Fire on Fire

Here's the literary translation of the provided passage, adhering to your detailed guidelines:

"Sheila and Marta spoke in unison, their voices trembling with anxiety as they swallowed hard. 'Even dealing with a giant robot was bad enough... And now an entire army along with a giant? What are we supposed to do?'

'Calm down, stay focused. We've got this,' Margaret instructed, lifting debris with her telekinesis and hurling them against the approaching enemies. 'Just follow my lead, like in training.'

The others nodded quickly, complying without hesitation. Despite their fear, they knew Margaret was right—panic would only make things worse.

'Ray, we'll cover you. Go for Ramona,' Brea directed, focusing on creating barriers with floating objects to repel the smaller robots closing in.

'Alright, I'll do my best,' Ray responded, still somewhat disoriented from the deafening noise that had echoed moments before. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

'I need to focus and connect with my senses. I have to be quicker, more agile—not let them kill that... Fire Lady,' he thought to himself, almost smiling at the nickname Emiko had suggested. 'It actually suits her.'

With a swift motion, Ray moved forward like a gust of wind. He unsheathed his sword, enveloping it in a bright violet energy visible only to him, and dashed toward where Ramona lay unconscious and in immediate danger. Four blade-wielding robots, their spinning weapons resembling blenders, were speeding toward her, intent on impaling her.

Without hesitation, Ray slipped between them with millimeter precision, pulling Ramona out of harm's way just in time. The four robots crashed into the ground, their blades embedding deeply into the earth with a metallic clang.

'I've got her,' Ray announced through the psychic link Margaret had established.

'Good,' Brea replied, continuing to hurl debris at the enemy. Then, trying to mask her possessive tone, she added, 'Ray, find cover. Keep her safe.'

Though Brea's words were well-intentioned, Margaret felt a pang of irritation upon hearing them. She didn't want another woman too close to Ray, not even in combat situations. Still, she knew it was the right call.

'Yes, Ray, please protect her,' Margaret said through the link, forcing her voice to remain neutral.

Without a second thought, Ray lifted Ramona onto his back and retreated from the battlefield.

'Alright, let's get out of here,' he murmured to himself, weaving nimbly between rubble and enemy robots.

Once they reached a safe spot, he gently placed Ramona on the ground, away from danger.

'Come on, wake up, Ramona,' Ray urged, watching her with concern."

He knew he couldn't leave all the work to the girls. There were too many enemies, and the giant robot seemed to be coordinating the smaller ones, blocking every attack they attempted.

"We need to do something about that giant… but what can we do? The small robots are guarding it. Come on, wake up, Ramona," Ray murmured, his gaze fixed on her as they remained hidden, unable to return to the fight.

At that moment, Ramona began to have a vivid dream. A taunting voice echoed in her mind:

"Well, well, you're weak, girl. Doesn't fire conquer everything? Prove it… or are you just a frail little thing?"

Ramona frowned in her unconscious state, irritated by the provocation.

"I am fire, and fire never dies as long as I have mana in my body," she replied firmly to the voice.

"Then prove it," the voice shot back, still mocking her. "I know you're not much of a team player, but those from your own agency are protecting you. Even the swordsman is with you, hiding to make sure nothing happens to you. What are you waiting for? An invitation? Are you a foolish, weak little girl?"

"I'm not foolish, and I'm definitely not weak!" Ramona shouted mentally, her voice brimming with determination. "I'm Ramona Hex, Agent A-1, the only one who will become the leader of all those useless members of my unit! I'll even defeat Chief Adia someday!"

"That's the spirit. Don't just say it—do it. Now get up and fight," the voice urged, this time with a more serious tone.

"Ugh! You're so annoying!" Ramona exclaimed, annoyed but resolute. With an angry roar, she thrust her flame-wrapped fist into the ground. A brilliant light erupted from the earth, illuminating everything around her.

"They're coming!" Ray shouted, swiftly unsheathing his sword to shield Ramona. His eyes scanned the battlefield as the robots approached like a swarm of mechanical wasps.

"Damn it, there are so many," Ray muttered through gritted teeth, blocking attacks with precise but exhausting movements. The enemies kept coming without end, outnumbering the team.

"Oh no, Ramona… I don't think I can reach you," Ray thought desperately as he fought off the relentless robots.

Suddenly, the robots surrounding Ramona began to incinerate on the spot, their metallic bodies turning to ash under a wave of scorching flames.

"How dare you try to come near me, you damn scraps of metal? I'll burn every last one of you!" Ramona roared, completely engulfed in fire. Her voice resonated with a mix of fury and determination.

"Ramona!" Ray exclaimed with a relieved smile, watching as she returned to the fight.

"What are you smiling at, samurai? You're useless—you can't handle these things alone. Pathetic," she retorted with her usual arrogance, launching waves of flames that melted the robots into piles of molten metal.

Then, she looked up at the sky, where the gigantic robot still loomed over them.

