Chapter 113
The scene rewinds to a moment earlier, in the innermost hall where the opening ceremony is being held. Chief of Staff Sheikh finally realizes that the simple yet minimally decorated interior is actually for defense purposes. The walls absorb the impact of a rocket launcher’s direct hit, something he has only heard in military exercises, shielding the small number of attendees from harm.
「Chief of Staff, this way!」
「Coming! But why, why is this happening?」
The Chief of Staff, of all people, has a specific reason for attending an event hosted by a single company – to investigate the ‘Reformists’ and Kōmitsu Solutions. The American government was one of the participating countries in the ‘Apollyon Project’. However, they foresaw only destruction and no profits in the visible future. Above all, a change of government through elections rendered everything moot. Rationalization, in the name of streamlining, naturally discarded the dubious plan of looking into the future and instead focused on strengthening economic policies.
Of course, this was because there was far too little evidence that the future shown by ‘HAO’ was the real future. The resentment towards Hereafter Corporation was embedded in the Apollyon Design Specifications and Apollyon Control manuals. Mass-produced Apollyons had an extremely simplified structure that was easy to reproduce in the modern era.
As the distance between the American government and Hereafter Corporation grew, the Orange Panic and the ‘Inverse Dive Citation Information Project’ occurred. A game that evoked familiar scenes triggered economic chaos, and soldiers with equipment seen in those game memories attacked a base in Japan, a friendly nation. Attempts to send in agents were thwarted as they had already been assimilated by the ‘Reformists’ or returned with gags forced into their mouths by white shadows. It was utter chaos. The Chief of Staff was supposed to come to put an end to this issue.
But he never dreamed that a terrorist attack would happen in supposedly peaceful Japan, let alone with such an intense exchange of gunfire.
Assault rifles spray bullets in full auto like madmen. On top of that, a machine gun fixated on an armored vehicle spews fire to riddle them with even more holes. The Chief of Staff dashes towards the exit accompanied by three guards. After confirming the GO sign from a guard peeking outside the hall entrance, they emerge.
Outside is a mess, a word that rings true. In the distance, armed mercenaries engage in shootouts, while men in black leap dozens of meters and plow through armored vehicles, wreaking havoc. Yet, despite the scale of destruction, there are no corpses to be seen. It’s a result of the venue being so spacious and effectively off-limits to non-related personnel on this very day.
The Chief of Staff concludes in his mind that this terror attack was intentionally orchestrated. He is likely the bait. Perhaps they experienced an unignorable catastrophe in that incomprehensible battle royale. In addition to the situation, the presence of a VIP makes for an ideal hostage scenario. As his thoughts reach this point, a mercenary emerges from the building’s shadow, pointing a gun at the Chief of Staff. Raising both hands, he looks up at the sky and makes eye contact with a silver-winged figure. Sighing, he realizes that being captured was a foregone conclusion the moment they stepped outside, and urges his guards to surrender as well.
The mercenaries’ gear is impersonal as if to conceal their affiliation, but he suspects they are the mentioned ‘Thunder’ based on the information at hand. If so, they are faithful to their contracts and unlikely to cause unnecessary harm, he judged.
Seeing the surrender, the mercenaries rush over and disarm the guards of their handguns. Amidst this, the Chief of Staff doesn’t miss the sound leaking from a ‘Thunder’ member’s earpiece.
「The devil’s minion has been defeated. You’re next, Hiniru, the one who killed my partner!」
「This is ‘SOD’ Southern Squad. We’re being pushed back by the cyborgs! There are more than anticipated. What the hell is going on?!」
「Hey, someone’s bringing in bags! Use ‘Penetrating Gaze’ to confirm!」
「Confirming contents: bell peppers! Cabbage! Corn on the cob! Yakiniku sauce! That’s all… huh, what’s this?」
The situation seems more chaotic than imagined. Just what is happening? Chaos engulfs even the Chief of Staff’s mind. But it doesn’t end there. A group with mismatched outfits and weapons emerges from a collapsed corner of the hall. At their lead is a man in priestly garb, but everyone is injured and exhausted.
The priest-clothed man opens his arms exaggeratedly upon seeing ‘Thunder’, but ‘Thunder’ makes no effort to hide their distaste. He raises a broken nail as if to show it off.
「’Thunder’, please lend us your personnel. Space and Hiniru have joined hands.」
「Wait a second. I know Hiniru’s name, but why him?」
「Hiniru is Orange! The duality of the devil’s minion!」
At the priest’s words, the man who seems to be the ‘Thunder’ squad leader holds his head. After some hesitation, he points sharply at the priest.
「We don’t have time to entertain your delusions. Do you understand what’s happening right now? Neither Space President nor Orange have been secured, and the ‘SOD’ guys are being defeated smoothly. Our only achievement is this Chief of Staff.」
「Splendid! As expected of the money-grubbers!」
「Shut up. Do you not understand how bad the situation is when lives are at stake? A lightning operation only works if it ends swiftly. Depending on the circumstances, both Orange and Space President may escape this area!」
The moment he shouts that, the ground explodes. A tall, blonde woman emerges from it, bleeding. Chasing after her, a black-haired girl with limbs replaced by machines dives in. Simultaneously, black shadows assault the surroundings, and something shoots up into the sky.
「Uwaaaaah!!!!!」
Then there’s a sound like something being crushed above, followed by fragments of a highway crashing to the earth, violently shaking the area. They instinctively crouch from the tremors, but it makes no sense to the Chief of Staff—no, to everyone present.
「「What the hell is going on?! 」」
The ‘Thunder’ squad leader and Chief of Staff can’t help but yell, but the torrential flow of events shows no signs of stopping. This battle is nearing its end.
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