Counterattack of the Holy Sword
October 26, 2026. Monday. 18:00.
UCIA Japan Branch Investigation Base
Ground Base. Joint Operations Room.
More than half a month had passed since then. During that time, there were no attacks from enemy AWs, and the restoration of the damaged areas of our UCIA investigation base, the Ground Base, was almost complete. Numerous new fixed machine guns linked with VARIS were installed around the entrance, which had previously become a battlefield. Hangars were built in the parking area for the destroyed wheeled armored vehicles and large UAVs, and new aircraft and vehicles were deployed for both.
Numerous pieces of equipment were also introduced into the joint operations room, making it possible to issue a full range of operational instructions. For security reasons, the execution of VARIS interfaces and voice commands cannot be shown to anyone outside the UCIA at all. Therefore, Chris controls VARIS directly from the system room and communicates with the joint operations room.
And as a result of discussions with our home country, it was decided to leave full authority regarding my safety to the Alsard Church. This decision was made on October 4th. Since that day, pairs of AMGE consisting of Hojo-san and Kirimine-san, and Matsuyuki-san and Tachibana-san, have been taking turns primarily in charge of my protection. Since they are basically schoolgirls, they are not guarding me around the clock, but their presence was as reassuring as could be. Although not AMGE, there are also times when official high-ranking exorcists from the church are on guard duty.
And although it was only about twice, Asagiri-san came to see how I was doing. After the attack incident, she also seems to be quite busy. It seems she is currently taking time off from her work at Princess Maker as well. Once, she brought a handmade bento, and we had lunch together. The guards at that time were the pair of Matsuyuki-san and Tachibana-san, but having lunch while bathed in Matsuyuki-san’s lukewarm gaze was extremely embarrassing…
At the UCIA, an assault operation on the Society of the Black Lily (Black Lily) was proposed to our home country, and the basic operation plan was approved on October 6th. The anti-AW special operations unit ”AAST Wolf Fang,” which had been secretly deployed within Japan, was also placed under the command of this operation.
From the perspective of maintaining secrecy, the details of this operation plan were not communicated to Public Security and the church until close to execution, and it was arranged to be explained at today’s briefing, the day of execution.
In the joint operations room, Asagiri-san, Hojo-san, and Kirimine-san from the church side. Tetsuya, Shisei, and Mizuhara from Public Security were present. From the UCIA side, the Chief, Kamikura, and I are participating in this meeting. Chris was participating remotely from the system room.
”Well then, UCIA Information Controller Christiana Harris will explain the assault operation we are about to conduct, the Counterattack of the Holy Sword (Operation Lightbringer). Chris, I leave it to you.”
As the Chief said so, a high-definition 3D map spanning from Tokyo to Shizuoka was displayed on the large monitor.
”I am UCIA Information Controller Christiana Harris, in charge of the operator and drone support for this operation. I look forward to working with everyone. Based on information from the captured enemy AW, the location of the entrance to an underground facility believed to be a secret facility of Black Lily has been identified. The location is the south area C-32 of the Aokigahara forest in Fuji. Assaulting this facility and capturing the core members of Black Lily or annihilating the organization will be the objective of this operation. After achieving the objective, head to the descent and extraction point C-65, and promptly evacuate the operation area by helicopter. The distance from C-65 to C-32 is about 2.5 km in a straight line. Additionally, this operation is a joint operation with AAST Wolf Fang, our home country’s anti-AW special operations unit deployed in Japan. Wolf Fang will enter under UCIA command and be responsible for advance reconnaissance and withdrawal support on-site.”
Chris explained the general outline of the operation. AAST Wolf Fang. The home country’s anti-AW special operations units are not just the NS (Night Striker) unit. There are probably units deployed in various countries. It was also confirmed in the previous attack that an anti-AW aviation unit exists.
Natural particles (Mana) existing in the atmosphere. A mechanism that takes them in and converts them into energy. The fact that they have succeeded in miniaturizing it enough to be equipped on firearms proves that research and development had begun quite a long time ago…
Since when…? It seems the government probably grasps and researches AWs to a quite deep extent. But…
While my mind was spinning at full speed, Chris’s explanation continued.
