Gaston dodged a blow. Most of the cultists fighting him were relying on their staff. Gaston elbowed a cultist right on the elbow. He took a step forward, tapped the cultist with a punch, and then felt the shattering of ribs. He grabbed the cultist by the shoulders, turned him around, and vaulted over him before he collapsed.

Gaston saw a cultist aiming at him from a distance. He raised his bioshield to maximum and defended with his left forearm. More of the cultists were appearing through Gaston guessed to be a techno-device that was similar to a split-realm engine.

They had quite a number. Most of them were carrying MF weapons. The rest were equipping T3 gear. Gaston drew his MF weapon and used it like a pistol. He vaulted over a cover. Ducked down there and fired four to five rounds. Gaston was like a blur. He dashed past the cultists, and did a haymaker that made him feel like he shattered someone’s neck.

“This is Vermell, on location is a group of cultists. I repeat there is a battalion here. They are a mix. Multiple nationalities. Do you copy?”

“This is BRIDGE CECIL. We copy you, Adjutant.”

Gaston went down one knee. He peeked out of cover and shot a cultist who went out of a formation. They were overwhelming the JSDF forces near the lake while the YDF were doing better on their side. The battle between Breakers were mostly the two sides firing from one side to another.

The faster breakers were rushing the cultists. Gaston remained on cover, his other eye monitoring the Rook Squad, controlling the Sparrow while avoiding the breakers. He estimated that they were taking their time in order to get something out.

Gaston spotted the cultists setting up devices near the base of the lake. Gaston radioed the Lotus Company near the base of the lake. The Lotus Company moved in, suppressing the cultists. Most of the cultists were fully armed with the same bioshield generators, some are even better than the Breakers that are on the lake.

They are prepared, Gaston thought. It looks like they are doing something. Now, what is it?

Gaston stopped. “Record,” he said. He saw the timer and the red dot next to the timer on the upper left of his vision. He pointed his head to the devices. “This is Vermell, sending data. Please link.”

“This is Bridge CECIL, linking data.”

Gaston focused on the devices. “Are you seeing this?”

“We are seeing your live feed, Adjutant. Compiling data.”

His eyes remained steady. His other eye monitored the Sparrow and controlled it, following the Rook Squad and doing an automatic overwatch above their heads.

“Data compiled. Reports described these devices as a primary method to transport equipment.”

“How accurate?”

“The devices are spotted in Tokyo, Okinawa, and Sendai.”

He received images of the devices creating this square tear. Gaston saw that beyond the square windows seems to be a place where they were coming from.

“Requesting advice, over,” Gaston said. A device that could open a tear and tunnel was not a good thing. If anything he thought that they are more of rods that create the tear.

“Disable them. Destroying them will cause a medium-scale tear. I repeat, do not attempt to destroy the devices while friendly units are in the radius.”

The BRIDGE sent twenty second recording of breakers trying to smash through the casing only for the area to explode. Gaston took a step and swept the recording to the side before taking a dash near the cultists, disarming them, and then sweeping the cultist near him by the legs.

Gaston didn’t think much. He punched the forearm of the cultist. Took a step aside and avoided a blast from an MF weapon. He took a stand near one of the devices. He estimated that the device was about a hundred kilos. He lifted the device with one hand and forcibly separated the connection of the device from the other rod.

Seeing him take the rod. The other cultists turned their attention to him only for the Lotus Company near the device, surprising the cultists with quick shots.

Their bioshield generators were keeping them alive. It’ll take about ten to fifteen shots before they are able to put one down. Gaston took a quick stride to the right avoiding a cannon shot from one of the cultists. He drew his pistol and took a quick shot before moving the device to the downed mobile center.

“Rook Squad, come in.”

“This is Rook-1, copying.”

“Retreat to the mobile center and protect the device.”

“Negative, we are pinned. I repeat we are pinned. Shion’s generator is down. Yumina is guarding him.”

“Copy that, stay still.”

Gaston checked on his pistol. It was connected to his bioshield generator that fired ichor rounds. He took the device behind and inserted the core of the mobile center. There was a hummer near the mobile center. Lacking any defensive cover. Gaston dragged the hummer car with his off-hand while firing suppressing shots with his firing hand.

With the hummer blocking the way. Gaston pressed his back on the car door while taking cover. The car was being shredded to pieces. He pushed the car with his back a bit. He interacted on his bracer to control the Sparrow. He tried to support the Rook Squad, but it's rotors were hit and he lost his signal.

They are dealing us with their numbers, they are armed to the teeth as well. Some of them are communicating while fighting. They have command structure, and from the looks of it are able to plan ahead. Now, what is their plan other than setting these devices?

Gaston couldn’t figure them out. He was lacking information just like every man or woman currently fighting them. It was a new way of battle reliant on the split-realm. They spread their forces on focal points of the nation and attacked them. They were forcing the allies here by opening split-realms that would overwhelm.

