Recollection of Lightning War

by WildMath55

Four years after their previous conflicts, STI received an unexpected letter. The content there is an invitation to join the latest Sengoku Gensokyo Tournament. Meanwhile, in Historia Gensokyo, the host, GUF, began their preparation to strengthen STI following the latter's defeat four years ago. Sengoku Gensokyo style take of Fantasy Blitzkrieg Mission One.

2. The First Declaration of War

AN: Here's the first chapter. It will follow STI Army and the first guild they will face in this year's Sengoku Gensokyo Tournament. Those who played Sengoku Gensokyo will knew, since STI will start at Muenzuka. Big shout-out to Xovercreator for writing STI's part of this story. I owe him big time for this. And for those who are wondering, I actually used my own gameplay of Sengoku Gensokyo as the basis for STI's actions and provided the scripts (I wrote the opposition's part), with Xovercreator writing around it to suit what STI will do.

Recollection of Lightning War Chapter 1
The First Declaration of War

Date: January 11th, HS 2054/NG 2129

Location: Muenzuka, Historia Gensokyo

With the STI Army…

As they reached Muenzuka, the STI crew immediately looked around, as they found that the grassy land around them was filled with a large density of red spider lilies, and many sakura blossoms trees, with darkness in the far distance.

"Lycoris radiata…" LT remarked, as he picked up a red spider lily by the stem, before he then gave off a slight smirk. "Huh, reading up on Asahinese culture, these are supposed to grow in places akin to hell. Almost seems fitting, that we'd start up in a place that seems fairly foreboding. We're quite grim-looking."

"Please don't joke about such things." Alice Lou remarked, as she looked around the area as well. "It's quite beautiful. We've never been to this place before. It looks as if this is the winding road towards the afterlife."

"It wouldn't be wrong. I have the same feeling as I did in Hakugyokurou, here as well." Takagi agreed with a firm nod.

"Then would we expect to see the departed around here?"

"Even if we did, ain't going to faze me after what I've seen." Edge scoffed. "So, boss, what's the big plan now? Don't think that anyone's hot-blooded enough to declare war off the bat when we made the first steps. Wouldn't be sporting if we didn't have a slight grace period to get our 'fantasy legs' back, no?"

"First steps?" LT asked, as he had his hand under his chin in thought. It was indeed a good question. LT could try and find if there is anything within the war-game rules that would allow him to gain some sort of advantage, or he could spend the time reliably to develop the one territory they occupy.

So LT made his choice evident, as he gestured towards Miranda. "Hey, Miranda." He stated.

"Yeah? Do you need me to work on something right now?" Miranda responded back, as she turned towards LT, while she was unpacking some of her working equipment out for preparation of whatever is to be ordered.

"Take some men and see if you can find some 'Ryumyaku'." LT ordered. "Wilder was kind enough to teach us the method to learn how to find them, both slumbering and awake variants."

"Can do." Miranda answered back, as she immediately walked over to one of the deactivated search drones, built in a quadcopter frame, turning it on. "Alright, those who got some expertise in scouting out the area, with me. We got some foundation to build for the army."

She was met with the agreement of a few soldiers, as well as some Turks, as the group left. The others bided their time, in making preparations on their own equipment and gear, before LT received a call from his comms, from Miranda herself.

"Found the Ryumyaku. Looks like it's as much of a jackpot as you make it sound, LT." Miranda responded through the comms. "Come to where we are. I think that you need to see this to believe it."

LT immediately gestured for the other RAIDERS and significant members to follow him, as they found Miranda in another area, as she was standing before what seemed to be a large vent in the ground, which was emanating a flow of wispy energy that fluctuated between the colours of white and light-blue.

David immediately pulled out the Magika Detector, as the readings on the device, upon being pointed towards the large ground vent, was reading high values of magic, and also usable energy from it. "Whoa, never seen readings this high from the detector before, at least not from any non-living signature." He remarked, slightly surprised with his eyes wide.

"What can you make of this, Miranda?" LT consulted the engineer.

"Well, considering that this is basically a glorified energy vent, I can easily build up devices to absorb said energy, and convert it into materials with our manufacturing technology." Miranda answered back, waving a wrench in one of her hands. "As for making use of further Ryumyaku? Just create a piping system to gather the processed energy to a central hub where we can do the manufacturing. Doubt that the engagement rules would allow sabotage of it without making a mess of things."

"I'm quite happy with the idea you have. Proceed with it. In the meantime, we'll be making our own preparations." LT nodded back, before turning to the rest of his men. "Turks, RAIDERS and soldiers, we're going to do some construction to set a base here."

As LT and his men started to construct their base in Muenzuka, Miranda and her squad of engineers started work on the Ryumyaku, and managed to make the structures required for the energy conversion and manufacturing.

STI Army's Ryumyaku count in Muenzuka has increased!

Location: Forest of Magic, Historia Gensokyo

Meanwhile, with GUF…

Forest of Magic. The most notable forest in Gensokyo, due to the fact that it's also the only one on the map. This landmark has two known residences. One is inhabited by the Ordinary Magician, Marisa Kirisame. The other one is the residence of Seven-Colored Puppeteer, Alice Margatroid. Currently, both of them were scouring around the forest. The latter also brought one of her dolls, Maybell, with her. When they're about to go to another area, Reimu approached them. This alerted them, since the only times she ever does this is during Sengoku Gensokyo tournaments. And this just so happened to be the 49th one...

