Death as a Hero
The sun's rays rising in the eastern sky make the armor glisten. With a total army of 50,000 men, even the light of the sun, which is still low in the sky, is dazzling in its reflection.
The preparations for the departure for battle, which had begun in the dim light of day, were in order, and all that remained was to wait for the order to go out.
Military flags were fluttering here and there among the neatly arrayed troops. The first group was a mixed army of small countries. The flags swaying in the air were also different.
Before long, drums sounded from the main camp. This is the signal to advance.
The first line of the army began to advance, following in step with the beat of the drums. With mounted scouts leading the way, they carefully closed the distance to the Nord position, wary of any surprise attack. As they did so, the tension grew stronger and stronger.
To avoid making the same mistake as the previous day, when they were close enough to clearly see the position, they halted all troops and set up a defensive formation.
There was no sign of the Nord forces launching an attack from their own position.
The chanting of magic began to flow over the battlefield. The long-range magic attack deprived the enemy of time to counterattack, and then the attackers took advantage of the opening to launch an assault. This is the correct way to attack a position. The magic from the mages in the rear of the formation poured down simultaneously toward the Nord position. The Nord camp was enveloped in the light emitted by the magic.
The second wave followed. With the impact of the second wave, 10,000 infantrymen stationed in the vanguard began to advance. While struggling to get over the trenches dug here and there on the ground, they steadily advanced up the slope leading to the Nord position.
The third and fourth waves of magic attacks continued. There was no counterattack from the Nord forces. When they reached a position where they could clearly see the fences surrounding the Nord army's position, the troops moved in for a quick assault. The following forces followed.
The first team on the united front side was about to shift to an all-out attack from the beginning.
On the other hand, the Nord forces were under attack.
Ren peeked out from the trench dug in the camp to see what was going on. The magic light is no longer visible in the sky.
"......Has it stopped by now?"
"The enemy soldiers are getting very close to the position, so I think it's time to hold off on the magic attack."
The answer to Ren's question came from Sergio, who was right behind him. Sergio is not the only one. All of the Nord troops were hiding in the defensive trench they had built in the center of the camp.
"Well, we managed somehow. Such bets are bad for the heart. Let this be the last time."
"My stomach hurt so bad I almost died."
To Ren who spoke cheerfully, Shizuku expressed her anger in a rare way.
"Dying is an exaggeration"
"If my defensive magic broke, everyone would die. Moreover, you demanded that the difficult task be done just above our heads so as not to be noticed by the enemy. My stomach hurts."
"But you did exactly what I asked for. Well done."
"Yes?"
For Shizuku, it was rare to hear Ren's compliments. In an instant, she changed to a radiant expression.
"Ah, the enemy is off guard. After that, it's our turn. Rest for a while."
"I will."
Shizuku's defensive magic will take care of the enemy's attack. There is naturally a reason to take such a gamble.
The united front army was cautious to the point of being overly cautious about a surprise attack, but they believed in the effectiveness of the magic attack and now they are just running towards the Nord army position.
They are probably dreaming of being the first to enter the enemy lines and of taking credit for Ren's head. They don't seem to be aware that they are walking into a trap.
"Then let's start. Let it flow."
"Ha"
Under Ren's direction, the soldiers began pouring the contents of the barrels that had been lined up in the rear into the trenches. The smell of oil fills the camp.
"It's my job to hold them back."
Enemy infantry is trying to break into the position through the fence that was breached by the magic attack. Thunderbolts rained down on the enemy infantry. It was the beginning of the Nord counterattack.
The sudden counterattack stopped the enemy infantry in their tracks. At the same time, Nord soldiers jumped out of their defensive bunkers one after another and slashed at the enemy.
"Well, it's about time."
Ren gave the next order when the oil had flowed to some extent. The soldiers used magic to drop small fireballs into the trenches, and the flames rose up and spread along the trenches extending out from the camp.
The shelters, which had been dug into the hillside like a mesh, quickly turned into a wall of flames. Oil barrels placed in various locations also caught fire, turning the front of the position into a sea of flames.
The 10,000 men in the vanguard were completely engulfed in the flames. The flames did not stop there, but spread to the positions behind them.
The united front was already in chaos, and some of the troops were even breaking formation and retreating.
The first team of the united front army was unable to regain control. The 50,000-strong army became a ravenous mob, simply running from the fire.
"...Is it over?"
"Really? That's good to hear."
Hearing about the success of the plan, Shizuku tried to get up from the trench, but her head was pinned down by Ren.
"You'd better not look."
"Eh?"
"You don't want to see people burned alive, right?"
Ren speaks calmly, but what he sees is a picture of hell. Thousands of armies are being chased by fire and burned.
"...That's, a little."
"Well, then, stay put and rest."
"Ren is..."
