Shadows of the Deep Space Chapter 1747: 549: Desperate Counterattack

Noticing the intense turmoil in Ilyas's emotions, Su Ming offered words of reassurance.

“Fear not, I am here with you.”

Just then, the celestial body, shimmering with ice-blue light, rapidly advanced. Slower-moving mechas and ships began to be ensnared by an encroaching frost that coated their hulls and frames. Their tail flames flickered and died out, their propulsion vanishing completely.

Within the cockpits, life support systems failed catastrophically. Drivers felt an immediate, bone-chilling cold, their faces contorting in sheer terror. Before they could even cry out, their bodies were encased in a chilling rime, transformed into lifelike statues of ice. Even the exoskeleton armor proved useless, its protection utterly negated and penetrated by the pervasive freeze.

Onlookers watched in abject horror. Never before had they witnessed such a dreadful power, capable of dooming anything that dared approach.

Back in the central control room of the Holy Shadow Fortress, an operator relayed critical information to Norup.

“Main cannon is fully charged!”

Receiving this update, Norup promptly established a connection with Timi. “Lord Timi, we are prepared!”

“Excellent! Commence the attack!” Timi commanded.

The main cannons of both the Holy Shadow Fortress and the Star Destroyer・Thunder Extreme unleashed a dazzling torrent of energy, accompanied by a dense volley of missiles, all directed at Irene Liss. Instantly, the ice-blue celestial body pulsed like a living heart. Its biological reaction metrics surged, emitting a brilliant luminescence as the ice-blue AT Barrier materialized. A deafening boom echoed as the combined assault, akin to a blazing sun and countless fireworks, detonated. The AT Barrier shuddered violently under the impact but held firm, absorbing the onslaught.

A collective gasp of astonishment swept through the observers. However, what happened next elicited even greater amazement.

The ice-blue celestial body, now crackling with blue electrical arcs, manifested a colossal ice-blue spike, stretching for thousands of kilometers. It slowly adjusted its trajectory, aiming directly at the Star Destroyer・Thunder Extreme.

Inside the Thunder Extreme's central control room, a piercing alarm blared, and a red warning box flashed on the control screen.

“Warning: Ship locked on!”

“Not good, Lord Timi! Thunder Extreme has been targeted!” the operator shrieked, his voice laced with panic.

“Quick! Dive to evade!” Timi’s face drained of color as he issued the urgent command. If the Thunder Extreme sustained a direct hit from this attack, it would be annihilated.

“Damn it!” Su Ming’s expression hardened in alarm as he witnessed this turn of events. He immediately urged Ilyas to propel the celestial body towards the Thunder Extreme. He had never anticipated the enemy’s capacity for a second strike so rapidly!

With a surge of power, the ice-blue celestial body unleashed a blinding beam of ice-blue light towards the Thunder Extreme. At this critical moment, Coronan and An Ruoxue, who had rushed to the scene, watched with faces etched in extreme shock.

Within the Thunder Extreme's control room, the operator reported with a sense of finality. “Lord Timi, we cannot evade! It’s over!” Timi’s visage grew deathly pale.

In that instant, the Holy Shadow Fortress transformed into a bulwark of divine might. Its immense form positioned itself directly before the Star Destroyer・Thunder Extreme, deploying a reinforced armor layer and sealing internal impact-resistant gates. Timi and the others were left dumbfounded by this selfless act.

A thunderous rumble was followed by an explosion of ice-blue light erupting on the surface of the Holy Shadow. The entire fortress shuddered violently. When the fiery spectacle subsided, a massive breach was evident on the fortress's hull, yet miraculously, it had withstood the catastrophic blow.

Witnessing this, Timi urgently queried, “Norup, are you unharmed?”

The virtual image showed Norup and his crew thrown about, disoriented, and falling to the deck. However, they quickly regained their footing and responded, “We are fine.”

Hearing Norup’s confirmation, Timi’s gaze snapped towards Irene Liss. “Open all launch bays and unleash everything!”

“Yes!” The command was instantly acknowledged and executed. The Thunder Extreme’s launch bays opened fully. With their target having just expended its offensive capability, they unleashed a full-force counterattack. A storm of missiles, resembling a torrential downpour, surged towards the ice-blue celestial body. At this moment, the celestial body once again expanded its AT Barrier to repel the incoming assault. The dense barrage of missiles detonated against the barrier.

Just as everyone braced themselves, believing the concentrated barrage had failed, three dark suns erupted in a sudden, explosive display. The fabric of space itself seemed to tear asunder, and the ice-blue celestial body was instantly engulfed by the devastating inferno. As the cosmic conflagration waned, Su Ming and the others observed the ice-blue celestial body emerge. Its AT Barrier was shattered, but its core form remained miraculously intact.

A sense of despair washed over everyone as they witnessed the spectacle, yet the celestial body miraculously endured.

At this critical juncture, Su Ming, piloting Ilyas, soared to the forefront of the Star Destroyer·Thunder Level. Addressing everyone, he declared,

“Everyone, let’s regroup for another assault; I refuse to believe it can withstand yet another onslaught!”

“Understood!”

A chorus of affirmations followed from the assembled forces.

In an instant, the myriad ships and mechas within the cosmic expanse shifted, hurtling towards the ice-blue celestial body, poised to unleash a devastating saturation attack.

However, an unexpected turn of events unfolded at this precise moment!

Flashes of intense, ice-blue electrical arcs suddenly erupted across the surface of the celestial body.

Su Ming and his companions turned their shocked gazes towards the phenomenon.

What they observed was the ice-blue celestial body pulsating rhythmically, akin to a beating heart. It then began to compress and diminish in size at a rate perceptible to the naked eye, ultimately transforming into a mere wisp of an ice-blue nebula, faintly glimmering with electrical currents.

A collective gasp of astonishment rippled through the onlookers, leaving them paralyzed and bewildered by the unprecedented sight.