Chapter 185: So Loyal!
Francis stood on the surface of a barren moon, swinging his warhammer with terrible force, constantly smashing away Degraded Iron Men. Each impact sent fragments spiraling into the void.
Beside him, Gretchin danced around, twisting their bodies and cheering loudly. "Boss is the best!"
But just as Francis was in full swing, smashing hammer after hammer, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"Ugh! I'm still worried about him, Such a good caring brother I am, sigh~!"
"Fine, I'll see this good deed through! But..." Francis muttered to himself, frowning deeply. He paced for a moment in thought, his massive frame casting shadows across the barren landscape.
Suddenly, he slapped his head, and a look of sudden realization crossed his face. "I got it!"
Thinking of this plan, he roared out loud. "Boyz, gather around! Enter the Battle Moon!"
The Ork Boyz immediately responded with chaotic enthusiasm, jumping onto the Battle Moon with excitement.
As soon as they returned to the control room, before they could ask anything, Francis slapped a big red button on the control panel and shouted loudly.
"Activate!"
The Battle Moon suddenly emitted a strange hum, and countless flickering green energy lights emerged across its surface. Then the entire massive sphere suddenly vanished from its spot.
At that exact moment, Magnus stood upon an observation platform, his single cyclopean eye emitting a blazing light as dazzling as a burning star.
Before him were several Adeptus Mechanicus Sword-class battleships, their countless muzzles aimed at him threateningly, their cold mechanical logic driving relentless torrents of fire.
"Is this the power of your Adeptus Mechanicus? Too weak! You retchling traitors."
"This is the age of psychic power!" Magnus roared loudly, his tone full of anger and mockery. He raised his arm high, and psychic energy converged in his palm, forming like nascent lightning.
A psychic lightning bolt formed in his hand, then tore through the void with terrible precision, striking an Adeptus Mechanicus cruiser directly. The ship was instantly consumed by energy, and countless fragments were scattered into deep space amidst the explosion's flames.
Degraded Iron Men swarmed out from the battleship's hull, attempting to approach him directly.
He waved his hand dismissively, and a massive psychic storm swept out, tearing the approaching Degraded Iron Men to shreds instantly.
"Trash belongs back in the trash heap!" Magnus roared again, psychic lightning raining down continuously as the Adeptus Mechanicus fleet disintegrated in the flames.
A massive Adeptus Mechanicus flagship turned its guns toward him, unleashing a devastating beam in an attempt to destroy Magnus in one fell swoop.
However, he merely smiled slightly at this, raising one hand. A psychic barrier instantly formed before him, the powerful beam was deflected back, striking the flagship itself and causing a violent explosion.
The psychic energy around him grew even more intense. Each strike proved incredibly precise, each psychic lightning bolt carrying destructive power, annihilating the Adeptus Mechanicus ships and Degraded Iron Men without a trace.
Until the fleet before him completely collapsed, with battleship fragments drifting everywhere in space.
Magnus turned back with immense confidence and shouted triumphantly. "Francis, did you see that! This is the power I've comprehended!"
"Did you see! I'm simply so strong that I could..." Before he could finish his boast, he saw Francis's Battle Moon disappear, and he was instantly dumbfounded.
"Holy... WAIT! I wasn't on board yet!"
"I AM NOT ON THE SHIP YET!"
"Where are you going?! FRANCISSS!!" Magnus shrieked loudly, like an abandoned child crying out in desperation.
The surrounding Thousand Sons warriors quickly comforted him with reassurance. "My Primarch, they didn't all leave. Only a part of them did. Lord Francis will probably be back soon."
Instantly, Magnus stopped roaring. Truly, they were his progeny, brilliant sons.
After seeing this scene unfold, Fabricator-General Kelbor-Hal commanded with desperate determination. "All personnel, full deployment to Terra!"
"Remaining warships directly target the Imperial Palace! Ram into it!"
"This is the only chance! For the Omnissiah!" The Tech-Priests on the bridge immediately set to their tasks. Various commands flowed through neural cables and data streams to every battleship in the Adeptus Mechanicus fleet.
Terra's anti-air defenses had just reacted when Adeptus Mechanicus landing pods, transport ships, and massive Titan transport pods rained down like a storm from above.
At the same time, Terra's defenders were desperately resisting the assault. The Adeptus Custodes, Salamanders, and Black Templars Legionnaire Divisions were fully deployed, yet facing the countless mechanized forces dropping from above, their defensive lines were being strained to the limit.
And when Magnus saw this scene unfolding, he instantly stood up with fierce purpose.
He had to stop all of this. He wanted to let Francis know that he was capable, too!
His body swelled in a psychic outburst, transforming into a Titan-sized form. His crimson skin glowed with dazzling light, endless power contained within every muscle. His eyes emitted cold psychic force, scanning the enemy ships charging toward Terra below.
"Your traitorous ambitions end here!" His voice boomed like thunder, shaking every inch of armor on the Adeptus Mechanicus fleet.
