Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 145: Arc 3, - 55: The Strategy of Spontaneity

Chapter 145: Arc 3, Chapter 55: The Strategy of Spontaneity

"Hotaru... Fumeko..." Jotou’s words were said within two whispers as she beheld the explosion; a tear went down her eye, followed by another.

’No... Focus Jotou. If what you think’s happened, then we need to... Asobi.’ Jotou turned around, "Asobi," she grabbed the elf by the shoulders.

Asobi witnessed the blast as the sand came down like rain. As Jotou uttered the two names, rainbows had already formed under her lids.

"Sobi, Asobi!" Jotou screamed over the voices of other soldiers around her, who were jolted by the sudden explosion and armed themselves. "Come on Asobi! Snap out of it!"

Asobi blinked, once then twice till her pupils stopped on Jotou’s face, "Jotou... That didn’t... They should be..."

Jotou gulped, "I don’t know, but that’s where they were. If we want to help, I need you, with me, right now, please."

"I-I’m here Jotou. Ready to help!" Asobi stifled down her quivering voice.

"Okay," Jotou took a deep inhale. "Let’s go check first." Asobi nodded, mimicking Jotou’s deep breaths. The two rushed with the other soldiers to the site of the explosion.

Jotou peered to her right and her eyes widened. Crawling across the sand, a grey machine on tracks—a large and long barrel that aimed, "They have a tank!?"

"A what!?" Asobi turned her head; she blinked several times upon noticing the vehicle moving forward, "What kind of wagon is that!?"

"It’s a weapon Sobi, it shoots explosions!" Jotou put it simply for her.

The other soldiers halted, astonished by the sight. The barrel aimed once more from afar, moving across the sand. "Watch out!" Jotou pulled Asobi back from its trajectory.

A shell flew through the air. "BOOM!" It hit through the settling dust to cause another explosion to the first few soldiers that ran forward.

Asobi and Jotou panted, watching the explosion kick up. ’Alright, this is getting ridiculous! A tank!? A freaking tank!? Seriously!? Calm down, focus, you need a plan.

A plan for a tank!?

We have to reset this.

HOW!?

Oh for hell’s sake, shut up! Let me think!’

Jotou watched the barrel of the gun... ’There’s no way it can see through all that dust...’ "Asobi," Jotou held on to.

"Yes?"

"When the next blast happens, we run into the dust and disappear. Got it?"

Asobi panted, "Okay!"

Jotou watched as some of the soldiers deviated towards the tank whilst some turned back. Regardless, the tank aimed next to where the last of the dust had kicked up from the previous shot.

Jotou took a deep breath, holding onto Asobi’s arm. The shell fired with a puff of smoke and shot across. Jotou took some cautious step back, pulling Asobi with her.

"BOOM!"

"NOW!" Jotou sprinted forward as did Asobi. The blaze settled and soldiers ran in the opposite direction of them—some screaming some trying to aim their muskets in vain.

A surprise attack—and everyone became chickens with their heads cut off. The two made it into the dust as Asobi put her wand out and made them invisible.

"Keep going!" Jotou pulled as Asobi kept pace, through the smoke and sand, into where the second and first blasts occurred while avoiding the divots and craters.

Their steps came to a halt as Jotou surveyed the area where the dust settled. The tents were tattered and wrecked, anything here was dusted with the blast.

Jotou looked to the tank while both of them were invisible; it aimed again down the line. Behind it, several rogue battalion soldiers ran and lined up with muskets

"A tank? Some scouting they did, how could you miss a tank? I guess they could’ve hidden it under a tent or something...

How the hell am I gonna stop that thing- Wait, I have magic; magic that can shatter buildings... Surely-"

"Jotou, do you think Fumeko and Hotaru made it out? Where do you think they are?" Asobi looked all around her.

Jotou glanced to the sand around her. ’This would be where they were. Maybe there’s a chance they-’ Her train of thought stopped, seeing something purple in the sand.

It had shattered into pieces, but having seen it many times now... That headband rested on sand and sand alone, head nowhere to be found.

