Chapter 90: Maximum Resistance Part 4
Well I guess I'm dead yet again, how many times is that now? Well this must be my third time, in fact it's my third time I've died in Lowee and we haven't even managed to take a single area, and kept our hold on it in Lowee. It makes me wonder at this rate how many times will I die? I don't know if it's good for me as a character in this wonderful fanfic to die, as does it make me stronger or weaker? Still at least it's a matter of waiting until I can be revived, if I can be revived at all but where is White? And how is she and my allies doing?
It's such a great shame that I didn't hear her respond to me as I was too busy in dealing with the enemy. I just hope that she will find me and I can be revived so that I can continue once again, but even then can we succeed? Are we too late? It angers me and frustrates me to know how difficult this battle is due to being unable to utilize the entire Lastation arsenal, as they'll just declare war and it'll be a nightmare to face both Leanbox and Team Rocket at once. I guess I'll just have to see whether we can take the camp and capture the supplies, but I need to be revived to do so.
The thing is even if I can be revived and even if there's still time, would we have enough forces to take the place considering how their numbers and their bosses prove to be such a pain to deal with? I suppose I should be grateful that I've done my best in taking out numerous grunts and a good amount of enemy bosses, even when it's just myself on my own or perhaps with a partner.
I guess I'm given another chance to do more for my nation and for Lowee, as well as the people here as I'm revived once more, allowing me to fight once again. As I look around my surroundings, I notice White, Oichi along with dozens of allied troops, but what I do notice regarding the allied troops, is that they all appear to be Loweeans from their uniforms, but on their white t shirts is three hexagonals which are arranged in a triangle, all 3 of them being in light blue.
Furthermore I notice on the back of their white cardigans and t shirts is the name Azai in light blue, and underneath is the number 216 in a large font which covers their backs. It reminds me of what people would have on their backs when they play different sports, though they appear to be crayoned on so as far as Team Rocket is concerned: the resistance must have managed to assemble a hundred or so troops, captured a few crayons and used them in an attempt to revive the Azai clan in honour of Oichi.
Most of them have an Arisaka with a bayonet attached to it, as well as plenty of clips for each of them, though a good portion are armed with either a Type 100, a scoped Arisaka or a Type 99. Although they appear to be exhausted, dirty and not well fed at all and perhaps even have a few cuts or look ill, I can only assume that it's part of the cream used to disguise them as being from Viridian Forest, having to endure the brutal occupation of Team Rocket.
To see all these troops from Lastation is nice and cheers me up, giving me confidence that we can take the checkpoint, but it's also great to see what's on their clothes and I can tell that this pleases the lady of Azai very much.
"Thanks a lot for finding me, it's nice to see a good number of allied troops again and it's also great to see what's drawn on their uniforms." I say to them smiling.
"It's alright." White replies to me.
"Yes, with the 216th Rifle Unit of the Azai risen again, we will head to the checkpoint and capture it." Oichi smiles after speaking in her native tongue.
"Indeed and hopefully with that we can revive the Azai clan and find your husband Nagamasa." I say to them while sounding hopeful.
"Yes, I vow to find him and one day I hope that we can restore peace to the land." The lady of Azai replies to us in the same tone as me, and showing the same sort of body language.
I certainly hope that one day we can make that dream a reality as if we can get Lowee back to our control, we'll then have a tremendous advantage in our war against Leanbox but I am quite concerned as to when that will that be? I shouldn't worry about that though as at least I'm helping to make that day come faster.
Before we advance I drink the perk a colas once again. While I do so I ask White on the situation to see if she knows what is happening in Viridian Forest, as although Uni has been forced to see to Leanbox, I know that they would have managed to drop White off quickly before returning back to Lastation to defend it from its incoming attack.
"So White do you know how Uni and Noire as well as Rom, Ram and Blanc are in dealing with Leanbox?" I ask her via mind talk.
"They're doing alright, they're able to inflict a lot of casualties on the enemy without retaining many as usual, and even then they can easily repair the damage and revive the fallen. But even so they do need to focus a lot of their attention there, so they can keep up the advantage.
I tell you one thing it really does baffles me as to why they throw so many of their troops against us, only to be slaughtered with only being able to capture a few of them once again? I wonder where they get all the troops from if they get through that many a battle?
It's a pity that their defences are far too strong for us to invade them, and it's also a shame that the enemy is far too strong for us to be able to divert a decent amount of troops to the Loweean conflict." White replies via the same method.
