5

While Eld was handling the two opponents, the Abnomyle force had already begun combat.

Jade, leading the unit, rode aboard the Armunale unit serving as escort, scanning the battlefield in full.

"Third Unit advances! Fourth Unit provides covering fire from behind! Fifth Unit, maneuver around and head for the right flank! The battlefield is shifting left—watch out for stray shots from Eld’s team!"

Responses of acknowledgment came back from each unit commander, in turn.

Each Abnomyle unit had a designated leader, clearly marked by a blue face painted on their machine.

They were skilled soldiers, certainly—some of the best from the front lines so far—but when it came to coordinated command, they were still green as spring grass.

That’s why, if someone’s in charge, they can really let loose.

"Third Unit—follow me!"

"Fourth Unit—open fire! Don’t forget to cover Fifth!"

"Fifth Unit—crush the enemy! Smash through their line!"

Normally, I’d want them to command from behind—but these knights aiming for Armunale don’t know how to hold back.

No, they’re all riding forward, trusting their own strength, leading the charge.

And that’s exactly why the Abnomyle Unit’s spirit was sky-high.

"Can’t lose to the commander!" "We’re right behind you!"

"My sniper shot’s the best in the world!" "Say that same thing when Eld’s around, why don’t you?" "Sorry! Second best!"

"For Lady Ines!" "For the Princess!" "For Princess Ines!"

“You’re a girl—don’t go licking your lips like that!” “Kill a man! Show us your strength, girl!”

Jade let out a twitch of a smile at the voice leaking through from the Abnomyle unit, then exhaled in quiet relief—she was moving just fine, thank the stars.

She’d earned the praise in the speech, but still—was she really giving orders that’d stick? That doubt had been nagging her.

But from the looks of it, no problem. Now all she had to do was keep predicting what came next and keep the commands clear.

Which meant—

“We should head out soon, then.”

In a world where comms didn’t exist, keeping the voice of command alive was near impossible.

Back in the regular troops, they’d learned to read drumbeats and flag signals to pass orders—but of course, the Abnomyle unit had no such knowledge.

So what now?

Easy. Just go close enough and shout the orders yourself.

"Grab on tight. Can't say when a stray bullet might come flying."

"Trusting you, Captain."

"Then let's not disappoint. Tenth Armunale Unit Mozolov, moving out! Keep your eyes peeled!"

With that, the unit took its first step, eyes scanning the surroundings.

As we accelerated slowly and drew closer to the front lines, the distant scene began to come into sharper view.

The clash of Abnomyle units looked just like the infantry battles Jade knew so well.

But there were things no infantry battle should ever see.

"Wait—! Oh no!?"

One Abnomyle pierced an enemy's torso. A flash of triumph—then, in a panic, the pilot yanked the machine back.

The pierced unit suddenly burst into light—then exploded, all at once.

Magia Liquid’s runaway—caused by the generator’s destruction.

The blast’s power is nothing compared to Armunale’s generator, but still, getting hit straight on’ll leave you broken.

“Watch out for generator explosions! You can wreck it if you must—but don’t get caught in the shockwave. Might as well take it with a shield if you have to. Protect the cockpit first!”

For infantry, what matters most? Numbers.

All those formations, all those tactics—none of it works without bodies. That’s why, in infantry training, they beat the survival instinct into you.

It’s the key to pulling off the next mission.

Pilots in the Abnomyle unit were even more precious than infantry, given how much training went into them. Not something you could just lose.

“Captain Mozolov, if there’s anyone we can save with this machine, feel free to cut in. Soldiers are too valuable to waste.”

“Understood. Then I’ll stay here and guard the artillery unit. Those two are already up front, after all.”

Mozolov accepted Jade’s suggestion and moved his own machine forward—just enough to shift into position for covering the artillery. Not quite to the front line, though.

“Those two… ah, special forces.”

He zoomed in on two spots on the monitor. There, two Armunales were tearing through the Abnomyle force—Batis and Elekshia’s machines.

Batis was out front, charging straight at the enemy line, cutting through like a blade through cloth. His style was simple—bold, unapologetic.

