Side Talk: Pre-Engagement of the Heaven Hailou

The speech by the Tenshin Koudan delivered a significant shock to the S.U. government leadership and those opposed to the government.

Government officials, enraged, issued orders to the Space Force.

"Permitting the antics of a religious organization—so anachronistic it borders on absurd—is unacceptable! Hold the Heaven Hailou at all costs!"

Under this strict command, the Space Force extracted forces from surrounding space zones to reinforce the defensive perimeter around the Heaven Hailou.

In addition, the Star Arm Nebula (Main Route) leading to the Heaven Hailou was sealed off by fleet units. Simultaneously, orders were issued to block navigation on the Interstellar Side Route (Sub Route), with immediate destruction upon detection.

Under heightened alert, those opposed to the government gathered at the Tenshin Koudan.

The Tenshin Koudan, being a religious organization, maintained hidden outposts across various sectors. It successfully gathered forces from locations throughout the Orion Arm.

"Let us make the SU government feel our anger."

The leaders from each outpost rallied the gathered people, organizing them into a force opposing Heaven Hailou.

Yet the Tenshin Koudan possessed no military capability.

That was to be expected. Religious organizations were relics of a prior era in the spacefaring age. Few in the current period would invest in such antiquated groups.

Yet the act of openly defying the SU government brought unexpected momentum to the Tenshin Koudan.

Having just ended the war, TR, unable to face combat directly, decided to transfer its secured pirate fleet to the Tenshin Koudan.

Enterprising firms supporting both Chicken Ball and Coaster also provided numerous fleets at low cost, disguised as commercial transactions.

From wealthy individuals and organizations uninterested in the SU government, support arrived continuously, delivered anonymously.

For the Tenshin Koudan, which had planned to fight using armed pirate ships as decoys, the influx of various forms of support significantly increased its combat capacity—highly advantageous.

"We have been entrusted with the will of the people from the Orion Arm. There is no way to repay this except by destroying Heaven Hailou!"

Tenshin Koudan declared loudly. People gathered from planets and moons across the Orion Arm were loaded onto the fleet sent as support and launched.

The support delivered was substantial. All supplies were sufficient. The fleet raised the spirits of those fighting against the SU government and the Space Force.

"Strike the iron hammer of anger at a government that does not regard people as human!"

"Show the eyes of those who favor only a few!"

"Receive the proper retribution for those who deceived people and sent them to their deaths!"

They filled their stomachs with abundant artificial food. They raised their spirits with hastily produced drinking alcohol. They sang in unison against the government.

The same scene unfolded across every vessel of Tenshin Koudan. Gradually, the people’s consciousness coalesced into a single unity.

This unification was guided by the skill of Tenshin Koudan’s leaders aboard each ship.

Though now relics of the past, the religious organization that once dominated Earth still demonstrates its mastery over human minds. Even in the spacefaring era, its influence shows no sign of fading.

Thanks to the skill of the Tenshin Koudan, a disparate group of individuals drawn from various regions gradually transformed into warriors united under the Tenshin Koudan banner. By the time they entered the sector containing the Heaven Hailou, they were fully dominated by the意识 of being vanguard agents of the Tenshin Koudan.

The number of Tenshin Koudan vessels assembled exceeded the S.U. Space Fleet’s projections.

Yet, despite having summoned an excess of naval assets, they maintained a fleet fully capable of meeting the threat.

Furthermore, they successfully infiltrated a decisive strategy into the Tenshin Koudan fleet.

"Amateurs at combat. Combat begins before actual fire is exchanged."

The Marshal of the SU Space Force, in command of the defense of Heaven Hailou, proclaimed this.

On the spatial projection monitor in his hand, real-time updates displayed how the Tenshin Koudan was moving.

"Hmph. Still amateurs in battle. Thinking they can overwhelm with numbers alone."

As the Marshal muttered, the Tenshin Koudan fleet charged forward as if triggered by his words.

"Remain calm. They are but a rabble!"

The Marshal issued the command. The SU Space Force fired its Charged Particle Beam.

Tenshin Koudan fired back, yet advanced with clear intent toward Heaven Hailou.

The Marshal’s face darkened slightly at their unyielding charge.

"An assault driven solely by the desire to break through—lacking in decorum."

The words were criticism, yet beneath them the Marshal felt unease at Tenshin Koudan’s strategy.

The Marshal’s duty was absolute defense of Heaven Hailou.

