Chapter 155: System Reevaluation (5)
“Move now!”
Even amidst the fierce battle, the assault continued. The spaceship attempted to land a plethora of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), tanks, and bipedal armored vehicles on the ground.
The reason they brought so much equipment and engaged in ground combat was simple.
Currently, the superhumans of this other world, the Gaishan tribe, could not fight in the air.
“Commander, the higher beings of the attacking enemies have changed direction.”
“Umm… so far, it’s going according to plan. But there are a hell of a lot more of them than expected.”
The burden on the fleet was heavy, having to withstand the assaults from the squadrons of ships and flying types while also providing support on the ground until the assault ended.
Fortunately, their guess that the enemy forces attacking elsewhere were fewer had proven bold but beneficial.
Now that the assault was successful, the remaining task was to deal as much damage to the vast nests of monsters as possible with a combination of ground and air attacks.
“What is the situation in Valen? Is it possible for us to take revenge on them from here?”
“They said the survivors are barely managing to evacuate, but it seems the enemy fleet already occupies all orbits with no apparent way to break through.”
“…Cunning bastards. They aren’t planning to retreat. Does that mean they intend to burn this place to the ground to break even?”
The commander’s face twisted in frustration. One of the reasons for attacking this place was to threaten the nest to force the enemy troops to retreat. However, Eve wouldn’t be swayed by the tricks she had used.
It was the humans who were troubled by her attitude of preferring to exchange losses for gains.
“There is no other choice. We can only trust these barbarian warriors and fight as hard as we can.”
Still, there was a glimmer of hope. The newly joined forces, if they could play their role sufficiently, could deal enough damage to the monsters as per the preplanned strategy.
“They keep coming…!”
“We must hold them back! If not, we’ll be killed by the higher beings!”
As the commander led the fleet, continuing to fight from the air, the ground forces, having successfully launched their assault, struggled to open a path amidst a barrage of fire.
All around them was filled with an overwhelming number of legionnaires. Any moment of rest would lead to a breach in their defense.
“Cough… there’s a super-large type to the northwest! It’s a Bison type!”
A soldier, who had been pouring out bullets, urgently shouted as he witnessed the giant monster charging forward, shaking the ground.
The immense beast, clad in sturdy armor that could neither be repelled nor penetrated by ordinary missiles or laser cannons, barreled forward, swinging its head like a massive hammer and sending several of the leading tanks and ground troops flying.
“With the firepower we have now after the assault, we won’t be able to handle those gigantic monsters classified as super-large types. Fleet support is…”
“Ahem. That one is pretty big.”
The shocked assault commander stuttered, his voice trembling. But the burly barbarian warrior next to him watched the spectacle with interest, stroking his beard.
“Don’t worry, my dwarf friend. We’ve hunted lots of those giant beasts back in our hometown, Huila.”
“I-I’m a dwarf…”
He playfully tapped the bewildered assault commander’s head and grinned.
“Yaru. Can you do it?”
“Of course, brother, I mean, Commander.”
He called upon another warrior, who was also his brother, to take care of the super-large type. The warrior named Yaru confidently stepped forward, holding a massive axe.
‘Really? No way! Even though it’s huge, a single person is going to take down that giant monster? With just that axe?!’
The assault commander, still being held by the gigantic hand, couldn’t believe his eyes.
As Yaru defended against the mad rush of monsters heading toward the rebel ground forces, he leaped into the air with a thunderous roar.
“Don’t run away, monster!”
With a blaze of distinct red energy surging around the axe he raised, Yaru made a powerful leap toward the head of the super-large type.
Compared to ordinary humans, his size was large, but next to the super-large type, he was still incomparably small.
“This is incredible!”
“If you’re an acknowledged warrior, isn’t this the minimum expected? Why are you so surprised?”
Yet the assault commander, lost in the unfolding spectacle, yelled out loud. The destructive force unleashed by the swung axe literally split the head of the super-large type in half.
The legion’s armor, applied with scales from dragon-type beings that had strong resistance to formancy, was not invulnerable.
When their long-honed martial arts were breached, the giant began to stagger and fall.
