Chapter 9

Chapter 3 Because the Sky Is There 1 Natalie had the utmost confidence that she was one of the chosen. “” Changing into her flight suit in the locker room, she quickly pulled back her red curls. The sirens were still wailing all through the base, and she could hear the frantic rush going on around her. She took a deep breath while touching her hair to clear her mind. It was a routine she had developed for herself to maintain her mental balance. If she couldn’t think clearly at critical moments, then she had no hope of reaching her full potential. The person she modeled herself after was someone known for always having calm and collected tactical judgment, and Natalie did her best to live up to that ideal. Her routine was just one of the tools she had personally developed as part of that effort. “Get my Deus ex Machina!” Running into the hangar, she leaped into her plane, which the maintenance crew had already readied. Her beloved machine, which had seen her through dangerous skies just last night. Its beautiful silver fuselage evoked the image of a shooting star. She had been completely enraptured by its beauty when she first received it from Odin. Fortunately, it was in peak condition. The chief technician had personally finished tightening the last bolt as the engine roared in exultation, as if it were raring to fly and do battle again. “If so, I’m certainly of the same opinion.” It was a joy to be able to fight for her homeland. She had been born and raised there, and she fully intended to grow old there, too. She would fulfill the duty that came with being chosen by God and grasp that future with her own two hands. “Valkyrie Natalie Chase, taking off.” Natalie’s Deus ex Machina raced down the runway and leaped into the air. The planes of her flight followed her into the sky one after the other. Other pilots were already in the sky, exchanging fire with the pillars—fighter jets flown by regular human pilots instead of Valkyries. Their goal was not to shoot down pillars so much as disrupt and delay their advance. In other words, they were running interference for the Valkyries. And thanks to their hard fighting, the initial attack of Natalie’s flight made it in time. “” From her cockpit, she could see a swarm of pillars spreading out into formation as the sun set in the distance. The enemy was the same type as they had fought the day before, called fireflies for their similarity in appearance to the small insects. The pillars took many different forms, but all the ones that resembled insects shared a similar sturdy exoskeleton. That carapace could even withstand the attacks of Valkyries, so taking them down required careful aim at joints and gaps, which made them particularly dangerous enemies. “But there is no need to fear as long as we know the type we are dealing with.” The most dangerous thing about fighting pillars was how they could change their form and fighting style from battle to battle. Consecutive days of action put a massive amount of strain on the European front, but if the enemy didn’t have enough time to tweak their designs, then that meant both sides were operating without as much preparation as they would have liked. There were a lot of enemies in the air, but that was all. “This is Waltz 1. Waltz 2 and 3, take the right. Waltz 4, with me on the left. Scatter the enemy.” “—Roger!” “…Do you copy, Waltz 4? Waltz 4…Alma!” “I heard you.” As she pressed her one unresponsive flightmate, the familiar unconcerned response finally came back over the line. You could at least respond when I’m talking to you! Irritation swelled in Natalie’s chest. Orders and rank were absolute in the army. At the same time, it was still necessary to take ability into account. Natalie calmed herself, reminding herself not to get too high-handed just because of her formal rank. “Even if you hate me, I am the flight leader, Alma. Please follow orders. Actions that disrupt the flight’s ability to coordinate are unacceptable.” “Who said I hate you?” That response was unexpected, and for a second, Natalie was at a loss for what she should say. Taking advantage of that opening, Alma continued. “Also, there’s something inside the pillar—inside that light.” “Huh?” Eyes widening, Natalie looked to the edge of the battlefield—to the pillar of light visible a few kilometers away to the east of the city. As the name indicated, the unknown enemies appeared whenever a pillar of light manifested. In most cases, the pillar of light would suddenly erupt from the ground, and countless pillars would swarm out from inside it as it remained inactive throughout the course of the battle. The pillar of light itself wasn’t affected by physical attacks. It couldn’t be blown away even by the most powerful explosives the army could bring to bear. The pillar of light would stand inviolable for the duration of the battle, and after a set amount of time passed and the pillars had undergone annihilation from lack of energy, the tower would disappear as well. Because of that, in most cases, soldiers tended to not pay any attention at all to the pillar