Toaru Hikuushi e no Seiyaku:V6Part8
Part 22 (Part 8 of Volume 6)
The attack would not target factories or steel mills, but directly aim for the capital.
The first move of the St Vault Operation Command against Akitsu Federation's mainland was to carry out a strategic bombing aimed at the city's inhabitants. The objective was to deliver devastating damage to the enemy's capital before their air defence system could be fully established, thereby severely undermining the enemy's will to fight. Forty-five new Teodora bombers were deployed at the recently captured Karanakuta fortress, with the Voltec Air Squadron providing escort. A night bombing raid on the capital, Misato, was ordered.
December 5, 1349 Imperial Calendar, Karanakuta Fortress, First Airfield.
In the briefing room of the air command station, Colonel Abraham Monroe, commander of the Voltec Air Squadron, conveyed the mission details to the seventy fighter pilots in attendance.
On the operations map pinned to the blackboard, the route from Karanakuta to Misato was marked, along with an icon indicating the airborne fortress Suzaku stationed offshore near the capital.
"Suzaku serves as the first line of aerial defence for Misato. If we attempt an air strike on the capital, the fighter squadrons launching from Suzaku will be our first obstacle. This mission is a night bombing raid to minimize interference from enemy fighters while also assessing the enemy's night-fighting capabilities. Our air superiority units will act as decoys to lure out the Suzaku air squadron, while the bombing force will take a different route to infiltrate Misato."
Illia glanced out the window and noticed the sun beginning to set. It would take two hours to reach Misato from Karanakuta, so they would likely arrive under the cover of night.
"The forecast is clear skies over Misato tonight, with the moon out. Visibility will be decent, but how much dogfighting we can engage in remains uncertain. This is a high-risk surprise attack, but that also makes it difficult for the enemy to predict and respond. You’ve all honed your skills to their peak, making this mission possible. Rely on your experience, fight with everything you’ve got, and come back alive. Dismissed. Prepare for launch!"
With a shout of acknowledgment, the pilots all leapt from their seats.
Illia, too, composed herself and left the briefing room. The seventy Voltec Squadron pilots selected for this mission were filled with fierce determination. Ever since the Battle of Sierra Greed in July, through Santos Island, Isrion, and the capture of Karanakuta, the squadron had seen constant large-scale air battles and emerged victorious each time, instilling the pilots with unshakable confidence in their combat abilities.
"Let’s go, Lord Illia!"
With a playful call, Senior Airman Mcguire sprinted toward the flight line.
"Today’s in your hands again, Lord!"
Non-commissioned Airman Leon grinned as he shouted after Illia, chasing Mcguire.
"Take care, both of you!"
Calling out after them, Illia glanced toward the line, where the first of the fighters slated for the air superiority role had already begun their warm-ups. As she headed toward her own aircraft, the twin airmen, Lulu and Lala, caught up to her and called out.
"Illia, do your best!"
"But don't push too hard since it's night!"
"Thank you. You both stay safe as well."
"We'll be fine!"
"Watch out for the commander, okay?"
In this mission, Illia was paired with Leo, flying in a two-ship formation in their Beo-Strikes. It had been determined that formations could only be flown effectively with aircraft of identical performance, hence this arrangement.
"Understood. I'll protect him."
Nodding, Illia parted from the twins and caught up with Leo, who was running ahead, calling out to him as they ran side by side.
"Thank you for your guidance."
Leo glanced at her and replied.
"Do as you like. Watching over me will be boring."
"Not at all."
"Formations break up in the chaos of battle anyway. Fight as you see fit. But swear to one thing."
"…?"
Leo paused, turning his sharp gaze on her.
"Whoever you're up against, don't hold back."
Illia's chest tightened. She couldn't respond. Leo continued.
"Even if it's Sakagami or Kagura, pull the trigger without hesitation."
"…"
"That’s the code of chivalry. Sakagami and Kagura will face you with the same resolve. Fighting them with everything you have is the greatest respect you can show. Steel yourself."
"…Yes, sir."
"I can't hear you."
"Yes, sir!!"
Her shout echoed just as they reached their aircraft.
The Beo-Strike, with the emblem of the "White Wolf" emblazoned on its nose, was the latest model of fighter aircraft.
Since her first flight in this machine, Illia had fought in eight more air battles, and she had finally begun to feel that the aircraft moved as an extension of her own limbs. With forty confirmed kills in the Beo-Strike, her total number of downed enemy aircraft had surged to seventy-six. At this rate, the newspapers speculated she would soon surpass Leo, who had ninety-two confirmed kills.
With one foot on the wing of her aircraft, Leo gave one final reminder.
"You are St Vault's ace. The air superiority battle hinges on your skill. Every enemy you down shifts the advantage to our side, reduces our losses. If you hesitate and let Sakagami or Kagura go, they'll down Lulu or Lala. Don't forget that."
"…Yes, sir. I’ll keep it in mind."
Leo nodded at her response and climbed into his cockpit. Illia followed, swinging herself into her familiar seat and conducting a quick check of her instruments.
She knew Leo was right.
The objective of this mission was to strike terror and shock into the enemy. If they bypassed Suzaku and razed the capital, it would cast doubt on the enemy's ability to defend itself. If everything went well, it could be a turning point in the war, but they would need to brace for heavy casualties on their own side as well. There was no room for holding back.
With the sun dipping low behind them, Illia cast a long glance toward the distant sky over Misato, where Sakagami and Kagura were likely waiting. She extended an arm from her cockpit, signalling the ground crew to release the wheel blocks. Her Beo-Strike began to taxi slowly.
Leading the formation was a single Teodora bomber, with the best navigator and strategist aboard. Following closely were forty-one air superiority fighters under Leo’s command. Behind them, the main bomber formation of forty-four Teodora bombers, along with twenty-nine escort fighters, completed the procession.
"Let’s go, Illia."
Leo's voice came through the speaker.
"Yes, sir."
Illia took position slightly behind and to the right of Leo and opened the throttle simultaneously with him.
The two fighters lifted off in unison, circling to an altitude of five hundred meters as they awaited the rest of the formation. The radio channels buzzed with coordination chatter, as well as the banter of non-commissioned officers, all eagerly anticipating the coming adventure. It was their first confrontation with the Akitsu Federation's fighter squadrons, and the excitement in their voices was palpable.
Soon enough, the entire air superiority group had taken off and formed up into thirteen three-plane elements in the sky.
With Leo and Illia's two-plane formation at the front, followed by the thirteen elements in flawless order, they set their course westward toward Misato.
"Let’s set the sky ablaze."
At Leo's quiet command, a collective cheer erupted through the speakers, shaking the air as the Voltec Air Squadron soared toward their target, Misato.
One hour later, at the first airfield of the airborne fortress "Suzaku."
The "shadows" that appeared on the early warning radar were most likely the aircraft squadron of the St Vault Imperial Army, having departed from the Karanakuta Fortress. Kusanagi Air Squadron Commander Haruhiko Ogiya concluded as much.
