Dawn of the night after the sudden appearance of three giant demons everywhere provisionally called Behemoth, Leviathan and Jizz by Kazuya.

It was supposed to be the time when the spring warm morning sun was falling brightly, but the area was dim and poorly visible as if at dusk due to the massive volcanic ashes that continued to erupt uninterrupted from the volcano that Behemoth carried.

In such bad conditions, the Parabellan army was in the middle of building heavy defensive positions on both banks of the Neral River on the second line to destroy the imminent Behemoth and his surrounding demons, but it was certain that no three divisions, at least initially planned to mobilize in the order of one division + α, would be present no matter what the magnitude of the forces being assembled.

The reason for this was that Army Division 12 and other units, which were scheduled to come by rail transport as reinforcements from neighbouring areas due to the massive landing of volcanic ash that paralysed the rail network in the surrounding area, had stopped on the way and had significantly delayed the build-up of their forces.

In addition, the paralysis of a railway network meant that the arrival of train guns equipped with large-calibre artillery essential to wipe out a large number of demons in one blow was naturally delayed.

And as a result of the delayed build-up of battle forces, even the construction of defensive positions is about 30% behind schedule at the beginning.

In other words, the Parabellan army had been moaning from the beginning, even before the beginning of the operation.

"Yummy... if we keep this up, we won't be able to muster our forces in time for Behemoth to reach the Neral River..."

At the command headquarters in mainland Parabellum, Kazuya, with a slightly obnoxious face, heard and groaned bitterly about the unscented reports as she deposited her body in the chair.

"We are currently doing everything we can...... there is nothing we can do about all this"

Thousands of years old look full of shiny skin as opposed to kazuya lay their eyes down and shake their necks sideways.

"Hmmm. No airways, no land routes limited, no hitters... it's blocked in all directions"

Master, there's been a report of an anomaly in Latte's engine and tracks, and the march has stopped.

……

I guess bad things overlap when it's bad.

Where it became suspicious that the build-up of force could be delayed and the operation itself could be carried out, reports were now sent by Chiyoda, who, like Chiyo, was glossy on his skin, that Latte was stuck in a way that blocked one of the main main main highways.

"... what is the prospect of resuming the journey?

"The field commander told me to do something in about an hour or two."

"... ha"

As we knew better than before, Lahte's faults, fragile around his legs at the price of gaining heavy armor and heavy armor, came here in a crisp and exposed form, and Kazuya sighed heavily.

Incidentally, the lacking mobility latte was accompanied by a support raid armor that provided assistance when travelling, but still the amazing weight of 900 tons was a troublesome enemy and an obstacle to movement.

"It's a bad precursor not to remain a muster of power either. -... does that change Chiyoda, Behemoth's path?

"Yes, the path of Behemoth remains on its way to the former kingdom of Canary, the King's capital, Burrance"

The aim of the enemy that Parabellum has identified from Behemoth's path.

It was something that did not leave the realm of prediction, but it was probably the destruction of the populated area, the King's capital, Burance, and the massacre of civilians living there, and the powerlessness of the Parabellan army bases dotted within the territory of the former Kingdom of Canary (by volcanic ash).

It is clear that if we allow Behemoth to invade the territory of the former Canary kingdom, unprecedented damage will be created, and because the enemy's purpose could be predicted, Kazuya was more difficult to choose than ever.

"... ok. - Madam Führer, we are now in. According to information, part of the 12th Division has given up moving by rail and switched to moving by river and driveway."

"Right...... but still critical"

It was a kazuya that represented a slight relief color to Ibuki's report with ample waist circumference, but the problem was still piling up.

"... your husband"

"Hmm? What's up, a thousand years old"

We have reports of more frequent problems caused by volcanic ash than troops on the front lines.

"Specifically?

"Ha. Examples include electronic devices, vehicles, weapon defects, and damage to the health of soldiers in the field, which began to cause communication problems and caused volcanic ash to enter the interior."

"There's nothing we can do about the communication failures... electronics, vehicles, weapon defects are also wasted resistance where we dealt with them at the scene where the volcanic ash is... You did deal with the damage to the health of the soldiers with an NBC-equipped gas mask - MCU-2/P protective mask, didn't you?

