A scene as shocking as sothing out of a movie was unfolding over Tengu City.
The ard city, concealing countless cannons, and the opposing airship fleet exchanged fire in a standoff. Brilliant lasers threaded through the sky amid thunderous roars. Steel soldiers, like flying insects, filled the field of vision, pressing toward the city without hesitation through the storm of bullets and fire.
"..."
Inside one of DEM's airships, Ernest Brennan, the fleet's commander for this battle, wore a serious expression.
As soone Westcott could entrust with the entire company's military assets, Brennan naturally had his own outstanding qualities. Excellent command ability, flexible adaptability, and a professional attitude that focused on completing orders rather than over interpreting the intentions of his superior.
Within the short span of a single day, Brennan had faced multiple large changes to the battle plan from Westcott. Yet he had not complained at all. Instead, he had swiftly revised the tactics according to the new requirents and adjusted the fleet and resource deploynt accordingly.
And now, he was considering how to respond to the situation before him.
In terms of airship numbers, DEM held an overwhelming advantage. However, this city, ard with a massive amount of military weaponry, had compensated for the gap between both sides, causing the battle to fall into a deadlock.
Attacks from magical convergence cannons would be offset by Territory barriers. The weapons on both sides were unable to inflict substantial damage on each other in a short ti, causing this battle to enter a war of attrition not long after it began.
Of course, if they could simply grind the enemy down, then dragging things out like this would not necessarily be a bad option for Brennan. However, it was obvious that, without considering other factors, a combat unit based on an entire city clearly had a more complete supply and energy system than thirty three airships separated from their base of resupply.
They had to end this quickly, Brennan judged inwardly. If possible, he had intended to split off a portion of the airships to specifically pin down the ground city and the enemy's flagship, then use that opportunity to surround and eliminate the enemy's four remaining airships. Unfortunately, a few minutes earlier, one of Westcott's orders to him had been that, during the operation, he was not permitted to alter the placent of certain airships without authorization.
(In that case, we can only rely on individual units to destroy the weapons installed throughout the city.)
"Report. The Bandersnatch units have reached Tengu City's urban area."
At that mont, the report from his subordinate pulled Brennan back from his thoughts. Once again, he turned his gaze toward the battlefield.
...
After crossing through the artillery exchange between the two forces, a large number of Bandersnatch had already been destroyed just in the process of advancing.
But as machines obedient to their orders, they naturally did not care about death. Their so called losses were nothing more than changes in nurical values.
After stepping over the remains of who knew how many of their own kind, the unmanned machine army finally entered Tengu City.
"Kukuku. To make this one wait so long, steel kin of the Demon King!"
A loud laugh echoed through the street. After analyzing the source of the voice, the Bandersnatch adjusted their cara focus and locked onto several girls standing five hundred ters ahead.
Orange hair. Twins—Berserk.
Blue hair. Puppet—Hermit.
Through comparison with external feature data, the unmanned machines identified their opponents.
"To have broken through the first barrier laid by this one and reached this place, your courage and strength deserve praise. However, this is as far as you go. So long as this one—the children of typhoon, Yamai—is here, you shall not take another step forward!"
"Yah yah, Kaguya-chan. It feels bad to pour cold water on you when you're getting so into it, but the ones across from us are robots. They probably don't understand what you're saying."
"Explanation. Those are rely lines Kaguya wrote in her notebook. She simply wanted to say them for fun."
"Ah... so that's how it is."
"N-no! This is the required declaration before Yamai goes into battle—"
The sounds of bombardnt rang out as missiles were launched. The Bandersnatch did not pause in the slightest, activating all of their mounted weapons and pouring ammunition toward the Spirits' position.
Within their programming, attacks on Spirits were assigned the highest priority. Without additional orders, Bandersnatch would lock their attacks onto Spirits. And in truth, even if DEM wanted to destroy the weapons installed throughout the city, they had to first deal with these obstacles before them.
