s position. He had no idea what to do next. 84. Would You Break Down? ¡°Placing too much faith in your war machines is foolish. No weapon survives bad circumstances.¡± - General Frank Zurich, Confederate General. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Near Rignon ¡°Captain!¡± Hans shouted as he pulled his mech into a hard retreat. ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡± ¡°Hold on¡ª¡± Adelyn replied. Hans neared the position she held. It was a small hill that effectively held fire control on the flat fields, around them, alongside the road that the convoy would be passing through. ¡°Okay¡­.I¡­well, I¡¯m contacting the suppression force.¡± ¡°Do we open fire now?¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Hans gripped his controls and bit his teeth hard, his main gun aiming straight at the wagon that contained that strange woman. That thing¡¯s going to kill those innocent children. But at the same time, maybe if he pulled the trigger now, they might be able to save the rest of the civilians running. No, nothing but a pipe dream. She¡¯ll survive it. And he¡¯d just murder a bunch of innocent civilians prematurely. His mech stopped its panicked retreat. Damn it! ¡°What¡¯s the news now?!¡± ¡°They¡¯re sending in the light cavalry and two regiments at us,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°But the folks talking to me are still about to dispatch the orders on horseback. It¡¯d take too long.¡± ¡°Then they have to march here,¡± Hans said, still keeping his main gun tracked on the target. ¡°I¡¯m gonna switch to Laura¡¯s frequencies.¡± Hans fumbled through his mech radio¡¯s controls before he heard the buzzing sounds from it as Laura answered it, her deep breaths almost matching the sound of the gallops of her horse. ¡°Lieutenant?!¡± ¡°We found her,¡± Hans said. ¡°North of you. On the road running eastward of the town we last visited.¡± ¡°I hear you, we¡¯re riding as fast as we can there!¡± ¡°Make haste. We need that magical support now.¡± Hans closed the radio transmission, before reconnecting to Adelyn. ¡°Any ideas?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adelyn said, her voice cracking into a more nervous one. ¡°She¡¯s¡­she¡¯s using those people as meatshields.¡± ¡°This is some insurgency tactics,¡± Hans said. They continued watching the convoy drive forward. ¡°I¡¯m not letting them get away. We have to shadow them. We don¡¯t know how fast the Calamity of Desire can travel when she reveals herself. The closer she is to Rignon, the more at risk those people are.¡± ¡°Okay, move out, now.¡± The two immediately drove forward, their mechs hot on the tail of the moving convoy. Hans himself was thinking long and hard about this predicament. First of all, outside of that ability I used, I have no real confirmation that she¡¯s the devil. ¡®Eye of Paranoia¡¯ was specifically for spotting demons. It didn¡¯t spot her. ¡®Liars Detect Liars¡¯ was more broad. It was for spotting ¡®hostile entities¡¯, which could mean anything. She might not even be a demon. Or perhaps it¡¯s an issue of classification and technicalities? Hans couldn¡¯t figure it out as he pressed harder on the gas. Are Calamities so above that of simple demons that they don¡¯t count as one? He didn¡¯t know. Most important, was the decision. Should he open fire at a wagon carrying children to save tens of thousands, even if such a decision probably wouldn¡¯t even work? He didn¡¯t know either. ¡°Alright¡­I think¡­I think we need to forcefully go on foot and separate her from them.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t work,¡± Hans said. ¡°If we try that, she¡¯ll probably transform or something like that demon in Rousselot, and then we¡¯d be dead!¡± ¡°So we¡¯ll just open fire on these people?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± ¡°Damn it¡­¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°This road is headed to Rignon,¡± Adelyn answered. ¡°We¡¯re going straight there.¡± ¡°And the cavalry?¡± ¡°They should meet these people head-on soon.¡± ¡°Okay¡­maybe they can separate her from them? Then we keep an overwatch?¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan until it¡¯s not,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Goddess, these things are city-destroying creatures. How are we even supposed to stop it when it¡¯s hugging innocent people closely?¡± Hans didn¡¯t have an answer. They continued shadowing the convoy, their guns turning and tracking them.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Let¡¯s try my plan,¡± Hans said. ¡°If¡­if she turns hostile, then damn the civilian casualties. We¡¯ll stop her before she gets to Rousselot. We¡¯ll just try avoiding it by getting the Imperials to separate them first on foot.¡± ¡°Okay, gotcha.¡± +++ The Imperial Cavalry soon arrived dead ahead of the moving convoy. The civilian column immediately stopped when the plumes of the Cuirassiers appeared, their horses running fast through the fields surrounding them. Hans and Adelyn stopped approximately four hundred meters at their rear, their mechs observing the unfolding situation. Adelyn already informed them through her magical device on who to remove, so it would be up to them to do it now. Hans watched as some of the cavalrymen dismounted. They drew their pistols or carbines out, while the others continued circling the convoy. Hans felt awful about this entire thing¡ªthe two were keeping their distance, understandably so. The bad side was they¡¯d be using the Imperial Cavalry as cannon fodder to do the dangerous job for them. It didn''t sit well with the two. Soon, the dismounted Cuirassiers began shouting at the civilians, who cowered in fear on the side of their wagons. Hans watched the leader of the unit, who himself rode with his horse, his saber drawn, beside the lines of wagons and carriages. He was shouting with clear hostility at the fearful townsfolk. The other men on foot on the other hand began violently ransacking the carriages and wagons, tearing them open, and throwing the belongings of the crying civilians as they searched for the ¡°hidden demon¡± with wild abandon. ¡°What the hell are they doing?¡± ¡°Imperial Cavalry,¡± Hans said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if these people routinely raze the countryside while searching for Republican insurgents.¡± Soon, they reached the wagon that Hans remembered as the one containing the suspected demon. The children from inside were quickly ordered to leave and scatter, running away in tears from the Imperial Soldiers. But not the woman. The woman didn¡¯t come out. The Cuirassiers on foot began shouting violently at the wagon until two of them went inside to violently drag her out. They immediately threw her into the road, ripping her cloak away a bit to reveal her face, before one of them stepped on her back, gun pointed at her head. ¡°They got her,¡± Hans said. ¡°They took her.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t she resisting?¡± ¡°Did you tell them to get the civilians away?¡± ¡°I did. I told them to just separate her so we can deal with her.¡± ¡°Then what the hell are they doing?¡± The two were distracted by a loud bang. White smoke obscured their view temporarily until they saw what had happened. The cavalryman who had stepped on the woman shot her in the head. There was silence from the rest of the onlooking Cuirassiers, many of them stepping back for a brief second as the commotion died. Then, a bright pink flash blinded them all. ¡°What¡ª¡± Then a slash¡ªand a violent scream. The body of one of the cavalrymen found itself sliced cleanly in half. In front of him, the woman had reawakened, the wound in her head closing as if it were nothing as she smiled sadistically. That, and Hans saw her holding the most ridiculously looking oversized axe he had laid his eyes on. It glowed for a second, and she aimed the axe at the group of cuirassiers, who began to form up into an ad-hoc firing line, their guns aimed at her. But a red glowing circle appeared in front of her axe, and it fired multiple red, blood-like pulses at the Imperial Soldiers in front of her. All of them immediately dissolved into a puddle of red flesh, their bodies reforming into dozens of sickly, fleshy, doll-like objects that moved and merged with each other. ¡°It¡¯s really her!¡± ¡°Engage! Engage!¡± Hans immediately charged forward, as he switched his main gun¡¯s ammunition into that of an MPAT round¡ªset to airburst mode. He then pulled the trigger and rained a hail of machine gun rounds at the woman. Adelyn did the same, as the woman jumped and dodged it, going straight for the wagon line and hopping between their roofs. The two however didn¡¯t stop firing, their machine gun peppering the wagons and carriages with holes as the civilians dropped in a panic on the road. Meanwhile, the remaining cavalrymen scattered around the fields, their guns drawn as they joined at opening fire on her, their shots staggered, scattered, and inaccurate. ¡°Is this what you all want?!¡± She shouted, her sultry and feminine voice echoing across the battlefield. ¡°At last, to challenge me?¡± A demon speaking our language? He stopped momentarily as he allowed his guns to cool down, before resuming. This is a new one. Hans pressed his speakers. ¡°Stand down now, on the orders of the Imperial Army!¡± He shouted as he followed her nearly flying form with his machine guns. ¡°You¡¯ve committed grave crimes against humanity!¡± She laughed as she jumped down on the panicked cavalrymen. Before they could scatter, her magic struck them all, once again turning them into those same fleshy dolls as they disintegrated, each body forming dozens that moved and reformed into this bigger, biological mass that resembled that of an ugly, giant human body. The civilians were no different, also being struck by her same magic, and falling into the same fate. Even those that ran had no chance, as her giggles echoed, her voice unnaturally loud. ¡°Humanity! Humanity! How amusing!¡± She said as the bodies formed three major fleshy masses, covering her from the gunfire that Hans and Adelyn were unloading at them. She then mocked them from behind their protection. ¡°Why? Does humanity not commit the same with their endless desires?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a damned crazy woman,¡± Adelyn muttered. ¡°Talking to her is pointless.¡± ¡°Get an ADI incendiary, MPAT!¡± Hans shouted as he fired one of his MPAT rounds straight into one of the fleshy creatures. It immediately exploded violently, but it quickly reformed, nullifying his attack. ¡°Hit the one closest to her!¡± ¡°On it!¡± Adelyn fired her main gun at the creature, the shot burning through the thing violently. The woman was distraught by that development, as she suddenly turned her attention to Adelyn¡¯s mech, her eyes narrowing with a glint of clear hatred. ¡°...Angels.¡± Suddenly, the woman sprinted, almost like a flash on the battlefield, straight to Adelyn¡¯s direction. Naturally, Adelyn pulled into a hard retreat, her machine guns raining hell at the charging woman. Hans immediately jumped into support mode, his mech riding straight into an intercept¡ªthen he fired his main gun. The explosion forced the woman into an ill-timed jump, shrapnel and explosive shockwaves blasting through her body after the proximity fuse detonated the MPAT round. In a split-second, a slash came from above her, as Hans¡¯ mech stepped on her torso using one of his forward leg razors. Crimson blood seeped on the green grass. The woman stared at the metallic leg and the tons of weight distributed by the razor on her chest. All as the battlefield became still. ¡°I got her¡ª¡± Hans¡¯ nervous celebration was cut short when. A sudden slice removed two of his Wanderfalke¡¯s legs. His mech immediately collapsed on the dirt right in front of the woman, who jumped away. When Hans managed to turn his turret to her, he only saw her standing for a split second¡ªbefore her oversized axe sliced through his unarmored cockpit. Blood spurted out of Hans¡¯ sliced torso. He screamed and screamed. The lights inside of his mech died out as blood flew out of his cut abdomen. Then the frontal part of his mech¡¯s hull separated alongside everything below his waist. ¡°My legs! My legs! My legs!¡± ¡°Lieutenant!?¡± Gunfire broke the comms from his headset, as Adelyn continued to duel the woman. Hans watched his blood spurt out everywhere in his sliced-open cockpit. Slowly, his vision turned gray, his breath turning from panicked to shallow as he lost blood. I stabbed her! I stabbed her! Why? Why?! Shock soon set in. His eyes were still wide open as they looked at the other half of his body. Then they slowly closed, his head going limp. The only thing holding him to his seat was his bloodied seatbelt, as his closing, angered, defeated, and confused thoughts dissipated. Why? His mind shouted one last time to the void in the face of this unfair defeat. 85. Try Your Best ¡°We¡¯re stopping them today at the gates of Rignon. I¡¯m seeing everyone coming together for this grand endeavor. Southern Ygeians levees. Mercenaries from Nomos. Battlemages of Exousia and Eleos. I¡¯ve seen Virtus folks from the Imperial Core too. They say this is a battle for humanity, to slay the first Calamity in history. This is more than gold or territory. This is a battle between the demon devils and us, the forces of the Holy Gods. I pray to the gods that we triumph.¡± - Journal from a Landschneckt mercenary. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Near Lotagne AUG 30, 1538 CE You¡¯re such a mean boy. ¡°My legs! My legs¡ª¡± Hans stopped his shouts mid-sentence, as his eyes widened. His hands were outstretched outwards. Almost as if he wanted to strangle someone. He frowned and raged at the defeat he had suffered. Immediately, his hand crushed whatever imaginary neck he was holding. Then, he banged his fist into the side. