Chapter 127 - A Burden Too Heavy (4)
Even after the Belliang Army gave the order to retreat, the Imperial Army spent some time making sure to eliminate any remaining enemies.
Nonetheless, they succeeded in capturing the first trench line.
"Check for casualties!"
"1st Platoon! Report your casualties!"
A brief lull fell over the battlefield.
Following Yurgen's orders, Ernest checked on the platoon's losses.
Because they'd been able to send their troops forward first and dive safely into the trench, the 1st Platoon suffered only eight casualties.
The total for the entire 2nd Company was thirty-two.
Among them, fourteen wounded had to be left behind in the trench.
They couldn't be brought along, and taking them back was simply too dangerous.
"Damn it. Damn it..."
"Hang in there. We're going to win this, so stay sharp and keep it together until then, alright?"
Since the wounded could only be given basic first aid and had to remain in the trench, fear gripped all of them.
In the chaos of preparing for the next charge, Yurgen still found time to reassure the wounded.
"Jonas."
"...."
"Jonas, snap out of it."
Ernest placed a steady hand on Jonas's shoulder.
Jonas was gripping his gun tightly, breathing fast and shallow, his eyes vacant.
Ernest spoke in a low voice.
"E-Ernest…"
Jonas turned to look at him.
Rain, sweat, or perhaps tears streamed down his face—Ernest couldn't tell which, only that terror was written plainly across Jonas's wide, frantic eyes.
"Calm down, Jonas."
"It's… it's not over yet, is it?"
"…"
Ernest couldn't bring himself to answer.
The enemy had only fallen back to the second trench, and there was no way of knowing how many more times they'd have to repeat this bloody attack.
And on the next charge, the 1st Battalion would have to advance alongside their own forces.
The second trench line was much closer than the first, but there were no trees between them where the charging Imperial Army could take cover.
The Belliang Army had cut down every tree that once stood between the trenches.
Now, the Imperial Army would have to charge straight ahead with nowhere to hide, throwing themselves into the trench while bullets rained down on them.
They still had their Baltracher, so perhaps things wouldn't be quite as dire.
But the enemy had Baltrachers as well.
The Imperial Army would have to use theirs carefully, dividing their strength as wisely as they could.
"Prepare to charge!"
"Prepare to charge! Prepare to charge!"
The report that the first trench line had been completely captured was relayed to the rear, and soon after, the order to charge was given.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
"Shit… Mom…"
Upon hearing the order to prepare for the charge, the soldiers either spat curses or quietly sobbed, pressing themselves flat against the trench wall as they braced for the assault.
Almost none of them waited calmly.
"Jonas."
"...."
"What are you doing? Get ready to charge!"
Ernest wanted to say something to Jonas, who was in bad shape, but Yurgen pushed him along, and he had no choice but to head over to the 1st Platoon.
As he passed by, Robert looked in better condition than Jonas, but he hunched over, clutching his rifle tightly, and still seemed on the verge of breaking.
The fact that Ernest even had the presence of mind to look out for his friends was unusual.
Right now, aside from Company Commander Yurgen and Ernest, the only ones in the 2nd Company capable of keeping their wits about them were experienced non-commissioned officers like Sergeant Gustav, who had fought in the First War of Conquest.
"Jitman! Adler! Get your act together! Listen to me! Don't die because you're running around like idiots with your heads empty—listen carefully to what I say! Got it? Do exactly as I tell you! If I say charge, you charge; if I say stop, you stop; if I say get down, you get down!"
Beeeeep—! Beeeeeep—! Beeeeeep—!
"Chaaaarge!"
"Aaaaah!"
Before the two could even respond to Yurgen's shout, the order to charge was given.
The instant the long whistle blasts rang out, it felt as if all the blood in their bodies turned to sweat and drained away.
"Isaac! Barrier!"
"Charge! Charge!"
"Aaaaah!"
"Don't stop—keep running! If you stop, you'll just be exposed to enemy fire longer!"
