A full week had passed since PROJECT launched its full-scale invasion of the New United States, and during that time, an extremely strange pattern had emerged.
Whenever PROJECT's forces were on the verge of completely breaking the New United States' defenses, they would suddenly pull back. Then, as European Space Agency reinforcements gradually arrived, the defensive lines would stabilize once more.
It was as if PROJECT had been deliberately waiting for the European Space Agency to fully enter the battlefield.
And Roland was indeed waiting.
The earlier incident where the Tyrant Sword Demon Unit had accidentally struck European Space Agency personnel seemed to have provoked them. After that, the forces they deployed doubled, even tripled.
Exactly what Roland wanted.
He needed the European Space Agency's factions to get dragged into this quagmire. Otherwise, how could he rapidly accumulate Essence?
And now... the numbers had finally reached the level he needed. After cultivating things for so long, it was finally time to harvest.
...
"What exactly are those PROJECT people planning..."
Melonda watched the PROJECT forces withdraw once again, unable to hide his confusion as he muttered.
"Who knows..."
Euland shook his head. The two of them were no longer on the front lines but inside a rear underground base that had been converted into a command center for high-ranking officers. Its main purpose was to guard against PROJECT's decapitation strikes.
At present, the New United States, together with the European Space Agency and the Cyber Security Bureau, had barely stabilized the cyber offensive launched by the AIs under Lissandra. Even so, they still had to periodically abandon existing nodes and establish new communication nodes.
The reason Melonda and the others made such decisions was simple. The Tyrant Sword Demon Unit's previous action had left a deep impression on them. Compared to PROJECT's small strike teams breaking in, that single display of overwhelming force was far more suffocating.
"Their deepest penetrating unit stopped after reaching Colorado... they've just been harassing surrounding states instead of pushing further."
"Are they trying to lower our guard?"
"That seems unnecessary. They had plenty of chances to break through before..."
"Report! Emergency!"
As the two discussed PROJECT's intentions, a messenger rushed in.
"Speak!"
"Yes. PROJECT has launched another full-scale offensive and is advancing deeper into our territory!"
Whoosh.
After exchanging a glance, Euland and Melonda immediately switched to the command channel and began issuing orders.
...
Over the past week, Arizona, Wyoming, Utah, and Montana had all but fallen. PROJECT's advance was now pushing further east.
On the main battlefield in Colorado, the once sand-covered land was now completely overtaken by silver and black. Grains of sand rattled against metal surfaces as the wind swept across the field.
These were PROJECT's mechanical forces, currently standing by.
Then, an order was transmitted.
Clatter.
In the next instant, the entire mechanical legion moved in perfect unison, surging forward like a tidal wave of steel toward the interior of Colorado, accompanied by the growing roar of armored vehicles.
Several Sovereign Series fighters streaked across the sky. Among them was an especially massive figure.
A colossal fighter, over a hundred meters in size, tore through the air at terrifying speed, leading the charge.
"That fighter is here!!!"
As the warning echoed through the joint communication channel of the New United States and European Space Agency forces, multiple pre-charged energy repulsors activated at once. Countless graphite bombs were launched into the sky.
Supersonic missiles and EMP missiles followed close behind.
A strange energy wave swept across the massive fighter formed by the Tyrant Sword Demon Unit, causing its Energy Shield to flicker.
Then the graphite bombs detonated, creating a dense black cloud that clung directly to its fuselage. Sparks erupted, and the Tyrant Sword Demon Unit immediately began diving downward.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Missiles slammed into its body, filling the sky with blazing explosions. At the same time, the EMP took effect, disrupting its transformation modules.
Boom!
The moment that massive body crashed to the ground, cheers erupted from the New United States joint forces.
The damage the Tyrant Sword Demon Unit had caused over the past week had been unimaginable. This was the first time they had successfully executed this plan.
But... had they really succeeded?
Bang!
A massive mechanical arm burst out of the ground in the next instant. Though faint arcs of electricity still flickered across it, its movement was clearly unaffected.
Moments later, the Tyrant Sword Demon Unit slowly climbed out of the crater, its armor slightly blackened. The most significant damage it had sustained came from the EMP's interference with its transformation modules, largely due to the technology still being incomplete.
"Attack!!!"
At the command, the New United States joint forces launched a frenzied assault.
Meanwhile, PROJECT's mechanical army had already reached the rear, forming a distant metallic tide advancing across the battlefield.
Similar scenes unfolded across other battlefields.
The massive Zero and the newly developed Tyrant Behemoth entered the battlefield through different methods.
The container-like Tyrant Zero was transported by numerous Sovereign Series fighters and dropped directly into the midst of New United States forces. The impact alone caused devastating damage.
As for the Tyrant Behemoth...
On the battlefield in New Mexico, the ground beneath the New United States forces began to tremble.
For a moment, everyone had the same thought. Was this an earthquake?
The tremors intensified.
Then, in the next instant, the ground collapsed. A massive purple figure burst out from below and slammed into the middle of the formation.
The moment its enormous hand struck, violent shockwaves erupted, sending nearby troops flying several meters into the air and destroying large amounts of equipment.
What followed was pure devastation.
Compared to the hellish conditions on the central and southern fronts, the northern battlefield appeared relatively calm.
PROJECT's squad units were the main presence here.
But even so, it was still a one-sided fight.
The European Space Agency's Twelve Angels were also present, but they did not dare fully commit to battle.
There were simply too many PROJECT forces. They might not even win in a one-on-one fight, let alone against overwhelming numbers.
They were not suicidal.
At the end of the day, this was the New United States' war. They had no intention of sacrificing their lives for it.
As for the southern front...
That place was even worse.
Fighting here was one thing. Down there, it was like fighting monsters. Hard to even watch.
Twelve Angels: What? Fight monsters? You've got to be kidding.