"AAAAAHHH!!!"
With waves of screams, a full day passed. The naval vermin were finally reduced to ash. Their actions had truly angered Zhou Ye to the point of laughter. If he had followed his original plan and developed his forces for a few more years, he estimated he would have returned to find nothing but ruins. Dante would likely have done the same as in the original timeline, using that certain something to blow up the entire planet.
Zhou Ye had no comment on that, but now, it was entirely unnecessary.
"Have you been able to determine the location and coordinates of the node-beasts?"
Zhou Ye frowned as he looked at Ahriman. The sorcerer had removed his helmet, and his forehead was beaded with cold sweat.
Of course, his current appearance had been sculpted for him by Zhou Ye. When this fellow took off his helmet, his true face was very Tzeentchian.
Ahriman was not in good shape. He had to directly face the Great Devourer. Although he was now a strong contender for the title of the most powerful individual beneath the Primarchs—and wouldn't even be embarrassed facing a psychic dullard like Guilliman—directly confronting the Great Devourer, a being comparable to the five shit-stains of the Warp, was truly asking too much of him.
But now that Zhou Ye was his boss, he was taking the task very seriously.
"It seems there's no way for now. This method has likely never been attempted before."
Looking at Ahriman, Zhou Ye shook his head helplessly. At times like this, a psychic dullard like himself shouldn't meddle. It was best to leave professional matters to the professionals.
This tactic of his—sniping a target from light-years away, a well-protected and powerful node-beast deep within the swarm at that—was likely impossible for anyone else to achieve at the moment.
The amount of biomass required to produce a node-beast was not low. Even its death was a significant loss for the Great Devourer.
This time, Zhou Ye was all about the exchange ratio. He was going to give the swarm a real war.
"Continue to integrate the forces of this sector. I want to see what the Tyranids can do this time. Oh, and before that, we need to make several preparations."
"The Imperial Fists and the Iron Warriors Grand Companies have already begun constructing new defensive lines. The total population of the main planets in the Underworld System is now only about one-tenth of what it was. However, because the Tyranid invasion is still in its initial stages and they have not yet begun to recover biomass, the resources on these planets are still very plentiful. And with fewer people, we can allocate more resources to prepare for war."
"Excellent. Seize the time and re-establish the asteroid defense belt. They could attack at any moment. And… can you determine the distance from here to Baal?"
Zhou Ye nodded and turned to the star chart behind him. The Warp was now filled with the Tyranid's shadow, making travel difficult. Zhou Ye knew that thing would eventually descend to fight personally.
He had no intention of clashing with it head-on in the Empyrean. So, Zhou Ye initiated his second plan.
He would send out a trailblazing fleet, constantly jumping in the direction of Baal. The best-case scenario was to establish a direct link. The Underworld System was not that far from Baal. He would dispatch a small fleet to continuously trailblaze a path towards it.
When one trailblazing engine overloaded, another would immediately take over, allowing the first to cool down, and so on, until the connection to Baal was complete.
Once the link was established, Zhou Ye could give the Tyranids a performance reminiscent of the Old Ones versus the Necrons—he would have men everywhere. Then he could fight that thing more easily. It was just a pity the beacon wasn't there at the moment.
"I remember Dante is also bringing the Flesh Tearers to reinforce the Underworld System. If he comes, things will be much easier. I'll have him take the beacon back to Baal. Then we can link everything together. The Trailblaze Sector, Ultramar, and Baal will be completely connected. Hmm, it's time to establish the Fourth Imperium."
Zhou Ye couldn't help but mutter to himself. After all, the Emperor of the Second Imperium was Sanguinius. As Sanguinius's good old son, couldn't Dante inherit his father's legacy and take the throne of the Fourth Imperium? Then he could make Guilliman the Prime Minister and himself the Warmaster. That way, he could go out and Waaagh! to his heart's content. Ah, just thinking about it made him happy.
"I wonder how Guilliman is doing."
He mumbled again. He had sent that whole group, including Asmodai, away. They were all now with Guilliman's Terran Crusade, heading towards the Throneworld.
Except for Icefang, of course. That guy had literally hugged his leg and begged him. In the end, Zhou Ye had allowed him and a company of over a hundred new Space Wolf recruits to stay behind. The captain of their Grand Company had looked like he wanted to say something several times, but ultimately remained silent and continued on the journey back to Terra with Guilliman.
Zhou Ye wasn't sure if Guilliman would be hunted down like in the original timeline, but for now, the situation seemed fine.
---o---
Elsewhere, in the Warp near the Underworld System.
"The Shadow in the Warp grows ever larger. We must increase our speed."
Dante stared at the navigational chart before him, his brow furrowed. He had brought the entire Blood Angels chapter and its successors with him, their destination: the Underworld System. They were there to provide support and, more importantly, to retrieve that Ancient. According to the astropathic messages he had received, the situation there was dire, bordering on catastrophic.
"Awooo..."
Beside him, Flesh Tearers Chapter Master Seth was leading his entire chapter—save for the two new recruits left behind as examples—in a massive feast.
Although the Flesh Tearers had their issues, their standing among the successors of Sanguinius was second only to the Blood Angels themselves.
All the food he had originally intended to share with all the gathered Sons of Sanguinius was now theirs. Dante himself couldn't stomach a single bite. In the end, he forced down a serving of Astartes nutrient paste and was done with it.
