Zoids Official Fan Book 5 "Soldier"
Continent of Delpoi, Forest of Ardannes ZAC 2106, January
Imperial Army Master Sergeant Capri Conrad |
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Neo Zenebas Empire Army Master Sergeant Capri Conrad was driving a Dimetrodon. With the Grim Reaper closing in behind him.
— How much longer can I run away? Five, ten minutes?
Capri wasn't a particularly pessimistic man, but he just couldn't imagine himself being saved. The situation was that hopeless.
The Reaper's name was Liger Zero. An extraordinarily strong enemy even among the elites of the Helic Republic Army High-Speed Combat Force. He had to fight it one on one. And moreover, in a Dimetrodon. The Dimetro was not, to put it mildly, a machine suited for combat. It was an electronic warfare Zoid that supported combat forces from the shadows. Capri tried simulating it as a test. Dimetrodon vs Liger Zero. The victory rate that the computer spat out was 7 percent. That figure was, to the end, simply comparing the combat power of both sides. In an actual battle, it wouldn't even be half of that. And that was assuming the pilots were of equal skill.
— Equal? Not likely.
The Zero's pilot wasn't any ordinary pilot. Capri himself knew that best. Capri's platoon had been performing force reconnaissance in the Forest of Ardannes, searching for Republic Army positions, when the Zero had annihilated them on its own, and in just under ten minutes. It had concealed itself quietly so it wouldn't be picked up by radar or Laser Searchers, then emergency activated from a state of suspended power. Of course, the Zero's output wouldn't have risen up. With that unstable machine, the pilot had put to rest more than ten Empire Army Zoids, including a mass production-type Geno Saurer. That was Capri's enemy.
Certainly, in the last three years, the Empire Army had not lost once in head-on engagements. But even so, they had not yet been able to annihilate the Republic Army, and Capri felt like he understood why. The Republic Army was not dead yet. Not as long as the enemy had these true ace pilots, true Zoid pilots...
Sensing the shadow of the Zero behind him, Capri released his third lot of chaff. It was aluminum flakes for disrupting radar. Disappearing into a rain of silver, the Dimetrodon quietly continued its retreat. This chaff, the deep forest of Ardannes, and the early twilight of midwinter had kept Capri alive this long. But it was still a full 30 kilometers until the ally front line. His chaff would run out in one more release, too. If the Zero's pursuit continued, he probably wouldn't be able to get away. There was a way he could be saved. Abandon the machine and escape on foot. But now that the Republic Army had embarked on mass-producing the new Gojulas, searching for enemy positions was an urgent matter for the Imperial Army and the Dimetrodon was their most important enemy-detecting Zoid. For Capri, it was also the first large-scale Zoid the hard-working veteran had obtained. He couldn't abandon it. In that case, he would just have to fight. Even if it was 7 percent, or half that, if there was a chance of winning, he would fight and make it back alive.
— Let's do this, partner.
After stroking the control panel two or three times, Capri turned the machine around. And after releasing the last chaff at the maximum angle of elevation, he cut all power amongst the conifers.
— That ambush earlier. That was brilliant. We'll do the exact same thing right back at him.
That was Capri's intent. Drawn in by the chaff blowing up high into the sky, the Zero would definitely come to him. He would hide himself until it approached to point-blank range, where it couldn't dodge even with that much mobility. He would risk everything on that one attack.
Capri was waiting for sunset with a prayer in his heart. For this reckless ambush to succeed, he needed to attract the Zero until it was almost under his nose. Darkness was his only hope. But time passed slowly. One minute seemed like an eternity. A thought suddenly floated into Capri's mind, "Maybe the Zero's given up." Then he immediately changed his mind, "No." He was in a cutting-edge electronic warfare Zoid that was precious to the Empire. That meant it was a great threat to the Republic. They would never overlook it.
Eventually the sun dropped down, and when even its afterglow was about to vanish, Capri's skin suddenly got goose bumps. The Zero was there. It wasn't that he was able to see it. It was the intuition of an enemy detector. Ahead and to the right. A distance of roughly 400 meters. At 300 meters he could see it. It approached closer. It was moving slowly.
"For the king of the beasts, you're awfully cautious, aren't ya?"
Perhaps the chaff earlier had been too conspicuous. The Zero felt signs of a trap. 200 meters... 100. Even blending into the trees, it wouldn't be strange if he was discovered any time now. He swallowed his urge to scream and jump out. 80... 50. This was a distance that the Zero could cover in a single leap. 30 meters. Fortune was on Capri's side.
