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Chapter 61: Assault Gate
🕑 Added 2024-09-27 08:25:33 +0000 UTC"Guh... I'm sleepy," Shining Arrow complained to her teammate. Three days had passed since they were tasked with guarding the perimeter of Agneya and the drill core. A higher-level Guardian had installed makeshift barricades here and there, creating a maze-like layout. The idea was to prevent the vanguard from being surrounded. However, some Anathema chose to climb over the barricades instead of navigating through them, leaving Shining and the other ranged Magical Girls responsible for picking them off.
Bang
Shining Arrow yawned as she shot another cockroach-like Anathema in the face. She was now using the Hecate sniper rifle Black Lily had left her. After some deliberation, she decided to unlock the rare gun vault to access the special bullets for the rifle. The contrast between her pink dress and the black sniper rifle was striking. Unlike Yuri, Shining could easily hit Anathema a kilometer away thanks to her snipe skill. Even though the gun was made for Black Lily, she used it better than she was due to her skills.
"Are you switching to guns now?" Magitech Ranger asked. He used Earth-made sniper rifles like the M40A3. Unlike Yuri, who simply chose the most expensive weapons, Magitech Ranger knew the real difference was in the ammunition. As a gun enthusiast, fantasy weapons like the Hecate that Lily used didn't impress him.
"Dunno," Shining replied.
"Oh. Are you still using the standard Silverbane bullets? You should try explosive rounds or a full metal jacket. Normal silverbane won't do much damage to these things."
"I bought them already. Spent 1,100 points on ammo," Shining grumbled as they both shot down another Anathema. These last few days have been exhausting but rewarding. She had amassed over two thousand points, minus the cost of ammunition, from the Anathema she'd taken out.
"Well, guns pack more firepower than magic bows, but they use up ammo. Still, it's worth it. Plus, they have a longer range."
"Yeah, you're right," Shining said again.
"You should get some sleep. You look like you could collapse at any moment. We're only halfway there," Ranger said.
"Maybe I will…" Shining stood up from her watchtower as Ranger took her place. She made her way to the makeshift tents prepared by the soldiers. With over 1,000 Magical Girls here, private tents were a luxury they couldn't afford. Still, she had it better than the common troopers, who were sleeping on the ground, so she couldn't complain.
She wanted to sleep, but she couldn't. Her mind kept wandering to the horror Yuri must have endured, alone in this wasteland. Monsters lurking in every corner, day and night with no one to talk to. The suffocating air, the loneliness, and the heavy atmosphere pressing down on her heart.
"Yuri..." Shining muttered softly.
"Don't worry, Alice. Magical Girl Black Lily is alive. The SOS said so," Wan-chan assured her.
"Wan-nyan, Lily was all alone in a dark, gloomy place like this, with Anathema lurking in every corner. She must have been terrified. She was a Shirayuki Princess, you know. If a normal girl like me finds it hard, it must have been even worse for her."
"But she chose to stay behind. It's not your fault."
"She left because we forced her to ditch that equipment."
"Human life is more important. Guardian Command would support her if her family confronts her."
"It's not about recompensation. It's about duty and responsibility. She must feel guilty, despairing and sad in the deep, dark world of the Darklands. She reached out to us, and yet we must wait over a week before we can even begin? Magical Girls are supposed to be important assets to humanity, right? How can we not save her?"
"Under normal circumstances, we'd dispatch a rescue team immediately, like we did in New Mesa. But right now, things are extraordinary. The Anathema gate takes precedence."
"It was her skill that found the gate, wasn't it?"
"Yes, she has made an enormous contribution to humanity. If she survives, her efforts won't go unrecognized. In fact, she's been on Zenith's radar ever since. To prove it, the UNH and Zenith have agreed to her request and will revoke the exile verdict of the criminals she found in the wasteland."
"Saving humans is a must! Even if they were criminals! Criminals should go to jail and atone for their sins, not be thrown into the Darklands to die!"
"Well, it wouldn't sit right with the families of those killed by these criminals if we just let them roam free. Prison laws in Eden only allow criminals to be held for a maximum of five years. We don't have much space in Eden."
"I know. I've studied, too," Shining Arrow pouted. But what she believed contradicts what was logical.
"I know you're worried about Lily. But if you can't sleep, you might make a fatal mistake. To help you rest, how about using me as a hug pillow?"
"Thank you. Yuri, please, stay safe. I promise, once we're done with this gate, we'll come to save you right away." Shining Arrow ended her telepathic communication and hugged Wan-chan as she prayed for Yuri's safety. Still, her eyes remained open until five hours later, when an operator asked her to take up another watchtower post.
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Meanwhile
"Tower of Yuri!!!" I yelled. My clones and I bought a giant plushie and dived into it. Since we only bought one, the other clones opted to hug me from behind, stacking ourselves like piles of boxes. The message had been sent, and the reply was to wait here for a week or two. That was easy—killing random Anathema in the nearby city would give us more than enough to feed everyone.
With drones, I could sense any nearby Anathema nests. Using that information, we could find a safe spot where the Anathema were at most level fifteen. Moreover, with my mana eyes, I could ask Felicia to keep watch all day. There wouldn't be any ambushes in my portable homes or among the refugees.
I even bought four more houses to shelter all the refugees. The stay in my boxable home was like staying in a hotel without the need to keep up appearances. I could roll around in bed all day or play with my clones! The refugees were also happy with the meat and food I brought them every day. Smiles had started to return to their faces.
