Missiles screamed across the sky again.
The Fritz-X barrage did not slow.
One wave after another tore through the battlefield, and this time—some of them punched through the already strained radiation dome.
The barrier flickered violently.
Then—
Several impacts slipped through.
Explosions erupted inside the Azur Lane headquarters zone.
Shockwaves rolled across the irradiated land, kicking up dust, fire, and unstable radiation bursts.
Enterprise's eyes widened.
"They're hitting the inside now!"
Yorktown clenched her jaw.
"…Those foxes are insane."
Yuuki didn't argue.
"Yeah," he said. "That's not strategy—that's vengeance."
Another explosion landed dangerously close.
Yuuki immediately reacted.
"Hop on!"
He didn't wait for confirmation.
He grabbed Enterprise, Yorktown, and Belfast again, pulling them in tight as his thrusters roared to life.
The ground beneath them cracked as he launched upward.
They shot toward the barrier.
Behind them—
More explosions.
Ahead—
Chaos.
As they cleared the radiation dome, the scale of the battle became fully visible.
Yuuki's eyes narrowed.
"…Damn…"
The battlefield had shifted dramatically.
Wreckage filled the sea.
Burning hulls.
Shattered Siren constructs.
Out of the original three hundred—
Nearly two hundred ships were already gone.
Erased.
Orochi stood at the center of it all.
Still firing.
Still advancing.
Still destroying—
Without pause.
Without restraint.
But it was no longer untouched.
Sections of its armor were failing.
Weapon systems sparked under overload.
Parts of its hull were visibly damaged, some barely holding together under the strain of continuous firing.
Yorktown saw it immediately.
"…It's falling apart."
Enterprise added—
"But it's not stopping."
Belfast's voice remained composed.
"It has no intention of stopping."
Yuuki didn't linger.
He angled toward the fleet.
"Hold tight."
They accelerated.
The GDI command carrier came into view.
Still hidden.
Still untouched.
The shielding shimmered faintly as they approached.
Yuuki pushed through—
The barrier parted just enough to let them pass.
As they crossed it, a cleansing field activated automatically, stripping away residual radiation clinging to their suits.
By the time they landed—
They were clean.
Safe.
Mission complete.
Yuuki released them as they touched down on the deck.
"…We're back."
But no one relaxed.
Because all eyes turned outward—
Toward the battlefield.
Orochi was still there.
Still fighting.
Still tearing through the remaining Siren forces like they were nothing.
Missiles launched.
Railguns fired.
Entire sections of the ocean boiled under its assault.
And yet—
It did not care about itself.
Every shot pushed it closer to collapse.
Every attack damaged it further.
Enterprise spoke quietly.
"…It's not fighting to win."
Yorktown nodded.
"…It's fighting to destroy everything."
Belfast added—
"Even if it destroys itself in the process."
===========
"Shikikan-sama… you're back."
Atago's voice carried clear relief as Yuuki stepped onto the command deck, followed closely by Enterprise, Yorktown, and Belfast. The three of them disengaged their helmets, revealing flushed faces and steady, focused expressions, while their Da'at Yichud armor remained active around their bodies.
Yuuki did not pause.
His Mark XV armor disengaged in segments, retracting and dissolving into standby configuration before reassembling into sentry mode behind him. Without missing a beat, he raised his hand and summoned another frame.
Heavy plating formed around him.
Bulkier.
Denser.
Weapon ports expanded across the chassis.
War Machine Mark V.
A suit built not for stealth—
But for war.
Yorktown crossed her arms slightly as she watched the battlefield feed.
"So… that's Project Orochi."
Enterprise nodded, her eyes fixed forward.
"…Yes."
Her voice carried weight.
"It was a nightmare back then."
Belfast remained composed, though even she did not look away.
"A nightmare that required an entire fleet to suppress."
Yuuki turned slightly.
"The four we recovered?"
Atago answered immediately.
"Vestal has them in the med bay," she said. "She's watching over them personally."
Yuuki gave a small nod.
"Good."
Then—
A new feed cut into the command room.
Vergil.
"Dude," he said. "You're seeing this, right?"
Yuuki didn't look away from the main screen.
"Live and clear."
Vergil let out a short breath.
"…You're thinking what I'm thinking."
Yuuki immediately frowned.
"…No."
He shook his head once.
"No, no, no. Don't say it."
Vergil ignored that completely.
"Hey," he said. "That's a powerful ship."
The room went quiet.
Atago blinked.
"…Umm… what is going on?"
Yuuki exhaled slowly, already knowing where this was heading.
Vergil continued.
"Keep most of it intact," he said. "We want the handlers… and I want that ship."
Silence.
Then—
Yorktown turned sharply.
"…Commander?"
Belfast's tone was measured, but serious.
"Is he suggesting what I believe he is suggesting?"
Yuuki didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"…Yeah."
He looked at the screen again.
"He wants us to take Orochi."
Atago's eyes widened.
"Eh?! That's suicide!"
Takao nodded immediately.
"That vessel required two hundred shipgirls to disable," she said. "And even then, it was not destroyed."
Enterprise stepped forward, her expression firm.
"That thing is still capable of wiping out fleets," she said. "Even in its current state."
Yorktown added—
"And it's being piloted by Akagi and Kaga."
Belfast finished—
"Individuals who are already unstable."
Vergil's voice cut in again.
"Exactly," he said. "Which is why we take it now."
Yuuki raised an eyebrow.
"…You're serious."
"Completely," Vergil replied. "It's damaged, it's overextended, and it's fighting alone."
He paused.
"This is the only window we'll get."
Yuuki looked back at Orochi on the screen.
Still firing.
Still destroying.
Still tearing through the last of the Siren fleet—
While tearing itself apart in the process.
He folded his arms.
"…That thing is basically a walking superweapon."
Vergil chuckled.
"Exactly."
The room waited.
Because now—
This wasn't just about survival.
This was a decision.
A dangerous one.
Yuuki exhaled slowly.
"…If we do this," he said, "we're not just fighting it."
His eyes narrowed.
"We're boarding it."
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Immediate.
Atago swallowed slightly.
"…That still sounds like suicide."
Yuuki smirked faintly.
"…Yeah."
He looked at the screen again.
"…But it also sounds like a hell of an opportunity."
And that was the problem.
Because for someone like him—
That was enough reason to consider it.
==============
"Shikikan-sama…"
Takao's voice cut through the command room just as Yuuki straightened.
All eyes were on him.
He did not hesitate.
"Right," he said. "We're doing this."
Then—
His expression changed.
His hand rose to his head.
"…Tch—"
Pain.
Sharp.
Sudden.
