25 Defend! - Prohorovkan Counter-Attack! (1/2)

With the 'victory' against the Prohorovkans on the outpost. The Tsukosa gained a lot of equipment that can be used on their war. Though, despite the glorious first victory, some can't just stop thinking about the Prohorovkan's lack of response to the attack, since they knew how powerful they are. But most of them didn't care for as long as they had the outpost without suffering heavy casualties.

On a field. The group went with half of the army, including Gentaro, that's going back to Saiju. The rest stayed on the outpost to guard and to take care of the equipment left by the Prohorovkans. ”This is cool!” Mariko still had her SVT and took a few magazines. ”But mine shoot faster!” Ayumi picked up a PPSH. ”...And I'm a veteran sharpshooter” while Shu Fang took a scoped Mosin. ”...” Chiho sighed. Mariko noticed her. ”Why didn't you get yours?” She asked her. ”I forgot...” Chiho looked at her weapon. ”Can I test yours?” She asked. ”Huh? Ah...” Mariko handed over the SVT. Then Chiho aimed at a distance and fired. Chiho couldn't fully hold back the recoil and the stock slides up to her shoulder ”Whoa!” Mariko and everyone looked at her. ”So strong...” Chiho looked at the smoking barrel. ”There's a lot of weapon back in that place, you can always take one” Yagano, who was driving, told her. ”Yeah! Take the big one! But, wait... Didn't we get two from the bunker? Mine broke...” Mariko was curious. ”...It ran out. I had to throw it away” Shu Fang answered. ”Ah, is that so... Too bad” Mariko said. They fell silent for a few minutes. They were moving with a slow pace, the horses are walking and Yagano is matching the speed of their R37 with the horses.

Then Mariko starts up a conversation. ”Hey... I'm wondering... How did we get that place successfully?” She asked. ”The lack of response from them worries me” Chiho said. ”Yeah, I also felt that. They barely responded to our attack. ”And we had a huge army to capture a small place!” Ayumi shouted. ”Why did we stop from there?!” She continued. ”We didn't expect that base. We have to secure it first, then plan our next move” Gentaro dragged his horse near them. ”We could have moved as soon as we cleared that out!” Ayumi continued to whine. ”Like I said, We have to secure it. There's a lot of weapon stored within that base we can use for our further invasion” Gentaro said. ”Hmph...” Ayumi dropped her gun and crossed her arms. ”Don't you worry. There are some Commanders back there that will try to push further to the enemy territories. Another major invasion will happen tomorrow” Gentaro said. ”Tomorrow?!” Mariko shouted. ”Are you fucking out of your mind?!” She furiously asked. ”Calm down, Mariko-san. You know that we left the Saiju almost no soldiers” Gentaro talks in the same calm manner. ”Who the fuck leaves his village like that?!” Mariko shouted. ”Ahem... Let me lay it out for you. First of all, the attack on that outpost was really unexpected. We were ready to siege the Tsuchiya, not a small base like that. So I went all out and sent most of our armies. And since that happened, Half of the army is returning back while the other half tries to invade some more places” Gentaro explained. ”Huh?! Invade some more?!” Mariko got surprised. ”Did you just realized that now?” Gentaro smiled. ”It seems like they've built a lot of bases to slow down the invaders” ”Huh?!” Gentaro told them and the girls were the only ones who got surprised. ”Remember that we just entered the Tsuchiyan borders. Your land is quite big, right?” Gentaro asked. ”Also, didn't you girls see what's up ahead? There are more bases, that's where the Commanders are trying to conquer” He said. ”We... didn't see” Mariko got nervous. ”Right. The Commanders will try to get as many as they can. But it won't be easy without a larger army” Gentaro nodded. ”I also thought that you will help them with it. I was surprised you went back home with us” Gentaro smiled. ”A-Ah... Ask the driver” Mariko and everyone looked at Yagano. ”Hey, It's Chiho who told us to go with you” Yagano directed the blame to Chiho. ”I-I didn't know we were just going home” Though, Chiho admitted.

