The vast demon legion fleets, after a long passage.
Had crossed the long narrow lane; and midway they had even looked upon the field-wreck of those 300,000 Red Demon Legion interstellar warships from before.
Though the Owl Dragon Legion had ordered the Warhammer to sweep the field.
A great many things were in fact of no use; rather than waste time and manpower dragging them back to be broken up, the best choice was to break them up on the spot and carry back what had value for refining.
Which meant that within that field of wreckage no few carcasses of Red Demon Legion interstellar warships could be seen still.
At the time, Marshal Red Demon, fixing his eyes upon the scene, was in a towering rage.
That had been an interstellar fleet of his own careful cultivation!
At last, carrying this rage in his breast.
Marshal Red Demon had his chance to cut down his enemy with his own hand.
"Reporting — by the result of our interstellar scouts' investigation, five hours' further sailing will bring us into contact with the enemy. The enemy Owl Dragon Legion has raised a military base upon the bridgehead position our first Red Demon Legion built. We have scouted an Owl Dragon Legion garrison there, and at the same time have found angel legion fleets nearby! It seems the enemy means to meet us in battle there!" A subordinate reported it to Marshal Red Demon.
"Ha ha ha ha, a fair stock of nerve. That they should dare wait for us here! And the Angel Race crew besides. I said it — how should this devil's own quarter's interstellar powers be a match for our Red Demon Legion. So it was the Angel Race crew making mischief behind them!" Marshal Red Demon, whose rage turned back to laughter, raised a hand. "Summon every commander-in-chief of the demon legion fleets. I shall hold a rally before the battle!"
"Yes!"
The subordinate went at once to see to it.
Thereafter, within the bridge of Marshal Red Demon's flagship, holographic figures appeared one after another.
Above 30 demon legion commanders stood ranged there.
One could see clearly that several among them wore uniforms wholly out of keeping with the rest.
These, of course, were the helping hands Marshal Red Demon had asked in, at some little price paid.
"My lords! You all know our object in coming a thousand miles to this place. Here are certain interstellar powers who resist our conquest and will not submit beneath the great Demon King's feet. And who besides, base and shameless, ambushed 300,000 interstellar warships of my Red Demon Legion! This day, this blood feud I, Marshal Red Demon, shall reckon up properly with these fellows. Straight ahead of us. There is a crew called the Owl Dragon Legion; they have worked with the Angel Race to obstruct our Demon Race's great design here. Tell me — what shall we do!" Marshal Red Demon roared it with his eyes glaring round.
"Trample them flat!"
"Grind them to powder!"
"Cursed Angel Race — tear their wings off!"
Those demon legion commanders, in their ferocity past all bearing, were like beasts long famished.
Marshal Red Demon was well satisfied with this. "Very good; these are my Red Demon Legion's bravest warriors. Hear me. The enemy has T5 interstellar warships. But we have a million interstellar warships. Today, whatever lies ahead, we have but one word: fight. Whoever fights well, kills many, destroys the enemy's T5 interstellar warships. Him I shall reward richly. And whoever shows poorly — let him not blame me, Red Demon, for grinding his head to powder!"
"Fight!"
"Fight!"
"Fight!"
Every soul upon the bridge beat upon his own breast, and shouted that word over and over.
Not the legion commanders only; even the common crew were roaring it out.
Very soon this rally ended.
Next, by rights, came the setting out of the battle tasks.
The holographic images upon the bridge vanished.
Before Marshal Red Demon there floated up a holographic interstellar sand table, and upon it the projection of that Owl Dragon Military Base, its positional information and the rest.
"Upon this military base we have found a great quantity of military starports and defensive works built. It seems the enemy has prepared with care. But by our estimate the number of interstellar warships garrisoned within will not pass 100,000. And by the intelligence we have, the Owl Dragon Legion interstellar warships that will fight us number no more than 60,000-odd as they now stand. Though there are T5 interstellar warships of a number unknown." A staff officer set out the present case for Marshal Red Demon.
Another staff officer pointed at several positions upon the base's outer ring.
"I hold that the Owl Dragon Legion and this military base are in fact merely bait, and not to be feared — 60,000 interstellar warships, when all is said. It is rather the angel legions we have found at present. The Principality Angels, the Rose Angels and the Tempest Angels — three angel legions, above 400,000 interstellar warships; and the Principality Angel Legion is besides one of the Angel Guard legions under the Holy Angel King, exceedingly strong in fighting power. These are the true object of our care!"
Marshal Red Demon narrowed his eyes; he believed the latter the more.
For him, this Owl Dragon Legion was in fact nothing at all — a bare few tens of thousands of interstellar warships.
The true threat was still the angel legions.
And it was highly likely that the annihilation of his 300,000 interstellar warships before had been the Angel Race making mischief behind it all.
"Then what should we do?" Marshal Red Demon fixed his eyes upon that military base, and there was rage within them. "What I want is this Owl Dragon Legion destroyed to the last ship. Though they were but the Angel Race's claws and teeth before, they have angered me, and they must pay the price for it!"
"My lord Marshal. I advise that we simply turn their own stratagem against them. The enemy would meet us head-on at this military base, would they not. Then let us have a head-on decision. Of course, we must make ready a following hand to answer with. If the angel legions use this military base as bait to trap us, we may equally use it as bait to trap the angel legions. So long as we threaten this military base, the angel legions must assuredly make some move. And then we may shift our object of attack and take the angel legions outright. For we hold the absolute advantage in military strength. A full million interstellar warships! And even should the worse case arise, and this battle be dragged into a see-saw, we may still send back for relief. Before this it was awkward to speak of; but now that we have found 400,000 angel interstellar warships here, the other demon marshals will surely be willing to strive for a share of this merit."
At hearing this proposal from the staff officer he esteemed most.
Marshal Red Demon nodded in satisfaction. "Do as you say."
He paused, and said further, "But I hope still that the whole of it may be settled by ourselves. I have no wish to share with others a quarry that has already fallen into our mouths!"
This peak encounter of above a million interstellar warships had thus raised its curtain.
Who in the end was the hunter, and who the quarry?