World Invasion: Battle Tokyo - A GATE Story

Chapter 5

_ "Okay guys, from here on out consider everything hostile."

Itami's remark sent shivers down the spine and was not to reassure his team, but in a way he was right. As the Third Recon Team advanced in formation, weapons loaded and their senses on alert, however, the most distressing were not the lieutenant's words. No, it was the total absence of life and noise around. A heavy and morbid silence had descended on the district of Ginza, district nevertheless animated and from now on become ghostly. The only perceptible noises were the echoes of the fighting in the distance, the sounds of gunfire and explosions.

Rory had grabbed her halberd in both hands and walked alongside Itami, watching his angles. Tuka, bow and arrow in hand, was also on the lookout and walked alongside Kurokawa and Kuribayashi. Lelei, her mage staff in her hands, tried not to show her nervousness too much and stayed next to Kuwahara.

The squad continued their slow but cautious march down this small deserted alley that would lead them further towards a wider street with sidewalks.

_"What should not be done to be naturalized, huh?" Wataru commented with nervous irony.

_ "Damn right. I'd rather be in the special zone right now." replied Furuta, not as reassured as him.

_ "Lieutenant, how many civilians do we have to get out of the police station?" Tomita then asked Itami.

_ "No idea, Tomita. Stay focused." Calmly replied Itami, but trying to stay focused on the present moment.

The slightest or careless mistake, in a combat situation, could prove fatal for the whole squad. They continued walking in formation, out of the alley and into a wider street, but just as deserted of the slightest sign of life. The vision of abandoned cars and several corpses of civilians lying on the asphalt did not reassure the team. Clouds of opaque smoke resulting from the fighting had invaded the street, making visibility very poor.

_ "What happened here?" Lelei breathed, horrified.

_ "That's completely insane..." Kurata said nervously.

_"We continue." Itami ordered as he walked forward, followed by Rory.

As the team continued to walk among the cars, Tomita noticed in one of them the corpse of a woman, dead on the steering wheel of her car, her body half charred. This horrifying sight made him swallow. The car's radio, still working, broadcast a most chilling message: "An unknown enemy has approached our shores. At this hour, only one thing is clear: the world is at war."

As they advanced, the smoke became more and more present and thick.

_ "Do you see something, Kuribayashi?" Itami asked.

_"Nothing at all." she replied.

_ "Normally, the police station is still a kilometer west from here." warned Kuwahara who was looking at the map with Lelei.

Suddenly, a noise in the smoke broke the morbid silence that reigned, attracting everyone's attention. It was as if someone had dropped something on the ground. Immediately, Itami motioned for the rest of the squad to stop and everyone was now ready, eyes through the scopes and ready to fire. Lelei stayed with Kuwahara and prepared a spell in her hand. Tuka nocked an arrow that she imbued with her elemental magic to do more damage and stood high on one of the cars. Rory tightened both hands on her halberd, more than focused and next to Itami, ready to leap forward.

Another noise, like that of a trash can being knocked over, was heard, accentuating the more than palpable nervousness in the team. Itami, knowing Rory's supernatural senses as a demigoddess, and Tuka's as a high elf, turned to them.