For some reason, Quan Tiehua felt a little panicked.
Although Daemon Serindal had suffered severe injuries, something about it still seemed off.
Normally, a daemon would have lost the ability to move by this point. Yet the tentacles around Daemon Serindal's waist had begun dancing wildly.
As a warp creature, so long as Daemon Serindal had not been banished immediately, even the slightest touch of Chaos could completely restore its injuries.
But this was the real universe. There were not enough Chaos worshipers here to perform sacrifices, and it had not been summoned through a ritual sacrifice by believers in the first place.
A believer's sacrificial summoning ritual was like sweet talk.
It was completely useless, but somehow it could still get things moving.
The tentacles whipped through the air. Several nearby Astartes failed to dodge in time and were pierced straight through the heart.
"How the hell is it still alive?" Quan Tiehua was flustered. He subconsciously muttered, "Emperor above," then drew his plasma pistol.
At that moment, the surface of the plasma pistol glowed with a faint golden light.
The Emperor was speechless. Even his gaze lingered on it for quite some time.
The plasma machine spirit was incredibly excited. Even its overheating flaw had vanished.
Bang! Bang!
Dozens of plasma shots fired in rapid succession, instantly melting through Daemon Serindal's entire lower body. Even its tentacles were severed at the roots.
That sight shocked the surrounding Battle-Brothers once again. The next second, they shouted, "For the Emperor!"
"Emperor above." Of course, whenever that phrase was shouted, the cold sun in the warp always experienced some inexplicable emotional fluctuation.
"Hack it to death!"
Quan Tiehua watched as the daemon, which had taken two attacks, began trembling all over. He let out an angry shout, holding the plasma pistol in one hand and a Power Sword in the other.
He leaped. With the disappearance of the gravity field, his entire body flew forward.
But his own weight made him descend rapidly again. He aimed the plasma pistol. The fanatical machine spirit represented its characteristic of never overheating.
Several more plasma shots fired in succession, instantly melting away most of the daemon's body. As its injuries worsened, the barrier between the warp and the real universe grew increasingly solid.
Slaanesh was frantic within the warp. Although it burned with fury, recalling those earlier words, it could not help feeling a trace of excitement and anticipation.
But the Emperor would not grant its wish. The forces of both sides collided in the warp, while the Word Bearers and Daemon Legions engaged in fierce slaughter.
Even within the psychic Webway near Terra, the scattered skirmishes instantly transformed into a vast and terrifying war.
Countless Slaanesh daemons led the charge, launching a frenzied assault on the positions built by the Adeptus Custodes, Sisters, Astra Militarum, and Skitarii.
For a time, alarms blared throughout the Imperial Palace on Terra.
Even Guilliman, who had been working, wore a grave expression when he saw the alarm. At the same time, he began to question everything. After all, how much time had passed? Yet so many twists and turns had already appeared.
On the battlefield, the Power Sword was driven viciously into Daemon Serindal's skull. Relying on the Astartes' formidable weight and strength, Quan Tiehua yanked downward and cleaved Daemon Serindal in two.
A terrifying wail echoed through the real universe and the warp. Especially at the moment Daemon Serindal was split apart, a psychic shockwave erupted, blasting him into the distance and smashing him hard against the ship's wall.
As space stabilized and the Greater Daemon was finally banished, the battle at last briefly returned to calm.
Of the more than 270 Astartes who had taken part in the battle, only more than 130 survived.
Of those 130 or so, more than 30 were gravely wounded and crippled. Only 80 or 90 remained healthy and capable of fighting.
Of the more than 40 veterans who had served for over a century, only seven survived. Of the recruits brought out for training, only three ultimately lived, including Quan Tiehua.
Almost every veteran wearing Terminator Armour had been killed.
Several of those who later covered the Chapter's retreat were intercepted by pursuing Noise Marines and the remaining daemons. Along with the explosion, they vanished into the universe.
The losses in this war were enormous.
Yet even that daemon had not been in its final form. After all, it had not been summoned through a ritual, nor had it received the soul sacrifices commonly used to summon warp daemons.
This battle had completely shattered the Chapter, which had only just received major reinforcements and been brimming with confidence.
Of course, if things ended there, the Chapter might recover over the next few hundred years and be able to fight again.
But now... everyone who had withdrawn to the Blood Angels looked down at the planet where they were needed for support.
They all knew that what came next would be a brutal battle. The Chapter would probably be wiped out there.
For a time, the entire ship fell silent. The wounded and maimed warriors were urgently settled and treated.
The warriors who were still intact underwent basic treatment and armor repairs, then came fully armed to the chapel.
Looking at the chapel, which was almost completely empty, all the brothers standing in formation could not help feeling grief-stricken.
Only a few hours ago, the chapel had held a fairly sizable formation. Now, it had shrunk considerably. In just a few hours, most of the brothers had already returned their souls to the Golden Throne.
As everyone slowly assembled, Chapter Master Affos finally stepped onto the podium. His figure remained upright.
But his originally golden hair had now turned completely white. The exhaustion in his eyes and the wrinkles on his face all revealed his feelings at that moment.
"I bear full responsibility for commanding this battle. After this mission, I will voluntarily go to the Deathwatch. As for my position as Chapter Master..." He stopped there.
His gaze, filled with sorrow and self-reproach, swept over the more than 90 Astartes brothers who could still stand there. Then he gave a self-mocking smile.
Did it even matter whether the position of Chapter Master was chosen or not? Once the battle to support the planet below ended, there might not be many of the brothers present left.
It was even uncertain whether the Chapter itself would continue to exist.
He took a deep breath and looked at the history of their Chapter displayed on the surrounding walls, painstakingly recovered after the Chapter had been restored.
Their Chapter was one whose strength lagged far behind that of every other faction. In the past, if wounded brothers were too crippled to fight, they would replace their limbs with prosthetics whenever possible.
If that was impossible, then... he was sorry.
They would either be transferred to logistical support positions. After all, even now, they lacked the resources to create Dreadnoughts.
As for brothers whose limbs were completely ruined, they would be allowed to choose according to their own wishes.
Most of them, however, would transfer to support positions after being persuaded by their surrounding brothers. But not long afterward, they would strongly request permission to return to the Golden Throne with dignity and honor.
Everyone understood their state of mind. Though their hearts ached, they had no choice but to carry it out.
"As for the position of Chapter Master, let Quan Tiehua serve in the role temporarily for now. Once the adjudicators sent by the Imperium arrive, everyone can choose together."
No one expressed any objection. After this battle, Quan Tiehua's outstanding combat performance and tactical judgment had practically saved the entire Chapter.
Without him, the Chapter would probably have been destroyed.
As he spoke, Chapter Master Affos slowly drew the Power Sword at his waist and looked at the brothers below. He turned toward the Emperor's statue, knelt on one knee, and shouted, "Only through sacrifice can the value of salvation be revealed! With our bodies, we shall forge a wall of flesh and blood, protecting humanity's eternal existence!"
As he spoke, he rose, raised the Power Sword high, and shouted, "For the Emperor!"
"For the Emperor!"
The drop pods tore through the darkness of the sky, carrying heat and flames as they crashed into the dark earth below, bringing light and warmth to the people.
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