Starting from the Planetary Governor - Chapter 1138: 619: The Battle of the Command Tower_2

Chapter 1138: Chapter 619: The Battle of the Command Tower_2

But the question is, can they hold out that long?

It seems… unlikely.

Ever since the Interstellar Warriors officially began their assault on the interior of the command tower, it didn’t take long for De la Roche to start receiving reports one after another about certain layers and specific positions of the defensive lines being breached.

Simultaneously, he received real-time battle damage reports from various mechanical units, directly fed to the processing center in his brain.

He could almost “see” with his own mental vision how his elite units under his command were being rapidly annihilated in ferocious combat.

If things kept progressing at this pace, they were bound to be hit right in the face, and there was no avoiding it.

After a few moments of thought, he made a daring decision: to launch a counter-offensive!

The Interstellar Warriors, aiming for efficiency, didn’t consolidate all their troops for a slow and steady advance. Instead, they split into multiple groups, probing the defenses within each layer to find the weakest areas. They would then execute a single-point breakthrough followed by a full-scale penetration.

Layer by layer, this was how they had been advancing.

Staying on the defensive would only allow the Warriors’ relentless breakthroughs to squeeze out all remaining room for survival.

Proactive action was necessary!

Discarding his cumbersome Sage robes, De la Roche, now donning his combat gear, sprang into motion.

His augmented body didn’t appear particularly exaggerated, nor was it exceptionally tall—it maintained a humanoid form. However, the purple-black bioengineered skin made him stand out unusually.

Taking advantage of the Warriors’ divided units, De la Roche launched a surprise attack on the eleventh floor of the command tower, targeting a New World Torch Team that had just completed a single-point breakthrough.

The ambush was highly successful.

Surrounding him was an elite force from the Sect of Mechanics. To ensure maneuverability, units like colossus-grade combat machines and Knight Mecha could not accompany him. Instead, his troops included two elite squads of Protection Army warriors, more than thirty specialized combat Electrolyte Prophets—engine Prophets designed for warfare—and double their number of Iron Titan units acting as escorts. Together, this force posed a significant challenge for the Interstellar Warriors to confront.

Of course, if the force relied solely on those troops, they might successfully hunt down one Warrior squad, but losses would be inevitable—and possibly substantial. In a second operation, their diminished strength might result in failure.

De la Roche couldn’t assemble another elite unit like this. The high-ranking Rangers in those Protection Army squads and the dozens of Electrolyte Prophets were not easily replaceable.

The solution lay in himself.

From his back, running along his spine, extended eight jointed arms resembling those of an arthropod, enabling him to move with incredibly exaggerated agility. Beneath his bio-engineered skin, purple-gray electronic tendons provided immense strength.

This combination turned him into a ruthless close-quarters killing machine. Long-range attacks would struggle to hit him; even if they did, his miniature Void Shield and reinforced physique would absorb the damage. He could often withstand such firepower and rush directly into the opponent’s face. There, his twin blades and eight limb-like razor-sharp claws would wreak havoc. At blistering speeds, he could shred a Terminator Armor to pieces in mere seconds, or at most, a dozen seconds.

When he personally joined the fray, the elite troops accompanying him became more like luxury spectators.

Th𝚤𝘴 𝐜h𝗮p𝐭єr 𝙞ṡ p0𝕤𝘵𝘦𝒅 b𝑦 𝘬ḭƚℯȠ◎ⱴҽḷ

That description might be exaggerated—they weren’t literally spectators. They fought with all their might, and their efforts objectively diverted the Warriors’ attention, creating a better combat space for De la Roche.

But it was undeniable that he was the one handling the most challenging battles.

Using this method, he secured his first victory, eliminating a ten-man tactical team from the New World Torch Squad with minimal losses.

Soon after, he retreated quickly, leaving the reinforcements from the Warriors’ main force arriving too late, effectively catching them off guard. He then took the opportunity to assault another ten-man tactical group. Unfortunately, this time he only managed to kill six, as the other four escaped.

Avoiding prolonged combat, De la Roche calmly chose to retreat, sidestepping any further counterattacks from the larger forces.

He understood that his appearance on the frontline, with his formidable combat prowess, had significantly bolstered their defensive positions. But his presence meant he was also the main target of the Warriors. For the New World Torch’s forces, there was no longer a need to fight their way up layer by layer. All they had to do was seize an opportunity at this level to encircle and eliminate him.

He had to be extremely cautious.

Otherwise, his proactive tactics, meant to resolve their plight, could backfire as a method of delivering himself into their hands.

However, he ultimately fell into a trap during his attack on the third Warrior squad.

…

Two squads down, and sixteen Warriors lost in a short period—that was already a significant casualty.

After all, aside from the troops stationed outside to block reinforcements, there were only about two hundred Warriors in total advancing into the command center.

Should De la Roche continue his hunting spree, slaying several more squads, the Warriors’ offensive would undoubtedly slow down due to depleted numbers. At that point, the Sage could comfortably remain in the rear, confidently watching the Warriors grind through layer after layer of defenses, potentially wasting untold amounts of time.

They had to seize this opportunity to eliminate this unexpectedly powerful foe.

It was a perfect moment, though Erich—despite his arrogance—was still a rookie. His attitude toward Wang Mengsong primarily stemmed from resentment over the Battle Group’s history, rather than personal disdain.

But now was not the time to concern oneself with such grievances.

Erich approached Wang Mengsong, seeking advice on what to do.

Wang Mengsong generously provided the answer: pit strength against strength.

Deploy a squad that looks like an easy target for De la Roche to hunt, but contains a powerful fighter capable of countering him. Delay his progress, hold out until the main force arrives for support, and ideally incapacitate or kill him outright. That would be the optimal solution.

Upon hearing this, Erich felt hesitant.

The New World Torch Squad seemed to lack such formidable individuals.

Reports from brothers who had survived previous battles confirmed that De la Roche was highly skilled. Perhaps Battle Group Leader Moretti could achieve Wang Mengsong’s proposed result?

Even that wasn’t certain.

At the very least, among the Torch Squad present, the strongest, Erich himself, couldn’t guarantee such success.

In the end, Wang Mengsong pointed to himself.

After all, as a Battle Group Leader, he was no ordinary combatant. The New World Torch Squad may not have been renowned for individual combat prowess historically, but he personally could easily rival any Battle Group Champion from other squads!

The question was whether Erich dared to trust him.

…

There was no hesitation to be had.

A ten-person squad launched what appeared to be a reckless assault that would have caused massive casualties without intervention from the Protection Army. The Warriors’ main force was clearly positioned farther away, requiring time to arrive as reinforcements…

With all conditions perfectly aligned, De la Roche predictably took the bait.

His move was natural; there was no reason for him to suspect a trap.

But this time, it was indeed a trap.

Wang Mengsong, adorned in nothing but standard tactical Power Armor—not even the Terminator variant—engaged De la Roche the moment he appeared.

His sharp swordsmanship not only saved the first brother targeted by De la Roche but also taught the battle-hardened Sage a painful lesson: two of his joint limbs were severed.

Then, an unrelenting storm of fierce sword strikes enveloped this so-called combat-specialized Sage in a deadly whirlwind!