Battle for the Underhive 8

Human artillery and Ork artillery bombarded each other. Vast numbers of shells fired by the human soldiers landed among the Orks, killing countless Greenskins.

Most of the shells fired by the Orks were intercepted by anti-aircraft guns in midair and detonated prematurely. Only a small number of Ork shells landed within the defensive positions.

However, aided by their Power Armour, the Defense Force soldiers dodged shells that landed near them in advance. The overwhelming barrage fired by the Orks was evaded by the soldiers, causing very few casualties.

Only a few soldiers reacted a little too slowly and were wounded by the Ork shells, coughing up blood. Treated by the medical kits in their Power Armour backpacks, their injuries quickly healed completely, and they picked up their weapons to prepare for battle once more.

The shriek of shells echoed continuously through the base as shells flew everywhere.

Waaagh!

Ork figures gradually emerged in the distance. The first to appear were the Orks' red Dirty Tanks. Their tank cannons thundered ceaselessly as they charged, firing massive heavy shells toward the Defense Force soldiers' positions.

Several weapon-wielding Orks stood atop each Dirty Tank, armed with Boltguns, flamethrowers, and rotary heavy guns.

Ork Boyz stood on the Dirty Tanks, raising their weapons and continuously pulling the triggers toward the trenches while howling wildly.

Following behind the Ork tanks were Killa Kans. A Gretchin piloted each Ork Killa Kan, and because of the Orks' crude craftsmanship, the Gretchins operating them endured unimaginable mental torment at every moment.

Only battle could ease that torment, so the Gretchins inside were always filled with fanatical fighting spirit.

The Orks' Killa Kans were roughly comparable in strength to human Space Marines and displayed formidable power on the battlefield. This time, the Orks had deployed a full hundred Killa Kans.

Behind these armored units came the Ork infantry. Countless Ork Boyz wielding crude weapons charged toward the human positions with wild cries.

A company commander shouted over the communications channel, "The Orks' armored units are here. Stay alert and keep your defenses up."

The moment Anrida saw the Orks' Dirty Tanks appear, he immediately said over the communications channel, "Tank brigade, move out. Destroy the Orks' armored forces."

The tank brigade commander replied calmly over the communications channel, "Understood. Moving out immediately."

The tank forces, which had remained inactive since the battle began, finally moved after receiving the order. More than a thousand Apocalypse Tanks rolled out at once to meet the approaching Ork Dirty Tanks.

Gray, who had remained in the command room, saw that the Orks' main force had arrived. He stood, picked up the helmet beside him, and said to Anrida, "It is time for us Space Marines to act as well. We cannot stay in the rear and watch the show forever."

Seeing Gray rise and prepare to lead his men against the Orks, Anrida and Mendeleev stood and saluted him.

"Stay safe."

Gray waved to the two of them and said calmly, "Don't worry."

After speaking, Gray strode out of the command room.

As he marched swiftly, Gray said over the Space Marines' communications channel, "Brothers, it is our turn to act."

The Space Marines' voices came through the channel. "Ready at all times."

The Space Marines donned their equipment and quickly followed behind the Apocalypse Tanks, weaving constantly among the more than one thousand tanks.

With their engines roaring, the Apocalypse Tanks sped over the trenches. Their firepower never ceased as they moved, firing siege shells, Ripper heavy machine-gun rounds, and anti-aircraft rounds at the Orks all at once.

Inside one Apocalypse Tank, the gunner responsible for operating the shells aimed the cannon at an Ork Dirty Tank through the sight, then quickly pressed the firing button.

The siege shell left the barrel with a tremendous roar. With a boom, it swiftly crossed the distance between them and struck an Ork Dirty Tank. The Ork tank hit by the siege shell instantly shattered into fragments, becoming a fiercely burning fireball.

The gunner in the Apocalypse Tank shouted excitedly, "Hit! I took out an Ork tank! What a start!"

The tank commander said calmly, "Keep attacking. Do not get complacent."

Hearing the commander's words, the gunner immediately calmed down. "Yes, sir."

The gunner continued aiming at the Ork tanks, waiting for the right moment to deliver a killing blow.

Seeing that the gunner had calmed down, the commander stopped reprimanding him.

After an Apocalypse Tank fired a shell, it automatically reloaded for the next attack. No one needed to handle the loading; only a gunner was required to control when the shells were fired.

The Ork tank cannons also continuously attacked the Apocalypse Tanks, but once the Ork shells came within ten meters of an Apocalypse Tank—

A ripple appeared in the air, teleporting the incoming Ork shells into the Warp. The Orks' long-range attacks posed no threat whatsoever to the Apocalypse Tanks.

Protected by dual shields, the Apocalypse Tanks performed astonishingly on the battlefield. The Orks' ranged attacks were ineffective, so the Apocalypse Tanks only needed to destroy Ork tanks from afar and had no need to engage the Orks in close combat.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Violent explosions sounded in the distance, drawing everyone's gaze toward their source.

An Apocalypse Tank exploded violently after being detonated. The one responsible was an Ork Killa Kan, which used its agility to rapidly close in on an Apocalypse Tank that had failed to evade in time.

The enormous Monomolecular Disc mounted on the Killa Kan's mechanical arm rapidly cut into the Apocalypse Tank's armor. The toothed disc spun at extreme speed as it sliced through the plating.

The weapons on the Killa Kan's other three mechanical arms also fired continuously at the Apocalypse Tank. Its Power Claws and laser cannons struck the tank's armor in turn, and the Apocalypse Tank's hard Ceramite armor could no longer withstand such powerful attacks.

Seeing that the armor was about to be pierced by the Killa Kan, the tank commander said to the personnel inside, "Evacuate. Detonate every shell in the tank."

After receiving the order, the tank crew did not hesitate to abandon the tank and save themselves. The driver quickly pressed the Apocalypse Tank's self-destruct button.

After the driver pressed the self-destruct button, the others swiftly activated the teleportation devices on their Power Armour. With a flash of white light, the crew instantly vanished from inside the Apocalypse Tank.

The moment the entire crew disappeared, the Apocalypse Tank self-destructed. With a series of booms, violent explosions erupted. The Killa Kan, which was still attacking when the tank detonated, was caught in the blast and turned into a cloud of fiercely burning smoke along with the Apocalypse Tank.

Gray had initially led the Space Marines behind the Apocalypse Tanks, but once the Apocalypse Tanks exchanged fire with the Ork tanks, he led them away from the tanks.