"Yes, I'm letting each soldier deal with it for now with the MCU-2/P protective mask that I handed out in advance, but that's also something I'll have to deal with later with the N95 mask and goggles because of the near limit of use"

"... I'd like to challenge you in a short-term showdown for the soldiers, but if we bring you to a short-term showdown, you'll have to gather your strength in time."

It was a kazuya to sneak up on the hardships of soldiers working all over the volcanic ash on the front line, but there was already limited that Kazuya could do.

"... do we have to hope that we can find a chance to win in this vicious situation?"

Approximately three hours until the battle begins.

For the Kazuyas, some time went by slowly.

――――――――――――

In a world stained with grass, soil, and even the sky, Behemoth finally confronts the Parabellan army after rejecting evacuation instructions from the Parabellan army and crushing the castle city ballad of every dead inhabitant eaten and killed by demons.

"Didn't you make it at last..."

I grumble with regret that Kazuya, sitting in the chair of the ops command room, was unable to muster his forces in time while watching the display that shows Behemoth moving forward slowly through the huge six legs and deciding and submerging the earth.

"Thousands of years old, what's the power of this one?

"Ha, at the moment, it was Marine Division 5 and Army Division 4 that were able to deploy to the second defensive line, plus 30 assault armors, 20 canone panzers, and 60 special mechanized infantry men equipped with Talos and their derived power suits. There are 20 other river sentry boats and river gunships."

"Chiyoda, what is your chance of winning if you fight Behemoth and his Omake demons with your current power?

"... if the number of demons around us falls within our expectations, well, 25 percent. By the way, even if the reinforcements arrive in time, they'll reach 45 percent."

"So, as it stands, even if you can barely win, you can't stop."

It's still tight that they sealed the air force.

Kazuya had his head in a situation where none of the requisition lines had arrived, such as the Latte, the train cannon or the 12th Division.

"... communicate to all units deploying on the second line of defense. He wants us to hold out until reinforcements arrive."

Copy that, sir.

"And Thousand Years Old, keep your forces on the final line of defense as well."

"... Ha, now"

To this end, Kazuya instructed the assembly of forces on the final defensive line laid on the border of the territory of the former Kingdom of Canary and began to take measures to combat the worst.

"Huh!! Sensing massive life reactions away from Behemoth, a large group of demons are coming towards the second line of defense!! The number is roughly 30,000, even more!!

"We checked the image data of the demon in attack against the database, but not applicable. Supposedly a new kind of demon. We can't confirm the existence of a flying demon."

"It helps not to have a flying type... but you think it's a new species? Put it on the display."

"Ha."

At Kazuya's direction, the operator streams into the display the appearance of a new species of demon captured by surveillance cameras placed on the front line.

"... a big lizard? No, is this a dirt dragon? But what's that cylindrical object you're carrying on your back?

Kazuya twists her neck when she looks at a display that shows lizard-like demons walking through the ground buried in volcanic ash, carrying two cylindrical objects from the middle of her back, peeking sharply out of her mouth, wrapping a solid scale because she looks purple at four to five meters in length.

"Celisia, just in case, I ask, but I've seen this demon before. - So, Adele? Hey, what's up?

It was Kazuya who tried to take the first confirmation of the demon she saw to Celisia, who was taking her gaze off the display and holding back behind her, but next to Celisia, she opened her eyes to surprise and the figure of Wanna Wana and Shivering Adele changes the person she sees and asks questions first.

"Oh no... it's a lie..."

"Adele?"

"Adele, what the hell is wrong with you?

He was Celisia, who questioned him with a voice that reprimanded Adele for nailing him to the video without answering Kazuya's question, but even that had not reached Adele's ear.

"This demon... they were in my world"

"What?"

"The enemy is in contact with the first interception line!! The battle will begin!!

Shortly after Kazuya reacted with Pickle to Adele's whining words, the dirt dragons broke through the iron strip network, stretched several times from the Parabellan army waiting on both banks of the Neral River, without difficulty, into a stopping area where they gathered the descended volcanic ash and hung it with water to muddy it.

And the next moment when the earthdragons were taken by the muddy volcanic ash and their movement was dull.

An aerial bomb laid amidst the volcanic ash in the anchorage area - the MK.84 general-purpose bomb carried and installed from the Spruit base behind the Neral River (the base where the remote dogs caused the problem) exploded simultaneously.

