by Yoo Seong
‘The battle isn’t just decided by the performance of the equipment!’
It was the user’s capabilities that determined victory or defeat! The same went for a fleet battle. It was useless to have an excellent ship unless it could be used properly. The outcome would be determined by the crew’s competence in handling the ship. That’s why the Silver Star could overwhelm the Asura despite have inferior firepower.
Leon and Kalliben were a user and NPC specialized in shooting so their hit rate was higher. But the person who had the biggest impact on the battle wasn’t Kalliben and Leon or Ark who was commanding. The person with the largest impact on overwhelming the Asura…..
“The trajectory of the shells has been predicted! The current position of the Asura, the enemy’s turning radius, angle of the turrets and its limits, the turret’s firing rate has all been calculated. 12 seconds after firing, the lowest point the enemy ship can fly is in the 3:05 direction from its current position. 15 degrees to 70 metres!”
The black eyes watching the monitor without blinking! The fingers that typed in complex operations on the keyboard!
“The performance of the enemy ship Asura has been identified. Speed and turning ability, braking power, expected route of the ship and movement of the turrets has been uploaded to your monitor!”
Once again, the shells had to fly over a 1 kilometre distance. There were also dozens of shells at once! In fact, it was impossible to look at the shells with their eyes and avoid it. The best way to avoid enemy fire was to predict the attack and use evasion movement in order to reduce the probability of a hit. It was true with the shells as well.
It was difficult to have a high hit rate with the enemy ships moving erratically. Therefore it was necessary to predict the avoidance movement and shoot. In this sense, the prediction was more important than the pilot or the capabilities of the shells. No, the pilot performance, ability of the shooters and prediction were all elements that increased performance by x2, or even x3!
The person with the main role in Ark’s team was Hegel! The Silver Star was able to gain an advantage in the firefight exchanged over a 1 kilometre area because of Hegel with Ark’s back-up. After the battle continued for a long time.
“M-Messenger-nim, I-I…..weeeeek!”
The sharp acceleration caused the team to tumble into each other as one solid mass!
“Why are you covering us in vomit in such a situation?”
“Ugh! C-covered! This delicate woman’s face is covered in vomit!”
“Ugh! T-the smell……I’m at my limit…..weeeek!”
A chain reaction started as Slayer and Kaya also started to vomit!
‘That’s it! If nothing unusual happens then this will be my victory!’
Ark looked at the Asura on the screen and clenched his fist. Finally the shield protecting the Asura was struck and shattered. A ship without a shield was no different from a knight with no armour! There was even more.
Pepeng!
Smoke soared from the rear of the Asura. The Asura’s movements stopped like its brakes were jammed.
‘It is clear that there is a problem with the engine!’
Ark sensed that he was on the verge of victory. Ark looked at the Asura before turning to Hegel and shouting.
“Hegel, calculate the Asura’s blind spot!”
“All gun turrets are located on the upper and lower parts and it can fire in a 360 degree angle! But the thickness is 100 metres so there is an angle where the turrets can’t aim at!”
“Milan, did you hear?”
Ark exclaimed as his looked at the front window.
“Engines to their maximum output! Turn to the right to avoid their attacks and rush to that side!”
The Silver Star rapidly turned over at Ark’s command. It accelerated and rushed towards the Asura spewing smoke!
Kwa kwa kwa kwa! Kwa kwa kwa kwa!
When the Silver Star rushed, the Asura’s 4 turrets fired EMP shots. Each hit made holes in the Silver Star’s shield and flames surged out. The ship kept on shaking as it was continuously hit. However Ark just stared at the Asura on the screen.
“Yet! Yet…..”
After a while. The vibration disappeared. The monitors flashing on the Silver Star indicated that it had entered the area that the Asura’s turrets couldn’t hit. The upper and lower turrets shot diagonally, causing one blind spot underneath the Asura.
“Leon, Kalliben, now!”
Ark stood up and shouted.
Kwa kwa kwa kwa! Kwa kwa kwa kwa!
The Silver Star’s turrets started firing. The Silver Star had entered an area 100 metres from the Asura! The red armour of the Asura instantly became tattered from the shells. The biological tissue also spouted a red slime that looked like blood.
“This will determine it! Prepare the gun!”
“The gun…..”
Hegel was moving his hands quickly when he suddenly flinched and stopped. He hurriedly checked the dashboard before shouting.
“Hyung-nim, an energy reaction! A tremendous amount of energy is gathering on the Asura! Gun! Those guns are preparing to launch their main gun!”
“Main gun?”
Ark turned his head with surprise. The Silver Star had come close to the Asura so its vision was limited. Therefore he hadn’t realized it until Hegel’s words but particles of light were clearly gathering at the Asura. The focused particles of light seemed black to any users looking at it. It meant all the energy necessary for the main gun was gathered.
‘Don’t tell me?’
He felt an eerie chill down his spine. Ark reflexively shouted.
“Milan! Rapid descent!”
The Asura then started rotating. The light flashed in a cone shape with the Asura’s movement.
Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa!
The light caused a white glare as it flew through the sky!
