American Isekai - Chapter 189

June 1, 624

A week passed and the battle against the flanking Scourge forces rapidly escalated. 

It was never meant to be drawn out anyway. We needed to defeat them fast, but it was critical that we find a balance between urgency and caution. Blindly rushing into any battle would just result in a loss far more devastating than taking our sweet time. 

Thankfully though, my performance during the battle alongside the Snow Doves had made it known once again that I could fight with lethal efficiency. Alongside my summoner smarts, training, and position beside the Major General, my role in this phase of Operation Breakwater became more pronounced. More importantly, I was able to have some fun. 

The Snow Doves were one of four high level platoons containing a Brigadier or two that we had with us in this Division. Our Brigadier count reached 6 in total, allowing us to approach this battlefield with relative ease. The outpost didn’t have to worry about getting blatantly raided and we could send small but powerful strike teams to wipe out anything less than the Scourge’s most powerful conglomerations of monsters in their core. 

The battles became more frequent with every day that passed, and despite wanting to end the first phase of the Operation quickly, Major General Quill and I were using the battles to gauge the Scourge threat in the area. He was the primary thinker to that end but I was picking up as much as I could. 

I got a front row seat to watch a tactician exercise his wit in a very real battle in real time and intimate detail. It was invaluable experience, because ultimately in this world, wars were fought differently. We were not up against a human enemy, but an inhuman, monstrous race of demonic invaders. There was a balance to be struck between utilizing extensive tactics adapted to handling Scourge tendencies, utilizing our unique intelligence, and glimpsing the strategy that the Scourge displayed behind the veil of mindlessness and madness.

Thankfully I never fell prey to underestimating them. I tended to do the opposite, always assuming that there was a mastermind behind every movement and monster. I had been taught that way by Polly and had a particularly unique perspective in this world that suited me toward doing such a thing. Our battles on Earth were always against something intelligent. I still tended to think that way, while many people in this world either failed or didn’t care to see past the monsters in front of them, realizing that there was a much more nefarious entity orchestrating their demise. 

My studies and attentions by the side of people like Polly, Major General Quill, and even the Brigadiers around me were all reassurances that kept me from falling into the same well of ignorance. In the end, it would be why I rose above others and why I survived. 

After that week and a few more missions, Quill started to arrange the larger battles as well as a few key strikes that would decisively weaken our enemy enough to launch an eradicating attack. I was on one of those key strikes alongside the Snow Doves and another high power platoon called the Lancers, and our objective was to take out one of the Authority 10 Royals in the area. It had diverged off its path with a contingent so we were taking the opportunity.

Well, saying it diverged wasn’t entirely accurate. In reality, they split off to go reinforce another one of their groups while one of our companies was attacking. All we were doing was intercepting, effectively using that company as bait. 

That meant we had to move fast. 

Next thing I knew, we were barreling down a trail in some Steeds. I sat in the back hold with a group of Doves, three of them at Authority 9 and four at Authority 8. Brigadier Nonnen sat in the front seat with the driver. 

“Hey Envoy!”

“Yes sir?”

“Did you plan on using that company as bait from the beginning?”

“No? It just worked out that way.”

“Right.”

Nonnen snickered a bit. I could only shrug in response because I really hadn’t planned that. We just had good intel and good timing, so we were able to grasp the opportunity. 

My head dropped back down so I could look at my map a bit more. At some point though, it rose right back up as I felt the towering Aura of an Authority 10 Royal. 

The others could feel it too, all of their heads turning as we cleared a hill and entered a gap. A bit of a distance away we saw the marching contingent. At its head was the Authority 10. However, my eyes quickly narrowed. 

“Brigadier, that’s not a normal Royal.”

“No shit. Everyone bail!”

Nonne shouted, one of the Authority 8s disengaging the latch on the back of the Steed and knocking the back door down. 

I looked through the front window for a moment, seeing that Royal and the massive spell formation sprawling out above its head. It was aimed right toward us, and had apparently been expecting us. 

