The Bad News Was That the Enemy Was Ready for Us; the Good News Was That Our Morale Was Through the Roof

On the surface of Sinfort, buildings damaged by the insect swarm were being reshaped by the Earth Priests. The silver dwarves were working quickly. Before the expeditionary force set out, they needed to rebuild Sinfort's walls and prepare a series of defenses.

Behind the stretch of wall currently being rebuilt, on the leveled ruins, three enormous astral portals were operating.

Heavy weapons supplied by Transia and Chardo Port were constantly arriving in the area. Larger, more powerful, and more like steel behemoths than ever, the third-generation Dragoons strode into the square with the heavy steps of mechanical monsters. Halfling guides waved flags nearby as they directed them.

The third-generation Dragoons had completely outgrown their previous specifications.

The crew compartments of these redesigned, self-propelled, all-terrain heavy tanks had been downsized and replaced with more advanced "cognitive cores." Though they were still made from wetware gathered from the souls of the fallen, which was less than humane, every commander who had used one knew just how powerful these weapons were.

More weapon bays had been installed throughout their bodies.

The standard Hydra missile pods had increased to four. Each side carried a platform with four heavy machine guns, and hidden inside the machines were cannons and interchangeable incendiary components. Some special models had also been equipped with experimental electromagnetic cannons and melta cannons supplied by the Sangai Empire.

Their armor was heavier, and the new gold-burning engines allowed them to rampage through the insect swarms. Once their loyal, never-overheated gun barrels opened fire, the insects faced utter devastation.

The firepower a standard Vigor-class Heavy Dragoon could unleash in a single barrage was enough to erase the swarm's numerical advantage across a localized battlefield.

Unfortunately, no matter how the halflings adjusted the design, Dragoons still couldn't stand up to those absurdly powerful dragon