Battle Symphony

A week flew by like water, and before they knew it, the Sobusaki School Festival had arrived. The school atmosphere suddenly transformed into something livelier and more colorful.

Unique decorations made by students adorned every corner, the aroma of traditional snacks and festival food permeated the air, and laughter and lively chatter resounded everywhere. The long-awaited day had finally arrived, the day when their band, 'The Clones', would rock the school stage.

In the music room, the four of them—Clone Himaru, Emilia, Itsuka, and Momo—were doing their final warm-up. The clone felt a mixture of emotions. Enthusiasm, nervousness, but also... a touch of melancholy. Unconsciously, a soft murmur escaped his lips, "This... might be my last performance."

Emilia, with her always calm demeanor, turned and looked at him gently. "Hey, what are you mumbling about over there? We're going to rock today, and we'll definitely impress the audience." Emilia always knew how to calm the atmosphere.

Itsuka, the energetic drummer, chimed in while twirling her drumsticks, "That's right! We're gonna rock that stage until it collapses! Let everyone remember the name 'The Clones'!" Itsuka's enthusiasm was always contagious. Her orange hair seemed to reflect her fiery spirit, and her wide smile always injected energy into the group.

Momo, the usually quiet pianist, nodded slightly with a faint smile, her fingers nimbly playing on the piano keys, producing a soothing melody. The notes flowing from her piano seemed to weave a tapestry of harmony that united the four of them, transcending unspoken words.

The clone smiled at the support from his bandmates. Actually, he hadn't told them about the possibility of him disappearing after the original body defeated the Dungeon Floor Two BOSS.

He didn't want to dampen their spirits on the eve of this important performance. Let it remain an eternal secret. But in his deepest heart, he longed to share this burden with them, his friends who had been with him through thick and thin.

His heart beat faster and faster imagining the upcoming performance. Not just because it was the school festival, but also because special guests would be attending. All four of their parents were sure to come.

Then, what made him happiest was the arrival of Ryuko-nee and Fuyumi-nee. They both made time to come after getting a short leave from their hero duties.

"I can't wait to see you both perform on stage!" Ryuko-nee had sent him and Emilia a message on LIME yesterday. The message was simple, but full of an older sister's pride.

Fuyumi-nee, also sent an encouraging message, "Make sure you wow the audience! Don't do anything embarrassing in the middle of the performance!" Her tone was indeed a bit joking, but he knew she was serious about supporting them. Behind the joking tone, lay a great hope that they could shine on stage.

And what made him feel most honored and also a little nervous was Midnight's presence. She sent him a short message, "Himaru, I heard 'The Clones' are performing? I'll definitely come to see you. Don't disappoint me, okay!" Support from Midnight was both incredible motivation and pressure.

Unfortunately, some 'close friends' couldn't attend. Toga Himiko and Uraraka-chan had to attend extra classes at school. "Sorry, Himaru, Uraraka and I can't make it. But we'll be cheering you on from afar!" Toga sent a message with a sad emoticon. Although they weren't physically present, he knew their support remained with him.

Uraraka-chan also sent a similar message, "Hope your performance is a huge success! I'm sure you guys will wow the audience!" Words of encouragement from his friends warmed his heart.

Besides them, Mirko was also very unlikely to come. He still had to keep his 'Spider-Man' identity a secret from the rabbit hero.

"It would be very troublesome if Mirko found out about my real identity, but tonight, maybe if I can meet her, I'll reveal my mask to her," he thought. The decision to reveal his secret identity to Mirko was a big step he had carefully considered.

And of course, the most important figure who couldn't be present was the original Himaru. He was struggling in Dungeon Floor Two with Touma. This morning, Touma had sent him a short message, "We're using our first life out of three today to fight the BOSS. Let's pray for each other's success, both in the dungeon and your band performance!" The message was simple but laden with tension and hope.

Realizing that this might be his last performance, the clone was determined to give it his all. During warm-up, he sang with all his heart, feeling every note and lyric deeply. "I want to make today's performance an unforgettable memory," he told his bandmates after the warm-up. Those words were not just a promise, but also an expression of his heart's longing to leave a meaningful mark.

