How to Survive on the Armored Front

Chapter 28

- Head Knight Varthael transmits to all Frames. Confirmed Delranel's withdrawal. Karyel's mana is undetected.

- Vamiel Frame. Confirmed.

- Mirel Frame. Confirmed.

Three gray colossi advancing through the rain. Unlike before, they were fully loaded with a magazine of anti-fortress armor-piercing rounds.

- Same as the last opponent, but watch your footing in the rain. Once you sink into the swamp, mobility drops sharply.

- Hard to believe Karyel fell so fast.

- Probably stepped out of the cockpit to talk to the local elves. He was from the forest too...

- Then what about Delranel? They were supposed to stand watch in pairs.

- Enough. No more chatter.

He silenced the uneasy muttering of his men, yet Captain Varthael himself was just as conflicted.

'Losing a knight on recon, and one who could pilot Colossus Six at that. Not good.'

Colossus Six outperformed every other Frame, but it devoured mana at a staggering rate.

Fewer than a hundred elf knights could fully control it, so its pilots were treated as key personnel.

- I see the village.

- Enemy Frame spotted on the ridge above! It's the black one!

- So Delranel fell to that thing.

Seeing Glaepnir's silhouette in the distance, the knights raised their mana. The colossi responded to the increased power and thundered toward the village.

***

"Captured elf. Can you confirm her condition?"

[Impossible. The body structure does not match registered data. Scanning the interior is blocked by an unidentified energy.]

"Because of the mana?"

[Further research on the energy is required.]

The rain over the Great Forest soon turned into a downpour.

Ignoring the unconscious Rana, her face pale, Rael calmly faced the approaching Glaepnir.

Chhss-!

Raindrops hitting Glaepnir's armor plates, heated by battle, boiled and hissed into steam.

When Glaepnir reached the ruins, its cockpit opened and Yaan stepped out.

"Welcome, Lieutenant Yaan."

"No time to talk. Shut up and hand over the Key."

Darkness had already fallen over the forest as the sun vanished beyond the horizon.

Only the faint glow from the cockpit and Glaepnir's searchlight lit the dark mountain.

"Before that, I have something to say. At least hear what might be my last words..."

"No chance, bastard."

Bang-!

"What the-?!"

The pistol in Yaan's hand spat fire immediately.

Rael, startled by the hole blown through his shoulder, ducked behind Rana as a shield.

"Have you lost your mind?!"

"You said you don't negotiate. Hand over the kid if you want to live."

"I told you, I have something to say! The Key comes after...!"

"Shut your trap."

With that, Yaan fired two more shots into Rael's legs.

But when the bullets froze in mid-air before Rael's eyes, Yaan gave a dry laugh.

"Hah, psychokinesis?"

"Attack me again and the Key-"

"Give me the Key and die clean, or suffer every agony first. Your only choices."

"To the end...!"

Even as he pressed the muzzle to Rana's head, Rael couldn't expect Yaan to just watch.

Grrrr-

As Rael moved, one of Glaepnir's arms rose and clenched into a fist.

"What did I just tell you?"

"You still need that Key from me!"

Rael lowered the gun, yet kept Rana in his sights, making Yaan frown.

"You really don't care? Why I'm collecting this child's blood!"

"What?"

Seeing Yaan's grimace, he continued.

"These ruins are only part of a larger facility. The real one sleeps at the center of the ruins I told you about."

"The real one?"

"The Creator's legacy lies there. A colossus so vast it dwarfs your Frame!"

Was that confirmation of Prince Klaus's words?

Yet why bring it up now?

"This child is the Key that opens the door to that ruin."

"Right. A double agent between Alfraia and Vailsar wouldn't have another choice."

He'd sold information to the elves, lured them to the village, orchestrated everything from the shadows.

Yaan's grip on his pistol tightened, but clenched teeth were all he could manage as he watched Rana tremble.

"But second, to awaken the Creator's relic sleeping there, something else is needed. Not filth like this, but pure Creator's blood."

Realizing the words were meant for him, Yaan looked back.

"With those two things, my plan is complete. You, right in front of me, would be acknowledged as the Creator's heir!"

"So handling this brat was your grand proof?"

Heir to the Creator? He didn't care.

But now he understood why the village elves had called him guest.

Being able to pilot an ancient relic like Glaepnir carried that much weight in elf society.

"So I offer you this! Come with me! Lieutenant Yaan Verkut!"

...What?

Yaan's expression shifted.

It was probably the dumbest look he'd worn all day.

"Come with me and awaken the legacy sleeping in those ruins!"

Yaan grimaced at Rael's sudden invitation, but Rael kept his impassioned pitch coming.

"With the ancient power of Tauros sealed in the Creator's ruin, we can build a nation! Just like Alphi and Rhea who once founded Alfraia!"

"Who the hell are those pointy-ear bastards?"

Knowing nothing of elf history, Yaan brushed it off, yet Rael tightened his grip on the pistol and laid out his plan.

"Centuries of war have bled both nations' people dry."

"So?"

"The elves living in this forest are no different. In that climate, you and I appear, recognized as heirs of the Creator!"

By this point, Yaan only wanted a cigarette.

"Yaan Verkut, you saw it, didn't you? How the elves in the village treat you! Most of the forest elves are the same! You're worthy to be king alongside me!"

Rael shivered with delight as he spoke.

Watching him, Yaan sighed deeply.

"Hey."

"D-Does this mean you accept my proposal?"

Seeing Rael's eager face, Yaan returned to his usual blank expression.

"You a moron?"

"...Pardon?"

Rael faltered, momentarily speechless at Yaan's sudden words.

