The emergence of the second, larger, and more menacing Gargant acted like a massive dose of stimulant injected into the veins of the Ork horde. The roar of "WAAAGH!!!" instantly reached a new crescendo, and the crude energy field surrounding them nearly condensed into a tangible physical force.
The green tide was no longer just a surge; it had transformed into a literal tsunami of fury, crashing toward the Imperial lines with even more ferocity and abandon.
This new war machine had clearly learned from the destruction of its predecessor. It no longer rushed forward as a solitary giant.
Instead, it was tightly surrounded by swarms of Ork Boyz and a cacophony of armored vehicles—ranging from trucks reinforced with scrap steel plates and extra gun barrels to clattering tracked "fortresses." Its massive frame served as both a mobile command node and a pillar of fire support.
The secondary armaments bristling across its torso—big shootas, boomguns, and rocket launchers—poured a continuous barrage of munitions into the Imperial positions.
Meanwhile, the colossal, rotating "Deff-Rolla" mounted on its arm, covered in spikes and rams, provided near-perfect mobile cover for the infantry swarms clinging to its feet. It moved like an iron mammoth guarded by countless hyenas, advancing steadily and firmly, each step making the earth tremble.
"Violet Two, hold the frontal pressure! Blue Three, prioritize clearing the auxiliary units and exposed weapon hardpoints! Red One, look for opportunities for flank harassment, but do not easily close into its melee range!" Osiris's calm and rapid voice rang through the encrypted channel, issuing highly targeted commands.
The battle entered an even more grueling and brutal phase. Shinji Ikari's Violet Unit-02 bore unprecedented pressure. Not only did he have to maintain the A.T. Field against the seemingly endless waves of Ork infantry, but he also had to remain vigilant against the intermittent but lethal salvos from the Gargant's main cannons. The shockwaves from massive shells exploding against the purple field were far more violent than the impacts of individual Orks; he could clearly feel the unit's energy reserves depleting at a significantly accelerated rate.
Rei Ayanami's Blue Unit-03 transformed into a precision sniper on the battlefield. She calmly evaded stray bullets and artillery fire, her ice-blue energy beams slicing through the smoke time and again to pick off Ork Meks attempting to perform "on-site repairs" on the Gargant. She also targeted exposed viewports and weapon servo systems at the Gargant's armor seams, seeking to weaken the iron beast's senses and talons.
Asuka's Red Unit-01, utilizing its unparalleled mobility, prowled the edges of the battlefield like a lethal phantom. Using terrain and wreckage as cover, she cut into the weak points of the Ork escort circle repeatedly, using the low-power continuous fire mode of her Volcano Cannon to strafe the Gargant's tracks and leg joints.
She also launched swift strikes with her power claws, leaving jagged gashes in the thick armor and clearing away escort vehicles that ventured too close. However, with the new Gargant's improved protection and tighter escort, she could not find the perfect opportunity for a one-hit kill like before.
Simultaneously, pressure across the entire front line increased sharply. The Titans of the Iron Hounds became the primary targets of the Ork tide. Princeps Olaf's Iron Fang, along with two other Warhound-class Titans, formed an iron line that absorbed the brunt of the fire. Volkite calivers and turbo-lasers roared continuously, creating brief voids in the green ocean, but the Orks seemed infinite, and the gaps were instantly filled by new waves of madness.
House Guard Knights fought desperately around the Titans, their multi-meltas and chainswords swinging tirelessly, vaporizing or shredding swarms of Ork Boyz trying to swarm the Titans' legs. Their own armor was now covered in pockmarks and blade scores.
Further back, the positions of the Astra Militarum and Planetary Defense Forces fell into bloody melee combat. Soldiers relied on temporary fortifications and the wreckage of armored carriers, using lasguns, autoguns, and bayonets to engage in horrific close-quarters combat with the howling Orks. Multiple points in the line were breached, only to be reclaimed through the roars of officers and the bolter fire of Commissars.
The entire battlefield had become a massive, grinding meat-grinder, greedily devouring lives every second, the air thick with cordite, ozone, blood, and the unique stench of Orks.
"This cannot continue!" Princeps Olaf's gruff voice crackled over the comms, his tone carrying unmistakable anxiety. "Our ammunition and energy reserves are not infinite! There is no end to these greenskin runts! We must find the big one giving the orders and tear him out!"
While the fierce battle raged at the front, Osiris, inside the Mechanicus transport in orbit, was analyzing the battlefield state. His calm voice responded:
"The Ork command structure appears chaotic, but the 'WAAAGH!' energy field generated by their gestalt consciousness naturally converges toward the strongest individual, forming a traceable energy focal point. That is usually where the Ork Warlord of this invasion is located."
A brief silence lasted only a dozen seconds, yet it felt agonizingly long to the soldiers on the front. Then, Osiris's voice rose again with certainty: "Location confirmed. Energy source locked, approximately fifteen kilometers ahead of your current front line. Coordinates marked.
The position corresponds to the former Planetary Defense Force 'Charon' heavy underground bunker complex. This facility has extreme defensive capabilities and has been occupied and modified by the Orks. The signal strength far exceeds any other unit on the field, and the fluctuation pattern matches Ork leader characteristics. Confirmed as the core of this 'WAAAGH!'—the Warlord's command post."
Almost as his words fell, a prominent highlight and precise coordinate data appeared simultaneously on the tactical holographic maps in the EVA cockpits and the command nodes of the Iron Hounds.
"That is the place," Osiris concluded, his tone decisive. "Only by completely destroying this energy core can we fundamentally collapse the Orks' organization and end this war of attrition."
"Fifteen kilometers?! Are you joking? The space in between is packed with these damn greenskins!" Asuka blurted out as she looked at the narrow path on the tactical map, almost completely obscured by the red markers of enemy forces. Even with the performance of an EVA Titan, this was a monumental task.
"We have no other choice," Princeps Olaf's voice dropped, carrying a resolution of no return.
"We need to organize an unprecedentedly powerful assault, concentrating all our spearheads to tear a path straight to the heart like a hot knife through butter!
The Iron Hounds will concentrate every Titan and Knight still capable of movement to pave the way for your EVA squad and draw the primary fire! But the final assault on that fortified bunker and the task of killing the Warlord inside will likely depend on the mobility and burst power of you three."
"Plan approved," Osiris swiftly evaluated the battlefield status and feasibility, making the decision. "EVA squad, perform final checks immediately and prepare for the decapitation mission. Princeps Olaf, Iron Hounds, ensure full fire cover and maintain the corridor at all costs. This is our best chance to secure victory in one stroke and completely uproot the threat on this planet."