Interlude - The Measure of Masato Sanada
The Tidal Breath war magic blasted the orbital military satellite to smithereens.
Before Neuro closed the magical gate, he tilted the pillar of water so it would collapse directly upon the battle between Yamato and Freyjagard. His aim was to use the leftover potential energy to crush both the sides and the High School Prodigies. The massive tower became a sword that could cleave the stars themselves, cutting through the air as it crashed toward the ground. It was nearly two hundred feet in diameter, and it was impossible to guess at the volume of water contained within. If it connected, the deluge would flatten the entire battlefield and wash everything away.
However…
…the Prodigies knew about the terrible power of war magic. And knowing that Neuro would turn hostile also meant understanding he wouldn’t honor their old treaty. In a sense, the Prodigies saw this coming. So naturally, they’d prepared a counter.
A moment later, a star burst into being in the night sky.
The new sun burned bright enough to turn the black sky white, and its radiance, along with tremendous heat, devoured the star-rending blade.
A few beats after the explosive flash, a terrible wind pounded the earth. It was as though a natural disaster had occurred from nowhere, and the two armies screamed in confused terror.
However…
…the High School Prodigies were unshaken.
They were the ones who caused the blast.
Tsukasa, Ringo, and Bearabbit reviewed the results from within the swaying helicopter.
“That’s a direct high-altitude hit fur Thor’s Hammer.”
“How are we on radiation?”
“No worries. Our pawsition is well outside the area of effect.”
“Then it sounds like we’re good on all fronts.”
The incredible flash that had sent the fight into chaos was the explosion from a nuclear missile fired to counteract Tidal Breath.
Just as Neuro’s side had a trump card in the form of war magic, the Prodigies had their own in the form of nuclear arms. Naturally, they’d developed a robust-enough firing system that losing one satellite wasn’t enough to ruin things. As soon as Bearabbit recognized that the towering blade of water erupting from Drachen was falling toward Yamato, he fired the red emergency flares that signaled a necessary nuke launch. When the watchtower stationed on the Elm border spotted the flares, the Bearabbit AI installed in its observation terminal issued the order to the missile site via the wireless network of public broadcasting obelisks scattered throughout Elm.
That triggered the launch of the Thor’s Hammer missile.
Instead of relying on the satellite, a Bearabbit AI loaded directly onto the missile guided it to the target. When the Thor’s Hammer exploded at high altitude, it did so with enough destructive power to blast the aquatic sword to bits.
Ringo let out a huge sigh. “Phew… I’m so glad…it all worked out…”
“Were you worried?”
“I-it’s just…I couldn’t stop thinking…about what would happen…if it didn’t…”
A missile intercept without satellite guidance was a method reserved for emergencies. Tsukasa and Ringo would have been fine. The helicopter was quick enough to dodge Neuro’s attack if it moved at top speed. The same was true for Aoi and Shura below. However, the slightest malfunction or delay between the Bearabbit AIs would’ve meant death for everyone else.
The mere idea of the possible death toll was frightening.
Despite Ringo’s worries…
“I was as calm as could be the whole time. That anti–war magic defense system was developed by the smartest person I know, and I was sure it wouldn’t be so easily foiled.”
…Tsukasa was fully confident in her countermeasures.
The nuclear missile–based anti–war magic air defense network was designed to prevent a repeat of tragedy in Dormundt. Ringo, Earth’s greatest scientific mind, would never let the Prodigies’ enemies carry out evil like that twice.
Now that the system had successfully thwarted the attack, it shifted to its other mode—offense.
There was more than one Thor’s Hammer missile.
“Should we retailiate?”
Including the one just used, Tsukasa and the others had a full dozen Thor’s Hammers stationed at various locations around Elm. The Prodigies were the ones who’d proposed the treaty forbidding the use of war magic, so they’d avoided using any nukes preemptively. However, they now had the pretense of retribution.