"Commander!"
"Master!"
"Shikikan-sama!"
His body gave out.
He collapsed forward—
And Belfast caught him instantly, supporting his weight before he could hit the ground.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Again," she murmured.
She already knew.
This was not physical.
===============
The command room fell into a heavy silence as Yuuki's body went limp in Belfast's arms. The chaos of battle still raged across every screen, yet for a brief moment, none of them moved. The shift was too sudden, too familiar.
"Commander…?" Enterprise stepped forward, her voice low but tense.
Belfast adjusted her hold, supporting him carefully.
"This is the same phenomenon as before," she said, her tone calm but firm. "His consciousness has been pulled away."
Yorktown clenched her fist slightly.
"…The void world again."
No one liked it.
Because every time it happened—
Something important followed.
==============
Yuuki opened his eyes to stillness.
The endless horizon stretched before him, where sky and sea blended into a single, quiet existence. No sound. No wind. Just that same calm, unnatural emptiness.
"…Again…" he muttered.
His gaze shifted, sharper this time.
"I didn't touch a cube."
That was different.
That meant—
Someone else reached out.
He felt it before he saw her.
A presence.
Gentle.
But unmistakable.
He turned.
She stood there with quiet elegance, as if she had always belonged to that place. Her long dark-brown hair flowed down her back, tied into a low ponytail that swayed faintly. Fox ears rested atop her head, soft yet alert, while a single tail moved behind her with restrained motion.
Her purple eyes carried a depth that was difficult to describe, accented with warm tones that gave them both kindness and sorrow. Her attire was refined and layered, a red haori draped over a kimono adorned with intricate patterns, balanced by metallic elements that hinted at her nature as something more than human.
She held an oriental umbrella lightly at her side, completing a presence that felt both regal and fragile.
Yuuki looked at her for a moment, then spoke plainly.
"You're a fox."
A faint, polite smile touched her lips.
"Ah… greetings," she said softly. "I apologize for calling upon you so abruptly."
Yuuki crossed his arms slightly, studying her.
"You are…?"
She brought a hand to her lips and coughed lightly, as if the act itself carried weight.
"…Battlecruiser Amagi," she said.
Her voice was gentle, but steady.
"Reporting in."
She paused, her gaze lowering slightly.
"It seems that, were I alive, I would be able to fully utilize my abilities."
Yuuki narrowed his eyes.
"You pulled me here."
Amagi shook her head slowly.
"I wished for it," she explained. "To meet the voice that reached us… the one that called to us."
Her eyes softened.
"It was a desperate wish. I do not fully understand how it worked… only that it did."
Yuuki exhaled quietly.
"…So the connection goes both ways."
Amagi looked at him more directly now.
"You have heard of Project Orochi," she said.
"And… my sisters."
Yuuki tilted his head slightly.
"The foxes."
A faint trace of amusement passed through her expression.
"…My ears are quite obvious, are they not?"
"Very," Yuuki replied. "Well, I am Yuuki, Amagi-san. Yukihira Yuuki. Global Defense Initiative High Commander."
The moment passed quickly.
Amagi stepped forward slightly, her presence shifting.
The softness remained—
But something heavier surfaced beneath it.
"Please," she said.
"I seek your aid, Yuuki-san… not as a commander of fleets, but as the one who answered our call."
Her voice lowered.
"My younger sister has lost herself."
Yuuki did not interrupt.
He already understood.
"She has taken my death," Amagi continued, "and turned it into justification for destruction."
Her hand tightened slightly against her sleeve.
"This is not the first time she has done so."
Yuuki frowned.
"…Second time."
Amagi nodded.
"The conflict from fifteen years ago," she said. "The one your companions spoke of."
Her gaze dimmed slightly.
"That was her."
Yuuki looked away briefly, processing it.
"…Akagi."
Amagi did not deny it.
"Please," she said again, her voice softer now.
"Save her."
Her eyes met his.
"Save them both."
There was no desperation in her tone.
No madness.
Only a quiet, unwavering hope.
"I offer my loyalty to you," she continued.
"Not as a transaction, but as gratitude for what you have already done."
She bowed her head slightly.
"Shikikan-sama."
Yuuki remained silent for a moment.
Then he spoke.
"You're asking me to stop Orochi without killing the ones inside it."
Amagi nodded.
"Yes."
Yuuki let out a slow breath.
"That's not easy."
"I am aware," she replied.
A brief pause followed.
"…But it is possible. I have a plan."
Yuuki crossed his arms again, his expression sharpening.
"You said you have a plan."
Amagi hesitated.
Just slightly.
"…I do."
Her gaze lifted to meet his again.
"…However, you will not like it."
Yuuki gave a faint, tired smirk.
"That usually means it's the right one."
He stepped forward just a little.
"Go on," he said.
"Tell me."
=================
Yuuki's eyes snapped open as his body jerked slightly in Belfast's arms. He let out a strained breath, pressing a hand against his temple as the lingering sensation of the void faded.
"Urrgghh… Man, I really need to stop doing that," he muttered.
"Commander!"
"Master!"
"Shikikan-sama!"
Multiple voices overlapped as the girls rushed toward him. Belfast steadied him carefully, ensuring he was fully conscious before letting go.
"I am fine," Yuuki said, raising a hand slightly to calm them. "Do not panic. I just had… another meeting."
Enterprise narrowed her eyes.
"…The same place?"
Yuuki nodded once.
"The void," he confirmed. "This time, it was not random."
Atago stepped forward, curiosity immediately replacing concern.
"Meeting who, Shikikan-sama?"
Yuuki glanced at her.
"Amagi."
That single name froze the room.
Atago's eyes widened.
"…Amagi?"
Takao stiffened slightly beside her.
"You met her…?"
Even Belfast's composed expression shifted just a fraction.
Yuuki nodded.
"Yeah," he said. "She reached out. Same way Hood did."
He crossed his arms, his tone sharpening slightly.
"She explained what is happening inside Orochi… and why."
Enterprise stepped closer.
"…Then this is not just a rogue weapon."
"No," Yuuki replied. "It is Akagi."
He paused briefly.
"And Kaga."
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Because that confirmed everything.
Yorktown spoke next.
"…Then what did Amagi say?"
Yuuki exhaled slowly.
"She wants them saved," he said. "Not destroyed. Not killed."
He looked around at all of them.
"She gave me a plan."
Yorktown tilted her head slightly.
"I am sure it is a plan that you do not approve of?" she asked calmly.
Yuuki gave a faint smirk.
"Oh, I definitely do not like it," he said.
Then his expression hardened.
"But it is the only way. Let's get back to work, girls."
His tone was no longer casual.
