Scarab's Canyon Trap

Defending the Deep Space Observatory. Shwaaak—

As I headed out to intercept the enemy craft, a Nexus soon came into view.

'Scarab?'

I recognized it immediately from the paint job.

"……."

Was Scarab hired by that mystery force to hit the facility? Whatever, I didn't care. I moved my Nexus first.

Pah!

I flinched at the speed of Scarab's accelerating Nexus.

'Switched frames?'

Last time we fought, I remembered him using a standard frame instead of his usual heavy one. Now he'd gone even further, switching to a lightweight frame entirely.

'Wonder if that covers his bad habits.'

I recalled Scarab's combat patterns. He seemed clever at first glance, but once he gained the upper hand, he got swept up in it and turned stupid fast.

'That pattern in a lightweight? It'll be scrap metal in no time.'

Just like his pre-fight bravado, I hoped his skills had improved.

The moment Scarab and I entered lock-on range, we exchanged missiles first.

Thudududu—

Of course, with no other factors to consider, we easily dodged each ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠other's missiles.

Scarab's Nexus accelerated.

'Normally, he'd ride the momentum and charge straight in.'

Would he this time too? I kept my eyes on him, accelerating to pursue—

'Gone?'

Scarab's Nexus suddenly vanished below the surface. I tensed and narrowed my eyes, but terrain data showed he'd dropped into a nearby canyon.

'Going for a water fight?'

Combat in tight spaces was always tricky. No room for missiles, twisting paths everywhere, rocks for cover scattered about.

Follow him down, or bombard from outside?

Ping—

Scan picked up Scarab in the canyon. I dove right after him.

'No need to overthink it.'

Thudung!

As I entered firing my shotgun—

Weeeeng—

Scarab burst out from the opposite cliff wall where my shots had hit, charging with his melee weapon revved.

'...This...'

Scan had penetrated the wall, so I'd overlooked it carelessly, but Scarab had hidden with the obstacle between us.

With shotgun shells depleted, I countered with missiles and quickly widened the distance.

Kkwoong!

"Kuh."

But the canyon was narrow. I slammed into the rear cliff and took a hammer strike head-on.

'Even so...'

Turtling up and waiting for him to come to me? How boring. Even in FPS games, plenty of players defending a point got antsy and rushed out.

'No different for me.'

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠let Hermann's advice go in one ear and out the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠other, pursuing Scarab's trajectory through the canyon.

'He's changed a lot.'

Back then, he'd have hated fighting in such a cramped environment and never entered in the first place.

Scarab had studied my patterns and found counters. Something the old him couldn't have done. Probably that burning desire to beat me.

'Hmm.'

I fumbled a bit against successive obstacles, then switched tactics—pouring fire into protruding rocks that looked like his paths.

Missiles and bullets hammered terrain features, which collapsed with roars. Instead of chasing the hard-to-hit Scarab, I blocked his escape by crumbling the environment.

Pah—

For a split second, Scarab vanished in the collapsing debris. I hesitated—

Anticipating Scarab surging up from below, I blasted shotgun there. His armor crumpled deep into the actuators; he groaned and retreated far back.

His Nexus vanished into the canyon's winding cliffs. I gave chase again.

I nodded at Linne's words. Scarab hadn't scouted here before. Spotting the canyon and hiding there was pure improvisation.

'Did he grow this much even in the game?'

He'd improved in movement, sure, but devising detailed tactics? No. What had driven Scarab to such desperation?

Chasing Scarab blindly, he suddenly popped from a cliff blind spot.

'Hiding, huh.'

Countering was easy. I'd subconsciously anticipated it on instinct.

But before that, Scarab's motion as he emerged made me tilt my head.

'Tried to grab me barehanded?'

Now I saw: no weapon on his right arm, just a hammer on the left. Main armament was the gatling on his right shoulder.

First attempt failed, Scarab turned tail and resumed hide-and-seek.

'What the hell's he doing?'

Hearing Linne's question, I broke out of the canyon.

'Chasing like this forever? No end in sight.'

Following faint booster trails, tracking his rough path—

"Hermann, can you bombard this area?"

Hermann mentioned a few standby heavy Nexuses and some artillery.

That'd do. I requested a few minutes of fire on my position.

"Yeah, no problem."

Basically, firing at me. Perfect.

Kugugu—

Seconds later, heavy explosions echoed from afar, rippling along the ridges.

Linne's alert hit as signals flooded in. I peeled away, watching shells crater the canyon.

The canyon crumbled. I glimpsed Scarab's Nexus amid the chaos and fired missiles into the gap.

I'm not into endless pursuit. No interest in brawling in tight quarters.

Kwoong, kugung!!

Meanwhile, Hermann's strike team's shells kept pounding my position.

I could feel Scarab trembling in rage. I savored it leisurely.

Nexus signal linked to durability readout: down to under 50%. Most damage from collapsing terrain, not AP shells.

Finally, a red booster trail shot up from a distant canyon stretch—

Scarab spat some third-rate villain line and bugged out. Sounded like he'd finally clocked reality.

The canyon's collapse echoed softly along the ridges.

'Went too far?'

The canyon kept crumbling—not hyperbole to say it filled the ground.

Soon after, detecting his retreating signal, the bombardment finally tapered off.

Kurur...

As the shocks faded into peaceful silence, Hermann spoke.

That was it.