Chapter 207

“That… is the AbyssMother….”

“O-Oh no!! Here we go with Edu’s bad luck again!!”

Clarissa, her eyes wide with fear, stared at the enemy, while Edward let out a desperate shout.

Even among the worst-case scenarios we’d anticipated, this was the absolute worst. But before fear and panic could spread, I steadied my resolve and called out loudly.

“Everyone, stay calm! Nothing’s changed!”

All eyes turned toward me.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Think about it. Our goal is to head to the Pacific Ocean with the Northern Fleet, not to defeat the AbyssMother!!”

“That’s true… but there’s no way those things will just let us pass, right Edu?”

“Likely not.”

I nodded, then clenched my right hand and thrust it forward decisively.

“In that case, we’ll simply carve our own path!”

“…”

Edward stared at me, stunned by my response.

“Big Sister is right. If the enemies won’t move out of our way, we’ll make our own path.”

“That’s right!”

Sita and Mili responded enthusiastically, rekindling their fighting spirit.

“That’s the spirit. There’s no reason to give up before even trying.”

Miss Banetta nodded in agreement.

“I agree with Edu’s thinking. And, perhaps the AbyssMother’s appearance here means the Invaders have realized they cannot stop us with their regular forces?”

Nisia, her face solemn, offered a positive interpretation.

Beside her, Seoli shouted out loud.

“Yeah! Mom’s strong! She’s amazing!!”

Ryong, standing nearby, approached with quick steps and placed a hand on my knee.

Even without words, his expression conveyed his quiet support.

“…That’s right. Thinking about it, your bad luck has been exceptional, but it’s also been you, Edu, who’ve broken through all those dangers.”

Edward looked at me with a serious expression.

“Right! Let’s give it a go!”

Jenny shouted, her voice full of determination.

“So it’s decided then. A crisis can also be an opportunity.”

Slowly, courage began spreading, and the atmosphere became more positive in response.

“Alright! Let’s fight! Contact the Northern Fleet!”

“Got it!”

The engines, which had been idle, began moving forward again as the Northern Fleet advanced once more.

The Argonaut sailed alongside them bravely.

[So you’ve decided to fight, huh? Impressive foresight.]

At the center of the AbyssMother, within facilities that could easily be called a command center, one of the first-generation commanders and a feminine-featured robot, Ravelia, watched the battlefield calmly.

Although Invaders are close to mechanized lifeforms, lacking cockpits or command facilities, advanced fortress-level weapons like the AbyssMother have enough surplus capacity to include such “unnecessary” spaces.

[A fleet of outdated surface ships and an unfamiliar airship, just as Bonaparte said.]

Ravelia, who had been watching the battlefield with cold eyes, slowly stood up from her post.

[Since I’ve been given a task, let’s make sure it’s done flawlessly.]

[Order: Raise all fleet shields.]

Roarrr…

The sea churned and waves surged around the AbyssMother. Water columns rose and sank to form deep depressions before soaring skyward in all directions.

Once the water columns fell, black structures emerged in their place.

They resembled submarines in their long cylindrical forms, covered in smooth tiles that gave them the impression of warships. However, their resemblance to submarines only stretched so far. Their scale and sheer size made it obvious they were no ordinary submarines – these were the underwater fleet of the Invaders.

The armor plates covering their upper sections opened, revealing artillery and equipment stored within.

[Alright, then, let’s begin the war.]

[Commence bombardment.]

Roaaar…

The thunderous barrage of the battleships shook the strait.

With that, countless warships unleashed their cannons, and the sky was filled with a rain of artillery shells.

“Iason, move forward! Adjust the barrier output on the front and upper sections to maximum!”

[Prepare to move forward. Adjusting barrier output.]

The Argonaut advanced to the front of the Northern Fleet.

[Intercepting cannons, activate.]

Flashes of fire erupted in the sky as explosions resonated.

“Summon the armors—Mistletainn, Excalibur, and ArdBarr!”

The three titans appeared before the Argonaut.

A silver knight that was practically a moving armory, Mistletainn; a pure-white knight unparalleled in close combat, Excalibur; and finally, a black knight revealed itself.

This last knight had uniquely extended armor plating and carried large equipment on its back equipped with multiple, sizable propulsion units.

“Mistletainn, protect the Northern Fleet! Excalibur and ArdBarr will attack the enemy fleet!”

The 20-meter titans responded to my commands.

The black knight’s body folded inward, and the mysterious armored parts on the outside adjusted and aligned to form the large, black battle aircraft.

With ease, Excalibur mounted it.

Flames erupted from all the propulsion units as the white knight rode the black eagle toward the Invader fleet.

“This is the final hurdle! Crush them and march toward the future! All ships, fire your anti-ship missiles!”

Anti-ship missiles were continuously launched from the vertical launching installations of the Northern Fleet.

[Anti-ship missiles against the assault units—defend yourself.]

As the command was issued by Ravelia, a massive wall at the center of the black fleet moved.

A deafening sound, akin to the call of a whale, echoed.

The back of the AbyssMother split open, and countless white-tailed objects shot into the sky.

Flat objects, spheres, slender sharp spears—these distinctive shapes.

Once these objects ascended to a certain altitude, their red sensors flashed, their folded wings unfurled, and they revealed their true forms.

“Edu, what are those?”

“Those are the AbyssMother’s carrier aircraft! Prepare the anti-air defense!”

One of the reasons fighting the AbyssMother has been troublesome is precisely because of these.

Each of the Invaders’ fortress-grade weapons had a motif, and the AbyssMother’s was an aircraft carrier.

[Advance lead combat units, deploy follow-up units.]

Once again, carrier aircraft were launched.

What moments ago had been an empty sky was now filled with the AbyssMother’s carrier aircraft.

Hordes of these aircraft swarmed toward the anti-ship missiles like bees.

“Commander, we’ll also deploy our forces!”

Mr. Balder offered.

“Could you take care of it, Miss Banetta? Is there anything we can use in this situation?”

“Why wouldn’t there be? Iason! Deploy the Bit Units!”

[Deploying Bit Units.]

From both sides of the Argonaut, numerous small units swarmed out.

Their bodies were circular, equipped with large propellers—though their appearance was unimpressive, their sheer numbers were staggering, even surprising me.

Equipment never seen before in the AOE manual.

“Miss Banetta, what exactly are these?”

“Bit Units—basically, the smallest unit capable of combat. They’re made as simply as possible since they’re meant to be expendable.”

As the Bit Units spread around the fleet, the AbyssMother’s carrier aircraft moved toward us in response.

“Attack!”

[Engagement.]

Despite their unassuming exterior, the Bit Units moved surprisingly quickly, evading the enemy’s attacks and retaliated.

Conversely, the AbyssMother’s aircraft relied on their tough armor and firepower to land decisive strikes.

Boom! Kaboom!

Flames erupted from the clash of both sides, as they both destroyed their opponents and were destroyed themselves.

However, as the battle progressed, the Bit Units started to falter, and the superior performance of the AbyssMother’s aircraft began to dominate.

[Engage!]

At that moment, like saviors, our allies’ air force appeared.

Fleets of carrier aircraft, larger than regular fighters, soared across the battlefield.

[What are these Walker Fighters… They feel sluggish compared to normal fighters.]

[Stop complaining. We’ve confirmed that their performance surpasses regular fighters. If you still feel lacking, compensate with determination!]

[[[Lazers!!]]]

The knights of the sky freely patrolled the battlefield.

As they advanced and retreated repeatedly, the clear disparity in strength began to slowly tilt the situation against us.

“Tch… Mistletainn, replenish weapons! Excalibur and ArdBarr, focus on neutralizing the enemy guns, not the ships!”

“Edu! The barrier output is dropping continuously!”

“Jason! Divert engine power to the barrier!”

Edu and the others fought tirelessly, refusing to give up.

Watching their efforts, Ravelia grew certain of victory.

[They fought well, but it ends here.]

With that, she slowly stood up.

Even though the enemies were putting up more of a fight than she anticipated, it wasn’t enough to significantly alter the situation.

The AbyssMother, blocking the strait like iron, along with her fleet, ensured victory.

[Where is Bonaparte’s fleet?]

[Confirmed. Passing through V5-G1 Strait. Estimated time to effective range within 30 minutes.]

Ravelia nodded.

Once Bonaparte’s fleet arrived, the enemy forces would be surrounded from both sides.

Victory.

– Still, it’s suspicious how they continue to hold on despite this predicament…

Ravelia paused in thought, feeling a slight unease.

But only for a moment. She quickly brushed those doubts aside.

-No, it’s impossible for reinforcements to arrive within this timeframe.

The human flying fleet was far away, and the remnants of the Pacific fleet were similarly distant.

Which meant the enemies had no reinforcements coming.

[Are there any approaching objects nearby?]

Even so, Ravelia conducted a routine check.

A standard verification, considering the risk of a breached perimeter since all available forces in the surrounding strait had been mobilized.

[Warning.]

But the response she soon received was far from her expectation.

[Detected multiple approaching objects heading this way. Speed: 400 knots, rapid approach.]

[What?!]

The battle, which was tilting in their favor, was disrupted.

As if trying to make a public announcement, a transmission came through the common frequency.

[This is the Caspian Flotilla, Ekranoplan Fleet. Fellow fighters in the battle, can you hear us?]

“Edu!!”

Nisia turned to look at me, shouting loudly.

Her smile was a sign of the arrival of the reinforcements we had awaited.

The Caspian Flotilla, Ekranoplan Fleet.

These monsters of the Caspian who boldly escaped through the skies above Iran’s airspace when Russia collapsed, ultimately joining the Pacific Fleet.

And they were precisely the insurance backup that I had in mind.

After all, the speed and agility of their large ground-effect vehicles, Ekranoplans, was unmatched.

“This is the Argonaut escorting the Northern Fleet. Receiving you clearly!”

[What?! That child really is in command…! Don’t worry anymore! We’re here!!]

A resolute shout.

[Fellow fighters! The time to avenge our lost homeland and the accumulated resentment has finally come!! All ships, launch your missiles!! Urrraaaa!!]

[[[Urrraaaa!!!]]]

Hordes of missiles fired into the sky from the Ekranoplans racing across the sea at incredible speeds.

A deluge of anti-ship missiles rained down over the heads of the Invader fleet blocking the strait, and the massive sea barrier was engulfed in flames.