Golden Garuda Aids in Stirring Up a Storm

Ferreira led the Flao towards the warship.

After traveling two kilometers, Ferreira suddenly signaled the driver to stop.

The open-top Flau command vehicle came to a stop, his eyes slightly narrowed as he looked up at the sky.

In Ferreira's Aetheric Sight, it showed no brilliance whatsoever.

[Not a living being, but some kind of machine?]

Ferreira shouted into the Communicator, "Biomancy Master, Aether Lightning, shoot down anything spying on us from the air!"

To unleash the power of Aether Spell, the Flao's Aether Master all rode in open-top vehicles.

A dozen or so Biomancy Aether Master immediately raised their staffs, and Psychic Lightning gathered in the air.

The lightning bolt, as thick as a finger, grew thicker and thicker, eventually becoming an electric dragon as thick as Flao.

The electric dragon ripped through the sky, striking the gray and yellow mechanical construct in mid-air.

The Mechanical Eagle, billowing black smoke, crashed to the ground like a kite with a broken string.

Ferreira waved his hand, and the driver started the command vehicle and continued onward.

The "Iron Hands" front.

Beside DuCaine, the Tech Sergeant had earned the title of Iron Father spoke up:

"I lost my Garuda. The Flao's Psychic Lightning was faster than its reaction time; it had no chance to dodge."

"Garuda's Energy Core was overloaded and melted by Psychic Lightning; it cannot be repaired even after the battle."

DuCaine nodded and asked Gabriel on the other side, "Can your Golden Garuda bring me information that Garuda didn't obtain?"

"I'll give it my best," Gabriel said cautiously, observing and taking notes beside DuCaine.

He had come to understand that "Storm and Hammer" was a seemingly simple but actually extremely complex and sophisticated tactical system, based on consideration of numerous factors.

The extent to which the Auxilia attract enemies as a "storm," the control over the Auxilia' persistence capabilities, and when to unleash the Iron Hands to strengthen defenses.

The timing of deploying the Astartes "Hammer" and the command of the deployed highly mechanized assault forces.

Even logistical support is meticulously planned, including ensuring supply during high-speed assaults and navigating the route from attack positions to target points.

Mastering the mechanized forces' advance capability after launching the attack, as well as firepower configuration and advance fire preparation.

"Storm and Hammer" also involves multi-dimensional considerations, from the planning of aerial interdiction and cover by Gunship to the rapid clearing operations coordinated by Astartes forces and vehicles.

This requires long-term training and evaluation. DuCaine trained the Iron Hands Solagu in highly mechanized tactics, and he also considered the determination of the campaign, the commander's willpower and execution ability.

According to Ducaine, these were all developed and evolved from the tactical system of the Terra Alebbian war clans.

He developed this tactic in actual combat, and after Lord Manus Ferrus, the demands on battlefield factors and calculations increased significantly.

In the past, "Storm and Hammer" took a comprehensive and multi-layered approach to all of its own parameters, but only maintained a general level of control over the enemy's situation.

While it is unlikely to be wrong in general, Lord Manus has set a higher standard.

The enemy's various troop types, numbers, weapons used, and logistical situation...

Manus wanted his commanders to have a complete grasp of all the enemy's factors and to make perfect calculations; he emphasized the use of devices such as Auspex.

Garuda was also given importance, and in this first battle after being renamed "The Iron Hands," he was expected to realize his ideals.

However, the Flao's Aether Spell thwarted Garuda's reconnaissance mission right from the start.

Gabriel switched the helmet's control panel, and the panel turned gold.

The Iron Hands connects directly to Garuda through an implant.

Instead of this approach, Gabriel developed a new display system and uploaded it to the "Shadow of Order" helmet system.

While it doesn't provide real-time feedback like the Iron Hands, it has a wider range of applications.

Gabriel hopes to mass-produce Golden Garuda in the future, extending them to the company level and even squad level of the "Shadow of Order".

Above the Flao's ranks, the Golden Garuda, high in the sky, looked down.

Compared to ordinary Garuda, Golden Garuda have a wider reconnaissance range and can conduct reconnaissance at higher altitudes.

On the golden interface in front of Gabriel, a holographic image of Flau's team appeared, and he quickly said:

"The second vehicle carried eight Flau Aether Mages; based on the lightning and fire symbols on their robes, they were presumably four Biomancy and four fire-based Psyker."

[Hmm... The lack of Eyepiece sensor for automatic classification and rating is inconvenient and needs improvement.]

Gabriel reported to DuCaine while recording battlefield feedback for post-battle improvements.

"..."

After ordering the metal eagle that was spying on them to be shot down, Ferreira continued forward. After a few hundred meters, he sensed something was wrong again and looked up at the sky.

He glanced at it, saw nothing, and looked away.

The command vehicle moved forward for another hundred meters or so, and Ferreira looked up again, gazing at the sky.

He always felt that a pair of eyes were watching him, he shouted.

"Telekinesis Master, inspect the high altitude!"

Dozens of telekinetic Aether Master released Telekinesis that spread into the air.

A dozen seconds later, the Telekinesis Master in the third vehicle spoke:

"Lord Ferreira, there's Mechanical Eagle in the sky, a golden Mechanical Eagle."

"Pull it down for me!" Ferreira shouted.

"No, it's too high, about 10,000 meters above the ground."

"Biomancy Master!" Ferreira had no choice but to ask the Biomancy Aether Master who had just shot down the Metal Eagle.

"We can't hit it, it's too high."

Upon hearing this, Ferreira had no choice but to give up and gave the order, "Full speed!"

