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[Gaaaahh!]

A sharp fang was directed towards Niina by a dark shadow.

[nWaaaahh!!]

Niina possessed [Crimson]’s equipment, narrowly dodging the beast’s attack using the modified hover-board with [Sonic Roller] parts integrated into it.

He continued ascending towards the cliff on his right and hopped off into a tree branch.

“That was dangerous. I was about to die back there. I prefer not to die in this thick and tropical forest. In the first place, that magical beast is too scary. Its body is jet black, and it’s turning dark every minute, so it’s getting harder to see.”

[Isn’t this too much? I really thought I would die back then.. Tsurugi-san, can’t you do something about it?!]

[Now now Niina, your moves there were certainly amazing.  You have talent.. something like that won’t be able to bring you down]

Tsurugi might scoff at him like that, but for Niina, it sounded no more than a joke. In the first place, it was difficult to subjugate [Anthrax] with their current numbers. That much was obvious when thinking in a composed manner.

[Well, that may be the case, but don’t we have enough time? We are getting pushed back, as well as other points too. That’s why for once Tsurugi-san could…]

It wasn’t like he was wrong. In the first place, their total fighting force was at a disadvantage.

A special operation at night, they were conducting guerilla warfare towards [Anthrax]’s Benante who was coming back to the island today.

They would conduct a joint operation within the forest, and infiltrate [Anthrax] while they were doing their ritual. They were supposed to settle it all at once, but they were occasionally spotted by patrols, and they had to fend them off.

[Tch, your a hopeless guy… oi, you beast, I don’t know whence you come from, and you are not from this world.. get.. lost!]

With his blade bathing in the moonlight, Tsurugi gave a slash towards the wolf like beast and split it in half. The beast evaporated like light, and a feint shuffling sound could be heard in the distance. A shaman probably collapsed from the pain it felt with the beast’s passing.

[Y’sure are tough Tsurugi-san.. Even without transforming, you still could do this much..]

Niina jumped off the branch he was standing on, and commented on as he touched the ground.

Tsurugi was already strong back when he was unmodified, now that he is, he’s strength was comparable to a super-human.

In his opinion, Niina thought the Tsurugi might be the strongest within Metallica.

[Niina, how’s the battle going?]

Tsurugi, with his staunched face, asked Niina.

[Umm, well..]

He brought out his tablet, looking at the screen, he checked on the reports. Their fighting force consisted of a part of Metallica’s First Sales Department, Crimson’s Combat Division, and Santäna who were only to be used in a specific situation.

The entire [Anthrax]’s forces wouldn’t be here, but they still stationed guards to ensure that their ritual would go on without problems.

In an all out confrontation, [Slayer] could never hope to outmatch and defeat [Anthrax] in its full force. In a limited battle such as this, they stood a chance, but victory is still unsure.

[… This is bad…]

[We can’t have everything go our way.. We’re moving to the next point.]

Niina was together with Tsurugi commanding a squad towards their objective destination. They were headed off to help their allies and deal with the arising threats. Ten minutes wouldn’t be enough.

There were a few reasons why [Slayer] targeted [Anthrax] first.

First, “They were already used to their strength”.

The magical beasts were certainly strong, but the shamans controlling them were nothing but amateurs. They neither had competent commanders nor tactics employed, and as an organization, their fighting style was flawed.

Second, If they could take down Benante, there was a high probability that the entire organization would come under them. Since they were so devoted to their god, such a catastrophic downfall on their prophet would demoralize them greatly.

And thirdly, if they manage to bring down [Anthrax], they would be immediately elevated to a major power house in the world.

There was no need to annihilate the entirety of [Anthrax]. If that happened, they wouldn’t be able to use them as their fighting force. [Slayer] would be acknowledged as a force able to bring down [Anthrax] and control its fighting force from the inside. That was the plan, and the best time to execute that plan was tonight where Benante was coming back to the island.

This operation was highly dangerous and its probability of success was very low. But the rewards are worth the risks involved.

In exchange for its annihilation when they failed, it would propel [Slayer] to new heights if they succeeded.

[Slayer] was no more than a small concentrated force . There was nothing for them to turn back on if they failed.

For them to grab the world by its horns, this was the only way for them.

He also knew. After all it was Niina himself that searched about [Anthrax]’s movements, their fighting force, and their plans for the ritual to be conducted tonight.

He knew, but he wished that it would instead happen in another day. After all that man wasn’t here. He was off to convincing this “Ikeno” person.

