AN:

Samurai Seven: I have no doubt that she could.

DarkDremora: For C's world, yes that'll happen later. As for Kallen's hair, yes, it's closer to her Re;surrection look.

Chapter 127: Europian Might

Portugal. Lisbon. Port. October 5th. 7:00AM.

"Prime Minister Schneizel! It's so good to finally meet you!" a skinny, middle-aged man with dark hair, and thick eyebrows – wearing a fine red suit – greeted the Prince.

"Likewise, Governor." the blond responded as he stepped off the transport VTOL, followed closely by Marrybell, Suzaku, Rai, Monica, and Nonette. "I trust you've taken my generous offer into consideration?"

In the background, both the Avalon and Grandberry – alongside their Caerleon escorts – floated just above the sea; their massive stature providing the citizens a sight to behold. A beautiful display of Britannian military might, is what some would call it.

"Oh yes! How could I not?" the Portuguese man greedily began rubbing his hands together while showing the way to his private limo. "It's not every day that you're approached by Britannian royalty. Especially given how small our country is."

"Well, I like to give everyone a chance at life, Governor." Schneizel responded charismatically, taking a step into the vehicle, knowing he basically had the man wrapped around his finger, "After all, I'd rather takeovers be as peaceful as this one. Loss of life truly saddens me." he added emphasis by placing his hand over his heart.

"Ah yes. Me too." the Governor lied as the vehicle began moving once everyone was inside, "Now… about the promise of nobility…"

"Of course. As I promised, if Portugal willingly houses Britannian forces without notifying the EU, we'll grant you and your family full noble rights, alongside the privilege of Governing this Area as Viceroy."

"Mhm… excellent. You know, the rest of the council are so drunk on their own riches, that they don't even care for the well-being of their countries. The impact this war on Euro Britannia is having on us. It's a shameful display." the Governor spouted as he opened a cooler, retrieving a bottle of red wine, and popping it open, pouring it into a chilled glass, "They don't care how many lives are thrown into that meat grinder, so long as they can line their pockets. Then again… that damn Smilas isn't any better." he muttered while downing his glass in one motion.

"You're just like the rest of them, coward." Monica thought with disgust as the man began selfishly drinking straight from the bottle.

"I fear… that once he destroys Euro Britannia, he'll use that momentum to turn on us, using the civilian's rage to conduct a coup."

Schneizel nodded along to the man's words, before adding his own 'thoughts', "Yes, you can't trust men like General Smilas. They're dangerous, unpredictable people who will do anything to get what they want. Which is why, we're here to put a stop to him."

"I was always a fan of you Britannians. Always knowing what you want, with the ruthlessness to boot."

"Hm… yes. Ruthlessness." the Prince smirked as he placed a hand on his chin, "Say, is there an occasion going on?" he pointed at the near-empty wine bottle, "I always thought it was rude to drink in front of guests."

"This?" the man raised the object, "I'm merely celebrating, that's all."

"Celebrating what, exactly?"

"My induction into Britannia, what else?"

"Ah, of course."

"Oh, my apologies, would you like some?" the man offered the bottle, only for his guest to politely shake their head.

"No. I can't. You see, my schedules packed, so I can't afford to become inebriated." Schneizel explained, glancing at Suzaku, who seemed deep in thought.

"So, this is what makes Schneizel so dangerous. Not just his intellect, but his ability to spot weakness in someone, and use it to manipulate them effortlessly." the corrupt Knight put a hand over his mouth, and stared out the window, watching as their convoy was met with cheers from overcrowded citizens safely positioned behind a set of barriers. Though, they were unaware of their current Governor's true motives with this visit. "Is this really okay?" he questioned, "There are a lot of people who could spread the word of our arrival."

"I've already taken that into account, Suzaku." Schneizel politely answered, "You see, considering the current state of affairs within Europia, the other politicians more than likely won't even pay attention to rumors of Britannian's visiting a small country like Portugal." he then glanced at the Governor, "No offense."

Though, the man was too busy grabbing another wine bottle to even notice the conversation, so the Japanese boy continued, "Sounds like wishful thinking. What if they do take notice?"

"In that instance, there'll be nothing they can do. Most of Europia's forces have either been concentrated on assaulting Euro Britannia, or defending the against the border of Area 18. And, what auxiliaries are left, won't be enough to stop a full-scale assault."

