My mech shattered yet another drone squadron, breaking through as if cleaving through fragments. With a bursting sound, debris filled my vision and scattered into space. Metal fragments struck the mech's exterior, causing small sparks, but I did not slow down.
But even behind them, drones were still overflowing.
"......How many have they hidden?"
Seeing the number of enemy signals displayed on the HUD, I frowned. The number of destroyed units had already exceeded 50, but on the contrary, enemy responses on the radar continued to increase. They were pouring out endlessly, as if a beehive had been disturbed.
On the mech's sensors, endlessly multiplying enemy signals were being detected. Despite repeated shoot-downs, the numbers were actually increasing. Hangars hidden throughout the asteroid field were appearing one by one, continuously spitting out new drones.
The newly appearing drones were different from the previous ones. They were faster, more precise, and, most importantly, seemed to have learning capabilities. Analyzing my patterns, they were responding more and more effectively.
"Tsk, now they're even learning, huh."
The moment I muttered, three drones formed a triangular formation and attacked simultaneously. It was a distinctly different, organized movement from the previous drones.
-KWAANG!
I dodged by a hair's breadth, but their coordinated attack was extremely precise. It was a tactic where one unit drew attention from the front, while the other two flanked in a pincer movement.
I sharply turned the mech and counterattacked. The blade flashed and cut the drone on the left in half, but the remaining two immediately widened their distance and regrouped.
Just then, Elena's urgent communication rang out again.
[Another asteroid fortress...! At least three have been confirmed. They keep appearing around us!]
"What?"
I quickly widened my view. Indeed, asteroid fortresses were appearing.
As hundreds of beams were fired from the first fortress, the second and third fortresses also began shelling in succession. Crossfire traversed space, threatening the allied fleet.
"Colonel-nim, there's no end to this state."
As I asked over comms, Sheryl's Eclipse drew an elegant curve and simultaneously destroyed two drones.
[I think the same. If we keep fighting this war of attrition, we'll be the first to get exhausted.]
Sheryl was right. I don't know about myself, but other pilots would quickly lose stamina and get exhausted. We had to end this fight decisively before that.
[Lieutenant, we must focus our attack on the central fortress where Aaron Blake is.]
I also agreed with Sheryl.
"But it doesn't seem like it will be easy to approach."
The moment I spoke, a new change occurred in the central fortress. A huge hatch opened, and something slowly revealed itself from within.
It was a mobile weapon. But it was different from any mech I had seen so far. Enormous in size. An imposing silhouette covered in black armor.
"What... is that?"
The colossal mech slowly separated from the fortress and emerged into space. Its movements were fluid, unbefitting its size.
"Is that a drone too?"
But its movements were on a different level from ordinary drones. It displayed natural movements, as if controlled by a skilled pilot.
As the colossal mech raised its arm, in its hand was a massive weapon befitting the mech's size. It was a composite weapon, seemingly combining a beam cannon and projectile weapons.
-KWAHHHNG!
The colossal mech's first attack began. Its firepower was beyond imagination. With a single shot, an entire asteroid evaporated.
"Oh no..."
Sheryl and I quickly dodged, but everyone was horrified by its power. With such firepower, an ordinary battleship would be silenced in one hit.
The moment the colossal mech prepared its second attack, I maximized my output.
[Lieutenant!]
Sheryl shouted, but I was already charging towards the colossal mech. The size difference was overwhelming, but I had the advantage in maneuverability.
The colossal mech swung its fist. A fist the size of a small battleship flew towards me, its sheer size alone intimidating.
Dodging by a hair's breadth, I attacked its elbow joint. The blade pierced the armor, but the damage was minimal.
"The armor is too thick."
The colossal mech counterattacked. Several weapon pods separated from its back and unleashed a volley of attacks. Missiles, beams, and projectiles flew simultaneously.
[Jin Seoyun!]
Sheryl provided covering fire from the side, but the mech's armor lightly deflected our attacks.
"This won't do. Another way..."
Just then, from behind the colossal mech, I felt a strange presence. It was an energy surge, as if something was charging internally.
"No way..."
Its chest began to open. From within, a massive muzzle appeared. It was a beam cannon with firepower equivalent to a main battleship cannon.
[Dodge! That's a positron cannon!]
Sheryl's warning rang out. But with the charge almost complete, there wasn't enough time to dodge.
Just then, there was a new movement from the allied fleet.
[All fleet, prepare concentrated bombardment! Target is the colossal weapon!]
-KWAHHHNG!
The allied fleet's concentrated bombardment began. Hundreds of beams and missiles struck the colossal mech. Taking advantage of the interrupted charge, I quickly moved to its blind spot and aimed for the muzzle on its chest.
"Now!"
Imbuing the blade with maximum output, I thrust it into the mech's muzzle. Internal circuits seemed damaged as sparks began to fly.
Sheryl also focused her attack on the joint from the opposite side. With the allied fleet's continuous bombardment support added, the colossal mech's movements became noticeably sluggish.
