Under Cornelia's command, Guilford's Gloucester, accompanied by two escorts, launched. However, the Gan Lus' response was simply to fire their side-mounted machine guns and cannons.
"…Something's off."
"What is it?"
"Why are they just charging straight in when they're clearly outmatched in terms of firepower? The Gloucester utterly dominates in performance, and our pilots' skill is undoubtedly superior."
"…Indeed, something is definitely amiss. Guilford, did you hear that?"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
What is this? I felt an intensely unpleasant sensation. A growing sense of urgency, as if my psychokinesis was screaming.
"…Cornelia. I'll also stand by in the Landliona."
"Axel?"
"I have a very bad feeling. Something's definitely going to happen."
"…Understood. Then I'm counting on you."
I nodded at Cornelia's words, left the bridge, and moved to the trailer carrying the Landliona, immediately activating it.
On the monitors displaying the surrounding area, Guilford's Gloucesters were closing in, dodging the Gan Lus' erratic gunfire. In fact, the machine guns and cannons fired by the Gan Lus weren't even aiming at the Gloucesters; their shots landed in completely wrong places. It gave the impression that they weren't aiming at all, just haphazardly pulling the trigger. And they were continuing straight, not towards the Gloucesters, but towards the G-1 Base.
Then, the Gloucesters finally brought the Gan Lus, which were merely charging forward with poor aim, within range of their lances. Leveraging their speed, they plunged their lances into the Gan Lus' torsos…
"!? Guilford, fall back—!"
The moment I felt a chill run down my spine, I instinctively switched on the Landliona's communication and shouted.
Whether my voice reached him or not, Guilford immediately released the lance embedded in the Gan Lu and pulled his Gloucester back. His quick judgment and the skill to swiftly disengage were certainly befitting Cornelia's knight. However, the remaining two escorts weren't so fortunate.
DOOOOOM!
A shockwave, powerful enough to be felt even at our considerable distance from the battle, originated from the Gan Lu. A massive crater marked the spot where the Gan Lu had been, testament to the explosion's force. Of course, the two Gloucesters caught in such an explosion were not intact; their torsos, where the cockpits were housed, had simply vanished. Limbs and head parts, presumably from the Gloucesters, hung from the surrounding trees.
This wasn't an explosion caused by the lance destroying the unit. Most likely, that Gan Lu had been packed with Sakuradite or other explosives from the beginning, solely for the purpose of self-detonation.
"Suicide units… huh."
It seemed the Imperial Japanese Army once used Zero fighters packed with explosives for suicide attacks against the American military, but I never expected to see such tactics employed in this Code Geass world.
"Cornelia, I'm going out!"
Against Gan Lus packed with explosives, the Landliona, specialized in long-range combat, should be more effective than KMFs designed for close quarters.
"I'm counting on you," Cornelia said curtly, understanding the situation.
Hearing her words, I launched the Landliona from its trailer. Overtaking the G-1 Base, I headed towards the battlefield.
"Guilford, are you alright?"
"Yes. You saved me again with your intuition."
Minutes after the first explosion created a crater, I successfully rendezvoused with Guilford.
Guilford's Gloucester, having lost its lance against the Gan Lu, now held an assault rifle, suppressing the remaining two Gan Lus that were attempting to approach the G-1 Base.
"We need to deal with these things quickly, or it'll be bad. They're clearly aiming for the G-1 Base."
"Indeed. But the Gloucester's assault rifle lacks decisive power. Axel, can you handle it?"
"Understood."
Hearing my words, Guilford fired his assault rifle, dodging attacks from the Gan Lus that were wildly shooting their machine guns and cannons in all directions.
A bullet from the assault rifle destroyed the Gan Lu's third, tail-like leg. Unable to maintain balance, it toppled sideways, scraping the ground, and ceased movement.
"Now!"
I fired several railgun rounds at the immobilized Gan Lu. A few seconds later, it erupted in another massive explosion.
"Tch, how annoying!"
Despite the explosion, the last remaining Gan Lu continued its advance towards the G-1 Base without stopping. While a Gloucester could easily dodge its attacks, the nearly 20-meter tall Landliona was too large a target. It was four to five times the size of a Gloucester. Therefore, even the Gan Lu's un-aimed attacks… no, precisely because they were un-aimed, it was difficult to evade them.
"Axel, fall back a little!"
Following Guilford's instruction, I moved the Landliona closer to the G-1 Base. Seeing this, Guilford's Gloucester aimed at a rock on the mountainside and fired its assault rifle. What happens when a rock jutting out from the mountainside is destroyed…
With a heavy rumbling sound, the earth on that mountainside collapsed. A landslide.
The last Gan Lu was swept away by the mudslide… and exploded as if it were blowing away the earth.
"That settles it, but what about the guerrillas?"
"Just a moment… the infantry unit has suppressed them, but…"
Guilford hesitated. Did something happen?
"Guilford?"
"No, let's discuss the details inside the G-1 Base. Frankly, it's not a pleasant topic."
"I see…!?"
