The Herrscher of Thunder is heading towards us!?
Erwin stood up instinctively, seeing a straight line heading towards the fleet. He couldn't understand why.
The Herrscher remained enigmatic; judging by human logic, she wouldn't leave a threatening force nearby.
In that instant, he regretted his negligence in positioning the fleet so close to the shore. The Herrscher ignored the massive target of Shanghai, heading directly for them.
Fear filled the command center; everyone had witnessed the Herrscher's destructive power.
Fear didn't necessarily mean retreat. Most Fire Moth soldiers were prepared to sacrifice themselves to save humanity; the differences lay in strategy and tactics.
[With our own flames, we illuminate humanity's future.]
These words were etched into their souls, from comrades to enemies. From the staff officers to Erwin, hesitation lasted only a moment before they entered combat mode.
"Entire fleet, maneuver; deploy defensive formation."
"Calibrate Honkai energy radar; prepare all weapons."
"Summon White Swan; prepare for immediate deployment of N1 burst munitions."
"Notify land-based troops; enter Shanghai to begin cleanup and rescue operations."
Beep beep—
A sharp alarm sounded; the remaining fighter jets began to retreat; vertical launch tubes opened; CIWS and electromagnetic cannons targeted the land; fire-control radar adjusted the gun barrels.
Dozens of warships circled the aircraft carrier; the Fire Moth flag fluttered in the sea breeze, offering a sense of security. In that silent moment, everyone held their breath, watching the colossal Honkai core approaching from the east.
For some reason, the Herrscher of Thunder's speed wasn't fast; she didn't bring any Honkai Beasts.
Perhaps arrogance, or something else. But this gave Fire Moth an opportunity. After the failed attack, the staff officers had improved their tactics.
"Fire!"
Whizz!
Electromagnetic cannons launched long, needle-like projectiles at ten times the speed of sound. The sound of firing was deafening; trails of fire snaked across the sky as hundreds of missiles left the ships, arcing towards the target. But before they reached—
God's Rod descended from the sky.
Huh?
The silver-haired girl stopped, looking towards the sky. She twisted her wrist, throwing a circular arc of lightning upwards.
As before, the rod disintegrated in mid-air, failing to unleash its power. The Herrscher didn't bother to watch; she extended her left hand.
Sizzle…
The alloy projectiles struck an invisible "wall," melting instantly. The Herrscher of Thunder sneered, then frowned.
The barrage continued relentlessly; missiles obscured the sky, but the electromagnetic pulse couldn't neutralize these human creations quickly enough.
Evade.
After a brief assessment, she dove towards the sea with incredible speed, dodging with the agility of a butterfly, occasionally slashing with her blade.
Honkai energy-guided missiles pursued relentlessly; dense contrails filled the sky; fireballs exploded; fragments and shockwaves were neutralized by the Herrscher's Honkai energy.
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
Explosions continued, seemingly intense, yet inflicting no damage. But the Herrscher's evasion encouraged Fire Moth.
If the Herrscher of Thunder had simply stopped and shattered the attacks, it would have been hopeless. Since she was dodging, it meant the attacks were effective.
Full firepower was deployed; fighter jets from nearby airfields joined the fray, launching missiles, then maneuvering, repeatedly, as if ammunition were limitless.
Mosquito bites weren't fatal, but they were maddening and consumed energy.
"Then I'll eliminate you first."
The Herrscher shifted targets; having lost sight of Ryan during her evasive maneuvers, she flew low, almost parallel to the sea.
Lightning surged ahead; sonic booms followed; countless missiles pursued; the scene was both stunning and terrifying.
Erwin's expression shifted constantly; he'd underestimated the Herrscher of Thunder; the improved tactics only made her dodge; they still inflicted no damage.
He looked at the smoke-filled Shanghai, his expression a mixture of shame and determination.
My mission is done; it's time to atone.
"Where's White Swan?"
"Five minutes from deployment. We didn't expect the Herrscher of Thunder to be so fast."
Not only fast but incredibly agile. The new-generation hydrogen-metal nuclear weapon, the burst munition, had a yield of 18,000 tons of TNT. To breach the Herrscher's defenses, they needed to catch her in the open.
But now, everyone knew the Herrscher was intelligent, capable of evasion and defense. With its speed, by the time White Swan released the munition from ten kilometers, the Herrscher would be long gone.
They would maintain the plan; engaging the Herrscher would be Elysia's responsibility. However, she hadn't reached the battlefield yet.
"Fleet, maximum speed retreat; full firepower deployed." He paused, his voice turning cold. "This ship will advance. Notify White Swan; use this ship as the drop point. This is our only option."
Silence fell over the bridge; those who'd questioned his avoidance of combat stared, puzzled by his sudden change in demeanor.
Erwin seemed oblivious, calmly saying, "Some mistakes must be made, but we must also fulfill our responsibilities. As members of Fire Moth, can we expect to emerge unscathed?"
No emotional appeals, no inspirational speeches. Perhaps this was Fire Moth's intention:
The fire might not extinguish everything, but the butterfly will certainly burn.
Cannons roared; close-range missiles launched continuously; the sea resembled a downpour; the lightning weaved through the attacks, relentlessly approaching.
Silence reigned; no one collapsed in tears or roared with fervor; as the Branch Director had said, those who joined Fire Moth, those who faced the Herrschers, understood the sacrifices.
"Aye, hard left; full speed reverse."
"All weapons, overload mode; N1 burst munition, launch sequence initiated."
The hundred-thousand-ton steel behemoth arced across the sea, separating from the fleet. The Herrscher of Thunder noticed.
She didn't understand aircraft carriers or command centers; this large ship lagging behind presented an opportunity—she could break through and destroy these annoying ships one by one.
Those fools…
Ryan stood on the shore; the surrounding land was ablaze. He saw the warship turn, feeling a mix of surprise and indifference.
He was surprised by Erwin's boldness, charging forward as bait. In Ryan's plan, the Fire Moth fleet would use firepower to deplete the Herrscher's energy, then retreat.
Herrschers weren't invincible; facing thousands of projectiles, breaking through would be difficult; there was no need to charge back into the fray.
Even though he often criticized the higher-ups' foolishness, Ryan knew Fire Moth was a collection of idealists; not everyone wanted to be a silent hero.
Ordinary people enjoyed daily life; these individuals dedicated themselves to research or combat; most shared a common hope:
To sacrifice themselves to find a path for humanity; regardless of good or evil, attempts must be made. This was the case in Shanghai; the ultimate goal was to awaken humanity, to stop the pointless losses.
Ryan didn't agree with their methods but respected their ideals.
Before this ultimate goal, right and wrong blurred. Ryan simply watched, witnessing their dedication.
The Herrscher was almost upon them; the cannons fell silent; an eerie quiet descended; then, with a terrifying shriek of rending metal, a small human body collided with a hundred-thousand-ton warship.
Twisting, tearing, melting!
It was effortless; steel plates were sliced like tofu; lightning penetrated the hull; explosions spread from bow to stern.
Boom, boom…
The aircraft carrier twisted, sinking into the sea. This shocking scene left Ryan breathless.
He hadn't seen the Branch Director, facing the sea, watching the sinking ship and the falling bomb; a surge of emotion filled him.
Many things were hard to judge, but courage and sacrifice remained eternal.
"Herrscher." Ryan raised his spear, his eyes closed by the sudden, bright light erupting on the ground.
"Let's me show you the song of courage!"