The 2nd Company also followed the charge order and rushed toward the next trench line.
While Isaac maintained the Balt Shield, the soldiers scrambled desperately out of the trench.
Rat-tat-tat! Thud, thud!
Bullets slammed against the barrier.
Isaac's face looked pale.
The concentrated enemy volley had delivered an intense shock to the shield in that brief moment.
"Release it!"
Yurgen timed it perfectly, ordering the Balt Shield to be dropped just as the enemy finished their volley.
Isaac released the shield, and since the enemy was busy reloading their powder guns, they couldn't launch any attacks.
"Charge! Charge!"
"Waaaah!"
"Bruno! Get ready!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Don't scatter! I said, don't scatter!"
"If you break formation, the Baltrachers can't protect you! Keep running but stay together!"
"Bruno! What are you doing? Run, quickly!"
"Y-yes, sir!"
The 2nd Company rushed forward toward the enemy, trying their best to keep a narrow column formation.
If they stretched out into a horizontal line, the Balt Shield would have to cover a wider area, making it inefficient.
If the distance were greater, they would have used the Balt Wind, but right now the enemy was too close.
Even if they summoned the Balt Wind, it wouldn't reduce the bullets' power enough, and there would be casualties.
"Bruno! Shield!"
"Gasp!"
Bruno was following Yurgen as he ran, and at Yurgen's command, he instantly summoned a barrier without even thinking.
He may not have had much combat experience and was half out of his mind from fear, but the training he received at the Military Academy didn't fail him—Bruno's shield formed perfectly in front of the 2nd Company, protecting them.
Rat-tat-tat! Thud, thud!
Just then, the Belliang Army opened fire once again.
"Hold it! Just keep holding it!"
This time, they didn't drop the shield right away.
Yurgen yelled at Bruno to keep maintaining the barrier.
Bruno wavered, his face pale as if he might collapse from the shock hitting the shield, but with Yurgen and Isaac supporting him, he managed to keep the barrier up to the end.
Bang! Bang!
As the distance closed, the enemy stopped firing in volleys and began shooting wildly in scattered bursts.
If they had let their guard down and dropped the barrier, the front of the company would have been wiped out in an instant.
"You're doing great, Bruno! Just a little more! Isaac, get ready!"
"We can't hold out any longer! Bruno's at his limit! I can't handle it on my own!"
"Damn it! Bruno, that's enough, prepare to face the enemy Baltrachers with Isaac!"
"Huff!"
Yurgen wanted to keep the Balt Shield up a little longer, but if he pushed Bruno any further, he wouldn't be able to hold on. In that case, Isaac might have to face the enemy Baltrachers alone.
And that would mean certain death.
"Fire!"
"Fire!"
Bang!
Bang!
The moment the barrier vanished, Yurgen and Ernest gave the order to shoot at the same time.
The front line of the 2nd Company, who had been relying on the barrier as they advanced, opened fire on the enemy soldiers poking their heads above the trench.
"Rotate! Run up, quickly!"
"Switch out the front line! If you've fired, move back!"
The capable non-commissioned officers immediately pulled the front ranks back.
Soldiers with loaded guns stepped forward to lay down suppressive fire on the enemy once more.
The soldiers who had fallen back hurriedly tried to reload as they ran.
With a powder gun, if you tried loading while running, you might spill all the powder or fail to seat it properly in the priming pan, so even if you managed to fire, the gun would lose much of its power.
Bang! Thud!
The front line laying down suppressive fire was struck down.
Then, as bullets rained in shortly after, more began to collapse en masse.
"Aaargh!"
"Help me!"
Although they weren't fatally wounded, the soldiers who had fallen to the ground screamed in terror.
But there was no time to care for them.
Everyone kept running, trampling over their fallen comrades without stopping.
"Isaac! Hit them with one!"
"Here goes!"
Just before leaping into the trench, Yurgen shouted instructions to Isaac.
