The sky. Yang Ying, along with Cattrina, Consul Cass, and members of the Seraphim core council, arrived at the shore of a large lake in the southeastern part of the floating continent.

After everyone boarded a pre-built viewing platform and took their seats, their attention focused on a Stargate before the platform. Yang Ying and Cattrina naturally sat on the highest tier of the platform, alongside Cass and other core council members like Boktana.

Situated here was a Protoss air force production base, spanning tens of square kilometers. Over eight hundred massive Stargates were neatly arranged on the plains by the lake, and towering architectural complexes hovered five hundred meters in the air, their crystal surfaces emitting a faint blue-white glow, indicating they were operational. The Stargate before the viewing platform was where the carriers were being manufactured.

The construction cycle for a carrier was more than two months longer than that of a Terran Battlecruiser. Therefore, even though the Protoss started building carriers later than the Terrans, they still managed to complete the first one a week before the completion of the first Storm-class Battlecruiser.

The first carrier was scheduled to complete its entire production process and officially enter service today, and Yang Ying had come specifically to observe and record this historic moment.

Whenever he imagined in his mind the overwhelming sight of an armada of carriers launching interceptors to attack a target on a future battlefield, a surge of excitement would rise in his chest.

Unlike the game where a single carrier carried eight interceptors, the carrier about to roll off the line was designed to hold eight full squadrons of interceptors. These interceptors were not ordinary fighters; they possessed plasma shields, and if damaged, they could be quickly repaired so long as they returned to the carrier.

Even if one was shot down, it didn't matter. The carrier itself was a factory capable of ceaselessly manufacturing new interceptors.

The Protoss possessed unparalleled spatial technology, establishing a complete network of spatial conduits between the carriers and their rear bases. Any resource could be instantly transported from any base to the carrier, a logistical apex that allowed every carrier to operate independently in any environment without ever worrying about supplies.

The only drawback was that this method consumed an immense amount of energy. However, energy was also a resource that could be resupplied via the spatial conduits. For a race that had entered the Urael Era, energy was likely the smallest concern. After all, given the sheer size of the Urael, energy could be harvested almost limitlessly with the right technology—any star, in essence, was an inexhaustible gift of energy.

“Sir, the Protoss technology is truly astonishing. In terms of sheer technological sophistication, it far surpasses the Behemoth-class Battlecruiser,” Cattrina murmured to Yang Ying after listening to the exchange between the core council members.

Although the Protoss could communicate via mental links, speaking aloud remained a very common and essential mode of interaction. Just as some people use body language to enhance their spoken expressions, the Protoss were not a silent, inert race communicating only on a mental plane.

However, the Protoss lacked vocal organs; they produced sound by vibrating the air using psionic energy.

“Protoss technology indeed far surpasses the Terrans. But in a real fight, technological superiority doesn't guarantee victory. While the Behemoth-class Battlecruiser is less technologically complex than the carrier, its combat capability is not inferior by any measure. In terms of destructive power, the carrier falls short of the Battlecruiser, as the latter is equipped with both nuclear missiles and the Yamato Cannon, two types of mass-destruction weaponry,” Yang Ying said with a smile.

Cattrina nodded, then looked back at the Stargate, her expression contemplative.

After a moment, the flashing of the Stargate suddenly ceased. Everyone immediately focused their attention on the gateway; clearly, the most crucial moment had arrived!

A deep, resonant sound echoed from within the gate. Yang Ying knew it was the sound of the carrier’s warp-plasma thrusters. Then, a conical bow section first emerged from the Stargate, and the entire carrier slowly sailed out.

The carrier’s bow resembled a warhead, sheathed behind a layer of gold and silver composite armor shaped like a flower bud about to bloom. The structure was exquisitely intricate, wrapping around the majority of the hull starting from the stern. The bridge was situated within the superstructure toward the rear of the hull.

It was noteworthy that the composite armor featured numerous patterns, gaps, and open latticework, and large sections of the hull were inlaid with transparent glass. Yang Ying could even see the neatly arranged, blue-glowing energy matrix equipment inside the carrier through those windows.

Yang Ying heard Cattrina beside him let out an exclamation of awe: “Ah! This warship is truly beautiful!”

It was no wonder she was amazed. The carrier before them looked like a piece of craftsmanship wrought from gold, silver, and crystal. The outer composite armor exuded a futuristic elegance, the dual tones of gold and silver outlining simple, graceful patterns, complemented by bold lines and extensive use of openwork and transparency, providing a stunning visual experience. The carrier’s external form was too complex and refined to be easily captured in words. Interested readers might search for “Protoss Carrier” on Baidu Images to see highly detailed renderings of this vessel...

