Hey, isn't this place called the Tanami Desert?
Must be that forest conservation deal.
They can supposedly force a forest to grow in as little as two years.
Anyway, let's hurry.
Before our Princess falls for the dummy.
Let's at least see if the 0.5th gen is here or not...
Havia...
An earthquake?
Doesn't look like it's an earthquake.
Let's hurry.
Yeah.
Looks like it's a dummy water storage plant.
It's coming out.
So, this is the right one.
Yeah, the Oceanian Military State's one and only Object.
The 0.5th gen.
A cable?
Get down, Qwenthur!
Did they spot us?
This is bad! We're going to get killed!
No, the aim is too haphazard.
It's probably part of their shakedown testing.
Just a shakedown test and we get this?
0.5th gen or not, that's an Object for you.
Talk about nasty powerful.
But we made it in time.
The day they start massacring villages with a thing like that...
The War of the Ant and the Grasshopper
The Invasion of the Oceanian Military State III
What're they doing there?
The Object hasn't been fired up in two years.
Probably starting with warm-up exercises.
"Turn the coil gun to the side and ready," huh?
But...
We've confirmed its location.
All that's left is to destroy it.
Hey, now,
it may only be a 0.5th gen, but you're taking this way too lightly.
Don't tell me you plan to charge that thing with Hand Axe in hand!
I'm not going to set it to explode.
To the multinational force invading the Oceanian Military State.
We have a confirmed sighting of the Oceanian Military State's Object
at a hydroponics base in the Tanami Desert.
I repeat.
Confirmed sighting in Tanami Desert of Oceanian Military State Object.
Signal ID is that of the Legitimate Kingdom military.
Qwenthur Barbotage. The little boy hero of the Legitimate Kingdom...
Just as the Digital Simulation Department predicted,
the level of their technology is that of a 0.5th gen.
Using one of our Objects, one blast from a main gun will end it.
Requesting reinforcements.
We'll take them from any military. Please send an Object this way.
It's first come, first serve.
Better hurry, or we'll make off with the medals again.
Qwenthur, I'm on my way.
I cannot authorize sending reinforcements to the Tanami Desert.
This is an order.
What the heck?
We're being jammed.
I repeat. I cannot authorize sending reinforcements to the Tanami Desert.
Qwenthur and Havia are both acting on their own initiative
and it seems they are extremely confused.
That can't be right!
Should you not obey your superior officer's orders?
Councilor Flide is a member of the Legitimate Kingdom's military.
There should be no reason for you to obey his words.
That is as you say, but...
Unfortunately for you, my orders are as follows:
"Go check out the Legitimate Kingdom's Object."
Ordinarily, I would do the checking out as we fought side-by-side,
but I could conduct my investigation by picking a fight with you as well.
Damn it! This jamming is persistent!
What is this, an old geezer taking a leak?
My dear boys Qwenthur and Havia.
This voice...
Councilor Flide?!
You two have strayed from our intended path, you see.
Intended path?
Are you saying we've interfered with your election campaign or something?
These days, war is a simple affair.
Just by knowing the number and quality of the Objects,
you're supposed to be able to easily determine the outcome.
We have one Object, they have three.
Then, there's no point in fighting, so we'll surrender.
There was supposed to have been a system in place for giving up.
That's just in theory.
Look at what's happening with the Oceanian Military State.
We're way past 3vs1 here.
That is your fault.
Huh?
A miracle like Qwenthur and Havia may occur.
This Hell is what we get as a result of that.
And so, you want us to die here?
If we got slaughtered by an Object,
it would mean miracles like that couldn't just keep happening, huh?!
Even flesh-and-blood soldiers are capable of defeating an Object.
Your achievements in battle
have allowed guerrillas and terrorists to dream.
That they might be able to fight, even though they lack Objects.
We must have standards of practice in war.
Your achievements in battle are prolonging wars to no purpose
and increasing the number of needless deaths.
Get real!
If we die here, the villagers will be killed by the 0.5th gen.
Aren't those needless deaths?
In the end, all you want is to protect your interests.
"The countries with the most Objects hold all the power."
You just want the world to stay that way!
Say whatever you like.
Either way, you two will die there.
The 0.5th gen, which attacked the village,
will come under focused fire from our Objects and the war will end.
And the world will surely know that we have once again gone back to wars
where Objects are in supreme control.
Is that right? Then shall we make a bet?
