As soon as they finished cocking their guns, and everyone tried to take cover as they realize they just crossed the point of no return. Within seconds, the streets lit up as if they were thrown firecrackers at, lighting up as the mixed rain of normal and laser bullets exchanged between each other. Lass, having his sword on his lap remained totally still behind the car, having Lora periodically finding an opening to alternate between opening fire and getting cover.
"Hey, are you planning on doing something?!" Lora yelled at Lass.
"These sounds..." he cowered in fear.
"Like you haven't heard them before, you're in Insinia! Take this if you can't deal up close and do something!" she handed him a rifle.
"The fire and those around me..." he squeezed the gun, "The silver cars they're taking cover at...we will die."
"Wake. Up!" Lora yelled one last time.
Lass got up and moved out of cover, "I will lead."
The opposing side stopped firing momentarily, watching Lass coming out of cover slowly, before continuing their barrage again. With his enhanced strength, Lass pulled the hanging, broken door of a nearby car clean off, using it as a shield. He waited patiently, until he felt the ease of the raging hail of bullets, realizing that they were reloading and choosing to strike. He used the same trick Yuno had taught him and bashed his makeshift shield to the right, opening himself wide open as he shoved the incoming bullets aside. Keeping his momentum, he precisely directed his power through his massive sword, landing a clean and devastating hit on a row of 3 tanks, destroying them completely, before he reverted to his original defending stance and holding his position.
Lora briefly paused, "So that's an Obsulyte user in action...god."
He turned to a nearby rebel, "Spread out and take cover, make way for the arrival of the float and focus all your fire on all their cannons and use anti-tank ammunition and explosives."
The rebel looked right at him, "Whatever the hell do you think you are, I ain't listening to any of the lies you've got to say! Obsulyte users caused all this, and you're no different."
"I will not tolerate this again," Lass whispered.
Lass then seethed his sword, walking up to the rebel. Freezing in fear as he saw the definition of a monster approaching, the rebel stood there as he lowered his rifle in Lass's presence. Lass then swiped his right hand against the rebel's left cheek, his knuckles directly colliding with him as a cracking sound was briefly heard. The rebel dropped on the ground, unconscious from the force of the blow. Lass proceeded to pick up his rifle, before directing some nearby frightened rebels to take the fainted one back, going back to his original position and grabbing onto the car door, pushing forward. Lora was stunned at the sight of what he had done, but quickly resumed in action, having no time to dwell on things as she approached Lass, taking cover at the side.
"They refuse to listen, I won't hesitate to take them down. If they don't listen...they'll die. Everyone will die." Lass said at Lora to his side, speaking in a sort of melancholic tone.
"Could've told him that without breaking his jaw. He will have quite the story to say afterwards, of course now being eternally spiteful to Obsulyte users. Think of other options next time, got it?" she angrily told him.
"Got it.", he nodded as he resumed in action.
Lora was surprised at the lack of response from him, "That all?"
"Want me to kiss his feet when he stood there, about to take a bullet just to spout out his hatred for something I didn't choose to be born with? Piss off, both of you if you want, but so long as I stand, I won't let anyone die! Advance!" he ignored her and moved forward.
"Both sides are wrong..." she whispered as she followed him from the sides.
The others, now fully following Lass's every command split to the left and the right, following alongside him as he took the primary focus. Unfortunately, due to the lack of proper training, the non-professionals and everyday protestors followed behind Lass at the center directly, him struggling to take the hits and focus of the hellfire in front of him. Luckily, with smart acting from Gaz's taught rebels, they managed to slowly accumulate the mass behind Lass to the right and left sides, not before having to withdraw a great many who were accidentally not following his plans. With struggle and effort, he managed to take in most of the hits to avoid death, going so far as to see heavy injuries inflicted on others, before Lass himself intervened by using both the car door and his own enhanced Obsulyte body as a shield. However, not even he was invincible, as the soldiers on the enemy side clearly realized that he was not normal way before, now swapping the rounds they were just supplied with to anti-Obsulyte user ones and causing actual harm at Lass, who struggled to keep up as they pushed them back more and more.
