High above the eastern coast of Australia.
The colossal skyborne warship "Taixu-hao," having journeyed from Shenzhou, arrived in the designated airspace.
Its unashamedly pure gold color scheme, more dazzling than the sun, combined with its spindle-shaped, streamlined hull—if it were flying at low altitude, the "Taixu-hao's" presence would undoubtedly capture everyone's attention.
"Our ship has entered the alert perimeter."
"Target is within visual range."
On the enormous bridge, at the end of a mechanical arm extending like an octopus tentacle, the "Navigator" was reporting the latest situation.
"Main cannon?"
"'Yao Guang' energy charge at 91.9%. Ignition system ready."
The Captain, standing in the center of the bridge, stroked his coarse stubble.
The Taixu Warship was undertaking a solo intrusion. Operating without an escort fleet, and with its two sister ships not yet "launched," was, in principle, a very unwise choice.
Unfortunately, the battlefield waited for no one.
To eliminate the large, high-altitude Quillspike-class Honkai Beast.
It was necessary to dispatch an aerial weapon possessing sufficient firepower to blast the target until it could no longer reform its body, while also having stealth capabilities adequate to evade the enemy's initial detection wave.
The Taixu Warship was the undeniable choice.
"Launch 'Jinwu'."
With the new command issued, from the slowly rotating central axis of the Taixu Warship, what had previously appeared to be extremely exquisite "ornaments" suddenly detached from the main body of the Taixu with resonant mechanical sounds.
Arrow-shaped aerodynamic design.
Possessing twin vector-thrust engines and equipped with variable twin-turbines: the large aerial interceptors, "Jinwu."
A total of four Jinwu.
During the Taixu Warship's bombardment, they would be responsible for dealing with any incoming funnels and their beam attacks. To achieve maximum destructive effect on the target, all of the Taixu Warship's energy would be channeled to the main cannon, so defensive measures could only be entrusted to the Jinwu.
"'Jinwu' have launched."
"Very good."
The Captain tightened his gloves.
The man's age and experience had brought him to the position of "Captain," but the minor issue of sweaty palms at critical moments was still unavoidable. These gloves, commissioned by his aide-de-camp from the "Huntian" Institute as a "by-the-way" fabrication, worked quite well.
His gaze was fixed on the locked-on silhouette of the Big Jellyfish.
His peripheral vision quickly scanned the main cannon's charge bar... After the agonizing final ten-odd seconds finally crawled by—
"Fire!"
"VWOOMMM!!!"
A golden pillar of light bloomed across the firmament.
An incomparably magnificent firework, raising the curtain on the Battle of Sydney.
The legion was already champing at the bit.
Especially the recently born Honkai Beasts; they couldn't yet control their "emotions" and only wanted to charge towards the enemy and tear the humans to shreds.
The lower the rank of the Honkai Beast, the more pronounced this tendency.
The Knight-class was precisely at this stage. The newly born Knight-class were numerous, nearly 5,000 individuals, all under Lu Xing's command.
The problem was.
They were different from Lu Xing's original elites; they didn't even possess the biological instinct of fear for "seeking advantage and avoiding harm." Even after Lu Xing, using both his loli servant and his horse-headed lance, successively speared several eager-to-fight, unranked Knight-class, this situation still hadn't improved.
Fortunately.
The trouble didn't last too long.
With the rendezvous of the final contingent led by the Warlord-class, the legion returned to its initial tranquility. If nothing else, the Warlord-class's "deterrence" and the Temple-class's leader affix had a far greater control effect on ordinary Honkai Beasts than Lu Xing did... Of course, it might also be due to their overwhelmingly superior strength.
Due to the addition of a large number of "mindless cannon fodder" (a direct translation of the Temple-class's original words).
The tactics adopted by Frost Lightning.
Could not achieve the same level of finesse as in the "Dubbo Annihilation Battle."
Furthermore, considering that humanity had likely developed countermeasures against the massed charges of the Chariot-class, and might even deploy targeted traps, the Temple-class was preparing to change tactics—
The above portion was Lu Xing's own speculation.
After all...
The Temple-class had only conveyed "what needed to be done" to the various legion leaders through thought-form, leaving no room for refutation or discussion.
Lu Xing, however, didn't mind.
He couldn't even properly restrain his own subordinates (he could only spear the disobedient ones to death), let alone delve into the realm of tactics, which he completely failed to understand.
Just following orders was enough!
[Frost Lightning].
This Variant Temple-class was truly worthy of its reputation for being both intelligent and courageous, and the tactic it had prepared for humanity this time was not complicated:
The Temple-class would charge at the forefront.
Using Honkai energy as a medium, the numerous Temple-class would use [Hold Shield] in coordination to erect a massive "defensive force field" and assault the human lines. This tactic had been demonstrated once during the battle for Dubbo City, when the [Azure Beasts] charged the air force.
Now, it was merely on a more exaggerated scale.
Upon reaching the "first jump distance."
The Temple-class, previously responsible for defense, would collectively unleash [Teleport] and rush into the human encampment.
Simultaneously.
The Knight-class, following behind the Temple-class and tasked with the second wave of the charge, would, as a cohesive group, activate [Dash] and follow closely... aiming for a decisive one-wave takedown!
The above was the requirement Lu Xing received.
Lu Xing had not been informed by the Temple-class about the tasks of the other Honkai Beasts; he only needed to lead his troops to complete his own objective.
The Chariot-class had other arrangements.
Therefore, for this operation, Lu Xing could only revert to his Wu O Form.
Just as Lu Xing was contemplating his role on the battlefield... change always arrived unannounced—
"BOOM!!"
Even from such a great distance.
The explosion high in the sky still clearly registered in Lu Xing's eyes as a small, blooming flower.
As the Quillspike-class was directly hit by the Taixu Warship's main cannon, humanity employed a completely unexpected tactic—
A force composed of Tactical Machines, main battle tanks, Armed Dolls, and mechanized infantry, under the cover of long-range firepower, actually launched a preemptive assault on the legion!
"GYAAH!!"
A piercing shriek resounded through the legion!
Human close-combat capabilities... no matter how sharp their weapons or how sturdy their iron shells, they absolutely could not compare to Honkai Beasts. Only the best of the best among humans could even manage a stalemate.
To use over one-third of their forces to launch a suicidal charge...
Frost Lightning couldn't comprehend the humans' operational logic; it didn't align with the information and knowledge it possessed.
However.
This didn't hinder it from executing the original plan.
"CLANG!"
Shields up, lances braced!
All Temple-class within the legion, under Frost Lightning's command, assembled at the very front of the formation.
Arrayed in formation.
They closely resembled the steadfast heavy infantry phalanxes of ancient battlefields, as solid as rock.
And when all the Temple-class were ready—
"SCHWFF!!"
Wings raised high, lance tips glinting with a frigid light.
"Temple-class—"
Frost Lightning's voice reverberated madly in the consciousness of every Honkai Beast!
"—CHARGE!"