“Today, October 22, 2036, defense contractor Oktagon-Systeme introduced the so-called ‘Wanderpanzer I Vulture’ after winning a mass production contract from the Armed Forces. These new ‘Spider Mechs’ are a product of Lotharingia’s advanced robotic technologies, featuring high-performance multi-legs in comparison to normal wheel-based or track-based propulsion. New doctrines are already being formed, centered in these new light, high-mobility, all-terrain capabilities that these vehicles can place on the table. These developments, however, are being matched rapidly by neighboring nations.”

- Excerpt from ‘The Confederal Post’.

+++

+++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++

Unknown

Hans was still rethinking his course of action.

Beside him, both Adelyn and Alizée were blissfully enjoying their own meals. For once, Hans decided to eat with them, using his own MRE. Quite frankly, the hunger he was experiencing was messing with his mind, and he needed to keep it clear this time around to fully grasp his situation.

Not to mention, eating made his brain work. And right now, all sorts of questions were bubbling in his mind. What exactly was that thing? Why exactly did he see those visions? No, right now, he was fully doubting the visions theory. A more outlandish idea had already been forming in his mind, and he didn’t like it one bit.

He already had been revived from death from the fields of the Lotharingia. Then he was transported in what appeared to be a fantastical world…with…with magic, of course. Of course, add that. Second, in both of his “dreams”, he died and woke up at the right moment. Two times. 0633 Hours. As if…as if each time he died, he would hop back in time. Right at that point.

At 0633 Hours. Right at the moment of his waking time in his first death.

Loops. It’s as if I’m looping through time.

That was the only theory he could string right now. Each time he seemed to die, he returned to that same point in time. It was outlandish! Oh so outlandish. The mere idea of time travel alone was something of the realms of science fiction. Something that the same minds that created the Wanderpanzer had no way to grasp yet.

More importantly. I am being revived from death each time it happens.

That was even more outlandish. Death was…death was death! The entire concept of death is the ceasing of one’s biological existence. This…this was truly in the realms of outlandish religions. Something which his mind had rejected—rejected even harder now in denial! To return to the state of living…or, as they would call it, “reincarnation”, after death, that was utter folly!

Yet, his situation suggested that he was completely breaking such universal rules that it infuriated him. Did that mean he was immortal then? Who the hell told anyone to turn him into this?! The last thing he wanted was to trudge on any further in his bleak life…though granted, that didn’t mean he wanted to have his heart ripped out as an alternative to being a disposable penal soldier, but, damn it!

He thought he’d at least be free from this hell called life within a few years in a peaceful manner, or maybe a good shot from a Flandrian tank. Fast, clean, quick, and easy departure from living. No, he was now completely denied from it. Which means…

My responsibility just increased.

Gah! He already had to babysit one civilian, and a naive officer younger than him. Now, they were in a bad spot, and only he was able to see the future and avert it for them. How devious, whoever damned soul placed him in this situation! Was it the Goddess? If she existed, Hans now wondered again why the hell people worshiped her.

None of that matters yet though. The problem right now is that if I don’t change course…if I don’t change things…then…then if those things really happened and I’m merely looping back into this point, it won’t end.

More importantly, the two of them would die. Seeing…Adelyn…and hearing Alizée die. That was already one too many times. They may be fine right now, but the idea that they would suffer such a grizzly end if Hans didn’t pull off what he must pull off right now, something only he could pull off with the knowledge of the future…

That would be a crime beyond comprehension.

He shook his head. He needed to find a way through this whole ordeal. To save them and himself. Running away from a responsibility he already assigned to himself was something Hans would not be able to accept. Just as he wasn’t able to accept failure that would lead to the Einweg Company’s deaths, he would not be able to accept failure now that would lead to Adelyn’s and Alizée’s deaths.

Not for these two souls. Especially Alizée. She already went through enough of losing her family in one damned night. Quite frankly, Hans needed to make sure this entire thing should not even terrorize the girl. He needed to dispatch that monster cleanly before Alizée could fear for her life again.

Hans breathed out. This was such a pain in the arse…

“Hey,” Adelyn suddenly spoke up. “You look awful over there.”

Hans stuffed another spoonful of beef stew in his mouth. “Nothing. Just strategizing.”

“Well, I suppose that’s just normal for a soldier,” Adelyn said. Alizée then looked at a sandwich that Adelyn prepared from her rations. “You know, for a girl of your age, you certainly eat a lot.”

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“She does,” Hans said. “Fed her most of my MREs since I met her.”

“You did?” Adelyn asked. “What did you eat then?”

“Whatever I could scrounge up,” Hans answered. “Reserved all of my rations for her until further notice. Thankfully, no need to do that now. She can eat yours instead.”

“You really are a special breed of evil.”

“Comes with being a penal soldier.”

“You are a nonviolent—”

“Could be a tax evader for all you know,” Hans said. “Or maybe a drug dealer. Feel scared now?”

“I know the sound of a liar,” Adelyn said. “Nope!”

