Sora’s POV

How long are they going to keep me kneeling like this?

It feels like a good five minutes have passed but none of the soldiers have taken a step closer to me.

Although, it feels like five minutes have passed, it must be the so called tense factor. I have heard about these situations from my friends and have experienced it at times in Royal Road as well. If remember correctly, in a tense situation, we become more aware of each and every second. Although it feels like five minutes has passed it really must have been more like five seconds….

[Who are you lying to?] Devil-san asks me.

[Wait…have five minutes really passed?] I cross check with him.

[It has been over 500 ticks since you surrendered.] The Devil replied to my question.

I am assuming here that one tick is like one second….so it’s been well over five minutes…and I am still kneeling….why haven’t they cuffed me? Or put me behind bars?

I repeated my question to the Devil but the ‘evil one’ refused to answer. The only thing he did say was that the current predicament was amusing…something about seeing a human fluster over such a simple decision…I don’t really get what he is saying but I have understood this much…the Devil only moves to please his own desires. I could also conclude that he will not do anything to me or my guardians as long as we continue to entertain him and not directly harm him….I would say this attitude is typically in line with that of a sadist. He takes pleasure in our pain.…

I have decided to wait a bit more...if I were to suddenly move it is quite possible the soldiers might attack me…my original plan was to surrender and then draw the soldiers in, once they closed in create chaos….in that opening the Abbe should find an opening to escape….kneeling for over five minutes? Not part of the plan.

I look around and I can see even the soldiers are as bewildered as I am of the situation. I am not sure why they are not arresting me but should I consider this a good thing? I guess, right now thinking how I can turn this situation into an opportunity is probably the best thing I can do. The Abbe is still hiding in the store. I wonder what is he thinking of this all…

Abbe’s POV

Sora-sama is indeed a brilliant tactician. He did the unthinkable; surrender. I am sure Sora-sama considered all the possibilities and realized by doing the unexpected the Erito forces would face an unprecedented crisis.

Sora-sama is unexpectedly brilliant. His brilliance is something I cannot comprehend. I do not know how he knew surrendering would be a good decision but it has played out advantageous to him. I am certain that if I were to surrender the situation would not unfold the same way as it has for him.

The enemy knows me…I feel I may have been betrayed…or I may have made a mistake somewhere along the journey and that has led to the discovery of my identity….however the fact remains, if I surrender they would surely capture me in one swoop…they probably know my strengths and weakness and exactly what I am capable of…but they know nothing about Sora-sama.

Nothing is more dangerous than an enemy that you have no information about….those are amongst the strict teachings of the Empire’s Academy. The Emperor of the Old, laid the foundations for the art of combat….even now his teachings holds true. The Erito forces have no information on Sora-sama…and are probably trying to guess the extent of his abilities. If they are careless they fear they all could lose their life however if they are foolish they would have just let a weak prey walk all over them….

Sora-sama the way you do things are incomprehensible….how did you know that events would unfold like this….it is almost like you can read the future…..even now I am mesmerized by what I see…soldiers trying to defend their honour by not taking the life of one who has surrendered yet struggling to apprehend the criminal.

You have indeed upset the natural order….I will forever remember this incident and speak of it to Maylon and Gustav when I instruct them to look for you. I do not know why you spoke in a riddle….but I am certain you must have had your reasons….if it is the Erito forces….I shouldn’t be surprised that someone was listening in our conversation….if that were indeed the case…Sora-sama you again amaze me how you know so much about this world while having experienced so little of it.

Many of the previous adventurers I served thought to little of this world….in some way or the other they always looked down up on this world and its residents….this was the sole reason for them to lose their lives to the Empire….in contrast you seem to be one step ahead of the Empire….no not just the Empire but probably everyone…..

Ah! The soldiers have begun moving….

Vanessa’s POV

“Commander!” Ramona called out to her supervisor.

Vanessa jumped up in fright as she turned to face her subordinates.

Ah how unsightly! To have appeared so timid and frightened….it is truly unbecoming of me as a Commander of the Elite forces. The problem in front of me is such a simple one yet I am struggling to deal with it.

An enemy whom we know nothing about is…the worst. I have been taught to engage in skirmish…learn of the enemy’s strengths and weakness and to then assess the situation….so how do I engage a person who has surrendered?

I could send my subordinate to arrest the criminal in front of us….however when things like magic come into the equation….everything gets distorted….the criminal in front of us is like an impeding explosion waiting to happen….if we go near him I believe that something nasty will unfold….if I send a lone soldier to check him….then my subordinates will come to despise me for the coward I am….and if I take away his life…then I will be jeered by society for being too cold hearted….worse still if I let him go….I will be treated as weak….

I guess there are some choices one needs to make with sacrifices….I am thankful that the Academy has trained me to encounter unknown situations….this is exactly one of those…I am also grateful that in the examinations of the Academy, there have been questions which involved sacrifices….I never thought I would be faced with a real situation that requires personal sacrifice however I killing this person is an outcome I can accept. I rather be known as cold hearted, honourless and merciless than be known as weak.

“Ramona…order Jacques and Zacque. Single hit and avoid the civilian.”

Ramona looked at Vanessa for a confirmation. She was more than Vanessa’s subordinate she was also her friend. She could tell that this decision was not an easy one for her to make….

Vanessa didn’t look at Ramona and didn’t change her order.

‘The Empire comes first….’ Ramona thought to herself. The Empire had a very strict code of warrior’s honour….so taking the life of an unarmed person must have been a difficult choice. The one rule to override the warrior’s honour was safeguarding the Empire, it people, property and interests. Ramona understood this was one of those situations.

She placed her hand on a crystal ball and repeated her commander’s orders. “She has requested that you proceed ahead.” She spoke into the air.

***

[Please kill him.] Ramona’s voice echoed in Jacque’s mind.

[Fine] Jacques replied cooly as he took his position.

His partner, Zacque looked at him as he received the same instruction and began to act. He watched the situation through binoculars. The target was a man kneeling on the ground with his hands raised….he had been like that for over seven hundred ticks….there wasn’t even the slightest movement in his body….

Jacques had noticed that as well…the target in question was abnormally still and completely calm….almost as if he knew everything that was about to unfold….the thought sent shivers down their spine. The two were a sniping duo and a legendary pair within the Erito forces….known for their one hit kill move….if Vanessa was relying on them it meant that the enemy was someone she could take chances with….

Jacques extended his arm forward with his palm open.

Taking this shot was easy….no obstacles….fairly close by…their training grilled them in taking sniping shots from difficult positions, windy locations, unimaginable distances…etc. Essentially, it was the training of hell preparing them for anything.

Jacques waited for Zacques confirmation.

“Clear” Zacques said once he was able to ascertain that the target was not using any magical barrier or magical item which would interfere.

“Blessings of the mighty heavens, raging storms come forth and heed my words. Bring forth your fury and destruction who stand in your way.”

A blindly light flashed forth from Jacques’s palm which was point at Sora.

It was lightening. One billion volts of pure unadulterated electricity shot forth from Jacques hand and instantly hit Sora.

It was the most powerful spell in the Erito’s arsenal. A form of magic which is very had to reproduce and one which yields consistent result.

“Target hit.” Zacques said as he watched Sora collapse to the ground.

Ramona reported the same to Vanessa. She didn’t need to. Everyone in the vicinity saw the lightening flash and knew what it meant.

The target had been killed.