A light jolt snapped me awake.
"Where… am I?"
The monitor displayed a pitch-black void, punctuated by occasional flashes of what seemed like explosions in the distance.
"…Right."
I'd defeated the Beowulf in the other world… or had I? The chain explosion of three nuclear fusion generators likely obliterated it, along with Tesla Labs' surface facilities. Fortunately, Vindel and Lemon had evacuated the researchers to the underground shelter—built as sturdy as Earth Cradle, it should've withstood the blast.
As a result, I'd successfully transferred to this world, landing right in the heart of Operation SRW, the final stand against the Aerogators. Luckily, I emerged on the fringes of the combat zone, surrounded only by meteorites and debris from PTs and AMs—no hostile Aerogators in sight.
The monitor showed the White Star's energy field already breached, signaling the battle's climax was near.
"Not good to linger here. ASRS, deploy."
Activating the prototype Active Stealth Reflection System, I cloaked the Grow Savior. No need to earn a weird nickname like "Mustache Man" from the original.
I maneuvered behind a Lion's wreckage—more like debris now—using it as a shield. That jolt when I woke must've been it colliding with my unit. Likely a casualty of Operation SRW or the DC War's Colony Integrated Forces.
Checking the Grow Savior's status, I noted, "Phantoms down to 11, right-hand Grapnel Thread disabled from psychokinesis overload, Fire Daggers depleted, Linear Railgun with two rounds left, Gun Rapier with three."
The weapon loss was severe, but the Time Flow Engine ensured near-infinite energy for the Beam Gatling, Halberd Launcher, Adaman Halberd, and left-hand Grapnel Thread.
"Facing the Beowulfs alone and getting off with this damage is lucky."
With limited ammo, I'd avoid using the Railgun and Rapier in combat. Reflecting on it, the original Axel's Soulgain was cost-efficient, using only energy or non-consuming weapons. With a Time Flow Engine, it'd never run dry. But fighting the Beowulf in a melee-focused Soulgain would've wrecked it—canonically, it was barely operational post-transfer. The Grow Savior's high-mobility ranged design kept it intact, a trade-off with its ammo constraints.
"Oh, right."
Speaking of the Beowulf, I needed to confirm Rykeios' storage. I was half-delirious from psychokinesis overuse when I stored it. My mental list of the spatial storage showed various weapons seized from terror groups, bulk-bought items with hoarded gold, and, at the bottom, "Rykeios."
"Phew, safely stored."
Then it hit me—could I have stored spare Fire Dagger warheads or Railgun rounds in the spatial storage? Too late now, but on Earth, I could procure ammo by raiding discreet targets or buying from arms dealers with my gold. Railgun rounds might be compatible with Lion-series ammo, making them easier to source than Fire Daggers.
For now, confirming Rykeios' recovery was enough.
"…Wait."
Another realization struck. My spatial storage couldn't hold living things but had vast capacity—beyond my ability to measure. Which meant…
"Could I steal the White Star?"
In the original, the White Star becomes the final boss, corrupted by Einste. Removing it could prevent that. If Operation SRW followed canon, whether Kyosuke or Ryusei's route, the Aerogators' forces—save for stragglers like Viletta or a regenerating Mai Kobayashi—should be wiped out. The Hiryu Kai and Hagane would be heading to Izu to face Septuagint, leaving the White Star lifeless. The challenge was securing it before the Federation claimed it.
"Bet on the ASRS?"
The prototype ASRS was unreliable—malfunctioning during the Bullet fight—but Lemon's tweaks improved it, though it lagged behind Earth Cradle's version.
"No choice but to use what I've got."
Keeping the ASRS active, I used the Lion debris as cover and approached the White Star. My first time in space was awkward, but Axel's body adapted quickly, mastering zero-gravity movement like in simulations. An S-rank space aptitude would've made it effortless.
"If I can reach the White Star without trouble…"
Maybe that was a jinx. Five Megillots and two Garlions, fighting, drifted closer. Should I stay cloaked or take them out? With low ammo, I chose stealth.
"Don't come this way…"
My prayers went unanswered—they kept approaching, still battling. The Garlion pilots, skilled enough, bisected a Megillot with an Assault Blade and obliterated the rest with Machine Cannons and Burst Railguns.
"Saved, huh?"
Relief was premature. The bisected Megillot's upper half collided with my Lion shield, triggering a shock that disabled the ASRS, exposing the Grow Savior.
"You, unfamiliar unit! State your affiliation, rank, and name!" a Garlion pilot demanded, aiming a Burst Railgun.
Damn my luck!
I cursed but saw an opportunity—neutralizing these two could buy safety. "Phantoms!"
I launched six of the 11 Phantoms. The unfamiliar weapons caught the Garlions off-guard. Three Phantoms per unit attacked with laser blades from precise angles, severing their limbs.
"Sorry, but drift for a while. I spared your torsos—you can call for rescue."
Killing them for spotting me felt wrong and weighed on me, so I sent them toward the Federation fleet. The monitor showed the ASRS was functional again, so I reactivated it and resumed toward the White Star.
…Those Garlion pilots' report later dubbed the Grow Savior "Invisible Man," not "Mustache Man," but that's a story for after the battle.
"Alright, just wait for them to leave."
Clinging to the White Star's outer hull, I stayed cloaked with ASRS, biding my time. The Hiryu Kai nearby suggested this was Kyosuke's route—Ryusei's had the Hiryu Kai inside the White Star.
"…Here they come!"
The Aerogators' drones around the White Star froze, likely because Levi Tolar was defeated inside, shutting down its systems. Minutes later, a swarm of units emerged: Alteisen, Weissritter, three Grungusts, a Valsion Kai, SRX, Huckebeins, and more. Seeing them, I felt something—psychokinesis resonance, or maybe the absorbed psychics (Ryoto, Aya, Bullet) connecting with their parallel selves. SRX and the Huckebeins briefly faltered, as if shaken, but quickly recovered and returned to their mothership, heading to Earth.
Once the ships were far enough, I pressed the Grow Savior's right arm to the White Star's surface.
"Spatial storage, White Star, retrieve."
Instantly, the colony-sized White Star vanished from the sector.
"…Phew. Looks like I pulled it off."
The spatial storage list displayed "White Star." Storing something that massive without issue was astonishing—or absurd.
"Now, how to get to Earth?"
The Grow Savior, despite its super-robot-level firepower, wasn't a super robot. Unlike Soulgain, it couldn't breach the atmosphere alone.
Character Stats: Axel Almer
Level: 25
PP: 95
Melee: 206
Ranged: 224
Skill: 216
Defense: 213
Evasion: 241
Accuracy: 263
SP: 342
Ace Bonus: SP Boost (Consumes SP to enhance Slime performance)
Growth Type: All-Rounder/Special
Terrain Adaptability:
Air: S
Land: S
Sea: B
Space: A
Spirit Commands:
Accelerate (SP 4)
Effort (SP 8)
Focus (SP 16)
Direct Hit (SP 20)
Awaken (SP 32)
???
Skills:
EXP Up
SP Boost (SP Up Lv.9 & SP Recovery & Focus)
Psychokinesis Lv.10
Attacker
Gunfight Lv.9
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Kill Count: 92