Chapter 315: Fortress Assault Operation (2)

[It was exactly as per the coordinates you gave us. After checking the logs left at the facility, it turned out it had been operational for well over three days, and nearly a thousand artificial bodies seemed to have already been cultivated. When we arrived, they were already churning out living flesh, calling it human.]

“Understood. Were there any other unusual findings?”

[……I don’t know if I’m understanding this correctly, but it seems they intended to insert artificially configured combat data into the brains of these cultivated artificial bodies and use them as slaughter dolls.]

Felix mumbled in a sour voice, letting out a low sigh.

[That those who defended Vulcan’s defenses would fall this far… It’s truly regrettable.]

“Aargh!!!”

Upon hearing those words, the Colonel twisted his previously stiff face and began to shriek madly.

Even after being completely impaled by the hyper-vibration spear, could he still have had the strength to resist like that?

But Lennok could, to some extent, understand the Colonel’s thoughts.

Shame, insult, contempt, lost honor, and glory’s end. For a single purpose, all could be endured.

But even so, pity was intolerable.

It was proof that everything they had done so far held no meaning, that they were merely traitors who had already abandoned everything.

Even with his internal organs and blood vessels utterly crushed, the Colonel thrashed wildly, reaching out.

Just as Lennok stared blankly at the scene.

Swish!

Ilya, who stood beside him, neatly severed the Colonel’s neck with her spear, like a flash of lightning.

The superhuman body, having already lost its combat capabilities, was absurdly cleanly cut, rolling onto the ground.

Everyone present remained silent, mourning the end of a soldier who had once protected their city.

Aris, who had been watching with her arms crossed, asked.

“Do you think it had an effect?”

“Undoubtedly.”

Pallard replied.

“There was a reason we didn’t put the Antares Mercenary Group on the front lines until now. They’re an elite armed force with moderate tendencies, yet each member is a high-level skilled individual… To utilize their strength most effectively, Van’s method was the best.”

It wasn’t that Dylan and Milla suddenly got busy and thus couldn’t help Lennok until now.

Rather, Lennok persuaded the Antares office, which was supposed to respond to Meyer’s summons, to keep their movements completely secret until now.

Since it was recognized that the Defense Force Headquarters’ objective wasn’t merely within the city, we also needed to hide a trump card to turn the situation around.

And Lennok’s plan proved precisely accurate.

As soon as they obtained the location information of the Artificial Cultivation Facility transferred from the restricted area, a mercenary assault unit, organized around the bird-headed giant Felix, was dispatched.

While drawing attention on this side, they simultaneously succeeded in destroying the cultivation facility through a diversionary operation.

Given that Defense Force Headquarters and Gearsight had been collecting combat data from freelancers within the city with the intention of cultivating artificial humans via Artificial Cultivation Facility and replenishing their workforce, destroying that plan itself wasn’t difficult.

The important thing was how efficiently they could carry out the operation to minimize losses.

Without the mercenary group’s infiltration operation, which even deceived their own allies, it would have been impossible.

[It wasn’t as if we had no losses.]

Felix said in a slightly lowered voice.

[Just as you said, Van, some Gearsight combatants were managing the facility. It would have been dangerous if the Defense Force’s attention hadn’t been focused on them.]

“I know. From now on, things won’t be as easy as before.”

Lennok replied, slowly turning his gaze towards the sky beyond the satellite city.

“After all, if we can’t capture that, everything we’ve done so far will be meaningless.”

Whoosh!!

The hot blast, caused by the Antares Mercenary Group blowing up the Artificial Cultivation Facility, was pushing away the dense fog that filled the city.

What emerged from beyond the dissipating fog was not a clear sky, but an incredibly sturdy steel fortress.

Rumble!!

As the Mobile Fortress, which had reached and settled in the outermost reaches of the satellite city, began to reveal itself, everyone held their breath.

Blocking the skies over the city’s outskirts, the fortress’s imposing presence, with thousands of muzzles aimed at the ground, seemed utterly unrelated to the Defense Force’s collapse, and was overwhelmingly formidable.

Only now, to confront the strategic weapon where all of the Defense Force’s power was condensed, had all preparations finally begun.

Inside a dark room, where even direction and altitude couldn’t be discerned.

An old man, turning his gaze from the scenery visible through the window, faintly distorted his expression.

