Arc 1 – A Very Long Prologue

Disclaimer: âge, Sega, and Games Workshop owns Muv-Luv, Sakura Taisen, and Warhammer 40k Franchises and their characters respectively.

Chapter 1 – The Merging

(2001/10/22) (Shirogane Residence near Yokohama Base, Japan)

"Aaaaahhhhh!" Takeru Shirogane shouted as he woke up from his bed. "I… I came back again… So the voice was right," he murmured as the overflow of his sweat made his clothes sticky. Takeru then remembered past events of the past iteration, his hands pressing on his temple. "Dead, they were all dead… even after the destruction of the main hive." He was crying, crying for his friends, his comrades, and most of all, for his loved ones. Even with their sacrifices, there was no stopping the end of humanity. "Sumika… Meiya… everyone… I failed you all." He was losing hope. He felt that everything was going to be useless, that even if he came back repeatedly, it will all still end in the same way, that regardless of how hard he tried, it all all end up into nothing.

"Why?" he whispered, asked, to no one.

After destroying the main hive, there was a sudden influx of assaults on the remaining hives. Using mass-produced XG-70's, they were slowly but surely winning the war for Earth, or so they thought. However, during these assaults, several factions and countries had begun prioritizing their own plans, ambitions to become a major power after the war. So sure that they could free Earth from the BETA, several factions began fight each other. So sure, after only several consecutive successful assaults, they began to fight with each other. Coup d'états for wanting change, countries wanting more land after regaining their original home lands, revenge for abandoning their countries; there were a lot of reasons, thus starting another war. Even the UN was not exempted from the useless conflict as they did their peacekeeping duties.

In the end, a G-bomb was launched from London; bombarding the US faction in the remaining fertile lands that they occupy in North America, followed by a several retaliatory launches by the bombarded faction to several locations, with their respective targets firing back, a destructive zero-sum game.

"You will be dying, soon."

He remembered hearing a voice.

"Huh?"

"But don't worry, you will come back again"

A soothing voice that was almost surreal, familiar to his ears came whispering to his ears.

"What? But…"

"Don't worry… This time, you will save them all"

"Who are you?"

"Takeru… See you."

"Wai—"

Thus, with a flash of light, he died.

He died while defending the reconstruction of Hong Kong from the BETA.

In the end, he was killed, not by BETA, but by the hands of man.

Remembering his last moments, he raged. He threw his bed around, smashing it through the wall and furniture. He punched and lashed out on everything he could see. His anger and despair was so deep that he wailed and cried in hopelessness, tearing his own hair out.

"How can it be better this time!?" He smashed his hand on the floor repeatedly, as though he was beating the cause of all of his problems, the cause of their deaths, and himself.

There was no future, there was no next time, and there was no hope.

Then a single toy, just a mere an action figure, a remnant from his long past childhood, rolling out from a corner of his room, breaking his depression and stealing his attention. It was figure with prominent features and an intimidating blue helmet, wearing a blue bulky armor with gold linings at several edges and has a golden sigil of a double-headed eagle spreading its wings in its chest. It also has an indentation of a white skull inside a golden upside down capital Greek letter Omega with wings in its left shoulder and another upside-down capital Greek letter Omega painted in the right shoulder. It was standing resolute with its two swords in each hand.

"An Ultra— Gaaaaahhh! Aaaaagghhhh!"

Suddenly, images from his past and several images he cannot recognize began to flash rapidly inside his mind, making his head and body hurt so much that he curled on the floor near where his bed landed. He held his head, choking a scream, as blood began to pour out: from his eyes, from his nose, and from his ears, as he began to puke blood and bile. His vision flashed white and black in a very fast rate, blinding him with all the images, searing the inside of his eyes. Severe pain came from his body, as though it was melting from the inside, as experiences began to take shape. He felt as though a steamroller was squishing his head, as an extreme dull pain smashed his brain repeatedly from the information overload. Memories from his childhood, from other loops, and… from other realities, fragments, moments, experiences, and skills from all the iterations of Takeru Shirogane of different realities began to merge into one. One in a world without BETA, one that died at a BETA invasion, one that became a scientist, an engineer, a general, a statesman, one who was a saint, another that became a murderer, a brat, a man. With different ideals and morals, repeatedly in almost an infinitum, they began to merge, all the knowledge, experiences, and skills of humankind pouring into his single being.

