Chapter 79

A golden haze cutting through the empty sky.

From a large engine, a deafening roar and intense heat propel the massive body forward.

A small fleet moving as swiftly as an arrow.

Far off in the distance, an enormous wave of gold gathers momentum as it chases after.

A shout erupts from the command bridge.

The voice of the Admiral of the Third Interstellar Navigation Fleet, Ssa-Jo, echoes loudly.

“Still can’t catch up?”

“I-I’m sorry, but the enemy fleet’s speed is abnormally fast…”

The helmsman answers quickly, almost defensively.

Upon hearing this apology, Ssa-Jo’s head sharply turns towards the radar operator.

“What’s the enemy fleet’s speed?”

“38 knots.”

38 knots.

A speed close to the maximum output of a Trügget-class vessel.

This implies that the enemy fleet is pouring almost all of its power into its engines.

A calm realization dawns in Ssa-Jo’s eyes.

“Three cruisers, excluding the flagship, shall be each assigned as command ships, with two destroyers under their command, forming three temporary divisions.”

“Yes?”

In response to Ssa-Jo’s command, a bewildered soldier answers.

“The main guns of the damaged cruiser should retreat to the rear. Hurry!”

“Understood, Admiral.”

On the contrary, the executive officer steps forward and nods.

“By Admiral’s order: the three cruisers, excluding the flagship, are to be assigned as command ships with two destroyers each, forming three temporary divisions. Damaged ships are to retreat to the rear of the fleet!”

An impeccably concise order.

The soldiers begin moving busily, then soon report back to the executive officer.

“The cruiser Aldodan will be the flagship for Room, Hisral. Cruiser Hirmerlan for Nenem, Isquya. Cruiser Teret for Shasan, Disric. It looks like three divisions will make up the composition!”

“Good, relay this to the fleet!”

“From the flagship Behelock’s Wrath: transmitting orders to each ship. As of now, temporary divisions are formed…”

The communication soldier relays the established content.

Ssa-Jo’s voice speaks again.

“Divisions, ahead of the fleet.”

“Changing formation! Divisions 1, 2, and 3, go forward!”

The alien fleet swiftly changes its formation.

Three cruisers are spread in a wedge formation, with destroyers covering the flanks.

“Now divisions 1, 2, and 3 will take turns with maximum speed maneuvers. Maintain distance and bombard them!”

“A tailing maneuver, I see.”

“Exactly.”

If the enemy is fleeing at full power, then outpacing them by a higher speed should do the trick.

However, simply increasing speed might risk repeating the earlier situation.

Hence, the strategy is to take turns chasing with maximum speed while having the remaining ships absorb any counterattacks.

If, by any chance, the enemy turns the fleet around to counterattack, the ships of the two following divisions will meet them head-on.

“Run away all you want. Watch as the fleet of the empire uses its numerical advantage to demonstrate its true strength.”

Ssa-Jo clenches his fists tightly.

The executive officer bows deeply and repeats his order verbatim.

“Understood. Divisions 1, 2, and 3 will take turns with maximum speed maneuvers. Maintain distance and bombard the enemy!”

…

A thunderous impact suddenly washes over the ship.

“Aaah?!”

“Ugh?!”

Startled, the soldiers scramble and try to regain their balance.

“Everyone, stay calm! What’s happening?”

Freya’s shout snaps the people into action, and they focus on assessing the situation.

“Confirmed! A direct hit on the rear barrier! This appears to be from the enemy fleet’s artillery!”

“The rear barrier? So, the enemy has already caught up?”

“Y-Yes. Let me bring up the radar screen.”

The radar screen appears on the bridge’s screen.

In the screen, the glowing lights of the pursuing enemy fleet and three distinct clusters among them become visible.

“Hmm…?”

Freya stares at the scene, deep in thought.

After a brief moment, she speaks.

“Can we view it on video?”

“I’ll try!”

The soldier operates the equipment, pushing the radar screen to the corner, revealing the ship’s rear.

Flickering flashes of light are seen as artillery zooms towards them.

The attack narrowly misses the side of the ship.

And on the horizon, the enemy fleet comes into view.

A group consisting of one cruiser and two destroyers slowly retreats, and another identical formation approaches.

The enemy fleet alternates between moving closer and further.

Freya’s expression turns fierce upon seeing this.

“Hmm, they intend not to give us a chance to counterattack, do they?”

“What shall we do?”

Her adjutant questions.

Despite the dangerous situation, the adjutant remains calm, trusting Freya entirely.

Glancing at the adjutant, Freya smirks.

“Let’s proceed as planned. Contact the air command and strategy command.”

“Understood.”

…

Warships’ artillery pierces through the void.

Three divisions formed under Ssa-Jo’s orders take turns bombarding the enemy.

