TSW-R1C – Lanius C Flight Type Assault Silhouette
「Jenny, the Tachycineta squadron has been fully resupplied! Sorry for working you guys hard, but please get ready to re-sortie. The Tachycineta are faster than anything we have right now!」
「I’ve been waiting for you to say that! Tachycineta squadron, move out!」
The Tachycineta squadron sortied from the Cimon-class that had risen from the sea floor followed by the Star Soldiers that were piloted by Familiars.
The Star Soldiers couldn’t keep up with the speed of the Tachycineta squadron. The fastest fighters — Kelly’s masterpieces had demonstrated their full performance in order to help Aimer.
「I’m heading out too.」
「Blue huh. –Understood. Go. You’re the only Thunderstorm heading out though. Star 5 unit, go and escort her!」
「Understood!」
The heavy attack aircraft Thunderstorm was packed full of anti-aircraft weaponry before sortie.
「Wait a bit more, Aimer. I’m bringing Kou to your side now.」
The Thunderstorm launched out.
Different from the prototype version, its max speed had increased to Mach 1.8. However, at low altitudes, its speed will drop to 700 km or less. It was a machine that was originally intended for low-altitude combat.
When it reached the combat airspace, it approached the Coulsons from behind.
The escort Star Soldiers launched a surprise attack immediately. Of course, the Thunderstorm also launched its anti-aircraft missiles.
The Coulsons were attacked from an unexpected direction and were shot down one after another.
However, there was just too many enemy fighters. They immediately flooded toward the Thunderstorm. A heavy attack aircraft with a total length of nearly 30 meters wasn’t an enemy worth being concerned about to them.
However, the Thunderstorm demonstrated mobility that exceeded the Coulson pilot’s expectations.
They were having a hard time locking onto the aircraft that performed sudden acceleration and tricky evasive maneuvers.
Whenever they tried to chase after it, they would get attacked by the surrounding Star Soldiers. And when they finally managed to approach the target, they were pelted by a barrage of bullets from the target’s 60 mm autocannon. In an aerial dogfight, even if an aircraft doesn’t get hit directly, a little damage can still prove fatal.
They finally recognized the heavy attack aircraft as a troublesome opponent.
The Thunderstorm eventually took one direct hit from an anti-air missile, but it just shrugged it off. The Thunderstorm had particularly thick armor.
「Kou! I see it now! Astraea’s just up ahead!」
The Tachycineta squadron had already engaged the enemy. The Star Soldier squadrons also arrived at the combat airspace one after another and immediately participated in combat.
「I’m counting on you, Blue!」
Flying near the sea’s surface was especially tricky. The lower the altitude, the greater the demand for a pilot’s skills. It was an impossible feat for a person deprived of free will.
However, the Coulsons were still willing to fight. One reduced speed and tried to get a lock on the Thunderstorm from behind, but the Thunderstorm suddenly reduced its speed even more.
The Thunderstorm seemed to have applied a sudden brake, and the Coulson ended up overtaking it. The Thunderstorm suddenly climbed upward.
Then, the Coulson pilot saw something unbelievable.
「Why is a Silhouette in such a place?!」
A Silhouette popped out from the back of the Thunderstorm. It was Kou’s Unit 5, the Lanius.
It was clad in additional armor and was equipped with a large backpack. It left the Thunderstorm and slashed at the Coulson from behind.
The Coulson’s balanced collapsed, crashed onto the surface of the sea, and eventually sank.
「There are still lots of enemy aircraft swarming around Astraea. I’ll get back to anti-aircraft combat! Just go ahead and rush to her, Kou!」
「Thanks, Blue! Wait for me, Aimer!」
The Lanius glided above the sea surface without its feet touching it. Jet engines would become useless in water after all.
Kou switched his machine’s weapon to the AK2 and accelerated. A Coulson pilot still displayed an expression of disbelief as he moved in to intercept the Lanius that was moving at transonic speed.
However, Unit 5 still wasn’t using its maximum speed. It was just going at combat speed.
At that time, an operator’s voice rang out within Astraea.
「We have achieved air superiority! The Tachycineta and Star Soldier squadrons from Cimon have joined the battle!」
『It looks like they made it. Everyone has.』
「Un!」
「A Silhouette is rapidly approaching from the sea! It’s– It’s our Hidden Boss! It’s Kou-san’s Unit 5!」
「Kou is here!」
Aimer’s expression brightened. Lanius was projected on the monitor.
While advancing at combat speed and intercepting enemy machines, it moved so incredibly fast that one wouldn’t think it was actually advancing just a little above the sea surface.
It shot down the attacking Coulsons one after another. A transformable Silhouette Arular slashed at it, so Lanius cut it down in mid-air.
「I’m going to take you all down and reach Aimer!」
Kou yelled furiously and engaged in aerial combat.
The Lanius flew up.
The Lanius C type was equipped with a new additional armor system. Takaba Hyoue jointly developed it together with Misumaru Heavy Industry’s Kinukawa Eiji based on Kou’s prototype design. They had researched it together with Kou.
The Lanius C type was capable of transforming into a fighter mode, but it can freely switch between aerial combat flight and close combat acceleration.
It made use of the second substance released by Asia, octaoxygen (which was an allotrope of oxygen), as fuel. Combined with metallic hydrogen, it resulted in amazing combustion efficiency.
