Chapter 619: Iron and Fire

Standing beside the massive, imposing war machine, Holm couldn’t help but gaze up at its iron-gray armor, the pipes and mechanical structures concealed beneath its protective shields inspiring a deep sense of awe. At his side, the former commander of the Rock Fortress—now a Cecil officer and Mariland Knight—let out a quiet murmur of admiration. “It truly is a magnificent machine, isn’t it?”

Holm turned his head slightly to glance at the knight, who had since donned his armor anew and pledged loyalty to the duchy.

After a grueling year of labor reform and ideological retraining, followed by over half a year of intensive education, and having passed rigorous examinations and oaths, this once-royal nobleman had earned the chance to swear fealty to the southern lords.

Initially assigned to the engineering corps of the Second Legion, he had taken part in construction and production across the northern territories, witnessing firsthand the workings of the Cecil order. Throughout this process, the knight demonstrated earnest dedication and exceptional skill, steadily rising through the ranks until he was transferred to the First Combat Battalion and appointed commander of the “Iron Throne.”

In Cecil, “reformed” individuals like him were not uncommon. Talent was scarce in this era, and many early intellectuals had to be selected from the old nobility. While this posed potential risks for the future, it was preferable to losing such talent in the early, chaotic stages of development.

Among these reformed men, the Mariland Knight was considered one of the most trustworthy and promising.

Holm, himself born a serf but now a Cecil official, smiled. “It really is a beautiful machine. Every single part is exquisite.”

His words carried a double meaning, but he was genuinely praising the war machine on the tracks beside him. This colossal armored train was the most powerful mechanical device he had ever seen—not just a transport, but a weapon and fortress all in one. It was the brilliant creation of Lady Rebecca, the Marchioness, and the master craftsman Nicholas, forged by the tireless, ingenious workers of Cecil—a fearsome testament to their sweat and blood.

At both ends of the train were two “arsenal sections,” each equipped with four massive railguns and four of the largest super-heavy burners currently available. Between the gun turrets and burners sat armored gun towers housing combat personnel. Depending on the battle, these could unleash lightning, fireballs, or scorching beams to sweep away enemies and defend the train’s artillery.

The central section, known as the “tactical segment,” housed the train’s command center, powerful arcane obelisks, communication devices, and ample defensive weaponry.

The remaining cars were “transport segments,” vast compartments capable of carrying hundreds or even thousands of soldiers. These cars could be swapped out for open chassis to transport various war vehicles. Nearly every type of magic-powered vehicle produced by Cecil could be mounted on these broad, sturdy transport platforms.

Currently, twelve “Warhammer-I” tanks were secured on four of these transport chassis. These tanks were not mere passengers—they were formidable weapons in their own right. When fixed to the chassis, they effectively became miniature railguns, their turrets even more flexible than the Iron Throne’s main cannons. At the commander’s order, these twelve tank guns could annihilate any foolhardy enemy daring to approach the Iron Throne.

Fully armed and reigning supreme, the machine radiated such power that only upon seeing it in person did Holm finally understand why it was called the “Iron Throne.” Its iron-gray paint and sharply defined mechanical lines lived up to the name, even possessing a captivating beauty. In that moment, Holm found himself a little envious of the Mariland Knight.

“This is only the first Iron Throne,” the knight said proudly. “According to plan, more armored trains of this type will be deployed along the rails to protect the lands they cover. Each Iron Throne train actually has a specific designation—this one here is officially ‘Iron Throne Zero.’”

“The original Iron Throne, huh…” Holm nodded thoughtfully before adding, “We’ve been laying tracks extending northward these days. The situation in the Eastern Territories is worsening, but since the local lords have sealed off their lands and castles, vast wilderness areas have become completely ungoverned. Our operations face almost no resistance. Even when a few lords interfere, their fragmented forces can’t pose a real threat.”

Mariland asked, “Where are the Crystal Cluster infected currently located?”

“They’re still active west of Solinburg. Only a few aimless wanderers have drifted into the Eastern Territories, posing no immediate threat.”

Mariland nodded slightly.

It was clear that the Cult of All-Things-Perishing’s main target remained the royal capital of Ansu. They had sent nearly all their Crystal Cluster armies to the northwestern front. As for the Eastern Territories—already laid out on a silver platter—they paid little attention. This was understandable: to the east lay the Typhon Empire, and to the west, the eastern part of the Holy Spirit Plains had already fallen completely. Most of the military forces and capable nobles there had been lost to the great contamination. For the Cult, who held the advantage, this land was already swallowed; all that remained was slow digestion.

But Mariland knew this situation wouldn’t last.

The Cult had yet to fully marshal their vast forces or firmly establish their foothold. Once they crushed the remaining royal resistance on the Holy Spirit Plains and stood before Saint Suniel’s gates, they would begin “absorbing” strength from the Eastern Territories, converting the population into their Crystal Cluster armies to sweep across the rest of Ansu’s lands.

His mission was to block the eastern gateway from an unexpected angle before that happened, coordinating with Gawain Cecil’s “blockade” along the Gorgon River.

