Following a heated debate at the rear of the truck, Ohgi and his companions returned.
As I approached, Kaname Ohgi (male) stepped forward as the group's representative. His expression appeared significantly more relaxed, yet a trace of lingering doubt remained etched deep within his eyes.
"Lelouch-kun."
"Have you reached a decision?"
At my query, Ohgi glanced back at his comrades, let out a heavy sigh, and finally spoke.
"To be honest... I'm still afraid. This vision you've presented, and this talk of an 'Order of Knights'... It feels like a mantle far too heavy for amateurs like us to bear."
Ohgi's gaze drifted between Jeremiah (male) and the massive logistics truck.
"However... I have to admit it. There is a clear limit to what we can achieve with our current methods. Ever since Naoto died, we've done nothing but scramble to maintain the status quo. We all felt it, deep in our bones—the desperate need for change."
Suddenly, Shinichiro Tamaki (male) interjected with his usual grumbling tone.
"That's exactly what I'm saying! Hey, Lelouch. I'll give it to you—you're smart. I'll even admit you're a miracle worker for scoring these supplies. But why the hell are you telling us what to do and what to wear? Ohgi is our leader! You aren't planning to start playing 'Captain' just because you came up with some fancy 'Knight' title, are you?"
Tamaki's words were crude, but they pierced right through to the subtle anxiety brewing within the group. No matter how much I had aided them, the bond they shared was forged over years; a newcomer could not simply wedge himself into that core hierarchy without friction.
I offered a thin smile and gave a respectful nod.
"You make a fair point, Tamaki-san. My apologies if I gave the wrong impression."
Taking a half-step back, I extended a hand toward Ohgi in a formal gesture.
"I am merely a strategist, a staff officer dedicated to ensuring your victory. The duty of determining the organization's direction and leading its members remains solely with the leader, Ohgi-san, and the rest of you."
I pushed the crate containing the uniforms Jeremiah had delivered toward Ohgi.
"Consider this a proposal, Ohgi-san. These uniforms and the name 'The Black Knights' are nothing more than tools to empower your leadership. To stand against the colossal enemies that await us, you must have structure. You must be unified under a single banner."
Ohgi looked down at the uniforms. A base of midnight black with crimson accents—they possessed a weight that commanded a sense of heavy responsibility.
"Structure..."
"This is a draft for the organizational chart I've envisioned."
I withdrew a tablet and displayed the digital schematic to the group.
[The Black Knights: Organizational Restructuring Proposal]
Commander: Kaname Ohgi
Chief Strategist: Lelouch Lamperouge
Assault Division Captain: Kallen Stadtfeld — Knightmare Frame Vanguard & Strike Ops.
1st Platoon Leader: Toru Yoshida — Field Command of Infantry and Mobile Units.
HQ Logistics Pilot: Nagata — G-1 Base Main Driver. Responsible for Mobile HQ mobility and security.
Director of Information & Intelligence: Yoshitaka Minami — Signal Interception, Hacking, and Reconnaissance.
Deputy Director of Intelligence: Naomi Inoue — Real-time Combat Data Analysis and Tactical Support.
Guerrilla Operations Captain: Kento Sugiyama — Infiltration, Demolitions, and Ambush Tactics.
Director of Logistics & Supply: Shinichiro Tamaki — Supply Management, Perimeter Security, and Morale Oversight.
"D-Director of... Logistics?"
Tamaki's eyes widened as he pointed to his own name.
"Tamaki-san, do you not have the widest network and the best rapport with the people? In a role meant to manage resources and bolster the fighting spirit of the men, I can think of no one more suited than you. It is a vital executive position."
"E-Executive...?"
Tamaki's scowl evaporated instantly, replaced by a look of sheer smugness.
"Ahem! Well, I suppose I am a bit of a social butterfly. Director of Logistics... It does have a certain ring to it. Hey, Ohgi! This isn't half bad, right?"
As soon as Tamaki swung to my side, the atmosphere shifted entirely. Yoshida (male) and Sugiyama (male) nodded in approval as they reviewed their assigned roles. It was an allocation that took advantage of each member's specific aptitude.
Ohgi stared at the chart for a long moment before slowly lifting his head.
"Lelouch-kun. You... you truly see right through us, don't you?"
"It is merely my assessment. The final decision is yours to make."
Every eye in the room fell upon Ohgi. Taking one final deep breath, he pulled a single uniform from the crate.
"Put them on, everyone."
"Ohgi?"
"Lelouch is right. We have to change. If we want to reclaim the Japan that Naoto dreamed of, we must start by changing ourselves. From this day forward, we are no longer just a resistance cell."
Ohgi looked at me with newfound resolve in his eyes.
"I officially appoint you as our organization's Chief Strategist. Lead us to victory."
"I shall fulfill your command, Commander."
I bowed formally. At that moment, the members let out a cheer and began grabbing their uniforms.
"Whoa, this feels like an actual military uniform!"
"The size is perfect too!"