The Lanius C type incorporated the Huckebein’s built-in rotary detonation engine with the Lanius B type’s significantly improved flight capability. It was officially designated the TSW-R1C – Assault Flyer Type.
It was a machine that specialized in aerial combat.
It didn’t lower the acceleration capability of the Lanius which was meant for close combat while increasing its flight capability.
The backpack was equipped with two flight binder modules with two large thrusters with thrust vectoring nozzles each, for a total of four thrusters. It was also equipped with main wings to assist in lift. Its additional armor system provided additional binders that combined wings with attitude control thrusters. It also made use of biomimetic technology just like the Edge Swift. It was a model designed with a type of giant beetle called the Goliath beetle as the basis.
Unit 5 destroyed enemy machines as if it was dancing in the air.
Sometimes it slows down, then it suddenly goes beyond supersonic speed, completely throwing off the Coulsons swarming after it.
They eventually aimed anti-aircraft missiles on the Lanius. The enemies judged Lanius to be a fighter instead of a Silhouette.
Unit 5 released a plasma barrier through its electromagnetic armor and detonated all the anti-aircraft missiles coming at it.
An Arular transformed in mid-air and slashed at it.
「Not gonna work!」
The Arular pilot didn’t expect Unit 5 to actually evade its slash by moving horizontally to the side.
The thrust vectoring nozzles equipped on Unit 5’s limbs emitted shockwaves, allowing it to slide laterally in the air.
The slanted detonation waves generated by the rotating detonation engine were put to use. The thrust vectoring nozzles on the arms and legs on the Lanius supported its maneuverability.
It went around to the enemy machine’s flank and cut the Arular horizontally from the side.
「Hey guys, there’s a machine on the sea that’s rampaging like heck.」
The Yoania squadron had also noticed Unit 5.
「Cutting down a machine going faster than the speed of sound at such a low altitude…… That’s insane. Just who the heck is piloting that thing?!」
「Man. It’s even able to shoot down the enemies from a distance using a large caliber cannon. That pilot sure ain’t messing around!」
Kou did not exclusively stick to close combat. He made good use of Unit 5’s AK2 and shot down the Coulsons that were keeping their distance. The 90mm cannon was effective against aircraft.
「What kind of movement was that? That’s TAKABA’s Lanius?! It can actually move like that?!」
Kurose groaned as he watched Unit 5.
Even though it wasn’t a transformable machine, the Lanius that fought by either cutting up fighters in mid-air or shooting them down with a battle rifle seemed like a veritable monster.
Kou suppressed his impatience and faced all the enemies that came at him.
His mind was calmer and clearer than ever. It was probably due to the support of Unit 5. It was responding to his strong will.
Defeating as many enemies as possible will result in protecting Aimer. The only thing Kou could do now was fight with all he had.
Unit 5 gradually approached Astraea.
Before long, it had finally managed to reach the ship.
Unit 5 flew toward the deck of Astraea at high speed. Then, it finally landed on the deck.
「Aimer!」
「Kou!」
Aimer responded in tears to the shouting Kou.
「You did well, Aimer! The rest will come soon too!」
「Kou……」
Silhouettes were conducting anti-air barrages on the deck.
It was the Yoanias and Quattros. Astraea’s anti-air batteries were all down, so the Silhouettes were acting in their place.
Damage was done to the deck of Astraea, which was probably one of the toughest decks in the world. It had probably endured an unimaginable slew of attacks.
The Tachycinetas shot down the Coulsons one after another.
The Star Soldiers were about on par with the enemy aircraft. They were supporting the Edge Swifts.
Blue made good use of the Thunderstorm’s tough armor and carrying capacity to rain anti-aircraft missiles at the Coulsons.
Kou found a person on the deck he wanted to talk to.
「You’re Kurose-san, right? I’m Mozuya Kou. Thank you for coming to help Aimer and Astraea!」
Kou bowed deeply toward Kurose through the screen. It wouldn’t be enough no matter how much he bowed. The other person was the one who helped Aimer when she needed it the most.
「Ou. So, you’re that Japanese guy the little lady mentioned! We’re from the same home country after all. So, don’t sweat it! And the battle still isn’t over yet. Let’s fight together!」
Kou’s gratefulness was fully conveyed to Kurose.
He found the young man to be a rather pleasant fellow. As an adult, he responded accordingly.
「Yes!」
Kou participated in the aerial combat once more. It seemed that his accuracy with the AK2 was higher than usual. It was probably due to Lanius as well.
「Aimer! Can you hear me? We’ll be arriving there soon. Just wait a bit more!」
「Aki!」
「You really did your best, Aimer.」
「Un!」
Friends appeared one after another.
Aimer felt that enduring was truly worth it. It was thanks to the Familiars who protected her that she’d made it this far.
She looked at the sky and observed that the number of Star Soldiers flying above was increasing.
『Aimer, we’ve secured air superiority.』
The enemy planes had begun to withdraw.
There were no longer any additional enemy plane formations that were arriving in order to keep up the saturation attack.
「We’ve secured air superiority. Now, our fighters can safely land. –Thank you, everyone!」
Aimer’s voice echoed throughout the allied forces.
Finally, the carrier strike group led by Aimer and Astraea accomplished its goal. However, it came at a great cost.
Thanks for the chapter! Awesome translation! May God bless you!