"What?"
"No. It's nothing."
Is Ren okay? She quickly realized that it was a stupid question, and Shizuku swallowed her words.
"They pulled out too soon. The only thing that can be said to be a result is the 10,000 that have moved on."
"The enemy is also on its own guard. Shall we launch a pursuit?"
"......No, that's fine. The truth is, I don't want to reduce the army of a small country. I had intended to hold them off as long as possible, but they wouldn't let me."
"Do you organize the forces with a trap in mind?”
"That's right. Big countries think of terrible things. I hope the smaller countries learn from this and lose their will to fight."
One of Ren's goals is to bring the continent to a state of warring factions. To achieve this, he wants to reduce the military power of the major powers and maintain the military power of the minor powers. Only by balancing the military power of the major powers with that of the minor powers can a state of [rivalry among the great powers] be achieved.
However, if they are attacked, they must counterattack. As one might expect, they cannot afford to avoid such a situation.
"Considering the number of troops, one of the three kingdoms will surely come in next."
"Yes"
"Return the soldiers. We will prepare for the next attack."
"Already?"
"The enemy is already moving, it should be."
"……I understand"
◇◇◇
The second team, whose main force is the Izrim Magic Kingdom Army. Some of them were already marching.
It started to move at about the same time as the first team. They slipped out of the main camp from the rear, took a wide detour and headed for the rear of the Nord army position. It's a surprise attack unit on the united front side.
Ten thousand troops. Jin was the leader. The black smoke rising into the sky is reflected in Jin's eyes.
"Something happened"
"Sure enough, a trap was waiting for them."
The answer came from Akira, Jin's deputy.
"Smoke means fire."
"A plan using fire. It's a common strategy. If only it were in a novel."
"But this is reality."
"That's right. In that reality, they can carry out a plan like in a novel. We made an enemy of something completely out of the ordinary."
Even though he had knowledge of the term [fire plan], Akira did not have the knowledge of what it would take to carry it out. Nor did he have the strength to come up with it from nothing. And it is the same for Jin.
"...Does that man have the talent of a tactician?"
"I think he's just smart and has the ability to execute. That's why I'm scared of him."
"Yeah……"
If it's a talent in the right field, military strategist, it can't be applied to other fields. But if it's simply because you're smart, then it could be an ability in other areas as well. That is what Akira is talking about.
Little by little, Jin and the others have come to understand the limits of the blessing they have been given. That's why they feel fear for Ren who doesn't try to rely on the blessing.
"Well, even King Luine is quite good."
"Yes"
"He said he was going to take the right course of action, and then this morning he ordered a surprise attack."
"To keep the information secret, right? With the Nord, it's safe to assume that everything we say is leaked."
"The importance of information. I know this in my head."
"We may be losing now, but one day we will catch up with him."
"......That's not a good thing to say right now."
"Hmm? Did I say something strange?"
"You're talking on the premise that we can't defeat him in this battle."
"……I see."
"No matter how great he is personally, it's 250,000 to 5,000. The fight from now on is also 50,000 to 5,000. This is a battle that deserves to be won."
"As long as we pay attention to their measures"
"...No way, it's not like this surprise attack is exposed, is it?"
Jin's words stir anxiety in Akira's heart.
"It was something I decided before we left. Besides, they're in the middle of a battle with the first group...... No, we can't let our guard down."
"If they're aware, what will they do?"
"I don't know. Maybe they're just preparing for being poked in the back."
"...Fire, then by water?"
"No way?"
Jin's troops are advancing along a creek that winds between hills. If they advance along this, they will come to the rear of the Nord army position. The creek, which is lower than the surrounding area, was chosen because it is a good place to hide and because it is not difficult to find their way around.
"It is common to dam the water upstream and use it as a trap."
"But with the width of the creek, and its height, it would be a waist-deep trap at best."
The river they were on was not only low in volume, but also not very wide. Even if the volume of water increased, it would still be what one would describe as a creek.
"Why don't we just get out of the river for a while?"
"What if we are discovered? That would defeat the purpose of the surprise attack."
"That's right, but……"
He understands what Jin is saying. However, Akira is not at all uneasy. And in this case, Akira's anxiety was correct.
"Water!"
The shouts of soldiers advancing forward. It's clear what that means.
"Don't rush! Stay calm and stay away from the river!!"
Because he had been talking with Akira, Jin was able to calmly give instructions to the troops. In this case, however, his instructions were not correct.
The water flowing from upstream quickly increased in volume, reaching waist level in no time.
This was exactly what Jin had in mind, but the result was unexpected.
The force of the water rushing in at once caused the knights and soldiers to lose their positions and fall down one after another. Many of those who fell could not stand up and were swept away by the water.
The following people were also caught up in it and fell down one after another. They were swallowed by the current.
