Ego Searching - 10

"Communications are down, wide-area jamming."

 

 

"As expected, even without a commander, it's not easy to deal with second-year students who have experienced this before. What are we going to do now, Captain? It seems like the outcome is already decided."

 

 

"No."

 

 

Yukino glared at the two rabbits running towards the factory complex from above the helicopter with her fox eyes.

 

 

"I think it's okay to watch a little longer."

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

"Miyako! We're out of ammo! We need to retreat!"

 

 

"Hold on a little longer, Saki! I'll create an opening with a flashbang, so let's use that chance to move!"

 

 

The situation was too desperate.

The moment they thought they had won was precisely the timing the enemy was aiming for.

When all of the allies had entered the factory complex, the enemies brought out all their hidden forces and surrounded us, and due to the jamming, they couldn't even expect support.

 

 

But even in such a desperate situation, Miyako tried her best to fulfill her duties as a squad leader.

 

 

"Throwing flashbang!"

 

 

-Paang!

 

 

The flashbang exploded with a loud bang. The enemy was concentrated in a narrow corridor, so this should have neutralized a good number of them.

 

 

"Saki! Now! Let's go!"

 

 

They got out of their cover and ran towards the exit.

If they could somehow break through this encirclement, they could regroup their forces and launch an offensive again.

That's what Miyako thought.

 

 

"Miyako! There are enemies in front too! Damn it, we're surrounded...!"

 

 

"Why....."

 

 

But the enemy was not so easy.

As if they had predicted all of Miyako's moves, the relaxed second-year students gradually closed in.

 

 

"Is this... the end?"

 

 

Miyako had tried her best.

She analyzed everything to grasp the enemy's intentions, and paid attention to every single detail that felt off.

However, the second-year students had already experienced this, and that's why they were more skilled.

Rationalizing in that way, Miyako was about to give up everything.

 

 

At that moment, a flash of light suddenly came from outside and hit the head of the squad leader leading the second-year students.

The fragments generated by the explosion of the 20mm high-explosive round covered the second-year students who were surrounding Miyako and Saki.

 

 

"Urgh...! A sniper! Take cover!"

 

 

The second-year students, who had lost their squad leader in an instant, fell into chaos and started to panic.

The second-year students hid behind thick concrete walls to protect themselves from the sniper.

 

 

"Argh! The bullets are piercing through the wall!"

 

 

"What the hell! Fall back for now!"

 

 

But the bullets pierced through the cover as if it were nothing, adding to the second-year students' confusion.

And Miyako didn't miss that opportunity.

Miyako thought of the small blonde girl she knew and ran towards the empty exit.

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

I confirmed that Miyako and Saki safely escaped through the back door of the factory.

 

"The escape was successful for now... Then, the next step is to buy as much time as possible until those two return."

 

 

Through the sights, I can see the second-year students in chaos and unable to respond properly.

Among them were some despicable ones who broke away from the group and tried to escape alone.

I gave those guys high-explosive rounds first to instill fear in the remaining ones.

 

 

"If you know there's a sniper, you should take cover first."

 

 

I switched the magazine to armor-piercing rounds and switched from anti-personnel to anti-material fire. And I gave one shot each to those who were hiding behind cover and not coming out.

 

 

"Well, in front of overwhelming firepower, cover is useless."

 

 

But this chaos won't last long.

The smarter ones were hiding inside the factory and out of my sight.

 

 

"I'll be waiting, so come."

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

As I expected, the second-year students' chaos didn't last long.

But the problem was that even that brief moment of chaos was enough to lose a significant portion of the second-year forces that surrounded the factory.

 

 

"Chase the ones who ran away later! First, deal with the sniper in that building over there!"

 

 

The second-year students who hid inside the factory decided to use the remaining forces efficiently.

 

 

"And gather the others from other areas!"

 

 

"Th-That's, the wide-area jamming is still on, so to make a call..."

 

 

"Then turn off the jamming first! We need to get this situation under control first!"

 

 

But without a commander, proper strategic decisions were unlikely to come.

The second-year students, who made the biggest mistake, headed to the last confirmed sniper position to teach the sniper who messed with them a lesson, not knowing what mistake they had made.

 

 

"This is it, entering! The enemy is alone!"

 

 

The second-year students tried to enter the building where the sniper was. Without even checking what was under their feet.

 

 

-Boom!

 

 

"The ones who went in first were hit! This is... a booby trap using improvised explosive devices!"

 

 

"It doesn't matter, keep going in! We still have more numbers!"

 

 

"But..."

 

 

"Go in! Are you going to just stand there after being taken down by a single first-year student!"

 

 

<<Enemy spotted on the second floor! Currently engaged in combat!>>

 

 

"See. The enemy is also alone, so this is probably the best they could do to prepare improvised explosive devices in a short amount of time! Let's go!"

 

 

The student leading the remaining second-year students, along with the forces escorting her, personally took steps to see the face of the annoying first-year student.

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

The enemies are entering the building.

I dealt with the vanguard using booby traps. Despite that, there are still many forces left, closing in on me.

Memories of war resurface.

But this time, I use those memories of war to my advantage.

It feels like my soul is being burned alive, but I grit my teeth and endure it. Adrenaline rushes through my bloodstream, and my pulse races like crazy.