"And you… Damn oversized scrap heap, I'm going to destroy you," she declared, enveloping her body in even more intense flames.

"Well, aren't you bold," Ray commented, admiring her energy. "Well, at least she's back. I guess I'll go help the others."

The other girls were starting to lose ground against the overwhelming tide of robots. Just as a group of machines closed in dangerously, they were sliced in half, exploding on impact.

"Sorry I'm late!" called out a familiar voice. It was Ray, arriving just in time to reinforce his team.

"Thank goodness you're here. We're almost out of mana," Brea said, breathing heavily as she struggled to keep her powers active.

"Thank heavens you made it," Margaret added, visibly exhausted, beads of sweat trickling down her forehead. "And where's Ramona?"

At that moment, a fiery star streaked across the sky, launching streams of flames that obliterated the robots in its path.

"There she is!" Ray pointed toward the sky, then added with a grin, "And I think she's furious. At least, that's what I'm sensing."

"It looks like she's determined to take that thing down," Margaret observed, watching as Ramona advanced toward the giant robot.

"Hey, Ramona, good to have you back," Brea said through the mental link, her tone a mix of relief and concern. "But that thing won't go down so easily. It's made of fireproof material. That's what Emiko's mom told us."

Ramona frowned, her eyes glowing intensely as she processed the warning. For a brief moment, doubt flickered in her expression, but she quickly regained her characteristic confidence.

"Thanks for the heads-up, Brea," she replied with a defiant smile. "It only makes my determination stronger. If fire alone can't destroy it… then I'll use enough heat to melt an entire volcano."

Her voice rang out with unwavering resolve through the mental link, making it clear she wasn't about to give up easily. Brea sighed, knowing it would be futile to try and dissuade her.

"Just be careful, alright? We don't want you burning out like a snuffed candle again," Brea added, attempting to lighten the mood with a touch of humor.

"Don't worry, this time I won't underestimate it," Ramona shot back, her tone brimming with determination as she began channeling her mana. "Watch and learn how real power is wielded."

Though Ramona's words were as arrogant as ever, there was a glimmer of seriousness in her eyes that suggested she was taking Brea's advice to heart. She knew facing such a resilient enemy would require more than brute force—it would demand strategy and precision.

"Thanks for the tip. It only fuels my determination to take that thing down even more," Ramona responded, her voice laced with defiance.

"So, you're fire-resistant, huh?" Ramona muttered to herself, her eyes blazing with intensity. "I'm not much for spells, but I think this one will do the trick."

She focused deeply, searching her memory for the name of an appropriate spell.

"Something with 'F'… Flash of fire, reborn light! Bind everything in your path with your flames! FIRE BOX!" she shouted, extending her arms toward the sky.

Behind her, enormous planks of fire began to form, floating as if constructed by invisible hands.

"This is your end, scrap heap," Ramona declared with a fierce smile. With a wave of her hands, she directed the planks to surround the giant robot from its base, stacking one after another to form an impenetrable cage of fire.

The smaller robots attempted to stop her, but upon touching the fiery planks, they were instantly incinerated. The colossal robot, enraged, ordered four of its subordinates to position themselves at each corner of nearby buildings, aiming their weaponized laser arms directly at Ramona.

"We need to cover her!" Ray shouted, sprinting toward her while dodging attacks.

"We're almost out of mana, Ray said. We're at our limit. I can barely keep the link active," Margaret warned, panting from the strain.

The robots fired simultaneously at Ramona. She raised a fiery shield to protect herself, but it wasn't strong enough to withstand the relentless barrage.

"Damn it! This spell is draining my mana too quickly. I don't know if I can finish off that big one," Ramona muttered, feeling her strength begin to wane.

"And you can launch me with whatever mana you have left toward that robot on the right," Ray instructed Margaret with determination. "I'll handle the rest from there."

"I'll try," Margaret replied, gritting her teeth as she gathered her last reserves of energy.

"I'll lend you some strength too," Brea added, focusing intensely. Meanwhile, Sheila and Marta worked to hold back the other robots attempting to close in.

Both girls combined their telekinetic powers, launching Ray like a psychic catapult.

"That's all we can do, Ray," they said in unison, exhausted but resolute.

With a battle cry, Ray soared through the air, unsheathing his sword just before reaching the first robot. With a clean slash, he split the enemy in half. Then, he leaped onto one of the fragments, using the resulting explosion as propulsion to launch himself toward the next target. He repeated the same process with the remaining two robots, cutting them down with millimeter precision.

After defeating the last one, Ray communicated with the team through the mental link:

"I used my violet energy as a booster, leveraging the explosions to move faster."

"Awesome!" the others exclaimed, impressed by his skill.

"Alright, the rest is up to you, Ramona," Ray said, sheathing his sword as he watched the fire agent take control of the situation.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Ramona replied with a defiant smile. The fiery planks she had created began to envelop the giant robot, forming a massive box of fire that glowed like a blazing sun.

The colossus tried to move, but something held it back, preventing its escape and trapping it inside the fiery cage.

