Great, we're doomed now!

Even so, it is still quite difficult to assemble enough combat power. If TPC could be given a few months, the space and air force units and advanced technologies would be deployed, making it much easier to deal with.

"This matter needs to be followed up, but before that, there's something else I need to ask for your opinion on."

Ye Shou swiped a few times on his computer and brought up the blueprint of a slender but exceptionally ferocious machine.

"This is a drone that I call a Mobile Fortress (M·A). It doesn't need a pilot, but I need to modify it to have a cockpit, with AI only responsible for assisting in combat... Do you think it's feasible?"

"So cool!" Horii's eyes lit up. "Is there a real one? Leave it to me, I guarantee I'll complete the mission!"

"Yes, don't worry, I will definitely hand it over to you."

Ye Shou patted Horii on the shoulder and said earnestly, "There are still many things waiting for you to do."

Oh, Mr. Kuze is so kind, he thinks so highly of me—Horie thought to himself with a smug smile.

Chapter 212: She Appears! Ultrawoman Ghost (4K)

Actually, Ye Shou was quite conflicted:

On one hand, his emotions and aesthetic sense told him that a real man should pilot a Gundam! A giant humanoid robot is always the right choice!

On the other hand, his rational point is that, considering cost-effectiveness and work efficiency, affordable fighter jets can meet most combat needs, and giant robots can be made into spider-shaped or tracked designs.

What's really bad is that, even if the mass-produced models are fine, those dedicated machines with different functions are a nightmare for logistics!

Taking Iron-Blooded Orphans as an example, the Demon God Legion needs to support 72 Gundam frames with different designs and layouts. The logistical pressure of this alone exceeds the total of the other 600 mobile suits!

—That's because humanity has been severely tested by war, the whole world has adapted to extreme environments, and only by bringing together a large number of elite engineers can this legion be barely supported.

(In the world three hundred years later, although technology is more advanced, the number of mobile suits is actually less than during the Calamity War, because there is no need to fight unless you are forced to that point.)

The deployment of Gundams, or mobile suits (MS), as actual weapons on the battlefield was based on many hidden preconditions:

One reason is that, for some reason, such as the reactor interference in "Iron Blood" or the early psychic particles, detection methods like radar are restricted, weapons of mass destruction are weakened, and "boarding up" and "close combat" have become the most powerful tactics in the current version.

Secondly, human operational technology has overcome physiological limitations, enabling the piloting of machines with the ease of command through neural connections, AI assistance, or telepathy. In this context, humanoid mechs naturally conform more closely to human movement habits than other designs.

Third, and most importantly—

The main battlefield is the cosmic environment!

As is well known, Gundam's legs are merely decorative; its mobility relies almost entirely on thrusters, which are only an advantage in the space environment.

Within the atmosphere, its lack of aerodynamic efficiency significantly diminishes its practical value.

However, even knowing these drawbacks, Ye Shou still decided to form the "Sky and Space Machine" unit!

This wasn't a whim or a fit of adolescent delusions; it was the result of careful consideration.

A legion is needed to unleash the full power of [Bayeri]!

The "Divine Machine in Battle" effect alone can offset most of the drawbacks, not to mention that it can double the performance of [Bayeli] - in the end, it still depends on the top combat power.

The idea of ​​taking the basic "M·A" model and modifying it into a manned version is based on the consideration of leveraging its strengths and compensating for its weaknesses.

The large M·A was not Ye Shou's main focus; it was just something he used to attract attention. What he really cared about was the small individual—[Bruman].

The M·A, which is about the size of a small armored vehicle, can maneuver flexibly in complex terrain and is especially good at urban warfare.

Because it was originally designed for reconnaissance missions and resource collection, it is equipped with a camera unit capable of high-precision object identification, as well as internal space for storing resources.

While such small individuals are useless in battles against monsters, the [Bruman] is the perfect transport vehicle for rescuing civilians in emergency situations!

It can quickly transport personnel and supplies to the scene, and can also rescue the injured and put them into the interior space to get them out of the danger zone.

Complex terrain and harsh environments pose almost no obstacle to it, and its defense and mobility are quite reliable—it can move freely even on apocalyptic battlefields.

