Volume 2 - CH 8

______

Before travelling to the fort city, Kazuya regrouped with the soldiers in the forest and organised them into groups.

1st Squad

Kazuya and Chitose. As well as 10 soldiers or less.

2nd Squad

Commander Ibuki. As well as 10 soldiers or less. (TLN: She’s back! With a promotion as well)

3rd Squad

Lieutenant Fletcher. As well as 10 soldiers or less.

4th Squad

Sergeant Funasaka. As well as 20 people or less.

Vehicle units:

Humvee

(High mobility, multi-purpose)×５

M1130 Stryker

(CV – Command Vehicle)×１

M1126 Stryker ICV armored vehicle

(ICV – Infantry Carry Vehicle)×４

M1128 Stryker MGS

(MGS―Mobile Gun System)×４

Type 73 heavy truck ×５

「Let’s depart!」

Kazuya who had just finished preparations shouted loudly, beginning his journey towards the fort city.

Fort city Nashisuto. (TLN: Sorry, missed out the name it was written in katakana as ナシスト。-> Nashisuto. From now on it will just be called “Fort city” unless otherwise stated)

The city was set up as a measure to defend against demons, as well as the Elsass Magic Empire.

The fort city is shaped like a yen coin, there is a large castle within the centre with high walls surrounding the entire city in a circular shape.

To protect from enemy invasion, the walls are around 15 metres high and made of strong materials. The city is separated from the outside by three walls.

In addition, because there is only two gates per wall; it is easy to defend.

The walled city has been entrusted from generation to generation. Currently, it is managed by one of the three dukes in the Canary kingdom. The current head of the Lautrec family; Karen Lautrec.

Currently, there are around 15,000 kingdom soldiers within the fort city. As well as 5,000 soldiers from the dukes private army. This is not including the thousands of adventurers within the city, which has a population of around 150,000 people.

Kazuya was aiming to arrive at the city before a full day is up.

He was currently 1 hour away from the fort city.

The motorcycle scouts he sent ahead arrived with a report.

「We’ve received a report from the scout unit, master」

「What is the contents?」

「The outermost of the three walls has fallen. Flames are visible, as is black smoke. Also, the Imperial army is not lacking in offensive capability and are continuing onto the second wall」(TLN: I think they stack three walls together with a buffer zone in between?) 

「……will the third wall hold…」

「What should we do?」

「….please lend me a walkie talkie」

「Here you go」

「Did everyone hear the scouts report?」

As Kazuya makes contact with each squad commanders, an answer comes immediately.

『Yes』

『Of course』

『It was heard』

「Because of that, we will have to change the strategy. The 1st squad and the 2nd squad will merge and eliminate the enemies who have invaded the third city wall. The 3rd and the 4th squads will secure and defend the gates to the third wall」(TLN: I think he’s saying that some enemies have made it through the third wall, but others haven’t)

『I understand!!』

『Understood!!』

『Agreed!!』

Kazuya who received the reply from each of the commanders, cut off communications and handed the walkie talkie back to Chitose.

「Please be safe……」

Kazuya clenched his fists tightly, gazing in the direction of the not yet visible fort city.

――――――――――――

When Kazuya joined the scout unit on a hill looking down on the fort city, he looked through some binoculars, whereupon he saw an intense battle.

「Commander, look over there」

「It’s pretty flashy」

Countless dragon knights perform magic from atop fearsome dragons. The bowman on the ramparts were firing vast numbers of arrows at the enemy. Even a witch is casting a magic bullet.

The magic empire had a ground unit made up of infantrymen equipped with muskets. The witch from before seemed to be taking pride in the fact that she could control such a large number of demons to destroy the cities walls. (TLN: Changed monster to demons, since we have a “Monster Group” of demi humans. Demons are the bug things Kazuya save Phyllis from. Monsters are like Lamias)

Also, there seems to be a corps of engineers equipped with a catapult and a trebuchet, as well as a cannon. They are firing large rocks and cannon balls towards the 2nd wall.

Shells and rocks were also being fired by the fort city, however in comparison; it was very weak.

「If I don’t hurry, it could be bad…..」

Kazuya murmurs as he looks at the fort city, which is completely surrounded. He throws a glance towards the enemy camp.

However, because the enemy camp was on the north side, whilst Kazuya was on the south; it was difficult to see clearly.

Giving up on that, he sets down his binoculars and returns to his unit.

「How is the military situation, master?」

「It’s bad, it looks to be a difficult battle for them…..」

I should summon as many supplies as I can, when in battle I won’t be allowed to make and summons….

Kazuya subsequently loaded up the type 73 trucks to the brim with supplies.

「Ok, lets go!」

Kazuya says so loudly.

「Whether or not we complete this mission will all depend on you!!」

「「「「Understood!!」」」」

The engines of the vehicles reverberated loudly as they advanced.

————–

After securing one of the gates at the wall, one of the soldiers notices something strange.

