How is this a condition? This is purely support!
As commanders, they knew very well that Nineveh's current advance route within Hollow Zero was extremely clear. Even with the support of a Proxy, it wouldn't be much different from before—unless an unforeseeable accident occurred.
However, for the other combat squads currently on the battle lines, it was a different story.
Setting aside the more accurate Hollow routes, the mere fact of turning the communication between the squads and the command center into real-time communication could significantly reduce combat casualties in itself.
On the battlefield, one must never underestimate the lethality brought about by information delay. Timely orders and intelligence synchronization were far more effective than having double the number of reserve support personnel.
Add to that the route arrangements from the sibling duo of the legendary Proxy, Phaethon, and the casualties of the Defense Force would inevitably be drastically reduced.
Thus, after seeking the siblings' consent, Andrew proposed this requirement to the commanders, Roland and Isolde, in a semi-coercive manner.
Faced with this proposal—which was called a requirement but was actually support—Roland couldn't help but freeze for a moment before reacting.
You must be joking. As long as one had even a slightly capable intelligence gathering ability, who didn't know who the Proxy behind the Agent 'Hunter' was?
One had to know that before Hunter officially became a legendary Agent due to that concert incident, he was famous for being the exclusive Agent of the legendary Proxy, Phaethon.
The reason this was common knowledge was purely because, from the moment Hunter appeared on the Proxy Net accepting commissions as an Agent, his Proxy had never changed.
No matter how large the stakes offered by those who had their eyes on his strength in an attempt to poach him, they were all, without exception, futile in front of Andrew.
Gradually, a recognized fact appeared on the Proxy Net: If the Proxy you invite is the legendary Phaethon, it doesn't necessarily mean the Agent will be Hunter. But if the Agent accepting your commission is Hunter, then the Proxy for that commission will definitely be Phaethon.
Regarding Andrew's proposal, any commander with a normal brain wouldn't refuse this condition under these circumstances. Considering so-called permission leaks in this situation would be utter nonsense. In fact, for them, it was something they could only wish for.
Actually, if Andrew hadn't actively mentioned it, Roland, wanting to better guarantee the safety of his soldiers, had already been thinking about brazenly attempting to request it through a temporary commission.
As for why Andrew had such an attitude when proposing this point... although they didn't react at the very beginning, the two commanders-in-chief, being smart people, instantly understood after hearing the whole process that the other party was actually actively taking this responsibility upon himself.
Could it be that she had encountered a righteous character who had run right out of a manga? Although Isolde found it a bit hard to believe, she ultimately chose to remain silent and said nothing.
Standing to the side, Roland silently noted down this massive favor, one so large he didn't know how to repay it, and then agreed to this new connection request without hesitation. He was terrified that if he was even a little slow, the other party might regret it.
Under his operation, aside from the classified equipment in Scott Outpost that was unrelated to the battlefield and explicitly required high-level secrecy, Roland directly opened permissions for every single piece of equipment in Scott Outpost that could be opened to the Phaethon siblings as much as possible.
Not only that. As long as it might be helpful to the battle, even equipment that was explicitly prohibited and highly classified was directly opened by him using his own liability clearance.
That's what you call full support.
As for whether the return described by Andrew could be realized? Roland believed that Andrew, who came to support them for free while being a legendary Agent, would not make empty promises. Rather, he actually hoped Andrew would use this opportunity to ask for something.
Under Roland's unreserved permissions, within just a few seconds, Belle had fully accessed the equipment of Scott Outpost.
Countless streams of data flew rapidly across the H.D.D System in the video store, and very quickly, new route plans appeared one after another on the screens of the command room. At the same time, the uninterrupted reports from various squads began to come through the communication equipment.
Everything Andrew said was actually true.
Looking at everything in front of her, Isolde fell silent for a moment. Was there... really someone who would help others like this without any reason?
Although she found it a bit unbelievable, the facts were right before her eyes. Reality wasn't something she could erase just by covering her eyes and saying she didn't believe it.
The thought she had previously forcibly pressed back into the depths of her mind began to break through the soil uncontrollably, and Isolde couldn't help but feel a waver in her resolve once again.
However, Isolde's hesitation vanished without a trace the instant she saw the photo of Nineveh on the table.
Things had already developed to this stage; it was too late to say anything. In this interception battle against Nineveh, which shouldn't have existed in the first place, if even a single soldier was sacrificed because of it, she, stained with that blood, would never be able to turn back.
