Boarding the Longbeard-class Squat Super-Heavy Cruiser

Shadow of the Throne

Nimrod stood before the tactical table, watching the battle erupt in the void.

The black warships of "Shadow of Order" launched an offensive against the Squats' fleet.

Raindrops of light shot out from the bow, piercing the iron-black enemy ship like spears.

The Squats warship also fired a beam of light in retaliation from its bow, flashing Yellow Light.

The "Shadow of Order" fleet, with its overwhelming numerical superiority, overwhelmed Rosario's Squats fleet.

All screens were filled with signals, silent explosions were everywhere, and the keel of the destroyed starship was burning fiercely.

Nimrod saw a Squats cruiser being severed in half by the crystalline, deadly energy spewed from the Shadow of the Throne's Lance.

His gaze continued to search among the enemy ships, and he quickly locked onto a super-massive warship.

The warship was 7.8 kilometers long, which would classify it as a large cruiser by Imperium standards.

It is slightly longer than other Squats cruisers, but more significantly wider and taller.

[It seems to be a Longbeard-class dwarf super-giant cruiser.] Nimrod thought uncertainly.

[It should be the flagship of the Rosario dwarf clan.]

The Squats, also known as the Leagues of Votann, consist of thousands of alliances of varying sizes.

The alliances include both commercial alliances dedicated to trade and war alliances aimed at establishing hegemony.

The alliances were composed of varying numbers of clans, with the largest, the Greater Thurian League, consisting of up to two hundred clans.

Each alliance must have at least one Votann Core, also known as Ancestor Core.

The number of clans varies, ranging from hundreds or thousands of Squats to tens of millions.

Each clan will have at least one Ancestor Shrine, whose ancient technology allows every clan in the alliance to know the current location of Votann at any time.

Of course, as one of the largest populations in the Galaxy, the Leagues of Votann, skilled in trade, also has various guilds, corporate alliances, and agreement organizations.

The Rosario clan is small and unlikely to have Ancestor Core, but it should have Ancestor Shrine.

Each clan castle has Ancestor Shrine, but the Longbeard-class dwarf super-massive cruiser may also have one.

Large clans often have more than one Ancestor Shrine; however, the Rosario clan is smaller, so it's uncertain whether there are two.

Nimrod raised his hand and tapped lightly, marking the Longbeard-class Short-kin super-giant cruiser.

"Prepare to board!"

He wanted to seize the Ancestor Shrine and then use a "Concept Substitution" to obtain its Mystery.

The Ancestor Core is a wise oracle, the embodiment of the collective consciousness of the ancestors, and a super-intelligent computer.

It contains all the information about Votann's survival and development in the universe, including the technical parameters of weapons, standard manufacturing templates, scientific and philosophical learning materials, genetic lineage data, and military and survival-related theories and strategies.

The only Hearthkyn can communicate with Vulkan are called Grimnyr Magos, responsible for seeking guidance from their ancestors or interpreting the results of their output. The high-tech, mysterious facility they use to perform this activity is called the Ancestor Shrine.

The Honor Guard assembled on the deck and boarded the Boarding Torpedo and Gauntlet Assault Boat.

Nimrod boarded the Gauntlet Assault Boat, modified to fit his massive frame; its heavy armor could carry an Astartes squad.

The Primarch occupies two positions, while Arsena occupies one.

Compared to a typical Astartes, his body appeared too small, and the compact seat was too loose for him.

The support system consists of multiple retractable inertia-damping clamps attached to the powered armor, locking Nimrod and the seven Honor Guard members in place.

The hydraulic rods hold Arsena in place, preventing him from being thrown up due to inertia.

The operator pulled down the control lever, and the afterburner reactor started.

With superhuman speed, Astartes pushed and pulled the control lever, dodging incoming beams and projectiles at incredible speeds.

When they were still 150 kilometers away from the Short-kin -class super-giant cruiser, the twin high-energy laser beam cannons rotated and fired beams of light.

The driver twisted the control lever sharply, and the Gauntlet Assault Boat spun horizontally in mid-air.

A beam of light grazed past the Gauntlet Assault Boat, and a piercing buzzing sound rang in the driver's ears.

He examined the panel and found that the extra armor had been melted by the beam, but the inner armor was undamaged.

The driver noticed numerous Threat Rune lighting up on the video screen.

Enemy Gunship swarmed ahead, intercepting them.

The driver, wearing Touch Glove, gripped the weapon system and pressed a button forcefully.

Each wing has Blazing Fury Missile Launcher, which roars out a volley of missiles.

Missiles trailing blinding flashes of light slammed into the Gunship.

The explosion's light flashed on the video screen, then went out.

The pilot raised his left hand and pressed the control button for the short rocket engine.

The Gauntlet Assault Boat shuddered violently, its speed increasing dramatically in an instant.

The driver pressed down hard with his right hand, and the Promethium fuel burst into flames.

"Prepare for the impact! Five, four..."

"One!"

The Assault Boat slammed into the target warship like a heavy punch, unleashing a torrent of molten lava.

The heavy armor of the Longbeard-class Squat Super-Heavy Cruiser melted rapidly, and the guarding Squats firepower team raised their Plasma Gun and launched an attack.

Liquid hydrogen fuel is heated into plasma, the magnetic field expands and opens, and the plasma is ejected through a linear electromagnetic accelerator, like Sun flare shining from the core star of the Galaxy.

A high-energy hydrogen-based plasma sphere slammed into the blast shield of the cockpit, producing a crackling sound.

Nimrod took off first, followed by the other Honor Guard assault team members who slid down the assault ramp.

Nimrod raised his left arm, and the Bolter mounted on his Power Fist fired a barrage of bullets at the small enemy.

The Squats, clad in grey clan void armor, was torn apart by a bomb.

The Honor Guard raised their weapons, and the roar of explosives and the buzzing of ion weapons rang out simultaneously.

Nimrod launched the attack while simultaneously asking questions via Communicator.

"Other ships of the Squats are available to provide support."

A moment later, the Vox Master's voice rang out. "My lord, nothing."

Nimrod hung up the call, thinking to himself.

[It can be confirmed that the Longbeard-class Squat Super-Heavy Cruiser does not possess the Ancestor Core.]

He knew that if the location of the Ancestor Core was attacked, the Squats would surely come to his aid.

All the Squats will give their lives for the Ancestor Core.

[I wonder if this Longbeard-class Squat Super-Heavy Cruiser has Ancestor Shrine.]

Nimrod led his team onto the deck, where they were suddenly confronted by countless bodies encased in mechanical shells.

They marched with heavy steps, their finely crafted Warhammer clanging loudly.

Nimrod looked at them, thinking to himself, "[Ironkin.]"

There were also numerous dwarves clad in void armor, with gray beards, wielding Auto-linked Bolter and Plasma Battle Axe that were longer than their own height.

[The Hearthkyn.]