Dalit Warp Gate

"We are currently positioned at the edge of the Dalinite Nebula."

"According to reports from our Adeptus Mechanicus allies, this nebula itself holds little value for occupation."

The Dalinite Nebula was teeming with xenos lifeforms.

They were dangerous and varied, spread throughout the entire nebula.

Neither Imperial records nor local surveys had uncovered any clues related to human interstellar colonization.

"Logically, the fleet should have bypassed this place."

Horus paused briefly.

"But we discovered this—the Dalit Warp Gate."

The Tactical Composite Image at the center of the conference table suddenly enlarged, focusing on the magnificent ring structures above the planet.

These rings stood side by side, stretching for thousands of meters through space.

There were several hundred such Portal structures throughout the Dalinite Nebula.

"Our Tech-Priests have begun investigating the gates' composition and materials."

An Adeptus Mechanicus sage beside him picked up the explanation. A faintly glowing Sound Array at his throat emitted an electronic voice with a slight echo.

"The materials cannot be analyzed by our current machinery. These gates most likely originated from some ancient xenos civilization, yet they remain operational."

"Their precision even surpasses that of any current Imperial navigator."

"Praise the Omnissiah! If we can master the construction of these gates and put them into production, our future voyages will become safer and more convenient."

His tone grew excited.

Warp Gates.

Memories concerning this device gradually surfaced in Kasgar's mind.

It was an auxiliary device for Warp travel, allowing fleets to travel back and forth through gate nodes more safely and conveniently. It could also better enable the exploration of other unknown regions of the galaxy through the gates.

Even amid raging Warp Storms, it could still complete transportation and troop deployment.

It possessed immense strategic value.

And naturally, Horus would not easily let such a valuable thing slip away.

As commander of both the 63rd Expeditionary Fleet and the Sixteenth Legion, he swiftly ordered every unit to launch an extermination campaign against the xenos enemies still remaining in the Dalinite Nebula.

Kasgar was naturally eager to get started as well.

He certainly would not miss such a splendid opportunity to display his command abilities.

"As for the Emperor's Children Legion..." After assigning each unit its combat objectives, Horus awkwardly scratched the smooth back of his head.

"The Emperor's Children Legion will remain in the rear and protect the communications station and navigator we have established on Silent Star.

Prevent any xenos enemies from using the gates to launch a surprise attack on our rear."

".Understood."

Kasgar nodded.

The Third Legion's mission was, in truth, quite important.

Their defensive duty could, on one hand, safeguard the Tech-Priests' research operations; on the other, it could stabilize the rear lines and let the other members of the Expeditionary Fleet fight without restraint!

For the entire campaign across the Dalinite Nebula, it played a... um...

Barely meaningful role?

The Portals had stood in the Dalinite Nebula for so long that, as lost technology from ancient times, not many xenos even knew how to use them.

Since arriving in the Dalinite Nebula, Kasgar had never seen any of these gates make the slightest movement.

In other words, unless, during the brief few weeks of the extermination campaign, some blind xenos just happened to pass through these ancient gates—and just happened to choose this very one, the rearmost of several hundred gates!

Otherwise, the Emperor's Children were simply here to guard the door for someone!

This made Horus's arrangement very obvious.

He was making them serve as security guards for the gates!

Security guards, security guards.

Guarding the star gate's peace.

They really, truly had been looked down on!

Flat Kasgar was a little unhappy.

From Horus's perspective, though, the arrangement was perfectly reasonable.

Anyone who looked at Kasgar could tell he was a nepotism hire.

If Horus actually put him on the fierce and dangerous front lines, and something happened to him, how was Horus supposed to explain it to Fulgrim?

Flat Kasgar boarded the cruiser bound for their garrison, unhappy.

The manpower Horus had left him was not exactly scarce.

Five hundred fully armed Third Legion Space Marines, along with several thousand Auxilia troops.

As well as one Lunar-class Cruiser and several Escorts.

There were also some scattered Missionaries from the Adeptus Mechanicus.

But unfortunately.

If only there were an enemy force as well, it would have been perfect.

"What? Acting Prefect, do you have any other arrangements? Or are you telling us to take a proper vacation and move about freely?"

Seeing this, Lucius stepped forward and teased him.

Anyone with eyes could tell that the Third Legion had been assigned to the deep rear.

There was little danger, yes, but the glory of battle and military merit would have nothing to do with them.

"No, Lucius."

"Our campaign has only just begun."

Kasgar, who had pretended to be a put-upon nobody for so long, changed expression. Smiling, he connected to the All-Force Communication.

"All soldiers of the Third Legion, heed my command."

"Arm yourselves and remain on alert. Build Defensive Fortifications."

"Prepare to meet the enemy."

The Vengeful Spirit.

The war council had ended, and every force had headed off to carry out deployment planning according to their assigned tasks.

Everything had been arranged in perfect order.

Now, it was time for an informal discussion among the Council of Four Kings of the Lunar Wolves.

As the First Returned Son who had spent thirty years alongside the Emperor, Horus's ability as a military commander was naturally beyond question.

That included Kasgar Sherlock, the Recruit Commander of the Emperor's Children.

Horus did not actually like people who rose to high positions through backdoor connections.

They reminded him of the mortal bureaucrats whom the Emperor valued more than him.

Horus disliked such people.

They had no military achievements and knew nothing of war's cruelty.

Yet they could stand behind the scenes and lord it over him and the Space Marines under his command. It irritated him.

"Whether Kasgar became a commander through backdoor connections or by being someone's backdoor connection, I really couldn't say."

Once everyone else had left and only the Council of Four Kings of the Lunar Wolves remained, Second Captain Torgaddon said with a grin.

This loose-tongued Second Captain seemed to be saying something he should not have said again.

Under normal circumstances, even Horus himself was often made to laugh aloud by his jokes.

But this time was different.

"Second Captain, watch your language."

Frowning, he signaled for him to shut up.

No matter what, Kasgar was his brother-in-law.

When Fulgrim had requested that Kasgar join the 63rd Expeditionary Fleet, Horus had understood her intentions.

Put plainly, she had sent him here to pad his résumé.

But as the good elder brother of the primarchs, he naturally could not refuse her request.

The Great Crusade was not just about fighting and killing.

There were also social obligations.

As for Fulgrim's repeated insistence that Kasgar was actually a genius at tactical command, Horus did not take it seriously.

He had seen far too many armchair strategists, and their endings were generally not very good.

"In any case, I cannot control what the other Legions do. But I hope that no such overrated individuals will appear among our Lunar Wolves."

Horus said this to the captains of the Council of Four Kings under his command.