The fact that he hadn’t reported Athly’s desertion was wrong. “All right,” Rain finally said, having accepted her words. “I’ve decided. I’ll do it. I’ll go tell the army that Athly’s disappearance was desertion.” “I see,” Air replied, her expression clouding over slightly. That surprised Rain. He’d expected her to be happy he’d heeded her advice, but her expression had grown bitter and rueful instead. Rain couldn’t tell if those were her true feelings, since he often found himself struggling to understand people. However, she had tightened her grip on his fingers considerably. Two rails passed through the western checkpoint where Rain was stationed. The passing freight trains moved one by one along them, separated by a tall wall, which made it a functional checkpoint. Charging through it was almost impossible, especially in the middle of a war. The checkpoint had a drawbridge in front of the barrier to guard against attacks from enemy operatives and armed forces. It was usually lowered to allow passage, but they could lift it during emergencies, blocking the rails. If an enemy attacked, they’d pull the chains and prevent them from crossing, thereby shoring up their defenses. In addition to that, many Exelias were stationed there, and several dozen people, including mages dispatched by the army and cadets like Rain, occupied the checkpoint. If anything happened, they’d be able to function as a platoon to guard the city. “When does your break end?” “I’ve still got another hour.” “That’s a pretty long break,” Air replied, then paused for thought. “Guess I’ll stick around until it’s over.” She’d apparently decided to remain on the platform with him. The place was made for scouts, so its only redeeming feature was the nice view it provided. Wind blew through the platform ruthlessly, buffeting them in an area that had nothing in the way of a guardrail. If someone slipped over the edge, they’d suffer a sixty-foot fall. Rain didn’t want to move much due to the danger. Air, by contrast, bounced around the platform with unusual vigor to take in the sights. Looking down, she saw trains passing through the checkpoint, while looking behind them offered a view of the festivities. Rain felt detached from the very idea of festivals, so he couldn’t get into the same mindset as the celebrating citizens. Over the last few days—no, ever since he got the Devil’s Bullet—he’d been pressing forward without a chance to truly rest. And his heart had been whittled down as a result, little by little, beneath his notice. The matter with Athly had exacerbated his worries…and Rain couldn’t deny that it’d shocked him to his core. She had not only discovered the Devil’s Bullet but used it as well. And now he had to capture and silence her. Air looked down at the rails while Rain looked in the opposite direction, which gave him a good view of the capital. …… The town bustled with activity as the celebrations reached their peak. The festival lasted three days, but it was always liveliest on the first. Despite the afternoon sun illuminating the city, people lit bonfires and shot pretty fireworks into the sky. Come nightfall, even more would light fires and send up fireworks. It was customary to do so, as the fires were considered guideposts for the gods, a means to thank them for their protection. But of course, that was only part of the reason. The other half was that the townsfolk truly enjoyed the sight. Rain had once shared in that belief. He’d participated in every festival since moving to the capital and shot fireworks…with Athly by his side. “……” They’d stuck by each other since enrolling in Alestra Academy, so they’d taken in the festivities together the past three years. Rain could never forget those moments. The memories would never fade. Each year, he took part in the festival with Athly to clear his mind of the fires of war that threatened to burn his heart. Frankly, those peaceful memories served as a crucial anchor that kept him sane. Unfortunately, this year was different. This year, there was no Athly. I… Had Rain truly chosen the correct path? He’d always assumed so, but perhaps he’d drifted in a terrible direction. After all, he had no way of proving he’d made the right decisions. I might’ve caused the worst possible outcome… What if he’d hit the point of no return that led to their doom? As soon as that thought crossed his mind, he heard Air mutter something. “Huh…?” she’d said in response to something happening down at the rails. “This isn’t good.” “What’s wrong?” “That train over there’s been waiting for an inspection, but it hasn’t moved.” “Wait, seriously?” Only a few trains could be inspected at a time, so the incoming ones had to line up and wait for