However, even within such unholy torture, several memories began to take root into his soul, into his very being, the pain suddenly subsiding.

A memory with a woman who taught him, "When you get to the point where you can laugh at your mistakes, you'll find new things to replace what you lost."

A memory of a woman who gave everything to save humanity, "Time is the cruelest kindness."

A memory of a girl who confessed her love for him on death's door with a scene he cannot recognize with that girl holding a child's hand while looking up towards the night sky, "You want to meet him don't you? Then you... should say... 'See you.'"

A memory of a woman who did everything she could do to be with him, "Would you look at me... not as a childhood friend, but as a woman?"

A memory of his pledge, his goal, and his dream, "I had a dream. A dream of people living innocently, without knowing the meaning of peace. I had a dream. A dream of people risking their lives and living for the sake of protecting something. I think...only God knows which it was. But I still ask myself...was there something I could've done? I wonder, was that why I came to this world in the first place? If this was my unavoidable destiny, then what exactly was I to this world? Sad partings...the fate of humanity...and my own... I still wonder if I could've changed them. If I had a strong will to protect what I was meant to protect... from the start... Then maybe there was something only I could've done. I think there was. So... so... at the very least... I'll live on...and try to protect everything. I want to survive and protect this planet everyone gave up on. I think I can do that. The people left behind... the feelings left behind... the people I love... I'll protect them all with my life. I should be able to do something. There must be something. Humanity won't lose. I'll never lose. Because...I'm here... Because... I'm... still here..."

And a memory long forgotten due to the lazy days from his original world, a memory of an experience in his childhood.

He was playing in the living room, with several action figures, near the couch with his father by his side.

"Fwoosh. Aha ha ha. Look dad, the Ultramarines defeated its enemies again. They really are awesome! When I grow up, I'll become like them and protect mom, dad, Sumika, and all of my friends," he declared while holding the Ultramarine figure. It was a childish memory of him when he was still enamored with Warhammer 40k, never knowing the darkness of the game's world.

"Aha ha, nice one Takeru. But why not protect everyone?" His father was the one who introduced him to the game, only explaining the simplest and purest things about the game. It was later that he knew what the game was really was, and in a way, he was disappointed. Still, it was a precious memory, a memory that he forgot.

"Ehhh. Only the Emperor of Mankind can do that…, " he pouted at what his father said.

"Then why not become like him when you grow up?" Thinking back, he really found it funny, when his father said that. It was ridiculous and idealistic and even the Emperor of Mankind in the game has his faults.

"Yeah! You're right dad; I'll become the Emperor when I grow up. Then I'll protect everyone!" However, his child self agreed, never knowing anything, naïve, just like the current him. Thinking about it, such conviction from a child was unnatural, then again, he still forgot about, living a lazy and normal life.

"A ha ha, you will surely do son. You will surely do."

Still, even with the childish declaration, that particular memory was so glorious that it shone like a thousand suns in the sea of memories, a memory of him and his father just being boys, a memory of him immersed in playing Warhammer 40k.

Then Takeru passed out.

-000-

"Is this alright with you?"

"Yes."

Voices, he could hear voices. He could feel his body floating, drifting, though what he was experiencing was unique, as he could not feel water. Weightless, that would be right word of choice at his current predicament. He could feel as though he was floating in zero gravity, in space. Unmoving, he could not move his body, it was as though his body was not his own, a prisoner on a dead corpse. The only thing that he could do was to listen.

"Things might flow as we expect…."

"Maybe, but don't forget, we have hope!"

"But—"

"Just trust me."

"Well, if you say so…."

What are they talking about? he thought as he tried to understand the conversation that he was hearing, but overall, it was a lost cause. Regardless, even if he had become a prisoner in his own body, he felt comfortable. He felt free, unshackled, and free of worries of his everyday life, worries, and enormous problems.

"Heeh, it seems your ****** is getting comfortable."

"….Cute.…"

"Leave him be! It's not time yet!"

"Jealous…?"

"Why do I—He's our *******!"

"…..Kill joy…."

"A ha ha, cut it out you guys; he might be hearing us right now."

"Yup, look, he's even twitching! A ha ha ha ha, your ******** is funny!"

