Chapter Twenty-Seven: Let's Give It Our All! / Chapter Twenty-Eight: Cat-Eared Girls Are the Cutest! ...

PS:

Okita was so adorable—she hugged me the moment she arrived at Chaldea!

Aww, I'm dead.

Let's Give It Everything We've Got!

What was bound to come had finally come. The Aldebaran-corroded monolith incident had still happened.

With Yuxian's warning, Kisaragi Tendo had been monitoring the changes in every monolith. She discovered the anomaly at the first possible moment, leaving them enough time to respond.

Seitenshi urgently convened a meeting, gathering all relevant personnel to discuss how to resolve this crisis. The monoliths were the foundation keeping this city alive; nothing could be allowed to go wrong.

Even with the most advanced prefabricated construction methods and every worker laboring day and night, it would still take several days to build a new monolith.

Moreover, because of Aldebaran, an enormous horde of Gastrea had gathered around that monolith. Reconstruction had become extremely difficult; unless they were cleared out, construction could not begin at all.

In the end, they decided that the cleanup would be carried out jointly by the Self-Defense Forces and civilian security personnel. The Self-Defense Forces would take the lead, with civilian security personnel assisting. At that moment, all armed forces in the Tokyo Area began moving swiftly.

News of Aldebaran's appearance quickly spread among the public. For a time, everyone in the Tokyo Area feared for their lives, causing widespread panic. Everyone began fleeing for their lives. The underground shelters could not hold so many people, and those with the means and status to escape the Tokyo Area were willing to pay any price to leave the city.

Seitenshi hurriedly appeared on television to calm the public, but the effect was extremely limited. At a time like this, no one would be persuaded by a few words.

The monoliths were humanity's final barrier against the threat of Gastrea. Once a monolith collapsed and the barrier was breached, everyone knew what would happen. Seitenshi's reassurance alone was nowhere near enough.

The once-bustling streets of the city suddenly became desolate. Some criminals took the opportunity to cause trouble, and the city's good public order collapsed in an instant. The entire city descended into chaos.

Yuxian had anticipated this situation long ago. He had warned Atalanta and Chiron in advance, and the Outer District had been thoroughly prepared. Everything there remained as it had been.

With Chiron and Atalanta stationed there, the rioters could not approach. The children were kept from leaving the Outer District. This place had become the last sanctuary in the entire Tokyo Area.

Yuxian received a call from Kisaragi Tendo, inviting him to meet Seitenshi. He could not stay out of this; it had been part of his plan from the beginning, and there was no reason for him to avoid getting involved.

This was his first close encounter with Seitenshi, the supreme leader of the Tokyo Area. Yuxian felt calm, and it was nothing particularly special as he had imagined. It felt no different from meeting an ordinary person.

"Yuxian, I need your help!" Seitenshi got straight to the point and stated her request.

Yuxian nodded without refusing. This was exactly why he had come. "Do you have a specific plan?"

Seitenshi carefully explained the plan they had devised to Yuxian. At the end, she sincerely requested, "I hope you can serve as the commander of the civilian security corps, coordinating all civilian security personnel and assisting in carrying out this plan."

After hearing the details, Yuxian did not agree immediately. He fell silent, carefully considering the key details and the many issues involved.

Seitenshi did not disturb him and quietly waited for his answer.

After a long while, Yuxian finally raised his head and looked directly at Seitenshi. In a solemn tone, he said, "I can take this mission, but I have several conditions."

Seitenshi gestured for Yuxian to state his conditions. She would do everything in her power to meet them.

After organizing his thoughts, Yuxian slowly stated his demands:

"First, the priorities of the entire operation need to be changed. The civilian security corps will handle the frontal assault, while the Self-Defense Forces will provide support. Station them along the defensive line near the monolith, preventing Gastrea from circling around and entering the barrier zone from the flanks."

