Goddess of Victory: Nikke Over Zone Part 1

Bio-mechanical monsters scuttled across the surface. Flying drones scanned the area for remaining human life. Quadruped titans stomped forward, thunderous footsteps resonating through the desolate wasteland. According to motion sensors, new prey entered the vicinity. How wrong they were.

A trio of Orchestrions aimed their rocket launchers at the Slayer and released a barrage of explosives. The Doom Slayer dashed out of the way, his Praetor Suit absorbing the impact of the explosions. With a swift motion, he unleashed a volley of shotgun blasts. Their mechanical bodies crumbled from the futuristic ammunition.

Swapping out the Plasma Rifle, he continued to gun down the Raptures. When the Rifile finished collecting excess heat, a massive energy wave melted through the armored shells, disfiguring their mechanical cores.

As the Doom Slayer pressed forward, a Bulwark emerged, generating a barrier in front of it. The Slayer's fist collided with the impenetrable shield. Undeterred, he summoned the Ballista. With a charged shot, an argent arc cleaved both the Bulwark and its shield in two. Blow after blow, the Slayer dismantled the hulking machine, reducing it to a pile of twisted wreckage.

A Watcher perched on top of a nearby building and fired its special stun bullets. Sadly for it, the Doom Slayer was no ordinary adversary. He sidestepped the projectiles with lightning reflexes, the air crackling with energy as they whizzed past. In a swift motion, he retrieved his plasma rifle and unleashed a torrent of searing energy, reducing the Watcher to a heap. The Doom Blade gleamed with malevolent intent, slicing through more like butter.

Raptures kept coming, emerging from across the city. The Doom Slayer switched seamlessly to the quad-barrel minigun with a smirk. Dashing around a corner, he came across the ideal location. As expected, Raptures that filled the street started funneling themselves down an alleyway. Like fish in a barrel, a hailstorm of bullets rained down upon the terrors. More than half the Raptures in the district were eviscerated by this gun alone.

Instead of reloading, he swapped out to his Rocket launcher. Opening the targeting computer, he locked on several drones taking weak potshots at him. Oh, they tried to dodge, but homing rockets were a bitch to the ill-equipped.

Hours later, the Doom Marine was stained with oil and blood. The city was littered with dead Raptures. As he stared out what he assumed to be the town square, he sighed at the familiar scene, a silent wasteland. Clearing a city that had already fallen was a minor victory in the grand scheme of this planet. What he needed now was to locate the surviving human colonies.

From the orbiting Fortress, the Slayer and Vega were disappointed with their scans. They could barely find any sign of humanity on the surface. When they were about to consider the nuclear option, Vega picked up a stray signal from one of the probes sent out. Frankly, the transmission was concerning.

"... This is Dorothy, acting leader of the Goddess Squad. I have assumed this position due to the death of our former leader, Major Lilith. Our current situation is as follows. Our mission is to protect those who have been deemed important and escort them from the surface to the massive underground facility known as the Ark. Operation Guardian is approximately 72% complete. There are officially no more humans remaining on the surface. The Goddess Squad and several mass-produced Nikkes are stationed at temporary outposts situated at the Ark's entrance. We are to protect the entrance against any future Rapture raids until the Ark is completed and sealed off. It is expected that we will be required to do this for approximately two months. However, the situation is becoming dire. Our resources and troops are both slowly being depleted, and we are becoming physically drained due to the incessant fighting. We do not expect any form of backup from the Ark. We will do everything in our power to succeed. In exchange for this, you must promise us one thing. Once the city has been sealed, we are to be taken back to the Ark, where we will be regarded as Goddess of Victory. Make us feel proud for continuing to fight for humanity. ... That is all. I will be waiting for your answer."

Thankfully, humanity hasn't been wiped out on this Earth yet. Contrary to his home's humans that left toward outer space when the demons invaded, these people migrated underground. While not his first choice, it seemed to be the last-ditch effort for the remaining survivors.

Due to strange particle interference across the continent, teleporting directly to the transmission source was not viable. Vega's estimates placed the origin somewhere on the east coast of North America.

