Volume 14: Unbidden Ocean Mist–Aquamarine Kreuz
Chapter Five: Unbidden Ocean Mist– Aquamarine Kruez
[BEGIN TEXT]
Under the swastika–or more precisely the rotated swastika– as if paying homage to it, was another flag.
It had a red and white shield, and in the centre a rampant black lion figure.
「Katze…! That’s Regiment Hex’s flag!」
Riko said in an honestly flustered voice upon seeing it.
–Katze–
Thanks to the mental powers of Hysteria Mode I recalled with my eidetic memory that she was the one dressed as a witch who shot at Vatican’s representative, Meiya. There is another cross also drawn on her eye-patch.
I must not forget.
She was the first to declare for Greneda, Katze Grasse.
「Katze? Katze Grasse? And that flag…?」
At the name, Aria’s face turned grim.
「That’s right. Katze is an I.U. dropout like me. Unlike my own departure, however, she voluntarily left to re-enlist in Regiment Hex.」
Katze Grasse. Regiment Hex. I heard about them a while ago from Aria.
They are… a notorious terrorist organisation.
Classed as a『rogue state』by the United States, they are expensive guns-for-hire committing crimes all over the world.
「–Shortly after the World War, survivors of Nazi Germany from Regiment Hex fled to I.U. They were originally organised by Heinrich Himmler as part of the Ahnenerbe’s psychic forces. Katze is their 9th commanding officer, taking the name『Witch of the Cursed Water』」
A former I.U. classmate, but now no longer a friend–
Riko informed us about Katze and Regiment Hex.
「Well then, she’s flying like a summer insect to a flame! She’ll get a few wind holes! …Mama’s 8 year sentence for false charges is a crime from her time at I.U.!」
Entirely disregarding the range between us and the tanker, Aria drew her twin guns… and I followed suit, drawing my Desert Eagle.
Then, together with Aria, we pointed 3 guns at the same target–
Aiming at『something』that suddenly appeared above the golden dragon sculpture perched on top of the roof’s ridge line.
Then…
…Wh-what?… This is…
All of us experienced a warning, turned to see what it was, and our eyes widened in surprise.
It looked soft and squishy, like some kid of gelatinous thing on top of the statue.
It was no larger than half a metre with bit of white to it, but it was mostly clear.
In shape, it was like a propped up body pillow, and it wobbled unsteadily.
An eerie mist exuded from its top, with a hiss like vapourised steam–
「…Cursed water…! It creates an artificial phantom… it’s advanced magic. Nobody get too close. It isn’t poison or acid, but if you’re unfortunate enough to touch it, it will capture your head and face and drown you.」
Shirayuki shared from her supernatural studies as we all watched. It’s a demonic existence.
I’m… not very good fighting enemies from that realm.
As the water vapour dissipated.
「Mwahahahaha…!」
The figure of a laughing girl appeared through the cursed water–
「That slimy bastard!」
「–!」
Slightly startled by Riko, a jumpy Aria fired.
The bullet hit the water, but slowed to a stop before reaching its target.
Witnessing that, I relaxed the aim of my DE, seeing it was worse than useless.
「Either of you shooting is pointless. The real body behind the cursed water is somewhere else. You could call it just a speaker, meant only to talk.」
Well versed in the paranormal, Shirayuki calmly restrained Aria and the rest…
Further downwind where the cursed water was dispersing, even Jinyan lowered her perfume bottle.
So the cursed water is like… a pale 3D projection of the girl behind it.
At a glance, I understood– I knew who this witch was.
…There was no doubt.
This is Katze Grasse. Greneda’s Regiment Hex ambassador.
She wore a wide, black pointed hat, and had a large bird perched on her shoulder.
Her jet black robe fluttered in the wind, showing that this was a 3D broadcast and her real body must be far away, just as Shirayuki had said.
She had all the quintessential marks of a witch,but… there was one thing about her that wasn’t common to witches.
Her right eye was covered with a dark red eye-patch.
On it a swastika was emblazoned.
With a lopsided grin, Katze flared her velvet robe—
She brought her right arm up smartly to level with her chest
「–Sieg heil!」
It was done abruptly.
