Vision Corporation armed personnel's small-caliber arms was utterly useless against Ignis—it couldn't even polish his armor.
And to make matters worse, the enemy showed no trace of tactical training. They didn't even understand the concept of alternating cover fire or dispersing formation. They simply stood there in a neat row, firing aimlessly.
Do you think this is 17th century? The age of line infantry? What is this—firing squad practice?
The Aggressor was built to destroy clustered light-armored targets like these. Flamestorm Gauntlets—activate!
"Burn to ashes!"
A terrifying war cry thundered through the tunnels as the massive figure advanced with ground-shaking steps.
The Vision Corporation soldiers watched in horror as the giant strode forward through a rain of bullets without slowing in the slightest. In that moment, they realized the weapons in their hands were nothing more than glorified sticks.
They tried to throw grenades, but the giant had already closed the distance before they could even release them.
Twin torrents of blazing flame erupted from Ignis's gauntlets, roaring with unrestrained fury as they engulfed the Vision soldiers. Their insulated armor and soft flesh fused into one as the inferno devoured them whole.
At first, they screamed. But as the fire charred their bodies, reducing their lungs and vocal cords to ash, even their cries faded into silence.
Their shrieks only managed to slightly ease the Fire-Sight's fury. To truly calm the rage of a Son of Vulkan, he would need far more ash.
Fortunately, Vision Corporation had deployed plenty of defenders here. Within seconds, two more squads arrived.
These two were more experienced. Upon seeing Ignis, they immediately threw flashbangs in an attempt to blind him.
But such crude tricks were useless—his power armor's auto-systems simply dimmed the visor's opacity to compensate.
The squads quickly spread out, using the tunnel walls and nearby cargo crates to create dispersed firing positions.
Yet, despite their tactics, they still carried standard-issue small-caliber bullpup rifles. Against the reinforced Mark X Gravis Power Armor of the Salamanders' Aggressor Unit, their efforts were utterly meaningless.
Ignis charged the first cover position and turned the two soldiers inside into burning candles. Then, he rammed into the next, crushing the man hiding behind the crate beneath his boot like an overripe melon.
Such brutal efficiency shook their morale—but then Ignis noticed one of them pulling a tube launcher from a crate.
He didn't know what ammunition it used, but he wasn't about to risk it. The volatile ether-based explosives of this world could be devastating if they hit a weak point in his armor.
Luckily, the man was still human. Between aiming and firing, Ignis had more than enough time to close in.
Flames roared once more. The man holding the launcher was set ablaze, his unfired rocket detonating from the heat, triggering a chain explosion in the nearby ammo crates.
The shockwave pushed Ignis back two steps. When the smoke cleared, he saw the enemy had mounted a heavy machine gun.
"Eat this, monster!" one of the Vision soldiers shouted. "Your murderous freak!"
Tracer rounds lit up the tunnel, streaking from the barrel like a blazing comet trail.
But such weapons were worthless against the thickened ceramite armor of the Salamanders.
The man's insult only made the Fire-Sight's fury burn hotter.
"I'm the monster? Then what does that make you? Canvas Street was full of elders and children."
Ignis charged straight through them—anyone in his path was reduced to a cloud of red mist.
"I didn't kill people. I killed beasts without compassion, without blood, without tears." Ignis smashed the machine gun apart with a punch and seized the shouting man in his massive hand.
"We… we were only following orders," the man stammered. "It was just my duty."
"Yes. Your duty—to make the old and the young die as sacrifices for your detonations." Ignis's grip tightened. "You could've refused. You could've walked away. But you didn't."
"No excuse can wash away what you've done."
He watched coldly as the man's life ebbed away, ribs snapping through the deformed chest plate and piercing the New Eridu Public Security insignia that read "Order."
Order? Whose order? Not one that protected the weak—an order built only to serve greed and oppression.
The others, terrified by such a death, dropped their weapons and tried to flee. But how could mere humans outrun a Space Marine?
Ignis hurled the corpse like a hammer, crushing one of them, then stormed forward, burning the rest alive.
"Quickly! Commander Perlman is under attack! We must move to assist!"
Voices shouted as reinforcements approached from Ignis's flank.
There were at least thirty of them, advancing through the tunnel's emergency access corridor—a narrow choke point, perfect for a flamethrower.
