Part 55: I give it about even odds of either working or, uh, gettin' us all killed. Messily.

-Creeping Crisis-



Ex-captain, thanks to you. I thought the dogs were making too much noise, and when I come out to look...I suppose bracers ARE rather like dogs, hmm?
Don't screw with us! Hurting our friends, abducting people! And Renne has nothing to do with this...You are NOT getting away with it!
Really, what ARE you going on about? I simply wish to help His Highness, Duke Dunan von Auslese, take his rightful place on the throne. It has little to do with you, girl.
What in--?! DUNAN? You're making the same dumb mistake again?!
Wh-What kind of idiot would join a fool's errand like this?! You have to help me! They intend to use me!
Yeah, he seems like a reeeeeeal willing participant, there, Ms. Amalthea.
Enough of the games, Ms. Ex-Captain. Your real goal is freeing Colonel Richard, is it not?
What?!
Hm, well, if you've figured that out, then we can dispense with the pleasantries.
Everyone! Commence Operation Pride's Resurgence! You men! Hold them off for at least a few minutes!
Special Ops Soldiers: Yes, ma'am!





I don't care about the duke, but let Renne go, dammit!
Special Ops Soldier 1: We won't let you interfere with the plan!
Special Ops Soldier 2: Come on, you guild dogs!
You...



-Recapture-



This oughtta perk you up!











-Creeping Crisis-



Special Ops Soldier: How the hell are they...
Just GIVE UP already!

-Silence-



What in the?!



-Looming Threat-

That has to be the device from the blueprints!
Special Ops Soldier 1: Hah...haha...Looks like we bought enough time...



The heck...?



A...TANK?!
The 'Orgueille,' I presume...





This is a high-speed tank we in the Intelligence Division have been developing for a while now. Twice the firepower of the little tin cans the Empire uses...and more than a match for one of our airships.
Thaaaat's not gonna be too easy to take on...
This is...crazy...
We never could find the proper engine to run it, so we stored it away just shy of completion. But the engine from the Arseille has proven to be just what we needed. Ah, She Who Dwells Above is smiling on our cause today!
W-Wait...What're you planning on doing with that thing?!
And why would anyone build a tank with no engine available?
Weren't you listening? I'm taking the duke to his rightful throne as king. I'll have to get the queen to...acquiesce, of course.
No way...
You're attacking the CASTLE?!
HAHA! A little slow on the uptake, bracers! The Orgueille will put an end to the legend of Grancel Castle's invincibility with barely an effort! And the pathetic guard forces on duty cannot hope to stop us! Find some seats! Tonight the reign of Alicia ends!









Follow it!













-Silence-

What?!



-A Lurking Shadow in the Wilderness-



The Royal Guard! And...I knew it! JULIA SCHWARZ!
It's been a while...'Captain' Amalthea.
I wouldn't have imagined we'd be facing one another down in a place like this.
How...Why are you here?! Weren't you training at Leiston Fortress?!
We received an emergency aid request from Lieutenant Colonel Cid. He seemed a bit concerned that someone was going to cause trouble in Grancel. Imagine that. So we came flying, as it were.
Hmph. And I thought he was as useful as a broken watch...
Lieutenant Colonel Cid is from Brigadier General Bright's former squad--the same as the former Colonel Richard. It's your mistake for underestimating him.
It seems it was.
So, gentlemen. What do you think you're doing?
Hm?
Unless I'm mistaken, those are the orbal cannons from the Arseille, yes? Do you really intend to fight the Orgueille with those?
Fight to defeat you...perhaps not. But we can certainly slow you down. The colonel's battalion will be arriving momentarily. Surrender now, for the sake of your men, if not your own.
Hmhmhmhm...
Hahahahaha!
Just WHAT is so funny?
Oh, Julia, you really haven't changed a bit. Straight as an arrow, cold as midwinter, not a hint of fear. Just like at school...I know we fought like cats at basically every opportunity, but...I always admired you on some level.
I...could say many of the same things about you...Kanone.
However.
If you intend to stand in the way of my rescue of Colonel Richard, I will show you no mercy!
*gasp*
So be it.
Cannons one and two! Prepare to fire! We are stopping them here!
Soldiers: Yes, ma'am!



-The Black Orbment-





Royal Guardsman: No good, ma'am! The cannons are inoperable!
The Orbal Shutdown Phenomenon! Blast it! But that will mean their tank is--



WHAT?! How is it still moving?!



Wha...!





Oh, my goodness, this is even better than I'd imagined...We're truly unstoppable like this!
Dammit, Kanone! Where on earth did you get a Gospel?
Hmhm! Let's just say a concerned citizen donated it to the cause. All I have to do in return is agree to help with an 'experiment' of some sort.



Ouroboros' Gospel experiment...! Oh, man, I did NOT expect it to turn out like this!
Ergh. This is bad. We can't use arts or anything orbal while that thing is lumberin' around.
Time to use my trump card, I think.
What d'you--
Estelle, Schera. If what I'm about to do succeeds, it'll stop that Gospel for a short time. I think. Maybe. I need you to use the chance to disable that tank.
You must be joking!
Wait, you can DO that?!
I give it about even odds of either working or, uh, gettin' us all killed. Messily. So a couple of prayers from you two wouldn't hurt, yeah?



Wait...That's the...!
Yep. The 'Chronos Rod.'
Mayor Dalmore's forbidden artifact!







-Silence-

*ZORT*



The lights are back on...The suppression effect has ended! How...?
How is this...? What did you do, priest?!
Heheh! Nothin' too special. When you break an artifact, there tends to be a massive release of orbal energy. Looks like even the Gospel can't quite handle eating all that power at once!
You madman!



Well done, Father!
Heeey, don't give me TOO much credit or you'll make me blush.
Tch! SILENCE! So what?! I don't need the full power of the Gospel to crush you!
Witness the Orgueille's fury!

-Pinch!!-



Making the Gospel freak out should've made that tank weaker, too! If you want to bring that monster down, now's your chance!
I see...Right!
Julia, c'mon!
Give us a little bit of that swordsmanship Cassius taught you!
Indeed! ATTACK!

-Great Awe-



Today's special guest star: Julia Motherfuckin' Schwarz.





Mhmhm, someone's been naughty!







Reeeeeally wish I had Kaempfer right now.



Julia gets an interesting, if not optimal assortment of tricks for this fight.







Kanone's godawful driving has a chance to inflict Faint.





I'll save you!



Along with the ramming attack, the Orgueille can just casually roll over people.



Julia's crafts include a melee impede, and a self-targeted Max Guard. But the important one is this:







That's not good.



You can't impede the giant tank, by the way. Don't bother trying.









Wow, Ragna Blast is terrible.











For the sake of my master...
Get ready!























Welp.







And then after all that, Schera whips the tank to death. Why not.