Chapter 176: LeMay

HQ drove Lexie towards the temple ruin. They could see the staircase leading to the temple. 

"We are approaching the temple," HQ said.

"The temple looks old and abandoned," Nojiko said.

"Yes, but there is alot of interest here," Vivi said.

"There are some horses and men there," HQ pointed out. There were some tents outside the temple and a small campfire. 

Let's be careful, this may be a hostile pirate crew," Vivi said. They saw the jolly roger on a pole. It had a skull with slanted eye-sockets and a spiky crown. The cross-bones were similar to the inverted Marine symbol and a sword with a Yoru-like hilt. The placement of the skull on top of the inverted "wings" gives the skull the appearance of an elongated tusks.

Suddenly they were hit by a cannon from the men. The tank rocked. HQ stopped Lexie. 

"We are under attack," Nojiko said. 

"Vivi, that joystick in front of you controls the gun and firing system," HQ said. 

"Okay," Vivi said. She grabbed the joysticks and turned it.

"Aim for the men," HQ said. Vivi kept turning and aimed the gun towards the men. 

"I am on target," Vivi said. 

"Press the button," HQ said. 

Vivi pressed the button and fired the laser gun at men. It hit the men who fired a cannon and blew it up. 

"Good hit," HQ said.

"Good job Vivi," Nojiko congratulated her. 

Vivi looked pleased with herself. 

"Fire again," HQ said. 

Vivi grabbed the joystick again and moved the turret towards the tents. She pressed the button and fired again. The tents got hit and exploded. There was a large fire. Several men got hit as they went flying in the air as they got hit by an explosion as well. 

"Good hit again," HQ said.

Nojiko smiled and gave her a thumbs up. 

"Okay, let's leave the tank and check the place out," Nojiko said. 

HQ opened the doors and Nojiko and Vivi left. HQ closed the engine and exited Lexie. She closed the doors. 

"Are we okay to leave Lexie here?" Vivi asked. 

"Most of them look down and we can beat them," HQ said.

"She is strong and a big girl," Nojiko said. 

"But I will stay nearby," HQ said. Vivi and Nojiko nodded. 

They looked around and saw a pirate looking at the destruction. They only fired two shots from Lexie but it took out the entire mini camp. 

Nojiko saw the pirate looking around and on the ground. They all were wearing the same uniform. It consists of a grey stahlhelm-like helmet and a dark grey sleeveless shirt, with a belt where a sheath is hooked and the jolly roger imprinted behind. The trousers are light grey and tucked inside the dark boots 

"They don't look like some pirate crew," Nojiko said.

"I am getting Baroque Works aura from them," Vivi said.

"Aura?" Nojiko said. She looked at Vivi.

"You know, like feeling," Vivi said, trying to explain herself. 

"I know, I am just kidding but you are right, this looks organised," Nojiko said.

The pirate looked at the girls. "You dare attack us," the pirate in uniform said. 

He grabbed his sword and tried to swing the blade at Vivi and Nojiko. Nojiko was about to attack when HQ came in the way. She grabbed his arm and threw him over. He landed on the ground. HQ twisted his arm. 

The pirate screamed. HQ then kicked his face. The pirate went unconscious. 

"Well he is down," Nojiko said.

"I think most of them are inside that temple," Vivi pointed out.

"They should have heard the explosion," Nojiko said.

"Or they are deep in the treasure room," Vivi replied.

"We should stop them and get the treasure," HQ said. 

"Yes, let's go," Vivi said. She held the Yellow Gun in her hand. 

They looked around and saw fire. The ruins were around them. Nojiko, Vivi and HQ headed towards the staircase of the temple. They walked up. 

The staircase was weathered and worn by the relentless march of time. It ascended towards an abandoned temple. It was carved from an ancient white stone. Foliage, persistent and determined, creeps through the cracks.

"Careful," Nojiko said.

"These stairs are old," Vivi said.

"I wonder what this temple was for?" Nojiko wondered. They walked up the stairs and got to the temple. Its towering walls weathered by natural forces. Massive columns, intricately adorned with faded carvings. There were patterns on the stone floor. High above, the grand ceiling opens into a celestial expanse, adorned with celestial motifs. 

"Interesting, this craving on the roof looks like the drawings that Robin mentioned," Vivi said. It looked like a large monster in the middle surrounded by islands. 

"Take a look at this, Vivi HQ," Nojiko said.

Vivi and HQ walked over and saw a large statue made of rock. The statue was of a round shaped monster that looked like a robot or machine. It had three arms, with one extending from the middle of its torso. It had a large long mouth and large teeth. There were two cylinders on its back. 

"It looks like that monster we fought but," Vivi said.