their turn. The rails were especially congested because of the festival, but one among them didn’t seem to care. Said car hadn’t budged an inch since it’d arrived. Most cars in the lines advanced as inspections in front of them finished, but that one refused to, even though it should have wanted to get as close as possible. And as more and more cars got inspected, a six-hundred-foot gap had formed between it and the checkpoint. “…Maybe their engine malfunctioned?” If their engine had stopped while they waited, they naturally wouldn’t have been able to proceed. Though, in that case, it needed to be towed to make room for the traffic behind them. No one had disembarked from the stopped car to report any issues, however, which was what alarmed Air…as well as several inspectors at the checkpoint. Since it packed the horsepower needed to tow it, an Exelia approached the car to check. The area between the train and the checkpoint was flat ground, so the Exelia closed the gap quickly. Unfortunately, when it got within one hundred and fifty feet… …it exploded, unleashing a flurry of flames and a deafening roar. “What…?!” The sight Rain and Air saw from the platform was visible to everyone at the checkpoint as well. When the Exelia approached the train, a barrage of Bullet Magic flew out from the first car. That barrage ruthlessly ripped through the unit faster than its manipulator could dodge, and the bullets that missed their mark hit the checkpoint’s wall instead. Shit! The blast created shock waves that Rain felt all the way up on the platform. Looking down, he saw that the checkpoint had gone up in flames. They were under attack…and this wasn’t an act of vandalism or terrorism. The enemy had launched an organized attack. As that realization struck Rain, the situation worsened. Ten western AT3 units sprang out of the stationary train cars, greatly outnumbering the Exelias in the checkpoint’s garrison. “Gatekeep!” Rain leaned in from the edge of the platform and yelled at the person in the checkpoint below. “Raise the bridge! Hurry, before they make it in!” If they could reel back the chains, the drawbridge would both remove the rails and form a new section of the wall, blocking the enemy’s advance. However, the gatekeepers had panicked because of the surprise attack. They only snapped out of it and started reeling in the chains once Rain called out to them, which left an exploitable gap. They won’t make it. The enemy had already closed most of the distance. If even one of them made it inside, the bridge would be destroyed. It was weak to attacks from the inside, after all. “Fuck!” Rain exclaimed, realizing the drawbridge wouldn’t stop them. There were ten enemy Exelias out there, and if they got into the capital, the losses would be catastrophic. Looking down, he saw the other soldiers running around like headless chickens. The mages stationed to defend the place had failed to respond in time. Their Exelias weren’t even turned on, and the situation no longer allowed them to shoot any suppressive fire. …Guess I have to handle this. Rain took hold of the rifle strapped to his back and squatted down. Then he fixed the barrel against his knee and shoulder to aim at an enemy Exelia. Twenty seconds… That’s all the time I need. He needed to stall the enemy for that long. That way, the gatekeepers could finish reeling in the drawbridge. But that meant he had to force back ten Exelias at once, even though shooting down just one would’ve been a miraculous feat. He needed to pull off the impossible with essentially zero margins for error. “I’ll handle the right side.” Luckily, Rain wasn’t alone. “Air…” “We’ll shoot them at the same time,” Air said as she assumed the same stance as Rain. “If we each land two accurate shots, we can stall them with the explosions.” Rain understood that missing that shot would result in the slaughter of thousands. “—Now!” Air gave the signal, and Rain pulled the trigger. Bullet Magic capable of reducing even the largest of trees to splinters flew toward the rails the Exelia were on. Rain hadn’t aimed at the units themselves but at the ground near them. His goal was to create a large enough blast to stall all ten Exelia, so he didn’t worry about killing any enemies. However, he and Air could only manage four shots in total with the time they had, which meant their timing and aim had to be perfect. And even then, they needed a great deal of luck as well. Thankfully… “…I was worried for a second there, but we made it,” Air muttered. …within several seconds, the four shots they’d fired hit the mark. The sudden blasts directly in front of the rapidly moving Exelias forced them to brake, curbing their momentum. The stalled group of