Isaac, careful not to use too much strength, unleashed his Balt Psychokinesis toward the inside of the trench.
In that instant, a blue flash of Balt Light flickered through the air.
Boom!
"What the—!"
"A Baltracher…!"
Isaac's psychokinesis was stopped cold by a barrier.
While the startled soldiers gaped in confusion, the officers instantly recognized it as the work of an enemy Baltracher.
The ordinary soldiers thought the enemy Baltracher only excelled at high-speed movements and assassinations, but the officers knew better.
The Imperial Army had pioneered the use of the Baltracher, and the Alliance Army had been burned by it countless times.
Naturally, there would be Belliang Baltrachers fighting in the same style as the Empire.
They'd probably just been conserving their strength until now because the Balt consumption was so high that it wasn't something to use recklessly.
"Charge! Charge!"
"What are you waiting for! Keep running!"
Regardless of what was happening, the 2nd Company had no choice but to press on.
Gritting their teeth, the soldiers charged toward the clash of Isaac's power and the enemy Baltracher's.
"Bruno!"
Isaac shouted Bruno's name like a scream, and Bruno unleashed his Balt with all his might.
Boom! Crash!
"Argh!"
The careful balance of power that had been holding finally collapsed.
A single Belliang Baltracher couldn't withstand the assault of two Imperial Baltrachers.
The Balt Shield shattered, and the combined Balt Psychokinesis of Isaac and Bruno swept through the inside of the trench, tearing into the Belliang soldiers who were waiting with bayonets fixed.
"Get in! Move, get inside!"
"Kill them all!"
Bang! Bang bang! Ratatat!
"Argh!"
The 2nd Company fired at the enemies knocked down by psychokinesis as they leapt into the trench.
The Belliang Army returned fire, and several members of the 2nd Company who had just jumped into the trench collapsed and did not get up.
"Kill them! Kill them!"
"Charge!"
After an exchange of gunfire, the 2nd Company tried to reload their Balt Guns, while the Belliang Army rushed forward, bayonets fixed.
Bang! Bang bang bang!
The 2nd Company finished reloading quickly and opened fire once more.
Another wave of the Belliang soldiers fell, but more kept coming, trampling over the bodies of their fallen comrades as they charged in.
"Aaaagh!"
Howling with rage, the Belliang soldiers thrust their bayonets with all their strength.
Two soldiers from the 3rd Platoon, still struggling to reload, frantically stabbed back with their own bayonets.
Stab! Squish!
One Belliang soldier died with two bayonets stuck in his chest, but an Imperial soldier was killed when he was struck in the face.
As the bodies piled up and blocked their way, the Belliang troops hesitated for a brief moment—then surged into the narrow trench, wildly jabbing with their bayonets.
"Die!"
"Arghhh!"
"Shoot! Kill them!"
Inside the trench, it was so crammed there was barely any room to swing a bayonet, turning the whole place into utter chaos.
Meanwhile, 2nd Company members who hadn't yet entered the trench unleashed a rain of bullets from above, mowing down the enemy.
Isaac and Bruno couldn't use their Balt powers because they were keeping a close eye on the enemy Baltracher.
Thanks to the Balt Guns, the Imperial Army had the advantage, but both sides were taking massive casualties.
Ernest still hadn't managed to enter the trench.
He was crouched on one knee, firing a barrage of bullets into the trench, and being exposed in the middle of the front lines with no cover made his brain feel like it was about to melt from the tension.
Even as he fired, Ernest's dark eyes darted busily, scanning the chaos.
Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he threw himself flat on the ground, shouting at the top of his lungs.
"Get down!"
By now, the 2nd Company members outside the trench were used to Ernest's voice and hurriedly dove to the ground.
Unfortunately, a few soldiers were so focused on shooting at the enemy that they were too slow to react.
Tatadang!
The soldiers who hadn't ducked were struck down helplessly by a barrage of enemy fire—Belliang soldiers popping up from behind the wall opposite the trench and firing from above.
