Hellfire III Ground Assault Armor, standing at 6.42 meters tall, equipped with one 108mm caliber heavy cannon, one Level 4 laser cannon, four missile launchers, one Level 3 energy shield generator, one Elliott 9mm multi-barrel machine gun using caseless ammunition, and a front-mounted laser blade. The armor is composed of manganese-titanium alloy, with a maximum thickness of 14.5 centimeters and a minimum thickness of 7.6 centimeters, controlled by an AI designated as AI72.
As the main combat mech on board a flagship, the Hellfire mech was considered one of the best ground combat mechs, surpassing average standards in firepower, defense, and AI intelligence.
When this formidable weapon landed on the ground, it brought unparalleled shock and awe.
Seeing the mech appear, Colonel McLaren exclaimed in fear, "Don't let him into the mech!"
Everyone started shooting at Reno.
However, Juggernaut One only slightly shook its body, using its massive frame to shield Reno from all the attacks aimed at him. The cockpit in its chest opened, and its right hand was already on the ground.
As Reno approached, Juggernaut One lifted him up and placed him in its chest. Reno easily entered the cockpit, removing his outer clothing to reveal the super-fiber suit underneath.
Neural lines snaked around him like serpents, connecting to his body.
"Take over the system," he said.
"System takeover initiated, Juggernaut One entering auxiliary mode," the AI responded, and in the next moment, Reno's field of vision expanded dramatically.
Gunfire continued to sound from behind, lasers hitting the Hellfire mech, but unable to penetrate its sturdy shell.
The advantage of laser weapons lies in their speed, high precision, and lack of pollution. Although they have high energy levels, their relatively low mass results in weaker firepower, making them unsuitable for heavy equipment like mechs. In contrast, the laser cannon's power was much greater, but the soldiers in front of Reno lacked such weapons.
The gap between them was like the tribesmen of the 19th century using spears and javelins to fight against tanks.
Moreover, this terrifying mech also had an energy shield for defense.
Facing the attack, Juggernaut One, the steel giant, was unwilling to give any chance for its main body to be hit, immediately activating its energy shield. A green light appeared on its body, and all the lasers fired at it were directly blocked by the energy shield.
With the chaotic lasers around, it slowly turned around.
"Colonel McLaren, order your men to drop their weapons immediately, or I will retaliate," Reno's voice came through the speakers, "There has been enough bloodshed, I don't want to kill more people."
"Don't think you can scare me off!" Colonel McLaren replied fiercely. He shouted, "Use high-explosive grenades!"
One soldier after another rushed forward, throwing grenades at Reno.
The power of these high-explosive grenades was greater than that of lasers. When thrown at the mech, the strong shock waves shook the mech's energy shield, and Reno felt a dizzying sensation. It was a data disturbance caused by the impact on the mech, but it would quickly recover.
But if the high-explosive grenades continued to bombard, it would also greatly deplete the energy shield.
"Beep, beep, system warning, receiving low-intensity high-frequency continuous attacks, please initiate tactical evasion immediately... Energy shield intensity down by one percent..."
"Colonel McLaren, don't push me. There's no hope of victory for you in this battle. Surrender now!" Reno urgently shouted.
"I am a soldier, I will never abandon my duty, and I bet you won't dare to open fire. Reno, surrender now, it's not too late. Once you open fire, there's no turning back!" Colonel McLaren replied loudly.
This idiot still had the nerve to threaten him?
"Stubborn and foolish bastard!" Reno shouted angrily. "You're dragging everyone down with you to the grave!"
Colonel McLaren replied arrogantly, "This is the glory of a soldier!"
Colonel McLaren's persistence lay not only in his sense of luck but also in his fanatical nature of fighting to the death.
He threw several more high-explosive grenades at Reno.
"Warning, warning, energy shield intensity down by thirty percent, continuous decrease, request tactical evasion, request tactical evasion..." The annoying prompts from the system continued.
However, the mech driven by Reno remained motionless, letting the soldiers attack.
Smoke filled the battlefield, obscuring the sky, and also his vision.
In his ears, Nora anxiously asked, "Reno, what's wrong? Why aren't you attacking? Now is not the time for mercy. Do you want to wait until your energy runs out before launching an attack to show your mercy?"
Reno hesitated for a moment, finally replying, "No, I won't!"
He closed his eyes and sighed deeply, "System takeover, activate mech's automatic defense."
