Chapter 208: Kreios
“I’m glad we made it in time…”
The fourth ship of the Aerial Escort Ship (Titan) series, Kreios.
We managed to prepare this giant vessel for deployment over the Forest Country (Lebresta) with only the bare minimum of equipment.
“Altitude 812 meters, ground speed 496 km/h. We’re on the verge of stalling. I recommend increasing speed or gaining altitude.”
“After releasing the Multi-legged Tanks (Hoppers), we’ll accelerate and take care of that Mountain Boar.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Currently, three Gigantia and Titan series ships are also in the air. However, due to their heavy payload, they cannot reduce speed, and they cannot fly too low due to the potential impact on the ground.
Moreover, it was undesirable to send our main forces into the airspace of another nation, especially since the Gigantia Unit is responsible for the air defense of the Afrasia United Kingdom. We wanted to avoid diverting them if possible.
Thus, we hurriedly prepared the fourth ship, which seemed like it could make it in time. By minimizing the payload and reducing the ship’s weight, we achieved relatively slow flight.
Of course, we could have dispatched fighter jets or transport aircraft normally. But that would have been more about personal preference and romance.
“We’re releasing four Hoppers. Engine output is increasing, and acceleration has begun.”
The U-class Tactical AI onboard Kreios, known as Wederia Four, is responsible for this operation. Tactical data sent from Kreios updates the monitor displays one after another.
“Any concerns?”
“Report from Kreios. The durability of the target, the Mountain Boar, is unknown. Damage estimates to the surrounding area cannot be made. Anti-air capabilities are also unclear.”
“There’s a lot we don’t know. Well, it can’t be helped. Our tactical objective is to repel or eliminate it. I want to believe it has no anti-air capabilities, but we should observe first. We’ll have to fire some rounds and see what happens.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
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A massive monster is advancing, obliterating everything in its path. This creature, known as the Mountain Boar, is a legendary beast from the realm of fairy tales.
According to the Defense Officer of Pioneer Village Ralan, there have been no sightings of this creature until now; it has only appeared in bedtime stories passed down through generations.
That raises doubts about whether this is truly a species called the Mountain Boar.
However, it is hard to imagine that a creature measuring 40 meters in length and 25 meters in height could exist in large numbers. In fact, I would rather not think about it.
Thus, it was decided to refer to this type of monster as the Mountain Boar.
Fortunately, only this single specimen has been observed. It seems that there are not hordes of such creatures roaming the depths of the Demon Forest.
However, for a human-inhabited nation, a monster of this size is certainly unwelcome. It would be best if it returned to the forest, but that seems impossible until the Wyverns settle down.
Given that, it would be preferable to eliminate it here and now.
Wederia Four, Kreios, aligned the aim of the Multi-stage Electromagnetic Projectile Cannon (Coil Cannon) mounted on its underside with the center of the giant’s body.
Firing.
The projectile, launched at 5,000 m/s, covers the distance of 4 kilometers in less than a second.
Impact.
The shockwave from the impact sent the Mountain Boar’s massive body soaring into the air. At that moment, something was clearly amiss.
When an object governed by normal physical laws collides with a projectile traveling at Mach 12 or more, it does not simply get blown away. At best, it would penetrate, and typically, the resulting shock would cause it to explode.
Analysis of the footage confirmed that the Mountain Boar had indeed generated a magical barrier, as expected.
The impact shattered the projectile, converting its kinetic energy into thermal energy, causing it to evaporate. The shockwave that could not be dissipated sent the Mountain Boar flying.
That said, we have experience countering magical barriers multiple times.
We would saturate the barrier with missiles and railgun fire, rendering it ineffective before delivering a blow with the Coil Cannon’s projectile.
Kreios calculated the timing of each attack’s impact and immediately put the plan into action.
Missiles were launched in rapid succession from Kreios’s vertical launch system. The system featured ten launchers on the rear and two on the underside, creating a spectacular sight.
Using the time it took for the missiles to gain sufficient speed, Kreios tilted its hull to aim the two Multi-stage Electromagnetic Projectile Cannons (Coil Cannons) mounted on the rear toward the ground.
Kreios entered a turning flight pattern centered around the Mountain Boar.
On the rear, there were also twelve multi-barreled railguns. These would strip away the magical barrier.
From previous analyses, we had determined the physical (?) characteristics of the magical barrier.
While it is active, it essentially cuts off all physical impacts. It is speculated that it disperses the applied force throughout its body, preventing any internal effects. If the external force is below its own weight, it is hardly affected. If a greater force is applied, it will move in the direction of that force, meaning it will be blown away by the impact.
Moreover, if a certain level of external force continues to be applied, it will suddenly disappear. After disappearing, the barrier will regenerate after a certain period.
The exact amount of external force required for it to vanish and the time it takes to regenerate are not confirmed due to the limited sample size. However, it is generally believed that individual creatures exhibit the same performance, determined by their size or the size of the magic stone within them.
At the very least, it does not seem to be influenced by injury, condition, or consciousness.
The twelve railguns unleashed a torrent of plasma flames. Simultaneously, ground-targeting missiles rained down from above. The target was the grounded monster, with no irregular movements occurring.
All attacks struck their targets with precise timing.
The Mountain Boar was sent flying, and the Coil Cannon projectile struck its massive body.
However, it did not penetrate.
We confirmed the magical barrier was neutralized. Yet, despite the direct hit from the projectile, we could not pierce its thick fur. Logically, the energy exerted on the magical barrier in the previous phase should have been far less than the power of a single Coil Cannon projectile.
Kreios updated its tactical data and changed its target.
Defeating the Mountain Boar with Kreios alone would be difficult. Therefore, we needed to alter its course of movement. In other words, we must prevent it from approaching the Forest Country (Lebresta).
The Mountain Boar appeared to be dazed from the series of attacks. It lay overturned, toppling trees, and was not moving.
There were signs of breathing, so it seemed to be merely unconscious. Even in this state, the magical barrier was still functioning, and given its immense toughness, pursuing it further would likely be futile.
Nevertheless, we had at least managed to stall it for now.
If it regains consciousness, will it return to its original location quietly?
Alternatively, we could consider requesting an attack from the Gigantia Unit or the fighter squadron. However, given that it showed no signs of injury despite the direct hit from the Coil Cannon, it raises the question of whether any effective means of attack exists.
We could strip away the magical barrier and unleash a barrage of attacks. Even if we cannot penetrate its skin, we could inflict damage by transmitting the shock into its body. Or perhaps we could try roasting it with a Thermobaric Warhead that generates extreme heat through a Thermite Reaction.
However, the combustion reaction has a time lag, and if fired at high speed, it might self-ignite due to aerodynamic heating, making it difficult to handle. Moreover, Kreios does not carry any Thermobaric Warheads.
The best option might be the Maser Cannon. By emitting high-powered microwaves, we could superheat the target area.
That said, previous investigations of the deceased Rain Kroin confirmed that, in addition to physical durability, it also had very high thermal resistance.
Generally, this type of monster has been found to possess exceptionally high physical strength, exhibiting significant resistance to physical damage and degeneration. In other words, it is unlikely to suffer cellular damage from pressure or undergo tissue degeneration from heating or chemical reactions.
Fortunately, the target is currently silent. If it has been dazed by the impact of the projectile, it means we have at least managed to inflict that level of shock.
By continuing to strike it each time it regains consciousness, we might be able to convince it to abandon its advance southward.