A Dark Fantasy Spy

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Before the battle began,

Camila proposed her plan, claiming she had a brilliant idea.

‘What’s this brilliant idea of yours?’

‘Did you see the Civil War?’

Her plan was simple.

To trap the monster’s movements and concentrate all firepower to unleash an attack.

‘That massive creature must weigh a ton. If we target its lower body, it will definitely fall! We can knock its legs out from under it and then beat it to a pulp, right?’

‘Sounds easy when you say it. But in the Civil War, we were dealing with people, not giant spiders with multiple legs. Do you really think we can trip it up by attacking its legs?’

‘But it’s worth a shot, isn’t it?’

‘Well, okay. But where are we going to get that firepower? We don’t even have any combat magicians here, and the main gun is useless.’

‘Useless? What do you mean?’

‘We have artillery! Artillery!’

The unique feature of artillery is that it’s a type of trajectory weapon.

Typically, weapons like rifles and machine guns are classified as direct-fire weapons, which means the shooter has to visually identify the target and ensure there’s nothing in the line of fire.

But artillery is different.

Whether there are mountains or buildings nearby, artillery can project firepower without being hindered by obstacles. This is evidenced by the fact that the national army, which holds a large amount of artillery firepower, operates in a region known for its mountainous terrain.

And in the northern regions of the Kien Empire, there are numerous mountain ranges, and the imperial army operating there also possesses incredible artillery.

‘If the spider moves, it’ll be hard for the artillery to hit it. However, if we can keep it stationary, won’t they hit it even with their eyes closed?’

‘Keeping it stationary is our task, right?’

‘Yes.’

That was a ridiculous statement.

The fog was thick, making it impossible to operate observation units without a clear view of the situation. We couldn’t even get assistance from observation units to act as the eyes and ears of the artillery.

In other words, Camila suggested we crawl into the middle of a bombardment while the shells were falling. Not just jumping into the fray, but literally directing firepower right above our heads.

‘That’s a crazy thought. It’s obvious that if they misfire even a little, we’ll all end up as mush.’

‘So, is there another way?’

‘…There isn’t.’

‘Then we have to go with it.’

Reluctantly, I accepted Camila’s proposal.

The unit defending the rift calculated the coordinates of the defense line and relayed them to the adjoining units. The division and corps that received the coordinates lined up the artillery and unleashed all their firepower.

In the end, we succeeded.

Episode 11 – No Anomalies on the Northern Front

The imperial army mobilized all available artillery assets and unleashed a barrage.

The target was the giant spider lingering on the defense line. Conducting artillery in the absence of observing assets to guide the fire and assess damage was a difficult decision, but this time, it was an exception.

The imperial army truly stripped its soul bare to gather firepower.

Even before the battle began, the artillery units of the corps and division had all lined up, and the moment the order was given, they launched a barrage simultaneously. From mortars to towed artillery, self-propelled artillery, and even heavy artillery, all varieties were deployed.

The shelling rained down on the defense line.

As the explosions erupted, dust and snow swirled everywhere, making it easy to guess that whatever these were, they were high-explosive shells.

“Whoa….”

A gasp escaped from Camila’s lips.

The bombardment that covered one side of the snowy mountains surrounding the basin was nothing short of magnificent.

“If it had remained like that, we wouldn’t have been able to find a single corpse.”

“Is that what you just realized?”

“I didn’t think it would be to this extent.”

“That’s bragging.”

I plopped down in the snow, gasping for breath.

After hauling two people and a radio out of the trench, I had no strength left.

The experience of crawling back through a zigzag trench carved by the imperial army while shells began to fall above my head was anything but pleasant.

If this unit hadn’t prepared efficiently according to FM standards, I would have surely gotten caught up in the bombardment myself.

“Agh, I’m gonna die.”

I took Camila and Francesca with me and ducked for cover. After ensuring I had the radio I’d carefully brought along through the chaos, I finally managed to find a place to wait it out.

“What did they say?”

“They’ve gathered corps artillery, division artillery, mortars, and even whatever stray dogs happened by to bombard the area.”