Marisa looks up and greets Reimu. "Hey, what's wrong? If this is about the current tournament, we're already prepared. There's no way we're losing this time!" To her surprise, the shrine maiden shook her head. "I'm afraid the current format has been changed. This tournament now has a Special Guest. Remember STI, Marisa?"

That immediately makes Marisa turn pale, while Alice is confused about what is going on. "What happened? And what is this STI?"

Both Reimu and Marisa then explain what STI is.

"They're currently the most powerful NGO in Neo-Gen Outside World. Yes, the very same in which our counterparts had a conflict with four years ago. And as of how we managed to gain their contact, well, it happened 19 years ago, when the Outsiders stumbled there during their first Multiverse trip. I don't really know the details, but from what Yasei told me, there was an Outbreak 19 years ago, and they assisted the STI in containing it." Reimu finished her part.

"Yeah, and I didn't expect to be actually called to help them during the final year of their war, either. But then again, we already dealt with ours three decades ago, so I'm pretty sure we can deal with whoever this invader is. Long story short, we managed to bust into their HQ, and were even able to subdue their leader. Well, turns out they were controlled by someone else, and I can tell for sure it's not our Neo-Gen counterpart." Marisa then continues.

Needless to say, Alice is shocked to hear that. "Hold on, so you two are telling me that this STI is the Special Guest for this tournament?!" She's met with nods from the main Incident Resolvers. *sigh* "Alright then, so what's our stance?"

Reimu then relay what Fugere Gensokyo will do as the opposing faction in the First Phase. "Currently, us Gensokyans will be their first opponent, and I think it's quite fitting, due to the fact that we're the one that created this war game. Well, it was Yukari's idea, but she does have a point in making this war game an outlet for all the suppressed powers we all store. I already scanned the region in high altitude, and currently, STI has occupied Muenzuka. I guess that makes sense, since the barrier has an intersection there."

Marisa quickly deduced what is the most likely outcome. "If that's the case, then that means…" And she paled again. "We'll be the first to fight them?! Gimme a break… You do know that we can't afford to spam our Spell Cards in this tournament right, Reimu?"

Silence for a few seconds. Reimu then sighs.

"Look, I know this is frustrating, but Gensokyo has already been hit with so many massive incidents before, and we can't afford to drop our guard. All I ask is, prepare for what to come. And even if you lose your territories, it's only temporary. Like I said, Gensokyo will unite to face them. First, we need intel. It will take a while before STI reaches the Road of Reconsideration, so that will be your chance to see who they sent here."

Alice looks at Maybell, who showed concern just before, but then sporting a determined look. "We can do this, Alice! I'll ask the others to help fortify the area." The puppeteer can't help but smile seeing it. "You're right. It seems I'll be the first one to confront them. Can I count on you once they start invading the forest?"

Marisa sports a grin and raises her right thumb up. "Leave it to me! I'll go fetch Naruko." She then rides her broom and flies somewhere. "Well then, Maybell. It seems we need to assemble an army. Fetch Shanghai Alpha and Hourai Alpha for me, please. I'll make some final adjustments to Titania-class and Goliath-class dolls." Maybell gives a salute and flies to Alice's house Alice also went the same direction, except she flies to her warehouse.

Reimu sighed in relief once she confirmed Forest of Magic's participation. "Well then, I better go and tell the others about this format change. Knowing Yukari, she'll find out right away, so there's no need to tell her. Besides, it's not my idea, anyway." With that she flies away from the forest.

Recruitment phase

"Hey, Naruko!" Marisa called a certain magic jizo that lives in the forest. "I got some dire news here." She then lands near Narumi. "What's wrong, Marisa?" Marisa rubs her head as she tries to find a way to explain the current situation. "You see…"

Girls are explaining.

"Whoa… Didn't expect the tournament format to be changed." Narumi blinks a few times after hearing what Marisa just said. "Yeah, and I'm quite shocked when Reimu told me about this as well." Marisa then huffs. "And the forest is going to be the first area invaded, you see." Narumi's eyes widened on that remark. "Talk about scary… So you need my help?"

"Yeah." That's Marisa's answer. Simple as that. "... Okay, then. I don't get many chances to show my skills during previous tournaments, and I'm not throwing away this chance." Narumi then sports an enthusiastic expression. "Cool, I'm counting on you, Naruko. Alice currently prepares her doll army, so we better get ready just in case."

"Got it, Marisa." With that, both Marisa and Narumi went to their respective areas and started fortifying it.

Back in Alice's house, Maybell 'talked' with Shanghai Alpha and Hourai Alpha about the current tournament, and how they need to help Alice in facing the invaders. She then flies with both of them and goes to the warehouse. Alice noticed them and she turned around.

"Ah, there you are, Maybell. Thank you. I've done the adjustments. The first time I used Titania and Goliath was 45 years ago. Time sure flies fast…" Maybell nods and she's reminded about her meeting with Alice. "You know, Alice… I'm really glad I found you. You're the one I looked for, and I've decided back then, that I'll do what I can to help. That hasn't changed even now."

Alice nods and rubs Maybell's head. "Well, I'll be counting on you, then."

Confirmed Forest of Magic Team members:

- Marisa Kirisame (C)
- Alice Margatroid
- Narumi Yatadera (Marisa calls her 'Naruko')
- Maybell
- Shanghai Alpha
- Hourai Alpha
- Goliath Alpha
- Titania Alpha
- Holland Alpha

Fugere Gensokyo Squad (Faction) has created Forest of Magic Team (Guild)!
Fugere Gensokyo Squad's warpower has been reinforced!