of light once a battle started, since the structure itself didn’t attack. And Natalie had been no exception. And so— “—Ah.” —when she looked closely to check what Alma had pointed out, she gasped hoarsely. Surely countless other troops on the front were staring wide-eyed at the same scene. The sight burned itself into the consciousness of everyone there. “” A giant shadow gradually appeared from the sinister pillar of light towering over the surrounding area. It was a creature with a green shell that had an almost metallic luster. Its arms had multiple joints and ended in sharp scythes—five of them on either side of its body. It had red compound eyes and emotionless features. Natalie shuddered in dread, not because she had lost heart but because of how impossibly large and overwhelming the creature’s presence was. “That’s…” Hearing the quiver in her voice, she inhaled as she took in the enemy’s full appearance. It resembled a praying mantis. Of course, that was only true on a superficial level. No praying mantis had ten arms, and the enemy’s size was incomparable to any insect. It was gargantuan. Far too massive. It was easily fifty meters tall and could stroll past the wall built to protect the city without any difficulty at all. And that enormous enemy’s presence meant something terrifying. “—A secondary pillar.” Desperation crept into her voice. The pillars that Natalie and the other Valkyries usually fought were small entities called tertiary pillars. Their sizes varied somewhat, but by and large, they were around the size of an aircraft, and while conventional weaponry didn’t work on them, they couldn’t even begin to compete with a modern jet in maneuverability. What made tertiary pillars a threat was their numbers and the fact that most of humanity’s arsenal had no effect on them. But with the rise of third-generation Valkyries, they had become an enemy that could be fought and beaten. The course of the war had begun to turn, and humanity had finally won itself a small bit of hard-fought hope. But that hope and humanity’s greatest wings had been crushed by a secondary pillar. It was the loathsome enemy that had sheared humanity’s wings. Boasting an offensive and defensive capability a whole order of magnitude greater than a tertiary pillar, it was an overwhelming menace that left utter destruction in its wake. There was only a single record of a secondary pillar ever being defeated—when the First Valkyrie had fought like she was possessed and managed to take one down at the cost of her own life. It was the foe of all Valkyries, an incomparably powerful enemy that had been beaten only once before. This was how the battle that would go down in history as the Defense of Hamburg began. 2 Everyone in the command post was at a loss for words as they registered the overwhelming presence appearing on their monitors. “” The big main monitor at the center of the room displayed the field to the east of the city, where the pillar of light had appeared, as well as the enormous monster that was slowly emerging from it—the secondary pillar. Instinctive survival alarms rang in the back of their heads as the sinister and imposing mantis-like design and ominous compound eyes glared down at humanity’s domain. Pillars came in a multitude of forms, but every one of them mimicked a life-form on earth. It almost seemed like a sick joke. Or perhaps the invaders were boasting that all life on earth belonged to them. “The enemy is deploying tertiary pillars! This is…” One of the signal officers gulped as he saw the points of light scattering across the screen. Those pinpricks spread until the whole display was a solid red. The swarm of tertiary pillars that was deploying around the secondary pillar was more than double the throng they had seen last night, and they were surrounding the city in a show of force. The enemy was sending in a secondary pillar right where the effects of consecutive battles would be most felt. It was an all-out offensive to cut off any hope of retreat. It was a simple but effective brute-force push. Wait, is this really just brute force? Is this actually a strategic deployment? “” If the thought that crossed the minds of the officers in the command post was true, then that would be horrific. Until that point, the enemy had shown no indication of any kind of rationality or strategic consideration in its actions. That was the only reason humanity had managed to barely hold on despite their weak position and fight back using tactics and strategy. But if that stopped being the case, if the pillars began to manage even a clumsy form of strategic coordination, how would humanity be able to respond? Even at the best of times, a secondary pillar’s appearance was enough to rock the entire army. If the enemy also started maneuvering on an operational level… Hamburg base was the lifeline of the European front and a position humanity had to hold no matter what— “—Keep your heads about you!” Just then, a stern shout rang out, shattering the panic that was filling the air. It was the base commander, standing in the center of