Chapter 35

To my surprise the fully armed JSDF that were standing outside weren't the ones who entered the building. No, it was a pair of lightly armed (sidearm and knife) medics that entered, stretcher in hand. Of course, after Itami and I left the building, those four guards were standing at full alert, but did not have their weapons aimed at me.

A hair trigger from it maybe, but not actually doing it yet.

In the interest of not finding out just how bulletproof I was, I kept my hands open and in plain sight. "Well?" I asked Itami.

In response, he unhooked his radio and spoke into it, "Our supernatural asset is on her way to the infirmary."

A pause, then the commander's voice, "Understood."

"And our guest?" Itami asked, glancing at me.

"Hands free. Bring her along."

The four guards on the bunker door didn't follow us as we walked casually towards the medical building. To say the silence was heavy would have been an understatement, but again Itami was as calm as a cup of water on a flat table. So to break the mood, I spoke.

"You are really calm right now." I said, "I only my closest friends back home act this calm around me."

"Well, I was at ground zero when that appeared in my city." He said, glancing back at the Gate, "Sure, lots of new things, but before it all happened, I was wishing it would. Not like it did, but something like it at least."

Just like I'd been, before I became like this.

"Besides. What would panicking do for me?" He laughed, finally showing a little nervousness.

There were another four guards at the door of the medical building, and while they weren't giving me any looks, they had hands on weapons, ready to use them but politely not pointing them.

"The Commander is already inside." One of them said, opening the door for Itami, then returning to combat readiness.

"I'm impressed. I didn't have a clue anyone was on to us." I said as we walked down the hall towards the only open door with the lights on.

The Commander was sitting on the other side of the woman's bed, arms crossed, weathered face frowning, eyes closed.

"What did you do to her?" Mari, who was standing beside a heart monitor (you know, the thing that went 'beep') on the door side of the bed asked me as Itami and I walked in.

"Since there is point hiding it now..." I said, "The closest comparison would be like your computer getting hit with a power surge. I didn't want to hit her, or have Itami shoot her, so I cut off the spell she was using. She'll be fine after a nap, though she'll probably have a legendary headache."

"You have a lot of explaining to do." The Commander said quietly. "I almost couldn't believe it when she showed me that video clip. But there was far too much evidence that you weren't all that you appeared to be." He opened one eye, giving me his best steely gaze, "As for why you didn't notice, that's easy. You're a Kitsune, we're Japanese. That kind of suspicion is bred into us."

I couldn't help but laugh, quietly, since this was a hospital, but laugh all the same. "I bow to your calm and cunning." I replied, bowing properly, "Shall we play a game then?" They knew I was a Kitsune, so, I was going to act like it.

"This is not the time for games." The commander grumbled, "Everything we thought we knew about you is now suspect, including tomorrow's operation."

"But we've led each other on such a merry chase." I said, "I'll even take a handicap. Three questions, from each of you, and in return, one question from me to each of you. There are some things I can't talk about, but that won't count to your total."

"Like-" I poked Itami's nose before he could attach the '?' to that.

"If you don't want to play, that's fine, I'm sure I'll tell someone, at some point, but for the sake of all three worlds, tomorrow's operation must happen." I continued, "Deal?"

To everyone's surprise, the woman on the bed said, "Deal." She tried sitting up, but from the way her eyes were crossing, and how her breathing was coming in little gasps, she was certainly suffering through that headache.

The Commander looked even more grumpy that some Civilian just got him roped into a game he didn't want to play, but he nodded as well. "Deal."

I looked to Mari, who turned slightly from her task of helping the woman sit up, "Very well."

Then Itami, "Sure."

It was a weird feeling, like someone had just put a hand on my shoulder. The game was on, and it wasn't just mortal rules I was following. "I will ask my question when any one of you has exhausted yours." I said.

The three JSDF looked at each other while the woman in the bed tried to keep at least one eye on me, and Itami started with, "Are you actually from Earth?"

I couldn't actually say, 'yes'. The word just wouldn't make it to my lips. "Sort of." I managed, feeling compelled to elaborate on the lame answer, "I started there, but grew up in Orario." I felt the compulsion lift, and went silent.

