Chapter 272: The Miracle Battle of Mount Narita
At the foot of Mount Narita.
The expanding main force of the Britannian army, their markers flickering like stars in the night sky across the simplified strategic dashboard.
That was Cornelia's royal guard, along with the elite combat units meticulously selected.
Behind these troops, a crown emblem appeared.
That marked the location of the mobile command vehicle at headquarters, guarded by two Knights of the Rounds.
However, behind the mobile command vehicle, slightly removed from the main force, there was a distinctly different orange light, as if abandoned there.
That was the Lancelot, having undergone several repairs and performance upgrades.
"Not going to... attempt surrender negotiations?" Suzaku murmured to himself from the Lancelot's cockpit.
Lloyd made an acknowledging sound, having apparently heard him.
"Right."
Responding to Suzaku in his usual deliberately off-key, frivolous tone, Lloyd said:
"Because it's pointless."
"What do you mean pointless..."
"Think from their perspective. Though driven into a corner, if their leader surrenders and the enemy obtains intelligence, they'll still end up with public hanging or execution by firing squad. At best, life imprisonment."
"Facing such outcomes, they won't surrender. So, we don't need to attempt negotiations either."
"How could that be?"
Staring at the screen in the cockpit, Suzaku's lips trembled slightly.
No!
He knew—he understood this situation viscerally, with a clarity that frightened him, a fear that forced him to recognize it.
But still, he thought... even so, even so, couldn't he do something about the deaths and suffering of those caught up in the war?
"Well, but it really is an unavoidable situation... Ah, right, hasn't Cécile returned yet? Did she go to the restroom? Ah, well, she is a girl after all..."
Lloyd, observing the complex emotions flashing across his best "component's" face, kindly tried to change the subject. Unfortunately, the rare attempt by Lord "Earl of Pudding" to divert attention resulted in—
Deployment.
The abrupt cessation of sound.
"...I'm right here, Mr. Lloyd. May I interpret those remarks just now as..."
"Eek?!"
Lloyd suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. There stood Cécile behind him, wearing a "nuclear-friendly" smile.
In her hand was an enormous wrench of unknown origin—a wrist-thick alloy wrench that she held as lightly as a straw.
But Lloyd clearly knew that wrench was no prop, and it had substantial weight!
"Eek!? Ahhh, no no, that was... Oof!"
A series of clanking sounds came through the comms, and Lloyd's voice fell silent.
The world finally became quiet.
Inside the cockpit, Suzaku could only offer an awkward smile at this, as such occurrences were practically commonplace by now.
Moreover, compared to this, Suzaku was more concerned about the command vehicle at the moment.
On the bridge of the mobile command vehicle that had halted to serve as the headquarters base, the spacious command center housed a massive strategic dashboard displaying all military deployments and movements in Area Eleven.
Seated in the command chair was Cornelia, the Governor of Area Eleven and overall commander of this operation. Resting her chin on her hand, she watched with mild satisfaction as the young girl stood before the enormous strategic display.
Though barely in her teens and not yet an adult, she held the position of Vice-Governor—a rank unimaginable for her peers. For she was Euphemia li Britannia, the Third Princess of the Holy Britannian Empire and Vice-Governor of Area Eleven—Cornelia's beloved younger sister.
Her youthful face was taut with tension.
This was understandable. While not completely untrained like an ordinary civilian, this marked her first true experience on the battlefield. Yet her tension stemmed less from fear of combat and more from deep concern for her opponents.
Days earlier, she had reunited with her long-absent mentor, observed the happy lives of Nunnally and Lelouch from afar, and vowed to do something for them. Since then, she had been working diligently toward this goal, holding several clandestine discussions with her elder brother Schneizel behind her sister's back. Her brother had offered his full support.
But Euphemia never anticipated her sister would suddenly launch an encirclement campaign against the Japan Liberation Front entrenched in Mount Narita! Moreover, this wasn't merely a suppression operation—they had intentionally leaked information to lure ZERO and Shadow to the battlefield...
Anxious, Euphemia had joined the mission under the pretext of observing battlefield operations.
"We've confirmed the Japan Liberation Front's headquarters is located in this region. Currently, we've divided four battalions into seven units deployed around the perimeter. We now await the Governor's signal to tighten the encirclement and eliminate them in one stroke!" explained General Darlton, Cornelia's staff officer, as he monitored radar coordinates. His report served both as a briefing for Cornelia and an explanation for Princess Euphemia.
"But what if enemies appear outside our encirclement?" Euphy's sudden question was incisive—while current troops were converging on Mount Narita to tighten the net, no defensive measures had been arranged against external threats.
Cornelia nodded slightly, pleased with her sister's strategic insight. Euphy's concern clearly referred to the two terrorist organizations: the Black Knights and Shadow Garden.
