Pshhhh—— Gugugugugung——
After neatly pushing aside the forces guarding the corridor leading to the bridge, Yukino, who was trying to enter the 1st Bridge, frowned at the sudden blaring noise.
“This is probably a fleet missile. There’s still some distance left to the 100km mark… For now, assuming that Aigis will successfully intercept the missiles since the distance has increased, let’s proceed with the operation.”
“Just listening to the radio transmission, the situation must have turned unfavorable for you, Squad Leader. Especially, the deck is a total mess, it seems?”
“That’s… I suppose we can consider it a bit of good luck. FOX 3, let’s proceed into the 1st Bridge for now.”
Knowing that the 1st Bridge serves as the control room, it was clear that the missile fired moments ago was aimed at Wakaomo, who likely had a significant presence in the 1st Bridge. Of course, even if she wasn’t there now, it was certain she had been there recently.
Upon entering the 1st Bridge, Yukino and Kurumi were greeted by a captain slumped over with her neck twisted near her chair, along with crew members who seemed equally out of it.
“…Looks like they’ve already left. I suppose I’ll have to head up to the 2nd Bridge. FOX 3, was there a passage leading outside from the 2nd Bridge?”
“Uhh… Maybe? But anyone looking at this would think their neck was broken. It shows a complete lack of consideration. With a personality like that, it’s no wonder she’s off committing terrorism!”
Gugugugugung——
As they talked, the sound of two more fleet missiles being launched echoed again. Yukino’s expression hardened as she keenly observed the screen placed in front of one of the crew members.
“Automatic launch sequence… It looks like they initiated this beforehand, rendering cancellation impossible after knocking out the crew members and then moved to the 2nd Bridge.”
“Missiles aren’t really our concern, right? Having bragged like that, there’s no way Odyssey is going to miss the interception. Ugh, but I can’t even imagine how awful it’ll feel for them when they wake up with sore necks. Looking forward to it—”
Thump!!!
“Wait…?”
“…Kurumi?!”
Clack. Ping—
A single, heavy gunshot reverberated through the bridge. As the shell casings bounced off the floor, Yukino’s gaze shifted toward the staircase leading to the 2nd Bridge.
“Hehe. They say that when someone’s gaze is fixated on just one spot, their vigilance toward the surrounding situation diminishes, right? I had hoped the students from SRT Special Academy would be different, but it seems my expectations were a bit too high.”
“…Kosaka Wakaomo. She was lying in ambush at the top of the stairs.”
“Ambush? What a rude thing to say! Until just two minutes ago, I was right there, you know? I simply couldn’t help but pull the trigger when that unprotected neck came into view.”
Ignoring Kurumi, who was sprawled on the floor, Yukino quickly aimed her gun at Wakaomo and pulled the trigger.
Tatatang—!
“Hehe. Too slow. I think it’s a bit much for you to catch me with just that. Unless you have something else you’re banking on? Perhaps those trinkets hanging from your gun are slowing you down even more.”
The sounds of footsteps and heels hitting the stairs intertwined, raising the tension in the air. Wakaomo leisurely ascended the stairs, delighting in teasing Yukino.
“…This is FOX 1. I’ve encountered the Reikubyō no Yū, who was lying in ambush at the 1st Bridge. FOX 3, down.”
[…Kurumi?]
“The Reikubyō no Yū is currently en route to the 2nd Bridge. There’s likely a passage leading outside, so FOX 5, be cautious of a surprise attack.”
[FOX 5. Good to go☆]
…?
For some reason, Mika’s voice coming through the radio seemed a bit too cheerful, but Yukino decided to ignore it. What really mattered wasn’t such trivial things.
“Hehe. Is that person FOX 5, the little girl on the deck? If that’s the case, then there’s no need for her to worry about my ambush. It’s quite rare, but I do know how to pick my opponents.”
As Yukino tried to tune out Wakaomo’s incessant chatter, she focused on the radio transmission that followed.
[FOX 2. The upper hull has been mostly secured. We’ll be heading to support—]
[Wait! This is FOX 4. A critical situation has arisen in the lower hull. I’ve confirmed that multiple plastic explosives have been set up. The number is impossible to estimate, but there are definitely over ten in sight.]
“…What?”
[…Uh, are you serious?]
Yukino’s face contorted upon hearing Autogi’s transmission. She had no idea what Wakaomo was trying to accomplish with such actions.
‘Could this really be a scale of terrorism that the Reikubyō no Yū could pull off alone? No, that’s absolutely not possible.’
This wasn’t the kind of terror Wakaomo was known for. This went beyond simple acts of destruction.
Hiring a large force to hijack the academy ship, which could be considered part of the Autonomous District of Odyssey’s maritime school, and using it to plan additional attacks in the border area of both districts, all while plastering bombs throughout the ship?
Strange. This was far too strange.
‘There must be someone backing her up.’
Reaching this conclusion, Yukino decided to halt her train of thought. Finding out who was backing her could wait. What mattered now was to take Wakaomo down and return the academy ship to normal.
“FOX 2, FOX 4. If the explosives are not time bombs, ignore them and regroup at the bridge. The Reikubyō no Yū wouldn’t want to be taken down along with her bombs either.”
“Oh? What are you going to do if I have an escape route of my own?”
“Do you really think I wouldn’t be able to spot such a thing from above?”
