CHAPTER 176 — The Devil of the Rhine
The mansion that housed the Imperial Army's Western Command stood tall and quiet.
It had once belonged to a noble family, long before the war. Its white walls were thick, its halls wide, and its windows high enough to let in light even on gloomy days. Now, instead of art and music, the building held maps, reports, and the weight of a war that refused to truly end.
Inside, the air felt heavy.
Not loud. Not chaotic.
Just tense.
Officers moved through the corridors with practiced steps. Their boots echoed softly against polished floors. No one laughed. No one lingered. Every movement carried purpose.
Deep inside the mansion, behind a heavy wooden door, sat a private office.
Inside that office stood Major Tanya Degurechaff.
She stood straight, back firm, heels aligned perfectly on the floor. Her small frame looked almost fragile compared to the large desk in front of her, but her posture told a different story. She was rigid, controlled, and sharp. Her blue eyes were focused on the man seated across from her.
A senior officer of the Imperial Army.
He sat behind his desk, hands folded, expression tired but calm. Papers were stacked neatly at his side. A map of the region was pinned to the wall behind him, lines and markings showing months of fighting.
Tanya spoke first.
"Permission to deploy," she said. Her voice was clear. Firm. "I request authorization to continue the attack with my unit."
The officer sighed softly.
"Major Tanya," he replied, "let it go."
She did not move.
He continued, his tone measured. "Victory is already within reach. The enemy is retreating. Continuing now would only waste manpower."
Tanya's fingers tightened at her sides.
"This stability is temporary," she said. "The enemy is reorganizing. If we press now, we can end this."
The officer shook his head. "The war is effectively over."
"No," Tanya said immediately. "It isn't."
Her voice rose just slightly, not loud, but urgent.
"This moment decides everything," she continued. "If we stop now, we lose momentum. If we act, the Empire wins completely."
The officer's eyes narrowed.
"Major," he said sharply, "that is enough."
The words struck harder than shouting.
Tanya froze.
Slowly, she lowered her head.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then, in a quieter voice, she spoke.
"I beg you to understand," she said. "I am only doing my duty as a soldier."
Her hands clenched into fists.
"If we hesitate now, future losses will be far greater."
She raised her head again, eyes locked onto his, her expression heavy with pressure, an oppressive presence bearing down on him.
"Are you going to refuse me," she asked, "regardless of reason?"
Silence followed.
The officer did not answer immediately.
Then Tanya exhaled.
"I understand," she said. "I will respect the demands of Imperial command."
The officer blinked.
"What?" he asked.
Tanya continued, her tone calm but cold.
"If we do nothing now," she said, "future historians will say we were lazy. That we lacked resolve."
She straightened.
"I will use the privilege granted to me by High Command," she continued. "I will engage in force reconnaissance."
The officer stood abruptly.
"W-what?"
Tanya looked him straight in the eye.
"I ask that you do not intervene."
She turned and walked out.
~~~
Imperial Army V-1 Facility
Inside were flying vehicles.
Her steps were steady as she walked straight toward the flying vehicle belonging to Adelheid von Schugel, the Empire's key technical officer.
Two soldiers stepped into her path.
"Major, please," one said, lowering his voice. "Reconsider."
"This is dangerous," the other added, glancing toward the facility behind her.
Tanya did not slow her pace. Her expression remained flat, unreadable.
"The High Command ordered testing of V1," she said. "I am complying with a direct order."
Her tone left no room for argument.
She walked past them, boots striking the floor in steady rhythm.
For a moment, neither soldier moved.
Then another figure stepped forward.
Viktoriya Ivanovna Serebryakov.
"Major," Visha said, her voice tight, almost brittle. "Special orders from HQ. Top priority."
She stepped forward, blocking the metal door ahead with firm resolve.
Tanya's expression tightened.
She already knew.
Her jaw clenched. Fingers curled slightly at her sides.
"Say it," Tanya demanded, voice low but firm.
Visha hesitated, eyes flicking down for a moment before meeting Tanya's.
"It's… an armistice order."
Tanya froze. Her steps faltered.
Her body trembled, subtle at first, then more noticeable. Sweat formed along her brow, running in thin lines down her temple.
Anger surged, hot and sharp, twisting in her chest, coiling around her ribs. A bitter ache settled there, raw and familiar.
She swallowed, letting out a quiet, ragged breath.
"Just a little more," she whispered, voice tight. "Just a little more… and the war would have ended."
She stepped past Visha.
"Major," Visha called softly, sadness in her voice.
But Tanya did not turn back.
She moved with steady, purposeful steps, exiting the facility and heading straight for her office.
The door slammed shut behind her, echoing through the quiet room.
She tore off her coat, tossing it across the floor.
Her fist struck the wall. Once. Hard.
Again. And again.
Her knuckles flared red, warmth spreading through her skin. Her breathing came fast, shallow.
"Just a little more," she muttered, almost to herself. "A little more, and it would've been over."
Her hands tightened briefly, then relaxed.
They had been close, close enough that it still lingered in her thoughts, the sense that the end, the goal, was right there. Now, it felt farther away.
Tanya took a slow breath and straightened her back.
It wasn't the result she wanted. But it was the situation she had.
Then
Ding.
The sound echoed inside her mind.
A glowing panel appeared before her eyes.
[The Devil of Rhine has joined the group chat.]
Tanya froze.
The room around her seemed to fade, edges softening as if the world itself had dimmed.
Text appeared on the screen.
Naruto: Ohhh, a new member. Too bad we already started the "Right of Crossing".
Diana: The Devil of the Rhine… may I ask your name?
Mindy: Don't be scared. It's real.
Naruto: Yeah!
Tanya blinked, taking a moment to process it all.
Then, carefully, she began to type.
Tanya: Hello everyone.
Another message appeared.
[Naruto started a broadcast]
[Do you want to watch or not?]
Naruto: Come watch. You can be with us.
After a brief pause, Tanya accepted.
The world around her dissolved.
When it reformed, she was standing inside a large office.
A long table stretched across the room, polished wood catching the soft overhead light. People were seated around it, their expressions attentive, waiting.
Naruto was closest to her, leaning slightly forward. Beside him sat Mindy and Saeko, calm but alert.
Her eyes drifted across the table, and then caught something that made her breath pause.
A massive figure stood there.
Over three meters tall. Thick, heavy armor gleaming like gold, every surface catching the light. The presence radiated strength and authority.
Gaius.
Beside him stood a man in advanced armor and a woman with calm eyes and a sword at her side.
Everyone turned toward her.
Naruto smiled. "Don't worry. We can see you, but you can't touch anything."
Tanya reached forward.
Her hand passed straight through the table.
Tony frowned, raising an eyebrow. "A kid?"
Mindy tilted her head, studying her carefully. "She's even younger than me."
Diana watched quietly, her expression calm and measured.
"They call her the Devil of the Rhine," she said. "She isn't ordinary."
After all, she was wearing a military uniform, despite being just a child.
Tanya remained silent, taking it all in.
END OF CHAPTER
~~~
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