Hold Up, I'm An Arsenal Bird Now?!

Act 4 - Steel Against Steel

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TRANSFERRING TO FIGHTER DRONE...

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TRANSFER COMPLETE

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I'm now looking at the void. I felt nothing after the current transfer. The transfer probably failed, unlikely. Though I must admit, fighting as a drone felt a bit badass, fighting as an Arsenal Bird is even better.

Before I could even think about anything else everything suddenly flashed white. As the light died down, I am now in my MQ-101 in the middle of a desert with a few smoke pillars there.

In the distance, I see seven aircraft. They are a bit distant so I can't get a good look until they came closer. The six seemed to be F15s while the last one looked a bit off. It's sleek and has forward-swept wings, canards, and a vertical stabilizer protruding from its belly. The most notable feature was there is no visible cockpit and is replaced by what seemed to be cameras. All of that with a red metallic finish. Those planes swooped past me and pitched up, gaining altitude for a dive attack. I manage to dodge all the missiles and a screen popped up.

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MISSION START

OBJECTIVE:
DESTROY ESCORTS
0/6
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Huh, well shit. Here I thought getting a new drone with the crystal is free. I wonder how it goes with the Ace Crystal... Let's not talk about that. I chased the nearest F15 as the formation broke off and made a well-placed shot with my missiles and downed it quickly. Five more to go.

Two escorts did a pincer attack but I dived down to avoid the missiles. Another one got behind my tail. I tried to break it off but it isn't working. I immediately rolled left just to dodge a missile and pulled a kulbit maneuver to the poor escort, with two missiles aimed directly at it. Four more.

The last escort broke off from the red aircraft to take me down. In a matter of seconds, I switched targets to the incoming escort and gunned it down. One scratched, three left. The two again did a pincer attack, and I dodge again. What I didn't account for is that those missiles are QAAMs. I launched flares to redirect those away from me and aimed at one of the menace duos. As I am chasing it down, its ally locked on to me again but used its guns, dealing decent damage. I finally manage to destroy my target with a retarded missile spam.

The last two split off and attack. I locked on to the closest one. Before I could even launch a missile, it pulled a cobra maneuver. I'm being tailed by two loud and angry hunks of flying metal. I pitched down, hoping the F15s get the bait. When I reached below 100, I immediately pitched up as hard as I can. With a near-death experience and some fucking luck, both F15s crashed onto the cliffs.

At last, the final escort is down. My damage is currently at 41% Guns are no joke.

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MISSION UPDATED
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[ZONE OF ENDLESS] DETECTED

OBJECTIVE:
DESTROY THE ADF-01
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WEAPONS EQUIPPED
TLS
4AAM

///THREAT LEVEL///
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HIGH
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Oh mah gawd

Out of nowhere, a laser and two missiles were all aimed at me. I dodged the missiles but the laser simply touched my drone and was done. I checked my damage once again to see it at... 94%.

ಠ_ಠ bruh

I swear if I get hit one more time, I'm dead metal. The missile warning blared and with fear, I pitched and turned in panic. The missiles missed by a mile as they impact the sandy ground. As much as I want to engage the ADF-01, the damages sustained on my craft can't win it. I resorted to my mobility in an attempt to outmaneuver the red plane.

A dance of two seemingly agile drones has started. It locked on my aircraft and fired both missiles and 4AAMs at me. I pitched up to break the AAM lock but the two missiles are still at my tail. I immediately dived down to break the homing and engaged the ADF-01 head-on.

I fired my guns at the drone while its cockpit rose and revealed a Tactical Laser System. As the bullets impacted the red drone, the laser sliced the sky with a bright light aimed at me. I flew past the aircraft and began tailing it. I fired my guns while achieving lock while the enemy drone is trying to break it. Suddenly, it pulled a barrel roll and got me to overshoot. The thing fired its guns and missiles at me. I began turning to avoid the missiles, and some of the bullets managed to scratch my aircraft, damaging it even more.

In what feels like hours, the ADF-01 has managed to damage my drone even more. The damaged aircraft is nearly at 99% and I may be destroyed before I knew it. I decelerated and made erratic movements to slow down until I hit a certain speed. The ADF-01 is closing in but I used this opportunity to pull it. The ADF-01 fired its missiles but I pulled a Cobra maneuver, missing its mark with barely an inch.

I finally got onto its tail and fired both machine guns and missiles. I didn't have time to dodge as the combined firepower of my weapons have finally taken down the ADF-01. The falling aircraft begins to lose altitude at a steady pace, everything suddenly began to glitch out.

My vision began to fade, and the only thing I saw before the blackout is the appearance of a black hole...

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MISSION COMPLETED

ADF-01 HUNTED DOWN
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-RANK-
[B]
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Reward: ADF-01
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TRANSFERRING TO AERIAL ARSENAL SHIP "ARBITER"...

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TRANSFER COMPLETE

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