Based on the above judgnt, the Bandersnatch launched a surprise attack on the Spirits.
However, before they could confirm whether their opponents lived or died, an enormous wind pressure swept the unmanned machines into the air. Their tallic bodies twisted together like fried dough spirals, before crashing heavily back to the ground.
"To attack before this one had even finished speaking—such rude machines!"
"Agreent. Yuzuru is not an opponent who can be dealt with so easily."
"All right, ti to go wild. Are you ready, Yoshino-chan?"
"O-okay... I'll W)D&(&(UDhu33550336@#@!￥%&...
The cara vision turned into a field of silvery static. After receiving those few lines of conversation, the Bandersnatch's body ceased functioning due to the extre cold.
...
"The fourth and third formations have been completely wiped out."
"The fifth and sixth formations are engaged with Berserk. They have currently suffered seventy-nine percent losses."
"The seventh formation encountered Hermit. They have ceased operation."
"So re machines aren't enough after all..."
Watching the unmanned machine raid being blocked by the Spirits, Brennan's brows furrowed slightly as he asked:
"What about the ground Wizard units? Why haven't they attacked?"
"They..."
The bridge crew mber hesitated for a mont before answering haltingly:
"So are still waiting in place. But more of them... appear to be retreating."
_______________
With her back to the roaring battlefield, a Wizard ran desperately.
This was wrong. She should not be running. Her remaining rationality told her that as a DEM mber, as a Wizard, she should charge into the battlefield like a soldier, like a hero, and fight the disaster to the death. Even if she had to pay with her life, so be it.
But what could her death possibly buy?
At the sa ti, that question lingered in the Wizard's heart and refused to leave.
She was currently equipped with the most advanced CR-Unit provided by the company. The armor was not damaged. The weapons were in good condition. Energy reserves were abundant. Territory deploynt had no issues.
Even so, she still chose to hide in the darkness of the forested mountains, running across the ground with her own two legs. As if only that way could she gain a sense of relief under the crushing weight of fear.
Honestly, when the leader of the unit chose to retreat without authorization, when she saw that she was not the only one afraid, the Wizard felt as though she had been saved.
—Oh? If I'm not mistaken, you should be one of our company's Wizards.
The sudden voice brought the Wizard back to reality. At so point, a gray haired man in a suit was standing in front of her.
The Wizard recognized this man—Isaac Westcott, managing director of DEM, and also her direct superior.
—Why are you here?
Westcott's calm voice filled the Wizard's heart with guilt.
Why was the director here?
As if knowing the Wizard's question, Westcott curved his lips into a smile and answered lightly:
—I'm heading to the battlefield. After all, Ellen and the others have gone ahead. If I alone waited at the base, it would be far too boring.
He could have waited safely in the rear for the results. Yet he had chosen to reject that guaranteed victory and proceed to the front lines. That resolve caused her—the one who had tried to run away—to lower her head, unable to look directly into Westcott's eyes.
—And you? Why are you here?
Westcott once again asked the Wizard a question.
It couldn't be helped. The Wizard tried to find a reasonable excuse for her actions.
Their opponents were Spirits. Not one or two. Every Spirit had gathered in one place, trying to destroy them.
She was not Ellen. She did not possess that kind of overwhelming strength capable of changing the course of battle. Nor was she an emotionless machine, able to calmly accept a death with no aning.
But after Hacker had stolen their weapons of resistance and reduced them to ordinary people, what use could they possibly have on the battlefield?
—How could that be? In my eyes, the fact that you are alive like this is itself of great use.
What answered the Wizard was not an angry rebuke, nor a cold contempt. It was a strangely gentle affirmation.
—If you are afraid, then look away as if it were natural.
—If you are terrified, then abandon thought and engrave that fear into your heart.
—Rest assured. I will give your deaths value. In exchange—
Following that joyous voice, the Wizard slowly raised her head. Looking into Westcott's hollow, murky pupils, her consciousness gradually grew hazy.
—Entrust everything to . I will give you power.
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