Camila’s gaze turned towards the defense line where the cannon fire was pouring down.

Among the ongoing explosions, a type of bombardment distinct from the rest suddenly erupted with a bang!

“What is that?”

“That’s heavy artillery.”

In a place lacking air forces to rain down bombs or nuclear weapons to wipe cities off the map, artillery represents the best firepower a regular army can muster.

Of course, there are missiles and rockets, but the aviation-related technology needed to develop those has not progressed, so most missiles and rockets remain primitive.

If such technology existed, they would have decommissioned the battleships stacked in the harbor and built aircraft carriers instead.

In this region’s culture, even launching a hot air balloon would draw the Inquisition’s attention, so there’s no choice.

Hence, the imperial army was bringing forward the best firepower they could possibly muster.

All for the sake of killing just this one spider.

As I looked towards Francesca, who was watching the massive explosions sweeping across the area, I asked,

“Can we recover the golem?”

“Hmm… It might be difficult. I didn’t know the bombs were going to be that ruthless.”

To catch the spider, Francesca had deployed a golem. It was clear that everyone contributed their strength in this matter, but if her golem hadn’t restrained the spider, it wouldn’t have been caught in the bombing either.

The golem had held the spider still until just before the shells fell, but now both the spider and the bombed golem were caught in the chaos. Once the artillery of the imperial army was set in motion, retrieving the golem in its entirety certainly became impossible.

However, Francesca didn’t seem to mind.

“Well, losing a few golems to kill a monster is still a bargain. To catch a spider that even damaged a tank, something like this seems necessary, right? Luckily, one was left behind, at least.”

Francesca brushed off the golem’s arm.

The golem that had not been used to bind the spider kept watch beside her. It was the last golem she hadn’t used until the end.

“On the plus side, we should claim damages. That golem is private property after all.”

“…Didn’t you just say it’s a great deal?”

“It’d be a great deal if we can claim compensation. You see, a colonel might lose a dozen gun barrels and have the country cover it, but the Magic Tower isn’t like that.”

Francesca fixed her gaze on a particular point—the center of the relentless bombardment.

“If we could salvage something from the spider’s corpse, it would be good, but… unfortunately, that’s unusable.”

“……”

“Then we should file a claim with the imperial Ministry of Defense or the Magic Department. Surely they wouldn’t lack funds to compensate for the loss of three golems in a country overflowing with wealth thanks to its emperors.”

“Do as you please…”

I turned my gaze away from Francesca, who was already thinking of claiming a bounty as I felt a wave of despair wash over me. Even the celestial beings who feast on the divine spirit would surely turn their backs at the sight of her.

We silently watched the cascading firestorm.

Even amidst the long conversation, the bombarding of the imperial army continued.

It was firing non-stop until all the shells ran out, right up until the barrels were about to overheat and break. This only underscored how incredibly valuable the rift was.

We stood in silence, staring at the torrents of fire blanketing the snow-covered mountains.

Hoping that the relentless barrage had slain the monster.

Honestly, I didn’t even believe in gods, but at this moment, I prayed with earnestness. Please, if you have any conscience, drag that bastard down to hell.

In response to my prayer, the imperial army intensified its bombardment further.

How long had it been?

Just as the fierce onslaught began to subside, a voice broke through on the radio, the voice of Senior Lyudmila.

-‘Colonel? We’ve received contact from the corps. They’re going to cease the bombardment now.’

“Cease?”

-‘Yes. The barrels have overheated, and it’s not possible to continue firing. If they carry on like this, the guns will be completely wrecked and unusable.’

The imperial army had decided to halt their shooting. It wasn’t particularly surprising. Frankly, it was impressive that they had fired for this long in the first place.

I informed that none of our group had become casualties in the bombardment and checked for damage before relaying my exit. Senior Lyudmila responded that they’d send a guide to lead us to the second defense line.

As the chatter from the radio died down, silence fell.

“……”

“……”

“……”

We gazed at the silence that enveloped the snowy mountains.

The bombardment that had quaked the basin had ceased, and the dust and snow being kicked up were gradually settling. The fog also began to lift, allowing much clearer visibility than before.

