"Hmph! Seriously, I am never comforting you again!"
March 7th crossed her arms, turning her head away with a pout, refusing to look at the beaming, flushed face of Stelle.
"Ah! I'm filled with March Energy! I'm revived!" Stelle proclaimed, her words sounding utterly degenerate and causing the nearby Punklorde workers, still busy building defenses, to shoot her frequent sideways glances.
"You idiot! Don't just say shameful things like that out loud!"
March decisively clamped a hand over Stelle's mouth, looking at her friend's intoxicated expression with a sense of utter helplessness.
Sigh... if only Wende were here... At least Stelle wouldn't be going crazy on me!
"Hehehe..."
Gently moving March's hand away, Stelle scratched her head with a silly grin.
"So those two are the legendary [Nameless]? They don't look like much. Just a couple of little girls. They shouldn't be on a battlefield."
"Yeah... it'd be better if the Corporation just sent more people. What help can they possibly be?"
"Sigh... if only a Legend were here now, Punklorde wouldn't have fallen into such a state," a veteran soldier lamented. He had once witnessed the spectacular might of those genius Legends... It was just a pity... times had changed... Those Legends of the past were either gone or had left...
"ROOOOAR!!!!"
"Alright, cut the damn complaining! Get your weapons ready, those monsters are coming again!"
"Eh, what's the rush? Didn't the boss say we're in a lull period? Even if those monsters come, how many can there be?" a rookie soldier said nonchalantly. He then peeked his head over the barricade to take a look, and froze on the spot.
"What the... hell?"
A dense, black tide of monsters was surging toward their defensive line at incredible speed. Among them were massive creatures that looked like monstrous fusions of flesh and machine.
"Zzzzt... AHHH!! My head!"
BANG!! Thud...
A headless corpse slowly collapsed to the ground, its red and white matter splattering across the rookie's face.
"Ah... ah... AAAAAAAAH!!!"
"Dammit! Shut your damn mouth! Hackers! Turn on the signal jammers! Everyone, to battle stations!"
An experienced veteran decisively kicked the screaming rookie, then picked up his own weapon and began to pour firepower into the endless tide of monsters.
"Whoa! There are so many of them! Wh-what do we do!?"
March looked at the menacing tide, nervously tugging at Stelle's sleeve.
"March, prepare for battle."
Dan Heng, having appeared out of nowhere, stood beside March with Cloud-Piercer in hand.
"Eek! Why are you suddenly appearing and disappearing like a ghost! That's really scary, you know."
March looked startled, patting her chest with a dissatisfied look at Dan Heng.
"Mm..."
Dan Heng looked at March with a helpless expression. Was this just March's unflappable nature? To be so optimistic in a situation like this... she was probably the only one.
"The tip of the spear is ignited!"
Her lance materialized in her hands. With a nimble leap, Stelle's agile figure cleared the New District's defensive line. Then, like a fiery meteor, she plunged into the heart of the monster tide.
"Shit! That little girl has a death wish! Give her covering fire! If she dies, the Corporation will have all our heads!"
The veteran who was still directing the counterattack watched, his eyes nearly popping out of his skull, as Stelle charged headfirst into the horde. Remembering her status as Corporation-backed aid, he quickly ordered his men to clear a path for her.
Then, the veteran's jaw dropped. He stared in disbelief as Stelle, like a goddess of slaughter, unleashed a one-woman assault in the middle of the monster tide.
"FLAME LANCE... CHARGE!!!"
"BOOOOM!!!!"
A dazzling burst of fire erupted from within the horde, accompanied by Stelle's war cry. A scorching red path was instantly carved through the previously impenetrable tide of monsters.
"BOOM!!!"
Another explosion roared. Dan Heng, who had been standing on the barricade just a moment ago, suddenly appeared on the other side. Wherever the tip of Cloud-Piercer went, only empty ground remained!
"Hiss... Captain, should we still..."
A young man next to the veteran stared blankly at the two gods of war wreaking havoc among the monsters... Were they... even from the same dimension as them?
"Forget it! Give them support!" the veteran decisively ordered, raising his own laser rifle and firing at the monsters charging the line.
"Look out!"
A rocket suddenly shot out from the monster horde, flying straight toward their position, aimed precisely at a spot not covered by the energy shield.
Biu!
A police officer, who had already closed his eyes and braced for death, touched his body in disbelief... He was fine?
"This... this is..."
Touching the solid ice shield in front of him, the officer stared in horror at March 7th in the distance...
"Let me show you what I can do!"
March drew her bowstring to its limit, aiming at the monsters below that were about to crash into their line.
"BOOOOM!!!"
An avalanche-like bombardment mixed with a blizzard descended. When they looked again, the area beyond the defensive line had been transformed into a land of ice and snow, with countless monsters that had been baring their fangs just moments ago now completely frozen solid.
Gulp...
The veteran who had been complaining about them being useless just a minute ago couldn't help but swallow hard.
"Uh..."
---o---
Ding ding ding...
Dan Heng and Stelle, who were still tearing through the monster horde, suddenly received a message from Himeko. They both put away their weapons and ran back toward the defensive line.
"Eh? Why are you guys... Oh! I get it!"
Seeing them running back, March clapped her hands in understanding. Then, a look of joyful surprise on her face, she looked behind her.
A fiery red figure was walking toward them with graceful elegance.
"Miss Himeko! Are you done with your talk?" March asked, then glanced at the grim-faced commander behind Himeko and unconsciously shrank back a little, whispering to her.
"Mm, not quite. The commander still requires a small demonstration of proof."
A faint smile played on Himeko's lips as she looked at the returning Stelle and Dan Heng, shaking her head slightly.
"Well then, Commander, allow me to introduce..."
She slowly walked to the edge of the defensive line, gazing at the monsters that were once again coalescing into a torrent. She turned back to the commander with a light smile.
VMMMM...
High above Punklorde's atmosphere, an orbital cannon had finished charging.
"...if the Astral Express has..."
"BOOOOOOM!!!!"
A pillar of light descended from the heavens. In the next instant, an endless sea of fire completely engulfed the monsters...
"...the power to save Punklorde."
A confident smile graced Himeko's lips, her fiery red hair fluttering in the strong wind...