Time flew by like a shuttle. The moment of the decisive battle quickly arrived.
On the high stone columns of the Homeland Flame Memorial, many high-powered lamps were installed. Their purpose was to locate the position of the approaching Gastrea army, facilitating the arrangement of forces and the identification of Aldebaran's location.
"That's right. The outcome of this battle depends on whether we can detect the enemy early. And a clear view during a night battle is crucial."
Miori looked at her work with pride.
"Now we just need to wait for the batteries to arrive."
Because there was no power transmission line here, large-sized batteries had to be used as a power source to operate the lamps.
However, the sky grew darker and darker, but there was still no sign of the batteries.
When Rentaro contacted them to ask about the situation, he received bad news.
Seitenshi informed him that the convoy carrying the batteries had been bombed. The batteries were completely destroyed. The perpetrators could not yet be investigated.
New batteries were currently being prepared, but given the time, it was already too late.
Nevertheless, the operation could not be withdrawn. Rentaro could only proceed to position the troops as planned.
However, more bad news struck, this time from the Silver King's Territory.
The Territory had been bombed, the perimeter wall had collapsed, and riots had erupted. Protesters and extremists had begun to pour inside. What they were doing inside was anyone's guess.
Luke was furious, almost frantic with rage. The Territory was his home, and now a mob was destroying his home, and could potentially harm his family members. Furthermore, the Territory was currently in its weakest state because he had withdrawn so many forces from it.
Luke desperately wanted to return immediately to suppress the situation. But the operation was about to begin, and he couldn't break away. Besides, the distance between the two locations was too far.
Rentaro was also distraught, able only to ask Seitenshi for help to dispatch people to suppress the riot. He didn't want the Territory to suffer any disaster.
Both men's hearts were burning, but they could only conceal their anxiety. Because the Gastrea legion was drawing very near.
"This certainly won't end well."
Both Rentaro and Luke were enraged. Bombing the battery convoy, bombing the Silver King's Territory. It would be devilish to say that no one's evil hand was involved in these two incidents.
However, the news about the lack of batteries could not be concealed.
"Estimated ten minutes until the Gastrea land."
"Why haven't the batteries arrived? How are we supposed to fight in this darkness?"
"If they haven't arrived by now, then they probably won't come."
"Commander-in-Chief, what do we do now?"
Rentaro felt extreme pressure weighing down on his shoulders, but he could only grit his teeth and continue to organize the formation.
"Five minutes left until the Gastrea land!"
Tina's voice came through the earpiece. Due to the lack of light, radar observation might not be accurate, so they could only rely on the little girl with owl genes to act as a scout.
Just at this moment.
From the edge of the horizon, small points of light appeared.
Initially, Rentaro and the others didn't pay attention, but as the number of lights grew denser and closer, and flew in their direction, Rentaro was surprised to realize that these small lights were paper lanterns.
"Genan Festival? Wait, this isn't the time for that, is it?"
Looking at the sea of paper lanterns floating in the sky, some were doubtful and confused, but others immediately recognized the opportunity.
These small paper lanterns were illuminating the entire abandoned urban area, which was about to become the battlefield!
While everyone was excited, Rentaro received a call from Seitenshi.
"Satomi, it's me."
"Lady Seitenshi?"
At the Holy Residence, the citizens sheltering there were continuously lighting lanterns. Some were scared, some were worried, but all of them were attentive, lighting up small flames and joining the small lanterns into the sea of paper lanterns. Just so that the brave soldiers out there could have a little light.
"Satomi, each of these lanterns carries the hope of a Tokyo citizen. Everyone is praying to live and wishing for a better future."
"Go forward, don't give up. Always hold onto the belief in victory!"
"Certainly, Lady Seitenshi."
Rentaro hung up, his heart still unsettled.
Up until now, Rentaro had always witnessed the dark side of Tokyo's residents. The incident of the Silver King's Territory being bombed further pushed his emotions to the extreme.
But, just as a person has two sides, good and bad. There are still Tokyo citizens who hope for something good.
"At least there is still hope, isn't there?"
Rentaro smiled.
His earpiece was still connected to all the troops, so his conversation with Seitenshi was heard word-for-word by everyone.
"Did everyone hear that clearly? Do I need to repeat the goal of this operation?"
"No sir!!"
"In that case... All forces, advance!!!"
Rentaro roared, followed by the humanity's army charging forward with surging momentum.
The battle began!
Immediately, the sounds of explosions and gunfire rang out everywhere. Occasionally, artillery shells boomed, sweeping away a swath of Gastrea in the rear.
The Gastrea charging forward were already clashing with the close-combat teams.
The entire team was intensely fighting, but Rentaro avoided combat. He connected directly with Miori, following her command to move, twisting his way deep into the battlefield alone.
His mission was Aldebaran; he couldn't waste time on other things.
"Satomi! A giant Gastrea is rushing towards you!"
