CH 22

A Forceful Reconnaissance

“They are everywhere!”

“Now you can pick whichever opponent you like right!”

“Isn’t it more like we’re rats in a cage!?”

Kisei and Saki have such a conversation while avoiding the beams flying at them from all directions. The number of enemy strikers is more than 30. In addition, there are 4 battleships and multiple escorts consisting of several battlecruisers and destroyers. Since they put themselves in this situation, it could be called an act of suicide.

“No matter how many there are!”

A green beam fired from Kisei’s blaster rifle pierced through the abdomen of an enemy [Jetta]. While gracefully avoiding dozens of return fires, Kisei fires another shot and scores himself another one.

“I will take them all down! That’s how I do things!”

“Can’t you be more considerate toward someone who has to accompany you!”

Even while complaining to Kisei, Saki’s movement did not show any openings. By using the thrusters on the cloak-like armor covering the [Dainsleif], she skillfully accelerated toward the enemy. And with a single flash from her sword, the shield-bearing [Jetta] was bisected.

“Well, sorry about that. Ahahahahahaha!!”

“You’re totally not sorry about this at all!!”

Saki raised an agonizing cry but the Noredian side also shared her sentiment. After all, despite the fact that they have a large fleet, they are having a hard time fighting against two strikers. From both side’s perspectives, this battle is outrageous.

“Damn it, I thought that the first guy was crazy but the one following behind is insane too!”

“Take some distance! Fighting against a Zenith is a bad idea!”

“Even if you say that……UWAH!”

The muzzle of Kisei’s blaster rifle flashed again. And although they had already taken an evasive maneuver, the enemy striker’s abdomen was struck by the blaster beam. It was a high-precision shooting that almost gave the illusion that the beam just home into their striker.

“It’s not like we are any safer away from them right! I’m going in! Cover me!”

An impatient pilot rushed her [Jetta] toward the [Caliburn-Revive] with its longsword unsheathed.

“You idiot! Damn it!”

Her wingman had no choice but to provide support fire as she rushed in. In response, Kisei grinned and returned fire. The two beams collide in the empty space and scatter into particles of light.

“You are kidding……”

“That’s the spirit! I will play with you!”

Kisei let go of the anti-ship grenade launcher and took out a photon saber with the [Caliburn-Revive]’s left hand. The two strikers fly past each other and bright sparks scatter.

“Even if I lose in power…….!”

The [Jetta] skillfully parried Kisei’s photon saber. The pilot is confident enough in her swordsmanship to challenge Kisei into close-quarter combat. However, Kisei pulls the trigger on his control stick. The head-mounted machine guns fire at the [Jetta]. The small-caliber bullets do not have enough penetration power to get through a striker’s armor but what Kisei aimed at was the enemy’s main camera.

“Tsk!”

While switching to the sub-camera, the pilot holds up a shield to defend against Kisei’s advance. However, Kisei had already read she would do that. He sneaked around to the side and stuck his pile bunker to the [Jetta]’s flank. Accompanied by a crushing sound, the [Jetta]’s engine was pierced and ceased to function. Kicking away the [Jetta] which was rendered a piece of junk, Kisei retracted the stake and fired a wire gun at the waist of the [Caliburn-Revive].

“It would be bad if I lost this.”

The wire gun hooks the anti-ship grenade launcher which was floating idly in space with its special suction anchor and instantly rewinds it back to the [Caliburn-Revive] while the photon saber has already been put away at the hardpoint on the chest.

“Oi, Hokuto!”

Saki shouted at him with a serious voice. However, Kisei does not answer and simply shoots his rifle behind him. The [Jetta] that was taking aim at Kisei from behind was shot through.

“I know, Thank you!”

“Tsk, I told you I’d have your back right!”

Saki replied with a bitter smile. Her voice was a mixture of relief and amazement. Let alone behind him, it seems that this man has no blindspot.

“Anyway, we managed to get closer to their fleet. They are worried about friendly fire so they can’t fire a barrage at us. It’s your chance! Go!”

“Okay, Okay, leave them to me!”

Kisei floors the pedal. The [Caliburn- Revive] then shot straight like an arrow toward the enemy fleet. It is impossible for the mass-produced strikers to catch up to a newly built Zenith. Several strikers take aim with their blaster rifles to try stopping him but Saki fires her submachine gun at them, preventing their sniping.

“Uu…..gh, the G…….”

Kisei groans while enduring the G from the acceleration. With the [Caliburn-Revive] being a high-performance unit, the acceleration was painful for Kisei’s fragile body. However, if he wants to win this, he has no choice but to bear it.

When he flew out of the battle line, the enemy fleet’s anti-aircraft guns resumed fire at the [Caliburn-Revive]. Not only the normal anti-aircraft blaster cannon, but the high-power blaster cannon of the battleships’ main guns also ruthlessly fired toward him.

“Uwehh….I’m gonna vomit……Ughh, like hell I’m going to get hit by that!”

Although he was already screaming from the pain, his evasion maneuvers are still sharp. There, he finally reached the broadside of his targeted battleship.

“LET’S GO!”

Kisei shouted so and grit his teeth while pulling up the control stick. The [Caliburn-Revive] then immediately rose up. With a blaster rifle in one hand and an anti-ship grenade launcher in another, Kisei pulled the trigger. Beams and missiles fly toward the enemy battleship. The radar array installed on the bridge was blown off and a moment later, the missile made its impact, causing a huge explosion at the propulsion engine.

But it doesn’t end there. Kisei continued to pull the trigger until the 4-slot magazine of the grenade launcher was empty. The empty magazine then automatically ejects out the back and Kisei accelerates his striker once again.

“As I thought, that’s not enough huh…….”

While flying away from the exploding battleship, Kisei looks back to confirm the destruction of his target. However, some of the huge armored thruster nozzles of the battleship are still operating. It would be difficult to say that this battleship has been incapacitated. Seeing that, Kisei smiled under a rough breath.

“Alright then, one more time!”

After mounting the blaster rifle at the hardpoint located on the hips, Kisei reloaded the grenade launcher with a new magazine. Then, while avoiding the barrage of anti-aircraft bullets, he turned back and accelerated toward the battleship.