10-4 Warning Shot

There's been a riot at Port 309!

Tell the general the patrol squad has sniffed out the rebels.

It's not just the rebels! We're exchanging fire with multiple groups––

General, can you get us backup?

No need.

How are we doing?

Debugging will take roughly another fifteen minutes.

You've got eight.

We don't have time to spare here.

You don't need me to go see what's going on down there? Just a suggestion, of course.

You're worried I'll fail.

Of course not. When have your plans ever failed?

My job is just to make sure we've got fewer unknowns along our path to victory.

You've already done more than enough, mercenary.

Come, stand with me. I need you to see for yourself what is going on beneath these walls, before the experiment begins.

......

Lively.

How does it compare to the battlefields of Kazdel?

Nothing new.

But at least... it's not Sarkaz on both sides tearing each other apart.

Surely you hunted, during your time in Kazdel.

You're asking if I've been hunting? Us mercs are out in the wilderness all year 'round. Hunting is how we get fed.

Then, you should understand why I left these ports open.

Sometimes, even if your trap is obvious, a beast will step right into it because there's no other choice.

If it can't find a way out, it'll panic and run wild. That means we've got to expend energy and spread our forces thin to round up all the wild beasts.

Sure. That's how things go in the wilds, but there's more to it.

Look at the city below us. It is little more than a concrete wilderness.

Who has the confidence to seal off every exit to the wilds themselves? Who can find every nook and cranny in a jungle? Who can secure every last potential hiding spot?

I am certainly not so conceited.

So that's why you left a few openings. Focus your attention, and wait for the enemies to reveal themselves. That's a pretty efficient way of dealing with it.

But it does come with one risk.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

If I was in your position, I'd do the same thing.

Good. If you're capable of leading mercenaries, you're capable of leading the hunt.

That's why I'd rather fight alongside you than the relics in the Court.

And by the looks of things, you'll be feasting tonight.

Not just the rebels, but Dublinn as well...

Wait, I've seen that caster before. She came to see you once. Didn't you sign a truce? Not that either of you took it particularly seriously.

If you recognize her, then you should also know that people like her don't know when to stop.

You've been wanting to eliminate that variable for a while now, huh?

The situation has changed. His Majesty's opus is reaching its conclusion. If the theatre is too rowdy, it is too easy to overlook an actual threat.

We need to keep a closer eye on the dukes out there.

Couldn't you just send me to do that?

If I wanted her dead, I wouldn't even need you.

What's the problem then?

'The Iron Guard of Wellington.'

You mean...

He hasn't made a move on Londinium yet.

And if he's quiet for even a single day, all the nobles outside Londinium ask their emissaries, first thing in the morning, whether the Iron Duke has spoken.

Okay.

Which is why we haven't made an enemy of Dublinn, so far.

Now though, since she's the one who lost control and took the first step toward violating our agreement––

The Sarkaz have no more reason to continue tolerating them.

So the commotion down there is just the beginning.

Yes. We still need something... more decisive, to take Dublinn out of the picture.

Where the hell did they come from?

I don't know, Captain... I haven't seen these weapons or Arts before!

They're also fighting the Sarkaz... They're not here to back up the devils?

Not that it matters. We'll eliminate anyone who gets in our way.

Hey––

Give us our guy back!

It's... It's you!

Oh, a familiar face? Too bad I still recognize you after the pummeling I gave you this morning.

Look out behind you––

People don't just stand around in a fight and wait for you to run up to them swinging.

Isn't that why I have you?

Don't go too crazy. Remember, we're getting out of here as soon as we secure our target.

I know.

That just means I gotta punch faster.

You're telling me... these are the ones who snatched our mark?

Don't forget their faces.

No, wait a moment... Try to capture one of them alive. I'm sure the Leader would be interested to find out what new power has its eyes on Londinium.

Uhh... Where are these rocks coming from?

......