I actually felt pleased when the Commander asked the next question. I couldn't ask one myself until one of them asked all of theirs. "By your apparent age and what you've told us, that would make you too old for that video. You returned to Earth, didn't you?"

"I did. A magical accident brought me back."

And from Mari, "Wh-"

"I know when." The woman said sharply, interrupting her, "2016. Around May." She gasped, "Urg... my head."

"Here." Mari handed her a cup of water, "Then... Is your offer of help genuine?"

"Yes it is." I said, feeling a little spark of anger. Just a little one, "Even if you hadn't caught me, I'd never even consider joking about that."

"Why did you give me that coin?" The woman asked after finishing the cup.

"Part of it was for fun. You kept passing out when ever you saw me, so I figured I'd give you something for the shock of knowing a little more than most."

My answer seemed to just make her angry again, but my part of the question game was done for the moment. "So, you made it back to Orario, and ended up here. Was what you told us about the Gate true?" Itami asked.

"Everything, so far as I've been told, is true. The Gate is in the middle of a hostile jungle that needs to STAY hostile for the good of the people living there. And my party and I are here to fix it."

The commander seemed a little suspicious still, "You keep making promises, but just how important are you in this Orario place?"

I smiled, thankful that he didn't ask that differently, "I am one of the most important people there, top ten I'm guessing."

"Will you or your party betray any of the JSDF after you've moved the Gate?" Mari asked.

Count on the humanitarian to ask something like that. That was good though, "We will not strike first, if it comes to that. I meant what I said when I was talking to Soichiro-san. Orario is usually a place of 'fair trade' but long grudges."

The four of us looked at the woman in the bed, and to my surprise Itami asked, "So where did you two meet?"

"At a cosplay cafe in a little town called Kuoh." I said, "Though she never gave me her name, and didn't know what I was until our second encounter when I simply told her 'yes I'm the real thing'."

The commander made a point to look away from me, a clear indication that he wasn't talking to me, "Cosplay Cafe huh?"

"I'm not the one on trial here. Had to earn a little money somehow." the woman blushed, holding her head, "Nanami Kuribayashi." She fixed one eye on me.

For the first time since I entered the room, I moved my hands, doing the 'fist taps palm' thing, "Aha! Explains why Shino looked familiar." I then looked to Itami, who nodded, "Why did you get a civilian involved?" I glanced back at Nanami.

"Arpeggio-chan mentioned someone following you, and we looked into it. We caught her and she showed us everything she'd collected on 'The Kitsune of Kuoh'." He said, frowning, then continuing, "We wouldn't have brought her into that situation, but then we saw that commercial, and I got the go-ahead from the Commander."

That left one more from Mari and the Commander, and two more for Nanami. The Commander remained silent, looking to Mari with a clear 'volun-told' look. Since I was still getting the glare from Nanami, Mari was kind of on the spot. But after a moment she asked, "All of the legends and stories about Demons and magic, they're real, aren't they?"

As per the rules, I had to answer. But I could ask my question first, "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes." She replied.

"Not all." I replied, answering with the smallest confirmation I could. "But we keep to ourselves for everyone's safety."

That made the three 'normal' people in the room go a little wide eyed. I mean, sure, Nanami was using magic and she was from Earth, but to hear it said plainly seemed to be a bit of a shock.

"I abstain." The commander said, "Ask."

"If things had gotten violent, how would you have dealt with my party?" I asked.

"Medium range mortars from the other side of Alnus." He looked at me seriously, but smiled when I nodded to him, "We are just as committed to 'getting home at the end of the day' as you are. And if that is how we had to deal with it, then that's how we would have dealt with it."

"You were listening, good." I nodded, "Nanami?"

She looked at me, "I will ask later." She said, "Since we keep to ourselves."

The three JSDF looked at her, but since she was a Civilian, the Commander couldn't order her, the Doctor would want her to rest anyhow, and Itami was still looking like a lazy ant. "Deal. You know where I'll be then. I'm going to go tell my party it's bed time, and that there are no hard feelings."

"Operation starts at 0900." The commander said, "Itami, dismissed."

"Understood." I said, while Itami snapped to attention and walked out with me.

