Calamity Mantis

Vigilant Star, Polar Glacier.

Wearing the Mark III power armor, Mark leads a team on his first mission since becoming Chaplain.

An internal oxygen supply ensures smooth breathing, and a temperature regulator keeps them from being affected by the cold.

Upon hearing the sound of wings cutting through the air, Mark immediately shouted into the communication channel.

"They're here. Prepare for the hunt."

He raised his arm and lifted the Arc Projector.

The praying mantis that came into view was similar in size to an average person.

The difference is that it has two large mouths on its fat abdomen and another large mouth at its tail.

[A mutated mantis monster?]

Mark wondered, and as he pondered, he issued the order.

"Attack!"

The Shadow of Order pulled the trigger, and flashing arcs of electricity filled the cave.

A piercing hiss rang out, and the mantis monsters' bodies grew even blacker from the electric shock, yet they did not fall.

Their leathery wings, shimmering with purplish-red markings, stood upright like sails.

"Increase output power! Fourth speed!"

Mark gave the order, Arc Projector, designed based on Joegall technology, was continuously improved during the hunt, and could now be adjusted with a single click according to the toughness of the target's body.

The Shadow of Order turned the dial, and the energy casket flashed yellow runes before turning green.

The electric arc was even brighter than before, tearing through the dark cave like lightning and striking the mantis monster.

Bang bang bang!

One praying mantis after another fell to the ground.

Mark turned on his Communicator and sent orders to the following team to carry back the mantis his father wanted.

After hanging up the Communicator, the team continued forward, and the passage became increasingly open, as if they had stepped into a large dome.

Stone pillars pierced through from above, hovering above their heads.

The "Sleepless" from Mordian looked up.

The "Sleepless," with their exceptional eyesight in the darkness, immediately recognized the creatures clinging to the stone pillars as rows of equally black praying mantises.

He immediately shouted a reminder over the communication channel.

"Mantis! Above my head!"

Mark immediately gave the order, "Battle formation! Cover each other!"

The Shadow of Order immediately formed small groups, back to back, and raised their weapons.

With a deafening scream, countless dark figures swept in, wielding scythe-like serrated hooks and slashing attacks.

The Shadow of Order calmly pulled the triggers. The guards were all elites from their respective Chapter, and each of their attacks hit the target precisely.

One after another, black figures crashed to the ground, but the sky remained obscured by shadows.

The endless Calamity Mantis, its mouth agape and its screech, cause disgusting slime to drip out with a crackling sound.

The slime splattered against the individual's energy shield, making a crackling, ear-piercing sound.

The Shadow of Order caught a whiff of an unusually pungent stench and simultaneously thought of something.

The mucus from the mouth of the Calamity Mantis is highly Corrosion.

The "Bard" suddenly burst into song, his voice booming and echoing through the communication channel.

The Shadow of Order felt a surge of power within them, as if they had just finished resting and had not experienced marching or fighting.

They moved their arms and pulled the triggers a little too quickly.

Thump thump...

The Calamity Mantis accelerated its descent, covering the cave floor layer upon layer.

The number of black figures in Mark's line of sight noticeably decreased.

Just then, a sharp screech rang out, and a massive figure, similar in size to Astartes, leaped down from the air.

Amidst the explosion, it avoided several electric arcs.

The "Sleepless's" eyes were deep, and his Spirituality intuition became even more acute in the darkness. He suddenly pulled the trigger.

The electric arc shot out, but it didn't hit the Calamity Mantis; it seemed to miss.

The next instant, an electric arc struck the leathery wings, just as the mantis had run into them.

Sizzle!

The massive body of the Calamity Mantis spun downwards and fell.

"Monster" suddenly shouted into the communication channel, "He's faking it! He's not unconscious!"

Mark immediately drew his Scepter of Truth.

Although the Scepter of Truth has only recently entered the Legiones Astartes, it already exists in various forms.

It was usually made in the form of a scepter or a mace, topped with a double-headed Aquila symbolizing the Imperium or a winged skull representing the Emperor's sacrifice for humanity.

