Gou is a dark elf in Warhammer

Darkus stepped out of the tent and stood outside, looking at the bustling square. But his mind was filled with images of the four spellcasters, a projection crystal, a screen, and the proud, "look how powerful we are" expressions on their faces.

What could he say?

Isn't that how inventions and creations have always been?

Useful and useless; accidental and unexpected; useful in a specific period but subsequently eliminated by the times; invented but unable to find a use case, then shelved for a while and suddenly people exclaimed, "So that's how it can be done!"... The most typical example is the Twisted Cannon.

And this... projector?

At least it does work; it can clearly project the images inside the crystal in dim environments.

Should we dampen their enthusiasm?
Darkus shook his head. No, that wasn't his style.

Movie theaters and such... it's not like we can't do it, is it? As long as crystal technology is fully commercialized, as long as a strict review mechanism is established, and as long as we prevent certain people with ulterior motives from doing anything shady, this thing might actually become a new form of entertainment for the elves.

Imagine this scene: night falls, and a dimly lit hall is filled with elves, watching a play, listening to a story, or learning something new, all while staring at a projection on a screen. Compared to drinking and causing trouble in taverns or gossiping in the streets, this is at least a relatively healthy form of entertainment.

The Crystal Age?

He snapped out of his thoughts and walked toward the pyramid.

Those ideas about the projector were put on hold for the time being; his immediate need was simple: to create the "kitchen" and "menu" and establish the corresponding database when he needed to process large amounts of data. His cousin, not Salames or the others, was in charge of him.

No matter how interesting a projector is, it's just a side branch, not the main trunk.

He got up very early the next day, but he didn't leave the square until noon and headed to the city of Lorthern.

He couldn't very well not do it, because Des had come up with a new version of the armor.

Not one set, not two sets.

It's a row!
The styles are exactly the same, with slight differences in size, and they are neatly arranged on the temporary display rack, just like ready-made clothes hanging in a clothing store.

Of course, it's not for sale, just for display.

Dakotas walked over and stopped in front of a row of armor, his gaze sweeping from left to right and then from right to left, repeating this three times.

It's hard to hold back.

The style is wrong, absolutely wrong.

The fantasy style has turned into a science fiction style. The armor has smooth outlines, a smooth surface with almost no seams, and an overall design full of a certain... industrial feel.

Sci-fi feel?
If a judge from a tribunal were to walk into the square at this moment and see this row of armor, he would surely exclaim: "Heretics!"

It's so hard to hold back, really so hard to hold back.

If Indra, wearing one of the armor sets, didn't have that signature silver-gray short hair, and if this weren't Lorthion instead of some distant human empire, he would have shouted: Battle Nun!
However, after putting it on, Injo was filled with confusion, discomfort, and a hint of dissatisfaction that she tried to hide.

Too much of a focus!

In Inzhuo's words: The weight distribution is actually quite reasonable, and there is no restriction on joint movement, but the overall weight... is much heavier than the armor I'm used to.

The structure of this armor is a bit like... a matryoshka doll.

The outermost layer is a new generation of ceramic, thin yet tough; the middle layer is an alloy that provides structural support and additional protection; and the innermost layer is a soft fabric lining to ensure comfortable wear.

A three-layer structure, nested within each other.

The elves are located at the very back.

From a protective standpoint, this design is impeccable: ceramic absorbs energy impacts, metal plates block physical penetration, and the lining provides cushioning and comfort. This triple protection can withstand virtually any type of attack.

But from a weight perspective...

Bindzo's previous armor was a third heavier.

A third of the weight was indeed a considerable burden for Asley, who was used to light equipment. On the battlefield, every second could determine life or death; the extra weight meant faster stamina depletion, potentially slower movements, and so on…

“But this is something new, so it’s bound to take some getting used to,” Yin Zhuo added, with a hint of self-consolation in his tone. “You’ll probably get used to it after wearing it a few more times.”

Darkus nodded without speaking. He knew Indra was trying to save face, but he also knew that the weight issue couldn't be solved by simply wearing more clothes. If the basic design wasn't suited to her fighting style, then no amount of adaptation would help.

Just then, Baglon walked over.

The veteran Duruci's gaze fell on the row of armor, a glint of predatory interest flashing in his eyes.

