The Company Commander has returned

Chapter 25 - A One-Man Legion

"Reinforcements?"

She stretched her neck and looked behind me.

No one was there.

"Alone? A trainee?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"A trainee, all by yourself? Well… never mind. Too much hassle to ask. Follow me."

"Where are we going?"

"Down."

She pointed downward with her index finger.

"The citizens have taken refuge underground, in tunnels dug by nearby bandits. Not sure if they predicted today's air raid or something, but for whatever reason, they evacuated beforehand. Thanks to that, the tunnels are empty, and the citizens are hiding there."

"Are you sure it's okay to tell me all this? I only identified myself as a trainee. What if I'm a spy?"

"A spy? Are you?"

"It was an example, not an admission."

"Then it doesn't matter, does it? If I sense anything suspicious, I'll just kill you. Now, shut up and listen."

Marcello cleared her throat.

"The tunnels are just the bandits' secret base, not a real escape route. Eventually, we'll have to surface and head south. The capital is to be abandoned, and the escape route cleared. That's the Empire's command."

"I understand. Also..."

I pointed upward, toward the sky.

"They're coming again."

The creatures caught in their talons began to drop.

"Trainee, how did you rank in training camp?"

"Top of my class."

"Top, huh? Impressive."

"Thinking of joining the Special Ops? Actually, I'd really appreciate it if you did."

"Are you serious?"

"Not my personal desire. The commander of the Special Ops, Shimenna, keeps harping about expanding his forces."

"Guess I got my hopes up for nothing."

"Whether or not I want you depends, trainee, on what you prove here."

Marcello drew the sword strapped to her waist.

"Trainee, pull out the arrows."

"Understood."

I ripped out the two arrows embedded in my left arm.

Flesh tore, and blood gushed, but it didn't matter.

"Not a moment's hesitation. You know my magic tool, I assume?"

"You're quite famous, after all."

Without warning, she stabbed my left arm.

The speed was so swift that I didn't even have time to register the blade.

As soon as the sword touched, my torn muscles began to regenerate.

Her usual weapons were a sword and a spear—both referred to as magical tools.

The sword and spear were connected by thin, transparent tubes with elastic properties.

A green liquid flowed through those tubes like blood.

The spear sliced through orcs like potatoes.

The sword healed wounds in an instant.

The spear killed.

The sword saved.

That was how Marcello Arnis, the person who played with life as she pleased, operated.

"I used to have something like that…"

And broke it in two years.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

Monsters appeared everywhere, targeting me.

"Alright, trainee, you're the decoy—"

I immediately started running.

"Wow, you're fast."

I weaved circles around Marcello, drawing the monsters away.

"Trainee, when are you going to show the skills that earned you the top spot?"

My left arm was fully healed.

The exhaustion was gone as well.

I even had a familiar sense of clarity.

The sword was at my waist.

But I was only using my restored stamina to sprint.

"And this is supposed to be the top trainee…?"

It looked like I was herding the monsters like a shepherd dog, but in truth, I was the one being chased.

"Why aren't you doing anything?"

"Because this is just absurd..."

Marcello squinted one eye.

"Trainee, stop playing tag here. Mount up and join the group. Head right from your position. You'll see soldiers in navy uniforms gathered—that's the bandits' base."

"I know where it is!"

"Well, that's convenient! Then stop being a bother and get lost!"

"Just wait a moment!"

"Is this just your warm-up or something?"

I was waiting for something.

Not that I intended to wait until tomorrow.

I could never forget.

The second invasion of the Demon King's army was etched into my memory, no matter how much I wished to forget.

The rain poured that day, as if the heavens shared my grief.

Soon, the rain would fall.

I was waiting for the moment I could use the endless rain, for the lake to spread.

Shadows began to form on the ground—not the forms of winged monsters, but dark clouds above.

"Trainee! Leave already!"

Plop.

Something brushed past the tip of my nose.

A cool, light sensation.

For some, it was like a desert sandstorm.

For others, the swaying of bamboo forests or the tremors of the earth.

And for some, it was waves.

In that place, where imagination took shape, one could wield magic without mana.

"Just go! I'm more than enough on my own—"

There were no limits anymore.

"That's enough."

I planted my right foot firmly on the ground.

The friction burned my soles as I skidded to a halt.

Turning back, I closed my eyes.

An orc that had been chasing me was right in front of me.

Just as it was about to crash into me after slowing down, I struck its face.

The orc flew back and slammed into the ground.

"Trainee…?"

The rain began to fall.

It poured relentlessly.

The pouring raindrops created shadows on the ground like dark clouds.

The wet stones looked like a blackened storm cloud spread across the earth.

The black ground marked the domain I could see even with my eyes closed.

Along with that, the waves rippled.

Endlessly, until it was dizzying.

Like the heavy beating of a drum splashing with water.

The ripples echoed outward in every direction.

My domain was now seamlessly filled.

"Then now... all that's left is to catch the eye of the Special Ops Unit."

I drew my sword.

Walking slowly in the direction opposite to where I had been running, I began cutting down the monsters.

The ones that had been chasing me until now.

Step by step, I slashed them down.

Their breaths.

Their tremors.

I felt everything with precision.

The more I knew, the more I could see.

As I walked, one by one, I took them down.

Dodging required no more than a slight tilt of my head.

Attacking was no more than pinpointing their vitals with the tip of my sword.

Each movement was minimal.

