Unlimited Ambition

"He's just an uninvited friend, nothing to worry about."

Last time you brought insects over.

"Is that so?" The old man felt a little relieved after hearing this. After thinking for a moment, he called over the guard beside him and whispered a few instructions.

Yuffie's speech was nearing its end, and the audience was poised to applaud. Suddenly, all the loudspeakers malfunctioned, emitting a piercing sound. As the audience reacted in disbelief, the siscon descended from the sky in his Mirage mecha. Only then did the loudspeakers return to normal.

“Princess of Brittany, I, Zero, would like to ask you some questions on behalf of the people of Japan.”

Hearing this, both the Bretons and the Japanese were outraged. "Are you kidding me? You're a scum of the terrorist world, what right do you have to represent the Japanese people? If something happens to you leaving the princess alone, who will be responsible?"

The first to be affected was Suzaku, who was obsessed with getting promoted. Upon seeing his ex-boyfriend trying to sabotage his plans, he immediately wanted to rush over and kill him.

Unexpectedly, Euphemia nodded and smiled in agreement: "Yes, please follow me."

I panicked immediately. That silly girl, Euphemia, thought her own brother wouldn't harm her? Black is capable of anything.

Just then, I noticed someone pressing down on my shoulder. When I turned around, I saw the old geezer slowly shaking his head at me.

"But—" Before I could finish speaking, the old geezer interrupted me.

"It's their internal affair. What's it to you?" The old man snorted, then lowered his voice again: "Besides, don't you think it's better for that woman to be dead than alive?"

……

I am not a necrophiliac!

※※※

Euphemia once again stopped the Britannian soldiers who were trying to stop her. She led Lelouch into an empty room, then chuckled and called out, "Brother Lelouch."

Hearing Euphemia call him that, Lelouch's heart began to churn. The last vestiges of his conscience gnawed at his heart. It was as if someone in his mind was screaming: "Are you really going to do this? To use your own sister for such a vile plan? Do you think you have the right to do this? You're building a world of kindness, not a paradise for the despicable!"

Meanwhile, another, much more powerful voice emerged: "If we don't do this, how can we stop the Japanese special zone plan? Either don't do it at all, or do it to the end! There's no point in talking about the path of the demon, the path of the king is lonely—go for it, you siscon, get her!"

Therefore, Lelouch finally made a decision and activated his Geass.

Ten minutes later, just as I was about to burst in without thinking, Yuffie ran out.

They seem fine, and most importantly, they are dressed neatly.

I breathed a sigh of relief. It seems I don't have to force myself to accept my extreme tastes anymore.

"My fellow Japanese folks, I have a small request: could you please die?"

Unexpectedly, Yuffie suddenly said something like that. Hey, hey, hey, that's not a funny joke.

The Japanese people present fell silent for a moment, followed by an even louder murmur: "What exactly happened?"

"Could this be a Brittany hoax?"

"What happened to Princess Euphemia?"

Seeing that the Japanese did not agree to her request, Yuffie suddenly took out an automatic rifle: "Since you are all unwilling to do it yourselves, then I will lead you on your way."

Then, she pulled the trigger.

"What on earth is going on?!?!" Schneider suddenly stood up: "Euphemiah! Did you hear me! Stop it right now!"

"I can't do it, Brother Schneider." Euphemia laughed happily, then continued shooting.

“Brittanian soldiers! As the Vice-Governor of District 11, I order you—kill all the Japanese present!” Euphemia continued to command.

At this point, the Breton military began to waver. The military elites simply couldn't understand why such treatment should be bestowed upon those lowly numbered individuals. Aside from the Japanese Liberation Front, the Breton military was among the most vehemently opposed to this plan on the Japanese archipelago.

Upon hearing their princess's order, some radical Brittany soldiers began the massacre.

The scene descended into further chaos. Some strong, naive Japanese soldiers began attacking the Bretonnian troops. They couldn't distinguish between the radicals and the moderates. This indiscriminate attack forced some Bretonnian soldiers, who initially didn't want to follow orders, to open fire on them.

And so, the massacre began.

"Let's go, we've seen quite a show today. The Britannians... humph." The old man stood up, patted my shoulder, and gestured for me to follow. Then he left with his own guards along the safe passage.

"What are you thinking about? Hurry up. Do you want to stay here and get shot?" The old man's voice came from afar.

At this moment, I've figured out the whole thing. Geass, Lelouch... you deserve to die!

Chapter Thirty-Four: Karmic Fire and Red Lotus

It's too late to stop the disaster from happening. So, let me make good use of this opportunity and make some plans.