I could feel more eyes on me as Itami and I walked towards the airfield. But this time I knew exactly who's they were, and they were making no effort to hide themselves either. "Rory." I greeted.

"They are truly fearsome when they work together, are they not?" She said as she fell into step on Itami's other side.

"That's how people work, when you let them." I smirked.

Itami looked like he wanted to sigh, but contented himself to giving Rory a headpat. Considering she was a short little killing machine, it made me think Itami was a cat person. "There's more, isn't there?" Itami asked.

"Of course." I nodded, "But the game is over for now."

Rory seemed to know something was up, but the three of us remained silent until we got within sight of my party. Maki and Ryuu were sitting on the wagons with our eggs, calmly doing weapon maintenance, while Aisha...

While Aisha was giving the Old Mama headpats, while the dragon pressed her forehead into Aisha's middle. At first glance, it looked like she was trying to push Aisha over, a friendly sort of pushing match. But to anyone who knew dogs...

"That's so weird." Itami said,

"Hmm?" Rory and I said at the same time.

"Treating something that could bite you in half like a dog. Or something."

"When you are weaker than someone, you do what you must to keep your place. Just like your... politics." Rory said distastefully, "She simply wants to stay where she is."

I knew that wasn't all, but nodded when Itami looked at me, "Aisha is also a fellow predator."

Maki and Ryuu got up, "Well?" Ryuu asked.

"Maki, you needed a better password."

"I shared it with someone before I left, you know, since I didn't expect to be back, ever." Maki replied with a shrug, "We still on for tomorrow?"

Itami answered with a simple, "Yeah. Just after breakfast."

Aisha finally gave the Old Mama a more forceful nudge and backed off, "I'll be glad to get away from that music you play. What gave us away anyhow?"

"Old acquaintance from the other side and my own stupidity I think." I said, "She going to be alright alone? Poor thing looks sad." I looked over Ryuu's shoulder and watched the Land Dragon as it gave us all sad puppy eyes.

"I'll stay behind, just to keep her company." Hagane rumbled, making sure to give my hip a nudge with his shoulder before stalking around again towards the sad dragon. The sad dragon gave Hagane a sniff, waited for him to flop on the ground, then joined him in being a lazy dragon.

"The night watch will be here in a minute or two as well." Itami said, "You're still our guests, and you've earned that stuff." He looked to Maki, "Where did you get those boots?"

"Surplus." Maki shrugged, "I was too young to serve at the time, and well." She looked back at her tails, "You know, when we make it back, I'm going to enjoy chatting with Shino properly. Pretending to be some kind of backwater savage was getting tedious."

"Hey!" Aisha gave Maki's hair a ruffle, messing up her hair yet avoiding her ears, "I'm one of those backwater savages too you know."

"Savage, yes. But spoiled on silks and cottons." Ryuu said, "We should call home and make absolutely sure things are ready."

To my surprise, Shino was waiting at the door of our dorm room. I could tell what she thinking just by her posture. Arms crossed, head down, frowning, leaning against the wall like she was holding it up...

Itami apparently wanted no part in it, while Rory seemed eager to watch what looked like an oncoming cat/fox-fight. But Itami put a hand on her shoulder and turned her away, mumbling something to her as my party and I kept walking.

"Shino." I greeted, "Would you like me to try and explain?"

"Yes." She said angrily.

"Come in then. Ryuu? Want to handle the call home?" I offered her the Occulus.

"Very well."

With the starting disclaimer that I couldn't tell her everything, and that I didn't know everything for certain, I told Shino a highly edited version of my interactions with her sister. The visit to the Cosplay Cafe, meeting her around the school, seeing her in the Club Room and finishing her projects for her, and finally when she came to my workshop with Loaner and Chime.

Then I told her what I thought had happened after after I'd left Earth.

"So, because you got involved with her, all those weird things started happening to her? Why? You went back to Orario right? You didn't tell anyone to bother her, did you?" She glared at me, the 100yen stone teacup quivering in her hand.

"Not at all. I gave her this as an apology." The coin I'd made for her was on the table between us, "I mean, it was my mistake to just admit what I was to a normal person. But... I think it's because I gave her something at all that those things started happening to her."