Some Chaplain would use special decorations; the Chaplain with the "Salamanders" decoration is closer to a craftsman's hammer.

The "Shadow of Order" Chaplain is adorned with outstretched wings on the head of his staff, symbolizing the golden wings behind the Primarch.

Mark strode forward, simultaneously increasing the energy field intensity of the Scepter of Truth. The swooping Calamity Mantis was clearly a mutated life form, stronger than its kin.

His singing voice swiftly rushed into the dark shadows.

The Calamity Mantis swung its pair of sickles and slashed down fiercely.

With a loud bang, the double-edged scythe of the Calamity Mantis slashed at the individual's energy shield.

Its enormous belly curled up, and it opened its three large mouths to bite, but the attack was blocked by an energy shield, and slime splattered everywhere.

Mark swayed, and alarm runes flashed on his helmet.

The mutated Calamity Mantis's slashing and biting caused the individual's energy shield to lose 74% of its energy.

Knowing he could no longer withstand the catastrophic blow of the mutated Calamity Mantis, the "Bard" relied on his enhanced physique gained after his advancement to resist the impact.

The "Bard" wields the Scepter of Truth and smashes it on the head of the mutated Calamity Mantis.

Blue light crackled and flashed, the carapace hissed, and the mutated Calamity Mantis saw Venus in its eyes.

Its raised scythe blades drooped limply and crashed to the ground.

"I'm really dizzy this time."

The approaching "Sleepless" carefully examined the situation, then fired a follow-up shot, causing the mutated Calamity Mantis to instinctively tremble.

At the same moment the Chaplain led his team to hunt the Calamity Mantis, Nimrod was flying toward the newly discovered ruins.

The "Archaeologist" and "Mystery Pryer" discovered a dilapidated site northeast of the ruins excavated by the Agamenus family.

After receiving the report, Nimrod noticed a broken statue among the newly discovered ruins and decided to go and see it for himself.

Nelson, who had just become a "machine," piloted the Aquila Shuttle toward his target.

The black Aquila Shuttle calmly broke free from the Volian Sandstorm Vortex and flew towards its target over the dusty sand.

Dust storms filled with chemical waste rise into the air; they are much smaller than the Volian Sandstorm Vortex, but are more common in the vast wastelands between Hive City.

The "machine" turned the Auspex up to maximum power and mentally planned the fastest and safest route.

The black Aquila gracefully weaves through the dust storm, without picking up a single grain of sand.

The best pilots on Vigilant Star, whether flying aircraft or transport vehicles, will amaze you.

The Aquila Shuttle's landing gear deployed, and it landed steadily. Dust was blown away in the calculated direction, without sticking to the clean fuselage.

Nimrod stepped off the deck and onto the wasteland.

Anyone who crosses the Hive City without protective gear will die in a very short time, but it poses little danger to him and the Shadow of Order.

The Shadow of Order has established a cordon, isolating a two-kilometer radius around the ruins.

"Father."

Nimrod nodded slightly. "Lead the way."

He followed the Shadow of Order to the entrance and used the cable car to descend to 1.3 kilometers underground.

The "Archaeologist" had already unearthed its general outline. Nimrod walked through the stone archway and looked at the broken statue.

The lower half of the statue is now reduced to just its thick right leg.

The upper body consisted of only a partially wrecked, imposing chest connected to half of the left arm, and a tattered Bat Wings covering the left shoulder.

All that remained of its head was a gaping, menacing maw.

Nimrod looked at the scene on the broken walls again, and he saw the same pattern of black figures worshipping as the previous murals.

His pupils suddenly contracted, and he walked to his right, looking at both sides of the mural.

He saw one praying mantis after another, and from the large mouths on their abdomens and tails, he recognized them as Calamity Mantis.

[Could the Calamity Mantis be related to the existence of ancient racial worship depicted in statues and murals?]

After inspecting the statue once more, Nimrod returned to it.

He stared at the statue, countless lines flashing through his mind, and he thought silently.

[Although it was difficult, I was indeed able to restore it.]