A Pile of Empty Brass

by M3 Luck3y Charms

Tensions had been flaring in the Pacific. Japan along with multiple partners were conducting a massive military drill as a show of force. As relations between the nations were reaching an all time low, everyone was bracing themselves for the unthinkable to happen. Once it did, it came in the form that no one was ever expecting.

8. 6: As the World Watched Part 1

A Pile of Empty Brass | Sora no shinchū no yama

空の真鍮の山

Chapter 6

"As The World Watched"

---

"A knight in shining armor is a man who has never had his metal truly tested." - Anonymous

---

Location: Alnus Mountain Range, Falmart.

The Holy Hills of the Empire of Sadera

Alnus Imperial Garrison

Date: Julian Day 231. Calendar year 572.

Time: 08:47 Hours.

---

The might of the Imperial Army stretched for as long as the eye could see.

At least, from where Legate Spenstacus stood, his flank overlooking the entirety of the raiding force he'd been placed in command of.

Legions and Auxiliaries totalled a hundred and seventy-five thousand men. Hybrids and other species had taken up the main dirt road inside the garrison, symmetrically filed in front of the marbled Gate that stood erect dead centre of the fortress. The many flags of the Empire and the houses of nobility flapped in the winds, the rising sun casting an orange hue over the large columns that stood at attention.

Just mere days ago, they had paraded through the streets of Sadera, greeted by cheers and prayers by the people on their safe and successful expedition to the new lands granted by Hardy

Spenstacus glanced upwards, focusing on the bright blue nebula becoming nearly obscured from the orange hues of the rising sun. He squinted, in the hope that the Gods were peering back at him and his armies as they were about to partake in the largest ambition of the Empire yet.

He subconsciously brushed the hilt of his sword, quietly reminiscing the many campaigns he'd been a part of in his long military career.

He'd been on many foreign lands, the abundant isles scattered across the Avion sea, the cities built around the Region of Ice and Snow, and even caught a glimpse of a couple of apostles.

From the grueling close-quarters with those beastmen in the island hopping campaigns, to the tenacious Rabbit demi-human tribes in the central-plains, none had ever filled him with such anxiousness as he stared at the dark abyss beyond the mouth of the Gate.

This wasn't just another land he'd be taking the fight to.

This was another world.

One with such technological marvels his mind couldn't even begin to comprehend.

Such advanced feats that his dear Emperor so desperately wanted through any means necessary.

Thus, here they were, all waiting for his command to send the raiding force forward.

He stared at the pillars of the Gate, each sporting three large cyan-coloured diamond-shaped crystals that pulsated as if the structure was breathing. Sentient almost.

"All troops have taken their positions!" One of his Primus relayed to him, kneeling before the Legate who simply nodded at him.

Several Mages appeared next to the Primus, their bright purple tunics a heavy contrasts to the heavy gray armour his Primus sported. They also kneeled before him, "The portal's energy is binded with the Gate. We have absolute control over it."

"Absolute control? You sure?" the legate asked, facing the object that stood erect dead centre of the fortress they'd built around.

"Without a doubt, sire!" The mage said with complete confidence, "It'll be stable enough to allow for two way travel several thousand men and beast over, and there isn't a fear of a sudden collapse once we're through.

"Hmph…" Was all he replied with, gripping tightly on his horse's reins. "And in the event we have to destroy it?"'

"A simple disassembly will do the trick." The Mage answered without a beat, retaining the same confident smile as before, "The carpenters have already placed the tools necessary for a hasty deconstruction. Once it's disassembled and the crystals encrusted in the pillars have been destroyed, no mortal from their world will be able to traverse into ours."

"And you're absolutely sure of this?"

"Yes, sire!"

Spentascus said nothing, once again staying quiet as he dismissed the Mages to head back to oversee the Gate.

"You're awfully cautious, Spenstacus."

The Legate didn't even need to turn his head as he recognized the voice, "And you aren't, Count Formal?"

"Oh, I'm very cautious." he laughed off before straightening his face, "The ebony human you've brought over... She fell ill when I departed to partake in this campaign, despite the many accommodations I've made for her."

Spentsacus' lip tightened, "Most of the scouts that went before us have also fallen ill when they came back. I'm worried that whatever plague lingers in that world beyond, our men are sure to get it."

Count Formal nodded in agreement, "I suppose we'll need to have the springs ready for the men coming back. If they do fall ill from being on the other side, we shouldn't risk spreading it back to our homes. Tiara has already been isolated and being aided by my healing mage. She should recover when I return from my campaign."

Spenstacus cocked his eyebrow, "Tiara?"

"That's the name of the ebony female from their world."

"Ah."

"You think we'll find more like her?"

"Probably. However, I'm concerned about their legions. What those snakes have told us simply does not add up."

Count Formal kept his face neutral, "You think they're lying?"

"It's a possibility…" He took out the now crumbled parchment the scouts obtained from the world depicting the large city the otherworlders called Tokyo, "You honestly think a civilization like this is afforded the opportunity to exist by being protected by what they claim are cowards? You and I both know that cannot be the case."

Count Formal glanced off to the side, "I don't see why his majesty just cannot send diplomats…"

"Because we'd lose the element of surprise in the event they aren't lying." Spenstacus lamented, "Empires take what they want, that's just the business of what we do. If they're willing to incorporate themselves into our culture after we show them who's in charge, we'll afford them the opportunity to. It's how it's always been."

"And what if we end up kicking the hornet's nest? Like we did thirty years ago?"

"Then we destroy the Gate."

Formal said nothing else, opting to just look at the large raiding force displayed in front of them.

"Destroy the Gate." Spenstacus recalled Emperor Molt's request the night prior to his departure, "Whether they're cowards or not, I do not want to risk bringing us into a protracted conflict. In the event that their armies come forth and challenge ours, you're to withdraw back into our world with as many items and their people as you are able to bring. Once you've retreated back into the fortress, you have my blessings to destroy the Gate in order for us to maintain control over who comes and goes through."

Once again, Spenstacus tightened his grip on his reins.

The sound of trumpets echoed across the line, signalling to the overall supreme commander that they were ready to march upon his order.

Spenstacus raised his hand, holding it up for several seconds before swinging it down in swift motion

Almost in perfect sync, the formations and flanks started marching forward, the sounds of drumbeats echoing across the fortress as their frontal flanks became obscured in darkness as they traversed into the mouth of the Gate.

Slowly but surely, the long line of troops faded as the obsidian abyss swallowed them, the only trace of their existence being the beat of drums that echoed from within.

Spenstascus held his breath as his horse entered the mouth of the Gate, the darkness consuming him.

---

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Chou Ward

Ginza, Tokyo

Date: Saturday, August 8th, 2020

Time: 11:07 Hours

---

To say that the average Japanese citizen was excited, albeit a little anxious, would probably be quite the understatement of the decade.

Today marked the last day for the 2020 Olympics hosted inside the large dome of Bankyo ward, Tokyo. With Japan hosting the triathlons that brought forth many nation's best athletes to represent their prowess. Thus, the streets were filled with cheering crowds, both Japanese and foreign, as multiple athletes around the world gave it their all for the final day of the event.

From the abundant news outlets covering the transpiring events, one could see the city vibrating with life as various curry shops were decorated with flags belonging to every nation.

Merry crowds in pubs were celebrating with both pints of cheap and expensive alcohol who wanted to be buzzed as they watched the triathlons unfold around the various designated spots inside the large metropolis city.

Ramen shop owners worked tirelessly as the large influx of customers filled their booths as they enjoyed their bowls watching a large flat screen TV in the corner of the wall. Various merchandise owners were having to constantly go to the back of the building in the storage room to replace the rapidly diminishing trinkets that citizens and tourists alike were purchasing like it was going out of style.

One could see the look of various clerks' faces as they struggled to communicate with the numerous foreigners who've made their way over to Tokyo to represent their nations. Hotels around Tokyo had been sold out in just about every district one could think of, having been booked months in advance.

Taxi and bus drivers have been exceptionally busy with the booming business as tourists and nationals away from home came out of Haneda and Narita airports with several suitcases of personal belongings. Various buildings had been neatly decorated in celebration of the Olympics being hosted in their home soil, the various occupants eager to have a great time and relax from the stress of work.

Despite the merry festivities and jubilee crowd, it had been the last thing on Sonia Chambers' mind, glancing at the stack of posters she held in her arms before looking for a spot she could hang them from.

Three other girls in her group had the same posters in their hands, one of them taping it to a light post

"I'm telling you, I think she ran off with that Hiroki guy."

"Noriko-chan wouldn't… I mean, you saw her studying for all those tests."

"Come on, it's happened often enough. The sweet school girl gets whisked away by some older guy that wants to take advantage of her… I thought she'd know better."

"Maybe…"

Sonia narrowed her eyes, her brows slightly raised.

Yikes, what is it with Japanese girls and worst-case scenarios?

She kept the thought to herself. If she'd learned one thing from her lessons abroad as an American living in Japan, it would be "speak softly". No need to get into needless squabbles with girls her age. Not now.

She taped another poster onto a lightpost.

Her younger sister, Lisa handed her some more tape as she reached for another poster held between her arms. She didn't have to know Kanji to understand what it said.

Missing: Noriko Mochizuki, 3rd Year Student at Daizawa International School.

Sonia caught herself once again staring at the admittedly pretty teenage girl printed on the image, which depicted Noriko in her school uniform smiling brightly at the camera.

Another sigh escaped her lips as she hung the poster in plain view for those to see.

Noriko had been missing for a month now, perplexing both friends and family having simply vanished without a trace. No phone call, no post on social-media, no runaway note, nothing to hint at where she might've taken off.

Zilch.

The Tokyo police were on the case, she understood, but she highly doubted it made the girl's family feel any more at ease. Not after so long.

Sonia paused, trying to rationalize it all. Noriko simply wasn't the type to suddenly just run away. Or least, not without a reason given. Her sudden disappearance was raising far too many red flags for it to be simply running away to be with her crush that had graduated the year before.

A crush who also disappeared around the same time as Noriko, according to Hiroki's parents.

Some friends, like the group of girls she found herself with, just assumed the two simply eloped. Others, like Sonia, believed something more sinister might have happened.

