Chapter 530: Tanks
"Vroom—"
A deafening blast roared from the steam whistle as the steel behemoths rumbled across the wasteland, spewing thick white smoke.
Compressed steam in the boilers drove the engines, and the rapidly spinning tracks crushed the uneven, corpse-strewn plains beneath them.
The sight of the steam tanks brought a wave of renewed morale to the embattled Imperial soldiers, who erupted in cheers from the trenches.
"It's the Old Warhorse-class!"
"Thank the gods!"
"I saw those in the parade! They're steam tanks—the cutting-edge weapons of the Science Division!"
Massive steel hulls, menacing rams, and thick metal gun barrels—when these machines charged at full speed, even the ground trembled beneath them.
These steel behemoths embodied the pinnacle of the Empire's violent aesthetics!
The demons were momentarily perplexed by these strange metal contraptions, but they quickly swarmed forward, eager to tear apart the Empire's latest war machines.
However, the moment the tanks' massive rams smashed into the charging demons, their fates were sealed.
"Boom—"
Accompanied by the roar of engines and the wails of demons, the steam tanks relentlessly plowed through the demonic ranks.
The impact barely caused the vehicles to jolt. The demons in their path were reduced to flattened, mangled remains, indistinguishable from one another.
To make matters worse for the demons, Imperial engineers had coated the tanks' exterior in holy water.
Even the slightest scrape against the blessed surface elicited agonized shrieks from the demons, their flesh sizzling and charring instantly.
"For the Empire, crush them!"
"Ohohohoho!"
The current iteration of the steam tanks featured cramped interiors, primarily operated by dwarves, halflings, goblins, and smaller humans. Each massive vehicle housed over twenty crew members—making it a veritable mobile fortress!
Leading the charge was the "Emperor's Wrath," the first and foremost of its kind. Its chief driver was a dragon-blooded goblin named Bill.
Bill skillfully shifted gears, stomped the clutch, and slammed the control lever to its limit, snarling, "Damn it! Blast them to bits! I don't want a single demon getting near my baby! No one is touching her!"
This was the first time the crews were taking the tanks into real battle, yet their maneuvers were fluid and precise.
After all, they had drilled endlessly on the training grounds, preparing for this very moment. Every action had long since become muscle memory.
Despite their comrades' deaths, the lesser demons—Imps and Lemures—had no choice but to obey their higher-ranking overlords, as their very souls were bound by servitude.
Screeching and howling, they continued to swarm from all directions, hoping their sheer numbers could overwhelm the steel behemoths.
The nimble Babau demons sprinted along the ground, attempting to leap onto the tanks, while Quasits flapped through the air, trying to tear into the armored plating with their claws.
"Don't let them get close! Damn demons!"
"Rat-tat-tat-tat!"
"Boom! Boom!"
But the tanks' mounted machine guns erupted in blazing fire, spewing bullets in a torrential downpour. Secondary cannons belched scorching flames.
Within moments, the ground around the tanks was consumed by explosions. In mere seconds, the demonic horde that had dared to approach was obliterated by the relentless barrage.
It was clear that the tanks' designer—Marquis Gilmore Sparrow—was a devoted believer in the "Cult of Multi-Turret Warfare."
The dozen steel behemoths roared out of the fortress, their engines howling and steam billowing as they tore into the demonic ranks, shattering their once-overwhelming momentum.
Imperial soldiers surged forward behind the tanks, reclaiming strategic positions and launching a fierce counterattack against the demons.
The infantry advanced over the churned-up remains of their foes, their boots squelching through demonic flesh and viscera as they roared.
"Charge!"
"For the Empire!"
The battle had turned. However, the Demon Hunters had also taken notice of these formidable "iron lumps."
Almost instantly, the monstrous spiders let out eerie screeches. Rising on their four hind legs, their compound eyes gleamed with concentrated magic energy.
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
Fire, frost, lightning, and petrification—beams of deadly magic shot forth from the Demon Hunters' eyes, converging on the tanks from multiple angles.
But the tank crews had anticipated this. The dragon-blooded goblin at the helm yanked the control lever, angling the tank's thickest armor toward the oncoming assault.
He cursed loudly, nearly shrieking, "Motherf—! Activate the anti-magic system! NOW!"
Instantly, complex magical runes lit up across the tanks' armored exteriors. Invisible energy shields flickered to life, absorbing the incoming magical blasts before dissipating them harmlessly.
