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the flames flickered ominously, casting a chaotic dance across the battlefield.

The flames surged like a raging beast, fueled by the insatiable wind, spreading little by little.

Although the chill of the rift’s magic had gnawed at it, causing it to burn less brightly than dry kindling, Camila’s flames were far from easily extinguished.

Slowly.

Very slowly.

The fire, riding the wind, blazed fiercely, devouring the dense forest like kindling. A horrifying wail echoed amid the majestic flames, reminiscent of the Battle of Red Cliffs.

-Kieeeek!

A horde of Corpse Spiders halted before the flames, rolling their grotesque eyes as terrifying as their appearance. At the end of their ruby-red glances stood Camila, commanding the fire.

I lodged a bullet into the eye of a Corpse Spider glaring at Camila. The spider, screeching in agony, thrashed its hefty body, thrice pushing the spider next to it into the flames.

A pair of gently folded violets flew to me on the wind.

“Your shooting skills are impressive, Colonel. You must be quite accustomed to it?”

“It’s my job to be a soldier.”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“I meant it exactly that way.”

Episode 11 – Northern Front No Issues Here

Despite the blizzard raging, the flames showed no sign of abating. Growing larger on a diet of ancient trees and corpses, the fire consumed the surroundings, and the heat of battle escalated.

In a burning forest cloaked in chill, there stood Camila at the edge.

“Huff…! Hoo…!”

Camila panted heavily as she controlled the fire.

After she let it loose, it was riding the winds down the mountainside, but without pause, Camila continued to conjure new flames. The Corpse Spiders, with their crimson eyes gleaming, charged forward, momentarily faltering in fear of the roaring flames.

I patted Camila’s shoulder, urging her.

“Conserve your magic, Camila. If you collapse here, we’re in real trouble.”

“I understand…!”

No matter what anyone said, the one who was actively contributing most to this battle was undeniably Camila. If she were to faint here, nothing could be assured in terms of our survival.

Fortunately, it seemed she understood my words as she withdrew her hand from conjuring flames and stepped back to observe the situation.

At that moment, the battlefield unveiled itself before her.

“…It’s horrific.”

Corpses lay strewn all around. Wherever I looked, the bodies of fallen Imperial Army soldiers were visible.

The collapsed stronghold and the blazing supply depot. A pillar that couldn’t withstand the heat toppled, causing the roof of the trench to come crashing down. Buried within were the Corpse Spiders, supplies, and the bodies of someone fallen.

It was a ghastly sight.

Most of the troops who had been holding the position for over thirty minutes had perished. A few wounded had returned, but they were merely a handful.

The silver lining was that due to the troops stationed at the perimeter, the movements of the Corpse Spiders had been locked down, allowing our unit to recognize the ambush early and prepare adequately.

I scavenged ammunition from the corpses littering the ground and spoke to Camila.

“Stay focused, Camila.”

“…Yes.”

“We just need to hold out a little longer. Just a little.”

Now that they had identified the ambush, our unit presumably reported that the rift was under attack. The Military Government Headquarters would have received news, and surely the units stationed below the mountains were also aware of the situation.

Since it was a division-sized force, once they reached the rift, everything would be over. Therefore, we needed to buy as much time as possible.

“Here, take this rifle. The battle might drag on, so it’s better to use it instead of magic for now. You’re familiar with the Imperial Army rifles from our trip to the southern resort, right?”

As Camila accepted the rifle, she loaded it with a respectable flourish.

The shimmering crimson hue painted her dimpled cheeks.

“After disassembling and reassembling it for days, it would be odd not to know how to use it.”

Camila picked up the rifle instead of relying on magic and started to confront the Corpse Spiders.

It was not good news that Camila’s magic, which rivaled that of most battalion-level mages, was sealed, but the situation wasn’t quite as bleak.

There was another magician on our side.

“Everyone, take three steps back.”

Francesca, standing before the horde of Corpse Spiders, pulled her hand from her pocket and swung it. A variety of colorful vials shimmered as they hovered in the air.

Like a cat leaping over a wall. The vial thrown by Francesca surpassed the wall of fire created by Camila, plummeting atop the ruby-eyed Corpse Spiders.

At that moment.

-Clang!

The vials floating in the air shattered simultaneously.

As the vials broke, glass shards burst forth, scattering an unknown liquid. The Corpse Spiders, huddled in front of the flames, were struck by the unexpectedly spilled liquid, their red eyes blinking in surprise.