So here they were on a Saturday morning, her close friends putting posters around Ginza, and she was stuck with some of these "friends" she hadn't really spoken as much to since the young girl had disappeared.

Oh, come on, Sonia, it's not like girls stateside don't do the same…

She wasn't sure why it felt so different the way the Japanese girls spoke about their missing classmate. Harsher? More artificial?

"Oh, Sonia-san! Lisa-chan! Isoge!" the other 3rd-year called. Sonia turned to face Suzuha Katsura, whom she noted managed to somehow look immaculate despite the early August heat. The American noticed the black Olympic's t-shirt, A Philippine flag in the centre, that she adorned over her tight jeans.

You even put up a poster?

The Japanese-Filipina classmate motioned their shorter Japanese friend over, 2nd-year Mitsuki Ito. Suzuha simply took more flyers from Mitsuki as she continued to hang them wherever they could be seen.

She glanced at the lone poster the girl had placed on a different light post and sighed as it blended in with all the announcements of Olympic merchandise shops and theme bars. She added a second one and urged her younger sister ahead as they walked down the very busy Ginza streets.

Lisa mumbled something then.

"What is it?"

Turning away from the post, the younger girl said "It's just a bit odd. See a few other missing people's posters here?"

Sonia glanced at the poster-laden streetlight, seeing a few other posters for missing people. They seemed like other students, too.

"Huh… yeah, that's a little weird, but… Tokyo's a big city."

"They've all last been seen on the fourth… all around Ginza."

That caught her attention.

She was a Marine's daughter. Her father, a gunnery sergeant that was well on his way to be a master sergeant, had instilled several survival instincts in their years growing up around him. This, at the very least, suggested something sinister was happening in the streets of Ginza.

Her first thought was that some underground group was kidnapping kids for trafficking. It wouldn't be the first time horror stories of child trafficking within the Asian island nation popped up.

"Let's stick to the group, okay?" Sonia added, making sure to pull her younger sister by the hand.

Lisa didn't object.

They'd covered several blocks now. Sonia's posters were all out, and the other girls were now resting under a tree. The unforgiving summer heat punished their efforts further, and eventually, they simply needed a break.

Both Sonia and Lisa rested under the tree where her other friends rested. Wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead while swatting away a few strands of blond hair that hung losely over her forehead, Sonia opted to just glance at the pedestrians passing by, quite a bit of them being travelers who were blissfully chatting away with each other, occasionally pointing at some billboards or landmarks with excited glee.

Then she noticed a large crowd of Japanese people marching down the narrow sidewalk nearby. She squinted, her eyes making out the abundant picket signs and posters many waved in the air.

Her lips tightened, along with the grip she had of her sister's hand when she heard the crowd chanting in English.

"American bases out! No more occupation! American bases out! No more occupation!"

Both Americans continued watching the crowd in silence, noticing the glares they'd get from some of the Japanese protesters. Of course, both girls were wearing Olympic T-shirts of the American Flag brightly printed around the chest region as to remove all doubt of what nationality they were. She kept her face neutral, so as to not risk provoking a confrontation with people who were looking for any excuse to paint Americans in a bad light.

Mitsuki suddenly popped up, rushing towards the Americans with a nervous smile saying. "Lisa, Sonia, We should probably get some boba tea. We sure deserve a small treat for the work we've put in, don't you think?"

Sonia stammered, "I-"

Suzuha snapped her fingers and said "I concur! I know a guy who runs one of the tea shops. We can even leave some posters with him!"

Mitsuki quickly added "Yeah! Come on, I wanna go!"

Sonia sighed, reluctantly nodding when it became obvious as to what the girls were trying to do. She glanced down at her younger sister, saying "We're going to get some tea with the girls. Sounds good?"

Lisa kept her eyes at the chanting crowd, biting her lower lip before slowly nodding in confirmation.

With their new destination in mind, The quartet of girls hopped to their feet, Suzuha leading the group as they hastily vacated the immediate area. Sonia noticed the two Japanese teens walking parallel next to them, as if to obscure the American girls from the hostile glances they were receiving from the protestors.

"Why are they mad at our military?" Lisa asked, her gaze at the crowd becoming smaller as they walked in the opposite direction.

"Because of the large military drill taking place." Suzuha answered without missing a beat. "So much tension from China with the large buildup of American troops. A lot of Japanese people don't want Americans to bring war to Japan if they decide to go to war with China."

Lisa tilted her head, "But aren't the Chinese bullying Japan, too?"

Suzuha sighed, "They are, but you Americans aren't helping by throwing gasoline on a fire."

Sonia opened her mouth, momentarily pausing before deciding to close it.

Lisa, however, pressed on, "But what about that spy balloon China flew over us a few days ago?"

Speak Softly…

Suzuha sighed, "We just don't want this whole thing to end in bloodshed. The last war Japan found itself in ended up with bloodshed and misery for everyone."

Your people were the ones who started it. She mused to herself before remembering Suzuha's mixed ancestry. Well… Half of you.

"But what if-"

"Lisa, that's enough." Sonia interrupted, her voice stern before facing their two classmates, "I apologize for her."

Both Suzuha and Mitsuki smiled, waving a dismissive hand before Suzuha replied, "It's okay. I know the recent tensions have been on a lot of people's minds. It's only natural that it's talked about."

Sonia smiled, opting to remain quiet for their walk over to the cafe. It wasn't worth bringing politics into this. This was about finding Noriko, not about foreign policy. Sonia would be lying if she knew everything that had been going on between the US, Japan, China, and their allies. All her knowledge was limited to the news and whatever her parents relay to her.

Still, her mind wandered to the images of the weather balloon China had sent over Japan in a blatant violation of Japanese airspace.

Then the subsequent fireball as it was taken out by an F-35 once it was over the coast, having no risk of debris falling in a residential area.

It wasn't an American F-35 that took it out, much to the surprise of her and everyone, but one belonging to the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force.

Times sure were changing.

Everyone had their opinions about America's presence on the Japanese archipelago. Some positive, some negative. Sonia never felt as if she was discriminated against because of her background as a military dependent. Quite the opposite, in fact. The Japanese at her school welcomed her with open arms, treating her as a guest who wanted to be part of their culture.

Sonia glanced at Suzuha and Mitsuki, who were doing their best to not make the Americans feel unwelcomed just because of a loud vocal minority who opposed her being here.

A small smile managed to make itself known.

Hopefully, she could help repay them by finding out what happened to their missing classmate.

---

Location: Outskirts of Shinjuku Ward

Currently inside a train

Time: 11:30 Hours

---

"Come on...! Come on...!"

Itami gritted his teeth, tightening his grip on his smart phone as he narrowed his eyes, leaning forward on his seat as the shinkansen proceeded to slow down at its predestined stop.

Two gentlemen who stood by either side of him glanced over at him, their curious eyebrows raised as to what caused the otaku to be so animated.

Either oblivious or not caring, Itami continued to rapidly press the buttons on his touch screen.

A grin managed to creep its way onto his face as the phone screen emitted a series of bright colours.

Yes! Fire spell activated! Die, you damned orcs! Itami watched in satisfaction when his female player character rained fire on a bunch of green-skinned behemoths who surrounded her, their red health bars diminishing to zero as their slain bodies despawn from the map, her low health bar replenishing along with gaining additional XP.

He was only allowed a small break, another wave of enemies spawning nearby him, all making a zerg rush as his character was in the middle of a cool-down timer.

Damn it! Itami cursed, his eyes darting around to find an escape route for his character from the incoming horde. He tried strategizing, analyzing the 3D rendered surroundings to best hold out until his cool-down timer ended. Finding a cliff that would give his character a vantage point, Itami anxiously pressed the jump button, his player character responding in kind as it sought elevation.

Almost... Almost...

Just before he could reach the top of the cliff and hold a strategic advantage, a text message bubble popped over the jump button, inadvertently clicking on it before his brain could register what had flashed across his screen.

Damn it! No no no!

Too late. His game had already been minimized before he could pause it, the messenger app opening while he could hear his character getting swarmed and cut down in the background. Itami rapidly clicked on his home button, the tapping of his fingers increasing with each thump in a desperate bid to reload the newly released mobile RPG he'd been playing since his ride on the shinkansen bullet train.

Within a few seconds, the gaming app finally maximized on his smartphone, his face soured upon his character had already been overwhelmed and slain, the orcs and goblins laughing maniacally as the GAME OVER text flashed on his screen.

Itami sucked in his teeth, letting out a frustrated sigh as the train came to a complete halt.

"Now arriving at Ginza station. Now arriving at Ginza station." The female robotic voice played over the Shinkasen's overhead cabin.

Strapping his backpack over his shoulders, the otaku proceeded to exit the train car along with the other occupants who've gone on about their day.

This better be important…

He opened his messenger app, seeing the recent text from Risa.

- 11:31 Risa: "I've already made it inside the convention centre. I'm already in line to have the Princess Abi poster signed by actress Yuko Saito. Just let me know when you're here! The line is so long!"

Upon reading that, Itami's eyes widened in excitement, whatever dark cloud he was in for his recent loss in his game instantly vanishing.

He proceeded to type furiously on his phone.

– 11:33 Youji: "Yuko Saito's here?! They didn't announce that she was coming to the Komiket convention!"

His finger tapped the send icon, hardly able to contain his excitement as his message went through, eagerly waiting for her reply. It was then he noticed the large concrete pillar appearing in his field of view, narrowly avoided colliding into it as he quickly sidestepped around it.

I gotta pay more attention to my surroundings. That would have been embarrassing… he scolded himself. He proceeded to head down a set of stairs to exit the shinkansen platform in Ginza, blending well with the large mundane crowd going about their day. It had been a short and uneventful ride from Camp Fuji, not that he complained. In just a few more moments, he will finally be indulging himself with the abundant doujinshis from Komiket by well known and aspiring artists.

The posters, games, panels, and various merchandise! It had almost caused the thirty-three year old to giddy like a small child in anticipation. With the money he had saved with for these past few months, it was time to finally spend it on the things both himself and his wife had come to adore.

If only he had time to pack his Spike Spiegel cosplay before leaving for Operation Olympus. By the time he messaged Risa about it, she had already left for Komiket. Itami debated on whether to stop by his home first just to go retrieve it. Maybe tomorrow he will bring it after a good night's rest inside his comfortable home with his loving wife.