He took a bullet in his thigh, "Ho! Oh, shit...ahgk!" he briefly began to kneel, "D-Damn...Ana was right about this one. Son of a bitch, this hurts."
"Go back already, you did more than enough, we have multiple machinery destructions and are pushing them back, we can keep up Lass!", Lora yelled.
"Back how? I'm dead center in front of a goddamn army, I turn my back or back down now, I'm finished. Damn!" he pressed the rifle against his thigh, "I ain't dying before I choose to. And where is the god-forsaken float-"
Before he continued his rant, from the right side's alleyway, a bright light flashed as loud roaring was heard. Barely tipping over as they took an aggressive turn, the float finally made its debut, wheels screeching as a horrified Terna held on with a group of rebels for dear life. Ikrasia had instead sat in the back, struggling to keep her balance as there was nowhere to hold on to, tip towing along where the float tilted and barely staying standing.
"Woa-woa-woa! I am all for excitement, but Anya, please!" Terna begged through her security earpiece.
"What, we needed to get there fast, I'm just doing my part!" Anya kept driving like and absolute lunatic, replying through her own earpiece, "Hey, you, if you're gonna throw up, don't and swallow it! We have work to do, for everyone's sake!" she yelled at one of the crew members.
"We're all going to die! Goddess, guide us to the pearly gates!" the entire crew begged.
"Oumph!" Ikarisa fell, "Anya!"
Lass gazed in horror as a massive, 20-meter-tall and 15-meter-wide float approached him at lighting speeds from the right, backing away from the alleyway to avoid an imminent collision. To more of his horror, a massive new machine resembling that of a tank with a large ion cannon approached him from the front, aiming directly at him, signaling his imminent end.
"Holy shit." he gazed in horror.
"Lass, take cover! It's one of those war machines Gaz told us to watch out for! It's a Breaker Siege meant to destroy everything in its quake right at the front!" Lora yelled.
"Wait, did you just say 'siege'?"
"Yes, I did! Now take cover!"
"Oh. Ok." Lass forgot all his worries, "Let me just go back here..." he limbed a bit back.
Lora looked at him with a straight face, "Wow, like every kid these days." she started yelling, "Off yourself when we're done!"
"Time to say goodbye Obsulyte user!" the soldier on top of the Breaker Siege said.
Lass kept going and guiding everyone further and further back, getting a good 50 meters distance away from him and the cannon, one single piece of technology canceling all their forward advancement in seconds where they took minutes to do so. Meanwhile, Lass was still standing in the middle, nonchalantly limping back from his hurt thigh, having all form of fear stripped away from his face. He then suddenly told everyone to stop as they held their positions, looking right at the giant killing machine approaching. Lora started forgetting about her own stoicism due to her profession, now fully angered at Lass.
"Lass, I swear to god! Get down!"
"Hey, you know what the funny thing is? Siege weapons are 100% effective in the new generation of ion cannons and laser weapons. That only holds true for a max of 30 meters before their accuracy goes to shit with each centimeter afterwards. And another funny thing, three, two, one and...." Lass waited with nothing happening.
Tired of hunting down Lass until they were in the effective range, the soldiers driving the slow-moving machine let out its pistons, locking it in place. The cannon was then preparing to fire, despite the risk of missing, causing everyone on the side of the rebels to start retreating rapidly, like the waves before the tsunami hits. Lass still firmly held his position as he waited, less calmly than before as he gazed right at the end where the energy started to gather.
Lass sweat a little bit out of his anxiety, "One, two...three?" he counted again.
"Have you lost your goddamn mind?!" Lora ran back, "Obsulyte actually drives you insane!"
"Come on with the timing!" Lass got scared at last, "One-two-three-one-two-three!", he counted rapidly as he looked at the canon ready to fire, "Oh shit-"
The canon then depleted all of the energy it had gathered instantly, signaling the charging time to be over. Before it fired, however, finally somewhat lining up his horrid and horribly mistaken calculations with his rapid countdowns the float that was heading right for him in the right alleyway finally made its appearance, smacking the heavy machine right off its pinned position as it provided much, much greater knockback with all its weight and momentum than the firing recoil. As it crashed into the nearby skyscraper, it fired upwards at an angle first, its beam reaching the sky, before it's broken gyroscopic system let the canon drop down from gravity pulling its weight, the beam that was suspected to be a total miss despite the fear induced, turning into a probable hit as it sliced a good area beside the left side of Lass. Knowing full well of what the weapon was about, he quickly turned and blocked his left, anticipating a hit, before the energy beam faded away and all the areas that made direct contact spontaneously combusted, causing further soft wounds on his body, the makeshift car door shield being completely destroyed in the process of partially protecting him one last time. The soldiers who piloted the machine were then promptly beaten down by a group of fast-acting rebels that dropped from the side of the float, as Anya turned it to face towards the town hall from the spacious six-lane street.
