Volume 4 - CH 15

As one of the cities closest to the frontlines, the fighting continues to intensify with the constant gunfire within Ballard’s Fortress City Ballard

「Let go of me!! Leave〜me〜a〜lone!! Let〜 Me〜 Gooo〜!!」

「Nnggh, Come on…..Can you keep it down for a bit!!」

Private First Class Tina Vermeer struggled to keep the girl next to her dragging her by the arm.

Part of the reason why it was quite difficult was due to the Rowdy Girl’s armor and sword by her waist which kept digging into PFC Vermeer’s side. 

「If you let go of me, I’ll stop resisting!!」

The Rowdy Girl who flailed her arms and legs, threw a tantrum like a child that didn’t get her candy and put up all kinds of resistance towards PFC Vermeer. Trying to escape from her grasp but ultimately failed in the end.

「Seriously…. If I released you right now, then what’s stopping you from heading straight to the Church. Also you’re more likely to create a ruckus and bother our guys who’re fighting on the frontlines. So there’s no way I’m letting go of your arm」

Having gone through Parabellum’s Basic Training , Private First Class Tina Vermeer, remembers the hellish experience she had to endure in order to become Soldier, using the knowledge she gained, she used it towards the rowdy girl who didn’t want to calm down, applying pressure around the her waist.

Tightening her grip on the resisting girl, the Dog tribe whose muscular strength was much better developed than the average human, PFC Vermeer forcibly sealed her chances at escape.

「Urgh!?……――Ah-ah-ah!!….. Come on…. can’t you just let me go?….. Just let me go already. At this rate……Everyone will die….*Hic* *Hic*, Everyone I know…. please….*Hic*……*Sob*…..」

Being subdued by PFC Vermeer and having no other way to get away, the rowdy girl immediately goes limp, relaxing her body while sobbing. Realizing it was impossible to get away, she just broke down within PFC Vermeer’s impenetrable grasp. 

「Uwaaa~…. Even, even if you tell me that, I just can’t go against my Captain’s orders」

「*Sob* *Hic*, Please…. Everyone taking shelter at the church are the only family I have left, they’ve been with me since 10 years ago……Pleaasee….. I don’t…. I don’t want to lose the only family I have left…….」

「……」

Hearing the rowdy girl’s story, PFC Vermeer comes to a stop. She began to recall her own livelihood from a time before she had joined Parabellum’s military. Originally from the slums of a local city with Canary’s Kingdom, she joined Parabellum because she heard the pay was good, that they were working towards the well-being of its citizens and she wanted to support her parents and two siblings, her younger sister and younger brother.

Noticing that PFC Vermeer stopped walking and began crossing her arms, the rowdy girl began to plead to her even more.

「Please, I swear I won’t bother anyone. …… To tell you the truth, there is actually a secret entrance in an old well around the corner close by, there’s an entrance to a secret passage that goes to the church. Its ok right? If I go and use that, there’s no way for me to bother you or anyone, that’ll be fine right?」

「What the!? Why did you keep that all to yourself!? If you had mentioned that to the Captain, then……..」

「But I couldn’t, the secret passage is really narrow. And only two people could fit if they were side-by-side. And the place is like a maze, if you don’t know where to go. You can’t move in there with a large group of people」

「Oh I see, that makes sense…… Then what are you going to do? 」

「I wanted to save everyone if possible, but…. it’s impossible to save everyone, when you try to get help and help does not come.  If I became the only survivor, there’s no way I can live on. ….. Which why, I will go and fight the monsters over there and share my destiny with the rest of everyone.」

「RRRrrrrrrggghhhh……. What kind of excuse should I tell the Captain now…..」

Whispering to herself in thought, a light bulb turns on in PFC Vermeer’s head as she turns towards the rowdy girl who stared back at her.

「How long will it take us to go to the church and return, if we use the secret passage hidden in the old well?」

「Uh? I think about 30 minutes round trip, but….」

30 Minutes… that’s really close to the time limit.

「How many people are taking shelter inside the church?」

「Maybe 30 to 40 people」

「Then, we should hurry!!」

「What!? Um, Ah, does this mean…….」

The girl became quite flustered by PFC Vermeer’s abrupt change of heart and agreeable actions.