He glanced at his watch, picking up his pace upon realizing he would already be half an hour late by the time he could catch a taxi to Koto-ward where Komiket was being hosted at the Ariake Convention Hall.

Almost… there…!

---

Location: Ginza, Tokyo

4-Chome Intersection

The main four-way intersection at the heart of downtown Ginza

Time: 11:40 Hours

---

The light at the crosswalk flashed green, signalling to the pedestrians that the streets were now safe to walk across.

The traffic officer, Kunio Takeda, directed the flow of people to the other side, keeping his eye on the adjacent roads to ensure no drivers were careless enough to try and plow into the large crowd of walking pedestrians.

The lights at the crosswalk soon flashed red again, the last remnants of the crossing pedestrians double-timing it to make sure they don't block incoming traffic. Soon, the streets were all cleared, the traffic officer motioning the vehicles forward.

A repetitive task, but one that was necessary for the safety of the people.

His eyes darted around the busy afternoon streets as the cars passed by, the large hordes of animated citizens going about their daily routines. Many of them stopped inside the abundant store chains around the strip, the cashiers and cooks rhythmically going through the motions as they dealt with their afternoon flow of customers.

Same shit, different day, he thought, directing the crowd of people as the light of the crosswalk flashed green.

Despite the large crowds, they traveled in an organized and fashionable manner, thankfully making his job easier. Not that anything exciting happens in Ginza other than the occasional intoxicated salaryman who made an ass of himself. The only major exception has been the large flow of domestic visitors from nearby towns and major cities who've recently flocked to Tokyo to celebrate the Olympics being held.

With international tourists added to the mix, as evident by the occasional foreigners spotted within the crowds.

The traffic officer glanced at a trio of women, two blonde, one a redhead, gossiping in a language unknown to him as they tried to keep up with the crowd while they traversed over the crosswalk. Adjacent to them, a burly Indian man quietly made his way across.

Takeda smiled inwardly, taking in the sight of an ambient Ginza that had been vibrating with life these past few days.

A sudden gale of wind blew through the open streets of the four-way intersection, knocking off his officer's cap and into the busy sidewalk. Silently cursing, Takeda ran along the narrow walkway to recover his head piece that was flying in the wind, the cursed piece of fabric defying his grip every time he reached for it. It seemed as if the sudden gust of wind was getting stronger, a few pedestrians shielding their faces from loose flying debris of papers and discarded trash. A few women who had been wearing skirts tried to hold down the fabrics that threatened to expose their bottoms.

Takeda finally managed to grab his cap, just in time to witness something his mind could not comprehend.

It seemed as if the cars on the highway were pushed aside by an invisible force, akin to Moses parting the Red Sea. A few pedestrians narrowly missed the cars that had been diverted off their course, some of which crashed into stores or parked vehicles.

Panicked screams coincided with the car alarms that echoed across the buildings as a light began to shimmer in the middle of the intersection, distorting air and colours as if a mirage.

"What's happening?!" One of the pedestrians shouted, her cries almost drowned out by the galing winds.

Good question. What was happening? The weather was a sunny bright-blue without a single cloud in the sky. So where were these winds coming from?

More importantly, what the hell was this mirage-like anomaly on the streets?

As if some unknown power heard his question, a large object materialized onto the intersection, as if blinking itself into existence. The gales simultaneously stopped as the structure appeared, the only noise being the sounds of remaining being the panicked pedestrians and unsynchronized car alarms going off.

"What the hell...?" the officer muttered under his breath, eyes squinting as he studied the strange object that, for all intent and purpose, appeared out of nowhere.

This isn't real… No way that this is real…

Had he been knocked out? Suffered a concussion? No way did this Roman-styled gate just appear out of nowhere, its size encompassing almost the entirety of the intersection as its marbled structure glistened magnificently in the late-morning sunlight.

"What is that?!" a salaryman gasped, brushing off specks of dust from his office suit from the earlier gale.

"Is this some sort of set for a movie?" a young woman guessed, her friends shrugging as several took their phones out to take pictures.

One of the older gentlemen tilted his head, his astonished eyes matching his agape mouth, "I wonder what kind of effects they used to make it seem like it appeared out of nowhere!"

"You think it's for the Olympics?!"

"Jesus, well that could have gone worse for a promotional stunt, yeah?!" An Australian tourist exclaimed to one of his buddies, looking at the cars that had crashed onto the sidewalk or parked cars.

A few good Samaritans who weren't mesmerized by the newest addition to the streets had jumped to the potentially injured motorists who've crashed due to the gate's appearance.

Snapping out of his trance, the traffic officer pushed himself upwards.

"Everyone, I need you to stay back! Clear the area!" He commanded, motioning his arms as he ushered the pedestrians away from the strange gateway.

He fumbled for his radio as he ran towards the closest car that had been diverted and crashed, a Honda N-BOX that had its front bumper nearly sheared off.

"Dispatch, Dispatch! This is Officer Kunio Takeda! Multiple 11-83s at the 4-Chome Intersection in Ginza! Need medical assistance as soon as possible! How copy?" He struggled to keep his breath under control, his alert brain remembering the code phrase 11-83 being used for motor vehicle accidents.

He waited for a few tense seconds, helping the dazed and visibly shaken driver out of her seat. Despite nearly totaling her vehicle, she didn't appear to suffer any cuts or visible bruises.

She looked over at Takeda, pointing a shaky finger towards the gate structure, "It-it appeared out of nowhere!" she stuttered, "This isn't my fault! My car was pushed to the side!"

Before he could respond, his radio blared to life, "This is dispatch hailing officer Kunio Takeda. Reading you loud and clear. Multiple 11-83s at 4-Chome Intersection at Ginza. In need of medical assistance on the scene. Is this accurate, Officer Takeda?"

Takeda grabbed his radio, pushing down the comms button, "That's affirmative, dispatch. There's some sort of strange obje-"

A loud, metallic groaning had cut Takeda off, the officer instinctively grabbing onto his baton as his head darted towards the source of the noise. His mouth went agape upon seeing the Gate's heavy doors opening outwards as if it had a mind of its own, revealing a dark, empty abyss inside of it.

An abyss that exceeded far beyond the geometry of the Gate itself, defying all logic and reasoning.

What the…

Before he had time to ponder this recent development, a massive, winged creature flew out the mouth of the Gate, Takeda instinctively shielding the driver with his body as the both of them ducked for cover.

Several gasps and screams escaped the lips from nearby pedestrians as more winged creatures flew out, all flying high above the buildings as they appeared to circle around the structure.

…Dragons?!

If he did not believe he was in some twisted dream before, Takeda certainly was entertaining the possibility right now.

Dragons.

From folklore.

Circling above them.

Sporting what appeared to be riders steering them in whichever direction as if they were horses.

Takeda would've probably laughed at the ridiculousness of it all had his radio not blared to life.

"-Did not copy your last, Officer Takeda. Please repeat."

He reached for his radio as he heard the sound of drum beats echoing from inside the dark abyss of the Gate, followed by the sound of trumpets as torch lights started to manifest from within.

Torches that illuminated men, all in formation as they marched forward, dressed in what he could only describe as European medieval armour.

Takeda pressed the button on his radio, not keeping his eyes off the incoming formations, "Dispatch, I'm going to need additional backup at 4-Chome…"

---

"Yep, we're going to be late again..." Akihiro Okamura sighed, releasing his grip from the van's steering wheel, then proceeding to fish inside his pocket while staring at the long line of backed up traffic ahead of them. He used his other free hand to rub his forehead, wiping his bangs from his unkempt, spiky jet-black hair.

Nanami Kuribayashi anxiously tapped her foot, staring at the sea of traffic in front of them. "The boss is totally going to kill us!" She whined, pulling on the ends of her long, dark brown hair. "He really wants that Olympic interview to air right at the beginning of the evening news section!"

Okamura pulled a carton of cigarettes from his pockets, lazily shrugging before reaching for his lighter, "Boss wants us to work with an impossibly tight schedule with how many reporters and journalists are out in the field right now. Let him fall on his own sword since he doesn't know how to manage personnel."

Nanami gave him an exasperated look, "How can you be so calm?! Aren't you worried about being fired?"

Putting the butt of the cigarette on his lips, the reporter snickered, "Yeah right. With how short staffed we've been these past few months, the old bastard wouldn't dare risk losing more journalists than he already has. Probably nothing bigger than an ass-chewing before his attention goes to some other hapless reporter who didn't meet his ridiculously tight timeline." He lit the front of the cigarette, inhaling the breeze of tobacco before blowing a cloud of smoke, "We'll be fine, kid. Stop worrying about things outside our control."

Nanami nodded as she feverishly swatted away the trail of vapour that eased to her side of the van, Okamura taking notice of his rude manners before rolling down his window to vent out the cigarette fog.

"It's just an interview of some athletes, anyway." He added before taking another puff, "It isn't like we've got hooked up to watch the Olympics as they're happening. Nooo, can't have that, can we? I'd rather we'd be doing something cool that isn't scripted with a lot more autonomy. Like… reporting on that large military exercise taking place at Mount Fuji."

Nanami had let a small, albeit sad smile make itself known on her countenance upon hearing the mention of Fuji, "It certainly would have been nice to go."

"But it would have been 'biased'!" Okamura sarcastically quipped, doing a mock impression of their boss before switching to his regular tone, "All because you have a sister in the Ground Defense-Force."

Nanami began to sink slightly into her seat, as if feeling guilty.

He's always getting stuck with me on these petty little assignments…

Okamura sighed once more, waving a dismissive hand as his eyes studied a couple of animated pedestrians making their way upwards towards the clogged intersection. "Hey, I'm not blaming you for missing out on that military exercise. I'm pretty sure that old geezer would've given us some other minuscule assignment anyway. Your sister was just the excuse."

She shifted slightly, becoming relaxed as her eyes also looked towards the pedestrians, some of them pointing ahead before making a beeline towards the intersection, "If you say, so. I just think-"

"Whoa!"

Nanami nearly jumped out of her skin, startled by her partner's sudden loud outburst. "W-what?!"

