New Shenzhou 2 really did push both its engines and light wings to maximum thrust in the shortest time possible. In that instant, Eisen, nearly crushed by inertia hard enough to spit out his heart, found himself doubting the ship and light wings he had designed with his own hands for the first time. He couldn't help thinking that his imagination might not be able to keep up with this lunatic woman.
But before he could scream, the giant jellyfish had already appeared beyond the portholes, their light-blocking armor lowered. It filled more than half the view on everyone's monitors.
They also saw the Dawnlight, following not far behind the Starplanter. They could clearly see that the heavy cruiser, which had no weaknesses in firepower, defenses, speed, or maneuverability, was already ablaze.
And yet, like a death soldier fighting in the thick of battle, it kept pressing forward while pouring fierce anti-aircraft fire in every direction. Like an oversized orbital bomber, it awkwardly dropped its last three antimatter bombs.
One was struck by an invisible force in midair and broke apart on the spot, but some indistinguishable energy seemed to neutralize all the power of its antimatter fuel. It didn't explode. Another was wrapped up by the countless tendrils of light trailing the Starplanter's main body. Like a jellyfish catching krill, it didn't even struggle before it vanished without a trace.
But the attack had been launched from extremely close range, and it did hit the Starplanter's energy barrier with pinpoint accuracy.
The antimatter bomb produced a burst of white light and a miniature black-hole effect. In an instant, the barrier's orange glow absorbed it, just as it had absorbed the ion-cannon shells, the heat from the light spears, and the shockwaves from every thermonuclear warhead before.
But on New