Strategist

By order of the Premier, you are the representative of Eastrise for the Military Strategy Battle, Chief Staff Officer Shiyu.

Who else can it be? Our Premier sure is a meddlesome one. For me to participate in a competition for entertainment...

Um... Your Excellency, you should be careful with your words...

Okay, I know how difficult things are for you so I'll stop chattering. You can do your duty and tell me the rules of this competition.

Y-Yes... There are five teams participating in this military strategy battle. Each team has a commander and three lieutenants, and the rest are soldiers who directly participate in the battle, totaling 300 people.

I see, so it's a multi-army mixed battle. What is the goal to be reached for victory? It's not to wipe out the rest of the teams, right?

Um, please forgive me, I cannot tell you the specific victory conditions... T-This is part of the competition.

(Stupid rules... This looks like another one of Raeon's whims...)

Whatever, I'll play along this time. Where is the competition venue?

I will take you there after you have chosen your lieutenants.

Who's there? Sneaking around behind my back... Don't come back to haunt me if my flames destroy you.

As expected of one of the most powerful people in Eastrise. Your attitude alone is above others. So, do you possess the strength to match this arrogance?

Huh? Do you really know who I am? If you did, you shouldn't ask such a question.

I'm just a small challenger, scouting for my master. If it's possible, could you let me have a taste of your skills?

I don't care either way. Have a go if you want. You have to pay for your medical and funeral expenses yourself though!

That's enough, I'm not interested in playing house with you. I'll kill you if you don't explain your intentions, and I guarantee that not even dust will be left when I'm done.

I'm sorry to have made you misunderstand. I'm the personal guard of Lord Horus, the representative of the military strategy battle, and I'm here to test your strength on behalf of my lord.

Oh? Have you not experienced my strength when Horus unified Nebu?

This was meant to explain it to you... For our future collaboration, this is a show of goodwill.

...Collaboration? You mean in the military strategy battle?

That's correct. My lord has judged that there is a possibility of cooperation between Nebu's team and your team, while the goal is undecided.

We can work together to remove third parties in the battle, and leave victory or defeat for after that is accomplished.

Is this a temporary truce? ...If you want to qualify for the same stage, you'll have to survive the melee first.

In other words, it's up to our performance, is that right? I understand. I will report to my lord now.

Chief! What are you doing here?! Isn't today the day of the Sports Meet's military strategy battle?

Even if you guys are untalented, you should know the rules of this competition, right? I'm here to pick some guys to act as lieutenants.

Oh! Oooh! You mean... Could it... Really?!

Yeah, okay, you don't have to repeat yourself. I just need you guys to make up the numbers, I don't need you to command.

Then aren't we just baggage?

Why are you laying out the cruel reality? You don't have to do anything to get the reward, so thank me for my generosity.

(Geez... Why is it that Horus's men are like normal people and I get all the scum and idiots.)

All teams have registered and entered their starting locations, so next, we will reveal the conditions for winning or losing this military strategy battle!

Each team starts from its own safe zone. There are three items to collect on the field. You win only if you obtain all the items and evacuate to the safe zone.

If your team is in the middle of a battle, you will not be able to get a victory either. I wish you all good luck and a fruitful battle!

(So this is a competition for items? I know that our Eastrise army is strong in formations, so I deliberately set the goal to favor the strategy of dividing troops...)

Forget it, staying still will only put us at a disadvantage. Tell all members to follow my orders and leave the safe zone!

We've been marching for over half an hour, why haven't we seen even one person? Hey, where are the scouts we sent out?

T-There's no response yet...

What's going on? Have all your skills declined? No, wait, it's an ambush!

Target is in range of attack. Lift firing restrictions!

What's going on? Why are they surrounded by such intense firepower? This is way more than one team!

Are all of the enemy teams firing at us...? B-But why?!

Idiot! The other teams see us as a threat! Damn it, even if we abandon the fight for now, are they trying to get my team out of the game?!

(We are outnumbered, but they are not blocking our way because we are still a little wary of each other... Looks like it's time to use that move.)

Though we have repelled the enemy, they seem ready to attack us with long-range firepower.

Damn, the wound has been bleeding. I've got to stop it before the breakout battle...

Hey! You're a medic, right? Please come over to treat my wound!

Troops, listen up! Except for Team 10, everyone else will block the enemy's attack and cover Team 10 so they can get out of this block-in!

Huh? But... Isn't this the same as abandoning your men...?

To be disqualified from the game like this would bring shame to Eastrise! (These idiots can't even see the situation!)

You are in charge of the aftermath. Since you don't want to take the responsibility of giving orders, become a victim of tactics.

Y-Yes! Understood, Chief Commander.

Okay, let's go and collect those three items while the others hold off the big group... Hopefully we will make it in time after breaking off from the group and survive.

Eastrise troops? Help...!

(Grunt!)

This is the twelfth scout to be taken out. We have the three items, but those troops have also seemed to have realized we split up.

If we try to return to the safe area along the main road, we will come up against an unbreakable siege... This sucks.

Um, Chief Commander Shiyu, do we just have to get close enough to the safe area?

I don't want nonsense repeated for the second time. Do you have some brilliant ideas about the current situation?

I happen to know that there is a secret passage that we can use close by this place. The previous emperor commanded that this secret passage be built, so not a lot of people know about it.

What a coincidence. How did you come to know about it?