Jin was among them. He was caught in the current, and his whole body was drowned in the current. Once that happened, he could no longer resist the force of the current. He tried to regain his position, but the heavy armor he was wearing did not allow him to do so.
For Jin, the miscalculation was this. Even in the waist-high creek, he could not swim or move freely in his heavy armor. The water that enters the armor also becomes a weight that takes away the freedom of his body.
Noticing this, Jin continued to struggle in the water, trying to remove his armor. In the process, it became unbearable and let out a gasp of air. Instead, river water poured into his mouth.
Jin's consciousness sank into pitch darkness.
◇◇◇
The current of the river calmed down within a short period of time. However, in that short time, the detachment of the army of the Izrim Magic Kingdom suffered heavy damage.
The 10,000 troops that had been advancing in formation were nowhere to be seen. Many knights and soldiers had been swept downstream, out of sight. All that could be seen were the bodies of the dead, less than one-tenth of them, who had fallen into silence.
Akira just stared at the scene in dismay. It was not only Akira. Many of the surviving soldiers remained motionless.
They were saved because they reacted quickly and were lightly armed. Another reason might have been luck, but unfortunately, that luck only helped them escape drowning.
What was heard was the sound of horses galloping. Everyone knew it was not the cavalry of their own army.
"Enemy... Enemyyyy!"
Someone's shout echoes around the area. The response was flight. The soldiers, who had been sitting stunned, rushed to their feet and started galloping back in the direction they came. No one thought to stand up to them. Except for Akira.
The only one. Akira did not move, sword in hand. In his eyes, he could already see the approaching cavalry. He could clearly see the figure of the person running at the front. A smile appears on Akira's face when he realizes that it is the person he wants to see.
The cavalry that came running passed by Akira and chased after the fleeing soldiers.
Akira does nothing to stop them. The person he wants to stop is already in front of him, staring at him.
"As I recall... it was Mita-kun, wasn't it?"
"Yeah. It's been a while."
"Are you alone?"
"The one who stayed."
"Is Takamiya-kun was washed away?"
"It seems so."
"...Is he an idiot?"
"Idiot, huh. Isn't it because of your plan?"
"Yes, but I thought at least you two wouldn't be swept away."
"Why not?"
"You can swim, right?"
"Huh?"
"Hmm? Don't you know? Most of the people in the Izrim Magic Kingdom can't swim. The reason, apparently, is that there are no oceans and no large lakes."
More specifically, they don't have the habit of swimming for recreation. They don't learn to swim unless it is necessary for work or other reasons. Of course, the military does have training exercises for waterfront battles. But they are only for waterfront battles, and there are no exercises that require swimming.
"So that is the plan?"
"I thought they would drown if they couldn’t swim in a small river, but was it more than I expected?"
"Maybe. I never thought someone would drown at that depth. In the first place, I was also in trouble. I'm lucky to have landed on shore."
"Even if you can swim, it is difficult with your armor on."
"That's right. It's too heavy."
"But I thought the success rate was fifty-fifty."
"Why is that?"
"It's a common strategy, isn't it? I thought it would be exposed."
"Even if we found out, there was a Plan B, right?"
"No, there is no Plan B."
"Then what were you going to do?"
Akira thought it was more of a high-stakes bet than he had expected, Akira thought, but it was not.
"I'm sorry, but even if we're up against 10,000 people, we can beat them in a head-to-head fight."
He just didn't have any measures because he didn't need them.
"I thought I'd been working out a lot."
"We worked out more than that over here. That's what I mean."
"I see...... So, when we went out as a separate unit, we were playing into your hand."
"Not me. Isn't it the plan of King Luine?"
"No way?"
"Preserving his own country's army and forcing the other country's army to wear out. You knew that, didn't you?"
"……Indeed."
"Well, it's too late."
"That's right."
"Why didn't you run away?"
"I thought it would be useless to run away. It would be lonely to die as a nameless knight while trying to escape, right?"
"Do you mean a hero?"
"My will as an otherworlder."
"What's the difference?"
"To be summoned to another world and then die as one of the many, without making a name for yourself. I don't want my life to be that meaningless."
"...I see. However, just because you've stayed here doesn't mean your name will remain."
"You'll have to do something about that."
"Huh?"
"If you go down in history, I can go down as the one who fought against you. Do that for me."
"...I'm sorry, but I can't promise that."
"Why?"
"I have no intention of leaving my name in history. I'm going to do what I have to do, and then I'll disappear from the public eye."
"Isn't that impossible?"
"I have decided so"
"...Then, please listen to my wish instead."
"What?"
"Please stop killing my allies."
"...Is that the plan you came up with while staying?"
"Something like it. That would give me something to die for, wouldn't it?"
"Sacrifice yourself to save your allies?"
