The order was relayed swiftly.
The once dormant Imperial Fleet has been revitalized.
One by one, the warships adjusted their course and filed in through the ever-widening gap in the barrier.
The Macro-cannon raised their muzzles one by one, brewing a destructive rage.
Inside the barrier, at the very top of the blasphemous spire.
The Chaos Adeptus Mechanicus Sage, whose body was mostly replaced by mechanical prosthetics, was directly connecting several thick neural interfaces to the back of his head.
It has established a deep connection with that fragment of the STC spell.
Before Lord Atia personally went to capture Lynn, he entrusted him with the crucial task of maintaining the Profane Barrier and controlling the Warp rift.
The sage's optical sensors gleamed with a ghostly blue light, and his mechanical fingers rapidly tapped on the rune-covered control panel.
Under his control, the spire continuously draws Warp energy to maintain the operation of the entire barrier.
Everything was under control until that sudden alarm sounded.
"Warning! Abnormal drop in core area barrier energy! Unknown purification energy detected!"
The piercing alarm echoed in the empty control room.
The sage suddenly raised his head, and the optical sensor instantly zoomed out, projecting onto the holographic barrier in mid-air.
His mechanical pupils contracted sharply when he saw the widening, pale hole.
"How is that possible?!"
The sage's voice was hoarse and mechanically synthesized, revealing an undisguised panic.
This Profane Barrier is a masterpiece combining STC fragments and Tzeentch runes; even a barrage of light spears from the Imperial Navy could not damage it in the slightest.
That pale flame... what exactly is it?!
"Activate the area barrier generator immediately! Attempt to seal the breach!"
He gave the order sternly, while simultaneously increasing his own energy output.
The runes on the console flickered wildly, and massive amounts of Chaos energy surged toward the breach, attempting to mend the gap.
But the rainbow-colored Chaos energy was completely incinerated as soon as it approached the pale flames at the edge of the hole, leaving not even a ripple.
"No! My lord! The energy has been neutralized! It can't be replenished at all!"
"Reactivate the core magic array! Mobilize all reserved Psychic Power within the domain!"
The sage's mechanical arm slammed down on the control panel, the surface creaking under the strain.
He refused to believe it and directly mobilized all the Psychic Power stored in the spire.
A vast amount of Chaos energy surged toward the hole like a tidal wave, forming a thick energy wall in an attempt to forcibly seal the breach.
But the pale flames only swelled slightly, and all the energy walls vanished in an instant.
The flames continued to expand steadily, carrying an irresistible destructive force, purifying all Chaos creations in their wake.
The sage's optical sensors flickered wildly, and cold sweat inexplicably seeped from the remaining flesh and skin on his forehead.
This was the first time he had this illusion of being "covered in sweat" since he became almost completely mechanized.
A chill that seeped into his bones crept up his spine.
He exhausted all means: restarting the magic array, gathering Psychic Power, releasing Chaos creations, activating the backup barrier...
We've tried everything, but nothing can stop the pale flame from spreading.
It's like a natural nemesis of Chaos; any filth that comes before it is simply burned to ashes.
"It's over..."
The sage slumped in his chair, watching helplessly as the gap in the barrier widened, and as the dark, imposing Imperial Fleet streamed in through the opening, aiming its cannons at the Chaos Fortress in the Midtown.
He could even foresee the devastating artillery fire that awaited him next.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Before long, the deafening roar of cannons echoed throughout the entire Midtown.
The Macro-cannon falling from the track landed precisely on the Chaos army's position.
The explosion sent plumes of smoke and dust dozens of meters high into the air. Demons and Cultists screamed as they turned to ashes amidst the gunfire. The twisted, Chaos fortifications were torn apart and crushed like paper.
The Brevis coalition, which had been suffering repeated defeats, was completely stunned.
They huddled in the shattered trenches, their bodies covered in blood, many already prepared to die in battle.
Suddenly, the demonic charge that had been pinning them down stopped.
A barrage of artillery fire rained down from the sky, landing precisely on the enemy's positions.
"It's orbital support! Our fleet has broken through!"
Someone let out a roar, and a deafening cheer erupted from the trenches.
"May the Emperor protect us! Our reinforcements have arrived!"
"Brothers, charge with me! Drive these heretics out!"
The company commander leading the charge leaped over the trench, brandishing his Chainsword, and spearheaded the charge.
The soldiers followed closely behind, their eyes red, roaring as they charged toward the chaotic Chaos.
The long-dormant Imperium coalition launched a massive counter-offensive under the cover of heavy artillery fire.
Having lost the protection of its barrier and lacking the command of a high-ranking wizard, the Chaos army suffered a series of defeats in a short time.
Many soldiers keenly sensed that the demons and Cultists before them seemed considerably weaker than before.
Their attacks were no longer as cunning and fierce as before, and their formation was chaotic, as if they had lost their backbone.
"These heretics seem to be failing!"
"It must be the Emperor protecting us! Kill!"
With their morale soaring, the Imperial Army advanced with unstoppable momentum, quickly recapturing several city blocks. The Midtown defense line, which was on the verge of falling, was pushed back by more than half.
Inside the temporary command tent in the Midtown, Isolde stood quietly in front of the holographic star map.
She wore a pure white long dress, her long golden hair cascading over her shoulders, her face expressionless, as aloof as an ice sculpture.
At this moment, Rena's consciousness is looking down on the entire battlefield through this doll.
Only she knew that the reason why the Chaos Army's combat power had declined was not because of any divine intervention by the Emperor.
Instead, the Thousand Sons Sorcerer Atia, had personally left his command post in the Midtown and led his elite troops straight to the Uptown, with only one objective: to capture Lynn.
But at the same time, this is also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
An opportunity to completely eliminate the Warp Domain.
Rena did not hesitate at all.
Through the puppet, she issued the order for a full-scale attack.
"Pass down the order: all combat units, regardless of casualties, shall launch a full-scale counterattack."
Objective: Destroy all Warp rifts in Midtown and cut off the Chaos forces' retreat.
At the same time, she contacted Priest at the grassroots level. "Order the entire Plague Cleansing Cult to join the battle."
The Priest was somewhat puzzled the moment the order was given.
If we let them participate fully in the war now, what if we get exposed...?
But Isolde's tone left no room for negotiation; it was cold and resolute.
She certainly knew what it meant to involve the Plague Cleansing Cult in the full-scale war.
Those warriors all carried characteristics of Genestealer to varying degrees. Once the battle ended, they would likely be noticed by the Imperium, and it might even lead to an investigation by the Inquisition.
But there's no time to worry about that now.
Lynn's safety is more important than any secret.
As for his identity being exposed?
Only if these humans survive can they be qualified to examine them!