My body was shaken, and I woke up.
「──S-sorry! I overslept!」
I snapped fully awake and tumbled out of the Pioneer.
「Calm down. You didn’t sleep that long」
The Guild Master helped me to my feet and brushed the dirt and leaves off me.
「Taking a short nap is fine, but sleeping too long isn’t good either. It takes time for your body to warm up, and it drains your stamina. Even if it’s hard, keep your body awake」
So that’s how it works. In that case, I’ll follow the words of someone experienced. For someone like me who’s barely more than a novice, advice from a veteran is worth more than gold.
I took out canned coffee and milk tea and steadied my nerves.
「Where’s Gorg?」
「I’m up」
The voice came from right beside me. When I looked over, he was leaning against a tree, drinking wine.
「Is it really okay to drink alcohol before a fight?」
「I’m a craftsman, you know. Do you think I can do this sober?」
「Fufu. Yeah, I get it. Back when I first started, I couldn’t handle it without drinking either」
I liked alcohol even in my old world, but after coming to this world, the amount I drank increased. Exactly. There’s no way I can do this sober.
「I can’t do it without sweets either」
Yeah. I don’t think that’s the same thing. Still, he’s our strongest asset. I should offer him a cream puff to boost his motivation.
「Delicious. For this, I might even spend the rest of my life hunting goblins」
Please don’t. You’ll earn hatred from all sides. And you’ll get diabetes, so keep it in moderation.
「So, how are the goblins moving?」
I glanced at my wristwatch. It was two thirty.
「There’s still no movement, but the third formation seems disorganized. It feels like they’re starving for something」
「They’re probably disposable troops, or meant for a suicide charge. I read about it once in a book」
「That matches. At the start, they attacked like they were crazed」
I still can’t believe I survived that madness. I sincerely hope I didn’t burn through a lifetime’s worth of luck back then.
「Tell me about it sometime. Goblin damage is extensive, but very few records remain」
「I don’t mind, but I think it would be better to allocate a budget and exterminate them before they start forming large groups」
「I know that. But budgets and manpower are limited. They always end up lower on the priority list」
It seemed they had known goblin numbers were increasing since last year, but they could not suddenly secure a budget and ended up reacting too late.
「Having you come here really saved us. Just thinking about what would have happened if you hadn’t makes my stomach hurt」
Knowing the problem but having no solution. The stress must have been unbearable. I was stressed too, even while fixing things.
「Hm? The first formation is moving as well」
「An attack from two directions, huh. That king may have some real experience. How do we respond?」
「Once they’ve been moving for a bit, we hit the second formation. Gorg and I will scatter them with the first strike. When they break, the Guild Master charges in. While the king’s unit is rampaging until the first formation turns back, we swing wide and move behind the king’s unit. After that, we adapt to the situation」
「Understood. I’ll leave the decision to retreat to you」
With that settled, I handed the Guild Master a daypack with a wristwatch, a gas mask, a compass, and water and food inside.
「Sorry, but Gorg will have to buy his own」
If Ladarion were here, we could size it for a giant, but there’s nothing we can do right now. I’ll make sure to repay the burden later.
「Yeah. I’ll buy my own gear. I can’t keep piling debts on you alone」
A debt? Did I lend him something? Well, whatever. The first and third formations have started moving. Let’s get close to the second formation without being noticed.
After a final briefing, we moved behind the second formation.
With only a faint light illuminating the ground, Gorg’s movements were completely silent. How does he even do that? I’m the one making noise here.
「Gorg, stop!」
I didn’t want to shout, but his ears are seven meters above the ground. I had no choice. I should prepare a radio for Gorg next time.
「What is it?」
Gorg crouched and asked.
「The first and third formations have moved」
「What about Kainzel-sama and the others?」
「They’re handling it without any problems」
With four of them, the goblins can’t get close to the position. In an instant, a five hundred thousand yen reward came in.
「The second formation has three to four hundred. Gorg, take the right. I’ll thin them out from the left. Guild Master, handle the goblins coming from the center. If you can’t hold them back, shout to warn us. In that case, Gorg takes point. The Guild Master stays in the center. I’ll bring up the rear」
The two nodded in agreement.
Seriously. My stomach hurts from having an amateur like me giving orders. But I’m the only one who can sense the goblins. Gorg, our heavy tank, has to clear the path, and the Guild Master has to serve as a marker and run ahead. Otherwise, we’ll get lost. That naturally leaves me as the rear guard.
「Once I fire, the battle begins. Everyone, take your positions」
We split up and moved close enough to enter the effective range of the MINIMI.
The second formation was agitated and didn’t notice us approaching from behind.
Our position was halfway up the mountain. The second formation was about a hundred meters below, hiding among the trees.
「After this fight, I’m buying thermal vision」
I don’t know what kind of death flag that is, but carrying a MINIMI and hauling ammo through the dark is brutal. I’m almost in tears.
But crying comes later. I moved another fifty meters forward, steadied my breathing, and shouldered the MINIMI.
「Alright. Battle start」
I pulled the trigger of the MINIMI.
Leave a Reply