Azerof stared with bloodshot eyes at the scene before him. "A Titan?!" he growled with hatred.
A Titan was a Rank-A Ascensionist who, approaching the point of reaching the level of divinity, already possessed some divine power.
Such a being was an incredible weapon during a space battle and a mighty asset for an entire space nation. Despite this, many nations avoided deploying them on the battlefield for fear of losing such an asset. After all, there were countless times throughout history when a powerful champion had been killed due to ambush, treachery, or other unforeseen circumstances. Therefore, Titans usually served as elite bodyguards for the leaders of these nations.
In the face of this new information, Azerof hesitated. It would be impossible to kill Regnier with only the handful of corps Azerof had initially deployed. If the Federation had any chance of victory remaining, Azerof would need to throw everything he had left at the enemy!
Yet Azerof knew the reputation of Titans and their divine power. The most rational part of himself knew that he stood little chance of winning even if he used every resource at his disposal. But if he retreated now, he risked losing everything! His victory would turn to humiliating defeat, and he'd lose all prestige and honor!
No, it was impossible to run away at this point.
So Azerof ordered all thirty-four corps he had left to attack at once! The fighters and corvettes unleashed their laser batteries at the Titan while the battleships bombarded him with their high-velocity plasma cannons.
In response, the Titan raised his immense sword, swinging it in an arc that seemed impossibly slow because of the scale of the fight. Yet, many ships couldn't evade, and the Titan crushed hundreds of them as though they were tiny, buzzing flies.
But the Federation forces were far too numerous for the Titan to evade completely. Despite his enormous power, Regnier grimaced in pain as laser and plasma bolts slammed repeatedly into him, injuring the Titan! The red light bled like cosmic blood from behind his head as his body tried to regenerate. Due to his immense size, it seemed to be a very slow process.
Seeing this, Azerof ordered the fleet to deploy all their remaining nuclear warheads. "Do it!" he roared. "This is our chance! We will seize victory even from the hands of a xeno Titan!"
In response, thousands of nuclear armaments hit Regnier.
In space, the lack of atmospheric gasses meant that there was no shock wave of explosions as there would have been on a planet… but the Titan's flesh still turned to plasma upon impact, causing such horrific wounds from these attacks that Regnier collapsed in place, seemingly debilitated!
Within moments, the last Orc ships were incapacitated. It seemed that the battle was over. As he checked all the reports being constantly fed to him, Azerof smiled confidently. "All units, focus your fire until the Titan is reduced to ashes!"
But just as the Federation troops were about to obey this order, something peculiar happened.
Red energy surged from Regnier's body, an X-shaped mark appeared on his forehead, and a storm of the same crimson energy swept across the battlefield, destroying hundreds of vessels! Regnier hadn't collapsed in weakness at all, but was storing energy to release it in a weaponized blast!
Azerof's ship rocked as this pulse of energy disrupted its stabilizing systems.
"Reactor damaged, Commander!" an officer quickly shouted. "Functioning at 87% for now, but dropping fast! Emergency thrusters are unresponsive!"
This gave Cronos I's gravitational field the chance to pull them downwards, and so the ship plummeted towards the planet.
The remaining Federation admirals quickly reacted, ordering the remaining troops to retreat from the battlefield and the Titan whom they'd failed to kill.
***
Throughout the Federation, joy was replaced by bitterness… and fear.
A major battle had been lost. Two grand admirals and dozens of other admirals had died. Above all, the people of the Federation had just learned that their enemy controlled a Titan.
Certainly, it was a pyrrhic victory for the Orc Empire, but that didn't make things any better for the Federation. Beyond even the tremendous loss of military might, the psychological shock was devastating.
***
Throughout the entire battle, Apophis watched the live broadcast with Antanria. He stared intently at every detail of the unfolding events. "The advent of the Eternals begins today," he muttered.