Not to mention that the Lancer Units were barely holding back the tide of monsters. Wave after wave. If it wasn’t for the power suits they are wearing and the layer of armor around their bodies. They would have been overwhelmed. Most of their success was because of the boosters.

The suppressers were defending them. And from the looks of it they weren’t going to stop soon. Gaston looked down. He exhaled loudly and then breathed in.

Let go of this position? Fight for it? What is there to do here? Is staying here beneficial for us? What are the consequences? We’ll lose this area, and endanger the shelters here. But why come here after the shelter? Why are they fighting here?

From the very start they weren’t running on logic but desire to turn this world into their ideal world. Gaston had an idea on their desire, but the rest wasn’t clear.

He had no information. He didn’t bother to gather more. Fighting these people here means nothing when their goal was far larger than Gaston could imagine. Even the Babaika Lions hard-hitters were barely holding on fighting a BEHEMOTH-class and the main forces of the Sitra Ahra Cult.

No one would blame Gaston and the Lions for retreating. Nonetheless, he was still a Freelancer, and could not make a choice by himself, not when it concerned the lives of others. Who in their right mind would choose now?

It wasn’t just the Lions here fighting. There were others. Pulling back was the same as uncorking a barrel with hole in it. It would be tragic.

“This is Adjutant Hardy, identification code S10003. Ayumi, do you copy?”

“This is Sparrow, I copy you.”

Her voice was weak. It was also trembling. There is frailty in her voice. Since it was a private channel that they established. Gaston had to ask.

“Are you okay?”

“Better. I can last for four to seven days.”

“I see. I’m sending you a data stream. Sending.”

Gaston sent the data he recorded. He showed the number of cultists in the area as well as the devices. There was a great battle happening. The destruction almost reached the lake.

“Your personal assessment?”

“If we stay here for another hour. We’ll die.”

There was a silence over the channel. Gaston remained under cover while exchanging shots. He wasn’t the only one getting shot at.

“YDF Command orders that personnel must defend points.”

She showed a mini-map of all the focal points.

“It looks like they are trying to encircle the areas around the Capital.”

“How’s the Capital?”

“A Mess. Tokyo is heavily defended. They are doing their best, but the situation is grim. Looks like there isn’t just Japanese fighting here.”

“Looks like it.”

“Adjutant, please defend the area. I will deploy a defense grid to keep things settled. We are planning to evacuate the shelters to the nearest underground vaults. Until then keep on defending the area. The shelters need to be evacuated. The Babaika Lions and the Breakers must hold that position no matter what the cost.”

Gaston inhaled through his nose. “Copy that,” he said grimly as he disconnected the channel.

It was then that Gaston spotted what seems to be a mechanized humanoid unit that stood ten feet tall exiting out of their tunnels. After the unit got out. The protective plating of the unit dropped on the ground, revealing heavy armament, shoulder weapons, and on the back were launchers.

The heavy mortar fired in the direction of kinetic shield walls. The Lancers on the shield wall managed to endure the first mortar fire, but some were knocked out by the concussive blast. The rest who were staggered fell a step behind.

“Keep cover!”

Gaston grabbed hold of the device with his off-hand and made a giant leap. As he leapt he saw a gauss shot coming his way. He barely dodged the attack. It shredded his bioshield generator. Gaston shifted his weight and smashed his foot on the ground. He calmly lifted his palm and deployed a light membrane made of his bioenergy.

He was being fired in every direction. Carrying the device with him was a big target mark on his back. Gaston questioned himself if he should carry it, but from the looks of it. They still had spare devices, which made Gaston feel like he was carrying this thing for nothing.

“Guess I have a way,” Gaston focused his strength on his legs and became a blur. He weaved through the cultists, while hitting some along the way.

Upon arrival at the tunnel. Gaston palmed the ground and released a burst of electricity from his body. He then made a knife hand, thrusting it inside the capacitor of the device before energizing it with his own bioenergy.

Gaston eyed the tunneling where the cultists were coming from and lobbed the device back to them. They weren’t blind either so they tried to throw it back. Gaston wasn’t going to allow them.

He pulled his right hand back and then thrusted it heavily on the direction of the device. He saw and heard panic coming from their direction. Gaston didn’t let up. He went to the other device and did a pirouette and sent the rest back to the portal. He tried to go for the other but was stopped by the suppressing fire coming from the cultists who were guarding near it.

Gaston retreated. He fell back to the fallen mobile center. He vaulted over the cover, and then radioed to all units to brace and take cover.

“This is Vermell! Everyone take cover right now!”

There was this ‘moment of silence’ before the explosion. Gaston felt his being shudder as the bright light pierced through the split-realm tunnels, followed by this invisible wave of force that shattered the defense lines and stunned the combatants.

Gaston shook his head lightly. In the channel he was hearing constant reports and maydays. He stayed under cover, reassessing himself, noting down in his head the trouble they were still in.

“Come on, fight,” Gaston breathed out and returned fire.