Chapter 131: The Land of the Rising Sun
April 1st, 2090
Irenes POV
Kiss my ass! I bellowed as I shot down yet another enemy fighter. It was pure anarchy up in this stormy sky, with drones everywhere and one annoying storm demon doing its best to shoot me down. I yanked on the joystick, performing a barrel roll to evade yet another barrage of lightning from Sparky as I chased him amongst the grey clouds. Die, die, die, die! The twitchy fuck shouted as it sted away JASDF nes that got in its way. I quickly optimized the nes turning radius, forcing it to flip in midair at an impossible angle. I then switched the optimization to the missile guidance systems, unleashing myst salvo at Sparky as he approached. 4 missiles flew out, 2 of them being blown apart instantly by Sparky. He tried to frantically outrun the remaining two missiles, but to no avail. With an unnatural tenacity the missiles hunted him down, exploding with arge bang.
Tengu-1, please respond, over. The radio in the cockpit went off yet again with hails from my fellow pilots. Thankfully I was flying a JASDF ne, meaning that I didnt have to worry about getting shot at by the very people I was trying to help. They have been trying to get in contact with me ever since I took to the air, but until now I have ignored them. The losers will just get in my way.
I looked to where Sparky had been hit, noting that the demon was very much alive although injured. The storm clouds that had been surrounding the area started getting sucked into the lightning based demon, indicating that I had managed to really piss him off. Good. I used the 120 mm gatling gun on my ne to decimate the few flying lesser demons who foolishly thought they could contribute in the air. With my intervention, the JASDF has managed to push back the enemy. I, I, I, I hate, hate, hate, hate, you, you, you, you!!!!!! Sparky bellowed as a massive surge of electricity danced across the sky. I barely managed to optimize my nes electrical instion in time to avoid being annihted like both the Chinese Air Force and the JASDF. Fuck. Its just me and Sparky now in the empty night sky.
Overclocking protocol engaged. Full optimization initiated. Warning: overusage can lead to irreversible damage, would you like to proceed? Confirmed, loading protocol loading loading Overclocking protocol in effect. I felt my mana pump go into overdrive as I activated my ace in the hole. Overclocking allows me to optimize everything at the same time. Its a super power up that I can use for a limited time only. The ne itself was altering under the Overclocking protocol, bing sleeker and more deadly in an instant. The engines roared at full strength as I proceeded with my deathmatch with Sparky. He zigzagged across the sky at full-speed as I tailed him closely. I endured his asional potshot as he tried to get behind me. I banked sharply, getting a chance to shoot at him with my optimized gun. He hissed in pain as he was hit, the injury leaking out dark grey cloud instead of blood.
An incredible surge of mana drew my attention momentarily to where Minato was fighting with Dante. The Chinese ground forces had fully entered the city along with the rest of Pandemonium, meaning that Minato was getting besieged on all fronts. He looks like he could use back-up. I should finish things up here.
Terras POV
Try to keep up darling, its no fun if you dont resist! Dante taunted me as I continued my frantic dive from cover to cover. The Chinese Ground Forces and the rest of Pandemonium have entered the city, causing the situation to getplicated. Hikari has indicated that shes been pinned down by the back-up, while Rin and Veronica are facing heavy mechs in addition to Cerberus and Ibaraki-doji. Kira has also been put on the back foot by snipers who are trying to take her out while shes avoiding the berserk Susan. Were it not for her cat-kin intuition shed have died already.
Simply put, were at a severe number disadvantage. Irene and Sparkys battle has cleared the sky of air support, but that means nothing at the moment. The JSDF has managed to break through the Chinese lines, and theyre inbound to Tokyo. ETA is unknown however, meaning that it is me and the girls against all of Pandemonium and China. I myself am currently forced to be on the defensive as the sma cannon tanks are firing at me. Dantes been content to just sit back and remotely possess iing soldiers to harass me with.
<em>I call upon the endless hunger of the inferno. Devour everything, consume all, leave nothing but ash behind!</em> My inferno spell destroyed a pair of sma cannon tanks, causing their ammo to stter everywhere. The ssh damage destroyed a heavy machine gun encampment as well as a lesser demon that was trying to curse me with blood magic. Dantes possessed soldiers charged at me with a feral look on their face, forcing me into closebat as more reinforcements arrived. I ducked beneath one punch, countering with a kick that sent the man flying through a concrete wall. I grabbed the outstretched leg of another soldier, using him a club to bludgeon the surrounding attackers.
I barely had the time to throw up a barrier as Dante sent a destruction spell with his was-sceptre my way. That dyed me long enough to be surrounded by more troops. You know, darling, youre doomed if you keep this up. Theres no way you can defeat me and thebined might of Pandemonium and a Council of Nine member. Dantemented as I finished tearing through thetest batch of cannon fodder. I flew into the sky to gain a brief reprieve, dodging arge salvo of energy weapon fire and Dantes was-sceptre.
I looked around to see Tokyo inplete disarray. There was an inexplicable surge of holy power nearby, but I dont have the time to investigate. Given that it was of holy origin I know that it cant be on Pandemoniums side. Thats enough for me at the moment. Downtown was trashed, bodies were lying everywhere, and death permeated the very air. Hundreds of thousands of people must have died already, if not a million. I sighed in regret at the thought.
I took out the crystal I had made during the time I went berserk and channeled its energy for a ritual that should help turn the tide.
First though, I unleashed a massive concussive st that leveled the surroundings and scattered the anti-air emcements that were shooting at me. Even Dante was pushed back, giving me the time I needed to do this. His n so far was well-thought out and executed perfectly. The JSDF was caught off-guard, along with myself and the rest of the world. He knew that I would protect my home no matter what, cing me in a situation where I could be overwhelmed by his armys might. And once Ive been taken care of, it would be a simple matter to conquer the rest of the world.
But he has made a critical mistake, one that will allow me to ovee him. I ced myself upon an appropriate intersection of leylines, allowing me to channel the mana in the earth. I crushed the crystal, using its energy to project my voice and my magic across the city and the country itself. Every Japanese soldier and resident with the will to fight against the invaders heard my words:
<em>O citizens of Japan, our homnd is burning, beset by the forces of darkness and our ancient foe. We must stand united to turn the tide. For the sake of our loved ones, for the sake of vengeance, for the sake of our honor, for the sake of our duty to protect thisnd. Darkness shall never reign here, for this is the Land of the Rising Sun.</em>
And true to my words, a glorious golden sun appeared in the night sky, eclipsing the stars and the moon as it shone across all of Japan. There was a sarcastic pping as Dante floated up to my position in the sky. Whoopty fucking doo. That was a lovely speech darling, but theres no one alive around here to hear it. He mocked as he indicated the many corpses surrounding us. Dante was unprepared when I smiled at his taunt, looking borderline angelic with the golden sun at my back. Who said I was talking to the living? I replied.
Across Tokyo and the country of Japan, the dead started to rise in the light of the golden sun.