He swung his greatsword wide with both arms, cleaving enemies in two, one after another.

But bold didn’t mean reckless. He wasn’t just taking hits.

He used the centrifugal force of the blade’s arc to shift his frame, dodging attacks mid-motion while slicing through foes in return—like a whirlwind with teeth.

Training on the Abnomyle plains had paid off.

He read the enemy’s next move before it came, shifting just enough to set up his own strike.

Meanwhile, Elekshia moved with a flank unit, circling around to enclose the enemy.

While Batis led the charge, Elekshia worked through the enemy mass, pulling allies to safety as she went.

Darting through the chaos, slashing at enemy feet to knock them off balance. Shielding allies about to be taken down, breaking enemy weapons—this was how the Abnomylee fought.

Batis’s way was clear: smash through, break things, thin the numbers. Elekshia’s way was different—let allies finish off enemies, while she kept them safe and counted the kills.

Not much in raw numbers, but when facing many foes, it kept her allies from wearing out.

Jade, watching Elekshia’s moves, felt something stir.

If they fought like this, allies could gain confidence while still staying alive.

“Either way, we’re pressing forward strong. If this keeps up, we’ll have them pinned down before long.”

“Mm-hmm. Looks like they’ve got few Armunale left. Probably just trying to hold us back.”

"There's that, too. But it's really him. The fact that he's holding those two down—that's what matters most."

Relaxing a little, reassured by the steady advance, Jade’s eyes drifted to the edge of the monitor, where the battle unfolded.

There, against two Armunale, one Armunale was fighting like a lion—fierce, relentless.

"An Armunale moves like that, does it?"

Jade had seen Armunale fight each other before—several times, in fact. But never in earnest. Never in real combat. All the previous times had been drills, training runs. He’d never seen an Armunale truly fight.

So he was stunned by Eld’s machine.

Dodging the enemy’s axe, swerving just in time to avoid a spell fired from behind—when he couldn’t dodge, he’d shift the blade’s path with his sword.

Using his left arm’s iron pole like a pole vault, he leapt the machine skyward—then, still in midair, the pole spun, wrenching the machine around with brute force.

I was still staring, amazed—how could anyone do that?—when Morozov let out a quiet chuckle.

“Hah. Only he can pull that off. Nobody else could even try.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. They say he’s got some kind of special control method. I tried it myself—sure, it works, but the downsides… I couldn’t handle it.”

Full manual, half manual—thanks to Eld’s notes, every pilot in the Armunale unit knows the methods. Most knights gave up after a few tries, saying it was impossible. A few stuck with it, and managed to learn the half manual.

No one ever managed to master the full manual, though. Everyone decided the cost—losing use of one arm, the difficulty of control—wasn’t worth it.

“Still, that’s exactly why we can trust him, isn’t it?”

We gave up on that method ourselves. And yet he uses it so casually… with that kind of startup. You can’t help but admit the skill.

“Ah… a hero, then.”

“That’s right.”

“Then we’re just common soldiers. Let’s press forward like common soldiers—solid, steady, and close him in.”

Looking over, the Abnomüle unit, led by Elekzia, had already torn through the enemy line, spreading out sideways.

“Fifth Squad! Keep moving back—cut off their retreat! Flank them, destroy them! Third Squad, keep advancing—hammer them with fire! Fourth Squad, cease fire! Join up with Third and switch to close combat! Morozov, we’re with you!”

“Yes, then let’s go!”

Once I’d finished giving orders, Morozov and the others pushed forward along the line.

The fight against Abnomyle and the others was nearing its end.

“Men who’re slow to act get hated!”

“Hah, I’m already married. My wife and I get along just fine!”

“Wait—already married, and you beat me to it!?”

“Said you were all about pleasure, and now you’re chasing marriage?!”

“Marriage is one of the little joys for girls, isn’t it?”

“Then go back home and find a wife! I wanna go on a proper date with mine! All this war, all this fighting—how the hell am I supposed to date anyone decent?!”

“Cut it out with the happiness bragging already!!”