After his first few days of scouting the surface, things seemed to worsen for this Dorothy and her team.

"Goddess Squad to the Ark. The situation here is hopeless. We are in desperate need of backup and additional resources. The likelihood of us being able to successfully protect the entrance of the Ark is dwindling. Please send the materials I have requested as soon as this message is received. That is all. Awaiting further correspondence."

Finding them and this ARK would be too tedious on foot. Thankfully, he came prepared.

After leaving the town square, the Doom Slayer turned a corner and hopped on his newly built motorbike. Its menacing form and power reflected its driver. Its frame was adorned with a green and brown color scheme reminiscent of the Praetor Suit. Instead of traditional rubber tires, the wheels consisted of metallic treads. He christened it the Doom Cycle.

The Slayer retrieved his crucible from his belt. He removed the small emblem from its hilt and placed it on the dashboard. With a powerful punch, the Argent engine roared to life. It took him a while for him and Vega to replicate the core components of the BFG. Powered by the BFG 9000 and six argent energy cells, this fusion of ancient demonic energy and cutting-edge technology ensured the motorcycle would unleash unimaginable speed. If needed, the Slayer could feed his Argent energy to the system for an extra boost.

Done with this area, he continued down the route recommended by Vega. The Doom Slayer kicked the motorcycle into gear with a thunderous roar and shot forward. The world around him blurred as he tore through the desolate landscapes.

Later That Day

The Slayer weaved through the remnants of a once-thriving metropolis. The wind whistled through the desolate buildings. It wasn't until he reached the next city several miles north that another nest of Ratures sought him out. Just as they descended upon him, the Doom Slayer unleashed violence. Not bothering to dismount, the Slayer whipped out his boomstick and accelerated. The momentum of the Doom Cycle allowed the metal treads to mimic his chainsaw, ravaging an unlucky Rature.

At the same time, the meat hook pulled in an annoying drone before it got blasted to bits. This pattern continued for a bit before the Marine swapped out his shotgun and drew the heavy-caliber assault rifle. Its fire rate matched the rhythm of his engine. Bullets tore through the air, finding their mark with deadly precision. Each shot was a chorus, reducing the Raptures to piles of twisted metal and sparking wires. Rapture bodies fell, their grotesque forms crushed and decimated.

More Orchestrions emerged, rocket launchers locked onto him. In response, the Slayer swerved, narrowly dodging the projectiles as they exploded behind him. Flipping a switch, the barrel of his gun revealed its missiles. The Slayer held down the trigger, letting out a seemingly endless volley of tracking micro missiles. It was nostalgic to the Mars Base he awakened at.

As the Doom Cycle raced through the urban ruins, the Slayer started to hear the familiar sound of firearms. It didn't take long for the Vega drones ahead of him to intercept local communications.

"Right side! Right side!"

"Get down!"

"I'm hit."

"Reloading!".

Meanwhile

A joint operation of Mass Nikkes about a week ago had gone FUBAR. An extraction and escort mission to bring stray engineers and VIPs back to the ARK, resulted in heavy losses. With several teams dead, this left only Gamma and Sigma Squad. It didn't help that they also lost their commander in an earlier skirmish. Now, it was just a race back to base to bring back whatever research data they could carry.

At the moment, Jeannie took the position of temporary commander. Unfortunately for her, her brief tenure as leader placed them all in another ambush. From a building window, she fired her assault rifle, granted by her iDoll Sun designation. With controlled bursts of fire, she picked off the Raptures.

At the same time, Brittany took a position atop a crumbling building. As a Model 08, her advanced sniper rifle's recoil could break the bones of normal humans. Her enhanced body made it seem like a light breeze. She would even argue being above average in her training courses. While she did well eliminating any threats from a distance while providing cover fire for her allies, several skirmishes had already depleted her ammo reserves.

Crouched behind a barricade, Tamara unloaded a torrent of bullets from her machine gun. The thick armor of a Model 12 allowed her to take several shots before she had to retreat to reload. She sprayed the area with a cone of gunfire. Her weapon's sheer volume of ammunition through any lightly armored Raptures.

