By Zephyria Eldermilli Peninsula Southern Area Coordinates (13, 206, 59).
That was the location where Bruno Amos, the Deputy Commander of the Southern Branch, had summoned all the commanders of the Council, and the location where Kenneth had reported to Leonardo that more than a company-level force was gathering to the northeast.
Around the coordinates, there were structures with taller, more elaborate, and more complex forms than those seen in the ruins discovered so far, sparsely erected.
A thick fog hung over the vast forest surrounding the ruins, and the huge mountain range that soared through the fog formed a spectacle that was enough to give a sense of overwhelmingness, firmly in place.
At the intermediate boundary point between where the forest began and the structures, some commanders, adjutants, and escort members had already set up tents and were preparing to spend the night, such as lighting fires. They expected the waiting time to be long because only about half of the personnel who needed to gather had arrived yet.
Even if they used various Teleportation Devices to come at the fastest speed, it would take quite some time for the commanders who were far away to arrive. The same was true for Deputy Commander Bruno Amos, who had ordered the summons.
The current time was past midday, and the sky was gradually turning crimson, but the humid steam blocked the light, so even though it was still supposed to be bright, it felt generally dark. The unknown sounds that occasionally came from the forest contributed to creating an eerie atmosphere along with the gloomy scenery.
And Hugo, Squad Leader 8, and five members of some squads, who had just arrived in the vicinity, were heading to the base camp at the coordinates, following the curved wall covered with vines.
Even though the mining team’s hideout was not far from here, the reason why they had only arrived now was not only because the support troops arrived late, which took time for the handover, but also because they had been searching the area for traces of the two missing people on the way.
But what they encountered in the process was a swarm of numerous Illaptor.
Because of that, they, who were crossing the ruins with blood-stained swords and a tired look, came face to face with commanders of a similar number as soon as they turned the corner with a huge tombstone.
And the person at the very front of that group was probably the least welcome face in this peninsula for Hugo right now.
“You’re very late.”
When Hugo faced Meterion after a long time, he felt his temples throbbing for no reason.
Maybe it was because he had come with a lot of things to pick on in front of him, who was trying to find something to pick on, but this encounter was quite uncomfortable. It was also because he looked as if he had been waiting for me to come here.
But since he couldn’t point his finger at his face as if he was having a headache, he shook off the headache that was coming by slowly closing and opening his eyes once.
“Where is Deputy Commander Amos?”
“He hasn’t arrived yet.”
One of Hugo’s eyebrows went up slightly at Meterion’s answer.
“I don’t know whose standard it is to be late when he hasn’t arrived yet.”
“The report and transmission matters are piling up, but the Legion Commander doesn’t contact us and only shows up now, so as the Battalion Commander, I have no choice but to see it as late.”
The subtle war of nerves felt in the back-and-forth conversation made the people around them look around. The two gazes facing each other also did not see each other as welcome at all.
“Did you find the missing persons?”
No hint of pity or caution could be felt in the blunt tone. The intention was quite obvious, but since the commanders were gathered here, it was something they would have to face sooner or later, so Hugo decided not to avoid answering.
“Not yet.”
“I heard that the Southern Branch’s 9th Battalion’s report clearly indicated that the missing persons had taken refuge from the collapse site.”
“…….”
“Even though the Legion Commander abandoned his responsibilities and devoted himself to the search operation, the fact that it’s still ‘not yet’ means that what I feared has come to pass, wouldn’t you say?”
“Don’t jump to conclusions.”
Hugo said, staring directly at Meterion with cold eyes. He would have normally brushed it off, but the fact that he had stopped midway because of them, and the fact that they were even mentioning responsibility, was grating on him more than usual today.
Besides, maybe he was misinterpreting, but it sounded like they had been waiting for the feared event to occur.
“It’s not jumping to conclusions, but a reasonable judgment.”
At Meterion’s words, which were spoken while looking straight at him, veins subtly popped out on Hugo’s hand, which was gripping the blood-frozen Greatsword.
His tired eyes were colder than usual. But there was no point in arguing in this situation, and he didn’t want to, so he decided to ignore it and move on.
However, just as he was about to turn away, he saw another group approaching beyond the 3rd Battalion commanders in front of him.
“Ah, loyalty. Has the Supreme Commander arrived?”
Hugo looked at the person who spoke to him with a less than welcoming face. Judging from the armband on his arm and the embroidery on his combat uniform, he belonged to the Southern Branch’s 7th Battalion, and judging from his epaulettes, his position was battalion commander, but he was not a familiar face.