As emergency rations for an Astartes, one meal was enough to sustain them in combat for several days.
Of course, a mortal who ate it would die, as it contained, among other things, powdered ceramite.
"Bleghh…"
On the other side of the ship, a Sanguinary Priest was leading his men, holding vials of green potion and forcing it down the throats of the restrained members of the Death Company. And it wasn't just them; they had also brought along those Space Marines lost to the Red Thirst, a subject the Blood Angels rarely spoke of.
If a member of the Death Company could occasionally be communicated with, these individuals were nothing but beasts and madmen. But with a single gulp of the potion, their expressions became clear, albeit dazed.
But compared to them, another group had it even worse.
The Blood Knights.
This successor chapter had undergone severe mutations, to the point where they would slaughter mortals to drink their blood. They had come to Baal with no intention of returning alive.
But at this moment, a collective look of bewilderment spread across their faces. They were surrounded by a force of their battle-brothers several times their number.
"See that? That is redemption."
Looking at the battle-brothers whose狰狞smiles held a hint of mania, cold sweat beaded on the foreheads of the Blood Knights. They glanced at the other Sons of Sanguinius who had regained their clarity after drinking the potion, and each one of them silently took a step back.
"This is a ritual! A ritual that all Sons of Sanguinius must undergo! Only then can you be called a true Son of Sanguinius! So drink it!!!"
But it was clear their battle-brothers had no intention of giving them a choice. They swarmed forward. Amidst the struggles of some Blood Knights and the resigned acceptance of others, the potion was forced down their throats.
"BLEGHH!!!"
Soon, a peculiar sour, stinky smell filled the warship, causing the numerous chapter serfs aboard to look on with disgust.
"Report! All personnel have taken the potion. There is a large amount remaining, which has been collected. If we survive this war, it will be sent to the various successor chapters. To think the curse that has plagued us for ten thousand years would end in such a way. Seth, although this is merely a mercy from that Lord, you have indeed performed a great service."
Hearing this news, Dante nodded in satisfaction. Although the whole affair had been a great ordeal for everyone, no one truly blamed Seth. To be able to solve the curse of the Blood Angels was indeed good news.
The only problem was, they didn't know how long the potion would last, or if repeated use would diminish its effects. But those were concerns for the future. They had more important matters to attend to now.
"It was once thought that the blood of Ashford's Planetary Governor held some secret that could cure us. But that is no longer necessary. All units, to your battle stations. We may face an unprecedented challenge. We must rescue the Lamenters and the venerable Aslot at all costs, and get them away from Baal. If we fail, then they are the hope for rebuilding the Blood Angels."
Dante spoke calmly to the assembled Chapter Masters. Such an ancient being, still sane despite the torment of the curse. This was tremendous news. As long as he existed, the Blood Angels could be rebuilt, even if they all perished.
"I have already made preparations for the worst-case scenario. If we fail, the remains of our gene-father will be destroyed. We cannot allow them to be defiled by the Tyranids under any circumstances. Of course, the best outcome would be for the remains to leave with the venerable Ancient."
At his words, a corner of every man's mouth twitched. They were not the Iron Hands; they wouldn't do something so drastic. But destroying the remains of Sanguinius would not be a simple matter for them either.
Still, as he said, they absolutely could not let the Tyranids defile him.
"Since there are no objections, everyone prepare. We are about to exit the Warp."
Dante looked at the men around him and gave the order to his fleet. He had brought with him over ten thousand Sons of Sanguinius. The rest were fortifying the defenses on Baal.
Of course, the true number of troops was far greater than ten thousand. Just like the Ultramar Auxilia, Baal had vast numbers of mortal armies as support, and he had brought more than half of them.
This was the largest force he could mobilize. No matter what, he had to rescue his brothers. Then, they would immediately return to Baal to prepare for the final battle.
As for all the planets between the Underworld System's capital of Ashford and Baal, he would issue an Exterminatus order. They no longer had the capacity to protect those worlds. Rather than let them be consumed by the Tyranids, this was the only way.
Though it pained Dante deeply, it was a necessary sacrifice.
"Yes, my Lord!!!"
The various commanders took a deep breath, and each man ordered his battle-brothers to prepare. They had already burned through several Navigators just to make this speed. Now, they were about to reach their destination.
Dante donned the Mask of Sanguinius. He and the Blood Angels First Company moved to their boarding positions. This time, they would be the first to support Ashford.
"We have reached our destination."
The ship's vox crackled to life. There had always been a very stable route between Baal and Ashford. So, even without the light of the Astronomican, they could still get here, albeit at a great cost.
Dante stood on the bridge, his face grim. He was prepared for the worst, ready to fight to the death. He was also seeking his own final rest. Fighting Tyranids was different from fighting Chaos. Both were immense threats to humanity.
But the Tyranids had no interest in souls. To be killed by them meant, at the very least, an eternal sleep.
"Report! Multiple contacts detected at the Mandeville Point!"
"All hands, prepare for boarding!!! Er... What?"
Dante roared, then moved to the boarding ramp. In the next instant, the phantasmagorical and irregular colors of the Warp vanished. They had entered realspace.
Dante was ready for battle, but his face quickly went slack with disbelief. It wasn't just him; everyone wore the same expression. The moment they exited the Warp, they found themselves immediately targeted. The lock-on signatures were human—Imperial—and filling their viewports was a Gloriana-class battleship.
---o---