"Everyone stop and settle at the perimeter!", Tiki called out.

"We're stuck?", Terna wondered, "Come on, Tiki, we've got this, we can still-"

"We can, they can't. I've broken through deep enough, but with the way this is going, we're forced into position. The best thing I can do when everyone is tired is to instead start recycling the front when they reach breaking point. Plus, with this thing now pointing at us, something tells me that we don't have much time before it decides to actively use its power for something other than summoning its footsoldiers."

"I'm heading deeper then! Izzy must already be having a hard time from when Dante used his power, I really want to back her up!"

"I'm coming with you. Hey, Alexandra. Can you put your other commanders up here where I'm at? We're not going deeper, we're settling into position with all these freaks popping out of the big lizard. Up until now we've only got injuries on the record, and I'd like to keep it death free.", she requested.

"Alright, got it. I forwarded the message with my approval to the others.", Alexandra replied.

"Thanks."

Terna sighed with relief, "Always good to have some reliable allies."

"She's way too agreeable with me. There's definitely something up, but I sure as hell ain't got the time to figure that out right now. Let's go."

At the deep end of the enemy lines, the carnage was still unfolding as Hikari managed to get ever closer to Dante, who made a devastating path filled with chaos and destruction right toward the dragon. Running out of breath -not due to fatigue, but worry- she finally saw him again. Completely occupied with destroying everything around him in an effort to get further ahead, she was surprised to see that despite the destruction caused, his face and expressions were that of focus, not madness, and his movements cohesive as he only let out his cries of battle, rather than a hysterical and villainous monologue.

"He's...fine? I thought he'd have already crossed the line and be completely insane by the time we got to him.", Isabella wondered.

"These thunderous crashes and thunderclaps too make it abundantly clear that he is using a great deal of his powers. Definitely not to the maximum, or even close to Mellistar's but...wow. These are still quite amazing.", Hikari was awed.

"You remember what Lilith said one time? The whole 'bar-raising' among Obsulyte users?"

"This is a clear example of it...right. I'll get closer, however. We need to communicate a plan to take this thing down once and for all. And I have one in mind, but making it work...", Hikari thought as she watched Dante keeping up the fight.

"We have resources, talk it over with him first. Like it or not, it'd be plain stupid not to admit that his massive powers would make a key addition to the whole thing, no matter the approach we choose to take.", Isabella advised.

Agreeing with her and getting closer, Dante finally saw Hikari again, amidst the end of a small battle before moving forward. To her surprise, he lowered his weapon while still firmly holding it in anticipation, clearly giving her a moment to make the best of it as he looked at her from a small distance. Without an inch of fear in her eyes, as if she accepted his invitation at that moment, she approached him until she was right before him, able to speak calmly, without raising her tone as if she would have to for the space between them.

"I reflected on what I said. Sorry.", she said, "I don't expect forgiveness. Cooperation though, I'd very much hope for.", she kept it quick and simple.

Dante scoffed, "If you're afraid of me for holding my weapon, that's merely because we're in an active warzone, so I'm expecting some sort of attack. Because you aren't showing me fear like you normally would, while also not saying everything you normally would."

She immediately dropped the facade, "Yeah. I would. And I want to tell you so much more. You can't see it now but, you do know that I love you, right? Cliche, but I did what I did to protect you. You are one of, if not the most important friend I've ever had in my life. Seeing you hurt as I saw so many others, partially due to my mistakes...I wasn't going to stand for it. And fixing said mistakes, although we're far from it, was quite the experience with you."

"Just tell me what you think is best to do. I don't care about anything else, Hikari. Not making amends, not listening to this very well-dubbed "cliche" you're laying before me. Once I'm done here, I won't join anything or anyone to be used like how you, Cecilia, Magi, Drima, and Glady did, or how Alexandra is thinking she's about to do. You want to help me? Ok. I'm not putting anything past me, I'm never forgetting what you all did, so cut to the chase, and let's get this all over with."

She sighed in disappointment, "I'll do my best, even with this. So, Dante. I want us to swap weapons. Mellistar's blade for your mother's lance."

Dante awkwardly looked at Hikari, "You realize that this blade, Excelsior, is supposed to be a Gate? A weapon resonating better-", he was interrupted.

"Dante, I know what a Gate is. This one specifically is a leftover Gate from Mellistar's 'death'. Had it not been for the Elysian Fields helping Obsulyte be grounded enough for people to obtain states similar to Mellistar's, it wouldn't be here."

"This thing is critical to how I fight.", he persisted.

