"End? Hah!"
Faced with the Company Champion's furious declaration, the Son of the Emperor responded with a cold, disdainful sneer.
With a swift backward step, it dissipated the force of the Company Champion's strike, then quickly darted away like a phantom, creating distance between them in an instant.
At the same time, three fully equipped tactical squads leaped out of the Thunderhawk gunship's cabin.
After landing, they quickly formed a firing line. Without a word, they aimed their guns and cannons at the other Son of the Emperor still s7
Ri~ Whoosh—!!
The roar of bolters, the piercing screech of plasma cannons, and the high-energy beams from meltaguns erupted almost simultaneously, filling the battlefield with deafening noise.
The eighteen Sons of Humanity from the three squads unleashed their full firepower, pouring a torrent of destructive projectiles onto the fallen Son of the Emperor.
Boom— Boom—!!
Explosions rang out continuously, and thick smoke and flames instantly engulfed the entire street. The violent energy shockwaves cracked the walls of nearby damaged buildings, sending rubble and debris raining down. The air was filled with the acrid smell of burning.
In the midst of this onslaught, the once leisurely and carefree Son of the Emperor was swallowed by the raging energy, its form obliterated in an instant.
Its armor disintegrated under the combined assault of plasma cannons and meltaguns, the powerful impact tearing it apart completely.
As the dust and smoke gradually cleared, there was no intact form left in the center of the street.
The once-arrogant Son of the Emperor was now nothing but a charred remnant, its twisted armor and molten metal fused together, no longer recognizable as a "person."
At that moment, the Son of the Emperor who had earlier charged into the depths of the hospital reappeared, stepping out to the front entrance.
It still wasn't wearing a helmet, its exposed face twisted into a sinister grin.
Its armor was stained with splattered blood and shattered plating, as if it had just returned from a bloody feast. Around its waist hung several "trophies"—human skins, undoubtedly taken from the slaughtered armed security personnel.
Its gaze swept across the street, catching sight of its comrade's mangled remains. Instead of showing anger or sorrow, it burst into laughter:
"Hahaha! What a fool! Serves him right! Utterly idiotic!"
The laughter carried a strange, fanatical tone, echoing through the devastated block, sending chills down Duke's spine as he watched from the sidelines.
As the laughter echoed, the Son of the Emperor raised its bolter, aiming it at the leader of one of the Sons of Humanity tactical squads, and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Bang— Bang—!
The bolter rounds, trailing purple light, shot through the air in a sharp arc, heading straight for the squad leader's head and chest.
Vroom— Vroom— Boom~—!
However, before the bolter rounds could reach their target, they were intercepted by the energy shield generated by the Titan V power armor, erupting in a dazzling burst of energy and a low, resonant hum.
This sudden defensive effect clearly caught the Son of the Emperor off guard.
It narrowed its eyes, muttering with a hint of surprise:
"Oh? This shield is... interesting."
But this moment of surprise didn't last long. The Son of the Emperor's face quickly lit up with excitement again.
It swiftly adjusted its strategy, abandoning any attempt to continue suppressing the Sons of Humanity with ranged fire. It holstered its bolter and drew the grotesque, twisted chainsword from its waist.
Screech— Whirr— Clang!
The moment the chainsword activated, its serrated teeth spun at high speed, emitting a spine-chilling screech and the grating sound of metal on metal.
In the next second, the Son of the Emperor transformed into a swift shadow, darting through the streets with incredible speed.
Its movements were erratic and unpredictable, each step precise as it effortlessly dodged the concentrated fire from the tactical squads, leaving behind ripples of shattered air.
Its body moved with an impossible rhythm, sliding through the hail of gunfire like a predator stalking its prey, completely at ease.
"Hahaha! Come on! Let's see how much your courage is worth!"
The helmetless Son of the Emperor taunted wildly as it deftly adjusted its steps, closing in on the Sons of Humanity's defensive line.
