Shortly after, in the remote desert southeast of Night City, under the cover of optical camouflage, the forward base stood modestly, resembling a small town. The personnel stationed there were far fewer compared to the base located on the resource-rich planet, Prosperity.
At this moment, a group of knights, clad in armor adorned with crests and plumes on their helmets, were boarding magnetic-levitation military trucks, passing one by one through a massive 41x41-meter silver portal, emitting a faint glow.
These knights' individual gear was significantly superior to the rapid response, emergency tactics, or orbital drop units. They wore an improved version of the Makpo powered armor, painted primarily in black and silver-white with yellow accents, and were armed with the latest hard-light weapons developed by Atlas.
Suddenly, over a dozen griffins, outfitted in protective gear and armor, let out deep roars as they passed through the portal. Similar to the great dragon Níðhöggr, these griffins were equipped with plasma cannons or rotary Gauss guns mounted on their backs.
Both the griffins and the knights indicated that these were members of Primarch Dorn's personal army—the Knights of Terra from the capital city of Tyrila.
Since Dorn took over as Governor of Tyrila and was given authority to form his own personal army, he had been handpicking experienced veterans from the human elites stationed in desert towns and border outposts, as well as existing knight orders.
The frontier guards, tasked with directly confronting Mo'id cultists and orcs, were steadfast and battle-hardened. Their unwavering loyalty ensured that they would resist falling to chaos at the first sign of weakness. Most of the second batch of Fists of Humanity recruits selected by Aioi were the descendants of these frontier guards, some of whom had been defending the walls from invaders since the age of ten due to a shortage of population in their hometowns.
The ability to recruit dependable soldiers was key to preventing corruption and rebellion.
The griffins, symbols of the knights, were also outfitted by the Tyrila branch's research team with specialized armor and protective gear to enhance their survival and combat effectiveness in various battlefields.
The Knights of Terra were equipped with a local variant of the Makpo powered armor, produced not in the Akra District but at the Dwarven Forge in Tyrila's capital.
While Dorn could request the Makpo armor from the Akra District, the delivery time ranged from one to three years, prompting him to opt for self-reliance. With Tyrila's abundant local resources and the skilled dwarves renowned for their craftsmanship and research, the Tyrila branch's engineering team became fully independent, making Tyrila the second universe, after Guilliman's Edge of Tomorrow, capable of self-sufficiency.
Additionally, the dwarves had upgraded the Makpo armor with their signature Dwarven Steel, which could withstand both kinetic and energy attacks.
Truthfully, if Guilliman or Dorn harbored any hidden ambitions, they could privately amass personal armies and loyal followers to secretly break free from Atlas's "control."
But as the true sons of Atlas's owner, Guilliman and Dorn had no such ambitions. However, that didn't prevent their other brothers from keeping a watchful eye on the two—acting as unofficial overseers of the activities within Edge of Tomorrow and Tyrila.
Primarchs had varying degrees of closeness. For example, Guilliman, Sanguinius, and Lion shared a strong bond and considered themselves the "eldest brothers" of the Primarchs. Horus and Magnus formed their own clique, as did Dorn and Vulkan, Fulgrim, Angron, and Leman, while Mortarion and Corax also had their circle.
Primarchs who descended together had closer ties.
For instance, Dorn and Vulkan had shared memorable experiences, like their dungeon-crawling adventures, fighting side by side with their father. Such memories made their bond stronger.
Even Horus, the most charismatic of all, maintained close relationships with his brothers. No matter how busy, Horus always made time to send a gift to each brother on their birthdays (arrival days), using Atlas's internal courier service.
The reason the Primarchs remained harmonious was not only due to their father's teachings but also his behind-the-scenes mediation and sheer presence as a deterrent. Currently, Su Yang could physically "beat down" all the Primarchs if he wished.
At this moment:
Thud, thud—
The heavy clanking of magnetic boots echoed near the portal as Dorn, clad in Mithril powered armor and carrying his Stormblade, stepped into the Cyberpunk 2077 universe.
"Hmm."
With his helmet retracted, Dorn frowned as he sensed the immense envy, hatred, and chaos present among the humans of this universe. Although Dorn's psychic abilities were on par with Guilliman's—making him a "poor student" among the Primarchs—his sensitivity to negative emotions had grown stronger after his father's teachings and events in Tyrila.
After carefully sensing his surroundings, Dorn confirmed that there was no warp corruption nearby.
"What's wrong?"
Aioi, the tall and graceful elven woman who had just stepped through the portal, asked, noticing Dorn's unusual behavior.
Dorn glanced sideways at Aioi, who despite wearing armor, still maintained an elegant figure. "Nothing to worry about," he replied.
He then turned toward the landing pad in the distance, issuing instructions: "You will handle the remaining troop deployment and logistics. I have some 'demolition' to do, and it's time to show the corporations in this universe what a true multi-dimensional megacorporation looks like."
Without waiting for a response, Dorn marched off toward his mission.
Aioi, ever formal, bowed deeply in respect before departing in the opposite direction, likely heading to meet Price, the forward base commander, for an in-person discussion.
Soon after, another magnetic-levitation truck emerged from the portal, but its passengers were not the Knights of Terra. Instead, a group of lightly-equipped elves, dressed in stealthy uniforms resembling early Rapid Response Unit gear, arrived. These were members of the Elven Veterans of Losrian, also known as the Night Owl Strike Force.
