Luna's lips curled into a smile as she continued.
"House Saint Gallus is better equipped to integrate the resources of the Noble Council—the most powerful faction in Brevis."
She looked toward the nobles who had been suppressed by Raynor until they couldn't lift their heads. Their eyes lit up at her words.
"Not coercion, but integration," Luna emphasized. "Coercion only reduces efficiency; integration is the only way to unleash maximum power."
The nobles began to whisper among themselves, their faces flushing with a long-lost excitement. Luna looked at Raynor.
Raynor, the one being "pointed at," remained sitting there as if nothing had happened, his face devoid of expression. Isud stood behind him, her right hand clenched into a tight fist with veins bulging. Raynor could feel Sarah's fury; that cold killing intent was nearly overflowing.
But Isud did not move. The emotion she sensed from Raynor was a composed, steady calm.
Raynor isn't worried?
Isud relaxed her fist and took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
Seeing that Raynor remained silent, Luna assumed he had backed down. She continued triumphantly:
"For this Crusade, House Saint Gallus can unite the Noble Council to mobilize five million private troops."
"The Mechanicus can deploy two million Skitarii, fifteen million combat robots, and ten million servitors of various types."
"As for the fleet: one battleship, five cruisers, and twenty frigates."
As she spoke, she glanced at Raynor from time to time with provocative eyes.
"And..." She deliberately drew out the last word. "One hundred and fifty God-Machines of the Empire."
Boom! The hall exploded.
One hundred and fifty God-Machines! What did that even mean? At least fifty Knight suits plus a hundred Armigers! And that was only a portion of the force; the land vehicles and ammunition supplies hadn't even been factored in yet.
Everyone sucked in a breath of cold air. The nobles, who had been suppressed for so long, finally straightened their backs at this moment. They looked at Luna as if she were a savior. Some began to cheer and stood up to applaud, their faces red with agitation.
"Long live Regent Luna!" "Long live House Saint Gallus!" "This is the leader we should follow!"
The cheers grew louder and more frenzied. They seemed to already see the image of Luna leading them to conquer Dorido and trampling Raynor underfoot.
Carter's face was ashen. Goodwin set down his teacup, his brow furrowed. Chairman Trene's face was flushed red, his fists creaking as he clenched them.
But Raynor still sat there without any expression. He watched it all quietly—the cheering nobles and the smug Luna. Isud stood behind him, sensing his emotions. What she received was still a vast expanse of calm.
Sarah also relaxed because she knew: if Raynor was like this, he certainly had a backup plan ready.
The cheering lasted for a long time. The nobles seemed to be releasing all the suppression they had felt over the past few months. They jumped, shouted, and embraced each other as if they had already won.
Luna stood in the center of the crowd, soaking in the adulation. The Governor? The Emperor's Chosen? The Ice Lord? Nothing more than this.
When the cheers finally subsided, she raised her hand to signal for silence.
"Everyone..."
Just as she spoke, a voice interrupted her.
"Finished?"
Everyone was stunned. Raynor slowly stood up. He didn't look at the cheering nobles or the excited generals, and he didn't even look at Luna. He simply stood, adjusted his mantle, and then lifted his head.
A cold gaze swept over the assembly. The nobles who had been cheering just moments ago suddenly fell silent under that gaze. Raynor looked at Luna. In those purple eyes, there was no anger or panic, only a confident composure.
"Regent Luna," he began, his voice not loud but carrying the weight of a command. "Are you finished?"
Luna's smile froze. She wanted to fire back a sharp retort, but found herself unable to do so. "Finished... yes."
Raynor nodded and offered a faint smile. "Good," he said. "Now it's my turn."
He took a step forward. The nobles who had been standing in celebration instinctively took a step back. He took another step. More people retreated. He walked forward step by step, and the nobles retreated step by step. The crowd that had surrounded Luna quickly dispersed, leaving her standing alone in the center.
Raynor walked up to her and stopped. They stood face-to-face, less than a meter apart. One was fully armed in shining power armor with the Sword of Valenia at his waist. The other wore magnificent noble robes, her cybernetic left eye glowing slightly, but the signature smile was no longer on her face.
Raynor looked at her and gave a soft sigh. Then, he spoke unhurriedly, his tone as casual as if they were chatting at home.
"The strength Regent Luna displayed just now is indeed impressive. One hundred and fifty God-Machines, over twenty warships, and an army of tens of millions."
His gaze landed on Luna's face, but his eyes were not as calm as his voice. "Anyone would think that Regent Luna is indeed qualified to be the Marshal of this Crusade."
A smug smile just began to surface on Luna's face when Raynor's tone shifted.
"However, I support Chairman Trene's viewpoint. As a technical officer, Regent Luna is far too idealistic regarding combat with Orks."
Raynor walked to the center of the hall. He turned to face everyone, his voice steady, but every word cut deep.
"You may think that by relying on powerful firepower and superior equipment, you can defeat the Orks." He glanced back at Luna. "But if you truly think that, you are gravely mistaken."
Everyone in the hall watched him. Raynor raised his hand, projecting a holographic star map. On the screen, the model of the planet Dorido rotated slowly, densely marked with Ork distribution zones.
"There are many terrifying things about Orks, and even their horrific reproduction rate and massive numbers don't amount to much." He zoomed in on the image, showing a close-up of an Ork Warboss. "The most terrifying thing is a unique field they possess, known as the WAAAGH! field."
People began to whisper; this was a concept most present had heard of for the first time.
"If you cannot completely annihilate them in a short period, they can rely on that field to rapidly catch up to our technological level." Raynor's voice echoed through the hall, silencing the murmurs once again.
"You might start using meltas, and they can use the productivity of a primitive society to forge similar weapons. In other words, if you cannot defeat them utterly in a short time, you will become the catalyst for them to grow stronger. Then, they will use their superior numbers to turn the tide."
He looked at Luna, his eyes turning sharp. "When that happens, a failed Crusade is a minor concern. Their counter-invasion of Brevis is the real catastrophe."
Luna gritted her teeth, glaring at Raynor. Raynor withdrew his gaze, his tone returning to a peaceful state.
"And while I am of humble talent..." The corners of his mouth curled slightly. "I happen to have the experience of slaying Ork Warbosses on two occasions. Furthermore, I know the method to completely crush them before their technology catches up to ours."
He walked back to his seat but did not sit down. Instead, he looked at the assembly.
"Therefore, I do not need Regent Luna to deploy her entire force. I only require a portion of your armaments to share the pressure on the front lines. With Regent Luna's assistance, I am confident that the Crusade will be a success!"