Whoosh—
"You think those iron-headed idiots are completely dumbfounded?"
"I'd say so. They never had air superiority to begin with. That last battle had me choking on frustration. Now the higher-ups have finally given us the green light."
Two Skysweep-452 fighters from the New United States roared across the sky above the PROJECT forces, yet made no move to attack—seemingly here for nothing more than a show of force.
Below, the PROJECT troops slowly lifted their heads to look up. If the two pilots could see clearly from their cockpits, they would have noticed countless robotic optical sensors silently tracking their flight paths.
The New United States' motive was simple. There was no deeper scheme—they just wanted to salvage their pride after their previous defeats.
Whether in the Unification War or the conflict in Night City, they had suffered heavily at the hands of PROJECT. Now, they intended to reclaim some dignity.
On the Idaho battlefield, PROJECT was indeed at a disadvantage for the moment, largely due to its lack of aerial power.
Supersonic speed was on an entirely different level for armed AV vehicles.
Only certain anti-air missiles and interception systems posed any meaningful threat.
Previously, the New United States had avoided deploying airpower because those territories were valuable assets. But now… Idaho's land could be fought over however they pleased.
If it had been prosperous cities, they might have shown some restraint. But this was the outer edge of Idaho—territory they had no intention of keeping. So they removed the restraints and went all out.
After receiving reports from the front line, Myers finally allowed herself a smile. Heaven knew how many times PROJECT had driven her blood pressure through the roof.
"Since the situation at the front is favorable, expand the gains. Let PROJECT understand what real pain feels like."
Myers let out a cold laugh and issued her orders to the frontline commander, Taylor.
"Don't worry. I'll make them understand the price of provoking the New United States. The force they've deployed this time may not be their entire army, but it's definitely a substantial chunk. If we swallow them whole, it'll be enough to break their bones."
"Good. I authorize the use of compressed shells and large-area electromagnetic rockets. As long as we can inflict wide-scale casualties, that's enough."
"Hmph… Looks like their boss won't be having an easy time."
With Myers' authorization secured, Taylor couldn't help but chuckle.
…
While they celebrated, dozens of fighter jets shaped like sharp arrowheads sped toward Idaho in an impeccably tight formation.
If the New United States had detected them at that moment, they would have discovered something alarming—their speed was already two to three times that of their most advanced fighters.
Suddenly, as if receiving some signal, the entire formation trembled. Intense energy fluctuations erupted across their frames. In the next instant, they transformed into streaks of golden light and surged toward Idaho at full speed—
Accelerating even further.
"The Sovereign Series is about to reach the battlefield. We'll be able to launch our counterattack immediately."
Chris let out a cold laugh.
"Yeah. I've put up with these bastards long enough."
The burly man with long blue hair nodded. He was the other commander, Boros—a name that carried the weight of a true powerhouse.
And rightly so. He was primarily responsible for commanding special operations squads. His micro-control in small-scale engagements was exceptional, though he was less suited to large, frontal battlefields—relatively speaking, at least.
At this moment, the New United States officially deployed its aerial strike force.
The instant he received the order, Taylor moved without hesitation. He immediately ordered the launch of the compressed shells and large electromagnetic rockets, aiming to inflict maximum damage on the PROJECT forces.
PROJECT-manufactured radar systems immediately blared alarms. Through satellite surveillance, Chris saw New United States warplanes closing in at high speed.
"Activate the energy shield. Stall for as long as possible. At the Sovereign Series' speed, they'll arrive in just a few minutes."
"Understood."
The officer relayed the order at once. In an instant, countless devices activated simultaneously. Amber energy lines shot into the sky, converging at a single point overhead.
From that point outward, a honeycomb-patterned energy shield rapidly expanded, soon enveloping the entire PROJECT force.
Watching from his cockpit, Taylor slowly narrowed his eyes.
"So this is PROJECT's energy technology? Impressive… But I wonder how durable it is. Begin the first volley. Let's test its defensive strength."
"Understood."
The New United States fighters opened their missile bays. In the next second, a barrage of missiles streaked forward, long tails of flame dragging behind them as they slammed directly into the shield.
The fighters roared across the sky above it.
Boom!
Firelight filled the sky, crashing against the energy shield and spreading in rippling waves like water. Yet the radiance remained dazzling—the shield showed no visible signs of damage.
"Report: shield integrity at ninety-six percent."
"Mm. Have the ground-based energy weapons begin charging. We can't just let them keep gifting us explosives—we'll return the favor."
As Chris finished speaking, the PROJECT forces beneath the shield sprang into action. Energy cannons were rapidly assembled across various positions.
Sensing danger, the New United States fighters immediately received warning alerts and shifted flight paths.
At this stage, fighters and even space warships were primarily controlled by AI systems, with human pilots serving as neural-interface operators.
The advantage was clear—significantly reduced control complexity. The downside was equally obvious. If the aircraft suffered catastrophic damage, the pilot usually suffered severe neural backlash. There was also the risk of network-level intrusion. In such cases, disconnecting from the network was the only solution—and what followed depended entirely on the pilot's skill.
Whoosh—
Azure energy beams shot skyward, piercing through the energy shield and blasting into open air. One fighter failed to evade in time and was struck along its flank.
It wobbled violently for a moment before crashing straight down onto the shield's surface, erupting into towering flames.
Seeing this, the remaining New United States fighters immediately pulled back, awaiting further orders.
"Deploy electromagnetic rockets around the perimeter of their energy shield."
Taylor reacted at once.
"Have the ground forces advance and apply pressure to the PROJECT troops. What's the status of the ground missile formations?"
"They're fully prepared!"
"Then open fire and bombard that energy shield. I refuse to believe we can't blast open this turtle shell!"
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser