Nigoru Hitomi de Nani wo Negau

Soldiers were carried to the treatment center built in the field position without any cut-off.

“Not enough ointment. Ask help from anyone free.”

“Fracture on the leg? That kind of thing is postponed. Seriously injured are prioritized.”

“Press hard. Even if the wound is closed, you will die without enough blood.”

The odor of blood, pus, excrement, therapeutic chemicals, and deodorant incense was mixed and gave off an unbearable odor. Sugimoto Ayane knew that the severity of the injured had changed. There were a wide variety of war wounds that Ayane had treated, such as arrow wounds, bruises, and internal bleeding, but most of the patients brought in over the past hour had been severely burned by fire-attribute magic.

The Craist soldier, who inhaled the fire, had burned the upper respiratory tract and had difficulty breathing due to burns. Ayane touch the mouth and throat with her washed fingers without hesitation, and applied mana to check the damaged part. She knew from experience that it would be more difficult to treat areas that couldn’t be seen with the naked eye. She continued to use healing magic for a minute. Soldiers who had been burnt both inside and outside were treated to the extent that they could breathe again.

“The emergency treatment is over”

Originally, burns on the limbs had to be treated, but too many soldiers needed treatment. At the treatment center, there was no choice but to proceed with the surgery while considering whether it would be a handicap or not, and the necessity for prolonging life. Ayane sorrowfully started giving treatment to the next patient. The soldier suffered severe burns to his lower body.

“A, aa, it hurts, it hurts… Help, I don’t want to die.”

Ayane grabbed the hand of a soldier begging for life.

“It’s okay. It’s gonna be okay.”

It seemed as if Ayane said it to herself as well as the patient.

Ayane noticed that it was integrated with the skin when she removed the shin guards and put her hand on her pants.

“Maia-san”

When Ayane called out to her assistant, Maia, she dexterously removed the adhesions and tore the clothes. The subcutaneous tissue was burnt, and in some places, the skin was inflamed. As Ayane first thought, it was a widespread burn that would be classified as Grade III.

A wound that might be difficult to heal even with modern medicine, but Ayane had healing magic, moreover a special grade. Her vision was distorted by the repeated use of mana, but other healing magicians had exhausted their mana. If Ayane stopped here, the soldiers seeking salvation wouldn’t be even able to see the night sky today. Ayane clenched her teeth and kept her consciousness, and continued to cast healing magic. For Ayane, who didn’t have the fighting power of Yuuto and Makoto, the treatment center was the battlefield.

When the sun was about to settle down, the patient’s wave stopped. The injured in the daytime battle were brought in, but no one was seriously injured. Still, Ayane wasn’t happy. She knew one of the reasons why seriously injured people were not brought in. Near the treatment center, soldiers who were beyond saving, were lined up in a row. In order to avoid being demonized by the demons, the monks were sprinkling holy water with words of prayer. It was a soldier sleeping in the back seat who called out to Ayane, who stood up with her helplessness.

“H-Healing magician-dono”

It was one of the Craist soldiers that Ayane helped. Perhaps he had something to say, he got up and bowed his head.

“You haven’t slept yet!!?”

The soldier who reached for Ayane who rushed to him, spoke words in repetition.

“Thank you, T-thank you, very much.”

Many lives couldn’t be saved, but Ayane, who saw a patient shed tears and thanked her, felt a little saved.

“The mask, he wore a mask, that guy is, the user, of 《Demon Fire》. When I, felt the hot air, on my skin, and saw, the blue flame, I thought, I was dead. I was lucky, but, everyone, around me, everyone was…”

Ayane gently tapped the soldier’s shoulder, which was sobbing, and put the soldier to sleep.

“Drink plenty of water. You have to rest.”

The soldier continued to mutter until he fell asleep. Ayane remembered that other patients were also leaking the horror of 《Demon Fire》. All of them were afraid of the ordinary enemy soldier without any rank who controlled the 《Fire of Hell Gate》, which spread death over a wide area.

Imagining the fire was shot towards people and its power, Ayane felt chills run through her spine. 

Ayane earnestly hoped that such a crazy flame wouldn’t come for her two childhood friends.

◆

The leading figures of the Craist Kingdom army were gathered in the corner of the Craist Kingdom army. The entrance to the tent was tightly closed, and heavy air flowed. The ones having a war council were confused, and the cause was the layer, which the Craist Kingdom army was in charge of capturing. 

It was Gran Reharzen, the commander of the Order of Reharzen, who was in charge of the war council.

“As all of you know, even if you capture the layer in front of us, the Highserk Empire still has some layers, and the Sarajevo Fortress, which is the real defense facility, remains.”

In Gran’s words, everyone organized the situation. Since the beginning of the war, 6 of the 13 layers that have been contracted have fallen into the hands of the Four-Countries Alliance, but they hadn’t yet reached the core layer, and 7 layers were still there. The soldiers didn’t show their stance to take the fallen layer back, and when they suffered a certain amount of damage, they moved to the rear layer and continued to resist, so the more they attacked, the more enemy soldiers they must deal with. The soldiers were severely worn, and without Ayane, one of the Three Heroes, some corps would be dysfunctional by now due to a series of injured people.

