Bab 14: The Storm Gathers
The engines of the F-16 roared beneath me as I tore through the frigid skies, Rook's voice crackling over the radio. The adrenaline still surged in my veins from the dogfight, but there was no time to enjoy the brief victory. More enemy aircraft were inbound, and we had to get out of Yuktobanian airspace before they boxed us in.
"Wells, we've got less than ten minutes before their reinforcements reach us," Rook said, her voice tight with tension. "We need to climb to high altitude and punch through before they catch us."
I checked my radar. The blips representing the incoming jets were closing fast, and even with the system's enhancements, four more MiG-29s were more than enough to put us in a world of trouble if we didn't act quickly.
New Objective: Escape Yuktobanian Airspace
Enemy Threat: Yuktobanian Air Force (4 x MiG-29s, 2 x Su-35s)
Reward: XP: 4000, ???
Failure Penalty: Capture or Death
"Copy that," I replied, adjusting the throttle and pulling the F-16 into a steep climb. The sky grew darker as I ascended, the clouds breaking apart beneath me as I raced toward the upper atmosphere. Rook's helicopter struggled to keep pace, but she followed my lead, banking sharply as she tried to stay out of sight of the incoming fighters.
The system stirred again, its presence calm but insistent.
"Incoming threat: two Su-35s, deploying from Yuktobanian airbase. Recommend immediate action."
I cursed under my breath. Su-35s were faster, more advanced, and equipped with long-range missiles—far more dangerous than the MiG-29s. Even with the F-16's agility, taking on those interceptors would be a massive challenge.
"I'm reading those Su-35s," I said over the comms. "We're going to need to split up. I'll draw them off. You get clear."
There was a brief silence on the other end before Rook responded. "You're planning to take on two Su-35s by yourself?"
"I'll manage," I replied, my mind already racing through the possibilities. "The F-16 can outmaneuver them if I keep them at close range. You focus on getting out of here."
Rook didn't sound convinced, but she knew there was no other choice. "Alright, Wells. Don't get yourself killed. I'll make my way to the extraction point."
With a quick adjustment, I leveled out the F-16 and pushed the afterburners, streaking toward the incoming Su-35s. The wind roared around me, and the clouds blurred into nothing as I tore through the sky.
Skill Activated: Combat Awareness
Skill Activated: Evasive Maneuvers
My HUD lit up as the first Su-35s came into view, their sleek forms cutting through the air with lethal precision. They moved fast, banking sharply as they locked onto me. The missile lock warning blared in my ears, and I pulled into a hard roll, narrowly dodging the first volley of long-range missiles.
"Missiles incoming!" I shouted to myself as the second Su-35 fired. I banked again, forcing the F-16 into a steep dive, the missiles streaking past me before detonating harmlessly below.
The Su-35s closed in fast, their superior speed allowing them to stay right on my tail. I gritted my teeth, feeling the G-forces slam into me as I pulled into another evasive turn, trying to shake them.
"Enemy aircraft locked on. Deploy countermeasures."
The system's voice echoed in my mind, guiding me through the chaos. I fired off a burst of flares, the bright lights streaking through the sky and confusing the enemy radar lock just long enough for me to pull into a tight loop and come up behind the lead Su-35.
The pilot must have seen me coming, because he banked hard, trying to shake me, but the F-16's agility gave me the edge. I lined up my shot, locking onto the Su-35 as it struggled to break free.
Skill Activated: Precision Strike
I fired. The missile shot forward, streaking through the air and slamming into the Su-35's engines. The jet erupted in a massive fireball, debris raining down into the clouds below.
Enemy Aircraft Destroyed. XP Gained: 1500
But there was no time to celebrate. The second Su-35 was already diving down toward me, its missile lock blaring on my HUD again. I fired off more flares, breaking to the left and pushing the F-16 to its limits as I narrowly dodged the incoming missile.
The Su-35 was relentless, staying right behind me as I pulled into another high-G maneuver. My vision blurred from the intense forces, but the system's guidance kept me focused, every movement of the enemy tracked in real-time.
"Come on, come on," I muttered, trying to shake the Su-35 as it fired again. This time, I didn't have time to dodge. The missile streaked toward me, and I braced for impact.
Skill Activated: Tactical Disruption
At the last second, the system's disruption field kicked in, scrambling the enemy's radar and causing the missile to veer off course, detonating harmlessly in the distance. I pulled into a sharp climb, looping back around to come up behind the Su-35 once again.
The pilot must have known I was there, but it was too late. I locked onto the jet, my fingers tightening on the trigger as I unleashed another missile.
The Su-35 exploded in a brilliant flash of light, the debris scattering through the air as I pulled up and away.
Enemy Aircraft Destroyed. XP Gained: 1500
New Objective: Evade remaining MiG-29s and reach extraction point
With the Su-35s down, I turned my attention back to the radar. The four MiG-29s were still in pursuit, but they were farther off now, their formations tightening as they tried to track my movements.
I took a deep breath, scanning the skies for Rook. She had disappeared from my radar, hopefully on her way to the extraction point. Now it was up to me to finish this and get out alive.
"Let's finish this," I muttered, banking toward the remaining MiGs.
Skill Activated: Combat Awareness
The MiG-29s were fast, but they were nothing compared to the Su-35s I had just taken down. I rolled into a hard dive, coming up beneath the lead MiG and locking onto its engines. With a quick pull of the trigger, I fired off two missiles in rapid succession.
The MiG exploded, breaking apart in midair as I pulled up sharply to avoid the debris.
Enemy Aircraft Destroyed. XP Gained: 1000
The remaining MiGs scattered, trying to regroup, but I wasn't about to give them the chance. I dove into the thick of their formation, firing off more missiles as I weaved between them. Another MiG went down in a blaze of fire, leaving only two remaining.
The system hummed in my mind, tracking the movements of the last two jets with perfect accuracy. I pulled into a sharp climb, coming up behind the second-to-last MiG. With another squeeze of the trigger, I sent a missile straight into its engines, reducing it to a fiery wreck.
Enemy Aircraft Destroyed. XP Gained: 1000
The last MiG broke away, trying to retreat, but I wasn't going to let it go that easily. I pushed the F-16 into a steep dive, closing the distance between us. The MiG pilot tried to evade, but I had him locked. One more missile shot forward, striking the MiG dead-on.
The final explosion lit up the sky, and I pulled up, breathing heavily as I scanned the radar. The skies were clear.
All Enemy Aircraft Destroyed. XP Gained: 1000
Objective Complete: Escape Yuktobanian Airspace
I toggled the comms. "Rook, you there?"
Her voice came through, sounding relieved. "I'm here. Saw those fireworks from a distance. Nice work."
"Thanks," I replied, wiping the sweat from my brow. "I'll meet you at the extraction point."
As I flew away from the battlefield, the adrenaline began to fade, leaving me with the cold realization that this fight wasn't over. The AI core in Yuktobania might have been shut down, but we were still being hunted. Whoever was pulling the strings behind the scenes wasn't going to let this go.
And then, the system's voice whispered in my mind again, calm but urgent.
"Another core has been activated. We must act quickly."
I clenched my fists, staring out into the vast sky ahead.
We had won this battle, but the war was far from over.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone