THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

When I wake up, I am back at the camp. I cannot believe it. 

"How am I supposed to defeat him if it is like this?" Did he make me faint from a single punch and with that much distance between us? Then I can't win. I will be killed. No matter what I do, he will surely…What am even thinking about?

"Silly me." He will die, no matter what, right? 

"Are you okay?" 

Frankher enters the tent. He looks dejected and tired. 

"What happened after? How long was I out for?" 

"Calm down first. Are you hurt anywhere?" 

"I can't feel pain so I wouldn't know. But I can move so it doesn't matter. Tell me what happened." 

"After you fainted, he killed several dozens more soldiers. All alone, then he went back to wherever he came from and the dome reappeared. He made a very impressive demonstration of strength there."

"Fucking bastard…" But if he is that strong, I will need a very good strategy to beat him. 

"Longinus have restarted coming out as well but that part can be handled for now. The main problem now is to establish a strategy. Because even if we bring the dome down, the whole army will be wiped out." 

"Then only send some people in." 

"That's not a possibility. They will die. You will die. Anyone who would go inside will die for sure." 

"What do we do then?" 

"I don't know. Frankly speaking, I really don't." 

"Pfft!" 

"What is so funny right now?" 

"S-sorry. It's just that your name is Frankher and you said frankly so, I…sorry." You don't have to look at me like that, you know.

"Anyway, if you can make stupid jokes then you are probably okay. We will hold an emergency meeting in one hour with other captains. Be there." 

"Yes, sir." 

"Good." 

Frankher leaves and then it is Willhem's turn to enter. He still has a trace of blood on his cheek.

"He got us good this time." 

"We will make him pay. With interest at that." 

"Still, he is strong. Perhaps too strong for a direct approach." 

"How else can we fight him if not directly?" 

"That's what we have to think about." 

Willhem sits on the bed next to mine and I do the same, pushing the bedsheets that were covering me.

"Willhem, were you able to see his attacks?" 

"Not really. The first time, I must admit that I didn't even know that he had stroke. The second time, I just knew he would from his expression but I couldn't follow. I am amazed you did." 

"I didn't. Just like you, I just knew he was going to aim for Frankher since he interrupted him." 

"Tch. Now we have to deal with that monster and the thundering viper as well."

"Yeah, Tatiana won't be easy to take down. But I must…I will do it." 

"We will, don't worry." 

Willhem shows me his fist and I punch it lightly. 

"For them idiots." 

"For them idiots." 

***

Later, at the meeting, there are five captains present, Stephan included. When I enter the room, the atmosphere is heavy and dark. Even Frankher is a bit gloomy. 

"So, let us go straight to the problem, shall we? Right now, the commander is dead and the news have only been sent twenty minutes ago. It is highly probable that the church won't send reinforcements considering the assault they will launch on Onklah soon."

"But are we sure? The situation here is just as important after all. And there are a lot of powerful people on their side already, it is more likely that they will send some people, I think." A captain speaks while stroking his mustache.

"I doubt it. Although it is difficult to admit with our current condition, Onklah is a much bigger problem. It would be better not to count on it." Stephan answers with an indecisive look. Even he, who is the hero who managed to put down the first dome, is hesitant. Would you believe it?

"If that's the case then we are screwed. We should retreat first and wait for the heroes and the saintess to finish over there." 

"This could take months, you know?" 

"So what? Most of Titanium has been taken back already. All we have to do is to hold on long enough." 

"Don't forget that the soldiers get tired as well. Do you really think we can hold a stalemate for that long?" 

They start squabbling like kids but it just gets more and more annoying because nobody proposes anything. They are all just speaking while avoiding the inevitable truth. With this, we might still be here by tomorrow morning without a clear decision.

"Sigh…" 

"Star of Mercuria, you haven't said anything until now. What is wrong?" Frankher is looking at me like I am the one at fault here. You guys are the ones wasting time here.

"As far as I am concerned, we should attack. We enter that thing and end all this." 

"You commit suicide, you mean. Because I can't see any other end to all this than your death." 

"And how many people can even enter the dome, to begin with. This thing saps strength so quickly even the best of us won't last. The hammer hands will just have to step on us and finish us off once we are inside." 

"And then you ha-"

"You guys are tiring." 

"What?!" Yup, I knew it. "How dare you insult us?! Just because-"

"This is exactly why I said you are tiring. We have a problem at hand right now but you keep rambling about nonsense for no reason like anybody cares. The hammer hands has shown us his strength. If we don't answer in kind, then we are already losing."

"No, this is not a matter of-"

"No, he is right. It is a matter of pride here, indeed." Thank you, Frankher. "The hammer hands has chipped away at our pride and if we retreat then the morale of the soldiers will only worsen with time. We should strike as well." 

"That's easier said than done, sir." 

"And yet, we must do it."