Chapter 56: One-Woman Navy

A checkpoint on the border between the Trinity Autonomous District and the D.U. District. Kaiser PMC soldiers stood in a horizontal line as a single truck approached.

"Stop right there!"

One of the soldiers shouted through a loudspeaker, but the truck ignored him and didn’t slow down at all.

"If you won’t stop, we’ll—ghah!?"

Just as they raised their rifles in unison, a burst of rapid-fire boom-boom-boom from a two-pound anti-air cannon tore through them. Soldiers and barricades alike were blown apart, leaving the road wide open.

After blasting away those annoying Kaisers, I finally made it safely back into Trinity territory. Good thing I managed to arrive before completely running out of ammo.

"You two, we’ve finally made it back to Trinity."

I kept driving straight toward the central area until we reached the academy’s entrance.

"Hmm… we were only gone for a day, but it feels like it’s been ages~"

"Right… what should we do now?"

Since the whole mess happened inside the D.U. District, we could technically leave all follow-up to the teachers… but still…

"As for me… after a short break, I’ll exter— ahem. I’ll be heading out to support Sensei."

"Should we go with you?"

Of course, I was happy they offered—but I really didn’t want to drag them into danger again. And besides…

"I’ll be fine. I’m going to prepare properly before heading out. But the two of you—I need you to report what happened in the D.U. District to the Tea Party and the other organizations."

Right. The Trinity leadership had returned directly from the D.U. District, and after that, an information blackout was enforced. They still had no idea what had happened. Especially regarding Sensei’s whereabouts—there was no way we could leave that unreported.

"…Okay. If that’s how it is."

"…Aika, please come back safely. If possible, we’ll try to mobilize Trinity’s forces for support."

"Yes, thank you."

After sending the two of them off toward the Tea Party headquarters, I headed for the dorms.

…Things to prepare. As many spare rounds for the Pom-Pom Gun as I can carry, a medical kit. The control terminal for operating the Remarkable—I’ll leave it docked in the port area of the D.U. District. And rations. Definitely rations.

"…Preparation complete."

All right. Everything’s ready. Time to go wipe out that obnoxious Kaiser army.

〈Enemy cruiser tanks confirmed—company strength! They’ve prepared everything, from attack helicopters to barricades!〉

"Tch, thorough as ever…"

After regrouping at Little Bunny Park, the team began advancing toward SCHALE, which Kaiser had occupied. But of course they had expected this—an enormous Kaiser force blocked their path.

"A frontal assault sounds rough… what do we do?"

"If we only had a bit more support…"

Even with the six members of the Vigilance Task Force and RABBIT Squad, taking them on alone… wasn’t impossible, but it would be tough. And this was only a checkpoint. Inside SCHALE—something Kaiser absolutely had to defend—there was no doubt even stronger forces were waiting. They had to conserve strength for the real fight.

"There they are! Over here!!"

"We came as soon as we received word, Sensei! We’ll assist you!"

The ones who arrived were a unit from Valkyrie Police Academy’s Public Security Bureau. Apparently, while waiting for orders near Little Bunny Town, they spotted Kanna and Sensei and rushed over, wanting to help their superior.

"Miyako, with this…"

"…Yes. This might work."

Just as they were about to charge the Kaiser forces together with Public Security, Miyako noticed something.

"…? I hear explosions… and singing?"

The sound grew closer. The group tensed, bracing themselves for whatever was approaching, until it finally revealed itself.

"—With a tow, row, row, row, row, row, to the British Grenadiers!"

"Aika…!"

"…Oh my, Sensei, everyone. So this is where you were."

It was the Trinity student they had parted with only a few hours ago. She arrived alone, riding a truck outfitted with an anti-air autocannon.

"Um…"

Given how she’d helped them yesterday, she was probably here to support them—but he couldn’t quite grasp her intent.

"Oh, don’t mind me. I simply can’t stand the Kaiser Group, so I came to smash them while helping all of you."

If she disliked someone, she’d beat them up. A straightforward, almost sportsman-like reason—as if borrowed from a certain S-P-O-R-T-S-M-A-N—but a reason nonetheless.

"Anyway, you’re headed toward SCHALE, correct? I’ll clear the way."

"Yeah, I’m counting on you."

"Yes, leave it to me. Now then…"

Aika drew in a deep breath and shouted:

"Since fate has brought us together here—this is the end for you filthy loan sharks!! It’s fox-hunting time!!"

And with that, she cranked the Pom-Pom Gun to full speed, unleashing barrage after barrage as she charged straight ahead.

