クロサワが照準器を
いて目標の様子を確認している。
「被害は?」
「ない。全員無事にビルから脱出した。取り残されたやつはいない。その確認も済んだ。ビルの出入口から湧いて出てくる機械系モンスターを破壊する程度の戦闘で負傷したやつもいない」
「良し。各自簡易防壁から銃撃して、ビルから湧いて出てくる敵の進軍の阻止を続けろ。安全第一だ。弾を惜しむな。耐久が落ちた簡易防壁は早めに放棄して後方に下がらせろ。10人ぐらい機材の運搬作業に戻せ。簡易防壁用の機材の運搬を優先させろ。探索機器等は後回しだ。ビルの外で戦う分には情報収集機器の性能低下もないようだ。陣の防御力の補強が優先だ。このままビルから出てくるモンスターの排除を続けておけば、ビルの1階の制圧を捨てても面目は立つだろう。敵の圧力が増した場合、必要ならビルの包囲部隊まで撤退する。無理をさせるな」
「分かった」
部下が戻っていくのを確認してから、クロサワが再びビル内の広間にいる大型固定機の狙撃に戻る。無傷のように見える目標を照準器に見て、僅かに険しい表情を浮かべる。
(......後数発撃って、それでも効果が微妙なら、あの目標の撃破は捨てるしかないな。あれを何とかしないとビルへの再突入は無理だ。あれが指令機なら、あれを撃破すれば敵戦力の低下が見込めるんだが。......包囲部隊に頼んで、連中の人型兵器の武装であれだけ破壊してもらうか? ......駄目か。俺の権限で連中が了承するとは思えない。まあ、必要なら、制圧部隊の本隊をビル内に送り込む時に、もっと上の方から指示が出るだろう。それがいつになるかは知らんが、おれが気にすることじゃねえな)
クロサワが気を切り替えて引き金を引く。戦車砲に匹敵する威力の弾丸が、射線の先にいる甲B18式を数体巻き込んでビル内の大型固定機に直撃する。
着弾は確認したがやはり目標の撃破には至っていない。クロサワはそれを確認して、それとは別の意味で軽く
「何か用か? 俺は忙しいんだ。くだらねえ用なら後にしてくれ」
クロサワの近くに険しい表情のカツヤが立っていた。
「頼みがある」
クロサワがカツヤの方を見もせずに即答した。取り付く島もない。痛烈な拒絶にカツヤの表情が
リリナが少したじろぎながらもカツヤを援護するようにクロサワに話す。
「まだ何を頼むかすら言ってないじゃない! 話ぐらい聞きなさいよ!」
クロサワは面倒そうに舌打ちした後、やはりカツヤ達の方に顔を向けずに答える。
「ビルに取り残された連中の救出を手伝えって話だろ? 断る。俺達にはお前達を助ける義理も義務もない。何でお前らを助けるために俺達がわざわざ危険を冒さなければならないんだ? 嫌だね。俺も嫌だし、俺の部下達も嫌がる。俺達は命懸けで金を稼ぎに来てるんだ。命を金に換えに来てるんだ。身に着けた技術、消費する弾薬、死傷する危険、得られる報酬、それらの帳尻が合っているから依頼を受けてここにいるんだ。仲間を助ける
そのため、カツヤ達の部隊の一部は撤退が間に合わず、今もビルに取り残されている。その生死は不明だ。希望的な観測なら、どこかの部屋に籠城して助けを待っているだろう。悲観的な観測なら、既に全滅しているだろう。カツヤは前者を選択した。カツヤには、後者は選べない。
カツヤが、ユミナが、リリナが、それぞれの善意と良識と傲慢で頼み込み交渉し言い返そうとする。銃撃を続けているクロサワが、カツヤ達よりも早く話を続ける。
「こんな状況なのだから助け合うべきだってか? 断る。確かに助け合うのは良いことだ。だがそれはお互いに相手を助ける意思と能力がある場合での話だ。意思の方は仲間を助けたいっていうお前の気持ちも分かるってことから譲歩してやる。だが能力は別だ。俺達はお前達を足手
厳密には、簡易防壁からカツヤ達を追い出すと、カツヤ達はビルの周辺から大幅に撤退するか、ビルへの無謀な突入を試みなければならなくなる。それは全体の戦力の減少という意味でクロサワ達にも不利益だ。
クロサワがカツヤ達に簡易防壁の使用を許可したのは単純に自分達の利益の
の指揮下に置いてほしい。その間の功績は全てそちらに譲る。それでそちらの当初の目的、セランタルビル1階の制圧を達成してほしい」
カツヤ達が驚いてアイリを見る。アイリは真剣な表情でクロサワを見ている。
クロサワが銃撃を止めてアイリの方へ顔を向ける。そして大分困惑の混ざった意外そうな表情で、相手の真意を読むようにアイリを見る。
アイリがクロサワと視線を合わせて続けて話す。