「If we go now, its possible to help all those people. Which is why we need to get a head start」

「Oh Thank you so much!! But aren’t you going against your superiors orders?……」

「While going through the grueling training―― there was a Special Instructor who came only for a day, it was a Special Day too, but he said something to all of us.  How do you say his name, Na, Nah, is it Nagato? But he said『The best way to deal with a problem, is to take care of the problem before it turns into a problem』」

「Oh, I see……..」

「Then he said something like 『Be sympathetic and compassionate to others―― Help those in need and one day it will come back to you in kind』 And he also said 『You aren’t just Soldiers, you are human (Beast-kin), don’t forget that 』」

As PFC Vermeer misunderstood the Presidents speech about goodwill unto others, it had inadvertently lead to this unexpected situation.

This Chapter was translated by Kuro_0ni

―~――~―――~―――~――~―

Dear Readers using aggregator sites, If you like my work, you can show your support by leaving a comment/ constructive feedback at Hiscension.com .

Just before the time limit came to an end, 5th Company realized they had a problem.

「What was that, PFC Vermeer didn’t return yet?! And the Lieutenant who left to look for her hasn’t returned as well?!」

「That is correct Sir!! The last we saw of PFC Vermeer was when she was with you Sir, and you had both left together. Also Sir….. Let’s just say the moment Lieutenant Suzumiya came here and found out that PFC Vermeer did not make it back, she had gone off looking for her. Uh…. Let me go get you that GPS tracker, Sir」

「Goddamit…. Those idiots…. They went to the church with that fucking girl!!」

Captain Kirishima & Company had tried to save as many civilians as the time limit for a full retreat from Ballard drew close, but just as they were about to pull out, the whereabouts of two of his subordinates were nowhere, where they were supposed to be.

「What’s their status?! Can’t you reach either of them by radio?」

「Negative Sir. We’ve been trying to reach out to both, but neither of them have responded back」

「Can you tell me their current position?」

「We know the general location of where they are, but since the signal is fairly weak, we can’t get a precise reading of the exact spot」

「What the Fuck!! Damn it we don’t have time for this!!」

Frustrated by the situation, Haruto, struck his balled fist onto the side of the Type 73 Heavy Duty Truck.

『This is Lieutenant Colonel Furutaka of the 7th Mechanized Infantry Battalion. 5th Company what’s your situation? Withdraw from Ballard immediately』

Lieutenant Colonel Furutaka who was in charge of the withdrawal of forces from Fort Ballard, didn’t hear a report of completion from 5th Company who she sent to recover civilians cut in cut of areas. And so she had contacted Haruto directly.

「This is 5th Company. Ma’am we encountered a problem. Two of my subordinates are MIA, requesting permission for a search and rescue, over」

『What was that!?……… I’m sorry Captain Kirishima, I can’t authorize a search and rescue, you are to immediately withdraw and link up with the main force 』

「Colonel, please!! Just fifteen…. no ten minutes, just give me ten minutes, I’ll get the GPS coordinates of my two subordinates exact locations, so please order us to go on a search and rescue, PLEASE MA’AM!!」

『…..I can’t authorize that. Captain, withdraw at once』

「Commander!!」

Pulling on the mic from his radio headset, he pleadingly yells to his superior.

『HARUTO!! This is not negotiable, you will listen to me, you and your men are to withdraw from Ballard immediately!! Those are my orders as “your” Battalion Commander, and you are to follow them, do I make myself clear!?』

But Captain Kirishima’s plea didn’t sway Lt. Colonel Furutaka’s decision.

「Ngh…….Yes….Yes, Ma’am!! 5th Company will withdraw from Ballard immediately and rejoin the rest of the Battalion, Ma’am!!」

『……….Good. Retreat at once, that is all』

「……」

「Captain….」

Glancing at their leader who was clenching his teeth, while tightly gripping his radio. Bringing the receiver to his face, Captain Kirishima presses his push to talk button.

「5th Company…. Retreat」

「But!? Sir, what about them? Are we going to abandon the two!?」

「That’s Enough!! Don’t try, even the Captain can’t do a thi….」

「Ah…. He’s right you know」

A couple Soldiers yank back the young Soldier who held onto Captain Kirishima, questioning his call.

Being pulled off his superior, the young man shuts up with a dejected expression of defeat.

At the same time, Soldiers of 5th Company all began moving in accordance with Haruto’s order.

「……… Kobayashi, I’m leaving command of 5th Company to you」

「「「Huh!?」」」

Reacting to the sudden request that came out of their leaders mouth, the Soldiers around Haruto were all taken aback. They thought that they could only retreat and was the end of it. But after hearing their Captain, they all laughed to themselves inwardly, thinking ‘That’s our Captain.’

