Chapter 76

**Forward Base – Future**

A fortress and resting place for warriors fighting for the future of humanity.

There, where a tense atmosphere always lingers, a festival-like mood begins to spread.

“Haha!! Cheers!!”

“Cheers!!”

Rough-looking soldiers raise their voices as they gulp down drinks instead of alcohol.

Though there were no luxurious drinks or extravagant feasts, the people laughed and chatted together.

“To be honest, when they called themselves a pirate crew, I thought it was just a joke.”

“Who says it’s not? Just look at that!”

A soldier points to the sky above.

In the skies above the forward base, under the blue sky with drifting clouds, a golden fleet stood majestically.

One large battleship, two cruisers, and one destroyer composed the aliens’ warships.

Under normal circumstances, it would be a situation to tremble in fear, but no one at the forward base fears the ships.

Because that fleet now belongs to humanity.

“Khaha! Long live the pirate crew!! Cheers!”

“Cheers!!”

The soldiers jovially chatted loudly.

But in the main street, a somber energy lingered.

“Ugh!”

An alien, walking while shackled, stumbles.

A dark gun barrel is aimed at him.

“Hey, get back in line.”

“Ah, understood!”

An alien scrambles to his feet, crawling after the threat from the young male soldier.

Right next to him, many aliens were moving in one direction with their hands behind their backs, making it obvious why they were told to line up.

Due to the sheer number, instead of standard handcuffs, they were shackled with cable ties.

Passing by the aliens marching in lines was a trailer carrying tripod-like alien weapons and equipment.

“Look at those wretches!”

“They were acting like livestock, and now they’re out here traveling to the forward base, looking all high and mighty!”

Mockery and jeering directed at the aliens.

Though a few aliens paused in anger at the taunts, they were urged to keep walking.

“Keep moving.”

“…”

The aliens swiftly learned to control their anger under the barrel of a gun.

The forward base was busier than ever, dealing with post-war tasks.

….

“Phew.”

“Umm.”

Freya and Ryuje sighed.

They looked quite tired, probably due to being summoned here and there to handle significant matters, such as the supplies and equipment captured from that Ustanasha crew and the handling of prisoners.

“You two have worked hard.”

“Eduuuuu-”

Freya, saying this while spreading her arms wide and approaching.

I embrace her, who comes forward with a wry smile.

Due to her size, it felt more like I was being held rather than I was hugging her, but nonetheless.

I pat Freya’s shoulder enthusiastically with my small hand.

“At least it worked out somehow….”

“Right, with the battleship and cruisers. We can consider this smooth sailing.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then Edu, we should start preparing for the big fight soon, don’t you think?”

With a serious expression, Ryuje looks at me.

“You’re right. If we disperse our force without reason, we’ll lose everything… Do you have any thoughts, Edu?”

Freya seems to agree with Ryuje’s opinion, gently pulling away and suddenly lifting me up into her embrace.

It felt like a girl holding a doll.

The issue is that I am the doll.

Regardless, Freya sits down in the chair I was sitting in with me held tightly.

“I also think what you both said is correct.”

I thought of pushing for further steps, but the forces came together quicker than expected.

At this point, it would be better to take down the rest of the fleet quickly.

“However, that guy probably won’t move beyond this point, so we need to draw him out of orbit.”

“That guy?”

“Yes, the admiral of the Third Interstellar Navigation Fleet.”

I believe his name was something odd like Susah-jo or Sushi-jo.

Though his name isn’t important, considering the outcome, the Third Fleet has lost immense power, not only from the dispatched cruisers but also from a battleship.

According to the information obtained, the incident was more of an accident due to an individual’s deviation. Still, those who lost much more power than expected would have to act more passively.

“Then are you thinking of using that tea-bagging method you explained last time?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Tea-bagging.

Some wise person once said,

“Do not get attached to victory or defeat.”

In games, it’s not about winning, but rather infuriating the opponent to shine.

This might seem like a desire to torment the opponent over neglecting victory, but that is only a half-understanding of the meaning of that saying.

Whether in games or anything, a fight is a proving ground where cold reason collides with the experiences one has built up.

But what if you lose that reason?

That’s practically the same as losing before even starting to fight.

There’s no easier opponent to deal with than one who is so focused on one thing that they can’t observe their surroundings.

‘There’s a reason why being low on health can attract the best aggro.’

Thus, tea-bagging is a high-level psychological warfare and tactical maneuver that manipulates the opponent’s emotions and prevents them from thinking straight, creating an advantageous situation.

Moreover, the more materials there are, the more it shines.

In other words, the more foundations you have, the deeper and more serious the anger you can provoke in the enemy.

And for us, we have numerous achievements that can sufficiently infuriate him.

“Then what are you planning to do?”

“I’ll prepare a video and send it.”

“A video?”

“Yes, since their fleet will be in orbit, sending messages one by one is not efficient.”

“Oh, that makes sense.”

I feel something lightly tap the top of my head.

It’s probably Freya nodding.

“Then I’ll say I’ll send it later, but could you prepare some equipment to shoot the video?”

Ah, this cool and heavy sensation.

The ability to ask about their parents’ well-being several times a day, honed in the country of the East, is finally going to be shown to those alien creatures.

….

“…”

Susah-jo, still gazing down at Earth from the empty command bridge.

However, unlike before when he stared quietly at Earth, he now intermittently turns his body and checks the time.

“…It’s late.”

A heavy voice escapes from his lips.

His fierce expression furrows, radiating a more frightening atmosphere.

A considerable amount of time has passed since he dispatched the cruiser squadron.

