"Men of Stones? That sounds... intriguing. What exactly are they?" Emperor Maximo asked as he leaned forward, feeling intrigued by her words.
Amelia tapped her tablet, pulling up an image of the project. The screen displayed a detailed blueprint of large humanoid figures made of stone and metal, with runes glowing faintly along their limbs. The figures were massive, each one towering over a regular human soldier, resembling a fusion of magic and modern robotics.
"What the hell? They look like they came out from one of those overrated Japanese Cartoons," remarked one of the general staff members.
"They look more like Gundam. No doubt that Yoshiyuki Tomino designed it. And it's Anime, you imbecile!" One politician shouted, seemingly offended.
"These 'Men of Stones' are essentially a new breed of combat golems," Amelia began. "Odysseus uses his Earth Magic to construct their bodies from reinforced materials, while Yoshiyuki Tomino and the team of engineers has integrated advanced AI systems into them. The result is a self-operating golem that can think and react in combat situations, combining magic and technology seamlessly."
"AI-powered golems?" Maximo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So, they're autonomous?"
"Yes, though not fully independent. The AI allows them to function without constant oversight, but they still follow orders and can be given commands through a neural network. Think of them as soldiers who never tire, never hesitate, and can adapt to battlefield conditions in real-time."
"They seem similar to the Archangels Unit."
One of the generals at the table frowned. "And how are they different from the regular Earth Golems we've seen in the field?"
Amelia pulled up more data. "Traditional Earth Golems are powered by a single magic user and are bound to that caster's will. If the caster is incapacitated or too far away, the golem becomes inactive. The Men of Stones are different because of the AI, once they're activated, they can function independently. They can analyze threats, engage enemies, and even learn from previous encounters to improve their efficiency."
Maximo seemed impressed but cautious. "And how strong are they compared to regular soldiers or even the Orcs?"
"They're designed to be nearly indestructible, at least against conventional weapons. Their stone bodies are infused with magic to be highly resistant to physical and magical attacks. Plus, they have immense strength, enough to lift and throw a vehicle, according to early tests. Against the Orcs, we estimate they'd be highly effective, especially against larger threats like High Orcs and Orc Warlords."
"And the AI," Maximo continued, "How smart are we talking? Can it make decisions in combat that might outwit an enemy?"
"Not quite at that level yet," Amelia admitted. "The AI is sophisticated, but it's focused more on combat tactics than complex strategy. They can assess a situation, identify threats, and engage accordingly, but they're not going to devise war plans on their own. They'll still need human oversight for broader strategic decisions."
One politician raised a hand. "What about their durability and cost? Are they expensive to produce?"
Amelia nodded. "They're definitely resource-intensive. Each golem requires rare materials and significant mana input to construct, not to mention the AI components. But Odysseus and Tomino have been optimizing the process and have made three of them for the past week so far. As for durability, initial tests show they can withstand extreme conditions and take heavy damage without losing functionality. They could even survive a direct hit from a 120mm armor-piercing round."
Maximo leaned back, clearly intrigued. "If we could mass-produce these golems, we could change the entire dynamic of our military. Fewer human casualties, more flexibility in combat, and an edge against these evolving threats. How soon can we expect to see them in action?"
"Odysseus and Tomino estimate the first combat-ready units will be deployed within the next few days, pending final adjustments," Amelia replied. "They're currently working on integrating the samples from the crystal of the Level 2 Boss, which could potentially give the golems an even greater power source."
Maximo's eyes widened slightly. "So, we might be looking at golems powered by those crystals? That would make them virtually unstoppable, wouldn't it?"
Amelia smiled. "That's the idea."
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Austronesia Empire, Imperial Majahapit, New Guinea, Orc Camp
1st Year of the New Age, Friday, 3rd Week, 3rd Month of Abraham
Under the cloak of midnight, darkness dominated an abandoned city, which is now under the Orcs' control. The heart of their encampment was a massive tent with its interior so black it seemed to devour any trace of light.
Jiak the Skull Krusher couldn't see anything as he was guided into the center of the tent by unknown hands.
"Warmaster, ya have kome for 'da ritual," A rasping voice came from the darkness. "But ta claim power, someth'n must be sacrificed. Wot will ya offer?"
"I offa 'da blood uv fallen enemiez," Jiak intoned, following the ancient ritual. "Ma blood for life, an' ma bones for strength."
"For dis, 'da ancestors shall rise an' br'n chaos ta 'da liv'n!" the Elder concluded and Jiak felt the hands pulling him back as the ceremony began in earnest.
Outside the tent, Jiak heard the Elder's chant grow, echoed by the shamans seated in a tight circle. A deep sinister red light glowed at their feet, and the magic circle slowly coming alive with eerie crimson hues. At the center of the magic circle lay a naked bound and gagged elf, splayed across a black obsidian altar.
