Chapter 47

“What? What is it?! So, Edu, are you saying that you encountered Invaders again on the ground, not to mention an armored battalion?!”

“Yes.”

Monday afternoon. After visiting the principal’s office, I was recounting the events from the weekend to Ryuje.

I felt there were some odd things about what we’d gone through, and because it was quite serious, I believed she needed to know.

“Are you hurt anywhere?! What happened exactly? No, this isn’t the time for that. First, let me call Diana… Oi, hop on! Let’s head to the infirmary!!”

Ryuje, flustered. Maybe it was because of her small stature, but her actions seemed particularly cute. However, leaving things as they were might deepen unnecessary misunderstandings, so I added,

“Principal, please calm down. I’m fine, really.”

“Nonsense! How can you say you’re fine after going up against an armored battalion with just your bare hands?”

She said this while glaring at me with ruby-red eyes.

Uhm… I am fine actually, but if I bring up facts based on common sense like this, there’s nothing more to say, right?

“Hmm… Still, we did have one tank, so it wasn’t completely with bare hands-”

I stopped speaking mid-sentence.

Why? Because Ryuje was narrowing her eyes and looking at me.

“Are you calling that an answer?”

“No, I was joking. I’m really fine, alright?”

While saying this, I moved my arms about, but their poor strength combined with my pathetic physical condition only made them wobble uselessly.

Hmm, this isn’t right.

“…We still need to go to the infirmary-”

“That’s not important! Listen to what I have to say first!”

“Hmm…”

Ryuje frowned and inspected my body with a worried gaze. However, it seemed my repeated assertion that I was fine had some effect because she eventually sat back down on the sofa.

“Alright, understood. Let’s hear your story. What exactly happened?”

“Yes, you remember everything up until that point, right?”

“Don’t treat me like an old man.”

“…”

No, your tone alone…

I swallowed the words I was about to say. I didn’t want to risk getting slapped by her after making another joke.

“So, to start from the beginning, the difference in strength between the enemy and our allies was immense.”

“Surely.”

“There were four tanks and eight armored cars.”

“What? There were tanks too?”

“Yes.”

Ryuje jumped up from her seat and quickly approached me, lifting me up onto her back.

“Infirmary!”

“Ahhh, I really am fine?!”

A commotion ensued.

After quite a bit of persuasion, with me riding on her back, Ryuje finally calmed down and sat back on the sofa.

I felt my already weak stamina further drain, but since she was worrying about me, I didn’t mind.

“…So, due to the disparity in forces, we lured the enemy into a favorable terrain first, then…”

The memories came flooding back.

…

“Listen carefully, everyone, because we don’t have much time, and I’ll explain the plan.”

My friends nodded their heads and focused on me as I spoke.

“First, I’ll get out of the Saver and hide near the wreckage of the vehicles.”

“Alone?”

“Isn’t walking difficult?”

Nisia with a worried expression, and Edward slightly startled.

“There’s a way.”

I answered and issued the command.

“Hominoid summoning, Marionettes.”

– The Marionette skill has not been unlocked yet. Would you like to unlock it using skill points?

“Yes.”

– Marionette unlocked. Summoning the summon creature will consume MP.

Mana flowed out of my body, and a new summon creature began to appear beside me.

Its form resembled a human, but it was so thin and emaciated that it felt less like a person and more like a moving skeleton.

[Marionette, initiating. Please give me instructions.]

“Ho, a new summoned creature?”

“Yes.”

Upon reaching level 15, the humanoid skill tree was unlocked, and the Marionette is essentially the starting point of that tree.

“Is this the one that will replace your legs?”

“Yes.”

“But may I ask why you took the risk of acting alone?”

“Yes, they likely followed our tracks and must have already estimated our numbers and strength.”

“Hmm.”

Edward nodded, signaling for me to continue.

“Because I was carried by Nisia, the enemy probably has a misunderstanding about the number of people on our side.”

Four instead of three.

Just reducing the number by one makes a big difference.

“Hmm, that’s a reasonable assumption.”

Edward nodded at my words, confirming his understanding.

“So, my plan is to keep them misunderstanding and not reveal the existence of me as an entity.”

“But how do we make them realize that?”

“That’s simple. They’ll definitely send one armored car to the front.”

“Just one armored car to the front?”

Edward questioned, clearly puzzled. However, I was certain.

“I’m sure; they’re the Invaders.”

To the Invaders, tanks represent the key forces; hence, armored cars, which are relatively auxiliary, can easily be sacrificed.

That’s the unique way of thinking of the Invader types, who only chase efficiency and optimal results.

“Hmm…”

Edward quietly agreed with my confident response.

“I see. So Edward, Jack, and Nisia will expose themselves near the Saver to the approaching enemy armored car?”

“Yes.”

[Then what should I do?]

Saver’s question.

“Saver, provide sufficient room for the enemy armored car to perform scanning, then destroy it.”

[Understood.]

A brief response.

That made me trust it even more.

“So what happens next?”

“Everyone board the Saver and move into the gorge, buying some time. Meanwhile, I’ll set a trap using the vehicle wreckage with this guy.”

“Setting a trap? Is it plausible within the available time?”

“Yes, leave it to me.”

I glanced at my friends one by one. Three of them, tense and anxious, nodded in agreement.

I nodded back at them and turned to speak to Saver.

“Then Saver, there’s something else you need to do.”

[What would that be?]

“First, after the first skirmish, avoid engaging in combat with the enemy, instead delaying them by targeting the terrain.”