"Look!" He pointed his arm upwards, cigarette dropping out of his mouth as he leaned forward.

Nanami proceeded to slouch over, her small frame enabling her to see more upwards compared to Okamura's wider build. No sooner had she done so, a blur darted upwards, causing the smaller journalist to let out a loud gasp as her mind registered what she was witnessing.

"I-is that…?"

"A dragon?!" Okamura finished, his tone more of a statement rather than a question, albeit in an incredulous demeanor.

Both of them gasped as more dragons flew up in the air, the source of their entry seemingly coming from the streets right in front of them. Several pedestrians next to their van had begun taking their phones out, no doubt taking snaps and videos of these creatures as they circled above.

"Get the camera, now!" Okamura ordered, unbuckling his seatbelt. He fished out his phone, fingers rapidly started dialling numbers.

Nanami stammered, unable to convey a coherent sentence as her eyes kept staring at the winged beasts above.

"Kuribayashi!"

Nanami snapped out of her paralysed state, finally taking her gaze off the dragons and into her partner's, whose face was twisted into an expression of ambition and determination.

"O-on it!" She replied, unbuckling her own seatbelt as she opened the passenger door.

She gently planted her feet down, her high-heels making an audible clack as they made contact with the pavement. She made her way towards the back of their news van, the bright white name of their news network heavily contrasting against the van's cherry red paint scheme. Nanami threw open the hatch, catching her breath before leaning inside the hatch as she faintly heard her partner talking loudly in his cellphone.

"-Okita, it's Okamura! No time to explain! I need you to g-"

Nanami searched the aft section of the hatch, her eyes darting to the pelican protective case beside the technical equipment and monitors. Acting quickly, crawled into the hatch, grabbing the case before flipping the latches up and lifting the lid. She then peeled off the black foam that acted as a protection cushion of the object inside she sought after.

"-Of course this is breaking news! You think I'd call yo-"

Nanami picked up the heavy Sony PXW-FX9K shoulder mounted camera, taking extra care as to not drop or in any way damage their news asset that easily cost more than her car. She flipped on the power button, the digital display flashing to life.

"-In downtown Ginza! Right by Chome-4 interse-"

Why did our producer have to take a vacation of all times! Nanami screamed the question in her mind as she made her way over towards the technical equipment, ensuring everything was on and working in the event their news agency would patch them Live on the network.

"-getting set up right now! We'll be-"

After triple checking to make sure everything was good, she heard Okamura's heavy footsteps make their way towards the back of the van, his broad frame appearing seconds later.

"Is the equipment set up?!"

She nodded vigorously, "Y-yes!"

"Good! We're about to go live in thirty!"

He then darted towards the streets, not waiting for an answer as Nanami carefully planted both feet onto the streets, slamming the hatch doors of their news van before following Okamura into the clogged-traffic streets.

By now, some of the other drivers had poked their heads outside their vehicles as they stared in awe at the dragons circling above, Nanami trying her best to keep her focus on Okamura so as to not lose him in the crowd piling around towards a set of wrecked cars and the Gate in the middle of the streets.

Wait, what?

She had nearly stumbled, doing a double-take at the large, marbled structure that took up the entirety of the four-lane intersection.

Okamura had seen it too, his slightly bushy eyebrows raised as his face made an expression between astonishment and absurdity.

"Right here is fine!" he declared, trying to brush off his white-collared shirt in an attempt to somewhat make himself appear presentable.

Nanami backed away a few paces, using her right shoulder to hold the camera while using her left to support it. She then placed her left elbow on her rather large bosoms, providing additional support for their camera as the camera's red light flashed green.

We're Live!

Okamura cleared his throat, "This is Akihiro Okamura, reporting Live from Ginza, Tokyo on 4-Chome highway." He paused for dramatic effect, "Just a few moments ago, something emerged from this marbled, gate-like structure you see behind me!"

Nanami zoomed on the structure, focusing on it for a few moments before returning the camera's focus to her partner.

"Something that was only in the realm of fantasy and children's novels! But today, that fantasy seems to have become a reality! Ladies and gentlemen…" He simply motioned for Nanami to point the camera upwards.

She did so, aiming the camera at the winged creatures circling above, the riders glancing downwards as they appeared to get into a formation of some kind.

Okamura continued on, "So far, we've not received any indications of this being a planned event endorsed by anyone. But from what were seeing-"

He was interrupted by a loud cacophony of trumpets and horns echoing down the streets, the source of the instruments coming from inside the Gate. Nanami then diverted the focus of the camera from the dragons to the incoming formations of men pouring out of the Gate, the scene reminding her of clowns piling out of a small car.

All of them were dressed in older body armour that reminded her of a medieval army.

Then there were the weapons. Nanami had only seen them in history books or historical movies.

Romans?

Several cops had arrived on the scene, along with the tell-tale sound of ambulatory sirens echoing down the adjacent streets.

At the same time, another wail of a trumpet erupted from the formation of soldiers marching in perfect sync down the clogged and congested highway, then, an all-out war cry as they suddenly charged into the crowd of pedestrians who had been speculating them up close, their weapons at the ready.

Wha-what?!

A trio of Romans had charged into an elderly man, knocking him hard into one of the wrecked cars before bringing their swords down, butchering him without any hints of mercy.

Okamura had paused whatever he had been relaying into the microphone, taking a few steps back as Nanami continued watching the carnage unfold right in front of them.

Several… pig-looking monstrosities tackled a foreigner who had previously been recording the event on his phone, his fate left uncertain as more charging soldiers blocked her field of view.

"Th-these people have just appeared from that Gate structure behind me!" Okamura tried collecting his thoughts as panic began setting in, "For those who are just tuning in, there appears to be some sort of large-scale attack happening right here in 4-Chome Ginza!"

Nanami saw more of the ancient looking soldiers breaking into the windows of several parked vehicles on the highway, the screams of the passengers audible even with the chaos all around them. Nanami's blood froze upon witnessing the interior of a car being decorated in blood as the soldiers used their spears to viciously and repeatedly impale the unfortunate passengers still inside.

This isn't happening! This isn't really happening!

"Fo-for our safety, we're about to vacate the premises! I urge anyone listening right now to steer clear away from Ginza-" Okamura's trembling fingers dropped the microphone as he began backing away, never taking his eyes off the never-ending horde of soldiers flooding the streets.

The screams of the fleeing and dying reverberated in the wide streets of Ginza.

"...Kuri-...Kuribayashi, we need to leave!"

Nanami stood in place, her legs buckling while her petrified eyes witnessed a Roman soldier tackling a young woman onto the ground, the young girl screaming for help as a devilish grin flooded the Romans face before becoming obscured in the waves of fleeing pedestrians and charging soldiers.

"Nanami!" Okamura gripped her shoulder, effectively snapping out of her trance with a sound between a yelp and a cry. "Nanami, come on! Don't lose it, now! I need you here with me!"

A shadow loomed over them, the two reporters ducking as one of the dragons nose-dived just mere metres above them, the rider throwing a javelin into a random civilian with an expert procession.

The wave of fleeing pedestrians had finally caught up with them, followed by the horde of incoming Romans just a few yards behind.

A police officer spotted the two reporters, an annoyed and incredulous look on his face, clutching his blood-soaked shoulder where an arrow had managed to pierce.

"Move it!" He half-shouted, half commanded, waving his hand erratically, "Move!"

Okamura grabbed her wrist, the small woman nearly dropping their camera as her partner practically dragged her while they retreated towards safety. Even with the utter and complete chaos currently unfounding around them, somehow Nanami managed to still keep filming the carnage unfolding, more desperate citizens flocking away as the hostile troops inched closer, the injured cop taking the lead as they tried to find any avenue of escape.

---

Sonia stared down at the cup containing her strawberry milk tea, the chocolate jelly resting at the bottom of the sweet concoction.

The boba cafe hadn't been far from where they departed from the protesters, a few blocks back and a turn was all it took. Despite it being located right by the heart of downtown Ginza, the cafe was a small locale, and the owner knew absolutely zero English. Despite the small inconvenience, Sonia had to admit that the drinks were nice, taking another long sip from her beverage.

She took a quick glance at the new arrivals that showed up several minutes ago, three male classmates whom Suzuha greeted with a grin. The exchanges were brief, Sonia trying her best to hide the slight irritation upon discovering their task of searching for their missing friend and classmate turned into an unofficial afternoon date.

She ignored one of them eyeing her, her mind already made up that she wouldn't bother with love until she was out of high school. Not that it dissuaded any of the boys who found her "exotic".

Suzuha conversed with the owner in Japanese, who would occasionally nod at what the 3rd-year student was telling him. The American pretended she wasn't eavesdropping, not that her Japanese was the best. Despite her limited grasp on the language, Sonia deduced that Suzuha was talking about the flyers of their missing classmate.

Her suspicions were confirmed when the owner took the stack of flyers from her hands, placing them at the counter by the bar.

The air conditioner and the cool drinks helped her relax and ponder things over. Lisa was watching Mitsuki play some game on her nintendo-switch, the American cheering the Japanese girl on as Mitsuki rapidly pressed some buttons. The two other male students were also cheering her on, Lisa narrowing her eyes when she saw one of the boys had been more interested in Lisa rather than what game Mitsuki was playing.

She decided to surpress her big-sister insticts. It wasn't like he was trying to hit on her.

Yet.

The older sister let out a small huff, focusing on her tea as she took another sip from her straw. Despite being on the other side of the world, Lisa couldn't help but notice how similar yet different life was in Japan compared to America. On noting how narrow the Tokyo streets could be compared to American cities. The large crowds milling about. Shops open, owners greeting customers, parents walking with their kids.

Japan was as peaceful as could be.

"Sonia-chan!"

"Huh?"

It was one of the boys. Toki something or other. She rarely saw him at school.

"Uh… what do you… plan… for tonight?" he tried in, admittedly decent English.

She put her tea down and stirred the straw, saying in rapid succession "Guess I wanted to go for a five-mile jog, then maybe watch the new Train to Busan… why, what're you up to?"

"Uh…"

She smiled slightly, about to repeat herself, albeit slower.

It wasn't the screaming outside that got her attention, but the stirring crowd. It was odd how suddenly everyone had gone from relaxed to tense. It was more jarring when tension immediately turned into full-blown panic.

