(Oured International Convention Center, Oured, Osean Federation - March 21, 2022, 1915 hrs.)

Outside of the convention center, news agencies from around the world converged to cover a conference regarding the status of the worldwide effort to protect the planet from the threat of 'destructive spheres', as what the locals called to a spacequake.

"We are live outside of the Oured International Convention Center covering the Inter-dimensional Defense Summit initiated by the governments of Aurelia, Osea and Yuktobania." The reporter from the Osean Broadcasting Corporation, Leia Rolando, said while on camera. "As you can see here, we are witnessing military officials, defense experts and scientists entering the area to discuss recent matters. Officials declined to comment at the moment but we have word that..."

She then got a call from another reporter inside the building.

"Uh, wait...hold on." She then began to announce the change of camera. "We have confirmation that defense secretary Miles Grover has appeared."

In the conference, various reporters began to take turns asking questions with Grover.

"In light of the B7R incident of January 2022, the entire global populace has been living with great uncertainty." One reporter from the Soyuz Broadcast News said. "Is it true that we are experiencing some astronomical phenomena?"

"I would decline to divulge details at the moment." Grover replied. "But, yes. We may be experiencing that."

"What would be the measures that will be utilized to protect people from those destructive spheres?" Another, this time from the Our Science magazine, asked. "The damage inflicted was just as large as some of the asteroids from the Ulysses collision."

"I would give one measure." He replied to his answer. "We are creating evacuation shelters designed to keep people safe while an event of that kind takes place. As for the others, I decline to divulge those details at this time."

"There is also one thing I would like to ask." The third, from GAZE, took her turn. "Recent sightings of Belkan aircraft and what appears to be unidentified flying objects have been reported by various civilians around Anea and in Cape Landers. What can you tell from these?"

"You see..."

In the city, newspapers were selling faster than they can be printed as civilians read the papers hoping that they are still safe. Some even went as far as to stock on food, medicine and, sometimes, even live ammunition.

(Sand Island Air Force Base)

At the base, Origami was watching the news covering the defense summit. She was slowly getting worried considering the situation gripping the planet. Just then, Captain Tonomachi came.

"Still watching the events closely, I see?" He asked her.

"Yes, captain." She replied. "I wouldn't be surprised. A lot of people are very concerned about the spacequakes right now. And the officials there are keeing some secrets from them."

"That's what the governments here act these days. If they see something shocking, they would keep most of the information classified from the public. They wouldn't want them to go running and screaming out in the streets."

"I see." She sighed before moving on to the status of the coalition forces. "Anyway, how are the armed forces?"

"We are preparing to launch for a possible deployement." He answered. "I don't know when and where but intelligence are gathering data as we speak."

"Thanks, sir." Just then, Shido came inside.

"Uh, Origami, Captain, is anything wrong here?" He asked while scratching his head.

"Nothing." Origami replied. "Not at all. Just looking at the news."

"Business as usual." Tonomachi followed. "The top brass is waiting for any reports."

"Thank you." Shido said in relief. "For a moment there, I thought you are mad about what happend with Tohka dropping a toolbox in the hangar."

"Ah, no need to worry." The captain assured him. "We sometimes drop those things even in an emergency. There is nothing much harmful about that, unless some carless guy leaves it in a flight apron for too long."

"Whew! That was a relief."

Some loud footsteps were heard from the hallway.

"SHIIIIDDDOOOOO!" Tohka called him.

"Wait, Tohka!" Victoria pleaded. "You know it's just an accident!"

The two girls barged inside.

"Shido, am I in trouble?" Tohka asked. "I dropped the toolbox box back there."

"No, you didn't do anything wrong." He replied. "You're fine."

"Ahh! Thank you!" She got close to him and pointed her head down. Shido knew what Tohka wanted and did it for her. This got Tonomachi confused.

"Uhhh...why is Shido patting Tohka's head?" He asked.