It was command.
He turned slightly.
"Laffey," he called.
Laffey straightened just enough, her eyes focusing.
"Command carrier weapons system," Yuuki continued. "Arm missiles. I want locks on every main gun it has."
"…Roger…" Laffey murmured, fingers already moving across the interface.
"Target all 460mm turrets first," Yuuki added. "Those are priority threats."
============
He shifted.
"Illustrious."
She stepped forward gracefully.
"Yes, Lord Commander."
"Prepare bombing runs," he said. "I'm authorizing eight Barracuda Bombers and eight Lionheart Bombers. Launch from GDS Pathe and GDS Ghost."
A hologram appeared in the center of the room.
A sleek, shadow-like aircraft took shape.
The Barracuda Bomber.
Its silhouette resembled a flying wing, but sharper, more refined—far beyond conventional design.
"When an enemy installation is too well defended to be assaulted directly," Yuuki said, "this is what we use."
He gestured at the projection.
"Stealth beyond radar detection. Precision strikes on hardened targets. It goes in, deletes the problem, and leaves before anyone knows what happened."
Illustrious nodded.
"…Understood."
=========
Another hologram replaced it.
Larger.
Heavier.
More aggressive.
"The F.A.S B-60 Lionheart," Yuuki continued.
"This one doesn't care about stealth as much. It breaks things."
The display showed payload deployment.
Fuel bombs.
EMP warheads.
"Anything it doesn't destroy," he said, "it cripples."
Takao's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…An armor killer."
Yuuki nodded.
"Exactly."
===========
Then he turned.
"Unicorn."
She flinched slightly at being called, clutching her interface.
"Hnnn… Big sister Illustrious taught me…"
Yuuki smiled faintly.
"Good."
He brought up another display.
The room dimmed slightly as something massive appeared.
A flying fortress.
"FTAC-X2 Harbinger Gunship."
The projection dwarfed everything else.
Engines.
Weapon systems.
Collider cannons.
"This is one of our crown jewels," Yuuki said.
He walked closer to the hologram.
"It's not fast. It's not subtle."
He tapped the side of the projection.
"It's overwhelming."
The Harbinger rotated slowly.
Two massive starboard-mounted cannons came into view.
"120mm Collider Cannons," Yuuki explained. "Each shot hits like a howitzer."
Another section highlighted.
"And this—25mm explosive chain gun. Linked to your vision. You look at something…"
He smirked slightly.
"…it disappears."
Unicorn's eyes widened.
"…Ehh…"
Yuuki continued.
"It can stay airborne for days. It repairs itself. It holds territory."
He turned back to her.
"And today… you're controlling four of them. Just make sure they comes back to the carrier once we're done."
Silence.
Atago blinked.
"…Isn't that too much for her?"
Yuuki shook his head.
"No."
His tone was calm.
Confident.
"She can handle it."
Unicorn held her interface tighter.
Her nervousness was still there.
But beneath it—
Determination.
"…I'll try… big brother…"
Yuuki nodded.
"That's all I need."
==============
He turned back to the main display.
Orochi filled the screen.
Still fighting.
Still firing.
Still tearing through what remained of the Sirens.
Yuuki's voice hardened.
"Once the Sirens are wiped out…"
He paused.
Then finished—
"We hit it."
==============
Yuuki didn't slow down.
The plan was already forming faster than anyone could question it.
"Hana," he called.
Yorktown straightened immediately.
"Firehawk air superiority. I'm authorizing Mark III and Mark IV deployments. Flood the sky with drones and keep the airspace clean."
He pointed toward the tactical display.
"Your job is to cover Illustrious. No interruptions while she lines up her strikes on those main guns."
Yorktown nodded without hesitation.
"Yes."
Her interface lit up, and dozens—then hundreds—of Firehawks began spooling up for launch.
"Enterprise."
She stepped forward.
"Firehawks and Orcas. Stealth bombing runs. Same models—Mark III and IV."
Yuuki zoomed in on Orochi's surface.
"Target the anti-air systems. CIWS, flak arrays, everything that can shoot us down."
Enterprise's eyes sharpened.
"The Firehawks are fast enough," Yuuki added. "Standard CIWS won't keep up."
He looked at her directly.
"Show me the Grey Ghost."
Enterprise didn't flinch.
"I won't let you down."
Her interface exploded with activity as squadrons fell under her control, moving like extensions of her will.
"Atago."
She perked up instantly.
"Yes, Shikikan-sama."
"Two destroyer battleships. Three Aegis battleships. Same configuration as before."
Yuuki marked targets across Orochi's structure.
"Focus on its main guns. Intercept any cruise missiles it launches."
Atago smiled, confident.
"Leave it to onee-san."
"Takao."
She stepped forward.
"I will mirror Atago's deployment," she said.
Yuuki nodded.
"Exactly. Maintain pressure. Don't let those guns stabilize."
"Belfast."
She inclined her head slightly.
"Yes, Master."
Yuuki brought up a new hologram.
A sleek, hovering artillery platform appeared.
"FTC-X3 'Pacifier' Field Artillery Vehicle."
The projection shifted between modes—mobile hover form, then entrenched artillery configuration.
"In mobile mode, it moves fast. GAU-8 autocannons can shred light targets."
The model locked into place.
"In siege mode, it deploys twin 150mm Grand Cannons. Collider bomblets. Area saturation."
He looked at her.
"You don't stay in one place. Hit and run."
Belfast's eyes narrowed slightly in focus.
"Deploy. Fire. Relocate."
Yuuki nodded.
"Exactly. Don't let them track you. Target essential cannons."
Belfast gave a small bow.
"It will be done."
The room was alive now.
Every station active.
Every system engaged.
Then Yuuki stepped forward.
"I'm not staying back."
That line cut through everything.
Atago blinked.
"…Shikikan-sama?"
Yuuki's armor shifted slightly as systems armed.
"I'm going in," he said.
He pointed at Orochi.
"I'll land on it."
Silence followed.
Then—
Yorktown spoke first.
"…Commander, that's—"
"Necessary," Yuuki cut in.
His tone left no room for argument.
"I'm finding Akagi and Kaga."
Enterprise stepped forward slightly.
"…And then?"
Yuuki's eyes hardened.
"I capture them."
He paused briefly.
"Because if they're as unstable as you say…"
He glanced back at the screen.
"They might try to blow that entire ship."
No one spoke immediately.
Because they all understood.
If Orochi detonated—
It wouldn't just end the battle.
It would erase everything around it.
Yuuki looked at all of them.
"Stick to the plan," he said. "We break its weapons, control the battlefield…"
Then he turned toward the launch deck.
