Chapter 27: Emperor

(Scene Change: Tokyo)

As John, Vincent, and the messenger were riding in Blackhawk Helicopter towards the Imperial Palace of the Emperor, John remembered that Sora was now talking to the Emperor to make a plan where many people was in their hands...

As they were reached at their destination, they saw a large park area surrounded by moats and massive stone walls in the center of Tokyo, a short walk from Tokyo Station. It is the residence of Japan's Imperial Family. As they reached the landing zone, they dismounted the helicopter then proceed to their destination. While they were walking, they saw Sora who's talking to the man who wear Sokutai, the Japanese Emperor's court dress, worn for coronations and other important ceremonies. As the Emperor and Sora saw them, the two brothers kneeled and the Emperor said " Gentlemen, please stand" then the two brothers, stands up and they saw Sora was bowed then they bowed in return. After that, they began to talk about the situation of Japan.

Akizora A. Mitsuo, a 25 year old man who serves as an emperor since his father died of unknown disease, leaving Mitsuo take responsibility of the nation where his father left. Leaving his teen's life to fulfill his father's role to bring happiness and peace to his family and the people. In his private life, he was focusing his physical body and self-defense in order to save him and his family, he was inspired by the three people that changes his life and the role of a leader when he was 18 years old on his 2nd reign, they were: Eron K. Arisato, Vincent D. Gutierrez, and lastly, John M. Kennedy these were told by his friend Sora telling the tales of these men that drives him to become a great leader, better man who has principles and fought for what they believe. He wanted to meet them and starts to think about his body, he has a black undercut hair, brown eyes, fair skin, well-build body, now he was standing before them talking about the plan, Sora saw Mitsuo's excited expression was written on his face. Sora was getting worried that the Emperor wanted to join the fight. John and Vincent knew that the Emperor wanted to join, but it's risky and dangerous to do that, the two brothers were prepared to for an exodus to Philippines because they sense a whole army of orcs who were sailing to Japan, thanks to John's 'powers' he know where the battle take place and how many men they have. This makes John smiled in joy, also Vincent caught the attention of the three people. "Maybe we should discuss these on your room, my liege" Sora nodded faintly and address the people as they were thinking about their thoughts on how to win this war. As the three men heard Sora's statement, Mitsuo guided them while John, Vincent, and Sora guarded the Emperor to his room.

(Time Skip- On the next day)

As Vincent, John and Sora were discussed along the Emperor Mitsuo to know where and when the Orcs will attack, John slowly picks up the pieces on where the Orcs will be arriving.

"John, how many men were ready for this operation?" Mitsuo asked while John was thinking about where his forces positioned and John heard Mitsuo's question, he answered "The 16th Division around 15,000 men, but" he stopped there causing Sora and Vincent sweating bullets earning the Emperor confused and he asked "But? Please continue".

John sigh in annoyance, he continues "the JSDF have 50,000 forces, but they were stationed at Iruma Base near the Capital Tokyo in 42.4 km away in the meantime, we are defending in two fronts these were the Eastern and Western Fronts, we focused building the defenses of the Western Front, the CCD 55th Corps were stationed at the Capital Shizouka to Iida then the 11th Corps were positioned at Komagane to Takayama and the 86th Corps of Crusade were stationed at Hida to Kanazawa. While the enemy was dealing at the Eastern Front". Sora and Vincent were wiping their sweats of their faces because the Orcs were giving them no rest until they finally retreat their own.

Mitsuo was concern about the eastern front, where the US's 11th fleet and the CCS 457th Army were dealing the Orcs on the Eastern Front so he asked to Sora about what is the situation on the eastern front. Then, Sora begun to report " The Eastern Front was getting out of hand, the orcs were divided in three armies, first army was moving to Tottori Province. The second army was moving to Okayama and the third army was moving to Tokushima seems the US 11th Fleet and CCS 457th army were dealt their advance while the Western Front was setting up the defenses to stall their advance". Mitsuo was getting more nervous as he heard the bad news, John was thinking about the plan where he can distract the whole army away from the western front, he needs to draw all the enemy army by him and his army towards to the Shiroyama because the place was a mountain, they can dig underground operation to store many men around 100,000 to stall the enemy conquest. John knows that the orcs were chasing the leader and he knew the leader of the orc was Burzum, he is tall and thickly-muscled dark most of all, he ruled four clans they were Evil Eyes, Night Wind, Mud Face and Moon Skull Clans. He knows that these four clans were cunning and ruthless, Night Wind Clan were the most troublesome opponent, the clan's warriors were assassins they are the stealth types, but, they were very hungry (the harder you fight; the more they want to eat you). John was grinning like a madman; he suddenly came up a plan. He will bait himself and his men to evacuate the emperor and he will launch a full-scale attack at Shiroyama after the emperor was secured. He remembers the principles of the book that was made by Sun Tzu called 'Art of War', Sun Tzu said "it is the rule in war, if ten times the enemy's strength, surround them; if five times, attack them; if double, be able to divide them; if equal, engage them; if fewer, be able to evade them; if weaker; be able to avoid them." John already knows the enemy strengths were 20 times stronger than they were, the orcs were numbered around 1,00,000 while for them 500,000 men. This way John sure that they will win, he will buy his people time to arrive with many warriors. John suddenly made his mind; he will bet everything to distract the huge army and buy some time to get the reinforcements. Then he will use his men to spread lies to get the enemy's spies to catch the bait, he and his men will go to the Shiroyama and make their last stand.