"…We should go too."

Even Sensei and the others flinched a little at the sight—far from what one would expect of a refined Trinity lady—but they followed after her.

"Come, cheer up, my lads! ’tis to glory we steer—"

A scorching blast of flame.

"Uwaaaaah!?"

"Don’t fight her head-on! Fall ba—gah!"

The gun barrels hammered out their rhythm with mechanical precision.

"To honour we call you, not press you like slaves—"

Thick, choking gunsmoke filled the air.

—Ahh. Every bit of it is beautiful.

"Gah!? Now she’s firing from above too—!?"

"Impossible… an aircraft carrier air wing!?"

Retreat was impossible. Counterattack, pointless. Escape, denied.

"Heart of Oak are our ships, hearts of Oak our men—"

The hum of piston engines echoed overhead.

"What is that—what is that thing!?"

The sharp whistle-thump of grenades sliced through the air.

"We’ll fight and we’ll conquer again and again!"

—And beneath it all, the exhilarating sound of enemy soldiers screaming in terror.

"All I can say is… unbelievable."

Watching the girl sing with the innocent cheerfulness of a child, one Public Security officer whispered.

"What on earth drives her to go that far…?"

In truth, what the girl was doing was nothing more—or less—than mowing down enemy forces with an autocannon and periodically calling in airstrikes for carpet bombing. Violence in its purest, most overwhelming form.

"She’s basically a one-woman navy."

"Well, as long as she’s clearing the road for us, I won’t complain~"

Thanks to Aika drawing the Kaiser soldiers’ attention and annihilating them, the group only had to watch their flanks and rear, sweeping up whatever forces slipped past.

And with Sensei’s exceptional leadership, they pressed toward SCHALE almost completely unscathed.

—even when helicopters tried to block her path.

"Did you seriously stroll right into my sights, knowing full well this is an anti-air autocannon? How utterly foolish. Fall from the sky, you useless dragonflies!!"

—even when tanks rolled forward to halt her advance.

"A tank without air superiority is nothing but a giant target! 710th Squadron, begin bombing!"

—even when infantry lined up shoulder-to-shoulder to seal off the road.

"No matter how many rabble you gather, it’s pointless! Tally-ho!!"

That girl surged forward without hesitation, no obstacle able to slow her—moving like a divine, force-of-nature incarnation of overwhelming might.

With Aika carving a path through the Kaiser forces—not merely overpowering them, but turning the battlefield into a merciless slaughter—the group finally reached the front of SCHALE.

"So they’ve retreated into the building… how very underhanded and cowardly."

Aika glared at the Kaiser troops who had fled inside. Sensei and the others finally caught up.

"You’ve done more than enough, Aika. From here on, this is our mission."

Miyako called out, and Aika responded with a satisfied, almost refreshed smile.

"Yes, I leave it to you. I shall stand guard here and intercept any reinforcements. Please go inside and thrash those impudent Kaiser soldiers who ran away."

"R-right… let’s go, Sensei."

"Yeah. …Thank you, Aika."

"No, no. I was acting mostly out of personal motives anyway…"

With that, Aika and the Valkyrie Public Security members formed up, ready to repel any incoming Kaiser reinforcements.

After all the fighting on the way here, we’d burned through ammo like crazy. Even though I brought a mountain of spare rounds, only about a quarter remained.

Because of that, the plan was simple: the Valkyrie Public Security Bureau would handle the main defense, while I focused on shelling any distant incoming forces to thin them out.

Checking the control terminal, I saw the aircraft squadron had returned—all twenty planes—despite the relentless sorties and the hits they’d taken. But the damage report showed the fabric on their wings was practically shredded. Without proper replacement, they couldn’t sortie again.

"…Good work, Remarkable."

I sent the command to have it return to the lake back home. An aircraft carrier exists for its planes—if it can’t continue combat operations, withdrawal is the only logical choice.

After holding the entrance to SCHALE for a while, mowing down any enemy foolish enough to approach, the midday sky suddenly shifted to a deep crimson. Harsher and more unnatural than any sunset or dawn—an unpleasant red that radiated pure dread.

"The sky…!?"

"What the hell is that!?"

With a thunderous roar, the ground trembled. Looking up, I saw a massive black column descending from the heavens. It slammed into Sanctum Tower, sending debris raining everywhere. Even the Kaiser forces—who had thrown themselves at SCHALE again and again—felt the abnormality and began to fall back.

"…It’s here."

Aika whispered.

A sinister light—no, a color—descended.

A phenomenon capable of destroying all of Kivotos simply by appearing.