Immediately, all fighter pilots were placed on standby. Ogiya conveyed the situation to the thirty pilots gathered in the waiting room.
“There are no reports from the patrol boats. Ground radar provides only a rough grasp of the situation, but judging from the shadows, a large formation of forty to ninety aircraft is heading southwest. Their target is unknown, but it’s likely either Suzaku or Misato. You are to launch immediately and strike the enemy's vanguard.”
The response echoed through the waiting room with force. Kiyoaki, however, remained silent, staring at the map showing the route between Karanakuta Fortress and Suzaku, and the projected path of the enemy.
“Suzaku will move southeast and take position at a midpoint between Karanakuta and Misato. We’ll block the enemy's route from the centre. This is a night mission, but there’s moonlight, and with your skills, aerial combat should be possible. Remember, 1.4 million citizens of Misato rely on your protection. The Voltec Air Squadron has faced numerous large-scale air battles and emerged victorious each time. Now, demonstrate the results of your intense training and let the name of Kusanagi Air Squadron resound across the archipelago. That’s all. Launch!”
The thirty battle-hardened pilots stood with determination.
Among them was Kagura.
She approached the dark-eyed Kiyoaki, speaking with firm resolve.
“Let’s fulfill our oath, Kiyoaki.”
“…”
“We always knew this day would come. Giving our all is the best way to repay Commander Leo and everyone else.”
“…”
“As soldiers, we must fight for the people of our homeland. That’s the path you, I, and Illia chose. If our paths cross, we must fight with everything we have.”
Kagura’s words carried the weight of someone who had reached this conclusion after a long internal struggle. Her voice was filled with a sense of conviction born from experience.
Yet, Kiyoaki couldn’t respond.
“I trust you, Kiyoaki. You’ll fight for the people of this country.”
With those words, Kagura placed her hand on Kiyoaki's shoulder before exiting the waiting room.
“Sakagami Ensign! Let’s go!”
His wingman, Dambazolik, called out in a bright voice. The other wingman, Rensuke, with the expression of a warrior, also urged Kiyoaki.
“This is the decisive battle. I will fight with everything I have.”
Kiyoaki managed a nod, his gaze shifting outside.
“...Yeah. Let’s go.”
Dragging his heavy feet, he forced himself out of the command centre.
It was already evening. The sun was about to set on the horizon. On the first airfield, the rows of "Murasame" fighter planes had already started their engines. In front of them, two distinct aircraft with ferocious engine roars stood out.
These were the latest fighter planes, the "Ikaruga," which would play a pivotal role in today’s battle.
Only the Ikaruga could stand against the Imperial Army's Beo-Strike.
Kiyoaki and Ryu were entrusted with the planes that could become the Federation’s Saviors.
“They say she’s got a white wolf nose art on her plane.”
Standing beside Kiyoaki, Ryu muttered.
Kiyoaki said nothing. Ryu smirked at his silence.
“Don’t worry. I’ll shoot down your precious girl.”
“…”
“You’ll be happy, won’t you? I’ll kill all your friends, so you can just sit back and reminisce.”
Ryu climbed the ladder into the "Ikaruga" bearing the white tiger nose art near its nose.
“Sakagami Ensign! Quickly!” “She’s in perfect condition! You’ll definitely win! The Ikaruga is a fantastic fighter!”
The mechanics hurried him as Kiyoaki stood motionless.
Kiyoaki looked at his own plane.
The nose art of a "black rabbit" had already been painted on its nose. Ogiya had ordered it to mark the plane, and Kiyoaki had chosen this symbol as part of a promise he made with Illia when they escaped from the airborne fortress Odin.
“I’ll tell you my marker. I’ll have the nose art of a white wolf, given to me by my father. You, put a black rabbit on yours. That way, I’ll know it’s you.”
If he flew in this plane, Illia would see him. And he would see her.
–And then…what?
–Would Illia shoot him down?
–Would he be able to shoot her down?
“My family is in Misato! Sakagami Ensign, protect Misato!”
The desperate plea of one of the mechanics tore through Kiyoaki’s thoughts.
He looked weakly at the three mechanics. They had spent countless hours maintaining this plane, treating it as their own child. Their only wish was to see him fly triumphantly, to defend the skies of Misato.
Kiyoaki’s duty was to protect the people of this country from the enemy.
No matter who the enemy was.
“...I know. I won’t let anyone lay a hand on Misato…anyone.”
With a hoarse voice, Kiyoaki muttered, finally placing his trembling hand on the ladder and slowly pulling himself into the cockpit as if carrying the weight of a stone statue on his back.
His heart pounded in his chest.
He had never felt such dread before a mission. He had no idea what awaited him in the night sky ahead.
Just looking up at the evening sky, where dusk was about to fall, brought flashes of his comrades from the Voltec Air Squadron—the kind people who had helped him and Kagura escape, without a second thought about their own positions. Was he really expected to put them in his crosshairs and pull the trigger?
“I will not go easy. I’ll do everything I can to take you down. You must swear the same. If you meet us on the battlefield, you will fight the Voltec Air Squadron with everything you have. You’ll fight with all your strength to take us down.”
Leo’s words from their farewell at Odin came to mind. Kiyoaki had wept, promising to fight them, no matter what.
“I’m sure we’ll meet in the skies someday. I know I must defeat you. It’s my fate.”
Illia’s words echoed in his memory. With just a glint in her eyes, she had resolutely declared her determination to challenge him to a duel.
“When we meet on the battlefield, let’s fight for real.”
Kiyoaki had promised to honour Illia’s wish.
–Was this the night to fulfill that promise?
As Kiyoaki hesitated, his comrades began taking off one after another. Ryu had long since abandoned waiting for him and had already flown off.
“Sakagami, launch.”
Ogiya’s command came over the speaker. Glancing outside the cockpit, Kiyoaki saw the mechanics praying, lined up and looking at him expectantly. Dambazolik and Rensuke were waiting in their "Murasame" fighters, holding position, awaiting his departure. Ahead of him, Kagura’s "Murasame" crossed his path. She looked at him from the cockpit.
“Kiyoaki, let’s go.”
With trembling hands, Kiyoaki connected the gyroscope and engine shaft. The roar of the propeller alone was enough to tell him how much the mechanics had poured their hearts into maintaining the aircraft at its peak performance. After every sortie, the mechanics would rush to him, eager to hear how well their plane had performed. When he recounted the details of his victories, they would clap their hands in joy, as if they had fought the battle themselves. Through this plane, the mechanics flew and fought alongside the pilot.
–So many people's hopes ride on these wings.
–This plane isn’t just mine… The Ikaruga is the Federation’s hope.
He extended his arm from the cockpit, signalling for the wheel chocks to be removed. The Ikaruga began its slow taxi down the runway.
Dambazolik and Rensuke followed closely behind, their joy evident. Though their different aircraft made it difficult to form a squadron in combat, the two still flew as Kiyoaki’s wingmen that night.
–My first battle in the Ikaruga. And at night. I have to stay sharp...
Determined, he opened the throttle and began his take-off roll.
