Above Your Head

Everyone, welcome to 2021!  2020 has been an absolutely horrid year for many people on many levels, and I think many (most? all?) of us are glad to leave it behind.  With that said, I wanted to give everyone a preview for some of the things that are coming up in the coming few months for Wuxiaworld.

Front-End Site Redesign - This one has been a long time coming!  Historically, we've focused more on incremental changes and feature build-out rather than overhauling the site itself, but for quite a few months now...

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I basically enjoyed fighting alone, but I couldn't always fight that kind of battle. For example, the current situation where the Ability composition was intertwined with bad luck, and also during situations where I entered the battlefield while piloting a Tool-rank Gigas.

No matter how godly my controls were, there was a limit to the performance and fighting power of the Gigas itself, and so naturally, there was a limit to the things I could do on the battlefield. Therefore, even while playing The Great War, I had a lot of experiences commanding and making good use of our NPC allies. War, by nature, was not something that was supposed to be fought alone, right?

Nevertheless… Having allies might not always be a good thing.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

I randomly fired but accurately shot down the enemy Gigas that had gone into hiding by activating Stealth. The allies around me were wary of their surroundings and disorganized. Startled by the sudden takedown of an enemy Gigas, they shifted their positions and I watched in annoyance.

"Why on earth did you not comply with my orders to fire at the left side?"

Bu-, but how did you pinpoint the position of an enemy that you couldn't see?! They could've retreated back to the mountains on the right side…

"Mountains? What mountains! Must you see them for them to be there?! Don't just focus on the movements, you have to grasp the enemy's psychology! Even if they succeeded in ambushing us, those bastards wouldn't want to die, so why would they go inside the mountains where there's no path to escape?"

I frowned at the enemies who once again activated Stealth and retreated after being staggered by the blow. It was a chance to defeat the enemies, but we missed it because these guys weren't doing anything useful.

'If you're bad at this, then please just listen to my orders…!'

I clenched my teeth at the sight of them relying on their own (wrong) judgement when it was really necessary to follow my orders. And they even said "Roger that!".

Fortunately, the enemies were Vulcans, so it was alright even if we didn't inflict a fatal blow.

Kwareukkkkkkk!!

Just then, Thunder Dragon shot thunderbolts towards the sky. He kept the fighter jets that wanted to bombard us in check.

Frankly speaking, the movements of all three Gigas including Thunder Dragon were disappointing. However, it was barely acceptable seeing that they were calmly executing attacks and defences with their own battle lines. Maybe the mining team brought along pilots that were experts at defense since the initial plan was to guard the work-ships.

Shooooooong!

Screechhh!

Fighter jets were flying around above our heads. Although fighter jets had low combat power due to their basic shape and structure, and their flying capabilities were of no match to Gigas since the latter could fly in the skies with raging lightning storms, the jets were desperately fighting a dog fight to ensure that we had the aerial advantage.

Fortunately, we had 14 fighter jets on our side, and we weren't that far behind in numbers against the enemy's 18 fighter jets. Above all, the Steel Cross Flying Brigade Commander, Colonel Danma's red fighter jet was displaying capabilities that exceeded expectations.

'I'd like to pilot a fighter jet too if I ever get the chance.'

I'm stating the obvious but most fighter jets were also powered with an Iron Heart.

Because, without the use of soul energy, the highest-grade energy that humans could handle (excluding divine power), we would have to carry out a desperate battle in which even the enemies' normal attacks would shatter our shields. Also, we would only be able to shoot missiles at the enemy and these missiles wouldn't even be able to pierce through the enemy's basic shield.

The shield of a Beast-rank Gigas mounted with an Iron Heart could withstand a strong nuclear explosion of a lower-grade energy containing energy tens of hundreds of times greater than its own power output. So not only the Gigas, but the fighter jets, battleships, and even floating planets as well as Space Cities were mounted with an Iron Heart.

Therefore, once a pilot was familiar with controlling the Iron Heart, he could even control battleships, floating cities, and also make good use of the Ability in his own special way. However, as these entities called for completely different piloting methods, it would take time to adjust to each of them.

'Well, it's something for next time anyways.'

I chuckled and glanced at the radar.