The Nazi salute, performed with even the fingers rigid.
Having lived in Europe for a long time, Aria and Riko made an annoyed face…
Seeing that movement, I took the opportunity to study the uniform beneath the robe.
It was a proper Nazi uniform in impeccable order. It feels like a cosplay that is in poor taste.
That being the case–the military uniform also indicates the wearer’s history, rank, and affiliation.
Even if it was not obvious from the colour, there can be no mistake…
It’s a variant of the SS Helferinnen uniform with a miniskirt. The black SS uniforms were familiar from films– but this was not the Allgemeine SS uniform. Firstly, for example, instead of the skull badge on a regulation cap, she wore a witch’s hat.
On her right lapel, was an SS runic pin.
On her left, 4 stars with two lines, signifying a Lt. Colonel.1
She must be very experienced to be a regimental commander. But I didn’t see a cuff title indicating her troop affiliation. At her neck hung the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross2. The year of award on it… 2007? That wasn’t during a war, and wasn’t that practically yesterday?
–I dare say, when it comes to Regiment Hex…
Their existence as a shadow force must have been a military secret within Nazi Germany. And they did not come to light in the post-war era. You occasionally see such groups all around the world, using the same arms and tactics.
Even today, in the professional world, I sometimes hear about the things that the successors to such a group are doing.
Even I.U. is one of these groups.
「–Attention! Ladies and gentlemen!」
Katze shook her black bobbed hair, regarding us with her red left eye…
「O~i! Are you having fun? Fighting is so fun!」
Even her… she’s some kind of battle enthusiast like Son and Riko.
To my sullen face, Katze smiled,took out a Luger P08, and pointed with it to tanker.
「You have trembled like cowards behind your purification barrier, Baskerville! Now I declare war upon you! I will also kill the traitor Hilda. Hong Kong’s anti-magic barrier was strong, but this tanker sets an entirely new stage!」
It seems like… Katze is going to use the tanker for some kind of attack.
I don’t think that tanker is only carrying petroleum.
「Regardless of scale, war is struggle for the balance of power between many factions. In FEW, in the west there’s Deen’s Liberty Mason, and in the east Greneda’s Rampan. That structural balance must not be destroyed. Yet Rampan was defeated! As for the traitors– this is their punishment! Total annihilation! There were always too many people in this city.」
The city…?
Does Katze plan to use that ship to massacre the entire city of Hong Kong?
That’s something I can’t let happen–
…
…–!
「I wanted to drop bombs from a zeppelin, don’t you know? But you made me so angry!『A good terrorist spares no time or money in order to inflict a heavy blow upon the enemy.』But I didn’t have the time or budget to build it, so I hijacked this tanker to come and exterminate you all cheaply! Harumph!」
It was like this witch Katze was『getting angry at a soccer coach over a strategy decision』and grumbling of trifling matters…*Squelch!*
From the sleeves of her robe, a gelatinous substance dripped down.
「Alright, I’m going to do it! Bu no matter where I go, we’ll fight in hell! Oi! Kinji Tohyama, Shirayuki Hotogi!」
…Huh?
She called us by name as she melted. The two pure Japanese.
「Next time I won’t fight without Italy! Ehehe!」
In the Second World War… was she talking about the triple alliance of Japan, Germany, and Italy? Isn’t that anachronism a bit much?
Laughing maniacally, Katze’s cursed water form melted into a soupy mess…
It finally turned into water and dripped down from the golden dragon sculpture.
Hearing Riko scoff and make a tutting sound, I turned to face her–
「While I was at I.U…. the Koko taught me about explosives and Katze taught me hijacking. It’s theoretically very possible that she hijacked this tanker…! She definitely has the capability and it fits her M.O., so she will do what she said.」
Pale-faced, Riko scowled at the swastika hanging on the tanker.
「… It’s a Singaporean vessel, the Shima Hari. Gross cargo capacity: 150,000 tonnes, probably all oil. It’s definitely been hijacked. It didn’t enter the strait voluntarily.」
Taking a pair of glasses from her sleeve, Jinyan put her hand flat across her brow and told us what she saw. it appears she gained the information from Butei High’s LOGI.
