Chapter 81 – The Northern Frontline

Byugoooooooooo……!

The northern reaches of the kingdom—the front line.

The northern lands, where freezing winds howled without end.

The kingdom had constructed countless defensive fortresses there, but beyond them, farther north, there was nothing……

Only a vast, featureless expanse stretched onward, everything either frozen solid—or withered away.

……No, that was not entirely accurate.

It was not that there was nothing there.

Beyond the desolate land, past the frozen rivers and an enormous lake—stood the Demon City of Ebernstadt.

It was a city inhabited by demons hostile to humanity, ruled over by the Demon King……

Within that accursed city, they sharpened their fangs,

then marched south in search of warm, fertile, abundant lands, repeatedly clashing with the territories of humankind and plunging the world into chaos.

And for a thousand years, the kingdom had stood against them, always emerging victorious—and driving them back.

Once, it had been the heroes.

……But now, people possessing courage, discipline, and strength rivaling even those heroes had continued to protect this land.

The kingdom’s army—its most elite『Field Division.』

Before their watchful eyes lay the front line against the Demon King’s army.

……In other words, this was the outermost edge of the absolute defensive perimeter that safeguarded humanity.

Countless formidable defensive fortifications had been constructed there—impregnable citadels and forts surrounded by moats.

There was also an immense defensive wall, built through the labor of a vast number of workers.

Elite soldiers were permanently stationed within the fortresses, while cavalry units—their mobile fighting force—trained day after day at the various strongholds, and every conceivable kind of weapon stood lined up along the ramparts.

This was humanity’s hope—the strongest defensive position ever seen in history.

And the force that governed it, the most accomplished and trusted army in the kingdom’s history, was none other than the Field Division.

The『Field Division』—Division…… They were strong!

They boasted the finest cavalry unit in the kingdom,

fielded the kingdom’s strongest infantry,

and even had the Magic Corps—the kingdom’s only magical unit—assigned to them.

In both offense and defense, they were the strongest—and the most terrifying.

As long as they were there, they could repel any enemy that came from the northern lands.

It was thanks to their overwhelming strength that the kingdom—and, by extension, all of humanity—was protected.

—And on this day as well, the Field Division’s usual routine began,

and for the sake of humanity, they would once again defend against the threat of the demons and contribute to the peace of the realm……

The same was true here, in the largest city along the northern border, where the Field Division’s headquarters stood—the Frontline City.

—Gara-gara-gara……!

A long procession of wagons formed a caravan and traveled toward that frontline city, their crude wheels creaking as they rolled onward.

The northern region was a barren land, with exhausted soil, desolate rivers, thin trees and scarcely any worthwhile industries,

but because the Frontline City housed a vast number of soldiers, it was also the region’s largest distribution hub, and people were constantly passing through.

Where people gathered, supplies gathered.

Where supplies gathered, people gathered.

Drawn by the people and goods converging there, merchants came not only from the royal capital, but even from the Empire and an astonishing volume of supplies changed hands.

Though it stood at the farthest edge of human territory and on the very front line, it had become the kingdom’s largest center of consumption, rivaling even the royal capital in scale.

Countless, countless, countless supplies—and soldiers, and soldiers, and soldiers, soldiers, and—!

Provisions,

weapons,

warhorses,

fodder,

replacement troops and heavy weaponry—and slaves and forced laborers streamed endlessly through the front line……

And once again today, pitiful forced laborers were transported to this frontier as expendable resources.

Gara-gara-gara-gara-gara-gara……!

Gara-gara-gara-gara-gara-gara—.

Among them was a single wagon carrying such expendable cargo.

It was crude, roughly built, with no consideration whatsoever for the comfort of the human cargo inside……

Within that wagon, which resembled a prison transport, one person gripped the bars and gazed out at the passing scenery.

“……Heh. To think I would end up returning here again—”

Gazing up at the gray sky through the wagon’s narrow window, a dignified woman swept back her beautifully gleaming golden hair and murmured bitterly to herself.

From her appearance and demeanor, which were wholly unsuited to such surroundings, it was obvious that she was no ordinary slave or prisoner. She had most likely once been someone of high standing, such as a noble or a knight.

As if to prove it, her eyes were sharp and her every movement refined—even inside this wagon.