As Psionic Energy pilot, Flau sensed the terrifying flames leaping from Ferreira's body and immediately floored the accelerator.

"The Iron Hands" front, DuCaine said with admiration after getting all the information he wanted from Gabriel.

"The information obtained by the Golden Garuda is far more detailed than anything provided by any reconnaissance aircraft or Augur Array."

"Storm General, is there anything else you'd like to know?" Gabriel asked.

"That's all. I've got everything I needed."

Storm General then adjusted the military deployment, Gabriel began further testing of the Golden Garuda.

Ferreira, from the Flao's ranks, suddenly looked up at the sky.

He was furious to discover that the spy, whom he could not see before, could now see golden specks of light.

"Provocative!"

Flames danced in his eyes. "Can we attack it now?"

"Cannot!"

The answer frustrated Ferreira. "Despicable humans, only good for petty tricks."

Then, as Ferreira watched the golden dot grow larger and larger until he could clearly see the golden Mechanical Eagle, the telekinetic Aether Master reported that the golden Mechanical Eagle had entered their attack range.

"Attack! Shoot it down!" Ferreira said fiercely, raising his hand to fire Fireball into the air.

Upon landing, the Psionic Energy of the telekinetic Aether Master converged, unleashing a "Machine Influence" on the golden Mechanical Eagle.

The Telekinesis converged into a vast net of Psionic Energy, which shot towards the golden Mechanical Eagle.

When the net was a kilometer away from the golden metal eagle, its golden wings flapped, and it flew more than a hundred meters away in an instant.

The Golden Garuda did not contain any built-in Aether reading divination devices, but Gabriel saw the movements of the Flau Psyker through its eyes and deduced that they had used Psionic Energy magic.

Gabriel then manipulated the Golden Garuda to continue its descent.

It was both to test its limits and to deplete the Psionic Energy of the Flao.

Rational Psyker will not drain Psionic Energy indefinitely; once it exceeds their control, it will lead to Catastrophe consequences.

When the Golden Garuda was a thousand meters above the ground, Gabriel began to find it difficult to dodge the Psionic Energy attacks.

Groups of three to five Flau's Psyker gathered their Psionic Energy and launched wave after wave of attacks on the Golden Garuda.

A red alarm rune suddenly lit up on Gabriel's screen, and a bolt of Psychic Lightning struck the Golden Garuda.

Gabriel noted down the damage data, then piloted the Golden Garuda to dive down.

"Machine Influence" Weakening activated metal, and lightning and Fireball strike Garuda.

Ferreira looked at the metal eagle above him, its body turning from gold to jet black, and finally smiled.

He raised his staff, preparing to strike with full force to knock down the wretched metal contraption.

Before launching his attack, the jet-black Mechanical Eagle suddenly opened its mouth, spewing molten flames onto the fourth vehicle.

Before the Telepathy Aether Master could react and raise their Psionic Energy shields, they were engulfed by the molten inferno.

"Damn it!" Before the battle even started, he had already lost eight Aether Masters who were coordinating the battle. Ferreira was furious and raised his hand to release Psionic Energy flames, shooting them at the metal Mechanical Eagle.

After Gabriel launched an attack using the Golden Garuda, he was about to maneuver it to escape when he suddenly lost signal.

[The defensive capabilities of the activated metal were overestimated, while the power of the Flau Psyker's Aether Spell was underestimated.]

Gabriel silently noted: [Except for mechanical capabilities, all tests have been completed.]

Based on the feedback, we can try to create Garuda that belong to our "Shadow of Order".

However, I lack the ability to create activated metals. I did not discover this Xenos technology in Medusa, and the new Garuda I created would experience a certain degree of performance degradation.

While superior in performance to the Iron Hands, it falls short of the Golden Garuda created by the Xenos.

An enraged Ferreira, an hour later, led his troops to attack the defensive line built by the Auxilia.

To boost the morale of the Auxilia, Storm General Amad DuCaine took command at the front lines.

Clad in robust Mark I Thunder Power Armor, he roared before the battle lines clashed, "Unleash the storm!"

DuCaine's tactical intention at this stage is to give the enemy enough reason to launch an attack, thereby gaining the initiative for himself.

Ferreira held Force Staff in his right hand and the Flao Glass Blade in his left.

He waved his staff, pointing it at the Auxilia lines: "Aether!"

The Aether Master raised their Force Staff and launched an attack on the Auxilia.

A burst of Psychic Flame erupted, engulfing more than a dozen Auxilia.

"Psionic Energy," DuCaine whispered.

He raised his Bolter, aimed it at the Xenos Psyker, and fired a bomb.

Aether Master raised a Psionic Energy shield, creating invisible ripples with a deafening roar.

The second explosive projectile pierced the Psionic Energy shield and tore the Psyker's head apart.

"Storm!"

The morale of the Auxilia was greatly boosted, and they launched an attack on the Xenos.

The Aether Master immediately unleashed Psychic Lightning in the direction from which the explosive bombs were fired.

Crackling lightning struck in the direction where DuCaine was.

Several Auxilia soldiers, their mouths and noses spurting blood, their bodies charred black.

DuCaine was numb all over from the electric shock, but his superhuman physique allowed him to continue.

He let out a low growl, raised his Bolter, and continued his attack on Aether Master.

DuCaine's black armor was charred black, but he did not stop attacking. His expression was calm as he used a bomb to kill another Aether Master.

Storm General remained calm in the face of danger, and his Auxilia followed him as they launched an attack on the Warrior of Flau.