A Beautiful Day Starts with Boarding (Part 2)

Whoosh!

Before Kasgar and the others could even steady themselves, the massive Crystalline Constructs began to rotate and shift at high speed once more, preparing for its next shot.

Kasgar rolled to dodge, firing his Explosive Gun again as he moved.

However, from the flank where he stood, several layers of stacked crystal shielding blocked his path, and the effects of his Explosive Gun were far from satisfactory.

To truly damage the core, one had to fire directly at the alien's crystal heart from the front.

"Can you reach its core?"

"No!"

Lucius, who was closest to the crystal's line of fire, answered with a hint of urgency, his voice accompanied by ragged, anxious breaths as he shouted toward Kasgar.

"This thing has tightened its aperture!"

"Unless we trade shots with it head-on, it's impossible to hit the core!"

"It's coming again! Dodge!"

While the two were communicating, the crystal rapidly gathered its energy once more, preparing to launch its next attack at them.

Whoosh!

Seeing that its long-charged laser seemed unable to hit these humans, the alien crystal appeared to change its strategy, firing a smaller, faster, and more concentrated beam—roughly the thickness of a human head—toward Kasgar's position.

A roll!

A new laser beam instantly carved through the void behind where Kasgar had just been standing.

Although the beam was smaller than the previous one, Kasgar did not doubt its power for a second.

If it hit, even with his heavy shield for protection, it would still blow a massive hole through his chest.

"You're right, there's no way to get a shot in!"

Kasgar's expression turned several shades more serious.

His experience facing the enemy head-on told him that unless someone took that laser hit, it would be impossible to damage the core hidden behind those layers of protection.

In other words, someone had to step up and sacrifice themselves.

Or else, they would be dragged into the portal to die together.

"I'll do it."

Seeing the situation, Saul Tarvitz was the first to break the silence.

He understood that Kasgar was the beloved of Primarch Fulgrim, and Lucius was a rising star of swordsmanship with far more talent.

Compared to the two of them, the sacrifice of a mere recruit like himself was naturally the most logical choice.

After speaking, he slowed his pace, stopped running, focused his eyes, and raised his Explosive Gun.

At that moment, the laser cannon formed by the Crystalline Constructs aimed directly at him--

"Saul!!!"

Lucius roared as he sprinted, trying to stop the other man from throwing his life away.

But he was too far away; there was no way he could save him before the next laser blast fired.

Even Aqua, who was further back, couldn't reach him in time.

Whoosh.

The laser fired toward Saul Tarvitz's position.

At that very moment, he aimed his explosive weapon at the enemy.

In that split second, he felt a violent impact coming from his left.

Thud!

It was the sound of power armor colliding.

Kasgar had acted.

At the very last thousandth of a second, he lunged to shove Tarvitz aside while aiming the muzzle of his Explosive Gun directly at the enemy's core.

Hum--

In an instant, the Ignition beam successfully struck the enemy's core.

The creature recoiled in pain, pulling its core inward and spiraling in mid-air.

But at the same time, Kasgar's right arm and his Explosive Gun were engulfed by the enemy's laser.

The space where his right arm had been was instantly swallowed by a blinding, scorching white light.

"Hiss--"

Kasgar gasped in pain, then performed a series of rolls, vaulting over Tarvitz's body to stand back up.

"Get up, Tarvitz!"

Seeing the man's dazed expression, Kasgar shouted urgently.

"Your hand."

"Don't go on about hands! One hand for one brother, it's worth it!"

"No, your hand—"

"What time do you think it is to be hung up on things like this!"

"Just go back and have Melusine patch you up!"

"No! That's not what I meant!"

Even the usually calm Saul Tarvitz was becoming a bit agitated.

"Your hand, it's fine, there's nothing wrong with it!"

Huh?

Only then did Kasgar snap out of it and look down at his palm.

The power armor gauntlet, originally covered in ceramite, had vanished along with his Explosive Gun, instantly vaporized by the high heat of the laser.

But strangely, strangely enough, his right hand remained perfectly intact right at the smooth, severed edge of the armor!

Well, it wasn't exactly perfectly intact.

It looked as if a crack at the web of his thumb had widened, and the entire palm was now covered in fine, golden-red veins.

It looked like porcelain fired with ice-crack patterns.

Kasgar flexed it, and to his surprise, there was no abnormality.

He was somewhat incredulous.

Phew, almost got crippled by that laser.

Good thing I was a student athlete.

It'll be fine once it settles down.

"Fine? Then how was the effect of that shot just now?"

Lucius also rushed to their side, ready at any moment to save the two should the sphere attack again.

But the cunning sphere, seemingly having been wounded, appeared unwilling to take any further risks.

It no longer launched attacks at those in the chamber, but instead curled into a tight, spherical crystal, guarding its core with all its might.

It had retreated into its shell.

"Damned thing!"

Lucius attempted to leap and slash with his Duelist Sword, but could only feel a crisp, glass-like vibration traveling through his hand.

The opponent remained unmoved.

For it, whether or not it could annihilate these boarding Tactical Squads was unimportant.

It only needed to wait and maneuver the warship through the portal; once near its home planet, reinforcements would surely assist.

"Why! Why hasn't the boarding Tactical Squad sent word yet!"

"Report, Commander! The signal is still active!"

"Lord Kasgar seems to be in a fierce battle to seize control of the warship!"

The fleet commander was burning with anxiety.

The alien warship was already very close to the portal.

At this rate, the enemy would pass through the portal in less than five minutes.

If they waited until the warship returned to the aliens' home base, what use would it be to seize the ship then?!

"Return! Notify them immediately to board the Landing craft and return!"

BOOM!

The smoke from the Melt-Explosive Charges dissipated.

The Crystalline Construct remained curled in a ball, unwilling to budge.

Even with the Melt-Explosive Charges, they had only managed to blast a fissure and a few shards from the crystal.

The Crystalline Aliens had not invested in Void Shield technology; in contrast, their technology for material strength had been pushed to terrifying levels.

"If there's truly no way, let's withdraw first. We have little time left."

Aqua commanded calmly from behind.

"The enemy is getting closer and closer to the portal; if we don't board and leave quickly, we will be dragged into the portal along with them."

"Perhaps this operation did have some minor flaws, and the boarding action failed to achieve the expected results."

"But Kasgar, you have already done very well."

She comforted him.

As a Legion Acting Prefect, being able to rout tens of thousands of well-equipped aliens with only a few thousand Auxilia, and to shatter the enemy fleet, already qualified as a textbook-level campaign command.

Even if their boarding action ultimately failed, no one would dare to criticize him.

Though she did not understand why Kasgar was so obsessed with this alien warship.

But clearly, since seizing the ship was now impossible, there was no point in forcing it.

It's time to go back, Kasgar.