I stopped counting after slaying the thirty-second monster.

I killed them until there was no sign of monsters left to see.

After the monsters all fell, I turned to look at Marcello.

She, too, had just finished dealing with her share of monsters and was catching her breath.

She had always been starkly monochrome.

Her white skin contrasted against her short, jet-black hair.

Eyes as clear and dark as a child's.

Even drenched in the rain, she looked unchanged.

"We can do it."

"What do you mean, ma'am?"

"Clearing the evacuation route. I think we can pull it off now."

"Yes, I'll cooperate."

"Good. You have to. This plan won't work without you, Trainee."

***

"There are too many... it's endless!"

"Do they mean to end this in one final strike...?"

The imperial soldiers sighed in despair.

Raindrops trickled between my fingers.

I gripped my spear tightly, careful not to let it slip.

Heavy rain brushed against my eyes.

It was an annoying downpour, but there was no time to wipe it away.

The soldiers were battling ceaseless waves of green monsters.

Then, a shadow approached me.

"Who...?"

It was cloaked in black rain gear.

The hood was drawn low, obscuring the face.

A figure in a black raincoat—Mago—grabbed a soldier's spear as if to take it.

"W-What...?"

Mago held the spear in his right hand and pointed at an orc clinging to a flying monster's talons with his left.

It looked like he was setting his sights on a target.

Lowering his stance, he drew his shoulders back.

Deep breath.

One step forward.

With all his might, he hurled the spear.

The spear soared through the rain.

It struck the orc precisely in the head, just as Mago had aimed.

The dead orc went limp.

The flying monster abandoned the orc, deeming it dead weight, and turned away.

In that moment, another spear flew through the air and struck the monster's wing.

It fluttered helplessly down to where the discarded orc had fallen.

Mago opened and closed the fingers of his right hand.

"I need more spears."

Nearby lay a goblin, felled with a spear still embedded in its chest.

Mago approached it, stomped on the goblin's stomach, and yanked out the spear.

He gripped the shaft and spun halfway, throwing it in one fluid motion.

He aimed for the rear, a spot he hadn't even glanced at.

Despite never looking back, his actions were full of certainty that the spear would find its mark.

It was an attack only someone like Mago, who had no blind spots, could execute.

The spear flew straight and struck a flying monster in the head.

"Keek!"

Another creature fell, lifeless.

The orc it had been carrying also plummeted to its death.

That made three.

Three times he had brought down flying monsters with thrown spears.

Intercepting airborne monsters like that—

No one had ever attempted it before.

Not because they hadn't thought of it, but because they lacked confidence in their aim, or the strength to hurl a spear.

Mago drew his sword and began dispatching the approaching green monsters with swift precision.

His movements were flawless, flowing like water.

It was as though he had become one with the falling rain.

Natural.

Graceful.

And yet, every strike was lethal.

One dodge.

Followed immediately by a counterattack.

Those two movements were enough to dispatch a monster.

"Marcello...?"

"Marcello should be in the city center, no?"

"Yes, she definitely went there..."

The soldiers murmured as they stared at Mago's back.

"Then who is that...?"

Mago removed his hood, tilting his head to look up at the sky.

He gauged.

How heavy the raindrops were.

How long the rain would last.

"Wait, isn't that... isn't that Mago?"

Mago shook his drenched white hair to rid himself of the water.

"It's been a while. Trainee Number 71 from the 66th class of the First Training Camp—Mago."

He saluted the soldiers.

"We know, we know...! What happened to you? Why do you look so different?"

"Is that so? Have I... changed?"

The capital's soldiers greeted me warmly.

It was thanks to the friendships I had built during my month in the capital.

"This is it. We have to give it everything."

"What do you mean, 'this is it'?"

I showed them the insignia.

A hexagonal emblem with a red background.

Within it, a black horse raised its head.

Above it, a white number: 1.

Special Ops Unit 1.

Marcello's emblem.

"C-Company Commander!"

One soldier called out to the company commander.

Soon, a man approached.

I saluted again and introduced myself.

The commander's armband caught my eye first.

The fastest reconnaissance company in the empire.

In my previous life, I had led the 63rd Company.

"What brings a trainee here?"

There was no time to explain who I was or why I had come to the capital.

I pulled out Marcello's insignia again and spoke.

"I will act as bait. I'll draw their attention entirely, giving you the chance to evacuate the citizens..."

"What nonsense is this? Bait? And why should I listen to the ramblings of a mere trainee?"

He was right.

The one who was out of place was me.

I had no authority to move the imperial army.

I was nothing but a mere trainee.

"I'm only here to deliver a message."

"Then Marcello Arnis should have come in person, shouldn't she?"

The 63rd Company Commander interrupted me again.

In the military, whether a decision was right or wrong didn't matter.

Without a rank, I couldn't make any decisions.

This was why I was so fixated on earning a rank.

Why I was determined to join the Special Ops Unit.

"I've heard enough, Trainee."

At that moment, a deep voice spoke.

A man on a black horse addressed me.

Black hair streaked with gray.

His hair was combed back, revealing a wide forehead.

"From now on, the Special Ops Unit will support you. Follow Marcello's orders."

The same insignia as Marcello's was emblazoned on his chest.

The Captain of Unit 1, and the Commander of the Special Ops Unit.

He approached me and whispered.

"If you wanted to climb the ranks of the Special Ops Unit, you should have started by winning me over."

Then he smiled faintly and rode away.