Date: January 12th, HS 2054/NG 2129

Muenzuka

LT watched as the troops he gathered here had already created their base camp in Muenzuka. Much more developed, compared to their fairly simplistic army camp they created when they were in Neo-Gen Gensokyo, with the addition of more fundamental structures, including an armory, shooting range, mess hall and etcetera. He smiled a little, seeing how organised the entire area was, after only a day or two of building.

"Hey Edge, give me a hand here, won't you? I need to move the new batches of gear around." Miranda asked Edge, who had just finished moving a few boxes into the camp, as the engineer herself was hefting a large box, looking fairly tired.

"Will do." Edge responded back, as he took the box from Miranda's hands himself, letting out a soft grunt, and moving it to where it went, while Miranda wiped the sweat off her fore-head, letting out a 'phew'.

Although LT was idle for the time being, the other members of his group were not. Reina was already plotting out combat strategies in the strategy room, Emily was doing some tidying in LT's personal tent, David, Takagi, Edge and Miranda were doing some heavy-lifting with the materials and gear they got from processing the Ryumyakus' energy, with plans to expand their network of the production points in the future, once more areas were occupied by them.

"Odd that it's been a while, and there has been no signs of trouble. Maybe I'm a little tense after what happened the last time we started out…" David stated with a pondering expression on his face.

"I'm certain that no darkness-wielding youkai would be attacking us out of the blue this time." Takagi responded back, as he had ammo crates in his arms, slowly moving across step-by-step.

"Mm, can't be sure, considering that we could end up having to deal with a declaration of war soon. Our presence wouldn't remain unnoticed for long." David shrugged.

Takagi immediately lowered the last case of ammo crates down, as he then walked over to where his sniper rifle was, as he loaded it with standard ammunition, walking over to the shooting range, which LT noticed.

"Testing the products, eh Takagi?" LT asked in a coy manner.

"I cannot trust using the manufactured ammo until I can verify their reliability." Takagi responded back with a serious tone.

"Fair, I'll be the judge of that. Fire when ready, Takagi." LT nodded, before he then moved back to watch, leaning against a stable pile of ammo boxes to watch the spectacle.

Takagi wasted no time in assuming sniping position, his posture showing minimal signs of slouching or improper positioning, as his rifle was held firmly in his hands. With a sharp intake of air in a breath, Takagi fired three shots in succession, all aimed for three fairly-spaced out targets in the distance. Despite being made of durable metal behind the paper targets, the shots all left fairly deep holes in them.

Takagi carefully dismantled his gun to check the chamber of the gun for any irregularities, only to find that the shots were fired without any complications.

"The ammo showed no irregularities." Takagi declared, as he unclipped the magazine from his rifle.

"Whoo, wouldn't want to be using those bullets for battle, won't you?" LT answered back, making a slight wince at the damage dealt by the rifle shots.

"These are used for non-organic targets that are built to resist such attacks. I used the standard type to see if the base case would work. If a normal round would not work, then how would the modified rounds? I will have to run another test later, but for now, the manufacturing of the ammo is reliable." Takagi explained, filling some magazine clips with the ammo.

"Yeah…" LT trailed off, looking to the distance, then to the rest of the camp.

In just a few seconds after that display, Alice Lou returned from the borders of the camp, with a small scouting force.

"Alice, you're back. What's the sit-rep?" LT questioned, getting back straight on his feet.

"There is organised military activity ahead. We have found that the current enemy force is inclined towards dolls, although there is youkai and human presence within the force as well." Alice Lou reported without any hesitation.

"As I expected, we got company quite soon. Has there been any action recently that would hint towards a declaration of war?" LT pressed further.

"None that I know of. I do not know of the areas they have currently occupied, but if they are near here… it's likely that the nearby area is their territory."

"The Forest of Magic…" LT repeated, as he looked towards the way that Alice Lou came from. "Do you think that we should try to make a claim towards the Road of Reconsideration, before this force tries to claim it?"

"That's your choice. But remember that…" Alice Lou started to say.

"...sneak attacks are not allowed." LT finished with a scowl on his face. " If they already muscled into the Road of Reconsideration already, then we've got a boot pressed to our necks. Do more recon, see if you can determine if they made moves towards the adjacent area or not. If not, we will take control of it swiftly before they can do that instead."

As if attracted by the topic, Malicia walked up to where LT and Alice Lou are.

"So, I heard that there were some mentions about the enemy. And about the 'Forest of Magic', if I recall?" She asked the CEO and RAIDERS member.

"That is correct, Malicia." Alice Lou answered, with a tip of her head.

"What, you think that Kirisame is with them?" LT asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe so, maybe not. Either way, it's a good chance since the Chronicle said she lived there. If she really is there, then that motivates me to get prepared to give her a proper fight." Malicia said, as she looked directly at LT as if she was emphasising the point.

"You do know that this Kirisame is not the same one who knocked your ass over a kettle with a close-range Master Spark, right?" LT reminded Malicia, which earned him a deep frown from the Necopolitan RAIDERS.

"So? She'll make good practice against the one I fought before. She might use new tricks compared to the other one, but I'm not exactly in the mood to remain beneath her." Malicia responded with some friction in her voice.

"Huh, really?" Alice Lou said, as she tilted her head.

"Anyway, be on the lookout for any declarations of war. We may as well make the most out of the peace while we still have it. If you want your place in the next fight, Malicia, make sure you prove your place here. Don't let your rivalry get you in trouble." LT firmly told Malicia, peeking through his sunglasses to give a glare at Malicia.

"Jawohl." Malicia simply answered back. (Yes, sir.)

