P-MAX
A formation of planes was flying in the midst of the morning glow.
They were Boon attack planes that were electric turboprop planes whose bodies were made with a wooden resin composite material.
They were composed of ten pairs, for a total of twenty planes. Each pair shared the burden of transporting huge wheel-shaped weapons.
They were new weapons that were just completed recently.
「We’ll retreat immediately as soon as we drop these things.」
「What the heck are these things anyway?」
A cat-type Familiar asked a dog-type Familiar curiously.
It was actually a weapon that Asia had manufactured overnight within Fortress Area R001.
「You’ll know when you see them in action later. Um… Well… Err, they’re actually panjandrums.」
「I get that already. I was just wondering what we’re gonna use them for. There are no enemies in sight within several hundred kilometers.」
「Basically, it rolls!」
「That wasn’t what I was asking though!」
The Boons continued to advance. And the moment the sky’s color turned blue–
「Get ready for the drop! This is a cruise-type weapon. It’s the Transcontinental Panjandrum!」
「The heck is that?!」
「It’s gonna roll across the continent!」
「This ain’t an ICBM! It’s rocket-propelled, right!? Can’t it just fly on a ballistic trajectory?!」
「Don’t say something so unreasonable! And it seems that something like that already exists anyway. Alright, get ready! We’re now gonna drop the Transcontinental Panjandrums “Melos”!」
The Transcontinental Panjandrum.
It’s a panjandrum that specializes in long-distance travel.
「This is a cutting-edge weapon that Abel-san sent us last night from Fortress Area P336. It’s the fruit of a joint collaboration between our Big Boss and TAKABA. It’ll definitely be amazing.」
「A joint collaboration between our Big Boss and TAKABA?」
「See that fork suspension that resembles the ones on bikes? It gives this thing the stability to run in the vast wilderness at super-high speed. It was apparently named by Big Boss personally.」
「Uh, I guess the panjandrum can also be classified as a two-wheeler.」
「Bike riders are gonna get an aneurysm if they heard that!」
Once it was determined that this state-of-the-art(?) panjandrum could be made quickly using the production line of Fortress Area R001, it was immediately put into production as a support weapon for the troops.
It wasn’t installed with an AI so that it couldn’t be hacked and controlled by the enemy. Once released, it will only charge forward while moving erratically.
Under the crisp blue morning sky, ten panjandrums were dropped and began to roll across the wilderness.
「So? Why are they still rolling so slowly? Those Melos, I mean.」
It was almost noon. The battle between Metal Iris and the Argoforce had started, with the currently-immobile Cimon being used as a focal point of the defense.
They were facing a large force of tanks with huge land cruisers being employed as flagships.
If they were to fall, the tank force will immediately rush straight to the orbital elevator.
In a sense, the Cimon and its troops were actually serving as the final line of defense for R001.
「Abel-san said that getting the timing right was crucial.」
「So, that’s why they’re lumbering slowly like that?」
George muttered while looking at the footage projected on the screen.
「Yes. Right now, they are moving using Whis-powered electric propulsion. I heard that once they pass a certain point, they will instantly accelerate and go wild.」
「This is so nerve-wracking……」
「Panjandrums just naturally induce anxiety, I think. Anyway, it’s about time, right?」
「?」
The dog-type Familiar muttered under his breath, sensing that the panjandrums were about to turn it up. He’d already performed maintenance on many panjandrums, so he managed to acquired a good sense for their quirks.
The Transcontinental Panjandrums continued to roll forward.
They were going at a rate of roughly 50 km/h.
「P-MAX, activate!」
The Familiar exclaimed.
The lead panjandrum suddenly stopped in its tracks.
The other panjandrums also stopped one after another.
And then, all ten panjandrums let out deafening roars–
A tremendous number of rocket nozzles activated from their wheels.
「What’s happening?」
「That’s P-MAX. Those panjandrums are all equipped with the Panjandrum Maximum Boost System designed by Big Boss. Despite being ground-based, they can actually reach supersonic speed using the system.」
「So, they can use their massive size and weight more destructively, huh……? But they’d need sufficient distance to reach maximum acceleration.」
「No need to worry about that. They’re also capable of Fulltime P-MAX through the P-Maximum Boost System. They can be used effectively at shorter distances as well.」
「I really don’t get what you’re talking about, but it sure sounds amazing.」
George just went with the flow. He really didn’t want to think about the matter too much.
A speed of nearly 1,300 km/h. It’s a speed that exceeded Mach 1. Even sound cannot keep up with the new panjandrums.
What’s more, they can achieve such a speed while preserving their signature erratic trajectory.
They were running. Running toward the battlefield.
Just like Melos.
「Enemy panjandrum, approaching fast. It’s running at supersonic speed!」
「Intercept it!」
The commander of the Gespenst land cruisers immediately gave the order to intercept.
「We’re trying sir, but it’s no good. It’s too fast and is moving too erratically!」
「What about APWs?」
「They’re no good as well, sir. They wouldn’t be able to catch up to it with that speed!」
「Switch to anti-aircraft weaponry. Use the Armadillos to block that thing with their bodies!」
「Sir!」
Each unit tried to intercept the incoming panjandrum with anti-aircraft weapons, but they didn’t do any effective damage due to the panjandrum’s electromagnetic armor. The rounds just bounced off the panjandrum with metallic thunks.
The Helot-piloted Armadillos tried to catch it, but they were easily knocked down just like bandits being mowed down by a heroic figure.
They were facing a gigantic object advancing at supersonic speed after all. It wouldn’t be strange even if they got crushed as a result.
「I-Impossible! It accelerated even more?!」
The speed of the Melos increased even further.
「What’s up with that?」
George asked the Familiar in charge of weapon maintenance.
「It’s the Fury function. When the number of hits exceeds a certain threshold, the Melos goes even faster. It’s not going to last long in that condition anyway. It’s ultimately an explosive charge after all.」
「It’s named after the main character of a classic Japanese novel, right? So, it also gets “enraged” huh……?」
George was flabbergasted after hearing about the Fury function.
The lead Melos was unable to reach the intended target in the end.
It exploded under the barrage of anti-aircraft railgun fire.
「W-We did it!」
「We beat that thi–!」
「No, wait. Look at those!」
The sight that chilled the Argoforce soldier’s spines was the appearance of even more Melos in the midst of the explosion.
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