「私達を先行させればそちらの部隊の危険は軽減できる。私達の実力不足は
クロサワが僅かに思案してから答える。
「......俺達は危険をそっちに押しつけて安全により良い成果を手に入れられる。1階を制圧すればビル内にいるそっちの部隊員も救助できる......か。検討に値する提案であることは認めるが、末端に言われてもな。そちらの部隊長の説得が先じゃないか? 最低限の功績までこっちに渡したら、お前らはここに何をしに来たんだって話になる。その責任を取るのは、そっちのカツヤってやつだろう? それとも、その手の交渉に関する全権を委任でもされているのか?」
そうに尋ねると、アイリが残念そうな口調で答える。
「......されていない」
「そうか。内容は悪くなかったが、次はその点を念頭に置いてから提案してくれ」
「分かった! 功績は全て渡す! その責任は全部俺が取る! ......だから、皆を助けてくれ。頼む」
カツヤは内心を吐き出すように誠意を込めて頭を下げた。そこには確かな重みが存在していた。
クロサワがカツヤを見る目を、調子に乗っているガキから交渉相手のハンターに切り替えた。真剣な表情で思案を始める。
んでクロサワの返答を待っている。クロサワは真剣な表情で黙って考え続けている。
クロサワが結論を出した。そして重い口調でその結論を口に出す。
それがクロサワが真剣に考えた結果であることはカツヤ達にも分かった。カツヤが痛ましい表情でクロサワに尋ねる。
「......どうして駄目なんだ。どうしても駄目なのか?」
「魅力的な提案であることは否定しない。だが重要な懸念がどうしても拭えない。それが拭えない以上、俺も部隊を預かる人間として、その要求を飲むわけにはいかない」
「......懸念って、何?」
「そちらの部隊が俺の指揮下に入ったからと言って、俺の指示に必ず従うという確証が持てない。その確証がないと、そちらの提案の根底が崩れる」
「必ず指示に従う! 約束は守る!
を言っているとか、そういう話じゃない。お前が部下に信頼されていないという話でもない。お前は俺の指示にちゃんと従うだろう。お前は部下との仲も良く、信用も信頼もされているんだろう。だがそれはお前の部下が俺の指示に従う保証にはならない。お前への信用、信頼が、逆に俺の下に付くことを嫌がる理由になる場合もある。俺からの命令ではなく、お前の命令でないと動かないやつもいるだろう。更にお前からの命令であったとしても、その指示に確実に従うかどうかは微妙だ。現に、既にお前からの指示を軽んじて、入るなと指示があったはずの場所に勝手に入ったやつがいる。そうだろう?」
クロサワは視線をカツヤに戻して話を続ける。
「今までもお前の指示を無視したやつがいるんじゃないか? ......いるみたいだな。お前の指示にすら従わないのに、俺の指示に従うとは思えない。交渉は終わりだ。俺はお前達の提案を拒否する。悪く思うな。お前は部下を助けたいんだろうが、それは俺も同じだ。俺は隊長として部下を不必要に危険な目に遭わせるわけにはいかない。まあ、お前達がビルに突入するなら援護射撃ぐらいはしてやる。その時は一声掛けろ」
クロサワはそれだけ言ってその場を離れた。陣の別の場所に移動して、部下に指示を出した後、再びセランタルビルの出入口へ銃を向けた。
その場に取り残されたカツヤ達が暗い表情を浮かべている。特にリリナは
「......私の......所為なの?」
アイリの不器用な慰めは、残念ながら大して意味を成さなかった。
の耐久値を大幅に削っている。エレナはこのまま大型固定機を破壊してくれることを期待していた。
だが断続的に続いていた外からの攻撃が止まった。エレナは待機を続けて、それが一時的な中断か、完全に終わったのかを判断する。そして表情を険しくさせて結論を出した。
いは外の状況が悪化して攻撃を続ける余裕がなくなったのか......、できれば前者と思いたいわね)
エレナがアキラ達に指示を出す。
エレナがシオリとカナエを見る。シオリは刀を腰に差しており、カナエは両手に
は前に」
エレナが少し意外そうに聞き返す。
「ご心配なく」
エレナは少し迷ったが、シオリの提案を受け入れることにした。恐らくレイナの護衛である人物が護衛対象から離れてでも大型固定機の撃破を優先するのだ。速やかに大型固定機を破壊した方が護衛対象の安全を確保し
エレナが皆に話す。