The Ikaruga’s acceleration weighed heavily on him. Though he had spent around ten days getting used to it, taming this beast in real combat was still an unknown.
–The Voltec Air Squadron is strong. If I hold back, they’ll kill me.
–I must give everything I have, as I promised.
As the lift built under his wings, Kiyoaki pulled back on the control stick. With a high-pitched roar from its propeller, the Ikaruga shook off the shackles of gravity and soared into the crimson sunset sky.
When he looked back, the majestic form of Suzaku was illuminated by the fading sunlight. Dambazolik and Rensuke’s Murasame fighters flanked him on both sides, forming a three-plane formation.
"We'll be guided to the expected enemy contact zone by the lead plane. Everyone, turn on your wingtip lights."
The voice of Captain Maolong echoed in his headset. Three-seat lightning strike aircraft, with yellow and white wingtip lights, led the thirty-strong Kusanagi Air Squadron toward the anticipated path of the enemy’s air superiority squadron. Since the Federation’s fighter planes didn’t have onboard radar, they would rely on wingtip lights and moonlight for this nighttime dogfight. Both sides faced a difficult aerial combat under these conditions.
About thirty minutes after leaving Suzaku, the last of the red sunset disappeared from the horizon, and moonlight bathed the sea below. Looking up, the sky was dotted with millions of stars. Even without straining his eyes, Kiyoaki could distinguish the bodies and wings of the squadron planes by their wingtip lights.
He marvelled at how bright the moon was. It was December, so the air was clear, and under these weather conditions, it seemed possible to engage in combat even without radar.
Current altitude: 5,500 meters.
Relying on his compass, altimeter, and speedometer, Kiyoaki marked his flight chart on the map as they flew. He hoped he’d be able to regroup with the lead plane after the battle, but if not, he would have to rely on instrument flying to return to Suzaku. His anxiety was interrupted by a transmission from the lead aircraft.
“According to estimates, we’ll encounter the enemy about 150 nautical miles off the coast of Misato. You are to perform repeated attacks while flying parallel to the enemy squadron. After the battle, if returning to Suzaku is difficult, you may land at the airfield in Misato. The decision is yours."
It seemed that worrying about the return wasn’t necessary. Since it was a defensive mission, there was relief in knowing they could land in Misato if fuel ran low.
“All units, spread out and extinguish your wingtip lights. We'll lie in wait here.”
The Voltec Air Squadron was drawing near. The friendly formation spread out, taking care to keep enough distance from one another and dimming their lights. Thanks to the moonlight and the exhaust flames, they could still see each other.
“From this point on, all communications will be silenced until combat begins. Judging by radar, the enemy is likely unaware of the ambush.”
The lead aircraft's voice cut off. It seemed the Voltec Air Squadron had underestimated the ground radar capabilities of Suzaku.
–The Voltec Air Squadron, thinking they’re launching a surprise attack, is about to be ambushed themselves...
The current conditions heavily favoured Kusanagi Air Squadron.
Kiyoaki felt a wave of nausea. Images of Illia, Leo, Lul, Lala, and his other comrades’ smiling faces once again flashed through his mind.
–I hope they notice the ambush.
A treacherous thought surfaced within him. He wasn’t even sure whose side he was on anymore.
–Illia, if it’s you, surely you can see through this trap...
As Kiyoaki silently prayed to the stars, he saw a glimmer of blue and red in the distance.
The wingtip lights of the St Vault Empire’s aircraft. The fact that they still had their lights on was proof they hadn’t noticed the ambush.
The lead aircraft waggled its wings. It was the signal for enemy sighting. One after another, the thirty planes of the Kusanagi Air Squadron responded, confirming they had spotted the enemy.
The Voltec Air Squadron was flying approximately 1,000 meters below them, at around 4,000 meters in altitude, moving calmly and unaware. In air combat, altitude confers a significant advantage, so Kusanagi Air Squadron already had the upper hand. Curious, Kiyoaki fiddled with his radio frequencies, and sure enough, he picked up the familiar, casual banter of his old comrades.
He recognized Macguire’s voice, followed by Leon’s, and then Lul and Lala’s.
The voices of everyone he dreaded meeting in this sky were coming through the radio. Since they hadn’t yet entered the combat zone, they hadn’t turned off their wingtip lights or enforced radio silence, still underestimating the Federation forces. This lax approach may have worked against the Hydrabard forces, but Akitsu Federation wouldn’t be so forgiving. Even the Voltec Air Squadron would be no match for Kusanagi’s precision strikes if caught off-guard.
"Turn off the radio, you're being ambushed...!!"
He wanted to scream, his voice filled with desperation. The urge to switch the radio to transmit and shout a warning to Leo was overwhelming, but if he did, the Kusanagi Air Squadron would be the ones shot down, and the innocent citizens of Misato would be burned alive by the enemy bombers.
Illia gripped the control stick of her Beo-Strike tightly, her eyes fixed upward on the enemy squadron a thousand meters above, waiting for the moment of engagement.
She could practically feel the enemy licking their lips, creeping in to take advantage of what they thought was a perfectly vulnerable situation, aiming to strike from a superior altitude.
"Hey, Captain, do you see that?"
"Should we turn off the lights yet?"
Lulu and Lala's voices crackled over the speaker. They had been instructed to keep the conversation as unrelated to the battle as possible before take-off, but it was clear they were starting to worry. Speaking in St Vault language meant few in Akitsu would understand, but if Kiyoaki or Kagura were among the enemy, their words could be dangerously exposed.
"The ring of the moon is above us."
Leo's bitter voice responded with the agreed-upon code. The "ring of the moon" referred to the enemy formation. Every pilot in the Voltec Air Squadron had already spotted the approaching enemy squadron sneaking up from above, yet they all pretended to be oblivious.
–We are the bait.
–Our role is to lure the Kusanagi Air Squadron in.
–Meanwhile, the follow-up bomber squad will slip through the forward defences on a different route and strike Misato.
Illia recalled the briefing, keeping her wingtip lights on, awaiting the Kusanagi squadron's descent.
Her prayer was simple:
–I hope Kiyoaki and Kagura aren’t among them.
Her hands, gripping the control stick, were damp with sweat.
–Please, let fate not be so cruel as to make me face them in battle.
As she prayed, the black silhouettes of thirty Murasame fighters descended from the starry sky, like mounted warriors galloping down a cliff, their propellers howling in place of war cries, launching a coordinated dive attack.
"Lights off!!"
Leo’s sharp command echoed through all planes.
In an instant, every pilot extinguished their wingtip lights.
"Scatter!!"
The next command came swiftly. The formation spread out, breaking the alignment and confusing the descending enemy fighters.
"Here we go, everyone!!"
Macguire’s rallying cry roared over the speakers, followed by the wild, unintelligible cheers of the other pilots as they dove into combat.
Illia bit her lip, tilting the control stick to the side and scattering with the others.
The enemy squadron, having been poised to sink their claws into their prey, suddenly lost their targets with the blackout, and with the shifted positions, their attack went wide, tracer rounds missing their marks entirely.
