Chapter 95

[Battle of Yokohama Base]

Objective:

- Convince and join the Alternative IV team to defend Yokohama Base and repel the BETA hordes. (Complete)

- Ensure casualty rates of the participating forces are below 20%. (Complete)

- Ensure the survival of all STF A-01 members. (Complete)

- Ensure the survival of Unit 00. (Complete)

Reward: Interdimensional Contract function Upgrade, 1.5B SAS Credits, +2 Levels

Adam stared at the mission tab which showed the mission was completed. Yet…

"Why I still can't leave this world!" Adam vents his frustration and rolls around his bed before he stops with his face buried on a pillow as he sighed.

"I know you can hear me, System. Why aren't you answering my question?" Adam said with a scowl hiding between the pillow.

The System did not respond to him and it had been like this recently. It started when he left Remnant for Azur Lane world. It started to respond less and less until totally unresponsive like right now.

"Haah… Fine I guess since I have been participating in two battles. Might as well participate in the third one and destroy the first hive." Adam sighed before he moved on to the next thought, Haki.

Adam had received his Haki quite some while ago. But it didn't really develop much because in the Azur Lane world, he didn't fight as actively as he used to in the Remnant world. The growth of his power slowed a lot. However, after coming to this world and fighting the BETA, Adam noticed his growth increased explosively again.

This made Adam realize something that he genuinely wished he was just over thinking things. But his power and himself thrives the most in battle.

From learning about his fate as a transmigator that defied the Cycle of Reincarnation and now about his power are designed to thrive in the chaotic battlefield rather than leading a country or people.

It was like the whole world and universe was trying to give him a hint. That peace isn't for him. He belongs in a chaotic place filled with conflict and war.

He wants to deny it. He tried to. But doing so solved nothing other than helping him to momentarily escape reality. As such, his only option is to face that reality. To pay the price of his choice.

———

The next morning after the battle at Yokohama Base.

Siegfried went to the training ground around 5 am in the morning. But to his surprise, he saw Adam already there earlier than him, doing his swordsmanship training.

"Hmn? Siegfried? Good morning." Adam stopped his training with his body drenched in sweat as he lowered the greatsword and slowly exhaled out his breath.

"Good morning, Master. Did you have trouble sleeping last night?" Siegfried asked after guessing Adam spent the entire night training instead of sleeping after looking at his ragged state.

"Yeah, I had too many thoughts and hoped the training could help clear my mind." Adam admitted and confided in Siegfried, who is a fellow man that he trusted like his own true friend.

"I see. Do you need help then?" Siegfried offers.

"Help? Like listening to my troubles?"

"That too. But my offer was a sparring partner. I can guess that you find the Aegis mech as an inadequate sparring partner, Master." Siegfried points at the poor mech that was trashed into a pile of metal scrap.

"Right…" Adam guiltily turns his face away from Siegfried's questioning gaze.

Still raring to go despite being soaked in sweat and grime after training for the entire night. Adam and Siegfried begin their sparring using dull steel swords instead of wooden swords since wood is just too fragile to withstand the strength of the two.

The two become too absorbed in their sparring that they didn't notice three more people arrived and decided to watch them instead of training because the two basically wrecked the entire place to look like a tornado just wrecked this place.

In their final clash, Adam, who wields a greatsword to maximize the advantage of his strength, cornered Siegfried with precise calculated moves and unleash a powerful vertical slash with all his strength which is powerful enough to stir up powerful wind currents. However, Adam is still too early to think he can win against his teacher that easily.

Siegfried is also a greatsword user although not as big as the slab of steel Adam was using. He is familiar enough to know that he can exploit the gap in Adam's defense and counter his attack. Mana poured into his blade before he parried the powerful slash.

"Hak!"

Siegfried grunted when their blade connected. The strikes were so heavy that he felt his lungs almost burst as he was forced to hold his breath. He stirred the dragon's blood dormant within his body before a surge of strength allowed him to overwhelm Adam.

"HaAAAH!" Siegfried roared.

"Khgh!" He bites down his teeths so hard that his gums start to bleed.

Adam activates all his skills and ability to follow suit. This is no longer just sparring. No, the two had long exceeded that and were actually fighting. However, Dragon isn't called the strongest Phantasmal beast for nothing. Siegfried's strength eventually outmatched and overpowered Adam.

"It's… my defeat." Adam said before he fell flat to the ground gasping for breath and bathing in his sweat.

"Indeed. However, you are very skilled, Master. You even managed to force me to use my dragon's blood." Siegfried gave Adam the credit he deserved and looked very happy for Adam.

After all, which teacher will not feel happy to see their student to be successful and even surpassing him.

In terms of the technicalities of swordsmanship, Adam is unrivaled. Siegfried's see first hand the combination of Adam's Observation Haki ability to sense the most miniscule movement paired up with the calculation ability of a quantum computer that can calculate all the data gathered by the Observation Haki to calculate and predict his opponent with accuracy borderline precognition or future vision.

That precognitive level of battle prediction alone can gap Adam's lack of advantage in techniques with Siegfried. It made Siegfried feel shiver down his spine when he is reminded that Adam's mastery over Observation Haki is still low as Adam himself explained that the ability itself alone can reach that precognitive state by perception ability so great that he can achieve the precognitive and future vision state by directly translating his opponent thoughts, intent and body movement into a mental image of the action they will do.

