From a global perspective, now is the best time to annihilate the black Legion. If this opportunity is missed, God knows if such a good chance will ever come again.
For this, we have to thank Abaddon.
The Warmaster of Chaos deliberately fell into a trap, intending to decapitate the Primarch, but little did he know that this very action planted a ticking time bomb for him and the black Legion!
For example, right now.
Because of Guilliman's strategy of luring the enemy deep, using himself and the Macragge's Honour as bait, the black Legion's tightly knit fleet formation stretched into a long serpent, greatly dispersing the black Legion's combat power and preventing any possibility of a pincer movement.
While Abaddon is still here, he must seize this opportunity to completely destroy the black Legion's core—the battleship 'Spirit of Vengeance'!
The black Legion flagship, the Spirit of Vengeance, acted as the entire fleet's 'spearhead' to break through the Macragge's Honour's defenses, but this also left it completely exposed in the real universe.
Its twisted, blasphemous, colossal body resembled a cancerous, rotten, festering star. Impure Chaos energy flowed over its pitch-black armored hull, and the eight-pointed star mark on its bow keel burned in the dark universe, releasing immense Warp energy that pressed down on the Macragge's Honour like a tide!
So, the question is.
How to break through the 'Spirit of Vengeance's firepower and successfully approach this Chaos flagship?
His answer was simple.
Directly, ram into it!
Emrys also went all out, borrowing the 'Bifrost Bridge' from old man Odin!
Rumble—!!!
Terrifying rainbow light shot directly from the bottom of the Macragge's Honour. Even Guilliman didn't know when his flagship had been secretly fitted with this 'device'.
Over eighty percent of the energy supplied by the engines was drawn out and pumped entirely into the Bifrost Bridge!
In an instant, the pitch-black universe was torn apart by a seven-colored radiance, which, carrying terrifying residual energy, slammed into the 'Spirit of Vengeance's void shield!
Buzz!!!
The void shield generator vibrated violently.
But with the void shield device in place, the more powerful and faster an attack, the less likely it is to penetrate the void shield's defense. Moreover, with this level of energy output, the Bifrost Bridge device couldn't unleash its full power.
But for Emrys, this was enough; he didn't need to 'pierce' it.
At the position struck by the 'Bifrost Bridge's energy, an orange current suddenly appeared.
Sizzle! Sizzle!
Immediately after, the orange current formed a circle, creating a teleportation gate. Emrys directly traveled from the Macragge's Honour, using the Bifrost Bridge's positioning, and stepped inside the Spirit of Vengeance battleship!
"Enemy!!!"
The renegade Chaos Space Marines guarding the Spirit of Vengeance immediately drew their bolters, ready to end the intruder's life.
But Emrys was faster. He suddenly clenched his five fingers, and a massive psychic force directly crushed that Chaos Space Marine, power armor and all, into a flat iron pancake!
"Let's start here."
Emrys looked at the blaring alarms and warning lights throughout the Spirit of Vengeance battleship, took a deep breath, and clenched his fist skyward.
"Come out—Thunder-forged Heavenly Soldiers!"
Rumble!!!
In a pure, violent, and blinding lightning storm, terrifying psychic energy surged and roared like a tsunami. Billions of golden-blue electrical arcs, like furious giant pythons, instantly tore apart the Chaos steel around the opening, purifying the defiling runes and flesh attached to it.
The air was ionized, emitting deafening, continuous thunder, a sound so sacred, so violent, that it even temporarily drowned out the groans of the Chaos ship's structure and the low growls of the daemon engines!
And at the source of this thunder, behind Emrys, amidst the blinding torrent of electricity, figures began to coalesce.
These Space Marine-like figures seemed to descend with the thunder, exuding an extremely terrifying aura. Their silver-white armor was inlaid with mysterious runes, which, together with the lightning, dispelled the blasphemous, impure energy, forming a stark contrast with the twisted runes on the Chaos battleship!
The silver-white armor, appearing to be forged from stars, reflected a cold and sacred light under the illumination of the electricity, with intricate geometric patterns and flickering, fragmented electrical arcs.
Unlike the Imperial Space Marines, the weapons they used were all forged by the Dwarves, incorporating Asgard's 'Rune' runes, capable of directly communicating with natural energy.
Greatswords burning with blue-white flames, warhammers wreathed in lightning, arrows roaring with plasma storms—seemingly primitive weapons, they were in fact the product of a powerful combination of Asgard and the Warhammer Universe. And their eyes beneath their helmets were two condensed, cold, burning stars, etched with a deep-seated hatred for Chaos and an absolute will of loyalty.
These were the Thunder-forged Heavenly Soldiers!
Super soldiers born from the combination of Asgard's divine realm and Warhammer's bio-implantation technology!
"For the Emperor!"
"Purify all mortal realms!"
The voice of the Thunder-forged Heavenly Soldiers' Lord was like rolling thunder, directly exploding in the consciousness of all Chaos Space Marines.