And moments later.

-Kiieeek!

-Shaaah!

The dreadful screams cut through the flames, echoing sharply.

The desperate cries of the Corpse Spiders reverberated across the snowy peaks of the North.

*

Beyond the flames, staring in astonishment at the rapidly melting Corpse Spiders as if hit by hydrochloric acid, I turned to Francesca, only to find her smiling as if asking if there was a problem.

“What the heck is that?”

“It’s the essence of alchemy used during the Independence War. One of the ancestral legacies passed down through our family.”

“…But you just stored that in your clothes?”

“As long as it’s well-kept, it won’t break. I’ve made these multiple times in the family workshop since childhood—do you think I wouldn’t know how to preserve them?”

I often felt this way about my sister, but it seems no sane person exists among true magicians.

Thanks to the efforts of Camila and Francesca, the Corpse Spiders failed to breach the perimeter stronghold. With time on our side and the front stabilizing, our chances of victory were gradually increasing.

However, just as dogs and cats recognize their owners, beasts also have the intelligence to repay favors. The Corpse Spiders, blocked by the flames, quickly recognized the source of their trouble and began launching a new type of attack.

Just then, a spike flew through the barrier of fire, striking nearby with a thud!

“Eek…!”

Seeing the palm-sized sharp spike, Camila turned pale.

“What is that?!”

“It’s probably a human or animal bone.”

“What—what do you mean by that?!”

“Corpse Spiders are monsters that normally feed on corpses. They even lay eggs in them. One of their traits is melting down bones they absorb from corpses to create spikes. This is how they typically catch their prey.”

“How is that even possible? Why on earth do they call it a ‘spider’?! It’s more like a hydra or something!”

“Because it looks like a spider, I suppose. It’s a name assigned by academia, so ask a scholar about it. Conveniently, there’s one right here.”

The “scholar” I indicated smiled broadly while holding a shimmering vial.

“It seems you both have the luxury to joke around. Some of us are fighting so hard.”

Francesca grumbled, seemingly hurt, and shook her wrist again with the vial.

The vial began to glow brightly. The great magician’s legacy, passed down through the Ranieri family, radiated brilliance once again.

When the vial crossed the flames, it shattered once more in midair.

The Corpse Spiders instinctively sought to avoid the liquid and pulled back, but with so many compacted in one spot, there was no escape route available.

While watching the grotesque creatures melt away with their screams, Francesca reached into her pocket again to pull out another vial.

At that moment, one Corpse Spider burst through the flames. Startled, Camila shouted at her while shooting the creature.

“Watch out, it’s dangerous!”

The Corpse Spider that broke through the wall of fire glared at her, its red eyes shining.

Ignoring the flames, I charged forward, ready to rip apart any human in my path.

And just then, Francesca found herself closest to the Corpse Spider.

I turned my body to aim at the monster. However, I couldn’t pull the trigger, as Francesca was directly in the line of fire.

“Damn it…!”

The gigantic, hairy legs were raised high into the air. The red eyes glinted with malice, and a sharp howl erupted from the monster’s maw.

Yet, despite the leg of the Corpse Spider lunging at her, Francesca merely gave a calm smile.

As the monster’s leg was about to lash out at her neck—

*Thud!*

A massive fist came from somewhere and crushed the Corpse Spider in a flash.

The clay figure, resembling a giant, swung down and shattered the spider’s leg with its fist, then began to pummel the Corpse Spider, delivering blow after blow.

It was a Golem.

*Boom! Thud! Boom! Boom!*

The ground shook with the deafening noise, and the screams of the Corpse Spider echoed across the snowy plain.

I was momentarily stunned by the sight, reminiscent of a cooking hammer tenderizing meat, when Francesca approached, her smile wide, and nudged both me and Camila.

“You both seem quite startled. Thank you for your concern, but as you can see, I’m perfectly fine.”

“That’s definitely a Golem, right?”

“Yes. It’s a Golem I brought for rift defense.”

Francesca waved her hand in the air and pulled out a peculiar gear inscribed with strange symbols. It was the core, a vital part for Golem creation.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed a similar device embedded in the chest of the Golem, still smacking the monster in the distance.

Francesca caressed the Golem’s core and remarked with a hint of disappointment, “It turned out to be quite expensive. If I had known this would happen, I would have considered going with the discount offered by the Alchemist Guild.”