"But bigger and meaner," Nojiko finished her sentence off.

"It definitely looks like that bigger monster," HQ said.

"Was this some God?" Vivi questioned. 

"I don't know but having a temple means at some point people worshipped it," Nojiko said.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" shouted a man wearing the same uniform. He was accompanied by half a dozen men. They were all wearing the same uniforms. 

In front of them was a muscular, middle aged man with a light brown beard. He had a downward-pointed nose, and wrinkles under his eyes. He wore a sleeveless white shirt that had golden shoulder pads, green pants, green shoes, and a green bandanna around his neck. He also wore a Marine cap. 

"You have some business being here," the middle aged man said.

Then another man came running from near the entrance. "Boss LeMay, our camp is on fire and our men are injured," he said.

"What!" LeMay shouted.

"They did it," the pirate said.

"Yes, we did. You attacked us," Vivi said. Nojiko sighed. 

LeMay looked angry. He took his gun out. It was a long-barreled pistol. The extended barrel was sleek and unblemished, gleaming with a polished steel finish. It had green markings, meticulously engraved along the barrel. The green accents continued onto the trigger guard and other metallic elements. The grip, fashioned from a durable polymer. 

"You three look like girls, surrender now," LeMay shouted.

"We decline," HQ replied. LeMay shot HQ. She went flying back and landed on the ground. 

Vivi and Nojiko looked in horror. Vivi got the Yellow Gun and fired it at LeMay. The dice shaped bullet headed towards LeMay. LeMay jumped out of the way. The bullet exploded taking out his two men. 

"What the," the pirate said. He ran behind a pillar. The remaining five men behind other pillars. 

LeMay also ran behind a pillar. Nojiko grabbed Vivi and pulled her behind a pillar. 

"You better surrender. My Veridian Enigma will have more blood today," LeMay screamed. 

"HQ," Vivi said.

"She will be fine, she is not human, remember," Nojiko assured her. Nojiko was surprised at the sudden attack.

"Let's take them out," Nojiko added. 

Vivi nodded. 

"Go forward," LeMay said to his men. 

A pirate nodded. He moved forward however Vivi saw this and fired the Yellow Gun at him. THe dice shaped bullet went and hit the ground exploding, taking the pirate out. 

"Good shot," Nojiko said. 

HQ got up. She jumped up. She looked around and saw a pirate hiding behind a pillar. She ran up to him and falcon kicked him into the pillar. The pirate hit his head in the pillar and went down. His head was bleeding. 

HQ picked up his gun. It was a pistol. She aimed for another pirate hiding behind the pillar and shot him in the back. The pirate screamed as he went down. 

Another pirate looked behind and saw his two crewmates. He saw a woman who looked like a devil firing a gun. He moved around. "You should be dead," the pirate said. As he moved around Vivi saw him. She aimed her Yellow Gun and fired a dice shaped bullet at him. The bullet hit him and an explosion was created. The pirate went down. 

"Sir, they have surrounded us and taking us down," the pirate said as he fired his gun. 

LeMay kissed his teeth. He thought who are they? "Let's fall back," LeMay reluctantly said. He fired his Veridian Enigma at the pillar. The bullet penetrated the pillar and almost hit Vivi.

"That gun is powerful," Vivi said. 

"It is, that could be a nice addition to our arsenal," Nojiko noted. 

"Cloud Surge," Nojiko said as she created dense storm clouds around the pirate and LeMay. 

"Where did this smoke come from?" LeMay asked.

"I don't know," the pirate said. 

The clouds surrounded LeMay and the pirate. Their vision was obscured. Nojiko smiled. "Lightning Barrage," Nojiko said as the cloud went dark and a lightning bolt hit LeMay and the pirate. The pirate went down and LeMay also went down. Both their bodies had smoke leaving. 

"Good job," Vivi said.

HQ walked to the girls. "HQ are you okay?" Vivi asked.

"Yes, perfectly fine. The bullet did no damage however the force of the bullet just threw me back," HQ replied.

Vivi saw her stomach had no damage. Vivi nodded. Nojiko walked to LeMay. He was on the ground unconscious. He did not wear the typical uniform. She saw his gun, the Veridian Enigma, on the ground. She picked it and took it with her. 

"I didn't see anything else of value," Nojiko said.

"They had no treasure?" Vivi asked.

"No, no orbs," Nojiko replied.

"I don't think the orb will be here. It is too convenient. The last one was deep in a cave guarded," HQ said.

"I think you are right," Nojiko said.

"Okay, we should inform Ben and the rest about this," Vivi said.

They all nodded. They had a quick look around but found nothing interesting. They then left the temple and went back down the stairs to Lexie. 

LeMay moved his hand.