Chapter 139 ·Title

Jin ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Crow had honestly hoped this entire trip would remain as quiet and discreet as possible.

Naturally.

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍wasn't an idiot.

No ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍matter how unavoidable it had been, every single time he had gone out on official business, some kind of incident had broken out.

There ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was no way he could welcome that.

Of ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍course, it was true that those incidents had allowed the Composite State Ministry of National Defense to recognize the threat posed by Creatures, while also bringing about no small number of other benefits.

But exhausting was still exhausting.

Because of that, Jin Crow had asked the Ju Planet Governor-General's Office for only two things.

Keep the ceremony to an absolute minimum, and make the procedures as simple as possible.

For a mere major to make such a request of the office governing an entire planet might have seemed rather presumptuous.

But the moment Idealle's official seal was attached, the situation changed.

Even if she had been half-exiled through her confrontation with Kukenhauzen, no soldier could ignore a request made by a Penta Gear-class Special-duty Officer.

Putting aside personal admiration or respect, she simply wasn't someone worth making an enemy of.

Please, don't cause any trouble and come back safely.

Naturally, Idealle Kukenhauzen, who despised factionalism, wasn't pleased with relying on that sort of influence.

Even so, she couldn't simply send Jin Crow out without any precautions.

If she could have, she would have planted him inside the academy like a protective totem.

But she knew all too well that reality made such a thing impossible.

So she had settled for the next best option.

“Instructor!”

...And so, in the present.

Leaving behind the minor commotion at the platform, Jin Crow and Obia Timist were on their way to the Support Department where the official in charge was waiting when they turned at the sound of a hurried voice echoing through the corridor.

A man came running down the hallway, which had been built in a distinctly Eastern architectural style—whether to win the favor of the Juins or simply because local architects had been hired.

The moment Obia Timist saw him, she narrowed her round eyes slightly, smiled faintly, and muttered,

“Oh. A sheep.”

“So that's exactly why it's rude.”

The Juins didn't particularly appreciate being referred to by whatever animal Composite State citizens thought they resembled.

Each of their clans had its own proper name.

Of course, those who interacted frequently with humans seemed relatively accustomed to it.

Even so, there was no reason to deliberately say something that would offend someone else.

“Huff... Huff...”

The sheep Juin finally reached them and wiped the sweat running across his forehead, where thick white wool had grown.

Although he wore a navy-blue military uniform, both his build and appearance looked rather frail for a soldier.

He was probably administrative personnel.

Whether aware of Jin Crow's thoughts or not, he adjusted his glasses before speaking.

“Huff... Are you... Instructor Jin Crow from the Central Special-duty Academy?”

“I am.”

“Th-The Vice Governor-General wishes to see you.”

“...?”

At those words, Jin Crow frowned and glanced toward Obia's crimson eyes.

A silent question.

Do you know anything about this?

However, Obia Timist met his gaze directly and gave an extremely concise answer.

“Instructor, I don't know anything either. More importantly, while you're gone, would it be alright if I spoke with the local Military Police? Considering what happened at the platform...”

“...Sigh. Lead the way.”

It was the textbook example of passing unpleasant work onto someone else.

Leaving behind Obia, who had skillfully escaped the troublesome task, Jin Crow followed the sheep Juin toward the upper floors of the Governor-General's Office.

Tap.

Tap.

The corridors were quiet.

There were still people passing by from time to time.

But judging by the exhausted expressions on their faces as they carried stacks of documents, they all appeared to be administrative personnel like the sheep leading the way.

After walking for some time, they eventually entered the hallway leading to the Vice Governor-General's office.

Jin Crow finally asked,

“By the way, why does the Vice Governor-General want to see me?”

“I... don't really know either. Hahaha...”

The sheep Juin scratched his already fluffy hair awkwardly.

It wasn't exactly a satisfying answer.

But if he genuinely didn't know, there wasn't much else to ask.

Soon, they stopped before an office whose cigarette smoke had already seeped all the way into the corridor.

The sheep Juin gave an awkward smile, saluted, and said,

“Loyalty. Then I'll take my leave.”

“You've worked hard. Go on.”

Honestly, Jin Crow wanted to tell him to come inside and stand beside him.

But the man looked so utterly exhausted that he couldn't bring himself to do it.

...Why, exactly?

Why did he suddenly think of the researchers wandering the academy's Research Building corridors like walking corpses?

“Sigh.”

Please...

Just don't let this become another headache.

Repeating that modest wish to himself, he knocked lightly before opening the office door.

“Loyalty. Major Jin Crow reporting. I was informed the Vice Governor-General wished to see me.”

As soon as the door opened, the very first thing that greeted him was a wall of cigarette smoke thick enough to make even a chain smoker like himself instinctively frown.

...Did something catch fire?

He had always thought rooms becoming hazy from cigarette smoke existed only in movies.

This clearly wasn't the work of one or two smokers.

As if to prove it, despite him entering, the soldiers seated behind desks on both sides of the office paid absolutely no attention.

They simply continued absentmindedly puffing on cigarettes with lifeless expressions.

And that wasn't all.

Each occupied a desk roughly one and a half times larger than normal, buried beneath mountains of paperwork overflowing from entire boxes.

They were being worked to death.

“...Captain, where did this quarter's budget proposal go?”

“Why... the fuck... are you asking me?”

“Watch the language. I might just resign.”