「…..I wonder, could that sound be the reinforcements?」

「Does it even matter? Any reinforcements coming now would be insignificant」

「…..It doesn’t look like reinforcements. It looks like a dust cloud slowly getting closer」

「Haa?」

When the soldier said that, they both looked into the distance at the dust cloud slowly getting closer to the gate.

「…..really!? What is that!? I’ve never seen anything like that before!?!?」

The soldier began to cry suddenly.

A blast of wind blew away the dust, what emerged was a square box.

「Well I don’t know, but they don’t look friendly!!」

Upon hearing the cry of their captain, the other soldiers gripped their weapons.

「They seem to have noticed us, haven’t they?」

Chitose murmured so as she saw the movement of the Imperial army.

「It would be strange if we could approach without being noticed」

The vehicle unit headed by Kazuya, accelerated rapidly towards the gate.

「Well then…..let’s kill!!」

Kazuya shouted in anger, to raise the soldiers spirits.

The main reason for his anger was due to the fact that they had passed several villages on their way here. He was well aware of their brutality (They massacred villagers and hung up their corpses) so he was writhing in anger.

「Stryker 06 and 09. Enemy units have gathered at the gate, fire high explosive projectiles at them!!」

『『『『Understood!!』』』』

Most of the Strykers were equipped with the M68A1E4 high explosive rifle.

4 explosive shells landed where the imperial infantrymen were gathering. They had organised their swords and shields side by side to intercept the strange vehicles.

Instantly the infantrymen disappeared whilst wrapped in flames and smoke.

The wind blew and only the grievous moans of severely injured soldiers could be heard.

「What is that!? The ground unit that attacked!?」

「What!?」

「Enemy reinforcements!? Well, lets blow them up!!」

The dragon riders who finally noticed something unusual, began to descend on Kazuya.

「Anti-aircraft battle!!」

The GAU-19 installed on the Humvees and Strykers opened fire, causing a dense barrage of bullets to encompass the dragon riders, on the orders of Kazuya.

「Argh!!」

「Guge!!」

The dragon riders exploded, causing big red flowers to bloom in the sky one after another as their remains fell to the ground.

「We’ll rush into the city like this. The 2nd squad follow me! 3rd squad will secure on of the gates, the 4th squad will secure the gate on the other side」

Kazuya looks into the sky as he passes down his orders.

『『Understood!!』』

『Agreed!!』

When he hears an answer, Kazuya connects a radio with the leader of the 4th squad Sergeant Funasaka.

「Sergeant Funasaka, please respond」

『? Captain General, what’s wrong?』(TLN: Old rank meaning commander of army)

「There’s something I want to say」

『What is it?』

「…..to be honest. The mission to secure the gate will be very difficult, as the enemies base is only 10km away from it. I’ve already requested reinforcements, but–」

Kazuya sticks his head out of the hatch of the CV, with walkie talkie in hand.

『With all due respect, I was already aware of this. With the Captain General’s orders, there is no right or wrong. We will follow your orders no matter what. So please don’t mind it』

When Sergeant Funasaka showed a determined reply, Kazuya merely answered weakly.

「….well then. Thank you」

『I know. Have good fortune in battle, Commander』

「You too, Sergeant」

When Sergeant Funasaka runs his Humvee parallel with Kazuya’s CV; he salutes. Then the 4th squad seperates from formation, aiming for the opposite city gate.

Aiming at the other gate, Kazuya orders.

「GO!! GO!! GO!! Crash through the gate!!」

Suddenly, the 1st and 2nd squad burst into the fort city which is flooded with enemies. They look confused due to the sudden entrance. One is crushed under a vehicle whilst the others are shot down.

The third squad separates at the gates and begins to secure them.

「Ora, Ora, Eat this!!」

「Master it’s dangerous, please come inside!!」

Kazuya didn’t hear Chitose’s words as he continued firing the 12.7mm bullets wildly. He was currently using the M2 machine gun mounted on the CV Stryker.

Like this, Kazuya arrives at the second gate of the cities walls.

When the vehicle stops, soldiers pour out and clean up the remaining enemies.

「What are these guys!?!?」

「Where did they come from!?」

「Retreat!!」

The enemies who were being attacked attempted to escape.

「Oi! Wait a moment, keep fighting!!」

「Counter attack!」

Although some brave magicians and soldiers tried to fight back, combined fire from the M4A1 carbine and MK48 machine gun quickly reduced them to pools of blood.

「「Charge!!」」

「「「「Uaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!」」」」

The city gate is suddenly opened and the defensive soldiers from the gate pour out wiping out the soldiers like an avalanche.

Making a difficult decision, the imperial soldiers decided to retreat.

After the enemies had fled, a large number of siege weapons were left abandoned.

「The 2nd squad will clean this place up, the first squad will go meet the commander of the fort city」

「「Understood」」

Kazuya was glad that the battle was over, so he went left the 2nd squad at the gate and took the 1st squad to meet Duke Karen Lautrec.

______