The dragons heading towards Kanto swam leisurely through the sky.
As if they knew where many humans were, they advanced straight, burning down towns and villages in their path one after another.
The flames unleashed by over three hundred Ancient Dragons were tremendous, their power enough to sink cities into a sea of fire.
Because it wasn’t ordinary fire, it wouldn’t go out easily, turning everything to ash.
On top of that, the Fireball unleashed by the 【Red King】 pulverized an entire city. The heat rays from the explosion melted everything, and the blast blew everything away.
The merciless attacks were repeated many times.
It goes without saying that the Self-Defense Forces, who went to intercept, were of no use.
Takakura cooperated with Elceed and gathered Seekers in Kanto, but it didn’t seem like they could stop the dragons’ advance.
The footsteps of despair were approaching moment by moment.
◇◇◇
Light streamed through slowly opening eyelids, blurring the vision. A terrible headache.
A queasy feeling in the chest and stomach. What? What’s wrong?
Yuma didn’t understand what was happening, but he knew he was lying on a bed. The blurred vision gradually became clearer, and he looked around.
This is not the place I was in before. Did I move?
Before, he understood that he had been defeated by a Seeker and taken to a facility, but this time he had no idea what had happened.
Suddenly the room changed, and why do I feel so bad?
While confused, the door to the room opened, and someone came in. Wearing a Self-Defense Forces uniform. Is this a Self-Defense Forces facility?
When Yuma looked over, the young Self-Defense Force officer said, “Ah!” and widened his eyes.
“T-This is terrible!”
He rushed out of the room in a hurry. After a while, he returned with someone who appeared to be a doctor.
“Just stay still for a moment.”
The doctor opened his eyelids with his fingers and checked his pupils with a penlight. Yuma squinted because it was too bright.
“Yes, there’s nothing wrong. You’re fine now.”
With that, the doctor left the bed and was replaced by the young Self-Defense Force officer.
“Mitaka-san. My name is Kawahara, and I belong to the Ground Self-Defense Force. This is the infirmary of Soumagahara Garrison in Gunma Prefecture. You were brought here when you were on the verge of death.”
“…On the verge of death?”
Perhaps because his head was foggy, he couldn’t quite grasp the story.
“The details will be explained by your superior officer. Please rest for now.”
Kawahara bowed and said, “Excuse me,” and left the room.
A quiet room of about ten tatami mats. Looking closely, the walls and ceiling were exposed concrete, and cracks could be seen.
It seems to be quite old.
He was told to rest, but he couldn’t sleep because he was worried about the current situation. He turned the blanket over with his right hand and tried to raise his upper body, but a sharp pain ran through his entire body.
“Ugh,” he groaned, and his face contorted.
It’s not the pain of an injury. It’s a pain like his internal organs are being burned and spreading throughout his body from the inside.
“What is this…”
He distorted his face, raised his body, lowered his legs from the bed, and stood up.
Lassitude and nausea welled up. He somehow walked to the door and put his hand on the doorknob.
It doesn’t seem to be locked.
Yuma twisted the doorknob and opened the door. Outside, the corridor of the facility continued, and there was no sign of anyone.
As he walked outside, leaning against the wall, he found a room with the door open. When he peeked inside, there were several Self-Defense Force personnel. It must be a conference room.
Everyone was seated, watching the TV in the room intently.
It showed a group of dragons flying around, burning down buildings and houses with the flames they spewed out. For a moment, he thought it was a scene from a movie, but it seemed different.
The members of the Self-Defense Forces also seemed stunned by the unrealistic footage.
Monsters have come out on the ground? Hell Garm was there. It wouldn’t be strange if other monsters came out.
But, for such big dragons to appear…
As Yuma was pondering, a voice called out from behind, “Mitaka-san!” When he turned around, it was the Self-Defense Force officer, Kawahara, from earlier.
“You can’t do that. You shouldn’t be walking around! Let’s go back right away.”
Kawahara reached out to support Yuma’s body.
“What is that? Monsters have come out on the ground, right? Where are they attacking!?”
Kawahara’s hand stopped abruptly, and his face stiffened.
“W-Well, anyway! Let’s go back to your room for now.”
Seeing Kawahara’s panic, Yuma realized.
“Tokyo… is it?”
Kawahara’s tension was transmitted from the hand he had put around his shoulder to support Yuma.
There’s no doubt that Tokyo is under attack. Dragons breathing fire must be monsters that came out of the Red Dungeon.
Since the Red Dungeon is in northern Kanto, it’s not surprising that monsters are heading to Tokyo.
“W-Well, indeed, the monsters are heading to Tokyo, but we, the Self-Defense Forces and the Seekers, are dealing with them. Please don’t worry.”
“I have to go…”
When Yuma muttered, Kawahara said, “Eh!?” and his eyes widened.
Kawahara desperately tried to stop Yuma, who was staggering as he tried to walk.
“W-Wait! Where are you going!?”
“I have to stop them… No one else can stop that group of dragons!”
“What are you saying!? You’re not in a condition to fight! Your heart even stopped for a while!”
Even when Kawahara told him that, Yuma leaned against the wall and staggered down the corridor. Because he was raising his voice, the Self-Defense Force officers in the conference room started to stir, wondering what was going on.
“Mitaka-san!”
“Even so… even so, I have to do it…”
Yuma’s face was pale, and he couldn’t walk without leaning against the wall step by step. It was clear to anyone that he was in bad condition.
Kawahara made up his mind and opened his mouth.
“Mitaka-san. I don’t want to say this, but you were almost killed by the government. The reason you’re in this situation now is because some people were hostile to you. So you don’t have to fight for the country! Anyway, back to your room–“
Kawahara grabbed Yuma’s arm and tried to force him back to the room. Yuma shook off his hand and instead grabbed Kawahara by the collar and slammed him against the wall.
“It doesn’t matter! I’m not fighting for the country!!”
Kawahara let out a painful voice as his collar was tightened.
“My family is in Tokyo, and so are my friends. I know that the Self-Defense Forces and other Seekers can’t stop those monsters. If anyone can win… it’s only me!”
“B-But…”
Kawahara, who trains regularly, couldn’t shake off Yuma’s arm. He was shocked that this was a man recovering from an illness.
From behind the two who were struggling, a voice suddenly called out.
“What are you doing?”
When Yuma turned around, there was a person in uniform standing there. A man with many subordinates in tow. He clearly had a different atmosphere from the other Self-Defense Force officers.
“C-Chief of Staff!”
Yuma frowned at Kawahara’s words.