Vol. 1 - Ch. 18 - Watershed Operation_3

The cloud of dust is still covering the whole area. I'm in the middle of enemy territory. I must act quickly and get out of here before the smoke settles. As the ringing in my ears gradually subsided, I sought out what I needed to find.The demons who blew up the bridge must still be at the foot of it. As I approached, I saw a few demons. It was the demons who had shot fire arrows at the crates. Apparently, the scale of the explosion was larger than expected, and they were moving around amidst the smoke, busily grasping the situation and reporting back.

Their chain of command seemed to have been temporarily impaired. One of them is breaking away from the formation.

I approach behind him. We are in the middle of a clamor of angry shouts. There is no need to move slowly so as not to make a sound. I quickly approach him at once and leap onto his back.

"Gugu...!"

While controlling my opponent's arms with both legs, I wrapped his right arm around his neck. I grabbed the left back collar and squeezed it. With the back of my hand, I squeezed the carotid artery, stopping the blood flow to the brain.

"...!? ...!"

The demon couldn't speak. After a while, it collapsed with a jerk. I quickly snatched the arrow barrel from him. I needed this. And one more thing. I looked around. It should be by the bridge.

"...okay."

There it is. That crate. 

It's hard to predict how much gunpowder you're going to use. You always have to have more than enough in reserve.

I hid the fallen demon behind a pile of crates. I then lifted one of the crates onto my shoulder.

It was about 50 centimeters on each side and quite heavy. It was probably not something that could be carried by one person.

The edge of the crate pierced my shoulder. It hurt badly, but I couldn't afford to complain.

Then there was the horse.

Before the explosion, mounted messengers had been riding around to give instructions on how to deal with the crossing troops. They must still be around.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, I listened intently. I heard the sound of hoofbeats over the cloud of dust. I was walking slowly and carefully, because my vision was limited. I saw them through the smoke and approached them from the side. I had no choice but to go at once. I ran and approached it, and hit it with the crate I was carrying.

"Agh!"

I quickly snatched the horse, grabbed the reins with one hand, and started to run. With a shout at my back, I broke through the cloud of dust. I headed upstream at this rate.

That time. When fire arrows were shot into a wooden box on the bridge, I ran toward the other side of the river without retreating. This battle was already lost, but I still had eyes to wager on it. That is why I jumped into the other side of the river.

The destination was a tributary. I recalled the map of the surrounding area in my mind. The location of the tributary that flows into the Demon Territory side of the upper El Verde River was not far from the Dezel Bridge. At most, it was only a few kilometers away. If I hurried, I could reach it in no time.

According to the map, the tributary was of a reasonable size, though naturally inferior to the main El Verde River. If we blocked it up, El Verde would become a torrent.

Why didn't I notice it?

When we anticipated the crossing operation. During the military discussions. There were many chances to notice. In the first place, why didn't I suspect the possibility that the demon army was reading the crossing operation?

Since I had noticed it, it was obvious that they would have noticed it too. If so, it was only natural that they would take countermeasures.

Cursing my own stupidity, I drove my horse as fast as I could. I wondered if Felicia and the rest of the team were still holding on. I have no choice but to believe that they are.

The strategy to nail the enemy forces to the Dezel Bridge is no longer available, but after the explosion, the enemy has lost their chain of command. If the crossing force regains its freedom of action, there is still a chance for survival, whether they turn back or cross the bridge.

The tributaries are now in sight. And the appearance of the Demon Army's craft unit is also visible. The defense is thin. They probably did not expect the enemy to attack here. Arrows were being fired at me, but I ducked down and just kept going in.

There was no time to waste.

<"Guu ...!">

One of the arrows pierced my left shoulder. My head exploded with pain and my vision shook, but I kept going. The crate I'm carrying is just barely digging into my right shoulder.

Almost there!

Just when I think that, the horse neighs violently. The horse had been hit by an arrow. The horse fell forward and threw its body toward the demon's craft unit. The craft unit avoided that and scattered to the ground. I, who had fallen from my horse, immediately got up and started running toward the tributary.

I felt a sharp pain in my body. Some bones might have been broken by the impact. I reached the riverbank and peered down. The tributary was flowing about four meters below me.

No, to be precise, it was not flowing. Sandbags were piled high, damming up the water flow. A demon saboteur came running toward me with his sword drawn. I made up my mind and jumped down onto the pile of sandbags, carrying the crate.

<"Ggh!">

I descend, or rather fall, onto the sandbags. My whole body is in tatters. But all I could think of was Felicia and the others enduring the torrent.

"Please, Felicia and the others. Please hold on." Sᴇaʀᴄh the NʘvᴇlFɪre.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

I put the crate on top of the sandbags and pulled a flaming arrow from the quiver on my back. Paper powder was wrapped around the base of the arrowhead, and yellow phosphorus was coated on the ignition part. I know how to handle it. It was a good thing I had researched the armament of the demon tribe. Friction against the yellow phosphorus ignites the fire. I rubbed the flintlock with the sole of my shoe. The arrowhead started to burn with a squealing sound.

I looked at the wooden box. I wondered what was inside this wooden box. If the box is packed with gunpowder, it will explode the moment the arrow is inserted. If there is a gap, there will be some time before it explodes.

What about the explosion on the bridge earlier? Was there a pause before the explosion after the sound of the fire arrow piercing the crate behind me?

I can't remember.

But what does it matter? 

There was nothing to do but to pierce the arrow anyway.

When I looked up, I saw that the craft unit had reached the riverbank. And when they saw the flaming arrow in my hand, they froze.

<"What do you say? Do you like fireworks? Or something like that.">

I don't care if I say it when I'm about to blow them up, I'm the one who's going to blow them up. Before I can make a judgment call, I let the arrow drop. With a clang, the arrowhead bites into the crate. I quickly jump from the pile of sandbags into the tributary.

────As soon as I entered the river, there was a roar.

The explosion at close range sent a tremendous shock slamming me into the water. A heat wave hit the surface of the water and the blast created a torrent in the water. I was like a piece of hand cloth thrown into a tornado, unable to resist at all, my entire body being tossed about by the torrent.

Sandbags were ripped to shreds, and large amounts of sand were scattered around me. The water rushing in at once swallowed the sand and turned it into a steady localized mudslide. I was being moved around like a leaf in the water, and the mudslide slammed into me. I felt a shock on my back as if I had been attacked by a rampaging bull. Or was it my stomach? I am no longer sure.

The torrent tried to grip my whole body, and the next moment it tried to rip me to pieces. I don't know what position I'm in or which way I'm facing. I don't even know if my limbs are attached.

I can't breathe. I can't even open my eyes. Even if I open my eyes, my vision is only covered by what looks like sand and soil, and my brain cannot process any visual information to begin with.

The water flowing into tributaries one after another kicked me away like a stone on the side of the road, and headed downstream.

Anyway, the water is flowing in. The fact that I was being swept down the tributary was the best proof of this.

My life was in danger, but I did what I had to do.

I unblocked the tributary.