Chapter 54 – NTL-001
One.
It was a great fighting power. It was hard to believe if you weren’t directly observing Netoru dealing with a group of bugs alone.
─Then I will join right now.
Killing dozens of them alone is an astounding task, but
Netoru’s voice was as calm as usual.
This fact inadvertently caused an awkward laugh.
Fortunately, the danger seems to have passed. Rien sighed in relief at the situation somehow resolved.
…Of course, that’s not entirely positive.
Even at this moment, the number of bugs observed in Area 39 was increasing. It was because bugs continued to rise above the ground through the death worm’s tunnel that had infiltrated to avoid observation.
It seemed that there was something like an underground passage outside the observation area. It is a large passageway that is several kilometers long.
There’s no way a normal life form could make such a thing, but considering the large body of a death worm, it wouldn’t be an impossible story.
I’m not sure how many more bugs that are entering through the underground passage will remain in the future,
Even the number of bugs observed so far was difficult to handle with the strength of Unit 393.
No, the death worm was the problem.
Lien also knew virtually nothing about that monster. So, how much power do we need to put in for that, whether it can be captured with the power of Unit 393,
I can’t judge any of them properly.
So, they hurriedly requested support from other units in District 39, but it is questionable how many troops they will be able to send.
Honestly, I’d be glad if they sent at least one platoon.
It wasn’t just Unit 393 that things were bad. The poor unit situation was the same elsewhere.
After all, they were also commanders of District 39, who were despised by nobles.
‘…I wonder if I have no choice but to use it for now.’
Rien was currently thinking about tactical magic bullets.
In order to destroy the group of bugs that are gathering through the tunnel created by the death worm at once, you have no choice but to rely on the power of tactical magic bullets.
However, the problem was that I was wondering if I could catch the death worm even if I used this.
The holy cavalry units in Area 47 probably didn’t withdraw for nothing.
They must have considered using tactical magic bullets.
No, maybe you’ve already tried it.
If nothing else, they would have been supplied with more tactical magic bullets than Area 39.
‘…Is it possible to kill with this?’
What if it fails?
Information···. Lack of information.
In response to that fact, Rien, who was constantly combining information in the Aegis, sighed over and over again.
And at that moment, Netoru’s voice came to mind.
-Why didn’t you tell me when I asked? It seems that he knew something when he received the report.
His cold, cold voice plays clearly in my mind. Lien swallowed.
… I didn’t mean this.
Of course, he didn’t intend to hide the information from Netoru because it was Rien. There’s no need to.
It was just that I was distracted when I received the report.
The higher command ignores requests for assistance even after receiving written reports and reports of bugs from the borders of Elflandia.
And the unit power lost in battle…
There is no way Rien can remain sane as traces of what is believed to be a death worm appear in such a hectic state.
I didn’t hide any information from him. He was just so confused that he couldn’t speak.
And he was, to be honest, half-naked when he got the report. Why did the guy who appeared in Area 47 in the first place come to Area 39?
I didn’t want to confuse the already cluttered unit situation with unclear information. So he thought it wouldn’t be too late to check and judge.
So, as soon as the day after receiving the report, Rien immediately dispatched Asuna to check the traces.
When it was half certain that it was a death worm, he reported to the higher command and asked for more solid information.
And if I received the information like that, I planned to explain the current situation to the troops today.
…But I never thought it would show up at such bad timing.
In the increasingly twisted situation, Rien bit his lip and focused his consciousness on the movements of the bugs wandering into the observation area.
But that was then.
“… What is this?”
Lien, who was observing the movements of the chasing centipedes after four toru, opened his mouth slightly in amazement.
A shock of unexpected meaning hit the back of the head.
Because all of a sudden they started retreating.
As if they had no intention of fighting any more, the pursuing centipedes were turning one by one.
The red dots are getting farther away.
Lien was stunned. She is hard to believe.
She had never seen the bugs retreat. Are the bugs really making strategic decisions like Netoru said?
This was never a good change.
2,
At that time, Netoru was also looking at the same thing as Rien. From the top of the hill, I could see the chasing centipedes withdrawing in an orderly manner.
