Chapter 122: The feudal challenge continues some more
Note: Please listen to Samurai Warriors 2 OST Odawara Castle Theme while reading this:
Ah, a new chapter but the same old situation, in the forest still, as I along with my allies, try so hard to defeat an enemy, an enemy in which despite me taking out loads of them including 6 bosses, and numerous enemies, there are still more of them, far too many for my liking. While I should be happy with this being able to take out this amount of enemies, I'm not because what does it mean, since my health is rather low as are my allies with some of them being dead, and yet we're heavily outnumbered and I feel that they could easily get us due to our health being incredibly low, due to the toll we have taken from fighting all of these enemies who are numerous and deadly.
It really gets to me this frustration, as I know that we need to defeat them, and yet each part has been ever so hard to say the least. I really do feel that we have to succeed every time, every single time while they only need to succeed once, and I keep having these thoughts with every single fight that we have, and it's rather difficult for it not to get to me.
I sigh in frustration, as despite previously being revived after such a hard battle against the garrison of the camp and enemy reinforcements, already I'm at low health and I've only managed to defeat 2 bosses and numerous enemies, and yet there are plenty more including 6 bosses, who I feel are much more deadly than before.
Well, at least we've succeeded so far in winning all of these firefights, and we have done well to keep Lastation, our home, our nation, our hope, free from the dreaded enemy, defeating every attempt to crush us be it when we're awake or when we're asleep, even when the odds get more and more stacked against us, and with these thoughts we can only continue to do our best like we have been doing, it's gotta be enough, it's been enough before, I just need to do my best and keep my wits about me, which have always been strong as it is my secret weapon if you will in defeating the enemy.
And so I quickly rush off to help Katsuie who is no doubt in serious trouble, and I have a feeling that he's surrounded by at least a dozen enemies, along with Tokugawa, who actually I'm deeply concerned about because he has a Javelin launcher, and just the use of that and he's able to get me even from a far distance, meaning that I can't use my sniper rifle, and just take him out from afar and retreat if he gets too close, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
Of course there is still the issue of taking out those enemy soldiers, and if I can do that and survive then it'll be 2 on 1, and then that will be much, much easier to deal with, but what worries me is that the moment I attack, he'll know I'm from afar, and he'll use that launcher against me, and I know that no matter how far I run, or where I run, the missile will still find me and it will hit me for sure.
Well at least if I can take him out, and remove the threat of his deadly weapon, then the other bosses shouldn't prove to be a problem, that is if I can prevent them from leaving for Lastation where we will all be doomed, as we have to face two enemies on two fronts, and that is not ideal at all.
Interestingly enough, I then notice in the distance, Katsuie doing his best hiding against all these enemies as they fire at him, though not only does it mean he's unable to kill any of the guards, or shoot at Tokugawa, he is unable to fire a shot at all to keep them at bay, and what's worse is that as my ally tries so hard to hide and run, the enemy boss uses his deadly weapon, aiming it as it beeps to indicate the weapon targeting him.
The tragic thing is that I find myself wondering what do, I know I should attack but then again what's to stop him from then having the weapon to lock on me? I guess I'll just have to simply sneak up on him and nick his weapon, it helped a lot against the sniper bosses that I had to deal with, it's just such a huge shame that my ally Katsuie will fall as opposed to being able to save him so that he can assist my allies. This is not good, but I have no other choice, and I only hope that those being distracted by my ally can buy me time to eliminate the threat, and then be able to take out these enemies and therefore hopefully ensure that my friend's death is not in vain.
It's such a shame because I was hoping he'd be able to help White who must be really struggling against all of these enemies, who vastly out number her, all the while I go and help Stealth who is vastly outnumbered by more enemies than Katsuie, both in boss number and in enemy numbers. It's such a big shame really, that even with this occasion where the enemies were relatively light, I still can't defeat them and save my ally because then that would have been very helpful in helping our allies, very helpful indeed.
Oh well I guess here goes nothing, at least Tokugawa has appeared to distance himself from Katsuie in an attempt to lure my ally into a false sense of security, that he's only having to deal with grunts even if they're numerous, though with this situation if I can sneak up on him and then trip him up and take his Javelin weapon off of him, then I can remove this threat, all without the enemy grunts knowing my location, and therefore by the time I've done what I need to do, I am well away from them, and I can snipe them without any trouble, but I know that I'll have to be quick, because he can still alert the enemies, and how certain can I be that he might not just look around and spot me.
