Chapter 316: Fortress Assault Operation (3)
As I gave up trying to clear up Felix’s misunderstanding and turned my head, the others’ words continued.
Having each carried out and experienced this operation from different positions, there was an excessive amount of information to exchange.
“The secret facilities relocated inside the Delta satellite city are two: an Artificial Cultivation Facility and a nuclear fission reactor.”
“The Mobile Fortress is positioned near the coordinates of the reactor facility. They probably intend to recharge the fortress’s power source in that vicinity.”
“What about attacking the reactor itself to blow up the Mobile Fortress?”
“That would be difficult. It would practically be a form of mutual suicide, and detonating the reactor itself won’t be easy. Even if it’s a partially relocated facility, it will likely have dozens of safety measures.”
It was an ingenious idea, but one with too high an investment cost and even greater risks.
“So, it all comes down to directly confronting the generals…”
“If Lieutenant General Treffen dies, control of the fortress will pass sequentially to other major generals. If all the generals are killed, there will be a temporary vacuum in the chain of command.”
“We can seize that opportunity to take over the authority and capture the fortress.”
“As it’s military equipment, it will have a self-destruct sequence built-in for contingencies. Even if we activate the sequence and keep the general from stopping it, that’s a success.”
“Doesn’t that effectively mean detonating the reactor and committing self-destruction?”
“……”
In the chillingly quiet atmosphere, Pallard quickly cleared his throat, attempting to salvage the situation.
“That’s just one method among others. The important thing is to move with that kind of resolve and ensure the operation’s success. If we lack even this much flexibility, how can we possibly work together?”
“……”
“However, what bothers me is that these aren’t the only two relocated facilities in this vicinity.”
Pallard subtly turned his head, changing the subject.
“Among the information retrieved from the Sector 6 archives, this area nearby was particularly missing data. There are two more unidentified relocated facilities in the desert region surrounding the Delta satellite city. It would be good if we could confirm those, but…”
“Time is too pressing. The Mobile Fortress will move immediately once its power source finishes charging at the reactor.”
Hina said with a solemn expression.
“Once the Mobile Fortress starts advancing, simply getting a clear entry route becomes extremely difficult. We must finish it here.”
The mere fact that the fortress itself will shift and move severely narrows the possible entry routes for us.
In effect, there’s only one way: targeting the moving fortress’s flanks and rear to get on board. But that creates a situation where our forces would be too easily shot down during the attempt.
Now, while it’s charging its power source near the reactor, is virtually the most opportune moment.
“…That’s true.”
Pallard’s expression was somewhat unsettled.
He seemed to be forcibly holding back something he wanted to say.
Instead of dismissing the sight as nothing, Lennok carefully stored it in his memory and stepped forward.
“Then, let’s now form the teams for infiltrating the Mobile Fortress and commence the operation.”
Lennok said, swiftly rotating the holographic map displayed on the operations table with a mere gesture.
The three-dimensional map of the Delta satellite city contained within the Urban Expansion and Development Plan data.
And nearby, the sight of the Mobile Fortress, possessing an enormous area half the size of the satellite city.
Lennok, amplifying the entire map in an instant by flicking his mana, placed three bright blue arrows on the front of the 3D map.
“There are three entry routes in total. The assault will begin once we successfully approach within approximately 3 km of the fortress.”
As his calm gaze swept over the assembly, the surroundings fell silent.
Lennok let out a sharp laugh and turned his head.
“It’s not that complicated, so you’ll have to follow well.”
A brief break was given after the operation briefing.
Considering the schedule Lennok and Pallard had painstakingly devised, this was virtually their last chance to catch their breath.
From Lennok’s perspective, having traveled for well over half a day in a command vehicle, the schedule was incredibly tight, but he had no intention of complaining.
Click!
He opened a case from inside his coat and took out a new cigarette, putting it to his lips.
On the rooftop of a ruined building, offering a clear view of the entire satellite city.
Lennok, perched on the railing with the cigarette in his mouth, subtly glanced down at the ground.
There was a reason Lennok, who struggled even with stairs, had bothered to climb all the way up here.
