Nigoru Hitomi de Nani wo Negau

Compared to the Northern and Western Fronts, which played a major role in the battle against the Kanoa Kingdom, the Principality of Myard, and the Ferrius Kingdom. Or the Eastern Front, which clashed daily with the Liberitoa Trade Federation. The Southern Front, to which Hadro belonged, for an Empire with an excellent battle history, could be said as a moderate and modest unit.

Considering only the location where the Front was stationed, it was one of the key points facing the Big Demon Territory and Galmud Archipelago, which was one of the Three Big Countries.

However, the expansion period of the Galmud Archipelago was over, and for a large country with abundant funds and resources, Highserk was just a trivial place that didn’t have much worth being invaded. Since the Three Big Countries had their own problem, scrapping the Demon Territory and such, this side of Highserk was safe throughout the year… Therefore, the Southern Front was stigmatized as a war-unaware second-rate unit.

The southern part of the Empire, which was regarded as a safe zone along with the central part, was the empire’s strategic base, and continued to respond to the change of personnel and supply of personnel, of the other places that were always in short supply. Those soldiers supported the Empire behind the scenes. Therefore, even if they weren’t exposed to the sun much, Hadro poured his heart and soul into the proposition of strengthening his troops and training.

However, “that day” came.

In addition to the Northern and Western Fronts, the containment of the Great Outbreak that made the Empire pour all the surplus force was destroyed by the invasion of the “Living Natural Disaster”, the Fire Emperor Dragon. The capital was burned down along with the central troops who were trying to defend the capital.

Hadro, who rushed to the rescue from the south, never forgotten the sight. People and soldiers who lost their homes, their families, and even their country, were standing helplessly without power. Those who wandered without knowing the direction of escape became nomadic people.

Hadro was able to step forward looking for the future because he knew that some parts of the south were still alive, and the Flame Emperor Dragon had moved to the direction between Lake Celta and Liberitoa after the capital was burned. Otherwise, Hadro would be on the hill overlooking the capital, and perhaps ending his life there.

Looking at the back of the soldiers who had collapsed in a daze, Hadro raised a scolding voice, and even beat the crying general who wanted to sacrifice himself for the destroyed country. He then brought them to the south, to his forces.

Hadro gave a thin hope and guided people, saying that there was still something to protect. Thus, his forces continued to deal with the aftermath, to fight with the leftover of the Great Outbreak.

Hadro’s Regiment was terribly disorganized when compared to the Jaff Cavalry Battalion and several other battalions stuck to the east, which brilliantly led the attention of the monsters to Liberitoa Trade Federation and evacuated the people.

Originally, the Southern Front’s defense plan was devised and constructed according to the assumptions made from the outside to the inside. That direction was completely opposite to the invasion of monsters caused by the Great Outbreak, and it must be changed, from the inside to the outside, and the defense network from the center to the south was not that great. All the houses and facilities had been used for diversion, but the monsters’ attack still didn’t stop.

At that time, Hadro gave an order with no strategy. He only calmed the soldiers down, then threatened them that they must fight, and instigated that it was all for the sake of the still-alive people and their still-alive families.

The regiment filled with people who spent most of their lives with no particular prestige or achievement, was of course simply getting scraped off by the stream of monsters while continuing to rout. The corpses pile up everywhere, and the regiment was finally reduced to the size of a battalion.

A total mobilization regardless of status was proposed. Hadro then understood that even those who had no experience in combat and had no talent for fight, could become a time-earning force, if the force had an overwhelming number.

At the same time, Hadro realized. That they were a national heritage and foundation for the future that must be preserved. Whether it was a peasant or a craftsman, if they were all lost, the ability to recover the country would be completely lost. Without the people, no country could be restored as a country and that would only fasten the total destruction of the country.

That was why Hadro ordered the subordinates who he raised to die, to protect the young soldiers, to protect the soldiers who had a family waiting for their return home, and to protect the normal people. He dropped all the bridges, leaving them behind, as the suicide squad.

The soldiers on the other side didn’t seem to hold a grudge, but just left a message with a quivering voice to Hadro.

『”I leave the future in your hands. May fortune be with you.”』

Even if those words were said with a grudge, it didn’t change the fact that it had saved Hadro a lot. Those words became a curse that kept the fiery emotion inside him burning without a trace of fading away.

The Southern Front, together with the survivor of the Northern, Western, and Central army, continued to struggle in the hellish reality.

And now, a year later. This day had come.

“Ah, aaaah, it’s really, beautiful. It’s the same as before.”

The thing that saved the soldiers who decided to continue to fight, who prepared to die, was the blue flame called the 《Demon Fire》. The blue flames that suddenly sprung up on the front line at the Dandurg Castle which was on the verge of collapse, the fire that kept burning the monsters, again and again.

From the enemy’s point of view, it would be annoying and might give them nausea. However, it was a warm and irreplaceable fire of salvation for the soldiers who were ashamed of their failure to protect their country and so had accepted their own death.

Hadro, who was told by a soldier who miraculously escaped from the western part of Highserk that there was a “Knight” who could manipulate the 《Fire of Hell Gate》, trembled with joy and chased the shadow of the rumored “Knight” in any places where the blue flame was still smoldering… only ended up with nothing.

Among the soldiers, there were some who said that the fallen soldiers who reached Hell had sent the blue fire, as they were still worried about the future of their country. It didn’t matter if that was the case. The important thing was that it was now, in a battle to decide the future of Highserk, once again, that the 《Demon Fire》 decided to make another appearance.

Hadro didn’t know how to verbalize the overflowing emotions. It was the same with his men.

“Regiment Commander!! That blue flame is…!!”

The soldiers who survived the Great Outbreak screamed and distraught in the rank of the former commander. It was nothing strange. Even Hadro, who was called a veteran, his heart skipped a beat like a maiden.

“The legacy of His Excellency Gerald isn’t just to be continued by Jaff… Yeah, That’s right. The only one which messed up a large number of soldiers from the Four-Countries Alliance and never give in to the “Great Outbreak”! The Blue Flames of Dandurg!! To light up the Highserk Empire once again, the hero, has returned from the Netherworld.”

Hadro, who should be silent, leaked so many words without knowing when his mouth would stop. And even if there were other soldiers who couldn’t sympathize with it, they didn’t feel unpleasant by those words in the slightest.

After all, they shared the image and the scenery of that moment, of that day.

“Sent a message to Viscount Edgar, my Hadro Battalion will assault the enemy in the branch castle, annihilate them, and with the survivors, we will go to the enemy’s headquarters.”

The soldier who received the messenger ran away to Viscount Edgar’s camp wholeheartedly.

“SOLDIERS, LISTEENN!! Let’s show those halfwits with only well equipment, our dignity as the soldier of the undefeated Highserk Empire! The Empire has not fallen!! The “War God” who had gone to the Netherworld, left his legacy to give the remnant of the Empire, us, a chance to strive once again. When will we fight, if not now!!”

“NOOWW!!”

The voices of the responding soldiers echoed and as the rumbling sound could be heard, they all gathered under Hadro.

“It’s time to attack. Prepare yourself! Devote your mind and body! Stab! Crush! Trample them! Beat the drums! And, Raise your voice!! Remind them of the war! FULL FRONTAL ASSAUULLTT!!!”

The second-rate unit, was no longer there. Only the strong men who survived the shameful and bloody fight, and continued to go under crazy training for the future. The chains holding them had been shredded. It was time for them to go back to the actual battlefield. To varying degrees, everyone’s eyes glowed like a wild burning flame, wriggling like a fiery slaughter machine, ready to turn their opponents into dust and ashes.