They were the only ones in the small shop, and through the glass doors, she saw people turning and running.

What the…

A man tried pushing the glass door open when he was shot down. Not by bullets, not by some kind of unknown weapon or projectile she'd never seen before.

But by bows and arrows.

They tore into the man's body like nothing, hoping she was only imagining the sickening sounds of arrows penetrating skin. She could have sworn one went through his neck one way and out the next as the man collapsed into the shop, the overhead bells making the vibrant cheery clings in stark contrast of the chaos going on outside.

One of the two employees ran to check on him, taking a few timid steps towards the arrow-riddled man as the students begin shouting at each other in panic. The young employee was braver than her as she had stood up and grabbed her sister instead of standing defensively in front of her. She got to her senses and pulled the girl back, trying to recall the words in Japanese for asking what had happened.

The young employee who had turned around yelled something, she wasn't sure what as it was said too fast for her to register, but the figure that appeared then was even faster.

It had landed on the glass door's entrance, seemingly from out of the air. She wasn't sure if they were horns or feathers that stuck out of the woman's head, but the second she brought her blade down, the young employee's head fell to the floor like a basketball.

His body crumbled into a bloody heap as the attacker ran back into the street.

Now panic set in, and Sonia did her best to control her breathing, gripping her sister and shouting at the manager who was only frozen in place.

"K-Kakure Bashu! Kakure Bashu!" she managed.

The man understood, and motioned towards them and pointed at the storage closet..

"Lisa, call dad. Now!" she managed, her sister hobbling ahead, staring out the street wide-eyed.

The manager went for the door, then backed away as he ushered the students inside, then quickly locked the door behind them. His eyes wide with terror.

Suzuha quickly asked "W-where'd Toki-?!"

Sonia heard something like a horrible crash, and then more screaming came from outside as they all huddled there in the darkness.

---

– 11:44 Risa: "Yooooooujiiiii! How far are yooooooou? (╯︵╰,)"

Itami loudly snorted, looking at the recent text message from his lovely yet arguably erratic wife. A chuckle soon followed afterwards, still unsure as to why he found her immature yet playful behaviour cute.

Oh Risa…

Itami had exited from the shinkansen station, walking into the metropolitan area of Ginza. After making his way across the crosswalk, he scanned the road and traffic, his current and final objective to hail any passing taxi to take him to Koto-ward at the Ariake Convention Hall. It was there where he would finally take a long and well deserved breather from having to endure six-weeks out on the field.

And yet again, it was as if the universe was against him.

Most of the taxis that passed him had already picked up someone, leaving the otaku lieutenant to let out an irritable sigh, tapping his foot in anxious anticipation.

Come on! I just need a Taxi and I'll be right there!

He gritted his teeth with each passing taxi, their services being taken up by someone who'd beaten him to the punch, further delaying him from uniting with his wife as well as his beloved Komiket convention.

His eyes widened when he finally glanced at a taxi car with its forward LED metre green, signalling that the driver was free.

Finally! Itami waved his hand at the taxi driver without missing a beat, his face gleaming in both excitement and relief when the cab began to slow down, veering towards where the Otaku had stood.

Two police cars had zoomed right by him, their alarms blaring as their cruisers sped down the highway.

Then the sound of more police and ambulatory sirens begin echoing down the streets of Ginza, some distant, some very close by.

Itami cocked an eyebrow, doing a double-take when he spotted two large silhouettes flying low between the Ginza highrises.

…Aircraft?

Then his eyebrows rose inches above his forehead when realized the wings were moving around vertically, akin to a bird.

…No way!

The taxi cab pulled up to him, coming to a halt as the two beasts soared above them, a gust of wind kicking up small debris from the result of their large flapping wings.

Wyverns!

But how?!

Was this an expensive prop? A promotional stunt for a movie, perhaps? Itami had not been tracking on some upcoming high-budget fantasy film that was due to be released anytime soon. Were these for the Olympics? Some MMORPG? Did they come all the way from Ariake as some Komiket-skit?

The wyverns turned around with a sharp yet graceful maneuver that no existing aircraft would be able to pull off, revealing the medieval-dressed riders on top that were steering their reigns like a professional horse rider.

They're real!

Itami stood there, mouth agape as his mind tried to digest the spectacle currently unfolding in front of him.

The taxi driver had rolled down the window, his puzzled expression glancing between Itami and the wyverns flying above, "S-sir… are you.. going to get in?"

Itami managed to mutter out a simple "Yeah.", his eyes still on the flying beasts and their riders above.

Two other wyverns were flying low above the streets, Itami's ears picking up the sounds of panicked screaming, immediately tensing up before assuming a defensive posture. The newest addition of wyverns had their riders throwing javelins into a crowd of running civilians.

The ecstatic smile he held slowly began to wane, replaced with caution before his eyes scanned his surroundings.

He didn't see any cameramen or movie directors anywhere on the streets. Even if they were, the streets weren't closed off for the set to be filmed, nor were there any security or police officers posted anywhere to ensure no accidents happened on the set.

Itami squinted, his eyes falling upon what appeared to be a formation of Roman soldiers, some who were on horseback charging down the highway, a few cutting down some of the fleeing civilians they passed along the way.

Whatever fascination and admiration the otaku once had was now completely gone.

This isn't a skit…

The fear and desperation he'd seen on the faces of the first wave of panicked civilians flocking past him had instantly clued him in that whatever was unwrapping in front of him had been malicious and sinister.

Turning towards the taxi driver, Itami told him "Go, get out here! Get out of Ginza!"

The driver gave Itami a look like a deer caught in the headlights, "W-what?"

"Go!" Itami yelled a lot louder than he intended, vigorously shooing the driver away.

He nodded, rolling up his window before his taxi sped down the street.

Itami ran down the street towards the sounds of chaos, doing his due diligence to avoid smacking into the fleeing crowd of pedestrians, a feat easier said than done with how many people were currently running away at the wyvern riders who continued to terrorize from above. Itami glanced up to see another Javelin expertly tossed by a rider, this one impaling a cop's neck.

He didn't even get the chance to scream before unceremoniously falling onto the street like a ragdoll.

The second cop witnessed his partner being slain, his facial expression twisted in a mix of panic and rage while he withdrew his issued Nambu Model 60 revolver. Whether from panicking, improper training, or both, the second officer fired all five of his shots at a wyvern zooming by him in quick succession.

Through sheer dumb luck and luck alone, somehow one of his shots landed on the wyvern rider, who was knocked out of his saddle and fell onto the streets below.

The officer stood there in stun silence, staring at the wyvern-rider writhing in agony, clutching his bleeding shoulder where the .38 calibre round had struck him. The rider turned his head towards the trembling officer, his facial expression twisted in rage.

Powering through the pain of his injured shoulder, the rider drew out a gladius sword from his hilt, a warcry erupting from his lips as he charged towards the still-stunned officer.

Move, you idiot! Itami gritted his teeth, increasing his momentum.

The rider swung his sword at the cop, only to be tackled by the Jietai lieutenant before his blade could make contact with the cop.

The short sword fell out of the rider's hand when both of them fell onto the street. Itami grappled on top of him, the rider curling up one of his legs before landing a vicious kick onto the lieutenant's chest, effectively knocking the wind out of him as the rider managed to weasel his way out of Itami's grip.

The wyvern-rider then proceeded to scramble on the sidewalk, grabbing his sword the moment Itami jumped onto the man's back.

Itami immediately wrapped his arm around the rider's neck, squeezing hard against his carotid artery. A surprised yelp escaped the dragon-rider mouth, immediately flailing his legs whilst simultaneously attempting to tuck his chin underneath the forearm that Itami had wrapped around his neck. Itami used his other arm to wrestle the sword out of the rider's hand, using all his might to keep pressure on his carotid artery. Now disarmed, the rider used both hands to grab onto Itami's forearm, desperately trying to pry it off as his brain became deprived of precious oxygen.

With one final desperate attempt of freedom, the wyvern-rider clawed his nails into Itami's forearm, the Jietai officer grunting in pain, yet still keeping pressure.

Itami shifted his weight to his right, managing to expose the wyvern-rider's neck. He flipped the sword, making sure the pointed edge was facing downwards. Itami then shoved the sword into the man's neck, the sickening squelch of metal penetrating skin loudly audible as blood spurted out from the open wound. A small whimper escaped the wyvern-rider, letting out a few spasms before his body went completely limp in the lieutenant's grip.

Itami exhaled, having realized he had been holding his breath during the entire ordeal. With the combat high now beginning to wear off, he looked down at his bright orange Mei-Com shirt, the idol character mostly obscured behind large spots of blood.

The blood of someone not his own.

The blood of a life he had just taken.

He had killed.

2nd Lieutenant Youji Itami had killed someone.

His legs began trembling, the weight of the realization at what he had just done dropping onto him like a ton of bricks.

The blood continued to pool out of the rider's neck, his lifeless eyes still wide open, desperation and fear forever etched into his face.

I've killed someone…

"S-sir?"

Itami snapped out of his trance, staring at the police officer who had called out to him.

He scowled before saying "Thanks for the assistance, bastard!"

The police officer paused, clearly taken aback from Itami's loud outburst.

"I-I…"

"Quit screwing around!" Itami barked, pointing at the still plentiful wave of pedestrians fleeing in the streets and sidewalks, the chaos just metres away from them, "These people are in dire need! Stop freezing up and get your head into the game!"

Nodding vigorously, the police officer stammered with a "Y-yeah!"

"Who's attacking us?!" Itami and the officer ducked as another wyvern made a low pass, its rider steering the beast upwards and above the city high-rises.

Scouting the area…

"I don't know!" answered the officer, his voice cracking whilst glancing between Itami and the fleeing crowd of civilians, "We got a distress call about a large-scale riot happening right at the heart of Ginza! They didn't say anything about it being medieval-dressed soldiers!"

Itami heard a frail cry in the crowd of panicked civilians, spotting a young girl in a blue dress that had tripped onto the sidewalk. Roman-dressed soldiers advanced towards them, a few of them spotting the little girl, Itami gritting his teeth when he saw the perverted and malicious grins that creeped their way onto their faces.