Can I try?

After receiving Des's approval, he donned the armor with the assistance of the Val priests. His movements were practiced and swift, as if he had donned the armor more than once before. A few minutes later, he stood in the plaza, stretching his shoulders and arms, a satisfied expression on his face.

"good."

Dakos looked at Bakron, then at Indra, seemingly lost in thought.

How could it not be good?
This has nothing to do with men or women; it's purely a difference in systems.

Duruci's military system generally featured heavy armor.

Kaitan armor, chainmail, plate armor—layer upon layer—was designed for large-scale warfare, emphasizing defense and the ability to hold one's ground. A veteran like Duruchi, accustomed to charging through hail of arrows on the battlefield, found this three-layered armor structure easy to accept; it was much lighter than what they usually wore.

And Indra? He is Asley, a forest spirit. Accustomed to light, agile leather or chainmail, accustomed to leaping and darting among the branches and leaves, accustomed to surviving by speed rather than by armor.

For her, the armor being too heavy was a perfectly normal reaction.

For Baglon, the suit of armor was perfect, and his reaction was entirely natural.

“Alright, at least that proves who this armor is for.” Darkus watched this scene with a slight upturn of his lips.

However, this point is emphasized...

As the crystals on the armor were activated, Indra's eyes lit up.

It's lighter now.

The armor was still the same armor, the structure was still the same structure, but the weight... had disappeared.

No, it didn't disappear.

It was offset.

But far from the point where the armor suddenly "came to life" and began to actively cooperate with her movements.

Zhuo tentatively raised her arm, which moved lightly and nimbly, with almost no resistance. She took a step forward, her steps light and precise, as if she were wearing the lightest leather armor.

She turned, bent her knees, and leaped, her movements becoming fluid and natural. A sense of power surged from her limbs, not a violent, uncontrollable brute force, but a precisely enhanced, just-right power.

But as a warrior, Darkus could clearly sense that the armor hadn't completely merged with Indra. He said nothing, only raised his eyebrows and quietly watched Indra move around the plaza in small circles, his steps becoming faster and his movements more complex, his expression changing from confusion to surprise, and then from surprise to... delight.

“This…” In Zhuo stopped, looked down at his hands, then looked up at Darkus, his eyes filled with disbelief. “After the energy in the crystal was activated, the armor… came to life.”

Darkus stepped forward and carefully examined the armor she wore. Outwardly, there was no change. But the faint, pulsating energy emanating from within couldn't lie.

“But it didn’t become something else,” Inzo added, struggling to find the right word. “It just… came alive. It wasn’t cooperating with me; I was directing it. There was a… response process? Like I gave the order, it executed it, and then I felt the result.”

Dakos fell silent; he knew what Indra was trying to say.

It was a subtle delay, a disconnect between 'command-execution' and 'will-synchronization'. If true power armor makes the wearer feel that the armor is their own skin, then this suit before them…

It's more like it's wearing a functional outer shell.

Power armor? Exoskeleton? Or simply... magical armor?
He quickly sorted out the definitions in his mind.

Enhanced strength – this armor can do that, powered by crystal energy, giving the wearer strength far beyond normal limits, allowing them to easily lift heavy objects and launch powerful attacks.

Providing protection—a three-layer structure: ceramic absorbs energy, metal plates block physical impacts, and an inner lining provides cushioning; this is impeccable.

The integrated system—it doesn't have life support or fancy sensors yet, but it does have the basics... I guess.

If it only meets these requirements, calling it a "full-coverage magical exoskeleton" seems acceptable, right?
But what makes power armor what it is is that it lacks something that is crucial for elves—constant feedback.

Feedback is a form of interaction, and its core lies in making power perceptible.

When you make a move, the power armor needs to accurately capture your intentions and amplify the movement in real time, making the heavy armor feel as flexible as a second skin. When the power armor interacts with the outside world, such as pushing a wall with your palm, the wall will give your hand a reaction force. The feedback system needs to realistically transmit this reaction force to you, making you feel that you have actually pushed a solid wall, rather than operating some kind of machine through a sluggish shell.

This is the true meaning of "second skin".

