Witness the magic from Kamar-Taj!
Mirror—Dimension!
The layers of folded space suddenly unfolded, like a brilliant kaleidoscope, and in the rich golden light, the huge tall tower was enveloped, then, before everyone's eyes, it vanished into thin air!
Dead silence.
Absolute, vacuum-like dead silence descended. Then, there was a completely different sensory Impact.
The location where the giant tower stood, including the space, seemed to have been entirely 'devoured,' disappearing completely, not even a speck remaining.
That towering 'giant tower'… disappeared?!
Where's the tower?!
Where did his giant tower go?!
No one knew how Emrys managed to make such a huge tower disappear into thin air; it was like magic!
The Daemon Prince was dumbfounded.
No one had expected such a result, and among them, the most difficult to accept was the proud 'Daemon Prince.'
"Emrys—!!!"
Having been played for a fool again and again, Daemon Prince Seragrim completely erupted in rage, his blood-red beast eyes fixed on Emrys.
It was this man!
No matter what, he had to be captured!
"Crush them—for me!!!" At this moment, the Daemon Prince personally joined the battlefield, roaring as he charged towards Emrys.
"Block them, buy some time."
Since the 'giant tower' was gone, Emrys had no interest in continuing to tangle with Chaos and the Orcs.
But just then, the Dark Angel's secret communication channel was filled with piercing static.
Zzzzt… zzzzt… Just as Emrys mistakenly thought that the twisted Warp here and Chaos sorcery were affecting the communication channel, he heard another voice.
"Zzzzt—Ground—Contact?"
"Repeat—again—this is Saint—I am—Dante—"
Dante?
Louis: Dante? Blood Angel?!
No way?!
Baal, where the Blood Angel fleet was located, was at least several hundred light-years away. Even without resupply, jumping directly from the Warp to here would take months to reach Draconys.
But the Draconys campaign, by all accounts, had only lasted about half a month at most. How could the Blood Angels have arrived?
Alright, even if the Blood Angels could arrive, Chaos had deployed a large number of fleets throughout the Iconoclast System. How did the Blood Angels break through?
Emrys was shocked and bewildered, his gaze filled with disbelief as he looked towards the sky, shrouded in the foul exhaust of Chaos.
Rumble! In the depths of the violently churning clouds, accompanied by the destruction of the 'giant tower,' a torrent of plasma shot out, and destructive lightning bolts, like a spiderweb, exploded in the ink-dark atmosphere, wantonly unleashing the terrifying malice surging like waves from the depths of the Empyrean!
Zzzzt, zzzzt. The communication array was still filled with piercing static.
"Did you… hear anything?" Emrys seemed somewhat suspicious, turning to look at the comms officer.
"Just now, in the communication channel, it sounded like there was a voice?"
"No, Lord." The comms officer shook his head, his expression somewhat grave.
"This might be your imagination. The Warp energy here is extremely high, making it easy to create similar illusions."
Emrys was stunned.
Was it really an illusion?
That voice just now was merely a hallucination he produced under high pressure, a bizarre illusion caused by the extremely high Warp energy here.
He no longer paid attention to the voice, as summoning a 'forest' in twisted space was not easy; he had to concentrate fully to find a 'flaw.'
"Emrys!!!"
Seeing Emrys about to flee, the Daemon Prince's eyes were bloodshot, roaring like a meteor as he plummeted from the high ruins, crashing into the Dark Angel's position.
Boom!!!
A terrifying explosion wave, mixed with a massive, rich, burning blood energy, swept over like a tsunami!
The Honor Guard, responsible for protecting Emrys, raised their Storm Shields, shielding him behind them like an iron wall, blocking this terrifying Impact!
Shards of rock struck the Adamantium Storm Shields, emitting crackling explosive sounds.
But immediately after, in the blast wave and smoke raised by the explosion, a blood-red, tyrannical figure, like a mountain pressing down, arrived. Its terrifying speed and strength seemed to shatter the air, dragging a bursting sonic boom, and in an instant, it charged before the Honor Guard holding the Storm Shields!
The enraged Daemon Prince, with a full-force strike, like a comet dragging a blast wave, solidly slammed into the Honor Guard blocking him!
"Get out of the way—!!!"
Crack, Bang!!!
The Adamantium-infused Storm Shield emitted a grating, splitting sound, and as the metal's stress reached its limit, it exploded with a roar, actually being shattered by Seragrim's utterly brutal blow!
