The day after Sado Island was taken, the entire world began moving.
Yuuko Kouzuki had issued an invitation to the whole world, calling them to Sado Island to jointly research the BETA Hive.
Of course, she would provide reliable protective forces—the power displayed in yesterday's offensive, including machines capable of beam attacks and energy-shield defense.
While inviting them to come for research, she would also disclose some technological support.
As a result, Sado Island was also planned to become the base of an international research institution.
Here, race and nationality would not matter. Everything would be for one goal: defeating the BETA.
The invitation had been issued late that same night after Sado Island was captured.
So before dawn even broke over Sado Island the next day, helicopters had already begun arriving.
What astonished people even more was that, in just one night, a base complex of considerable scale had been built near the Hive.
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to call it a metal fortress.
"Yuuko Kouzuki, what is that woman doing with those people?"
"She actually made this decision on her own. How can she face the Imperial soldiers who fought to take Sado Island?"
"That woman is a traitor!"
An emergency meeting was currently being held in Tokyo. Most of the people present were verbally attacking Yuuko Kouzuki, the initiator of the Alternative IV Plan who had led the capture of Sado Island the previous day.
In their view, most of the things obtained on Sado Island should belong to the Empire, including the new Tactical Surface Fighter.
Although Yuuko herself had said that it did not belong to the Empire and was instead from an unknown third force, no matter how one looked at it, she still should not have simply made everything public to the entire world.
The Empire should have gained priority access first, preserved its lead, and only then disclosed it to other countries—not placed everyone on the same starting line.
As a result, this woman was committing treason. She was selling out national interests.
"We must retake Sado Island immediately."
"Agreed!"
"Retake it? Are you certain you can retake Sado Island under the protection of those Tactical Surface Fighters?"
Someone sneered.
The XG-70b Susanoo II was in Yuuko Kouzuki's hands. One shot from that superweapon could probably destroy the Empire's fleet by firing directly into the seabed and triggering a tsunami.
Even without that thing, those machines that were only half the size of Tactical Surface Fighters felt as if one of them would be enough to deal with an entire TSF battalion.
There were only four visible on the surface, but who knew how many more were hidden away?
As for the large one, judging by its performance yesterday, it felt practically invincible unless its energy ran out.
It had blocked Heavy Laser-class irradiation. It could probably block a nuclear explosion as well.
And that was assuming a nuclear weapon could even get close to it.
Unless they used a G-bomb.
The problem was that the Empire did not have G-bombs. And the consequence of using one would be the complete destruction of everything on Sado Island, leaving nothing for anyone.
"These four towers are electromagnetic shield generators. They will cover the entire island of Sado and can defend against a nuclear attack at the megaton level."
The voice came from the current livestream on Sado Island. Yuuko Kouzuki was already introducing the four hundred-meter-tall metal pillars that had suddenly appeared overnight in four separate areas of the island to the people who had arrived.
Judging by this level of investment, the force supporting Yuuko from behind the scenes intended to openly enter Sado Island.
Correction—not enter it.
They intended to turn Sado Island into their territory, making it an important base.
Otherwise, they would not have invested such a huge amount of resources in a single night.
Of course, it was not as if there had been no trace of this at all. The structures had probably been built somewhere in an uninhabited area of the sea.
When the equipment was transported over, some suspicious aircraft had been detected.
The allied forces on Sado Island should have clearly noticed such movements. However, last night there had been intense electromagnetic interference. Radar could see nothing, and communications had been blocked as if cut off entirely.
If one wanted to relay a message, it had to be done manually.
Only after the electromagnetic interference continued for several hours and then returned to normal did they notice the metal buildings and four metal pillars.
Of course, Yuuko Kouzuki had also explained in advance that installing the electromagnetic shield would produce such side effects and told everyone not to worry.
"Your Excellency, General Akamai from the Okinawa base wishes to speak with you."
In a corner of the meeting, such a quiet contact was made.
After the noisy meeting, which had produced no results, was temporarily suspended, a group moved into a lounge.
"Mr. Yoroi, what is Dr. Kouzuki trying to do?"
As this country's Shogun, Yuuhi Koubuin was deeply puzzled by Yuuko Kouzuki's sudden actions.
"I do not know either."
Sakon Yoroi of the Ministry of Intelligence's Foreign Affairs Division shook his head and answered with a bitter smile.
This time, he truly did not understand why Yuuko Kouzuki had suddenly done such a thing.
He had contacted her as well, asking what she intended to do, but the answer he received was that she could not respond.