“Villen… died in action?”

[I don’t know the name.]

Beyond the alien communication mixed with mechanical sounds.

An emotionless voice replied.

[In any case, it is true that the unit blocking the main road entering the satellite city was annihilated, and simultaneously, the cultivation facility located in the right rear was destroyed.]

“……”

[In that process, our side, which was managing the cultivation facility, suffered considerable damage. Some of the ‘numberings’ who were managing the data you collected were hit.]

“……I see.”

[How do you intend to take responsibility for this damage, Lieutenant General Treffen?]

The sharp-featured old man with greying hair.

Lieutenant General Treffen, the highest decision-maker of the Defense Force Headquarters, who held the outer front lines under his command as a Lieutenant General of the Defense Force.

But now, he merely sat in the Mobile Fortress’s command room, watching and listening to the unfolding situation.

He no longer knew when things had come to this. Or why he alone had fallen so far behind.

Only that by the time this position, which he had so desperately yearned for, became his, it was already too late for everything.

The contraction and collapse of the Defense Force were inevitable.

He thought it unavoidable that his subordinates chose to retire and leave the military.

But he couldn’t tolerate this position, which he had so painstakingly acquired, losing its luster.

That was why he hadn’t refused the hand they extended.

Even if it meant betraying all the values he had upheld, the prestige of the headquarters had to continue.

Because that was the only way to prove that his time dedicated to the military hadn’t been in vain.

[It seems it’s about time to consider the final proposal we offered.]

Was it a delusion if the rigid mechanical voice sounded like a sweet temptation?

[Lieutenant General Treffen. If only you so wish, this entire situation can be dramatically overturned.]

“……”

[You know well how much effort we put into preparing for this. It won’t take long. There will be no pain. But that deepest desire will be close to eternity.]

Only then did Treffen understand why they were called the Machine Cult, even though they didn’t take the form of a religion.

The proposal of a superhuman who had attained perfect intellect and wisdom through the study of magic engineering.

The proposal that he had initially thought not even worth considering, when he first received it, now began to sound like the most rational and reasonable advice.

Treffen’s head tilted very slowly.

Only then did the voice, for the first time, emit sounds other than conveying intention.

[That’s right… I knew you couldn’t refuse. You will be able to become one with the symbol you so desperately craved.]

Behind Treffen, who had dropped his head deeply, the weighty silhouette of the Mobile Fortress was faintly visible.

Immediately after occupying the main road leading to the satellite city’s center, the group immediately entered a brief meeting.

Due to the magnetic storm raging nearby, communication had been difficult until now.

The moment such power gathered in one place, it was necessary to explain the operation and move as quickly as possible.

“Five Archmage-level practitioners. Dozens of 6th-level military-grade ability users. Plus hundreds of battle-hardened veterans and Agent operatives.”

Pallard, with a face devoid of any emotion, uttered grand words.

“Commanding a superhuman unit of this scale is a first since I started wearing a tie. I may be lacking, but I’ll do my best.”

“Enough with the nonsense, let’s get to the point.”

Hina cut off his gibberish with a cold expression. Pallard clicked his tongue and corrected himself.

“It’s fortunate that Van’s plan succeeded, narrowing the target to just one. Originally, we would have had to divide our forces to attack both the Artificial Cultivation Facility and the Mobile Fortress simultaneously.”

In the previous battle, the Antares Mercenary Group’s achievement in destroying the cultivation facility was significant.

Not only did it nullify the activities of the Defense Force’s intelligence units, which had been continuously operating covertly within the city, but it also effectively blocked any possibility of the Defense Force’s strength increasing further.

In the Mobile Fortress capture operation, the mere act of reducing two positive variables for the opposing side held great significance.

“Since we intentionally kept the Colonel alive and made him hear the conversation, relevant information would have flowed to the Headquarters and Gearsight as well.”

Hina adjusted her glasses and continued.

“If they realized we obtained the location information for the restricted area’s transferred facility, they wouldn’t dare disperse their forces carelessly.”

“What’s left now is to keep pressing deeper into the satellite city, narrowing the battlefield.”

Lennok extinguished the burning cigarette end, and nodded.

“The narrower the battlefield becomes, the less room the Mobile Fortress will have to operate. We minimize the range where firepower can be projected, and directly confront the Defense Force generals to seize control of the fortress.”