the command post. He had probably come running at full speed when he heard the alarm. But there was no unease detectable in his voice or expression as he looked around the room at all the faces of the command staff. “Do not falter. If we waver here, the whole army will follow.” “” That alone was enough to change the mood. No matter how hopeless the situation might seem, a commanding officer always needed to remain calm. And that applied to the radio operators, who would have to convey the general’s orders to the rest of the fighting troops. “It’s hard to exaggerate how much the voice of a beauty boosts morale in the field. Plus, if an operator sounds pessimistic, then it makes sense that can spread to everyone listening, right?” The words of the commander of the infantry company who had plugged the gap during last night’s battle with his and his men’s lives crossed her mind. Michelle had not been their operator, but she had heard the exchange while listening as backup for a new operator. She had found it a horrifically cruel and deeply moving confession. And when she thought about how that new operator must have felt when she heard it, how much it must have hurt… For a second, she glanced at the empty seat, but she quickly abandoned all unnecessary thoughts. If the general was going to set aside his feelings to perform his duty, then there was no excuse for her to do differently. Michelle snuffed out her emotions and resolved to fulfill her role with an icy calm in order to make sure that the confusion and unease in the command post didn’t worm its way to the brave soldiers on the front lines. So that it would not reach the Valkyries flying through such harrowing skies. “—2nd Squadron, 71st Squadron, Valkyrie flight—you are cleared weapons hot!” There was no trace of fear or panic in Michelle’s voice as she announced the opening of the battle. 3 The bullets of light grazed her wings as she executed a sharp barrel roll to evade. She was engaged in a close-range dogfight, just barely dodging the enemy’s attacks. Natalie would be lying if she said she didn’t prefer that sort of combat, but it wasn’t because she got any particular thrill out of it. It was because the more attention she drew to herself, the less danger her comrades would have to face. “And at such short range, stray rounds aren’t quite as concerning.” By drawing the enemies toward her, she could guide their attacks upward into the sky above. As the shots missed her Deus ex Machina, they disappeared off into the distance, swallowed by the setting sun. Then she repeated the same maneuver on a dozen or so pillars, weaving through the gaps in their formation. Her guns growled as shock waves rippled through the air, and three tertiaries dissolved into light particles and disappeared. Catching that out of the corner of her eye, Natalie continued without letting up, charging into the salvo of light rounds fired at her and acting as a decoy by flying straight through the enemy’s formation. The pillars’ mysterious glowing projectiles were still not fully understood, but it was at least known that they were high-density masses of energy. If one hit, it would wreak havoc just like any shell or bullet. Because of that, stray rounds naturally became a concern. Even if Natalie dodged a spray of fire, it would still do real damage if the shots hit the ground. As a Valkyrie, she carried the hopes of all humanity on her shoulders. What was demanded of her was to perfectly carry out her role. In other words, she had to pitch a perfect game. And to that end— “—That’s it! Nice and bunched, just like that!” After she executed a sharp 180-degree turn and threaded the needle, the enemies turned their focus to her. Following her through her quick turn, the cluster of tertiaries all accelerated. It was like a scene from a nightmare as their eerie, emotionless compound eyes all focused on Natalie, and they gave chase with a speed matching a fighter plane. But if that was a nightmare, then humanity had been experiencing that nightmare for a long time already. And the reason Natalie and the other Valkyries were fighting was so they could put an end to that nightmare. “—Gh.” She clenched her jaw so tightly a little trickle of blood ran down the corner of her mouth. It wasn’t very elegant. She clutched at the control stick of her plane as she ascended in a spiral at blistering speed. The fuselage creaked under the strain, and she could feel herself being crushed against the seat she was strapped into. Gritting her teeth through the pain, Natalie’s amber eyes glimpsed the moon. And then— “Alma!” “You don’t have to shout.” A black point appeared in the middle of the full moon. In the blink of an eye, Natalie swerved away and rapidly decelerated, snapping to the side. And the tertiaries that had been chasing her couldn’t match the extreme maneuver. Even if they were unnatural creatures, they weren’t capable of breaking the laws of physics. Then a black death came swooping down on those dozen pillars. What did they think of the steadily approaching darkness? It was a question that could never