[Present]

After hearing the story, the soldiers’ faces became ghastly pale, comparable to sheet.

Having been seen behaving normally before being called to line up, some of those who were close with the victims asked if there was a possibility of turning back to normal but,

“That was just the parasite using the host’s memories and knowledge to behave as they did before. It is unfortunate but the parasite becomes the bodies’ new host. One way to interpret it is that it’s wearing their skins, the husks of the previous soul.” (Mark)

Any sliver of hope to restore their former comrades back were crushed by his explanation.

As they were distraught,

‘Ssshik!’

the sound of flesh being pierced was heard.

””””?!””””

On the eyes of everyone, reflected the unmoving body of one of the one called Kurt.

In the eye socket, a pool cue shaped weapon was stabbed through.

The person wielding the cue shaped weapon was none other than Kenshin.

Unable to react to the abrupt murder of a previous comrade, none were able to move.

The next scene forced them to break if their frozen states as Kenshin pulled out the weapon.

Along the end of the pole, an eyeball was skewered on.

This would normally be where their attention was directed at but the sight of something more horrendous took the focus of everyone.

Coloured with disgusting spots of green, yellow and brown similar to vomit, the urchin like creature that brought with it pieces of bloody brain matter stuck on the worm like appendages presented itself on the end of the poles tip.

””””?!””””

“HiYAAAAAAAAA!”

At the thought of having that thing inside their head, one of the soldiers let out a terrified scream.

That scream became an impetus as similar reactions from vomiting to nausea were displayed throughout the group.

They no longer doubted the information brought to them.

----

The fields in front of the river village displayed the charred figures of the vanguard battalion.

These were the remains of the air force battalion, most of them.

“Shit! How long was I out for? Ah! Fae, are you okay?!”

Nearest to the river village, at the front most area of the charred figures was Honoka Yukimura with Fae, her partner the gryphon, laying down in front of her unconscious.

She ran towards her unconscious partner and sighed as she was just unconscious and glad that she was uninjured.

“Good girl, you did good….Now just rest okay? I’ll find the others. Seeing as I survived, the others must have also” (Honoka)

She stroked the giant head of her beloved partner as she thought back to when they were attacked.

‘That attack. For it to reach us all the way from there and still have that much power to have that much of an effect. Lucky I have good armour and good passive defence magic. I can’t say the same for the rest of the group……. Kuh! You guys, please be alright! No, they have to be alright, they can’t die yet’

She hoped for her other comrades to be alright - she did not see the charred bodies behind her as they were far and on a higher ground and she was on lower ground.

Without a second to waste, Honoka began to take her saddled equipment off of the giant gryphon as to lessen her burden and also to prepare to regroup with the others.

That was when she heard the sound of the grass being walked on making a faint rustling sound.

“Who’s there?!” (Honoka)

As she took on her fighting pose the cause of the rustling appeared and stopped.

“Honoka!”

With a bright expression, a girl in a high ranking battle cleric clothing ran towards Honoka, who was also the same with a bright expression as she received the running girl with an embrace.

“Ami!” (Honoka)

The two hugged for a moment relishing each other’s warmth with happy expression and after more time passed they finally let each other go.

“Are you okay?! You aren’t injured are you?! Were you scared?! Are you feeling dizzy or feeling lightheaded?! (Honoka)

The Hero brawler asked frantically as she patted down and eyed her friend’s body to look for any injuries.

“I’m okay, I’m okay! What about you…. ‘okaa-chan?” (Ami)

Like a child saying to the overprotective parent to stop asking if they were alright, Ami told her friend with a teasing nickname that was a short version of her name.

“Ah! Don’t call me that! It’s because you’re such a klutz that I’m always worried about you.” (Honoka)

Replying with ‘boo’, Ami sulked, not being able to deny her.

“Ah! That’s right, Hachiro-kun and Arata are in the forest, they’re alright. They’re searching for any survivors who crashed in the forest. They said to inform any survivors to regroup with them to figure out what to do next” (Ami)

“D-did some…. Were there any casualties? Ami?” (Honoka)

After that question, Ami’s expression became dark as she muttered a reply.

