The rhythmic sound of hammers echoed throughout Base 187.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Steam hissed from massive pipes running between stone workshops.
Mana crystals glowed beneath enormous furnaces.
Workers hurried from building to building carrying gears, metal plates, and glowing runestones.
Unlike every other base...
Base 187 never seemed to sleep.
At the center of it all...
A young man wearing a pair of worn leather goggles leaned over a workbench.
His hands were stained with oil.
Tiny gears floated around him, suspended by mana.
Commander Atlas.
The Mechanic.
Inside his mind, his System spoke.
Commander...
Prototype Number Forty-Seven has failed.
Atlas sighed.
"I noticed."
A small mechanical arm suddenly fell from the workbench.
CLANK.
Atlas picked it up and laughed.
"Well..."
"At least it lasted longer than Prototype Forty-Six."
A knock echoed through the workshop.
"Commander."
Atlas looked up.
"Come in."
The heavy door opened.
A woman in a long engineer's coat stepped inside.
Chief Engineer Iris.
Behind her stood three more officers.
Gavin, Captain of the Steel Guard.
Miles, Head Researcher.
Nora, Logistics Chief.
Iris saluted.
"The morning reports are ready."
Atlas removed his goggles.
"Let's hear them."
---
A blue screen appeared above the workbench.
Base 187 Status
Population: 2,681
Army: 241 Soldiers
Steel Guard: 38
Engineers: 114
Research Facilities: 6
Overall Evaluation: Excellent
---
Miles stepped forward.
"Our newest mana batteries are stable."
"We've doubled their operating time."
Atlas smiled.
"Good."
"What about the automated ballista?"
Miles scratched the back of his head.
"It still exploded."
Atlas nodded thoughtfully.
"Only once?"
"...Twice."
Atlas laughed.
"That's progress."
Even Iris couldn't help smiling.
She unfolded another report.
"Our scouts confirmed the System announcement."
"The Age of Kings has begun."
Atlas leaned back against the table.
"And?"
Iris continued.
"The Commander who obtained the Hidden Legacy has been identified."
The workshop became quiet.
"Commander Sam."
"Base 101."
Atlas remained silent for several moments.
Then...
He smiled.
"So..."
"It really was him."
Gavin raised an eyebrow.
"You've heard of him?"
"I've been watching every Commander near the top of the rankings."
Atlas crossed his arms.
"Bjorn grows stronger through conquest."
"Elena strengthens her kingdom."
"Dennis builds disciplined armies."
He looked toward the window.
"And Sam..."
"...keeps surprising everyone."
Miles grinned.
"Should we be worried?"
Atlas shook his head.
"No."
A spark of excitement filled his eyes.
"We should be inspired."
He walked toward a massive blueprint hanging on the wall.
It depicted an enormous machine unlike anything humanity had ever built.
Atlas placed a hand on it.
"If the Age of Kings has begun..."
"Then inventions alone won't be enough anymore."
He turned toward his officers.
"It's time."
Iris tilted her head.
"For what?"
Atlas smiled.
"For Project Titan."
The room fell silent.
Even Gavin looked shocked.
"Commander..."
"Are you sure?"
Atlas nodded.
"The world is changing."
"We're changing with it."
His System suddenly interrupted.
Commander...
New Research Path Unlocked.
Kingdom Engineering.
Atlas's smile widened.
"I had a feeling."
He rolled up the blueprint.
"Gather every engineer."
"Every blacksmith."
"Every runesmith."
"For the next thirty days..."
"Base 187 doesn't sleep."
His officers saluted in unison.
"Yes, Commander!"
Outside...
Steam poured into the sky.
The sounds of industry echoed across the fortress.
While other kingdoms sharpened their swords...
Atlas was preparing to change the battlefield itself.
Far away...
Four other Commanders were also preparing for the Age of Kings.
None of them realized it yet...
But their destinies were becoming intertwined.