"Well...it's something he would do if Tohka did something good." Origami answered. "It's something that has been done in a while."

"That explains it."

"Nothing weird about that, no doubt." Victoria expressed her opinion. "She was just excited."

A speaker was then turned on.

"All units of the Gryphus Squadron, report to the briefing room immediately." The officer requested. "I repeat. All units of the Gryphus Squadron, report to the briefing room immediately."

"Well, looks like intelligence hit the jackpot." Origami said humurously.

"Let's go then." Shido said and everyone reported to the briefing room.

In the room, Eugene Solano and an elderly officer with a cane was waiting beside the screen. Everyone assigned was there. Some include the Gryphus and Warowl squadrons for air superiority, the Osean Sea Goblin unit for ground assaults and ship captains from the Osean and Emmerian navies. Eugene began to start the introduction.

"Everyone here? A lot may not be familiar with everyone before, so just listen up for now." The screen then turns on for the briefing.

"As you may begin to know, the Grey Men is in the process of weaponizing Spirits for their campaign of terror against multiple nations around the planet, coupled with the fact that they have mechs to bolster their forces. That brings us to those girls and a man sitting with us today."

Many of the personnel were intrigued with Shido and the Spirits.

"Is that what I think they are?" One of them asked his fellow mates.

"That guy looks exactly like the mercenary from Ustio." Another followed while pointing at Shido. "Look at the resemblence."

"Uh, why are some people talking about me?" Shido asked quietly to Tohka and Origami.

"Don't know." Origami replied. "They must have seen someone like you before."

"If they are, it could be your dopelgänger." Tohka followed.

"So somone that looked exactly like me lives here before?" Shido asked in his mind. "What was he doing?"

"Alright. Settle down." Eugene said before the elderly man walked foward.

"I am here today to help you people protect everyone else from the threat of both the spacequakes and the Grey Men." He started his part. "My name is Lieutenant Colonel Victor Voychek from the Federal Republic of Estovakia, and I'll be the supreme commander for the operation."

The screen then showed various reports.

"Since late January of this year, satellites picked up numerous activity around many parts of Belka." Voychek explained. "There is also some activity outside of the continent. We believe that the Grey Men have made contact with other actors as well. This would put the entire planet on high alert and that's why we picked you people to safeguard the peace."

Eugene then came forward.

"As of today, this operation, codenamed 'Guardian Angel', will commence immediately."

Everyone stand up and saluted.

(Fraxinus, 15,000 meters above Tenguu City)

In the bridge of the airship, the crew were hard at work trying to analyze the energy signature left behind from the incident. Kotori was sitting in her chair while licking her favorite sweet, the lolipop.

"Found anything within the site?" Kotori asked. "The sooner we can decode it, the sooner we can get my brother home."

"We're analyzing the sample now, commander." One of the crew replied. "This would probably take three days or more."

"Hurry up and get that thing done! We can't just waste too much time here!"

"On it."

A blonde man, Kyohei Kanazuki, arrived to inform Kotori.

"Excuse me commander, we have a visitor to see you." He said.

"Bring that person in."

Just then, Miku arrived feeling desperate.

"Have you seen Darling recently?" She asked Kotori. "I tried calling him but he didn't picked up."

"It's not just Shido that disappeared." Kotori replied. "Tohka and Origami disappeared as well."

"Why?"

"Because of that." She continued while pointing at the screen. "They entered into another dimension due to them chasing another Spirit. That's all we can get."

"So...you are saying...that they are...gone?" Miku weeped while asking.

"Not exactly. As what I said, they are in another dimension."

"What should I do then?"

"Just meet up with Nia at the apartment. She may fill you in with some more details."

"I...I will..." She slowly began to cheer up.

"If we can find a way to open a hole, we could send you there."

"YAHHHOOOO!" Miku suddenly began to feel excited and began to hug Kotori. "Thank you for helping me!"

"I...can't...move!" Kotori struggled. "Get off of me, Miku! We can't get the three home while you are annoying us!"

