Episode 108: Ability Assessment

Dawson surveyed the surrounding situation after finishing his match against Makoto.

A battle had taken place between Dawson and Makoto. There should have been mercenaries watching the electronic strategy board.

Yet only a few were doing so. The rest remained focused entirely on simulator displays for vessels and fighter craft.

"According to General Kernel, I was told today would be the first day of fleet operations instruction..."

Dawson settled on the direction of future training based on the mercenaries' behavior.

Dawson called Makoto and Oine closer, then raised his voice toward the surrounding mercenaries.

"Hey, you useless scum. You were told to teach the basics of fleet combat. Consider it done."

Dawson spoke with a confrontational tone. The more aggressive mercenaries glared back.

Dawson responded with a mocking laugh.

“Hmph. If you weren’t useless trash, I wouldn’t have been called General Kernel. You’re forcing me to deal with a pointless burden that pays nothing. If you want to claim you’re not useless trash, prove it. That’s all.”

Dawson pointed at the electronic tactical board, provoking the mercenary nearest him. The mercenary stepped forward, approaching the seat opposite Dawson.

“You’re saying you’ll beat me and then leave?”

“If you can, go ahead. No—let me give you a handicap. Same type, same number of ships. Form your formation, then begin combat at engagement range. Five minutes real time. If you can survive half a day in simulation, you win.”

A vein pulsed at the mercenary’s temple, reacting to Dawson’s condescending words.

“Don’t expect me to swallow your words.”

I have no intention of doing something so dirty. So, is it alright to begin?

Dawson confirmed the terms, then activated the electronic strategy board as previously stated.

The conclusion is immediate: the mercenary fleet was destroyed within one minute.

What!?

The mercenary, defeated in an instant, received a mocking laugh from Dawson through the mask.

Hahahah. You came forward with so much confidence, yet you're pathetic. Fighting with an equal number of ships, losing in one minute of real time—less than two hours even on the electronic board. I'd be too ashamed to face the outside world if I lost like that.

What!?

That's the truth. You're a dog that failed to do anything despite claiming to represent all mercenaries. What face do you have, standing before the other mercenaries?

Dawson continued his provocation. The mercenary reached for the weapon at his waist.

The movement was a reflexive act driven by anger, but the hand froze before drawing the weapon.

Dawson was faster. He drew his blaster and pointed it at the mercenary.

"Lost on the strategy board, so you resort to force. Even that force is behind mine. You really have nothing at all."

"Gngh."

The mercenary looked around, seeking help, but the other mercenaries did not move to assist. Not that they could, even if they wanted to.

Makoto and Oine stood beside Dawson, hands on their weapons, scanning the surroundings. Their expressions suggested clearly: attempt anything foolish, and they would shoot. More precisely, they appeared to be searching for a target to demonstrate their authority.

Three individuals, acting in unison, were enough to paralyze the mercenaries.

Dawson turned his face away from the mercenary he had been facing, as if dissolving the rigid state, and addressed the others.

"Anyone here who claims to be the best? If you beat me under the same conditions as that bastard did, I’ll recommend you for the position of mercenary commander under General Kernel."

The challenge caused several mercenaries to shift their gaze.

Currently, all mercenaries affiliated with Coaster were at the same rank. They had not yet demonstrated skill or achievement since being hired.

The condition—beating Dawson in this state—was present, but the opportunity offered was unprecedented: to rise above the others and secure a position above their peers.

Anyone who did not take the bait would not be a greedy mercenary, born of piracy.

"Next is me!"

Dawson dismantled the next mercenary who stepped forward, again in real time one minute.

"Again? Just trash. Is there no one competent?"

"Let me take the next challenge!"

Mercenaries stepped forward in succession. Each one fell within one or two minutes.

After ten mercenaries had been defeated, Dawson exhaled a deliberate, deep sigh.

"Come on. I'm using the same tactic on purpose. Anyone who hasn't prepared for it by now is not just stupid—just plain foolish."

The defeated mercenaries' faces flushed with embarrassment and anger at Dawson's criticism. But they did not act on their anger. Dawson watched. Makoto and Oine watched too. Any movement would only invite a counterattack—clearly visible to all.

Dawson continued to dismantle the mercenaries in the room, one after another, using the electronic strategy board.

"Come on. The longest anyone lasted was three minutes in real time? Serious? Are all the mercenaries gathered here this incompetent? Now I understand why General Kernel asked me to teach them the basics of fleet combat."

The mercenaries showed no anger. They were dejected.

They had lost too many times. Their will to fight, even the will to resist, had vanished.

Dawson nodded. The mercenaries’ morale was broken. This made them easier to instruct.

At that moment, another mercenary stepped forward to challenge.