”Special Agent Kamikura and Special Agent Himemiya from the UCIA. Police Inspector Shisei and Police Officer Mizuhara from Public Security Police. Exorcist Hojo, a high-ranking exorcist directly under the Holy Priestess, from the Alsard Church. A request to participate in the operation has been issued by the Department of Defense to her assistant, Exorcist Assistant Kirimine. If anyone wishes to decline participation in the operation, please state so right here and now.”
Everyone must have prepared themselves. No one declined to participate in the operation.
”――Well then, I formally approve everyone’s participation in the operation. The operation start time is 25:00 today. We will head to the operation area from Yokota Base by assault helicopter. Operation command will be conducted from here, but on-site command will be taken by Special Agent Kamikura. In the operation area, please follow the instructions of Special Agent Kamikura. Are there any questions up to this point?”
At Chris’s question, Shisei slowly raised her hand.
”Section Chief… Is it fine… if we don’t hold back in this operation?”
Shisei smiled eerily.
”Strictly only when an attack order is given. Follow Kamikura’s instructions on-site. The objective of this operation is the capture of core members as the highest priority. Also――absolutely do not involve our allies.”
Tetsuya said so quietly. Kamikura also continued.
”Police Inspector Shisei. We are counting on that ability of yours, but I ask that you do nothing until direct instructions are given. If a spiritual battle occurs, we will basically have Hojo and Kirimine from the church handle it. We want to preserve you as our final trump card.”
Kamikura said so.
”Very well. Originally, there is a risk that my power might interfere with Alsard’s power. But if I judge us to be at a disadvantage, I will make my move as well. I’ve been strictly told by the Section Chief… to make sure I protect the Princess (Hime)…”
Shisei, smiling, stared at me. An eerie and cold gaze that sent chills down my spine.
”Himemiya-san. Public Security will also protect your safety to the maximum extent. Please be at ease.”
Mizuhara said so strongly. I had only met Police Officer Mizuhara a few times face-to-face, but I could sense an extraordinary presence from her as well. She is a woman chosen as Tetsuya’s subordinate. It’s probably safe to trust her ‘ability’.
”I will also back you up with drones in the operation area. After dinner, we will begin moving to Yokota Base at 22:00 and rendezvous with Wolf Fang. Everyone, please make your preparations.”
Chris’s communication ended. Then the Chief opened her mouth.
”This operation is a joint operation with the anti-AW special operations unit. The figure of ‘Death’, a high-ranking AW, is also behind the enemy, and there is a risk of encountering ‘Judgement’ again. We are considering countermeasures in case of an emergency as well, but I want you to prioritize returning alive safely above all else. I pray for everyone’s success.”
And dismissal was announced, and we left the joint operations room.
Black Lily, its members are probably ordinary women, but… if possible, I don’t want there to be any casualties. But if they refuse to surrender, we have no choice but to use force. Considering that non-lethal weapons do not exist on the UCIA’s equipment list, it probably means shooting to kill immediately if they refuse to surrender.
The objective of this operation is the capture of core members or the annihilation of the organization.
The on-site commander is Kamikura. I wonder what kind of decisions Kamikura, the former captain of the NS unit, will make on-site…
The time when my resolve would be tested was fast approaching.
October 26, 2026. Monday. 20:40.
(4 hours and 20 minutes remaining until the start of the operation)
UCIA Japan Branch Investigation Base
Ground Base. Rotary.
After finishing dinner, Kamikura, Tetsuya, and I headed to the smoking space in the corner of the rotary. Keeping a certain distance from the two who were smoking, I was drinking cold lemon tea bought from a vending machine.
”――Tetsuya. Is it really okay to trust that woman named Shisei?”
Kamikura said.
”You might have various reservations about her, but… Shisei’s ability is genuine. She will definitely be useful in anti-AW combat.”
While smoking, Tetsuya answered so.
”I will participate in the command from the joint operations room. But on-site, it depends on your command. I want you to protect Himemiya, safely accomplish the mission, and return alive. Though I was opposed to having Himemiya participate in this operation…”
Tetsuya looked towards me and said so.