Next Turn

STI Army

It has been a while since the last update to the army, as Miranda went to work again to find another Ryumyaku, and develop it. Eventually though, it would be harder to find them, considering that there is only a finite number of Ryumyaku, and each one was harder to find than the last. It was a tactic that was losing its effectiveness when only focused on Muenzuka, their only territory.

On the bright side, LT was pleased that everyone, once they heard the news that the enemy was fast approaching their doorstep, were already gearing themselves up, and drilling themselves to near-optimal military readiness.

What's more, he noticed that Alice Lou and one of the other Chugokunese RAIDERS were conversing quite well with each other. He noticed that it was surprising that Alice Lou would connect well with people in the same country that she was partially born as a citizen to.

Zhu Wanli was a behemoth of a man, he had very short black hair, to the point that his fore-head was clear, and had defined cheek-bones, and a very muscular frame. Although he looks fairly terrifying, his attitude proved to be quite contrary to his appearance. He was more of a 'gentle giant' stereotype, who actually has a good sense of mercy, almost akin to Alice Lou herself, and he cares for his comrades like brothers.

In fact, at this moment, the man himself was clad in military fatigues, having finished a routine workout session, chuckling lightly towards Alice Lou.

"Duoxie, Lou, Duoxie." The man spoke in his native language. (Thank you, Lou. Thank you.)

"Wanli…" Alice Lou stated, before she then switched to the English language, not that it was hard for LT to understand the Chugokunese language. "How have you been recently? It's been a while since you've been called back to active duty. Before and after the 'Neo-Gen Incident'?"

"I've been working with the law enforcement to keep crime at a stable level." Wanli responded back. "I cannot understand why at this day, crime is still evident, but no matter what reason it is done, it is my duty to stop it from causing problems for the people. Petty crimes are more forgivable, but the greater ones where lives are at risk… It is something that I cannot stand by and watch."

"...I understand how you feel. Are you sure that you'll be fine? I'm sure that you can handle what is thrown at you. You are what is considered to be a juggernaut, so I do not doubt your ability to take what you can deal…" Alice Lou responded with concern. "But the enemies here are not to be underestimated. Defence is not the only thing you will need to have to face our enemies and prevail over them."

"I'm aware." Wanli declared with a firm look in his eyes. "That's why I'm constantly improving myself, to shore up what my weaknesses are. I have seen what they are capable of, but soldiers must be prepared for what may come, even if it be certain defeat or death. Besides, this will be a learning experience, one less dangerous than what you had to face, tong-zhi. So don't be too worried."

"Heh, I guess you're right. I must be being a bit paranoid at the moment." Alice Lou chuckled.

LT let the conversation proceed, as he focused his attention back to the rest of his army, all while keeping an eye on any new occurrences.

STI Army's Ryumyaku count in Muenzuka has increased!
Zhu Wanli interacted with STI Army, it was a deep conversation, he has grown much closer with the army!

(That's plus +6 for Wanli. Lucky roll this time. Wanli: 6/30 progress)

Forest of Magic Team

Now that Forest of Magic formed their own team, they are currently discussing something at Alice's house. Marisa briefed them about their current status as one of Fugere Gensokyo's guilds, and the fact that they will be the first one to face STI forces.

"I've already prepared the dolls with Maybell's help. How's your side, Marisa?" Alice asked her neighbor as she made some adjustments to one of her dolls. "I've got Naruko here. She might not look like it, but I've known her for a long time. And I can say that she won't be a burden." Marisa grins and raises her right thumb.

Alice nods as she then puts the doll she's been working on the table. So far, the only sign of activity outside the forest is the developments made by STI forces, based on the dolls' scouting reports.

"Anyway, the reason we're here is to decide our next move." Alice said as she took out the map of Gensokyo. "We currently have three known territories, Marisa's house, my house, and the interior. There's also the Road of Reconsideration, which is currently unclaimed by anyone." Narumi raises her hand and asks. "Should we go and claim that area before the enemy?" In which Alice shook her head. "That would be a bad idea."

Marisa can't help but smile upon hearing that. If these tournaments tell her anything, over-extension will be detrimental in the early game, and since their team is the first obstruction for STI, they shouldn't risk it.

"She's right, you know. We already have this many territories, so our first focus should be developing these areas first. Who knows, it might allow us to add more manpower."

Alice nods, and then looks at Marisa with surprise. While she knew that Marisa was part of Reimu's group during the First Sengoku Gensokyo Tournament, she didn't expect her to have a strategic mind.

"Surprising to hear that coming from you, Marisa." That's Alice's remark upon hearing it, In which Marisa replies. "Hey, I might prefer flashy danmakus, but this isn't Spell Card duels, you know. And you're not the only one who has that aptitude, Alice."

Both Marisa and Alice then glared at each other, which worried Narumi and Maybell. "Um, Marisa…" Narumi spoke first. "Alice…" Maybell follows.

Then Marisa and Alice sighed together.

"Fine, you win. Just make sure you do it properly, okay?" In which Marisa grins. "Hehe. Don't worry about that. I actually managed to ask Kato to lend us some of his men." Narumi also smiles. "On my side, some youkai are reinforcing the interiors. What I didn't expect is the fact that there are some tanuki and fairies as well."

Narumi's report surprises Marisa and Alice. The presence of tanuki and fairies can only mean one thing. Either some tanuki recently came to the forest, or the leader told one of her underlings to help them. Marisa then remembers something.

"Well, I don't think Mamizou will make an early appearance, so it's most likely one of her underlings that came here. You know them tanukis. They're surprisingly good at gathering information. Speaking about which, I remember meeting this underling back before she's recruited by Mamizou."

