Assault Lily: The Liberation of Niigata: Chapter 7
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Chapter Seven
Cavalries from Odaiba
Back at Ryuto Girls’ Academy, Yakuwa Byakuren relayed her commands from within the Student Council’s office room.
“Our immediate priority at the moment is the liberation of Niigata’s harbour. If we’re able to clear all the Huge that prowl the shore, we will be able to use our Gunships to reach Sado.”
Byakuren had withdrawn from the battlefield since falling victim to The Drains. However, she had recovered enough that she could now act as a tactical commander. The news that not just Álfheimr, but two of Odaiba Girls’ School’s top class Legions had joined the battle quickly made its way back to Niigata, and thanks to that, the Lilies of Ryuto Girls’ Academy had regained their spirits.
“We shall undoubtedly bring Fafnir to its demise!” Byakuren declared to her sisters.
At that moment, a voice called out to her name from outside the office’s door.
Turning around, Byakuren was greeted by the returning faces of Nanoha and Komomo, who were brought in by Soraha and Yuuna. Komomo kept her eyes cast downward, but Nanoha looked directly at Byakuren as she walked towards the Lily.
“Please, I ask that you let us join this fight for our homeland as well.”
Takami Asuka, a directing officer of the Student Council, watched Nanoha with a concerned look. Byakuren, meanwhile, merely returned her words with a blank stare at first, but upon noticing the corners of Nanoha’s eyes were reddened from crying, her face eased into a smile.
“You mustn’t make Fubuki-sama worry any more than you already have.”
Without a doubt, Nanoha had been strongly reprimanded by Fubuki, and without a doubt the senior had welcomed her back with an equally strong embrace. Surely, Nanoha had to be aware of how much Fubuki had worried for her.
“Very well. Your strength shall prove quite beneficial to us moving forward.”
Receiving the formal approval of her now commander, Nanoha nodded in understanding.
“How has the situation since progressed?”
Visible on the monitor at Byakuren’s desk was a map of Niigata.
“As of right now, the Heorot Saints and Dúfa are heading to the shore in a mission to regain control of that area. On the other hand, I’ve asked that Hronesnæsse join Kólga in elaborating a countermeasure against the Huge that have begun to emerge from Lake Chuzenji.”
The mere mention of Dúfa caused Komomo to momentarily flinch. But paying it no mind, Nanoha continued to speak with Byakuren.
“The Orthrus is currently taking hold of the Niigata port, are you sure Dúfa and the Saints alone will be enough to take it down?”
Soraha placed her hand on Nanoha’s shoulder.
“It’ll be fine, there’s no obstacle that Momiji and her team cannot overcome.”
Looking out the window, Soraha turned her gaze in the direction of Niigata’s harbour.
At the shoreline that neared Niigata’s port, Legion Heorot Saints of Odaiba Girls’ School fought alongside Ryuto’s Legion Dúfa in their mission to exterminate all the Huge that had seized control of the region, with the ultimate goal of securing a clear path to Sado Island.
“Yuzu, it’s heading your way!” yelled Tsukioka Momiji, Odaiba’s Student Council president, as she opened fire against a Middle-class Huge. Just then, her vice-president Kawamura Yuzuriha rushed directly towards it, using her Hrotti to impale it dead.
“Nice! Let’s keep this up!”
Watching the Saints’ battle prowess in total awe was the captain of Legion Dúfa, Sumitani Miki.
“So this is the might of Odaiba...”
Truly, the rank of Top Legion of the Garden hailed as Tokyo’s strongest was befitting of them. One after the other, all the Huge that infested the surroundings of Niigata harbour fell dead at their feet.
“Girls! Let’s ride this momentum right into the final stretch and be done with this quick!”
Yuzuriha’s shout of encouragement was met with a vigorous and unanimous “roger!” from all the Lilies present in the area. It was odd, as even though Ryuto’s Lilies had long reached the limits of their exhaustion, it was as if their will to fight had been inexplicably returned to them. There was something so reassuring about Yuzuriha’s smile that made them feel there was no hurdle they couldn’t overcome.
Maybe it was a unique charm of hers that she was able to enrapture the hearts of those she fought together with.
Suddenly, however, the sound of a monstrous howl invaded their ears.
The Lilies turned their eyes to a collapsed building nearby, only to find a colossal, canid-like Huge standing mighty atop the rubble. Its two heads and fur coating were identical to those of a wolf, but its tail took the shape of a snake.
“The Orthrus!”
That was the Gigant-class Huge that claimed control of the entire area surrounding Niigata’s harbour.
If it was brought down, its Cave and the swarm of Huge that poured out of it would all be completely obliterated, and the path to Sado Island would be cleared once again. The problem was that the Orthrus was one of the Huge present during the Fafnir’s previous onslaught, and it had been successfully repelled then. Because of this, it had now become a “Restore”, which meant that the Gigant-class that terrorized Niigata’s harbour was a seasoned survivor.
