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[Translator – Jjescus]
[Proofreader – Demon God’s Disciple]
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Admiral Sanadaeff Sanadaeff, acting commander of the Nemea Fleet, was reaching his limits. Here in the JP-99 star system, there were no planets ruled by the Cult. This was because the Cult had no resources here worth their interest.
However, that didn’t make this place a crucial point for the Empire’s security either. Apart from being close to StarUnion, there wasn’t much of a threat.
“But why is an Imperial battleship here?”
It’s not like they hadn’t considered combat with the Cult at all. They had finished preparations to defend against psychic attacks before making the faster-than-light jump. However, they never dreamed an Imperial battleship would appear.“If we fight it here, we’ll suffer tremendous losses.”
The Nemea Fleet was one of the 12 elite fleets of the StarUnion. With their power to lay waste to multiple planets, the odds of losing against an Imperial battleship were low.
However, given the opponent’s strength, significant damage was inevitable. The Imperial battleship, equipped with the planet-destroying weapon Cosmic Bolt, possessed formidable firepower. Engaging such a monster recklessly would likely result in the destruction of at least a quarter of the fleet.
“…Let’s try talking first.”
They knew. They knew they couldn’t win against the Star Union fleet on their own.
The fact that an elite fleet of a faction allied with them had intruded into their territory seemed to have caught them off guard. That’s probably why they initiated the conversation first.
“Eff, establish communication.”
[Affirmative.]
An image appeared in front of Sanadaeff, connected to the ship’s computer. A middle-aged Cultist with yak horns adorned in a splendidly decorated room of ivory and jewels was glaring at him.
“I am Eshtha, captain of the ‘Condemner of Gormos 03.’ Cyborg. Identify yourself and your affiliation.”
“I am Sanadaeff, acting commander of the Nemea five Fleet of the Star Union.”
“The Nemea five? Isn’t that one of the 12 elite fleets of the StarUnion?”
“Yes, you are correct.”
Eshtha, widened his eyes. He had only considered the size of the fleet; he hadn’t imagined an elite fleet would come here.
Sanadaeff thought he might get away with good negotiation skills, but that was a misconception. The surprised expression on Eshtha’s face quickly turned into a grimace.
“How dare you! Should you, being a pillar of the StarUnion, stoop so low to do such despicable acts?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb! Do you not know the extent of the damage your cyborgs have inflicted on our Empire?”
“Damage? It’s embarrassing to say this, but we’ve just arrived here.”
“How audacious! Will you only acknowledge it if we show you evidence of what your lot has done?”
[A new communication log file has been detected.]
“Communication file?”
He examined the file sent by Eshtha. The communication records contained within were beyond his comprehension.
“I am MacF, affiliated with the Population Management Department of the Star Union. I, a cyborg, will bestow upon you the honor of becoming one with the Star Union.”
“I, I am Koshei, a member of the Cult Warriors under the Judicators of Damas 08! If this is known to the Council…”
“Hmph, the Council? Relying on feeble races and inferior political institutions like that. We, who execute great deeds on behalf of our Mech fleet and the machine assembly to save worthless races like you, deserve your gratitude.”
“Damn you! This message is the last to be delivered to the Cult fleet! The incident at the Holy Land is the work of cyborgs! The location is JP-2…”
“Shut up! Contacting in secret! You treacherous wench!”
“Aaaah!”
“What is this?!”
Sanadaeff was bewildered. No matter how many times he listened to the communication, he couldn’t understand any of it.
“Why is the Population Management Department here… No, more importantly, what is the Holy Land?”
He momentarily pondered if the Machine Assembly hadn’t spoken to him to humiliate him, but soon he shook his head. There was no way the Nemea five Fleet, responsible for one of the 12 elite fleets in the efficiency-focused Machine Assembly, would employ methods that would cause significant damage.
Yet, it didn’t seem like Eshtha was lying either. Even if the Cult had hundreds of Imperial battleships, it wouldn’t be wise to expend them in this manner.
In other words, the communication was manipulated. And there was a high likelihood that both Eshtha and he were being manipulated by someone else.
Having organized his thoughts, Sanadaeff spoke up.
“Listen, Captain Eshtha. Have you ever considered that this communication might be false?”
“Are you suggesting our warrior lied? That’s impossible. Koshei used a unique communication network only known to the cult warriors.”
“Think about it. If we truly intended to trap you, would we be having this conversation? We would have laid Gremlin mines before the Imperial battleship arrived via FTL travel.”
“… ”
As it wasn’t a false statement, Eshtha fell silent. If the Nemea Fleet had indeed set a trap, they would have suffered significant losses as soon as they entered this system.
“In that case, how do you explain MacF’s message from your side? We have full knowledge of MacF’s affiliation, as well as the last location they were active in.”
“That… Please wait a moment. I’ll check it right away.”
Though Eshtha clicked his tongue at his words, he said nothing further. It was clear they had no intention of starting a war from their end.
Realizing that missing this opportunity could lead to serious consequences, Sanadaeff hastily called for Eff.
“Immediately search for MacF’s location using brainwave scans.”
[Affirmative. Searching now.]