"Really? Then, who is this underling you speak of?" Maybell asks with a curious look

"Konoha Susanomori. And from the looks of it, she now has her own group of tanukis. It's most likely that they're the ones that come here. I just need to look where she is."

No surprises there, considering the fact Marisa is an out-going person. Narumi then continues her previous explanation.

"About the fairies, Eternity just contacted me, and she said she will help us during this part. Some fairies heard about it and decided to follow her here, hence our current defense situation."

Alice then looks at the map again before assessing the current situation. "... Marisa is with a Human Guard unit in her house, while Narumi is with some group of youkai and fairies in the interior… And I'll be the first bulwark with Maybell and my dolls…"

Marisa shrugs and speaks. "Not like we have much choice, considering the fact that these STI guys are at Muenzuka right now. And since they're the Special Guest, I'm pretty sure they will do whatever they can to win. I say we let 'em claim the road. Also, I don't think you'll be the first one to face them, Alice."

"What do you mean by that, Marisa?" Marisa then points at two other territories they had.

"I think you're pointing at the wrong territory, Alice. The one you're currently pointing to is the western area of the forest. We still have northern and southern areas protecting our houses. I think it's safe to say that Konoha and Eternity have their own base now."

"Ah… You're right…" Alice's face became red due to her honest mistake. "I… didn't realize that…" Marisa grins and pats Alice's left shoulder. 'Hey, that's why I'm here. You're not alone this time. And look, we even found out that we already have a huge area to defend."

Turns out, Marisa made the right call to not expand their territories, since they almost risked over-extension if not for the fact that they heard about the reinforcements from other Gensokyans. It made them feel relieved.

"Well, I think we can wrap it here. You still can do that preparation of yours, Alice. Just don't overdo it, okay?" Once again, Marisa pats Alice's left shoulder, grinning while doing so. "Okay, Marisa. Say, shouldn't you check whether they're already in the location or not?"

Marisa winks in response. "I can do that. Let's go, Naruko!" She then leaves the house, with Narumi following behind. "Right behind you, Marisa!"

Recruitment phase

Marisa and Narumi are currently searching for their respective reinforcing groups after hearing the news about Konoha and Eternity's arrival. After a few minutes of searching, they found their respective targets.

"Yo, Konoha. Finally got your own group, huh?" Marisa is still sporting that grin she has. "Yes, and it has been a long time since we last saw each other like this." Konoha smiles as she looks at the human magician.

To the tanuki's surprise, Marisa's expression became serious. "Look, I know that you're just arrived, but we need to make sure the forest is fully defended. Can I count on you to fortify the southern area?" Konoha thinks for a second, before she nods. "Leave it to us. Mamizou-san already told us what happened. I'm pretty sure we also can gather intel while we're at it."

"Great! Man… That sure feels good to have a unified realm… Okay, then. Tell me if anything happens on the other side." Konoha nods and makes her reply. "Got it, Marisa."

Meanwhile, on Narumi's side, she managed to find Eternity. And it didn't take them a long time to come to an agreement regarding the areas they will defend. Eternity will defend the western area while Narumi will defend the northern area.

"That's my side done. And I'm sure Marisa's already done with hers. Let's see what Alice is doing."

At Alice's house, currently she and Maybell are making some final adjustments to more dolls, since it's clear that their area is one of the last bastions in the forest.

"Alright, just some more, and we'll be ready." From the side, Maybell cheers on Alice. "You can do it, Alice!"

Confirmed Forest of Magic Team members:

- Marisa Kirisame (C)
- Alice Margatroid
- Narumi Yatadera
- Eternity Larva
- Konoha Susanomori
- Maybell
- Shanghai Alpha
- Hourai Alpha
- Goliath Alpha
- Titania Alpha
- Holland Alpha
- Kyoto Alpha
- Tibet Alpha
- London Alpha
- Russia Alpha
- Dutch Alpha
- Orléans Alpha
- France Alpha

Territories under Forest of Magic Team's control:
- Forest of Magic Southern Area (Konoha Susanomori)
- Forest of Magic Western Area (Eternity Larva)
- Forest of Magic Northern Area (Narumi Yatadera)
- Marisa's House (Marisa Kirisame)
- Alice's House (Alice Margatroid)
Fugere Gensokyo Squad's warpower has been reinforced!

Date: January 13th, HS 2054/NG 2129

Muenzuka

"So, Alice, got any new news for us?" LT asked Alice Lou, who returned from her recent patrol of the nearby areas, as he held a knife in between his fingers, fidgeting it in the gap between his fingers carefully.

LT recently heard that there was a development with the opposing army's situation, as there was news that they occupied some territories within the nearby Forest of Magic, hence why the army now referred to said enemy as the 'Forest of Magic Team'.

"The recon has provided more relevant information. I can confidently state that there are currently five territories within the Forest of Magic Team's control. The closest area is the southern area of the Magic Forest, past the Road of Reconsideration." Alice Lou stated her findings, without exaggeration.

"And it still hasn't been occupied?" LT asked again, putting the knife away with a flick of his fingers.

"Not yet, I believe that they had a strong reason against occupying the area, whether it be out of sentiment, honour or strategy." Alice Lou theorised.

The updated map that the group had made use of, had marked the five occupied territories in the Forest of Magic, compared against the original 3 in the first instance of the Sengoku Gensokyo tournament. The Road of Reconsideration was still blank, unoccupied by either force.