It knew full well that if it continued to engage these well-equipped, heavily armed tactical squads at range, its fate would be the same as its comrade's—blown to pieces, leaving no corpse intact.
After all, these three Sons of Humanity tactical squads were all equipped with Titan V power armor, complete with energy shields.
Moreover, the weapons of the Sons of Humanity were far superior to the "antiques" it was using.
Thus, it chose the combat style that suited it best—close-quarters slaughter.
This approach would also disrupt the tactical squads' formations, forcing the Sons of Humanity to hesitate in their concentrated fire for fear of friendly fire, thereby creating more opportunities for itself.
Its chainsword traced a dazzling arc through the air, each vibration a death knell.
In the blink of an eye, the Son of the Emperor had closed the distance to one of the squad leaders, its chainsword roaring as it swung down with terrifying force, aiming straight for the squad leader's head.
!!
The squad leader reacted instinctively at the last moment, swiftly sidestepping to avoid the fatal blow. At the same time, he reached for the power sword at his waist, preparing to engage the frenzied opponent in close combat.
"Too naive, kid!"
However, this was exactly what the Son of the Emperor had anticipated.
The seemingly fierce chainsword strike was nothing more than a carefully calculated feint.
Its true goal was to force the squad leader to switch weapons in a dangerous moment, exposing a fatal flaw.
As the squad leader reached for his sword, the Son of the Emperor's left fist shot out like a gust of wind, striking the squad leader's right hand as it gripped the hilt.
The Titan V power armor protected the squad leader from having his bones shattered, but the immense force still caused his movements to falter, nearly causing him to drop his sword.
Then, the Son of the Emperor spun around with incredible speed, its body leaning to the side.
This maneuver forced the squad leader to take a half-step back, trying to regain his footing.
But in the moment of instability, the Son of the Emperor's chainsword flipped at an impossible angle, roaring as it swung upward.
Vroom— Screech— Splurt—!!!
Accompanied by the ear-piercing whine of the power field coming to life, the chainsword's teeth bit deep into the chest plate of the Titan V power armor, sending sparks and fragments of metal flying.
Although the armor was incredibly sturdy, the violent energy of the chainsword's disintegration field effortlessly tore through it.
A spray of crimson blood mist erupted.
The chainsword didn't completely pierce the chest plate, nor did it disembowel the squad leader, but the force of the blow still sent him crashing to the ground.
!!!
Witnessing this scene, the Sons of Humanity were filled with rage, immediately wanting to save their brother.
The tactical squad members farther away quickly began precision fire, trying to suppress the Son of the Emperor with their firepower.
Those closer drew their power swords and chainswords, preparing to engage in close combat.
But the Son of the Emperor clearly had no intention of getting bogged down in a prolonged fight with these "new recruits."
When the first bolter round struck its shoulder plate, the Son of the Emperor didn't flinch, merely adjusting its stance slightly to withstand the subsequent barrage of bolter fire.
Then, with lightning speed, its left hand shot out, grabbing the squad leader by the neck.
With a casual lift, the squad leader's body was hoisted into the air like a ragdoll, his bloodied and battered chest plate glinting ominously under the light.
"How's that, little brother? Still holding up?"
The Son of the Emperor sneered, using the severely wounded squad leader as a "shield" in front of its chest.
The gaping wound in the squad leader's chest and his blood-soaked power armor formed a "cruel" barrier, forcing the other Sons of Humanity to hesitate in their fire, afraid of accidentally hitting their comrade.
Those wielding chainswords and power swords slowed their advance, seemingly considering how to coordinate their attacks to sever the Son of the Emperor's arm and head.
Meanwhile, the Son of the Emperor reveled in its momentary victory.
"Hahaha, look at you all, so pathetic, so weak and useless, like infants!"
It sneered, glancing down at the squad leader in its grip before sweeping its gaze over the hesitant Sons of Humanity, its tone full of mockery and disdain:
"Listen up, brats! If you don't want this guy to die too horribly, cease fire! We'll play again another time!"