Countless columns of fire stood up like fences preventing the dragons from entering, and blew the dragons without a trace as they were entering the stopping area.

Moreover, after the explosion of the MK.84 general-purpose bomb, which had been calculated and installed, a huge crater, 15 metres wide and 11 metres deep, was made at even intervals, which served as a simple moat and also succeeded in slowing the invasion speed of the dragons and further manipulating the invasion route.

"Adele, let me hear more about that."

"Oh, oh, okay"

Shortly after being buried in an instant by a bomb planted with more than a few hundred earthdragons, Kazuya hears from Adele just before the next trick starts.

"That... was an intermediate level demon served by the Demon King who was in my world and his name was Canons Dragon... but I've never seen this many at once. Because they have a strong sense of territory, so they should never flock. After that, I felt the details were different..."

"I'll get that info later!! What do you watch out for when you fight?

"Huh, that back cylinder - varies from cannon to cannon from individual to individual, but they fly magic bullets and fireballs. The range is about two to three hundred meters. After that, you just have to watch your hits, forefoot nails, bites, and tail attacks with regular earthdragons."

Adele accidentally gave herself up to Kazuya's sip, but soon she regained her mind and pulled the information Kazuya was craving out of her own memory.

"Thanks, Adele. - A thousand years old!! Give all units the information they have, and give them instructions to fight as far away from the dragon as they can."

"Roger!!

As earthdragon information is being transmitted to troops that are slow but on the front line because of communication failures caused by volcanic ash.

The dragons, who walk as expected by the Parabellan army, enter the minefield where the M19 anti-tank mines are laid next to the stopping area.

M19 anti-tank mines trampled through with the feet of a dirt dragon explode one after another.

Poor earth dragons later stepped into the minefield one after the other, not trying to stop the assault like one of the idiots remembered.

But Kazuya and the others looking at such a sight did not have an excellent complexion.

"Chiyoda, how many enemies are there now?

"Ha, at the moment, the approximate number of enemies is well above our expectations of 60,000, and… the number of enemies is growing even further."

"60,000!?... not enough to stand for two divisions + alpha."

The reason why the Kazuyas are not superior in complexion, is that there are more earthdragons than the number that have killed them.

"Enemy, we will break through the minefield!! Breaking into the second interception line in 20 seconds!!

The operators raise their reports one after the other after Kazuya groaned, who looked like he had chewed down a bitter bug.

"All artillery units, start firing!! Roughly 25 seconds to landing!!

A second interception line set at a point 12 km from the Neral River - a dirt dragon breaks into an area of intensive artillery fire by all artillery units with two divisions.

"Three, two, one... zero to landing!!

Numerous artillery shells fall over the heads of the dragons who built countless corpses but still made a hard break through the minefields.

It's a Marine Corps 5th Division M777 155mm howitzer or RAP ammunition - 120mm mortar RT using rocket-assisted propulsion rounds, HIMARS for M142 high mobility rocket systems, M109A 6155mm self-propelled howitzer paladin.

It was a fierce shelling consisting of 155mm howitzer FH70 and 96-style self-propelled 120mm mortars of the 4th Army Division, 99-style self-propelled 155mm howitzers, 203mm self-propelled howitzers and MLRS of the M270 multiplexed rocket system.

"Enemy, we're up even more than 18 percent wear and tear!!

From next to the second interception line, the dragons blew into the wood dust with shells pouring down like meteors, but still moved on without trying to stop the advance.

"Master, keep it up!!

"I know!! - The reinforcements still won't arrive!!

"It will still take a little while, Master"

"Damn...... it's jilli poor as it is"

The haste of the Kazuyas, who understand that the harsh shelling will not last forever, increases with time.

And then finally, the time comes.

"Huh!! Communication from artillery units, zero remnants of each rocket gun!! into reloading!!

"Kuh!?

Keep it up... they'll pull out the line of defense.

As the attack of the rocket gun, which is good at surface control, is interrupted, the ferocity report enters Kazuya.

"The second interception line will be breached!!

A herd of dirt dragons rush through an area of intensive artillery fire with an obviously reduced number of falling shells, all fortunately.

"The shelling by the 1st Armored Battalion, which is unfolding on the 3rd interception line, has begun!!

It fleshes to the 1st Mechanical Battalion of Army Division 4, where a herd of earthdragons dived through an interception net with pre-set traps and artillery fire deployed to a time-saving avant-garde position erected in front of the Neral River with tsunami-like momentum.

