A single ripple came running across the surface of Lake Kawaguchi, which spread out behind the kaiju. He thought it was a surviving ichthyoid kaiju, but that wasn’t what it was. A motorboat was racing across the lake. A human form shouldering an enormous case made a tremendous leap. Emerging from the volcanic fumes and leaping toward them was none other than Hoshina.
Hoshina bounded up onto the kaiju’s body and quickly climbed all the way to the head.
That’s unexpected, he thought. Who would’ve guessed one this big would be hiding here?
The light emitting from the kaiju’s eyeballs gave the whole area a weird blue glow.
“Oh no, you don’t. Hoshina-Style Sword-Slay Technique Number Six!”
Hoshina, having climbed far up, leapt into the air right above the kaiju. He swung his katana at its eyeballs. “Eightfold Slasher!” The kaiju’s head split, and blood poured like a fountain from it.
A scream rang out that made the very air vibrate. Upon receiving Hoshina’s attack, the kaiju’s shock wave was fired off into the air.
“And I hit it hard enough to send its head flying! That’s a giant kaiju for you,” Hoshina said in celebration. Next, he landed on the ground and picked out Kikoru’s form amid the volcanic fumes. Even faced with the kaiju’s attack, she had reflexively raised her shield and continued fighting on the front line.
“You were right where we needed you, Shinomiya.”
“Vice-Captain Hoshina! What’s that on your back—?”
Kikoru had her gun poised for shooting, but her eyes opened wide.
“This just arrived from Izumo Tech. Sheesh, this thing is heavy!” Hoshina said. “You can’t really call this an unveiling since folks can’t see their hands in front of their faces in all this dust, but still, go have a little fun.”
Kikoru took the case from Hoshina and opened it. Concealed within was her custom weapon: the pitch-black axe, Axe-0112.
“All hands, get back into formation,” Hoshina commanded. “Make sure you’re far enough back, take aim at the kaiju’s head, and open fire. Stay alert for its high-energy attacks, and lure Mr. Wormyface here over to the park on the east side of Zone D! Shinomiya and I will create a pitfall by its feet.”
“Yes, sir!” cried the officers.
Hoshina and Kikoru leapt into the air simultaneously. Kikoru poised the axe and squeezed the trigger. An enormous shock wave erupted from the weapon and cut into the kaiju.
She’s mastered that thing in no time. Okay, guess it’s my turn, Hoshina thought. He unsheathed his katana and began cutting into the kaiju’s suction cups. With its footing now destroyed, the kaiju’s movements were clearly getting dull.
Next, explosions went off on the kaiju’s head. The other officers had already gotten back into formation.
Instructions from Hoshina arrived in Kafka’s ears.
We’re luring the kaiju to the park!
Visibility was exceedingly bad due to all the dust in the air, and Kafka couldn’t see all the way to the destination point. By checking his map, though, he could see that he was almost four hundred meters away from the point they were leading the kaiju to. The creature’s body squirmed, as if writhing in torment. Affected by the cut to its head from Hoshina, it seemed to have lost all sense of direction.
How are we supposed to make it move four hundred meters in these conditions? Kafka wondered. No, hold on a sec. I once dismantled an ichthyoid kaiju in Bunkyo Ward that had been estivating. Let’s see, that time was with Iida Dismantling! That’s right!
Kafka took out one of the stun grenades he was outfitted with. He released his combat power and threw the grenade with all his strength. It was a scant 1 percent of the suit’s potential, but 1 percent was still better than nothing. The stun grenade soared high into the air and unleashed a flash of light and a roaring sound. The kaiju’s blue eyes turned toward it.
I thought so!
Kafka hurriedly connected to his operator. “This is Hibino! I once disposed of a kaiju from the same family as this one. That kaiju exhibited positive phototaxis. Most likely this one has the same characteristic!”
Positive phototaxis meant that the creature would move in the direction of bright lights. The ichthyoid kaiju that Kafka had processed in the past had first emerged in Bunkyo Ward in the middle of the night. It had been attracted to the lights at an amusement park.
