‘Maybe, maybe, if I wasn't such a stupid girl, things could have turned out better.’

  By the Fifth Hero of the Shiena Kingdom, Aria.

  "Let's begin the meeting," General Declan said, his chest rising and falling heavily, his expression grim as he surveyed the room. "As you all know, we might be doomed."

  The room fell into oppressive silence. None of the officers laughed or criticized him. They simply stared at Declan in quiet resignation.

  I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, Lura and the other officers from my unit doing the same. Unfortunately, Colonel Cameron and several other key officers from the first wave of 3,000, were still in the medical ward and couldn't attend.

  I wished some of them were here since the mood was bleak, and it was seriously unsettling staring at so many unfamiliar faces. General Sionia was present, but bandaged, sitting quietly beside Declan without her usual commanding presence.

  It wasn't long before one of the officers finally broke the silence.

  "What are we even doing here?" he muttered. "Shouldn't we just surrender to the Empire?"

  Silence again. But this time, it was met with approving nods from several officers around the table. Even Declan seemed to consider it, remaining quiet.

  "What are you thinking?!" First Lieutenant Henry suddenly shouted, his face flushing red with anger. "Surrender?! Have you all lost your minds?"

  It was clear Henry was speaking from emotion rather than experience. I suddenly realized that I hadn't brought him with me to scout the Storm Crusaders. He had no idea just how terrifyingly powerful they truly were.

  Before I could intervene, another officer let out a bitter, almost hysterical laugh, kicking his chair back.

  "Yeah, sure! Let's just charge into that storm and get massacred!" His voice rose, cracking with manic energy. "Do you have any idea how hard we've tried to

  stop them? We couldn't. No matter what we did, we couldn't kill a single knight, let alone slow their advance!"

  He gestured wildly toward Sionia. "General Sionia couldn't stop them with her Wild Magic, the same magic that massacred thousands of Imperials with a single wave of her hand! Our mages, walking siege weapons, couldn't do anything! Our archers' arrows just bounced off harmlessly! Meanwhile, they just keep marching forward, throwing wind slashes that cut through our ranks like paper!"

  The room grew even heavier as his words sank in. Even Henry fell silent, slumping into his seat with a flushed face, still seething but unable to argue.

  Sionia, however, straightened despite her injuries and glared at the officer who had spoken.

  "I might be injured, but I'm not dead," she said coldly. "I will fight in the next battle. And this time, instead of blindly throwing ourselves at them, we're going to make an actual plan." Her voice dropped to a dangerous growl on the last words.

  The officer paled, fumbling for something to say but finding nothing.

  Then Declan spoke again, his calm voice cutting through the tension. "Listen carefully. Reinforcements numbering 5,000 will arrive in two weeks," he said. "After that, the main army, 29,000 strong, will arrive within a month. Until then, we need to hold the line."

  The room erupted into chaos.

  "WHAT?!"

  "A month? Are they insane?"

  "I knew it! I shouldn't have trusted that damn old man! We're finished!"

  The officers seemed to forget they were cursing the very soldiers from the 9th Corps who were sitting in the room with them. My own officers’ anger simmering beneath the surface, except for Lura, who wasn't technically part of the 9th Corps yet, having only just joined.

  It was understandable, though. Facing the Storm Crusaders head-on through sheer strength alone seemed impossible. The 4th Corps had tried overwhelming them with raw power and failed spectacularly.

  Of course, we could strike them when they dropped their storm, or perhaps attack at night when they slept. But the Storm Crusaders, being elite knights, possessed insane stamina.

  The mages sustained themselves with mana potions, while the knights consumed stimulant potions, something similar to what coffee, or drug, did on Earth, allowing them to march continuously. They could maintain this pace until they reached their objective, which in this case meant a full week of non-stop marching in perfect fighting condition.

  Then, once they achieved their goal, they would collapse and sleep like the dead for three full days. Apparently, the 4th Corps had gathered as much information after their defeat.

  The only real chance of victory was to crush them with superior numbers, which was supposed to be the 9th Corps' role. But the 9th Corps couldn't reach the front lines in time. With such a massive force, redeployment was painfully slow, especially in the midst of an active war.

  With their last hope dashed, the officers slumped in their seats, eyes hollow and devoid of hope. Sionia sat quietly, seemingly deep in thought, while Declan just flexed his muscles in barely contained frustration. Seeing that they were too defeated to offer anything useful, I decided to speak up.