"What do you mean?" Shino picked up the palm sized coin and traced her fingers over the tails of the fox on its surface.

"I mean this in the best way possible." I said, "But imagine a king picking a random peasant, and giving them a unique treasure. No explanation, no warning, no apparent reason. The people who know the king will wonder why, while the people who know the peasant will wonder why it wasn't them."

Shino frowned, but nodded, "I never believed her when she started talking about the weird things that were going on. I figured she was just getting too much into those conspiracy theories and such while she learned to be a reporter."

"Aha, that explains why she's here." Maki mumbled, "She's with the press isn't she?"

"I'm biased, but she's much better than that scumbag Kuzunari." Shino growled, "If it wasn't for her, that media farce back home would have been much worse. But to think she was dealing with this too?" She put the coin down between us again.

"My guess, is because I gave her that, she started attracting the supernatural side of things." I sighed, "I'm curious who taught her magic though."

"Was she strong?" Maki asked.

"I'd say more than strong. Gifted is more like it. Makes me wonder." I looked at Shino."

"Oh no. Sure, I know the stories, but I've no interest in that kinda thing." Shino waved her hands in the air, "Though... I think I should start. Thanks for explaining things a bit."

"We'll have a chat later. I'm super curious about who she learned from, and how she kept it from you as well."

Shino looked guilty, dropping her face to a palm and sighing, "Wasn't hard. I just didn't believe her. Told her to get help, see a shrink, and make sure to show up at our family get together. And when she showed up the next time, she seemed much better, so I forgot all about it." She made a frustrated noise, "I feel like such an idiot! She kept telling me there were weird things going on in Kuoh, and I chalked it up to her being a closet voyeur."

"It's my fault too. I was having a bad time and wasn't used to hiding all the time. Anyhow, go see her, but..." I put my hand over the coin, "She can have this back after I talk to her."

"Yeah, sure." She finished off her tea, "Thanks."

"Get some sleep tiny." Aisha said as Shino started towards the door, "It's going to be rough tomorrow."

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Shino said, exactly how Welf would, "See you at the Gate."

The next morning, the tension in the mess tent was almost thick enough to eat. Thankfully it wasn't on the menu, and the kitchen staff went all out with high protein easy to digest stuff to make ready for the oncoming mission. Of course, our table was getting all kinds of sideways looks, but to my surprise I got one more visitor to the table than expected.

The first was Itami and the girls. I expected them, since they'd all be coming with us. Tuka was instrumental in lightening the mood in the tent, as she was seemingly immune (or oblivious) to the pre-mission stress.

Next was Shino, while also part of the mission she wasn't one of Itami's girls. She brought along her sister, who looked like a good night's sleep was all she needed to shrug off the case of minor Ingus Fatalis I'd given her. I'd taken a chance with that, but in my own experience, it was easier to shrug that off than say getting stabbed or shot.

The unexpected visitor was in the form of Takeo Kurata. The ace driver of Itami's old Third Recon, and otaku. Oh, and probably the entire reason for last night's little inquisition, though I didn't hold it against him.

There was a solid three seconds of silence when he walked up to our table, stood across from me, and asked, "Can I have your autograph?" While holding out a stiff bit of Bristol Board and a sharpie, then bowing his head.

My party started laughing quietly, many of the JSDF around the room didn't bother with 'quiet' and the 'natives' looked a little confused. Oh, and Itami did an epic facepalm.

"I wasn't ever a character though." I said, making sure my hands were clean before accepting the white rectangle, "And if I was, well, it was probably CGI or something..." Of course, I still signed it. I even added a little curled up fox in the corner.

After I handed it back, Kurata grinned, "That's the thing. They spent most of an entire arc mentioning you, visiting places like your shrine, spent an entire three episodes with Sachiko the Sly leading the heroes around on a wild goose chase... The only thing you haven't done is appear!"

I didn't say her name, since I had no idea what might happen if I did while in another world. "The Sly huh? The things I miss while away..."

There was a pause, "Wait, she's based off a real Kitsune too?" He asked.

"Yes." Nanami said grumpily, "Right down to the horns."