"Isaac! Break the wall!"
"Damn it!"
At Yurgen's command, Isaac cursed and unleashed his Balt Psychokinesis with full force.
As before, a Balt Shield materialized, protecting them from the attack.
"Bruno! Left side!"
That was Ernest shouting.
Without even looking properly, Bruno sent out a blast of Balt Psychokinesis, smashing into the wall on the left side beyond the trench.
Boom!
"Ah!"
The Baltracher hiding behind the wall cried out in shock and collapsed.
Bruno's attack had missed by a hair.
Bang!
Before the Baltracher could even put up a Barrier, Ernest's bullet whizzed through the air and pierced his chest.
No matter how skilled a Baltracher was at manipulating Balt, they couldn't hide the faint glow of Balt Light emanating from their body.
Ernest had spotted that slight glimmer the very moment the Barrier blocking Isaac's Psychokinesis began to form.
"Shit! How did you do that?"
"I saw it!"
Ernest answered Yurgen's astonished shout curtly, then resumed firing.
With the enemy Baltracher down, there was nothing left to stop Isaac.
The wall beyond the trench crumbled, and the exposed enemy soldiers scrambled to escape in a panic.
"Bruno! Hit the right side!"
"Got it!"
Thud! Smash!
As Isaac cried out, powerful Balt Psychokinesis came crashing down into the trench where close-quarters combat was raging.
The left flank of the Belliang Army attacking the 2nd Company was slammed hard by Isaac, and the right flank was crushed simultaneously by Bruno's Psychokinesis.
The head of a Belliang Army soldier, who had been standing tall, snapped violently under the tremendous impact, and some had their necks broken on the spot and fell.
The rest collapsed, unable even to stand on their feet.
"Kill them!"
The moment the Balt Psychokinesis vanished, the Imperial Army rained bullets on the enemy who were toppled and couldn't even resist.
"Move in! Get in there!"
"Get in and secure the area first!"
"There could still be survivors! Make sure you finish them off!"
At last, the entire 2nd Company managed to enter the trench.
The foremost soldiers from both sides pushed forward to secure positions, and the soldiers following them drove their bayonets deep into the bodies strewn on the floor to make sure the enemy was dead.
"Stop! That's far enough, damn it!"
"Are you deaf? I said stop!"
With the roar of battle, orders didn't carry to the soldiers running out of breath along both ends.
The soldiers, rushing ahead to secure space, ended up going too deep.
Bang!
"Dieeee!"
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
A Belliang Army soldier, who had been hiding in a narrow, winding corner of the trench, suddenly burst out, firing his gun and thrusting his bayonet with all his might.
The bayonet was stopped by the Imperial soldier's breastplate, but the dagger he quickly drew tore mercilessly into his opponent's stomach and underarm, leaving them mangled and shredded.
Bang!
The Belliang soldier killed one man with his gun and another with his dagger, but as he turned to flee, a bullet struck him in the back.
He staggered forward a few more steps before collapsing.
Blood foamed at his lips as he convulsed on the ground.
"You bastard! How dare you! How dare you…!"
"Die! Just die!"
Enraged by the loss of their comrade, the 2nd Company members leapt on him, plunging their bayonets again and again, until his body was left so mutilated it was unrecognizable.
"Fall back and secure your positions! Damn it! I said secure your positions! What are you doing!"
"Jonas! Jonas! Get everyone into position!"
"Yeah, yeah! Right! Stop! Stop it! Get into position! If you go any further, it'll be dangerous!"
Yurgen grabbed the soldiers by the shoulders, quickly assessed the situation, and shouted.
Jonas, who had been rolling his eyes in panic while clutching his rifle, heard Yurgen and bellowed with all his might.
Fortunately, the squad leaders came to their senses, seized the scruffs of the men still desecrating the enemy's corpse, and dragged them back.
Meanwhile, Ernest's 1st Platoon was quietly standing by with their guns trained on the opposite passage.
