Ch.301Approaching Storm (2)

From the start, I used the teleport system of two Krakens.

I succeeded in turning two users’ fleets into piles of scrap by pouring missile bombardments from the fleet including Hresvelgr, but…

“…Now I have to do this 500 more times.”

“523 times to be exact.”

“ARGHHHH!”

The problem was that there were too many opponents to feel any satisfaction from this.

If there was any consolation, at least those 500 users weren’t all rushing in at once…

“Commander, new fleets are pushing in from the front!”

“Respond immediately.”

Perhaps because it was an alliance of at least 50 clans banded together.

Whether they wanted to hog all the glory for themselves, there were those who were charging straight toward the fortress.

But such players only did that initially, when there weren’t many enemies gathered near the base.

After defeating about three clans of roughly 10 members each, they became too scared to approach recklessly.

When the rest of the clans—presumably the main force—began arriving one after another, they now formed a siege line outside the range of our defense batteries.

From my perspective, it was enough to make my blood run cold.

And after surrounding us like that… how should I put it?

It’s really hard to express in one word, but if I had to force it…

Unlike me, they had an overwhelming advantage in the number of “commanders.”

They were literally trying to slowly wear down our fleet using a “rotation battle” strategy that maximized each user’s command abilities.

The problem was that if I sent out the garrison fleet against their battle formation, the garrison fleet without any buffs would be one-sidedly shredded.

But what if I didn’t deploy the garrison fleet?

Then user fleets, each receiving multiple buffs from their respective superhumans, would swoop in and blow away the defense systems of this Avalon Fortress one by one.

Or they would smash my fleet deployed outside the fortress, so…

Whether I liked it or not, I had no choice but to throw out the garrison fleet—which at least recovered automatically over time—to block them.

Of course, that situation didn’t last long.

“What about Kraken Unit 2? Is it still in the fortress docking facility?”

“Yes, you said it was still too weak to be sent out, remember?”

“Let’s try another teleport attack with it.”

Once again, a beautiful swarm of strategic missiles + medium torpedoes rained down on the fleet that was about to launch a rotation battle.

As a result, five of their cruisers were sunk without even firing their main guns once, and the users who had been planning the rotation battle could be seen hastily retreating with backsteps.

==========

At the same time, inside the Walpurgis Alliance Clan…

—————————————-

<Mint Chocolate Conference Room>

-[WTF why can Kraken teleport twice a day?]

-[Holy shit, did they get another Kraken?]

-[No way]

-[Just fall back and form a siege line]

-[Retreat]

—————————————-

Seeing a clan user who had recklessly charged in suffer virtually irreparable damage.

They were terrified to discover that Icarus’s forces were stronger than expected.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t so much fear of Icarus’s strength as it was…

“Damn, if I charge in first, only my fleet will be destroyed.”

…this infinite selfishness was slowly raising its head.

Users who didn’t want to see their elite fleets—which took months of effort to build—get destroyed were abandoning the idea of going first while watching each other cautiously.

And if that were all, it would be fine.

“I wonder if someone will make the first move.”

“Let’s just play the waiting game.”

“There’s this annoying guy—can we instigate him to go first?”

Some jokesters were trying to use this opportunity for legal purging (???) of their enemies.

And while the alliance clan members were engaged in this game of chicken…

==========

“Commander, the enemy fleet continues to harass us with attacks from long range.”

“Tsk.”

Seeing the enemy maintain a tight siege formation and only firing missiles and torpedoes from extreme range.

I felt anxiety creeping in as they showed no hesitation in employing a strategy that thoroughly consumed time.

Of course, it wasn’t because the strategy itself was threatening.

Unlike when I first laid siege, the fortress’s defense systems weren’t just standing idle while missiles were flying in, and…

“Hresvelgr and the rest of the fleet, engage in anti-air operations.”

“Haha! Firing missiles from such a distance—what a waste of ammunition!”

