CH 75

“Kenya-kun… I’m off.”

The girl kisses the sleeping boy on the forehead and stands up.

The boy who won the fight to the death still sleeps deeply.

While gently brushing the hair from his healthy face with her fingers, the girl gazes at her beloved.

I want to stay like this forever.

I was so happy that I thought so.

But I have to go.

To save someone as important as the boy.

The girl who has regained her memories stands up to save the last of her family, who is now fighting.

So the girl heads off alone.

Even though what awaits her may be the end.

…

“It’s me, is it time to see Japan already?”

“Father… Yes, I can already see it. And now? Has the emperor been decided? I don’t think Osiris Halberd will lose…”

In the capital Kamui, Genbu contacts his son Byakuren, who is on the front line.

Genbu, who has been watching the footage of the Imperial Sword Warrior Festival from a subordinate who has been sneakily watching the footage, informs him of the winner.

“The Emperor is Lord Asgar. Osiris Halberd lost. The one who defeated him was Sword Sylphid. He is a knight of the Lord.”

“Hey! That’s ridiculous… no, no, no. …Can you send me the video? I want to make sure, that Osiris can’t lose…”

“Yeah, I just sent it to you so you can take a look at it, the quality is rough so you won’t be able to see much of what’s going on… but it looked like it was going all out to me.”

“…thank you. Yes, yes. Well, I will contact you again.”

On a warship at sea, Kaguya and Byakuren check the video of the Imperial Sword Festival sent by Genbu.

The video was secretly filmed by an Asiatic Union spy, so the quality is poor and it is not very clear.

“Sword Sylphid… the youngest knight to become a knight of the Lord…”

(I saw this at the knight ordination ceremony. For a moment I thought it was Kenya and was surprised to see someone so strong…)

Everyone, including Kaguya, saw the video of that day.

However, Kenya had silver hair and his face was not close-up, so it was not clear.

Besides, Kenya is dead.

The girl, who had that deeply engraved in her mind, could not, or did not want to, link Sword and Kenya any further.

And Kaguya and Byakuren watching the video.

“It’s so strong… did he really surpass Osiris?”

“This white KOG… it’s beautiful. The two-handed sword, and that.”

(This fighting style… Just like Kenya…)

But she shakes her head and denies that thought.

If you are stuck in the past forever, you won’t be able to fight when it’s time to fight.

Because this opponent is an Asgar Empires member, then we will have to fight one day.

“I honestly can’t tell how good he is just from this video.”

“Yeah, it’s too rough to tell.”

“Osiris has been out of practice for a long time, perhaps his skills have fallen…”

(Otherwise, how could that sword saint lose?)

Byakuren assumes so.

An enemy that even he, the strongest man in Asia, thought he could not win against.

He could not face the fact that it was beaten by a boy younger than himself.

“So, Lord Asgar became emperor, what about that?”

“From the point of view of winning, it sucks. However, I’ve heard that he’s a man of character, so it’s so-so when he loses.”

“Well, then it is the worst. I’m not planning on losing.”

“Yes, that’s very encouraging, but you won’t be on this battlefield though, you’ll still be busy with internal control.”

Then an announcement is made.

“We will arrive in Japan shortly, time is 16:00, everyone prepare.”

“There you are, then. Princess, don’t die.”

“Does I look like such a fragile woman to you?”

Byakuren looks over at Kaguya with a smile.

Then they both start to prepare, the girl for the bright red KOG and the young man for the blue KOG.

The name of Byakuren’s exclusive KOG, the blue one, is Seiryu.

It is a state-of-the-art aircraft that is as good as the Asgars’ exclusive KOG, built with the finest technology of the Asiatic Union.

And its pilot is the strongest man of the 13 Gods of Asia.

“Everyone, are you ready?”

Byakuren, riding a KOG, waits for reports from the various units.

“The EU is ready, Byakuren.”

“Thor?”

Thor, the strongest man in the EU, replies to Byakuren.

He is an old acquaintance of Byakuren’s and has fought with him on the battlefield.

“I’ll leave the command over there to you.”

“Understood, I leave the Asian Union forces to you. I will command the EU forces, from the west.”

“Yeah.”

The World Federation Forces are divided into two main groups.

The Asian Union Army and the EU Army, each of which is commanded by the World Federation Army Commander-in-Chief, Byakuren.

A fighting commander who actually goes onto the battlefield and commands.

The deputy commander-in-chief is Thor.

Thor’s aircraft name is Mjolnir.

The yellow aircraft travels around the battlefield at a speed like a bolt of lightning.

His nickname is Thor, the God of Thunder, and his aircraft’s performance is close to that of the Takemikazuchi.

He was once the strongest man in the EU, cornering Sieg during his active service.

Each unit also has its own commander, and not all are commanded by the two of them.

However, in the military of the Real World Federation, Byakuren and Thor are the two leading men.

“It looks like the preparations are good over there too, Byakuren.”

Ahead of Thor’s line of sight is the Asgars Army KOG in formation.

Although still some distance away, they seemed to have succeeded in setting up a defense line.

“Ah, it seems so, shall I endeavour to be the first spear as usual?”

Thor suggests.

He always hung up the battlefield before anyone else, so this time too.

But Byakuren does not accept the suggestion.

“No, could you leave it with me this time?”

“? …That’s fine, but it’s not like you.”

“No, it’s not me. There’s a selfish princess who won’t listen to me. I’ll just have to watch her back.”

“Well, all right, then. I’ll cover you.”

And the two sides face each other, already within range of the bullets.

“It’s starting.”

(… Kenya, please protect me.)

“Alright! Remember how you felt back then! Remember what you’re fighting for! Remember what you’re really scared of!”

Breathe, breathe deeply.

It was the first time for Kaguya to practice, the first real war. The first time to kill someone.

But no hesitation, but regret.

The thoughts that didn’t reach me that day, I will make them reach me here and now.

I want to change myself, the one who ran away that day, the one who lost twice, in my heart.

With that single-mindedness, I have risen to the 13th God of Asia.

The time is dusk. The season is winter.

The sun begins to set and the sun begins to hide.

In front of you is land, the old Tokyo Bay.

Facing us is KOG, the world’s strongest Asgar Empire’s army.

Opposite them is the World Federation Army, the world’s largest allied nation.

The war between the Empire and the World Federation has now begun.

“All units, be informed! All hands in flight! Commence battle! The target is the former capital of Tokyo! With all troops! Destroy the Asgar’s Imperial Army!”

Byakuren exclaims.

Then, Kaguya, the goddess of fire. Kaguya, the god of fire, charges into the enemy forces before anyone else.

“Haa!”

A bright red flash overwrites the orange of the dusk.

The enemy front line is blown away.

“I will run no more!”