The two soldiers in front knelt on one knee, ready, while two more stood behind them, also at the ready.
"Hold! Hold!"
Ernest ordered them to hold their positions in a sharp, commanding voice.
Even if nothing happened, frightened soldiers might open fire by mistake.
He had to act with utmost caution.
"1st Company! This is 2nd Company!
Ernest shouted in a loud voice.
To the left of the 2nd Company was the 1st Company.
If the 1st Company had safely made it into the trench and was moving inside, they could run into each other.
If they weren't careful, friendly fire could easily happen.
"Don't come this way! 1st Company!"
"This is 1st Company! We need to check further inside!"
As Ernest kept shouting for them not to come in while calling out to the 1st Company, a reply came back in familiar Imperial Common.
"What's the name of the 1st Company Commander?"
"Hartmann! Lieutenant Ferdinand Hartmann, sir!"
"Enter slowly and be careful of friendly fire! If we see any suspicious movement, we'll have to shoot!"
"Understood! We're coming in! Don't shoot!" "Hold!"
A moment later, footsteps could be heard coming from the corner of the passage.
The soldiers waited on edge, tense and alert.
Suddenly, a hand shot out from around the corner and waved frantically.
"Can you see?"
"I can see!"
"Don't shoot!"
"Hold your fire!"
"I said don't fucking shoot, you bastard!"
"Hold!"
What were they supposed to do if they lowered their muzzles and it turned out to be the enemy?
Regardless of what the others said, they would just stay on standby for now.
"Don't shoot! I said don't shoot! I'm coming out! I'll come out slowly, so don't shoot!"
A terrified voice echoed down the passage.
Then, an Imperial Army soldier poked his head out from the corner, glanced over at 2nd Company's 1st Platoon, pulled back for a moment, then stumbled out, breathing heavily and shakily.
"Lower your muzzle!"
"Gasp!Gasp!Gasp!"
When Ernest gave the order to lower their muzzles, both companies' soldiers finally let out harsh, relieved breaths.
"Keep watch here! You need to maintain visibility with our allies!"
"Yes, sir!"
Ernest stationed two members of the 1st Platoon at that spot.
In such chaotic terrain, it was vital to keep visual contact with friendly forces.
If they lost sight of each other and someone suddenly popped out, they might shoot them thinking they were the enemy.
"Let the Company Commander know we've encountered the 1st Company on the left!"
"We've encountered the 1st Company on the left!"
Following Ernest's instructions, the soldiers shouted at the top of their lungs to relay the information.
The trench was so narrow that it was nearly impossible to run and deliver messages in person.
"Jonas! Have we linked up with the 3rd Company?"
"Still checking, sir!"
"Jitman! Keep watching for the enemy!"
"I'm Jimman!"
"Right! Jitman!"
"We've linked up with the 3rd Company!"
"Alright! Assess the casualties and stand by!"
The 1st Battalion, which had conserved its strength by using the 2nd Battalion as a shield during the earlier assault, managed to capture the trench without too much difficulty.
Still, the two Baltrachers had exhausted a lot of energy, and nearly twenty casualties had occurred.
The reason the latest frontal assault suffered fewer losses was that the Belliang Army had concentrated its strength on defending the first trench line.
Their plan was probably to withdraw step by step from there, gradually wearing down the Imperial Army.
Unfortunately for them, the Imperials had no room to fall back either, so they crashed into the defenses with brutal force, resulting in heavy Belliang casualties.
In any case, from the moment a battle begins, nothing ever goes exactly according to the plan.
"Damn it. We're down to half."
"We're at less than half, sir."
Noticing that their company was reduced to half strength, Yurgen bit his lip and muttered, while Isaac caught his breath and spoke, struggling.
They'd blocked enemy fire with barriers, attacked using telekinesis, and even clashed with enemy Baltrachers.
Although they'd been supplied plenty of Balt Batteries to spare, the Baltrachers' mental stamina had been depleted and felt ready to break.
