Mill World.
The steel giant foot of the Reaver-class Titan Odyssea slammed down onto the brand-new yet pitted road.
The air strikes from Shadow of Order had plagued Legio Tempestus for three months.
To avoid losses among the God-Machines, they had been forced to adopt a strategy of slow advance.
Estaban III's air-defense forces intercepted the enemy aircraft, while the thralls slowly cleared the ruins and rebuilt the highway.
Nero Curtis repeatedly soothed the Machine Spirit's raging killing intent until, today, Artificial Food Complex No. 25 came into view once more.
"Attack!"
Aside from Laxvalia, the other two God-Machines in his Furious Hunt Formation were also Reavers.
The roar of engines came howling in.
Curtis looked up into the sky. Although Shadow of Order's flight formations had been reduced from nine to eight, the number in each formation had only increased.
The Auspex detected a total of one hundred and sixteen fighters in the incoming formations.
Black noses dipped in unison, and twin-linked Lascannons flared with scarlet light as one.
The steel body gave a violent shudder, and dense barrages rose around the four Titans.
Crimson tidal waves smashed together, and the blinding radiance briefly robbed the Auspex's imaging system of sight.
When his vision returned, Curtis saw streaks of red light sweeping down.
Two beams struck the shield of the God-Machine he had become one with.
He split off part of his awareness to inspect the damage report and found that the shield had only dropped by 0.52%.
A plume of black smoke rose in his vision. He raised his arm, and the God-Machine's right arm lifted with it.
A Swordtail Interceptor spun as it fell.
Thump, thump, thump—
Parachutes blossomed.
"Manual fire-control mode," Curtis ordered.
Odyssea seized the chance while its arm was raised and attacked first.
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