Then, this undiminished force, this blood-red surge of fury, was poured entirely onto the Honor Guard warrior standing in front of Emrys.
!!!
That Dark Angel, before Emrys' very eyes, was literally blown apart by Daemon Prince Seragrim's punch!
A rich scent of blood filled his nostrils. Blood mist mixed with ceramite fragments exploded right before Emrys' eyes. In less than a second, this Honor Guard warrior, who died for him, perished in an extremely tragic manner!
"Al—vin—!!!"
After punching the Honor Guard warrior apart, Daemon Prince Seragrim's huge, lava-like black carapace-covered, thick five fingers clawed at him, the rich, surging blood energy seemingly eclipsing the sky.
Since the 'giant tower' had disappeared, he no longer had the heart to salvage the situation. Instead—he would capture Emrys and atone for his mistakes!
But the Daemon Prince had underestimated the Dark Angels who could be honored with the name 'Honor Guard.'
Even if their deeply cherished comrades, fighting side-by-side, sacrificed themselves in such a tragic manner before their eyes, it would absolutely not affect their reason or actions in the slightest!
Fear?
Terror?
Anger?
No, from the moment they were selected for the 'Honor Guard,' their duty destined this day, to protect their target even if it meant their own sacrifice.
Almost simultaneously.
Several Honor Guards replaced the fallen warrior, raising their massive Storm Shields, unhesitatingly blocking his path.
On both sides, the Sword Brethren of the Honor Guard, with extremely cunning and venomous angles, plunged their power sword blades, wrapped in a disintegration field, into the Daemon Prince's vulnerable ribs.
The heavy bolters behind roared!
Bolts, carrying the Emperor's wrath, dragged tearing air as they flew past Emrys and slammed into the Daemon Prince's body.
A series of strikes made the Daemon Prince roar in pain. His mountain-like body was blasted with bloody craters by the bolter fire, and his ribs were even slashed with two bone-deep wounds from the Sword Brethren's sneak attack.
With the Honor Guard's desperate delay, they successfully created breathing room for Emrys. Under the cover of the guard, he hastily retreated, creating distance from the Daemon Prince.
But how could the Daemon Prince possibly allow a target, so easily 'within his grasp,' to escape?
He endured the Honor Guard's attacks, stomping with his massive feet, charging madly towards Emrys. His black carapace-covered arms, like two indestructible, thick iron rods, swept irresistibly, knocking away the Dark Angels blocking his path.
"Don't run!"
"You belong to the 'Blood God,' Emrys—!"
Damn it, the Daemon Prince is still chasing me!
Emrys almost vomited blood. This guy was absolutely insane; the Honor Guard couldn't stop him!
However.
The Daemon Prince's desire to capture Emrys and atone for his mistakes was utterly shattered by the roar that tore through the sky.
Rumble—!!!
The engine roar tearing through the sky immediately drew the attention of all three factions on the battlefield.
Immediately after, from the depths of the churning, polluted clouds, hundreds of Thunderhawk gunships, painted blood-red, tore through the atmosphere with piercing shrieks from their wings, like falcons soaring and weaving through wind and thunder, sweeping down from high altitude!
Their unique teardrop emblem, their vibrant red color, was so conspicuous amidst the roaring, churning, raging, polluted clouds!
Just then.
The piercing static in the communication channel seemed to lessen considerably, and the intermittent voice from earlier became very clear and distinct!
"This is the 'Red Tear,' Dark Angels, ground command center, can you receive communication? Please respond immediately!"
It's true. It really is the Blood Angels!
In the communication channel, the steady voice was incredibly clear, like an invisible hammer blow landing on the heart of every Dark Angel.
It really was the Blood Angels!
They had actually reached Draconys, and somehow, they had broken through the Chaos encirclement deployed in orbit, successfully restoring communication between the ground and the space station, which had been out of contact for nearly half a month!
How these hundreds of Thunderhawk gunships broke through the Chaos fleet's blockade in space, Emrys and the Dark Angels didn't know, but what they did know was that it must have come at a considerable and heavy price!
"Repeat again!"
"This is the 'Red Tear,' I am Louis Dante, ground command center, Dark Angels, can you receive communication?"
"We need your ground guidance, requesting to establish communication with all surviving Dark Angels who are still resisting.
Light your lighthouses, so we—can see you!"
The Blood Angels were still calling.
They yearned to see the surviving Dark Angels, yearned to find the figures of the Emperor's warriors on this chaotic, blasphemous world!
Then, a beam of fire shot into the sky!