  "Excuse me, but I'd like to propose a plan."

  Immediately, every eye in the room turned to me. My stomach tightened at the sudden attention, and I briefly regretted opening my mouth. But there was no turning back now. I couldn't afford to look uncertain. Forcing a neutral expression, I walked toward the large map at the center of the room.

  "Right now, the Storm Crusaders are going to pass through a narrow section where two cliffs face each other. We can use that terrain to our advantage."

  "What exactly are you proposing?" one of the officers asked skeptically. "We've already tried exploiting narrow terrain. Splitting their forces, dropping boulders from above, raining arrows down on them. Nothing worked. We can't get past the wind barrier they generate."

  "And their storms are also mana-proof," Sionia added with a sigh. "Or more accurately, the winds absorb or dispel mana too easily. Any spell up to 3rd Order dissipates the moment it touches their wind barrier."

  That information actually sparked something in my mind. A new plan began forming as I grinned.

  "I'm not suggesting we drop boulders or payloads on them," I replied. "I'm suggesting we drop soldiers, attacking from directly above."

  The room fell into stunned silence. Officers stared at me as if I had lost my mind.

  The tactic was simple in theory: an airdrop behind enemy lines, like parachuting troops on Earth. But here, there were no parachutes, no concept of vertical assault from the sky. The idea was completely foreign to them, or more likely, impossible.

  "You're insane," Declan said flatly, breaking the silence. "You're not as heavy as a boulder. You would be blown away by the wind before you even got close. Even if you somehow succeeded in getting through, how would you land without breaking every bone in your body? And if you do manage to land, how will you face 40,000 soldiers? They're all wearing enchanted armor, and their mages can cast wind blades sharp enough to slice you in half."

  "Not to mention how you'd retreat," Sionia added, looking at me with confused concern. “And there will be no reinforcements as long as there are winds.”

  "I have a plan," I said, trying to keep my voice steady and confident. "But I'll need your approval to move forward with it."

  Several officers snorted, clearly expecting Declan to dismiss the idea outright. But to everyone's surprise, his next words shocked the room.

  "Why not? I approve."

  "Sir?!" Several officers cried out in disbelief, their shock written plainly across their faces.

  Declan ignored them. "I've seen a lot of soldiers and officers in my time," he continued calmly, his eyes fixed on me.

  "But I've never seen anyone propose something this bold while being so confident about it. Let's hear what you've got, Major."

  A grin tugged at the corner of my mouth as the full plan began crystallizing in my mind. This was going to be one hell of a show.

  [(0)]

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  Magic was a strange phenomenon, one that could only be controlled through mana and no other force. That also meant anyone with mana could manipulate it, everyone other than me. Damn it!

  After the meeting, I had worked out a plan, but I needed expert advice since I didn’t really understand magic without mana. When I explained it to General Sionia, she looked thoughtful at first, then grinned at the conclusion. "It's crazy, but it might actually work."

  I had the engineers and magisets, who functioned as scientists, in the 4th Corps make modifications to our MPAs, specifically adding a mechanism that could release short, controlled bursts of mana into the surrounding air.

  Since the Storm Crusaders used mana to control wind, we could disrupt their magic by releasing these mana bursts, disturbing the ambient mana in the air and temporarily breaking their control.

  The theory was simple: think of the Storm Crusaders as a fan generating powerful winds. They weren't creating the wind itself, just directing it. Our mana bursts would act as a brief opposing force, disrupting their control for just a few seconds, long enough for us to punch through their defenses.

  Of course, this was purely theoretical. I couldn't be certain it would actually work, but I kept that doubt to myself. The last thing we needed was to undermine the soldiers' morale before the battle even began.

  The plan itself was straightforward. After initiating the mana bursts to disrupt the Storm Crusaders' wind barrier, we would temporarily disable them, allowing the winds to return, but weakened just enough for us to land safely.

  All the MPA soldiers in my unit would drop directly onto the Storm Crusaders' vanguard. The 4th Corps' MPA units, equipped with the older MPA-63 models, had been either killed or too badly wounded to continue fighting so we 50 units would only be the one doing it.

  Our objective was to inflict enough damage on their front line to break their formation. That would give General Declan the opening he needed to charge in with 10,000 soldiers and exploit the chaos.