The Prodigies’ side in the war faced a tremendous numbers disadvantage. Between the army they faced now, the greater one to come, and the enemy’s stronghold of Drachen, there were plenty of juicy targets.
However…
“No, let’s hold back.”
…Tsukasa elected not to play that card.
Retaliatory strikes were a powerful tool in a war between two states. The more devastating the attack, the less willing the enemy would be to make their next military action. Here, though, Neuro was misappropriating the nation of Freyjagard for his own ends. He’d started the war to further his personal ambitions, and he didn’t care how much damage the country suffered. Neuro’s attack proved he was willing to kill many of his own troops if it meant the Prodigies went with them.
“The lives of others simply don’t factor into his calculations. Hitting back against a foe like that would expend us for little gain.”
Ultimately, their enemy was Neuro and Neuro alone. Unless they could pin down his exact position, blindly firing off Thor’s Hammers would cause a senseless loss of life with nothing to show for it. That hardly seemed like a winning strategy.
“Besides, Masato’s still in Drachen, and I imagine Shinobu’s made her way into the city by now, too.”
“But if we don’t strike fur into him, isn’t there a possibility he’ll use that same war magic again?”
“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Tsukasa replied confidently. It wasn’t empty bravado, either. “Were Neuro capable of firing that off easily, he never would’ve bothered making peace with us in the first place.”
Based on Neuro’s actions and the way he negotiated, Tsukasa more or less understood what the man was capable of. Discerning that much was where Tsukasa Mikogami excelled. He wasn’t in the business of misreading foes or falling for their bluffs and threats.
“That war magic undoubtedly cost him a lot. That’s why he aimed for our satellite instead of just attacking us directly.”
Tsukasa conceded that it was a savvy move. Neuro could have launched his war magic directly at the Prodigies, but if the satellite was still running, they would have spotted the attack before it landed. Plus, on a purely geographic level, the myriad mountain ranges between Drachen and Yamato would’ve prevented Neuro from getting a clean shot. Any time between Neuro starting his spell and it landing would’ve given Ringo the chance to use the helicopter, and Aoi her physical prowess, to escape. Neuro had mobilized his army under the pretext of revenge for Yamato overthrowing the dominion government, but the only thing he and the other grandmasters actually cared about was killing the Seven Heroes—the High School Prodigies who stood in the way of resurrecting Father. No matter how many Yamato soldiers Neuro slaughtered with his war magic, it wouldn’t mean a thing if the Prodigies escaped alive.
Neuro was keenly aware of where his interests lay. That’s why he chose the method guaranteed to chip away at the Prodigies’ resources, rather than risk an all-or-nothing attack.
In other words…
“Our opponent is taking this just as seriously as we are.”
Ringo had the skills to build a new satellite, but she was in Yamato and lacked Elm’s resources and facilities. Solving this new issue would take time, and Neuro would definitely seize upon that. He was liable to send in troops, even if they weren’t prepared yet.
If the Prodigies hoped to win this war, they’d need to overcome this major impediment to their communication and reconnaissance capabilities. Losing the satellite in the war’s opening moments was a serious setback.
“For now, let’s focus on regaining control of the situation on the ground. We can worry about the future later,” Tsukasa said, turning his gaze downward.
Below, the battlefield that had been so alive with shouts and screams moments ago was deathly quiet. That battle wasn’t over, but nobody’s heart was in it anymore. Humans weren’t built to process so many incomprehensible events in rapid sequence, and the imperial and Yamato soldiers were beyond the breaking point.
This was bad.
Until now, the Yamato forces had kept their focus razor-sharp, whereas the imperials were in a panic because of the surprise attack. That’s why things went so well for the Prodigies’ side, despite the massive numbers disadvantage. Now…both sides were on even emotional footing. If they kept fighting mindlessly as they were, the huge troop discrepancy would spell Yamato’s defeat.
Tsukasa felt the change in the air and quickly made the call to pull out. “We haven’t done enough damage to properly set the stage for our future battles yet, but there’s no helping it. Bearabbit, send the evacuation order.”
