YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW [9]

Regressor's Instructions Manual Episode 1002

You reap what you sow [9]

"Leave the injured behind and move!"

"But..."

"Damn it! It's an order! Leave the wounded and move!"

"...."

"Move, you bastards, move!"

Hesitant faces came into view. Some troops couldn't seem to step away, as if their feet were glued to the ground. There were even those who kept looking back.

As I gave the orders, I found myself also glancing behind. It wasn't easy to abandon those who couldn't move due to the fallen debris, those who were clutching their faces in agony, or those who groaned in pain with half their bodies shattered.

It wasn't easy because these were comrades I had been with for a very long time. Because of that, I couldn't simply abandon them. But I had to force myself to turn away.

'We're soldiers, after all.'

To be precise, we were soldiers. The soldiers of the federation who turned into ruins due to the 27th Division Incident. That story might have been considered a tale of a bygone era, but the federation was still struggling to recover from the damage it had suffered back then.

Even now, it could be said that the recovery process was ongoing, but the federation had to give up many things during that process.

Not even the nation's workforce was an exception. It was only natural for those who were once soldiers to be pushed into mercenary work. Therefore...

'We have to follow orders.'

It's not just because we're soldiers. It's because we were hired as mercenaries from the federation, and we had to follow orders and complete missions.

Even if we weren't here, there are plenty of self-proclaimed experts throughout the continent. For the sake of the reputation of the former federation mercenaries spread across the continent, we had to look ahead, not behind.

[Uwuuaaaa!!!]

Kwaahhhh! Kwaadddeeeek!

The rumbling continued. Every time I heard the voice, my feet involuntarily came to a halt.

It was only one second. Just one second.

No, in less than a second, more than half of the troops were swept away to attract the creature's attention.

"Raise your shields! Hold your shields up and move!"

"Yes... Yes! Lieutenant Sofia!"

"Move faster, you idiots, while you have time to answer! Faster!"

Somewhere, there must be battles taking place. Whether it could be called a battle was questionable, but that was beside the point.

As I moved the troops while they were hit by the debris raining down on their shields, I couldn't help but recall the scene from a moment ago.

It was about the monster Bahamut, born seemingly for violence, and the expedition members who were moving to face that monster.

Thunk! Kwaahhhhhh!!

"Move! Faster, you idiots!"

Everything was interconnected organically. Honestly, it was hard to tell how things were progressing, but it was undeniable that all the troops in this underground temple were interacting with one another.

The feeling was strange. It felt as though strings were attached to them from above, as if someone were controlling them. It felt as though everything was flowing according to a pre-written script or, no, as if it had to flow that way.

'This isn't normal.'

"Lieutenant Sofia! The path is blocked."

"Commander?"

"The route remains the same. Lieutenant Sofia! Keep advancing."

"Keep going."

"What? But the path..."

"I see it too."

"Huh?."

The sight of a collapsed bridge came into my view. Perhaps due to the ongoing battles, it was likely that various parts of the underground temple were in a similar state.

Nevertheless, despite that, the coordinates indicated we should cross the bridge. I flinched for a moment, but there was no need to stop.

"Fire! Fire!"

I saw troops from another unit preparing the massive ballista. Arrows equipped with ropes flew and lodged into the opposite wall. From various places, the sound of heavy arrows hitting the walls could be heard as if they had been waiting for this moment.

"Perhaps we should use those ropes to cross."

It wasn't just us moving. Other units and parties were using ropes to move not far from here.

[Uwuuaaaa!!]

With a sound, once again, fragments of the building fell from the upper floor.

As those who were on the external ropes were startled by the falling giant fragments, a large protective barrier descended from above, intercepting the debris.

Other units were riding the protective barriers created to shield them and ascending to the upper floor.

"Move! Faster!"

"Move!!"

"Advance! Move!"

"Recite the spells! Adjust the coordinates!"

Voices echoed from all directions.

"Approaching the target! Approaching the target! Move the ballistas faster! There's no time! Time..."

'What time...'

The voices reached my ears when we had nearly crossed the bridge.

Unconsciously, I turned around. A familiar doll came into view.

'Kim Yeri?'

What I saw was Kim Yeri, also known as the Blue Daughter.

Soon after, behind her, a monster with the appearance of a giant bull was revealed.

Thud! Thud! Thud!!

"Move!!! Move!!!!"

"Bahamut will... punish you all!"

'Damn.'

Kim Yeri, who was rapidly approaching at an unbelievable speed, skillfully dodged the creature's attacks and moved along the ropes. She moved her body like a gymnast and finally set her foot on a previously connected rope.

The giant bull tried its best to catch her, but the Blue Daughter reached the other side in an instant, riding the rope before the bull could react. She even passed over the creature.

