Throughout the whole of April the Demon Race opened an assault upon the Machine Race such as was never known before.
Leaning upon the two star gates taken at the war's opening, they had already sent, first and last, above two million Demon Race warships into the field about the Machine Race's royal court.
And of those two million Demon Race warships, a million were lost outright!
Besides which, the Demon Race warships charged with garrisoning the two star gates had lost three hundred thousand more.
And in such a case the Demon Race went on sending Demon Race warships toward the Machine Race's territory without cease.
There is a rumor that within Demon Race territory the movement of a further million Demon Race warships has appeared in all.
And in this month, to withstand the Demon Race's assault, the Machine Race warships had lost near a million likewise.
Properly the Machine Race warships' performance surpasses the Demon Race's.
But what help is there when the Demon Race now holds the quasi-T6 Destroyer-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship, which upon a field has brought out an effect beyond expectation?
And has worked great pressure and great losses upon the Machine Race fleets.
Upon the other side, in the interstellar field where the Angel Race attacks the Demon Race of itself, the fighting of the two sides is exceedingly fierce likewise.
Just as the Owl Dragon's lord foresaw, facing the angel legion fleets' attack of themselves, the million Demon Race warships in that quarter took up a defensive tactic.
And so within this month's time the number of warships each side lost stands thus: the Angel Race lost three hundred thousand, the Demon Race five hundred thousand.
And the Angel Race fleets are attacking still.
And have already recovered several star systems.
And within it, what has played the greatest part are those forty T5 warships the Owl Dragon Galactic Interstellar Group sold to the Angel Race.
Having bought these forty T5 warships, and that they might bring out the part that properly belongs to them.
Upon the two Angel Kings' discussion.
These forty T5 warships were put together into the Holy Dragon Angel Legion, at present the Angel Race's first picked legion fleet, taking their orders from the angel Tilia direct.
And so the Holy Dragon Angel Legion's strength has been greatly raised.
And the part it can play upon a field is very great besides.
At this time, the Holy Dragon Angel Legion, a local task of war but lately ended, had withdrawn to the rear of the line to rest.
And as the angel Tilia was putting in order the data of the fighting just past, an urgent dispatch came before the angel Tilia.
She saw the Holy Angel King's holographic image.
"My lord Angel King." The angel Tilia saluted at once.
"Tilia, a sudden change has come upon the northern field.
"The Demon Race has sent a further demon legion fleet of three hundred thousand warships.
"The northern field is somewhat out of governance, and asks support," the Holy Angel King said gravely.
The angel Tilia's brows drew a little together; she said, "The Holy Dragon Angel Legion has but now ended a battle; and though by our standing rule the Holy Dragon Angel Legion keeps a 30 percent reserve of ordnance in any one operation.
"Yet it wants a stretch of time to rest for all that.
"If it be but three hundred thousand Demon Race warships, the northern field should be able to hold a while yet.
"Have they not been set out with no few Owl Dragon-line warships besides?"
The Owl Dragon-line warships now are not set out to the Holy Dragon Angel Legion alone; within the other angel legion fleets too they have begun to appear one after another, and their share of the number begins to grow higher and higher.
It is not that the two Angel Kings do not know the crisis such a case brings upon the Angel Race.
But what help is there when the Owl Dragon-line warships' capacity in war is truly so excellent?
Those angel commanders who have flown or commanded Owl Dragon-line warships are every one of them bewitched by them.
These Owl Dragon-line warships have, as it were, some magic in them: once a man has touched one, he cannot put it out of his mind.
And has no interest whatever in any other warship thereafter.
Even their own angel-line warships are now grumbled at by starship commanders of every rank.
The Holy Angel King said with an ill look, "For we have found that within these three hundred thousand Demon Race warships there has appeared one of those rumored quasi-T6 Destroyer-class Heavy Interstellar Battleships!"
Quasi-T6?
Hearing that word, the look upon the angel Tilia's face altered too.
Of the rumors concerning this quasi-T6 Destroyer-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship they have heard no little.
To the present, upon the Machine Race's field, three quasi-T6 Destroyer-class Heavy Interstellar Battleships have come upon the stage, and to the present not one of them has fallen.
Which shows well enough its mastery upon a field.
"I understand.
"Give me three hours, and I shall take the Holy Dragon Angel Legion across in support." The angel Tilia said it, her face set, and within her eyes there lay hidden a warlike air.
To use one's own picked warships to match the enemy's mightiest quasi-T6 warship.
For the greater part of starship commanders that is beyond doubt the thing most longed for.
"Remember, your Holy Dragon Angel Legion is exceedingly important to us; we cannot bear too great a loss.
"If the case go ill.
"Your Holy Dragon Angel Legion is to withdraw from the field outright.
"At the worst we give up the northern field.
"To the present we have taken advantage enough," the Holy Angel King warned.
"Your servant understands; set your mind at rest, my lady," said the angel Tilia.
The Holy Angel King nodded, and broke off the communication.
The angel Tilia looked toward her own bridge, called her subordinates together, and delivered her order. "Requisition at once every interstellar supply ship and interstellar industrial ship about us, to furnish our fleet with supply and repair first of all.
"If any ask, say the Holy Dragon Angel Legion is to carry out a task of war.
"I give you two hours.
"You must make certain that the whole Holy Dragon Angel Legion's fighting strength is restored to seven parts in ten!
"Can it be done?"
The angel Tilia's eyes swept across her subordinates.
"We pledge to complete the task!"
At that one word of command the whole Holy Dragon Angel Legion began to make ready and to work.
The high commanders came to know of it besides: that the Holy Dragon Angel Legion was about to face the Demon Race's mightiest quasi-T6 warship.
Which set the angel commanders' blood running hot, every one.
And those friendly Angel Race ships that had been undergoing repair and supply found the interstellar supply ships that had a moment since been serving them draw off of a sudden, for the Holy Dragon Angel Legion far away.
Which put these ship captains somewhat out of humor: mighty as the Holy Dragon Angel Legion may be now, need it be so overbearing?
But upon learning that the Holy Dragon Angel Legion was going to meet the Demon Race's quasi-T6 warship.
There showed at the bottom of these captains' eyes a look of envy and of reverence, and not one word more was wasted.