So much for an ambush. After other people got out of the way, I activated my boots and shot out of the Steed. My feet glided with the help of air magic. It felt like I was surfing on land. 

All the other Steeds started to scatter, most of the troops within them deciding to do the same and bail. 

I activated my Stealth and got a healthy distance away before turning just as the Royal completed its spell. 

I watched as a massive fireball started forming. It started out at only 20 feet wide but quickly grew until it surpassed 200 feet. 

It only stooped when it reached 300 feet in diameter, and then it launched. It wasn’t particularly fast, but I could already feel the heat coming off it even though they had to be nearly a mile away. 

Before I could panic I was suddenly grabbed. Nonnen hoisted my body like I was a wet rag and then shot off to the top of a hill while the fireball came down behind us. 

He set me down just in time for it to land. I had to deploy my hood and put on my Owlykat mask just to block off the heat and see the devastation. 

A literal sea of fire flooded the gap between hills, setting all nearby flora ablaze. The fungal biomat had yet to spread so this area still had some plant life. Or, used to. 

My eyes were glued to the area at the bottom of the hill where our troops used to be. 

Did I just lose two critical platoons? Just like that?

“Don’t get so anxious. This is why I told you to bring the Lancers.”

Nonnen pat my back, some air getting forced out of my lungs under the impact of his palm. 

The fire rapidly dissipated, smoke rising into the air before getting blown away with a gust of wind. 

At the bottom of the hill I could see half of our Steeds and most of our troops. The rest were either up a nearby hill or had hunkered down by themselves. 

They were all safe, and it was thanks to the Brigadier in charge of the Lancer platoon. He was an Authority 10 warlock, though I hadn’t heard that he specialized in the air element. I only knew that he was good with fire and water spells, making him an exceptional healer. 

Either way, he was able to easily protect everyone with a wide area barrier. I let out  along breath in relief, getting another smack on the back. 

“You worry too much. Learn to trust your soldiers. If you don’t, I won’t be able to pull you into our platoon.”

“...You guys are different from the soldiers I usually work with.”

“True. But you’ll learn about me with time. The first thing to know is that I choose my troops carefully. If you trust me, then you are obligated to trust the rest of those under me. There are few things I hate more than incompetence and getting people killed because of that.”

“Hm.”

I got another smack on the back, my muscles clenched to try and prevent my lungs from rattling. Now my back was sore. 

Nonnen chuckled. 

“I’ll trust that you can exercise good caution and keep yourself safe. Help if you want, but don’t feel obligated. We can handle this.”

“I’ll help. From here.”

“So be it.”

He nodded before launching his body, flying through the air and landing in front of the Scourge contingent with a quaking landing. 

Nonnen drew his blade, the rest of his Snow Doves moving into formation. Some raised shields while warlocks arranged themselves in the backline, mobilizing their mana. 

A coherent platoon that worked as a whole. The Snow Doves specialized in killing powerful enemies. This was perhaps the first time I had ever seen them working. 

When Nonnen took a step, they followed, and they advanced toward the Contingent. At the same time, the Lancers, a platoon made up almost entirely of warlocks, joined the Doves and arranged magical barriers and attack spells. 

The Authority 10 Royal let out a scream before casting dozens of spells. The contingent around it started moving with its command, diving toward the Snow Doves ranks. 

I quickly positioned myself while all that was going on, getting within 600 meters and bringing out another rifle I had recently found. 

This one made me particularly excited. 

The M40, a Remington 700 modified for official military adoption. A bolt action chambered in 7.62 NATO, the M40 had an all wood stock and was equipped with a Redfield 3-9x variable scope. This was the first designated sniper rifle I had ever gotten my hands on, and since it was a bolt action, it was a precision shooter. 

A rifle used even into modernity. I felt the wood and the heft of the barrel. This thing had an effective range of 800 meters, and that was under normal circumstances. With a boost from my Psyka? 