 

 

I hear footsteps coming from the stairs.

There are many of them, armed with relatively light weapons.

 

 

On the other hand, I'm alone.

I have the advantage in firepower, but the large anti-tank rifle is difficult to use in tight spaces.

But I can win. I've already experienced this many times in my past life.

I have the answer sheet that they don't.

 

 

I shot down the stupid one who stuck her head out from under the stairs without any protection.

Only then did the enemies safely take cover and start returning fire.

 

 

I left the anti-tank rifle there took only the submachine gun and ran away down the hallway.

It didn't matter anyway since the anti-tank rifle had limited ammo.

 

 

Thinking I had escaped, the enemies rushed into the hallway.

Not knowing that this is inside of snake's mouth.

 

 

I'm waiting, crouching around the corner. The footsteps get closer again, and I hit the gun that was pushed in without thinking.

The startled enemies started firing their guns wildly.

 

 

But because it was a narrow corridor, the bullets only hit each other's backs. Thanks to that, I didn't get hit at all.

 

 

I picked up a second-year student who was knocked out by the team kill and used her as a shield, firing the submachine gun until the magazine was empty.

 

 

One or two were hit and fell, but the others couldn't counterattack because they were startled.

I didn't miss that opportunity and threw the second-year student I was carrying at them.

 

 

The unconscious second-year student had a grenade with the pin pulled out in her hand.

 

 

-Boom!

 

 

The grenade exploded in the middle of the group, and the hallway was filled with fallen second-year students.

 

 

"Haa, haa, haa."

 

 

I took a deep breath, confirming that there were no more enemies left.

 

 

"Whew... I did it..."

 

 

I almost collapsed from exhaustion.

But I still had work to do, so I calmed my tired body and staggered towards where my squad members were waiting.

 

 

"Wow, that's really amazing. I can't believe you took down that many people all by yourself."

 

 

"...!"

 

 

But waiting for me was not my squad member, but the last remaining second-year student.

She pointed her gun at my head and continued to speak.

 

 

"But it looks like I'm the one who won in the end."

 

 

"..."

 

 

"No matter how much you struggle alone, you can't beat a large number. I hope this is a lesson for you, junior."

 

 

I smirked.

 

 

"What?"

 

 

"Who said I was alone?"

 

 

"What, no way...?! That's impossible, how could you do that in such a short amount of time!"

 

 

"Just kidding."

 

 

Taking advantage of the second-year student's distraction, I turned around and ran.

 

 

-Tadadadang!

 

 

"Kyaaak!"

 

 

But the second-year student didn't miss me, and I fell after being hit by the bullets she fired.

 

 

"I know that too, you cocky junior."

 

 

"Ugh..."

 

 

"Any last words?"

 

 

The second-year student stepped on my back and, this time for sure, pointed the gun directly at the back of my head, arrogantly declaring the end.

 

 

"Screw you."

 

 

"...Still cocky. I'd like to teach you a lesson, but if I waste any more time, it'll be really dangerous. Well then, goodbye."

 

 

-Bang.

 

 

...A single gunshot quietly echoed through the hallway.

 

 

But it wasn't me who fell.

The second-year student, who was hit by an unexpected bullet from behind, fell on top of me.

 

 

"...Nice timing, Miyu."

 

 

"I-I came to save you, Nanna-chan! Are you okay?"

 

 

"Yeah, I'm fine except for a few bullet wounds... What's the situation outside?"

 

 

"M-Miyako-chan escaped safely and brought the others... The communication jamming is also cleared now, so the situation is, stable..."

 

 

I roughly pushed the fallen second-year student off of me and headed outside with Miyu's support.

 

 

"Miyu! Nanna! Were you safe?"

 

 

"The result?"

 

 

"It's our victory. Good work, Nanna..."

 

 

I finally fought to protect someone, and in the end, I protected them.

At last, I established my identity of protecting someone as my ego.

 

 

"That's... good... then... now..."

 

 

My mind and body were at their limits, and I fainted in my squad members' arms.

But this time, I felt incredibly relieved, so I could rest easy.

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

The week after the training ended, our squad made the most impressive achievements and proudly took the MVP position.

 

 

"To think we received the Platinum Medal, which is said to be received by only a handful of people in SRT's history... This is all thanks to Nanna!"

 

 

"No, it was mostly thanks to Miyako leading the squad well."

 

 

"But if Nanna hadn't come to support us at the right time, we would have been wiped out."

 

 

"Really? Is that so?"

 

 

"That's right! You should be proud of yourself."

 

 

"Instead of just talking about it, why don't we have a big~ celebration party?"

 

 

"Hmm. According to the regulations, we should have also received a reward vacation along with the medal, so it would be okay to have a get-together outside."

 

 

"B-But what's that in Moe-chan's hand...?"

 

 

"Here comes the celebration shot! Kuhihi..."

 

 

"U-Uwaaah, stop it!"

 

 

-Boom! Bang! Kwaaang!

 

 

"N-Nanna-chan fainted again!"

 

 

"T-To the infirmary! Quickly!"

 

 

...It seems that I won't be able to live peacefully in Kivotos. But if I can protect this small and trivial daily life, I think that would be fine.

I thought so, as I dreamed happily.