Sometimes, Space Marines can indeed create miracles.
The threat of the swarm was temporarily averted, and for this world, three days was enough time for them to hold out.
When the Terran Dominion's fleet arrived, a fierce space battle unfolded.
The light lance weapons equipped on the battleships and cruisers began to strike the swarms. Faced with the apocalyptic swarm, the usual tactic was a kiting strategy.
The swarm's long-range attack methods were limited, so when engaging them, the usual choice was to use long-range weapons like light lances to attack the enemy from afar, then disengage quickly to continue the skirmish.
This was a very effective combat plan developed by the Terran Dominion specifically for the swarm.
Of course, this combat plan could only be used by the Dominion fleet; the Imperial fleet could not.
The weapons equipped on the Imperial fleet were not capable of striking across several light-years like those of the Dominion fleet.
The swarm fleet here was, after all, just a small vanguard. When the Terran Dominion's fleet arrived, with a combat power far exceeding theirs, the naval battle quickly concluded.
The swarm fleet was completely annihilated, sinking into the cosmos, forever plunging into oblivion.
Although Titus and his companions couldn't see the battle unfolding in space, they could see the hive fleet being continuously wiped out.
After the Dominion Navy eliminated the last of the swarm fleet, Titus and the other Deathwatch Space Marines, having completely lost all semblance of dignity, sat on the orbital cannon platform.
Before them lay nothing but corpses.
There were human corpses, and there were also bug corpses.
The bug corpses were piled up endlessly at their feet, before them.
The planetary Defense Force, dispatched to assist in the defense, had suffered over half its casualties in three days of fighting. The remaining planetary Defense Force was at its last gasp.
As for the Cadian soldiers who had attacked alongside them, only a single company of soldiers remained. If the Dominion fleet hadn't arrived, this place would have fallen within two more days at most.
Ultimately, the sheer scale of the bugs was too immense—
Titus and the others sat on the ground without any regard for appearances, but a small-scale fleet from the Dominion fleet began to fly into the planet.
They had received orders from their Emperor to take Titus away.
A Terran Dominion shuttle flew to the orbital cannon's location, then stopped in front of Titus and the others, slowly descending. As the shuttle's hatch opened, a Custodian jumped out.
The Custodian, holding a power spear, stood ramrod straight before Titus and the others.
Behind him, more than a company of Space Marines also appeared.
"Which one is Titus?" the Custodian asked, scanning the surrounding battlefield. He nodded upon seeing the mountains of swarm corpses.
Then, a powerful psychic lightning bolt struck, reducing the corpses back to an atomic state.
It was simply too gruesome here; it needed to be properly dealt with.
Those mountains of bug corpses had no value whatsoever, so it was appropriate to reduce them directly to an atomic state, letting them fall into the soil to increase fertility.
However, the Custodian's act of increasing soil fertility was viewed differently by the other Space Marines.
What was the difference between this and a demonstration?
First, he asked who Titus was, then he used powerful force to directly pulverize the swarm corpses before him.
Although Zeke had already been revered as the second Emperor by the Human Imperium, the policies regarding psychic powers were still slowly going through the process at the Adeptus Arbites and the Ecclesiarchy, and had not yet been sent throughout the entire galaxy.
Therefore, in the eyes of the Space Marines, psykers were still beings to be wary of.
The Human Imperium's attitude towards psykers remained the same as before.
And as luck would have it, Titus had just awakened his psychic powers, so the purpose of this Emperor's Custodian coming to this planet was simply self-evident.
"Brother, the Custodian seems to be ill-intentioned. I suggest you don't step forward."
There was camaraderie among Space Marines.
The fraternal bonds among the Astartes Chapters were incredibly strong and genuine.
Therefore, the three Astartes from the Deathwatch simultaneously stepped in front of Titus, shielding him behind them.
"Custodian! What exactly are you doing here? The swarm has just been repelled; are you going to lay hands on our brother?"
The Astartes from the Iron Hands Chapter extended his bionic arm, blocking the Custodian, and held his boltgun.
Although the other Astartes were more restrained, their actions were almost identical, questioning the Custodian before them.
Everyone knew the Custodians' attitude towards the Astartes; they viewed Space Marines as potential rebels, so there was a conflict between the Astartes and the Custodians.
However, that was limited to the relationship between the Imperial Custodians and the Imperial Astartes. For Zeke's Custodians, they did not have this problem.
Although the Space Marines displayed such disloyal behavior, the Custodian was not angered; instead, he began to explain.
"By the Emperor's decree, Titus is to be taken away. The Emperor believes he is worthy of becoming a Custodian!"
"The atonement of you other Space Marines has also been completed. You may return to your respective Chapters to continue serving and contribute to the Imperium's Great Crusade."
"The defense of this place will be my responsibility, leading a Chapter of Space Marines. You may all return to your respective Chapters."
...Silence fell. After the Custodian actually began to explain, the Astartes fell silent.
When did Custodians ever explain themselves to Astartes? This was like a dream!
And what did they hear? The Emperor thought Titus could become a Custodian?
Would Custodians actually select personnel from among the Astartes?
A series of questions formed in the minds of these Space Marines, leading them to a final conclusion.
This Custodian must be fake, especially since he had just displayed powerful psychic abilities.
Imperial Custodians almost never used psychic powers; everyone knew that.
They, paired with the Silent Sisters, were the most powerful combination in the Imperium.
It was based on this understanding, and the unbelievable situation of the Custodian actually speaking politely to them, that the Deathwatch Space Marines exchanged glances.
Their hands began to reach for their boltguns, preparing to strike first.
This Custodian must be fake. Normally, a Custodian would never have such an attitude towards them; a Custodian would surely call them traitors.