Chapter 6
Now.
At my command, Private Klaus's body went rigid. He stopped breathing, then pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The silence of the quiet forest shattered. The bullet lodged precisely between the orc shaman's brows. Its enormous head burst like a ripe watermelon. Brain matter and bone fragments flew in every direction, while the arm holding its staff swung once through the air before hanging limply.
Kuwaaaaah!
The shaman's magic began to run wild. The air around it began to tremble, and the altar that had been stained black lost its light.
"Graaaagh?!"
"L-Lord Grimtooth!"
The nearby orcs fell into confusion. Given their stupid brains, it would take them a while to understand what had happened. This was the perfect moment to launch a surprise attack.
"Now! Throw!"
The soldiers lying prone along the ridge threw their grenades all at once. The grenades flew in parabolic arcs and landed in the center of the loosely clustered orcs.
Boom-boom-boom!
A chain of explosions shook the basin. Dirt, shrapnel, and torn chunks of orc flesh rained down together.
"Open fire!"
I tightened my grip on my rifle, aimed at the head of the nearest orc, and pulled the trigger.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!
The soldiers' muzzles erupted in unison. A dense crossfire swept over the orcs. Caught by the sudden ambush, the death of their commander, and the successive explosions, the orcs were thrown into complete chaos.
"Graaaah! Humans!"
"Where are they?! Where are they shooting from?!"
Some scrambled to find their weapons, others threw themselves toward cover, and still others charged blindly toward this ridge in a fit of rage. Their movements were vividly displayed as red dots on the minimap.
'Deal with the most threatening ones first.'
Using [Status Analysis], I picked out one of the charging orcs that looked particularly large and vicious.
[Name: Morg]
[Race: Orc]
[Affiliation: Ashen Claw Tribe]
[Rank: Warrior]
[Status: Enraged, reckless charge]
"Second Squad machine gunner! Suppress the one charging from eleven o'clock!"
Following my order, the machine gunner immediately swung the barrel around.
Dudududududu!
Under the savage hail of bullets, the orc warrior's body was turned into a sieve before it collapsed. The other orcs, having lost their rallying point, faltered as well.
It was at that moment.
"Waaaaaaaah!"
"For the Empire!"
"Kill the orcs!"
First Squad appeared from the side of the basin. They drove bullets into the orcs' flank.
"Damn it! They're on our flank!"
"It's a trap! Run!"
The orcs, having completely lost their will to fight, began fleeing and scattering into the forest. The battle was effectively over.
"No pursuit! Maintain formation and mop up the remaining enemies!"
The platoon soldiers calmly fired at the orcs. Within a few minutes, the gunfire ceased in the basin, leaving only the smell of gunpowder and blood. I rose and surveyed the battlefield. More than twenty orcs lay dead.
"Lieutenant!"
Sergeant Gunter came running over with an excited look on his face.
"Reporting friendly casualties! Two lightly wounded, no fatalities! A perfect victory!"
"Well done, Sergeant."
Joy appeared on the platoon members' faces.
Finally, I moved to the location of the three green dots remaining on the minimap. Three scouts were there, shivering from the cold. They were the ones who had been reported missing.
"Rescue the captives and collect everything useful! Return as soon as you're done!"
At my command, the platoon members moved with perfect coordination.
*
We were soon able to return to the unit.
When the unit's main gate came into view, the guards standing at the guardhouse stared wide-eyed.
"...Are those guys Third Platoon?"
"Those people behind them... Aren't they the missing scouts? I can't believe they're alive."
"I heard they went to scout Ashen Forest, but could it be... No, right...?"
I tended to the rescued scouts first.
"Go straight to the infirmary and have your condition checked. Whatever treatment you need will be provided."
The scouts did not leave immediately. Instead, they approached and saluted.
[Status: Extreme fatigue, relief at being rescued]
[Emotion: Deep gratitude and awe toward Lieutenant Max Jaeger, trauma from a terrible ordeal]
"Thank you for saving our lives, Lieutenant. We can never repay this debt...."
"That's enough. Go get some rest."
