Chapter 303: Blazing Flames of the Battlefield[R-18] (21)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 303: Blazing Flames of the Battlefield[R-18] (21)
The monstrous machine was harder to deal with than I'd planned. It kept me at a distance with a relentless barrage, defending itself as if it knew its own weaknesses.
Just then, it turned its head.
It was charging its high-output plasma again. Seeing my chance, I dove in closer.
‘If I get close, it’ll have a hard time aiming.’
I drew Legion's blade and charged straight for its flank.
And then.
[Warning! Multiple energy signatures detected!]
"What…?"
With a soft click, panels on its armor slid open, and energy beams erupted from within.
—KRAKRAKRAKOOM!!!
From hidden energy pods, beams of intense heat, moving at near light speed, poured out like a curtain of fire. It wasn't a precision strike, but pure area denial—a storm of destruction that gave me no room to escape.
"What the hell is that thing?!"
I yelled, immediately banking hard. Reversing Legion's thrusters, I sent the machine into an emergency ascent. I shot past the upper pods, slipping between the lasers by a hair's breadth.
The HUD showed my narrow escape as a lingering afterimage.
[System temperature rapidly increasing! Exterior heat damage at 23%!]
I had avoided a direct hit by mere centimeters, but the heat from the beams alone was scorching Legion's exterior.
And then...
-RUUUUMBLE!
A massive roar echoed throughout the colony. It was an ugly sound.
[Oppa! The colony!]
At Hina's urgent cry, I looked up. A massive crack was spreading across the colony's ceiling like a bolt of lightning. The monster's attack had struck the outer wall directly.
"Dammit!"
[Warning! Warning! Colony outer wall shielding layer damaged! Pressure leak detected!]
Praut's voice crackled over the comms, his trembling breaths heavy.
[At this rate, the entire colony will collapse in... less than 25 minutes!]
I gritted my teeth and gripped the controls.
‘Hah... This is no time to be holding back.’
The request to minimize damage, the civilian evacuation—none of it mattered anymore. If this continued, everyone would die.
‘Whether the colony falls apart or not, I have to take that monster down first.’
I quickly checked Legion's status. The exterior panels were heavily damaged, but the output was stable. All weapons were still intact, and the response time was holding steady.
‘Good.’
Just then, high-output energy began to concentrate in the machine's chest again. The plasma cannon was charging. This time, for real.
‘Now's my chance.’
I deployed the energy circuits for Legion's main weapon, the Stormblaster XM-2.
—Vweeeee...
As the trembling targeting reticle tracked its chest, the machine naturally leaned back while charging its plasma cannon.
‘The heat vent on the right side of its chest.’
The moment its chest opened slightly to release the intense heat.
I held my breath and pulled the trigger.
—KABOOOOM!!
Legion's high-speed plasma rifle tore through the air, leaving a blue trail in its wake. My target was the single gap in the pod that had just opened.
The shot pierced it perfectly.
—KRAKRAKRAKOOM!!
A massive explosion erupted from the machine's side. A red flash engulfed its core, followed instantly by a chain reaction of explosions.
And from the force of the blast, the colony's structure began to collapse at the same time.
[Oppa! Are you okay?!]
Hina's frantic voice burst through the comms.
"Kuh...! Hina, get out of here now! The colony is going to collapse!"
The cracked outer wall split apart, causing the artificial gravity stabilizer to malfunction. Countless pieces of debris and sparks began to float slowly, obscuring Legion's vision.
My own machine staggered from the vibrations, and the HUD was flooded with red warning messages.
*
"Ca-Captain! Elbaite is collapsing!"
"I can see that."
Tension filled the bridge of the Arsenos battleship. The image of the Elbaite colony on the tactical screen was a vision of hell. Its core was already shattered and engulfed in red flames, while cracks and collapses spread in a chain reaction across the colony's exterior.
"Gravity stabilizer readings are past their limit! Collapse chain reaction has reached 73%!"
