S3E5: Road Rage ~ The High-Octane Battle Across the Highway
1736 Words
We all exchange handshakes, hugs, and whatnot, feeling like another iteration of the class reunion.
But the reunion is abruptly interrupted by explosions and gunfire that come from...
...tanks bearing the logo of The Movement?!
I react appropriately, “You are all more than sus, trying to spoil our party like that!”
We all do our best to take cover in several buildings, but we realize we don't want to incur so much property damage that we would pay exorbitant fees later once the dust has settled.
Come on... let there be another deus ex machina situation where some advanced vehicle comes down from the heavens like manna!
And that deus ex machina situation comes from none other than...
“Gershwin?! How come you got a sweet ride like that?!”
“No time to explain! Just hop in!”
We all try to squeeze ourselves into this souped-up orange limousine, which bears the name of “Mikan no Ken”, based on the decal on its front hood.
The Mariah fan revs up the engine once he confirms all of us – 19 adventurers and seven allies so far – are safe and secure inside the limousine's cavernous body.
With his patented “car fu” (well, he's a martial artist, so he somehow imbued his ride with his skills), we all hightail it out of Villa Villa and into the length of Malandalay Connective Highway, with the tanks still chasing after us with their explosions and gunfire.
Jamieson then thinks of a brilliant idea to take out all the tanks in one shot each.
He equips his pistol with a hybrid muzzle device that dampens the flash, reduces the recoil, and silences the shot.
“Let me handle this,” he tells us, especially Gershwin, as he opens the window he's facing.
Knowing our team's resident marksman will handle the tanks all by himself, Gershwin steers the limousine at a distance where shots from the pistol can be comfortably fired.
With his calm composure and his eyes on the sight, Jamieson starts taking out the tanks one by one, sniping their tires until the tanks derail and self-destruct.
In just ten minutes, 17 tanks are destroyed...
...but one that towers above us all still stands.
Jamieson then lets out his frustration.
“Darn! That massive frog-looking tank has shielded treads! I can't just take it down with one shot!”
In response, Christian recommends...
“Everyone who is capable of attacking the frog tank from a distance, prepare yourselves! We'll fight it while we stick out of the limousine's sunroof!”
Gershwin reacts, “Alright, I hear your instructions loud and clear.”
He then presses a button on the control panel which opens the limo's massive sunroof, which occupies around 50% of the vehicle's top.
And then, I come up with my own brilliant idea.
“Everyone! I'll head outside, fighting the tank alongside you! I have my skateboard with me, so don't worry!”
While the rest just drop their jaws in either amazement or disbelief, I take out my skateboard from my personal item stash, carefully open the door I'm facing, and then masterfully plant my feet on the board, which then touches the ground outside.
I then slowly get out of the limo, managing to use its speed as a leverage for the board's velocity.
Whipping out my arnis sticks, I declare to the rest...
“Now watch how this pro skater does high-speed boss battles right!”
[Note]
Gershwin will be unavailable for the upcoming battle only, as he is busy driving the limousine.
***
[Boss Battle: XNOR-225 “Panzer Frog”]
A tall, autonomous frog-shaped tank that belongs to The Movement. It leads a group of other tanks on its supposed overkill assault on the survivors of the cruise ship attack.
Main Body
Level 38 | HP: 8412 | MP: 0
Missile Arm
Level 38 | HP: 4757 | MP: 0
Gatling Gun Arm
Level 38 | HP: 4192 | MP: 0
Energy Ball Cannon
Level 38 | HP: 1627 | MP: 0
Left Bomber
Level 38 | HP: 1628 | MP: 0
Right Bomber
Level 38 | HP: 1629 | MP: 0
Party: Benoit, Jamieson, Jurina, CJ, Nolan, Priscilla
[Note]
Ranged attackers and magic users (save for Benoit, who is always the party leader) are highly recommended for this fight.
This battle has a special quirk. Instead of the party members taking damage, the Mikan no Ken will take the brunt of the damage instead. If the limousine runs out of HP, it's game over; and there's no way to restore its lost HP, even with healing spells and items. Therefore, the key to victory is to deal damage fast and hard.
Mikan no Ken's overall HP: 14866
Benoit chooses to perform his Innate Skill, Chuk Chak Tienes, on the Energy Ball Cannon.
Jamieson chooses to perform his Innate Skill, Lock-on Target, on himself.
Jurina chooses to cast her Innate Skill spell, Kidlatwa, on the Left Bomber.
CJ chooses to summon Dian Masalanta as her Innate Skill on all allies.
Nolan chooses to perform his Innate Skill, Diamond Light, on the Energy Ball Cannon.
Priscilla chooses to perform her Innate Skill, Quote, Unquote.
The Panzer Frog launches an energy ball from its Energy Ball Cannon.
The Mikan no Ken loses 687 HP. (HP left: 14179)
Benoit performs his Innate Skill, Chuk Chak Tienes, on the Energy Ball Cannon, dealing it 3 hits for a total of 1341 damage.
