Chapter 66: In and Out

"Sir, we are pretty much without Magic Energy already," Leandro informed Tubian on the side. They had been advancing against enemy fire for several minutes already. They were almost there, but because several of the platoons fell, a lot of the enemies shifted their attention to the platoons that survived this far.

TUbian narrowed his eyes. There were pretty much no covers they could take, and running back would be difficult. "If things turn out bad, separate and retreat to any cover you can find, even if it is hard to find one. Just try to stay alive."

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Suddenly, another explosion sound echoed. However, this time, the sound didn't come from the shells of artillery coming from the skies. Instead, it came from behind the enemy lines. Several balls of fire rose into the skies, causing pretty much all attacks coming for the platoons, including Linfel's one, to diminish considerably.

"What happened?" Alvin asked.

Tubian and Claus smiled. "Oh yeah, they finally made it in!"

As mentioned, the plan was to catch the attention of the enemy with their advance. At the same time, another group would circle behind to attack. It was a basic strategy that the enemy was most likely aware of the possibility. Nonetheless, the frontal attack was too dangerous to ignore, so the enemy could only play along.

There were several casualties on the other side as well. Fortunately, the lack of soldiers from the Xanzion Contry helped the plan work.

"Forward!" Tubian pointed ahead and ordered his group. Since the number of fires shot in their direction diminished, they had to force their way to not give the enemy any chance.

"Alvin, Milia, this is it," Claus spoke to his new members. "We are jumping inside, and it will be tight. You will be fighting other humans, just like you. I know it is hard for students like you to fight, but it is your lives on the line. Do not hold back, do not hesitate, understood?"

Milia and Alvin nodded. Alvin stopped his connection with Linfel and Changed it to Felia so that Linfel could give support from the sides. Milia, too, had Nori take his Fire Sword form and attach himself to her hand.

"In line, attack!" Finally, they reached the enemy lines, and they jumped in. Naturally, the soldiers from Xanzion Country immediately connected to their own Familiars and retaliated.

Linfel's group was the very first one to arrive, so most of the soldiers around focused on them. Fortunately, it helped the remaining platoons to arrive even faster. In the next minutes, over thirty platoons pierced the enemy lines all around, taking the opportunity created by Linfel's group.

*Bang!*

Alvin's Red Magic Energy created a much harder Spear Fist than he could before. His body flashed while he punched and killed the first enemy. Alvin's expression was terrible, but thanks to the previous Field Exam, he was at least able to deal with the feeling.

*Kabrum!*

A bolt of Lightning enveloped in Fire then hit another soldier on Alvin's side. The guy didn't even see when the attack was prepared. He was also a Magus, but it was too fast. Linfel then came from behind Alvin while his Red Magic Energy circulated around his body. Linfel truly knew how to fight in the midst of a crowd. Horan's training paid off beautifully.

*Clang, clang, clang...*

On the side, Milia fought another Level Two Magus, just like her. Her sword, Nori, collided with the guy's shield. It was easy to see that the shield was also a transformed Familiar connected to his master. However, the difference in talent was just too big. Milia held the advantage until...

*Zash!*

*Arrrghhhhh!*

The arm that was holding the shield was cut off by Milia and Nori. The enemy Magus fell down and only had time to see Milia's Sword coming from his head. Immediately, he closed his eyes.

However, the eternal darkness he expected to take him didn't come. He opened his eyes and saw Nori's blade right in front of his eyes. The guy could feel the Fire Element inside Nori as Milia held him, but she didn't finish him off. Instead, Milia's hands were trembling. She... had never killed anyone in her life.

*Bzzz...*

Suddenly, the Familiar, who was in a shield form, returned to his normal form and attacked Milia from the side in that last moment of hesitation.

"Milia!" Nori shouted to her, waking her.

Milia instantly jumped away from the Familiar, but an ice icicle had already gone past Nori in her hand and targeted her head. The Familiar was using the rest of his Magic Energy to perform a suicidal attack to take Milia with him and save his master.

*Crack, crack, crack...*

It didn't go as the Familiar expected, though. Suddenly, his core stopped and began to crack all over. In the next instant, it broke apart and began to dissipate into specs of blue light. As it disappeared, Milia saw a brown spike falling to the ground. It was an Earth Element attack that Alvin shot at the last moment.

Milia glanced at Alvin and noticed Linfel's Core attached to Alvin's hand as well as Felia's Glove Form. Linfel used the Double Master Familiar Connection at Alvin's request at the last moment. Linfel controlled the Magic Energy, while Alvin simply created the spike with Felia's help.