"We should be fortunate that there are no currently existing forces past the Forest of Magic Team. Otherwise while we're devoting resources to dealing with them, the others would be developing without any risk from us invading them." LT remarked, with a veiled sense of concern in his face, one that Alice Lou picked up, due to knowing how to read expressions.

"So what's the plan then? Send the declaration of war to them, and start rushing them?" Edge asked back, which earned him Alice Lou's glare.

"As much as it would still be a sensible strategy, we need to take the Road of Reconsideration before the enemy makes their move… Again, we need to make use of the grace period we have. We cannot be certain that we'll have another one like this." LT continued.

"Do you have any plans to deal with them? Youkai, dolls, and even humans. We have a diverse range here. Fortunately, they're not the gun-toting kind, which…" David replied back, before his words cut off, his mouth left open for a moment, before he then closed it for another few seconds, and then spoke again. "Actually, I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. Different doesn't mean better in most cases."

"We've faced magic before. There's no need for concern. The important thing right now is that we decide who's going to face them. We've been drilling our men in preparation for the inevitable confrontation, so we need to decide who is going to take to the frontline." LT continued, as if that awkward moment from David before didn't happen at all.

"That's up to you, LT. We're all ready for battle, no matter the battlefield or the opposition." David declared.

"Heh, RAIDERS creed. Alright then, let's get cracking then…" LT answered back, cracking his knuckles, and started reviewing his plans in the near future...

Can declare war on: Forest of Magic Team

Next Turn

STI Army

With conflict on the horizon, the STI Army has shifted their focus from development to military drilling.

However, they did manage to further their Ryumyaku count again, due to some hard work invested into developing the territory further for future gains.

LT listened to the sounds of training. The barked orders from the instructors, the sound of guns being fired in sequence, the rumbling sound of countless feet running across the ground… All of them proved to LT that his army was training diligently.

However, he noticed one person in particular, who was far more spirited in their training, and that was Malicia herself, as she was using the thruster-pack on her back to practice aerial maneuvers, as she was bombarding her targets with gun-fire and dive-strikes.

When she landed on the ground, all of the designated targets were destroyed, either by a hail of bullets, or eviscerated by her blades.

"Not bad, not bad." LT praised Malicia, amused by her performance. "You seem to have improved your reaction times, even if it is only by a slight amount."

"No need to flatter me. This is the least I can do to get to a better level than Marisa Kirisame." Malicia answered back calmly, as she deactivated her thruster-pack and undid it from her torso. "I have to say, there is actually one Kirisame I look up to, and one that I consider one to get revenge upon."

"You're referring to the one that helped us against the STICK Army back then?" LT asked back.

"That's right. There is some difference between them. They are both fairly spirited and head-strong. But the difference lies in their actions. Do not mistake it for spite towards the Neo-Gen Kirisame." Malicia responded back. "The Neo-Gen one is inclined towards attaining strength to fight against those who would harm her friends, while the other is less ambitious, in a way, instead focusing on just living a fairly stable life, and enjoying life as it is. That difference is what changes my views much on either of them."

"Huh, never thought that this is how you think of Marisa Kirisame." LT answered back with some surprise in his voice.

"Not even you can know everything, Kommandant LT." Malicia smirked back.

"True, but that just means I need to learn more." LT returned a smirk of his own.

It was intriguing how Malicia has interest in either Kirisame, considering that they could be mistaken as siblings. They had the same blonde wavy hair, and yellow eye colour. The only difference she had was that her figure was more bulkier than Marisa, although LT didn't vocalise that fact.

STI Army's Ryumyaku count in Muenzuka has increased!
Malicia Krisime interacted with STI Army, it was a deep conversation, her devotion grew a little as well.

(+4 to Malicia Krisime, Malicia: 4/30)

Forest of Magic Team

Now that the forest has a sizable garrison, the area generals decide to do one last meeting. This time however, they did it just outside Alice's house.

"Well, the enemy are currently preparing for an invasion to the Road of Reconsideration." Konoha made the report about her tanuki group's findings during their previous scout patrol at the site.

She pointed at a particular node on the map, a good twenty meters away from Muenzuka's node. "No sneak attacks allowed, right? I suppose that's why we haven't been dealt with…"

"I think that should be obvious. This isn't a real war, you know… Anyway, I think it's as good a time as any for me to tell you all whatever I know about the STI." Marisa then opens a particular book, in which any information regarding STI written inside. Historia Gensokyo already proved that they can be trusted with confidential information, and this book is proof of it. Naturally, STI also obtained a copy of a full set of Gensokyo Chronicles, which they used just before.

It took a while for Marisa to finish sharing what she knew, but the rest of area generals managed to learn a lot about their current opponent, STI Army.

"Now that both us GUF and STI have each other's information as references, this will be a hard fight, for sure. It also mean we can't let them beat us easily."

Marisa then reassesses their region's defense. All the interior areas (north, west, south) have been fully accounted for, and both Alice's house and hers will serve as the last bastion should the interiors fall into STI's hands.

"Well, looks like the road is out of question, then. So, should we do one last check before we bring this fight to them?" Marisa looked at every area generals present, and without words. It's as if she's checking their readiness.

After some silence, the first response came from Konoha. "I believe the southern area could be used as a recon outpost, considering that us tanukis are currently garrisoned there. Plus, it's also the closest area we currently have within STI's reach. Regardless, they still need to claim and occupy the Road of Reconsideration first before they are able to make any move against us, giving us more time to prepare."

Marisa nods, and looks at Alice, as if expecting something. And true to it, the latter sighs. "Alright, I'll deploy some of my doll regiments when the time comes. Maybell, I'll leave them to you." The living doll nods and flies to Alice's left. "You got it, Alice. Can I bring some of the Alphas?" A nod from Alice.

