In the crash site of the strategic ship, the metallic hull of the vessel hummed as black smoke rose to the skies. Its engines roared, yet was unmoving on the burning crater. The crew inside were contacting reinforcements from the United Fleet within the northern continental region and awaited for extraction. Alarms bellowed through the halls of the fallen ship as the injured were being treated in the medical bay, gasping for air and relief.

"Sir! Hull damage has reached over fifty percent! The reactor is beginning to fail!" An officer reported, his frantic gaze wandering through the bridge which was pervaded with chaos. Their electronics and communications were in disarray, barely giving them a moment to send a distress call to their fleet. The only thing they could do was hope that reinforcements would extract them. Otherwise, they would all be surrounded by the imperial forces.

The captain of the strategic ship furrowed his eyebrows, maintaining a calm expression amidst the chaos. He turned his attention towards the panicking officers and crewmen, all of which came from different tribes of the beastfolk alongside humans. His voice echoed as he reprimanded them. "Is this how the guardians of the United World Government act? Calm yourselves and remember what must be done! Do not think beyond your duty!"

His words calmed the anxious crew members, prompting silence to cover the bridge. These people were students from the academia a few weeks ago. It was understandable that they would panic when found stranded in the middle of enemy territory. But acting like terrified civilians despite being soldiers. In his generation, such a thing would have prompted their superiors to punish them. After all, they were the pillars of the country.

The moment they get all antsy, what would the civilians looking at them do? In any case, the captain shook his head and continued. "Erase your fears and prepare to mount a resistance. Do all of you want to be slaughtered like pigs or die for the cause of freedom and equality? We are the guardians of the World Government, soldiers of the United Military! We will not shirk in the face of death! So grit your teeth and move!"

His speech riled the officers and crewmen who formerly lowered their heads in shame. Acknowledging their determined expressions, the captain smirked and commanded them. "Have the marines prepare for an enemy boarding action. Multiple breaches have been detected in the left hull so barricade that area. Also, get the steel angels from the deployment bay and have them guard the ramp connecting to the cargo depot."

"Understood, Captain!" The officer nodded in understanding and relayed his orders to the lower levels of the strategic ship. As the captain watched the communication specialists manage the surviving crew members of the vessel, another officer spoke with a tinge of dread. "Sir, we have detected incoming adversaries. The imperial forces outside are making their moves! They are currently two kilometers away from the crash site!"

The captain raised an eyebrow and questioned. "How many are there?" To which the radar officer answered. "Over tens of thousands... Alongside several tanks and armored transport vehicles... Seismic activities has also been detected underground. We suspect it to be the secret weapon that struck us down from the heavens." The reports escaping from their lips caused the expression of the superior to darkened. The imperial forces were taking no chances against them.

"Sound the alarms and have the personnel evacuate deeper into the interior quarters. Empty the armories and seal the remaining vacant rooms. We must control their route into the strategic ship and ensure that we wouldn't be fighting in multiple sectors." The captain commanded the officer as another alarms blared, a sign that they were under attack by their adversaries. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Somewhere inside the strategic ship was the Major of the United Marines 1101st company, ordering his soldiers to barricade the main hall leading to the bridge of the vessel. They had already heard the reports of an upcoming siege of over tens of thousands of enemies. Yet amidst the staggering number, the two hundred marines kept their calm and prepared themselves for the confrontation. "Do not let them take an inch of this hall! Protect it at all cost!"

His words echoed, earning the profound salutes of his soldiers. Perceiving their resolve to protect the strategic ship, the Major smirked at the sight and turned his attention towards the metallic halls leading to their location. Their current sector was the center of the vessel, the convergence of multiple sectors. It would be where the fighting would be the most ruthless in this defensive.

Meanwhile...

Outside the strategic ship was the remnants of the imperial forces encircling the crash site. Madness etched their faces as they were ready to take apart the bastards that had caused them nightmares for days and nights. The Regiment Commander glanced at the massive hull carved onto the ground and frowned. No matter how much he stared at it. He couldn't help but be amaze at the engineering of such a war machine. If he had one himself... Many of his men wouldn't have died.

As the imperial forces completed the encirclement, the Regiment Commander took a deep breath and roared. "These bastards from the skies has tormented us since the beginning of this war! Lounging in their lofty ships raining fire into the earth! But now! We have pulled them back to where they belong! The ground with us! These heretics will pay the price of war!"

"We will become their nightmares! We will take everything they have for ourselves!" When the remnants of the imperial forces heard his reverberating voice through the radios, morale rose as the war cries of tormented soldiers thundered through the crash site. Even the personnel of the strategic ship could feel the metallic hull hum. A sign of what was to come.

"URRAHH!!!" The imperial soldiers charged towards the crash site as tanks fired their shells towards the metallic hull of the strategic ship. The Regiment Commander watched coldly while another imperial general walked up to him and remarked. "It seems that spending time in the north has hone your way of speaking, Regiment Commander..."