Chapter 840: March for Augustus

Lei En could barely stand the gaze of the Extreme Warriors, so he said, "These thirty sets of power armor I'll give first to the brothers of the First Company."

"Great!"

"Ji Li Man bless, thank you, boss!" the Extreme Warriors all cheered.

Xi Ka Liu Si was ecstatic, almost leapt up with joy. He is the commander of the First Company, with sixty brothers under him; if half of them don power armor, the First Company's strength will far surpass the other companies, and it will leap several tiers!

Lei En couldn't help but smile.

The First Company is his own guard unit, the strongest in the brigade. Whenever a dangerous battle arises, the First Company always charges at the front, never missing an operation; they follow him through life and death, so the power armor naturally goes first to them.

The other four companies of the brigade have no major objections to this.

Even if they did, they must obey.

Lei En had already decided the allocation plan, saying, "Xi Ka Liu Si, after this gather all the brothers of the First Company to distribute the power armor. There are only thirty sets now, so aside from the company commander and squad leaders, the rest draw lots."

After an Extreme Warrior ascends to Legendary, its power growth slows.

In the past two years, he has had no surplus energy to enhance the Extreme Warriors, so they must train themselves, and he has provided ample magic pills and cultivation conditions; most are stuck at the peak of Legendary early stage, and only a little over twenty have broken through to Mid-stage, less than one‑tenth.

Since the brothers' abilities are roughly equal, Lei En doesn't want to favor some over others; drawing lots is the fairest method, each person has a fifty‑percent chance to get power armor.

Upon hearing this, the four Extreme Warriors felt a bit uneasy.

Xi Ka Liu Si, however, was completely untroubled; after all he'll still have his own set, as long as the armor goes to the First Company.

He shouted back, "Yes, boss!"

The Soul Eye saw Xi Ka Liu Si's emotional fluctuations were intense, in a highly excited state.

Lei En, fearing he'd get too reckless, adopted a serious expression and warned, "Xi Ka Liu Si, power armor is ultimately just a magical equipment, an external force; it isn't your own power, nor is it invincible. Don't think that wearing power armor makes you a true Saint Rank elite."

"Compared to a Saint Rank elite, you're still far away."

*Click*.

The outer helmet of the power armor automatically opened, revealing Xi Ka Liu Si's face; he half‑kneeled before Lei En and whispered, "I've got it, boss."

Lei En could hear he was still a bit resentful, feeling a touch of helplessness.

But it wasn't entirely Xi Ka Liu Si's fault.

For people of Ai Lun E Si's world, the power armor—its design philosophy, operation method, and the overwhelming power it displays—completely overturns their worldview.

Xi Ka Liu Si was the first to experience power armor; the shock inevitably swelled his ego.

Lei En said earnestly, "You should understand that power armor is a combat‑power amplification platform. The stronger you are, the higher the combat power you can unleash with it."

"You're at Legendary Mid-stage; after donning power armor you can barely contend with some weaker Saint Rank elites, but against slightly stronger Saint Rank elites you'll only be fighting for survival, and against Holy Soul Wizards you have no chance at all."

I just sparred with Xi Ka Liu Si and didn't even draw three percent of my strength.

So it gave him a false impression.

"The other brothers are only Legendary early stage; even with power armor they'll struggle to match Saint Rank elites, surviving solo is already good enough," Lei En urged, "so don't actually think the Extreme Brigade is already invincible."

"If you want to see the brigade unbeatable across the world, stay low‑key and keep working hard."

"When all brothers ascend to Legendary High-rank and all wear power armor, then you can be as arrogant as you wish, but not now—understood?"

Lei En's gaze was extremely stern.

Xi Ka Liu Si finally took it in, nodding heavily, "Yes, boss!"

The other four Extreme Warriors responded in unison.

"Return now."

Lei En opened the teleportation gate, led the group back to the mechanical alchemy chamber, and said to Xi Ka Liu Si, "Step onto the platform and take off the power armor; I'll have it repaired."

Xi Ka Liu Si obeyed and stood on the platform.

The Titan engine shut down, the deep rumble of the engine ceased, the energy dissipated, and mechanical arms beneath the platform swiftly dismantled the armor.

