The fighting power of the detached force was estimated to be around 5,000. On the other hand, the defense force had only managed to squeeze out around 600 people. The difference in strength was almost 10 times.

However, the organized unit consisted not only of humans. It was a mixed unit that contained not only human soldiers, but also demi humans possessing physical strength and agility far exceeding ordinary man-like beasts and centaurs led by the Garm tribe.

The extents of their equipments could be seen from each race, the human knights wore their usual armors, but the tribes that were generally known for fast movements, such as the Garm tribe, emphasized on lightness and only wore minimum armors of breastplates, shoulder plates, and hand guards. In contrast, the Centaurs who literally excelled in horsepower, and the dwarves who had physiques of an ordinary child excelled in their physical strength, had their whole body wrapped with durable armors heavier than human beings.

Their appearance spread intimidation into the air, any weak willed person would have escaped the scene in the first notice.

The one commanding the troops was Ordy, the legendary Fenrir having silver hair more beautiful than any silverwork, a person whose only born once every several hundred years in the Garm Tribe.

With Ordy as the leader of the two legged and four legged demi humans, humans, and dwarves, each with their own items and equipments, rode on horses and transportation carriages in order cross the drawbridge over deep moat that separated the headquarters and the city area.

“Raise the bridge after all of us have crossed over! You must never lower the bridge until we return!”

“Understood!”

After looking back and giving orders to the soldiers operating the bridge, Ordy turned around to the direction of the gate on the Imperial Capital’s side. black smoke rose up on other side of the buildings.

His more developed canine teeth dug into his lips, having pierced through his lips easily, Ordy did not concern himself with the pain and the taste of iron that spread through his mouth.

His daughters and the benefactor young man should be around that area in order evacuate. It would have been much safer for them to stay in the barracks now, but there was no use regretting it anymore.

Perhaps...... the girls’ group was already in the hands of the Alwina army under those smokes ――――――.

“(Don’t think about unnecessary things, all I need to think now is how to suppress the Alwina army and keep my subordinates alive.)”

Ordy and his subordinates’ speed from the Garm tribe was much faster than horses. They had ran taking the lead while the other demi human tribesmen and ordinary soldiers followed after by horse. Among those riding on the horses were few magicians.

“Lay a barricade here! Anything will do, pile them up and make a wall!”

While being alert to the enemies that might appear from the opposite side or on the sky, the soldiers gathered abandoned luggages, and pulled out furniture that could be used from inside the buildings, debris both sides of the road and piled it up.

Some archers and magicians climbed on the building roofs to secure their shooting range, and stood on guard from a better viewing position.

“Engineers set up the explosives!”

With their short body, the dwarves, surrounded by the escort soldiers jumped over the barricades easily, and set up the explosives they brought skillfully in every other houses.

The Dwarves were a race who lived in steep mountainous area, they excelled in mining techniques and can be said that handling explosives are their forte. There were even an anecdote that says that they had managed to master the use of gunpowders much faster than the humans who produced it.

The gunpowder in this world had a form of thick liquid with high viscosity. It was made by mixing several kind of secret medicines together with oil and casted with a magician\'s’ spirit power into it. It is said that the number of magicians is relatively proportioned to the volume of the gunpowder being produced, and that Alwina Kingdom was the first to invent the explosives.

It would explode in response to fire or spirit magic, one would only need to shoot fire arrows or fire magic to detonate them. In order to make the detonation much easier, they even left leather bags filled with flammable materials with oil surrounding the explosives.

The detached force will surely advance through this main street, Ordy was convinced ―――― because there was no other route where a large army can march to the headquarters gate besides this main street.

As the result of building dwellings adequate only to shelter from rainfall, and with the increasing citizens and lack of proper city planning, Citadel City became distorted like a go board. For that reason, Ordy’s group only set up barricades on the wide main street, unless one are residents familiar with the city layout, once you step inside the alleys, it will turn into a labyrinth with no way to escape.

Of course there were also a route from the narrow alleys that connects to an exit near the headquarters, but it will be impossible for the Alwina army who isn’t familiar with the city.

“Enemy Troops Discovered!”

“Alright, all members go to your position!”

Following the report from the archers on the roof, they held onto the barricade. With their sharp hearings, the Garm tribe could hear the slightly scattered marching footsteps. The same happened to those soldiers from other races, their human and beastman ears were twitching.

From the other side of the main street that curved slightly, the detached force of the Alwina army appeared. Their formation spread out as it filled the main street, making them look like a flood of people ―――― their desperation reflected by the way they enter the scene was similar to those on the defending side.

