After bowling, we went for drinks at Torigen, enjoying our Garden life.
We took seats in the tatami room at “Torigen,” a yakitori restaurant in the entertainment district. This izakaya, run by Hisame Genma, was to be the stage for our new operation.
“Nii-ki, victories make the samurai, right? But don’t use dirty tricks in a friendly bout, seriously!” Rick, with “Meat” written boldly on his forehead in marker, fumed as he downed a mug of nama beer. It was a hollow feeling, knowing I was the only one who understood the meaning of the writing on his forehead. The other Usura had “Homo who only takes” on their foreheads, and Tonkachi had “More brainless than a worm.” This was the brand imposed on the losers. Lilith, of course, had written them. As a gesture of chivalry, Nozomi, the sole female member of Comma Two, had a cute heart mark drawn on her cheek. The truth was, we all stopped Lilith from writing something incredibly vulgar.
“Yakitori platter, dote-yaki, edamame, and hiyayakko! Coming right up!” Ms. Kiwami diligently placed a large yakitori platter on the table, her usual skill on display.
“Ane-chan, thank you!”
“Oh, Nozomi. What happened to your cheek?”
“It’s cute, right! It’s a penalty game!”
“My, my. Your first assignment is coming up soon. …Come back alive?”
“Yeah! I’ll be fine!”
“Kanata-san, please look after Nozomi. It seems like a simple operation, so it should be just right for her.”
“It is a simple operation, but where did you hear that?”
“Heh, where do you think?”
I was brushed off with a perfect customer service smile. I couldn’t let my guard down. I had a hunch that Kiwami, the “waitress master,” had some secrets. Ever since I started practicing swordsmanship, I felt that Kiwami was someone who truly “used” people. It wouldn’t surprise me if she casually said, “I also do part-time jobs as an assassin.” Well, there’s no need to dig deeper. All the Garden staff are personally interviewed and vetted by the Commander. Even if there’s something, it won’t be detrimental to us.
“Captain, your mug is empty. Still drinking beer?”
“No, I…”
“Akudaikan Daiginjo, chilled. Shion-san, Vodka on the rocks, correct?”
“Y-yes. How did you know?”
“I’ve worked at many izakayas.” She’s definitely no ordinary person.
After drinks at Torigen, we headed to Snake Eyes to enjoy darts and billiards. Shion is good at billiards, and she promised to teach me, so I’m looking forward to it. Natsume won the darts match overwhelmingly, even though she said it was her first time playing. Natsume said, “I don’t understand why it’s difficult to hit a stationary target.” Does throwing shuriken at moving opponents make you good at that? No way. Natsume is simply a genius.
The life in the Garden was fun, but the mission was finally here. Moreover, I was in a position of entrusting the lives of my comrades. There was a handsome gang leader who said, “I will carry out the mission and protect my subordinates,” which is the essential advice for me right now. I’ll face it seriously, Kanata Amakake. If you mess up, your subordinates will die.
I woke up precisely at 9:00, two hours later than usual. Today, there was no surprise raid from Natsume or Lilith. They understood that I wanted to concentrate alone before a sortie. I wouldn’t be training today either. I reviewed the operation outline and checked the terrain and buildings. I had already considered possible scenarios, but this was the final check to ensure nothing was overlooked. 9:40, time to go. The helipad was the assembly point.
9:50, we arrived at the outdoor heliport. The main members were already gathered. These were elite soldiers selected from the Crystal Widow’s finest, but I also saw the faces of new ninjas brought from the Hidden Village of Kagekuri by Marika-san. Well, the target is a remote base. I guess they decided it was a good opportunity for the younger ones to gain experience.
“Fashionably late, Kanata.”
I was addressed by a perverted old man who chose feminine charm over unit cohesion.
“Did you manage to pick up the bar girl?”
“We’re in fervent negotiations. All members of Comma One and Two are here.”
“Alright. Let’s wait for Marika-san.”
At 9:58, Marika-san arrived, accompanied by Rasen-. After glancing at us ruffians with her mismatched eyes, she barked out orders.
