Out in the distance, about 500 meters away, Chrisse was holding in her arms a long, black, cylindrical weapon. Gigi saw it with his magically strengthened eyesight, and set out to give orders to his subordinates, but
BANG.
GAAAAH!
Another popping sound. Almost immediately one of the vampires going after Lute collapsed, holding his stomach. Hit by a bullet.
(No mistaking it now. I dont know what magic or magic device it is, but seems she could strike from 500 meters away in the dark without any starlight.)
Gigi calmly analyzed the situation, the impressive range and accuracy of the attack made him shudder even though he could feel no magic power from it.
(Damn that cursed thing! Never in my long life have I seen anything like that. Chrisse-ojousama is going easy on us now so she only struck legs and stomachs, but just one shot of this to the head and itll be instant death. Well be killed before we noticed were dead.)
No matter how much Gigi concentrated, he could not perceive the flow of magic nor its outbreak. This is precisely why the magicians could be taken by surprise and killed without them knowing it.
The atrociousness of the weapon made the spine along Gigis back shiver.
Luckily it didnt seem to be able to fire rapidly. Everytime the popping sound is heard, Chrisse gave a pull on some lever-like thing with her hand. Another interlude, then another popping sound, that was proof of that.
Gigi immediately gave his orders.
Enemy attack, distance is 500 meters! Attack is from unknown magic or magic device! No rapid fire! Half of you tend to the wounded, the other half follow me!
Being professionals they immediately moved according to the head of guards, Gigis orders.
As ordered, half the men tended to the wounded, the other half went in pursuit of Lute.
The number of pursuers were ten-odd people, beastmen and vampires. All of them were the surviving B-minus ranked magician strongmen.
Dont let her aim at you, move forward while making evasive moves!
They proceeded to pursue Lute, moving left and right as if avoiding arrows, all according to Gigis orders. The distance to the target is 200~250 meters. Gigis group proceeded using zig-zagging movement to not let her aim at them, creating a bit of distance with the target. However, it is now still possible for them to catch up with this distance.
Furthermore, beastmen and vampires, who have night eyes, have the advantage in the dark forest. Then theres the magic prevention choker attached to Seras neck. As long as she has that on her, no matter where she goes they will be aware of her location, and then theres also magic that will kill her if she tries to take the collar off without using the special key.
Even if they could run an hours distance away, theres no way Seras would slip away. Moreover, their fighting force is Lute, Chrisse, and the white magician Snow.
Gigi, from his senses honed through the long years, was able to figure out Snows value from her magic power and her behavior as a mage. She was an annoying opponent, but not one they couldnt defeat as a group.
Lute and Chrisse had no talent as magicians, but they were armed with unusual weapons.
(Invisible attacks are certainly troubling, but it was that strong. Theres no way they could keep using it forever.)
As Gigi expected, there was a limit to Lute and Chrisses bullets. They believed that they could take them down with the quantity of their magic power.
Even if the enemy had prepared more forces, it would be enough to hold them back when the time comes. It would be enough if they bought time until their fallen comrades recovered.
(In other words, this escape drama is just a game of tag that were bound to win from the start.)
Gigi clenched his teeth, glaring at the backs of the escapees.
Lute, Snow, and Seras entered the forest. After a delay Chrisse stopped her firing, and followed behind them.
About 200 meters behind them, Gigi and his troops stepped into the forest. For Lute, this is a forest that he knew really well, but for Gigi, this place is practically his own backyard.
There should be no such thing as professionals who dont understand a forest that was right beside them.
GUAAAH!
However, the first screams came up from among the pursuers.
What happened!? M, my leg! Theres something sticking into my leg!
There was a pitfall trap containing thin blades with barbs attached that dug halfway into the beastmans lower leg through his leather shoes. Although they were thin, they were strong. They easily pierced through sole and foot just by the force of his body weight.
GUEEE!? T, theres one here too! Dardas squirming while holding his throat! T, this one is. thin metal lines stretched out!? Goddammit! They, theyve turned the forest full of traps!
The young vampire man called Darda was shedding fresh blood from his throat and fell to the ground writhing. His allies used healing magic on him in a hurry, but it seems there was silver in the traps.
