Glory (Third Update)

"So that’s Kyushu? It’s slightly different from reality, but overall, this world is so similar to reality."

A Shogunate Gate exchange student stood on the airship’s deck, gazing at the distant island as he spoke to the person beside him.

"Hmph, there are plenty of differences. We’ve rested enough—get in the Knightmares. There’s going to be a brutal battle, but if we win, we’ll rise to the top!"

As Reincarnators, most of them were not fools.

With so many people involved, and the space acting out of character by guaranteeing everyone at least an A-Rank Plot, even the slowest among them understood that this deserved serious attention.

They would definitely participate, but quite a few shared Hyena’s mindset: show up without putting in any real effort, just secure the guaranteed reward.

Moreover, most of them had already thought it through. Even if people had to die, they could let the others and the space’s natives take the lead. With so many people here, their own chances of survival were still quite high.

However, after gathering everyone this time, because the promotion teams made up the largest numbers, several corps discussed it and decided to use the lives of independent Reincarnators to fill the quotas needed for both sides’ basic missions. After that, they would focus wholeheartedly on clearing this mission!

Against the corps Reincarnators, the independents were divided up with virtually no ability to resist. If the corps Reincarnators had not been relatively few in number, the independents might have been hunted down to extinction.

Even now, there were not many independent Reincarnators in this advance fleet…

On a large island belching thick smoke from its depths, Schneizel el Britannia stood aboard the flagship, looking toward the military base on the island. The imperial second prince and current prime minister, whose overall talent, experience, emotional intelligence, and character far surpassed Lelouch’s—lacking only Geass—wore a grave expression.

"The Fukuoka base suffered very little damage. It seems Kyushu’s garrison was wiped out with virtually no resistance. Did they say anything in their external communications?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency the prime minister, th-they said that Kyushu has been inherent territory since ancient times, an inseparable part of the nation…"

After hearing the report, even the second prince—whose abilities in every respect eclipsed Lelouch’s except for Geass, and who had nearly turned the tables on Lelouch by himself—was left utterly dumbfounded.

They had completely thrown shame out the window. He had thought they would at least use some exile as a front and claim they were restoring Japan, but they had even skipped that!

This…

Really was not playing by the rules.

"Heh. In that case, let’s begin by probing them. Have the Knightmare forces prepare to land…"

According to the original plot, the Federation had indeed supported an exile named Atsushi Sawazaki in causing trouble in Kyushu.

But he had occupied at most three military bases before Suzaku and Lelouch joined forces to take him down. Even one of his generals had been captured.

But since Xu Yue had taken the initiative to push things this far, he could not be bothered to come up with some excuse. Sooner or later, they were going to clash anyway.

"General Xu, they’re preparing to land."

Within the Federation, Li Xingke—the man with the greatest command talent—stood beside Xu Yue and asked him this.

Even Li Xingke felt that he was being insane. He had made such a decision for someone who had only arrived in the Federation so recently!

But Xu Yue had rescued the Empress from dire straits and used his unique charisma to directly pacify all the nation’s internal instability. One good turn deserved another; Li Xingke had to repay this debt of gratitude!

Besides, the Federation had long coveted the Sakura Stone reserves that accounted for seventy percent of the world’s supply. With the advantage of proximity, if they could truly seize all of Area 11, they would not mind confronting Britannia head-on!

In the past, it had been because the eunuchs held power and the country’s primary conflicts were all internal. But in terms of war potential alone, the Federation was not much weaker than Britannia. Not to mention they now had General Xu, whom no one could understand!

Xu Yue, wearing a triangular mask that concealed half his face, watched the landing footage sent back from the front lines. A pleased smile appeared on his face.

Just as expected, their troop transport capacity limited the number of carriers they could deploy.

In terms of Knightmare numbers, the Federation had prepared in advance and held the geographical advantage. The forces currently deployed throughout Kyushu far outnumbered the enemy’s.

Of course, there was still a gap in industrial capability. The Federation’s Gaozelle Knightmares were individually far inferior to the Sunderlands.

Among the top combatants, only Li Xingke and a handful of military officers could really fight. The national strength that had been drained by the eunuchs for so many years could not be restored overnight.

But…

I’ll personally make up for the gap in elite combatants…

"Let’s go. Time to meet them."

Rising from his seat, Xu Yue led Li Xingke outside.