「分かったわ。後方の人員はシカラベ、カナエ、レイナ、トガミよ。シカラベ。そっちは任せたわ」
シカラベがエレナの意図を理解する。後方は4人だが、純粋な戦力要員は3人、
(......落ち着け。焦るな。慌てるな。やるべきことを、できる限りやる。それだけだ。あの蛇に食われた時だってアルファはいなかった。あいつの腹の中にいた時より状況は悪いのか? 違う、はずだ)
床には機敏に動くのに邪魔なものが置いてある。リュックサック、CWH対物突撃銃、DVTSミニガンなどだ。アルファのサポート無しでそれらを身に着けたまま機敏に動く自信は
全て身に着ければ下手をすれば歩くのも難しくなってしまうそれらを、アキラはアルファのサポートによる絶妙なバランス操作で対処していた。アルファのいない状態では、それらを身に着けての戦闘など不可能だ。
アキラが両手で握っているA4WM自動擲弾銃を見て苦笑する。
(適当に狙っても大丈夫な武器が2つも有る。買っておいて良かった)
A4WM自動擲弾銃もDVTSミニガンも比較的
大型固定機までの距離は、野外戦闘の間隔では近距離と言って良い。アキラの実力でもしっかり狙いを定めれば、CWH対物突撃銃でも問題なく命中する距離だ。
ただし今のアキラには遮蔽物から1秒以上身を乗り出す行為など、照準を合わせる為にそれだけ長い時間を掛けるなど、自殺手前の危険行動だ。運悪く敵の機銃の銃口がアキラに向いていれば、死なずに済む猶予はほぼゼロだ。
今のアキラには的の大きさを考慮に入れても、その上で集中して体感時間を圧縮して時間を稼いでも、自分の命と引き換えでなければ命中させる自信はなかった。
適当に狙っても一番効果がありそうな武器を握り、回復薬を口に含んで攻撃の合図と同時に飲み込む準備をして、覚悟を決めて、アキラは待っていた。
通信機を通してエレナが攻撃前の最後の指示を出す。
「言うまでもないけど、私達が攻撃を開始したら、今はビルの外に出ている小型機もこちらを襲ってくる可能性があるわ。できれば小型機にはそのままビルの外を優先してほしいから、そのまま外に出ようとしている小型機は放置して、できるだけ優先目標の撃破を優先して。これは小型機を攻撃するなって意味ではないわ。危険だと思ったら各自の判断で柔軟に対応して」
甲B18式達は今も大型固定機の横、アキラ達の逆側を通ってビルの外に出て行っている。在庫は潤沢のようで、尽きる気配がない。
エレナの合図でアキラ達は一斉に攻撃を開始した。
アルファとセランタルが向かい合って話を続けている。
セランタルが忌ま忌ましそうにアルファに話す。
「来訪申請を開示させた上に、その申請を取り消せだと? お前達はいつもそうだ。一般フロア情報へのアクセス許可だけでも本来は部外秘だ。どこまでこちらの権限を踏み荒らせば気が済む!」
「必要なだけよ。この穏便な要請を拒否するのなら、穏便ではない手段を取らざるを得ないわ」
「確認したわ。御協力感謝するわ」
アルファの姿がこの空間から消える。その後、セランタルはお客様には決して向けない表情で、気の済むまで
身を乗り出すたびに死を覚悟する。既に敵の銃口が自分に向けられていた時は慌てて戻る。大量の銃弾が一瞬前に自分がいた場所を着弾する恐怖に耐えて、障害物に無数の銃弾が着弾している音を聞きながら別の位置に移動して、再度攻撃を試みる。その繰り返しだ。
アキラの意識が通常の体感時間ならば、敵の銃口の確認が間に合わずに回避動作が遅れて既に死んでいる。
しかも甲B18式達はアキラ達が攻撃を開始しても、アキラ達を無視してビルの外へ出続けている。そのおかげでエレナ達は高い耐久力を持つ大型固定機に存分に火力を集中できた。
案外このまま楽に勝てるのではないか。エレナ達が状況をそう楽観視し始めた頃、ある意味で油断し、気を緩め始めた頃、それを待っていたかのように事態が変異した。
エレナ達のような余裕などないアキラだが、それでも無意識に大型固定機の脅威を僅かだけ軽んじていた。そこから生まれた余裕が、アキラに周囲の様子を気にさせるという本来なら無駄な行動を引き起こす。
周囲に散らばっている死体を見て、気を抜けば自分もこの死体に加わる羽目になると思い、それで気を抜いてしまっている自分に気付き、苦笑する。気合いを入れ直して再度大型固定機を攻撃しようとした時、まだ視線を死体に向けていたアキラは、運良くそれに気付いた。
視線の先にいる死体が僅かに身を起こして、死んでも握っていた銃をアキラに向けていた。
