Halt for a while

Hiroshi's POV

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We were now miles away from the city, and on getting closer to the valley of death, I ordered my men to stop.

"I don't need to make myself clear on the reason for suspending the trip temporarily. Do I?" I inquired with a loud and clear voice.

Immediately I said this, my men responded halfheartedly in unision. They all stared at the ground in disgrace as I walked upfront, taking a glance at each of their faces, and the environment. I let out a slight sigh, then a serious look followed thereafter.

"You guys really did well during the battle. To be honest, I'm impressed. Your composure was on another level for a bunch of low level soldiers." Silence took its reign for a few seconds. It appeared they all were taken aback by my statement. That wasn't what they expected but as a general, I felt it was better to commend before you condemned your soldiers after a battle.

Breaking the silence furthermore, I updated the soldiers on Jack and Denki's treatment.

"I just received a word from the hospital," I announced. "Jack is okay, so he'll get back to action as soon as he gets better. On the other side, Denki's injury is major but, he'll be alright. There are no life threatening issues on ground, apart from the few lives we lost during the battle. Let's honour them with a minute silence." I rounded up my speech, beseeching my men to perform the minute silence rite.

Everyone stood firmly to the ground, as some gave a slight bow sequentially, while others stood as they whispered their prayers or recollected the little memory they had with them.

***

"They all died as a warrior!" I declared, before transmitting a signal to the soldiers with my hands to take their normal stance.

"Now, to the crux of the matter!" I echoed. Unsurprisingly, my men began to shiver as they knew what was coming next.

"It seems like you people need to be taught the basics of being a soldier alongside the new recruits." My voice boomed, sending shudders down the back of my men, as some of them were now fidgeting.

Which of them ever thought that their action will make me angry with them?

"I gave you all an instruction Didn't i?" I asked, waiting for a response. In which my men couldn't give, due to their serene speechlessness. They didn't even know were to start from.

"Didn't I?" I repeated in a cold manner.

Even Kira could be seen shivering from a long distance. Although he was standing beside me with a tough look, his heart throb could be heard clearly by me.

"Y..ye.yes Sir!" They replied with nervous faces.

Noticing that yelling would only worsen the matter, I let out a deep sigh before taking a glance at my men who were visibly shaken by my mild anger.

"Who ordered the loot?" I asked coldly.

My men were now looking at each other as they murmured intensively. After series of blabbering, a voice finally sounded above the others.

"It was floch!" He yelled.

"He convinced us to take advantage of the situation." Another person added.

"Floch, step forward!" I said with a gentle, but domineering voice.

I observed his features, as he stepped forward, he was barely 6'0"feet tall and he had a slender body build. He walked in a quick but repulsive manner, and he also had grey eyes and black hair that was perfectly separated.

"So you're the one who rebelled against my orders huh?" I scowled.

From my analysis, he looked like a loyal soldier who will kill anyone in his fellow soldiers way. Even so, he was wrong. He didn't have to go to the extreme.

I was disappointed, as most of my men had already taken this as a full scale war.

"I'm sorry, I just felt that we should drive and overthrow them, so they don't regroup to plan another attack of theirs." He folded his hands behind his back, as he tried to talk in the modest way possible.

"Overthrow? Is that even a way of apologising?" I mused.

"I'm sorry sir!" He uttered with an apologetic gesture.

"Humph! You guys should follow instructions from the higher ups. Besides this was just a fight with a group of bandits at the valley of death, not a military war" I concluded disappointedly.

"We're sorry sir!" The soldiers echoed in unison.

"Tssch!" Without hesitating, Floch bows on his knees. "I'm sorry sir, any punishment from you will be accepted."

Sheesh, he surely had good placating skills

"You've been forgiven even before you walked upfront to take the responsibility."

I said, waving my hands nonchalantly to emphasize on my statement.

"Therefore, you've been promoted to a private second class soldier." I laughed heartily as I announced it.

Everyone gawked at me, with their mouths gaped in surprise.

And when the message finally sunk into their skulls, they finally reacted.

"Ohhhhhh!" My men shouted in excitement as they congratulated him.

"Nice one Floch!"

"Man, I'm so jealous!" Another voice echoed.