“I’ve confirmed a prior example. As you suggest, kaiju of this family do exhibit positive phototaxis! I’ll relay this to all personnel. It’s possible it can be guided using stun grenades!”
“Roger!” Kafka shouted.
One after another, stun grenades were thrown in the direction of the park. The kaiju responded to the intense light and sound. Although its head started glowing several times along the way, its shock wave attacks did not go off.
When the kaiju had moved all of four hundred meters, Hoshina’s order rang out.
“It’s time now. Everyone, get clear!”
The officers put distance between themselves and the kaiju. Kafka spotted Reno among them. Kikoru also came leaping from where the kaiju’s feet were.
“Sir! Are you all right?” Reno asked Kafka.
“Ichikawa! You’re okay too, are you?”
“I heard the transmission,” said Reno. “About the stun grenades. I guess you get the credit for that one.”
“Kikoru? What’s that huge case on your back?” Kafka asked.
“This? Well, I suppose we’ll have an unveiling ceremony later,” Kikoru replied in a voice that sounded both dissatisfied and pleased at the same time. “The design didn’t suit me all that well, you know.”
“Ichikawa, what’s going on right now?” asked Kafka. “I’m not picking up transmissions very well, and I need to hear what Vice-Captain Hoshina’s plan is. Why did we lead the kaiju to the park?”
“He said if we can get him there, the captain will take care of the rest.”
“The captain?” Kafka said in a panicky voice. “Mina will? It can’t be—”
A transmission from Hoshina rang out. “Good work, everyone. Be careful of stray bullets.”
Moments later, one section of the kaiju’s body was completely obliterated. Chunks of airborne flesh went flying as far as the mountains behind them.
Kafka looked toward the middle of Lake Kawaguchi, where the shot had come from. Located there was a tiny uninhabited island known as Unoshima. A long rift appeared in the leaden rain clouds that covered the sky, and a single ray of light was illuminating Unoshima. Ashiro was standing there, on that island. The enormous barrel of her cannon reflected that light, glinting in the sun.
Kafka wanted to cry out, “Mina!”
When extended, the line of fire connecting Unoshima and the park went straight to the mountains, so even if Ashiro’s killing shot had missed, there would have been little damage to the town. Even if the chunks of kaiju flesh scattered, the damage to civilian homes would be minimal. After carefully considering everything, she had instructed them to bring the kaiju here.
That’s the kaiju-neutralization pros for you, Kafka thought proudly. Japan Defense Force Third Division!
Ashiro fired a second shot. It blew a hole right through the kaiju’s thick body, and the shell made it all the way to the mountains in the distance. The power of the attack was even greater than what she’d unleashed a little while ago against the ichthyoid kaiju in the lake. Kafka belatedly realized that Ashiro had been holding her full power in reserve.
She’s so far away—
Once upon a time, Kafka and Mina had made a vow to fight side by side. She had joined the Defense Force and risen to the rank of division captain. Kafka, on the other hand, had only just recently gotten his promotion to general officer.
But still, even so—
Kafka clenched his fist. Ashiro loaded a third round and fired.
I am catching up. Just wait and see, Mina.
Without straying from the target, the shell scored a direct hit on the kaiju’s head, blowing it completely off.
“Honju’s vital responses, vanished!”
Having lost its head, the strength ebbed out of the kaiju’s body. It was about to fall over in the direction of the park. Everything had gone according to plan.
Among the officers, expressions of relief at last began spreading from face to face. But then, in stark contrast, the operator cried out in a grave tone of voice, “V-vital response detected! Very faint. It’s not from any of the officers! It’s a civilian! There’s a civilian who didn’t get out in time!”
“What’s that?” Hoshina said, sounding surprised. “How is that possible? Evac for this sector was finished! This is bad. At this rate, we won’t be able to reach them in time!”
The kaiju slowly slumped over toward the ground. Amid the dust, a tiny human figure was clearly perceptible. By the time he realized it, Kafka was already running.
“Ah! Mr. Hibino! Sir!”
Heedless of Reno trying to stop him, Kafka went straight into the middle of the volcanic smoke.