As the Executioner-class warships finished their attack, the flickering arcs of energy gradually dissipated.
The Necron fleet immediately retaliated.
Countless attacks erupted, striking the Executioners at the forefront, and their thick energy shields began to tremble slightly.
"Shield load rising. Defensive efficiency down to 55% and falling."
"Evasive maneuvers!"
"Conventional warships, maintain formation. Evade incoming attacks and fire all weapons."
Orders rang out aboard the Imperial ships.
The vast Imperial fleet began to advance.
The Executioner Cannons had an extraordinarily long range; the rest of the Imperial fleet was not yet within firing range.
They had to close the distance to bring the Imperial Navy's numerical advantage to bear.
The arrival of Imperial forces greatly eased the pressure on the T'au.
The Necrons, who had been busy exterminating the T'au, began redirecting their fire toward the Imperial forces.
At the suggestion of his brethren from the Farsight Enclaves, Commander Xinghuo decided to let the Imperium face these terrifying enemies while his own forces pulled back and prepared to withdraw.
Even though they had lived on many planets in this region for quite some time, retreat was an unavoidable choice against an enemy they could not defeat.
Yet they had no idea that the Imperium, which had diverted forces to deal with them, was no easier to handle than the Necrons.
The Imperial fleet's commander asked Calgar whether they should send a request for aid to the Men of Iron.
After all, there were a considerable number of enemies here.
Yet just as the two sides were about to enter brutal, bloody close-range combat, Guilliman's orders arrived.
Large numbers of Necrons had begun stirring across the Milky Way, rendering the T'au threat negligible for the time being.
As Chapter Master of the Ultramarines Chapter, Calgar naturally would not question Guilliman's orders.