Chapter 109: Buying time

"Damn it!" I cursed under my breath as Jurgen hurried over with the printed telegraph. I conjured my holographic screen and saw the electronically transmitted message, warning us about an attack on Moria. "We were so close! So close!"

"We originally wasn't going to finish this in time for the war anyway," Belisarius pointed out as he rested a hammer on his shoulder. "But since we're so close to finishing, I say we do our best to complete the Hellblade and bring it out for a field test."

"I wanted to do exactly just that." I paused as I ran a few calculations through my mind. "How long do you need to finish installing the new plasma reactor in the Hellblade?"

"Hmm…" Belisarius considered for a moment. "Six more hours, at most? Five, if we work fast. Don't worry, pup, we'll get it done before the war is over."

"I hope Moria hasn't fallen by then." I took a deep breath. "Please. I'm counting on you."

"Sure thing, pup." Adjusting the sombrero on his head, Belisarius turned to his team of dwarves and began bellowing. "All right, men! Looks like we won't be sleeping tonight! Load up on your caffeine or whatever, because we won't be stopping until we're finished with the Hellblade!"

"Ooo-rah!" the dwarves shouted. I rolled up my sleeves.

"Let me know what I can help with…"

"Major!"

At Jurgen's panicked voice, I noticed a new alert blinking at the top of my blue holographic screen. There was an update, new information flowing through the network. Feeling a sense of dread, I reached out and tapped the bell-shaped icon.

It was Elia, making a video call.

"Bad news, Major!" she shouted, her voice nearly drowned out by sporadic gunfire. "We've spotted the enemy here as well! Brigade size!"

I swore under my breath, and nodded.

"I'll be there immediately." Sucking in a lungful of air, I turned to the dwarves. "Sorry, guys. I've a war to fight. I'll buy you guys as much time as possible while you work on completing the Hellblade. I'll be relying on you."

"Sure thing, pup. Now go beat up those human trash."

Without even turning back to face me, Belisarius threw out a word of encouragement. I couldn't help but find it ironic, since I was a human once.

"Let's go," I told Jurgen as I headed toward the exit of the manufactorum. I was already casting a spell as I walked, weaving mana patterns invisibly in the air to get ready for a great summoning. Fueled by frustration and fury, I channeled those into power and gave them shape…a Titan that was wratch incarnate, or so I would like to say, but he was the usual Matsukaze.

"Sir."

The two of us left the manufactorum and hurried toward the barracks, where Company H and Company L were already taking up positions and firing at a thick line of soldiers who were appearing behind a ridge.

"Major!"

Elia looked up when she saw me dash over. I nodded at her.

"Report, Captain."

"Brigade-sized force approaching us. They're within range and have opened fire on our positions. Lieutenant Burado and I have organized the infantry and placed them at the assigned firing positions that we agreed on a few days ago while Lieutenant Dressia has descended to bring his tanks out to crush them."

"I'll join Lieutenant Dressia." A ghost of a smile flitted over my lips. "I told you all that strategizing and planning will come in useful, wouldn't it?"

"I stand corrected, sir." Elia paused and then glanced at me. "But why are they attacking a remote outpost like this? Didn't her highness say that it would be unlikely for the enemy to know about the existence of the secret factory and what they're working on?"

Shrugging, I peered out of a window and magnified the view of the mountainridge. My glasses whirred and clicked softly as it tracked onto targets and increased the details and quality. Sweeping my view over the cloaked soldiers, I tried to look for a familiar face.

I found none.

"Ha ha ha!"

"What's so funny, Major?"

The straight-laced Elia frowned disapprovingly at me, but I merely shook my head.

"There's no Evelyn's Chosen with them."

"…so?"

"So it means they don't know anything about a secret weapon or project! Otherwise they would send one of their big guns to secure something as powerful and important as a super-heavy tank and the manufactorum producing it. Those men are only armed with muskets, bows and arrows, and swords. They're not equipped to raid and steal a tank!"

There was no sign of any anti-tank weapon such as missile launchers, lascannons or meltaguns. Wait, meltaguns didn't exist in Restia. What the heck was I talking about? That said, I should task the dwarves with producing man-portable guns capable of unleashing a thermal blast of energy that could melt through even the thickest armor, especially at close range.

It would revolutionize weaponry. That way, the moment humans began to manufacture their own tanks, we demons would have ways of fighting back even if we only have infantry…

Uh…something's wrong here…

It then struck me that the demons in Restia had great magical power and could cast devastating spells to destroy tanks even without such gadgets.

Never mind then. I'm too obsessed with wargaming right now.

Taking a deep breath, I shook my head and focused my attention on the issue at hand. Glancing at the dumbfounded Elia, I continued.

"Wouldn't you think a secret weapon like a super-heavy tank would require the presence of at least one Evelyn's Chosen?"

"…you're right. As expected, you've humbled me with your intelligence and sharpness, Major."

Elia was looking all overawed again. Girl, stop being impressed by simple logic. And despite me deducing that, I wasn't completely sure I was right. I wasn't some Mary Sue protagonist with omnipotent knowledge who could never be wrong. I had made more than my fair share of mistakes, such as talking to a necromancer – which readers love to remind me.

"All right. I'll leave the barracks to you, Captain. You're the last line of defense. I'll be counting on you to hold this line."

"We won't let you down, sir!"

"Jurgen, get the tank started. You're in command of the Purity of Faith."

"What will you do, sir?"

Jurgen looked startled when I informed him I wouldn't be joining him in my trust Malthas tank. I grinned.

"Utter rampage."

Then I jumped off the barracks and landed right in front of the gathering column of armored tanks at the foot of the outpost.

"Sir?!"

A confused voice sounded over the vox-bead in my ear. I tapped it to make sure my voice was going through.

"Stay back, Lieutenant Dressia. Back me up whenever necessary and do not let a single soldier past your armored lines."

"Yes, sir."

The tanks were already unleashing bluish-white spears of superheated plasma and incinerating the approaching soldiers, but the enemy was numerous. Without care for their lives, they zealously dashed forward, screaming incoherently.

"For the Emperor!"

"For humanity!"

"Death to demons!"

Those who had guns fired their muskets, the short-ranged rounds ineffective against the armored hulls of the Malthas tanks. A volley of arrows were unleashed from further behind, the primitive projectiles clanging harmlessly against steel plates. Another boom and a whole line of archers and riflemen vanished in bluish fires.

However, now that I had descended before them, a good number of enemy soldiers shifted their aim toward me.

"Take him out!"

"That arrogant fool…standing in front of his tanks like that…he's asking to be shot!"

"Aim for him!"

I couldn't help but smile. Despite appearing extremely frail and vulnerable, I had the greatest defense in the field – more so than even the formidable spearhead of Malthas tanks. My Redwood jacket could endure not just arrow or bullets, but even the most devastating spells from Evelyn's Chosen that could rip a tank apart in a millisecond.

"Sir!"

"Move out of the way!"

"Stand down, guys," I told them firmly and leisurely glanced up as the hail of arrows descended upon me. At the same time, the riflemen fired a coordinated volley from their muskets, and the projectiles all streaked toward me.

I disappeared under a fog of arrows and cloud of bullets. Dust billowed and stones flew, the number of projectiles so many that they punctured the ground all around me and kicked up dirt and soil from the countless impacts.

"We did it!"

"That must be the leader!"

"Serve him right!"

"Don't you think your celebration is a little too premature?"

The soldiers froze when they heard my voice. Stepping out, completely unscathed, I waved casually at the stunned enemy.

"Well…it's my turn."

Matsukaze fell out of the sky and smashed into the ground in front of me, carving a crater into the earth. I smiled, savoring the shock and fear that rippled through the enemies' ranks.

"It's time to kick some ass."

*

At the western border of Moria, along the outer wall, a sparse number of dwarven soldiers patrolled, sitting idly as they watched the ridge.

Behind the distant ridge, a pair of humans watched from cover, keeping a low profile as they peered through binoculars.

The headquarters of the Genevea invasion force were a large tent set up deep inside the mountains, hidden from view – at least from the view of the dwarves in the hive cities. At present, they were watching Mount Aleron.

"The scouts have reported in!"

One of the heavily cloaked soldiers hurried back into the tent and saluted. Seated in one of the chairs, behind a huge table that had maps and scrolls strewn about it, the Genevean general grinned at the good news.

"As expected. It was worth going through the trouble and pain of moving the entire force across the Rodian mountain range! While the bulk of the fighting is taking place at the main fronts in Verunhive and Mordia, we'll swoop in on the relatively undefended flanks and take out the Morian dwarves in a pincer attack! If we pull this off, his majesty, Emperor Kobayashi, will certainly reward us greatly! We'll be heroes!"

Folding his arms, the Genevean general turned to grin at another figure inside the tent, his voice mocking.

"What do you say now, Umezu-sama?"

Umezu Shigeo stood there silently, his expression as impassive as ever. The Genevean general leered at him.

"Maybe we won't need the aid of the heroes, after all! If everything goes according to plan, we'll be able to crush the dwarves with my army alone!"