”The Chief and I advised that as well. However, it was rejected by the higher-ups. It was decided to delegate full authority to the Alsard Church, but it seems Himemiya’s participation in the operation alone was absolute. That must be how much the higher-ups evaluate Himemiya’s danger sensing ability.”
Kamikura looking at me out of the corner of his eye.
”Don’t look at me with eyes as if I’m such obvious dead weight. I’m trying my best too, you know.”
Tetsuya laughed at my words. Kamikura wasn’t laughing, but his expression seemed to soften just a bit.
My danger sensing ability… During my FBI days, I was able to overcome numerous crises with this intuition. Thinking about it now, there certainly is something god-like about this ability. I was frequently able to predict dangers that probably couldn’t be sensed with common sense. As a result, that has saved Kamikura’s life countless times.
The wavelength-type attack prediction and evasion system incorporating the human sixth sense that was equipped on the Astraea. Thinking about it now, the moment I felt it, Chris took emergency evasive action. Faster than the voice I emitted.
Anti-AW Combat UCAV. AWS-XF01 Astraea. Chris was probably the only one who knew it had been deployed to Yokota. And regarding the system equipped on the Astraea, she is strictly gagged from speaking about it.
‘Chief! I will listen to instructions remotely from the system room! This place might be attacked too. I will prepare for defense with the anti-AW UCAV!’
‘――Understood! I’ll hear the details later!’
The exchange between Chris and the Chief at that time. This conversation also backs it up. It should be seen that the Chief was also unaware of the Astraea’s existence.
”Himemiya, what’s wrong?”
Kamikura called out to me. No good. I have to focus on the upcoming operation now.
”It’s nothing. I’m fine.”
I took a sip of my slightly lukewarm lemon tea.
”Anyway. This operation is considerably dangerous. Both of you must return alive. I’ve ordered a few bottles of expensive brandy for you guys.”
Kamikura followed Tetsuya’s words.
”――If you say it’s expensive, I’ll expect it to taste good. Don’t worry. I won’t let it go to waste.”
Upon Kamikura saying so, Tetsuya extinguished his shortened cigarette.
”Asami. Make sure you come back. Kamikura and you――the two of you.”
Saying so, Tetsuya went back inside the base alone. He probably still has things to discuss with the Chief and the others. There was less than four hours until the start of the operation.
Kamikura looked up at the high ceiling of the underground space, exhaling cigarette smoke.
”Kamikura. That cigarette you got from Tetsuya, isn’t it just an ordinary cigarette?”
Secondhand smoke with a strong smell. Tetsuya said it contained no tar or nicotine, but no matter how you look at it, it’s a normal paper-rolled cigarette.
”That’s right. As expected, even you can tell, Himemiya.”
It had been like that since our student days, but Tetsuya and Kamikura often made things up to tease me. Although it’s like a joke with no ill will…
”Himemiya, do not trust that woman.”
Kamikura said so and extinguished his cigarette.
”――I know. Even without you telling me, Kamikura.”
I threw the empty lemon tea container into the trash can. Kamikura senses it too. When push comes to shove, we’ll have to make a decision.
”Hey, Kamikura. When we safely finish the operation and return…”
I said, looking straight at Kamikura.
”That expensive brandy Tetsuya bought. I’m going to drink――a whole bottle all by myself.”
Kamikura’s face had been serious. He seemed to burst out laughing a little.
”I wondered what you were going to say, and it’s that. It’s liquor at a level he calls expensive. I won’t let you hog it.”
It was only a little, but he smiled. That makes me feel very happy.
”Don’t leave my side during the operation. Keep your distance from that woman. Understood?”
Kamikura said so and went back inside the base. As if following behind him, I also returned inside the base.
October 26, 2026. Monday. 24:30.
(30 minutes remaining until the start of the operation)
US Yokota Base. Operation Standby Room.
We began moving from the base to Yokota Base just past 22:00. Yokota Base and the investigation base in Shinjuku, the Ground Base, are connected by a dedicated underground railway, allowing for high-speed, secret movement. The end of the Ground Base is also connected to the National Diet Building, serving as an overseas escape route for the Japanese government in times of emergency.