I hoped the others would take their time. It would be a shame if they rushed here and risked casualties among the Magical Girls and Guardians while I was living comfortably. I had already confirmed with Felicia that our message didn't convey any sense of urgency. I just hoped I hadn't worried Alice too much. She's a pink after all, and they tend to be reckless when tasked with saving lives.
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"We found a cave! We'll send our familiars in," Guardian Stonewall reported through the speaker on the surface, where General Armstrong was stationed. Pink Heart and Stonewall had been manning the drill core non-stop, rotating with 15 other B-ranked Guardians.
The news of finding a cave came much sooner than General Armstrong had expected, but it was a welcome surprise. Walking is faster than drilling. As the tunnel expanded, Armstrong grew concerned that the Anathema might try to collapse it. If that happened, the team would be trapped and forced to drill their way back up, wasting precious time. Worse, it would be dangerous. That's why S-ranked Guardians like Pink Heart and Stonewall were manning the drills.
However, this only fueled Armstrong's worries. This was a new Anathema gate, unprecedented in human history. Who knew what monsters might emerge? There could be Anathema stronger than even Stonewall or Pink Heart lurking in that hellhole.
"Anathema incoming! Our familiar is dead," another report came through shortly after.
"What rank is it?"
"About C rank."
"Should we continue drilling or follow the cave?"
"Let's do both. You continue drilling, and I'll send a team of A-rank Guardians to explore the cave," Armstrong replied. "Hm… wait. Issen might be perfect for this. Issen?"
"Count me in! Come on, guys! We're going dungeon exploring!" Issen, who had been guarding the perimeter, jumped in immediately. "Waifu F22 can guard the perimeter while she rests or waits for her rotation with Stonewall!"
"Yes, Pink Heart can rest. If we encounter an Anathema the team can't handle, we'll wake her. Does that work for you, Pink Heart?"
"Yes. I'll leave my familiar, Pinky, behind. Tell her if anything happens, and she'll wake me," Pink Heart nodded. She didn't appear tired, but her caffeine intake had doubled this morning. Moreover, Magical Girls and Guardians had mana cycle limits—they couldn't use magic indefinitely without rest. Armstrong knew this but wasn't aware of each Guardian's exact limit, so he relied on everyone to manage their mana without overtaxing themselves.
"Bingo!" Issen muttered a day later. "Oi, old man, we found the gate!"
As the report came in, the mountain seemed to roar, dread spreading through the air. Pink Heart immediately woke up and flew high, announcing that the Behemoth had returned.
"Issen, get back here at once. The Behemoth has arrived. Stonewall, collapse the drill core and bring it to the surface. We need everyone to deal with the Behemoth first!" Pink Heart commanded. General Armstrong repeated the order. He was the commander, but he didn't let rank get in the way. He trusted Pink Heart's judgment. Even though she was strong enough to potentially take on the Behemoth alone, it was better to be safe than sorry.
"What? I'm on my way! Don't you dare defeat it before I get there! Hey, Armstrong! Here's the coordinate! Make sure the drill core follows this path!" Issen shouted through the speaker. Within a minute, he leaped out of the drill hole.
"The hole must be at least a kilometer deep, but he cleared it in just a minute. As expected of S-class," Armstrong muttered.
"Well, it depends on their dexterity stats and skills," Armstrong's retired MG advisor replied with a wry smile. The Behemoth was still over ten kilometers away, but its towering figure was already visible. Serrated teeth, cannon barrels protruding from its mouth, a massive cannon mounted on its back, and a spiked tail. Armstrong stared in awe. The embodiment of destruction had arrived. As the Behemoth drew closer, the earth shook, jolting Armstrong out of his stupor.
"All B-ranked... no, all Guardians except Stonewall, Pink Heart, and Issen, retreat to Agneya! Shish, Haneya, get to the command room! Everyone, retreat to Agneya now! Leave all non-essential items behind!" I shouted the order. I considered leaving the B and A-ranked Guardians to fight, but we couldn't afford to lose more Guardians after the disastrous defeats at New Lake and New Hill.
"Energy wave detected! The Behemoth is preparing to fire its cannon at Agneya," Haneya shouted.
"We must depart now! Raise the shield to overload mode! Pink Heart, disrupt it!"
"I'll use my signature move to block it!"
"Don't! We need it to finish the Behemoth off. I'll block the cannon!" Stonewall interjected.
"Stonewall, that blast could decimate the emergency barrier! Your mecha can't handle it."
"I know! But if we do nothing, we'll lose Agneya."
"More energy signatures detected! Another aberrant-class entity is teleporting in!" Shish reported.
The sky darkened as Agneya and Pink Heart floated. It wasn't just one—two more aberrants appeared beside the tyrant Behemoth. One resembled a fallen angel, its dark wings spread wide as its black armor gleamed ominously. It wielded a black sword and shield that matched its armor. The other was a monstrous beast, unlike the Behemoth. It was shaped like a ball of flesh, floating, with heads sprouting from its body. Its black eyes stared at Agneya with pure hatred, driven by an insatiable desire to devour. All of its heads opened their mouths, revealing shark-like serrated teeth. Then, the body itself split open, revealing thousands more teeth. The beast roared, declaring that all who stood against it would be consumed.
Despair loomed as six more aberrants teleported to their location—two more Behemoths, two knights, and two beasts. They roared in unison, mocking our pitiful attempt to destroy the gate.
Are we late? Is the gate fully functional?
