Nerat activated the Lightning Claw on his other arm. He disliked wearing the cumbersome Cataphractii Terminator Armor but favored this common Terminator weapon.
He fired a burst of bolts at the xenos. Amid the roar, he saw something flash.
Nerat immediately knew it was a xenos elite warrior, one of those called Overlords.
They could take many forms, their only common trait being powerful personal energy shields. Boltguns needed sustained fire to break their defenses.
Power weapons were the wiser choice at this moment. They could shred enemy defenses faster through the collision of two energy fields.
Especially for Nerat.
He surged towards the Overlord at speed far exceeding his command squad members.
Lightning Claws were a specialized power weapon, a variant of power fist technology.
They pursued slashing force. Each blade extending from the gauntlet was lethal even without the power field.
When the field activated, the claws could penetrate through armor and flesh with ease.
Blue light flared. Nerat swung the claws in a single second.
Rapid thrusts, fierce slashes. He remained constantly in motion, a series of blows that kept the Overlord off balance.
The xenos' clumsy claws scraped past him, smashing into machinery with loud clangs.
With a piercing shriek, Nerat felt numbness in his arm.
He knew he had broken the Overlord's personal energy shield. Just as he prepared to finish the xenos with his claws, his thoughts suddenly froze.
Nerat felt his nerves go numb.
He called upon the higher consciousness functions of his transhuman body, using his will to dispel the neural paralysis.
With a roar, Nerat completely eliminated the sensation of rejection. He swung his claws, blocking the xenos' opportunistic attack.
He shifted his body, throwing the xenos off balance. The crackling claws sank deep into its abdomen.
Nerat cast the oozing corpse aside, looking around warily.
He confirmed it wasn't an illusion.
Something was nearby, attacking his nervous system.
He scanned his surroundings warily, but the surging tide of xenos soon forced him to focus on the immediate threat.
He moved swiftly through the passageways, claws tearing apart the foul xenos bodies.
Nerat leaped onto a piece of machinery. He looked back first, seeing his three adjutants struggling to break out.
The xenos drove the slave hordes, entangling them.
He looked around, then spotted a bizarre creature a kilometer ahead.
It was at least half a meter taller than any surrounding xenos. Its entire body was white.
Its head was abnormally large, a third the size of its body.
Its arms were also strange. The left was elongated, like a python, reaching to the ground.
Its right hand held a crystal sword, gleaming brightly.
It was unlike any xenos around it. Protected by a group of guards, it aimed its arm at a human.
With a scream, the kneeling human collapsed like rotten fruit.
Nerat saw it raise its left arm, pointing at him. Suddenly struck as if by a hammer, he lurched and fell from the machinery.
'Found the target. Definitely the xenos leader.'
'Probably it... was using... some means... to affect me.'
Nerat's expression changed. His mind uncontrollably slowed.
At the same time, his attempts to control his body, to land in a combat stance and respond to the coming attack, were also hindered.
Something invaded his mind, disrupting the transmission of his will to his body.
Nerat fell helplessly. He stiffly saw two command squad members rushing towards him.
Then they suddenly stopped and fell to their knees.
'Again!'
'It affects... not just me... but other... battle-brothers too...'
Nerat saw a xenos savagely tear apart the two command squad members with its claws.
His eyes were stained red. His heart filled with grief.
Fury blazed in Nerat's eyes. He roared inwardly.
'I must... kill it... so my company... can break out...'
'Xenos... I will not yield...'
Suddenly, Nerat felt control return to his body. He savagely drove his lightning claws into a xenos' head, avenging his command squad.
Landing, he immediately charged towards the xenos leader.
Thousands of spikes flashed through his mind, stabbing him, making his head ring.
Nerat did not stop. Nothing could stop him.
The Cerabvores's crimson psychic threads, piercing through its skull, flashed dangerously. Its sunken intersection locked onto the charging figure.
It was astonished at how fast it moved. It was at the center of the attack, most deeply affected by the neuro-toxins.
It should have suffered hundreds of neurological tortures, yet it hadn't fallen like the enemies behind it.
On Nerat's visor, the target indicator dropped to one hundred meters. Suddenly, his skin felt like countless insects were biting him.
The neuro-toxin's effects spread from his mind to his body.
Nerat swayed slightly. The xenos lunged, claws tearing into his Mark II Crusade-pattern power armor.
Nerat's eyes were ice-cold. He cast aside the dual torments of mind and body, letting will and adrenaline drive his body as he swung his claws.
Nerat found he could swing the lightning claws faster than ever before.
In an instant, before other xenos could surround him, he shredded the personal energy shield.
Nerat punched, crushing another xenos' skull.
Fist and claw complemented each other, continuously killing the xenos rushing to die.
At ten meters, Nerat charged, claws aimed at the white xenos.
Scrpe, scrpe, Shcng...
Lightning claws met crystal sword in a series of piercing clashes.
The Cerabvores raised its other arm, but Nerat anticipated it.
After enduring endless pain, his movements grew swifter. He lunged forward suddenly.
The Cerabvores lurched, falling to the ground.
Energy streams surged into Nerat's armor, making his hair stand on end, pressing against his helmet.
Blood sprayed from Nerat's mouth, soaking his rebreather grille.
Nerat seemed oblivious. He rolled on the ground with the xenos body, swinging his arms like a beast.
The Cerabvores's crooked arm slammed down heavily.
The psychic force field shredded the power armor with a dull thud.
Nerat's broad back visibly caved in.
The Larraman's organ activated, generating cells released into the bloodstream, attaching to leukocytes, finally transported to the wound.
Nerat's body continued to obey his will. He swung his right arm, claws digging into the xenos body.
The Cerabvores' movements ceased. foul pus splattered Nerat.
Nerat took a deep breath. He supported himself on the ground with his left arm, standing shakily.
He assessed his condition: armor broken, the wound on his back scabbed, and internal organs damaged by the heavy blow.
Nerat knew the Larraman's organ could only do so much. He was not at full fighting strength.
Fortunately, the insidious attacks had ceased, both on body and mind.
The surrounding xenos, after a moment of stunned hesitation, fled in all directions. He had clearly killed their leader.
Nerat moved towards his command squad, catching up to one fleeing xenos.
He swung his arm, lightning claws tearing it apart.
Just as he prepared to move on, a buzzing filled his mind, like thousands of bees swarming inside.
'Another one?'
Nerat spun around. He saw another white figure, identical to the one he'd just killed.
His expression changed. In his current state, he couldn't handle another such powerful enemy.
"Withdraw!"
He shouted to his command squad. Nerat drew his bolt pistol, firing at the xenos as he retreated.
Just as he stumbled back, a deafening crash echoed.
Nerat followed the sound. He saw only a flash of golden light.
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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