Chapter 86 - Battle of Sadogashima III

(I'm posting extra coz, I feel like the TSF world chapters have lot less plot and more fighting happening. Also I forgot to say, the <> means talk within the public channel or in general comms from or between TSF)

Gliding across the terrain, Adam noted the significant increase of BETA as he advanced straight from Old Sawata to Ryotsu Bay where Echo team was continuously pushed back to the sea as they couldn't keep up with the rapid increase of BETA pouring into their area.

Suddenly, Adam felt his danger sense spiked and he immediately strengthened his Aura Barrier. A moment later, three laser beams descended on him causing him to stop dead on his track to block the attack out of reflex which he admitted is quite dumb when he can just dodge it. However, he didn't leave empty-handed as the Laser-Class BETA revealed themselves and Adam didn't even hesitate before he sped forward and drew his blade and attacked the Laser-Class BETA deep in the enemy formation. But his intention of dividing into the depth of the enemy's formation isn't just to kill the Laser-Class BETA. But also to wipe the BETAs out.

"Jalter!"

"You didn't need to remind me, Master." Jalter jumped off the mech's shoulder with a maniacal grin as Adam's Soul power surging off her body. "La Grondement Du Haine!" She roared.

Her personal world overlapping with reality and crimson flame spat out the cracked ground like geysers with numerous black spears that impale any BETA caught within range before burning them to crisp.

The entire hundred meter radius was exterminated off any trace of BETA. Not even their ash left behind.

"I'm not done yet!" She roared and slammed her spear on the ground that sent a wave of spear in a cone shape and similarly burned those impaled BETA with her conjured fire.

"Well, she is getting overzealous with exterminating the BETAs." Adam looked worried and Jeanne immediately volunteered to join Jalter to keep an eye on her, she said but Adam felt like he couldn't trust the Saint's words.

"I will disembark here too, Master." Siegfried said before he also jumped off.

"Well just remember to kill as much BETA as possible and lessen the pressure on Echo team. I will go and check if they need my help." Adam informed Siegfried and Jeanne before he made a beeline to the bay.

The Ryotsu Bay is definitely overwhelmed as when Adam arrived, they are basically pushed back into the water and keep losing more ground as the Laser-Class BETA used their opponent's trick against them and holing up in the cliff and canyons to snipe the TSF and warship while being protected from any incoming artillery shelling.

It's a scene of total nightmare straight out of D-Day as the TSF and ships are in the open without any cover while the Laser-Class BETA is totally covered behind the canyon popping off their enemies one after another.

Adam increased his speed and rushed toward the canyon which was first noticed by the UN and IJA troops before the BETA after he drew the first blood.

<That's a Type-00… What is an Imperial Guard doing out here?> A soldier wondered as they saw the white Type-00A unit ran toward a cliff and dived into a Battalion size BETA horde.

<Is that person crazy? That TSF unit just dived straight into a BETA horde!>

Some suggest investigating but their leader ordered them to ignore the unit and focus on the enemies.

For a few minutes they ignored the unit but when they noticed the BETA horde suddenly redirected somewhere else, the leaders got curious and the location of the BETA converging to happen to be where the unit divided into.

What they found in the canyon choked full with BETA hordes is a single TSF unit bathed in blood that all its white paint is covered in crimson ichor emphasized by the faint golden forcefield covering the unit that render all physical and laser attack useless as the unit wield two Type-74 PB Blade in dual wield as it slashed down it's opponent like a meat grinder.

———

Few minutes prior, when Adam dived into the canyon. He found a choke point in the canyon which is small enough to let only smaller BETA to pass while those bigger than a Grappler-Class will not be able to enter.

The Type-87 Assault Cannon he found on the unit already long ran out of ammunition after he dispatched most of the Laser-Class he could find. The weapon ran out of its usefulness which Adam decided to drop and wield the blade instead which suits his current fighting style which relies on his Aura Barrier and Forcefield to tank enemy attack while he swiftly kills his enemy using Adrenaline Shot to boost his overall speed and reaction speed.

Adam dodged another attempt from a dozen Tank-Class trying to jump on him but none of them will ever succeed with his enhanced sense. He dashed forward to evade the attempt and infused the blade with his Aura before his Armament Haki and then he activated his thruster to quickly spin his body and then cleaved through all twelve Tank-Class and a few other Soldier-Class that was caught in the mix.

Before he could rest, his senses alerted him of another attack incoming from behind as he quickly dodged to the side and cut down a few more BETAs. But he realized too late when he fell for a trap when he found himself next to the face of a cliff and he sensed several more Tank-Class BETA surrounded him on all side and above as it climb the cliff and drop on him in attempt to immobilize Adam when a few Laser-Class BETA made their appearance and shot him from afar simultaneously in hope to kill him but Adam's Aura Barrier flashed into existence and block and dissolve the laser beam that impacted it's surface. Adam wrestles out from the grip of several Tank-Class, Soldier-Class and Warrior-Class BETA that try to bury him with their bodies.

Adam realized the unit won't budge because the BETA piled too much on him and even enhanced by Aura, the unit isn't strong enough to break free.

"Heh, you all think this is enough to stop me?!" Adam roared as he called a bombardment on himself before overloading his Forcefield with [Die Another Day] before he braced for the impact.

Soon enough, shell after shell dropped on top of him and exploded, pulverizing the BETAs body into pieces and scattered them.