“Fuu…… Uu……”

“Are you all right—……Liz?”

Turning her gaze away from the window, she gently pulled the girl beside her—Liz—into her arms and softly stroked her head.

The girl seemed to calm down somewhat, and as she held her close, the woman looked around and let out a quiet sigh.

How much longer would they remain in here……?

……There were far more than just one or two women crammed inside the filthy wagon.

Including Liz, every one of them sat inside the barred wagon with hollow eyes, doing nothing but swaying with its movement.

It was no exaggeration to say they were being treated like objects packed together like sardines. No, they were nothing more than livestock……

“You should keep sleeping for now—……Even if you wake up, nothing good awaits you.”

She gently stroked her hair, pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and softly held her against her chest.

Her hair, unwashed for days, smelled terrible, but the woman gave a self-deprecating laugh, thinking that she herself smelled no better.

……No, it was not just her hair. She could not even remember the last time she had taken a bath. Whenever she scratched her scalp, flakes of dandruff fell away, and when she rubbed her skin, so much grime came off that even beneath her fingernails turned black.

On top of that, day after day, she had been forced to service the brutish soldiers stationed on the front line. Her body and mind were utterly exhausted, and the only thing she had to wear was a collection of filthy rags.

Nearly every woman inside appeared to have suffered severe abuse along the way, with several bruises visible on the arms and legs exposed through their tattered clothing……

Even so—

“……Don’t worry, Liz. No matter what happens, I will protect you—”

Although the woman holding Liz was in the worst condition of them all, her eyes still shone with strength.

Her body was covered in terrible fresh wounds. Yet her strong-willed eyes had not clouded in the slightest.

“—Even if I must sacrifice myself to do it.”

She tightened her arms around Liz with a gyu, and a faint spark of light returned to the girl’s eyes as she looked up at her.

All the while, the wagon continued onward with its wheels rattling noisily, heading toward the Field Division headquarters, where countless soldiers came and went.

……So far, everything had gone exactly as expected.

She narrowed her eyes at the familiar scenery and commotion she had glimpsed outside, then curled the corners of her mouth into a bitter smirk.

“Heh……First, they hurriedly dragged me out of the cavalry regiment headquarters……and now it’s the divisional headquarters? What a delightful promotion.”

From the seemingly inexplicable transfer, she surmised that something must have happened.

‘It seems something rather serious has occurred……’

She watched the divisional headquarters’ flag fluttering forlornly with apparent amusement, a faint smile on her lips.

Then—

“Hey! You’ve been making a racket for a while now! Do you want a taste of the whip?!”

Gan!!

A sharp voice came from the wagon driver, accompanied by a heavy blow.

The women imprisoned inside trembled violently in fear, but the woman at whom those words had been directed remained completely unfazed.

“Hmph…… Do as you please. Do you truly believe whips and violence are enough to break my will?”

“The hell did you say, you bitch?!”

Gatsun!!

“「「Eek!」」”

The driver flew into a rage at her provocative tone.

He slammed his fist against the bars, terrifying the people inside, and grinned maliciously at their fear. Yet the woman he had addressed remained completely unfazed, her expression unchanged.

……When the driver noticed this, his face twisted with hatred.

In fact, she was composed enough to lightly pat the trembling Liz on the head, soothing her fear.

“Fukukuku…… What’s wrong? You seem awfully restless. And this sudden transfer—where has the First Cavalry Regiment that was keeping us gone?”

“S-Shut up, you filthy whore! Don’t get all high and mighty when you’re related to a heretic!”

Something she had said must have struck a nerve, because the driver completely neglected the wagon’s reins and flew into a frothing rage.

“Hey, stop! Leave her alone!”

“Shut the hell up!”

One of the guards accompanying the wagon train tried to calm him down, unable to watch any longer, but the driver refused to listen.

“……Heh. Strange, isn’t it? Transferring us at this time of year? It’s almost the season when the snow begins to fall—…… At a time when you should be stockpiling food as quickly as possible, you’re wasting manpower on an unnecessary reassignment? Fukuku…… It’s not as though you’re merely exchanging women, nor do I imagine you need replacements. After all, just as you said, we’re whores—…… damaged goods, so to speak. I can hardly imagine the high-ranking officers at divisional headquarters taking an interest in us……”

“Guh……! You’ve been running your mouth this whole time like you know everything! Enjoy acting smug while you still can. The men here are going to give you plenty of special attention! And I’m not talking about the army’s senior officers—the low-ranking soldiers are the ones who’ll be having their fun with you! Gehahahahaha!”

