A Single Trick

"The Chapter Master is like a fish. On my homeworld, they'd pull fish out of the river, hang them on a pole in the sun to dry, their eyes rolling back, twitching now and then."

The sixteen surviving Fierce Angels lay or sat in iron cages.

Before them, the Chapter Master was suspended in mid-air, enveloped in blue psionics, with a crimson sphere hanging above and in front of him.

The sphere was absorbing the Chapter Master's life, burning his will.

Earlier, the Fierce Angels had tried to resist, but just like when they gathered to face the attack on their warship with the Chapter Master, they felt something inside them gnawing away at their strength.

Their augmented bodies felt incredibly heavy at that moment, becoming a burden, making it difficult to even lift a finger.

The transformation ritual proceeded automatically, with no one present.

But moments later, the hatch opened, and a group of Chaos Space Marines entered the chamber. They surveyed the scene, then gradually dispersed, silently moving obstacles and piling them up in front of the door to set up a makeshift defense.

The leader of the Cunning Hounds Clan, holding a bird-headed scepter, was among them.

Once the defenses were set up, the leader spoke, "Hold this position. Huron has opened an emergency warp rift for us. We can last at least ten minutes."

After giving the order, the leader turned to the crimson sphere, raised his scepter, and used psionics to catalyze the ritual, accelerating the transformation of the Fierce Angels Chapter Master.

The Fierce Angels in the cages guessed that the ship had been attacked, but they couldn't guess who the attackers were.

Ever since they were captured, the Cunning Hounds had been under attack, on average, once a day.

Such was the commonality and frequency of infighting among the various Chaos clans in the warp rifts; sometimes it was over a suit of power armor, a bolter, or even a cargo of water.

Without swearing allegiance to the Red Corsairs and the Black Heart King, they would tear at each other like stray dogs for scraps.

"Hey."

The leader heard a voice from the cages and turned his head.

A warrior called out to him, "Which clan attacked you? Was it the Mongrel Hunters Clan?"

The leader withdrew his gaze, continuing to focus on the ritual.

"Or maybe it was a clan called 'Dog Butcher' that attacked them," another Fierce Angel said.

"Hahahaha!"

"..."

"You're quite optimistic," the clan leader said as he catalyzed the ritual. "Does it matter who attacked us? Will it change your fate? Gloating like this, you fools who are about to become puppets."

"We never said that the clan attacking you bastards would change our fate."

"But the Chapter Master already said that there are still our battle-brothers on that warship, and he promised to get them out safely with the mortals."

"And guess what?"

"Our gene-seed is hidden on the warship, our Legion will be rebuilt, and perhaps one day we can clear our names. Meanwhile, you'll just be a pack of stray dogs in this Maelstrom, with no idea where your next meal is coming from, until a new generation of Fierce Angels charges into the Maelstrom and slaughters you all!"

"Slaughter them! Slaughter them! They will avenge us!"

The Fierce Angels spoke one after another, their voices filled with excitement and anger, yet always with a smile.

The clan leader did not reply, only a contemptuous smile beneath his helmet.

Gunfire and footsteps echoed into the chamber.

It was the sound of combat.

Then came the roar of shockwaves.

Hearing the sounds, the Cunning Hounds immediately raised their bolters or activated the switches on their chainswords.

The clan leader, who was catalyzing the Chapter Master, turned to face the chamber door and erected a blue barrier in front of his subordinates.

Experience had taught these Cunning Hounds that as long as they stayed near a Chaos leader with psionic abilities, they could handle any situation.

BANG!

The chamber door dented inward.

BANG!

The dent deepened.

Everyone in the chamber could tell that someone was smashing the door with a power hammer.

Finally, with a roar, the door burst open on the third impact.

Amidst the smoke and debris, the figure of a towering Space Marine appeared before their eyes.

Crimson armor, the chainaxe emblem on his pauldrons—these were the hallmarks of the Fierce Angels Legion. This made all the Fierce Angels' eyes widen in astonishment.

And the Space Marine was alone.

The clan leader suspected a trap and did not give the order to fire immediately. Instead, he used psionics to probe the surrounding situation.

He saw that the attackers were fighting their way towards the ship's engine room.

Indeed, there was only one person before him.

The clan leader sensed the opponent's youth through his psionic perception and thought, This child... perhaps he can be made into a high-ranking puppet.

"Cease fire." The leader emerged from behind the cunning hounds. He believed a single psionic spell would incapacitate the person before him, just like his battle-brothers, so he aimed to subdue him without damaging the puppet's body as much as possible.

"You're from the Fierce Angels Legion? How did I miss you?"

The leader raised his hand.

"No."

The newcomer shook his head, raising his Power Hammer Chainsword Axe in a cross before his chest.

Seeing this, the Fierce Angels immediately recognized the newcomer's identity.

"I am the Dog Butcher."

Before the words even fell, Lu Jin charged forward.

The stamina-devouring psionic spell was cast on Lu Jin before he even took a step. After swiftly dispatching one person with his hammer, Lu Jin felt his stamina instantly drained, but the sensation lasted only a moment before his stamina surged back, even more abundant than before.

As Lu Jin charged towards the next person, the gang leader, seeing his psionic spell was useless, roared an order to fire.

The cabin descended into chaos.

The sound of bolters striking shoulder guards.

The roar of the chainsword axe, and the sound of flesh being torn apart by the chain.

The sound of the Power Hammer crushing even the sturdiest shoulder guards and smashing reinforced bones.

These sounds accompanied a scene that, to the onlookers, was nothing short of brutal.

Lu Jin completely disregarded defense. His two weapons allowed him to both pierce armor and cleave through enemies. Those who got close to him would have their armor joints hacked by the chainsword axe if they were near it, or if they were near the Power Hammer, there was no need to pick a target; a single blow would send flesh and armor flying.

