Mars orbit was solemn and tense.
The fleet of the Imperium of Man stood guard around the rust-red planet like loyal sentries.
On the bridges, countless eyes watched the void beyond the orbit, distorted by immense energy, through viewports and sensors, holding their breath.
Suddenly!
That stretch of space twisted and boiled violently like a lake struck by a boulder!
Then, accompanied by a soundless energy shriek that shook the soul, an enormous spatial rift large enough to eclipse the stars was torn open by force!
The first thing to emerge from the rift was a "greatsword" as magnificent as a planet itself, forged entirely from pure crystal and an unknown silver alloy—the Throne of the Heavenly Blade!
The shadow cast by its colossal hull instantly covered Mars's northern polar region. Its cold, sacred, unrivaled majesty spread as though tangible, sending the energy readings of every human vessel in orbit into violent fluctuations!
The mortal crew aboard the bridges even felt a suffocating pressure.
Following behind it, like stars surrounding the moon, elegant pure-white warships radiating deadly intent sailed out of the jump corridor in perfect order, swiftly deploying into defensive formations around the Throne of the Heavenly Blade.
The radiance of the entire fleet dispersed the metallic dust haze that perpetually hung over Mars's orbit, illuminating this region of space like a sacred hall.
The captains of the Imperium of Man, including battle-hardened Space Marine commanders, all felt an instinctive shudder at that moment.
The level of power displayed by this fleet had utterly surpassed the limits of their understanding of what a "fleet" was!
That flagship was practically a moving planet!
Fortunately, Regent Guilliman's orders had long since arrived: this was an allied fleet!
Suppressing their shock, the fleet commanders directed their vessels to adjust position and form