"Second, those rioters currently appearing throughout the Tokyo Area are the perfect opportunity to conduct a thorough cleanup. They absolutely cannot be tolerated. In particular, those criminals plotting against the Cursed Children must be dealt with at full force. You can deploy armed personnel from the Self-Defense Forces for this. Against a Stage IV Gastrea like Aldebaran, the Self-Defense Forces are of limited use. They would be better used elsewhere."

"Third, I want the entire war broadcast live on television to every citizen, so they can see exactly who is protecting them. It will greatly help dispel the public's wariness toward the Cursed Children."

Seitenshi listened seriously to Yuxian's demands. After a moment of thought, she asked, "Are you confident about having the civilian security corps carry out the frontal assault?"

Yuxian smiled. "How does Aldebaran compare to Scorpio? What you need to think about now is how to rebuild the monolith as quickly as possible and restore the barrier in full."

Yuxian was not boasting. He truly did not think much of Aldebaran. Its strength lay in its ability to command hordes of Gastrea into an army. A unified Gastrea horde was terrifying, but as for Aldebaran itself, Yuxian could put it in its place in minutes.

The reason he wanted the entire battle broadcast live to all citizens was so they could see those children fighting desperately on the front lines, protecting humanity.

At the same time, he wanted to show off his strength and let the entire world see what he was capable of. After this incident, he would likely leave this place. Demonstrating overwhelming strength as a deterrent would greatly benefit the Cursed Children's future status. It would make everyone wary of him, unwilling to risk offending him by treating the children with malice.

"Fine!" Seitenshi agreed to Yuxian's demands without hesitation. Her decisiveness made Yuxian take this young girl seriously once again.

However, none of this had much to do with Yuxian. He would soon leave this world, and he could not concern himself with everything that came after. Doing his utmost was already enough for Atalanta.

He waved goodbye to Seitenshi.

After returning to the Outer District, Yuxian gathered everyone together, explained the matter in detail, and asked for their opinions.

No one had any objections to Yuxian's decision. Asking for their opinions might have seemed meaningless, but Yuxian respected the thoughts of every person around him.

"Master, simply do as you wish. We will support you with all our strength." Chiron smiled and voiced his support. Yuxian's growth was what he most wished to see.

Atalanta, meanwhile, awkwardly said in a soft voice, "Thank you..."

She understood perfectly well that Yuxian was doing this entirely because of her. Otherwise, he could have stayed out of it and returned to Chaldea long ago.

She was grateful that Yuxian patiently considered her feelings, was willing to indulge her stubbornness, and helped her fulfill her wish.

Seeing that no one disagreed, Yuxian swept his hand grandly. "Then let's give it everything we've got!"

Catgirls Are the Cutest!

As the commander of the civilian security corps, Yuxian arrived at the camp where civilian security personnel had gathered. Everyone at his side had come with him, including Chiron and Atalanta. Even Tina had arrived fully equipped. They had come out in full force, prepared to give everything they had against Aldebaran's Gastrea army.

Many people had gradually arrived here already. At this critical moment, everyone hoped to contribute what they could.

When the nest was overturned, how could any egg remain unbroken? Everyone understood that truth.

The camp covered a large area. Since it was not an official organization, it looked disorderly and lacked any neat, unified layout.

Everyone in the camp wore grave expressions. Facing such a powerful enemy as Aldebaran, it would have been a lie to say they were not worried. Yet they had still not retreated. They had stepped forward to face the brutal battle ahead.

Yuxian wandered around the camp. Along the way, he saw quite a few familiar faces. He had met many of them during the last Seven Stars' Relic commission, while some were Initiators from the Outer District school.

"Rentaro, Enju, you came too." Yuxian stepped forward and greeted them when he spotted Rentaro.

"Of course I came. This is a real crisis. The Tokyo Area could be destroyed at any moment." Rentaro spoke as though it were only natural. He was still the same as ever.

"This time, I'm going to show everyone what I can do and give you all a huge shock!" Enju declared confidently with her hands on her hips.

Yuxian encouraged her. "Then you'd better work hard. There are quite a lot of enemies this time."

