My Children Swarm the Cosmos – Chapter 76

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕𝟔: 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 (2)

Altblubber, a gigantic gas planet with three developed satellites.

The Chimeraz fleet, which had numbered 330 ships, had been reduced to roughly 250 vessels after 12 hours of battle for the planet’s orbit.

“There are currently 106 enemy ships in this space battle. . . . And it is estimated that approximately 140 ships are on standby in the capital planet’s atmosphere. . . .”

“How many have we destroyed so far in this battle?”

“Around 50 ships. . . .”

After 12 hours of continuous battle, the Chimeraz had lost 50 ships while their opponents had lost 80.

‘We strengthened our fleet so much, and yet it’s still not enough against them.’

Kreion’s thoughts were read by Ludwig, who nevertheless chose to focus on the positive.

“We have successfully established a colony on Fayda. . . . Soon, Jiannettera and Equillocke will be coming to our aid. . . .”

Now that they had a rear base, they would be able to continuously replenish their troops. This was the key factor that would determine whether the Chimeraz would emerge victorious in this war of attrition.

“If we can push forward once Jiannettera and Equillocke join us, the satellites of Altblubber will be ours. . . . The rate at which our children are multiplying is increasing exponentially; even they won’t be able to cope. . . .”

“The enemy can’t possibly be unaware of that.”

“. . . .”

Kreion remained wary of the main Chimeraz fleet that had yet to join the battle and was protecting their capital planet.

“The greatest ship mankind possesses. Fractal has still not entered the battle. The fact that the Fractal fleet has not joined this space battle means there must be some way to win.”

“In this battle at least, don’t you think our odds of winning are higher. . . ?”

“It’s possible that they created this situation in order to make us think that.”

Having said that, Kreion sent out a pulse.

‘Yiel. Report on the movements of the military factories and shipyards on the capital planet.’

Yiel, who had been utilizing the eyes of the Chimeraz, delivered some unwelcome news.

➖The capital planet. . . . Troops are being produced on the ground and in the orbit of Obsidia Drake. It seems they have dedicated the planet’s entire production capacity to the military.

Roads were filled with robotic troops marching toward spaceports, civilian ships were busily flying back and forth between the shipyards in orbit and loading resources, and the number of ships and aircraft kept increasing.

➖The situation is the same on the other planets. Although they have yet to be deployed on the battlefield, unmanned troops are being produced at an incredible rate.

“We will never be able to match their production output, even with the colony we established on Fayda. That is why the Fractal fleet has not joined this space battle.”

Logically, the enemy numbers would eventually overwhelm them if they simply dragged out the battle.

“Then. . . . We must find another breakthrough, not head-on. . . .”

“We need to quickly establish as many more colonies as possible using the resources we currently have. That’s the only way we can gradually catch up to the enemy’s production output.”

It would be risky, but they needed to change the current situation. So Kreion gave an order.

‘Phlegeth. From now on, you will carry out a mission separate from this space battle.’

➖Are you saying that I should withdraw my legion from the current battle?

‘Yes. You will capture the three satellites of Altblubber and turn them into colonies. Even if we lose many children and take losses in this space battle, we must do this.’

➖A surprise attack. I’d like to try it in the style I’m best at.

‘Complete your mission as quickly as possible.’

➖I will comply.

🔷🔷🔷

Among the Drake regular fleet engaged in battle with the Chimeraz in orbit of Altblubber was a lone stealth transport ship.

Unlike other ships, the stealth transport ship was so small that it could easily hide its presence in the midst of a complex space battle.

➖This is a fully sealed nano-reinforced suit that was personally developed by Overlecter. The suit can perform various functions by connecting every single part of the suit to brainwaves.

It looked like an ordinary full-body combat suit, but it was actually a special reinforced suit made of countless nano-materials. A man wearing the reinforced suit from head to toe was sitting in the cockpit. What stood out were the mechanical mask attached to the lower part of his face and the energy shotguns mounted on both sides of the cockpit.

