Chapter 304: Blazing Flames of the Battlefield[R-18] (22)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 304: Blazing Flames of the Battlefield[R-18] (22)
Red plasma formed at the muzzle.
Light condensed, and just as a single point of destruction was about to emerge—
—KRA-KOOM!!!
At that exact moment.
A massive flash of light shot down from above.
—KRRRRRUMBLE!!
A shockwave erupted like a storm.
Along with the light, a single black line streaked across the screen, precisely severing the enemy unit's torso.
-KRSSH!
The unit was torn apart, followed by a massive explosion that engulfed space.
The cruiser shook violently, nearly losing its balance, but no one screamed.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the single unit that emerged through the dust and debris.
He had appeared.
Silver armor. A black silhouette.
Thrusters split like wings rose from its back. Legion, slowly rising amidst the backlighting.
[This is Legion. I will now escort the cruiser.]
The communication from inside the unit rang out, and his voice spread throughout the bridge.
“Oppa—!!”
Hina’s cheer.
“Whoa!!”
“It’s Lieutenant Jin!”
“We’re saved! We’re really… saved!!”
Cheers of relief erupted on the bridge.
“Haa…”
Kim Su-hyeon quietly exhaled, staring intently at the screen before her. Her chest trembled slightly, but deeply.
“We’re saved…”
Adel Licencia quietly rose from her seat and gazed at the monitor.
[I will take care of the remaining enemy units. Maintain your current course.]
Jin Seo-yun's voice rang out.
In that moment, Adel moved without hesitation. She approached Hina and quietly picked up the communication microphone.
Her fingertips trembled slightly, but her voice was calm.
“Yes, understood. But please be careful.”
She took a short breath, narrowed her eyes, and continued.
“There are two more Arsenos ships. The one pursuing us now isn't the only one. There's a high probability of additional approaches from the flank orbit and from the rear.”
[Understood.]
I checked the unit's status.
The HUD was filled with red warning windows, and the real-time degradation value of the side armor had already passed its critical point.
The armor was cracked in several places, and parts of the external frame were warped from heat damage.
The front heat sink was no longer functioning. Every time it was exposed to high heat, the unit's outer shell peeled off like scorched metal.
One of the side thrusters was responding half a beat too slow.
The main nozzle was compensating with an over-output to maintain balance, and because of that, the heat from inside the unit was slowly creeping into the cockpit.
Remaining energy: 39%.
‘…Dragging this out won't do me any good.’
My energy was running low, and my only weapon was a single high-tension blade.
The Stormblaster was lost during the colony's collapse, destroyed after being hit by debris.
Right now, I have neither range nor firepower.
A head-on confrontation with the enemy fleet in this condition?
It was out of the question.
Just then.
—BANG!
Without warning, an enemy unit charged in for a surprise attack.
It used its side boosters to shift its trajectory diagonally, attempting a high-speed spinning shot.
‘They're not even giving me time to think.’
I tilted the unit slightly.
The moment Legion twisted its body, the enemy's shot grazed past.
I immediately thrust the blade forward, aiming to pierce the unit's center.
Precisely at the cockpit.
—KRA-KOOM!!
The blade pierced the core, and the unit was thrown back with an explosion, spewing red smoke.
‘One down.’
I immediately accelerated toward the last remaining unit.
The enemy had already registered Legion's movement, but seeing it close in faster than expected, it hastily retreated while trying to fire.
I turned the unit's nose and approached from a diagonal angle.
The shots tore through empty space, all of them missing their mark. A half-beat-too-fast evasion.
And then, a close-range charge.
"Don't be a nuisance—"
Legion's blade rose high.
"Die."
—FZZT!!
The blade sliced right through the enemy unit's shoulder joint.
The unit staggered, lost its balance, and exploded.
The last enemy unit was thus... annihilated.
[Oppa! More enemy ships are approaching! And 15 enemy units have launched!]
Hina's urgent cry came through the comms. Legion's radar reacted instantly.
On the bottom left of the screen, red dots were still far away, but approaching rapidly.
"Fifteen units…"
I clicked my tongue and checked my remaining energy.
Energy at 34%, one blade for a weapon... In Legion's current state, fighting fifteen units would be difficult.
[Enemy units identified. Ten A-20 Laser Types, five A-25 Heavy Types! They're Arsenos elite units!]
"The situation is getting worse."
The Laser Types were light units, same as the ones I just fought. Fast, but with weak firepower and defense. The problem was the Heavy Types. Heavy units equipped with thick armor and heavy weaponry, they couldn't be easily dealt with in close combat with just a single blade.
"Hina, what's the cruiser's status?"
[Engine output at 72%. The shield system is active, but it will only last for about three more minutes. At this rate….]
I could hear the anxiety in Hina's voice as she trailed off.
"Miss Adel, is there a way?"
[The situation is against us. To be honest... it might be difficult for any of us to get out of here.]
It was a cold assessment, but I could feel the desperation hidden in her words.
I gripped Legion's controls tightly. I quickly ran through various calculations in my head.
"…There is one way."
[What is it?]
The comms went silent for a moment.
"I'm going to overload Legion's core."
Even as a danger message flashed on the HUD, I had already begun accessing the system.
"I'll use the emergency self-destruct system built into the L-77AX model.”
Silence followed again.
[You can't!]
Hina's voice was the first to cry out.
[Oppa! Don't do it! Let's find a way to escape together!]
Kim Su-hyeon's voice followed.
[Lieutenant... is that really the only way?]
"Yes. We're out of time. The enemy units will be here soon. I'll have the cruiser leave first, draw in as many enemies as I can, and then detonate."