However, an overwhelming barrage is deployed from the 1st Armor Battalion.

The first to open the gunfire was a 50-kilometer type 10 tank belonging to the 1st Armored Battalion.

Accurate and unparalleled shelling by FCS with automatic enemy and automatic tracking capabilities was carried out from the 44-calibre 120mm sliding cannon of its 50-yard type 10 tank, and the 90-calibre 35mm machine gun KDE of the 89-calibre armoured combat vehicle and the heavily armed 79-calibre anti-ship tank guided missile were constantly fired to compensate for the gap in the shelling of the 10-calibre tank.

That had succeeded in sharpening the tsunami momentum of the dragon somewhat, but still did not completely stop the impending momentum of the dragon.

For this reason, interceptions with new weapons such as raid armor and canone panzers were also added.

"All planes, stay calm!! This is where we stand, it's no exaggeration to say that depending on how we work here, the future of Raid Armor will be determined, do whatever it takes to make it work - start attacking!!

"" "" Roger!!

A new breeze broke out on the battlefield with the voice of the unit leader leading a unit organized in raid armor during the test operation.

This is because only a small number of assault armors were tested and deployed, using prototype weapons such as 30mm assault rifles, 57mm light machine guns, 88mm heavy machine guns, and 120mm sniper guns to show the lion's excitement.

Again, no less than Raid Armor, Canone Panzer 20, equipped with two GAU-8 Avengers and carrying a 105mm howitzer, stepped forward without losing any danger and tore off the earth dragon with a GAU-8 Avenger simultaneous fire and a 105mm howitzer horizontal fire.

But still, the impending earthdragon momentum will not stop.

Because (although the large number of earthdragons is the biggest factor) the surrounding volcanic ash rises due to the shock waves that occur when shells are fired and the blast caused by the landing of various types of shells, and the appearance of the approaching earthdragon is hidden, so the aim was really sweetened.

I mean - there's nothing more wasteful than bullets that don't hit.

With enough individuals to fill the ground on the most peripheral side, off-target stray bullets had almost some effect.

"Enemy, closer to 1st Mech Battalion!!

"1st Mechanical Battalion and accompanying units deploying to the 3rd Intercept Line begin to retreat from avant-garde positions"

In view of the speed of the Turkish dragon's attack, the division headquarters officers decided that any further battles were reckless, shifting tactics from pre-battle depletion to in-battle (incidentally, pre-battle depletion and in-battle shooting is a way of defending a position that leaves enemy troops depleted on the front line and lures enemy troops inside the position through a temporary retreat action and eventually destroys them). For this reason, the 1st Mechanical Battalion and its accompanying units were ordered to retreat to the main unit opposite the Neral River.

"Huh, I got a retreat order!! I'll tell the whole squad more than the command car!! All cars back, move as you should!! Don't bring it!!

"1st Squadron, roger!! Covers Allied Troops retreat!!

"2nd Squadron, roger!! I'm going in to get ready to retreat!!

"3rd Squadron, roger!! Begin retreat now!!

Each unit deploying to the third interception line when a retreat is ordered begins to retreat sequentially in a predetermined order while carrying out towed fire.

However, due to the volcanic ash rising from repeated shelling, the figure of the earthdragon was no longer visible, so it was shot up as soon as allowances were available, while also receiving support from troops deploying to the main unit.

"Fifteen minutes left to complete the retreat of the 1st Mechanical Battalion and accompanying units"

"If you cross the river, you'll get a little more time."

It was when Kazuya leaked a little relief as she saw the troops retreating across the two bridges that were temporarily bridged.

An event occurs that was not expected by everyone who was there.

"" "" Huh!?

"Oh no!? A dirt dragon appeared behind the first armored battalion in retreat!! I emerged from the ground!!

"The number of individuals in the earth dragon that emerged, about 5,000!! Still increasing!!

"1st Mechanical Battalion's exit blocked!! Completely isolated, it is utterly annihilated as it is!!

A clandestine group of earthdragons burst into the ground and emerged inside the defensive line.

