The World Government, upon receiving the latest reports, was also greatly shocked.
All treated the matter with the utmost seriousness.
It seemed they had encountered another force capable of independently invading other worlds!
And unlike the devil civilization of the "Underworld" they faced before, this one was clearly dominated by humans.
It might look weak on the surface—
But who could say if these were not merely expendable scouts sent to probe?
Even so, the fact remained: this was a force capable of invading other worlds.
For all they knew, it might already have conquered several. Its war potential could not be dismissed.
Inside the Supreme Command's conference room—
Raymond looked at the senior military officials present.
"I'm starting to think we should have Shiki's forces strike into the 'Nuclear World' ahead of schedule."
Zephyr frowned. "Why?"
"Because this invasion by an otherworldly force could very well push Japan's military bases into a state of combat readiness."
"When that happens, weapons will certainly be distributed to soldiers on a massive scale. Their warships, tanks, armored vehicles, and aircraft will all be on standby. That will obviously make an offensive much harder."
"So instead, why not strike now? Take Yokosuka Port first!"
Raymond laid out his idea in detail.
"But if we do that, we'll make ourselves the target of everyone's hostility."
Sengoku shook his head in firm refusal. "I think we should wait a little longer. At the very least, we need to figure out exactly who this 'rival' is. Now is not the time to strike first."
"Since they were the ones to act first, we don't need to rush. Let's watch how things play out between them. After all, the 'Nuclear World' is right across the 'Gate'—we can open it whenever we want."
Minister Kong nodded in agreement, his expression also growing grave.
"This old man feels that approach is safer. The myriad worlds are filled with countless powerful beings. We really should proceed with caution—especially now that we've encountered a mysterious force capable of invading other worlds."
...
Meanwhile, aboard the Noah's Ark—
Imu stood in the middle of a holographic projection of Ginza Avenue, watching thoughtfully as goblins, orcs, and heavily armored cavalry slaughtered the citizens of Japan, while dragon riders flew overhead.
Something about the scene felt strangely familiar to him.
"A fantasy army invading a modern city… this feels like the plot of some South Korean movie."
That was his first thought, since he had watched that film in full back then.
But when he probed his memory more carefully, comparing the details to the scene before him, he found there were many differences.
Of course, once fantasy settings become reality, there will always be inconsistencies.
Still, judging from the previous 'Dimensional Gate Worlds,' aside from the shift from two-dimensional art to three-dimensional reality, the overall content had been largely the same.
"This shouldn't be that movie. These goblins, trolls, and wyverns clearly lean more toward the magical style of the 'Zero Magic World.'"
Imu fell into deep thought.
Fragments of memory surfaced: a few scattered video clips, and bits of online conversations he'd had with others.
From that, Imu was almost certain—the events happening in the 'Nuclear World' matched the content of that anime called "GATE."
But he was also sure of one thing: he had never actually watched it.
All he knew was that this anime's otherworld had mages, elves, reapers, and even demigods.
Oh, and yes—there was also a fire dragon that had one of its arms blown off by a rocket launcher.
In short, Imu could not provide the World Government with detailed intelligence this time.
Still, if gods were involved, then it was something that demanded serious attention.
Imu shook his head with a sigh.
"The plot of this 'GATE' actually takes place in the world of 'Zero no Tsukaima,' the very world Hiraga Saito crossed into."
Then another thought struck him: could that ancient army, the one that had invaded the 'Zero Magic World' a thousand years ago only to be defeated by Brimir, have actually come from this same 'GATE' otherworld?
"If that's the case, then their march to conquer the myriad worlds began a millennium ago…"
Imu grew more convinced than ever that the World Government had finally met a true rival.
Most likely, the two sides would clash next on the battlefield of the 'Nuclear World.'
"Wait, no—that doesn't make sense!"
Imu suddenly froze, muttering to himself: "If they were so strong, how could Japan have beaten them back?"
That question left him completely puzzled.
...
Nuclear Weapons World.
The so-called "Ginza Incident" that occurred in Japan was more tragic than anyone could have imagined.
Now, the entirety of three streets in Ginza, along with a main thoroughfare running southeast, had been declared a military zone by the Ground Self-Defense Force's 1st Division. Civilians were strictly forbidden from entering.
Everywhere, armored vehicles, tanks, and armed soldiers stood guard. Craters from shelling scarred the ground, and dried, dark-red bloodstains marked the streets.
At the same time—
All TV stations, including Tokyo Television, were broadcasting the press conference being held at the National Diet Building's press hall.
At this moment, nearly a hundred million Japanese citizens, whether at home or outside on public screens, watched in silence, their expressions grave, as Prime Minister delivered his speech.
