“I wonder if Reina’s okay…”

Kenya stared alone at the sky through the single iron-barred window in the isolation tower.

If he had physical abilities on par with hers, maybe he could climb down this tower like it was rock climbing.

“I’d die on impact.”

He had no idea how many meters it was, but it was clear enough that a fall from this towering stone structure would kill him in an instant.

“Hey, Sophie. What’s going on in the world out there? Just a little?”

“No.”

“Yeah, figured as much.”

“They’ve really let their guard down around me lately. Looks like I could get pretty close.”

“No, I won’t!”

“Why not? I pride myself on my looks. Any healthy guy would jump at an offer like this.”

“You really just say it outright… Well, yeah, Sophie, you’re beautiful, honestly, I can’t stop getting worked up—sorry. But… I’ve got someone I love. Sorry.”

“…I see.”

Sophie looked at Kenya with a faint smile.

Even though she’d been turned down, it didn’t feel bad at all.

She felt like she finally understood what Road had said.

It was just temptation, just lust.

But in Sophie’s experience, no man had ever resisted it this long.

Right now, she was posing as his maid to keep watch over him, but in truth, she’d handled every dirty job imaginable as part of an elite special forces unit, including spy work.

She’d been embraced by filthy men, done whatever was demanded of her in the past.

She was part of the imperial family’s direct special forces unit, and Road’s personal subordinate.

That was Sophie.

And from her perspective, Kenya was…

“You’re strong. Really strong.”

“Huh? What’d you say?”

“Nothing. Yeah… I’m a little jealous, actually. Someone who loves you that much… I don’t think anyone like that will ever come into my life.”

“That’s not true, Sophie. You’re beautiful.”

“Thank you, but I’m soiled… too much to be loved by anyone anymore. I’ve been stained by the darkness of this world.”

Seeing the sadness in Sophie’s eyes, Kenya remembered.

The history of the empire, and the history of this world.

That’s why.

“I’ll change it all, I promise.”

“Huh?”

“A world without wars, where girls like you can just smile. That’s what I’ll make. …Then will you smile for me? I haven’t seen your smile yet. Even in this messed-up situation… you don’t seem like a bad person.”

Those words made Sophie turn her back to Kenya.

Not acting, but genuinely blushing.

“…You’re so straightforward. Even to someone like me… such kind words.”

“It’s my only redeeming quality.”

“What Road said… I think I get it now.”

“Huh? Road said?”

“It’s nothing. Hm?—Excuse me, incoming call.”

Sophie’s device chimed.

She picked it up and received the report.

Her expression turned ice-cold, as if her previous demeanor had been a lie.

“Understood… Yes. In that case. Yes, got it.”

She ended the call and bowed to Kenya.

“I have business to attend to. Excuse me.”

“Oh? Yeah, sure.”

Sophie stepped outside.

Left alone in the tower, Kenya felt a bad premonition stirring in his chest.

Why?

“Reina, Kaguya. I wonder what’s happening out there in the world.”

All he could do was pray.

A little earlier, on the transport ship carrying Kaguya and Reina.

“There it is. That’s Earthguard Empire territory, judging by the landmass.”

“We didn’t run into a single enemy.”

“The empire’s huge. Guarding every border is impossible. Especially now, clashing head-on with the World Alliance on the opposite side.”

Isshin and the others disembarked.

“Well then, Isshin. I’ll head back to Japan for now. I’d just be in the way here… Everyone, good luck!”

“Thanks for the piloting, Tanaka. It’s a one-way ticket. Either we rescue Kenya-kun and get out, or we die here.”

Tanaka wasn’t combat personnel, so he turned back there.

Left behind were Reina, Kaguya, and Isshin.

Isshin climbed into the cockpit of Reina’s Takemikazuchi.

It was cramped, but had plenty of room for two.

Reina had trained desperately for this day and could now pilot the Takemikazuchi well enough to fight regular soldiers.

“Alright, let’s go, Uncle.”

“Yeah, you ready, Kaguya?”

“Of course!”

“Operation Kenya Rescue begins! Target: isolation tower. Once we grab him, we bug out immediately. Kaguya, no heroics.”

“I’ll do whatever it takes. Kenya’s life and the world’s on the line.”

“…Fair enough. Let’s give it everything we’ve got.”

And so Isshin and the others set foot in Earthguard Empire proper.

Heading straight for the imperial capital, Valhalla.

From there, Kaguya and Reina flew at full throttle.

They were probably already detected the moment they entered national airspace, so from here on, it was a race against time.

At max speed, they’d reach Valhalla from the border in under thirty minutes.

But the enemy would definitely notice.

A battle against time.

“Lord Road! Unidentified KOGs in national airspace!”

“What? Why weren’t they detected sooner? How many?”

“N-No… That’s just it. Only two. They must’ve come via sea route. At that size, they’re indistinguishable from fishing boats. We couldn’t pick them up.”

“Two? What the hell? What’s their goal?”

“Unknown, but one is white, the other red KOGs.”

“…No way, Reina? And the other red one… There was one like that in the World Alliance with Kenya’s love interest. Did they team up?”

Road racked his brain.

The white KOG was almost certainly the Takemikazuchi.

But he had no clue about the red one. To be precise, Kaguya of the Asia Union’s Thirteen Gods came to mind.

He recalled her machine, the bright red KOG called Kagu-tsuchi.

But he couldn’t connect the dots.

“Why would Reina team up with the World Alliance? With Zeke’s killer… How could she?”

Road couldn’t comprehend it.

If Reina and Kaguya had joined forces, why?

Kaguya and the World Alliance were as good as her father’s killers.

How could she ally with that enemy, and in such a short time?

“I don’t get it… But if that’s the case…”

Road pondered, but could only come up with hypotheses.

Still, he went with it and issued orders.

“Operation paused! Return to Valhalla!”

“Lord Road? You sure? The front lines are getting pushed back. We could lose this country we just took…”

“Doesn’t matter. Losing one nation changes nothing. If my guess is right…”

For the first time since the war began, Road dropped his composure.

“A man far more dangerous than that could be set loose. One nation won’t cut it.”

Sweat beaded on his forehead.

“There it is, Valhalla!”

“That’s… the imperial capital Valhalla. Bloated on our blood—no, the blood of people worldwide. Disgusting.”

And then Kaguya saw it.

In the center, amid modern skyscrapers, an incongruous stone castle towered.

A massive fortress that stood apart from the surrounding buildings.

Next to that castle was the tower. Kenya was in there.

“Reina, straight ahead, full speed.”

“Right… But they’ll be coming soon.”

Before Kaguya, Reina, and Isshin appeared three black Earthguard KOGs.

Just sentries patrolling the area, regular grunts.

Even so, they were elite knights trained for years.

But that was nothing.

“Regular soldiers. Three of ’em, but leave it to me?”

“Piece of cake!”

They didn’t slow down.

A crimson flash sliced in, felling all three KOGs in seconds.

“No holding back. We’re short on time!”

They were powerhouses who stood at the pinnacle of the world.