“Other than the Hachiro-kun and Arata, only four were found alive having only minor injuries and I have confirmed that the ones who crashed outside the forest have died. Hachiro-kun is searching for any other survivors in the forest. Arata is looking after the three” (Ami)

The two’s expression became bitter and stayed that way for some time.

----

Night time

In a clearing inside the forest were the four heroes and their four gryphon partners.

Four people lay on the ground with bandages over their bodies.

One was conscious, the other three were sleeping.

“Major Matsuoka’s abilities are really out of this world. Thank you again for restoring my fractured leg.”

The one who was giving her gratitude to Ami Matsuoka was a woman with brown hair in a ponytail. Her name was Jen, the twin sister of Mark. She was a First Sergeant, ranking higher than her brother who was a Master Sergeant so, she was chosen to be in the vanguard battalion.

The reason she was complimenting her superior Ami was because in this world, recovery magic was not like in games where the effects of the recovery magic showed itself immediately. No, the difference between fantasy games and reality was big.

For example, in fantasy games or novels, a cut or bruise would disappear immediately whereas in this world, laceration that was sized two inches on the hand or leg would take around one hour of continuous use of recovery magic to heal but with visible evidence of the injury being left, like a scar.

Ami would take around five minutes to recover the same wound without evidence of there being any injury.

It took Ami thirty minutes to recover Jen’s minor fracture, something that would normally take high ranking clerics one week, with some breaks in-between, to recover the point where they are able to move about freely.

“Don’t mind it. It’s good that you are alright.” (Ami)

Normally, Ami would call Jen with san and Jen wouldn’t treat her as her superior but they had a rule that when they are in a mission or on duty, they have to treat each other according to their ranks.

“Hachiro, what’s your decision?” (Honoka)

Near the two, was Hachiro, Honoka and Arata who were discussing what they would do next.

“We can’t contact Yuzuki directly because she is resting around this time, so I sent a message to each member of the support group who is closest to her but I haven’t received any message back from them that confirms to have received our message. Because of the unexpected attack leading us to now, we need orders from above if we are to continue or not, but, because we can’t communicate with them, we have to decide ourselves to move or not. The commander of this unit died so it goes to me, who is the highest ranking.” (Hachiro)

“Yes, we’ve established that” (Arata)

“That attack. Arata that attack managed to reduced our numbers to a degree from that far. It didn’t affect us heroes that much and the other four because ‘it’ activated right on time to reduce the effect done on them. But the others were reduced to charred corpses. Arata, could you do that much?” (Hachiro)

He gazed down as he pondered about his question.

“No. That attack…….If we’re talking about my most powerful lightning attack, mine wouldn’t hit from that far away and wouldn’t reduce their bodies to that degree. Also, mine needs to make a storm cloud in the sky to make lightning…. that attack didn’t have a storm cloud as its source.” (Arata)

Hachiro crunched his eyebrows when he heard that.

“So Arata, what you’re saying is that they have a powerful mage that even tops you in fire power?” (Hachiro)

Arata confirms with a small nod.

“Also, I don’t know if the user of that attack was preparing that for a long time to make it more powerful or that it was deployed that moment we saw the river village, meaning it was quick just like-“ (Arata)

When he was about to say what it was similar to, Hachiro said it faster.

“Short Cast” (Hachiro)

‘Short Cast’ allowed the user to skip the chanting of a magic and just needs to have the name of the magic. But, this would require more mana from the user.

It would take around 20% more mana compared to when casted normally. Only heroes were gifted with such powers. There were other versions that a few non-heroes could use but they were less powerful and less efficient.

They thought that there was a danger of it being a summoned hero and having to fight without any information on the attacker. Also, it was likely that the attacker was not alone and there may be more summoned heroes with the attacker.

At the thought of having to fight summoned heroes, silence overcame the forest clearing and the swaying of the trees and its leaves made the atmosphere in that area almost unbearable for anything to breath.

The wind became calm and gentle after some time. The hustle and bustle of the trees also stopped, taking the severe and tense atmosphere with it.

Hachiro opened his mouth slowly with a resolute expression.