“God dang! That guy’s fast!”
Saints member Kawanabe Nazuna attempted to open fire against the Orthrus, however, it flawlessly and effortlessly evaded all of her attacks. Immediately after, the Orthrus rushed Nazuna and attempted to devour her with both of its heads, but Momiji was able to successfully divert it away with cover fire. Now turning to Miki, Momiji spoke:
“We shall task ourselves with destroying one of its heads, so once we get it to stop moving, we’ll trust you and Legion Dúfa to take care of the second one.”
Though Momiji’s tone was gentle, her words were fiercely commanding. Her appearance of a dainty damsel belied the fact that she stood at the very top of the notoriously brawn-oriented Garden of Odaiba Girls’ School, as the president of their Student Council.
“Understood” answered Miki with a nod.
“Let us begin the Neunwelt Tactic!”
Momiji ignited their Magisphere, and immediately sent it towards Hayami Katsura. In response, the Orthrus shot a barrage of what appeared to be quills from its mane. Katsura expertly avoided them, and sent the Magisphere towards Hishida Haru.
“Chinami!” Haru yelled as she hurled the sphere in the direction of Suzuki Chinami.
“Just leave it to me, Haru-sama!”
Chinami very enthusiastically received her pass, which she then sent straight to Yuzuriha. Performing a flank swap with Nazuna, Yuzuriha passed the Sphere to Yokoyama Azusa, who then passed it forward to Saigo Kurena. Their refined and elegant passes had the Orthrus completely stunned still.
“You’re done for!”
Takehisa Nakaba fired their finishing shot, and their meteor of light ripped right through one of the Orthrus’ heads. The giant let out a tortured yelp as its body writhed in pain.
“Now, Miki-san!” Signed Momiji, prompting Miki to command to her Legion:
“Let’s do this, everyone!”
Legion Dúfa wasted very little time making their own passes, and upon receiving the Magisphere from her Legion mates, Miki dashed straight towards the Orthrus.
“Stop! You’re getting way too close!”
Yuzuriha attempted to stop her, but Miki did not slow down.
(Once we defeat this monster, then the others will be able to reach Sado. If that happens, Niigata... and Komomo will survive!)
The Orthrus fired yet another flurry of its quills directly at Miki, and though she was narrowly able to avoid them, her movements brought her directly before the snake at its tail.
“...........!”
Miki was fully ready to accept her demise, but then:
“Like I’ll let you!”
“Haaaaghhh!!”
In a coordinated assault, Haru and Katsura severed the snake off the Orthrus’ body. Taking the opportunity, Miki fired her finishing shot, which pierced directly through the Orthrus’ second head, culminating in a successful takedown of the Gigant-class Huge.
“.... Hah, hah...”
Watching as the Orthrus burned to ash, Miki panted in exhaustion. With it now neutralized, its Cave should vanish together with it, which meant that so long as they could destroy all the remaining Huge in the area, their mission would be complete.
But suddenly, Miki’s leg was struck by a sharp, stinging pain. Looking closely, she noticed a stream of blood had erupted in one of her thighs. Apparently, she had been grazed by one of the Orthrus’ quills.
“Please remain still, Miki-san.”
Haru and Katsura walked up to Miki.
“You really saved my skin earlier, thank you.”
Miki attempted to show her gratitude, but as Katsura tended to her leg, she inquired:
“Why did you run straight towards it despite knowing how dangerous it was? Had we not stepped in, you would have died then and there. A soldier of your caliber should have known better.”
“.... I’m sorry. I guess I still have ways to go before deserving the title of a ‘hero’.”
“In Odaiba, we hold that fearlessness alone is hardly enough to make a soldier.”
Now being scolded by Haru, Miki had no words with which to retort, and simply nodded along. Katsura, continuing to treat her injured leg, asked:
“Watching the way you fight, it seems as if you’re actively searching for the ground you’ll die on. Could I ask you the reason for why that is?”
“Miki-san, your Legion, Dúfa. It’s the one that conducted the evacuation from Sado, isn’t it...?”
Now trembling, Miki answered Haru’s question with a nod, and went on to tell the pair of how during the withdrawal operation a year prior, she had only survived due to leaving her teammates, including the one person she longed for, to their deaths, and how that earned her the hatred of Komomo, whom she once considered her own sister.
“...... Thank you, for opening up to us.”
Haru embraced Miki, holding her head against her chest.
“You know, I lost someone important to me too, and I do understand how it feels to be despised because of a decision made in the battlefield. Honestly, I think any Lily carries a wound of some sort in their hearts one way or another, but in spite of it... no, exactly because of it, it’s our duty to keep on living.”
Katsura held Miki’s hand tightly, adding:
“There are some things that only us, who were left behind, have the power to achieve. I have not a single doubt that your Onee-sama would want you to live on, and find happiness.”