Like peeling an onion, layer after layer of armor was removed, revealing Xi Ka Liu Si's robust body.

He felt a vague sense of loss.

Without the system‑assisted armor, he instantly lost global awareness of surrounding information; that seemingly omnipotent power faded, feeling as if he'd been reduced to his original form.

Xi Ka Liu Si silently put on his old armor; he had once loved that set, now he thought it was trash!

He stared tightly at the Thundercast Celestial Soldier emerging from outside, who had taken the power armor components, and asked, "Boss, when will my power armor be repaired?"

"The damage isn't severe; half a day will do," Lei En replied.

"That's good, that's good…" Xi Ka Liu Si exhaled, a smile appearing, then he thought of another question, "Can we only rely on it to put the power armor on us?" He pointed at the platform and mechanical arm in the mechanical alchemy chamber.

"Of course not."

Lei En shook his head, "You can learn to don and remove power armor yourselves, but it'll be much slower. From now on every brother must train, mastering the steps to wear power armor and some basic repair techniques."

Xi Ka Liu Si and the Extreme Warriors all indicated they understood.

The brothers cannot fully depend on the mechanical platform; in battles far from Jin Gang Fort, if accidents occur they must know how to handle it themselves.

"Go, gather the brothers of the First Company," Lei En ordered.

"Yes!"

Xi Ka Liu Si sprinted out; shortly after, all sixty Extreme Warriors of the First Company were summoned to the Jin Gang Fort base.

Some Extreme Warriors training at Jin Gang Fort, as well as company commanders and squad leaders from other companies, also came to join the commotion.

The mountain interior of Jin Gang Fort had been expanded; Lei En had built ten power armor fitting rooms around a central hall. Over a hundred Extreme Warriors gathered in the hall, curious about why the Original Entity had summoned them, when a heavy footstep sounded from a side door.

Immediately, they saw the power armor.

The Extreme Warriors instantly sensed the armor's greatness and uniqueness; while they were still observing, Lei En said, "Brothers, this is my latest power armor. Wear it and your strength will surge dramatically, easily confronting Legendary High-rank enemies, even unafraid of Saint Rank elites."

The crowd erupted in a roar.

Most Extreme Warriors were skeptical; Lei En didn't waste words, he took them up to the plateau and demonstrated.

Moments later, the Extreme Warriors returning to the armor hall had completely changed looks.

Their eyes were filled with shock and frenzy.

And there's an uncontrollable excitement!

When they heard Lei En say that there were only thirty power armors, to be allocated first to the brothers of the first company, and that a lottery would be held, the Extreme Warriors all became nervous. The Extreme Warriors from the other companies present felt even more hopeless, but they obeyed the Original Body absolutely, and could only watch the brothers of the first company with envy.

"Let's draw lots."

Lei En took out a black metal box with a hole on top where one could insert a hand; inside were dozens of round balls. After crushing a ball, a slip of paper was retrieved, bearing a number from 1 to 52, indicating the order for receiving a power armor.

Xi Ka Liu Si, the two deputy company commanders, and the five captains were exempt from drawing.

In that case, only twenty‑two power armors remained to be allocated, but the Extreme Warriors had no objections to this fair method.

The lottery began immediately.

The Extreme Warriors one by one took a round ball from the box and, eager, crushed it.

"Hahaha! Number 15! I got it!"

"Ji Li Man on top!"

"Number 33..."

The Extreme Warriors who drew lots were ecstatic, while those who didn't were dejected, feeling very regretful inside, yet could only blame their own bad luck.

The lottery ended quickly.

Lei En looked at the downcast Extreme Warriors and said reassuringly, "Brothers who didn't draw need not be disappointed; more power armors will come later. In the future, not just the first company, every brigade's brothers will receive power armors."

An Extreme Warrior couldn't help but ask, "Boss, how long will it take for all brothers to get power armors?"

"At most ten years," Lei En replied after a moment's thought.

One power armor costs 150,000 Gold Shields; three hundred sets total 45,000,000, and I can't muster that much money now. The manufacturing materials for power armor share many with the Sky‑raising Colossus, and in the past two years alchemical material prices have skyrocketed; many materials are unaffordable even with money.

Moreover, the production process of power armor is extremely complex, entirely handcrafted, and very time‑consuming.