be answered, since it was not even clear that pillars were conscious in the first place. But either way, the result was simple. There was an enormous explosion, almost like the sun had somehow risen again, followed by the expansion of a big black cloud. The explosion thundered in the air, sounding almost like the end of the world had come as the fireball kept expanding and consumed the formation of pillars, catching a couple more on the edges of the blast, annihilating all of them. “Every time I see it, it’s still such an absurd amount of firepower…” Natalie’s lips twisted in a mixture of awe and exasperation. All Deus ex Machinas were based off propeller planes from the two World Wars. The peculiar choice was supposedly connected to the weight of history and humanity’s faith in these machines, but the details had never really been made clear. Either way, each Valkyrie was given a different set of wings based on those relics of another age. For example, Natalie’s took the form of a Spitfire. In terms of actual combat performance, it was incomparable, but it was an exact copy in every other respect. If nothing else, old propeller planes were certainly better than some unknown technology that no one knew how to repair or maintain. Because of that, the European Army and all of humanity had simply accepted it at face value. According to Odin, each Deus ex Machina reflected the abilities and skills of the chosen Valkyrie. Even though Valkyries usually flew in flights of four, their planes were often all different makes and models. But because of that, they were able to pull off unusual tactics, like what Natalie and Alma had done. Natalie’s Spitfire flew at high speeds, disrupting the enemy formation and nimbly shooting down her targets while dancing through the air. Meanwhile, Alma’s Lancaster, a sluggish, heavy bomber, wielded the sort of overwhelming firepower capable of utterly annihilating the enemy. These two planes were the core of the flight that Natalie commanded. Naturally, they were not the only Valkyries in the flight. To make full use of their capabilities, they needed help from their wingmates to manage the battlefield. They also needed to work together with the non-Valkyrie air units, which fought desperately to buy them time and to make sure that the pillars’ attacks did not reach any innocent civilians or their homes. The Valkyries would use that precious time to exterminate the enemy. “Well done. Let’s prepare for the next group.” “Don’t get cocky. Also…” “What?” “I don’t like that it’s not moving.” Even with her vague comment, there was no mistaking what Alma meant. Far in the distance, the secondary pillar was simply standing there next to the ominous pillar of light. It wasn’t just lethargic; it hadn’t moved at all since it first appeared. “—What is it thinking?” It was a question Natalie had thought dozens of times before when dealing with pillars. Just what were the pillars thinking? But while that question had a broad range of philosophical interpretations, she meant it in a much narrower sense this time. She was wondering why the secondary pillar was just standing by and watching ominously. “” Looking at the battlefield, the European Army currently held the upper hand. Naturally, Natalie’s flight was putting up a good fight, but even the regular pilots, which had no means of dealing damage to the enemy, were managing to hold the line well. She was starting to think that maybe they had gotten more skilled after persevering through the battle last night, but she quickly realized that was far too arrogant and presumptuous of her. The ground forces were performing well, and from the reports, it sounded like the evacuation was proceeding apace. Everything was going smoothly, and the surprise battle was going in their favor. But all of that was overshadowed by the uncanny presence of that secondary pillar. It almost felt like it was depriving them of all good fortune with its mere presence. That was a testament to just how menacing it was. “If we could at least get permission to engage it…” Natalie could feel a dryness in her mouth as she murmured this. At present, the general’s orders regarding the secondary pillar were to wait and see. It wasn’t moving or making any attempt to attack. And since conventional weapons didn’t work on it, the only ones who could engage it were Natalie’s Valkyries. But put another way, that also meant no one other than her flight could provoke it. Because of that, they had been forbidden from making any attack runs on the secondary and were supposed to prioritize eliminating the tertiaries instead to whittle down the enemy’s fighting power. And that was the correct decision. The tertiaries actively engaged in combat were clearly causing more casualties and more damage to civilian areas than the unmoving secondary. Natalie didn’t hesitate to follow those orders and focus on eliminating the tertiaries because she understood the sound reasoning behind them. But— “—I have a bad feeling about this.” “Agreed.” For once, Alma agreed with her. She could hear the uneasy voices of the