The Sniper of the Ocean of Stars
「My senses have sharpened… Is this the true power of us, Nereids? We are called the daughters of the ocean, and this could be called the ocean of stars, but this is…」
Nereids. The last of the created species embedded with Telema AI. They were the Artifact Consciousness most similar to humans. Designed to supplement the dwindling human population, as well as to inherit humanity’s technology, these ‘daughters of the ocean’ were engineered with a lifespan approximately twice that of humans.
But the ‘oceans’ of the moniker ‘daughters of the oceans’ weren’t the oceans of any of the three planets—this moniker referred to the ocean of stars. Okeanos governed the vast seas of the star system, while his daughters, the Nereids, and their male counterparts, the Nereus, intermingled with humanity to complement the species.
Even Blue had not anticipated that the MCS would further refine her inherent abilities. In the boundless range of space, as long as the sensors could capture a target, that was all she needed.
The Silhouette piloted by Fairy Blue—the Canary—was preparing its helical railgun. In space, the law of action and reaction still applied. The recoil of a large-caliber helical railgun was immense, propelling the machine backward with tremendous force.
The very instant the Canary was displaced by the recoil, a retaliatory laser beam struck the surface of the deck where the Canary had just been. Though the power of the beam had somewhat diminished, continued hits would eventually overwhelm the machine’s defenses.
Meanwhile, the Lanius Squad also commenced railgun fire. The majority of its pilots were female Nereids.
They too quickly adapted to their expanded perception, bringing it under control and executing precision sniping.
The enemy Kālakaeyas executed evasive maneuvers while steadily launching counterattacks.
Kou was astonished by the Kālakaeyas’ incredible mobility.
「It looks like some cheap imitation of a Telkhines, and yet… its reaction speed and movement capabilities are on an entirely different level.」
Visually, it resembled an advanced variant of the Telkhines—an infantry-class Murder. However, its movements were nothing alike—it was difficult to even associate it with the Telkhines once it moved.
「A truly formidable Mythology Weapon… So that is our enemy, the Teras. Even for me, it is an unknown machine. We must not let our guard down.」
「Understood!」
Up until now, Astraea had always devised countermeasures against the weapons from the Interplanetary War era. The Murders, space vessels, combat Silhouettes—most of those machines were designed or influenced by Astraea’s main core.
But Mythology Weapons were different.
「Teras are unknown weapons, developed by the super AI Libya, created using some form of unique technology based on her main specialization—ecosystem regulation. We have no way of knowing what hidden functions they might possess.」
Astraea’s warning unsettled Kou.
「Murders? Ecosystem-based technology?」
A fleeting sense of unease crossed Kou’s mind—an unease that quickly solidified into suspicion.
The enemy had also begun evasive maneuvers. With both sides dodging, accuracy plummeted. Even with precise predictions, there were times when the machine’s movements couldn’t keep up with the pilot’s reactions. Most importantly, they still weren’t fully accustomed to combat in space.
「—Even so.」
Kou felt an urgent need to verify the suspicion growing inside him as he observed Kālakaeya’s swift movements.
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「I will try something! Blue, give me some backup—don’t kill it!」
Determined to uncover the truth behind his unease, Kou took action.
「‘Don’t kill it,’ huh? Got it!」
Blue immediately grasped Kou’s intent.
Unit 5 accelerated like a shooting star. Kou calculated the relative velocity carefully, ensuring that his impact with Kālakaeya would be minimized. In a split-second decision, he swung his blade clean through the enemy’s waist.
However, this was space—losing its lower half didn’t mean it was incapacitated.
Blue, perfectly timing her shot, blasted off the Kālakaeya’s right arm.
「Thanks, Blue!」
「It’s been a while since we worked together like this.」
Blue smiled in satisfaction, having executed her part flawlessly.
Unit 5 quickly flipped, severing the Kālakaeya’s left arm, effectively neutralizing the enemy.
「Kou! What are you doing?! We don’t have time for leisurely analysis!」
「I need to do this, Kurose-san, this will be quick!」
With the Kālakaeya firmly in its grasp, Unit 5 began heading back toward the Astraea.
Sensing something amiss, the enemy squadron opened fire on Kou, unleashing a barrage of laser cannons.
Unit 5 deployed a plasma barrier, attempting to nullify the attack.
「Kou-niichan! Throw it over here!」
Flack’s Caledonia Crow emerged onto the deck. Since this mission would occur in space and combat was expected, both Marl and Flack had been assigned combat-ready units.
「Flack! I’m counting on you!」
With all its might, Unit 5 hurled the neutralized Kālakaeya toward Flack’s Caledonia Crow.
The enemy immediately shifted their targeting priority. Instead of Kou, they fired their laser cannons at the disabled Kālakaeya, attempting to destroy it before it could be captured.
But their efforts were in vain.
Using a detonation-coded rocket anchor, a technique personally taught by Fuyuki, Flack launched a tether that latched onto the Kālakaeya and reeled it in before the enemy could finish it off.
Still holding the disabled unit, Flack’s Caledonia Crow swiftly retreated into the Astraea’s hangar.
「Flack! Once you’re in the hangar, step away from the enemy Mythology Weapon! Extract the MCS and examine the interior. Voy, can you and the Familias handle this on your own?」
「Of course! Leave it to us!」
The Woodpecker units immediately began the disassembly process, while Voy and the others, clad in space suits, stood by for further work.
「I should have accounted for this possibility. Kou, you’ve grown.」
「It’s not confirmed yet. I don’t want to speculate without proof.」
With that, Kou rejoined the battle.
「I see now. I understand what you were worried about.」
「This isn’t the time for riddles! What the hell did you realize, Kou?!」
「This isn’t something I can say based on speculation.」
「That just makes me even more curious!」
Kurose’s frustration was understandable. A battle was raging, and yet here Kou was, engaging in some ominous conversation. There was no way not to be concerned.
Then, Voy spoke—his usual lightheartedness replaced with an uncharacteristically serious expression.
「Kou… We’ve finished checking. You were right. Dead on. I don’t even want to say it out loud. Just… understand.」
「Can they be saved?」
「No. Not a chance. One look was enough—it’s like they’re melting.」
「Understood.」
Kou immediately opened a transmission to Trireme’s Space Fleet.
「Everyone, we’ve confirmed the Kālakaeyas’ true nature. It’s a type of Aberration Arms—a system that incorporates human bodies to enhance its performance. In other words, these machines are piloted by people who have been fused into them. Do not hesitate to destroy them. They cannot be saved.」
With that, Kou’s fears were confirmed.
TN: As I did in a chapter before I’ll explain a little more about the mythological beings being named in the chapter. This time is the turn of the Nereids and the Kālakaeya.
Nereids: The Nereids are sea nymphs in Greek mythology, specifically the fifty daughters of Nereus and Doris. They are minor deities of the sea, often associated with the Mediterranean, and are known for their beauty, kindness, and protective nature toward sailors and marine life. They dwell in the Aegean Sea and assist sea travelers, calming storms or guiding lost ships. Unlike other sea spirits (such as sirens), they are generally benevolent and protective. The most famous Nereids are Thetys, mother of Achilles; Amphitrite, wife of Poseidon and queen of the sea; and Galatea.
Kālakaeya: The Kālakaeya are probably based on the Kālakaeya Asuras, a race of powerful demons from Hindu mythology. They are known for their immense strength and cruelty, often fighting against the Devas. Their bodies were described as black, with blood-red eyes, sharp fangs and large mouths. They were finally defeated thanks to the help of the Sage Agastya, who drank the entire ocean were they were hiding. This exposed them allowing Indra and Kartikeya to wipe them out.
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