"Hey, billy badass! Next time you think of doing any sort of wacky shit like this, take a physics class first because you missed how fast this train was going!", Lora angrily said.
"I won't even lie...my bad. But plan worked out. With or without the cannon, I promised you, Lora, I won't let anyone die."
"Anyone but yourself?"
"I will die first, in front of everyone who chooses to use my back as their shield, before anyone behind my back dies." Lass said with a determined look in his face, getting back to being serious and assertive, "Get everyone back, the real push starts now."
Lora simply gazed at Lass, who promptly recovered and started to head back to the front lines, rifle at hand and flames rising from his left. Being quickly joined by others, although now with a smaller force due to fear taking over those everyday people who chose to retreat, she walked back behind him towards the float. In a totally different atmosphere on top of the float, Ikarisa was struck with her head inside a makeshift bag, as she tried in failure to keep every meal she consumed that day burning into calories inside her.
"How come you're not...messed up?" Ikarisa struggled as she looked at Terna.
"Stress management classes for all idols. Helped me get through my stage fright I had since I was little too. Granted...I do feel a little bit dizzy." Terna softly coughed in her fist.
"I mean, I was just flying along over the surface, so I'm good as well. Got to find Lass again." Yuno shrugged it off.
"Hey, get up, we're here! The crew is also starting to get it together, we can be going any minute now!"
Lass approached the float, "Thanks for the god-awful driving. Who's behind the wheel?"
Terna threw him a spare earpiece, "Here."
Anya waited for him to put it on, "Yours truly."
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"Who else, I wonder. Now, we all head to the front, right?"
"Yes, I will start enhancing all of you as best as I can. But...there's a surprise about to happen." Terna happily said.
"I hate mid-battlefield surprises a lot. Just had one with a giant cannon." Lass went to the front.
"Well...this one is better!" Terna typed something on her phone, "Now, we're set! Look up!"
From the top of every skyscraper, restaurant and even apartment building, starting from the commercial zone all the way down as far as the eye could see, a sea of neon lights began to shine brightly. All the colors of the rainbow seemed to engulf the night sky, as they quickly realized that it was indeed people up on the rooftops, many holding their glow sticks, banners showing supportive messages towards the rebels, others offending against their tyrant. The roar of the crowds' excitement raged on, Terna smiling as much as she could stretch her lips, walking down the stage through the lights as if she was living in a dream. Ikarisa on the other hand, stood by silently, trying to hide her similar-looking outfit to Terna's and disappear from the lights. Taking the initiative, Terna walked up and turned on her microphone, greeting the crowd.
"Hello everyone, and welcome to Delpha's last stand!", she waited for the crowds cheer to subside, "In the city of technology, with the help of dear friends coming all the way from Reingard, I dedicate this show as a form of our own tradition to write history...a chapter which will never be forgotten! Thank you for heeding our call, rising against forces both inside and outside pressuring you to bow down to Neviro and his sickening agenda! Thank you for coming here tonight, to witness our resolve, to hear our cries of dysphoria and cheer us on as we go our way. As an ex-idol from the Musica firm, I, Terna Matune, promise to help regain our stability of everyday life, in the name of my father. And to that father, Gaz Matune, as well as our cause and all he fought for, I dedicate only one song. So without further ado, for that song to be heard and your spirits to revitalize-"
"Turning everything on!" Anya announced.
In sync with her words, the entire float lit up like a flashlight in the dark, the green screen playing a looping fond, the floor lighting up in white before it started to calmly change between a multitude of colors and the headlights shone down and up above. A sight to behold, as everyone held their breath, rebels surrounded the float with Lass still taking the front lines despite his injuries and preparing for the final push, raising and reloading all their guns.