The six of us――Kamikura and I, Hojo-san and Kirimine-san, and Shisei and Mizuhara――moved to Yokota Base and rendezvoused with AAST Wolf Fang. We received a general explanation of the equipment to be used in the operation.
The IVAS (Integrated Visual Augmentation System), an integrated visual augmentation system that has begun to be used in the US Army in recent years, provides soldiers with various digital display functions. It is next-generation equipment capable of utilizing a variety of functions, such as night vision devices, thermal sights, daylight sensing, outline enhancement, 3D map and route overlays, and picture-in-picture displays of sight images.
The ones equipped by AAST Wolf Fang could be called second-generation IVAS; the headsets are further miniaturized and lightened, and various processing has been sped up. And by linking with MARIA, a tactical command AI system whose operation has secretly begun in the US military, highly advanced operations have become possible.
The data of Black Lily’s core members has apparently already been inputted, and if the data matches with the sensors attached to IVAS, the target will automatically be displayed on the visor.
Because Kamikura and I are UCIA personnel and belong to the US military, we were given this latest equipment. Since Shisei, as well as the two from the church, specialize in spiritual combat, it seems they conversely cannot demonstrate their abilities with this kind of equipment. Shisei is in a black pantsuit. The two from the Alsard Church are wearing exorcism habits. Mizuhara was clad in a black combat suit.
We were sitting on chairs in the operation standby room. There is less than 30 minutes until the operation starts. The final checks on the assault helicopters we will board seem to be taking place right now. Hojo-san and Kirimine-san are sitting next to me.
Strangely, they looked perfectly calm. They aren’t showing any signs of anxiety at all.
”Hojo-san and Kirimine-san, you two are quite calm… As expected, do your usual missions entail considerable danger?”
I asked Hojo-san.
”――I believe the level of danger has been increasing in recent years. Interference from the Astral Dimension is growing stronger day by day, and the Dark Forces that manifest are also increasing in power. High-ranking AWs are a threat too, but the disturbance in the spiritual magnetic field has already entered a dangerous zone. Honestly, it wouldn’t be strange if anything happened…”
Her face was serious. Kirimine-san opened her mouth looking worried.
”AMGE, including Ayuka-chan, are the elites among the talented high-ranking exorcists in the church. That’s why they have many opportunities to make contact with the Dark Forces… With high-ranking AWs appearing amidst all that, the current situation is that we are also quite hard-pressed. But, we have no time to stand still. We have to become――even stronger.”
Kirimine-san said so powerfully. She continued her words.
”We will take responsibility and protect you, Himemiya-san. And――I won’t let anyone lay a single finger on Ayuka-chan. I will cut down and exorcise everything.”
Hojo-san stared at Kirimine-san’s face.
”Yuika-chan, thank you as always. Because you always protect me, Yuika-chan, I can focus on my chanting. I have a premonition that this mission will be quite dangerous, but Goddess Alsard will surely protect and guide us.”
Saying so, Hojo-san and Kirimine-san stared at me.
”Himemiya-san, you are a precious person to Mayu-sama. We will protect you even at the cost of our lives. Please be at ease.”
Hojo-san said so, and the two smiled. It seems that’s how everyone at the church thinks of me. Making poor excuses will likely just make things more troublesome.
Though――it is also a fact that I harbor some special feelings for Asagiri-san.
Her figure, her clear, lovely voice. They give something comforting to my heart.
”Recently, Mayu-sama has really started to smile a lot. When I first joined AMGE, she was a very quiet person. She looked like she was gazing far away with somewhat hollow eyes…”
Hojo-san began to talk like that.
”Mayu-sama is revered as the Messiah within the church. She seems to frequently agonize over harboring such immense spiritual power… In fact, when Dark Forces that are difficult even for us to deal with manifest, we are always just causing trouble for Mayu-sama…”
Hojo-san’s expression clouded over. She must be truly sorry…
Following her, Kirimine-san opened her mouth.