The next moment, the Heavenly Soldiers, wreathed in lightning, charged at the still-stunned Chaos warriors.
No hesitation, no tactical concealment.
The Thunder-forged Heavenly Soldiers' tactic was the simplest, most effective, and most direct lightning assault!
Chaos quickly reacted, attempting to block these strange, eerie lightning warriors in the narrow ship corridors.
But unfortunately, they underestimated the individual combat power of the Thunder-forged Heavenly Soldiers. Every Thunder-forged Heavenly Soldier here could use Asgard's 'magic'!
Great shields in front, enduring the dense bombardment of bolter fire, but the shields, mixed with Vibranium and Uru alloys, only exploded with countless sparks, leaving shallow marks. The Thunder-forged Heavenly Soldiers advanced steadily, crashing into the enemy like moving fortresses.
Giant warhammers wreathed in lightning, each swing accompanied by a thunderous roar, smashing Chaos warriors, man and power armor, into twisted scrap metal. The scattered Chaos energy shrieked and dissipated under the holy lightning.
Emrys watched coldly as the Chaos Space Marines wailed and screamed under the suppression of the Thunder-forged Heavenly Soldiers.
Facts proved his idea was correct.
The Thunder-forged Heavenly Soldiers, created by combining Asgardian technology, had surpassed ordinary Space Marines in terms of combat power!
The demise of the black Legion was a foregone conclusion.
It made sense, too; most of the elite forces had been taken away by Abaddon, and the Legion's combat power remaining on the Spirit of Vengeance was clearly a notch weaker.
"There's one more—"
Emrys narrowed his eyes and turned his gaze to the Macragge's Honour. He was a man who always repaid grudges, and besides—if Fulgrim were to escape just like that, he wouldn't be able to sleep!
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Fulgrim, who was locked in fierce combat with Guilliman, abruptly retreated several steps, creating distance between them. On his demonic, perfect, pale face, a complex expression of shock and rage, mixed with horror, emerged.
The whispers of the Chaos Gods echoed in his mind, converging into a single phrase:
Abaddon—is dead!
What?
Abaddon, dead?!
This news utterly stunned Fulgrim. He couldn't comprehend how a mere human could have bypassed the gaze of the Four Chaos Gods and, right under their noses, slain the Warmaster of Chaos!
"Abaddon is dead—!!!"
"Abaddon is dead!!!"
"The Warmaster of Chaos, Abaddon the Despoiler, has been decapitated—!!!"
At the same time, Emrys' excited roar of fury erupted through the communication channels of the Macragge's Glory battleship, definitively announcing the news of Abaddon's demise!
"Good lad!"
A sharp glint appeared in Guilliman's eyes. Even he, usually so composed, couldn't help but be ecstatic at this moment.
"Well done, I knew—you could do it!"
Of course, this was a story for later.
Handing Abaddon over to Emrys was a decision born of necessity. No one knew better than he how formidable Fulgrim, now ascended to a Daemon Prince, truly was!
During the siege of Macragge, even he had nearly been run through by Fulgrim's sword!
To expect the Ultramarines Honor Guard to hold off a Daemon Prince?
He feared that before he could even deal with Abaddon, Fulgrim would have slaughtered half the Chapter. This was no exaggeration; a Daemon Prince indeed possessed that level of power!
According to Guilliman's original plan, Emrys was supposed to hold Abaddon, while he and his Honor Guard engaged Fulgrim, simultaneously recalling the sisters of Silence for reinforcement.
Once the sisters of Silence arrived, working with him and the Ultramarines Honor Guard, after Fulgrim was banished back to the Warp, there would be an opportunity to slay Abaddon.
But Guilliman never expected that Emrys—this kid—would give him such a massive surprise!
Now, with Abaddon dead, the black Legion was leaderless, and the Imperium had finally plucked out this 'ant' that had been sucking blood from its wounds.
This 'malignant tumor'!
"Useless!!!"
On the perfect face of Fulgrim the Phoenix, for the first time, an expression of savage rage appeared.
"What a waste, to actually be killed by a mere human! Useless, useless, useless!!!"
He had no doubt about the veracity of this news.
Because the Chaos Gods had already informed him of the complete annihilation and disappearance of Abaddon's aura and soul. In other words, this damned waste had indeed been slain by a human!
The Four Chaos Gods had poured so much effort into Abaddon, only to see him—fall to a human.
Abaddon's death had a profound impact.
Firstly, the black Legion's will to fight almost collapsed. Secondly, the morale of the Ultramarines and the Sons of the Forest surged to unprecedented heights!
This proved that their sacrifices were not in vain, and the Primarch's strategy was correct. This was the greatest and most glorious victory the Imperium had achieved in ten millennia!
Seeing this, Fulgrim's brows furrowed. He could already foresee the outcome.
With Abaddon dead, there was no point in continuing the struggle. It would be better to protect the remaining forces of the black Legion and withdraw from this battlefield, to plan for the future.
