Chapter 45

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"Will we make it in time?"

Equipped with Kuroten, the time required to cover a distance of 10 kilometers is approximately 10 minutes.

You might think that at maximum speed it would be a bit faster, but the maximum speed is just a catalog specification, and more importantly, maintaining maximum speed for a long time could lead to unexpected malfunctions, so it needs to be somewhat restrained.

Even at the restrained speed of 60 km/h, I think it's quite fast, but this speed is still within the range that a fast wild animal, like a horse, can achieve. For a monster enhanced by magic, it would be even more manageable.

What this means is...

*Roar!*

A monster has spotted me and is attacking.

"Out of the way."

*Thud!*

It seems the monster isn't as agile as to attack and defend while moving at high speed.

So, if I decapitate it as it lunges forward, it's a simple and easy solution.

Normally, leaving a corpse behind is not allowed as it can become food for other monsters, pollute the land, and cause diseases. However, this is an emergency, so I'll leave it for now.

Of course, it can also serve as bait to attract more monsters or as a gift for the Far Eastern Russian soldiers who will arrive later—fresh monster materials can be used for weapons and armor. The fact that I can't burn the body is also a factor.

But that's a matter of politics and business, and as just a soldier, I'll stay out of it.

In any case, my first destination is the city hall, the source of the distress signal.

The signal was cut off quickly, so I assume the machine that sent it has been destroyed by a monster. However, if there are survivors—especially those related to the nobility—I must head there first.

I know that sending a distress signal in this situation would attract monsters, but I assume there was some reason for it.

"If this were a game, I'd map everything out before going!"

I'm so into mapping that I'd step into a trap if I knew it was there, but I wouldn't do that in a rescue situation. Maybe I'll do it later.

Putting the mapping aside...

As I enter the city, the density of monsters increases as I get closer to the center.

"There are a lot of large ones for small monsters, huh?"

Right now, there are two 3-meter monsters and three 2.5-meter monsters, a total of five, wandering around.

*Roar!*

The monsters have spotted me and are making threatening sounds.

"Ah, looks like I've been spotted."

For a moment, they stopped moving, which is strange. Is there something going on?

"Whatever."

It's 1 vs. 5, and the opponents, though small, are close to medium size. Normally, I would avoid combat using speed and wire anchors, but I don't have the time for that now.

"Die quickly."

First, I use the power of the exoskeleton to perform a high jump.

*Roar!*

"Where are you looking?"

*Roar!*

I slash at the throats of the monsters as they look up.

The monsters I killed look puzzled, but it's simple. I set the wire anchor on the ground and canceled the jump by reeling in the wire as I jumped.

It's a basic trick, but it's highly effective against monsters, which have the intelligence to imagine the leg strength I can exert from my initial movement and the reflexes to react to the jump.

"The downside is the recoil, as it goes against inertia. It would be tough for someone without magical assistance, but it's no problem for me."

By the way, I didn't use heavy weapons to avoid making noise. They're too noisy.

"Compared to that, blades are great. No need for ammunition, and they can extend when infused with magic."

In reality, they don't extend but can launch short-range slashes, but the difference is minimal, so I reported to the Mosts that they "extend."

Of course, since the attack is magic-based, it can be nullified by barriers if the opponent is a medium or larger monster, but it's effective against small monsters. It's a very efficient attack as it doesn't cause blade wear.

However, the trade-off for not using ammunition or causing blade wear is the need to be cautious about magic consumption, but that's a personal issue, so I'll leave it to the future users.

"Ultimately, it's about whether I can use it... What is it?"

While keeping an eye on my escape route, I head straight for the city hall for a few minutes. I notice a group of monsters behaving strangely.

There are dozens of them, surrounding something.

However, a few of them are slowly moving from the west side of the encirclement to the east, the center of the encirclement.

"That's a hunt, isn't it?"

First, they surround the prey to prevent it from escaping, then they corner it. When the prey thinks it can escape, they give it a sense of hope, only to reveal the encirclement and kill it. This is a common tactic among intelligent monsters.

...It's a bit hypocritical to call it a bad habit since humans used to do it, but it's still unpleasant.

"But, I've found you."

*Roar!*

If they're hunting, the prey isn't a monster but a human, and a weak one at that.

*Roar!*

At this point, the only possible prey in this location is a civilian who was hiding in the city hall or someone the city hall personnel were trying to protect.

*Roar!*

As I eliminate the monsters surrounding the area and head toward the center, I see a girl being held by a monster...

"What are you doing, you bastards!"

The girl, about the same age as my sister, is being held by a monster.

"Raviiii!"

*Roar!*

*Huh?*

Do you know? Only those who are prepared to have their heads crushed can grab someone's head!

"Die!"

*Roar!*

*Huh?*

You monsters, don't act so high and mighty just because you're in a group!

"Many against one? I don't care!"

*Roar!*

*Huh?*

And the medium-sized one in the back, too! Did you think you wouldn't die just because you're medium-sized? Too bad!

"You monsters have underestimated humans!"

*Roar!*

*Huh?*

"...Huh? Is it over?"

I realize that the area around me is filled with the dead bodies of the monsters that were surrounding the girl. There were some medium-sized ones, but they were all cut down.

What about the magic barriers?

Ah, no, that's not the issue right now.

"Girl, you did well... Wait, you're sleeping!?"

I tried to comfort the girl who was in a life-threatening situation, but she was lying there with a peaceful expression.

No, she's probably unconscious.

She must have been very tired and scared.

So it's understandable that she fainted as soon as she was freed.

I understand, but...

"This is embarrassing. And I have to carry her?"

She looks about the same age as my sister, so probably early teens.

Her clothes are dirty, but they are clearly of high quality.

The slight smell of ammonia... is probably just my imagination.

"She's probably a noble or related to one."

I've rescued a person in need, but what should I do now?

"If she were conscious, I could tell her to go somewhere, but since she's unconscious, I have to carry her."

Just moving would be fine, but carrying her while fighting a group of monsters is too much.

"I don't know what effect magic will have, and I can't move at full speed without risking G-forces."

I'm not a warrior who can carry the son of my lord through a battlefield. Besides, even though she's a child, she's grown enough to be a hindrance when carrying.

I can't continue fighting. I can't leave her here. So, I have only one choice.

"...I'll retreat for now."

There might be other people in need of rescue in the city.

There might be lives I can save if I go around.

But to do that, I need to deal with the girl in front of me.

Specifically, I need to place her in a safer location.

Should I leave the girl who was being toyed with by monsters?

Should I leave the girl who was trying to escape alone?

Should I leave the girl who was held by a monster while conscious?

Should I leave the girl who would have been killed by monsters if I had arrived a little later?

Should I leave the girl who fainted from the relief of being saved?

Should I leave the girl, about the same age as my sister, who trusted me and fainted?

"I can't do it."

Especially the last one, I can't do it.

I'm sorry to those who might still be waiting for help, but I'll have to retreat for now.

"Let's go."

This is a battlefield. Wasting time is a luxury.

Moreover, the monsters that were surrounding this area might come back soon.

"...I'm sorry."

I chose to rescue the unconscious girl in front of me rather than search for and rescue the many people who might still be in need.

Whether this decision was right or wrong will be judged by my future self.

However, I will not forget, and should not forget, that this decision was not a pleasant one. I will keep this in mind.

Making choices is important, isn't it?

Even Kaita, who publicly claims to have no interest in anyone other than his sister, seems to be affected by the decision to leave someone who could have been saved.

The exoskeleton's armaments are the ideas of a layman, so there might be changes if there are contradictions.

Thank you for reading.