"Ay! Ay!"
The force behind the Doomsday Beast's swing sends a gust of air through the battlefield. Yoru, unlike the others, gets flung immediately from the gust.
Surprisingly, the platform held up well. He could have sworn that the platform would have broken under the force of the attacks.
Yoru glances at the Doomsday Beast as it continues to swing at the crew.
Dan Heng manages to dodge one swing, landing a stab on the hand as it moves by. "Go for the hands!"
It was a wonder to see the Express crew work together. Yoru could only watch in awe as March provided support as Himeko, Dan Heng, and Stelle distracted the hands and attacked the core.
"Am I able to do anything?"
Yoru glances around. The area around the railway platform was empty. Nothing he could reasonably throw.
CRASH!
The platform shakes as one of the Doomsday Beast's claws dig straight into the platform where Stelle previously stood. She had already rolled out of the way, retaliating with a large swing of her bat.
"System, gacha, whatever you are—mind telling me what I can do?"
There was no response. Yoru held his breath, but his eyebrow twitched.
Even if Yoru wanted to go in, he wouldn't be able to. The fight was too fast paced for him. Going in would result in an injury, or worse, death.
"Can I even do anything? I was brought to be useless?"
He bites his lip as the people in front of him fought valiantly. Words from his life flash in his head. The voice of his stepmother rings loud in his ear.
'You're useless.'
'You can't do anything.'
One voice, however, resounded in his head, like a song that he couldn't remember the lyrics to. The calm, loving voice of his mother.
'Always remember, you can do anything.'
He promised her that he would remember. Even in another world, he wouldn't break that promise.
"Argh, whatever!" Yoru charges in, not caring for repercussions. He wouldn't just stand around and do nothing. He would fight, and if he died, he would die gloriously.
"Hey, get back!" March shouts as she sees Yoru charge in from behind her.
Just hearing March's voice had reminded Yoru of a previous comment from her. Something along the lines of having an ugly face.
Just as Yoru thinks about the comment, his system flashes in his eyes, flickering it's bolded letters.
[You're ugly. Use your face.]
It wasn't much of a compliment, but it sure was advice.
The Doomsday Beast had spotted Yoru as he moved closer to the battle. It's left hand started to raise higher.
"Move!" Dan Heng calls out, starting a mad dash to move Yoru out of the way.
Stelle, watching Dan Heng start running over to Yoru calls out to Himeko instead. "Himeko! Your drone!" She points to Yoru. "Get him out of there!"
All sounds were blocked out from Yoru's ears, all noise muffled now. Staring directly at the beast, he makes a face.
The Doomsday Beast recoils. It's hand stops charging for a moment, a brief moment. Running out of the way, the hand misses where Yoru previously stood.
"Ha! It's ugly work at best!" Yoru cries out triumphantly, his face beaming at the fact he can stun the beast with his ugliness.
"It really is ugly work..." March comments at his proud exclamation, but continues firing her arrows nonetheless.
Making another face, the Doomsday Beast staggers again. It must have forgotten to pull it's hand back in the process, as the left hand stayed on the platform.
Using the opportunity, the drone that Himeko had sent to save Yoru hurled towards the hand, slashing at it. Cracks form on the hand, before the hand completely cracks, leaving it out of commission.
"Hey you guys!" Yoru calls out, a plan already forming in his head. "I'll keep it on me! Once it misses, get rid of it's right hand!"
With no time to verify that the Express had agreed, Yoru continues to move around the platform, hoping for the Doomsday Beast to focus on him.
Thankfully, it seemed to be working well.
As the Doomsday Beast's right hand raises to swing, Yoru makes another face.
As expected, the hand stops for a moment.
SLAM!
The hand crashes into the platform, missing Yoru as he moved out of the way. Not wasting a beat, another face made stuns the beast.
"I should just stop looking..." Stelle mutters under her breath as both she and Dan Heng attack the right hand.
The right hand cracks, leaving the Doomsday Beast with no chance of attacking without risking more damage.
"Wait. Doesn't it have a beam?"
Just on cue, it suddenly takes off up into the sky, spreading its wings. Circles of light form behind it, charging up.
"Uh." Yoru tones, his face going blank. "I'm cooked."
Beams of yellow energy fire down upon the group.
Before Yoru could get hit, Himeko's drone flies in front of him, acting as a shield. The rest of the crew get hit by the beams.
"Hey! You guys!" Yoru cries out, his head snapping over to where they all were.
Thankfully, the attack didn't do much, except bruise and cut them a little. Yoru's face turns from concerned to dumbfounded.
"... their durability must be off the charts. That should not just leave a scratch."
Seizing the moment, Stelle charges in. The drone in front of Yoru follows suit, striking the core of the Doomsday Beast.
The core cracks, the body of the beast falling onto the platform.
"Hit it!" Himeko calls out.
The entire crew charges, Dan Heng, Himeko, Stelle, and March—beating the Doomsday Beast black and blue. It cries out, moving back up into an upright position, it's head leaning back.
The crew stands there, breathing heavily, the fight taking a massive toll on them. March drops to her knees, tired.
Suddenly, the head of the beast glows with the same energy from the hail of beams earlier.
"Move! March, move!" Yoru calls out, his hand outstretched.
The Doomsday Beast's head moves around, a beam already shooting out of it's head. The beam moves, directed towards March.
"March!" Dan Heng and Himeko cry out at the same time.
March's face contorts, turning to a look of fear. Her hand drops the bow to the side, her hands moving up to her face as if to shield herself from the blast.
Stelle dashes forward, moving in front of March—taking the blow. Her eyes close, her hands clenching in front of her as she takes in the energy.
The beam had stopped firing, the Doomsday Beast falling down off the platform and down into the abyss.
However, the energy kept surrounding Stelle. She starts to levitate off the floor, a circle of energy keeping anyone from approaching her. Everyone was pushed back from the force.
Footsteps are heard.
Yoru turns his head. An older man with short brown hair wearing glasses is in the air, levitating towards Stelle. A cane in his hand, it pierces the energy with ease.
A quick tap to the forehead, and the energy subsides immediately. Stelle slowly falls to the platform, as March rushes forward, catching her.
"Mr. Yang! Is she..?"
"She's okay now. Let's talk somewhere else."
Following the crew, Yoru heads back to the Master Control Zone with them.
"Here, let me help." Yoru, along with March, helps carry Stelle's unconscious form to the zone.
Yoru can only let out a sigh of relief as the system flashes in front of him. It seems like the threat was over for now.
[Large Goal Achieved! +5 Rolls]
[Rolls: 5]
[Pity: 2/100]