+++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++
November 18, 1538 CE
Hans woke up.
Well…that was certainly something.
He watched as his HUD displays booted up slowly, revealing Nomos’ morning sunlight to him, alongside the verdant green fields ahead of them. Hans sighed, still feeling the awful phantom pain of being eaten alive. But at this point, he already somewhat dissociated from it. He could only look down with resignation.
So another weird wolf thing that has two heads and is capable of firing straight-up magical lasers at us?
He felt himself breathe in deeply.
Alright. What more can I even expect?
Of course, there were some options presented to him. Technically, it didn’t attack them. And it wasn’t their main target. And they were much faster than it. So perhaps, they could just swing westward or eastward to avoid it. Or, they could charge again at its jaws and attempt to kill it with better intel this time.
He knew what it could do. He knew its bullcrap shenanigans. And he knew a simple counter to it. To bring more of his battlemages and the rest of the 1st Anti-Demon Unit to murder it. After all, what could the demonic bastard do with its copies when all of it would be shot easily by everyone? Sure, the beam magic thing was problematic…
But, Hans had already accepted casualties at this point. And it wasn’t like it was anything that was truly extremely destructive. Adelyn’s armor after all managed to deflect it. In any case, he knew his previous defeat was only possible because he was somewhat ‘ambushed’ and creatively cornered.
He imagined after he died, Adelyn and the Viceroy must have killed the damned mutt anyway.
But, it’ll sap too much of our strength if we do that.
Thus, the option to not engage. They could turn away from Presidio, and scout through other routes.
After all, our main target is still the Calamity of Injustice and Recklessness. Then again, even if we focus on those two, they’ll be stronger than this one, who defeated us.
He could make a lot of excuses. Maybe it was an unfortunate fluke, yes, but he was still defeated. Maybe he needed more levels, and that creature certainly would be a great source of it. Perhaps he’d need that damned shield upgrade. It would certainly help if he killed that wolf demon of course.
Ugh…but I don’t want to waste time and resources on it. If we do it, the 1st Anti-Demon Unit is going to be expending munitions. Munitions that I’m not sure the Viceroy’s land can replace. After all, supply lines are awful.
He didn’t even know if Nomos had much of an industry at producing weapons. Gunpowder, guns, and bullets were easy…for a modern country like Lorathia. But for this disaster-ridden principality? Hans doubted it. Especially since the Nomosian forces he’d seen seemed badly depleted. Both in numbers and equipment.
And he knew he needed the 1st Anti-Demon Unit in full strength once he finally came face-to-face with the two Calamities. He had a secondary problem now that he thought about it. He seriously doubted he’d win against two calamities.
Hmm…it’s a bit of a dilemma then.
Of course, there was the option of separating the Calamity of Injustice from the Calamity of Recklessness. But again, that was easier said than done. He would naturally prefer it if the battle he’d fight would be one where he could defeat the demons in detail, but…
Master.
He was locked back on those words by that demon.
It said that the Calamity of Injustice is its master.
That’d be a complication then. If he attacked the Calamity of Injustice…he might end up fighting two calamities and a normal demon at once. And all he had was the 1st Anti-Demon Unit, the Viceroy herself, and his partner, Adelyn. That was a difficult proposition, Hans thought.
This will only be solved by trial and error again.
Hans sighed. Dying was truly getting too old. Unfortunately, he doubted that he could ask the Viceroy to go out in the field to hunt random monsters to pad his levels. Even if he did that, it might take him weeks before reaching Tier III to truly strengthen himself.
Something that they probably didn’t have.
But regardless. No matter what, we’re going to survive.
That was the vow he left for Adelyn and Alizée. He clenched his fist.
Alright then. I think I’ll settle on one decision. We’re going to attempt to defeat the Calamity of Injustice and his goons in detail. That means…I’ll need to kill that bastard demon near Presidio first. Crap, this is going to be an ass on our munitions supply but screw it. Better than having to fight three monsters at once.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
He returned his hand to his controls.
Time to start the day.
+++
“We need rest,” Captain Strobel demanded. They were staying right now in a tent as they ate their breakfast and discussed their next plans. “My boys are all tired from the forced march. We need real rest. And provisions. I’m going to try to scour the countryside to bulk up my supplies.”
“Rest? We cannot do that,” the Viceroy fiercely rejected. “No…we have to keep pressing on. That damned demon will just slip away. Then what? It’ll kill more of the people I administer down south. We have to chase it fast and now.”
“Yeah, well, that’s true,” Hans said. “But I think you’re placing too much faith in us, Madame.”
“I don’t think so. I think you’re all very capable. I…well, I suppose there will have been a degradation of performance by now, but…”
She sighed.
“The people?” Hans asked.
“Yes. They’re waiting for relief. Any kind of relief. Thousands are out in the countryside trying to flee or survive the chaos. Those who reside in fortified cities are living on borrowed time. Those in villages and towns can barely even hope for any chance of survival. They can only wait,” the Viceroy’s voice turned even more melancholic. “And we can’t make them wait any further.”
