Dawn the next day. With the advancing army almost within artillery range of the border of Yamakasai, orders spread around the entire city to engage and repel at the earliest opportunity. To increase the chances of victory, the Yamakasai army had put out a call to the population asking for volunteers to join the defence. Many had volunteered, but the Yamakasai force is still badly outnumbered.

But the general of the Yamakasai army wasn't going to let a triviality like being outnumbered worry him. Through clever deployment of his troops, the volunteers, and the handful of stealth units Kasai‑dojo could spare, he is confident that Yamakasai can weather the storm, and the allied forces of Kinzokumori, Mokuzaihanto, and Tsuchidokutsu would be severely worn down before they broke through to the dojo itself.

However, no matter how prepared the Yamakasai army is, there is no accounting for the wildcards among the enemy. The four of the seven fire teams from Mokuzai‑dojo that had survived Mizutani would be just the start of the problems. The forces of Kinzoku‑dojo and Tsuchi‑dojo, though thinned considerably after the Mizutani attack, would be especially difficult to withstand and repel. And then there are the four elites: Grand Masters Tsubaki Moto and Kaede Himura, and their enslaved Red Scarves Maria Shanmao and Danny Brock.

But Yamakasai isn't without wildcards of their own. While Hideyoshi Takenaka will be occupied with defending Kasai‑dojo (and where possible, Yamakasai itself), and Chika Ueno will be deep within the dojo, protected by Kasai warriors and Xander Lykos, there are still two that will be out in the field. Yet despite the sheer scale of the upcoming battles, and the importance of succeeding in their mission, Hanna Skarlett's primary concern at this very moment is how crude and inelegant her new equipment looks.

"Who designed this flak jacket?" the vixen complains, examining how the ill‑fitting protective garment is the opposite of flattering in a full‑length mirror. "And this helmet is stupid."

"We're not going out there without the proper protection," Rob insists.

"Still doesn't excuse this stuff being uglier than Mantalith shit."

Rob inspects how Hanna's flak jacket is fitting. "I see two issues with this. One: it's a size too big for your build. And two: you've got it on backwards."

"It's also restricting my movements," Hanna continues.

"Like I said, it's too big and on backwards," Rob repeats.

"I tried the one a size below," Hanna reminds. "It crushed my breasts flat and made it hard to breathe."

"Did you have that one on backwards too?" Rob asks.

"They look the same whichever way around I hold them," Hanna explains.

Rob finds the smaller flak jacket Hanna had discarded. "This one'll fit."

"It won't."

"I'll prove it."

With a sigh, Hanna relents, and allows Rob to remove the ill‑fitting flak jacket and fit the smaller one properly.

"There," Rob announces when he finishes adjusting the jacket. "How does that feel?"

Hanna takes a good, long look in the mirror once more. "OK, I admit it, you were right," she eventually answers. "In fact, it looks… good. Apart from the colour making it look like I'm wearing recycled cardboard. And the helmet's still stupid."

"I'm nervous too," Rob assures.

"I'm not nervous," Hanna denies.

"You are," Rob insists. "Normally, you're the one correcting how my gear fits."

Hanna sighs in resignation once more. "You're right. To be brutally honest, I'm shitting myself. Not only are we about to go out into a warzone, it's an urban warzone, and we'll eventually run into Maria and Danny, and…"

"We'll save them," Rob assures.

Hanna takes a deep breath. "You're right, we will. So," she continues, turning to face Rob, "how do I look?"

Rob pans his eyes over his wife from top to toe and back again. "Only you can make a flak jacket look sexy," he flirts.

"You don't look so bad yourself," Hanna flirts back.

"Ready to be a hero?" Rob asks.

"Heroes only exist in comic books and action movies," Hanna replies.

"Good point," Rob admits. "Ready to make a difference?"

"Absolutely," Hanna smiles confidently.

"Then load up and roll out."

"Did you steal that from a cartoon?"

"Yes."

"Stop doing that, it's not clever."

"OK, I'll steal lines from movies instead."

Hanna makes to respond, then decides to simply shake her head in bemusement.


Meanwhile, in his inner sanctum, Hideyoshi Takenaka is making the final deployment checks when he is contacted by the Yamakasai general by radio.

"Good morning general," Hideyoshi greets after accepting the communication. "Do you require anything?"

"Just checking on the status of your deployment," the general replies.

"My last three units are moving into position now," Hideyoshi assures.

"Good." The general pauses a moment. "Be honest with me: do you think we can win this one?"

Now it's Hideyoshi's turn to pause. "I'm afraid I cannot say, general," he admits.

"I understand we have some outside help?" the general asks.

"Affirmative," Hideyoshi confirms. "Three active members of the Red Scarves are on our side."

"Just three‽"

"I'm afraid they're all I could risk bring in. Well, two of them anyway: Xander Lykos was in Mizutani with Chika Ueno when the city was attacked."

"I don't know much about the Red Scarves," the general admits, "but what I have heard is promising. It's just a shame we have so few on our side."

"I fear no more would have come regardless," Hideyoshi informs. "Not to mention if we did manage to bring in more, it'll only lend more justification to the enemy."

"Hopefully the few that are helping us will be enough to tip the balance," the general replies. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go: the enemy are getting within attack range."

"Go kōun o inorimasu," Hideyoshi wishes.


Half an hour after sunrise, the advancing army gets within range of Yamakasai. The city defences spring into life, raining shells on the advancing front. The advancing army opens fire in return, a couple of shots in the first salvo taking out two of the Yamakasai mortars.

As the army continues to advance, the units taking evasive action to avoid the incoming barrage, Tsubaki Moto watches safely out of range while simultaneously doing what she can to smooth out the damage her water katana sustained in the tower collapse. After several minutes of effort, the tanuki examines the blade. I'm not going to get it any better than that. Not without my forge, anyway.

Tsubaki sheathes her sword, jumps down from the top of the rock she was sat on, then gently kicks the sleeping Kaede Himura in the back with the side of her boot. "Time to wake up."

Kaede stirs, but doesn't wake.

Tsubaki sighs in frustration, then kicks Kaede hard in the upper back. The pika wakes with a yelp, rolling onto her front.

"Time. To. Wake. Up." Tsubaki states sternly.

"OK, OK, I'm awake," Kaede groans, pushing herself groggily to her feet. "What time is it?"

"Forty minutes after sunrise," Tsubaki answers.

"Couldn't you have waited a few more hours?"

"No."

"You don't need me to hunt down Chika," Kaede reminds.

"But I do need you to send the badger and the childwoman after the vixen and the hare," Tsubaki instructs.

"Fine," Kaede sighs. "Where are they?"

"You were using the badger as a pillow," Tsubaki informs. "You're not developing affection for them, are you?"

"No!" Kaede denies. Kaede you liar.

"Good. Now wake them up and give them their orders."

Kaede nudges Danny awake, then nudges Maria.

"Ice cream!" Maria exclaims as she wakes suddenly; Tsubaki snorts in disgust.

"Loverboy, kitten, listen carefully," Kaede commands. "Somewhere in Yamakasai are a vixen and a hare that pose a great threat to our plans. Therefore, your mission is to kill Hanna Skarlett and Rob Stiil."

For the first time, both Maria and Danny hesitate before accepting the order.

"Loverboy and kitten?" Tsubaki asks Kaede, not even trying to hide her disgust. "Why did they hesitate?"

"Don't know," Kaede replies. "I've never seen it before: it's always been immediate."

"Is that going to be a problem?"

Kaede hesitates a moment. "No, it shouldn't be a problem."

"Better not be."