In recent months, White Sand Mining had been laying extensive railways between White Sand and Grant under the pretext of “building more roads to facilitate ore transport.” The slow response of local lords, combined with White Sand Mining’s financial influence over rural knights, tax collectors, and civil officials, had allowed these railways to creep right under the noses of Selasloren. Now, with the Eastern Territories growing ever more chaotic, White Sand Mining’s railway construction had become brazenly open.

…

On the east bank of the Gorgon River, in the fertile northern woodlands, the steel-forged legion advanced.

In the river’s center, three magic-powered warships led by the “Pioneer” spread their arcane wings. Brilliant runes shimmered above the river’s waves as immense energy was gathered, compressed, and channeled. The heavy “Truth-I” magic crystal railguns adjusted their aim with mechanical precision. With a thunderous roar, the projectiles tore through the air, soaring skyward—

Piercing whistles filled the air as the shells descended like heavenly fire, striking the earth with cataclysmic force. Countless Crystal Cluster giants wandering the plains and wastelands were obliterated before they could react. The bombardment exceeded their visual and even their strongest senses’ limits. Amid the relentless rain of fire, mutated limbs and crystal clusters disintegrated, fracturing the massive army into scattered, disorganized fragments, each scrambling to find hidden enemies.

On a nearby riverside hill, steel-clad rangers climbed atop an observation vehicle, activating tactical goggles to monitor the advancing Crystal Cluster monsters. They continuously relayed signals to the warships, directing volley after volley of naval artillery.

After several rounds of bombardment, the armored vehicles began to push forward, clearing the way with tank cannons and long-range howitzers. Wheels and tracks crushed the heated earth, inching steadily toward the Crystal Cluster-contaminated zones.

Amid this devastating tide, the “Steel Ambassadors” raised their reinforced shields and surged ahead. Inside each armored vehicle, the most vigilant soldiers watched the images reflected in the observation windows—enhanced by “Detection Distortion” spells.

Through the reddish-tinted magical vision, the entire landscape was suffused with surging arcane energy. The Crystal Cluster giants flickered like candles in the night amid smoke and dust.

Some of these flickering lights shone especially bright.

Scouts immediately relayed target coordinates to the howitzer crews and signaled the rear units: “Command units detected. Begin guided fire.”

The Steel Ambassadors briefly halted, stabilized their vehicles, and activated their onboard howitzers. Though these “main guns” had limited destructive power and were sometimes blocked by the strongest Crystal Cluster shields, their long-range shells screamed through the air toward distant targets. Hundreds of “Warhammer-I” main battle tanks positioned behind would then concentrate their fire on the marked locations. Such an assault was impossible to intercept with just one or two powerful spellcasters.

After a brief but devastating barrage, many enemies fell into chaos.

The tidal wave of Crystal Cluster giants charged at the enemies within sight. Their commanders had already perished before the charge began, and the charging giants gradually devolved into uncontrollable beasts.

They would weaken completely in about an hour—but most wouldn’t survive that long.

Driven by their instinctive aggression, they charged headlong into the deadly fireline woven by artillery and burners, neither dodging nor retreating, until they were reduced to ashes.

Because of this uncontrollable aggression, the legion didn’t need to hunt for enemies hiding in blind spots or at a distance. As long as the artillery thundered, monsters within a hundred-mile radius would willingly converge into the purifying flames.

On a hill behind the lines, Gawain stood beneath a sunshade, quietly watching the distant plains. The battlefield was ablaze with cannon fire, flashes from the Gorgon River front shimmering in his eyes. Occasionally, dazzling rainbow beams swept across the riverbank with impressive scale and force.

Nearby, mobile arcane network relay vehicles broadcast dense communications from the Pioneer and ground forces. Several arcane network terminals projected different images. Signalers and commanders bustled between devices and tactical maps, issuing orders and reports from all directions.

For a fleeting moment, Gawain felt a strange distortion of time and space.

Meanwhile, young Knight Philip stood by the map table not far away, surrounded by a group of officers, all focused on the shifting battlefield. Byron’s holographic projection hovered beside Philip—through the arcane network terminal, Byron, aboard the Pioneer far away, seemed as if he were right there in the army command center.

The amphibious assault plan had been proposed by Gawain. His strategy called for the river fleet to provide heavy artillery support to the ground forces, initially breaking through the ranks of the crystal cluster giants. Then, the land tank units would advance, using long-range howitzers and similar firepower to clear the battlefield a second time. Before the crystal giants could regroup, the ground troops would quickly seize advantageous positions and, relying on heavy flamethrowers, flame infantry, and the White Knight battalion, thoroughly cleanse the entire battlefield.

Building on this, Knight Philip devised a more detailed ground operation plan. Using the Steel Ambassadors as reconnaissance vehicles, leveraging their mobility and range, and backed by reliable shield technology, these armored units would rapidly identify command nodes within the crystal cluster legion and direct artillery strikes from afar to destroy them.

Afterward, the loyal Cecil Legion would use their equally loyal incendiary weapons to eliminate any enemies that had lost control.

These plans proved remarkably effective.

(End of chapter)