The Scent of Death

Where am I…?

"Prepare the Artillery Canisters!"

What am I doing…?

"Loading… Loading! Loaded!"

"Close the hatch!"

Why am I in the border of Yukonami? Why is my team loading our cannons?

"Angle set! Permission to fire!"

Wait, wait, wait… Why am I raising my hand?! Why are we firing our cannons?!

"Sir, Permission to fire!"

No! I need to… lower my hand slowly…

"Sir! Requesting permission to fire!"

I need to stop… I don't know what's happening, but I can't let my team to fire on Yukonami's territory!

"What are you doing, Colonel?"

"-?!"

"Haven't you heard master's instructions? You are just following orders."

Who is this guy speaking behind me? Who is this "master" that he's talking about?!

"B-Brace!"

"That's right, colonel… I'm glad you're back to following our instructions."

NO! STOP, ME! DON'T LISTEN TO HIM! DON'T-

*BYAAAAK-!!!*

"…"

*BYAUK-!*

"Direct hit! Direct hit! The gas is spreading along the wind, sir!"

"Copy… that…"

What the hell is happening?! Why are we releasing poison gas on that village in Yukonami?!

"Good job, colonel… The True Kirin Lord will surely reward you for your service."

True Kirin Lord… This can't be-!

"Glory… to the… True Kirin Lord…"

"Indeed, Colonel… Glory to the True Kirin Lord."

This is how the great war of the Southern Triad started… A war formed from the treachery of a woman who cannot escape her fate… and a being of pure evil who wishes to stain this new world with the filth that his wretched soul brought here.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Any news from General Shimura or Lady Aoyama?"

"Nothing. Our lines had been silent since last day, General Ishida."

"Is it equipment trouble?"

"No… Maintenance reports has been consistent for both the radiomen of Director Kuro and General Shimura's groups. It was only last day when all communications were cut."

"Huh…? What could possibly be happening?"

In the Military Communications Headquarters in Fort Sugimoto near the city of Tohou, I talked with the commanding officer of the communications division who told me that the problem we had since yesterday morning is still going on until this very moment.

"Primary investigations shows that our radio waves are getting dispersed past the border of Kise and Yukonami, blocking access to the radiophones in Hitachi."

"Dispersed? How on earth can that happen?"

"We don't know, sir. Normally, this wouldn't happen to our encrypted lines… But…"

"But?"

"Should we be worried and send an investigation team, sir?"

As the third highest-ranking military leader in the Armed Force, I have more than enough authority to send a small platoon to the suspected jamming site to investigate this matter. However, I fear that doing so would rile up a security concern from Kise and Shinka which would be my master's headache later.

"What should we do, General?"

"…"

Being stuck in this situation where my choice would set in motion many other things, I was reminded of the complaint that Iwasawa-sama and General Shimura had about me.

"Don't doubt yourself and choose the best choice for your men and your mission…"

"Sir?"

"Nothing… I was just thinking. Ahem!"

I cleared my throat for a moment before giving my command.

"Send an order to the 37th Scout Cavalry Platoon. Tell them to board a motorboat in the Coast Guard's outpost in Iso river and head to the border of Kise and Yukonami to investigate this issue."

"Roger that, sir!"

"Additionally, tell them to not carry any other weapons except for their sidearms. We can pass their presence in the area as soldiers on an independent "free range military drill" if they don't carry their rifles. However, their sidearms will suffice if they encounter any hostile elements nearby."

"Understood sir. Will be including it on the mission details."

"Mm."

I am the Lieutenant General of Kiko's armed forces… I can't half-ass my decisions or do things that I would regret later. Lest I bring shame to my master or waste the life of my men.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Ayanami-sama! Ayanami-sama! I bear news from the frontlines."

"Skip the formalities! Get to the point!"

"Understood! We have received confirmation from the border that Kise's forces have begun shelling our villages and towns by the border."

"Artillery, huh? The civilians have been evacuated in time, yes?"

"Yes… Mostly."

"Mostly…?"

"There were stragglers who didn't want to leave their livestock or join in the wave of primary evacuees, saying that they will leave by their own after they have secured their belongings."

"What… happened to them?"

The soldier paused for a moment before saying something so vividly horrendous that it made my blood boil.

"The artillery shells were gas canisters carrying poisonous mist… Those who stayed behind and breathed this gas… experienced a long and painful death."

"Those animals…!"

"How dare they harm our people!"

"My lady, please send a message to Lord Ishigawa now! With Shinka's forces on the south of Kise, we can perform a pincer attack on-"

"Not yet! We cannot trouble Shinka with this issue until we have ascertained that we cannot handle this by ourselves!"

"…Understood, my lord."