Though the hit rate isn’t high due to the high-speed movement, the damage accumulation is steady.

“Things are going smoothly.”

“Exactly.”

It seems the enemy is holding out with the barriers so far, but it’s only a matter of time.

Ssa-Jo flashes a confident smile.

At that moment, a soldier monitoring the radar suddenly shouts.

“Huh? Admi— Admiral! Incoming enemy attack!”

On the holographic screen, dozens of missiles are seen flying toward them over the heads of the enemy fleet.

“Hmph, futile attempts… Those are the enemy’s outdated weapons. All ships, form an anti-air formation and intercept the attacks!”

“From the flagship Behelock’s Wrath: All ships, full anti-air defense! Intercept the enemy attack!”

Upon the command, the battleships and destroyer divisions immediately decelerate and join the fleet.

Anti-air batteries aim accurately at the rapidly approaching missiles and unleash a torrent of fire into the sky.

BOOM! KA-BOOM!

Missiles exploding in bursts of flames.

Some manage to penetrate the barrage and approach the ships, only to meet the thick barriers waiting for them.

PANG! BOOM!

The missiles collide with the barrier and explode.

Naturally, the fleet suffers no damage.

“Another wave incoming!”

A new group of missiles flying low over the horizon.

Was the earlier attack just a decoy, with this being the main assault?

“Intercept with side cannons!”

“FIRE!!”

The side cannons unleash a synchronized volley of fire.

Most of the missiles are intercepted by the dense curtain of fire and vanish in fiery explosions.

“Enemy attack fully intercepted.”

“Hmm.”

Ssa-Jo raises his chin proudly.

Yes, this is the Ustansha Empire, and this is the might of the Third Interstellar Navigation Fleet.

To arrogantly celebrate their victory after only besting incompetent lackeys, yet now look at them, unable to even pull off a measly attack.

“They’re getting away?”

“Retreating at full speed.”

So this clumsy attack was merely to buy them time?

A smirk forms on Ssa-Jo’s face as he organizes his thoughts.

He can feel it—victory is drawing near.

“Where are they retreating to? Back to that primitive fort?”

The fortress the enemy set up in the wilderness.

Ssa-Jo knew all about it.

He just had no reason to bother attacking such a place.

“I’ll confirm.”

The radar operator quickly operates the equipment to check Ssa-Jo’s command.

“Hmm…? This direction…?”

The operator mutters to himself.

His gaze shifts back to Ssa-Jo.

“Admiral, they’re not heading toward the fort.”

“What?”

Ssa-Jo tilts his head upon hearing the soldier’s answer.

Challenge our fleet’s full strength without their fortress? If not, does that mean they have something prepared?

“And where are they heading then?”

“Mostly wilderness… Ah! There’s a structure of sorts.”

“A structure?”

“Yes, though unclear, it appears to be a primitive mining facility.”

“A mine?”

“Yes.”

On hearing the soldier’s answer, Ssa-Jo falls into thought.

To head toward a mine while leaving the fortress behind? Why are they going toward the mine?

The most plausible reason would be that they have prepared something there, but what could they have prepared to forsake such a strong advantage like the fortress?

Confusion and unease at the incomprehensible situation.

But shaking his head, Ssa-Jo brushes off such distractions.

“Worrying is the sole domain of the weak.”

Even if there is a trap, we have a massive fleet. They’re at best a division-sized force.

And perhaps the confusion is itself part of their trap.

Regardless, with this overwhelming force, we can crush whatever scheme they’ve concocted.

Consequently, Ssa-Jo raised his voice confidently.

“We increase our speed. Thoroughly secure the surroundings, and prepare for any situation!”

“Understood!”

The Third Interstellar Navigation Fleet continues to advance.

After tens of minutes.

At last, two golden masses face each other around an abandoned quarry.

To the left is the captured fleet led by Freya.

On the other side is the Third Interstellar Navigation Fleet led by Ssa-Jo.

Cannons are aimed at each other. Without a word, an intense artillery duel begins.

“FIRE!!”

“Target the enemy ship!!”

Both Ssa-Jo and Freya raise their voices in the command bridge.

Beams trace the sky, shells fired at each other either hit barriers or are intercepted, igniting numerous fireworks in the process.

The ears are battered by the loud booms and noises.

A streak of light passes Ssa-Jo’s flagship, but he stands still, firmly in place.

“Admiral?”

Noticing this, the executive officer cautiously approaches and calls him, but Ssa-Jo remains unmoved.

In every direction, the situation is clearly advantageous for the Third Fleet. Yet, confusion fills Ssa-Jo’s face.

Why did they choose this place as their battlefield?

What exactly is here?