Garbled voices, arguing and talking with each other and from what he could infer; he was their topic of conversation. He tried to discern the situation, fighting against the soothing feeling that was making his body comfortable; a hard task since he never felt so at ease since that eventful day that he woke up in the ruins that was his house. Waking up in an alternate world where aliens and mecha exist, waking up in a world where despair reigned. Even so, he gave his all to move his eyelids, to open his eyes to see. Slowly, but surely, his eyes were opening.

He never expected what he saw.

It was an overwhelming view, something that he could even describe as enlightening. There were stars, planets, and even galaxies; he guessed that he was in space—though how he could survive the hostile environment was a mystery—but what he saw was awe inspiring. There were infinitely long strips of terra, seemingly like tape in behaviour, where functioning ecosystems in land and water could be seen, curving and circling all over the observable zero gravity environment. It was like planet Earth was stripped of its crust and was then used as a decoration in a dark room. It was like the flat earth belief in the olden days but only stretched to impossible lengths, looping around galaxies. All of this made his right eye twitch in disbelief.

"A ha ha, he's twitching, he's twitching!"

"Twitchy."

"Everyone, you shouldn't be disrespectful."

"Your conduct is unbecoming of a ******."

"He he he, you say that, but why are you hiding your mouth? Hmmm?"

"Well, we could look at this situation as payback."

"Right!"

Still, what really made him question his own sanity were the giant dark silhouettes surrounding him. From what he could guess, they were feminine, with their flowing robes, stylized hairs, and feminine curves. Counting, there were twelve of them, standing on varying heights. They were towering, larger than several planets. If he could describe them, he was sure that they were Gods. In the middle of the towering titans was another of them. It was clearly male, sitting on a humungous golden throne held by four planets the size of Jupiter on each of its corners. In front of him was the small, in comparison, very familiar form of the planet Earth.

This is very weird, well; at least I managed to use my talent on guessing Pokémon silhouettes back in the days…. Still, I digress…. Am I on crack? Maybe this was the effect of the merging…. Huh? What am I talking about? Weird…. But damn, this sure is one hell of a dream, or maybe I already died….

"Enough. Let my ***** start his journey."

"Mou, ******…. Eh, well, see you!"

Suddenly, after that last and very familiar statement, a sudden force pulled him away, his body zipping through several stars and planets.

"See You Takeru!"

After that chorus from the seeming Gods, darkness engulfed him….

-000-

Takeru groaned as he woke up. His head and body was hurting a lot, a wreck, the blood, and puke caking on his clothes.

It feels like Sumika just did her Drill Milky Way Punch on me. He shook his head and rubbed his temples.

"Hmm? What's this? An Ultramarine?" he said as he picked up the figure beside him, unembellished by his ghastly excretions.

Ah, I remember now, I passed out from the….

"What the hell was that?" He had a late reaction as he only noticed that he was covered in his own blood and puke, remembering the unholy pain that he had just endured and the bizarre dream that came after, making him shiver involuntarily.

Then suddenly, knowledge came to him. "Merging? So that what's happened to me… I passed out huh?"

Now that he thought about it, he should have been surprised by such a development, but on the contrary, he felt calm, a feeling of completeness, in a sense, as though what just happened to him was supposed to happen eventually due to him being a Causality Conductor.

"Hmm, an effect perhaps," he said as he stretched his limbs, moving his body to see if the merging has an effect on his physical capabilities. He felt stronger, faster, and a little bit more flexible, but not that much since repeating time loops also had such an effect on his body.

Still, except for heightened physical prowess, increased knowledge, and a calm outlook on what just happened, he is still Takeru Shirogane.

"The original one," he voiced out correcting himself.

Pocketing the Ultramarine figure in his pants, he began to observe the destruction surroundings. "Hee… I really did a number to my room." Walking around while avoiding the pieces of wood and rubble, he began to search for items that he can still use and bring with him to the base. "Hm? Nice, the Gameguy!" he then began to fiddle with the device, "and it's still working!" Continuing on his scavenging, he began to notice something that can only be possible in fiction. "Eh, seriously? A freaking hole in the wall? Did I do that?" Maybe, he should reevaluate the changes in his body, especially his strength, before he starts his short walk towards the base. I might hurt someone unintentionally in the future.

Pulling his arms back, a single image suddenly flashed giving him a light headache. Takeru then began to position his body to a specific form for an optimum release of force… and blinked… "Maybe due to the merging," he suddenly said to himself, a bit bewildered. Continuing on, preparing himself to a chance that he may hurt himself in this normally illogical… stupid endeavor. "Damn me for over thinking things. Well, here goes nothing!" He then released a punch….