Adam grip the blade and stood back up in a rage before charging at the relentless BETA horde. He knew that slowly cutting them down would take forever and he needed a powerful attack and he had just the thing for the job.

Adam activates [Juggernaut] and starts the charging of [Recoil Burst] as he continues cutting down BETA with increasingly faster speed and greater strength coupled with his Armament Haki coating the blades. The canyon itself is littered with sword gashes from his slashes.

When both his HP and EN bar hit rock bottom. Adam stopped and stood before the pile of chopped up BETA corpses before he made a cross slash with his blade to create X-shaped wind blades that sliced through everything in its path, leaving a long trail of BETA body pieces and red blood that painted the entire path of the canyon.

The unit fell to its knees when Adam in the cockpit was temporarily drained of energy and gasping for breath as his entire face and body was drenched in sweat.

"That— Haah.. should stall me for some time. Haah…" He gasps a little more before his breath returns to normal and his energy rapidly replenishes. In less than five minutes, Adam will return to tip top shape.

However, unbeknownst to Adam who is recovering and suffering exhaustion. A Tank-Class is laying in wait among its chopped up brethren to ambush Adam. Precisely at his moment of weakness, it sprung up and tried to rip the unit apart. But it was never able or willing to reach the unit as the Forcefield sprung alive when attacked and Adam swiftly dispatched the attacker.

<This is Echo1-E leader. Please respond.> A few UN TSF landed near Adam when the transmission appeared.

Adam looked at the transmission thoughtfully for a moment before he decided to answer.

<Well, I don't exactly have a designation. But nice to meet you ladies.> Adam responded which revealed his appearance to the other side and they quickly noticed Adam didn't wear a Fortified Suit. Instead he wears something completely different which tells others that Adam isn't a pilot or the unit's original pilot.

The Echo1-E squadron didn't immediately turn hostile considering they watched Adam fight the BETA and bought them precious time and opportunity to reclaim the foothold they lost.

<Identify yourself and your affiliation or else, we are obliged to arrest you for illegal possession of a TSF unit.>

<Hold on a second! Let's not get hasty. Contact the HQ, they should be able to verify my identity.> Adam said when he saw they were serious about pulling him out from the unit by force.

<The HQ? Fine I suppose.> The leader said with a doubtful look but still obliged. The transmission cut off for a moment which made Adam sighed in relief.

"Well, who am I to blame for intruding in the middle of a war." He sighed when he felt annoyed that he was stopped because of identity issue.

Moments later, the Echo1-E leader reconnected the transmission. Adam noticed the look of disapproval and even slight hostility from the leader's expression.

<Your identity is clear. But I never thought mercenaries would still exist.> The leader said disdainfully before leaving him alone. All the previous gratitude vanished like hot air.

Adam shrugged at the sudden change of reception and stood up as he had fully recovered. He uses his skill to regenerate his unit before moving on. His job here is done and he is moving towards east where a big horde is moving toward to intercept the XG-70b Susanoo II and also to ensure the completion of his objective which is the Survival of all A-01 Special Task Force members.

Enroute, he went and fetched Siegfried, Jalter and Jeanne. For some reason, Jalter and Jeanne are having a contest while Siegfried is the referee overseeing the contest. The result of the contest reduced almost the entire area into a scorched wasteland because Jalter is spamming her flame.

"So, who won?" Adam was curious about the result and unknowingly stepped on a landmine.

"Of course it's the older sister that won." Jeanne declared with a smirk.

"You cheated!"

"No I don't. I just evening out on the playing field. You have your flame so it's fair if I can use flame too."

"How is it fair when you borrow Uriel's flame!"

"You are being a sore loser, Alter." Jeanne pretends to sigh disappointedly.

"I am not!" She growled before quickly turning to Adam and seeking his help once she realized she wasn't winning this argument against Jeanne. "You believe me right, Master? Right?" She asked, desperately wanted Adam to side with her and that is exactly what Adam did because even he will call bullshit when Jeanne borrows the power of an archangel. Wait, she can borrow an Archangel's power?

"Yes. Of course. Jeanne cheated by borrowing outside strength." Adam made his verdict which made Jeanne pretend to pout and sulk when in actuality, she is happy to see Jalter is becoming even closer to Adam due to her effort.

"Anyway, Jeanne. I would like to ask how you can borrow an Archangel's power? I don't remember you having such power." Adam asked out his curiosity.

"Hmn, I received Lord Michael's blessing and the blessing of other archangels when leaving the Orleans Singularity but only recently can I actually borrow their strength. It happened when we arrived at the new world."

"I see." Adam mutters and does not pursue the conversation anymore and focuses ahead since they reentered a BETA infested territory.

—————

[Battle for Sadogashima]

Objective;

(Main)

- Successful capture or destruction of the Hive Reactor. (Pending)

- Successful recovery of Unit 00. (Pending)

- Overall casualty rate not exceeding 70%. (Pending)

(Side)

- Overall casualty rate not exceeding 50%. (Pending)

- Prevent the Self-destruction of XG-70b Susanoo II. (Pending)

- Annihilation of all BETA Strains on Sadogashima. (Pending)

(Optional)

- Accumulate 100,000 BETA kills. (Pending)

- Help the allies to secure a beachhead on Mano Bay and establish a foothold on the shore. (Complete)

- Survival of all A-01 Special Task Force members. (Pending)

- Destroying Hive 21th before XG-70b Susanoo II. (Pending)

Reward: ???