"Live, START~★!" Terna yelled, exploding the hype of the audience.
The lights then shone brightly above, accompanied by cheering of everyone before the fireworks set off, making it loud and clear that the show was on. Once again, everything was deemed down, as low as they could, before a low tone of Terna's voice began to steadily brighten the lights up again. The float started moving slowly again, someone else shoving Anya away from the wheel, as the rebels took on their place in the benches installed, a large band of major proportions coming on stage and taking their place as well, the rebel numbers moving along the sides and front of the float. For the first few words, Ikarisa followed after Terna in the background.
"Caught in a disaster
Wings broken as the fires fester, deep
A thunderstorm approaching
To it we pray that the flames in cleanses
In silence someone's laugh
With it tearing each and every one of us apart"
The enemy side of soldiers and officials received their orders once again, regrouping and preparing open fire again. With the exact plan, she had in mind, every single rebel soldier bravely moved forward, beginning to take on bullets that seemingly flung off their skin as their stroke metal. Strong as ever, they pressed on, Terna drawing greater strength with Ikarisa simply being present at the scene and secreting her Obsulyte, Anya managing to turn on the shield systems with the power surge. To their relief, it worked perfectly down to the core, preventing any contact of energy or material-based projectiles from connecting. Now regrouped with Lass as well, Yuno began assisting in directing his Obsulyte power as well, further adding pressure to the front as he began aggressively moving and making moves again. The crowd cheered on as Terna directed the orchestra of instruments behind her to raise the hype before she was ready to raise her voice.
"Hollow breeze
No choice for what air to breathe
What a shame we have become
Heads down as soon as we were born"
Terna paused briefly, like their practice once again to allow Ikarisa to raise her voice alongside her. Despite what was expected of her, her voice did not crack as she was freely able to hide behind, quitting the original plan of singing beside Terna, but avoiding any sort of voice crack, making up for not showing on stage. They then both raised their voices once again, the orchestra following along as they raised the tone, further enchanting everyone from below. The rebels gained massive ground from both the enhanced strength and durability from Terna, smashing machinery and breaking barriers as the enemy side began to slowly get pushed back or even retreat. In perfect sync, they then raised their voices.
"We open our eyes to see the strings
Making a mockery out of our feelings
We see ourselves jump beyond the railings
We have nowhere to believe
Not allowed in this world to be free
We march with our eyes and spirits in gloom
Facing every minute of the day of doom
Darkness overtakes the sun as it looms
No one is allowed in this world to be brought
Without being left alone from battles fought
To arms, we take our destiny with us
To destroy those above who act as gods
In the abyss throw them and ascend ourselves to even the odds"
The crowd lost it as the music died back down, adding to the epic factor of an already inspiring song, the rebels now moving through the army with ease and capturing multiple high-value ammunitions and taking over the cannons and tanks themselves. The cheers kept going and going as they moved further down the road towards the town hall.
"Huh. Turns out this did work...again." Lass acknowledged, "But the risk factor still stands."
"Actually, the goddess didn't show up in the middle. As far as the crowd is concerned, they all see Terna and hear her voice echo." Yuno informed him.
"Really?"
"I tried to explain some things to her. She seemed pretty regretful for getting you mad like that."
"Just don't want her to be hurt...like this." Lass showed Yuno his leg.
"Big one..."
"No shit, big one. That's what I was afraid of for her."
Lora stepped in, "Come on Lass, stop talking to yourself! We got a war to finish...and this surge of power, it feels fantastic!" she charged forward faster than the average human could.
"Wow, it does a...number on her.", Lass looked as she performed a high jump into a perfect execution of acrobatics, taking down multiple soldiers.
"Weird...why don't you feel the same?" Yuno wondered.
"Good question, bad time to ask it. My powers are more than enough already as is...it would be plain stupid to say otherwise when it's a fact."
