The battlefield around Ironclad Bastion was a sea of scorched earth, broken weapons, and the shattered remains of the nobles’ forces. The towering wreckage of Project Scourge lay crumpled against the inner wall, its glowing runes extinguished, and its once-imposing frame reduced to a heap of mangled steel.

Juri Winkler stood amidst the chaos, his sharp blue eyes scanning the devastation with a mix of exhaustion and grim determination. The rebellion had held, but the cost was written across the faces of his people—bloodied, battered, and hollow-eyed, yet alive.

“We’re not done yet,” Juri said quietly to himself, his gaze shifting to the battered walls of Ironclad. “Not even close.”

The morning after the battle, the rebels began the grueling task of assessing the damage. Engineers worked tirelessly to repair what they could, patching holes in the walls and salvaging equipment from the nobles’ abandoned war machines. The Dominion-class Mech had been hauled into the workshop, its armor scorched and its left arm missing entirely.

Kira approached Juri, her face streaked with soot and exhaustion. “It’s worse than we thought,” she said. “We lost over a quarter of our forces, and most of the survivors are injured. Supplies are running low, and the fortress’s defenses are barely holding together.”

Juri nodded, his expression unreadable. “We’ll recover. We always do.”

“Not if the nobles attack again before we’re ready,” Kira said, her voice sharp. “We need reinforcements, resources, something.”

“Then we’ll get them,” Juri replied. “Whatever it takes.”

Juri summoned the core leadership to the war room, where a map of the region lay spread across the table. Fresh markings indicated the nobles’ remaining strongholds and supply routes, as well as nearby towns and villages that could potentially support the rebellion.

“We can’t afford to stay on the defensive,” Juri began, his voice steady but firm. “The nobles will come back, and next time, they’ll bring something worse. If we wait for them, we lose.”

Halrick leaned on the table, his arms crossed. “So what’s the plan, boss?”

Juri pointed to a cluster of towns southeast of Ironclad. “These towns are under noble control, but their garrisons are weak. If we take them, we gain access to fresh supplies and more recruits.”

Valeria Eldryn, the rebellion’s newest ally, studied the map with a critical eye. “You’re spreading your forces thin, Winkler. That’s risky.”

“We don’t have a choice,” Juri said. “The nobles think they can starve us out. Taking these towns will give us the resources we need to rebuild—and it’ll send a message that we’re still in this fight.”

Kira frowned. “And what happens if the nobles counterattack while we’re stretched thin?”

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“They won’t,” Juri replied, his sharp blue eyes gleaming with determination. “Not if we hit them first.”

As the rebels prepared for their next campaign, Juri devoted himself to repairing and upgrading the Dominion-class Mech. With the help of Eren Vas, the former noble mage turned rebel engineer, he worked tirelessly in the workshop, his hands stained with grease and his mind racing with ideas.

“We can’t just patch it up,” Juri said as he examined the mech’s damaged frame. “We need to make it stronger. Faster. More adaptable.”

Eren nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration. “The runes on the Scourge gave me some ideas. If we integrate similar enchantments into the Dominion’s core, we could increase its power output without sacrificing stability.”

“And the left arm?” Juri asked.

“I’ve got something special in mind,” Eren replied, a faint smile on his lips. “A modular system. We can equip it with different tools and weapons depending on the mission.”

Over the next few days, the Dominion was transformed. Its armor was reinforced with salvaged plating from the Scourge, and its left arm was replaced with a modular system capable of switching between a Repeater, a claw, and a short-range cannon. The mech’s mana core was upgraded with advanced runes, giving it a burst-mode feature for critical moments.

When the work was complete, Juri stepped back to admire the machine. The Dominion had always been a symbol of the rebellion’s ingenuity, but now it was something more—a weapon capable of turning the tide of any battle.

The first target on Juri’s list was Eastgate, a fortified town that served as a key supply hub for the nobles. While its garrison was small, the town’s defenses included a pair of Arcanic Ballistae—massive, rune-powered weapons capable of piercing even the thickest armor.

Juri led the assault personally, piloting the upgraded Dominion alongside a strike team of Bastion Walkers and Adaptive Drones. The rebels moved under the cover of darkness, using the terrain to their advantage as they approached the town’s walls.

As the Dominion stepped into view, the Arcanic Ballistae swiveled toward it, their glowing projectiles charging with energy.

“Those ballistae are priority targets,” Juri said through the comms. “Drones, keep them busy. Walkers, cover the infantry.”

The Adaptive Drones swarmed the walls, their Repeaters chattering as they targeted the ballista crews. Meanwhile, the Bastion Walkers advanced, their hammers smashing through the gates and clearing the way for the ground forces.

Juri guided the Dominion toward the nearest ballista, its Repeater firing in precise bursts. The weapon’s runes flared as it fired, but Juri activated the mech’s burst-mode feature, surging forward and deflecting the projectile with the Dominion’s reinforced shield.

With one swift motion, the Dominion’s claw tore the ballista from its mount, sending it crashing to the ground.

“First ballista down,” Juri reported. “Moving to the second.”

The battle for Eastgate was fierce, but the rebels emerged victorious. By dawn, the town was under their control, and the nobles’ remaining forces had fled.

As the rebels secured the town, Juri walked through the streets, his sharp blue eyes scanning the damage. Civilians peeked out from their homes, their faces a mixture of fear and hope.

“We’re not here to take from you,” Juri said, addressing the townsfolk. “We’re here to end the nobles’ oppression—for all of us. If you’re willing to stand with us, we’ll protect you.”

Slowly, the people began to emerge, offering food, supplies, and even volunteers to join the rebellion.

Back at Ironclad, a scout arrived with urgent news.

“The nobles are moving again,” the scout said, his face pale. “Lorian Vehr is leading a new force, and they’re heading straight for us.”

Juri’s expression hardened. “What are they bringing this time?”

“Something new,” the scout replied. “I didn’t get a good look, but... it’s big. Bigger than the Scourge.”

The room fell silent.

“They’re escalating,” Valeria said, her voice sharp.

“And so will we,” Juri replied.