I was starting to see the mile mark getting closer. It wouldn’t be long until I could hit it. 

I could feel the gun’s capacity for Psyka, which was positively huge. It could pack a punch, and the only downside was the rate of fire. I wouldn’t be killing very many, but it would be something. Perhaps I’d be able to test my mettle with some of the Authority 7s, even 8s. 

I found myself a relatively flat spot and laid down, getting a good view of the battle beyond. Nonnen had carried me somewhat to the side, so I wouldn’t have to sail my bullets over people’s heads. 

I looked around, getting a read on the power levels of various troops. It was a bit difficult from so far away but I could make estimations, especially based on how they reacted to the attacks from the Doves. 

I saw some Scouts though, so I decided to take those out. 

I fired off to the side, my bullet tearing through an Authority 6 Scout. It was around 500 meters away and with a bit of Psyka, my accuracy skyrocketed. 

The scope also helped magnify my vision just slightly. I thought a scope might hinder instead of help me but the reticle did wonders for my aiming. Plus, I could use my other eye to make sure my vision wasn’t being hampered by the magnification. 

I racked the bolt, feeling the smooth release of the round before slotting another one in. There were 3 more Scouts so I picked them off one by one. 

Explosions rang through the hills, but nothing so much as turned their head toward me. One good thing about being really loud was how difficult it was to pick out the exact location of the sound’s source. And in these hills? With my Stealth? The distraction of the Snow Doves and Lancers? It was impossible to find me. 

I had free reign. 

The Scouts were all dispatched, and I turned my reticle toward the army. I used those Scouts as target practice and got a good zero on this rifle, so now I was more confident in hitting tighter shots. 

I saw dozens of monsters running around and trying to break through the line of shields at their front. They were all tough, and there were even some behemoths trying to stomp through. 

As for Nonnen, he made his way to the contingent’s backline, wreaking some havoc and bearing down on the Authority 10. It was tough and had a myriad of spells to fend Nonnen off, but the Lancer platoon Brigadier had yet to join, and the rest of the monster would get whittled down with time. 

This battle was ours. 

I did as much as I could to help though. In my mind floated around the casualty rates we had been facing. I knew someone would die during this battle and I needed to do what I could to reduce that number to as low as possible. 

I sighted in monsters that stuck out, whether due to their power or their position. There were plenty of monsters that would hang behind the front line, not using magic but not attacking either, waiting for the rest of their kin to open an opportunity. They were prime targets that I could pick off or heavily injure one by one, which only opened opportunities for my own troops. 

Best part was how nobody could even challenge me. I only had to maintain light stealth and nothing could spot me. This battle was perfectly in my favor, essentially target practice for me. I felt no danger whatsoever. 

And so I killed a few dozen, picking them off with one or two shots. Some of them were just minding their own business when I sent a round through their head. The confusion and fear I sowed was palpable. I was a hidden but very tangible presence, each explosion of my gun yet another reminder that I was here. Each sound became synonymous with death, another monster falling with every projectile. Nobody knew who it would be next. 

The Doves and Lancers were emboldened when they noticed the faltering wills of the monsters. They pressed harder and their momentum grew, resulting in greater combat effectiveness. However, the most substantial presence on the field was Nonnen and the Royal. Their clashes couldn’t help but affect the rest of the armies, especially the Royal’s. 

Those spells couldn’t completely fend Nonnen off but they were still potent. 

It knew how to utilize its strengths, and if it couldn’t win the one on one battle, it wouldn’t try. 

I sensed the battle shift just before it happened. Perhaps it was the intent of the Royal, but my focus shifted just as it changed tactics. 

I watched as it launched a massive spell at Nonnen. He blocked, but it used that opening to change course and cast another spell. 

Its arms came together as it appeared right above the Snow Doves and Lancers. The Lancer Brigadier cast his barrier to encompass all of them, but to my great shock, the Royal completely nullified that barrier anyway. 