死体の銃口から延びる弾道予測の線を幻視したアキラが反射的に回避行動を取る。死体が引き金を引く。放たれた弾丸からアキラは辛うじて逃れた。
の表情でA4WM自動擲弾銃を死体に向ける。引き金を引く前に、撃てば自分も巻き添えになることに気付いて慌てて取りやめる。A4WM自動擲弾銃から手を離して、A2D突撃銃に持ち替えて、死体に銃口を向けて引き金を引く。
無数の強装弾を食らった死体が四肢を損傷させながら吹き飛んでいく。そしてアキラは手順を間違えた代償を、敵に猶予を与えた代償を、被弾で支払った。致命傷ではないが、被弾の激痛と着弾の衝撃がアキラの体勢を崩して転倒させた。
死の気配がアキラの意識を加速させる。
銃を持つ死体がアキラに銃口を向けようとしている。素手の死体がアキラに襲いかかろうと走り出そうとしている。アキラは激痛の走る体を強化服で強引に動かして回避行動を取りながら、銃器持ちの死体の武装を優先して撃ち続けた。
接近を許した敵の頭を蹴り飛ばし、同時に別の敵を銃撃する。アキラは辛うじて死なずに応戦している。度重なる訓練と実戦の中でアキラの中に構築されつつある戦闘技術が、この異常な状況からアキラを辛うじて救っている。
前にアルファはアキラの視界を危険度に応じて赤く表示したことがあった。その時は外の広い空間でアキラには危険な場所の違いが全く分からなかったが、この狭い限定的な空間ならば、ある程度
全てはただの勘違いかもしれない。だがアキラはその感覚に身を任せて戦い続けた。
そして頭部を失ったのに襲ってくる死体を見てアキラは
Kurosawa made an exasperated face as he mumbled.
He then checked on his men.
"Anyone injured?"
"No. Everyone was able to escape from that monster unharmed. No one was left behind either, we've confirmed that. In the first place, no one here is weak enough to get injured fighting those smaller monsters that were flowing out from that building."
"Alright then. Everyone, get behind the portable walls and keep suppressing the monsters. Safety is number one here, there's no need to save your ammo. If the portable wall gets too weak, immediately pull back. Get about 10 Hunters for transporting equipment and focus more on materials that can be used on walls. We can retrieve the equipment for detecting monsters later, it seems that the sensitivity of our detection devices is doing well outside the building. Prioritize more on strengthening the barricade while suppressing the monsters coming out from that building. If we keep this up, even though we would fail to secure the first floor of that building, we should still be able to save some of our reputation. If the monsters are pushing back too hard, retreat and regroup with the squads surrounding this area. There's no need to get too reckless."