With bullets and energy shots going over her head, Skyler performed her medic duties, trying to stabilize a wounded Natalie.

Earlier, the Model FA flanked an enemy line, prioritizing her close-quarter efficiency. Armed with a shotgun and riot shield, she bulldozed through the enemy snipers. While pumping slugs, she emphasized her mobility, twisting her body to consistently tank enemy fire with the Riot Shield on her back. While effective, she did not regroup with her team unscathed. She faced a horde of Bulwark Raptures whose barriers deflected her first few shotgun blasts. During her retreat, a concentrated barrage of blaster fire overwhelmed her. The resulting explosion sent her sprawling, her body temporarily incapacitated.

Skyler barely managed to retrieve her while providing cover fire with her Submachine gun. It was only thanks to her medical kit as an iDoll Ocean that gave Natalie a chance to re-enter the fight.

On another building, Cat shot a volley of rockets. The ground shook, and the air filled with fire. The impact of her rockets obliterated clusters of Raptures, creating an opening for her allies. This iDoll Flower was the heavy AOE fighter of the team.

As the firefight continued, Brittany eventually took a direct hit from a barrage of rockets launched by an Armstrong HSTA Rapture. The explosive impact sent her flying through the air, her body crashing into a pile of rubble. For a moment, she lay motionless, her systems rebooting as she struggled to regain control.

Their heavy gunner slowly inched her way to grab the immobilized Sniper, but without the long-range support, her frontline was overwhelmed. As she emptied her chamber to reload, a deafening tone filled her ears.

"Tamara!" Jeannie took a stun bullet to the shoulder.

While the rapture who snuck up on the brunette was blasted to smithereens, her thoughts started disorienting, signaling what was happening to her. The Nikke in brown armor ripped off her helmet in a vain attempt to get her mind in order. Amber eyes flashed red. "No... N-No...Not...Now...!" On the verge of losing it, Tamara tossed her gun to the opposite wall.

Jeannie clenched her jaw as the enemy started approaching her teammates. Skyler pushed Natalie over a collapsed wall before she started dumping her magazine into the nearest Rapture.

As more and more Raptures started to surround their position, a strange rumbling stood out. It seemed she wasn't the only one to notice, as a significant chunk of the enemy forces changed directions toward the south. As if it was one of those action movies she saw before the fall of civilization, an armored figure blasted through the infantry on what she assumed was some modified motorcycle. Even from a distance, something about the stranger felt off. Emotion seemed to radiate from him.

The man revved its engine and charged forward, a vintage-looking double-barrel shotgun with a hook in hand. To the Nikkes, who have seen other humans barely make a dent in Raptures with their older rifles, they didn't know what the strange man was expecting to happen.

Their world seemed to flip when the Slayer pulled the trigger, and the Rapture in his cone of fire lost almost half its body. 'What the hell was that?!'

"Auto-Pilot Engaged," voiced the dashboard.

Below the barrel, the hook shot forward and sunk its proverbial teeth into a massive drone. The chain started to retract, but instead of the Rapture being pulled, the Slayer rose out of his seat and flew toward said Drone. At point-blank range, the Super Shotgun obliterated it in one shot.

Without the Slayer, the Doom Cycle continued driving into the horde, ripping up any Rapture who got in its way.

A range of emotions filled the surviving Nikkes: amazement, fear, and hope. For Tamara, this spark of hope lingered in her darkening mind. 'We might just make it out of this.'

Spotting the general area of the Nikkes, he dashed through the air before swinging on the building's metal bar that didn't seem to be there before. In mid-air, he switched to his Heavy Cannon. The no-pull reflex trigger system allowed him to start firing with just a twitch of a hand muscle. The approaching Raptures didn't stand a chance against its 0.50 caliber FMJ rounds.

Jeannie was overwhelmed by a group of Fez Raptures. They threatened to overpower her, but the Doom Slayer swiftly intervened, tanking the rockets with his Praetor Suit. Others of her team jumped in and gunned down the enemies. She, too, seized the opportunity, her assault rifle unleashing a storm of bullets that obliterated them.

Elsewhere, Natalie struggled to raise her damaged left arm with her shotgun. She got two slugs out before the immense recoil made it fly out of her hand.