"You met me two weeks ago. A guy who's already backstabbed you twice, and you thought I'd say yes?"

"I don't follow..."

"Randel. And this village."

At those words, Rael bowed his head with exaggerated formality, like an actor on stage.

"Let's call that... a test. And you passed with flying colors, didn't you?"

"Hah, passed?"

Yaan snorted at Rael and then spoke to him firmly.

"Not happening. Get lost."

At those words, the one who let out a hollow laugh was Rael.

"Ha, hahaha! Nonsense. Do you truly not understand how important you are?"

"Yeah. I don't."

At Yaan's tone as he answered, the corner of Rael's mouth twitched for an instant.

"What you carry is the blood of the Ancients! Just entering the ruin and spilling that blood will make every Creator's legacy across the world yours!"

"So?"

"If you were born with that sacred blood, you're duty-bound to use that blessing to change the world! You must seize it!"

Rael's impassioned speech sounded almost noble-

had he not been holding a child hostage in one arm.

"Are you not human? Humans who have devoured every continent save Alfraia! Surely you possess at least that much ambition!"

"I don't. Even if I did, I'd never join you."

"Hah, this is rich!"

Rael raked a hand through his hair in frustration. Unlike him, Yaan's expression remained serene.

"You're wasting it! Wasting the sacred blood! One born with power and authority should wield it as befits-"

"If that's how you think, you're disqualified by my standards."

Rael stared at Yaan after Yaan cut him off.

"What did you just say?"

"Disqualified, bastard. Pointy-eared prick gone deaf?"

The curse that followed made Rael's head ring for a moment.

"And while you've been blathering on about becoming king or whatever-"

After that preamble, Yaan looked straight at Rael and opened his mouth.

"You just hate that you're a half-breed, that's all."

"W-wh-what are you saying..."

"You're just trying to cover it up with the fancy title of 'descendant of the Creator.'"

Twitch.

The smile that had stayed fixed on Rael's face spasmed.

Whether Yaan noticed the change or simply pretended not to, his words kept coming.

"You wrap your inferiority complex in grand excuses so no one will notice, and to keep it hidden you keep escalating things."

"That's not true."

"You shove the people around you into the pit one by one, looking out only for yourself."

"I said no!"

Unable to hold back, Rael shouted; his face had gone rigid.

Right. Now the mask finally comes off.

With a smirk, Yaan spoke.

"Admit it. You just want to erase that half-breed blood inside you-half-elf Rael."

Grrr-

Half-elf.

At the word, the sound of grinding teeth came from Rael.

Whether it was from having his sore spot jabbed or from rage that his grand cause had been insulted.

Twisting his face, Rael spat out at Yaan.

"Have you forgotten whose hand holds the Key?"

The moment Rael said that, he tightened the arm holding Rana.

Bang! Bang!

"I told you it's useless! Bullets can't catch me!"

"All I need is to break your focus, bastard."

Saying that, Yaan swapped magazines and charged at Rael while firing his pistol wildly.

Seeing this, Rael backed away, cursing.

"You're shooting without even aiming properly?!"

"Why would I aim? With a barrier up, the hostage gets protected too."

While speaking, Yaan kept rushing him.

Just as Yaan said, Rael couldn't fight in close quarters while holding Rana in one arm.

'Damn it!'

Unable to endure, Rael roughly flung Rana toward the ruin's entrance; the instant he did, Yaan slipped inside Rael's guard and smashed a fist into his face.

Crack!

"Agh! What strength...!"

"You just screwed up, pointy-eared prick."

What followed was a merciless beating.

With no time to concentrate and use his telekinesis, Yaan-pistol still in his off-hand-pummeled Rael's face without restraint.

Crack! Smack!

"Ha! Hahaha! You think this pathetic violence can stop me...!"

"I'm not thinking anything. Just blowing off steam."

Though Rael's face was a mess, his eyes shone brighter than ever.

"Take this!"

With unbelievable force Rael shoved Yaan away and at once jammed something into Yaan's shoulder.

Thunk!

When Rael pulled the trigger of the syringe lodged in Yaan's shoulder, a hiss! sounded and the syringe filled instantly with Yaan's blood.

"You little-!"

"If you won't cooperate, I'm forced to find another way...!"

The moment he heard that, Yaan shoved Rael away, but Rael held the syringe aloft, grinning triumphantly.

"This is it, the Creator's sacred blood!"

"Sacred my ass."

Answering Rael's maniacal laughter with a curt retort, Yaan raised his pistol, but Rael thrust his hand forward, creating a barrier of mana.

"Nill, I've secured the hostage. Crush him."

But Nill's answer was not what he expected.

[Warning. Confirmed Enemy group bombardment. Initiating pilot protection protocol.]

"What?"

KABOOM-!

A shower of sparks burst from Glaepnir's shoulder as it shielded Yaan.

"Crazy, they opened up with artillery at this range?!"

"Haha, as expected of Varthael! Worthy of the title Alfraia's finest gunner!"

While Glaepnir shielded Yaan from the shell, Rael-clutching his wounded shoulder-vanished into the forest.

"That bastard!"

Bang! Bang!

Yaan fired twice at where Rael had been, but achieved nothing.

"Tch."

Out of bullets, the slide locked back; irritably, Yaan tossed the pistol to the ground.

"Uh... ah..."

"Rana, are you safe..."

Calling Rana's name, Yaan froze as if time had stopped.

"That son of a bitch, he drew blood and didn't even stop the bleeding..."

Leaning against the ruin's door, Rana sat in a pool of blood already mixed with rain.