Fortunately, he found familiar golden hair not far away.
She was in the midst of discussing the agreed-upon entry routes with Hina. Even setting aside the matter of Lennok, she wouldn’t neglect this operation.
Only after confirming Aris’s presence did Lennok reach into his coat.
“Davi.”
[Human life is truly bothersome.]
The small fox spirit, squirming out from inside Lennok’s coat and climbing up his arm, stretched broadly.
[Why are you so interested in other people?]
“Do you want to discuss the social lives of spirits and humans?”
Lennok asked, pulling out various items from inside his coat.
“It’s an interesting topic, but we don’t have much time right now. I need your strength.”
Gearsight stands at the forefront of magic-engineering research. And our opponent is that colossal Mobile Fortress itself.
Naturally, Gearsight must have put some effort into modifying the Mobile Fortress.
We’ve already confirmed that Davi’s power works when facing Gearsight combatants.
It was no exaggeration to say that the Cyber-Electronic Spirit had boundless room to play a crucial role in this endeavor.
“Seizing control of the Mobile Fortress. Can you do it?”
Lennok wasn’t asking Davi this now without reason.
Through his recent experiences, he, as a fellow spirit user, could somewhat surmise that the Cyber-Electronic Spirit was at a crossroads.
The Gearsight combatant disguised as Rundel, Colonel Bilien who underwent physical modification, and even the data from the Artificial Cultivation Facility that Gearsight directly tampered with.
Davi’s growth, having directly and indirectly encountered Gearsight’s network and data that transcend existing magic-engineering levels, has been excessively steep.
Her recent increase in talkativeness was probably also a part of that growth.
And Lennok knew well that now, having so tightly expanded her experience and capacity, truly extraordinary things might become possible.
This spirit was created directly by Lennok himself, not by anyone else.
If there was any being who inherited his genius in its most complete form, who else could it be but his spirit?
[I think I’ll only know after directly contacting the fortress’s central circuit.]
Davi replied.
[The system network installed in a strategic weapon of this scale is extremely closed off; it’ll be difficult to even touch it without direct contact to interfere with the circuit.]
“Other obstacles?”
[Even after infiltrating the central circuit, I’ll need time to bypass all the firewalls and deceive the access permissions to gain control… And even if I get control, it won’t last long.]
Davi’s words flowed without hesitation, as if she had anticipated Lennok’s thoughts.
[Military weapons above a certain level are designed to go through a decision-making review process in every sequence each time they move. Even if a firewall is bypassed once, if an anomaly is detected the moment a command is given, the system will be immediately shut down. But…]
“But?”
[If Master helps me, it will certainly not be impossible.]
That last remark, filled with calm certainty.
It clearly showed the trust this spirit, who had spent no small amount of time with Lennok, possessed.
Lennok smiled faintly and gently stroked Davi’s head.
“You’ve grown so much. And you’ve even learned how to flatter.”
[I referenced ‘100 Phrases to Make Your Boss Happy’. Was it okay?]
“……”
[Just kidding. A joke.]
It was a little different from what Lennok expected, but the fact that Davi was gradually becoming more human-like wasn’t bad.
He didn’t know what it meant for a Cyber-Electronic Spirit’s nature to resemble a human more than a machine, but regardless, Lennok was quite fond of Davi.
Her subtly snarky personality, active interest in humans, clear ability in her specialized field, and a heart that subtly cared for Lennok while pretending not to.
The spirit, always hidden inside Lennok’s coat, was clearly a good conversational companion, even apart from her abilities.
“The problem will be how much I can support you. How far will spirit magic work…?”
[If we had researched with that woman for a bit longer, we would have seen tangible results, which is a shame.]
“Can’t be helped. Besides, you might not have been able to grow by siphoning Gearsight’s data this way.”
[That’s true. Without an analysis of those mechanical lumps’ technology, I wouldn’t even be able to touch the fortress system.]
It’s precisely because she absorbed some of the overwhelmingly high-level magic-engineering research results that she could even attempt to breach the fortress’s robust internal control system.
