05 Operation: Recovery of the Mainship 5

A horde of humanoid ASIDs materializing one after another through Overlight.

Jin is overwhelmed by their numbers.

This scale rivals that which decimated the Third Fleet eight years ago.

Among them, the one-eyed Black Knight is present.

"That one...!"

Indeed, he had failed to eliminate the Black Knight during the Melce incident eight years prior.

The suspicion that had lingered since that day.

The Black Knight—humanoid AISD—is reacting to Mio.

At least during each of the three previous encounters.

In every instance, Mio had been involved in some way.

And now, the fourth.

What purpose brings it here?

The Second Fleet and the Third Fleet alike freeze, caught off guard.

The behavior of the surrounding humanoid ASIDs—then—

"Here it comes!"

It attacks the Second Fleet.

Regardless, it was unlikely that the ASIDs had originally distinguished between human sides—probably just coincidence.

Under these circumstances, how would the Second Fleet act?

Would they temporarily cease hostilities upon the appearance of a common enemy?

To claim one hadn’t considered such a possibility would be a lie.

Yet that hope—closer to wishful thinking—was betrayed by the sight of assault frames still aimed at them.

"Even now, you’re still going to do it?!"

The Second Fleet chose to continue combat with the Third Fleet.

With that, the situation had become a three-way clash.

In a three-way conflict, the course of action is simple.

Let the enemies wear each other down as much as possible.

Numerically, the Second Fleet still held the advantage.

Yet individual ASID units were not to be underestimated.

After a brief engagement, it would become clear where the upper hand lay.

With numbers and the quality of a cybernetic squad, the Second Fleet held its ground.

The Third Fleet is conducting a two-front operation against the humanoid ASID.

Jin notices the speed of their response.

The Third Fleet remains in disarray.

Even attempting to reorganize the front line proves ineffective.

The Second Fleet, already demoralized, responded this quickly.

There are not many explanations.

"Could they have anticipated the arrival of the humanoid units...?"

The reason behind this is concerning, but the Second Fleet’s regained morale is equally troubling.

Just moments ago, they were on the verge of losing their sense of identity after being confronted with anomalies within their own formation.

But the sudden appearance of the humanoid ASID—a clear, undeniable enemy—has reminded them of their purpose: to defend.

Once this resolve takes hold, it cannot be easily shattered.

Clenching his teeth, Jin, as front-line commander, begins to reestablish the line.

In his case, it was less a matter of command than a crude remedy—forcing himself to reinforce the thinning line and rebuild it from within.

Once a kind of equilibrium was established, the formation began to shift gradually.

Keeping the Third Fleet and the cluster of humanoid ASIDs apart.

Pressing the Second Fleet’s units against the humanoid units.

The Third Fleet and the humanoid ASIDs were not allies.

Yet they shared a common enemy.

The other side had not acted so recklessly as to ignore the enemy directly in front of them and attack the Third Fleet.

Jin smiles, ironically.

A pincer movement between the Third Fleet units and the humanoid ASIDs against the Second Fleet units.

A silent truce had been made between humans and ASIDs, just to fight each other.

What else could be called irony?

“Don’t touch the humanoids until the Second Fleet is destroyed!”

It was simply a matter of sequence.

First, crush the strongest opponent together.

If three forces are aligned, this is the natural strategy.

The issue remains our numbers.

Even if we successfully repel the Second Fleet, the next confrontation will be with humanoid ASIDs.

In fact, the inability to communicate has made the need for combat readiness even more urgent.

Yet the beacon from Ship One has not yet transmitted.

……What are they doing……?

Anxiety crawls up the spine.

Hurry.

The next encounter will be annihilation.

◆ ◆ ◆

Time shifts slightly.

Two Leopards race through the urban district.

An assault frame moving through a district without alarms is unprecedented.

But there was no other option.

Pedestrians looking up are an obstruction.

Guard assumes they are merely recording a view-screenshot, furious at the lack of communication, and uploading it to social media.

