[Aoi's POV: ]

"Seriously Ryuuta?! Couldn't you have been patient just for a minute?" Tears streamed down my cheeks as I used a bandage on his broken arm while scolding the idiot comrade of mine for jumping into battle without any plan or formation.

He was unsure of the opponent's strength and so was he not given orders from the General, yet...

"I just could not stop myself...sorry... "

That's cheating Ryuuta.

Making such an innocent expression like I was some strict teacher scolding the child for taking extra candy, was foul play.

**BOOOOOM**

Our attention was redirected to the battlefield where all our comrades were engaged in battle with those many monsters who were growing in numbers out of nowhere. There was no dungeon nearby nor any passageway from where these otherworldly creatures could have crawled in our way.

The number of these monsters was not reducing at all, or maybe because they were so vast in quantity that I was panicking with such hallucinations.

All the other soldiers along with Sayaka and Hana were engaged in their respective battles, using all the artifacts and weapons Kei provided. I was told by the General to cover Ryuuta and get him to a safe place but the latter refused to leave the battlefield, resulting in our current position.

Flashes of assault were chaotically reverberating all around with both sides clashing yet fortunately only the other side fell dead in the conflict. They are incredibly fast and strong. The soldiers assigned to this mission have excellent synchronization with their skills and weapons. It's so great that I couldn't help but feel in awe and ashamed of myself.

But at least those were at least at the stage where I could reach, however on the other side...

"Karen-san is incredibly.... "

"General Kaori as well... "

We both were watching the spectacle with our lips slightly parted and eyes filled with admiration as we gazed at those two figures whose figures were barely visible.

They were like dancing fairies of extinction, bestowing death everywhere they appeared. A single flash of their hand and a head or the whole body of those monsters fell to the ground.

Karen was like lightning, appearing at different angles and directions for a moment before disappearing and leaving a lot of corpses behind. She was not using any weapon but her brute strength and agile movements were enough to slay anyone and everyone in her path.

Whereas General Kaori was more of a huntress who was holding her ground and whipping tens of lives away the very second I am thinking all this. Her elegant form and the serenity she held in her eyes are a scene to behold. Despite being crowded by enemies, both terrestrial and aerial, she was not faltering from her stance.

Both of them were so marvelous that I had a hard time reading my eyes away.

"Do you think we can become like them one day? "

Ryuuta asked the same thing I have been questioning myself since earlier. Is it possible for us to achieve such strength where that level of danger becomes a chore like work?

I am uncertain since despite having the motivation to do better, I am unsure whether we can become like those two.

"May-"I was about to answer him when we suddenly heard a massive cry from the battlefield.

"Everyone! Fall back at once! "It was Karen who shouted for everyone to retreat for some reason, and seeing that General Kaori was complying with the order, everyone followed the suit.

"What happened? "

Sayaka asked in between her gasps as she landed just beside us. Hana and Kaori-san were also nearby with the others. The only one left near the battlefield was Karen who was actively getting approached by a horde of Orcs.

"She will get hurt like this-"

"Wait, Hana. She knows what she is doing."

There was no way Hana would go against General Kaori's words and so would the others. As the General said, we anxiously saw the army closing in on our comrade when suddenly...

**SCREEECH**

"The fu... "

Sayaka's reaction was valid since the scene we witnessed just now was anything but believable even though I was watching it through my very own eyes.

Just when Karen was about to get hit by the approaching orc a large crimson domain of blood erupted all of a sudden and in a blink of an eye it disappeared as well.

However, where hundreds of monsters were stranding previously now only shreds and bits were visible with a panting Karen still standing in the middle of the corpses, without a single injury inflicted.

A whole lot of army was cleared or to say almost three fourth was taken down just by that single attack.

"Karen, fall back." Hearing General Kaori's words Karen nodded and jumped from her spot to land where we were. Her breathing was labored and her already pale skin almost turned transparent with the small beads of sweat rolling down her head.

"Here, Karen-san." I handed her a handkerchief and received a thanks from her.

"Do we know whom we are fighting, General?" Rumi-san, the team healer asked as she approached us.

Thanks to the previous attack, it would take some time for the enemies to near the danger zone and our soldiers would get enough rest by then.

It was already near dawn and they have been fighting for more than six hours so of course, some exhaustion was justifiable.

"No, but I know who can tell what their motive is."

Perplexed we all focused on General Kaori except for Karen who was still strangely watching the battlefield before we saw General Kaori raising her index finger toward the front.

Turning my head, I focused on the incoming army only to get wide-eyed when I finally saw the element of Karen-san's undivided attention.

Something terrifying was incoming...I can sense it.

*****

A/N: - I won't drag out his for too long so don't worry
After this arc a whole lot of chapters would be based on character development and fluffy moments. Though I won't abandon the work, I need some comments to keep myself motivated.

Now it's up to you...