(DISCONTINUED)The Butcher Of Verdun (Youjo Senki) (M Reader X Tanya Degurechaff)

Prologue : New Recruit

Mud, dead trees and unrecognizable corpses. That is all that can be found here. The vital city of Verdun, located in the south-eastern parts of the Francois Republic, is under siege from the opposing forces of The Empire. The raging inferno of the devil's anvil roars like a mighty lion. Men charge from their trenches, only to be ripped apart by machine gun fire, or struck down by artillery shells. Neither side looked to be giving in, but neither side was looking as if they were winning. That is the harsh reality of trench warfare, high costs for low rewards, if any. "They Shall Not Pass" was the order given, relating to how the Republic's men will not allow a single inch of land will be given to the enemy forces. This is the front of the battle of Verdun. Closer to the city, artillery still heard, men were waiting for their own ten days of hell. General Pétain declared that no soldier shall spend more than ten days in the trenches of the Verdun wasteland. The trenches closer to the evacuated city were filled with men and weapons of war. At ground level, men can be seen observing the far away battlegrounds (as best they can) by peering over the trench parapets, but something else can be seen. A dark green Adrian helmet can be seen, just a little higher than the trenches the wearer is in, going up and down while moving through the trenches as the other men in the trenches peer down at the wearer as they walk past. A closer look at the wearer reveals him to be a male around the age of 16 with matted (H/L) (H/C) hair aswell as dull (E/C) eyes. Slung over his arm is a Lebel Model 1886 rifle and under said arm is a couple boxes of ammo. This young man is (Y/N) (L/N). An adolescent who volunteered for the army to protect his country from the imperial horde.

(Y/N) POV

As I jog through the trench to deliver the ammo I have with me, men look at me as if I'm a mutated animal on it's last leg. You lot probably got drafted, at least I want to be here to kill those Jerrys. And the constant artillery is just giving me a migraine. I'm almost at the lookout anyway so I'll get a chance to calm it down a bit. I turn again to see the two watchman, I know them pretty well since I've been the one giving them their supplies. On a chair as a reserve is the level-headed, brown haired Louis, and on watch is the brash, blonde-haired Jaune with his Lebel in hand and Louis having his on his lap.

Me : Got some ammo for you two.

Jaune turns from the battle to look at me, whereas Louis just looks up from his rifle that he was cleaning.

Jaune : Just in time, I was wondering where you went.

Louis : He wouldn't just desert, Jaune. The boy ain't like that.

I nodded at Louis before placing the ammo boxes.

Louis : How's Remy by the way.

Me : He's going strong.

We hear a pop and turn, only to see Jaune downing a flask of whiskey. Louis gets up and snatch the flask and put on a crate behind him.

Jaune : What was that for?

Louis : That was for the fact you shouldn't be drinking on sentry duty.

Jaune : Oh come on, this is boring, plus the commanders don't do anything if I'm caught.

Louis : You have the responsibility of making sure no imperial forces have broken through so you can alert everyone else, and getting drunk won't help in that regard.

Jaune just brushes him off and goes on about how they won't break through, and if they did then they would be alerted beforehand. Him and Louis keep going at it and I'm just watching them squabble like toddlers. As I do something catches my eye, I look at the sky closer to see a lone enemy mage flying high above, most likely a recon that got past somehow.

Me : You should really listen to him, Jaune.

Jaune : Oh, and whys that.

I take out my Lebel and aim at the mage. I concentrate and fire my rifle, the mage starts to lose altitude. A direct hit.

Me : Because if you did your job properly, you would've seen that mage I just shot down.

Jaune and Louis turn to where I was pointing to see the mage falling to the ground. They turn back to me with amazed faces.

Jaune : You amazing sonuva bitch.

Me : Heh, you got that right.

A silence befalls on us.

Me : Shame it probably isn't the devil.

Jaune : Oh don't get me started on that wicked bitch. Isn't she around the same age as you.

Me : I think so, at least she's still at the rhine, I think.

Louis : Yeah, the last thing we need is a war criminal against us.

The silence returns. We begin talking about random topics that come to our minds. We talk about our families, what we want to do after the war and hopes for the future. A whistle and bell rings out and men climb the trench walls.

Louis : Looks like reinforcements are needed.

Me : Seems so.

We watch as the men charge forward to aid our brothers in arms as more men come to fill their places.

Me : Well, I best be getting back to my post, I don't want them thinking that I'm doing something I'm not supposed to be doing.

Louis : Alright then, we'll be seeing you lad.

And with that, I begin to return to my post. I think back on my past. But not my past in the Francois Republic, I'm not originally from this country, I'm not even originally from this world. I begin to think back on my past in Japan.