The driver laughed in a vulgar voice, wheezing as he slapped his knees.

Then—

“Hehehe, I’ll take care of that cute little thing over there—while you can enjoy being thoroughly『loved』 by your former subordinates! Huh? How many men did you command? A hundred? A thousand—Former Battalion Commander……? Once they’re finished with you, I’ll have my turn tooooo! Gehahahahaha!”

“Hmph…… You degenerate. With that pathetic little penis of yours, you couldn’t satisfy anyone. Go practice on one of the horses around here before coming back.”

Seeing her grin without the slightest sign that his threats had affected her, the driver realized that the very woman he had been trying to intimidate was looking down on him. His face turned bright red, and he brought the wagon to a halt.

“Y-Y-Y-You fucking bitch! I’ll kill you!”

“Hey, that’s enough!!”

Having finally had enough, one of the guards grabbed the wagon’s reins and forcibly urged it onward.

“Look, we’re almost at headquarters—And you, keep your mouth shut!”

Gan!

The guard struck the bars from outside the wagon, openly displaying his irritation as well.

“Heh. How laughable—……You’re the ones who are frightened.”

Kukukuku.

After laughing for a while, she cheerfully put an arm around Liz’s shoulders and spoke as though talking to herself.

“……Fufufu. The Field Division’s men seem awfully flustered. First, those idiotic cavalrymen suddenly disappear, and then—”

—We’re abruptly transferred here?

That alone was suspicious enough, yet there were no signs that the Demon King’s army was preparing to invade. ……Which meant—

“……Something has happened, hasn’t it? Has the Empire made a move, or has there been some kind of political upheaval……? Either way, this is something serious—”

Kukukuku……

Then there was still a chance.

……A faint hope called a chance, as thin as a fragile thread……

Even so—

“……Even so, Liz—stay strong. Help will come…… It will come, I promise. There’s no way such injustice should ever be allowed.”

“Help……?”

A glimmer returned to Liz’s eyes as she whispered softly.

“Yes, that’s right—A warm, saving hand that will shatter injustice and set wrongs right will surely come.”

“……Do you mean a he—ro?”

—!

‘……A hero, huh?’

—Liz did not know.

Without understanding anything, she had been captured and sent to the northern front, where she was treated as cruelly as a slave simply for being related to a heretic.

That was why she knew nothing about how the whole ordeal had begun with the heroes……

Overcome by fear, Liz had simply done as she was told and declared that her uncle was a heretic.

That meant she had condemned her own family—the last family she had left after her mother died in an epidemic.

And that guilt had pierced deeply, deeply into her heart.

……So deeply that she had lost all hope—

“A hero………… huh? …Yes. I’m sure a true hero will come—and then……”

Ton.

She lightly tapped Liz on the chest.

“You’re a splendid hero too—……”

“Me…… a hero too?”

Yes. That’s right.

“—A splendid hero…… That’s right. You, your parents…… and Nasser Virginia are heroes without a doubt. …I’m proud of you—and of all of you.”

That was right.

They had endured that injustice and resisted it……

“And you fought—!”

“F-Fought……? I…… didn’t do anything……”

“No, you did fight—”

Yes, Liz had fought. She had resisted……

No matter how much injustice she faced, she had kept herself alive—

That’s right. As Nasser Virginia’s final hope!

“You’ve fought more than enough—……Hm?”

At that moment, Gatan! The wagon tilted sharply,

and like dry branches snapping beneath it, it ran over something.

However, the driver desperately cracked his whip and forced the wagon onward through the sheer strength of the horses.

It seemed they had entered the grounds of the Field Division headquarters, but—……

‘Why is the road in such terrible condition? No matter how badly managed it may be, this is still divisional headquarters……’

Puzzled, she peered outside the wagon.

“Geh! We just ran over a huge bone…… Hope the wheel isn’t damaged.”

“Ah…… Looks like it’s fine. Damn it…… These things are everywhere. It’s getting worse and worse. —They can’t even keep up with clearing away the corpses anymore……”

The driver and the guard grumbled in voices filled with deep irritation—and unmistakable disgust.