➖Asher, you just need to travel alone to Atosey, one of Altblubber’s satellites. The enemy is focused on the large-scale space battle, so they won’t be able to detect the movements of a lone stealth transport ship.

Asher’s stealth transport ship was bypassing the space battle and traveling alone. Its destination was Atosey, the largest satellite of Altblubber.

“Drone Hive.”

➖Yes.

“Most of Atosey’s fleet is being pushed back. Aren’t you basically telling me to go to my death by sending me there?”

➖I cannot deny the possibility of your death, Asher. However, this is a necessary mission, and you are the only one who can carry it out at the moment.

“What is the mission?”

➖It’s an assassination.

Asher looked at Atosey, which was gradually getting closer. Several Chimeraz fleets had suddenly broken away from the main battle in orbit of Altblubber and were invading Atosey.

“If it’s an assassination, why don’t you send the Knightfortress brothers?”

➖There are no Knightfortress units available for deployment to Atosey at the moment.

“Why not?”

➖The Knightfortress brothers’ unit was destroyed during an operation on Fayda.

“They’re the brothers who even captured the enemy leader on Babylonia. They’re no ordinary warriors, so how did they get defeated on some remote planet?”

➖They were defeated by the leader who identified himself as ‘Jiannettera’ and the Elite group under her command.

Asher crossed his arms and remained silent for a few seconds before asking again in a firm voice.

“They didn’t throw the fight on purpose, did they?”

Drone Hive answered immediately.

➖Absolutely not.

“. . . They’re already at that level. What a crazy race.”

The stealth transport ship was now close enough to Atosey. The fleet defending Atosey and the Chimeraz fleet that had broken away from the main battle were engaged in a fierce battle.

➖The legion invading Atosey is believed to be led by a very aggressive leader.

Unlike the Chimeraz aircraft in the main space battle, the Chimeraz aircraft invading Atosey were throwing themselves at the enemy fleet like they were mindless. They seemed to be completely ignoring the concept of troop exchange ratios.

➖A unique individual who uses a high-powered nuclear fusion weapon has appeared in Atosey’s military industrial complex.

Asher checked the hologram that Drone Hive displayed in front of the cockpit.

Its eyes glowed with a fiery yellow light, its front legs were twisted backward and its hind legs resembled those of a bear, crimson light flowed through the cracks in its dry skin, and organs that looked like coral clusters on a hydrothermal vent sprouted from its back, spewing out hot gas that made the surrounding air ripple.

➖This individual was hit by the Atosey special forces’ ‘orbital bombardment’ 26 minutes ago and all life signs ceased.

➖However, the Elite group retrieved its body, took it to a colony in the rear, and it has now reappeared.

It had died after being hit by an orbital bombardment, but it had come back to life.

➖Furthermore, there are records of this individual appearing during the Apoptology and Nemea incidents. Therefore, based on the fact that this individual has been deployed in major battles in the past, that it possesses superior abilities compared to other individuals, and that there has always been a group of Elites accompanying it. . .

“Get to the point. Why are you explaining all this in such detail?”

➖Yes. This individual is believed to be a ‘primordial leader’ of the Chimeraz race. Your mission, Asher, is to kill this individual and destroy its brain.

“You want me to assassinate a leader who’s fighting on the battlefield?”

➖This individual is operating at the forefront without the protection of Xenotera. If you go alone, Asher, you should be able to approach it stealthily.

“Why am I the only one who had to sell myself to the Drake Star Nation and suffer like this. . . .”

➖As someone who despises bioweapons, aren’t you fearless in the face of death, Asher?

Asher nodded in agreement at Drone Hive’s clever remark.

“They say that there’s no retirement for human resources. Not unless you die.”

➖That is correct.

“Even so, I don’t want to die at the hands of a bioweapon.”

A short while later, the stealth transport ship slowly passed through Atosey’s atmosphere and landed in a forest located a short distance away from the battlefield.

Rustle. . . .

The grass bent under the shape of a human footprint.

➖Good luck.

