Landing, Black Bullet

The old apartment had seen better days. Though still relatively clean, patches of peeling paint marred its walls. But in a place as confined and bleak as the area within the Wall, it was unlikely anyone would have energy to care much about the state of their surroundings. Humanity's space had been devoured by monsters beyond the Wall, and for many in despair, survival, even for just another day, was all that mattered.

"So, Officer, could you tell me the details of the incident here?" asked Rentaro Satomi, frowning.

"Oh, it's like this..." The gruff, middle-aged plainclothes officer jammed his hands in his pockets and, after pressing the button for the fourth floor, turned back to Rentaro.

"Residents on the third floor contacted us, reporting blood seeping from the floor above them. Based on the intel, there's no mistake—it's definitely a Gastrea… You finally showed up, now we can proceed."

Catching the irritation in the officer's tone, Rentaro turned to him. "The law prohibits entry without a civil security officer's escort. It's to reduce casualties on your end."

"Ordinary weapons aren't effective against Gastrea—that's the whole reason civil officers exist," he added.

This law had been established shortly after humanity's crushing defeat, reducing fatalities but also sparking resentment. No officer would enjoy ceding jurisdiction to another authority in their own district. Gastrea or not, the local police had always seen the civil officers as an affront to their competency. So it was hardly surprising that the middle-aged officer's attitude toward Rentaro was so icy.

"Hmph. That's exactly why it's so damn annoying..." the officer grumbled, rubbing his head irritably as they exited the elevator.

The officer then glanced back at Rentaro. "So, kid, where's your 'Initiator' partner? Aren't civil officers supposed to work in pairs?"

"Uh... well, I thought I'd be fine without her help," Rentaro replied awkwardly, scratching his head. He'd rushed over after receiving orders from his agency's president, but he had accidentally lost his partner along the way when she fell off the bike's back seat due to his high speed.

Fortunately, the officer didn't pry further. They soon arrived at the target apartment, where a team of fully armed guards waited outside.

"Captain!" greeted one of the guards.

Nodding, the officer asked, "Any changes?"

A pale guard turned his face toward them, clutching a radio with a shaky hand. "S-Sorry, sir. A few minutes ago, two members of the assault team rappelled in through the window from the roof… and then contact was lost."

The atmosphere changed immediately.

"You idiot! Why didn't you wait for the civil officer to arrive before going in?" the officer roared, gripping the guard by the collar.

The guard flinched but defended himself. "We didn't want the civil officers getting all the credit. They're always looking down on us!" he muttered, casting a sidelong glare at Rentaro.

Click.

With a resigned sigh, Rentaro pulled the safety on his gun, chambered a round, and stepped forward. "Move. I'll check it out."

Thud!

Rentaro braced himself, then kicked the door open and charged into the apartment. The setting sun cast a warm glow through the westward-facing window, illuminating the blood-spattered room. Cracks ran across the walls, evidence of a brutal struggle. The metallic tang of blood assaulted his nose, and his eyes took in the sight of two guards, lying dead in pools of blood.

At the center of the room stood a tall, sinister man in a burgundy tailcoat and a high-crowned hat, his face obscured by a pure white mask bearing a painted smile.

There was no sign of the Gastrea—only this strange man standing silently.

The masked figure turned as Rentaro entered. "You certainly took your time getting here, civil officer," he said.

"And who might you be? Are you one of us?" Rentaro lowered his gun slightly but remained on high alert.

"Oh, I'm indeed tracking a Gastrea," the masked man replied. "But I'm not your colleague because…"

Turning to face Rentaro, the man spread his arms in a theatrical gesture. "I'm the one who killed them!"

The masked man's declaration had barely left his mouth before several guards burst through the door, their rage overcoming caution. "You bastard, die!"

With a scowl, Rentaro threw a punch, landing a clean shot against the masked man's chest.

Taking the blow without flinching, the masked man chuckled. "Not bad."

