Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 249: Arc 4, Act II, - 94: Our Former Foe

"Ccchh..." "Many of our troops seem to be in delirium. We’ve had multiple suicides and homicides recorded. The entirety of Company Two has gone AWOL for several hours, nearing a complete day now," a feminine voice relayed over the radio.

The dog-human soldier who beckoned Jotou and Fumeko held the transceiver’s microphone. Surrounding them were the soldiers on night duty. "The Thundering Blade and..." he searched for some sort of nametag, "...her companion are here, if you could relay-"

"Warp," the microphone was snatched away by shadow into the brunette’s grasp. She gave a glare to the soldier and pressed the button, "Detective Fumeko Namora here, tell me, were the suicide and homicide victims sent in the same direction as Company Two?"

"Yes, Company Three was initially sent on reconnaissance to the west, but many of the troops returned and experienced some amounts of trauma and confusion; they were the victims.

The company’s captain reported that there seemed to be enemy encampments, but the enemies didn’t advance, allowing our troops to report back and I ordered Company Two to set up camp there.

There hasn’t been communication and the current victims have taken our attention. We’re in the process of exhausting possibilities, but we’re beginning to suspect magic may be in play so, we contacted Division Six," the radio crackled.

Fumeko glanced to Jotou, "Could be some invisible toxin in the air where they were? So many cases at once after returning, magic’s possible; my instincts’re saying either Poison Feather or."

"The Psyching Dread," Jotou completed the thought. ’It’s easier to explain who Dread is to the others with this evidence; not like Fumeko doesn’t already know of my informant. I can tell the others this though.’

"Remember the intel we got from Kor before we left Kria?" Jotou verbalized.

Fumeko’s eyes darted to the floor, taking a moment to recall which intel... "...Trailon succeeded in the evacuation of their telepath. The telepath was a she.

She couldn’t control minds, but could use spaces to create subliminal memories and lightly read people’s thoughts—only negative emotions and memories though. Happier memories warded off her abilities..."

"Negative emotions and memories being brought up and being amplified can very easily drive people to insanity or even suicide. Seemingly fine soldiers return, then the next moment in delirium?" Jotou hinted.

Fumeko’s eyes fluttered with furrowed brows, "Telepath from Trailon, the Psyching Dread, how did we not connect this befor-" she glared at the blonde, "Of course you already put it together..." she suspected that Jotou had somebody’s aid...

"Could’ve easily slipped our minds after all the time shenanigans affecting our heads, no? Plus, the Psyching Dread could’ve been someone else entirely," Jotou gave a light smirk.

Fumeko shook her head, "We fought the Psyching Dread in Kria already... Which means an elite was in play before Frost even showed up."

"I entered Hotaru’s memory... space-place? When the giant velatos attacked the guild. It was made of bad memories and velatos sometimes took the form of people’s fears to make red herrings.

Those memories being brought up? Hotaru wasn’t okay after that for a while," Jotou replied.

"But Hotaru was also physically being injured, right?" 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"That could be the coordinated effort of Jiana, Lexi and Dread."

"Yeah, must be actually," Fumeko held a hand to her chin.

"I’ll uh, go get the general," one of the soldiers left the scene.

"I’m sorry. Thundering Blade and Detective Namora, do you know what’s going on?" the soldier next to them raised a brow. "Is this actually a matter of an elite soldier from Trailon?"

"Highly likely. We just figured out we may’ve fought her back during the whole Krian Velatos Case, if you know what that is," Jotou answered.

"I, loosely know of it."

Fumeko pressed the button of the microphone, "It must be the Psyching Dread. She was thought to have a psychic-based enchantment and illusion affinity, but that could easily be wrong since it came from interrogations.

What we do know is that it’s all in their heads. All the soldiers affected need to think of their happiest memories to nullify the effects of her magic."

"Well... If the soldiers already returned, I don’t think the magic’s still affecting them." Jotou winced an eye, "It’s more so waiting for them to snap after bad memories resurfaced and were intensified."

"What else am I supposed to say? Gather everyone in Company Three and find a therapist?" she shrugged, finally letting go of the button.

"Magic is such a..." an exasperated sigh came from the radio. "Copy that, thank you for the intel. We’ll gather Company Three and wait for you to rendezvous with Division Four. Arrive speedily. Division General Kapadia, out," the radio went silent.

"We’ll have to wait for the Division General to make preparations," the soldier gently took the microphone back from her.

Another entered the communications tent, keenly looking around the area. Arabella honed in on the two near the radio and tilted her head to the side, a crease of her brows.

"Why’re you up?" Fumeko glanced.

Arabella pointed to the two, then put her hands together to the side to signal sleep and then circled her finger in the air, all in swift movements.

"Both of us were missing and all the commotion going around," Jotou put together. "We’re gonna have to wake the rest up anyway. Another elite Arabella, get ready."

_

"We shall be heading to Division Four in the next hour, the westmost division. Apparently, the Trailon Regime has already crossed the chasm there and set up an encampment towards said division.

Four horsaroaches are prepared with a spacious carriage for the seven of us, including some provisions for the trip," Feyan spouted as he entered their tent, where the other six waited.

Sitting on their beds, they turned. Jotou and Fumeko had relayed to them of the Psyching Dread. Feyan had heard it all from the Division General, walking in with a few documents.

"We have to take convoluted routes to avoid ravines and the like, so our time of arrival may be around ten or eleven hundred hours."

"Arrive speedily she said," Fumeko snarked.

"We leave at six forty-five; three to four hours ain’t so bad," Daiyu had her foot atop her bed, an arm hanging off her knee.

