CH 133

A Hard Fight, Diaroze 4

“Pl, please stop! If we let you sortie then we will be in deep trouble you know!?”

In the storage deck of the [Prussia] where the air raid alarm is echoing, Kisei was trying to get past an MP.

“But there’s a whole army coming at us right now, isn’t it? If I don’t go out then it would be a disaster right?”

With a mask covering his mouth and a cooling pad on his forehead, Kisei who looked like the embodiment of a sick person argued back against the MPs while struggling to get through. It has been too long since the Noredian striker corp was spotted by the radar. If he doesn’t sortie right now, he won’t be able to make it in time to intercept them.

“We only have one escort unit with us, they can’t possibly handle over a hundred strikers alone!”

“T, that is certainly true but……”

The MP also understands that they are currently in a bind. However, Valentina emphasized that they should never allow Kisei to sortie. In fact, when she touched his body as she tried to stop him, she clearly felt how heated his body is, it’s clear that the cold is still ravaging his body. Using her common sense, she judged that she should not allow someone in such a condition to be on the battlefield.

“Seriously, I beg you…….I will convince Valentina later so that you guys will not be punished okay…….”

“Uuh…….”

Being suddenly told that with such a tone, the MP wavered. Then she noticed that Kisei is looking at them with an upturned gaze. Since she was trying to restrain him, the distance between them is less than 10cm. His unworldly beautiful face was just a breath away from her and her heart started racing.

“B, But……”

“Is it no good……?”

“I, I guess there’s no other way…….”

The MP unintentionally let go of him. Her colleague let out a scream but it was already too late. Kisei ran up to a spare [Jetta] at the end of the deck and operated the maintenance crane with familiar movements before jumping into the cockpit.

“Alright, this one’s already warmed up. I can go out right away.”

He quickly readies the striker and directed it to the launch deck. No one could stop him since they were already panicking by the enemy’s surprise attack.

“I’m heading out! Get clear!”

After warning the nearby crew using the outer speaker, Kisei took off at full speed. Since he knows that they would never give him permission to sortie, he didn’t use the catapult this time.

“Uhgh, my head is pounding….”

Kisei muttered with a frown. He managed to sortie but he knows that his condition is not perfect. Glancing at the radar, he found that the enemy had already closed in quite a bit. His ally interceptors have already engaged them but they are being forced back due to the fact that the enemy has more than twice as many strikers attacking them.

“Th, this is bad……..they already made it halfway through.”

If they could intercept the enemy at a position a little further away from the fleet, he should be able to keep them there but at this distance, it will be difficult to completely repel the enemy anti-ship units. If he engages one, another will surely take a shot at the fleet. Battleships aside, their destroyer-class and cruiser-class can be fatally damaged by striker’s anti-ship armaments.

“For the time being, I have no choice but to reduce their number as much as possible huh.”

Blowing the thruster, he heads directly toward the enemy. Several [Jettas] with anti-ship armaments had already broken through the interception unit and were flying toward his direction.

“We have a newcomer!”

“What can they do with a single machine? Crush them!”

Red rays from the enemy blaster rifles flooded toward Kisei. At the same time, two of them were instantly taken down by the bullets deflected by his photon saber.

“U, Uwahhh!! It’s the [Wicked Star]!? Why he’s in a [Jetta]!?”

Since there’s no other pilot who can do something like this, the Noredian soldiers immediately realized the identity of their opponent.

“C, Calm down! Her Highness told us that the [Wicked Star] is not to be touched! There’s no need for us to face him head-on!”

Their commander hurriedly said so. Since Diaroze’s goal was to recapture Kisei, it’s a matter of course that they were ordered to not harm him. Naturally, Diaroze also understands that he is not someone that can easily get shot down even if they go all out but………she’s still afraid that he might get hurt in the unlikely case.

“Unn? Nn!?”

The lack of hostility from his opponents puzzled Kisei. At best, they only shot at his general direction from a distance. With a frown, Kisei fired his rifle. A striker was shot down even without him aiming but the other strikers immediately took cover.

“Th, this is so troublesome……”

If they try to rush him then he can handle them however he wants. However, if they are being so careful like this, even Kisei will not be able to consecutively shoot them down. While he was pondering what to do, a striker with anti-ship equipment broke through.

“Nn!?”

Normally, he would be able to shoot it down without breaking a sweat but this time, he has trouble aiming due to his fever. Meanwhile, a fierce suppressing fire came at him and he had to prioritize evading.

“Th, this is bad……”

Seeing [Jetta] that got through is moving farther and farther away from him, Kisei’s expression stiffened. Since they are piloting the same model of striker, it is difficult to catch up when they take distance. At this rate, the fleet will be in danger. Then, Kisei’s face turned blue.

“You noticed huh.”

A thick crimson beam poured down from the sky accompanied by the frosty emotionless voice. The [Jetta] that was approaching the fleet with its anti-ship grenade launcher was shot down to the sea surface. The seawater evaporated from the beam’s impact and the nearby area was covered in white mist.

“The method to avoid fighting the [Wicked Star].”

Another beam shot through another [Jetta]. The Noredian soldiers were confused and tried to search for their enemy but they could find nothing on the radar.

“I’m an idiot so it took me some time but.”

The third and fourth shots continue to rain down and the Noredian strikers are being shot down one by one.

“If I don’t want to fight the [Wicked Star], I just have to join his side………..”

Kisei silently looked up at the sky. There, a purple striker was holding a long barrel blaster cannon which is twice its height.

“L, Liren-sama! Y, You are betraying us—–!?”

Echoed the heartbreaking scream of the Noredian soldiers.