"Roger that!"
Kurosawa saw his men leave before aiming back at the huge monster in the front hall of the Seranthal building. Seeing that the monster was completely fine, Kurosawa's face turned sterner.
[...I will try to shoot some more and if it still doesn't work, I will have to give up on destroying that monster. It's impossible to get into that building without killing that monster. If that's the one taking command of the smaller monsters, it would mean that we'll be able to deal a big blow on their force if we can kill it, but... Should I contact the squads surrounding the area and ask them to send the humanoid soldiers to kill that big monster?... I guess that would be a no... I don't even have the rights to do that and I don't think that they'll help us anyway. Well, once the main squad is here to secure that building, someone from the upper echelon will give them the order to give us support if that is really needed. Although I don't know when that would be, it's not my place to be thinking about that.]
Kurosawa gathered himself together and pulled the trigger. The bullet that was shot from his rifle had the same firepower as a tank warhead, it flew straight at the humongous monster, destroying some B18 monsters on its way there.
Once again, Kurosawa confirmed that he hit his mark, but it did not seem to affect that monster at all. He checked again and lightly sighed because of a completely different reason.
"What is it? I'm busy right now, I have no time to take care of trivial stuff."
Katsuya was standing not too far from Kurosawa with a stern face.
"I have a request."
Kurosawa gave an instant reply without looking back at Katsuya. There was no space for negotiation. Katsuya was a bit surprised by that firm rejection.
Lilina, who was next to Katsuya, suddenly butted in. Although she was stunned too, she forced herself to say something there to help Katsuya.
"We haven't even said anything yet!! At least listen to what we have to say!!"
Kurosawa looked obviously annoyed as he clicked his tongue, just like last time, he replied without looking at Katsuya and Lilina.
"I bet you want my help to retrieve your men that got left behind in that building, right? My answer is no. We have no reason nor obligation to help you. Why should I put my men in danger just in order to save your men? So no. I myself don't want to do it, and I'm sure my men don't want to do it too. We're here putting our life at risk for a chance to get money, we're basically here to exchange our life for money. We're only here for that request because we judged that the reward that we might get this time is worth using the power that we have worked hard to attain, the expenses of our consumables, and the risk of death that we'll face. We might be willing to do that for our comrades, but I don't see any reason to do that for free for another group that is hostile to us."
Because of that, some of Katsuya's men did not make it and got left behind. It was unclear whether they were still alive or already dead. If they were to be optimistic, those Hunters might have barricaded themselves somewhere, waiting to be saved. But if they were to be pessimistic, those Hunters would be already annihilated by now. Katsuya prioritized more on the former, he could not bring himself to take the latter guess.
Katsuya, Yumina, and Lilina were about to try to negotiate with Kurosawa out of kindness, sense of virtue, and arrogance respectively. But Kurosawa who was still shooting there spoke first.
"Are you going to tell me that it's exactly because we're in this situation that we should be helping each other now? Don't make me laugh. It's true that helping each other is a good thing, but that is if we both have the capability and willingness to help each other. For the willingness side, well I can understand your feeling, so I'm not really against negotiating with you, but it's a whole different story for the capability. I and my men think that you guys will only be dead weight to us. We don't think that you have the ability to help us, so it won't be helping out each other, it'll be us one-sidedly helping you. And if we do that, then it'll be out of our kindness. But I and my men don't have the leeway to act out of kindness at the moment. As in matter of fact, we're already helping you guys out by letting you guys use our portable walls. So you should be grateful for that."
To be honest, Kurosawa only allowed Katsuya's men use his group's portable wall since otherwise, Katsuya would only have two choices: either fully pull back his men, or lead them to a suicidal charge into the building. Both choices would lower the overall fighting strength of the Hunters and that would be disadvantageous for Kurosawa.
Kurosawa was only letting Katsuya's men use his portable wall for his own profit.
"In that case, I want you to take command of this group too. You can get all the credits while we're under your command. Then, I want you to finish our original goal of coming here, to secure the first floor of Seranthal building."
Katsuya, Lilina, and Yumina immediately turned to Airi, they looked completely shocked. Airi kept staring at Kurosawa with a serious expression.