"It's good to know that they are able to keep Lastation safe even if Leanbox is at their door. Though I too find it sad how they send so many troops to die? This baffles me a lot as to how they produce so many and why are they so wasteful with their troops? It's just a shame we're not able to capture many of them, even though once captured they are merely asked what their name is and what families they have, and then they get to live very comfortable lives here. We don't even expect them to join our side even though they always do.
You're right about their defences and their numbers though, that's why I believe there's more to the Leanbox war than Vert. I definitely think there is someone else pulling the strings, and it does concern me as to when we'll get answers to what's going on. It doesn't look like it'll happen very soon, and it is a shame especially with how Lowee needs liberating, Lastation is being invaded and my brain is constantly under attack by being brain washed.
Anyway while they have flown here, have they managed to observe any significant activity near our area of operations? Has the supplies past through the checkpoint?" I explain to her.
"The good news is that supplies have not yet passed although they will do soon, but the bad news is that the supplies are heavily guarded as well as the camp itself, with troops numbering in the thousands and there being a dozen bosses as well. Furthermore there are still enemies along the route between here and the checkpoint, though there are a couple of skirmishes and if we are lucky, we can rescue the troops there.
Our allies are encircling the checkpoint but even with our help they are heavily outnumbered. As a matter of fact the checkpoint is the largest force in this part of Viridian Forest, and they're sure to protect the checkpoint at all costs." White informs me.
I then thank her for the information before we rally the troops.
"Everyone, this battle although it won't be the last is a very important battle, as this will mean that we will have a chance in taking Viridian Forest if we win. As you already know, there is to be supplies running through this forest and if we can capture the village which is on the route, then we can be sure to capture those supplies when they come, and with them we will be stronger in our fight to take Viridian Forest.
For Lowee and for Gameindustri, we will succeed in our battle to take their camp." I say to them only for them to cheer afterwards.
Note: Readers please listen to Red Alert 2 Eagle Hunter while reading this:
After which we then move towards the direction of the checkpoint, trying to stay as positive as possible despite the concerns that we may not capture the checkpoint. I myself do my best not to think about the numbers, as although it's good to know we still have a chance, I feel it will be a challenge to keep our casualties low or at least for much of the battle.
The thing is just as we leave the camp we already see about a few dozen Team Rocket grunts, but because of our superior numbers we're able to wipe them out without them being able to fire back, as they're completely off guard. I quickly realise however that the sound of our guns will attract the attention of our enemies and indeed it does as I see in the distance, Team Rocket grunts hiding amongst the trees in hopes of ambushing us but thanks to my visions, I know exactly where they are.
With this knowledge, I then order our forces who outnumber them to hide in the trees and not to engage so that they don't risk getting shot by the enemy, as even though we outnumber them, I know that their tactics can easily pick us off and bleed the numbers that we so desperately need. I just hope we don't get bogged down so that our allies involved in the skirmish up front don't get wiped out.
With them hiding conveniently in a line pretty much, myself and White move towards the enemy positions while crouched so that they don't spot us so easily. Soon after wards we both find ourselves next to the enemy at opposite ends of their line and so we open fire, mowing a good number of them down with one clip from our Type 100s. The thing is that we don't wipe out all of them, and so they then take cover and try to attack us both. This however proves to be no problem for us as one by one they fall by our hands, though it does take quite a while even if we don't get hit too many times by them.
With them cleared I then order our troops to regroup and to advance together, but just as we move for what felt like a minute or two, I then see more enemies who are similar in number, but this time they are hiding up in the trees. Like before I order our troops to take cover though unlike last time, I order the Azai unit to place themselves in a line at a position fairly close to the enemy, but to do so quietly so they don't alert the grunts. I've also given the order for them to open fire when the Team Rocket grunts start open fire against us in the trees, just after I fire my submachine gun.
Meanwhile myself and White then move forward towards their location while standing, knowing full well that they will hear us and ambush us. I just hope that they can be wiped out in one stroke without any of our allies getting killed, and so we move towards them casually as if we don't know that they're there, only for them to then pop out and try to mow us down. The pair of us quickly aim and fire at them, before the ones we see directly in front of us manage to even open fire against us.
The rest of them fire a volley of bullets but the bullets hit nothing, and it is then that the Azai army lean from their cover and fire at the enemy ambushers. To see the tactic of ambushing the ambushers pleases me, and I'm so grateful for having my visions as it comes in handy.
Sadly though, although we've defeated the enemy ambush, I see in the distance another group of enemies and this time there are a few more of them and worse still, there are 3 enemy bosses with them and they are approaching our position fast. No no no this is the last thing we need, the enemy grunts being there means there's too many of them for us to use our troops without casualties, and the enemy bosses mean that myself, Oichi and White will take significant damage in fighting them.
