It was established that the defence capabilities of the armed faction base were much stronger than expected. The SDAC unit decided to launch an operation to retrieve the Flag on the night of the new moon. Preparation of the HAVWC mecha, the key element of the operation, became a race against time, and Saeko spent all night covering the activities of the unit. Meanwhile on the same night, as reporter Akagi was pursuing a young girl, a reincarnate of the goddess Kuhura.

Ichiyanagi stormed into the armed faction's stronghold to retrieve the flag. As the team were following the IC tag signal, something unexpected was waiting for them. They discovered the conspiracy to hinder the ceasefire. Facing return attack from the enemy and with nowhere to retreat, he attempted to break through.

Shirasu spends a day and a night with the indigenous nomads. She assists their medical doctor, who was trained in both native and western medicine, with house visits and learns about the way of life of those people. Olowokandi is interrogated. The flow of news from the UNF to journalists comes to a grinding halt. Highly increased reconnaissance flight activity hints at a brewing political and military storm.

Investigators from UN HQ are sent to SDC, blocking their activity. In the background of a picture of the temple's leader, the flag is spotted. Eversalt, backed by the complete SDC team, decides to ignore orders and launch a fact finding mission into the temple. Ichiyanagi is freed from investigative detention so he can pilot a smaller mecha model he was involved in developing. One member of the investigators, only named Chief, backs the operation by delaying information sent to HQ. Shirasu is instructed by Eversalt to document the operation, for a possible future court martial trial. SDC intrudes the temple and finds the flag, but fails to capture it. Meanwhile, the temple's masked soldiers supported by improvised tanks and a mecha of unknown origin capture UNF's headquarters in a surprise attack and hold staff hostage.

SDC decides to launch a counter attack to take UNF HQ back using their two HAVWC mechas. The operation succeeds because in the last minute massive reinformcent by regular UNF troops arrives. Akagi and Shirasu have eye contact for the first time since she was deployed as an embedded journalist with SDC. Akagi films her in a helicopter labeled with the SDC logo.

The temple leader, in front of the flag, calls for violence and nation-wide the insurgency flares up. SDC embarks on the mission to finally capture the flag. The two HAVWC mechas successfully infiltrate the temple by force, but it's masked soldiers manage to escape with the flag seconds before capture. A fierce battle between SDC and temple forces supprted by helicopters and their mecha takes place. Eventually SDC prevails, with Shirasu capturing the moment one of the mechas can get it's hand on the flag in another iconic photo. Akagi films that scene. Shirasu is arrested by UNF troops on the battlefield.

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