"…and I take its head."
Atago clenched her fists slightly.
"…You better come back," she muttered.
Takao closed her eyes briefly.
"…We will support you from here."
Belfast spoke last.
"Master… we will ensure your path is clear."
Yuuki smirked faintly as he walked.
"Good."
Because this wasn't just a battle anymore.
It was a takeover.
And he intended—
To win it.
Orochi?
Not a target, but a prize.
==============
The battlefield went quiet.
Where three hundred Siren ships once filled the horizon—
Now there was only wreckage.
Burning fragments drifted across the sea, shattered hulls sinking slowly beneath the waves. Smoke and energy residue lingered in the air, the aftermath of overwhelming firepower.
Orochi stood at the center of it all.
Victorious.
But not untouched.
Inside its core, the reactor pulsed unevenly.
Systems flickered.
Warning signals stacked across every panel.
Yet—
Akagi smiled.
A broken, satisfied smile.
"…Ku… ku… ku…"
Her voice trembled with emotion.
"They tried…"
Her grip tightened on the controls.
"Did you see that, Amagi-nee-sama…?"
Her single eye burned with obsession.
"They didn't even stand a chance…"
Around them, the control systems struggled to keep up.
Power fluctuations.
Ammo counters dropping.
Structural warnings escalating.
Kaga's hands moved quickly across the interface, trying to stabilize what she could.
"…Nee-sama…"
Her voice was strained now.
"Several main guns are out of ammunition."
Another alert flashed.
"Railgun output is dropping."
More warnings.
"We are losing power."
Orochi's massive frame groaned under the stress.
Sections of its armor sparked.
Energy shields flickered inconsistently.
Missile bays slowed.
But Akagi—
Did not care.
Her smile didn't fade.
"…Good," she said softly.
Kaga froze.
"…Nee-sama?"
Akagi's voice lowered.
"Then we burn the rest of it."
She leaned forward slightly.
"As long as the Sirens are gone…"
Her fingers tightened further.
"…Everything else can follow."
Kaga's expression hardened.
Because she understood what that meant.
Orochi was no longer a weapon being used.
It was a weapon being spent.
=============
Inside Orochi, the illusion of control shattered completely.
Explosions rippled across the deck in rapid succession, each one more precise than the last. Panels flickered violently as system warnings stacked faster than they could be processed.
Akagi's expression tightened.
"What is happening…"
Kaga's hands moved quickly across the controls, trying to trace the origin of the strikes.
"We are under coordinated attack," she said. "Multiple vectors. No detectable signatures."
Another blast tore through a CIWS cluster.
"Point-defense systems are being eliminated before activation," she added.
Across the massive structure, anti-air batteries detonated one after another. Entire defensive layers vanished in seconds, leaving Orochi exposed.
Akagi clenched her teeth.
"Stealth units…"
Then the sky lit up.
Precision strikes descended like falling stars, slamming directly into the main gun emplacements. Each impact was deliberate, targeting structural weak points with surgical accuracy.
One turret exploded.
Then another.
Then another.
"Launch interceptors," Kaga ordered.
Jets surged into the sky from Orochi's decks, engines roaring as they climbed—
Only to be cut down instantly.
Invisible attackers tore through them with impossible speed. The interceptors never even found their targets before they were destroyed.
Kaga's voice dropped slightly.
"We have lost aerial control."
Akagi's eye widened.
"…Impossible…"
"Railguns, fire," Kaga commanded.
The systems began to charge—
Before a direct strike hit the assembly.
The railgun exploded in place, its energy discharging violently and tearing apart the structure around it.
"Deploy missiles."
Launch systems opened, releasing a spread of projectiles—
Only for every single one to be intercepted mid-flight.
Explosions filled the sky.
Not one reached its target.
Kaga stared at the display.
"All offensive systems are being neutralized," she said. "Main cannons offline. Anti-air destroyed. Missile systems ineffective."
Her voice carried something unfamiliar.
Uncertainty.
Outside, the battlefield had changed.
The sky was no longer theirs.
Stealth bombers moved unseen, striking critical systems without warning. Advanced fighters dominated the airspace, eliminating anything that attempted to rise.
Then came the artillery.
Shells began falling from multiple directions, each one calculated and precise. Battleship-grade rounds slammed into Orochi's weakened armor, punching through damaged sections and detonating inside.
Explosions echoed across the entire structure.
Decks collapsed.
Internal systems ruptured.
Fire spread.
Kaga tightened her grip.
"We are being encircled," she said. "This is not random engagement. This is controlled suppression."
Akagi stood still.
For the first time since the battle began, her expression changed.
The smile faded.
"…This is not the Sirens," she said quietly.
Outside, the truth was undeniable.
This was not chaos.
This was not desperation.
This was strategy.
BOOM!!
Another main gun vanished in a pillar of fire.
Then another.
Then another.
Across Orochi's vast frame, every major weapon system was being picked apart with terrifying precision. Anti-air emplacements detonated before they could even track. Railgun housings ruptured under direct strikes. Missile silos went dark one after another, their payloads either destroyed in place or intercepted mid-launch.
The flight deck did not survive either.
Missiles slammed into the runway in rapid succession, tearing it apart and rendering it unusable within seconds. Any attempt to launch aircraft was gone before it could begin.
Kaga gritted her teeth.
"They are systematically dismantling us…"
Guns that remained tried to respond, firing blindly into empty sky. Targeting systems struggled to lock onto anything, but there was nothing to see.
The attackers—
Invisible.
Untouchable.
Then, suddenly—
The invisibility dropped.
Shapes emerged.
Clear.
Unmistakable.
Kaga's eyes widened.
"…There."
On the horizon—
A fleet revealed itself.
A single massive command carrier at the center, its presence dominating the formation. Not as large as Orochi, but far more refined—sleek, controlled, purposeful.
Flanking it—
Two advanced aircraft carriers, their decks alive with coordinated aerial operations.
Below and around—
Four heavily armed battleships, their guns already aligned with calculated precision.
And further out—
Six anti-missile battleships, forming a defensive web that had already proven impenetrable.
Every vessel bore the same insignia.
A mark that cut through the chaos like a declaration.
The Diving Eagle.
Kaga's voice tightened.
"…It's them…"
Akagi turned sharply.
"Them?"
Kaga's gaze locked onto the fleet.
"The ones dismantling the Siren fleets…"
Recognition settled in.
Not rumor.
Not theory.
Reality.
Akagi's expression twisted.
"…They came here?"
Her voice rose, sharp and unstable.
"…To take nee-sama away from me?!"
Her grip tightened violently over the controls.
"Focus all remaining fire on them!"
