“Lord Odin, preparations are complete.”

“…I see.”

At Rillbelt’s report, Odin rose to his feet.

Nearly a month had passed since the declaration of world war, and the World Union’s preparations were now complete.

And Odin Earthguard was ready as well.

Road Earthguard was ready as well.

The protagonists of the battle for world hegemony took to the stage.

For a war on an unprecedented scale, one in which every human on Earth would be a participant.

“A brother superior to his elder…?”

“No, Lord Odin, you are the one who should become the ruler of the world. Far more than Road.”

“That guy’s a genius. He’s on a whole different level from me. But that’s exactly why.”

Odin praised his enemy Road, as if to refute Rillbelt’s statement.

More than anyone, Odin acknowledged Road’s extraordinary talent, even so.

“He’s not a man meant to stand above others. He’s a player, not a leader.”

…

“Kenya, I’m coming in… What the hell are you two doing?”

When Road entered the hospital room, there was Reina in a half-undone nurse outfit, straddling Kenya.

“N-No, it’s not what it looks like! Reina was the one who forced herself on me!”

“With a life-or-death battle starting soon, I figured I’d at least get you to hold me. How about it? Does it excite you?”

“Where did you leave your sense of shame?! No way! Why are you trying so hard to make me break my promise to Kaguya?!”

“I left my sense of shame at Mom’s grave that day. And I don’t want to lose to Kaguya. But… fine, I’ll let you off the hook for today.”

“Haa… Every single day… This is straight-up torture.”

Road let out a sigh as he watched his knights fooling around.

Reina straightened her clothes and sat beside Kenya to listen to Road.

“Looks like your condition’s fully recovered.”

“Yeah, I think I’m good to be discharged, but Reina won’t give me the okay.”

“Please stay in the hospital a bit longer.”

(I’m still in the middle of training with Mr. Osiris.)

Reina, wanting to surprise everyone if possible, had been training like mad with Osiris every day.

This one hour in the day was her only happy time.

With her resolve firm, Reina absorbed every technique Osiris had to offer.

A prodigy to begin with, her talents blossomed under the harsh training from the former strongest.

Her strength had now reached the level of a Holy Knight Captain.

(I even beat Mr. Jin once for the first time yesterday. I can still get stronger.)

She embodied the truth that merely wishing to grow stronger could change a person.

“So, Road. What’s the plan?”

“Yeah, Kenya. I’ve got a favor to ask. For this operation, I want you to handle the final blow. The role that seals the decisive check.”

Road clapped Kenya on the shoulder and looked him straight in the eye as he conveyed his thoughts.

“I’m counting on you.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I’ll carve the path. I’ll set the stage too. So Kenya, end it with that sword of yours—my brother.”

A sadness lingered deep in his eyes.

Even a brother like that was still Road’s brother, so he must have mixed feelings.

Kenya understood that and accepted the resolve nonetheless.

“…Leave it to me. I’m your sword.”

“Yeah.”

…

Asia Union, World Union General Headquarters—Nakatake, Capital Kamui.

“Then, Lord Odin, if you would handle the declaration? This war’s banner is yours to bear.”

Genbu and Camille stood with Odin before the vast army, ready to declare the war’s start.

Earthguard-made machines, EU-made machines, Asia Union-made machines.

Though each looked different, for this day, they had all been painted pure white.

In stark contrast to the black KOGs of Earthguard.

And Odin ascended the platform, looking down upon the army of over 100,000 pristine white machines.

“Before me now, the power of the world is united…”

His opening words rang out quietly across the world.

“These machines painted white, tools of war, KOG. That name was given by my father, Orgord Earthguard. Long ago, we fought with wooden sticks. Then swords were born, then bows, then guns. We kept fighting. That is human history. War is human history. An undeniable fact no one can refute. But amid it all, we humans have undoubtedly progressed.”

When Orgord Earthguard first became emperor long ago,

that was when Knight of the Giant was developed—what the emperor named the Knight of the Giant.

“And from that came the KOG you all ride today. The pinnacle of human technology, the crystallization of wisdom. Why did we arrive at these weapons? From mere sticks? It’s because one thing hasn’t changed. From the days we roamed the world half-naked, we haven’t changed at all! Deep in our hearts, it is!”

He paused for a breath, giving the crowd time to think.

Then Odin gave the answer.

“Our instinct not to die, and nothing else! War advances the world’s technology. At speeds impossible in peace, straight ahead, flaunting humanity’s potential at impossible velocities. Why? Because we don’t want to die! We don’t want to be killed, so we kill. That is humanity’s strongest emotion.”

Odin’s voice grew stronger.

He emphasized not wanting to die.