Moreover, the poor location resulted in the emergence of a Turkish dragon directly behind the retreating troops, which resulted in the sandwiching and isolation of 26 Type 10 tanks and 10 Type 89 armoured combat vehicles of the 1st Mechanical Battalion, an infantry squadron of accompanying troops and 20 special mechanized infantry personnel from impending Turkish dragons and earthly dragons springing from the ground that had not yet been able to retreat.

"Enemy behind you!? Tastes bad, stop retreating!! Stop retracting!!

"Stop retreating, you've been here forever!?

'There's no way out!! What can I do!?

"Surrounded!!

"Shit, each car responds!! Respond - Gaaaaaa!!

A type 10 tank of a command vehicle that was flying a whirlpool in an attempt to wrap up a confused unit explodes and ignites with the shelling of a dirt dragon in the rear of the vehicle body.

I saw such a sight and was appalled by the chaos of the isolated troops.

"You're lying!? Captain's tank was killed!!

"Become, the enemy bullet penetrated the armor!?

"Don't let the dragon shoot you!! They'll kill you!!

'Don't make me shoot you, but I don't know where your enemies are because of this fucking volcanic ash!!

'And shoot anyway!!

He said, "If I shoot you right, I'll hit your side!!

"HQ over 1st Squadron!! We were ambushed and isolated by our enemies!! Request First Aid!! Enemy attack, the earthdragon shelling penetrates our rear armor!! The repeated earthdragon shelling penetrates our rear armor!!

……

The Kazuyas in Parabellum, far away while hearing reports filled with feelings of confusion and terror, coming from isolated troops, could only watch.

"... Adele"

Kazuya asked Adele, taking her gaze off the display and looking back, which was showing a misery that made her want to cover her eyes.

"... what?

"How close, though, was this demon more aggressive than going through the rear armor of a Type 10 tank?

"No, I can't say anything because I don't have an object of comparison... at least I didn't have the power to be this far"

"Really... and all you can think about is that this demon has enemy hands on it?

The operator speaks up in support of Kazuya's predictions, who spoke his mind like a solitary.

"My Führer, it's tough!! After analyzing the footage sent by the isolated units, it turns out that the earthdragon is shooting not magic bullets, etc., but spear-like objects!!

"... that's settled"

The enemy will do it too...... ugh!!

Kazuya, hiding her passion behind a no-surface expression, returns her gaze to the display where the frontline looks.

There was a view of the 1st Mechanical Battalion, which was about to be wiped out before the interception of the Turkish dragon, and the 5th Marine Division and the 4th Army Division, which were trying to save it somehow.

But with the exception of Marine Division 5 and the isolated units, Army Division 4 was the best because it prevented the earthdragons coming out of the ground from being stopped across the Neral River.

"A dirt dragon broke through the third interception line in an offensive from the ground began crossing the Neral River!! I'm in the lightning field!!

The first to welcome the earthdragons that reached the Neral River were the two types of mines (lightning) laid in advance by a Type 94 waterborne mine-laying device mounted on the carrier of a surface vehicle.

A 45-cm-diameter, 40-kilogram disc-shaped, sink-bottomed type 1 launches the earthen dragon into the sky with Zabun well into the Neral River, and a 65-cm-long, 45-kilogram cylindrical, moored type 2 launches the earthen dragon into the sky with the water column again.

At the same time as the dragons began crossing the Neral River, they responded desperately to stop the attack on the dragon by concentrating all the firepower that Marine Division 5 and Army Division 4 could hold to defend the second line of defense.

The Neral River thus continues to raise its needle-mountain-like water column due to detonating lightning and the large quantities of bullets and shells that are fired into it.

"And the enemy has crossed the Neral River!!

But the dragons, covering such a fierce attack in quantity, succeeded in crossing the river Neral as if to mock the struggles of both divisions.

Spears were fired out of the two artillery guns carrying them, and the Parabellan army intensified their offense by shooting at them and not eating through the second line of defense.

"Has Division 5 and Division 4 said anything?

Kazuya, who could no longer be present or standing in the figure of his own army in a disadvantage, asked the operator as he deliberately calmed his hips, which seemed to be soaring.

"Ha, until reinforcements arrive, we will defend the second line of defense and carry out the Führer's orders."

"... what about the isolated troops?

"... we are still fighting"

……

Kazuya was burning in her eyes the figure of a soldier who would never give up and continue to fight while the hope of rescue was gone, the next moment.

A horde of dirt dragons that were approaching from the front of the 1st Mech Battalion disappears.

