Time came in the turn of an eye to the last day of June's end.
Within the Demon King's hall the air was dead and heavy, and upon the floor lay several corpses, cruelly killed to let out his rage.
"Why?
"Can you tell me why.
"I set out for you two million interstellar warships.
"And the number of quasi-T6 Destroyer-class Heavy Interstellar Battleships was raised by thirty besides!
"And to the present, of the plan of attack that was set to be complete before June's end.
"You have completed the half of it only!
"Is this the account you give me?" The Demon King rebuked in anger the several demon marshals kneeling within the hall.
Not one of the demon marshals dared speak.
The Demon King of a sudden snatched up a laser gun beside him, took aim at the Amon Legion's marshal, one of the six demon marshals, and the muzzle spat blue light without cease.
Crash, crash, crash.
The place where the Amon Legion's marshal stood was blasted into many holes outright.
But Marshal Amon knelt there yet upon one knee; those laser beams had only passed through his body, and beyond blurring his image a moment, worked no great effect.
These are all holographic projections; these six demon marshals are yet at the front, commanding their own demon legions.
Marshal Amon explained with some strain, "Your Majesty, we too have done our utmost.
"But we never looked for the Machine Race of a sudden to have so many more Owl Dragon-line warships.
"And above all the interstellar missile ships.
"T2 Lion-King-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ships and T3 Judicator-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ships have appeared in great quantity within the Machine Race fleets.
"And though the T2 Lion-King be but a warship of T2 grade, that terrible output of firepower is a thing even our T3 warships dare not lightly overlook.
"And with a part of T3- and T4-grade Owl Dragon-line warships besides, the Machine Race's line is exceedingly firm, and our advance is very troublesome.
"And further, in this stretch of time, the enemy has brought out a second batch of T5 Prisoner-class Heavy Interstellar Assault Battleships — three hundred more!
"Which has left our quasi-T6 Destroyers grievously held down upon the forward field.
"Let our quasi-T6 Destroyers but dare appear upon the forward field, and they dare send out T5 Prisoners to open a suicide attack.
"And though we have made some answer to this tactic besides, the Machine Race is too mad.
"Though it cost them a whole fighting group, thirty T5 Prisoners, they will have one of our quasi-T6 Destroyers destroyed!"
Hearing these explanations of his subordinates.
The Demon King raged; his fist came down outright upon his own throne, and cracks appeared even in that firm throne for it.
"The Owl Dragon again! The Owl Dragon again!
"This cursed Owl Dragon again!"
The Demon King's feeling began to grow somewhat violent.
None of the six demon marshals dared disturb him; they could only kneel there as honest as you please.
And it was long before the Demon King's feeling might be called steady.
He looked toward the six demon marshals, and his voice came low. "Go on attacking the mechanical royal court; at whatever price, the mechanical royal court must be taken and destroyed!"
"Yes!"
The six holographic images dispersed.
The Demon King, tall and heavy of frame, sat within the silent hall, and seemed somewhat quiet.
He raised a hand and opened his communication equipment, and touched an option that bore no note upon it whatever.
Half a minute later, the other side had still not answered.
"Curse it!
"Villain!" The Demon King roared in his rage; he turned about and struck a blow straight at the throne's high back that rose to the roof, and that vast back came down toppling to one side like the falling of a mountain.
"I shall assuredly have everything; no one can stop me!" the Demon King cried out; and at this moment he had lost his reason.
In his eyes there is nothing but that seat of this universe's overlord.
For it he is willing to be the enemy of the whole universe.
For it he is willing to squeeze his own race dry.
For it he can bargain with an evil existence.
"A-Kun, you shall assuredly become our Demon Race's greatest emperor!"
Within his ears there is still that low speech of his own parents, from when he was small.
…………
The mechanical royal court
"The Demon Race's assault grows fiercer.
"And even those precious quasi-T6 Destroyers, though they know our T5 Prisoners are aimed at them, have begun to appear upon the forward field one after another.
"The Demon Race has truly gone mad." Ah-Jin looked at the past day's battle report.
Within one day only, the number of warships they had lost came to near a hundred thousand.
And were it not for the help of those Owl Dragon-line warships, this single day's loss might well have been doubled.
It must be said, those missile ships play a very great part upon a field, and above all in a battle of defense.
One volley of firepower can wreck a whole wave of the enemy's assault outright.
Only that they are somewhat too dear.
"The Owl Dragon says they will license us the technology for making the T2 Judicator-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ship's interstellar missiles, for us to produce ourselves.
"But they have set a condition.
"That for every missile produced, three parts in ten of the cost of building be paid to the Owl Dragon Galactic Interstellar Group.
"And it must be in raw materials," Ah-Yin said beside her.
"That fellow truly knows how to make money.
"2,000 trillion star coins made off us in one stroke was not enough;[1] he has his eye upon this piece of the interstellar missiles besides." Ah-Jin laughed coldly, and asked, "Can the missiles our own industrial lines produce not serve instead?"
Ah-Yin shook her head and said, "The fit is very poor.
"We have produced some that can be loaded aboard a T2 Judicator-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ship, but their force and their range are greatly affected.
"And there is a very high instability besides.
"Before this we made trial of firing a hundred groups; of which three burst within the launcher, and another twenty burst without reaching the district set for them.
"Happily these were all upon a proving ground, and not upon a true field.
"Or else the consequence would have been exceedingly grave."
Hearing Ah-Yin's account, Ah-Jin could only sigh; and she asked besides, "Then will they sell the missile technology for the T3 Judicator-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ship?"
"Upon that point I have asked too; they say they must consider it further.
"That at present the missile technology of the T2 Lion-King-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ship can answer to our needs," said Ah-Yin.
Which is plainly a putting-off.
It is no more than that the Owl Dragon dreads the Machine Race's existence still.
That the T2 Lion-King's missile technology may be given is because the Owl Dragon has better.
And that the T3 Judicator may be sold whole as a ship, but not its missile technology.
Is because the T3 Judicator, though very nearly cast off within the Owl Dragon, is after all not cast off yet.
And with the Machine Race's terrible industrial depth besides.
This technology Zhao Chen truly dares not give.
"And has he said when he will send out troops?
"He has dragged it out three months already!" Ah-Jin, thinking upon this, had a breath of vexation stopped up in her.
Little knowing that at that time it was they who had said, in so many words, that the Owl Dragon need not be concerned, for the Demon Race would never dare offend against the Machine Race.
"He says: wait until July.
"He will give us an answer we shall be satisfied with."