As those who ascended to the upper floor on protective barriers began casting spells at the creature, the monster responded by attacking the floor beneath it.

Kwahhhh!

With a sound, the giant bull began to plummet into the underground.

'This isn't normal.'

"Mission complete. Moving out."

"Mission accomplished. Orders confirmed."

"Moving out."

'This is... This isn't normal.'

"You've arrived."

"Yo, Uncle Gi-mo."

I spoke to Kim Yeri, who was in the air, twirling a dagger in her hand and juggling a javelin.

"Hello, Lieutenant Sofia."

Answering my greeting was a battle priest wearing broken glasses.

"What's the mission?"

"Wait for 5 minutes."

"I can rest a little."

"...."

"...."

"Hang in there. That's right, hang in there."

"Sophia, here."

"Stay strong, Sofia."

"Yes, yes..."

'How can she be so nonchalant?'

The scene of them chatting while giggling felt even more surreal.

'Is there no other inspiration?'

Until a while ago, it didn't seem like they were being chased by a raid monster in the form of a bull.

The sight of the battle priest kicking his commander's back as a joke felt unreal.

"You need to move, Lieutenant Sofia."

"Oh, my apologies, Commander."

Realizing I had been staring at Kim Yeri in a daze, I shook my head and immediately began moving. The more I moved, the more my mind became muddled.

"After arriving at the designated location, please wait."

"Yes."

[Uwuuaaaeeee!!]

Kwaaahhhhh!!

The deafening sound that had felt distant suddenly started getting closer.

'It's coming back.'

The gray warrior must be leading it here.

The sounds of spells being cast, screams, orders being given, a mixture of noises reached my ears.

Even though I hadn't seen the situation, I felt like I knew what was happening.

It was likely no different from before. Just like before, just like when we left the wounded and like all expedition members were working together.

The priests would support the gray warrior and move, while the mages would form an invisible shield for him.

The prepared spears and siege weapons would continue attempting to pierce the creature's external armor.

The various units and party members spread throughout this underground temple seemed to exist to protect or support one another.

Whether it was important or not, the missions assigned to each unit, or rather, the interactions among the troops while executing those missions, seemed to be interconnected.

'This really isn't normal.'

Our mission would probably be the same.

The gray warrior would create a window of time for it to move away, undoubtedly in the same mission as before.

"You've arrived at your location."

As the field commander dispatched from the headquarters began speaking quietly,

Kwaaahhhhh!!

With a sound, a violent monster that had crashed through the wall, Bahamut, and our unit met once again.

The gray warrior soared upwards in an instant, but the creature's gaze remained fixed on us.

'I remember.'

The moment from a while ago.

The 1 second that caused over half of our troops to retreat.

[Ooh....]

The creature remembered that 1 second.

The creature raised its hand.

"Raise your shields!"

Amidst the cries, the creature's massive hand descended upon the unit.

Certainly, help would come. The mages and priests waiting nearby, or the named individuals wielding transcendental power, would surely arrive.

But no one was looking at this place.

'Has it failed?'

No. It hadn't failed.

Maybe our role was only meant to go this far.

'How much time did we buy?'

The mercenary force from the Federation managed to buy some time for the entire expedition force.

Despite being insignificant, we managed to divert its attention, ultimately delaying the gray warrior's pursuit of the creature.

Just as we gained a second by creating casualties, this time we managed to buy a few seconds using the Federation mercenaries.

It might not be much, but it's a significant accomplishment. Gaining the upper hand in battle through the sacrifice of troops isn't an uncommon practice.

"Ha..."

A thudding sound echoed from underfoot at that moment.

Before I could even process anything, the ground collapsed beneath us. The massive monster's hand cut through the air, causing both it and our troops to fall into the lower level.

"What the...? What is this!!"

Bahamut roared as it pursued the gray warrior and rose into the air again.

Suddenly, all unit members were affected by levitation magic... The troops who had expected to plummet rapidly now gently descended to the lower level.

"Operation begins. 10 seconds prior."

"...."

"Operation begins in 10 seconds! Lieutenant Sofia!"

And then, expedition members attacking the bull-like monster that had fallen from the bridge earlier came into view.

Faces familiar for pouring magical projectiles with their fingers... Familiar bearded faces.

"Colonel Smith?"

"Long-time no see Lieutenant Sofia."

'This... this can't be normal.'

"Greetings can wait. We were already short on defenses, but I never expected Lieutenant Sofia to join us."

"Was it you who pierced the ceiling, Colonel?"

"I simply followed orders."

"...."

'This can't be real... This... no matter how you think about it, this isn't normal.'

Chills ran down my entire body.

An indescribable fear and unease.

As if being controlled, I scratched my face.

-Operation commence.

Before I knew it, I had raised my shield.