Miki recalled when Yaya smiled at her for the final time before their final parting in Sado. I’ll leave Niigata, and Komomo, in your care, Miki. She had said. No longer able to hold in her tears, Miki cried in silence, and without saying a word, Haru and Katsura simply kept close to her.
And eventually, they were approached by Momiji and Yuzuriha.
“We’ve exterminated all the Huge in this area. Should we successfully take control of the situation afflicting Lake Chuzenji, then we’ll be in proper condition to face the Fafnir.”
“Well, I’m sure Kiito and her bunch can handle it.”
“They certainly can.” Momiji answered Yuzuriha's unenthusiastic remark with a chuckle.
…
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Lake Chuzenji in the Tochigi Prefecture. Odaiba Girls’ School’s Legion Hronesnæsse advanced together with Ryuto’s Legion Kólga towards the infested area.
Around half of the Tochigi Prefecture’s westernmost side had been completely overtaken by the Huge, who had since made it their safe haven. The Nest found in Lake Chuzenji was once controlled by the infamous Gigant-class “Giant Zombie”, but now, it was under the domain of the Gigant-class Restore known as “Cihuateteo”.
The Lilies hoped that, by preemptively bringing down the Cihuateteo, they would be able to return their focus to the Fafnir’s neutralization. However, they had been met with a large mass of Huge blocking their advance. Funada Kiito, the captain of Legion Hronesnæsse, was at the very front lines, and one after another the Huge fell lifeless at her feet.
“The Fafnir shall perish by mine and my Sister’s blade, and once it does, those fools blabbering on about the Counteroffensive will no longer have any reason to keep stroking their egos as they do.”
Kiito then brought down a Mid-class, and at the same time, a certain Shiba Tomoshibi mowed down a group of Small-class, before excitedly remarking:
“Wondrous as always, Kiito Onee-sama! Still, to think you’re bothered this much by your absence from the Counteroffensive.”
“Excuse you!?” Scowled Kiito, and Tomoshibi responded by feigning intimidation.
Regardless, it did not matter how many Huge they killed, as more soon appeared to take their place. Or more accurately, it appeared that even the Huge they did defeat would eventually stand back up and rush to attack them once more, though notably, their gait seemed much more erratic.
Ui, the older of the Funada Sisters, uttered as she slashed through one of the Huge:
“These Huge must be Undead! It seems that the Giant Zombie was able to share its resurrection capabilities with the Huge that formed within its Nest.”
Legion Kólga’s Amata Hanako agreed with her assessment.
“Yes, it seems like it. But the Giant Zombie has been defeated already, the only one left in Lake Chuzenji should be the Cihuateteo....”
Huge that possessed the Undead ability were able to come back to life shortly after being killed. Though they do become weaker with every resurrection, they still must be cut down several times before they’re permanently defeated, making them quite an inconvenient enemy to fight against.
As Ui returned one of the resurrected Huge to the floor, she spoke:
“Something else we’re not yet privy to must be at play here.”
Kiito, in turn, fiercely looked ahead.
“If so, then I will not rest until I discover what it is myself. Sister, you, me and Tomoshibi will investigate the lake. In the meantime, Hanako, Yuki-nee, I’ll leave you to hold off the Huge in the area!”
Though Hronesnæsse’s Nagasawa Yuki answered with “sure”, Hanako rejected the proposal.
“You cannot be serious, of course I’ll go to the lake as well.”
Kiito answered Hanako’s remark with a chuckle.
“If you fail to keep up with us, we won’t come back for you.”
Hanako left her advisor, Iwasaki Anna, in charge of Legion Kólga, and with Kiito proclaiming “Let us make haste!”, their group began sprinting in the direction of Lake Chuzenji, rushing through the mountain path with the same vigor of a mounted cavalry.
“Move out of our way!”
Though the multitudes of Huge would still try to blockade the trail, a mere flicker of Kiito’s Hrunting and Ui’s Nægling was enough to carve open their way through the horde. And so, it took very little time for Lake Chuzenji to come into view.
But then, the Lilies were stopped in their tracks by a Large-class Huge. It had a Golem-like appearance, with its body completely covered in stone, and it wasted no time attempting to smite down the four Lilies with its gigantic arms.
“How dare you stand in my Onee-sama’s way!” yelled Tomoshibi as she launched a curtain of fire against the Huge.
“Hanako, with me!”
“Understood, Kiito!”
In unison, Kiito and Hanako severed off the Large-class’ head and torso, and though it quickly attempted to piece itself back together, the pair prevented that from happening by fully engulfing it in a barrage of artillery.
“Well, I suppose Ryuto truly does earn its title of Champion of the North.”
Kiito said with a smirk, which Hanako reciprocated:
“I could say the same. Your fearlessness certainly does not fall short of the tales I hear.”