Amidst the chaos, Illia spotted something clearly different from the Murasame fighters.
"Hey, there's something weird, right?"
"Looks like it has a propeller in the back, maybe?"
The twins’ carefree voices reached Illia's ears.
Kiyoaki gripped the control stick, staring at the unfolding chaos below as the Kusanagi Squadron's ambush failed and descended into disarray. He heard Commander Maolong’s shout through the radio:
“They vanished!?”
The Voltec Air Squadron, who should have been down below, had disappeared into the darkness.
“Damn it! They noticed us! Scatter, be careful!!”
The radio became a cacophony of frantic voices. In the black sky, dozens of dark shadows crisscrossed, with bright red tracer rounds streaking toward the sea.
The anticipated first strike—the explosion of the initial attack—never came. Instead, the Kusanagi Squadron’s Murasame fighters plunged toward the sea in a futile dive, while the Voltec Beo-Eagles flipped their wings and chased the retreating Murasame fighters. With no difference in endurance between the aircraft, the Beo-Eagles quickly caught up to the Murasame fighters, unleashing a barrage of gunfire on their tails.
–They knew…
Watching the chaotic battle unfold below, Kiyoaki felt a strange sense of relief, and then a wave of self-loathing.
–What am I doing…?
Kiyoaki hadn’t even initiated his dive. He watched his comrades disappear below him, while he remained at an altitude of 5,500 meters, flying level. The moonlight illuminated the battle space, where tracer rounds crisscrossed, and finally, fire blossomed in the dark sky.
Yet, he couldn’t move.
“What is that aircraft!? Be careful, the one with the inverted gull wings is strong!!” “That’s a Beo-Strike! It’s the enemy’s latest fighter!!”
Hearing the panic in his comrades’ voices, Kiyoaki felt fear creep over him. The memory of the Voltec news article resurfaced in his mind. The ones piloting those Beo-Strikes…
"Lieutenant Sakagami, where are you!? Our allies are being shot down—hurry!!"
Dambazolik and Rensuke's desperate cries cut through the dread. Both had likely never imagined Kiyoaki wouldn’t fight. They had already descended and were being chased, their tails exposed to enemy fire.
"Fight, Kiyoaki!!"
Kagura’s shout echoed in his headset.
–Kagura is fighting the Voltec Squadron as promised, just as Leo had asked…!
Kiyoaki bit his lip until it bled. Kagura’s words carried the weight of her pain, her inner turmoil now distilled into that single call to him.
Desperate cries from his comrades continued to flood the radio:
"Help me! I can’t shake them!!" "The Beo-Strikes are too fast; we can’t keep up! Our Murasame are being toyed with!!"
Far below, the Kusanagi Squadron was being overwhelmed. The enemy had anticipated their ambush, and two next-generation fighters were wreaking havoc with overwhelming performance. Straining his eyes, Kiyoaki could just make out the abnormal manoeuvres of the enemy fighters. Based on their flight patterns, he could identify them.
–It’s Leo and Illia.
His hands trembled on the controls.
If he didn’t stop them, his comrades would be slaughtered.
The 1.4 million citizens of Misato would have their homes burned and their families killed.
"Lieutenant Sakagami, please fight!!"
"Only the Ikaruga can defeat them!!"
Dambazolik and Rensuke’s pleas echoed with desperation.
"Kiyoaki, fulfill your promise!!"
Even Kagura, her voice trembling with tears, was challenging Leo and Illia, firing her 20mm cannon without hesitation.
–I have to fulfill my promise…!
Kiyoaki tried to summon his resolve by imagining Kagura’s courage, but his arms remained stiff, gripping the control stick as if frozen.
–Move! Please move, damn it…!
Just as he was trapped in self-disgust, another voice came through the radio.
"It’s useless to expect anything from a coward."
It was Ryu’s voice.
"I’ll take them down. I won’t let you die."
Ryu’s words were cold and detached, but delivered with deadly confidence.
Kiyoaki still couldn’t move. He couldn’t even speak. Below, around 2,000 meters, another bloom of fire erupted in the melee.
"Thank you, Lieutenant Ryu!!"
Dambazolik’s relieved voice echoed over the radio. It seemed Ryu had shot down the enemy that had been chasing him.
"Ryu, take out the Beo-Strikes!" "Please, we’re all getting shot down by them!!"
Their pleas for help all converged on Ryu.
"Leave it to me."
Ryu’s calm response was followed by more explosions. The cheers over the radio made it clear that Ryu was successfully downing the Voltec fighters.
–Could that have been Illia…?
Kiyoaki felt a wave of dread wash over him as he tried to make out the Beo-Strike silhouette, and when he saw that it was not Illia’s, an overwhelming sense of relief coursed through him. If anyone saw that, they’d have every right to kill him on the spot.
With each explosion, Kiyoaki's chest felt as though it would burst. He could barely contain the bile rising in his throat.
Was that last one Illia? Could it have been Kagura? Were Rensuke and Dambazolik safe? What about Leo, Lul, and Lala?
His mind, split between worry for both sides, was being torn apart with every explosion.
He knew the faces and names of every pilot out there, both friend and foe. He knew their lives, their families, their friends, and lovers. These were people fighting to protect those they cared about.
People with the same feelings on both sides, killing each other.
–Am I supposed to join them in this?
–Am I supposed to take lives with my own hands?
The members of the Voltec Squadron, with whom Kiyoaki had once laughed and drank, were now locked in deadly combat with the Kusanagi Squadron, with whom he had trained tirelessly on Suzaku. Both were his comrades. In a different world, they might have flown together as equals, united in their love of the sky.
They didn’t hate each other, so why were they killing each other?
"Sakagami. If you don’t fight, your comrades will die."
Ryu’s cold voice cut through the chaos once more.
Kiyoaki remained silent, unable to reply.
"You’re going to abandon your comrades and civilians just to preserve your image as a ‘good person’?"
His entire body trembled.
"You don’t want to be a villain who kills your former comrades, is that it?"
As Ryu spoke, he continued to down Beo-Eagles one after another, showcasing the overwhelming power of the Ikaruga.
"We’ve received word: the enemy bombers are heading toward Misato from a separate route!"
Commander Maolong’s voice rang out.
"They’re taking a detour to enter Misato. Ignore the fighters! Target the bombers!"
"But we can’t see them!"
While they had been engaged with the fighter planes, the enemy bomber squad had slipped through Kusanagi’s defences, using the cover of night. But with no visibility, it was impossible to pursue them.
From his higher vantage point, Kiyoaki spotted a faint glint reflecting the moonlight to the southwest. Narrowing his eyes, he could just make out the exhaust flames from four engines.
"Sakagami, visual confirmation. The enemy bombers are heading southwest. I’m in pursuit."
After a moment of silence, Commander Maolong responded.
"All units, break off from the current engagement and head toward Misato. Pursue the bombers and launch repeated attacks as you catch up."
As the squadron leaders confirmed the order, everyone turned their wings and left the battlefield, heading into the darkness toward Misato. The Voltec Squadron didn’t give chase, calmly regrouping and continuing toward their own objective.
