Metal does not grow; it is cut, honed, and refined.
Located in Oruka of the Metallum Empire, the metal dome at the heart of the fortress was composed of layers of iron plates, hard as a shell covering the earth’s crust.
And within it, cogs and gears maintained a steady vibration and pulse, supplying the rhythm of command to the entire empire.
That morning, too, Metallum began in silence.
The first thing to awaken was the rumble of gears turning deep within the fortress.
On that day, Oruma was not on his throne, but in the central control room.
Around him, four retainers stood quietly, like components arranged in perfect order.
Oruma spoke to his retainers.
“As time passes, more and more metal cores are gathering. Are there any parts of our empire that currently require reinforcement?”
The first to speak was Agnon, the commander of the army.
“At present, the barracks are capable of maintaining the existing steel infantry. However, their density is low, so there is a possibility they may be temporarily pushed back by large-scale flame attacks.”
Next, Belkar, the defense technology specialist, followed.
“The defensive walls still remain at an early-stage structure. The same applies to the heat circulation circuits. Modification is necessary. At this rate, if we are attacked, considerable losses are expected.”
Oruma listened to their reports without a word.
Beside him, Peron, the resource manager, spoke cautiously.
“After confirmation, we have sufficient metal cores for the modifications to Your Majesty’s fortress. Of course, a large number of metal cores will be consumed, so careful judgment is required.”
Hearing his words, Kraso, the representative of the steel assemblers, folded and unfolded his thick fingers as he spoke.
“I do not mean that the current foundation is weak, but if we proceed with modifications on this occasion, our empire will develop even more swiftly. We can begin immediately.”
“Good.”
Oruma slowly turned his body.
“The world moves without stopping. Ignis is no different. They are expanding their lands faster than expected. Before they do anything, we must temper our resolve.”
He placed a hand on the metal wall surrounding the fortress.
Soon, the sound of the wall vibrating could be heard.
“Begin the fortress modifications. As soon as the modifications are complete, improve the heat circulation circuits as well. At the same time, modify the barracks so that they can produce new soldiers.”
At Oruma’s command, the retainers answered in unison.
“Yes. Order confirmed.”
That day, a tremendous sound echoed throughout Metallum.
Wooooong......, Rumble.......
Yet it was not noise.
It was the sound of orderly, periodic tempering.
They decide their next actions through precise loss calculations and judgments based on durability lifespan curves.
That is the way of Metallum.
When the fortress modifications were nearing their final stage, Oruma convened another meeting.
Once again, the four retainers gathered inside the fortress.
“Judging by Ignis’s movements, they seem to be drawing closer and closer to us. Does it appear that the fortress modifications will be completed before they arrive?”
“Yes, there is no issue at all.”
Kraso answered Oruma’s question.
“And is there sufficient time to modify the barracks as well?”
“Yes. There is.”
Agnon also answered.
“It is enough to train second-stage soldiers as well.”
“So that is how it is.”
Oruma turned his gaze to the metal map fixed to the wall.
The map displayed the current territories of the five empires.
The empire with the largest territory was Ignis, and in particular, Ignis was approaching Metallum more with each passing day.
Oruma spoke.
“It may not be long before the first battle begins. The sight of those wretches running wild already is laughable. Can you predict their future movements?”
Agnon raised his hand over the metal map before him and pointed somewhere.
“Thus far, Ignis’s movements may appear random, but there is a consistent pattern of expansion between their routes. On one side, they are expanding toward Terra; on the other, toward us.”
Belkar continued.
“Terra…… They may be approaching in order to protect themselves from the threat of Aqua. But Terra are also those who aid us in our tempering. Terra will not look kindly upon Ignis invading us either. We must make them pay the price for charging at us without fear.”
Peron quietly recited the figures.
“Current remaining metal cores: 205. Energy cores: 98. Barracks: 4. The modifications require a total of 160 metal cores and 80 energy cores. Neither resources nor time are insufficient.”
Kraso nodded.
“As soon as the fortress modifications are complete, we will proceed with the barracks modifications immediately.”
Oruma spoke.
“Good. Modify the barracks and develop superior soldiers. In particular, produce soldiers of a type Ignis does not possess.”
Agnon answered.
“I will design soldiers strong in both offense and defense.”
Oruma spoke his final words.
“We must always be prepared. Preparation is tempering, and tempering is existence. We are steel whose very existence is strong. Focus on development in every aspect.”
Not long after, the fortress modifications were completed.
But Metallum did not rest.
Immediately, the sound of iron interlocking with iron rang out across the entire barracks.
The barracks modifications had already begun, and every old support beam was being dismantled and replaced with sturdier reinforced structures.
The assembly unit commanded by Kraso completed a new training area in less than a day.
It was broader and heavier than before.
At last, a new soldier type befitting that structure revealed itself.
Their designation was the “Mechanical Thrower (Automaton Thrower).”