Thinking this, Fulgrim looked at Guilliman, a cold sneer forming on his face.
"Abaddon is dead, but don't think you've truly won—the future ultimately belongs to the Chaos Gods. The Imperium is merely a rotting corpse clinging to life. I want to see how long you can prolong the life of this decaying Imperium, Roboute."
"As long as I exist for one day, your conspiracy will not succeed."
Guilliman stood with his sword, a cold laugh on his face.
"Where I am, the Imperium is!"
"Is that so?"
Fulgrim sneered repeatedly, his eyes showing mockery, but more disdain.
"Then let me see how you save the Imperium—I await the day of your despair, Roboute."
With Abaddon dead, there was no point in him staying here.
Purple nitrogen gas diffused, and the demonic figure of the Phoenix slowly blurred, as if about to disappear.
"Running?!"
Suddenly, an angry roar came.
The purple nitrogen gas was violently torn apart, and Fulgrim, who had been blurring, solidified once more, which greatly shocked him.
"I'll see where the hell you run!" A voice filled with anger made Fulgrim's face change dramatically, and he caught a glimpse of a dark blade flash out of the corner of his eye.
In an instant, Fulgrim's heart stopped.
"Atropos?!" Recognizing the dark blade, Fulgrim, in his shock and fury, ignored even Guilliman. A terrifying purple storm erupted around him, forcing Guilliman back.
Guilliman also seized this opportunity. He had long wanted to avenge the sword strike from before, and immediately stepped into the storm. His holy sword, wreathed in the Emperor's flames, unhesitatingly cleaved down!
This strike, Fulgrim had no way to avoid.
It was either being ambushed from behind, or taking Guilliman's sword strike head-on.
Choosing the lesser of two evils, Fulgrim made his decision in a matter of seconds. He actually endured the sword strike, using its force to adjust his posture and angle. The amethyst dagger, coated in Chaos poison, cut horizontally at an almost Weird angle, blocking the path of the dark blade.
Clang!!!
The amethyst dagger collided with it, sparks flying instantly, and the air was torn apart, emitting a shriek!
Having blocked this strike, cold sweat was almost seeping from Fulgrim's forehead. Even though he tried his best to avoid vital points, that perfect face had its brow bone split open by the sword, an extremely savage scar destroying his perfect appearance.
Fulgrim had no mind to pay attention to his injuries, his gaze extremely venomous as he stared at the human, much shorter than himself, before him.
"Emrys—!"
"Heh."
Seeing the blade blocked, Emrys sneered, but his heart sank.
"Indeed, you know my ability. If Fulgrim didn't know his ability, he would never have paid so much attention to 'Atropos'. After all, from any angle, Guilliman's threat to him was clearly greater than my own."
However, Fulgrim's reaction exceeded everyone's expectations, including Guilliman's own.
He would rather take a punch from Guilliman than be touched by this blade.
This alone was enough to explain the issue.
Fulgrim had learned of his blade's ability from the Chaos Gods in advance.
Otherwise, a dignified Daemon Prince would never have shown such apprehension towards Emrys. Only this one reason could explain his sudden abnormal behavior just now.
"Hahahahaha."
Fulgrim looked at him and sneered.
"Otherwise, why do you think you're so valued by the 'Four Gods' and that Corpse Emperor?"
"Emrys, you don't even know your own origins. Do you think the Corpse Emperor is doing this for humanity? No, you're wrong. He's also using you, hahahahahaha—how pathetic. Do you think you're walking on the right path? No, you are step by step accelerating humanity towards destruction!"
Fulgrim's lips curled into a slight smile, and in the depths of his sinister purple eyes, a hint of playfulness flickered.
He had initially thought that his 'heart-piercing' words, even if they couldn't make Emrys 'awaken,' would at least plant a seed of doubt in his heart.
As long as the time was ripe, this seed named 'doubt' would grow vigorously, until it completely became the last straw to crush Emrys, prompting him to defect to Chaos.
But the result was that Emrys' reaction seemed a little different from what Fulgrim had imagined.
"Oh, what about it?!"
Emrys tilted his head, looking very innocent, but the words he spoke inexplicably annoyed Fulgrim.
"Do you understand or not?" Fulgrim's eyelid twitched slightly, with a hint of exasperation, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Do you really think you are saving humanity? No—the False Emperor is using you. He is not a savior at all, just a hypocritical, selfish bastard!"
Emrys squinted at him, "So what?"
...Fulgrim's mouth twitched.
At this moment, an inexplicable rage flared up in the heart of this Daemon Prince. He wished he could grab this boy and tear apart his annoying mouth!
"It's not that I'm lecturing you all—"
Emrys sighed, scratching his ear with his pinky finger, "Whether it's you, Angron, or Lorgar, it's always the same few sentences repeated over and over again. It's almost boring. Can't you come up with something new?"
Once or twice would be fine.