A flashing spark suddenly appeared underneath the barrier, flickering before releasing a concentrated explosion amidst our forces. Flames billowed out and the barrier actually contained the power within, multiplying the destruction. 

My heart dropped. The barrier disappeared quickly but by then the damage had already been done. I watched as smoke was pushed around, seeing all the figures. 

Because of the barrier, the Scourge forces were completely unscathed. On the other hand, when the dust settled, I saw half of our forces charred over. The ones on the ground weren’t moving and the ones on their feet didn’t look steady. 

I looked back up, only to see the Royal’s head get grabbed by Nonnen’s two hands. His fingers squeezed, crushing its head before separating and ripping it apart. 

He had capitalized on its opening, killing it outright. Now though, it had incurred a great cost. 

I quickly focused back in, feeling the silence pervade the hills. I fired another shot into the crowd of monsters, injuring another one. The point was to make it noisy again. I couldn’t allow our momentum to completely fade. 

Thankfully, with the Royal dead, Nonnen and the Lancer Brigadier were free to kill whatever they wanted. The two of them dispatched the rest within the minute, and my shots ceased. 

For a while I continued to look around, keeping watch as the two Brigadiers checked on their platoons. The Lancer Brigadier was a healer, the only solace in this situation. 

After about 10 minutes, I finally left my spot and approached. I could hear some mournful wails, the friends of the injured grieving. 

I noticed several unmoving bodies, some of them dismembered by the explosion. All of the warlocks had raised their barriers when they noticed the Royal trying to do something, so they at least weren’t outright obliterated. However, with the Lancer Brigadier inadvertently multiplying the power of that explosion, not many were able to fare. 

All of those at the origin of the explosion had been outright killed, that much I saw. Those on the outskirts of the formation all survived. Those in the middle were variable. The Authority 9’s survived, but those at Authority 8 or 7 were either killed or fatally injured depending on their luck and relative resilience. 

I did a quick scan, counting 27 definite dead and 55 injured, many of which were critical. I didn’t know how many the Brigadier would be able to save. There were only 21 people uninjured. 

I went and found Nonnen. He was standing in the center of all the bodies silently, his eyes flickering between all of them. 

I stood silently behind him. Out of 103 people, 27 had outright died. A 26% death rate was abysmal, and there would probably be more deaths among the injured given some more minutes. That would likely place the death rate between 30 and 40%. The only comfort was the fact that most who died were below Authority 9. Our reduction in combat power was thus much less severe than the death rate would elude. 

I hated thinking in those terms.

Nonnen finally snapped out of it, opening his mouth. 

“We trust our soldiers. Doesn’t mean they don’t die.”

“...”

I didn’t respond. I felt like trusting them meant that I trusted them to not die. That was the greatest form of my trust in these situations, but to trust anyway, even when I knew these things would keep happening…

I didn’t want to do it. Part of me wanted to cut off my relationships with these people. It was so much easier to sit behind a desk and crunch numbers. Each number represented a life, but at least you didn’t have to meet those people. You didn’t have to feel much responsibility. You could distance yourself from everything. It helped keep you logical…

But this? How was I supposed to keep drawing up and sending out mission teams if they kept dying like this? Even a skilled platoon like the Snow Doves was suffering catastrophic death rates. It wasn’t sustainable. I’d rather not send them out at all. 

I looked at Nonnen, watching him for a bit before he started giving out the commands to pack bodies and prepare the Steeds. We had to get back to the outpost. 

I went around and tried to help. There was nothing for me to do though. The knights wanted to haul bodies and I wasn’t one of the drivers so I couldn’t bring the Steeds around. In the end I ended up standing around, staring, wondering. 

Then, just as we started packing bodies and wounded into the vehicles, I got a ring on my Aerial. 

It was from the outpost, and it was urgent. 

My eyes widened when I got the report. I turned to Nonnen, and he seemed to sense my urgency since he turned around and faced me. 

“The outpost is under attack.”