It took them about half a day, but by that afternoon, Fourth Squad returned safely to their outpost without incident.
Back at the base, Arcia immediately took Sennia to the medical tent, while the two squad leaders and Otto went to report to their superiors.
"Lucky girl. Three centimeters off and it would've hit your heart."
Marcia pulled open Sennia's uniform, inspecting the scar the bullet had left behind.
"How's the mobility in your arm?"
"Feels… much better."
Sennia moved her left arm in several directions, following Marcia's guidance. It was hard to believe that only a few hours ago, she couldn't move it at all—now it had almost fully recovered. The wound was already closed.
"Nothing major. Just be sure to replenish your energy regularly. If you feel anything abnormal, come to me right away."
Marcia handed her a few vials of energy supplements—Sennia recognized them as the standard Type-4.
"Try not to get hurt again. Pretty girls like you should be looked after."
Bidding Marcia goodbye, Sennia and Arcia walked out to the open space in front of the barracks. The officers were still inside reporting, and Sennia didn't have anything in particular to do, so she simply followed Arcia and sat down on a crate in the clearing.
"Marcia said you need rest."
Seeing Sennia follow her, Arcia commented flatly.
"Resting or not, I've got nothing better to do. Can't sleep at this hour anyway."
"Suit yourself."
Arcia said no more. She slung her submachine gun off her shoulder and began to disassemble and clean it. Her movements were fluid and practiced—she clearly knew every part of the weapon like the back of her hand. In a matter of moments, it was broken down into a dozen small components, prompting even Sennia to marvel at her skill.
"Were you ever afraid?"
"What?"
Perhaps mesmerized by Arcia's maintenance routine, Sennia had drifted into thought. Her question came out of nowhere.
"I mean, when you first went to the battlefield—were you scared?"
Arcia's hands slowed for a moment, but she quickly resumed her normal pace.
"Maybe I was. Maybe I wasn't."
"…"
Sennia stared at her, detecting a trace of helplessness and fatigue in Arcia's expression.
"The missions we run are different from what regular infantry go through. They charge through bullet storms and artillery fire, fighting tooth and nail over every inch of ground. My first assault mission—I was shocked by what I saw at the front. But once the charge began, with shells bursting nearby, flesh and bone splattering on my face, shrapnel tearing into me, and getting thrown by the blast—I didn't really think about much. If I died, I died. After that, I stopped feeling anything."
"…"
Sennia didn't know how to respond. As a soldier, Arcia had no choice but to follow orders, constantly walking alongside death until numbness set in. It wasn't uncommon in the army.
"Have you ever thought about what comes after the war?"
"After the war?"
Arcia reassembled her gun and sat back down on the crate.
"The war started not long after I finished training at Altasa. I don't really know what Night Knights do during peacetime… Probably just wait for the next war, like Nordhausen."
"Another war, huh…"
Sennia hoped that wouldn't happen.
"But Nordhausen was a Night Knight during the Conquest Era?"
She was a little surprised. From what she knew, by the end of the conquest, the Dazilet Empire had been drained by years of war—there were barely any Night Knights left.
"He left Altasa in the last few years of the conquest. Joined the frontlines, and then the war ended not long after."
"…"
The history of the Dazilet Empire was one of war. Over the past two centuries of modern history, conquest and expansion had never really stopped.
"By the way—"
Arcia suddenly said.
"Your tactical awareness honestly makes me wonder if you ever went through Altasa training. But you didn't hesitate in combat. Fascinating."
Facing Arcia's suspicious gaze, Sennia simply shrugged.
"I know what I'm doing. And I know what I'm fighting for."
"And what is that?"
"Peace."
"…"
Arcia smiled—not mockingly, but as if genuinely intrigued by the answer.
"Then keep fighting…"
She stood up. Following her gaze, Otto and the two squad leaders were approaching from the command tent.
"Good, you're both here. New orders just came down. Meet at our tent in a bit."
"That fast? What's the mission?" Sennia asked.
"Strike the enemy's ammunition depot. High command wants to push the offensive—Army's likely launching another wave tomorrow."
It was Edwin who replied, wearing a mildly exasperated expression.
"Well, we're the fire brigade, right? Wherever burns, we go."
"Enough chatter. You two gather your people—we move out tonight."
Otto cut the conversation short and led them to the tent for mission planning.
...
For creatures at the bottom of the food chain, night in the wilderness is dangerous. Predators lurk in the dark, approaching unseen to deliver lethal blows before their prey even realizes. The Night Knights were no different. They moved through the forest, leaving behind nothing but faint afterimages and a whisper of wind across the treetops.
Tonight would be another hunt.
Nordhausen signaled a halt. Not far away, Edwin's second squad also stopped. According to recon, the enemy had established multiple hidden depots across a one-kilometer stretch of this valley to store various ammunition and fuel types—enough to supply three infantry divisions and two artillery regiments for five days. Fourth Squad's task: destroy them all, forcing the Rubina frontlines into a supply crisis.
"We've done this kind of infiltration many times before, so I'll skip the details."
Otto gathered both squads to finalize the pre-op plan.
