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Music: Voyage To Tomorrow (Hitoshi Sakimoto)

Chapter 84: Destruction 9

We need to do more Destruction. Sorry, folks.

Time for Area 2, Battle 6.

For this battle, we need Hijiyama and Miura, and to clear in 50 seconds. Plenty of Drum Mines will also spawn.

We upgrade our Meta-System by purchasing an additional Meta-Skill Use, as well as the following Meta Skills: Heal Team EP (heals 30% EP for every pilot), Heal Team HP (same, but HP), and Team Barrier (shields everyone for 10 seconds). I also increase the score multiplier from 3x to 4x.

For Shu, I upgrade Shield Matrix from +0 to +4, Interceptors from +2 to +5, Arm-Mounted Pulse Lasers from +1 to +4, Multi-Lock Missiles from +2 to +5, and I also purchase Arm-Mounted Convergent Lasers and Leg Spike and upgrade both of those to +3.

For Ryoko, I upgrade the Guardian from +1 to +3, and Shield Emitter from +2 to +3.

Hijiyama gets Demolisher Blade upgraded from +2 to +4.

All right, let’s roll.

Music: (LYSINE) (Mitsuhiro Kaneda)

I-I’m fine! Everyone else is doing their best, so I can keep going…

You need to know when to use your support units… The Guardian types are especially important. They spike the D-forces’ threat identification signals. It makes them think it’s a high-priority target. They can draw attention away from us as a decoy unit. That can distract the enemy away from us *and* the terminals.

Though it tends to draw their attention instead of diverting it. It can be a risky move.

Video: Destruction Wave 2-6

Easy.

…Actually, what *do* we know about this self-defense mechanism?

But the defense functions refuse to respond when the terminals are under kaiju attack. The mainframe would go down without even noticing it was compromised.

…So when it comes to the kaiju, the system’s paralyzed?

That’s one way to put it. And Operation Aegis is about covering for that weakness. The Deimos attacks open up vulnerabilities so they can attack the terminals. We exploit those same vulnerabilities with some low-grade hacking, to provoke the terminal’s security… And trigger the defenses ourselves. The Aegis system activates, and the terminal locks out the kaiju intrusion. If the threat of the Deimos is too subtle for detection, then we simply present a more obvious one.

Uh, yeah. “Subtle.”

Familiar shenanigans. Isn’t that why they used to call you a no-account rascal…?

At any rate, that’s why we can’t activate it until the D-forces are close enough to the terminals.

Well, it’s nice to find out what Aegis actually is, finally.

Hijiyama’s Lone Wolf skill increases his Attack further the fewer members are on the strike team.

Juro’s Never Again increases his Attack when the Terminal defense rate is 40% or lower. Not very good at all, that one.

Shu Amiguchi’s Easily Bored increases the power of an armament if he hasn’t used it previously in the battle.

Music: Voyage To Tomorrow (Hitoshi Sakimoto)

Let’s move right on to the next fight.

We need Juro and Megumi for this one. This team should work. Not even gonna upgrade first!

Music: (LYSINE) (Mitsuhiro Kaneda)

I just finished an analysis of the D-Code’s most recent changes… It looks like they’ve really souped up their missile weaponry.

More improvements… I suppose that’s proof the Sentinels have them rattled, at least.

That’s not all. We’ve got ground-piercing missiles on the field now… Those units are probably gunning for the terminals. You’ll need Sentinels who can work on anti-air defense. If you can’t shoot them down, this’ll get ugly.

If it comes down to it, I can be the decoy. Flying bombs aren’t enough to bring me down…

Video: Destruction Wave 2-7

That one was a little hairy, honestly.

The 4th-generation’s flare torpedoes can take out missiles as well.

You sure you’re not Juro Izumi in there?

I’m sure. But I know him, and I know what we’re up against.

Ei doesn’t need to remember the basics of CQC, because he’s a specialist. The description of CQC Specialist reads, “Close quarter attacks do more damage the closer the kaiju are.” Seems… rather redundant. Let’s just treat that as a generic increase for melee armament damage, because I have no idea how to parse it otherwise.

Megumi’s Used to Loneliness skill increases all her stats when no allies are near her. Good, but Megumi’s pretty fragile so we’re not likely to extend her far into the action.

Yep, all that damage Shu took killed our chances of an S-rank there. Though we did take some terminal damage as well. Darn.

Music: Voyage To Tomorrow (Hitoshi Sakimoto)

Now for 2-8.

