Al stood up. The ten veins opened one after another, and the glittering spiritual power flowed in the snowy night sky, the garden with rose petals blooming in the memory, the parents waiting for him, and the peaceful Rootsville.

I really want to hear my mother's voice.

Hug yourself and say "Mommy is so happy, Al, you're finally back"

If it's really possible, Dad will be smiling happily next to him.

"Al, I'm so proud of you. ”

Is it?

In an instant, he turned his head, and behind him were the members who had faithfully followed him.

The corners of his slightly moist eyes were a little cold, but I didn't expect myself to cry when I never cried.

...... Mom and Dad, I'm sorry if it was just me. I'll be able to come back.

But they.

They.

They entrusted their lives to me.

It seems that there is no going back this time.

"The sixth detachment of the night battle in the Divine Snow Country's Radiant Forest Theater listened to the order and immediately entered the inner wall of the fortress. Hold the fortress until dawn, reinforcements will surely come. ”

“...... Yes!"

Without any hesitation.

There is no question.

There was no hesitation.

As soon as the words fell, the six people who had tacit understanding entered the fortress almost at the same time.

At a closer distance than just now, the spiritual pulse released by the large spiritual pulse array sounded again. The fortified fortress must be like the fallen leaves on the trees, swaying in the wind.

"Are you afraid?"

Al asked pointless questions.

"As long as there is a Commander, we have nothing to fear. ”

"The enemy is strong, and even I am not sure to protect you. ”

"Chief El, we don't need protection. Have you forgotten that we are all willing to follow you to this place? And the six of us together have overcome a lot of difficulties, and although we are not as elite as the Ice Knights, we are your best soldiers-"

Al smiled wryly.

- Yes, you are the best soldiers.

No one can compare.

Whether it's the Ice Knights or the Sword of Kings.

But none of them can compare to you.

"Thank you. ”

Thank you for trusting me.

"I'm sorry. ”

I really can't protect you guys this time.

If you can go back.

If I can see you again.

......

"The enemy is coming—"

"Night Battle Sixth Detachment, Prepare for Battle!

Anger burns in the dark blue pupils of the tranquility of the lake, like roses blooming in a garden in the silence of spring. The ranks on their shoulders were shattered, and their uniforms were covered with melted snow. The boy who used to cry has finally become like a real man, and his parents will be happy if they see it.

But will there really be such a day?

——

It was a really long night.

——

From the beginning to the end, Al didn't know exactly how many enemy troops there were.

Just remember that groups of men in dark green military uniforms attacked the fortress. On several occasions the fortified fortress was on the verge of crumbling. The battle continued into the night. Should it be two, or three?

All tactics failed.

Due to the delay in the attack, the enemy attacked like crazy.

The spiritual impact unleashed by the giant harmonic array almost destroyed the entire fortress, leaving only the ruins of the broken walls.

The six-man team of night battles has been relying on the position of the fortress and constantly fighting the enemy army.

Even the enemy army did not expect that a strategic fortress would be so difficult to overcome.

After the fortress ramparts were destroyed, the Night Battle Six-man squad lost its last bunker.

All were exposed to enemy fire.

El is the core of the team, the eye of the six-person harmonic array.

In order to keep his own commander.

Five team members died one after another.

The first to leave was Ani Sterno.

It was a psychic blow in the abdomen during the assault.

When he died, he didn't close his eyes. Mouthful.

“...... Chief El...... I'm sorry...... I was the first ...... to go."

“...... If you make it out alive...... Please tell Mom...... I'm sorry...... I can't go back...... Please ......"

Before she could finish speaking, her heart stopped beating.

"Sir, what are we going to do?"

"The enemy is still around...... If you bring Arnie...... will affect our ...... actions"

What to do?

Al didn't hesitate.

No one told him what to do.

He didn't have a choice either.

Arnie is gone, and the living will continue to fight.

If they die, Arnie's sacrifice will be in vain.

"Night Combat detachment, move now, and, take Arnie's badge with you, if any of us are alive...... Give each other's military badges to their loved ones. ”

- What a heavy heart!

The living survived in the rubble, watching Ani's body captured and humiliated by enemy forces.

But what can be done?

The enemy did this to wipe out the night squad.

But if one person reveals his or her position, everyone will be in crisis.

I'm so sorry.

I'm really sorry.

If I were a little stronger.

If only I could open the 12 veins.

If you weren't my soldiers.

Well, they should all be alive -

In the face of Ani's death, the night battle team did not lose their minds.

They take advantage of the hazy gaps in the night to strike, kill, and hide again.

Although there was no Ani, the hole in the squad formation was filled in an instant. Thanks to Al, who was ready for sacrifice at the beginning of the team's training.

You can't be defeated just because one person is gone, and those who are alive must continue to fight.

——

The ensuing battle has been going on in the ruins.

Because the night combat detachment was very good at guerrilla warfare, coupled with the cover of the night, the soldiers of the Tree Country were killed one after another.

If it goes on like this, maybe it will really last until the reinforcements come...

Someone actually had such a naïve idea.

