Trinitas Mundus

Tria 3026, early morning of January 18.

Mercenaries from the Marcut Mercenaries (Red Arms) camped in the mountains of the Aquila Mountains are trembling west in the cold.

To the location of Luna, discovered by Uno the Beast Slave, because he is aiming to recapture her.

Fortunately, the weather was relatively mild, unusual for the winter here in Aquila, even peering into the clear blue sky from among the branches of conifers. Still, the cold wind blowing was cold as it cut itself, and the mufflers covering the mercenaries' mouths were frozen white.

In the meantime, Ray Arklight cared more about the village of Leriche, a demonic stronghold to the east.

(Assuming the Moon Demons entered Leriche in the middle of the night, it's not strange that enemies should come out right now. Seems like rescuing Luna was the primary purpose of this operation, so maybe she'll push it over at once...)

Ray was vaguely knowledgeable about the conflict within the Demon clan. He also believed that the recapture of the Son of the Moon was a grief for the entire Demonic Nation, and that even if there was a little conflict, it should be united before the cause.

His knowledge was largely reminiscent of what he had written from the contents of the novel Trinitas Mundus, and what he had learned in his conversation with Varma of the Moon Demons, plus from Derve and Lauri, captives of the Little Devils, none of which was accurate information.

If the whole idea differs from the individual idea, things do not always go according to the whole idea. Especially when it comes to individuals, it can even happen to have and act on the opposite of the idea of the group to which they belong. Even if these kinds of psychology gained knowledge from books and such, it was impossible for him to understand the essence of what he was only a high school student.

I mean, Ray didn't have the perception that the Demons were splitting up.

If he had that perception, he might have been able to incite conflict within the demonic clan and break this situation.

Four hours had already passed since we left before dawn.

The location of Luna found by the Unos is about 2 km away.

For them, who cannot travel using tree branches like the Beastman slaves, the limit was two km per hour of travel.

From the command ocho unleashed by Uno, there were reports that the Lunas were slowly retreating west.

(I knew there was an enemy coming out of Leriche... he's spinning scouts behind him too, but will he make it...)

The information Ray had obtained had also been passed on to Hamish Markat as it was, and he also considered the situation to be dangerous.

(The enemy has less than thirty big ghost tribes and an orga. This one is a hundred, but even with Ray's magic, it won't be cleaned up soon. So it might be quicker for enemies to catch up from behind... don't destroy them all if you see the timing of your retreat wrong...)

Hamish himself thought it was a very difficult thing to recapture Luna, but even believed Ray's words, who was still desperately complaining of danger.

(I don't know what's at stake, but Ray's guy says it's that dangerous. There's definitely something about it... I know that, but it's too big a story about the world dying or something... if anything other than Ray said it would make me laugh... even if they told me that a girl named Luna would be the key, it wouldn't pin me at all. But if the army is coming out of Kwaedam Tenebre, the land of the demons, there is definitely something...)

As Hamish looked up into the sky, the snow piled on the branches fell badly. When the cold snow hit his face and he tried to pay it off, one of the beast slaves, Seyce, jumped in from the rear.

"We found about a hundred Big Ghost tribesmen about two kilometers back! It looks like there are more enemies in the rear. The number of enemies in the rear is unknown. Currently, Dies is confirming!

Hamish and Ray hear of a hundred Great Ghost tribes, and face to face.

But the conclusion had already been made.

"Pull it up to Toa! Hurry!"

Hamish immediately discontinues and gives orders without consulting anyone.

Ashley Markat saw him wondering if Ray would rebel against that order.

But contrary to her expectations, Ray had said nothing and was speaking in a sober tone to the beastly slave Ocho, who refrained by her side.

"Contact Mr. Uno. Pull it up to Toa. Tell them to withdraw, as soon as possible."

Ocho lowered his head quietly and headed west to fly using the tree branches as they were.

"Was it good? Wouldn't you be losing Luna if you missed it now?

When Ashley said so, Ray responded with a rusty look.

"Mr. Hamish is right. There are a thousand ghost warriors in Leriche. Hundreds of them are talking about the Great Ghost Warriors, so I think the whole army has been out there. Even the Red Arms can't fight a thousand enemies in this place. Withdraw faster than that, or they'll catch up to you."

Though good, he looked west many times.

(You still regret it. But I'm surprised you're surprisingly calm. I thought my father would eat it and hang it...)

Ashley stared at Ray's back, thinking so, but immediately began to think about his next action.