Evidently, the aesthetic purpose of that composite armor far outweighed its practical function, seeming to be purely ornamental rather than defensive.

However, this was precisely the case. The carrier's primary defense lay in its plasma shields. Unlike in the game, the foundation of these shields was pure energy; as long as energy reserves were sufficient, they were incredibly difficult to breach, offering defense several times stronger than physical armor. Conversely, if the carrier encountered an attack capable of shattering the plasma shields, even if it were clad in thicker, full-coverage armor, it would be vulnerable.

Thus, the Protoss designed the carrier’s appearance to be so artistic, aligning with their cultural habit of pursuing perfection in all endeavors.

The initial impact of seeing the carrier was profound. When a person sees an exquisite desk ornament, they might internally appreciate and praise it. When they see a large work of art, perhaps the size of a car, they are likely to be impressed not only by the artwork itself but also by its sheer scale. However, when they behold a piece of artistic warship spanning over five hundred meters, like the carrier, they are likely to be left with nothing but stunned silence and a blank mind.

After committing every detail of the carrier to memory, Yang Ying sighed, “If this carrier were to appear in the Sol System, no one would ever believe humans built it themselves. Human warship designers, unless they had been shot in the head, would never design a vessel like this.”

As he finished speaking, the carrier began launching interceptors one by one, directing them to attack a designated target floating several kilometers away on the lake surface.

The target was an old, obsolete surface vessel manufactured on Earth. A dozen or so interceptors executed a cross-attack, sinking it in less than half a minute.

The interceptors were armed with plasma cannons, their power level situated between a Tier 2 and Tier 3 uranium railgun, and these were only the first generation, with potential for future upgrades.

While observing the carrier's initial exercise, Yang Ying explained to Cattrina, “Don’t be fooled by the sheer number of interceptors; the carrier is piloted by only a single Templar.”

“Incredible,” Cattrina asked, astonished. “A single Templar can control an entire carrier, plus all these interceptors?”

“Not entirely controlled by him alone,” Yang Ying clarified. “The carrier pilot’s primary duty is maneuvering the ship. The interceptors have two modes: one is direct pilot control, and the other is fully automated by the onboard computer. The pilot merely designates the target, and the computer handles the rest. Of course, the former is more flexible, and the number of interceptors a single Templar can effectively command simultaneously is often a benchmark for judging their prowess.”

“I see,” Cattrina nodded.

After the carrier’s unveiling, a week later, Yang Ying and Cattrina traveled to Terran territory to attend the commissioning ceremony for the Behemoth-class Battlecruiser.

This location was a Terran air manufacturing base on the northern great plains of the floating continent, featuring over two thousand airfields neatly laid out across the expanse, making the scale even grander than the Protoss facility.

At a similar viewing platform, Yang Ying and Cattrina occupied the highest tier, but the individuals seated around them were different this time, replaced by high-ranking Terran generals.

Howard had finally attained the rank of Admiral and was simultaneously appointed the captain of the first Behemoth-class Battlecruiser. A contingent of his trusted personnel had also been assigned to the ship.

Consequently, he was not on the viewing platform but aboard the first Behemoth-class Battlecruiser, performing final diagnostic checks.

As the indicator lights on the airfields suddenly extinguished, signifying the completion of the battlecruiser’s construction, a moment later, the Behemoth-class Battlecruiser, long anticipated by Yang Ying, rolled out from the airfield hangar.

The Behemoth-class Battlecruiser’s style was sharply distinct from the Protoss carrier, being characterized by heavy, blocky armor, divided into front and rear sections—the rear portion being larger. Yang Ying’s eyesight was extremely keen, allowing him to see the myriad of gun barrels and missile launchers covering the hull.

“The Protoss utilize curves extensively because curves are aesthetically pleasing, whereas the Terrans favor straight lines, perhaps because they are easier to fabricate,” Yang Ying remarked with a smile.

Director Bila, in charge of managing the airfields, was also present on the viewing platform. He was clearly very familiar with the Behemoth's specifications and was tasked with explaining the technical details to the assembled senior generals.

He began: “The Behemoth-class Battlecruiser is equipped with four Tier-Six Plasma Cannons as its main armament, located in the rear half of the hull, complemented by eight Tier-Five Sodium Cannons as secondary weapons in the forward section. Furthermore, hundreds of beam-capable anti-air batteries are distributed across the entire vessel. Missile launch bays, ports, and silos are also situated throughout the hull. But most importantly is the super-main weapon, the Yamato Cannon, possessing the destructive power of a Tier-Seven Plasma Cannon, capable of obliterating a city in a single shot, its power comparable to a nuclear missile. Additionally, the Behemoth-class is equipped with nuclear missiles, cluster missiles, and various other armaments, allowing it to adapt to any sudden combat scenario.”