Ohgi establishes his authority as the leader, the members follow him, and I occupy the position of the shadow architect—the strategist who weaves the actual web of war. This was the ideal paradigm I sought.
Kallen Stadtfeld (female), now dressed in her new uniform, leaned in and whispered to me.
"Did you already know we'd agree to this?"
"No. I simply planned to keep persuading you until you did."
"Still... 'Assault Division Captain.' I like the sound of that."
Kallen flashed a playful smirk and held up a clenched fist. I met her gaze and shared a small, quiet laugh.
A short while later, the group, now clad in jet-black uniforms, lined up in front of the truck. Ohgi stood at the head of the formation, and I took my place a step behind him, the position of his primary advisor.
"Alright, listen up!"
Ohgi's voice carried a new weight of authority. The hesitation that had plagued him was gone.
"Today, we are reborn as the Black Knights. Our goal is clear: to protect the weak who have no power and to stand against unjust authority. That is the meaning of the black we wear!"
"YEAHHH!!"
Their roar shattered the silence of the docks' night sky.
"For now, we will focus on reorganization and training. You must acclimate to this new structure. Our strategist will handle the specifics of our training regimen. Prepare yourselves for a grueling path!"
"Understood, Commander!"
Watching them respond with such discipline, I closed my tablet. A flare of heat rose in my chest. There is no need for haste. Now is the time to build an unbreakable foundation.
Jeremiah was also watching me from the shadows as I seized control of the organization. Though his face was hidden, I could sense his nod of approval behind the mask.
Indeed... my Lord truly knows how to master the hearts of men.
At that moment, Jeremiah emerged from the darkness.
"Commander Ohgi, and members of the Black Knights."
Jeremiah spoke with a voice that was formal yet rang with sincerity through his mask.
"I am deeply moved by your resolve. To the extent of my abilities, I will support the Black Knights in every way. Supplies, intelligence—whatever you require, you need only say the word."
Ohgi walked up to Jeremiah and offered a handshake.
"Thank you. None of this would have been possible without your support. However... the next time we meet, I would like to know your identity. If we are to be comrades fighting together, shouldn't we know who we are?"
Jeremiah fell silent for a moment, then shook his head as if pained by the request.
"That... will only be possible when our bond is forged in deeper trust. For now, I ask for your understanding."
"Very well. I won't pry. But what should we call you for convenience? We'll need a handle."
As Jeremiah hesitated to answer Ohgi's question, I subtly cut in.
"You may call him 'Orange'."
"...Orange?"
Both Ohgi and Jeremiah's gazes snapped to me simultaneously. Ohgi couldn't hide his bafflement at the sudden fruit-based codename, and Jeremiah was undoubtedly masking a look of sheer bewilderment behind his visor.
After all, Jeremiah has to be Orange.
I barely suppressed the urge to burst into laughter, maintaining a mask of cool indifference. Jeremiah stared at me intently for a beat, then cleared his throat and nodded.
"Precisely. Call me Orange. I shall see you next time."
He offered a deep, formal bow and disappeared into the shadows, his cloak fluttering behind him. As soon as the uninvited guest was gone, Tamaki raised his voice.
"Hey! Knights or whatever, that's all great, but at a time like this, we need a victory party! Right?"
The suggestion brought a glow of excitement to everyone's faces.
"He's right! You can't have an inauguration without booze!"
"Party! Party!"
I smirked and pointed to the side of the truck.
"I expected as much. This vehicle is equipped with a large-scale refrigeration unit. I've stocked it plenty with meat and alcohol."
"What?! For real?!"
"Whoa! As expected of Lelouch-kun! You really know your stuff!"
With cheers of joy, the members swarmed the truck. And so, the first night of the Black Knights deepened amidst a newly blossomed sense of camaraderie and hope.
Several days later, in the hall of their new hideout.
The entirety of the Black Knights stood in formation, clad in their dark uniforms. Their numbers had already swelled to nearly a hundred, including those who had joined after hearing rumors of the rising Kozuki Group. The pressure exerted by this 'black wave' was incomparable to the days of the small-time resistance group they once were.
Ohgi took the podium with a solemn face.
"We protect the weak, and we judge evil. That is the ideology and the very reason for the existence of the Black Knights!"
The members gathered in the base nodded in silent unison. Ohgi took a breath before calling out the names of the cadres.
"Assault Division Captain, Kallen Stadtfeld. 1st Platoon Leader, Toru Yoshida. Director of Logistics, Shinichiro Tamaki."
The named leaders stepped forward and saluted. Finally, Ohgi's eyes turned toward me.
"And now, I will introduce the strategist who devised all these maneuvers and who will lead us to victory."
In that moment, the base fell into a breath-holding silence.
Wrapped in a black cape and wearing a strange, ornate mask, I stepped out from the darkness. As I stood at the center of the podium, a multitude of gazes pierced through me at once. Looking back at them slowly from behind the mask, I flared my cloak with theatrical flourish and made my declaration.
"Greetings, soldiers. I am Zero."