  We anticipated the enemy would regroup quickly, so 5,000 of Declan's troops were mounted cavalry for swift hit-and-run attacks, while another 5,000 were longbow archers for ranged support. The goal wasn't to destroy them, just to buy precious time for the main 9th Corps army to arrive.

  "This might be the craziest thing I've ever done," I murmured as I stood atop the cliff, watching the Storm Crusaders approach with their tempest swirling around them.

  Beside me stood Lura, wearing the same MPA-64 as the rest of us. I had ordered one soldier to stand down from this mission, a man with a pregnant wife back home who didn't have the heart to risk his life on such a desperate gamble.

  "If you want out," I said, my short silver hair whipping across my face as the wind grew stronger, "speak now."

  Nobody stepped forward or backward. They simply watched the approaching storm with expressions of quiet determination, grim resignation, and something close to courage.

  "You're getting thrown into the deep end pretty early," I said to Lura with a wry smile, trying to lighten the mood.

  She just nodded, double-checking her armor straps. Seeing she wasn't in the mood for conversation, I turned back to address the group as the Storm Crusaders began passing through the narrow passage below, clearly unaware of our presence above. Even if they spotted us, I doubted they would consider us a serious threat.

  "Listen up," I called out, holding up a small artifact that resembled a baseball but with buttons. "This is important for the landing. When we manage to penetrate the storm, press the green button. If things go wrong and you can't break through, press the red button."

  The artifact had apparently been created by a dwarf inventor, something of a crackpot who had been obsessed with flight. He had made this device during his many failed attempts, after falling from great heights one too many times.

  The green button would activate a wind cushion around the wearer, using the storm's own air currents to slow descent, useful when dropping through chaotic winds. The red button was for emergencies, deploying a physical cushion that would guarantee a safe landing.

  The green button could be used multiple times. The red button was one-time use only.

  "Green for control, red for emergencies," I emphasized. "Don't mix them up, or you'll waste your only guaranteed lifeline."

  I could imagine General Declan’s face as his muscles literally ripped out of his uniform as he glared at me for handing such expensive and precious artifacts. Really, he wasn’t someone special, but for a long time, I felt fear.

  "Ready?" I called out, realizing we were running out of time. We needed to land at the front of their formation before they passed through completely.

  "Yes, ma'am!" the soldiers shouted in unison as we prepared for descent.

  Nobody was truly ready for this. Nobody stepped forward eagerly. Who could blame them? I would probably chicken out too if I were suddenly ordered to jump into a storm-like tornado with no idea what awaited me.

  But unfortunately, I was the leader here, and I couldn't afford to show weakness and tank morale. Instead, I took a deep breath, gathered my strength, and closed my eyes.

  Then I jumped.

  The world whipped around me as I plummeted toward the storm where the Storm Crusaders marched below. Behind me, I heard the distant screams of soldiers as they followed.

  But I could only focus on what lay ahead. I reached for the button inside my MPA armor that the magisets had modified, the one that would release a massive burst of mana into the air around us.

  The wind wasn't strong enough yet, so I let it carry me down faster and faster. Soon, I reached a point where I could no longer feel the fall itself, only resistance. And it kept building.

  "NOW!" I shouted to no one in particular, slamming the button.

  Immediately, energy exploded outward, shining in brilliant white light that enveloped us. The resistance from the wind weakened dramatically as we descended even faster.

  "WOOOOO!" I couldn't help myself. Skydiving while shouting had been on my bucket list from my past life. This was close enough. It counted though I didn’t have a parachute or an expert to help me out.

  As we dropped, I pressed the green button, activating the wind cushion. Immediately, the chaotic winds around me became gentler, and I felt an invisible force guiding me through the sky.

  The currents carried us safely toward the front lines of the Storm Crusaders. I silently thanked whatever Goddess of Luck might be listening.

  The knights below, groups of four surrounding a single mage each, seemed utterly shocked by our presence as, one by one, all 50 of us landed safely inside their storm.

  Then—

  "Kill them!"

  A knight screamed as several surged forward, ashen-colored energy enveloping their bodies as they charged.

  "Aura!" a soldier from my unit shouted. "They're using aura!"

  Aura was the knights' equivalent of Wild Magic for mages, a special ability that dramatically enhanced their physical capabilities. Of course, it required mana. WHY?! Why didn't I have mana to do cool things like that?!

  But I had no time to complain as several knights rushed us. I quickly pocketed the artifact ball inside my armor and drew Windwhisper, which was really just a fancy regular sword without mana to power it. DAMN IT! NINE! GIVE ME MANA PLEASE!