Ssa-Jo shifts his gaze to the quarry’s terrain reflected on one corner of the screen.

There, only primitive equipment covered in dust lies abandoned.

Before entering this area, they swept it with radar, and even now, they are guarding every surrounding area. Yet, they see nothing.

Yes, there is nothing here.

Fighting here in the first place is an odd situation.

But they are holding their ground.

“Something feels off.”

While Ssa-Jo murmured to himself, the executive officer quietly approached and bowed.

“Are you overestimating the enemy too much? After all, the power disparity makes it an unfair fight.”

The executive officer reported calmly.

But in his words, Ssa-Jo perceives an unpleasant truth.

Yes, it’s a fight with no balance.

Then why are they holding this position?

“Admiral…?”

The enemy must also know about the overwhelmingly superior power disparity.

Yet, they provoked and started the battle with us.

What is it? What are they after?

At that very moment, when Ssa-Jo’s mind was working frantically, the radar operator raised his voice again loudly.

“High-altitude enemy attack incoming! Count: 60!”

“High-altitude? Intercept it!”

The executive officer reacts quicker than Ssa-Jo.

The anti-air weapons on the ship’s upper deck and the side cannons pivot skyward and unleash fiery blasts.

BOOM, KA-BOOM!

The dense gunfire quickly downs the oncoming missiles.

“More incoming from the side! Count: 120!”

“Bah, pointless struggles… Knock them all down with concentrated fire!”

The cannons realign toward the side.

But the slight time gap while the gun positions are moving creates openings, allowing many missiles to hit the barriers.

ZZZT! ZZZT!

“Ugh?!”

An unusual sound different from the typical explosion, like electromagnetic interference.

“Looks like barrier-piercing warheads! Barrier output reduced!”

“Enemy attacks continue incoming!”

Missiles raining from all directions.

Could this be their plan? Shooting outdated weapons at intervals to strip away our barriers?

At the moment that thought came to mind—

KAAAAA-BOOM!

A tremendous explosion shakes the ship.

“Guh!?”

Even though it’s a massive fleet, the impact of the shockwave was felt.

Given the size, it was clearly extraordinary, so Ssa-Jo quickly turns his head to look at the observer.

“What is going on!”

“T-There was an explosion on the ground!”

“On the ground?!”

“L-Let me bring it up on the video!”

The ground image appears on the command bridge screen.

There, a massive crater was gouged out, as if a giant had pounded the surface with a fist.

At a glance, it’s clear that an enormous amount of explosives was used. And that makes Ssa-Jo even more confused.

Even if they stack a ridiculous amount of explosives, they should know that such attacks can’t reach us while we’re floating in the air.

So why detonate the bombs?

Puzzling situations continue to arise, plunging Ssa-Jo into confusion.

What is it?

What are they after?

“Eh… Ehh?”

The soldier’s stunned voice interrupts his thoughts.

“What is it now!”

Turning with irritation in his voice, Ssa-Jo sees the pale face of the soldier facing him.

“L-Lord Admiral. Under the caves…!”

“Under the caves?”

“N-New… large organic signals… are emerging!”

“What?!”

The ground shakes.

– KIIIIEEEEEE!!

A mysterious, horrifying scream seeps out of the cracks in the torn ground.

The faint tremor grows stronger, transforming into a fierce earthquake, swallowing everything around it.

The ground violently cracks and crumbles.

And, something emerges from deep below.

A loud roar shakes the sky.

Dirt and sand are thrown explosively skyward.

Between the fissures in the cracked earth, countless tentacles covered in mucus burst out.

And, a red flower-like bud slowly rises from the dark abyss.

However, this “flower” is far too large to be a simple plant.

Large enough to make mining equipment look like toys.

Its mouth splits wide open, revealing a dense black abyss lined with grinding teeth.

– KIIIIIEEEEEEE!!!

A roar filled with fury.

The named Cryptid and event boss.

Earth Eater.

That monster turns its hostility towards the Third Fleet.

…

At the same time, in the destroyer’s command bridge.

Beep, Beep.

The last device, designated to send signals at each stage of the operation, lights up.

The signal means that the Earth Eater has awakened.

“Edu, is that the signal…?”

“Yeah, looks like the plan is working.”

“So, shouldn’t we make a move?”

“Yeah.”

As they stretch out their hands, they issue commands to their respective marionettes in their positions.

“Engine startup!”

[Engine startup, ship mobilizing.]

From an unimaginably high altitude where the battlefield looks like a fingernail.

Above a thick layer of clouds, the golden destroyer awakens from its slumber.

The dark mass occupying the ship’s front, surrounded by golden tiles, resembles a hammer.

“Shall we deliver the final blow then?”

At that moment, the vast sky shakes with the roar of engines coming to life.