「What can she do with a hijacked tanker? If you hit the docks and blow it up, at best you’d set fire to a few blocks of buildings. But the fire could be put out, soon enough. Katze said she would destroy all of Hong Kong, though.」
I asked Aria and Riko, but it was Riko who answered.
「You don’t blow up a city with a hijacked tanker.」
I came to the same conclusion in Hysteria Mode… and she began to explain what the most efficient way to use a tanker to launch an attack on an enemy position was.
「We’ve seen oil spills on the news. Perhaps she is going to create a spill on purpose in Hong Kong . The crude is less dense than water, and would quickly spread to fill the bay. It’s a warm climate, and 150,000 tonnes of oil would be extremely volatile. If the concentration of gas exceeds 1.3%, then the air becomes a fuse. Any small flame on land would set it off, and the entire bay would ignite all at once. The flames would consume all of the oxygen in the air, suffocating the entire city with carbon monoxide poisoning, and killing them all. It’s based on the Nazis concept of a『vacuum bomb』, and was one of their ideas for a weapon on mass destruction.」
Everyone on the rooftop was struck silent by Riko’s words.
–Turning Victoria Bay into a sea of flames.
–Turning Hong Kong into a dead town.
If everything happened like she said… that one tanker would truly produce a hellscape
「…That’s a supersized version of a primitive thermobaric weapon3. We have to get over there, Kinji.」
Breaking her silence, Aria drew her guns and made this bold statement.
But a sudden assault on a sea-jacked vessel ignores all practical theory.
「–Hold on, Aria. I don’t want to provoke her. Our enemy is a hijacker. We can’t shoot at the tanker.」
I said as I holstered my own weapon…
「Katze wants her plan to succeed, so she won’t blow it right away. She wants to ensure the oil is spread in the most efficient manner… so she’ll have wait until the current carries the tanker to the ideal position first. To say it another way, there is a time limit until her plan is put into effect.」
From her own intuitive process, Aria stated a logic principle.
As expected, Aria is familiar with terrorist actions from her time with the British Butei Agency.
Well… it can’t be helped. I suppose we’re going.
「–Shokatsu, alert the Hong Kong Coast Guard.」
I said, as I grumbled internally at Jinyan who had gone white as a sheet.
Well that’s poetic justice for you.
It’s like the time the Koko attacked the shinkansen, but this time we are the ones attacking only the scale has suddenly become much larger.
Compared to Riko’s hijacking, this is cute.
「…My my. Regiment Hex has acted quickly. Friends one day, and enemies the next, as the saying goes.」
Shokatsu said as he took out a mobile–
Katze had acted quickly. Her attack came right after things with Rampan were settled. She must have predicted that Rampan would lose in the fight with Baskerville, and made advance preparations for the assault. That girl is scary.
At any rate, I’m familiar with hijackings.
I’ve been bicycle-jacked, bus-jacked, aeroplane-jacked, and train-jacked–
Now, even when I’m overseas, of course I’m caught up in a tanker-jacking
I should go to a shrine and have my relationship with hijackings severed. I seem to have this unfortunate love affair with them.
「…She’s there! Kin-chan. On the tanker… there’s a great power aboard the Shima Hari. A witch, It has to be Katze Grasse. And there’s one more person…it’s… Patra?」
Her fringed bangs facing the tanker, Shirayuki spoke with eyes closed.
As a person with supernatural powers, she must have some way to detect demons. In the fight onboard the Annbelle, she could sense Patra’s presence.
It was the same with the Koko during the skinkansen-jacking.
In order to secure total victory and secure a route of retreat, Katze is aboard the tanker.
I couldn’t see them, but I glared at the tanker.
Pulling together what I recalled from the bird’s eye view of Hong Kong from the ICC and the sightseeing GPS map on Shirayuki’s mobile… I tried to estimate the amount of time until the tanker reached its destination.
The tanker was making smooth progress across the Tathong Channel and would coast through the entrance to Victoria Bay via Lei Yue Mun.
It would enter the metropolitan area of Hong Kong like a poison pill.
The wind is still westerly, and I can see that the ocean current is flowing gently from east to west.
