Sky-cracking Rider

High-energy rays are just a general term, and there are many types of rays. Some are harmless, while others are quite lethal, especially those carrying extremely high energy; sometimes their power is not inferior to directed-energy weapons.

Lasers, particle beams, and electromagnetic waves are actually a kind of high-energy rays.

"'Rookie,' protect Yan Ling at all costs!"

The communication officer sent a targeted order, not a broadcast announcement for everyone.

"Got it!"

Chen Fei understood instantly upon receiving the command why this S-class ability user was partnered with him.

Whenever a powerful psi skill is activated, the user often falls into a weakened state after paying a tremendous price. Yan Ling is most vulnerable during this period, whereas Chen Fei is someone who goes mad enough to not spare even himself, absolutely decisive in critical situations.

"Unidentified shockwave detected, prepare for impact!"

Adam: Unidentified shockwave detected, prepare for impact!

Chen Fei was slightly startled; the situation had taken another turn.

The communication officer's voice and Adam's subtitles were almost simultaneous, all evading airships had activated their protective barriers.

The sea vessels fleeing at full speed also opened massive magic shields at key positions through onboard spellcasters.

On the distant island, countless monsters were thrown into the sky, flying in all directions uncontrollably, creating a spectacular scene.

Like a muffled thunderous roar, a fierce wind struck, and Chen Fei, who had just returned to Flagship No. 2, immediately felt a slight tremor in the ship's hull.

Even at such a distance, it was still able to shake the hull of the 120-meter ship within multiple protective barriers, indicating the intensity of the impact.

In the sea area around Midway Island, it was like dumplings falling into the water, monsters pitter-pattering down from the sky.

Eager hunters like sharks and orcas, more than three thousand of them, gathered near the coastline, attracted by the strange blood of the previously hunted salty magical beasts.

This turned into a sea-and-sky feast, and the monsters falling into the sea let out despairing roars, being torn and devoured by marine predators and magical beasts, with their equally strange blood quickly mixing into one.

The sea surface suddenly seemed to whip up a seventeenth-level storm, waves surging with peaks like mountains rolling incessantly.

The ten-thousand-ton big destroyer "Fishery Enforcement 0199" was slower in escaping; a 360-degree full directional impact hit the sea, causing huge waves that sometimes pressed its bow underwater. The floating magic shield on the left side of its stern flickered under the impact, seemingly ready to collapse at any moment, with the elemental energy composing the spell dissipating into the air.

Nonetheless, the magic shield barely held on, with the Fishery Enforcement ship bobbing in the turbulent waves, slowly picking up speed, leaving a clearly visible trail of white bubbles behind as it sailed away with all might.

The mobility speed of sea vessels couldn't match that of airships; they only excelled in rugged durability. The hull surface was engraved with some magic arrays, and the sea surface spread out the impact. In the end, it was just a scare, though the people onboard felt like they were on a continuous roller coaster ride, suffering quite a bit.

Yan Ling stared fixedly at the "Wormhole Cloud," which had just pulled back to a 5-kilometer distance, and seemingly predicted, "Something terrible is going to come out!"

"Last time it was gravity, now it's a shockwave; none of it is normal stuff anyway."

Chen Fei wasn't surprised at all; the monsters coming out of the "Wormhole Cloud" were nothing but ferocious creatures with hideous looks, large sizes, and violent nature.

Up to now, all that had rushed out of the "Wormhole Cloud" were monsters without any abilities, relying purely on their fierce biological instincts. Their threat level was roughly equivalent to mutants—military contractor combat personnel would find dealing with them even easier.

"'Adam,' each cooperative ship release levitating railguns, total of 12 units, each carrying one elemental annihilation bomb, eight 600mm demolition bombs, three 300mm tungsten steel core shells, set in predetermined positions, first launch set to acceleration of 10 Mach."

Chen Fei still made extra preparations, marking the various locations around Midway Island on a three-dimensional holographic projection screen.

In case something big comes out, he needs to be ready.

Levitating railguns are a newly developed device used to enhance multi-angular focus fire striking effect, individually equipped with magic arrays and "Super Star Crystals," 12 shells capacity, rotary feed module, self-contained light wing module to augment combat autonomy.

The main cannon can fire metal projectiles of caliber less than 1200mm, while the secondary cannon is equipped with laser beams and particle beams, being completely high-powered weapons. Its combat shape overrules mobility considerations and lacks strong protective performance, mainly for deploying firepower at critical tactical positions.

The acceleration of launches within the atmosphere generally should not exceed 15 Mach; otherwise, air friction affects the range; projectiles soon burn and gasify like meteors, failing to travel far.