"I know I wasn't exactly there back then...but from her memories, I can tell how and why you hate fighting like a Silverlance. Cecilia taught you all too much of that. But exactly how you weren't using it up until now and kept it only within the confines of your exams, I beg you, do it just once more."

Dante softly sighed, "Here.", he tossed his blade at her, "The power I use only gets funneled from the blade, otherwise, it's entirely mine. Don't go thinking that this is anything but compromising. I know damn well that I can't take this thing down solo, and while it pisses me off to have to rely on someone like you, I have to. What's your plan?"

She gave him the lance, "I can take this thing down in one go, but I'll need to expose its weak point. I know full well how this specific monster functions, it's like Hellash, one of the Four Pillars that died in Dirunon. Exactly how he was on That Day. As soon as we break its enhanced armor, it can be cut like butter. I was unsure at first, but now I'm certain, now that I got a closer look and time to check it out. Whatever I'm telling you makes sense because this thing is essentially a bigger version of Hellash."

"The cannons at the hill where Magi is at aren't enough?"

"They should be, but there's another problem. The heat. As soon as the armor breaks, the heat will be too devastating for us to move closer. But using your abilities, this distortion you're causing can keep the temperature on a good enough level for us to get to it. If you haven't realized, the reason Luna avoids you right now is also because of said distortion that can interfere with her own matrix."

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"Works for me. But then again, how are our moves supposed to hurt this thing into submission?"

"Target its limbs and make it fall. It can recover at a very rapid pace due to its consistency, so our only shot is to take it out in one go. Trust me. I know Hellash. I know Makaro and all his nasty tricks.", she looked at him in the eyes.

"Ok, let's go ahead. Under one condition. You and I will be the ones finishing it off. The others will stay safe in the back.", Dante got ready.

"Yes...we'll leave them behind.", she agreed, "I knew you cared."

He ignored her, "All of you fortify the front and keep it stable. Do not approach this thing. I mean it. Temperatures will rise like hell."

"Seriously? I just jumped on an opportunity to make a beamline for you with Terna. Luna I think is still back there too.", Tiki answered.

"Affirmative. I have decimated the enemy backlines, although their numbers have been funneled into a single point, that is on both Dante and Hikari."

"Doesn't matter. Back off to the safe zone and give way for the ion cannons to nuke this prick. Me and Hikari will take it from here."

"Oh shit. You're collaborating with each other? I thought that if you ever made eye contact again I'd have to bring a cleaning crew right after.", Tiki was surprised.

"Tiki, this isn't Hamlet.", Terna sighed.

"Who?"

"Er -uh, never mind. Let's just pull back. With their powers combined, I feel more than comfortable enough to follow this plan."

"You do, I don't. What the hell is actually going on in there you guys? Please tell me you aren't heading dead center for something stupid.", Tiki got worried about their plan.

"We're heading dead center on something else. Look, you know it had to be done eventually, just do it. With this bastard now on his way towards us instead, we need to act now, or your 'cleaning crew' will have a lot more work to do.", Dante persisted.

Tiki briefly contemplated before giving up and trusting their plan, "Fine. Give us 5 minutes to back off. The safe zone should be a little further behind where we're currently placed on our frontlines, but we can surely endure some heat for a while."

"Calculations being evaluated. With the monster now picking a different target, if its advance is not halted, the safe zone will be compromised.", Luna informed.

"We'll work fast. Don't worry about the plan. Dante's all too strong to not get back to you guys.", Hikari encouraged them.

With that, their own stall began, as Dante and Hikari slowed their advance to allow the others to get back. The beast, still looking at them while also refusing to make a move of its own, roared again, increasing the numbers sent at all of them, in a desperate attempt to topple over their lines and prevail.

Magi, Reina, and Wallace all stood at their own front watching, waiting for the perfect chance and call to unleash their barrage on the beast. All they could see were the raining thunder and bright flashes of Hikari and Dante battling alongside each other, rows of monsters seemingly getting deleted out of existence.

"Hmm. Seems like the hiatus of the battle is here. I suppose that's the work of Cecilia's son and the goddess. Always knew the kid fought better than most, even if he was never a Silverlance."

Magi dusted herself off, "You guys really screwed him over ya know. Before Drima did what he had to do with his brain to give him a semi-normal childhood, he was heartbroken for that thing. I think he failed either twice or thrice."

"Wasn't up to us. Even Johny, our leader, didn't have a choice in the matter. Despite his impeachment, momentarily because of Frederick's interference, Dante never made the cut. Age aside, he fought in a way that almost definitely did not match a Silverlance. I'd argue it was better, given Cecilia's private tutoring and her vast experience in arts from the West and the East...but still. If he wanted the title, he'd have to perfect that style."

