～～ Second Knight Order Vice Commander, Bager Dalton ～～

Bager let out a roar as he dodged the charging orc swinging its hand axe, then slashed with his dual swords using the skill [Twin Blade Strike], but it wasn't a fatal blow.

"What the hell is going on? I didn't receive any reports of orcs being in this area!"

Bager, along with three members of the knight order, was conducting monster combat training when they unexpectedly encountered orcs in this vicinity.

These orcs were stronger than usual, and there were still five of them... This could endanger my subordinates!

"I'll hold these guys off. You all need to return to the capital and inform Captain Guerl!"

"We can't just leave Vice Commander Bager behind and run away!"

"You can't handle these creatures!"

Please, just run! That's the only way!

"Still, abandoning Vice Commander Bager..."

"Just go!"

"Guah!?"

Turning towards the source of the voice, one of my subordinates, Azes, was kneeling with blood flowing from his left shoulder as an orc raised its club to strike, aiming to finish him off. Suddenly, an arrow pierced the orc's eye, shot by Mullina in an attempt to save Azes.

"Bwaaahhhh!? Buhyu!? Buhyaaa!?"

Now's my chance!

As the orc writhed in agony from the arrow, Bager approached and crossed his dual swords.

"Wooooaaaahhh!?"

With a fierce battle cry, Bager struck the orc with slashes and delivered a final blow with a kick to its chin.

"Die, you damn monster!"

The orc struck by Bager's blades sank to the ground from its back.

"Apologies, Vice Commander."

Azes, still kneeling with his hand on his left shoulder, looked up at Bager, who remained ready to face the orcs, and spoke.

"Forget about me, hurry and go to Rizlina to get healed."

"Yes, sir!"

After saying this, Azes rushed towards Rizlina.

Four more left... Huh? One's missing, where did it go?

"Kyaaahhhh!?"

Turning towards the sound of the scream, Mullina was now being pinned down by an orc.

Damn it! While distracted by Azes, Mullina got captured.

I sprinted to help Mullina, but the orc pinning her down turned towards me.

"Human, if you don't behave, I'll kill this woman."

"What!?"

I halted my run towards the orc. Upon closer inspection, it had both hands around Mullina's neck, seemingly intending to break it.

"Senpai Mullina! Ursula, please! Save her!"

"Wow!"

"Stop, Rizlina! If you do that, Mullina will be killed!"

I prevented Rizlina from using her summoned beast to try to save Mullina.

The orc speaks? These are no ordinary orcs after all... What to do? This situation is dire.

"That's right, just keep it like that."

"Release Mullina!"

"Bwahahaha!"

The orc mocked me with an infuriating grin.

"No, don't, women are to be taken. Men are not needed, so kill them!"

"Vice Commander! I can't... guh!"

The orc pinning down Mullina tightened its grip, preventing her from finishing her sentence.

"Shut up, woman."

Damn it! How... How can I save my subordinates?!

While pondering a way to help, an orc approached me from behind, wielding its rusty sword and swinging it towards me.

"Bwahaha! Die!"

Am I going to die here without being able to save my subordinates?!

"Kyaaahhhh!?"

Within Mullina's scream, a resounding explosion reached my ears. What happened to Mullina?

"Huh? ...Ehh!?"

"Uwah!"

"Ah!"

For some reason, Mullina and Azel looked surprised, while Rizlina let out a sound as if she had realized something. The orc that was about to kill me stopped its movement, its expression frozen in disbelief.

Following its gaze, I saw that the orc holding Mullina hostage had a hole in its head, dead!

"What... Who did this!?"

"Vice Commander! Quickly, get away from the orc!"

Volume 02 Chapter 03

As Rizurina uttered those words, I found myself trying to comprehend the phenomenon unfolding before me. I had completely forgotten to either move away from the orc or to launch an attack, caught in a state of analysis. Upon realizing this, I turned around only to find someone breathing heavily with bloodshot eyes!!

"Damn it!?" "What the hell happened to you?! You're going to kill me!! What's going on!?"

This time, just as the orc aiming to kill me suddenly knelt down, clutching their right side with their left hand and groaning in pain, their head was blown off mid-action.

Once again, that distinctive sound reached my ears a little delayed, and this time, it echoed twice.

"Squeal! You bastards, what are you doing...?"

Now, one of the orcs, slightly farther away, collapsed while blood sprayed from the right side of their head.

"What the hell?! Squeal! W-Why...why...why?! Squeeeeeeeeeal!?"

Upon witnessing their comrade's sudden death beside them, the nearby orc seemed to realize that their own demise was imminent. Whether they comprehended the threat of death following their companion's fate or were simply terrified by the sight, it was unclear. However, their subsequent action was straightforward.

They threw away their weapons, turned around, and started running. Yes, they chose the path of survival over avenging their fallen comrade.

"What!?"

I attempted to chase after the fleeing orc, but for some reason, my body refused to move at that moment... No, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that my body resisted moving.

～～～ Elraina's Perspective ～～～

"He's getting away."

I remarked while peering through the scope attached to my SVU OTs-03 (7.62×54mm), watching the pathetic orc running 400 meters away. However, I had no intention of letting him escape.

Orc...you were unlucky.

I aimed at the orc's right leg, squeezing the trigger until the primer was about to drop, inhaling lightly, exhaling slightly, then holding my breath.

"Now!"

Simultaneously with that thought, I pulled the trigger fully, and as the gunshot rang out, the bullet pierced through the orc's right leg.

The orc collapsed towards the ground after being shot in the leg, attempting to rise but from now on, I aimed at his head, aligning my breath, preparing to kill.

"Final shot!"

Pulling the trigger emitted the distinctive sound of 7.62×54mm. At almost the same time, the bullet blew off the orc's head, killing it.

"Phew...alright! No other enemies in sight."

After confirming the absence of other enemies, I checked the magazine of my SVU (OTs-03); there were still bullets left, but I replaced it with a new magazine. This was what they called a tactical reload.

"Why didn't that guy attack immediately after creating a chance by saving his orc-captured comrade?"

He seemed puzzled for some reason, but...oh well.

Ultimately, it ended up benefiting me as I annihilated the orc.

Rizurina-san... I'll consider us even on this matter.

With that thought, I looked at the knights through the scope of my SVU (OTs-03), but something seemed off.

Huh? ...The knights seem a bit strange. Aside from Rizurina-san, they're all wielding weapons and starting to be on guard.

Oh?! Now, there's someone arguing with a person wielding two swords, and Rizurina-san's summoned beast is involved too.

"Sigh...nothing we can do about it."

I decided to walk to the Knight Order's headquarters to put an end to that conflict.

"After sorting this out, let's stow away the Humvee in the hangar," I said.

Opening the menu, I stored the bag filled with sand that was lying beneath the gun, along with other items, into the item box. After that, I stowed away the Humvee 1151 in the hangar and then stood up, heading towards the Knight Order.

"To think our reunion after so long would take this form... I can't help but sigh rather than rejoice. Sigh..." Ellyria uttered repeatedly as she walked.