The day after seizing Tesla Labs, Lamia reported to me.
"Captain Axel, regarding the Excellence Team—they're already en route to Tesla Labs."
As expected.
Her words stirred a mix of resignation and relief. I'd contacted Dr. Fell to recruit the Excellence Team—Raul, Fiona, and their companions—for the interdimensional transfer to that other world. But after getting so close to those four, I wasn't sure pulling them into Shadow Mirror was the right call anymore.
Logic screamed to recruit them. Emotion begged me not to drag them into Shadow Mirror's brutal path.
"For my survival…" I muttered. "Survival?"
My ultimate goal was to survive this death-flag-riddled world. That required power, which is why I'd approached Dr. Fell for the Time Flow Engine. An older model, customized by Lemon, was already integrated into the Grow Savior. I'd achieved the bare minimum.
"So, do I even need to recruit them?"
In fact, not recruiting the Excellence Team might be better. In that other world, they'd be a stronger asset against the Einste and Inspectors if they weren't tied to us.
I knew it was hypocrisy. But it was the consequence of getting too close to them. Betraying them, as their de facto guardian, would wound them—I didn't know how deeply, but I hoped it'd be less painful than the mental toll of joining Shadow Mirror.
"W16, there were a few test pilots who offered to cooperate, right?" I asked Echidna.
"Yes. Four claim to be close to Lemon-sama, though their sincerity is unclear."
That claim raised a red flag, but Echidna's demeanor suggested it was likely a lie. Many at Tesla Labs knew Lemon, and by extension, me. Some might be using her name to curry favor. Perfect for disposable pawns.
"Have them pose as Peterson Base PT pilots to lure the Excellence Team here. They can use four spare mass-produced Gespenst Mk-IIs from Arcland. After that, put Barison on perimeter duty and focus on transfer preparations."
"Understood," Echidna said, saluting and leaving.
If Raul and Fiona defeat those four with the Excellence, it should align with the original story's flow.
"Captain, we've obtained the Rykeios' activation code," a mass-produced W reported.
Jonathan had kept his promise, unsealing Aguieus and Rykeios in less than a day. But he'd insisted we retrieve the activation codes ourselves, claiming that assisting further would make it impossible to justify to the Federation.
A bluff, most likely. If we couldn't get the codes, fine by him. If we did, it'd buy time for a Federation recapture force. He'd unsealed the devices, banking on my promise not to harm the staff.
As expected from the director of a top-tier institute like Tesla Labs—cunning. But against Lemon's prized mass-produced Ws, it was just a minor delay.
"Begin Rykeios' startup immediately. The Federation's recapture force could arrive any moment, and Vindel's group is due soon."
"Yes, sir!" The W saluted and left.
"The main force lost, huh? Probably to the Beowulfs," I muttered.
I recalled the Einste's absurd regeneration, piecing itself back together after I'd torn it apart. Knowing the original story, I couldn't shake the feeling the Beowulfs' abilities were enhanced here. Or maybe my meddling had strengthened them.
"Excuse me, Captain," Echidna said, entering.
"What's up, W16?"
"Preparations for Numbers 0 through 10 are complete."
"Up to W10? So, the initial W-series for the advance team… Wait, W00 is included?"
"Yes, per Lemon-sama's instructions."
I'd heard about the initial W-series from Lemon—units absent from my original story knowledge. They didn't appear in Super Robot Wars OG, so their transfer likely fails. I vaguely recalled W-series appearing in Endless Frontier, but I never played it, so I couldn't be sure.
W00, Lemon's first Number, was supposedly shelved due to slow growth and kept in cryosleep.
"Captain, should we initiate the transfer?" Echidna asked.
"Not yet. Lemon said the advance team goes on the Nebuland."
An email from Lemon, sent minutes before the code was found, confirmed this, with Vindel's approval. I had to accept it, but sending the advance team on the fully armed Nebuland—a proper warship—when the stripped-down Arcland would do, felt like Lemon's maternal instincts at play. A cradle for W00, perhaps?
"Then the advance team transfers after Lemon-sama and Vindel arrive?"
"Exactly. Have them ready to load immediately upon arrival."
"Understood. One more thing—the test pilot team failed to seize the Excellence."
I frowned. "Seize? I ordered them to lure the Excellence Team here."
"They clashed with Federation units, exposing their ruse, and fought the Excellence Team. Reports also confirm the Excellence was deployed in combat."
Before the rebellion, Raul mentioned over comms that the Striker Frame for ground combat was complete. That must be what they used.
"Then I'll handle it myself," I said.
"You, Captain?" Echidna hesitated.
"You and W17 are tied up with transfer prep. Barison's on perimeter duty. The rest are mass-produced Ws. I'm the only one free. We can't spare many units, but we need the Excellence. I'll take four mass-produced Ashsaviors. Contact Barison to swap them with El Eins pilots. Also, Arcland has spare Solpressas—use four for recon."
"Understood, if you insist."
"It won't take long. Can I trust you and Barison with the defense?"
"Yes, sir. Leave it to us."
Echidna left to relay orders to Barison. I headed to Arcland's hangar to prep for launch.
"Captain, targets located," a mass-produced W in a Solpressa reported.
"Good work. Send the coordinates."
With four mass-produced Ashsaviors in tow, I headed to the target. The location was close enough to fly in formation, no transport needed.
"Captain, we've lost the Solpressas' signals," an Ashsavior pilot reported.
I'd ordered recon only, no combat. Shot down? Mass-produced Ws don't disobey orders or rush in recklessly, so an accident forcing combat was likely.
"All units, increase speed."
I signaled the Ashsaviors, boosting our flight speed.
Minutes later, I spotted the Ladybird and two familiar units. Red with yellow accents, wielding massive claw-like weapons—Excellence Strikers, using the ground-combat frame.
"All units, hold position. Stay undetected. W1, find their comm frequency."
"Understood."
I extended Chronos' Linear Railgun barrel, aiming at one of the two units. In the original, Fiona took a hit, but I couldn't tell who piloted which. It was a coin toss.
I exhaled deeply.
I'd fired countless shots, but none felt this tense. I wasn't aiming for the Excellence's torso but the head, where the cockpit sat. Not to hit directly—grazing it to knock out Raul or Fiona was the goal. One faints, the other protects them, Duminas appears, and the Excellence Team transfers to the other world. That was the original story's flow, and I'd ride it.
"Focus, T-LINK System, full contact."
Using the Focus Spirit Command, I sharpened my senses. The T-LINK System guided my aim to avoid accidentally piercing the cockpit.
Phantoms would've been ideal with their T-LINK guidance, but their multi-target design meant low per-shot power—useless for knocking out a pilot unless I risked a direct cockpit hit, which could kill them. The Linear Railgun, built for long-range sniping, was the better choice.
"There!"
With heightened senses and T-LINK precision aligned, I pulled the trigger. The railgun's quiet shot rang out, and the Grow Savior's monitor showed the left side of the Excellence's face explode.
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