Chapter 166 ·Declaration of War

When ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Jin Crow opened his eyes again, the ship had already docked at the Sigma Satellite platform.

“Heheh, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍hic.”

Not ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍bothering to count how many bottles Obia Timist had emptied before collapsing across the sofa like a piece of laundry, he casually left her in the care of the Military Police before disembarking.

It ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had been a full nine days before he returned to the academy.

Ordinarily, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍since it was already late, he should have gone straight to his quarters.

Instead, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he headed for the instructors' office to review the training progress during his absence.

Naturally, nothing significant should have happened.

It had only been a week and two days.

If something major had occurred in that time...

That would have been a problem in itself.

Tap.

...Or so he had thought.

“What a disaster.”

Jin Crow frowned.

After reading through the training log submitted by Assistant Instructor Ginatio, he pressed his aching brow with his fingers and spoke.

“I have no excuse.”

Standing before him, Assistant Instructor Ginatio bowed his head with his hands clasped behind his back.

It was unlike their usual interactions.

Many people had assumed there must have been conflict between Jin Crow and Ginatio after watching the latter grow more haggard with each passing day.

Surprisingly, however, the two actually got along quite well.

They respected each other and rarely had any conflicts.

The reason was simple.

Although Instructor Jin Crow occasionally acted unpredictably, he remained completely devoted to his duties.

Meanwhile, Assistant Instructor Ginatio was highly capable from the outset, to the point that even other factions quietly tried to recruit him.

“……I've concluded that further growth through the Simulation Room is no longer possible.”

“……”

For that very reason, Jin Crow couldn't dismiss Ginatio's words lightly.

He picked up the training log once again.

The contents were lengthy.

But the summary was straightforward.

Overall decline in cadet interest.

The Simulation Room's environmental and psychological thresholds can no longer keep up with the Training Dummy.

Top-ranking cadets can no longer receive meaningful training.

In short...

The limitations of the Simulation Room had revealed themselves far sooner than expected.

It wasn't strange.

In fact...

Jin Crow had anticipated this to some extent.

‘Even if they're only dummies, they allow full combat capability in realistic battle. Compared to that, there's an unavoidable gap between actual combat and virtual training where no one risks their life.’

The Simulation Room had originally been created more as a showcase under Professor Risu-jong's insistence.

It couldn't perfectly reproduce a superhuman's reaction speed in the first place.

Nor had it been built with that level of detail.

Setting realism aside...

To cadets who had already experienced battles nearly identical to real combat, it could only feel trivial.

“Furthermore, there's no more theory left to teach. Of course, there are Professor Risu-jong's papers and hypotheses, but we can't continue holding lectures based solely on unproven theories.”

The lack of theoretical knowledge was another major obstacle.

After all, the only recognized authority researching the Creatures—a race that had been almost completely unknown until just one year ago—was Professor Risu-jong himself.

Even he had only recently finished establishing the concept of the Mass-produced Type.

How much could he possibly know about the higher species?

‘So this is why the lectures were introduced so late in the original story.’

Even for Jin Crow, this was a genuine dilemma.

Originally, the plan had been to buy time through the frontline inspection.

But the incident on Planet Ju had made even that impossible.

“I understand. You may go.”

“Yes, sir.”

Having confirmed that even Assistant Instructor Ginatio had no solution, Jin Crow dismissed him.

After saluting, Ginatio quietly left the instructors' office.

‘The frontline inspection is impossible. Reintroducing the Training Dummy is also impossible within the time remaining.’

One setback had piled atop another.

Perhaps because of that...

Leaving his throbbing headache for later, he simply set aside the unsolvable problem and rose from his seat with his exhausted body.

‘First, I need Ner to conduct further investigations into Hound and ask about the Red Hand's movements.’

He would continue thinking about the training issue.

But if there was no answer, he could postpone it until the second-year curriculum.

The final examinations were approaching anyway.

Unless something unexpected happened...

Things should remain quiet for a while.

Surely even the Red Hand wouldn't be insane enough to start a war immediately...

Thinking that, he dragged his tired body toward his quarters.

“Instructor!”

The following day—

“……What's this first thing in the morning?”

Without even having time to straighten his messy hair from the previous night, Jin Crow opened the door after Assistant Instructor Ginatio pounded urgently against it while calling for him.

“H-Headmistress summoned everyone. Not just you, Instructor... every instructor has been called.”

“Why?”

“Th-That's......”

At Ginatio's bewildered expression and hesitant words—

“T-The Red Hand has declared war on the Human Composite State.”

“……Not a single peaceful day.”

Muttering those words, Jin Crow immediately began putting on his military uniform.

Aside from those performing essential duties, every senior instructor and nearly every major instructor had gathered.

Ideale gestured toward Assistant Instructor Ginatio.

He immediately projected a video onto the large screen in the center of the conference room.

The Red Hand's military anthem echoed through the room.

Most of the instructors stiffened as though forced to listen to some blasphemous hymn.

When the music finally ended, a man's calm voice spoke.

「Ahem... Can everyone hear the microphone?」

The voice emerging from the recording was deep and dignified.

Yet somehow...

It also carried an oddly cheerful tone.

The man cleared his throat several times in the darkness before apparently deciding everything was fine.

The black screen brightened.

Soon, a single image filled every instructor's field of vision.

