The Emperor’s Angel of Death

Soshian had once heard Veronica mention that the armies of the ancient Aeldari Empire, in addition to war machines, also had a large number of psychic war beasts. The savage Aeldari only grasped the surface of the ancient empire's biotechnology. The creatures they named 'dragons' were not 'true dragons.' Ancient records remained in some ancient maiden worlds, stating that in the heyday of their race, there existed true star dragons that could soar through the void on their wings.

"Yes, there is such a record, but it is limited to a small amount of written text. Currently, the Royal Court does not have the corresponding technology. Therefore, although the Phoenix Grail has been recovered, it does not mean that the Royal Court can create those powerful psychic war beasts. There are two solutions: send expeditions to search the ruins of the ancient empire, or go to various maiden worlds or Craftworlds to investigate whether there are any records or corresponding technologies passed down. Alternatively, Commorragh may also have some, as it is rumored that some Bloodbrides and beastmasters of the arena still possess the ancient empire's biological manufacturing and taming techniques."

"It seems things are not that simple."

Following the enormous mountain dragons was a group of four-legged creatures half their size but still massive. They resembled the mountain dragons in appearance, with long necks and tails, and stout bodies. However, the difference was that their heads were proportionally smaller, their necks thinner, and they only had four legs. They moved in large groups, numbering perhaps hundreds at a glance, with significant size differences between individuals. Young dragons frolicked among the adults, not worrying about being trampled by their massive parents.

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Outside the dragon herd, dragon riders on carnosaurs maintained the herd's formation like shepherds, preventing them from getting too close to the sea. They seemed to use a special horn to drive the dragons, which emitted a deep sound.

Most of these tamed dragons had no attachments, but the largest six had war fortresses made of spiritbone mounted on their backs. These were quite terrifying; these things were larger than large knight mechs. If they launched a charge en masse, they could directly flatten a position with brute force alone.

"Your Highness, these are brachiosaurs, the largest creatures we can tame and our most important defense force. Although they cannot spew deadly flames like mountain dragons, they can squeeze out stomach acid and spray it at enemies. Their stomach acid can melt rock and steel. In addition, brachiosaurs have a unique ability: when they encounter threats from the sky, they collectively emit a unique roar. When these roars are issued in unison, they become a deadly sonic weapon that can threaten an entire area, including enemies in the sky. Only those wearing spiritbone armor can avoid being harmed."

"Oh, that's quite impressive."

After the brachiosaurs came the megalodons. These dragons were smaller than the brachiosaurs, mainly because their tails were shorter. Their overall structure was sturdier, with long forelimbs and short hind limbs. Their necks were thick but slightly shorter, and their heads were covered with a layer of armor.

There were quite a few of them, but they looked clumsy and were very afraid of the dragon riders. With a little urging, they would huddle together. They had no war fortresses on their backs, but some had composite saddles that could accommodate multiple people and small weapon platforms.

"Megalodons are generally not used as war weapons. They are very stupid, but if there are two males in a group, they will fight, and it is a fight to the death. Therefore, it is necessary to artificially divide the groups. Despite these shortcomings, they are the main source of wealth and food for the Lynnae Kingdom and important commodities. Megalodon meat is tender, juicy, and odorless, and it sells well even in Commorragh. The leather can be used as building material or for making clothing, and its bones are good tool materials after polishing. Their powerful teeth, which can grind rocks, are used to make various handicrafts. The most noteworthy thing about megalodons is their head armor. When they fight, they collide with each other's heads, but even if the skull is shattered, the head armor will not be damaged. The toughness and flexibility of this material are extremely strong, and it is almost immune to the corrosion of all acidic substances and will not burn when thrown into the fire. Special means must be used to process it. The Archons of Commorragh like to buy this material to make armor. The older the megalodon, the more expensive the head armor."

Soshian nodded. Last night, he had eaten various delicacies made from megalodon meat. Indeed, the meat of this creature was not as rough as it looked on the surface. The Aeldari's animal husbandry and breeding techniques were indeed points that had been overlooked in the past.

"Are these creatures easy to raise?"

Soshian was a little tempted. If he could introduce this animal into the human world, it might create huge economic and social value. At the very least, it could allow more people to eat meat.

In fact, not only these dragons, but Soshian was also very interested in the incredibly productive crops of the savage Aeldari. In a sense, he, who was already one of the highest authorities in the Imperium, knew better than anyone that compared to aliens, heretics, and even evil gods, what really slaughtered the most humans was the most common concept—hunger.

It seemed that since the establishment of the Imperium, hunger had been a lingering shadow constantly looming over the heads of mankind. Even during the most prosperous period of the Great Crusade, satisfying basic needs was still the sole pursuit of most Imperial citizens, and after ten thousand years, the situation not only did not improve but became even worse. Therefore, Soshian was always concerned about this matter.

But he didn't know what the meat-to-feed ratio of this thing was. However, looking at the vast scale in the distance, Soshian estimated that the Lynnae Kingdom's megalodon herd was on a scale of more than ten thousand.

"Your Highness, megalodons are not difficult to raise. On the one hand, these animals have a very mixed diet. They can even enter shallow seas to eat seaweed. On the other hand, the kingdom cultivates a special fast-growing plant. This plant can grow to a height of six or seven meters in two or three days, and it will wither and die overnight after maturity. The seeds will be scattered back to the ground by spraying, but megalodons can eat both fresh and withered ones. This plant is very nutritious, but it contains poison. However, megalodons are not afraid. They can eat more than ten tons at a time and can even use this toxin to convert it into substances that are beneficial to their digestion. As for diseases, megalodons have not yet had any infectious diseases. Only in infancy may they contract some fatal diseases. Generally, it takes about 6 years from birth to maturity. Their main problem is still fighting, so they must be kept under constant surveillance, and some young males must be separated."

After listening to the introduction, Soshian knew there was no hope. These creatures needed too much feed and had too long a maturity period. It might be very short for the long-lived Aeldari, but for humans, livestock that only matures in six years is not very practical.

After the megalodons came the triceratops. These beasts looked much smaller, within the normal range, although they were still larger than a Leman Russ tank. There were so many of them that one could not see the end.

According to Valentino Ravich, this creature is a very irritable creature, but once tamed, it is extremely loyal and obedient to its master. Therefore, it is more suitable as a military weapon than the megalodon. The savage Aeldari also specially designed unique war saddles for the triceratops, on which closed-type starcannon or lascannon can be installed, as well as additional protection to protect the more vulnerable parts of the triceratops. In short, they are the 'tanks' of the savage Aeldari.