'Damn it. Damn. Shit!'
As Yurgen assessed the company's condition, the frustration nearly drove him insane.
Breaking through multiple trench lines wasn't just about the difficulty of battle itself.
You fought with everything you had, only to face yet another fight.
And when you scraped by and won again, there was always another one waiting.
The sense of frustration and despair that sets in here is beyond imagination.
The trench line itself becomes a psychological barrier, making attackers crumble on their own.
The Imperial Army, having broken through the enemy's trenches twice, needed a break.
Even a brief moment would do—just enough time to tend to their exhausted bodies and minds and to steel themselves for the next fight.
But in terms of tactics, not charging right now would be downright foolish.
The Belliang Army had suffered much heavier losses than the Imperial Army and had already retreated twice.
The Belliang Army was in worse shape than the Imperials, so there was no reason to wait.
They needed to push forward with all their might, break everything in their path, and kill anything standing in the way.
At least, that's what senior commanding officers blinded by the promise of glory would think.
If they just waited, the 6th Division and 7th Division, which had already secured the north of Bertagne Forest, would break through and end the battle anyway.
"I just want this to be over... I just want this to end..."
Someone huddled down, sobbing and muttering.
Despair had clearly settled over the soldiers waiting for the order to charge.
Maybe things were better back in the days of armor and spear-blades. At least then, you didn't die from just twitching a finger.
And back when religion still held immense sway, warriors weren't afraid of death.
There was faith in God and the afterlife, and honor was still something radiant.
That's how so many could fight through horrors without losing themselves.
But ever since Walter Ulrich Mihahil appeared, developed the Balt Gun, destroyed temples, desecrated religion, and cast down God Himself—everything had been reduced to a mere illusion.
Now, death was just death—nothing more, nothing less. It carried no meaning, no value at all.
So on the battlefield, there was only one feeling left to have about death: pure fear.
"Get up! Pull yourself together! Sitting here moping won't make anything better!"
Yurgen shouted, urging the soldiers on—even though he himself wanted nothing more than to collapse and give up.
He was overwhelmed by guilt at having to drive these innocent men into the battlefield.
Even though he, too, was risking his own life, charging toward the enemy lines.
As the Company Commander and the field leader, he was responsible for his men.
Ordinary soldiers, simply following orders, could hardly imagine how heavy that burden was.
"The enemy's resistance is weakening! We just have to get past there! Get through that point, and we win! Once we break through the forest, all this madness will be over!"
Yurgen wasn't sure anymore if he was encouraging the soldiers or crying out to God in desperate hope.
But his words sparked a glimmer of hope.
Even the soldiers who had been sobbing on the ground wiped away their tears and got up, preparing for the next charge.
"Étoile de l'Été!"
At that moment, a powerful voice called out in Belliang from somewhere nearby.
There was unmistakable joy in that shout.
"Étoile de l'Été!"
"Étoile de l'Été!"
The cries spread quickly, echoing all around.
Before long, the Belliang soldiers were all shouting those words together in unison.
"What are they saying!"
The Imperial soldiers, unfamiliar with the Belliang language, couldn't help but be thrown into confusion.
Whatever it was, it didn't sound like anything good.
"They're saying 'Star of Summer!'"
Bruno, who was from Belliang, explained, but that only left Yurgen more baffled than ever.
Star of Summer?
Summer was still a long way off.
And besides, even if a light drizzle was falling, it was the middle of the day—hardly the time to speak of stars.
But Ernest immediately understood what—and who—the Belliang Army meant by 'Star of Summer.'
"It's her! That Green-Eyed Baltracher!"
Ernest, who had faced her close enough to feel her breath and fought desperately for his life, instantly recalled how her brilliantly shining green eyes had reminded him of the deep emerald of summer foliage.
KABOOM!
"Aaaaagh!"
And then, from the north side of the second trench line, off to the right of the 2nd Company, a thunderous explosion rang out, followed by a scream.