“With the rendezvous pawsition you set in the briefing?”
“That’s right. We’ll follow the original plan and fall back to Mt. Sou’unzan, then make it our first line of defense and prepare for the coming imperial attack. There’s nothing more we can do tonight.”
The evacuation order echoed out loud from the helicopter’s megaphone over the silent, dispirited battlefield. At the announcement, the Yamato soldiers began fleeing in unison. The imperial army couldn’t muster the energy or willpower to pursue, so the samurai escaped quickly.
Thanks to a successful surprise attack, the first clash in the empire’s attempt to retake Yamato ended in victory for the Yamato side. However, it was really a triumph only when considered in a vacuum. The Prodigies had lost Ringo’s military satellite and one of their Thor’s Hammers. Furthermore, they’d been forced to retreat with much of the imperial vanguard still alive. Tsukasa knew how heavy a shackle around their legs those two facts would become later.
The next day, the second imperial corps arrived at the border, numbering fifty thousand strong.
After joining up with the first imperial corps for a total of nearly eighty thousand, the war on Yamato began in earnest.
Just before Ringo’s missile intercept…
“What…is that thing…?”
…Shinobu was on top of the castle ramparts in the heart of the imperial capital. From her perch, she had a front-row seat to the raging pillar—the war magic Tidal Breath—surging from the military headquarters in the nobles’ district.
“Urk…”
Faced with the staggering magnitude of its power, Shinobu found herself breathless. In that moment, she was faced with a realization: The opponent she and her friends were up against was just as dangerous as they’d feared.
That meant it was all the more critical their group reunited and returned to full strength quickly. All the Prodigies needed to be together so they could fight as a team, and for that to happen, Shinobu had to find Masato Sanada.
With that thought at the forefront of her mind, Shinobu prepared to leap from the rampart walkway to the courtyard below. Before she got the chance, though…
“Wait, Shinobu…?!”
…she heard a voice beside her.
It was a familiar one. As a matter of fact, it belonged to the very guy she was thinking of.
She turned…
“What are you doing here, Shinobu?”
…and saw Masato Sanada standing at the entrance to the rampart walkway, eyes wide in surprise.
Shinobu’s heart soared, and she rushed over and grabbed him by the hand. “Massy!”
She’d known he was nearby, but it was truly fortunate to run into him so quickly.
“Where’s Roo? Is she not with you?” Shinobu asked.
“Li’l Roo? She’s not here right now. She’s off on her first big errand.”
“That’s a shame, but oh well. I’ll pick her up later, so for now, we should—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Back up a sec!”
Shinobu tried to blaze through the conversation, but Masato stepped on the brakes. He forcibly pulled his hand free of Shinobu’s. “Don’t go tryin’ to move the discussion along before you’ve got a consensus. First off, what the hell do you think you’re doin’ here? And more importantly…” His expression turned sour. “What the fuck are you guys playing at, going to war with Neuro?”
There was faint rage on his face. Neuro was the Prodigies’ ticket back to Earth, and unsurprisingly, Masato was angry that Tsukasa and the others had taken hostile action against him.
However…
“I made myself crystal goddamn clear. Don’t do anything dumb. So what’s the big idea?”
“Would you still feel that way if I told you that Neuro’s goal involves killing Lyrule?”
“…What?”
…Masato wasn’t present in Yamato, so he couldn’t be blamed for not knowing that the situation had changed. The powers at work that affected the seven teenagers from Earth and the world at large were a half-finished jigsaw puzzle before. The Prodigies weren’t working with the full picture. Now, the missing pieces were clear. Siding with Neuro was a viable choice when Masato left, but now, that option was worthless.
“We traced the Seven Luminaries’ roots to the ruins of an elf village deep in the forests of Yamato. That’s where we met…her, the person who brought us over to this world. And she told us everything.”
Shinobu relayed the story to Masato.