”We can't turn back now, though. We are near-” ”Hey! Over there!” Yagano was talking until a soldier pointed up to their left. They all looked. ”I-It's them!” Chiho shouted. A convoy of tanks and trucks are going in the same direction from afar. ”They're gonna be like that huh?!” Mariko got hyped up again. ”Yagano-san! Let's hurry back!” Gentaro shouted and went full speed. ”Got it!” Yagano also went full speed and got past the horses. They quickly reached the gate. ”Open the gates!” Yagano shouted at the guards. ”Open the gates!” The guard on the left shouted. ”There's a large group of enemies heading right towards here! Gentaro and half of the army should be here in any seconds now!” Yagano shouted to the guards and they visibly became worried. ”The gate's taking too long! Hold on to me, everyone!” Chiho asked them so they can just teleport inside. Once they got in, Chiho suddenly started panting hard. ”Wha...!” Mariko noticed that they are still on their R37. ”...Our vehicle went along!” Shu Fang also noticed immediately and told them. ”How did that happen?!” Yagano shouted. ”M-Maybe I was holding into it?! Ayumi panicked. ”...Then it must have taken a lot of strength!” Shu Fang looked very worried. Chiho then fell on her. ”I'm sorry! I shouldn't have touched into it!” Ayumi apologized to them. ”Goddamn! Good thing our clothes still go with us even though we don't touch them... Just how this goddamn power works?” Mariko asked herself. ”Hold on!” Yagano drove forth. ”Where are we going?” Mariko asked. ”There's a place where they take sick people in! I'm going to take her there!” Yagano shouted, without looking away from their path. ”I'm...Okay!” Chiho tried to speak. ”...Yeah, I think she's going to be fine, she just needs more minutes” Shu Fang said. ”Really? Do you think you're going to be fine?” Yagano glanced at Chiho. ”Yeah...I will be...Fine” Chiho answered. ”But...Let's go there... Warn them about the enemies” She said. ”Y-Yeah! That's a good idea” Yagano agreed and proceeded to drive towards there.

On the way to the Hospital, A Carriage that is going in the opposite direction approached them. They stopped in the middle of the road. ”Commander Yagano! It is good to see you! There is a large group of enemies heading towards our village! We saw them from up the walls!” The soldier that was driving the carriage warned them. His face clearly shows how nervous he is. ”We know that. We were with Gentaro on the way here when we saw them” Yagano answered. ”Gentaro-sama is coming?! That's good to know sir! Then, We'll be on our way!” The soldier nodded and proceeded to their destination. Yagano drives again at full speed. After a few minutes, people are starting to show up from around them. Going in from their houses and taking out whatever they can and some insist to remain and stay inside their houses. Then not too long ago before they come across a group of soldiers who are shouting a warning as they move to different places. And later they can now see some people warning their own neighbors. It is getting busier as time passes by. Later when they arrived at the clinic. It's not what they expected, the place around it isn't busy and has yet to be alarmed. ”Look! We can start from here!” Mariko shouted. Then they all disembarked but Shu Fang and Chiho. ”...Can you stand?” Shu Fang asked. ”Yes...Yes, I can” Chiho nodded and slowly left her seat, Shu Fang was guiding her. ”Great. Now let's split up, we're gonna need to warn the whole area!” Yagano shouted an order and they went into different directions. What's left was Chiho and Shu Fang. ”...Looks like we will handle this place” Shu Fang looked at the very old brown building that was obviously handled with such care so it lasts longer. A getting dusty sign with ”Hospital” in it is nailed above the entrance. Its door is one of the things that shows how old the building was. ”...Let's go inside” Shu Fang looked at Chiho. ”Yeah...” Chiho nodded, still panting but not that intense anymore. Once they got in, a very saddening scene greets them. There are eight beds. While the enemy charges towards their village to destroy everything, An old man, A pregnant, A sick little girl, A man with serious flu, Another man with a broken leg and three other girls with no visible physical illness fills the quiet little place. They all looked at the two. Their sad gazes made Shu Fang very uncomfortable and wished that they were not carrying bad news.