"Rest assured, Your Highness. When the operation commences, all surrounding roads and mountain paths will be sealed! Furthermore, we have allied forces and reinforcements standing by. Should other enemies dare approach, it will mean their utter demise!" Darlton's voice radiated absolute confidence.
The "allied forces" he referenced consisted of two Knights of Rounds and one guided weapon system. Though he despised the fact that the Lancelot's pilot was an Eleven, he had to admit the seventh-generation Knightmare's performance was formidable—capable of effortlessly overwhelming sixth and fifth-generation models. And this seventh-generation Lancelot currently deployed wasn't even the finalized version, merely an experimental prototype.
And this time, to eradicate the terrorists in the Narita Mountains, the Britannian army has mobilized a force of fifty thousand soldiers, countless armored vehicles, and over three hundred Knightmares. No matter how powerful the enemy might be, they would be crushed to pieces by this invincible military might!
"Your Highness, the time has come!"
Just as Euphy was about to ask something more, the operations officer Guilford interrupted her thoughts.
"Excellent. Then... commence the operation!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Cornelia immediately rose from her command seat, swept her luxurious royal cloak aside, and left the operations command room, boarding her exclusive Knightmare.
With Cornelia's order, her personal unit was the first to launch from the base vehicle's ejection port.
The gleaming dark purple metal armor shone like the rising sun at the break of dawn—dazzling and intense!
"Japan Liberation Front... people left behind by the times, those who have forgotten compassion..."
Inside the cockpit of her speeding Gloucester, Cornelia's lips gradually curved into a smile.
The battlefield lay before her.
The abyss of slaughter, capable of magnifying death, terror, and chaos manifold, was right before her eyes, filling her with excitement!
"Now, perish and vanish along with your illusory dreams!"
In an instant, the murderous aura of war, accompanied by Cornelia's fierce cry and the beast-like roar of Knightmare and tank engines, completely shattered the tranquility of this wilderness.
"R-really? Are we really going to do this? We're going to die, aren't we?"
Just as Cornelia's army launched its assault on the Narita Mountains, Kaname Ohgi's panicked voice echoed from the mountainside near the summit.
This was the midslope area of one of the Narita Mountains' peaks. A drill-like machine, brought by the Black Knights, was working diligently. Around it, several veiled girls in black attire were digging at an even faster pace than the drill.
Simultaneously, they placed cylindrical objects with pure metal casings into the excavated pits and buried them.
These were all high-explosives developed by Shadow Garden, far surpassing C4 in both stability and destructive power. The sheer quantity was enough to easily cause the Narita Mountains to collapse and trigger a massive landslide.
It could be said that this was Lelouch's classic tactic—specializing in "lifting the floorboards."
However, Kaname Ohgi and the others were unaware of this and had no idea what was buried underground.
All they knew was that hundreds of Knightmares, thousands of tanks, and tens of thousands of soldiers were charging toward their position from below.
The densely swarming heads moving through the forest were enough to induce trypophobia.
As for the Black Knights, they numbered a mere hundred at best.
Even if they included the Japan Liberation Front, their combined forces wouldn't be enough to make a dent in this army of tens of thousands!
"Yeah! You've got to be kidding, ZERO! These numbers are insane! How are we supposed to fight this? We don't even have a retreat path!"
Tamaki pointed a trembling finger at the overwhelming number of transport aircraft filling the sky, his face pale with terror.
"Ah, yes. We're completely surrounded. Even if we tried to run now, there's no escape route. So if you want to survive, you'll have to fight here! Fight against the Britannian army!"
Lelouch remained calm and composed, not a trace of panic in his demeanor.
This was exactly his objective—a do-or-die battle that would push these people into a desperate situation, forcing them to fight with everything they had, serving as their final loyalty test.
As long as they followed his commands, he would lead them to victory and reap the fruits of their triumph.
Of course, if any of them ultimately chose to resist, Lelouch wouldn't hesitate to use his Geass.
"Y-you've got to be joking! We're up against Cornelia! This is completely different from before—this isn't like fighting Clovis at all! This is a massive army!"
It seemed these people had heard numerous tales of Cornelia's fearsome reputation.
Immediately, the entire Black Knights organization fell into turmoil. The Black Knights' total membership barely exceeded five hundred people, and while they had brought their elite members this time, they only numbered around a hundred in total.
Although the Britannian forces at Mount Narita didn't represent the entire military strength of Area Eleven, they still numbered over ten thousand infantry troops with hundreds of Knightmares—outnumbering the Black Knights' current combatants by several hundred times!
One against five hundred... How were they supposed to fight this battle...
"Then let's just create a miracle, shall we?"
Just as the Black Knights descended into chaos, Mahiro's voice suddenly cut through the noise.
He sat on the edge of the cliff, swinging his legs casually while the mountain winds howled past, ruffling his artificial silver hair. His crimson eyes reflected the formidable army marching below.