─···The chasing centipedes are retreating.
“···Yes. I am also watching.”
Rien’s voice was somehow stiff. As if she was looking at an incredible sight.
And it was the same with Netoru.
‘Retreat?’
You might think there was something special about retreating, but the problem was that the opponent was a bug. Until now, the only option given to them was to annihilate the enemy.
However, retreating like this
It was said that the option of preserving troops was newly created for them.
It was never a pleasant story.
No matter how you look at it, it was a good thing for this side to keep chasing me as I was ignorant.
Because it is necessary to somehow reduce the number of bugs in the form of individual breaking.
However, if the pursuing centipedes retreated without hesitation like that,
In the end, I had to face them again with a bunch of new bugs that were replenished in the next battle.
3.
The tense situation ended more futile than expected due to the sudden retreat of the chasing centipedes.
However, that did not solve the current situation.
The death worm was still waiting at the place where it first appeared, and bugs that had risen to the ground through underground passages were camped out around it.
Not only their numbers, but the presence of Death Worms was too threatening, so for Unit 393, it was best for Unit 393 to watch without rushing an attack.
Currently, there is nothing that can be done with the power of Unit 393.
Is that why? Lien seemed to have urgently requested support from other units. So for now, it was best to stay on the defensive until other units came to support.
Thanks to this, in a situation where there is no choice but to leave the bugs suddenly rising from the ground,
Members of the unit returned to base.
Even if he continued to sit in the holy cavalry to respond quickly, it would only reduce his stamina.
It’s good to save your stamina now.
It will be a fiercer battle than ever before.
That was when the Holy Troopers landed in the hangar.
Netoru, who was about to open the cockpit and leave, hesitated and looked back.
“Ceres. Why are you still?”
“That, that’s… I mean.”
Ceres, who was still in the cockpit without getting up, let out an awkward laugh.
She wasn’t doing this because she wanted to. I wanted to go out and wash right away.
…But my body doesn’t move.
To be precise, the lower body was weak as if the waist was missing. In addition, even after unplugging, the heat inside the womb rises, and the head feels dizzy…
Ceres knows what this is all about.
‘…Could it be overheating?’
Realizing the symptoms belatedly, Ceres was embarrassed.
It was because it had been a long time since I had experienced overheating with Holy Trooper control.
When was the last time I had an overheat?
At least since coming to Unit 393, there hasn’t been a single one. Thanks to that, these sensations were now unfamiliar to me.
At that moment, Netoru’s words flashed in Ceres’ mind at the heat that was gradually rising from the lower abdomen where the mana nervous system was located.
-Now that the situation is like this, I don’t think they will be able to adjust the pace this time, so don’t be too resentful. You’ll probably have a hard time when you return to the unit.
“…”
It’s definitely what he said. When his warning did become reality, Ceres smiled bitterly.
…But fortunately, it’s not serious.
In my experience, if you overheat at this level, you can take an antipyretic and rest for an hour or two.
This was just a temporary reaction to the rapid increase in output for a short period of time.
“···You.”
But that was then.
Netoru, who was half-draped outside the cockpit, approached with a serious face.
“Why, why…”
Surprised by this, Ceres flinched involuntarily and threw his body back. But Netoru didn’t care and reached out his hand. Ceres froze in the cockpit.
“Now, wait a minute…”
Naturally, Netoru’s hand came up on his forehead.
Netoru’s hands were cold.
No, I’m not exactly hot.
“…Is it overheating after all?”
Without asking his permission, he put his hand on his forehead to take the temperature. Netoru’s expression soon turned serious.
…Are you worried?
Thanks to that, Ceres, who was somewhat relaxed, said with the most calm face.
“…If this is enough, an hour or two will be enough. So there is nothing to worry about.”
“…”
However, even after hearing the words, Netoru’s expression did not ease easily and seemed to be contemplating something.
And then.
Then he said something with a serious face,
Ceres, who had been listening to the story with a blank face probably from the heat, tilted his head.
“Yes?”
And when he came to his senses, his chin was naturally pulled.
