A gargantuan space starfort floated silently. Its mass was so immense that the moment it appeared in orbit, it caused significant perturbations in the gravitational fields of every orbital station around the planet.
The surface of the starfort bore no decorative engravings. It presented a pure, unadorned metallic luster, its lines cold and rugged, appearing as though it had been forcibly forged into this shape. Yet, it was precisely this unabashedly primitive form that radiated an indescribable mechanical beauty of the sublime.
During the transformation, Tech-priests who had been working inside the hive and were fortunate enough to enter this place ignored the flood of vox-communications from their colleagues. Driven by irrepressible curiosity, they began to explore the interior of the starfort with mounting excitement. Countless energy conduits meandered across the walls like the veins of a dragon, with eerie green light flowing through them.
Then, they felt something go wrong.
The space starfort began to vibrate slightly. The tremors were faint at first, but within seconds, the intensity increased sharply. The entire starfort emitted a low roar, as if a slumbering giant had finally awakened.
"What is happening?" one Tech-priest asked blankly.
Before the question could be answered, he let out a cry of disbelief. All signs indicated that the starfort's weapon systems were charging at an incredible efficiency! The green light flowing through the conduits became brighter and more intense until everything was completely filled by the blinding radiance.
The starfort's machine spirit was in a rage. And then—it began to roar!
At that moment, everyone on Mars witnessed a sight they would never forget. Innumerable beams of eerie green light shot out from the surface of the starfort, pouring down toward the Noctis Labyrinth like a divine punishment personally delivered by the Omnissiah!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Particle whips, heavy Gauss flayer cannons, Tesla arc emitters, temporal weapons, spatial weapons, doomsday weapons, and death rays... The combined fire of Necron weaponry converged into a rain of destruction, descending upon the massive C'tan remnant.
But... Adam frowned.
—Ineffective?
The firepower, which was sufficient to destroy an entire fleet, struck the Void Dragon's scales and only triggered ripples of brilliant light. The Void Dragon lifted its head toward the starfort above and let out a mocking roar.
"Is that all?"
It was the C'tan representing physical laws, an old acquaintance who had fought the Necrons for countless eons. It was more than familiar with these weapons!
"Who exactly are you?!" The Void Dragon stopped its flight and turned back, its voice carrying a world-shaking fury that made the entire space tremble. "What is your relationship with those foolish, treacherous slaves?"
Its hatred for the Necrons exceeded even its hatred for the Emperor. Though the Emperor was the enemy who imprisoned it, he had at least defeated it in direct combat—a fact the Void Dragon could grudgingly accept. But the Necrons? Those slaves who once groveled at the feet of the C'tan, begging for power, had dared to use trickery to make the star gods kill each other, then took advantage of the weakness to strike the final blow! It was an unforgivable betrayal!
"That has nothing to do with you, does it?" Adam's voice rang out calmly.
He hovered in the void, gazing at the furious star god remnant. With a thought, he communicated with the starfort above. The weapon ports on the fort flashed once more.
"Hmph—" The Void Dragon let out a disdainful snort. It was useless; no matter how many of these attacks came...
"AAAGH!!!" A roar of agony erupted.
The Void Dragon's massive frame stumbled. Its wings instantly lost power, and its entire body tumbled through the air. Upon the star god's form, thirteen streaks of golden light that had left brilliant trails in the air suddenly blossomed!
The sky-filling golden light spread like fire, burning fiercely upon the silver-white scales of the Void Dragon! The Void Dragon was in unbearable pain. The intense flames were scorching its very essence!
"This... what is this?!"
"Since science is useless, I'll have to talk to you about theology," Adam's voice echoed again.
His figure slowly approached through the void, each step crossing hundreds of meters. Those thirteen cursed bullets, specially crafted through reality warping, were made using the ashes of what were essentially complete Living Saints as the core. Furthermore, those ashes were infused with the power of faith accumulated by the daily worship of the Imperial people in a Sector-class cathedral.
Incidentally, Adam had just manifested these items using his reality-warping abilities; no actual Living Saints were harmed in the making of these bullets.
Adam gave the Void Dragon no chance to breathe. Strike while the enemy is weak! Holding the Solomon Ritual Sword, his figure flickered through the void. With each flicker, he left a deep sword mark on the Void Dragon's body.
The blade fell, and dragon blood surged. Silver-white light and golden fire intertwined, forming a bizarre and magnificent image in the air.
"ROAR—!!!" The Void Dragon twisted its body frantically, trying to escape the descending blade.
Clearly, its life was now like a candle in the wind. Yet, it continued to struggle! If only it could reach that place, if only it could escape this cursed seal, if only it could move beyond the boundaries of this domain in the material universe! It could escape!
Ignoring the burning of the golden flames, ignoring the blades tearing through its body, and ignoring the cursed bullets devouring its existence... Hehe, I will survive!
Closer, it was getting closer. The Void Dragon's eyes went wide. It could already see the boundary line of the domain labyrinth; beyond it was clearly normal space...
"Hmph, trying to run?" A light chuckle sounded behind the Void Dragon.
Under the Void Dragon's despairing gaze, the boundary of the domain expanded at extreme speed, instantly moving far away from its position and creating a vast distance once again!
"I was just teasing you!"
"Did you really think I couldn't control it?"
"You actually dare to toy with a C'tan!" the Void Dragon turned back in rage. "I'll fight you to the end! Even if I die, I'm taking you with me!"
But what appeared in its vision was a sword light several times more dazzling than before.
The blade fell!