Sage_of_Eyes
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V12: Chapter 1
🕑 Added 2025-08-26 01:40:38 +0000 UTCV12: Chapter 1
…
The Merchants tanks were worse than I expected, so I gave the majority of them over to the Guardians while keeping a couple for testing.
If I had to describe them, they were basically WW1-era tanks. Barely mobile bricks with tracks and a cannon at the front. While it had Citadel Alloy armor, the tracks could still be blown off by infantry with explosives, the front plate could be pierced through by our field guns, and finally, setting it on fire can smoke out the crew inside.
If they stayed inside, the Citadel Alloys had pretty good heat resistance, but they didn’t have the technology to button up.
Not to mention the fact that they used slits in the armor to see out of.
Against the Forgers and their glacial heavy infantry doctrine, though?
They would’ve done a great job.
Hell, they would’ve inflicted serious casualties on the Guardians and their masses of rifle-armed skeletons, too.
But against my average army stack and the units the crisis factions were going to throw at us?
Not a chance.
Turning the terrain to mud would slow them to a crawl. Hitting them with fire would make them brighter targets and obscure their vision while giving their crews operative time limits. If I didn’t want to take the machine, then I’d hit them from out of their range with field guns. The Demons could just set it aflame from afar. The Stymphalians would just fly over them and pierce the top. The Sahuagin would probably fuck with the crew’s mind and have them kill each other. Finally, the Ascendant would just kite the thing, untrack it, and then turn it over before dragging it away to harvest it.
Yeah, even if there were a thousand of them, they were basically a one-and-done wonder weapon that would’ve required constant Citadel production to maintain. Not worth it from the logistical standpoint, when I could have Citadels produce Guardians, parts for industrial machinery, and escape a money-based society entirely by selling fabrication time. Having my Citadels set up to account for anything my people needed to advance, as well as to create things that made them not need the Citadel, was a far better option for the long term.
If the tanks were built in factories manned by people, churned out in mass, and simple enough to be crewed by conscripts, I would give the Merchants a pass.
Hell, I’d even bargain hard to steal an entire factory and relocate it.
But, instead, all replacement parts came from the Citadel, even the ammunition needed components from the Citadel, and the crews needed weeks of training, while the design didn’t make escape easy.
In summary:
Shitty design.
High upkeep.
Horrible mobility.
Decent siege damage, but high resupply cost.
Therefore, it wasn’t worth keeping or making.
But it would be worth using and lugging around if it were free.
Stolen?
No, no.
Taking from the Merchants while they whine and cry isn’t stealing.
It’s called being thrifty.
…
The Merchant Citadel’s gate was broken, Celia called for their surrender, and they accepted.
Adding the Merchant’s Citadel meant Celia now had two Citadels at the sixth stage. That much production was more than enough to win against the Forgers and the remains of the Wardens. That was more than enough for even an AI on easy to overcome two factions.
But it didn’t hurt to be sure, especially since the Forgers were putting up a fight against Morgan and their mortars were now in play. Unsurprisingly, the budding Demon Lord figured out that sacrificing an air unit to take out an artillery division was the best course of action. Reading the after-action report on that engagement pretty much confirmed that Morgan was operating at the highest level of unfair AI opponents. Hopefully, she needed some of the information that I gave her, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she figured it all out herself.
Anyway, while Celia’s army regrouped and resupplied from their new Citadel, I met with Khanrow for the first time in almost a year.
And he brought a Champion along with him.
Riegert and Ilych, then Morgan.
The man was good at scouting.
“First, allow me to present you with this. Khanrow’s contract will be honored, but I felt that your people deserve a bit more.” I hoped that I’d get some brownie points with the hulking, Ursine Champion. They were usually the best Champions that the Merchants could field. His initial skills gave him damage ignore, his midline skills gave stacking defense debuffs to his opponents, and at the end of their combat tree, they give their whole army true damage that ignores defense for sixty seconds on a two-minute cooldown. That’s on a melee champion that uses a small artillery piece as a sidearm after enough research is done, meaning he’s got single-target damage and area of effect. Yeah, I wanted the guy. “The initial plan was to settle you in Academy lands. Instead, you may choose from three regions within reach of our Citadels.”
