Barbarian Potion Digestion

While Nimrod leaped between the stairs, hunting down the Flao, Maria and her two companions relied on the iron will forged through their training to remain conscious, though they were locked in a desperate struggle.

A howling roar echoed, stunning dozens of Flao warriors nearby and those further away who possessed weaker wills.

But the remaining Flao warriors did not stop; they coldly trampled over the corpses of their comrades and charged upward.

In the nomadic culture of the Flao, the weak have no right to survive, and slaughtering their own feeble kin is a means to conserve resources.

Maria knew that now was the time to risk everything. She did not call out to Nimrod for aid, for she had once assassinated a sorcerer and knew how terrifying they could be.

It was wise for Nimrod to prioritize killing them, and for the moment, they had to rely on themselves.

Maria pulled a syringe from her black bodysuit and resolutely injected it into her body.

She immediately felt a surging power within her, and her usually calm, azure eyes began to flicker with bloodthirsty intent.

Maria leaped into the air, her curved blade carving a path as she executed the 16th strike of the "Osberh-Vaya" technique.

She broke through her limits, completing ten stabs in a single instant.

Maria grabbed a dagger that fell before her and charged into the midst of the aliens.

Her form flickered, her hands dancing, and she actually carved a bloody path through the alien ranks.

Dementyeva, whose stamina was exhausted, gritted her teeth and injected another stimulant.

Together with Tsvistna, she launched a frenzied assault against the aliens.

The beams of their laser rifles flickered, and energy cells hit the floor one after another. It was not until Tsvistna reached for her final magazine that she realized the aliens were far more ferocious than she had previously imagined.

The only reason they had been ruthlessly slaughtered by Nimrod earlier was that the giant was simply too powerful.

Tsvistna further noticed that Maria's speed was slowing down as she became trapped in the aliens' encirclement.

Just as she fell into despair, she suddenly heard a roar. Her body swayed as a concussive ultrasonic wave rippled through her mind. She shed tears of blood, but though temporarily blinded, she felt a sense of relief.

Moments before the three fell into a life-or-death crisis, Nimrod had finished off the team of Flao Psykers and leaped down.

His "Wild Howl" reverberated through the minds of the Flao, instantly rendering dozens unconscious. What terrified them even more was that the giant's appearance signified a horrific fact—the elite hundred Aether Masters had been completely wiped out.

The will of the Flao warriors was utterly shattered, and they scattered in panicked flight.

They now had only one thought: to escape this hell as quickly as possible. Even drifting on a Raider Boat would be better than staying here.

As they fled, the deserters swung their Flao Glass Blades at their own kin just to run faster, scattering the warriors who were surging forward.

The first wave of Flao stragglers had just reached the deck, preparing to board the streamlined Raider Boats, when they were suddenly met with a dense barrage of laser beams.

The Flao warriors were riddled with holes, collapsing into pools of blood.

Szczesny led the Vostonia 4th Regiment, boarding the Flao Battlecruiser via Assault Boats.

Despite their prior training, the 4th Regiment still encountered trouble during their first space engagement.

In one Assault Boat, an Iron Warrior failed to follow standard operating procedures, causing his body to detach from the restraint rack.

Out of control, he slammed into the security door of the cockpit. Unfortunately, he was no ordinary man, but an Iron Warrior who had undergone extensive Physical Augmentation.

He smashed through the security door and collided with the pilot, ultimately causing the Assault Boat to lose control and crash into an asteroid.

After boarding the enemy ship, Szczesny discovered he had lost an entire platoon.

It took him longer than expected to get the 4th Regiment back into formation.

Filled with rage, Szczesny charged out from the deck, running headlong into a squad of Flao warriors retreating from the stairs.

He swung his chainsword—a weapon better suited for a "Sailor" to unleash his combat prowess—and hacked into the head of an alien.

At the same time, he extended his left arm, catching the dagger thrust by another alien.

The Flao warrior felt as if his wrist were being clamped by iron pliers; the human's strength far exceeded that of an ordinary man.

The "Sailor" gave a forceful twist, using the superior strength gained from "Physical Augmentation" to snap the Flao's arm.

Szczesny then followed up with a slash, severing the alien's head.

Having routed the alien remnants, Szczesny led his men to Nimrod and said with a hint of shame, "My Lord, I am late."

"Turn shame into courage."

"Lead your team to clear the aliens deck by deck."

Nimrod did not reprimand him; after a brief dismissal of the formalities, he issued his command.

"As you command, my Lord."

Szczesny immediately led his men, charging onto the deck.

As Nimrod strode upward, passing the exhausted Maria and her two companions, he spoke.

"You performed well. The mission is complete; rest and stand by!"

"As you command, my King!"

The three stood straight and spoke respectfully. Witnessing Nimrod's superhuman combat prowess, they could not help but feel a sense of awe.

Nimrod arrived at the end of the stairs a moment later, swinging his heavy halberd to shatter the purple metal door blocking his path.

He charged onto the bridge and immediately spotted a Flao floating in mid-air, clutching a purple crystal staff.

The alien spoke in broken Vostonia Low Gothic.

"I am this ship's... Governor... Human... state... your demands..."

"I am willing... to leave... this system... and am also willing... to offer..."

A mocking smirk curled the corners of Nimrod's mouth. Offer? I want it all!

He drew in a deep breath and let out a roar.

The bridge shuddered, knocking several Flao unconscious and causing the Flao Governor to sway.

The Governor steadied himself, raising his amethyst staff high: "Die!"

The spot where Nimrod stood, along with a dozen meters of the surrounding area, was engulfed in purple psychic flames.

Several high-ranking Flao officers wailed in agony within the inferno, but the Governor did not care; as long as he could kill this powerful enemy, it was worth it.

Just as the Flao Governor prepared to lower himself to the ground, a sudden sense of dread gripped his heart.

He realized something was wrong, but it was too late; the charred, blackened armor was already right before him.

The Flao Governor hurriedly gathered his psychic energy, unleashing a burst of telekinesis.

With a loud bang, the Flao Governor was sent flying; he spat out a mouthful of blood, but felt a moment of relief as his telekinetic shield had blocked the strike.

However, his expression shifted violently the next instant.

"No..."

The Flao Governor let out a desperate cry as his right leg was seized by Nimrod's left hand.

Nimrod swung the Flao Governor around and slammed him heavily into the deck.

With the thunderous impact, he felt something within his body dissolving once more, merging with his own spirit.

[The potion is fully digested; I am truly a "Barbarian" now!]

After landing, Nimrod slaughtered every Flao on the bridge before pulling a long-range communicator from his armor.

"Rosicky, I have seized the xenos warship. You and Wojciech must come over immediately."

Nimrod did not wait in place; he leaped forward, killing every Flao he encountered.

Only after receiving Rosicky's confirmation did he return to the bridge.

Approaching the Tech-Priest, he spoke.

"I wish to cooperate with the Adeptus Mechanicus to develop this xenos warship."