Chapitre 54: 9.4 Frontline

It was two-fold. Firstly, the sides would most likely be the place where there were the fewest guards, namely due to them not being able to stand the blazing heat for too long. As Nenners, our innate resistance to heat would give us just enough time to endure getting close to these vats, just enough for us to make use of the heat as partial cover during our initial breach. And secondly, while we might get pinned with our backs against the wall, we would be able to funnel the number of enemies going against us and avoid getting completely surrounded. If need be, we could escape by burning ourselves through the side of the vats too.

After all, getting out alive will always be my top priority, especially for Lise.

"Nenner!" I heard an announcer exclaim just as I began charging the rifle in my hands. "CEASE YOUR STRUGGLES AND SURRENDER!"

I didn't have the time to chuckle as I concentrated on making my potential shot as obvious as possible. By channeling more Wesen than I should, the air accumulating on my rifle's Seigels began to manifest in larger and larger quantities. I never tested this thing for its capacity in holding a charge, but I might as well do it now that it was needed.

I just hope it didn't blow up in my face.

"READY!"

With a shout, I aimed the menacingly glowing rifle at the poor sap that was guarding our potential entry point. I already knew that the shot I was holding would obliterate the guard into little bits and pieces, but it would still be for the best if the tin can faltered from my bold declaration.

"NENNERS ROUGE AND LISE! FOR THE CRIME OF MANSLAUGHTER AND TREASO-"

I didn't even let the announcer finish calling out our supposed crimes as we quickly found ourselves within swinging distance of Dezimal halberds. I knew it was the time to strike, the optimal range to let loose my DIY breach charge.

Time to kick things off.

"MARK!"

*BANG!*

*SQUELCH!*

"Ahh... AHHHHHHH!!!!!"

I toned the heart-wrenching scream of suffering out of my ears in favor of deftly jumping over the tin can's dismembered form, meeting the now-staggered second line of defense with Lise following not even a second later. I didn't even have time to think before noticing that they were all staring at me blankly, their halberds shaking in their grips as I assumed the same stance that Mother taught me.

"I-It's them!"

"G-Get them!"

I trained my eyes towards the immediate threats on my position, Lise firmly by my side as I assessed the situation as quickly as my mind could possibly muster.

Over a dozen Dezimals on our front... Our backs against the blazing vats... An attack-

*CLANG!*

I deftly blocked the telegraphed swing with my katana, using its unnatural hardness to deflect the halberd down to my left-

*Crash!*

*Stab!*

-before quickly countering with the only way that my sword could actually deal damage, the tip of my katana tearing through the tin can like an ice pick piercing through paper. Not even a second later, I pulled out my sword in order to block another incoming swipe.

*CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!*

A quick flurry... more attacks coming from different sides...

*CLANG! STAB! CLANG!*

All parried and countered swiftly... No wasted movement...

*Clang! Crash! STAB! STAB!*

My muscles burned as I downed two more tin cans that were trying to pin us to the vats. Already, I could feel the heat behind our backs dissipate as we slowly inched our way closer to the center of the enemy formation.

"ALL DEZIMALS! THERE ARE TWO NENNERS CURRENTLY IN OUR RANKS! DISPOSE OF THEM!"

"ROOAAAAA!!"

Guess things were about to get hotter now. "STAY CLOSE!"

"GOT IT, BRO!"

Like a well-oiled machine, Lise and I found our backs against each other as we faced the onslaught of Dezimals like an unrelenting tide of armor-wearing zombies. From each close shave from a halberd, with each razor-thin block opportunity taken, I felt my heart beat faster and with more intensity.

*CLANG! CLANG! STAB! Crash!* Two blocked horizontal swipes, followed by a counter-attack while I narrowly dodged an overhead swing.

The adrenaline coursing through me was starting to blur my vision of the fight. Already, I felt my body react faster than my mind could even register the fact that something happened, years of training with Mother honing my instincts against much faster foes.

*STAB! STAB! Crash! SLICE!*

Behind me, I could feel Lise make short work of her enemies on her side of the battle; her training paying off in dividends as we complemented our forms perfectly. With each deflected blow that I couldn't follow up, she countered. With every block that staggered her frame, I retaliated.

*SLICE! STAB! CRASH!*

It was an unabashed symphony of metal and iron, the carnage surrounding us piling up as we held strong against wave after wave of enemies. In the blistering heat of this hellscape, we were managing to hold off a veritable army of Dezimals with pure skill and coordination.

*STAB! Crash! CLANG! CLANG!*

I delivered a quick stab, all while dodging an incoming attack before I quickly pulled my katana out to block two vicious overhead swipes aimed right at me. Things were really getting busy, but as the seconds stretched on into minutes, I could tell that we needed reinforcements.

*Crash! SLICE! STAB!* A narrow dodge, quickly followed up by Lise's swing while I supplanted the shallow cut with a deep stab to the chest.

This was bad. We were getting slower. I knew there was no way that we could keep this up, but the onslaught just refused to let up.

*CLANG! STAB!*

I parried another blow meant for Lise before killing the poor sap that dared to harm my sister. I heaved as I pulled out my katana from yet another full set of armor. My arms were beginning to strain from the constant fighting.

*SLICE!.. SLICE! Crash!*

"Brother!" I heard Lise shout from behind me as I dodged another overhead swipe from yet another armor-wearing tin can. "We... How long!?"

I grimaced as the enemy seemed to have picked up on the problem that we were now facing. I was trying to make an opening for myself to begin charging another shot that would serve as the signal for our front lines to begin advancing, but as wave after wave of eager Dezimals all collapsed onto our position, I realized that there was just one problem that I only now saw.

There was no way for me to charge a signal shot without leaving ourselves wide open for the taking.

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