I Reincarnated as the Captain of a Battleship in a Robot Anime, but at This Rate, I’m Going to Be Assassinated – Chapter 19

Chapter 19: It’s an adult’s job to encourage a discouraged boy, but I can’t imagine what will happen after that
[space_man][space_man]It was during that meeting that Yuuki learned that there was an underground space at the international airport, and that a Rebel destroyer was enshrined there. Seeing the real thing, Yuuki realized that the peace they had believed in was actually existing on thin ice.
[space_man][space_man]I had no idea such a thing existed for the past 18 years. And I think if this hadn’t happened, I would never have known.
[space_man][space_man]The strangely dusty underground dock must have been unused for a long time. It was suddenly put to use, and equipment and containers, presumably forcibly removed, were scattered about.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]’Having a secret base underground should be exciting, but now I can only think about what they’re building.’
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]In the first place, we’re being attacked because these people came to this planet.
[space_man][space_man]The realization made him incredibly angry, but Yuuki didn’t say it out loud, and he barely managed to keep it off his face.
[space_man][space_man]He just wanted this storm to pass quickly.
[space_man][space_man]People who appeared to be affiliated with the Rebel Army were bustling about in the underground dock, carrying materials and other things to the destroyer. Yuuki wondered if something had happened, but more than that, he was desperately trying to follow Dr. Phoenix as he pushed forward.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Hurry up. The enemy won’t wait for us.”
[space_man][space_man]”I know!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The new machine called Trismegistus was waiting in a hangar attached to the dock for ship mooring, as if it were a sacred object.
[space_man][space_man]The human-shaped machine, shaped like a medieval priest, certainly felt alien. While machines like Georg and Rabi Reivu had a weapon-like appearance, this Trismegistus alone did not look like a weapon. It had the appearance of a work of art, and it didn’t look like something that would go into battle.
[space_man][space_man]Yuuki was momentarily captivated by its appearance, but Dr. Phoenix’s ascent up the hangar stairs prevented him from taking his time.
[space_man][space_man]Above all, the situation was bad.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”By the way, kid. Can you pilot a Teurugia?”
[space_man][space_man]”I’ve occasionally moved a Georg to help with transporting materials and maintenance, but flying it or shooting guns……”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Using Georg as a substitute for heavy machinery is not uncommon on Earth or other colonial planets. In a sense, machines like Teurugia are also machines that are closely integrated with people’s lives.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”It’s fine if you can move it.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Dr. Phoenix confirmed that much and quickly moved on.
[space_man][space_man]Yuuki followed the Doctor, carrying the puppet machine called Thoth, and finally reached the back of Trismegistus’ head.
[space_man][space_man]The cockpit seemed to be there.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Get in. The only adjustments left are to the aircraft system. Once the final check is done, you just have to activate Trismegistus. I’ll take care of the rest.”
[space_man][space_man]”Eh, eh! What, you’re forcing me!?”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Saying that, Dr. Phoenix more or less forcibly pushed Yuuki in. Thoth also went inside with him.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Vivi! Vivi!”
[space_man][space_man]”Hey! What the hell!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The cockpit closed with a clang.
[space_man][space_man]The cockpit was dark and cramped, the only light coming from Thoth’s goldfish bowl-like sensor.
[space_man][space_man]But within seconds, the inside of Trismegistus’ cockpit activated.
[space_man][space_man]He didn’t remember pressing any activation switches or anything. There were no keys either.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I-it’s activated…… How do I operate it……? Is it the same as Georg or something?”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]His daily part-time job had given Yuuki piloting skills. That said, it was only to the extent that he had learned to drive a car without a license. He could do it intuitively, but he hadn’t been trained. He certainly couldn’t engage in combat.
[space_man][space_man]But Yuuki told himself.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]’I-I’m not going to shoot a rifle or anything. That’s right, this thing should have abilities other than combat. If I could just learn how to access some kind of network or something…… Ah damn, if only I had a little more computer knowledge.’
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Don’t fight. No, there’s a way to end the fight without fighting.
[space_man][space_man]Yuuki clung to something for which he had no basis. At the root of it was the thought that doing something was better than doing nothing.
[space_man][space_man]An excuse to himself. The desire to protect his hometown. His personal desire to pray for Anish’s safety. Mixing all of that together, Yuuki made his move.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]『Did you activate it? The controls are the same as the basic Teurugia like Georg. You should be able to make it walk.』
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The main monitor was reading the surrounding situation, and Dr. Phoenix was displayed on the sub-monitor. Where did he get it ready, or did he have it from the beginning? It looked like a video communication via a small terminal.