Eternity then made her report. "The western area will be the fairies' base, partly due to the fact that I came from Garden of the Sun, which is located west from the Forest of Magic. I believe it's also located somewhere away from the Human Village." True enough, the map also shows that Garden of the Sun is located quite a distance west from the Forest of Magic and Human Village.

"Welp, guess that means I must've missed your movement when I went to the village to ask for Kato's help." Marisa recalled that moment when Narumi said that Eternity and some fairies arrived at the forest. She was in the village, asking for Hiroshi Kato's assistance, and managed to bring in some Human Guards with her.

Then Narumi made hers. "The northern area is secured. The map shows that it has a road connected to Hakurei Shrine, and that is where the Union's HQ is located. It's likely that the roads that connect to the shrine will be claimed by the shrine maiden there."

Again, Marisa looked at Alice, as if expecting something. And it repeated again. "You don't have to worry about me, Marisa. I can hold my own, you know. It's just that I prefer to see how much power I need to use before any fights. Should they become stronger than expected… I'm afraid I have to use that grimoire."

And everyone is shocked hearing that. They knew that Alice obtained her grimoire during the very first Sengoku Gensokyo Tournament, shortly after Reimu and co. defeated Shinki and Makai forces. Just when the Gensokyans thought it would be alright, Alice's Makai counterpart went berserk and used the grimoire to ensure Makai's victory. With one last rally, Reimu and the Incident Resolvers managed to defeat her. Unfortunately, the grimoire became uncontrollable, and it threatened to suck Makai Alice into a hole… if it wasn't for Gensokyo Alice calmed her down and touched the grimoire, dispersing the magic energy it emits.

"... You know, I'm actually glad you did what you did back then, Alice. But still, you're right. I've seen what STI is capable of first-hand, and they're not to be underestimated. Oh, and in case you wonder, we also have our own set of firearms. I figured the fairies will make good use of it. Is it okay with you, Eternity?" Marisa voiced her thoughts and then made a decision. "That RAIDERS of theirs also have superpowers of their own, so it will be up to us Elite Fighters to face them."

"Alright, I'll let them know about the weapons. If I remember correctly, you stored them in your house, right Marisa?" A nod from Marisa. "Then I'll take my leave."

As Eternity left the meeting area, Narumi and Konoha followed suit, until only Marisa, Alice, and Maybell stayed there.

"Well, it seems we're now ready. I'll send a letter straight to them, and you prepare your dolls just in case things go south." Marisa looked at Alice as she was about to go home. "I'll make sure the fairies are fully armed. Kato's men already got supplies from the village, so I'm not worried about them."

A short nod from Alice. "Alright. Let's go, Maybell." She then motions Maybell to follow her as both her and Marisa decide to finish the meeting and go home to prepare themselves for the next day.

Fugere Gensokyo Squad's warpower has been reinforced!

Date: January 14th, HS 2054/NG 2129

Muenzuka

David decided to head to LT's tent, as he found that the CEO was doing some push-ups, noticing his arrival, before then getting up to greet David.

"Hey LT, something's been nagging the edge of my mind ever since we got that map." David told LT.

"Go on, David." LT twirled his hand around to gesture for David to continue.

David began to unfurl the current map, as he then pointed towards a certain node in this map.

"...Do you remember the Human Village?" David asked with a casual tone.

"How could I forget?" LT chuckled slightly. "It was proof that Neo-Gen was not some sort of youkai paradise, where humans get the curb."

"It's part of the map itself. You can see the concern with this?" David said again, this time with more weight in his words.

LT fell silent, the smile disappearing nearly instantly, before he then pulled out a cigarette and smoked it, sucking a deep breath and exhaling smoke into the air. Only after that, did LT turn to face David again.

"I'm not going to say that I'm fully on-board with this, but if it's an area, we'll have to take it eventually. Same goes for whatever army we face." LT replied back, lowering the ignited cigarette.

"But it's a-" David was about to say in outrage, before LT raised a hand to stop him.

"-non-combatant zone, or a DMZ at least. Yes, I'm aware, and even if it was turned into a zone for war, we would have people objecting to it." LT finished David's words, and then took a step towards David. "But think about it, David Fomes, this is nothing like war, other than by name and tactic. There will be no casualties in this war, there will be no dirty bombs, or anything that can cause significant structural damage. We fight the occupants in a regulated battle, and we take the zone. The lives of the people there do not change, no matter who has control over it."

David was left silent at those words, although he did relent that LT was making a strong point. LT noticed the tension in the room, as he placed a hand on David's shoulder, with a sympathetic expression.

"Look, we never brought war to the doorstep of any major settlements, with the exception of Former Hell. And in turn, the Unison Squad never did any integral harm to the cities that they paved their way through. This is a far better case than back then, because we have zero concern about collateral, since it won't exist due to no present animosity and determined rules of engagement." LT continued.

"But I still… It doesn't sit well with me." David muttered, his eyes looking away with sadness in them.

"And it won't with Alice either. I won't force you to partake in its occupation. But just remember that this is a necessity for us to prove ourselves. We were invited to prove our resolve and strength. Sometimes, we will be thrown into tight situations. And in those cases… we need to show that we are willing to fight within the bounds, but we will be toeing those bounds hard if it'll get us the win." LT added.

David went silent again, before he then took a breath,and responded back. "...I understand."

"Good. Sorry if that dampened the mood a little. Just… keep that in mind, alright?" LT stated with a good-natured smile.