What little weaponry remained on Orochi tried to respond.
Turrets shifted.
Systems strained.
Targeting attempted to lock—
And failed.
Before they could even fire—
They were destroyed.
Above—
Four massive aircraft descended into position.
The Harbingers.
They did not rush.
They did not dodge.
They loomed.
Then—
They fired.
Beams of concentrated energy fell like judgment from the sky.
Each strike precise.
Each impact catastrophic.
Remaining cannons were dismantled instantly.
Structural weak points were exposed and exploited.
Entire sections of Orochi's surface collapsed under the sustained assault.
From the sea—
The GDI battleships opened fire.
Coordinated volleys.
Heavy shells slammed into Orochi's damaged armor, each hit compounding the destruction already inflicted.
Missiles launched in controlled waves, striking only where needed.
Nothing wasted.
Nothing excessive.
Kaga's hands tightened.
"…We cannot return fire…"
Akagi stared at the approaching fleet.
For the first time—
There was something beneath the madness.
Not fear.
But realization.
This was not a desperate enemy.
This was not chaos.
This was control.
And Orochi—
For all its size—
Was being reduced to nothing under it.
=============
Yuuki dropped from the sky like a controlled meteor.
The War Machine Mark V thrusters burned hard as he descended toward Orochi's scarred deck, weaving through smoke, debris, and failing weapon systems. The scale of the ship beneath him was overwhelming, but the damage already inflicted was undeniable.
"This isn't a fair fight…" he muttered.
Then he corrected himself.
"It's not supposed to be."
They were not here to duel it.
They were here to strip it down and take it.
He raised both arms mid-descent.
Missiles launched first.
A tight spread.
They curved downward and slammed directly into a cluster of reactivating AA guns, detonating before the systems could fully power up.
His repulsors followed immediately after.
Blue-white beams tore through exposed components, cutting down anything that survived the initial strike.
Below him—
Orochi tried to respond.
Gun housings shifted.
Power flickered.
Systems attempted to reboot.
Too slow.
Yuuki landed hard on the deck, the impact cracking metal beneath his feet. Without pausing, he pivoted and fired again, targeting another AA cluster that had just begun to rotate into position.
"Stay down," he said, blasting it apart before it could even lock.
Above—
The sky belonged to Yorktown.
Her Firehawks dominated the airspace completely, intercepting anything that tried to rise. Nothing escaped her net. Every hostile airborne attempt was erased almost instantly.
"She's holding the sky," Yuuki muttered.
Further out—
Illustrious executed precision bombing runs.
Barracuda bombers slipped in unseen, dropping payloads directly onto hardened targets. Each strike removed another critical system—railgun mounts, missile cores, structural nodes.
Lionheart bombers followed, their EMP-laced payloads crippling internal systems before detonation.
"Clean… efficient," Yuuki noted.
Enterprise moved like a ghost.
Her Firehawks and Orcas struck anti-air systems relentlessly, ensuring nothing on Orochi could contest the skies again.
Every AA gun that tried to come online—
Was already marked.
Already dead.
Unicorn—
Quiet.
Focused.
Her Harbingers orbited above like divine weapons.
Beams of collider energy rained down with terrifying precision, dismantling main guns piece by piece.
Each strike was deliberate.
Each hit decisive.
Yuuki smirked slightly.
"She's doing just fine…"
From the sea—
Laffey, Atago, and Takao unleashed saturation fire.
Battleship volleys hammered Orochi's weakened structure, forcing systems offline faster than they could recover.
But Laffey—
Was the difference.
EMP missiles launched first.
They struck critical systems—
And shut them down instantly.
Power collapsed.
Circuits died.
Then—
Enterprise's bombers arrived.
And finished the job.
Yuuki watched another turret flicker—
Then go dark—
Then explode.
"…That combo is nasty," he admitted.
Disable.
Then destroy.
No recovery.
No second chance.
Across the battlefield—
Everything was synchronized.
No wasted motion.
No overlap.
No hesitation.
Belfast moved unseen along the perimeter.
Deploy.
Fire.
Relocate.
Her Pacifier artillery units struck from shifting positions, saturating key areas with collider bomblets. Every barrage forced Orochi into further instability.
Hit-and-run perfection.
Yuuki lifted off again, targeting another cluster of systems trying desperately to come back online.
"They're trying to reboot," he said.
Not for long.
He fired.
Destroyed them.
Moved again.
Below him—
Orochi was no longer a fortress.
It was being taken apart.
And the worst part—
It never had a chance to adapt.
Yuuki hovered briefly, scanning the damage.
"…You wiped out three hundred Siren ships…"
His eyes narrowed.
"…And now you're getting dismantled piece by piece."
This was not brute force.
This was control.
And at the center of it—
He knew exactly where he was heading next.
"…Time to find the foxes."
=============
Inside Orochi's command core, control was no longer something they possessed. It was something they were losing, layer by layer, system by system.
Kaga's hand moved rapidly across failing interfaces, trying to reroute authority through secondary pathways. Every command she issued returned with delay, rejection, or partial execution. Weapon groups desynchronized, defensive grids collapsed, and targeting systems blinked out one after another.
"We are losing full control of the weapons network," she said, her voice tight but controlled. "Manual override is no longer responding consistently."
Another alert flared across her screen.
"Defense systems are failing to reinitialize. Something is preventing recovery cycles."
Akagi stood rigid at the center console, her expression no longer smiling.
"Why…" she whispered.
Her fingers pressed harder against the interface, as if force alone could make the system obey.
"Why won't it respond…?"
Outside, the ship shook again under another series of coordinated impacts. Explosions rippled across the deck, not randomly, but with deliberate spacing and timing.
This was not bombardment.
This was dismantling.
Kaga paused.
Not because the system failed.
Because something else drew her attention.
"…Nee-sama," she said quietly.
Akagi did not respond at first.
"…Look."
The external feed stabilized through interference, giving them a partial view of the battlefield.
Through smoke, fire, and collapsing superstructure—
A single figure cut through the chaos.
A man in armored flight.
Yuuki advanced steadily toward Orochi, his thrusters cutting through the air with controlled bursts. He did not weave aimlessly or dodge erratically. Every movement was measured, every shift in direction purposeful.
He was not reacting to the battlefield.
He was navigating it.
Around him, the pattern became clear.
Aircraft cleared the sky ahead of him before threats could even approach. Artillery strikes landed moments before he reached critical points, removing defenses in advance. Missile intercepts eliminated incoming threats before they locked onto him. EMP bursts shut down systems just as they attempted to reboot.
Nothing reached him.
Nothing delayed him.
Kaga's eyes narrowed as she watched.