I guess I'll have no choice but to do my absolute best, and hope that I can do this, all I can do is to just do one part at a time, and with each successful part, it will lead to ultimate victory, but it will take a long chain of victories before we can even take Pallet Town and with that Viridian City, in which we would at last have a significant foothold, but then it will be a long way before retaking the entire Kanto region of Lowee, and I imagine that there are many more regions in Lowee that need liberating.
Then of course there is Vert, who I feel is currently brainwashed and is fighting against our own free will, and we'll have to see if there's an easy way of getting to her, once we can establish two fronts with Lowee and Lastation against Leanbox, forcing her to devote her entire forces, leaving her own bases weaker and allowing us to infiltrate, capture her and see if we can break her brainwashing, and see if we can get her to join us so that we can all then take on the nasty tyrannical Neptune and put a stop to her for good.
After which of course we'll have to see if we can bring the innocent both soldiers and civilians alike back to life, because it isn't fair for them to have died for Neptune and co.'s amusement, considering how they desire nothing but our total destruction. The thing is though there is certainly a lot to do, but at least even if they're being a pain by refusing to yield and allow justice to take its course, we are refusing to yield to them, and it must aggravate them, irritate them, that we do not bow down to them, we do not allow them to win, and we will never ever give up, just like we never have done in the past no matter the circumstances.
With this in mind, I quickly rush towards him, hoping that he doesn't see me which is what I'm deeply concerned with, and I manage to rush towards him without him knowing where I am, I guess fortunately thanks to the trees providing me cover so he wouldn't be able to see me, and thanks to the gunfire so he wouldn't be able to hear me, there's no reason for him to look for me, though I need to be quick before he decides to just turn around because even if he doesn't see me through the trees, I will need to go around and get him from behind.
As I rush towards him, the beeping indicates a lock on and the missiles that will eventually kill Katsuie have been launched, and even though I expected this, considering his aiming and the beeping, it's ever so difficult not to think about how much it saddens me to know that my ally will fall in a matter of seconds, and knowing how I will be pretty much on my own concerns me especially with all the enemies including bosses that I will have to deal with, and yet I am constantly reminded of how the shape I am in, is far from ideal to say the very least.
Come on, come on, don't turn around and make me take more time to find your back, and risk exposing myself to the enemies who will no doubt take me down because of how low my health is, don't even think about it.
Yes I am ever so close and he hasn't turned around, just a bit more, though I do a quick look to make sure that the enemy guards won't spot me as I do what needs to be done. I just hope that when I trip him up he'll let go of the Javelin and that way I can take it and get out there, but I realise that even if I trip him up, what do I do if he still has the weapon in his hands? I guess I'll just have to just pin him, make sure he's unable to use his weapons against me, and then take out the guards before finishing him off but it won't be easy, though I feel that it's going to go that way.
Oh well I guess here goes nothing, I then reach his position and do a low kick on his right foot to the right so he falls on his right before rolling on his back, and yet he holds on to his weapon and he holds it tightly, but before he can get up I quickly stand on top of him only for me to then stand on his head, with one of my feet to prevent him from screaming, but it is then that I realise that he can still use the weapon to knock me off, and then he'll be able to wipe me out with his Gatling gun, or with those rockets in which sooner or later they will kill me, this is not good and while I'll have to deal with him, it's only a matter of time before the enemy soldiers find me, and that will be ever so difficult with their numbers, and even their weapons being able to kill me with such ease.
This is ever so serious because if I get spotted it will be very difficult to avoid being shot, and if I get shot I'll surely die, and yet if I retreat then Tokugawa will be able to unleash his deadly weapons at me, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
Hmmm how do I keep him secure or better still get the weapon off of him? Well I guess there's nothing for it, I'll just have to shoot his arms to get the weapon away from his hands, because pulling will take too long, and I'll be distracted by him, if I shoot it from him, while I'll attract attention, I'll be quick and I can get the weapon off him and then one by one I can get the enemies and then deal with Tokugawa himself, who's slow speed and Gatling gun will be no match for my speed and Barret 50 cal.
My only hope is that I can do this quickly, because no doubt my remaining male ally is absolutely struggling to keep the enemies at bay let alone defeat them, he's completely outnumbered and I wouldn't be surprised if he falls to them, and with this it will result in the enemies having absolutely nothing standing between them and our Lastation. I have a feeling that it will be just me on my own against not just Tokugawa, but Stealth's enemies as well as White's enemies, which is a lot.