He himself would do the same if he knew nothing.

There's nothing else one could call it but an unusual occurrence, from the perspective of an ordinary person.

Can't do it, sis! All wireless comms are down—only short-range communication works!

Damn it—those bastards have blocked all communications from Ship One.

Immediately after reporting the Second Fleet's betrayal from the training academy to headquarters, even the direct line was severed.

The fleet’s movement was visible even from the training academy—there was no doubt they believed it.

The beacon summoning the remaining fleet fails to transmit, even after a brief wait.

Jake muttered upon seeing it.

This might not work unless we activate the device directly.

And.

The command center's movements are incomprehensible.

If confusion arises and the beacon's transmission is delayed—

This is the defeat of the Third Fleet.

In that state, Jin’s instructor—also May’s superior—used the emergency as justification, deciding to dispatch two Leopard units to the beacon generation apparatus—the communication tower used for convoy messaging.

“Understood. I’ll say it once more: Shu is guarding the workers. Absolutely no forward movement.”

May repeated it until her voice grew hoarse.

Shu had trained for nearly a year.

He could move nearly as well as May had been when she first became an instructor under Jin.

Yet he remained dangerously unprepared for combat.

The instructor capable of piloting the unit was absent from the training facility, and there was no time to recruit other trainees.

Only Shu, who had been training alongside May, was ready to board immediately. Still, May had resolved not to send him into battle.

Conversely—she was certain it would be combat.

After all they had done, this was no longer a matter of hesitation.

She would not hesitate to use force, one or two instances, at this point.

"……Radar detects reactor signature. Sister."

"Planning to fight inside the ship... Are they even sane?"

Two Ravens breach the interior of the ship.

It would be a relief if they were Third Fleet units—but the identification signal reads Second Fleet.

The armed units advance without hesitation, aiming their ether rifles at May’s Leopard.

"Guard! Adjust your shield diagonally!"

Fire.

The ether flash scorches the urban landscape.

Guard’s shield deflects the beam diagonally upward, sending it soaring toward the zenith screen.

Far away, impact and explosion are visible.

Only now do civilians seem to realize the severity of the situation.

They scream and scatter in panic.

"Reaction time is too slow!"

"Move! Don't let it stray into the city! Protect the vehicles!"

May’s frantic expression visible through the comms monitor.

The situation is not improving.

"Only two units… that’s the only relief…"

The enemy only needs to destroy the communications tower.

That’s why they didn’t commit more units.

Still, against two Ravens, May has only a Leopard.

Considering she can’t bring Rein into the fight, it’s two against one.

If her husband—her ace—were here… he’d surely manage.

"Ah, come on. Why isn’t my darling here when we need him?"

With a light step, May mocks the tension as she counters.

The ether rifle angles slightly upward.

The risk of stray fire into the city limits the firing arc.

She dislikes how the enemy anticipates this.

Firing from behind the buildings.

Avoiding it means several buildings behind May are riddled with gunfire.

"……Cowardly bastard!"

She curses, unable to believe someone in the Defense Force would resort to such tactics.

No hesitation in involving civilians.

Even if the fleet differs, they are still enemies to be cast aside as one of the Defense Force.

Guard raises the rifle muzzle to support May, who is under one-sided attack.

Sharp, May halts him.

"Stop, Guard!"

"But your sister—"

"Civilians must not be involved!"

Not until evacuation is complete, at least.

Even so, stray rounds claim many lives.

Worse, all communication within the ship is severed.

How can evacuation proceed so swiftly without an evacuation alert?

"I'm not particularly skilled at this kind of fighting..."

May's strength lies in high-mobility hit-and-run tactics.

Combat under such gravitational conditions was unfamiliar.

Though marksmanship had improved since before, it was still insufficient to pierce an opponent concealed behind a building.

"Shu. While I draw their fire, take the vehicle and move toward the communications tower. They won't be able to reach you from there—absolutely not."