"Report — an ultra-high energy-intensity reaction detected upon the enemy ship… this… this exceeds our shipboard detection equipment's threshold value outright!" A petty officer reported it to his superior commander in a panic.
The commander looked at the petty officer in surprise. "Has our detection equipment erred? Do the other ships' detection sets give the same result?"
An ultra-high energy-intensity reaction might pass.
But to exceed the detection equipment's threshold value was surely a little too extravagant.
"There is no error; just now the other interstellar warships reported the same thing!" the adjutant beside him put in.
At this the commander was thrown into utter bewilderment.
What in the world was this?
This giant ship, which a moment ago had taken their blows like a ghost ship without a word, how had it suddenly given out an energy reaction of such intensity?
"What does our monitoring equipment's threshold value signify?" Consul Ernest, holding the video communication with this commander, asked at this point.
The commander naturally did not know this, and could only turn his eyes to the petty officer responsible for that side of it.
That petty officer answered hurriedly, "This… this… comes to about… 30 times the energy intensity of our T4 Retribution-Angel-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship's bow gun when it fires. And that is past our threshold… so we cannot detect what energy-intensity value the enemy's weapon has actually reached. Only with those large-scale energy detection installations could detailed figures be obtained."
In fact what the petty officer said afterward mattered nothing to the commander or to Consul Ernest.
They had heard only that figure: past 30 times!
As they saw it, their own T4 Retribution-Angel-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship, which was their pride, was formidable enough already; yet the power of that single shot opposite exceeded the Retribution-Angel thirtyfold!
And that only the least it could be; what it actually came to, there was no knowing.
"Quickly! Withdraw at full speed! Order every interstellar warship to withdraw from this field at full speed; do not approach that unidentified starship!" Consul Ernest handed down the order at once.
Thinking of it now, that annihilation of the Sacred Wing Legion fleet must have been this mysterious giant ship's doing.
"My lord Consul, we have near 25,000 interstellar warships… and the enemy has only one. Even fitted with exceedingly strong weapons, it cannot possibly pose a threat to our 25,000 interstellar warships. I hold that this is the finest chance we have to learn about these mysterious giant ships. Indeed — the chance to destroy it! It has only just fought the Sacred Wing Legion; however strong it may be, it cannot possibly be unscathed. We ought to go on fighting." The commander at this point held that they ought to remain and give battle.
Consul Ernest upbraided him loudly. "Is there something wrong with your head? Or is it that the Owl Dragon Legion's people are all fools? That interstellar warship stands there alone; and several minutes have passed since the fighting with the Sacred Wing Legion ended — time enough for that giant ship to withdraw, and time enough for other Owl Dragon Legion fleets to come up in support. Then why have they not done so? Why wait here for you reinforcements to arrive? Do not forget the Owl Dragon Legion's T4-grade interstellar stealth scout ship; your every movement is beneath their eyes. In all likelihood they know your reinforcements are coming. Then why have they not withdrawn!"
Consul Ernest, his face darkened, spoke the last line: "It is because that mysterious giant ship is confident it can meet those 25,000 interstellar warships of yours. Though I do not know from where it draws that assurance. My instinct tells me. You must withdraw from there at once, this instant!"
Hearing the Consul's admonition, though there was still some reluctance in his heart — holding that however formidable that mysterious giant ship might be, it could not possibly be a match for 25,000 interstellar warships—
still, with the Consul handing down the order so gravely, to disobey further would be to defy a military command.
He could only have his subordinates hand down the order to withdraw.
The 25,000 interstellar warships soon ceased their advance, and prepared to begin adjusting course and withdrawing from there.
But just at this moment.
This commander saw an enormous violet-gold pillar of light shoot out from before that mysterious giant ship, and in the turn of an instant swallow up a part of the Holy Radiance fleet upon the left wing!
At this moment the whole bridge he stood upon fell into an uncanny silence.
And thereafter, a more terrible sight appeared.
That enormous violet-gold pillar of light began, at a speed the naked eye could follow, to move sideways — sweeping a fan-shaped arc with that mysterious giant ship as its center.
Step by step 'devouring' every interstellar warship in the path of its movement.
Consul Ernest rose to his feet at this moment as well, his expression somewhat out of his control; he at once ordered the people opposite to record this scene.
He watched with his own eyes a flagship, a T4 Retribution-Angel-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship, with its star shield open, drowned beneath that violet-gold pillar of light.
Under the star shield's protection, that T4 Retribution-Angel-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship was at first like a little boat pulling against the current within a waterfall.
But in a bare few breaths, the star shield dispersed.
And that T4 Retribution-Angel-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship too, beneath that violet-gold pillar of light, was reduced to ash and smoke.
At this moment Consul Ernest's feelings might be called a mingling of five flavors; looking at the panic and confusion on the bridge opposite, he said nothing more.
But watched this scene like a witness.
Watching that violet-gold pillar of light swallow his fleets step by step, like a wave of the sea.
One legion fleet… two legion fleets…
10,000 interstellar warships…
Where that violet-gold pillar of light passed, there remained only the fragments and wreckage of Holy Radiance interstellar warships.
And this violet-gold pillar of light showed no sign of stopping, but went on moving without cease.
At last, amid the terrified cries across the video window.
The video was cut.
Looking at that video window gone pitch black, Consul Ernest sat in his chair, unable for a long while to calm his own feelings.
He sat there dully a long time, that scene of a moment ago filling his mind.
Though it had come across a video window, he could feel that terrible air of it all the same.
Destruction!
The air of a thing that destroys all.
He did not know how long it was before Consul Ernest called in his subordinate.
The subordinate walked into the office, and looked at his lord Consul — face ghastly pale, the front of his robe soaked through.
Strange. Was my lord Consul not in his office contacting the Sacred Wing Legion? Why does he look as though he has been through a bout of hand-to-hand fighting?
"By every means you can contrive, get me these eight legion fleets!" The Consul's eyes were bloodshot, and he handed down the order in a voice somewhat unsteady.
The subordinate was for a moment somewhat puzzled; but the word he soon received made him look at the Consul in astonishment.
"My lord Consul, these eight legion fleets you had me contact — their flagships cannot any of them be reached…"
"Go on contacting them for me! Every interstellar warship subordinate to those eight legion fleets — contact them all for me," Consul Ernest roared, striking the table.
It was as though he wished by this means to cover over something.