「 I’ll find those two, and bring them back. The rest of you should go ahead and――」

「Sir」

「…..Huh, what is it?」

「This is just like last time, don’t worry, we already know what were doing」

「……？」

「「「「We’re going with you, Sir!!」」」」

Smiling with fervor,  roughly 10 Soldiers chose to stay back, laughing amongst themselves as they all responded to their leader in unison.  While the rest of the company had to escort the civilians as they withdrew.

「……」

「So Captain, let’s go pick up those two idiots!!」

「If we don’t leave now, we may not make it in time!!」

「We’re all green on weapons and ammunition!! If its just this much, not even a monster the size of an elephant would stop us!!」

「……You guys…. you do realize, that what I’m doing is insubordination. Once this is over, we’ll be facing court martial for disobeying direct orders from a superior officer 」

「We already know that, sir」

「We’re not idiots either」

In another sense, we’re all idiots through and through……

「…….God dammit, fuck it. Anyone that wants to come along, do as you please. But no matter what happens, you’re responsible for your own ass!! 」

「「「「Roger that, Sir!!」」」」

「What the hell…..our Company is full of stupid idiots!!」

At first Haruto wanted to go look for the two on his own, but after seeing his own subordinates unwavering desire to follow him into the fire. He shook his head as swore in resignation, getting into the passenger seat of the Type 73 Heavy Duty truck they soon depart, without getting permission from higher.

You two idiots, don’t go dying on me, before I get to you.

Riding in the passenger seat, Captain Kirishima worries over his Lieutenant and PFC Vermeer’s whereabouts, as they didn’t get a precise reading of their location.

The reason for why, Soldiers like Lieutenant Suzumiya and PFC Vermeer have transmitter chips was due to the case of Sergeant Hiroshi Funasaka, who had been captured and became a prisoner of war. After that incident, it became standard for all Soldiers to have an embedded transmitter.

To ensure combat personnel don’t turn up missing, a small transmitter chip would be inserted at the base of one’s nape.

「We’re locked and loaded and ready to go!!」

「Everyone is ready to go!!」

While Haruto was scrolling through the GPS tracker’s screen, the rest of the volunteering Soldiers complete loading the necessary equipment into the vehicle.

As all the men finished getting into the Type 73 Heavy Duty truck, the last man bangs on the roof twice.

「Let’s get out there」

「Roger that」

Taking that as the signal, the Type 73 Heavy Duty truck starts moving.

Following the GPS tracker’s information, Haruto and his rag-tag group head off on a search and rescue, of two idiots who’re missing in action. 

This Chapter was translated by Kuro_0ni

―~――~―――~―――~――~―

Dear Readers using aggregator sites, If you like my work, you can show your support by leaving a comment/ constructive feedback at Hiscension.com .

As sounds of battle and gunfire increased, the amount of pressure Captain Kirishima was facing also grew.

「Uh Sir, what are we going to tell the guys at the frontlines? What are we going to do?」

「There’s no time to explain the situation. actually even if we stopped to explain the situation, they’d surely stop us in the end. Which is why―― we are going to push right through」

Rather than stopping, if we actually want to help our guys, then the only way to do that is take care of the monsters before they reach our allies.

「Roger that sir, well then, this ride may get a little rough!!」

A Soldier from the frontlines shouts and waves wildly at the oncoming vehicle to stop, Haruto’s driver keeps his hand on the steering wheel while pressing his foot on the gas pedal.

But with the vehicles engine roaring loudly and increasing speed, the Soldier immediately jumps out of the way.

「HEEEYYYY, HEEEEYYY, STOOOPPP!! STOOOPPP!! Oh Shit!!―― ….. What the fuck, man!? 」

The Type 73 Heavy Duty truck blows past the allied checkpoint, causing the Soldier to swear.

「I just received the order to withdraw from higher. All units are to retreat」

「「Sir, yes sir!!」」

「Huh? Hey what is that sound―― what the!?」

「Oh no!! Get out of the way!!」

Soldiers who had been defending the front, see Haruto’s rogue Type 73 speeding towards them and all jump out of the way with disgruntled shocked expressions.

「Which Company was that?」

「I don’t know…..」

「Wait a minute, where are they going? Isn’t that where all the monsters are coming from?」

「Hey you’re right」

「Ah shit, we gotta report this up chain, this is fucked up!!」

「Oh yeah, we should do that」

As the Soldiers on the front relayed what happened to the Command Center, Haruto’s reckless actions soon reached their Battalion Commander.