Unless not a single soldier died in this interception battle.
But how was that possible?
Although according to her original prediction, because of Hoshimi Miyabi's presence, the Exaltists' ultimate goal would inevitably be impossible to achieve. Even if a small accident occurred, Hoshimi Miyabi plus Hunter... they were just two individuals with extremely powerful martial force.
No matter how sharp the Void Hunter's blade, no matter how powerful Hunter's strength, they ultimately couldn't save everyone in this interception battle. The range a single person's hands could reach had a limit, after all.
Leaving aside how powerful Nineveh would be upon reaching Level 7 Ethereal status, even if they defeated Nineveh at the fastest speed, it would still take time.
Moreover... there was that crystal body of the Frenzy Virus, resembling a living creature, which had been transplanted into Nineveh as the source of infection...
And during the time they faced the boss, when the various squads began to face the tide-like Ethereals, personnel sacrifices would be inevitable. Because Nineveh was about to ascend, the intensity of the Ethereal swarm had increased drastically.
According to the latest reconnaissance results Isolde had searched for, the current Ethereal group had changed from the original mix of simple Level 1 and 2 Ethereals to an endless stream of Level 2 and 3s, with even Level 4 Ethereals appearing occasionally.
Looking at the current situation before her, Isolde couldn't help but feel a burst of heaviness in her heart. Undoubtedly, even with the addition of the Obols Squad and Hollow Special Operations Section 6, just being able to withstand an Ethereal tide of this intensity would already be a stroke of extreme luck.
To want zero casualties... unless a miracle occurred.
But what if it really happened?
Although the rational Isolde didn't think such a thing was truly possible, but... watching Ghostfire in the distance, who was already dragging Orpheus by the tail and sneaking towards Soldier 11, a sliver of expectation involuntarily rose in Isolde's heart.
An expectation of the possibility that she could still stand before her like in the past.
She made a decision in her heart. If a miracle really happened in this interception battle, then afterwards, she would temporarily set aside Sarah's invitation.
She would make one final attempt. She would try to see if there was a possibility of completing her own revenge through Andrew, rather than acting as a pawn for the tiger and borrowing the power of the Exaltists' plan in the Waifei Peninsula.
The thoughts in Isolde's heart were currently unknown to Andrew. Unaware that he had unwittingly unlocked the completion conditions for a high-difficulty hidden quest, Andrew, after confirming that Belle's system had accessed Scott Outpost, strode towards the helicopter Roland had arranged for him.
At the same time, Andrew arranged tasks for Meow-Da and Soldier 11 at the fastest speed.
Andrew first gave serious instructions to Meow-Da behind him: "Meow-Da, I'm giving you an arduous task. After we arrive at the battlefield in a moment, I need you to provide support to all squads fighting the Ethereals. Ensure that no soldiers are killed in this battle."
Subsequently, Andrew said with incomparable seriousness: "Don't be stingy with any support items. These things are meant to be used at times like this."
Hearing Andrew's arrangement, Meow-Da patted his chest as a matter of course and said, "Don't worry, Boss. Leave it to me, meow!"
Saying that, Meow-Da revealed an incomparably confident expression and shook the backpack on his back. Meow-Da continued: "That's great! Now those Great Moxie Recovery Potions that piled up because we never had a chance to use them after making them finally have a place to be useful, meow!"
Hearing Meow-Da's words, Andrew couldn't help but freeze for a moment. After recalling for a split second, he subconsciously followed up: "Great Moxie Recovery Potions... it really has been a long time since we used them. After so much time has passed, exactly how many have you piled up there now, Meow-Da?"
Hearing Andrew's question, Meow-Da subconsciously began trying to count on his little paw pads. But very quickly, the uncountable quantity made him choose to give up directly.
"Ever since catching the Giant Vigorwasp in the Forbidden Lands, I've been making them whenever there are materials. I can't count them anymore, meow..."
Potions made that long ago... would they really still be usable now?
However, the Great Moxie Recovery Potions Meow-Da made previously were all put into the System Space immediately, so there shouldn't be any problems keeping them until now... Probably.
After the arrangements for Meow-Da ended, it jumped directly onto another helicopter flying towards the military frontline. As support, it wasn't on the same path as Andrew, who was preparing to conduct the decapitation operation.
"As for Soldier..."
Just as Andrew turned his head preparing to ask for her thoughts, he discovered that at some point, the captain of the Obols Squad—who had been on the tail of that red twintail girl in the command post earlier—had already silently arrived at Soldier 11's side.