Just as they spoke, the earth shook as a loud boom was heard behind the pair. When they turned around, they saw the very same Large-class forced onto the ground once more, and on top of it stood Ui, who had a smile on her face as she spoke:
“Both of you, do refrain from lowering your guards like this, alright?”
Kiito and Hanako smiled awkwardly at the sight before them, before resuming their advance towards Lake Chuzenji.
Eventually, Kiito and her group arrived at a tall peak, from where they could see Lake Chuzenji in its entirety. Nestled between the mountains, the backdrop of the lake once described as majestic had turned into a sight of pure horror. The monumental lake now circled in a whirlpool, from which emerged a great mass of Huge. And as if that was not enough, at the very center of it was a figure that challenged Kiito’s belief.
“Is that.... an Ultra-class Huge!?”
In the eye of the whirlpool was a phantom that stood as tall as a mountain. Its appearance was almost that of a very pale human woman, and from it emanated an eerie noise that sounded just as much like a song as it did a shriek. There was no mistaking it for any other, that was the North American born Gigant-class Huge “Cihuateteo”.
And yet, its size far exceeded what could be considered standard for a Gigant-class.
“What is the meaning of this? Wasn’t the Cihuateteo known to be a Gigant-class!” questioned Kiito, and after thinking in silence for a while, Ui responded:
“This is but mere conjecture, but if we consider all the undead Huge we’ve encountered, it could be that the Cihuateteo consumed the Giant Zombie’s remains after its defeat, causing it to evolve into an Ultra-class...”
“Don’t tell me. Is that... also because of the Fafnir’s presence?” Hanako spoke in a completely incredulous tone. Immediately after, their Terminals received an urgent call from Yuki.
“Kiito, this is an emergency! The Fafnir has just emerged in Joetsu!”
Now learning of the Fafnir’s reappearance, the Lilies were left further aghast. Turning to the Cihuateteo with a hateful look, Kiito muttered:
“I suppose our victory will not be as easily conquered as we’ve thought.”
Kiito’s words, however, were completely drowned out by the Cihuateteo’s hum.
...
At that time, Soraha and Álfheimr had been hurriedly deployed to Joetsu City.
By the city’s shore, Ryuto’s Legion Uðr, led by Imaizumi Rion, had been fighting to prevent the Huge from advancing into the city limits, while simultaneously helping to evacuate any remaining civilians. It had been them who reported the Fafnir’s unexpected appearance. By the time the Naglfar entered Joetsu’s airspace, the Fafnir was nowhere to be found. However, the mere sight of what was left at the city’s shore was enough to make Soraha and the others gasp in horror.
“What a calamity...”
The shore was not only engulfed in flames, but it had been flattened into a crater.
Because of the flames breathed out by the Fafnir, even the very ground in the immediate area that surrounded the city shore was burned to ash. The sheer expanse of devastated land it left behind far eclipsed the destruction caused by its previous rampages in other countries.
“So, does this mean Uðr didn’t...” whispered Ichi as she looked out of the window.
“It’s okay, I’m confident Rion-san and her team managed to survive.” responded Ena. But in spite of her words, her voice was filled with uncertainty.
Eventually, the Naglfar reached the strip of shoreline that Uðr reported the Fafnir’s appearance from, and then:
“Soraha Nee-sama, I see them!” called Kusumi, pointing towards the shore.
There, multiple of Legion Uðr’s Lilies could be seen waving their arms and calling out to them. Keeping vigilant to its immediate surroundings, the Naglfar descended from the skies, and as soon as it touched down, Soraha and the others rushed to meet the Uðr Lilies.
“Rion-san!”
Though all of their members had sustained wounds, all of Legion Uðr remained alive. However, Soraha still could not avoid frowning in dismay upon seeing Rion’s figure as she laid down on the beach sand, and that was because her right arm had been completely charred by the flames.
Between her incredibly faint breaths, Rion spoke:
“Please cease your worries, occurrences of this kind are but a part of daily routine for a Lily of Ryuto. And even then, I am a Boosted Lily, such wounds will disappear in no time.”
“Still, don’t try to push yourself, we’ll have a rescue team come immediately.”
As Soraha turned to order her teammates that they summon the rescue team, Rion suddenly grabbed onto her arm.
“More urgently, there is something that I desperately must bring to your attention.” With her face assuming a serious expression, Rion then continued:
“I’ve discovered what the Fafnir’s weakness is.”
“What?” Was all that Soraha could respond to Rion’s sudden declaration. However, though she attempted to speak further, Rion lost consciousness the moment after. And so, Soraha immediately ordered that Rion be brought into their Gunship.
As the sun sank behind Sado in the horizon, an incredibly intense sea breeze flowed from the island’s direction.
The battle that would seal Niigata’s ultimate fate draws ever closer.
To be continued