Chapter 366 - 321: Verne’s Monster Lands at Kosai Port (Part 2)

"Yes! Gary, go bring over the tactical map and a table."

Reinhardt raised a hand, stopping the needless gesture. "No need for the table. Let’s go to it."

Although Gregory was just a Mortal Soldier, his tactical acumen was in no way inferior to that of an Imperial Knight.

After Gregory finished his report, he stood beside a command table jury-rigged from a dining table. He pointed to the transport hub connecting the various sectors of the top-level port, his voice grave. "A private force of Knights sponsored by the Judgment Court is stationed here. There are about eight of them. I’ve sacrificed over two hundred of my brothers and still haven’t been able to break through.

That’s why I sent a request up the chain, hoping the Imperial Knights could help us take this transport hub.

Once we control it, I can use the material transport railcars to deploy troops to the various combat zones in the upper port."

At this, Gregory looked up at Reinhardt, hoping for an affirmative response. Unfortunately, Reinhardt offered no reaction.

The boarding party officer, who had been overjoyed to receive the Imperial Knights’ support, felt his spirits sink.

From Gregory’s perspective, Reinhardt’s attitude showed that he wasn’t taking the proposal or the request seriously at all.

Only when Urus, having finished discussing the details with Koller, turned and walked to the command table did things change. He gave Reinhardt a slight nod, then said to the boarding party officer, "Have your men maintain their current offensive intensity. I’ll take care of the privateer Knights at the transport hub."

Gregory finally breathed a sigh of relief. He nodded to Urus. "Will you need our assistance?"

"That won’t be necessary."

The brief war council should have ended there, but Gary, the Adjutant standing beside Gregory, suddenly interjected, "My Lord, there’s something I must tell you first.

The Knights stationed at the transport hub... they’re extremely powerful. If it’s just you alone, I’m worried..."

Although the Adjutant meant well, his words carried the subtle implication that he was underestimating Urus’s strength.

A Silencer, standing silently like a shadow behind Urus, took a step forward, attempting to correct the Mortal’s mistake, but Urus raised a hand to stop him.

’If this were the Silencer Battle Group, I’d make this Mortal understand the consequences of looking down on me.’

’But this is the Vengeful Angels’ domain.’

’As I recall, during the Battle of Verne, Reinhardt fought the armies of a Great Demon and Grand Lord Kles all by himself, just for the tens of millions of Mortals in that abandoned Stereoscopic City.’

’In other words, if I were to crush this Adjutant as a warning for his insolence, it would most likely displease Reinhardt.’

Gregory, of course, knew what a foolish thing his Adjutant had just done. Before Urus could even move, Gregory backhanded the man, sending him sprawling to the floor. "You bastard—!" he roared. "What bullshit are you spouting?! How dare you question the might of an Imperial Knight?!"

While this served as an apology to Urus, it was also an act to protect his Adjutant, lest the man anger the Knight and die without knowing why.

Not every Battle Group was like the Radiant Angels or the Emperor’s Shield, both renowned for their benevolent cultures.

To avoid leaving Reinhardt with a bad impression of the Silencers, Urus suppressed his own displeasure and stopped Gregory. He paused for a moment.

"These privateer Knights of the Judgment Court are not worthy of Lord Reinhardt lifting a finger. I alone am more than enough."

After he spoke these humble words, the three Silencers standing behind Urus wondered for a moment if their ears were failing them.

Divine Emperor above.

’The man once nicknamed the Wind Demon, the ruthless Lord Urus Brutus, could actually be this humble?’

Fedor, observing from the side, was also quite surprised. He knew, of course, that the Silencers were a successor Battle Group to the Night Demon, but he knew even better what kind of bastards the Night Demon were.

Cold, merciless, and bloodthirsty.

Within their Legion, the hierarchy was strict, and they ruled through terror.

Thinking of this, Fedor subtly glanced at Reinhardt. ’I don’t know why these Children of the Night Demon have suddenly become so docile, but he definitely has something to do with it.’

Of course, his guess wasn’t without reason.

