Chapter 41: One Shot / One Kill

I gave my answer to the questions my Monoz had asked me.

And they responded, “Then leave it to us.”

The rain of mortar fire had ceased.

All twelve of my companions were now charging across the battlefield below.

On my handheld terminal, the last message we exchanged remained on screen.

Declaration: We will carve a path. No matter what.

All I could do now was believe in them.

I brought the scope to my right eye. Centered in its sights was the tent—most likely the one housing the enemy commander.

From my left headset, a minimap was projected into view. I watched the glowing blips shift as I mentally carved away the world around me.

Inhale. Exhale.

Repeat three deep, steady times.

I shut out the pain in my missing left leg. I discarded everything that wasn’t necessary. All I needed was a rifle to fire. A minimap to track the battle. Eyes to see. A finger to pull the trigger. And a target to hit.

Visualize.

A blank white world.

At its center is the Type B Model 5 sniper rifle.

I monitored the battlefield through the minimap projected into my left eye. My right eye peered through the scope. My finger rested on the trigger.

That was all there was for now.

I picked up a sound.

Footsteps. Someone was approaching. It was likely a Tooth soldier. They were here to confirm the sniper’s death. 

If I was still alive, they’d try to capture me.

They spotted me with my rifle still aimed and immediately opened fire.

A bullet grazed my cheek—where my cheek should’ve been. Another buried itself in my shoulder. Even so, I didn’t move. I didn’t shift from my aim. So there was no problem.

They were a distraction. I chose to ignore them.

I discarded the sound.

The last thing I heard was Rudo growling, followed by the enemy’s scream.

So it was fine. Probably.

Time passed.

How much, I couldn’t say.

Still, in this world, there was only the rifle, the map, my eye, and my finger.

More time passed.

Then suddenly, there it was.

A red tag appeared on the minimap. 

My right eye locked on.

It was the target I’d been told about by someone in advance. They were running, panic in every movement.

I aimed slightly ahead of them—just a fraction. I pulled the trigger.

Hit.

Killed.

And in that instant, the world came back.

***

The shotgun’s buttstock slammed into me. I’d been prone while firing, so the blow drove my head straight into the ground. Through blurred vision, I saw Rudo—battered, torn up. Still breathing, but it didn’t look good.

“Please… let me treat Rudo. That puppy needs help.”

I said it to the Tooth soldier who had struck me.

It was a bizarre creature—bipedal, with four arms and a chitinous exoskeleton. Even so, it seemed to understand speech.

“Wh—! N-No, I mean, that’s fine, but what about you?”

“Me?”

Prompted by the question, I looked down at myself.

My centipede armor was riddled with holes. Blood poured from me.

It hurt.

“If possible… I’d appreciate treatment for myself as well.”

I signaled that I meant no harm as I called the Monoz back.

Ten were heavily damaged, two moderately. None were destroyed. The two that were only moderately damaged were Ox Unit and Sheep Unit. Thankfully, Ox Unit could still transport, and Sheep Unit could handle medical support. But even so, all of them were in a situation where they could be killed at any moment.

Ah—and come to think of it, Shinzo had been subdued too.

I checked the combat log from earlier

.

Turns out Shinzo had done his job as a proper shepherd dog; he was the one who flushed out the enemy commander. 

And now, he was paying the price for overextending himself.

“Also, we’re surrendering… so please let me retrieve my colleague and the Monoz.”

“I don’t mind. But do you even understand what happens to a sniper when they’re taken prisoner?”

“Yeah, well… more or less.” Beaten, tortured, and finally driven to beg, “Just kill me already!”

That was the typical route, more or less.

“For someone who knows that, you’re awfully calm.”

The four-armed one was eyeing me with sharp suspicion.

“Well, I did accomplish my mission, killing the commander.”

The battle was already won, so I had no complaints.

“Hah? Don’t lie. When?”

“Just now, actually.”

The four-armed one hurriedly contacted someone.

I was left alone for about five minutes. I picked up Rudo and held him in my arms. He sniffed me—sniff sniff—and once he seemed sure of my scent, he closed his eyes. I panicked for a second. But I could feel his heartbeat. He was okay.

Rudo had fought hard too. Charred corpses littered the ground around us.

“Just got confirmation. You… actually hit your mark in that situation?”

“…Hm? I don’t know what ‘that situation’ refers to, but yes, I hit him.”

“―――!”

The four-armed one looked genuinely stunned.

“You were getting shot at the time, you know?”

“Was I?”

“Before that, the area was already full of screams from that dog’s attacks.”

“Was it?”

“And right before your shot, I slammed that dog into the ground hard enough to make it scream.”

“…Not noticing that… Honestly, I kind of question my own sanity.”

Gently stroking Rudo in my arms, I must’ve disturbed his light sleep—his eyes fluttered open. “It’s okay, you can go back to sleep,” I whispered, running my hand over his head.

“I’ve been questioning your sanity for quite some time, you know.”

“Is that so?”

“It is! Damn it, you really throw me off balance. Look, I’ve changed my mind. You, that dog, and your Monoz, you’re all coming with us as prisoners. And yes, we’ll treat your wounds.”

“What about Shinzo… my colleague? What will happen to him?”

“I know why you were all holed up in that ruined city. You’ve got something to protect, don’t you?”

“…That means a lot. Thank you.”

I bowed my head.

Then I took the headset from my own head and placed it around the neck of the commander I’d shot through the temple, laying it beside Shinzo’s unconscious body. Apparently, this unit was going to withdraw soon. As a parting gift, it should be more than enough.

And so I was taken prisoner by the Tooth—by the Leone Clan, to be exact.

I probably wouldn’t make it back alive.

Treating it as my last look, I burned the ruined city into my memory and began to walk.