Ch.258Sacrifice (3)

BANG!

“Master, this is not the time for this! Monsters will soon invade this place too! We don’t have much time! I’ll escort you, so please open the door and come out quickly!”

BANG, BANG!

“Please, I’m begging you!”

BANG, BANG, BANG!

“Master Rheinland!”

The knocking on the door grows increasingly forceful.

They might be acting this way out of urgency, but as Sonia and Cartesia said, I have a bad feeling about this.

I answered through the door.

“…Lieutenant, I should have given you the lab’s password.”

“I apologize. I forgot it.”

“You were coming and going just fine until yesterday.”

“……”

BANG, BANG, BANG.

CRASH——!!

“Come out.”

“Understood. I’ll get ready and come out shortly.”

I whispered to Sonia to gather research notes and papers.

When I pulled back the curtains, grayish smoke was rising from various parts of the city. This was a scene that could only exist if we were under sudden attack.

Sonia and I looked down through the window.

“If we jump from this height, both you and I would be finished, young master.”

“Looks like I’ll need to perform some tricks.”

The steel laboratory door was glowing red-hot. The middle section was bulging from thermal expansion. It won’t hold much longer.

“I’ll go down first.”

Sonia stepped onto the metal sheet of the lower floor and broke the glass window. I took a deep breath, grabbed Sonia’s hand, and climbed down. It was dizzying to think that one slip would have meant falling to my death.

“Commander!”

Swordsmen were on the floor below. They had been confronting Sonia with their swords drawn, but they relaxed as soon as they recognized my face.

“Thank goodness! You’re safe!”

“What happened?”

“Divine vessels invaded the laboratory without warning.”

It was as I feared.

“Somehow they penetrated the military air defense network, and even the constellations didn’t detect them. The fire made it impossible to access the upper floor stairs, so we were about to rescue you through the window.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll escort you to where the troops are, even if it costs us our lives.”

The soldiers rescued me and the researchers one by one, clearing a path to the first floor.

It wasn’t an easy journey. Fires were spreading everywhere. And these weren’t ordinary flames—they were otherworldly fires that emitted a clear, lantern-like light.

“Grooooar.”

Monsters appeared. Their bodies were charred black like coal. For Darwin-type monsters, they were surprisingly close to human form.

“We’ll hold them off.”

The swordsmen swung their swords, but it wasn’t easy. Despite looking brittle enough to crumble at a touch, these creatures were all remarkably tough.

The monsters targeted people without weapons first. There were more researchers than swordsmen. With the shortage of hands, Sonia and I joined the fight.

THWACK!

I stabbed the neck of a monster that was trying to maul Angela, then bounced away. The monster was pushed back and got tangled with other monsters.

“Are you alright?”

“Th-thanks… I’m alive… Rheinland, beside you!”

Another monster lunged at me from the side. I realized my mistake too late.

But in the next moment, another caliper flew in and sliced off the monster’s head.

“…No one touches a hair on the young master’s head.”

Sonia quickly retrieved her caliper and struck the remaining monsters. Her eyes glowed blue like the moon.

I helped Angela up and then struck the remaining monsters.

“Those two… are not ordinary.”

“Don’t you know? That person has been famous as a monster-slaying scientist since the Celestine era. Probably the strongest among all the research staff.”

“But why use that instead of a Plasma Sword?”

What a clueless question. Since ancient times, tools have been the ultimate weapons for subduing cosmic monsters.

THWACK!

The last one fell.

“Let’s go down!”

We moved according to the swordsman’s guidance.

THUMP THUMP.

Strange noises kept coming from above.

It was the same even as we descended floor after floor. Something massive and unknown was chasing us down.

Everyone heard the sound but pretended not to notice. Fear of the unknown manifested as indifference. Instead, they just quickened their pace.

“We’re almost there!”

The swordsman leading the way shouted. Color returned to everyone’s faces at that moment.

The swordsmen secured the exit completely in case of emergency. The researchers evacuated outside in an orderly manner. Everyone looked comical with their soot-covered faces.

“What on earth is happening, waking us up like this…”

The researchers who had been silent until now began to speak. Relief, anxiety, anger, sadness—various emotions could be felt.

At that moment, the laboratory windows spewed flames one after another from the top down.

The researchers’ gazes drifted upward blankly. A common emotion appeared on their faces: despair.

“Ah, the research data!”

“The equipment that was supposed to go on the recovery ship…”

“What does that matter?”