At that moment, a pair consisting of one adult and one child walked over. The silver-haired man greeted Rentaro. "Rentaro, it's been a long time."

"Brother Akimaro!" Rentaro cried out in surprise the moment he saw the silver-haired man. The newcomer was Shizutake Akimaro, the senior disciple of both him and Kisaragi Tendo. At Shizutake Akimaro's side was his Initiator, Fuse Midori.

Fuse Midori wore a witch's hat and was somewhat timid. She had pulled the brim low over her face, keeping her head down so no one could see her clearly.

"I finally get to fight alongside Brother Akimaro again!" Rentaro was very happy. He had not seen Shizutake Akimaro for a long time, and he was visibly excited.

Shizutake Akimaro smiled faintly and mocked himself. "I'm only someone expelled from the school. There's nothing much to expect from me. But you, Rentaro, have grown a lot. You've become much stronger."

Rentaro enthusiastically introduced Shizutake Akimaro to Yuxian. It was clear that he and Akimaro were very close.

"Wow! That hat is so cute! Alice wants one like that too!" Gretel said enviously when she saw Fuse Midori's witch's hat.

"Alice, if you wore a hat like that, you wouldn't be able to see where you were going." Both Illya and Gretel had a habit of wearing hats, so their attention was focused on Fuse Midori's head.

Fuse Midori nervously hid behind Shizutake Akimaro. She was a little frightened in front of so many strangers.

Shizutake Akimaro pulled Fuse Midori in front of him and introduced her to everyone. "This is Fuse Midori, my Initiator partner. She's a little shy around strangers, so please don't mind her."

Fuse Midori softly greeted everyone. She removed her witch's hat, lowered her head shyly, and the pair of cat ears atop her head twitched from time to time. Her adorable appearance made everyone feel affection for her.

"Wow! Her ears are just like Sister Atalanta's!" The little ones cried out excitedly when they saw Fuse Midori's ears.

"I'm an Initiator with cat genes..." Fuse Midori explained in an almost inaudible voice, keeping her head lowered.

She had always been troubled by those cat ears. As a Cursed Child with such conspicuous features, she had once found it difficult to show her true face to others. That was why she had always worn a large hat to hide them, which had made her especially introverted and timid.

Now that the new law had been enacted, the status of Cursed Children in the Tokyo Area had improved. She no longer needed to hide like this, but habits formed over many years were hard to change. She still wore that large witch's hat at all times.

"Could we borrow your hat and try it on?" Gretel politely stepped up to Fuse Midori and asked.

"Mm!" Fuse Midori nodded and handed her the witch's hat.

Gretel eagerly went off with Illya to try it on.

Atalanta walked up to Fuse Midori, crouched down, and looked her in the eye. "Our ears are what we rely on to find prey. You should be more confident."

Fuse Midori looked at Atalanta, who had the same ears as her, and naturally felt a sense of closeness. She blinked and nodded firmly.

Yuxian saw Gretel standing nearby with the oversized witch's hat on her head, looking utterly ridiculous, and was speechless. "Give the hat back already!"

Gretel returned the hat to Fuse Midori and asked curiously, "Can you even see what's in front of you while wearing it?"

Fuse Midori put the witch's hat back on, hiding her entire head beneath it, and said softly, "As long as I can see the road beneath my feet, that's enough."

After they chatted idly for a while, more and more people gathered in the camp. Seeing that the time was about right, Yuxian said goodbye and led everyone away.

He arrived at the center of the camp, where a raised platform had been built. As the leader of this temporarily assembled group of civilian security personnel, this was Yuxian's first time leading so many people.

In Chaldea, he could at most be considered part of the core. The director was the head of Chaldea, not him. Most of the time, Da Vinci and the others handled matters large and small, so it had little to do with him.

He walked onto the platform and sat in the chair prepared beforehand. The feeling of looking down from above was quite strange. It made him feel as though everything was under his control. No wonder those important figures liked to look down on everyone from high above.

The staff loudly called everyone over. All those in the camp gathered before the platform, and soon the area was packed with people and filled with noisy chatter.

