After witnessing that scene, both Euland and Melonda looked utterly grim.
"This is a show of force. A blatant show of force!"
"Hah, exactly. PROJECT is making it crystal clear. They can fly straight into your command center at any time, wipe you all out in a single strike, and leave you leaderless. And there's nothing you can do about it."
Euland let out a cold laugh as he spoke.
"What exactly are they trying to do?"
Melonda's expression was unusually ugly, his face filled with confusion. In his view, that giant mech from PROJECT could have wiped them all out with a single blow. So why didn't it. Why just issue a warning.
Though it was hardly a simple warning.
Thinking of that, Melonda couldn't help but glance again at the terrifying scar carved into the ground.
Euland also frowned. He couldn't understand PROJECT's reasoning either. If it was meant to force negotiations, it seemed unnecessary. Given the current situation, they could have simply crushed them outright.
Could it be. That the giant mech consumed an enormous amount of energy and was only putting on a front?
A sharp glint flashed through Euland's eyes at that thought.
If Roland knew that was what they were thinking, he would probably say.
Yeah, yeah, the Sword Demon is all show and no substance. Go ahead and try your luck.
In reality, Roland had sent the Sword Demon here purely to fine tune the compatibility between the AI and the Tyrant Sword Demon Unit's body. As for this base, he had picked it at random. He never expected the commander in chief of the European Space Agency and the commander in chief of the New United States to be meeting here.
If he had known, he would have had the Sword Demon level the place. The only reason he didn't was to take control of the forces inside. After all, it would not be long before PROJECT's army crossed the Arizona border and reached this base.
As for where the opposing commander was, Roland did not care in the slightest. Whether they were there or not, the outcome would be the same. Victory.
If not for the risk of the New United States resorting to nuclear strikes without hesitation, he would have already gone to tear apart their capital.
Why were the New United States' nuclear weapons not networked. If they were, he would have taken control of them already.
...
After leaving the base, the Tyrant Sword Demon Unit flew straight toward Utah. The battle there needed its presence to decide the outcome.
"ROAR!!!"
After tearing apart another mech, Maine threw his head back and roared amidst the flames, venting his frustration.
Around him lay the wreckage of countless armored vehicles and mechs, along with the corpses of many heavily augmented soldiers from the New United States.
"Damn it, does this ever end?!"
After cursing, Maine saw wave after wave of troops closing in on him again and fell silent.
Although PROJECT's army had grown rapidly during this period, there was still a gap compared to the long established military strength of the New United States.
As a result, not long after charging into their ranks, Maine found himself swallowed by sheer numbers. While they could not cause him much damage, it was endlessly frustrating.
Before he realized it, he had pushed too deep. He could no longer see any PROJECT forces. Only distant firelight and smoke from scattered battle zones.
Buzz.
Suddenly, a low hum reached his ears, picked up by his sharp senses. A grin immediately spread across his face.
"Finally."
Buzz. Boom.
A massive figure streaked toward the battlefield at extreme speed, its body radiating intense blue light. Anything in its path was either smashed aside or crushed outright.
This immediately drew the attention of the New United States command.
"What is that thing?!"
The figure abruptly came to a halt at the center of the battlefield, right near Maine.
Boom!
A surge of blue energy erupted instantly, and a powerful shockwave cleared out a wide area around it.
Clang.
Amid the heavy sound of metal hitting the ground, a massive figure different from the Tyrant Sword Demon Unit slowly appeared on the battlefield.
Since the transformation module had not yet been developed, Type Zero had arrived using external propulsion.
Clang!
With a tearing sound of metal, a massive warhammer formed in his hand.
Boom!
The moment the hammer came down, terrifying blue energy swept across a fan shaped area hundreds of meters wide in front of him.
The destructive efficiency was far beyond that of most PROJECT technologies, aside from large scale weapons.
Just as the New United States commander gritted his teeth, preparing to go all out to take down Type Zero, another figure suddenly descended behind their forces.
A terrifying sword aura carved a massive abyss behind the New United States troops.
In an instant, the commander's expression changed from savage determination to complete calm.
He understood. There was no point in fighting these monsters any longer. Reinforcements would never arrive. Surrender was the only option.
"Sir, we..."
"No need to say anything. Send the order. Cease all actions, lay down your weapons, abandon resistance, and surrender. There is no need for more pointless casualties."
"Yes."
...
"They surrendered. That was unexpected. Still, it saves some trouble."
Roland nodded as he reviewed the report, then took a moment to check his Essence reserves. Seeing the number steadily approaching his target, a smile appeared on his face.
"Lissandra, how is the construction beneath Night City progressing?"
"Everything is going smoothly. It will be completed soon."
"Good. What about the Super Body's intelligent core chamber?"
"It is ready."
Lissandra replied without expression. She was not particularly pleased about the imminent arrival of the Super Body.