Chapter 53 - A Traitor on the Loose

Since Platoon's I and III have returned to the battlefield, Devian and Gunther's Platoon can finally retreat to the base and have themselves recover. The air inside the room was tense, thick with the scent of antiseptics and the low murmurs of doctors and nurses attending to the wounded.

Devian winced as the doctor's skilled hands probed his injuries. "Fracture on the left side of the jaw... right shoulder dislocated... 4—no, 5 broken rib cage bones..." the doctor muttered under his breath, his face a mixture of concern and amazement.

"Ughh..." Devian groaned, his voice strained from the pain.

The doctors were examining all the damages he sustained from the battlefield. Gunther who was being treated right next to him was amazed that Devian still managed to survive despite all those broken bones and life threatening injuries.

"Damn, this might be his new record." Commented one of the nurses who regularly tends to Devian.

"Shut it, Allan! That's rude..." Hushed Dr. Apollo Onasis, the head doctor. "...as for you Mr. Rivlin, you better be thankful that you're still alive in this condition."

"...that just mean I'm still reusable." Devian shot back, half-smirking through the pain.

Dr. Onasis shook his head, offering a dry smile as he prepared to inject Devian with anesthetics. Whilst the medical staff were getting started on treating their prioritized patients, a soldier have marched in to report to the two platoon commanders. "I'm sent here to deliver a message for sir Devian Rivlin and sir Gunther Neumann from Captain Lenard of the 4th Armored Brigade!"

Though his rude entrance got the doctor mad. "This is a medical facility, not a battlefield briefing room! Have some manners!"

"But sir, this is an important!—"

"Non-sense! Get out of here!!" Before the nurses get to push him out of the room, Gunther interfered. "No, let him stay. I'd like to hear what Captain Lenard message."

The nurses backed away as the soldier spoke. "T-Thank you, sir Neumann."

"And the message?"

He takes in a deep breath before announcing what he was ordered to convey. "Captain Lenard have requested your cooperation on apprehending a woman that belongs in the Special Infantry Troop that is suspected to be an ally of the I.E.A. for killing a number of E.D.L. soldiers—"

"What!? The I.E.A. planted a spy among us!?" Devian and Gunther were caught surprised by this information. Dr. Onasis was intrigued to hear this as well.

"Who is this woman!?" Gunther's voice was laced with a mixture of anger and intrigue.

"We haven't caught her rank or name yet, and I wasn't given much details about her... but she's currently under sir Novick's protection. There are also rising doubt and suspicion on sir Novick's actions in taking the traitor's side." With this piece of information, the traitor was immediately identified by these platoon commanders.

They looked each other in the eye and had the same person in mind. "Well this is definitely going to be problematic." Devian sighed.

"...just how much of our comrades died from that damn traitor?!" Gunther asked angrily.

"Err, there were around 50... no, I think it was more than 5o. One of them survived since he was the only one who had his head and whole body intact, he'll undergo some questioning by the time he gains consciousness."

"That traitor killed more than 50!?" Dr. Onasis can't believe what he's hearing. The soldier gives him a small nod of confirmation and made him feel uneasy.

Gunther clicked his tongue in frustration, his expression contorting into a furious glare. "Tell Captain Lenard that he can leave the apprehension to the Special Infantry Troop..."

Then as the soldier was dismissed, the doctors continued to treat their injuries while they discuss the matter. "Shit, who would've known there was a weed among us..." Devian muttered, his voice tinged with frustration and disbelief.

"Not to mention the traitor was Novick's woman, how are we going to deal with this?" Even Gunther worries how he's going to confront the strongest fighter of E.D.L.

"I've no clue either. We can't even meet both of them either when we simultaneously switch places with them on the battlefield everytime... this sucks."

"...well, there's still a way." Gunther thought of an idea. "We'll have to report this to Captain Wright. He's the only one that can pull Novick's leash."

It was going to be difficult to pursue a traitor amidst the ongoing battle between E.D.L. and I.E.A. at the eastern coast, especially when that traitor is being protected by strong and formidabble fighter such as Raphael Novick.

A few days later, Captain Wright receives the message from Gunther and have become very disappointed at the news. "...the traitor was said to be a woman that's under Raphael's protection." Said Gunther from the other line.

"I see... you can leave this to me." Their call ends there.

Despite his growing fondness on soldiers with great potential, he's can't overlook something so unforgivable—Captain Wright wanted to kill Claire Duvent for her trecheary, though he was only requested to apprehend her.

He marches back into the battlefield with two main goals set in his mind: to destroy enemies and capture Claire Duvent. Though it's going to be a challenge for Captain Wright to intervene with Raphael when he's in the middle of fighting.

Like how Heinz and Devian's extreme battle caused destruction and many deaths, Raphael's battles are twice or even thrice as destructive and chaotic.

"AAAAHHHH!!" Many I.E.A. soldiers screams for their dear life as Raphael blew up an entire area occupied by the I.E.A. with his shifter in the form of a weapon he recently developed, the shifter atomic cannon, that destroys eveything within the range of 9 miles.

The stunt took a lot on Raphael as he got on his knees and vomit blood. "Arghh..." blood also began to drip from his nose.

"Raphael!!" Claire ran up to him, acting all worried and concerned. She takes his hands and assists him to get up. "Don't over exert yourself, using the shifter like that will kill you!!"

Raphael glanced at Claire and was on the verge of fainting. "...d-don't worry over n-nothing..." he shuts his eyes for a minute and rests his head on Claire's left shoulder. "...I'm just making sure that nobody can ever lay a hand on you."

"Raph..." she felt uncomfortable hearing those words from someone she used to hate, but she had no other choice as Raphael being the only one she can rely on the most in this problematic times.

Then another enemy appears before them yet again. "RAPHAEL NOVICK!!—" It was I.E.A.'s ninth strongest fighter, Kazuki Tanaka. His eyes were burning with rage as he confronts Raphael. "—YOU FUCKING KILLED HUNDREDS OF MY COMRADES!!"

Raphael turns to face his new opponent. "Oh yeah? Thanks for the good news!!" He said with a touch of sarcasm.

"I'LL HAVE YOU PAY FOR THEIR DEATHS!!"