He seemed to have been newly appointed, but it wasn’t like he had never seen him before; he seemed to be one of the aristocratic figures he had seen occasionally at social gatherings. Soon, Hugo’s speculation turned into certainty as he naturally approached and stood next to Meterion.
“Supreme Commander, I have an urgent report to deliver.”
“…What is it?”
When meeting a superior for the first time at the Council, it was customary to state one’s rank and name, respond to the superior’s handshake first, and then state the main point, but considering the situation, Hugo listened to the report that the Southern Branch’s 7th Battalion Commander said was urgent without saying anything.
However, Squad Leader 8, who was next to him, knew how tired the Legion Commander was, so she tried to hide her displeasure as she looked at the battalion commanders who kept him standing there to talk.
“…So, the thing is. Our Southern Branch’s 7th Battalion is scattered by company, making it difficult to immediately apply various tactics. In particular, four companies are positioned to defend the Gate in the border area, but wouldn’t internal manpower be necessary for suppression right now?”
“…….”
“So, I would like to ask if it would be possible to withdraw two companies from Gate defense and call them back internally… And regarding the ammunition supply for some rifle units….”
Hugo listened to the Southern Branch’s 7th Battalion’s report, strategy, and troop deployment matters, and stared intently at the battalion commander. Perhaps because his gaze seemed particularly cold and sharp, the 7th Battalion Commander seemed a little nervous as he continued to speak. However, Hugo was actually lost in a thought that was slightly different from the content of the report.
‘What are the chances that there’s an informant among them?’
His gaze slowly swept from the 7th Battalion Commander to the commanders below him, and then to the commanders of the Central Branch’s 3rd Battalion next to them. And the last gaze was directed at Meterion, but before long, the 7th Battalion Commander finished his report, so he immediately turned his head in that direction and asked.
“Is withdrawing manpower from Gate defense the only way to replenish internal manpower? It would be faster to call in the standby support troops.”
“Ah, yes. That’s true, but it would be more effective to replenish with the battalion members I originally commanded for tactical application―.”
“We can’t reduce the Gate defense manpower any further. Even now, only the minimum manpower is being invested, and if we reduce it further, the surveillance area per person will increase, increasing the possibility of gaps in security.”
Hugo interrupted the 7th Battalion Commander and continued instead.
“Bringing the defense manpower stationed there into the peninsula and newly deploying the standby support troops there would involve too many unnecessary movements, such as the handover of each position and situation, and the reallocation of responsibilities.” I’ll discuss manpower replenishment with Vice Commander Amos when he arrives, so please wait for now.”
The Southern Branch’s 7th Battalion Commander seemed to have something more to say to the Legion Commander’s words that neatly rejected him, but judging from his expression, he didn’t think it was the right atmosphere, so he soon bowed and retreated.
“…Yes, I understand.”
“Ah, and.”
However, the Legion Commander seemed to have more to say.
“The Central Branch’s 1st Battalion, including me, just arrested a large-scale illegal mining team and was on the way back after handing them over to the support troops. The fact that so many people were able to enter the peninsula means that the defense and security level of the current border area is seriously lax.”
The 7th Battalion Commander’s face turned pale for a moment.
“I will hold you, the battalion commander, responsible for the security personnel who failed to properly perform their duties, in addition to the subsequent manpower replenishment, so please keep that in mind.”
Soon after, the 7th Battalion Commander’s gaze turned to the side for a very brief moment, but Meterion’s expression in that direction showed no change at all.
Hugo, who had deliberately conveyed the news of the mining team’s arrest to see the reactions of the two, stared silently at the two faces with contrasting expressions, and then tried to move his feet to finally enter the base camp.
However, before he could even take a step, he heard a voice calling the Legion Commander from afar again.
“Commander!”
When he raised his head, he saw the commanders of the Central Branch’s 6th Battalion, who seemed to have just arrived from the sky above the ruins. Dellua discovered the people huddled in front of the huge monument and Hugo standing in the middle of them, and immediately descended and landed nearby.
Then, she pushed through the gathered commanders and approached, saying.
“The base camp is right in front of us, what are you all doing here? Are you having a meeting? Ah, before that, Commander. I have a report to tell you….”
Dellua, who had been looking at the faces of the commanders one by one, turned her head to Hugo, who was the purpose of her coming down here, and then paused.
His face, which was always so impeccably clean, had deteriorated noticeably in the past few days, and that particularly bad expression was something she only saw when he was working overtime almost every night for a week. It was clear that she wouldn’t hear anything good if she delivered the report now.