But repeating the same idea every single time—that the Emperor betrayed them, or that the Emperor is a hypocrite, blah blah blah—he was already tired of hearing it.
"What you said might not be wrong," Emrys looked at Fulgrim and said calmly, "But there's one thing I need to correct."
"Oh?"
Fulgrim raised an eyebrow.
This boy's gaze was somewhat interesting.
"Whether it's the Four Chaos Gods or anyone else," Emrys' eyes narrowed slightly, a low, cold laugh escaping him, his dark blade pointing diagonally, his tone indifferent, "I have never believed that humanity needs 'them' to save it. If—" humanity must have a so-called 'savior,' that person will neither be 'Chaos' nor the 'God-Emperor.' That person will only be humanity, and can only be humanity!"
"Humanity's 'savior' must be, and can only be, 'humanity'!"
"Emrys—stop!"
Guilliman's deep, resonant voice, tinged with a hint of warning, immediately stopped him.
This boy was simply too audacious!
If these words were to reach the ears of the Inquisition, the Ecclesiarchy, or even the Administratum and the High Lords of Terra, Merlin Emrys would undoubtedly transform from an outstanding young talent of the Imperium into a heinous 'traitor'!
"Don't say another word!" The Regent's tone was extremely stern, his gaze filled with warning, yet his urgent voice subtly conveyed the Primarch's concern for Emrys.
What kind of place was this?
To openly utter such words, let alone from him, a Primarch, even the Ultramarines present would likely become displeased with Emrys!
After all, since the birth of the Ecclesiarchy, the sanctity of the 'Emperor' had become unquestionable—even though he, after his coming home, tried to change this phenomenon, the resistance he faced was so immense that even he, a Primarch, found it incredibly difficult. What's more, Emrys' current identity was merely that of a 'Rogue Trader'?
From a personal perspective, Guilliman strongly agreed with Emrys' ideas, but from a political perspective, he absolutely had to stop him!
"Sorry, I—" Looking at the seriousness and warning in Guilliman's eyes, Emrys knew it wasn't the right time. He took a breath and whispered, "I got too emotional just now."
Guilliman held his sword horizontally, blocking Emrys, his sharp gaze sweeping over him before turning to Fulgrim, and he roared, "Vile Chaos, how dare you use such despicable sorcery to manipulate the nobles of the Imperium into uttering such blasphemous words? Fulgrim—have even you, who sought perfection, fallen to this extent?!"
The Ultramarines, who were initially stunned by Emrys' 'shocking' statements, instantly understood after hearing the 'Primarch's' explanation!
Oh, so that's how it was!
They couldn't blame Emrys for speaking wildly; it was the damned Chaos Daemons who used evil sorcery to manipulate and influence the nobles of the Imperium!
Thus, the Ultramarines all turned their heads, staring angrily at Fulgrim.
"?"
Fulgrim slowly formed a question mark.
But soon, having understood the trick, he couldn't help but laugh in anger, giving Guilliman a deep look.
"Good!
Good! Good! As expected of you, Roboute. You truly understand politics and are deeply cunning."
Roboute's actions were nothing more than using his name to shift the blame for Emrys' shocking words just now onto him, the Daemon Prince.
This way, even if these words spread, the Primarch could easily use the excuse of Chaos sorcery to absolve Emrys of guilt.
But how could he, Fulgrim, possibly take the blame for someone else?
A hint of cunning appeared on Fulgrim's gloomy face, and he then looked at Emrys, saying meaningfully, "Boy, don't you want to know why you are so special?"
Emrys trembled violently.
Was he referring to the meaning contained within 'him' having entered the Warp when he was very young and disappearing for an entire year?
"What exactly do you know?" Emrys couldn't help but ask.
"Hahahaha, of course I know!" Fulgrim's eyes hardened. He wanted to drive a nail deep into the heart of the Imperium, into the False Emperor's future plans!
"Because, you are—"
"Enough!"
Boom!
Suddenly, like thunder, the air exploded.
A colossal blue and gold figure intervened, blocking Fulgrim.
"You talk too much, Fulgrim!" Guilliman's eyes were cold, gloomy, and held a hint of anger and urgency, as if he was afraid Fulgrim would utter those words.
The Holy Sword, wreathed in pure flames, seemed to cleave the air, hot, surging waves of air churning and rushing towards Fulgrim.
Fulgrim's Holy Sword, swung with thunderous force, reflected Guilliman's cold, warning, and flustered eyes.
This strike forced Fulgrim to parry, to swing his own blade, compelling him to close his mouth.
"Heh, you're agitated, Roboute."
Fulgrim's eyes were gloomy, seemingly with a hint of playfulness, as he turned to Emrys.
"See, they don't want you to know the truth.
If you truly want to know—then come 'there.' You should know where I mean. I will be waiting for you 'there,' Emrys!"
"Shut up!"
Guilliman suddenly exerted force, and his Holy Sword actually suppressed Fulgrim, forcing him back.
