-=+ +=- [COMPLETED] The Second Universe -=+ +=-

Part 15: WE HAVE A CONFIRMED-

Machine gun, rifle, and recoilless rifle fire lit up the MBT, its sponson machine guns returning in kind with barrages of their own. Buildings immediately started collapsing from the sheer amount of fire being put out by both sides, further expedited by the missiles being launched from Landship 6-5's turret. Its coaxial gun also helped rip up infantry, first taking out the aforementioned grenade launcher position alongside the main gun.

A different building was so fortified it had machine guns sticking out of literally every window, forcing the infantry to have to stop. 6-5 drove up right next to the building while taking machine gun fire, and instead of firing a cannon round, opted to fire a smoke grenade into a window. The smoke grenade passed through the window and detonated several boxes of ammunition, and- well- a chain reaction occurred. 

The boxes of ammo unfortunately exploded, likely thanks to an unreliable and overworked autochanter [automatic enchanter machine] not correctly etching the standard safety rune into the individual caseless bullet propellant blocks before they were loaded. This resulted in the detonation of the soldier manning the machine gun's grenades, which not only killed him, but launched the other grenades towards a grenade magazine.

This, as can probably be predicted, resulted in a severe detonation that immediately took out half of the building. The main pillar in the center holding the building's standard runic enhancements broke as the Marines now entered the building. On the first floor, resistance was rather low as it seemed the shock and confusion generated by half of the building falling suppressed the building's defenders. 

The Marines split up into four teams, two of which directly flying up and through the courtyard in the middle of the building to reach the second floor. The other two teams would advance up the stairs, and as the 'stairteams' arrived at the second floor, they were immediately met with organized resistance. A well-placed machine gun nest cut down four Marines, forcing the others to take cover.

One armed with a shotgun fired through the floor, killing a machine gunner by basically removing bro's legs and then targeting his veins and arteries with guided flechettes. This lifted the fire enough to allow more Marines to enter, firing 50mm grenades in two-round bursts to clear out defensive positions. A team leader of the 'jetpackteams' guided his fireteam, landing behind the stairs' defensive position. 

The CROS units there were now suffering a pincer attack, and it seemed to be too much. Some units immediately rushed out of the area, often being gunned down in the process while their teammates provided cover fire, then often also falling victim to 50mm HE rounds. A special inert flechette-like system was launched, and it speared a CROS unit in the head. The force of this, however, turned the unit into red mist.

"Holy shit," the infantryman who fired it said. By now, the jetpackteams would have cleared their section of the second floor and were now proceeding to the third. They simply walked back-first through the railing, intentionally falling down. Their jetpacks then activated, the teams crashing into the 3rd floor. The jetpackteams this time were the ones being ambushed, receiving heavy rocket fire.

Those equipped with XM-22 NGIEXS power armor shrugged the rockets off like nothing, but those not equipped with it were either immediately knocked unconscious or 'sent back to the respawn screen'. The Marines landed first, equipped with their power armor. More often than not, the Marines here were equipped with M134 Tempest rotary autocannons as opposed to the usual assault rifle.

The M134s opened fire, a blank- expression, coming upon the faces of the power armor-wearing Marines who simply held the trigger down and sprayed the CROS's defensive positions, hoping their photonlasers' guidance system would do the work for them. It sure did do the work for them, as CROS infantry and ground drone units were being targeted through walls before they were able to mount a counterattack.