Someone saved the awkward silence with a noisy beep from their wrist watch, "One hour until OP!" Ah, one of the tank drivers.

"You heard him. I'm sure we'll chat more later, but unless you're coming along..." I looked up at Takeo.

"Right. We're part of the -other- team. Anything to expect? No monsters right?" He asked.

"Unless something has gone catastrophically wrong, you'll be fine so long as you're polite. We've got people on the other side waiting for you." I said looking to Ryuu.

"You will be greeted by a Guild representative, a few adventurers, and a God."

"I'll be with you too, and so will Hagane." Maki said, "Just to make sure it isn't seen as some kind of invasion, you know, like it was on your side."

A half hour until the op, and there were a lot more people here than I expected. It wasn't that there were onlookers or civilians watching it like some kind of show, but there were over fifty people here and they all had a purpose.

To start, my party and I, as well as Itami's girls (minus Lelei), would go through. We would assess and start to clear monsters. Tuka would be attempting to pacify them first with her 'sleeping spirit' magic, while anything still awake (I was hopeful, but not expecting it to work) would be pushed back by the rest of us.

Tanks would be next. They would rumble through, and start circling the Gate while using the cutting tool to scrape a circle around the building. This was probably the most important step, since without a good foundation (outer circle) to Lelei's spell, it would fail without question, possibly explosively.

Then to my surprise, once the tanks had done two circles around to make sure, they would withdraw and four flatbed trucks (commonly called 'four ton') would drive through and start depositing infantry and engineers. They would be using a combination of quick dry cement, hammers, chisels, wire cutters and Arpeggio to smooth the ground to something closer to level. It wouldn't be perfect, but anything closer to it would help.

Once done, the trucks would leave, and the engineers, Lelei and Arpeggio would work on the circle. Then, just to make sure, Lelei would project her own 'corrective' circle over it, just to help compensate for the rough ground. Once again, I was jealous I couldn't do something like this. And sad that Delly wasn't here. She'd have been able to do it as well, maybe even without Lelei.

Then, after anyone leaving went back through, I'd supply power to our mini-mage, and if nothing went wrong, the Gate would appear near Orario, where Haruhime and I had our honeymoon, and later summoned the last dungeon fragment back from Earth.

That was the plan at least.

Fifteen minutes until Op.

"Do you have to do this now sis'?"

"She said it herself, it's dangerous over there." Nanami and Shino were getting closer as I did yet another round of 'warm up' stretches. Adventurers usually just 'went when ready' not 'when the clock said so'. "And I want answers."

I turned and bowed to them while Aisha and Ryuu politely stepped a few paces away, "And I do owe you two questions still."

"Did you have any idea what would happen to me when you 'gave me your favour'?" She asked.

"No." I shook my head, "Thinking on it now, it makes sense, but my time there was as much a learning experience as it was trying to get back home." I looked to Shino, who nodded, "If I hadn't left soon after, I might have helped you. If I'd put a little more thought into my gift, I might have given you something less... notable, like some ice cream or something. But no, I was thoughtless, and I'm sorry."

She frowned, her pretty (less 'adorably rugged' like her sister, and more 'round and cute') face not suited to the expression, but she nodded. "My last question then. Who are Sona Sitri and Rias Gremory?"

While I'd never signed a Non Disclosure Agreement or anything, I did my best to be... evasive. "Royalty from two of the oldest bloodlines on Earth." I felt that compulsion to continue though, and added, "And they knew what I was as well." And the urge to continue lifted, releasing me from the 'rules' of the game I'd started with them.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Shino asked.

"Exactly what you think it does." Nanami sighed, "I accept your answer. Ask yours."

"You know, I liked you better when you were shy and timid and actually acted like a little sister." Shino pouted.

"Who taught you that binding spell?" I asked.

"She called herself Kurin, but she only taught me the foundation to the spell to keep me safe from others, but I learned more later from other practitioners." She said, looking up at me sharply, "You know her, don't you?"

"I don't have to answer that." I smiled, "But yes I do. Good to know she's doing the job I gave her." I bowed, "Now, if I survive, we can talk when you visit Orario. And yes," I looked to Shino, "She is invited."

"Understood." Shino nodded.