Ten Thundercast Celestial Soldiers working together, day and night, doing nothing else, still need nine to ten months to complete one power armor.

Now I have five hundred Thundercast Celestial Soldiers, but I can't assign them all to make power armor; at most a hundred can participate.

Thundercast Celestial Soldiers have more important tasks!

The priority rank for power armor can only be placed as high as third.

Lacking money, lacking materials, lacking manpower.

These three factors limit the production speed of power armor; even with skilled processes now, at most thirty sets can be made per year, so equipping the whole brigade will take about ten years.

In fact, even if three hundred power armors were produced immediately, they'd be of little use.

Because the source crystal supply is insufficient.

A large source crystal rod weighs 150 pounds and can power one power armor for six months. Converted, the entire Extreme Warrior brigade, in non‑combat periods, consumes 250 pounds of source crystal daily. If they join combat, source crystal consumption spikes by dozens of times instantly.

Lei En's biggest source crystal source now is Duke Ao Gu Si Du's Bo Li Tuo Xi Mine; this mithril mine has been frantically excavated in recent years, and source crystal output has declined year by year.

In less than three years, the mine's source crystal will be exhausted.

He hasn't traded with the Titan Elder for a long time; he has accumulated source crystals, and continuously purchased them in the Empire and Kangjiatuo, now totaling over 40,000 pounds of source crystal.

Power armor, Electric Light Cannon, and the Sky‑raising Colossus all consume source crystal, enough only for two to three years; then new source crystal mines will certainly have to be sought.

Without source crystal, even a multitude of power armors are merely decorations, useless.

In short, the power armor issue cannot be rushed.

"We have to wait that long..."

The Extreme Warriors were somewhat disappointed, finally understanding how difficult it is to forge power armor.

"It doesn't necessarily have to be ten years," Lei En smiled. When that crucial project is completed, Thundercast Celestial Soldiers will free up manpower, and he will find ways to earn money and scavenge alchemical materials; the power armor output can soon be increased.

But he gave the Extreme Warriors no further explanation.

"Now the brothers who drew numbers 1 to 22, step forward," Lei En said.

The twenty‑two Extreme Warriors excitedly stepped out, along with the first company's deputy commanders and captains, obeying Lei En's order and entering the surrounding armor dressing rooms.

After a clatter of mechanical arms moving, the power armor was donned.

Bang bang bang bang…

Twenty‑nine Extreme Warriors clad in power armor regrouped; the armor, weighing over ten thousand pounds, with metal war boots stamping the floor, made the entire hall tremble as if an earthquake occurred.

Their Titan Engines were all activated, emitting massive energy fluctuations that converged; the overwhelming aura surged like a towering wave, causing the other on‑looking Extreme Warriors in the hall to turn pale, feel suffocated, and involuntarily step back a few paces.

"Ji Li Man on top!"

"Is this the power armor..."

"So powerful!"

The Extreme Warriors let out astonished cries, and couldn't help but be stunned.

Watching these brothers in power armor, they couldn't help but think that even the Celestial Legion and the Demon Legion weren't this terrifying, right?

If there were a hundred brothers in power armor, even charging into the Abyss they'd be fearless!

They recalled the Original Body's words back then: "Make this world feel pain!"

Now, that sentence is finally becoming reality!

The Extreme Brigade will inevitably become the strongest transcendent army in Ai Lun E Si's world ever recorded. The Extreme Warriors' hearts surged, all looking at Lei En, but they saw the Original Body with a faint smile, as if everything were under control, and these power armors were merely insignificant small creations.

In that moment, the Extreme Warriors seemed to see a deity.

The Original Body was clearly just a mortal, yet everything he did, the great miracles he forged, were enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with gods, even surpass them!

The Extreme Warriors could not suppress the excitement in their hearts.

So much so that some Extreme Warriors' faith in Ji Li Man wavered.

"For Duke Ao Gu Si Du's march!"

"For Duke Ao Gu Si Du's march!"

"For Duke Ao Gu Si Du's march!"

Whether wearing power armor or not, the Extreme Warriors gathered around Lei En, half‑kneeling with Lei En at the center, loudly shouting the Extreme Brigade's slogan; the unified cries echoed through the armor hall, lingering without fading.

(End of chapter)