Over the heads of the detachment force were the troops riding on their Gryphon. It was clearly not allied forces. They approached the barricade rapidly. Ordy’s sight accurately grasped the rider who was preparing to throw a bomb.

“Get me a Javelin”

“Yes!”

A subordinate offered a spear to Ordy.

The spear was a throwing spear, being shorter and more balanced than the conventional spear. After checking its grip, Ordy concentrated his consciousness, placing all his strength under his navel as a thin layer of light covered his whole body. A strength reinforcement magic was invoked.

The reinforcement was to the degree that the short spear was almost crushed in his grasp.

“UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”

With a scream and a short run, the Javelin was thrown. With the ideal motion and strength reinforcement magic added on top of the superior strength of demi humans, the short javelin tore through the air aiming for the Gryphon flying at low altitude.

There was not enough time to evade.

Rather than describing it as a sound of a javelin piercing its target, it was the sound of a steel hammer pulverizing bones and flesh that reverberated in the air as the javelin penetrated through the Gryphon and its rider from an angle. A large hole was drilled open as fresh blood and pieces of flesh flew from their back as if they had exploded from inside their own bodies.

Both of them were skewered by the short spear and crashed to the buildings without ever reaching the barricade. The feets of detachment force who witnessed their allied Sky Cavalry being shot down stopped.

Standing on either side of the barricade, Ordy’s Defence Force glared at the Alwina Forces like master swordsmen in a duel. At that moment, the noises of a larger war on the other side of town seemed like an event in a faraway world.

The formation of Alwina army began with the heavy infantry of shields and long spears in front as they gradually advance towards the barricade. While closing the distance, they could feel the tension rising.

――――― A huge explosion resounded from the direction of the main battlefield.

As if that was the cue, the detached force simultaneously sped up and began their charge. With a roar, the detached vanguards closed their gap to the barricade, the heavy infantry advanced holding a large shield on their left hands and a long spear on their right.

As soon as they reached the range of arrows and magic, Alwina archers situated in the rear of the formation stopped their advance and started to give a cover fire for the infantry soldiers as they continue their charge. The barrage of arrows and magic flew over the heads of their allies to rain over the barricade

The defender side followed up by erecting a semi-transparent barrier, built from spirit magic by the magician unit which was protected by the big shields from their allies. It was said that a high-ranking magician is able to erect a defensive barrier around a big building that will not shake even slightly when it receives damages from massive magic attacks and siege weapons.

As soon as the arrows touched the semicircular film, it was easily repelled, light and flame balls exploded on the surface of the curtain. The magicians that erected the defensive wall grimaced upon the impact, however the improvised barricade was safe. The heavy infantry was still advancing.

This time it was the turn of Ordy’s group.

“Those situated on the roofs will shoot the most outward buildings according to your own judgments!”

With that instruction, the archers and magicians on the roof aimed fire arrows and magic canons towards the buildings at the distance set with explosives, then they fired.

In a heartbeat, a large explosion occurred after several fire arrows and magic were released towards the edge of the buildings. It was at the very moment when the foremost infantries charging ahead arrived in front of the building. The pieces of building materials from the explosion blast became a weapon, hitting blows to the detachment force at the best moment of time.

As the smoke cleared up, the scenery of countless corpses could be seen. There were those whose body was torn into shreds, those and those whose all four limbs were torn from the bomb’s blast. Even when the wounds couldn’t be seen, there are those who still died from the damages received by their internal organs from the blast’s shockwave, those who bled from every body openings, and there were also those burned from the high-temperature blast, and died from breathing difficulties and etc. Various corpses lay scattered throughout the main street.

The footsteps of those who escaped from the explosion weakened. After being scolded by their commanders, they had attempted to step over the corpses of their allies but Ordy’s group didn’t miss the chance.

“Firee!!!”

At the same time as the signal, arrows and magic were released all at once, pouring over the heads of the Detachment Force.

In this way, a curtain of a new fierce battle was dropped.

Meanwhile at that time, Karito’s group.

“Which way should we turn next?”

“We should definitely turn right here.”

“You’ve said that earlier too, but still we ended up hitting a dead end. Is this really the right way ?”

“Onee-chan! You shouldn’t say such things when they take all trouble to guide us!”

“Umm, I’m sorry. I don’t have much confidence anymore since it has changed so much since I was a child....”

We were lost. Having to depend on the daughter of the former tavern manager who turned out to be an unreliable local guide, anxiety gradually crept into our minds, doubting whether we are really heading towards the headquarters or not. Perhaps, could we be moving in the opposite direction instead?

