Chapter 3

Volume 0, Episode 3

Could it be that he's cursed?

The young man, who was the commander, couldn't help but think so. Too many things weren't going well for him. It felt like he might be having a continuous run of bad luck, what people might call an "unlucky day."

Still, considering the encounters and battles with the Rapture on the surface, where the probability of combat occurring was almost 100%, it might be unavoidable.

Shortly after resuming their movement towards the rendezvous point, Marian noticed the approach of enemies. They quickly took cover behind obstacles and engaged in combat.

The Rapture entities weren't recklessly charging in; they were using cover to avoid Marian's gunfire. They seemed to be quite clever, more so than the information he had about their behavior had suggested.

Nonetheless, this wasn't a favorable situation.

"─Kuh...! Reinforcements from the Rapture confirmed!"

"Sighted! Marian, keep shooting! Maintain a barrage!"

"Roger─!? Malfunction jam occurred!"

"Hurry and clear the malfunction!"

The reassuring sound from her machine gun, which had been firing continuously, suddenly stopped.

After firing continuously like that, malfunctions were bound to happen.

Marian immediately pointed her gun at the enemies while starting to identify the cause of the malfunction.

The resumption of fire was only a matter of time, but─

"We can't wait around...!"

Naturally, for the enemies, this was a golden opportunity.

Seeing the Rapture entities that had been taking cover from the lateral rain of bullets starting to move, the young man reflexively raised the assault rifle he had brought as a backup.

As if depositing the assault rifle like a pawn onto a large piece of concrete debris, he peered through the sights and aimed at the enemies. With his fingertip, he disengaged the safety while the integral selector lever switched to full-auto.

The magazine, loaded with "rifle rounds" about the thickness of a thumb, had already been slammed into the insertion port in anticipation of the emergency. Pulling the lever, he followed up by smacking the bolt forward assist with the heel of his palm, forcefully closing the bolt. The moment the first round was chambered, he pulled the trigger.

Thunderous gunfire echoed through the air as bullets rained down on the devastated streets, with spent casings dancing in the air. While the noise filled the area, the young man adjusted his shots while observing the tracer rounds' trajectories, firing several hits into the approaching Rapture entities up to a distance of 150 meters.

"─Commander!?"

"Ignore me! Keep shooting!!"

The assault rifle was designed for anti-Rapture combat. In other words, it was a weapon designed for Nikes. What would happen if a human used it? Could a human body withstand the recoil?

Marian, who had been firing the gun, turned her head as if she had been jolted by the nearby gunfire─

"...Huh?"

She opened her slightly drooping eyes wide, a look of astonishment on her face.

He was firing.

The young man, the "human" commander, was firing.

Each time he fired, the assault rifle's buttplate that dug into his skin and shoulder transmitted a powerful impact. However, he didn't show any signs of concern for that impact. Absorbing the recoil, he kept his gaze fixed on the enemies and continued pulling the trigger.

"─Marian! Hurry!"

"Yes, sir!!"

With the malfunction resolved, Marian pulled the lever again and began to lay down a ferocious barrage.

Coincidentally, the suppressive fire from two points turning into a crossfire turned the incoming group of Rapture reinforcements into debris in an instant.

"─Cease fire!!"

At his shouted command, Marian released her finger from the trigger. The enemies were no longer visible.

Having confirmed this, she first let out a sigh of relief, but then she sharply raised her eyes that had been somewhat narrowed.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!!"

The voice was so loud that anyone familiar with her usual demeanor might have thought she was talking to a different person. She scolded the young man with a trembling voice filled with anger.

"Firing weapons meant for Nikkes is a suicidal act!! Do you want to die!?"

"...I didn't intend to become a volunteer for suicide... But looks like I could use it."

Heaving a sigh of frustration, the young man kept his composure while finishing the inspection of the assault rifle. He removed the empty magazine and inserted a new one from his backpack.

Seeing his actions, something snapped in Marian's mind.

"─Are you listening, Lieutenant Moore!?"

"...I can hear you, so stop yelling so loudly. Raptures will gather."

The young man─Moore─muttered to himself that he wanted a headset with noise cancellation. It seemed he understood that openly expressing this sentiment would only fuel Marian's anger.

However, that didn't mean he couldn't understand her anger. He let out another sigh and finally turned his gaze toward Marian, who was still trembling and her eyes still narrowed.

"...I'm sorry. I was worried that letting the enemies get close before clearing the malfunction was dangerous, so I fired on instinct. ...I'm sorry for making you worry. Please forgive me."

He apologized sincerely, bowing his head slightly.

Marian, who saw this, was momentarily taken aback by his earnestness. But when she remembered her anger, she turned her face away. Had she gone too far? He seemed troubled, raising his cheek while scratching it with his fingertip.

"...When you're about to fire... Please give me a heads-up. Thank you for the support."

"...You're welcome."

Even as she turned her face away with a pout, Marian compromised and expressed her gratitude. Moore nodded lightly in response, then walked towards her and extended his hand.

While still stealing glances at his outstretched hand, Marian reached out her slender hand─unbelievably slender for someone who operated a machine gun─and as soon as their fingers intertwined, she used his strong arm to pull herself up to her feet.