"Well, that's how it is."
"You think I'd listen to you?"
"If you don't listen to me, I'll tell Harumoto after I die. I'll tell her that Ren is a narrow-minded man. Shall I also tell her that you have a number of women? That beautiful woman behind you is one of them, isn't she?"
What Akira was pointing at was Rin, who was behind Ren. Rin's expression, which had stiffened from the tension of the battle, suddenly relaxed.
Akira, who saw it, couldn't stand it. Rin's charm made his heart beat faster.
And that leads to jealousy towards Ren.
"...I will absolutely tell her. Such a beautiful woman with outstanding style and you."
"What an absurd threat."
"Whatever you say"
"But it's a good one."
"Huh?"
"If I have a weakness in this world, it's Kazuki. You've hit the nail on the head."
"This world?"
"We will never meet, but I believe we are in the same world."
"I see……"
Hearing Ren's words, Akira somehow turns his gaze to the sky. He knows that there is no way he can see where Kazuki is supposed to be.
All he can see is the blue sky and the clouds floating in it.
"Rin. Give them an order to stop the pursuit."
"……Yes"
While showing some hesitation, Rin followed Ren's instructions and moved forward. The only ones present were Ren and Akira.
"Can I ask you one last thing?"
"Yeah"
"What is Kazuki to you?"
"A difficult question. To be honest, I still don't know for sure. I think it's a relationship that can be called a lover, but I feel that it's a little different."
"......You two had a relationship after all?"
"Do you really want to hear that? But that's the thing. We didn't really get to know each other until after Kazuki left the academy."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. I met her by chance and started talking about things that we didn't do at the academy, and I had the opportunity to do that a few times, and before I knew it, I accepted her. I think [accepted] is the right word for me."
"Then... why didn't you help Kazuki?"
This is what Akira really wanted to hear. This is the reason why Akira cannot forgive Ren.
"It's not that I didn't help, it's that I couldn't help."
"You could have saved her."
"I had left the church capital the day before that day. I returned as soon as I heard what was about to happen. It was my mistake to leave the capital. I knew that something was going to happen one day."
"Why did you leave the church capital?"
"...I'm trying to find a place to live outside of the church capital."
"That's... it's not for you, I guess?"
"Yes. I was trying to get Kazuki and the children away from there. Well, that's an excuse. If I had done more digging, I would have known when it was going to happen."
Ren's miscalculation was that the monastery had revealed the truth on its own. But Ren did not know about that, even now. Ren had never heard of anything related to Kazuki's death from the former members of the Anti-Hero Alliance.
"Even you can fail?"
"Of course. What do you think I am?"
"A hero."
"That's foolish."
"What do you think you're going to be?"
"Nothing. I'd say I'm a destroyer."
"…Is that what Harumoto wanted?"
"That's... it's been all about Kazuki since a while ago. What do you really think of Kazuki? Did you like her?"
Without answering Akira's question, Ren asked the opposite. It is obvious that he fumbled the answer, but Akira does not question him about it. It was not a question that originally demanded an answer.
"I'm not qualified to love her."
"Qualified?"
"It's my fault that Harumoto went through something like that. I was bullied by the Class A guys, or rather, it was torture. Harumoto took it upon herself to stop it instead of me..."
"That's right."
"Because of that, she left the academy and ended up living in the monastery. Then Harumoto..."
"That's not true. Death is something that Kazuki chose for herself. Even if you are responsible for Kazuki's death, it is on her."
"......To me, I envy you for that."
"Envy?"
"I can’t take responsibility for Harumoto’s death. I don't have the guts to take revenge on those who directly killed her. I can't do anything for Harumoto."
A thought that Akira continued to carry. Ren understood very well that Akira had always regretted Kazuki's death.
"...You can do it now. If you want revenge, come to my side."
"I'm bound by an oath"
"I can fix that."
"What?"
"It's not easy, but I found a way"
"You, seriously..."
"What are you gonna do?"
"...It's too late. Now Jin is my most important companion. I can't betray Jin."
"I see."
"I'm willing to die for him, and that's all that matters. I'll apologize to Kazuki after I die."
"That's right. What about the body? Bury it in the ground? Burn it? Or do you want to leave it as it is?"
"We're going to fight, for a change."
"Sorry, but it will end with one attack."
"I see... then cremation. If possible, I want you to burn the bones."
"Okay. Then... let's do it?"
"Yeah. Come."
Ren's sword flashed. Akira could not prevent it. After a moment's pause, Akira's head slowly rolls forward.
It's an instant death with no time to feel the pain. That's the least Ren can do.
Akira's body falls to the ground a little later. Ren's eyes caught not the body, but Akira's figure floating in the air.
There are no words to exchange now. Akira, with his smile still on his face, ascended straight to the sky.
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