Exelias immediately accelerated once more, but that momentary lag had changed everything. They charged forward, but when they got within one hundred feet of the entrance, the drawbridge rose with a rumbling roar. And once it began, it only took seconds for the gate to close with a thud and bar their path. Rain felt all the tension drain from his body. He relaxed his posture and let go of his rifle; his heart was beating so fast, he thought it might burst. They had successfully delayed an enemy invasion. But unfortunately, they had no room to breathe. After all, the enemy still threatened to beat down their gates. Rain called out his partner’s name. “Air.” “I’m on it,” Air replied as she nodded back toward him. The two of them ran down the platform and into the checkpoint’s interior. But on reaching the command station, they found themselves in a veritable hell. “Ugh…” Countless bodies littered the floor in a gruesome sight. Bullet Magic from the AT3s had struck the checkpoint’s interior, causing severe damage. Flames burned all around them, while they could hear screams and moans from other places nearby. Most of it came from noncombatants, which was understandable. Dammit… How many people died here?! The dispatched soldiers and cadets had mostly maintained their composure and split up to either evacuate the noncombatants or assume battle positions. Rain and Air chose to join the latter group. Their side had eight mages who could use Bullet Magic. All of them cautiously peeked through the iron gate’s gaps, where they saw the ten Exelias from earlier assuming a formation that allowed them to move quickly if they were fired upon. “Why aren’t they falling back…?” Air mumbled to herself. Rain had asked himself the exact same question. The West had started their surprise attack by easily destroying the unit that had carelessly approached to check on them. They’d also fired a barrage of Bullet Magic at the checkpoint, effectively crippling the East’s ability to function properly. Had it not been for Rain and Air, they would’ve broken through the gate, but excuses like that didn’t matter. They’d failed all the same, so why hadn’t they started retreating? The drawbridge had lifted without any of the enemy units getting in, which meant they no longer had a way to get through the checkpoint. Their other options were the north or south gates, which were miles away. And yet, the ten Exelias simply drove in circles… “They’re waiting for something.” “Oh?” “I’m not sure what, but they’re moving like a unit with an objective to fulfill.” Air’s keen observation skills told her that the enemy had a specific goal in mind, but she had no way to narrow down the possible options. The two of them pondered over the matter as the two eastern Exelias in the checkpoint roared to life. One unit had been destroyed earlier, but these remained operational. The commanding officer had already sent a report to HQ, so their only choice was to hold out for reinforcements. “There’s no telling how long it’ll take for aid to get here. The emergency passages are in use already, which means it’ll take a while for Exelias to get here.” Had it not been the day of the festival, Exelias or extra personnel could have hurried over from nearby garrisons in less than five minutes. But that was the one day where that wasn’t possible. All of the capital’s roads were clogged with people and goods because of the festival. Hold on… Rain’s thoughts ground to a halt. His intuition, sharpened due to immense pressure, screamed at him. The enemy intentionally picked today to attack! It’s so obvious! Rain realized the enemy had knowingly decided to attack on the day of the festival. With that in mind, it made sense why they’d targeted the poorly guarded western gate. It was a position far from military HQ, meaning it would take ages for reinforcements to arrive. They’d isolated the best time and location possible, then gone after it. Honestly, their whole assault seemed so meticulously planned that it would’ve been weird if they didn’t have a backup option. After all, there was no guarantee that they’d make it through the gate. Blitzes were prone to failure, which made retreat rather common. No intelligent force would just keep driving around in circles. And yet, that was exactly what they were doing. “What do we do?” Rain asked. “Well, it’s not like we’ve got a whole lot of options,” Air snapped back at him. If they insisted on sticking to that position, the East’s only recourse was to gun them down. However, just as Rain started wondering why they’d stuck around… “They’re coming!” …a scout raised his voice. The very next moment, a blinding flash erupted outside the gate. Countless luminous points