"Hahahaha"
It seemed as if Fulgrim was forced back, but in reality, it was his own choice. Argon-like purple mist enveloped the ship, blurring his figure.
"Emrys—I'll be waiting for you 'there'!"
Fulgrim departed.
Just as he arrived, he vanished without a trace.
Within the vessels of the 'Glory of Macragge', the black Legion retreated section by section; their total annihilation was a foregone conclusion.
Yet, Guilliman, as a Primarch, felt not the slightest joy at achieving such a brilliant victory. He observed Emrys' expression, his Superman senses allowing him to catch every subtle nuance of the young man's expression and psychological activity.
Emrys' expression was as usual, seemingly completely undisturbed by Fulgrim's parting words, making him inscrutable.
But the Primarch, deeply versed in human nature, knew that the calmer a lake appeared on the surface, the more turbulent it was underneath!
This was not good!
Fulgrim's parting words had, indeed, as he had thought, driven a wedge into the Imperium and cast a shadow in Emrys' heart.
"Lord, Primarch?"
Emrys naturally noticed the Primarch's deep gaze, and a gentle, humble smile bloomed on his face.
"You—" Guilliman hesitated for several seconds, but in the end, he still couldn't bring himself to speak.
He didn't know much about the 'truth' of that matter, but it was definitely not something that could be said now. If it wasn't at the right 'juncture', it was very likely to lead to... the future heading in an unpredictable direction.
"Is there nothing you want to ask me?" After much thought, the Primarch still decided to ask. He hoped to resolve, or at least alleviate, the gloom in Emrys' heart as much as possible before the correct 'juncture'.
"If I ask, will you be able to tell me?"
Emrys couldn't help but chuckle softly, shaking his head, "No, you know what I want to ask, and I know what you will answer, so there's no need."
From beginning to end, Emrys' expression held a calm that made the Primarch uneasy.
"Yes—"
It was hard to imagine that the dignified Regent, who controlled the Imperium's military and government, would also show an expression of helplessness, like a mortal.
"Alas."
The Regent sighed deeply.
Then, he decided to change the subject.
"What do you think we should do now?"
"Does the Primarch mean?" Emrys was a little puzzled. Isn't this something you should decide? Why ask him, a Rogue Trader?
"What do you think our army should do next?" Guilliman lowered his head and asked with a hint of interrogation in his tone.
Knowing that he was about to be used as free labor again, Emrys didn't struggle. After thinking for a while, he said, "I believe that although the Daemon Fulgrim escaped, we have already achieved quite brilliant results. Now we should continue to expand our achievements, rescue the trapped Angels, and do our best to annihilate the remaining Chaos legions."
"Not bad."
Guilliman nodded slightly, but still had some dissatisfaction.
"What you said is very correct, but it's still not comprehensive enough."
"Please correct me, Primarch."
Emrys obediently pricked up his ears.
"Your appetite is huge, but you have overlooked the strength of our army. To completely annihilate the remaining Chaos legions here, we must capture Catopli world. This is the closest to the star and the only retreat for Chaos."
"With the current strength of our fleet, it is difficult to completely cut off Chaos' retreat while simultaneously rescuing the 'Rock Fortress' and Draconys."
"Secondly, this expedition to the Iconoclast System was not part of the Indomitus Crusade's plan. It is also very far from our supply points, and even if occupied, it is meaningless as there are no minerals or resources here."
"And finally—"
Guilliman paused, and said meaningfully, "If we consume too much here, it will affect the Indomitus Crusade's progress in reclaiming valuable star systems in the Dark Imperium. Now—do you understand?"
"I understand."
Emrys clicked his tongue, and offered the Imperial Aquila salute to Guilliman with great gratitude.
"I was too focused on immediate gains and overlooked the overall war situation of the Imperium. Thank you, Primarch, for your correction."
In essence, to put it plainly.
Guilliman was considering from the perspective of the entire Imperium, taking into account the ripple effect, which is a strategic consideration.
Emrys, on the other hand, was more focused on the immediate, tactical considerations, thereby overlooking the series of impacts and consequences of waging an unconventional war against Chaos here.
The Indomitus Crusade was for reclaiming the valuable worlds and hive worlds in the Dark Imperium, not for wasting limited combat power in a place like the Iconoclast System, which has neither strategic value nor strategic significance.
"Very good."
Seeing that Emrys understood at a glance and grasped the deeper meaning, Guilliman was very satisfied. He nodded and said, "I don't know how Lion taught you, but—more often, you must consider the strategic level, not just the immediate tactics."
"Remember, war is an extension of politics—if there is no political significance, then there is no need to participate in a war."
As he spoke, the Primarch's broad palm landed on Emrys' shoulder, pressing down slightly with earnestness.
"You must learn 'patience'."
...Emrys blinked blankly, really wanting to ask Guilliman, what did all this have to do with him?
Also, you secretly badmouthed the Lion, and even split up his legion. When you meet him later, will you really not get beaten?!
