First Existences' War, The Frontline Battle (3)

The Low Battleships formed a severe, solid line as the remaining spaceships behind them advanced at the same pace. The Incinerating Bolt battle array formation was still active and far from being wasted, so they moved at a similar speed towards their universal focus's right. Meanwhile, the enemy continued to advance forwards, and Heian Ciemnosc could nature-read hundreds of groups of similar sizes following behind this first enemy before Heian Ciemnosc's military force.

It didn’t take long for the radars to detect something from far away. It wouldn’t have happened if it was just 1 or 3 more enemy forces similar to the group before them. But when it was an entire line of spaceships moving towards, it was impossible for Third Step radars to not notice.

“Commander! We’re meeting with the enemy’s armada in this place! They’re all the Mythical realm-focused forces, but we cannot identify our target yet!” A piloting expert said, anxiously looking back at Heian Ciemnosc. Another explosively yelled, and the central command of every spaceship in Heian Ciemnosc’s military force received the same info and reacted the same way. “Machine guns are firing at us! We’re in range! It’s coming at us!”

“...” Everyone waited for Heian Ciemnosc’s reaction, but he kept quiet as he looked ahead, seemingly looking into space and watching all those few hundred spaceships raining bullets at them. This enemy fraction of an armada had raced forth, similarly to how they did, and was the first to meet with a military force from the Existence.

Thanks to this, the Quiongu Fanhui and Evergazing Existences would meet each other first here, with Heian Ciemnosc leading the first contact. Thanks to these 2 military forces, the war would start! Both sides’ peak Third Step and Fourth Step forces watched from afar, recognizing Heian Ciemnosc’s involvement, and the world thrilled under the notion!

As bullets rained, the tension increased. And as time passed, second going without the young black monster’s mini armada not doing anything against it, a strange emptiness spread everywhere, enveloping their senses and slowly pushing their emotions forwards.

Ta-, tak, tak…

“We’re receiving fire! Their accuracy is good, but it is mainly deviated by our motion. The Low Battleships’ speeds will be burdened in 3 minutes with the rest of the enemy’s firepower!” - “They’re all aiming at us, missiles locked… they’re just testing us! Sir!” - “Commander, what are your orders?!” - “Since the commander hasn’t spoken, be quiet!”

The commanding assistant yelled as many piloting experts were yelling Heian Ciemnosc to instruct them. These were the Crimsonbreaking Faction’s renowned piloting experts, not just from any other organization. If they were anxious, it had to be for a damn good reason!

Tak, tak, ta-, ta-, plank!

The Low Battleships continued receiving the full brunt of this enemy, although some bullets deviated after reflecting on their shields and landed on a spaceship behind them; as for the twin Frigates following Heian Ciemnosc’s Low Battleship at its rear. They had little to no trouble dealing with a bullet or 2 every second. The damage it caused was negligent.

Fwush! Suddenly, Heian Ciemnosc lifted his right hand after projecting it forwards from his elbow to his wrist. Finally, nobody needed vocal orders, and their Spirit Sense received Heian Ciemnosc’s conveyance. They immediately got to work and seemed to make the Low Battleship gain a scarce, extra heaviness as mechanisms and ‘pshift’ noises sounded below every floor but at every floor’s ceiling.

“Elemental Water Eye array formations activated!” A piloting expert reported that Heian Ciemnosc’s spaceship showered the front with a watery barrier. It was like a wall that exited the Low Battleship from the fore, but it was just energy and Water elemental particles. Yet, as it formed, the other Low Battleships did the same as they formed a semi-connected barrier that immediately ate the incoming bullets away and only suffered 1 or 2 hits every 2 to 3 seconds.

“Engaging, all Elemental Water Eye array formations connecting!” Another piloting expert reported as the situation lightened once those array formations were up. The Low Battleships were like a phalanx formation, slowly moving forwards as the enemy advanced slightly faster.

“Fire back,” Heian Ciemnosc calmly said, but in his people’s words, meaning everyone in the military force’s central command from every spaceship was like a thunderous bell sound twinkling at their ears and perforating into their heads.

“Fire!” - “Go ahead, show ‘em!!” - “Fire~!!” - “Melt them! Melt them already!!” - “Release it, boys. Come on, girls! Hahahahaha, this has finally started!” - “...”

Finally, just as the enemy spaceships flew towards them without facing them directly, sending machine gun fire their way, Heian Ciemnosc’s military force finally responded! Everyone watching this from the other side of the 3-line battlefield seemed to relax their muscles. The beginning of the war had started, and Heian Ciemnosc was the first to engage in battle from their Existence’s side!!

It was only bullets, but the discrepancy between the enemy space forces and Heian Ciemnosc’s military force became crystal clear immediately after both sides exchanged bullet rains. The enemy’s side fired at their discretion, bringing moving, snaking tongue of bullets lighting the way until Heian Ciemnosc’s Low Battleships.