Jotou looked back up, not wanting to survey any of the dead bodies once all the dust had truly settled. Jotou shut her eyes, taking another breath to steel herself.

"BOOM!"

"We can save them Sobi, don’t worry. There may be two hundred fifty-seven soldiers, but there’s only one I need to care about," Jotou glared to the one tent she had to get to.

"Do you have a plan Jotou?" Asobi did not gaze at the sand any longer, instead choosing to focus on the blonde.

"Kinda. I’m leaving a lot of it to spontaneity though," a small smirk on her.

"Okay then Jotou, where can I help?" Asobi stood straight, wand in both hands.

’Asobi can make illusions. But it’s just a straight line there. I don’t need to risk her life.’ "Well, I need you to get somewhere safe and I’ll see you again."

Asobi’s eyes bubbled, "Wait, Jotou, you mean... You’re going to, reset everything... So none of us will remember again...?" her shoulders slumped.

"BOOM!"

Jotou laid a hand on Asobi’s shoulder, "Yeah. It doesn’t mean any of our hopes and dreams change though. I only need to kill one person to reset it all.

I had faith in you when I was breaking down; I think I can have faith in myself. It’s my turn to help you."

"But Jotou, I-I want to help!"

"I know. But I don’t want to see you hurt. I think I can do this. I know I can do this. I’ll see you on the other side and I’ll tell you everything again."

Asobi pouted, "Hotaru always says you’re stubborn..."

"Make illusions to help the other soldiers, make sure they’re safe and have the will to fight. Get to the major and tell him I’m dealing with the situation."

Asobi frowned, gazing at Jotou with her eyes slanted down. She pulled Jotou into a hug. Jotou hugged back in a small smile. Their arms parted as Jotou gave a reassuring smile to her.

Asobi pouted still, unable to accept it. She placed her left hand on Jotou’s shoulder to pull herself to the blonde’s face and plant a quick kiss on her cheek.

Jotou’s eyes widened as Asobi stood back in the sand... Butterflies flew from Asobi’s wand, a bright spotlight shined on the elf and white sparkles floated all around her like tiny stars.

Asobi stood without a red shade on her face whilst the blonde was the complete opposite, blushing deep red. "Good luck!" Asobi turned invisible and ran off with a smile, with it all the illusions disappearing.

Jotou watched as no footsteps were left behind; her hand slowly reached for her cheek. Her complexion returned to normal, smiling brighter as she unsheathed her sword.

Jotou looked back to her target—the tank. ’If Asobi can entertain people, make sure they’re safe and make sure she’s happy, that might trigger her illusions to do what they did before.

So, even if I fail; I’ll have faith in her. But now, I’ll have to have faith in myself.’ Jotou took a step forward, then another—her blade glowing with sparks.

She waved away the dust tingling at her nose, "Throw me hell I said. And hell you have thrown life." Jotou giggled, "Even with everything that happened, I’m still standing aren’t I?" sparks fizzled in her eyes.

Jotou began to sprint, sliding down the slope of sand towards the tank that aimed elsewhere. "BOOMF!" Another shot down the line. Jotou dashed in from the far left, panting as she did.

Some of the rogue battalion soldiers spotted something heading towards them; a bright beacon of crackling yellow. They aimed their muskets, "It’s the Thundering Blade!"

Sparks surrounded from her hands, going up her arms and legs, through her hair. "Blast!" "Blast!" "Blast!" Shots fired from their muskets as Jotou brought her sword up to her head.

They hit her torso, her leg—"TING!"—her sword, but she barely took a second to gather herself; she kept running, one target in sight. The shots continued, she could feel the bruises forming on her body.

’I can’t live on spite alone. I care from my friends, I care for my dreams. I even care for myself. I’ll see you all again.’ With a smile she rushed forward, ignoring the sound of bullets flying.

The slow-moving tank barrel aimed to its right, to the flashing yellow light. Jotou covered herself from incoming bullets by running in front of the tank itself.

She ran and ran and leapt! The crawling tracks were not fast enough to run her over. She clambered up just as the barrel aimed for her; with both feet on the machine, she jabbed her sword into the metal of the tank to aid herself up.