After instructing Emrys, Guilliman turned and said in a deep voice to Krast, "Order the 7th, 9th, and 11th Companies to clear out the remaining Chaos forces. Don't let a single one escape!"
"Announce to the entire fleet: Abaddon, the Chaos Warmaster of the black Legion, has been decapitated, and all fleets should pursue the victory, doing their utmost to encircle and annihilate the Chaos forces here."
"The sisters of Silence and the sisters of Battle will assist the Chapters in purging the Daemons."
"The Adeptus Mechanicus Forge Ark, along with the fleets on the left and right flanks, will assemble and then advance to attack the 'Rock Fortress' and 'Draconys'!"
After issuing a series of orders, Guilliman grabbed Emrys and strode towards the bridge command center. Next, he would demonstrate to the Chaos forces—the Ultramarines' art of war!
The news of Abaddon's death and the sinking of the black Legion's flagship, the 'Spirit of Vengeance', these two major blows, directly caused chaos within the Chaos forces!
Looking at the fleets on both flanks, like a torrent of steel, about to form an encirclement, even though the Chaos forces' space fleet was not inferior in numbers, they were still terrified and began to abandon the encirclement of the 'Rock Fortress', preparing to retreat and flee.
What's the point of fighting now?!
The Chaos Warmaster was gone, and the black Legion had suffered heavy casualties. If those who came to help didn't run now, they would be surrounded by the Ultramarines!
"The Regent is here, Draconys will be at peace! The Regent is here, and the skies will be clear—!!!"
Emrys' shouts in the communication channel soon reached the war-torn Draconys.
It also injected a powerful shot in the arm for the Imperial forces on Draconys, and morale immediately soared.
"Who taught you to say that?"
Guilliman stared at Emrys with a strange expression. This kid's mouth, saying such things—was he doing it on purpose?
Emrys retorted righteously.
"Isn't it true? The Regent is here, and won't Draconys be at peace? I'm boosting your prestige and preemptively dismantling Chaos' will to resist!"
"Very good."
Guilliman sneered and patted his shoulder.
"Later, you will represent me and go see Lion. I'm sure he'll have 'many words' to personally tell you!"
You brat, does he really not understand?
Saying that on purpose, he's probably trying to get Lion to seek revenge on him!
From the moment Abaddon fell and the Vengeful Spirit was destroyed, the scales of victory had already tipped, and the black Legion and Chaos forces had completely lost their last chance.
The path before them was one and only one: run!
If they ran even a little slower and were surrounded by Guilliman's 'Indomitus Crusade' fleet, they would certainly face dire consequences!
Thus, the remnants of the black Legion, including the Chaos forces besieging the Rock, scattered like birds in a storm, each trying to break through the encirclement.
But the question was, would Guilliman let them have their way?
Only now thinking of running?
Too late!
Guilliman's eyes were cold; although he had said it was impossible to expand the scale of the battle, he would never refuse the opportunity to maximize battle results and annihilate more enemies, given the limited combat power deployed.
To put it plainly, he could let some of the Chaos forces escape, but he also had to annihilate a portion of Chaos' effective strength.
"Announce to all ships, this is Regent Roboute Guilliman. The enemy fleet is in disarray. Order: Attack the right and left flanks of the black Legion fleet, coordinates Alpha-7!
All fleets, macro-cannon arrays, lance arrays, torpedo systems. Each fleet is to autonomously select targets and destroy as many Chaos warships as possible.
Burn the Chaos fleet for me!"
The Imperium's steel fleet, vast as a Nebula, completed its encirclement of the Chaos forces under the Regent's orderly command.
heretics, close your eyes, listen, and feel the roar of the Emperor with your shattered bodies—macro-cannons, fire!
"Imperial Navy, Gothic Fleet, it's time to show your might. Let these damnable abominations taste the wrath of the God-Emperor!"
The accumulated wrath of the Imperium erupted!
In fact, Emrys had never had the opportunity to witness the true power of the Imperial Navy, the Gothic Fleet, until this moment.
Only then did he finally understand.
In space, the Imperial Navy was the true main force; scorching the heavens and boiling the seas was just an everyday occurrence for them.
Emperor-class Titan?
No, the destructive power it caused was even less than that of a single Imperial Navy frigate!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The dark universe space was suddenly illuminated by countless dazzling, blazing lights. On a 'canvas' thousands of kilometers in scale, the 'brushstrokes' of destruction wantonly painted magnificent and grand colors, like mountain ranges.
Terrifying torrents of energy directly tore through the veil of reality.
Hundreds of Warp warships frantically drew psychic energy, converting it into pure power, like giant whips wielded by ancient gods, lashing fiercely at the black Legion's left and right flank formations!
A dozen smaller Chaos cruiser strike barges bore the brunt.
Their heavy armor was easily torn and melted like paper, turning into huge Fireballs and molten metal in the silent universe, like an extremely dazzling meteor shower.