Stay on your guard. We're still not inside the city yet, and the Doctor doesn't want to see anyone get hurt.

Alright... You too!

She smashed my construct to pieces with one swing of a hammer?

This one... she's just as nasty as that Victorian soldier!

I wasn't even trying for that one though... See how you like this instead!

Get out of the way, Siege!

Who covered me?

Balin, did you see who that was?

No, there's too much going on. I can't make heads or tails of it.

Amiya, there's somebody else in this fight.

Someone besides us, Dublinn, and the Sarkaz...

And they just might be on our side.

Captain, the situation isn't looking good for us... Do you think you could bring down this entire wall...?

The entire wall, huh? Hah... I've fantasized about it too many times...

But, not now. We'll still have our chance, whenever the Leader decides to come.

Let's not get too carried away here, and just grit our teeth for the time being...

Hear me. Pack your weapons and try not to leave a mess. I don't want that Manfred devil to come knocking on my door ahead of schedule.

Four minutes. We'll wait four more minutes.

As it happens, our men haven't had a chance to do anything fun. Defending a city like Londinium is worlds apart from raiding Lateran caravans in the wilderness.

The nice thing about meeting old friends is you don't have to worry about them taking your head. I've got nothing to complain about.

Don't mistake yourself for one of them.

There aren't a lot of mercenaries out there who could stand being locked up in a little courtyard, reading books all day. That's your department.

I do remember thanking you when you scooped me up and gave me back my sword.

Enough. You're not here to share me this drivel.

Sure, I know.

You need mercenaries, and for more than a couple reasons.

Indeed... And you're as good as they come.

Coincidentally, a few more mercenary squads have joined up with us recently, including some of your old acquaintances from the Scar Market.

What mercenary could resist an offer from the Regent himself?

They want more than just the payout from completing a contract or two.

When we followed the Regent out of Kazdel, each warrior carried a different weapon, some even wearing armor that belonged to the enemy just moments ago.

But what about now?

As you've seen, the factories of Londinium now work day and night to produce weapons and armor for us. Our troops are well-regulated, and take orders as a unified unit.

We are united as never before, and that makes our solidarity stronger than ever.

Yes, all of Victoria... No, all of Terra is watching.

All according to the Regent's calculations.

Just a year ago, they guffawed about how Londinium's defenses were impenetrable. They thought we were mercenaries in service to some duke.

Profit is no longer the only thing that motivates mercenaries... They are all looking to see what the Sarkaz can do.

What's a sellsword who's lost interest in selling his sword?

We're not asking our compatriots to give up their status as mercenaries. They simply found other reasons to follow the Regent.

They believe he has created a turning point in the fate of the Sarkaz. That we have an opportunity to earn a new identity for ourselves, not just as looters and servants of the powerful.

You need a home to have an identity.

'When the Sarkaz desire war, the Sarkaz become war itself––'

'––And when each battle ends, the Sarkaz have a home to return to.'

This is what the Regent told all the Sarkaz in Londinium. You saw it yourself. That was the first time we met.

I asked what you thought about that statement.

'If you're a fighter who crawled out of the ruins of Kazdel, how could you say no to that?'

It was three years ago I heard that answer.

Since then, you've left that estate, and now stand with me.

Do you still... hold the same belief?

Manfred, you've earned my loyalty.

......

Does your left eye still hurt?

It's been over a year. It healed a long time ago.

I... hope you understand. I've never doubted our friendship, not once since that day.

But you know what I'm talking about.

The Confessarii don't drop their guard around a merc. That's how they look after the Regent.

And I... I'm not here to prove my loyalty to anyone. That'd just make me a weaker blade in a fight.

So your answer is still 'no.'

That's fine too.

Sometimes, what I need more is a friend, and for that, Kazdel must temporarily endure the absence of an officer.

We're ready, General!

Excellent.

Tell the patrol to retreat immediately.