And his arm went through the wall like tearing through Styrofoam as a small tremor was felt all over the ruined house.

"Holy!"

I'm like those super powered characters on manga or something.

"This, rocks!" he shouted aloud while doing some cliché poses. "Here comes Takeru Shirogane! Ha ha ha ha!" he shouted again while doing the Mr. Satan pose.

Then the thought of such sudden growth of strength being a problem came. "Man, this will definitely be a nuisance when I start my Eishi training in the base. I might maim, or worse, kill someone on the base. This will surely attract unwanted attention. I shouldn't reveal much until I'm sure everything will be okay. I don't want to be dissected…. Brrrr…! Then again, this will be useful on fighting against BETA."

Suddenly, his head began to hurt again. Holding his head with a hand, images of different versions of himself training different kinds of martial arts flashed inside his mind. Accompanied by their knowledge, skills, and experiences, he began to feel confident while removing his hand from his head. "Hmm, at least this makes hurting my friends accidentally almost impossible." Nodding to himself, he placed several items he found in his room, including his Gameguy and the Ultramarine figure, into his ever-reliable duffel bag. Then he got out of his wreck of a room and began searching the cupboards in the kitchen for food. "Ooh, cup ramen, going to need that…. Oh, potato chips… and many more! Man, I hit the mother lode. Thanks Mom!" he shouted to someone who was not there anymore. He then began to get a little bit teary eyed but he continued putting the foodstuffs in the bag.

He then went to the bathroom to look at himself to double check if he had any changes physically, and wash himself off with all the blood and puke on his uniform if there was any water. He then looked at the mirror. "Same short brown hair and brown eyes, the same lazy look in my face and.… Hmm? I think I got a little bit taller, and damn I got a nice body…. Seriously! Now I have narcissistic tendencies?" Shaking his head, he concluded, "In short, nothing really change, well maybe I'm a little confused on these new personality quirks. Still, I think everything is okay after the merging." Then, he began to wash his face and his body. And I'm beginning to talk to myself like a lunatic.

After readying himself, he opened the door and went outside the house. After a flash of blinding light, everything became the ruins that they were with a broken TSF lying on what was left of the house of Sumika's family.

With his duffel bag and his regained hope for the coming storm that is the future, he began the start on his long journey with a single step towards Yokohama base.

"Sumika… don't worry, I will save you and everyone this time. I will definitely forge a path that will give a good end for mankind," he murmured to himself.

-000-

(The Gates of Yokohama Base)

It was a normal day, with the sky full of clouds, for the guards of the Yokohama base.

The first guard was an Asian man, wearing the blue UN foot soldier uniform with a blue war helmet. With a beard in his upper lips, he stands proudly as a guard of Yokohama Base doing his guard duty seriously.

The second guard was a man of African descent with his dark skin and large lips, wearing the same uniform as the other guard. He was also a proud member of UN doing his duty with utmost effort.

They were doing their usual duties of standing, watching, walking, and guarding, just another day for a UN soldier. Ordinary, until Takeru Shirogane came.

Up in the horizon, the guards noticed a figure was walking up in the hills towards them, slowly and methodically, it was as though the figure was gliding with grace on the concrete pavement. It was a man, a young man at that, but still a man.

The guards started to ready their firearms and pointed their weapons at the nearing figure, wary of the new comer and following the standard procedure for unknowns. Still, the young man emanated some kind of unexplainable presence, a presence that made the guards gain more determination, courage, and hope. They can only stare in awe at the nearing young man and his commanding aura.

Winds blew from the right as the young man approaches. The leafless trees swaying a bit, as the rays of the sun came shining upon him as the clouds began clearing out in the sky. It was as if the world was welcoming their master back after a very long journey.

It was epic.

After several moments, the young man was now standing several meters from them. The Asian guard then shakes himself out from his epic-induced state and shouted "Halt! Identify Yourself! State your ID number and the squad that you're assigned to!" This awakened the other guard from the same state. Even if he was the Messiah, they still have to do their jobs.

"Shirogane Takeru. No ID number or squad number yet. Can you call Vice-commander Kouzuki? I want to talk to her," the young man calmly said. "Tell her it's about Alternative IV."