"But there is about five minutes until Go. Please get off the field." I said.

Then someone blew a whistle, announcing the five minute mark, while Lelei stood on top of a bunker that had been put in front of the Gate and started waving her staff around.

I learned later that Lelei could have opened up the Gate faster, like she had when we'd first arrived with Roku, but it would have taken more effort and well, she needed to be as clear headed as possible. So, slow and steady it was.

"Roku." I greeted, keeping the Scout at the corner of my vision as Lelei waved her staff around, the first of many layers of magic circle unwinding like some kind of weird yarn. "I'm surprised."

"Don't be Ma'am." He said, the casual demeanor from before gone, his face stony and alert, "When we get back to Japan, I'd like to invite you over to see my family. Way I figure, I at least owe you some proper tea for getting me out of that mess."

Another layer of binding fell away, and I could feel a weird stretching of magic, like someone was trying to open a window that had been painted shut. "Just like you, it was my duty. But I won't say no to good tea." Another layer, and I could almost smell the mana from other side of the Gate leaking through into this world, "Just remember to keep your head down."

The second to last layer of binding untwisted, and Roku nodded, saying something that was lost to the sudden sound of all of the vehicles starting their engines all at once and revving them up to speed.

In reply, I swished a tail at him then stepped forward. Then I felt the worlds connect, and with a nod from Lelei, started running forward with the 'breaching squad'.

We didn't run since we didn't want to outpace Itami or his girls, but we travelled through the weird blue/black glowing hallway quickly. Aside from being on a timer, we didn't want anything to start rushing through the Gate going the other way either, so the sooner we got out there, the better.

Of course, the first thing we saw were the mosquitoes. But a child with a frying pan could kill those, and we only saw a handful. Then I saw motion up ahead, something a little bigger, likely attracted to the much cooler interior of the Gate's structure.

"Allow me." Yao said, her feet planting themselves as she knocked an arrow drew back, and fired. I was about to stop her, but to my surprise the tip of her arrow started to swirl with something closely resembling Ryuu's Luminous Gale magic.

It was a small (well, not small at over two metres long, but not fully grown) Ironfang. And it had just enough time to turn its head towards us and stand up on those weird long legs it had, before the arrow quite firmly stuck itself between its eyes, making it sink back to its belly with a little 'grrrrmmph'

That seemed to be a signal however, and as we saw the literal light at the end of the tunnel opening up into the bright morning of the deep Telskyura jungle, we saw more of them. They were all starting to look our way, and it looked like they were all just taking shade in the shadow of the Gate before we started waking them up.

"Tuka." Itami said, bringing his rifle up but not firing.

This time we all stopped, the humidity of the jungle feeling like it was just out of arms reach as the Ironfang started to stand up and lumber towards us. Tuka took out a potion vial (supplied by Mari and loaded with a few Mana pills from my party) and downed them. Then she said something that I could hardly hear, let alone understand.

But I could certainly feel it. The encroaching humidity of the jungle was pushed back by a gentle wave of energy, and even I (just on the edge of the effect) felt like yawning as it passed. Most of the Ironfang started to slow down, lowering back down to their bellies, one or two simply flopped to the ground again, but a couple still kept coming like nothing had happened.

"We're up." I said, picking up speed and aiming myself at one of the more alert ones, "Go go GO!"

With Aisha to my right, Ryuu and Rory to my left, I didn't punch the first one I reached, but instead clapped my hands up/down on its opening maw, took another step forward, and with a mighty spinning heave yeeted the ironfang out of the Gate as hard as I could. While we had to clear the Gate's perimeter, I was at least going to make a token effort to kill as few things as possible.

Though, that first ironfang was probably dead, it would hopefully distract other monsters with its corpse, over there.

Aisha, didn't go for a grab, but instead used the spine of her two handed sword to undercut the front legs of another one, and follow through with a huge golf swing, sending her victim flip-flopping out of the Gate with a distressed growl, before she used one of her wonderfully muscular legs to kick another one in the chin to follow the first with an explosion of air and noise.

Ryuu seemed to draw in part of Tuka's magic, adding it to her own, and letting out a horizontal blast of air that was one part tornado, one part razor blade, clearing the path in front of her while sending a half dozen of the ironfang rolling out of the way comically.