With that, it stomped the ground, preparing to use the squad leader as a bargaining chip to make its escape.
However, the Son of the Emperor had underestimated the resolve of its "bargaining chip."
"You won't have another time..."
The squad leader's voice was weak but filled with unshakable determination.
As soon as the words left his mouth, the cold fusion reactor's overload program was activated.
"You—"
Hearing this, the Son of the Emperor tried to throw the squad leader away, but it was too late. A surge of energy erupted from the squad leader's body, interrupting the Son of the Emperor's movements.
Ri~— Whoosh—!!
The energy buildup reached its peak in an instant, and a blinding white light, like a miniature sun, exploded between the two, filling the air with destructive heat and shockwaves.
Boom— Boom—!!!
The explosion's light pierced through the shadows of the block, the massive shockwave shattering the windows of nearby buildings and sending rubble and dust flying.
The Sons of Humanity closer to the blast were forced back by the intense heat, but their eyes remained fixed on the epicenter.
As the flames and smoke gradually dissipated, only a charred ruin remained at the heart of the explosion. The Son of the Emperor and the squad leader it had held were gone without a trace.
Only fragments of metal and scorched earth remained as the sole evidence of the brutal confrontation.
"..."
As for Duke, he had wisely retreated to a safer intersection after the Sons of Humanity arrived, keeping his distance from the giants' battlefield.
He wasn't afraid of death, but he wasn't foolish either.
With the Sons of Humanity's intervention, he believed they had the strength to turn the tide and secure the Central Hospital and surrounding area.
However, the unfolding battle repeatedly challenged his understanding.
He had assumed that with a 19-to-3 advantage, the Sons of Humanity would easily crush the Sons of the Emperor.
But 19 against 3, and it was still a close fight???
The first Son of the Emperor, caught in the crossfire of the three tactical squads, had been obliterated almost instantly, leaving nothing but charred remains.
But the helmetless Son of the Emperor, emerging from the Central Hospital, had managed to severely wound a squad leader despite being surrounded by three tactical squads.
Though Duke couldn't see the details clearly, the image of the squad leader nearly being gutted was seared into his mind.
If not for the squad leader's willingness to die rather than burden his brothers, the helmetless Son of the Emperor might have escaped.
But what truly shocked Duke was that, throughout all this, the duel between the Company Champion and the last Son of the Emperor remained unresolved.
Clang—!!
Clang—!!
Every clash of their weapons was like thunder, the deafening metallic impacts reverberating through the street.
Their strength and skill intertwined in a breathtaking display, like a battle between gods, filled with destructive energy.
The Son of the Emperor's chainsword tore through the air with each swing, while the Company Champion's power sword flashed like blue lightning, each strike radiating immense pressure.
As a former Atlas security officer and now a police captain, Duke was well aware of the capabilities of an Astartes Company Champion.
A Company Champion was undoubtedly the elite of an Astartes company, possessing not only immense strength but also exceptional tactical insight and unparalleled skill.
Yet, the Company Champion couldn't instantly defeat a "mere" fallen Astartes?!
This was utterly unbelievable and unsettling for Duke.
If the force attacking the Central Hospital had been one or two squads of fallen Astartes, could they have stood toe-to-toe with three Sons of Humanity squads?
Screech— Splurt—!!
Just as Duke realized the situation was far more dire than he had imagined, the sound of a blade cutting through armor and flesh echoed near the Central Hospital.
The blurry figures of the Company Champion and the Son of the Emperor finally came into focus for Duke.
The Son of the Emperor's right arm and shoulder had been severed.
However, the wound was cauterized by the power sword's plasma field, so there was no expected spray of blood.
But...
"Hahaha!! Kid, you're pretty good!"
Despite such a grievous injury, the Son of the Emperor showed no pain or anger. Instead, it seemed to relish the moment, even praising the Company Champion. This only reinforced the suspicion that they had a masochistic streak.
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