She told him about how the evil dragon was actually a mage from another world named Father and that Yggdra—the one who summoned them—and Neuro were both homunculi Father had created. Then she spoke about the invasion and subsequent war a thousand years ago that shaped this planet’s history. She explained the magical seal that ended the conflict and the elves who passed it through their lineage for centuries. Lastly, she revealed that Neuro and the other reincarnated homunculi were plotting to kill Lyrule to bring about Father’s return.
The Prodigies saw and learned a lot in that village, and Shinobu was careful not to leave anything out.
“…You know that sounds like something out of a video game, right?” Masato replied.
“C’mon, you already knew that our world wasn’t the only one out there. I think it’s a little late to be surprised.”
Truthfully, Shinobu was a bit skeptical about the magical seal and world domination stuff, too. No matter Neuro’s motives, though, the fact that he sought to murder a friend meant cooperating with him was out of the question. The Prodigies owed their lives to Lyrule; surely they all agreed they had to side with her.
“Look, we need to get the hell out of Drachen. It’d be a huge problem if Neuro took you prisoner. You understand, right? Now, come—”
Shinobu reached for Masato’s arm again. Swiftness was of the essence. But then…
…there came a shot.
“Huh?”
A wave of agony lanced through Shinobu. It was so intense that it completely overwrote the pain from her broken ribs. Fire burned her from the inside.
The source was a small smoking gun clenched in Masato Sanada’s hand.
“You asked if I still feel the same way? Yeah, I do.”
“Mas…sy?”
“It sucks having to sacrifice Lyrule, but my employees’ futures matter way more.”
“Ah!”
As a prodigy journalist, Shinobu was an expert at reading people, and she could tell there was no affection in Masato’s voice or expression.
“Unlike Tsukasa, I don’t believe in people.
“Aside from one exception, I only trust my talent.
“Since day one, it’s been my policy to handle everything. I haven’t made my guys shoulder any burdens.
“So…they’re doomed without me.”
Masato had restored the Sanada Group by attending every administrative meeting of every one of the enterprise’s subsidiaries, issuing orders directly. He was the complete opposite of Tsukasa, who recognized his own imperfections and chose to rely on the talents of others. For Masato, his decisions were absolute, and he ran his businesses as a one-man monarchy.
Would people reared in that sort of business environment be able to step up and take his place while he was gone?
Not a chance.
Masato wasn’t like Tsukasa, who planned for every contingency up to and including his own disappearance when building his organizations. For Masato, no one could run his companies but him.
He didn’t foster his people’s development. On the contrary, he robbed them of opportunities to grow. This allowed him to rule them. He chose that path.
“I control everything, so I’ve got a duty to handle it all alone for them.”
He didn’t waver. He couldn’t. Because that was who Masato Sanada was—a prodigy businessman.
That’s why Masato separated from the group and staked his wager on Neuro. He’d already made his choice. He’d told the others about it when he left them.
“Why the hell’d you have to come, Shinobu? Now that I know you’re here…
“…I can’t let you leave!”
“…”
Another gunshot, and Shinobu’s body collapsed.
Shortly after Masato shot Shinobu with a vertical two-barrel flintlock pistol fresh from the imperial workshops, a couple of members of his Lakan mercenary team, the Qinglong Gang, rushed over.
“Are you okay, Chancellor Advisor?!”
“We heard gunfire!”
“I’m fine,” Masato replied. “That was me. Nothin’ to worry about.”
“Who’s the chick?”
“…An old teammate.”
Masato stowed his gun in its holster, then turned to one particularly brawny mercenary who came with the others. “Are you and your men all ready, Captain?”
“Of course. ‘Be quick, be strong, charge lots’ is our motto, ain’t it?”
The creed had changed since the last time Masato heard it, but he was in no mood to jokingly call attention to that. His expression remained grim as he muttered, “Good.”
Then he gave the order.
“Send word to all members of the Qinglong Gang. As per Neuro’s instructions, we’re leaving Drachen…
“…and setting out for the Republic of Elm.”
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