“Sorry... My bad. I'll look for it.”

A senior NCO threatening a captain with resignation.

It truly was a rare sight.

Just as he was about to marvel at it, his eyes found the mountain of paperwork piled deepest within the office.

He walked toward it.

“...”

Up close, it looked even more absurd.

Documents were stacked nearly all the way to the ceiling.

Beside them floated three or four holographic displays slowed to a crawl beneath layers upon layers of military security software.

Buried among them sat a muscular man.

A black military uniform bearing a Major General's insignia had been casually draped over his chair.

He himself wore only a white shirt.

No.

That description alone wasn't enough.

An eyepatch covered his left eye.

And his left arm possessed the unmistakable joints of a prosthetic implant replacing flesh.

Middle-aged.

Judging by both his age and rank, he had probably fought during the Third Galactic War.

The black uniform suggested he was also a Special-duty Officer.

“...Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

As Jin Crow approached, a quiet symphony drifted into his ears.

His stress from overwhelming work must have been extraordinary.

The heavy dark circles beneath his eyes and the ashtray that looked like a cactus seemed almost to be sending him a warning.

If you hate troublesome things... run away now.

Jin Crow happened to be a man generous enough to appreciate another person's silent consideration.

Admiring such kindness, he quietly turned to leave.

Then—

“Ah.”

The Vice Governor-General, whose gaze had remained fixed on his paperwork until now, slowly lifted his head.

At last, he looked directly at Jin Crow.

“...”

After a long silence, he took a deep drag from the cigarette between his lips.

Gray smoke drifted lazily through the air.

Then he extinguished it atop the cactus-like ashtray before stamping the final document in front of him with his official seal.

Finally, he spoke in a rough voice.

“All of you. Go eat lunch. I'll give you fifteen extra minutes today.”

“W-We’re free!”

“WAAAAAH!”

The moment those words left his mouth, every administrative officer who had looked half dead fled the office without the slightest hesitation.

Watching the almost insane scene, Jin Crow found himself speechless.

Creeeak.

The Vice Governor-General quietly stood from his desk.

He unbuttoned his white shirt and draped it over the chair.

Then he neatly slicked back his disheveled hair with pomade, his remaining right eye flashing sharply.

“The moment I saw the name Instructor Jin Crow, I knew it was you.”

The muscles beneath his skin twitched.

His Psionic Energy exploded into motion.

Before Jin Crow could even respond, the Vice Governor-General roared,

“Jin Crow! I'll make you regret what you said that day!”

The punch itself was simple.

But the pressure behind it was enough to terrify even most Triple Gear users.

Without hesitation, Jin Crow instinctively evaded the strike and stepped inside his opponent's guard, driving his elbow straight into the man's solar plexus.

“Ghk!”

No matter how superhuman someone became, internal organs couldn't simply ignore impact.

The moment his opponent drew a sharp breath, Jin Crow took in the office where documents fluttered everywhere from the shockwave of that punch before asking,

“What exactly are you doing?”

Honestly...

To say he wasn't irritated would have been a lie.

Fortunately, there had been no killing intent behind that punch.

Had there been...

He would already have drawn his sword.

No.

Truthfully, he was already considering it.

I was attacked first.

Wouldn't it be justified?

Slowly...

He reached toward the hilt.

Then—

“I'm taking revenge for my arm!”

As another punch shot toward him alongside that declaration, Jin Crow finally pieced together the situation.

Frowning, he muttered in a weary voice,

“...I'm tired.”

“Hup!”

Blocking the fist roughly the size of an average person's head, he asked,

“Do you know me, Vice Governor-General?”

“Hm?”

The Vice Governor-General looked at him with an expression strangely mixing joy and resentment.

Then, with a blank stare, he asked,

“...Don't tell me you don't remember?”

“......”

Naturally...

The only thing that remained between them was an incredibly awkward silence.

One misconception people who have never experienced war often hold...

Is believing that every battlefield must have some meaningful purpose behind the soldiers sacrificed there.

“Cough! Ghk...!”

Whether a front consuming hundreds of thousands—or even hundreds of millions—of troops existed because of one individual's mistake...

Or because it served as bait to preserve a more important battlefield...

There was never any reason to reveal such cruel truths.

The truly cruel part was something else.

At a certain point...

The soldiers thrown onto those fronts inevitably realized what they were.

“Hngh... Ghk.”

Poor logistics from the very beginning.

Superiors who ordered nothing but endless advances without any coherent operational plan or grand strategy.

Supply lines gradually disappearing.

Commanders increasingly replaced by NCOs.

Finally...

The moment AI-generated nonsense began arriving under the name of operational orders...

Every soldier on that front understood their fate.

Consumables.

Sacrifices.

Scapegoats.

The Composite State would praise them as heroes.

Perhaps one day...

Their remains would be recovered.

Their dog tags might even be returned to their families.

That was the reward for answering the nation's call.

Amid such thoroughly deceived reality...

Special-duty Major Rekem Ging, whose arm had already turned purple, silently thought,

Goddamn Composite State.

Then—

“Staff Sergeant!”

At the frivolous voice brushing past his ears, he lazily opened one eye.

What he saw was—

“Hey, the Major's about to croak over here.”

“......”

A red-haired sergeant wearing a playful grin beside him a young black-haired staff sergeant whose face was utterly expressionless.