Skyler gripped Natalie's right Arm. "You need to stop moving. I have to finish these weld points."

Before she could continue repairs, an energy bolt struck her from the side and away from her patient. A crab-like Rapture tore down a window sill. Its sensors locked on the two in front of it.

In a desperate attempt to stall for her teammates, Skyler sprayed her Submachine Gun in the face. It seemed to work as the enemy fire hit the wall behind her.

Adapting to the situation, the Rapture deployed several explosive charges on the floor, not charging if it was taken out along with them.

Seeing this, Skyler grabbed her friend's Riot Shield shield and used it to protect them both from the upcoming blast. Her eyes closed, and she heard something go off, but she felt nothing against the shield. When the two looked at the room, they were greeted with thick sheets of ice covering the bombs and Rapture. It seemed the Sub-zero temperatures prevented the circuits from detonating their load.

Heavy footsteps filled the room as the Doom Slayer's protective shadow covered the two Nikkes. He swung a free fist at the frozen Rapture, shattering it. Before he left, the Slayer brought one of Skyler's medical bags. She looked back at the Slayer, who gestured to the injured Natalie. She understood the silent message and got to work, getting Natalie battle ready. Skyler needed another minute of nano-welding to get the synthetic nerves working enough.

Elsewhere, Cat's explosions reverberated through the battlefield as Raptures were engulfed in flames and shrapnel. The carnage left a path of destruction, clearing a route for the remaining Nikkes to regroup.

Back outside, the Doom Slayer pulled out his Combat Shotgun. A few tried to remove the Sticky Bombs to no avail. With a flick, the barrel changed, firing shell after shell in a full auto fashion. Approaching the one in blue, the Slayer grabbed Brittany by the arm and set her upright against a wall. A few light taps to her temple helped settle her processes. Seeing her Sniper Rifle, he picked it up and gave it a once-over. It was stronger than some he had seen in his military service. Before he could attempt a test fire, a voice drew his attention.

"I'm... Out of ammo." The blonde shook her head.

The Slayer pulled out its magazine, and it indeed was. However, he had an easy solution. After magnetizing it to his back, he pulled out his chainsaw and walked out of sight momentarily.

When Brittany heard the familiar footsteps, she didn't expect to see him holding several full magazines for her Sniper. "Where did you?..." She received no answer except a weight pressed against her chest. Looking up, she saw the Slayer handing her Sniper with a nod. Clenching her fist, a grin appeared on her face. "Let's get these assholes!"

Instead, the Slayer switched to his precision rifle. When he walked to a nearby wall, the Doom Slayer raised his Gauss Cannon. The weapon chamber's energy cells pulsated. At the approaching Raptures, he fired a magnetized steel flechette, tearing through the air and killing five in a straight line.

Seeing this, Brittany paused momentarily, gobsmacked by the stopping power. "Holy crap!" Shaking her head of the confusion, she repositioned herself next to him, the stock resting firmly against her shoulder. With steady hands, she aimed. On cue, the two squeezed their triggers, deleting two lines of Raptures. With a thumbs up, the Slayer climbed the wall to go to one last checkpoint.

On the ground, Tamara found herself surrounded by flying drones. But the Doom Slayer appeared at her side, his chainsaw roaring. He carved through the metallic drones, sparks and debris filled the air. She could have sworn she saw bullets spewing from the corpse. Before the Slayer leaped back into the fray, a white and blue drone detached itself from the Slayer's pack. The last thing Tamara heard was a gentle voice. "You are in safe hands. Connection established. Beginning system diagnostics." Then her world went dark.

#

AN: Special thanks to Seana, Jebest4781, Mecha Destroyer98, vividlearner744, OmegaDelta, Henry Stickman, fearmegu, Kitsune Robyn, Dragon lord, Shooter1344, Alexander, Ajax Roranson, trey, Asaf, DJC, $hane-08, nighnight, decimator, Roswell, SpeX, Giorgie Baramidze, Professor Xivass, jorge, Adam!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If you did, please follow or review/comment. See you guys in the next chapter.

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