86 EIGHTY-SIX (８６―エイティシックス―)

Handler One to Undertaker.

Multiple enemy interceptor groups at points 30 and 50.

Battalion-sized units of Löwes and Grauwolfs.

All Juggernauts, advance immediately and take them out.

Got to say though, with that many of them,

I don't think any of you are coming back alive.

[mechanical thudding and whirring]

So go! Hurry!

Hurry! Move!

You pigs!

Fight until your bodies break!

Eighty-Six scum!

What the hell is this?!

Stop it! Stop!

Kill it!

As anyone outside today can see, it's another beautiful day

in all 85 districts throughout the country.

Why not enjoy the sunshine with your friends and family.

The clear skies might not completely hold through tomorrow,

but you can keep those umbrellas at home.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

And now, for today's war update from the San Magnolia Military HQ.

The invasion of the Giadian Empire's mechanized infantry

...drones, also known as Legion,

attacked in Combat District 17 and has been repelled...

...by our nation's unmanned combat units,

the great and powerful Juggernauts.

And this blow delivered to their forces came at minimal cost.

Thanks to our advanced, ethically responsible drone units,

our nation has suffered zero human fatalities.

The day is near when our righteous and just nation...

...will finally smash the last remnants of the wicked Empire.

Glory to San Magnolia and the five-colored flag!

REPUBLIC OF SAN MAGNOLIA MILITARY HQ

Oh, Major... good morning!

They were really crying their heads off yesterday.

Goddamn pigs.

That fight was insane. I bet I lost five of the things.

Lucky for us that no people were on board.

Watch out, guys.

The doll-loving princess is giving us the evil eye.

Come on, Major Milizé. Why the long face?

You shouldn't cry over a few busted-up drones.

-Listen here-- -Good morning.

Good morning, Annette.

You're up early today. You usually sleep in.

Work had me up all night.

Unlike those morons, I do my job.

Just forget about those jerks.

This isn't the battlefield. We're inside the Gran Mur.

And the enemy will be gone in two years.

If anything, you're the weirdo

for taking all this military stuff so seriously.

I simply think this country's conscience has--

-I'm sure you do, Miss Mysterious.

But I'm not awake enough to listen to another one

of your speeches.

What's his problem?

He's just a Processor.

A glorified gun.

Yeah, screw him.

Since when do District One men like us have to listen...

...to the bitching of the pigs in District Eighty-Six?!

Why do you care so much about the drones and how

they're treated, Lena?

We both know that they aren't drones.

Let me try that again then.

Why is it you care so much about the Eighty-Six?

The battlefield is calling, milady.

Confirming ID.

Major Vladilena Milizé.

Eastern Theater Forces, Combat District nine,

Defense Line three Command and Control Officer.

[screens activate, computer whirring]

Para-RAID, activate.

Synchronization target:

Pleiades... Processor.

Synchronization complete.

Handler One to Pleiades.

I'm glad to be working with you today.

Pleiades to Handler One.

Sync channel clear.

Make sure you're ready.

The enemy's about to enter firing range.

So take care not to get--

The Eighty-Six aren't human, right?

So why are you always so kind to us?

It's very sweet, Miss Human.

You want to assign me to a new unit,

General Karlstahl?

Mm.

One of the unit's Handlers is retiring from his post.

Therefore, a capable replacement is needed...

immediately.

If they can't leave their post until a successor is decided,

does that mean the unit's defending a key base?

Yes. Defense Line one in Eastern Combat District.

1ST UTV SQUADRON "SPEARHEAD" AKA the Spearhead Squadron.

It's made up of veterans from all across

the Eastern Theater.

They're nothing short of an ace unit.

Incredible.

But I only just made Major.

I'm not sure I could handle a unit like this.

You say that as though you're not the youngest person ever...

...to achieve the rank of Major.

Being overly humble can turn people against you, Lena.

That's good advice. Sorry, Uncle Jérôme.

I'm sure that Václav would be so proud...

...if only he could see his daughter now.

How's Margareta?

Mother's the same as ever.

She won't stop telling me to get married.

That sounds like her.

Back to business.

We can't find a single Handler to take this post.

They're an ace unit, right?

Then shouldn't it be a high honor for any Republic soldier

to take command of such capable troops?

Mm.

On paper, yes.

One would think so.

But take a look at the commander's call sign.

Undertaker.

There's a story behind that Processor's name.

A story?

They've taken to calling it the Reaper.

It destroys any Handler who tries to take control of it.

Huh?

The Processor destroys the Handler, not the other way around?

Correct.

And that's not just an urban legend?

I don't have time in my schedule to share urban

legends with my subordinates.

Almost every Handler who's dealt with a unit with Undertaker in it...

...has retired or requested to change units.

Some have even committed suicide.

I know it's hard to believe,

but they claim to be haunted by the voices of the dead.

The dead?

You're more than welcome to turn this down, really.

You work too hard anyway.

A handler's job is to monitor the unit,

keep their commands to a minimum.

I'll do it!

I'll be Spearhead's next command and control officer.

And I'll give it my all.

You don't need to be doing anything more than your job.

For that matter, I wish you'd stop trying to interact

with the Processors.

It's a commander's job to know her men.

Oh, I swear.

And one more thing.

You are to stop including the number of fatalities

in your reports.

Officially, there are no humans on the battlefield,

which means that there are no fatalities.

That doesn't mean we should ignore them.

These things we're doing, they're completely immoral!

-Lena. -

You really are just like your father, you know that?

Henceforth, Major Vladilena Milizé,

you're the designated handler for Combat District one,

handling Defense Line one.

Make sure to get the paperwork done.

And best of luck.

I will give it my all until my last mission.

And... you accepted?

REPUBLIC OF SAN MAGNOLIA MILITARY RESEARCH WING

Do you even realize how weird you are?

Come on, it's an honor to be put in charge of an ace unit.

It's an important job. And that stuff about destroying handlers?

That's got to be made up, right?

I bet they didn't care about their jobs...

...and just wanted a reason to leave.

Some of them did commit suicide, though.