Instinctively, Dellua stopped speaking, and Hugo said to her.
“I’ll listen to it later. First, go to the base camp and wait―.”
“Supreme Commander!”
Hugo’s eyes, which had been squinting, were so tightly closed that veins stood out on his forehead.
Squad Leader 8, who had been watching his mood, turned her head to where the sound came from, and saw two messengers approaching this way. However, Hugo didn’t even look at them and raised his right hand to his forehead and rubbed it. He wondered if this was all the result of the Legion Commander abandoning his responsibilities and focusing only on the search, as Meterion had said.
The headache that he had been trying to chase away because he had barely slept for three days came back even more severely. On top of that, it felt like he was even hearing auditory hallucinations in his ears now.
‘Legion Commander―.’
‘Commander.’
‘Supreme Commander!He was so disoriented because he was surrounded by voices calling him from all directions.
The messenger who had descended from the sky gave a light greeting and was about to get straight to the point, but Dellua, who was next to him, grabbed the messenger’s collar and quickly shook her head. It wasn’t the time now.
Squad Leader 8, who had been watching his mood, took courage from Dellua’s actions and stepped forward, opening her mouth as if to organize the situation.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but everyone must be tired from traveling a long distance, so it would be better to move to the base camp first and give the report at the formal meeting.”
The commanders, who were also watching the Legion Commander’s appearance, which seemed uncomfortable, nodded in agreement with her words. As they stepped aside to make way, Hugo expressed his gratitude by slightly nodding his head to Squad Leader 8, who had been watching his mood.
In that way, the 1st Battalion, including him, finally moved towards the base camp, but coincidentally, even that movement didn’t last long. Because the sound of someone clicking their tongue reached Hugo’s ears before he could even take his second step.
The quiet voice that followed was quite small as if it were a soliloquy, but the surroundings were too quiet to bury the sound.
“They must have run away by now.”
Hugo’s footsteps stopped. His expression, which had been standing still for a moment, gradually turned cold, and his Adam’s apple slowly moved up and down once.
In the same situation, Dellua covered her forehead with her hand and closed her eyes tightly once. It was highly likely that Meterion had said that for them to hear, given his personality.
When Hugo slowly turned his head, he saw Meterion leaning against the monument behind him, crossing his arms and staring silently at him.
At one time, he had admired his tenacious personality as a colleague, who didn’t care about public opinion when everyone else was glossing over things, but now his actions seemed to be nothing more than an attempt to provoke him.
As the two gazes met, a suffocating silence lingered for a moment.
A chilling wail echoed from the forest, and the surrounding air felt strangely cool.
Thanks to that, no one could open their mouths, and only the commanders’ eyes rolled busily, but then, Hugo immediately changed direction and strode two steps towards Meterion.
It was a moment when Hugo’s Greatsword was embedded into the monument behind Meterion.
Kwang―!
Meterion’s eyes widened as the wind suddenly rushed to his face. His hair shook slightly from the shockwave before falling back down.
In front of him, he saw Hugo’s cold face holding the handle of the Greatsword.
It happened so quickly that all the commanders were frozen and couldn’t even open their mouths. In the middle of them, Meterion’s gaze, slowly turning his head, saw the huge ice stuck right next to his head.
It was a close call that he might have really been stuck in the head if it had been a little further to the side.
The surface of the Greatsword was frozen with the demon beast’s blood flowing as it was, adding to the horror.
Meterion stared at his dumbfounded face reflected in the blood-stained Greatsword, and then slowly frowned and turned his head to the front. Then, he stared at Hugo with equally fierce eyes and said, as if he was dumbfounded.
“What the hell are you doing?”
To him, Hugo let go of the handle of the Greatsword and took a step closer. Then, he whispered lowly in his face.
“Be quiet. Read the atmosphere.”
Shadowy blue eyes warned fiercely. Soon, Hugo’s large hand gripped Meterion’s shoulder tightly as if to press, tapped it heavily a couple of times, and then came down.
He stared at Meterion’s eyes until the end, left the stuck Greatsword as it was, and escaped the commanders’ gaps. Squad Leader 8 and the 1st Battalion members, who had been watching his mood silently, hurriedly followed him.
Hugo felt that the atmosphere of those left behind was frozen, but he didn’t want to pay attention to that extent right now.
He rubbed the area around his eyebrows and strode forward with his long legs, and suddenly raised his head towards the sky.
The fog that had been full was gradually clearing, and the high mountain range revealed its appearance with a faint light.
“You came just in time.”
Bruno Amos’s Magic Power was approaching nearby.