-1450- Shinjuku《2》

After Special Task Force S128 retreated, the remaining Sky Wizards continued their assault on the remaining Armored Beetles.

Although the enemy's swarm of Armored Beetles still outnumbered the mere thousands of Sky Wizards, the wizards knew how to work together. Individually, they were also stronger than a single Arachnell-class Beetle. Given that the Arachnell-class Beetles were small and lacked exceptional intelligence—only knowing how to kill and act as a group—they naturally fell prey to the Sky Wizards.

With repeated concentrated attacks from the middle and rear units, most of those with remaining mana stayed in the back to provide support while the rest retreated. The vanguard, still full of energy, charged forward. With support fire from the rear, they darted through the sky, slaying one Beetle after another.

The number of Armored Beetles dwindled bit by bit.

Seeing the sky gradually clear, everyone in the command center breathed a sigh of relief.

"We've won...!"

"Yes...!"

"Hmph..."

The three members of E601 Squad also let out a sigh of relief, suppressing their excitement as they spoke.

However...

"Did you see that?"

Freon's voice remained emotionless as she coldly spoke.

"Even when faced with a large number of enemies, we Sky Wizards can still achieve victory. This is because we are human, and we know how to cooperate and fight as a team. This is how we can achieve more with less. If it were one-on-one, Armored Beetles generally wouldn't stand a chance against humans. Do you understand?"

Freon's words caused the excitement in the hearts of E601 Squad's members to fade.

This was because they knew very well why Freon had said those words.

"One of the main reasons humans lose to Armored Beetles is because their numbers are simply too overwhelming. They are so numerous that they cannot be completely exterminated. Moreover, we still don't know where they come from or if their numbers are still increasing. Humans, who can't even retain the memories of their fallen comrades after being slaughtered, naturally cannot resist. Even the so-called 'Hero of Humanity' couldn't manage to completely eradicate the Armored Beetles. The enemy is just that numerous."

In such a situation, humanity must triumph over strength with weakness and achieve more with fewer numbers, or there would be no hope.

"The reason Sky Wizards operate in squads is that we must use a limited number of people to engage in team battles, cooperating with each other to unleash combat power far greater than our numbers. If the combat power exerted is not even equal to the total strength of the squad or is significantly lower, then no matter how strong an individual is, they won't be recognized."

Freon spoke sternly.

"As you saw in this battle, Sky Wizards can only eliminate more enemies, gain more hope for humanity, and increase their own survival rate by working together and doing their respective jobs, unleashing combat power far greater than their numbers."

This is where E601 Squad severely lacked.

They neither cooperated nor helped each other, leading to dragging each other down in battle. Unleashing combat power greater than the sum of the three members was out of the question.

"I now understand why that man brought you all here. He probably wanted you to witness this battle."

Freon looked at the three silent girls and sighed before speaking.

"This time, I won't pursue the matter of you trespassing into the command center. Just remember this battle well, and the performance of the Sky Wizards under that man's command. Then seriously think about how you, as members of the same squad, should fight."

With those words, Freon fell silent.

Only Misora, Lecty, and Rico remained, deep in thought.

Just when everyone thought they could breathe a sigh of relief...

"Re-Report...!"

In the command center, a staff member shouted loudly in a panicked voice.

"A massive life form has been detected...! This life form...! It's at least of the large-type...!"

With these words echoing through the room, the atmosphere in the command center, which had just relaxed, immediately tightened.

"Transmit the image!"

Freon's expression tightened as she immediately gave the order.

The projection on the screen switched to show a distant part of the sky.

"...!"

In that instant, everyone saw it.

They saw a black cloud.

At first, they thought it was a rain cloud.

However, they quickly realized they were wrong.

The cloud was merely a part of that monstrous creature.

Within the cloud, a gigantic monster appeared beneath the sky, heading towards them.

It was a creature with a total length of at least 100 meters, with a disc-shaped body resembling two bowls stacked together, reminding one of a floating fortress in the sky.

However, this fortress of steel was covered in countless eyes.

Besides the eyes, another type of creature inhabited its massive body.

These were the dense, swarming Arachnell-class Armored Beetles.

This horrifying monster hovered in the air, approaching them.

"What... what kind of monster is that...!?"

Everyone present was horrified.

Even Freon narrowed her eyes, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

"A new species of large Armored Beetle, and it's a Variant..."

Freon spoke in a low voice, her forehead glistening with sweat.

"I'm afraid that's one of the highly intelligent individuals recently identified by the Medical Sciences Division, a mother-type Variant Armored Beetle—Shinjuku"2"."

This was a Variant that could use its characteristics to transport or incubate Armored Beetles, leading a massive army. It not only possessed much greater strength than the original large-type species but also far surpassed other Variants in terms of intelligence.

"I see, so this is the mastermind behind this incident..."

Freon stared intently at the terrifying figure on the screen, confirming her thoughts.

Commanding nearly ten medium-sized Variants and leading a vast army of small-type Beetles, this large Variant had been hiding in the shadows and had finally revealed itself.

And as soon as it appeared, the countless eyes on its body began to ripple with jutsuryoku, releasing countless flashes of jutsuryoku light.

"Boom boom boom boom boom—!"

In the airspace, under the sweeping jutsuryoku flashes, numerous Sky Wizards were hit, one after another, enveloped in explosions.

"Ahhhhh...!"

Screams echoed across the battlefield.

One by one, the Sky Wizards were engulfed in flames and fell from the explosions, barely caught by their panicked comrades before plummeting to the ground.

However, all of them were seriously injured and fell unconscious.

"How could this...!?"

Misora and her two companions held their breath.

"Don't worry, with the protective suits, they shouldn't be fatally injured...!"

Freon spoke, though her voice betrayed a sense of urgency.

The large Variant was rampaging across the battlefield, shooting down Sky Wizards one after another, unstoppable.

"Rozen! Think of...!"

Anxious, Freon turned to Rozen, about to ask him for a plan, but she froze.

"Huh?"

Misora, Lecty, and Rico also froze.

The reason was simple.

"He's... he's gone...!?"

Yes.

Before everyone's eyes, Rozen's figure had disappeared without a trace.

"Quick... look at the battlefield...!"

A staff member's exclamation made everyone instinctively turn to the screen.

It was then that they realized.

Somehow, an unfamiliar figure had appeared on the battlefield.