The dazzling fire soared into the sky, tearing through the Warp barrier of the Chaos stronghold and exploding in the churning clouds, visible for hundreds of kilometers around.
"Red Tear Command Center, this is the Dark Angel ground command center, I am Merlin Emrys!"
Emrys' emotions were stirred, somewhat difficult to suppress, as if all the emotions suppressed these past days were pouring out with the arrival of the Blood Angels.
"Glad you're to live, Emrys."
"We are about to deploy an orbital strike to clear a clean area for troop insertion. Dark Angel ground command center, please mark strike targets and areas for the space fleet!"
"Hold on!"
"Dark Angels, please hold your ground until our troops land!"
"We—are here!"
The arrival of the Angel was nothing short of timely!
A flash of insight struck Emrys, and he immediately realized that the addition of the Angel was like a heavyweight on the scales.
It successfully transformed the previously weakest of the three factions, the Dark Angel, into the key player controlling the direction of the entire battle!
In other words, the offensive and defensive roles had switched!
Now, it wasn't them who should be afraid and running, but these damned heretics and alien!
I avoid his edge?
What a joke! When he wasn't here, I still needed to avoid the edge of Chaos. But now that the Imperial reinforcements have arrived, it's Chaos who should be avoiding their edge!
"Run for what? Let's fight them!" Emrys, gripping his blade with a furious and savage expression, stared directly at the crazed Daemon Prince.
"I'm right here, come and get me!"
What is 'a villain getting his way'?
Emrys' actions before and after perfectly exemplified this. Before the Angel arrived, he was subservient; after the Angel arrived, he immediately launched a powerful attack!
Daemon Prince Selagraim was so provoked by his overbearing attitude, which showcased a villain getting his way to the point of arrogance, that he couldn't help but laugh.
He even began to doubt whether the great "Blood God" had misjudged him.
How could such a cowardly, dishonorable, and militarily mediocre bastard be valued by the "Blood God"?
Bang!
The surging blood energy erupted like magma.
A shield guard who was blocking the Daemon Prince was instantly sent flying dozens of meters, shield and all.
Selagraim stomped on the shattered ground, his body surrounded by dense, surging blood energy, his expression fierce and savage.
"So what if reinforcements have arrived? I will absolutely not let you escape today, no one can stop me—!!!"
"Who's afraid of whom?!"
Emrys sneered.
"If I don't chop off your head and use it as a urinal, then I'm no longer a rogue trader!"
With that, two furious figures collided on the battlefield like meteors hitting the Earth, unleashing an Earth-shattering roar, and layers of airwaves, like tides and tsunamis, engulfed the surrounding ruins!
Meanwhile, the Thunderhawk gunships circling in the sky had established contact with the ground and confirmed the coordinate system.
Then, the first phase of the aerial drop!
The turbid atmosphere, surging like a tide, was like a violently swirling vortex, an extremely oppressive, muffled shriek, violent and utterly pure, as if an invisible pressure was about to collapse the entire firmament.
Then, a tearing roar came from the atmosphere!
The sound was enough to shatter eardrums. It was the burning trails of dozens, even hundreds, of objects, like fiery spears thrown by gods, dragging crimson and golden-yellow mixed contrails, carrying the Emperor's furious will, like a hammer, fiercely piercing this defiled Earth!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Deafening Impacts, like the painful groans of a planetary geotherm, shook the ground outside the hive city. The deep craters caused by the Impacts,
Impacts, carrying soil, gravel and nauseating flesh, under the scorching flames, spread wildly in all directions like purifying fire giant waves.
Sanguinius' Coffin of Wrath, the Emperor's hammer, with unparalleled terrifying might, smashed into the Chaos legions, standing tall in the center of the Impact crater!
The crimson and golden-yellow livery, illuminated by the pervasive smoke and fire, resembled a burning sacred emblem!
The scorching metal surface hissed, evaporating the defiled air it touched, and the heavy hydraulic system let out a muffled roar, like the prelude to a giant beast awakening.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The next moment, the heavy hatch slammed to the ground, and exploding bolter rounds and melta beams poured the wrath of Sanguinius' sons onto the twisted, blasphemous daemons outside!
"For the Emperor! For Sanguinius!"
Roars like thunder erupted, and golden and scarlet figures surged forth like a breached sea of blood.
The roar of power armor seemed to converge into a resonance powerful enough to shake the Earth.
