OBS Chapter 638 Knights vs. Tanks
Chapter 638 Knights vs. Tanks
In the open space of the Helmingen Research Institute, the Skeleton Knight stood silently in the center, his black bones gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
At the other end of the open space, a steam tank crouched like a lurking beast. The turret slowly rotated, making a "creaking" metallic friction sound. White steam continuously billowed from the tank's body, gushing out from the exhaust ports on both sides of the vehicle, accompanied by a "hissing" sound.
John stood by the observation platform at the edge of the open space. Since he had reached an agreement with the Skeleton Knight two days ago, he had been taking this millennium-old overlord through various areas of the Helmingen Research Institute.
John showed him everything humanity had developed to fight the Apostles, from cold weapons to firearms. The Skeleton Knight remained silent until the steam tank came into view.
They were passing by the heavy weapons testing area when the steam tank, which had just been tested, was running unloaded. The sight of the steam billowing and the roar of the engine instantly caught the attention of the Skeleton Knight.
He stopped, his skeletal head turning towards the tank. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke, breaking the silence of the journey:
"I want to fight this steel creation."
John agreed without hesitation. He understood that the Skeleton Knight's intention was to test the true combat power of human weapons in his own way.
Just then, the sound of the steam tank's engine suddenly rose, changing from a low rumble to a deafening roar.
The white steam billowed out even more violently, almost enveloping half of the vehicle. The tracks began to spin rapidly, accompanied by a piercing metallic scraping sound, as it charged towards the Skeleton Knight.
The tank's turret had locked onto the target, the muzzle slightly raised, adjusting its angle as the tank bounced. The smell of burning coal in the air grew stronger, a signal that the coal was burning intensely in the furnace.
The skeleton knight was prepared for this, and the warhorse seemed to sense the impending battle, pawing restlessly and its mane moving without wind.
The knight gently spurred his horse's flanks, and the black longsword in his left hand was instantly drawn. There were no unnecessary movements; the blade sliced through the air without making a sound, leaving only a faint black shadow flashing past in the sunlight.
He leaned forward slightly, and his previously subdued aura instantly transformed into a sharp killing intent. The murderous aura accumulated from a thousand-year-old battlefield spread out as if it were tangible, making John on the distant observation platform feel a sense of oppression.
"boom!"
A plume of white steam billowed from the muzzle of the steam tank, and a shell, accompanied by a whooshing sound, shot toward the skeleton knight.
The shell was extremely fast, leaving a clear trajectory in the air, carrying an impact force powerful enough to shatter rocks, and arrived in front of us in an instant.
Faced with this fatal blow, the Skeleton Knight appeared unusually calm.
He simply tugged the reins, and the warhorse beneath him instinctively turned to the left, its movements so agile they seemed nothing like a heavily armored warhorse.
The skeleton knight's body was almost pressed against the horse's body, and the torso made of bones exhibited a flexibility that defied physiological structure. The cannonball flew past his shoulder armor, carrying a strong airflow, and finally landed in the open ground in the distance, creating a crater.
In the instant he dodged the cannonball, the knight exerted force with both legs again, the warhorse let out a low neigh, its four hooves stomped on the ground, and its speed suddenly increased, charging towards the steam tank like an arrow released from a bow.
The steam tank did not slow down at all; its massive body, exuding an invincible aura, collided with the skeleton knight's warhorse in the center of the open space.
Just as the two were about to make contact, the Skeleton Knight once again demonstrated astonishing reaction speed.
He pulled hard on the reins, and the warhorse reared up with a loud neigh. Using the force, the rider's body veered to the right like a bird released from its saddle, avoiding the heavy front of the steam tank.
At the same time, the black longsword in his hand, carrying immense force, slashed fiercely at the side armor of the tank.
There was no earth-shattering noise, only the ear-piercing sound of metal being cut by a sharp object.
The black longsword sliced through the tank's armor plates as easily as cutting through butter. The steel shell, which was originally incredibly sturdy and could withstand ordinary artillery fire, was as fragile as paper in front of this ancient sword.
A deep gash appeared instantly on the armor, its edges neat and smooth, half a foot deep, revealing the complex internal mechanical structure and the pilot. Some of the wiring was cut, sparks flew out, and steam spewed out from the crack, making a hissing sound.
