I look out the shuttle window at what remains of Fort Pride. Or rather, the crater where it used to be. Trees for kilometers all around are still ablaze, pouring black smoke into the sky.
Where Fort Pride used to be, lies nothing more than a deep crater in the ground. The Fort and everything nearby almost instantly vaporized in the nuclear blast. “Ray. Did we perhaps go a bit too far?”
“Of course not darling, we got lots of style points, and that is all that matters.” She grabs a hold of my arm and forces me to lean against her and gently pats my head.
“I suppose so. Style points are very important, a victory doesn't matter unless one does it in style after all.”
“This is just the natural consequences of trying to fight us, the Moonlight Duo. It was simply time for Luna to learn that fact.”
I relax into Ray’s arms, which are very comfortable and warm. Somehow even with her armor on, she is still super soft and supportive. “Those klackers must really be regretting their actions right about now.”
“Well, that is exactly why we are going to pay them a friendly visit. After all, giving anonymous presents is not nearly as much fun.”
“Enough talk of what is to come.” I look up into Ray’s beautiful eyes. “More headrubs.”
She laughs. “As you wish, darling.”
A ‘few’ headrubs later
Our shuttle touches down two kilometers – just outside their defenses range – away from Castle Ambition. A pretty apt name, considering how overly ambitious they have been. Like seriously? Covering the entire arena in a snowstorm? That is just crazy.
Though I do admit it earned them a couple style points. Of course, they are nothing compared to what we have gained.
I shake Ray gently, she appears to have fallen asleep laying in my lap. So much for her giving me headrubs… Oh well, it is not like I can complain about my super cute girlfriend laying in my lap.
“Grrr, who dare wake?” She sits up and shakes off the sleep and then looks at me. “Oh, it is just you.”
“Really, all I get is a ‘just you’?”
“Shut up, jerk.” She wraps her arms around my neck and drags me down into a kiss. She tastes very sweet, and I can sense a bit of lingering blueberry. After a while she lets me go and smiles. “Let’s go have some fun, shall we, darling?”
We step out of the shuttle and look towards the castle. Similar to our own, there is basically a large industrial complex around it. Though it seems much smaller than ours. Several hundred soldiers are gathered at the edge, all sorts of very not nice weapons pointed right at us. Thankfully it seems they don’t trust their artillery corps to hit us at this distance.
Emil walks over and salutes to us, Linda and Rigar standing behind him. “Milord, we are detecting twelve thousand beings within the castle and surrounding area. Thus we believe that we have successfully contained all of their soldiers. Our attack force is ready to begin the siege, at your command.”
Ten thousand of our troops, equipped with the finest equipment, are now standing ready. Their morale bars are full, and we have complete control of everything but their castle itself. I would say that we have already won this battle, but it would be foolish to think Luna has absolutely no tricks up her sleeves.
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I grab Ray’s hand and squeeze it tightly. After a moment she squeezes it back. “Well then, Emil, let’s get this party started? We’ve got some snowflakes to teach a lesson after all.”
They all smile. Rigar thumps his hammer against the snowy ground, prompting a chant to start amongst the gathered soldiers.
“Pro luce lunae!” they chant. It starts slowly, but before long it is a deafening roar.
I watch as people climb into their mechs, man the artillery, put new energy canisters in their rifles and polish their blades one last time. All of them are wearing purple and silver, creating a weird effect against the snow as ten thousand people shuffle around.
Ray starts laughing, and I join her.
Then, the army starts moving. Bullets start flying and the air fills with the all to familiar sound of explosions.
I wrap Ray in a tight hug squeezing the tightest I possibly can. When she finally pushes me away I boop her nose and give her a quick kiss.
“Jerk.” she mumbles. “It's not fair that you get to have all the fun.”
“Hey, you get to take on the fun guy that can solo our entire army. Make sure to use all the tricks we prepared.” I say while patting her on the head.
She grabs my chin and forces me to look at her. “And you, no dying today, ya hear?”