The musket shots aimed up, but their line of sight to the sparking blonde was covered; they’d have to aim near perfect shots to hit her and aim for the head to truly stop her.

Figuring that to be impossible, Jotou got up and stood right next to the grey barrel atop the tank. She brought her sword back, "Thundering Strike!" with a spin of her feet to gather momentum, her blade hit the side of the barrel.

A flash of light pierced through the metal, her sword going through half of it like butter. The soldiers watched in terror from below as lightning shot up.

The bright yellow lit up the area. "BLASTTTTTT!!!!!" The metal of the tank dented and crumpled, the soldiers close by held their ears shut.

The thunder rang through their heads before something clanged onto their heads. All the soldiers to the tank’s left scattered as the barrel, barrelled through the troops, smashing them into crimson paste.

A dented metal hatch flipped open atop the tank and a musket poked out before the soldier did. The blonde’s footsteps clanged across the metal before she spun. "TING!" She bent the musket till it snapped off at the end.

"Shtick!" Jotou pierced into the neck of the soldier, ending him there in sparks. She took a glance to her right; the barrel of the tank was settling into the sand after crushing a dozen or so soldiers.

Jotou looked back to her left—the tent a few sprints away, but soldiers in her way. She ran back to where she climbed, hopping down into the sand onto the balls of her feet.

Jotou took cover behind it, poking her head out before advancing again. A soldier who had hid himself behind the tank revealed himself, musket aimed.

Jotou pulled her sword to her head in instinct however, a white butterfly whizzed past the soldier’s face, "AHH!!" burning it away.

Jotou brought her blade down, narrowing her gaze, "Asobi?"

The elf took away her invisibility, "Sorry! I had to follow you Jotou!"

Jotou rushed forward, stabbing through the soldier as the blood cauterized around her blade. He fell to the sand while Jotou pulled Asobi to the side of the tank.

"I’m sorry Jotou! I couldn’t!" 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Jotou sighed and then chuckled, "Fine, we’ll do this together then. Can you cast a bigger illusion to take a lot of them down?"

Asobi steadied her wand; the little butterfly flapping over the tip of her wand flickered in between opaque and translucent, "I’m trying, but this is the best I can do."

Jotou dispelled her spark, "Then that’ll have to do. Stick behind me, we’ll make it to Frye and reset this. Make us invisible."

"Okay!"

Jotou puffed out a breath deep from her lungs, before the two went invisible and rushed out. The soldiers made their way from different angles aiming around for the tank as the two passed by easily undetected.

Their footsteps were not covered, but within the chaos it was barely noticed. Another figure came out from the hatch of the tank, aiming a gun downwards to find no targets to shoot.

The two ran past all of them, dodging the best they could. Jotou caught Asobi by her waist, pulling her away from a soldier rushing past.

Jotou let go as the two continued running, weaving left and right through the advancing soldiers. Asobi’s little butterfly flapped across the face of a soldier, going through her head and making her fall into the sand.

Lieutenant Eli Frye opened up the flaps of the tent, rifle in hand. He squinted and took out his telescope to spot the broken down tank in the middle of the battleground.

Frye groaned, putting away his telescope only for- "SHTICK!" Jotou appeared as did Asobi—a sword through his neck. Jotou lunged forward, till it was poking out on the other side of his head.

The blonde spun, slicing through his neck and swiping the device from his pocket in one go as the sand trailed her footwork.

"Nice work Jotou!" Asobi cheered as her butterfly glowed brighter.

"Made it easier thanks to you," Jotou now beheld the soldiers who had run past her. Her ears picked up the soldiers still in the tents around.

She held the device in her hand, looking at its buttons. "Hmph. So much trouble from this little egg. I’ll just have to destroy you the next time."

"You’ll tell us everything, right? I don’t want to forget this please," Asobi tilted her head.

"Of course I will. I’ll see you again Asobi," Jotou smiled, the corpse of Frye fallen next to her.

"Bye-bye Jotou!"

Jotou lifted the device in the air and clicked the left button as the white rings at the tip of the egg resonated. "Beep!"