第１３６１堀：淡々と (Part1)
Chapter 1361: Indifferently
Indifferently.
Side: Steve
It has been roughly four hours since we arrived at the defensive position.
Whether one should call it "finally" or "just in time," we have successfully completed the construction of our defensive stronghold.
And then...
"Are there any casualties in the decoy unit?"
"No, sir. All members of the anti-army intelligence unit have returned. The intimidation fire with bows was successful, the enemy has reported back, and we have confirmed that the enemy army is heading straight for this fort."
The baiting of the enemy has been successful.
Honestly, I’m relieved; I wanted to avoid any losses within the intelligence unit.
Personnel of that caliber aren't exactly easy to replace.
As I felt a wave of relief, I asked...
"What is the scheduled time for the enemy army to pass through the interception line?"
"The vanguard has already passed. The rearguard will clear it in twenty minutes."
Checking the map, I can see that the enemy's lead elements have indeed already entered within two kilometers of the interception point.
The rearguard, however, has yet to enter.
That said, we have already had another core purchase the land to cut off their retreat.
"Surakichi-san, can we initiate the rear blockade at any time? Any issues?"
"None at all. I can cut them off whenever. Though, seeing how things have played out, it really feels like there isn't a Dungeon Master among this enemy force."
"The spawn point is suspicious. What about aerial reconnaissance?"
"We are currently searching. The search should become more efficient once dawn breaks."
Hmm, so that means no reinforcements from the spawn point.
Which implies no enemies are emerging from a dungeon...
"Could it be a wild Great Stampede?"
"The possibility isn't zero. Hey, Deryu-nee-san, does that sort of thing happen?"
I thought to myself that Deryu-nee-san is the "old hag"—or rather, the eldest among us—and surely she would know about the nature of Great Stampedes. Just as I thought it, a fist came down on my head.
"You thought I was an old woman, didn't you?"
"No, ma'am."
"Hmph. Well, fine. Regarding your question, it is possible for a Great Stampede to occur from nowhere. However, we haven't investigated it as thoroughly as we have with Weed. Since we are keeping proper records of these things, it would be better to inquire with the Adventurer's Guild."
"That makes sense. In that case, please send a request to the Adventurer's Guild to inquire about the causes of past Great Stampedes."
"Understood."
"And now, we begin the transition to Phase 9."
"Understood. Transitioning to Phase 9. Repeating, transitioning to Phase 9."
Phase 9 means all hands to battle stations.
In other words, it’s time to engage.
We could just call it "battle preparations," but since we’ve divided the operation into phases, we’re sticking to the terminology.
"However, how do you find this way of dividing the operation into phases, in practice?"
Stasia-nee-san asks about the specifications with genuine interest.
"It’s easy to understand. It makes it clear to the unit leaders and commanders which stage the operation is in, which makes their movements more agile. Plus, it makes it easy to pinpoint exactly where a problem occurs."
"Indeed, if a phase is running behind schedule, that’s where the problem lies."
"I wouldn't want to make it too granular, but breaking it down into ten stages, or perhaps twenty to thirty, seems like a good idea."
"Well, breaking down the process to make it easier to identify problems is a good thing. We do it often in research, and it seems you’ve adapted that to warfare."
Yes, as Stasia-nee-san and Agil-nee-san say, the "phases" proposed by the General are primarily for the purpose of isolating issues.
Eighty percent of the personnel participating in this operation are new recruits.
The goal is to identify what kind of trouble arises and use that for future training.
Still, though...
"Unexpectedly, there haven't been many problems. That’s a good thing, of course, but I’d like to aim for even shorter timeframes."
"That’s a happy miscalculation. However, is it really possible to simply shorten the time?"
"That’s a matter for research and consultation. The idea just popped into my head."
Being able to act faster than we currently do would be a significant advantage in itself.
Though, I suspect it’s not as simple as it sounds.
While we were talking about that...
"Enemy rearguard will pass in approximately five minutes. All units are ready to fire."
"Please give me the count."
Just five minutes.
It’s something I always think about—five minutes is a blink of an eye when you’re chatting or playing a game, but when you’re waiting for the signal to start a war, it feels agonizingly long.
The sisters are also watching the monitors in silence.
What’s displayed on the map is just a mass of red dots.
Yet, they are slowly stepping into the interception point—the kill zone.
I wonder, will the mortar and tank fire actually be effective against this army?
Well, I assume it will be, but we have to consider what to do if it isn't.
While I was lost in such thoughts, I realized the entire enemy force had entered the kill zone.
But no order came from the command room.
They must want them to go deeper to ensure none of them escape.
Just as I was thinking that...
"The entire enemy force is within range. General, if you please."
The announcement echoed through the conference room.
Everyone turned their eyes toward me.
*Sigh.* I’ve gotten used to it, I suppose, but it still feels heavy.
Holding that feeling in my chest...
"Transition to Phase 10. Commence the attack. Repeating, commence the attack."
"Understood. Operation transitioning to Phase 10. Commencing attack! Repeating, commencing attack!"
The operator issued the order to the entire army.
Immediately, even down here underground, we could hear the roar of the artillery and feel the vibrations.
"The soundproofing isn't as effective as I thought."