Despite their light armor, these elves, some nearly a thousand years old, were formidable fighters. Due to their unique physiology, mechanical exoskeletons would hinder their natural agility and combat prowess.
While the Knights of Terra were tasked with direct combat, the Night Owls specialized in guerrilla warfare, infiltration, and disrupting enemy operations from behind the lines. Though elves were typically disdainful of assassination, they would resort to it if eliminating a key target could save many lives on their side.
---
Soon after, a Luna transport craft ascended from the optical camouflage canopy and soared toward the northwest at high speed. The pilot didn't activate stealth mode, allowing the craft to fly openly.
In the open troop bay:
Dorn stood at the rear, surveying the vast desert below.
Beep—beep—
Hearing the familiar sound of a communication alert in his powered armor, Dorn brought his mind back from wandering and activated the call with a voice command.
Blue holographic beams projected from the armor, scanning the space in front of him to create a visual representation of Celine.
The AI wasted no time, immediately reporting, "Commander, I request authorization to publicly announce to all of Night City's residents that Atlas is a multi-dimensional military-industrial complex. Additionally, I request permission to upload combat footage and some of the biometric data of you and the Primarchs—height and weight, primarily—on the Zero-Nine division's website."
Pausing briefly, Celine waited for Dorn's response.
"Go on," Dorn said.
"Yes, sir." Celine continued, "The local corporations, especially Arasaka, led by Saburo Arasaka, aim to revive militaristic nationalism. Other megacorporations, driven by greed and fear, cannot tolerate our presence in Night City. Initiating a Fifth Corporate War is the most effective solution.
"As you single-handedly approach Arasaka Tower and eliminate all hostile targets, I will broadcast the event live, turning you into a 'living legend.' The residents of Night City seem to admire anyone with the courage to stand up to megacorporations."
"'Living legend,' huh?" Dorn chuckled, then responded, "Celine, remember, I too am part of a megacorporation—and my father is its owner."
"That's not an issue," Celine answered in her usual calm tone. "I can manipulate public opinion. The live broadcast is meant to ignite a rebellious spirit among the people. It will also make it clear that in the face of Atlas, Arasaka and other corporations are powerless. Anyone who dares oppose Atlas will meet the same fate."
Though her proposal might cast Atlas in a villainous light, Celine concluded, "This method will foster rapid growth for humanity. There's no right or wrong if it benefits humanity's advancement."
"Very well. I approve your request," Dorn nodded.
"Thank you, Commander." Celine bowed slightly, adding, "And, Commander, if possible, could you make your actions more cinematic? Simply put, take it slow."
"You're becoming more human, Celine," Dorn joked with a smile. "Don't worry. I'll keep that in mind."
"Thank you, Commander. Enjoy the hunt."
With that, Celine terminated the holographic projection.
". . ."
Dorn looked down at the outskirts of Night City, now bustling with human activity,
and fell into thought.
He wasn't concerned about the upcoming "demolition mission." Instead, he was reflecting on Celine's words.
The comment about her "becoming more human" might not have been just a joke anymore. Even though Tyrila had two Smart AIs based on UNSC technology, they would never proactively make suggestions unless given permission.
Yet Celine wasn't like that.
It seemed that since the company acquired Shield World 0459 and began collaborating with Serenity Shores, Atlas's AI research had accelerated dramatically.
"Maybe I should find time to remind Father about the dangers of AI?" Dorn mused.
But he quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought. His father didn't need reminding, and AI was an indispensable part of humanity's rapid expansion and territorial consolidation.
He, Vulkan, and the rest of the Primarchs just needed to focus on their own duties.
At that moment:
The barren landscape beneath him gradually gave way to the chaotic, uneven terrain of Night City, where wealth and poverty coexisted side by side.
Boom! Boom!
Rat-tat-tat!
Explosions and gunfire echoed from Westbrook, spreading throughout the entire city.
The sound of Peregrine and Ghost fighter jets filled the air, their fleet flying closely alongside the Luna transport craft. Occasionally, the jets would engage with machine guns and low-yield missiles, assisting Atlas forces on the ground in dealing with troublesome enemies.
Dorn's enhanced vision allowed him to pick out specific details of the ground battles below.
Silver-haired Glory Warrior Leroia, for example, was effortlessly dealing with Arasaka's elite special forces, even without the assistance of synthetics.
Ghost, Soap, and the other Pathfinder squad members, clad in their advanced nano suits, were keeping the division building secure, quickly and efficiently eliminating stragglers.
Suddenly:
"Commander." The pilot's voice came through the comms. "We'll reach the target in thirty seconds. Please prepare."
"Understood," Dorn replied calmly.
Within moments, the imposing Arasaka Tower, black and marked with its signature logo, came into view.
Gathered in the plaza before the tower were dozens of Arasaka security personnel, numerous NCPD officers, and several hovering gunships armed with machine guns and missile racks.
It seemed Arasaka's Night City leadership had vastly underestimated the situation. What had started as a simple plan to eliminate a corporate rival and secure their dominance had escalated into the spark of a global conflict.
Whoosh—Whoosh!
Suddenly, air-to-air missiles fired from the gunships hurtled toward the Luna transport craft.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Luna, however, didn't alter its course. It merely deployed a series of decoy drones, easily neutralizing the first wave of attacks.
With that, Dorn leaped from the transport, plummeting toward the plaza below.
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