“What…? That white machine…”

“Knight Captain, can we shoot it down?”

“Yeah, Lord Road gave the order to take it out.”

(But I’ve never seen Lord Road that rattled before. There’s something seriously wrong with that machine.)

“Alright, men! Nothing changes! Lay down a barrage!”

“Understood!”

The Knight Captain’s orders were spot on.

A bullet storm from long range—no room for any technical edge here.

No matter how ridiculous their combat skills might be, they’d mean nothing against this hail of gunfire.

Sword himself had just felt that firsthand.

Against a normal machine, that alone would’ve sealed the deal.

If it had been a normal machine.

“Brace! Fire…!?”

In that instant, a triangular pyramidal shield materialized in front of the white machine.

It charged straight at them like a spear, shield and all.

Its speed put every KOG before it to shame—like a white bullet streaking forward.

“Fire! Fire!!”

The Knight Captain couldn’t hide his panic, but they still had enough distance to successfully unleash the barrage.

They succeeded, but…

“!? …It’s deflecting everything!?”

The spear-like shield parried it all, sending the shots streaming harmlessly behind it.

The white blur moved at lightning speed.

And in a flash, it was in close.

“What the hell is this machine!!”

The spear-like shield transformed, morphing into two massive swords.

Sword gripped them both, one in each hand.

He looked just like…

“Miyamoto Musashi,”

Tanaka muttered, picturing the dual-wielding sword saint.

A sword in the right hand, a sword in the left, and defeat for the enemy.

In the previous world, Takemikazuchi had been modeled after that legendary swordsman.

At Sword’s suggestion, its arsenal consisted of a shield for closing distance and two transforming swords.

No ranged weapons whatsoever—an absurd melee specialist.

Tanaka had initially doubted if something like this could even be handled on the battlefield, but those worries proved unfounded.

The interval created by those casually poised twin blades was Sword’s absolute domain.

No one could defend or withstand anything within that range.

Fifteen KOGs inside it were sliced apart in under a minute.

Later dubbed the “White Domain” by allies and enemies alike—with awe and respect—it was Sword’s untouchable zone.

Nothing existed in that space but the white machine itself.

“If it were me… Takemikazuchi and me… I wouldn’t lose!”

Sword was thrilled.

Thrilled to survive, thrilled to have the power to fight.

Thrilled to go all out with this machine he loved.

And looking up, there loomed a massive black shadow.

Over seventy strong—a huge unit.

“…Come at me with as many as you want. Right now…”

Sword grinned fiercely.

“I don’t even feel like I’d lose 100 vs. 1!”

…

“What the hell… Zeke!! What is that thing!!”

Road shot up from his throne.

Filled with rage and fear, his body trembled at the unfamiliar sensation.

“It’s the latest model. Theoretically the fastest and strongest KOG in existence right now. But a pilot capable of handling it…”

“There is one! Impossible! 100 to 1! That’s insane!”

The KOGs were dropping one after another.

Blink, and one exploded—felled in a single blow, while their attacks did absolutely nothing.

Lightning-quick maneuvers downed black KOG after black KOG.

…

(Focus… see everything.)

Sword dove deep into concentration.

Into a world as still as the ocean floor, fully immersed.

The pinnacle of focus that elite athletes call “the Zone.”

A capricious peak no one could reach by will alone—yet Sword stepped into it on purpose.

After countless brushes with death in desperate battles, he finally forced the door open himself.

Strong will and raw talent.

Extreme conditions and focus.

All the gears meshed, and Sword threw the door wide.

An omnipotent sensation enveloped him. Right now, he could probably slice bullets out of the air.

“90!”

Combined with the first thirty, the ninetieth KOG fell in a single bisecting slash.

100 vs. 1—a sheer numbers gap no one should win.

It wasn’t even a fight without Sword’s godlike piloting skills propping it up.

True, they were all knight-class with no aces, but overwhelming numbers were still violence incarnate.

And mid-battle, Sword realized something.

It resembled that previous fight.

As if this desperate scenario was a test to see if he could surpass it.

A trial that only those worthy of this world could pass.

Then there was no reason to lose.