In the throne room of my castle, my commanders and lieutenants are discussing about how we can send a communiqué herald to Kise to ask them what these unexplained military actions are about.

"Please pardon my intrusion to your meeting chamber, outsider general."

"Y-You are…"

"The Prince of the Hisano clan!"

"Hisano Kamaji… I'm amazed that someone from your family has responded to my summons."

"Hmph! Don't flatter yourself because of my presence, outsider… The Hisano clan and its subordinates will never accept your authority over our land."

"H-Hisano-waka-sama-!"

"Lady Ayanami! We wish to apologize for his callous-"

"I'm fine with that."

""E-ehh?"

"This isn't the time for me to worry about who among you recognizes my authority or not… We are currently at war, and I know all of you don't want to let your people be hurt anymore."

"…"

"Personally, the command over this place was given to me by Kusanagi-sama. Although I don't mind losing this place and retreating back to Shinka, my master has placed a great deal of trust and expectation towards me… and I don't intend to go back and leave all of you here to cope for yourselves after I have held this land for so long."

I spoke with resolution before standing up and walking towards the young man who's holding his face high to show the pride of his family who never yielded to my lordship.

"All of Yukonami is under attack by a common enemy. Right now, even if there is enmity between our sides, we cannot continue this act of keeping a cold shoulder towards each other. This will not only halve our forces, but also open both of us to the manipulation of the enemy… Let's not do that for now."

"Prince Kamaji… What do you say?"

"…Heh. Though my family and even my own self do not wish to fraternize with you bootlickers and your new master, I cannot deny that what she said is not true… Indeed, this is no time for petty squabbles. We are at war and the enemy is the only one who will profit due to our infighting."

"Waka-sama…"

"Therefore, I wish to declare right here and right now that the Hisano clan will lend its forces to your side. Although we will not recognize your lordship's authority outside of the context of this war, we cannot undermine the truth that you are from the militant Ayanami clan… War and Conquest runs in your blood."

"That…"

"Therefore, command us, Ayanami Mitsuha!"

"""Command us, Lady Ayanami!"""

As everyone in the room bent the knee and lowered their heads in front of me, I felt a bit better about the prospect of my land being protected.

"Alright… Order your men to consolidate with ours while we form our strategies and tactics here. Commander Kamiya, assist the Hisano prince in this regrouping of our men."

"As you command!"

"Bring a map to the table. We will form our defensive line right now!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Strangely enough, I felt like it was my responsibility to hold this place like a fortress with these people whom I still see as inferior after we have conquered them.

"Lady Ayanami! You need to take this!"

"A radiophone from the Kiko embassy?"

"It's from Kiko's General Ishida. He said that he wishes to talk to you personally."

"Alright, bring it here."

As the soldier brought in the radiophone set that he had on his back, I took the earpiece and microphone to talk to the other man in the line.

"This is Ayanami Mitsuha speaking."

["Explain yourself, Lady Ayanami!"]

"-?!"

["Why were the men that I sent to investigate your radio jamming field not back yet? Have you taken them hostage?!"]

"G-General Ishida, what is this about? What are you talking about?!"

["That's my line, Your Highness! Why did you make a jamming field in your land and why are the men that I sent there to investigate it not yet back nor reporting their status?!"]

To say that I was confused with what the man on the other side of the phone is talking about would be an understatement. All of the questions that he is saying is beyond my knowledge and I don't even know who are his men that he said he sent here.

"I do not know about any of this, General! After all, right now-"

*PRAGGRK-!*

"Ah!"

Before I can finish my explanation, the radiophone emitted a crackle before all it gave off was garbled noise of some kind.

"What is this? Why was the line cut?"

"I-I am not sure, my lord… All of the lines seem to be receiving and emitting static…"

"Hmm… What on earth is happening right now?"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Are you sure about this information?"

"I am, Sir Ishigawa! I stake my life and name on it!"

"I see… But still, I find it hard to believe that this is true."

"I am aware that such a news would appear as such… But I implore you, sir! We saw those Kiko soldiers being shot to death by Daigo clan soldiers dressed in the Yukonami army's armor!"

"…"

It has been a few weeks since Princess Kyoko and Mitsuha-chan left Shinka to my hands in order to help out Iwasawa-dono who was caught and held captive by the Shogun in the Imperial capital.

As a lifelong servant and protector of Shinka, I have gained a multitude of "sixth senses" that helped me choose the best way to fulfill my responsibilities as a warrior, servant and interim leader of my land. And ever since the last few weeks, all of those sixth senses of mine has been tingling… a sure sign of impending hitches.

"Have you informed the Kiko embassy about this thing?"

"Yes, sir! But it appears that all of their radiophones are not working. The technicians said that there seems to be some signal jamming happening around us that is hampering our ability to communicate with Kiko's officials."