He let go of his hand.
"Energy shield intensity continues to decrease, current intensity sixty-four percent, system takeover, automatic defense system activated, prepare to counterattack!"
The mech finally moved.
It raised its left arm, revealing the grim face of the 9mm multi-barrel machine gun with sixteen barrels.
"Fire!"
Accompanied by the cold and ruthless voice of the system, the 9mm multi-barrel machine gun started spinning. In a deafening roar, bullets poured out at a rate of forty-eight thousand rounds per second.
The bullets converged into a rushing torrent, like a long dragon bursting out of the barrel, instantly transforming into tens of millions, spraying out towards every space, every corner.
The density of the bullets at this moment exceeded that of a raging storm, occupying the entire sky, making even the earth feel cramped. This terrifying rain of bullets struck trees, rocks, and soil, like the sharpest knives in the world, flattening, shattering, and eradicating everything in their path.
A thorough steel storm.
The soldiers found that in the face of this terrifying steel storm, their so-called cover was as fragile as tofu, crumbling at the slightest touch, and even the bulletproof infantry suits were as vulnerable as a virgin's membrane.
Nothing could withstand this terror, this sharpness, this madness of the steel storm. Life became so fragile at this moment.
Once the slaughter began, everything, including life, lost its meaning.
And this was just the most ordinary weapon on this mech.
This was the horror of advanced technology warfare, where the power of technology multiplied its terrifying lethality. In its presence, every individual seemed so frail, so powerless.
In just three seconds, everything seemed to be wiped away by a giant hand, completely erased from this land.
Everything was gone!
At that moment, even Reno couldn't bear it.
He had seen much bloodshed, experienced countless fires, but they were all against aliens, monsters, beings whose killings wouldn't violate his moral conscience.
But today, this slaughter was against humans.
His own kind!
He couldn't help but cry out, "Stop! Stop it! Please stop!"
At Reno's frantic shouts, the Elliott 9mm multi-barrel machine gun finally stopped spinning, and in the inertia of its rotation, the gun ceased roaring. The mech's built-in mini-production line started, replenishingthe expended bullets.
The scene fell into utter silence.
Indeed, it was a deathly silence, for everyone was dead.
Hundreds of bodies lay strewn across the ground, hardly any intact. The violent bullet stream tore their bodies into fragments, scattering them everywhere. Due to the absence of anything standing upright except for high-rise buildings, they all eventually fell to the ground, mingling with blood, organs, brain matter, and body fragments dispersed everywhere.
Some heads managed to remain intact, and from the eyes of some, one could see the despair they felt before dying.
Colonel McLaren couldn't escape the three-second catastrophe this time.
His body was struck by the bullet stream, disintegrating into four large pieces and thirty-eight small ones. However, he died with no regrets.
The bunker was the only thing that could withstand such an impact. These alloy fortresses possessed extraordinary defensive capabilities, still standing resiliently even against such a steel storm. However, the soldiers inside were not as fortunate. Some bullets managed to penetrate through the gaps in the shooting holes, causing harm to the soldiers inside. Some survived, but with severe injuries... they would still die, only enduring more pain before death, yet they didn't even have the strength to lament.
"Oh my God!" Reno looked at everything in front of him, feeling powerless.
Although he knew it would be like this, Reno couldn't help but cover his face involuntarily.
Neurological reactions prompted the mech, and the steel giant knelt to the ground, covering its face with its hands, emitting sobbing sounds.
"Oh God, what have I done?" Reno exclaimed.
"Reno!" From afar, Nora shouted, "Calm down, we didn't want this. It's that bastard who forced us."
Reno shook his head, "Only losers blame everything on others. Nora, don't try to console me, this is my sin! I killed them, hundreds of lives, all died by my hands."
"It's because there are more lives waiting for you to save," Nora said in a rare gentle tone, "They're behind you."
Reno shuddered, looking back at the skyscraper.
"Nora," he said, his eyes brightening, "You're right. No matter what hardships we face in the future, I, Jonny Reno, will face them without regrets. Whenever, wherever, I am with you all."
"Abrody is with you!" Stark's buzzing voice came in.
His words were few but powerful, injecting a dose of courage into Reno at this critical moment.
He stood up, turned around, and walked towards the building. With a strong pull of his arm, he tore down the alloy gate blocking the passage.
"Comrades, I'm here!"