  "Die!" a young knight screamed from beneath his helmet, bringing his sword down on me.

  I sidestepped and parried. The moment our blades connected, confusion washed over me. This strike was nothing like what I had expected from an elite soldier.

  This was someone with immense strength who had no idea how to use it properly. In terms of actual skill, beyond his enchanted armor and aura, he was just a regular Imperial soldier.

  "Are you just a regular soldier dressed up as a knight?" I asked, genuinely curious rather than mocking.

  "DIE!" the young knight screamed back incoherently.

  I easily pierced through his armor. His body went limp.

  I glanced around and spotted Lura holding her own against two knights. She wielded a thin longsword with fluid grace, moving like a dancer as neither opponent could land a strike. She flowed through their attacks, suddenly appearing beside one knight and piercing his helmet before pulling her blade free, executing a leg sweep on the second soldier, then driving her sword through his visor in one smooth motion.

  "Where did you learn to fight like that?" I asked, genuinely impressed.

  After all, the only training she had received was basic instruction, barely worth calling a lesson, that I had given her while riding Saky. I had never seen her in actual combat before. Yet she moved like a seasoned veteran.

  "I don't know," Lura answered simply, dodging an incoming strike. "I just... know it."

  "Fair enough," I grinned, slashing at an approaching knight.

  Despite their numbers, the mages found themselves nearly useless. The chaotic melee made it impossible to aim without hitting their own knights. At one point, the knights retreated to give the mages a clear shot. Wind blades sliced through the air toward us, but we dodged easily, the MPA enhancing our speed and reflexes.

  Instead, the retreat left the mages exposed. I charged forward, cutting them down left and right, eliminating every mage I could reach.

  "Regroup! Regroup!"

  "102nd through 105th Platoons, take that girl's head!"

  Chaos and panic erupted as they realized they couldn't stop us. My soldiers and I tore through knights and mages alike with brutal efficiency.

  "Lady Aria!" A soldier rushed toward me, panic in his voice. "Enemy reinforcements confirmed, about 500 strong!"

  "Give the order to fall back!" I shouted, cutting down another mage. "We're running low on Mana Crystals. Retreat!"

  The mana bursts had been crucial to our success, but they consumed enormous amounts of power. Each of us had brought 10 Mana Crystals, yet in less than ten minutes, I was already on my eighth, having burned through seven just for the mana burst to penetrate their storm.

  Retreating was our only option. This battle was never about destroying the Storm Crusaders. It was about buying time.

  As my soldiers began pulling back, I kept Windwhisper raised, cutting down anyone who got too close.

  The thunderous sound of hooves suddenly echoed across the battlefield. Moments later, 5,000 cavalrymen charged forward from the distance ahead.

  The wind barrier at the front had noticeably weakened due to our killing many mages. Before enemy reinforcements could restore it, most of the cavalry managed to break through, though a few were caught by residual wind blasts and thrown aside.

  "Kill them! Avenge our comrades!" the cavalry commander shouted, his voice booming across the battlefield. His soldiers echoed the cry, fury driving them forward.

  Despite their courage, they lacked the strength the MPA provided. Many fell to spells from the enemy reinforcement mages before even reaching melee range. But thanks to the damage we had already inflicted, their charge wasn't wasted. They closed the distance, forcing the mages into desperate close combat while knights scrambled to protect them.

  "Lady Aria, should we assist them?" one of my soldiers asked, gripping his blade tightly, knuckles white with tension.

  "No," I replied firmly, keeping my voice steady. "It's too risky. We continue our retreat and save as many of our own as we can. However, you are authorized to engage any knights or mages we encounter during withdrawal. Do not hold back."

  "Yes, ma'am!" the soldier responded, saluting.

  “You did well Lura.” I said to Lura who simply nodded as she retreated with others.

  I turned back toward the chaos, watching the battlefield erupt into an inferno of blood and steel. Knights and cavalry clashed, mages struggled to cast amid the melee, and the ground itself seemed to tremble under the weight of carnage.

  For the first time in a long while, I felt a strange pang in my chest—a deep, hollow ache.

  Why does so much blood need to be shed?

  "I really wish I hadn't been reincarnated here..." I murmured to myself, forcing my legs to keep moving as I ran with my unit, retreating once more into the chaos of survival.