The process of commanding and responding to it, as described by Indra, and what Darkus witnessed firsthand, precisely demonstrates that this armor has not yet reached that level. It possesses power and protection, but there is still an invisible yet perceptible barrier between it and its wearer, a barrier called 'delay'.

So, this armor is still armor, magical armor. It's a very new version of magical armor, but it's not true power armor yet.

But this seems sufficient?

It's unrealistic to expect something to be perfect in one step; that's wishful thinking. There has to be a process. First, there needs to be a functional shell, then a responsive system, and finally, a truly intuitive and intuitive tool.

You have to walk one step at a time, and eat one bite at a time.

Barklon then completed the test, and his feedback was much simpler and more direct than Indra's. It was stronger than the standard Dreadlord armor he wore, but that was all. To this veteran of the Duruch, accustomed to traditional heavy armor, the armor was good enough. As for the subtle nuances of feedback and response, he wasn't even as sensitive as Indra.

Dakos did not try it on.

He stood by and watched, seeing Inzo repeatedly test the fluidity of his movements, seeing Buckon adapt to his enhanced strength, and seeing Dess recording every data point.

He would occasionally chime in with a few words, but most of the time he would just observe in silence.

He then spent his time issuing new tasks and resolving disagreements.

He felt the armor wasn't elven enough, so he combed his hair with a magical comb, retrieved the armor worn by the Eldar guardians from his long-forgotten memories, and then transmitted it into Des's mind through Master Ma's telepathy.

The armor worn by the guardians has smooth and elegant lines, and its overall design is somewhere between full armor and bodysuit. Unlike traditional elven armor, which is decorated in an elaborate way, it has a natural and exquisite feel.

Although the Guardians are militia, they are the main fighting force of the Aidarin military system, specifically...

The design is there, but that's far from enough.

The Guardians wear mesh armor, made up of thousands of pieces of a dense ceramic material called thermoplastic ceramic. This material hardens upon impact, forming an effective and lightweight protective layer, much like a high-tech version of chainmail or scale armor.

Thermoplastic ceramics also possess rapid heat dissipation properties, thus offering some protection against directed energy weapons. It can quickly disperse the scorching energy beam, preventing penetrating damage caused by localized overheating.

Most importantly, this material is psionicly sensitive, automatically responding to the wearer's movements and thoughts, maintaining a glove-like fit throughout combat and movement. No deliberate 'command' is needed; simply 'think' and the armor will move.

In addition, the mesh armor has other additional features, such as an independent air supply system, thermal imaging, and an automatic aiming scope, to assist the wearer in long-range combat.

In Darkus's view, the latest ceramics are more like ceramic steel, with excellent physical properties, but they are rigid. And thermoplastic ceramics, on the other hand, are more suited to psionic responses?

Unfortunately, this world only has the winds of magic, not psionic power.

To completely replicate that level of response, we need to find another way.

A disagreement arose, with one side arguing that the armor made of the new materials was good enough to be finalized, mass-produced, and deployed.

The other side insists that the endurance and feedback mechanisms should be further improved to upgrade it into a true powered armor, even if it cannot be deployed on a large scale, even if the cost remains high, and even if only a few dozen sets are ultimately produced, it would still be worthwhile. Because that would be a milestone, a leap from 'magical armor' to 'living combat suits'.

Darkus actually felt that the first group's opinion was more pragmatic. This set of armor was already sufficient; equipping it first and modifying it as needed was the most efficient approach.

But he didn't rush to express his opinion.

Because in everyone's eyes gleamed the same thing—anticipation. They wanted to see what the final version of the power armor would look like. Even if it was expensive, even if the process was complex, even if only a few sets could be made for the most elite warriors, they still wanted to know what lay at the end of that road.

Dakos remained silent for a few seconds.

Actually, he wanted to see it too. He wanted to see the day when armor could respond to thoughts; he wanted to see the day when armor was no longer 'commanded' but 'willed'; he wanted to see the day when elves, wearing it, would dance gracefully on the battlefield as if wearing a second skin.

Even if it takes a long time.

Even if it means taking many detours.

Even if there are countless moments like today that are "good enough" and tempt people to stop.

He raised his hand and combed his hair again with that magical comb, but this time he didn't take anything out; it was just a habitual action.

"Okay, let's continue research and development!"