"To minimize risk, Nordhausen and I will infiltrate from the east. Edwin, take your team in from the west. Here's the depot layout—note the central road."
He unfolded a military map, red marks outlining multiple warehouse locations across the valley.
"Nordhausen and I will handle these five on the east side. Edwin, the other seven are yours. Priority is planting explosives. If discovered, create as much chaos as possible to distract the enemy. Understood?"
"Understood!"
The squad leaders responded in unison.
"Move out!"
Both squads split and circled toward their respective targets. To reduce detection risk, Otto's team further split into pairs once they neared the depots.
"This is a mechanical delay fuse. Know how to use it?"
Sennia had been paired with Otto this time. He pulled out a bundle of explosives and a mechanical device.
"Never seen one before," she answered honestly. Otto didn't seem surprised.
"No problem. Just keep watch—warn me if someone's coming."
The fuses and detonators had to be assembled in a specific order, and this wasn't the time for a tutorial.
"Got it."
Sennia climbed to a hidden perch, scanning the surroundings. Minutes later, Otto's voice called her down.
"Why not pre-assemble the bomb and just carry it in?"
"Because this model has flaws. For safety, it's only assembled on-site."
He tucked the completed bomb behind a crate.
"They say better timers exist, but we still have a stockpile of these older models."
"Got it."
Sennia nodded.
"Next depot's that way. Step lightly—stay close."
Otto opened a warehouse window. Avoiding the guards, they moved on.
Meanwhile, Edwin's team was also progressing smoothly. A few sentries glimpsed faint shadows, but none were sure what they'd seen—and reported nothing.
On the eastern side, Otto and Sennia finished early. They took cover on a rooftop overlooking the central road and three depots, waiting for the rest of the squad.
"What made you join the Night Knights?"
The wait grew boring. Otto struck up conversation—partly to probe for information.
"My family lived in Nidalo. My father inherited a bakery from my grandfather—we sold bread to make a living. Then one day, Skolavo troops raided the town during a border skirmish. My parents were killed."
Otto watched her expression. Her tone was flat, eyes sharp and cold—no other emotions surfaced.
"I was lucky. Ran into Dazilet troops while fleeing. A man in a black coat asked if I wanted the power for revenge. I said yes. Next thing I knew, I was in Altasa with a bunch of other kids."
He didn't respond immediately. Silence settled between them.
"Not an uncommon story among the Night Knights."
Otto sighed at last.
"You know most of us were orphans chosen for this."
"Met plenty of them at Altasa."
Another quiet pause.
Suddenly, movement caught their attention.
It was Nordhausen, arriving at the rally point.
"Let's go—time's almost up."
Otto patted Sennia's shoulder. They joined Nordhausen without trouble.
"Any word from Edwin?"
Nordhausen asked first.
"Not yet, but they should be close."
They all turned to look west—no signs of the second squad in sight.
"Should we go check?"
Sennia was growing uneasy.
"No. Head to the rendezvous point."
Otto slung his gun and led the way. He clearly trusted his comrades.
They climbed the ridge beside the depot. From there, all twelve warehouses were in view—every guard's movement clear to the eyes of drug-enhanced Night Knights.
"Looks like Edwin's done too."
Otto watched the second squad retreat through the valley. In a few strides, they scaled the cliff and rejoined them.
"How'd it go?"
"All set. No contact with the enemy."
"Good."
Otto checked his watch.
"Sit down. Six minutes left."
He settled near the cliff edge and pulled out a cigarette. Edwin quickly joined him and bummed one. Both men lit up, watching the depot below, smoke curling around their relaxed expressions.
"Wanna bet which side goes up first?"
Edwin grinned, cigarette in mouth.
"One pack—east side blows first."
Otto replied without hesitation, cool and confident.
"One bottle of Chastan reserve—east side."
Nordhausen joined in.
"Wait, that's not fair—you're the only one on your team!"
"Then I'll raise the stakes. Two packs, and a bottle of Surian red."
He turned to Nordhausen. "You've been eyeing that bottle for weeks."
"Deal."
The three huddled at the cliff's edge, watching the valley like hawks, waiting for the moment the explosions confirmed mission success.
"They always like this?" Sennia muttered, looking baffled. Arcia stood nearby with a similar expression.
"When there's nothing else to do…"
Eventually, Sennia was invited to sit with them—only Arcia stayed back. All eyes watched the valley.
"Time yet?" Nordhausen asked.
"Just a bit more. Those timers… well, engineers hate them for a reason."
Otto sighed and flicked his finished cigarette off the cliff.
And then, a massive fireball erupted, illuminating the valley. The blast wave hit them like a hammer—Sennia was thrown off her feet, crashing to the ground.
"You okay?"
Arcia walked over and helped her up without expression.
"Told you to stay back."
Sennia still hadn't recovered—her ears rang from the explosion.
"East side. That was ours."
"Yep."
"Damn, I lost big."
The three officers remained seated, somehow unfazed by the shockwave, though their soot-covered faces made them look a bit ridiculous.
"What… just happened…"
Seeing Sennia dazed, Arcia gently laid her down and injected her with Type-2.
Mission complete.
Injured: 1.
Dead: 0.