First Light of a New Age

Chapter 74: Night of the Living Dead

"Men of Stones? That sounds... intriguing. What exactly are they?" Emperor Maximo asked as he leaned forward, feeling intrigued by her words.

Amelia tapped her tablet, pulling up an image of the project. The screen displayed a detailed blueprint of large, humanoid figures made of stone and metal, with runes glowing faintly along their limbs. The figures were massive, each one towering over a regular human soldier, resembling a fusion of ancient magic and modern robotics.

“What the fuck? They look like they came out from one of those overrated Japanese Cartoons,” remarked one of the general staff members.

“They look more like Gundam. No doubt that Yoshiyuki Tomino designed it. And it's Anime, you imbecile!” One politician shouted, seemingly offended.

"These 'Men of Stones' are essentially a new breed of combat golems," Amelia began. "Odysseus uses his Earth Magic to construct their bodies from reinforced materials, while Yoshiyuki Tomino has integrated advanced AI systems into them. The result is a self-operating golem that can think and react in combat situations, combining magic and technology seamlessly."

"AI-powered golems?" Maximo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So, they’re autonomous?"

"Yes, though not fully independent. The AI allows them to function without constant oversight, but they still follow orders and can be given commands through a neural network. Think of them as soldiers who never tire, never hesitate, and can adapt to battlefield conditions in real-time."

“They seem similar to the Archangels Unit.”

One of the generals at the table frowned. "And how are they different from the regular Earth Golems we've seen in the field?"

Amelia pulled up more data. "Traditional Earth Golems are powered by a single magic user and are bound to that caster’s will. If the caster is incapacitated or too far away, the golem becomes inactive. The Men of Stones are different because of the AI, once they're activated, they can function independently. They can analyze threats, engage enemies, and even learn from previous encounters to improve their efficiency."

Maximo seemed impressed but cautious. "And how strong are they compared to regular soldiers or even the Orcs?"

"They're designed to be nearly indestructible, at least against conventional weapons. Their stone bodies are infused with magic to be highly resistant to physical and magical attacks. Plus, they have immense strength, enough to lift and throw a small tank, according to early tests. Against the Orcs, we estimate they'd be highly effective, especially against larger threats like High Orcs and Orc Lords."

"And the AI," Maximo continued, "How smart are we talking? Can it make decisions in combat that might outwit an enemy?"

"Not quite at that level yet," Amelia admitted. "The AI is sophisticated, but it’s focused more on combat tactics than complex strategy. They can assess a situation, identify threats, and engage accordingly, but they're not going to devise war plans on their own. They’ll still need human oversight for broader strategic decisions."

One politician raised a hand. "What about their durability and cost? Are they expensive to produce?"

Amelia nodded. "They’re definitely resource-intensive. Each golem requires rare materials and significant mana input to construct, not to mention the AI components. But Odysseus and Tomino have been optimizing the process and have made 3 of them for the past week so far. As for durability, initial tests show they can withstand extreme conditions and take heavy damage without losing functionality. They could even survive a direct hit from a 120mm armor-piercing round."

Maximo leaned back, clearly intrigued. "If we could mass-produce these golems, we could change the entire dynamic of our military. Fewer human casualties, more flexibility in combat, and an edge against these evolving threats. How soon can we expect to see them in action?"