At the forefront, that ancient golden armor, amidst the surrounding defiled air, the filthy blasphemy, and the stench of blood, still shone with inviolable majesty. The spread white wings on his chest, and the emblem of a single drop of blood, all signified his unique status!
But even more striking was his helmet, unlike everyone else's, resembling a compassionate yet furious face, with a sacred drop of crimson blood on his forehead!
Legend has it that this compassionate yet furious face was once the Angel Primarch—Sanguinius!
And the drop of crimson blood on the mask's brow was one of Sanguinius' relics!
This not only symbolized him as a son of Sanguinius but also as the Chapter Master of the Angel, the Regent of the Imperium's dark side—Luis Dante, a living legend of the Imperium!
Dante, the legendary Chapter Master, personally came to the battlefield!
Shua!!!
The power axe, adorned with pure white wings, like a bolt of lightning, easily shattered a Bloodthirster.
Dante, the tallest figure, wearing Sanguinius' 'Death Mask,' held the 'axe of Baal' whose blade was still dripping blood. His cold gaze from his tactical optics turned to the most conspicuous Daemon Prince on the battlefield, Selagraim.
Very Good, it's him!
In an instant, Dante, like a whirlwind, charged into the crowded daemon legions. His thousand years of experience and combat had transformed every one of his movements into an ingrained instinct, like a precise, efficient killing machine!
The axe of Baal and the Inferno Pistol.
These two iconic weapons of Dante, used alternately, saw high-temperature energy beams pierce the armor of world Eaters, and the axe blade swiftly fly to sever heads. In just over ten seconds, he led the Sanguinary Guard in carving a bloody path through the encirclement of numerous daemons.
But at this moment, a sudden change occurred!
The ground suddenly trembled, a terrifying pressure enveloped the battlefield, and towering blood energy, like a giant wave, crashed upon the broken ground. A terrifying figure actually tore through space and stepped onto the battlefield!
At this moment, the air seemed to solidify.
Emrys looked at that figure, every nerve, even the hairs on his skin, screamed a warning.
"Angron—?!"
Yes, this blood-red figure stepping onto the battlefield was none other than the daemon Primarch—Angron—who had recently been gravely wounded by the 'Emperor' and nearly died!
Damn it, how is Angron still here?!
He's really tough-skinned, he took a full-power slap from the Emperor and can still move! I should have asked the Emperor to give him another slap before he left, at least to leave him with high-level paraplegia!
Just as Emrys' scalp tingled, he saw a figure charging directly at the daemon Primarch Angron.
Whose subordinate is this, to be so brave?
Emrys looked closely and couldn't help but exclaim, "God damn!" It was actually the Angel's Chapter Master, Luis Dante!
Holy crap!
How can he be so fierce?!
In the crowd, the Chapter Master of the Blood Angels, nicknamed 'King of Super Long Standby' Luis Dante, abandoned his Sanguinary Guard and single-handedly charged at the Daemon Primarch Angron!
However, Angron was a Gene-Primarch and a Daemon Prince. Even with Dante's thousand years of experience, he still seemed somewhat outmatched against a War Machine that had lived for tens of thousands of years.
Within just a few rounds, Dante was at a complete disadvantage. Each swing of Angron's massive axe was like an irresistible natural disaster; the brutal strength and terrifying speed made it difficult for Dante to resist.
Looking at Dante struggling to resist, Emrys felt an ominous premonition.
Wait—he suddenly remembered something. Dante always seemed to put himself in desperate or certain-death situations; this wasn't the first or second time.
Coupled with the Battle of Baal, Dante even dared to board a Tyranid Hive Fleet alone, fighting his way in and out seven times; during the Third War for Armageddon, this Blood Angel Chapter Master fought the Ork Warboss to the death alone, and other 'glorious deeds'… Emrys' pupils suddenly constricted, realizing Dante's hidden thoughts!
Bullshit!!!
Dante was deliberately 'seeking death' by doing this!
Logically, as a qualified Chapter Master, his greatest responsibility was to ensure the continuation of the Chapter and to command the war on the battlefield, not to appear on the front lines.
Yet, Dante broke this rule. Many times, he actively appeared in the most dangerous positions on the battlefield, leading the despairing Blood Angels to break through desperate situations.
Just like now!
Angron wanted to bypass Dante, but each time, he was stopped by this annoying guy. He was like a fly, clinging stubbornly to his steps.
"Get… out…!!!"
A shattered roar, mixed with furious bloodlust, and the saw-toothed edge of the great axe, wailing with billions of souls, slashed a terrifying blood-red arc. Dante had no time to block, and the entire blow struck him in the chest. His adamantium power armor instantly shattered, and he was sent flying like a broken kite, crashing into the ruins.