As he prepared to strike back, his arm poised to land a punch on Rentaro's stomach, a hum cut through the air, drawing their attention to the shattered window.

Outside, a dazzling purple-red light filled the sky, casting everything in an otherworldly hue.

The masked man halted his movement, and Rentaro, along with the other guards who had entered the room, stared in stunned silence at the blinding glow outside.

"What… what is that?" the officer muttered in a horrified voice, realization dawning on him. "Wait, that's coming from the edge of Tokyo's Monolith Barrier!"

No sooner had he spoken than—Boom!

The purple-red spark burst outward, filling the entire sky beyond the window with an all-encompassing light.

Moments later, a tremendous explosion roared to life, visible even from their distance. All present could only stare in shock at the mushrooming pillar of light near the Tokyo Barrier.

Whoosh—clatter!

The shockwave hit them, tossing Rentaro back and sending furniture flying across the room. The window curtains whipped violently, shredding from the force.

Through the broken window, a massive purple-red fireball, nearly a kilometer wide, rose into the sky near the Monolith, eclipsing the sun's brilliance.

For a moment, everyone across the Tokyo Area bore witness to the rare sight of two suns, one red, one purple. But unlike the distant sun, this second sun was near enough to ignite terror in all who saw it.

The explosion's force churned the ground, hurling soil tens of meters into the air and sending shockwaves across Tokyo, rattling the entire city and causing tremors that even those miles away could feel.

Rumble—

Buildings shook violently. The apartment complex swayed precariously, cracks spider-webbing across the walls as dust and debris filled the air. The thousand-meter-wide mushroom cloud soared into the sky, drawing the stunned eyes of everyone in Tokyo.

At the Tokyo Area's municipal center, a young woman with flowing white hair and gentle violet eyes stood on a balcony, her beauty and graceful aura exuding a protective allure that invited admiration. She was none other than Seitenshi, the ruler of the Tokyo Area.

"Seitenshi-sama, please, it's dangerous here. We must seek shelter at once!" a retainer urged.

Ignoring him, Seitenshi gripped the balcony railing, her gaze fixed on the mushroom cloud rising near the Monolith, a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek. "Kikunojou… Is this… could this be a Zodiac-class Gastrea attack?"

The old man standing behind her, the sharp-eyed Kikunojou Tendo—Seitenshi's chief advisor and, in essence, Tokyo's highest-ranking government official—remained impassive despite his loyalty to Seitenshi.

"We should ensure your safety first, my Lady. Leave the defense to me," Kikunojou said. His manner remained formal, yet his tone brooked no refusal, as if he, rather than Seitenshi, were the one in charge.

With a sigh, Seitenshi complied and turned to leave, allowing Kikunojou to take command.

Once she departed, Kikunojou stepped forward, watching the dissipating mushroom cloud before giving orders with cold authority. "Deploy the Self-Defense Forces immediately, and notify all Civil Security firms—hold the line at any cost!"

Meanwhile, back in the apartment…

Crash!

The violent tremors gradually subsided as Rentaro pushed a toppled wardrobe off himself and asked, "Cough… Everyone alright?"

The officer, covered in dust, grimaced as he scanned the rubble-strewn room. "I… I think so. Report in, all units! Damn it, what was that blast? Was it the Monolith's collapse?"

The sharp trill of a cellphone suddenly cut through the silence. The masked man raised his own phone to his ear.

"Hello? Kohina… Right. Understood, I'll meet you soon. Wait, what?! Run?"

"Run, Daddy!"

The girl's panicked voice wasn't on speaker, but Rentaro's sharp ears caught every word.

Run? Why would this man need to run? Was reinforcements arriving?

Then—

Thud! Thud! Thud—BOOM!

Thunderous impacts reverberated through the area, each one like the fall of a giant onto the earth, shaking the neighborhood to its core.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Boom! Bang bang bang! Bang… For... Selene… bzzt…"

The audio on the masked man's phone suddenly devolved into static amid rhythmic bursts of gunfire, explosions, and guttural war cries.