"But I'm willing to see Darling there!"

"Someone...help me over here!"

(Stier Castle, Waldreich Mountains, Principality of Belka - March 22, 2022, 0702 hrs.)

The Gryphus and Warowl squadrons and the Spirits began to approach Belkan territory as they are flying towards a suspected weapons depot.

"All right, this is for keeps." Eugene began to explain. "We are going to destroy a weapons depot located somewhere near Stier Castle. Sea Goblin will also infiltrate the area to steal blueprints and battle plans. Your mission is not just to take out the enemy's power to fight but also to get any knowledge of what they are up to."

"Roger that, Crux." Tonomachi replied. "Moving to Stier Castle at bearing 045."

"Remember, Sea Goblin is going inside. So they will transmit their position to help you aim your weapons carefully." Voychek reminded. "Keep them safe as well."

"Copy, colonel." Origami answered. "We'll keep them safe."

Sea Goblin began to raido them.

"This is Sea Goblin, thank you for joining us, Spirits and pilots." The leader said. "We'll be turning the entire place into one big crater."

"You're welcome, Sea Goblin." Shido replied. "We'll be your angels from here."

"You know, this is not the first time we came here."

"You came here before?" Tohka asked.

"Yes. Once, we are a flying limo when we came here to rescue the previous president. It's hell when you went inside the castle despite the scenery."

"Oh, I get it. I'm sure he's a nice guy."

"Indeed, he is." He replied. "He loves peace and as a result, he made a lot of friends."

Tohka nodded.

"Cheer up, guys." Victoria assured everyone. "I'm sure we can pull it off."

When they are near the castle, Shido noticed a big crater.

"A crater?" Shido wondered. "Maybe it's from the nuclear detonations the old man said before."

Chihaya then began to radio his allies.

"All aircraft, turn on your master arm switch."

They pressed the master arm switch as ordered.

"Gryphus 7, armed." Shido confirmed.

"Warowl 2, armed." He followed.

"Gryphus 1, armed." Tonomachi complied.

Soon after they turned on the switch, Belkan planes appeared on the radar.

"Tally ho on Belkan aircraft at bearing 010." Chihaya confirmed. "They did made quite a welcoming party."

"Let's respond in kind." Shido said humurously.

"Hehehe." Tonomachi laughed a little before moving to more pressing matters. "All units, break."

The allies and Belkan aircraft broke formation to engage each other. Origami took aim at a Belkan YF-23 Black Widow II and began to use Kadour to try to take out the plane.

"Watch it! Enemy is unleashing Spirit attack!" A Belkan warned. One of the pillars then hit the engine bays of the plane.

"One enemy down." Origami confirmed. "Moving to engage bandits."

"They probably have some knowledge of the Spirits." Shido observed. "Looks like Erich lectured them quite well."

"Likely." Tohka agreed before launching an energy attack on another Belkan plane. "Guess that explains the mechs."

"It should be." Tonomachi followed. "If he didn't, they would have been defeated quite easily."

The allies then continued to push on with the attack.

"Sea Goblin is 20 miles from the DZ." Sea Goblin radioed. "Keep us covered until we can go inside and leave."

Chihaya armed his missile on a Belkan Su-47 Berkut while being locked on.

"Warowl 1, Fox 2!" The missile flew to the target but it missed, forcing Chihaya to evade.

"I'm on this guy." Shido radioed and fired his gun at the plane. The pursuing plane then engulfed in flames.

"Thanks, Gryphus 7." Chihaya expressed his gratitude. "I owe you one."

"No problem." Shido replied.

The allied forces then slowly pushed the Belkans back.

"Warowl 2, Fox 2!" He fired the missile and it hit the Belkan fighter.

"Bandit down." He confimed.

"I'm on that guy." Victoria closed in on the Belkan plane and slashed it using her Angel.

"Dammit! Controls are offline!" The pilot panicked before ejecting.

