Chapter 59: There’s No Question About Defeating the Enemy for Peace. If It’s Clearly a Great Evil, There’s No Need to Worry
  Seeing Huygen-dono’s fleet being decimated, the Mirandora unit started to move.
  
  ‘I’m not a decent human being either.’
  
  Looking at the enemy fleet below, their numbers dwindling yet still regrouping and attacking, Shougo cursed himself for using them as decoys.
  Even if it was a strategy or tactic, this maneuver still didn’t feel good.
  As an excuse, doing what you can is a natural course of action.
  
  “Can’t you detect Phoenix’s stealth disc?”
  
  It was clear that the luminous entity attacking the fleet was a ridiculous machine created by Phoenix. Then where was the Doctor who developed it? If they let that man escape, he would likely create something like this again and cause unnecessary chaos.
  In fact, Shougo recognized him as the next person to be defeated after Fauden.
  
  ‘That s*itty old geezer shouldn’t care about the outcome of this battle. I think that geezer’s goal is technology. As long as he can see the outcome of his creation, that’s all that matters. He intends to conduct experiments for that purpose.’
  
  That was the conclusion Shougo had reached through the battles so far.
  That’s why they had to defeat him. Intellectual curiosity might be a wonderful thing, but it’s a different story if it causes trouble for others, let alone the world.
  Furthermore, this man was instigating battles to satisfy his intellectual curiosity.
  
  “I don’t want to waste resources before fighting Goetia…… but we can’t just sit here either. If we make a move, there’s a chance Goetia will show itself. All ships, move forward! Lopes, Janet’s fleet, support the remaining fleet. We, the Mirandora unit, will suppress that glowing machine.”
  
  The enemy was equipped with high-powered beams and barriers utilizing them.
  Then only the Mirandora could withstand them. Not only did it have the barrier device on the bow, but it could also keep the enemy in check thanks to its hedgehog-like armaments.
  It seemed like a waste to have a modified cruiser and the entire unit go up against a single enemy unit, but Shougo judged that the enemy rampaging there was worthy of such a response.
  Above all, to put it bluntly, they didn’t have time to deal with something like that for long.
  That enemy was undoubtedly a formidable foe, but it was just a powerful p*wn. The true enemy waiting behind it wasn’t about strength or weakness, but an existence that concerned the dignity of humanity, so they had to hurry.
  
  “That guy called Percy is probably on board…… don’t resent me.”
  『Captain, may the fighter squadron sortie as well?!』
  
  Mark, who seemed to be getting impatient at not being allowed to participate in battle, shouted.
  Morale was high.
  Shougo, thinking that it would be wrong to hold back their forces here, nodded. It was bad to waste them, but it was worse not to use them.
  
  “Mobile Unit, sortie! Yuuki, can you hear me?”
  『Yes!』
  “The enemy is troublesome, but can you defeat it?”
  『…… I have an idea.』
  
  Yuuki had already formulated a tactic.
  
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  『──Alright, I’ll permit it. However, that means getting closest to the enemy. Are you sure?』
  “With Trismegistus’ current armor, I can do it. I don’t know if he’s a genius doctor or whatever, but applying the same thing like this is no big deal.”
  
  Looking at the image of Percy’s machine being sent to him, Yuuki immediately saw its weakness.
  However, the very act of exploiting that weakness carried risks, and if his plan failed, it would take time to recover. That meant unnecessary exhaustion, so it was still a gamble.
  
  “I feel like I’ve been gambling ever since I got on this ship.”
  “Leaving things to chance is the pirate’s way.”
  
  Franny was already relaxed in the back seat.
  Her expression showed that she wasn’t worried at all, which put good pressure on Yuuki. It wasn’t enough to make him nervous, but it sharpened his mind and created a sense of tension.
  That’s why his thinking became sharper.
  
  “Actually, pirates seem like they’d make thorough preparations…… well, whatever.”
  
  Yuuki launched Trismegistus with a wry smile. The Rabi Reivu unit followed, and then the fighter squadron led by Mark also launched. Of these, the Rabi Reivu unit would join up with Lopes and Janet’s fleet to intercept the enemy Teurugia that had broken through, and the ones directly covering Trismegistus were Anish’s and Mark’s fighter squadrons.
  
  “Mark, please.”
  『High-speed combat is the essence of fighters. But you’re going to be decoys, you hear me?』
  “Either way, they’re targeting Trismegistus, so it’s nothing new.”
  『Hmph. You’ve gotten good at talking back. You’ve got guts, kid.』
  
  With a grin, Mark on the other side of the comms took his unit and temporarily moved away from Trismegistus.
  
  “Anish, don’t let go of this shield.”
  
  Only Trismegistus and Anish’s Rabi Reivu remained.
  Yuuki removed the barrier unit that corresponded to Trismegistus’ left fist and equipped it on Anish’s machine. The fist itself also functioned as a generator, so it could be used in this way. However, because it was heavy, maneuverability was drastically reduced.
  
  『You mean we have to synchronize our timing, right?』
  “That’s right.”
  
  At the end of that conversation, an alert sounded.
  At the same time, a dazzlingly bright humanoid appeared on the main monitor. They could see it coming straight towards them.
  
  “It’s here……!”
  
  Yuuki had already taken a defensive stance. He activated the barrier to its full capacity and prepared for the attack.
  A dazzlingly thick beam was emitted from the glowing humanoid.
  It would be dangerous if it hit them directly, but they also had a barrier. It wouldn’t be brought down.
  
  “Percy…… I’m sorry, but I won’t hold back……!”
  
