Chapter 79 – Prasion
“Ha···. Ha···.”
My breath is hot. Every time my lungs moved, my side hurt. He had been breathing so hard that his throat now tingled.
At that time, Netoru, who was holding the control rod from behind, spoke.
“Karen. Have you cooled your head now?”
“···Huh.”
“I know people are upset about the deaths, but why is it all of a sudden?”
“···Just. It reminds me of the old days. My hometown is gone because of the bugs.”
Prasion was a precious city to Karen. In a way, it is now a city that is like a second home. It’s a city I’ve been protecting for the past three years, so I can’t help but love it.
But is it because the whole city is in ruins?
That nightmare-like day came back to me. A place where familiar streets were turned into ruins by bugs, black smoke was rising everywhere, and deaths were rampant.
The time when I was helpless, unable to do anything even while watching my parents die in front of my eyes.
It reminded me of it, and I couldn’t suppress my emotions for a moment.
“···Okay. If that’s the case, I can’t help it.”
Did you understand Netoru muttered as if he understood, and then moved the holy cavalry again. The fighting was still going on inside the city.
It was time to find the bug again and move on. A voice like a scream came through the audio channel.
─Kyaaaaagh! Whoa, someone help me!
“…Kyokyo’s voice.”
As soon as Netoru heard those words, he was running towards the spot where Kyokyo was. Looking at the map, luckily the distance was close.
Eventually, they arrived at a crossroads where the main streets of the city intersect. And in the center, I saw a holy cavalry soldier half-surrounded by three spiders.
It was Kyokyo’s holy cavalryman controlled by Pera.
For some reason, the two did not run away and used the surrounding buildings as cover to pass the time. At first glance, it looked dangerous. For the safety of the two, Netoru immediately began to draw the attention of the besieging bugs.
He suffocated the centipede by inserting a sword into the body of the centipede, which was secretly moving along the wall of the building, and rushed furiously at the spider, who was aiming a muzzle at Kyokyo’s holy cavalry, and pushed it away with his body.
──Thung!
The impact made a bizarre squealing sound and the spider, which had been firing cannonballs into the air, flipped over on the floor in a comical way. The recoil of the artillery fire and Netoru’s impact combined, making it unbalanced.
Netoru, who drew the attention of the bugs in an instant, inserted his sword into Spider’s body, which was moving around with his disgustingly remodeled legs in an upside-down state.
Eventually, along with the sticky blood, Spider’s breath completely stopped. Have I just discovered this?
─Ugh! Brothers Karen and Netoru!
─Kyaaaaa! Now we live!
The two people who had been screaming pitifully until just now greeted them roaringly. Karen was relieved to see the two of them, but she couldn’t hide her laughter. Anyway, I’m glad you’re safe.
“Are you two okay?”
─Yes! Are you okay!
“Anyway, it’s safe because we’re here… Ugh!?”
Karen, who had been reassuring them, suddenly screamed. It was because Netoru suddenly pulled the control rod, and his magic power pushed him hard as if pressing down on his lower stomach.
“Karen. It’s not over yet, so pay attention.”
“Yes···. Mi-sorry.”
Could it be because of the sudden expansion of the magical power pass? The magical nervous system throbs. Even so, Karen blushed at the voice of the four toru who scolded her in a low voice. There was nothing wrong with what he said. The tension eased for a moment.
She was so relieved that she saved Kyo-Kyo and Per-A, who might have died if it was a little later.
“Perah, Kyokyo. Hold on a little bit I’ll come clean up soon.”
─Yes!
Having said that to the two, Netoru began clearing out the bugs around him.
In a rain of shells and bullets,
As usual, he moved one step ahead as if predicting the bug’s movements, suffocating enemies one after another.
Its movement was monotonous and calm.
As Karen focused on extinguishing his mana so that he could focus on the battle as much as possible, he could feel it once again in his heart.
This guy is an adult after all.
Until just now, Karen felt strong hostility towards the bugs and was boiling with anger like a child.
Netoru was completely different.
A city turning into ruins and countless corpses,
And even in the face of danger from the unit members, Netoru never lost his composure.
Karen was really curious about that figure, but on the other hand, it was unfamiliar. In fact, it was Karen’s job to calm down her coupling partner.
Originally, in this way, rather than being pointed out by her coupling partner, Karen was in a position to point out the opposite.
Natsuo, while coupling with that guy, I always had to concentrate on not letting go of the reins. Otherwise, at some point you’re overdoing it.
In that respect, Netoru seems to overdo it like Natsuo.
He hadn’t lost his unwavering coolness.
Reckless but cool It may seem absurd, but these two disparate personalities are naturally harmonized.
Is this possible because Netoru is such an experienced veteran pilot?
