Live A Hero Chapter 5 Episode 2: Japan's National Defense Department (Abridged)

Parallel Flight convenes at its hotel room office where the guest is already seated inside and waiting for them.
Sadayoshi: ...
MC: A soldier? / An alien? / omg he's hot
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(C) Akashi: Is that really the first thing that comes to your mind? Sure he's cool, but doesn't he also seem scary?
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Mokdai: Isn't that the national defense uniform? Why would he come to see us?
Crowne: See those shoulder straps? He's gotta be high up there. Weird.
Ryekie: Well I won't stop you guys from questioning things, but we won't get anywhere until we talk to him. Huckle, could you do it as company director?
Huckle: Oh, okay. I'll do my best.

Sadayoshi gets up and bows deeply.
Sadayoshi: A pleasure to make your acquaintances, people of Parallel Flight. I apologize for the sudden call.
Huckle: N-no, it's fine. I'm the company director Huckle Darlens. I take it that...you're with the National Defense Department?
Sadayoshi: Oh, pardon my lateness in introducing myself. I am Colonel Ikusabata Sadayoshi, battalion commander of the first hero battalion in Japan's Defense Department ground force.
Crowne: Colonel? Damn that's high up.

Sui: A hero battalion? The defense force has heroes?
Mokdai: Yeah, hero teams that are part of the military don't stream their fights to the general public so people normally don't know about them. They're a thing though. The Future UN put them together. I've only seen archived videos though.
Akashi: Sooo he's a hero too?
Sadayoshi: Yes. I can transform on my own and normally go on anti-Monster sorties. I've had to go out on a lot of missions supporting our allied nations because of recent outbreaks though.
MC: You work as a hero without streams? / Sounds like special forces / He sounds strong
(A) Ryekie: Technically he streams. Only the military gets to see it though. Military heroes are pretty much a nation's military force, so streaming them publicly risks showing their hands. Only stuff that's been checked and okayed get archived.
(B) Ryekie: Pretty much. Every planet and country has them, and these heroes comprise their nation's military power. Only stuff that gets checked gets put into a public archive, so most don't know of them.
(C) Ryekie: Pretty much every hero in the military has more experience than private sector heroes like us. Their main work is in large scale battles, so it's rare for them to deal with smaller battles located within a city.

Huckle: ...oh, right. You were part of a group like that before, weren't you Mr. Ryekie?
Ryekie: You remember that? Well I'm glad you do. (turns to Sadayoshi)
Ryekie: So Colonel. What do we owe the pleasure of this visit to?
Sadayoshi: I came to ask you and that Observer behind you some questions.
MC: wait what
Huckle: You want to speak with Mr. R--Justice and MC? Whatever for?
Sadayoshi: ...it's about that giant Monster, which we have designated as O-X, and the day it half-awakened. You have all clashed against it, and in doing so we have discovered a possibility.
Huckle: What possibility?
Sadayoshi: That you are able to See O-X.
Ryekie: !!!

Sadayoshi: Every other hero was struggling to stand against O-X, yet you all were able to fare better against its attacks. You could clearly evade it and strike back. Of course, Justice could simply have done so because of all his experience, but the heroes among you with much less experience did just as well.
Akashi: So you investigated us too, huh...?
Sadayoshi: And the one commanding you all was...MC. An Operator as young as you cannot have had enough experience to analyze O-X's movements. In which case, the logical conclusion is that you can See O-X.
MC: ...okay. So what if I can?

Sadayoshi: We suspect O-X will reawaken in a few days, but we still have not devised a usable method of stopping it. We do have a rough estimate of where its core is though. Unfortunately there isn't much information to work with, which restricts how much we can develop plans. (sighs)
Sadayoshi: And now I'm here unofficially to speak with you all directly. It won't be for free of course. If you wish to know something we know of in the Defense Department, then we could exchange information. Would you please help us defend our nation?
Team Parallel Flight looks at one another.
Huckle: ...can we get some time to think on that?
Sadayoshi: Of course. I hope for a favorable reply.
Team Parallel Flight leaves the room.

Crowne: ...so what do we do? He's right that MC can see the thing, but it doesn't feel right to show him our hand somehow.
Sui: This is kind of scary. It sounds like MC's going to be put in a terrible position.
Akashi: I'm against it. If they know about MC, I don't want them snatching them up like some sort of mad science experiment...
MC: Yeah same...

Mokdai: I think we'll be okay on that front actually. He's told us his position and said he's here unofficially, meaning it'd be bad for him if he were found out to have come here. He might keep everything secret until it becomes impossible to do so.
Huckle: Plus he's offering military intel for negotiation. If it's information from the most important defense organization in the country, things must truly be dire for him to bring that up. I think it should be fine to believe he knows how important that is.
Ryekie: ...I see. He's balancing the risks on his end too. Honestly I AM curious as to how much he knows, especially as to what the military plans to do with keeping us out of Orient City. We could finagle a clue about getting inside if we play our cards right.
Huckle: Well aside from not being able to learn anything unless we reveal our own information, we should respect MC's opinion since they hold the most risk over what happens. So it all depends on you. What do you think?
Ryekie: I'll support whatever decision you make. If you life gets into danger because of this, I swear I'll defend you with everything I have.
MC: Hmm...

Back inside the room
Sadayoshi: ...have you decided?
Huckle: ...MC?
MC: Okay. Some sacrifices have to be made, but I've made my decision.
Huckle: Okay. (nods)
Huckle: We agree to your exchange, but we ask that you tell us everything you know.
Sadayoshi: ...I will not lie to you all. I promise you that.

