Anvil

Gabriel, through the Simulacrum Sanctum, gained complete knowledge of the entire Cydonia System.

The 33rd Fleet achieved victory through the Shadow of Order, with casualties no greater than those of the Iron Hands."

He smiled, removed the connector, and stood up from his seat.

Immediately, Gabriel saw Lord Manus stand up from his seat a dozen meters away.

His silver-coin-like eyes liquefied as he looked over inquiringly, his voice as heavy as lead.

"I didn't expect that, without any enhancements in computational skills, you would actually keep up with the Iron Hands's pace."

"Your data processing skills are at least at the average level of Iron Hands, which is truly admirable."

Gabriel knew that Lord Manus had become interested in his abilities and that he had to discourage him from exploring further in order to prevent the abilities bestowed upon Primarch from being exposed.

He picked up the Brainy Cat from the ground and began to speak.

"It's all thanks to it. It's Brainy Cat that can enhance my brain and amplify my calculation abilities."

Manus's eyes returned to their normal silver-coin state; "Relying on external forces is ultimately temporary."

"The Adeptus Mechanicus's advocacy of physical weakness is the truth; you should undergo mechanical transformation."

"I see potential in you. You're capable of undergoing significant modifications and gaining computational abilities like the Iron Hands."

"Father, I think Gabriel can have the same computing abilities as us even without undergoing mechanical modification."

Above the flagship, there is currently only one entity that dares to speak to the Primarch in this way.

Storm General Amad DuCaine.

Although he accepted the Medusa culture advocated by Manus, he thought the ideas of the Primarch were too radical.

Manus glanced at DuCaine and said, "You'll understand."

After the space war ended, the 11th Chapter of "Shadow of Order" launched an attack on the northern planets of the system, while the Clan Soragu of "Iron Hands" launched an offensive on the southern planets.

Ferrus Manus, flagship of the 52nd Expedition Fleet, said to DuCaine:

"You are renowned throughout the Imperium for your 'Storm and Hammer' skills. Now is the time to demonstrate your abilities and prove that my decision to appoint you as commander was not Error."

Manus decided to observe "Storm and Hammer" from an outsider's perspective to gain a comprehensive understanding of the tactic, and then make improvements based on it.

"Yes, Father."

After receiving his orders, DuCaine began to give commands, as he had done in the past.

The warships of the 52nd Expedition Fleet launched an orbital strike against the planet's surface.

Unlike before, when they targeted Vostonia for plunder, this time the Flao chose the Cydonia System as their base of attack.

Both planets were transformed into Fortress, and they would use the vast resources they plundered from many worlds in the Segmentum Obscurus to fund the construction of these Fortress.

The Flau defense system was operating at full capacity, with Aether energy shields blocking the bombardment and anti-aircraft guns roaring as they fired dense barrages into the air.

To counter the Flao's anti-air firepower, DuCaine directly adopted a similar tactic to that he used on Rust Star, ordering several Voidship to use their massive hulls to withstand the gunfire and forcibly land in the atmosphere.

The warships made emergency landings at five locations he designated, just in time for all the Flao to observe their arrival.

DuCaine immediately ordered the Auxilia to build fortifications on the spot and begin defense.

To avoid brutal siege warfare, DuCaine decided to adopt the "Storm and Hammer" tactic.

But this time, he knew he had to make a change.

According to the intelligence DuCaine obtained from Lord Nimrod, the Flao are a nomadic tribe that enjoys plundering and is inherently greedy. They throw out bait, and the Xenos will take the bait.

He knew that, unlike the Orks who would rush out of their fortresses without a care in the world at the sight of battle, the Flao would not be so foolish and reckless.

DuCaine gave the order to load all the glittering valuables from the warehouses of the five warships into the vehicles.

Storm General selected 100,000 of the weakest and most wounded soldiers from the Auxilia and addressed them.

"Ladies of the Auxilia, I am DuCaine."

Depending on the situation, DuCaine refers to the former Storm Walkers, now Iron Hands, as either "boy" or "lady."

However, he always addressed the Auxilia as "Miss".

"I need you to complete an important task. Today, as always, you will become the anvil."

"You must attack the Flao's Fortress!"

Some Auxilia officers had already guessed that they were being sent to attack the Flao Fortress, which was tantamount to suicide.

They couldn't grasp the strategic significance, but they believed in Storm General.

Their sacrifices were certainly worthwhile. Storm General always managed to achieve the greatest results with the least sacrifice, as he had proven on Rust Star.

"My demand of you is that, in the name of the Emperor, for the Gorgon of Medusa, for me, and for the glory we have achieved on Rust Star, the offensive must continue for two hours."

"For the Emperor, for the Gorgon, for the Storm!"

Twenty thousand Auxilia soldiers shouted loudly, and at the same time, deafening shouts rang out from the other four positions.

Manus, watching DuCaine's speech, nodded slightly, thinking to himself.

DuCaine enjoys extremely high prestige among the Auxilia; even death missions are considered an honor for them.

This tactic is reasonable; casualties will decrease by more than 40%.

One hundred thousand Auxilia, under the cover of a hundred armored vehicles, simultaneously launched an attack on the five Fortress of the Flao.

At Fortress Number One, General Flau watched as the overconfident enemy foolishly launched an attack on his Fortress.

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips as he waved his arm and gave the order.

"Artillery barrage!"

Boom boom boom!

The Fortress's cannons roared, and bullets rained down on the vehicles.

A Malcador Heavy Tank was torn apart by a shell.

The tank only had a driver and a machine gunner inside; there were no shells, and only two basic loads of ammunition.

Glittering valuables have taken over the other places.

With a loud bang, the armored vehicle was thrown into the air.

Sparkling gold coins flew everywhere, dazzling gems tumbled...

General Flau's pupils narrowed as he saw the wealth scattered everywhere.

He pounded on the Fortress walls with all his might, shouting angrily.

"Foolish humans, shameful waste!"

The Auxilia soldiers shouted "For the storm!" and searched for any available cover to launch an attack on the Fortress.

Every moment, someone falls, but no one retreats.

An hour after the attack began, even Auxilia Warrior rushed to the city walls.

Aether Master waved his arm, and flames descended from the sky, engulfing the Auxilia soldiers and incinerating them.

The Auxilia soldiers, witnessing their comrades' tragic cries amidst the flames, still did not retreat.

It wasn't until two hours after the offensive began, when the commander's timer beeped, that he snapped out of his daze and gave the order.

General Flau on the city wall said disdainfully.

"Vulnerable, poses no threat whatsoever."

His eyelids twitched slightly when he saw the property trampled by the defeated army.

"Shameful waste!"

Human fleets are powerful, but their soldiers are easily defeated; there's no need to hold onto Fortress.

Their armored vehicles carried so much wealth; their warships must have carried even more. Perhaps their military discipline was lax, and they plundered some rich planet.

Their warships were powerful and routed our fleet. To regain void superiority, we must capture their warships.

Upon realizing this, the Flao issued the order to attack.

No Flao wanted to miss out on the plundering feast; only a small number were unwillingly left behind.

Most of the Flao set off from Fortress One, charging towards the "vulnerable" human warships.

The Flau of the other four Fortress, upon receiving the news, all shouted loudly.

"Attack! We will not allow Ferreira to keep all the spoils for himself!"

DuCaine's anvil worked, and the garrison of Flau left their Fortress.