A few minutes later, the ruined defense line came into view.

The completely collapsed strongholds and shattered concrete fragments.

Tanks and armored vehicles so mangled they were unidentifiable.

Trees twisted in various directions and pulled up, even though imbued with the rift’s magic.

Giant craters appeared across the flat earth, each several times the height of a person.

Corpses of corpse spiders, presumably swept up in the bombardment, scattered across the overturned terrain.

And then,

“Ah….”

The enormous spider that had still survived the bombardment.

-Grrrooooooorr!

“Shit, this is bad.”

Sure enough, there was no god.

*

Silence descended over the defense line.

“It’s still alive…?”

Francesca’s voice shattered the silence.

The alchemist from the Magic Tower stared at the spider with a face full of shock.

The giant spider was still alive, even now. It had bits of its carapace fallen off and grotesque flesh melting away as it oozed thickly. One of its legs had been completely severed, yet the creature yet still breathed.

“What is that…?”

“…This is insane.”

It was unnatural.

No matter how sturdy or enormous a monster was, it had been proven countless times that it could not endure the force of artillery in previous extermination operations.

The nations of the Mauritania Continent had struggled with monsters breaching their borders, attributed partly to their feeble military, but also due to the inability to concentrate fire on the monsters sweeping in from broad open plains.

On the other hand, Abbas, Patalia, and the Kien Empire had a different story.

The no-man’s-land where monsters mostly resided typically ran along mountains or rivers where geographical features aided the border guards. While they dealt with the monsters creeping into the no-man’s-land, the regular army handled those in the rear region directly. The army of Abbas or Kien got used to hunting monsters.

To think that the notorious artillery of the Kien Empire, which conquered the harsh northern snowy peaks, failed to take down that spider. It was wounded yet still alive.

Witnessing the sheer absurdity with my own eyes, a wave of emptiness washed over me. Where on earth had something like that come from?

“Could it be a demon spawn…?”

Francesca, finally snapping to her senses, spoke up. Her expression was tense with worry.

“If it were a demon, it wouldn’t be playing around with monsters. Even if they could summon beasts, they’d definitely reveal themselves and attack directly…”

“How do you know that?”

“Lord Evangelos said so. There are far more wizards from the Magic Tower that survived demon encounters than you’d assume.”

Francesca dismissed my speculation. That thing wasn’t a monster that a demon controlled.

Then what the hell is that spider?

Questions flooded my mind, but I couldn’t find an answer. Before I could inquire further, the spider moved unexpectedly.

Rising from the huge pit created by the shells, the spider got to its feet, its gaunt legs pushing against the ground. It scanned its surroundings, then stalked toward the defense line and picked something up.

It was a corpse spider that had been swept up in the artillery fire.

-Crunch!

A chilling sound echoed through the quiet snowy mountains. The massive spider that had emerged from the crater lifted the dead corpse spider with its front legs and shoved it into its mouth.

The grotesque sight of a spider consuming another spider played out before my eyes. It was utterly incomprehensible and something I wanted to avert my gaze from.

It dragged its heavy body around the defense line, devouring all the corpses it stumbled upon. Whether human or corpse spider, nothing was left intact. It crushed anything obstructive in its path, be it fallen trees, smashed trenches, or wrecked vehicles, simply to fulfill its gluttonous hunger. It was like a starving beggar caught sight of food after ten days of fasting.

That thing could no longer be called a spider. It was a monster. A truly monstrous presence.

We weren’t the only ones paralyzed by its ferocity.

Immediately after the bombardment ceased, the corpse spiders that had been inching toward the defense line froze in place. Horrified like sheep witnessing a lion feasting on the remains of their kin, the corpse spiders stood rooted, emitting mournful cries.

-Kyaaaahhh!!!

The wicked creature’s howl shook the snowy mountains.

The injured beast, once focused on human flesh and corpse spider, raised its head and screamed. The sheer terror of its presence left the corpse spider huddled down, trembling in close proximity to the ground.

And then, an astonishing sight unfolded before my eyes.

The corpse spiders, who had frozen in fear, cautiously began to advance towards the defense line.

