Author Note: This story is inspired by Jipushi Suzuki’s comment
Several people are lurking in the dark s.p.a.ce, talking to each other. Wearing something like a unique white garment, the atmosphere of a secret society that prevailed in Europe for over 200 years ago satisfies the spot.
“So what is the state of the devil?”
“He is doing research at the International Inst.i.tute of Technology in j.a.pan”
The member who are present, take a look at the photo of "Arakawa Kouki" on the desk. A person who is lit by the candles has a bitter look on his face. He seems to be the superior of the group. With a crooked voice, he asked a question.
“How is the devil’s kidnapping plan going on?”
Several people answered, "All is well". After answering the question, a person with a hoa.r.s.e voice nods heavily and lifts his voice.
“The time has come! Please dedicate the devil’s living blood to the altar of our G.o.d!!”
As if responding to the voice, the room lights up…. On one"s field of vision, the s.p.a.ce has hundreds of planes where power suit can be seen as if it is waiting for its running state.
—- Kouki Arakawa point of view —-
Today there is a practical cla.s.s for using a power suit, but I did not go as usual. Although I wanted to wear the new power suit that everyone made after the last one broke up, the school director told me
“Arakawa you don"t need to partic.i.p.ate, rather stay in the research building! I was informed that someone needs to take care of Kon”
Why should I do that? And here I thought of showing off to the girls in my cla.s.s… while I was thinking that, Alice talked to me with a troubled faced.
“Kouki-kun, I found out during maintenance that some parts of my suit deteriorated, would you lend me your personal suit?”
Oh, I do not mind lending but I wonder if my personal suit is ready, should we ask Shingo about it?
"Ne~e Shingo, we disa.s.sembled my personal suit to create the new power suit… is it ready?"
“Fuhi? Is it the one that we recently made? I completed the repair and left it at the warehouse.”
Since he fixed it, Alice and I decided to take a look at the warehouse. When Alice asked "Can I bring it?", she was given permission and she took it away delightedly. (TN: I don"t know who gave permission; it is either Kouki or Shingo).
It seems Shingo is also going to attend the cla.s.s so I helped my best friend wear his suit.
I wonder what is the original purpose of this rugged Shingo suit? While fixing the extra thick armor on the back, I asked him the question.
"This suit is a second-generation military suit. They are trying to get rid of old model by selling it to private buyers when I got it. It is originally used for explosive disposal ordinance and the like"
So it is a suit for hazardous work. The mobility of it might be lacking but the toughness of the armor is certain. After Shingo check and found no issues. He talks to me using the external speaker.
“Since the cla.s.s location is can be seen from this research building, you can go up to the rooftop to observe it.”
After telling me this with a tremendous loud volume because he made a mistake in volume control, the suit started walking with echoing footsteps. I picked up Kon that turned upside down because of the loud volume and went up the stairs to head to the roof.
When I went up the rooftop and looked around, I found a corner where power suits are gathered. I can see that my suit is also mixed in that group. There is no mistaking it, I can see Alice and Shingo but I cannot find Aikawa-san? I try to look for her using the binoculars that I brought but I cannot find her.
Oh, there is a guy who kicked Shingo"s suit from behind… His suit turned behind slowly due to it poor maneuverability, from here you can see that Shingo is confused. Alice who is next to him and surrounded by their cla.s.smates stop when Roberta-sensei said something, is that purple suit Aikawa-san?
Watching in my binoculars, I saw Shingo grabbed something from Aikawa-san and handed it over to Alice. Then Alice pa.s.sed it to the next suit, and then the suit pa.s.sed it again to the next suit. In that sense, the baton pa.s.s was completed when it got back to Aikawa-san.
“That looks like fun! Chikusho (d.a.m.n) ー ー ー !!!”
I shouted unexpectedly while I shook and waved Kon and I was bitten, seems he was frustrated. I should have partic.i.p.ated too… When I was thinking about such a thing, I heard a sound like something exploded from afar. When I look at the direction of the sound using the binoculars, I saw a power suit jumping in the city.
Jumping behavior in outlying areas should have been banned, and what"s with that number? There are more than 30 being reflected in my sight.
Tatatatataku! ! Don Dong! !
“Haa!? A gunshot, Is there a battle going on?”
Since I also went to a self-defense army base with my mom, I could understand that the sound I heard sporadically from a while ago was a gunshot. j.a.pan in this world is basically prohibiting individuals from possessing firearms together even before my reincarnation, is it possible to hear a gunshot in a situation where a violent crime such as a bank robbery happened? I was getting excited as I look at the power suit but as it is getting closer my excitement rapidly cool down.
“Isn"t the painting on the shoulder of the suit from the Self-Defense Army?”
There is only either terrorism or war that a self-defense army will fire in an urban area where there are many civilians. No doubt it is not a declaration of war because j.a.pan has been peaceful with other countries even until today; the possibility is high that terrorism has occurred.
Does the school know that a battle is going-on in such a place? When I moved my eyes to the previous spot of the suits, the guards of the school were in the process of starting evacuation guidance. For the time being, it is safe… Looking back out of the school again, the suits of the self-defense army are being shot down right in front of my eyes, and it is quite close to the school.