"Can I have a match?"

Dawson looked at the opponent. The man appeared to be in his fifties, with a weathered face.

Dawson felt dissonance in the age of his opponent. Most he had encountered were pirates in their mid-thirties.

And possibly not a pirate, but a mercenary who had drifted in from elsewhere.

Regardless of the other party's origin, Dawson's duty remains unchanged.

Good. Now, do it.

Dawson reactivated the electronic strategy board and began positioning their formations.

The formation of each side remains unknown until combat begins.

Dawson selected the same conical assault formation he had used until now.

The reason for maintaining this formation is that it is optimal for defeating the enemy in a short time. Additionally, responding to an opponent capable of powerful attacks is difficult for inexperienced fleet operators.

There are two methods for countering a shock assault formation.

One is to deploy a thick defensive formation in front of the incoming assault.

This defensive approach is often considered beginner-friendly because it requires only the concentration of fleet units. In reality, it is not.

Repairing vulnerable points under heavy attack requires precise, rapid response based on situational awareness.

Inexperienced fleet operators cannot determine where and how to redirect ships for repair. The center collapses. The fleet loses.

The second method is a dispersed formation. It intentionally leaves space in the assault path to avoid the enemy, then counters from the rear.

This requires significant courage. It involves evading enemy attacks and forcing the enemy fleet to pass directly through the center of one’s own fleet.

In practice, this formation is more suitable for beginners.

Showing courage at the outset allows one to pursue the enemy fleet from behind once it has passed. Even inexperienced fleet operators can easily target the enemy from behind, making significant results likely.

Most mercenaries encountered so far had only used defensive formations.

Of course, since Dawson declared he would use only one tactic, they had adapted—attempting to absorb the attack before encircling, or deploying auxiliary units to strike from the flank.

But reducing fleet numbers to enable envelopment or auxiliary units inevitably thinned the defensive depth.

Even fully dedicating the entire fleet to defense could not stop Dawson's charge.

Reducing fleet numbers based on amateur assumptions only shortened the time until destruction—no other effect.

Now, how about these mercenaries this time?

Dawson began the engagement with expectation. He let a smile form within his mask as soon as the battle started.

He saw the enemy fleet aligned directly ahead of his own, deliberately opening a path for passage.

"First time someone has attempted the分散阵形 here."

Dawson assessed the tactic, but had no intention of yielding.

Dawson’s fleet passed through the enemy’s center at high speed, scattering gunfire and shellfire across the flanks. Any reduction in enemy numbers was acceptable.

The mercenary fleet returned fire. Their attacks were sluggish. Dawson’s fleet was still passing through the enemy’s center. Too intense a barrage risked friendly fire.

At this point, Dawson felt disappointment toward the mercenaries’ command approach.

An attack must be restrained to avoid fratricide. This is not a place for bombardment. Preparation for the next action is required.

Dawson remained dissatisfied with the mercenaries’ command approach, but his fleet had already passed through the enemy formation.

The mercenary fleet, having allowed Dawson’s fleet to pass, now formed a shape resembling a square knot.

Under this configuration, neither effective attack nor defense was possible.

Rapid reorganization was necessary—given the current situation, immediate movement to pursue Dawson’s fleet from behind was essential.

Yet the mercenaries’ fleet moved sluggishly, perhaps unable to shift from their prior focus on counter-battery fire against Dawson’s fleet.

“Once you’ve decided to let them pass, rotate the rear half of your fleet to face backward.”

That way, once Dawson’s fleet has passed, the pursuit can begin immediately.

But rotating the ships now, struggling to turn, will miss the optimal opportunity.

Worse, the risk of being counterattacked by the fleet that has already passed increases.

Exactly as Dawson is doing now.

"Disappointing."

Dawson muttered the remark while maintaining his assault formation, ordering his fleet to reverse course and charge straight at the mercenary fleet, striking the right side of their square formation.

Dawson’s fleet advanced in full force, but the mercenary fleet had dispersed their forces across all four sides.

The defense could not hold. It collapsed in seconds.

A quarter of the mercenary fleet was destroyed. The balance tipped decisively against them.

From that point on, Dawson’s fleet had complete control.

Each side of the square nut formation was breached in turn, until the entire mercenary fleet was eliminated.

"This ends it. Five minutes in real time. Longest time yet."

The progression through each side of the square nut formation had taken slightly longer.

Dawson observed the expression of the mercenary opponent. Relief was evident at the record duration.

The mercenary had likely chosen the square nut formation to prolong the engagement, recognizing that victory against Dawson was impossible.

"Still, no one lasted ten minutes. This one’s worth mentoring, isn’t it?"

Dawson said this aloud, while internally troubled by the poor fleet management displayed by the mercenaries.