Peace Negotiations Part 1
Cheers erupted in Astraea’s combat command center.
Aimer covered her face with both hands, hiding her tears, while Aki and Nyanta stood up and embraced each other.
「Good work, Aimer.」
「Thank you so much.」
「No need to be so formal. We all share the same goal, right?」
「That’s true.」
It was the shared determination of Asia and Aimer that had saved Kou. Their hearts, seemingly without boundaries, had united as one.
Astraea, who watched over them with a gentle smile, remained on high alert. They were still in the middle of a battle, and it was her duty to ensure these precious moments of joy for them.
Meanwhile, in the ruins of the Defense Dome, Kou, piloting Unit 5, received a transmission from Hyoue.
「That was some trump card you were hiding. Haha… This is insane.」
Hyoue couldn’t help but marvel at the technique Kou had displayed with his Silhouette.
How would he counter the Hien gaeshi? As a swordsman himself, Hyoue couldn’t stop his mind from racing, analyzing how to respond to such a move.
Kou had been right—the technique was unorthodox, to say the least, even heretical. It was not something a human could perform unaided and was, at its core, a form of ambush.
If one thought it was a low slash targeting the shin and leaped to evade, they’d find their lower body cut. If they assumed it was aimed at the lower stance and stayed put, they’d be struck from beyond their reach. Regardless of the speed of their advance, whether quick or slow, their wrists would likely be caught in the curved path of the blade’s arc, resulting in a clean severance. Furthermore, the movement—from the crouched posture to the sudden upright extension—made it nearly impossible to predict the timing of the draw.
Even after the blade was unsheathed, the technique remained formidable. If Kou executed a horizontal slash, he could transition into a low slash seamlessly. Against an opponent targeting a low stance, he could use the sheath to turn the attack into a diagonal slash from shoulder to hip. The flexibility inherent to iai—its ability to shift between trajectories—was preserved in its entirety.
The most effective counter was not to move at all. By waiting for Kou’s strike and observing every aspect of his attack, one could exploit the moment of misalignment and retaliate. This approach, known as go no sen no sen (delayed response), required absolute composure. However, in a duel, doing nothing was extraordinarily difficult.
Another potential counter was a kneeling thrust, a classic iai technique. Even so, its effectiveness was a coin toss, depending entirely on timing. The more Hyoue thought about it, the more fascinating the technique became.
「Kou-kun, you’ve done well.」
「Hyoue-san.」
Hyoue’s voice reached Kou. There were no longer any enemies to interfere.
「Thank you… Thank you for setting Shuuji free. That was an incredible technique. I’m certain Shuuji was watching too.」
Hyoue’s voice trembled—he was crying. The tears wouldn’t stop.
Such an exquisite display of swordsmanship—an act so perfect that it was worthy as a send-off for Shuuji. Hyoue could only feel gratitude toward Kou.
「If I had been fighting against Shuuji-san, I’m not sure it would’ve worked.」
Castor had Shuuji knowledge, but his thinking wasn’t flexible enough. He only took measures against kenjutsu and iai, he didn’t even think of the possibility of Kou using a technique of an entirely different discipline, a sword dance. Hien gaeshi was a very effective technique when used against an unaware opponent, however, Shuuji surely would have anticipated even that possibility.
「Kou-kun, you’ve already defeated your opponent. Downplaying it now is just arrogance. Even I was captivated by you technique. Hold your head high! Do it for Shuuji!」
Kou’s technique wasn’t simply a matter of skill in iai. It was the culmination of his mastery as a pilot and his deep understanding of the unique capabilities of Unit 5. Together, he and his machine had achieved a level attainable only by human and machine working in perfect harmony. This technique was just that formidable. Kou had reached a higher level than Hyoue or Kurt in silhouette combat. To downplay it now would be tantamount to disrespecting Shuuji.
「Yes.」
Kou finally replied sincerely, a shy smile appearing on his face. Hyoue nodded in satisfaction.
「I’m heading your way now.」
「Sorry for the trouble.」
Just as Unit 5 began moving toward the fallen Accipiter, something unexpected happened.
「Don’t move, please. I’d rather not have to kill Hyoue-dono.」
「Vasa!」
From seemingly nowhere, Vasa’s Bogatyri appeared, standing before them.
「The sword-dance Hien-gaeshi. That was a spectacular display. Truly, you’ve reached the realm of human-machine unity with that technique.」
「Thank you.」
It seemed Vasa had no intention of initiating a fight. He had had countless opportunities to ambush Kou, yet he hadn’t attacked him.
「I’d love to have a discussion about swordsmanship and Silhouette combat with two master swordsmen, but for now, I must prioritize my duties.」
「You’re here for me?」
「Indeed. —This is a peace negotiation. I’ve come as a representative of the Argoforce.」
Kou froze in disbelief.
Peace negotiations? To hear such words coming from Vasa’s mouth was utterly unexpected.
However, Kou quickly realized Vasa was lying about ‘having come’ here. That much was obvious. Not even five minutes had passed since Castor had been defeated—it was far too soon for anyone to come here after Castor’s defeat. The only explanation was that Vasa had been nearby all along, watching the battle unfold.
