“Those monsters are rushing us... Prepare for impact!”
Urgent transmissions echoed from all directions.
The Ionian military had never fought the Great Devourer in space before.
Initially, the only ones who had actually engaged in space battles with the Great Devourer were the mercenaries hired by Hestia, as well as the etheric civilization and the Zion military, who had been the first to be attacked.
The problem was that because the battles had ended too quickly, they had failed to obtain accurate data.
As a result, when the Ionian military faced the Great Devourer's space species rushing at them from all directions for the first time, they began to suffer catastrophic losses.
“What on earth are these things? How can they throw away warp-capable ships like this... Ah!”
The commander watched a Chronos get blown to pieces by the fire of large-caliber rune turrets as it tried to ram the fortress. His body swayed slightly from the minor shockwave that even penetrated deep into the fortress's interior.
Normally, warp engines were considered precious commodities in any civilization.
Specialized ships equipped with warp engines, in particular, were invaluable resources that had to be protected at all costs.
However, the Great Devourer was completely different.
The Chronos, along with the Hive Motherships and Brood Lords acting as their escorts or fire support ships, closed the distance while firing, attempting to engage in close-quarters combat.
“The outer hull has been breached!”
They extended writhing tentacles or limbs from their bodies, instantly latching onto the ships.
Then, they pierced the outer hulls with their sharp mouthparts or massive, needle-like venom stings, forcing their troops inside.
This was close-quarters space combat in the most literal sense. Furthermore, no one had ever imagined they would have to engage in boarding actions.
If one had to find a similar form of combat, perhaps only certain Outer God's servants did so, but the universe was vast, and the Ionian military had almost no opportunity to cross paths with those servants.
Consequently, the forces that had heavily fortified their ships and fortresses with long-range artillery and defenses were slow to react to such a common-sense-defying, savage tactic.
“The ship's defense barriers are actually...”
The commander let out a low groan as he stared at the Chronos' tentacles, teeth, and venom stings pressed tightly against the massive barrier.
These weapons were engineered to bypass long-range firepower entirely in order to breach defense barriers or thick metal armor.
The venom stings were dozens of meters thick; rather than needles, they were more like excavators.
And now, these excavators were clinging to every side of the fortress, unleashing their power to shatter the barrier.
“Retreat... Prepare to retreat!”
Ultimately, listening to the alarms that grew increasingly deafening, the commander had no choice but to make a decision.
His order was to deploy a warp field centered around the fortress. If the other ships did not arrive within the designated time, the fortress would warp away immediately to escape.
“Commander, our forces are still down there...”
Hearing the order, the pale lieutenant pointed toward Planet Dorag.
The fleet sent to plunder the resources had not yet returned.
If they warped now, not only would they abandon those forces, but they would also transport the enemies currently clinging to them.
“There's no other choice! Do you want us all to die here?!”
In the end, the panicked commander snatched off his cap and clawed at his hair in frustration.
“This is that esteemed lord's order!”
The commander was also helpless.
The supreme emperor who ruled Ionia, and the entity that stood above even the emperor—at least here, no one dared to disobey their orders.
“No! Our people are retreating!”
The emergency in space was also transmitted to the assault fleet that had entered the atmosphere and was excitedly dropping bombs and mining minerals.
The captains of the assault fleet were naturally shocked; they had never dreamed that the commander would completely abandon them.
“Those bastards! How dare they leave us behind! Commander! Answer me! You son of a bitch!”
Some captains threw down their communicators, cursing the commander openly and without restraint.
“Captain! The enemy is catching up!”
“These crazy monsters... Fire everything we've got! Let's get the hell out of here first!”
Meanwhile, the pursuit of the assault fleet continued.
Facing the dense swarm of flying species catching up to them, they concentrated all their firepower in an attempt to shake off their pursuers.
Among them were new types of flying species that Gaia had recently improved, following her upgrades to the ground forces.
They had massive wings wrapped in thin membranes, a dragonfly-like build, and rough exoskeletons and leathery hide covering their long, agile bodies.
Their slender, eel-like bodies were covered in vicious venom stings, and six thick, hooked claws resembling crustacean legs grew from their sides, baring their fangs and claws as they stared down their prey.
“What kind of monster is that?”
The captain murmured blankly to himself.
Although the tiger hornet ants and Dragon Ants beside them also looked like bizarre, colossal creatures, this newly improved variant had crossed a subtle boundary.
At first glance, it was hard to tell whether it was a living organism or a golem clad in a sleek metal shell.
As an individual with a Divine Status above the Tyrant grade, the dark blue aura flowing from its body instantly formed a defensive membrane, blocking the incoming artillery fire.
“Void Siren, initiating first live combat data collection.”
Gia observed the battle with great interest.
This new variant had been given the name 'Void Siren' and would be utilized for large-scale flying species in the future.
It instantly clung to the ship's defense membrane, shattering it, and began spraying toxic gas into the interior.
“W-we're falling!”
Before they could even escape the atmosphere, the assault fleet was ravaged by the flying species. Ships exploded one after another, or were surrounded by dense swarms of flying species. Like moths to a flame, all the crew members were slaughtered one by one.
As their final act of resistance, the firepower they detonated spread in all directions.
Most exploded in mid-air, incinerating over hundreds of flying species, but some crashed directly onto the ground.
“Ah...”
The problem was that there was a designated safe zone for survivors on the ground.
In the classifications defined by the Divine Net, the residents—who belonged to one of the elven races and had once been affiliated with the Goddess of Light Association—stared up at the sky in a daze.
The massive thunderstorms, scorching waves of fire, and highly corrosive acid mist triggered by the magic bombs dropped by the Ionian forces were about to swallow the ground.
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