"Cheers to the success of our performance!" They all nodded, their eyes radiating the same spirit and determination. Today, 'The Clones' had to perform amazingly, as a 'final' offering from Clone Himaru.

The festival grew increasingly crowded, the sounds of music and laughter blending into one. Inside the school gymnasium, transformed into a performance hall, the audience had filled the seats.

The large red curtain still covered the stage, adding to the mysterious atmosphere and making his heart beat even faster than usual. From behind the curtain, he could hear the roar of the audience growing louder.

"Ready?" Emilia asked, a faint smile gracing her face.

The clone nodded firmly. Itsuka raised her drumsticks high, Momo pressed a few final piano keys to make sure everything was working properly.

The clone took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment, and felt the energy from his bandmates flow into him. They were one, bound by music and deep friendship.

The red curtain slowly rose, the audience's cheers exploded, filling the room. Dazzling stage lights illuminated, highlighting the four of them standing on stage.

This was the moment. 'The Clones' performance officially began. The first boom of their music intro echoed loudly, splitting the silence and igniting energy throughout the room. The melody was a soul call, a declaration of their presence on this stage.

The clone stepped forward to the microphone, his eyes fixed on the thousands of pairs of eyes before him. Those gazes were a sea of hope and enthusiasm. His voice resonated, singing the lyrics they had carefully prepared.

Every word he sang was an honest expression of his feelings. Their performance tonight was about farewells, hope, and friendship. A farewell that might be temporary, or perhaps... forever. Through the song, he wanted to convey everything in his heart, all the emotions he had been holding back.

---

At the same time, in the depths of Dungeon Floor Two, a very different performance was underway. The original body of Himaru and Touma stood face to face with the towering Dungeon BOSS gate.

Today was the day they would use one of their three lives. It wasn't fear they felt, but adrenaline and determination to win. In the darkness and uncertainty of the dungeon, their spirit burned brighter than ever.

The large stone gate slowly opened, revealing the dark and cold BOSS room. They both immediately entered full alert mode. Suddenly, a heavy mechanical sound echoed throughout the room. The air felt cold and chilling, hinting at the danger lurking ahead.

[Name: Jarvis Stark]

[Level: 40]

[Title: Science Sage]

A silver humanoid figure floated in the air, emitting a futuristic glow. Its shape resembled Iron Man, but with a sleeker and more modern design. The Dungeon Floor Two BOSS, Jarvis Stark, finally appeared. His presence filled the room with an aura of high technology and real threat.

Himaru and Touma exchanged glances, sighing in unison. The same, boring pre-battle dialogue would soon begin. They had anticipated this moment, and were ready to face the inevitable routine.

"[Analysis: Target detected. Threat level: medium. Objective: Eliminate target for Dungeon security]." Jarvis began to utter the clichéd sentences that were deeply ingrained in Himaru and Touma's ears.

They had heard this dialogue too many times, every time they lost and had to repeat the fight from the start. The words felt bland and empty, losing meaning due to countless repetitions.

"Oh geez, Jarvis, don't you have any fresher dialogue material?" Himaru complained, rolling his eyes. Weariness and frustration were evident in his voice.

Touma chuckled softly. "Maybe after he loses later he'll start doing stand-up comedy." Humor was their weapon, a way to lighten the tension and maintain sanity amidst the grueling battle.

Without wasting time, they both immediately took fighting stances. This BOSS room turned out to be enormous, resembling a mini futuristic city.

Skyscrapers towered high, streets were filled with neon lights, and flying vehicles crisscrossed between buildings. Jarvis floated in the middle of this artificial city, becoming the center of attention and the main threat. The futuristic cityscape became their battlefield.

Himaru and Touma didn't wait any longer. They immediately used blood clones, running scattered towards the skyscrapers. This was the initial tactic they had always used since their first fight against Jarvis. The goal was to confuse the BOSS and make it difficult to pinpoint the main target. The blood clones were bait, distractions, and also extensions of themselves.