"One less Belkan to worry about." She confimed.

The Belkans then lost all of its fighters in the area.

"All fighters are down." Crux confimed. "Continue with objective."

"Sea Goblin, all fighters are down." Shido radioed. "You may enter the castle area."

"Thanks, everyone." He replied. "You still have more things to do."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"He means that they are still not out of the forest." Tohka answered.

"She's right." Tonomachi told Shido. "There are AA guns, SAMs and ground units aside from those planes. They still need to be covered."

"Uh...right." Shido continued. "Let's go to the depot."

The allies then entered the depot and, as expected, the aforementioned threats are there.

"Yup. There they are." Shido observed.

"Time to clean house." Tonomachi radioed and the allies began to take out the threats. Tohka, Origami and Victoria took out some of the heavily-armed threats while the pilots took out the AA guns and SAMs.

Once the threats are dealt with, Sea Goblin dropped the soldiers and they entered the depot.

"This is Goblin Eye, we entered the facility." The leader radioed. "Keep us and the helicopter safe. Why not you take out some of those facilities when we mark them?"

"Copy, Goblin Eye." Victoria replied. "We'll hold here."

Just then, tanks and some more Belkan aircraft arrived.

"Be advised. Enemy forces are entering the area at bearings 321-340." Crux reported. "Looks like they mean business."

"Great!" Shido expressed some anger. "More of them showed up."

"Don't worry, Gryphus 7." Tonomachi assured him. "We can beat 'em."

"Hurry, they entered the facility!" A Belkan gunman radioed while under fire.

"Roger that." Another responded. "We're moving as fast as we can."

A firefight then ensued.

"Dammit! Enemies are in that platform over there!" An Osean soldier said.

"We can't get through in that direction!" Goblin Eye responded. "Get me someone to find another path for us!"

Suddenly, the Belkans were shot by an unknown source. They shortly found out it was Origami.

"You did this?" He asked her.

"Yes, sir." She responded while holding a sub-machine gun.

"I thought you have your power...thingy."

"I have. I just brought this MP5, just in case I have to engage in short-range combat."

"Huhuh. Anyway, let's keep moving."

Outside, the remaining units engage the Belkans as they continued to keep them at bay.

"Fox 2!" Shido shouted before the missile downed a plane.

Victoria then made a wall of flame to make the enemy's aim off. She then appeared from the flame to take out the tanks and some soldiers.

"Enemy squad taken out." Victoria said. "Keep moving. We got things covered."

"Roger that." Origami answered. "We are moving ahead. Sea Goblin will designate the targets once we have the plans."

Just then, a tank round hit Tohka, weakening her shield.

"Huwwah!" What was that?!" Tohka exclaimed. "It just weakend me!"

"What the?!" Shido asked in shock. "Don't tell me..."

"...they have anti-Spirit rounds?" Origami finished. "All Spirits, be careful when engaging the enemy! They have anti-Spirit rounds!"

They continued fighting while the ground forces and Origami are closing in on the command center.

"Even if you are down, keep pulling that trigger!" An Osean soldier reminded. When they approached the area, Origami found the CPU and began downloading data.

"We're at the command center." Origami reported. "Downloading data."

Shortly after, it is finished.

"We got the data!" Goblin Eye said. "Let's get the hell out of here!"

They exited the area just as Sea Goblin landed.

"Go, go, go!" Goblin Eye requested the pilot. "They'll start using desperate measures soon!"

"On it." The pilot answered and the helicopter began to fly to safe territory.

"They're getting away with the plans!" A Belkan pilot observed. "Get 'em!"

Shido, Tonomachi, Chihaya and Warowl 2 noticed that the planes are going after Sea Goblin.

"They're going after the helicopter." Warowl 2 reported.

"Roger." Shido answered. "Moving to engage."

They used their afterburners to close in on the Belkans. Once they are within range, they fired a volley of missiles. Some of the planes were down while any surviving airframe broke off to engage the allies.