“There are too many unknowns. If we risk it and fight, most likely casualties may appear. Prepare to retreat.” (Hachiro)

Everyone in the group except those unconscious gave their consent to his order and began to prepare.

“Guh!?”

The shield on his back released an ethereal white oriental dragon that grew in size and layered its body to make a barrier facing the direction of the river village.

Three seconds after that came multiple impacts.

Spears made from earth was barraging the barrier as they broke off and crumbled around Hachiro and the others.

The barrage did not stop as piles and piles of sharp and heavy rubble began to build up around the group that sometimes splintered off, barely grazing the group under the barrier.

“Matsuoka! Jen! Get the injured on Alger quickly! He’s the fastest so head for the nearest recaptured territory!” (Hachiro)

He told them to take his mount, Alger, and retreat.

Without objections, they quickly began to do so.

Arata, who already made a wall of earth around them had launched a light magic.

The magic made a flare like ball of white light appear in the sky, making the barrage of spears visible.

They had the appearance of long pole shaped silhouettes approaching fast like arrows.

The rate of fire from the barrage began to lessen and as soon as Hachiro noticed that,

“Alger! Go, now!” (Hachiro)

Alger who had Jen, Ami and the injured on his back, furiously ran away from the group and began to fly with flaps of his wings, creating a torrent that shook the surrounding trees.

Seeing them successfully get airborne and out of harm, Hachiro began preparations to follow after them with the others.

The barrier from the shield, Arduino, the thing that was referred to as ‘it’, had a time limit. They knew that so the three; Hachiro, Honoka and Arata quickly got on the remaining gryphons.

Without waiting for another chance of the barrage whittling away, they flew up into the air.

When its wielder was out of harm, the ethereal dragon disappeared quickly.

The barrage also stopped shortly after.

Hachiro and Honoka on the gryphons began to contact their classmates in the recaptured territory using message and call function.

Arata was facing the rear on guard and ready to defend the two from rear attacks.

Arduino’s auto-defence system had a cool down time of two hours before it can be used again and it automatically drains its user’s mana when the defence system automatically activates, so it was decided for Hachiro to leave the defending to Arata.

To prevent the enemy from spotting them, Arata deployed a mist field, cloaking them at the beginning of the escape.

‘WOOSH!’

Just when Honoka was about to send her message to those in the recaptured territory, the sound of something fast slicing through the air went past them.

A moment later,

‘BOOM!’

A shock wave manifested in front of the three.

””””Gaa!””””

All three of them shouted.

The dilation of the air flow caused the gryphons to loose balance for a bit but then steadied themselves.

“Who’s there?!” (Arata)

Stopping their gryphons, Arata shouted at the perpetrator.

With weapons pointed at the direction the attack came from, the three were on guard ready to attack.

“Ho…. As expected of heroes. You didn’t receive any injury from an attack that would normally leave you dead or at least with broken bones.”

Floating in the air, a man with beautiful silver hair in an aristocrat’s tail coat suit showed himself with a gleeful expression like a little child who found a new toy to play with.

“Ah, where are my manners. Greetings, my name is Rupert Arundel Buroom. Pleased to meet you at last.” (Buroom)

They couldn’t react.

As soon as he finished introducing himself, the trio planned to attack but a pressure that emanated from the person in front of them stopped them from doing so.

It was as if their bodies were under the pressure of water a thousand feet.

“So you are the rumoured heroes huh. Oh? What? Is the pressure too much for you?” (Buroom)

Seeing those three gritting their jaws shut tight from the pressure just to try to not pass out, the counts impression of them plummeted.

“How disappointing. I thought that you might be different from those other trash in Windcoast. I do hope the summoned heroes from my empire aren’t so weak like you.”(Buroom)

Hearing about the enemy summoning heroes again, this time from a high ranking vampire, the three wanted to ask about it but the pressure stopped them.

“Ah.... what a waste of time.” (Buroom)

The count sported a disappointed expression. But, that soon changed as he sensed multiple presences, some that he knew belonged to.

“Ah! You can still be useful. My subordinates have arrived. Why don’t I watch from the side to see how much they have grown?” (Buroom)

‘BOOM!’

