Story Reader / Interlude / Like Shadow / Story
I've become a Kurono soldier. Life's pretty good.
And...
Oh, right. Listen, Master, I'm gonna beat you one day.
At the squad's rallying point, Camu takes out his terminal and sends his mentor a message. He would prefer to talk to him directly, but Mao Zhen never picked up his calls for some reason.
Tch. What's that guy doing anyway?
Besides surviving, defeating his mentor is Camu's second goal. He and Mao Zhen first met on the streets...
Mistaking Mao Zhen as an easy target, Camu attacked immediately and suffered a humiliating defeat. Mao Zhen became his mentor and the one who taught Camu how to survive.
Well, leave me on read all you want. Once I prove myself, I'll find a way to see you again.
Camu places his greatsword back on his back. He then notices some of his companions discussing something, faces serious.
You're in charge of patrolling, right? What are you doing here?
What's the point of patrolling? We're in a mobile base. We won't even be here anymore tomorrow.
Indeed, after the nightmare of an initiation test, Camu and the rest of the survivors have been dispatched to mobile fleets to perform missions outside the city. They have been doing so for two months.
Thought we'd be security guards in the city, but turned out we're mobile assault forces. Feels like we're in even more danger than soldiers, aren't we?
At least we've got ample supplies and excellent equipment. Besides, you're all excellent fighters, though not as good as me.
Camu, you lil...! Come on then, 1v1 me!
Oh? You want another loss on your records?
The squad members are prone to bantering, and no one would reprimand them for that—In fact, Camu's squad does not even have a leader.
Their missions are assigned via remote communications, and serums and other supplies are delivered via airdrop.
Anyway, that part aside, what were you guys talking about just now?
We were talking about the mission we had a few days ago. You should probably remember too... in that abandoned urban district.
You mean those nomads, huh?
"Nomads" are what they call vagrants who do not belong to a certain city, or exiled criminals.
A rather cruel way to deal with criminals, but most people seemed to have accepted it. This included civilians and the criminals themselves.
As they talk, Camu remembers what happened that day.
That's a Kurono vehicle. Have it surrounded now! They definitely have serums and food!
Ohhhhhh!
What are they doing? Stay back! Stay back!
When passing through an area, Camu's squad found the road blocked by some large obstacles. They were about to hop off and clear the path when they realized that it was a trap set by nomads.
Before the soldiers could react, the nomads opened fire, aiming at the weak points of the van. To protect their ride, the soldiers were forced into a defensive position.
Are you nuts? We're an official Kurono squad!
Who cares if you're from Kurono or the World Government? Hand over the goods!
What?
Though they were an official squad, most of the members were relatively inexperienced. Besides, these were humans and not the Corrupted, which complicated things.
The moment of hesitation crippled the squad, and the nomads almost thought they could get away from this encounter alive.
Out of the way!
Hnngg...
What...?
But Camu immediately shattered their hopes. Without anyone even noticing, he sneaked up next to the nomad chief and practically sliced him in half.
What—
Camu, what are you doing?
What are YOU doing? Hurry up and open fire!
Following Camu's order, the squad members picked up their guns and fired at the nomads. Without their leader, the remaining nomads scattered and fled in horror, frightened by the gunfire and Camu himself.
There were some casualties, but at least they didn't lose any resources.
Those nomads will die here anyway if they can't get any serums or food, right?
Are you sympathizing with them now? We've lost some of our men to them already.
I was just thinking that we might end up like them if we're not careful.
Some of them are around our age.
...They're unlucky, that's all.
What a world we live in.
The soldier mutters, gives himself a serum shot and tosses another serum to Camu.
