He signaled his officers. "Squadron leaders, gather round."
Shana lowered his voice to relay the plan, intentionally keeping it off the public broadcast to avoid spoilers for the viewers at May Queen.
"What's he saying?"
"No idea…"
"And who's Kiso Yoshinaka?"
After the briefing, a player stepped forward and raised his hand gallantly.
"Let me take that role! Please!"
"Ginrou? You know one mistake means you're dead, right?"
"I'll do it anyway!"
"Fine… I'm counting on you."
"Yes, sir!"
The viewers watched in confusion as the screen showed the players' preparations.
"What are they doing? Are they breaking the back window of that bus?"
"Wait, they're attaching ropes to the seats and letting them hang out the back?"
"You can actually do construction like that in the game? How realistic-nyan," Faris noted.
"That's one of the game's biggest selling points," Daru added.
Shana began barking final orders. "Sensei, you're driving the Black. Sinon and I will take the back seats—we need the strength stats. The Girls' Alliance will follow behind us. Shizuka, take the rest of the units and hit them from the north. Aim for their fuel tanks."
Shana nodded to Ginrou. The man was trembling with a mix of nerves and excitement.
"Watch me, Shana-san! This is the performance of a lifetime!"
Shizuka's team moved out first. Ginrou climbed into the driver's seat of the bus.
"My heart's pounding…"
"I can't look away."
Despite the tension, Shana's unit didn't move. Just as the girls at May Queen were beginning to get restless, a transmission came through.
"This is Shizuka. We've successfully ruptured several enemy fuel tanks. Fires are breaking out."
"Good work, especially considering the odds. Pull back a bit. We're moving in."
"Copy that."
Shana looked at Ginrou. "Alright, Ginrou. You're up."
"Roger!"
Ginrou roared the engine to life, the bus accelerating rapidly. Shana's group followed closely in the 'Black' and two other Humvees. As the enemy fortress came into view, Ginrou suddenly vanished from the driver's seat. He had crouched down on the floor, using tape to floor the accelerator.
"Throttle locked. Bearing set. I'm bailing out!"
"Do it! Jump!"
"Yes, sir!"
The viewers couldn't see the taped pedal, but they saw the enemy's fire suddenly concentrate on the oncoming bus.
"The bullets are flying everywhere now!"
"Look, the fires on the other side are out. They must have extinguished them, which means they can focus all their firepower on this side."
"What's going to happen?!"
Braving the hail of lead, Ginrou sprinted to the back of the bus and dove through the shattered rear window.
"Ah!"
"Look! He jumped!"
At that exact moment, a bullet tore through Ginrou's shoulder. The impact threw him off balance, sending him tumbling toward the asphalt.
"Argh!"
"Sensei!"
"I'm on it!"
Nyangoro floored the 'Black' Humvee, pulling alongside the falling player. Shana and Sinon leaned out, their arms outstretched.
"Ginrou!"
"Reach!"
The girls at the cafe held their breath. With a desperate lunge, Shana and Sinon grabbed Ginrou's hands and hauled him into the safety of the vehicle.
"Sensei! Now!"
"Got it!"
Nyangoro swerved the Humvee away. The two Humvees from the Girls' Alliance accelerated past them, flanking the charging bus and spraying the enemy lines with cover fire. The Taira forces, terrified of the massive bus hurtling toward them, were too distracted to return fire effectively.
Fuel leaked from the enemy's damaged tanks. The Girls' Alliance had done their job perfectly.
The bus slammed into the makeshift fortress, plowing through the cars and smashing into the center of the camp.
"Shana-san, Sinon-chan… I'll leave the rest to you."
"Use a recovery kit, Ginrou. You took a hit," Shana said.
"On it!"
"We've got it from here, Ginrou-san," Sinon added.
-------------------------------
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