Chapter 34 - To Improve Survivability (2)
While observing the training field, where soldiers playing the role of "magical beasts" were being relentlessly pursued by the fifth-year soldier leader equipped with a magitech tool, Old Man leaned in and whispered to me.
"Young Master, you did say ‘there was a plan’ ...didn’t you?"
"Old Man, what do you think? Whether it can be used in actual combat depends on future development, but I think it's on the right track. This will significantly reduce the chances of surprise attacks. Even magical beasts with low mana reserves can be detected by their numbers. As for monsters, red dots will glow brighter, revealing their threat level."
"I see... If it's for reconnaissance purposes, this could certainly serve as a valuable asset in strategy. Fascinating."
"I aimed to make it simple enough to endure even the rough handling of soldiers. It operates with just two controls—something everyone can grasp. If any of them possess "Hunter Skills" like Prey Detection, I’d like to prioritize them as reconnaissance troops."
"Are you also aiming for a synergistic effect?"
"Keen eyesight and dynamic vision develop remarkably well in those with such skills. It’s a blessing granted by the heavens, after all. What do you think?"
"It’s a wise idea. That fifth-year soldier... quite competent, isn’t he? He’s already captured five targets. The rest must be other fifth-year soldiers, correct?"
"You have sharp eyes, Old Man. You’re absolutely right. The elite fifth-year soldiers are trying to escape using stealth and concealment techniques, but the scrap magic stones they carry are exposing them. See? Another one’s been caught."
"This device... might be revolutionary enough to force a reevaluation of our current tactics. However, how long can it operate continuously? An hour? Or even less? If it becomes unusable mid-mission, it would be like going blind all of a sudden. Its operational duration is certainly a concern."
"I tested it for a full day. Even then, the magic battery held up just fine."
"What?! A whole day...? That's incredible."
"However, it only works against monsters and magical beasts. It cannot be used on humans."
"Ah, yes, you mentioned that earlier. Even if someone tried to use it on humans, their internal mana wouldn’t be visible. The only exception would be if they were carrying a magic stone. It’s easy enough to deal with, though. Young Master, does this approach stem from the unique circumstances of the frontier?"
"Let me make it clear, Old Man. My primary enemies are monsters and magical beasts. Humans are not included in that category. If we can exchange words and come to an understanding, battles can be avoided. Wielding military force indiscriminately could easily spell ruin for the people living in this world, shrouded by the Demonic Forest. Large-scale wars between nations or people fall outside the scope of the magitech tools I develop. To me—and to the knightly house—our only threats are monsters and magical beasts."
"...I see. So, this reflects the pride and reality of a warrior of the frontier. Young Master, this old man understands now."
"Thank you. Well, it seems he has captured everyone. Let’s announce the end of the exercise."
"As you wish."
The results of the trial were acceptable. No fatal flaws had been reported, but I realized it would be quite some time before it could see widespread use. When developing something based solely on one’s own ideas, flaws are inevitable. The key lies in collaborating with others to continue refining it—this I was certain of.
Well, the most significant issue was undoubtedly its appearance. Even the "fifth-year soldier leader" pointed out that while the functionality was excellent, the design made it easy for comrades to mistake the user for a magical beast. When I received that feedback, I could only shrug and remain silent.
Internally, I sighed and thought, "Well... yeah, fair point."
I had simply chosen something suitable from what was readily available; I had never once claimed it to be the final design. The choice prioritized function over aesthetics, so it was only natural for opinions to arise about its appearance.
Of course, I had considered other designs as well.
That’s why the next one, Prototype No. 6, was planned to shift in that direction. Instead of using the skulls of magical beasts, it would incorporate the National Army Standard heavy infantry helmets. Though a repurposed standard issue, its appearance would improve significantly. Another issue raised was the dissatisfaction with having the normal field of vision limited to just the left half.
Specifically, "Could it be made switchable?"
Soldiers on the battlefield cannot afford to have their vision obstructed—it’s a matter of life and death. Therefore, it is better for them to see normally in general. When reconnaissance is needed, using both eyes for scanning allows for quicker recognition of the entire situation in relation to their usual field of view.
It was a blind spot.
Got it. That would be another point to improve. If the mana-detecting mechanism could be integrated into the faceplate of a heavy infantry helmet, it could be flipped up when not in use and lowered only when necessary. Yes, that would be the direction to pursue.