“Your joking confirms you aren’t hurt at all.”

I shot Francesca a glare, looking exhausted.

In contrast to my disgust, Camila’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“It’s just like Titanfall…”

“What on earth is that, you nerd?”

Just then, the radio crackled to life, announcing that the soldiers and casualties from the perimeter were being managed, and all preparations had been completed.

Looking at the flames roaring energetically, it seemed they’d remain lit for a while. Since the Corpse Spiders couldn’t breach the defenses right now, I felt confident we could safely reach the defense line.

“That should suffice, so let’s move up now. Everyone, head to the defense line!”

*

The Imperial Army, defending the rift, had formed a solid line. Thanks to the sacrifices of the troops deployed on the front lines and the efforts of Camila and Francesca, the Imperial Army had gained ample time.

*Booom!*

A thunderous explosion shook the ground, rivaling the roar of a beast.

As thick fog rose, one heavy artillery piece jolted but quickly steadied, launching a shell that obliterated a swarm of Corpse Spiders in a massive explosion.

Meanwhile, the tank commander poked his body out of the cupola, wielding a machine gun. The rapid-fire bullets tore the Corpse Spiders apart, and when the cannon fired again, all that remained in that area were bits and pieces, beyond recognition.

It looked like a very sturdy defense line.

As I passed through with Camila and Francesca, I reached the defense line after making my way through tanks, armored vehicles, and machine gun nests.

There, I encountered Senior Lyudmila, who had come to meet us.

“Welcome back. Colonel, are you hurt at all?”

“No, none of this is my blood. None of us were injured.”

“That’s a relief. Please, come inside.”

Senior Lyudmila began to guide us into the unit.

As she did, several soldiers followed closely, serving almost as a protective detail. Given how their gear looked different from the troops deployed at the defense line, they likely hailed from the escort unit that had accompanied us this far. I spotted the armored truck they’d arrived in not too far away.

Though they were called escort troops, they were effectively monitoring us. No matter how much the Military Government Headquarters tried to be considerate, it was wise to question whether it truly stemmed from goodwill.

But that wasn’t important right now.

“Senior Lyudmila, what’s the situation like?”

I asked her about the current state of affairs.

“All defense lines have been manned.”

“From which direction are the attacks coming? Are we surrounded?”

Senior Lyudmila shook her head.

“We’re not surrounded. Monsters are approaching from the south and west, where the Hero, you, and the Administrator came from, but the defenses to the north and east are holding steady. The unit determined that the Corpse Spiders were mainly spotted to the south and west.”

This meant the chances of encountering them in the north and east were low.

“That’s a relief. Please, continue.”

“Currently, the heavy weapons squad is providing fire support. The fog is heavy, making visibility difficult, but thankfully, there are no major issues. They will support us with artillery fire as soon as communication is reestablished.”

“Is communication unstable?”

“The density of mana in the atmosphere is affecting communication. Fortunately, when contact was made, we already requested support from nearby units. A Mage should be arriving from the division shortly.”

Infantry, armored units, artillery, and magic—every combat branch was gathered to fight at the rift. There were also anti-air units, but as the Corpse Spiders couldn’t fly, they weren’t a concern.

Suddenly, I heard an unusual booming sound from afar. It looked like the Imperial Army was firing grenades from high ground.

The sight of grenades, tank shells, and mortar rounds raining down was spectacular.

However, unable to shake off a creeping sense of unease, I asked Senior Lyudmila with a hint of concern, “We have plenty of ammunition, right?”

“I believe we have an ample supply.”

With her answer, I finally nodded in relief.

“That’s a relief.”

With plenty of ammunition, a large force, and holding the high ground, we shouldn’t lose the defense line easily.

Moreover, we were to receive fire support from the artillery brigade stationed below, along with Mages arriving from the division.

At that point, even if a Manticore showed up rather than a Corpse Spider, we’d be able to handle it just fine.

“I feel reassured.”

“For now, let’s head inside and take a moment to rest. I’ll let you know immediately if anything happens.”

With that, Senior Lyudmila left us with the escort soldiers and headed off somewhere.

Even though a battle was occurring, we couldn’t keep fighting forever, so I intended to get some water for the weary Camila and Francesca so they could catch their breath.

But our rest would be short-lived.

The Corpse Spider swarm began attacking the defense line, not just from the south and west, but also from the east.

Thus, our position at the rift was surrounded.

 

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