“Damn cyborgs, what are they up to…”
[Target located.]
“Already? Where?”
[Located near the Jonas Asteroid Belt in the JP-22 system.]
“The Jonas Asteroid Belt, that’s nearby, isn’t it?”
Upon receiving Eff’s report, Sanadaeff had a foreboding feeling.
This situation was definitely abnormal. It was certain that someone unknown was pushing them into a trap.
“Could it be?”
“Captain Eshtha! Listen carefully! This is all a trap…”
Sanadaeff was about to hastily explain, but suddenly, the video communication abruptly cut off. Not only did the communication cease, but the cable connecting Sanadaeff to the ship’s computer also stopped functioning.
“What’s going on? Eff? Answer!”
[EMP detected, 1 minute until recovery.]
“EMP?”
After a minute, the communication was restored. As soon as Eshtha’s face appeared, he hurriedly shouted.
“Captain! It’s all a misunderstanding! Don’t make rash judgments!”
But something was off.
Eshtha wasn’t looking at him. He seemed to have forgotten that video communication had been restored and was staring blankly into space with hazy eyes.
“Why the sudden change?”
Even to him, a cyborg, Eshtha’s face was alarmingly pale. He looked like he had seen something extremely frightening.
Finally, Eshtha let out a scream.
“Th-the enemy with three heads! Open fire on all!”
“What?”
[The main cannons of the Imperial battleship are activating. Dark matter detected.]
“Damn it, they’re all… Argh!”
Sanadaeff attempted to give the order to scatter hastily, but at that moment, the entire ship shook violently. Along with it, Eff displayed the image of the enemy ship attacking them with psychic power.
[Psychic power attack detected from the enemy ship.]
“Damn it, I know! Initiate counterattack!”
Observing the black battleship on the screen, Sanadaeff cursed inwardly.
There’s no turning back now. After subduing the enemies as quickly as possible, a report must be made to the Machine Assembly on what to do next.
And so, the elite forces of the two great powers of the universe, the Cult Empire and the Star Union, clashed in JP-22.
｢Big guy, is this enough?｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (You’re doing great)]
｢Yes!｣
Number 26, concentrating hard, petted the tentacles of the grateful Dissolution with its pseudopods. The Dissolution seemed to enjoy being petted with the tentacles, as it emitted a reddish glow all over its body, trembling with pleasure.
[ZZZ ZZ (Concentrate)]
｢Oh. Right. Concentrate. Concentrate!｣
The creature, having read my wavelength, snapped out of its daze and smoothed out the erratic flow of psychic power.
Utilizing the terrifying nature of the Abyssal Terror, the Dissolution is currently creating a magnificent illusion. With the power of Number 26, our ship is engulfed in a massive hallucination. It’s a hallucination of what the Cultists call the demon of three heads, the form taken by me when I consumed psionics and transformed into an adult.
‘The Cultists would be utterly bamboozled if they saw this.’
As I anticipated, the Imperial battleship and the Cult fleet that came here are unable to regain their senses after seeing the illusion created by Number 26.
‘This should gloss over any ambiguities.’
Among the Cult genetic data I’ve stored is a warrior from the Imperial battleship. She was a warrior hunted by the Mother of the Sky while I was in the process of advancing to transcendence stage 2.
Her voice has been useful in deceiving other Cultists before, and it’s proving helpful here again.
‘Contacting through the emergency line reserved for the warriors’ use helped us avoid suspicion.’
Using the code only she knows, I connected to the emergency line and imitated her voice to stage a false scenario. In the process, the cyborg MacF, under my control, played the role of a villainous Star Union agent.
As a result, the fleet, including the Imperial battleship, came to this system to rescue the already deceased Koshei.
‘Under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t have come this far.’
The word “sanctuary” I mentioned and the communication from a survivor who was on the verge of annihilation while trying to remove the contamination from that sanctuary. These two elements triggered their overreaction.
And to reinforce their misconception, I instructed Number 26 to show an illusion designated as the Abyssal Terror.
Originally, the Abyssal Terror is about manifesting the image that the victim of a psychic attack fears the most. It’s uncertain whether the Sea demon can directly reflect the desired image, but Number 26 managed to do it.
‘It remembers my appearance well.’
I don’t know how the eyeless creature knows, but anyway, it successfully recreated my adult form.
And the fear the Cult soldiers harbor towards me played a crucial role here. Thanks to their fear of the “demon of three heads” that destroyed the entire fleet, this deception operation was successful.
‘The biggest concern is the Star Union.’
The Star Union’s cyborgs include numerous androids, and their ships are heavily equipped with psychic defense measures. So, they have high defenses against various psychic attacks, including the Abyssal Terror.
Therefore, while urging the Cultists to prepare for battle by showing them the illusion of the “demon of three heads,” I launched a preemptive strike on the Star Union fleet. Since I attacked with a ship resembling a Cult escort, they had no choice but to retaliate.
‘If they run a detailed inspection, my identity will be exposed in no time.’
But, do they have the luxury to do that right now?
Having misunderstood my attack as coming from the Cult fleet, the Star Union initiated their counterattack. As a result, a space war is now unfolding between the two factions right in front of me.