"It's time to be incinerated, scrap heap," Ramona declared with triumphant laughter. "Goodbye, stupid junk! Controlled eruption!"

Suddenly, the fiery box erupted from within, as if a volcano were erupting inside it. A deafening roar echoed through the air as the searing heat consumed the robot. When the flames dissipated, the giant was nothing more than a melted mass, resembling a misshapen lump of clay.

"Ugh! Damn it, I thought that thing wouldn't drain all my mana, but it did…" Ramona muttered, panting from the effort. However, as she realized she was suspended in the air, her victorious expression turned to one of concern. "And now I'm way too high up…"

Immediately, she began plummeting to the ground.

"I guess this is the end," she said, closing her eyes and bracing for impact.

But the impact never came.

"What just happened? Why am I still here?" she asked, opening her eyes and looking up. Instead of being on the ground, she found herself cradled in Ray's arms, who had saved her just in time.

"How the hell did you do that?" Margaret demanded, sprawled on the ground and visibly irritated by the scene.

"I had to run really fast between the buildings, jump, and hang onto my sword to slow her fall," Ray explained, breathing heavily from exhaustion. "I almost hit my mana limit too."

Ramona looked at him, surprised, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks as she realized she was resting in the samurai's lap.

"Hey, Ray! Put her down already!" Margaret shouted through the psychic link, her voice laced with barely concealed jealousy at seeing Ramona in his arms.

"You, Ray, put her down right now," Margaret insisted, trying to sound authoritative.

The others exchanged knowing glances.

"I knew you liked her, boss," Sheila teased.

"Idiots!" Margaret snapped, crossing her arms.

"Put me down, you idiot!" Ramona yelled, squirming to free herself. However, when she glanced at Ray, she noticed he had fallen asleep in that position, completely drained after saving her.

"Good thing he didn't hear that, boss," the others joked, approaching to help.

Margaret, furious but holding back her frustration, used her telekinesis to lift Ramona out of Ray's lap and drop her unceremoniously onto the ground with a dull thud.

"Ow!" Ramona exclaimed, rubbing her backside as she quickly got to her feet. "You're crazy, Margaret!"

As everyone recovered—especially Ray—they noticed there were no more robots in the area. Apparently, the rest had been destroyed while trying to save the giant robot, Brea thought as she surveyed the scattered metallic remains on the ground.

"What else happened?" Ray asked, touching his head with a confused expression. "I don't remember anything."

"You don't remember?" Margaret asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I only recall running really fast toward where Ramona was, swinging on my sword… though I think I used two swords, I'm not sure. But I made it in time—if I hadn't, she would've turned into mush on the ground," he said with a shrug.

"Thanks, idiot," Ramona muttered from a corner, crossing her arms but with a faint smile tugging at her lips.

"Alright, it's time to move forward," Margaret said, rising with determination. "Let's recover our strength and continue saving more people. This is total chaos."

After regaining their energy thanks to a special bottle Eduard had given them for their journey, they continued aiding others in the search for missing persons. The population was immensely grateful, calling them heroes, just as the survivors they had left at the Radar Base—located in the forest on the outskirts of the city—had done.

They returned to the Radar Base, bringing with them the survivors rescued from the machine attack. Upon entering the base, they saw what appeared to be an improvised bunker.

"In this base, people will be able to eat and take shelter," Brea explained, gesturing toward the facilities.

At that moment, an old radio began transmitting a faint signal. It was someone from the government, trying to communicate to see if there were any survivors. One of the people with them quickly responded:

"We're here! We're taking refuge at this location!"

Shortly after, a military helicopter arrived to evacuate and assist the people. Everyone deeply thanked the agents, who humbly accepted the praise.

Meanwhile, Emiko, filled with curiosity, ran to a corner where she saw a large tarp covering something the size of a car. Sheila, intrigued, pulled back the cover to reveal a small ladybug-shaped spacecraft, designed for six crew members.

"It seems this ship wasn't made with those chips like the others," Marta noted, inspecting it closely. "Maybe it was intended to be used as an escape vessel in case the controlled ones failed."

"Well, it's operational," Margaret confirmed, checking the controls. "With this machine, we can continue supporting others."

"They still need your help in their country, right?" Ray asked the military leader present. The leader nodded solemnly.

"There are some areas that still require your support."

"Good, now that we're ready," Ramona declared, stepping onto the ship with determination. "Let's go burn some scrap heaps."

"That's the attitude… well, sort of," Brea commented with a smile, as the others followed Ramona onto the ship.

Everyone boarded the small spacecraft and set off, following another military helicopter that would guide them to their next destination. From the air, they waved goodbye to the citizens below, who happily and gratefully waved back. Among them, Emiko and her mother enthusiastically waved their hands.

"I hope everything will be alright…" Margaret whispered to herself silently, gazing at the horizon as the ship advanced toward their next rescue mission. She knew there was still a lot of work to be done, but she also felt a small spark of hope amidst the chaos.