"Get these people off the streets!" Itami had ordered the cop before breaking into a sprint, craning over his shoulder before yelling, "I'll help in what I can!"

Itami saw the officer nod before running to the main street to direct where the pedestrians could flee to. He continued pressing forward, his chest becoming tighter as his thighs burned from fatigue. Despite the momentary pain coursing through him, he powered through, having managed to reach the blue-dress little girl, who had curled into a ball as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Itami knelt down, scooping up the little girl with his scratched and bleeding arm, the girl letting out a petrified wail as Itami hoisted her up on his shoulders.

"It's okay! I'm going to get you out of her, little one!" He declared, catching a few precious breaths, "You're safe now! I'm taking you to some place where the monsters can't get you!"

"My papa!" the girl cried out, tearfully looking over Itami's shoulder at the pursuing Romans chasing after them.

"I have to get you to safety, sweety!" Itami managed to say between breaths, feeling a ping of guilt with not being able to help locate her father. But if she was all on the streets by her lonesome, odds were that her father was already a victim of the carnage happening around them.

"It's too dangerous for you to stay here!"

With that, Itami continued forward, his adrenaline pumping as he tightened his grip around the girl. The cop continued directing the civilians and traffic to safety before having to abandon his spot as the Romans got closer.

Itami gritted his teeth. So far, they only appeared to be confined within the downtown district. But what if it wasn't just Ginza? Were they attacking Koto-ward as well? His mind flashed to Risa, his heart already in overdrive from his body over-exerting itself. Was she safe? Did she know what was going on? She wouldn't dare try to go see this nonsense for herself, would she?

First thing's first. He needed to get this girl and any other civilians to safety. Once that was accomplished, he would call his wife to inquire about her status. If Koto-ward was still safe, he'd tell her to stay put at Ariake.

But if it wasn't…

With newfound resolution, Itami broke out into a full sprint, fighting through the fire in his lungs and burning sensation in his thighs.

---

Flabbergasted.

That word couldn't even begin to describe what ran through Altan's mind when he first stumbled into this world.

They all had been briefed the week prior that they would be raiding a city-state that far exceeded any technological marvels from their own continent, undergoing intensive training in urban-warfare to prepare them for what was to come.

But to see it first hand?

The gods would forgive him for falling out of formation, mid-charge, to get an idea of the city that the Gate had led them to.

Tall pillars that served as buildings.

Paved Streets.

Endless columns of wagons that had no horses steering them.

A cacophony of bright and random colours that bled into each other.

Letting the initial shock take over, Altans' mouth hung open, feeling as if he were but a mere ant trespassing into the domain of the Gods themselves.

And he certainly wasn't alone in being captivated by these technological marvels.

Beside him stood a petite woman, timidly clutching her spear as her bright brown eyes nearly popped from their sockets, her rabbit-like ears darting up from her flowy dirty-blonde hair.

Altan barely felt her tug at his sleeve, her timid voice inaudible from the battle raging on around them.

"Altan! Hera!"

They both let out a yelp, Altan tightly gripping his spear as he instinctively tucked his bright auburn-coloured tail between his legs. They met the incredulous gaze of the woman who had called out to them, her reddish-brown eyes only narrowing when they continued to remain frozen on the spot.

Her rabbit ears stood up as she motioned them over, "Don't stop! Stay in formation!"

"Y-yes, Hyrmina!" they both stammered, awkwardly casting a quick glance at each other before proceeding to run with the flank of demi-humans that made up a majority of their Auxiliary, many of whom were knocking into and slaying the hapless peasants who had not fled the immediate area yet.

Warcries along with panicked screams intertwined with one another, Altan silently cursing at his wishful thinking that his slightly oversized helmet would've draped over his fox ears to help filter out the chaos around him. He kept running with his flank as they charged the wide streets, trying to keep close to Hyrmina as she let out her tribal war cries. He glanced over at the other female rabbit demi-human, Hera, to see if she was still keeping up with him. He was greeted by the sight of her nearly colliding into one of the doors from the horseless wagons that had been left wide open, her eyes widened with fear that Altan could've sworn the poor girl was on the verge of a panic-attack.

Keep it together… Keep it together. Was he muttering that for Hera or himself? The fox demi-human honestly couldn't tell from his heart rapidly beating against his chest.

He gritted his teeth, saying a quick prayer for the Gods to give him resolve and survive this campaign. He could not afford to give into panic. Not now. Not at the most crucial moment.

Talia… Aurelia…

Their flank flowed rhythmically down the streets with the tenacity of a bursting dam, swarming those around them like a horde of ants devouring a sliver of meat that fell onto the ground. A few auxilias paused their assault to glance down at the peasants whom they've trampled on, Altan noting several twisted grins some of them sported as they apprehended the unfortunate victims.

He prayed that the troops who made up the auxiliary were more merciful than their human counterparts.

Again, Altan cursed at his wishful thinking, stepping over a blood puddle belonging to the corpse of an elderly individual.

Why would they be merciful? They were part of the first wave, after all. This was what they did, was it not?

Kill first, ask questions later when the heavier flanks arrive.

They were, as their centurion explained, the most crucial step in a campaign. They had to be lightning quick to secure their area for the main element to set up their base of operations. If they fail in securing a stable foothold, they risk losing the edge of their siege.

Thus, the potential risk of losing the campaign.

There could be no hesitation. No second guesses.

No mercy.

Altan paused his charge once again when he stumbled upon a native who sought refuge inside one of the abundant abandoned wagons in the wide streets, the fox demi-human almost missing him were it not for his sharp eyes catching the sudden movement he made within the confines of his safe haven.

The man had seen him too, his slanted eyes widening in fear upon being discovered. Altan had been so busy trying to keep up with the formation whilst distracted by his surroundings that he hadn't gotten a good glimpse of the natives inhabiting this city.

Now, he was looking directly at a native up close and personal, taking this moment to analyse this oddly dressed man as much as this small window allowed him to.

Slanted eyes… pale skin… thick hair

He looks exactly like me…

Were it not for the circumstances, Altan would've been in jubilee upon discovering a group of people who shared his facial features. Save for his fox-like traits and orangish-ginger hair, the two were almost indistinguishable from each other compared to the humans south of the Falmartian continent.

Figuring he really had nothing to lose, he decided to try something to confirm his suspicions.

"C-chi namaig oilgoj chadakh uu?!"

It was a gamble, but the Fox demi-human tried using his tongue of his people from the north rather than the official Saderan language.

"N-Nani?!" the man stammered, "O-onegaishimasu! Watashi o k-korosanaide kudasai!"

Altan let out a disappointed sigh upon discovering this man spoke in a different tongue he'd never heard of, noting Hera's presence when she paused right next to him, catching a few quick breaths before following his gaze towards the man. She let out a small yelp, her eyes once again widening in anxiousness and uncertainty.

"Oh devines…!" She blurted out, biting the bottom of her lip before adding, "Altan, these people look like your kind from the northern continent, do they not?"

"Yeah…" Was all he replied, the man clasping his hands together in a clear display of begging.

"Onegaishimasu! Watashi o korosanaide kudasai! Onegaishimasu! Watashi o korosanaide kudasai!" he repeated, tears escaping from his frantic eyes.

Please…. Don't… Kill me…. Altan deciphered, gritting his teeth before clutching his spear.

Without another word, Altan closed the door to the wagon.

"Altan?" came a perplexed Hera, a small smile of relief following soon after.

The fox demi-human slightly bowed his head, offering a prayer to whatever listening deity to at least spare this man from their onslaught. He glanced around the endless columns of wagons, Altan noting several of them with broken glass, javelins and spears embedded in them, blood splattered with several peasants slain inside or around their vehicles.

"Let's keep moving." He replied, her rabbit-ears darting upwards as uncertainty once again flooded her countenance. The fox demi-human faced right, then proceeded with a light jog, doing his due diligence to avoid the many wagons that lay abandoned in the streets, dodging several with their doors still open from their occupants hastily abandoning them.

Their flank continued pressing onwards uninterrupted, tackling those who were slow enough, butchering those who dared to resist.

Yet, the fox made it his resolve to not kill if it wasn't necessary. This was a raid to take whatever they wanted, whomever they wanted. No intent of staying long enough to encounter resistance from their cowardly armies. There was no one worth noting being a significant threat he had seen so far, so why partake in the brutality of it all?

There was no need to add onto the bloodshed if he didn't have to.

All he just needed to do was survive.

---

All around him, people screamed. And still, Youji Itami kept running.

It was all he could do, the Jietai officer tightening his hold on the small child in his arms. Her frightful cries blended with the screams of the large crowds fleeing from the crazed medieval armies right on their trail, Itami increasing his strides despite the increasing fatigue and burning sensation in his legs.

But even that didn't seem to do much good; the medieval armies still caught up to them.

People within the large horde of fleeing pedestrians subconsciously formed groups as they fled from the danger behind them, looking for anyone who could lead them out of the danger zone. Itami and the officer from earlier had inadvertently found themselves leading a group of desperate civilians who had tagged along with them, no doubt attracted by the police officer's bright blue shirt running just a few feet in front of them.

There had been seven of them that had linked up, now there were four.

A man with glasses had been the first to go; one of the wyvern riders had tossed a javelin at him, knocking him over. It hadn't killed him, but the horde of medieval soldiers right behind him had gotten to him before either Itami or the officer could react in time to get him. He still wasn't sure if he had finally stopped screaming, if he had gone out of earshot, or if he had drowned out screams.

A woman in corporate casual attire had gone next, a stray arrow catching her in the thigh, which in turn caused her to double over in the streets. Like the bespectacled man before her, the horde of medieval soldiers swarmed over her before anyone could assist her. An obese foreign man had been the next to go. The hostile soldiers had come at him from the side when he had doubled over panting. He had been defenceless. In a way, his weight had been his end, causing him to double over and giving their attackers a clear shot at their target.

Itami glanced back at all that remained. A young woman with a green sweater and backpack, a student if he were to guess. A young man with dyed blonde hair with multiple piercings, a delinquent from the looks of it. An older male ramen shop owner, who was balding from the front. And a middle aged salaryman, his jacket covered with blood splatter.

