Butcher Demon

Chapter 127: Echo Nine Down

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“—- This is Echo Nine.
One-zero-one-five.
Black box recovered.
Returning.
Over.”

 

 

 

 

　The pilot's report over the noise of the rotors violently cutting through the air.

 

 

 

　The helicopter, known as the , was the only manned aircraft capable of penetrating the alien air defense network of invisible barriers and rushing to the battlefield.

 

 

 

　In the early days of the war, aircraft development was focused on how to avoid the countless defensive barriers that aliens deployed in the air.
Although this was an obvious solution, development was slow and the progress was not good.
All of the researchers were struggling with an unknown challenge under the tremendous pressure of human extinction.

 

 

 

 

　Then one day.
one of the designers, who had been working tirelessly and sleeplessly for several days, came up with a design concept in a single night that was the key to overcoming the situation.

 

 

 

　The idea was simple: if you can't avoid it, smash it through.
The Slow Tortoise was designed according to this strategy.

 

 

 

　The designer was later called and went on to create a number of weapons for the battlefield.

 

 

　The rotor blades of the Slow Tortoise are thicker than those of an ordinary helicopter.
The material is sturdy, each blade is sharpened like a sword, and above all, there is a lump of iron on the end of the wing that reminds me of a hammer.
The purpose is to smash through the defensive barriers.

 

 

　This simple and bold idea was more effective than we anticipated.
If we proceeded slowly, the membrane would crack with a nice bang.
If we made the body's protective shell thick enough, it could even withstand some direct anti-aircraft magic.

 

 

　However, in return, the aircraft became extremely heavy, slow, and unable to gain any altitude, which is not something you would expect from a helicopter.
Its movement is extremely sluggish and heavy, making it unsuitable for direct combat.
The only thing it could do was to carry people and supplies at a slower pace.
Hence the nickname, “slow tortoise “.

 

 

　But when the turtle was put into actual combat, it performed better than expected.

 

 

　When it flew to the battlefield, it brought reinforcements and supplies, and when it flew away, it retrieved weakened soldiers, a lifeline for the infantry.
As a result, despite its silly nickname, this slow tortoise is loved and relied upon by soldiers to this day.

 

 

　Such a slow tortoise was flying just above the dense forest on the front line.

 

 

 

　In the rear of the helicopter, three soldiers were conversing.
They were the three members of the Echo Team that had been on a mission to investigate and recover supplies from the frontline base that had recently been destroyed by the aliens.

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“Sergeant, I hear you have a second daughter?”

 

 

“Yeah.
Last week.”

 

 

 

“Well, congratulations!　She's going to be beautiful, just like your wife.”

 

 

 

“Yeah, she is, she's kind of cute.”

 

 

The man called the sergeant shyly rubs his balding head.

 

 

　The air was filled with excitement.

 

 

“Ha ha ha! Echo's instructor has become soft!”

 

 

“Let's have a big party when we get back.
Actually, we can rent out the rooftop of the Second Ring Road.”

 

 

 

“Oh, that place was just built recently and it's all booked ………….
hm?”

 

 

 

　The sergeant, who had been chatting calmly, suddenly narrowed his eyes and looked outside.
His face, which had appeared from the side of the helicopter, oozed a strong sense of caution.

 

 

 

“–What is that?”

 

 

 

　Everyone turned to look in the direction the sergeant was pointing.

 

 

　The entire surface of the mountain in the distance appeared to be covered in rocks.
The rock was a strange color, the color of chalk.
The whole surface of the mountain was barren of trees and looked as if it had been hit by a landslide.

 

 

 

“Is there any terrain like that around here?”

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“……
No.”

 

 

 

“Could aliens have carved out the forest?”

 

 

 

“That's odd, It looks like the mountain has been covered with clay or something.
Why?”

 

 

 

“Do you want to go check —-?””

 

 

 

　The pilot turned and asked the sergeant.

 

 

　The sergeant hesitated.

 

 

 

“….Don't get too close.
Just keep your distance and check with the telescope.”

 

 

　He instructed.

 

 

 

The pilot replied, “Roger.” Immediately after that, a smoky haze suddenly appeared from the forest in front of us.

 

 

 

 

 

“Is that ……?”

 

 

 

“Is that a wildfire ……?”

 

 

 

“No…..it's..”

 

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　The sergeant leaned forward next to the pilot with a questioning look on his face.

 

 

 

　*clack*, a small piece of debris stuck to the windshield.
It stained the glass like a piece of gum that had been eaten.

 

 

　Eventually, the sound begins to rapidly increase in pace, crackling, crackling, crackling.

 

 

“Whoa!? What the hell is this ……?”

 

 

 

　A confused voice came from behind the helicopter.

 

 

 

　The sergeant turned around and saw a middle-aged soldier with an insect on his clothing.

 

 

 

“A ……
moth?”

 

 

 

　The sergeant gasped and hurriedly shouted to the pilot.

 

 

 

“Not good.
……
It's a horde of bugs!”

 

 

 

　The cloud of black smoke was actually a swarm of flying insects.

 

 

 

“Turn! Turn away! The turbines gonna suck them in!”

 

 

“Roge……ugh!?”

 

 

　The pilot tightened his grip on the lever in response to the instruction, and at the same time, the helicopter shook violently.

 

 

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　Immediately, the helicopter's instrument lights began to flicker red and the warning sounded madly and loud.
In the midst of the red alert, the distinctive smell of burning oil and incomplete combustion began to waft through the air.

 

 

“Engine trouble!”

 

 

“Mayday, mayday!　HQ, this is Echo Nine!　The engine is down!”

 

 

 

　The next thing I knew, the windshield of the helicopter was covered with dead insects.
A swarm of moths flying around outside the helicopter door, obscuring the view.

 

 

　There was no way a mere moth could fly at the speed of the helicopter.
However, no one noticed the unnaturalness of this emergency.

 

 

“No good!?”

 

 

“No, Sergeant! we're going down!” 

 

 

“Is this an alien attack?”

 

 

“I've never heard of such an attack!!”

 

 

“Everyone! brace the impact.
……
Oh, shit!?”

 

 

“Sergeant!”

 

 

　The helicopter's body began to rotate, entering a free-fall crash landing.
At that time, the sergeant, who was unlucky not to have his body fixed is losing his balance and half of his body was thrown out of the door.

 

 

　A young soldier hurriedly reached out to him.

 

 

“Sergeant, hold on!”

 

 

“Just get into position or I'll break your neck!!”

 

 

“Mayday! Mayday! Echo Nine Down! Echo Nine Down!　HQ N89E661! N8-9E661! N8E661! Requesting rescue team! I repeat, Echo Nine down!　N89E—-“

 

 

　Listening to emergency signals coming through his headphones, the sergeant clinging to the skids of the helicopter.
In his mind was the image of his wife and two daughters that had been sent to him the other day