Frontline troops operate mobile suits, while rescue personnel use power suits and [Bruman]. When enemies appear in open areas, M·A armored formations are mobilized.

The future development of the Flying Swallow will complement the already formidable aerospace support capabilities.

—In the absence of Ultraman, these are the "steel and fire" that Ye Shou prepared, which humans can create on their own.

If the power of the "Leaf Guardian Faction" is added, it is certainly not enough to deal with monsters like "Golden Dragon" and "Gi-II", but it can definitely hold its own against ordinary monsters and aliens.

Unfortunately, because he was worried about "Mechanical Island" and didn't know whether it had actually appeared, he dared not fully support Dr. Yao's research on Magus Power (once it was developed to a practical level, it would trigger the underlying logic of Mechanical Island and attack Earth's civilization).

Otherwise, with the Magus Power Cannon and Redstone technology, as long as the monsters don't have overpowered mechanics, you can basically beat them if you can hit them!

"If we had 'Mages,' something like the vampire beast (Shuranos) would be perfectly countered."

In the forest, Ye Shou, dressed in jet-black power armor, lurked high in the treetops. Ripples of energy emanated from the points where his hands and feet touched the branches, supporting his weight.

This power armor uses the same hard alloy as the one in "Iron Blood," which has the characteristics of high strength and light weight. It weighs only two or three hundred kilograms in total. A towering tree that has weathered countless storms can easily support Ye Shou's weight.

However, the philosophy of Ripple Qigong is to respect life and integrate with nature. Furthermore, Ye Shou's school (who can be considered the founder) has always advocated integrating Ripple into daily life, and walking and breathing can also be a form of exercise.

As Ye Shou stared at a certain spot, a slightly regretful thought flashed through his mind. He sighed softly, and the sound dissipated in the rustling wind of the boundless sea of ​​trees.

The "Ghost Brain" effect in [King Ghost Appearance] allows him to multitask, tracking and monitoring enemies while also contemplating more distant future developments.

For example, the harmless transformation of M·A:

The original killing AI system will definitely not be used anymore, but just in case, the two capabilities of "self-renewal/repair" and "semi-perpetual energy" should also be removed to ensure that it has no possibility of even theoretically going out of control.

For example, the newly formed Earth Defense Force:

Including the "spacecraft," a large number of new equipment will certainly be deployed globally. How to manage the balance of power among the various branches and prepare for avoiding over-militarization is a key question.

And as for the Space Development Bureau, when should Ye Shou use the surface environment modification technology he obtained from the dungeon regarding the exploration and development of the moon and Mars...?

Of course, the most important thing is the very real threat right now – Hyranos.

In terms of individual strength alone, this guy is definitely superior to Sukunaki, and he possesses a very troublesome special ability, such as the hypnotic ray that even Tiga would fall for.

To be fair, Ye Shou was quite wary of this guy. Since the Earth Defense Force was not yet fully armed, he was unwilling to provoke him unless absolutely necessary.

However, the monster's actions are unpredictable and uncontrollable, and its retinue, the vampires, actively attacking the TPC camp could not be a mere coincidence.

It's even possible that the initial plane crash was orchestrated by it.

After all, the term "ace pilot" is just a joke. The fact that the plane only crashed instead of being destroyed in the battle with the monster is precisely proof of the pilot's extraordinary skills.

Under normal circumstances, with ace pilots like Joseph and Shinjo, how could they suddenly crash? Perhaps they were hypnotized.

The question is, why was it Sawai who was on the plane?

Sawai's identity is special. If he were infected and made into a familiar, he could indeed do a lot. And judging from the original work, this monster does have a "preference" for humans and actively creates familiars. If that's really the reason, then Ye Shou can't pretend he didn't see it.

Fortunately, this guy has a clear weakness to light, otherwise we really wouldn't stand a chance in a direct confrontation...

Ye Shou watched as two vampires dressed in black emerged from a cave and then, like shadows, disappeared into the night, drifting through the forest inhabited by various venomous snakes and ferocious beasts.

Surprisingly, no animals attacked them; instead, the inexplicable chill emanating from them caused animals to quickly scatter from a distance.

Ye Shou squinted and leaped from the treetop, skillfully using ripple energy to "stick" to another large tree. His movements were as light as an enlarged lemur, and the slightest sound was inconspicuous in the forest. He silently followed behind.