“See, my dwarf friend? Apparently, we seem to work well together. Though exuding spirit leads to significant mental fatigue, we are strong in quick duels but weak in endless wars.”
He murmured dismissively, ignoring the speechless assault commander.
The surviving ground troops from the super-large type rushed toward Yaru, who had taken it down, blocking the medium-sized legionnaires with a barrage of bullets and shells.
Synergy. It was the very thing Eve had been most wary of in their collaboration, a miracle that transcends existing laws as those who broke the walls of the world met and cooperated.
The scene now best showcased that power.
“A higher being!”
“Then I should head that way.”
With a smirk, he removed his hand from the assault commander’s head and grabbed his axe, heading to another area.
In truth, the actual enemies they had to face were not the super-large types.
“Kha-ha! Were you all surprised?! It’s nothing special. Our giant ground rats would be stronger!”
“Hey, don’t get distracted! We’ll handle the small ones for now!”
“Should I go over there as well?”
As Yaru enjoyed the mixed looks of fear and surprise from the rebel soldiers staring at him, he stood on the half-destroyed head of the super-large type, facing his brethren.
As the ground troops expanded their frontline, his kin charged toward the newly appeared enemies.
‘I hear they use swordsmanship and spear skills. My body itches. I want to fight those fellows, too.’
They were already aware of the legion’s higher beings, creatures that seemed to mimic humans.
Yaru licked his lips. Fighting giant beasts was something he could get tired of doing even back in his hometown.
But aliens fighting like humans, wielding weapons? As a warrior of the Gaishan tribe, rooted in fiery and warrior-like spirit, it was simply unbearable.
“Ugh! A higher being?! It’s a higher being!”
“Whoa!”
However, just when he could no longer contain himself and tried to turn his body that way, a scream-like report echoed from the front.
Yaru raced towards it as if he had been waiting for this.
“Huh?”
However, the being that appeared here was somewhat different from the higher beings currently fighting his kin.
‘Among the monsters… was there a female? Now that I think about it, I think I heard something like wings.’
Wielding his axe, he set his sights on an enemy standing atop a large mining-type legionnaire.
Glowing red eyes flashed from within the mask, along with a curvy female figure and fluttering black hair. In her hand, she held a sword made of a reddish mineral.
Instinctively sensing the opponent’s uniqueness, he raised his guard.
“One on each arm and chest. According to our classification, this appears to be at least a type 5.”
An officer next to him quickly counted the shining power sources outside.
However, they were unaware that Eve’s legion-type avatar was embedded with power sources in her chest, abdomen, and even inside her head.
“No need to divide by such detailed ranks. Strong or weak. Just these two will suffice!”
Grinning widely, Yaru kicked off the ground and charged forward. Dividing ranks by output and measuring combat power? He would never agree to that.
Real strength could only be known after truly clashing.
After all, the details of one’s prowess could be revealed with just one exchange.
“…!”
And when the red energy flaming from the axe he swung was effortlessly blocked by the enemy, who simply raised her sword while standing still, his eyes widened in shock.
“…This is interesting!”
Yaru, who had fallen to the ground, quickly got back on his feet. At the same time, he summoned his full power.
Knowing it only took one clash to realize that his current opponent was one worth fully engaging, he sensed the urgency.
“It’s been a while since the warrior captain promotion exam. This is the first time I’m bringing all my strength to bear!”
With genuine excitement, he exploded with red energy and charged once more towards Eve.
Eve, now landed on the ground, rushed toward him as well. The clash of axe and sword erupted with a shockwave rivaling that of a bomb.
At least up to this point, Yaru was not overwhelmed in strength.
“What the…”
However, the ensuing scene left him horrified as he swung his axe repeatedly. The true power of resonance law, coveted by the saint Isabel of another world, involved absorbing the opponent’s strength and amplifying it in reverse.
His body started to show red fissures before he could even trade a few blows against Eve’s marvelous swordsmanship that absorbed and intensified his power.
‘Kill them all. Leave not a single one alive.’
Crushing Yaru’s dismembered body, Eve erupted in fury.
Though it seemed she had overwhelmingly cut down her enemies, a long scar remained on her abdomen, oozing with thick, red bodily fluid.
