Castellan Creed cast his gaze toward Zeke.
His original intention in inviting Zeke was to utilize the man's excavation abilities to reinforce the bastion's tunnel system and add some mobility to their defenses.
He had never imagined this young man would step forward at this moment.
"You?" Wolf Lord Bloodhowl looked Zeke up and down.
"To be precise," Zeke took a step forward, shifting his body slightly to the side, "it's not me. It's the big guy behind me."
Zeke tilted his head slightly and whispered, "Relax, Iron Golem. Just treat it like an interview. The position is for what you do best: defense."
The Iron Golem showed no reaction, continuing to fiddle with the poppy in its hand.
Zeke stepped aside, completely exposing the Iron Golem to everyone's view.
"This is..." Magos Klein of the Adeptus Mechanicus had actually noticed the strange construct in the corner quite some time ago. "It does not appear to be the work of my colleagues. Zeke, is it? Perhaps we can have an in-depth discussion later."
"A strange creation," Canoness Eleanor said, holding her prayer scroll with both hands.
"An interesting little trinket, isn't it?" remarked the Raven Guard, Arshal, who was standing in the corner and had barely spoken.
"A mechanical construct? I wonder about its combat capabilities." The Black Templar caressed the pistol in his hand; he was one of the few people at this meeting carrying a weapon.
"How much power can this iron lump possibly have?" Bloodhowl retorted.
"Hmph, the characteristic arrogance of the Wolves," the Dark Angel let out a disdainful sound.
"What did you say!" Bloodhowl slammed the table and stood abruptly. "Dark Angel, you should be fortunate that you are not here in person."
Zeke then led the Iron Golem to the center of the room. He felt like an animal being exhibited in a zoo.
"Everyone, I call this mechanical construct an Iron Golem."
"I know you are all doubting its strength. My view is simple: practice is the sole criterion for testing truth." (TL/N: "Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth" is a core principle in Marxist philosophy, asserting that objective reality (social practice) determines a theory's validity, not subjective belief)
Zeke raised his hand, pointing at the Iron Golem. "So, would anyone like to try it out personally?"
As his words fell, three distinct auras in the venue stirred almost simultaneously, clearly showing an intent to test it.
Amalrich of the Black Templars remained silent, but his gaze fixed on the Iron Golem with a hint of sharpness. Since arriving on Cadia, it had been too long since he had encountered a worthy opponent.
Inquisitor Daverna, rather than wanting to test the Iron Golem, seemed more interested in finding an excuse to purge Zeke along with his blasphemous creation.
However, the fastest to act was the Wolf Lord of the Space Wolves, Bloodhowl.
"Watch closely, Dark Angel. This is the consequence of challenging me," Bloodhowl said to the hologram of the Dark Angel behind him.
He then turned to Zeke. "I'll test this thing for Creed. I hope it's sturdy enough."
Bloodhowl stepped out from his seat. He carried no weapons and wasn't even wearing a helmet.
He walked to the front with bare hands, standing face-to-face with the Iron Golem.
"Everyone, this..." Kell tried to intervene.
"Let him try," Castellan Creed's voice rang out.
Who could have predicted that this meeting would evolve into a fight?
Countless Cadian officials silently scooted their chairs backward.
Zeke quickly compared the data of both sides in his mind. The length of their health bars looked about the same.
In terms of defense, Bloodhowl in his power armor certainly had the advantage. However, since he wasn't using a weapon, the Iron Golem's knock-up effect might create some opportunities.
There was some suspense, but not much.
After all, the opponent wasn't just an ordinary 'tin can', but a Wolf Lord of the Space Wolves.
"Captain Bloodhowl," Zeke spoke up to remind him, "It will only counterattack after you attack it first."
"Oh, is that so?" Bloodhowl grinned, revealing sharp canines.
He went from stillness to motion instantly, his speed exceeding the visual tracking limit of ordinary humans.
Vision blurred, and a vague afterimage smashed into the Iron Golem's chest.
Bloodhowl's punch hit home, knocking off one-eighth of the Iron Golem's health, though the Iron Golem suffered no knockback.
As expected of a Space Wolf known for speed, Zeke asked himself honestly, knowing he definitely couldn't have dodged that strike.
The successful attack triggered the Iron Golem's hostility mechanic.
The Iron Golem turned toward the attacker, its arms sweeping upward from below.
Space Wolves were known for their agility; with Bloodhowl's speed, he was fully capable of dodging.
"Come on, let me measure your strength." Bloodhowl didn't dodge. He crossed his arms and met the giant steel limbs head-on.
The moment they collided, the imperious expression on Bloodhowl's face froze, turning into shock.
He was sent flying.
Pfft. The Dark Angel, who had been watching, couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Bloodhowl quickly adjusted his posture in mid-air and landed.
That hit, after damage reduction, only took about 7 health points off Bloodhowl.
Zeke had a rough idea now. In pure melee combat, it would probably take multiple Iron Golems to effectively suppress Bloodhowl.
Having suffered from the knock-up, Bloodhowl began to utilize his agility advantage, circling and weaving around the Iron Golem.
He always managed to dodge by a hair's breadth before the Iron Golem's attack landed.
Then, in the brief interval after the Iron Golem's attack, he would seize the opportunity to strike.
Dull thuds rang out rhythmically in the auditorium.
Cracks on the Iron Golem's body became more numerous and dense.
It continued to faithfully execute its counterattack program, waving its arms ceaselessly.
That's about enough.
Zeke looked at the Iron Golem's health, which was nearing the halfway point. He knew that under normal circumstances, defeat was only a matter of time.
Unfortunately, what you have encountered is an Iron Golem with a Player standing behind it.
A calm smile tugged at the corner of Zeke's mouth. He shifted a small step forward, unnoticed.
His hand pulled a stack of iron ingots from his inventory interface, and he began right-clicking on the scarred Iron Golem. (TL/N: I know he is not right clicking literally but I don't know a better way to write it.)
The Iron Golem itself might not be invincible, but an Iron Golem backed by a Player is an entity capable of grinding even a Warden to death.
Half an hour passed.
Why does this iron lump feel like it's getting tougher the more I hit it? The dent left by a punch just a moment ago vanished in the next second. The look of contempt in Bloodhowl's eyes was gone.
The atmosphere in the auditorium had long since changed. The gaze of the onlookers turned from curiosity to a stunned sense of absurdity.
They watched helplessly as Wolf Lord Bloodhowl furiously attacked the steel giant for a full half-hour.
And that construct called the Iron Golem? It looked perfectly fine.
Many people, like Magos Klein, had noticed Zeke's subtle movements early on, which only made them more curious.
Can it perform real-time battlefield repairs? Magos Klein began to suspect that this Iron Golem was created from some STC left over from ancient times.
This damn thing just won't die. Bloodhowl's breathing began to grow heavy.
High-intensity, sustained explosive combat was beginning to place a massive burden even on an Astartes; his stamina was draining rapidly.
This Astartes' stamina is ridiculous, Zeke secretly complained to himself. I've almost used up two stacks of iron ingots.
It's fine. As long as I make a name for the Iron Golem, I won't lack for iron blocks in the future.
With this thought in mind, Zeke pulled out another stack of iron ingots.