OTO Chapter 113

Hi everyone, sorry for the delay

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[Collapse of Convex]

What is this person saying?

I thought so for a moment, but he probably ran so hard, as he is sweating buckets, and he doesn’t seem to be fooling around.

I look back at the executives.

While each have a grim face, only Utsusemi-san looks very happy.

“Please give us a more detailed explanation of the situation,” Kemuri-san says.

“Y-yes. The people from the Anonymous Countermeasures Department came to round up Derrida Village, led by Lieutenant General Sakai… No, that wasn’t to round up or the likes.

A fully armed Self-Defense Forces broke into the village, they probably have identified that the hideout is here… The collapse of the first defense line is imminent.”

“What, so it’s that incompetent lieutenant general, huh? Don’t scare me like that,” Byakurei-san shrugs his shoulders and says so.

They’re not enemies that have that much threat, but I think the problem here is that this place is exposed though.

If we have to move the base again, the endurances of the members won’t be able to handle it.

“So how many enemies are there?”

“Probably over 2,000…”

Byakurei-san’s expression is stiffened. No, probably everyone is shocked by the numbers.

2,000…? What the heck are they planning to do by coming here?

Even Tameiki-san stands up a little roughly this time.

“Didn’t you get early warning from the automatic detection of Observer?”

“…It seems it didn’t make it in time.”

“Why?”

“Let’s put that off. Everyone, get in your seat. We have to put up a countermeasure immediately.”

White smoke rolls up from Kemuri-san’s body, and a clone is formed beside him.

It’s his ability, Avatars.

“For the time being, I will check the situation on the ground with my clone. You, inform the people on ground to start the battle if the first defense line is breached. Hold them back from invading the underground,” Kemuri-san’s clone says so, and the man who came as a messenger responds and leaves the conference room with the clone.

Each person who stood up took a seat, and I also returned to my original seat.

“I propose to fight back,” Kemuri-san says.

I frown.

No matter how you think about it, we should evacuate.

I wanted to say so, but I didn’t because the other party is Kemuri-san. He is a specialist in commanding and always chooses the best option.

I thought that Kemuri-san would give a suggestion to evacuate, so I was surprised that he chose to fight back.

“It sure is getting interesting.”

I’m irritated by Utsusemi-san’s easygoing attitude.

What’s interesting? A lot of people will die.

After receiving various responses, Kemuri-san continues,

“It’s safe to say that this has something to do with the lateness of Boss and Shido.

What we have to do is earn time until then. The hideout is currently in full power. Unlike the previous withdrawal battle, our forces are sufficient.”

Certainly, it is difficult to evacuate due to the terrain, so I understand that we have to make that decision.

However, we should not have enough forces. Even if the ground and underground are combined, the number of our troops is less than 1,000. Furthermore, if you subtract the ones who can fight from there, we are overwhelmingly disadvantaged compared to the Self-Defense Forces.

All of the currently available executives are strong, but the difference in numbers cannot be filled by any means. Moreover, this is a surprise attack.

Naturally, there should be reinforcements from Saint Celia.

Wouldn’t it be easier to rebuild if we withdraw before the battle?

…No, let’s believe in Kemuri-san. No one in the organization can understand the situation faster than him except the dead Shikkou-san. In fact, he made a decision without panic and started to act in just over a dozen seconds.

Kemuri-san might have said that after considering various factors. Without him, we would waste more time in discussion. After all, the executive members are all stubborn.

After seeing no one commented, Kemuri-san continues, “Now then, gather the main combatants with codenames in the large conference room.”

———

Ten minutes after that, all combatants, including executives, are gathering in the large conference room.

Kemuri-san made two more clones. There is an upper limit to his ability, but his clones could make clones too, so more clones should be moving now.

The clones diffuse the situation all at once, displaying an amazing performance.

It seems that the battle has already begun on the ground, as the rumblings have been transmitted to here.

Under the command of Kemuri-san’s clones, the surface should hold up for a while, but he is probably using the low-rank members as cannon fodders to buy time.

The desks in the large conference room were roughly removed, and at present, about 50 members carefully selected by Kemuri-san have changed into uniform (although some didn’t get changed) and are looking at the map displayed on the front monitor.

Kemuri-san is standing next to the monitor explains the strategy,

“As you know, there are only three entrances to this underground hideout. There are a total of nine entrances if we include the ones for evacuation, but there is no risk of invasion from those ones. I will omit this explanation.”

Each doorway is enlarged and displayed on the monitor.