“It will be much easier if I can use the reconnaissance aircraft (<SwitchBlade>)”

As he complained, Karito looked up at the sky from the narrow alley, and coincidentally saw an Alwina force consisting of four Sky Cavalry in a formation flying past them. Looking by the situation, it seemed like the advantage of aerial territory has been taken by the Alwina army, if he had launched the <SwitchBlade> in this situation and be discovered, in the worst case, it will be shot down on the spot and Karito’s group location would be in great risk of being found, so he gave up on the idea.

Looking at the state of the main street which looked a scene from hell, everyone escaped to the back alley. After only 15 minutes, Karito had already began to regret his choice. It was because the back alleys of this other world was in a state of chaos, whereas there are no board signs to kindly guide them through this residential area.

All the roads have different widths and various length, abandoned baggages on the streets also made it difficult to pass through, it became necessary to scan the surrounding area frequently using the sharp hearing and smelling sense of Reona and the Tavern mother and daughter pair. Who could’ve known how many times they would bump into Alwina soldiers that was scattered around the whole area.

Apparently, both sides were lost inside the back alleys that seemed like a maze to them, but that was another matter.

“Stop. there is an enemy around that corner.”

Karito who was leading at the front who seemed to forget to scan the enemy for Nth time, discovered an enemy. He sent a signal to Reona who followed behind him by holding up his fist.

Four reactions were detected over a wall. They were approaching here. Unfortunately, there was no place for Karito’s group to hide or escape in this straight road.

If they were to be discovered, should he eliminate them before they could call for reinforcements?

It was obvious which one to choose.

‘Fuu’ he exhaled the tension that had accumulated, and checked the bullets that had been loaded into the gun in his hand.

Right now, Karito was equipped with TDI Kriss Super V submachine gun with the silencer and dot sight installed. Because of its compact size, firepower, and with a silencer attached, it was the best gun compatible for covert action or battles in narrow places. It was loaded with the .45 ACP armour piercing bullets.

When Karito mentioned that it was compatible with a silencer, he meant that when a bullet flies out at the speed of sound it will create shock waves that would echo in the surrounding area, but with Kriss Super V’s good compatibility added with the .45 acp bullet which are subsonic bullets, it will demonstrate a much more effective silencing effect.

[TL: Subsonic ammunition is ammunition designed to operate at speeds less than the speed of sound, which at standard conditions is 343.2 m/s (1,126 ft/s). This avoids the supersonic shockwave or "crack" of a supersonic bullet, which particularly for suppressed or silenced firearms influences the loudness of the shot.]

It’s striking power was higher to compensate the bullets’ speed with the weight on it’s projectile, but it’s penetration power was still lower than the .9 mm parabellum bullet. Loaded with armor piercing bullet, it will be able to contend the standard breastplate that the soldiers of this world wore to some degree.

“1, 2 ―――― 3!”

He sprang out according to the count. Giving the enemies no time to even gasp at the sudden appearance. He jumped out and scattered bullets everywhere aiming the gun roughly at the height of a human’s body. The rapid fire was at 1,100 shots per minute. There was no escape in this narrow alley.

The breastplate worn by the men was a thin type that emphasized on mobility, and so the armor was easily pierced, the handgun bullets pierced through leaving a number of holes in their armor destroying their body.

There was no signs of other soldiers coming as reinforcements. He had shot them before they could let out a single groan, in the first place, people in this world who have no experience of hearing gunshots through a silencer or the like will have no way to know the identity of the sound.

While Karito reloaded the Kriss Super V which was out of ammunitions due to its high rapid-fire cycle, Karito shuffled closer to check whether the soldiers that had fallen in the pool of blood was dead or not.

―――――― There was only 1 person who survived. He was only a young boy who looked like a highschool student about the same age as Karito or even less.

“..........”

Judging from the injury, the part where the shot had pierced through was his lungs. A large amount of fresh blood flow backwards into his mouth, he would die from drowning by his blood first than from excessive bleeding.

He look at Karito, the criminal that murdered his company and himself with eyes of hopelessness. His mouth trembled with fresh blood clogging up his throat unenabling him to breathe, and on the verge of dying, his eyes looked at Karito strongly relaying its unsaid emotions.

...... I don’t want to die, his eyes pleaded.

“(Don’t look at me with such eyes.)”

Karito couldn’t remember how many lives he had taken within these past few days, but this was the first time he had looked at the face of a dying person.

He averted his eyes unable to endure it. He pointed the muzzle to the face of the dying boy soldier and he shot once more. He advanced forward while trying not to look at the boy’s corpse that had been relieved from his pain as much as possible.