I watched the scouts' backs for a moment before turning my gaze toward the members of Third Platoon.
"Good work. Those of you who are wounded, go to the infirmary. The rest of you, maintain your equipment and get plenty of rest. Dismissed."
"Yes, sir!"
And so, my first mission after joining Third Platoon came to an end.
I returned to the barracks in a combat uniform stained with blood and dirt. Only after I dropped into a creaking chair did the tension finally leave my body.
Chime—.
As usual, a notification sound rang out.
[You have perfectly completed the mission to search a dangerous area and rescue prisoners.]
[You acquire a large amount of experience as a reward.]
[Your level has risen to 5!]
[You have gained 1 new skill point.]
'As expected.'
I grinned. Another level-up. I felt that it had been worth boldly searching all the way to the orc altar.
[Skill Points Held: 1]
[Choose one of the options below to receive your reward.]
1. [Enhance Existing Skill]
2. [Acquire New Skill]
The time to choose had come again.
I first selected [Acquire New Skill] and checked the available skills.
1. [Bullet Time (Bullet Time)]
Detailed Description: When activated, you enter a state of super-acceleration in which you perceive the flow of the world, excluding yourself, at one-tenth its normal speed for up to three seconds. It can be used once per day. The number of uses increases as the skill level rises.
2. [Captivating Speech (Charismatischer Sprecher)]
Detailed Description: During conversations, it subtly influences the target's unconscious mind, making them listen more closely to your words and accept them more positively. You receive bonuses to all verbal interactions, including persuasion, negotiation, and command. The effect is maximized when making proposals related to desires the target is hiding. The effect grows stronger as the skill level rises.
The skills were exactly the same as in the previous selection.
'Does that mean nothing in particular changes if I don't choose a skill?'
I pondered for a moment.
[Bullet Time] was still an attractive option. Today's battle had been a perfect ambush, so we had suffered no casualties, but the battlefield would not always go according to my wishes. If we had faced the enemy head-on, I could not have guaranteed that I would have come through unharmed.
'But what decided victory or defeat was information and command.'
I reviewed the previous battle. I moved the unit based on the [Minimap], used [Status Analysis] to identify the enemy's weaknesses and my allies' hidden talents, then devised the optimal strategy based on that information and led the platoon. The result was a perfect victory.
There had been no need for me to dodge bullets personally. Thanks to my perfect command, the danger itself had been eliminated in advance. Paradoxically, the surest way for a commander to survive was to avoid creating a dangerous situation in the first place. [Bullet Time] was merely a remedy after the fact.
Then what about enhancing [Status Analysis]? That seemed like an excellent choice. Hadn't it shown tremendous power as soon as it reached Level 2? But what I needed right now was not deeper information. I could already see into people's true feelings and talents. The problem was how to make use of that information.
I thought of Captain Seraphina. She carried a fatal secret called [Mana Reflux]. It was an enormous piece of information, but there was nothing I could do about it right now. If I rashly pretended to know about it, I would only put her on guard.
That was exactly where the value of [Captivating Speech] would shine.
It could do more than force disgruntled subordinates to obey; it could win their voluntary loyalty. I could coax a difficult superior into becoming my ally. I might even be able to persuade an enemy I encountered on the battlefield and make them spill whatever information I needed with ease.
Identifying the other person's desires and weaknesses with [Status Analysis], then precisely exploiting them with [Captivating Speech]—the synergy between my two existing skills was perfect.
Without hesitation, I reached toward the second skill floating in the air.
[You have selected the skill 'Captivating Speech'.]
[Acquiring a new skill!]
With a chime, a new sense flowed into my mind. Information about what tone to use, which words to choose, how to control my breathing, and where to direct my gaze was etched into me. I felt like a seasoned politician who had spent decades dealing with people.
'I'll have to test this, too.'
But this was not a skill I could test on my own. I needed a target. Then a good experimental subject came to mind. I rose, opened the barracks door, and called over the guard pacing outside.
"Bring Sergeant Gunter here."
Before long, the burly Sergeant Gunter came hurrying over.