other two members of her flight through the radio as well. This wasn’t the sound of the side currently winning the battle. Maybe it was just an unease that only Valkyries could pick up on. If so, then did that mean they were the only ones who could feel this sense of impending doom? “But—” She rushed another group of enemies, machine guns roaring as she gracefully wove through a gap in the cloud cover. As she did so, she turned her thoughts to the command post in the rear for a moment, almost as if praying. If only Valkyries can sense it, then I’m sure… 4 The secondary pillar that had appeared immediately after they engaged the enemy had still not moved. “” Ever since blowing their minds with its sudden, dramatic appearance on the battlefield, it had not made any notable movements. The tertiary pillars had of course been active like normal, and the Valkyrie flight had performed splendidly in driving them back. But the secondary’s eerie silence presented a major threat for the course of the battle. “What is it thinking…?” The general held his hand to his mouth, murmuring so that no one could hear him as he pondered the situation. The Valkyries and the rest of the ground and air assets were doing outstanding work, and the European forces had an overwhelming advantage at the moment. But no one out there fighting believed it would end so simply, and the general felt those same doubts more strongly than anyone else. “Gh.” Gritting his teeth, he struggled between two choices. Judging from the current situation, it had been correct to forbid attacking the secondary. Because it had remained inactive, they had been able to deal with the tertiaries and limit casualties to the greatest extent possible. But it was also true that they couldn’t afford to leave the secondary there indefinitely. Defeating the secondary was not the goal of their current operation. From that perspective, it would be logical to just focus on defense and wait until the enemy’s time ran out. While the path of least resistance was not the same as prudence, mistaking reckless valor for bravery would also needlessly invite misfortune. But even so— “Commence attack on the secondary pillar.” “” A silent tremor ran through the command post as the general made his decision. Everyone paused their work for a moment, and a silence that was unimaginable in the middle of a frantic battle filled the room. As his subordinates turned their gazes to him, the general nodded gravely. “You heard me. Direct all forces to begin attacking the secondary pillar.” Several people gulped as he handed down his order. Naturally, they understood that continuing to buy time and wait for the enemy to reach their activity limit was the path of least resistance. And they understood that the general had surely considered every aspect of that safe choice for several minutes. Because of that, there were no objections. And after an incredibly brief delay, they immediately prepared to give the attack order. “” Having made such a crucial decision, the general massaged his forehead and exhaled. Hamburg base was a crucial cornerstone for the European front, a foundational part of humanity’s resistance. As a man who had been entrusted with the management of such a crucial base, he was often tormented by the question of whether he had made the correct decision. But the die was cast. All that remained was to push onward and find out if the right number came up. “Valkyrie flight, your priority target is now the secondary pillar.” An operator contacted the Valkyries, passing along the new order to make a run at the secondary. They were likely the ones most put off by the creature on this battlefield. The general couldn’t say whether they would be glad or object to the new order. Soldiers wouldn’t disobey orders, but they were different. And he had no choice but to rely on those girls, who did not even know why he had given the order he did— “—Ah.” Suddenly, the general noticed someone gasping. He glanced in the direction of the sound, his eyes narrowing. It had come from the analyst tasked with tracking the secondary pillar. The analyst was watching the monitor as his eyes widened. “General, movement from the…” He had surely been about to say secondary pillar, but he never got to finish his report. The next instant, a massive impact rocked the command post, ripping the heart out of the army. 5 “Wha…? Gh!” A plume of black smoke rose from Hamburg base in the rear as Natalie’s throat clenched. Her first thought was to wonder what had happened, but she immediately realized it was actually exceedingly simple. The command post had been struck by the enemy. The one place that must never be allowed to come under attack had suffered a grievous blow. But the way it had happened made no sense. The tertiaries were being pushed back by Natalie and her flight. There was no way even a stray round could have reached the command post, never mind an intentional attack. What had hit the command post was one of the secondary pillars’ giant scythes. “” Natalie’s thoughts froze as she considered the incomprehensible. Ever