Outside the atmosphere, these railguns' power becomes fearsome. Firing casually reaches 800 kilometers effortlessly, even hitting Mars from Blue Star isn't impossible, just needs patience.

The preset positions of 12 levitating railguns are about 12-20 kilometers away from the "Wormhole Cloud," with launch acceleration at 10 times the speed of sound, perfectly fitting.

Twelve cooperative ships dropped a thirty-meter-long levitating railgun, each unfolding six-direction light wings—five meters long each—underneath, encircling Flagship No. 1 and Flagship No. 2.

In a non-detached state, a levitating railgun acts as the main cannon of a cooperative ship. Detached, it relies on light wings for maneuverability, drawing elemental energy from the atmosphere, converting to crystal energy storing in the core unit "Super Star Crystal". Despite Blue Star's active elemental energy, balancing intake and expenditure can't sustain indefinitely but can effectively replenish consumption, extending independent flight time and firing energy.

Light wings not only draw energy to enhance autonomy but also function as maneuvering components, afford certain flight and steering capabilities.

"What are those?"

Miyoshi Monk leaned over the starboard window of Flagship No. 2, scrutinizing the levitating railguns flying to their preset positions. Their rectangular appearance, especially the distinctive semi-hollowed accelerating tracks, and caliber indicated them as powerful devices.

"Cooperative ship's maneuverable railgun module, caliber 1200mm, maximum acceleration 300 Mach."

Chen Fei didn't worry Miyoshi Monk would leak information. He's known for keeping secrets tight, perfectly suited for confidential missions, hence Chen Fei felt assured.

The command center was already numb to sudden appearances of additional combat units. Metal ability users were often called inventors or human walking factories—especially this one, talented in constructing combat devices and "sacrificing" finished items, then replicating them using psi skills. From single soldier tactical armor to fighter jets, now a fleet of flying railguns—none special.

As soon as twelve levitating railguns got in place, a swarm of peculiar-looking creatures burst out of the "Wormhole Cloud."

"It's out!" ×2

Miyoshi Xuesen and Yan Ling exclaimed simultaneously.

The reconnaissance drones vigilantly monitoring the "Wormhole Cloud" promptly presented scanned data to Chen Fei through three-dimensional holographic projection.

Chen Fei marveled at these new species' unique appearances.

"They look like... huh? Jet fighters?"

Slender spindle-shaped bodies, three pairs of eyes on the "nose" for simultaneous front and rear vision, swept-back large triangle double wings, double vertical tails, emitting a significant infrared heat reaction despite having no tail flame, high-temperature hot air jets instead of high-temperature tail flames. Multiple gill-like intake organs at the front bottom part of the large triangle wings intake air for special heating or chemical reaction inside, converting to high-temperature and high-pressure air jets, though less efficient than jet engines hitting thousands of degrees Celsius, still enough to propel these airplane-like monsters to fly fast in the sky.

Like kicking a hornet's nest, over a thousand fighter jet-like monsters burst out suddenly.

Adam: Ultrasonic reaction detected.

On the three-dimensional imaging, the "cockpit" of these new creatures became ultrasonic emission sources. Biological creatures emitting detectable ultrasonic waves aren't surprising; Blue Star's bats and dolphins both do so—the latter's ultrasonic waves even possess lethal effects.

Not just Chen Fei's airship battle group, even Sovereignty's combat spaceships reacted promptly, dense barrages rained down, various caliber railguns kept firing.

Attacked fighter jet-shaped monsters fell one after another, some even exploded violently mid-air.

The twelve levitating railguns at their positions didn't fire once, levitating quietly, waiting for Chen Fei's command.

"Interesting new species, probably the work mimicking 'Seed Nests'."

Chen Fei delegated the intercepting tasks entirely to Adam, analyzing the newly emerged monsters' source, guessing they are new evolutionary species targeting Blue Star civilization.

Forwarding the intel to Louis Landon, wondering if he had any opinions or suggestions.

"'Rookie,' try capturing live specimens."

The command center sent Chen Fei a new directive, characteristic of Blue Star Global United Defense Committee—collecting biological samples of new mutant species, a routine duty for military contractor crews owning Aircrew Bases.

"Roger, I'll give it a try. Current weather conditions are good; can ability users further purify the atmosphere? Suggest using directed-energy weapons; it's more efficient."

Using kinetic physical output weapons would have delays; switching to lasers or particle beams could efficiently and quickly kill these new monsters.

Some fireballs flew out from beneath the fighter jet-shaped monsters; they adapted to Blue Star's atmosphere instantly, starting their counterattack.