  Yuuki deliberately didn’t move from the spot.
  Meanwhile, Anish’s machine distanced itself from Trismegistus. Mark’s fighter squadron also moved away while dispersing.
  The Mirandora was providing cover fire and keeping the other enemy units that were trying to break through in check.
  
  “We used our allies as decoys. So, that means we can use the same tactic. And I’ve also figured out Percy’s movements. This is the third time. Allow me to see through them……!”
  『──』
  
  Percy’s machine seemed to be screaming. It was as if the machine’s behavior, its momentum, made it feel that way.
  However…… Yuuki and the others couldn’t hear anything. Percy, who had previously emitted screams that shook their eardrums, was terrifyingly silent.
  His voice was nowhere to be found.
  Yet, the way he scratched his head and charged straight at Trismegistus, as if in agony, seemed eerily human.
  
  『──!』
  
  Perhaps he had screamed again. Percy spread his arms and pounced, approaching while firing countless beams. All of them were blocked by Trismegistus’ barrier.
  The moment he realized it was futile, Percy thrust out his right arm. It was as if a beam saber extended from it, trying to pierce Trismegistus.
  But……
  
  『All units, commence dispersal! Fire!』
  
  Percy’s overly straightforward movements were easy to read even manually. Missiles fired by Mark’s squadron rained down.
  They were shot down by the countless intercepting beams emitted from Percy’s body, but that was the intention.
  The explosions were small-scale, and rather, the beams gradually weakened.
  What they had launched were not missiles filled with gunpowder.
  They were…… anti-beam smoke warheads.
  
✼✼✼
  
  “Beam smoke! You cunning little……! But!”
  
  Percy, who had been charging, effortlessly deflected the attacks launched by the annoying flies, but he was indignant that it was a nuisance.
  The beams clinging to his body were weakening due to the beam smoke that had been fully deployed.
  Yes, because this machine was primarily beam-based, its weaknesses were also easy to understand.
  However, it wasn’t as if such a thing hadn’t been taken into consideration.
  
  “Excellent! You came up with a good idea! But it’s useless! Something like that……!”
  
  He interrupted the fading beam saber and concentrated the beam particles on himself.
  High-powered beams continuously circulated throughout his body. It was like blood flowing through his body, and even if it weakened due to the smoke, it was resupplied and never interrupted.
  This made long-range attacks impossible, but it didn’t mean the machine’s performance itself deteriorated.
  Rather, what he had to do became simple.
  His entire body was a weapon now.
  
  “Attack! I’ll wring that devil’s neck right now!”
  
  Percy shouted, expressing his emotions of annihilating the enemy with his entire body.
  But he didn’t realize. His voice didn’t reach anyone.
  He no longer had vocal cords. He didn’t need such things. If he connected his central nervous system to the machine, the machine wouldn’t be manipulated.
  Because the machine itself became his body. That was Percy.
  This shining giant was Percy.
  All of his cranial nerves, optic nerves, and every other nerve.
  They were just parts.
  “Ecstasy! Devil, vanish!”
  
  Therefore, the energy coursing through his entire body was his blood, his very power, the sensation of flying freely through space was an irreplaceable pleasure, and then the sense of mission to defeat the enemy.
  There was no room to question what was happening to his own body.
  K*ll the enemy. Defeat the devil. Peace to the universe.
  
  “Dieeeee!”
  
  Such a scream only echoed in his mind.
  The enemy, the devil, Trismegistus wouldn’t move from in front of him. It remained with its barrier deployed. It was mocking him. Looking down on him. With his current body, he could pierce the barrier and defeat it. He could crush that faceless form.
  The red beacon reflected in his eyes. Trismegistus’ core was there. If he made it disappear, everything would be over.
  
  “No……! Resisting?!”
  
  Trismegistus, which he had captured right in front of him, finally moved its right arm.
  A giant fist was clad in a beam. Beam Punch. The same technology as his. That’s why it wouldn’t weaken. However, in terms of output alone, he was superior. There would be some interference, but it wasn’t impossible to pierce it!
  
  “Spiral! Pierce!”
  
  And the two beam punches collided, starting to emit plasma light. Each time the particles scattered, a tremendous flash of light was emitted. Percy had the upper hand. He was aware of that too. That’s all he could recognize.
  That was fine. He could k*ll the enemy. That’s all that mattered.
  That’s why his reaction to the impact from behind was delayed.
  
  “Wha……”
  
  Percy turned around. There was the Rabi Reivu with the barrier unit. It was a pincer attack.
  Percy laughed. How foolish. Did they think they could stop him with something like this? It was a completely futile act.
  
  “No problem. Did you think you could defeat me with such a childish trick?!”
  
  The emotions that had turned into anger increased his output.
  His body sparked. The high-powered beam that was released easily blew the two machines away.
  Trismegistus moved as if to embrace the repelled Rabi Reivu. That action was a lapse in his defenses.
  
  “He, hehe……”
  
  Thanks to the sparks, the beam smoke had also dispersed.
  Percy concentrated energy in his right arm.
  And then……
  
  “D*mn you!”
  
  Trismegistus and the others disappeared from before his eyes.
  He realized it was a warp. Percy felt like he had been cheated and his anger intensified. His prey had escaped. Coward!
  He cursed in his mind.
  That’s why his reaction was delayed.
  
  “Huh?”
  
  When he realized it.
  The bow of the Mirandora, with its barrier deployed, was there.
  But by the time he realized it, Percy’s existence had been shattered into pieces.
  At the same time, the beam particles contained within the machine melted the nerves that were Percy, enveloping his mind.
  
  “I, I──”
  
  He sank into a comfortable darkness.