The parent and daughter that ran a tavern appeared from the corner, they wore a grim expression as they stared unbelievably at Karito. It’s like they were looking at a monster. Even though the soldiers were taken by surprise, Karito had shot down four armed soldiers without touching them. In their eyes, Karito must have looked like an unidentifiable existence.

Karito decided not to think of anything unnecessary now. So pretending to feign ignorance, Karito calmly asked the cat eared girl.

“Then, where should we go next?”

“Th, this way I think.”

They resumed their move as guided by the cat eared girl. They turned right and left, as well as going straight, sometimes they would encounter Alwina soldiers, hit a dead end twice, and made a U turn once and then continued walking.

After a considerable amount of time had passed, Reona’s nose suddenly twitched. Suddenly, she frowned as if bothered by something and Karito turned to peek into her face.

“Is there a strange smell? I don’t smell anything in particular though.”

“Ah, un, Perhaps Karito will notice as we draw near to its source. But be careful, because there seems to be a few people inside.”

Reona pointed out at a half opened back door of a building. Concerned with Reona’s reaction, he decided to examine it carefully.

But the moment he slipped into the gap of the door to raid inside, Karito frowned immediately too. the smell of body fluids similar to chestnut flowers reached his nose.

Partly out of obligation, he headed towards the interior of the building. He could roughly guess what was happening inside, but he wasn’t able to bring himself to ignore things when he had already noticed it.

“Oi oi, until when are you gonna shake your hips? Both of them had kicked the bucket a long time ago haven’t they ?”

Just by hearing the man’s voice , you could easily imagine him having a vulgar look.

“No, even though it is like this, it is good enough. It’s still warm and soft, it is not bad.... Ku!”

They were a group of four people. They certainly are not young, and seemed to be in their 30’s or 40’s, they looked like carnivorous beasts that was hungry for blood that turned into human beings as it is.

Surrounded by them were a pair of woman and a girl. Judging from the color of their hair and face, they seemed to be parent and child. They were fairly pretty to the point that people wouldn’t had left them alone.

But the beautiful mother and child was dirtied by cloudy body fluids all over their body, and there was not even a sign of life reflected in their pupils anymore. Nevertheless the Alwina soldier who loomed on top of the mother’s naked body continued to shake his hips, the scene was too ugly to behold.

Karito’s action the moment he saw that sight was very simple.

He fired all the bullets towards those all those soldiers who still haven’t notice Karito’s presence.

Being bombarded by the bullets, the Alwina soldiers jerked their bodies in a dance of death, while leaking out strange screams like ‘Gya’ ‘Ga’ ‘Ghu’. the head of the soldier who was hammering his waist into the mother’s corpse was blown away. The fishy smell was replaced by the smell of blood and gunpowder.

After a few seconds, the only human moving in that room was Karito alone.

He kicked aside the corpse of the soldier who had fall over the mother and walked towards the corpses of the mother and daughter. He doesn’t have a hobby of kicking around dead bodies, but this didn’t apply to the soldier.

After placing his fingers on the necks of the naked mother and daughter pair to check their pulses, clicking his tongue, he took out the pencil type syringes and injected the medicine into their necks. the contents was the same as the one he used to help Rina who was pierced by a sword, it was the resurrection medicine.

He waited for a while

He waited, waited and waited.... But there was no reaction.

“Damn it!”

He threw the empty syringes to the wall and punched his fist against the wall as an impulse. His fist pierced deeply into the wall build from a mortar like material.

He understood it, he had already knew it. Unlike Rina, it was already too late for this two people when there was no clock like icons which indicated the time for possible resurrection.

Still, he thought there might still be a possibility, but it was still of no use as expected. Whose fault was this? Why can’t they be helped? Is there any way to help them? His thoughts were moving in circles.

He gently closed the eyelids of the mother and daughter which was opened wide in despair and covered the two dead bodies with a blanket that lay on a corner of the room. Thinking to the best of his ability, it was the only thing Karito could do for them.

“He, help.... Anyone, help me....”

What? There is someone still alive?

It looked like he had received the bullets on his chest and the right shoulder, but the bullet remained dug into the armor and didn’t manage to penetrate his breastplate, it seemed like his breastplate was much thicker than the others. But, the breastplate was cracked like a cobweb spread out from the point of contact, the man’s voice was faint, and it seemed like he has breathing difficulty because of the impact.

Fresh blood flowed out from a hole the size of thumb from his right shoulder that was not protected by the armor.

It was the voice of enemy soldier seeking for help.

Karito answered,

“I do not want to.”

Only against this kind of opponent could kill without feeling any pangs of conscience.

While embracing such crazy thoughts, he fired all the bullets left in his magazine towards the soldier.