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Chapter 06
Sagita, upon discovering the enemy, let out a mocking laugh.
“So they ran all the way here.”
He had worried unnecessarily.
Would they hide in an asteroid field?
How anxious he had been not to lose them.
Thinking about it now, it had all been needless concern.
“Still… what is this?”
Trash was drifting between the asteroids.
Thud.
A pair of underwear stained with yellow marks collided with the camera after slipping through the shields.
It felt like mockery. It irritated him deeply.
“Pathetic tricks until the very end.”
“It seems intended to obstruct vision,” his deputy said.
Sagita already knew.
Some forces did this during chaotic battles.
The effect was minimal.
Just a final desperate struggle.
“Sir, the enemy has taken position.”
“They’ve chosen a formation that will be troublesome.”
The enemy ships positioned themselves tightly between asteroids.
This prevented encirclement and forced a narrow engagement front.
But it didn’t matter.
They were overwhelmingly outmatched in both numbers and ship quality.
“Why would they choose to make a last stand here?”
“Perhaps they are waiting for a large wave,” the deputy suggested.
Certain asteroid fields occasionally experience massive surges.
When that happens, ships are swept away like in a torrent.
In battle, it effectively ends the engagement.
“Hmph. As if I’d allow them time.”
He had already given up on capturing the ships intact.
Time had been wasted.
He intended to finish this quickly and continue the mission.
A surprise attack had cost him a few ships, but nothing mission-critical.
He had already recalled scattered fast-attack units.
“Open communications. They did manage to amuse me a little. I’ll hear their final words. If they surrender, I might even grant them a clean death.”
“Captain. Incoming communication.”
“Connect it.”
Sagita’s face appeared on the screen, full of anticipation for revenge.
“Ah, sir. I’m sorry we couldn’t offer you tea before you left.”
“Hmph. You’re as slow-witted as you look. I thought I’d have to wait forever.”
It seemed some instinctive roleplay tone kicked in.
Not that he was drunk—but the tone was already set.
First impressions mattered.
To him, Sagita would forever be just a smugglers’ thug.
“Hahaha! Still acting so calm. You really do have nerves of steel.”
The man seemed eager to end the exchange.
But that wouldn’t happen so easily.
“Hoho! Calling this elder ‘you bastard’? How rude. A speckled fool who lacks manners.”
“What?! Speckled fool?”
Sagita’s face flushed red.
He had been bullied as a child for his appearance.
That nickname—“Speckled Fool”—had stuck with him.
“You… you knew me from the beginning!”
“A murderer’s face is easy to recognize. A man who should be in prison is roaming free. I worry for the empire’s future. Did the one who freed you enjoy watching you wag your tail like a pet?”
He had killed someone by mistake.
He thought he was killing his childhood bully, but it was the wrong person.
After being imprisoned in despair…
Imperium Marshal had released him.
“You insolent…!”
He bared his teeth in rage.
“Ah, my apologies. I forgot who your master is.”
The captain waved his missing left arm casually.
Sagita’s master, Imperium Marshal, was the adopted son of a eunuch.
Not that it mattered—he was still dangerous.
Laughter erupted around the captain.
“You will be torn apart alive!”
“Such vulgar speech. I shall teach you what true weightiness is.”
“Fleet. Open fire!”
At his command, Sagita flinched.
“Captain! There is a problem with energy charging!”
The vice-captain reported.
“Hahaha! So even your five-ship squad can’t follow orders!”
Sagita laughed loudly and stood up.
“Standing up during command? You’ll regret it.”
“Hmph! All weapons, fire! Even the asteroids—destroy everything!”
The enemy fleet fired.
But—
Whoooosh.
The lasers and beams scattered in all directions.
Missiles stalled mid-air.
“…What?”
Sagita looked stunned.
“Now, how was my performance? I could have been a stage actor in another era.”
The captain waved his severed arm again.
“Now, show me that ‘weightiness’ you promised.”
“What nonsense—”
Screech.
The enemy fleet suddenly began to tilt.
Ships slid as if on ice.
Chaos erupted.
They collided, spun, and crashed into asteroids.
“What… what did you do?”
The captain only smiled.
“…Deng?”
Sagita finally realized.
The scattered trash fluttered like a storm.
A small piece of trash carried asteroid-level gravity.
A large ship suddenly lost its gravity entirely.
“Ugh!”
Sagita’s body floated.
The gravity control systems had failed completely.
“Should’ve told you to wear a seatbelt during command.”
He slammed back to the floor as objects flew wildly.
Then—
Thud.
Something struck his left eye.
“Gaaah! You bastard!”
“You can only forgive someone if you’re alive.”
An explosion followed.
A piece of trash in space collapsed, triggering a chain reaction.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Like dust explosions, everything began detonating.
Communication cut out.
The explosions grew stronger.
Finally, a massive wave of dark energy connected everything.
“Shit!”
The captain gripped his armrest.
The ship shook violently.
“We are losing stability!”
“Hold it together!”
A collision warning sounded.
A massive asteroid was coming.
The ship tilted—
Impact.
The shield absorbed part of it, but the hull slammed into the ground.
“Report damage!”
“Sections 12, 14, and 17 are heavily damaged!”
“Send engineers.”
“Understood!”
Damage was not catastrophic.
“Enemy status?”
“Still active. Eight enemy ships confirmed operational.”
“They survived that?”
Only wealthy fleets could endure such conditions.
“Enemy escort timing was perfect.”
“I want one of those escorts…”
“Missiles didn’t detonate internally either.”
“Damn unlucky game…”
“Captain! Orders?”
“Retreat.”
The enemy still outnumbered them, and their ships were superior.
There was no reason to continue.
“Captain! First corvette and one escort refused orders and are charging!”
“Those idiots.”
They were blinded by glory.
“Engagement started. Do we join them?”
“No. Leave them.”
As they retreated, battle erupted behind them.
The result was inevitable.
The remaining eight enemy ships were damaged in engines only—their weapons still functional.
“Vice-captain, file a report on insubordination. We’ll lodge an official complaint with their noble house.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“And notify the communication relay station.”
Interstellar communications were complex.
It would take time for the report to reach the General Command.
Still…
A concern lingered.
If he became too famous, escaping with his family assets might become difficult.
He had unintentionally achieved too great a victory.
