Chapter 33 - Close Quarter Combat Part 1

"Target neutralized,"The inside fell silent. Jusis's hands still gripped the second trigger, despite the ammunition having long run dry. The hum of the M1 Abrams' engine and the distant cacophony of battle—the clashing steel, bellowing men, and growling monsters—were muffled inside the cabin, creating an eerie, hollow quiet.Leila sat still, her expression blank, her grey eyes locked on the carnage outside. The mangled remains of the defenders lay scattered across the ground, crimson streaks mixing with the Cerus's azure ichor. Lives snuffed out in an instant. A creeping helplessness coiled tightly in her chest, a suffocating weight that refused to relent."Sister…" Leonard murmured, his voice gentle but laced with worry.To Leila, the world blurred. Every noise faded into a high-pitched whine, distorted and distant. Through the hazy lens of her grief, she saw flashes of the battlefield—men writhing in pain, goblins and orcs ripping through the defenders. Every scream drilled into her ears like a knife.And then, cutting through the din like a dagger to the heart:"C'mon! HEAL! We can still make it out of here!"The desperate plea belonged to a woman—an archer clutching a fallen comrade whose body was already severed at the waist. Around her, others struggled to rise, wounded and surrounded. Their leather armor, mismatched and worn, set them apart from the Manila defenders. Their gear bore no insignia—only hastily patched cloaks and scuffed boots."Adventurers…" Leila whispered.A fresh wave of guilt gripped her chest, squeezing until she could barely breathe. The image of her old party—the adventurers they had abandoned at Bataen—flashed through her mind like a blade cutting open an old wound."I'm sorry," she murmured, barely a whisper.Ivan heard it through the intercom, turning sharply toward her. "What?"Before he could get an answer, Leila lifted herself upward, jumped out of the tank.The moment her boots hit the ground, she broke into a sprint, her wooden staff gripped tightly in her hands. "No more…" she whispered. "I won't let them die!"Leonard watched his sister leap into the chaos, his heart lurching in his chest. Without hesitation, he grabbed his sword and shield."My deepest apologies," he muttered to Ivan through the intercom before following his sister out of the tank."M-Mister Ivan!" Jusis stammered, panic thick in his voice. "Miss Leila and Mister Leonard—they left the tank!""What?!" Ivan growled. Without wasting a moment, he slid open his hatch, poking his head out. His eyes darted left, catching sight of Leila and Leonard charging headlong into the chaotic battlefield.Before he could shout after them, a faint glow caught his attention. A blue light—a familiar, menacing radiance—illuminated the sky above. Ivan's gaze snapped upward, and his stomach dropped.The tank's shadow stretched unnaturally as the light intensified. Spinning around, he saw the unmistakable shape of another Cerus looming in the distance, its glowing form cutting through the smoke of battle."Tsk!" Ivan clicked his tongue in frustration and slammed the hatch shut."W-what should we do, Mister Ivan?!" Jusis asked, his voice breaking with panic.Ivan's expression hardened, his voice a cold monotone. "Get ready. We're fighting another Cerus.""B-but how are we supposed to fight without them?!" Jusis's words came out in a rush."Just listen to me," Ivan snapped. "Obey my orders, and we'll make it through this.""But… what about them?" Jusis asked hesitantly, glancing at the empty spaces where Leila and Leonard had been moments ago."We'll come back for them after we deal with this monster," Ivan replied, gripping the controls tightly. His voice betrayed no emotion, only resolve. "Right now, we're the only ones who can take this thing down."With that, Ivan twisted the throttle, the massive tank lurching forward as its engine roared to life. The M1 Abrams began its charge toward the glowing Cerus.Meanwhile the adventurers,Leila's boots pounded against the uneven ground, her breath coming in sharp bursts as she sprinted ahead. Her staff glowed faintly in her grip, the air around her crackling with latent mana. "Luminus Fractara!" she chanted, her voice cutting through the chaos. A series of glowing magic circles materialized in her wake, their intricate runes spinning rapidly. From them erupted a barrage of crystalline projectiles, each shard gleaming like frozen starlight. The projectiles streaked through the