"ROOOAR!!"
About to fall—bone dragon roared again. Intense mental assault struck again. Interrupted Defense Force's offensive momentum. Made battlefield situation chaotic.
Ground's countless bone fragments floated mid-air. Fused with its body. Repaired damaged parts. Even became more solid. Body's black flames intensified.
SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH!
Bone wings suddenly spread. Black flames condensed into projectiles. Rained down on city ruins below. Like black fire rain!
BOOM!!
Distance—Mina's next attack arrived. Explosion. Energy blast precisely hit bone dragon.
Body shattered. But rapidly reassembled. This large-scale destructive weapon—completely ineffective.
"Can you analyze core's position?" Mina—watching this—brow slightly furrowed. Asked monitoring room technician via comms.
Kaiju bodies usually contained something called core. As long as core not destroyed—kaiju would continuously regenerate.
This bone dragon's body structure—almost hollow. But naked eye couldn't determine core position. This kaiju's body structure... extremely bizarre.
"Can't analyze precise position yet..." Technician answered.
"Only continuous attempts then." Mina watched mid-air bone dragon. Gripped sniper cannon tighter. Goggles reflected battlefield firelight.
Deep breath. Sight locked on black-flame-burning bone dragon. Prepared another shot.
"In this situation—let me clear path for you, Captain." Hoshina's voice rang in comms. Already carved bloody path through kaiju. Gripped short blade. Looked up at bone dragon directly above.
"Hoshina—counting on you." Mina—each energy blast required activating suit's power. Very stamina-draining. Having someone help find enemy's core—then one-shot victory—correct tactics.
They were army. Had coordination.
"Don't think flying means I can't cut you..." Hoshina's figure flashed between building ruins. Stepped on half-collapsed buildings. Borrowed force—leaped toward sky. Like arrow shot forth.
Gaze locked on bone dragon's skull. Both arms' muscles tensed. Full Combat Power Release... 92%!
Hoshina-Style Blade Technique Form Two—Cross Slash!
Hoshina's figure crossed paths with bone dragon mid-air. Purple-glowing blade sliced bone dragon's skull.
Skull dropped. Hoshina also fell with gravity.
But in that mid-air instant—Hoshina's eyes met bone dragon's green flame eye sockets. Crisis sense instantly struck!
BUZZ!!
Mental assault instantly hit Hoshina. Precise strike!
"Gah!" Hoshina felt brain hammered by iron. Intense pain. Body lost balance.
"Soshiro Hoshina... your opponent isn't me." Bone dragon's skull suddenly spoke human words. Made already-splitting-headache Hoshina shocked.
This thing... can talk!?
Moreover—knows my name!?
Skull floated back to neck. Restored. Bone dragon still suspended mid-air. Continued controlling ruins-spread kaiju—attacking Defense Force members.
"Captain—this kaiju..." Hoshina—enduring headache—prepared reporting intel via comms. But halfway through—felt waist struck violently!
BANG!!
Crimson humanoid kaiju burst from crater. Punched Hoshina's waist-abdomen. Sent him from mid-air into ruins. Like meteor crashing!
"Cough!"
"Another... kaiju."
Hoshina rose from ruins. Through smoke and firelight—looked ahead. Crimson-scaled humanoid kaiju—tail swaying behind—one-eyed—slowly walking toward him.
Kaiju No. 10. Strength Grade 8.3.
"Kaiju strength Grade 8.3!"
"Vice-Captain—please be careful!" Technician's voice rang in earpiece.
Though smaller size—definitely massive kaiju-class strength.
"This attack... clearly premeditated."
"Grade 8.3 kaiju—must go all-out." Hoshina held short blade. Maintained combat stance. Gaze assessed humanoid kaiju's body. Seeking attack opportunity.
One Grade 9 kaiju—already history-book-worthy event. Yet still not finished.
"Hoshina—can you hold?" Familiar voice came through earpiece.
"Who are you underestimating?"
"According to original plan—we'll handle this first. After luring more enemies out—you act." Hoshina said via comms.
Finished speaking—Hoshina directly charged forward with blade toward humanoid kaiju.
Fully-released suit surface—purple lightning crackling.
He'd dismember this kaiju!
"Examinees—board transport vehicles. Leave immediately!"
Transport vehicles for examinees arrived. Some soldiers came to recruits' location. Called them to continue evacuating.
By this scale—entire Tachikawa Base's hundred-kilometer radius might become battlefield. Must transfer them away.
"Senpai—should we leave?" Reno glanced at distant blazing battlefield. Some Defense Force members already injured. Turned back—asked Kafka.
Fortunately this Grade 9 kaiju—not direct-kill type. Otherwise—already mass casualties.
But this increasingly-stronger, hidden-core kaiju—perfectly countered Third Division's captain and vice-captain.
"Leave..."
Kafka also looked toward distant battlefield. Watched Defense Force members fighting bloodily.
He found himself unable to take evacuation steps.
They hadn't completed entry exam. Weren't Defense Force members yet.
But...
"Ichikawa—why are we joining Defense Force?" Kafka—fist clenched—watched battlefield. Asked aloud.
His pupils reflected battlefield flames.
Hearing this question—Reno understood Kafka's meaning. Came beside him. Gripped firearm tighter.
"My thoughts—same as yours."
He also couldn't evacuate at this moment.
"You two... want to surpass me at this moment?"
"Truly cunning idea." Kikoru noticed their movements. Walked over. Arms crossed. Told them.
"No... our rankings already ahead of you, right?" Reno couldn't help retorting.
"You!"
"Really can't read the room!" Kikoru—hearing this—slightly exploded.
"Anyway—I won't just watch you two show off!"
She also stated her stance.
This batch's strongest three recruits—at this moment—all made decisions.
"Kafka Hibino..."
"Damn—how did things become like this!"
Blonde and brown-haired men looked at battlefield—then at three preparing to charge in. Felt toothache.
"Whatever—let's go!"
They simultaneously decided. This opportunity to farm favorability—wouldn't miss!
"Hey—what are you doing!?"
"Battlefield too dangerous!" Soldier organizing evacuation—seeing them run toward battlefield—hurriedly shouted.
But Kafka's movements—no hesitation.
Glanced at high-position Mina. Then at intense battlefield beneath bone dragon.
"Because it's dangerous—that's why I'm going!"
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