I dialed Todo's secret line: "The best time for the liberation of Japan has arrived, Lieutenant General. Gather all the forces you can. March to Kyoto... that's the right word, isn't it?"

I forced a smile, but it sounded bitter.

Toudou's voice was also heavy with sorrow, but unlike mine, his tears were for his compatriots.

“I understand now. Brittany has gone astray, and Euphemia has become utterly depraved. I suppose the Japanese people will no longer have any illusions about them.”

I sighed almost imperceptibly, then warned, "Don't forget your promise." I then ended the call and reconnected to Katase's number.

Euphemia's body was never found, and of course, it was impossible to find. I saw it with my own eyes; Black, piloting the Mirage, fired at her from the sky. Only a crater tens of meters deep remained on the ground. Nothing else.

Euphemia is dead.

I said that to myself. Then I left without looking back.

Lelouch, you deserve to die.

I repeat it again.

The following day, the Chinese Federation published an editorial strongly condemning the massacre in the Japanese Special Zone. It also announced the unilateral termination of diplomatic relations with Brittany.

Meanwhile, in the southern part of the Chinese Federation, several member states declared independence. Indian troops ingeniously crossed the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Himalayas. And the Southeast Asian Command's fully armed fleet, carrying a total of 100,000 marines, sailed towards Shanghai.

The civil war of the Chinese Federation finally began like a volcanic eruption.

Meanwhile, the Japanese Revolution for Independence was declared to have begun. Todo and Katase each led tens of thousands of troops trained by the Northeast Military Region, advancing towards Kyoto from the east and west respectively. Along the way, various resistance organizations came to join them, and within just a few days, hundreds of thousands of troops had been assembled.

Of course, this number was insignificant compared to Brittany's nearly five million-strong army. However, this time, Brittany underestimated the Japanese determination to resist and the support from the Chinese Federation.

All kinds of old firearms, artillery, tanks, mechs, and hundreds of millions of other supplies were continuously sent to the Japanese archipelago. The people of the Chinese Federation distributed these weapons to men, women, the elderly, children, the poor, the rich... Every Japanese person received at least one firearm—in such a chaotic world, no one would refuse a weapon that could be used for self-defense.

The whole of Japan was finally in chaos. Not counting the main battlefront, the Britannian military was suffering thousands of armed attacks every day. Even if each attack only resulted in the loss of one or two men, they couldn't sustain this.

Thus, the indiscriminate killing law was enacted. Governor Cornelia, who harbored a deep hatred for this land because of the death of her own sister, declared: "When facing any non-friendly forces that may be carrying weapons, it is permissible to fire first."

After that, the lower-ranking Britannian soldiers automatically expanded this decree: they could fire first at any Japanese they spotted.

Having completely lost the constraints of military law, the Breton army degenerated into cannibalistic beasts. Utilizing their superior weaponry, rigorous training, and better tactical skills, they indiscriminately slaughtered every Japanese they encountered.

Just three days after the decree was issued, incomplete statistics indicate that over a million Japanese had been murdered. To survive, even more Japanese were forced to rise up and fight against Brittany. As one Brittany commander put it, "All of Japan is our enemy."

This situation lasted for a total of one month.

Following this, the Breton military announced that it would send reinforcements to Area 11. In total, five million elite Breton troops, plus seventy thousand new sixth-generation mechs, advanced towards the Japanese archipelago under the cover of a massive fleet of dozens of battleships.

"Let them in." I finally left Japan and returned to the Northeast Military Region. I began preparing for the expeditionary force to go south to quell the rebellion. At the same time, I also had to remotely control the Japanese resistance front, fighting a life-or-death battle with Brittany. After a few days, I was clearly somewhat exhausted.

Upon hearing my command, the advisors gathered around me were somewhat puzzled. Only Sima Zhongda sneered inwardly, secretly praising, "Truly worthy of the title of a cunning hero in troubled times. I have indeed chosen the right lord."

Sima Yi, a genius, understood perfectly, but Xun Yu, an honest man, remained unmoved. He simply said, "However, compared to the Britannian army, the Japanese resistance line is already somewhat weak. If this batch of troops were to enter, I'm afraid..."

After hearing this, I laughed and shook my head, saying, "Wenruo, you're such a kind person." Then, without answering his question, I waved my hand and said, "Pass down the order."

Although Xun Yu was unwilling, he still chose to obey.

After the civil and military officials were assigned their tasks, they bowed and took their leave. I was left alone in the large conference room.

