Only Buffs (2)
Only Buffs (2)
"Commander-in-Chief-nim! Give the charge order!"
Dvil, raising his machete high, demanded the order with eyes burning fiercely.
The other knights also arrogantly clamored for a charge.
Hildea nodded.
"Good, go."
"Everyone! To save our comrades! Let's go!"
"Let's go!"
The Machete Knights charged toward the Ancient Tree Legion.
The knights, united as one, pierced through the outer edge of the Ancient Tree Legion like a giant javelin.
The scene through the binoculars was terrifying.
They mercilessly swung their Aura Machetes like chainsaws, slicing through the thick Ancient Tree trunks.
Incredible reflexes that my own dynamic vision couldn't possibly hope to follow.
The Ancient Tree Monsters indiscriminately stretched out their branches to lock down movement, but all were dodged at an invisible speed—fwip fwip.
Is that the power of the Mandrake Root?
The breakthrough power of the mobile tanks... no, the Mana Knight Corps that had explosively unleashed all their latent power for the last time in their lives, was immense.
"Major Piel...."
As Hildea, carrying me on her back, quietly spoke as if testing the waters, I resolutely shook my head.
"You may not."
"I, I said nothing yet—"
"You were about to ask if you could chew a Mandrake Root too. The answer is no."
Absolutely no way.
In the first place, I had presented it as hope for the Penal Unit, but our 3rd Army knights chewed the roots on their own. I never ordered it.
"If by any remote chance something goes wrong with the Commander-in-Chief, who will take responsibility for the Eastern Army? The Commander-in-Chief holds a position that requires you to protect your own body."
"...Hearing that, your words are correct."
"Piel is right. Commander-in-Chief, act like a unit commander and conserve your strength. I thought you changed after getting your leg cut off and hearing Lord Deville's nagging."
But then again, didn't Lord Deville himself, the moment he saw Fentanyl, just grab and chew the Mandrake Root without any verification?
"But Commander-in-Chief, how long are you going to carry Piel on your back?"
"We are on the battlefield. I must keep Major Piel attached to my body so I can protect him at any moment. Surely you're not suggesting we abandon Major Piel to danger?"
"No, I'm saying let's switch."
"...Huh?"
"I can carry him well too. Why are you hogging him all alone?"
"He is my Duty Officer. Even if carried, he will be carried by me."
Hildea is smaller in build than Rebecca, but this side is still more comfortable.
Rebecca's chest is too voluptuous, so I'm worried I might accidentally cling to her wrong during a full sprint.
Hildea doesn't have that kind of burden.
"Major Piel, what are you thinking right now?"
"Huh?"
"I felt something ominous and wicked from your back. Surely you haven't harbored any impure thoughts regarding this Commander?"
"Absolutely not. I merely thought that the Commander-in-Chief-nim's back is more comfortable than a palanquin."
"Well, that's a relief. I shall carry you often from now on."
If it gets out that I thought her flatness was nice because I could hold on tightly without worry when scared of falling off....
My lieutenant colonel rank insignia might disappear forever.
Rebecca placed her palm above her eyes and observed the battlefield.
"As expected, with enough calories, they can push hard without worrying about exhaustion, using their auras relentlessly. Even with a several dozen times difference in numbers."
"Marquis Carlton, we also can't discount the Mandrake Root."
"Indeed. The awakening effect of the Mandrake Root is truly amazing. This is my first time seeing it in person too."
Rebecca loosened her muscles with a pudeudeuk-pudeudeuk sound, then extended her hand to me.
"I should gradually earn my keep too. Piel, give me the Heavy Machine Gun."
"Here it is."
I pulled out the Heavy Machine Gun, which I had entrusted to the Defense-Core for automatic maintenance, and handed it over.
Rebecca's appearance, with belts of machine gun ammunition wrapped all around her body, was like....
'Like if a special armored vehicle's autocannon just detached and started walking around.'
Even a U.S. military machine gunner, who boasts supreme macho power, would probably collapse without taking a step if they wrapped that many rounds around themselves.
"Piel, I'll be back. Commander-in-Chief, please protect Piel well."
"Rest assured, I will keep my Duty Officer safe."
As Rebecca joined in, the momentum of the Ancient Tree Legion was clearly broken.
In the rear, only Hildea, the young military chaplain, and I remained.