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Lieutenant? What happened over there?¡± He realized his fist banged on the button for his comms. Hans sighed. ¡°Nothing, nothing,¡± Hans said. ¡°Just had a less than decent wake-up dream.¡± ¡°Less than decent?¡± The suspicion in her voice was clear. Hans masked his unease with a chuckle. There was no need to bother her with his problems. They needed to focus on the second attempt. The second time might work. Even if he wasn¡¯t convinced about that. It appeared that his conventional weaponry wasn¡¯t enough to kill her. ¡°Nothing, nothing,¡± Hans replied. ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡± ¡°Well, you clearly weren¡¯t seconds ago.¡± ¡°Past is past.¡± ¡°That was pretty much the present.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, can I have breakfast momentarily please?¡± He heard Aliz¨¦e¡¯s cute yawn as she woke up. That, and Adelyn¡¯s sudden amused giggle. It seemed that it already distracted his captain enough. So Hans smiled. ¡°That, and I believe that kid needs breakfast too.¡± ¡°Fine¡­¡± Adelyn said, probably patting Aliz¨¦e¡¯s head. ¡°But only this time.¡± ¡°Sure, Captain¡­sure¡­¡± Hans closed his comms as he took a deep breath. That was certainly the sucky way to go. He didn¡¯t know having his waist be sliced sucked ass. Well, it¡¯s quite the brutal way to go. He briefly touched his waist. Being sliced and all. He shook his head slowly, before crumpling a bit with his hands on his abdomen. That was when he remembered how painful it was. He almost wanted to vomit at the interfaces in front of him. But Hans held it off. This loop¡­He reminded himself. It appears that I don¡¯t even have the luxury of time. He looked at his screens. Not even a day before death. It¡¯s either I figure this out fast already¡­ His eyes widened. Or I¡¯d be dead again. A change of tactics? Delaying moves? He wasn¡¯t sure what his plan would be this time. Perhaps, this was it. Where his abilities'' utility would be tested. His mech failed. His skills and upgrades proved to be insufficient. And there would be no time to improve it. Everything he worked for. Everything he prepared ever since he got here. All of it failed in front of that thing. No amount of self-repair would save him. Not his resupply system either. Nor would his mech''s demon detection upgrade work in the first part of the battle. His personal skills also were just as pointless for this fight, only the last one for detecting hostile entities was useful. All he had now was his true ability. Going back in time whenever I die. He felt his guts turn. And there¡¯s no way to retreat from this. He¡¯d have to die endlessly until he won. +++ The Imperial Army and the Duke had arrived. ¡°Order an immediate evacuation of Rignon,¡± Hans banged his fist on the table as he looked at the assembled officers in front of him. The Duke himself almost jumped at Hans¡¯ insolence. But Hans didn¡¯t care. This was the only way to win this one. How¡¯d they even manage to fight with civilians in the way after all? ¡°That city is a death trap. The Army will only have few means to even fight the creature.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Milord, I apologize for his¡­manners,¡± Captain Strobel said with unease. ¡°But believe me, this man knows what he¡¯s talking about. He was instrumental in killing two demons.¡± ¡°Three now,¡± Adelyn added. ¡°We suppressed another demon in our journey here. Alongside our companions.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The Duke asked, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Hans. ¡°Foreigner, I¡¯d like you to know that you have no idea what you are talking about. Rignon is a fortress of man¡ª¡± ¡°And so was Rousselot, and so was Fort Elmo, and so was the countless other fortresses that she destroyed. She¡¯ll turn the city into a bloodbath. Tens of thousands of innocent civilians were reduced to nothing but minced meat. Order the evacuation!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°The city ahead of us should show that clearly,¡± Hans said. ¡°Please, if you would like, you can take a peek at that city. Lotagne, now nothing but a city of mangled corpses perverted into whatever horrors that thing creates. It¡¯d be worse if it reaches Rignon and commits those crimes on the people living there.¡± One of the officers coughed beside the Duke. ¡°I confirm that, Milord,¡± the mustached officer said. ¡°My scouting teams have scoured the city in the hopes of finding supplies for the Army. All we found was¡­horror.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± the Duke shook his head. ¡°And then what? Pardon me, but where shall we send those people? How will we feed them while moving to wherever they shall flee? How will we tell those places to accept them in time? Hell, how can we even organize all the wagons, and horses themselves for such an endeavor? Do you understand what you are talking about, YOUNG MAN!¡± The Duke¡¯s raised voice made Hans flinch momentarily. But he bit his teeth, he needed to tell them now. Now that they needed to run. Or else. Or else¡­those people. Children. Women. Men. The elderly. All turned into that perverted, fleshy biomass. Against their will. ¡°Now, enough of that, sir,¡± Adelyn suddenly butted in, going so far as placing herself in front of the Duke and Hans. ¡°My subordinate is merely passionate about helping the people. We had seen what the Calamity of Desire had done in Lotagne. He¡¯s understandably still shaken.¡± ¡°Shaken or not, if he must tell me a solution, then he better think that it¡¯s a solution. Now. Onto your missions. Our regiments shall march straight into the defense of Rignon. You two, you foreigners¡ªwill scout and find that unholy cretin yourself.¡± ¡°It shall be done, sir,¡± Adelyn said, still clearly hostile and defensive. ¡°We already gave that mission to ourselves before you even came here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk that way to your elders.¡± ¡°And don¡¯t step on my subordinate when he¡¯s just trying to help you, sir. He¡¯s one of my men. Not yours.¡± ¡°If this was any other circumstance, I¡¯d have both of your heads removed.¡± ¡°Thanks for informing us then, sir.¡± ¡°Bah, you two are mere tools,¡± the Duke said, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°I have nothing else to say to you. Leave. Do your job. Perhaps that will please me to overlook this insult. Go.¡± ¡°We shall leave at once then,¡± Adelyn turned to Hans. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°But I haven¡¯t gotten him to order an evacuation yet.¡± ¡°Forget about it.¡± Adelyn smiled at him. ¡°We¡¯ll stop her before she reaches Rignon.¡± +++ Hans was still realizing what he had done. Goddess¡­why did I do that? He was becoming more and more impulsive as time went on. He didn¡¯t understand why. Back in Terra, he¡¯d suffer the worst injustices, yet he¡¯d smile and carry on. As expected of any good Lotharingian man. Discipline, in front of his betters, and the diligence to do what was asked of him. That, and the drive to push forward to win a fight. That was what Hans embodied. Yet now, he felt himself slowly turning squeamish. Afraid of death. Fidgety. Nervous. He hated how he was slowly turning into a man vulnerable to fear. It was dismantling his decision-making. It was sabotaging his ability to act level-headed when the situation demanded it. I just strained the relationship between us and the Imperial Army. He almost wanted to bash his head on his controls. What the hell was I thinking? Why did he even think that they could evacuate Rignon in a day? He was delusional. Turning delusional. He wanted to die out of sheer embarrassment for his mind¡¯s mistake of thinking like that. He looked at his hand. It was shaking. I thought dying again and again would slowly get me used to it. He wanted to vomit, imagining dying a second time again to that creature. Instead, I¡¯m fearing death more and more. He needed to find a way to numb himself again. To become someone like the Hans Hoffman who faced death during that battle in the vain hopes of letting his platoon escape. Without reservations. Without an ounce of fear for his death. Now, his actions were guided by self-preservation. It was stupid. It should be the reverse, Hans thought. His actions should be guided not by avoidance of death when it was a temporary inconvenience to him. I don¡¯t understand it. But he needed to correct it soon. ¡°Adely¡ª,¡± he corrected himself when he pressed the button. ¡°Captain, I apologize. That was¡­a bit of a blunder from me.¡± ¡°Apologize? For what? For saying the right thing? They should have evacuated the city a long time ago. I am on your side. There¡¯s nothing to apologize about. That¡¯s his fault for getting too worked out when he should have listened calmly to your suggestions.¡± ¡°I should have been calm when I said that,¡± Hans said, still apologetic. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°You met enough horrors already that I can¡¯t fault you for that,¡± Adelyn said, her voice turning ever softer. ¡°I mean, yesterday, I almost panicked into firing my main gun when I saw those¡­¡®dolls¡¯. There¡¯s nothing wrong about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a man,¡± Hans insisted. ¡°And a soldier. There is absolutely something wrong about that.¡± ¡°Oh, please, don¡¯t hit me with that, ¡®I¡¯m a guy so I must be stone-faced even when seeing horrors inconceivable to man¡¯ shtick. I don¡¯t like that nonsense coming from my men, you hear?¡± ¡°But Captain¡­¡± ¡°Tch, I don¡¯t like false machismo in my ranks. You¡¯re all human. If you fear death, I¡¯m not shooting you for it. It¡¯s fine. That¡¯s why I¡¯m with you.¡± Hans looked back up to his screens, then, his hands. It stopped shivering. He placed it on his control sticks. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Hans said. ¡°We¡¯re¡­together.¡± ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why we¡¯ll do what we always have done,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Like always, we¡¯ll kick a demon¡¯s arse, win, and return as unscathed heroes. Together. We haven¡¯t died yet, so¡­let¡¯s just try our best, okay? Calamity or not, we¡¯ll stop it from doing what she did in Lotagne to Rignon.¡± Then¡­his hand shook again. She¡¯s naive. Hans thought. We died so many times already. Does she think she¡¯s comforting me with that? He took a deep breath again, as he controlled his nervousness. No, she was still right. He just needed to try his best. ¡°Alright¡­Captain. Let¡¯s hunt then.¡± ¡°Copy. Laura and his friends must have been waiting for us already. Move out.¡± 86. Try Your Hardest ¡°I feel like he¡¯s turning paler and paler by the day. I don¡¯t understand it, really, but it¡¯s clear that something¡¯s happening to Hans. I wanna ask questions, but he seems way too closed off. My efforts are still a work in progress.¡± - Excerpt from Captain Adelyn von Wittenstein¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Near Rignon ¡°Search through the moving refugees?¡± Laura asked. ¡°I suppose that makes sense. But how will we know that it¡¯s her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s your mother, right?¡± Hans asked as he walked straight to his mech. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you know what she looks like?¡± ¡°The Calamity of Desire changed her appearance a long time ago. I wouldn¡¯t know directly. Unless she¡¯s attacking people. I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Hans climbed his mech. ¡°Look, I already took a skill for it. That, and my mech has a demon detection upgrade.¡± ¡°¡®Upgrade¡¯?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something unique to our class,¡± Hans said. ¡°Anyhow, that¡¯s the goal. Again, you three will provide us with magical support. Try to follow us closely, and we¡¯ll be checking refugees moving through the roads on foot. Once my skill detects her, we¡¯ll separate her from the civilians.¡± ¡°Then kill her.¡± Hans just nodded. Discomfort laced Laura¡¯s face. She held her right arm softly as she looked down. ¡°You know, this is why you¡¯ve gone this far, you said it yourself,¡± Hans said. ¡°I know. I¡¯ll make her find peace. One way or the other.¡± Laura pulled her staff closer to herself. Determination flooded back into her face. ¡°Good then,¡± Hans said. ¡°Then we¡¯ll stop this damned crisis once and for all.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Hans went down through his hatch and then contacted Adelyn. ¡°How¡¯s the preps?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve exhausted my AP for the ADI MPATs,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Including the ones I enchanted earlier, I have six ADI MPATs for use. I won¡¯t have any more than that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good enough,¡± Hans said, taking a deep breath. ¡°With Laura and her team, we¡¯ll try to reduce her as much as possible. Set it on airburst, I¡¯m doing the same. We¡¯ll chip away her armor, or whatever. Regenerative abilities. Whatever it is. Then we¡¯ll kill her.¡± ¡°I wonder, how do you know all of this is necessary?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°What if I needed the AP for an emergency repair?¡± ¡°I think if you need an emergency repair right in the middle of battle, we¡¯d be too screwed already,¡± Hans said, as he booted up his mech¡¯s subsystems. His engine shot back to life, and so did the HUD in front of him. ¡°Better have all of the firepower we can muster. Remember, keep firing everything. Machine guns. Your main gun. And¡­and try to hit her too.¡± ¡°You think she¡¯ll be fast?¡± Hans looked back at the last fight. Unlike the demons at Rousselot, the Calamity of Desire didn¡¯t fight as some massive monster. Instead, she seemed to prefer a fully humanoid form. A humanoid creature that exhibited above-average physical strength. That, and speed. Resistance. I sprayed hundreds of MG24 rounds at her. Hans remembered. It wasn¡¯t like all of his bullets missed. No, at least half struck her. But the heavy machine gun rounds seemed not to do much damage to her except for the superficial. When his MPAT managed to nail her, the Calamity of Desire was already filled with bullet holes. That means she can soak up damage well¡­like all demons we¡¯ve met so far. He hated it. The sheer ability of these creatures to just¡­resist. It was beyond all forms of logic. He doubted that a Tier IV supercharged Virtus or Vanus mage would have skills, attributes, and whatnot capable of doing that. It was ludicrous. He knew that, after watching Countess Fresnel fight, she must have something similar to what he had seen with the Calamity of Desire. That somehow, she could take hits and resist the ¡®Tentacled Eel¡¯, but he doubted Countess Fresnel could take something like that. She even collapsed mid-battle. No, even the most powerful Virtus or Vanus was beyond weak in comparison. The only thing they had going with them was probably tactical superiority. Or numbers. But that¡­ The way that demon acted, she clearly has a brain. She¡¯s sapient. Intelligent. Cunning. The only downside perhaps is that she¡¯s corrupted so deeply that she struggles with a severe form of psychosis. Playful, bloodthirsty, and with powerful magic. A woman wielding an oversized axe that could cut through his mech¡ªand take a razor backed up by eighteen tons of weight on her torso. This battle was badly stacked against Hans. He just chuckled as he replied to Adelyn. ¡°Fast? I have a gut feeling she¡¯d be worse than that.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­you sound quite mightily convinced about it.¡± ¡°Well, better be prepared for the worst, as they say.¡± +++Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler got stuck in the mud. For many minutes, Hans and Adelyn worked their asses off under the rain to get her mech unstuck. It seemed that the soil was softer than normal, and with the rain, the mud was even worse, with their mechs sinking way too easily on the terrain. Hans gave Adelyn his warning. Then he drove his mech forward, the engines of his Wanderfalke screeching in protest. But Hans pushed it onward, the cable attached to both of their mechs rattling. Their mechs then worked their legs into overdrive. At last, after eight seconds, Adelyn¡¯s heavier mech began climbing up from the hole it sunk into. Until finally, she was out of it. ¡°Good, good!¡± Hans said. ¡°You got out.¡± ¡°Gee¡­thanks, Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°That could have been disastrous without you.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s fortunate we at least have each other, huh?¡± Hans chuckled. ¡°Yeah, I doubt anything in this world can pull a thirty-ton MBM off from this thing.¡± Hans soon popped his hatch open to run back to Adelyn¡¯s mech, detaching the cable they used to pull her out of the mud. The rain slapped hard into Hans¡¯ back, and he almost winced in annoyance. Is this a damned typhoon or something? Then again, considering how far up they seemed to be in latitude, it must just be a nasty thunderstorm or something. Hans still cursed the sky though. It was certainly tossing enough rainwater at the fields to soften up the terrain. He imagined that he¡¯d be cursing the heavens more after winter though. He hated it when soil mixed with water. All kinds of bullcrap resulted from that. He checked the legs of their mechs. It was utterly muddy. Including his mech. Hans despaired at it momentarily. Considering Adelyn¡¯s ladylike tendencies, it was absolutely going to be him mopping all this dirt once all of this was over. Both his mech and hers. He just sighed, retracting the cable of his winch pulley. He was quite pleasantly surprised at least that his emergency recovery equipment, nominally designed to pull out fellow Wanderfalkes, managed to pull out a Wanderadler. He looked back at Laura¡¯s team, the trio just silently watching them with amused looks on top of their rain-soaked horses. Hans just gave them a thumbs-up. ¡°We¡¯re done!¡± He shouted. ¡°Gonna move out now.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Laura said, as she pulled her horse back into the road. Hans himself went back up to his mech, popping his hatch open, and moving straight to his seat. He was quite pissed again, as he knew he¡¯d have to clean up his uniform and mop his now wet leather seat because of this, but he ran out of craps to give. He just silently placed his hands on the control stick, holding himself from letting out a bunch of expletives. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m back on the controls, Captain,¡± Hans reported after he wore his helmet back. ¡°You good out there?¡± He heard her Wanderfalke drive past beside him, once more free from the shackles of environmental misfortune. ¡°Yep, no problems on the propulsion as far as I can see,¡± Adelyn said, quite cheerfully. ¡°I¡¯m good now. I think we should check the town ahead now.¡± ¡°Copy, copy,¡± Hans said, sighing to himself. ¡°We¡¯re really just this unlucky, huh?¡± ¡°Try harder, I guess.¡± +++ A sudden shot flew through the road. Both of their mechs stopped to a halt. Laura and her team followed suit, hiding behind them to avoid the hail of bullets flying into them. Hans immediately shouted on his comms, his combat instincts taking control. ¡°Contact!¡± ¡°What the hell¡ª¡± Suddenly, Hans¡¯ machine guns opened fire on the treeline ahead of them. His itchy finger squeezed on the trigger, spraying bullets at the contacts that he could clearly see on his thermals. Then, he drove his mech protectively in front of Adelyn¡¯s mech. He noticed a few lights of magic coming straight for them, but surprisingly, his armor held. ¡°Get out! I¡¯m laying down suppressive fire!¡± ¡°Lieutenant, stop! This could be a friendly fire.¡± ¡°Impossible! These bastards fired first at us. They¡¯re ambushing¨C¡± Suddenly, the gunfire from the musketeers stopped, and Hans realized what he had done. He had just opened fire on his fellow humans. His hands froze, as his eyes tensed up. ¡°Lieutenant! You¡¯re not in Terra anymore. Those aren¡¯t Flandrian soldiers!¡± ¡°Then what the hell are they?¡± ¡°Has it not occurred to you that our mechs look scary and demonic for human soldiers who haven¡¯t seen us yet?¡± He gulped. Then, he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. On the other hand, Adelyn opened up her microphone, shouting on the battlefield. ¡°Cease fire!¡± She shouted out loud. ¡°Cease fire! This is a misunderstanding! If you are Imperial soldiers, we are from the Imperium too! Cease fire!¡± No shots were coming from them, except for a white flag, alongside dozens of men in Imperial uniforms throwing down their muskets. Many had raised their hands to the air, clearly surrendering. Hans and Adelyn immediately jumped out of their mechs. Still, Hans bought his SMG for good measure anyway, knowing that it would be dangerous. He, after all, just massacred this platoon in a stupid blue-on-blue situation. When he looked at Adelyn¡¯s expression as she ran through the rain, it was clear that she was sorely pissed and disappointed. The soldiers dropped to their knees upon seeing Adelyn. Perhaps it was because of her halo, signifying that she was a Virtus noblewoman. Hans saw the realization on their faces. Fear. They had just opened fire on a noble. ¡°I apologize!¡± Shouted an elderly soldier, his beard and mustache already dirtied. ¡°We were ordered to ambush anything that goes through this road. How could we have known that your carriage was of mankind¡¯s forces? Please have mercy on my men.¡± Adelyn stopped in front of them. She turned to Hans, who couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. In front of them, the old man began begging and kneeling in front of Adelyn, his remaining men themselves looking down with shame on the muddy dirt. ¡°Stand up,¡± Adelyn commanded, her voice empty. ¡°It was our fault. We hadn¡¯t known. We thought you were the enemy.¡± ¡°Young Lady, we fired our guns first. We apologize sorely. We take responsibility for this. Please, just give us mercy. I beg of you¡­¡± ¡°No, this is my fault, sir,¡± Hans said, lowering his gun. ¡°I had an itchy finger, and people died. Please, don¡¯t take responsibility for my crimes to your men.¡± ¡°Really¡­we won¡¯t be punished for this?¡± ¡°...Not anyone of you. This is on me." ¡°Hans, what really is happening to you?¡± Adelyn turned to him, shaking her head. ¡°You were never like this back then.¡± He felt his throat turn dry. Adelyn looked at his tense and shaking hand. Hans, noticing her gaze, immediately tried to hide it. ¡°I keep blundering now,¡± Hans said. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t¡­¡± Adelyn sighed. ¡°We¡¯re going to help them for now,¡± she looked away, looking at the man. ¡°Call Laura here. And help us sort the injured. Get whatever medical supplies we have available. And do it quickly, Lieutenant.¡± ¡°But the Calamity¡ª¡± ¡°I said do it quickly!¡± ¡°Roger that, Captain.¡± Hans ran away, back to his mech. 87. Face Failure ¡°I rely on superior firepower. But sometimes, you really cannot count on superior firepower to win. That¡¯s a bit of a problem for a pilot trained to shoot at things.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Near Rignon Hans, Adelyn, and Laura both tended to the wounded as best as they could. Unfortunately, heavy machine gun rounds practically blew open anyone that Hans managed to hit. The few men that were still alive, their bodies mangled awfully, were so beyond the reach of Laura¡¯s healing magic, that Hans had no choice. Talking to their leader, Hans received permission from the old man. He looked briefly at Adelyn, shame present on his face. But Hans carried on, cocking his pistol as he walked to the tree line. The men, bleeding out badly, all looked up at him with solemn gazes. Pain and desperation were clear on their faces. He took a deep breath and decided to just be done with it. Shot after shot rang. One by one, Hans emptied his magazine on the wounded men. He made sure that he was efficient on it. Shooting each of them straight to their brains as a form of mercy. Some tried to stop him with blood still spurting out of their mouths. But Hans shot them anyway. By the time he was done, he had emptied two magazines from his pistol. He looked back at the people staring blankly at him. It¡¯s my fault, no? He asked himself, as he looked back down at the dead. I¡¯m too trigger-happy. ¡°May they rest in peace,¡± the old soldier said, lowering down his hat. ¡°Thank you, sir. Our mistake has¡ª¡± ¡°Stop it,¡± Hans said. ¡°I said it¡¯s my fault. That¡¯s why I shot them myself. That¡¯s my responsibility. Stop making apologies¡­for ambushing us by mistake. Ultimately, it¡¯s my mistake that killed people. Not yours.¡± He looked back down at the men. ¡°We can¡¯t take our time to help you bury them,¡± Hans said. ¡°We¡¯re on a special mission to hunt down the Calamity of Desire. You folks do this yourself.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± the old soldier said. Hans walked past them, going back to his mech. Soon, Adelyn and Laura followed him, while the surviving soldiers all went to work to bury their fallen comrades. He felt some stared daggers at his back, but Hans didn¡¯t react much. They should all hate me. Hans thought. I screwed up so badly. Again. At this point, his endless crimes and screw-ups were stacking up high. He wondered when he¡¯d figure out how to end it. He climbed his mech and returned to his seat. Adelyn took a while to climb her mech. When he reopened his comms to her, she was still clearly pissed about what he did. ¡°We need a good, long talk once this battle is over, Lieutenant,¡± Adelyn coldly said. ¡°I know, Captain.¡± ¡°...Do you need anything?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just thinking. You¡¯re not in the right mind, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Stress, and¡­¡± ¡°Stress doesn¡¯t turn you into that. I¡¯ve seen you fight for a long time now. I know you wouldn¡¯t be that sloppy in Terra. Never. Lieutenant, let¡¯s face it. Something¡¯s happening to you, and it¡¯s hurting you.¡± ¡°I guess¡­¡± ¡°And not just you. Everyone around you too.¡± Hans¡¯ voice turned defensive this time. ¡°Look, I¡¯m trying to contain and¡ª¡± he caught his tongue and stopped. ¡°I¡¯m trying to fix it myself, okay? I¡¯m taking steps. Here and there.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you can do it alone, Lieutenant.¡± Hans wanted to retort to her, but perhaps she was right. I¡¯m dealing with my repeated mortality alone. He placed his hand on his face. Still¡­no, I refuse to place this on her. She can¡¯t even do anything about it. It¡¯d just be pointless. He strengthened his resolve. No, I¡¯ll fix this myself. Kill that calamity¡­and bounce back. I¡¯m sane. I¡¯m perfectly sane. I will be perfectly sane! He took a deep breath. ¡°Acknowledged, Captain.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move out then,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°Copy.¡± +++ Hans was never fond of delays. It seemed that those screw-ups caught on quickly. When they reached the area where they met the convoy''s last loop, there was none already. Hans didn¡¯t make a comment, just riding past the dirt road, as he formulated changes to his plans. They have been knocking, village to village. Town to town. But nothing. Why? Because she was on that carriage. Unfortunately, Hans didn¡¯t have a map with him. Adelyn carried their map. And she was the one directing where to go. She gave her new sets of orders. Off to another town they went. As usual, it was evacuated. Empty. And incredibly wet from the rain. The skies were already darkening when they exited empty-handed. It was already nearly four in the afternoon. And so, Hans dismounted his mech, to deliberate with Adelyn again.