air, piercing the leaping Goblins mid-flight and halting their deadly descent toward the fallen party. The creatures fell to the ground, their grotesque bodies shattering like glass. But as Leila surged forward, her focus locked on the beleaguered adventurers, she failed to notice the looming threat behind her. An Orc, its hulking form towering over her, raised a massive axe high above its head. The weapon's jagged edge gleamed ominously in the dim light, poised to cleave her in two. Leila froze, her instincts screaming as she turned to face the imminent strike. Before the axe could descend, Leonard appeared like a bolt of lightning, his battered iron shield slamming into the Orc's weapon with a deafening clang. The force of the impact sent shockwaves through the air, the recoil causing the Orc to stagger backward. Leonard's eyes burned with determination as he drove his sword deep into the creature's torso, the blade sinking through flesh and bone. With a swift kick, he dislodged the weapon, sending the lifeless Orc sprawling to the ground. "Leo?! Why are you here?! Leonard needs you!" Leila protested, her voice tinged with frustration and guilt. Leonard turned to her, his expression calm but resolute. "Fair sister, thou art my foremost charge, and none other shall claim mine allegiance ere thee. Thy safety is the purpose to which my soul is ever bound." His voice carried a quiet strength, unwavering even amidst the chaos. Leila's grip tightened on her staff, her knuckles whitening. She glanced toward the distant tank, its silhouette barely visible through the haze of battle. "Yet, prithee, let us not forsake the weight of this field," Leonard continued, his gaze following hers. "Know thee well, Ivan doth hold steadfast, but his strength is not eternal. Let us make haste to smite these foes, that we may return anon to his aid ere ruin befall him." Leila nodded, her face downcast. She was supposed to be the elder, the responsible sister, yet her rash decision had exposed her impulsiveness. "I'm sorry, Leo. Help me finish this quickly, and we'll head back together." "Affirmative," Leonard replied, lifting his sword. The blade hummed faintly, arcs of yellow lightning mana dancing along its edge. The siblings resumed their charge, their movements synchronized as if guided by an unspoken bond. The path to the adventurers was choked with enemies—a horde of Goblins and Orcs surging to block their way. Leonard surged ahead, his sword slashing in a sweeping arc. A crackling wave of yellow lightning mana burst forth, striking the frontlines of the horde. The creatures froze mid-motion, their bodies convulsing as electricity coursed through them. Leila followed with pinpoint precision, her crystalline shards finding their marks with deadly accuracy. Each projectile struck the heads of their immobilized foes, shattering skulls and silencing their guttural cries. "We need to hurry!" she shouted, her voice carrying over the din of battle. Leonard and Leila quickened their pace, determination fueling their movements as they carved through the waves of enemies. As they reached the adventurer party's position, their hearts sank. A young woman adventurer clutched the mangled body of her comrade, blood pooling around them. Her eyes stared blankly, paralyzed by the towering figure before her—a massive ogre. Its grotesque form stood over 10 meters tall, its gray, rock-like skin riddled with scars. In its oversized hand, it wielded a crude club fashioned from a tree trunk embedded with jagged stones. The creature's deep, guttural growls sent shivers through the air as it loomed over its prey, ready to strike. Leila's sharp eyes scanned the situation. Without hesitation, she raised her staff, its crystal tip glowing with an icy blue aura. "Leonard, brace thyself," she called out, her voice steady amidst the chaos. As Leonard raised his battered shield, Leila chanted, her mana flowing in streams of cold energy toward him. The shield glimmered, transforming as jagged crystal spikes erupted across its surface, glinting like frozen razors. Leonard took a bold step forward, slamming the enhanced shield into the ground with a resounding thud. "Stone Wall!" he bellowed, the spikes on the shield sparking with a faint charge of lightning. The ogre swung its massive club downward, aiming to crush Leonard outright, but the spikes met the weapon mid-swing, shattering the club into splinters. The ogre staggered, its brute force momentarily denied. Leila