Thinking if the volitilised crude oil was released into Victoria Bay and carries by the wind… without doubt, the entire area between the Kowloon Peninsula and Hong Kong Island up to the western end would be blanketed.
Considering the tanker’s current speed– we have roughly 30 minutes.
In that time we must: get to the tanker from Rampan Castle, stop and arrest some female supernatural terrorists, prevent the petroleum discharge, and keep the tanker from impacting the jetty and secure it…
That’s pretty tight for 30 minutes.
According to Aria’s intuitive deduction, we must act quickly. Every second is precious.
「–First, we need a fast boat! We need to get to the Shima Hari as fast as possible!」
Aria cried in an anime-like voice, no doubt coming to the same conclusion as me.
But, as soon as I confirmed the time limit… even with our experience…
「It’s no good, Aria. There’s no way we can go by boat.」
Her small hands clutched to her chest, Shirayuki looked at the ocean nearby.
Following her example, I looked at the surrounding ocean, and I saw that both the castle and the boats surrounding it were being gradually swept out to sea. The waves were pushing us further away. But only those near us.
「This… it has to be Katze’s doing. She’s clogging the sea route with the waves. Katze–the Witch of Cursed Water, must have the ability to manipulate all kinds of liquids. Any boat would definitely be sunk en route.」
At Shirayuki’s words, Aria and I exchanged frustrated looks.
Manipulation of liquid… that’s what this Witch of the Cursed Water is doing. This time, though, the cursed water is crude oil.
What should we do to handle this? We can’t get there by air because Aria’s YHS is out of commission.
「–Jinyan. Do you have some kind of helicopter?」
I asked her as she impatiently pressed down on the communication device.
「Rampan Castle doesn’t have a hewiport. But I called in a seapwane. It will be here in 8 minutes.」
…That’s no good. By the time we board the tanker, we’ll be out of time.
As I made a troubled face,
「…Tohyama. You wish to reach that tanker?」
I heard Kou say as she looked up at me in her cut-off sailor suit.
「We don’t have any way to get there in such a short time.」
「I have a method that will get you there. It will not take any time at all.」
Saying that… Kou began looking over mine and Aria’s bodies. As if gauging our sizes.
「What? How can you do that?」
Aria asked.
「–The Somersault Cloud.」
Kou spoke a name from The Journey to the West every bit as famous as the Nyoibou.
「in scientific terms, it uses a wormhole to effect a series of physical copies through topological space4. In the modern Western study of magic, they would call this Imaginary Jump. The Somersault Cloud– is, in essence, a teleportation technique.」
In reality, the truth is stranger than fiction.
Son had said it could『go anywhere in an instant』, and the truth behind the cloud depicted in picture books was a teleportation technique.
Even Hysteria Mode could not understand the theory behind that kind of movement… but, exchanging a glance with Shirayuki, she nodded stiffly with an expression that said:『I think you should be alright』.
…I’ll risk it.
Although I don’t like it, I’m getting used to the supernatural phenomena.
At any rate, there’s no time. If I hesitate here, we’ll all die for lack of oxygen anyway.
「So you can get us to the Shima Hari?」
I confirmed with Kou, and Aria’s determined face told me she had made up her own mind.
「Yup. As long as I can see it.」
She urged me to look, and I saw that the Shima Hari would soon be hidden behind Hong Kong Island as it sailed past Lei Yue Mun.
The bow of the ship had already disappeared.
「But like the Nyoibou, it can’t be used more than once a day. it will be a one-way trip, and you’ll have to find your own way back. The carrying capacity is also limited. I can take about 2 people. Form what I can tell, Tohyama and Aria-san just meet the limit.」
–Only 2 people can go?
Ideally I would like to send the supernatural specialist Shirayuki, but it can’t be help that she is over the limit.
Ah! Sometimes the gods are cruel.
Shirayuki. I really hate the fact that your figure is more voluptuous than Aria’s.
I considered sending Aria and Shirayuki, but if it come to negotiations with Katze and Patra… my ability to wheedle women will be indispensable, even if I do say so myself.
So it’s me and Aria.
We’ll have to bet on Holmes the 4th and her partner’s powers of cooperation.
Besides, in the fight on the Annbelle… Shirayuki was a match for Patra’s power and Aria was defeated. From my own personal experience, it might be easier to bluff than negotiate with Patra.