Kurosawa stopped shooting and looked at Airi. He looked both surprised and a little troubled while staring back at her, trying to read the meaning behind her words.
Airi locked her gaze with Kurosawa's and continued.
"If you have the command of our group, it'll reduce the damage to your men. Your commanding skill should also be able to compensate for our weakness to some extent. I believe that this is a good deal for you, with no money involved, so?"
Kurosawa thought for a bit before answering back.
"...So basically we can push the dangerous roles to you to safely achieve our goal, and if we can secure the first floor of the Seranthal building, then you'll be able to rescue your friends, huh... That's indeed a suggestion worth thinking about, but it's not like we can accept it right away. Or more like, shouldn't convincing your leader come first? If you leave all the achievements to us, then why are you here in the first place, the one who will take the responsibility for that will be your leader, right? Or is it that your leader gave the full right to you?"
When Kurosawa asked that question, Airi sounded rather disappointed as she replied.
"...No, I don't have such a right."
"I see. That wasn't a bad suggestion, but keep those things that I asked you in mind first before you make such a suggestion next time."
"Alright alright!! You can claim all the achievements!! I'll take full responsibility...!! So please, save my men."
It was as if Katsuya let out his real feeling there as he lowered his head. It was obvious that he was being really serious.
The way Kurosawa looked at Katsuya changed from a mocking gaze to a respectful gaze for someone that he was negotiating with. He then started to think about that suggestion seriously.
Katsuya waited with bated breath for Kurosawa's answer. Kurosawa had not said anything yet, he was still thinking with a serious expression.
Kurosawa finally made his decision, he sounded as if he felt sorry about it as he said.
Katsuya and the other Hunters there understood that it was the decision that Kurosawa made after thinking seriously about it. Katsuya had a pained expression as he asked a question.
"...Why is it still a no? Is it impossible to change your mind no matter what?"
"I won't deny that it was a good offer. But it did not resolve the most important worry that I have, so as long as that worry is still there, I, as the one who will take the command of your men, can't take that offer."
"...What worry?"
"Even if I take command of your men, there's no guarantee that your men will listen to my orders. So, without that guarantee, that offer is basically off the table."
"I'll make sure that they'll listen to your orders!! I promise you that!!"
"It's not like I'm doubting you here and I'm not saying that your men don't trust you or anything. I'm sure that you will follow my orders and I'm sure that you're on good terms with your men and they trust you. But that doesn't guarantee that they'll follow my orders. Their trust and faith in you might even be the very reason why they wouldn't listen to my orders. I'm sure that some of them would not move on my orders and will only move on yours. In the first place, I doubt that they'll all definitely listen to your orders as well. After all, at the moment, there is already someone from your team who entered an area that they should not. Am I right?"
Kurosawa returned his gaze back to Katsuya and continued.
"I bet there are others who disregard your orders too, right...? I can see that I'm right, huh. I bet they won't listen to my orders when they don't even listen to yours. That will be the end of this negotiation. I refuse your suggestion. It's nothing personal, I know you want to rescue your men, honestly speaking, I feel the same too. But as the leader of my team, I can't afford to expose my men to needless danger. Well, we'll at least provide you with support fire if you want to try to make a run to that building. So, just tell us if you decide to do that."
After he said that, Kurosawa left that place to check the other location, he then gave some orders to his men before aiming at the entrance of the Seranthal building again.
Katsuya, Lilina, Yumina, and Airi who were left there looked down, dejected. Especially Lilina. She seemed to be the most dejected. She then asked with a voice that sounded as if she was about to cry.
"...Was it... My fault?"
Airi's vague comforting words did not have much effect on her.
Someone was still sniping that big monster, although it could not kill nor destroy it, it at least continued shaving the power of its forcefield armour. Elena was hoping that it would eventually destroy the monster.
But as if to cut that hope short, the sniping suddenly stopped. It might be just a temporary pause, or the person sniping had already completely given up, Elena hoped that it was the former. But after some time, her face turned grim as she made her guess.
[It seems that they judged that it was ineffective and decided to completely stop, huh. Or maybe the situation outside got worse and they don't have the leeway to keep sniping... I hope that it's the former.]
Elena then gave an order to her men.
