Arc of Fire

Company commander: “No! I can’t risk losing both the most experienced sergeant and the second most experienced at the same time. If those damn Anteans break through, we’ll need your experience!”

Andreas raised his hand: “Let me go, my home is just a few hundred kilometers away in the mountains, connected to the Carpathians, part of the same mountain range. I’m more familiar with mountain warfare.”

The company commander looked Andreas over, then patted him on the shoulder: “Alright, immediately head to the quartermaster to get your gear, and depart in half an hour!”

…

Half an hour later, Andreas looked at the ten infantrymen assembled in front of him.

Everyone had a youthful face.

Andreas asked the tall, thin guy at the front: “How old are you?”

"Eighteen, sergeant.”

"Nonsense! You have to go through six months in a labor camp, then train for another six months, you can’t be eighteen!”

The tall, thin one: “I only trained for six months, didn’t go to labor camp. The instructor said it was too late, and they started conscripting locals to build the West Wall.”

Andreas stared at the front-runner for a few seconds, then turned to another: “Are you eighteen too?”

"Yes. But sergeant, I spent two years in the Asgard Youth Corps! I am completely loyal to His Majesty and the great cause of Prosen!”

Andreas shook his head, looking at the next one.

Before he could speak, the youth answered loudly: “I’m also eighteen! And I went to the labor camp because I lied about my age! I just came back from there last year!”

Andreas shook his head, turned to the company commander and said: “They’re all kids! They wouldn’t stand a chance even against a regular Antean unit, let alone those cloaked cockroaches!”

Company commander: “They are ready to die for you! Isn’t that enough?”

Andreas: “But you wanted me to bring them back safely, didn’t you?”

Before the company commander could reply, the first tall, thin one Andreas had questioned began to sing the Pulosen national anthem “Forever Praise My Light” loudly.

He even stomped the floor with his boots to keep the beat.

"The blue flower blossoms on the land

"Our noble homeland

"Magnificent songs pierce the clouds

"Divine blessings will forever be with us

"Praise the victories of the homeland, Plowsonia

"Noble is the will to victory

"Prove to the entire universe the love of realizing ideals

"Divine blessings will forever be with us, Plowsonia

"Let our proud steel nation rise!”

Andreas was taken aback: “Good, very good, at least your morale is high. Let’s move out then!”

After saying that, he slung his submachine gun and, without looking back, walked towards the mountains.

They now belonged to the Fifth Ranger Division, which though bearing the name of rangers, was mainly composed of green recruits; the distinguished Prosen unit Andreas was originally a part of had been dissolved by Rocossov, and the survivors were scattered across other units.

As Andreas walked, he addressed the group of young soldiers: “Our destination is the Moravia unit on the adjacent mountain. If they’ve already abandoned their positions, we’ll encounter Ante troops midway.

"Remember, do not engage Ante troops in the woods; their cloaks are excellent camouflage there, and we only have some units issued with the latest camo uniforms.”

The Fifth Ranger Division had no camouflage uniforms; all the soldiers wore the common gray uniforms of the Prosen Army.

Thin one: “I heard it was because the camouflage uniform factory was destroyed by the enemy bombers. Damn bastards!”

"My sister was also killed by the enemy’s bombers.”

"It’s said they even set the entire city ablaze in February, even attacking rescue convoys! Damn, the enemy’s not human!”

"Shut up,” Andreas said calmly.

"What’s wrong? You think the enemy did the right thing?”

Andreas: “I don’t think the enemy did right, but

He thought about it, then decided not to give the recruits a chance to report him like chained dogs.

Just then, the crackling noise interrupted the conversation.

Andreas, of course, knew it was the sound of bullets hitting around, and immediately found a tree to take cover behind.

Bullets tore the bark apart, sending a flurry of wood chips that cut across Andreas’ face.

The other recruits hadn’t even realized what was happening as three of them stiffened—a sign of nerve spasms from being shot.

They fell straight back, faces filled with confusion—yes, even the realization of being fatally shot escaped these recruits, leaving only a sense of bewilderment.

Andreas: “It’s a Scale Weight Launcher! Don’t stay behind one tree for too long; this thing can break a whole tree!”

Saying this, he took advantage of a lull in enemy fire to dash to the next tree, firing as he ran.

A new recruit yelled: “Which direction should we shoot?”

Andreas then remembered, the Scale Weight Launcher made a very faint noise, disproportionate to the loud impacts of the bullets nearby, making it difficult for the recruits to discern the direction of the enemy.

Taking cover behind the next tree, Andreas set down his submachine gun, took out a flare gun and loaded a signal flare, then shot it towards the direction of the incoming bullets.

"Fire towards the direction of the signal flare!”

The next moment, the recruits’ gunfire was sporadic and uneven.

Andreas then dropped the flare gun, picked up the submachine gun, and changed the magazine.

Just then, an Antean veteran in a cape appeared, raising his gun the moment he encountered Andreas.

Andreas quickly rolled, dodging the Scale Weight Launcher’s attack.

Fortunately, there was dense foliage now, preventing the Anteans from “tracking the gun.”