Even if there were unavoidable circumstances or issues, there should have at least been a simple report by now.

However, there was no communication of any kind in the command bridge.

“Still no contact?”

“Yes, Admiral.”

The communication soldier nods and responds.

He must have dispatched sufficient power, yet an ominous feeling continued to linger in his heart for some reason.

“Tch.”

He clicks his tongue, trying to calm his heart.

In truth, he already knew what the cause was.

This ominous feeling stems from the defeat the previous day.

After losing a significant amount of forces to the counterattack of the native organisms, there has not been a single day of peace since then.

Ever since that day, he felt this sense of unease whenever deploying forces.

“And where exactly did that battleship I ordered for the patrol mission go? Didn’t they also have no contact?”

“I’m checking various things, but….”

The communication soldier trails off.

Subordinates who don’t even report back and a battleship that has disappeared somewhere even after orders were given.

In a situation that wasn’t going as he wished, Susah-jo felt a headache forming, but he had too much burden to send out more forces.

“Relay any contact from the fleet immediately. I’ll take a short rest—”

“Ah, Admiral! Please wait a moment!”

“Hmm?”

The communication soldier suddenly raises his voice.

Then he turns his body to look at Susah-jo.

“Admiral, we just received a video. What should we do?”

The communication soldier asks.

Yet, Susah-jo felt doubtful about these words.

“A video? Not a communication or audio file, but a video?”

“Yes, Admiral.”

“…???”

Is there really a need to use a video for reporting? He thinks, but figuring there could be some reason for it, Susah-jo quickly decides.

“Play it.”

“Understood, Admiral.”

The communication soldier quickly operates the equipment.

Soon, a large holographic screen positioned at the center of the command bridge displays the video.

“Hmm?”

“Ah?”

Simultaneously, both reactions erupt.

Susah-jo grimaces, and the communication soldier’s voice sounds flustered.

But there is a reason for such reactions.

The holographic video displayed surpassed their expectations entirely.

[ Ah, can you hear me? ]

A human, one of the native organisms of this planet, waves at them.

However, what pulls Susah-jo’s attention is another part.

‘He’s wearing proper clothes and managing that long hair well…’

Even if various species belong to the empire, there wouldn’t be ruffians who take care of livestock, so it’s certain that the young livestock before him is not under the empire’s control.

Speaking of which, didn’t they say that there are livestock that have hidden somewhere to escape the empire’s control?

[ Well, even if you can’t hear me, just understand. ]

An abrupt unilateral notification snaps him from his thoughts.

Susah-jo’s expression tightens.

“Arrogant for a primitive livestock.”

[ The reason I’m contacting you is not for any other reason. ]

“…Tch.”

A livestock that doesn’t even listen to what we say, only spouting its words.

[ Thank you. ]

“…?”

A sudden expression of gratitude.

Susah-jo’s eyes narrow at the abrupt change in tone.

[ Since you’ve given me something, I’ll express this much. ]

The young livestock, speaking like that, flinches its face.

But why, looking at that expression, does it feel unpleasant?

It feels like being mocked.

And it didn’t take long for him to realize the reason behind that feeling.

[ Wow, you gave me destroyers, cruisers, and battleships without holding back—what should I do with all this? ]

At that moment, silence enveloped the command bridge.

“Uh….”

The communication soldier glances around nervously, trying to read the atmosphere.

“???”

Conversely, Susah-jo wears a stunned expression, as if he had been hit over the head with a hammer.

“Wait, what did that livestock just say?”

“Uh, our ships….”

The communication soldier cautiously begins to speak.

At that moment, Edu’s voice resounds through the command bridge.

[ Hey! Your ships are awesome!! ]

Edu, grinning widely.

Her small, round face suddenly feels aloof as if she just came up with something.

[ Ah, but can we return those disgusting friends that came along? Unlike us, who were useful as livestock, you all are completely useless as prisoners… ]

Her tone sounds genuinely regretful.

However, upon hearing that, Susah-jo’s face and body start to tremble madly.

“Ad, Admiral?”

The communication soldier, who understood what that behavior implied, calls out to Susah-jo in shock, but the anger that has reached its peak spills out beyond control.

“Khuhhhh…! How dare…. A livestock like you—I—”

“Calm down, Admiral! It’s an obvious trick!”

“I know that too!!”

The communication soldier immediately shuts his mouth upon being yelled at.

But even so, like a shout, Susah-jo slowly begins to calm his anger.

“Did you think that I, a soldier of the renowned Ustanasha Empire, would be fooled by such a trivial provocation?”

Susah-jo sneers as he speaks.

“I am not so simple as to react to such cheap taunts—”

And at that moment, Edu’s mouth in the video opened again.

[ Ah, but do you know this is a video? Not a communication. You’re not so dumb as to respond to a video, right? ]

“…”

Susah-jo’s mouth shuts.

The communication soldier glances at him, trying to gauge his mood.

Susah-jo’s body trembles silently, but then he calms down once more.

“Ha, ha. I’m not so simple—”

[ Ah, I forgot that saying this to a cowardly alien is useless; well, I’ll make good use of the ship! You worthless Admiral who can’t fight! I hope you’ll donate more ships next time! ]

Cut off—

The video ends.

Susah-jo’s last bit of rationality also snaps.

A coward?

A worthless Admiral who can’t fight?

How does a livestock dare to insult me, a soldier of the renowned Ustanasha Empire?

“Um…Admiral?”

“…Recall all ships, including those in cryogenic sleep and the ones on patrol! All of them!”

Susah-jo’s eyes blaze with anger.

“I will make that arrogant livestock pay for its insolence!!!”