Um... After all, you never asked... W-We did some homework before entering the competition... As the organizer, we have a bit of a privilege too.

Hmph, it seems that I underestimated you guys. In that case, lead us there.

Uh, I know the location of the secret passage, but it has active defenses on the inside...

They're just some automatic weapons and mechanisms, right? Those aren't enough to stop me. You just lead the way.

The exit of the secret passage is really the safe area. Looks like you guys can come in handy once in a while.

...

Why are you looking around? The target is close. As long as we evacuate from the safe zone in front of us with the items, victory will be...

Unfortunately, Eastrise commander, there is no way I can let you leave and achieve victory so easily.

Ah... Miss Horus. Aren't you supposed to be surrounding our troops?

That's a task I've given my other ''allies.'' Honestly speaking, it took a lot of effort for me to leave them behind to deal with your army.

You've collected all three items and met the initial conditions for victory. We just needed to wait at your exit point and sit back to collect the fruits of your labor.

...You damned smiling fox! You anticipated which tactics I would use? No! Even you can't use such tactics blindly!

That was certainly thanks to accurate intelligence... Isn't that right, Mr. Information Source.

...Lord Horus, everything was completed as planned.

Shiyu, your subordinate had an agreement before the match to act as our spy, the communication with you was just a front.

...You idiot! Do you know what you've done?!

Humph! Right back at you, you arrogant woman! Do you know what you've been doing to us?

No matter what we do, you keep belittling us and nitpicking at our faults!

It's just because of the family you come from! Shiyu, you have no admirable merits to speak of!

Then, I'll let you taste failure too! Let you be humiliated on such an occasion! This is my revenge!

Ha...Hahahahaha...

Betraying me for this sort of reason? Hah, I knew it. You're all trash.

Since you have decided to betray me, you know the result, right?

Good. Disappear in my flames! Whether it's a reckless monarch, a mediocre colleague, or a foolish subordinate!

I don't need any of them!!! I don't even want your concern, or your trust!!!

...Enough, Shiyu.

You're... Zawa? Are you getting in my way too?

This one's been trapped too? Anyway, if you have any rationality left, take a look around.

Around? Everyone's been burned by my flames... Ugh! No, that's not right... Why... Why is there nothing?! No ash, no embers!

Because it's not real... Your subconscious and emotions are making you ignore the irrationality of everything around you, and sink you into this nightmare.

Ugh... The Sports Meet... I... My mission... No, this place... W-Where is this?

...Sorry, I will do better next time so you won't struggle in this place for too long, I promise.

...What did you say?!!! Repeat that!

S-Sorry, your seal... Someone just snatched it.

You useless idiot! That's a symbol of my status! Damn it, if I wasn't afraid of accidentally losing it in the middle of the competition, I would have carried it with me.

I didn't expect you to be this useless... Tell me about that thief! Where the hell did they go?

I, I only saw a glimpse of their figure, and then they disappeared... Ah! I think the thief went in that direction...

...Just you wait.

(I hope this idiot's eyesight is not as bad as her brain.)

...You're here, Shiyu.

...You're the first thief to steal from someone and still wait leisurely for the owner to meet up.

I will return the seal to you immediately if you can take it from me. How about it?

You...! Fine, bring it on!

Congratulations, you've taken back your seal.

You let me win on purpose! That's weird... What the hell are you up to?!

Alas... I don't have much time to explain either. Anyway, I've done my part and hope you will ''wake up'' soon.

You...! Come back here!

Damn it, he got away... Huh? This seal... Why... It has a crack?!

That damned thief! He actually dared to damage this seal... H-How am I going to explain this to Her Majesty?!

Explain? Is there something you need to explain to me?

Ack! Your Majesty Raeon, when did you get here?

I've been looking for you since the end of the competition... Wait, that thing in your hand, is it the seal I granted you?

Um...This... this is...

I can't believe it's damaged... What do you take my trust, and the duty to the whole army for?

No, I didn't do it! It was a strange thief who stole my seal... Huh?

Wait. Why are you here alone? Where is your escort? Also, when did I participate in a competition? What competition?

...

Who in the world are you? I seem to recall that I started a fire... No... This memory, what is it...

Is there another anomaly? What exactly is causing it? ...In any case, since there is abnormal data, a reset must be performed.

Reset? You...

...Just sleep in darkness until the world repair is complete.

Shiyu, can I ask you to do something for me?

What can the wonderful manager of the Great Library want, that I, Shiyu, have to help with?

Just a small bit of help for you. Your team has a Nebu spy. He hid his identity, but I know his exact location.

Where did you get this information from...? No, if it's you, you must have a reliable source of information.

How about it? Are you going to accept this favor?

...I suppose. You're... sort of just a fellow officer I don't see too much of. Much better than an enemy.

That's right, that's your personality, that's why this method will work for you.

Huh? What do you mean?

Nothing at all. Anyway, I'll tell you his location.

Found you! You're that spy, right?

Wh...! Damn it, my disguise was flawless!

Well then, please get out of my team. You won't just walk away, of course!

The final blow! ...What's going on? This guy has no weight. Is this just an illusion?

Huh? T-This is... my memory? The competition... Failed... Flames... When was this...?

This is the only way I can deliver a message to you. Shiyu, don't ever forget the sense of abnormality that you perceive now.

What the hell are you planning? No... What is really going on?!

...When the time comes, everything will be revealed.