‘We were deceived! I thought it was incapacitated! They determined that ranged shooting was detrimental and lured us closer using the guise that the engine failed!’
That was the identity of the eerie chill. The main gun was more destructive than the smaller shells but it needed time to charge so enemy ships could often sense it and avoid it. But the Red Slaughterer lured Ark in and created an opportunity to use the main gun.
‘A direct hit from that……’
If Hegel hadn’t detected the energy being focused then the Silver Star would’ve suffered a fatal blow it couldn’t recover from. But he was too late. The main gun had been ready to launch by the time Hegel detected the energy. They flew down 100 metres but it was impossible to avoid any damage.
Ku kwa kwa kwa kwa! Ku kwa kwa kwa kwa!
-The shield has been completely destroyed by enemy fire!
-Part of the right wing has been ruptured by enemy fire!
* Right Wing Rupture: Hull mobility -30%, Turning power -50%
The message appeared on the Silver Star’s window after it violently vibrated! The right wing had been grazed by the white flash and smoke was emerging from it.
“Oh my god! This is……”
Ark’s face turned dark.
The Silver Star had been ahead in the battle against the Asura. But now its wing was damaged and the manoeuvrability and turning power was lower than the Asura’s. The Silver Star had infer
ior firepower so it was a literal death sentence!
Pepeng! Pepeng! Pepeng! Pepeng!
Then the ship shook again. Ark had desperately made the ship descend to avoid the main gun’s attacks but that put them in the range of the lower turrets. With the shells pouring from above, columns of flames emerged from the Silver Star’s armour and pits formed in it.
“Hyung-nim, the durability of the upper armour has fallen below 50%! At this rate it won’t last for even 1 minute! Let’s leave at full speed!”
“No!”
Ark raised his head and exclaimed. The results wouldn’t change even if the escaped beyond the Asura’s lower turrets. The Silver Star had already lost manoeuvrability and turning power. The Asura’s shells had only hit the Silver Star for a brief moment before an idea came to Ark’s head. And he came to a conclusion!
“Milan, lift the nose of the Silver Star!”
Ark commanded and Milan tugged the joystick. The Silver Star’s nose started rising. And the moment the Asura’s bottom hull was reflected in the front window!
“Charge!”
Ark grinded his teeth together and shouted. Milan’s expression was saying ‘Huh? Why?’ and ‘No, that’s a bit…..’ as he hesitated. But the Royal Guards absolutely obeyed Ark’s command! Milan only hesitated for 0.1 second after hearing Ark’s command before accelerating.
And…..ku ku ku ku! Kwa kwa kwa kwang!
The Silver Star crashed into the Asura. There was a huge vibration as the Silver Star crashed into the ship and produced an explosion.
-You have collided with the enemy battleship and the Silver Star’s armour has been destroyed!
That message popped up! It was the inevitable result.
‘If we don’t stand a chance anyway then I’d rather repay……’
But Ark’s eyes were turned towards the Silver Star. Ark was looking at the hull of the Asura that the Silver Star was lodged in. The part of the Silver Star that crashed was completely crushed. Naturally the hull of the Asura wasn’t safe. No, if he only looked at the collision area than the Asura received larger damage. They had driven the Silver Star several metres inside the biological tissue. However Ark hadn’t sacrificed the main gun for just that. The Silver Star had slammed into the rear of the Asura. It was the place with the engine.
‘…..I’ve taken the bone!’
This was what Ark had aimed for. The Silver Star lost its main gun in this collision but the Asura was deprived of its engine. A spaceship losing an engine was like a warrior losing a foot. If it couldn’t move than the 4 turrets were meaningless. He had overcome the moment of crisis and reversed the situation!
‘The Red Slaughterer. You certainly made me scared for a little bit this time. But you can’t win against me even if you are a supercomputer that can accomplish hundreds of millions of calculations in seconds. I am Ark. Your calculations won’t work against me. I’ll make you aware of that fact from now on.’
“The Asura’s engine has been stopped. Milan, move the Silver Star to the Asura’s dead zone. This time I’m going to break the Asura and the Red Slaughterer!”
Ark commanded with a grin.
—————————-
-Ugh! This bastard!
On the gleaming bridge inside the Asura. The Red Slaughterer cursed as he looked at the rear of the Asura spewing smoke. Once again, the Asura had used a trick to lure Ark closer. The Asura was losing in the air battle with the Silver Star. The Red Slaughterer determined that it would be hard to win in a ranged fight and deliberately set off a bomb to stage an engine breakdown.
‘The meat is given so take the bone!’
At first the Red Slaughterer thought it was his victory. The Silver Star came up to the Asura’s flank. In the meantime he made the energy concentrate on the main gun and launched it!
‘Unfortunately it didn’t sink……’
The Red Slaughterer was sure of his victory as he watched the Silver Star’s wing get damaged. They avoided the direct hit but the Silver Star lost their manoeuvrability and turning power. The Asura’s firepower was superior so it was only a matter of time until the Silver Star sank! He really couldn’t imagine what happened next. Ark crashed into the Asura’s rear. The result was…..
-The enemy’s attack has destroyed the engine!
Engine destruction!
