Section 4: Universal Battle of Toba-Fushimi

How is she? Has her fever broken?

Master... Chacha...

I'm at...headquarters?

...Oh right...this again...

Thank you for taking care of me... I'm fine now.

(Cough!?)

Yes, you sound muuuch better. You just stay right there in bed and don't worry about a thing.

Silly kids should listen to grown-ups.

Chacha will watch over you and make you all better! You just rest as much as you want!

？！

...Senpai. Do you have a moment?

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Sorry for disappearing so long.

...It's just, while you were heading towards the Ikedaya, I asked Da Vinci to perform an analysis of this realm...

I'd rather not speak of it here. Is there somewhere we can talk privately?

Hm? Do as you please. Chacha will watch over her. Chacha is the best at nursing people back to health.

Yes! Okita will get better in no time with Chacha on the case! If you want, Chacha can go on stage and sing lullabies.

Don't say dumb things like that! Is it just 'cause Chacha is a Berserker!?

Just go do your thingy!

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I had Da Vinci research this realm, and it apparently turned out to be a bit unusual...

Hey, how's it going? I wasn't really interested in doing this, but Mash insisted, so I performed an analysis.

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Well, I thought it was just like the last similar disaster you walked into, or just another Singularity...

But let me cut to the chase: this realm is in a kind of stasis.

Stasis... Does that mean time won't go forward? It can't move into the future?

That's right. That place isn't a Singularity of a specific point in history, nor is it a time in history that's been altered.

It is just a single point in time that's unconnected to the past, and to the future.

I initially thought it was some parallel world's history that got derailed somewhere along the line.

But it's not. It's a world where time has stopped there, and ONLY there. If we think of human history as a narrative spanning thousands of volumes...

...then that world would be like a series that ended only a single volume. It is...entirely unrelated to human history.

A world that ends in a single volume...

The Guda Guda Particle is a fuzzy concept, but this is actually the opposite... I can sense an unwavering will behind this.

A strong will that's saying "it ends here," or "nothing beyond this point is necessary."

...

You dummy!

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Wait, Senpai!? We'll call you back, Da Vinci!

Wake up, Okita. It's time for battle. We are headed to Toba-Fushimi. The enemy has apparently gathered there.

Shut up, you muscle-brained, man-slaying, scary-faced jerk! She's in no shape to move! Get out!

I-I'm all right...! A burning fever is nothing to the powerful, invincible Okita...

(Cough!?)

If you're coughing up blood, then you must have plenty to spare. Obviously your lungs are strong. Good, then. The Oda lot have already assembled. Let's go.

No, no, no, it's not okay, dummy! ...And you too!

Kids who catch a cold need to stay home and rest!

Thank you for being concerned for me, Chacha. But I...

I am the Shinsengumi's First Unit Captain, Okita Souji.

Now let's go, Master! I cannot allow Nobbu to be the only one to look cool!

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...Oh come on! You military stooges are all the same!

What's the point of pride and honor if they just get you killed!?

You're all stupid! Stupid stupidheads! No! You know what you are? Stupid dum-dum doodyheads!

Argh! Chacha can't deal with you anymore! Chacha's gonna wreck all your dummy plans from now on!

Oh, but first, here's some medicine for you, dummy, so take it after you eat! Brats!

Chacha...

I wonder why she got so mad...

Hmph. If she were one of us, she would have to commit seppuku for deserting us before a battle.

Whatever. Shinsengumi, moving out.

Nobu nobbuu!

Wahahahaha! What do you think of the new and incredible robot army that my United Satsuma has mass-produced for us!?

I had some time to tweak them a little, and so their production rate and performance went up by 20%! This is all thanks to our 24-hour workdays!

I see you're still not at all timid about breaking labor laws!

Nonononono bubububu!

And my new Choushu Industries superweapon is finally out of its prototype phase and in official production!

Even matchlock guns are no match against them!

This is the indomitable strength of the Universal SatChou Alliance!

Heh. This will be the end of Big Sister's reign!

Why you... So many variants of me crawling all over the place...

Hm? You guys are here too? What took you so long? Can't you see that the enemy's all locked and loaded!?

Huh? Fujimaru, wasn't Chacha with you?

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She was tending to Okita on her sickbed...!?

I see... Oh, that Chacha...

No matter. She'll be back when she gets hungry.

And you're... Uh, Hijikata, was it? Of the Shinsengumi?

Well, what's your assessment of the enemy, then?

There's too many... Our only options would be to pin them down with a feint, and then have a separate unit flank them...

Oh-ho... I thought your little man-slayers club was all about playing at being soldiers, but maybe I was wrong. I had more or less the same idea, in fact.

I guess you've got at least a little tactical sense.

But you're a bit lacking in numbers.

...So what? You work with what you've got... That is what war is about.

Okita, you'll flank them. I'll handle the feint at their front ranks.

Underst (Cough!?)

N-no. It's fine! I'm fine!

You are NOT fine.

Just hear me out: I'll lead the feint attack from the front. It's the best fit. Most of my troops carry matchlock guns, and aren't that mobile.

That leaves everyone else free for the flanking maneuver. What do you think? Pretty cunning, huh?

I-I see... That is a good idea, especially considering the source... We ARE understaffed... What do you think, Mr. Hijikata?

What's that supposed to mean!? I don't wanna brag, but pretty much never lost a battle! (*Note: Nobunaga lost the battle of Kanegasaki, but we don't talk about that.)

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...Fine. I guess that'll be better than losing...

Nobunaga... After all your big talk, you'd better not mess this up.

Of course. If you guys aren't careful, I'll take you all out together! So you'd better head out like you're planning not to come back!

Fujimaru, what are you going to do?

If Master's with us, there's nothing to fear! Hijikata, let's go!

Haha! Now you'll get a real lesson in my famous Three Line Formation!!!

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This will be a glorious race to see who can win the greater honor on the battlefield!

Matchlock troops, ready yourselves!!!

Yes, a race to glory! We will not lose to the likes of her! Shinsengumi, advance!