Next, what awaited the black Legion was the dense, destruction-presaging, incandescent beams from the Imperial fleet clusters.
Lance bombardment!
Emrys was dumbfounded, standing beside the Primarch, watching this incredibly shocking scene unfold before his eyes.
The incandescent lances, like thorns, accurately pierced the front of the Chaos fleet!
Even its void shields could not withstand a full-coverage, saturation strike from the Gothic Fleet.
You have void shields?
Very well, then you'd best pray that your void shields have ample energy to withstand a saturation energy strike from hundreds of large cruisers at full output!
Boom—
Blinding energy flashes frantically exploded on the shields of many Chaos warships, and the dark void shields twisted and fluctuated violently, like a lake into which a giant rock had been thrown, with energy readings plummeting at a visible rate!
"Break out!!!"
The Chaos fleet went completely insane.
They knew this was their only way out; to escape the encirclement, they had to endure the Imperial fleet's assault and carve a bloody path.
Huge Chaos warships formed a cloud-like formation, all charging towards the weakest point in the encirclement!
The twisted Chaos warship ramming prows, empowered by wicked Warp energy, slammed into the Imperial Navy's Gothic Fleet.
"Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne!"
"This is our only chance, we must break out!"
The Chaos Space Marines went mad, one after another, with void shields fully active, ramming into the Imperial fleet.
Chaos is Chaos!
Their madness also bought them a glimmer of hope; the Imperial Gothic Fleet ultimately couldn't intercept all of them, and parts of the Chaos fleet, through their insane ramming, tore open the seemingly tight encirclement.
"What do you think?"
The Primarch's gaze remained unchanged; he didn't even issue a pursuit order, but instead turned to ask Emrys for his opinion.
"You—you did it on purpose?"
Emrys, seated in the command room, was no longer the same as he once was. Having studied with the Lion for so long, he could naturally spot the flaw in the encirclement.
"Surrounding three sides and leaving one open, deliberately giving them a weakness to prevent Chaos from turning desperate and causing unnecessary losses. Conversely, if you leave them a way out, they won't be pushed to extremes and won't fight us to the death; they'll only think about escaping. Am I right?"
"Indeed, you are very clever."
The Primarch nodded slightly, a hint of appreciation in his eyes.
"Lion taught you well."
He deliberately left an opening to maximize the avoidance of Chaos being driven to desperation, thereby preventing damage to the Indomitus Crusade fleet.
This outcome now perfectly aligned with his expectations: the Chaos forces were all thinking of fleeing, not determined to fight the Imperial fleet to the death. This, on one hand, avoided casualties for their own forces, and also, to a large extent, inflicted heavy casualties on the effective strength of the Chaos forces.
Tch, does this even need to be taught?
Emrys, however, pouted. This wasn't what the Lion taught; after all, he was once a 'War Machine'!
The Chaos fleet's formation was almost completely pulled apart and dispersed, like a school of fish attacked by a shark, each fleeing for its life, without any coordination.
And this was exactly what Guilliman wanted.
"Follow me." The Primarch patted Emrys and turned, striding outside.
"Where, where are we going?" Emrys was stunned.
"Draconys!"
The Primarch's voice was low, seemingly carrying a certain emotion.
"It's time to see Lion."
Oh, an epic meeting of two great gene-Primarchs, this cannot be missed. Emrys thought, immediately following him.
Guilliman strode down the corridor, his voice simultaneously transmitting from his helmet's comms array to various Chapters and Ultramarines companies.
"Landing forces, objective—Draconys surface, coordinates Beta Nine, deploy immediately! Reclaim the Imperium's glory!"
It was clearly a steady, rock-like voice, but uttered from the Primarch's mouth, it seemed to contain an invisible magic that completely ignited the power of the soul!
And in response to the Primarch, there was a mountain-and-sea-like war cry:
"For Macragge! For the Emperor!"
Even Emrys couldn't escape that fervent shout; it was as if he was enveloped by an invisible aura, his heart pounding wildly, blood pumping into his brain, as if burning!
"For—the Emperor!"
He couldn't help but shout along.
At the same time, his gaze turned to the Primarch.
So this was the true gene-Primarch; with just a single sentence, he could make people's emotions surge uncontrollably, bringing the Chapter's morale to its peak!
The Primarch entered the assault drop pod, which was packed with his Honor Guard. The ornate wreaths on their helmets proved that these Space Marines were the elite of the elite!
"Sit tight."
The Primarch pulled Emrys over and pressed him into a seat, his gaze steady.
"Get ready—"
The next moment, the 'Pride of Macragge' and several Ultramarines strike cruisers' massive ventral armor plates roared open, revealing dense, Hive-like launch tubes within.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Tens of thousands of assault drop pods, like enraged metal hornets, jetted searing blue plasma from their rear, breaking free from their motherships' restraints, and plunged headlong towards Draconys, covered in smoke and fire, without hesitation!
