The unit Ato belonged to was MOTH's Special Operations Unit, responsible for direct combat against Herrschers. Every member had been selected from various divisions as the best of the best—soldiers who had distinguished themselves in numerous missions, elites among elites.
Most members of the Special Operations Unit were capable of facing many enemies alone on the battlefield, earning glorious military achievements. After receiving specially approved resources from MOTH, they became even more formidable.
These so-called special resources meant direct access to MOTH Headquarters, priority requisition rights for weapons and equipment, and special command authority over certain logistical units. In other words, they enjoyed extremely high operational autonomy within the military structure.
It all sounded prestigious and impressive. Reality, however, was far harsher than imagination.
Once, this unit had been regarded as humanity's hope against the Herrscher. But after the Herrschers began to appear, the unit became a joke. The Special Operations Unit, once numbering over a thousand elites, suffered total defeat against the First Herrscher. In the end, only a handful survived.
As a result, the unit's numbers plummeted. It dwindled into the small team of only a few dozen members it was today. Eventually, it degenerated into a bait unit—tasked with restraining the Herrscher and buying time for nuclear missiles to arrive.
This had practically become a habitual tactic of MOTH's decision-making leadership. Every time the Operations Department dealt with a Herrscher, they used the same trick. As for other plans, they were never even granted the chance for discussion.
In truth, humanity had many other options. For example, the nano flying blades newly developed by the Engineering Division under Dr. Newton's leadership were an excellent weapon against the high-speed Herrscher of Wind.
Unfortunately, perhaps because previous nuclear strike plans had successfully defeated a Herrscher and given the Strategic Operations Department a taste of success, MOTH's Strategic Operations Department had not formulated any alternative plans. They seemed to believe this was the perfect strategy for fighting Herrschers, with no need to consider other choices.
"Heh, sacrifice a few people and eliminate a Herrscher. What a bargain. Everyone wins... my ass," Ato complained to his teammates.
This did not violate the Special Operations Unit's confidentiality regulations, because everyone currently in the squad had participated in the operation to restrain the Second Herrscher.
One of the team members handed Ato his tactical visor and said, "As far as I know, this was a decision made by the North American Theater Command."
"Damn it. North American Theater Command is a bunch of environmental-obsessed idiots. Every plan they come up with just makes your vision go black. Their strategic deployment skills are worse than some game designers."
The team member shrugged helplessly. "I heard this was the 'optimal solution' provided by the AI Strategic Analysis System."
Ato's tone was filled with strong dissatisfaction. "Letting artificial intelligence decide the survival of humanity—what a joke. If we have AI making decisions, what do we even need human decision-makers for?"
"Do you know why the AI Strategic Analysis System only gives this kind of plan?"
"Because those guys who sit either in offices or conference rooms have never once set foot on the frontlines against a Herrscher. They have no idea what it's actually like when we fight one."
"The only data they can feed into their computers is things like 'nuclear weapons can eliminate a Herrscher' and 'soldiers can delay a Herrscher.' Every other plan they've tried has failed in front of a Herrscher."
"You really think the nuclear plan is that effective? Every Herrscher has the ability to stop a nuclear strike. The reason it worked before was because a hero risked everything and created a miracle. If the nuclear plan had failed, we wouldn't even be standing here right now."
Having personally witnessed a Herrscher, Ato knew all too well how powerful they were. That level of strength was far beyond human capability. Even repeated nuclear bombardment might not necessarily injure a Herrscher. As for sending soldiers to delay one, that was nothing but a joke. No amount of manpower could bridge that gap.
Moreover, humanity's strongest warrior had already fallen. Who now had the qualification to face a Herrscher head-on?
Ato's teammates naturally knew who that hero was.
Siegfried—the man who could be called a monster even among MOTH's most outstanding soldiers. Without question, he was the strongest human in history. European soldiers who had fought alongside him called him Thor, the God of Thunder. Soldiers from Shenzhou jokingly referred to him as Lü Bu reborn.
In this era, there would never be a second person capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with him. No one knew how Siegfried had tempered such monstrous willpower and strength.
"At least this time we don't have to be the bait on the main battlefield. That's already fortunate, Ato," his teammate could only offer that small comfort.
Because everyone in the squad understood the Operations Department's habitual tactics, Ato's team was not the primary Special Operations Unit assigned to restrain the Herrscher of Wind this time.
As for cannon fodder, ignorant soldiers were far more suitable.
If soldiers knew the mission was certain death, there was a high probability they would desert—or cause unpredictable consequences for the entire operation.
Under the threat of death, humans were capable of anything. Especially well-equipped, highly experienced Special Operations Unit soldiers. If they truly intended to escape, only other Special Operations Unit members could intercept them.
The mission Ato's team had received this time was to supervise those uninformed bait squads, ensuring they obediently fulfilled their final duty as soldiers—until the very end of their lives.
Through the lens of his tactical visor, Ato watched the six bait squads—who did not yet realize they had already been handed their death notices—leap into the pitch-black storm.
Just like Instructor Siegfried and himself back then.
Ha ha—
A message came through the communicator. It was from the Special Operations Unit at the front. Ato felt heavy-hearted and reluctant to open it.
The moment they made direct contact with the Herrscher of Wind, the nuclear strike protocol would be activated immediately. Even the well-armed and battle-hardened Special Operations Unit soldiers could not restrain a Herrscher for long.
Yet even if Ato refused to open the message, other supervising units would. Moreover, the messages were directly connected to MOTH's Strategic Operations Department.
Ato slowly moved his finger to the communication button and pressed it, preparing to hear what might be the final words of those young soldiers.
"Reporting to Command Center. No sign of the Herrscher detected in the Clermont K-401 sector. Residual Honkai energy at 263 hectowatts. The Herrscher of Wind has already left."
Fuuu—Ato let out a long breath. It seemed their journey had not yet reached its end.
But this also meant the Special Operations Unit had failed to intercept the Herrscher of Wind. They had not even caught a glimpse of her.
"Extreme Honkai energy detected in Wellington Province."
"Extreme Honkai energy detected in Lake Detroit City."
Alerts from the Command Center's console came one after another through his earpiece. The Herrscher of Wind was moving far too quickly. In just a short while, she had crossed two provinces. The Special Operations Unit had no means of pursuit and could only attempt to predict her trajectory in advance.
Although the Operations Department's researchers had accurately predicted her route—and the Special Operations Unit had indeed waited at the predicted location, with a deviation of only about ten kilometers—by the time they crossed that ten-kilometer gap, the Herrscher of Wind was already hundreds of kilometers away.
"Sigh... get on the plane. We continue the pursuit."
Just as Ato and his team prepared to board the aircraft, they received an unexpected warning from MOTH's Strategic Center:
"North American Strategic Commander Selwyn has defected. Nuclear missiles in the Central North American Theater have been launched. All units prepare for nuclear interception."
"North American Strategic Commander Selwyn has defected. Nuclear missiles in the Central North American Theater have been launched. All units prepare for nuclear interception."
"North American Strategic Commander Selwyn has defected. Nuclear missiles in the Central North American Theater have been launched. All units prepare for nuclear interception."
Ato's eyes widened. He wondered if he had misread it. After punching himself once, he confirmed that this was not an illusion created by the Herrscher of Wind.
"Not only do we have to deal with a Herrscher, now we also have to intercept nuclear missiles?!"
His teammate added grimly, "If North American Strategic Command has defected, that means the entire North American frontline combat structure has collapsed..."
Can humanity still win this war?
Silence filled the aircraft cabin. In the distance, amid the burning city, the roar of tornadoes never ceased—seeming to mock humanity's futility.