“Yeah, that’s true,” Adelyn adamantly said. “I agree with her. The more we sit out here when we’re the capable force, the more likely it is that thousands will die. I say we set out now. At once.”
“Again, I can’t. Even if we have to,” Captain Strobel explained. “I am trying my best here, but unlike all of you, I’m just human. And my boys are just human. They need rest and proper provisions to keep fighting in their best shape. It’s already bad enough that they have to fight a demon. But now they have to do that after not eating properly for days or having no sleep, with tired legs and soles?”
“Even my damned horse is all tired from the scouting sorties," Captain Weibel laughed. “Bastard’s about to collapse the more I push her. I think yesterday, we went on a scouting mission for about fourteen hours. That’s lunacy.”
“That’s the same with my cavalry too,” Captain Strobel said. “And you. Lady Viviani. Even your horse is already lethargic. You can only push the poor animal so far.”
“I-I know that,” the Viceroy defensively replied. “Well, if I have to, I’ll move on my own, on foot. I’m fast enough anyway. I can keep up with Lieutenant Hoffman and Captain Wittenstein here.”
“Are you sure about that?” Hans skeptically asked. “I mean, as much as your magic is impressive, I imagine it costs AP to move like that.”
“Yeah? But I regenerate so much AP anyway. I doubt my AP reserves would be lower than eighty or sixty percent if I move like that for hours. I should be fine—”
“Nope then,” Hans shook his head. “It’s not fine in that case. We need you and everyone in full condition.”
“Lieutenant?” Adelyn raised her eyebrows.
Hans stood up and sighed.
“Look, I believe a fight with a demon is more than likely, a battle of attrition. Just like us, they rely on AP to continue their magically extreme capabilities. To take damage. To deal damage. To keep fighting. These bastards are essentially waiting for us to come to them. So they’ll be in full strength, while we would be tired after days of scouting and constant movement.”
“Hence why we should stop,” Captain Strobel nodded. “I called it already. Besides, Lady Viviani, without the rest of the 1st Anti-Demon Unit, how are you so sure that you three alone can fight?”
The Viceroy looked down. Hans kept his neutral facade. However, internally, he was satisfied. At least now he’d convinced them to lay low for a while to gather strength.
Then…we can defeat that wolf demon with the full brunt of the 1st Anti-Demon Unit.
After all, their main blunder last time was that their two most powerful members—Adelyn and Emilia, both wanted to dash ahead of the pack in some reckless pursuit of heroism. To Hans, it was admirable, and he agreed with it in principle. Which was why he rode out with them last time without a problem.
Now, however, faced with three demons, and the recent defeat, he reconsidered.
It’d be best to have the rest of the unit with us.
He concluded that, and the meeting itself concluded the same.
They would delay for half a day.
+++
“Now, I need you to do it very well with your men,” Hans said. “Because I think we will be engaging a demon near Presidio.”
Captain Weibel was still chugging his alcohol when he heard that. He frowned and closed his canteen.
“How’d you know that?”
“Call it a gut feeling,” Hans said. “Look at it on the map. Presidio is a major central city in Nomos. Tell me, why wouldn’t it be destroyed by a demonic attack by now?”
“Yeah…yeah, that’s true,” Captain Weibel nodded. “But you see, the attacks, according to Lady Viviani herself, had mostly been contained in the southwest regions of Nomos.”
“That’s according to her, according to an intel report that’s already days outdated. Consider this. If a demon wants to cause more chaos, why wouldn’t it send something to strike on a city here?”
Captain Weibel laughed.
“Come on, Hans. You know well that any city would be a target for these bastards. Next thing you’ll tell me, we have to be ready for a city being destroyed each time we march past them—”
“Yes,” Hans bluntly confirmed. “We have. That’s why I’m asking you to whip those battlemages of yours to tip-top condition. I want them slinging spells at the bastard the moment we make contact.”
“Alright, what’s our arrangement again?”
“Standard combat procedures. We’re going to be acting again as the main cavalry force of the unit. Squad A will be assigned to protect Adelyn’s flanks. Same with squad B for me.”
“Alright,” he nodded. “What about the rest?”
“You’ll lead both squad C and D into the flanks of whatever demon we encounter, and pummel them with spells. Secondarily, order your battlemages not to use fancy-schmancy spells. Use basic attack spells to conserve AP. Like the crappiest ass fireball they can throw. I’ll be the one who’ll signal when we’ll use the killer ones. Again, on the radio.”
“Alright, I’ll keep note of that.”
Hans grinned.
The men are well-rested. The Viceroy is well-rested. I have a basic attack plan in mind. We won’t be ambushed. And I just had Adelyn prepare a couple extra special rounds for emergencies.
“Alright, I think we’re in a good setup now,” Hans said. “All we need now is execution.”