"Hey! Kohina, what's happening over there? Kohina!" The masked man's earlier composure was now shattered.

Rumble—

The entire apartment building quaked and groaned, walls buckling under the relentless tremors.

"We need to evacuate!"

Crumble—CRASH!

The entire structure collapsed. Nearly everyone who had gathered around was either dead or buried in the rubble.

"Cough... cough…" Rentaro pushed himself free of the debris, cuts and bruises covering his body as he looked around in a daze at the wreckage surrounding him.

"What... what happened to the apartment building?" he murmured, staring at the leveled remains of the complex. The once-bustling neighborhood was now filled with rubble, dust, and bodies.

His thoughts snapped back to his partner. "Enju… please, be safe," he whispered, trying to shake the feeling of dread welling up inside him.

As he struggled to his feet, a flash of crimson caught his eye. The masked man had been thrown from the collapse and was struggling to stand. Just then, a trio of giant figures tore through the broken walls, striding toward him.

The newcomers were imposing—standing at least two and a half meters tall, clad in heavy black armor etched with red markings, giving them an aura of sheer menace. Broad shoulders and thickly armored limbs added to their imposing build, each figure's chestplate emblazoned with a golden double-headed eagle crest, while a stylized "I" marked their shoulders.

One of them hefted an enormous chainsword, its serrated blade humming with a sinister whir as it tore through the air. Rentaro froze, watching in horrified awe as the armored soldier slashed through the rubble with brutal efficiency. Before he knew it, they had dispatched what seemed to be a Gastrea-infected individual that had just emerged from the debris.

Without hesitation, the chainsword wielder tore into the creature with one powerful swipe, blackened blood and shredded muscle splattering the street.

It dawned on Rentaro that these figures were, against all odds, reinforcements. "H-Hey! Over here, officers! Please help—there are other officers trapped under the rubble!"

"..."

At those words, the three Astartes warriors froze, bewildered by the black-haired youth who was now slumped in the debris, seeking aid.

The lead Astartes warrior glanced at his humming chainsword, then at his boltgun holstered at his side. Do we not look menacing enough? We're here for an invasion, right?

The amused tone vanished as they noticed a tall figure in a battered crimson tailcoat and a white mask cracked in half, blood seeping from his abdomen. Swaying unsteadily, the masked man rasped with labored breaths.

"Cough… Cough… You, are you part of the mechanized soldier project… or maybe one of Sumire Muroto's creations?"

When the building began collapsing, the masked man had nearly escaped, only to find himself face-to-face with these three armored giants whose arrival had shattered the air and filled his phone with sounds of roaring explosions.

Wheezing, he managed to continue, "What's this… sound? What did you do to my dear Kohina? And who is this 'Selene' you all keep shouting ab—"

"Watch your mouth!"

Before he could finish, the lead Astartes cut him off with a thunderous roar.

"How dare you, worm! Do you think you have the right to invoke the divine name of our Empress?!"

Their annoyance had already reached a peak. And seeing the masked man as he stood before them, they raised their humming chainswords with renewed resolve.

However, Rentaro, assuming these armored giants were here to apprehend the masked man, shouted, "Careful, officers! This guy has a strange defensive ability…"

"Silence!"

The Astartes warrior's fleeting sympathy vanished in an instant. They'd considered sparing the boy but found his persistent chatter an irritant.

The Astartes hefted his boltgun, aiming it directly at Rentaro and pulling the trigger.

Boom!

Splat!

The 0.75-inch bolt round detonated on impact, tearing Rentaro apart in a heartbeat, leaving behind only scraps of bloodied flesh strewn about the floor. To the Astartes, there was no sense of remorse or hesitation; dispatching the boy was as routine as stepping on a bug.

As the lead warrior lowered his gun, he turned his gaze back to the masked man, his eyes cold with disdain.

"Now, for you, blasphemer."

The roar of the chainswords filled the room as the Astartes lunged forward, ready to sever the masked man's head in a single strike.