"Tch...!"
The captain gritted his teeth, staring at the screen for a moment before slowly issuing his orders.
"Close all gunports. Full reverse. Order all mobile weapons to return to the ship."
"Yes, Captain!"
"What's the status of the Knights-Shade operations team?"
A moment of silence.
The operator spoke.
"......All bio-signatures lost, sir."
At those words, the captain slowly rose from his seat. The collapsing core of the colony. A report that dozens of soldiers had simply vanished amidst the chaos and destruction.
In silence, without a single word, he raised his hand in a salute.
Following his lead, every officer on the bridge silently bowed their heads.
KRAAANG—!!
Another massive roar of collapse echoed from the distance.
A part of the colony's upper structure was completely caving in. The attack from the colossal mobile weapon had already destroyed its structural integrity.
Just then, the tactical controller on the bridge shouted.
"Captain! Heat signature detected! It's a cruiser from the Licencia Group!"
"......Hah."
The captain let out a short breath.
"So they survived even that, did they?"
"What are your orders?"
The question was brief, but the captain's reply was even shorter and colder.
"Eliminate them."
"Lock on with the radar. Prepare to shoot down the cruiser."
"Target identified. Range 3,200. Maintaining altitude."
"Good. Skip the comms. Fire immediately."
"Main cannon charge at 85%... 90%... 95%..."
"Fire!"
—KABOOOOM!!!
With a massive vibration, the ship's central cannon fired. A flash of light erupted as the energy blast flew toward the inside of the colony.
But a moment later, the controller shouted.
"Captain! They evaded! Direct hit failed!"
"Tch, they're fast."
The captain furrowed his brow and rested his chin on his hand.
"Order the returning pilots. Tell them to shoot down that cruiser immediately."
"Yes, relaying the order."
*
"My lady! We have to get out of here now!"
Kim Su-hyeon shouted resolutely. But Sakurai Hina, staring at the monitor in front of the cockpit, tearfully stopped him.
"Wait! Seo-yun Oppa hasn't returned yet!"
"This is no time for that! If we wait for him, we'll all be in danger!"
Amidst their urgent argument, Adele Licencia closed her eyes without a word.
A moment later, she opened them, her gaze calm and resolute.
"......We're leaving now."
"Ah... My lady..."
"If it's Legion... he'll be able to hold on."
Hina couldn't say another word and lowered her head. Kim Su-hyeon immediately gave the order over the comms.
"Cruiser, prepare for emergency launch."
As Kim Su-hyeon's firm command was given, the cruiser's cannons fired at the massive hangar door.
—KRAAANG!!
Instantly, the metal panels tore apart in a massive explosion of sparks. Red smoke and shrapnel swept through the hangar. The cruiser forced its way through the opening.
"Gravity release, stage one. Initiating flare!"
The rotating nozzles on its underside ignited, and the cruiser shot out of the hangar, rushing into the space outside the colony.
"Full speed ahead. Activate attitude control."
It was then.
[Warning. One vessel detected, upper starboard.]
An infrared image appeared on the monitor. Hina's face turned pale.
"It's an Arsenos ship...! Main cannon charging confirmed! They're aiming at us!"
Suddenly, the lights inside the cruiser turned red. Warning sirens began to blare.
[High-heat signature detected at a 35-degree angle, dead ahead.]
"All hands, brace for impact!"
At Kim Su-hyeon's shout, the ship's automated systems activated, locking all seats and equipment in place. Adele quietly gripped her seatbelt and closed her eyes.
—Vzzzzzzzt!
In that instant, a flash of light that seemed to set space itself ablaze filled their view.
"Main cannon fire confirmed! Impact in... two seconds!"
"Deploy port thrusters! Concentrate reactor output forward!"
—KABOOOOM!!
The entire cruiser shuddered as if it were about to be torn apart. The hull tilted violently, and the internal structures groaned and shook.
