Sovereign of the Ashes

After deciding on the breakout direction, neither Titanfang nor Skyhold said a word.

These intelligent robots were creatures of few words. They spoke bluntly, and only when it was necessary.

Their nature likely had something to do with the Gallant Federation’s commands etched deep into their code.

Sein did not have the luxury of staying silent or wasting time.

With Titanfang and Skyhold dependent on the Magus Civilization’s power for any hope of survival, it fell to him to shoulder the responsibility of leading them.

The sudden eruption of the Clash of Civilizations had already exceeded what the two awakened Rank Six robots could handle alone.

At the end of the day, they were still robots—and imperfect ones at that.

“Our time is running out. If we stay here, our chances of survival are close to zero. The Magus Civilization’s legions won’t be able to push this deep into the federation’s territory so early in the war. This means we have to rely on our own strength to reach the Alpha-007 Star Domain. Before that, we need to gather enough forces,” Sein said firmly.

“How many robot legions can you two muster from Nexon and its surroundings? I need a precise figure!”

At Sein’s demand, Titanfang stayed quiet and turned its gaze toward Skyhold.

The two robot leaders had different focuses. While Titanfang knew more about external affairs, no one knew more than Skyhold when it came to Nexon’s internal details, like the output of every major factory and the combat strength of every robot legion.

A stream of data passed through Skyhold’s brain chip. Without hesitation, it answered, “We can call upon 136 million robots.”

“If we could stay here longer, we could quickly produce another batch with the resources already on hand. But the bigger problem is transport. Most lower-tier robots do not have the capacity for long-distance interstellar travel.”

Sein had never commanded legions on this scale before. He wondered if this would be his swansong.

“We can’t stay here longer. Every moment we delay, the worse it becomes for us. We have to break out of the Nexon Star Domain and reach Alpha-007 before the federation’s reinforcements arrive,” he said firmly.

“Start preparing the fleet and every available legion for departure. We’ll head straight for the BHR678 next and unlock the final layer of restraints placed on your kind. Time is of the essence!”

At his words, Titanfang and Skyhold exchanged a look.

***

Given the already tense external situation, Sein’s mission to BHR678 Space Station was not just about completing the covert task assigned by Klopp.

Once the third layer of restraints was unlocked, the combat power of high-tier robots like Titanfang and Skyhold would take another big leap.

Out here in enemy territory, Sein did not put much faith in the lower-tier robot cannon fodder.

His chances of returning to the Magus Civilization’s territory largely depended on the strength of those Rank Four and above robots.

BHR678 Space Station was not far from Nexon. It was more like a near-orbit satellite than a distant outpost.

Sein’s only concern before departure was that the federal fleet they had just fought might seize the station and fortify it to block their advance.

Fortunately, the blockade zone set up by that fleet did not include BHR678.

It was unclear whether this oversight was due to the Gallant Federation’s chaotic war directives across its many star domains at the start of the Clash of Civilizations, or simply because the nearly two thousand federal scientists at BHR678 were not considered important enough.

***

BOOM!

After blasting through the sealed outer metal door of BHR678 Space Station, Sein and his group pushed their way inside.

This time, Titanfang had brought only three of its most loyal subordinates: Redweaver, Stormclaw, and Stratosurge.

Skyhold had not come along. It claimed it needed to stay behind on Nexon to coordinate the migration and integration of other robots.

In truth, it was more likely trying to avoid a direct confrontation with federal scientists like Michaelis Bell stationed here.

Vibron, Titanfang’s most capable assistant, had also stayed behind.

It was one of the few in the Titanfangs with a real knack for resource management and command. The others served mainly as fighters.

In fact, Redweaver and the rest were among the top tier when it came to raw combat strength.

The halls of BHR678 felt eerily empty.

The federal scientists who had been stationed here had almost certainly evacuated in large numbers.

After all, Sein and Titanfang had been fighting the federal fleet on Nexon for quite some time, and there was no way BHR678’s personnel could not have noticed.

Besides, stations with security clearance this high always came equipped with escape pods.

Now, only the echo of Sein’s boots and the heavy steps of the intelligent robots broke the silence.

They breached the last metal barrier and stepped into a wide, pristine-white experiment room.

The Gallant Federation’s mastery of spatial technology stood on par with the Magus Civilization’s achievements. Neither truly surpassed the other.

The experiment room they had entered was clearly what Sein recognized as a “subspace”. Its internal dimensions were far larger than the station’s actual size.

The Gallant Federation called it “Nano-Space Expansion Technology”.

This was not only employed in space stations, but also in fortresses and warships across their fleets.

Inside this experiment room, only a hundred and fifty people remained. It seemed they were the last of the station’s scientists.

One man with graying hair and stubble on his chin immediately drew Sein’s attention. He carried a scholarly air that spoke of his relentless pursuit of truth.

Even before he introduced himself, Sein could already tell he was the leading mind here.

The subtle changes in Titanfang’s expression, along with the way the other robots reacted, also confirmed Sein’s suspicion.