The red glow of the alarm lights swept across the bridge, making it impossible to keep their eyes open.
Before the enormous roar had even faded from their eardrums, the deck of the new Artdeissei was hit by violent shaking comparable to a magnitude ten Earthquake. The pink energy storm carried extreme heat, baking the outer armor red-hot. The pungent stench of burning insulation filled the air. Fujimaru Ritsuka clung desperately to the metal edge of the tactical command console, her stomach churning as the compressed biscuits she had eaten at noon nearly came back up onto the screen.
Who would have thought that the goddess of love and beauty fought like a terrorist, strapping on explosives and taking everyone down with her?
"Damage report!"
The fat director lay sprawled on the floor with both hands over his head, his voice trembling badly.
Captain Nemo gritted his teeth and gripped the controls tightly, veins bulging on the backs of his hands.
Staring at the red error windows constantly popping up before him, he rapidly hammered at the keyboard and cut several overloaded circuits.
"Forty percent of the port-side armor has peeled away. Power Line Three has melted down! Overall functionality has suffered more than thirty percent damage!"
"But the core engines are still running. Poseidon and Demeter's pseudo-Divine Cores are undamaged! We can keep fighting!"
At those words, a wave of ragged breathing swept through the bridge.
It was over.
According to their intelligence, Aphrodite had been the last machine god in the Interstellar City still capable of fighting.
Now that even she had blown herself into a firework, all that remained was Zeus, a commander without troops.
If they could withstand this wave, they would win.
"It's not that simple."
"Nemo, cut the physical connection. Disengage from Zeus immediately!"