After he said that, impacts on the ground was heard. There were eight in total. It sounded like boulders thrown by a catapult.

At the place where the impacts originated, eight vampires were seen in darkish blue trench coats paired with a military peaked cap.

There were five men and three women not much different in age and racial characteristics from the count.

All had rapiers on their side with four of them armed with additional weapons such as a glowing wand and a rifle musket with a bayonet.

“General!”

A man from the group shouted before he began flying over to the count.

“General, please come back to base!”

“Good timing Colonel. I want you to pick two men from your team of your choosing to fight with those three” (Buroom)

He purposely suggested two from his side to fight the heroes as he thought two were enough to beat them.

Confused by the sudden requests, the colonel expressed a puzzled face.

“General, please come back to the base. The others are going to take care of them”

“It wouldn’t hurt to watch right? (Buroom)

“General, the base is going to be in chaos if you aren’t there. Sir, please go back with me. We are going to escort you back”

“Alright, alright. Haa…... Fine, let’s go.... It’s probably going to be one sided anyway. You three, try not to die too quickly” (Buroom)

The count left, flying with the colonel and three others flying behind.

After, the count left, so did the pressure that oppressed the three.

””””Gasp!””””

The three began breathing in as much air that they could as if they had been drowning a minute ago.

Sweat dripped down from their faces and had fear plastered all over it.

They were stock still, terrified as they tried not to shake from fear.

‘We have to run!’

The three shared that thought.

They were in no state mentally to fight.

””””Retreat!””””

Quickly commanding the gryphons to retreat the other way, the three were frantic.

‘Bang!’

The sound of a musket firing was heard.

“Ack!”

“Hachiro!” (Honoka + Arata)

A bullet had hit him through the thinly armoured posterior region of his right thigh. (Back thigh)

Before, he has been shot by a musket rifle but it failed to penetrate through even when thinly armoured due to his bugged stats that made his skin resist penetration.

Having been shot by an attack that was enough to penetrate through Hachiro was enough to show that either the rifle or shooter was powerful.

Not only was the heroes surprised, the vampires were too.

““!?””

“Was his armour strong or was it his body?....... Both maybe? That attack would have normally blown of his entire leg. Clearly, they’re not normal”

The one who shot Hachiro mumbled.

“After them. Advance with caution. Like she said, they’re clearly not normal”

A man who appeared to be in his mid-twenties ordered their group to pursue.

Like the count, they began flying moments later, heading in the direction of the three.

----

“Hachiro, how is your leg?” (Arata)

Using ‘call’ he spoke to Hachiro because it was hard to hear words at high speed.

Hachiro, never experiencing pain like this before was grinding his teeth, trying to prevent himself from screaming out.

“I won’t be able to fight on ground. I think it fractured the bone. I’m sorry.” (Hachiro)

“There is no need for fighting. We need to concentrate on retreating right?” (Arata)

Hachiro nodded.

“Have you applied treat- !?“ (Arata)

He was interrupted by his gryphon quickly making a hard turn.

‘VRAAAAAAa!’

A red beam of light a meter in diameter just barely skimmed him.

“Impossible! They caught up to us?!” (Arata)

“Go low! Just between the crowns of the trees! They won’t be able to target us properly!” (Hachiro)

Hachiro who was far apart from the other two told them to

When they did,

“”Got you!””

Two voices was heard in unison from below Honoka, who was behind Hachiro and Arata.

A male and female, both with sabres appeared just below each wing of the gryphon Honoka was on and pierced it.

“Hiya!” (Honoka)

“KRUAA!” (Fae)

Both rider and gryphon plummeted with both assailants grabbing on the sword that were pierced through a wing.

Honoka and her gryphon crashed in the forest, hitting and breaking branches along the way going ‘baki, baki, baki, baki!’.

Hachiro and Arata who saw her get attacked decided to go aid her.

Hachiro landed, 20 metres away from Arata, was met by a high speed bayonet charge by the vampire sniper.

The sniper, a woman of short stature with short silvery hair, aimed her bayonet towards his head.

“?!” (Hachiro)

To be continued