The people present exchanged smiles.

Darkus looked at their expressions, a slight smile playing on his lips. He knew that from this moment on, the fate of this armor was sealed; it would not stop at being 'good enough,' but would move step by step toward that distant goal.

The next step is to avoid taking detours. Although he doesn't understand the technical details, he still knows the general direction.

The Eldar's segmented Conspiracy Armor uses spikes and barbs to penetrate directly into the wearer's flesh for fixation, while also being directly connected to the nervous system. Pain itself becomes the medium of feedback; every movement, every sensation, is accompanied by the excruciating pain of flesh being pierced. This pain stimulates the Eldar's nervous system, sharpening their senses and placing the wearer in a state of 'awakening' before battle.

side effect?
Of course!
Immense pain, constant pain.

The wearer will emit painful whimpers and curses, and will need to perform will checks at all times. If they are not careful, they will be overwhelmed by the pain and become a trembling shell.

If you cannot enjoy pain, then you do not deserve to enjoy victory...

If this kind of armor really became standard issue for the elven army, then probably no one would choose to join the army. It would be more practical to just believe in Slaanesh than wear such a thing.

At least the latter can provide some pleasure.

Alternatively, one could have surgery like the Astartes, but that path is equally unreliable.

When elves were designed, they were already close to a kind of 'perfect form.' Their agility, perception, and magical affinity had all been pushed to a certain limit. It's not that improvements are impossible, but the return on investment is too low. To operate on an elf's body, perform surgery, or implant various modified organs would require an investment of enormous resources…

The resulting improvement might only be a few percent.

And, they want to perform that kind of... surgery on every enlisted soldier?
Disembowelment, organ implantation, nerve modification...

cost!

Even if it's technically feasible, and even if the elves' bodies can withstand the modification, how many operating rooms would be needed to operate on every soldier, how many surgeons would be trained, and how much resources would be invested?

A suit of armor can be mass-produced, but modifying a soldier's body requires one-on-one, meticulous, and long-term rehabilitation.

Maintenance is the real challenge.

No matter how you calculate it, this is a losing proposition.

Of course, there is another way to go: gene therapy!

Emmm...

If we can't work with the nervous and physical systems, then we have to resort to force feedback.

Force feedback means abandoning all those fancy neural connections, painful stimuli, and surgical modifications, and returning to the most basic physical interaction.

This requires a sophisticated structure that can enhance strength and speed while preserving acute senses. This path, though difficult, at least doesn't involve nerve punctures, doesn't require physical modification, and won't incite Slaanesh's ecstasy.

You can leave, but it will take time.

In addition, auxiliary energy sources also need to be developed.

Specifically, the lord produced it on the third day...

However, the protagonist of this day was not him, but Calien.

But before Karien makes his appearance, we must first talk about Miel.

There is a theoretical limit to the thermal efficiency of internal combustion engines, and in engineering practice, there are also practical bottlenecks that are difficult to overcome in the short term.

With the new ceramics and metals available, Miel turned his attention to researching engines.

Then, the limit was broken.

Of course, improved thermal efficiency doesn't necessarily mean the car runs faster. Thermal efficiency refers to the conversion rate of chemical energy into mechanical energy; simply put, it's how much of the energy produced by gasoline combustion actually becomes the power output from the crankshaft.

It determines how much energy the vehicle consumes, not how much power it can generate.

A car's top speed depends primarily on engine power, wind resistance, vehicle weight, and transmission system. Thermal efficiency is an indicator of economy, not performance.

Just like a boxer.

Thermal efficiency represents a boxer's ability to absorb the energy from a bowl of rice. He might be able to absorb half of the energy from a bowl of rice and convert it into his fist. However, a person with low efficiency might only convert a small portion of a bowl of rice into his fist, with most of it turning into sweat, which is waste heat.

Power represents the force of a boxer's punch. If he is a big eater who can eat ten bowls of rice per minute, that is, a large displacement and a large amount of fuel, even if his absorption efficiency is only 30%, he can still deliver a devastating punch, which is high power.

But this did not stump Miel, the priest of the Great Forge.

