Anti-Demon Tactics

"It's a transmission from the surface."

Nikanna accepted the communication request, holding it to his chest. Virtual holograms projected into the air, showing the images of Loci, Ventanus, and others.

"What's the situation aboard the Glory of Macragge? We've gathered a significant force on the surface to counter the Word Bearers' assault, but to turn the tide, we must recapture the orbital platform's weapon arrays!"

Ventanus asked immediately upon seeing Marius, who was missing an arm.

"The situation is dire. We've lost track of the Primarch. Please continue to hold the line." Gage understood the implications of the surface situation; they needed reinforcements to descend to the orbital platform and retake the weapon arrays.

"I will detach a portion of my warriors to assist you, but the numbers will be very limited. Captain Ventanus, our ship is currently experiencing phenomena that cannot be explained by Imperial dogma."

"Daemons. That's what we call them," Hill interjected.

"We no longer know what to call them, but these are not the xenos we've fought before. They are something far more terrifying and dangerous, waves from the Warp. We've exhausted all means to kill them."

"That's right. Those damned Word Bearers brought them," Ventanus nodded, fully understanding the flagship's predicament.

"Steel and fire are more lethal to them than plasma and lasers. They are born from the fears of the old night; our conventional logic does not apply to them."

Loci ended the transmission. The message from the Glory of Macragge was clear: they needed more time.

"Chapter Master, we don't have much time. Three Word Bearer cruisers are docked near the Glory of Macragge. The Void Shields cannot stop anything that is too slow. They are breaching our airlocks and hull armor. We must organize a boarding party for internal combat."

"Please continue, Sergeant." Gage's condition was improving. Losing an arm was insignificant to him; he was ready to engage in the next battle.

"State your plan. I grant you the authority to rally the Battle-Brothers, as long as you can prevent those Word Bearers from boarding our warships."

Marius delegated his Chapter Master's authority. In this critical moment, when victory or defeat hung in the balance, all methods were permissible. Even if Hill was merely a Sergeant, if his capabilities were sufficient, he would possess the corresponding rank and authority.

Gage realized that this disciplined Sergeant possessed an extraordinary strategic mind. His performance was even superior to his own as Chapter Master.

Absolute calm, composure, and rationality.

"Oh, right, Hill. Can you wield that power axe in one hand?" Gage's gaze fell upon the battle axe in Hill's hand.

"It's light; I can use it perfectly," Hill replied.

Gage took the battle axe, drawing a sharp arc of light in the air.

These weapons were taken from the Primarch's private collection. They were reliable when facing those daemons.

"Battle-Brothers, we must carve a path through them! Those daemons are rampaging through the Glory of Macragge!" Hill shouted, leading his brothers towards the destroyed bridge.

Gage followed behind, turning to look into the Apothecary's eyes and asking, "Battle-Brother, do you know why Sergeant Hill was disciplined? He is so calm and wise. What mistake did he commit?"

The Chapter Master did not know Hill or his situation. At this moment, he wanted to know what mistake this outstanding warrior had made.

The Apothecary replied, "Hill was discovered by his superior officers devising strategies to defeat Space Marines and constructing theoretical models. This was considered dangerous thinking. No Space Marine has ever considered Space Marines as their hypothetical enemy."

"Well, now one has," Gage's tone was somewhat sarcastic.

"Hill argued that Space Marines are a blind spot in all legionary warfare, thus they must be compensated for and corrected. He wished to explore a theory to counter this blind spot."

Before the Word Bearers' betrayal, this was dangerous thinking. But today, it had become foresight.

"It turns out his mistake was actually a transcendent foresight. We now have to rely on his theories to counter the Word Bearers."

Sergeant Hill walked alongside Nikanna of the Raven Guard.

They had only known each other for a few hours, but an immediate rapport and understanding had formed between them. This had a crucial impact when they were killing daemons.

"Brother, your power armor seems different from ours? It's sturdier and more reliable. Why is that?"

Although the two fought side-by-side, their armor was vastly different. Hill's Mark X power armor was already heavily scarred. The ceramite exterior struggled to withstand the claws of those nightmare creatures. In several places, power conduits were exposed, sparking with electricity.

Nikanna's power armor, however, remained as smooth as a mirror, as if it had just come out of the forge world's furnaces.

"With the help of a friend. A very interesting person. He comes from a distant past and knows much forgotten knowledge," Nikanna said with a slight smile.

"He's different from us; he's witnessed humanity's glorious achievements. Sometimes I envy him."

Loci's crafted power armor had proven its reliability through countless dangerous wars. Nikanna didn't understand it completely, but he knew that his own power armor could withstand the attacks of Warp daemons without damage.

Its alloy composition was far stronger than ceramite.

"Perhaps you could get me a set too," Hill joked enviously.

But the next second, he immediately issued a halt order on the comm channel.

In the chamber ahead, a massive daemon with a sharp beak and feathers lay hidden in the darkness. It weighed at least several dozen tons. Its enormous body writhed and swayed beyond the line of sight, crushing the remains of the fallen.

Nikanna's eyes could pierce the darkness. He noticed that the daemon's body was covered in numerous tentacles. These easily overlooked appendages easily penetrated the dense bulkheads, as easily as a hot knife cutting through butter.

"Suppressing fire!"

With a command, the Ultramarines immediately unleashed their bolters. These power-assisted rounds released terrifying heat and explosions upon impact, tearing large and small horrific wounds in the daemon's body.

Fire dragons roared, and flamethrowers unleashed searing flames. The promethium, once ignited, could not be extinguished. The daemon reacted with extreme fury to the flames, its rage even greater than being hit directly by bolter rounds.

They feared fire.

The daemon's counterattack came faster. Its beak, composed of some unknown substance, sliced a Space Marine from head to groin in half with speed that was imperceptible to the naked eye. Ceramite could not withstand such a fatal blow.

A continuous barrage of bolter rounds rained down. It shrieked, it roared, in helplessness and fury.

Nikanna lowered his bolter, turned, drew his power sword, and charged.

Engaging in close combat!

Hill moved in from another direction. The two swung their power swords, severing the highly threatening tentacles and cutting large chunks of flesh from the daemon in the blink of an eye.

The damage from power swords surpassed that of bolter fire. Hill's tactical theories were being validated step by step. The two drew the daemon's attention, requiring incredible agility and footwork, a skill at which Nikanna excelled.

The Son of the Raven moved like a ghost through the darkness, treading in shadows. Even Hill could not see Nikanna's figure within his helmet's scanning field.