# Enhanced Translation
The Annihilation Squad's
ambush response training has various educational curricula.
For example, how to react to killing intent.
Or, the optimal response after successfully detecting a line-of-fire.
Terrain
assessment, analyzing enemy numbers and armaments. Various other field doctrines
remain from countless military achievements.
However,
the training Ivan prepared for Isabelle ultimately came down to just one thing. The simplest,
most fundamental principle.
[Ambush
until they respond]
Therefore, Ivan now sat quietly in a tree, raising his gun barrel.
Through the
rear sight, he could see Isabelle. Still looking proud with no apparent intention of concealment.
"Click."
After
aligning the sights and just before pulling the trigger, he shifts the firing point.
"Bang!"
When
line-of-fire detection is just beginning to develop, the problem is that one doesn't fully trust their own senses yet.
Line-of-fire
detection is ultimately a sense close to intuition. If you're swayed by sight and sound, you can't respond properly.
"Eek!"
"...Wrong."
Ivan
sighed as he watched Isabelle scream in the distance and hastily duck her head.
Despite
the shot clearly missing, Isabelle attempted to dodge. This caused her balance to falter, exposing a vulnerability.
"Click, Bang—!!"
Seizing
that opening, he aimed precisely at her forehead and fired.
Barely
managing to dodge, Isabelle trembled as she stared at the bullet mark embedded in the tree.
"You're shooting real bullets! At my head! Really?!"
Soon
her eyes opened. The fierce blue glow in them was staring directly at where Ivan was hiding.
'She's
getting better.'
Like
a sensible training instructor, Ivan nodded with satisfaction.
He
quickly abandoned his concealment position.
"Haha, ahaha. I'm really going to kill him."
Isabelle
walked, trembling while tightly gripping her sword hilt.
A real bullet
aimed at her forehead...?
"I'm
crazy. I'm stupid. I was wrong, yes. It's my fault."
Getting
slightly excited about training in the forest where 'that incident' happened?
Feeling
happy that he readily offered to help, dropping everything when I suddenly asked?
Yes, it's all my fault.
I thought
we'd swing some swords, laugh a bit, get some feedback...
Maybe
talk about what happened that day, now as memories.
I even
prepared sandwiches to share, wore my favorite clothes, and even put on makeup I rarely do at the palace.
Yes.
I'm
such an idiot.
"Click."
Gripping
the sword hilt tightly, she took another step forward.
"Shing."
Drawing
the sword upward, glancing at the cold blade, and holding it quietly but firmly.
"Bang—!"
"Clang!"
She
deflected the bullet by precisely cutting through the line-of-fire.
"Really... really... you're dead! You!!"
The
hero's righteous anger flared up. She deflected every incoming bullet while charging straight in the direction the line-of-fire came from.
Where
bullets are fired from, there must be a shooter.
As long
as she doesn't get hit by bullets, just once. Really, just once.
Just
hit him once. Thinking that...
That's
what she must be thinking.
Ivan
quietly retreated while looking directly at the charging Isabelle.
Finding
an agent perfectly concealed in the forest shadows is a difficult task. Even with line-of-fire detection, nothing changes.
Since
a shooter is always at the end of a line-of-fire, the shooter must also be assumed to know this fact.
"I'll
give you the second lesson."
Ivan,
being an excellent instructor, prepared to deliver a considerate teaching.
Charging
Especially
in an 'ambush' situation, he decided to teach her it was the worst option.
"Boom!!"
Ivan
smiled slightly as he watched Isabelle step on a booby trap and get caught in the explosion.
"Good."
Isabelle
barely avoided the explosion and smiled as she dusted off the dirt that had showered down on her head.
"I'm
really going to kill you."
Just
hit him once? Such a half-hearted thought created this situation.
She
realized anew that when dealing with this madman, she needed to give it her all. Isabelle deflected the incoming bullets without even looking at them.
"Do
you understand now why the forest is more difficult?"
A
very calm voice reached her ears.
Crunch, her hand tightened on the sword hilt.
"Underground
sewers or tunnels take the form of linear mazes. Artificial structures have their unique patterns. This means there are predetermined points for setting traps or launching ambushes."
The
lesson continues. Of course, these are valuable pieces of advice that will greatly help her.
"But
forests have multiple characteristics simultaneously. They facilitate concealment and cover, with many places to set traps that are extremely difficult to notice in advance. Because they form non-linear mazes, it's also easy to guide the target's movement path."
This
is how a few surround many.
Contrary
to many people's misconceptions, encirclement at the tactical level is about limiting information.
The encirclement doesn't actually need to be dense or the offensive fierce.
A few
exchanges at the right moment are sufficient. Having an information advantage and forcing the opponent to misjudge is the basis of encirclement.