Now that I thought about it, a sudden worry struck me.
"Priest-nim, over two hundred from the Penal Unit alone, plus our 3rd Army knights have all taken the Mandrake Root—can you heal them all by yourself?"
"There is no problem whatsoever."
The priest said with a benevolent smile.
"Even if there are thousands or tens of thousands, I alone can bestow the Healing Grace. So no matter how many wish for healing, there is no concern."
What, an unlimited heal shower?
Was this muscle-bound young priest actually a next-generation cardinal or perhaps even a pope?
"The priest is only a medium who conveys the Healing Grace; the price is paid by the one receiving the blessing. Therefore, the number of seriously wounded makes no difference whatsoever."
Right, that's how it was.
It was a method where the patient themselves pays the price for healing with pain proportional to the severity of the wound.
When you think about it, it wasn't really an unlimited heal shower.
"The Marshall family's Pain Blocker will be able to save many gravely wounded from now on. A path has opened for the Healing Grace to become a true salvation. Thank you."
"Not at all. From my perspective, the Healing Grace seems thousands of times more incredible."
Embarrassed, I turned my gaze to the front.
The fierce performance of the knight order after activating Full Doping was impressive.
"Oh dear, it seems the Mandrake effect on the Penal Unit is starting to wear off. Their movements are slowing, and they're starting to feel the pain."
"Commander-in-Chief-nim, do not worry. Even after the Mandrake effect wears off, they can survive for at least a week."
That's a terrifying statement.
You're saying that ultimate agony, where the living envy the dead, lasts for over a week?
There was a reason they assisted with euthanasia.
"Priest-nim's words are also correct. However, the shorter the time of pain, the better. I must join as well."
"I apologize. My remark was thoughtless."
"Not at all. I well know that Priest-nim holds life dear."
Hwareureureuk!
Hildea drew her machete while still carrying me.
The battlefield was now just a matter of finishing up.
As I watched the movements of the knights on Full Doping, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
'Anyway, they're all moving like soldiers who just took a methamphetamine-type stimulant.'
I'd like to investigate the components of the Mandrake Root sometime later.
***
At the final moment, Luna chewed the Mandrake Root without hesitation.
The Penal Unit immediately followed suit.
It was pure hatred for the enemy.
In order to catch and kill even one more until the very end.
Usually, one does not chew the Mandrake Root just because death is certain.
Because in the end, you die in excruciating pain.
When there is a reason to fight even a little bit longer, enough to brave that pain, a knight finally accepts a miserable end.
For Luna and the knights of the Penal Unit, their hatred for the elves was exactly that motivation.
How long had they been fighting in a daze?
"Comrades of the 1st Army! We, the 3rd Army, have come!"
"Just hold on a little longer! We will save you!"
"Uhahaha! Now who's the strongest unit in Ainshuvan? Let's see you flap that high-and-mighty mouth of yours now!"
"The deer herd you stole two years ago! We'll repay the grudge of that lost meat in full today!"
"Everyone, say you've survived!"
The knights of the 3rd Army, who appeared out of nowhere, slaughtered the Ancient Tree Monsters with fearsome momentum.
A short sword they'd never seen before in their lives.
Movements more reckless and overflowing with power than their own, even after chewing the Mandrake Root.
Luna's vision blurred.
'The root's efficacy is finally over.'
That must be why she was seeing such hallucinations.
To think it was a hallucination where dozens of allied knights would appear, cut down all the nearly two thousand Ancient Trees, and watch over their final moments.
The knights of the Penal Unit had already collapsed, completely exhausted.
Luna, barely breathing, simply watched the 'final hallucination' blankly.
'Until now... what have I been fighting for?'
The North, the King, the nation, allies, success, the pigs and dogs in the rear, punishment, loyalty, dignity, self-preservation, regret, exhaustion, the future....
Countless words jumbled chaotically in her head.
'Ugh...!'
A tremendous pain surged in.
A tearing sensation, as if her whole body was being disintegrated into small pieces, something she had never imagined.
From her fingertips to her toes, an urge to cut off every part of her body chaotically stirred her mind.
In this extreme agony where even a scream couldn't escape, Luna felt an immense compulsion of attachment she had never experienced before.
'I want to die. Someone, please someone kill me! Anyone, please! Please! Please! Kill me! Kill me!'