Chiho noticed her so she took a step forward to talk to the sick people. ”Everyone...” Chiho took a deep breath after calling them out. Shu Fang noticed that she was already fine. ”The thing is... The enemy is coming...” Without looking at them, Chiho effortlessly warned them. But nonetheless, they started to tears. The two felt their despair. ”But don't worry! We will protect you! With our strength, with our people's strength! We will stop them!” Chiho smiled a bit and tried to look at each one of them. The illnesses and problems that keep them immobilized shocked Chiho. ”I promise you! We will protect you!” Chiho bowed to them. They quietly appreciated her. ”...Right. We will never give away this village nor our whole land!” Shu Fang supported her. ”Thank you...” The pregnant woman thanked them and the two felt happy. ”We're sorry if we somehow slow you down. We'll try our best to cooperate as possible...” The man with a broken leg said. ”You don't have to do anything! We'll protect this area!” Chiho bowed once more. ”May you and your father save us once again, Chiho-san” A woman said. ”Then we must go! Our friends and my father is going around the area warning the people!” Just like Chiho said, everyone is starting to get busy outside. The two bowed before heading out. ”They're here!” A plane flies by as soon as someone shouted. ”...Here they come!” Shu Fang looked at Chiho. ”Yeah!” Chiho nodded and they separated. Chiho ran to the left and saw Mariko helping out a family. ”Mariko!” Chiho called out. ”Yeah, What's up?! I'm going to help these fellows then move on to the battle!” Mariko turned to shout at her. ”Alright!” Chiho's about to run, but she heard loud gunshots from the previous plane that turned already. It started to shoot at the buildings and was heading towards Chiho's direction. ”...” She examined the plane and see if it's familiar, but to no avail. It was a LaGG-3, though, and it was her first time to see the plane. ”It's coming!” Chiho shouted as she flies up. ”...” She silently casts and turned her blade pink and charges towards the plane. ”Haaa...!” As soon she reaches the plane, she swings her axe against the propeller and started to cut it in half. ”...!” The plane shakes a little as it loses its propeller. Then she sticks out her axe and cuts down the tail. Then, while standing on the wing, she saw the enemy army and thinks of an idea. She swings her axe against the plane and casts and made her axe yellow while stuck. ”Haaa...!” She floats and used all of her strength to spin with the plane. ”Take...This!” Chiho waited for the great chance to throw the plane against the enemies, changed her power and let the plane fly down to the enemies. From there, She can see the enemies scatter to avoid the plane.

Then some of them started firing their guns at her despite the distance. She had to go down just to be safe. ”Wow! That was amazing! I didn't think you could pull that one off!” Mariko was watching her. ”There's no time to be amazed!” Chiho smiled. ”We have to protect this village first!” She continued. ”Right!” Mariko nodded. Then suddenly, a group of cavalries with Gentaro leading them appeared and approached them. ”Looks like they are planning on breaking this part of the wall, huh?” He said to the two. ”Yeah, They are clo-” Before Mariko could continue, a tank fired from the outside followed by the sound of the walls collapsing. ”Tch... Just what you have said!” Mariko got mad. ”Mariko! Stay with them! I will Ayumi and Shu Fang!” Chiho shouted and ran away. ”Shit... I really wished I had powers...” Mariko said as she turns to Gentaro. ”Do you have any horse?” She asked.

On a house, Ayumi came out and Chiho called her. Then they looked for Shu Fang and went together to the fallen wall. On the air, They saw Gentaro's forces going in the same direction. ”Look!” Ayumi pointed to the holed wall. Troops are starting to pour in from the hole and soon, the tanks drove through the walls, making the hole bigger. ”We have to stop them... Haa...!” Ayumi flew closer and swings her axe. Fire magic came out of her sickle and goes for the enemies. ”You two! Go!” Ayumi glanced at the two before she starts spinning. Her sickle and her spiked ball continuously let out a magic shot every time it swings at the enemies' direction. ”You should go!” Chiho looked at Shu Fang. ”...Right” She nodded and became a shade and went down with incredible speed. Chiho raised her axe above her with two hands. ”Lightning! Infuse and become one with my weapon!” She shouted while looking up. Then a bolt of lightning hits her axe and she was filled with immense power. The skies quickly darkened and the blade's bright with sparking, electricity. ”Haaaaaa.....!!!” While still raising her arms up, Chiho flies down to the enemies. ”Take thiiis!!!” She shouted as she swings down the axe against the ground. making a huge bright crack around the area. The axe made a loud noise as the electricity from the blade disappears and transferred to all of the nearby soldiers and electrocutes them. The first tank that got in, A KV-1, was unaffected and slowly turning their turret towards Chiho. ”Not gonna let you!” Chiho charged and casts and turned her blades pink. She swings and disabled its gun by cutting it. The KV-1 still fired it nonetheless and the exploded from the inside, probably harming the crews inside and temporarily stopped them from moving. Then a soldier fired his PPSH but didn't last long as a shade kills him in a flash. Then a soldier shouted in Russian and some of the remaining soldiers started to fire at her. ”Ah...!” Chiho got startled by the sounds of the guns and its ammo bouncing against the KV-1. She quickly hides on the other side. Then a soldier who's about to go to the other side noticed her and pointed his gun at her. But she charged and brings down her axe against his head and hides back.