"What are you all doing?!" The commander asked.

"We can't close in on the helicopter!" The Belkan answered. "The escorts are in the way!"

They tried to fight back but they are down shortly after.

"Origami, Shido, turn the entire depot into a crater." Tonomachi requested.

"Roger." Shido answered.

"Copy." Origami followed.

They returned to the depot, only to blow it out of existence.

"Firing rockets." Shido shouted before pressing the trigger to launch it's air-to-ground payload.

"...Artelif!"

Using her Angel, she launched a beam of light towards the facility. In almost an instant, the entire area was leveled.

"We're done here." Origami said to Shido. "Let's regroup."

"On it." Shido answered. "That would keep the Grey Men from getting some of their ammo."

"Yeah."

They regroup shortly after.

"Glad you made it back, you two." Tohka congratulated. "I felt relieved."

"We are okay." Victoria reported.

"Sea Goblin to all allies, thank you people for covering our backs today." The pilot thanked them.

"No problem." Shido replied. "You people needed it."

"How are the special forces?" Origami asked.

"We have some gunshot wounds, but we are all okay." Goblin Eye reported. "Thank you as well."

"Enemy depot confirmed destroyed." Crux reported. "The mission is a success."

"Looks like a long but comfy ride home to undertake." Victoria said quietly with a smile.

(Sand Island Air Force Base, Osean Federation - 1802 hrs.)

The units are in the briefing room to be debriefed.

"Most of the enemy forces, as well as the depot are eliminated." Eugene began to debrief. "Without the ammunition for their forces, their foothold would gradually be weakened."

"Also, with the recovery of classified intelligence, we can figure out what the Grey Men are up to." Voychek continued. "It will take some time before we can decipher the files, but I'm sure we will know what we will do for future operations."

"Anyway, we have a request from joint Osean, Yuktobanian and ISAF forces in Usea that needed help. Be prepared for the operation in three days. Dismissed."

After the debriefing, the pilots and the Spirits began to chat while eating.

"Those enemies we fought today, they are well-prepared." Shido said to his allies.

"Indeed they are." Tonomachi responded. "Not only the mechs, but we have bullets that can damage Spirits to worry about."

"Huhuh." Shido nodded. "I was getting worried after Tohka was hit by that thing."

"Yeah." Chihaya agreed. "The Grey Men are indeed well-armed for this. I won't be surprised much."

"Tohka?"

"Well...uh...they are dangerous." She said. "I not feeling comfortable after being hit by one."

"Judging by the fact that a D.E.M. employee was here, he gave a lot of info for them to use." Origami explained. "This would include blueprints for weapons originally used by Wizards."

"Wizards...as in people with magic?" Chihaya asked in confusion.

"Not those kinds. Those 'Wizards' are people who protects our world, supposedly against Spirits. And, as a former Wizard myself, I know how they fight."

"If what you said is true, then, the Grey Men are probably more powerful than either Osea or Yuktobania." Victoria said.

"Yeah. And we are united to stop them." Shido finished.

(Spirit Manor)

Miku was looking for her Sephira Crystal in a closet.

"Where is it? It has to be here somewhere." She said to herself. "Come on, Darling. Show me where the crystal is."

Suddenly, Nia showed up.

"What are you doing, Miku?" Nia asked her.

"I'm looking for Shido and his friends in another dimension." Miku responded.

"I have to warn you. You don't know what you are up against."

"That's why I'm bringing my Spirit powers with me."

"If that's the case, say hello to them for me." She reluctantly agreed.

Shortly after, Miku got her crystal, transformed into her Spirit form and set off to the other dimension.

A/N: Sorry for the delay, I'm a bit too bored to make this

So many of you might have downloaded the recent update in Ace Combat Infinity which includes the long-awaited ADA-01 ADLER superfighter. I might as well add them in a future chapter.

Any idea what is next?