Since Raphael was back on the battlefield, his search for Claire has been interrupted as many allies needed his help. "I don't know why you're back here, but I could really use some help!" And it was Leon who called out to him.
"No, I'm here to find someone—" huge explosions suddenly happened at Leon's direction.
"Gah!! A little help please!!" He yelled. He was really having a hard time dealing with a destructive self-operated war machine from the I.E.A.
This war machine is made to penetrate through the enemies formation and cause destructive explosions that can put the E.D.L. into a huge disadvantage in this war. Raphael clicked his tongue as he had no choice but to help Leon deal with this. "Damn it! Fine!!"
"Careful though! I tried getting closer and it's fast to blow up anything that approaches it."
"Have you tried blowing it up!? That could've done the trick."
"I actually did that, and it's like invinsible against explosive attacks man! Now i'm kind of drain doing it for hours."
"So that doesn't work—woah!!" Both Raphael and Leon quickly evades the bomb sent into their direction and explodes. "That fucking I.E.A., leave this to me!!"
"Raph, wait!! That's dangerous!!" Ignoring Leon's warning, Raphael went straight ahead to this war machine. He shielded himself as the war machine sent consecutive explosive attacks at him.
Raphael managed to reach the war machine's body and tried to pry it open and destroy it from the inside. He drilled into the war machine's outer shell, and it turned out difficult to pierce through. "What the hell is this thing made of!?"
He persist to drill into the war machine until he made a small opening, as he peaked inside, he was sent in shock to find that a lifeless looking man have his whole body connected to the war machine. It's as if this war machine is made of the same material as their shifter weapons, though the only difference is that humans serves as fuel to this destructive weapon.
"I-Inhumane..." that was the first word Raphael can think of as he saw this. Then hole he made suddenly regenerates, but before it can completely close up, he pierced his shifter drill through the hole and had his weapon transform into a cannon.
He blew it up from the inside which killed the person fueling the war machine. With that, he was able to stop the continuous destruction it's causing.
Leon rejoiced with Raphael's success. "You fucking genius! How did you do it!?" He gave a friendly punch on Raph's shoulder but noticed Raphael's grim expression. "What's wrong? Did you discover something bad?"
"The I.E.A.... they..." he can't bring himself to talk about something so disturbing.
Before Leon can ask another question, they've heard the siren of retreat. Every soldier of the E.D.L. are now surrendering the North-West grounds to the I.E.A.
[THIS IS AN ORDER, RETREAT IMMEDIATELY!! I REPEAT, RETREAT IMMEDIATELY!!...] Everyone heard the voice of current commander of the battlefield, the lt. General William Morris. [I.E.A. SHOWS THREAT OF LAUNCHING NUCLEAR BOMBS, RETREAT IMMEDIATELY!! I REPEAT, RETREAT IMMEDIATELY!!]
"Holy shit!! Let's hurry!" Leon said, but as he glance at Raphael, he was already gone. "Huh!? Raphael!? Dude, where are you!?"
Raphael left without Leon noticing, he continues his search for Claire and got rid of any enemy in his sight. And every pitiful enemy that happens to be in Raphael's way are left to have their heads detached from their bodies, rolling on the ground.
"Shit... shit!... shit!!... Claire where are you!?" Raphael was already panicking that he can't see Claire anywhere. He began to look at the corpses lying on the ground and check every blonde female corpses.
He eventually stumbled upon a corpse that has similar hairstyle and physique to Claire, but it had an unrecognizable face along with many injuries. The body was already cold and stiff. He falls on his knees as he hugged this corpse. "Claire... no..." tears rolled down on his face, crying at his loss.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry I-I couldn't save you again... Claire!! Ahh!!..." Raphael had began to regret every awful thing he has ever done to Claire, now that she's completely gone, his life had no more meaning. "I'm sorry!! I'm sorry!! I should've quit here with you back then!! If only I listened to you... if only I..." He lost his will to live and remained in this battlefield awaiting for his death.
There was only a few minutes left until the I.E.A. will launch their Star Nova Bombs, and Raphael was determined to die here with Claire. Unexpectedly, somebody kicked and sent him flying. "Ackk!!" Raphael parted with Claire's corpse in mid-air. His moment of despair faded into fury.
"You!!—" as he faced this opponent that provoked him, his mouth gapes in shock. "Hey bastard, the hell you crying there for!! The general said we need to retreat!!"
"You're alive!!" Turns out, Raphael was crying over a stranger's corpse.
"Of course I am!!"
He ran up to Claire, attempting to hug her. "Claire!!" Though he failed as she punched him in the face. "Oww!"
"Don't even think of hugging me. Tch." Raphael almost forgot that Claire lost her memories, and this new version of her hates him.
"R-Right..." he rubs on the cheek that Claire punched, looking like a sad puppy beaten by its owner.
"Though as much as I hate to ..." she looks up the sky and they both saw that the bombs from the enemy are already making its way to land in their direction. Claire quickly grabs Raphael by the waist and used her shifter weapon on her right leg. "Shifter spring!!"
Claire dashed with incredible speed, her shifter spring allowing her to reach great distances with every leap. Raphael who didn't expected this was in awe of Claire's quick wit and amazing agility. The woman he used to view as someone weak and fragile is now carrying him to safety.
As one of the enemy bombs landed on ground, it created a huge explosion and sent shock waves that destroys the grounds it travelled on. Raphael made a huge shield for both of them before the waves can reach them. "Claire, hurry!!"
"I'm trying, alright!?" She can't get anymore faster than she already is.
"The shock wave is going to reach us any moment though?!" Claire didn't try to panic, but she can't think of any ideas to make it out alive from this situation.
"U-Uhh... ah..." Raphael racks his brain, thinking of a way for them to escape, and luckily had an idea. "A rocket!! Can you transform your shifter into a rocket!?"
"...!" With this, she had her shifter instantly transform into a rocket propeller, sending them off in greater speed than the shifter spring. After a few more seconds, they finally reached the E.D.L. barrier that was set up to protect them from the shock waves.