Chapter 17: The Siege

The metallic gate opened slowly, its deep, resonant echo filling the vast, empty armory. A sliver of shimmering light sneaked through the parting gates, signaling the beginning of a fierce and merciless battle. A palpable tension hung in the air as every genetic warrior in the room froze, breaths held in anticipation of what the opening of this metal gate signified.

As the gates fully opened, a figure clad in heavy, high-density alloy armor emerged, resembling a moving fortress – both steadfast and formidable. Each step he took resounded heavily and firmly, as if echoing in the hearts of the onlookers, stirring their very souls. The armor's silver-white hue, under the lights, took on an even more chilling aspect, exuding an air of indomitable authority.

Colonel Reynolds stepped out of the armory, effortlessly lifting an alloy battle axe, so heavy that it normally required the combined strength of four power-type genetic warriors to barely lift it. Now resting casually on his shoulder, the axe seemed to harbor a latent destructive force. As he slowly raised it, the light danced along the blade's edge, reminiscent of the Grim Reaper's scythe, ready to harvest lives.

On his left forearm, a shield that was previously folded now unfurled, its edges gleaming menacingly under the light, as if eager to slice through any foe that dared to obstruct its path.

This was the exclusive armor of combat awakeners, the Dragon Slayer IV model. Every combat-experienced warrior was familiar with its details, dreaming of the day they might wear it. Forged from ultra-high-density alloy, it provided unmatched resistance to impacts and heat, and exceptional defense. Its significant weight, unmanageable for non-combat awakeners, became an incredible weapon in the right hands.

The armor's dark silver tone, adorned with military green stripes and a fully-covered, streamlined design, avoided any unnecessary decorations. This showcased the military's penchant for simplicity and practicality.

"Gentlemen," boomed Colonel Reynolds' voice through the comms of all armors, "Follow me, and let's turn these mutant creatures into minced meat!"

After a brief silence, the channel was filled with the warriors' battle cries.

Colonel Reynolds's legs surged with power, his dark silver armor taking giant strides. The first step alone covered more than ten meters, the second surpassing all the genetic warriors, and by the third, he had burst out of the armory, leaving three deep, cracked footprints in his wake.

Fueled by a fierce battle spirit, the genetic warriors followed their revered hero, charging into the onslaught of the swarming insect horde.

Inside the base, the battered yet still howling mutated sand worms spat their acidic, foul-smelling secretion at the warriors. Normally easy to dodge, these attacks became deadly menaces when the warriors were entangled in combat with the overwhelming mutated ant swarm, their movements hindered.

Squad 7's warriors were falling one by one into the swarm of ants, with their heavily armored warrior encircled by mutant giant ants. Despite their formidable jaws and limbs, these ants couldn't immediately penetrate the armor's defenses, but their overwhelming numbers, combined with the warrior's augmented strength and the armor's propulsion, made escape seem impossible.

In a surprising turn, the mutant sandworm, blatantly disregarding the giant ants as its allies, unleashed a stream of acidic saliva. This deadly assault corroded both the ants and the armored warrior, causing severe injuries. Colonel Reynolds, arriving amidst the chaos, was enraged at the sight of his armored warrior in agony and sprang into action.

With a decisive swing of his right hand, his high-density alloy axe — its blade over a meter wide — effortlessly sliced through the mutant ants, charging straight at the sandworm.

Sensing the imminent danger, the sandworm spat out acid, but it only felled more ants, missing the elusive dark silver armor.

As the mutant sandworm reeled in bewilderment, a streak of silver flashed overhead. With a thunderous roar, Colonel Reynolds, axe in hand, plummeted down like a comet crashing to earth.

The sandworm, drenched in its fluids and emitting a final cry, collapsed to the ground as the 20-meter behemoth met its end. Fueled by adrenaline, the genetic warriors charged into the battlefield, unleashing a torrent of destruction upon the insect tide.

Meanwhile, in the command center of Satellite City 14, Colonel James Harold, of medium stature, was encased in a light blue, flexible metallic suit, teeming with data cables and topped with an oversized helmet, resembling the mythical Medusa with its multitude of tubes and lines.

Connected to the city's main defense computer, he was the linchpin of Satellite City 14's defense system. As a Controller Awakener, Harold could manipulate every weapon and surveillance device in the defense system, turning them into extensions of his own consciousness.

In that moment, the steel fortress became an extension of himself: his eyes, his limbs, a part of his very being. Fully integrated with the system, he stood as the unchallenged God of War.

In the special communications channel, Colonel Kent and three Awakeners continued their strategic discourse.

"Be aware, the enemy's siege forces are massing at the edge of our weapon range, bombarding our gates with heavy artillery. Should I try to dismantle their artillery positions?" Alison Jones inquired through the channel, her sleek combat armor allowing her to gracefully hover over the battlefield. On this planet, afflicted with geomagnetic storms, she was among the rare few who could still take to the skies.

