Inside the bridge of the Gabbro, outside the massive observation window, the swirling yellow-green miasma clouds of the Aigē VII Planet resembled a festering wound, emitting a nauseating psychic stench.
The lighting inside the bridge remained constant, with only the holographic tactical display and countless control panels emitting a cold, hard glow.
The air was a mix of promethium fuel, ozone, and the cold scent of adamantium plating, subtly permeated by the blasphemous whispers from the battlefield below.
On the holographic star map, the cluster of light points representing the Ash Knights had consolidated in the area marked "Purification Point Alpha."
They were now advancing steadily into the planet's depths in a tight wedge formation.
Awaiting them ahead was the massive structure, marked in deep red and codenamed "Purulent Fortress," resembling a hideous scar on the planet.
Around the fortress, a twisted, oily energy field enveloped it like a living thing.
Within the energy field, countless blasphemous runes pulsed ceaselessly like living entities.
Alex stood tall before the tactical display, the Inquisitor Rose on his Governor's uniform gleaming with a metallic luster under the cold light.
His gaze penetrated the holographic image, intently locked on the foul force field surrounding the fortress, a field almost solidified, woven from the planetary shield and Chaos sorcery.
On the tactical data pad beside him, data streamed rapidly: energy readings, shield decay curves, orbital strike simulation results… every item pointed to the same grim conclusion.
He raised his hand, his finger steadily touching the image of the fortress shield, causing ripples to spread across the distorted light film.
His deep voice clearly cut through the hum of the bridge, reaching Hathor's ears.
Accompanying his words, a set of glaring red assessment data was brought up, projected between the two: "This fortress's defenses are extraordinary. It has a planetary-level shield base, overlaid with a distorted reinforcement field of Chaos sorcery.
Our orbital bombardment energy is dispersed, absorbed, and even twisted by it, with an effective conversion rate of less than five percent."
"Conventional orbital firepower cannot effectively penetrate this barrier at all." He turned to Hathor, his eyes as deep and calm as an abyss, "We need more powerful shield-breaking methods. Evaluate if it's worth deploying the Knight Family's forces?
Or, immediately mobilize the Titan Legion's fire support? Their heavy firepower arrays are designed to crush such defenses."
Hathor was dressed in a sharp, dark gray administrative uniform, but the aura she exuded at this moment far surpassed her official duties.
Her molten-gold eyes were also tightly fixed on the fortress on the star map. Hearing Alex's analysis, her lips pressed into a cold, hard line.
"Knights? Titans?" Her voice sounded calm, but every word carried the decisiveness of a Legion Commander, without any procrastination. "The mobilization procedures are too cumbersome, and coordination is time-consuming. For the Knight Family to gather and the Titan Legion to deploy, it would take weeks. We don't have that time to wait."
She turned her face slightly, her incredibly sharp golden eyes looking directly at Alex, as if able to see through appearances: "Governor, the most effective and direct way to deal with such a core of filth deeply rooted in corrupted land is often not by slowly bombarding it with long-range heavy artillery."
Alex's brow did not twitch, only a flicker of understanding crossed the depths of his eyes. He nodded slightly and asked: "What is your plan?"
Hathor's lips curled upward very quickly, forming a cold, brief arc, yet one imbued with a familiar power—a resolute determination belonging to a certain brother known for his ferocity.
"It's simple," her voice was as crisp as if she were issuing a direct combat order, "Just like Angron would do."
Before her words had even faded, her gaze sharply shifted behind her, falling upon Loken, who stood silently like a statue, her command concise and direct: "My gear. Is it ready?"
"Ready." A short, clear, and firm reply came from behind Loken's visored head.
—
Aigē VII Planet surface, outer area of Purification Point Alpha.
The scorched, broken ground was covered with congealed foul blood and various burnt debris.
The air was filled with the pungent smell of rotting flesh, char, lingering gunpowder smoke, and a thick, suffocating psychic hum of blasphemous whispers, which seemed to pierce the bone marrow, causing intense discomfort deep within the soul.
The Ash Knights' Fifth Company warriors and the First Company's Terminator assault squad had completed their preparations.
They silently formed a spearhead formation on the scorched earth, their armored ranks grim.
The low hum of Power Packs merged into a continuous background sound, while Chainsword emitted a low growl, poised for action.
The visors on all the warriors' helmets were firmly locked on the distant horizon: there stood the "Purulent Fortress," resembling a giant rotten tumor.
Its foul psychic glow was like a lighthouse in the darkness, strikingly clear under the dim yellow sky.
The fortress was covered by an oily, sickly green energy barrier, interwoven with blasphemous runes. This barrier was as tough as the skin of an abscess, tightly encasing the core of evil within.
Suddenly, a sharp, tearing shriek from the murky sky bore down violently.
A Thunderhawk Gunship, painted in the Ash Knights' distinctive black and white quartered livery, appeared.
Its engine nozzles trailed blazing blue plasma flames, as it fiercely penetrated the swirling toxic miasma clouds at high altitude in an almost extreme vertical dive.
The scorching airflow from the gunship's furious engines struck the ground like an invisible giant hammer.
Instantly blowing away accumulated foul mud and shattered rocks, forming a circular impact crater with a radius of tens of meters.
The scorching heatwave forced the nearest Astartes to instinctively activate their Power Armor's posture stabilizers to steady themselves.
Amidst the deafening roar of hydraulic systems, the gunship's heavy ramp slammed open to both sides.
A terrifying pressure, far exceeding that of an ordinary Astartes, like a tangible mountain, instantly spread out.
This pressure was so immense that it seemed to solidify the surrounding air for a brief moment.
A pair of slender leg plates, encased in ivory-white Terminator Armor, stepped out resolutely, magnetic boots heavily treading on the scorched, cracked rock, accompanied by a heart-stopping thud and the splintering of stone.
Immediately following, the iconic, sleek yet destructively powerful, pristine ivory-white artificer Terminator Power Armor fully emerged.
The majestic Imperial Aquila and Eye of Horus symbols on its shoulder pads reflected a cold, hard metallic gleam under the dim light of Ague VII.
A massive wolf-pelt cloak, silver-gray like moonlight, draped from its broad shoulders, wildly flapping and striking the heavy armor in the fishy wind filled with stench and gunpowder smoke.
Hathor Lupeca—having shed all disguises, she had reverted to her Gene-Seed Primarch's transcendent, nearly five-meter-tall, imposing stature.
She was fully armed and had descended upon the battlefield.
Her left hand effortlessly gripped the legendary Warhammer "World Breaker," enveloped in a dark blue energy field, its hammerhead subtly humming.
Her right hand wore the artfully forged, gleaming Power Claw "Horuss Claw."
The ceremonial dagger at her waist glowed with the cold, dark luster of ebony.
------------------------
I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right nobut who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/TripleCrown
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"