"In other words, by the time Europia manages to finally turn to face us, we'll have conquered over half their territory." Marrybell added, crossing her legs in the process. "It'll be over even sooner than Area 11's conquest."

The corrupt Knight let out a sigh as Rai scratched his temple nervously, "Um… Princess Marrybell… maybe it would be best to not make that comparison."

"Oh, my apologies." the pink-haired girl faced Suzaku, "My apologies. I forgot that you two are Elevens. That was insensitive of me."

"It's fine…" the boys responded.

That's when Schneizel stepped in to make friendly conversation with his sister, "By the way, Marry. Why do you still call Suzaku and Rai 'Eleven'?"

"W-well… it's… I… why are you asking me this, Brother?"

"I'm just curious. After all, I thought – considering the time you spent with her – Euphie would've had you kick that habit."

Marrybell looked down in discomfort, trying to find a safe way out of this situation, "Um… well, I can't just call them Japanese… especially here."

"Are you afraid I'll punish you?" her brother asked jokingly, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder in the process, "If so, you have nothing to fear. I'm not so vile that I'd punish my own siblings for such petty things."

"R-really?"

"Of course. Feel free to call them whatever you like. It concerns me little. So long as you're comfortable, that's all that matters."

"Th-thank you, Big Brother." Marrybell responded with a bright smile.

"I'm putting a lot of faith in you, Marry." the blond began thoughtfully, retracting his hand while leaning back, "With the forces provided, you and the Great Glinda Knights should be able to easily conquer mainland Europe."

"I sincerely can't thank you enough." the girl dipped her head slightly in a show of respect, only to be lifted by the chin.

"You don't have to. I'm giving you this opportunity because you've proven yourself to be a capable leader. There's no doubt in my mind that father's seen it too." Schneizel retracted his hand, and turned to the Governor, "I forgot to mention, but I will be leaving soon, as my presence is required in Africa, so would you be so kind as to send your car back to the port?"

"So soon? But you haven't even tasted some of our finest dishes!" the drunk man protested, sloshing his bottle around.

"Fear not, for I'll be back in the future." he lied with a straight face, "Until then, I hope you can accommodate my sister and her escort like they were your own family."

Meanwhile, Nonette crossed her arms in frustration, watching as the man continued his drinking thoughtlessly, making disgusting noises in the process, "Do we really have to collaborate with this guy? If he's so willing to betray his own country, what does that say about us?"

"I still can't believe we have to work with these people." Monica thought, "Even their own Governor doesn't have the courtesy to refrain from drinking in front of a guest." the blonde clenched her jaw and glanced at her siblings – who were oblivious to her past. About her identity as a bastard. While the details weren't known, Monica's mother had once bedded the Emperor, resulting in her pregnancy, and birth of the Knight of Twelve.

Of course, this hadn't been covered publicly, considering how the Ginzburg's operated – with the head of the family being very much against Charles, who started a rebellion of his own over a decade ago. Though, once the Knights of the Round caught wind of the plot, they eradicated it, with Monica being sent to live with the Krushvesky's; a noble family that was close to the Ginzburg's.

"Monica, you're making that face again." Nonette teased the blonde by poking her cheek; the cold sting of her glove snapping the girl out of her thoughts, "You should really lighten up."

"I was just thinking, that's all." she responded as the car came to a stop just outside a large villa.

"Mind letting me into that busy little head of yours?" the elegant woman teased as she ruffled her comrade's hair.

Monica pushed the hand away and said, "I'm just worried about the EU's fighting strength. Sure, in terms of technology, they're vastly inferior to us, but I heard they're a group composed mostly of fanatics, so losses are bound to be high on our end." at that moment, the gate to the plaza opened, allowing the convoy to smoothly enter, with guard's saluting the Governor's car on the way in.

"Ugh. Is it always about work with you?" Nonette rolled her eyes at the Knights words, "Isn't there anything else? Like say… boys?"

"Boys?"

"Yeah, boys. Dating. Or just going outside in general."

"I'm… not interested in dating. But I do go outside-"

"What about Suzaku?" the elegant woman interrupted, making it clear where her interests were, "Don't you think he's cute?"

The Japanese boy in question looked on with an unreadable expression, though it was clear to anyone he didn't like where the conversation was headed, "Nonette, I'd advise you to tread carefully." Schneizel added, "It isn't kind to talk about someone like that. Especially when they're in front of you."

"It's just girl-talk, Prime Minister." she responded simply, before nudging the blonde, "So? Give me something juicy."

