Chapter Nineteen: The Trigger of the End

The reconnaissance unit lost track of the target within minutes; it seemed to have vanished into the clouds.

"Report, report! Target lost. Interception units, stay alert." The communication came from the squadron of attack helicopters trailing what they believed to be the target's trajectory.

"Shakya, did you hear that?" Shion reminded her over the comms.

"I hear you, I hear you... I'm barely even breathing over here..." Shakya was, in fact, completely focused.

Traum’s search system was operating at full capacity. Any anomaly within a 300-kilometer radius would not escape its detection, provided the target could be registered. While the military's phased-array radar had a theoretical limit of 350 to 500 kilometers, that was only in ideal conditions. In practice, they usually detected fighter-jet-sized objects at 100 to 200 kilometers, and stealth aircraft at less than 80 kilometers.

According to the reports, this enemy’s stealth rendered all conventional human optical and electromagnetic detection methods useless. Only because Traum’s detection system utilized a form of "black technology" could it perceive the entity in another way. If Shakya couldn't force it out of stealth, the fire-control radars of conventional weapons would have no way to lock on. Weapons capable of visual-range attacks lacked the necessary firepower, which was a major headache.

"We’ll keep an eye on the surroundings. Don't put too much pressure on yourself," Shion sighed. It was true; it felt unfair to place the lives of thousands on Shakya’s shoulders alone. The possibility of the target vanishing mid-route had been anticipated. In the collaborative operation between the military and Schwarz-Grad, observation posts had been pre-arranged along the projected route. The military had equipped these posts with various optical and meteorological devices. Even if the target could achieve perfect visual and radar stealth, the movement of its massive body through the air would inevitably disturb the airflow, and these air currents could be captured. In this way, they could track its faint trail.

Shakya, in her Traum form, was concealed within the hills. She lay between two ridges, clutching an electromagnetic railgun meant for sniping. Beneath the barrel of the railgun, several cables stretched for over a thousand meters, connecting to an armored vehicle that supplied the power.

"Why isn't it here yet..."

Shakya began to feel thirsty. She switched back to the cockpit view and began to sip water from the straw.

Suddenly, an alarm blared, and Shakya nearly choked.

"Response detected at the observation station 400 kilometers to the southeast."

Shion and the operators in the command vehicle sprang into action.

"Railgun, final stage charging."

The soldiers outside began to scramble.

"All weapons along the route are ready. Fire at will!"

"Understood, Colonel. With your support, we will surely prevail."

After finalizing the link with the military, Shion turned her attention back to Shakya. "How is it? Do you see anything?"

"Not yet..."

Shakya kept her gaze locked firmly to the southeast, her finger hovering over the trigger.

"Don't be impatient, Shakya. Keep your finger off the trigger. Wait until the enemy enters our effective range."

"Mm..."

Traum’s detection capabilities far exceeded the strike range of the era's conventional military weaponry. Although humanity possessed powerful long-range missiles, using them in densely populated areas would have catastrophic consequences.

"Ah, it's here! Something just appeared on the radar!"

After waiting a moment longer, a faint reaction appeared on Traum’s radar—so weak it didn't seem like a massive monster, but rather just a small car.

"Such a small reading... Regardless, I have a lock! Shion, what's next..."

"Understood. Wait until it enters the 200-kilometer range. Its actual size is unknown, so don't let your guard down."

"Why not let me take a shot now?" Shakya’s instinct was immediate. Anyone would want to eliminate a threat before it got too close.

"Don't panic. Your railgun only has an effective range of about 250 kilometers. The military's cluster-munition rockets have roughly the same range," Shion explained. "Wait until it reaches 200 kilometers before firing; then the military units deployed nearby will unleash all their firepower upon it."

It seemed they needed to lure the enemy deeper. That was true enough; Shakya wasn't particularly confident in her sniping abilities, especially when trying to hit such a small target in a real combat scenario—even if the radar signature was small.

"The moment to force it to reveal its true form is in your hands."

Shion said it so easily, but Shakya sighed to herself. However, she had no time to reply; she was glued to the scope. The projection appearing in her vision came from Traum’s search system. She had to admit, this black technology was incredibly convenient.

"It even has a rangefinder..." Watching the numbers decrease, Shakya finally placed her finger on the trigger.

"290 kilometers..."

Only the sound of Shakya reporting the distance echoed in the air. Thousands of soldiers, and even Shion, held their breath, gazing into the distance.

"250 kilometers..."

The blurry, small signal in Shakya's vision began to sharpen.

"230 kilometers!"

The railgun was ready to fire at any moment. Shakya did her best to keep the crosshairs centered on that tiny point.

"220... 210..."

It felt as if her own heartbeat had stopped. Shakya held the trigger.

"200!"

Just as Shakya was about to pull the trigger, a massive energy reaction erupted from the target!

"Target is emitting a high-energy signature!" the female communicator screamed.

"What!?" Shion was shocked.

On the horizon, a flash of light suddenly ignited!

"Haaah!" Shakya pulled the trigger exactly as the target hit the 200-kilometer mark, launching the projectile.

But at the same moment, the enemy fired a blinding beam of energy. It was a near-point-blank exchange! It seemed the opponent knew Shakya was aiming at it.

Shakya knew the enemy was firing back, but she had no room to dodge. If she moved, the shot would miss!

"Shakya!!"

The high-energy beam swept across the hill where Shakya was hiding, nearly shearing the peak off entirely, creating a massive explosion and a cloud of dust.

Soldiers positioned within the 200-kilometer perimeter watched as Shakya’s projectile grazed the beam that had erupted from thin air and struck the void. Instantly, ripples seemed to splash across the empty space.

It was a surreal sight; for a moment, the soldiers stood agape, unable to speak. It was as if the sky had been a mirror, and Shakya’s shell had shattered it. Cracks appeared in the void, growing wider and wider. Finally, the void splintered.

A massive object, looking like a glass sphere or some sort of egg, appeared before everyone. It was opaque, its surface mirror-like. What was inside, no one could guess. It was nearly ten stories high, hovering hundreds of meters in the air.

It was eerie and terrifying.

Meanwhile, on the hill 200 kilometers away, Shakya lay buried beneath the smoke and rubble of the collapsed mountain, her fate unknown.