The Queen's Invitation
The shuttle pod doors slammed shut with a heavy thud, and an engine roar like a detonation erupted instantly as the launch sequence began. The brutal inertial load that struck in that split second was nullified by the deployed gravity neutralization field, leaving behind a bizarre, floating sensation.
The assault shuttle pods had a simple cylindrical design. Wrapped around the exterior, the ether shock-absorption field took on a bullet-like shape as it spun at high velocity, giving the entire craft a distinctly menacing appearance.
The pod walls then turned transparent, allowing the passengers to survey the outside. What they saw was a battlefield far more ferocious than anticipated.
From every section of the remnant AI rebel spherical warships, countless projectiles poured forth. Beam-type attacks were standard, but there were also numerous railgun slugs visible only by their after-traces, along with swarms of missiles that split apart in dazzling trajectories like angry hornets.
In response, the Dimensis cruiser had mobilized every main and secondary battery to weave a dense web of fire. Defensive drones and other equipment had all deployed to generate an ether shield, while its fighter craft launched both to draw attention and to cover the ejection of the assault shuttle pods.
Even so, the Dimensis was clearly at a disadvantage.
Its weapons possessed superior power and efficiency, yet the AI rebels’ sheer scale dwarfed it. By size alone the enemy vessels were easily ten times larger than the cruiser; depending on the level of spatial distortion technology packed inside, the gap could widen dramatically.
This is probably a situation where escape is impossible.
Communications had been jammed midway, preventing Han Yujin from learning the precise situation.
But that very silence proved how urgent things had become. If the communication system had been hacked, there was no guarantee the cruiser’s other systems remained untouched.
Especially for AI rebels whose existence the Galactic Empire must never discover, the first target of any hack was obvious.
If they can’t seize everything at once, they would block communications first, then lock down mobility to prevent any escape.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, the assault shuttle pod completed its flight—short by some measures, long by others—and slammed safely into the AI rebel’s spherical vessel.
Boom—!
With a deafening crash, the gravity neutralization field inside the pod flashed once more, absorbing the impact.
The view beyond the transparent walls was nothing like the obstacle-filled nightmare he had expected.
Instead, the interior looked exactly like any ordinary Galactic Empire warship: corridors and doors designed for easy human movement.
“What the…?”
“The mission is clear. Disembark and begin the destruction operation!”
As one soldier voiced his confusion, Han Yujin issued the order in a crisp, authoritative tone. The squad members who had boarded with him reacted instantly.
The assault shuttle pod’s hatch burst open and soldiers poured out. There were only thirteen of them, but the same scene was surely repeating at every other impact site.
“Deploy the space vibration shredder.”
Some squad members reflexively reached for reconnaissance drones, but Han Yujin’s abrupt command stopped them. The device was meant for carving paths through obstacle-rich environments.
Everyone immediately pulled components from their tactical packs and began assembly.
“In an environment like this, sir?”
Sergeant Draf, leader of the second squad, objected.
“Speed is the soul of an assault. We have a perfectly clear corridor right here…”
“Are you refusing my order?”
The soldiers who had frozen for a split second snapped back into motion. Sergeant Draf clamped his mouth shut, face twisting, and stepped back. Moments later, the space vibration shredder was fully assembled.
Han Yujin took the weapon—which resembled a modern Earth minigun—aimed it at the nearest wall, and pulled the trigger.
Vrrrrrrrr—!
The five cylindrical barrels spun violently. From the special ether crystal at the front, a heavy resonant wave laced with crushing force erupted.
Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gak—!
The wall struck by the wave shredded like paper, forcibly carving a passage wide enough for three people. While Han Yujin opened the path, the soldiers maintained perimeter security and readied ether wave detectors exactly as trained.
“Advance!”
The group had just begun moving down the newly created tunnel when—
Bang—!
Kwa-kwa-kwang—!
The seemingly intact corridor walls suddenly shot outward and slammed together, compressing the space with crushing force. Only the section Han Yujin had carved with the shredder remained broken and unresponsive.
“Who in their right mind follows a path the enemy prepared in their own territory?”
As the others stared in shock, Han Yujin spoke calmly. Sergeant Draf’s face crumpled even further.
“Communications are still completely dead!”
“The ether wave detector is… the noise is too heavy!”
Grim reports kept coming.
Standard procedure in such situations was to keep moving until the detector picked up something, but that manual had been written for assaults against massive Xenos entities.
Still, following the manual is probably safest for now.
No better alternative came to mind. Unless he revealed his full capabilities as a decisive investigator, this was the optimal path.
Forcing their way through solid metal structures was anything but pleasant. The jagged, uneven edges made footing treacherous, and some sections were so thick the shredder struggled, forcing frequent detours.
Though specialized for the task, the space vibration shredder had clear limits. It could not literally vibrate space itself apart as its name implied.
Fortunately, every soldier was at least a Level 2 Spirit Adept—elite, well-equipped, and highly trained—so they advanced without a single straggler.
After traveling some distance, a soldier called out.
“Distinct ether signature detected!”
Had communications been functional, the data would have appeared instantly in their augmented reality overlays. But the situation was what it was.
