"Charge!" Lord Khan of the Thunder Roar Clan ordered. His voice was also loud enough for everyone, including the defenders, to hear.
He believed the barrier was about to collapse and that the Eclipse Domain would finally fall.
The Crimson Shield vehicles moved forward while firing at the gates. At the same time, their Barrier Generators were also absorbing all the attacks coming from the defenders on the ramparts.
Soon, the River Flow warriors tightened their formation, blades ready to pour through the gates once they shattered.
But Eclipse Domain was not Springriver Manor. It was Shaneâs most fortified shelter, and its defenders had prepared for this moment!
The gates of Eclipse Domain opened instead...
From within, a legion of troops marched out in perfect formation.
First came the Warden Units, fifty mechanical bodies each equipped with high-grade defensive armor and upgraded rifles that mostly came from the Marketplace.
Of course, these fifty units werenât meant to annihilate the enemies. They were merely there to suppress the advancement of the enemies.
When their ammunition ran dry, they also carried MasterâGrade Silver Swords, ready to switch seamlessly into melee combat. They were a perfect vanguard!
Boom!
The ground shook as they advanced. Their synchronized steps had then alarmed the enemies...
Still, it didnât end there. Behind them came another force.
They were not Super Soldiers, but they were survivors, about Level 30 to 40 fighters who had joined Eclipse Domain!
On their own, they might have seemed weak with their current level. But each one wore a newly mass-produced exosuit!
To be exact, they are using the Tactical Sentinel Combat Exosuit I. They were the upgraded version of the Steam-Powered Exoskeleton that Shane had previously improved using the Otherworldly Mechanic Talent.
He could still recall how he spent so many Reputation Points to process this. Thankfully, after almost a year, he was able to start mass-producing them.
[ Tactical Sentinel Combat Exosuit I ]
Description: A Combat Exoskeleton designed for frontline use. Provides heavy armor protection against physical and energy attacks. Enhances the wearerâs strength and stamina. Equipped with ranged firearms and melee blades, switching automatically when ammunition is depleted. Includes a battlefield display for unit coordination and enemy tracking.
Power Core: Hybrid Energy Cell with 12-hour operational capacity.
Defensive Systems: Shockâabsorption armor, limited barrier shielding.
Special Features:
Squad Link Protocol: Allows synchronized maneuvers between multiple exosuits. ]
The sight of eighty Tactical Sentinel Combat Exosuits marching behind the Warden Units was overwhelming.
Together, they formed a wall of steel that seemed so impenetrable. Despite being low in number compared to the side of the enemies, they still looked completely immovable!
Then, with the support coming from the Turrets and the artillery division of the Eclipse Domain, they were extremely confident facing the enemies.
The defenders of Eclipse Domain had revealed their strongest defense.
On the other side of the battlefield, the leaders of the Overlord Alliance froze.
Khanâs grin faltered. "What... what is this?"
Commander Cross of the Crimson Shield Clan didnât know what he was seeing as well. However, his mystical glass allowed him to appraise it for a bit and give him a little information about it at the very least.
"What? Exosuits. But these arenât the steam-powered relics weâve seen before. These looked more advanced."
Master Ren of the River Flow Clan remained silent and nodded. He had also seen the blueprint of the steam-powered exosuits in the marketplace. He also saw the prototypes that couldnât be used in some abandoned military facilities that he had raided before.
However, the ones in front of them looked so new. They were also more advanced and seemingly mass-produced, showing that the Eclipse Revenant Clan had an incredible mechanical expert in their midst. It wouldnât be surprising if that person were a Legendary Talent Holder that was hidden by their clan for a long time!
If that were the case, the appearance of the Mech Frames and the Warden Units would make complete sense.
âSo theyâre not just machines they found in an abandoned military facility.
"This wasnât in the report. Lancelot said nothing of this."
The clans muttered among themselves, their confidence shaken. According to their report, they were expecting at least a hundred Warden Units and at least five Mech Frame units on this shelter.
"They massâproduced them, huh..." one Thunder Roar officer whispered. "This is a problem... But I hope thatâs all."
Another Crimson Shield warrior also felt troubled seeing those heavily armored units in front of them.
"Fighting them in close range might be dangerous."
Lord Khan frowned as he prepared to face the Warden Units, Super Soldiers, and other Survivors. However, those Exosuits looked so intimidating. There was no way heâd be able to win this unless they deploy their units that were meant to fight against the Mech Frames.
However, using that too early was not a good idea...
"Lancelot lied to us. Or he didnât know. Either way, weâve walked into a trap."
Commander Cross slammed his shield into the ground. "Letâs continue! We just need to put a dent on Shaneâs shelter, and our missionâs done."
Master Ren agreed...
"These exosuits were upgraded to at least Epic-Grade... The River Flow Clanâs blades may cut through flesh, but against alloy frames and those barriers, you canât rely on us."
The leaders exchanged grim looks.
On the battlefield, the Warden Units continued on their assault.
Ratâtatâtat!
They suppressed the advancing Crimson Shield vehicles.
The Barrier Generators protected the enemy side but it wouldnât be long before theyâd be forced to fight in close combat...
Furthermore, the Tactical Sentinel Exosuit Units followed with their rifles ready...
Each shot was coordinated... Apparently, their Squad Link Protocol ensured that volleys struck the same targets simultaneously!
Because of this coordination, the vehicles shuddered under the impact and slowly, they were able to destroy one of the armored vehicles with the mobile Barrier Generator!
Boom!
Now, the Survivors being protected had no choice but to charge forward using various Survivor Skills and Talents to get closer to the Warden Units...
Thud! Thud! Thud!
As the bullets failed to penetrate the defenses of the Survivors, the Wardens and the Combat Exosuit Brigade used their melee weapons!