Since my commanded fleet was still intact, they immediately began intercepting the numerous missiles and torpedoes flying toward the fortress.

Of course, although there were no missile factory… arsenal ships like Hresvelgr among the enemy fleets detected by the gravity radar.

The number of missiles and torpedoes spewed by the 500 or so users—ships with about 400,000 points—could hardly be called small.

A few to dozens of shots managed to break through the interception systems and hit the fortress or ships.

While small vessels like destroyers might be vulnerable, larger ships like cruisers, not to mention the fortress’s defense batteries or armor plates, would hardly suffer effective damage from a few measly missiles (though they were still several meters long).

In this situation, both I and the other superhumans and mercenary commanders were just taking it in stride.

But separate from that, damage was still accumulating.

As mentioned above, the sheer number of those damned missiles and torpedoes was truly insane, being fired by some 500 fleets.

Despite the fortress and fleet’s various anti-air systems intercepting 99.9%, the remaining 0.1% that hit was enough to make small ships literally explode one after another.

“This doesn’t look good at all.”

“What do you mean, Commander?”

When I sighed and lamented after assessing the situation, Jessica gave me a puzzled look and asked.

I pointed out that the enemy’s approach was literally designed to burn time, and explained why that indicated a very concerning outcome for me.

“Those guys aren’t thinking about surprise attacks from the rear, but are trying to slowly wear us down from extreme range.”

“Yes.”

“It’s either a demonstration that they believe no one will stab them in the back, or they’re showing off that they’ve already succeeded in securing the surroundings.”

“…I see.”

The problem was that we had no way of knowing whether this was true or not.

Moreover, true or not, if we just stayed put, we had no choice but to be slowly eaten away by the enemy.

I didn’t know what they were thinking, but I racked my brain trying to figure out how to escape this situation.

And a moment later.

As I sipped the coffee Jessica brought me, the caffeine stimulated my brain and reminded me of something I had forgotten.

“Ah, right! Jessica!”

“Yes, Commander.”

Afraid I might forget again, I immediately called Jessica to put my idea into action.

“Is the Neranjara-class still outside?”

“Yes, it is…?”

“Tell it to enter the fortress docking facility immediately, then switch to full submersion mode inside the base and go back out!”

“…!”

And that method was none other than using our Neranjara-class.

Going right up to the enemy fleet, bombarding them with spatial torpedoes and every available weapon.

Then having Neranjara calmly return to base, deactivate submersion and recharge.

Then go out again, fire all ammunition and retreat—the so-called “hit-and-run” tactic.

==========

And as a result of Icarus’s flailing(?) and Neranjara’s hit-and-run…

—————————————-

<Mint Chocolate Conference Room>

-[What the hell]

-[What’s the fleet security doing?]

-[How are we supposed to catch what we can’t see?]

-[All the battleships’ propulsion systems are wrecked]

-[You’re blaming us for your incompetence? Do it yourself if you’re so upset]

-[What did you say?]

—————————————-

If this continued just a little longer, sadly for the Walpurgis Alliance leadership…

They would self-destruct by fracturing on their own—the happiest possible outcome for Icarus.

But… as always, happy endings never came for Icarus.

—————————————-

<Mint Chocolate Conference Room>

-[Why are you guys acting so pathetically?]

-[But…]

-[All of you should get gender reassignment surgery tomorrow]

-[Everyone get out, I’ll sacrifice myself]

-[Oh]

—————————————-

After seeing how badly the situation had deteriorated, a clan leader who could bench press 700 pounds expressed his extreme anger in the chat.

Then he led his entire fleet in a charge, showing a heroic end by being vaporized in the fourth Kraken teleport assault.

Users inspired by him.

More precisely, users and alliance clan leaders who were now convinced that their ships wouldn’t be pointlessly destroyed by surprise Kraken teleports…

Finally decided to launch an all-out offensive, charging toward Icarus’s Avalon Fortress.