No Anomalies During Operation (8)
At that moment, in the forward command's operations room, the staff officers glanced uneasily at Gobert seated at the head of the table. One of them cautiously spoke up.
"Forgive me, Commander... but no matter how I look at it, the success rate of these operations..."
"Are you questioning the commander's orders?"
At Gobert's question, the staff officer who had stepped forward bowed his head immediately.
"These are problems that even past commanders couldn't solve, left to fester until now. Today, this commander intends to resolve them all cleanly."
The staff officers exchanged subtle glances amid stifled coughs at his firm declaration.
This green kid... what does a punk who's never swung a sword even know...
The sudden orders from Gobert that afternoon had left the staff officers and legion commanders in a state of shock.
Deploy reinforced companies to Outpost 00-0 and hold them in readiness.
Seize the three enemy combat outposts encircling Outpost 00-0.
Withdraw all troops from the Outpost 00 Valley area.
Completely burn away all obstacles blocking visibility in that region.
Prepare large-scale attack magic for the enemy tunnel positions in Gorge 00.
Today, we will utterly destroy those tunnel positions and cut off the enemy's mobility routes.
These were outright impossible operations.
First off, the enemy combat outposts surrounding Outpost 00-0 were natural fortresses mutually supporting one another. If they could have been taken, they would have been long ago. There was a reason they'd been putting up with it all this time...
And the obstacles in Valley 00? Burning them wasn't the answer. The ashes left behind would only fertilize the reeds and bushes, making them grow even thicker. You'd have to plow the earth itself, but what did this guy know...
Plus, that area got breached all the time anyway—now they were pulling outpost troops? It was like something a spy would order.
Finally, the tunnel positions in Gorge 00? Those were dug straight into the mountain. How the hell were they supposed to collapse them with attack magic? If it were that easy, they'd have done it ages ago.
Damn half-baked prince thinks sitting in the commander's seat makes him hot shit. Just leave military ops to the experts and shut your trap, Commander...
Stay quiet and when the queen gets deposed, go back to the capital and play king or whatever. Keep your nose out of front-line business.
That was the shared sentiment among the staff and legion commanders.
But Gobert was adamant, roaring at anyone voicing opposition and showing extreme emotions he'd never displayed before. No matter how battle-hardened the generals were, they had no choice but to back down under that fierce glare.
They could trash-talk him behind his back—half-prince, slime bastard, whatever—but right now, Gobert was the commander. Defying him openly could lead to demotion or prison if he got serious.
So the generals carried out Gobert's orders with a whatever-happens-happens attitude. If it worked, great; if it failed, they could pin it all on the guy who issued them.
Deep down, though, they all figured the ops would flop, racking up pointless losses.
Even better. A few legion troops dead gives us leverage to rein in the commander.
See? We tried to warn you. Why be so stubborn and sacrifice our men?
And then the commander could rot in the back room here like he did at the palace.
Just then, a mage handling communications with the front lines shouted urgently.
"Transmission from 0 Legion! Transmission from 0 Legion! Unknown explosions occurring repeatedly ahead of Outpost 00-0!!"
The staff officers turned in surprise.
"Did Bakomor launch an attack?"
"N-no, they don't know. They're just observing continuous explosions in an uninhabited zone."
The staff officers relaxed and exchanged looks.
"Probably just routine recon by fire or something. Right?"
"Yeah. That area's always skirmishing, so likely a light probe to test us today."
"Issue attack prep orders to the company deployed at Outpost 00-0."
Gobert's command cut through the chatter, startling the officers.
"Commander! What did you say...?"
"Transmit attack prep orders to the company. Launch the assault when flames rise from the enemy combat outposts."
"With attack magic raining down, you're saying charge through there?"
Gobert smiled as he replied.
"Didn't you all say it was just a feint probe? Make it an order, as I said."
"But... even so..."
But Gobert fell silent, staring at the map. The staff had no choice but to relay the order to the legions.
"Fuckin' hell, they've laid a ton of these."
Heading toward the Bakomor combat outpost on the hill, trap magic exploded nonstop, ringing in his ears. They were so thick that one triggered every three steps.
"Shit..."
His shoes were shredded, so he tossed them into the bushes—and even they set off a trap.
Crazy bastards. Who plants this many?
Looking up, he saw frantic shouts and bustling lights from the outposts above. The allied outpost behind was the same. About midway between both sides—time to start.
He drew the Holy Sword, raising it high with the tip downward. Sparks flew wildly from the blade in response to his will. With a shout, he slammed it into the ground. A wave of lightning surged outward from him in all directions.
The ripple of lightning triggered chain explosions in the trap magic. White flashes strobed madly, turning the rugged Lucia mountains into daylight.
Dashing through the thousands of those flashes, he reached the Bakomor combat outpost. Kicking the barricade gate to splinters, he strode in. The Bakomor combat troops all turned to him.
"Evening, folks. Hope you're having a strong night."
The company commander observing the front from Outpost 00-0's watchtower nearly tumbled off a second time. The first was from the chain explosions in the no-man's-land between the Bakomor outpost and their own.
He'd thought maybe a deer triggered a trap at first, but no. Some unknown phenomenon had swept the area's traps clean.
That alone was jaw-dropping, but then part of the rightmost Bakomor outpost shot into the sky. Literally launched—barricade sections and what looked like a warehouse lifted high before tumbling down the hill. The commander was speechless.
He snapped back at his deputy shaking his shoulder.
"Company commander! Fire at the combat outpost!"
Flames rose from the half-blown-away outpost. Legion command had said to send platoons charging at the signal of fire, right...? But was it really okay to charge?
Attacking that would draw counterfire from the center and left outposts for sure.
Then the center outpost's ground collapsed, one barricade face sliding wholesale down the slope. And more flames...?!
"Company commander... shouldn't we send the platoons...?"
"Y-yeah..."
As he hesitated, lightning struck the left outpost. In an instant, flames roared from all three.
No time for doubts.
"Company, charge! Everyone, advance!"
Confirming the legion troops pouring out with cheers from the allied outpost, he turned immediately. The legionaries could handle it from here. Once seized, no one would retake it easily— no need for him to stick around.
Next stop... He raced along the ridgeline to Valley 00. The nearby outpost was already evacuated, empty.
Climbing to the roof, he peered down. What a fucked-up terrain. Jagged peaks and rocks tangled with shoulder-high reeds and bushes. You could walk right through bent over and never notice.
Bakomor combat outposts hunkered on the hills across that sea of reeds.
He pulled a slim tube from his bag, gripped it tight, and slammed the rear against the roof railing. A flash erupted ahead, a red-glowing mass rocketing skyward.
Halting high up, it blinked red and began a slow descent. Portable illumination magic—a super-practical name, courtesy of Mideronde. Great for wide-area lighting or signals.
Leaning on the railing, gazing west, what he'd been waiting for soon appeared.