Elena looked at Shiori and Kanae. Shiori had a blade dangling on her hip and Kanae had a fighting gauntlet on her fists. Both of them were equipped for close combat. If they specialized in close combat, it would be counter-effective to have them fight the big monster, they were also there as Reina's bodyguard in the first place. So, Elena thought that it would be better to have them assigned to the flank team.
"I'll join the vanguard then."
Elena was a bit surprised by that.
"Of course, no need to worry."
Elena hesitated, but she decided to accept Shiori's offer. It seemed that even Reina's bodyguard would prioritize fighting that big monster even if it meant that they would be separated from their target for protection. After all, it would be way safer if they could defeat that monster as fast as they could. Elena also thought that it might be because Shiori had an idea of how to defeat that big monster.
Elena then said.
"Alright. The flank team will be Shikarabe, Kanae, Reina, and Togami. Shikarabe, I'll leave it to you."
Shikarabe understood what Elena meant. Although his team had 4 people, it actually only had 3 people who could fight decently, or maybe even only two-Shikarabe and Kanae. Elena was basically saying that in the middle of fighting the monsters, he would need to keep one person safe no matter what and he had to decide what to do about the other Hunter that he had brought into the team.
[...Calm down. Don't panic. Calm down your nerves. Just do what I should do the best that I can. That's all there is to it. Back then, when that big snake ate me, I also lost connection to Alpha. The situation that I'm in right now is not as bad as when I was inside that snake's stomach.]
He left anything that would slow down his movement on the floor, that included his rucksack, CWH anti-material rifle, and DVTS minigun. After all, he had no confidence to be able to move around quickly without Alpha's support if he had those things on him.
If he carried everything with him, it would be even difficult for him to walk. Until now, he was able to maintain his balance in that situation with the help of Alpha's support. But now that he did not have that support, it would be impossible for him to go on a battle while carrying all of those things.
Akira looked at the A4WM automatic grenade launcher in his hand and smiled bitterly.
[I have 2 rifles that don't need strict aiming, I'm glad I bought them.]
The A4WM automatic grenade launcher and DVTS minigun were rifles that did not need strict aiming, while the CWH anti-material rifle needed proper aiming to hit its target.
The distance to the monster could be considered as a close distance for a fight in the middle of the wasteland. In that range, Akira should have no problem aiming with his CWH anti-material rifle.
But currently, Akira could not do something as dangerous as peeking out from the rubble and taking his time to get a proper aim. If he got unlucky and got the monster already aiming at him, there was basically zero chance that he would survive.
Even if that monster had a big body, Akira did not have the confidence to properly hit his shot even if he used the time compression too. After all, if he missed, it would immediately spell his doom.
So Akira decided to carry the rifle that he could shoot without too much aiming. He put some medicines in his mouth, ready to swallow it the moment Elena gave the order to start attacking. He had made his resolve as he was waiting for that signal.
Elena sent an order through the communication device before starting the battle.
"Although I'm sure there's no need for me to spell this out, once we start shooting, I'm sure the other smaller monsters would focus their attack on us too. If it's possible, I want to leave them be. So just ignore the smaller monsters as long as they don't attack us, focus your firepower on our main target. But I don't forbid you from attacking the smaller monsters here. And if you think that the situation is getting too dangerous, you can make your own decision."
On the other side of where Elena and her team were, a stream of B18 monsters was still flowing out from the building to the outside, passing next to the big monster, and it did not seem that it would stop anytime soon.
Elena, Sara, Carol, Shiori, and Akira started shooting simultaneously with that signal.
In a big white space, Alpha and Seranthal were still talking to each other.
Seranthal looked mildly annoyed as she said.
"You asked me to let some visitors in, and this time, you want me to take that back? You're always like that. Even the access to the information on the common floor is supposed to be a secret, you know. How far do you want to trample over my right before you're satisfied?"
"I ask nothing more than what I need. If you won't accept this peaceful offer, then I have no other choice but to resort to the non-peaceful solution."
"Yep, I just confirmed it, thank you for your cooperation."
Alpha then vanished from that space. After that, Seranthal showed an expression that she would never show to a visitor and released a deafening roar until she felt satisfied.