The naked elf squirmed desperately, trying to free his bonds as his eyes wide with terror as he jerked left and right against the restraints. The chanting rose to a high frenzy and the shamans drummed a relentless beat against the dirt with human thigh bones as the rhythm driving the captive to the brink of madness.
As the magical light glew brighter and brighter, the elf's eyes bulged grotesquely, turning red as blood vessels bursting in his head with blood streaming from his ears and nose as his body were bending backward in an impossible angle and his muscles spasmed.
A wordless scream tore from his throat, drowned out by the chaotic chanting and the feverish pounding of the drums. The tension reached its peak, and in an instant, the elf's body exploded into a spray of blood and mist, leaving behind only bones and decaying flesh.
The tent fell into sudden oppressive silence as darkness reclaimed the space. The Elder approached the remains and dug out through them until he found the elf's heart, which still faintly beating and rotting within his grasp as he placed it in a small pouch.
"Burn 'da rest. Ensure noth'n remains but ash," he commanded before stepping out of the tent with the heart.
Jiak stood outside, waiting with several of his warriors arranged in a semicircle.
"Iz it done?" he asked as the Elder stepped out.
The Elder raised the pouch with dark stains leaking from its sides. "We are ready."
Without another word, Jiak turned and led the way with his warriors and the Elder following closely. They navigated the forest's twisted roots and damp soil by the light of their torches, before arriving at a broad clearing bathed in firelight.
His warriors spread out, illuminating the clearing with their torches, where it revealed to be a graveyard, where stones jutted from the earth, and the Elder sensed each one marking a body buried beneath.
"We found where da 'umiez buried most uv dere dead," Jiak said, gesturing to the cemetery.
"'cellent," the Elder hissed and moved through the stones until he came to a stop before pointing to a patch of ground. "Dig ere. Make 'da hole deep as tall as an Orc."
At Jiak's command, the warriors began digging. He stood back and crossed his arms as he waited. Within the time it took for sand to run through a glass, they had hollowed out a pit with the walls revealing fragments of rotting bones. The Elder inspected the hole, circling it twice and seemingly satisfied, he dropped the pouch inside and beginning a chant.
Even as a Transcendent Tier-1, Jiak couldn't suppress the chill creeping down his spine as the Elder's chant echoed through the clearing. His skin prickled with goosebumps, and he fought to keep his stomach from rebelling and the urge to vomit. Planting his feet firmly, he tried to shut out the nauseating sound and ignored The chanting.
Suddenly, one of the Orc warriors let out a strangled cry while holding his head in agony. He staggered in frenzied circles before crashing into a tree with such force that his skull split open, splattering brain matter across the bark. Another warrior trembled violently with his pee running down his legs.
Just as quickly as it had begun, the chanting stopped, and the Elder turned toward Jiak with the hint of a smile visible beneath the shadow of his hood. Gliding over to the fallen Orc, he paused, leaning over the cracked skull and poked the spilled brain matter with a skeletal finger.
"Hmmm," the Elder mused, inspecting the grisly remains. "The Spirits are pleased. This is a good omen."
Jiak clenched his fists to stop them from shaking and gathered his voice, which felt trapped in his throat.
"Is it done?"
Around him, the other warriors struggled to recover themselves from the sanity inducing chanting. Some had collapsed with weakened legs while others vomited or stood in pools of their own piss. None dared meet the Elder's gaze or look at their unfortunate kin.
"Yes, yes," the Elder muttered, still toying with the dead Orc's brains. With a casual motion, he wiped the gray matter onto his fingers, then slipped them beneath his hood, tasting the fresh brains as if savoring a delicacy. "It iz done. All iz as it should be. Now, we wait."
Jiak exhaled, his strength returning just as the ground beneath him began to squirm and move. He quickly stepped back and kept alert as he watched the soil writhe and crumble. A chorus of moans rose from the mound of human corpses, and the Orc who had just committed suicide jerked up on all fours and stood up, moving like a puppet on invisible strings.
"Ahhh, ma children," the Elder crooned with glee, clapping his hands like a delighted child. "Kome ta me!"
The living dead heeding the Elder's words stood up and shuffled over to join him, while skeletal hands burst through the soil and clawed their way out to the surface.
Rotting corpses, both Orc and human alike, dragged themselves from the earth and formed a growing mass of undead. Jiak watched in grim fascination. He had heard tales and stories of the Elders' power over the dead, but seeing it first hand was something else entirely. The once-mighty Orc warriors, stood lifelessly beside the remains of human soldiers, which most of them were just bones and tattered cloth clinging to their skeletal body, stood awaiting the words of the Elder.
"It iz time," Jiak said to the Elder and saluted with more respect than usual.
With an undead army at their command, all they need to do is wait till the defenders exhaust themselves before the Orc pushes in.
"Send im against 'da 'umiez. Dey'll be perfect for a night attack."
The Elder's grin widened. "Spirit Warriors, kome! Tonight, ya live again!"