I raised my voice toward the despairing scientists. Their attention turned to me.

I laughed wickedly. Naturally, everyone started looking at me strangely.

“What’s so funny?”

“I’m laughing because you’re all alive. Originally, the divine vessels would have tried to kill every one of us from the Recovery Headquarters without exception.”

“…!”

“But those things failed. Despite all of us being tired and half-asleep at dawn, they failed. For minions of an omnipotent alien god, they’re complete idiots, aren’t they?”

“When you put it that way…”

“Data can be collected again, and equipment can be replaced with something even better. I’m just happy that you’re all alive right now. As long as you—the scientists—are here, the Federation won’t be defeated. So why are you all looking so gloomy!”

Only then did a spark light up in the researchers’ eyes. Despair vanished, replaced by hope.

I briefly discussed with the swordsmen how to deal with the divine vessels inside the building. The unanimous conclusion was to retreat.

“It’ll be difficult, but let’s head to the military base as we are.”

Despite the swordsmen’s offer to actively protect us, I kept watch at the very back to see if the divine vessels were following. Far from coming after us, the Recovery Headquarters was collapsing, consumed by the inferno.

“…Looks like they’re trying to destroy everything.”

The papers sacrificed themselves in flames to protect their parents.

***

We encountered a few monsters along the way, but thanks to the swordsmen and Sonia’s efforts, we were able to join Naiere’s main force without casualties.

Naiere had just finished off two high-ranking divine vessels and was reorganizing her troops. Despite the chaotic situation, she bowed as soon as she saw me.

“I’m sorry. We weren’t in a position to come rescue you.”

“No, there were swordsmen at the research facility too. I received help from them, so it’s fine.”

“Still, I should apologize. Being stuck here… I’m truly sorry.”

Naiere’s shoulders drooped. The weight of being the commander-in-chief.

I looked around. Groans spread like a plague. Blood droplets from soldiers, scattered with embers, gave off a fishy metallic smell.

Doctors moved busily. They applied bandages and administered painkillers. Some created makeshift operating tables to stitch wounds. Among them, I saw a familiar face.

“Son.”

It was my mother. Come to think of it, unlike my father, she hadn’t participated in the Briga defense.

Naiere bowed slightly and stepped back. Rezein examined me carefully and then frowned.

“Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

“You really do perform miracles every time. Mom is proud of you.”

“No. I was just lucky.”

Mother shook her head.

“Look around you.”

“I know the situation is desperate.”

“Is that all you feel?”

Just then.

WAAAAAAIL!

The alarm signaling the appearance of divine vessels sounded.

Quadcopter drones all took flight at once. Naiere rushed out to assess the situation. Swordsmen who had been resting got up one by one and charged their swords.

THUMP, THUMP, THUMP.

The dull vibrations shaking the ground made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

[Five o’clock direction! Fire-type divine vessel approaching!]

“Everyone prepare for battle!”

Naiere shouted.

“General Ochinlek, evacuate Rheinland and all researchers to safety! I’ll handle this!”

“Commander, I need to stay here.”

“What? No!”

“That thing is targeting me! If I stay with the researchers, it will abandon this place and come after me. That would cause even more civilian casualties!”

“…Damn it, fine. Two subordinate squads, focus on protecting Eidel von Rheinland and his mother!”

By now, the divine vessel had revealed itself. It literally melted the base’s main gate and fence as it entered.

Its height seemed well over 3 meters, and where its head should be, fire was flowing. The torso was slender. Its arms and legs were dark and elongated like ebony wood.

A match.

It was a divine vessel that looked like a personified burning match.

The divine vessel swung its long arms. Lantern-like flames spread like blooming flowers, simultaneously destroying all the communicating drones. Sparks flew from the aftermath.

“…Phosphorus.”

Everyone must have felt it.

This was stronger than any divine vessel they had faced before.

“Humans.”

It muttered.

“Your research facility has been completely burned down. Now you have no dreams or hope left. Accept death quietly, and I’ll let you go without pain.”

“No dreams or hope? Don’t make me laugh.”

Naiere pointed her blade at the divine vessel and said:

“As long as we have Eidel von Rheinland, humanity will win this war.”

CLICK.

A hundred elite swordsmen followed her, raising their blades in unison.

Despite the continuous battles, they hadn’t lost their fighting spirit.

“Don’t retreat a single step! No matter what happens, we will defeat this thing and defend this place!”