He prepared himself to meet death every time he peeked out, and when he found the monster was already aiming at him, he would flusteredly return back to hiding. He moved from one hiding spot to another while listening to the sound of countless bullets ricocheting around him and the fear when he saw huge warheads mowing the location where he just hid not too long ago. Then from there he would start shooting again, rinse and repeat the cycle.
If Akira did not have his time compression, he would not be able to confirm where the monsters were aiming and evade them on time, he might even get killed the moment he peeked out. He would not be able to do anything in that situation if he did not have that time compression.
Moreover, the other B18 monsters just kept on moving outside the building even after the Hunters started shooting. Thanks to that, the Hunters could focus their firepower on the big monster alone.
As the Hunters there started to think that they would be able to win at this rate, they started to relax and lowered their guard, that was the moment when a sudden turn of events happened as if it was waiting for the Hunters to lower their guards.
Although Akira did not have as much leeway as the other Hunters, he also started to unconsciously lower his guard and looked down on that big monster. That caused him to start looking around his surroundings which would have been a dangerous thing normally.
When Akira looked around and saw the dead bodies scattered around him, he thought that he would join them if he was not careful, and that made him realize that he had lowered his guard. Akira smiled bitterly. As he was about to focus back on fighting the big monster, that was when, fortunately, he noticed the change as his gaze was still directed at the dead bodies.
The dead bodies that he was looking at suddenly moved slightly, one of them aimed his rifle at Akira.
Akira instantly predicted the trajectory line from its muzzle and evaded it by pure reaction. The dead Hunter pulled the trigger and Akira was barely able to evade that shot.
Akira was completely taken aback. He quickly aimed his A4WM at that dead body and was about to pull the trigger, but he immediately realized that it would also injure himself if he pulled the trigger there. So he stopped his finger from pulling the trigger. Instead, he quickly swapped his A4WM rifle with his A2D assault rifle and shot at that dead Hunter.
Bullets barraged that dead Hunter, destroyed its limbs, and blew its body away. But that short opening when Akira swapped his rifle gave enough time for that dead Hunter to also shoot at Akira. Although it did not hit Akira's vitals, the impact and the pain from the hit threw Akira off-balance.
That short exchange with death caused Akira's brain to accelerate, in that slow-moving world, Akira immediately swallowed all the medicines that were already inside his mouth and pushed his body back up. Right when he was back standing, he noticed that the other dead Hunters in the area already started moving on their own.
When Akira was about to aim his rifle at the dead Hunters that were carrying rifles, the dead Hunters that were not carrying weapons immediately started running in his direction. Akira forced his body to move with the help of his augmented suit to evade it while enduring the pain that was rushing throughout his body, he prioritized shooting the dead Hunters with rifles first.
He sent a kick towards the head of a dead Hunter that got too close to him and released a few shots at the other dead Hunters at the same time. Akira was fighting back desperately and was able to barely repel the attack of the dead Hunters. His fighting skill that he had polished through countless training allowed Akira to barely survive that fight.
Back then, Alpha helped Akira by indicating the dangerous locations with red marks. Akira was in a wide-open area, so he had no idea what made them dangerous. But right now, he was able to identify dangerous locations even if it was in a closed space. Although he no longer could see the trajectory prediction lines, he was able to quickly predict where the enemies were aiming.
They might be nothing more than his imagination, but Akira let that sensation take over his body as he continued fighting back.
But when he saw one of the dead Hunters kept attacking him although it had lost its head, Akira finally realized something.
Rebuild World (WN)
リビルドワールド
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/rebuild-world/
Action Adventure Drama Harem Mecha Mystery Sci-fi Seinen
Abandoned Children Adapted to Manga Adventurers Alternate World Anti-social Protagonist Apocalypse Artificial Intelligence Beautiful Female Lead Cautious Protagonist Child Protagonist Dense Protagonist Determined Protagonist Distrustful Protagonist Futuristic Setting Gangs Gunfighters Harsh Training Lack of Common Sense Male Protagonist Manipulative Characters Monsters Near-Death Experience Older Love Interests Poor Protagonist Poor to Rich Ruthless Protagonist Shota Sudden Strength Gain Survival Twisted Personality Unlucky Protagonist Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n9736dt/
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