Every member of the 2nd Company who had survived an encounter with that bastard knew instantly what was happening.
"Shit! We're screwed! Krieger! Bring the 1st Company! We have to stick together—now!"
"1st Company! 1st Company! Move out with the Baltrachers immediately and close in on the right!"
"Hurry, get over to the 3rd Company—now! Two people alone can't handle this!"
"Run! Run!"
"W-What? What's happening?"
"Just shut up and run!"
Following Yurgen's orders, the 2nd Company sprang into action.
Ernest had to drag the still-confused 1st Company over, but naturally, it took a little time for the message to get through.
"Gustav! Take command!"
"Yes, sir! …Wait a minute!"
After handing command over to Deputy Platoon Leader Sergeant Gustav, Ernest vaulted out of the trench in one swift motion.
He kept low and started sprinting to the left.
"Close up with the 2nd Company! Close up with the 2nd Company!"
As Ernest ran outside the trench shouting, the members of the 1st Company stared up at him in shock, utterly dazed.
They couldn't take their eyes off him, wondering what kind of lunatic would pull a stunt like that.
Apparently, the Belliang Army felt the same way—no one even thought to open fire on him.
"Ernest! What the hell are you doing!"
"It's her! The Green-Eyed Baltracher! We need to close in on the right and combine the Power of our Baltrachers!"
Baumann spotted Ernest and shouted in horror, trying to pull him down, but Ernest dodged his grip and yelled his warning so loud everyone could hear.
Baumann's face immediately went pale.
"Close up on the right! Move in tight on the right!"
Fortunately, it seemed Ferdinand had heard him too, because he immediately started moving the 1st Company north.
Ernest dashed outside the trench again, and as soon as he caught sight of the tail end of the 2nd Company's 1st Platoon, he dove in headfirst, tumbling down into cover.
"Lieutenant! Damn it! Don't ever do something like that again—you just about gave me a heart attack! Make the others do it if you have to!"
The moment Ernest dropped into the trench, Ralf, looking like he'd lost ten years of his life, grabbed him and pulled him up, nearly dragging him away.
"As if I had the time for that!"
"Damn it!"
Ralf could only curse at Ernest's response. If he'd ordered the soldiers to go out alone, they would have just hesitated and wasted precious time. There wasn't a moment to spare.
"They're coming! They're coming! Shit! They're coming!"
The 2nd Battalion soldiers who had survived that day's battle were thrown into complete panic by the deafening roar and screams approaching from the north, and by the eerie, snake-like movement of the pale Balt Light.
"Get down!"
Boom!
"Ugh!"
Then, just outside the east side of the trench, the Belliang Baltracher known as the 'Star of Summer' streaked across the ground like a flash.
She pierced right through the Balt Shield hastily thrown up by one of the 2nd Battalion's Baltrachers and reached out her hand.
Vwoooom! Crack!
Balt energy shot forth from her palm, piercing the Baltracher's body and then swelling with immense force, bursting his body apart. Her green eyes followed as the Balt Battery and a pouch flew through the chunks of flesh and splattered blood.
Smack.
She snatched the pouch out of the air and looked south, down the corridor inside the trench.
"You...!"
Before the soldiers could even finish aiming their guns, she took off at a sprint.
Brrrrrrat!
In the cramped trench, only another Baltracher could hope to block this pale comet in its rampage. Yet as she raced down the winding trench corridor with incredible speed, she never once collided with the wall, and every soldier who blocked her path was mercilessly destroyed and ground down by her strange way of wielding Balt.
Her deadly charge only stopped when she came up against barriers raised by two Imperial Army Baltrachers.
"Monster...!"
"..."
The green-eyed Baltracher, having halted her run, tilted her head slightly at the Imperial Baltracher who called her a monster.
Her face was so pale it looked almost blue, and she moved it with chilling nonchalance.
"Go say that to your lunatic Emperor."