"Go save him!"
"Chapter Master!"
"Dante!"
At the same time, Blood Angels and Dark Angels from all over the battlefield noticed this scene.
Was the legend of the Imperium going to end here?
Lying in the ruins, Dante's mind began to race, or perhaps flash back, as scenes from the past quickly flickered by.
Sixteen hundred years of his career, countless times of life-and-death slaughter, had long made Luis Dante a legend in the eyes of many Space Marines, including the Inquisition and the people of the Imperium.
But this expectation also turned into an invisible pressure, making Dante unable to breathe.
He was too tired!
Sixteen hundred years of continuous service had transformed Luis Dante from an ordinary Space Marine into the Chapter Master of the Blood Angels, a Guardian, a son of Sanguinius!
Sixteen hundred years, what did that mean?
In this hellish dark age, a Space Marine who survived two hundred years could become a hero. If that time were converted into golden nails, his head would probably be covered in them.
The sole purpose of a Space Marine's existence was war, to serve the Emperor.
But such a long, hopeless, lingering, never-ending war was torture and torment for Dante.
Even a genetically enhanced Space Marine had limits to his spirit and will. A thousand years of incessant war, decisions, every sacrifice witnessed, every burden carried, had left him utterly exhausted!
Along the way, Dante had witnessed the deaths of many brothers. Even those who once fought alongside him, and were eventually interred in a Dreadnought, had found their release, their souls returning to the Golden Throne.
God, even a Dreadnought could find an end. When would his end come?
When would this endless 'torture' finally cease?
The burden Dante could not lay down grew heavier and heavier.
The curse running in his bloodline, the pain of his gene-father's death repeating in every dream, had pushed Dante's spirit and body infinitely close to the brink of collapse.
He often asked the Emperor, asked Sanguinius, during his solitary prayers—when could he find release?
But the reality was, he was still serving the Emperor!
"I, still serve." This phrase made Dante feel like a screw, nailed to the Golden Throne. Perhaps release, for him, was a luxury.
During the Battle of Baal, he once thought he could finally lay down this responsibility, but Emrys' appearance once again welded him to that seat called responsibility.
At this moment, in his blurry vision, a brutal, blood-red figure, wielding a massive axe blade, descended upon him amidst the wails and tremors of billions of souls!
Was he… going to die?
Dante desperately wanted to twist his body, but his shattered muscles and heavy frame made it difficult to move.
This, perhaps, was his end.
Only death could release him from the eternal war, endless suffering, heavy responsibility, and the curse of his bloodline's genes.
Dante closed his eyes.
But, before that, time seemed to slow down. Dante seemed to see a golden light, and within that dazzling golden light, a figure appeared.
He had pure white, sacred wings.
"Father—can I rest now?"
In his dazed state between life and death, Dante asked the sacred figure, his voice filled with longing.
"Am I a qualified Chapter Master? Have I atoned for my sins? Am I a competent Blood Angel?"
The figure looked at him, his eyes full of pity, yet also a hint of expectation.
Although not a word was spoken, Dante understood the meaning in the figure's gaze—he had not yet completed his duty; he still had to continue.
Angron, Angron. Dante's scattered gaze refocused, his blurry vision became clear again, and a surge of strength erupted from his heavy body.
Yes, how could he shirk his responsibility in such a way?
No!
This was not the death he craved. He wanted a meaningful end, like his gene-father, Sanguinius, to bring some value to the Imperium, to the Emperor, to his beloved sons, and achieve ultimate salvation!
Not to die like this, meaninglessly and without value!
Even if he died in battle, he wanted to die gloriously in a great, decisive war, to prove that throughout his long service, he had never failed the expectations of the Emperor and Sanguinius!
"In the name of Sanguinius!"
Under Angron's furious great axe, Dante, from somewhere unknown, unleashed astonishing willpower. He actually managed to block this terrifying blow.
Boom!!!
Even the ground beneath Dante's feet trembled and shattered from the impact. Demonic roars echoed in the air, and terrifying bloodlust, like a storm, tore at his ancient golden armor, shredding his blood-red cloak. Blood flowed from the cracks in his power armor, yet he did not waver an inch!
"Daemon, Angron—" Beneath Dante's shattered helmet, a fierce resolve emerged on his weathered, haggard face.
"Until you fall, I, a son of Sanguinius, will never fall—!!!"