[space_man][space_man]”Well, I can! But more importantly, what do we do from here? Do you have some kind of secret plan──”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]It was at that moment, as he was about to continue his words.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Vi! Vi!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Thoth made a mechanical sound as if it were sounding an alert.
[space_man][space_man]Yuuki involuntarily covered his ears at the high-pitched sound.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Shut up!”
[space_man][space_man]”Vi! Te te te teki ki! Tekki tekki! Go!”
[space_man][space_man]”Huh?”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]In an instant.
[space_man][space_man]Trismegistus flew.
[space_man][space_man]It tore off the hangar’s restraints, with no defensive posture or anything, broke through the ceiling of the underground dock, and leaped to the surface in an instant.
[space_man][space_man]The white armor glistened in the sunlight, and the particles of propellant ejected from the robe-like augmented armor, heels, back, shoulders, and knees created an even more fantastic sight.
[space_man][space_man]Trismegistus, appearing under the sun, spread its arms wide. Like a human being reveling in life, bathed in the sunlight.
[space_man][space_man]Electronic light ran across the faceless face, forming a sculpture-like face for a brief moment, then disappearing.
[space_man][space_man]”Whoaah!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The interior of the aircraft shook violently.
[space_man][space_man]Thoth was clapping its arms like a joyful monkey.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I-is it moving on its own!? Doctor, Doctor, what’s going on……”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Dr. Phoenix, who was displayed on the sub-monitor.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Ugh……!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]His face was smiling. Apparently, he had been hit in the face by some debris from the aftermath of Trismegistus’ sortie, and blood was coming from his forehead, but he was still smiling.
[space_man][space_man]He couldn’t hear his voice. It must have been a malfunction of the communication equipment on the other side or something. Only the video was being displayed.
[space_man][space_man]The sight of the old man laughing heartily was very strange.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”What the hell, that old man…… N-no, more importantly, this thing is moving and flying on its own……! Hey, you, are you the one moving it on your own?”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Yuuki grabbed Thoth, who was still acting like an excited monkey. Then Thoth became quiet. But it turned its head around and stared at Yuuki.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Ute ute ute! Trigger! Teki gogo! Ute te!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]It seemed to have no intention of listening to what he was saying.
[space_man][space_man]At the same time, Trismegistus’ main monitor caught a shadow like a grain of bean. The image of the upper atmosphere, no, even higher, outer space. An enlarged version of it.
[space_man][space_man]Not only that, but Trismegistus was still ascending. It should have been impossible for a mobile weapon unit to escape the atmosphere and gravitational sphere from within the planet, even if it were entering from space.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Is this thing trying to go into space!?”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Trismegistus was trying to do just that.
[space_man][space_man]And yet, the control stick was not moving at all. Or rather, it was as if it was telling Yuuki to hurry up and grab it.
[space_man][space_man]The main monitor display had somehow been locked onto a target. The numerical value of the relative distance to the enemy, the altimeter, and other numerical values that he didn’t understand were displayed here and there.
[space_man][space_man]It felt as if it was urging Yuuki to take action.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Ute!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]There was also Thoth’s inorganic pressure.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]『Hey! Who’s in there?』
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Suddenly, the communication line was connected. It was Anish’s voice that he heard.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”A-Anish!?”
[space_man][space_man]『Eh, no way, Yuuki? Why are you there……?』
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The moment he realized that the person on the other end of the communication was Anish, Yuuki remembered that if he didn’t do anything, Anish and the others would be in danger. And he had agreed to cooperate once to prevent that.
[space_man][space_man]At that moment, Yuuki gripped the trigger.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Ute ute!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Thoth shouted as if to encourage him.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I-I’m going to shoot!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]And Yuuki pulled the trigger and fired the beam.
[space_man][space_man]Only at that moment, Yuuki was unaware that he was doing something far removed from his initial thought of not attacking.
[space_man][space_man]When he remembered it again, it was after Yuuki had shot down the enemy.
[space_man][space_man]
✼✼✼
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Teurugia squad! Can you follow Trismegistus!? The pilot is an amateur!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Why, how could a boy who shouldn’t be able to pilot it be riding Trismegistus? There was no point in thinking about the reason now.
[space_man][space_man]Shougo prioritized Yuuki’s protection anyway. If anything happened, it would be impossible to cover for him anymore.