Both Lennok and Davi knew very well the fundamental reason why their thoughts could extend this far.
Lennok, lost in thought, slowly raised his head.
“Let’s try it.”
[…Are you sure?]
“I also thought it was still too early… But who knows when such an opportunity will come again for you.”
Lennok, having studied spirit magic with Aris and encountered various knowledge, understood when spirits grew.
A spiritual growth that significantly broadens the very horizon of their existence, by continuously facing environments and experiences beyond their own capabilities.
This probably happens because a spirit body itself is less a physical entity and more a manifestation of will materialized by mental power.
In that sense, even this very moment could be a huge opportunity for Davi.
Even if it placed some strain on Lennok, expanding Davi’s abilities and broadening their scope now would be a great help in the future.
Convinced of this, Lennok didn’t hesitate.
Davi swallowed hard and said.
[If I don’t wake up… please bury me in a toad house where I can look down on people as much as possible.]
“You’re being honest about your desires.”
Lennok chuckled.
“But if I thought it was dangerous, I wouldn’t have even tried.”
Whooosh!!
At that moment, a colorless ripple of energy emerged in Lennok’s hand and began to rotate gently.
“Because you’re my partner.”
Lennok looked down at the cluster of rotating, rippling light, then slowly brought it towards Davi.
Delta satellite city. 4 AM.
A time when mist and darkness enveloped everything, making it impossible to see clearly.
Supers, having completed their preparations without even a whisper, began to disappear one by one into the city’s mist.
There were three entry routes for assaulting the Mobile Fortress, situated at the rearmost part of the satellite city.
As their starting points differed, they needed to secure their positions before the execution time.
The operation’s start time was one hour later, at 5 AM.
The time just before dawn, when one is most susceptible to fatigue.
For them, outnumbered as they were, there weren’t many options.
It was fortunate enough that they could initiate the first strike of the operation.
Lennok watched his disappearing comrades, smoked his cigarette, then rose from his spot.
Even though it was the final operation, he had only switched to a handmade cigarette with a stronger effect than the one he’d been smoking.
He had no intention of going in heavily doped from the start.
The reason Lennok could force his condition higher by inhaling ampules, various elixirs, painkillers, and cigarettes was that the opponent and location of the fight had been clearly defined.
However, this time, only the objective of assaulting the fortress was clearly defined.
Other than dealing with Lieutenant General Treffen, neither the combat time nor location was precisely set.
Since a situation might arise during the operation requiring him to draw on reserve power, he needed to conserve and manage his stamina beforehand.
‘Considering the remaining amount of drugs and cigarettes, fighting at full power would be possible at most twice. My body won’t endure beyond that.’
While a regular firepower projection might be different, a one-on-one battle with a high-level super is a grueling ordeal for Lennok, gnawing away at his immense mental strength and nerves.
Even if he could manage and endure it with drugs once, from the second dosage, his life would be at risk.
Unless he meticulously chose the time and place to project his full power, it wouldn’t be strange if he collapsed before even encountering Treffen.
Until now, he had thoroughly moved alone, arbitrarily choosing the moments to fight, but it would be difficult in a large-scale operation like this, with so many powerful figures participating.
Although he had received special consideration for it, he still had to be careful.
As Lennok smoked his cigarette, his thoughts spiraling, a familiar voice came from behind him.
“What are you doing here alone?”
Aris slightly tilted her head, looking up at Lennok.
“…I was thinking about what needs to be done. I tend to play out situations in my head beforehand.”
“There’s not much time left until the operation begins.”
“I’ll be there soon.”
“……”
She didn’t reply. Lennok also remained silent.
A contradictory situation where each awaited the other’s answer.
It was Aris who first looked away.
“I learned a lot during the process of completing the Hierarchy.”
She opened her mouth, gazing blankly down at the ground, following Lennok’s line of sight.
“I realized that instead of anxiously searching for the answers I want, there’s also a need to wait.”
“Huh?”
“The Defense Force generals must have known that once too… That’s probably the end for those who lose their way.”
“……”
Aris’s blue eyes settled calmly.