"Partial damage to the port heat sink! Shield Unit 2 is offline due to overload!"
The gravity stabilizers temporarily failed, and the air inside swirled violently. The ship veered far off course, sliding unstably.
"What are the odds of shaking the Arsenos ship at this rate?"
In response to Kim Su-hyeon's question, the operator lowered his eyes and answered.
"......1.4%. It's practically impossible."
The atmosphere inside the cruiser froze. Adele closed her eyes for a moment, then slowly opened them.
"At this rate... this is the end for us."
Just then, Hina, who had been quietly checking something, looked up and shouted.
"Multiple mobile weapons launching from the Arsenos ship! Heading... this way!"
All eyes turned to the dark expanse of space beyond the window. The machines were flying toward them.
"......Ah."
Someone let out an unconscious sigh.
It wasn't fear or anger, but a desolate sigh that couldn't be put into words.
Death.
It was approaching slowly, but surely.
-Krakakoom...!
The external screen showed colony debris floating by as it continuously tracked the enemy mobile weapons approaching at light speed. Tracking lines, targeting reticles, and the red 'Threat Warning' grew clearer and clearer.
It was in that moment.
"It's too early to give up."
A calm, yet firm voice. The cruiser fell silent for a moment, and all eyes turned to one person.
Adele Licencia.
She had quietly stood up. Her pink hair was tied up neatly. Her movements were elegant and efficient. And her fingertips slowly reached for the command console.
"We're shaking them off at maximum output."
"......!"
The heat sink was damaged, and a shield unit was offline. Normally, it was a choice no one would even dare to attempt.
"But my lady, in the cruiser's current state—"
Just then, Adele turned her head.
"Shouldn't we at least try?"
Her gaze was unwavering, piercing straight ahead.
There was no fear or hesitation. On the contrary... it was the attitude of someone certain they could break through the impossible.
Seeing her, the other crew members snapped to their senses.
The frantic gasps for breath stopped, and the operator sitting at the console clenched his fist and nodded.
"R-MODE... Inputting code for emergency acceleration mode."
"Launch vector adjustment complete."
"Main nozzle preheating initiated. Preparing to activate high-output engine core!"
In an instant, the hellishly heavy atmosphere was overturned.
Adele, standing at the center of it all, never once looked away.
She faced all the fear, chaos, and despair head-on and spoke.
"Our objective is simple—"
She paused for a moment, then shouted again.
"Survive!"
—KRAAANG!!
At that very moment, the cruiser's rear nozzles heated explosively and fired like a torrent of flame.
A trail of white light cut through space as the cruiser tore through the enemy's barrage, picking up speed.
But willpower alone couldn't overcome the sheer difference in performance.
—KRAAANG!!
The entire cruiser shook violently.
"Port heat sink hit! Secondary shield has collapsed! Exterior damage at 37%!"
The monitors turned red as warning alarms blared nonstop.
"Engine output dropping! Abnormal heat conductivity! Reactor safety levels unstable!"
-KRAACK!
A shell grazed the front of the ship, sending sparks flying from the hull. Outside the window, debris whipped past like lightning, and...
"Enemy unit approaching the cruiser's engine block! Range 800... 700... 600!"
For a moment, it was as if all the alarms had stopped.
Then.
A red mass filled the bridge's main screen.
An enemy mobile weapon was hovering directly in the cruiser's path, blocking it.
Its gun barrel slowly rose.
At this range, at this angle, there was no escape.
"Ah..."
A sigh escaped from someone.
A sound of acceptance, devoid of hope or resistance.
"......I-I don't want to die!"
At those words, Hina quietly closed her eyes.
Kim Su-hyeon gritted his teeth, and Adele pressed her lips together, lowering her head.
A breathtaking silence.
And at the tip of the gun barrel, red plasma began to form.
The light condensed, the very moment a single point of annihilation was about to reveal itself—
-KABOOOOM!!!
At that exact instant, a flash of light shot down from above.