"A swarm of nobodies!"
Like ants to sugar, enemy units rushed me—Lions, Garlions, mass-produced Gespenst Mk-IIs. A few rarities stood out: Landlions, ground-type Lions, and even some new-model El Eins units.
"Captain, it's about time we pull back," Echidna's voice crackled over the comm.
I scanned the surroundings. As the rearguard, my team was alone—friendlies had already withdrawn.
It'd been two weeks since Vindel briefed me on Plan EF, and retreat battles like this were becoming routine.
"W16, my unit's got the ASRS, so I'll handle the rearguard. Take W1 through W3 and go. You know the rendezvous point."
The Grow Savior's new Gleipnir system, mounted on both manipulators, let me wield Psychokinesis Fields as threads via the T-LINK System. Two weeks of combat had made me a master of it. I spun a spiderweb of threads across the enemy's advance route, ensnaring airborne pursuers like butterflies in a net. Caught off-guard, the trapped units panicked, firing thrusters to break free. Releasing the Gleipnir at that moment sent them careening—ideally into the ground or their own allies.
This tactic couldn't destroy enemies, though—purely a stalling move. Slicing them with the Gleipnir was possible, as Lemon said, but my Level 10 Psychokinesis drained fast when sharpening the threads to cut through units. In a quick skirmish, fine, but as the rearguard, collapsing from exhaustion would defeat the purpose.
"Lemon-sama ordered me to—"
"Protect me, I know. But your Laz Angriff's built for stationary firefights, not this kind of battle."
"…Understood. We'll meet at the rendezvous."
Was Echidna getting more human lately, or was that my imagination? Lamia was supposed to be the one softening up, not her. I hoped it wasn't because I was putting her through too much. Glancing at the Laz Angriff retreating with the three mass-produced Ws, I shook off the thought.
"Now, let's keep these guys entertained a bit longer."
I deployed twenty Phantoms across the battlefield, their lasers and laser blades piercing enemies. The new reflector coating let me bounce lasers for ricochet shots, harassing the enemy relentlessly. My goal wasn't kills but damage—slowing them down. The kill count barely budged, but the stalling effect was perfect.
"Coward! Fight fair!" an enemy pilot's taunt blared over the comm.
I could ignore it… but why not have some fun?
"Are you stupid? I'm here to buy time in a retreat. Why would I fight 'fair' like some outdated knight? Save that for hunting boars in the woods."
"You dare compare me, a lieutenant colonel, to a boar!?"
Lieutenant colonel? What's someone that high-ranking doing on the front lines? And that grating voice… it sounded familiar.
"Hey, Lieutenant Colonel. What's your name? If you're some ace pilot, I might respect you enough to fight fair."
Total lie. No way I'm fighting fair.
"Not bad for a rebel. Fine, I'll spell it out for your pea brain. I'm Lieutenant Colonel Hans Viper."
…What? Hold on. Why's he here? And piloting a PT or AM? In the original, he was stuck in a Killer Whale, too incompetent for humanoid units.
"My memory says you were with the Extreme East base. This is Ukraine."
"Don't mock me! You're the reason I'm stuck out here!"
I'd only voiced a stray thought, but it hit a nerve with Hans.
"Our fault?" I asked.
"Yes! That baseless file you rebels leaked online, claiming it's 'evidence' of corruption!"
Baseless? Vindel's too sharp for that. Sounds like Hans' excuse to dodge accountability. Then it hit me—back at the academy, when I infiltrated the Special Brain Research Institute, the director's testimony and ledgers had Hans' name all over them. That info got leaked too, landing a lieutenant colonel in frontline command.
Still a lieutenant colonel despite that? Impressive… or pitiful, considering other corrupt brass likely kept their posts too.
"Sounds like you reaped what you sowed."
"You bastard!"
With a furious yell, a purple El Eins—probably Hans' personal color—charged, firing its G-Revolver. The Grow Savior remained unscathed. Not because of my Psychokinesis Field—just pure, unadulterated inaccuracy.
…Wow. Keep trying, I guess?
Interestingly, while bantering with Hans, no other enemies attacked. They probably feared crossing a lieutenant colonel—especially a vindictive one like him. What a guy: a pain as an ally, a gift as an enemy.
"Done shooting yet?"
Hans, out of G-Revolver ammo, switched to a G-Railgun.
"My attack's not over!"
I sighed. The radar showed no friendly signatures—time to wrap this up and head to the Nebuland's rendezvous point.
"That was a fun little comedy routine, but my time's up. Let's chat again sometime."
"Wait, you're running!?"
That was the plan from the start, genius.
With a wry smile, I deployed the Beam Gatling and Linear Railgun barrels, wielding the Gun Rapier and Halberd Launcher.
"Time for the grand finale. Enjoy the show!"
I fired all four weapons indiscriminately. Most shots hit the ground, kicking up a massive dust cloud that engulfed the battlefield. Confirming the obscured visibility, I retracted Chronos' barrels.
"ASRS, engage. Accelerate!"
Activating the ASRS to vanish from radar, I used the Accelerate Spirit Command and boosters to slip away.
Character Stats: Axel Almer
Level: 24
PP: 60
Melee: 202
Ranged: 220
Skill: 212
Defense: 209
Evasion: 237
Accuracy: 259
SP: 334
Ace Bonus: SP Boost (Consumes SP to enhance Slime performance)
Growth Type: All-Rounder/Special
Terrain Adaptability:
Air: S
Land: S
Sea: B
Space: A
Spirit Commands:
Accelerate (SP 4)
Effort (SP 8)
Focus (SP 16)
Direct Hit (SP 20)
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Skills:
EXP Up
SP Boost (SP Up Lv.9 & SP Recovery & Focus)
Psychokinesis Lv.10
Attacker
Gunfight Lv.9
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Kill Count: 87