(Big ghost tribes with strong powers and large bodies move faster in the snow. Don't get caught up like this... can't Ray's magic make you give up pursuit...)

She similarly spoke to Stella, a werewolf girl staring at Ray's back.

"It's good to retreat, but it would be awkward if the Great Ghosts came after us. Find me a good place to block the snow path with Ray's magic."

Ashley thought of creating an artificial avalanche to disrupt the pursuit. And ask Stella to scout for the best place.

Stella nodded small,

"You just have to find a place with lots of snow. That's where the steep slopes are."

She also seemed to have been able to read Ashley's thoughts and immediately began to act.

Seeing Stella heading forward by herself, Ray didn't know what she was willing to do.

"Where did Stella go?

Asking Ashley that, she repeats the explanation she gave Stella.

"... block the way with your magic so they don't chase you. I wish there was a good place... no, Stella would definitely find it"

"I see. Avalanche... I'll think of magic. And you're starting to think about Ash."

When Ray said so, Ashley gave a slightly murky look,

"Doesn't that make me think of nothing before?"

Words of protest were uttered, but soon he laughed and Ray also began to laugh so that he could be caught.

Having seen how it went, Hamish smiled, but said, "The enemy is close. Don't get distracted!" and reprimanded him small.

Ray and Ashley shrugged their shoulders small and looked at each other.

Stella was about to get out in front of the second squad that was going to take the lead.

When we outrun the most squadron behind the second squad, Gareth Ayling, the captain, said, "Is that a reconnaissance?" He called out.

Stella answered without stopping.

"I'm going to go find a place to prevent pursuit. Master Ray's magic blocks the way."

Looks like Gareth came up with something and said, "We went about 2 km south and there should have been just the right slope. I need you to look over there! scream."

Stella lowered her head small and said, "Okay!" He screamed cheerfully and ran.

Gareth saw what it looked like and thought Stella was a brighter one too.

(I was faceless when I first met her, but now I can get that much brighter look? Looks like Ray and Master Ashley's efforts have also borne fruit...)

Stella was running on soft snow.

It doesn't travel as fast using trees as the Unos do, but still runs at a speed unlikely in the highly resistant snow. He moaned the brown cloak and ran low as if he were a wild animal.

(The Great Ghosts are on their way here about twice as fast. Perhaps we will be caught up in about the place Master Gareth mentioned. We need to find it and tell Master Ray...)

Stella got to where Gareth was saying in about twenty minutes.

The place was about three hundred meters high on a slope that was becoming a deep V-shaped valley, where there was a deep build-up of snow.

(If you bury the valley with this snow, it should take some time for any great ghost tribe to pass by. But I don't know if they'll catch up before we get here... Yeah, now's not the time to think about it. There's nowhere we could have stopped so far, so this should be the only place. I need to tell Master Ray right away......)

She turned back the way she came at a flying speed again.

Hamish-led Mercenaries (Red Arms) are heading south in a vicious struggle against the wrapped snow. Its speed is much slower than the normal rate of travel, but it has already been walking in the snow for nearly five hours, and even with rigorous training, their breath was rising.

Because of this, sweat was erupting in their faces, despite the extremely cold mountains where the exhaling breath looked like bright white smoke.

"Hurry up! You can't mess with the Big Ghosts here!

Even without Hamish's words, I understand that the situation is critical to the Red Arms elite. I felt a new force gushing over the words of my esteemed commander, and I increased the speed at which I went further on my feet.

Ray follows at the rear and proceeds with vigilance at the rear. His breath is rough and he is about to be frustrated by his heavy feet, but with the encouragement of Ashley next door, he puts his feet forward without making a weak noise. In his case, the equipment weighs lighter than the other mercenaries - his armor, snow clothes (Nixwestis), has been granted the magic of weight loss - making it more advantageous than the others, and even higher specs of Ray Arklight's flesh, but his spirit was beginning to shrivel.

Ashley realizes that there are other things Ray is likely to frustrate, and tries to raise his voice brightly.

"In a few moments, Ray's magic will stop the Ghosts! Stella's just looking for a place right now! Ray would do something about it! Patience till then!

Hal Rankle, a young man from Squad Five, follows that voice.

"Ha-ha-ha... with Mr. Ray's magic... ha-ha-ha... that's a reversal at once!... hahahaha... I'll try to do something about it until then... hahahaha"

His breath rises and Ashley bursts into the cut words laughing.

"What? Does my breath rise to this extent? I'll have to get my father's special training again when I get home."