— Go!
The Dimetrodon activated. Its roar sliced through the silent Ardannes. The Zero turning around seemed like slow motion. The Dimetrodon bared its fangs and sprang upon it. Its aim was the throat. This too was like slow motion. Chomp! Its fangs bit in, at full power. Even so, it couldn't break the armor. The Dimetrodon had no laser equipment like the Zero's fangs. The Zero swung its head up. The terrifying power of a Zoid for melee battle. It swung the Dimetrodon, twice as heavy as itself, left and right. Capri's neck gave a scream at the intense, irregular centrifugal force, but he clung on. If he was shaken off, it would all be over. He fired both of the Linear Laser Guns. They were weapons for use against small-scale Zoids, but these were point-blank shots. They ought to be effective. The armor plates on the Zero's neck were blown off. Even still, he didn't loosen off on the trigger. The rain of energy bullets drove into the Zero's body.
— I've won!
Just when Capri was convinced of that, something unbelievable happened. The Zero jumped. Twenty meters vertically, with the Dimetrodon still clinging to it. And then, throwing itself down, it slammed the both of them into the ground.
A strong impact. Capri lost consciousness for a moment.
— He's good......
Still hazy, he attempted to right his machine. It was no use, it couldn't move. The Zero was leaning on it. He couldn't even move. It was a hopeless difference in power.
"I don't like this."
Capri muttered quietly. The Zero's victory was already conclusive. And yet, it hadn't finished him off. It struck him again and again with weak attacks, avoiding inflicting any fatal injuries. It must've enjoyed the Dimetrodon's resistance. Apparently the ambush earlier had made it quite angry.
"You're an amazing Zoid pilot, but that leeway will cost you your life on the battlefield..."
The silver rain once more danced all around them. It was the chaff that Capri had fired earlier. It must've been kicked up by the two Zoids rolling around on the ground. This chaff became a revelation. What if the Dimetrodon fired its all-weather 3D radar waves from its dorsal fin right now? The electromagnetic waves would be diffused. The area would turn into a microwave oven. Even if there was no damage to the Zoids, the pilots wouldn't make it out unharmed. Of course, that included Capri himself...
"You make it back alive. Okay, partner?"
He lightly stroked the panel again. And then, Capri slowly activated the radar.
A few days later, Capri's Dimetrodon was recovered by the Imperial Army. By spring, at the hands of another pilot, it'd been used to discover two more Republican bases, bringing great success to the Imperial Army.
Lykan Canyon ZAC 2106, February
Republican Army Major Winner Kidd |
Republican Army Corporal Verditer Rowen |
The Central Mountain Range towers like a temple of the gods. The east and west of the Central Continent of Delpoi are separated by these mountains, and Lykan Canyon is one of the few passages linking them.
Republican Army Corporal Verditer Rowen |
"When we get back, we'll be court-martialled..."
From the cockpit of his beloved Liger Zero Panzer, he turned his eyes to the ungainly Zoid lined up next to him. The RZ-066 Gorhecks. The Republican Army's new electronic warfare Zoid, replacing the Gordos. Inside, Corporal Verditer Rowen was sniffling away defiantly. As usual...
The two were childhood friends, but their backgrounds were very different. Winner was a former pilot of the elite Ray Force (although the Ray Force had since disbanded...) On the other hand, Verditer was an oddball who dropped out of military school and joined the military just to experience what it was like to be a private. There was a huge difference in rank between the two. And yet, Winner could never compare to his childhood friend. Verditer had always been a genius, never getting anything less than top score at anything he'd ever done, aside from athletics.
"It's unusual for me not to hit an enemy within range."
That was a habit of Verditer's. His only weakness was that he had the physical strength of a child. And he lacked in common sense, as well. So even when he proposed this two-man surprise attack without permission from headquarters, he wasn't that shocked. This was Verditer's argument:
"The greatest threat to the Republican Army is the Dark Spiner. Unless we do something about its jamming attacks, we have no chance of winning. The jamming waves could either be prevented or eliminated. To defend against them, we can coat important circuits and wiring with insulation. In fact, this method has been used in the state-of-the-art Gojulasgiga. But the time and cost are enormous. It's safe to say that it'd be impossible for the Republican Army to include it as standard equipment in all Zoids. So we have no choice but to eliminate them. But the time and cost are enormous. You could say that equipping it as standard on medium and small-scale Zoids would be impossible for the current Republic Army."