[Is there any word from Senpai Tsurugi-san?]

[No, if they wanted to contact us, it would be through Anice-san, but there’s no word from her either.]

Tsurugi, with his cool and calm expression, continued on, but the situation was already becoming critical.

First, each point that was fighting was fighting at a disadvantage. The enemy had the numbers, and if they couldn’t break through soon, they would be overwhelmed. It was also possible that they would be completely annihilated.

Their fighting capabilities can’t compare to the magical beasts, they were already beyond what a normal human being could fight at. Their attacks were too uncoordinated. The fault could lie on that they had no commander commanding them.

Tsurugi was moving around, providing each squad with support, ,while Niina was in charge of monitoring each squad’s situation.

By the way, Anice, who was managing the battle, was stationed off-shore on a ship. Even for a lady that had been brought up on tactics and warfare, she was doing well coordinating attacks with her experience.

Tsurugi, Niina, and Anice were fighting together ever since they met in Metallica. Their teamwork reflected their experience perfectly. They understood their each others abilities well, that they could measure what the person could and couldn’t do at a notice.

Even then [Anthrax]’s magical beasts still proved too strong for them to handle, and their numbers exceeded expectations.

At the current phase, the ratio was 2:8, them on the losing side. Yet they still didn’t see how it could just end like that, Their defeat was not certain.

The hinge of this operation relied on [Anthrax]’s leader and prophet Benante  to come under them. As to how this would happen, Niina had no idea.

If he says “I would rather die than obey, everyone, don’t mind me and kill them!” and was that type of person, what would they do? He asked Neito

In response, his senpai, Komori Neito merely answered,

“It’s fine. Through night raids or through show of power, we need to push them down so that an opportunity for negotiations could happen. If that happened, I’ll take care of trying to convince him to work under us. I’m sure I’ll be able to do so.”

As he said those words, it wasn’t with his usual carefree expression, but with his occasional fearful and wretched face. Niina himself labeled this as his [Serious Villain Mode], and tried guessing what he had in plan.

but,

[Hold on, senpai isn’t even here yet.]

That itself was a problem.

“This is bad, there’s no way we could break through this forest in the night. We’re already getting pushed back, and Tsurugi and me are injured. I’m getting tired of this”

Even if they manage to break through the forest, how are they going to convince Benante?

As he was pondering over his thoughts, he hear Anice’s voice through his headset.

< Niina! Tsurugi! Can you hear me? Everyone in team B got taken out… They’re injured and can’t continue on >

It was something he didn’t want to hear.

[Geh, are you serious?]

< Yeah.. and the magic beasts are headed towards you too >

[Uwah.. how many are there?]

< Umm.. around 12 >

12.

He was speechless for a moment.

What a realistic and despairing number. It took everything for a modified human equipped with high-end technology to take down one, and now twelve of them were coming.

Niina was now drenched in cold sweat, and looked towards Tsurugi beside him.

[…… That would be.. a little tricky]

Even that Tsurugi had the same opinion

This man who was so stern, was “a little bit” concerned.. No doubt it would be a fierce uphill battle ahead.

If they would be the one to personally handling it, there would no one left to take command of the entire operation.

At this rate [Slayer] will end at this island.

Niina gathered his thoughts.

“There’s no other way. I need to find a way out of this mess.. something.. I need to do something.. I want to, but can I..?

Whilst pondering on such thoughts, he noticed that a certain sound was closing in on them.

It was the sound of an engine revving, getting strong as each second passed.

When it came into visual, he knew immediately what was approaching.

[… Haaa…]

He exhaled out of relief.

Coming from above, it was an aerial vehicle that the G.R.M division used. Knowing this, that person must have been successful in convincing him.

(TLN: Global Research Management General Affairs Dept.? idk)

At the same time, a message from Anice from the ship offshore came into place.

< Tsurugi! Niina! Can you hear me? … He’s here! >

Anice’s voice was out of place, she seemed happy. Although an arrival of an individual didn’t amount to much in the fighting, but his arrival certainly took a great burden off his chest.

“Without that person, it wouldn’t be the same..”

“And of course Anice-san would act that way.. It has been a while after all. Who would’ve thought that they would be re-united in this damn hot forest with magical beasts roaming around.. well, that much is to be expected when you’re popular huh? Well that’s that.”

Holding off such thoughts, Niina looked and muttered,

[….. You’re late senpai.]