Before he could realize it, a massive group of soldiers seemed to turn their back towards Lass, further surprising them as they joined their side. Exactly after they had switched, they started voicing their dysphoria with the crowd, as they all specifically started attacking their higher-ups. Eventually, they too began to get empowered by Terna's singing, further showing just how well-trained her control over her abilities was. In a pinch, after the only words she remembered were said, Ikarisa gazed at Terna briefly, as the music took over her words after she raised her voice. Extending her hand, she thought over a million times about what she told her. To stand by her, read her lips and sing together was one thing that terrified her, the thought of leaving the shadows and exposing herself to the headlights. She took two steps forward, nearly coming to the light, legs shaking as she tried her best to contain herself. Just then, Terna turned around as the lights dimmed down again, spreading her hand and welcoming her to stand beside her. Ikarisa, briefly stunned by the gesture, hesitated before being encouraged by Terna again to move along. She too spread her hand about to take Terna's freezing time before her big moment of being revealed under the bright lights. However, her emotion of fear overtaking her, her hand was quickly pulled back, a soft and silent "sorry" being thrown towards Terna's direction, before she quickly went back, ridding herself of the outfit Terna had worn alongside her. Terna nodded as she looked at Ikarisa, saddened by the fact but acknowledging and understanding the meaning behind her move. Ikarisa, teary in the eyes from the shock she had before stepping out into the light dropped down, instead heading to the front with the rebels. It wasn't long before she came across Lass who was holding the line alone, moving forward as he was followed from behind, while also recruiting soldiers who decided to switch sides.
"Here!" she scraped her hand across Lass's leg, healing it.
Lass got surprised, "Hmm? Risa? I thought you were-"
"I-I...I'm sorry."
"No. Don't be. I hate to admit the obvious, but you got a three-for-three up until now. It's obvious that I hate it...fixing what ain't broken though, that's just stupid."
"It didn't take me long to see up there, however. Some things I just...I don't like it. Like being in the very middle of everything. It did hurt, every time I did it...you were right."
"Yuno told me. I'm just glad you finally got it through your skull. Makes me...happy, in a way."
Meanwhile, throughout the rain of bullets and the steady march during their conversation, Terna kept the spirits high, enhancing everyone even more as she kept singing the lines and syncing to the rhythm she created, the glow sticks on the rooftops shaking back and forth as if they were guiding a plane to land. Even the crowd started to take part, throwing everything from food to other small furniture right at the enemy side, booing them off.
"I see what you've become
A monster wishing to be undone
Sin beyond redemption
As we see nothing but condemnation
World taken for granted
Driven by itself to the end
For what to wait and see
All our mask does it let us flee
For whom do we
Call for a
Plea
We open our eyes to see the strings
Making a mockery out of our feelings
Laughing stock became the weaklings
We have nowhere to believe
Not allowed in this world to be free
As we let confusion set for who to be
We march with our eyes and spirits in gloom
Facing every minute of the day of doom
In our broken selves, we try for it to make room
No one is allowed in this world to be brought
Without being left alone from battles fought
History never did anyone taught
To arms we take our destiny with us
To destroy those above who act as gods
Correct mistakes with our own hands in a war of a just cause"
Even then, without Ikarisa, the rebels kept the battle going, pushing forward, now with Ikarisa alongside Lass taking on the front together.
Ikarisa nodded, "I had to make sacrifices long ago, even now, to make everyone happy. But when I heard and saw what happened here...I'll never make everyone happy. It's so stupid that I only realized that now."
"Are you talking about the Obsulyte user thing, versus the non-Obbsulyte users?"
"Partially...but also what Terna told me during our practice session. Even if I strife for more than a thousand years, which I have, I would never be able to make a world where I can successfully satisfy everyone. It...it hurts to acknowledge it. And I'd be lying if I didn't say that I'm not speaking because I fully understood that fact, but rather say what needs to be said instead. The stage, the lights, it only helped me realize that...some things, we're just not meant for. But the little that we are, I'll cherish with you. Because I never want your final thoughts of me to be the stupid, idiotic Risa that put herself in harm's way when she didn't understand the full picture."
"How long were you preparing those words, by the way? Because judging off the fact I'm holding the front against a hail of bullets and their construction, must've been a while. Plus, once they start using actual round-piercing bullets, it'll get a lot worse."