-000-

(The Gates of Yokohama Base)

After paying his respects to the place where the marker of Marimo and the rest of the Valkyries' graves would be placed, which was near the place where the cherry blossom trees were planted, he began walking up the hill towards Yokohama Base.

"Still the same guards as always," he murmured with a small smile to himself. Regardless, these men, even if they were only foot soldiers, he must commend them for their bravery, especially during the BETA assault on Yokohama Base after the Sadogashima operation. Even these guys are necessary for defeating BETA.

He decided that he should research for a way to increase their physical prowess and ultimately increase their survival rate with BETA encounters. "A power armor maybe…." Like they say, or maybe it was his morals, every human life counts.

"Halt! Identify Yourself! State your ID number and the squad that you're assigned to!" One guard shouted halting his musings. Theywere good as they were already pointing their guns at him while he was just approaching, not that he was afraid. Maybe it was the experience, something like high-level characters not being afraid of lower levels on MMOs back in the original world. Hehe, what am I thinking about? I should reply immediately.

"Shirogane Takeru. No ID number or squad number yet. Can you call Vice Commander Kouzuki? I want to talk to her," he paused. "Tell her it's about Alternative IV."

As he waited for Yuuko, the guard of African descent was still pointing his gun at him while Asian guard went to the guard booth to call HQ for her. Surprisingly, the guards never accosted him even after the call was finished. Not like in the past loops where experiencing pain was necessary on his part before he could gain entry. In addition, he noticed that the call was very short. "Hmm, maybe Yuuko-sensei is already expecting me," he murmured which made one of the guards look at him suspiciously. Leaving such thought for further study later, he smiled as things were already changing.

Several minutes later, Yuuko came. Hm? Curious? This only proves that she already knew I'm coming. It must be Kasumi.

She eyed him as if she was appraising his worth like a piece of meat at a butcher shop. Feeling a little bit uncomfortable, he stiffened a bit, changing his center of gravity, and leaned a little bit to the side so that he could at least defend himself if something happened.

Now that Takeru got a good look at her, she really was a beauty. Standing at a height a little bit taller than most Japanese women do, she has short purple hair in a somewhat unique hairstyle and brown eyes. She has a very beautiful face and a sexy body as she was wearing the usual female UN officer uniform, which was in color black, with a blue-green linings on some edges with a blue-green tie, which was under her pristine white lab coat with a black office lady skirt for her lower half. She could really make a new fashion trend with that kind of poise, in his opinion.

After a couple of moments of sizing him up, she ordered, calmly, "State your name, affiliation, and your objective."

It was strange. According to previous loops, she should be more wary of him, which usually lands him into a cell for further questioning.

The again, he might as well answer her. "Name's Takeru Shirogane, Yuuko-sensei. No particular affiliation except for being a third year high-school student. My objective, to save mankind from BETA and itself with the help of you, Alternative IV, and some people I can't name yet," he said seriously, with conviction on his voice.

She looked incredulously at him after hearing that bit, a myriad of emotions showing on her face. From a look saying, "Is this guy crazy?", then as if remembering something, she schooled her face into a neutral expression she always wore. For a moment there, he thought he saw a blush tinting her cheeks red. Nah, just my imagination. Seriously, Yuuko-sensei blushing like a little girl!?... His brain short-circuited for a second. Maybe he should be more careful with his inner monologues from now on.

Suddenly, she pulled him towards the base unceremoniously, leaving two baffled UN guards with confused looks in their face.

-000-

(Yuuko – The Black Rose) (The Gates of Yokohama Base)

For the first time in her life, she was left speechless.

A young man suddenly appears in front of a UN base, asked for her audience without much preamble, and then suddenly spouts classified information. She should have him shot for that reason alone, or at least put him in a cell for further questioning.

However, no. She can't just do that. Her instincts were screaming at her to trust the young man, and usually her instincts were right. In addition, what Kasumi said before he arrived worried her, which made her remember that unusual event.

Yuuko Kouzuki was in her office, which was full of unorganized paper prints and opened books in every corner. She was in her desk figuring out how to process fifteen billion semiconducting parallel computing circuits for a super computer brain. Being alone in her office, she was freely showing stress in her face due to the upcoming deadline for Alternative IV. Stuck in her work, she decided to check on Kasumi and the brain in the other room.

As she entered the room, she saw Kasumi staring at the floating brain.