The alarming thing is that just as I was thinking about my strategies and concerns, he was about to swing that launcher in his hands towards my legs in an attempt to knock me over, with the intention of pinning me and then killing me, which will be very easy for him to do.
The fortunate thing is that I see this just in time, as I was keeping an eye on it because of this concern, and so I shoot at his hands quickly with his left one first followed by the right one, and with this he drops the launcher and with that I quickly pick it up while as fast as I can holster my sniper rifle, and drop the AK47 due to me only being able to carry 3 weapons thanks to the perk a colas, which I'm guessing is part of the way this world works, and after which I then run away as he stands up as quickly as he can, while unholstering his Gatling gun from his back at the same speed.
Fortunately for me he's not fast enough and even with these heavy weapons, I am able to run away quickly enough to avoid getting shot by the enemies, all thanks to the perk a colas, which is such a relief as I could easily have been dead which I cannot afford, but now I am in the clear and I can use my strategy to take them down without any trouble, but then again who's to say that they might not change strategy, but what strategy can they adopt, they do not have the speed to outrun me, or the weapons that have a bigger range than my newly acquired ones, but they could still use their numbers, or even just make a simple dash for Lastation and sacrifice themselves to ensure that our landmass gets destroyed, which is something that has to be avoided at all costs.
I have a feeling that's what they'll attempt to do, which is interesting how determined they are to do their mission even at the expense of their own lives, then again the same can be said for myself and my allies, who will continue to fight despite being heavily outnumbered and with a serious lack of health.
The tragic thing is that if they die fighting Lastation then they'll have won, where as if we die fighting them, then we'll have lost due to the severe lack of people we have on our side in this fight, and we can't call for reinforcements or else the enemy will be suspicious, as this is meant to look like Oichi persuading her friends to join, who's accompanied by a few Team Rocket bosses who have gone rogue, who happen to be quite powerful to say the least.
No, I cannot think that way, I'll just have to see what they do as they then try and rush for me, as well as Tokugawa who's trying hard to mow me down with his Gatling gun, though despite his weapon firing relentlessly, I have managed to make enough distance from him for it to be no effect, though tragically because of his weapon being that powerful, he is able to cause trees to fall down, and perhaps he could potentially cause these trees to fall into more trees, such that I could potentially get crushed as all these trees get knocked down by each other, and if I do get crushed, then I'll probably die, since he's caused the falling of the trees.
In fact I find that although I'm out of range from his weapon, it's not by much and even from here the trees topple and knock the ones down, like dominos and the noise and sight of them knocking into each other and causing them to fall is alarming, as well as sad because it's one of the beautiful forests of Lowee, and yet at the rate it's going, a large amount of trees will end up being knocked over because of this, perhaps the entire area of trees will be knocked down, and all just to simply take me out.
I'd hate to see this forest destroyed just so that my enemy can try and defeat me, it's ever so upsetting, but right now even though I know that I will need to defeat this foe, it will be such a struggle because I could end up being seen, or I could end up being crushed, considering how his firing is relentless as I am having to outrun these vast amounts of trees falling over. This does not look good especially with how I thought that I would have him if I took his Javelin off of him.
Such it is though, I come up with a strategy and then they use a counter strategy in response, still, I realise that although his weapon will have lots and lots and lots of bullets, he will eventually run out and it will take a long time to reload, but until then I will need to keep running, and wait before I can take out the enemies, and then deal with Tokugawa myself, but until then I'll need to not show signs of being bothered about these trees, because that's exactly what the enemy wants to be bothered about the destruction of the environment, but then again, I like to think that these trees can be replanted, and maybe perhaps quite quickly thanks to technology from Lastation or magic from Lowee.
It does in fact make me wonder what it's like in Planeptune, no doubt there aren't any trees there as it is, let alone forests. The thing is it's not the fact that they're a beautiful sight, but it's the sound of the wind blowing on them as well, along with how they tower above us, and then there's the fact that they provide us with oxygen with which to allow us to live, as well as these trees providing habitat for the Pokémon that used to live there.
I say used because no doubt Team Rocket have already killed all of the Pokémon that used to live there, and what ones they didn't must have fled to Lastation to seek refuge there, where we are doing the best we can to look after them. I can only hope that the trees in the forest can be replanted, and I do wonder if they'll be replanted after this fight if practical, I do hope that the Pokémon can return to this wonderful forest here, after Lowee is secured for good, but when will that happen.