With the purple-red glow slowly fading, the mushroom cloud in the distance began to dissipate, though the shockwave and winds spread, leaving utter devastation in their wake.

"Using a strong-force grenade with a nuclear output… I'd say that was overkill," muttered Alex, the First Legion's commander, as he stared at the massive crater and the crumbling stone wall that surrounded Tokyo City.

Behind him, his personal honor guard stood in disciplined silence, the elite of the Astartes forming an impenetrable wall.

"These stone walls are massive," he mused. "Are they here to keep something out?"

The unmistakable cacophony of boltgun fire filled the air. When Alexios turned, he saw the endless ranks of Astartes pouring forth through purple-lit dimensional portals, their bolters blazing as they advanced into the city.

"Is this the infection our intelligence spoke of, the Gastrea virus?" he pondered aloud, watching a group of mutated creatures rushing towards the breach.

But for the armored Astartes, the creatures were nothing more than target practice. Clad in fully-sealed armor that repelled even the Gastrea infection's unique properties, they strode forward, cutting through the creatures with disciplined precision.

"Commander!"

"Yes, Brenn? What's the count?"

Alex turned to see his champion, a towering figure clad in an ornate power suit with golden accents and a crimson-and-white mantle.

"We've captured 13,468 native hostiles in this zone. Interestingly, many of them are young girls, abandoned and malnourished," Brenn reported, his voice filled with disdain. "Their condition is more fitting for a refugee camp than a city."

"Continue."

"We also uncovered some intriguing intel from a captive's memory." Brenn gestured to a nearby Astartes, who dragged forward a dazed, chubby man in a security uniform.

"According to his memory, these girls are branded as 'Cursed Children,' feared and scorned by the populace despite being their protectors against the Gastrea."

"And that title… the leader of these people calls herself the 'Holy Son of Heaven,'" Brenn added, voice dripping with contempt.

At this, Alexios's expression turned icy. "Holy Son of Heaven? With power this weak, they dare claim such a name?"

"Yes," Brenn continued. "This man also recalls that the populace openly despises the 'Cursed Children' and abandons them outside the safety of these walls, using them only for protection."

Alexios clenched his fist, his gaze hardening. "Such hypocrisy."

Turning to the captive, Alexios raised his bolt pistol and fired, reducing the man to a spray of gore. These "Saints" who abandoned their protectors to survive on scraps—he would tolerate no such treachery in his army.

"Very well. New orders: first battalion, prepare for full assault. Squad Brenn, secure the command structure; their government building will be our first target."

"Yes, Commander!" Brenn saluted, signaling his squad.

Meanwhile, at Tokyo's government headquarters…

Boom! Boom!

A self-defense tank was shredded by a volley of explosive bolts, its armor punctured and its crew incinerated in a blaze of fire.

"Damn it! Where did these metal monsters come from?" a senior officer shouted before a bolt round obliterated his head, leaving only a blood-splattered crater where he once stood.

"Fall back—AHHH!"

Thud! Thud!

Buzzing——!

Splat～

Watching the two black-armored giants charge through their line of fire without flinching, the front-line soldiers saw their comrades dismembered in an instant, their bodies split into flying remnants by the chain-sword blades of the armored giants.

Showers of blood and chunks of flesh sprayed with each swing, leaving the self-defense force troops utterly broken. Shocked murmurs filled the air as the hastily assembled defense force of nearly a thousand men was decimated in minutes.

The monomolecular chainsaw-edged blades and bolt rounds, crafted for an entirely different level of threat, rendered the anti-Gastrea lead rounds and the standard armor of the self-defense force useless. Even the 105mm main guns of their tanks could do little more than scratch the giants' heavy power armor.

The Astartes warriors charged through the enemy's hastily built defenses, their chainblades and bolters reducing the opposition to little more than minced flesh and twisted metal. Any attempts at resistance were crushed, and those who fled were gunned down with ruthless precision, their bodies torn apart by relentless fire.

"For the Empire! For the Empress!"

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