Third Continent, 49th Raven Nest, Heliosa.
The Monarch Heavy Landing Craft touched down outside the entrance to the mountains. As the warning lights shifted from red to green and the hatch slowly lowered, Wilshire stared at the black machines before him.
His eyes lit with golden radiance, like miniature suns.
The veteran "Notary" spoke in Dunnish:
"In accordance with the contract that has been Witnessed between us, I now request that you deploy."
"Execute the Gabriel Attack Protocol. Target: the Aivene."
At the neck of the black machine, the collar wrapped within its armor faintly shone with golden light.
"I am the Overseer. I respond to your command." The machine, slightly smaller than a War Hounds Titan, its body's connection points marked by riveted coupling traces, straightened upright as a crimson light flickered atop its head.
Wilshire retreated step by careful step, watching thirty Smart Machines descend the deck around the Overseer.
The disk atop the Overseer's head rotated, crimson light sweeping over the surrounding peaks.
Ding!
It strode forward, and the Smart Machines arranged themselves around it in three neat ranks.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
They stepped out at the same time, their footfalls identical, marching toward the roar of bolters and the place where golden light flashed.
Wilshire followed beside the Smart Machine formation, watching their every move.
He saw the Smart Machines gradually approach the legion's line, and instinctively tightened his left hand around the controller when the Mechanical Arms rose at the same time.
The Master of Ordnance, Gabriel, had planted detonation Runes inside their control cores.
The "Notary" stared at the silver holographic Masks covering the Smart Machines' faces, identical to those of the Jingyuan Federation's Super Power Warriors, as red Runes bloomed one after another.
Thin beams of scorching, dazzling light shot from the Thermal