Dominic's heart thundered in his chest as he prepared for the next phase of the war. The calm of his quarters had long since faded, replaced by the brutal anticipation of the battlefield. The core's influence had grown stronger, its whispers now constant, like an itch he could never scratch. But for now, it was pushed to the back of his mind—he had a mission. The UOP fleet had moved to the frontlines, and the time had come for him to test his new mech in a real combat scenario.
The cold metal floors of the UOP battleship vibrated beneath his boots as he made his way to the hangar bay. His mech—massive, gleaming white with gold accents—stood ready, towering over him like a titan of its own. It was a sight to behold, the intricate details of the design perfect, a testament to Dominic's craftsmanship. It was both beautiful and deadly, designed not just to protect, but to obliterate.
As he approached the cockpit, he could already feel the familiar hum of the neural implant connecting him to the machine. His body seemed to sink into the seat of the mech, as if it were a second skin. The moment the connection was made, his senses flooded with data. His mind melded with the machine, and for a fleeting moment, he felt invincible. But that feeling was fleeting. The presence of the core, still nestled deep within his consciousness, reminded him that nothing was ever as it seemed.
"Ready to go, Commander?" a voice crackled through his comm, the signal clear despite the static. It was his superior officer, an unyielding, no-nonsense leader of the UOP mercenary squad. Dominic recognized the urgency in the voice, the need to strike first and fast.
"I'm ready," Dominic replied, his voice steady, though his mind was still clouded by the persistent hum of the core. He took a deep breath, pushing the voices aside for the moment.
The hangar doors slowly opened, revealing the vast expanse of space. Outside, the chaos of battle raged. The enemy—CMC forces—had already begun their assault on the UOP fleet, launching waves of mech units and assault ships.
Dominic's eyes narrowed as he looked out at the battlefield. The stars were barely visible in the distance, obscured by the smoke and debris of the ongoing war. The battlefield was a warzone, with flashes of gunfire and explosions lighting up the void. But there was no time to hesitate. The mission was clear: push the enemy back, and ensure the safety of the fleet at all costs.
Dominic's mech, standing ready, was the vanguard. He could see several CMC mechs in the distance, preparing to launch a full offensive. His mission was to take the fight to them—to break their lines and send a message. He was no longer just a scavenger. He was a warrior now, and the war was his stage.
He gripped the controls, feeling the surge of power as the mech's weapons systems powered up. His massive arms were equipped with an arsenal designed for destruction—plasma cannons, a heavy energy sword, and missile pods, all primed and ready.
"Deploying," he said, his voice cutting through the static. The mech's legs powered forward, and within moments, Dominic was hurtling into the fray.
The battle erupted around him. Enemy mechs, large and imposing, clashed against UOP forces. Dominic's heart rate quickened, but his focus remained sharp. As he charged into the melee, his neural implant provided him with a constant stream of data, every movement of his enemies calculated in real time.
The first enemy mech came into view—a massive, heavily armored assault unit. Its weapons were primed, and it fired a barrage of missiles toward Dominic's position. Without hesitation, he raised his mech's massive arms, activating the energy shield just in time to absorb the impact. The explosion reverberated through his cockpit, but he remained steady, his focus unbroken.
The enemy mech, seeing the shield go up, adjusted its tactics and charged forward, its massive form bearing down on Dominic. But Dominic was already one step ahead. He activated his plasma cannons and fired, the searing beams cutting through the void as they struck the enemy mech's armor. The impact sent the CMC unit reeling, sparks flying from its damaged exterior.
But it wasn't enough to bring the mech down. The CMC unit retaliated, launching a volley of high-powered energy blasts. Dominic's mech, though large and powerful, was agile—he twisted, evading the incoming fire, and used his momentum to close the distance. With a roar, he swung his massive energy sword, cleaving through the enemy's leg joint and sending it toppling to the ground.
"Target neutralized," Dominic muttered under his breath, his hands steady on the controls as he moved to the next target.
The battlefield was a blur of motion—explosions, flashes of light, and the sounds of combat. Dominic didn't have time to dwell on the last kill. Another enemy was already on his tail, this one larger, with heavy artillery mounted on its shoulders.
Dominic reacted instinctively. He slammed the throttle forward, accelerating toward the enemy mech with deadly precision. The CMC unit fired its heavy cannons, but Dominic was too quick. He dodged and closed the distance, unleashing a barrage of missiles from his own pods. The explosions rocked the CMC mech, throwing it off balance.
Before the enemy mech could recover, Dominic's massive arm swung forward, gripping the enemy's hull and crushing it against his own. He could feel the resistance as the enemy tried to break free, but it was futile. With a mechanical roar, Dominic pulled the mech apart, ripping its limbs from its body and throwing them into space.
"Another one down," Dominic said, his voice cold and focused. His mech's hands, covered in the enemy's blood, didn't even shake.
But then the sky darkened with a sudden flash of light—larger than anything he had seen before. A new wave of CMC reinforcements had arrived. From the distance, a massive CMC Juggernaut emerged—a monstrous machine, taller and more heavily armed than anything Dominic had faced so far. Its arsenal was overwhelming: anti-ship cannons, powerful energy shields, and a machine that seemed built for nothing but destruction.
Dominic's heart skipped a beat. This would be his biggest challenge yet. The Juggernaut locked its sights on him, the massive form moving toward him like a lumbering beast, ready to crush anything in its path.
"Let's dance," Dominic muttered under his breath. He gripped the controls tighter, the hum of the core growing louder in his mind, but for once, he welcomed it. It was time to test everything.
He powered his mech forward, locking eyes with the Juggernaut as they collided in the midst of the chaos. The battle was far from over, and Dominic was about to face the true test of his abilities.