Vol 3 Chapter 8 (1/2)
LEVEL 3: Even the Best Laid Plans go Awry, but Such is This World
Chapter 8: Meat shi+eld
The sky was still dark but the vicinity just outside Altana’s northern gate was lively and boisterous The division assigned to the attack on Capoade The soldiers froular army consisted of five hundred Warriors, a hundred Paladins, a hundred Hunters, and around seventy Priests They were led by Brigadier General Ren Waters Thirty-seven Criade as a detached brigade, totaling a hundred and ninety seven reservists under Commander Bri, short for Brittany
Others were present too, including townsfolk who caade off and curious onlookers, as well as with opportunisticto sell their wares There athered; no wonder the area was full of clamor and noise
On the other hand, the force being sent to Steelbone Stronghold, called the Ruby Snake Brigade, consisted of a thousand Warriors, three hundred Paladins, two hundred Dread Knights, a three-hundredcavalry unit, and a healer corps coulars of Ruby Snake Brigade alone were eighteen hundredand were led by General Graham Lasentora himself Add to that fifty-five Crihlyaround Souma’s Daybreakers, and it was a force to be reckoned with
Altana’s defense was left to the readier General Ian Latti Haruhiro had heard of both Latti and Lasentora, but knew neither personally
General Waters had been standing near the doors of the north gate the entire ti off-white armor, he looked like the old-fashi+oned, meticulous sort While he didn’t seeard the reservists with a condescending air, which ant Eil of Luht, which must have meant that he was a Paladin
The Azure Snake Brigade ranks were formed up in a way that could be easily understood, even to those uninitiated in military matters; Paladins and Priests stood closest to General Waters, followed by the Warriors behind them, and finally the Hunters The Crimson Moon members milled about at the rear of the foranized coularat therouped by party and everyone meandered about, and sat or stood as they wished
The faint-hearted part of Haruhiro wondered if behaving so casually at a time like this was really okay, but no one else seeulars and a separately commanded division for all intents and purposes, so they were ular arht, ‘We’re different froive a damn anyway’
It wasn’t like Haruhiro had any friends a lived in Altana for a while now, he sensed the divide between the regulars and the reservists And besides, Criners and outsiders who couldn’t be trusted anyways In fact, they weren’t even liked by the locals
The exceptions were people like Souma, whose track record and reputation set him above the rest The problem was, reservists like hiade which naturally left Azure Snake Brigade with the dregs The thoughtpool, want to crawl under a rock to hide
There was one clan alance, however The Wild Angels, led by Kajiko, stood out like a sore thust the other trash-tier reservists present The Wild Angels were an exclusively female clan, and all of them were dressed in white cloaks with a white feather affixed to their headgear, be it a helm, cap, bandana, or headband
Not only were they all wouy tried to approach, he would be threatened loudly until he was forced to back off All of the Wild Angel ly beautiful Kajiko, ielded a katana-like long-sword It was her eyes Haruhiro swore that one look froh to kill There was one other party here that gave off the sa formidability
Team Renji
Renji and his party arrived at the sarandeur of Renji’s presence a echo and Haruhiro found that the sight of his towering, fully upright for at the other directly for long Slung across Renji’s back was the sword that had once belonged to the orc Ishh Dogrann
Renji’s previous sword had gone to Ron, as crouched nearby Renji regarded the scene before hi his subjects while Ron stared overtly at Renji The skin-headed Ron’s presence was clearly overshadowed by Renji, but the gaze of someone who had such blatant tendencies towards violence wasn’t sonore Renji, however, seemed perfectly unperturbed
Behind the Sassa, who had apparently set her sex appeal lasses boy Adachi looked as if he surely possessed genius that could shake any world to its foundations Next to Renji was the diminutive and unbearably adorable Chibi Just on the account of being on Tea secret mascot ability hidden in that tiny frame of hers That was exactly the kind of power Renji’s existence lent to those around him
He even seemed to have the attention of the intractable Kajiko, who had been openly staring at hinored her For the future’s sake, Haruhiro hoped that the touldn’t become sparks that started any wildfires, buttootoo els and Team Renji were like Gods, or Goddesses, compared to Haruhiro They weren’t even the sa
Haruhiro suddenly spotted Choco He gave her a nod in greeting, which caused her to iround Haruhiro’s party was lined up behind the main army, at the very back of the reservist ranks Muster order was decided by experience and ability, so Haruhiro supposed that it was appropriate that they were at the very back Except that Choco’s party was positioned ahead of them
Was he really okay with that? Yeah, he was
From the looks of it, Choco’s party was led by a handsome, nonchalant Warrior whose looks probably made him pretty popular with the ladies His party was for away at him, so there was probably no irl with short hair ith Choco the day Haruhiro first encountered her at the lodge was also there Her clothing e They also had a male dressed in Priest’s robes and two other males outfitted like Warriors One of the Warriors was a very tall, dour and unfriendly looking fellow; the other seeoof The Oaf Warrior was hly annoyed by his unwanted advances
Quit it, already You’re pissing ht that caht to be angry That guy was Choco’s teammate and companion, while Haruhiro on the other hand had talked to her a grand total of twice
Next to hi hard Excited for the battle to co off his heluessed the latter He patted—zo on the back
“What’s the zo?” Haruhiro asked “Nervous?”
“Yeah, a little,” Mogzo admitted, then amended, “Okay, a lot”
“I don’t blame you, this is a first for everyone,” said Haruhiro
“You don’t seezo pointed out
“I guess I’ it then,” Haruhiro replied
Even though he wasn’t perfectly calotten any sleep so he waselse
Yu sound and declared, “Haru’s always stout-chested!”
“Uh… I have no idea what that means,” Haruhiro said
“H her best to interpret
“Stout ‘hearted’?” Yu her head to the side
“Oh,” Haruhiro said then added, “Stout-chesteddifferent, Yuh…”
“Ohhh…” Yu, then raised her hand, palm out towards Haruhiro “Broad!”
Haruhiro reached up, met her palm with his oith a smack and asked, “Broad?”
“Chested!” Yume exclaimed as she offered her other hand
“Chested?” Haruhiro took the cue nonetheless, high-fived her with his other hand, and now they had their hands up in the air, both their pal the other’s
What the heck is going on…? Haruhiro thought
Yuave both his hands a firm squeeze and said, “Broad-chested!”
“Uh… right,” Haruhiro replied “Okay?”
“It’s a salute to the broad-chested!” Yume explained
“Huh?”