With the emergence of new materials, engines have undergone a major upgrade. Not content with simply consuming less energy, it aims to make every bit of energy a powerful punch. It has created a high-performance engine that extracts power by maximizing thermal efficiency, transforming energy that would otherwise become waste heat into torque on the crankshaft and thrust on the wheels.

The result is.

The car is still the same car, but it's not the same car either. The shell hasn't changed, but the soul has.

0-100 km/h acceleration in four seconds.

Maximum speed, exceeding 250 km/h.

And this is not the final version.

The car roared as it sped across the temporarily cleared straight track at the edge of the square.

hum-

That sound is wrong.

Everyone present had heard the sounds of horse-drawn carriages, chariots, and wheeled vehicles rolling over cobblestone streets. But no sound was like this—deep, powerful, and oppressive, like a long-suppressed beast finally being released, letting out its first, exhilarating roar.

Buzz—Buzz—

The sound grew closer, louder, and faster...

Then they saw it: Karien's car roaring towards them from the end of the runway.

That wasn't running, that wasn't sprinting; it was some kind of movement they had never seen before.

The wheels spun rapidly, the sound becoming deafening as it approached, yet carrying a strange rhythm, like a heartbeat, like a pulse, like—like living metal breathing.

At the end of the track, the car suddenly slowed down.

No, it's not slowing down, it's braking.

A screeching sound rang out, the rear of the car swayed slightly, tracing a smooth arc, before coming to a steady stop in front of the crowd.

Karien sat in the driver's seat, his hands gripping the steering wheel, his chest heaving violently.

then……

"Ow!"

A howl erupted from Kallien's throat.

Everyone present was stunned, including Dakos.

Karien leaped from the driver's seat, nearly stumbling as he landed, but he didn't care. He walked halfway around the car, then suddenly turned around and raised his arms high to the crowd, to Darkus, to Miel, and to the dumbfounded lizardmen and elven craftsmen.

"It's done!" he shouted, his voice hoarse and excited like never before. "It's done!!"

Darkus reacted calmly. He had known Karien for a long time. Karien always said that he liked flying, but in his opinion, that was not the case. What Karien actually liked was speed!

Extreme speed!

But ground vehicles can't do what flying can, so Karien thinks he prefers flying.

"continue!"

After bowing deeply, Kallian turned and jumped back into the driver's seat. The engine roared again, and the car lurched forward.

Then, he began his performance.

First it circled, one circle, two circles, three circles, the speed increased, the car body tilted more and more, as if it was about to overturn at any second, but it was steadily pulled back from the brink of losing control.

Then comes the Eight Characters (Ba Zi).

The car drew a giant figure 8 on the square, so smoothly it looked as if it had been measured with a ruler, with each turn precisely following the same trajectory.

Then it makes a sharp turn, speeds off in one direction, and then suddenly whips around at the last moment, spinning 180 degrees, the tires screeching and emitting a puff of smoke as they screech against the ground, before speeding off in the opposite direction without stopping.

Ten minutes later, Karien stopped the car, stood to the side, put his hands on his hips, looked at the car, and had a silly grin on his face that he had never seen before.

A genuine, undisguised, silly grin, like the one he had when he first rode the Cold Lizard, a thousand times happier than that.

The square was completely silent.

Then, someone started it, and a few scattered claps rang out. Then came more applause, then whistles, and then even the temple guards turned around to look at this hot-blooded creature standing next to the roaring metal construct, like a triumphant general.

Dakos slowly walked over.

Karien was still grinning foolishly.

"..."

Darkus paused for a second, then reached out and patted Kalien on the shoulder.

"happy?"

Kalien nodded vigorously.

Do you still want to drive it?

Karien nodded again, the nod so forcefully it looked like he was about to snap his neck.

Darkus's lips curled up slightly as he withdrew his hand and looked at the track in the distance that had just been conquered.

"Then let's continue."

Karien's eyes lit up, and he darted back to the driver's seat, the engine roaring once more.

This time, the onlookers in the square began to spontaneously retreat, giving that madman—no, that newly born Chosen One who rides a metal beast—a larger stage.

In the distance, Miel stood there, watching the roaring creation, his expression still calm. But if you looked closely, the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned in a tiny arc.

"It's not the final version yet."

He repeated it to himself in a low voice, then turned and walked toward his tent.

There is still much to be done. (End of Chapter)