“Everyone’s here. Boys, it’s time to sortie! Let’s show those idiots vacationing at the remote base a thing or two!”
“Yes, Mom!”
The ruffians saluted and boarded the large military helicopter.
“I don’t feel comfortable at high altitudes. I wish we could get to our destination soon.” Rick started fidgeting less than an hour after departure. He’s such an restless guy.
“It hasn’t even been an hour yet. We’ll arrive at the operation site at 21:00 after stopping at a relay base. Learn from Natsume and calm down a bit.”
“You call that calm?” Natsume was sleeping soundly, her head resting on Shion’s lap.
(Rick. Worry about Nozomi’s tension instead of your own. She won’t last if she’s like this now.) Nozomi was gazing out the helicopter window in silence. Her expression reflected in the glass was visibly tense.
(Oops, I was careless. It was Nozomi’s first real combat.)
(Rick, you’re a squad leader. Pay attention to your subordinates too.)
(Yes, sir.) Rick sat next to Nozomi and started telling silly stories. Nozomi occasionally smiled at Rick’s nonsensical tales. This should be fine.
After resting at the relay base, five hours later, we arrived at the operation site. We descended to the ground, removed the camouflage from the prepared vehicles, and boarded them. From here, it was a land route to the target base, taking about 50 minutes. Shion was driving the military vehicle I was in. Shion could pilot anything, from motorcycles to helicopters. Comma Two’s Rigger, Tonkachi, was surprisingly skilled at driving, her handling rivaling that of a professional. It’s impressive that she can also be a mechanic. The 30 ruffians arrived on time at the cliff overlooking the target. I got out of the vehicle and maximized my eye’s zoom function to observe the base towering in the wilderness. What the hell, there’s a helicopter on the roof of the command building. According to the intel, there shouldn’t have been a helicopter stationed on the rooftop helipad. If we don’t deal with that first, the base commander might escape.
“There’s a helicopter on the roof, Marika-san.” I said to the boss, who looked picturesque standing at the edge of the cliff.
“Indeed. Well, unexpected events like this are normal.”
“What do we do?”
“I’ll crush it along with the communication facility. But that means I’ll be late to rendezvous. Kanata, you’ll have to fill in for me?”
“Yes, Mom.”
“We’ll start the attack simultaneously with the helicopter’s explosion on the roof. Everyone, move to your positions!” Marika-san shouted to the executives and then leaped off the sheer cliff.
“Comma One, Two, let’s hurry to the waiting area. Watch out for enemy patrols.” I led the unit towards the waiting area. The operation begins.
Without encountering enemy patrols, we successfully hid in the depression designated as our position.
“They’re slacking off, thinking there’s no chance of attack. Look, that guard in the watchtower is yawning.”
“There’s no such thing as a safe base. Here, this is for the Warrant Officer.” I put on the pumpkin helmet that Lilith handed me.
“Do I look handsome?”
“Better than usual. Why don’t you wear it all the time?” Lilith, while muttering insults, also put on a pumpkin helmet. It seems she was forced to wear it since she was the one who suggested it.
“It’s almost time, Kanata.”
“Yeah. Natsume, you’ll be on support as usual. Focus on those with less experience. Rimse too.”
“Leave it to me.” “Yes!” After instructing Natsume and Rimse, preparations were complete. No, my resolve was still lacking. …I’ll break through it now. This is war. It’s not a fair match like sports. You unknown enemy soldiers, curse your misfortune for becoming our target.
“Captain, are you nervous? You look a bit down.” I’m wearing a pumpkin helmet, so of course I don’t look my best. But I shouldn’t worry my副長 (Shion).
“No, I’m just not feeling it. What’s about to begin probably isn’t a battle. It’s a one-sided…” Before I could finish, an explosion echoed from the roof of the command building. It was a flashy firework illuminating the dark night sky. Well, it’s time to get to work.
“Comma One, I’m leading! Comma Two, Rick, you take the lead! The order is Search and Destroy! I repeat, Search and Destroy!”