“We fight—why?! Because we don’t want to die! We fight—why?! Because we want to live free! For that, we join hands, transcending racial differences, cultural differences, old grudges! Humanity can advance! That is now! The reason you soldiers, Earthguardians, Asians, Westerners, stand together! Therefore!”

And Odin raised his fist.

“Victory! In hopes this is humanity’s final battle. Orders to all soldiers! Launch all KOG!!”

With his shout, every waiting KOG activated and rose into the air.

Over 100,000 KOG bared their fangs at the Earthguard Empire’s vast contiguous lands.

“Advance on the imperial capital Valhalla! Advance target is”

The goal of the entire world.

“Road Earthguard! Just that one man!”

…

The First World War had begun.

Its battlefields numbered over 20, each massive beyond precedent, just to grasp them all.

Earthguard’s territory was vast.

Thus, the battlefields weren’t one or two—true to total war, countless fronts sprang up.

Yet Earthguard had many brilliant commanders.

“Enemy’s comin’! Give ’em a proper welcome, lads!!”

“Roger that, Org! Rain of bullets as the welcome drink, huh!”

“Damn right! Stuff ’em full of lead! All hands, take aim!”

One of the Three Heroes, Org Obelisk.

A true veteran who’d survived real wars, his battlefields left piles of the dead.

Though enemy losses were always double that.

And another.

“Operation as briefed. This isn’t Lord Road, so expect adjustments. Understood?”

“For you, Lady Lamia, this life is yours! Use me as a pawn to your heart’s content!”

“You’re an excellent pawn. Don’t worry—I’ll give you a meaningful death.”

“What an honor!”

A female paragon at the world pinnacle in both strategy and tactics.

Lamia Silverna, 30, single.

“Senior Zeke, I’ll take your revenge. How many of their corpses will let you rest easy with a smile…?”

A junior who loved Zeke commanded the battlefield.

The Three Heroes, now two, ravaged the fronts.

The World Union held numerical superiority, but in talent, Earthguard clearly won.

And the final one.

In the Earthguard Army General Command Room in capital Valhalla, Road sat alone.

Over ten monitors arrayed before him.

“Omega Squad on Battlefield B to Sector A-23. Alpha Squad on Battlefield E, hold position—engage enemy shadows from the right immediately. Battlefield C: Bravo Squad to Sector C-2, ambush there. Crush them with Beta Squad… And then.”

The screens before him showed every battlefield except those entrusted to commanders like Org and Lamia.

Alone, to focus fully.

From that room, he issued orders via comms to each commander.

“Just relaying orders is exhausting enough… As expected of you, Lord Road.”

He grasped every battlefield in frantic motion.

Like a grandmaster playing multiple boards at once.

The World Union suffered defeat after defeat; Road’s fronts never lost once.

“Battlefield B, secured. Battlefield C next… Minimal losses! Overwhelming victory!”

In that war, the World Union remembered.

The power of the supreme commander who nearly annihilated the EU once.

The Devil’s Brain unbeatable in the battlefield game of wits.

“Big brother, if you don’t hurry out, I’ll crush the World Union. Well, that’s probably your aim too.”

Road toyed with the world.

All battlefields lay bare in his eyes.

Such clashes continued for nearly a week.

A war where Earthguard seemed constantly on the offensive.

Yet force disparity kept it deadlocked, fronts unmoving.

Or more precisely.

“That should lock down the major battlefields. All key points secured.”

Just as Road intended, the fronts gradually hardened into stalemate.

“Alright, stage is set. Just final prep left.”

…

“Well, I’m off, Mr. Tanaka.”

“…Do your best, Kenya-kun. I always say that.”

“Kenya-kun, don’t push yourself too hard. Once I finish Aphrodite’s maintenance… It’ll take a few more days… Sorry.”

“W-Well, I am the one who wrecked it big time.”

(I asked Road to delay the maintenance in secret.)

For Kenya, if this would end everything, he didn’t want Reina or Kaguya facing danger.

So even knowing he’d get an earful if caught, he’d begged Road to delay Reina’s custom machine maintenance.

She’d insisted on following in a standard unit, but he’d forced her to agree it’d just hinder them.

“It’s fine. I’ll achieve the goal. Then… Reina, we’ll pick up where we left off today.”

“Absolutely. So this much should be okay, right? Mmm…”

And Reina leaned in for a kiss.

Kenya returned it—Kaguya would forgive this much.

Then Kenya boarded Takemikazuchi.

“Road, you hear me?”

“Yeah, stage is set.”

“Then here goes. I’ll end it.”

“…I leave it to you. My brother, Odin.”

Speaking flatly to hide his emotions, Road gave one order.

“Kill him.”