Suzaku gritted his teeth. Had he been in Lancelot, he would already have turned the machine and maneuvered around the obstacles ahead, but the Dauntless Type's clumsy movements meant that every change of direction required the machine to redistribute its load and power first.
Just then, a dense mass of red signals suddenly appeared on the ground ahead.
Tank-class, in numbers that made him frown reflexively. They were pouring out of roads, ditches, and fissures in the earth, advancing toward the second defensive position. The frontline infantry's autocannons had already opened fire.
But there were too many of those small BETA. Some even stepped directly over the bodies of their slain kin to keep advancing.
"This is Dauntless One. Requesting permission to conduct area fire suppression against the cluster ahead."
The military policeman at the Supervision Seat checked the combat zone authorization.
"Granted. Your targets are the BETA clustered outside the forward defensive line. Do not release maximum-power radiation fluctuations in areas near friendly forces."
"Understood."
Suzaku raised the Dauntless Type's right arm, and the first radiation fluctuation spread forward.
Unlike Guren Shen Hu's highly concentrated attacks, the Dauntless Type could use the continuous power supplied by the rear power station to project radiation fluctuations over a broad area directly ahead.
The foremost Tank-class suddenly stopped moving. Then the moisture and tissues inside their bodies began heating violently, and their outer structures rapidly began to swell abnormally. Those that had not yet completely lost their ability to move tried to keep advancing, only for their bodies to rupture in the next energy pulse.
More Tank-class were engulfed. Dozens, then hundreds, fell one after another.
Suzaku began to understand why this machine needed such enormous power supply equipment.
"So that's how it works..."
But just as he was about to increase