Activate the automatic aiming system and enter the long-distance targeting coordinates––

––Coordinates, Sudean Borough, Port 309.

Our efforts over the last few months are finally about to bear fruit.

Hoederer, will you do the honors?

Lieutenant, Dublinn looks like they're about to win.

That's not the situation, but it's also not what matters.

Regardless of who wins, what's important is that they keep each other in check.

That's the situation we need, one that allows your people to charge.

Charge...?

Indeed. While they're too occupied with us, that's your best opportunity to get out of the city.

No... No!

What's on your mind, Robben?

Lieutenant, I don't want to leave anymore.

But...

I have to stay.

But this might be the only chance you have to leave Londinium!

After the scuffle here today, the Sarkaz will have the gate blocked tomorrow.

Conceal your weapons and blend in with the other civilians! Hurry, get going!

We can't just run away like this.

Lieutenant, we can still fight.

Did you see that? I just took down a Dublinn fighter and injured two Sarkaz!

This crossbow is... pretty crude. It's nothing like the standard-issue military crossbows we're used to.

You made it, right? If you even need to make your weapons yourself, don't you also need more men?

It's not a question of what I need...

If you don't want to leave, I won't force you.

I don't want to order another good soldier out of the fight, not again, not when she wanted to stay...

Lieutenant...?

But let's set that aside for now.

We need to get out of here first.

Now's the best shot we're going to get, so if you don't want to move onwards, then fall back with us!

Doctor, the Sarkaz troops are withdrawing from the fight.

I find it strange that after fighting us and Dublinn for so long, the Sarkaz didn't call in reinforcements or start massacring the Dublinn forces.

That's not how the Sarkaz usually fight. Even the mercenaries that W brought with her into Reunion fought more ferociously than they did.

Doctor, have we fallen into a trap?

This conflict came about so spontaneously and coincidentally... It's as if someone was trying to corral us all together, and then...

Umm, do you think they set all this up for us?

Siege said she found other people who were blending into the crowd just like us... and they seemed to be on the civilians' side.

Might they be the ones the Sarkaz were after?

The Doctor ordered a retreat.

Huh? We're about to complete our rescue though!

There must be a reason behind it. Let's go.

Grr.

Excuse me, Miss Indra! I, I'm over here!

Thomas?

Don't go over there!

I...

What just happened?!

Did we get a bomb dropped on us? A huge crater... suddenly appeared in the ground?!

Thomas... *cough* *cough*... The smoke's too thick, I can't see anything!

Indra!

Siege told you to stop.

Fine, I owe you another one.

As long as you get it. Now hurry, let's get out of here––

Gah! The lift fell over––

If it had been a little lower, m-my leg would've...

Hold on.

I mean, hold on to my construct!

You idiot... Don't drag me down too! It's hard enough to stay afloat bringing you bunch with me!

C-Captain... Thank you...

Next time, be smarter about how you run so you're less of a nuisance.

Watch out, Captain!

That's... an artillery shell?

No, it's far more destructive than normal artillery...

And, it was aimed so precisely at a small area?

......

Manfred... You've been watching us this whole time?!

Bloody hell, that slimy devil!

Alright, everyone stop right here! We don't need to chase after those Sarkaz. As for the driver...

He's dead.

This accursed place...

......

Lieutenant, wh-what is this...

............

How can the city's defense artillery do this...?

Londinium's wall defenses were built almost seventy years ago.

This is the first time...

Their cannons have been aimed... inside the city.

Not too shabby.

Even 10% of its firepower is enough to melt ordinary structures.

So this is Londinium's ultimate defense.

That was only an auxiliary cannon.

Our weapon experts have said the main guns are able to easily penetrate the armor of any high-speed warship.

A weapon expert...? Are you talking about the officer from the defense forces' engineering team?

I must thank you for capturing his wife and daughter.

Is he still alive?

As long as he is of use to the Sarkaz, he will not die.

Artilleryman, target Lift 11.