since it had appeared, the towering giant had done nothing but stand next to the pillar of light. But it had taken decisive action the instant she received an order to attack it. It still hadn’t left its starting position. It had merely raised one of its arms and swung. Nothing more. And yet somehow, the scythe had crossed an impossible distance and connected with the command post. It was too absurd to even imagine. “Natalie.” Alma’s voice pulled her back to reality. Even in their current situation, her voice was as neutral as ever, which helped Natalie remember to breathe again. “Panic is spreading, and command got hit. What should we do?” “What…?” “You’re the flight leader, Natalie.” Natalie caught her breath, the true weight of that position finally crashing down on her. They couldn’t get in contact with command, and there was little hope of getting new orders for the foreseeable future. For a moment, she worried about the safety of the people in the command post, but she quickly shook her head. She couldn’t afford to worry about anything else in her current situation. In the absence of standing orders, officers in the field were supposed to assume command. In other words, Natalie’s judgment took precedence. “—Commence the assault on the secondary pillar. We cannot allow it to circumvent us and cause any further damage.” “Roger.” Alma immediately acknowledged Natalie’s directions, even though she usually never seemed to be listening. It was almost annoying how receptive she could be in a situation like this. And yet, it’s reassuring to hear her response. Natalie turned toward the secondary as she received acknowledgments from the rest of her flight, aiming her guns right at the mantis’s compound eyes. Perhaps sensing the sudden hostility directed toward it, the secondary turned its head toward Natalie. A red glint flashed in its compound eyes as it tracked the Valkyrie, and five of its arms creaked. The fifty-meter-tall pillar swung its scythes wildly across the space in front of it like so many wrecking balls. The tiniest amount of contact would cause massive destruction. Goose bumps formed all over Natalie’s body as she raced into that unprecedented storm. Natalie sharpened her senses, welcoming the close-range fight. It felt like the Deus ex Machina was an extension of her body. And relying on that intimate connection, she dodged one swipe after the other, finally breaking through. “Guns, guns, guns!” Her weapons roared to life, spitting fire right into the pillar’s face. She emptied everything she had in her attack run, but Natalie’s Deus ex Machina didn’t boast high firepower. That one barrage had little hope of toppling the enormous secondary. But the smallest of leaks could sink the greatest of ships. Damage slowly but surely added up. And Natalie’s aim was— “Huh?” The bullets that should have shattered the pillar’s shiny green shell had disappeared. Not because they had been deflected or blocked. They had quite literally disappeared. And as her eyes widened in shock at what had happened— “—Aaah!” “Shannon?!” She heard her comrade’s scream over the radio. The scream had come from a Valkyrie in Natalie’s flight who was flying behind her. Her Deus ex Machina had caught fire, and her wings wobbled badly. Natalie’s first thought was that she had been hit by enemy fire or grazed by one of the secondary’s scythes, but that was not it. Because the damage to her Deus ex Machina was unmistakably damage caused by a machine gun. “It can’t be…” Seeing the telltale bullet holes, she felt a chill run down her spine. The attack on the command post and what had just happened. It had been Natalie’s attack that had damaged her comrade’s Deus ex Machina. The bullets she had fired at the secondary had somehow vanished and plunged into her flightmate’s craft. In other words— “It can change the vector of incoming attacks?!” Natalie’s voice cracked as she deduced what was happening. Then, as if wanting to reinforce the shock and terror she felt, the secondary swung one of its scythes high. Natalie steadied herself in the cockpit, but it was meaningless. The scythe’s aim was the base several kilometers away. As it lowered its arm, another plume of black smoke rose from the base. “” There was no mistaking it. Their enemy had some ability to bend space. Secondary pillars had been observed only a handful of times, but in every instance, they not only sported a size several hundred times that of a tertiary, but they also wielded some sort of special ability as well. It varied from secondary to secondary, and apparently this pillar’s unique ability was warping space. Taking full advantage of that, it had reached out several kilometers away to hit the command post as well as redirect Natalie’s attack to one of her comrades. In other words— “Our attacks can’t touch it, but its attacks can pass through any defenses…?” If that was allowed to stand, it would turn the battle into a one-sided massacre. The situation was already going pear-shaped. And more importantly, Natalie realized the biggest potential problem. “Alma! Don’t attack it!” “” “The