”Gaah...!” Suddenly, An MG started shooting from the back of its turret and Chiho got shot two times. She fell on the ground. She heard A faint male voice came from inside the tank followed by more firing of the MG. It can't go any lower and it was hitting the ground just above Chiho's head. Then suddenly, She heard the horses' footsteps coming closer. Through her blurry senses, she saw an enemy soldier pointing their gun at her but a horse went pass by and the rider hits the soldier's back and the soldier fell dead next to her. It was such a nice coincidence for her. The back MG of the tank tries to shoot the horse but failed. Then Suddenly, both side has met on the other side of the tank. The pouring enemy soldiers and Gentaro's forces have engaged in a battle. The sounds of the guns and their shouts fill the area. Hearing the battle, Chiho tried her best to move quickly and go through the soldier's uniform for the painkillers. After a while, She finally found one but a grenade without a pin got tossed into her side. She quickly throws it away without hesitation and injected the painkiller into her arm. Unlike before, She didn't become a bright light and the wounds are the only one who brightened. ”Whew...” Chiho sighed. Then suddenly a wounded enemy soldier staggered towards her. He shouted in Russian and exposed his right blade. Despite his wound, He lunged at Chiho. Chiho quickly picked up her axe and cuts his arm. The soldier screamed in agony as he falls to the ground with his bloody severed arm on his side. ”No!” A female soldier shouted behind Chiho and she turned to look at her. ”You...!” The female soldier started crying as she exposes both of her blades. Chiho felt really sad despite the situation. ”How dare you!” The soldier's face completely fades of sadness and became nothing but anger. ”I...I'm sorry!” Chiho apologized and felt dumb. ”Die!” The female soldier reached for a stab but Chiho moves to her right side and swings her axe right. But the female soldier skillfully dodged and lunged at her. Chiho still moved to her right to avoid her attack and this time, she made sure her axe caught her by her stomach. ”Akh...!” The female soldier coughs blood as the blade of the axe made its way inside her gut. She quickly took out her handgun and fires at Chiho's legs. ”Kh...!” Chiho greeted her teeth to fight the burning pain in her left leg. Becoming fully antagonized, Chiho pulled the axe to throw the soldier forward.

The female soldier fell on all four and Chiho swings her axe down to her back followed by the loud sound of her flesh and bones being penetrated with such strength. The soldier didn't get to scream. Then Chiho puts her right foot on her hips to push her down, to remove the axe from her. ”Everyone! Use blades!” A familiar male voice shouted from the other side and the gunfires stopped and a lot of clanging replaced them. ”It's him!” Chiho jumped up in front of the KV-1 to see. But suddenly a crew appeared in the hatch. Chiho quickly slices his neck. She saw a grenade in his uniform and throws it inside the tank. Not knowing how it works, She didn't pull the pin first. But the crews inside got tricked and immediately went out of their hatches. Chiho went and swings her axe against them. After dealing with them, she started looking around. But couldn't find what she was looking for. Then she jumped to a nearby enemy soldier and swung her axe down his head. Then immediately removed it away and faced some enemies. After dealing with a number of soldiers, she looked at the hole and the enemies are still going in. ”They're so many!” Chiho shouted. Then a soldier charged towards her but she teleported behind him and swings her axe down to his shoulder and pulled it to make him fall on his back. ”...!” Chiho raised her axe above her and throws it down to his head. ”Just why are they so many?!” She complained as she looks at the pouring enemies.

Then suddenly, a group of cavalries with Yagano leading them with the R37. joined the battle. Yagano ordered the cavalries to charge forth as he stops the R37 in the middle for the gunner to fire at them. Then He saw Chiho. ”Chiho! We're going to handle this! Look for Ayumi or Shu Fang and go to the Northside of the wall!” He shouted at her. ”To the other side of the wall?!” Chiho got surprised. ”Yeah! They're surrounding us!” Yagano shouted. ”D-Damn it!” Chiho flew up to look for Shu Fang. ”Shu Fang! We have to get to the other wall!” Chiho shouted at the top of her lungs, despite the noises. Then Shu Fang came flying towards her from a certain spot. ”...The North wall?” She asked. ”Yeah! They are breaking in from the other side!” Chiho nodded. ”Let's go!” Chiho flew away and Shu Fang followed her. Ayumi saw them from the grounds and flew up. ”Hey! Where are you going?!” She shouted. Chiho looked back. ”Stay there! We are going to handle the enemies from the other side!” Chiho let her stay. ”A-Alright!” Ayumi nodded and flew back to the battle. ”...On the North... That means it was the East wall they first broke into?!” Shu Fang asked. Chiho nodded. ”You just noticed?” She asked. ”N-No... It's just... Your entrance is facing the west, it leads me to confusion...” Shu Fang shook her head. ”Ah... Is that so...” Chiho understands.