-Numerous enemies are hiding beyond that forest.
-Approaching that forest will result in being caught in an offensive.
-There are no allies beyond that forest.
When
such misjudgments accumulate and crack the field commander's leadership, the encirclement by a few is complete.
Ivan
was quietly continuing his explanation when he suddenly stopped.
Isabelle
was trembling with her head lowered.
"Mister."
"Hmm?"
"Phew... Thank you. Thanks to you, my head is clear now."
"...Hmm?"
Isabelle
looked somewhere in his direction with a cheerful smile.
Considering
the direction of the sound and where the line-of-fire was detected, it must be this way.
She
nodded and raised her sword hilt.
-Take up the sword.
-Take up the sword not for your power, but for your goodness.
-Look at those like us through the eyes of the weak.
"Yes,
I will do so."
Isabelle
gripped her sword hilt as if entranced and took her stance. Bright blue magical power swirled around her body, sparkling and illuminating the dark forest.
A
refreshing breeze raced through the late spring forest.
"Don't
move!!"
"Oh."
Ivan
looked at her with shining eyes. Though the structure and circulation method of magical power were different... somehow it reminded him of Maximillian's aura.
He
might have had more talent for teaching someone than he thought. (An educator's quality is determined by the student's achievement.)
Ivan
nodded willingly and lowered his gun barrel.
Isabelle's
senses had fully blossomed. At this level, double-shooting techniques to deceive line-of-fire detection would no longer work.
The
level where one accelerates nerves with magical power and hones the entire body's reaction speed to the extreme. The so-called 'battlefield of superhumans.' She had reached that boundary.
Projectile
weapons no longer work against those who have reached this point. This is because line-of-fire detection develops almost to the level of precognition.
So.
"Shing..."
He
raised his axe.
"I'm
really... going to... kill you..."
On
the train returning to Pritzenkaya, Ivan smiled looking down at the sleeping Isabelle.
Despite
her disheveled appearance with dirt, minor wounds, and tattered clothes, she looked rather noble. Her golden hair, spread like a wheat field under the moonlight falling through the window, sparkled.
Making
soft breathing sounds, Isabelle rested her head on his shoulder, looking just like a small child of her age.
"Maximillian."
Every
time the train rattled along the tracks, Ivan gently stabilized Isabelle's swaying head and whispered.
"You
have a wonderful daughter."
-You have a wonderful daughter.
Isabelle
tightly clenched her hand hidden in her sleeve, and deliberately tensed her lips that were trying to relax on their own.
She
carefully rested her cheek on his broad shoulder, just enough not to be noticed.
Clack, clack. The train ran along the tracks.
The
warm air inside the car flowed gently. With her eyes slightly open, she could faintly see the dim interior.
Moonlight
was pouring through the window. The forest where she had trained today stretched far away.
He
was an idiot who knew nothing about romance or common sense, a madman who covered his decent face with a beard.
But
still, still. He was worth making allowances for. After all, he was the benefactor who saved her life. Just that much. Not any hasty affection, really just that much.
Common
sense can be taught, and the beard can be trimmed someday.
Yes. Right.
With
the feeling of molding a person. Who else would take in this pitiful human if not me? This is, therefore... a hero's spirit of 'service.' That's what it is.
There
was a unit with a glorious past and long history and tradition, once called the 7th Engineering Platoon of the 12th Company, 3rd Battalion under the 5th Dragon General.
They
cracked whips to urge on slaves and quietly raised their telescopes.
"Why
were they fighting anyway?"
"Must
be a difference of opinion, comrade!"
"Do
you detonate explosives and fire bullets when you have differences of opinion, comrade?"
"No,
comrade!"
Due
to the target's unexpected visit and fierce battle, three ambush points collapsed with their foundations. Ah, there was no such shoddy construction when the great 5th Dragon General was alive! The platoon leader was disappointed.
In
most cases, when an is disappointed, they tend to look for problems within the unit.
And
in most cases, that attempt always brings appropriate effects. The beautiful culture of 'passing down love,' which is fairly dissolved in all armies worldwide, exists even among demons and even dwarves.
"The
Shadow Sword's play date is a week away. Comrades. Rebuild the collapsed positions and prepare thoroughly!"
"Yes,
comrade!!"
A
dwarf with gray beard gave a sharp military salute and walked away with heavy steps.
Dwarves
are masters of civil engineering. Underground tunnel excavation is included in civil engineering. And
according to the syllogism, the following proposition is true.
Dwarves
can infiltrate anywhere there is ground.
This
is why Ivan calls them rats.
Pritzenkaya
remained peaceful with one week left until Enrique's exam.