I was already inside Legion's system, preparing the emergency overload sequence.
[Lieutenant Jin…]
This time, it was Adel's voice. Her tone was serious and heavy.
[Please, think of a way for all of us to live. I don't want... your sacrifice.]
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
"I don't plan on dying. I intend to escape before it detonates.“
I literally had no intention of dying.
‘I was trying to avoid using my martial arts if possible.’
No matter how tough the armor is, it'll shatter if it gets hit by my Sword Force.
I'm wearing a spacesuit, so as long as I have oxygen, it won't be a problem.
‘If things get dire, I can always slice open an enemy cockpit and hijack their unit.’
Just then, a new voice suddenly cut into the comms.
[This is the Elbaite Self-Defense Force cruiser, 'Defiant.' Licencia cruiser, respond.]
"……!"
It was Colonel Praut's voice.
Kim Su-hyeon responded immediately.
[This is the Licencia cruiser. Colonel, how are you here…?]
[A promise is a promise. Especially one I made on my name.]
Praut's voice was filled with resolve.
[Change course fifteen degrees to starboard from your current position. The Defiant will cover you shortly.]
A new, large object appeared on the radar screen. It was the Elbaite Self-Defense Force cruiser, the Defiant.
[Legion, do you read me?]
"Yes, Colonel."
[I commend your spirit of self-sacrifice, but it won't be necessary. My ship will handle the enemy. You just escort the cruiser and get back safely.]
Before I could even reply, the cruiser's main cannon fired.
—KRA-KOOM!!
A massive energy beam cut through space and instantly vaporized three of the approaching enemy units.
Praut's firm voice followed.
[Licencia cruiser, move out immediately. We will provide cover.]
The cruiser's engines began to power up again. Beyond the screen, I could see the massive Defiant charging at full speed toward the Arsenos fleet.
I turned Legion and headed for the cruiser. The Arsenos units tried to follow, but the Defiant's suppressive fire blocked their path.
As I approached the cruiser, the hangar door opened immediately. Legion lowered its posture and slowly entered.
—Thud.
Legion landed heavily on the hangar floor. White steam hissed from various parts of its body.
The HUD showed 23% remaining energy, and the system response speed had dropped to the 40% range.
The cockpit opened.
The moment my feet touched the floor—
“Oppa…!”
Hina rushed toward me, crying. Her eyes were wet, and her breathing was ragged.
The fingertips of the hand gripping my arm were trembling.
“I'm so glad… you're really… safe…”
I didn't answer. I just placed a hand on her head.
Right now, that was the quickest and most certain response.
When I looked up, Kim Su-hyeon was there.
Her expression was as cool as ever, but the corner of her lower lip was trembling ever so slightly.
“Lieutenant, return confirmed. Welcome back,” she said curtly, then immediately gave an order.
“Close the hangar. Full speed evasive acceleration.”
A response came over the comms, and the cruiser's engines vibrated once more.
I turned my head.
“Where is Miss Adel?”
“On the bridge. She's on a comm call.”
I nodded at Kim Su-hyeon's words and headed straight for the bridge.
When I arrived on the bridge, Adel was standing in front of the main screen.
[Don't you worry. Elbaite hasn't fallen yet.]
“Colonel, this is reckless. They have three ships. And with the Equinox involved!”
[I know. But getting you all away is the priority.]
A brief silence.
Then Adel spoke.
“……I will not forget this debt.”
[Now go.]
The communication cut off.
Adel stared at the screen for a moment before slowly turning around.
“Lieutenant… you've returned.”
I said nothing, merely giving a slight nod.
At that moment—
—KRA-KOOM!!
A flash of light erupted outside the window.
Praut's Defiant.
Despite being outnumbered, it was ramming an enemy ship head-on.
“……Colonel.”
The entire bridge was silent.
*
Lying on a bed in the infirmary, I stared at the ceiling.
There was nothing wrong with my body. To be precise, I wasn't in any pain. But Hina and Adel were making a huge fuss.
Saying I needed an examination, that I needed rest.
In the end, I was forced to lie down.
On the infirmary bed. Only the boring ceiling offered me any comfort.
‘Such unnecessary overprotectiveness.’
The door opened, and Adel Licencia walked in.
"How are you feeling?“
She slowly looked down at me, dressed in a patient gown.
"I'm fine.“
Adel looked at my face for a moment before sitting down in a chair without a word.
Instead of her usual confident expression, her face was slightly flushed.
“…Lieutenant.”
She began.
“First, I must thank you. When we return to Earth… I'll speak to my father and help with your promotion.”
I turned my head slightly.
“Hm. Well, thank you for the offer.”
A short silence. Adel spoke again.
“You don't seem… very happy about it.”
“I don't particularly care about promotions.”
“Then what is it you want?”
I paused at her question. Then, my eyes quickly scanned her body as I considered.
Adel Licencia's body?
A new unit?
Both are good options.
But in that moment, a thought flashed through my mind.
‘…Do I really have to choose?’
If I fuck Adel, a personal unit comes as a bonus. Why did it take me so long to realize this simple logic? I wanted to smack myself in the head.
‘From now on… the goal is to pop Adel Licencia's cherry.’
Adel Licencia.
The eldest daughter of the Licencia family, a clan with immense influence in the Earth Federation.
Power, information, funds, technology.
A top-tier female who held it all in her hands.
With her flushed face, she hadn't been able to meet my eyes.
Her gaze kept wavering, she'd part her lips as if to speak, then close them again. She looked like she had something to say. Like the words were caught in her throat.
‘She's definitely interested in me.’
The question now was how I was going to cook her up.