From that perspective, Tenshin Koudan’s full-scale assault was problematic.

When large numbers of vessels charged, some would inevitably evade fire.

In a normal engagement, minor misses would be irrelevant—later destruction would suffice.

But what was required of the defensive posture was not allowing even a single enemy vessel to approach the Heaven Hailou.

It was this "single vessel" that weighed heavily on the Marshal's command.

"Divide the ships' roles by precision fire and scattering fire. Ships with powerful guns conduct precision fire. The rest conduct scattering fire."

The S.U. Space Fleet immediately implemented the Marshal's new order.

Heavy cruisers and battleship-class vessels systematically eliminated incoming Tenshin Koudan ships through targeted cannon fire.

But the necessity of precise targeting inevitably reduced the rate of fire.

A reduced rate of fire diminished the enemy's fear. And enemies without fear could perform beyond their measured capabilities.

To avoid such a scenario, Orbit Patrol Cruisers and smaller vessels conducted broad, unaimed fire, increasing the total number of projectiles launched.

Even poorly aimed fire from warships remains effective. A hit, however accidental, can disable an enemy vessel.

Precision fire from snipers and random fire from massed salvos.

These two methods sustained continuous damage against the Tenshin Koudan fleet.

Numerous Tenshin Koudan vessels were reduced to debris in space.

Yet the leading edge of the Tenshin Koudan formation steadily advanced toward the SU Space Force.

Each attempt to strike the front line only saw the next wave move forward.

"Feels like fighting a group of suicide bombers."

The Marshal muttered with grim dissatisfaction. A new report arrived.

Enemy fire is beginning to strike friendly positions. Current damage is minimal, but continued engagement may result in unacceptable losses.

Continue combat strategy. Increase rate of suppressive fire. Eliminate the enemy before they fire. No casualties will occur.

The Marshal understood the argument was untenable.

Yet there was no alternative method to counter forces advancing without regard for survival.

A new report arrived.

Enemy has new movement. Jump response.

Closing distance via spatial leap. But that is a poor tactic.

Spatial leap assault is a common pirate maneuver.

Its effectiveness lies in surprise.

The key is appearing abruptly nearby, inducing target disorientation, and delivering preemptive strikes while the enemy is still reacting.

Jumping in while being detected by an entity like the Tenshin Koudan is an exceptionally dangerous act.

Because—

"Radar operator. Do not miss the spatial distortion! Gunner, fire the instant they emerge!"

— if properly prepared, as the marshal commanded, the enemy's jump becomes predictable.

Current vessel spatial jumps operate by navigating through the boundary between three and four dimensions. When returning to three dimensions, the distortion resembles a submarine rising to the surface, creating detectable optical anomalies.

The warning signs appear just before emergence, leaving little time to respond. Yet military personnel are trained to act within that window.

"Enemy is jumping in!"

"Fire at that location!"

The admiral’s order triggered gunfire from several ships in the fleet.

The shells flew toward a location that appeared empty, yet struck the Tenshin Koudan vessels precisely as they re-emerged into normal space.

The Tenshin Koudan ships, having just jumped, were like objects emerging from a sealed room—unable to perceive external conditions beforehand. They could not react to the incoming fire that struck them immediately upon arrival. They were destroyed without resistance.

“You should have learned by now that neither assault nor jump can breach our lines.”

The admiral’s tone suggested the futility of further attempts, yet the Tenshin Koudan pressed forward without surrender.

“Enemy vanguard reaches second defensive line!”

“Transmit to destroyer fleet! Scatter space torpedoes!”

With the order from the Marshal, numerous torpedoes launched from the destroyer's bow, advancing toward the enemy like a school of fish swimming through the vast sea.

A swarm capable of delivering a fatal blow reached the Tenshin Koudan. Explosions bloomed in the void like flowers of fire.

The majority of the Tenshin Koudan’s vessels were obliterated in this strike.

"By now, the frenzy should have subsided."

Not a single vessel fled, despite the heavy loss of comrades.

The scene resembled devotion to death as the ultimate faith—so intense that the Marshal grimaced, as if enduring a headache.

"Exactly why religious organizations are intolerable."

They distort human perception in the name of gods, manipulate people at will.

The Marshal could not tolerate such an affront to human rights.

"Damn it, if it comes to this, annihilate them completely. Not in a military sense, but literally—complete annihilation!"

The Marshal issued orders to subordinates and moved to destroy the Tenshin Koudan vessels.