「Understood. Aria and I will go. Jinyan will bring Shirayuki in the seaplane before anyone else. Riko will try to get in contact with someone in Carrier GA. They should be somewhere in Hong Kong.」
As I gave these separate orders, Kou stepped close and wrapped her arms around Aria and me.
We’re out of time.
The front half of the tanker is already hidden behind Hong Kong Island.
「….I’m coming, Somersault Cloud is coming…」
Without any more time to explain, Kou wrapped her arms around our waists and closed her eyes. Then… she chanted those words in a childish voice.
Then, a few seconds later…
*Sparkle!* *Sparkle!* *Sparkle!*
Several small grains of gold appeared in front of Kou’s chest.
Shirayuki seemed to understand it. It was some kind of ESP.
The light wavered and the gold dust moved together like specks on the wind.
They collected themselves in a halo shape whose diameter expanded rapidly.
There were 2 dots of light, 4, then 8– 128, 256– popping into existence as they doubled in number.
Then in a flash, our surroundings were hidden… bathed in light.
It was just like being in a shining cloud.
I couldn’t open my eyelids because of the light… but I felt Kou’s hand slip away from my waist.
The sound of Kou’s voice reciting the magic word sounded like it was coming from further and further away–
Beneath me, I heard the sound of waves, and beside me the sound of something moving.
Then my golden surrounding changed to red, blue, yellow, violet, and white… many different colours. Then the brightness subsided.
We were once more underneath the starry sky, and surrounded by many colours.
「…?」
Squinting my dazzled eyes, I looked around–
Next to me, Aria was looking around just like I was.
There was no one on the other side. Kou was gone.
A distant light shone at our feet, and instead of Rampan Castle’s roof, it was glittering anti-rust coated steel.
Enough steel sheet to cover a number of school playgrounds stretched out, and a short distance away, an innumerable number of pipes protruded from the roof of a factory-like structure. Further away, there was a small crane and a hole for manhole cover through oil could be seen…
More surprisingly…
I understood that we were on the deck of the Shima Hari, far away from Rampan Castle.
You did it, Kou! And so easily too!
This…『Teleportation』, did you call it? It was an amazing experience. I didn’t even feel anything. Just some dazzling light.
「…That was a first. Teleportation.」
Aria said to me as she exhaled and turned he camellia eyes toward me.
Huh? Aria doesn’t look surprised.
「This was a first for me. However, I did see an enemy use it against me in Moscow.」
Come to think of it… she did tell me something like that.
Back at the end of summer break, after she helped me clean out the INQUESTA building.
「Still, you should be a little more surprised. We’re human, aren’t we?」
「What are you saying? Well… I guess it was a little surprising that it took less than a minute.」
I give up. I just wanted Aria to react like a normal girl.
「How about this, Kinji? Wow! That was so amazing!」
She said, as she clasped her hands together, standing on top of a thin knee-high pipe– suppressing a giggle, she peered around.
Just now she looked like she did when I gave her the Christmas Tree.
「–The view is everything you could wish for.」
Told that, I looked around…
The Shima Hari was slipping into Victoria Bay–between the Kowloon Peninsula and Hong Kong Island where the coast boasts numerous buildings that tower into the night sky.
All the colours I had seen on our way here were the city lights of Hong Kong.
The colourful downtown business building lights would never suit Japanese taste.
I saw them when we flew in–each building vying with its neighbors to illuminate the dark night.
All the condominiums where I was rescued in North Point shone with a homey feel.
Kowloon shone gaudily with 5 star hotels. Neon signs with international business names sparkled. Dome-shaped building were illuminated. The entire surface of the building shone. Then in the background was the ICC where Aria and I fought.
All of it was reflected on the surface of the water, doubling the brightness.
They shone like a casket of jewels.
In the face of this dynamic beauty…
I was at a loss for words.
–The million dollar nightscape–
This is it. I finally saw it, Dad.
However, I never imagined that I would see it like this.
「Usually it’s seen from one side or the other, but seeing both sides of Victoria Bay at the same time makes it a 2 million dollar nightscape.」
I heard Aria say that cute thing.
