Misaka 10000 (Toaru fanfiction)

Chapter 26: World War III

And so, World War III commenced.

September 19 would remain etched in people's memories as a fateful day for years to come. Regardless of how simple the statement, or how clearly God's Right Seat had orchestrated events from behind the scenes for their own purposes, once a war had started, it was not easily halted.

The news of Lidvia's death spread rapidly throughout the magic side, and people received it with a mix of emotions. Most felt a sense of unease because they were aware of what lay ahead. However, inside the walls of the Roman Catholic Church, the atmosphere was quite the opposite.

Fiamma of the Right, the leader of God's Right Seat, the most influential group within the Roman Catholic Church, was a young man with a lanky build, golden eyes, and fiery red hair. He wore a simple red suit and received the news with great satisfaction.

Upon hearing that Lidvia Lorenzetti had been killed by the abnormal clone, he merely read those words in the report and showed no interest in reading further.

"Hah. Now there's something."

He heard a voice.

He looked up and saw a woman wrapped in yellow clothing standing there.

Vento of the Front.

"So she really did it, huh? We're already in a war."

"This isn't a war; it's an offer from the sky to cleanse the sins of those on the earth," said the young man, Fiamma, to Vento of the Front.

"You can call it whatever you like, as long as it leads to the same Fate: bloodshed."

Fiamma chose to ignore her words.

"So what's your next move now that you've received the golden ticket to form an alliance with the Russian Orthodox Church?"

Fiamma remained silent, his eyes fixed on the blue sky through the vast church windows.

"The United Kingdom has something. Something we absolutely need. They won't simply offer it, of course. That was why we had to cause a commotion. To obtain it, we need the great power of the Roman Catholic Church to take action."

Vento fell silent momentarily, her piercing gaze locked on Fiamma, waiting for him to continue.

"Once we secure an alliance with the Russian Orthodox Church, we will have complete control over all of Europe, except for them. We'll cut off all connections with Britain, stifling the flow of people, goods, and money. It's an island nation, after all, and with no escape route, they'll run out of power in a matter of months."

Vento tried to grasp the full meaning of Fiamma's words but found it challenging.

"I don't understand the point," she admitted. "Taking Britain may not be a fatal blow to Academy City. Even if we hold the entire United Kingdom hostage, I doubt it would deter Academy City from continuing the war."

In contrast, if they conquered Academy City first, the British side would be severely crippled. Anglicanism, while one of the three largest Christian denominations, only represented one-third of the whole. They wouldn't risk a war against the other two-thirds—the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches. The United Kingdom's aggressive stance came from its alliance with Academy City and the entire science side. If they could neutralize Academy City, Britain would find itself in a vulnerable position.

"Not quite," Fiamma interjected. "That's not the whole story, Miss Vento of the Front. Academy City does not consider us a significant threat."

This time, Vento was left breathless. She struggled to make sense of what Fiamma of the Right had just said. It wasn't a matter of partial understanding; it was complete confusion.