The shot went wide.

Unfortunate. We'll have to improve our accuracy.

These cannons were meant to point outwards, after all.

Outwards... Before we entered Londinium, the defensive artillery was aimed at the ducal army outside the walls.

When we entered the city under the guise of quelling the dukes' conflicts, they never even once thought to put us in their sights––

Does that count as pointing outward?

Since the fall of Gaul and the silence of Iberia, a long time has passed without Victoria facing any real external threat.

Indeed, which is why His Majesty found this opportunity for us.

Such sophisticated weaponry should be put to greater use, rather than sitting here as ornaments adorning the doorway.

Artilleryman, activate dynamic target tracking.

Very good, it's working.

We had to spend nearly a whole month to calibrate them...

Luckily, they seem to be working well enough.

These weapons put us in control of everything that enters and exits Londinium.

Once all our cannons are in place... There will be nowhere to hide under the shadow of these steel walls.

Dublinn seems to be drawing away the artillery fire.

Is this... a test run? Is their purpose really just to calibrate...

No, they're ultimately unconcerned with this port.

Lieutenant, what do we do now?

Continue to withdraw towards the city.

However... the rest of Sudean is no longer safe.

The Sarkaz are tightening their grip on Londinium. As long as the city's artillery is pointed inwards, our lives are in their hands.

Unless...

What's your plan, Lieutenant?

It's nothing. Let's go, we'll talk after we've made our escape.

These bloody walls! These bloody cannons!

Captain, your constructs got destroyed again...

I don't... have time for this!

Don't just stand there staring! Away with you! Get out of here!

Forcing us to run, eh? Mark my words, Manfred, you insult me like this today, I swear I'll...

Captain, that one I just saw running off that way... looked rather familiar...

The Lupo brunette? Is it her?!

Get her——

Ugh!

Be careful, Captain!

What have you done?!

I'm... protecting you... run! You still have to... find... for the Leader...

Fine... fine.

You're the thirteenth.

The thirteenth Taran life. I will mark you down in the Leader's place. One day, I will personally make the Sarkaz pay for each and every life.

General, we've routed Dublinn's team.

I saw.

But we couldn't find the rebels... Those sly insects! They peeked their heads out for a moment, but they vanished again after we activated the cannons.

Uhh, could they have been killed already?

What do you think?

I... I don't think our job would be that easy.

I'm glad you understand.

Then, did they blend into the crowd? Should we notify the patrol so they can detain the civilians and continue the search?

No need.

Continue to bombard the port. Oh, and increase the firepower.

Increase the firepower? The port is almost completely destroyed. I can't imagine anyone would be hiding there still.

They won't ever take this route again. Besides, have you ever seen a Sarkaz draw only half his sword?

Now that we've begun, why not let them see exactly what we're capable of?

You're putting on a show of force for them. You want... to cut off their escape and force them to come out.

This game of hide-and-seek has gone on long enough. Even if I don't mind waiting, the same cannot be said for His Majesty and the Royal Court.

Doesn't matter who it is. If they have a plan, I'd like them to hurry up with it.

Doctor, we don't have anywhere safe to hide!

Even if we all took cover under the structure, we'd still be...

...Vulnerable to their artillery blowing us to bits!

I've done some rough calculations. If those cannons are fully charged, they'd be able to shoot clean through a standard city plate! This flimsy sheet plate above our heads on the wall there won't stand a chance!

Siege, Londinium's cannons here are serious business!

This is the first time I've seen them fired off on such a scale.

That means they're rolling out the red carpet for us, right?

If that were the idea, we would be wiped out fifty kilometers outside the walls.

Urgh...

Ahhh, I can't take it anymore––!

Amiya, my drones can't reinforce these plates any further. At this rate, we're going to get blasted sky-high!

We need to get out of here.

Dublinn also scrambled to get away as fast as they could... but they used Arts constructs to defend themselves and left their wounded behind.