Nodding at Guilford's words, I was about to return to the G-1 Base when I felt another ominous premonition through my psychokinesis. Danger… danger? What's dangerous? Me? No, that's not it. Then this unit? That means… Cornelia!
The moment I arrived at the answer, I noticed the trees right next to the approaching G-1 Base swaying unnaturally. The moment I understood what it was, I had already opened my mouth.
"Accelerate!"
Using the mental command 'Accelerate,' the Landliona, now possessing superhuman speed, charged towards the G-1 Base. Railgun? No good. It's obscured by the trees, preventing an accurate shot, and the G-1 Base is already too close to the swaying trees. In that case, homing missiles, with their powerful explosions, are obviously out of the question.
That leaves only one option: ramming it or something similar to blow it away from the G-1 Base and detonate it at a distance. Fortunately, with the Landliona's size and this speed, it could easily be used as a kinetic weapon.
The swaying trees drew closer, closer, closer… And as expected, it was a Gan Lu. The reason it wasn't detected by the G-1 Base until it was so close was probably because it hadn't been activated until the last possible moment. It activated as the G-1 Base approached, intending to self-destruct.
"You won't get away with it!"
Just as the Gan Lu emerged from the trees, the Landliona also reached its immediate vicinity. Guilford, Cornelia, and Dalton were saying something over the comms, but concentrated on the Gan Lu, their voices sounded like mere static.
The distance to the Gan Lu closed. The cannon and machine gun mounted on the Gan Lu aimed at the G-1 Base's bridge. A round fired—
"UWOOOOAAAHHHHHHH!"
I made it! The Landliona collided head-on with the Gan Lu, ramming into it. The Gan Lu was blown away. The Landliona's armor crumpled. But without a moment's hesitation, I pulled the railgun trigger.
DOOOOOM!
A massive explosion in mid-air. Having taken the full force of that explosion head-on and at point-blank range, I was violently shaken in the cockpit, and the next moment, I lost consciousness.
"Huh?"
When I awoke, a pure white ceiling filled my vision. The smell of disinfectant told me I was in the infirmary.
"You're awake," a voice said. It was Cornelia, sitting in a chair beside the bed.
"Cornelia?"
"Yes. The doctor's diagnosis was a concussion. He said there were no other injuries, and you'd be fine once you woke up."
"Concussion? …Ah."
It immediately came back to me. I had overexerted myself to prevent the Gan Lu's suicide attack.
"Did you remember?"
"Yeah. More importantly, were you hurt?"
Cornelia gave a wry smile at my words.
"Shouldn't that be my line in this situation? …Axel, you saved us this time."
Cornelia expressed her gratitude with a serious face, but I lightly shook my head.
"Don't worry about it. I moved on instinct. Besides, Cornelia, as long as you're safe, that's all that matters."
"…Axel, have you ever been told you're a lady-killer, actually?"
"Huh? What a sudden question. I don't recall ever being told that."
"I see… Unconscious of it, then."
Cornelia, with a slightly flushed face, seemed to accept it, but quickly changed her expression.
"Regarding the pilots of those Gan Lus and the terrorists who launched the guerrilla attack on the G-1 Base… analyses of the captives and bodies revealed severe drug addiction."
"Drug addiction?"
"Yes. You heard me talking with Euphe before we deployed, didn't you?"
"Refrain… huh."
Refrain. An illegal drug that was starting to spread throughout Area 11. Its effect was to make one feel as if they were reliving the past, but it ultimately led to madness.
"But why… no, the Chinese Federation."
Yes. This Refrain was brought in from the Chinese Federation. And many of the terrorists in this area were backed by the Chinese Federation. In other words…
"An experiment, or cannon fodder?"
"Likely. Fortunately, I, a Britannian imperial royal, have been appointed Viceroy of this Area 11. They probably thought they could eliminate me if they were lucky. That was likely the extent of their plan."
Cornelia spat the words out indignantly. Cornelia had a warrior's temperament. Not only the drugs, but such manipulative schemes probably didn't sit well with her.
"Despicable wretches… I'll make them pay for this eventually."
Watching Cornelia, I thought about the Kyushu Campaign, which would happen not too long from now.
Chinese Federation. I will definitely return this favor.
Character Status (for context, not part of the narrative)
Name: Axel Almar
LV: 34
PP: 165
Melee: 242
Ranged: 260
Skill: 252
Defense: 249
Evasion: 277
Accuracy: 299
SP: 414
Ace Bonus: SP Boost (Consumes SP to enhance Slime performance)
Growth Type: All-Rounder, Special
Air: S
Land: S
Sea: B
Space: S
Spirit Commands:
Accelerate: 4 SP
Effort: 8 SP
Concentrate: 16 SP
Direct Hit: 20 SP
Awaken: 32 SP
Love: 48 SP
Skills:
EXP Up
SP Boost (SP Up Lv.9 & SP Recovery & Concentration)
Psychokinesis Lv.10
Attacker
Gunfight Lv.9
Infight Lv.9
Morale Limit Break
???
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Kills: 192
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