This is the bonus chapter for reaching 150 Powerstones.
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[Undying Silver Lone Wolf] took in Sejanus's subtle reaction.
He muttered internally:
You hit the nail on the head, big bro.
Something is definitely off about this place.
But the weird part isn't that the room is empty.
It's that...
His eyes swept across the seemingly deserted corners of the grand hall, a cold glint flashing in the depths of his pupils.
There are people here. You just can't see them.
He, of course, knew exactly what they were.
Invisible warriors.
The deadliest assassination force on this entire planet.
Right at this very second, there were at least several hundred—maybe even a thousand—of these operatives lurking in every nook and cranny of the hall, their energy weapons already locked onto their vitals.
But Sejanus didn't know that.
Neither did the Luna Wolves.
They only instinctively felt the danger, completely blind to where it was actually coming from.
The lone wolf didn't say a word.
He just quietly looked at a suitcase-sized blue device sitting in his inventory.
Eight hundred thousand Imperial Coins.
That was the price of the life-saving toy he'd bought using the funds pooled together by his Imperial faction buddies.
[Energy Shield Defense Device (Military Grade)] Type: Protective Device Function: Generates a spherical energy shield with a thirty-meter diameter, capable of withstanding direct hits and explosive shockwaves from small to medium-caliber kinetic and energy weapons. Duration: 0 to 30 minutes (scales based on attack intensity) Charge Time: 72 hours Price: 800,000 Imperial Coins Note: Only meant to keep you alive, not for counterattacks. After thirty minutes, you still gotta run.
The lone wolf wasn't in any rush to pull the gadget out. He was waiting. Waiting for the guy sitting on the throne to bare his fangs first.
Sejanus stopped thirty meters from the base of the dais. This was the closest distance allowed by diplomatic etiquette. Any closer would be horribly disrespectful to a planetary ruler. Even though this particular planetary ruler was nothing but a joke in his eyes. But you still had to go through the motions.
Sejanus slammed his right fist over his left breast, delivering a textbook Imperial Aquila salute. The movement was flawlessly executed, carrying that cold, hard majesty unique to the XVI Legion. "Hastur Sejanus, Captain of the Fourth Company of the Luna Wolves." His voice was flat, but packed an unquestionable weight. "I come under the orders of the Imperial Warmaster, Horus Lupercal, to conduct peace negotiations with your faction."
He raised his head, locking eyes with the man on the throne.
The man on the throne finally spoke. His voice boomed, echoing through the great hall with a manufactured, holy authority. "Peace negotiations?" The corner of his mouth ticked up into a smirk. It was a smile dripping with condescending superiority. "You are human as well." "And I am the Emperor of Mankind. The absolute sovereign of the human race. Why do you not kneel before me?"
Sejanus's brow twitched into a slight frown. But he stayed totally cool. "Your Majesty..." His tone remained even, still laced with that strictly professional courtesy. "Please allow me to correct a factual error."
"At the very center of the galaxy, in the Segmentum Solar, there is a planet named Holy Terra. That is the true cradle of human civilization. And that is where the one true Emperor resides. He rules over millions of human worlds. He commands eighteen Astartes Legions, waging a Great Crusade to unite all of humanity beneath the banner of the Imperium. His fleets dwarf the very planet you stand on. His gene-sons are each capable of slaughtering entire armies single-handedly. His power..." Sejanus paused, locking eyes with those desperate-to-be-majestic pupils. "...is enough to burn star systems to ash. That is the true heart of the Imperium of Man."
He paused again, holding the stare of the man on the throne. "You and your civilization merely lost your way during the long march of history. All you need to do is accept the Imperium's goodwill, cast aside these usurped titles ...and peacefully submit to the true Imperium of Man. The Imperium can grant you equal rights."
A dead, suffocating silence gripped the hall. The red-robed priests huddled in the corners froze. The Palace Guard commander standing at the bottom of the dais felt his pupils instantly contract. And the man on the throne... His face completely warped. Flames of absolute fury ignited in his eyes. A massive surge of psychic energy erupted from his body, rippling violently through the entire throne room.