The Guardian Deity Knightmare stood parked behind him, while beside him were C.C. in her white restraint suit and the dark-haired girl with silver and aqua-colored hair.
"Shadow?! You came at the perfect time! What are you and ZERO planning to do?!"
Tamaki maintained his usual noisy demeanor, shouting like a clown.
But Mahiro couldn't be bothered to respond to him, instead gazing leisurely at the advancing army below as he said:
"If the Messiah doesn't perform miracles, he won't gain the world's recognition. If you Black Knights want to be acknowledged, then create another miracle for the world to see! Show everyone that the so-called invincible Britannian army and the Empire's so-called Witch aren't undefeatable."
Create... a miracle...
It would be fair to say that no one believed such an absurd statement.
If miracles could be created at will, then why would they be called miracles?
"...I understand. I choose to believe you!"
"Hey, Kallen, are you serious?!"
Just as everyone was expressing doubts, Kallen spoke up, breaking through their voices of skepticism.
She wasn't choosing to believe in ZERO, but rather placing her trust in Mahiro—this man who possessed the clearest identity yet remained shrouded in mystery!
Completely disregarding her comrades' objections, she directly boarded her Knightmare—
The Guren Type-02.
The sleek frame could be instantly recognized as belonging to an agile close-combat Knightmare. Its vermilion exterior resembled a phoenix bathed in blood and flames, while the silver-white arm equipped with a wave vibration device resembled the sharp claws of the Grim Reaper.
However, with Kallen's outburst, the scene fell into silence, and everyone became speechless.
What more could they say?
If Kallen, their main combat force, chose to believe, what other retreat did they have?
No, the path of retreat had been blocked from the very beginning!
So, at this point, what else could they do but follow ZERO down this dark path?
With no way out, the members of the Black Knights busied themselves to survive, taking their assigned positions as arranged by ZERO.
Meanwhile, Lelouch pulled Mahiro, who had just stood up from the cliff's edge, aside.
"Teacher, will you be able to handle the Knights of the Rounds?"
"Don't worry. If those two little ones dare to join the battle, I'll pin them down right where they are."
Mahiro waved his hand casually and said, "But if you ask me, you might as well let me take care of the Lancelot. After all, the pilot inside is your good friend. With your indecisive personality, I doubt you'd be able to bring yourself to do it."
"Moreover, Kallen Kōzuki is a top-tier uncut gem. Letting her face the Knights of the Rounds more often would only benefit her."
"And as for Cornelia..."
"I have my own plans for Cornelia."
Perhaps annoyed by his nagging, Lelouch waved his hand to cut him off. "But Teacher, what did you mean earlier about the Lancelot's pilot...?"
"Huh? Don't you know? The Lancelot's pilot is your good friend, Suzaku Kururugi."
"What?!"
Mahiro looked at Lelouch in his ZERO suit as if he were some rare animal. Even through the mask, he could clearly sense Lelouch's shock.
"Don't tell me... Don't tell me something so obvious hasn't crossed your mind until now? I've given you hints, both obvious and subtle, so many times before."
Lelouch fell silent.
It was as if he had just heard the most absurd thing in the world.
That white Knightmare, the monstrous Lancelot—its pilot was actually Suzaku Kururugi...
Although he had suspected it early on, hearing it confirmed firsthand was still hard to believe.
That white Knightmare, which had always opposed him and only narrowly escaped each time thanks to his teacher...
Seeing Lelouch in such a pitiful state, Mahiro ultimately said nothing more. He merely sighed softly and changed the subject.
"Fine, I can't be bothered to lecture you further. But let me ask you, Lelouch, are you really planning to blow up Mount Narita and use the landslide to deal with the Britannian army? You need to know, once you take this step, there's no turning back."
"Don't ever regret it later."
Mahiro's words snapped Lelouch out of his shock. But when he heard phrases like "no turning back" and "regret," he couldn't help but laugh self-mockingly.
"I understand what kind of impact causing a landslide would bring. I've long been mentally prepared for everything."
"Moreover, I've already passed the point of no return."
Ever since the moment he killed Clovis, Lelouch knew that no matter what, he had to walk this dark path to the end.
Even if he knew there was a bottomless abyss ahead, Lelouch would step into it without hesitation.
Because only through this could he, and only then would he be qualified to, wield the blade of revenge against that man and uncover the truth behind his mother's death back then!
"I hope so."
Know heaven's will, fulfill human efforts.
He had already done everything that should be done and everything that could be done. The rest was all Lelouch's choice.
Thinking of this, Mahiro had already turned his head to look toward the foot of Mount Narita, where a small city stood.
Zeta had already followed his orders and stolen the research materials related to Geass, and the people from the research institute had begun to panic and retreat due to Zeta's intrusion.
As for this time, whether Shirley's father, as a member of the research institute, would still be killed by Lelouch's explosion would entirely depend on fate.
However, making some use of the Geass researchers might not be a bad choice either...