"It seems that a small number of prototype machines were actually deployed in combat. It was deployed here for the decisive battle on the mainland, but it seemed to have been lost in the chaos of the end of the war... It was just neglected, so... The aircraft is shaky..."
"I can't fly like this...?"
"That's the problem. We need excellent mechanics... no, we need someone capable of repairing the aircraft."
Those words reminded Shikishima of Tachibana. And along with that, he suddenly came up with a plan. Even with that in mind, Tachibana is the right person for this job... no, if it wasn't for Tachibana, he wouldn't have accepted this job.
"I have someone in mind."
"Ha"
"This person was repairing the Zero, which was in a state of disarray due to an emergency landing, to the point where it could fly. He's perfect for this job!"
"Hmm, do you know anyone like that?"
Noda obediently agreed to Shikishima's idea. In that case... he had to find Tachibana no matter what. Tachibana is absolutely necessary for a certain strategy that Shikishima has come up with. The Demobilization Bureau, which disappeared with Godzilla's attack on Ginza, temporarily moved its headquarters to the Kanda area.
In order to find out Tachibana's whereabouts, Shikishima caught up with an official from the Family Registration Division of the Demobilization Bureau, and he persisted. The official in charge of the family register appeared to have been hired from Kansai due to the emergency situation.
The official replied that he would check the list administratively.
"Sosaku Tachibana, a mechanic who used to belong to the Odo Island garrison. His current address isn't registered."
"Is that so"
"We keep getting requests to find people every day. There are requests all the time."
"I really want to get in touch with him regarding something urgent."
"I'm in trouble. Everyone is insisting that it's a crisis."
"Shikishima slammed his forehead against the counter. We have to find Tachibana soon, no matter what."
Seeing Shikishima's eccentric behavior, everyone, including the staff working behind the counter and the man walking behind her, looked at Shikishima with surprised faces. He had a feeling that Godzilla's re-landing was imminent. He didn't have time.
"Please. That's right. This has to do with the survival of this country."
The register clerk refused in a low voice.
"Even if you do that... it's impossible to do something that's impossible."
No matter how much we asked, without any information, it seemed unlikely that any further progress would be made
"In that case," Shikishima said, making his next move.
"What unit did Tachibana belong to before Odo Island? If so, do you know?"
Having obtained the current addresses of several former soldiers, Shikishima immediately sent letters to all of them. This is what was written there:
"I was with Sosaku Tachibana on Odo Island. It is said that the Odo Island massacre were caused by an attack by the U.S. military, but the truth is completely different.
In fact, Tachibana recklessly fired at a U.S. military ship passing off the coast. As a result of the U.S. military's counterattack, all the young soldiers garrisoned on Odo Island were killed in action. Throughout the attack, Tachibana abandoned his responsibility and fled deep into the mountains. As a witness to the tragedy on Odo Island, I, Koichi Shikishima, am writing this letter to convey to everyone who was in Tachibana's group that I am determined to continue protesting for the rest of my life.
Next to Shikishima, who had sealed the letter and pasted a stamp on it, there were already more than a dozen letters with the same contents lined up. The search for Tachibana seemed to be having a difficult time. After that, Noda was trying to persuade Shikishima at a bar.
"I'm doing everything I can, but I can't seem to get in touch with Mr. Tachibana. There are other excellent former maintenance soldiers out there. Why don't you just pick someone else?"
"Please give me just a little more time."
"Why are you so obsessed with that person? In this situation where we don't know when Godzilla will come back, we need to do it as soon as possible..."
"I understand. But it has to be Tachibana. He should receive a message soon."
Noda was confused. Why is Shikishima so fixated on Tachibana? However, he doesn't want to extinguish the flame in Shikishima's eyes. Noda thought that this was the last energy for Shikishima, who had lost Noriko and had become like a living corpse, to continue living.
I'll just wait a little while longer, Noda thought. On his way back from a bar, Shikishima was about to arrive home when someone suddenly called his name.