Swords clashed with axes—sparks flew.

Guess I won the argument, huh?

Her attacks grew sloppy—emotion was spiking. I lunged in, thinking this was my chance, but just as I moved, magic came in like a well-timed punch.

“Calm down, Rizet. Don’t let them bait you.”

“But Your Grace! I’ve been dumped again and again lately!”

“That… I didn’t know.”

Hey—was that hesitation just now? Did he actually…?

“You got dumped by Kansas too?”

“Grit.”

The sound of her teeth grinding came clear, even from here.

“I’ll kill her.”

Her voice—thicker now, hate doubled, maybe even tripled—spat the words out.

Still… that damn magic backup from Kansas is really getting in the way.

That timing—completely ruined. These two, they’re starting to sync up in battle, and I wanted to strike fast before they got too in tune. But if I’m gonna do that, I’ll have to take out Kansas first.

“Can I catch up in time—!”

“Damn you!”

Again, me and Rizet crash into each other.

This time, I don’t just block the axe—I push it back. In that split second, I fire the Fire Lance.

The lance streaks past Rizet’s frame and heads straight for Kansas’s machine. But it’s gone—wiped out, vanished, by the magic shield.

So the shield’s defense has really improved. No doubt about it.

Something about that machine’s design is starting to click.

No doubt it’s magic-focused—but its fuel? Probably those two tanks strapped to its back.

That thing’s probably serving as a spare mana tank, just like my Artifigoj. Which means the supply line for concentrated mana fluid—Hyimagia Liquid—is thick as well. Even if I unleash a torrent of high-powered spells, I won’t run dry.

And since the generator’s output stays at peak level, the magic shield’s ability is top-tier too.

Pure magic combat specialization. Then—

I push forward, parrying the blow and shoving their axe back.

Rizet naturally presses the attack, but I dart the unit forward, slipping past her side and slashing with my foot. Her left-hand axe blocks it, though.

No problem.

“What!?”

I let go of the blade mid-slip and pull out Perfilizzi from the Artifigoj.

"Physical processor (sense board) circuit normal, concentrated magic fluid (Hyimagia Liquid) supply complete, targeting system free control, lock-on."

Of course, I'm aiming at Kansas's machine. Magic defense's high, but how about bullet defense?

"Faith—no way you're getting away with that!"

Right before I press the trigger, something smacks the barrel of Perfilizzi.

It's an axe.

"Damn—circuit disengaged, supply valve sealed, emergency purge."

*Pfft!* The concentrated magic fluid (Hyimagia Liquid) supply tube stretching from the Artifigoj to Perfilizzi snaps clean, and the liquid still inside shoots into the air. It evaporates instantly, dissolving into the atmosphere with a faint shimmer.

And right there—without a second thought—I toss the barrel-damaged Perfilizzi aside.

It shattered right before firing, still full of magiakid.

The circuit was already alight—what happens when the broken magiakid ignites?

One second after I tossed the barrel-damaged Perfilizzi aside, it blew apart in a flash of blinding light. Nothing like the blast from the Abnomyle—this was worse.

I stayed shielded by Artifigoj, waiting for the shockwave to die down.

“Tch.”

I muttered under my breath, checking the aftermath. Just a small crater. The ground blackened and scorched, nothing more.

The sniper shot missed, but we got something out of it. Rizet, who hadn’t even bothered to shield against our previous magic attacks, came at full force to defend. So that means the physical defense of that Kansas unit is about on par with a regular Armunale.

“I won’t let you so much as touch you, Your Grace!”

“Quite the bold promise you’ve got there!”

Rizet lunged from behind, and I drew my sword on instinct to meet her.

I turned, leaving my back to Kansas. Naturally, I expected it to strike from behind. But when I checked through the camera feed, the Kansas unit wasn’t firing magic at us—instead, it was pointing in a completely different direction.

The Kansas unit was facing away from us.

I twist the camera on instinct, checking where Kansas is looking. There, cutting in from the side to flank the enemy, were the kingdom’s Abnomüle units.

“Elexia! Pull the unit back! Magic’s coming!”