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The two of them, under the shade of one of the houses from the town, looked at the map. ¡°Hmm¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± Hans said. ¡°I think all of the towns here have been cleared.¡± ¡°Then that means that she won¡¯t have a reason to strike at any of these places.¡± Hans traced his gloved finger through the map as Adelyn spoke. He checked the road they were in, and what turns led to Rignon. Placing his hand on his chin, he spoke. ¡°I think we should go to those routes,¡± Hans said. ¡°And intercept any refugees still moving through there. As you¡¯ve said, she has no reason to strike any of the towns in the outskirts anymore. Only one target is left.¡± ¡°There are three roads though,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of area to cover.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just drive southward on the first turn, then swing eastwards to check on the two other roads leading to Rignon. That way, we can be sure.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­alright¡­¡± Adelyn said, closing the map and placing it back in her plastic container. ¡°Sounds like a plan then.¡± +++ ¡°It¡¯s that convoy!¡± Hans shouted on his comms, as they finally reached the actual city of Rignon. ¡°We need to intercept them now! They¡¯re getting inside of the city!¡± ¡°That?¡± Adelyn asked, confused. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Call it a gut feeling,¡± Hans said, his heart sinking at the thought. ¡°The city¡¯s officially in danger then. Call the IYC into the city. We¡¯re charging forward to kill her.¡± Adelyn seemed skeptical, but she replied enthusiastically. ¡°Okay then! I contacted them. We¡¯re moving onwards!¡± The two immediately lunged forward. Hans¡¯ mech sped close to its top speed, as the city¡¯s walls closed. A formation of musketeers and pikemen, alongside multiple cavalrymen, formed in front of them. Hans immediately pulled his mech into a break, pressing the button for his speakers. ¡°I am Lieutenant Hoffman!¡± He declared. ¡°We come from the Imperial Army! Make way now. Those carriages you allowed inside, she, the Calamity of Desire, is inside of it!¡± The soldiers were spooked by the sudden loud noise that came from his mech. Many covered their ears, while others aimed their muskets at their vehicles. One of the cavalrymen rode in front of the soldiers, aiming his saber in Hans¡¯ direction. ¡°You!¡± He shouted. ¡°Who are you, and what strange contraption is that? Are you the reported Grey Knight of Rousselot?¡± ¡°Yes, I am!¡± Hans replied, accepting the ridiculous title given to him. ¡°I¡¯m with my partner. Yes, we are the same two folks riding in these vehicles to hunt demons. Now let us in!¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± the soldier hesitated before he turned to his men. ¡°Let them in, open the gates! Stop those wagons we allowed inside. If this man is right, then we shall take and kill that demon here and now!¡± ¡°Aye, Captain!¡± The soldiers gave way, clearing a path for Hans and Adelyn to drive through. The gate opened, revealing the interior of the fortress city. The two immediately rushed inward, as soldiers followed them. The streets however were way too cramped. Wagons, carriages, and all the like filled the area. Stores and merchant stalls, alongside the civilians on foot. Many screamed in fear as the two metal behemoths rushed forward, creating panic inside the city. But the soldiers of Rignon immediately calmed it down. ¡°Make way!¡± Hans shouted at his speakers. ¡°Make way!¡± He soon found the area where the wagons that he remembered as the ones containing the great demon were parked. He immediately pulled his vehicle to a quick halt¡ªstopping his vehicle in the center of what appeared to be a plaza. He immediately dismounted his mech, as Adelyn stopped behind him. ¡°Captain! I¡¯m activating my skill!¡± He shouted to his radio as he jumped down, SMG in his hand. ¡°She¡¯s right there. Get your guns trained on my target.¡± Behind them, suddenly, three horses carrying Laura, Mathieu, and Charles, rode furiously into the plaza. The trio stopped, with Mathieu and Laura running straight in Hans¡¯ direction. Hans himself however dashed into the direction of the woman, who, when he activated his skill, was glowing red. Her red eyes glinted in delight upon seeing Hans, almost amused at how quickly she was spotted. ¡°It seems that I¡¯ve been found then¡­¡± the woman purred, as Hans reached them. ¡°All of you!¡± He shouted to the civilians, aiming his SMG at the woman. ¡°That lady¡ªshe¡¯s the Calamity of Desire!¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s her!¡± Laura shouted as she stopped in shock. ¡°You¡¯re her!¡± ¡°Shit, this is bad,¡± Mathieu said, pulling out his sword, and aiming it at the woman. The trio surrounded her, pushing her into the wall of one of the houses. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare do anything stupid! Or I shall cut you down myself!¡± Hans had already placed the enchanted bullets from Moritz. But he knew that with how dense this place was of civilians, it wouldn¡¯t do to immediately enact hostility. Especially knowing what she¡¯s capable of. He decided that he could probably buy time for people to flee. He eyed his mech. Then, once this area is clear, I¡¯ll run back there. It was an impromptu plan, but considering how fast things happened and how late he was at catching her. He didn¡¯t have a choice. ¡°Captain!¡± Hans shouted as Adelyn¡¯s mech positioned itself right behind them. The turret of her Wanderadler immediately turned in the direction of the woman. Her guns were now aimed at the demon in front of them. ¡°Cover me if she turns hostile. If you have to shoot through me, shoot!¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure it¡¯s her?¡± ¡°My skill said it already,¡± Hans said. ¡°It¡¯s her.¡± ¡°How fascinating,¡± the black-haired woman taunted. ¡°You have the skill to detect even a Calamity. No normal man can do that. I wonder¡­what your class must be?¡± ¡°None of your business, demon,¡± Hans retorted. ¡°You¡¯d do well to surrender now. Even if you¡¯re strong, extremely strong, I know that you know that you cannot take on everything. That¡¯s why you hide and strike cities one by one with surprise.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± the woman smirked deviously. ¡°It would have been lovely if I had someone like you to serve under me. But I can smell it from you. You seem extremely afraid, huh?¡± Hans¡¯ hold on his gun stiffened as she continued. ¡°Yet you came here to confront me, face to face.¡± ¡°That I am,¡± Hans replied. Behind him, Laura too aimed her staff at the demon. The soldiers of Rignon, seeing what was happening, especially with the slow but obvious unnatural changes to the woman¡¯s body, began surrounding them too. Ranks upon ranks of men began piling into the plaza, their muskets aimed at her. ¡°Strange, to face death so resolutely even when you¡¯re irrationally afraid of it,¡± the woman commented, looking at the array of weapons aimed at her. ¡°You really all caught me¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯d be a pink paste on that wall if you try anything stupid,¡± Hans said, as multiple cannon pieces were wheeled and aimed in her direction. ¡°So why not stop that transformation of yours and cooperate?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­you¡¯re right,¡± the woman said, eyeing Adelyn¡¯s massive gun. ¡°I imagine with all that is aimed at me, at my current form, I¡¯d be completely disintegrated. Those men seem to be charging their best skills on their guns too. Hmm¡­but you know, you three also stand a great chance of dying if they fire all of that.¡± Adelyn however moved slightly to the left, until her guns were only aimed at the demon. Laura and Mathieu also backed a bit, giving the rest of the soldiers more space to fire their weapons at her without risking friendly fire. Not that it mattered, Hans thought. The canister shot and the in-accuracy of their musketry would mean that the trio would be turned into ribbons regardless. The woman sighed. ¡°I see then,¡± she said, as her eyes glowed an ever more dangerous red. ¡°But you see, the problem is¡­I¡¯m the Calamity of Desire. And I¡­I won¡¯t fall from mere toys!¡± She screeched loudly as she jumped up onto the roof of one of the houses. The trio immediately ducked, as the loud booms of artillery and gunfire echoed around them. When Hans felt his back hit the floor, he aimed his SMG at her body, as she summoned that gigantic axe of hers. He squeezed his trigger, as her blood rained from the sky. 88. Face Death ¡°For now, I¡¯ll regard getting sliced as the worst way to go. For now.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Rignon ¡°ALL OF YOU ARE SLAVES OF YOUR DESIRES!¡± The deranged shout from the bloodied woman reverberated in the streets. Hans didn¡¯t know where exactly she dropped¡ªbut the house in front of them had its roof demolished. He immediately stood up from the road and shouted his order. ¡°Get her! Or the city¡¯s doomed!¡± He immediately rushed toward his parked Wanderfalke, throwing his SMG inside as he hopped in. Grabbing the controls, he watched as everyone in the city moved to hunt the elusive demon. Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler had already run into the streets, while soldiers rushed into the houses and lanes. Damn it, faster, faster. Soon, his engine came back alive, and his Wanderfalke lunged forward away from the plaza. He cut it straight into the direction of the woman¡¯s last location. Placing maximum power on his legs, his mech jumped and scaled the house. Sparks flew off as the legs of his eighteen-tonner mech screeched through the roof. Then, he jumped on the next one. Then the next one. Then the next one. Scattered gunshots already began going off below him. He set his sights on the growing speck of smoke ahead. Then he pulled his mech to a halt as he pressed his speaker on. ¡°Clear the way!¡± The soldiers on the ground, who were trying to challenge the demon, ducked to the ground. Hans squeezed his finger on the trigger, unleashing a hail of machine gun rounds. The smoke dissipated, revealing the black-haired woman. She had just sliced three musketeers, but a dozen bullets struck her. She staggered backward upon receiving Hans¡¯ accurate gunfire. Then, Hans¡¯ main gun pinpointed her shocked body. A clear shot. Something that probably wouldn¡¯t kill her, but he took it. The firing pin in his gun¡¯s chamber struck a loaded MPAT round. Sabots detached itself once it exited the barrel, and the fins spun the munition as it flew in her direction. A violent boom detonated, obscuring the streets with smoke. Another set of gunfire rained from another direction¡ªit was Adelyn. Hans, realizing the threat that was coming for his partner, lunged forward. The legs of Wanderfalke screeched as it skidded on the road. Gunfire from Hans sliced through the air, peppering the demon further. In seconds, she was forced to flee instead of attacking Adelyn, who was now in a lane perpendicular to Hans¡¯ position. ¡°Lieutenant! That was a dangerous stunt! We could have had a blue-on-blue incident!¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather die than let her get the two of you!¡± Hans continued squeezing his trigger until the Calamity of Desire disappeared from his sight. Damn it. She¡¯s tough. The streets fell completely silent. She¡¯s going to reach the civilians. They¡¯re going to get massacred. He bashed his fist. ¡°We need to keep moving,¡± Hans said. ¡°Captain, use your speakers to organize the Imperial forces. Get them into blocking positions. Anything. We need people to stop her.¡± ¡°Copy¡­¡± Hans drove his mech forward, getting himself into a hot pursuit. He followed the corpses of civilians and soldiers alike, all of them still freshly bleeding on the winding streets and lanes. Due to the tightness of the city¡¯s passageways, he had to once again force his mech¡¯s legs to shorten themselves. His hull was thus raised high, and his speed was sliced by nearly a quarter. But soon, he had emerged from the tighter lanes, driving straight through one of the main roads. A massive wall of red flesh blocked his path, however. It was, as he expected, made up of those red, fleshy, tiny dolls. The sight of the horror nearly made him puke, but instead, he backed a bit. Then he pulled the trigger. It was doing things badly. He pulled it again and again, raining bullets at the fleshy wall. But the effect on the target was less than desirable. The bullets he sprayed would destroy some. But there were too many fleshy dolls that could replace it. And all of them kept the wall-like structure together. He readied his mech for a desperate charge. After all, flesh can¡¯t defeat steel, no? He didn¡¯t know if it would be a smart idea, but¡­ Two grapnels shot straight to the top of the flesh wall. The razors from his forward legs deployed, as his mech shot up into the sky. Blood spurted out from the top of the wall, splattering his mech. Especially when the razors of his legs sliced through many tiny dolls. But it worked. It allowed the rest of his legs to step on the wall, and climb up. The dolls tried to latch up on his legs, but the power of his mech¡¯s machinery proved triumphant. Making his way up on top, his bloodied mech jumped past the obstacle¡ªlanding on the wide streets ahead of him. As he drifted on the streets, however, the wall behind him detonated into an open inferno.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Clearing it now, Lieutenant!