How many times had he challenged it? How many defeats?

The boy’s unyielding obsession, all to save his two heroines—he never gave up.

The difference from those infinite retries? One shot only this time.

Then he’d seize victory.

If that smile waited beyond.

If he could see that girl again, the one who’d said she loved him!

“I’m definitely surviving!!”

The ninety-ninth KOG exploded.

“Gonna get all lovey-dovey with Kaguya!!”

And the final one was cleaved in two.

In his left hand, the power to protect what mattered.

In his right, the power to pierce through with his will.

With iron resolve to achieve it all, he cut down every foe.

Sword had won.

Standing alone atop the rubble, gazing at the sky.

All around, countless KOG wreckage blazed.

One hundred machines. One hundred pilots dead by his hand.

To survive himself. To keep Kaguya and the others alive.

“Kaguya, I made it.”

Then Sword dropped to one knee.

He’d long passed his concentration limit; his brain felt like it was frying.

The adrenaline crash hit, and sleep clawed at him.

In the distance, a massive vehicle.

Probably the commander’s ride.

Reina and Zeke were likely there too.

No need to pursue.

The victor here was already decided.

…

“Hahaha… HAHAHA!! What is this! Impossible! This can’t be… not even a bad joke would fly!”

Road laughed, voice shaking.

As if broken, he bellowed his defeat from the throne, slumping powerlessly.

“Did I… lose? Me? Everything cut down… strategy and all, split in two. First time on a battlefield.”

“L-Lord Road…”

That day, Road’s invincible legend ended.

By a single irregular machine.

“One man’s tactics outdid my entire strategy. Argo, withdraw. This battle’s winner is clear.”

“…Y-Yes, sir.”

Argo, the dazed commander.

Road’s orders had been flawless. No mistakes.

The optimal path to assured victory.

Yet they lost.

Why? Why lose?

The reason was crystal clear.

That white KOG ignored all strategy.

Micro overwhelmed macro, turning sure victory into utter defeat.

“Withdraw… full retreat. Operation over.”

Argo’s trembling voice issued the command.

Every Earthguard Empire force on the field—infantry included—began pulling back.

“They retreated…”

Sword murmured at the sight.

Slumping into his cockpit seat, drained.

Victory, but no triumph.

Too much damage. Too many dead.

Enemies and allies alike—killed and killers.

And yet.

“What did we gain? Both sides. All these deaths—what came of it?”

Only more corpses.

What was born from this fight? What was gained?

All Sword could think of was the losses.

The enemy felt the same.

One truth shone through: power was needed to protect.

Without fighting, without this strength, Kaguya would’ve died here.

No regrets.

Still, thoughts of what was lost brought tears.

Memories of hands he couldn’t grasp, tears aimed his way.

“Gotta get stronger… way stronger. Strong enough to protect everything. With these hands.”

Sword, awakened in victory.

Road, defeated on the battlefield for the first time.

From the day these two boys first clashed, the gears of grand fate began to turn.

Their geniuses’ tale would grow into a war that reshaped the world.

This encounter forging a new route for it all.

But for now.

“Tanaka-san, sorry. Gonna crash for a bit.”

The knight who’d fought till his brain nearly burned slipped into sleep.

Resting for the next battle, alongside his white knight.

Afterword

Thank you so much to everyone who’s read this far.

Your passionate comments mean the world to me.

This concludes Chapter 1: Knight of Another World arc. Starting tomorrow, Chapter 2: Earthguard arc begins.

For those coming from Narou, sorry for the wait! (lol)

Finally, the continuation.

If you wouldn’t mind, a rating via the ★ below would really motivate me to keep writing.

Your hot comments and reviews fuel my energy like nothing else.

Truly grateful to everyone who’s left them.

See you at the end of Chapter 2!

This is KAZU.

P.S.: My favorite anime is Code Geass. I’ve drawn heavy inspiration from its worldbuilding.

Actually, my love overflowed, and writing my fave chars made it resemble too much.

Now, how much originality can I inject from here…?

*Note: I’ve gotten some feedback about Muv-Luv, but I haven’t touched it. No joke—pure coincidence. I’m shocked myself; zero references used.