Naval Gacha System: It's Time To Monopolize The Seven Seas!

Following the explosion that rumbled the surroundings, dust filled the expanse alongside the black smoke ascending to the heavens above. The MECH Squadron continued observing the position of the Arcanum Engine and saw the fog of dust clearing up by the moment. In mere seconds, the misty dust had long faded, replaced by a wreckage of what was supposed to be the land ship.

The squadron officer calmly confirmed the destruction of the target to the Artillery Squadron at their rear. The explosion might have attracted some attention from their enemies, but it stopped them from being pinned down by the Arcanum Engine that appeared out of nowhere.

At any rate, the MECH Squadron continued their operation and navigated through the burning wreckage of the land ship. Their EM rifles pointed onward, ready for whatever may appear in the cloud of dust that slightly covered them. The destination of their squadron wasn't that far. The pylon which held the runic generator powering the barriers and shielding.

Although destroying one wouldn't necessarily lower the defenses of the entire capital city, it would minimize the shielding of a sector, practically allowing more support from the strategic ships to pierce through the barriers. It was a simple plan with a straightforward result.

Minutes passed and the MECH Squadron was a few hundred meters away from the targeted pylon. It was a towering structure of colonial architecture. Usually, when dealing with these high priority structure, the Artillery Squadrons would have been ordered to bombard them into oblivion. But because of the shielding each of these pylons conjure to protect themselves.

Bombardment was but a useless waste of ammunition.

*Five cannon emplacements and nine defensive bunkers. These pylons are heavily defended.* The squadron officer uttered through the comms as the UNSS Vagabond above them reported new intel reports regarding their surroundings and circumstance. It seemed that the colonial soldiers were also converging towards pylons, which meant that there was a switch of defensive strategy.

*Should we infiltrate, Sir?* One of the Mechas questioned through the comms, earning the response of the squadron officer. *An infiltration is paramount. Our target isn't them or their defensive perimeter. It is the pylon behind them. As such, our attention should be pointed at the pylon. They don't matter in the bigger picture.*

*How do you propose to infiltrate and destroy the pylon, Sir?* Another Mecha asked, wanting to know the plan that the squadron officer had in mind. The latter swiftly answered his question. *Our walkers aren't mere tool of wars. Utilize our surroundings, especially the decimated buildings for cover. While our area of silhouette are much larger than usual, it shouldn't be difficult to hide.*

*Affirmative, Sir.*

Through the orders of the squadron officer, instead of heading straight towards the defensive fortification which encompassed the pylon. They hid amongst the decimated buildings, masking their presence. Alongside the assistance of the UNSS Vagabond, watching them from above. Avoiding the scouting soldiers was pretty simple.

Moments later, they were within a hundred meters away from the pylon. The defensive and cannon emplacements was beside them, yet they remained unnoticed by the defenders. Observing the pylon, the squadron officer uttered through the comms *Switch your shells to high explosives.* They were within the defensive perimeter of the pylon's internal shielding.

In simpler terms, they could shoot at it without worrying about the structure deflecting it.

The Assault MECHs heeded his orders as they switched to high-explosive shells. The barrels of their EM rifles were calmly pointed towards the towering structure that was the pylon and awaited for further orders from their squadron officer. Gazing upon the pylon for one last time, the order finally escaped him. *Demolish the pylon down.*

Without a tinge of hesitation and delay, the Mechas pulled the trigger and shot at the towering structure with high-explosive shells. It was thunderous as the shells pierced through the air and immediately exploded around the pylon. The explosions was deafening as the towering colonial architecture collapsed under its own weight, destroying the runic generator in its wake.

Smoke of dust enveloped the entirety of the area as the soldiers defending it couldn't hide their shocked expressions. Out of nowhere, explosions rumbled and the pylon collapsed. There was no doubt about it. Steel walkers were attacking them. But with the destruction of the pylon, what protected them from the heavens above?

Inside the bridge of the UNSS Vagabond, Captain Jack observed the decimated pylon and calmly ordered his personnel. "Bombard the defensive emplacements within the sector. Decimate them until nothing more but a pile of rubble remains." Hearing the orders of their commanding officer, the personnel within the bridge swiftly followed his commands.

EM turrets below the hull of the strategic destroyer directed its barrels towards the defensive and cannon emplacements that surrounded the now-destroyed pylon. It only took a couple of seconds as the first shot blasted out of the electro-magnetic guns. These shells were far much larger than the ones equipped by the Assault MECHs. They belong to warships.