Though there was no significant difference in the numbers between our 14 fighter jets against the enemy's 18 fighter jets, there was a notable difference in the number of Gigas that each side possessed. Our army possessed four Gigas against the enemy's eight Gigas; they had twice the numerical advantage.

But as expected, the enemy was also in a situation where they didn't hold any competitive advantage because they also only had one Human-rank Gigas on their side, and the rest were Beast-rank Gigas - a situation similar to ours.

We had to be prepared for the unusual factor — I couldn't properly showcase my great military prowess.

"Thunder Dragon! Deactivate bombardment mode and switch to mid-range mode! The same goes for Black Wildcat and Gargantuan Tiger. Gather at one place and fight there!"

What? If we do that and get exposed to the enemy's wide-spread bombing, then…!

"That's why, let's move together so we don't expose ourselves!" I shouted and ran like a bullet to the front; they had no choice but to follow along.

Kabooom! Boom! Dududu!

We flew as low as possible, sticking to the mountains to limit the enemies' firing angles. Enemy Gigas shot photon cannons in pursuit, but I kept the enemies in check while slightly avoiding or blocking them with my shield.

"Attack the left side!"

Ugh… Here I go!

Thunder Dragon called forth lightning.

They looked at though they wouldn't listen to my orders properly but they didn't deliberately disobey my orders despite having complaints towards me. It was because they, too, wanted to live. In other words, if I gave orders that they could comprehend, they would somehow follow it one way or another, so I continued to order away.

"Let's charge together as we deploy the protective guard! I'll shake up their military encampment. Since we're on the move, it's impossible for them to form a perfect encircling siege with just twice our numbers! Even if we're lesser in numbers, if we move towards a single vantage point and move towards their smaller group, we'll gain a momentary numerical advantage!" I shot at a single point while explaining.

Though the bastards, who penetrated the left side, drew close nimbly, I turned back in a sharp U-turn, hitting them accurately with dozens of shots. The enemy could only fall back for they couldn't withstand the firepower.

Damn! Specter! Those bastards are trying to encircle us from front and back! They caught up!

"It's a sandwich formation! Be careful to not let them surround us completely and change directions! Turn around, beware of being completely rear-ended! Immediately drive out the 'bread' at the right side right now!"

Br-, bread?!

"We can't stay stuck in between them forever! Bear in mind! We're not trying to knock down the enemy, we're driving them away!"

If you get sandwiched by the enemy, it was better to get the smaller group out of the way first and then fight with the larger group. We had to focus our attacks on one side and break the sandwich formation in an instant before immediately clashing with the major forces to seize the chance to come out victorious.

"Everyone, charge towards the right side!" I shouted and then gave orders to Napoleon.

"Napoleon, deactivate gravitational control."

What? The gravity of planet Ella-3 is… 

"I know, just deactivate it."

Planet Ella-3 was a high-gravity zone with the gravity 15 times stronger than that of Earth's. It was a planet with such high gravity that it would be difficult for a Gigas without a built-in gravitational control device to even fly properly. However, no matter how strong the gravity was, it was not to the point that it would be sufficient to crush a Gigas, a product of superscience.

Boom!

I kicked the ground in a formidable manner as I dropped down heavily and activated <The Word Impossible Doesn't Exist In My Dictionary> and <Amplification>. The amplified skill was <The Speed of Marengo>.

Kabooom---!

As I burst forward like an explosion, the enemies on the right were taken by surprise. But, it was already too late. Even without Amplification, the speed dash was already fast enough, but it currently displayed even faster speed and also a longer distance since it was strengthened with repeated amplifications.

'I've only strengthened my Normal Attack until now all for this moment!'

I used all the energy available at once, focused them all to the shield and rolled my body up. There was no point in blindly swinging a sword. I wouldn't be able to pierce through the enemy's shield anyway.

However, as I deactivated Napoleon's gravitational control, I descended with super-high speed as if I was falling down like a bolt. Hence the destructive power that was demonstrated was on a completely different level. It was no different from dozens of metal cannonballs crashing down with the gravitational pull 15 times that of Earth's.

Kriekkkkk---!!

In an instant, the Human-rank Gigas at the very front of the group spread out both his arms and a huge barrier appeared. It was as if he created a semi-transparent glass barrier in an instant, but he couldn't completely defend against Napoleon's body, which flew down at a super-high speed coupled with the pull of the gravitational force.

