Ludmilla and her group of Nikkes had been wandering the wasteland for a long time, relying only on word-of-mouth directions and rough, hand-drawn maps. Along the way, they had taken many wrong turns—some even led dangerously close to Rapture nests.
Fortunately, Ludmilla's experience allowed her to identify those risks early and adjust their course, though it meant taking a longer route.
After such an exhausting journey, everyone was physically drained and mentally worn out, pushing forward purely on determination and the longing for Gensokyo.
Many of the Nikkes had already sustained injuries. Some had been supported by their companions the entire way, but now they were running on fumes, barely functioning. Their bodies were slowly shutting down.
In this barren wasteland, there was no access to energy supplies or replacement parts. The nearest outpost was hundreds of kilometers away—at least several more days of travel.
And that didn't even account for the possibility of encountering Raptures, which would delay them further.
The Nikkes desperately encouraged their dying companions, their voices filled with anxiety but helplessness.
"Hey, stay awake! You can't sleep now!"
"If you fall asleep, you won't wake up!"
"Didn't you say you wanted to reach Gensokyo? We're almost there!"
"Please, don't die! It's your favorite place—you said it yourself!"
"You even promised we'd go see the ocean together…"
The dying Nikke could barely speak, struggling to even keep her eyes open. But even so, the word "Gensokyo" slipped weakly from her lips.
The atmosphere turned heavy with sorrow.
Some of the Nikkes began wiping away tears, unable to hold back their sobs.
Watching the scene unfold, Ludmilla's heart felt heavy. She had witnessed countless tragedies before, but it still struck a chord within her.
"Queen, what's wrong with them?"
Alice, holding Ludmilla's hand, asked with innocent curiosity.
Ludmilla turned and gently stroked Alice's hair, her voice soft.
"They're just a little tired. They need to rest for a while."
"Oh…"
Alice nodded in understanding but quickly added, "But they can't sleep here. If they do, they'll catch a cold, and that'll be a big problem!"
"Yes, a cold…"
Ludmilla sighed inwardly.
For Nikkes, something like catching a cold wasn't even a threat.
By this time, the sun had already dipped below the horizon. Without its warmth, the wasteland grew darker, and the wind grew even colder.
The howling wind sounded like the cries of ghosts—or perhaps the swing of Death's scythe.
Suddenly—
"BZZZZZ!"
A sharp, mechanical buzzing echoed in the distance.
The Nikkes immediately tensed, scrambling to their feet and grabbing their weapons.
Raptures!
And judging by the sound coming from all directions, there were a lot of them!
Ludmilla gripped her gun tightly, aiming toward the horizon.
At the edge of the twilight, a dark line appeared, quickly thickening and stretching outward—like the encroaching boundary between dusk and night.
But the countless crimson lights flickering in the distance revealed the truth.
It wasn't the glow of sunset: it was the swarm of Raptures surging toward them!
So many!
Bullets whizzed past, and Ludmilla rolled behind a piece of wreckage for cover, her expression grim.
Why were there so many of them? Damn it!
Among the Nikkes, only a handful were still able to fight. The rest were either injured or completely immobile—dead weight if they had to escape.
Under normal conditions, Nikkes could outrun Raptures, but carrying injured companions slowed them down. And with Raptures closing in from all directions, retreat was no longer an option.
Their only chance was to fight for survival!
Ludmilla's eyes hardened with resolve.
The other Nikkes, however, weren't as composed.
Though unafraid of death, they couldn't accept dying before reaching their long-awaited destination.
The Raptures surged forward like a tidal wave, ready to crush everything in their path.
The Nikkes held their breath, weapons aimed and ready.
And then—
"Bang!"
At that moment, a deep gunshot echoed across the wasteland.
The Nikkes froze.
This gunfire didn't belong to the Raptures. It was the distinct sound of a high-caliber anti-material sniper rifle!
The Rapture charging at the front was pierced through, tumbling forward like an out-of-control vehicle before being crushed under the swarm of Raptures behind it.
Then, a barrage of heavy gunfire rained down like a storm.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Rat-a-tat-tat!
Bullets poured down like a torrential rainstorm, tearing into the Rapture ranks.
The Raptures fell like harvested wheat, row after row.
Many didn't even make it close before being sniped with pinpoint precision, their bodies riddled with holes that pierced straight through to hit those behind them.
The firepower was not only terrifyingly powerful but also astonishingly accurate.
While the Nikkes were still stunned, two additional squads appeared, flanking the Rapture forces from both sides.
They launched a coordinated assault, executing a pincer maneuver that cut through the Rapture ranks with rapid, overlapping bursts of firepower.
In just a few minutes, one-fifth of the Raptures had been wiped out.
The Rapture formation descended into chaos, their offensive momentum completely shattered.
And then, as if that wasn't enough, another squad unexpectedly attacked from the rear.
This unit specialized in close combat, diving straight into the heart of the Rapture formation and working seamlessly with the flanking squads to launch a devastating combined assault.
The Nikkes watching this display were left speechless.
Even Ludmilla was deeply shocked.
She had never seen such a well-trained Nikke force before.
Not only were their tactics precise and resolute, but their mobility and willingness to charge into close-range combat while maintaining perfect coordination were extraordinary.
Could it be reinforcements from the Ark's government forces?
No.
Not even the elite forces of the Ark's three major corporations could possibly be this well-trained.
"Charge!"
Emboldened by the sudden reinforcements, the Nikkes regained their morale.
They erupted from their cover and launched a counteroffensive against the disorganized Raptures.
The once-mighty Rapture horde had been fragmented into isolated clusters, its firepower scattered and chaotic.
Confused and unable to prioritize targets, the Raptures were gunned down one by one by the advancing Nikkes.
Victory was inevitable.
Ludmilla watched as the Rapture forces crumbled, realizing there was no longer any need for her to intervene.
"Excuse me, are you all here to become the Commander's Nikkes too?"
The voice came from a strikingly beautiful young woman who exuded elegance mixed with a hint of allure.
Her perfect curves were accentuated by the rifle slung over her back.
Her mesmerizing eyes swept over the group, and she smiled sweetly as she greeted them.