Battlefield 4 in the mountains

Late at night inside the tent, memories of the day raced through my mind.

The first time I took a human life.

The strange gem clinging to a person's arm.

None of it felt real—none of it could be accepted.

Eventually, I couldn't sleep and stepped outside the tent.

Outside, Kenny was on night watch.

"Can't sleep, huh?"

"Yeah, I can't stop thinking about what happened during the day."

"About the magic stone? Or... about killing someone?"

Being pointed out by Kenny, tension builds in my body.

Yeah, I suppose that's true. Regardless of the outcome of the battle, I took a life.

I struggled and hesitated a lot myself.

Does Kenny have experience with this too?

Clara was about to be raped, and I lost control and attacked. I couldn't judge my strength and ended up killing her.

Suddenly, an amazing story came up.

"That... I don't really understand it, but I think it was unavoidable."

"That's right. There was nothing we could do. It was unavoidable, just like with Taro."

"But I can't help wondering if there was something we could've done—some way to avoid killing her."

"If I couldn't think of it now, then there's nothing I can do. I'm not as capable as Taro, but I know that much."

"..."

Don't say it's unexpected... but you're right, I suppose.

"If there's anything I can do, it's probably just to improve my own strength and knock him out with overwhelming power."

"That's right. Taro could do it. There's a fundamental difference in how our minds work."

"I see... Thanks, I guess."

It was such a simple piece of encouragement, yet I felt genuinely uplifted. Alex and Kenny both have a knack for giving good encouragement.

"Feeling better? Good. Then, I'm counting on you from here on out."

"What do you mean?"

"Obviously, the night shift."

At that moment, I regretted not having gotten at least a little sleep.

The next day, after handing over driving duties to Clara, I felt completely refreshed and moved to the cargo bed.

I had come to examine the magical stones the royal soldiers had been carrying.

To be honest, I have absolutely no enthusiasm for handling something so grotesque, but I can't avoid investigating it.

The adventurers and imperial soldiers around me are completely repelled by my actions, but I couldn't care less about what others think.

After sketching its appearance and recording its image, I proceed to slice the magical stone right through the arm.

The arm inside is completely free of magical petrification—just a living, flesh-and-blood limb.

Is this truly the arm of someone who's suffered from the magical stone disease?

I've seen various cases of people petrified by magic, but this doesn't match any of them.

I've never heard of petrification covering the entire body like this.

The closest case I've encountered in this kingdom is Linah.

Her condition is the most similar.

Yet her symptoms stem from her体质, and it's hard to believe so many people would have the same condition.

There is a method of petrification using the bodily fluids of a monster, as seen in Akau Village, but it's hard to believe there are two such monsters. After all, the cause of monster emergence is still unknown.

Still, what an atrocious thing to do. Doesn't she have any compassion?

As I focused and continued my investigation, I finally reached the targeted combat zone.

Upon handing the letter entrusted by the Empress to the field commander, I was promptly led by imperial soldiers to a makeshift warehouse.

Inside the warehouse, several distorted magical stones were laid out on the ground.

Objects that had once been parts of human beings.

How cruel. Honestly, I just want to leave this room right now.

Resisting the rising wave of revulsion, I examined each one carefully.

It does resemble the Stone Plague, but the afflicted parts of the body are completely covered—unusually so. What on earth is this?

Trying it as I did when treating Rinā, I attempt to peel off the stone. Pressing a degraded stone against it and performing the transfer of spiritual energy.

The strange stone loses its color and crumbles apart.

It now feels no different from an ordinary stone.

Then, I’ll try using it!?

Just a tiny bit of mana flowing through it.

Even with just that, the magic stone rapidly heats up, spewing flames that ripple like they're melting.

What is this... I can't control it at all.

Powerful, but far too dangerous.

I've heard the kingdom leads in magic stone research, but can they really do something like this...

Yet no matter how far I go, it's still just an extension of the magic stone.

If you can prevent the transmission of magical essence, you can nullify the effect.

But how to do that... In my case, I can disable the activation by getting close to or touching the opponent's magic stone.

How could others achieve the same thing...?

Lost in thought, I was called by Alek.

"We've negotiated the safe return of captured enemy soldiers in exchange for information... What's wrong? You look strange."

None of your business. I knew something like this could happen.

It's simple. There are plenty of people here who don't want to die, each with their own reasons for being here.

That's true. That's normal. So, what's the main point?

We've been allowed to hear the information being exchanged. Want to listen in?

Of course I want to. If we can learn anything about that enormous magic stone...

Following Alek, we arrived at the location where the captured enemy soldiers were being interrogated—and the questioning had already begun.

The enemy soldier was meticulously detailing the operation he had participated in, the size of his unit, and their combat capabilities.

Honestly, military matters are completely beyond my understanding.

I get a brief moment of downtime.

Observing the captured enemy soldier, one could clearly sense the aftermath of intense combat.

Numerous bruises and scrapes, untreated, scattered across tattered clothing.

A sickly pallor on his face, shivering slightly—whether from cold or something else.

I wish there were something more I could do for him...

The enemy soldier is pressing his right hand against his left arm, as if in pain.

"Hey, you're shivering. Are you still lucid?"

The interrogator, noticing something amiss, expresses concern for his condition.

"...I'm fine."

"What? Speak up a bit louder."

"My arm... it's hurting. It feels like it's about to burst apart."

"It's for the information. I can treat it a little if you endure a bit. Show me your arm!"

Glancing at the interrogator's expression with trepidation, he cautiously extended his painful left arm.

When his arm was exposed, everyone present held their breath and froze in place.

His arm was infected with a spirit stone.