The initial skirmish had ended in a mere exchange of blows.
The real battle would be fought over the skies of Misato.
–If it’s bombers, I can shoot them down…
With that thought, Kiyoaki fixed his gaze on the enemy bombers' exhaust flames, following them through the darkness.
The enemy bombers were flying at a considerable altitude, making it difficult even for the Ikaruga to catch up. The plan had been to repeatedly attack them along the way, but at this rate, they wouldn’t even be able to get close.
"That’s not the Seal Sailor. Those are new bombers. At that altitude and speed, they’re something else." "Yeah, I think they’re the Teodora. Big, fast, and heavily armoured. They’re tough." "At over 7,000 meters, our Murasames are choking. We can’t catch up." "Even if they drop bombs from 8,000 meters, they won’t hit anything. They’ll have to lower altitude to bomb. Let’s keep following for now."
Listening to his comrades’ exchange over the radio, Kiyoaki silently stared into the night.
Images of Illia flashed through his mind, accompanied by the pale blue glow of the bombers’ exhaust flames.
Noble, vulnerable, and lonely Illia.
–There’s no way I can shoot Illia.
But still...
──"If it's a bomber, I can shoot it down..."
The answer remained unchanged, only passive thoughts came to mind. It was impossible for me to shoot down the Voltec Air Squadron. But if it was a bomber whose pilot I didn't know, I could dispose of it as nothing more than a machine...
Kiyoaki continued chasing the exhaust flames that eluded him, repeating his endless self-questioning.
"Enemy heavy bomber descending in altitude. It's near Misato. As expected, it's a low-altitude bombing."
Captain Maolong's voice brought him back to reality.
The night had deepened, but the moon was still shining brightly, illuminating the sea.
Looking up, he saw as the captain had said: a cluster of exhaust flames was dropping lower. They were descending in preparation for their destination. Bombs dropped from high altitude would scatter widely due to wind and inertia, reducing their effectiveness. For precision destruction of the target, low-altitude bombing was more effective.
"Ignore the fighter escorts. Aim only for the Teodora."
The captain's voice was tense. The silhouette of the heavy bombers was easily visible under the moonlight.
"Misato has enforced blackout control. The anti-aircraft guns at Misato won’t return fire. But the searchlight team should illuminate the lead aircraft. We'll fight within the searchlight's range, don’t chase retreating enemies too far."
The team responded in unison. The reason the ground anti-aircraft guns wouldn't fire was to avoid accidentally shooting down the Kusanagi Air Corps along with the enemy. The fate of 1.4 million Misato citizens was now entrusted to the twenty or so Kusanagi Air Corps pilots.
Among them, the two Ikaruga aircraft held the key. With their 37mm cannons and turboprop engines, only the Ikaruga could catch up to the heavy bombers and take them down in one hit.
They would soon enter the searchlight's range. The 2,400 searchlights set up for Misato’s defence awaited the enemy aircraft. These searchlights would soon pierce the night, supporting the Kusanagi Air Corps.
"We have no choice. Sacrifice your life. Use any means necessary to protect the civilians!"
As Captain Maolong's words ended, three blinding beams of light suddenly shot from the ground toward the starry sky.
The three-pronged beams immediately connected the night sky with a radiant point.
Illuminated by the beams was the massive form of the four-engine heavy bomber Teodora, glowing brightly. As the bomber advanced, precise beams continued to focus on the underbelly of the giant craft.
The vivid intersecting lights spoke volumes about the relentless training the searchlight team had undergone. In order to honour their efforts, the Kusanagi Air Corps had to risk their lives and shoot down the bombers.
──Let’s go.
Kiyoaki solidified his resolve and opened the throttle toward the illuminated Teodora.
"That thing's huge, what the hell is it!?" "It's got a lot of gun turrets too, be careful!"
Despite the astonishment of the team, the Teodora advanced toward Misato's city, unaffected by the illumination. Its underbelly opened with a sinister silver gleam.
It was about to unload its cargo on Misato.
──I won't let it.
The Ikaruga accelerated, and the Teodora grew rapidly in the gunsight.
In an instant, orange tracer rounds spewed from the bomber's gun turrets.
"Tch."
The night before him vanished as a torrent of tracer rounds from the rear and upper wings attacked. Judging by the size of the tracers, they seemed to be 20mm machine gun rounds. One hit, and his plane would be blown apart. It was a dangerous anti-aircraft barrage.
He regretted positioning himself directly behind and above, where the barrage was thickest, but there was no choice but to continue chasing.
Kiyoaki locked his sights on the bomber and chased it without hesitation.
Just as the wings of the bomber spread beyond the gunsight, he pulled the trigger on the 37mm cannon.
A thunderous roar filled the cockpit, as if a lightning strike had hit directly.
The armour-piercing shell, like a blow from the thunder god, tore through the base of the Teodora’s wing.
With a loud noise, the 20-meter-long wing snapped. Even Kiyoaki, who had fired, was astonished; the crew aboard the bomber likely had no idea what had happened. The Teodora, packed with bombs in its belly, began to fall helplessly.
Kiyoaki bit his lip and climbed, looking back.
The relentless training had paid off in the form of a successful kill, and the searchlight team, likely cheering in joy, immediately shifted their beams to the second aircraft.
But behind it, over 40 more Teodora bombers followed.
──We can't stop them all.
The enemy had overwhelming numbers. The Kusanagi Air Corps attacked the next illuminated Teodora, but no matter how many 20mm rounds they poured in, the bombers kept flying undeterred. It had to be the 37mm cannon to bring them down.
"Where’s Ryu!?" "He's still fighting the Beo-Strike behind us! He hasn't even gotten here yet!"
It seemed Ryu had engaged Leo or Illia instead of the Teodora.
"Kiyoaki, we’re counting on you, your cannon is our only hope!"
Kagura's desperate plea pierced his soul.
"Roger! Providing cover!"
He responded over the radio. It was fortunate that the enemy was a bomber. Kiyoaki turned his nose toward the second illuminated bomber and began a steep dive.
In an instant.
"!?".
Three Beo-Eagles swooped in from the side to block Kiyoaki's path.
The bomber's fighter escorts──Voltec Air Squadron’ fighters.
His mind burned.
The faces of his former comrades, and the faces of his current comrades, weighed on the scales.
There was no time to hesitate.
"The fighter escorts...!"
He shouted that alone and ignored the Beo-Eagles, plunging straight toward the heavy bomber.
He charged through the torrent of tracers again, racing toward the massive upper fuselage, and fired the 37mm cannon.
The shell hit the cockpit.
The enormous 30-meter-long and 40-meter-wide bomber, with flames erupting from its cockpit, tilted and began to fall. Everyone in the cockpit was likely killed instantly.
──Become iron. Turn to steel.
Kiyoaki urged himself as he pulled up the aircraft.
The enemy fighters, seeking revenge, pursued him relentlessly. After downing two heavy bombers in quick succession, there was no way the escorts would leave the new ace alone.