His allies hurriedly made him drink anti-silver drug. Not even 10 meters into the forest, and they already had 2 casualties.
The forest that shouldve been like their own backyard had been laid out with traps like the jungles of Vietnam. Gigi chided his panicked subordinates.
Get a hold of yourselves! These are amateur traps! We wont get caught if we moved carefully!
This is a trick theyve used, and others used on them before. Slowing down the enemys advance by laying traps on their path. Gigi and his men took careful steps and proceeded, avoiding the traps.
BANG.
GUAAAA!
The man carefully probing and disarming the traps was shot down in the shoulder with a [7.62mm51 NATO round] and collapsed.
The clouds parted and starlight shone through like a spotlight, illuminating one corner of the forest. Under that light, Chrisse Gate Vlad was standing, holding her M700P. Her distance from Gigi and his men was over 200 meters.
Hugging the M700P, she moved her throat that cant speak because of trauma, moving her lips as if singing a song.
Her voice could not be heard. The men there were simply captivated by her, and stopped in their tracks.
Chrisse continued moving her throat and lips.
Gigi and his men didnt know. The song she was singing to herself right now was something taught by Lute, the [Riflemans Creed] chanted by the United States Marine Corps.
In his previous life, Hotta YoutaLute was weak in English. However, he was entranced by this [Riflemans Creed] and worked with all his might to memorize it.
Then when he recited it to Chrisse, she was strangely captivated by it and memorized it as well. She could not release her voice because of trauma, but she concentrated on chanting this [Riflemans Creed], insisting that she be able do so accurately.
She chanted.
This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine
My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life
My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will
My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit
My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will
Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and I are the defenders of my family. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life
So be it, until victory is ours and there is no enemy
A young girl who could bestow death upon them sang soundlessly.
They had no idea what the young girl was whispering. Her blonde hair sparkled beautifully under the starlight, her innocent childlike face was lovely, rousing ones protective instincts. But she was holding in her arms a pitch-black magic weapon that could turn them into lumps of meat in an instant, hugging it tenderly like it was her own child.
White and Black. Light and Darkness. Life and Death.
The scene in that place was fantastic, giving them visions of all the world being in that place. It was awe-inspiring.
HYAAAAAAAAA!!!
Unable to hold back his fear, one of the men turned tail and broke into a run.
L, like Im letting myself get killed! This isnt worth however much theyre paying me!
He used body strengthening at full power on his legs, aiming to break out of the forest, but
BANG!
GAAAAA!
Chrisse mercilessly shot out his buttocks from behind. No matter how much he used body strengthening, it wasnt a technique that could outrun a bullet at twice the speed of sound.
Chrisse yanked the bolt. Clinkthe empty ammo cartridge fortuitously struck a stone buried on the ground, sounding the ending bell of the match.
Thick clouds once again hid the starlight. Chrisses figure melted, disappearing into the darkness.
There was a brief silence. Taking this as a chance, another of Gigis men made a reckless attempt to run away.
GYAAAA!!!
He tried to run swiftly like an arrow using body strengthening, and yet Chrisses bullet pierced his abdomen as if drawn there by a thread. Chrisse will not allow anyone to run from this place.
Furthermore, the popping sound came from a greater distance than before. Even while retreating, Chrisse was giving them an angry glare.
*huff* *huff* *huff*
Gigis and his mens breathing became short and rough. The cause was the fear they felt.
It was clearly not a game of tag theyre bound to win. They were cleverly led down to the monsters mouthto a place of death.
(But, were not defeated yet. If we could pin down madam in the end then it would be our win.)
So long as she was wearing the magic prevention choker, Gigi and the others could find out Seras whereabouts any time.
(First we should somehow get out of here. Then find out madams location and launch an attack)
Gigi pulled together his battered down emotions, and switched his thoughts over.
As he was thinking about how to escape the forest, a light exploded high in the sky. Unknown to Gigi, this was Lutes signal to Chrisse to withdraw, saying that [the collar is off].
After a short while, Chrisses presence vanished completely. It was about 30 minutes later that Gigi and his men realized this fact.
(^)