"Die, all of you die, that damned country, that damned people, I hate them to the core," I murmured to myself, closing my eyes and letting the tears fall.

The war situation in Japan has taken a new turn. Unlike a vast country like the Chinese Federation, Japan, having been suddenly divided into two roughly equal parts, will likely require at least several years to unify, barring unforeseen circumstances.

Japan is different. Its small land area determines its strategic depth. Its troops are crammed together. The outcome of the war can be decided very quickly.

After the Britannian reinforcements landed, the Japanese resistance front intensified its efforts, deciding to advance rapidly towards Kyoto and capture the former capital of Japan.

Before the Britannian invasion, Japan's population was approximately 200 million. After the establishment of Area 11, the population was estimated at 170 million. Today, whether Japan's population has exceeded 100 million is questionable.

However, the number of Japanese participating in this "march to Kyoto" exceeded fifty million. They came from all walks of life, young and old, armed with worn-out rifles, pistols, or even just a steel pipe or a kitchen knife. Their ages ranged from eight to eight. Filled with hatred and lust, they ate rotten flesh and drank filthy water as they marched towards Kyoto.

Under the relentless onslaught of Japanese attacks, the Britannian army retreated completely. Even Cornelia, as resolute as she was, was alarmed after taking stock of her forces.

Surprisingly, there are less than two million left.

How exactly was this war fought?

"How did you do it? Hmph... Zhongda, your Blood Moon assassination organization is quite effective. It wasn't for nothing that I invested so much money. The number of Britannian officers assassinated these days... Let me see, hmm, the number one is an acquaintance, General Darudon. Not bad, including him, a total of thirty-four generals have been killed, and three hundred and forty-eight lieutenants. Not bad, I'm very satisfied with this result, extremely satisfied. Keep up the good work, Zhongda."

Indeed, Sima Zhongda was the greatest contributor to this battle. The Blood Moon Organization, which had been established for several years, was beginning to show results. They had achieved such remarkable success in this small-scale trial in the Japanese Liberation War.

Sima Yi smiled modestly: "I dare not accept your praise, my lord. The success this time is due to two reasons: first, your wise decision-making, and second, the soldiers' valiant efforts. I merely provided some support from the center and did my best."

It's rare to see Sima Zhongda so perceptive. But I couldn't take his words seriously, so I laughed, patted him on the shoulder, and praised him profusely.

Sima Yi appeared humble, but inwardly he was quite pleased. He thought to himself, "It wasn't for nothing that I chose to oversee this department. Although I usually keep a low profile, once chaos erupts, it will be my time to prove myself."

At this point, I said, "You've caused enough trouble in Japan. Come back and rest for a bit."

Sima Yi's smile froze instantly.

Seeing his expression, I couldn't help but laugh again: "You should listen to what I have to say. After the Blood Moon Restoration is over, you'll be sent to the rebel territory in the south. Plenty of credit awaits you."

Sima Yi's initial shock turned to joy. He prostrated himself on the ground, saying, "Your Majesty's kindness will be forever etched in my memory."

I picked up my teacup and took a sip: "Alright, go now. Make some preparations later."

"Yes, my lord." Sima Yi carefully took a few steps back before turning around, opening the door and walking out, then closing the door from the outside.

The battle has reached a point where the outcome will be decided. Although the North Sea Fleet is currently unavailable, I still have five thousand Sea Wolf mechs under my command. That's enough to blockade the entire Japanese archipelago. Japan, with its sixty-six provinces, will be the graveyard of tens of millions of Britannian soldiers!

As for those Japanese, aren't they always clamoring for a death-or-death struggle? I'll give them that chance. Let them perish together with their mortal enemies, the Bretons!

※※※

The Japanese archipelago is now like a living hell.

The situation didn't go as smoothly as Lelouch had hoped. Although Zero, as the one who exposed Britannia's conspiracy, earned some points, the ensuing fierce battle was something Lelouch hadn't anticipated.

Nobody really took him seriously. Even within Japan's largest resistance organization, the Japanese Liberation Front, the order was given: Upon seeing Black, without any further ado, shoot him!

Thus, Lelouch and his Black Knights remained in an awkward position, ostracized by mainstream society. Their greatest achievement was merely secretly taking control of the Ashford School student council dormitory, providing Nunnally with a few free bodyguards.

However, on this day, all of these free bodyguards could no longer work.

Lelouch spent another dull day at school. He then returned to his dormitory, pondering how many more days it would take the Japanese to reach Kyoto. If he were in command, how many more days would it take? He then cursed the resistance leaders as incompetent; if he were in their shoes…