Inside the Steel Sky, as Linde watched the images of the Orc army marching back from the magic network node, the cold smile on his lips finally melted away, revealing a genuine smile like a hunter seeing its prey step into a trap.
"Finally...it's here."
He murmured to himself, his purple eyes reflecting the rolling torrent of steel and aerial fortresses on the screen, "Trump card? Let me see how long your so-called 'alchemical crystals' can withstand the hammer of the steel stars."
He turned around, his voice carrying clearly throughout the command center:
"Aster, Rock Fortress is now in maximum alert status. All pre-set defense nodes are activated."
"Alice, activate the remote monitoring network nodes at full power and lock onto all high-energy reactive targets."
“Master Della, the fortifications of our dwarven allies must be reinforced before the enemy besieges the city.”
“Furthermore…” Linde’s gaze turned to the depths of the Bokou Ruins, “Awaken the ‘Anvil’ and the ‘Furnace’… It’s time for our ‘reinforcements’ to go and welcome the real ‘guests’.”
The war horn sounded the moment the Principality of Oak tore off its disguise.
The skies of Blackrock Territory will be ignited by the light of steel and arcane magic.
Linde, meanwhile, was waiting to use the Principality of Oak's "trump card" to test the true sharpness of his "Iron Star".
————
The massive steel torrent of the Principality of Oak, like a tempered and sharpened alchemical hammer, swept across the desolate borderlands of the Empire, carrying with it the deafening roar of steam, the tremors of heavy armor crushing the earth, and the low hum of energy weapons charging, crashing straight towards the mountains of Blackrock Territory.
The sky was obscured by a massive fleet of steam-powered airships. These floating steel behemoths were even larger and more menacing than the "Explorer" that Victor was aboard.
Thick riveted armor covers the hull, and the huge airbags gleam with the light of reinforcement runes. The multi-barreled energy projection guns at the bow and stern gleam with an eerie light, like the fangs of a giant beast.
They were like a moving steel cloud, casting shadows that brought the earth to dusk prematurely.
On the ground, there were armored troops stretching as far as the eye could see.
The mass-produced "Crimson Bulwark" resembles a group of dark red reefs, marching with heavy, uniform steps.
Surrounding them were more agile Obsidian assault infantry phalanxes equipped with "Magic Breaker" armor-piercing cones, the hydraulic hum of their outer armor creating a deep, resonant sound.
The massive steam tank, like a moving hill, crushed rocks with its tracks, while the rotating array of "resonant spikes" on its roof constantly scanned ahead, emitting a heart-pounding hum.
Behind them were massive engineering vehicles and logistical supplies, demonstrating the Orcs' determination to win—they not only wanted to destroy Blackrock Territory, but also to occupy and excavate the "ruins" beneath it!
"Reporting, Lord! The main force of the Oake vanguard has broken through the border buffer zone and is less than fifty miles from the first pre-established defensive line on the outer perimeter of Blackrock Territory! Their airship fleet is descending in altitude, and there are clear signs that their energy weapons are charging!"
Aster's voice came through the magic network node, steady yet with a rock-solid solemnity.
Inside the core command center of the Steel Sky, a huge screen clearly displays the battlefield situation.
The red arrows representing the Orc army surged towards the black mountain model representing Blackrock Territory like a burst dam.
The sky was filled with countless red dots representing airships, like the Sword of Damocles hanging overhead.
Linde sat upright in front of the control panel, his deep purple eyes reflecting the cold red light on the screen.
There was no trace of panic on his face, only a cold, focused control over the entire situation.
"The bait has worked; the fish have come out in droves, with huge appetites."
Linde's voice was calm and even, "Initiate the first phase of Project 'Anvil'. Astaire, activate all 'spatial anchors' according to the predetermined coordinates."
“Yes, sir!” Astaire’s voice was firm and decisive.
The order was issued instantly.
Deep within Rock Fortress and in several secluded mountain valleys on the outskirts of Blackrock Territory, a massive array of spatial stabilization runes, personally designed and optimized by Alice and constructed with the assistance of the Dwarf Master, was illuminated.
A powerful magic was infused into it, and the intricate geometric patterns on the ground and mountains glowed with a deep blue light.
Buzz—!
A strange fluctuation, as if space itself were groaning, swept across the vast area surrounding the battlefield in an instant.
There was no earth-shattering explosion, but all the Orc soldiers and machines in the area felt a strange sense of sluggishness, as if the air had turned into thick syrup.
The descent speed of the airship fleet noticeably slowed down, and the charging progress bar of the energy weapons also experienced a brief pause.
"Spatial interference! That kind of space technology again!" Inside the Oak front-line command airship, a senior general looked at the chaotic readings on the instrument panel, his face ashen.
"Command the resonant spike array to focus on scanning for interference sources! Tear it apart!" the commander roared.
On top of the steam tank on the ground, a huge resonant spike began to rotate at high speed, emitting a piercing shriek, and an invisible resonant beam shot towards the source of the spatial fluctuations like a probe.
However, this time, they were not facing a single weak point in the armor, but a spatial stabilization field that covered the entire area, guided by magic network nodes and reinforced by dwarven runes!
The resonant beam is like a mud ox entering the sea; it can only create weak ripples on the "barrier" of the stable field and cannot shake its fundamental nature.
"The interference source is extremely strong! The frequency... cannot be locked! Our resonant waves have been dispersed!" the technical sergeant reported in alarm.
"Damn it!" The commander slammed his fist on the control panel. "Order the airship fleet! Ignore the interference, descend, target Blackrock Fortress! Blast a path through with the main guns! Ground forces, charge! Tear their lines apart!"
In the air, the massive fleet of airships, after a brief delay, forcibly lowered its altitude using powerful steam propulsion.
The arcane energy projection cannons on the bow of the submarine shone with a blinding light, and energy was rapidly gathering!
"Now!" A cold glint flashed in Linde's eyes. "Your Majesty Muradin!"
"Haha! I've been waiting so long my beard is practically matted!"
The dwarf king's gruff voice boomed through the magic network node, "Minions! Let those tin cans of Ork taste our Red Mountain's 'Explosive Bomb' runes!"
With the roar of the Dwarf King, countless enormous runes, meticulously carved by Dwarven rune masters and embedded in the rocks or adamantite bases, were instantly activated on the mountainsides surrounding Blackrock Territory and within the pre-designated Dwarven defensive fortifications!
These runes are not for defense, but are filled with the dwarves' unique, ferocious destructive power!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
As if the mountain god were enraged! A series of violent explosions erupted violently in front of and on the flanks of the Ork ground forces! These were not cannonballs, but the product of the dwarves' perfect combination of high-explosive alchemical gunpowder and destructive runes—"Explosive Runes"!
The raging fire shockwave, carrying with it fragments of rock and metal, enhanced by the power of the runes and possessing even greater penetrating force, swept across like the scythe of death!
The mass-produced "Crimson Bulwark" of the Oak Forward was the first to be hit. Its thick armor was like paper in the face of the rune explosion at close range, and was instantly torn, twisted and overturned!
The Obsidian assault infantry in the rear suffered even heavier losses, with their outer armor torn apart and their bodies ripped to pieces by shockwaves and shrapnel!
The newly assembled attack formation was instantly blasted into chaos, leaving everyone in disarray!
The dwarves' seemingly rough runes, with the optimization by Master Draco and the explosive aesthetics of Muradin, have shown terrifying battlefield dominance!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com