“Mitaka Yuma is the only one who might be able to defeat the four Kings who are ravaging the world. If that person dies, Japan… no, the world will lose all hope!”
“Are you serious?”
Honda met Mikoshiba’s dubious gaze with a straight look.
“I’m serious. Dr. Aisha Kisaragi said she measured Mitaka Yuma’s Mana. She got an incredible reading. I investigated the Laboratory and found a truly special Mana Measurement Device. Of course, that alone doesn’t prove the doctor is correct. But if everything she says is true, the consequences will be irreversible.”
Mikoshiba was speechless, his gaze falling. He never expected Honda, whom he had known for so long, to say such a thing. Was she truly convinced?
Certainly, these were extraordinary times. The old norms might no longer apply. If Honda was right, killing Mitaka Yuma, the Black Armor, could pose a significant risk to national security.
After a moment of contemplation, Mikoshiba spoke.
“So, what do you want me to do?”
“I need to know where Mitaka Yuma is being held. His location is top secret, and I haven’t been able to get any information.”
Honda suspected he was in a Self-Defense Forces facility, but no matter how much she investigated, she couldn’t find out where.
At this point, her only option was to ask Mikoshiba, the Chief of Staff of the Ground Self-Defense Force.
That’s what she thought, but—
“No. I can’t.”
“Mikoshiba…”
Mikoshiba closed his eyes with a pained expression. It was the answer she expected, but Honda couldn’t back down.
“Mikoshiba! I won’t let it cause you any trouble. So—”
“No! That’s not it!”
Honda was silenced by Mikoshiba’s shout.
After a long silence, Mikoshiba slowly opened his mouth.
“Even if everything you say is true, it’s too late.”
“What do you mean?”
Cold sweat trickled down Honda’s cheek.
“The order to eliminate the Black Armor has already been issued. It will be carried out by tomorrow morning.”
“What?!”
“It was too late. If you had come a day earlier… I might have been able to do something.”
Honda stood up abruptly, facing Mikoshiba, who looked as if he was chewing on gravel.
“Then we have to act now! Please, Mikoshiba, tell me where he is!”
“Even if you go now, it might be in vain. Are you still going?”
“If there’s even a one percent chance, I’ll take it.”
Seeing the determination in Honda’s eyes, Mikoshiba agonized.
The chances of making it in time were slim. If he let her go, he would only turn Honda into a criminal. What would be the point of that? He would only lose his best friend.
Various conflicts arose and disappeared in Mikoshiba’s mind. He shook his head as if to dispel the distractions and looked at Honda.
He couldn’t treat a man who was seriously concerned about national defense as an enemy of the Self-Defense Forces.
“…He’s at the Asaka Garrison of the Ground Self-Defense Force in Saitama. In the underground facility there.”
Honda’s eyes widened as she looked at Mikoshiba.
“Thank you, I owe you one!”
“Are you going?”
“Yes, I’m moving out immediately. Pretend you didn’t know anything.”
Leaving those words behind, Honda hurried out of the room.
Mikoshiba remained seated on the sofa, staring at his clasped hands. Was it better to do nothing, as Honda had said? To remain a mere bystander?
From the fragmented information he had received, he heard that armies around the world were being defeated and destroyed by Monsters.
The country’s defense was no longer functioning, and talk of the end times had begun to spread.
Japan had suffered relatively little damage, but it would eventually be attacked by Monsters and suffer the same fate.
—Mitaka Yuma is the only hope.
Honda’s words echoed in his mind. Mikoshiba raised his head and looked at the attendant behind him.
“Contact the troops at Asaka Garrison!”
◇◇◇
A van. A black HiAce was heading towards Nerima.
Inside were Elceed’s Seekers. Rui and Misaki Bluewell, along with four other Seekers, were preparing in the vehicle.
Rui, his mouth covered with a black mask, surveyed the interior. Six people in total.
He didn’t know if it was enough, but they couldn’t move with a large group.
Taizen, who had been stubbornly insisting, “I want to go too!” was deemed too conspicuous. Tennoji, who had injured both hands, was also absent.
“Are you ready for this, Rui? This is different from fighting Monsters!”
Misaki spoke to Rui, covering her mouth with a mask.
“Yes, I’m ready! I’ll… I’ll definitely rescue Yuma!”
The six members donned black bulletproof protectors, covering their faces with masks and headgear to conceal their identities.
With this level of disguise, their identities might eventually be revealed.
Even so, Rui thought.
“Even with protective gear, a bullet could be fatal. Deploy a magical Barrier to defend yourselves!”
“Yes!”
At Misaki’s warning, Rui and the other members braced themselves.
The vehicle carrying them proceeded along the Route 8 of the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway at night, approaching Asaka Garrison.
◇◇◇
The time was 2:00 AM. The van arrived at its destination, the Self-Defense Forces’ Asaka Garrison.
They parked the car in an inconspicuous spot in front of the base’s main gate and observed the situation from inside. Despite the late hour, the base was brightly lit.
“There are so many troops, even at this hour.”
Misaki’s face clouded over. Rui also thought it was clearly strange.
—Could it be that information about today’s attack has been leaked?
An unpleasant sweat broke out on Rui’s forehead. If their information was completely compromised, it would be hopeless to carry out the operation.
Time was running out, and they didn’t know the exact location of where Yuma was being held.
Yet, fighting the Self-Defense Forces head-on would inevitably lead to a time-out. As everyone wore serious expressions, one of the Self-Defense Forces personnel near the main gate noticed the van and approached.
A sense of tension ran through them, but the soldier was waving his hands wildly.
He didn’t seem to have any intention of fighting. Rui and Misaki cautiously lowered the window as the soldier knocked on the driver’s side.
“You’re the people from Elceed, right? I’ve heard about you from Chief of Staff Mikoshiba. Please follow me, I’ll take you to Mitaka-san!”
The Seekers in the van exchanged glances. Everyone wore a bewildered expression.
Apparently, this soldier knew about them…
“So, you’re saying you’re on our side?”
Misaki asked with a frown, and the soldier replied with a straight look, “I’m under orders to do so.”