「Haha. This kind of occasion is new to me, so it feels a little awkward. Still, I don't dislike it. We've all known each other for quite some time, haven't we? Yet this is the first time I've actually shown my face.」

Standing upon a podium before the Red Hand's emblem—

A clenched fist engraved upon a crimson backdrop—

Was a single man.

One instructor narrowed his eyes and muttered coldly.

“A terrorist organization acting like this......”

The reaction was understandable.

The setting and presentation resembled nothing less than an official address delivered by the Supreme Chancellor of the Human Composite State or the Emperor of the Holy Galactic Empire.

Regardless of the instructors' patriotism, no one appreciated watching a mere terrorist organization imitate the appearance of a sovereign nation.

Naturally...

Those words never reached the middle-aged man in the crimson military uniform within the recording.

「Greetings, everyone. I am Robespierre, Grand Marshal of the Red Hand.」

However, the disgust filling the conference room was soon replaced by surprise and curiosity.

“Grand Marshal?”

“Robespierre......”

The reason lay entirely in the man's identity.

Jin Crow silently observed him.

‘Grand Marshal Robespierre.’

His gaze settled upon the Grand Marshal insignia adorning the man's shoulder.

His appearance itself was rather ordinary.

Yet his deeply set eyes and faint smile created unease rather than comfort.

‘The Red Hand's first Grand Marshal... and the leader who has remained hidden until now.’

「I know full well that much of the information regarding us has been concealed, manipulated, and outright fabricated. A regrettable state of affairs. Therefore, I intend to begin by listing exactly what we've done.」

By this point, even Ideale, along with Jin Crow, had expected the Red Hand to deny their crimes before launching into some speech about justice or noble ideals.

Instead...

The next words completely shattered common sense.

「Up until now, we have participated in terrorism, sabotage, murder, kidnapping, human trafficking, contract killings, assassinations, public opinion manipulation, and every other crime imaginable. Well, there are a few things people blame us for that we actually didn't do.」

“Has he gone insane?”

“……Is this a declaration of war, or a confession?”

After all...

The instructors weren't the only ones watching.

The Red Hand had already uploaded the recording across every major community and video platform throughout the Human Composite State.

In other words...

This wasn't merely a provocation toward the Ministry of National Defense.

It was a massive public declaration.

Yet they openly confessed to their crimes.

No one with ordinary common sense could possibly understand it.

Jin Crow was no exception.

「I've spoken long enough. I'll get straight to the point.」

The conference room had become filled with confusion, doubt, and even ridicule.

Then—

「The Human Composite State has become corrupt. Rotten. Weak. And evil. The evidence is overflowing, so I won't waste time listing it.」

With a calm face carrying even the faintest smile, Robespierre swept his gaze across the audience.

Then he added briefly.

「Do we desire war?」

Bang!

He slammed his fist heavily onto the podium.

「Do we desire war?!」

At that very moment, the camera that had focused solely on Robespierre slowly zoomed outward.

Soon, an immense crimson army filling an enormous plaza came into view.

「We!」

Grand Marshal Robespierre shouted first.

「Desire—! War—!」

An army that appeared to number at least an entire corps roared back in one thunderous voice.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

The synchronized stomping of countless boots reverberated even through the recording.

Above them floated warships no smaller than Dreadnought-class Battleships.

Nor was that all.

「Waaaaah! War! War! War!」

The civilians surrounding the plaza erupted into cheers.

The assembled soldiers simultaneously raised razor-sharp salutes toward their Grand Marshal.

At that moment, Robespierre looked directly into the camera as it zoomed slightly back toward him.

Then he smiled.

「A new order is coming.」

With those words...

The video ended.

Assistant Instructor Ginatio turned the lights back on.

Silence filled the conference room.

Then Ideale finally spoke.

“As you've all seen, the Red Hand has dared to declare war upon the Human Composite State. Some dismiss it as reckless arrogance, while others reasonably suspect they're receiving support from the Empire.”

“Certainly.”

Ryucheon, the senior instructor of the Rosen faction, nodded in agreement.

The general public might have been overwhelmed by the Red Hand's propaganda.

But nearly every instructor present had fought in the Third Galactic War.

A theatrical military parade like that stirred no emotions whatsoever.

“However... why were all of us summoned, Headmistress?”

That was what truly mattered.

A declaration of war against the Human Composite State was certainly something instructors responsible for training Special-duty Officers needed to know.

But was it serious enough to gather every instructor into an emergency meeting?

That was another matter.

The other instructors appeared to share Ryucheon's thoughts as they all looked toward Ideale.

Ignoring their gazes, she lightly tapped the table with a hardened expression, as though weighing her thoughts.

Then she continued.

“Forty-three minutes after the Red Hand's declaration of war, the Intelligence Bureau under the Ministry of National Defense succeeded in determining the enemy's operational objectives......”

Upon hearing what came next—

“The Red Hand's primary objective has been identified as none other than our Special-duty Officer Academies.”

Every instructor present reached for a cigarette almost simultaneously.

Hiss.

Naturally...

Jin Crow, who had already been pressing weary fingers against his aching brow, did exactly the same.

‘Fuck.’

For a brief moment...

Olga's prophecy echoed through his mind.

‘……Surely I'm not about to face death at the hands of the Red Hand instead of the Creatures... right?’

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