"Deploy smoke screens! Those damn spider freaks aren't touching my baby!"
The tank's exhaust vents burst open, flooding the battlefield with thick steam and obscuring the machines in a dense, concealing mist.
The steel behemoths continued their relentless advance, unleashing unceasing barrages into the fog.
Most demons never even saw their enemies—before being blown apart or crushed beneath armored treads.
In moments, the tanks had thrown the demon ranks into complete disarray. The once-organized assault had devolved into blind, panicked scrambling.
But the Demon Hunters were far from ordinary foes. As tools of the Abyssal Lords, their enchanted eyes possessed abilities such as Darkvision and Barrier Penetration.
Soon, their glowing eyes locked onto the tanks moving within the smoke, gleaming like predators eyeing prey.
"Grrkk!"
With a guttural screech, an elephant-sized Demon Hunter suddenly lunged, landing atop one of the tanks.
Against such high-tier Abyssal creatures, even the holy water coating the tanks was ineffective, unable to penetrate their chitinous exoskeletons.
"Boom!"
The entire tank lurched violently, its once-impenetrable armor denting inward. Inside, the crew shouted in alarm.
"It's on top of us!"
"Stay calm! We still have the emergency defense system!"
"Swish—"
The Demon Hunter's eight barbed limbs clawed at the armor, producing ear-splitting screeches as its talons scraped against metal.
These creatures were cunning. They searched for weak points in the plating, aiming to pierce through with their razor-sharp legs.
"Clang!"
Bill barely maintained his balance as the tank rocked under the assault.
Glaring at the claw now wedged into the tank's armor, the goblin spat toward the ceiling, cursing, "Damn spider freak! You think your claws can pierce my baby's impenetrable hide? Keep dreaming!"
He even lit a cigar as he spoke.
The moment the Demon Hunter attempted to tear into the tank, the magitek defense system activated.
Runes flared along the interior circuits, channeling a surge of electrifying energy.
"Bzzzzt—BOOM!"
In an instant, lightning enveloped the tank, releasing a powerful pulse that sent the Demon Hunter flying.
The massive spider-like demon crashed onto the ground, its body still crackling with residual electricity.
But as a creation of the Abyssal Lord, its vitality was immensely tenacious!
The monstrous spider struggled to prop itself up with its eight slender legs, swaying unsteadily as it rose, its compound eyes brimming with hatred.
The Demon Hunter spider gathered its strength, preparing to leap onto the tank once more and devour the tiny creatures inside the iron shell.
However, for the soldiers within the steam tank, those few seconds of preparation were their golden opportunity.
—An opportunity to kill the Demon Hunter spider!
The dragon-blooded goblin spat out his cigar, exhaling smoke as he maneuvered the tank to face the target. He shouted, "Now's our chance! Blast it with the main cannon!"
"Hurry! We won't get another shot!"
Almost simultaneously, the loader heaved a massive shell into the chamber, slamming the cover shut, while the gunner swiftly cranked the targeting wheel.
Amidst the grinding of gears, the steam tank's never-before-fired main cannon adjusted its aim, locking onto the charging Demon Hunter spider.
Bill shrieked with all his might, "Send this bastard who dared to harm my beloved baby— STRAIGHT TO HELL!"
"BOOM!"
A thunderous explosion erupted, the acrid scent of gunpowder filling the air. The entire steam tank recoiled from the immense force, sending tremors through the ground and kicking up a massive dust cloud.
Fueled by the high-pressure arcane steam boiler, the enormous armor-piercing shell rocketed from the thick barrel at unimaginable speed, piercing through the smoke and hurtling toward the Demon Hunter spider's torso.
The moment the armor-piercing shell made contact—
"Swish—"
The sharp, hardened alloy warhead easily punctured the Demon Hunter spider's thick exoskeleton, boring a massive hole through its abdomen.
Next, shards of its shattered shell and the molten core of the shell itself burst through its insides, turning the demon-forged flesh into a shredded, burning mess.
The elephant-sized spider was violently thrown backward by the sheer kinetic force.
Chitinous fragments, dark purple blood, and shredded internal organs splattered in all directions. Its charred, broken body rolled several times across the ground, twitched briefly, and then lay completely still.
"Damn spider freak… thinking it could destroy my baby? Unforgivable! It might not be dead yet! Let's make sure!"