So had Yuuko Kouzuki grown too impatient to wait for action from their side and simply decided to have the force behind her step onto the stage directly?
Was she truly confident that tiny Sado Island could withstand the pressure?
Especially the pressure from the United States of North America.
Suddenly, a staff member rushed over and whispered beside him. His expression changed.
He had to inform Yuuko Kouzuki of this immediately.
....
Sado Island.
Yuuko Kouzuki was currently conducting a technical exchange conference, and it was also within her own field.
At that moment, Marimo walked over quickly and tugged at her.
"Excuse me, please wait a moment."
After leaving the venue—
"Yes, I understand. If possible, please ask Section Chief Yoroi not to leak this information either, so the guests are not frightened away. Do not worry. The electromagnetic shield can withstand a G-bomb as well. That is all."
Yuuko hung up directly.
"Yuuko, will it really be all right? The electromagnetic shield can withstand a G-bomb?"
"It can."
That was a lie.
Yuuko was actually shaken.
The so-called electromagnetic shield was real, but it could not cover all of Sado Island at all. At most, it could protect the four metal pillars themselves.
As for the quickly built metal structures, they were actually like slightly decorated shipping containers. They unfolded through automated mechanisms, then used holographic projection devices to make themselves look presentable.
Of course, if anyone went inside, the trick would be exposed. So for now, entry was prohibited.
Still, in order to make the act more convincing, they had indeed created one laboratory that looked very legitimate at first glance.
And all of this consisted of things she had asked him to have A2's side transmit over last night.
In any case, she was creating the impression that the force behind her would publicly reveal itself in three days, and that its important members would also appear.
At the same time, in three days, the official technical disclosure would take place.
With that, one country would absolutely become anxious and resort to bottomless behavior.
Even if Sado Island looked very suspicious right now, and even if careful investigation would make it feel strange—as though she were plotting something—that country absolutely could not wait until it had investigated everything clearly.
After all, today she had genuinely disclosed a portion of the technology directly to some of the people already present. That technology would definitely be verified by that country as well.
Because of that, they would absolutely attempt to stop her from spreading the technology. If possible, they might even try to destroy the force behind her.
And three days later would be the crucial moment.
By then, important researchers from many countries would have arrived. If someone wiped them all out at once, it would be a severe blow to the scientific strength of those nations.
And judging from what wiping them all out would require, they would probably use a G-bomb—which was exactly what Yuuko Kouzuki hoped for.
If a G-bomb really was launched that day, could they intercept it?
If they could not, then her plan would fail, and she would become an even greater sinner.
It could be intercepted.
Method one: overload the supernova reactor of one XV104 and simultaneously force its shield generator into overpowered activation, using it to collide with the G-bomb and detonate it prematurely.
As for why she could be certain it could break through the G-bomb's Rutherford Field, that had been tested with the XG-70b Susanoo II to determine how much power its defensive field could withstand before failing.
The G-bomb's field was unlikely to be much stronger than the XG-70b Susanoo II's.
After all, the XG-70b Susanoo II was enormous. The mass of its Moorcock-Lechte device far surpassed the ML device inside a missile. A warhead was disposable, so its service life had not been deliberately extended.
In addition, the XG-70b Susanoo II's ML device was also larger than the one in a G-bomb. Theoretically, the field it deployed should also be stronger.
If the XG-70b Susanoo II's field could be broken, then there would be no problem with a G-bomb.
In reality, only half the power of the XV104 mech reactor's self-destruction would be enough to break through the Rutherford Field.
Aside from using an XV104 as a suicide interception unit, they had also prepared several other interception methods.
One of them was to have the Tau Empire aircraft, the Manta, carry out a suicide attack and detonate it.
That was for the air. On the ground, they had also taken four railguns from A2's side—the four metal pillars.
Their power was enough to break through the XG-70b's Rutherford Field with two shots. With all four, normally speaking, they should be able to smash a G-bomb in flight.
However, if the other side launched additional warheads to escort the G-bomb when firing it, that would be troublesome. With automated targeting, the system might not necessarily destroy the G-bomb first.
Of course, manual aiming was possible. The problem was that no one had hands capable of making that shot.
He might be able to do it, but he would be intercepting from near the thermosphere, more than one hundred kilometers above the ground. The ground systems could only rely on intelligent targeting.
Once the aerial interception failed, the intelligent railguns would intercept any warhead that entered below an altitude of one hundred kilometers.
So if the other side attacked first with a G-bomb, then this side would also have a reason to retaliate.
After all, if they attacked directly without a reason, they would completely stand against the entire world.
(End of Chapter)
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