On the other hand, Heian Ciemnosc’s military forces simultaneously fired with a nearly 100% similar angle and towards targets that weren’t too flooded nor too scarce. Couple with the strange, defensive array formations protecting Heian Ciemnosc’s side from the front, the enemy was at a disadvantage as the first battle started!

Ta- rarararararararara~... Despite being in space, Heian Ciemnosc could hear, for the first time, the difference in weaponry between a Frigate and a Battleship, with the latter being the ‘small’ version and even smaller than a Carrier. The large number of machine guns in a Battleship was tremendous, and it made one think of doomsday when remembering the number of missiles and various rocket launchers this baby had.

But, for now, only bullets were used from both sides.

Bang… … bang… …bang… bang… bang… The Existence’s spaceships’ firepower was equal to the enemy Existence’s, and since this was the only battle for the moment, everyone’s attention was on it. Even then, they could see the enemy Existence’s spaceships being destroyed in 1 every 8-9 seconds. Like this, it increased to 10 every minute until Heian Ciemnosc’s military force started gaining a tremendous advantage against the enemy.

Puh… puh… That was when the enemy side started launching missiles. Thus, from the rear, the enemy spaceships started furiously showering the space around them with missiles, arching them outside their bullet-like formation before forming 4 missile groups around it.

“Next step in phase 1,” Heian Ciemnosc lightly called out. The piloting experts around him nodded, and they started working with another layer of pressure as the enemy’s missile groups remained separate and moved to the sides. They intended to target their spaceships around the Elemental Water Eye array formation.

“Commence!” Heian Ciemnosc barked his order. As the enemy missiles were slowly drawn towards the 8 watery barriers, the Low Battleships launched torpedoes at their up and down according to their universal focus. They immediately went off when they distanced themselves from the nearest spaceships at the bottom and top of the formation.

Meanwhile, every other spaceship launched missiles towards the Low Battleships’ rear, passing around them and crossing the watery barrier without stopping. At the same time, the enemy missiles were pulled by a powerful suction force. While the enemy was frowning at the development, their eyes widened as their eyebrows relaxed but tightened.

…veeeeeeeem!

The 4 enemy missile groups formed a mouth-like formation as they neared the Low Battleships. Meanwhile, the spaceships behind them suddenly drew near their rears as they continuously launched their respective missiles. These missiles flew through the watery barrier before suddenly gaining tremendous speed for a few seconds.

However, after the missiles sped up after crossing the watery barrier, they kept their top-notch starting speed. They rapidly moved towards the enemy spaceships, with a thin, watery cover around their warheads and slightly below. These rapidly dissipated in space… But not until they weren’t halfway through the distance to reach an enemy spaceship.

Like this, the missiles were more challenging to target, and they resisted a few extra machine gun bullets and 1 or 2 anti-missile ammunition. Heian Ciemnosc watched as the rest of this enemy line battlefield neared even closer, and a piloting expert reported that situation as if reading through everyone’s heads. Everyone was sweaty, not just because of phase 1’s procedures but because this line’s enemy armada was drawing ever closer!

“4 minutes until the enemy gets at the reach of our combat radars. Until then, we only have the enemy right before us to target!”

“Prepare for phase 2,” Heian Ciemnosc suddenly said, and he remained seated on his commander’s seat as the piloting experts became frantic, moving their Spirit Sense like never before, but feeling excitement and… thrill!

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“30% of the enemy forces down! We’re gaining too much potency in the Elemental Water Eye array formations! It might self-implode in 5 minutes if this firepower continues, but not more than 4 if more enemy groups fire at us!” - “The rest of our Existence’s forces are still 7 minutes away! Commander, we’ll meet their entire line in less than 4 minutes!”

Heian Ciemnosc remained silent as he listened to everything. His darkest eyes showed nothing but the commanding assistant who followed him and sat beside his spot, her body wrapped by the personnel safety measures like belts and ribbons of an array formation around her body, just like everyone else in the spaceship, not just the central command. She saw something she ought to witness in everyone else, herself, and soon enough… It was… excitement!

“Don’t you feel glad?” Heian Ciemnosc casually asked, lacking professionalism. The central command reacted by falling quiet. Then, its personnel, along with the commanders of other spaceships, roared out. “Hua hua hua~~!!”

The battle continued, with a stagnant one-sided incoming victory as Heian Ciemnosc’s military force demolished another 10% of the enemy forces, and missiles were being drawn increasingly more. The enemy noticed the Low Battleships’ engines starting to heat up and saw they were still connected by an array formation. It made them apprehensive.