“Let’s both do our best in this infiltration operation.”
Aris left only those words and turned to leave.
Lennok watched her retreating back for a while, then shifted his gaze upwards.
The gloomy darkness was receding, and the day was gradually brightening.
Dawn was breaking.
5 AM. Operation commenced.
The teams, positioned at their designated locations, began to sprint simultaneously, precisely in sync with the clocks they had set.
Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!!!
Three entry routes were conceived for this Mobile Fortress infiltration operation. The routes are as follows:
Approach via the main road near the satellite city, which was secured beforehand.
Internal infiltration through the reactor’s underground.
A surprise unit circling behind the city to strike the fortress’s rear.
[Don’t stop!! Step on the gas!!]
[Break through the blockade!! Get behind the barricades!!]
[Impact point confirmed, displaying on HUD. Get out of the way if you don’t want to die!!!]
KABOOOM!!!
Shouts and explosions incessantly echoed through the wireless earphones he wore.
One could imagine how fierce the battles unfolding at the other two entry routes must be.
‘Originally, I wanted to twist the entry routes much more complexly than this…’
As long as there was a limit to the number of available forces on their side, that was impossible.
No matter how he thought about it, the moment they acknowledged each other’s presence within this satellite city, this operation was the only best course of action.
A freelance unit centered around Aris would tie up the main force of the Defense Force on the main road.
An Agent unit, led by Ilya, would infiltrate near the reactor.
Lastly, the Antares Mercenary Group mercenaries, each a skilled individual with high mobility, would rapidly traverse the desert outside the city to take the fortress from the rear.
An intuitive yet simple operation that best utilized the specialties of the three-pronged teams, each possessing firepower, organizational strength, and mobility.
The goal was to disperse the command’s attention in three directions and cause confusion in the chain of command.
The important thing was for at least one of the three divided entry routes to penetrate the fortress first and assist the entry of the other routes.
An infiltration operation utterly impossible unless the three divided forces were precisely coordinated.
It would have been impossible to even attempt without the premise that Pallard, remaining in the command vehicle, would grasp and coordinate all situations in real-time.
If it was Pallard, who had risen to lead an organization like the Agents in place of the director, he wouldn’t make multiple blunders in this operation, at least.
He had handled every part that needed attention. Now, all that remained was to observe the situation.
Simultaneously with the movement of their forces, the Defense Force also began to respond.
The first to move was the colossal Mobile Fortress, which had until now remained motionless, filling one side of the satellite city’s sky.
ZZZING!!!
Thousands of artillery turrets mounted on the fortress walls simultaneously swiveled, rapidly completing their preheating and beginning to warm their muzzles.
As soon as targets were confirmed to be within shelling range, preparations for full volleys were complete.
As the strategic weapon, which had single-handedly maintained and supported the outer defense line, spewed fire, the dawn sky of the satellite city was covered in hundreds of falling stars.
KWA-GA-GA-GA-GA-GA-GA-GA!!!
“AAAAARRRGGHHH!!!”
“Maintain formation! Wait for rear support!!”
“Brace for impact!!!”
Freelancers, Agents, and Defense Force soldiers, having charged through the ceaseless rain of shells, clashed with full force.
It was the beginning of the Mobile Fortress Infiltration Operation.
And Lennok, without appearing anywhere amidst that chaos, was walking towards a certain place.
“……”
Only the distant booming sounds occasionally broke the silence, filling the desolate streets.
He slightly lowered the volume of the shouts coming through his earphones and raised his head.
A steel pillar filling his vision.
The tip of the Mobile Fortress’s leg, impossibly high, so much so that its end couldn’t be seen when viewed up close.
At the rearmost part of the satellite city. Lennok stood at the very end of the fortress’s support leg, located in the most secluded area there.
The three entry routes mentioned beforehand.
A fourth option belonging to none of them.
It was the result of all allies present accepting Lennok’s decision to move alone.
From the very beginning of planning the Mobile Fortress Infiltration Operation, Lennok had been calculating how to enter the fortress alone, without cooperating with others.