Siegfried then looks at Jeanne, Jalter and Winter that came to do their morning routine but was interrupted because of the sparring.

"Ah, it's about time I start preparing breakfast for everyone." Jeanne looked at the time and excused herself.

"We can't train anyway since this place is wrecked." Jalter sighed and turned her attention to Adam.

"Breakfast is in another hour." Winter chipped in while also looking at Adam top to bottom, especially his chest which looked chiseled with muscles very well defined and glistening from the perspirant covering his skin.

Adam closed his eyes while slowly breathing in a fixed rhythm while resting. He didn't really notice.

Siegfried already sees himself out while thinking about Adam's offer. Meanwhile a fight broke out between Winter and Jalter.

"What are you doing?" Jalter asked when Winter wanted to wake Adam up.

"Wake him up? I can't exactly let my husband lay over here in such a filthy state." Winter looked confused and slightly annoyed that she was interrupted.

"Hoo. Then explain why the hell is your face blushing red." Jalter asked with a forced smile and tick on her forehead.

"I just felt a little hot. That's all." Winter feigns ignorance and assists Adam who is stuck between this argument and not knowing what he should do. "Besides, aren't you the one that is sulking at him? We are busy. So, if you would excuse me."

Yes, as Winter said. It's her fault for sulking on Adam over that prank. But she was too prideful to admit her fault at that time. Receiving Adam's love and affection made her forget about her first meeting with Adam. But now that she receives none, she recalled who it was that was desperately clinging to him and seeking his approval out of fear. Who is it that wanted to be accepted and was finally accepted.

(Yes, she has Stockholm syndrome at the early stage of her relationship. For those that forgot.)

Gritting her teeth, she kneels down and hugs the bewildered Adam's leg and cries out for Adam to not abandon him.

"I'm not throwing anyone away. So, stop crying already." Adam panicked and quickly tried to make Jalter stop crying like he was about to kill her entire family or something.

"You don't hate me?" Jalter peek at Adam with the corner of her eye.

"No! Why would I?" Adam quickly denied.

"Really?"

"Yes. So, stand up and stop hugging my leg." Adam sighed and helped Jalter to stand up.

"Then, why do you ignore me all this time?"

"What? No, I just thought you needed some space. I never thought of ignoring you." Adam said while holding her shoulders.

Meanwhile Winter on the side simply observes the interaction with an amused expression. It's not hard to guess what's going on inside the head of the two since Winter is quite proud with her ability to get a read on someone. Adam being overly considerate and another can't be truthful with her desire.

Once Adam and Jalter make up, they follow Adam who is going to take a hot bath after a very tiring training session.

———

"Commander Radhabinod." Adam greeted when the man appeared on his video call.

"The Operation Cherry Blossom… Allow me to participate as well." Adam said with a hint of reluctance and helplessness in his voice.

"Of course, we humanity gladly welcome anyone who is willing to help liberate Earth from the BETA invasion." The commander nodded immediately without hesitation. "However, you were reluctant to participate. Why with the change of heart?" The commander inquired curiously.

"I was given another task." Adam said and sighed deeply.

He has his reason why he didn't want to be a part of Operation Cherry Blossom. The battle will be unimaginably harder compared to previous two battles precisely because the Kashgar Hive is located in the Eurasian continent where the majority of the hive is located and connected through land which means it's a battlefield with potentially tens or hundreds of millions of BETA.

Even the main cast all died off except Takeru and Sumika or Unit 00. Adam didn't want to risk the lives of his companions.

"I see. Then I will help convey your request to the UN." Commander Radhabinod said before asking if there is anything else.

"Yes. I actually have a battle plan in regard to the raid on Hive 01. I will send the plan to you later and I hope it will be approved for the operation." Adam bet everything on the plan and he entrusted that plan to the commander.

"I will do my best." The commander saluted to Adam who saluted back before the call ended.

There he sat on his seat in the command room with his eyes closed and his back laid against the backrest as his thoughts wander off. It's a rather stressful day. He couldn't even catch a breath from the battle on Yokohama Base yesterday and then Operation Cherry Blossom tomorrow on 31 December 2001.

Even with his eyes closed, he can see the System display and the content of the Mission Tab. He truly has no choice but to participate and fight.

[Operation Cherry Blossom]

Objective;

(Main)

- Ensure survival of STF A-01 unit until they land on Hive 01 Area.

- Overall casualty rate for Hive 01 area not exceeding 90%.

- Eliminate all Laser-Class BETA strains within proximity of Hive 01 Area.

- Exterminate all BETA presence in Hive 01.

- Secure Area Hive 01.

-Destruction of Hive 01 and the Superordinate.

(Side)

- Overall casualty rate of the operation does not exceed 70%.

- Prevent the death of the main cast.

- Assist STF A-01 unit to breach Hive 01.

(Optional)

- Accumulate 100,000,000 BETA personal kills.

- Secure and collect one Hive core.

- Personally kill and destroy the Superordinate and Hive 01.

- Destroy all Hive on Earth's surface.

Reward: ???

—————