Corpses……?

Bones—??

‘And what is this stench—……?’

At that moment, noticing the foul odor stabbing at their noses, the women looked outside the wagon—and then—

“「「「「Eek!!」」」」”

“Mm………… wh-what is this?!”

What leapt into their view were countless crosses.

And not just a few, but a horrifying number of them…… with enormous numbers of charred corpses hanging from them—

‘W-what in the world…… is this—……?’

T-these are the remains of burnings at the stake……

A vast number of burned corpses, so many that they still gave off a rotting stench even in the freezing air. Corpses, corpses, corpses piled everywhere—

Even the soldiers escorting them grimaced in disgust at this sight.

That was only natural. Neither the smell nor the spectacle was anything anyone could find pleasant.

“Tch………… another heretic witch hunt?”

“Probably… I wish they’d stop taking their frustrations out on people like this. ……Well, most of them are probably not even heretics, just their relatives. Damn it, lately there are rumors they’ve been dragging people off at random even from the city and from within the division itself.”

With that, the wagon continued deeper inside, now making no effort to avoid crushing the corpses that had fallen from the crosses beneath its wheels.

‘A heretic purge……a so-called witch hunt, then—…… What utter foolishness.’

On battlefields where frustration ran high, the massacre of prisoners and violence against noncombatants were forms of mob brutality that often occurred.

They were especially common immediately after a defeat, when supply lines had been cut—or when misinformation spread.

—Slay the enemy.

—Keep watch over that place.

—Exterminate every last one of our enemies…… Is that it?

The stress of the battlefield had reached its peak.

“……How cruel.”

“H-Hiiiii……”

Gata-gata-gata……!

The sight of the mountain of corpses had left Liz utterly terrified, and all she could do was cling tightly to her.

So, gently stroking her head, the woman said,

“It’s all right. ……I’m here. I’m right here—…… And someday, they will come.”

“Hii……! No! I don’t want this! I want to go home! I want to go home!! I can’t take this anymoreeee!”

“Liz……”

She patted Liz’s shoulder and pulled the girl’s small head close against her chest.

“Calm down. Calm yourself, Liz. ……He’ll come. That man will come. …………Nasser will come—…… He’s a man I acknowledged myself. He’ll definitely rise again. ……And then, he’ll come for us—”

Without fail—!

“N-Nasser…… Uncle Nasser will—?”

……Yes. He will.

Nasser Virginia will definitely come to save you!

……He is not the kind of man who would yield to such injustice.

“—And he’ll face that injustice head-on, crush it beneath him, and shatter every wrong in his path!”

“Y-Yeah—!”

The moment she declared it with such conviction—

……Ga, giiiiii……!!

The wagon came to a stop with an unhealthy creak. The driver turned around with a thoroughly fed-up expression and said,

“Hah. What a hopelessly optimistic fool—…… You’re in this mess because of that Nacel-whatever-his-name-is in the first place, aren’t you—”

“……Spare me. That is merely your version of events. Don’t listen to this nonsense, Liz.”

“O-Okay……”

Now that they had arrived, Liz knew she would soon be subjected to more cruelty, and she began trembling violently once again.

The woman gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders, but……

“Heh! You’ll only be able to keep acting tough for a little while longer. Now, all of you, get out!”

“Hiiiii!”

“Nooooo!”

The women were dragged out violently.

“Stop making a fuss!! Move it already!!”

Liz and the others were among them, forcibly hauled away despite their legs having gone numb inside the cramped wagon.

“Guh!”

“O-Ow!”

But the soldiers showed no concern whatsoever for their cries, dragging them along like livestock……

And before the women’s eyes spread a horrific scene.

Buuuun……

Bun, bun-buuun……

Swarms of tiny winged insects buzzed around, while a terrible stench filled the air.

“Kukkukku. Well? What do you think of the view from your new home?! ……Hyaha, hyahahaha! You lot might be next, you knowwww!”

—Hyaaahahahahahahahaha!!

“Ku……”

Spurred onward by the cruel jeering of the escort soldiers, the sight forced upon them was a mountain of corpses—men and women crucified upon crosses, their bodies only half-burned by flames that were still smoldering.