"I think… he's fine." the poor girl mumbled helplessly, "Just not someone I would date."

"Hm… so Japanese isn't your type, is it? Nothing wrong with that." the woman nodded, "What about Rai? He's half-an-half, so that should work, right?"

"I-it's not about their race, Nonette!" Monica finally snapped, "I'm just not looking to date anyone right now."

"I'd advise putting it off for too long, though." Marrybell chimed in, "After all, you don't want to end up like Nonette: trying to date underage boys."

"Wh-what!?" the elegant woman exclaimed, "I've never done that in my life!"

"Then, how do you explain Rai?"

"What? Is it because I think he's cute? That's no crime." Nonette crossed her arms as the car came to a stop, with a guard soon opening the door for them to get out.

"That's not what Euphie said about you." the pink-haired girl responded as she exited the vehicle, leaving Schneizel behind as he politely waved them off, "Every time she's seen you with him, you've been all over him, hugging him, touching him, and even playing with his hair."

"That doesn't mean I want to date him, Marry." Meanwhile, the Japanese boys headed straight into the building alongside Monica and the Governor – who was stumbling up the stairs –, leaving the two to continue their debate, "Although, you've just confirmed something about Euphie. She's totally into Rai, right?"

"Obviously."

"Well, let's do something about it, then!"

"No. I can't." the Princess responded strongly, "I have to focus on Europia first. After that, I'll help Euphie with her… 'problem'." she then headed inside as the cars pulled away, heading back to the port.

"Ah, you're right." Nonette agreed, her tone turning serious as she faced the villa, "Do you already have some plans drafted?"

"Yep. Gino and Anya are already in Belgium, and should be ready to attack at a moment's notice." the Princess headed inside, and glanced at Nonette, "Come on, I'll explain the rest inside."

Somewhere within Russia. October 5th. 9:00AM.

"Blizzards still going strong." a burly man commented in a deep voice, quickly closing the thick curtains to his quaint cottage as a young boy chased his sister around their sofa. "At this rate, we might be snowed in for another day."

"Well, it can't be that big of a deal, right?" his wife called from the kitchen, stirring an aromatic pot of stew, "After all, we've done it before."

"That's not what I'm worried about, hon'." he explained while approaching her from behind, "Last I heard, Europia was closing in on St. Petersburg. I don't want to be stuck here if they win."

"Oh? That's not like you." the woman smirked as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "You're usually so patriotic and such."

"Usually… but this threat is real. And it scares me to death… especially…" he then glanced at his son, who collapsed by the fireplace with their dog, allowing the girl to finally jump onto the sofa, where she would playfully stick her tongue out. "Especially them. I don't want them to grow up in that kind of world."

"Neither do I. However, there's nothing we can do about it for now. So, could you please set the table? It's almost time to eat."

That's when their dog began letting out ear-piercing barks, followed by clawing at the front door, disrupting the peaceful atmosphere, "Something out there?" the burly man walked back to the window, and peeked through the curtains, seeing almost nothing in the thick snow. "That's enough. Probably just a squirrel that got unlucky." he concluded while trying to drag the dog back from the door.

Even so, he persisted with his barking, causing the son to grow curious, and check the window himself. However, what he saw would send him stumbling backwards in fear, earning a snarky reaction from his sister, "Didn't know you were a scaredy-cat."

Despite this insult, the boy instantly turned to his father, and pointed outside while trying to speak, only to utter involuntary silence. Getting slightly annoyed, the burly man grabbed his shotgun from a nearby mantle, putting on a fur coat in the process, "Stay here." he commanded his family, opening the door just to be met with a blast of cold to his face.

After that, he advanced with his weapon close, and eyes to the trees; carefully searching for movement, "Hon! Come back!" his wife called, "It was probably just a bear!"

But the man wasn't convinced. His gaze landed upon a fallen branch, which appeared to have been ripped clean off, "A bear wouldn't do this. And there's not enough snow to bring it down…" he thought, only for the culprit to appear on his left, stabbing the ground with their revolving blade, sending him flying backwards.

"Pa!" his son called as the outline of a Knightmare overshadowed his body.

Out of fear, he shot at it several times, leaving the frame unfazed as the bullet ricochet off its thick armor, and onto the snow. Then, it reached out and picked him up with ease, causing the entire family to freeze in shock, "Put him down!" the wife rush to her husband's aid, only to be grabbed as well; forcing it to leave the revolving blade.