If we lose to the 0.5th gen, the world is yours.
If we win against the 0.5th gen, you're finished.
The bastard hung up.
At least deliver a damn parting shot.
Ultimately, I guess that means we can't expect reinforcements.
Yeah. Want to turn back?
And turn a blind eye as we knowingly let the Princess fall for a trap?
And stand by as the villagers around here get massacred.
When you get down to it, we've got to do this by ourselves.
Yeah.
Plus, we can't die until we've knocked that stinking bastard Flide's teeth in.
Damn it all! Did they find us?
Did they pick up on our transmission? Or...
Never mind the analysis. We're getting out of here for now!
Havia, the missile!
There's no way that'll work against an Object!
We're running!
It's okay! Just aim it there!
Guess there's no time for you to tell me why.
All right, we've created a blind spot.
I get it. If we go around and cut in, we can get away.
We're saved! Woohoo!
This way, Havia!
Aren't we going to run?!
The enemy will think so, too.
It'll actually be safer if we do the opposite.
Seriously? It's democratic beneath the lamp, is it?
That's "Darkest beneath the lamp".
That was on purpose!
When you respond so seriously, it makes me look like a dummy!
Hey!
Damn it!
Hold up, Hero!
Looks like part test firing,
part cleaning up enemy troops that didn't flee in time.
Talk about a close one.
If we'd fled into the woods, we'd have been burnt to a crisp.
But even if we stay here, they'll eventually find us.
What are the chances that our friends will come before we get found?
Nil, I'd say. Not after that transmission.
We'll have to do this ourselves.
Damn you, Flide Chicken!
Let's get inside to start with.
If we can find the schematics for the 0.5th gen or something...
It's quiet.
There's no sign of any people at all.
There hasn't been this whole time.
Normally, in addition to the Object,
there are flesh-and-blood soldiers around, but...
Hey...
You smell something?
Yeah, it stinks.
A kind of burnt smell...
Stop
No wonder no one came out.
The flesh-and-blood soldiers were all wiped out.
There was an alarm sounding when we got here, but...
So, this was it.
It's terrible.
They were electrocuted.
Electrocuted?
They likely tried to use an electrical booster
to raise the temperature of the 0.5th gen's power reactor.
Remember how the Intelligence Union's Object has a plug, too?
It's the opposite of that.
So, the emperor with his new clothes killed all his men with his big fart?
That's not even funny.
But this is looking like we have a chance to win.
What?
This is exactly its weakness.
Ordinarily, it should be built to discharge the power externally
if it's supplied with surplus power.
Seeing how these soldiers are dead,
it would mean that mechanism isn't working so well.
So, if we send another massive surge of electricity into the 0.5th gen...
We can make the power reactor go haywire.
You'll get no sympathy from me.
This is a bitch of a war and you bastards were armed.
It goes to show there's only a thin line between victim and perpetrator.
Yes! This condenser is alive.
I found what I was looking for, too.
That just leaves the question of how to connect this to the 0.5th gen.
There was a forklift outside, remember?
Couldn't we use that?
Use it how?
By remote control or something?
Like hell it's got such convenient functionality.
Just bring it over here anyway.
Thinking on the run is our specialty, right?
Most people would call it doing things in the eleventh hour, though.
If we at least had a reconnaissance drone or something...
Qwenthur!
You've got to be kidding me... Qwenthur...
Run, Havia...
You bastard! You're alive!
I can't... move anymore...
You blithering idiot! Don't go giving up so easily!
You can die after we've knocked that stinking bastard Flide's teeth in!
I am frickin' doing this.
This life-and-death game of red light, green light.
Havia, you're not...
It should be blind on the left side from the mud earlier.
You farting emperor!
Get a dose of your own fricken' fart!
Havia!
What should I do?
Is it just like the Councilor said?
That flesh-and-blood humans defeating Objects
were just accidental miracles?
A water tower?
Destroy the evidence and eliminate the intruders...
So, it plans to do both simultaneously, huh?
Havia, can you move?
Climb the water tower. Right this minute!
What? Hey...
This facility isn't just camouflage.
It's built to be a proper hydroponics base, too.
Qwenthur...
If the cable won't reach...
We can just use something else as a conductor.
Listen up, my fellow soldiers.
We just received a report from a satellite.
Destruction of the enemy Object in the Tanami Desert has been confirmed.
