Chapter 677

[Translator - Night]

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Chapter 677: The Vast World (5)

“What the hell are these bastards even saying?”

As Yeongwoo muttered with a furrowed brow, Mantero turned his head toward the warning message.

「From this moment, warning lights will be activated sequentially. The third warning light is the signal for attack, so if you do not wish to engage, please withdraw from the jurisdiction.」

—Good heavens.

Mantero’s expression stiffened.

Then he immediately shifted his gaze to Yeongwoo and spoke politely.

—The opponent is Salzeo. So there is no way that statement is a bluff…

“Hey, aren’t we Renaissance? It’s not like we came here to joke around either.”

—In that case, we must make a decision quickly. Once the third warning light turns on, Salzeo’s side will begin bombardment immediately.

“Bombardment? Then we should strike first. If we destroy those installed cannons over there, they won’t be able to counterattack, right?”

At Yeongwoo’s words, Mantero swept his hand over the holographic monitor and made a troubled expression.

—The entire planet is covered by a security shield, so unless they start firing first, we can’t determine the positions or scale of their artillery.

“Really?”

Although tactically they were facing quite a difficult situation, Yeongwoo—who had no such thing as fundamentals to begin with—offered a simple, brute-force solution.

“Then we fire first.”

—Pardon…?

“Then they’ll return fire, and all the positions of their cannons will be revealed, right?”

—Th-that is true, but…

“Once their positions are revealed like that, we’ll start targeted fire. We’ll help too, so it shouldn’t be difficult.”

At Yeongwoo’s final remark, Mantero looked flustered.

—Exactly what do you mean by ‘help’?

“Destroying the turrets installed on that planet. You bosses have to go down there anyway, right? At Tier 4, you can dodge incoming shells, can’t you? Even if you get hit, you won’t die.”

—…?

In other words, he was proposing a drop operation right into the middle of an exchange of fire between the Earthship and Planet Girgo.

Meanwhile, Yeongwoo was already asking the Tier 4 prisoners gathered in the hall.

“Bosses, we’re about to board ships soon—everyone can dodge anti-air fire, right?”

At that, the Tier 4 prisoners, who had been brimming with confidence just moments ago, began glancing at each other.

—Getting hit by a shell wouldn’t kill us instantly, but…

—It’s not that I lack confidence, but I’ve never done something like that before, so I’m not sure.

—Just how powerful are those cannons?

Wasn’t this another form of the unpredictable?

Even as Tier 4 beings who had experienced all kinds of things under cosmic law, none of them had ever attempted a bare-bodied drop through space filled with a barrage of shells.

“…You all haven’t been to war?”

Then Mantero whispered quietly.

—Even in war, one usually commands from a ship. Personally going outside into space is extremely rare.

“Ah, really?”

At that, Yeongwoo reluctantly pointed toward Planet Girgo outside the window.

“I don’t know if you all are aware, but this is first-come, first-served.”

—First-come, first-served?

—What does that mean?

“Don’t you all have different destinations? But just the bosses gathered here alone number in the hundreds. No matter how wealthy Salzeo is, do you think they’d leave hundreds of ships at a single tactical outpost?”

At that, one of the Tier 4 prisoners immediately refuted.

—You don’t need ships to traverse this universe. A single fighter or aircraft is enough. You can refuel along the way.

Of course, that “refueling” likely meant plundering fuel from planets encountered en route.

So Yeongwoo nodded as if acknowledging that point.

“Sure. But what if even those fighters aren’t left in many numbers?”

—…?

“We’re about to pour all our firepower into that place to confirm their anti-air positions. Do you think the hangars will remain intact?”

—What did you say?

“At best, maybe half will survive? And that’s only if you get there early.”

After saying that, Yeongwoo pointed again toward Planet Girgo.

“When the first warning light turns on, they’ll start bombardment immediately. Anyway, we’ll send you off using the ships we salvage here, so whether you share a ride or whatever, make do with the resources given.”

In other words, if they wanted a ship or fighter to themselves, they needed to arrive at the scene faster than everyone else.

Then another prisoner proposed an alternative.

—What about the next planet? This isn’t the only planet with ships, is it?

“As I said earlier, just harboring all of you is already an enormous act of evil. So I have no intention of committing further sins by harassing other innocent planets. If you can’t leave this time, you’ll be living with me indefinitely.”

—What?

—We have to be trapped here?

—Who gave you such authority? Do you really think you can confine us?

“No, when did I ever confine you? If you want, you can swim home right now.”

—…….

As Yeongwoo pointed to the vast expanse of space, every prisoner present fell silent.

“Alright, whether you depart voluntarily or not, we’ll open fire the moment the first light comes on. Assistant Manager, you’re ready, right?”

When Yeongwoo asked while looking at Mantero, he nodded with a reluctant expression.

—Thanks to the artillery we received from Chancellor Herisa, our firepower should be sufficient. And…

“And?”

—Most of the artillery types we received are ‘ballistic missiles.’

“What, ballistic missiles?”

Ballistic missiles.

Missiles that travel in a massive arc and fall down onto the target’s head.

