The sound of a deafening alarm woke Erend in the middle of his deep sleep. He had only been asleep for about three hours. The longest sleep he had this week.
The metal bed made a noise as the rusty iron was shaken by the intense vibration.
"Eren, wake up!" Erend's roommate, Billy, wakes him up with a panicked face.
Erend opened his eyes and immediately got up.
"They don't usually attack at this hour," Erend said in a still hoarse voice.
"Yeah, they never stop giving surprises."
The two of them came out of the room in full armor. Armor and weapons of these soldiers are available in their respective rooms. Of course, so that they get ready faster.
The other soldiers had already left their respective rooms. Carrying weapons and armor with eyes that are still hard to open. Some of them even bumped into each other, if not to wall.
Major Griffs' voice--their Handler--resonated throughout the corridor filled with exhausted soldiers.
'The Elves surprised us by attacking at two in the morning after they attacked at three in the afternoon. It's not uncommon for them to attack more than once a day.'
"Heh, you damn wall humans. They can only order us from within a safe wall." Billy muttered softly next to Erend.
Erend just kept quiet because he was still very tired. Even mocking the humans within the walls which they used to do all the time, Erend didn't feel like he have enough strength.
'Keep your heads up, My Soldiers! Block them and don't let them get too close to the walls of the Republic! Long live the Republic of Ascaria!'
After that, the speakers are turned off and they will not hear any sound from their Handler until the enemy is done repelling. Only to hear him say bullshit compliments about how brave they were.
Of course, the achievement of the troops is the achievement of the Handler. But the problem of the troops on the front line was certainly not a problem for the Handler.
They all exited the underground bunker into the shaking battlefield. In the distance, they can see the army of the Elves that ride on horses, giant tortoises, and elephants that have two trunks and four tusks.
Erend looked at them with the same fear as the first time they came. Even when he had fought against them for five years, the fear did not go away.
The Elves who had come from another world started firing colorful magic missiles. Like fireworks on the festival night that will eventually bring death to them.
"Come on!" cried Billy next to Erend, calling out to him.
"Right," Erend swallowed. He remembered that he had to fight to survive.
The soldiers advanced into the trench which became their refuge. Others ran into tanks or machine guns.
"HOLD THE GROUND!!!" Lieutenant Boartusk's voice echoed in the trench.
He is the real leader of Erend's squad. A forty-year-old man who had been hardened by battle.
"What the hell are you looking at, Drake?!" Lieutenant Boartusk shouted at Erend. "SHOOT YOUR FUCKING GUN!"
"Y-Yes, sir!" Erend started shooting like the rest of the squad.
The Elf troops fell one by one. Even though they have something called Magic, apparently they are still penetrable to bullets.
The Magic Shield they raised could withstand some of the shots. But when it was bombarded with continuous fire, the magic shield finally collapsed.
"Healers spotted!"
Lieutenant Boartusk turned his head. "Where?"
The soldier handed his binoculars to the lieutenant. Then he gave directions where he could find the Healer.
Lieutenant Boartusk was finally able to see an Elf dressed in white begin to heal his injured comrades.
"Drake!" called the lieutenant.
"Yes, sir!" Erend answered.
"Kill that Healer!"
"Yes, sir!" Erend replied.
Then he picked up a sniper rifle that was leaning against the wall of the trench behind him. Erend aimed at the Healer Elf.
It didn't take long for Erend's sniper rifle to spit out a bullet that went straight for the Healer.
But unfortunately, the bullet was blocked by the Magic shield that surrounded his body. The Healer was startled and immediately tried to run.
But Erend shoots again. His shot was again blocked by the Magic shield.
Erend shot again. This time, the bullet managed to pierce the Elf Healer's head.
"I got him, sir!" cried Erend.
"Good shoot, Drake!" praised Lieutenant Boartusk. "Are there any more Healers?!"
"Nothing, sir!" replied the soldier holding the binoculars.
"Good," said Lieutenant Boartusk. "Keep firing!"
The soldiers kept shooting. The Elves collapsed one by one. Their number is less than usual meant that they were on the verge of retreating into the portals that opened behind them.
But the humans had no idea what the Elves were preparing for. From within the portal appeared several Elves riding giant birds.
Their numbers were difficult to estimate because they immediately scattered as soon as they left the portal. However, Elves riding giant birds were nothing new to them.
"Drake, you know what to do!" Lieutenant Boartusk said to Erend. Erend nodded his head.
"Yes, sir!"
Erend started aiming at the big birds. But through the scope of his rifle, Erend noticed something strange. The Elves were carrying something on their backs.
Something that glows red. He had never seen that before. But Erend ignored that for the moment and started shooting. Once they have fallen, then anything on their back can be investigated. So he thought.
Erend's shot hit one of the flying elves but the bullet didn't penetrate at all. The strange thing on their backs lit up every time Erend's shot hit him.
'What is the new type of Magic shield?' Erend thought. Erend shot several times at the same Elf but nothing changed.
Usually, their Magic shields have been penetrated by two shots from sniper rifle bullets.
It was at times like this that Erend started cursing the humans inside the walls again. If they sent a better supply of weapons, surely the frontline soldiers would have no trouble taking on the bird-riding Elves.
'This is bad,' Erend thought.
If the Elves had a new Magic shield that could withstand bullets, then that would be very bad for them.
Erend didn't notice the flying Elf that had arrived behind him because he was busy aiming at the one in front of him.
The flying elf swooped down at him. The giant bird stuck its claws into Erend's shoulder and pulled him into the air.
"EREND!" Billy shouted.
The surprised Erend couldn't react quickly. Suddenly he was in the air and his rifle fell.
He grabbed his dagger and stabbed the giant bird's leg. The bird screamed and the grip on one of Erend's shoulders was released.
But the riding Elf acted. From above he aimed a short spear at Erend.
"Shit!" Erend cursed. He had lost hope now. Falling will surely die. So Erend threw his dagger at the Elf because that was the last thing he could think of right now.
'CRAAT!'
"Arghhh!!!"
The dagger went into his eye but not deep enough to kill him. Erend only managed to make the Elf angry.
'Oh, now I'm finished.'
"HYAAA!"
The elf threw his spear at Erend. The spear pierced his head and killed Erend instantly.
It should be so, but Erend wouldn't have thought that his death would be only temporary.
He would not have thought that a mysterious power would approach him and change him.
~~~