"Ha-ha-ha, that doesn't sound like it, Mr. Ashley... ha-ha-ha, just give me a break about that..."

A laugh rises from all around Hal's pitiful voice.

"The others are the same! Anyone who makes a weak noise will get a special treat from his father!

"Give me a break, young lady!" The bright voice rose, and the morale that was starting to drop recovered at once.

Ray saw how it went and was heartily impressed.

(Ash is really good for the commander. I guess he says blood can't be contested. It's a little different than Mr. Hamish's, but it's motivating everyone at once. That's something I can never do...)

Then, about enough time later, Dies, the beast slave, came running down to Ray.

"The Great Ghost tribe unit is approaching a kilometer rear. I was wondering if they'd catch up in an hour or so."

Ray is in a hurry for faster than expected enemy movements.

"How are the enemies behind the Great Ghost Clan?"

"Ha! More than five hundred ghost tribe units, mainly the Little Ghost tribe, are following us"

Ray nods and further checks the enemy's situation.

"How fast is the little ghost clan progressing behind you?

"I don't know the details, but the Great Ghosts are pulling us apart. Probably later than this one."

Ray nods at the words, exhaling slightly relief.

(I don't know if the body of the Little Ghost tribe is affecting you or if the commander is thinking of something else, but if you can only stop the Great Ghost tribe, you mean you can manage to escape? I don't know how to stop you later...)

He ordered Dies to monitor the movements of the Great Ghost Clan.

"Call me as soon as the enemy's movements change. Please."

Diez said "thank you" and bowed his head, disappearing backwards again.

Ashley whines without telling anyone she was listening on the side.

"One more hour? I wish there was a place I could stop."

"It's okay. Stella will find you a good place. Besides, I'm already thinking about magic."

Ray dared to answer that out loud.

"Then we just have to hurry."

Ray nodded loudly at Ashley's words.

Then Stella came back in about twenty minutes.

A brief report to Hamish, who will take command forward, will soon head to the rear.

"There was a good place! I think we can use the valley up ahead."

Stella reports that with a cheerful face.

Ray called out to Ashley after working "hard," Stella said.

"I'll go ahead and take a look. If we're gonna catch up in about half an hour, we should stop eating here."

That's all I said, I accompanied Stella down the snow path.

The Marcut Mercenaries (Red Arms) were pushing the snow path ahead of the second squad, which had many big mercenaries, led by the beast man Zenga Ormiga.

Catching up with the lead, he calls out to Hamish, who commands beside Zenga.

"I'll go ahead and see if I can block the way. I'd like to do something about it here if I could."

Hamish raised one hand and said, "Please. I can't move any faster," he tells her.

Ray also responded to it with one hand up, but quickly stepped forward.

My feet are taken by a deep pile of fresh snow, with no other footprints of Stella, and I can't go as far as I think.

(It's tough to go so soft. I think Hamish and Zenga leading the way are awesome......)

As we proceeded around the valley, we could see a valley-like slope on our left hand side, which became V-shaped. It was a steep slope about forty-five degrees with a width of 100 m and a height of about 300 m, as Stella reported. There are no conifers or other large trees growing there, either blown up or it looks like there is more snow accumulating than on other slopes. And the important thing was that the route to Fort Toa was uphill, and if we had an avalanche here but even passed by, we would not be afraid of any damage to ourselves.

(There is snow accumulating up there just fine. With all that, it looks like we could fill this valley. If we bury them all after they fall out, it should be hard to get over them. And then we'll see if the avalanche goes up properly...)

With that in mind, he climbs up the part that has become the ridge on the south side of the valley. Out of the blue, the snow is hard and makes the sound of zaku every time you walk.

(That's surprisingly solid snow. If we bury the valley with this, the Great Ghosts are going to get over it... do we have to invite them to bury it alive? That makes timing difficult......)

By the time we got up to about the middle of the ridge, the Hamish leading the way were trying to get through the valley bottom.

(Everyone in the Red Arms should be passing through here in about enough time. How much room can you afford afterwards......)

That's when Diez, the beastly slave, approached to fly. He began reporting with a rough breath, Luke's beastly slave with incredible physical abilities.

"Ha ha... the Great Ghosts... will be here in about fifteen minutes..."

"Thank you. Just stay with me."

Ray says so, looking at the line of mercenaries under his eyes. And immediately began to climb the slopes.

(Fifteen more minutes means we only have about five minutes after the Ashes climb out... will we make it...)