"Kasumi, what's the status of 00 Unit?"

"No changes professor."

"Che," she cursed to herself due to the slow progress of her project.

Suddenly, Yuuko heard a dull sound. She turned her head and saw Kasumi on the floor in front of the capsule containing the brain. She went to her, checking if she was hurt or feeling unwell. Then she saw Kasumi slowly open her eyes.

"After a thousand repetitions… after so many worlds… after so much pain and suffering… even if his hopes and ideals were crushed repeatedly, he rose and began his journey anew…. Even if he was given a choice to live peacefully, he never forgot in his soul what he left and came back again and again. And… now he comes back… but was now born a new... He will come... The Emperor will rise and the Imperial Flowers will bloom…. They…. He will give us all… Hope…."

"What are you talking about, Kasumi?"

"He will come to us… and save us… save all of mankind…."

"You're not making sense, Kasumi!"

Kasumi only gave a small smile as a reply to Yuuko. She then closed her eyes and began to sleep within Yuuko's embrace with a small smile on her face.

The Vice-commander of the Yokohama base was surprised, especially on the first natural expression on Kasumi's face. "Is this some sort of clairvoyance?" she asked herself. "I have to check her records for more information on this event later." After carrying Kasumi onto a bed close to her office, she continued on her work, but not before ordering someone on the phone to inform her if someone comes to the base.

Yuuko shook her head from her remembrance as she lead the young man to her office for further interrogation.

Still, a storm of emotions she had long forgotten for her goal to save humanity was raging in her soul. Unexplainable urges to trust him, to praise him, to worship him, to love him…. She shakes her head again, trying to deny what she was feeling. "What the hell is happening to me? Is this some sort of psychic attack?" she murmured.

As if answering her question, several blurry images flashed rapidly in her mind, giving her a mild headache.

"Stop it."

"Hmm, Yuuko-sensei?"

"I said stop it!"

"What are you talking about, sensei?"

He looked at her, his face showing that he really didn't know what she's talking about. Either he's innocent or a really good actor, regardless, she will find out later.

"Never mind, let's hurry up."

He nodded and continued to walk beside her. For now, she should take him to her office for some questions. "Only questions," she muttered again to herself.

-000-

(Vice-commander's Office)

"How do you know of Alternative? What do you know of Alternative IV? From whom did you find out about my name? Are you a spy? What faction? Answer me –"

"Whoa there, Yuuko-sensei!" he managed to stop her barrage of questions, waving his hands frantically while in his seat. "Can you ask one question at a time?"

She gave one of her patented glares.

"Okay, I know about the Alternative Plans from you, Yuuko-sensei, especially the details about Alternative IV. Honestly, I'm really here to help you on accomplishing it."

She could only give him a disbelieving look as a reply.

"Furthermore, I already know you, Yuuko-sensei, at least versions of you from my original world and in unaccountable loops," he paused to let the information sink. He should leave the merging and the memories of alternate worlds a secret. "And I am neither a spy nor any other variants of that particular profession." Well, not technically... However, she doesn't have to know that.

"Then that means…"

Yuuko was flabbergasted, at least her version of that expression, as she processed what he said.

"Yes, in one of your theories, I'm what you coined as a Quantum Causality Conductor or something like that… Well, anyways, I'm an amalgamation of a number of loops, at least those that I could remember."

"So what's your aim?" she asked.

"I don't really have an aim here Yuuko-sensei. I only wish to help you on your endeavor," he said with the most honest look that he could give, "with some conditions."

She then schooled her face into a cold demeanor after that last statement. If he had not known her from several worlds and loops, she would have intimidated him. Now that he thought about it, in some of his memories from the alternate versions of him, they became a couple.…

Maybe that blush wasn't my imagination after all….

…..

….

Nah, we only met this time, that's just too fast of a development.

"I don't believe you," she coldly said to him, clearly lying to test him more. "For all I know, you're just a really good liar with enough information from some unknown sources."

"Well, how about I prove my authenticity to you?"

"Try me."

"I know about the brain, 00 Unit, in that other room." She flinched a bit. "I also know about the XG-70 aptly named Susanoo." Yuuko was becoming flustered from the mention of those names. "In addition, you are planning on making a super computer brain that can process fifteen billion semi-conducting parallel computing circuits with the brain," sorry Sumika, "or specifically the 00 Unit as the core to run the—"

"Stop!" she ordered him loudly, stopping him from continuing his information dump. "How do you know?" She was now losing her composure.