"T-That..." The fallen soldier from Xanzion saw that as well. "T-Two Famil-"

*Puct!*

He didn't have the time to speak. That's because a spear passed through his head from behind. It was Claus, their platoon leader. "What are you all waiting for?! I told you to not hesitate! Let's go!

It is not over yet!" Claus completely ignored Linfel, Alvin, and Felia, darting in the direction of the next soldier.

Linfel quickly separated himself from Alvin so no one else would notice them. As for Alvin, he approached Milia with a worried expression. "Are you alright?"

Milia nodded slightly as her eyes seemed on the verge of tearing up. "Yes... I will not hesitate again. Sorry for the disappointing you three."

Alvin shook his head in response. "We are not disappointed."

Linfel agreed. "If you had truly killed him on your first try without hesitating, you wouldn't be a human. However, you saw how you almost died just now, and it is far from over."

Felia continued, remembering when Alvin had to kill for the first time back in the Field Exam. "Master also hesitated, and so did Connor and Kafril, the two other Maguses who were with us in the Field Exam."

"Master," Nori spoke. "It is fine you hesitated, but you also saw how you almost died. Take this as experience. Next time, you know what to expect, so pierce through it."

Linfel, Alvin, and Felia nodded. "Nori is right."

Milia got up from the ground and looked at the dead soldier on her side. She quickly rubbed her eyes and returned to her normal cold expression. "Let's go!"

With the enemy's position being attacked from both sides, the enemy's defenses quickly crumbled. Milia saw herself fighting another Level Two Magus from Xanzion Country, just like the last time. Victory came easily, but her blade still hesitated for a fraction of a second. She gritted her teeth and pushed it forward, this time getting rid of the enemy.

A burnt cut severed the enemy's head before Nori's blade slashed once again, this time cutting the guy's Familiar Core in two.

*Shuff, shuff, shuff!*

Several Earth Pikes sprouted from the ground, finishing another Magus and his Familiar. It was Felia and Alvin working together while Linfel tried his Red Magic Energy. Without a doubt, Linfel was the most efficient in this battle in their group. Yet, he had the lowest death count. All he cared about getting used to the Red Magic Energy while teaching Alvin and Felia.

At some point, Tubian came back and passed his order. "Everyone, gather! We are retreating!"

"Retreating?" Milia asked, puzzled. "Aren't we with the upper hand? Shouldn't we finish off the enemies?"

Tubian narrowed his eyes and looked at her. It was obvious he had no intention of giving explanations now.

Milia immediately shut her mouth. For a moment, she forgot she joined the army even though she was a student. You don't question orders in the army; you follow them as long as they don't cross the line. "I'm sorry, sir!"

"Good!" Tubian's expression improved. Nonetheless, he still gave an explanation. "We did great here, but we don't have time. The Xanzion Country still has more soldiers than us, and the other frontlines here in the Selesva Region aren't doing so well. I just got a report reinforcements are on the way. If we don't leave now, we will be surrounded and annihilated.

Let's get out of here!"

Tubian's platoon quickly left the hill and joined the battalions that were retreating. They all entered the vehicles that were left further back and got away.

Linfel looked behind, and saw several airships approaching in the distance, quite a few of them landing on the hill they just left a few minutes ago. Tubian's orders were right. They would be in a bad position if they hadn't left.

Sometime later, the vehicles separated again, and only the vehicles from the 12th battalion remained together as they made their way back to their encampment. Naturally, Tubian's group also left, which made Claus once again the captain of their small group.

Falagita looked around and couldn't help but sigh. "We lost at least 30% of the soldiers we left with."

Claus nodded. "The fact the four of us and our Familiars survived is already a good thing. Also, 30% in exchange for taking down the enemies on that hill was definitely a worthy trade."

Falagita and Claus looked at Alvin. "You were incredible back there. How were you able to tell from where the artillery shells were coming?"

Alvin bitterly smiled while Linfel looked away, pretending he didn't hear anything. "Errr... Ahem! I'm quite good at seeing in the dark..."

Falagita and Claus were taken aback. Good at seeing in the dark? What was he? A cat? "Is... Is that so?" They obviously had their doubts, but it wasn't their place to comment about it.

Linfel thought about the time he used Double Master Connection with Alvin. Others might not have noticed, but Claus should have to. Yet, he wasn't saying anything. 'Could it be he didn't actually notice?' Linfel wondered since Claus made no question regarding that. 'Oh well, whatever.'