Chapter 61

Author Notes: "Tomorrow is the end of the year, isn't it? The reason for the delayed posts these past few days... Well, there are events for games like "Nikke" and "Uma Musume," you know? I have to be both a trainer and a commander. That's why the content is short. I apologize."

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The road, unexpectedly forming a Y shape, seemed to branch out, but in the end, it appeared to lead to the same path.

They engaged with several Ruptures, but Moore and Neon safely joined the squad, and the squad, led by Rapi, began to move forward once more.

However, the atmosphere between Anis and Neon was still far from ideal.

The tense air had eased somewhat, but it seemed that a little more time was needed for the tension to fully thaw.

Walking along a path that resembled a maze, created by scrap piled high on both sides, they headed towards the marked point. Suddenly, Rapi, who was leading the way, raised her clenched left fist up to shoulder level and signaled to the others to stop.

"What's wrong?"

Moore, who had been following closely, immediately rushed over when he saw that Rapi had discovered something out of the ordinary.

"The ground is strange. There are signs it's been dug up."

Following Rapi's gaze, Moore turned his head as well. The open path had noticeable unevenness in the ground.

Without much thought, Moore, rather strangely, felt convinced and slung his rifle over his shoulder and knelt down on the spot. He pulled out the fighting knife hanging by his body armor and approached the point where the ground was unnaturally raised with a cautious crawl. He then inserted the knife blade diagonally into the ground several times until he sensed a hard object beneath it through the handle.

Exhaling slowly, he used the blade like a makeshift spade to dig up the earth. What eventually surfaced was a metal stepping plate with the fuse partially exposed.

"A landmine. I can't tell if it's still active or not..."

"...Wait, are these all over are!?"

"No, the basic idea of laying mines is to make it look like they're everywhere. Most likely, if the ground is raised like this, there's a good chance a mine is buried there. Trying to avoid that spot and stepping on the real mine is a common tactic."

As far as the eye could see, there were only a few places where the earth had risen unnaturally. That said, the landmines buried underground, which were not visible from the outside, would be at least twice as many.

Determining whether the landmines were still active or not was not easy at first glance. Their condition and deterioration could vary, but once a landmine had been activated, it could patiently await the right moment to explode for several years to several decades.

To clear the minefield and open up their path, they would have hoped for the arrival of equipped engineers. Unfortunately, that was not an option.

His mobile device, kept in a pouch, vibrated, prompting him to carefully kneel and unlock the device.

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Exia: "Oh... this is a bit... The concentration of Evra particles is too high, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact location."

Exia: "There's a large amount of Mi○fu○ki particles scattered around..."

(Tl Notes: I don't exia's references. Does anyone know what's she saying?)

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He sighed at the message sent by Exia, despite the messenger's somewhat casual manner.

It felt like reconciliation with the gods was now even further away. Perhaps they disliked him immensely.

Rapi and Anis continued their communication with Exia through their mobile devices. However, they learned that only the headquarters or the information department could implement the purification sequence.

Hacking with Exia was possible, but it was a dangerous bridge that could lead to even execution if discovered.

However, it seemed that there was no other choice but to proceed with caution through the minefield.

In conclusion, they were at an impasse.

"...There's no way to advance by following the scraps."

He had considered climbing the scrap mountain piled high on both sides and moving along its peak, but the problem was the weight of Nikke and the others. Adding weight could pose a significant risk if it disrupted their balance. This idea was discarded.

Putting his mobile device back in the pouch, Moore lit a cigarette with an oil lighter, contemplating various solutions. Rapi spoke to Moore as she looked at his back.

"...Commander, it's dangerous to pass through this minefield without backup."

"Yeah, I understand. ...We could proceed slowly and manually clear the mines, or use grenades for demolition. If we had a Bangalore torpedo..."

"If we use explosives for demolition, there's a high chance that the Ruptures will be attracted by the explosion sound."

"...It's dangerous..."

"---Yes... Of course, I'll follow the order to break through, but..."

"Enough with the jokes. Just so you know, when I give that order, I'll be at the front."