"…Everything is converging around him."
Yuuki raised his arm mid-flight and fired.
A cluster of anti-air guns that had just begun to power up exploded instantly, their systems collapsing before they could even complete activation.
He adjusted his trajectory.
Another defense node—
Disabled.
Another system—
Gone.
He did not stop.
He did not hesitate.
Kaga spoke again, her voice quieter now, more analytical.
"He is not targeting randomly," she said. "He is striking recovery points and reactivation nodes. He is preventing the system from stabilizing."
Her hands tightened.
"He is dismantling Orochi while advancing toward us."
Akagi's breathing grew uneven as she stared at the approaching figure.
"…He is coming here…"
The realization settled heavily between them.
This was not a fleet assault in the traditional sense.
This was not overwhelming force.
This was a focused strike.
Everything else—the aircraft, the artillery, the missiles, the ships—
They were not the primary attack.
They were support.
For him.
============
Kaga's voice trembled despite every effort to steady it.
"Nee-sama… the damage to the Orochi is critical. We've lost the railguns—ICBM launchers are offline. Control systems are failing… we can't hold it together any longer!"
Explosions rippled across the massive warship, each impact shaking its frame as waves of advanced aircraft and bombers tore through its defenses. Panels flickered. Metal screamed.
"Runway destroyed!"
"Main turrets—nonfunctional!"
"Soon, we will lose the dockyard!"
Each report struck like a hammer. Kaga's hand tightened, her breath hitching as the reality set in—piece by piece, Orochi was being dismantled.
It is clearly obvious. Even Orochi is not a match against the Diving Eagle faction.
And yet—
A soft, broken sound escaped beside her.
"Ku… ku… ku…"
Kaga froze.
Akagi was laughing.
Amidst the chaos, amidst the fire and ruin, Akagi stood serene—her lips curled into a quiet, almost affectionate smile as she gazed upon the dying super warship's core.
"Look, Kaga…" she murmured, her voice gentle, almost reverent. "Orochi is still fighting… even now… even as it draws its last breath."
Before Kaga could respond, Akagi's hand moved.
A command. Final. Absolute.
A cold mechanical voice echoed through the vessel:
"Warning. Self-destruct sequence initiated. Evacuate immediately."
The words rang like a death knell.
"Nee-sama…" Kaga whispered, turning to her.
Their eyes met.
In that moment, everything unspoken passed between them.
Akagi smiled—soft, unwavering.
"I'm staying, Kaga."
The words were calm. Certain.
"I'm going to meet Nee-sama…"
Kaga's breath caught.
Far beyond the burning skies, something—or someone—was coming.
Akagi's gaze lifted slightly, distant… expectant.
"The man in the armor will arrive soon," she said quietly.
Her expression hardened—not with fear, but with resolve.
"I will hold him back."
Silence followed.
The kind that only exists before the end.
============
"Sir, it appears the self-destruct sequence has been initiated."
J.A.R.V.I.S.' voice cut cleanly through the chaos inside the suit—calm, precise, utterly indifferent to the scale of destruction about to unfold.
Yuuki exhaled slowly.
So the fox had chosen this path.
Below him, the Orochi burned—its once-imposing frame now fractured, its systems collapsing one after another. But even crippled, it was still a monster. And if that self-destruct completed…
Everything would vanish in nuclear fire.
He could leave.
The chronosphere was ready. One command, and he'd be gone—untouched, unscathed.
…but empty-handed.
Yuuki's eyes narrowed.
"No," he muttered. "Not happening."
"Eva," he said, voice sharpening with intent, "set the Ion Cannon to one percent output. Target the beacon—fire directly above it."
A brief pause.
"...Are you certain?" Eva replied. "That vessel is already compromised. Even at one percent, the structural integrity—"
"I know," Yuuki cut in. "Its armor's failing, but that works in our favor. I don't need to destroy it—I need an entry point."
His gaze locked onto the heart of the warship.
"Fire above the central axis. Crack it open. The EMP pulse should disrupt the reactor long enough for me to get inside and shut the self-destruct down manually."
There was a beat of silence—then a faint, amused exhale.
"You really want that ship, huh?"
Yuuki smirked faintly.
"Heck yeah," he said. "Along with those crazy foxes."
"...Understood."
=============
From the ruptured sections of Orochi's hull, something new emerged.
At first, it looked like debris being ejected.
Then the signatures updated.
Then the scale became clear.
Launch bays—hidden deep within the superstructure—began opening in sequence. Mechanical plates split apart, revealing internal assembly lines still functioning despite the damage.
And from those lines—
They came.
Small vessels, freshly deployed, engines igniting the moment they cleared the hull. Some were lightly armed, others carried heavier payloads, but a large portion—
Were nothing but fast-moving, unstable shells.
Yorktown's interface flooded with red markers.
"Contacts multiplying rapidly," she reported. "Output is continuous."
Enterprise didn't need a second look.
"…Those are not standard drones," she said. "They're rushing straight in."
A cluster accelerated.
No evasive maneuvers.
No defensive spacing.
Just speed.
Yorktown's eyes sharpened.
"…Suicide boats."
Yuuki's voice cut in immediately.
"Girls, shift targets. New priority—intercept all incoming ships before they reach effective detonation range."
The response was instantaneous.
Not chaotic.
Not overlapping.
But precise.
Yorktown took control of the interception grid.
"Missile systems online," she said. "Establishing layered defense."
Her fingers moved across the interface, assigning firing solutions across multiple vectors. The command carrier's launch systems opened in sequence—
Missiles surged outward in staggered waves.
Not all at once.
Not wasteful.
Calculated.
Each missile intercepted a specific cluster, detonating them at optimal distances to prevent chain reactions near the fleet.
The sea lit up with controlled explosions.
Atago leaned forward slightly, eyes gleaming.
"Ufufu… trying to rush us?"
Her battleship units adjusted formation.
"Target leading clusters. Break their momentum."
Heavy shells launched in coordinated volleys, not just aiming to destroy—but to disrupt formation cohesion. Explosions erupted in arcs, forcing incoming drones into disorganized paths.
Takao mirrored her perfectly.
"Secondary layer engaging," she said.
Her ships targeted stragglers and high-speed units that slipped through the first line. Her fire was sharper, more precise—cutting down anything that tried to exploit gaps.
Together—
They formed a moving wall of destruction.
Belfast's Pacifiers shifted position again.
"Deploying suppression fire," she said calmly.
The GAU-8 autocannons roared to life, their high-velocity rounds tearing through incoming drones at close range. Entire clusters disintegrated under sustained fire, hulls shredded before they could even stabilize their trajectories.