It seems better for me to evacuate to the bas.e.m.e.nt, when I got up I see that one power suits jumped to the roof. I noticed that a paint of “UN” was written on that shoulder and I raise my voice unexpectedly.
“U.N. army? Why is it in such place?”
When I was surprised and standing, I heard a female voice from an external speaker.
“Kouki-kun you need to get out of this place immediately, so forgive me ok?”
Without waiting for my reply, the suit in front of me grabs me and started to run in the opposite direction of where the battle is happening. Because I am being held as flesh and blood the shaking while running is scary, to the point that I might leak. A part of the fence surrounding the school was already destroyed and it turned out that the armed group was rushing to the cla.s.srooms.
Could it be that the purpose of these guys was the “school”? I saw that Shingo hugged Aikawa as he tries to hide her, but I don"t know where Alice is. Even if I ask the wearer of the suit who carries me to return, I"m positive that she will not go back. Another couple of suit which belongs to the United Nation further joined in as my thought was agitated as to what I should do after leaving Kon at the rooftop.
I guess it"s really not a problem ……, as I watched the situation silently while being shaken the surrounding power suit suddenly began shooting their equipped rifle above the sky, I was wondering what they are shooting so I look up at the sky.
“VSTOL Aircraft for Military Transportation!”
There is no mistake, that aircraft is a new type of transport vehicle developed by my mother. What the h.e.l.l is going on? At that time, the suit carrying me speaks to me again.
"We will jump over the fence of the school, clench your teeth so that you won"t bite your tongue"
As said, I braced for the impact by clenching my teeth. At the moment when we crossed the fence along with the strong shake, the appearance of “my power suit” being carried into the transport aircraft came into my sight…
—- Shuichi Arakawa point of view —-
“What’s the situation?”
When I asked, Lieutenant Lewis began to explain
"Today at 0930, j.a.pan airs.p.a.ce has been breach with trespa.s.sers proceeding to mainland from Noto Peninsula. After proceeding to Toyama, they started to take the route to Nagoya. 0950, the Self-Defense Force was mobilized to shoot down the invading aircraft. However at the same time, in the offsh.o.r.e of Tokyo Bay a submarine has surfaced and launched an attack to the capital."
I cannot forgive them for attacking Tokyo, what are they planning? I calm my anger as I carry a cup of coffee into my mouth.
"At 1010, based on Citizen Protection Program the j.a.panese Government declared state of emergency due to a large-scale terrorist attack. 1015, a permission to Self-Defense Force to initiate counter attack has been issued.
1030, the submarine which has surfaced in Tokyo Bay has been sunk. However, at 1045, three submarines of the same type emerged at the Academy City and deploy their soldiers towards "International Inst.i.tute of Technology". The squad in the city who receives the report tried to intercept but failed, causing for the school to be invaded at 1103.
At the same time, Claire’s squad who is in charge of today’s guard duty succeeded in rescuing your son and evacuated to the nearest Self-Defense Base Station. In addition, at Claire’s discretion selected a part of her unit for the defense of the Academy. After they seized the Academy, It has now come to the point where they can send us reports."
In the meantime, I can calm my heart… Of course there are still people affected but as a father, my son is still the most important, and Claire also did well. Lewis also says
“The death toll at the school is 0”.
But then again the purpose of the terrorist group was Kouki? Let"s listen to the rest of the report.
“At the moment, it is speculated that the series of action the terrorist group are doing is to avoid pursuit from j.a.panese Government after abducting your son. This was almost for certain after the fact that “Alice Alford” who was wearing your son’s power suit for some reason was abducted."
"What do you think?”
I tried to ask Lewis who is being stagnant.
“In my opinion, I think it"s different”
Well, Luis says no, even though all the circ.u.mstance indicates that their objective is “Kouki”. This is worth listening to…
“Why do you think that?”
” Is it really possible for this kind of group which has calculated organizing capability, would make such mistake? Certainly Alford-san was wearing your son’s personal suit however your son developed that “8th Generation Power Suit” that did a solo rescue operation on a large-scale accident. That big news was reported all over the world."
Certainly, in the collision accident between a large pa.s.senger ship and a tanker, Kouki rushed to the scene as soon as possible. As his father, I am proud of his action.
“If so one would normally think that he is wearing the “8th generation power suit”? Another point is our suspicion about Alford-san because she is trying to get close to your son, so we decided Claire and Ellis to investigate her."
I do not remember asking for such a thing. It might be that she is just finding Kouki to be cute when showing off his skill. What are you guys doing with your job authority and equipment? Let’s put this retort aside for now until the matter is settled…
“This is the content of the investigation report which was sent this morning. There is no human known as “Alice Alford”.”
It seems today, I received the most "shocking report" in my life.
On June 30, 2102, j.a.pan is exposed to an unprecedented terrorist attack. From all circ.u.mstances the aim of the terrorist group is presumed to be the abduction of “Kouki Arakawa” but operation fails its purpose, with “Alice Alford” abducted by mistake and started to withdraw from j.a.pan.
Author Notes:
It is the beginning of a four-part work planned to become a little longer. This four-part work has already been written, so it will be updated daily. Actually, it was a secret that I noticed the mistaken booking on the night before yesterday that I was setting for today.
TN: For me, it will be one chapter for every 1-2 weeks