¡± ¡°Copy, but I¡¯m already way past it,¡± Hans said, as he looked at what was ahead of him. Standing on top of a destroyed wagon, surrounded by corpses of hundreds of civilians, was the demon. Hans watched as the corpses all slowly turned into the same red, fleshy dolls. All the while she laughed and laughed at the sky. Hans immediately took aim. His coaxial machine guns and main gun locked on her. Then she spoke. ¡°Haven¡¯t you questioned yourself yet, young man?¡± He looked at her body. It was all shot up. Holes upon holes had peppered her slim form. Yet she held to her oversized axe without much problem. It violated all physics. All of biology. Yet¡­this was what he was dealing with. A monster beyond the purview of science. It was¡­ In a way, to this day, Hans realized something. He still hadn¡¯t truly accepted his magical reality. ¡°You dance with angels,¡± the woman said, not bothering to look at him. ¡°For what? I can smell it in you. That concentrated¡­resentment. Hate. Anger. At how none of it is working for you. Your desire to have your sacrifices be known¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, you know nothing, you murderer!¡± The loud sounds from his speakers were broken by a hail of machine gun fire. She jumped up into the sky again, dodging his gunfire. Hans tried to aim his main gun quickly at her. But just as his round flew out of his barrel, she dived straight into the road. His shot missed, and she slammed her axe on the road. A rift on the rocky ground exploded straight in his direction, which Hans dodged just in time by jumping. His mech landed on the cracked remains of the road¡­as she stood there, smiling in his direction. ¡°It¡¯s not money, isn¡¯t it?¡± the demon taunted again, her smile growing. It revealed her slightly bloodied, but otherwise pristine, white teeth. ¡°Or is it out of love? Do you desire love? Attention? For someone to know who you are and understand you? Oh, such a cocktail of unmet desires!¡± Hans gritted his teeth. What the hell is she talking about? Hans felt his mind lighten at the words being thrown at him. Which further infuriated him. Not only was she quite the murderous, rampaging maniac. She was also possibly reading his mind, and taunting him! His autoloader slammed a new round into the chamber. But already, two gigantic fleshy golems had been formed in front of him. The two creatures blocked his line of sight with her. Damn it. His fully conventional weapon systems just wouldn¡¯t cut it. He aimed his gun at one of the golems. Then he fired an MPAT round set to airburst mode. The head of the golem was blown off, but otherwise, it was just replaced and recreated. Hans tried to spray it again with his machine guns, but it wasn¡¯t effective. ¡°Damn it!¡± Adelyn¡¯s mech finally drove past the collapsing, burning wall. But she suddenly pulled into a halt, as her hatch opened. ¡°Aliz¨¦e? What the hell are you doing? Wait, you¡¯re changing?!¡± ¡°Summoning Crosslight! I now know her! She¡¯s that same woman who tried to speak to my mind! She¡¯s going to kill both of you. And I won¡¯t let that happen. I¡¯ve had enough of just watching!¡± Adelyn yelped, as suddenly, Aliz¨¦e leaped out of her mech. The young girl, now clad in her pink, angelic armor slammed down into the ground. Hans found himself dumbfounded upon spotting her beside him. She was holding that crossbow again. The same crossbow she used to kill the ¡®Tentacled Eel¡¯. ¡°Aliz¨¦e! Get out of the road!¡± Hans ordered. ¡°No! Sir Hans, please, let¡¯s take her down, as a team!¡± Hans watched as the child he had tried to protect and keep out of the fighting¡­ joined in. She aimed her crossbow at the fleshy creatures, and let off a shot. It glowed pink, slicing through the golem, and causing it to disintegrate. Almost as if she purified it¡­ The woman¡¯s eye glinted red and locked into Aliz¨¦e. ¡°The Angel of Purity,¡± she said, her voice low but loud. ¡°And Justice.¡± Her eyes locked on Adelyn¡¯s mech. Then to Hans¡¯ mech. She licked the blood on her lips as she smiled. ¡°The same two angels you dance with.¡± Pulling out her axe, the woman dashed like a flash of light into Aliz¨¦e¡¯s direction. Hans noticed that Aliz¨¦e stiffened in fear, her eyes widening as the demon rushed in her direction. Protectively, Hans revved his mech right in front of Aliz¨¦e to prevent the monster from reaching her. ¡°I won¡¯t let you get to her!¡± ¡°Lieutenant, what the hell¡ª¡± A boom disoriented Hans. Fragments of his armor above him shattered, spraying his body with tiny, sharp metals. A scream came from him, as his mech tumbled into the ground. A blue inferno had been ignited, and he heard the loud screams from the demon. ¡°Justice! Damn you!¡± He looked at his bloodied display. Both he and the demon were burning in fire from Adelyn¡¯s MPAT. Most likely, the ADI variant. Hans tried to turn his mech¡¯s turret in the direction of the demon, but it was unresponsive. I guess Adelyn¡¯s magical MPAT rounds have a more powerful blast now too. Enough to almost act as an artillery blast. Enough to disable his mech without a direct hit. He laughed at the irony of this. Friendly fire, just the same thing he did to those soldiers. I¡¯m not dying because of Adelyn¡¯s shot though. Hans thought. I wouldn¡¯t let her stain her hand with my blood for the second time. ¡°Sir Hans!¡± ¡°Stay back, Aliz¨¦e,¡± Hans said, as his bloodied hands grasped his controls. He already felt his left leg turn numb. Multiple massive fragments of his mech¡¯s armor had embedded themselves deep. That meant he wouldn¡¯t even be able to press his left leg on the reverse pedal anymore. ¡°Let the adults settle this.¡± He lunged his mech forward in the demon¡¯s direction, engaging his forward leg razors one last time. Just in time for her to recover from Adelyn¡¯s shot, raise her oversized axe¡ªand slice his mech half mid-air. All that Hans remembered was the axe slicing through his face and body. Then pure darkness. 89. My Eyes That Corrupt ¡°The green powder shall be Ygeia¡¯s fuel to build the future!¡± - Imperial Ygeia Company Executive Council. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Near Lotagne You¡¯re such a mean boy. His eyes shot open. ¡°No! I¡¯m still¡ª¡± He angrily crushed the imaginary neck that he must have been holding. Then, his fist landed on the metal on his side. He gritted his teeth as the terrible pain from his last life assaulted him once more. His body was sliced from top to bottom. His skull and face, sliced so cleanly¡­ It was as if death itself kissed him. But in seconds, he had controlled the phantom pain that threatened to tear him apart. No, I¡¯m still in this fight. I can still do it. He had already died a second time. What more? He barely learned new things in that fight. Except for the fact that his weapon was ineffective. Hans¡­ No¡­no. He shook his head. Adelyn¡¯s munitions worked. Aliz¨¦e¡¯s weapon worked. He didn¡¯t get to see what Laura and his team could do, however. He was unsure, the chaos in the city was so bad after all. But one thing was clear. Nothing. Nothing would be able to parry that creature one-on-one. Not Hans. Not Adelyn. Not anyone. ¡°She¡¯s an absolute monster,¡± Hans said. ¡°Almost a machine of death. Her body¡¯s so tough, it can resist and absorb damage beyond that of a normal human. Her magic is so goddamned bullshit that she can turn people into sick toys of hers.¡± He frowned. ¡°And she¡¯s a goddamned lunatic. A sadist.¡± Of course, she¡¯s a demon. No, Hans shook his head at that thought. No, not just any demon. The Calamity herself. She represents the Calamity resulting from Desire. Perhaps that¡¯s why her mannerisms are like that. And perhaps why she targeted Ygeia. The Principality contained the Imperial Ygeian Company. The single, most ambitious, forward-facing, brutal company of humanity. A drug empire, an agricultural giant, with its ambition to reach more and more, even things on the great seas to the west. The lust for more. He remembered a glimpse of his last life. The headquarters of the Imperial Ygeia Company¡ªblocked by makeshift wooden barricades on the road, manned by desperate musketeers, as she laughed on top of that wagon. So much money and power, yet, it was reduced to its last legs by a monster that mirrored them. What does the IYC have? The green powder. A massive war chest. Their exploration fleets. Their agricultural exports. And their mercenary army. So many things, none of which allowed the IYC to stop her. But perhaps, there was something there that Hans could take. The upcoming Duke¡¯s Army was an obvious choice, but it had already proven itself to be too large, too disoriented, and too disorganized to fight a single anomalous creature. Hmm¡­. The green powder came to mind. Hans wasn¡¯t exactly sure what he could do with that. It was for healing, or for enhancing the fertility of the soil. But just as it could create life, when used badly, its low-grade version could impair the mental state of its target. Perhaps, we can fire a concentrated low-grade powder at her? Hans shook his head. How would that even be possible? It might just make her even crazier. Besides, those powders might enhance the growth of those fleshy things she created with her magic. No, that was probably not an option. Adelyn then? Aliz¨¦e? Hans needed to try them both. Get them¡­get them into a position that would allow them to get a clear shot on her. She called Aliz¨¦e the Angel of Purity. Hans remembered. Then¡­then maybe she can do it. Get her to fire that crossbow, and purify the Calamity of Desire. +++ Once the talks with Duke Lorenzo ended, Hans and Adelyn immediately returned to their vehicles. But Hans made a detour, going straight to Adelyn¡¯s Wanderadler. Naturally, Adelyn looked back at him curiously. ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t we riding out?¡± ¡°No,¡± Hans said. ¡°Let me talk with Aliz¨¦e. I have something to propose.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We awaken her powers,¡± Hans said without a beat. ¡°And get her into the fight. I¡­I think she¡¯s just like you, Captain. An angel. Which means her abilities are directly for countering demons. In this case, the Calamity of Desire.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°...I know,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°But no, absolutely not. We already talked about this. We¡¯re keeping her out¡ª¡± ¡°But we never can anymore,¡± Hans retorted. ¡°We can¡¯t. She¡¯s riding with me. With us. If we die, she dies with us. It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. And she¡¯s probably also a target. We have no choice now, I realized. We have to make her fight. And the kid knows how to do it.¡± ¡°Hans,¡± Adelyn glared at him. ¡°She¡¯s a child.¡± ¡°...I¡¯m running out of options, Captain.¡± ¡°Options? We haven¡¯t even met the Calamity of Desire yet,¡± Adelyn said, crossing her arms. ¡°You know, you¡¯ve been looking increasingly paranoid now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because we lack so much intel and we¡¯re going in blind. That crazy creature destroyed entire cities. What if¡­what if our guns aren''t enough?¡± ¡°Whatever magical ability Aliz¨¦e had¡­you do remember she only summons a crossbow?¡± ¡°And a crossbow that sliced through the Tentacled Eel like it was nothing. Even her magic can kill night wolves like they¡¯re nothing. Look, I¡¯m just saying, why don¡¯t we finally open the dam and ask her what really is happening?¡± Adelyn sighed, clearly hesitant. ¡°That¡¯d just remind her about¡­¡± ¡°And she remembers it,¡± Hans said. ¡°Let me through. I¡¯ll ask her.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m asking her. You stay back and watch. And we¡¯re not pushing her into anything. Deal?¡± ¡°...Fine, deal. You¡¯re the one in charge anyway, Captain.¡± Soon, the two went into the side of Adelyn¡¯s mech. Aliz¨¦e seemed a bit surprised when Adelyn called her out. For a while, Adelyn was shifty from asking the girl about the powers she manifested in Rousselot. But, when finally pressed, her eyes shone. ¡°Wait, Lady Adelyn, you¡¯re interested in letting me fight those monsters too?¡± ¡°What? No, I¡¯m just¡­¡± Adelyn chuckled awkwardly, almost backtracking. ¡°I just want to know what really happened. Aliz¨¦e, you seemed like you¡­manifested some magical capability or something, so we were really worried¡­¡± ¡°Mhm. It¡¯s called ¡®Crosslight¡¯. My ¡®Ideal¡¯,¡± Aliz¨¦e said. ¡°When I call it to existence, I summon an armor to protect me, and a magical crossbow to kill demons. It¡¯s for killing demons aligned with the ¡®Calamity of Desire¡¯.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± ¡°Lady Adelyn,¡± Aliz¨¦e walked forward in her direction, determined. ¡°The system said, ever since I changed that day, that my type was, ¡®Angel of Purity¡¯. And that my job is to stop the demon that is the enemy of my goddess. The Calamity of Desire.¡± ¡°...Then¡ª¡± ¡°So please!¡± Aliz¨¦e closed her eyes as she clasped her hands. ¡°Let me join you two in fighting her. That¡¯s what the ¡®Ideal¡¯ I manifested demands of me. To stop the darkness that Desire wants for mankind.¡± The two were dumbfounded, especially Hans. First, he thought it was now truly strange how mature Aliz¨¦e sounded. How she managed to learn that much continental to speak¡­was unprecedented. Well, not as unprecedented as her demands. ¡°I¡­well¡­¡± Adelyn stuttered, clearly disbelieving. ¡°We can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°We can,¡± Hans interrupted. ¡°We¡¯ll help you get the final shot, Aliz¨¦e. I think she has a point. If godly beings are managing this crap, and she¡¯s the appointed ¡®Angel of Purity¡¯, then that means our job isn¡¯t to coddle her. It¡¯s to aid her in fighting the Calamity of Desire.¡± ¡°But we haven¡¯t prepared her for this. We didn¡¯t train her. We didn¡¯t let her discover what she could do or what not. We didn¡¯t even¡­¡± Adelyn stopped for a second. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why does she have all of that¡­but not me?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll figure that out soon. For now, we have no choice but to plan around Aliz¨¦e being an integral part of the hunt. Of course, we¡¯ll also have to plan around the fact that she¡¯s not a fighter. We¡¯ll have to treat her as the most important asset. A glass cannon that we¡¯ll keep out of the fight until she can do her thing.¡± +++ Dancing with two angels, huh? Hans hastened the pace of his Wanderfalke through the road. Then¡­I wonder, if I get the two of them well into the battle line, will they get me that win? Then, Hans faltered at the thought of him being the meat shield again. Literally¡­that was going to be the hardest part. He had to fight and distract that demon until the two angels behind him finished the job. More than likely, he¡¯d be dead and they¡¯d have to restart again. That pissed Hans a bit. Laura and her team were already running hard behind them. They had informed them about Aliz¨¦e¡¯s condition. Naturally, the trio was very surprised, especially Laura, but they took that instead as a blessing rather than a complication. Now, they were completely back on the field, and Hans was taking the lead this time. Now, we just need to find¡­ The sounds of thunderstorms above them distracted Hans. They were already moving quickly on the road that would go directly for the convoy. They also managed to coordinate a bit with the Imperial Army. Since Hans couldn¡¯t exactly tell them to block all refugees, he decided to get Duke Lorenzo to position his regiments on the roads that led to the entrance of Rignon. That way, the convoy would be slowed down right as Hans and Adelyn caught up from the north. Effectively, Hans planned to sandwich the woman. The Imperial Army was directly in front of her. Then behind her would be Hans, Adelyn, Aliz¨¦e, Laura, and Laura¡¯s team. Hopefully, it works. ¡°What¡¯s the problem, Aliz¨¦e?¡± ¡°Lady Adelyn¡­I think¡­oh no, danger!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hans didn¡¯t have time to react as suddenly, an oversized axe slammed on the dirt road right in front of them. Adelyn drove her Wanderadler into a hard bank to the side, but Hans was struck by the rising solid soil. He felt his head hit the side of his crew compartment. Fortunately, his helmet protected him from any sort of injury. But his mech was not. The legs were shocked, and for a few seconds, his vehicle was stunned and unable to move. ¡°Contact ahead of us!¡± He shouted as he pulled his mech out of the cracked dirt road. ¡°Damn it. What the hell happened?¡± ¡°I can smell you, Angel of Purity!¡± a woman¡¯s voice reverberated from the distance. ¡°So you¡¯ve decided to fully awaken at last? How nice! Reveal yourself, if you would so please!¡± Adelyn¡¯s hatch opened, and out climbed Aliz¨¦e. She had already summoned [CROSSLIGHT] earlier, so she was ready for the engagement. Hans didn¡¯t understand it though. Why? Why did she come here? This didn¡¯t happen last time! Behind them, Laura, Mathieu, and Charles went into their fighting positions. Charles went into the hill beside the road for overwatch, the archer aiming his bow at the woman. Laura on the other hand went to the flat fields on their left, her staff aimed at the demon. While Mathieu, unleashing his glowing sword, went just behind Aliz¨¦e. He clearly intended to personally protect the little girl. ¡°She¡¯s the Calamity!¡± Aliz¨¦e shouted. ¡°I know it. She¡¯s¡­she¡¯s supposed to be my target after all!¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the woman said, pulling her axe and locking her eye on Aliz¨¦e. ¡°After all, you¡¯re that one little cretin that refused to be corrupted. Such strong ideals, in such a little girl. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t have headaches. So, since you refused me¡­¡± Her eyes glowed red. ¡°I have no choice but to splatter your blood on this soil, Purity.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you do that,¡± Hans replied after pressing the button for his speaker. Then he pulled the trigger for his machine guns. 90. My Sneer That Hides ¡°She had the most detestable smile I¡¯ve yet seen.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Near Rignon The woman charged in towards Aliz¨¦e. But Hans countered that with a hail of machine gun fire. She laughed at that maniacally, jumping away and dodging his shots. Damn it! Keep tracking her. Stupid hands! He tried to keep up, spraying the woman with his bullets as best as he could, but most of his gunfire barely even damaged her. It was¡­almost as if she was stronger compared to his last death. H-how? He fired his main gun, the MPAT round accurately hitting her just enough that the proximity fuse went out. Momentarily, she was stopped, as a cloud of dust obscured her location. ¡°Oh¡­that was¡­owie¡­a nasty one,¡± she said, as they all heard twisting sounds. It was almost like she was reforming her body naturally. Hans had already positioned himself in front of the frozen Aliz¨¦e. Adelyn, who had regained her composure, also joined in. Her mech stopped fifty meters on the right of Hans¡¯ position. And she aimed her turret in the woman¡¯s direction. Hans pressed his speaker. ¡°Alright, everyone,¡± he ordered, as he waited for his next round to be loaded. ¡°All of you aim at her. Let¡¯s not get this one wrong. Concentrated fire, all at once. That woman¡¯s going down today!¡± Zip, and she was out of the place. A pink arrow was fired by Aliz¨¦e¡ªand it missed. Just a few meters above the crazy demon. She ducked and went in the direction of four speeding giants. Hans didn¡¯t account for that again! He thought there were no people here to convert. At least, until he remembered that convoy. So she must have turned them into those things before ambushing us. ¡°You¡¯ve proven yourselves quite capable,¡± she sang as she climbed one of the giants. Soon, the four sickly creatures surrounded them. One of them looked like a tanky one, with arms that looked like it could punch a Wanderfalke flat, and she was on top of it. Another looked like a gigantic spider thing¡ªits appendages bloodily sharp. The third one seemed more like a massive land dragon. And the last one, the smallest one, seemed like a hunched goblin. ¡°So, that necessitates some aid, wouldn¡¯t you all think.¡± The dark mist around her had finished transforming her. Her black hair turned into a dirty gray. Her red eyes almost seemed like it was bleeding. Her skin was fully pail, and there were cracks on it. Her clothes then changed to a tattered white dress under a dirty, brown coat. No more was her deceptive youthful face there. This was her true form. A middle-aged woman, corrupted beyond recognition. ¡°Goddess¡­what the hell is she?¡± The comment from Adelyn didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Hans. In front of them¡­were the most disgustingly ugly creatures they had laid their eyes on. Creatures made up of a swarm of small, fleshy doll-like creatures. For a second, Hans remembered that quote from the battlefields of Terra. If the Goddess is real¡­why would she let this exist? ¡°So that¡¯s her when she¡¯s prepared,¡± Hans said, now realizing the weight of opposition against them. Again¡­he wasn¡¯t sure why. The last time, they caught her in a bad position¡­and even then, they lost. ¡°That¡¯s¡­mother¡­¡± the disbelief and anguish etched from Laura¡¯s face Now, they were the ones caught in a bad position. He gulped as he realized his fate. I¡¯m going to die again. ¡°You¡¯re evil!¡± Shouted Aliz¨¦e as she charged up another arrow in her tiny crossbow. ¡°You need to be put down! You turned those people into those ugly things, evil! Evil! Evil!¡± ¡°And you¡¯re nothing but a naive child living in her childish delusions,¡± the demon mocked. ¡°If only you listened, you could have gained real power. You could have given in to your desire¡ªand took it yourself! Now you¡¯re nothing but a pawn of the ideal. And all pawns of the ideal end up in one fate. Death!¡± ¡°Shut the hell up, you crazy monster!¡± The reply from Adelyn¡¯s speaker was punctuated by the Diligence¡¯s main gun opening fire. The shot sliced through the giant holding her. Then it detonated into a violent blue inferno. She however had jumped away from it, a frown gracing her face. She pointed her axe in Adelyn¡¯s direction. ¡°...Die,¡± she ordered, and her giants charged forward. ¡°Damn it! Adelyn, load normal shells. Don¡¯t waste your specialized one on her minions. You only have six right?!¡± ¡°Y-yeah? Why? How¡¯s our normal shells going to destroy those swarms?¡± ¡°Aliz¨¦e!¡± Hans pressed on his speaker. ¡°Do as I tell! Target whichever of those giants gets near me. Laura, Mathieu, and Charles! Keep them away from Aliz¨¦e. Captain Wittenstein¡­please have my back, just like the old days in Einweg Company.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. He heard Adelyn¡¯s voice turn colder. ¡°I¡¯ve always had your back,¡± she said. ¡°Move out! Let¡¯s keep these monsters off Aliz¨¦e!¡± Their two Wanderpanzers charged forward, straight into the maw of the monstrous, fleshy entities. Machine gun fire flared up, as Hans targeted the spider-looking creature. Targeting one of its legs, he let off an APFSDS round straight into it. The depleted uranium penetrator immediately sliced through the leg, causing the creature to stumble from its charge. On the side, Adelyn did the same with the hunched giant. An MPAT round detonated on the face of the creature. This disoriented it. Hans watched as Adelyn peeled off, and tried to drive through the side of the monster. The creature, undoubtedly confused, chased her¡ªonly to be punished by a beam of light. ¡°Pulirae!¡± Shouted Laura, the beam from her magic circle slicing through the next of the creature. Hans immediately exploited the confusion, spraying his machine guns on the face of the spider-like giant. Then, he positioned himself to the side and jumped. Engaging the razors of his Wanderfalke, his vehicle dropped down on the creature. Then, he pulled out another shot. The MPAT round decimated thousands of the tiny dolls in the creature¡¯s body, before the razors of his legs sliced through it. The four rear and middle legs of his Wanderfalke continued pushing his vehicle through the body of the creature. Meanwhile, his razors sliced through it open, until he reached the neck. There, he made a sudden turn, slicing it sideways, before jumping off the ground. Retracting his razors, his mech drifted on the green soil, as the head of the creature fell off. Another arrow, this time, coming from Charles, finished the job. The archer seemed to have used a fire-based spell on his arrow, causing the beast to slightly burn. But he didn¡¯t relent, firing another shot. Then another. Then another. Each of them started a fire, all of which toasted and destroyed the swarm of fleshy dolls. Hans smirked, as he watched the giant slowly burn to a crisp before he turned his attention to the next one charging in Aliz¨¦e¡¯s direction. It was the land dragon-looking one. Hans responded swiftly. Zipping through the battlefield, his machine guns rained hell on the creature. But before he could fire his main gun on it, he ducked his mech low on the ground. Then, he drove it sideways, just in time to dodge the woman who struck him. The Calamity of Desire fully joined in. Her oversized axe slammed on the ground, creating massive cracks. And she turned to Hans just as quickly. ¡°You¡¯re a damned, slimy little rat,¡± she grunted, as she pulled her axe out of the ground. ¡°And you¡¯re not even one of the angels!¡± Hans immediately turned his turret to the rear. Driving at full speed, he tried his best to gain some distance from the woman, as she dashed into his direction. Her damned superhuman speed! Hans opened fire, his machine gun rounds desperately trying to stop her. But each of them pinged and bounced off her skin. Hans gritted his teeth, as his feet stepped harder on the pedal. The dragon-like giant however was now only fifty meters ahead of him, and it suddenly lunged in front of him. Crap. I need to dodge again! And without any time to think about it, he once again overclocked his propulsion systems. His legs pushed hard on the ground, jumping at insane speeds as the dragon¡¯s head bit the now empty air. Razors protruded out of his frontal legs, as he landed on the creature¡¯s back. It sliced through the swarm hard, until he managed to jump off the gigantic, flesh monster. A shot sliced through his wake¡ªit was from Adelyn. The MPAT round nearly dismembered the neck of the swarm dragon. Hans dropped hard on the green ground, as plumes of dirt flew in all directions. In two seconds, however, his legs restored control, and he began speeding out again. And then¡ªhe squeezed the trigger. ¡°Focus fire on that giant!¡± Hans ordered. ¡°Get that disgusting monster out of the battle now!¡± As his Wanderfalke circled the creature, with everyone¡ªAdelyn, Laura, and Charles opening fire on the swarm dragon, Hans let loose with his machine guns. Then, he fired another MPAT round, decimating thousands of tiny swarm dolls of its body. The continued bombardment however ended when he noticed the demon charging into Aliz¨¦e again. ¡°Everyone! She¡¯s coming for Aliz¨¦e!¡± The bulky giant behind him, which had reformed from Adelyn¡¯s opening attack, bashed its fist on Hans¡¯ rear. He was only a second away from being crushed when he zipped out of its reach. Rushing toward an intercept route against the Calamity of Desire, Hans watched as Adelyn¡¯s shot detonated on the demon¡¯s face. A massive inferno opened up, and she almost disappeared. Hans pushed his foot hard on the brake pedal. His legs stopped hard, slowing him down, as a shot was fired off his main gun. The MPAT round clipped the woman hard. Then, Hans added an extra measure with his machine gun. ¡°Die! Die! Just die!