Hiko watched as his subordinates all slipped into a mode of frantically burning through brain cells. Yet the grave expressions on their faces made it clear that even after killing off quite a few brain cells, they still had not come up with a solution.
Hiko nudged Kuzan beside him. "Do you have any ideas?"
Kuzan looked puzzled. "Why do you think I'd have an idea?"
"Weren't you once a Marine Admiral? Your strategic and tactical sense must be incredible, right? We're at war now! This is exactly when you should show what you're really capable of. Your chance to shine is here!" Hiko praised Kuzan with considerable lack of restraint.
Kuzan put on a serious face and actually thought about it. After a long while, he raised his head and, under everyone's expectant gazes, said, "When the enemy arrives, I'll jump into the middle of their fleet and go all out, unleashing a few Ice Ages?"
"Pfft!"
Kuzan's words earned him a round of eye rolls. If he had the ability to jump into the middle of the enemy fleet, he probably would not have the ability to get back out.
"Hey, hey! What do you mean by that? Didn't you want to see what I'm really capable of? This is what I'm really capable of!" Kuzan protested indignantly.
Even Hiko beside him could not help rolling his eyes at Kuzan. Then everyone's gazes went around in a circle before returning to Hiko.
Hiko shrugged helplessly. "Fine, fine! You can't think of anything, right? I'll do it! Who told me I'm the Alliance Leader?!"
The utterly matter-of-fact looks on everyone's faces wounded Hiko deeply. He had originally wanted to assemble a luxurious lineup so he could sit back and delegate everything, yet so far, he had been personally handling