Hans ate up the last spoonful of his beef stew. “Well, you’re free to form your own theories.”

+++

“So what’s the plan?” Adelyn asked. Hans was still devising ideas, but he seemed to have run out of time at this point. They were in the process of preparing for a departure, but Hans still had no idea how exactly they should do this.

Perhaps a retreat would do well.

“Hey, do you really think we should continue in that direction?” Hans asked. “I’m just saying. It’s…”

“Lieutenant?” Adelyn furrowed her brows. “Are you alright? You’re…you’re shaking a bit.”

“What? Why would I…” He looked down at his gloved hands. The idea…the idea of even going in that direction, sent a cold chill up his spine. For a second, he was once again back there…those tails, stabbing through his guts…or…or slitting his throat. He almost wanted to vomit. But he held it off by breathing in deeply. “Nothing. Must have been just the food.”

“Lieutenant,” Adelyn walked forward and leaned close to see his eyes. Instinctually, Hans backed off a bit. “Something is wrong with you.”

“Well…maybe that’s true.”

Adelyn backed off. “Well, as your commanding officer, your well-being is my responsibility. So please, if it’s something bad bothering you, I just want to say again that my ears are open. I understand if you want to hide it, but, if you do want to speak…”

“I understand, Captain,” Hans said.

“Plus,” She looked away a bit and crossed her arms. “You’re the ace of my unit, with the highest kills. So before you think that I see you as just another guy in E Company, think again. If I lose you to something silly, I would be badly affected.”

She turned back to him. “Get that, Lieutenant?”

Hans nodded. “Clear copy, Ma’am. I understand my importance to your career.”

With that, Adelyn merely breathed out exasperatedly.

“You’re beyond dense, I never said that you’re just a tool for me climbing the ranks,” but she seemed to give up. “Whatever, Lieutenant. Just…if something is wrong, tell it to me, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good,” this time her slight frown disappeared. “So, as I’ve said, what’s the plan? Got any ideas? You’ve been in this world slightly longer, so I’ll need an idea from you. First, we need to reach a local settlement quickly.”

Hans nodded. “Yes, I know.”

“Second, get there safely.”

“Absolutely.”

“Third, eat as little fuel as possible, so we need a map.”

“I get that.”

“So…you said you found a settlement earlier,” she said. “And you fought something over there. Anything to report in particular about what happened during those fights? What exactly is the local fauna? How did they present the threat to you? Anything, anything at all?”

Hans looked back at those fights. First were those night wolves. Quite similar in a way to the creature that already “killed” him two times. But they were significantly easier to dispatch. Then…that “demonic entity” that he downed with his small arms. Hmm…this was…

Wait.

He looked back at the first “death” of his. Unlike the other entities, he was never able to [TARGET STATUS CHECK] it for some reason. It said that it failed. There were many reasons that it could be possible, but one of the theories he ran was that it might be of a higher level than him, but he scratched that theory quickly, maybe undeservingly.

Levels. Hold on. That’s something. His mind immediately locked on that idea. The idea of levels. Connecting with his last fights, Hans noticed that whenever he killed those creatures, that scroll-like vision would appear in his eyes, telling him that he “progressed” a certain percentage to the next level. In that case…

Running under the assumption that my level is too low to see what that creature is, and gather enough intel about it to fight it.

Then that would mean he’d have to raise his “level”. How? By killing other creatures. Beasts. Beasts that he could already kill. Using them to propel himself to a higher level, Hans would be able to use [TARGET STATUS CHECK] on that creature. Assuming his assumptions were right. In fact, Adelyn could definitely do the same. No…she was of a higher level than him, no? Unlike him who started at level one, both Adelyn and Alizée were already at level five. Unfair yes, but perhaps there was something he could use from that?

No, using Alizée is definitely out of the equation. Meanwhile, I’d have to expose Adelyn to that monster if I want her to do it.

And not to mention, it was his duty as her subordinate to do the fighting. She commanded him, he was under her. Her role was to provide direction to go through an ongoing situation. The minutiae details and the execution were his role. And she had already given him the orders. Get to a living settlement, where the girl could be safe, in a safe manner (thus necessitating the liquidation of the obstacle in that town), and finally, gather proper intel about their situation.

…In that case…he needed to raise his level himself. To kill multiple night wolves, or whatever beasts roamed the forest. With that, he could comfortably hunt that entity, vanquish it, and allow his group to continue on unabated.

“Captain, I think I have a plan,” Hans said. “Remember what I said to you earlier when I told you to check that ‘screen’?”

“Huh…yeah, it certainly is strange, no? But I suppose being in a fantasy realm makes the outlandish possible.”

“Exactly, Captain,” Hans said. “The outlandish is normally impossible. But it is in front of us right now. As you have said, possible. Thus…let’s do the outlandish. Alizée is already waiting on your mech, no?”

“Yeah?”

“Then get back there,” Hans said. “Before we proceed to unknown danger, let’s face known dangers first.”