The Defense Force’s coup.

Its core is the Mobile Fortress itself, capable of projecting enough firepower to establish and maintain a front line merely by its presence.

Without the fortress’s existence and firepower, even the demands of the Defense Force Headquarters, who intend to hold Vulcan’s citizens hostage, would hold little meaning.

This naturally makes it possible to thwart Gearsight’s plans, which are cooperating with the Headquarters.

“If we put aside the Defense Force units scattered around the satellite city for now, what needs to be done immediately are three things.”

Lennok picked up a pen over the tactical table, which had been unfolded from the command vehicle.

“How to approach the Mobile Fortress, how to seize its control, and…”

“How to deal with the Headquarters’ generals, I presume.”

Aris naturally picked up the conversation.

Her eyes met Lennok’s, and she continued.

“From what’s known, including Lieutenant General Treffen, there are three Major Generals who have reached Archmage-level… And considering Gearsight’s forces on top of that, we would be at a disadvantage.”

“You don’t need to worry.”

The bird-headed giant, Felix, who stood with his arms crossed, uttered in a weighty voice.

“I don’t know about others, but Adamant Thunder and I are quite used to such matters. Two old geezers like them can be handled by me alone.”

Felix said that, and naturally turned his gaze towards Aris.

“Rather, Professor Richellen, I wish you would fall back and focus on supporting our firepower.”

“……That’s not something I can just ignore.”

Aris, raising her blue eyes, met Felix’s gaze.

A sharp tension instantly flowed between the two.

“I have no intention of retreating to a safe place while others go to the battlefield. I’ve been anticipating a battle with the generals since I joined the operation.”

“That’s not what I meant. It’s merely a matter of efficiency.”

Despite Aris’s words, Felix leisurely shook his head.

“Among those gathered here, there’s no one capable of providing fire support from the rear, except for Van and yourself. Even though Donovan has made significant contributions in establishing the front lines until now, it wouldn’t mean much against monsters around level 7.”

“……”

Even while maintaining the flow, the giant’s pleasantly calm words had everyone around them unconsciously listening closely.

“Once the meeting is over, we’ll attempt to infiltrate to capture the fortress, but it’s also true that we need a battery capable of observing the situation and providing fire support from the rear. Am I wrong?”

“You mean…”

“If possible, I’d like to place both Van and you in the rear line to prepare for variables, but given our current strength, we can’t afford that luxury. Wouldn’t it be right to put Adamant Thunder, who has worked with us, on the front line?”

Just as he had nullified the Defense Force’s strength on the main road with Lennok just before, someone needed to unleash firepower across a wide area and exert power from the rear.

In truth, Aris likely knew this fact as well.

But the reason she insisted on stepping up to the front line now and participating directly in combat was—

“If not for the Professor, Van would have eventually had to take on that role. Thanks to Professor Richellen’s participation, the possibility of operating on both the front and rear lines has significantly increased.”

“……Understood.”

Aris, listening to Felix’s calm persuasion, finally backed down.

“Once the operation begins, I’ll try to focus on rear fire support. However, I will make my own judgments on the battlefield situation and cooperate accordingly.”

“That’s not an area I can interfere with. It certainly wasn’t meant to imply a lack of trust in the Professor’s judgment.”

Felix’s words and actions, gently backing down until the very end and elevating Aris, strongly showed the demeanor of a manager leading the Antares office from within.

While Lennok was secretly admiring him, Felix subtly stepped back, and winked at Lennok.

“Good job, right?”

“……What do you mean?”

“You, no doubt, would have wanted to fight on the front lines, so I took pre-emptive action. This way, the Professor won’t have to fight on the front lines in your place, will she?”

“……”

“Since I last saw you, I’ve heard many stories about you from various places. I never knew you enjoyed combat so much.”

Felix seemed to be under such a strange delusion that Lennok had no idea where to even begin replying.

Felix patted Lennok’s shoulder, who stood with his mouth slightly open, a cigarette in his lips.

“Since our companies have formed an alliance, I’ll make sure to take good care of you from now on, so don’t worry.”

As Lennok watched Felix’s retreating back, Davi mumbled from within his coat.

[I thought he was a smart person, but there was a reason he had a bird’s head after all.]

“……I told you not to say things like that.”

Lennok decided he would never mention the fact that he harbored similar thoughts himself.