I guess there's nothing for it but to order my allies to not attack until ordered to, and for me and White to attack the grunts first before dealing with the bosses, then I can use our troops to ambush them though I do notice how well armed they are. Using our visions myself and White hide behind trees while aiming our submachine guns and firing at the grunts. Because the lady of Azai does not have the visions that me and White have, she just hides with me to keep an eye on our flank.
Though the pair of us manage to defeat a good number of the enemies, they then come charging at us with their bayonets. I then call for Oichi to assist us in mowing down these enemies, as they're all coming at once towards our location. Despite us being able to kill half of the remaining enemy grunts that charge at us, they get within striking distance and so they start trying to stab us while we're forced to move back and reload our weapons.
Rather than trying to hold them off and take their damage, we decide to run towards our allied line so that they can wipe the remaining enemy grunts out. I do this because I quickly realise that although the 3 of us can take them out, it won't be without receiving damage from them and even though it won't be much, it'll all add up and we've already been stabbed a few times by them, in fact White has been stabbed the most. Although it's great to have massive health compared to them as well as the perk a colas, it is too bad that our health generates at quite a slow pace considering how long these battles last.
It's not long before we reach their lines and it is then that I give the order for our troops to open fire against our pursuers. After which I turn back to notice that they all fell down with just one volley of our bullets. I guess it took less time for them to fall than I thought, but then again I assumed they would fire at us from a distance rather than doing a banzai charge.
Excellent now it's just the 3 bosses left to deal with. The trio of bosses consist of two females and one male, the females having pig tails and a Type 100 in each hand, while the male has a Type 99 with a bayonet attached.
The three of them move towards us as fast as they can while firing their guns at us, but as soon as we see them I give the order for our troops to open fire. Because of the sheer number of our troops, they all go down with just one volley of bullets though it is sad to have lost about half a dozen of our own troops. I just hope it doesn't make a difference in the fight in the checkpoint itself, as I know how every soldier of ours will count.
At least now there is nothing standing in the way between us and the skirmishes there, though I do hope that the allies fighting there are still alive as I know too well that this a warm up, and the checkpoint has enemies which outnumber us by a lot. I waste no more time thinking about that possibility, and so I give our troops the order to follow me as we head along the route rushing as fast as we can, while I keep looking ahead with my visions to see if the Team Rocket grunts are engaging the Loweeans. Hopefully it won't be quite as difficult in taking them down this time, but we need to be quick if we are to save them.
I must admit I was starting to wonder how long will it be before we find the troops but in the distance we see them. They are in a gunfight between half a dozen allied soldiers against a couple of dozen enemy soldiers. As fast as we can we rush as close as possible to the enemy, before we then open fire as soon as we're in range of them. Because of how we're able to see them all, we manage to shoot the lot of them with just one volley of fire.
The allied troops over there notice that their enemies have been defeated, and so they then turn to our attention in amazement that we have rescued them, when they were seriously outnumbered. I can tell from their body languages that it's unbelievable that despite there not being much food, supplies or hope or even many friends, in front of them is a relatively large army of allied troops.
Despite already seeing the Loweeans looking so hungry and full of cuts, dirt and exhaustion, it still sickens me to see this. I just hope that this time they will be able to make it in the battle and not end up falling like last time.
"Thanks for rescuing us, we appreciate it highly and I can only hope that we can be of use to all of you guys." One of the guys say to us, their body language showing that they cannot believe what's happening right now.
"Don't worry about it I'm sure you will, come there should hopefully be more survivors along here, and after that the enemy camp which we intend to take." I say to them before we rush out.
As soon as we've finished talking, we then rush out again to find the rest of the survivors whom I hope are still alive, but as we do so despite covering as much ground as we can, they are nowhere to be found. It's too bad that Uni isn't able to provide surveillance, so we know how far away they are because she's needed to deal with Leanbox.
I just hope that they can be found soon because if not, then they'll probably be dead by the time we reach their location. No I'm sure they're fine, even if they are still fighting the enemy grunts who outnumber them by a lot.
After what feels like hours of looking for them, I then eventually see them in the distance with my visions, only to see that the enemy grunts have already wiped out the allied patrol. This I find upsetting and frustrating to know that we couldn't save them on time, even with having superior numbers. I can only hope that we will still be able to take the checkpoint as even though there were only 6 people in that allied unit who died, it can make a big difference.