Itami began noticing the wide strides he took were becoming more narrow as the seconds ticked by, trying his damndest to power through the fatigue finally catching up to him. He had been sprinting the moment he had picked up the little girl who was a hair length away from being abducted from these antique-dressed attackers. As prideful as Itami was for managing to save her at the last minute, his selfless deeds came at a price.

The price being that he was only a few metres away from their most frontally advancing units.

Itami had underestimated how fast they were, managing to somewhat match the pace of the fleeing pedestrians whilst being able to stay in some semblance of a formation. From the quick glances he spared, the attackers wore what appeared to be leather vests and chainmail pieces. Lightly armoured to allow them to be more mobile, no doubt.

More people fell victim, too slow or tripping from not watching their steps, immediately swallowed by the stampede of rampaging troops hellbent on wrecking havoc.

"Up there!" The police officer shouted back towards them between huffs of breath, shakily pointing towards the streets in front of them.

Itami's heart momentarily rejoiced when he saw a line-formation of police officers clad in riot control gear spread out across the street, supported by several traffic officers who were directing the fleeing crowds behind the safety blanket the wall of shields provided. With sheer willpower, Itami used the last bit of his reserves to sprint behind the shield-wall, only slowing down once he made it past the line. He glanced back to see the other four who had tagged along with them barely managing to make it across the wall of cops, who braced themselves as the medieval-dressed troops clashed against plexiglass-shields and batons.

Catching a few precious breaths, Itami glanced at the officers who held the line, several of them firing tear-gas into the advancing crowds of the medieval army. Save for a few of them that carried their standard issued revolvers, they were only armed with their riot-control shields and batons.

A riot… Itami mused, glancing upwards to see several wyverns circling above, a few of them seeming to guide the advancing troops on where to go.

This isn't a riot…

No.

This was an assault.

The police were going under the assumption that this was merely some large scaled riot happening, and not the siege that it was. But could Itami honestly blame them? Here at ground-zero, he was still struggling to come to terms that this was an attack carried out by people dressed in armour, supported by an airmobile unit consisting of wyvern and riders steering them with expert handling.

Whomever these people were and where they came from, it was clear from the get-go that they were here for a fight, and they brought the heavy cavalry with them.

Iron swords, shields, and pikes clashed against batons and plexiglass, the officers holding the line staggering back at the overwhelming force pushing against them. Swordsmen swung with elegance and precision, as if they had been mastering swordsmanship their entire lives. Several of them had dispersed from the CS gas deployed from the canister rounds fired into the crowd, only to quickly regroup and focus on attacking the line the officers held.

Several officers were knocked backwards, clearly unprepared to be matched with people who specifically trained in melee combat. Little by little, the line was beginning to crack as officers began falling back.

Itami estimated they had thirty seconds at best before they were completely routed.

"The line isn't going to hold!" Itami called out, "We need to be far away from here when it does give out!"

"Fucking shit!" the delinquent shouted, his petrified eyes glancing back towards the riot officers being knocked down and either butchered or rescued by their comrades at the last possible second.

"Where do we go?!" The female student shouted, her shrill voice nearly lost in the chaos.

Itami tightened his hold on the little girl, who was still bawling her eyes out from the utter insanity going on around them. Until the police realized that this was an attack on their sovereignty, the riot control units could only do so much to slow down their advances.

"We just need to get as far away as we can!" The police officer replied, screaming into his radio asking where to direct the fleeing pedestrians.

Itami couldn't wait for an answer. It was true they needed to be far, but how far away do they need to run? It was only a matter of time before they completely overran the business district of Ginza, which would then domino to the entirety of Chou-Ward if the police did not respond appropriately fast enough. They would then start going inside building to building if they haven't already, doing God knows what to the people seeking refuge inside.

The business district in Ginza and Chou-ward weren't meant to withstand a riot, let alone a siege.

Except…

There was only one place nearby that the Lieutenant thought of that could withstand a siege of this calibre.

"We need to get these people to the Imperial Palace, now!"

"The Imperial Palace?!" The officer casted an incredulous look at the Jietai officer.

"It's the only place designed for this kind of scenario!" Itami bellowed back, hoisting the little girl over his shoulder. "We need to leave, now!"

The police officer pondered for a moment nodding in agreement, "Yeah! Sounds good! Get these people to safety, Lieutenant!"

The Officer ran off to join his comrades to assist his comrades holding the line for the pedestrians to get to safety.

Itami faced the four remaining people who stuck with him. "Follow me! We're going to the Imperial Castle", he turned around, immediately breaking into a jog.

"Works for me!" The delinquent shouted, immediately following Itami.

"W-Wait for me!" The salaryman called out, also tagging along.

"Don't leave me behind!" The female student joined them too.

One by one, the group followed Itami down towards the street that led to the Imperial Palace, other large crowds of fleeing pedestrians seemingly heading towards the same general area.

No sooner that he did, the line the police held finally cracked, forcing the officers to retreat as more officers tried to reinforce the area. The armies continued their advance, only now the streets were now mostly clear of civilians in the immediate area. While the line failed, they had ultimately brought Itami and the others some time to get out of dodge.

Lines of cars were packed in the streets, either abandoned or trying to maneuver around the abandoned ones. Apparently, the drivers decided it was better to leave the area on foot rather than wait for traffic to clear, if it ever did. The herd of pedestrians on the streets and sidewalks started clearing as people packed inside random buildings that still had their doors open. Some even hid in alleyways.

Itami would call out that it was safer at the palace, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears as people opted to remain where they hid.

The group managed to somehow still together despite the chaotic flow of pedestrians flocking the streets, few tripping over each other as fewer reached back to help them. A few traffic officers directing them towards were the only ones who tried to help the fallen ones back on their feet, lest they be killed by being trampled.

A relieving smile manage to flash across Itami's as they finally made it to the street that led to the Imperial Palace, the open field of green grass and trees parallel to the stone castle walls a relieving sight to behold on the increasingly fatigued Lieutenant.

He glanced at two young White foreigners in the middle of the streets, both of them shouting in English using wild hand gestures to guide the fleeing pedestrians towards the bridge of the Imperial Palace. One of them was blonde, the other a brunette. Both of them had an athletic build, alongside groomed and crew cut hair. Their voice had a commanding presence, as well as a hint of professionalism.

Definitely American Servicemen. No doubt about it.

The two Americans were corralling people into the cover of the bridge as the wyverns perpetually circled above them, a young Asian woman who was also speaking in English mimicking the two servicemen's gestures. Alongside the trio were two police officers shouting in Japanese to the fleeing crowds to keep calm and not panic.

It was anything but calm, as evident from the cries and occasional shoving within the tight crowds. Itami only tightened his grip on the crying girl over his shoulder, so as to not suddenly drop her right as they were finally at the light at the end of the tunnel.

Itami headed towards the two servicemen, asking them in English, "How many civilians are inside the castle?"

"Don't know! We haven't been inside yet!" The blonde responded,

"Are you an officer?" The brunette asked, while corralling an elderly couple towards the bridge.

"Ground-Defense Force!" Itami responded, "I'm a Lieutenant!"

"Nice!" The brunette responded, "About time we got some military backup!"

"What are you guys?" Itami inquired, "Army? Marines?"

"Coast Guard!" They both answered, Itami cocking his eyebrows and nearly doing a double-take.

The U.S. Coast Guard? Here? This day was getting stranger by the minute, Itami deduced, "Were you guys a part of Operation Olympus?"

"Nah! We're here on leave!" Taylor replied, letting a haughty laugh escape his lips, "Talk about a perfect time to vacation in Tokyo!"

Itami sighed. As much as they weren't the troops he was hoping for, he'll take what he can get. At least the U.S. Coast Guard weren't as green as they come and still considered part of the military, unlike the Japanese Coast Guard.

Still though, he'd rather have some infantrymen or ground-pounders supporting him and the police if shit hits the fan.

Ah well.

Itami glanced at the castle entrance to find a large crowd of civilians standing around, a few even having what appeared to be heated arguments with the police and security detail posted here. Itami cocked his eyebrows upon discovering the large wooden doors that acted as an entrance to the palace were closed shut, thus explaining why there were still large crowds standing outside rather than inside the safe confines the palace provided.

"Why did they close the entrance?" Itami asked the officers near the two Coast Guardsmen

"Protecting the Imperial Family!" One of the officers responded, "We can't risk the attackers getting inside while they're still in the premises!"

"But there's still people out here!" Itami stated the obvious, much to the annoyance of the officer, "Surely they can let a few of them in while we still can!"

"Take it up with security!" The other officer yelled over his shoulder, pointing his thumb towards the booth posted right outside the closed off entrance.

Itami gritted his teeth, glancing down towards the crying girl, who looked back at him, her otherwise innocently pretty face red and swollen from constant crying.

He had come this far to get her to safety, only for the door to apparently slam into their face right as they were at the finish line.

No. It won't end here.

He still had a responsibility to her. To these people. If it came to it, he'd make his own damn door to make it past the finish line.

Readjusting the grip he had as he hoisted her up his shoulders, Itami marched down towards the booth, where he was greeted by the sight of a few pedestrians having a heated argument with the security staff posted outside.

"-You can fit a thousand people inside! This is ridiculous!" One of them shouted, an older man in business attire.

The security chief kept his face neutral, "We have to ensure the Imperial Family is safe before we can let anyone in! If you follow our directions, the safest place-"

"Barricade all the civilians inside the Imperial Palace!" Itami interrupted, all eyes turning towards him, "They've got nowhere else to go and this palace was specifically made to withstand the type of battle we're seeing!"

Like the businessman before him, his words seemed to bounce off one of the two security officers, both regarding him with caution upon noticing his scratched arm and blood-stained shirt.

"Who the hell are you?!"

"I'm Youji Itami, Second Lieutenant of the Ground Self-Defense Force!" The Otaku declared, "I've seen the attackers first hand! The police have managed to stall them, long enough! We have to get these people inside before it's too late!"

"We can't risk that with the Imperial Family still inside!" The security officer barked back at him.

"Sir, I can assure you that we can get everyone inside before they show up!" Itami rebutted, the security staff only increasing their scowls

"It isn't just those rioters we have to worry about! What if someone in the crowd has ill intent for His Majesty and his family?! What then?"

Itami grinded the back of his teeth, "There aren't any rioters here! I doubt anyone here will want to harm the Imperial Family!"

