Chapter 390 - Dawn Breaks White, a Funeral Song for a New Beginning, Part Four
"Goldow, we're pulling out now."
"W h a t d i d y o u s a y?!"
"You could have phrased that a little better…!"
That was our opening line after approaching the General Commander, who was busy directing troops one moment and fighting on the front lines the next. Taking the full force of Ashe's killer pass, Gossan's eyes went wide behind his helmet.
Naturally, the beleaguered commander screamed and I shot back a retort, but the Princess herself just looked slightly displeased, as if to say, "I wasn't finished."
That initial wild pitch was just the start. With her sharp mind and knack for getting to the point, she expertly handled the complicated explanation about my Anima's strange behavior and its origins.
And so, in less than a few dozen seconds, the situation was fully conveyed—
"…Right, I get the gist of it. So, who's going?"
"It's already decided."
Gossan, with his usual impressive comprehension, easily accepted the bizarre development. When he asked, Ashe replied instantly, as if it were obvious.
"—Me, Haru, and Sora. The three of us."
"Say what now???"
That split-second response had my eyes widening this time.
"Wait, how did you… We don't even know what's down there, and you want to go with just three people—"
"Precisely because we don't know what's there, we should dive in with a small, versatile team that can handle almost anything. I've considered several patterns. This is the best one—trust me."
I had no objections… or rather, I was silenced by the pressure in her words, a rarity for her. I wasn't intimidated, exactly, but I reflexively felt I should hold my tongue.
"…Risk management, a backup plan, balancing the unknown with our situation here… I guess that's the most sensible choice."
"Either way, we have to go in. We don't even know if this phase has an end. At the very least, the situation has shown us that 'numbers' are what's needed here. To demand the same thing on another front would break the game design of a 'Colored Monster' subjugation battle, which has player limits… so I want to believe that won't happen."
…Wow. I was completely convinced after just ten seconds of silence.
Now that she mentioned it, she was right. A defensive battle against a massive horde, a forced melee—the elements required for victory were defensive power and suppression, which translates to 'numbers.'
Assuming the 'hole' my Anima was pointing to led to another front with a simultaneous objective—
—it was highly likely that whatever was there could be handled by a small team.
Highly likely was wishful thinking, of course. But in the end, this entire battle was an improvised assault on a fight we were forced to see for the first time. All we players could do was take the hints we were given and deduce the 'what ifs.'
And the answer Ashe arrived at was a team that combined adaptability with the smallest possible number of people—a three-man cell of 'The Strongest (herself),' 'The All-Rounder (Sora),' and 'The Jack-in-the-Box (me).'
A composition that could handle all ranges—long, mid, and short—with each member being an individual highly capable of surviving and performing on their own. Ashe's solo performance was a given, and Sora and I were a cheat of a pair who could coordinate remotely even when alone, as long as we were in the same space.
With our all-rounder partner also equipped with healing magic, we could even expect some degree of recovery if forced into a war of attrition… I'll say it, even if it sounds conceited…
"This might just be the optimal solution, I guess."
"Yeah, I'll admit that—but at least take Tetra with you."
"He can't come. If Sora leaves, the burden on Lux and Hinayo to handle area-of-effect suppression will skyrocket. The moment they run out of steam, we'll be pushed back—Haru, reorganize the party."
"Got it, one sec."
This time, I truly had no objections. If we had time to hesitate, it was better to bet on a plausible theory and act quickly.
After all, we wouldn't know the right answer until it was all over.
I opened the system window again and sent a second message. The response from my partner was immediate. The party was temporarily disbanded by her leader authority, and the status bar at the edge of my vision vanished—only for a new request to pop up right away.
I tapped 'Yes' on the acceptance screen, and the party UI reappeared, lit up with the names [Haru], [Sora], and [Iris].
Sora must have contacted Tetra and Lux, who were left behind, and another three-man cell with Hinayo-san was likely already formed.
Preparations were complete. Any more dawdling would just needlessly rack up attrition.
"I'm leaving this side to you. All subsequent strategic decisions are in your hands."
"…—Yeah, you can count on me. Go!"
The exchange between the unlikely friends was brief and filled with trust… Ignoring the General Commander, who had dispensed with all lengthy words of encouragement to focus on his command, the Sword Queen turned to me and smiled softly.
"Haru, go get your partner."
"Roger that—is what I'd like to say, but…"
I know our association has been short, so it can't be helped, but my partner is a genuine 'young lady' who also happens to have the greedy disposition of a protagonist.
Therefore…
"—Sorry to keep you waiting! Let's go!"
…there's no need to go and fetch her. She'll show up wherever she's needed, gallant as ever.
And so, the three of us broke into a run, heading for the 'hole.' We turned our backs on one battlefield to challenge another that surely lay beyond—
"On three…!"
"…two…"
"—Go!"
Half on a hunch, and half on the battle-high adrenaline of whatever-happens-happens, we leaped—into the great crimson maw that gaped open in the basin.