If our opponent had been Xenos, communications probably wouldn’t have been cut so cleanly.
Fighting AI rebels introduced many variables their training hadn’t covered.
Han Yujin took the ether wave detector from the soldier, checked the direction and intensity, then aimed the shredder at a slight upward-left diagonal and squeezed the trigger.
Vrrrrrrrrrr—!
Kwa-ga-ga-gak—! Kwa-ga-gak—!
A heavy resonant vibration shook their bodies as metal structures tore apart in ragged chunks.
Crack…!
Bang—!
Occasionally hidden mechanical traps exploded, but an unseen force seemed to suppress the blasts; no one was injured. Another hidden benefit of the shredder.
If we can locate the engine room and destroy it, that would be a huge win.
The reaction strength on the detector had been significant, so he held onto that hope.
Just then, the cramped space filled with pipes and circuitry vanished, replaced by an intact corridor much like the first they had encountered.
And waiting inside that corridor were roughly a dozen perfectly normal-looking humans.
Not merely normal—they were all stunningly beautiful men and women. They wore sharp uniforms blending bright gray and black, and carried armaments that resembled those of the Galactic Empire’s space forces.
“Attack!”
Han Yujin’s command was nearly instantaneous.
He discarded the space vibration shredder without hesitation and unleashed the Law Technique Five Elements Divine Light. At the same time, he manifested the basic spirit art Ether Barrier from the Galactic Empire’s mental cultivation method.
The second squad leader reacted next, and the rest of the soldiers drew their weapons and opened fire.
In that same instant, the beings that looked human—but most certainly were not—counterattacked.
They all wielded identical weapons: short-hafted implements resembling halberds, their purple-glowing blades swirling with internal energy.
The instant they took aim, silver-white lightning erupted. The bolts moved as fast as ether rounds and carried both flash and thunder, making them far more dangerous.
Bwa-kwa-kwang—!
Kwa-rrrrrung…!
When the roar faded and the echoes died, Han Yujin’s Ether Barrier stood on the verge of collapse. Still, it had successfully blocked every attack and protected his allies.
In truth, a genuine Level 5 Spirit Adept could never have achieved such a feat.
The spirit art Ether Barrier stopped frontal assaults while allowing friendly fire from behind to pass through unimpeded—a design specifically created for group combat.
Thus every ether bullet and technique the squad fired struck the enemy cleanly. Han Yujin’s Five Elements Divine Light was no exception.
One foe collapsed, metal fragments spraying from its skull. Others absorbed the damage with their armor but still suffered wounds.
Yet the one struck by Han Yujin’s Five Elements Divine Light—clearly positioned at the front for a reason—charged forward completely unharmed. The others resumed firing silver-white lightning in support.
Since Han Yujin had been leading from the front, it fell to him to meet the enemy.
He drew his Lumina Sword and blocked the incoming halberd—
—and immediately realized something was wrong.
He instantly released the power he had been restricting to Level 5 Spirit Adept and raised it to full strength. His thoughts accelerated dramatically; the world seemed to slow around him.
Even in that slowed perception, the enemy’s halberd swing showed no reduction in speed whatsoever.
Long silver hair whipped dramatically around features so handsome they inspired goosebumps, like a scene from a movie. Golden eyes curved with a smile utterly unsuited to the battlefield, and the corners of its mouth rose so sharply they seemed ready to tear.
The Lumina Sword that met the halberd shattered like a biscuit. Unimpeded, the blade’s tip flashed with silver-white lightning and exploded, sending arcs scattering in every direction.
With no time for calculation, Monghwan Yusim and Purple Gold Radiance activated simultaneously.
He converted part of the impact into a dream and defended against the rest with Purple Gold Radiance. At the same time, the Origin Power Great Hand lashed out, striking the enemy and hurling it away.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang—!
The resulting shockwave obliterated everything around it. That “everything” naturally included the squad members who had already been turned into corpses by the earlier silver-white lightning.
Kiri-rik…!
The enemy that had been blasted through the opposite wall rose immediately. Its once-perfectly handsome face was now horribly damaged, revealing the cold steel machinery beneath.
“Hah…”
He had nearly been injured, but at least he had managed a counterattack.
Yet the feeling was far from relief. The absurd annihilation of every squad member who had accompanied him left him both hollow and furious.
An android using the strength of an 8th-level Spirit Adept…
It had hidden its power at first, only revealing its sinister full might once it closed the distance.
Fortunately the other enemies were not nearly as strong; most had already lost function after being caught in the recent shockwave.
A few still operated stubbornly. Han Yujin pointed at them and fired the Pure Yang Extreme Flame Bullet Thread. Ultra-high-temperature flame lines shot forth like rays of light, melting their heads like ice cream.
In the meantime, the android that had pulled itself from the crater stood tall, gripping its weapon. Its golden mechanical eyes rolled once before it suddenly spoke.
“What are you? A subordinate AI?”
Instead of answering, Han Yujin immediately drew the Blood Spirit Red Flower Wine Bottle and aimed it.
An artificial intelligence capable of commanding mid-Core Formation androids with 8th-level Spirit Adept strength would undoubtedly be at least Nascent Soul stage. There was no chance he would willingly walk into its domain.