If that’s the case, if Natsuo becomes an experienced adult, will she grow like this?
It would be nice if I could do that…
By the time you think about it,
─Whoa! Thank you, Netoru!
Soon after, Netoru, who had safely sorted out the bugs, returned to the place where Pera and Kyokyo were.
After taking some time to look at it again, Kyokyo’s holy cavalry was in the worst condition, unable to maneuver.
No matter how many bullets he had received during the battle, the holy cavalry’s armor was dented and dented here and there, and Holy Blood was constantly flowing on the floor.
Even his left arm was completely torn as if he had been hit by a shell.
Why didn’t you run away until this happened? In that situation, you should have run away instead of wasting time using the building as a cover.
It was when Karen suddenly had such a question.
Perhaps knowing something, Netoru praised them both.
“Perah, Kyokyo. Well done to both of you. You did not run away and held on well.”
─···Hehe. Thanks to you, I thought I was really dying!
Kyokyo smiled brightly, as if embarrassed, and Pera removed the half-shattered arm of the holy cavalryman.
Then I saw two young children trembling and terrified behind them.
Ah···. You were protecting the kids.
Maybe that’s why these two couldn’t escape and were surrounded like this? Despite the risk of death, the two steadfastly protected the children.
“It will take a little while, but other Holy Troopers will come here as well. So take the guards and get out of the back. By the time we got here, we had all the bugs sorted out.”
──Yes!
Fera and Kyokyo answered bravely. Even though he almost died a while ago, he shows no sign of fear. Thanks to that, Karen inadvertently smiled softly at the two of them. They were cute kids like younger siblings.
2.
Dawn passed and morning came. However, the black smoke rising from here and there seemed to reveal the gloomy situation of the city.
“·······”
But is this an illusion? Natsuo raised his head.
I don’t know why, but I felt as if the gunfire that had been ringing around here had subsided a little.
So I focused my consciousness on the sounds around me. It activates the magical nervous system built in the body and raises the human senses to the limit.
It was a feat that only male pilots who trained the human body could do, impossible for female pilots.
Eventually, Natsuo, who had been listening to the battle sounds around him, gave an answer.
This is not an illusion.
The flow of the battlefield was unknown because of the city buildings blocking the view, but the gunfire had certainly subsided. In addition, the loud footsteps characteristic of Spider were almost inaudible.
Could it be that Pera and Kyokyo got rid of the bugs?
‘…No, it can’t be done with those two.’
At the sudden thought, Natsuo shook her head. He knows the skills of Pera and Kyokyo. With their skills, it was impossible to clear the bugs around here.
…Then who?
I was curious about that for a moment, but I was told that things got better anyway. Natsuo continued what he was doing.
“The shelter is this way. Everyone follow me!”
Most of the people who are not healthy because they were buried under the rubble of the building. Thanks to this, the travel time was delayed more than expected. Originally, I should have reached the shelter underground by now.
But I can’t leave anyone out. Natsuo led the citizens who moved while supporting the patient, and checked the movements of the bugs at the forefront.
Anyway, we’re almost there now.
If it was made in the form of a bunker, bugs would not be able to access it.
Now, just cross the main road near City Hall and you’re there…
So, Natsuo paid attention to the movements of the bugs without letting go of tension until the last moment.
But that was then.
────Kiririk?
“…!”
A grotesque cry unique to bugs.
The moment he heard that, he felt a chill run down his spine, and Natsuo immediately raised his head and looked up at him.
“… Penetrating centipede.”
In the place where Natsuo’s gaze reached, a centipede-shaped monster was crawling on the wall of the building and revealing itself.
Could it be that you’ve been following me?
I didn’t notice it at all because of the silent movement unique to the penetration type.
‘Damn it. What should I do?’
Natsuo gritted his teeth. The people following him screamed in terror.
“Uh, ah! It’s a bug!”
“Oh, no! Lord, I don’t want to die!”
Half of them could not even walk properly. In this way, everyone dies.
So, the trouble was short-lived.
I have to be the bait here.
Fear welled up in his chest, but Natsuo struggled to suppress it as he spoke to the refugees following him.
“I’ll be the bait, so everyone go first…”
But it wasn’t until Natsuo finished his words.
───Kieek?
The penetrating centipede that was moving along the wall screamed and fell away.
······What now?
Coo woo… Loud footsteps then heard.
Natsuo noticed the shadows of the genital warlords lined up behind him, and slowly looked behind him.
And soon, a mixed emotion that seemed to be welcomed in his eyes, but did not know the identity, began to swirl.
It has to be.
Originally, he should have been on board,
Because Karen’s holy cavalry was right in front of her.
Before long, a strange male voice came from Karen’s genital cavalry.
—There, kid. Are you okay?