One explanation from Parallel Flight later
Sadayoshi: ...unbelievable. Hmm...so an Observer with powers as strong as MC can see O-X... (puts hand to chin and thinks)
Sadayoshi: ...currently no one inside the department has your level of power. Which means...
Sadayoshi: MC, thank you for telling me what you know. Do you happen to know any others with powers as strong as yours? Perhaps I can contact them as well and collect further information.
MC: Uhhh... (thinks of Exio and Melide) ...yeah?

Sadayoshi: You do? Which agency do these people belong to?
Ryekie: Colonel, I know them too. They aren't part of an agency. They're villains, and we don't know where they are right now.
Sadayoshi: ...I see. While I am gathering information on my own, I would still prefer to avoid asking criminals for it given that I am a government worker.
...
Sadayoshi: ...thank you for all you've told me, MC, people of Parallel Flight. I swear to use what I've learned to protect this country. (bows)

MC: Your turn to talk now.
Sadayoshi: ...of course. What would you like to know?
Huckle: Just one thing. What is the Defense Department doing with Orient City?
Sadayoshi: ! Well...
MC: You can't tell us? / You seem hesitant. / Guilt trip!
Sadayoshi: I... (looks down)
Sadayoshi: We are keeping tabs on O-X as much as possible while removing rubble from the streets. If O-X is dealt with, the lockdown will be lifted.
Ryekie: ...that's it?
Sadayoshi: ...yes. I devote all I have to the citizens of this country. I will not lie.
MC: Really? You seem evasive.

Mokdai: ...he isn't lying. But you're hiding something, aren't you?
Sadayoshi: !!
Mokdai: There's no need for a total lockdown if that's all that's happening. Plus, if that were the case you'd also be asking other private hero agencies for help. I've seen it happen all the time back at the Fukuoka refugee camp, so why should things change here? Is there some reason that only the Defense Department is doing anything?
Sadayoshi: ...
Huckle: Colonel, you promised to tell us anything the Defense Department knows, and this could affect MC's life. Aren't you going to uphold that promise?
Sadayoshi: ...please keep this strictly confidential. The Future UN wants to use a new weapon to solve this situation. If O-X fully awakens, they want to use the HFCM on Orient City.

Crowne: NO WAY
MC: What?
Crowne: It's the Hyperspace Forced Connecting Missile. Alien tech missile weaponry that can open a path to hyperspace without needing an Observer to do it so it can destroy Monsters. Space nuke. And sure, if you fire it there's no need to use heroes to destroy them instead.
Sadayoshi: Unfortunately, even after a century of research the HFCM is incomplete given the risks involved could not be eliminated. On the off chance that the connection goes haywire, the drop zone gets sucked into hyperspace and gets annihilated.
Mokdai: And Future UN wants to drop it on Orient City?
Sadayoshi: Given how large O-X seems to be, the Defense Department and Future UN's forces stand next to no chance of destroying it with what plans we can implement. They have decided that they may as well use this as a test run to try out the HFCM for the first time. As such, the Defense Department is evacuating everyone out of Orient City including its heroes and keeping watch so no one goes in.

Ryekie: W-wait! What's the government planning to do with Orient City after the HFCM is dropped? Where's the part where they close the dimensional rift!?
Sadayoshi: ...Orient City is to be kept empty of people until the rift collapses. It is possible we are facing a nationwide disaster, so if Orient City is destroyed it will be waved off as an unfortunate twist of fate. The Japanese government and UN are in agreement.
MC: NO
Something drops in the hallway. Sadayoshi glances at the door briefly.
Sadayoshi: ...and that is why the city is on lockdown.
Akashi:
Akashi: EAT A DICK! You wanna use a weapon that no knows if it'll work on our homes against a Monster because mAyBe it'll work!?

Mokdai: Akashi, I know how you feel but calm down!
Sadayoshi: ...it is what the government and UN have decided. I cannot go against it.
Akashi: And what's YOUR goddamn opinion!? Orient City being wiped off the map is okay in YOUR book!?
Sadayoshi: ...the Defense Department is working on other ideas, but I do not know what they are.
Akashi: QUITTER! Some "National Defense Department" we have working to protect us! It's jUsT oNe cItY what do they care!?
Sadayoshi: I DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN EITHER! (slams table hard enough to crack it)
Akashi: !?

Sadayoshi: ...Orient City is also my hometown. I do not want to lose it. There are many parts to this idea that I am reluctant to agree with. It is unthinkable for a Defense Department to attack a part of the country it is supposed to protect...their priorities are backwards to the utmost, and it is preposterous for them to use a weapon untested...!
MC: ...Colonel
Sadayoshi: ...but that is how bad the situation is. There is insufficient information, manpower, and everything else that we need. We must stop the threat O-X represents even if we lose the city so that the country will survive...so that we can develop countermeasures if such a threat happens again. On that point...I agree with the government.
Akashi: ... (balls fists in frustration)
Mokdai: Akashi...
Sadayoshi: ...I apologize for raising my voice. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Excuse me. (turns to leave)
Mokdai: EARTHQUAKE

Giant Monster: (yells from far away)
Mokdai: Oh it stopped...
Huckle: MC, did you hear it just now?
MC: ...yeah. It's louder than before.
Sui: ...it's getting closer to waking up.
Sadayoshi: ...!
Ryekie: Colonel, is there any way at all for us to get into the city? We've fought the Monster before, and we might be able to figure out a way to stop it. Can you let us fight with you against it?
Sadayoshi: ...I cannot let you all put yourselves in danger. (speedwalks out)
Akashi: DOUCHEBAG
Hallway
Sadayoshi: (looks sad and frustrated until something bumps into his feet)
Sadayoshi: A kiwi juice can?
End of Episode