Once the Owl Dragon Sixth Legion had completed its move in, the defense here rose a full grade in an instant.
Medusa meanwhile looked over the intelligence of every kind here.
Besides the enemy's, there was her own side's as well.
As the common saying has it: know yourself and know your enemy, and in 100 battles you will have 100 victories.
"Besides the military weapons within our Storm-Fortress-class Large Star Port and the associated naval-port units, there are 300 garrison-fleet warships belonging to our Owl Dragon Legion. And besides those, the 30,000 Dragon-Tiger Legion warships that have been engaging the enemy fleets without cease — and withdrawing at a touch each time, by the operational plan. At present, military command over these 30,000 interstellar warships belonging to the Dragon-Tiger Legion has been handed over to us. You may issue them any military order directly. Beyond that, about this forward camp there are besides the associated military installations…" A subordinate reported this battlefield information to Commander Medusa.
30,000 Dragon-Tiger Legion warships, 3,000 Owl Dragon Legion warships, 300 interstellar warships garrisoning the naval port, and the port's interstellar fighters and drone swarms.
This was, upon the face of it, the array now defending the Owl Dragon forward base.
And this information the enemy could naturally know as well.
"Which is to say that at this strategic position we mean to attack, there are at present only some 33,000 interstellar warships." A Sacred-Spirit commander looked at this intelligence and said it calmly.
"Yes. Of them, 3,000 Owl Dragon interstellar warships have only just arrived here through the star gate; by the look of it they should be reinforcements. 3,000 interstellar warships, granted — but every one of them T3-grade, with above 100 T4-grade interstellar warships besides. Their combat power is not to be slighted." The staff officer cautioned this Sacred-Light Legion commander before him.
The Sacred Wing Legion's commander — an existence among the Ten Great Sacred-Light Legions.
Ranked sixth in the order of the Sacred-Light Legions.
"Their combat power is not to be slighted, but we are no Sacred Lancer Legion." The Sacred Wing commander looked with contempt at a battle report in his hand.
That was the Sacred Lancer Legion's battle report from before.
The Sacred Lancer Legion was still being rebuilt even now.
Concerning the Owl Dragon Legion, which had annihilated the Sacred Lancer Legion entire, the Holy Radiance Empire's upper ranks had issued the relevant combat material — and above all within this expeditionary fleet.
Requiring them to deepen their understanding of the Owl Dragon Legion.
But there was nothing to be done: the Sacred Lancer Legion's combat material was truly too scant, and summed up to no more than this — that the Sacred Lancer Legion, in ignorance of the enemy's situation, had acted on its own authority and slighted the enemy blindly, and that the Owl Dragon Legion's interstellar warships were of high quality.
Which was what had produced the Sacred Lancer Legion's tragedy.
And so the overwhelming majority of those who saw this after-action summary of the Sacred Lancer Legion's assumed without thinking that the Owl Dragon Legion was merely an army that crushed its enemies by leaning upon advanced interstellar warships and interstellar missile ships.
"Though we are all of us Sacred-Light Legions, do not forget that our own strength ranks sixth. Indeed I think our Sacred Wing might well stand shoulder to shoulder with the fifth, the Sacred Cross Legion." The Sacred Wing commander said it with pride.
Upon this topic the staff officer did not talk out of turn.
The Sacred Wing commander raised a hand, serene as a light cloud in a calm wind. "Enough; of the Owl Dragon Legion we understand a great deal already. We need only use the interstellar warships of that crew of barbarous Warhammer beast-folk to burn up the Owl Dragon Legion's interstellar missiles. And at the last we go up and put in the finishing knife. Earlier I was worried whether we ourselves might bear too great a loss; but who would have thought that crew of stupid Warhammer beast-folk would hand us a fitting pretext outright. And if they can spend their own starships helping us burn up this Owl Dragon Legion, better still. Notify our legion fleets to stand ready for battle; the moment the situation at the front is clear, we must be there within 10 minutes. Those good things must not be snatched away by that crowd of Warhammer barbarians."
"Yes!"
Time passed by degrees.
This Sacred Wing commander too sat in his captain's chair, waiting at his ease for message after message to come in from the front.
"Report. The Warhammer side's coalition has already exchanged fire with the defending fleets of the Owl Dragon forward base; several commanders on the Warhammer coalition's side require us to join operations at once."
"Tell them we shall hasten our march, and bid them set their minds at rest." The Sacred Wing commander said it mildly — and in fact issued no order whatever to the other Holy Radiance legion fleets to enter the field.
They went on advancing at the same unhurried pace.
"Report. The enemy's Owl Dragon Legion interstellar warships have entered the fighting directly, while the Dragon-Tiger Legion fleets we engaged before are on the field's second line. The Warhammer side's losses are enormous! The Owl Dragon Legion's interstellar missile ships and interstellar gun ships, upon exceedingly strong firepower output, have suppressed the Warhammer side's attack. In a bare 10 minutes the Warhammer side's losses have already passed 10,000. The commanders on the Warhammer coalition's side strongly require us to join operations, and state that if we do not enter the field they will lodge a complaint against our conduct with our lord the Consul!" The staff officer said all this in a level tone.
"Lodge a complaint? A child's trick. But we must give them a little face all the same; if they are pressed too hard and throw down the load, that will not do. With so many interstellar missiles in the Owl Dragon Legion's hands, who is to burn them up? Pass my order: arrange for one Holy Radiance legion fleet to enter the field, but do not exert yourselves too much — put on a bit of a show and it will serve." The Sacred Wing commander said it.
"Yes!"
Upon the Sacred Wing commander's arrangement, one Holy Radiance legion fleet of 3,000 interstellar warships joined the fighting ahead; but such a force could not possibly bear any of the pressure for the Warhammer coalition.
Which had the Warhammer coalition's commanders cursing aloud, and yet helpless against the Holy Radiance Empire's side.
"How many rounds of interstellar missiles has the Owl Dragon Legion fired?" the Sacred Wing commander asked.
"By word sent back from the interstellar scout ships reconnoitering the front. 50 T3 Judicator-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ships have been discovered so far, and they have already loosed three rounds of interstellar missile assault. They have inflicted near 100,000 interstellar warships' worth of losses upon the Warhammer coalition — though most of those losses are T1 and T2-grade interstellar warships. The Warhammer coalition's loss rate upon that field has reached 30%. My lord, it is time we moved. If the Warhammer coalition's losses grow too great, it will inevitably affect the operations that follow." The staff officer raised his head and looked at the Sacred Wing commander.
The Sacred Wing commander pursed his lips. "Three rounds… they should be near enough spent. Pass my order: all Holy Radiance legion fleets are to make for the field at full speed, and break through the Owl Dragon Legion's line of defense at the greatest possible speed. Destroy the Owl Dragon Legion's interstellar warships first of all — and above all their interstellar missile ships!"
"Yes!"
At this moment the hundred thousand Holy Radiance warships and this Sacred Wing Legion fleet, having waited so long, moved out at last.
Making ready to reap the spoils that were theirs.
But just at this moment, in the deep space ahead of the Sacred Wing Legion, a distortion of space appeared.
"Report — starship radar has detected unstable spatial fluctuation in the airspace ahead!"