“Of course. When have I ever died? I am perfect at staying alive, as you well know.” I quip back.
Ray looks at me with a look that says she doesn't believe me. But eventually lets me go and smiles in that murdery way of hers. She is so cute when she gets all murdery, it is unbelievable.
She punches me on the arm and then walks away, joining up with Emil and Rigar. Our dedicated team to take out Regulus. Of course, they have more than a few tricks up their sleeves this time.
I take off into the air to get a good vantage point, and so that I can spot my target. I am here for only one reason and one reason only. To fight Luna. After all, last time she thoroughly beat me, and that cannot be allowed to be the outstanding record.
I watch as our two forces clash, soldiers on both sides die in the dozens. But it seems like our side is winning by a good margin. Which is to be expected, their strongest members are what we are worried most about.
Yuin and his force of melee fighters ram into a mechanized regiment and absolutely decimate them. Yuin’s greatsword is really good at fighting mechs it turns out, which makes sense, it can basically cleave them in two with one swing.
I move to hover over the complex, and watch for my target to appear. She has not fought us all this time, It can’t be because she is weak. So she will show.
I hear a large tearing sound and look to my left as Vel tears a giant hole in a mech with his scythe. To my right, I hear the clang of metal and watch as Frank The Great is surrounded in a cloud of dust from absorbing a bullet from Linda’s rifle.
She smiles, and reloads while Frank tries to charge right towards her, a large crack in his shield. She fires again, and the bullet goes right through the shield, throwing him back several meters as it gets deflected by armor.
Linda has Frank handled, and it seems that Yuin has moved around to take out Vel.
A large column of fire rises into the sky, and I turn my head and watch as Regulus walks right out of it. Ray, Rigar and Emil as well as several great-level soldiers are surrounding him.
Ray activates another one of the fire beams, and he is consumed by another column. She charges in and deploys a device that creates a field that continuously throws dozens of lighting bolts into his body.
Rigar uses the moment of stun to get a blow in with that massive warhammer. The ground cracks and fractures as Rigar jumps away. I think Regulus merely laughs and moves next to Emil, triggering one of the anti-tank mines that they sprinkled around.
It seems like they will fare well enough against Regulus. Plus, Ray can always send a few hundred troops into a frenzy like last time.
I turn my attention towards the castle, and then I spot her. Luna Aurora, also known as my target, fellow contestant and by some bizarre twist of fate, twin sister.
She sees me, and smiles in a very evil looking way.
She floats off the battlements of her castle and comes to a stop about a hundred meters away from me in the air. She is in her pure white armor, two daggers sheathed at her side – though I doubt those are her only weapons. “Dearest brother, it seems we have met yet again. Have you come to offer your writ of forfeit?” Her voice effortlessly carries over the air, as if it is somehow being boosted. Seems the game masters are present and willing to make this fight an epic one.
I scoff loudly. “Of course klacking not. After all, we are clearly the victors, why would we forfeit. Instead, why don’t you hand over your flag and we can end this and be home for dinner?”
“Tch, to think my brother is such an ignorant fool. You very well know that we will not surrender. So, I propose a different idea.”
“I am listening.”
“Fight me. Full power, no restrictions. Just the two of us. Presuming the game masters would allow such a thing of course.”
A system message appears in my vision. ‘It shall be permitted for this encounter only. However, please be mindful of environmental damage.’
I smile widely. “Funny, I was thinking the exact same thing. After all, we must give the fans what they want. So, dearest sister, bring it on.”
End of Chapter 143
Next: Chapter 144 | Family Bonding
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$ shoutout.swap --stacked --clean
by BooksByMandiMay ● Sci-Fi / LitRPG Lite
Samantha gets fired, framed for corporate espionage, and then something in her brain snaps. Suddenly she can see reality's source code. A voice says: LEVEL UP. She keeps notes in a journal titled "DEFINITELY NOT EVIL PLANS." She is, in fact, lying about that.
// two systems. two protagonists. same universe-breaking energy.