John looked at his watch and it was 8:15 PM but, he looks the table with papers and gadgets that shows Maps, infos about the front-lines, supplies and etc. Vincent was leaning to the wall while watching the skies from the window, while Sora and Mitsuo were staring at the table to make a plan on how they stop the enemy's advancement.

John finally speaks "I have a plan", causing the trio looked at him in curiosity.

John begins to explain the plan, "As the enemy were advancing the western lands, me and my men will settle in the lands of Shiroyama to stall the enemy's advance and their attention to the east, giving some time for the reinforcements to arrive here to help us at the same time, breaking the eastern army to catch the orcs off guard. For the time being , we need to broadcast the remaining survivors of the western front to seek shelter on the mountain of Shiroyama while me and my men will sail across the sea, undetected from the enemies' sight. That makes us a center of attention by using a decoy of you Emperor by wearing your clothes and someone will act as your double, to fool the orcs". As John points at Mitsuo, Vincent agrees, but he was amused that John was going to be a decoy on being an Emperor while the real one was now evacuated and leaving the enemy confused and surrounded as the forces of different countries encircled the whole enemy army under their nose. Sora on the other hand was getting intense as he saw another miraculous yet suicidal plan that he ever orchestrated, he remembers the times where he was assigned in his early career as a soldier, he saw the John's growth every day, every circumstance and every opponent he faces no matter how strong they are, John will find a way even it was impossible tasked. He looked at John, whose looking at the Emperor's robe that Mitsuo was wearing right now, thus giving Sora an idea on how to make the enemy's objective thrown into a confusion. Sora and Vincent said the same thing for themselves "The only man who thinking that plan was no other than, Eron K. Arisato. A man who teaches us since he set foot to this world".

(Flashback: 14 years ago)

As Eron, John, Vincent, and Sora was standing at the cliff facing the enemy forces around 8,500 while their men approximately 1,500 was waiting for orders, Eron feel the air was changing so, he decided to change formation and he came up a plan immediately thus, saw the perfect opportunity that laid his eyes on the very beginning. John, Vincent, and Sora were beginning to nervous as they saw Eron's smile that sends chilling in their spine. The air was so intense, giving the trio scary at his monstrous mind, knowing that there's a plan that was already formed in his hands, they saw him making a plan in the dirt using a stick, giving him time to organized the plan, he explains " As the enemy were standing before us, we should divide our forces in different places, thinking they are surrounded. As I scout and observe the terrain here, this land was giving us an advantage, the terrain with a marsh in a middle of the road. We can dig and slow the enemy's advancement while our range troops deliver the killing blow, while the infantry troops will decimate our foe as they were finding their way to reach us. The reinforcements will arrive about 0900 hours, thus, giving us a breathing room yet, we need to buy some time to get our friends here to assist us". Sora was thinking as he was going to agree with their plan, while John and Vincent were thinking their alternative and backup plans to maintain the dominance of the battlefield. Yet, the enemy has a numerical advantage and formidable forces, while theirs were having a numerous disadvantage like numeric and more, but they have one advantage was landscape, they knew where they are standing off. The land was marsh gives the enemy slowed in their advance while projectiles like arrows and bullets rain over them, this plan was worth to try and that they begin their preparation for the upcoming battle.

*End Flashback- Present Day*

As Sora and Vincent look at each other and nodded in confirmation knowing that they agree John's plan in distraction ,then throw the enemy into confusion giving them time to exterminate the enemy forces for good.