“You place us closer to your forces, but we have greater access to what we need, better land, and better opportunity. This is an acceptable bonus for our work.” The Ursine Champion tilted his head with a nod at my words. I offered him a bench to sit on, while Iterants unfurled three maps for him to peruse. He was dressed in white robes, and his face was covered. Typical Ursine fashion to obscure their easily noticed tells. “May I ask for an increase in access for healing for my people as well?”
Despite being a rebel, this guy was a Merchant through and through. I gave him a little something, and he immediately asked if he could get more. If I refused, then I would look less generous than I wish. If I accept, then he gets what he wants, while I give him more.
Thankfully, I had years of experience at this sort of thing now.
“May I ask for your assistance against the Forgers?” I turned his request into a request for a deal while giving a slight gesture for my Iterants to stay cool. No one else might have noticed, but I spent a lot of time around Rachel, Sarah, and everyone else. The moment the guy tried to fleece me, they were ready to tear him down and support me. Planning for their reactions just made good sense, so I made sure that they knew to calm down and stay quiet when I gave a single tap on the table with my index finger. They obliged in an instant. They’d have gone ahead if I tapped with my middle finger. “That is the only way I could justify taking medical aid beyond what has already been promised.”
The Ursine Champion considered my words quietly.
“I am willing to continue doing battle for my people, but most wish to have normal lives. You have need of Champions. I am one such individual.” The wide-brimmed hat and the veil surrounding it covered his face. No twitch of the snout or the ears to discern. Only two golden eyes piercing through a slit between hat and veil.You could really tell that this was the faction built by the devs for connoisseurs of anime and such. All the mods that removed fur from the dudes basically turned them into either barra or hunks in robes and veils. As if all the women only having furred limbs, tails, and ears wasn’t enough of a giveaway. “What shall be required of me in the lands of the Forgers?”
“We’ll establish a baseline on what you know and what you don’t, then we’ll have information assembled for you. Khanrow has spoken of your ability to operate quietly, so we’ll focus on that.” Ayah had a map of Forger lands ready, and it was unfurled on the table after the other ones were taken off. I had her prepare it in case this opportunity came up. “Their resource extraction centers are essentially villages that have non-Forger populations working the land. They have so far resettled populations in threatened towns. That will most likely change when the only safe place left is their Citadel, and as their military is undone.”
“The Forgers will abandon them?” I really need to get this guy’s name. “No. You expect worse.”
Augh, it looks like he’s putting points into his diplomacy tree, thanks to needing to lead. Hopefully, he didn’t put too many in there. The faster he gets all his combat perks, the better.
“The Forgers have a combination of magic and technology that allows them to turn mortals into control units for metal golems. My suspicion is that they will use this technology haphazardly and in large numbers to ‘conscript’ their population of non-Forgers.” Magical cyborgs that feel no pain, have had their non-essentials taken off, and have had their limbs replaced with weapons. They were fodder units with a charge that had decent damage. A spear wall was enough to deal with them, if you’re willing to lose that spear wall. Their real advantage was that you could get stacks of them out fast to pad out your frontline while costing only ‘production,’ since the Forgers didn’t count population that weren’t Forgers. “We estimate that they have over one million or more mortals living in Resource Extraction Hubs. These people will need to be extracted.”
The Ursine Champion was quiet for a bit.
“Sabotage any facilities that will process the people, while establishing an evacuation corridor in enemy territory.” He crossed his arms. I already knew what was coming. “This warrants more than priority over care for my people.”
My response was ready.
“Should you want more, I’m afraid I can only offer it should you become a Champion for my people.” I told him, pretending like my hands were tied. There was no precedent for my request at all. I just wanted to get this Champion under my control. If you want more, you can’t just be a citizen in my lands. You need to work for me. The logic was sound, but there wasn’t really such a limit to my powers as leader of the faction. In other words, I just made it up to bait the guy in. “For greater rewards, you need to accept greater responsibilities. If you are interested, then we can discuss terms of employment.”
“Very well. Can it be discussed now?”
And he took the bait nice and simply, so I didn’t even need my plans to put pressure on his people to get him to work for me in the future.
It’s so nice to just get things without having to get my hands dirty.
“Of course. I’ll leave the details to Ayah, as I have other pressing matters to attend to.” I stood up and offered him my hand. He stood up, and his paw basically engulfed mine. “I hope that we’ll be able to work together. Ah, I almost forgot. You didn’t introduce yourself.”
“I was called Ninth by the breeders. I have taken the name for myself.”