--- § ---
"Commander, um..."
"What is it?"
Until a new prototype could be developed, it was decided to use the awkward existing one to experiment with various tactics. The soldiers were sent back to the barracks, while the fifth-year soldiers and Old Man gathered with me at the Fortress. We held discussions about future tactics, aligning what was feasible with what wasn’t. The successful test results led the fifth-year soldiers to formally request immediate deployment of the device.
We brainstormed various operational policies. By fundamentally revising tactics, it was possible to minimize casualties. Until now, navigating in the "darkness" had been the norm—stumbling blindly into encounters, ambushes from behind being a constant risk. But if the locations of monsters and magical beasts could be identified, we could avoid them entirely or even pinpoint specific targets. It would also allow for implementing the military maneuver called the Penetration Strategy I learned in the Magic Academy’s Knight Department.
Using my knowledge of military history and battle reports that I learned during lectures at the Magic Academy's Knight Department, I fine-tuned the proposed strategies. Both Old Man and the fifth-year soldiers seemed to renew their recognition of my depth of military expertise.
Amidst this, the leader of the fifth-year soldiers approached me with a question.
"...This magical device... It’s clearly specialized for combating monsters and magical beasts. But... Commander, are you perhaps hiding something?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, as someone who’s used this device, I couldn’t help but feel that it’s... how do I put this... designed with a particular type of operation in mind. I have no concrete proof. It’s just an intuition. Perhaps I’m overthinking it, but I can’t seem to shake this feeling."
"I see. Intuition, is it? ...So you’ve noticed. As expected of a fifth-year soldier personally trained by Second Brother. I was planning to reveal this later, but... Wait here for a moment. I’ll show you what I’ve been hiding."
Everyone exchanged puzzled looks. They were still astonished by the scouting magitech tool I had demonstrated that afternoon. I believe they understood it as a groundbreaking innovation in operational tactics. However, it seemed none of them, except for the fifth-year leader, had considered that this might merely be a prerequisite for an entirely new strategy.
---
I left the gathered group waiting as I returned to my laboratory. Inside, the thing in question was securely concealed and preserved. Since returning to my homeland, I had not once unsealed it. It was stored in a wooden box, tightly secured and protected with a barrier spell.
Allowing this knowledge to reach an unspecified number of people was far too dangerous.
The fact that the fifth-year soldier’s intuition extended beyond the immediate threat of magical beasts was truly impressive. Over five years of dealing with magical beast countermeasures had evidently sharpened his ability to consider broader implications. To put it simply, the scouting magitech tool was merely one part of a larger concept. No matter how skilled or brave a soldier may be, if surrounded by numerous monsters and magical beasts, they would eventually be rendered immobile, inevitably leading to loss and death.
This was fundamentally different from adventurers, who risk their lives fighting individually... or in small parties.
Adventurers are always aware of their own skill level. Through the Adventurer Guild, they can accept jobs that match their capabilities and choose opponents they can reasonably defeat.
--- But for us, things were different.
We often start with no initial information whatsoever. To acquire that initial information, we must rely on our own eyes to grasp the situation. The level of threat posed by the enemy, their type, their numbers—everything is unknown. Thus, even when monsters far exceeding our capabilities appear, we must deal with them. Acting in small groups should ideally be avoided as well.
However, as a specialized operational unit known as the guerilla force, avoiding such risks becomes challenging...
The distinction is a matter of workplace. However, for many, this distinction is difficult to grasp. Hearing common folk in town revere renowned adventurers with admiration occasionally evokes a bittersweet feeling in me. While I wish they could understand the difference in the kinds of dangers we face, I know such a desire is both indulgent and arrogant.
But I digress. I had left to retrieve the prepared gun to answer the perceptive fifth-year soldier.
The weapon remained sealed in the wooden box, carefully wrapped and stored. It had stayed there because I had deemed it premature to reveal it. Showing equipment from an entirely different weapons system risked misunderstanding or scorn. Moreover, without fully comprehending that the weapon I had designed was specifically tailored to counter monsters and magical beasts, it could undoubtedly lead to serious issues.
For this reason, I had intended to keep it hidden "until someone realized" the scouting magitech tool could be used differently than demonstrated today.
However, the fifth-year soldier's intuition shattered my plan. Something about that device must have hinted that I was concealing something deeper.
--- And indeed, that is the truth. The device had originally been conceived with an entirely different purpose in mind.
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