『――Skch, Skchhh CAPTAI――ISHIMA!! RESPOND!! HARUTO I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME!! RESPOND BACK NOW!!』

…… Oh that came faster than I expected.

Whoops!!

Just as a six legged tiger like monster jumped up towards their moving vehicle, Haruto opens fire with several bursts of 5.56x45mm NATO rounds from his Type 89 Assault Rifle. Aiming right at the creatures abdomen just as he heard his direct superior over the radio.

And just as he was switching out magazines from his assault rifle, having emptied the previous magazine. Haruto responds back over the radio, before returning fire on another monster that leaped up and tried to latch onto their speeding Type 73 Heavy Duty truck.

「……This is Kirishima」

『YOU ……..FUCKING IDIOT!!』

Shouting through the radio, as if she was there in person was Battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Furutaka. Her voice was so loud that it almost destroyed Haruto eardrums.

「………」

『DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU’VE DONE!?』

「……It’s a personal thing…… I just couldn’t leave my men behind」

Haruto responds back indifferently while spraying bullets at the oncoming monster from his passenger side window.

『I understand how you feel about leaving people behind, it hurts, but do you understand what kind of situation we’re in! Do you know how much trouble you’ve caused to the rest of the troops with your selfish and reckless action!? The rest of the Soldiers are already withdrawing from the front!…. Just stop, turn back right now. You’re still within my field of view, I know where you are going』

「I’m grateful for your concern. But those are orders I can not fulfill, even if you understand how I feel.  This is the path I chose for myself, and I’m going to see it through」

『I get it, I understand what you’re saying bu――』

「Uh oh? Uh BC, I’m in the middle of something right now, so I’m ending this transmission」

『DON’T YOU DARE!! HARUTO!! HARUTO!! LISTEN TO ME――』

Looking at the large crowd of monsters in front of him, Haruto doesn’t hesitate to cut off communications with his superior officer, not even waiting to listen to her reply.

「Focus all firepower to the front!! Eliminate the enemy!!」

Leaning out the passenger side window of the Type 73, Haruto steadies his Type 89 assault rifle, changing his selector switch from semi to full-automatic and begins spraying.

「「「Understood!!」」」

In the bed of the truck the rest of his men position themselves and concentrate their firepower to the front, the direction in which they were heading.

With the intermittent barrages from their Minimi light machine gun & M249 Squad Automatic Weapon on the monsters before them. The men  used their Type 06 rifle grenade to create an opening on their path.

「Captain!! We just picked up the location of those two!! Their 500 meters north from here!!」

「Good, then let’s hurry!!」

「Yes sir!!」

Just as Haruto returns inside the trucks cab, the driver which had been peeking sideways at the GPS tracker, brings up the good news.

Pushing through the herd of oncoming monsters, which kept on hounding them, Captain Kirishima and crew sped off towards their destination, knocking away monster corpses from their truck in order to return fire.

「I got two signals, it’s just beyond the alleyway over there!!」

「Alright!! You four on me, the rest of you guard the truck!!」

「「「「Roger that, Sir!!」」」」

Their heavy Duty truck, comes to an immediate stop, which was close in proximity to where the GPS tracker was picking up the signal.

Taking four men with him to search for the two missing girls.

「……」

「「「……」」」

Haruto advances cautiously through the narrow alley, while gunfire rang behind them, as the rest of the men defended their ride from the monsters.

「Hey focus, eyes on a swivel, we don’t know where the enemy might come from」

「Roger tha――!?」

「Maekawaaaaa!?」

Leading from the front with his assault rifle, it happened just as Haruto warned his men to watch their surroundings.

*Schlick* *Shink*

Within earshot, just behind Haruto, was the sound of meat being pierced followed by a hair raising scream.

The moment Haruto turned around, he saw the Maekawa’s body lifted into the air by poisonous purple tentacles which had cleanly gone through his subordinates body armor.

「Fuck, Shit, it took him in the house!!」

「Just fire, shoot through the walls!!」

As the tentacles piercing Maekawa’s body dragged him over the alley’s wall. Haruto barks at the rest of his men to open fire. Blood splattered all over the place turning the alley into a river of red.

「Fuck youuuuu!!」

「Die, die, dieeeeeee!!」

「RAAAAaaaaaahhhhhh!!!」

Wildly shooting all over the place, they managed to strike the creatures tentacles as it rampaged. In moments the tentacles lost their energy as they limply fell onto the red river beneath it. And the figure of their man who was pierced laying on the ground.

