"Report! Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Arizona have all come under invasion from PROJECT forces!"
"What did you say?!"
Caught off guard by the sudden report, Myers jolted in shock and quickly strode over to the real-time map. On it, red markers representing PROJECT forces were already crossing the border and steadily pushing deeper into New United States territory.
"Where did they get so many troops?!"
Myers spoke in disbelief. Although PROJECT still lagged behind them in sheer numbers, she knew full well that the gap in numbers was nowhere near enough to make up for the overwhelming difference in quality between the two sides.
"What should we do, President Myers?"
Myers' gaze flickered as she tried to think, but no viable solution came to mind. After taking a deep breath, she finally spoke.
"No matter what, deploy our forces immediately to engage them. We cannot allow PROJECT to enter our territory without resistance."
"Understood!"
"And one more thing. Notify the state governments immediately and have them mobilize troops to build defensive fortifications!"
"But President Myers... aside from Arizona, which we can still reach, we've lost contact with the governments of the other states..."
"What?!"
The news hit Myers like a thunderbolt. Losing contact with those state governments likely meant only one thing. They had reached some kind of agreement with PROJECT.
Her mind immediately went back to how those same officials had previously approved continued sales of PROJECT products within the New United States and repeatedly opposed her sanctions.
Myers gritted her teeth.
"Those backstabbing bastards! Hurry, contact Admiral Melonda and have him lead the remaining state forces to the front lines for reinforcement!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
...
Buzz.
With a low mechanical hum, the Tyrant Sword Demon Unit stationed outside Night City slowly regained clarity in its eyes.
"How's the synchronization?"
"Very good. Just a bit more familiarization and it'll be ready for full operation."
Lissandra glanced at the data readout and replied.
"Excellent. Send it straight to the front lines. Utah... have it push in from there. Use it as a spearhead to break through the New United States' defenses and tear open the front."
"Understood."
"When the time comes, don't hold back. Aside from you staying out of it, have all the other AIs take action. Eliminate every obstacle and assimilate any combat power that can be used."
Lissandra gave a slight nod and immediately began issuing orders.
The moment the command was transmitted, the defensive line jointly established by the Southern California forces and the New United States garrison collapsed almost instantly.
If they had barely managed to hold before, with only a small breach torn open by PROJECT forces, then the moment PROJECT's AIs truly joined the fight, everything changed.
One of the Warlord AIs assimilated by Lissandra instantly displayed the terrifying strength of an AI from beyond the Blackwall.
With a casual wave, large numbers of soldiers had their heads burned away. Others were driven into Cyberpsychosis, attacking indiscriminately, while many more lost control of their Cyberware and collapsed where they stood.
In the blink of an eye, the front line was shattered. What had been a small breach instantly turned into a massive hole, collapsing inward without resistance.
The commanding officer overseeing the battle could only stare in despair.
Whoosh.
A sharp sound cut through the air beside him, and a chilling presence rose behind his back.
"W-wait, wait, I surren..."
Thud.
Before he could finish, a dagger plunged into the back of his head, ending his life on the spot.
Lucy walked over calmly, and the dagger flew back into her hand as if called.
After dealing with the commander, Lucy turned to look behind her. Zed and V moved through the battlefield like phantoms.
Every pass left behind a spray of blood, marking the end of one, sometimes several, lives.
Soon, the entire command center had been completely wiped out. At that moment, Kelly appeared before the three of them.
"Good. The commander here is taken care of. My blockade will be lifted shortly. Head to the next location immediately."
"Got it."
V flashed a thumbs-up and smiled at Kelly. If not for the faint smear of blood still on her face, she could easily be mistaken for a harmless beauty.
...
"Send a few of the Twelve Angels to support the New United States battlefield. Otherwise, there's no one who can stop PROJECT's decapitation strikes."
Kana looked at Berlitz as he spoke.
Berlitz hesitated, which was rare for him.
"What's wrong?"
"The Twelve Angels aren't their match. If we send them out recklessly... we might lose them."
"...Have them avoid the stronger individual units. Let them focus on intercepting the weaker PROJECT members."
"...That's the only option, then. Before they leave, install some of PROJECT's neural Cyberware in them. Those don't require network access, so there's no risk of them being controlled, and they'll still enhance their combat capability."
"Alright."
...
"What did you say? Arasaka has withdrawn from this operation?! And they're even going to help PROJECT expand further?! Has that old fool Saburo Arasaka lost his mind?!"
Myers realized this was the first time in her life she had lost her composure so many times in a single day.
"It's true. The leadership of Arasaka Corporation changed a few days ago. The current chairman, Saburo Arasaka's only son, Yorinobu Arasaka, has reached a new agreement with PROJECT and stated that they will establish a comprehensive alliance..."
"Damn it..."
After hearing this, Myers cursed under her breath and slumped back into her chair, rubbing her temples. A deep sense of exhaustion washed over her.