"Wait… did this jamming happen after you found out about that scene with the Daigo soldiers?"

"I think the technicians said that it has been going on since yesterday, sir."

"No… It can't be-!"

After the soldier answered my question about when our lines of communications was disrupted, I realized something that made all of this jumbled up mess finally make sense.

"S-Sir?"

"Assemble our army and send them to the border of Kise! I want a defensive line around that place formed as soon as possible!"

"Y-Yes, sir!"

"Additionally, send a messenger to Kiko bearing the contents of what you saw in your patrol earlier along with a formal request of reinforcement in the area."

"A-As you command, sir!"

This tactic… These tricks that I have fallen for again and again before. I know it… I know the only people on earth who does these kinds of things before an invasion!

"Daigo Reika… so you have been an enemy all along…?!"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"This is Eagle Charlie one. Eagle Charlie one, on the line."

"Eagle Charlie one, this is Fort Sugimoto Air Traffic Control Tower 4. Clear copy on your line."

"Affirmative, ATC Tower 4, requesting permission to take off."

In my radiophone earpiece, I communicated the pre-flight procedures with the air traffic control officer as my men continuously pumped hot gas into the furnace of our hot air balloon.

"ATC Tower 4, we have lift. I repeat, we have lift."

"Copy that, Eagle Charlie One, we wish you a cloudless sky and a safe flight."

It all happened after rumors about a patrol group that was sent on an errand in the Kise-Yukonami border went missing in action all of a sudden. Some said that it may just be newbies who may not be the best in navigation and ended up being lost in the mountainous border or a common case of soldiers going off grid for a while to get some paid leave time and reasoning about equipment malfunction later to justify the lack of communications.

However, it was the 37th Scout Cavalry platoon that was sent out. A group of elite cavalrymen who fought in many of the major battles in Kiko's military history. What more, these are people from the Hikigaya clan's domain, people who are said to be raised with militant discipline since childhood. It is hard to believe that these people would be incompetent enough to get lost or go fool around somewhere.

"I'm still amazed that we finally conquered the skies as well…"

"Flight? Yeah… Four years ago, only birds ever had the ability to fly through the sky."

"Hehe… I remember that ninja manga where Goemon rode a giant kite just to fly because of this conversation of ours."

"Shinobi Wars? Wow… I didn't take you as one who reads manga in your free time."

"My cousin pestered me to buy him a few volumes of it for his birthday. I got intrigued after seeing that its shelf in the bookstore is almost empty, so I borrowed them after he's finished. Gotta admit, the writer and illustrator did a really good job."

"I heard they had ninjas from both the Fumikage clan and the Aviary Agency give inputs and corrections on it. That's why it's pretty legitimate and accurate."

"Wow, that's awesome."

While my two subordinates talked about their manga while raising our altitude and keeping our direction pointed towards Kise, I was laying on my stomach with my eyes on the reticle of a telescope that is pointed downwards.

With the three of us being about a few kilometers above the ground, it would be hard to spot anyone below us. So, I used the equipment in the balloon to find those men that we're trying to find.

"Hey, Captain. Anything in there?"

"None yet, sonny. Only the occasional travelling caravan and villages in Shinka."

"Wait, did we bring some photographic film with us?"

"Oh yeah. I think we ran out of those after last week's mapping mission in Fuku province."

"Don't panic, you brats. The maintenance chief brought some on board before we left. And we don't need to use them anyway, our job is to extract them immediately as soon as we find them."

After an hour, we reached the mountainous border of Kise and Yukonami which was the place where the Scout Cavalry was sent to. This time, I told them to maintain our altitude and keep the direction of our movement slow and steady.

"Damn… What is Kise's army doing in its border?"

"Huh? What's up, captain?"

"They got a lot of cannons lined up in the mountain valley. Why are they pointed towards Yukonami-"

*Kyuk- Kuk-! Kuk-! Kuk-!*

"C-Captain! That sound is-!"

"Yeah… Those are from artillery. The Kise army is firing towards Yukonami."

"B-B-But why? Why would they fire their artillery towards their own allies?"

"Maybe they are firing towards Yukonami but against bandits or rebels?"

"No… This is…"

"Captain?"

"C-Contact the military communications office! Tell them the following message!"

"Y-Yes, sir!"

What one of my subordinates said was what I wished to be the case… However, what I saw in the reticle of my telescopic sights was something that I knew would spell the start of the end for the Southern Quartet Alliance and the peace that Iwasawa-sama and the other leaders so desperately created.

All of that… just for something that this enemy of ours who has clothed itself as an ally wished to do.

"The army of Kise has deployed weapons of mass destruction against Yukonami! This is a full-force invasion!"