¡± The woman, filled with bloody holes and burning skin, ragefully zoomed out of the inferno that Adelyn created. Her eyes were locked on one target¡ªthe Angel of Purity, Aliz¨¦e herself. Mathieu finally positioned himself in front of the little girl, his sword readied to take the axe. But when it met the Calamity of Desire¡¯s weapons¡ªit completely shattered, and everyone watched as Mathieu was sliced without even a single chance of resisting. ¡°Now¡­onto you, little girl! Hans tried to charge in one last time to stop her, but his mech was struck by the reformed spider giant swarm. The sharp legs of the swarm sliced through his mech¡¯s rear, causing Hans¡¯ propulsion system to utterly fail. ¡°H-how¡ª!¡± He looked at his camera feeds. The swarm. It merely rearranged itself. Of course. Hans despaired. Of course, it¡¯ll just do that. He had no choice unless they managed to incinerate all of them. They¡¯d just group up, and form whatever twisted creature that the Calamity of Desire¡­desired. He looked at Aliz¨¦e¡¯s direction. The little girl was thrown hundreds of meters away when she was struck by the woman¡¯s axe. Aliz¨¦e flew directly into Adelyn¡¯s mech, which was driving in the demon¡¯s direction. Naturally, Adelyn stopped, as Aliz¨¦e stood back up. She just took an axe through her body! Hans was utterly flabbergasted about what he had seen. How did she survive that?! Aliz¨¦e¡¯s armor glowed, as she stood up, walking in the direction of the demon. The Calamity of Desire merely smirked as she watched Aliz¨¦e¡¯s bloody wounds. ¡°Angels who manifest their ideals really are tough ones,¡± the Calamity of Desire said, as she pointed her axe to Aliz¨¦e¡¯s direction. Suddenly, a glow appeared on Aliz¨¦e¡¯s hand, and a pink-colored sword appeared. ¡°And you¡¯re manifesting the next stages of your ideal as well. How fascinating. Yet it boggles the mind! Why would your conviction in the ideas of purity be that strong? Oh¡­to be a foolish girl!¡± The mocking sneer on the demon¡¯s face failed to discourage Aliz¨¦e. She continued walking onward, even when bloodied and weakened. ¡°You harmed my friends! Sir Hans! Lady Adelyn! You¡­you monster, I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Aliz¨¦e shouted. ¡°In the name of the Goddess of Purity¡ªyou, the agent of Desire, I¡¯ll¡ª¡± Hans¡¯ spectatorship was promptly cut off when the legs of the creature that had pinned him finally sliced through his cockpit. The solidified appendage sliced through his chest brutally. Yet¡­in that brief moment, as his eyes turned gray, and his blood sprayed on his mech¡¯s interior¡­ I¡¯m proud of you, Aliz¨¦e. His final thoughts flashed, as darkness claimed him once more. 91. Who I Once Was ¡°To chase those that lie beyond the reach of man¡¯s grasps, to break free from the prison of this continent¡ªthe Imperial Ygeia Company shall pursue it in the name of Imperium.¡± - IYC Charter +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Near Lignon You¡¯re such a mean boy. Hans crushed her neck. And a deep grin appeared on his face. Death again, huh? He tried to hold himself still with that devious grin, as he felt the lingering phantom pain course through him. That sharp¡­appendage, stabbed a gigantic hole through his body. It was so painful. But it was soon gone. Is that really my purpose? He questioned it hard. To die, and die, and die? Three times. Three times already. And yet, he had only barely discovered a way to defeat her. All he knew was that they must have done something that alerted her. Something¡­that lured her into Hans¡¯ group. I wonder why? ¡°But I see¡­¡± Hans said coldly. ¡°She can change. She can become even stronger than the demon we faced in Rignon¡­¡± That left a bitter taste on his tongue. He could almost taste it again. His blood. Once more. His blood¡­ He chuckled and chuckled at the thought. All my maneuvers. All my tactical decisions. He shook his head as he let out another painful laugh. All defeated by a damned, crazy, old hag. She was stronger than a main battle tank. Faster than a Wanderfalke. More agile than a normal human. And she used magic that could create hostile biomass¡­swarms of hostile biomass. Swarms that his conventional weaponry was ill-prepared to fight. And the worst of all¡­that axe. That damned axe of hers. It could slice them all like nothing. Not even Mathieu, a Vanus swordsman who held an enchanted sword¡­could block her. Much less his unarmored Wanderfalke. Maybe Adelyn would be able to survive a strike from her, but Hans doubted it. She could just slice Adelyn¡¯s legs. Then she would slice through the Wanderadler¡¯s weak side armor. Once again, it proved that the two of them were just glorified artillery pieces to these things. Thus¡­if they wouldn¡¯t be able to truly kill her in her most powerful form (so far)...then¡­ I need a more unconventional solution. He snapped his hatch open and jumped down. In the distance¡­they finally arrived. The IYC. The Duke¡¯s Army. All of them rushed toward the place where Hans and Adelyn were parked. Horses. Men. Artillery. Hans almost despaired at the futility of this force. They¡¯re just meat she can turn into those swarmlings. Hans thought. Nothing much can be expected of them. He lamented that part of the equation. These demonic beings. They were so strong that they truly fitted the term given to them. Calamities. Something that men with the force of guns, artillery, swords, and magic wouldn¡¯t be able to top. He then glanced in the direction of Adelyn¡¯s mech. Aliz¨¦e. Her name was the only thing that mattered now to Hans. You manifested your ideal. The only ¡°angel¡± he knew who did. He didn¡¯t exactly understand what would trigger it. Adelyn was an ¡°angel¡±, but she certainly had none of those powers that Aliz¨¦e had. And for some reason too¡­it wasn¡¯t like Aliz¨¦e seemed to be capable of manifesting her ideal when she wanted to do so. After all, she only ever manifested it during great danger. Though she never said that there was a limitation. Perhaps she can call it anytime? But it seemed that she only manifested it partially when we tried making her do it in the last loop. He glanced down at his gloves. He¡¯d need to figure out all of this. Corruption. Ideals. The conditions for it to manifest. Or the question of why someone would be corrupted into a demon or a calamity. He looked back up, straight at the army approaching them. Perhaps, understanding that is more important than knowing how to pilot my mech better. After all¡­his maneuvers and gunnery had always been on point. Yet he lost way too many times. It was time to admit the truth. I¡¯m too weak. But now, there was no time to be had. No time to prepare further. No time to grind levels, and hope for more upgrades. Skills. Or even the new ¡°attributes¡± thing he had unlocked. He¡¯d have to work with what he had now. And in that case¡­he¡¯d have to get the only pieces he had on the table properly. The people around him. This is it. He told himself. The final battle for Ygeia. I don''t know when I¡¯ll escape this day. This damned prison where I keep dying and dying. But damn it. I¡¯ll bash my head through this quagmire until she¡¯s dead and we¡¯re all safe.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he reminded himself as he hid the fear in his face. It was replaced with the cold, dead, thin, and neutral facade of the Ace of the Southern Front. ¡°I¡¯ll get them all out of this battle. Alive and well. No matter the damned cost. That¡¯s my responsibility.¡± +++ The light to summon Aliz¨¦e¡¯s ideal was underwhelming at best. When she was finished, all she had was her armor. Hans and Adelyn looked at each other, both a bit proud of what the young girl was capable of now. But, Hans¡­he wasn¡¯t feeling very good about all this. ¡°So, uhh,¡± Hans leaned down in Aliz¨¦e¡¯s direction. ¡°Um¡­you see¡­¡± ¡°What is it, Sir Hans?¡± ¡°You see, the thing is¡­¡± Hans pointed to her hand. ¡°I remember you had a crossbow when we fought the ¡®Tentacled Eel¡¯. It¡¯s how you helped us defeat him, remember?¡± Aliz¨¦e¡¯s eyes widened, and then, she looked down, holding her left arm uncomfortably. ¡°Umm¡­Sir Hans, Lady Adelyn, the system says I only can partially manifest ¡®Crosslight¡¯. I look at the attributes, and the only thing it grants me is ¡®Body Durability I¡¯, ¡®Strength Enhancement I¡¯, and ¡®Rapid AP Regen II¡¯.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Hans looked to Adelyn. ¡°Well¡­it seems her attributes are quite on the underwhelming side.¡± ¡°So if I¡¯m looking at this correctly when she manifests her ¡®ideal¡¯, which is ¡®crosslight¡¯, it will grant her these powers. Skills, equipment, and¡­well, attributes.¡± ¡°Perhaps when she fully manifests it, her abilities would be better,¡± Hans said. ¡°And she gets better and better equipment to match it. Like some¡­magical summons thing. Fascinating.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Adelyn frowned. ¡°I wonder what it¡¯d be like if I manifested my own ¡®ideal¡¯. It seems like something angels do. Oh¡­would I be such a strong creature? Able to punch walls and things? Or can I fly? Maybe I¡¯d have wings and really powerful magic too?¡± Adelyn¡¯s eyes shone at the imagination, while Hans groaned. ¡°Oh, come on, what¡¯s even so cool about it?¡± Hans asked. ¡°I bet just like with corruption, manifesting one¡¯s ¡®ideal¡¯ has a cost. I mean¡­when did Aliz¨¦e manifest hers? She was abducted that day.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Adelyn turned to Hans. Then she bopped his side. ¡°Lieutenant, maybe you should let a demon¡ª¡± ¡°Shut it, dumbass.¡± ¡°Hey! I¡¯m just suggesting things!¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t how to manifest it fully,¡± Aliz¨¦e admitted weakly. ¡°It only ever happened once. And that was when I first gained this ability. Sorry, Sir Hans¡­¡± ¡°Oh, come on, don¡¯t ever be sorry,¡± Hans said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re gonna figure things out.¡± ¡°I still can¡¯t believe I¡¯m looking at two angels,¡± Mathieu muttered from behind. ¡°I thought the seven angels were supposed to be unique ones. That they¡¯re the only ones that exist.¡± ¡°Maybe they¡¯re all goners now, and these two are the replacements,¡± Hans said, pointing at Hans and Aliz¨¦e. ¡°That¡¯s a possibility. I mean, they disappeared. That¡¯s missing-in-action in my definition.¡±. Both girls suddenly pouted in response. ¡°Oh, so now we¡¯re just easy replacements,¡± Adelyn crossed her arms. ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s so mean, Sir Hans!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way,¡± Hans replied, before facepalming. ¡°Goddess, I swear, everything that comes out of my tongue will be twisted one way or another.¡± ¡°...Anyhow,¡± Laura interrupted their discussion. ¡°Are we moving out now?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Hans said. ¡°Be ready for combat. We¡¯re¡­I don¡¯t know, my guts are telling me that the Calamity of Desire might be smarter than normal.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, it might ambush us, or worse,¡± Hans said. ¡°Can¡¯t discount that possibility. Hence, I¡¯m leading the pack. Keep a good spacing. We¡¯d be advancing with combat protocols at full alert.¡± He looked to Laura, Charles, and Mathieu. ¡°You three try to keep up. During combat, I want the roles to be very clear.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Laura replied, unsure. Hans pointed at Adelyn. ¡°You, your job is to deal with whatever elements that support the Calamity of Desire.¡± ¡°Hmm, what?¡± ¡°You saw those doll things right?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I have an inkling that she¡¯d be using that for something nefarious. Ready all your remaining AP into more ADI MPATs. We¡¯d need to incinerate a lot of them.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± ¡°Charles, you, the arrow guy.¡± The archer grunted. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You have fire-based magic?¡± ¡°I use it for my arrows,¡± the archer replied. ¡°I do it decently, good sir.¡± ¡°Then use it to support Adelyn. Mathieu, you¡­your job¡­is to keep anything that gets too close to Aliz¨¦e away from her. But don¡¯t fight them. Try to lead them away by running away and¡­well, being distracting.¡± ¡°What? But I have my sword.¡± ¡°Mathieu, that¡¯s never going to stand against a demon,¡± Hans warned, remembering how the young man was sliced in a split second. ¡°Your job is to be a distraction, not to take a hit.¡± Hans then turned to Laura. ¡°You¡­use your magic to support me,¡± Hans said. ¡°Keep anything I attack off of me. Don¡¯t use your strongest spell, Purilae, but use basic ones. Especially those that incinerate.¡± ¡°Fire magic?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± And finally, Hans turned to Aliz¨¦e. The girl however only frowned as she backed away a bit. Then, she looked down. ¡°I know what I should do, Sir Hans,¡± the girl said. ¡°I know.¡± Hans just sighed. ¡°All this fighting made you mature way too fast.¡± +++ Hans went with the same route they took last time. He hoped to time things well. I guess that¡¯ll be the test life then. His goal was to lengthen the battle for as long as possible and discover who she was. Hopefully, by making his team fight as competently as possible, he¡¯d be able to reduce her to her weakest point. And if not, I¡¯d be able to identify gaps I¡¯d need to fill. Hans'' plan in his next life was to eventually have a plan on how to use the Duke¡¯s Army for this battle. They had battlemages there, so he hoped to get most of them and get them to use their spells and magic effectively. Otherwise, he hoped that they¡¯d be able to defeat the Calamity of Desire alone. And if not, then so be it. He waited and waited. Driving and driving. Waiting for her to come. Perhaps she wouldn¡¯t come, but Hans suspected only one possible reason for her ambushing him like in the last timeline. We made Aliz¨¦e partially summon her ideal. Desire and Purity were the two fundamental opposites of this world¡¯s faith. Thus, Hans reasoned that the Calamity of Desire and the Angel of Purity were somewhat connected. Perhaps, Aliz¨¦e could smell and find her, just as the Calamity of Desire would be able to do the same to Aliz¨¦e. In such a case¡­she should appear¡­now! He bashed his hand hard on his microphone button. ¡°Everyone! Dodge at once!