“Really? What if a high-speed boat’s hidden among the cargo? Or perhaps a motorboat whisked away from the festival currently taking place between the two major academies…?”
In an instant, Yukino’s thoughts froze. The possibilities posed by Wakaomo couldn’t be entirely dismissed.
Considering Wakaomo had attempted to make some kind of deal with the Onsen Development Department, there was no way to guarantee she hadn’t siphoned off a boat from Gehenna.
Just then, an annoyingly soft and dignified voice chimed in again, one that just barely pressed Yukino’s buttons.
“Of course, that was just a hypothetical. Oh dear, did you request assistance? As I mentioned earlier, I do know how to pick my opponents. Though it’s a rare occurrence, I suppose it is clear that the little fox girl on the deck would be the ace or joker you’re relying on… I just have to avoid her, right? Huheh.”
“…”
Feeling her blood boil at Wakaomo’s dismissive remarks toward the other FOX squad members, Yukino quickly pushed those feelings aside and began her ascent up the stairs.
“Oh? Are you planning to take me on by yourself? That might be a bit difficult. It might be wiser to just keep breathing leisurely and wait for support…?”
“While taking you down alone might be a stretch, I definitely possess enough skill to not be taken down easily.”
“Hehe. What a bold little fox. You’re cute too.”
The sound of Wakaomo’s voice faded as she climbed the stairs. The clattering noise stopped entirely. Convinced that the opponent had entered the 2nd Bridge, Yukino took out a flashbang grenade, wary of a second ambush.
Clack.
Yukino, who had calculated her angle correctly, timed her toss and threw the flashbang into the 2nd Bridge. Confirming it landed perfectly inside, she prepared to rush in.
Boom!
“Kyah?!”
About to step into the 2nd Bridge, Yukino took a step back just in time. Sure enough,
Thump!!!
The bullet fired by Wakaomo cut through the air right before her eyes. As she firmly stepped into the 2nd Bridge, she finally caught sight of Wakaomo calmly removing shell casings.
“That was too obvious, wasn’t it? I figured as much, so I prepared another surprise for you.”
Kaboom!!!
*
What could that distant thunderous noise possibly be? Just as I pondered that, I swiftly knocked the last of the hired goons out with the butt of my gun. Thanks to the impressive body bunker which served as a weapon, the ammunition consumption was much lower than expected, but wasting ammo unnecessarily in a situation like this would be foolish.
I had seen fleet missiles being launched. Once Odyssey failed to intercept them, it would be Trinity and Gehenna biting down hard on that scenario, so thinking that it wouldn’t be a problem if they were desperately trying to stop it seemed valid.
Yet, there was a more pressing issue right in front of me.
“Explosives.”
Recalling Autogi’s transmission about the discovered explosives made me feel like the current situation was slipping into a puzzle.
While I knew Wakaomo was a notoriously dangerous terrorist compared to the Gourmet Research Club or the Onsen Development Department, would she really turn the academy ship into a sunken vessel?
It didn’t add up. Simply put, the notion that Wakaomo would not detonate explosives to ensure her own safety was one thing, but the very idea that she had devised a plan that could potentially drown nearly a thousand people aboard this academy ship was another matter entirely.
Even so, I didn’t believe that Wakaomo was the type to kill indiscriminately.
…I desperately hoped I was right.
“…Either they’re fake bombs, or if they’re real, there’s no intent to detonate.”
This was purely my intuition, yet the latter possibility seemed slightly more likely. Nevertheless, I hoped for the former.
What motivation could lead to such an act? To seize the academy ship and turn the festival site into a sea of flames? A motive that would clearly make sense for Wakaomo.
However, planting explosives on that ship was an entirely different matter.
Moreover, the scale and quality of the hired help were suspiciously excellent.
Setting aside the fact that I had overwhelmed them, the state of their armament and numbers significantly exceeded what you’d expect from a minor investment.
Reaching the conclusion that Wakaomo had backing wasn’t difficult. A backer who could provide real explosives in bulk and considerable funding to hire high-quality mercenaries.
If there was even a shred of motive for an operation like this, there was only one place that came to mind.
Kaiser Corporation.
Yet, the motivation seemed weak. Was it only because they turned down sponsorship for this festival?
While it wasn’t a possibility that could be completely ruled out, it lacked persuasiveness.
There was undeniably something I was unaware of here.
“Mika, is it…Wow, what on earth? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“This isn’t just a point man; it’s a solo army! If you could join our squad today as the first to retire in place of Kurumi, I would have no wishes left unfulfilled.”
The two foxes that had ascended from the stairs to the deck interrupted my thoughts.
“Huh? What? I’ve just got a few scratches and maybe burned a bit. How about you, Niko-chan and Autogi-chan? All good?”
“Taking down the hired goons on the upper deck was easy. But more importantly, that body bunker…?”
“Aha, it turned out to be fantastic in a ruckus! I tried using it however I liked, and I found a few I liked quite a lot!”
Spinning the body bunker in one hand, she casually tossed it aside. As it hit the floor, it let out a heavy sound, resonating delightfully.
“…Mika, that’s not how you use a body bunker.”
“What are you talking about, Niko-chan? This is exactly how a body bunker should be used.”
Is this what they mean by pioneers not being understood? Leaving Niko, who was left speechless, I led the way toward the bridge.
All my questions would be resolved once we captured Wakaomo.