While I do try my utmost to avoid the enemy fire, I find that he has far too many bullets, and though I am confident he won't hit me and he's just buying time, time is all the enemy needs to defeat what's left of my allies and to head for Lastation, and it saddens me how he'll be able to destroy more trees, as they fall over like dominos, there's just so many that have fallen over, this mass of trees buried on top of another, but still he continues to fire.
I guess all I can do is to simply find a place where he's not firing at me as I am running around, if only I can just do this and have the time as well as the means to take out at least a few enemies, then I can just get into a new position and take out the rest of the enemies, and then deal with Tokugawa personally, though the thing is he's shooting in a circle, perhaps because he can only let the trees knock the adjacent ones like dominos from where he is.
It's most unfortunate how this isn't easy, as I'm trying to run around and dodge the falling trees which is rather nerve wracking to say the least, though from the rate this is going it will be a massive area in a circle shape in which trees have fallen over, and even if I do survive after all this, it will be quite the obstacle course trying to go over these fallen trees which are gigantic, but if I can hide there and wait for him to have to reload, I could then take the enemies out, but then I'll get spotted, and it won't be easy trying to find a new position, where the trees with which I've relied on, have fallen down.
After running what must be a complete circle around him, as he fires his weapon in a circle to ensure that all the trees that are in close proximity of him fall over, I then find a tree stump to hide, as he finishes off mowing the rest of the trees. It frustrates me ever so much how even after that never ending fire he still has plenty of bullets, and I just know that he'll shoot through the stumps in a circle, and if I was to run, then he'd spot me and it would be very difficult to avoid his gun. I've got to do something, but fortunately I know just what to do, and so while hiding, I aim my Javelin at him and wait for it to beep, and then open fire before quickly reloading, and then aim and fire.
I notice that with regards the enemy grunts that are after me, some of them are standing with the enemy boss who intends to destroy the environment to get to me, while the rest of them have charged off in a direction where I was originally running from, before I ran in a circle, perhaps with the assumption that I'm well away from here. I guess this is the tense bit now, as the final tree in the area has fallen down, and yet the missile is in the air and is about to reach its height before turning towards Tokugawa and heading towards him to strike him down.
Hmm what to do, if I stay I'll get mowed down, if I crawl I'll get mowed down, if I run I…. may get mowed down, well may is better than will, and so I quickly run in a circle, while they don't appear to be looking, and though I get spotted which is what I was dreading but expecting, they only manage to fire their bullets for a short while in which although they nearly got me, it's not enough because the missiles in fact land and it sends the group of them in the air as they scream from the blast and its effects, though while the enemy grunts will be dead from that impact, Tokugawa will be alive from the blast, though I am prepared for this.
"Curse you. You dare take my powerful weapons from me?! It matters not for I am the might of Mikawa, and even if you use dirty tricks I will defeat you!" Tokugawa yells in defiance and frustration for what I've done to him.
"Says the man who wears metallic armour and will even destroy this entire forest if it means I fall to you, looks like you will fail in that regard." I respond to him with determination.
The main thing though is that I wonder if he will still have his weapon in his hands after impact, but nope he's dropped it and so I'll have to go and rush for it, I'm not concerned though because even if he gets up and rushes for it, the second batch of missiles that I've fired, will hit him and send him flying once again, though thanks to the perk a colas I have, after dropping my javelin, I then pick up the Gatling gun, which now has a massive 400 bullets, though before I get to fire my newly acquired weapon, the missiles then hit this tree wrecker once again, sending him in the air as he screams again from the pain as well as being thrown up in the air.
Just as he lands though, I open fire with this heavy weapon, keeping an eye out for the remaining enemy soldiers who I worry could kill me if I am not careful enough.
I find it to be such an incredible relief to have taken both of his deadly weapons, though I still need to be careful, as despite getting shot so many times, he manages to get up without much struggle, in fact as soon as he gets up he then rushes towards me, and is quite fast despite his build and armour, but I still continue to shoot him, as he comes closer and closer but although there've been plenty of bullets running right through his body, causing lots of holes in his armour, as well as blood to come pouring out, he is not screaming in pain and at this point, he manages to grab the barrel of the mini gun, though I still have it in my hands, and I'm still able to fire the weapon at him, though he is quite strong.
In fact he's much stronger than me because while my perk a colas would give me an advantage, my fatigue is getting to me, and there's also the worry of the remaining enemy troops that were with Tokugawa, who could turn around after hearing missiles being struck, and come and attack me, and though it's possible for me to deal with them, I could get distracted and this will just be what my deadly opponent will need.