Then—
She switched modes.
"Entrenching."
The Pacifiers anchored briefly, deploying their Grand Cannons.
Target markers appeared—
Then—
Artillery rained down.
Collider bomblets saturated incoming lanes, detonating across wide areas and wiping out entire waves before they could regroup.
Moments later—
She disengaged.
Relocated.
Repeated.
Above, Unicorn adjusted her posture slightly, her expression focused despite the scale of what she was controlling.
"…Switching targeting priority…"
The Harbingers shifted orbit.
Their massive frames moved with deliberate grace, recalibrating angles.
Then—
They fired.
Collider beams swept across the ocean surface in controlled arcs, each strike erasing clusters with pinpoint accuracy. She wasn't firing wildly.
She was selecting.
Choosing.
Eliminating.
"…There…" she whispered softly as another wave vanished under a single beam.
Enterprise operated differently.
Her Firehawks moved like extensions of instinct.
"Maintaining aerial sweep," she said.
The drones dove and weaved through the battlefield, targeting faster units that attempted to bypass naval defenses. Any drone that gained altitude—
Was immediately intercepted.
Orcas followed behind, executing surgical strikes on denser clusters.
No wasted motion.
No hesitation.
Above all of it—
Yorktown coordinated.
"Adjusting interception zones," she said. "Atago, shift left vector by five degrees. Takao, cover her blind spot. Belfast, next barrage on my mark."
Her voice remained calm.
Measured.
Every unit responded.
Yuuki hovered above the battlefield, watching it all unfold.
Every movement.
Every strike.
Every adjustment.
Another wave launched from Orochi.
More hatches opened.
More drones deployed.
Relentless.
He narrowed his eyes.
"…It's not slowing down."
Yorktown responded immediately.
"Production rate is stable," she said. "Internal systems are still functioning."
Enterprise added—
"…It's manufacturing and deploying simultaneously."
Yuuki exhaled slowly.
"…A built-in naval shipyard…"
He watched another wave emerge.
Endless.
Sustained.
Dangerous.
Yet—
None of them broke through.
Not a single drone reached the fleet.
Not one.
Explosions continued across the sea.
Controlled.
Contained.
Yuuki's expression hardened, but there was something else beneath it.
Interest.
Calculation.
"…You really made yourself valuable, Orochi," he said quietly.
Because this wasn't just a weapon anymore.
This was a self-sustaining war machine.
A mobile fortress.
A factory.
An army.
And now—
He didn't just want to defeat it.
He wanted to own it.
==================
The next wave did not trickle out.
It flooded.
Entire sections of Orochi's hull split open further, exposing deeper launch channels. Internal conveyor systems accelerated, pushing out drone after drone in rapid succession. The sky darkened slightly—not from clouds, but from the sheer number of incoming targets.
Yorktown reacted first.
"I'm shifting to full air superiority," she said, her voice steady despite the surge.
Her interface expanded, pulling in more squadrons.
Firehawks launched in dense formations, spreading outward into layered patrol grids. Instead of chasing targets individually, she created zones—kill zones—where anything entering would be intercepted instantly.
"Establishing aerial denial," she added.
Above the fleet, her drones formed a moving lattice of interception paths, cutting off entire vectors of approach before the drones could even accelerate properly.
Below her, the fleet adapted in sync.
Anti-air batteries across the command carrier and escort ships rotated upward, tracking Yorktown's grid.
"Supporting fire online," Takao reported.
Streams of flak and precision bursts filled the gaps between Firehawk patrols, creating a second layer of defense. Anything that slipped past the aerial net was immediately shredded by coordinated AA fire.
Illustrious adjusted her role next.
"My, they are multiplying quickly…" she murmured, though her tone remained composed.
Her targeting systems shifted deeper into Orochi's structure.
"Identifying production hubs."
Barracuda bombers veered off from their previous attack paths, slipping into stealth as they approached exposed launch bays.
Moments later—
Precision strikes.
Explosions erupted directly inside Orochi's drone deployment channels. Entire sections of the shipyard infrastructure collapsed inward, slowing the rate of deployment.
Lionheart bombers followed, releasing EMP-laced payloads that surged through internal systems, disrupting assembly lines before detonating.
"Production rate is decreasing," Illustrious confirmed softly.
Enterprise moved with sharp efficiency.
"Switching to bombing rotation," she said.
Her aircraft pulled back briefly—
Not retreating.
Rearming and refueling.
Then launching again.
A continuous cycle.
Her Orcas executed fast, low-altitude bombing runs against dense drone clusters, while Firehawks maintained interception support.
"Maintaining pressure," she added.
No pause.
No gap.
==========
Yorktown coordinated above them all.
"Enterprise, your left flank is building up," she said. "Redirect two squadrons."
"Already on it."
"Belfast, next artillery sweep in five seconds."
"Understood."
"Unicorn, adjust Harbinger orbit—focus on the upper launch bays."
"…Okay…"
The Harbingers shifted again.
Massive silhouettes rotating slowly in the sky, recalibrating their firing arcs.
Then—
They fired.
Beams of collider energy punched directly into Orochi's upper structures, collapsing newly opened launch ports before more drones could emerge.
==========
Atago laughed softly.
"They just keep coming…"
Her battleships adjusted formation.
"Then we just keep shooting."
Heavy shells roared across the sea, detonating clusters before they could spread.
Takao followed immediately after, her fire more precise, cutting down faster units that attempted to slip through.
Belfast redeployed again.
"Artillery strike incoming," she said calmly.
Her Pacifiers anchored briefly—
Then fired.
Collider bomblets rained down across multiple approach paths, saturating the battlefield and erasing entire waves in controlled bursts.
Moments later, she relocated again.
Never staying long enough to be targeted.
Despite everything—
More drones came.
Still pouring out.
Still relentless.
The difference was clear.
Orochi produced endlessly.
But the fleet—
Operated intelligently.
Every movement was coordinated.
Every strike layered.
Every role defined.
Yuuki's eyes narrowed slightly as another launch bay opened—
Only to be destroyed seconds later by a Barracuda strike followed by a Harbinger beam.
"…You can keep producing," he said quietly.
He watched another wave get intercepted before it could even form.
"…but you can't keep up."
Because this was no longer a battle of numbers.
It was a battle of control.
And Orochi—
Was starting to lose it.
==================
Yuuki's HUD flickered as a priority channel forced its way through the noise of battle.
"Dude, we might have something you need."
Yuuki didn't slow his advance.
"Talk it through."
Back aboard GDSS Philadelphia, Vergil pulled up a layered schematic of Orochi. Multiple data streams overlapped, highlighting power flow, communication relays, and control pathways.
