The explosion, accompanied by a violent energy shock, stirred up a dust storm around Antonio.

The smoke and dust cleared, and Antonio and the Imperial knights around him were unharmed.

Antonio’s expression was calm. He raised his sword again, this time pointing its tip toward the sky!

"Slash!"

Still the effect of a single-word aura.

Simple, direct, without any flourish, just like his sword.

A starship in the sky suddenly exploded in the next second, blooming like fireworks, shattered materials scattering everywhere.

At the same time, behind him, a Destruction Titan had locked its firepower on this place.

It was as if Antonio had eyes on his back, as he swung his sword again without looking back.

"Slash!"

Boom!

With a loud bang, the Destruction Titan was sliced in half at the waist.

"If it were a War Fortress of the Can Shang Company, perhaps I would have to treat it with caution."

"A Destruction Titan and a starship are not enough."

As Antonio’s voice just fell, he returned the knight’s longsword to its sheath.

The battle around him between the Imperial knights and the Intelligent Mechanism Legion continued, yet he showed no sign of impatience. Instead, he grasped the reins of his warhorse with both hands, thoughtfully looking in the direction of Louis XVII.

From the Four Great Knight Orders entering the array to the stalemate for so long,

so much time had passed, as the head of the Imperial knights, Louis XVII did not seem anxious at all.

Even he was not anxious, so what reason did he have to be?

Allowing his subordinate knights to stabilize and reduce attrition should be more of a concern.

Just as Antonio thought of this, another boom sounded in his ear, immediately followed by the flesh of an exploded Imperial knight splattering over his grey-white robe.

"..."

Antonio silently drew his longsword again.

He was beginning to feel a bit anxious.

Bob, as the Celestial Net and leader of the Intelligent Mechanism Legion, had only one prime objective, which was to hold off the renowned Templar Order as long as possible.

The Templar Order had one Tier Nine knight, ten Tier Eight knights, and over a thousand Tier Seven knights. The only force in North County that could directly contend with them was his Intelligent Mechanism Legion.

Combat Spirit Contract Masters were not enough, at least not now.

It was not intentionally disparaging; after the last incident, the number of Combat Spirit Contract Masters sharply decreased, and of the original Eight Major War Zones, only the Fourth War Zone remained.

Fighting against high-tier knights like the Templar Order entails inevitable casualties.

Sending Combat Spirit Contract Masters to their deaths is not a commendable action.

After discussions, Shang Siteng agreed to Bob’s proposal for him and the Intelligent Mechanism Legion to hold off the Templar Order’s attack.

"The damage rate of ordinary intelligent mechanisms is as high as seventy percent, but nearby factories have already increased production to the maximum, making this level of damage within replenishable limits."

"The aircraft carrier battle group’s losses are about fifty percent, with at least forty percent shot down by Antonio, this Tier Nine Imperial knight."

"The backup units have already arrived one after another, compensating for these losses as well."

Bob’s Celestial Net computer data statistics reached this point, and he couldn’t help feeling a toothache, though he had no teeth.

Any Tier Nine power is the biggest variable on a battlefield.

And such variables, in the Empire, number at least three!

Tier Nine Imperial Knight, the Imperial Leader, Louis XVII.

Tier Nine Imperial Knight, the Imperial Sword, Antonio.

Tier Nine Original Dao Soldiers, Imperial Relics, Knight’s Code.

This is the foundation of the Empire.

"A total of fifteen Destruction Titans, three destroyed, and two are heavily damaged, urgently needing repairs."

"The nano logistics legion intervened at the first moment. The estimated time to complete initial repairs is forty-eight hours, with a seventy percent restoration of performance."

The above are the loss situation of Great Xia North County’s Intelligent Mechanism Legion after these days of fighting.

It can only be said to be much more brutal than expected.

Although Antonio and his Templar Order had been sufficiently high estimations, the combat power Antonio, the Imperial Sword displayed was even more terrifying.

All this data is recorded in the Celestial Net database.

This was obtained at a great cost in North County.

"Both sides are in the probing stage; if he wants to expand the results, Antonio will surely make another move."

"If the Templar Order’s auras are fully extended, the losses of the Intelligent Mechanism Legion will further increase."

Bob understands that now they are just using the lives of the Intelligent Mechanism Legion to slow down the opponent’s array-breaking progress.

To stall, this is what Shang Siteng demands of Bob and all participating personnel.

As for why Shang Siteng did not say.

"Considering the above, based on the current known situation analysis, plus estimates of unknown possible situations, the Intelligent Mechanism Legion can hold for another two days."

Bob’s virtual silhouette of the Little Dragon People muttered to himself up to this point, his gaze falling on the formation core pillar of the Vermilion Bird Array.

"I will prepare a grand ’welcome ceremony’ for you here."

...

Within the White Tiger Array, gusts of evil wind blew.

The atmosphere of murder filled the entire array, making the entrants feel like thorns in their backs.

Unlike the fire amplification provided by the Vermilion Bird Array, the enhancement effect provided by the White Tiger Array is slaughter.

The White Tiger symbolizes slaughter in the Four Symbols, which belongs to metal.

The clash of metal signifies slaughter.

Within the White Tiger Array, all the Combat Spirit Contract Masters of Great Xia North County were enveloped in a faint gray evil energy.

This evil energy also varied in concentration.

The Legion Commander of the Fourth War Zone, Shen Zheqi, had the densest evil energy around him.

So far in battle, he had defeated over a hundred Imperial Knight Order knights, and each time he killed one, the evil energy around him became denser.

The role of evil energy is also very clear—it’s to amplify oneself, and it’s an all-around amplification.

Whether it’s power, defense, speed, or recovery, all are enhanced.

With Shen Zheqi’s current Tier Eight Spirit Contract Master strength, under such evil energy augmentation, he has already surpassed the strength expected of a Tier Eight Peak.

There is a faint tendency to break through to Tier Nine!

Shen Zheqi and they defend the White Tiger Array, facing the Empire’s second-ranking knight order, the Red Lotus Knight Order.

The Red Lotus Knight Order lacks a Tier Nine powerhouse, led by an Eight-Tier Peak Judgment Knight.

But under him are also ten Tier Eight Judgment Knights serving as deputy commanders.

In terms of hard strength, they are slightly weaker than the Templar Order, but they are also a very powerful legion.

Great Xia North County dispatched its last remaining force, the entire Fourth War Zone, based on such considerations.

Only truly legion-based Combat Spirit Contract Masters might potentially hold off their attack.

Even Shen Zheqi’s Fourth War Zone, except for him, has only one deputy also breaking through to Tier Eight, with less than a hundred Tier Seven Spirit Contract Masters.

Compared to the Imperial Knight Order, it pales in comparison.

If it weren’t for the evil energy augmentation of the White Tiger Array, they could not have held on for so long.

Even with the support of the White Tiger Array, there are already signs of collapse.

It is precarious.