「*Cough cough*…. *wheeze*….. *gasp*…..*Cough*…..*wheeze*….*exhales*…… …… …… 」

Having been stabbed twice in the abdomen, Maekawa couldn’t help but cough out blood as his body convulsed from shock. With the tentacles limp in his gut, a large amount of blood had pooled around him.

「How’s Maekawa doing?」

Reloading a magazine into his weapon, Haruto rushes to his man checking on Maekawa’s condition.

「…..Sorry sir, he’s gone」

「……. We need to go. We’ll come back for him later」

「「「Roger」」」

Without saying another word, Haruto severed the tentacles piercing Maekawa’s body before closing his eyes with his hand, bringing both Maekawa’s hands together and laying it on his chest.

「What the hell is this….. What does this mean?」

Following the signal to its destination, hoping to find Lieutenant Suzumiya and PFC Vermeer, Haruto and company were met with an unexpected situation.

There’s nobody……. No one’s here.

The two people they were looking for, were no where to bee seen. At the junction of the T-shaped alleyway, in all directions no one saw them.

「Is it not working…… Did the thing break?」

「No, it can’t be………」

「But….. This is where the signal is coming from, its here. It has to be here!! Somebody check the area!!」

Struck with emotion, Haruto stood in place, overwhelmed by the string of events. The loss of one of his men due to his reckless actions of starting his own search and rescue, only to come out empty handed.

「Why, why did I…. why did I even come here!! Stupid, you even let one of your men die!!」

Beating himself up over the situation, Haruto dropped to his knees in despair, pounding the ground in frustration.

As his fist struck the ground more and more, blood began to coat his hands.

「Captain….」

「「… …」」

It was only when on of his subordinates approached him, apprehensively after having search the area.

「Captain, Sir, I’m sorry but――」

「Huh? Wait, shut up for a sec!!」

「Sir…..I get how you feel, but. But there’s no one here」

「No, they are here!!」

As his mind cleared up not to long ago, Haruto heard something. Placing his head to the ground he tried to listen for something.

「Sir? Wait, sir what’re you……. 」

「Somebody bring me the handheld radar that can sense through walls (AN/PPS-26 STTW)!! Hurry!!」

「……Wait!? What, there….. no way!!」

「I’m not wrong, they are here!! They’re below us!!」

The AN/PPS-26 Sense Through The Wall (STTW)is a handheld device developed for the US Military. Intended to detect human presences through objects and displaying them as dots on a screen designed like a fan radar.

The AN/PPS-26 is able to detect a target within 8 meters and through walls as thick as 20cm.

「I got them!! I’m detecting three bodies!!」

After using the radar, Haruto’s face lit up confirming three signatures, grateful that his actions thus far weren’t a waste and that the two were still alive.

But he couldn’t relax just yet.

「Sir!! The Lieutenant is surrounded by monsters!!」

「What was that!?」

After showing the rest of his men the AN/PPS-26 readings, Haruto’s face dropped realizing that the situation was only getting worse.

「It looks like the girls are being cornered in some chamber!! Multiple monster signatures are enclosing on them!!」

「Where is it, where’s the entrance!?」

「When we searched the area, we couldn’t find any, there probably isn’t one here!!」

No way!!

「Captain its bad! They’re getting closer!」

「The entrance!! Where could it be!?」

Moving all over the area, Haruto and the rest try to look for an entrance into the underground area.

「Set the C-4!!」

「Huh, um, Sir I’m not sure if this is going to work 」

「Just do it, we’re already out of options!!」

「But Sir, this is dangerous!!」

「If you’re not going to do it, I’ll do it!! The gunfire I heard coming from below had stopped not long ago!!」

「Ah right! Um here you go Sir!」

As one of the men handed Haruto the explosives, he places them on the ground.

Come on, come on!!

Along with his subordinates they placed the explosives in ring formation in order to blow a hole underground. With the C-4 set, they all moved to a location safe from the explosion. 

「Thank you for all of your help!!」

「Huh……Captain!?」

「No way!!」

「Captain!?」

With none of his men holding him back, Haruto pressed the detonator for the explosives without counting down.

「Suzumiyaaaaaaaa!!」

While screaming the name of the his most precious subordinate, Haruto charges into the secret passageway engulfed with smoke as it lead further underground.