With tears stricken across their cheeks, the kids began helplessly calling for their parents, causing the Knightmare to slowly crawl towards them – the parents continuing their struggle, to no avail. "Don't be afraid." the pilots finally spoke as the dog continued barking, "We're not here to hurt you." he said as the parents were placed at the door, unharmed.

It then left to grab its blade, allowing the kids to pull their parents inside, "This is P3. There's a family with a cabin here." he reported as four more Gekkas appeared from the forest, "Other than that, sector F8 is clear. You're free to advance.

"Copy that, P3. Sector F8 is clear. The Yasaka is advancing." a pilot responded, followed by the shadow of a massive Asuka-class ship loomed dangerously close to the tree line, earning shocked gasps from the vulnerable family.

"Let's move!" the first Gekka ordered its squad mates, "We've got to clear the next sector, stat!"

"Yes, sir." they responded, illuminating the pitch-black darkness with their headlights, and zooming through the forest.

Ikaruga. 9:30 AM.

"We're moving like a bunch of sloths." Naoto complained as he slumped in his chair, feeling mild discomfort as the cushions let out a soft crunch.

"This is the best we can do." Zero explained, "After all, I'd rather not run into a Euro Britannian base in the middle of nowhere, getting shot down mere minutes later."

"I suppose you have a point… though, do you really think the Ikaruga would go down that easy?"

"That's not the point."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I'm just sick of this cold."

"Seriously? You're sick of the cold in this nice, comfy, warm bridge?"

"That's not what I meant." Naoto sighed, "How long until we get to Petersburg?"

"In a few hours." a crew member reported.

"Excellent. Hopefully we'll take them by surprise, and this battle will be over in no time." Zero added as their ship continued to advance, "I do hope Grand Duke Velaines will be an exceptional host. It would be a shame to travel this far otherwise."

Outskirts of Saint Petersburg. 11:00PM

Michele Manfredi let out a heavy breath as he witnessed a Leviathan – a massive Land battleship constructed by Europia – bulldozed through a forest with its treads, "Looks like I've got my work cut out for me, don't I?" the former Round joked as Shin piloted a Gracchus.

This behemoth of a vehicle was closely escorted by Giant-class and Medium-class land battleships, which – while dwarfed compared to the Leviathan – were still bigger than anything Euro Britannia had in their arsenal. And that's not even mentioning their firepower.

Michele turned to his forces, consisting of soldiers, Sutherlands, Gloucesters, and tanks, all hiding within massive trenches for cover, "Attention! It's no secret that the odds are stacked against us today. That being said, I understand if some of you wish to run away, and spend these last moments with your family."

"What are you doing?" Shin politely asked the zealous man.

"However!" ignoring his subordinate, the former Round raised his metallic hand to the air, "I ask you now, as a man, would you rather spend the rest of your life living happily with your family, or live the next few days? Because this battle, will be the one to decide that!" he then began trotting up and down the emplacements, marking sure his voice reached everyone, "That's why, we need all-hand-on-deck, even a single life could turn this in our favor! So, I humbly ask you – the common man, woman, Japanese, whoever you are – to fight alongside me! For your homes, for your children's homes, for the future of Euro Britannia!"

Cheers would follow this speech soon after, reinvigorating the downtrodden force. But that wasn't enough. No. They've heard the words, now they needed action. Action that would mere moments later, as a barrage of heavy artillery began peppering the terrain before them, destroying several medium class land-battleships, alongside a large one.

Meanwhile, Smilas' Leviathan began slowly backing up, narrowly escaping the devastating blasts as they inched dangerously close, "Damn. They've got long-ranged artillery? This wasn't in our scouting report."

Over 400 kilometers away, past Caesar's palace, dozens of massive Superheavy Britannian Railway guns were stationed on a set of tracks, providing them plenty of mobility, should the need arise. Soon, the battlefield was covered in black smoke as Sakuradite shells created massive craters with their explosions, forcing the first trench line to duck, and cover their ears.

"Everyone, status report." the General ordered.

"Our vanguard's been annihilated! Casualties are in the hundreds!" a woman shouted, "We're deploying new Panzer Hummels to replace the losses, but Euro Britannia's dug in deep!"

"Revaluate. What's their defensive status after those blasts?"

"They've got four trench lines total, with the first comprising entirely of infantry. The second is positioned 50 meters back, and has hundreds of tanks built in, acting as turrets. Their third layer is the largest, housing a combination of Sutherlands and Gloucesters that are armed to the teeth in Britannian armaments." the specialists explained as the Leviathan opened fire, sending missiles through the smoke, aiming to destroy the defenses.