The dragon-blooded goblin glared at the distant corpse, his yellowed eyes gleaming with malice. He viciously yanked the control lever, steering the steam tank toward the Demon Hunter spider's remains.
"CLANG!"
The already charred and broken corpse was flattened further.
But the dragon-blooded goblin was still unsatisfied. He repeatedly ran the tank back and forth over the remains—until the mangled body no longer resembled a spider but rather a pulpy, chitinous smear on the ground. Only then did he finally steer away, satisfied.
"For the Emperor!"
"For His Majesty Cassius!"
"Let these spider freaks feel the wrath of His Majesty Cassius!"
The soldiers inside the Emperor's Wrath erupted into frenzied cheers as they revved the tank's engine and barreled deeper into the enemy ranks with reckless abandon.
In truth, these steam tanks were designed with a very specific purpose in mind. From their massive rams to their devastating armor-piercing main cannons—it was evident they were built to crush hordes of weaklings or massive behemoths.
And their intended targets were clear—Abyssal demons.
In fact, the tank designs had come from none other than Cassius himself. The Ember Empire had been preparing for this moment for years.
Similar scenes played out across the battlefield as steam tanks plowed through demonic hordes. Imperial infantry followed closely behind, reclaiming key positions. It was a textbook example of coordinated tank-infantry warfare.
"BOOM!"
Another deafening explosion rang out as a distant Demon Hunter spider's head was obliterated, spraying its foul-smelling brain matter and venom in all directions.
Its massive, headless body tumbled down a slope, crushing several panicked Imps beneath it.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Six auxiliary cannons unleashed torrents of fire, blanketing a hundred-meter radius in smoke and flames, annihilating everything within.
Inside the Conqueror, a soldier in a battlefield wheelchair slammed the controls forward, letting out a wild laugh.
"Hahahaha!
With this marvel of engineering, who needs a wheelchair gun?! Who cares about the 0818, Type 2, or Madsen rifles?!
This steam tank is the ultimate wheelchair! Praise the Cult of Multi-Turret Warfare!"
"All hail the Cult of Multi-Turret Warfare!"
The players inside the tank stared at their rapidly skyrocketing experience points, screaming with exhilaration.
"RAAAH—"
But then, from above, a chorus of guttural Abyssal roars rang out. Deep, raspy voices filled the air as tattered, grotesque wings blotted out the sky. Abyssal dragon beasts swooped over the steam tanks, unleashing torrents of black and crimson flames.
"Oh, shit! We don't have anti-air cannons!"
"Who the hell designed this thing?! Nine secondary turrets, and not a single anti-air gun?!"
"No way! We just got the tank!"
"BOOM!"
An Abyssal dragon beast suddenly dived down, gripping the top of the turret with its claws, raking the armor with its talons.
The Battlefield Wheelchair Man had charged in too recklessly, plunging deep into the demonic horde. The tank's electromagnetic pulse system had yet to recharge.
Worse, their unchecked aggression had pushed them hundreds of meters into enemy territory, leaving the infantry behind.
With the Abyssal dragon beast violently shaking the vehicle, the tank crew found themselves utterly helpless.
The players inside the tank immediately started blaming each other, focusing their anger on the most reckless member—the Battlefield Wheelchair Man, since he had been in charge of driving.
"This is all your fault, Wheelchair Man!"
"Yeah, man! You totally suck! Next time, you're banned from the driver's seat!"
"Go back to using your wheelchair gun! I finally get it—vehicles should be left to the pros!"
"Damn it! This is the sacred property of the Machine Cult! We spent a fortune on this!"
They completely forgot how enthusiastically they had all cheered for the charge just moments ago, now shifting all the blame onto the Wheelchair Man.
"RAAAAH—"
Suddenly, a piercing roar echoed through the sky—different from the shrill cries of the Abyssal demons. This one was deep and powerful.
"Is that…"
"Holy crap! We're saved!"
The players inside the tank peered through the observation slits, their faces lighting up with hope.
From high above, a crimson tide of wyverns and flame drakes surged in from the battlefield's flank.
It was the Ember Empire's dragon army!
Leading the charge, Alger raised his Ever-Burning Greatsword high, commanding, "In the name of His Majesty Cassius, in the name of the Ember Empire— Crimson-Scaled Conquerors, CHARGE!"
"ROAAAAR—"
With an earth-shaking battle cry, the fiery hurricane of dragons and knights swept down, crashing into the battlefield from the flank.