A massive Adeptus Mechanicus battleship, engines at full throttle, charged directly toward Terra, emitting destructive light from its weapons.
However, Magnus merely snorted coldly at this, raising a gigantic psychic palm before him. That psychic hand seemed to span the entire universe, immensely vast and brilliant, directly blocking the charging battleship's path.
"Stop!" His voice was like a divine decree from heaven. The battleship's massive prow crashed into the psychic palm, but couldn't advance an inch forward.
Psychic sparks flew everywhere, the battleship let out an ear-splitting metallic shriek, and was ultimately brought to a standstill in the void.
Immediately after, more Adeptus Mechanicus battleships broke formation, attempting to overwhelm this crimson barrier with sheer numbers alone.
Magnus once again raised his other large psychic hand, and with a gentle wave, countless battleships lost control as if caught in an invisible storm, crashing in the opposite direction and colliding into a sea of fire.
At the sight of this scene, Kelbor-Hal's mind went numb. Countless logic processing units began to explode within him; the sight before him completely exceeded his imagination.
Equally shocked was Vulkan on the ground below. He looked at Magnus's gigantic figure and suddenly felt that his own resurrection seemed quite normal in comparison.
...
Near Planet Algana in the distance.
Guilliman's mind kept replaying images of his father. His father had said that all xenos must be eradicated, so he absolutely could not develop an interest in xenos races. As for what Francis had just said, he took it as his usual eccentric joke entirely.
After all, rescuing Imperial planets was the most important thing right now!
Then he took two deep breaths, slowly opened his eyes, and saw a huge Ork Moon appear before them suddenly.
Guilliman stared with his face crunched in disbelief. "???"
Yvraine looked confused. "Wh....What is wrong with these Humans?"
Just as they were at loggerheads, Francis's voice came through the communications system. "Don't shoot, I'm Francis! Your dear brother."
Hearing this, Guilliman became even more confused than before. He heard Francis's voice from the Ork Moon. Were Orks so cunning now?
Next, he saw a seven-meter-tall Francis appear on the moon's surface.
Guilliman stared in silence at this.
He didn't understand why his brother suddenly grew so tall. The Ork Boyz behind him were also very strange in appearance. Each of them wore grey robes, carried metal rods, and their eyes were somehow filled with wisdom.
Upon arriving at the bridge, Francis said nothing and immediately entered the laboratory. When he came out again, he had a bouquet of Catachan Man-Eater plants in his hand. Guilliman eagerly waited for an explanation.
"I'm telling you, you must be elegant when talking to girls, and your attire must be proper. I mean, look at you, your current Blackstone armor, that won't do...Here! Put on this set, the golden armor I 'borrowed' from Sanguinius!" Saying this, Francis placed a set of gleaming golden armor into the other party's hands.
Although Guilliman was still completely bewildered, that wasn't all. Francis then handed the Man-Eater plants in his hand to him, saying earnestly.
"When meeting a girl, you should at least prepare some gifts! Talk to her more. It won't hurt you!"
Guilliman shifted his weight uncomfortably. "They are xenos! Francis, xenos, wake up! What is wrong with you? Have you forgotten father's words? You..."
Before he could finish his protest, Francis wrapped an arm around him and said with utmost seriousness. "They are Craftworld Aeldari, skilled in divination magic!"
"Moreover, they also have Spirit Stone technology! With this, we'll have another fallback in case humanity is destroyed, won't we?"
"After all, father is still unconscious! What if he wakes up next time and immediately starts a great extermination campaign?" Hearing this, Guilliman nodded repeatedly, feeling it made a lot of sense.
Seeing this reaction, Francis continued with his reasoning. "And look! Their heads are also round!"
"Doesn't that quite fit the Imperium's rules for accepting abhumans into the fold? You only need to use a little bit of a honey trap to gain a divination family for the Imperium, a seed technology, and a bunch of immortal laborers."
"It's an absolute windfall, alright! And also, in my prophecy, I saw a possibility between you and her. Perhaps your destinies have been entangled for three lives, and this life is destined for you to achieve a happy ending."
The more Guilliman listened, the more absurdly reasonable it sounded, especially since farnacies could 'see' the future. The look in his eyes toward Francis gradually softened with understanding.
It turned out that everything he did was for the Imperium! He was simply too loyal to the Imperium!
Seeing that the other party was convinced, Francis knew it was time to make his exit. He should make way for the young couple. Thinking of this, he turned and left quickly. "I'm off! Terra isn't finished fighting yet. I'm going there too!"
Whoosh!
After the Ork Moon left suddenly, Guilliman gradually came to his senses, his face creased in a frown as he muttered.
"Oh no! We should have made Francis take us with him!" Saying this, he took out the Ork phone and called again.
On Terra.
Magnus took a heavy breath, fine beads of sweat seeping from his forehead. The psychic flames on his body gradually weakened.
As he gradually became unable to block all the warships alone.
Boom!
Suddenly, a massive Ork Moon appeared there, directly smashing into the battleship.
[End of Chapter]