Ch.8888. Min-seo Choi Approaches the Retreating Dorado

The mecha’s cockpit isn’t cramped enough to compress my body, but the view of the world from this perspective is quite stifling.

Even though there’s nothing blocking the sky anywhere, the view shown through this glass window and control stick is quite limited, which is why I’ve never particularly preferred piloting mechas.

Above all, a mecha’s armaments are just ordinary guns and missiles.

Compared to the abilities of individual heroes, it’s significantly lower combat power, so there’s rarely any use for it beyond transportation.

But when combined, the story changes.

It gives the advantage of being able to target equal damage points against such massive enemies.

Although performance is a prerequisite, the combat power of a combined mecha fully reflects the abilities of the Sentai leader. This means it can incorporate stats and skills.

Since the combination itself requires the assistance of excellent Sentai members, it was impossible with the previous Dragon King Sentai, but.

Now with the strengthened Somi, we can use it very effectively.

“Entering sequence.”

I opened the cover and pressed six switches in succession.

I stepped on the pedal and opened the throttle. Recognizing the pressure from my hand, Magentaurus smoothly moved its tail wings and increased altitude.

“I’ll assist you. From unit 2 to unit 6, rail sequence process. In action.”

Somi immediately followed and matched my rhythm. The AI-controlled mechas.

Moving smoothly in the air as if attached to a magnetic path, they find their positions.

“Transform.”

My mecha stops its engine and hovers, activating the floating system while slowly decreasing altitude.

The other mechas change form, separate, and transform. Guide wires connect at each junction point.

“Points 12 to 23 linked. Success. Next 5 to 11. Success. Covering start.”

Somi diligently continued her assistance. As the connections formed, the massive mecha—a collaboration of six units—began to take shape.

The space to the left and right of my cockpit opens and widens. The lower right section opens and Somi’s control stick rises. I briefly made eye contact with her. Somi slightly raised the corner of her mouth at me.

“No errors in all processes. 4 percent until activation. You can start piloting, Ui-seok.”

“Please do.”

The cockpit in front of me slides away and another control stick appears. I hunched over like riding a motorcycle and grabbed the control sticks with both hands.

I checked the hologram panels appearing before my eyes. And then.

Whoosh!

As my field of vision widened, I could see the entire city. The city spread out beneath my feet looked like a miniature. A short distance away, I could see Recter trying to escape from a pit.

“All sequences complete. Combination complete, Ui-seok.”

The giant robot Draeoking, standing 52 meters tall from the combination of six mechas, stood proudly on the ground.

“Draeoking, taking flight.”

I moved the control sticks with both hands while stepping on the pedal. The machine ascended.

In reality, giant robots lack practical effectiveness. For pure firepower, long-range weapons are more efficient.

Even to engage in hand-to-hand combat against giant humanoid monsters like this one, arms alone would be sufficient. Actually, having multiple would be better.

Caterpillar tracks are definitely more efficient for legs, as it’s difficult for pilots to withstand the shaking of the machine during bipedal walking.

That’s why Draeoking basically uses jet engines to fly and relies on the floating system to hover using inertia.

Yet the reason this giant mecha is humanoid…

Is because it needs to recognize and reproduce my movements exactly to fully reflect my stats and abilities.

“Graaaaaaah!!”

Recter completely broke free and charged at us. Seems like he’s lost his intelligence.

Despite his massive bulk, his speed is still fast. With each leap, the ground caves in deeply, and gas pipes burst causing explosions.

No matter how much intelligence he’s lost, his ingrained combat sense remains intact.

Sure enough, he steps with an off-beat rhythm and swings his fist widely.

Swoosh— Kangangak!

I twist the machine to enter evasive maneuvers. The mechanical devices needed for this accelerate and circulate air, screaming.

Somi is handling the program assistance. I leave it to her and focus on the battle.

“Hup.”

I twist the throttle. Draeoking responds like we’re one body, diving into Recter’s abdomen and elegantly slicing him with the swords in both hands.

“Ooh, ooooh—!!”

Recter is also fast. With only instinct remaining, he counterattacks following only the optimal routes.

His right arm comes down, central axis at minus 25 degrees. His massive hind leg rotates widely, aiming for my chest.

A direct hit would mean explosion.

The impact would be powerful enough that neither Somi nor I inside would survive.

But.

Recter, you might be fighting me for the first time, but I’m not fighting you for the first time.

If your intelligence is gone and only patterns remain, that’s actually welcome.

I activate the boosters on my back at maximum output. I make the entire machine crawl low to the ground to avoid the attack.

I detach Titazalia, originally Shin Yukyong’s machine now serving as a flight assist pack, and send it flying at Recter in self-destruct mode, causing an explosion.