The pilots chasing him could be Lulu or Lala. Maybe Mcguire. Or could it be Leon? His mind wouldn't stop racing.
──Become iron. Become a particle of steel...!
He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood and tried to shake off the pursuing escorts.
Then, two shadows suddenly split in from the left and right, shielding him with their own planes. He didn’t need to turn to know who they were.
"I'll protect you, Lieutenant Kiyoaki! Take down the bombers! Use us as your shield!"
The voices of Dambazolik and Rensuke shook through the speakers. A warmth spread in his chest. He wanted to repay their loyalty.
"The decoys have returned. The real fight begins now. Show the pride of the Kusanagi Air Corps!!"
Captain Maolong's rallying cry resounded. It seemed the air superiority fighters they had fought earlier had arrived over Misato.
──Illia is in this sky right now...!!
As Kiyoaki sensed this, he kept trying to shake off the fighters.
──Focus on the bombers...!!
He couldn’t shoot down Illia. But as a member of the Kusanagi Air Corps, he absolutely couldn’t let the heavy bombers go. Judging by their size, each one likely carried more than five tons of bombs. Every bomber shot down would reduce the damage by five tons of explosives.
The searchlight team, working in desperate unison, crossed three beams of light and illuminated a third target. Kiyoaki accelerated toward the focal point. Beo-Eagles, the enemy’s fighter escorts, converged on him from both sides, trying to intercept.
With a groan, Kiyoaki ascended. The Teodora’s altitude was 2,000 meters. He was aiming for the bomber's underbelly. The Beo-Eagles fired machine gun rounds from both sides, but Dambazolik and Rensuke shielded him with their own bodies, fending off the attacks whenever they found an opening.
"Kiyoaki, we’ll cover you!!"
Kagura also joined the battle to protect Kiyoaki. Her determination was unwavering, and she shielded Kiyoaki by offering herself, relentlessly firing machine gun rounds at the approaching enemy aircraft.
It was as if Kagura was showing her resolve to Kiyoaki, urging him on.
She was fulfilling the promise she had made to Captain Leo, right here on the battlefield.
Kiyoaki felt tears of frustration well up, but he forced his eyes open wide, focusing only on the Teodora floating in the night.
"Go, Sakagami, ignore the fighters!! Take them all down with that cannon, you can do it!!"
Kusanagi Air Corps’ comrades shouted their encouragement, risking aerial collisions to break into the enemy’s flight path and help Kiyoaki ascend.
He could feel the unity of the Kusanagi Air Corps.
On the ground, he had been afraid to get close to anyone, fearing attachment, but here in the battlefield skies, just flying together made their feelings clear.
──Everyone wants to protect Misato...!
Kagura, Captain Maolong, Dambazolik, Rensuke, and Ryu. None of them wanted to see the city’s people burned alive.
──If these wings can protect them...!
Ascending, Kiyoaki locked the Teodora’s underbelly in his gunsight.
Just as the bomb bay doors opened and a swarm of 250-kilogram bombs were about to be dropped on Misato, he thought about the thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of citizens who would lose their homes and lives if five tons of bombs were dropped on the residential area.
"I won’t let you."
He pulled the trigger on the cannon.
The massive blast from the Ikaruga shook the plane.
He veered left immediately after firing.
The direct hit on the bomb bay reduced the enemy aircraft to countless fragments of metal, and it blossomed into a massive flower of flames.
Shouts of joy from his comrades echoed through the speaker. Having shot down three heavy bombers in rapid succession, morale soared, and the enemy Voltec Air Squadron became even more bloodthirsty, chasing the Ikaruga relentlessly.
Meanwhile, the searchlight team, operating 2,400 searchlights, illuminated the fourth, fifth, and sixth targets with their beams.
There was no time to rest, but the job had to be done.
"I’ll take out the lead!!"
Shouting at the radio as he focused on the lead Teodora in the formation illuminated by the searchlights, Kiyoaki pushed his engine to climb to 3,500 meters and turned his wings toward the fourth target──
An invisible lightning bolt shot through his mind.
"!?"
His intuition as a pilot warned him of a danger descending from above.
"Kiyoaki, above you!!"
Kagura's scream hit his ears, and he immediately turned to look behind him.
A blue full moon was split apart by the fangs of a white wolf descending in an inverted dive.
The shadow of a W-shaped aircraft—Beo-Strike.
"Illia!!"
In the instant Kiyoaki shouted, the four 20mm machine guns mounted on the white wolf's wings fired directly at him.
"Stop, it's me!!"
Despite knowing his voice wouldn’t reach, Kiyoaki shouted while rolling as he dove.
Tracer rounds sliced through the air, narrowly missing him as the Beo-Strike, bearing the emblem of a white wolf on its nose, relentlessly pursued him.
──They haven't noticed it's me. They must think I'm Ryu.
──If I target the bomber, Illia will keep shooting at me...!!
His thoughts burned away.
There was no time to hesitate. Kiyoaki simply followed his instincts.
"Lieutenant!!"
By the time Dambazolik’s shout reached him, Kiyoaki had already given up on approaching the bomber, turning to escape the combat zone.
"Lieutenant, please take down the bomber! We’ll cover you!!"
Even Rensuke’s desperate plea didn’t reach Kiyoaki’s ears.
"What are you doing, Kiyoaki!? Leave the fighters to me!!"
Kagura’s voice didn’t reach him either. Kiyoaki, trying to shake off Illia’s pursuit, attempted to vanish into the night. In night combat, even with decent visibility, the horizontal range was about 1,000 meters. If he suddenly dove and changed course, he could disappear from the enemy’s sight.
Kiyoaki dove to an altitude of 200 meters, skimming the ground before looking back. Illia wasn't following. He sighed in brief relief, but the cost was great.
"The city...!! Damn it, no!! Don’t let them continue, take down the next wave!!"
The frantic cries of his comrades echoed one after another.
Flames were rising from the city of Misato. The once dark ground, covered in rooftops and wooden houses, was now illuminated by the orange glow of flames.
Off in the distance, the Teodora, the bomber Kiyoaki was supposed to have taken down, continued to release its deadly cargo under the beams of the searchlights. The black malice raining down was setting fire to and destroying the homes of innocent civilians, chasing them as they fled.
"Damn it, incendiary bombs. They know our houses are made of wood and paper...!!"
As Captain Maolong had said, delicate incendiary bombs rained down on the city, detonating at a set altitude and releasing over seventy incendiary shells, igniting the wooden structures.
I have to stop the Teodora...!!
Kiyoaki, exhausted, turned his gaze toward the heavy bombers that continued to flood the sky. The searchlight team was doing their best to support the Kusanagi Air Corps, drawing lines of light across the night, but the Teodora bombers, confident in their bulletproof armour, were undeterred as they dropped their bombs with precision from low altitude.
Only I can stop them...!!
Determined, Kiyoaki charged toward the focal point of the lights.
Please, Illia, don’t get in my way...!!
He prayed, but the Voltec Air Squadron wasn’t incompetent enough to leave a mysterious new aircraft, responsible for heavy casualties, unchecked.