¡± The crack on the soil when the Calamity of Desire slammed her axe on the road¡­was dodged at once by Hans and Adelyn. On the rear, Laura¡¯s group immediately dispersed. Hans immediately took note of the situation, his sights being aimed in the direction of the demon in front of them. I see then. His cold smirk grew. Time to learn everything that I can about you. I wonder, what are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? And most importantly¡­ Who are you really? 92. Why I Did This? ¡°I destroyed four Murat mechs today. It makes you wonder why these fools would want to be here.¡± - Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman¡¯s Journal Entries. +++ +++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++ Near Rignon ¡°Come out, Purity!¡± the woman shouted, her eyes bloodshot. ¡°It¡¯s time. You¡¯ve come, you stupid brat! Come out now. If you¡¯ve denied me, then I have only one choice to deal with you, my dear little girl!¡± ¡°Shut your trap, you bastard!¡± Hans replied with his speakers. He needed a few more moments to get their team into the proper positions. Especially to tackle the incoming giants. ¡°You¡¯d do well to surrender now, Calamity of Desire! You¡¯ve committed grave crimes against the Imperium!¡± ¡°Aliz¨¦e has now fully manifested her ¡®ideal¡¯,¡± Adelyn reported. ¡°She¡¯s very distressed by that lady¡¯s appearance.¡± Hans noted that. Distress. Then, Adelyn¡¯s hatch popped open and out came Aliz¨¦e. She now wielded that magical crossbow that she could summon. Immediately, the demon turned in her direction. Hans watched as a predatory smirk appeared on her face. ¡°There the naive child is!¡± the woman mocked. ¡°You¡¯re not going to last very long anymore, Purity.¡± Meanwhile, Adelyn began taking a higher position in the hills. Hans continued inching closer to the Calamity of Desire. His main gun and machine guns tracked her. He noted how he was preparing her axe. He didn¡¯t wait any further. The loaded APFSDS round in his main gun careened in the woman¡¯s direction. The demon, barely noticing the flash, found herself skewered. The depleted uranium penetrator sliced her shoulder wide open. Then, she collapsed to the ground. So she can be stunned by sabot round. Hans thought. Damn it, that was just a lucky shot. She¡¯s too small of a target to reliably hit with APFSDS. His autoloader slammed an MPAT round straight into his main gun¡¯s chamber. Let¡¯s see if this causes any noticeable change. ¡°All units, let¡¯s not wait for her to recover! Engage!¡± Gunfire, spells, and an arrow glowing pink slammed into her. But she dodged and weaved through their firepower. Even Aliz¨¦e¡¯s shot missed. Only Hans and Adelyn¡¯s MPATs managed to pin her momentarily to the ground. The shrapnel and airburst strength seemed to badly sap her in her current form. ¡°Damned interruptions!¡± the woman shouted as she dashed through the field, bleeding all over. ¡°This is a fight between me and that child! What do all of you even desire from this fight?! Do I have gold on top of my head, you fools?!¡± The giants finally appeared on the horizon. Dashing straight into her position, she hid behind them. Momentarily, the battle stopped, as she began recuperating. Hans himself didn¡¯t order his shocked group to continue firing. He could sense his group¡¯s mood as they stared at the demon. Her speed. The way she recovered. And the disgusting, gigantic sights ahead of them. All of it demoralized them greatly. ¡°Goddess¡­¡± Adelyn muttered, her voice almost cracking. ¡°What the hell are those?¡± ¡°Your targets,¡± Hans reminded. He pressed on his speakers. ¡°Laura, ready your spells. We¡¯re taking down that land dragon-looking thing. And that spider monster.¡± He turned his turret on his side as the young priestess walked beside his mech. She prepared her staff. Then, Laura gripped it hard. That¡¯s her mother. Hans remembered. She must be beyond shocked at this point. He breathed in deeply. ¡°We¡¯ll get your mother to rest from her bastardized form,¡± Hans said, and Laura merely looked down. He then turned his attention to Aliz¨¦e. ¡°Aliz¨¦e. Do your best to hit the Calamity of Desire. I¡¯ll do my best to keep them off. Adelyn¡­you deal with those two giants on the right flank. Charles will be there to support you.¡± ¡°I understand. She finished transforming herself.¡± Hans looked back at the insane woman on top of one of the giants. ¡°She looks like a true monster,¡± Hans said. ¡°...I¡¯m going.¡± His silent declaration came, and his mech charged onwards. There was only a brief silence until she realized what he was doing. She jumped off the giant creature and slammed her axe to the ground. Hans, naturally, dodged it. Just in time for him to pepper her with his heavy machine guns. ¡°Just keep supporting me, Laura!¡± Hans shouted using his speakers. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with these crazies!¡± White beams of light began pinging the woman hard. She blocked it with her axe. But Laura was unrelenting. Beam after beam came out of a white magic circle that she created. Almost every three seconds. Hans carefully exploited it. Whenever she was struck, it allowed him to pull back a bit, and shoot at her. ¡°Tsk! Damned soldiers!¡± She looked at Laura. ¡°Girl! You¡¯re not going to be helping your chances here. Do you not recognize who I am anymore?!¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°You don¡¯t even call me by my name!¡± Laura cried out. ¡°You¡¯re not you! You¡¯re not her. You¡¯re¡­you¡¯re¡­a monster!¡± ¡°I am still your mother! I have merely realized the truths of this world!¡± Hans found himself in a sticky situation. The spider giant had charged at him. Hans dodged it, but suddenly, the Calamity of Desire zoomed through his left. Hans immediately engaged his propulsion to a full. The demon missed his left legs by only a few inches. Close call. But I''m good at distracting her. On the other hand, Adelyn and Charles were dealing with the two other giants methodically. Shot after shot from Adelyn burned them. Meanwhile, Charles¡¯ arrows worked to methodically chip the giants away. Each shot caused smaller fires than what Adelyn produced. But still. The fires incinerated the swarmlings. Hans smiled further. His plan was slightly working. He turned his turret to his rear. Then, his main gun tracked the spider giant¡¯s head. A shot came from him. Immediately, his MPAT rounds slashed a good amount of swarm dolls from the creature¡¯s body. Then, three white beams pulsed through the monster. It didn¡¯t do much except create big holes. But Hans saw that Laura adjusted quickly. Canceling her current spells, she chanted a new one, creating a red magic circle. The red beams came from it, incinerating the spider giant she had targeted. ¡°I sculpted these for myself!¡± the demon shouted, angered. ¡°How dare you little bastards take them away from me?!¡± Another arrow that glowed pink missed her. Aliz¨¦e seemed increasingly frustrated. She had been firing her special [CROSSLIGHT] arrows using her crossbow at the Calamity of Desire. Yet all of it was missed. It seemed that the demon woman prioritized dodging Aliz¨¦e¡¯s attacks. ¡°You evil woman! Can¡¯t you just stay still and die?!¡± ¡°You want me to stay still for your advantage?!¡± the demon asked, laughing in an outraged manner. ¡°Such a juvenile and delusional desire!¡± Hans watched as the Calamity of Desire turned her attention back to Aliz¨¦e. No, that wouldn¡¯t do, asshole. Before she could charge in the girl¡¯s direction, Hans pulled his Wanderfalke into a hard turn. The land dragon-looking giant nearly bit him, but his sudden turn allowed him to dodge it. As he ran in the demon¡¯s direction, he first placed a round to the land dragon¡¯s jaws. The MPAT round detonated, disfiguring it. Then, his turret turned quickly to the Calamity of Desire¡¯s direction. ¡°You¡¯re not getting to that girl, you old hag,¡± the words from Hans¡¯ speakers caused the monster to turn for a second to her back. A barrage of lead immediately peppered her, before Hans detonated an MPAT round on her back. That caused her to immediately fall to the ground. But before she could stand, Hans drove the legs of his Wanderfalke into its maximum limits. His mech jumped, and as his signature attack dictated¡ªthe sharp razors of his forward legs deployed themselves. It pierced her through her abdomen. Hans then drove his mech hard for a few seconds, his razors dragging her through the dirt. Then, he disengaged it and jumped away. Just in time to dodge a swing of her axe. His mech immediately ran for hundreds of meters. Shakingly, the demon stood up. Her body was bloodied. Her center had a massive, ugly, gaping hole in it. Shrouded merely by some dark mist. Her skin was peppered with messy shrapnel holes. And her red eyes that glowed messily¡ªit was bleeding. Yet she smiled. ¡°...S-such a crass man,¡± her voice, while now softer in tone, still seemed loud enough to carry through the battlefield. ¡°What role do you even play in this fight? You¡¯re not my daughter. Nor are you the Angel of Purity.¡± The fighting stopped for almost a second, as the woman trembled. She looked at her left hand, the hand she didn¡¯t use to hold her axe. ¡°This pain, this abuse¡­¡± she trembled further, as her voice turned more and more gleeful. ¡°Oh¡­Alfonso¡­he reminds me of you. You who only wanted¡­no, desired one thing from this woman¡­¡± Aliz¨¦e¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Granny¡­Lady Ambre?¡± ¡°...I smell in you my blood, child,¡± she tilted her head, her eyes crying with blood even more. The smile that graced her face did nothing but further creep Hans off. ¡°Oh¡­Little Laura¡­to think you¡¯ve found your sister¡¯s daughter¡­such a joyous reunion!¡± Hans turned his turret to the Virtus Priestess. Immediately, her face darkened further, as she gritted her teeth. ¡°So that¡¯s why you tried to corrupt her. She has nothing to do with our family anymore! You¡¯ve dragged enough people to your misery, Mother!¡± ¡°My misery? I am merely spreading love! Don¡¯t you see these beautiful dolls I have created? It¡¯s for the two of you. Endless dolls. Endless lovely little things for my lovely girls to hug and cuddle¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re nothing like the dolls you used to stitch back then!¡± ¡°Aliz¨¦e¡¯s family is on another level of messed up,¡± Adelyn said, her voice outraged. ¡°What even is this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even understand what her real motives are,¡± Hans said. ¡°That damned corruption must have twisted every idea in her brain. I wonder what even pushed her into this.¡± ¡°Some desire toys! Some desire money! Some desire power! Some desire a woman¡¯s body! But it is merely the truth of the world. To desire and desire, that is what all of humanity loves! Why am I so evil when all I do is to meet those desires?!¡± She cried out, her voice cracking. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s insanity right there,¡± Hans said. ¡°She¡¯s murdering entire cities to turn them into dolls for daughter and granddaughter because they once wanted it so much? That¡¯s some messed up shit.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe Father did this to you¡­¡± Laura began tearing up. ¡°You would never say those kinds of nonsense back then. None of your words make any sense!¡± ¡°The two of you should listen more to me! You ungrateful girls!¡± Her declaration caused her to turn even paler. The woman charged in Laura¡¯s direction. Immediately, her daughter steeled herself and struck with her magic. Pulse after pulse slammed into the Calamity of Desire. Meanwhile, Aliz¨¦e, who had recomposed herself, began firing at her grandmother as well. All to protect her young aunt. Her arrow struck the Calamity of Desire, but she merely blocked it with her axe. Hans notified Adelyn and Charles to control the giants, who had all charged fully to them. Meanwhile, Hans charged to intercept the crazed woman. Hans sprayed her with his machine gun. But before he could even use his main gun, she suddenly turned to him. ¡°You have no more right to interfere with my girls!¡± Hans watched as her oversized axe flew in his direction. It spun fast, and in a flash, without him even realizing¡ªhis mech¡¯s turret was struck. He immediately pulled his mech to a hard stop. Warnings flashed on his screens. Realizing that his bustle rack was torn open, he immediately pushed his hatch up to escape. On the rear of his vehicle, the munitions struck began cooking off one by one. All of it created blazing flames that towered on top of his Wanderfalke¡¯s turret. And unlike in a properly armored vehicle, the blowout panels and the bustle rack of his mech wouldn¡¯t stop an ammo detonation. He jumped down his mech¡ªbut then a punch splattered him to the side of his vehicle. Hans looked at the hole in his chest. The woman who Hans found out was named ¡°Lady Ambre¡± looked down at him. She seemed extremely pleased to kill him: the same annoyance that bugged her from the start. Hans gave up, and just smiled defiantly at her as he spoke. ¡°I learned enough about you. It doesn¡¯t matter¡ª¡± His voice was cut off by a violent detonation, as all of his munitions exploded at once.