Hearing Miori's warning, Rentaro, who was running at full speed, suddenly changed direction. Immediately, a Gastrea resembling an earthworm pierced through a wall and lunged towards him. But before Rentaro could deal with it, Kisara rushed forward, slicing the worm's body in half with a sword. Right after, Enju descended from the sky, crushing its head with her foot.
"Go! Satomi!"
"Rentaro!"
Hearing Kisara and Enju speak in unison, Rentaro nodded, sprinting away quickly, while the two continued to clear the battlefield.
Along the way, whenever a Gastrea blocked his path, members of the Civil Security would rush out to help block it. Some were people he knew, others he didn't. But despite their differences, everyone said the same thing to him.
"Go!"
Rentaro felt as if he was being given extra strength. He ran, and ran, until he encountered Aldebaran's form.
All the surrounding Gastrea guards had been drawn away, leaving it alone. This was truly the best opportunity.
Rentaro rushed forward, dodging the whipping tentacles of Aldebaran. This creature seemed to recognize the little ant who had dared to injure it last time, and its attack intensity was absolutely frantic. But for a Rentaro who had activated his Justice Eye, Aldebaran's attacks were as slow as a snail crawling.
He leaped into the air, aiming precisely at the center point of Aldebaran's body. The Justice Eye instantly intensified to its extreme limit of 1/2000th of a second, allowing Rentaro to adjust his full-body strength to its absolute best. All his force converged into a single point.
Boom!!! Crack!
Aldebaran's tough outer shell was punctured by a large hole, creating a deep pit down to the flesh inside. Rentaro didn't worry about being clean and leaped inside, gently placing the small bomb amidst the foul-smelling mass of flesh. Then, he jumped out before Aldebaran could regenerate.
"The EP Bomb has been successfully planted!"
"Miori, please activate it and evacuate the members around here."
"Alright, you have one minute before the bomb explodes."
"Thank you for your hard work, Satomi."
Rentaro calculated his position for a moment, then dropped down behind a pile of rubble. This position was safe enough, and since only five seconds remained until the bomb exploded, he had no other choice.
"Five..."
"Four..."
"Three..."
"Two..."
"One..."
"Zero!"
Rentaro finished counting, but there was no earth-shattering explosion.
A sense of foreboding appeared in his heart. Rentaro quickly contacted Miori, only to hear her panicked voice.
"No... it's impossible! Could its body be blocking the electromagnetic waves?"
"Miori? It didn't explode?"
"I'm sorry, Satomi... I will find a way quickly..."
"It's too late."
Rentaro said absentmindedly, but Miori's heart was racing non-stop.
"Don't be rash!"
"Miori, every minute, every second that passes, people are getting hurt, people are making sacrifices..."
His body was already moving.
"There is still one way to activate the bomb."
He was running very fast.
"If a strong enough impulse can be created, the bomb will detonate."
Aldebaran was getting closer and closer.
"Miori, please send a message to Enju and Kisara..."
"Meeting them, I... was very happy..."
"No! Satomi..."
Crack!
The earpiece was crushed, and Rentaro leaped onto Aldebaran's back once again.
His muscles tensed once more. Rentaro smiled, slamming his fist down heavily.
The bomb was struck by the impulse, and the countdown returned to zero.
The entire sky suddenly turned white.
In the final second, with his vision slowed down by the Justice Eye, Rentaro could see the colossal energy about to crush his body.
"At least..."
Rentaro smiled. To die so heroically...
Suddenly, a magnificent silhouette appeared before him. At a speed that even the Justice Eye could not keep up with.
But before Rentaro could see clearly, his entire field of vision turned white.
He didn't know how much time had passed.
Rentaro's eyelids trembled.
When they opened, the first person to appear before his eyes was Enju.
"Rentaro!"
Enju was overjoyed, throwing herself into Rentaro's arms. But he was still bewildered, not understanding what had happened.
He should have died, shouldn't he?
The energy emitted by the bomb at that time was fundamentally not something his body could withstand. Forget leaving a corpse; even dust shouldn't have remained.
But here he was, his body still intact. This situation made Rentaro feel a bit unreal, like an illusion.
But feeling Enju warm in his arms, Rentaro willingly wanted to sink into this illusion forever.
"Enju, was I... rescued?"
Rentaro inquired, and unexpectedly, Enju answered immediately.
"Yes! Lord Silver King saved you!"
Enju recounted how when she arrived, Aldebaran's body had completely vanished, leaving behind only a gigantic crater. And in the center of that crater, the Silver King was holding Rentaro in his arms.
"Then he handed you over to me. He cleaned up the rest of the Gastrea and took the people from the Territory back."
Hearing Enju's account, Rentaro sighed in relief. It was only when he remembered the incident of the Territory being bombed that his heart couldn't help but race.
How will this matter finally be resolved?
Rentaro secretly felt uneasy. But with Enju here, and having just gone through a great battle, he truly didn't need any more stimulation.
He rubbed the little girl's head, raising his head to look at the rising sunrise, along with the people cleaning up the battlefield.
The Third Great Kanto War has ended!