The UOP fleet continued its relentless barrage, their colossal warships tearing into the remains of the CMC's forces. Explosions rocked the space around Dominic as he maneuvered his mech, the Titanus, through the chaos. He was close now—close to the CMC flagship, the heart of the enemy resistance. The ship loomed ahead, massive and imposing, its shields flickering as it endured the punishment from both the UOP fleet and the smaller mechs fighting in tandem.
Dominic's eyes narrowed as his sensors locked onto the flagship. His mission was clear: cripple the flagship and wipe out the last remaining command unit. This would break the CMC's hold on the battlefield and ensure the UOP's victory.
But he knew this wouldn't be easy. The flagship was heavily defended, surrounded by a sea of smaller, more nimble enemy mechs. He would need to get past them first before making his move.
"Dominic, be careful," Hailey's voice came through his comms, the static crackling slightly. "That flagship isn't going down without a fight."
Dominic didn't respond. He didn't need to. His mind was set. The loss of Zara, the torment of his past—none of it mattered now. All that mattered was the mission. If he could end this, maybe he could finally lay his demons to rest.
With a sharp, practiced motion, he punched the throttle forward. The Titanus surged ahead, cutting through the chaos of battle. Enemy mechs swarmed around him, firing their weapons in a desperate attempt to stop his advance. Dominic twisted the controls, his mech moving like a living thing, fluid and deadly. One by one, the CMC mechs fell to his attacks—a precise strike to the joints, an unstoppable punch to the cockpit, a sword through the core.
But even as he cut down enemy after enemy, his heart pounded, his mind focused on the task ahead.
The flagship.
He could see it now—its immense size towering over the battlefield, shields flaring with every hit, cannons locked onto the UOP ships as they closed in. The flagship's defenses were formidable, but there was a weakness, a small gap in its shield network near its aft.
Dominic adjusted his trajectory, pushing the Titanus harder, ignoring the oncoming fire. His targeting system blinked red—he was within range.
"All or nothing," he muttered under his breath.
He darted toward the gap, slamming his mech into overdrive. The battlefield blurred around him as his mech accelerated. He could feel the heat of battle in his veins, his pulse quickening with each second. The flagship's cannons fired, missing by mere inches, their blasts rocking his mech, but Dominic kept going.
Then, in a blinding flash, he broke through the shield.
The Titanus slammed into the aft of the flagship, sending a shockwave through both ships. Dominic's hands gripped the controls tighter as the collision sent sparks flying. His mech's massive form buckled from the impact, but it held steady.
The flagship's shields were down, but the battle was far from over. The hull of the flagship loomed in front of him, blackened and scorched from the ongoing assault. Dominic's sensors detected multiple points of weakness along the hull—gaps in the armor, exposed power cores.
"Time to finish this," he said, voice cold and calculated.
Dominic's Titanus lunged forward, driving one of its massive arms into the exposed core, tearing through layers of metal and circuitry. The flagship shuddered, its systems failing as Dominic punched through the hull. Another strike, and the power core exploded, sending shockwaves through the structure.
The flagship's massive form began to list, sparks and smoke billowing out as its systems failed one by one. The CMC had no more command, no more strength left to fight.
But just as the flagship began to fall, a massive blast came from the other side of the battlefield—a desperate counterattack from the CMC forces, their last-ditch effort to save what remained.
"Dominic, move!" Hailey's voice cut through his comms, urgent. "You need to pull back now! That explosion is going to take out the entire sector!"
The warning came too late. Dominic barely had time to react before the wave of energy hit. The force of the explosion rattled the Titanus, knocking it off balance as the shockwave tore through space. His mech's systems went haywire, the screens flashing with critical warnings.
"Dammit!" Dominic cursed, trying to regain control of his mech.
He had only moments to act. The space around him was disintegrating, the warship's explosion sending debris flying in all directions. The debris cloud was massive, creating a danger zone for both friend and foe.
"Dominic, pull back!" Hailey's voice screamed, panic creeping into her tone. "It's going to take everything down!"
Dominic knew what he had to do. With one last surge of energy, he activated the thrusters on his Titanus, launching himself away from the flagship's collapsing core. The energy from the explosion shot past him like a comet, grazing his mech and sending him spiraling out of control. But he held on, using every ounce of his training and focus to avoid being consumed by the inferno.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Dominic broke free from the blast zone. He came to a screeching halt, his mech hovering just outside the danger zone. The UOP fleet had successfully disabled the CMC flagship, and the enemy forces were collapsing in on themselves.
Dominic's mech was battered, but it still stood, breathing. The battlefield around him was silent for a brief moment—an eerie calm after the storm.
Then, the comms crackled to life again.
"Mission complete, Dominic," Hailey's voice said, with a hint of pride. "You did it. The flagship is down."
Dominic exhaled slowly, releasing a breath he didn't realize he had been holding.
The battle was over, but the war was far from finished. The UOP had won this day, but there would be more to come. The CMC wouldn't simply roll over. There would be more bloodshed, more sacrifice.
And Dominic... Dominic wasn't sure if he was ready for any of it.