She had just slaughtered dozens in a flash with terrifying strength and cruelty, yet she spoke in surprisingly skilled Imperial tongue—almost tickling to the ear, her tone so softly and calmly delivered.
"Charge!"
"Waaaaaah!"
The Belliang Army did not miss their chance as the Imperial forces reeled from the massive destruction wrought by the single 'Star of Summer'.
With a thunderous roar, they surged out from the third trench line and launched a counterattack against the Imperial Army.
Their morale was frighteningly high.
They looked as if they were already certain of victory.
Ernest realized that the "Star of Summer" the enemy soldiers were shouting in unison was, like him or Ferdinand, a hero widely known throughout their own ranks.
The only difference was, while soldiers like Ernest and Ferdinand were reluctantly thrust into the role of hero by circumstance without any special abilities, the "Star of Summer" was a true hero for the Belliang.
"Damn it! Open fire! Don't let those bastards get close!"
Yurgen decided to quickly fire at the charging enemy to hold them back for now.
Even though the 2nd Company members were terrified, they obeyed Company Commander Yurgen's orders without hesitation.
Imperial soldiers, hiding in the trenches, poured bullets from their Balt Guns as fast as they could, mowing down the onrushing Belliang Army.
However, to the north, where the "Star of Summer" had struck, the resistance was weak, and in the end, the Belliang soldiers leaped back into the trenches, and close quarters combat broke out again.
"Shit! Get out!"
"What did you say?"
"I said get out! If you stay here, you're all dead! Hurry, get out!"
No one could make sense of Yurgen's words—he just told them to get in the trenches, so why is he now telling them to get out?
But Yurgen was already taking the lead, scrambling up and out of the trench.
"Climb up and form a tight formation!"
"Hurry up! Get up here! We need to form a tight formation!"
Before he knew it, Ernest was up out of the trench, calling for the soldiers to climb out as well.
Ferdinand's 1st Company was doing the same.
"Run! Go, go! We have to merge with the 2nd Company!"
"Aaaargh!"
The trenches were far too narrow to allow them to work together.
It made more sense to get out as quickly as possible and regroup outside.
They'd be exposed to enemy fire, but waiting helplessly inside while the "Star of Summer" rampaged through the trench, slaughtering everything, was the worse alternative.
The 3rd Company quickly caught on to the situation and began scrambling up out of the trench as well.
Instead of heading off to support the 2nd Battalion, they joined up with the 2nd Company without the slightest hesitation.
They had clearly decided that the 2nd Battalion was a lost cause, abandoning it without delay.
Boom!
But before the 3rd Company could link up with the 2nd Company, death reached them first.
A pale streak—blazing across the trench with terrifying speed—tore the soldiers to pieces.
Then, for a brief moment, it was stopped by a Baltracher's Barrier, only to break through again and end the Baltracher as well.
The hero snatched up the new Balt Battery, glanced around at the now-empty trench ahead, and rolled her eyes.
The trench had been the perfect stage for her rampage.
There was no need to watch out for Imperial Army gunfire, and the Imperial Army's Baltracher was too far away to join forces with anyone.
"Keep the formation tight!"
"Damn it! Can't believe we're using these outdated tactics!"
"Don't stop firing! Kill them all!"
Because of this, the 1st Battalion's 1st and 2nd Companies, who had quickly decided to leave the trench and formed a dense, old-fashioned Square Formation outside while pouring out bullets nonstop, turned out to be quite a nuisance for her.
She frowned when he saw a familiar, though unwelcome, face.
Ernest, who was watching her closely, felt the same way.
This made it the third time.
In this day and age, it's extremely rare to encounter an enemy so closely—close enough to hear each other's breathing—three times on the same battlefield, fighting to the death, and still not have it settled.
That's simply because today's weapons are so deadly.
Bang!
"She's coming!"
"Tsk."
Ernest immediately fired and shouted a warning, the "Star of Summer" clicked her tongue, and their third battle began.