The Yamato Alliance Annihilation Operation. It was an operation to encircle the Saitama Ghetto and destroy the terrorists within. Its ultimate goal, however, was to lure out Zero, Britannia's greatest rebel. As I watched the operation's progress on the monitor in the G-1 Base bridge, a particular unit encircling the Saitama Ghetto caught my eye.
"Guilford, that unit?"
I addressed Guilford, who stood beside Cornelia. He immediately understood what I was referring to, nodding and speaking.
"Those are the Purists."
The Purists. They were a faction that argued the Britannian Army should consist solely of Britannians. How many people would be needed to form an army composed only of Britannian soldiers in a superpower like Britannia, which controlled a third of the world? They seemed like a group somewhat out of touch with reality. However, the one who founded this group, Orange—Jeremiah Gottwald—had a past where he guarded Aries Palace, where Lelouch's mother Marianne lived, but failed to protect her. This failure became a sort of trauma, and his regret led him to form the Purists.
…Unaware of Marianne's hidden side.
"I heard they're quite capable?"
"Yes. They are indeed capable. However, as you know, Zero has cast suspicion on Orange, so we cannot afford to rely on him carelessly."
"I see. What a shame..."
If the story follows the original timeline, Jeremiah would be picked up by Geass researchers in Narita, modified, and then taken in by V.V. Perhaps that would be a happier fate for Jeremiah, as it would lead him to become a subordinate of his lifelong liege, Lelouch.
Unbeknownst to my inner thoughts, the operation pressed on.
"District 4 of the city has been secured."
Beginning with that report, completion reports poured in one after another. Occasionally, there were surprise attacks, presumably from the Yamato Alliance, but the swift Sutherlands easily evaded the rocket launchers. As for ordinary firearms, they merely inflicted superficial damage on the armor. Infantry suffered some casualties, which were an exception, but overall, the Britannian forces expanded their controlled areas with minimal losses.
"...He's shown himself."
The markers of KMFs, which had changed their direction of advance by command, vanished. They had been destroyed.
And a few minutes after that first destruction, the number of destroyed allied units increased exponentially.
"Gaster unit, communication lost. Believed to have been destroyed by terrorists."
"Enemy confirmed in G474 sector."
"Dazyski unit, engaged in combat. Appears to have encountered an ambush."
"The enemy seems to have captured and is using our Sutherlands."
The reports from the command center operator were all unfavorable. However, Cornelia wore a smile on her lips, Dalque calmly issued commands, and Guilford silently gazed at the monitor.
Even among Cornelia's subordinates, no one was in disarray despite the worsening situation. This was likely a testament to their excellence.
"It's just like Shinjuku."
"Has Zero appeared?"
In stark contrast to Cornelia's subordinates were those of Clovis. Their faces were filled with anxiety.
"Point 17 has been breached. Harry unit, communication lost!"
At that report, I looked at the monitor to see the bridge connecting to the Saitama Ghetto had been destroyed, and the markers of the KMFs and tanks on it had all vanished.
Seeing this, Cornelia spoke.
"This is as far as it goes."
Contrary to her words, a ferocious smile played on her lips.
Judging from the flow of the operation so far, she was likely shifting the objective from the Yamato Alliance to the primary target: Zero.
"Order all units to retreat. Any further damage is meaningless."
"Retreat?! With all due respect, our forces can still fight!"
Clovis's subordinates protested vehemently, but Cornelia shook her head.
"You cannot fight, not like this."
Then, she turned her gaze towards Dalque. Having served her for many years, Dalque understood what Cornelia wanted without a single word and picked up the communicator.
"...Axel, what do you think?"
Cornelia asked in a low voice, almost a whisper, so that others wouldn't hear.
"My gut feeling says it's a hit."
Yes, Zero must have thought he was already manipulating the Yamato Alliance and controlling this battlefield. But his opponent was Cornelia, not Clovis. Zero—no, Lelouch—was naive in his assessment of the enemy.
"To all units. Retreat immediately to the ghetto's outer perimeter. Formations do not matter. Move to the ghetto's outer perimeter at once."
Following Dalque's command, the Britannian forces within the Saitama Ghetto began to move to the outer perimeter. "Are they retreating too easily?" I heard one of Clovis's subordinates mutter, but making Zero think exactly that was the crux of this operation.
And most likely, just as in the original story, Zero would blend into the retreating units to approach the G-1 Base. Then, after reducing our guards, he would attempt to ambush Cornelia.
Gazing at the markers of the retreating units, Cornelia murmured.
"I will be the one to win."
"...Indeed. At least as long as I'm here, we won't lose. At worst, it will be a draw."
"Oh, you think quite highly of Zero, don't you?"
Cornelia looked at me with surprise. But in truth, Zero was brilliant. And he possessed the supernatural power of Geass. No matter how formidable Cornelia was, she would likely lose if she let her guard down. However, I, who knew the true nature of Geass, was present. Zero was intelligent but his physical abilities were below average. If Geass had no effect, he would be helpless.
"Yes, Your Excellency. For you are the goddess of victory."
Dalque, too, having assessed that this battle would not be lost based on his years of experience, affirmed Cornelia's words with conviction.