The skeleton knight used the momentum to flip back onto his horse, the movement so fluid that it didn't pause for a moment.
Instead of continuing the pursuit, he pulled on the reins, turned his warhorse around, distanced himself from the steam tank, and returned to his original position.
The black longsword remained as black as ink, without any metal shavings on it. He sheathed the sword gently, as if the previous strike had not taken any effort at all.
The steam tank's engine noise gradually subsided, eventually returning to idle, and the steam plumes subsided. The turret stopped rotating, and the cannon muzzles slowly drooped, clearly indicating that this brief confrontation had ended.
The driver poked his head out of the hatch on top of the tank, his face filled with disbelief. He looked in the direction of the skeleton knight, then turned to look at the shocking crack in the armor. He opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.
The skeleton knight's skeletal head turned towards John, its voice still hoarse and low, yet carrying a hint of certainty:
"This steel construct is quite powerful, enough to withstand the impact of an ordinary apostle."
He paused, his gaze falling on the cracks in the tank's armor, and added.
"The armor is just not strong enough. If it encounters a powerful apostle, this defense will be easily broken. It would be best to make it thicker."
Before John could speak, Stephen couldn't help but step forward.
The forging minister in charge of steam tank development was wearing oil-stained work clothes and had fine beads of sweat on his forehead, clearly having just come from the testing workshop.
Although he didn't know where John had found this strange skeleton knight, the earth-shattering attack just now had completely overturned his understanding of weapon defense.
Stephen swallowed hard and, mustering his courage, said:
"The current armor uses the latest alloy steel, with a weight of 3.2 kilograms per square centimeter, and the total weight of the armored vehicle exceeds eight tons. If the armor thickness is doubled, the total weight of the vehicle will exceed fifteen tons, which the existing steam engine simply cannot support. At that time, the speed will drop to less than five kilometers per hour, making it impossible to even carry out basic maneuvering or relocation, let alone pursue the apostles."
Stephen's voice carried a hint of urgency. He had spent three years developing this steam tank that balanced defense and speed. The balance between armor thickness and engine power was the result of his repeated adjustments, and he did not want to overturn all his efforts because of such a seemingly simple suggestion.
John frowned slightly after hearing Stephen's words. He understood Stephen's concerns. The limitations of mechanical power were indeed there. With the current level of technology, it was almost impossible to increase the thickness of armor without reducing speed.
He turned to look at the skeleton knight.
"Since there are limitations at the mechanical level, is there any way to improve the various performance aspects of a steam tank through magic? For example, to strengthen the armor without increasing weight, or to increase the engine's power output?"
John knew that the Skeleton Knight possessed ancient magical knowledge, and that those inherited knowledge spanning thousands of years might be able to overcome the bottlenecks that modern technology could not break through.
This is also an important reason why he was willing to cooperate with the Skeleton Knight: human technology needs the supplementation of magic in order to gain the upper hand in the war against the Apostles.
The skeleton knight fell silent, his head bowed slightly, as if he were considering John's proposal.
Sunlight shone on his black bones, casting long shadows that intertwined with the shadows of the steam tank.
Only the idling sound of the steam tank engine and the rustling of the wind remained on the open ground. John and Stephen remained silent, patiently waiting for his reply.
After a moment, the skeleton knight finally raised his head, and his hoarse voice rang out again:
“I know a witch who is skilled in elemental magic and enchanting; perhaps she can give this steel creation new power.”
"Flora of the Spirit Tree Pavilion?"
John asked almost instinctively.
Upon hearing this, the Skeleton Knight fell silent once again.
He hadn't expected that John would know Flora's name, let alone her residence. The Spirit Tree House was a place unknown even to many ancient creatures, and Flora's existence was known to only a handful of people.
A hint of doubt flashed through his mind, but he quickly came to terms with it. Since John knew about the Hand of God and his true name from a thousand years ago, it seemed not impossible for him to know about Flora's existence.
After a few seconds, the skeleton knight nodded slightly, the bones making a soft "click" sound as they rubbed together.
"It is her. Her mastery of enchanting arts far surpasses anything I have ever seen. If we can get her to help, the performance of this steel artifact might be significantly improved."