"We're reading its internal architecture," Vergil said. "This thing isn't running on distributed systems like we expected."
The schematic zoomed inward.
"There's a single core," he continued. "Centralized data and command relay. Everything routes through it."
Yuuki's eyes narrowed.
"…A single point of failure."
"Exactly," Vergil replied. "You disable that core, and you don't just cripple the ship—you shut down everything. Weapons, drones, defenses, internal systems. All of it."
A marker appeared on Yuuki's display.
Deep inside Orochi.
Heavily shielded.
Heavily protected.
But now—
Known.
"Find the core," Vergil said. "Find the foxes. They'll be close to it. That's your entry point."
Yuuki adjusted his trajectory slightly, already recalculating his approach path.
"What do I need to break through?"
Vergil didn't hesitate.
"You need something that can punch through the entire structure in one go," he said. "Then follow it up with an EMP strike to disable the core long enough for you to get inside."
Yuuki exhaled slowly.
"…Any suggestions?"
There was a brief pause.
Then Vergil said it.
"A direct EMP strike with penetration capability."
Yuuki's expression shifted.
"…An Ion Cannon strike."
Silence.
Then—
"That's too powerful!" Vergil shot back immediately.
Yuuki didn't waver.
"Not if I limit it," he said. "Set output to one percent."
He paused briefly.
"Same scale as the early Tiberium War strikes."
Vergil processed it quickly.
Ran simulations.
Adjusted variables.
Then—
"…That might actually work," he admitted. "Low enough to avoid total destruction… high enough to punch through armor and fry the core."
Yuuki smirked slightly.
"Then that's the play."
Vergil leaned forward.
"You have a beacon?" he asked.
Yuuki reached into his inventory.
A targeting node. The old beacon back in First Tiberium War.
"I always do," he said.
Vergil nodded.
"Plant it directly above the core if you can," he said. "The strike will follow that signal."
Yuuki looked ahead.
Through fire.
Through collapsing systems.
Toward the heart of Orochi.
"…Then let's end this clean," he said.
He exhaled slowly.
Because this changed things.
This was no longer just a superweapon.
It was a self-sustaining war platform.
A fortress.
A factory.
An army—
All in one.
And now—
Yuuki wanted it even more.
"Legion, provide cover!"
The ten Iron Legions surged forward, intercepting incoming fire—tracers and missiles colliding mid-air as the battlefield shifted around him.
"Illy," Yuuki continued, "suppress their anti-air grid!"
"As you wish, lord commander!" Acknowledged without hesitation.
From the command carrier and the GDS aircraft carriers around it, Firehawk squadrons screamed across the sky—precision strikes raining down on Orochi's remaining anti-aircraft emplacements and smaller ships. Explosions chained across its surface, forcing its defenses into disarray before the aircraft peeled away in perfect retreat formation.
Even with adaptive shielding, the barrage was enough—disruption, not destruction.
More importantly, no wreckage left behind.
Yuuki didn't miss details like that.
"Unicorn," he ordered, "neutralize the rocket batteries ships."
"All right, big brother!"
Harbinger Gunships pivoted into position, unleashing concentrated volleys that silenced the launchers in bursts of fire and shrapnel. The skies cleared—just enough.
The opening he needed.
"All units, maintain pressure. Keep their guns off me."
The Legions tightened formation, carving a corridor through the chaos—intercepting fire, dismantling what little remained of Orochi's defenses.
Above it all—
A faint glow began to gather in the heavens.
The Ion Cannon.
Yuuki looked up briefly, then back down at the dying warship.
"Hold together just a little longer," he murmured.
Then—
He leaned forward.
And dove straight into hell.
Yuuki's boots slammed against the Orochi's central deck, the impact echoing through a structure already on the verge of collapse.
Flames licked across fractured plating. Sirens wailed. The air itself felt unstable—like the ship was breathing its last.
He didn't hesitate.
According to the data Vergil had fed him—cold, precise, undeniable—this was the point. Directly above the core.
"Good enough."
In one smooth motion, Yuuki pulled the device from his inventory—the GS-2 Godsend beacon. Compact. Unassuming.
Apocalyptic.
He drove it into the deck and keyed in the final parameters, linking it directly to the orbital weapon.
A sharp tone answered him.
"Ion Cannon Beacon deployed."
Even through the chaos, the voice was crisp. Absolute.
Above—
Something answered.
"Warning. Ion Cannon Satellite approaching. Please evacuate target area."
The sky responded first.
Dark clouds spiraled unnaturally fast, swallowing what little light remained. Thunder cracked—not in flashes, but in continuous, rolling detonations. The air ionized so heavily it prickled against Yuuki's skin even through the suit.
Then—
Rain.
Cold. Sudden. Relentless.
"Countdown initiated. Thirty seconds."
Yuuki didn't look up.
"Girls! Pull everything back!" his voice cut through the comms. "All bombers, gunships—clear the center! Ion Cannon incoming!"
"—Yes!"
Instant compliance.
Aircraft formations broke off sharply, engines screaming as they veered away from the marked zone. Even the Legions repositioned, abandoning their forward pressure to give the strike a clean corridor.
The battlefield… pulled back.
As if instinctively recognizing what was about to descend.
"Twenty-five."
The beacon began to glow faintly.
"Twenty."
The rain intensified, each drop hissing as it struck superheated metal. Thunders roaring above them.
"Fifteen."
Energy gathered above—visible now. A distortion in the clouds. A point where the sky itself seemed to bend.
Yuuki stood his ground.
Still.
Waiting.
"Ion Cannon strike imminent."
A thin line of light pierced the clouds.
Precise.
Unforgiving.
It locked onto the beacon.
Around it, ionized particles spiraled violently, forming a luminous column that stretched from the heavens to the dying ship—like a spear being drawn back before the final thrust.
"Ten… nine… eight…"
The air screamed.
"Seven… six… five…"
The deck beneath Yuuki began to tremble—not from impact, but anticipation.
"Four… three… two…"
The light intensified—blinding, absolute.
"One."
A single, suspended heartbeat—
"Zero."
He moved.
The world detonated.
A colossal beam of pure ionized energy crashed down from orbit, swallowing the beacon in an instant. There was no explosion at first—only annihilation. Matter erased in a perfect column.
Then—
Impact.
The force erupted outward, ripping through the Orochi's armored hull as if it were nothing. Metal vaporized. Decks collapsed inward. A shockwave of ionized energy tore across the carrier, splitting its structure and carving a massive, molten shaft straight into its core.
From above, it looked like judgment itself had descended.
From within—
It was a doorway.
Straight into the heart of the beast.