"Do as you wish," Umezu replied coldly, not at all bothered by the general's disrespect. Even though he was a hero, he was aware of how several high-ranking soldiers in the military viewed him and his brethren.

Stealing their glory…getting cheat powers when blessed by the goddess Evelyn without needing to work hard like any other soldier…naïve and young…mere children given power they didn't deserve.

It was a less than flattering picture. But Umezu didn't care. This wasn't his world, after all. As long as he was still alive, and could enjoy a relatively luxurious life, he didn't care what the people of this world thought of him.

The royal families of the human kingdoms had rewarded the heroes with more than enough wealth to last him for the rest of his life several times over. In fact, he wouldn't have bothered to come along had Kobayashi not convinced him and Kido Mayumi.

"Thank you very much. I will have you indulge my request." Sweeping his hand through the scrolls and strategiums on his table, the general declared arrogantly. "Once my soldiers finish their preparations, we'll launch the attack immediately. Please stand back and take it easy, oh Hero-sama. Your part in the war is done. Now allow us real soldiers to do the actual work."

*

BOOM!

"Your majesty!"

King Hedol glanced up, surprised when a runner ran up to him.

"What is it, Rhodes?"

"The enemy…they're assaulting from the West! They've broken through the outer wall and are heading toward the hive city in Mount Alveron! If this goes on…they'll find their way into the city and catch our forces in a pincer!"

"…what?!"

"They must have moved through the Rodian mountain range," Regis concluded as he rose to block a devastating spell. The heroes were flinging all sorts of spells into the Demonic Alliance lines, igniting explosions that sent bodies of demons flying.

In retaliation, the tanks of Moria and Helsfort answered, barking out a hellstorm of fire that decimated the human lines. Only the Evelyn's Chosen remained intact, their defensive spells rendering them impervious to the devastating firepower.

"Guh…Rhodes, take one battalion and a squad of Terminators and get them to defend Mount Aleron. Now!"

"Yes, your majesty!"

"Damn it…" Hedol heaved as he slammed his Thunder Hammer onto the ground. Lightning billowed and incinerated swathes of human knights and soldiers. Raising his gauntlet, he unleashed a withering hail of mass reactive shells from the mounted combi-bolter, turning another squad of knights into bloody pulps. "I thought they were going to assault Mordia and Verunhive, but they're going after Alveron as well?!"

"Hedol, if I may…"

Regis deflected another spell from Evelyn's Chosen and reversed it back into their ranks, blowing up another score of humans.

"I think you should personally accompany your battalion and Terminators. I'll be fine here."

"Huh?! Why should I trust you?!"

"Your majesty…" Rhodes spoke up uncertainly. "Reports are uncertain, but at least two Evelyn's Chosen were spotted in the outer wall. Though they haven't made any move to attack, I'm afraid a battalion and squad of Terminators wouldn't be enough…"

"Feth!" Hedol spat as he swung his Thunder Hammer around so hard a knight was crushed from the impact, his armor resembling that of a squashed can. "I'll be there right away!" turning to Regis, he glowered. "Are you sure you'll be able to defend against eight Evelyn's Chosen by yourself?"

"I'm not alone." Regis glanced up and smiled when he saw an airship descending right behind enemy lines. "It seems that Major Tomoyuki's negotiation with the Iron Knights has paid off. We've reinforcements."

"What?! Aren't those…Evelyn's Chosen too? Is this…infighting?"

"I guess you can call it that." Regis smiled, his eyes twinkling in mirth. "It's a bit more complicated than that, but they will help us."

Hedol watched in disbelief as the Iron Knights clashed with the eight Evelyn's Chosen in the distance, devastating spells and magic saturating the mountain range and incinerating nearby human soldiers who were caught in the crossfire.

"I never thought I would see the day…"

"Your majesty," Rhodes prodded.

"Go," Regis instructed, all humor in his voice lost. "Leave this place to me. If Mount Alveron falls, then our defense of Verunhive and Mordia will be for naught."

"Ugh…!" Hedol turned away. "Call in all reserved battalions. We shall meet the accursed humans at the inner wall of Mount Alveron. Alveron will not fall!"

"Yes, your majesty!"

"1st Company! Deathhammer! With me!"

The elite Terminator troops of Moria's 1st Company turned, their tactical dreadnaught armor shrugging off small-arms fire, blade and arrows without much effort. They mowed down a path through the bristling humans with their combi-weapons, assault cannons, plasma cannons and heavy flamers, all just to reach their king.

"To Alveron!" Hedol bellowed. "It is time to kick these humans out of dwarven lands and show them the tenacity and superiority of Moria!"