”Mayu-sama always seems to be deep in thought… It was in July of my first year that I started assisting Ayuka-chan, but back then, she was honestly like a different person than she is now. She spoke little, and always had an expression as if she were lamenting something… The fact that Mayu-sama started to brighten up little by little was after she started working at Princess Maker. She seemed to be suffering from the heavy responsibilities at the church, so after receiving a consultation from Holy Priest Kamijo, my father bought that shop.”
Her father bought it…? I asked what she meant.
”In other words, it was a shop owned by another manager, but now the Kirimine Group is managing it?”
Kirimine-san answered my question.
”Mayu-sama used to visit Princess Maker often, and it was her favorite shop. At some point, she started murmuring that she wanted to work at a shop like that――so, thinking it might clear Mayu-sama’s heart even a little, Holy Priest Kamijo approached my father, and the Kirimine Group bought the management rights. Since then, although it’s only for a few days a week, Mayu-sama started working at Princess Maker, and she gradually regained her peace of mind.”
As I thought, I believe Asagiri-san is someone who should be in such a peaceful space. However, listening to the two of them, it seems they don’t know that Asagiri-san has lost her memories.
AMGE are high-ranking exorcists directly under the Messiah. In other words, they are in a position that could be called her close aides, but if she hasn’t even told them that she lost her memories…
If Hojo-san and Kirimine-san don’t know, there’s a high possibility that the other AMGE members don’t know either.
’Actually, I… don’t have any memories. I lost my parents in a traffic accident when I was young――and the doctors say it’s probably an aftereffect of that. But I feel like I’ve completely forgotten some important memory…’
Asagiri-san’s words. After the traffic accident, she lost some crucial memory. That ended up opening a large hole in her heart, and it continues to torment Asagiri-san even now.
’Himemiya-san. I am fully aware that I am saying something selfish with this irresponsible request. But please, would you kindly help me get my memories back? It’s not a request for you to specifically do something. By interacting with you, I can regain the important something I lost. I have that kind of feeling…’
Helping her regain her memories… As she says, it’s not like she wants me to do something specific, but…
If she made that request only to me, it might mean I am trusted by her from the bottom of her heart.
And, her lost memories… What in the world could they be…?
”Mayu-sama smiles a lot when she talks about you, Himemiya-san. To Mayu-sama, you are a very special existence, Himemiya-san. So please, we leave Mayu-sama in your care. This is the wish of everyone in AMGE, and myself.”
Smiling, the two quietly closed their eyes and bowed their heads. Having Kirimine-san go so far as to say that, I can’t possibly back down either.
”――I am not yet strong like all of you, and I might be a pathetic investigator… But, I want to protect Asagiri-san in my own way. I will surely cause you trouble in the future as well, but I look forward to working with you.”
It was when I said that. The lighting in the operation standby room dimmed. The UCIA logo was projected onto the large screen in front. Then, the figure of the Chief wearing gray camouflage fatigues appeared.
”I am UCIA Japan Branch Chief, Hardy Evans. We will now commence the assault operation, the Counterattack of the Holy Sword (Operation Lightbringer). It is a joint military operation between the selected teams from the UCIA, Public Security Police, and the Alsard Church, and the anti-AW special operations unit AAST Wolf Fang. Command on-site will be taken by UCIA Special Agent, Second Lieutenant Hisamune Kamikura. Everyone, follow Second Lieutenant Kamikura’s orders and execute the mission. I pray for your success.”
When the Chief’s words ended, Kamikura, who was standing in front of the screen, gave a greeting.
”I am Kamikura, taking on-site command for this time. This operation has been determined by MARIA to have a threat index of 83%, Class A. If multiple AWs are present, the threat index and class are expected to rise further. It is a large-scale operation unprecedented in the history of anti-AW operations. The capture target among the organization’s core members is Saori Hiyama. If capture is difficult, shoot to kill immediately. Orders have been issued to annihilate the other three core members and the organization’s members if they do not comply with surrendering. Now then, everyone board the assault helicopters! We are commencing the operation!”
Along with Kamikura’s command, everyone stood up from their seats and broke into a run toward the helicopter parking area.
The Counterattack of the Holy Sword (Operation Lightbringer). The time when our resolve would be tested had finally arrived…