Chapter 576: Breaking the Sound Barrier
One week later, the designated testing zone of the Death World.
This was a vast, boundless expanse of Gobi desert. The crimson rocky surface was strewn with gravel, and in the distance lay continuous mountain ranges carved into bizarre shapes by wind erosion.
The sky remained that oppressive hue, but today, this desolate land welcomed an unprecedented clamor.
The forces of the Steel Hound Legion had already arrived and established a temporary camp.
Several massive Titans stood upon the wasteland like moving metallic mountains.
The most conspicuous among them were two Warhound-class scout Titans, approximately thirty meters in height. Their relatively slender torsos and bipedal legs supported the heavy upper armor structure. The weapon platforms they were equipped with included twin-linked macro-blasters and turbo-laser destructors. They were the eyes and rapid-response force of the Titan Legion.
Additionally, there was a Household Guard squad composed of several Knight mechs. These Knight mechs, standing around ten meters tall, guarded the perimeters of the Titans like loyal hounds.
Princeps Olaf personally commanded one of the Warhound-class Titans, the "Steel Fang".
He stood upon the Titan's command throne, gazing eagerly at the distant horizon through the massive observation viewport.
His crew members, including the moderati, sensori, and Tech-Priests, were also caught in an emotional blend of curiosity and solemnity.
They had long heard various rumors regarding the "alien god-machines", and today they would finally be able to witness them with their own eyes.
The air was permeated with the low hum of Titan engines and the unique droning of energy weapons charging.
The members of the Steel Hound Legion deployed into standard tactical formations, awaiting the arrival of their "allies".
Finally, at the edge of the horizon, three silhouettes appeared.
At first, they were merely three blurry black dots, but their movement speed was extremely fast, rapidly enlarging in their field of vision.
Those were three giant humanoid machines with brilliant paint jobs and designs completely disparate from any Imperial war engine.
Crimson, violet, and ice-blue---the three colors appeared exceptionally striking against the dreary backdrop of the desert.
"All units attention, targets have appeared. Maintain vigilance, deploy into the welcoming formation according to the predetermined protocol." Princeps Olaf issued the command through the Legion's communication channel, but his gaze was firmly locked onto the three EVA-Titans drawing closer and closer.
Even across the vast distance, he could feel the life energy fluctuations radiating from those three machines---which were completely different from Titans, being significantly more "alive".
Ryo (second avatar) did not visit the site in person. He remained in the base's command center, remotely monitoring the entire training process through high-altitude probes scattered across the testing zone and the sensor data transmitted back by the EVA-Titans themselves.
He needed a macroscopic and composed perspective.
The three EVA-Titans came to a halt approximately three kilometers away from the Steel Hound Legion's array, their movements perfectly synchronized.
For Titan-class units, this distance was considered a standard "safe engagement distance".
"Steel Hound Legion command node, this is the EVA tactical squad. We have arrived at the designated rallying zone, requesting instructions." Asuka's voice transmitted through the encrypted communication channel. Her tone carried a programmed sense of reporting, but a trace of eagerness to test her skills was hidden beneath it.
"This is the Steel Hound Legion, 'Steel Fang', Princeps Olaf," Olaf responded, trying hard to make his voice sound calm. "Welcome to this joint training."
"For the first phase, we will conduct a display of basic mobility and coordinated formation drills."
"Please follow our Legion's designated units and simulate an escort mission on the march."
According to the plan, the first thing to be conducted would be a series of relatively basic coordinated movements, aimed at allowing both sides to familiarize themselves with each other's mobility pacing and communication coordination.
"EVA squad receives," Asuka responded on behalf of the squad.
The training officially commenced.
The two Warhound-class Titans initiated movement first, their heavy metallic feet stomping on the Gobi desert, emitting dull booms and kicking up massive clouds of sand and dust.
The Knight mechs of the Household Guard followed tightly behind, maintaining a standard diamond escort formation.
The three EVA units followed at the rear flanks of the Titan formation.
Initially, they strictly followed the directives, mimicking the Titans' relatively steady propulsion speed.
The red Unit-01 would occasionally shake its shoulder armor with slight impatience, the purple Unit-02 constantly maintained a vigilant defensive posture, and the blue Unit-03 followed quietly like a phantom.
Princeps Olaf observed the movements of the EVA-Titans from the command throne of the "Steel Fang", secretly evaluating them in his mind.
"Extremely high movement coordination, far surpassing ordinary Knight mechs. Energy readings are stable, biological signals are active... truly extraordinary," he remarked to his adjutant via internal comms.
The basic maneuvers proceeded for about fifteen minutes, and everything seemed steady.
The members of the Steel Hound Legion gradually relaxed, beginning to feel that although these "alien god-machines" possessed bizarre exteriors, they seemingly also adhered to certain fundamental rules of massive war engines.
However, they had no idea that this was merely the calm before the storm.
Ryo (second avatar) watched the data streams transmitting back to the base command center, knowing that the moment to display their true strength had arrived.
The basic maneuver drill phase was nearing its end. According to the predetermined schedule, the next phase would be the tactical maneuver display, where each party would independently showcase the unique mobility capabilities of their machines.
"Steel Hound Legion command node, EVA tactical squad requests to commence the tactical maneuver demonstration." Asuka's voice rang out once more; this time, that trace of eagerness was almost completely undisguised.
Princeps Olaf pondered briefly before approving: "Permission granted. Please conduct your demonstration within the designated airspace and maintain a safe distance."
The moment his words fell, the data on the monitoring screens and the visible scene in the distance plunged all the members of the Steel Hound Legion, including Olaf himself, into unprecedented shock.
They only saw that crimson EVA Unit-01, originally trailing at the rear of the formation, suddenly lean its body slightly forward. The massive muscle fiber bundles in its legs abruptly expanded and contracted, bursting forth with unimaginable, majestic power.
"BOOM---!!!"
A massive explosion---resembling a thunderclap, utterly incomparable to the roar of a Titan engine---violently erupted!
The ground beneath the red Unit-01's feet instantly caved in and cracked, forming a massive impact crater, while the machine itself transformed into a blurry crimson afterimage, shooting forward like a bullet!
This was no simple acceleration.
The instant the red Unit-01 breached a certain critical speed, the air surrounding its body was violently compressed, forming a clearly visible conical shockwave cloud---a vapor cone!
It broke the sound barrier!
A giant humanoid war engine, towering eighty meters tall, had breached the speed of sound on land relying on pure physical mobility!
"This is impossible!" Princeps Olaf cried out in sheer disbelief. He even subconsciously glanced at the data readings on his Titan's sensors, suspecting a malfunction had occurred.
Titans, whether the compact Warhound or the colossal Emperor-class, were designed with a philosophy centered on unrivaled firepower and indestructible defense. While their mobility was not poor, it was absolutely impossible for them to reach such an unfathomable degree!
It wasn't just Olaf; the entire temporary camp of the Steel Hound Legion, including the crews of the other Titans and the Knights of the Household Guard, sank into a brief, deathly silence.
There was only the continuous sonic boom produced by that crimson god-machine tearing through the air, hammering against everyone's eardrums and cognition like a heavy mallet.
The red Unit-01 carved a massive arc across the vast desert. Wherever it passed, the ground was plowed open by the violent air currents, kicking up a sky full of sand and dust like an enormous, earthen-yellow dragon trailing closely behind it.
Its speed was so immense that it even made it difficult for the Titans' targeting systems to maintain a continuous lock.
And this, was merely the beginning.