บท 38: The Leviathan Awakens
The icy winds howled through the valley as Zaitsev's war machine, a hulking monstrosity of steel and AI, powered up before us. It towered over the facility, bristling with energy cannons and missile pods, its massive form barely able to move through the facility's enormous blast doors. The ground rumbled beneath its weight, and every part of my body screamed that we were about to face something more dangerous than anything Zaitsev had thrown at us so far.
"Eyes on the war machine!" I shouted into the comms, adrenaline surging through my veins. "This thing is huge! All units, focus fire on the weak points—target those energy cores if you can!"
The monstrous AI-driven war machine roared to life with a deep mechanical hum, its glowing red sensors locking onto us as its cannons began to charge. The thing wasn't just a weapon—it was a fortress on legs. If we didn't take it down now, it would wreak havoc not just on us, but on entire cities.
Rook and her ground team were pinned down inside the facility, trying to hold their position as the war machine emerged. "We've got heavy fire down here! That thing's moving too fast for ground forces. We need air support now!"
"Phoenix, Hitman, we're the only ones who can stop this thing," I called out. "Get ready for some serious heat."
New Mission: Defeat Zaitsev's Autonomous War Machine
Objective: Destroy the heavily armored AI war machine before it can leave the facility and wreak havoc.
Threat Level: Maximum
Reward: XP: 60,000, Zaitsev's Superweapon Neutralized
Failure Penalty: War Machine Escapes and Devastates Usea
The war machine lumbered forward, its massive form casting an ominous shadow across the snow-covered facility. Missiles launched from its shoulders, streaking toward the sky as the machine's targeting systems locked onto our jets. It was fast—faster than something that size should have been able to move.
"Hitman, cover the skies!" Monarch's voice cut through the comms with the same icy focus I had come to expect from him. "Phoenix, hit it hard and keep moving. That thing's going to tear us apart if we stand still."
I banked hard to the right, barely dodging a volley of missiles that exploded behind me, sending shrapnel and fire scattering through the storm. Viper and Echo were already in position, their jets circling the war machine as they fired at its exposed energy cores—small, glowing nodes on its legs and torso that powered the beast.
"Target those energy nodes!" I ordered. "That's its weak spot!"
Viper fired off a missile, the explosion slamming into one of the glowing nodes on the war machine's left leg. The blast sent a shockwave through the machine's body, but it barely slowed down. The AI-driven monstrosity adjusted, its massive cannons turning toward Viper's position, firing energy beams that cut through the storm like hot knives through butter.
"Damn, it's still moving!" Viper growled. "These things are tougher than they look!"
Echo followed close behind, her missiles striking another node on the machine's right leg. The war machine staggered slightly but kept advancing, its targeting systems compensating for the damage as it locked onto the next target.
Raven and Blaze were next, diving into the fray with their usual precision. Raven's jet weaved through the barrage of incoming fire, her missiles slamming into the war machine's upper core, while Blaze's less-experienced but growing confidence kept him on target.
"This thing's like a walking fortress!" Blaze shouted, firing another round at the war machine's central torso. "Are we even denting it?"
"It's wearing down," I said, my voice steady but urgent. "Just keep hitting the cores—Zaitsev can't have made this thing invincible."
New Skill Unlocked: Siege Tactics
Enhances the squadron's ability to engage heavily armored targets and adapt to long-duration combat.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
The system's new skill activated, sharpening my focus and allowing me to coordinate the squadron's attack patterns more effectively. Siege Tactics helped us exploit the weaknesses in the war machine's armor, and I directed the squadron to focus on sustained damage to its legs and energy cores.
Monarch and Hitman Squadron moved in next, their jets a blur of precision as they hammered the war machine from the skies. Monarch's calm but deadly precision guided his team as they took out the machine's remaining anti-air defenses, weakening its ability to retaliate.
"Hitman's taking out its defenses," Monarch said over the comms. "Keep pushing—we're starting to see some cracks."
The war machine was slowing down, its armor cracking from the repeated impacts, but it was still dangerous. Another volley of energy beams shot toward us, forcing the squadron to break formation and dodge the incoming fire. The sheer power of the thing was overwhelming, and even with all of us hitting it at once, it felt like we were barely holding our own.
Rook's voice cut through the comms, tense but determined. "We're pinned down here—if that thing gets out of the facility, it's game over. You have to stop it!"
I grit my teeth, dodging another volley of missiles as I locked onto the machine's central core. "We're not letting it leave."
New Objective: Destroy the War Machine's Central Core
Objective: Target the heavily protected core at the heart of the war machine to stop it once and for all.
Reward: XP: 60,000, Zaitsev's Superweapon Destroyed
Failure Penalty: Mission Failure
The central core was heavily protected, buried deep within the war machine's armored frame, but it was vulnerable now that the energy nodes had been disabled. We just had to land the killing blow.
"Focus on the core!" I ordered, pulling into a tight roll as I lined up my shot. "This is our chance!"
The squadron rallied, missiles streaking toward the machine's central core in a final, desperate assault. Viper and Echo led the charge, their missiles slamming into the exposed core and sending shockwaves through the machine's body. Blaze and Raven followed up, their jets streaking through the sky as they unloaded everything they had.
I locked on, holding my breath as I fired off the final round of missiles. They struck true, hitting the war machine's central core with a deafening explosion. The machine groaned, its massive frame shuddering as fire and debris erupted from its torso.
For a moment, the entire world seemed to hold its breath.
Then the war machine collapsed, its legs giving out as it crashed to the ground with a thunderous roar. The ground shook, snow and ice flying into the air as the beast finally fell silent. Flames licked at the shattered remains, and the once-impenetrable fortress lay in ruins.
Objective Complete: War Machine Destroyed
Reward: XP: 60,000, Zaitsev's Superweapon Neutralized
The sky was eerily quiet as we flew over the smoking wreckage, the war machine nothing but a smoldering heap of metal and broken AI systems. We had done it. Zaitsev's most dangerous weapon was gone.
"We got it," I said, exhaling in relief. "The war machine's down."
Rook's voice came through, tired but triumphant. "Good work. That thing was a monster."
Monarch's voice, still calm but with a note of satisfaction, followed. "Hitman's pulling out. You did well, Phoenix."
As we regrouped, the weight of what we had just accomplished began to settle in. We had stopped Zaitsev's superweapon before it could be deployed, and we had struck a major blow against his operations. But I knew, deep down, that this wasn't the end.
Zaitsev was still out there, plotting his next move.
New Objective: Regroup and Prepare for Zaitsev's Counterattack
Objective: Return to base and analyze intel on Zaitsev's next move.
Reward: XP: 20,000, Intel on Zaitsev's Operations
Failure Penalty: Zaitsev's Recovery Accelerates
As we flew back toward the base, the cold wind biting through the thin layer of victory, I couldn't shake the feeling that this war was far from over. Zaitsev had suffered another defeat, but he wasn't the type to give up easily. There would be a retaliation, and we had to be ready for whatever came next.
For now, we had won. But the storm was far from over.
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