"You mean... if guys with the same speed and punching strength fight, they'll knock each other out?"
Verditer ignored Winner's question.
"The only Zoid that can do that is the Gorhecks. There aren't many Spiners. If we surround them with Gorhecks, though, which are easy to mass-produce, we could stop the jamming. That's why I advised headquarters and the Technological Department to prioritize mass-producing the Gorhecks over combat Zoids. But they rejected the proposal."
Winner thought that'd be obvious. A gunner corporal making the proposal? Headquarters must have been appalled.
"It's just armchair theory. Spiners have a wide frequency range. If they can change the frequency again and again, the defenses won't be able to keep up. That was the Technological Department's conclusion. But the Gorhecks can do it. With the reaction speed and analytical power of its Crystal Radar, it can come up with a counter before its functions are sent out of order. If we just attach the prototype amplification boosters I created."
Verditer was self-confident as ever.
"I'll prove it in actual combat. You and I will fight a Spiner. We'll launch a surprise attack on the Imperial supply unit in Lykan Canyon."
And thus, Winner and Verditer now stood side by side, looking down at the canyon. The Spiners were there to escort the Imperial transport unit. It was why the Republic's military headquarters had strictly forbidden attacks on the canyon. Still, Winner went along with the surprise attack because he agreed with Verditer. Unless they stopped the Spiner, the Republican Army couldn't win.
"It's a Gorhecks with my boosters attached. We'll find them first."
Verditer was filled with a shocking amount of self-confidence. Then his voice suddenly tensed.
"Here they come! Thirty degrees right, raise elevation three degrees and fire main cannons!"
On the other side of the valley, with its countless twists and turns? How does he know their position so accurately?
"Too slow! Correct by point two degrees left."
Winner squeezed the trigger, only half believing what he said. The main guns of his beloved machine fired. A few seconds later, a pillar of fire rose up on the opposite side of the valley. A hit. More than that, a direct hit.
"Next! Adjust point five degrees left, lower elevation point two degrees!"
Another hit. The third and fourth Zoids were direct hits too. Winner was astonished. It'd be better to mass-produce Verditer instead of the Gorhecks. If such a thing were possible.
Just after he'd crushed the fifth Zoid, enemies sprung out from a blind spot in the valley. There were 5 units remaining. As well as one Dark Spiner.
"I won't have time to guide your shooting from now on. I'll have my hands full countering the Jamming Waves. Take out everything but the Dark Spiner."
"Leave it to me. I'll give you your man-to-man with the Dark Spiner. Get all the combat data you like!"
Continuous fire rang out from the main guns. Not all shots hit their targets, but by the time they were close enough for melee combat, Winner had wiped out all of the Imperial Zoids except for the Dark Spiner. But the important part started here. Could he really defend against the jamming?
The Dark Spiner charged. A monster whose melee abilities were comparable to that of the Geno Saurer. He couldn't oppose it with the heavy Panzer equipment. Winner was prepared to take the risk and discard his equipment, intending to intercept the enemy with a naked Zoid. But suddenly, the Panzer staggered. He couldn't remove the equipment, either. Then the Dark Spiner came charging at him.
— What's going on!? Why aren't you countering!?
Winner looked back at the Gorhecks as he was thrown. Verditer's prized boosters were smoking.
— They overheated? Are you kidding me!?
And then came the Spiner. He was struck, bitten, and stomped on. If he weren't in a heavily armored Panzer, he'd already be dead.
But he couldn't die yet. Not until he'd bought time for Verditer to escape. If he stayed safe, he'd definitely complete the imperfect boosters.
While Winner was having such valiant thoughts, Verditer surprised him again. He cut between him and the enemy, in his Gorhecks. His movements were sluggish. It must be the jamming waves.
"Are you stupid!? What are you planning to do in an electronic warfare Zoid that can't even move right!?"
Right before Winner's eyes, in the midst of his complaining, the Spiner grabbed the Gorhecks and smashed its canopy.
"Verditer!"
Winner screamed, but his voice was drowned out by the sound of an ear-splitting explosion. The Gorhecks had self-destructed. There'd been a staggering amount of explosives. He could only imagine that they'd been stocked in the machine from the very beginning. The Dark Spiner had also been completely destroyed. Thanks to the Panzer's armor, which was twice as thick as the Spiner's, they'd just barely managed to survive, but the Gorhecks was nowhere to be seen. Winner jumped onto the wreckage and desperately pushed aside the rubble. A playful voice called out from behind him.
"What are you doing, Winner?"
It was Verditer. He was holding a Zoid remote control device in his right hand.
"Don't you know, Winner? Privates who aren't even given a Zoid have to survive purely on vigilance and their meager weaponry."
Verditer said with a sniffle, stroking the wreckage of his Gorhecks. In his left hand was a disc storing the combat data from earlier. Winner couldn't help but ponder.
— I guess I'll never be able to beat this guy.
But strangely, he didn't feel negatively about it. Indeed, to such an extent that he didn't even feel scared of his court-martial.
Cook Fortress ZAC 2106, March
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The battle would risk their fate. The Republic Army headquarters used every trick that it had. They sent guerrilla units to all sides in order to disrupt the enemy, and even mobilized their allied forces, the Guylos Army, who then dispatched an empty transport ship to the distant Dark Continent. Empty because they'd not yet recovered from the wounds caused by the previous war. Nevertheless, the diversion was so effective that the Imperial Army was forced to deploy troops all along the vast coastline, and now... the main forces of the Republican Army tore through the Empire's chaotic front lines and charged towards Cook Fortress.
Republican Army Captain Dew Eld |
The man was called an ace of the main force. But in this battle, he had yet to bring down even a single enemy. Of course, he was leaving no stone unturned. They needed to take down this fortress before the enemies recovered from their confusion. But the more impatient he became from thinking this, the less the Arosaurer would move according to his will.
There was a problem with Dew. Dew was a pilot who had continued to ride a Gojulas since the outbreak of the war. With its fiery temper, those who could pilot a Gojulas, which chose pilots of its own will were called heroes. Four years ago, in the battle for the capital, he'd fought a heroic battle but had lost his beloved machine. After two years in a field hospital, he was able to return to combat solely because of his desire to pilot the successor of the Gojulas, the Giga.
But the Giga had not chosen him. It would not obey a pilot it couldn't get along with, no matter how good his skills or experience as a pilot. That was the Zoid called the Gojulas. Eventually, Dew ended up piloting an Arosaurer. His mission was to guard the Giga. In the midst of a melee, giant Zoids sometimes received unexpected damage from small Zoids. They could easily snipe openings in their heavy armor, such as around joints, leaving them immobilized. Protecting it was truly an ironic mission. And now, Dew was witnessing the Giga's incredible strength up close. The Gojulas's flaws had been so beautifully eliminated. Its armor repelled every bullet, and its Hyper E-Shield didn't waver even to the Geno Saurer's charged particle cannon. Its transformation between pursuit and fighting modes combined to deliver overwhelming speed and power. Its fighting style overturned the conventional knowledge of giant Zoids.
— If only I could pilot it...
The Arosaurer wasn't so bad either. It was said to be a masterpiece of a medium-scale Zoid, deployed as the successor to the Godos. But what Dew, a Gojulas pilot down to his bone marrow was seeking was absolute power. Though he knew it was wishful thinking, he couldn't control his irritation.
Even if they weren't as extreme as the Gojulas, all Zoids had wills and emotions. Their abilities could only be fully realized when the mental link with their pilot, transmitted through the controls, went smoothly. It was only natural that Dew couldn't draw out the Arosaurer's abilities right now, and the stress of being unable to control it the way he wanted only fueled his frustrations.
Just then, the ground behind him suddenly split open. It was a surprise attack from the Imperial Army's subterranean Zoid, the Grounchar. A pulse laser fired from the turret on its nose, and pierced the opening in the Giga's knee armor. Clicking his tongue, Dew turned the Arosaurer around. But the Grounchar disappeared underground once again before he could grab it. It was Dew's mistake. He had gone too far ahead, despite being an escort unit. It was a mistake born from his impatience at being unable to bring down enemies. And it was an unexpectedly fatal mistake. The Giga slowly collapsed. Smoke was rising from its knee. Even if it was a direct hit, it was gunfire from a small-scale Zoid. To take this much damage in one hit would normally be unthinkable. The unreasonable mass-production of 30 machines in five months and the earlier-than-planned surprise attack must have made them go easy on tuning and tests. At any rate, they'd have to withdraw. No matter how powerful it was, even the Giga would just be a target if it couldn't stand. Protected by a number of Arosaurers including Dew's, the Giga's crawling retreat began. However, a monster waited in its path.
"Death Saurer..."
One of his allies murmured. The invincibility of the Imperial Army's strongest machine beast, the dragon that brought death, may have come to an end with the appearance of the Madthunder. Even so, that did not change the fact that it was a nightmarish monster for anyone other than a Thunder pilot. Could the Giga fight it? For five minutes, and at full strength? No, maybe not even for that long. Because that thing had an absolute trump card. The fan on the Death Saurer's back turned. The air trembled, and immediately afterward, a torrent of light engulfed the Giga and the Arosaurer squadron. The Large-Calibre Charged Particle Cannon. The swirl of energy was in a different league to the Particle Cannons of the Geno and Berserk Führer.
After the light disappeared, the only ones remaining were the Giga, which had deployed its E-Shield, and Dew's Arosaurer, which had been behind it. Everything else had been annihilated. Its destructive power was unreal. He felt like he was about to lose his senses from terror. Then the second shot came. The Giga endured. But with the third direct hit, the Giga's generators gave a shriek. They had reached their limit. It could no longer deploy its shield. The Giga was going to die. The moment he thought that, Dew and his Arosaurer leapt into the air. He would defeat the Death Dragon. To atone for his mistake, and to protect the Zoid he loved. He leapt straight at the Death Saurer's nose.
Even if he was no match for its super-heavy armor, he might be able to smash the cockpit. His Arosaurer bared its Electron Bite Fangs, intent to sink them into it. But before he could crush it, the Death Dragon's head glowed. An intercepting beam fired at point-blank range. All the hair on his body stood on end. He managed to dodge it. The Arosaurer moved with such fluidity that it belied its earlier clumsiness. The agility of the Arosaurer, something even the Gojulas lacked was truly invaluable in this moment.
As if responding to Dew's thoughts, the Arosaurer dug its claws in to avoid being thrown off and climbed around to the Death Dragon's back. The Charged Particle Intake Fan was before his eyes. Almost the only weak point of the Death Saurer, it was directly connected to its internal circuitry, and it was within reach. He struck it with his 2-Barrelled Beam Guns and Flamethrowers simultaneously. A counterattack came from the Death Saurer's four gun turrets equipped to protect the fan, but he didn't ease up on the trigger. The Arosaurer's armor plates shattered. Its right arm was torn off, and its canopy broke.
"Keep at it, partner!"
Dew screamed involuntarily. At that moment, he saw the interior of the intake fan violently short out. Black smoke and flames drifted upwards. The Death Dragon's massive body writhed. But the Arosaurer couldn't withstand the force and was thrown off, crashing to the ground. His machine was severely damaged. Dew's consciousness was also starting to fade. In his hazy vision, he saw the Death Dragon stagger to its feet. With a roar of anger, it raised its giant claws. There was no escape. Neither Dew nor his beloved machine had any strength left. Yet, in the midst of despair, Dew's heart felt strangely light. He'd driven the Death Saurer back this far. Something not even the Gojulas could do. He hadn't managed to protect the Giga, but at least he should have given it a chance to survive. He should be proud. Of himself and his beloved machine. Just as he thought that and closed his eyes, three things happened simultaneously.
The Death Dragon's claws came down; the Giga's long tail pierced its particle intake fan — which had been left unguarded in the Death Dragon's rage — and the Arosaurer's cockpit ejection system activated automatically. As a result, the Arosaurer and the Death Dragon were destroyed, yet Dew and the Giga survived. The next day, Cook Fortress fell into the hands of the Republican Army.
Five days later, Dew, now healed, volunteered to lead the Arosaurer unit, taking up a defensive position in the southern part of the fortress. Inside his new favorite machine, Dew pondered the marvel of these mechanical beasts.
The marvel of the machine beasts that chose pilots of their own will, and protected their pilots even if it sometimes meant giving up their own lives. To his right he could see the site of the fierce battle. Dew quietly saluted, with feelings of regret and gratitude.
The only important secret that the retreating Imperial Army left behind was the silhouettes of three new Zoids that appeared to be under active development. |
Florecio Ocean ZAC 2106, April
|
Imperial Army Captain Aqua Erius |
EZ-068 Storch (Chimera Commander Spec.) |
RZ-039 Raynos |
Under the watchful eyes of Imperial Air Force First Lieutenant Sapphire Tripp, another aerial Zoid of the Republican Army, a Raynos, fell from the sky. Attacking it was the air combat Chimera, Flyscissors, of the Imperial Army. They swarmed each Raynos in groups of five or more. They were at an altitude of 800 meters. Even the pride of the Republic Air Force, their main fighter Raynos, had almost no performance advantage at this low altitude. Normally, the Zoid displayed its true value at high altitudes of more than 10,000 meters. Now that they'd already fired all their anti-air missiles, the difference in numbers directly reflected a difference in combat power between the two formations.
Two Flyscissors dived towards a Raynos from above and to the left. Another two pressed down above its head. The Raynos turned to the right. A fifth Scissors was waiting there, right in front of it. The Raynos pilot must've been in disbelief. The angle of attack was too steep to engage in a dogfight at this speed. A moment later, they collided. The two machines burst into flames and pieces scattered in every direction.
"Tch."
Hearing the tongue-click through the communicator, Sapphire looked to her consort craft, which circled at an altitude of 1500 meters. It was an Imperial Air Force Zoid, a Storch. It was the same model as Sapphire's own Zoid, but her consort's Zoid was equipped with a Plasma Blade Antenna. It was used for commanding the unmanned BLOX units.
"Is something the matter, Captain?
Again? - swallowing the feeling, Sapphire forced herself to call to her superior officer Captain Aqua Erius in a deliberately calm voice.
"Something the matter? Don't you feel anything when you watch this?"
A low, stifled voice came back to her, and she felt its deep anger.
"Our allies are superior. I think we ought to be glad..."
"This is not a battle of Zoid pilots!"
Aqua was a hot-blooded officer from the start. But these words of his spoke for the feelings of almost all Zoid pilots. Because now, the shape of warfare on this planet was about to drastically change, in a direction Zoid pilots did not wish for.
The catalyst was the introduction of new technology from the Eastern Continent three years prior: the artificial Zoid Core. This meant that Wild Zoids were no longer necessary to produce Combat Zoids. They could be mass-produced at low cost, without any performance scatter due to individual differences like you'd get with wild Zoids. They wouldn't even need the mental link between machine and pilot, and they could even have automatic piloting systems incorporated. The Imperial Army pounced on this technology, named "Zoids BLOX." They were certainly the ideal for the new country of Neo Zenebas, which was still weak in military force and economic strength. But there were still problems with the automatic piloting systems. Even if they could cope with combat on their own, they couldn't take unified actions as a force.
A command Zoid was needed to lead the unmanned units, the Chimera BLOX. One of the command Zoids developed for this purpose was a modified Storch piloted by Aqua. Aqua's mission was to determine how effectively the Chimera could fight against the powerful Republican Air Force. Sapphire was ordered to collect combat data as an escort.
Meanwhile, another Raynos fell. That made four. There were two left. On the other hand, the losses of Flyscissors numbered ten. The combat test could be called a great success. They might have lost more than twice the number of machines, but their production costs were less than a tenth. There were no pilot casualties. With this, the day when vast armies of Chimeras filled every battlefield on Planet Zi wasn't far off. A horde of unmanned machines, marching over cold battlefields with no soldiers. The scene floated vividly in Sapphire's mind.
Aqua remained silent.
- Is it the pride of a Zoid pilot...?
As a fourth-generation Earth immigrant with different values than the people of Planet Zi, Sapphire could understand, but not empathize with his sentiments. The technological level of Zi's people had leaped forwards like a mutation due to the arrival of the Earthlings, but their mentality still contained a thick scent of the medieval. While still possessing the souls of knights, barbarism, and a culture of beast-god worship akin to religion, they'd obtained technology thousands of years ahead of their time. Moreover, without such souls, they couldn't have become the skilled Zoid pilots who formed such deep mental links with their Zoids. At least, until now...
A sudden warning beep from the surveillance monitor interrupted Sapphire's momentary contemplation. One Raynos had broken through the Flyscissors' encirclement. This was bad. If it went full-throttle now, the Storch and Flyscissors wouldn't be able to catch up. If it left the jamming area, this top-secret test would be compromised. But how did the Raynos even break through the siege net?
"That bastard..."
Aqua's voice came from the communicator. It was different from before. A mix of surprise and joy.
"How about this?"
Aqua directed three Scissors on a course to intercept the Raynos. He kept his heading. But far from ascending, the Raynos instead decreased its altitude. 500 meters, 300. It dropped further, at Mach 0.8. From there, a sudden deceleration. It turned left inches from the water's surface. Unable to pull up in time, two of the Scissors crashed into the water. Just as the remaining machine stalled, it was brought down by a strafe of beams.
It was hopeless. There was no way to catch the Raynos now. But just a moment later, Sapphire couldn't believe her eyes. The Raynos turned around. In that direction was the other remaining Raynos, still within the Scissors' encirclement. He planned to rescue it. Even though there were still 30 Scissors remaining.
At that moment, all the Scissors retreated.
"Sapphire, pull back with the Scissors and protect them! Our precious toys will all get turned into scrap!"
"What are you..."
"Don't you get it? That's a real Zoid pilot. Our toys are no match for a Zoid piloted by the real deal!"
Suddenly, Aqua's Storch entered a dive.
"I'll take him."
"In a command-equipment Storch? It's impossible!"
"My opponent's worn out too, isn't he? And at this altitude... but I can do it!"
A dive exceeding Mach 2, from an altitude of 1500 meters. Aqua, like that Raynos pilot, wasn't entirely sane. The two machines became immediately entangled. Upwards, downwards, turning. It was like a dance moving at the speed of sound. Fierce and elegant and bloody and beautiful.
Technology would continue to develop. Become more rational. The Chimeras would evolve to be stronger, and the defects of their automatic piloting systems would be eliminated. Eventually.
Even as she thought this, Sapphire could not stop herself becoming enchanted by the dance of the two Zoid pilots.
- Current Navigation
Notable Differences (Dimetrodon Story)
- This chapter is almost exactly the same as OFBEX2, so a huge thanks to Falcarius, whose translations make up like 95% of this page. There's some minor changes to sentences here and there, but for the most part it doesn't change what's being said. The only notable difference I noticed was that during its assault the Dimetrodon only fired the Linear Laser Guns instead of them, the Sulfuric Acid gun, and the missile pods.
Notable Differences (Gorhecks Story)
- Removed the following section:
Back when the Helic Republic controlled the eastern part of the continent and the Zenebas Empire ruled the west, this was always the very front line. Even now, with the Neo Zenebas Empire controlling almost the entire continent, its importance as a key point of traffic between east and west has not changed.
- OFB5 says that the Ray Force was disbanded by the time this story takes place, but in FBEX3, Winner Kidd was still listed as an active member of it.
- Added a note that Verditer failed to excel at athletics.
- When discussing how to avoid jamming waves, Verditer mentioned that insulated wiring was used in the Republic's Gojulas Giga. in FBEX3, Verditer also added that this was the method adopted by the Empire and the Gojulas Giga.
- OFB5 removed the comment about Winner Kidd being bad at science and math.
- In FBEX3, Winner is stunned to see Verditer interfere because his Zoid just isn't made for combat, and Winner has historically always been the one to do the fighting. In OFB5, this section was cut, and the suspense was instead placed on the Gorhecks being affected by the Dark Spiner's jamming waves.
Notable Differences (Arosaurer Story)
- OFB5 likes to combine what would've been 5-6 paragraphs in the original FBEX into one giant paragraph, so I'll often break these up for the reader's sake.
- There's a fair degree of rewording without actually changing what's being relayed.
- The following paragraph was updated.
It was early spring, with the snow in the Central Mountain Range still far from thawing. At the Neo Zenebas Empire Army front-line base Cook Fortress, located at the eastern foot of the mountain range, countless gunshots roared.In the center of the glacial region, where the snow had yet to melt, lied Fort Cook, the only ice-free port in the north. That day, the sound of countless gun shots rang out in Cook, which was occupied by the Imperial Army.
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The first paragraph was changed to the second.
The counterattack was now or never.But right now, they might be able to bring down a corner of the enemy encirclement. Their counterattack hung on that possibility.
- The following text was cut.
Their objective, Cook Fortress, was an impregnable fort protected by rivers and mountains on every side. It would be a harsh battle, but if they could capture it, there would be no greater position for the Republic.
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The following text was modified with the italic text cut.
The transporters were empty because they had borne deep wounds in the Dark Continent War and did not yet have the strength to fight.
- The following paragraph was changed, with italic text cut.
The Republic Army headquarters used every trick they could in order to disrupt the Neo Zenebas siege net. Simultaneous bombing of multiple enemy positions by the Flying Division. Guerrilla warfare in various locations by the High-Speed Zoid Force.
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The first paragraph was changed to the second.
But the effects of these diversionary tactics were tremendous. The Republic Army's main force ran down the snow and ice-covered mountains, tore through the confused Neo Zenebas front lines, and broke into Cook Fortress in a mere three days.Nevertheless, the diversion was so effective that the Imperial Army was forced to deploy troops all along the vast coastline, and now... the main forces of the Republican Army tore through the Empire's chaotic front lines and charged towards Cook Fortress.
- Italic text was removed.
The Republic soldiers advanced bravely to clear away their days of humiliation, which had lasted for three years.
- Italic text was removed.
The man was called an ace of the main force. ... They needed to take down the fortress and harden their defenses before the Empire Army recovered from its confusion and advanced on them in horrifying numbers. The critical time was from here on.
- The battle for the capital was changed from three years ago to four years ago.
- Italic text was removed.
If the knee area took concentrated damage, they could even become unable to move. He was to protect against that. (...) The role of a foolish man going to a party, escorting the woman who rejected him.
- Bold text was added.
It was only natural that Dew couldn't draw out the Arosaurer's abilities right now, and the stress of being unable to control it the way he wanted only fueled his frustrations.
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"At least move properly, dammit!" (...) Just when Dew cursed at the panels,
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It was a raid by a subterranean machine equipped with four super-hard drills. The pride of the Empire Army, the super-small, super-high performance SS Zoid Grounchar.
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The static electricity in the atmosphere was sucked in with terrifying force.
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He leapt straight at the Death Saurer's nose.
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But it was a reinforced canopy made of special fibres. Before it broke, an intercepting beam came for him, at point-blank range.But before he could crush it, the death dragon's head glowed. An intercepting beam fired at point-blank range.
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Not even the Gojulas could beat the Death Saurer in power. Right now, he was seriously thankful for the Arosaurer's footwork.
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—and it was within reach. This was unbelievably good luck.
- The first paragraph was changed to the second.
Its left leg broke from the impact. Even Dew, who was held in place by a six-point seatbelt and helmet, almost lost consciousnessHis machine was severely damaged. Dew's consciousness was also starting to fade.
- Following text removed.
— which was trying to endure its pain and anger and stand up.
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He could not escape. His beloved machine was covered in injuries, and Dew didn't even have the power to pull on the control stick.
- The first paragraph was changed to the second.
—and he was assigned to protect the north of the fortress,—and took up a defensive position in the southern part of the fortress.
Notable Differences (Storch Story)
- Removed the italic text and added 'charging at'.
Its huge fangs and claws approached at a relative speed exceeding Mach 3.
- Changed "A Storch" to "It was an Imperial Air Force Zoid, a Storch."
- Instead of saying that Sapphire and Aqua's Storches were the same, only Aqua's was equipped with the Plasma Blade Antenna. Sapphire piloted a normal Storch, ordered to collect combat data as an escort. This change meant that some of the actions Sapphire carried out in the story were attributed to Aqua instead.
- Changed the following text to the second box.
-a few years earlier-from the Eastern Continent three years prior.
- Added the bold text.
They wouldn't even need the mental link between machine and pilot, and they could even have automatic piloting systems incorporated.
- When discussing Neo Zenebas obtaining BLOX tech, most mentions of Chimeras specifically was changed to a more general Zoids BLOX.
- Added the following text.
A manned Zoid that would lead the Chimera force with control waves.
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- Aqua Erius and Sapphire Tripp had been chosen as the test pilots. They would invade the skies above the Republic's area of influence in Storches, lure enemy machines into the airspace of the uninhabited island where their experimental base was, and strike them down by commanding the flying Chimera Flyscissors. This combat test was the mission given to the two of them.
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(excluding the loss of pilots).There were no pilot casualties.
- Changed the italic text to the second box.
If it left the jamming area and sent a transmission, resuming the test in this airspace would become impossible.If it left the jamming area, this top-secret test would be compromised.
- Changed the following text to the second box.
Ignoring it, Sapphire found a formation of three Flyscissors that could cut into the path of the Raynos and narrowly managed to set them on an intercept course.Aqua directed three Scissors on a course to intercept the Raynos. He kept his heading.
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"Pin it down. Don't let it go to full-throttle!"
(...)
It was unbelievable piloting. - Removed the following text.
Having placed too much stress on testing their control, the Scissors were only equipped with melee weapons. That had backfired. When faced with those tactics, they wouldn't be able to manage guided control. But was such piloting even possible? Such precise piloting at that speed, under intense G-forces?
- Changed the following text to the second box.
"Sapphire, pull back the Scissors! Our precious toys will all get turned into scrap!""Sapphire, pull back with the Scissors and protect them! Our precious toys will all get turned into scrap!"