“Still, we, the Craist Army, dropped two layers and were ahead of the others in the alliance. But, it was only until yesterday.”

Gran cut his words and continued talking.

“You all know the result of my infantry, who tried to make a breakthrough yesterday. 102 dead, 117 heavily injured. 2 corps with 100 soldiers were wiped from the army list. This much damage was caused by only one soldier.”

A 1000-man commander and the knights, who were under the command of the two corps, had a bitter face as if they had eaten worms all at once.

“The skill that seems to have been used is 《Demon Fire》. In terms of destructive power, Yuuto and Makoto are more powerful. The problem is its duration and range. The commander who survived on the front line, please tell the story.”

Everyone’s eyes gathered at the commander who appeared from the edge of the tent. His appearance was terrible due to burns and painful to look at.

“… He’s seriously injured. Wouldn’t it have been better with just a report without having to pull the injured into the meeting?”

Knight Johanna, who belonged to the Order of Reharzen, distorted her well-organized eyebrows. While she was an excellent subordinate, Gran knew that Johanna remained sweet, good or bad. Gran tried to reply, but it was the 1000-man commander who blocked him.

“Even if I can’t move my limbs, I can still move my mouth without any problems. And I asked Commander Gran-dono to allow me to come to this place. I’m sorry for making Johanna worried.”

Sensing the strong will of the soldier, Johanna obediently admitted her fault.

“No, it was me who thoughtless. Please continue.”

“I ordered to do a mass assault, and my corps was in the fourth row running up the embankment. The moment the soldiers in the front row tried to jump into the warrior on the top of the embankment, someone shouted that there was a user of 《Demon Fire》――”

Once the 1000-man commander took a breath, he continued to speak.

“I had the opportunity to talk to the company commander of the Liberitoa Infantry Corps, and at that time I heard about this 《Demon Fire》. It thought it was just a rumor on the battlefield. But most of the company soldiers had burns, and so, I believed the story to a certain extent. That decision made the difference between life and death.”

The 1000-man commander continued his words as if he was enduring something.

“The soldiers within 5m on the most front disappeared into blue flames without having time to raise their voices. All of them died instantly. Even my corps, which was at 15m away, was burned by fire and some were instantly burned to death. Within 20m, some got burns and wounds from the flame. “

Only those who were familiar with magic attacks participated in the war council. From its power and range, it was speculated that it must be as powerful as 《Firestorm》, which was said as one of the most advanced fire-attribute magic.

“If you’re attacked by magic during training, it’s common to hide in a shield or lie down on the ground, but not in the case of 《Demon Fire》. You have to run away. Even if you cover yourself behind the shield or the trench, the flames would wrap around it and enter. The trench has become a literal crematorium. Blue flames and hot air continue to blow intermittently. Unless you have knight-class mana, it will not be possible to approach him. Only one knight survived in the first and second rows. “

Johanna knew that the Knights belonged to the Order of Reharzen had been killed and injured, and Johanna, who went to visit the injured, was speechless of how horrific he looked. Still, she got some information from him.

“I asked the corps to run with all their might before asking my superior’s instructions. Still, half were burned… I used to make a fool of it as a fairy tale when I was a kid. But, 《Fire of Hell Gate》is definitely, based on the true story.”

The inside of the tent was surrounded by a heavy silence.

“More than anything else. For him to be in the layer my corps is in charge of.”

The 1000-man commander said bitterly.

“It’s useless to push with only the number of infantries. We have to kill him by surrounding him with soldiers with long-distance magic or weapon and with soldiers who have knight-class mana.”

Gran, who had been thinking until then, spoke seriously.

“The problem is how to pull it out.”

“Including the information from the Liberitoa soldiers, he’s usually in a group of ordinary soldiers. Ranged attacks won’t be that effective.”

The 1000-man commander who had summarized the information from the friendly army answered Gran.

“In that case, is it necessary to intentionally create an unordinary situation and attract him?”

“… Let me do it with my squad.”

It was Johanna who came forward. Gran hesitated. He knew all the characteristics of his subordinates. Johanna’s abundant mana could strengthen her physical strength and form a strong magical barrier. And although it could be said that she was suitable for this mission, it was undeniable that there was a part where she put her personal feeling too much.

“Then, I’ll leave it to you. Just, until the purpose is reached, throw away your personal feelings. If you fail, the damage will be worse than now. Understood?”

“Yes, I understood, I will definitely succeed.”

The eyes that made you feel Johanna’s strong will were looking at Gran.

“Yuuto, Makoto, you guys give a deadly blow from a long distance with other magic-user soldiers. Even if you’re not familiar with the enemy, this is an important task. Do it without fail.”

Gran understood that it was terrible for the two, who were young and had not much experience of war, but what can be used on the battlefield must be used, even if it was cats, dogs, and children.

“……I understood”

Gran took his eyes off the two who responded seriously.