That wasn't all.

Smash it down!!

Kwareureukkk! Shinggggg!

The barrier was a given. Thunder Dragon and Gargantuan Tiger's bombardment, as well as Black Wildcat's half-moon shaped laser beam caught the enemies off guard, and destroyed the enemies' shield that was formed in a rush, dealing immense damage. At least this time, it seemed like even the enemies, who were able to stand their ground all these while, couldn't hold out against our attacks.

But, the strongest of our four Gigas, the Human-rank Gigas, was also destroyed. Having said that, as a result of Napoleon's sacrifice, the other three Gigas only received minimal damage and hurriedly backed off.

Give chase!

"No! Did you not hear? I told you we're not trying to knock down the enemy, we're driving them away! Turn around right now and deal with the four of them that's at the back!"

While exclaiming like such, <The Undying Emperor> was triggered.

Though it was only natural, Napoleon's body itself was shot forward like a cannonball and destroyed the enemy's barrier and shield, so his body was in a bad state.

Chwanggg---!

What the hell is this? What's with this ridiculous recovery speed… Ackkk! It's consuming all the soul energy!

At the same time, the arms that broke apart from Napoleon's body, the protective guard, the shattered armor, and the parts that were wrecked up, all of them began to revert back to their original form as if time was turned back. As expected, because the Gigas was in a state where it was under amplified <The Word Impossible Doesn't Exist In My Dictionary>, it recovered back to its perfect state in the same time it took to take a breath.

Of course, thanks to that, the soul energy was depleted completely.

Kwakkkkk!

I thrust the Lightsaber into the cockpit of the Gigas that collapsed under my attack. Then, I invoked <Dry Heart> and all the energy from the enemy's Iron Heart was sucked in, restoring Napoleon's energy up to 60%. Originally, the purpose of the skill was to fill it up to 100%, but Napoleon's total energy reserves was so high to the point that it was abnormal, so it couldn't fully be filled.

Wait! What do you mean turn around! You want me to let go of all the wrecked up bastards over there and go against those unscathed ones?

I stood up and looked at Black Wildcat that spoke to me rudely because he was agitated.

The four unscathed Gigas that was at the back flew towards us.

"Wrecked up or not, just look at the speed at which they're retreating right now! It's not like we can catch up to them at once, and if we give chase, they're going to catch us from the back instead! Rather, now we don't have to worry about our backs since it's four against four, so we can handle them easily!"

If our team composition could win against the enemy, then we should fight even if we were on the run. Even if the enemy tried to avoid clashing with us, we could force them into a situation where they had to fight. So, now that they were throwing themselves at us, we should be thankful for it.

But Black Wildcat hesitated for a moment and then fell back like lightning.

Hmph! I'll get rid of them and come back quickly! Hold the fort for a bit!

"What?!" I freaked out and screamed, but Black Wildcat was already gone.

With our targeting formation dissolved and scattered, it became impossible to wipe out the four Gigas that were rushing at us in one fell swoop.

That wasn't all. We were supposed to only drive away the enemy, but that bloody cat, as well as Thunder Dragon and Gargantuan Tiger backed off in a daze. Hence the sandwich formation that we just broke apart was working properly again.

As soon as the enemies that were escaping sorted out their conditions and turned around, we were completely surrounded.

"Oh my god. These trolling fuckers."

Although The NPCs of The Great War were bots (Bot. AI Players that appear in Multiplayer games or Multiplayer mode.) that were peculiarly frustrating and had limited thought circuits, they had never moved in such a manner that would blow my fuse. Above all, as long as my contributions were high to a certain degree, they would listen to whatever I say.

But then, now that I was "playing" with a bunch of people, how would I possibly know they would act like this? Even if they were forced to carry out the orders against their own will, wasn't I given the right to command?

Although Thunder Dragon and Gargantuan Tiger were supporting and firing from the back, the formation itself had already crumbled… So Black Wildcat, that charged forward by himself, had to fight one against three. No matter how much damage you could inflict to the enemy, it would never be an easy thing for the smaller numbers to deal with the larger numbers.

"Ahhh…"

Before I knew it, I laughed dejectedly as I saw the four Gigas pouncing towards me.

"This is going to give me cancer…"

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