"Shall we go, my knight, Guilford?"
"Your command is gratefully received."
Guilford nodded at Cornelia's words. Checkmate, then.
"Axel. I'm counting on you to guard Her Highness."
"Alright. You be careful too."
He gave a slight nod to my words and exited the G-1 Base bridge.
"Speaking of which, Axel. When did you and Guilford become so close? You only met yesterday."
Cornelia asked, sounding puzzled. But comrades who've shared a battlefield often form strong bonds of trust. After all, a major reason Cornelia's subordinates trusted her absolutely was her presence on the battlefield with them.
"Your Highness, men can form friendships over simple things."
Dalque, probably having guessed the gist from my expression, answered on my behalf.
Well, there are cases where friendships are forged even after a brawl by a river in the evening, so it wasn't strange for Guilford and me to get along.
As I was thinking this, a report came in from one of the bridge members.
"One KMF emitting a signal is stranded in the urban area."
"Can't we communicate with it?!"
"How about sending a rescue team?"
At that report, Clovis's subordinates began to clamor.
I glanced at Cornelia; her face held a predatory smile, like a carnivore spotting its prey. She must have recognized this as Zero's trap. Her next words proved it.
"Destroy it."
"What?!"
"It might be an enemy hostage situation!"
"I ordered them to retreat. I have no need for soldiers who cannot carry out my commands."
"That's right."
Dalque agreed with Cornelia's words.
"However!"
"To accomplish the mission even if it costs their lives. That is expected of my subordinates."
And so, following Cornelia's orders, Guilford and his subordinates destroyed the KMF emitting the signal.
A few seconds later, another KMF emitting a signal appeared.
"Another signal. Which means... there's an ambush ahead. Reinforce with Gloucesters and encircle and annihilate them."
As expected of Cornelia. She read the enemy's ambush. This was a type of tsuri no buse (a feigned retreat to draw the enemy into an ambush). She saw through it and planned to counter-encircle the ambushers. But her opponent was Zero. The next report revealed that he wouldn't easily cede the initiative.
"Gloucesters, arrived at the designated area. No enemy forces in sight."
Cornelia wore an amused smile at that report.
"Did he read my move? Perhaps I really am dealing with Zero."
From that point on, Cornelia's directives were precise, and with the enemy being terrorists, the situation became one-sided. The terrorists, believing themselves cornered, surrendered, only to be executed on the spot.
I would protect innocent civilians, but I couldn't, nor did I want to, defend terrorists.
And about ten minutes later, the operation concluded.
"It didn't go like Shinjuku, Zero... Or was that a fake? Well, no matter. I'll know soon enough."
Cornelia murmured, satisfied, and picked up a communication device.
"To all KMF pilots. Open your hatches and show your faces. I repeat. All pilots are to open their hatches and show their faces."
Yes. If Zero had infiltrated near the G-1 Base, just like in the Shinjuku incident, he was most likely inside a KMF. And that was indeed correct. What Cornelia didn't know was the existence of C.C.
One after another, Sutherland cockpits opened, and pilots revealed their faces. And then, there was just one Sutherland whose cockpit was reported as broken. No doubt, it was Zero.
Cornelia herself probably felt almost certain. She watched that Sutherland on the monitor with an amused expression.
"Cornelia, you should tell Guilford to be careful. It's Zero. There's no telling what tactics he might use."
Zero possessed Geass. While I didn't think he'd use it on Guilford here, it was better to be cautious.
"That's true. The communication device..."
"It's Zero! Zero found!"
Before Cornelia could finish her sentence, the report of Zero's discovery came in. Zero's figure stood atop a half-destroyed building.
"Hmph, so Zero truly has such a personality."
Cornelia's expression was like a hunting dog that had fixed on its prey. But the next moment, Zero's figure fell from the top of the building as if collapsing.
"Your Highness, what are your orders?"
"Is there a possibility of a trap?"
"It's conceivable. We don't even know if it's the real person, but what's clear is that, as Your Highness said, he is a proud individual."
"Then pursuing him would be pointless?"
"Yes. The fact that he deliberately showed himself to us like that suggests it was a provocation, with an escape route already secured."
"I see. Perhaps he's good at self-preservation."
True to Cornelia's words, Zero's figure was ultimately not found. Zero must have successfully escaped. The next time he appears will be the hotel jacking incident.
Character Status: Axel Almar
LV: 34
PP: 155
Melee: 242
Ranged: 260
Skill: 252
Defense: 249
Evasion: 277
Accuracy: 299
SP: 414
Ace Bonus: SP Boost (Increases Slime performance by consuming SP)
Growth Type: All-Rounder/Special
Air: S
Land: S
Sea: B
Space: S
Spirit Commands:
Accel (SP 4)
Effort (SP 8)
Focus (SP 16)
Direct Hit (SP 20)
Awaken (SP 32)
Love (SP 48)
Skills:
EXP Up
SP Boost (SP Up Lv. 9 & SP Recovery & Concentration)
Psychokinesis Lv. 10
Attacker
Gunfight Lv. 9
Infight Lv. 9
Morale Limit Break
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Kills: 190
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