And then—

The source of the stench was the mountain of corpses piled in one corner of the compound, too many to dispose of,

and the dumping ground of human bones overflowing from that heap—……

“……This really is like hell.”

“「「「Hiiiiiiii!!」」」”

It was truly a scene from hell.

Corpses, corpses, and things that could no longer even be called corpses. Groans and fading breaths…… and wild dogs and birds mercilessly devouring them.

Farther inside, amid flames that still smoldered, someone’s body was being burned at the stake, while several Field Division soldiers and residents of the Frontline City whipped the crowd into a frenzy!

“Uooooooo!! Witch! Witch! Death to the heretic!!”

“Burn! Burn! Buuuuurn!!”

“「「Gyahahahahaha! The witch—the heretic—is burniiiiing!」」”

That scene—……

To Liz and the others, relatives of heretics, it was a sight all too familiar.

Die♪ Die♪ Die♪

“Ah…… I see.”

Behind her closed eyelids rose the hell of that day……

……Ah, it was the same everywhere.

Yes, the same unbroken hell that could be found anywhere in this age—……

“No…… NooooooAAAAA!!!”

Liz wet herself in terror.

The sight brought back memories of her parents being executed in the royal capital—that was the trauma etched into her mind.

The crucified corpses and the frenzied crowd—every part of it mercilessly tore into her heart……

“Hey, hey, what’s this?!”

“Oh, we’ve got some newcomers!”

“Ukekeke, looks like there’s a lively one among them!”

“……Look at her. She’s beautiful. This is going to be fun.”

“Keh-keh-keh-keh! They’re going to be executed anyway! Burn every last one of those who sided with the Demon King’s army! Hurry up and burn the witches!”

“「「「That’s right! Death to the heretics!!」」」”

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!

Still swept up in the excitement of the burnings, the townspeople gathered in front of the headquarters hurled vile abuse at Liz and the others, who had only just arrived.

Burn the witches!

The relatives of heretics are just as guilty!

Kill them! Kill them!!

The entire crowd pointed at Liz and the others, shouting those words at them.

“No…… I don’t want this……!”

Liz covered her ears.

But no matter how tightly she blocked them, the voices would not stop!

She gently embraced Liz’s head, covering her ears with her arms.

The driver sneered lecherously and mocked Liz and the others, then carelessly yanked on the rope binding them together, intending to drag them onward.

“……S-Something like this won’t……”

Her face twisted after he saw through her fear, but she still pulled Liz tightly against herself, as though trying to conceal her trembling hands.

“Hehe. Don’t bother acting tough. ……Looook, we’ve arrived while we were talking. ……Welcome to the labor camp reserved exclusively for the relatives of heretics. Gehihihi, make sure your former subordinates take good care of you—Sha—”

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!

“Tch, those damn civilians are so loud. We show them one public execution, and this is what happens. ……It’ll still be a while before we burn or kill these ones, damn it.”

The roaring cheers completely drowned out the driver’s words.

The people were intoxicated by the burning at the stake—

“……Well, whatever. Enjoy what little life you have left, ladies, until you’ve been thoroughly defiled and reduced to rags. After that, we’ll purify you in the flames so you can enter God’s kingdom. Gyahahahahahahahahahaha!! —Get inside!”

—GASSSSHAAAAAAAAAN!!

Liz and the others were shoved into a prison even worse than a brothel.

In their ears echoed the sound of the pitiful witch who had been burned at the stake finally collapsing into the flames, along with the frenzied cheers and mad laughter of the crowd……

“Don’t listen to them, Liz. Let those people say whatever they want—”

“……Hehehe. You’re putting on quite a brave face. But yooou know…… the hands holding that little girl are trembling. Kuhehe, looks like even you’re scared after all.”

“Ku……”

This was the infamous『Forced Labor Camp.』And among them all, this was the largest and most deplorable facility on the entire frontline—commonly known as the『Correctional Facility.』

—Just what were they forcing, and what exactly were they correcting……?

“Uuuuuu……”

Even after the doors were shut and the sounds outside grew distant, the frenzied voices of the soldiers and townspeople could still be heard faintly……

As Liz was forced to listen to those voices overflowing with malice, she once again began sinking into a dark world……

Sinking deeper and deeper—……

Into a world filled with such despair that death would have been preferable……

No……

No—!

