Macthur's posture relaxed just slightly, a trace of relief flickering in his sharp, battle-hardened eyes. "We will," he said with quiet intensity. "Let's head to the town hall. There, we can strategize and discuss our defenses."
The group moved as one, all nodding in agreement except for Jusis, whose face twisted in confusion, his eyes darting between Ivan and the others, still baffled by the revelations. Just as they were about to depart, a voice echoed across the courtyard, cutting through the mounting tension like a blade through the air.
"Captain!" someone shouted urgently from behind.
They all turned, their eyes landing on a knight, his armor glinting in the dim light as he ran toward them. His breastplate bore deep scratches and his breathing was labored, but the man didn't hesitate. Reaching them, he slammed to a halt and instantly snapped into a formal salute, standing as rigid as stone before Captain Macthur.
"Sir!" The knight's voice was strained, breathless from his run. "We've received a reply from the Republic. They've agreed to send reinforcements to help with the defense. As for the Empire, they're already engaged in combat with the Cerus. On my way back, I spotted enemy forces marching toward us—and, sir… we engaged them. It was a miracle that I made it back alive."
The knight's words came fast and hard, each sentence more grim than the last. He barely waited for breath as he continued. "Sir, I won't lie—I'm relieved that both the Republic and the Empire are coming, but do you think we can hold out until their forces arrive?" His eyes shifted from the adventurers to Ivan, finally resting on the soldier's foreign attire.
"Sir… may I ask?" He hesitated for a moment, then gestured toward Ivan. "Who is this man?"
Captain Macthur's expression softened slightly, and a smile tugged at his lips as he placed a hand on the knight's armored shoulder. "I'm glad you asked. This is Sgt. Ivan Abrams of the Red Musket. He's here to assist us."
The knight's jaw dropped slightly, his eyes widening with a mixture of awe and disbelief. He quickly corrected himself, standing taller and executing a sharp military salute. "I-I'm Vice Captain Suther!" he stammered, his voice full of respect. "It's an honor to meet you, sir. We've been waiting for you. If you need personnel, I'll gladly place myself at your command!"
Ivan, still absorbing everything, nodded slowly, unsure how to respond to the formality. Captain Macthur patted Suther's shoulder once again.
"Now, now," Macthur said with a chuckle, "you're still my Vice Captain."
"A-ah, yes, of course!" Suther stammered, his face flushing slightly. "Forgive me, sir."
Turning more serious, Captain Macthur asked, "You mentioned the Republic's support. Are they coordinating with the Empire as well?"
"Yes, sir." Suther handed Macthur a rolled-up map. "Here's the battle plan. It details where their forces will attack and where our fallback lines should be."
Macthur unrolled the map and scanned it quickly, his brow furrowing as he absorbed the new information. "Good work, Suther. This will significantly improve our chances of survival." He glanced up, his eyes darkening. "But you mentioned enemy forces and an encounter with a Cerus?"
"Yes, sir." Suther's voice grew quieter, his face tightening with grief. "We lost thirty brave men. The Cerus pursued us relentlessly…"
A heavy silence followed his words, the weight of the losses sinking into the air around them.
"We'll mourn for them later," Macthur said firmly, his voice tinged with sorrow yet resolute. "Their sacrifice won't be in vain. They showed incredible courage. For now, I need you to ensure our defenses are impenetrable. Clear a path around the walls—a four-meter wide track, nothing obstructing the line of sight. Make sure we have optimal firing positions."
Suther blinked, taken aback by the command, then his eyes widened in realization. "You mean… Sgt. Abrams has that weapon?"
Macthur's expression hardened. "Yes, he does. Now, move. We don't have much time."
"Yes, sir!" Suther snapped a final salute, turned on his heel, and hurried off to carry out his orders.
As Suther departed, Captain Macthur looked back at Ivan, his eyes filled with a mix of urgency and expectation. "Let's go," he said, motioning for Ivan and the adventurers to follow him toward the town hall.
As Captain Macthur led Ivan and the adventurers towards the town hall, the weight of the coming battle hung heavy in the air. The urgency in their footsteps was mirrored by the frantic activity around them. Soldiers and civilians alike were working in unison, despite the clear tension that ran through the streets. Ivan observed how, even in such chaos, the evacuation of civilians was done with a strange orderliness—people guided into underground shelters with calm efficiency.
Captain Macthur's voice broke through the noise, explaining, "For now, the civilians will evacuate underground. Though we were far from the frontline, we already had a plan: if Cerus becomes a direct threat our protocol is to flee the city entirely and cross into the neighboring country. But we're preparing for the worst."
Ivan glanced at the civilians, their faces pale with fear, yet still moving with purpose. "And this is the worst-case scenario, encirclement." he said quietly, his voice tinged with grim realization.
"Unfortunately, yes," Macthur replied.
As they neared the massive stone structure that loomed ahead—the command center—Ivan couldn't help but notice its medieval fortress-like design. The building was formidable, standing five stories tall, with stone walls and a bell at the top, its many torches casting eerie shadows.