"I just know." Takeru cryptically answered her, with a bit of flair, pointing to the side of his temple while grinning. Hehehe… The merger was really something. I could even remember and understand the equation that Yuuko-sensei made. He decided that he should study them and maybe improve them in the near future; it could help ease the resurrection of Sumika and in her future role as the main comp—no, as the pilot of Susanoo.

Don't worry Sumika, just sleep a little bit more. Soon I will save you. I will not make mistakes this time around. Watch me, Sumika! Here I go!

"As already said, I can help you, sensei. I know about the equations needed. I can also make improvements on it. I can make your dream a reality."

She stared at him, her internal conflict that she was having, clear to Takeru. Just one last push and she would crack.

Sorry Yuuko…

"If not, then Alternative IV will be scrapped for Alternative V. Billions of lives will be left to defend themselves while only the chosen hundred thousand would be evacuated to that planet in the Barnard Star System. Billions of people will die by denying me, sensei. Can you take that much guilt? Can you ignore those that you have sacrificed? Can you take the chance? "

He paused for dramatic effect and blamed the memories of the actor version of him.

"I know you don't want that to happen, Yuuko-sensei," he said softly this time, while he stood up and leaned towards her using the table as leverage, trespassing on her personal space. He noticed the gun inside her coat was now pointing at him, obviously loaded. Then he sat again after several moments of staring at her, while saying nonchalantly, "If not, well… I'm not really the one calling the shots here. You're the Vice-commander and I'm just the unknown. And if you kill me now, I'll just try again in the next loop." He leaned on his chair, making himself comfortable, while waiting for her decision.

It was already a minute and she was still there in her chair with that calculating look in her eyes, mulling over her answer. Nevertheless, he already knew what her decision would be. With the way he acted and cornered her by asking those questions, he was sure that she couldn't even find an opportunity to see through anything, not that he hid anything necessary for her to know. He pulled every chink of her well-crafted emotional armor, all the stress that was bottled up before was now gushing out of her like a geyser, now easy pickings for him to use. In the end, Yuuko was still human, a woman, and she was now in his hands with no hope of escaping...

Sorry Yuuko, but I am not a brat anymore.

-000-

(Yuuko – The Black Rose) (Vice-commander's Office)

Yuuko was again speechless. He was blackmailing her and it was working. She could only stare at him as he made himself comfortable in his seat.

According to the file, Takeru Shirogane was already dead from the BETA attack in the year, 1998. But, was this a ghost in front of her? According to him, he's a Causality Conductor. Maybe it's true. Still, she needed more information to prove his claims. Then again, he's right… At the pace that her research was going… no, she can't think negatively now and affect her focus on her work.

She was stuck. If she doesn't agree and kill him here, the chances that she will succeed will be the same. The guilt for denying the chance will be too much for her. However, if she takes the young man under her wing, observe him, and let him help her, then maybe… Maybe he will really give her… Hope.

-000-

(Vice-commander's Office)

"I will give you a chance, Shirogane Takeru," she said.

Hee... Still not a hundred percent sure are we. Well, that's to be expected.

"So what are the conditions?"

"Put me in Squad 207 as a cadet and—"

"Why?"

"I know you know why.…" Donning the mantle of the magnificent bastard was tiring Takeru. In a way, it was really crossing with his moral horizon. He decided to make it up to her in the near future.

"Now, continuing... Even as a cadet, I must have unrestricted access to your office and all Alternative IV related areas in the base, so that I can assist you and maybe do my own projects on the future. Also, don't even try using Kasumi to read my mind, it would only hurt her."

Takeru paused.

"Note that this discussion must never reach anyone's ear except for the two of us. Trust me, I'll know, and act as if I'm just a new cadet you recommended. "

She waited after several moments for more. Then….

"That's all? Why? Why do all this? What's your angle?"

Takeru only smiled at her.

"There's no angle here, Yuuko-sensei, no secret goals whatsoever," he said with a hint of affection. "I just want to save mankind."

-000-

Author's Notes

Well, here's the first chapter of the rewrite of Age of Strife. Nothing much really, just some changes in perspective and some added scenes, few details that would be important to the story, and dialogs.

Well then, that's all for now. I welcome any criticism and reviews for the story. Thank you for reading and good day.