Battle!

As Carter's declaration of battle rang out, an unparalleled aura radiated from him.

That was the courage and fearlessness of the Custodes!

The Custodes were inspired by Carter's declaration of battle, their fighting spirit completely ignited.

Even the severely wounded Custodes joined the ranks of battle.

He could still fight!

Even if he died, he would die on the battlefield.

Only then could he wash away the humiliation he had suffered earlier.

He would forge his Loyalty to the Governor with the blood of heretic traitors!

Bolts were chambered into Bolters, and Chainswords roared to life.

The Custodes tightened their grips on their weapons. Led by Carter, who wielded a Ripper Chainsword, they formed a battle formation and steadily advanced toward the Aberration ahead.

Only battle and death could guide them!

At that moment, the surrounding gunfire ceased.

Having confirmed that ordinary attacks were ineffective, the Defense Force and Arbites stopped firing to avoid interfering with the Custodes' battle.

For a moment, the area actually grew quieter.

Everyone's eyes rested on the backs of those valiant Custodian Warriors.

They were War Angels from the Palatine District, loyal to the Governor.

Everyone's hopes rested upon them.

Some Arbites and Defense Force soldiers even began to pray.

They prayed for the God-Emperor's protection, begging him to grant these Custodian Warriors strength.

May the Custodian Warriors become brave and invincible.

Like the legendary Emperor's Champions.

Roar—

The Aberration crawled out from the ruins of the shack. The shelling had barely harmed it.

But it was enraged.

These weak insects dared to resist.

They dared to provoke the offspring of the Lord of Ten Thousand Eyes!

The twisted flesh covering its body contracted and surged. Its extended tentacles withdrew before it, and the countless black eyeballs upon them stared fixedly at the approaching Custodian Warriors.

It was a gaze from Chaos, radiating intense malice, as though it wished to devour all life.

"The offspring of the great Lord of Ten Thousand Eyes will never forgive any disrespect. You should feel Fear!"

The Heretic Head on the Aberration's chest clamored wildly, delirious with excitement.

Though he could no longer control his own body.

The instant he injected Chaos Essence, bloodthirsty primal instincts had completely taken over his body.

He was merely living within that body.

His relationship with it was like that of a parasite and its host, or a dog and its master.

Naturally, that Heretic did not see it that way.

He believed the power of this body belonged to him, a great divine power bestowed by the Lord of Ten Thousand Eyes!

The tentacles gathered before the Aberration lashed about, and the cold gazes of every black eyeball locked onto Carter.

By its instinctive senses, that tall warrior was the greatest threat!

Smack!

It tentatively lashed out with a tentacle.

The tentacle sliced through the air with a howl, striking at Carter.

But Carter did not move. The Custodes beside him immediately stepped forward together to block the tentacle and sever it!

Several more tentacles came whipping over, but they still achieved nothing.

Every one of them was stopped by the Custodian Warriors!

Carter continued forward, his steps growing ever steadier, with the Custodes following at his side.

Step by step, they advanced!

Until Carter and the Custodian Warriors stood before the Aberration, looking up at the colossal creature.

The two sides faced off, neither daring to launch an attack rashly.

The tension reached its peak, as though even the air had frozen.

"Dogs of the False Emperor!"

The Heretic Head's sudden clamor shattered the silence:

"You should feel Fear.

Kneel and submit to the great Lord of Ten Thousand Eyes!

Kneel and beg for mercy. Offer up a sacrifice of flesh and blood, and perhaps I..."

Smack!

A Bolt was his answer.

Carter raised his Bolt Pistol, aimed at the noisy creature's head, and fired fiercely.

In an instant, half of the Heretic Head was blown away like a smashed watermelon.

"Damned bastard, kill them! Kill them for me!"

The Heretic felt even greater humiliation, and his half-remaining head howled.

The Aberration suddenly attacked. Its two thickest tentacles shot upward, carrying tremendous force as they smashed viciously toward Carter!

Faced with such a fierce attack, Carter did not panic. He shifted slightly to the side, dodging the tentacles' direct strike.

The two tentacles crashed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Amid the swirling dust, the Ripper Chainsword roared even louder.

Carter swung the Ripper Chainsword with all his strength, instantly cutting the tentacles apart as bloody fragments sprayed in every direction!

The severed tentacles thrashed violently across the ground.

At that moment, the other Custodian Warriors launched their attacks as well.

Working together, they fired or slashed.

They dealt with the tentacles lashing about in their respective areas.

The explosions of Bolts and the roars of Chainswords echoed throughout the entire area.

Before long, under the Custodes' tightly coordinated assault, every tentacle on the Aberration was severed one by one.

With the obstruction removed, Carter charged forward, swinging his Ripper Chainsword at the Aberration's main body.

With every swing, huge chunks of flesh were shredded away by the rapidly spinning chainsaw teeth.

The malformed, fleshy body of the Aberration suffered severe damage.

Its body was covered in wounds, and scraps of flesh poured from them onto the ground.

"It hurts! Damn dogs of the False Emperor!

Dodge, damn it! Hurry!"

The Heretic Head felt the damage inflicted upon the Aberration as well. The intense pain was unbearable.

He screamed and urged it on, trying to give orders, yet he could not control the Aberration at all.

Seeing this, Carter and the Custodes attacked even more fiercely.

Eradicate this heretic!

Roar! Roar—

Sensing an even greater threat, the Aberration mutated again. Blood vessels spread through all its black eyeballs, turning them crimson.

Then the flesh around its body rapidly swelled, instantly expanding by an entire size!

Its whole body looked like an inflated balloon on the verge of exploding!

Carter sensed danger approaching and shouted:

"Get back!"

However, his warning came too late.

Boom—

The flesh surrounding the Aberration exploded like a bomb.

The powerful shockwave swept up the warriors' bodies and hurled them violently in every direction.

Carter was closest, and the shockwave that struck him was even more powerful.

He was blasted away and slammed heavily onto the ground.

When Carter braced himself and stood back up,

he saw a humanoid Aberration of flesh and blood, over three meters tall, emerge from the dust!

The Humanoid Aberration's muscles were knotted and taut, blood vessels bulging across its body, which was covered in blood-red eyeballs.

Those eyeballs rolled aimlessly, giving off an eerie presence.

At that moment, it radiated an even more terrifying aura than before, sending chills through the surrounding Custodian Warriors.

The ordinary soldiers farther away were too frightened to speak.

Boom!

The Humanoid Aberration leaped from afar and crashed down directly before Carter!