Its pilot, recognized as the supreme commander of the Oceanian forces,
appears to be dead.
Major, I...
The Baby Magnum is to head there immediately to rescue our men.
You promised, didn't you?
Now that our strategic target is out of the picture,
the objective of our forces will shift to a cleanup operation.
The situation has changed.
We can't very well shoot at them from behind now.
But I have found something more interesting than that outdated Object.
Hey, you alive?
Yeah, just barely.
Tenacious, aren't we?
Because, we can't die, right?
Not until we've knocked that stinking bastard Flide's teeth in?
No doubt.
Confirmed intrusion of an Object onto the grounds.
It's the Baby Magnum.
The old model, is it?
Send out our second gen.
Treat it as an accident during testing.
When an Object takes evasive action,
it is not dodging the actual shooting itself.
It looks at the aiming process and the preparatory movements,
analyzing and predicting them to evade before it gets shot at.
But the main gun of the second gen Object, the Exact Javelin,
thoroughly conceals its preparatory movements,
and furthermore, warps light with polarizing wires.
It can't be! Forming?!
It's no good. I can't get a firing solution!
Therefore, no Object can evade it.
Excuse me, sir.
I am here regarding the report on the invasion of the Oceanian Military State.
Who let her through?
I'm busy disposing of a hussy that someone, somewhere sicked on me, you see.
In putting together the report, I would like to confirm something.
Regarding the transmission that you interfered with
when my men discovered the enemy Object in the Tanami Desert.
I am sure an on-site commanding officer such as yourself
could never understand,
but it is precisely because Objects reign supreme
that the wars on our world can be conducted in a smart manner.
The existence of those two upsets that balance.
I exerted my influence in order to protect our country... no, our world.
You can yap all you want. I don't care.
But I'm the sort who wants to at least see to it that I take care of
the brats who've got families waiting for them back at home.
No matter what reasons you may have, a bastard like you...
I believe you ought to be put down, right here, right now.
I have clout with both the police and the courts.
You think a mere on-site commanding officer
can get a verdict against a Councilor?
That's why I'm court-martialing you.
If it's just this one case related to military action,
we can bring a verdict against you in our playing field.
You sent your transmission not only to the forces of the Legitimate Kingdom,
but to the multinational force as well. That was a mistake.
The Intelligence Union and the other countries
are demanding an explanation concerning this operation.
I told you.
It is those who control the Objects who are the victors of this world.
Your line of fire is just being warped by the polarization.
Your lasers are firing straight.
I've figured out the pattern, so I'll send you the data.
It'll be okay. Knowing you, Princess, you can do it!
This little guy might be an older model,
but in terms of actual combat experience, I've got the upper hand.
The Exact Javelin has been destroyed.
Ejection of Elite confirmed.
Impossible! Against a measly first gen--
We told you, remember?
If we lost to the 0.5th gen, the world would be yours.
If we won, you'd be finished.
I have supporters in the military as well.
You will regret this.
We won't!
If the world is about the stronger side always winning
and the side with the better numbers perpetually coming out on top...
A world like that can go screw itself!
It's just like my partner said.
Now, you're coming with us.
Good work out there, Princess.
You know, Qwenthur.
I'm not going to lose.
I do this all the time, putting myself at last.
itsudatte sou da jibun no koto atoma washi de
Thinking that as long as everyone else is happy everything's okay.
minna ga waratte yorokobu nara sore de jinda te
This isn’t anyone’s fault—things are just happening as they should
dareno sei demo nakute korega atari mai date
That's what i would i always tell myself
sou ikika sete i tanda
I'm not wrong to think this way, I'm not. That's what i always thought.
machi ga tenai machi ga tenai to omotteta noni
doushite konna kizudarake nandarou
But then why have I ended up so bruised and battered?
kimi dake wa nogasazu ni kidzuitetanda ne
You were the only one who noticed, not letting a single detail slip by
oshikoroshitekita kono chiisa na koe o
This tiny voice I’d been keeping subdued all this time
itsu kara darou soba ni itai to omottanda
When was it that I starting feeling I wanted to be by your side?
motsureta kokoro yasashiku hodoku you ni
It feels like my tangled heart is being gently unraveled
sashidasareta sono te no nukumori ni
When I brushed the warmth of that hand you extended to me
fureta toki ni kidzuitanda
It all became clear:
mou hitori janainda te
I’m not alone anymore.
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