-He really is a reckless guy.
Keiko shook his head and muttered.
–He managed to come up with such a solution with 4 turrets aiming at him. He really is frightening.
–It’s not surprising since he is Ark.
The Red Slaughterer answered with an unpleasant expression. Then Ark moved to the Asura’s blind spot so the Red Slaughterer was forced to suffer helplessly as the ship was bombarded. However the Red Slaughterer didn’t look panicked at all. Rather, there was a pale smile on his face.
–That was certainly a nasty attack. But Ark is mistaken about the two most important things. The Asura isn’t a battleship because of its firepower and I have no intention of winning against them in a firefight.
–And his ship is under the Asura.
–I won’t hesitate this time.
The Red Slaughterer said with a grin.
And he shouted towards his crew.
–Release the howling stingers and capture the enemy ship before it escapes our range!
Tutung! Tutung! Tutung!
The Asura’s lower deck opened and 6 red tentacles extended from the biological tissue. The tentacles were thousands of red muscle fibres weaved together to form a 1 metre thick strand! The tentacles stretched out like a hand towards the Silver Star and grabbed it tightly.
–You didn’t recognize it. You had the upper hand in the fleet battle. But this game isn’t something to be decided with a firefight. This is the 2nd round so we have to decide it with our swords!
The Red Slaughterer turned his body and shouted.
-Red Front, be ready! The real battle is starting now!
—————————-
“What, what the? This is?”
Ark looked out the window with confused eyes. He was sure of the Silver Star’s victory when 6 tentacles suddenly stretched from the Asura and embedded into the Silver Star. The situation then became even more absurd.
“Hyung-nim, the steering key doesn’t work!”
“Electronic corrosion! The enemy ship is spreading electronic corrosion through the tentacles to the Silver Star!”
Following Milan’s words, Hegel shouted in a desperate voice.
“Electronic corrosion?”
“A powerful EMP jamming signal is being sent to the Silver Star through the tentacles! As a result, 80% of the Silver Star’s electronics have been jammed!”
“Dammit! How do we stop it?”
“Analysis of the electronic corrosion signal will allow me to neutralize it. But the analysis of the signal then combining the signals to neutralize it will take at least 30 minutes. Another way to stop the electronic erosion more quickly….”
“Cut it off.”
That was the simplest way. Cut the tentacles sending the signal. Ark considered the situation before turning around and shouting.
“Ya! Everybody wake up! Do I need to explain the situation? The time to show your value has come!”
“Uhh! How can I move in this state?”
Slayer who was a shabby figure in the corner said with a pained look. Unlike Ark, Hegel and Milan who had been tightly seat-belted, Slayer, Kaya, Sadain and the other Royal Guards had rolled around from the acrobatics during the firefight with the Asura until their stomachs became upset and they started to vomit. But he didn’t care about that situation.
“Put it aside and move quickly! We need to break all those tentacles before those guys do something else! Hegel, open the upper doors for me!”
Ark shouted from th
e central deck. The upper doors opened and a rough storm briefly occurred.
Kwa kwa kwa kwa! Kwa kwa kwa kwa!
Sparks were rising from the upper doors. The Asura have 4 gun turrets. Two on the upper part and two on the lower part. The Asura was pouring shells from the lower turrets while the tentacles were holding the Silver Star in place. Of course, there was no intention of being hit.
“Leon! Kalliben!”
-I know!
-I’ll cover you!
Leon and Kalliben replied over the Nymphe. The turrets attached to the Silver Star rotated until they were 90 degrees. There was a ringing sound as the shells shot upwards! Kalliben and Leon aimed at the lower turrets and started counterattacking. The distance was only dozens of meters. There were no shields and the ships couldn’t move so the results of the bombardment was obvious. Sparks flew every time there was a roar from the turrets on both sides and smoke started to rise.
‘Dammit! They have 4 turrets……!’
The repair fee was rapidly increasing. Ark was more worried about the repair fee than Leon and Kalliben’s safety but he didn’t have the time to worry about it. The chances of the Silver Star escaping whole had flown away a long time ago.
“Concentrate your firepower on a nearby tentacle!”
Tu tu tu tu! Tu tu tu tu! Snap!
Flames soared as dozens of shells shot across the space. Red, viscous liquid flew every time the shell hit the tentacle. A tentacle became ragged and finally broke from Ark, Ellain and Sadain’s combined attacks.
“That’s it! Another one! The rest…..”
“Hyung-nim, over there!”
Kurakan shouted from behind him and pointed up. When he raised his head, the Asura’s lower doors had opened and 10 people were descending towards the Silver Star. They were Rama warriors wearing parachutes. And the lead Rama warrior wearing red armour…..
“The Red Slaughterer!”
Space 2
Descent!
Kurung! Kurung! Ku ku ku ku!
Purple clouds swirled in the skies of Impeltus. Incandescent lights and lightning strikes intermittently flashed through the sky and revealed 2 huge objects. It was the Asura and the Silver Star! Right now the tentacles had grabbed the Silver Star and 10 Rama warriors were falling from the Asura towards the Silver Star. An intense amount of bullets were pouring down as well!