Though I do worry about me losing grip, at least there is comfort that if I can keep going, Tokugawa will fall to me and my new weapon, but that is if I can prevent him from taking the weapon from me, as he tries to pull it away from me. In fact he tries to kick me and so I respond with a kick of my own, only to find myself getting injured due to his leg having armour, whereas I don't. This is ever so frustrating as I know that it doesn't look like such a good move, but I worry that if he kicked my leg without me kicking him back, I would just simply fall over, and be forced to let go of the weapon and then I'll be doomed to say the very least.
He kicks me repeatedly and I try and kick him back repeatedly, with each time hurting me more than the last, and I'm finding that it's really hard for me to stand after an aching leg, this worries me as I need the speed, but the thing is he then changes tactic and he tries to punch me in my left arm but I see this in time, and I manage to shoot him in his left arm for a short while, forcing him to pull his arm away due to the pain of the numerous bullets.
That was such a relief because if he'd been able to punch my arm, I would be in too much pain, and be forced to drop the weapon, and he'll be able to pick it up and then kill me, and that would have been disastrous, ever so disastrous and such a pity to fall here, when I have almost defeated this enemy of mine. I try to shoot his other arm so that he would be forced to let go, but he continues to move out of the way, and it is then that he manages to hold on with two hands, no doubt trying to buy time for his allies to either finish me off, or to actually complete their mission. Hmmmm, I wonder how to deal with this, considering how heavily stacked the odds are against me?
"Black, just to let you know that there are a group of enemies coming for you, and I have more bad news, Stealth's health is critical and could die at any moment while White is not doing much better." Uni informs me calmly via mind talk.
I sensed no concern in her voice, and I mustn't be concerned either, I can do this, and with this attitude in my mind, I look to my right to where the enemy would be, and fire a few more shots before I drop the weapon, switch to my Barret 50 Cal, and then run so that I can find some cover while looking behind me to see when my enemy will pick up that mini-gun with such destructive power.
The moment he does I then quickly turn and fire my shots at him, but annoyingly he manages to fire a few shots from his mini-gun at me, and though I kill him as he yells in pain as the pain proves too much as he's lost a lot of blood from so much shooting, I find myself seriously wounded and with this pain, it becomes more difficult to move, but at least I'm close to where I'd like to hide, even if it'll only be ideal for this group of enemies, and I know that I'll have to move again.
Just as they arrive, I reach the hiding position that I desire and get ready with my weapon. This is it, 7 enemies before I'll have dealt with this wave and yet I know that one more bullet from their guns will be enough to kill me. At least I'll have the element of surprise, and no doubt they'll be together and if I'm quick enough, I can take all 7 of them at once, though I'll have to see where they are first so I can attack them in the appropriate order. The thing is I'm deeply concerned about where the enemy positions would be when they arrive, would I be able to shoot them all quickly enough, and if I was able to hide it would help, because then it would be harder for them to find me.
With my position such that I'm as hidden as best as possible, I aim my rifle and wait for them and just as I expected, they arrive and without waiting any more due to the concerns of my allies struggling against their enemies, I open fire on the group of them as I see them coming in. I manage to get a few of them before alerting them, and a few more of them before they know where I am, and I manage to get the remaining one before he was able to shoot me.
What a relief, to be able to shoot all of these enemies and to defeat Tokugawa after all that, and I thought that he would have got me for good, though even though he destroyed all of them trees, he hasn't hit me enough times, but it is enough for me to be in such a bad shape, and now my legs ache a lot making movement rather difficult to say the least, and worse still is that White is having to deal with who knows how many grunts, and yet she's in critical condition herself, while Stealth is fighting all of those bosses and enemies, but what to do?
I know that I'm in no fit state to fight, and I worry that my luck will run out and I will fall, as I struggle to think of how to come up with a strategy to defeat all of these enemies. Hmmm, but I know I need to fight even if I don't know how to, I can't just abandon them because it would be such a shame after defeating all of these enemies and bosses, but they've just taken such a massive toll on me, far too much and it's the same with our allies, who have significantly reduced in number and in speed. But we will not give in, we will stop them from invading Lastation which will cause its destruction, and with it, our hope for a free and prosperous world which the people can appreciate and enjoy.
Come on enemies who serve Team Rocket, you ain't beaten us yet, not by a long shot, but rest assured we will beat you, just like we will not just beat Neptune but make her wish she has never harmed the innocent, as well as vilified, humiliated and defeated my CPUs countless times in the series.