Turning to Rapi, he spoke with a narrowed gaze that was partially hidden by the visor of his helmet, but no brilliant ideas came to mind.

Now, what should they do? He mentally simulated several options and their chances of success, but none of them promised a high probability of success.

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[Ah, hello wveryone. I'm activating the purification sequence.]

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Noise briefly echoed from the headset housing, followed by a familiar voice that resonated in Moore's eardrums.

It seemed that Rapi, Anis, and Neon had also heard the voice, as they all wore expressions of astonishment.

[Concentration at 64.57%... 31.51%...]

[Scanning for landmines...]

As Shifty, the owner of the voice, began the purification of Evra particles causing radio interference, Exia, who had broken into the communication channel, started the process of identifying the buried landmines' positions.

Once the purification of Evra particles was completed, the identification process seemed to have finished as well. Moore's recently retrieved mobile device vibrated. Upon inspection, he saw several illuminated points on the map.

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[Please proceed carefully and avoid them.]

[Very fast, as expected of the protocol.]

"More importantly... Shifty, when did you get here?!"

As Anis, expressing her disbelief over the radio, once again confronted the now visible Shifty, Moore held two of his left fingers in line and shook them a few times back and forth.

It was a signal to move forward. Rapi nodded in understanding, having likely received the location information of the buried landmines on her mobile device. With her mobile device in one hand, she took the lead.

[I'm sorry! I was curious, so I came back!]

Amidst the voice expressing Anise's skepticism, a cheerful voice, completely contrary to her tone, sounded, and Rapi made a slight adjustment to their path. It seemed that there was a landmine buried right ahead.

Moore, following behind, stepped firmly on the imprinted footprints.

"I understand if you doubt me, but... I like all of you. You know, right? As soon as we get close, Nikke and the others disappear. It's even in the operator's behavioral guidelines: 'Don't trust Nikke.' But..."

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... strange.

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As Shifty spoke, Moore involuntarily narrowed his eyes and pressed the housing covering his left ear with the palm of his hand. It couldn't have been a misunderstanding.

[But... I can't do that. I want all of you to live longer. I want to help you make that possible. I don't want goodbyes anymore. We're... friends!]

Her monologue resounded from deep within the headset. The sincerity of her voice was so compelling that it stirred emotions, and you couldn't help but want to believe her. However, Moore simply couldn't bring himself to do so.

[Can you... believe me?]

"...Hmm, Shifty, I'll trust you. I'm sorry for doubting."

Moore spoke as he let go of the housing he had been pressing, and he then picked up the microphone. In response to his reply, a sigh of relief echoed from the housing.

It was fortunate that no one had seen his expression.

Without changing his expression, with only the pupil of his left eye narrowing, he spoke the words "I believe" not in a manner expected when expressing belief in someone. Despite that, his voice was soft and calm.

[...I'm sorry, but unlike Commander, it's difficult for me to fully believe. But... I'll give it my best shot!]

Following these words, Anis' cheerful voice, almost as usual, sounded behind them.

Subsequently, while Shifty had just forgotten to provide Arc Ranger's recording as Anis had requested, Exia disclosed a significant spoiler, leading to Anis outburst. In the midst of this commotion, Moore gripped his mobile device with his left hand.

He launched the app, set the recipient as Rapi individually, and swiftly typed a message with one hand.

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[To you only. Doubt Shifty.]

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Shortly after sending that message, Rapi, who had been walking through the minefield, stopped and stared at the screen of her mobile device. She then looked over her shoulder at Moore.

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----Are you serious?

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Understanding the meaning behind that gaze, Moore nodded in response.

After a brief pause, Rapi continued walking forward, and the message was sent:

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"Understood."

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After confirming it, he stowed his mobile device in his pouch and continued to move forward, following in Rapi's footsteps to navigate through the minefield.

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Author Notes: The real reason is... I've been rewatching all the episodes of "Band of Brothers" after a long time... Next up is "The Pacific."

If things don't go well, this might be my last post of the year. From the European theater to the Pacific theater... (What are you watching during the New Year holidays?)