「Can I ask you a question? Whose orders are you following right now?」
There had been plenty of opportunities for Vasa to launch an ambush and save Castor. The fact that he hadn’t meant he wasn’t acting under Castor’s orders, despite Castor being the supreme commander.
Vasa offered only a faint smile, clearly uninterested in answering.
「Let’s just say I have the authority to negotiate peace. That much should suffice.」
「Fine. But I don’t have such authority. I’m just a pilot.」
「Of course, you’re not a commander. But your opinion carries significant weight. Isn’t that right, Asia? I know you’re listening.」
「Yes, I am.」
Asia’s face appeared on both Kou and Vasa’s MCS monitors.
「Alright, then. Barry, Supreme Commander, Commander Jenny, and Admiral Aimer—they can all be present. Aimer is practically one with Asia, so objecting would be pointless.」
「You’re sharp. That’ll make things move faster.」
Kou’s weary voice drew a faint smirk from Vasa. Vasa didn’t dislike Kou’s personality.
「Barry, Jenny, can you hear me?」
「An emergency alert call from Asia herself? This must be serious.」
「We’re ready on our end, Kou.」
「I understand the situation.」
Aimer joined the others on the communication channel. With her and Asia’s close connection, they could quickly share information.
「Here’s the situation: The enemy supreme commander, the Hemitheos Castor, has been defeated. However, Hyoue-san has been taken hostage. Vasa is requesting peace negotiations.」
Kou delivered the facts succinctly.
「What? You defeated Castor? Peace negotiations?」
Barry was stunned by the unexpected turn of events. The Megareus was still operational, so the idea of such a discussion seemed completely out of place. Barry’s immediate reaction was to summon Kou back right away.
「Kou-kun, what on earth are you doing out there, wandering off the battlefield like that?」
Jenny’s exasperation came through loud and clear over the comms.
「What Kou said is true. I wish to proceed with peace negotiations with you. What’s your decision?」
「Decision? There’s no decision to make—we have to do it.」
Barry’s expression grew serious. The battle was still raging, with casualties mounting by the minute. If there was a chance to stop the bloodshed, they couldn’t afford to ignore it.
This wasn’t a matter for Kou or even Aimer now—it was Barry’s role as commander. In a sense, this moment was the culmination of everything they had fought for. It was a duty he couldn’t shy away from.
Jenny felt a sense of relief. When Barry wore that expression, he was invincible.
「What are the terms for peace?」
Getting to the point of negotiating peace was a stroke of luck. Throughout Earth’s history, nations that fought to the bitter end, exhausting all their resources and resorting to suicidal final stands, weren’t rare.
「There are several terms, but first and foremost, you’ve won.」
Did they want to end the war while the damage was still minor? Such strategies were often employed by resource-strapped nations. However, the Stones were far from being strapped for resources. They had access to immense wealth and supplies. Barry couldn’t fully grasp their intent, but it seemed the Stones were willing to cede the victory—perhaps a calculated concession to achieve a more advantageous position elsewhere.
「I see.」
Barry nodded calmly, while Jenny held her breath. Determining the victor was the most contentious point in any negotiation.
The Megareus was on the brink of falling, and they had taken down the enemy’s supreme commander. The Argoforce had been defeated, that was obvious to everyone, and trying to deny it would be a waste of time. However, this was the first time humanity had claimed victory against the Stones, and everyone was baffled at how easily the Stones had accepted the defeat.
「We have our own demands, but let’s start with what we’re offering. We demand exemption from reparations. In exchange, we’ll cede two strategic bases: Fortress Area Q019 and Fortress Area Q221, along with all surrounding Defense Domes.」
「That’s… quite generous. So more than half of the Scheelite Continent will become ours, huh?」
The terms weren’t bad, considering the heavy losses they’d sustained. The Scheelite Continent was home to critical zones like Fortress Areas P336 and R001. Gaining control of more than half of it was a significant win. Victory and territory—it was a simple, straightforward outcome. Compared to months of haggling over monetary reparations, territorial concessions were far more expedient.
Ulysses had welcomed several new companies lately, and many of them sought relocation to areas close to the main bases. The newly acquired lands would become a massive source of revenue.
「Exactly. Build a nation, if you like.」
「No thanks. Too much of a hassle.」
「But you’ve already earned the right to be a nation, haven’t you? With military power rivaling the Stones, vast territories, a population, and—most importantly—the ability to enforce treaties with other organizations. In other words, you’ve effectively established sovereignty. If this isn’t a nation, what is?」
「Even so, we’re just a mercenary group.」
「…What kind of ‘mercenary group’ owns three Hora-class and several spaceships?」
「All of those belong to certain rich bastard, not the group itself. We’re just borrowing them. Ridiculous, right?」
Vasa gave Kou a deadpan glare, the ‘rich bastard’ who had claimed just a moment ago that he was ‘just a pilot’.
Feeling awkward, Kou averted his eyes with a sheepish expression, avoiding Vasa’s gaze.
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