Next Turn

STI Army

Muenzuka was being developed once again, although Miranda stressed out the notion that they should focus on acquiring territories, since the Ryumyaku hunt is beginning to reach a point where the effort required is not worth the boon anymore.

Regardless, LT could feel that the sensation of tension was growing further, to the point that he suspected that in the next few hours… there will be war, whether he intended for it or not.

However, the STI Army was already prepared. If war was to come to them, then their opponents will fight them at their best, without any risk of surprises.

He even watched as David was sparring with his own men. With his long-sword, he easily parried many a Zantetsu-Maru, fighting a battle at a ten-to-one disadvantage, using the length of his blade to catch multiple attacks and redirect them.

It was a long spar, with both sides stalling each other out, but David earned a victory by slow attrition, taking down the numbers of his enemy, before knocking the last down with a blow to the knees, which caused the soldier to crumple down.

LT chuckled slightly, it was never old to watch David make great-swords seem viable even in the modern age.

STI Army has increased their Ryumyaku count in Muenzuka!
David Fomes interacted with STI Army, there was some reservation though….

(Ugh, bad roll. +1 to David Fomes. David: 1/30)

Forest of Magic Team
War Declaration

"Alright, it's time! We already fortified our region, and we already got the intel thanks to Konoha's group. How about we bring the fight to them?"

Marisa's exclamation is met with cheers from the youkai and fairies. She currently stands at the southern edge of the Forest of Magic. She's carrying a letter with her, fully intent on dropping it somewhere within STI Army's vicinity.

"And I'm also looking forward to facing you in the battle, Malicia. Let's do this!"

With that, she rode her broom and took the high altitude. Once she reaches the enemy's area, she scans for Malicia's location, and smirks upon finding her.

"Found you. Time for some Stardust Reverie Delivery Service! Here I come!"

Marisa then descends to Malicia's general location, and actually manages to avoid clashing with many STI soldiers before then drops the letter right below the latter. It actually surprised the Necopolitan RAIDERS very well, since both of them actually looked at each other for a brief period.

"Kirisame…" Malicia looks up as Marisa starts ascending again. "That's our response, Malicia. Tell that to your CEO."

With that, the Ordinary Magician flew back to the forest.

"Woohoo, I did quite a show there, didn't I... But now we better make our first move." With a determined look, Marisa then did some final preparation.

On STI Army's side...

Malicia noticed the letter on the ground, as she picked it up, before she then activated her thruster pack, and headed towards the base camp, while sending a signal to LT to prepare to receive her on arrival.

When she did arrive in the base camp, she saw that LT and a large group of the army members were awaiting her landing, as she landed on the ground, before LT.

"LT, I believe that we have been declared war upon right now." Malicia reported, handing the letter to LT. "This was personally delivered by Kirisame, the same one that fought alongside us in the war against the STICK Army, I could recognise her just by the look in her eyes."

LT examined the envelope, before he then carefully opened it, as the letter inside was a declaration of war indeed, signed by the captain of the Forest of Magic Team, Marisa Kirisame, and some other notable members, including Alice Margatroid, Eternity Larva, Konoha Susanomori, and Narumi Yatadera.

"'May the best army prevail.'." LT read the final statement, before he then smirked slightly. "That's truly Kirisame talk there."

"Then that means that we are given the clear to both engage in offensive and defensive operations against the Forest of Magic Team, right?" Alice Lou asked back.

"Finally, I've been sitting on my hands for long enough!" Edge exclaimed, smacking a fist against an open palm. "Our first opponents in this mock-war, let's see how we stack up against them."

"Then I suppose that this makes our next course of action evident." LT stated, before turning around to address the group around him. "All troops of the STI Army, we got new orders. Prepare for the invasion of the Road of Reconsideration. We will claim it, and start a foot-hold from where we will strike the Forest of Magic from. Do not forget the countless times soldiers have been defeated here, one mistake is all it takes to determine victory or defeat."

"YESSIR!" was the collective cry of the entire group, in many different languages, as they readied themselves for what might be their first battles in this tournament.

Forest of Magic Team has declared war to STI Army!
Fugere Gensokyo Squad's warpower has been reinforced!

AN: And here we go. The build-up that both LT and Marisa did to their respective side. Well, I always start by incereasing my Ryumyaku (Cap) counts in order to accomodate more members in the long run. It also increases the Ouki (Money) if it's bigger than the Cost total. In case you wonder, the fact that there is no definite Ryumyaku count here is deliberate. Why? Sengoku Gensokyo is inspired by Sengoku Rance, and the latter also has manpower assigned to each officers. So you could say that this year's Sengoku Gensokyo Tournament also implement the manpower system.

About the brackets, it's Xovercreator's work. The Talk mechanism in Sengoku Gensokyo actually randomize how much affection point you got during each talk session, so we eventually agreed to make it d6 (dice roll from 1 to 6) with threshold point at 30 for each additional stats.

Touhou Fanworks I put here (This will stay the same until STI fought the next guild):

Sengoku Gensokyo (Obviously, since this is the core of the story.)
Thought of Dolls (Maybell's appearance. In Historia Gensokyo, the series happened from late HS 2007 to early HS 2008.)
Marine Benefit (Konoha Susanomori. It also happened in Historia Gensokyo at HS 2010.)
DynaMarisa3D (Bet you didn't expect Marisa to say GUF has an entire arsenal of firearms, would you? This is the reason. And yes, Historia Gensokyo officially adopted it after HS 2011.)

You can search any of these yourself if you're curious. Next time, we'll have our first series of battles in this story. I bid you all a good day.

WildMath55