Chapter 197: The Fury of the Chainsword
The frontline positions fell into a stalemate amid the fierce exchange of fire that had lasted for several days. Both sides fought repeatedly over the ruins; every inch of land was soaked in blood and machine oil.
At this critical moment, concise assembly guides and basic operation manuals were distributed to every power armor pilot's interface via the tactical network.
The first batch of prototype "Ripper" chainswords rolled urgently off the line at the rear factory and were immediately loaded onto transport trucks equipped with extra armor.
Braving intermittent shelling, these trucks struggled through damaged roads to deliver the new weapons to the most fiercely contested engagement zones.
One "Ripper" was specifically marked for priority distribution to the commander of the Lazarus squad, codenamed "Butcher," known for his fierce style and outstanding melee skills.
At this moment, he was leading his squad in a bitter struggle at the weakest point of the defense line, having repelled fierce Arasaka assaults multiple times.
Just now, he had used his shoulder cannon to destroy the observation unit of an "Onimusha," but he was being cornered by two other Arasaka power armors attempting a pincer attack.
He barely dodged a heavy swing from a combat hammer, his shield system flickering incessantly under intense energy interference.
Just then, the urgent call of the logistics officer rang in the comms channel: "'Butcher'! New equipment delivered! Three o'clock, black weapon crate!"
"Butcher" piloted his power armor into a swift lateral slide. His mechanical hand grabbed that specially made weapon crate precisely and tore open the casing violently.
Inside the crate lay a weapon gleaming with cold light—a thick grip, a simple crossguard, and most strikingly, a blade nearly two meters long covered in sharp serrated teeth.
Without hesitation, "Butcher" dropped his rotary machine gun, which had run out of ammo. His massive metal fingers gripped the handle of the "Ripper" firmly.
His thumb pressed the activation button decisively.
VRRRRRMMMMM—!!!!!
A low, furious hum erupted suddenly, instantly drowning out other sounds on the battlefield.
The teeth on the "Ripper's" blade spun frantically at a speed indiscernible to the naked eye, emitting a sharp shriek as they tore through the air.
The high-speed spinning teeth created intense friction with the air, causing the surface to glow rapidly with a scorching dark red light.
The pilots of the two Arasaka power armors attempting to pincer him were stunned by this sudden, terrifying weapon, causing a fatal hesitation in their movements.
Beneath his faceplate, the corner of "Butcher's" mouth twisted into a savage smile.
He piloted his power armor to charge forward abruptly, abandoning any evasion. The "Ripper" in his hand swept out with devastating momentum, aiming straight for the "Onimusha" on the left that had just raised its combat hammer!
The Arasaka pilot hastily attempted to block with the hammer, counting on the opponent's shield remaining ineffective in close combat.
But the "Ripper" ignored defense entirely—this weapon was born to display ultimate destructive power within the range where shields failed!
CLANG—BOOM!!
The high-speed spinning teeth instantly shredded the blocking hammer. Scorching metal fragments sprayed out like a rainstorm.
The chainsword's momentum did not diminish, biting viciously into the "Onimusha's" waist armor.
This was not cutting; it was thorough, comminuted destruction!
High-strength alloy armor was pathetically fragile before the furious teeth, easily torn, shredded, and scattered.
Internal wiring, hydraulic lines, and structural supports snapped one after another amidst ear-piercing metallic wails. Lubricant and coolant sprayed from the wound like blood.
The "Onimusha's" torso was nearly completely severed, connected only by a few twisted metal frames.
It stood stiffly in place. Its power core emitted a few final, spasmodic hums before crashing to the ground, exploding into a ball of fire amidst the dust.
The entire combat sequence happened in a flash.
The other Arasaka power armor pilot witnessed the horrific scene of his comrade being instantly "dismembered." The comms channel was filled with terrified screams.
"Butcher" didn't pause at all. He turned his power armor around, carrying the "Ripper" that was still humming furiously and dripping with metal debris and lubricant. Like a demon god returned from hell, he walked step by step toward the final target.
Fear thoroughly overwhelmed the Arasaka pilot's will to fight. He stumbled backward in his power armor, even forgetting to fire.
"Butcher" gave him no chance. With a single stride forward, the "Ripper" shrieked with death as it swung upward, cleaving from the opponent's crotch straight up to the chest cavity!
Another Arasaka power armor turned into a sparking wreck amidst the teeth-aching sound of tearing metal.
This scene, captured by drones and battlefield recorders, was clearly seen by the high command of both sides.
Inside the Arasaka command center, the sliver of a smile on Shintaro Takayama's face froze instantly.
He stared dead at the furious chainsword on the screen and the entirely different efficiency of melee slaughter it brought.
"Another new weapon..." His voice was low, carrying disbelief and a trace of annoyance. The speed of the opponent's technological iteration and battlefield adaptation was unimaginably fast.
As the first batch of "Ripper" chainswords was distributed to frontline troops, the battlefield situation began to shift noticeably.
The defending forces, which had been retreating steadily due to melee disadvantages, stabilized their lines again. Soldier morale rebounded significantly.
Especially for the Barghest power armor pilots, after obtaining this simple, direct, and massively powerful melee weapon, they finally had an effective means of counterattack when facing forced close-quarters engagements from Arasaka "Onimushas."
Although their operational skills and combat experience were still inferior to the veteran Lazarus mercenaries, the "Ripper's" astonishing destructive power largely made up for these gaps.
Many Barghest pilots discovered that as long as they could hit the target accurately, the high-speed teeth of the chainsword could easily tear through enemy power armor plating.
The battlefield momentum reversed once more.
Arasaka forces' tactic of relying on melee to break through defense lines became much less effective after the defenders obtained highly targeted counter-weapons.
The offensive front sank back into a brutal war of attrition. Arasaka had to pay a considerable price for every step forward.
Inside the Badlands manufactorum, Joric calmly received the real-time combat data of the "Ripper" chainsword from the front lines.
His crimson optical lenses flickered rhythmically with the scrolling information stream.
"Log: 'Ripper' chainsword initial combat data meets expectations. Effectively bridged the melee defense gap and produced significant suppression effects on enemy morale." He paused slightly, pulling up the weapon wear report. "Suggest prioritizing optimization of material formula for the serrated teeth in subsequent production batches to enhance durability in continuous combat environments."
The direction of the war shifted again due to the introduction of this new technology.
But for Joric, these battlefield changes were merely precious research data, important references for optimizing weapons and understanding the warfare model of this world.
He continued to observe the development of the battle calmly, analyzing various parameters, ready to initiate the next project capable of altering the tide of war when necessary.
(End of Chapter)