These two vampires were very cautious. They were not mindless beasts, but rather had the instincts and keenness of hunters. After being annihilated by [Bayeri] that day, a few survivors scattered and fled into the forest, without acting as a group.

Furthermore, for the next two days, none of the individuals returned to their lair, but instead sought other safe havens, remaining dormant until now before venturing out again.

This was naturally to avoid being tracked and to prevent the exposure of their hideout and the existence of "God".

Ordinary people would definitely not be able to find them in this primeval forest. Even if they had placed a locator in advance, they would probably still be discovered. But Ye Shou is an exception.

—The Holy Grail Mark.

He deliberately spared a few vampires at the time, and the Prosperous Country had already marked them where no one could see them.

This is actually a very technically challenging task, because the Holy Grail Mark can be basically understood as the manifestation of life energy, and vampires happen to be extremely sensitive to this. To put it simply, it's like a "positive" and a "negative" mark; marking a vampire is like pressing a red-hot branding iron onto them!

So Ye Shou controlled his stand, specifically targeting the wounds inflicted by the laser gun on the vampire, and carefully controlled the "amount," fearing that he might accidentally burn the vampire to death.

After that, the vampires went into hiding, and Ye Shou waited patiently. When he saw that they hadn't made any moves, he became even more determined and moved into the forest!

Finally, the other party made a move!

Ye Shou followed quietly for a while, not knowing how far they had gone. The surrounding environment became more and more wild and primitive. After crossing a mountain ridge and entering a warm and humid basin environment that was covered by dense trees, where it was probably dark even during the day, it would be impossible to tell that this was the scenery on Earth. It would seem as if they had entered the world of Avatar.

No joke, he clearly saw some plants that did not exist in modern times, as if they were fragments from ancient times that had fallen into the 21st century!

Is this the power of a monster?

Ye Shou pondered to himself that ordinary creatures evolve to adapt to their environment, but powerful individuals like monsters can influence their surroundings... Perhaps that's why this area has been maintained.

In addition, this place has its own electromagnetic shielding effect, so Ye Shou couldn't contact the outside world after entering—similar to the situation encountered by Sawai. It seems that these vampires have also mastered some kind of technology.

Once inside, the two vampires became noticeably more agitated and moved faster, but they still couldn't escape Ye Shou's pursuit.

They continued on until they reached the outside of a huge cave. After passing through layers of plant walls that concealed the cave, the interior was winding and maze-like, with vampires roaming everywhere. Ye Shou secretly memorized the route, but found it increasingly difficult to go deeper. After watching two vampires disappear into the darkness, he decided to turn back.

It's enough to confirm the location of the stronghold; there's no need to specifically check the current state of "Hyranos".

What if the other person is in excellent condition and full of energy, and you eat them up like a snack?

Ye Shou didn't think he could challenge the monsters and the entire vampire race with just a power armor.

—When we get back, we'll surround the entire basin with ultraviolet light cannons and send you all to heaven!

Now that we have Horii, maybe he can invent a drug to combat the vampire virus. And since it's a closed basin structure, it's practically a natural gas chamber…

One after another, thoughts that would make Masaki Keigo cry out "No!" flashed through Ye Shou's mind. He silently traversed the cave maze, avoiding vampires while following the memories in his mind to retreat outwards.

But at some point, his escape route went slightly astray. Even though he was following his memory exactly, he found himself in a completely unfamiliar environment.

...With a "genius brain" capable of 3D modeling, such a basic mistake shouldn't have occurred.

Ye Shou remained calm. After confirming that no vampires had appeared, he began to carefully observe his surroundings.

He quickly saw the dark drawings and words on the rock face through the helmet goggles and frowned immediately.

Although he was not an expert, he was certain that this was not a known ancient civilization, but rather consistent with some cryptic documents he had previously read.

"Ancient Civilization!"

...Living in ruins, just what kind of origin is this vampire beast?

—As soon as the words were spoken, orbs of light lit up in the darkness.

bass!

bass!

bass!

This sudden change made Ye Shou's muscles tense up. He turned around abruptly, and a two-handed greatsword appeared in his hand from who-knows-where.

[That monster was created by us.]