Epilogue
[Dark Clouds over the Northern Sea]
October 10th, 2:00 A.M. Japan time. 9:00 A.M. local time.
A private submersible arrived at Dutch Harbor on Amaknak Island in Unalaska, Alaska, USNA in the Fox Islands. A submersible arriving at this port is an unusual occurrence, due in part to it being a thriving fishing base, but Unalaska is also a tourist destination in the Aleutian Islands. Therefore, the appearance of a private submersible isn't necessarily unusual.
Above all, the federal military based in Dutch Harbor had conducted an on-site inspection and had concluded that there was "no problem." Thus the townspeople had nothing to worry about. However, if the truth about who the submersible was carrying was to become known, then public sentiment would without a doubt change. On board the submersible was Rocky Dean of FAIR, a nationally wanted terrorist.
After escaping San Francisco in a submersible arranged by Zhu Yuen Yun of Hongmen, Dean proceeded underwater along the western coast of North America, arriving in Alaska after more than ten days.
And he is now at a federal military base in Alaska.
He hasn't been captured. He also isn't a guest of honor, but he is being treated as one.
In other words, Dean is being sheltered at the base in Alaska.
The reason why the pursuit unit led by STARS had failed to capture him, is because those at the base in Alaska chose not to reveal this information since they are in league with Hongmen.
This doesn't mean that the base in Alaska is being controlled by overseas Chinese. Those at the base in Alaska and Zhu Yuen Yun are in a cooperative relationship, sharing the same sentiment about how to deal with the Far East.
To be more precise, it isn't "multiple people at the base in Alaska," but a single person. It is Colonel Elliot Miller, an important figure at the base in Alaska, who is in league with Zhu Yuen Yun.
Colonel Elliot Miller is the commanding officer of the Independent Special Infantry Battalion at the base in Alaska. The Independent Special Infantry Battalion, which is a mixed unit of magicians and anti-magic heavily armed infantry, was organized after the end of the military conflict with the New Soviet Union in "The Hidden War in the Arctic," and Japan's Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion (now Regiment) is modeled after this unit.
Colonel Elliot Miller is the commanding officer of that unit, but he is rather well-known as a nationally recognized Strategic-Class Magician.
He is a nationally recognized Strategic-Class Magician, also known as an "Apostle." As an individual, he is a combat magician who can use Strategic-Class Magic, the strength of which is comparable to that of strategic weapons. There are three "Apostles" in the USNA federal military, including Angie Sirius. ─The USNA hasn't officially recognized Lina's military discharge.
The name of the Strategic-Class Magic used by Elliot Miller is [Leviathan]. It is a powerful magic whose military value in naval and coastal battles is rated to be even greater than that of [Heavy Metal Burst].
Colonel Miller is greatly dissatisfied with the current state of the federal military. No, perhaps it would be more accurate to say "the federal government."
He feels a sense of crisis over the attitude of the government and military, who appear to be weak towards Tatsuya, and at times submissive to him. He's concerned that if Shiba Tatsuya and Japan were to be left unchecked, they would lose supremacy over the Pacific Ocean in the not-too-distant future.
Miller hasn't underestimated Tatsuya. He has accurately recognized the threat of [Material Burst].
It is precisely for this reason that Miller is convinced that Japan shouldn't be left unchecked. It is Japan, not the New Soviet Union nor the Great Asian Union that he perceives to be the enemy nation of the utmost importance to be dealt with.
Zhu Yuen Yun, on the other hand, identifies himself as Han Chinese, but at the same time self-identifies as a USNA citizen. Although he hides it from his overseas Chinese compatriots, he prides himself on his patriotism toward the USNA, which is above average.
Zhu Yuen Yun wants to weaken the Great Asian Union and Japan for the sake of his country. Of course, he has also thought of the cost-benefit analysis as a "merchant of death" in doing so. However, his primary concern is the national interest of the USNA as a whole.
His tacit approval of Dean's terrorist activities was also because he believes that the Union as a whole would benefit if the small sacrifices in the area surrounding San Francisco could confirm the usefulness of the weapon against the Great Asian Union and Japan.
Zhu Yuen Yun's objective is to incite domestic conflict in Japan and the Great Asian Union by sending Dean against them. This objective is in line with Colonel Miller's strategic thinking.
This was the reasoning behind Elliot Miller and Zhu Yuen Yun joining hands to protect Dean. Therefore, Colonel Miller had no intention of letting Dean stay at the base for an extended period of time. He was going to send Dean to Japan as soon as possible. Even before Dean arrived, preparations for this very thing had been steadily underway.
Colonel Miller didn't meet with Dean. He didn't see the value of a face-face meeting.
As if to get rid of a nuisance, he sent Dean out towards the Western Pacific aboard a private pelagic fishing boat.
Three days after Dean's arrival in Alaska.
It was the morning of October 12th, local time.
Thus, a new assassin was unleashed from the USNA towards Japan, and towards Tatsuya.
〈To be continued〉
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