A fierce battle erupted. Jarvis moved quickly and nimbly, darting to chase Himaru and Touma's clones scattered among the buildings. Every movement of Jarvis was precise and deadly, reflecting the intelligence and power of the technology he possessed.

Energy shots from his hands and chest destroyed the clones easily. One by one the clones vanished, but Himaru and Touma didn't waver. They kept running, creating more clones, and dodging Jarvis's attacks as much as possible. Their resilience and perseverance were key, their last hope in facing a seemingly invincible foe.

Their plan was simple: drain Jarvis's energy and force him to transform into his second form. The strategy had been tested and tried countless times, the only way they believed they could defeat this BOSS.

After running around for a while and continuously dividing clones, Jarvis suddenly stopped chasing. He floated in the air calmly, "[Energy... level... decreasing...]." his mechanical voice sounded heavy and stuttering. Jarvis's fatigue indicator was a small hope for them, a sign that their strategy might be working.

Himaru and Touma stopped running, their eyes focused on observing Jarvis. They knew, this was the moment they had been waiting for. Jarvis did seem to be running out of energy, but they couldn't afford to be careless.

Countless defeats had taught them not to underestimate this BOSS, even when he seemed weak. Vigilance and patience were key to their success.

And sure enough, from a distance, several large robot parts appeared flying towards Jarvis. The parts moved quickly and precisely, as if controlled by Jarvis's mind. "'Gundam Mode'... here we go again," Himaru hissed in a serious tone. His tone of voice reflected tension and mental preparation for facing the next phase of the battle.

The robot parts began to gather around Jarvis, forming a giant, sturdy frame. In seconds, Jarvis transformed into his second form: a giant mecha resembling Gundam, towering dozens of meters tall. The transformation was a terrifying spectacle, showcasing Jarvis's power and technological complexity.

In 'Gundam' mode, Jarvis's energy felt limitless. The reactor in his chest emitted a blinding light, heavy weapons were mounted all over his body, ready to destroy anything in his path.

"'Gundam Mode'... is really troublesome," Himaru complained, bracing himself. The size and power of Jarvis in Gundam form were intimidating, yet they were undeterred.

Touma nodded in agreement. "His attacks and energy increase drastically, but his movements become slower." It was true, Jarvis's second form was not as agile as his first mode.

But make no mistake, the power of this 'Gundam' form was immense. If they were hit even once by his super-destruction cannon shot, it would be the end of them. Every attack from Jarvis in this mode was a serious threat, capable of obliterating them in an instant.

Some might ask, "Why don't you try to block the robot parts before they reach Jarvis? Wouldn't that prevent him from turning into 'Gundam'?" Good question, and they had considered it for a long time. They had tried various ways to overcome Jarvis, including the strategy of blocking the transformation.

Some time ago, in one of their experiences challenging this boss, they had tried to block the robot parts. They shot at the parts with their blood control, trying to knock them down and trap them, even destroy them. They had exhausted all their abilities to thwart Jarvis's transformation.

But their efforts always ended in vain. When they managed to block some parts, other parts would appear out of nowhere, as if endless. Every attempt to hinder Jarvis only wasted energy and opened gaps for Jarvis to counterattack.

"Every time we try to block those robot parts, we always run out of stamina," Himaru explained, recalling their bitter experiences. "And after we're exhausted, Jarvis will launch a brutal counterattack and defeat us." The strategy of blocking the transformation turned out to be just a waste of energy and opened them up to Jarvis's counterattacks.

Touma nodded in agreement. "So, in conclusion, the only way is to let Jarvis enter his second form, and fight him with full power, no tricks." They both looked at each other, their determination burning even brighter. There were no shortcuts, no magic tricks, only strength and courage to face Jarvis in his strongest form.

The real battle had just begun, and at the school festival, Clone Himaru continued to sing, unaware that his original body was fighting to the death in a decisive battle. Their physical separation did not diminish the inner bond that connected them, their fates intertwined, on stage and on the battlefield.