"Something's not right…"
Maitoh narrowed his eyes at the motionless PROJECT forces in the distance, unease creeping into his chest.
Their commander definitely knew their movements. Based on their recent clashes, the enemy commander was an exceptionally seasoned veteran. Just that small-scale battle alone—the micro-control, the seamless execution of various tactics…
The precision with which he controlled distance and details had left Maitoh's squad completely disoriented.
And now the enemy was doing nothing…
That was what made it so unsettling. He had already prepared for them to strike at his facilities and had dispatched a considerable number of troops to reinforce the defenses. Yet the other side hadn't made a single move.
It left him thoroughly perplexed.
It was like throwing a punch into cotton—like playing a mind game against thin air. But sending troops to actively provoke PROJECT wasn't an option either. What he needed now was time. If he angered them and they simply launched an all-out offensive regardless of cost, that would not serve his interests.
The losses would be enormous, and that would look terrible on his record.
"But we can't just sit here either… Send the Blade Squad to scout and investigate."
"Roger."
The adjutant nodded quickly and relayed the order. A squad clad entirely in black exchanged glances upon receiving the command, then gave silent nods.
The Blade Squad was an elite special operations unit within the New United States forces. Its members were handpicked individual combat specialists from various units, as well as former renowned Soloes and gang members from different nations who had undergone rigorous training.
There were four Blade Squads in total; this was one of them. Each squad consisted of seven members.
After confirming their gear, the Blade Squad moved out immediately to carry out their mission.
Maitoh switched his display to the Blade Squad's camera feed to monitor the situation in real time.
But just as the squad reached the center of the electromagnetic silence zone, the ground suddenly began to shake violently. As Maitoh froze for a split second, the tremor spread beneath his own feet.
"An earthquake? How is that possible?"
The sudden development caught him off guard. In his view, natural disasters like this offered no real countermeasures—only the hope that luck would be on your side.
But the next moment, near the edge of the electromagnetic silence zone, a vast section of ground suddenly bulged upward. The bizarre sight drew every pair of eyes on the battlefield.
Boom!
A deafening explosion erupted as countless chunks of earth, sand, and rock rained down from above. It was like a miniature sandstorm, swallowing everything in sight.
Boom—
Another thunderous blast followed. A powerful shockwave tore through the air, scattering the sand and dust and revealing what had emerged.
An enormous hand had burst through the ground.
Maitoh's pupils contracted. He slammed the communications button.
"Quick! All formations, concentrate fire on that thing!!"
His roar echoed across the channel. The New United States forces snapped into action, scattering back to their designated positions as units reorganized at high speed.
Missile carriers completed their launch preparations almost instantly.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Countless missiles streaked forward, dragging blazing tails and scorching heat as they hurtled toward the massive hand.
Boom!
A small mushroom cloud rose over the battlefield. The searing blast wave swept across the faces of the New United States soldiers—and then an immense figure emerged from the flames.
Whoosh—
A body forged from special alloy tore through the towering fire and black smoke, crimson eyes gazing down from a height of over a hundred meters, like a pillar reaching the heavens.
Silver-gray alloy armor covered its chest, abdomen, back, and limbs. The gaps were filled with black alloy "musculature." A faint blue glow shimmered before it—clear evidence of an Energy Shield.
At its chest was a massive reactor, glowing orange-red, its deep mechanical hum reverberating across the battlefield.
The New United States troops were completely stunned.
"This… this is a Braindance shoot, right? Hey, this is a Braindance shoot, right?!"
Whoosh—
As one soldier, his face twisted with disbelief, turned to his comrade, a colossal alloy hand swept down through the smoke. It looked slow—but only by comparison. To those below, it arrived in the blink of an eye.
Boom!
Terrifying force slammed into the ground. Cracks exploded outward from the impact point.
"Attack!!!"
Shaken by the spectacle, Maitoh roared into the comms. In the next instant, every New United States unit on the field unleashed a barrage against the towering monster.
The one piloting the mecha, however, was someone unexpected. At its core sat a tiny figure, crouched in a spider-like posture that revealed his identity.
After that strike, Unit-01 let loose completely, rampaging across the battlefield like a savage giant venting its strength. As it had only recently been developed, its dedicated weapons had yet to be completed. For now, it could only rely on fists and kicks.
But on this battlefield, nothing could withstand that overwhelming power.
Every punch. Every kick.
Each one struck with the force of a missile impact.
Soon, however, Unit-01's Energy Shield began to flicker erratically. Burrowing up from underground had been stealthy and swift—but it came at a cost. The energy consumption was immense.
"Quick! His Energy Shield is about to break—keep attacking!!"
Maitoh's excitement surged at the sight.
But the smile barely formed before it froze in place.
Because Chris had already led his forces in an assault straight at them.
...
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