From the looks of it, she had clearly been whispering and persuading her for a long time.
Noticing the gaze Andrew cast over, even with Ghostfire's thick skin, she couldn't help but reveal a look of embarrassment after being caught in the act.
"Ahem..." She cleared her throat, and then immediately said with righteous confidence: "After all, the flower language of an excellent Main Attacker is 'you snooze, you lose'..."
Looking at Ghostfire, who immediately and involuntarily revealed a guilty expression as soon as her voice fell, Andrew glanced with some amusement at her expression, which grew increasingly guilty under his gaze.
Regarding Ghostfire's proposal, Andrew didn't agree, nor did he object. Instead, he looked at Soldier 11, who was standing beside Orpheus, and asked, "Soldier 11, what do you think?"
Hearing Andrew's question, Soldier 11 immediately straightened her body, saluted, and said: "Report, Sir. Captain Ghostfire gives me a very good feeling. I think I can try it!"
Andrew, who had already started to get used to Soldier 11's form of address that couldn't be corrected no matter what, didn't mind this point. After confirming this was Soldier 11's own idea, Andrew nodded directly and said, "Since you think you can try, then give it a try."
But before the group could react and run away immediately, Andrew quickly added: "Wait! Before you go into action with the Obols Squad, lend me your goggles for a moment."
Although the previous proposal was partly an excuse, a large part of it was actually Andrew's honest thought. However, without Eous accompanying him, Andrew needed a means to maintain communication with Belle during the battle.
Turning his head to look at Soldier 11, who had been standing silently to the side, Andrew reached out his hand and gestured slightly towards the goggles she always wore on her face.
Thanks to Wise's modification, these goggles currently had the function of transmitting video and audio.
And Soldier 11, on the side, had already understood immediately after Andrew's gaze turned over, even before he raised his hand to gesture. She unhesitatingly reached out, took off the goggles that had been specially modified by Wise at Thorne's request, and handed them to Andrew.
Subsequently, Orpheus, who had been waiting nervously on the side, let out a cheerful cheer immediately after receiving Andrew's confirmation. She couldn't wait to pull Soldier 11 along and walk towards the helicopter transporting the Obols Squad.
Watching the red-haired and blue-haired girls leaning in left and right next to Soldier 11, chattering away about something, Andrew couldn't help but sigh with emotion. His idea of letting her come out to see the world was indeed correct.
Every day her brain was filled with becoming stronger and training; Andrew was sometimes truly worried about what to do if the child trained herself into stupidity.
As Andrew put Soldier 11's goggles on his face, Belle's voice immediately came from his ear.
"...Is this your perspective, Andrew? It's so high!"
Hearing Belle's slightly surprised voice inside the mask, Andrew said with a bit of helplessness: "Didn't you sit on my shoulder before when you were Eous? I didn't hear you sighing with emotion like this back then."
Hearing Andrew's retort, Belle said with absolute righteousness: "That's different! That felt like climbing, but looking at this first-person perspective now, it's like I've really become a giant!"
Taking advantage of the time heading to the tarmac, Andrew exchanged some banter with Belle, but even so, the sound of Belle's fingers tapping the keyboard in his ear never paused.
With a stride, he stepped into the helicopter.
Turning his head, he saw Hoshimi Miyabi, who had also arranged for the other personnel of Section 6 to enter the battle sequence for clearing the Ethereal swarm, arriving at the helicopter almost simultaneously with Andrew.
They exchanged a glance.
Knowing that words like 'are you ready' were nonsense to the other party, the two didn't say much.
Accompanied by the increasingly urgent roar of the helicopter, the two waited quietly in silence for the helicopter to lift off.
As the tarmac beneath their feet became smaller and smaller in their line of sight, in the next moment, the helicopter carried the two of them flying towards Hollow Zero at maximum speed.
Unlike the place where the others were heading, the target location for Andrew and Hoshimi Miyabi had been, from start to finish, the area with the densest Ethereals and the highest danger level in this battle line.
And the center of that place was the protagonist who caused this disaster—Nineveh.
____
👻🔥The Director is back! But with a brand new look, heheh...🔥👻
New Story: Classroom of the Elite: Black Sphere Academia
✅ Access up to 40 advanced chapters of ALL stories!
✅ Receive exclusive content and updates!
Help us hit our community goals:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters of ALL STORIES!
👻 P - Walnut-chan