Up until about a minute ago, I was not aware of the fact that we were not completely conquering the U.S. forces.

It seemed very much like we were plowing through them. Using our pincer maneuver to trap the defenders and converge right on this very spot I am defending.

But for some reason, these soldiers just keep coming. So, so many of them.

The Americans have an entire army of A-Rank soldiers on their side, not to mention the lower-ranked forces that are here in even greater numbers.

Most of our soldiers are systemless. They’re powerful, they’ve trained a lot, but they just aren’t ready for this. They’re being slaughtered out here.

But we’re so close. We’re here at the final arena, the central spot of Central Spire where Joe Biden can finally be defeated. If we just push through, we can make this war come to an end.

Pablo Rosas, the first one of the main heroes to meet me, looks at me with great distress. “We have to move quickly,” he says. “Or else I think we’re going to be bombed out for good.”

“I agree with your sentiment very much.”

Soon, Guk the barbarian arrives. And Delta, Julie, and Esther. Francis is here safe and sound. Rare jumps in, no longer riding a kaiju. And Malia returns from a scouting of the location around the arena.

But she brings very bad news. “The fight’s over,” she says. “Mestopholees lost.”

I can hardly take that. I don’t even want to think of the implications. So I don’t. I shove it to the back of my mind and decide to think about it later. For now, I just need to get everyone to safety.

The sun is not setting. It is in fact high in the sky. But the sky itself begins to shift. Its blues turn to green, then purple, then... pink.

Pink skies with two pink heroes who will wallop the baddies.

And just then, out of nowhere--

KABOOM.

A mountain off in the distance quite literally explodes.

Not a volcano, not a kaiju. Just a random mountain out of nowhere blowing up like it was reenacting the fall of Central Spire with a much-delayed reaction.

Everyone in the group looks in confusion and wonder.

What in The Goddess’s name is that all about?

I’m aware that there are other sectors of the battle going on not quite related to us, but this is insanity. I hope very soon to learn what that is, and I am hoping that Biden is not behind it.

No time to think about that. The Beaver Hopper Clan is arriving at our location... with several fierce enemy combatants chasing them down.

Guk and I get in front of the beavers and protect them. We both activate our Destiny Card skills at the same time—me, [Energy Sword], and him, [Energy Club]. We smash away at the soldiers, reducing their Life Points to zero and making them pay for attempting to hurt our dear furry friends.

But there’s no end to the onslaught. We can’t hold our position here forever. We must advance, or this will end up very badly.

G’L’K and Abby and the very few remaining Santa Barbaran Elites with them all arrive together.

And as soon as they do, another wave of battling. Abby smashes some mobile suit units apart with expertly placed boomerang scythe slashes, and G’L’K deals with the foot soldiers with her wonderful fire.

Pablo Rosas shows up, bruised and beaten. He’s not looking so good. Being one of the weaker members of our group at this point is taking a toll on him for sure. Among normal humans, he is one of the strongest and most capable in the world. But among an army of system users... It’s tough to keep up.

And more waves of soldiers seem to be coming on the horizon, through the narrow gaps between mountains or over the rubble that used to be known as that one mountain.

We dealt with the forces scrambling around the main base, but there are plenty of other bases around Mystix. And they’ve already mobilized.

We’re slowly losing, I realize.

Everyone in fighting shape joins us. We’re all together now.

“How are you feeling, bro?” Francis asks me.

“My dear.” I look at him with as much passion as I can muster.

I love Francis Bacall. He’s the light of my life.

And gazing upon him reminds me that this fight isn’t over by a long shot.

“Francis, you know what we must do.”

“Uh, no, I don’t.”

“Oh. We must enter the arena. The center of Central Spire, where our final foe awaits us.”

I gaze over the rubble and see the scene.

Joe Biden, sitting on his throne.

Mestopholees on the ground in front of him.

“We have to fight him,” I say. “All of us together. It’s our only chance at stopping the U.S. and saving the multiverse.”