However! Heian Ciemnosc’s side suddenly gave them enough room to target the rest of their spaceships as they formed a sphere formation. The enemy was suddenly hectic. The other side grew haughty and started throwing their lives as if they’d already won! They had a chance!

However, once again, while they were aiming all their missiles towards the farther distance so they weren’t pulled towards the Low Battleships watery barrier, prepared to annihilate Heian Ciemnosc’s spaceships sticking from the bottom and top past the coverage of their strange, Elemental array formations, Heian Ciemnosc was sitting still when a slightly savage grin formed at his lips.

The female reporter was too focused on the next and final step from phase 1 to see this stupidly most charming sight to behold. Her eyes glowed and sparkled as she looked ahead, and her heart thumped as the engines’ noise signaled everything was ready, and these hundreds of spaceships only needed Heian Ciemnosc’s go-ahead signal to proceed.

“Finish phase 1, enter phase 2,” Heian Ciemnosc’s words echoed in the central command when his Low Battleship’s engines were prepared at maximum potency and suddenly blasted forwards, sending distorting waves outwards from its massive Large engine!

WYYUUUMP!! WYYUUUMP!! WYYUUUMP!! WYYUUUMP!!...

--PUUGHHBCRRKKGKSSSHHHHHHAAAAAAPPLL!!!!!!

“Lift them! Fire at everything you see! Focus at the front!!” Heian Ciemnosc loudly and commandingly ordered. His expression became a little savage, and his body sat up with a slight lean forward. His body wasn’t affected by the sudden, intense pull of gravity despite the array formations already working to lessen it. It was too powerful and had given everyone in his military force a tremendous scare.

The crew members of every spaceship from his military force struggled to regain composure and follow his instructions. Their heads were slightly dizzy, and they felt somewhat sleepy. But it all broke away when they gazed at the space where their enemies were.

On the other hand, the enemy had gotten the surprise and scare of their lives… because those watery barriers their piloting experts gave them the good news of overcharging had suddenly expanded sideways, to the rear, and covering the top and button of the young black monster’s military force sphere formation.

What’s worse, from one moment to another second, the young black monster’s spaceships went from still a few tens of kilometers away to suddenly crashing and destroying some of their Cruisers, many Destroyers, and a plethora of Frigates. And now, this enemy group was left with 80% of their forces demolished, and the majority suffered in the least possible way they could have thought of.

“Attack- AGHH!” - “Wake up!! They’re just here! Ah, goddammit! Where are our rocket launchers?!” - “Senior, they were destroyed in their bash! The rocket launchers might be fine, but most have been neutralized!” - “AAAHH!! Fucking heeell!!” - “If we’re gonna die, let’s do so by melting these turtles like magma! AAAAAAH!”

The enemy responded swiftly after sobering. They were sorrowful that 4 out of their 10 Low Battleships were either heavily damaged or destroyed in this sudden movement. However, while they were barely beginning to resume their battle, the first battle, the young black monster’s forces were already decimating the rest of their Low Battleships.

Pfiuh, pfiuh, pfiuh, pfiuh… pfiuh, pfiuh…

The enemy wasn’t weak or stupid. It was an elite of younger generation cultivators for a reason. Even with the negligent survival chance, few became cowardly and tried running away, jumping into space to rejoin the incoming main force and cursing their vanity of facing the enemy first and foremost over anyone else.

The majority of enemy cultivators responded in kind, and Fighters from both sides started bashing against each other as they flew into the constricted space that the young black monster had just forced upon the enemy side. Even then, his side supported their Fighters with some Frigates escorting them and Cruisers protecting them from within the sphere formation, never coming out, unlike some Destroyers whenever one of their Frigate-Fighters Team was in danger.

War had descended upon these two Existences!!!

There was no warning, great declaration, a ginormous, devastating explosion, or the pain of one side’s population. Only bloodiness and death as destruction and arsenal followed everywhere!

“Our forces are coming in 2 minutes. Hold your positions! Die if you must! But do not retreat! To deaaaath!” - “HA!” - “We do not retreat, fire! Destroy them! Let them melt under our power!!” - “Shit!... We won’t be making it from hereon… good luck to the rest of y-” BOOOOOOOM…!!!

The enemy was furious, riddled with devastation and the humiliation of knowing they’d failed and would die here as the first Quiongu Fanhui Existence’s victory would rapidly conclude. Even then, they wanted to let their comrades know it meant nothing and leave the famed young black monster slowly melting as they arrived after their group was massacred.

However, Heian Ciemnosc was anything but kind. His ruthlessness showed at its amplest definition. Just as the battle was ongoing, and the Frigate-Fighters Teams became the enemy’s worst nightmare in this encounter, he had all Low Battleships nearly immediately prepare before launching a round of rockets from all their rocket launchers towards one of the remaining enemy Low Battleships.