Had Urus not suddenly lashed out only to be pinned to the ground by Reinhardt with a single hand, the idea of making these brutal Children of the Night Demon submit to authority through political means alone would have been nothing but a dream.

However, upon hearing the name "Reinhardt," Gregory froze. His pupils constricted, and he turned his head in disbelief to stare at the Black Armored Knight standing before him.

As if unable to believe his own eyes, he stared intently at Reinhardt, a fanatic zeal blazing in his gaze like a wildfire.

He took a step back, his voice trembling with shock. "Reinhardt... the Emperor’s Vengeful Angel... My Lord, are you truly..."

As he spoke, he hurriedly pulled a pendant out from under his collar. It was a badge cast from silver in the shape of a burning flame, heavy with religious significance.

The symbol of a follower of the Fire of Vengeful Sect.

He clutched the badge in his palm, dropped to one knee before Reinhardt, his pious voice distorted with excitement.

"May the Vengeance Fire consume my mortal shell! My Lord! To think I would meet you here..."

As a faithful believer of the Fire of Vengeful Sect, Gregory would never have dreamed that he would one day encounter the transcendent being who existed only in the Angel Holy Scripture and the legends of Verne!

Within the National Church, there are numerous sub-factions.

But the only living ’Demigod of the Human World’ was the Vengeful Angel! The incarnation of the Emperor’s wrath!

How could Gregory not be beside himself with excitement?

But the moment he knelt, the angry shouts of soldiers and the terrifying roar of gunfire erupted from the long, narrow corridor behind him that connected to the upper Orbital Port.

At the same time, Gregory’s Radiant Beacon began to flash rapidly.

Curses and cries of alarm flooded the planetary communications channel.

"Scarface! Enemy reinforcements have arrived! Dammit, how can there be Demons in the heart of the Administrative Region! Avino—! Bastard... where is the support from the Imperial Knights?! We need support!"

"...Defense Zone Three has fallen! Report! Defense Zone Three has fallen! We... AHH—!"

Hearing the voices coming from the Radiant Beacon, everyone present frowned. Had things progressed to the point where the rebels on Lundnia World weren’t even going to pretend anymore?

Gregory’s ecstatic mood from meeting the Vengeful Angel instantly plummeted. A bead of cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

Demons?!

You’ve got to be kidding me!

Lundnia World was located deep within the Administrative Region. While not a key economic or military world, the appearance of Demons here was simply unheard of!

He snatched up the Radiant Beacon and roared, "Old One-Eye! Hey—?! Can you hear me? I need a more detailed sitrep!"

As he spoke, a massive figure holding a War Axe strode past him, the displaced air rustling his uniform.

Urus wanted to stop Reinhardt from rushing to the front line, but when he remembered the argument on the Avenger Flagship between Reinhardt and Koller that had nearly come to blows, he chose silence.

Gregory froze for a moment, then quickly turned his head to look at Reinhardt’s back.

He saw a dark purple, living substance begin to seep from Reinhardt’s Power Armor. The Knight’s slow walk gradually accelerated into a run, his heavy footfalls slamming against the warehouse floor and echoing with a muffled boom.

Seeing this, Fedor thought to himself, ’A supreme commander leading the charge has always been a tradition for the Dragon Hunters, one they take great pride in.’

’Compared to the high-ranking, powerful Great Tutor of the Vengeful Angels, Reinhardt’s courage and fearlessness make him seem more like a Battle Group Leader from the Dragon Hunters.’

Moreover, in the Empire’s various Battle Groups, the best fighter is always the Battle Group’s champion, not necessarily its Battle Group Leader or Commander.

’Battle Group Leaders like Reinhardt—immensely powerful, the best fighter in their entire Battle Group, and possessing considerable political and strategic acumen—were few and far between.’

He gestured to Urus not to worry, indicating that he and the Red Flame Son would guarantee Reinhardt’s safety.

Then, grabbing his Dragon-Hunting Spear, he led a squad of the Red Flame Son and hurried after him to provide support.