The sky trembled as a squadron of aircraft sliced through the clouds at breakneck speed, shattering the sound barrier and leaving behind luminous trails that streaked across the heavens like spears of fire.
Their formation was flawless — six sleek black flight units moving in perfect synchronicity, their angular frames glinting with the metallic sheen of the stratosphere.
A woman's voice echoed through the internal comms:
[Command here. YoRHa Squadron, respond.]
The transmission was crisp, direct — the calm tone of someone who had commanded dozens of missions just like this.
[This is 1D. All units have entered the stratosphere. Autopilot systems are green across all parameters.]
Moments later, another voice replied — bright, professional, and precise:
[Operator 6O here. All units confirmed. Attention: you are about to cross airspace one hundred kilometers from the target. Energy readings indicate the presence of mechanical lifeforms nearby. Maintain formation.]
[Understood.]
A tense silence followed. Only the deep, steady hum of the engines filled the channel as the six aircraft descended into denser air currents.
The digital distance counter ticked downward, numbers flashing faster with every passing second.
When the alert marker hit the ten-kilometer range, the mechanical tone of Pod 042 broke through the static.
Pod 042:[Alert: enemy units sighted ahead.]
1D:[Requesting permission to engage.]
Operator 6O:[Permission granted!]
And then — hell opened.
A beam of energy split the sky in a blinding flash. It was so fast the sensors barely had time to react.
2B twisted her flight unit into a tight spiral, dodging by mere milliseconds as two lasers scorched through the space she'd occupied a heartbeat before, leaving twin scars of white vapor in the air.
The other aircraft reacted instantly.
11B, however, wasn't so lucky — a direct hit tore across the side of her fuselage, ripping away entire plates of armor.
[All units, engage in combat!]
The command rang out with authority.
The six craft responded almost simultaneously — and the heavens erupted into a storm of fire.
Autocannons roared, spitting lances of orange light and supersonic projectiles that illuminated the clouds. Each burst ripped the air apart, carving incandescent streaks of plasma across the battlefield.
In response, the mechanical lifeforms swarmed — a chaotic flock of steel shapes with crimson eyes burning like molten cores.
The sky became a maelstrom of chaos: explosions, tracer fire, energy beams crossing the horizon in blinding arcs.
It was impossible to tell where heaven ended and war began — everything had become a single, roaring sphere of destruction.
[Enemy numbers increasing. Requesting switch to maneuver mode.]
[Maneuver mode activated.]
2B's fuselage shifted mid-flight. Wings retracted, turbines split apart, and the fighter's frame transformed into a humanoid shape — half war machine, half celestial warrior.
The "wings" became metallic arms, the body now fluid and agile. Speed decreased, but her combat capability multiplied tenfold.
The remaining five units followed suit, their transformations seamless.
The YoRHa Squadron was no longer a fleet of aircraft — but six humanoid silhouettes, soldiers of steel and light.
Crossfire reignited with renewed fury. Under their coordinated rhythm, mechanical lifeforms fell one by one — shredded apart, their burning carcasses spiraling toward the ruined world below.
Within minutes, the sky fell silent.
Only the low hum of engines and the faint crackle of distant wreckage echoed among the clouds.
Victory, however, came at a price.
1D's unit — the captain — was critically damaged. Her propulsion system was nearly dead, her synthetic body in ruins. She could barely maintain altitude.
11B hadn't been as fortunate.
A direct blast struck her squarely, and her flight unit erupted in flames — a brief, blazing sun swallowed by the clouds.
There was no time to eject.
Only light… and silence.
Now, only four units remained to finish the mission.
According to YoRHa protocol, command automatically transferred to 2B, the new squadron leader.
After confirming no hostiles in range, she reverted to flight mode.
Engines roared to life once more, the fuselage glowing white as she cut through the air, shattering the sound barrier with a sharp crack.
[This is Command. You are one kilometer southeast of the target zone. Unit 9S is already in the area. Rendezvous immediately.]
[Understood.]
Flying straight in would be reckless — any direct approach would draw mechanical attention.
The four aircraft altered course, dipping below the clouds in a silent descent.
Seconds later, they landed in a secluded zone — a forgotten corner of the ruined city, where shattered skyscrapers and rusted beams offered perfect cover.
Wind whispered through the wreckage, stirring the dust and memories of a world long gone.
From a half-collapsed building emerged a young figure — silver-haired, calm, and keen-eyed.
9S.
Smaller in stature than 2B, with a curious gaze and a faint, easy smile.
As a reconnaissance and hacking specialist, 9S was the kind of android who found patterns where others only saw chaos.
As he stepped from the shadows, a compact device detached from his back and activated, hovering by his side — a small, box-shaped drone with articulated arms and smooth plating.
Pod 042.
Hovering silently, the Pod rotated on its axis, projecting analysis holograms. Its monotone voice was steady, emotionless:
Pod 042:[Atmospheric conditions stable. Area secure for ground operation. Recommendation: commence reconnaissance immediately.]
2B gave a small nod.
The Pod drifted closer to the ground, sensors pulsing.
Its computational capacity was monumental — logic so advanced it bordered on what some might call intuition.
In mere seconds, it could analyze terrain, predict threats, and calculate the optimal course of action.
It was the kind of support unit that turned a YoRHa soldier into a one-woman army.
But it wasn't just a sensor platform.
Hidden beneath its polished surface lay a deadly arsenal — concentrated energy cannons, guided missiles, and precision lasers.
A mechanical angel armed with the power of an entire army.
"You must be Unit 2B, correct?"
The calm, cheerful voice of a young android crackled through the comms.
"I'm 9S. I've been assigned to provide support for this search-and-track operation."
The Scanner-type's tone carried confidence — and a hint of excitement. A rare thing among YoRHa models.
Like all reconnaissance units, 9S possessed exceptional intellect but minimal aptitude for direct combat.
That's why he had been waiting nearby, hidden within the forest's shadows, ready to assist once the main force arrived.
"Understood," 2B replied curtly, her voice cold but composed.
With a single nod, she gave the signal.
The group moved out — silent, their footsteps whispering across the earth.
They headed first toward the area where battle signs had been detected.
The scene was grim: machine carcasses littered the ground, their metallic bodies sliced apart with surgical precision.
"How did anyone make such a clean cut?" 9S muttered, kneeling beside one wreck.
He traced the edge of a severed plate with his fingers — the surface was smooth enough to reflect sunlight.
"There's nothing in the YoRHa database capable of producing a cut like this," he frowned. "None of our weapons are that sharp…"
He clicked his tongue softly — pure frustration.
Finding no answers, the group pressed onward.
The forest ahead seemed to swallow the light itself, each tree a living shadow.
Their sensors returned nothing.
[No mechanical lifeforms detected,]
announced the Pod in its neutral, synthetic tone.
With that confirmation, 2B led them out from the ruins of the city.
They stepped into a clearing at the forest's edge — barren earth under an open sky.
No cover. No shelter. A perfect stage for an ambush.
Out of caution, 9S positioned himself at the center of the formation while the others spread out to the four cardinal points, covering every angle.
Every step was measured, every glance a scan.
Communication with the Bunker had been severed — a necessary safety measure.
Any open channel could allow the enemy to breach YoRHa's central systems.
[Alert: YoRHa units have arrived at the last known location of the target.]
The Pod's report shattered the uneasy silence.
And then — something unexpected happened.
(End of Chapter)