Ugh... Argh, why's our luck so rotten...?

Are we going to die here?

We won't leave a single Londinier behind.

Scout team, have you located the artillerymen?

Not yet...?

I'm afraid we can't find them.

Londinium's urban defense cannons, and this wall looming in front of us, have always been a single entity.

In other words... we have no way of stopping the barrage if we can't scale the wall or get inside it?

We can't just hide here waiting to die either!

Why don't I run out there and try to draw their fire? With my skills, I should be able to buy a few minutes...

Not happening.

If you're not letting her do it alone, then let's all go.

Settle down, you two. Dagda, have you been hanging around Indra for so long that your brain turned to muscle?

Hey...

If it was as easy as getting some live bait out there, would the two of you still be here making a scene?

Our armor could maybe take two hits from a standard crossbow. Our friends in Engineering spent months working hard to make it.

If you're going to run out there and get yourself killed, you never should've come to Londinium in the first place!

......

Alright, I get it. But I swear, I'm not letting anything happen to Vina!

We... haven't even been home yet!

Doctor, do you have a plan?

Drones...? Hmm, hmm, I see... Oh, so that's where you're going with it. That makes sense.

What are you mumbling about now, Closure? The Doctor barely said two words, but you're acting like you had a whole conversation!

Oh, my bad. I just got an idea.

Those cannons seem pretty intelligent, and at such a long range, they can't be completely manual. They must have some way of locking onto moving targets near the ground.

One or two guys running around won't be enough to get the cannons off our backs.

If I deploy all my drones at once, the targeting algorithm might see them as a higher-priority threat than us and the civilians, but...

But there's no guarantee?

Well obviously, I can't promise anything!

Closure, the reinforcement failed. The pressure is too great for the drones to withstand!

The base plate is going to collapse within thirty seconds...

We have no other choice. Let's give it a try.

On the Doctor's signal, all operators prepare to withdraw.

Five, four, three––

Two––

Drones, launching!

Run, everyone! Go, go!

Did it work?

It bought us just enough time to move to a structure a few steps away... but this place won't last long either.

That was our one shot, too... My precious drones have all been reduced to scrap, and even I can't just conjure up another batch.

We can't safely move forward or retreat backwards. If we want to escape the cannon fire, we're going to have to take some risks.

I wish there were some way around all of this...

I heard you needed a guide?

Huh?

Who's there?!

Miss Cautus, I'd like to talk to you.

But before that, I'd appreciate it if you could have your people lower their weapons.

You–– Who are you?

Let's save the introductions for later.

Claws, a machete, and this... Uhh, this hammer? Ma'am, your weapon looks plenty brilliant, but I'd appreciate it if you could keep it away from my head.

......

Otherwise, this friend of yours might be in danger.

––Doctor!!

Not too close now.

One more step, and your friend's head becomes a mess on the wall.

A-Amiya, the drone...!

One of the drones wrapped around when we weren't paying attention, and it's locked onto the Doctor's head!

You sure know your stuff, Miss Pointy-Ears.

To be honest, I'm getting more and more curious about you lot.

......

All hands, weapons down.

There we go, that's nice. Oh, make sure you get the message to your snipers around the corner too. I bet they haven't blinked once since I showed up.

Do as he says.

Lovely.

––Sir.

I hope you believe us when we say that we'd never move to harm a stranger unprovoked, but––

Harm one thread on the Doctor's hood and I promise you, right here, right now, I don't need a weapon to ensure you never threaten another human being.

Ahem...

Ugh... This place is already dangerous enough. Are we seriously going to get blown up before we even start our mission?!

Right, if we don't want the Sarkaz to turn us to dust, we don't have time to be pointing weapons at each others' heads.

Listen up, I have an idea. Please come with me, nice and easy.

I'm gonna keep borrowing your friend here until we get where we're going––

Sorry, but you don't get a say. Behave yourself and come along with me, my faceless friend.