General 101

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Chapter 101. Boss! From The Sky!!

"Gaaaaaooooooo!"

After Mina's roar and the dazzling display of lights and laser beams, the concert began.

"Mina-chan is sooo cuteeee!"

"Please wear the tiger ears, I'm begging youuu!"

"Eat meee!"

By the way, this roar is a standard opening phrase, and Mina's “Gao Pose”, where she spreads her arms wide beside her face and roars like a fierce beast with claws out, is incredibly popular.

"They're close, but not quite. Mina herself is definitely a cat person, not a tiger. They're just hitting the feline family, that's all."

I fold my arms and comment on the audience's reactions from the command room on the stage's high platform.

"Don't sound like a veteran fan leaning against the back wall of the concert hall, acting like a relic to the new fans."

"Well, I was there at the beauty contest in the junior academy that led to Mina's debut, so in that sense, I guess I am a veteran."

Despite Suo-senpai's teasing, I remain unfazed.

Knowing that so many people love Mina and sharing the secret of her cat-like affection that only I get to see gives me a certain thrill.

Well, that's kind of a problematic fan mindset, isn't it?

For Mina's sake, she'd probably be happier if I stayed the usual Yuu-kun.

"Kamiya... So, do you think the enemy will come?"

"Hmm? If you're talking about the audience, they're all here, as you can see."

"Don't dodge the question. The forces targeting the 'Songstress of the Battlefield,' Kohou, will surely seize this opportunity, right?"

"...Did you hear that from Marin-chan?"

"No. But if you consider the changes made to my security plan, the answer becomes clear."

"As expected, Suo-senpai. Unlike me, you're sure to make a fine military officer someday."

"So, if they do come, will it be a cruise missile?"

"Probably. Since every internal threat has been dealt with, long-range strikes are all they have left."

Actually, all those who tried to infiltrate or had already infiltrated were captured by Suo-senpai's precious little sister, but I won't reveal that to protect Marin-chan's secret from her brother.

"Why would you let them attack?"

"Because it's necessary for future developments. This will literally root out the rebels within the country."

"Is that worth risking Kohou's life?"

"...This strategy was actually proposed by Mina herself."

I sigh as I respond to Suo-senpai, who seems almost reproachful.

"By Kohou?"

"I immediately rejected it at first. But Mina and the music corps insisted. Compared to the soldiers who risk their lives on the front lines every day, being a decoy is no big deal."

By the way, to avoid any suspicion, only the captain of the music corps and Mina know about this decoy operation.

We can't let the enemy sense something's off and miss the bait.

The young corps members being so eager outside the dressing room also helped deceive any enemy who might be watching.

I'd like to reward those young soldiers who went all out in their gung-ho rookie mode.

[Master. It seems a cruise missile has been launched. It'll enter the school grounds in 20 seconds.]

"Got it. I wonder who spent all that money setting up a launch base within the country."

Despite the report from Kon, I remain still.

"Suo-senpai, a cruise missile seems to be heading our way. It might already be in its descent sequence."

"Are you going to intercept it?"

"Yeah. The timing works out well, as the song is reaching its climactic chorus. 3, 2, 1..."

A flash in the sky shines like a Niagara fireworks display.

The dazzling bundle of interceptor missiles I launched with my ability had caught the enemy's cruise missile.

"Oh~ As expected of President Nase's soundproof field. The sound of the aerial interception doesn't reach the concert hall."

"Was it intercepted?"

"Yep. Nailed it."

The sound of the cruise missile being obliterated, dampened by the soundproof field, causes the audience to glance back for a moment, but from the intensity of the flash and the sound, they seem to think it was just fireworks.

"You managed to accurately hit the warhead of a subsonic cruise missile."

"The enemy's radar guide, which I deliberately left alone, guided it properly, so the trajectory was easy to read. Oh, and it looks like the guide was just captured. The launch base should also be handled by the suppression team, so there shouldn't be a second shot."

"I see. By the way, what happens to the debris falling from the sky?"

"No worries. I've had President Nase deploy a barrier layer in addition to the soundproof field."

"...So that means Nase will keep the barrier field up until the debris is recovered?"

"Oh..."

Oh no! If I don't confirm there's no falling debris, President Nase won't be able to deactivate the barrier.

At this rate, President Nase will be drained dry!

"I'll go check it out right away!"

"Good grief..."

Planning everything out from the desk really isn't my strong suit.

But in the end, I only got to hear the opening song of Mina's performance...

As I mutter that in my head, I dash towards the edge of the school grounds, where the interception point was.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

"Visual check from the ground is OK. No debris was seen suspended in the air. How about you, Kotomi?"

"Nothing detected from the airborne drone either."

"OK. Then let's deactivate the barrier field. Thanks, President Nase."

Exchanging words with Kotomi over the radio, I look up at the sky while directing the release of the spell as the person in charge.

"Whew..."

I can hear President Nase exhaling over the radio.

Deploying a barrier and soundproof field over such a large area must have been exhausting.

"President Nase, great job. Take a good rest."

I thank President Nase for her hard work and cut the radio.

Now, I've ended up quite far out to the edge of the school grounds.

The area is used as a training forest, so there's no one around.

Getting back will be a pain, but from the echoes of the cheers, it's clear that Mina's concert is still going on.

Maybe I'll make it back in time for the finale, I think as I start jogging toward the outdoor concert venue.

(Crack! Rustle! Thud!)

Suddenly, something falls in front of me.

"Whoa! Was that the debris from the cruise missile stuck in the tree...?"

I nearly had a work-related accident there.

But as I look at the object that fell from above, I am left speechless.

What fell wasn't some inorganic piece of missile debris.

That skin-colored thing, likely caught on the branches, is bruised all over but still breathing.

That skin-colored thing,

"Ugh..."

The groaning little girl lies naked on the grass right in front of me.