Flying toward the beams of light would only attract more enemy aircraft.
He would have to face his former comrades in battle.
If he fled, more civilians would burn. Just like on Messus Island, like his parents and sister. It was to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again that he flew with these wings.
Fight. Fight. Fight...!!
He urged himself on, even though he was terrified and felt like running away. Ahead, the target, the Teodora bomber, swelled in his gunsight.
The moment the enemy aircraft was locked in his sight.
A W-shaped aircraft suddenly appeared from behind the heavy bomber and charged toward Kiyoaki.
They had known the bomber would be targeted and were lying in wait.
He could tell by the aircraft’s elegant and swift movements exactly who the pilot was.
"Stop, Illia!!"
With a scream, Kiyoaki pushed the control stick forward and kicked the foot pedals.
No matter how much he urged himself on, there was no way he could face her directly. He had no choice but to run. The beams of light from the searchlights disappeared from his view, replaced by the sight of the burning city.
"What are you doing, Sakagami!?" "Fight, Lieutenant!!"
His comrades’ desperate screams poured in through the radio. Kiyoaki felt torn apart. His thoughts were in turmoil. He was losing his sense of where he was and what he was supposed to be doing.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha..."
Breathing heavily like an animal, Kiyoaki tried to clear his confused thoughts and focus on doing the best he could in the situation.
Calm down. Show Illia the black rabbit nose art.
If Illia sees it, she won’t target me...!
Opening the throttle, Kiyoaki vanished into the darkness. He circled low to the ground, trying to find Illia.
The city was already engulfed in flames from the bombing.
The Teodora was trying to form a wall of fire around the city, cutting off any escape for the civilians.
Taking down a heavy bomber with a Murasame was difficult, and the efforts of the searchlight team were in vain. The bombers opened their bays, releasing one-ton bombs, 500-kilogram bombs, 250-kilogram bombs, and incendiary bombs. They seemed to be testing which bombs were the most effective, and a variety of explosions bloomed on the ground, spreading the fires through the residential areas.
The night sky turned crimson. The 1.4 million citizens were being trapped in a cruel inferno.
Kiyoaki painfully understood what he had to do.
But his body wouldn’t obey.
Chasing after Illia, locking her in his gunsight, his finger wouldn’t pull the trigger of the 37mm cannon.
Damn it, one more time...!!
Kiyoaki charged toward another bomber.
Locking onto the target illuminated by the beams of light, he remained vigilant, sharpening his senses to detect any movement in the surrounding airspace.
The W-shaped aircraft would surely appear. Illia was hiding in the darkness, waiting to protect the bomber.
The next moment, just as he had predicted, the white wolf tore through the night and lunged at him, claws raised.
"Illia!!"
He narrowly dodged the hail of tracers with a sudden dive. Illia lost sight of him and sped into the night.
Kiyoaki pulled up just above the ground and looked back up at the sky.
Fortunately, the moon was behind Illia. From Kiyoaki’s position, the sleek silhouette of the Beo-Strike was visible, framed against the blue moon.
Without hesitation, he accelerated and approached Illia from below.
He could see her, but she couldn’t see him.
This was a perfect chance to shoot her down, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But he couldn't bring himself to fire.
Kiyoaki gained enough airspeed and then began to climb.
He approached from beneath Illia's right wing, aiming to slip past her and show the black rabbit emblem as he passed.
With a prayer as if coughing up blood, he sent his thoughts to the sky.
──I can’t fight you.
──Please, take your comrades and go home.
At the same time, he thrust the nose of his plane from beneath her right wing, showing his nose art near Illia’s cockpit, and began to ascend, aiming to leave the combat zone.
Illia rolled to evade and then pursued him.
Without any hesitation, Illia clung to the tail of the Ikaruga as it ascended.
──It’s me. I can’t fight you.
He engraved the prayer into the sky, even though he knew it would never reach her.
- What are you doing? Fight.*
He could almost hear a phantom voice. Perhaps Illia, in the cockpit of the Beo-Strike, was calling out to him with those words.
Kiyoaki shook his head from side to side.
There’s no way I could shoot you.
Why must I kill someone so important with my own hands?
What reason could justify such an absurdity?
- That’s so like you.*
- But you should know as well.*
- You and I have a reason to fight.*
- We are enemies.*
In the phantom voice of Illia, there was a hint of tears. Her words were cold and harsh, yet it was clear that Illia was crying as she spoke.
The overwhelming affection he felt tore Kiyoaki's heart to pieces, scattering it into countless particles along his flight path.
All Kiyoaki could do was run.
Illia drew closer, entering a range where her shots would be inevitable.
- Please, fight me.*
Crying, Illia seemed to be begging him like that.
- You promised, didn’t you?*
At their parting in Odin, Kiyoaki had promised Illia that if they met again on the battlefield, they would fight honourably.
But he never thought that day would actually come.
- Because I’m proud of the days we spent honing our skills together.*
- Because I want to be recognized by you as a rival.*
- Because I cherish our promise more than anything.*
Illia’s heart-wrenching prayer seeped into Kiyoaki’s soul through the sky.
──Illia will shoot me.
He was sure of it.
──That’s fine.
──If I die by Illia’s hand... that’s fine.
Kiyoaki gave up on surviving.
It seemed like the least painful choice.
As Illia sped up, Kiyoaki continued his slow ascent, almost as if waiting for her, without increasing the throttle.
The closer Illia got, the more Kiyoaki felt the pain she was carrying.
Crying, yet still relentlessly chasing him, just to fulfill the promise they had made.
──How dear you are...
Such sentimental thoughts, out of place on the battlefield, inexplicably passed through his mind.
──I love you, Illia.
The Beo-Strike climbed rapidly through the night at full throttle. Soon, the four 20mm machine guns jutting from its wings would rip his life away.
──I wanted to walk with you again, like on that sandy beach.
They say your life flashes before your eyes at its end, and perhaps this was that moment.
──I wanted to hold you again.
He remembered embracing Illia on the deck of the carrier that night, her face wet with tears.
Now, it was perfectly clear.
──Illia, I think I’m in love with you.
The roar of the Beo-Strike vibrated through Kiyoaki’s back.
Soon, he would be within range. The 20mm machine gun rounds fired by Illia would rip apart both his body and the Ikaruga, turning him into mere fragments raining down over Misato.
- Let’s fulfill our promise.*
Illia’s soul seemed to scream this, wailing in sorrow.
Kiyoaki closed his eyes, waiting for his life to be blown to dust, when suddenly──
From below, the sound of propellers surged upward.
"!? "
Kiyoaki opened his eyes and looked down.
Murasame.
A single plane.
Overboosting.
"Lieutenant!!"
Rensuke’s voice echoed through the radio.
Kiyoaki’s hair stood on end.
──He’s going to shield me.
"Stop, Rensuke!!"
At the very moment Kiyoaki shouted, Rensuke slipped his body between Illia and Kiyoaki.
"Rensuke!!"