"I'm not willing to risk that!"

"Are you kidding me?! These people could die out here!"

"You can still head towards Minato-ward where the police are organizing an evacuation! Just follow our directions, sir!"

The phone rang inside the booth once more, the security chief answering it without missing a beat. His annoyed scowl he once had faded, replaced with a look akin to a deer caught in the headlights.

"Your Majesty!" the officer's voice had gotten even lower.

There were a few seconds of silence inside the booth, the other security officer glancing at his partner with an uncertain expression.

"Y-Yes! U-Understood!" the security officer stuttered, phone going down after he was delivered the words from the man who had called this palace his home.

"Hey, was that-...?" The second officer had been at a loss for words.

"It was," the other humbled officer had answered. "Civilians must have top priority."

"I see…" He paused before recollecting himself before putting the walkie-talkie to his lips, "Open the entrance door. Civilians must be protected at all costs."

His answer was silence as the riot police buses and SAT vans had started rolling in behind them, the large creaking of wooden doors opening and the sudden shift of a running crowd inwards to the palace up on the hill above them.

No sooner had the parking lot been cleared of civilians from the palace, the riot control vans started rolling in, side by side, the Police sergeant having basically fallen out and running towards the off-duty troops and the police chief on site.

The police officers had bore a salute as the off-duty soldiers stood aside.

"The administrative district has been largely occupied, but we'll defend this gate to the death. Reinforcements will be here, shortly."

"We have a read on the main enemy force?" Itami asked with urgency.

"They're coming, now." The police sergeant replied with a solemn nod.

Itami swallowed the knot forming in his throat, glancing at the two U.S. Coast Guardsmen who only exchanged puzzled looks.

Oh… Right…

Speaking in English, Itami said, "Their main forces are believed to be heading this way." At this, the two Coast Guardsmen tensed up, glancing at each other before nodding their heads before facing Itami with a determined look.

"We're still here with you guys until the very end."

Americans… Every one of them thinks they're Clint Eastwood… Itami scoffed.

The Asian woman who was with the Coast Guardsmen shouted in English at the brunette, "Taylor, I think the police can handle it from here."

The brunette, Taylor, shook his head, "No, Aiko. I need to help them in any way I can. To make sure these people are safe!"

Aiko…? Switching to Japanese, Itami asked, "Are you Japanese? Can you speak it?"

Aiko gave Itami a puzzled look, "I was born in America! I can't speak Japanese well!"

Oh…

Switching back to English, Itami said, "Aiko! We're going to stay here to assist the police! Can I trust you to watch after this girl I have here with me?"

Aiko glanced at the crying girl on Itami's shoulders, her mouth pressing into a thin line, her eyes bordering on uncertainty. "I… I can try!"

"Okay." Itami nodded, easing the girl down onto the ground for the first time since he picked her up. She stared up at him, fear and grief-stricken still plastered over her face.

Itami kneeled down to meet her at eye-level, "You're the bravest little girl I've met." He gave her a pat on the shoulder. "This woman here, Aiko, is going to watch over you while I protect you and everyone here. She can't speak much Japanese, but she'll make sure to stay by your side."

Itami wished he had more time to reassure her, but he couldn't risk losing more prep-time than he already did.

Still…

"Can you tell me your name?"

The little girl stifled a few more tears before answering him, "Kyoko…"

"Kyoko…" Itami repeated, burning her name into his brain. "Keep staying strong, Kyoko…!"

He nodded at Aiko, who nodded back at him before glancing back at Taylor. Itami already figured the two were dating or otherwise familiar with each other. Taylor only gave her a reassuring nod before Aiko took Kyoko's hand before slowly jogging inside the castle.

With his objective of getting the girl and the others to safety, Itami took out his phone, using these precious seconds to finally check on the status of his wife.

He tucked in his lips upon discovering he had nineteen missed calls, four voicemails, and twenty-one text messages.

All from Risa.

Risa! Are you safe?!

With his heart-rate spiking, Itami dialed her number, a single ring going through before hearing the other line pick up.

"Youji-kun!" her voice shrieked at the receiving end on his iPhone.

"Risa-chan!" Itami began, momentarily relieved to hear her voice, "Are you hurt! Are you safe?! Where are you?!"

"I'm still at the convention! We're all watching the news going on in Ginza! Is it true?! Is there a riot going on?!"

"Not a riot… An attack." Itami lamented, the weight of it all coming down on him,

"An attack?!" Risa could hardly keep her voice below a shriek. "By who?!"

"I don't know who they are or where they're from. I was caught in the middle of it. Right now, I'm held up at the Imperial Palace."

"Oh God! You're still in danger!"

"I'll be fine!" Itami reassured, "Right now, I have to protect these people! I-"

"Youji?"

Itami paused mid sentence, "Risa?"

"Youji? I can't hear you! Are you okay?!"

"Risa, can you hear me?!"

"Yo– -reaki– -arely hear yo–"

Itami gritted his teeth. The cellular towers were being overloaded with panicked callers either calling emergency services or to inquire about their loved ones. His call was about to drop because of it.

"Risa!" He noted the desperation in his voice before attempting to recompose himself. "Do not come over here! Stay at Koto ward!" spittals flew out of his mouth as he yelled into his phone, "I'll come get you! Do you understand?!"

He waited for a few tense seconds, hoping beyond hope that she was able to hear his urgent request. Did he articulate his words with the failing communication? Would she heed his words if it did go through? Would-

"Yes…"

He let out a reliving sigh just as his phone beeped, the Call Dropped text icon displayed on the touch screen. She had heard him, thank God.

Another long sigh escaped his lips, closing his eyes as he tilted his head upwards, as if silently praying for a higher power to give him strength to carry on.

This was not how I imagined my day would go…

He honestly couldn't care less for Komiket at this point. The fact that these lunatics had been indiscriminately butchering innocent people he vowed to protect sent a spike of anger flaring within him.

He thought of the bespectacled man who had a javelin tossed at him.

He thought of the poor business woman who fell onto the streets when an arrow pierced her thigh.

He thought of the overweight foreigner who was tackled after he became too fatigued.

He thought of Kyoko's father who had been lost to the horde.

He thought of the cop who was a victim of a wyvern rider.

Itami paused, remembering the horror etched into the rider's face, his vacant eyes wide as blood seeped through the gaping neck wound Itami inflicted upon him. How desperate he fought to escape the lieutenant's grip.

The gurgling he emitted when he choked on his blood…

The spasms against his grip as the life left his eyes…

The Lieutenant shook his head, pushing away any dark thoughts that dared to manifest when he needed to be on his A game.

He glanced at the police officers setting up a miniature command post, a police sergeant barking orders at his subordinates to get into position.

"Come!" Itami waved over the two Coasties, then proceeded to jog towards the police command post.

He ran towards the command vehicle, coming to attention right by the officers who gave him a puzzled and cautious glance, his fingertips at the base of his holster.

"Second Lieutenant Itami Youji, Ground Self-Defense Force." He declared, before pointing his thumb at the two Coasties behind him, "They're American servicemen! All three of us are here to assist you in any way we can."

"Americans?" The Police Sergeant glanced at the two Coasties skeptically.

"I can speak English well. I can direct them if need be!"

The sergeant among a few others eyeballed Itami and the two others, glancing at each other with an uncertain expression, "I don't feel comf-"

A cacophony of trumpets echoed down the streets, with it, a seemingly new wave of fleeing civilians flocking towards the Imperial Castle. The riot-control officers and SAT teams formed a defensive perimeter, their weapons drawn while a few officers guided the fleeing crowd towards the entrance of the castle.

The Police Sergeant looked back at Itami. "Alright, Lieutenant! You want to help?! Get all these civilians inside the castle while we hold the line!" Itami nodded before the police sergeant added, "If we should fail, be ready to close the entrance!"

Itami swallowed the lump in his throat before giving another slow nod, "Understood."

Itami turned to face Taylor and the blonde, then translated what the veteran officer had just relayed to them. They both nodded, glancing up at the road ahead of them where the enemy were about to emerge from.

"Alrighty…" the blonde responded, bracing himself for what was to come.

"What are your rank and names?" Itami asked them.

Taylor had been the first to speak, "Petty Officer Second Class Taylor Green."

The blonde spoke next, "Petty Officer Third Class Michael Fitzgerald."

"Well Green… Fitzgerald…" Itami paused, "Let's give one for the history books, shall we?"

---

A/N:

Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.

I know this took a lot longer than I wanted to.

A LOT has happened to me this past year that are extremely life changing. So I've had a lot of internal distractions going on in addition to balancing work. I've wanted to post Ginza months ago, but again, life seems to have different plans, lol.

Also... this chapter was Long.

I mean.. LONG.

It's totalled about 28k words. And it was suggested by my editors to just split the chapters up as to not give you guys a migraine reading all of it. With that, you can expect the other parts to be posted. In a perfect world, Part 2 will be posted on wednesday and Part 3 on Friday. They're mostly already done and just need my beta-readers to point out any last minute sins I've managed to type.

Again... in a perfect world... But I AM trying to get this pushed. Because this was the chapter I've been most excited for.

Namely, how Itami is handling it.

Because I was simply not a fan of his vanilla counterpart and how he reacted to the whole thing. "OH NO! MUH CONVENTION GONNA BE CANCELED uWu!" Yeah. Because an attack on your sovereignty isn't the thing that pisses you off. Look, I get that the guy loves anime merch. But he's not that divorsed from reality to where that's automatically the first thing he thinks about. So I adjusted him accordingly to actually make him out to be the Hero of Ginza canon tries to portray him as. That he expresses his desire to protect those around him and his wife that he isn't sure will remain safe.

I don't know. How do you guys like him here versus canon?

"Spy Balloon? Really"

Hey now, the original idea was that tensions were reaching a low as the Gate happened. With recent events, I thought it was fitting to move the Weather Balloon fiasco to here. This is 2020 afterall where Covid-19 didn't happen and China remained the aggressive powerhouse it was before the pandemic slowed the world down.

As always, let me know what you think. I'll try to post the rest as the week progresses.

Also. Bonus points to those who could guess what language Altan was speaking. Yes, it does play a part in the overall scheme of things.