“Somi, hang in there a little longer.”

“As long as needed.”

Recter is momentarily confused by the explosion.

We take advantage of this opening to attack. I start running with all my might. Tremendous vibrations begin in the cockpit, but Somi and I endure and stay focused.

I thrust the burning sword into his abdomen, between the armor weakened by the explosion.

“Grrrgh!!”

The sword doesn’t completely pierce Recter, only slightly embedding its tip. Recter grabs the blade with both hands trying to remove it.

This is the moment I was aiming for.

I lift my foot and kick the sword handle with all my might.

Kwagwagwagwang!!

The sword drives deeper, causing Recter to be pushed back and lose his balance.

Giant robot legs do have their uses.

I run once more.

Toward Recter, whose posture has collapsed making defense impossible.

“I’ve always said it. The best way to take down monsters is—”

I lift the throttle.

Draeoking jumps high into the sky.

“To beat them down.”

The giant fist targets Recter’s face precisely.

Swoosh!

I launch it. My fatal punch, carrying my strength and red energy, had already struck Recter’s face the moment I recognized it.

Kwaaang!

His face shatters and breaks into pieces that fly into the sky.

“Ooh, oooh—”

His death cry mixes with the air and disappears.

Recter’s glowing eyes gradually weaken, and finally that light goes out.

He begins turning to ash.

I calmly looked down at the Emperor’s demise.

“Ui-seok, good work.”

“You too.”

Somi smiled at me brightly.

But it’s too early to relax.

I’ve definitely finished Recter, but the whole world is still at war with the basic combat units, and Dorado remains.

I checked the hologram panels for a long time, searching for Dorado.

“Where is he?”

Finally, I detected one large reaction.

I looked up at the sky.

The Galaxy Empire’s massive spaceship.

It was burning red and falling toward Earth.

***

“Even Recter with his enlargement magic has fallen. Hmm, all my moves have been read. I need to retreat now. Gerogius, that man is not a creature that can be easily eliminated.”

A monster stronger than himself who had to fight with his life on the line. Dorado finally realized this.

As soon as Recter fell, he returned to the spaceship and began operations to return to the Empire’s homeland.

He was now the only survivor on this massive ship. The Emperor and all the executives were dead. It was clear that all the combat units they had evolved with magic power collected over a hundred years would be annihilated.

“The fortunate thing is that they can’t use magic power. They probably can’t exceed the speed of light. The Empire’s homeland is still safe. First, I need to return and devise countermeasures…”

Dorado, who was about to proceed with the warp, suddenly found his body frozen and couldn’t continue his monologue.

He felt terror creeping in from the aura pressing down on his body.

“Aha, ha. Grand, father. Where are you, trying to escape to alone?”

Dorado slowly turned his head.

There stood Choi Minseo, barely clinging to life in a terrible state.

Despite being unable to breathe properly due to the unquenchable flames, her eyes hadn’t lost their power.

“Oh my, how could this be. What on earth have I created?”

Dorado regretted. He had overestimated human potential, yet never imagined even slightly that they would surpass him—his own arrogance.

In the end, like other executives, he had unconsciously considered humans an inferior species.

“Hey, grandfather.”

Choi Minseo approached Dorado slowly with a smile full of madness.

“If you created something, shouldn’t you, take responsibility?”

Laughter echoed.

Soon one of the two shadows was devoured by the other and disappeared.

***

“Self-flight alone will be a bit late. Prepare the rocket.”

“Soyuz and Baikonur are immediately available.”

“Lu-a, can you move Draeoking?”

“Of course. I’ll go right away.”

I turned to Somi.

“From here on, it might be a bit dangerous. You should join Lu-a or Lena and finish off the remaining basic combat units.”

“Hehe. I’d be lucky not to be hunted down with you due to misunderstanding. And anyway, if we don’t stop that, there’s no point.”

“You’re right.”

Somi tilted her head toward me. Her hair flowed down smoothly with the movement.

“When have I ever run away while fighting with you?”

“Never. I said something unnecessary.”

“Yes. Then let’s go together.”

Somi placed her hand on top of mine. I nodded.

“Geo, I’m ready! Moving now!”

Lu-a attached below our legs. The next moment, we were in front of a rocket launch pad.

A rocket being hastily prepared. I operated Draeoking to grab it appropriately.

“You want us to launch with a robot this size attached?! It’s impossible! There’s no way it will work properly!”

“Whether it explodes or not, just send it outside the atmosphere. I’ll handle the rest.”

I roughly answered the communication from the space station. The safety bars began to detach.

Sigh. How many times have I traveled back and forth through space?

That ship isn’t exactly the neighborhood convenience store.