[space_man][space_man]Besides, losing Trismegistus was equivalent to losing a joker card.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]’No matter how you think about it, it comes down to the fact that that old geezer Phoenix didn’t tell the whole truth. That bastard, don’t tell me he lied about it not being able to be deactivated without a large-scale facility, or that it can’t be deactivated unless the pilot dies, did he?’
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]If it was a development aimed at a twist, he would do that much without hesitation.
[space_man][space_man]If it were from the viewer’s perspective, he wouldn’t think anything of it, but he couldn’t help but accept that such things could happen. But if he became a party to that world, he couldn’t just say it couldn’t be helped.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]’Damn old geezer, I’ll make you spit it all out when this is over. Even if I have to beat it out of you!’
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]While making such a resolution, Shougo had to deal with the problem at hand.
[space_man][space_man]Trismegistus, captured by the Teurugia’s camera, was just floating in space, as if stunned after firing the beam.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Hey, is the communication line with Trismegistus still connected!? What’s the pilot doing!?”
[space_man][space_man]”W-well, that is…… he’s delirious! It’s shell shock!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Ensign Clart, the operator, was taking care of Trismegistus while operating Lieutenant Mark. Currently, he was acting as a communications officer.
[space_man][space_man]Clart called out to Yuuki many times, but Yuuki was muttering to himself.
[space_man][space_man]Shell shock. Also known as combat stress reaction. It’s about being in the abnormal situation of combat. It puts a mental strain on you, to say the least.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]『I shot, I shot…… D-did I kill them?』
[space_man][space_man]”Hey, boy, can you hear me!? Move the machine or something! You’ll be targeted! Or rather, you’ll be pulled into the gravitational sphere! Hey, are you listening!? Captain, it’s no good, he can’t hear me!”
[space_man][space_man]”Damn it, at a time like this!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]However, he couldn’t blame Yuuki.
[space_man][space_man]He must have been caught up in it, no matter what.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Hey, you said your name was Yuuki, right!? Can you hear me!?”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Shougo jumped down from the captain’s seat, snatched the intercom from Clart, and shouted.
[space_man][space_man]It was time to get the protagonist to do his best.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Listen carefully! If you just sit there and do nothing, the enemy ship will fire the Planet Killer! Is that okay with you!? It’s not, right!? I don’t know why you’re riding that thing, but if you’re riding it, do what you have to do!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]He was naturally aware that he was saying something terrible right now. But he needed him to move.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]『What I have to do……?』
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]There was a response from Yuuki.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”That’s right! Your parents and your girlfriend will die from the gravitational anomaly! And I’ll be labeled a heinous criminal, chased, and executed! I’ll pass on that kind of ending! You don’t want to die there without knowing what’s going on, do you!? Don’t you want to punch this situation that you’ve been put in!? You can do something with Trismegistus!”
[space_man][space_man]『I have to do something…… That’s right, that’s right! I said I’d cooperate for that……!』
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Judging from his voice, he seemed to be regaining his sanity.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]’Alright, with this, the protagonist shouldn’t die in the first episode. After that, I’ll have Lieutenant Mark or someone support him.’
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]However, Shougo had overlooked one thing.
[space_man][space_man]That was the fact that, unlike in the original story, Yuuki had a little leeway in his position. He had fallen into a temporary state of delirium, but it wasn’t a shock that would drag him down.
[space_man][space_man]And the fact that Shougo’s offhand remark had further fueled his motivation.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]『I’ll show you what I can do! Trismegistus!』
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]In an instant.
[space_man][space_man]An expression appeared on Trismegistus’ faceless face. It felt as if a roar had been released from a mouth that shouldn’t exist. Something was echoing in the soundless space.
[space_man][space_man]And it…… immediately showed its effect.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Energy reaction inside the enemy ship! It’s self-destructing!”
[space_man][space_man]”Huh?”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]It was the moment he let out a dumbfounded voice.
[space_man][space_man]As if being crushed by something invisible, the enemy ship exploded from the inside, and immediately afterward, it generated a gravitational source and imploded.
[space_man][space_man]Shougo knew that it was due to Trismegistus’ gravity manipulation. The last cheat function that Trismegistus showed in the final episode, which was canceled.
[space_man][space_man]The mysterious power that wiped out countless fleets with a single swing of its arm.
[space_man][space_man]No, now he understood what it was doing.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]’This thing, Trismegistus…… could it be that it’s not just neutralizing the Planet Killer…… but it can actually control it……?’