The violent vibrations almost shattered Emrys' gallstones. In the dark assault pod, only red lights occasionally flashed, surrounded by silent breathing.
Although Space Marines were long accustomed to dropping into battle from space in assault pods, this was his first time!
Emrys was on the verge of tears.
He shouldn't be here; he should be in a Thunderhawk gunship. Guilliman must be crazy!
The perspective shifted to Draconys.
These sturdy metal constructs, carrying the most elite warriors of the Ultramarines, crashed like countless burning meteors onto the daemon-infested ground.
The objective was crystal clear: tear through Chaos' defenses, defeat the enemies besieging the Dark Angels and ground forces, and establish a secure landing zone!
"Nervous?"
Guilliman glanced sideways, seemingly noticing that the boy beside him was a little pale.
"Pri-Primarch, I'm not a Space Marine!" Emrys' teeth chattered from the shaking, unable to utter a complete sentence.
"It's alright, you'll get used to it."
Guilliman said meaningfully, then added.
"Get ready, we're landing."
"?"
Boom!!!
A terrifying jolt swept through the entire drop pod. Emrys was almost thrown off his feet; if Guilliman hadn't held him down, he probably would have hit his head on the ceiling from that impact.
Beep—!
A brief soft sound, and the heavy assault pod hatch, like splitting petals, opened from all sides, slamming onto the ground,
stirring up a blast of air.
Hot, dry, and rotten smells instantly flooded the hatch, invigorating Emrys.
"Ultramarines, advance!"
Guilliman gripped the Emperor's Holy Sword, its blade wreathed in pure golden flames. He stepped out of the hatch, and in a moment no one noticed, the sword's edge suddenly sliced through the smoke-filled air.
Whoosh!
A huge daemon was ignited by the Holy Sword's flames and fell into a pool of blood, its head cleanly severed at the neck!
Guilliman's gaze was calm, his internal tactical prediction array operating at high speed, transforming the complex surface battlefield situation, enemy deployment, energy nodes, and friendly positions into countless cold data streams, constructing a clear three-dimensional model in his powerful mind.
"Detecting large daemon engine array, bearing 3-7-0, five kilometers away! Energy signature: Khorne!" The tactical sergeant's calm report came through the helmet's internal comms.
Guilliman's gaze instantly locked onto the huge threat marker on the tactical star map.
It was a group of Khorne War Machines—Defilers and Skull Cannons—composed of twisted metal and blasphemous flesh. They were wantonly unleashing devastating artillery fire on a Dark Angels stronghold area made up of ruined Gothic architecture.
"First Terminator Company, execute 'Thunder Hammer' tactic, objective: daemon engine array shield generator nodes. First and Third Assault Companies, frontal suppression, split the enemy lines! Fourth Company, right flank encirclement, clear their long-range fire points!" Guilliman's voice was calm, and his orders were given without the slightest hesitation, as if rehearsed a thousand times!
The orders instantly transmitted through the Ultramarines' encrypted data-link. Several special Terminator drop pods adjusted their dive angles in mid-air, like precise javelins, screaming shrilly, ignoring the weak anti-air fire of the ground daemons, and slammed violently into an area behind the daemon engine array, piled with twisted metal and burning skulls!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Heavy impacts kicked up dust and broken metal fragments. The moment the hatches burst open, the Ultramarines' most powerful heavy infantry,
the Terminators, with heavy steps, charged into the chaotic daemons!
Storm bolters and power fists roared deafeningly, instantly tearing apart the Bloodletters and Chaos Space Marines attempting to pounce. The Terminators, with precise tactics and coordination, formed an unbreakable shield wall, completely ignoring the incoming fire from both sides, pushing decisively towards the most threatening long-range artillery positions!
At the same time, the drop pods of the First and Third Assault Companies also violently crashed into the daemon horde.
What awaited the panicked Khorne daemons and their subservient forces was the disciplined Ultramarines Honor Guard, perfectly coordinated tactics, and undeniable, impeccable quality!
The roar of bolters formed a dense net of death, engulfing Khorne's daemon legions.
Every shot, every parry.
The Ultramarines strictly adhered to the tactical manual etched into their bones. This was the Ultramarines' style; they were steady,
giving the enemy no weakness, efficiently executing the Primarch's orders, and carving up the chaotic daemon lines.
The warriors of the Fourth Company, like a blue gale, rapidly maneuvered using ruins, precisely eliminating those Khorne gunners hidden in the shadows, attempting to support the front line with artillery or Skull Cannons.
"Wait, wait for me—!!"
Emrys ran frantically, afraid of being left behind.
He couldn't be blamed; after all, Guilliman had chosen a landing spot that was in the absolute rear of Khorne's forces, with daemons everywhere!
He considered himself a good fighter, but the problem was—weren't there a bit too many of them?!
Guilliman, would he really be okay?
He wouldn't end up like Krast, carried to the ICU by the Honor Guard, would he?!