"I still can’t believe we already faced an elite back in Kria..." Hotaru stared off into the void.

"The evidence leads to it," Fumeko affirmed, giving a passing glance to Jotou.

"That means we know more, so we can plan better, right?" Asobi sat, hugging her knees.

"What’ve you got cooking in that head of yours loser?"

"Oh, I have to do my planning job again princess? At least have the decency to call me leader," Jotou stuck her tongue out.

"Never~" Daiyu responded in kind.

"Come up with something then."

"Fine." Daiyu deliberated. "We can use Hotaru’s protection spell thingy she used when the countess attacked. Can’t believe you didn’t think of that when we fought Gale."

The redhead’s ears bristled, "Aegis-Aura?"

Jotou tightened her lips, "It can’t go very far, Aru has to be close or the spell fades. It wouldn’t’ve helped if she was in some back tent while we were in the front, fighting Gale.

Plus, the Psyching Dread’s gonna mess with your head, prey on your negative emotions and play with your trauma. How’s a physically protecting aura gonna help with that?"

"Alright, alright," Daiyu groaned, fanning her hand, "Can you—pretty please with a bright red cherry on top—make a plan?" she half-closed her right eye.

"Since you asked so nicely~"

"Arabella still hasn’t had her armour fixed," Asobi pointed with her wand to remind.

Jotou pondered, "Well the thing is, the armour would help if there are other soldiers fighting against us. If it’s only Dread, she’s gonna screw with our mental fortitude."

Arabella held her leather jacket, looking to her black trousers and brown boots. She looked up and shook her head before signing with her hands. It was obvious she was saying she didn’t need her armour.

"Just promise you’ll be more careful Ara."

Arabella nodded.

Daiyu then sighed. Her foot on the floor tapped, out of habit rather than to use her ability. She raised her hand and took off the golden tiara.

"This thing’s enchanted," she uttered. Slowly she pushed the metals of the tiara, converting it into a pale-gold circlet with the same purple gems.

"Everyone in the Tamara family has one custom-made. It’s made to keep away magics that affect or manipulate the mind, so no one ruling is like, being mind controlled or whatevs.

It’s wayyy expensive and should help against the Psyching Dread. But if I got it right, my mind and Jotou’s can’t be messed with anyway. So," she dangled it off her finger, "Who needs it?"

"I believe the enchantment will not simply nullify such magic from affecting the mind, but still aid in resisting them greatly," Feyan added.

"You’re only telling us this now!?" Fumeko squinted.

"Didn’t come up before. Besides, I forget this thing’s on my head half the time."

The blonde gazed to the wolf-girl... "Aru?"

Hotaru’s shoulders rose and fell, an audible exhale. "I’ll manage. After everything that bitch did to me back in Kria, I’m anything but scared to face whatever’s to come."

Asobi shrunk and her eyes softened towards her. Fumeko peered away...

Her fangs were bared to the floor, her hands clenched softly. Even so, her tail did not spike and she controlled her breaths. "I’ll stick just a little close to everyone.

Not in the fray, but at least enough for Aegis-Aura if there’re soldiers around trying to shoot at us." And to quickly heal anyone instead of waiting patiently...

This was just a fight where she couldn’t... She wouldn’t... If she sat idly by, her anger would boil anyhow. What if Dread took away another person from her? The brilliant blue pools gazed to Jotou, as if to plead something.

’She wants to fight... This is about revenge, isn’t it? I don’t like the idea Aru, you need to be in control. Still somehow, I want her to do this as much as she does...

Give Dread the retribution she deserves... Is she looking at me because she knows she might lose control? That I can break her out of it?’ "Just follow me, I’ll stick close by you," Jotou whispered although everyone could hear.

Daiyu shifted her arm like a rotating coatrack, swaying the circlet to Arabella. Arabella put her hand up and shook her head. "Suit yourself," Daiyu looked to Feyan.

"I would like to help in the fight my lady, but it is better for me to stay back. Some of the delirious soldiers could use my attention if Ms Hotaru is to go forward."

Fumeko turned around to the raven-haired woman. Asobi shrugged, still hugging her knees. "You take it," Fumeko spoke.

"I think you should take it Meko, you’re gonna be getting much closer than me," the elf cocked her head.

"Look, however way it goes, happy thoughts push away whatever Dread can do."

"That’s why you should have it, I’ve got lots of happy thoughts," she beamed wide to prove her point.

"She’s gonna bring up one bad memory and you’ll freeze up, crying rainbows. Face it, if Dread spots you, you’re down for the count."

Her lips fell into an immediate frown, "Meko... Well, what if something like our house on fire happens again?"

"Trust me, it won’t," she glared.

"So who’s taking it?" Daiyu broke apart their bickering with a half-cocked brow.

"Give it to Sobi," Jotou told.

"Huh?"

"Hmph," Fumeko grinned.

"Jotou-"

"She’s right," the blonde stopped the elf in her tracks. "Don’t put up an act," she stared.

Asobi gulped and took a good look at everyone... "Okay. I’ll take the tiara," she unfurled from her position and walked over to take the circlet off Daiyu’s finger.

She fitted the circlet on, the amethyst gem centred on her forehead. "A hat and this won’t work at all... And the colour’s all wrong," she took it off to take a look.

"Cry me a river," Daiyu half-closed her right eye.

Asobi pointed her wand to it and white lights surrounded it. The colours shifted from pale-gold to a whitish-silver and the gems had gone onyx black, "Perfect!"

She put it back on and shined a spotlight down on herself, "Call me, Princess Asobi!"

Fumeko watched with glazed over eyes, "No."