The personnel outside greeted Captain Macthur with sharp salutes. Inside, Ivan saw what resembled a typical war room: a large table in the center of the room, maps and markers scattered across its surface. Officers in battle armor were deep in discussion, pointing out positions on the map as they planned the city's defense.
When Macthur entered, the officers immediately stood at attention and saluted. "Sir!"
"As you were," Macthur said, dismissing the formality quickly.
One of the younger officers, barely older than a recruit, approached Macthur, adjusting his glasses nervously. He wore chainmail and carried a short sword at his waist. "Sir, we've received signals from the recon team, and—"
"They are approaching fast from various directions," Macthur cut him off, his tone firm but not unkind. "Have you plotted their course?"
"Y-yes, sir. Please, take a look."
Ivan moved closer, his eyes drawn to the bright light that illuminated the intricate map laid out on the table. It depicted the City of Manilia in remarkable detail—a circular city encircled by a towering stone wall, ten meters high. Red arrows marked enemy movements, converging on the city from multiple directions, while green lines showed the defensive frontlines.
Among the military symbols—tiny chess-like pieces—were ones that represented the different units stationed for the defense: swordsmen, archers, and... mages.
As Ivan looked at the military map, he realized that it was going to be a large-scale perimeter defense operation.
The young officer spoke, "Sir, so far this is what we've come up with. We've strategically positioned our combat personnel, and we're preparing the escape route with the help of the Republic in case things get worse. But..." The young officer hesitated.
"Speak up, son. What's on your mind?" Captain Macthur urged, his tone steady and encouraging. The young officer glanced around the room, then returned his gaze to Macthur.
"Sir, we can manage to fend off goblins, orcs, and even demons. But when a Cerus arrives, it will annihilate our defenses in an instant. We lack the countermeasures needed to combat such a threat."
Captain Macthur nodded, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Excellent work on mapping their courses of action and establishing our defense parameters. But gentlemen!" His voice surged with intensity, causing the officers to straighten up. "This is our opportunity to finally face them head-on."
Confusion flickered across the officers' faces. "B-But Captain…" the young officer stammered, but Captain Macthur's gaze was locked on Ivan. "We have a weapon now."
Almost half an hour had passed since they finalized the defense strategy, and the officers swiftly departed to their respective posts to oversee preparations.
"I leave the next steps to you, Sgt. Ivan Abrams," Captain Macthur said, saluting him.
Ivan nodded in return, saluting back. "We'll check in when we're ready. The preparations won't take long," Leila assured Ivan.
"Farewell for now, Sir Ivan," Leonard added, and both hurried off to finalize their plans for the defense operation.
"I'll check on the children too and be back," Jusis said, his tone earnest. "Please send my regards and let them know I'm alright."
"Consider it done, Mister Ivan," Jusis replied before departing.
Ivan watched as Leila, Leonard, and Jusis hurried away, then turned his gaze ahead. His eyes hardened, determination etched on his face as he clenched his teeth. "I better go as well."
He sprinted through the stone pathways of Manila, his destination clear: the barn where he'd parked the tank earlier. He wasn't alone; a small squad of reconnaissance soldiers accompanied him to monitor the perimeter while he prepared their weapon of hope.
Minutes passed as he navigated the streets of Manila, finally reaching the barn. "Is this where you've been hiding it?" one of the combatants asked, peering inside.
"Yes," Ivan replied curtly.
"I see. We'll keep watch over the perimeter for a while," the soldier said, offering a quick salute before moving out.
Ivan swung open the barn door, and the moonlight bathed the mighty tank in a silvery glow. Without a moment's hesitation, he climbed aboard, urgency propelling him into action.
His first task is to replenish the ammunition for the machine guns and ready the tank for the impending battle. He grabbed the depleted .50 caliber ammo canister resting on the barrel, then reached to the side of the turret where a metal basket held fresh ammo.
He removed a new canister and carefully inserted it into the .50 caliber slot. Once in place, he pulled the ammunition belt, feeding it into the firing mechanism. With a firm pull of the charging handle, the gun was primed and ready to unleash devastation.
Stepping outside the tank, Ivan examined the contents of the trailer hitched to it. Just as he suspected, it was filled with military equipment: self-propelled rockets, fuel canisters, communication radios, and various electronics. He knew that keeping this attached could hinder movement, so he decided to detach it.
Climbing back inside the tank, he checked the ammunition for the main gun. As he opened the sliding blast door, he noted that only one round was missing from their stockpile. He quickly loaded another drum magazine of high-explosive rounds into the 20mm Oerlikon cannon.
Lastly, he turned his attention to his personal rifle, retrieving fresh magazines and stuffing his vest with ammunition and fragmentation grenades.
"Will this be enough?" Ivan muttered, sitting alone in the captain's seat, surrounded by the faint metallic echoes of the tank's interior. He shook his head, frustration weighing heavily on his mind. "I still can't believe I agreed to this plan... It's reckless, impossible, and risky. But I really have no choice."
The memories of the earlier meeting in the strategy room replayed in his head,