"What about the last line?"

"It's filled with actual emplacements, specialized in destroying Knightmares. We recognize them from Britannia, so these must've been here long before our attack."

"Can we go around?"

"No. Their defensive line spans miles. And even if we do somehow find the end, we'd be wasting more resources diverting everyone there, than punching straight through."

"Sir!" another specialists shouted, "We've run some tests, and have tracked where their artillery is coming from!" they then transferred a map of the surrounding area onto the main holographic table, and zoomed in on a set of tracks past Caesar's Palace, "And that's not all, we're still in bombardment range!"

"You're joking, right? Damn it. This is turning into a nightmare. First the snow bogging us down, and now this?"

"Shall we retreat for now?"

"No. We'll press the attack." Smilas ordered, as the bombardment came to a stop, "Send in Langli's unit; crush their left flank and make room for the Leviathan. We'll provide covering fire from here."

"Yes sir!"

At once, the Europian right wing began advancing through the smoke, striking fear throughout the Euro Britannian lines as they stared down the incoming land battleships, accompanied by plenty of Panzer Hummels, tanks, and infantry. "Are they planning on rolling over the trenches!?" Michele panicked as he moved to support the left, "Aim for the treads! Keep them in place for another round of artillery!" he announced as their anti-tank emplacements shot at the Giant-class battleship, ricocheting off its heavily armored front-plate.

"They're launching gunships!" Shin added with urgency, using his anti-KMF rifle to destroy one as soon as it got off the landing pad.

"We need air support, now!" Jean ordered as she destroyed three Panzer Hummels with a quick rifle burst.

"Several fighter squadrons are on their way to assist!" someone from the nearby airbase answered.

"This thing won't go down!" one of Michele's personal Knights reported as the oversized tank made its way closer to their lines.

"We don't have the firepower to bring it down!" another shouted as the first trench was invaded by Europian infantry, which used their tanks as cover to advance.

Inside, a Euro Britannian soldier desperately rushed to the front with his squad, taking cover as a tank rolled over their trench, assaulting the back line, only to be destroyed moments later, sending fiery shrapnel flying in all directions. "Keep moving!" one ordered, pulling a squad mate onto their feet, "We have to push them back!"

The group then fearlessly rushed around a corner, coming face-to-face with a Europian squad as they jumped into the trench, leaving their APC just as it exploded in the background. A gunfight ensued shortly after, with the opposition taking heavy casualties due to the lack of cover. However, just as they were about to move further into the trenches – aiming to cause more chaos – a gunship suddenly came crashing into them, cutting off their escape, and leaving them helpless to the slaughter.

Michele watched as a Euro Britannian fighter devastated the enemies air support with ease, sending three VTOL's hurtling back to earth in a fiery mass. This allowed him to focus on a Medium-class battleships, which came dangerously close to their front. Like the Giant variant, this one took minimum damage from their high-powered weapons, leaving him no choice, but to deal with it himself. In a single bound, the former Knight leapt onto the moving land craft, using all four of his legs to get himself steady, and wreaking havoc with his SDA axe. First, targeting the heavy gun emplacements, which were tearing apart their lines with ease, before bisecting the command bridge in a quick swipe – sending the heavy metallic piece flying into a group of advancing tanks and soldiers, brutally killing them.

On the other side, Shin quickly teamed up with Jean; their combined might shred apart the battleship in mere seconds, delivering a finishing blow to the bridge, sending the once-invincible machine into its comrade, causing them to get stuck on each other. "A two-in-one. Nice." the red-haired girl commented.

"Beautifully done, Shin, Jean!" Michele shouted as his eyes focused on the Giant-class that still seemed unstoppable. "But now… we must focus all our efforts on taking that out."

"How do you propose that?" the Japanese man asked as three Sutherlands were destroyed in their trench, taking heavy fire from the land battleship's cannons.

"The armors far too strong to penetrate the same way we did the smaller ones. However, they have that draw door." the former Knight reasoned as he raised his axe, "It should be significantly lighter so it doesn't destroy whatever pull-system they're using."

"So we'll focus our attacks there?" Shin concluded as he pulled out a Schrötter steel blade, "Very well. We're right behind you."

"Thank you!" Michele shouted as he began galloping through the enemy lines, dodging incoming fire, and decapitating a Hummel shortly after.