The moment the first of these shells impacted the surrounding emplacements. Explosions followed, enrapturing the eardrums of those near it. The shockwaves surged and left nothing more but broken debris of what was supposed to be the defensive fortifications of the pylon. The soldiers couldn't utter a single reaction and lost their lives in a fraction of a second.

It brought about a terrifying scene of a burning hellscape, yet the MECH Squadron merely watched while receiving a new directive from the UNSS Vagabond. Their next operation was simple. Assisting nearby squadrons to destroy their pylons, which would ensure the utter defeat of the Colonial Dominion of Mavors.

"Defensive emplacements have been taken care off, Sir. Reports are also coming in from the data link. Three pylons have been destroyed." An intelligence officer reported to Jack, who nodded in agreement. The destruction of these pylons was paramount to their victory in this war. No matter how much the Colonial Dominion defends these structures. They would ultimately fall.

"Good, it seems that the skies are clearing up." Staring at the beautiful skies, the Sentinel had won against the wyverns and exterminated them to oblivion. The skies was for the United World Government to roam. And it was a matter of time for the land below them to be theirs.

The defeat of the Colonial Dominion of Mavors wasn't far, but it wouldn't bring forth the end of the war. After all, the surrounding Colonial Dominions must also be dealt with. The Ferus Sea would be free from the tendrils of humanity and will become part of the United World Government. That was the goal of this expansion. A consolidation of the World Government's sovereignty.

---

Meanwhile...

Within the underground bunker embedded deep within the ground, the generals and advisors encircled a round table, their faces etched with anxiousness and a tinge of fear. Reports were coming in from the outside. The outer districts of the capital city were falling one by one. The towering pylons containing the runic generators were being destroyed by the steel walkers.

"They have learned of our weakness and are targeting it without hesitation." Viceroy Vorne uttered, his voice echoing throughout the hall that encompassed them. There was a hint of coldness within his calm. No matter how much they distributed their forces to defend the pylons. The steel walkers could always tear it down.

It didn't matter how much Arcanum Engines they designated towards one structure. These abominable giants also manage to infiltrate through the internal shielding of the pylon. It was as though they had eyes in the skies. "Hmm, I see... I understand it now. No wonder they could navigate through the decimated districts with ease."

"Have you realized something, Lord Vorne?" A general questioned, desiring to know of the realization that the viceroy had in mind. "It's not something important, but it seems that the steel walkers are utilizing the steel ships drifting across the skies to avoid our forces. No matter how much we defend these pylons and bolster its reinforcements. It wouldn't matter."

"After all, they could simply avoid it."

"Lord Archmagus, can you conjure a veil covering the entirety of the capital city?" A dangerous idea emerged within the mind of Vorne. Since the steel walkers could see their every moves from the vessels soaring through the heavens, they merely needed to cover themselves in order to ensure the effectiveness of their defensive strategies.

Beside him was none other than the Archmagus of Mavors. He was an old friend of the viceroy and was the one that ensured the Magus Tower would support the defenses of the Colonial Dominion. The Archmagus glanced at Vorne and responded with calm. "Utilizing the barriers and shielding that encompassed the city, it is possible to conjure a veil. However..."

"We would also be blind to the heavens."

"As long as we remained covered, that is all that matters. After all, perceiving them would be useless if we cannot even utilize the opportunity. Instead, we have focused on applying our cards to properly defend our lifelines, the pylons." Vorne muttered as a veil was enough for him. The Archmagus then nodded and called for a Magi to begin the veil.

Above the heavens, incoming reports echoed throughout the bridge of the UNSS Vagabond. An intelligence officer stepped forward and reported to the commanding officer with a straightened back. "Sir, the Magi are moving and seemed to be trying a spell. They might be attempting to reinforce the barriers and shielding."

"Reinforce their runic barriers and shielding? That doesn't make sense." Captain Jack raised his eyebrows as he doubted that the central command of the Colonial Dominion would be dumb to waste more resources on the defensive abilities of the pylon. It was already capable of handling the bombardment of the fleet, so these bastards might be planning for something else.

Before the commanding officer could keep thinking about it, a veil of darkness escaped the pylons and encroached the runic barriers. It was covering it with an ink of black, practically obscuring the capital city from the heavens.