Then there was Rory. She was simply killing the things, her huge axe/spear/plank-on-a-stick cleaving the monsters apart as she passed. But, while it looked like mindless slaughter, she was taking an extra half second per kill to poke/kick/spear things to the edge of the weird dimensional hallway, out of the way of the tanks and trucks that would be following us.

Another sixty seconds of that, between throwing, punting blasting and cutting things apart/away, the mouth of the Gate was clear and we were back in my world again. "Tuka, round two!"

Now out in the humidity, and sunlight, Maki and Itami stepped up, Yao and Aisha got their bows ready... And not a second too soon!

"Get back!" Aisha shouted as Tuka stepped out of the shadow of the Gate, saving the Elf's life as a Wirehawk's long talk slashed through the space she would have been if she hadn't stopped immediately, leaving a gash in the stone by her feet. Itami raised his rifle and let out a quick three round burst, before helping Tuka back to her feet, the Wirehawk letting out a shrill cry as at least one bullet found its mark.

"I'm fine." Tuka said, "Here we go..." And she brought the bottle of mana pills to her lips again.

Now out of the Gate and in the open, I could tell we were going to have a bit of a rough time of things. The Gate opening had certainly upset the locals, and we were suddenly making a lot of noise as we flung monsters around. I was more worried about those birds, but we seemed to be holding for now.

Then a group of green furred giant apes started to lumber in our direction from the jungle's edge, dozens of them, with huge arms and screaming jaws that opened more than ninety degrees. "That's a lot of them!" Aisha called out, lining up a shot and putting an arrow through the mouth of a Wirehawk, the shaft passing through its tail an instant later and continuing its path towards the horizon, "And wow this bow is incredible!"

She was right on both counts. I could have taken this entire side of the battle, but if those monsters were covered in that magic eating moss, like their names suggested, I'd have to do it without my usual tricks. But, right on time, just as another wave of that weird sleepy magic rippled through the air, I heard the rumble of a massive engine and the shredding whistle of tank treads as they emerged from the Gate.

"ITAMI!" I yelled, "COVER FIRE!" I tossed a borrowed smoke grenade (red) towards the oncoming wave of howling apes, and then got the hell out of the way.

With machine precision, the first tank rolled out of the Gate, did a neat ninety-four (or so) degree left turn, waited for the engineer who was crouched on the tread guard to adjust the cutting blade bolted to the side of the tank, and started rolling again. Job done, the engineer crouch-walked to the Gate facing side of the tank's top and its relative safety...

And the gunner manning the .50 cal gun and main turret of the tank turned towards the red smoke.

Above, Tuka's magic seemed to work far better on the Wirehawks. For someone who was so young (by her race's standard) she was holding together quite well. A third wave of her magic rippled upwards, and more than a few of the dozen or so prehistoric birds stopped circling and started flying straight. It was probably an evolved response, to let them sleep while flying, but it made them super easy targets.

The second tank came through, just in time for it to pick up where the first tank left off in shredding the giant apes. And again, after a moment of quick engineer work, it too started in a slow circle around the Gate. With me covering Aisha as she shot down flyers, Ryuu and Rory staying ahead of the first tank to clear out more Ironfangs, Itami 'directing traffic', and Maki covering Yao and Tuka... It seemed to be going to plan.

"Wow." Aisha said, back to back with me as her bow 'THWUMED' another arrow through a suddenly sleeping Wirehawk, "You weren't joking about those weapons."

The third tank had just come through and started its circle, and... we were basically out of things to kill. Five minutes of furious action, magic, and a LOT of bullets had reduced the local wildlife to shredded meat. "Of course I was. Now you understand why I didn't want them here. Ever. Could you imagine some jealous level one rookie with more pride than sense getting their hands on a rifle and walking into a tavern to kill their rival?"

"Urg... yeah I can. Now at least. They're going to be next to Orario though." Aisha pulled her bow to half draw, then stopped when a killer icicle took her target out. "KILL STEAL!" She shouted towards the Gate.

"Yeah, but we don't have to worry about them. Just the people who give them orders. So long as we keep a firm hand on what goes through the Gate, I think we'll be okay... Hopefully."

