NOVEL NEXT Ch 6. Always trust your pilots
“So, have they registered you?” Elina was very curious about my visit to the guild. While Albert actually entered the hall, she was standing outside and waiting.
“Yes. I wonder if they will be surprised that I almost cut that instructor in half?” I deserved my right to brag!
“Good job out there!” She was smiling like a mother, whose child just made its first steps.
“Never mind that… Fuji, can you please…?” Never. Do. That.
I dispelled the foxfires and decided to wait for the second idiot.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. I found a good quest for us. ‘Exterminate a group of goblins’ that is just a few hours away from here.” The second idiot was surely pleased with himself.
“Come on, Albert! Look at her!” Elina quietly nodded towards me.
I made my best ‘guts pose’ and was ready to receive praising.
When the idiot decided to pat me, this lucky Fuji-sama frowned. He corrected himself immediately.
“Great job, I heard that the instructor was trembling when your name was called!” My self-satisfaction was on an acceptable level so I changed the topic.
“Where?”
“We`ll guide you there.”
“Then why are we standing here?”
“You sure you didn`t forget anything…?” Albert was trying to keep a gentle smile.
“I am dressed, I have a weapon and I have some food. Anything else?”
“You are just going in a bedsheet?” My only desire right now is to make a mid-day murder.
[‘Albert… I think those ARE the clothes, and she looks to be displeased with your words… why don`t you just apologize?’] Elina whispered to him.
“This is a kimono. The Empire`s traditional dressing. If you have ANY problems with it, please, ‘wicked grin’ don`t hesitate to tell me…” I perfectly heard their little talk.
[Ara, ara… why are you both sweating so suddenly?] ‘A gentle smile’
After they grabbed their own gear we headed towards the probable site of the goblin`s shelter.
The city guards were surprised by my looks and after a gentle persuasion of the naginata`s blade they let me pass.
Then I started the plan.
Under an arbitrary excuse I separated for a bit. Actually after I ran away I covered a few kilometers…
Only then, when I was sure nobody would notice, I launched all of my fighters and sent them to scout a wide area near the expected location. I need MORE information on the goblins and their lifestyle. In the future that could prove priceless.
The time all this plane launching operation took was… 30 minutes.
[For now I`ve avoided unnecessary suspicion.]
Now I could go without any problems.
On our way nothing has happened. Absolutely nothing.
My suspicions were rising with each safe step.
[The smell?]
“Something is burning.” This smell is disgusting for my nose.
“There is a village nearby. Should we check them?”
“Yes, let`s hurry!” Elina and Albert never asked my opinion.
“Fine by me.” I murmured and summoned the gear.
4 B1M torpedo bombers lined up near the aft. With their small size they can be launched from any carrier. I ordered to sortie with the bombs. Just in case.
After they took off, I hurried after those two.
The closer I was to them, the more disgusting the smell was getting.
[The village is indeed under attack. Attack flight is ready, should I intervene?]
[Drop the bombs, boys!]
In a slight dive, all 4 aircraft dropped their payload.
The damage is minimal, however I heard a ‘ding’, right now I have no time. I must prepare the second sortie.
What surprised me was that the attackers:
1) Are human.
2) Look like a big group of adventurers.
I clearly saw their leather armor, many different types of weapons and combat classes. They are too diverse to be a group of soldiers and too equiped to be a group of bandits. Also they didn`t loot the village. They just slaughtered its population. I might actually start to just observe them…
For now, with regret in my heart, I decided to assist in the defense. Those two weirdoes are much more useful than the pillaging adventurers.
After sending the second wave I hurried towards the village.
The second attack was a slightly more successful one. Let`s see if I will perform as good as my planes.
As I arrived, I found lots of dead bodies. Albert was fighting an adventurer. Time to show off.
I narrowly missed them both. Yes, I was aiming at both.
And I missed the second attack as well.
With the third attack I actually made fun of myself by tripping over my own weapon`s pole…
Why do I have a feeling that my attacks actually made everyone else STOP fighting and just look at this clownery?
I got back a bit of my pride after I scraped the enemy`s arm. Now he was getting angry.
I almost lost my head after he tried to slice it off with his sword. Only Albert`s successful parry saved me.
I had to become serious and pray for some luck.
The gods of luck heard me and I chopped off the adventurer`s arm. Left one.
Of course he did not die, he even tried to counterattack me.
I was only making small wounds. The opponent was much more robust than I anticipated.
It was the time to make him dead. I closed in, blocked his strike with the naginata and…
‘Bang’
He only managed to open his eyes in disbelief and slowly trembled. When I stepped back, his lump body fell down. Even with my pathetic stats I somehow killed him.
How I managed to pull this off while having 0 in firepower?
A bomb.
Exactly, a bomb. One of my fighters dropped its bomb on the ground, I lured the enemy towards it. And while pretending to attack with the naginata, set the bomb`s fuse.
I swear, that is exactly how it was!