But in the next moment, this naïve fantasy was shattered.

Shukuni gave up capturing alive the Snow warriors of the Night Combat Detachment, and immediately ordered the entire fortress ruins to be covered with psychic cannons.

At that moment, an overwhelming spiritual light fell from the sky. The pitch-black night is lit up with a brighter light than the golden chrysanthemum.

"How beautiful, isn't it?" exclaimed Raphael Plitdam.

He used to be a painter, and if it weren't for the war, his work would have sold for a good price. Although his paintings were never popular.

“....... Finally, we're going to die!"

Francis Hale let out a long sigh, she was an unfamous dancer. As for why he joined the army. I can't remember it now. The spiritual power has been exhausted, and like everyone else, even the most basic defensive spirit array cannot be formed.

“....... Sure enough, it was sent to death......"

"Chief El...... I'm afraid we're going to get rid of you one thing......"

Gasping for air, Al looked up in fear. In the previous continuous battle, as the eye of the Harmonic Pulse Array, the spiritual power had been exhausted, and it was more serious than everyone else.

All he could do was keep himself from falling. Even if you can speak, you can't breathe even the most basic.

“...... You guys...... No, no, don't...... I can protect you...... You can't die......"

Like Francis Hall, the scarred Rafael Plitdam, Michael Shelley, and Maxwell Eddie took off their badges from their chests. Respectfully placed it in front of Al.

"I'm sorry sir, but please forgive us for making a fool of myself...... We will always be your soldiers...... Hope you can live......"

The boy's smile was Maxwell Eddy's, although he was an orphan and had only turned ten a few days earlier. But if he lives, maybe he can surpass himself!

But it's too late to say anything now.

The four men knelt in front of them and saluted the chief with the last of their strength.

- just like when I first joined the squad.

The hooknose is Michael Shelley's. If there were no enemies, everyone could hear him playing the harmonica, and it was like coming to the grassland.

But it was too late.

If he had the chance, Al would also like to see Francis Hale in action.

If you have the chance.

If they were alive at all.

——

In the interweaving of light and darkness, El caught a glimpse of a giant spirit array shining in the sky, eyes the size of a hill watching him.

Bursts of light flashed brighter than the sun.

It was a spiritual bombardment that even the Twelve Veins Sect Spiritual Magicians could not resist.

- It's finally over!

Leaving with them shouldn't be a bad thing.

These are the soldiers who faithfully follow them!

Willing to give his life for himself.

Even if it's to give the chief an extra moment of life.

Al wept.

He originally wanted to make a career and then return to his hometown, but he had an inexorable sense of guilt, and his dreams and vows became meaningless.

in front of their lives.

The stronger you are, the more you blame yourself.

It's me, it's me.

I didn't protect you.

I don't deserve to be your commander.

Tears fell in large drops, and I silently thought in my heart: If there is a god, please save us.

— At least let them live —

But God didn't respond.

The sound of a violent thud temporarily robbed El of his hearing.

The soldiers who formed a circle and used their last spiritual power to prop up the protective barrier looked serene, as if to speak.

"Thank you, Chief El, we will always be your soldiers, forever...... Forever give your life for you......"

“...... I'm sorry...... That's the only thing we can do for you....... If that's you..... I'm going to survive."

"Everyone knows that you didn't choose to retreat because you were worried about us, but everyone dragged back—"

"I didn't expect it to make you worry in the end......."

Dazzling light, blurred back.

Rafael Plitdam, Michael Shelley, and Francis Hall used their bodies to block the outermost and put the ten-year-old Maxwell Eddy closest to Ayr.

I see!

The clear-headed Al whimpered.

They, they. In addition to protecting his superiors, he also wants to give this ten-year-old child more opportunities to live.

This dedication to life was insignificant before the bombardment of giant psychic magic.

What is the role of a meager body?

This moment, so long.

Blood dripped and four pieces of iron of the same size fell into Al's hands.

Having lost his sense of hearing, Al seemed to be able to read the shape of their mouths.

Say your last prayer to your beloved ruler with the last of your strength.

Maxwell Eddy.

“...... Please bring my badge back...... Take it back to my hometown....... Tell Mom and Dad...... I'm sorry...... I can't go back. ”

“...... I was a disobedient child...... If only I had listened to my mother...... If there is no war...... I should be sitting in the back garden reading a book with my mother......"

“....... Will she be sad......"

Rafael Plitdam.

“....... Tell Becky not to wait for me...... Don't make her sad......"

“....... So I told her that I had gone far away. Probably never coming back......"

"I promised to give her the most beautiful painting, but it seems that it will not be finished......."

In the bright light, Al's eyesight was gone.

He couldn't see the shape of Michael Shelley's and Francis Hall's mouths.

"Ahhh

Calm and determined, Al wept bitterly for the first time.

He didn't want to die. His teammates don't want to die, right—

Why?

Why?

After asking countless questions, the faces of the past days and nights flashed in my mind.

It would be nice if I could help them more then.

- I want to do it again, I want to do it again.

Meet them.

Listen to them.

"Yes, sir!"