Nooooo!!

I want to go home……! I want to go back to the home we had back then!

—Someone, anyone, please save me!!

And at the very moment the girl’s voiceless plea became a scream……

It came—

“…………H-Hey…… what is that?”

“……Look! Up above!”

“……! The clouds! There’s something inside them!”

The alarmed and frightened voices of the soldiers and townspeople, all focused on something, gradually began to spread.

Their words were muffled by the closed door, but little by little, the commotion outside died away—

Like wild animals sensing the presence of a predator and holding their breath, everyone eventually fell completely silent……

Instead—

……Guooooooooooooooooon.

……Guooooooooooooooooon.

It appeared suddenly, without the slightest warning.

……With a thunderous roar like thunder crushing the sky, making the air vibrate—biribiri, biribiri—it struck the earth with an overwhelming howl that seized the very soul……

A colossal mass moved through the sky, disturbing the air currents with a gouun, gouun……

W-What is that……?

This presence—?

Anyone who had faced the Demon King’s army on the front line knew it.

Every person in this city had felt it before—the presence of an overwhelmingly powerful being.

……A monstrous bird?!

No, that was impossible. The Field Division would never be frightened by a mere bird.

Then—

If that was the case……!

“……A-A dragon?!”

“One dragon has appeared!!”

“……N-No, that’s wrong! It isn’t just one!! Th-There are countless of them! Countless dragons are up thereeeeee!”

—D-DRAGONSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!

Kan! Kan!

Kan-kan-kan-kan!!

The instant that scream rang out, the air-raid alarm thundered throughout the Field Division headquarters!

The enormous bells mounted in the watchtowers rang out the emergency warning!!

“Air raid!! Air raid!!”

—Air-raid alert issueddddddd!

Dragons!!

They’re dragons—!!

“「「「 —The dragons are comingggggggggg!」」」”

At that moment, the voices of the townspeople, who had been so frenzied only moments before, abruptly fell silent,

and the voices of the soldiers who had been hurling abuse also died away.

In their place, the Field Division headquarters descended into panic in an instant.

The civilians screamed and fled in every direction, while the soldiers seized their weapons and hurried to their assigned positions!

—U-U-Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!

The uproar even reached Liz and the others, who had been crammed inside the Correctional Facility.

“W-What is it……?”

“Shh…… Keep quiet.”

Inside the sealed facility—

“(D-Damn it?! Countless dragons……? Impossible!)”

“(Wasn’t the Hero’s Royal Guard, Blaze, completely annihilated?!)”

“(H-Hey, that number is insane! Could they be allies?! Confirm it properly!)”

“(—I-It might be a surprise attack by the Demon King’s army! Contact the general! Hurry!!)”

Bata-bata! Dota-bata!!

Apparently, something extraordinary was happening.

The sound of soldiers rushing en masse was mixed with the screams of the civilians.

‘An enemy attack……? Is there really some fool reckless enough to assault the Field Division headquarters—??’

She found it suspicious, but she still could not determine what was happening.

More shocking than that, however, were the words that reached Liz and the others inside.

“(……Enough! It doesn’t matter! Prepare to intercept them! Anti-dragon combat—readyyyyyyy!!)”

—Uoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!!

‘Anti-dragon……?’

Just now……

Did he say dragons—??

“N-No way…………”

She instinctively exchanged glances with Liz,

but the figure that surfaced in her mind was drowned out by the violent noise of the soldiers inside the facility grabbing their weapons and rushing outside.

“Move!!”

“You’re in the way, you heretic women!!”

—BAN!

But at the same time!

At that very instant, the tightly sealed doors were thrown open, and the tremendous roar outside reached Liz and the others……

Yes.

It reached them—that overwhelming roar!!

Guooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon!

Guooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon!

Guooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon!

“Th-Those are……!”

Those are—!

“……Dragons.”

Together with Liz, she looked up at the gray dawn sky over the northern frontline.

Countless black silhouettes soared beneath the gloomy sky, hazy beneath the light of sunrise!

Gouun-gouun, they churned the air as they flew, accompanied by a deafening roar that pressed down upon the earth—they were unmistakably dragons.

Dragons……

Dragons……

Dragons—wait……!!

“?!”

…………N-No way……

……It can’t be,

“It can’t be————————!!”