The Council of Patriarchs of Mezoa's Helpless Choice

March 841, The Shadow of the Throne, Primarch Office.

Nimrod listened to Arsena Dunn's report and confirmed that the Eleventh Legion had captured five star systems on the outer edge of the Cyclops Cluster.

"My lord, in many star systems within the Cyclops Cluster, there are varying numbers of Mitu Xenos."

"Many star systems in the Cyclops Cluster are suitable for human colonization."

Nimrod slightly. He remembered that during the Great Birthday Celebration, when Horus Lupercal launched his attack on the Cyclops Cluster, the Imperium of Man established one hundred worlds in this region.

These worlds are all of considerable size, with a combined production capacity that is quite substantial, even exceeding that of super-large Forge World like Lucius.

Although these worlds have not been developed on a large scale, some human colonists survive in this region, all of whom are enslaved by the Mitu.

"Each Chapter continues its advance, clearing out Xenos Mitu aliens from the Cyclops Cluster."

"Dispatch the Second and 5th Legion to participate in the battle."

After rest and reorganization, the Second and 5th Legion were ready to participate in the later stages of the campaign against the Mitu.

As the Eleventh Legion advanced steadily, the XIV Legion, following Nimrod's orders, launched an attack on Zavarich.

The XIV Legion's fleet pierced through the Mitu warships like a spearhead, reaching high orbit above the main star of Zavarich.

On the flagship's bridge, Chief Company Commander Barasin addressed Company Commander Theseus of the 7th Company:

"Zavarich is the Mitu's breadbasket. If we launch an orbital airdrop there, the Xenos will definitely send troops to its rescue."

"In ground combat against the Mitu, we can also leverage the advantages of our heavy infantry."

Barasin did not explicitly state was that although the Dusk Raiders had achieved great success in Ironside, the XIV Legion did not achieve commensurate results in the battles traversing the Galaxy after the start of the Great Crusade.

The chief platoon leader saw this battle with Mitu as an opportunity for the "Dusk Raiders" to prove themselves, and he hoped to seize the opportunity given to them by Lord Nimrod.

He gave the order, "Conduct the orbital drop; you are in charge of command."

The XIV Legion's fleet hurled Dreadclaw Drop Pod toward Zacharic Prime.

As night falls, the Theseus rise to the surface and, in their signature tradition, launch an attack on their enemies.

The company commander issued orders via the communications network.

"Attack."

"For the Throne Terra! For the Emperor!"

The title of combat company commander of Theseus dates back to the "Unification Wars" period, and like the title of commander of the Second Company, it was an honor personally bestowed by the Emperor himself.

Theseus moved forward from the deployment point, raised his Bolter, and fired Second Company bursts at the anemone-shaped creature.

The guards and Dusk Raiders, led by the combat company commander, launched an attack on the target.

Like the Agri World of the Imperium, Zavarich has most of its land used for farming, Mitu are concentrated in a few data points, making the "Dusk Raiders" a clear target.

Nathaniel Garro, born in Terra, followed his company commander forward, unleashing a deluge of explosives from his magazines onto the Xenos.

Unlike many Warriors in the Legion, he was not worried about the Primarch's absence.

He has the Emperor, whose master once led the Dusk Raiders on Great Crusade.

Garro looked into the distance and saw a large number of strange spherical Drop Pod belonging to the Mitu falling from the sky like spores.

Although he was just an ordinary frontline soldier and not qualified to attend war conferences, he realized that the goals of the chief company commander and combat company commander were beginning to be achieved.

The Mitu were drawn to the attack by the Dusk Raiders, and what awaited them was a fierce battle.

Garro drew his Power Sword and shouted, "For Terra and the Emperor of Mankind!"

He charged into the Mitu's lines, his Power Blade flashing with blood, while the Bolt Pistol in his other hand rang out, each shot a deadly attack.

Garro swung his Power Sword, slashing at the Mitu.

The Disruption Field hissed as it tore the Xenos apart.

Garro's memories were filled with battles, day after day.

It wasn't until the seventh month, when Garro first stepped into the Mitu's building and saw the yellow, gelatinous substance turn to ashes in an explosion, that he realized the target of the struggle was the Xenos's food processing plant.

At the same time, the Council of Five Patriarchs, the traditional ruling body of Mezoa Forge World, convened at Temple One.

A long robe that reached the floor enveloped the Chief Patriarch's mechanical body, and his Sonic Array synthesizer emitted Lingua-technis in binary code.

[Is there any indication that the Mitu fleet has left ahead of schedule?]

The Second Patriarch issued a string of binary code:

[The Cyclops Cluster is under attack / The Mitu are in retreat.]

[Zavarich // The Mitu's granary / has been attacked.]

The Mitu deployed over a thousand warships to intercept the enemy.

The Magos's code stirred up ripples in the council. Although the five-member Magos Council, based on logical analysis, tacitly approved the Mitu's periodic cleansing of flesh and blood assets, this was only the optimal choice, not the most ideal one.

Ideally, they would not want to lose any assets.

[Based on the Archives / The Mitu's blasphemy progress is 44.13% / Is it possible for them to finish early?] The Third Patriarch issued a question code.

He is currently being purged; this is his district.

"No, the Mitu have not abandoned their purge policy," the Second Patriarch replied.

[My probe Servitor confirms/identifies reading feedback/the number of Mitu warships remains above 2,600.]

[The Mitu still maintain sufficient armed forces/to guard against our resistance.] The Fourth Patriarch, commanding the Skitarii and the defensive fleet, reluctantly sent the code.

[If only we God-Machine...]

The code he sent didn't form a complete logical chain, but the other Magos understood what he meant.

Mezoa's surface is mostly covered by volcanic lava, making it unsuitable for constructing Titan Base.

While the volcanoes provided the foundries with vast energy resources and the volcanic rock offered high-quality ore, giving Mezoa a powerful production capacity, they also prevented them from possessing the Titan Legions.

Before the appearance of the Mitu, the Magos Council of Mezoa only considered the lack of God-Machine as a regret, but did not think that volcanic lava would be a real obstacle.

After all, their old rival, the Forge World Pandex, also lacks the Titan Legions.

But everything changed after the Mitu appeared.

In particular, the Mitu's territory did not reach Pandex, and they were continuously attacked. Despite having the advantage, they fell behind their old rival.

More and more people are viewing the volcanic lava of Mezoa as Curse on resources.

Among the emerging schools of thought in Mezoa, four sects claimed this was a warning from the Omnissiah, that their Forge World was about to suffer a devastating crisis, and that they should abandon this Curse land.

[No chance...] Just as the Chief Patriarch was about to make a decision to continue the policy of non-resistance, the Last Magos, who was in charge of monitoring Warp activities, suddenly activated the code.

[The Ether Magos reports/ Shadow in the Warp falls over the warp/A massive fleet appears.]

The Fifth Patriarch's words sparked a wave of questions about the binary system in Parliament.

[The Mitu Fleet?]

[A force attacking the Mitu?]