enemy is warping the space around it. If your Grand Slam redirected toward the city…” Alma’s bomb could do more damage to the base or the city than even the secondary’s scythes. Though it was hard to control, Alma boasted the strongest firepower of their forces. Her Lancaster had the greatest ability to inflict wide-scale destruction out of all the Valkyrie aircraft. With their trump card sealed, they would struggle to overcome the secondary pillar. “What do we do, Natalie?” This time Natalie didn’t have a response for Alma’s question. “” If their attacks wouldn’t work, they should consider withdrawing and immediately start making the necessary preparations. But should they return to the base, which had just come under direct attack? How extensive was the damage? She had no information to rely on. And if their forces pulled back, the pillars would surely continue attacking. Either way, they would end up getting run down. In which case, even if they couldn’t defeat the secondary— “There is no one else who can take it on. So…” “Buy time until a retreat?” Alma asked. “—Yes.” Though it was hard to say whether their haphazard plan would even get that far. She could feel her heart aching at the decision. It was a heavy responsibility for the one who had to make the final call. Natalie bit her lips as she endured the pain, and she glared at the secondary. Its compound eyes looked emotionless, but she focused as much as she could to glean something, anything about the enemy’s intentions. “—lie Chase.” “—! A transmission?! Are the comms fixed?!” Just as she had been about to launch herself into the fray again, she heard a voice through the static, and she leaped at it, desperately clinging to hope. “This is Valkyrie flight Waltz 1! Requesting response! Command?!” Natalie called out, imagining the reliable base commander on the other end. There was a moment of silence on the line. “No, the command post has been destroyed. General Barkley has been killed in action.” “” Natalie forgot to breathe as the cold report came in. The general was dead, and the tension in Natalie was on the verge of snapping. At this rate, her iron heart would collapse and her will to continue fighting might shatter— “—Consequently, I am assuming command. Follow my orders, Waltz 1.” —but the next message kept her from tumbling into despair. “Wh-who are you…?” “Me? I’m Alejandro. Alejandro Ostley.” “” The man’s voice was deep and brimming with confidence. The reason Natalie caught her breath at his announcement was not just because she was overwhelmed by his drive, though. It was because she recognized that name. Alejandro Ostley. It was— “The mastermind of the Miracle at Lamia!” “I’m honestly not a big fan of that title…” Natalie’s voice unconsciously went up a pitch as Alejandro barked a bitter laugh on the other end. But he quickly pushed past it. “Still, if it’ll help here, then I guess I should just accept it. Now then, it’s time to start our counterattack.” The static cleared as he said that. Alejandro’s voice reached every unit on the battlefield. All communications had been thrown into chaos from the attack on the command post, and the chain of command had been on the brink of total collapse before he began addressing the entire area of operations. “All forces, can you hear my voice? I am Alejandro Ostley, and I am assuming command. General Barkley has been killed in action. I repeat, General Barkley has been killed in action!” Alejandro said his name while reporting the general’s passing. There was no avoiding a drop in morale when everyone learned that the base’s commanding officer was dead. In some situations, the loss of a leader could make it difficult to reestablish an organized battle line and could even lead to the full collapse of the front. But Alejandro prioritized sharing the truth to avoid further muddling the chain of command. He continued speaking, reassuring the troops who were growing restless and worried. “The situation right now is bad. The enemy is strong, and we’re getting ground down one-sidedly. But miracles can happen.” “…Miracles.” A commanding officer had no business talking about needing a miracle to win, but for better or worse, the soldiers believed in gods and miracles. Not so much out of a particular religious faith or awe toward the divine. It was more like a lucky charm or a ward against jinxes. And Alejandro had told them they needed a miracle to win. None other than the peerless hero who had been the mastermind behind the Miracle at Lamia, the officer synonymous with miracles in the army—that very same Alejandro Ostley had just said miracles could happen. That was— “—And if it’s a miracle we need, then I’ll make one happen.” How would one even begin to describe such a spurious statement made with such utter confidence? Unlike the special abilities of the secondary pillars or the powers that Odin had imbued the Valkyries with, Alejandro’s power was unique to humans. His words gave the army, which had been on the verge of breaking, the strength to keep fighting. And Natalie and the other Valkyries were no different.