"... what?

When Kazuya was in Kyoton without knowing what had happened, the earth dragon herd blew up again.

In addition, an unprecedented giant water column rises on the Neral River and the dragons are swept away.

"What happened!?

"This explosion...... is a train cannon and a latte!! Gustav, Dora and other trains and lattes have arrived in range and started shelling!!

Instead of Kazuya, Chitoshi asked the operator if it was up to him.

And here begins the parabellum rewind.

"Part of the 12th Division arrives on the 2nd line of defense!!

I gave up transport by rail and drove the infantry on the road with about 40 T-80UDs and T-90s. I lowered the infantry and fired 9M119 reflakes of anti-tank missiles, not shells, from the main cannon's 125mm sliding cannon.

The earth dragon snipes a boiling tunnel and succeeds in destroying it.

Tank Desanto again - set up and fired an RPO rocket launcher that the infantry of the 12th division was responsible for arriving on the second line of defense with tank crossings. Burn down the dirt dragons that were on the opposite shore.

As time goes by, 20 infantry battle vehicles BMP-3 and 30 armoured surface and surface armoured personnel carriers BTR-90, which were coming down the Neral River, will begin reverse landing without saving isolated allied units while firing at the main armed 100mm low-pressure guns 2A70 and 30mm machine guns and the main gun coaxial PKT 7.62mm machine guns.

And when the mechanized unit that started the reverse landing roughly eliminated the 100mm low-pressure guns 2A70 and 30mm machine guns, the PKT 7.62mm machine gun, the RPKS 5.45mm light machine gun mounted on the top of the turret, and the earth dragon that was hitting the first armored battalion with the AGS-17 automatic projectile launcher, this time infantry soldiers who were inside BMP-3 and BTR-90 vehicles got off and deployed.

Even those who are militarily oblivious will succeed in rescuing the first armored battalion by shooting and killing a dirt dragon in the immediate vicinity of the first armored battalion with an RPK light machine gun fitted with an AK-12 or 75-integrated drum-type magazine, the latest in AK-47 genealogy that knows its shape.

"My allies have helped!! Ask for backup support!!

"Third Artillery Regiment, roger. There goes the fierce one. Pay attention."

Support shelling is requested to retreat by the mechanized units that rescued 12 tanks of type 10 and 3 armoured combat vehicles of type 89, an infantry detachment of the accompanying forces and 3 special mechanized infantry, the survivors of the isolated 1st Mechanized Battalion.

Then again, a 2S 7M 203mm self-propelled cannon gun, which gave up rail transport and deployed itself behind the second line of defense, began firing.

This self-propelled cannon cannon has a range of up to 37 kilometres when using regular ammunition (ZOF-40 grenades), and 47-55 kilometres when using RAP ammunition (rocket propulsion ammunition), which is the largest of the wildfires.

Since it is equipped with a pressurized NBC protective device, it is also possible to act in the NBC contaminated environment, but there is also a contradiction that artillery cannot be operated in the contaminated environment because the artillery preparation has to be worked outside.

It was the A-222 130mm self-propelled coastal gun that started shelling following such a 2S 7M 203mm self-propelled cannon gun.

Although this weapon consists of one command and control vehicle, four to six projectile unit vehicles, and one or two combat support vehicles, the projectile unit vehicle is also equipped with optical aiming devices, and it is also possible to act as a stand-alone, wheeled self-propelled gun because it allows direct loading of artillery shells by hand.

And closing the gap between 2S 7M 203mm self-propelled cannon guns and A-222 130mm self-propelled coastal guns is the TOS-1 Bracino with a 220mm rocket bullet launcher equipped with thermobaric explosive warheads.

In addition to these shelling, artillery units of Marine Corps Division 5 and Army Division 4, as well as train artillery groups and Latte shelling, were extremely harsh.

As a result, the earthdragons returned to their heels and retreated, realizing that they were unfavourable to the shelling pouring down like waterfalls.

The Parabellan army not only succeeded in rescuing the 1st Armored Battalion, but also in defeating the Turkish Dragon.

The Parabellan army was able to rebuild the front and buy time to rethink the tactics, but it was determined that no more fighting in the Neral River basin was possible, so the original draft operation was discarded, all units were ordered to withdraw to Spruit Base, and the battle returned to the swing.