Amidst the intense scream that she'd rather die.
Tears streamed down, distorting the hallucination.
In the warped phantom, a familiar woman's figure appeared.
3rd Army Commander Hildea.
Seeing that she was here, the hallucination must be worsening.
A man who solemnly rode on Hildea's shoulder as if it were a palanquin looked down at her with indifferent eyes.
The pain was so severe that senseless absurdities kept appearing.
The man calmly raised his hand.
The moment a brilliant radiance shining from his fingertips entered her mouth like divine mercy.
In an instant, Luna was hauled into reality from the swamp of whole-body tearing agony.
As if by magic, the pain all over her body subsided, and her body exhaled rough, frantic breaths.
Only then did Luna face proper reality, not a hallucination.
A young officer looking down at her with worry.
Luna realized that the hard biscuit he placed into her mouth had blocked the extreme pain.
"Huh, huhk, huhk... Haak, haak...."
Even in that state, Luna laboriously looked around for her subordinates.
The 3rd Army knights each held the small, ball-like biscuits and placed them into the mouths of the Penal Unit knights who were shivering in agony.
Every time they did, the convulsions miraculously ceased, and the knights' consciousness returned.
The military chaplain, who had approached before she knew it, looked at Luna and cast Healing.
"Oh Lord, yet another voice of a pitiful lamb desiring Your grace rises now."
The healing light seeped in.
Strangely, it didn't hurt at all.
The young officer removed the biscuit he had placed in her mouth.
At the gentle touch rummaging inside her mouth, Luna felt a strange shame and heat rose to her face.
As if by magic, her whole body became clean.
Only then could Luna look straight at the young officer's face.
"Did you save us?"
Luna asked as if spellbound, and the young officer slowly shook his head.
"You saved yourselves."
***
Rebecca watched with wonder as Luna and the knights of the Penal Unit recovered cleanly.
The extreme pain given by the Mandrake Root, when combined with the Healing Grace, leads the patient to instant death.
That's how severe the agony is.
But the Penal Unit, without a single exception, wholeheartedly accepted only the healing blessing without pain, with comfortable expressions.
'Unbelievable. To think the Healing Grace could grant recovery without the price of pain like that.'
Her body trembled involuntarily.
Before long, the Penal Unit had all recovered, but they were confused, not knowing how the situation had been resolved.
Some shed tears of emotion, some sought God, and others expressed thanks to Hildea.
Whenever that happened, Hildea vehemently deflected all credit to Piel.
"Now it is the Sirs' turn. Please receive healing quickly before the root's side effects come."
"Just wait a moment, please."
"Yes, I've always been curious just how much the root's side effects hurt."
"If not now, when else could we safely experience that pain?"
Piel was dumbfounded.
"No, you're saying you're voluntarily taking on pain that can be avoided?"
"Pain that cannot kill me will only temper my mind to be harder and clearer."
"We won't die anyway, right? Then we might as well experience it."
The 3rd Army knights ultimately accepted healing only after experiencing the extreme agony of the Mandrake Root's side effects.
They even waged a pride battle over who could endure it longer.
"Lord Deville! Stop this foolishness and open your mouth! You're the last one! You won! Please just!"
"Keuaaaaaaaak!"
And so, the final glory of the pride battle went to Dvil.
Piel, having succeeded in placing the Pain Blocker into his mouth, shook his head.
"What is this, some kind of sauna endurance contest...."
"Major Piel, what is a sauna?"
"Uh, it's just something good for the body."
"Then let's do it together next time."
Rebecca saw it in that instant.
Piel's flustered reaction.
'Suspicious?'
The moment she unconsciously folded her arms and glared intently.
Hildea looked at Dvil and shouted in alarm.
"Lord Deville! Aura is pouring out of you! Get a hold of yourself!"
"Commander Hildea-nim? Is there some problem with Lord Deville?"
"Everyone quiet! Lord Deville is breaking through the wall of Sword Imperial! I shall stand guard!"
"Good heavens! Lord Deville is selfishly crossing the wall alone, hap!"
When Hildea held her machete high and glared, everyone shut their mouths at once.
A terrifying aura storm began to rage from the whole body of Dvil, who had closed his eyes.
Sword Imperial.
Dvil was breaking through toward a realm that no one here except Hildea had ever experienced.