seized the opening, summoning a volley of crystalline shards that materialized mid-air. "Fractarum Glacium!" she intoned, sending the projectiles hurtling toward the ogre's exposed side. The shards struck true, embedding themselves into its flesh and freezing patches of its thick hide, slowing its movements. The beast roared in pain and anger, swinging wildly to dislodge the shards. Leonard surged forward, his shield glowing faintly blue from Leila's enchantment. He thrust the shield upward, smashing it into the ogre's chest. The crystal spikes tore into its skin, sending blue ichor spraying across the battlefield. "Sister!" Leonard called back, slamming his sword into the ground to charge it with lightning. Leila sprinted toward him, evading smaller goblins and orcs that dared to block her path. A goblin leaped at her, but with a swift motion, she drew the dagger from her boot, slashing the creature mid-air before landing nimbly and continuing her advance. Reaching Leonard, she placed her palm against his sword. "Cryomana infusion!" she chanted, her magic fusing with his blade. The weapon glowed a radiant blue, frost creeping up the steel and creating a jagged, icy edge. Leonard swung the blade with renewed vigor, unleashing an arc of frozen lightning that struck the ogre, encasing parts of its body in ice and stunning it. The beast, now desperate, lunged at Leonard, attempting to crush him underfoot. Leonard raised his shield just in time, the reinforced crystal spikes digging deep into the ogre's leg. The monster howled as Leonard twisted the shield, breaking bone and forcing it to its knees. Leila dashed around the fallen beast, agile and precise. She leaped onto its back, planting her dagger into its neck and channeling mana directly into the wound. A burst of crystalline ice exploded outward, severing its head in a gruesome display of frost and gore. As the ogre's lifeless body crumpled to the ground, silence fell over the immediate battlefield. The remaining enemies, shaken by the fall of their leader, retreated into the shadows. Leila hopped down gracefully, wiping the ichor from her dagger, while Leonard stood tall, catching his breath.Leila scanned the injured adventurer party, her gray eyes filled with concern. "Are you alright? Can you make it to safety from here?" she asked, her voice calm but tinged with urgency.A battered swordsman, clutching a deep wound on his abdomen, used his blade for support as he struggled to rise. He looked at her with gratitude. "Thank you… without you, we'd all be dead."Leila knelt beside him, inspecting his wound. "You're wounded, can you move?" she asked gently.The swordsman tried to respond, but blood dripped from his mouth, forcing him to nod weakly instead. "We… we can still move." He cast a glance toward their mage, who sat trembling on the ground, cradling the upper half of their fallen tank's lifeless body.The swordsman placed a hand on the mage's shoulder, his voice soft but firm. "H-hey, we have to go now… it's not safe." The mage's tear-streaked face turned toward him, her eyes hollow. "We can't leave him. I can save him…" Her voice was barely a whisper, filled with despair. Despite their wounds, the other party members managed to stand, grimly determined. One of them hoisted the fallen tank's remains, though the body's weight caused it to slip, half of it hitting the ground with a sickening thud. The mage stood reluctantly, silent tears streaming down her face, following the group as they began their retreat. The swordsman, likely their leader, turned back to Leila and Leonard, bowing his head. "Thank you again for saving us. We didn't know… our first quest would be like this. Please… survive. See you in Manilia."Leila and Leonard watched in silence as the party limped away into the darkness. Leila's fists clenched tightly, her jaw trembling. "They were just beginners…" she muttered under her breath, the words heavy with bitterness.Her thoughts churned. In this harsh, broken world, being an adventurer wasn't about heroism anymore—it was about surviving one day longer than the last. And seeing a fellow adventurer fall, especially one so young and inexperienced, left an ache deep within her.Leonard broke her reverie. "Sister," he called, his voice steady despite the malice-laden growls that began to surround them.Leila exhaled, her expression hardening as she gripped her staff. "Yeah. Let's survive this. Until we get back to him." She glanced at Leonard. "On me, Leo!"