"Purge!"
Twin infernos surged forth like enraged dragons, rampaging through the passage. Screams of terror merged with the Fire-Sight's roaring fury as the Vision soldiers' bodies twisted and contorted in the blaze, their silhouettes writhing like grotesque dancers. The air shimmered from the heat, vision blurred by the violent distortion.
Every inch of the corridor was bathed in fire; the reinforcements were reduced to smoking ash.
The stench of roasted flesh filled the air—but it was the enemy's flesh, and that brought Ignis a grim sense of release.
"Amazing…" Billy Kid muttered, stepping up behind him, staring at the sea of charred corpses. "Boss Nicole's already got Perlman restrained. Let's regroup."
Ignis nodded and followed him.
At the other end of the train, a man who looked like a weeble doll was bound tight, with Nekomata's boot pressing into his chest.
"Shorty!" she spat, kicking Perlman hard. "Murderous bastard!"
"So, you're Perlman?" Ignis loomed over the trembling man, his massive shadow engulfing him.
Perlman looked up into eyes blazing like twin furnaces—eyes that promised he would soon be thrown into them to burn into ash.
"You should be thankful," Ignis growled, raising his Flamestorm Gauntlet. "The boss wants you alive. She says you're useful." A short burst of fire flared from his gauntlet. "Otherwise, I'd have already reduced you to cinders. You'd better tell the truth to the Public Security, because even if you hide in a prison cell, I'll drag you out—and roast you alive."
Perlman, a mere merchant, had never faced such a terrifying warrior. He wet himself in sheer terror.
Nekomata recoiled in disgust, shaking her foot.
"Nekomata, get him on the train!" Nicole barked, stepping on another Vision soldier. "Anby's already in the cockpit. Proxy, you said you could control this train, right? Tell the residents to prepare for boarding."
"You… you're using the train to evacuate those beggars?" Perlman gasped, realization dawning. "No! Absolutely not!"
He writhed on the floor like a worm.
"If they get out and talk, both I and Vision Corporation is finished!"
"Stop them! I don't care how, just stop this!" he screamed, drawing everyone's attention.
Ignis was about to mock him when the man beneath Nicole moved—pulling out a detonator and pressing it.
Ignis almost charged to stop him—but if he did, Nicole would be caught in the blast. In that instant of hesitation, it was too late.
"Warning! Primary rail connection has been severed," blared the train's alert.
"Nicole, bad news—rail line's compromised!" Phaethon's Bangboo warned.
"D-Don't worry, Commander Perlman," the detonator man rasped proudly. "I destroyed the only rail leading to New Eridu… they can't escape now."
"You idiot! We were supposed to blow it after we evacuated!" Perlman shouted, horrified. "Now those damned beggars are trapped—and so are we! Damn it!"
"Boss Nicole! Bad news! Enemy reinforcements incoming! Armored vehicles, too! What do we do?!" Billy Kid shouted as floodlights flared behind him.
"Damn it. Grab the shorty and fall back into the train!" Nicole ordered.
"I'll handle the reinforcements. You focus on the plan," Ignis said, turning toward the enemy.
"Got it. Stay sharp." Nicole and Billy dragged the struggling Perlman aboard.
"Calling Commander Perlman! We've encountered an unidentified heavy unit near the train, heavy casualties sustained. But don't worry—we've got armored vehicles; firepower superiority is ours."
The radio on Perlman's vest crackled.
"Enemy has entered the train interior. Requesting permission for heavy engagement!"
"Don't you dare! I'm still in here! I've been captured by… uh, the esteemed members of the Cunning Hares!" Perlman's voice trembled. "Anyone harms me, Vision Corporation will bury you alive!"
Nicole cut off the transmission immediately.
"Commander Perlman? Commander Perlman?" The Vision commander tried again, but no reply came.
"Sir! Something's coming out of the tunnel!" a soldier warned. "Fast—big—should we engage with the autocannons?"
"Perlman's inside the train. Avoid hitting the carriages—permission to fire!"
Four armored vehicles turned their turrets toward the tunnel entrance. Each mounted a state-of-the-art 30mm autocannon loaded with high-efficiency incendiary armor-piercing rounds, supported by a full auto-tracking targeting system.
The gunners swallowed hard, searching for their target through the sights.