"Doesn't matter anyway. He was barred from ever doing that test again after he did what he did on the 3rd failure. We have him filed to the teeth, apparently, he used techniques and Obsulyte that made it extremely dangerous for both parties during the examinations. However, looking at how they're both kicking ass, it's a weak excuse. Think they can make it until the monster with this?", Reina observed.

"Definitely. In fact, they should've already made it, but it looks like they're stalling. Hmm...", Magi looked at the comms, "Orders from Alexandra say that the others are evacuating the zone, because of a dangerous heatwave. She will probably give us the go-ahead to fire once that's done. That said -hey, you! Get me a coffee. Might as well sober up while watching the show, our real combat action lasted like 30 bloody minutes and that's it. Boring."

The poor random soldier saluted, "Yes ma'am."

"Drima was surely not wrong with his findings on the monster's intelligence. Even the big one knew that the moment Dante unleashed hell, now with Hikari, they were a priority target. Even though it obviously wanted to attack London because of its mass-energy output on that Obsulyte.", Wallace thought.

"Attack what?", Reina got confused.

"Uh, Gardard. My mind sometimes drifts off to the faraway lands I used to travel.", he corrected himself, "That said, get all of our mechanics ready. We must be ready to fire when Her Majesty gives the signal. It shouldn't take long either. Give or take, 3 minutes."

"Right away, sir.", she turned around to coordinate her men.

Tiki and Terna having successfully retreated back to their frontlines, despite their letdown of not joining their friends in the heat of battle, swiftly ended, with Tiki specifically quickly scrambling and regaining full control and coordination of her assigned battalions. As soon as she gave the order for everyone to slowly retreat further behind the safe zone to avoid carnage on their end, she opened her comms and broadcasted their return and safety status to everyone, prompting Alexandra who was far behind to observe everything herself, to give the order.

She got up from her chair and switched her comms to that of the global channel, "For Gardard, Victoria and her glory. Arise once more from the mud if you fell and still stand tall if you've already risen. Protect your lives as you protect your loved ones, and prevent the fertile soil of Her being greeted with gravestones. In this flag's, land's, and the people's name, with the will of the Goddess herself -FIRE!"

With premeditated and carefully chosen words spoken, fully reinvigorating the morale of every single soldier on the battlefield, before a mass cry that shook the ground, all ion cannons above at the city fired in perfect synch with each other. The blinding flash took the skies as it crushed onto the monster, piercing right through its armor, before detonating in a massive explosion that was masked with its cry.

The entirety of the city went completely dark momentarily, before eventually returning, with the flash clearing to reveal what remained. To their horror, the magma that made the majority of the monster's consistency quickly and fully recovered on both its head and front legs, which were the only two parts to have been damaged enough for its armor to be broken. With an even louder roar, every single enemy entity on the battlefield started glowing bright red, their veins now showing up fully throughout their bodies.

Taken aback by what they saw, every single leading figure on the side of the city promptly decided to drop their secured perimeter and make a strong push towards the monster itself. However, much like the others that were already on the ground below, they were quickly taken by surprise by the massive and harsh resistance that the monsters provided from their side. Tiki herself had to take special care of the frontlines using full force, with the help of Terna and Luna's quick reaction, as her own frontline almost instantly toppled when the monsters reengaged the front.

All hell broke loose, as lava started rising from the cracks on the floor below, separating Dante and Hikari who were in its inner circle from everyone else, as if selectively brought up for termination by the monster after its has enough. Not caring about conserving any form of power for later, it flapped its wings, too broken to carry up its entire body, sending heat waves throughout the area.

"Impossible... it's really that strong? What happened since...then?", Hikari was taken aback.

Dante held the monsters back, "They're way, way stronger! Damn you!", he focused all his strength into taking down a single Watcher, "Even the other's boosting abilities are enhanced. Hikari, it's now or never. This thing doesn't care about reaching anything anymore, it was clearly conserving its energy supplies. We have to kill it right here, right now!"

Hikari sighed as she slowly took the front, "No matter the surprises. I will...no. I must win. My mistakes won't haunt me or anyone else anymore."

"Wait, Hikari, let me -eh?", Isabella was surprised, "Why can't I-"

"You've done your part, Belle.", Hikari refused to let anyone take the lead or get in her way, clenching the blade in her hands, "I've told more lies than I can ever count. So be it. But this much is true...I regret every last one of them. And like those lies I acted upon to prove, said truth I will prove it to you -to everyone- not with the same stale words...", she prepared for a wide slashing motion, "But for once, with my actions!"