"Insolent!" His voice was no longer booming; it had turned shrill and piercing. "I am the Emperor of Mankind! I am the Master of all humanity! Who the hell do you think you are ...daring to speak to me of a 'true Emperor'?!" His voice strained as he forced out his artificial majesty. "You are spouting pure nonsense! This is the true Terra! This is the cradle of humanity! Everything you just said..." He pointed a shaking finger at Sejanus. "...is nothing but a web of lies spun by you outlanders! You are the usurpers here! You are the ones who need to submit!"
Sejanus stood planted exactly where he was, not moving a single muscle. His face was completely expressionless. Only his eyes calmly watched the furious figure throwing a tantrum on the throne.
Standing right behind him, [Undying Silver Lone Wolf] watched the scene unfold, silently counting down in his head. Three.Two.One.
The exact second he hit one... The lone wolf moved. He yanked the suitcase-sized blue device from his inventory and slammed it hard onto the floor. His finger smashed down on the red button at the top of the machine.
Hummmmm! A deep, resonating hum echoed out. Pale blue energy spilled from the device, rapidly expanding and coalescing in the air. In the blink of an eye, a thirty-meter spherical energy shield snapped into existence, completely engulfing every member of the delegation.
A split second later... The Emperor's voice exploded across the hall: "Kill them all!"
Out of the void, countless energy beams abruptly slashed across the palace. They fired from the seemingly empty corners. They shot out from the mirror-polished walls, and from behind the towering pillars. Like a torrential downpour, they slammed violently against the pale blue energy shield.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!! Explosive fireballs bloomed across the surface of the shield, lighting up the grand hall as bright as day. Energy ripples rioted across the barrier, sending shockwaves tearing outward that blew the red-robed priests in the corners right off their feet.
But the blue shield... Didn't budge an inch.
Sejanus turned around. His eyes locked onto the young man standing behind him. [Undying Silver Lone Wolf] was down on one knee. One hand was pressed flat against the blue device, while the other had already drawn the lasgun from his hip. His face was completely devoid of emotion. The only difference was that he was now wearing a pair of glasses—though Sejanus had no idea when he'd put them on—and was staring dead ahead at the space outside the shield... ...at the figures that were rapidly shimmering into view.
They materialized out of thin air, one after another. They wore silver-grey skin-tight combat suits, gripped energy rifles in their hands, and had their faces hidden behind full-coverage tactical helmets. Hundreds, maybe a thousand of them. They formed a dense, suffocating perimeter, trapping the delegation with absolutely no way out.
Sejanus stared at the countless energy beams that had just ripped out of the void, his pupils shrinking just a fraction. His mind immediately went to invisible warriors. Assassins lurking in the void. If that shield hadn't gone up just now... He didn't even want to think about the aftermath.
He turned his head back to the young man. "Asmodeus Easton..." His voice was slightly hoarse. "You..."
"Brother Sejanus, this really isn't the time for a Q&A!" The lone wolf cut him off, his voice urgent but dead-cold calm. "Their firepower is way too heavy. This device won't hold up for long! Three minutes, tops! We need to figure out a way out of here, right now!"
Sejanus stared at him. Stared at this young man who had been following him for over a month—always quiet, always keeping to himself, yet somehow always managing to pull off insane miracles when it actually mattered. His heart was a mess of shock, confusion, gratitude... And a strange, indescribable... trust.
He took a deep breath. Then, he turned around and looked at the ten equally stunned Luna Wolf elite honor guards. His voice immediately returned to its usual cold, authoritative calm. "Prepare for combat."
Ten massive dark figures snapped into action in perfect unison. They ripped smoke grenades from their belts and slammed them hard into the floor. PSSSHHHHT!!! Thick white smoke violently billowed out, instantly flooding the interior of the shield until you couldn't even see your hand in front of your face.
The Luna Wolves moved like water, without a single wasted motion. They instantly split into two squads: one locking down the perimeter of the shield, the other checking their weapons and slapping in fresh magazines. The distinct, heavy clack-clack of bolters being racked echoed back and forth through the dense smoke.
Standing right in the center of the smokescreen, Sejanus issued orders over the vox-channel to the mortal soldiers. "Everyone, hold formation. Prepare to break out."
"Copy that!" The voices of the personal guards crackled over the comms. They sounded tense, but there wasn't a hint of panic. These were the absolute cream of the crop, handpicked by Sejanus himself. They were brothers who would trust each other with their lives in the meat grinder of war.
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