First of all, the passage leading to the hidden underground parking lot. Then, the entrance in the center of the above-ground Derrida Village. And a simple entrance right by the center of the line connecting that entrance and the emergency exit of the underground passage.

Each allows invasion of the hideout via the stairs or passages.

The exits for evacuation are not established yet, but would be opened by explosives buried in various places. The reason Kemuri-san said there’s no need to worry about those is because they’re not currently established as exits.

“The number of enemies is about 2,000. If we fight head on, we can hardly win. In addition, their reinforcements will come from Saint Celia one after another.

However, if it comes to siege battles, they are not a threat. If we can call reinforcements from all branches, defend only these three points and attract the enemies, we can launch a pincer attack.”

I see. If we only protect the passages, even this small number of people can hold up until reinforcements arrive.

“I’m sorry for the people on the ground, but I have them become sacrificial pieces. Originally, they were the people from the far away branches. It isn’t a big damage.

While they are buying time, let’s allocate the positioning.”

After glancing at his wristwatch, Kemuri-san operates the tablet in his hand and change the screen of the monitor.

What is projected is the allocation of members assigned to each point.

Kemuri-san explains verbally,

“First of all, the entrance at the center; Byakurei and Tameiki will be positioned here. This is the final defense line. Defend it properly.”

“Okke.”

“…Leave it to me.”

Byakurei-san and Tameiki-san are in the center, huh. Certainly, if it’s the two of them, it will not be broken through.

With just Byakurei-san’s Room Impair, the enemies won’t be able to invade.

“The defense of the underground passage leading to the parking lot is as you can see. If the parking lot is found, this will be the widest and most fierce battlefield. Depending on the battle situation, we will increase the number of personnel.”

21 members were assigned.

Getsuri-san, Hikisaki-san, Utsusemi-san, Roll, I, and etc.

Dammit, I’m placed here, huh. No, it’s better than the simple entrance that is likely to be the front line, huh.

However, the members are pretty terrible. Would these people be able to cooperate…?

“The remaining members are at the simple entrance. Currently, this is the front line, and the guys on the ground are guarding here. Don’t let even one of them in.”

The names of ability users with wide-range influence such as Face Punch-san are not shown on the monitor. Apparently, they are assigned as the rearguards.

All member nods and reply to Kemuri-san with a quiet fighting spirit.

I’m nervous, or rather, I feel like running away.

This depends on when the reinforcements arrive, but I see more than half will be casualty.

The members in the rear guard are fine, but I feel that the 50 of us will become expendables.

“If someone is injured, take them to the rear guard immediately. The medical team on the second basement floor will treat them.

The hideout is not designed to withstand combat, but the material it is built of make the hideout durable. Ability users that have influence on physics, you can all go wild.

Is there any question?”

I raise my hand. Gazes are gathered on me.

“What is it, Shion?”

“What about Renga? Should I go out to the surface and call him?”

Brick is usually keeping away from Derrida, but when I call him, he will always come.

He will be a great force in this battle.

I thought so, but Kemuri-san shakes his head, “No… you don’t have to call Renga.”

“…Can I ask why?”

“Renga will disperse the enemies and allies on the ground. He’s not suitable for this battle with the aim of pincer attack.”

“But Renga… no, I understand.”
I rebutted, but agreed against my own will.

The smart Renga should be able to move according to my instruction, but if Kemuri-san decided so, it can’t be helped.

“Any other questions?”

Not particularly. The silence that said so continues for a few seconds.

Kemuri-san raises one of his hand to indicate the end of the question time.

Then, taking a deep breath of him, he says, “Probably, this will be the biggest battle in Anonymous history, and a full-scale war that is pitting the survival of the organization and the authority of the Self-Defense Forces.”

Roll standing next to me glances at me.

It has become outrageous, isn’t it? – so I read from Roll’s glance.

“The enemy is 2,000. We are elite who have passed through many nearly certain death experiences against those carefully trained people.

Killing 40 people by yourself is just a small thing for you guys, right?” Kemuri-san shrugs his shoulders and says so. There are small laughs and each of them have an expression that says ‘of course’.

They have enough morale, huh.

It’s been dozens of minutes since the information came in, I think we did well, preparing this much.

“I repeat, they are not enemies. Let’s teach them the true absurdity. Disperse!”

Yeah!!! – such a reply echoes in the large conference room. I louden the sounds to raise their moral even further.

Then every one starts running toward their assigned location.

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A lot of people will die…

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