“We’re going to kill every single one of you.”

Those were not the words they were expecting to hear upon their arrival at Osaka’s military base and it showed on both their faces and their dead silent vocal cords. Several sets of fingers tightened over countless triggers but not even those motions moved their bodies into action.

Murayama and the other soldiers had heard tales of the complicated and tense relationship between Osaka and Tokyo, as well as between Sakazaki and Nakatani. Some had even experienced the rivalry in person in some instances. However, they never considered the soldiers in Osaka as targets for elimination but rather distant comrades they didn’t get along with due to past events and current circumstances.

“Don’t take it personally,” said Sakazaki, puffing out another cloud of smoke at the same time he raised his free hand in the air. The metallic rattle of the semi-automatic shotguns and other weapons tickled at everybody’s ears. “You just chose to join and support the wrong-”

Without any warning, Sakazaki’s body convulsed forward, as if he had been startled from behind. But instead of returning to his prior commanding position once the sudden scare was settled down, his upper body remained bent forward and the hand that had been raised high in the air was twisted behind his back, his shoulder on the verge of popping out of its place.

“Is this how soldiers are usually welcomed upon arriving at another base?” inquired Rei, his head tilted to the left as he forced the taller general slightly down through a one-handed joint lock. His other hand was leaning an army knife over the general's carotid artery, its sharp blade so close to his skin that even breathing could warrant Sakazaki some blood-shedding.

Amid total confusion and shock, the soldiers looked around the open area. The bear-sized soldier that had victoriously claimed the sleeping Tokyo soldier he found inside of the truck was sprawled on the floor, his body completely motionless. No one had heard as much as a groan from his part.

“Iru-kun, Murayama-san, what are we supposed to do in this kind of situation?” asked Rei, his grey eyes darting towards the two commanders on his side of the dispute. He erased the small distance between skin and blade, and a small red droplet gently trickled down the length of the general’s neck. “Kill every single one of them?”

Before any of the two could open their mouths to speak, loud laughter burst out. Despite the shaking of his body and movement in his throat helping the small cut grow bigger, Sakazaki continued laughing as if his life wasn’t on the verge of being ended right there and then.

“Well, colour me surprised!” said Sakazaki once his laughter finally quieted down. He glanced sideways and took a close inspection at the soldier holding him hostage. “It seems one of old, foxy Nakatani’s soldiers is not a total waste of money and space. Though one in the middle of thousands doesn’t add up to much, I have to say. Welcome to Osaka’s military base, young man. How about you let go of this old arm of mine and let me take you to the true welcoming party?”

Rei nothing said and just glanced back to Murayama and Iru, where he spotted the former nodding his head in acknowledgement. He cautiously removed the army knife from his neck first, only releasing his arm once he certified himself that all Osaka soldiers were motionless and void of shooting intentions.

“It’s been a while since my body experienced so much action,” sighed Sakazaki, lightly rotating his shoulder to alleviate the soreness in the ligaments and joints that had been stretched to their limits. “Follow me, young man. Your friends over there can continue acting like useless damsels in distress until they gain enough balls to do something about this simulacrum. I’m leaving the rest to you, boys.”

“Why would I follow someone who just threatened my friends?” pointed out Rei, his body completely still in place despite Sakazaki’s urges to move to a different location.

“You’re not going to follow a general’s orders?” asked back Sakazaki, glancing over his shoulder at the young soldier. His facial expression had become exponentially harsher and serious as those commanding words escaped from in between his wrinkled lips.

“I’m not going to follow someone else’s general's orders, no,” declared Rei, turning around on his heels and trotting back to near his group without a care about the countess guns still aimed at them.

“Oda, this guy is great!” laughed Sakazaki, an amused glint in his eyes as he took a cigarette from a thin metallic case and readily lighted it. After slowly exhaling the smoke out of his lungs, he mumbled with a mischievous undertone, “Nakatani would be at a loss if he was robbed of such a valuable soldier, I’m sure. It makes me want to steal him away all the more. Oda, let those losers be and let’s begin the real ‘welcoming party’. I owe that ballsy little fellow at least that much.”

“Yes, Sir,” saluted Oda, the now named commander candidate. With the same stern semblance from beginning to end, he started skillfully instructing the soldiers around him. “You can all go store the weapons away. Squad 1 and 4, announce to the standby squads that the first military exercise has been concluded and normal functions can be resumed. Squad 7, get Shou out of the floor and far away from the welcoming party facilities. He won’t be in a good mood when he wakes up.”

“Yes, Sir!”

At those instructions, every soldier began carrying out their assigned duties. Some collected the weapons and took them away, others simply departed that area upon delivering their semi-automatic shotguns, and a selected few were attempting to lift the bear-sized soldier from the cold ground.

“Um… Is everything… solved now?” asked Atsumu, not understanding what exactly was going on right now.

“I guess…?” said Miue with a certain hesitation, his body still in alert mode as he cautiously observed the soldier scurry all around in a considerably organised fashion. “Wait! Did they just…?”

“Yup. They had us hook, line and sinker there…” sighed James, his shoulders slumping down in utter relief.

“Grrr… This is why I fucking hate this fucking base!!!”