We’re going to increase Nenji’s Generator parameter up to +5. costing quite a lot of Meta-Chips.

We’re also going to unlock Natsuno’s Missile Rain and upgrade it to +3, which slightly increases the power and number of missiles.

Next, we unlock Tomi’s Super Large Missile and upgrade it to +4, which increases its power and area of effect by quite a lot.

Then, increase Tomi’s Generator to +2. Generator’s good to invest in because EP, Attack, and EP recovery are all vital.

Next, upgrade Megumi’s Interceptors from +3 to +5, and her Arm-Mounted Pulse Lasers from +2 to +4.

Finally, unlock Jammer Rocket Launchers for Iori and upgrade them to +4.

That should be good. Let’s deploy. After all, it’s not like there’s anything I forgot to che—

Oh goddammit. Well, I already completed the wave, let’s see how it went…

Ryoko’s Make Them Pay (I’ll make them pay, I’ll make them all pay…) increases her Attack, WT recovery, and move speed for a short time after she takes a certain amount of damage.

Iori’s At His Side increases all her stats if Ei is also in the strike team. Also, jeez, we’re at Level 25 for Iori already?

So, I’ll show that one again, despite the S-Rank. I’d prefer the clear I make the video of be the one that follows the bonus objectives.

Unfortunately, our current available lineup is looking a little thin, so I’m going to run a different operation in the interim to get some more people off Brain Overload. We never got an S-Rank on Wave 2-5, so let’s try that one again.

Juro upgrades his Sentry Gun from +5 to +6, his Guardian from +1 to +4, and unlocks the Jammer Rocket Launchers, which he upgrades to +3.

Juro also upgrades his Generator to +3.

Miura upgrades his Generator to +2.

As does Shu.

Yuki upgrades her Leg Spike from +4 to +6. Each upgrade of Leg Spike also increases her maximum movement range, so that’s even more potential damage from Brawling Prodigy.

This should be simple.

Nenji’s Don’t Mess With Me automatically counterattacks all nearby kaiju after he takes a certain amount of damage.

Unfortunately, we do even worse than last time, shit. Well, let’s just move on for now.

We unlock Miura’s Main Battery Mega Railgun, EMP Stunner, and Anti-Air Bombardment, then upgrade literally everything Miura has equipped to +3. That’s going to be the extent of our upgrading for this run.

Only 3rd- and 4th-generation pilots this time, eh? I can make that work.

Music: (LYSINE) (Mitsuhiro Kaneda)

I know that one. It’s another of those huge carriers…

No… It’s similar, but we haven’t seen this one. Probably a new model of the Terra Carrier…

Video: Destruction Wave 2-8

God, I send out so many Interceptors in this one.

No sign of any other Deimos signatures… Guess we’ve got a moment to catch our breath.

There’s rubble everywhere down on the ground. I just tripped…

Geez, you’re shakin’ like a leaf. Lemme see it… Ah, looks like a scrape. Gimme your hand… Man, yours are so soft.

Oh… Takamiya-san…

Uh.

Careful next time. Okay?

Wait, does that mean…? But I didn’t think I was… I mean, what if…

Hell yeah, everyone in this game is bi.

I, uh… I-It’s not like that! I’m not cheating! Ei-kun’s the only one I need!

Where the heck did *that* come from…?

Oh, hey, Natsuno’s the MVP! And by a pretty wide margin, too! That’s… honestly somewhat surprising. Natsuno is actually considered maybe the worst pilot in the game. The third-generation Sentinels aren’t terribly strong by themselves and Natsuno’s the only one to not get Super Large Missile, which we have not seen used yet.

Literally all of our pilots reached the threshold for a new skill here. Natsuno gained The War of the Worlds, which increases her Attack significantly if a Hi-Quad is near, heh.

Miura gets Soldier, Guardian, Demon, which emits a powerful localized shockwave whenever his Sentinel is destroyed. Very situational.

Shu gets Pressure’s On, which gives him a high chance to dodge attacks when there are a lot of kaiju nearby.

Yuki gets I Can Take You All!, which increases her Attack and Defense when a lot of kaiju are nearby.

Gouto gets Buried Emotion, which is like Miura’s Big Brother—it increases all of Gouto’s stats if Chihiro contacts the team.

Finally, Megumi gets Hidden Girl Power, which activates after Megumi defends and causes all male pilots to recover a small amount of EP, while the female pilots recover a small amount of HP.