Before he could turn around, Shikishima felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, and his vision went black. He was beaten to death with something like a club. Shikishima woke up when a bucket of water was splashed on him.
With his hands tied, Shikishima appeared to be rolled onto the dirt floor of his own home. Tachibana himself, who he had been searching for, was standing in front of him with an angry expression on his face.
When Tachibana realized that Shikishima had regained his consciousness, he threw the envelope and several letters that Shikishima was holding towards Shikishima, who was unable to move.
"What do you mean by this? You're sending this bullshit to my comrades."
The message sent by Shikishima has arrived.
"Are you Tachibana-san!?"
Tachibana became even more angry at Shikishima's unexpectedly happy expression, and without thinking, he punched him and grabbed him around the chest.
"You're saying I'm the cause of the Odo Island massacre? What do you mean?"
"I'm sorry. That's the only way I could think of to meet you."
"You shameless one."
"The thing that attacked Ginza was Gojira from Odo Island, right?"
Without answering, Tachibana kicked Shikishima even more. Shikishima's eyes were starting to swell.
"I need to modify my fighter plane. In order to defeat him!"
"Uhh?"
"I really needed to see you to ask for that. That's what that bullshit letter was for. Please forgive me."
"Do you really think I'm going to work for you?"
Tachibana, confused by Shikishima's unexpected words, kicked Shikishima again and tried to leave. Shikishima remained tied up, moving along the dirt floor like a caterpillar in pursuit of Tachibana. He can't let Tachibana go when he finally finds him.
"There's something only you can do."
"...?"
"I once detonated a mine in Godzilla's mouth. It was far more effective than Takao's main gun. He's vulnerable to attacks from the inside. Do you understand?"
What Shikishima was trying to say seemed to finally reach Tachibana. Shikishima's eyes filled with madness became brighter and brighter.
"We're going to take a fighter jet full of bombs and put it in his mouth. That way we'll definitely kill him!"
No way Shikishima...
"Special attack...?"
Shikishima gave Tachibana a follow-up blow to the upset Tachibana.
"Your war isn't over either..."
Inside the hangar, Shikishima and Noda, whose eyelids are swollen, continue to wait for Tachibana to arrive.
"However, considering that you fell, the swelling was quite large."
"It's embarrassing. I was pretty drunk. I don't remember much."
"Well, since we found Mr. Tachibana who was so particular about it, it's no wonder he's so excited about it."
At that moment, I heard a voice and Tachibana came into the hangar with two of his assistants, former maintenance soldiers.
"A canard wing aircraft... I heard rumors about it, but it seems to have been completed."
Noda and Shikishima ran up to Tachibana.
"Tachibana-san! Thank you for coming."
"Are you Tachibana-san?"
"Yes, is this the phantom local fighter 'Shinden'?"
"Can you repair this and make it fly?"
Tachibana and his assistants were briefly touching Shinden's body, but when he turned around, he said emphatically:
"I'll do everything I can."
"Thank you. No, that's good."
Beside Noda's joy, Tachibana and Shikishima, who are sharing a plan that no one should know about, exchange complicated glances. At that time, materials for Operation Kaijin were being steadily brought in at Zushi Naval Port.
At the rear of the Yukikaze, which had undergone emergency modifications, equipment consisting of Toyo Balloon's fluorocarbon gas cylinders, forced levitation balloons, and 46-centimeter artillery shells was neatly lined up.
Behind it was a large crane used for ship crossings, and in front of it was a gigantic roll of wire wrapped in many layers.
All around the military port, officials could be seen shouting to each other, saying things like "We'll complete the equipment today and tomorrow" and "We will never know when Godzilla will show up."
Noda's expression was somewhat gloomy as he watched this. When Akitsu arrived, he spoke to Noda with concern.
"What's wrong? If the planner looks like that, it will affect morale."
"I had already planned it, but I feel like it would be a miracle for that strategy to succeed."
Akitsu had no choice but to agree with that. But...
"That being said, if you don't do anything, that miracle won't happen."
"I agree"
"And look at their faces."