Glowseiver faced Hagane's squad—R-1, R-2 Powered, Huckebein 008L, Grungust—locked in a tense standoff. The balance shattered when Hagane's homing missiles screamed from the rear.
"Too predictable."
They likely planned to exploit my dodge or interception. Instead, I held my ground, staring down the four, and flicked on the jamming switch.
Jamming scrambled the missiles, sending them veering wildly to detonate harmlessly.
"Jamming gear, huh?" Irm's voice crackled over open comms.
"Maybe something else entirely?" I quipped, drawing Adaman Harpe.
"Adaman Harpe, activate! Focus, Accelerate!"
As the scythe locked onto the slime, Irm's exasperated tone came through.
"No way—is that Grungust Type-3's Zankantou tech? Between that knockoff Grungust and this, Tesla Lab's secrets are leaking fast."
"No secret stays buried forever. Let's go!"
Using Accelerate, I lunged at R-2 Powered—weak in close quarters. R-1's G-Revolver and Huckebein 008L's vulcans fired to check me.
"Psychic Field, max output!"
No dodge—my field absorbed the hits, letting me dive into R-2 Powered's guard.
"Hraaaagh!"
My scythe swung, but Rai—sharp as ever—retreated, taking only surface scratches.
"Eat this—Boost Knuckle!"
Irm's shout heralded Grungust's flying fist. No way that'd hit; I moved to dodge, but T-LINK pinged, so I sidestepped, redeployed beam gatlings, and plunged into Grungust's blind spot.
"Low power or not, point-blank works."
Circling Grungust's right, I fired. No right arm to block—sent as the Knuckle.
"Guh!"
Irm groaned, but I peeled out.
"Sharp instincts," Leona muttered, aiming her Magna Beam Rifle, circling to avoid Grungust.
I'd dodged Boost Knuckle to use Grungust as a shield against her shot—otherwise, I'd have eaten it.
"What's this? Four-on-one—down from five—and you can't even nick me?"
"Damn, what is this guy? Can't land a hit!" Ryusei growled.
"Calm down, Ryusei. He knows our units' specs—mine, yours, Irm's, Leona's. Straight attacks won't cut it," Rai analyzed.
"Then what? Shirogane's getting away!"
Checked the radar—plenty of time stalled. A few more minutes should do. Last chance.
"Curtain's closing. Final act—ready?"
"Not letting you run wild!" Leona snapped.
"Good. Here we go! Accelerate, Focus!"
Spirit commands spiked my speed, zeroing R-1.
"Targeting me!? Take this—Heaven and Earth Psychic Crushing Sword!"
Ryusei's psychic field morphed into a blade, launched at me.
Psychic attacks against me? Naive.
"Psychic Field, max output!"
My field clashed with his sword. My LV.10 psychokinesis outranks his, but a spread field versus a focused blade? Can't nullify completely. Stalemate's enough.
"Accelerate!"
Deflecting his blade, I closed on R-1—no swing. Feinted, swung for Grungust.
"Adaman Harpe, Nine-Tail Mode!"
Nine whips lashed Grungust and R-2 Powered lurking behind.
"Tch, tricky weapon."
"Lieutenant!"
Irm's Grungust took the whips meant for R-2 Powered—support defense, in SRW terms.
"Awaken… Hraaaagh!"
Awaken's surge fueled me, slamming Nine-Tail sideways.
"Aaaagh!"
Whips shredded Huckebein's left leg, carving scars across it.
"Leona!?" Rai yelled.
I fell back, gaining distance. Stall complete.
"Not bad—better than last time. Still not enough. Train harder for next time. I'll let you off here."
"Wait!" Ryusei shouted.
"ASRS, deploy!"
Ignoring him, I warped clear.
"Back. Shirogane's status?"
At Earth Cradle, I hailed Vindel.
"Well done. Shirogane's secured, thanks to you," Vindel replied.
"It's in data collection now. Hope it boosts Triceratops-class," Lemon added.
"Main goal's using Shirogane as our mothership. What about the captain?"
"Meeting him now. Coming?"
"Lee's intriguing… I'm in."
Lemon tagged along, and we three met Lee, held as a captive.
"You're Shirogane's Captain, Lee Linjun?" Vindel began.
"I'm no prisoner for your intel. Kill me," Lee spat.
Proud, like canon. But he craves power against aliens. Exploit that.
"Easy, now. We don't want prisoners—just a skilled man to run a Space Noah-class," Lemon said.
"Join you? Me!?" Lee reeled.
No surprise—he thought we wanted his secrets.
"No pointless deaths. Got ambition? We offer purpose, a battlefield, meaning," Vindel pressed.
"Who are you?"
"Vindel Mauser, Shadow Mirror commander who took Shirogane."
"And I'm Axel Almer, field captain who led the capture. Nice meeting you."
"Not joining," Lee scoffed.
"Really? You fought to shield Earth from aliens—to prevent tragedies like your family's."
"How do you know that…?"
"No secret's airtight. Federation's crawling with our allies, infiltrators."
"If… if I joined, could it really fight aliens?"
He's wavering. One push.
"Nothing's certain, but it'll come to that. Purpose demands patience. Endure, and you'll be Earth's sword. No rush for an answer—think. But delays favor aliens. Vindel, Lemon—let's go. His call now."
As we turned, Lee spoke.
"Wait. If you can protect Earth from aliens… I'll join. No—let me."
"Vindel?"
"Welcome to Shadow Mirror, Lieutenant Colonel Lee Linjun."
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