Those who couldn't get close to Lu Jin circled around to his rear, raising their bolters and looking for shooting opportunities.

However, Little Damian's mechanical arm on Lu Jin's shoulder immediately spun, turning the scepter. The psionic spell contained within it was unleashed with a mere thought from Lu Jin.

The shockwave possessed far greater lethality and efficiency than Lu Jin himself. Everyone behind him was reduced to fragments.

"Ah!!!"

With a roar, the Space Marine before him was struck from above by Lu Jin's Power Hammer, his upper and lower halves fitting together.

Behind the fallen dead, the gang leader's figure appeared.

Amidst the thrill of battle, Lu Jin instantly calmed down. Dozens of methods to defend against this psionic user flashed through his mind, considering the various psionic spells the psionic user might unleash.

However, after the gang leader raised his hand, Lu Jin could only feel momentarily exhausted, then feel the nourishment of the deceased's power and the satisfaction of even greater stamina.

So, he's a one-trick pony.

Lu Jin thought, focusing on killing others.

Moments later, the gang leader was the only enemy left alive in the entire cabin.

"Finish him!"

The Fierce Angels, slumped in their iron cage, shouted.

"FINISH HIM!"

Others heard Lu Jin utter a strange phrase.

As the gang leader raised his hand to absorb stamina again, Lu Jin threw an axe.

The twin chainsword axes spun hundreds of meters away, severing the leader's arm before he could dodge.

The moment the arm hit the ground, Lu Jin, following close behind the chainsword axes, swung his Power Hammer, crushing the leader's legs.

A scream escaped the gang leader's lips. Just as he felt himself about to fall, Lu Jin had already planted his Power Hammer before his chest, supporting his collapsing body.

"This is the price for attacking us."

Lu Jin spread his arms, his cold words echoing from his helmet.

The leader's chin rested on the hammerhead, his entire body supported by the warhammer to prevent him from collapsing. He lacked the strength to respond.

The next second, his palms slapped the leader's helmet from either side. Amidst sounds like bolter explosions, the helmet deformed severely.

The gang leader had just regained consciousness and instinctively looked up, only to see Lu Jin raising his fists.

The next second, he lost consciousness. Only the onlookers could see Lu Jin smashing the gang leader's head into his chest cavity with his fists.

The Chapter Master fell from mid-air.

Lu Jin picked up his battle axe and hammer, then walked to the iron cage and smashed it with force.

After the gang leader's death, the Fierce Angels felt their strength slowly returning. The psionic spells cast upon them had withered away with their master.

Lu Jin then moved away from the cage, put down his weapons, and knelt on one knee to check on the Chapter Master's condition.

The Fierce Angels gradually got up and gathered around.

The ritual had been broken with the death of its manipulator.

The Chapter Master slowly opened his eyes, looking around in confusion.

"The Chapter Master is awake!"

"I knew his will wouldn't be broken so easily!"

"..."

The Chapter Master smiled, scanned everyone, silently counted heads, and then looked at Lu Jin with a questioning gaze.

He was so weak he couldn't even speak.

For six whole days, his will had been tormented, trapped in countless illusions.

His mother and father had begged him to stay and protect them, or they would be killed.

His closest friends had urged him to remain on the battlefield, fighting by their side forever.

None of the myriad illusions could make the Chapter Master stay; he forced himself to focus on only one thing—avenging the Fierce Angels.

His hatred for the Imperial Inquisition fueled his cold rejection of every temptation.

"I kept my promise."

Lu Jin slowly stood up, took two steps back, and removed his helmet.

The Space Marines were still surprised.

They had guessed it was Lu Jin, but the problem was that Lu Jin hadn't succeeded in his augmentation, had even died because of it, and his physique wouldn't be this tall. Furthermore, if the augmentation surgery failed and he didn't wear the black carapace, how could he wear power armor?

"The mortals are safe."

"The strike cruiser is still here, though the Greenskins are everywhere inside..."

"You asked me to promise I would protect those ordinary people according to your traditions, and I did. I also did the other thing I promised you: I killed the Cunning Hounds."

Lu Jin said, holding his helmet.

The Chapter Master recovered slightly and said haltingly, "Tha... Thank..."

Lu Jin took the scepter from his mechanical arm and handed it to the Chapter Master. "This belongs to you."

The Chapter Master raised his hand and took the scepter.

This Legion Relic would undoubtedly have greater utility in the hands of a psyker. The Chapter Master used biomantic psychic spells to replenish his own and those around him's stamina.

Then, he stood up, leaning on the scepter. He looked at Lu Jin for two seconds, then suddenly knelt on one knee and lowered his head.

The Space Marines around him successively knelt on one knee, lowered their heads, and placed their fists over their chests.

"We salute you."

The Chapter Master had already detected that Lu Jin had no enhanced organs. From his appearance alone, he was still a mortal.

"The most valiant mortal."

"Our battle-brother of the Fierce Angels Legion."

Lu Jin heard that the Chapter Master had realized he wouldn't become a member of the Fierce Angels, but he was still a battle-brother of the Fierce Angels.

"Thank you for treating me kindly, accepting me, and teaching me," Lu Jin said, lowering his head and saluting with his fist over his chest.

Someone beside him helped the Chapter Master to his feet.

Lu Jin suddenly asked, "What is your real name?"

"Ninos," the Chapter Master replied. "My real name? I only have this one name."

Lu Jin suddenly understood—that damned Huron had tricked him about his name.

"The battle isn't over yet," Ninos gestured for those around him to gather weapons. "The warband leader you killed wasn't the one controlling all of us. He didn't have the ability to make us unable to resist..."