"You called, Lieutenant!"
As he saluted with a booming voice, an information window appeared above his head.
[Name: Gunter]
[Rank: Sergeant]
[Status: Nervous about the platoon leader's summons, proud of completing his mission]
[Emotion: Awe at his superior's command ability, vague loyalty]
[Hidden Trait: None]
'Vague loyalty....'
He was the perfect test subject.
"Come in, Sergeant. Have a seat."
I pointed to the wooden chair beside my bed. Gunter sat down cautiously.
'Good. Shall I begin the experiment?'
I gave him a somewhat out-of-the-blue order.
"Sergeant Gunter. Do twenty squats right here, right now."
"...Yes?"
Confusion clouded Gunter's face. His thick eyebrows twitched.
"You mean squats? Right here... Why...?"
It was the reaction I had expected. No one would be foolish enough to follow an order like that without any context. This was the moment to use the skill.
'Captivating Speech.'
I activated the skill, stared straight into Gunter's eyes, and continued speaking. I strung together a reasonably plausible explanation.
"Right after a battle, people often fail to notice fatigue or injuries because of the adrenaline. I need to personally make sure that my key NCO is in the best possible condition for the next mission. The platoon's combat strength depends on your physical condition, after all. That's an order."
Even I thought it was flimsy bullshit. Would this really work?
Chime-
[The skill 'Captivating Speech' is affecting Sergeant Gunter.]
[Gunter is accepting your words positively. He is beginning to perceive your order as a reasonable and important instruction.]
The moment I finished speaking, the doubt and confusion vanished from Gunter's face like snow melting in the sun. Instead, a look of realization flickered in his eyes.
"Ah...! Yes, understood! I hadn't thought of it that way! As expected, you're different, Lieutenant!"
Gunter sprang to his feet and began doing squats without the slightest hesitation.
"One! Two! Three!"
The barracks floor creaked as his massive body moved. Watching him, I swallowed hard.
'...This is more dangerous than I expected.'
This went beyond merely winning someone's favor. It was not quite hypnosis, but it came close to highly subtle mental interference. It was only squats for now, but what if I could demand something more drastic? What if I could force him to carry out a command like 'Hurt yourself, Gunter'?
Of course, according to the skill description, the probability of success would decrease, but it would not be zero.
"Twenty! Exercise complete!"
"Good. It looks like your physical condition is fine."
'I wonder where the limit is.'
Gunter wiped away his sweat. I threw an even more unreasonable demand at him.
"Give me all your pay for this month."
"...What?"
Gunter's face instantly hardened. His expression was utterly different from before. The tendons stood out on his thick neck.
"My salary... You mean? Why...?"
His voice trembled. It was a perfectly natural reaction. I was asking a soldier to hand over his pay.
I took another deep breath and activated the skill.
'Captivating Speech.'
"Third Platoon has only just been reborn. But military supplies alone have clear limits. I intend to use your salary to buy better equipment and supplies for our platoon out of pocket. Waterproof boots, for example, or warm winter underclothes. This is an investment in the survival of the entire platoon. And I want you, my most trusted NCO, to set the first example."
I offered a plausible justification. I mixed the greater good of the entire platoon with flattering talk about how much I trusted Gunter.
Chime.
[The skill 'Captivating Speech' is affecting Sergeant Gunter.]
[Gunter is considering your words positively. He begins to agonize deeply over the greater good behind your proposal.]
The skill had worked. Gunter's gaze began to waver. I activated [Status Analysis] to check his condition.
[Status: Extreme inner conflict]
[Emotion: Fierce anguish and confusion as he struggles between loyalty to his superior and his own practical problems, with a growing sense of betrayal]
He kept his head bowed. It was obvious that he was agonizing over the decision. But unlike before, he was not easily swayed. Time continued to pass.
Then it happened.
Chime!
A new system message appeared with a sharp warning tone.
[Persuasion failed!]
[The difficulty of the demand directly conflicts with the target's core values. The target's resistance neutralized the skill's effect.]
Gunter abruptly raised his head.
"...I can't do that, Lieutenant."