The enemy’s Low Battleship couldn’t escape such a blatant movement. But, before they could do anything, they were overwhelmed by the nearly thousands of rockets flying towards them like an endless swarm. They possessed no such array formation to protect them from the outside and even absorb some prowess away while charging their defenses like an Elemental Eye array formation can.

Nevertheless, just seeing these many rockets flying towards oneself, ahead and from this close distance, with no hopes for dodging or blocking with their arsenal. It was sufficient to dazzle any Existence’s half. Let alone knowing this was real and that they were about to meet their end.

This enemy Low Battleship attempted to form a battle array formation, and they actually succeeded. However, 0.3 seconds after their battle array formation was completed, the first 13 rockets arrived at its nose, and they seamlessly shattered the shield along with its structure. The first 3 rockets exploded after the enemy spaceship lost its protection and its nose was pried open. The rest swarmed inside, exploded, and gave room for a few thousand others to fly through as a Low Battleship formed a little bulb of light and fire, expanding over 3 km in diameter.

But war waited for no one, and a space war was even more so ruthlessly uncaring for millions of deaths after the battle just commenced, let alone the other millions from the first 4 enemy Low Battleships to fall along some Cruisers then.

As soon as the first enemy side’s Low Battleship was nearly instantly destroyed, the others rapidly activated their array formations and some of their battle array formations. But the second enemy’s Low Battleship was hit from the side, and despite tanking a couple tens of rockets, it was forced to the side as another 10 exploded from within, and another bulb of disastrous light formed where a war-machine mobile fortress in space was no longer.

Heian Ciemnosc’s strategy was utterly simple. In space battle, one of this caliber where Low Battleships moved through every military unit worth fighting this war, rocket launchers were still the scariest among all spaceships. Their ammunition, rockets, were costly, and not that many could be fired in a short amount of time.

Thus, if they were the first to send rocket launchers from so close and controlled them to dance around the enemy’s spaceships as they defended themselves from enemy firepower, they could target any enemy spaceship preparing to launch rockets or to defend theirs by using their rockets to force-detonate the enemy rockets.

Pfiuh… puh… bang, boom… bang, ta- tak, taghk~... bang… BOOOOOOM!!! BOOOM!!!

And it was just like that. The enemy wouldn’t just grieve and let their spaceships get hit by those rockets. They sent their own but immediately realized they were hopeless as their rockets would be stopped by the young black monster’s spaceships’ rockets, and the enemy spaceships who used their rocket launchers were immediately turned into spatial dust and Elemental Poisoning food.

They were locked in a tight situation. But as time passed, Heian Ciemnosc’s rocket launchers didn’t aim at more enemy spaceships or formed more rocket groups to deal with the enemy. However, his spaceships did form more rocket groups, only not for the battle ahead, and remained stagnant as their sphere formation slowly advanced.

Within a short amount of time, the enemy that Heian Ciemnosc faced for the first time in space, as a commander, and in a war, no matter how short it would be, was defeated! Only scraps were left behind, which the Frigate-Fighter Teams rapidly stored before rushing to the sphere formation. Time was tickling.

Those Frigate-Fighter Teams didn’t consist of a Frigate and their Fighters but of at least 3 dozen Fighters besides the Frigate’s Fighter Teams. Not all flew outside, and those who did depleted at least one type of missile. But the war had just begun. Some received serious damage, but due to the prepared mindset and practiced tactic, only Fighters were lost, with not everyone in those Fighters falling along their baby ride.

Of course, these casualties didn’t belong to the Crimsonbreaking Faction Large Flotilla Heian Ciemnosc was personally in charge of. Even then, as 10 seconds were all they had remaining as everyone in his military force could see the incoming enemy as if they were already before their sphere formation’s nose. Heian Ciemnosc’s expression turned slightly severe, and his clenched fists felt something he had unknowingly missy… itchy.

With Claws Out, the commanding assistant, sitting beside Heian Ciemnosc, noticed dark claws grazing his pale skin but didn’t comment. Heian Ciemnosc slowly stood up, and she followed. His gaze was purely focused on the plethora of lights coming at them from afar.

An expansive line spread from their left to the right as their sphere formation didn’t stop and continued advancing forward. Everyone was prepared and was just waiting for the enemy to come. Heian Ciemnosc didn’t need to keep saying to continue with phase 2’s procedures. And then, as the enemy finally noticed the danger his group proposed to them, missiles, bullets, and shells flew towards them at the greatest speed they could possibly launch and fire them.

“Full speed ahead,” Heian Ciemnosc’s ultimately cold eyes seemed to chill the atmosphere in his central command, and that was when his next order made his soldier units and auxiliary units, like his central command personnel, boil!

"Open fire… We’re carving our name on this path of death!”

…