Yet everyone knew his term was about to end.
And now the truth was out: Ginza hadn't been attacked by terrorists at all, but by an army from another world. How could that revelation not shock people?
Naturally, other countries were equally captivated.
This press conference was, without question, drawing the attention of the entire globe.
"Although it may sound obvious, that land does not exist on our world map. What lies beyond the 'Gate,' what the situation there truly is—everything remains uncertain."
"We only know, from the mouths of the many prisoners captured during the incident, that there is indeed land, seas, and human civilization on the other side of the 'Gate.'"
"But as of now, they are criminals who have violated the Japanese Constitution—or in other words, they are no different from terrorists."
"Even if we destroyed the 'Gate,' the matter would not be resolved. It would only increase the public's fear that, at any time and place, another 'Gate' could appear."
"Since that is the case, then we may as well treat the other side of the 'Gate' as a special region of Japan."
"Therefore, we have judged that in order to understand that civilization, and to negotiate on equal terms with the Empire on the other side—such as rescuing our citizens abducted during their retreat—our nation must take immediate action. Even if it means taking risks, we must push forward."
"For the sake of investigating this 'Special Region,' apprehending the masterminds behind the Ginza Incident, and enforcing negotiations, the Japanese government has decided to dispatch the Self-Defense Forces to the other side of the 'Gate'!"
Prime Minister's public declaration on behalf of Japan once again sparked worldwide debate.
As expected, across the Pacific, the President of North America immediately summoned the major media outlets to hold his own press conference.
"First of all, the question of ownership of the 'Gate,' the territory on the other side, and the right to negotiate—without precedent or legal foundation, it is impossible to determine that it belongs solely to Japan."
"However, under the terms of the Japan–USA Security Treaty, our nation bears an unavoidable responsibility and obligation—not only for Japan's security, but also for cooperative investigation of the area inside the 'Gate.' Therefore, we have decided to provide the necessary experts, resources, and even military assistance!"
One after another, China, Russia, England, Germany, and the other Nations held press conferences to express their positions and attitudes.
But their statements were nearly identical: they did not recognize Japan's so-called "Special Region," and they insisted that the question of ownership of the "Gate" had to be discussed within the international community.
At the same time, they expressed willingness to provide professional research teams and the necessary resources. Some even proposed sending troops to Ginza to jointly guard the "Gate" against any further incursions from otherworldly forces.
However, before Japan could even respond, that very day, the 7th Fleet mobilized from its bases in Japan, China, and other key locations. They began establishing layered defenses across the surrounding seas.
This was nothing less than a blatant warning.
Any military force attempting to set foot in Japan would first have to break through the 7th Fleet.
Although many nations were displeased, with the situation on the other side of the "Gate" still unclear, none were willing to risk an open confrontation with USA.
On top of that, in the past few days, earthquakes had been occurring across the globe. Even regions that had never before experienced major quakes were now reporting tremors of magnitude 3 to 4.
This forced many governments to focus first on managing their own domestic disasters.
...
Meanwhile, in Japan—
The National Diet had already begun drafting and pushing forward the necessary legislation.
At the same time, personnel were being selected from the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces to form an "Advance Expeditionary Unit for the Special Region."
USA, for its part, neither interfered with this decision nor demanded joint operations.
The USA President intended for Japan's Self-Defense Forces to be the first to probe the other side.
Meanwhile, their only responsibility was to "protect" Japan and the "Ginza Gate."
Whatever Japan discovered or obtained would, in effect, belong to them as well.
Seeing that the USA was indifferent and even supportive of its actions, Japan naturally didn't care either.
...
"Orders have arrived from Lord Kaikage. The High Command requires us to dispatch a ninja squad to accompany the 'Japanese Advance Unit' into the 'Gate' and gather vital intelligence on the forces beyond."
"I now serve as the overall commander on the Japanese side. I am officially issuing the order: this mission will be carried out by your squadrons. Other squads will later take over surveillance of the targets."
Beneath the Imperial Palace, in a concealed underground chamber—
Uchiha Tekka, Yakura, Hyūga Kōryō, and Yamanaka Kōsuke listened intently to every word from the Den-Den Mushi.
For on the other end of the line was Yamanaka Inoichi.
When the four finished listening, they instinctively exchanged looks.
They had only been in this "Nuclear Weapons World" for a few days, and now they were already being sent into another foreign world.
But as shinobi, refusing a mission was never an option.
Besides, the "Ginza Incident" had indeed disrupted their side's plans.
"You all heard the mission details," Uchiha Tekka said grimly, closing the Den-Den Mushi and addressing his teammates. "In a while we'll meet up with Sudden Rain Squad to discuss our preparations."
"Yes, Captain!"
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