「It’s reflected in your eyes as well. It more than doubles the price, it’s priceless.」
「What a stupid thing to say. I was only pointing it out so that you could look at it and raise morale. 」
Aria grit her teeth.
Then she slanted her shapely eyebrows, and was suddenly all business.
*Click!* *Click!*
She drew her two guns with her small hands, even though we are on an oil tanker… but it’s alright. The deck has been reinforced in areas to be bulletproof as a measure against pirates.
I couldn’t afford the luxury of enjoying the situation either.
Tonight I will dual wield my Beretta and Desert Eagle.
In number— our opponents are many.
「I will protect it. This is one of the largest economic metropolises in Asia.」
「I will defend it as well. Although needy, they seemed quite happy.」
Aria said as she faced the downtown Kowloon high rises, and I faced Hong Kong Island– as we were passing through the waters near North Point– and back to back, we covered each other’s blind spots.
Accepting the good with the bad, it accepted the poison pill that was the tanker.
The million dollar nightscape– with its countless number of individual light, stood for the individuals who lived their lives, had their own dream, and smiling faces. I must defend them.
「『Launch out into the world.』This is what Butei Article 9 means, huh?」
「I would prefer a more peaceful launch.」
As we spoke… suddenly around us…
Patra’s dog-headed sand figures that looked like the depictions of the god Anubis appeared
Most likely posted to guard the deck, they now streamed from the low building at the stern that seemed to be some kind of living quarters, and suddenly we were surrounded.
This time wearing dark green clothing, the sand figures took up position at a cautious distance. Looking closely, I saw they were Nazi field uniforms. I wonder if this was Katze’s doing?
Giving off the impression of Nazi ghosts, the sand figures seemed to have upgraded their weapons since the last time at the Pyramidion in Odaiba last summer. Where previously they wielded one axe, they now held two and sported a gun holster on their waists. Is that a military Mauser?
Toward the stern, a huge swastika flag fluttered.
Friends one day, and enemies the next, as Shokatusu said, and it was a fact the even my grandfather was one in league with her party. But today, I will oppose her.
She is my next enemy…
Looking up at the swastika flag, I furrowed my brow.
Well… with my track record of fights with all kinds of enemies, I guess I was bound to fight this group sooner or later.
*Grip!*
As we stood back to back, Aria pulled my left arm behind my back…
And looked at my watch. This isn’t like her.
After she released my hand, I looked at my watch as well.
As I did, I saw that the time displayed was exactly midnight–
「Merry Christmas, Kinji.」
–It’s December 25th.
You say that while holding a gun?
Well, it looks like this is our Christmas.
Oh well. I’ve never really had a ‘merry’ Christmas as far as I can recall.
I can add this year to that list as well.
「It has been an honour to welcome the holiday with you–Merry Christmas, Aria」
Go For The Next!!!
[END TEXT]
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Notes:
1. WWII is a private interest of mine, so I just so happen to know that her actual rank is Obersturmbannführer. What is given in the rough equivalent. Wiki page.
2. Wiki page.
3. Thermobaric Weapon
4. In normal speak, I believe she is using a wormhole that exploits a theoretical topological concept of the ‘connected-ness’ of all space to ‘move’ from one point to another. Or you can just call it magic…
These are pretty academic terms, even in the Japanese, and considering the younger audience the novel is aimed at, don’t feel bad if you don’t understand it. It’s meant to go over your head and be technobabble. It gave me trouble rendering into proper English as well…
Attempt at a technical explanation: In one possible theory based on quantum entanglement, the act of teleportation creates a copy of you at both points, then, due to the laws of theoretical quantum mechnaics, the original copy is destroyed. Since the copy is theoretically perfect, the copy is identical in every way to the original. But are you really the same person…? These are the kinds of questions theoretical physicists and philosophers like to debate…
What’s funny is that the ‘series of copies’ part of the word is included in the Japanese help docs for AUTOCAD and refers to creating a copy of shapes along a linear path at a predetermined offset from each other.
Editor Note: To me, this feels more like the theory about folding space and using a wormhole to make a passage between point A and B, like if you drawn two dots on a piece of paper and fold the paper so the dots meet.
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