Now, all the enraged Orec-class fighters had been drawn by Tang Xiao's Blade-class fighters to the vicinity of the mothership. No longer under the Ironfang-class cruiser's covering fire, they were instead caught in the barrage of the mothership's point-defense systems.
As the mothership's point-defense systems opened fire, Tang Xiao led the First Squadron's fighters in a turn and charged straight at them!
At the same time, the Blade-class fighters of the Second and Third Squadrons also took off and joined the battle.
For a time, the Fourth Civilization's three squadrons, thirty-six fighters in all, became locked in a chaotic melee with the Kuken Pirates' twelve Aurek-class fighters, all while the mothership's point-defense systems provided covering fire.
Under such circumstances, no matter how inferior the Blade-class fighters' performance was, they still had a fighting chance. Besides, the Blade fighters had now been modified with miniature fusion engines, basic energy shields, and red laser weapons. Their firepower, speed, and maneuverability were now in an entirely different league from before!
Unlike the tedious situation earlier, where the two massive ships had simply circled one another, once both sides launched fighters, the battle immediately reached a fever pitch!
An Aurek-class fighter nimbly dodged the point-defense fire. After several rolls, it locked onto a Blade-class fighter. The pirate pilot licked his lips cruelly, then pulled the trigger the instant he had a lock!
Two laser beams struck the Blade-class fighter ahead, but they did not destroy it immediately. The beams were blocked by a faint energy shield, then broke through it and swept across the fighter's side.
The Blade-class fighter wobbled as it retreated, but that delay allowed a point-defense cannon to lock onto the pirate instantly. A barrage of rounds sent the Aurek fighter's shields rippling violently. Then another Blade-class fighter came slashing in