Shin effortlessly followed close behind, dragging his blade through the dirt, slicing a tank in half, throwing its infantry into turmoil. Jean quickly swerved around a Panzer Hummel, and bisected it across the chest, doing the same to three more as the Sagramore drew fire from their target.

Once the gold Knightmare got close, it slammed its SDA axe into the door, planting it firmly into the metal as the battleship continued moving undeterred. Because of this, Michele couldn't force his way inside. At least… not alone.

Jean and Shin grabbed the axe's handle, with the latter shouting, "Get ready!"

Instantly understanding his intentions, the former Knight retracted his second set of legs, and pulled out a sword handle, quickly pressing a button to create a blade made purely out of Blaze Luminous technology. "Do it!"

Together, they put their landspinners in reverse, fighting against the door's system to successfully create a big enough gap for the Sagramore to enter, which it did without hesitation. Afterward, Shin retrieved the axe and zoomed back toward the trenches alongside Jean, leaving their Grandmaster to destroy the enemy from inside.

Moments later, the signature Knightmare exploded from the Giant-class' roof, causing it to erupt in a grand explosion as he landed just a few meters away, "Shin, what's the status on our artillery!?" Michele asked as he retrieved his axe.

"They're ready to fire, but…" the Japanese man pointed in the direction of their right flank, revealing that the enemy had launched a second assault while they were busy, easily overwhelming the Euro Britannian forces, creating a straight shot to Saint Petersburg. "I believe we should retreat for now. Have the artillery destroy the whole area."

"S-seriously?" the former Knight mumbled in an exasperated tone, taking in the full battlefield once again, noticing the sheer size of Europia's forces, as more Giant-Class carriers took to the frontline, sending a sense of dread throughout his body. "At this rate… we can't win. It's impossible."

"Michele!" Shin called, slapping the back of the large frame, "We must retreat to the second line. I've already called in the artillery."

"What about the infantry?" the Grandmaster asked as he entered his high-mobility form, "What will they do?"

"Our VTOL's will take what they can, but I wouldn't cross your fingers on how many will return." the Japanese man explained, secretly not caring about any of the fate's of their soldiers.

"Then… I'll take what I can!" Michele responded surprisingly, coming to a stop before a group of stray soldiers that were being pinned down by advancing Europian forces. "Get on!" he commanded with an extended hand, holstering his axe in the process.

"You can't be serious! We don't have time!" Shin exclaimed as his master began rushing through the forest at full speed, carrying what little soldiers he could.

"Even if it's only five lives, so long as I'm able, I'll always do my best to save them!"

Leaping through the woods, the Sagramore dodged incoming fire from enemy Panzer Hummels, gaining support from his subordinates, who covered him with rifle fire. Eventually, they broke free from their pursuers and found themselves at the staging area for their second line of defense, fully outfitted with near-identical armaments as the first, "Go, get into position." Michele ordered as he put down the soldiers.

Suddenly, the faint whistle of artillery shells soaring through the air overhead drew everyone's attention, causing them to instinctively look at the location of their lost position, hoping to watch the destruction of their enemies, only to find the shells getting shot out of the sky by a hail of bullets, all originating from their opponents CIWS'.

"They caught us by surprise the first time, but now that we know what to expect… this is painfully easy to counter." Smilas taunted from his Leviathan, the sound of his defenses coming online bringing a smile to his face. "With this final push, it's over."

Originally, Smilas' original concern never lied in the artillery itself, but rather defending against both the artillery and Euro Britannia's land forces simultaneously. In that instance, the chances of his forces being overwhelmed en-mass were very high, so that's why he relied on short, pinpoint attacks to break the lines, and force them to retreat.

Just when things couldn't get any worse, a massive explosion rung out from Caesar's Palace, drawing everyone's attention – including Europia – to a trail of black smoke from the northern wing. Then, they finally saw it. Five floating ships peeking from within an incoming blizzard, all ominously staring at the capital of Euro Britannia, sending a chill down everyone's spine.

"S-sir! It's the Black Knights!" a specialist on the Leviathan reported as they zoomed in on the hull of the Ikaruga.

"D-do you think it's really them!?"

"I mean… why would they be here?"

"Perhaps to help us take over Euro Britannia? Or maybe they're here for us?"

"But why now?"

"Then what about our attack? Should we continue, or withdraw for now?"