But at that moment, from behind the colossal mech, a new weapon system deployed. Dozens of missile pods opened simultaneously, and missiles began to launch in all directions.
"Damn it!"
The missiles were targeting not only us but also the allied fleet. It seemed to be an area-of-effect attack, aiming to eliminate all enemies.
[All fleet, evade!]
Elena's urgent command rang out. But dozens of missiles were already flying in all directions. And even the drones and asteroid fortresses were concentrating their attacks on the fleet.
"Colonel-nim, we must help the fleet!"
[I know. But if we retreat here...]
I made a decision.
"Colonel-nim, I'll ask you to support the fleet. I'll stop that bastard even if I'm alone."
[......Understood. Lieutenant, be careful.]
Sheryl pulled back, and I charged towards the colossal mech again.
From its back, dozens of small units separated and emerged. Each moved independently and began to surround me.
"Are those remote-controlled weapons?"
The separated units were overwhelming in number. Over 50 small weapons were aiming at me from all directions.
Simultaneously, beam attacks began.
-KWANG! KWANG! KWANG!
Dodging the beams flying from all directions, I sharply turned. But because there were so many, complete evasion was impossible.
Several beams grazed my mech. The armor was scorched and smoke rose.
"This is endless."
I activated the system. Though it would cause severe overload, I thought it was the right time to use it.
As I pressed the red button, the thrusters on its back temporarily entered overload mode. Instantly, maneuverability improved by more than three times.
At super high speed, I pierced through the small weapons, shooting them down one by one.
I shot down over 10 small weapons, but nearly 40 still remained.
Just then, it prepared a new attack.
Ignoring the remaining small weapons, I went straight for the colossal mech. I had to approach before its charge was complete.
Simultaneously shooting down small units with my beam rifle, I blew off its head with a high-output cannon from above its head.
-KWAANG! KWAANG!
"This is the end."
I raised the blade to maximum output. Blue energy sharply gathered, and the blade radiated light. I thrust that blade directly into the center of the mech's abdomen. A high-frequency vibrating sound, as if screaming, resonated throughout the entire mech.
"Die...!"
-KWANG!!!!
With an explosion, the colossal mech's upper body was destroyed, and flames erupted into space. The ensuing chain explosions stimulated its internal energy core, and amidst the smoke rising like black smog, the mech completely disintegrated.
As soon as the fierce battle with the colossal mech ended, without a moment's rest, I immediately headed for the central fortress where Aaron Blake was likely hiding.
"Let's see your face."
I attacked the fortress's outer wall and began to bore a hole.
Although the armor was thick, under continuous attack, cracks slowly appeared. Finally, I succeeded in boring a hole in the fortress's outer wall and infiltrating its interior.
The interior of the fortress was quiet, contrary to expectations. But that silence was even more ominous. Complicatedly branching passages, surveillance equipment installed everywhere, and numerous weapon systems lined along the walls.
"It's strangely quiet."
The moment I muttered, suddenly, the passage's lights turned red. An alarm began to blare, and the weapon systems on the walls simultaneously activated.
[Intruder detected. Elimination protocol activated.]
A mechanical voice echoed throughout the entire fortress. Simultaneously, defensive drones poured out from various parts of the passage.
I immediately tried to respond. But at that moment, suddenly, the drones all stopped and opened a path. As if inviting me to come this way.
'What's their game?'
It was a strange situation. They had just activated the elimination protocol, but now they were suddenly opening a path.
But there was no choice. Anyway, to find Aaron Blake, I had to go deep into the fortress.
I cautiously moved along the path opened by the drones. Dozens of drones on both sides were silently escorting me. They were in a posture to attack at any moment, but for now, they were just watching.
The path led deeper and deeper. The passage narrowed, and eventually, a section appeared where the mech could no longer proceed.
In front, there was only a human-sized entrance.
"Are they telling me to get out here?"
I opened the cockpit. Extending my body into the zero-gravity space outside, after checking my equipment, I slowly descended from the mech and stood before the entrance.
The door opened by itself. A door just wide enough for one person to pass through. Inside was dark, and the only illumination was a single line of floor lighting. A long beam of light, as if guiding me.
I slowly walked along that path. Only the sound of my footsteps echoed in the silent passage. Both walls were in complete darkness, and only the light beneath my feet guided the way forward.
'It could be a trap.'
The passage was longer than I expected. How many minutes had I walked? Finally, a faint light began to appear ahead.
The end of the passage. A vast circular hall appeared.
A massive dome-shaped ceiling, and hundreds of monitors densely filling the walls. Each displayed scenes from different wars.
And at its center. On a single chair, a man was sitting.
Leaning his back against the chair, his head was bowed. I cautiously approached him.
"Are you Aaron Blake?"
Only then did he slowly raise his head. Lifeless eyes. But within them, I felt something still burning.
"Pleasure to meet you. I am Aaron Blake."