Legacy of the Void Fleet

Chapter 418: Ch

This made it significantly easier for mech pilots to quickly get accustomed to their new mechs, starfighters, combat systems, and so on.

Because of that, it took no more than six additional hours to complete the massive transfer operation and allow the crews, pilots, and soldiers to familiarise themselves with the ships, mechs, starfighters, and other equipment.

At the same time, all the ships within the fleet were fully loaded with ammunition such as missiles, energy cells, shells, and various other combat supplies.

They were also stocked with enough provisions and logistical support materials for the crews and troops stationed inside them, whose combined numbers at this point already exceeded several million personnel altogether.

At that moment, sitting on one of the Indigo Dreadnought-class battleships designated as the flagship of this small fleet was none other than Kronos, who was being persuaded by a few imperial admirals and vice admirals.

"Prince, please think about it once more!" said the admiral of the newly created fleet directly under the command of the First Prince, Kronos himself.

"Yes, Prince, please reconsider!" a vice admiral added. "No matter how good the specifications and promises of these new vessels, mechs, and starfighters are, they are still untested, Prince! What if they are not as powerful as it was stated on paper?"

"Wouldn’t you then be gambling your life, Prince? No, this can’t be done, Prince... please reconsider once more!"

"And you all, what are you standing there silent for? Help me persuade the Prince at once!" the vice admiral, whose face looked like he was about to cry, barked at the others.

At that moment, Maxwell moved forward. He was the man responsible for the research and development of the Imperium’s most advanced technologies and systems. Instead of speaking to the Prince, he addressed the admirals and vice admirals instead.

"You all should calm down. There is nothing wrong with these vessels, and their performance is exactly as stated. And with how they are built, our pilots and personnel won’t need much time to get familiar with their controls, since most of the systems are basically the same.

With powerful AI integrated into the mix, controlling these large ships, mechs, and starfighters becomes far easier for them."

"Believe it or not, Admirals and Vice Admirals, using these AI systems, even a mediocre pilot could become an elite. What’s more, all our pilots and personnel are already the best of the best." This he said quite proudly!!

"Meaning this technology will only enhance their power and capabilities. So I have to say, we really do not have much to worry about." With an almost casual shrug of his shoulders, he spoke... as if it wasn’t even a big deal. When in reality, it truly was.

Hearing this, both the Admiral and Vice Admiral, along with their subordinates, looked at each other doubtfully, yet at the same time with clear surprise.

It was something Maxwell noticed immediately, causing him to puff his chest out even more, as if it had been his own creation.

’Cough... well, it isn’t my creation, but the creation of a fellow being. Still, since we all walk the same path, that makes it my achievement as well. Even more so...’ Maxwell would have replied proudly if someone had actually said, ’Was it even your creation? What are you so proud of, huh?’

"If anything, this is a chance for us to test these ships and our other new technologies. And this mission is the perfect place to do exactly that..."

Even though they felt there was some truth in Maxwell’s words, that was all. It did not change their intentions at all, nor did it guarantee Prince Safety in any way.

And so, hearing this, the admirals, vice admirals, and the others were stunned at first. But then their faces flushed red with anger.

"You... youuu! What are you saying?!" one of them shouted while pointing directly at Maxwell.

"Don’t you fear that if something were to happen to the Prince, would you be able to face the wrath of the Emperor and the Supreme Lord Seer?!"

"Enough, Admiral. Vice Admiral." It was then that Kronos intervened.

At that moment, he was facepalming in frustration as he said, "I have already made up my mind. Nothing you say will change that."

"But... but Prince..." the admiral still unwillingly spoke, only to be interrupted again.

"No buts. And as for your worries about my father and grandfather, you need not concern yourselves. Do you think I would dare make such a major move without informing them beforehand?" At this moment, he was already displeased by the behavior of his subordinates.

(Well, both the Vice Admirals and Admirals, along with most of the people excluding the soldiers, had sworn loyalty under him.)

He felt even more frustrated as he tried to reason with them, but he was slowly reaching his limits!

"T-They know about it?" the admiral asked in disbelief.

"Of course they do. If not, why would I even do this?" Kronos replied speechlessly, wondering just how terrible his reputation must be for them to doubt him even when he was speaking directly to their faces.

But now he had heard enough of it.

He had already said what needed to be said, and if they still dared to pressure him further, then he would simply leave them stranded here on the space station.

"Hmph," Kronos thought coldly.

At the same time, both the Vice Admirals and Admirals shivered slightly under Kronos’s gaze. None of them dared to speak another word of persuasion.

Seeing the almost-red expression on their prince’s face, they knew that if they pushed any further, punishment would definitely follow.

Unwilling though they were, they could only swallow their words while glaring hatefully toward Max and the others, feeling that they were the true culprits behind everything. In their minds, it was because of them that they had failed to pressure their prince successfully.

Max, noticing their gazes, felt that he had somehow made quite a few enemies instead and suddenly felt a little troubled.

Even so, he still puffed out his chest proudly and said quietly,

"If you all want to walk my path, then I have to say... it’s a difficult one."

Saying that, he arrogantly walked out toward the command bridge before saluting the prince and informing him where he could be found if needed.

This left both the Admirals and Vice Admirals utterly astounded and confused at the same time, black lines practically appearing across their foreheads.

In the end, both of them concluded that Max was simply a madman and decided to ignore the rest of his words.

Just then, they heard Kronos’s slightly angered voice echo through the command room.

"Hmph! Command the fleet and prepare for departure toward the Brown Star System!"

"There we will join the rest of our fleet before moving toward the Silver Mountain Star System."

"And I dare the both of you... if any delay happens, I will hold all of you accountable!"

Hearing this, both Admirals looked at each other in terror, inwardly thinking that the prince was truly angry now.

Helplessly, they nodded their heads immediately.

"We won’t disappoint you, Your Highness," they replied before hurriedly beginning coordination across the entire fleet.

Soon, orders spread rapidly as every ship began warming up its hyperspace modules.

Three minutes later, the entire fleet was fully prepared. Each ship’s hyperspace drive synchronised with the others, and under Kronos’s orders, the fleet moved together and entered hyperspace, disappearing from the Ocean Star System as they headed toward the Brown Star System.

Six hours later, somewhere within the Brown Star System, over three hundred ships re-entered real space from hyperspace before continuing their journey at sub-light speed toward the system’s fifth planet, a fully militarised celestial body.

There, the fleet was joined by over a thousand additional warships, along with three massive battle fortresses positioned throughout the fleet formation.

Not long after regrouping, the fleet once again entered hyperspace and moved toward another star system.

A system which, until roughly a year ago, had belonged to the Azura Imperium before falling under the attacks of the Orc Clans, causing the Imperium to lose control over it entirely.

And this was no ordinary loss.

The system contained deposits of precious resources reaching high-grade tiers. Not just one kind, but five different types, each possessing properties far superior to other resources of the same grade.

So naturally, this had been a massive blow to the Azura Imperium.

And yet... at the same time, it wasn’t.

Because the Imperium itself did not have much direct use for those alloys and resources.

Even so, they were still considered national-level treasures.

Especially now, when discussions had already begun within the Imperium regarding handing over the entire star system to the Void Humans, allowing them to mine, develop, and safeguard it while ownership still remained under the Imperium itself.

But there was one condition.

The star system first had to be completely cleansed of all Orc presence.

He could still remember the words of Lady Yanshi, the high-ranking member of the Void Humans.