I shout, lunging to fire at Kansas’s feet, but Rizet blocks me.

“Get out of the way!”

“Getting in your way, Your Grace. How about pulling back now?”

“Enough intel gathered from the one-armed. Further losses aren’t feasible. Retreat.”

He speaks as he casts the spell.

The magic engulfs the Abnomüle units—ten or so of them turn to scrap in an instant.

“Elexia!”

“I’m fine!”

“Keep retreating. Use the enemy squad as cover!”

“Got it.”

“You heard the orders, everyone. Fall back—follow Elexia’s lead.”

‘Got it.’

As the Abnomüle unit slowly retreated, Rizet’s machine began to pull slowly away from me.

But coming this far with nothing to show… that’d be a shame.

“Even if it’s just you, I’ll crush you.”

“Haha, sorry, but time’s up today. Make it worth my while next time.”

“I’m the kind who treats every encounter like it’s my last.”

“Then this is our final dance.”

Rizet hurls her axe—both hands gripping it—toward me.

I deflect it with my sword and press forward. But she instantly pulls another axe from her back and throws it at me.

The closer we get, the shorter the time until impact.

Another blast from Kansas—stopped me cold. Now the gap between me and Rizet’s got wider than ever.

At this point, chasing after her’d be reckless. I could handle Abnomyle alone, sure—but if Kansas and Rizet move in sync? No way I’d keep up.

“See you later, one-armed warrior.”

“Bye.”

She’s already gone, thinks she’s escaped. But I said it, didn’t I? I’m the type who treasures every single meeting.

So much for that—let me land one strike, at least.

I plant both feet wide, lock the frame tight into the earth.

Then aim Artifigouj straight at Kansas’s machine.

“Long time no see… Final technique.”

Only four blades left—less power than before, but what can you do?

“Totarite Epilation… activated.”

Press the button behind the glass panel in the cockpit, and Artificogius’s armor unfolds automatically, reshaping into something like a massive turret.

Concentrated mana fluid—Hyimagia Liquid—poured from the reserve tank, triggering an explosion inside Artificogius identical to the one from Perfilizie, violently launching the four remaining swords.

“Wha—!?”

Rozet was the first to notice, her eyes locked on me the whole time.

She swung her axe instinctively to deflect the swords accelerated by the blast—but with only two arms, she could only knock down two of the four. The other two shot straight toward Kansas’s machine.

“Your Grace!”

“Hmph!”

At Rozet’s cry, Kansas, commanding from the Abnomyle side, finally realized the attack and scrambled to move the machine. Too late, though.

While Kansas’s machine twitched, two swords flew in.

One passed just past his face and sliced through the air behind him. The other pierced the tank strapped to Kansas’s back.

Instantly, a blinding light spilled out from the tank. No doubt about it—this was the phenomenon of concentrated magic liquid (Hyimagia Liquid) evaporating.

So, just as I thought—those tanks were full of concentrated magic liquid (Hyimagia Liquid). If both had been full, he could’ve fired off spells like a madman without worrying about running out of power.

Guess I got my info straight, too.

Kansas quickly purged the tank and pulled back from the field.

Rozet, still glaring at me, retreated step by step.

I kept an eye on her, watching her go.

“Eld, you alright?”

“Eld, you alright?”

“Yeah, fine here.”

As the enemy vanished from sight, still keeping watch, Batis and Elekcia approached us.

Their unit was busy packing up for retreat, gathering up broken parts and salvageable components from the field.

“Man, you’re still a freak. How’d you handle those two and come out with five intact?”

My machine’s surface was scorched and scarred, but the core structure was nearly untouched.

Swap out the armor, tweak the joints that took the strain, and it’ll be back in the field in no time.

“Skill, you know? Though, barely made it. Next time, we’ll need a proper plan—or we’re the ones getting wiped.”

Kansas said she’d finished gathering my data. So next time we fight, she’ll definitely be casting spells after studying my movements. That means the magic I dodged today might not be dodgeable next time.

I let out a breath, relaxing in the pilot seat, and started thinking about how I’d handle those two next time.