"Yeah... uh oh. Looks like we got more work to do. All this blood is attracting the scavengers."

With no 'large' targets left, Aisha and I got back to the Gate, just outside of the newly cut circle in the stone. The tanks were just finishing up their second lap as well, the first of them making a short stop for the engineer to retract the blade before it turned and rumbled back through the Gate.

"Maki! Ryuu! Tuka! Yao! Get ready for more bugs!" As the rumble of massive tank engines faded, and before the roar of heavy diesel motors replaced them, we could all hear the subtle hum of mosquitoes getting curious about the sudden scent of blood from hundreds of freshly slaughtered monsters. Sure, most of those monsters were a hundred metres or more from the Gate, but if one of those took a nibble from Lelei before she was done, we'd have problems.

Right on cue though, the 'Four-ton' trucks rolled out of the Gate, depositing soldiers, engineers, our two mages, Hagane, and all of the supplies for building the actual magic circle. Only Arpeggio even batted an eye at the mess we'd made of things as the trucks did a circle around the inside of the carved track the tanks had made, depositing people and bags of cement as they went.

"Seems well in hand here." Hagane commented, "Modern weapons seem up to the task."

"Mostly." Itami said, "Small arms don't seem to do more than annoy some of them."

There was a 'FWOOSH' as Maki let out a short blast of flame, "Fire still works. I'm part of the drying team." And without another word he stalked towards the nearest group of engineers as they poured cement, then hastily smoothed it out. A moment later, Hagane opened his mouth and started to breath a wide cone of flame over the ground.

Over the next twenty minutes or so, the worst of the ground around the Gate had been smoothed over, the mosquitoes had been kept out of our hair, and the occasional stray monster (who'd decided that a free meal with a little extra lead wasn't as good as a fresh one) was dealt with, everything got done.

The Four-tons were waiting just inside the Gate, off the fresh cement, a steady back of forth of JSDF picking up the wire before dropping it off for the ritual. At the direction of Lelei the next half hour was spent scraping lines into the ground, cutting up bits of gold wire, laying it down and moving on. All the while, my party and I, as well as Itami's girls and a few soldiers kept watch.

It was almost like the monsters knew they had no chance here. But Aisha and I were encouraging that by throwing monster bodies as far as we could into the jungle. We'd done terrible damage to the ecosystem here. But hopefully we could stop it from getting worse. Even if our method was trying to break my Chloe Javelin record with every monster we tossed back into the jungle to keep curious monsters out of sight.

"We'll get the wounded to Mari ASAP." Roku said, "Thankfully it was only a few mosquito bites and a bit of heat stroke."

"We'll warm up Orario for you big sister." Maki said, "And make sure your new friends get to Ganesha."

"Are you sure you want me to go?" Hagane asked me.

"She misses you." I said, "We'll be fine." I did however give the bit metal head a hug.

"Please get back through the Gate. I don't know what will happen if you are still between worlds when I move one side of it." Lelei said.

"Stay safe little sister." Arpeggio said with a wave, "Master Cato and I will be waiting for you so we can visit this new world. You know, without all the monsters and giant bugs..."

"Yes."

Itami and Roku shared a salute, then the Scout turned back into the Gate, "Go Go GO!" He called out, hopping up into the back of the last Four-ton.

And they were gone. Leaving behind Itami, his Girls, Ryuu, Aisha, myself, and a bunch of big backpacks that we'd use for carrying all the reclaimed material back with us.

"Kodori." Lelei said, "I will count to two hundred, then we will start."

"Let's keep watch on the perimeter until then ladies." Itami said, popping the clip off of his rifle, checking it, then slotting it back in.

"So." Rory started, "Since Itami is the only man here, and you plan on visiting this Amazon city before we return to your home... Who gets to put the collar on him?"

NOTES!

Well, someone had to ask, right?

Anyhow, see you in five days, where I'll do a little peek back into Orario, and the preparation they've done to receive the 'people from another world' and all that stuff.

Daeore on Ko-fi, for my little donation cup, and art that anyone can see!

Daeore on Inkitt, for my actual book Were Too?