I did my best to smile normally at his admission.
I knew it, but it was nice to confirm.
He’s exactly who I thought he was.
…
Interlude: Khanrow
…
It was almost difficult to believe that the grown man in front of me was the same boy found by Riegert so many years ago.
I could barely recall the boy in rags who carried stolen scales with a death grip.
Now, I could only see the King of Wisdom.
His presence was almost stifling.
“Khanrow, it’s been too long.” He addressed me by my name, almost effortlessly reminding me of Gilbert’s frustrations at his deceptions always being overcome. Then, he gave an easy smile and gestured towards a small table beside a cart manned by an Iterant. I could feel the hawkish stares of each one pretending to be a mere maidservant. A wrong move and I would be beset by living blades. “Would you care to share some refreshments?”
“I’d be grateful.” Half the continent was his, along with most of the Academy’s lands, and soon the other half will belong to his ally. Twenty-seven years of age and with almost a whole continent under his control, along with millions of lives. It would be a crowning achievement, if not for the troubles that lay ahead. “Any word from Riegert’s expedition?”
“None, but that’s to be expected. He should return to a continent divided between us and the Guardians. Hopefully, before we’re put to siege by the rest of the world.” The fearful boy was now a man confident in his bearing. The watery eyes and summoned courage were replaced by a handsome, disarming mask that easily swayed a Champion to his cause in just a single conversation mere moments ago. If not for the fact that I felt no magic emitting from him, I would’ve thought him using some sort of trick to convince me. “My hope is that they will find the third Divine Engine and bring it to us. Though the Guardians obtaining it will be fine.”
I latched onto what was left unsaid.
“You believe that the last Divine Engine may be with our foes?”
“It is a possibility, even if both Eminent and Pinnacle say otherwise. They say that any sibling of theirs would rather perish than work for the killers of their creators. That they would choose exile into a space without light and warmth forever, becoming one with magic itself, rather than fall to them.” As he spoke, my eyes wandered to his gloved hand. A hand that bore the crest of two Divine Engines. I never met either one, but my agents told me what they saw and felt. Those two were true creatures without compare in this world. In their narrow purviews, they held dominion that could not be matched by any number of sorcerers. Both promised themselves to him. “I say that it would be better to be sure. Either it is in our hands or Celia’s, or it is gone forever.”
He spoke of being rid of such a powerful creature as a matter of fact.
“But enough paranoia. Let’s work with the facts.” He shook his head, and we were both primly served a light snack with tea. Crustless bread with fillings of meat and cheese along with pastries on a tray with three tiers. “Ah, this was a meal from ancient times that we’ve managed to emulate without the Citadel. A major accomplishment that I wanted to share with you, Khanrow.”
I can have a meal that the Ancients dined upon prepared for me on the campaign trail.
I almost laughed at the absurdity of it all.
Once upon a time, I had been a warlord who found a child after battle.
Now, I was that child’s spymaster and general, being dazzled like a common person at his casual achievements while pondering on how to fulfill my duties for the war that lay ahead.
Most surprising, however, was that I didn’t want the circlet of gold that lay upon his brow.
I feared that wearing it and the responsibilities that came with it would break my neck in an instant.
Comments
Sage_Of_Eyes
Tagged. Thanks for telling me. Patreon updated their posting method.
ElricFlairgold
I greatly enjoyed this chapter, the only problem I can find with it is that it doesn't seem to be tagged.
Adamas Shield
hmmm, I do hope that part of 'demon king can happen from any race after Morgan' do not mean that bullshit demon king grade problems. I hope if that the case then the see all the races under the King and decided the world do not need a villain. xxxx the update itself was great and the King by the eyes of the people are always fun xxxxxx 'They’d have gone ahead if I tapped with my middle finger' I laugh at this part :D
Roughstar333
It can't be if he doesn't shit on his opponents' decisions. Still nice to see we got tanks and a new champion
Snuckytoes
I bet he’s a Champion that appears if the Merchants let their happiness score get too low and revolts start. He probably takes over the rebel faction and has his own dedicated quest line.
Zemiel Fernando
Is that a fucking burger. They had burger just now after how many years??? Truly a post-apocalyptic disaster.
Valerian
Ninth must be a standard Legendary Champion from the game. Probably one tied to the only halfway decent reform plotline for the Merchants.