"Disregard the artillery; their current firepower is not a threat to our gates," countered Colonel Kent, "Most shells can be intercepted by our defenses. They're likely baiting you. Remember the ambush two days ago during our raid on their artillery? Their siege troops, under such heavy fire, are merely practice targets for James."

Colonel Reynolds' voice burst through with urgency: "James, I need you to quickly take out these accursed mutant ants. I've already eliminated the massive sandworm, but these ants are a real headache to kill. If they spill into the civilian areas from the base, the loss of life will be horrendous."

"Got it, I'm actively commandeering the firepower system at your base," Colonel Harold responded promptly.

Colonel Jones, hovering in the sky, expressed his alarm: "What's going on? The siege forces are advancing? This is madness! They're accelerating their charge towards the city gates!"

A tense silence fell over the communications.

Their adversary's strategy seemed utterly irrational, virtually a death wish against our robust city defenses.

"Do they have any idea about our combat capabilities? Or do they mistake us for minor border cities like Nos. 15 and 16?" pondered Colonel Harold, perplexed. Satellite City 14, a bastion in the north of the city-state, was armed to the teeth, its military power and equipment far surpassing those of the smaller cities.

Raiders and mutants could easily overrun cities like 15 and 16 without a fight, but taking on the well-prepared Satellite City 14 was a different ball game. Where did they get this overconfidence to repeat their previous triumphs?

"Could they be banking on those subterranean creatures to synchronize an internal and external assault on our defenses?" Colonel Jones speculated.

Out of the blue, Colonel Reynolds exclaimed: "Damn it, what are these ants doing now? They're widening the burrow's entrance! What on earth?!"

After a moment of stunned silence, Reynolds' voice escalated sharply: "Something enormous is about to make its way out, damn it."

Back at the Genetic Warrior Base, after Reynolds and his squad had massacred the ant horde and bypassed the sandworm's remains, they approached the side overlooking the massive burrow. The sight that met their eyes was utterly unnerving.

Scores of giant mutant ants, in a frenzied bustle, were expanding the burrow's entrance, which had already grown to over 5 meters in width.

It became clear that the initial ant attack was just a fraction of their number; most of the mutant giants were focused on enlarging the entrance.

As the genetic warriors absorbed the daunting scene, the ants digging at the entrance abruptly turned and surged towards them like an unstoppable wave. Simultaneously, the mound at the entrance violently erupted, flinging mutant ants and debris sky-high as a colossal black-shelled creature emerged from the depths.

"Retreat, retreat! Back to the armor depot for a defensive stand!" Colonel Reynolds commanded with urgency, charging towards the swarm of ants and the towering black beetle.

Colonel Reynolds battled tirelessly, slicing through the swarms of mutant giant ants, sending them flying with each powerful swing of his blade. He was drawing ever closer to the towering insect ahead, a mutant beetle of immense size.

This black behemoth, standing 3 meters tall, 4 meters wide, and nearly 10 meters long, was an armored titan. Its deep black shell, impenetrable and glistening under light, presented an awe-inspiring sight.

The beetle's most distinct features were its head and back shells, forming sharp, halberd-like spikes, reminiscent of two giant lances. These spikes, a deep, vivid blue, were sleek and solid. The back spike, as long as the beetle itself, radiated a formidable destructive force, visible even from afar. The 5-meter long head spike, though shorter, was no less deadly, poised to strike with lethal agility.

With its powerful legs, the mutant long-halberd beetle began a slow, menacing turn, each step resonating with power, making the ground seem to tremble.

Upon seeing this mutant terror, Colonel Reynolds's determination crystallized: he had to stop it from reaching the city gates or walls at any cost. This beetle was, unmistakably, a siege weapon of unmatched strength.

Given that the city's defenses were focused outward, their lesser weapons were ill-equipped to handle such a massive adversary. A full-force charge by this behemoth could potentially breach the gates, leading to catastrophic consequences.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Reynolds surged forward at lightning speed. He raised his battle axe, aiming a decisive strike at the beetle's neck.

But the beetle's reflexes were faster than he anticipated. With a swift movement, it whipped its 5-meter spike, striking Reynolds and sending him flying. His last-moment shield block prevented a severe injury, though his left arm was left numb from the blow.

In the chaos, the giant beetle redirected towards the base's armor depot, accelerating its pace. Reynolds, sensing the urgency, ordered the depot's defenders to fall back and brace for impact, while he raced towards the site of the impending collision.

The mutant beetle crashed into the armor depot with a thunderous roar, collapsing part of the structure instantly. A swarm of mutant giant ants followed, pouring into the breach like an unstoppable tide.