"Holy crap? What was that flash?"
Inside the [Boxer Mech] cockpit, Luca, who had just confirmed with Hakimi over the phone that "Strucker" had evacuated all Hydra forces from Sokovia, was startled by a series of red and blue flashes on his virtual screen.
Due to Luca's earlier display of "violent firepower," Steve had a quick discussion with him and, after getting confirmation...
Decided to send Thor to attack the southern Helicarrier with the rest of the team to supplement their lack of "flying units."
Naturally, the northwestern carrier was left for Luca to handle solo.
Luca, having two Haro Mechs as support, didn't refuse.
So after the dogfight, the Avengers split up and flew toward their respective targets.
However, although the [Boxer Mech] could fly, it was just straight-line flight relying on Veronica's thrusters, with zero maneuverability.
Luca decisively handed control to Haro, the "Ace Gundam Pilot," and engaged autopilot.
He then called Hakimi to check on Sokovia and the Hydra European branch.
But while he was on the phone, the cockpit screen flashed red, followed by the beep beep of the "Auto-Defense Turret" locking onto targets.
And then... nothing.
The red light vanished, the beeping stopped, and the mech continued flying steadily in formation. It was as if everything before had been an illusion.
But since Luca asked, Haro, piloting the mech, answered.
"Replaying data. Displaying operational log."
"Detected three hostile aircraft. Hostiles launched ultra-long-range missiles. Suspected nuclear warheads. Missiles entered interception range. Auto-defense main cannon successfully intercepted nuclear warheads. Hostile fighters retreated rapidly."
"Deployed Unit 2 and Unit 5 to pursue..."
As the report reached this point, three flashes of fire appeared in the distant sky.
Clearly, the pursuing Haro Mechs had destroyed the enemy jets.
Hearing Haro's report, Luca didn't feel happy about the enemy's destruction. Instead, he wiped cold sweat from his forehead, feeling lucky.
Tsk tsk. Nukes already? Good thing I wasn't arrogant and kept the auto-defense turret on.
Here, let's introduce the [Boxer Mech]'s so-called "Auto-Defense Turret System."
Aside from the traditional small machine gun turrets...
The core of this system was a "transmission platform" Luca specifically built into the cockpit during the modification.
As long as he placed the [Dehydration Gun] on this platform and activated the defense system...
The [Dehydration Gun] would be moved and fixed onto a 360-degree turret on the mech's forehead via the transmission mechanism.
With Super Pilot Haro's auto-aiming system and the [Dehydration Gun]'s near-instant compression ability on physical objects, basically no missile attack could hit the [Boxer Mech] when the "Auto-Defense Turret" was active.
The only awkward thing was...
"Haro, where did the energy cubes for those three nukes fall?"
"Unknown area. Multiple potential drop zones marked. Query: Should we return to search for the nuclear cubes?"
"Uh, forget it. Let Fifth Haro look for them later. The weather forecast says no rain for the next two days..."
Seeing the drop zone on the virtual screen was an uninhabited area, and considering the Hydra Helicarrier was just ahead, Luca decisively (and unethically) abandoned the idea of retrieving the energy cubes immediately.
Yeah... just three active nuclear warheads. Should be fine.
Of course, Luca was also a bit chicken.
After all, nukes were one of humanity's most powerful weapons. If the cubes landed in water, released the nukes, and detonated them...
Luca felt that even inside the cockpit, he'd probably be toast.
My main body is still too weak. If only I could find a self-enhancement item.
Like a Nano Core or Super Soldier Serum.
Actually, Luca was quite conflicted right now.
For him, hiding in the rear and controlling mechs remotely as a true "Metal Knight" was undoubtedly the safest method.
But the trouble was, to check for any missed "glowing items," Luca had to be there in person to see with his own eyes.
Between enhancing himself and ensuring safety, Luca had to make some trade-offs.
The reason he didn't hide in the rear this time—besides the fact that the [Boxer Mech]'s panoramic cockpit and neural link control couldn't be fully piloted remotely by Haro—was mostly because he felt this big event might yield some loot from Hydra.
"Forget it. Haro, full speed ahead!"
"Current speed is maximum."
"Okay... pretend I didn't say anything."
In front of the Helicarrier.
Actually, despite the airstrikes and nukes on the way from New York to D.C., it didn't take much time.
Arriving near the target Helicarrier, Luca didn't rush to destroy it immediately.
He sent the two Haro Mechs to draw some anti-air fire, then hovered the [Boxer Mech] in mid-air.
Facing the howling wind, he opened the cockpit hatch and looked out.
"Fine. No glow. Sucks to be you!"
Complaining, he closed the hatch again.
Then, Luca tapped the virtual screen.
The [Boxer Mech] suddenly arched its back. The Veronica thrusters erupted with blinding white light.
Not a climb, but a violent charge!
A pale blue flame trail stretched half a kilometer behind it as it ascended hundreds of meters in an instant.
Click—
The Veronica thrusters unlocked precisely from the interface. The four booster units detached smoothly, hovering in mid-air like carefully stowed spare parts.
Next moment.
The entire mech curled up suddenly.
Curved armor plates locked together with a click-click-click. The hundred-ton mech transformed into a giant iron ball.
Hydra's Helicarrier naturally wouldn't ignore Luca getting this close.
The carrier's AA guns ignored the two Haro Mechs and poured all firepower onto the falling iron ball.
Rat-a-tat-tat! Pew-pew-pew!
Tungsten rounds from CIWS woven into a gold-and-red net of fire. Twenty anti-air missiles trailed flames as they lunged.
However, facing this overwhelming firepower, the falling [Boxer] remained unmoved.
It continued its freefall. The AA fire only sparked off the mech's surface.
The clink of shells hitting armor and the boom of exploding missiles were just futile accompaniment.
In the eyes of the Hydra crew on the bridge, the giant iron ball was dragging a dark purple sonic boom cloud toward the deck.
Gravity became the most cheerful accomplice.
BOOM———!!!
A deafening crash resonated through the entire carrier.
The moment the hundred-ton iron ball smashed into the deck, the whole ship shifted half a meter sideways.
The nearly half-meter-thick alloy deck curled inward like tinfoil. The snap of breaking steel mixed with the hiss of bursting steam pipes.
With the impact point as the center...
The deck within a hundred-meter radius was peeled up like fallen leaves. Further away, AA gun emplacements were uprooted by the shockwave, barrels twisted like pretzels.
In an instant, the super-carrier that had dominated D.C.'s airspace was teetering.
Amidst the smoke and fire, inside the twisted crater in the center of the deck...
The unharmed blue-and-white mech slowly stood up, "stretching" its body.
Inside the mech, Luca's cold, excited voice rang out.
"My Meteor Jam didn't even punch through?"
"Well then, let's play~"