"Silence!" Smilas roared, slamming his fist on the command chair. "The attack will continue as planned. If the Black Knights dare to get in the way too, then we'll crush them too. Have no fear! For we outnumber them, 10-1!"

Caesar's Palace. Throne Room.

"Grand Duke! Someone's trying to contact us!" an assistant informed while looking through their tablet, "It's Zero!"

"Let me speak with him." Augusta ordered, kindly taking the tablet, and answering the call, "Zero, you've certainly got timing, I'll give you that. The rumors don't do it justice."

"Grand Duke Velaines, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." the masked man answered, making sure to drag out his words in the process, "I'm sure you can already figure out why we're here. I can't allow a vassal state like Euro Britannia to stand."

The Duke looked down in frustration, clenching his teeth as he said, "Considering how extensive I thought your well of information was, I'm surprised you haven't heard the news."

"What news?"

"Britannia's abandoned us." he confessed, causing everyone in the room to look away with shame, "I got a call from Prime Minister Schneizel a month earlier that stated as much."

"Oh? And how do I know you're telling the truth?"

"You can look through our armaments, or at least… what's left of them. For the past few months, we've been sent nothing but outdated Knightmares, weapons, and other supplies; all clearly not fit to hold off the Europian advance." Augusta explained, "We speculated something like this was going to happen, but there was nothing we could do."

"So, the Royal Family abandoned you? How amusing. Despite paying all those tributes, statues, and parks, they still tossed you aside at the first opportunity." Zero taunted, putting a hand on his chin in the process, "However… this changes things quite a bit."

"Ironic, isn't it? Then again… I suspect the Prime Minister was aware of our waning trust in the Royal Family, especially after Princess Guinevere cut off production of heavy artillery." the Duke then took a deep breath, before facing Zero, "I know this may come as a surprise, and you have no obligation to answer, but… I would like to request the help of the Black Knights."

The entire bridge of the Ikaruga carefully watched their leader with curious glances, "Seems he's already doing half the work for me." Lelouch thought, smirking beneath his mask, "Now that's interesting. Tell me, do you really think we'd help you?"

"Realistically? No. Not at all. But, if you're truly who you say you are, then you will. After all, aren't Zero and the Black Knights supposed to defend the weak?" Augusta reasoned, "Even though we aren't subject to the same punishment as the Areas, we are still at the mercy of Britannia logistically, forcing us to comply with their every demand." he let out a sigh, massaging the brink of his nose in the process.

"And the only reason you haven't fought back, is because you don't have the means?"

"Correct."

Lelouch crossed his arms, knowing he had all the power in this negotiation, "So, what do you need help with?"

"Europia is currently assaulting our capital, I'm sure you've noticed the explosions." the Duke explained briefly, "I won't ask you to wipe them out, only merely push them back."

Zero took a moment, pretending to toss the idea around his mind for a bit, but in reality, is mind was already made-up, "I hope you know I'm still wary of this deal, correct?"

"Of course. You have no reason to trust us." the man let out a shaky breath, knowing this was his last gamble, "Please. I'm asking you not as Grand Duke Velaines, but as Augusta Henry Highland."

"In that case, you'll get help, but only from one unit."

"S-seriously!? D-don't you think that's too harsh?"

"Relax. I'll be sending you the absolute best we have. However, she'll operate off my orders." Lelouch explained, glancing at his girlfriend, who already understood the assignment, "That way, this will also give them an incentive to not betray us."

"V-very well… any help is better than none. I'll inform my forces of our… partnership."

"I also must request that we meet in-person, Grand Duke Velaines. Under the appropriate conditions, of course."

"As you wish, Zero."

Soon after, the call abruptly ended, leaving the entire Ikaruga bridge in silence for a moment, "Zero, are we seriously teaming up with them? They're Britannian, you know?" Naoto asked.

"They're European's first. Kallen, board the Guren and prepare for battle. Give this vassal state a show that'll make them think twice about double-crossing us."

"Yes, sir." the red head answered, her nose still stuffy.

"You're not seriously sending her out alone, right? What if something happens?" the concerned older Kozuki asked.

"Don't worry. You, Tohdoh, and the Holy Swords will be on standby in case anything unforeseen occurs." Lelouch answered calmly. "Now, tell all ships to move over Caesar's Palace. Just in case they do start shooting us, they'll be putting their own Duke in danger."

?

"Everyone, wake up. We're almost at the drop point." Leila ordered, causing Akito's eyes to shoot awake.