They wore massive mechanical arms as though they were their own, and on both shoulders, medium-sized metal masses were fixed in place, structured to hurl projectiles through high-speed rotation.
Agnon explained the Mechanical Throwers.
“Power and distance. Those two are the standard. If Ignis approaches with fire, we can suppress them from afar.”
What the Mechanical Throwers hurled were sharp pieces of metal or compressed impact rounds.
Their bodies were heavy, but their center of gravity was low, so they did not fall easily, and their range was about twice as long as that of the existing metal infantry.
Beside him, Belkar asked Agnon.
“But can they attack enemies positioned right next to them?”
Agnon paused briefly before answering.
“That is impossible. But that position can be supplemented by the metal infantry.”
Oruma slowly walked toward one of the newly deployed Mechanical Throwers.
And when his hand touched the soldier’s shoulder, the soldier responded with a vibration while remaining still.
“Excellent. You will reach farther than Ignis’s flames, and sooner than them.”
His words were an order, and that order was engraved as firmly as metal.
At noon that day, the sky above Metallum’s southern border was stained red.
Smoke was rising in the distance.
Its true nature was the afterglow of flaming spears wielded by the soldiers of the Ignis Empire.
They approached as though spreading outward, surrounded the border outpost, and launched a single charge.
The automatic alarm network in Metallum’s watchtower detected the vibrations, and the defensive formation was activated immediately.
“They’ve finally come……!”
Commander Karden raised his hand.
“Infiltration route S-2. Mechanical Throwers, deploy test formation.”
Soon after, two Mechanical Throwers appeared atop the wall from the high ground behind it.
Maintaining their distance from the burning Ignis soldiers, they launched enormous projectiles as though cutting across the sky.
Kuuung!
“Aaaagh!”
The metal shot struck the ground, gouging out the earth and forcibly scattering the Ignis soldiers who had been charging forward.
The second projectile changed direction and fell into the middle of the densely packed Ignis soldiers.
There were several flame spearmen there as well, but they were knocked back by the impact and collapsed.
Metallum was strong.
Ordinarily, fire melts iron, but the Metallum of now instead extinguished the embers of Ignis.
Meanwhile, Metallum’s metal infantry units waited firmly within the walls.
It was a method of response that absorbed and neutralized the enemy’s infiltration attempts without direct collision.
Fwoooosh……
Of course, Ignis’s army was no easy opponent either.
Ignis’s forces, composed of a mixture of flame spearmen and fire infantry, were melting Metallum’s walls.
“They must not break through! Stop the ones at the front first!”
Karden’s shout rang out.
Metallum’s soldiers withstood the flames of Ignis and stood against them.
Without panic, they calmly extinguished the embers of Ignis one by one.
Before long, another shout was heard from far away.
“Now is not the time! Retreat!”
And then Ignis’s forces quickly withdrew.
Immediately after the battle, which had not lasted very long, ended, Metallum did not cheer.
Metallum evaluated, disassembled, and assembled again.
Oruma returned to the central control room.
Agnon and Belkar were waiting there.
Before them, a new blueprint was spread out.
“Have the battlefield data been secured?”
Agnon answered.
“Yes. We have secured the heat flow analysis and impact dispersion patterns. The Throwers’ striking angle was 7.34 degrees higher than predicted. A new calculation device is required to correct this.”
Belkar added as well.
“To improve battlefield response technology, a core distributed processing system is necessary. With the existing calculation structure, real-time correction is difficult.”
“Does that mean a research facility is needed?”
“That is correct.”
“Understood.”
Oruma left the central control room and headed toward the fortress observatory.
Agnon and Belkar followed him.
Oruma pointed to an empty lot.
“I will have Kraso construct a research institute there. If there is a problem, it must be improved swiftly.”
The structure of the research institute was not simple.
A calculation device composed of hundreds of cogwheels, a battlefield pattern simulation map, and an algorithm center that analyzed the reaction records of each individual soldier.
This place was, in every sense, Metallum’s brain, where countless data were accumulated for the sake of perfect response.
Through the research conducted in Metallum’s research institute, the Mechanical Throwers were able to hurl projectiles at their targets with greater accuracy, and the frames of the metal infantry were further reinforced.
Although they had repelled Ignis, Oruma was not satisfied.
It was because a small number of metal cores had been lost in that fight.
“It may have been an unavoidable loss, but the fact that our cores fell into the enemy’s hands is disgraceful.”
Oruma sank into thought.
Countless calculations were taking place inside his head.
“If there is a way to take revenge on those Ignis bastards.”
He called Agnon.
“We cannot remain only on the defensive. A counterattack against them is necessary. It seems we will need Aqua’s power.”
At that, Agnon answered with a hint of concern.
“I agree as well, but Aqua appears to be forming an alliance with Silva. I cannot be certain whether they will join hands with us too.”
“We will try first. I do not even hope for an alliance. What we need is only dialogue.”
Oruma was thinking of something else.
Not insignificant changes were taking place in all directions.
The Terra Empire opened its eyes once again.