‘It’s not over yet.’
I still have a trick up my sleeve prepared for the Star Union. I plan to use it when the battle heats up.
At that moment, the Mother of the Sky muttered beside me.
｢I can’t believe this is actually working. Unbelievable.｣
She’s watching what’s happening outside through the reinforced glass I provided, along with Adhai.
“Human thoughts are simple.”
｢…I’ve thought this before, but you’re really good at acting.｣
She looked at me as if she were bored.
Considering her history with me, it’s easy to guess her current feelings. What she must have thought seeing me imitate Koshei on the communicator. Quite a complex state of mind.
‘Acting, huh.’
Given the family history, her thoughts would be close to the truth. Perhaps my skill at deceiving people was why I was good at games as well.
‘…Let’s get rid of unnecessary thoughts.’
We’re in the middle of a battle now. Brushing away memories I’d rather not dwell on, I surveyed the situation outside.
The Cult’s ships were arranged in a diamond formation around the Imperial battleship. From the cannons mounted on the ships, three violet beams were fired.
Streams of light flew, oxidizing the floating rocks and space debris in the black void.
The cyborg fleet hadn’t been idle either.
From the large and small rectangular ships, white drones poured out like waterfalls. The drones moved swiftly and lined up neatly in front of the ships. It looked like waving a cloth in front of a charging bull, albeit in white instead of red.
Eventually, the violet beams clashed with the white drone swarm. Anyone would have thought the beams would obliterate the drones, but the result was different.
The drones launched from the Star Union’s ships were called APD (Anti Psychic Drone).
These drones were made of black silver, a metal with strong psychic power resistance, and galenium alloy, which absorbs various energies. They are mainly used when fighting entities like the Cult, who primarily use psychic powers.
To an ordinary human observer, intense violet flashes occurred in space, blindingly bright. The Star Union’s APDs prevented the immense shock caused by the “part” of the Cult’s cannon barrage.
Why did I say “part”? Because the Cult’s attack wasn’t over yet.
The beams fired from the Cult’s cannons appeared to be three in total, but in fact, they were fired three times rapidly. The time gap between the beams allowed the APDs to easily block the first attack, but they couldn’t defend against the subsequent attacks adequately.
‘APDs are vulnerable to staggered attacks.’
As I expected, some of the violet beams passed through the drone swarm, penetrating the cyborgs’ battleships. Explosions occurred in their wake, and the ships shattered into pieces.
The Star Union fleet, having lost several ships, launched a counterattack without hesitation.
The appearance of Star Union vessels can be described simply as rectangular hulls with spiky cannons protruding from them. The cannons, arranged like thorns, are not decorative.
Countless cannons began to operate. Torpedoes precisely controlled by androids flew by the thousands towards the Cultists.
While maintaining their diamond formation, the Cult ships emitted violet light. The violet shields formed on the fronts of the ships connected, transforming into a massive diamond-shaped shield.
The torpedoes flying towards them were blocked by the enormous shield, exploding upon impact.
The Cultists maintained the shield without any damage. But it’s too early to relax. Some of the torpedoes aimed at them abruptly changed direction, hitting the flanks or rear of the Cult ships.
With explosions, several Cult ships deviated from formation. As the shield shook slightly, other ships quickly filled the gaps left by their fallen comrades.
Seeing this, the Star Union attempted to launch torpedoes again to intensify the attack. If the Imperial battleship hadn’t stepped in, the damage to the Cult would have been greater.
‘Is this the beginning?’
A fracture appeared in the refined diamond-shaped Imperial battleship. A section corresponding to the edge opened up, revealing black gun turrets inside.
There were a total of eight turrets, the Black Cannons, integrated into the Imperial battleship. Like Cosmic Bolts, they are powerful weapons that use dark matter as an energy source.
The Star Union’s ships quickly scattered, knowing the power of the Black Cannons. The cannons, moving smoothly, fired towards the scrambling ships.
Unlike other Cult ships, rather than beams, black spheres left the Black Cannons and flew towards the Star Union vessels.
The black spheres reached the ships that were slow to react. At that moment, the ships warped and were sucked into the spheres.
In less than a few seconds, the spheres consumed and destroyed several ships. They continued forward, swiftly swallowing other vessels.
‘As expected.’
The Black Cannons create artificial black holes when fired.
When it hits, it’s game over, making a mess of enemy formations and effectively sniping battleships.
However, the downside of the Black Hole Rounds is their short duration and inability to control them.
Seeing the Imperial battleship use the Black Hole Rounds, the scattered Star Union fleet approached the Cultists as they were.
The plan was to close the distance with the Imperial battleship and provoke a skirmish. Since the Black Hole Rounds don’t discriminate targets, it was the appropriate response.
‘Alright. Then I’ll join in.’
There’s something I need to do once the skirmish starts. If that task is completed safely, we can leave this sector without being pursued.
Leading the commandeered Cult escort ship, I swiftly advanced.
A skirmish between space fleets awaits me.
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[Translator – Jjescus]
[Proofreader – Demon God’s Disciple]
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