On Earth, ballistic missiles were a common type of firepower, but here in space, it was different.

Most artillery systems used lasers.

While lasers had extremely fast strike speeds, they had the drawback that they couldn’t attack if the target wasn’t within the firing angle.

But ballistic missiles were different.

As long as you could identify the target location and input it into the system, you could strike a target even 180 degrees opposite the firing position.

[Translator - Night]

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—Therefore, out of the 127 guns we currently possess, 114 can be deployed for this bombardment.

A bombardment from 114 guns.

How terrifying that level of firepower was—if anyone knew, it was the Tier 4 prisoners gathered here.

And they also knew how fiercely the hangars on Planet Girgo would burn under that barrage.

—This is insane.

—You’re firing 114 guns at once?

—Hey, you’re trying to eliminate their turrets, not split the planet in half, right?

Eventually, the prisoners reached the point of worrying about the safety of Girgo, where the ships they intended to board were located.

Amidst all this, Salzeo’s merciless announcement continued.

「The first warning is now activated.」

—Ah…

—W-wait a moment!

And as expected, Salzeo did not speak idly.

Paaahhh!

One side of Planet Girgo suddenly lit up brightly, emitting a massive glow that any uninvited guest could not fail to notice.

—…….

Mantero silently looked toward the captain of the Earthship, awaiting the next command.

Soon, Yeongwoo spoke mercilessly.

“Begin bombardment.”

Then he added:

“Earth, open a portal to space so our bosses can depart comfortably.”

At once, 114 of the 127 guns installed on the Earthship unleashed fire simultaneously.

Kukukukukung…!

And at almost the same moment, Earth opened a large portal in the center of the bridge.

『This is a portal leading beyond the Earthship’s atmosphere. You should be able to head straight toward Planet Girgo you see over there.』

—…!

At Earth’s dry explanation, everyone hesitated for a moment.

Then one of the prisoners gritted his teeth and leaped into the portal.

—It’s been a while since my courage has been tested!

Soon, a dark crimson dot appeared outside the bridge window, then turned into a thin streak of light as it joined the barrage of shells heading toward Planet Girgo.

—Good heavens, that looks rather cool.

—So the vanguard position is already taken.

—If he arrives alive, that man will have quite the comfortable journey.

Hundreds of Tier 4 prisoners stared, mesmerized, at the trajectory of the “brave one.”

But soon, as Girgo’s side launched a fairly fierce counterattack, the dark crimson light of the “brave one” could no longer be seen.

As the Earthship and Planet Girgo exchanged heavy fire, the space between them became filled with explosions and lights of every color.

Kugugugung!

And as several of Girgo’s shells reached the surface of the Earthship’s protective shield, the bridge began to shake violently.

“Alright, who’s next?”

When Yeongwoo pointed toward the still-empty portal entrance and looked around at the prisoners, quite a number of them finally drew their weapons.

—Dodging shells may be difficult, but deflecting them should be possible.

—Those cowards who remain behind will not be given a single aircraft.

—Will you live a life of confinement again? I will claim my freedom with my own hands.

Then this time, dozens of Tier 4 prisoners leaped through the portal.

Tat-tat!

As a result, everyone in the hall, as if by agreement, turned their heads toward the space outside the window.

And they all saw it.

Dozens of glowing points appearing in the vacuum of space.

Then, just like the earlier vanguard, they poured into the barrage between the two planets, covered in all kinds of colors.

“Ah.”

At that moment, it seemed like one of the glowing points was struck by a laser fired from Girgo’s side and knocked away, but it soon became obscured by the chaotic lights and was no longer visible.

Maybe it had just been a mistake.

“For now, those people are confirmed to be heading home. There might still be a few fighters left.”

As Yeongwoo delivered his final sales pitch, one of the prisoners directly asked Mantero.

—How much of Girgo’s anti-air artillery has been eliminated?

Mantero, eyes fixed on the monitor, answered without looking away.

—Approximately 36% has been destroyed.

A vague figure—neither particularly dangerous nor safe.

Even so, those remaining seemed to consider it sufficient.

After all, wasn’t it far better than the conditions faced by those who had gone first?

—It’s time to go.

—Knowing the difference between courage and recklessness is also wisdom.

—The reckless ones are probably already dust, so enough ships should be waiting for us.

With that, all the prisoners in the bridge finally stood before the portal.

Seeing this, Yeongwoo also placed a hand on the “Bastard” at his waist and instructed Earth.

“Prepare a ship for me to ride down as well.”

『What? You’re going down there too? With what skill? You don’t even know how to pilot a ship.』

“They said simple round trips can be done remotely.”

『That only works when you clearly know where to land.』

“I know now.”

『What?』

“Scan Girgo again. There should be a point where the bosses who went down earlier are unusually concentrated. They would have spotted the hangar locations while descending.”

『Well… that’s true, but why are you going down there?』

A very reasonable question from Earth.

To that, Yeongwoo answered with something entirely unreasonable.

“Do you think Salzeo’s tactical outpost only has hangars?”

『……?』

“While the bosses raid the hangars and draw attention, I’ll raid Planet Girgo’s vault.”

[Translator - Night]

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