The Energy Ball Cannon's PDEF is decreased.
Jamieson performs his Innate Skill, Lock-on Target, on himself.
Jamieson's accuracy rate increased.
Jurina casts her Innate Skill spell, Kidlatwa, on the Left Bomber, dealing it 1773 damage.
The Left Bomber is knocked out.
The Panzer Frog loses one method of attack.
CJ summons Dian Masalanta.
“Goddess of love, bring your sacred blessing upon us mortals! Amazing Grace!”
Her Innate Skill removes all bad status effects and imbues all good status effects on all allies.
All allies gain the following buffs: Fury, Protect, Shell, Haste.
Nolan performs his Innate Skill, Diamond Light, on the Energy Ball Cannon, dealing it 895 damage.
The Energy Ball Cannon is knocked out.
The Panzer Frog loses one method of attack.
Priscilla performs her Innate Skill, Quote, Unquote.
“As Niccolò Machiavelli once said, 'To know the way to heaven, you must know the way to hell.'”
The quote lowers all of the Panzer Frog parts' statuses.
Benoit chooses to perform his Innate Skill, Chuk Chak Tienes, on the Main Body.
Jamieson chooses to attack the Main Body.
Jurina chooses to cast her Innate Skill spell, Kidlatwa, on the Main Body.
CJ chooses to summon Tarabusaw as her Innate Skill on all targets.
Nolan chooses to perform his Innate Skill, Diamond Light, on the Main Body.
Priscilla chooses to perform her Innate Skill, Quote, Unquote.
The Panzer Frog fires a missile from its Missile Arm.
The Mikan no Ken loses 798 HP. (HP left: 13381)
Benoit performs his Innate Skill, Chuk Chak Tienes, on the Main Body, dealing it 3 hits for a total of 1452 damage.
Jamieson attacks the Main Body, dealing it 963 damage. A critical hit!
Jurina casts her Innate Skill spell, Kidlatwa, on the Main Body, dealing it 1884 damage.
CJ summons Tarabusaw.
“O scion of the earth, tremble with the rumblings of justice! Underground Voice!”
Her Innate Skill deals an average of 1560 damage on all targets.
Nolan performs his Innate Skill, Diamond Light, on the Main Body, dealing it 1513 damage.
Priscilla performs her Innate Skill, Quote, Unquote.
“As Sigmund Freud once said, 'The final target of all living things is death.'”
The quote attacks all targets, dealing them an average of 1040 damage.
The Right Bomber is knocked out.
The Panzer Frog loses one method of attack.
The Main Body is knocked out, taking down the rest of the “Panzer Frog” with it.
The counter-terrorists win! That's us.
6871 EXP and 7003 Double Pesos acquired.
Balkon Gerät Model Kit acquired.
Benoit leveled up, from Level 37 to Level 38!
Jamieson leveled up, from Level 37 to Level 38!
Jurina leveled up, from Level 37 to Level 38!
CJ leveled up, from Level 37 to Level 38!
Nolan leveled up, from Level 37 to Level 38!
Priscilla leveled up, from Level 37 to Level 38!
***
With that, all the pursuing tanks went all ka-blooey.
As we all sigh breaths of relief, Gershwin slows down his limo until he stops it. I follow suit with my skateboard.
In the middle of the Malandalay Connective Highway, we just let our bodies rest.
Rosalind then hypothesizes something.
“First, gunnery ships. And now, tanks.”
Ah yeah, those gunnery vehicles that assaulted the cruise ship are basically the same exact model as the ones that transformed from gargoyles back at the now-destroyed Carmealla Gonzalvo's Dungeon.
”The Movement's really hot on our trails now. It makes me think... someone is making all those vehicles with the financial backing of The Movement itself. And that someone... is headquartered right here in Sarbacutta!”
“WHOA!”
“Of course, I can't back up what I've just said with mere hearsay. I must reinforce my hypothesis with solid pieces of evidence... which we can easily retrieve from the tanks we've just wrecked.”
I just flash a thumbs-up in approval.
We then spend a few minutes retrieving viable pieces of evidence before we all return to the Mikan no Ken... and navigate our way back to Villa Villa post-haste.
The sun sets as we're back at the town of the middle class.
And then...
“Sorry, but I must leave you all for now...”
Paulette solemnly declares to us all, which especially surprises Giuseppe and his scientist groupies.
“I can't reunite with you just yet. I'm still looking for the Emperial Transuranium Elemental. It's my personal mission, though you may call it a wild goose chase. But no matter... we will reunite in the right place... and the right time.”
Giuseppe just says nothing but...
“Well then... break a leg, Paulette. We'll all have your back.”
She just nods as she jumps her way out of the town, her personal quest for whatever artifact she's still seeking still underway.
Now then... to Edilbert we will all head towards.
- Writer