unleashed bursts of dizzying light that crashed against the drawbridge. The enemy had unleashed a fusillade of Bullet Magic. Intense vibrations and a deafening blast reverberated through the checkpoint’s interior, shaking the ground under their feet like an earthquake. Ugh…! The shock waves were overwhelming. Rain and Air had grabbed on to the wall, but even they staggered back. The iron gate proved sturdy enough to withstand the attack, but that didn’t keep them entirely safe. “They’re trying to brute-force their way in.” “Yeah. But luckily, it’s not really working.” The wall formed by the drawbridge was exceptionally sturdy, so even a barrage of Bullet Magic wasn’t enough to break it. It had taken some damage, but it stood firm. It’d take another hundred shots like that to crack a hole in it. The enemy’s attack only served to prove that they were safe inside the checkpoint, so all they had to do was hole up in there and wait for reinforcements. They lacked the numbers and firepower to push back their enemy, but the wall in front of them acted as their final bastion. Unfortunately, the force sent to invade the capital had no intention of letting up. “That’s…” After the shots ceased, Rain took another look at the enemy’s behavior. The units circling outside the gate stopped, and the soldiers inside the checkpoint rose to the challenge, holding up their rifles and taking aim from the lookout windows. When they got a better view of outside, they saw a new threat. Namely, the fake train that’d carried the ten Exelias. It had a false identification plate on it that said it was an eastern train and three containers that the hostile Exelias had burst out of. Or, at least, that was what they’d initially noticed, but on closer inspection, Rain realized something terrifying. Only two of the containers had opened thus far. Ah…! Rain held up his rifle, preparing to shoot whatever rushed out of the container. A thousand feet separated them, but that was still within the range of his Bullet Magic. Still, he’d reacted far too late. The moment he fixed his sights on the container, it burst open. A pillar of flames billowed upward, accompanied by a rumbling blast. And it wasn’t because Rain, or anyone else for that matter, had attacked the container. The unit stored within it had blown its way out. The blast released a shock wave and immense heat that no ordinary Exelia could’ve withstood, but that unit remained undeterred. No matter how anyone bombarded it, that unit wouldn’t so much as budge. “The Razor-Edge Model…!” A pitch-black Exelia crept out of the flames, standing twice as tall and carrying fifty times the weight of its peers. The unit’s massive frame plunged out of the freight train, its four wheels landing on the ground. Time slowed to a crawl in Rain’s addled mind as that entire sequence of events unfolded. Frankly, it felt similar to how things slowed down when he was plummeting from a great height. And as soon as Rain snapped back to the real world, the Razor-Edge Model accelerated, achieving a speed that didn’t suit its massive form. “What?!” The giant Exelia sped toward the iron gate, crossing the distance in mere seconds. Rain immediately realized its intentions and fired Bullet Magic at it. His destructive attack whizzed through the air, heading straight toward the black beast. However, the Razor-Edge Model easily avoided Rain’s shot by changing its trajectory ever so slightly. And that was no coincidence. It’d executed a perfect dodge that relied entirely on the manipulator’s skills. Seeing that, Rain knew that the person onboard the Razor-Edge Model was far more skilled than anyone else he’d seen handle it. Shit! After dodging, it continued its charge toward the gate. A few seconds later, the other mages followed Rain’s example and opened fire. Their Bullet Magic proved entirely ineffective, though. None of the blindly shot bullets hit their mark, so they did nothing to stop its advance. “Get away from the gate!” someone ordered in a booming voice. And moments after that shout, an intense whirlwind blew everyone away. The mages who’d failed to get away in time were torn apart like tissue paper as the Razor-Edge Model crashed through the drawbridge, scattering their bodies like pomegranate seeds and reducing them to red stains. It was honestly hard to tell if the enemy had even intended to do that. Perhaps the Razor-Edge Model’s manipulator had simply gambled on getting through. Whatever the case, the facts remained clear. The die had been cast. The western forces had succeeded. A decisive battle for the O’ltmenian capital, with the lives of tens of thousands of civilians hanging in the balance, was about to begin.
Chapter 45
17 min read