"Ever since Yuno told me what you were thinking down at the studio. Lass...like with Kaci, with someone like you or Anya, even Terna, I don't have a problem speaking out of heart. I am going against my own experiences when I do so, given how I did the same some time ago, only for it to be used against me. But when it does come to you, those experiences allow me to understand that it won't happen again the same way. All I ask is that, because I could quite never really understand how to come out with things like this, despite wanting to is...don't take something the wrong way, and point it out so I can maybe rephrase it in a better way. I really like all of you and saying something to cause a gap between us has become a nightmare for me.
"I got a hint of how much you lack on that part back at the hotel, don't worry. All I ask is that you girls stop being so on top of things all the time and listen to my side as well. I like Anya, now Terna who I'm sure will be sticking around after she found her childhood friend, but playing Yes Man with each other while leaving me out...that's honestly acting like ass. I can't be standing around all the time, just praying with my fingers crossed that I don't see you come back in a box from this. Something tells me that we will be sticking around for time to come, so better fix some things now. And I understand you on coming out like that. Maybe I'll do the same with you one day, when I actually know what to talk about instead of being gibberish about one subject."
Ikarisa laughed, "Thank you."
"Huh?"
"You were never going to say something like this, had you not had the intent to stick around with me.", she averted her eyes back to the enemy side, "Sorry for getting caught in the wind of things...so, how about that plan you had in mind? Front lines are dangerous."
"Not as dangerous as being the literal light in the middle of the night up there. Say, can you make sure everyone is safe?"
"Yes, what have you got in mind?"
"I have no idea why officials are still defending that Neviro guy, with his tyranny and their numbers switching sides, but I need to get into the town hall right now. So far, I have only severely injured soldiers on the enemy side, specifically avoiding direct hits thanks to Yuno controlling my powers. If this keeps going, I don't want anyone to die, especially when both sides are essentially not to blame for that guy's actions. They're not monsters I can just sweep away, and that bastard ordered they swap to live ammo...there were bodies on the streets before we arrived."
"The idea wasn't at all that, you know full well that we were planning for human decency, right?" Yuno echoed, "And I ain't even human."
"It only goes to show that if Neviro remains in power, more would die a meaningless death. What do you want me to do?"
"Take as many of them on as you can, alongside our side, not alone. Injure them to the point they have to withdraw, not die, and keep it advancing steadily. I'll break my way directly to the town hall and confront Neviro, with Yuno."
"Got it!" Ikarisa summoned a lance, "I'll fend them off with Terna's help."
Lass was briefly stunned, "You can do that? I thought it was just the fancy gloves."
"Hehe, I told you, do not underestimate me! I'm not a singer, not a warrior, but I will do whatever I can towards my goals. And since right now, my goal is to help you, I'll do as I must!"
"Right. Yuno, help me breakthrough!" Lass prepared himself.
"Careful, it's a big surge of power!" Yuno allowed Lass to get enhanced.
With a sudden burst of power, Lass threw away the rifle at hand and another makeshift shield he grabbed, unsheathing his massive sword in his own fashion and diving in. Jumping in the middle of the enemy side made him an obvious target for all available heavy-duty machines that were advancing, him calmly waiting at the center while enemy soldiers and DPD officials were moving away, both in the horror of Lass suddenly appearing with the mass Obsulyte surge and to allow clean hits from heavy artilleries. Two tanks, one with an ion cannon and another with heavy shells appeared before him, the ion cannon tank firing first. Lass was able to swiftly sidestep from the laser's trajectory, before breaking the ground below him as he dashed with three steps right above the tank. He then launched a downward slash as he too was right above, upside down above the tank's main gun, landing a clean cut as it dropped down, before dashing mid-air again without missing any air time and landing a plunge attack on the minigun stationed right above the tank. He then swiftly flipped back, behind the tank, landing a wide and devastating slash right across both of the road wheels, resetting to his original position right as the tank with the heavy artillery was about to fire, performing all of his attacks in mere seconds. As soon as the tank fired the shell, Lass landed a cut on it, forcing it to split in half and right back in his two sides, as he continued the trajectory of his counterattack all the way to the other tank, cutting its major offensive parts before flipping it over backwards from the sheer force of the attack and immediately resetting to his original position once again, this time in an instant.