"Wow!"

Floch was dumbfounded by his sudden promotion, he was expecting total condemnation but, he was been praised instead.

"He displayed what none of you could,

which was guts and bravery." I explained, pausing for a moment, before proceeding further. "To be able to gather few of his fellows, and give his opponent a hot chase.

That's very commendable!"

"But!" Everyone became silent after hearing a 'but' slipping out my mouth in a swift manner. No one liked to hear a 'but' after being praised.

"None of you should disobey your superiors, you hear me?! It could cost you your life." I added

As the soldiers maintained perfect silence, a voice echoed. "But, you didn't obey the higher ups!"

On hearing this, I let out a deep sigh.

These guys really have the guts. If it was another high ranked soldier, the victim's head might have been rolling on the floor.

Although he was right, the higher ups told me to eliminate them and their city base but, I just felt that'll bring up a bigger problem.

Besides, the killing of innocent lives would've been inevitable. However, I had to make them know that the army isn't for elite jokers.

I pointed at the person who asked the question. Everyone was surprised that I could spot the guilty party even from a far distance, and from a numerous number of persons.

"Watch what you say, it could require your head someday. You were really lucky it wasn't another general or commander." A smirk crept on my face as I conveyed my message.

"Incredible! How did you spot the person?"

Floch asked, seemingly confused.

I decided to get myself into the spotlight as I conveyed my information stylishly. In other words, I decided to show off a bit.

"This is nothin', I could close my eyes and ask one of you to throw a stone without knowing the person and I'll still know the person that launched it." I boasted.

"Oh!!! Nice óh one ó general!" They echoed like mad men in surprise.

Albeit, I quickly tried to eliminate all thoughts of trying it out.

"But, He he he! That wouldn't be tried out ya know?" I said.

This people that I took with me, seemed to have a nut in their head that in don't want to crack. So I'll play safe. Or so I thought.

"Let's head back home boys!" I stretched out my right hand in authority as I marched forward with my men.

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Hinata's POV(point of view)

*In few days time, Hiroshi should be back with his men. That's if another issue doesn't disrupt their journey.

I and my squad members were now dealing with another issue.

A man tied with thick ropes and held by three to four men, was grinning widely as he made no attempt to wriggle himself from the thick firm ropes.

"Mam! Reporting from General Hisashi's recruits, this man is one of the captured bandits from the valley of death.

You've been requested to interrogate him." I stared at the speaker which was Iris the warrant officer 2, she was the third seat of my squad.

Huff! Why does it have to be me? Oh! I'm his sis! Tssch! I'll just have to deal with it.

I glanced at the man that was tied, he had a long hair which had a rough texture and was purple in colour. His eyes were blue and he looked like he was still in is teenage years. His cloths were also torn, well he just engaged himself in a battle.

"Young man, who are you? What do you people want?" I loaded him with series of questions as I glanced steadily at his injury.

"Hmmmn hmn ha!" He chuckled slightly. "Ha ha ha h*...." He coughed out blood as he laughed. It looked like he had internal injuries.

"Clean up his blood and give him a cup of water." I ordered my men as I walked closer to the man and made a sign to my men to untie him. When they hesitated, I released a vast aura which slits the rope slightly.

As the ropes loosened, I focused on him, so he doesn't make any silly moves.

As he was offered a handkerchief to clean himself up, he smiled and asks:

"Hello beauty, why are you helping me?".

Pervert! I was way older than him, he'll at worst be few years older than Fushi.

"I'm not helping you, it's just that nothing must happen to you till after your investigation. After that, I don't give a d*#n." I replied with the coldest tone I could ever muster.

As we continued with the investigation, the door opened wide.

Hiroshi was back!

*Truce session*

Note: This isn't part of the series.

Fujishimo: Hmmmnnn. I've noticed that you all 've been thinking about my absence recently in the story. Thank you to all my fans.

Nazumoto: Idiot! They only thought you've been replaced. You'll never make a good MC in a novel.

Fujishimo: (ignores him) I'll be back soon, and it seems like you enjoyed dad's point of view than mine. Don't worry I'll be back with the flare.

Nazumoto: Fool! It's "flair".

"The end."