Inuyama He continued, every word carrying immense weight. "Every US Military base across the Japanese Archipelago falls under his command. And according to the intelligence I've received, the carrier battle group of the Nimitz is cruising in international waters near us—
"I suspect the warship he arrived on is part of that carrier battle group—which means he has a mobile offshore airfield at his disposal. If he considers it necessary, he can at any time call in dozens of fully armed carrier-based aircraft for an airstrike."
The fury on Fuma Kotaro's face vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a nearly blank bewilderment. His lips moved slightly, but no sound came out. His mind seemed to be resisting the information.
Huh? Was Inuyama really speaking Japanese? Why could I understand every word, yet have absolutely no idea what he was saying when they were put together?
Minamoto Chisaki stared at him blankly. He vaguely knew the Inuyama Clan's history and knew that Inuyama He had lived through Japan's defeat and surrender, its most unbearable and humiliating era—
When he had liaised with Headquarters and seen those mountain-like US warships and all those American soldiers, just how large had the shadow in his heart been?
Looking at it this way, those troublemaking kids I received, singing and dancing all day, were practically as gentle as Angels!
For a moment, the expressions on the faces of every clan head in the hall were rather similar.
Even Erii, who had been lost in her own world all this time, was disturbed by the sudden shift in atmosphere. She turned her head slightly and looked in mild confusion at the old man speaking with those clear, utterly untainted eyes, then gently tilted her head.
The others did not understand. Neither did she—
The crushing