The scream that burst from the depths of Kiyoaki’s soul was swallowed by the blossoming fireball.
Kiyoaki snapped back to reality and opened the throttle. As he weaved his aircraft left and right, diving sharply, he glanced back.
Rensuke had turned into metal fragments, scattered into the night. The moonlight glittered on the particles that were once Rensuke, decorating them.
"A... a... a..."
Kiyoaki was speechless. His thoughts stopped.
"Rensuke, Rensuke──!!"
The distant voice of Dambazolik calling out his friend's name rang in his ears.
Kiyoaki felt a lump of emotion lodged in his throat, unable to speak.
──Rensuke is dead.
──He died in my place...
He could only replay the reality of what had just happened. A wave of nausea surged within him. His chaotic thoughts made the scene of the battle before him fade into the distance.
"Anti-aircraft fire is preparing. We're no longer needed. Let’s retreat before we get caught up in it."
Captain Maolong's voice came over the radio. It seemed that the command had grown frustrated with the Kusanagi Air Corps' lack of results and had decided to take on the heavy bombers with anti-aircraft guns.
On the other hand, the Teodora squadron had finished their bombing and was preparing to return. The Kusanagi pilots clung desperately to their tails, but no matter how much they fired, it was futile.
"Don’t chase them. It’s useless. We can’t take them down with Murasame..."
Captain Maolong's voice of resignation sounded distant to Kiyoaki.
Still in a daze, he watched as the Voltec Air Squadron returned triumphantly. No doubt, once they reached their base, they would celebrate with fine wine, laughing at Kiyoaki’s pitiful failure and rejoicing in their successful bombing campaign, partying into the night...
Kiyoaki’s thoughts froze on one point.
Illia had shot down Rensuke.
Rensuke, who fought to support his impoverished family, who struggled to save his many younger siblings from malnutrition, had died in Kiyoaki’s place, killed by Illia.
That fact alone dug deep into the core of his soul.
The ground anti-aircraft guns finally began to fire. Although powerful, their accuracy was so poor that they couldn’t even lock onto the illuminated targets. The enemy, mocking Misato’s air defences, flew in low-altitude circles as if flaunting their dominance, heading toward the Karanakuta stronghold.
All that remained was the burning city of Misato.
The chaos among the evacuees, pushing and shoving in confusion, didn’t subside even when morning came...
“The emblem on that sleek new plane, it was the black rabbit, wasn’t it? It must have been Sakagami,” said Captain Leo’s voice over the radio, cutting through the dark expanse of the ocean as Illia focused only on the lead plane’s navigation lights.
She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, trying to make sure her crying wasn’t noticed, and steadied her breathing before replying.
“There seemed to be two new planes. I’m not sure about the white tiger, but the black rabbit was definitely Sakagami.”
The Voltec Air Squadron had completed their mission to cover the bombers and were now returning to the Karanakuta Fortress. The stars and the moon painted the ocean in shades of blue, making even the ripples of the waves visible.
After a brief silence, Leo muttered.
“Well shot.”
It seemed he had been watching the whole time.
“…We made a promise,” she responded, her voice briefly faltering before she managed to maintain her composure.
“It seems that Sakagami’s wingman shielded him. He must be well-liked by his comrades. Otherwise, no one would have done that.”
“…Yes. He’s protected by brave comrades,” Illia said, her chest burning with emotion. Sensing her feelings, Leo didn’t say anything further.
Illia wiped the tears from under her eyes again and looked up at the stars.
At first, in the initial encounter, she had assumed it was the white tiger. But later, when she saw the black rabbit nose art, she finally realized it was Kiyoaki.
As she tailed him, for some reason her chest was filled with sorrow, and tears started to overflow.
Memories of their time together at the Air Hunt Officer Academy, and fighting as members of the same Voltec Air Squadron on Mauregan Island, flooded her mind, as if covering the tail propeller of Kiyoaki’s new fighter.
Kiyoaki didn’t show any intention of evading. He just flew straight ahead, slowly, as if he wanted Illia to shoot him down.
From the depths of her overwhelming sadness, Illia heard a phantom voice.
Even though it was impossible for enemies in separate cockpits to communicate, it felt as if the sky and their hearts were blending together, and Kiyoaki’s emotions flowed directly into her.
- I think I’m in love with you.*
That impossibly sweet voice, so out of place on a battlefield, echoed within Illia.
There was a moment of hesitation. In that brief pause, Kiyoaki’s wingman had swooped in.
To confirm her own resolve, Illia pulled the trigger. She was aware that the bullet wasn’t going to hit Kiyoaki, as she had just barely noticed the approach of his wingman.
When the wingman’s plane exploded, Illia could hear the sound of Kiyoaki’s heart shattering into thousands of pieces.
The confused emotions that flowed directly from Kiyoaki hit Illia, and she could feel his pain so intensely that she groaned, her hand halting on the throttle.
She lost sight of Kiyoaki in the darkness. Unable to pursue him further, she returned to cover the Teodora bombers. Today, Illia had shot down six planes.
──What was that voice?
If it had been a voice born from her imagination, it was far too sweet. However, it felt too vivid to be a hallucination, as if she had truly been talking with Kiyoaki across space.
Inside her chest, a mix of joy, warmth, sorrow, and pain swelled, turning once more into tears.
The tears wetting her cheeks wouldn’t stop.
No one was watching, so Illia decided to let it be.
──I want to see you, Sakagami.
──Not in this sky, but on the ground, without war.
Such a cheap sentiment welled up in her, unstoppable, and Illia gave up on restraining herself. For now, while she was alone, she wanted to indulge in these overly sweet emotions.
──I want to be with you always. I don’t want to be apart from you.
──If only we could fly side by side in the free sky forever...
Illia was surprised and yet also pleased to discover that such simple, girlish feelings still remained inside her. It was a fragment of humanity that Kiyoaki had shown her.
──I’m truly glad I met you.
──But...
Illia’s gaze turned toward the surrounding darkness. Her comrades, flying with their wings side by side, chatting idly over the radio, were there with her.
──I fight for these comrades.
Her tear-soaked eyes turned to her comrades in the Voltec Air Squadron. They were her precious family, people she could not and did not want to lose.
The wings of her Beo-Strike existed to protect that family.
──If I meet you again in this sky...
──I will shoot you down.
──Because that is my fate.
──No matter how cruel the destiny, I don’t want to run from it.
Illia repeated that sad resolve to herself over and over again.
──I will continue filling the empty pages of my father’s scrapbook.
Even if it meant those pages would contain an article about Kiyoaki being shot down.
──Because surely, “The King of the Sky” is waiting at the end of this path...
From a young age, she had run down this path for that single purpose.
She couldn’t stop now. No matter what obstacles stood in her way, she would overcome them head-on. Wiping her tears again and again, Illia forced her determination deep into her heart.
From the starry sky, as if to console her, thousands of stars fell, colouring the wings of her Beo-Strike in a dreamlike hue. Enduring the pain, the sorrow, and the suffering, Illia gripped the control stick, her gaze fixed on the distant throne in the night sky...
