[b][i]Mission Five - La Naval de Manila, Segunda Vez/Segundo Beses/Second Time[/i][/b]

[b]Ruins of The [i]Guangdong[/i] - 12/28/2022, 5: 50, UTC+8[/b]

Wu Shufen knew that the foe had figured it out; for every one of them that fell and dispersed their Noble Arm, he had one less copied ability. With most of the enemy subdued, only Raja and Henri, the latter whose NA abilities cannot be copied at all, were left. 

But the Monkey of the Zodiac had an escape plan, and that manifested in the form of four Helicopters flying toward his position on the sinking Nuclear Aircraft Carrier. Throwing a smoke bomb, he'd run, then swim in the direction of the gunships, not bothering to snark at the people who had just barely defeated him. If they had any brains, they'd flee towards the portal their friend had opened before they were strafed by bullets that can tear apart even an Arms Master.

He can console himself that he had hurt the foe deeply enough that they won't be able to function for weeks, buying his country valuable time...

[b][i]Mission Five Has Ended[/i][/b]

[hr]

[b][i]Intermission Five - Aftermath of Victory[/i][/b]

[b]Municipality of Lubao, Pampanga Province, Philippines - 1/1/2023, 8:00 AM, UTC+8[/B]

[center][i][url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubao]A historic town in the province of Pampanga, Philippines, nestled amidst fertile rice fields, Lubao is a mix of old and new, with centuries-old stone churches and houses mixing with chic modern restaurants, hotels, and the houses of the upwardly mobile. Despite recent events, some mango and acacia trees still line the streets, and the waterways are being restored to their clean, pristine state. Due to its quick surrender, many of the historic buildings still stand.[/url][/i][/center]

For several months now, Lubao City, under the iron heels of the politician-turned-warlord Flores Pagkanta Corriente and her family, had been a thorn in the Philippine Government of National Salvation's side. It had sent hired militiamen and thugs to harass the Armed Forces of the Philippines in open treason, openly pledged allegiance to China as part of the 'Continuation Government of the Philippines', and now, its people, faced with the full attention of the PGNS, had thrown out their leader in an armed uprising and opened the gates to a surprised but greatful army. Now, Task Force Obsidian was sent there to recuperate and receive news from the rest of the world. 

Knowing how sensitive his presence in Lubao was, Crown Prince Shinyahito did not choose to commandeer a notable hotel, restaurant, church, or park. Nor did he and his sister take over the [i]hacienda[/i] (a plantation-style estate) where Flores Pagkanta Corriente had made her final stand. Instead, they and TFO made their HQ in the [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubao#/media/File:New_Lubao_Town_Hall_37.jpg]New Lubao Town Hall[/url]; the image cannot be reposted outside of Wikipedia), where the local Mayor, a member of the locally influential Parada Family, was eager to prove his loyalty after having cut ties with the Pagkanta-Corrientes. And it was there that they began to receive news of the world after their miraculous victory.

Spontaneous 'Blank Paper' uprisings have sprung all over Mainland China in response to the devastating defeat in the West Philippine Sea. Now, truly Filipino waters after Admiral Yi Yeol had pounded the PLA Navy to scrap metal. Although the People's Republic of China had acted with the usual brutality and repression, making arrests and executions, the protests were growing in number and frequency; this would be the right time for the Qing Restoration Society to make their move, only there was a problem: Lei Qingshe, their most powerful Arms Master, the smartest mind they had, and a person who had the secrets of Occult Programming Language in her hands...had disappeared for the final time.

On the plus side, they were getting reinforcements today; new volunteers were flocking to them soon.

[hr]

[b]Flashback - A Remote Outpost on Finland's Southern Border - 12/30/2022, 22:00, UTC+2[/b]

Lukas Lightbringer had been called to the outpost by his handler, who said in a curt voice, "We've been hired to join the winning side in that war in Southeast Asia - And to everyone's surprise, it isn't China."

The Handler, wearing thick, concealing winter clothing, handed him a dossier about Task Force Obsidian before saying, "We - Or rather you - were originally going to be tasked with saving one Noel Alonso, a Filipino Arms Master who got himself captured by the Downward Descent's forces. However, [i]our superiors[/i] have decided to send you over to where the group he once led, Task Force Obsidian, is waiting for news, reinforcements, and the rescue of their commander."

Clearly thinking little of his subordinate, The Handler continued as his snow goggles faced Lukas' eyes, "Your orders are simple; get in good with them, share in the rewards, get their trust, and if the wheel of fortune flips again and they start losing, stab them in the back. We'll arrange for you to be flown to their provisional HQ in a few days. Until then, [i]do not blow your cover[/i]. Got it?"

[hr]

[b]Municipality of Lubao, Pampanga Province, Philippines - 1/1/2023, 8:00 AM, UTC+8[/B]

[center][i][url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubao#/media/File:Ilogjf.JPG]The streets of the town were clean, while the nearby waterways were replete with soldiers and military engineers fishing out unexploded ordnance and pieces of sharp metal to clean the rivers anew. Sometimes they even fished out a corpse or bones.[/url][/i][/center] 

Lukas had been flown to Lubao as a 'volunteer' seeking to join the now-prestigious Task Force Obsidian; he had been told that the New Town Hall was where the group made their temporary HQ. As he walked the still heavily-patrolled city, meeting the suspicious gazes of both military folk and locals as he drew closer to his objective, he'd get a text message on his smartphone... And pictures of the Black Cell being systematically dismantled and its personnel fighting and dying against mercenaries who wore a badge showing a [i]Broken Sword[/i], accompanied by [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/5967004395a9.jpeg]a brown-haired, green-eyed woman in a lab coat[/url] whose Noble Arm was an oval shield that looked like it was made of a ladybug's shell.

The text message said: [i]The Black Cell has delved into matters beyond its understanding and received the consequences. You are free now, Lukas Lightbringer; use it well - Chastity, Avatar of Castitias, of the Seven Virtues.[/i]

[hr]

Levi Orienko had found himself in the Philippines; Task Force Obsidian was hiring. He was closer to the New Town Hall than Lukas was, within sight of the gates, where...

"Orienko - Levi Orienko!," a voice broke the relative silence behind him. His fellow Arms Master, Bahram Mainyu, was walking toward him without a care in the world, waving hi. "I was told you'd be coming here, so I volunteered to join too!"

His eyes were positively glinting with delight as the Persian continued, "Have you heard? Jin Li of the Qing Restoration Society is coming to the Town Hall to meet with Task Force Obsidian! Wonder what he has to say..."

Bahram had met Levi just a few months ago when Broken Sword PMC was busting a Russian Prison in Siberia, a Prison he was rampaging through as well. They had fought alongside each other, saving each other's lives, and when Bahram had absentmindedly flirted with Levi, the fact that the latter hadn't rejected him showed that maybe, there was a chance with this cute, badass, brooding guy.

So he smiled at seeing him, before adding, "Oh, right, my Noble Arm has gotten stronger too since I met you!"

[hr]

Now, Jin Li of the QRS had something more to announce to TFO's members, and he was going to meet with them in the Municipal Hall's meeting hall after they met their new members to give them what he hoped would be a tolerable piece of bad news...

[@Amidatelion][@Chiro][@Nimbus][@Digmata][@Ducksworth][@Gerlando][@Terry Bogard][@LladyLloki]