The enemies then head towards our location although it is at a slow pace as they have no idea of our location. I therefore order our troops to crouch down and to move forward slowly, waiting until we're within range so that we can wipe them out with just one volley of bullets. As I see them walk closer towards us I notice how a few of them are bosses, armed with the same sort of weapons as last time. If we can just surprise them then I'm sure we can wipe out the lot of them, before they even get a chance to fire back.
But even if I'm confident that this will go without incident, I know that the checkpoint itself will be very very tough, with a lot of guards and a dozen enemy bosses as well as plenty of mounted machine guns. The fighting there will have probably taken place over there already, and I'm sure the allied troops there are struggling against them.
It's weird how as we wait to annihilate the enemy forces in this part of the forest that I'm feeling tense because of the checkpoint, not because of these enemies here. I just can't help but worry that by the time we get there, it will be just us against the enemy who outnumbers us by a lot. This isn't good and I know that the supplies will get through so the missile can be made, and so war on two fronts will be inevitable. I guess there is nothing any of us can do but to just finish off these guys and then to rush as fast as we can to the checkpoint, where there I can come up with the best possible strategy to take the checkpoint keeping casualties as low as possible.
As I think about my worries and concerns about the checkpoint as well as trying my best to supress these thoughts and to focus on the mission, I notice that the enemy is within range and does not suspect a single thing, and so we open fire at them and like before because of how there's so many of us compared to them, they all get wiped out with just one shot, even the bosses but I know this won't be the same story when we reach the checkpoint. I can only hope that the checkpoint is not too far away as we rush as fast as we can, safe in the knowledge that there should be no more of them.
I look to see that there is nothing distinctive at all, no landmarks nothing but trees and the occasional bush. This I do not like because although I know we're going in the right direction, I have no idea of how far away the camp is from here. It doesn't help that there's no sound of gun fire to indicate fighting as even if it doesn't lead us to the camp, it could mean that we could rescue more people or at least reduce the number of Team Rocket grunts in the area.
I guess there's nothing to it but to keep running. As I look ahead and see nothing but the same scenery, I can't help but feel that it's quite nice to be running in the middle of the forest in the day time. It's just too bad there's no wildlife or fruit and worse still, this place is home to nothing but death, misery and suffering. It is a warzone, a status that I don't feel will change very soon.
I can't help but wonder what must be going through the minds of the troops in my command right now, as they rush through the forest with me. Are they nervous, sad, confident, angry, frustrated? Maybe a combination of these emotions but it does please me to know how they're all willing to fight just like myself, even if the situations get really bleak. I just hope that we can live through this and for those that don't, that their sacrifices won't be in vain.
At least the perk a cola helps in us running faster and oddly enough I don't feel exhausted from the running, but I do feel quite tense as I'm about to be tested considering what will eventually be in front of us. How best to capture the camp? Hmmm. I guess it would help if I could see it for myself, but will I get the chance to make a strategy or will I be forced to rush in guns blazing, so that I can help the allies already there?
Where is the camp? I don't see it after running for who knows how long. I just hope the supplies haven't passed yet and that our allies haven't engaged the enemy, or at least they're still alive. Suddenly I see the camp in the distance and so before heading towards it, I order my troops to wait while I use the scope of my sniper rifle to have a look at what's going on.
The camp is in fact a lot bigger than the ones that we have dealt with before. There are dozens of huts as well as bigger ones which must serve as command centres, kitchens, canteens, radio huts, supply huts, as well as even a place to park the vehicles that they have. Like I thought though, it's heavily guarded with machine gun nests, thousands of grunts and a dozen bosses. There are even about a hundred or so snipers as well.
In the distance just as I feared, I see dozens of allied troops engaging hundreds of team rocket grunts, who are given machine gun and sniper cover. There are even a few Team Rocket bosses taking on a couple of allied bosses. I was hoping I could just snipe the gunners and attack from the distance, hoping I could lure the enemy out but I guess it's not to be, as I need to rescue our allies and I can only hope that I can save them, and doing so will not ruin our chances of capturing the enemy base.
And so as I order my troops into the best positions I can think of to assist the allies, I can only begin to wonder whether we will succeed in taking this checkpoint, or will we end up dying and with it our chances of taking Viridian Forest, and with it Lowee as well as ensuring that Lastation will be able to survive against Leanbox and Team Rocket. I guess all I can do is my best just like the rest of the troops, and I guess here goes nothing as we begin the attack.
There's no going back now, and each order and movement we make will count in this battle to determine whether we win a significant victory and be one small step closer to freeing and uniting Gameindustri, or lose it all with a cost that none of us can afford.