As if the fear-inducing wail had commanded them, the mortally terrified corpse spiders crept forward with their bodies low to the ground.

Seeing that scene, I muttered in a weak voice,

“A monster that gives commands…”

Now that’s a leader right there.

*

We fell back to the defense line prepared by the imperial army. After the first defense line collapsed, we rallied the scattered forces in the basin to establish a second line of defense.

“We’re here!”

“Get down!”

“Thanks for the lift!”

Both Camila and I jumped down onto the ground. Francesca’s golem had ferried us from the first defense line to the second.

I thanked her, but Francesca seemed indifferent, smoothly sliding down the golem’s arm as if it were a slide. Had the distinguished elders of the Rainieri family witnessed this, they would certainly have scolded her for her lack of decorum, but that didn’t matter right now.

This was a matter of survival.

“Lyudmila! Senior Lyudmila!”

“Over here!”

“Quick, guide us! We need to head for the command room immediately!”

I stopped Senior Lyudmila as we made our way toward the command center.

There, we relayed everything we had witnessed from our time on the defenses. The towering beast that endured the bombardment, the advancing horde of corpse spiders, and their presumed weaknesses.

With the time we had bought, the imperial army was expected to prepare in some capacity. Therefore, the priority was to work together and kill that monster. I had confirmed that fire worked on it, so surely we could deal with it by throwing a combat magician against it.

However, in the grand game of life’s irony, even amidst the chaos brought about by the world, I realized just how vexing things could be today.

“There are no magicians?”

“Correct.”

“Why not?!”

Clearly, when the advance party encountered the corpse spider, the unit defending the rift requested assistance.

Due to the weather and terrain, troops couldn’t arrive, but they could receive artillery support and even divert combat magicians from nearby divisions. This all occurred roughly an hour ago, maybe even two or three.

Yet, no combat magicians had arrived.

Nobody knew why.

The unit commander didn’t know, nor did the division that sent the magicians. They even attempted to reach out through the radio but couldn’t establish contact.

I was fuming.

“Does the unit not have any magicians?”

“Not many, but we do have a few. I’ll send someone over right away.”

The unit commander hastily assigned some magicians who were repairing the defenses.

They were elemental magic-school affiliated magicians, but none seemed to know how to fight—simply cracking rocks for fortifications. I decided to take them along as an emergency backup.

But trouble soon arose elsewhere.

“We can’t receive artillery support.”

The imperial artillery had poured all its firepower into trying to kill the giant spider. They were saying they’d fired until the ammunition storage was empty.

While supplies could be replenished, the issue lay with the gun barrels.

“The barrels are overheated, so artillery fire isn’t possible for now. We’ll have to wait until they cool down.”

“How long will that take?”

“I don’t know. I’m not an artillery officer, so how would I know?”

At any rate, we couldn’t expect external support right now. We had to take down that beast with only what we had.

When I broke the news that we had to kill the giant spider with our own strength, both Camila and Francesca’s faces darkened. However, instead of complaining, the two began checking their conditions and weapons to prepare for battle.

I loaded the bullets I borrowed from the unit into my magazine and stuffed them into the chest rig. Though it belonged to a fallen imperial soldier, not a single person reproached me for wearing it.

“Shit… If I die here, that would be embarrassing…”

As I muttered, anxious while gathering ammo, a gentleman suddenly appeared and spoke to me.

“Who’s dying?”

“Definitely me, of course… Wait, whoa!”

I jumped back in surprise, watching as the ammo and magazines I had been holding tumbled to the ground.

Not the least bit concerned about my reaction, the man simply chuckled.

“Haha! What a cowardly man! You might want to toughen up a bit, Colonel!”

“……”

I stared at him blankly as his beard waved with laughter.

“Why are you here?”

The man, adorned in shining armor, stroked his chin and grinned.

“I came to assist a lady. I heard rumors of monsters appearing near the rift, so I personally led the Knights of St. Andrew to give those bastards a smashing!”

“……”

The Commander of the Order of Saint Andrew, Pereyti.

He appeared before us with his bright smile while leading the knights.

“Now then, where’s this monster?”