[Is there a reason for this?]

“Yes, we need to maintain our barrier.”

Though we’ve revised the plan as much as possible, there is still one moment—just one—that could be very dangerous. Hence, we need to keep the barrier as insurance for that moment.

“And apart from that, it’s a good way to hit the enemy’s barrier.”

Barriers are weak against close-range attacks because the more surface area they cover, the more power they consume exponentially.

Thus, though it’s not strictly close-range weaponry, hitting the barrier with a large number of fragments can be an effective anti-barrier tactic, commonly used in AOE strategies.

Of course, specialized ammunition designed to neutralize barriers is loaded onto the Saver, but now is not the time for adventurous risks—it’s better to take cautious actions even if they’re passive.

[Understood. Is there anything else I should do?]

“Act as mentioned, utilizing the gorge terrain to delay the enemy for as long as possible. If it becomes too difficult, lay down a smoke screen and mount a charge up along the gorge ridge.”

“Charge?”

Edward was startled.

“Hold on, Edu, did you just say charge?”

“Yes, it’s the safest approach.”

“???”

Edward, confused, while Saver, unperturbed, calmly replied.

[Indeed, you’re exploiting the enemy’s complacency.]

“Yes.”

The Invaders obsess over results. Such creatures wouldn’t make uncertain moves when the victory seems assured.

If they see us scattering a smoke screen from a distance, they will probably fire high-explosive shells to clear the fog. And that thinking is exactly our opportunity.

“I’ll move the parts where I am required to during the operation, so don’t worry about that.”

The friends swallowed hard, their dry throats audible.

“It might be somewhat dangerous, but there’s no other way. Let’s steel our minds and move.”

Heads nodded heavily, and so the battle began.

The first encounter.

The enemy armored car breaking.

The arrival of the main force, followed by the skirmish as the Saver retreated into the gorge and the Invader group followed.

“Let’s move.”

[Initiating movement.]

The Marionette carrying me towards the vehicle wreckage. After taking a look around, I summoned more Marionettes.

“Hominoid summons, Marionette.”

– Consuming MP to summon the creature.

Five Marionettes now available.

Next, I needed a hand glider.

“Summon, Hand Glider. Armed with COMP-A1(S).”

– Consuming MP to summon the entity with the corresponding weapon.

The hand glider manifested in front of me.

I grabbed it using its handles, flipped it over, and withdrew the installed COMP-A1.

Nice, next step is—

“Armament replenishment.”

As I spoke, the now-empty compartment of the hand glider was refilled with a new COMP-A1. A magical phenomenon.

Moreover, the newly created COMP-A1 and the COMP-A1 that I had already taken out both remained present.

‘Good. Let’s keep multiplying.’

Unlike typical summoners who use biological creatures, this is a unique benefit for robots summoners who rely on expendable weaponry—armament replenishment.

While it is normally a function in AOE that uses inexpensive MP to resupply the summon creatures’ weapons or equipment, during the process of clearing the Cryptid Colony, testing it just in case turned out to be a huge success.

Wow, using MP can infinitely duplicate throwing or explosive objects?

“Armament replenishment.”

Continuously replenishing the armaments while generating COMP-A1s, the created COMP-A1s were then set up in various locations among the wreckage.

Effortless movement.

By the time I had practically exhausted all my MP, except for the necessary reserves, a large explosion rocked deep within the gorge.

“…”

My body flinched and unease crept up.

However, a short while later, I glimpsed Saver emerging from the gorge, and with a sigh of relief, finished the preparations.

“Alright, let’s retreat and hide again.”

[Initiating movement.]

A hand glider armed for triggering explosive charges was hidden within the vehicle wreckage, and then after retreating to a sufficient distance, the preparations were complete.

Finally, sending a hand glider equipped with smoke bombs to the creatures that emerged from the gorge to confuse them, the adversaries stepped right into the trap.

“…”

“That was a bold approach. However, had the enemies acted contrary to expectations even once, it would have been extremely dangerous.”

“Yes.”

Ryuje was correct.

Though I had suspicions, I lacked confirmation.

Thus, it was essentially a precarious operation where everyone would be in danger the moment the enemy commander veered off from our intended assumptions.

Though it aligned well in the end, there were plenty of flimsy and hazardous parts, making me resolve never to attempt the same plan again.

“No, in a way, your deep understanding of the enemy makes this a response only you can execute.”

Ryuje nodded her head.

“Calmly addressing the sudden crisis, you resolved the problem efficiently. That alone merits praise.”

“Thank you.”

Was it because it was Ryuje who praised me? A slight heat rose to my cheeks, and I felt a touch embarrassed.

“Hmm, but why did they…?”

Saying that, Ryuje fell into thought.

“Principal?”

“No, nothing. Just muttering to myself. By the way, you should go soon. Didn’t you say you were going to talk to Banetta next?”

She pointed out this, and I checked the time.

Oh, it’s already this hour.

“Yes, thank you for your care.”

“Good, go back carefully.”

“Yes. Then let’s go, Bounce.”

[Beep. / (｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )zbek…]

Edu exited the room riding a large drone, leaving Ryuje alone.

“Something unsettling is in the air….”

After contemplating silently for a moment, Ryuje quietly made her decision.

“Hmm, I should verify this with Freya. ID, contact him.”

[Code confirmed, initiating contact with Commander Freya Agría of the Surface Reclamation Force.]

“Hmm.”