It was unrealistic to expect strict discipline from a hastily assembled team. Yuxian did not expect them to obey orders like soldiers, either. As long as everyone shared the same goal and did not hold each other back, that was enough.

Once nearly everyone had gathered, the staff reported to Yuxian and waited for his instructions.

Yuxian nodded. He swept his gaze over the crowd below, cleared his throat, and prepared to speak.

PS:

Thanks to Komeiji Koishi (First Setting) for the donation!

You Just Need to Stand Aside and Watch

After clearing his throat and pondering for several seconds, Yuxian slowly began, "I am Yuxian, the temporary commander for this war against Aldebaran."

Yuxian's introduction immediately caused whispers among the people below. Although they had seen him sitting in the main seat from the beginning, once they truly learned his identity, some dissatisfaction was unavoidable, and they began discussing it among themselves.

"Huh? You're the commander?" Ikuma Shogen loudly questioned him with a dissatisfied expression.

His words voiced what everyone was thinking. It was just that the others were not as thoughtless as he was and did not jump out to challenge him directly.

Yuxian sighed helplessly. He looked sympathetically at Natsu Yo Senju beside Ikuma Shogen. Having a partner with muscles for brains must have been hard on little Senju.

Wasn't being the first to jump out just asking for trouble? Anyone with even a little sense would not do that. The nail that stuck out got hammered down—this had been an eternal truth since ancient times.

If Yuxian had no ability whatsoever, no one would believe he could have become the commander of this operation. Even if most people were dissatisfied, they would only discuss it privately. Openly challenging him like Ikuma Shogen was clearly not a wise move.

Natsu Yo Senju tilted her head. Her face remained as expressionless as ever as she silently mouthed something to Yuxian. Unfortunately, Yuxian did not understand lip-reading, though he could roughly guess what she meant. It was probably some expression of helplessness. Surely she was not saying she was hungry.

Yuxian said nothing, his expression blank. Atalanta, standing behind him, drew the Sky-Piercing Bow and fired an arrow with a flick of her hand.

She moved incredibly quickly. Although her archery was slightly inferior to Chiron's, it was still peerless and far beyond the reach of ordinary people.

The arrow tore past Ikuma Shogen's head. Before he could react at all, it narrowly grazed his cheek.

Ikuma Shogen staggered back two steps, his face showing both alarm and panic. Atalanta's arrow knocked his mask to the ground, leaving his expression extremely ugly.

That swift, precise arrow made everyone take notice and stop underestimating them. They all knew that they would have found it difficult to dodge the shot as well, and the noise beneath the platform quieted considerably.

Yuxian tugged the corner of his mouth in satisfaction and continued, "I don't care what you may be thinking. Since you came here, it means our goal is the same."

"Originally, our mission was to assist the Self-Defense Forces in attacking Aldebaran. However, I proposed to Seitenshi that we become the main attack force while the Self-Defense Forces support us. That means our responsibility is greater, and the burden on us is heavy."

Murmur!

Before Yuxian had even finished speaking, the crowd below erupted. Having civilian security personnel serve as the main attack force was unacceptable to everyone. They thought Yuxian had to be insane. That was Aldebaran—a Stage IV Gastrea—with an entire Gastrea army behind it. Giving such a mission to the civilian security corps was no different from sending them to their deaths.

"This is suicide! We're not doing it!"

Someone in the crowd protested, believing Yuxian was sending them all to die.

Yuxian raised a hand and pressed it downward, signaling for everyone to quiet down. He continued, "Anyone who wants to leave can go now. I won't force you. But if you stay and continue with this operation, then you must follow my arrangements."

The crowd stirred restlessly, but in the end, no one left. They wanted to hear what Yuxian had planned that would allow this ragtag group to confront Aldebaran head-on.

Seeing that no one had left, Yuxian nodded in satisfaction. "Actually, there isn't much of a plan. Your job is to intercept every Gastrea attacking from the flanks and prevent them from surrounding us. As for Aldebaran on the front line..."