Beyond his talent for command, Li Xingke also possessed the makings of a knight. He excelled in both civil and military affairs…

The Federation’s Gaozelles and Britannia’s Sunderlands collided fiercely. Holding the advantages in numbers and terrain, the Federation clearly gained the upper hand at the outset.

And this was when Britannia’s elite pilots took the field.

From the carrier carrying the Reincarnators, four squads burst forth at speeds on a completely different level from ordinary Sunderlands, charging directly toward the Federation forces.

Ordinary Gaozelles were utterly helpless against their opponents’ superb control.

Though they were not on the level of the Knights of the Round, the Reincarnator pilots who had obtained the right to use Knightmares at a time like this were undoubtedly elites.

After they entered the battle, they swiftly captured several positions where the Federation had originally held the terrain advantage and established a firm foothold in the landing zone.

"Ha ha, well done, boys! This is a battlefield! This is what a battlefield should be!"

Luciano Bradley, the Ninth Knight of the Round, known as the Empire’s Vampire, controlled Percival, his personal Knight of the Round unit, which was no weaker than Lancelot. He tore back and forth through the Federation’s Knightmare formations.

Luciano’s face was filled with excitement and bloodlust inside the cockpit, as though he had been born for war.

"Not nearly enough! It’s nowhere near enough! Suffer! Die! Scream!"

Using his Knightmare’s superior performance, he grabbed a Gaozelle and lifted it into the air. The claws in his hand spiraled and transformed into the shape of a Knight’s Lance, while he asked in a sickly tone over the public channel,

"Question: What is the most important thing to a person?"

"Answer: Life!"

As he spoke, his lance pierced straight through the cockpit amid the enemy pilot’s terror, completely preventing any attempt to escape.

After the kill, he licked his lips, looking immensely satisfied.

Then he immediately fixed his gaze on his next target…

"Lord Bismarck, Luciano has gone berserk again."

Over the internal communications, someone reminded Bismarck, the First Knight, who was searching for something.

The First Knight, piloting Galahad, his personal unit and the most powerful Knight of the Round unit, did not seem particularly concerned.

"Let him do as he pleases. It’s a good chance to let these Federation people know that combat strength is not determined by numbers alone. Hmm, found him!"

As Bismarck surveyed the battlefield, he found his target. He immediately dived downward, charging straight at Shenhu, which Li Xingke was piloting!

"You must be their commander, sir! My apologies, but I’ll be taking your head!"

As the First Knight of the Round, Bismarck was so powerful that before Suzaku had gained his boost, merely facing Bismarck had triggered the Geass command Lelouch had given him: Live!

And he had every confidence that he could complete this decapitation strike alone.

Hmph, did the Federation think it could do whatever it wanted after emerging from its internal strife?

How naïve!

There were many Federation Knightmares around Li Xingke, but before the First Knight, they had no ability to resist at all.

Bismarck had a clear objective. He charged directly toward Li Xingke along one route through the battlefield, smashing through every interception in his path as though they were dry twigs and rotten wood.

He was on an entirely different level from the other pilots!

He swept through everything before him, utterly unstoppable!

Even Li Xingke, whose own piloting skills were exceptional, wore a grave expression as he faced the killing intent rushing straight toward him.

That power, which could run rampant across the battlefield, was oppressive beyond measure. The red dot racing toward him on the radar felt like a gun trained on him. Amid an army of thousands, there was not the slightest sense of safety, as though he stood naked before his opponent in a world of ice and snow. Even the Knightmare he piloted could not give him any sense of security!

Worthy of the First Knight of the Round!

But…

"Then I’m afraid you’ve got the wrong person. I’m the commander."

At that moment, a voice from nowhere rang out over the public channel.

A unit engulfed in violet flames appeared beside him almost out of thin air, trailing countless afterimages.

The gleam of a sword in its hand flashed with white light, carrying an air of sweeping dominance and contempt for all under heaven. Without the slightest warning or sign, it pierced straight through the First Knight of the Round’s unit.

Bismarck could not offer even the slightest resistance!

One strike!

With only a single strike, the invincible First Knight of the Round’s unit shattered explosively!

As the unit broke apart and his naked body fell in slow motion, Bismarck did not even know where the attack had come from by the time he was defeated!

He himself possessed a Geass ability granted to him—one that allowed him to see his opponent’s movements three seconds in advance!

Yet now, he had not even been able to see where the attack came from…

The third update is complete! Please support and subscribe~

Thanks to the reader whose name I don’t know how to type for the 20,000 reward~ Thank you all for your support along the way!