🔷🔷🔷

Phlegeth’s legion was laying waste to the military industrial complex. The space battle in orbit of Atosey had yet to stabilize, so orbital bombardments were constantly raining down, but Phlegeth’s legion seemed completely unfazed and was only interested in destroying the enemy right before their eyes.

Kyaaaaaaah!!!

These Chimeraz had been influenced by their leader’s unique pulse, making them cruel and belligerent. Their fighting stance was completely different from Jiannettera’s legion, which sought to absorb the enemy’s technology, or Equillocke’s legion, which sought to infect the enemy’s troops.

Despite the fact that they were attacking the military industrial complex of the Drake Star Nation, which possessed the best technology, Phlegeth’s legion advanced while destroying enemy troops, facilities, and structures indiscriminately. As they advanced, the entire legion let out bloodcurdling screams.

“Destroy, burn, and kill!”

Phlegeth, who was fighting alongside his legion on the battlefield, was so excited that he even shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Wipe out all humans and everything they have! We will cleanse everything and establish a colony on this land!”

Phlegeth’s jaw then opened wide.

“Kreugrueguuuuaaaaah!!!!”

Purple flames erupted from Phlegeth’s deep throat. The flames, which fanned out in front of him like a fan, were so intense that they overwhelmed the enemy’s shield output.

Kwahhhhhhhhh!!!

No matter how powerful a weapon’s shield output was, it was vaporized along with the air that had turned into plasma when it was engulfed by Phlegeth’s flames. The military factories that had been operating automatically even during the battle were reduced to metal frames as if they had been hit by a disaster, and even the metal frames eventually warped from the heat.

Before the heat from the flames had even dissipated, Phlegeth’s legion charged across the hot melted asphalt. The Atosey mechanized troops stationed in the military industrial complex responded by sending out a swarm of robobugs, deploying Chaintroopers at the forefront, and launching ranged attacks with humanoids.

They unleashed a barrage of fire at Phlegeth’s legion, and Cresecters and Grounsecters caused explosions all over the battlefield in retaliation.

Phlegeth’s legion was a relentless legion that would not stop advancing even if 30 Hounzes died for every enemy soldier they killed.

“Grrrr. . . ! Kill them! Kill them all!”

A bio-barrier spread across the ground, and orbital bombardments and Drop Cysts were launched from the sky at random intervals. The air, filled with screams from the large and small explosions, was pushed back and forth as if it were being abused. It became a large and small storm that pushed back the mushroom clouds and explosions on the battlefield.

A human who was not wearing a full-body combat suit would not be able to stand on this battlefield for even a second.

Kwang!

Whenever the enemy tried to target Phlegeth, the Elite group responded.

The Elites, who had gained experience through numerous battles as members of Phlegeth’s legion, used living weapons like energy rifles to shoot down drones, and deployed Levitation Weapons behind them to create bio-barriers in small areas to counter robobug ambushes and sniper attacks.

Thus, Phlegeth, who was thoroughly protected by the Elite group, exercised enormous influence on the battlefield by spewing flames whenever his body’s energy was recharged.

“Push them back faster!”

Explosions that were clearly visible even from space appeared on the surface of the Atosey satellite, and after the explosions cleared, the surface was covered in black Xenotera.

The debris from the fierce space battle was still floating in Atosey’s geostationary orbit, but the battle of Atosey did not end.

Phlegeth intended to conquer all of Altblubber’s satellites as quickly as possible, regardless of how much damage his legion suffered.

And Phlegeth was also hungry for this kind of battle. With the increasing number of lower leaders who could take his place in dangerous and fierce battles, he himself had not had the opportunity to take to the battlefield for some time.

Even during the Hecartra space battle against the UNF, Phlegeth had focused on protecting the main colony planet.

That was why he was even hungrier for slaughter, and he was taking this opportunity to satisfy his hunger.

“Kreugruegu. . .”

He tried to spew out purple flames again. But at that moment,

Chop!

Phlegeth’s head was severed.