"Hold the line! Hold the line! We must wait until all civilians are evacuated!"
At the forefront of the defensive line, Rylano was commanding the chaotic evacuation of civilians, which was as tense as a drawn bowstring.
As he deployed troops and organized the defenses, the "Daemon Primarch" standing on the other side of the battlefield slowly turned its gaze, its deep, dark eyes fixed intently on Rylano.
"+Haha—Rylano—I never expected that in this universe, you are still so pitiful—+"
Suddenly, a low, hoarse yet strangely "charming" voice exploded across the battlefield, as if piercing through the air and directly entering the ears of all living beings.
These words not only echoed above the plaza but also penetrated the consciousness of everyone like an invisible shockwave, causing their souls to tremble faintly.
?!
This instantly disrupted the rhythm of the fierce battle raging in the central plaza, and even the roar of artillery fire seemed to become "distant" and muffled.
Aside from the biological and mechanical weapons of the Imperium of Man, almost everyone or "thing" turned their attention to the source of the voice—
the "Daemon Primarch" that resembled the Primarch of the human forces.
In stark contrast to the twisted and grotesque appearance of Chaos creatures, the "Daemon Primarch" had a humanoid upper body, its smooth and exquisite armor shimmering with an eerie light, as if mocking the insignificance and fragility of mortals.
It stood at the center of the plaza, its four arms crossed, a cruel and mocking smile on its lips.
And it was none other than the Primarch of the Sons of the Emperor—
Fulgrim.
However, unlike the Primarch of the human forces in the main universe, this Fulgrim had chosen to willingly fall to Chaos, abandoning its "divinity" and becoming a "daemonic" entity.
Most importantly, the psychic aura of Daemon Primarch Fulgrim was silently eroding the entire battlefield, chilling the hearts of human soldiers and even causing some biological weapons to freeze in place, as if sensing some indescribable power.
"..."
But Rylano, with his helmet open, was unaffected by the psychic energy released by the enemy. His emotions remained remarkably stable.
?
When Daemon Primarch Fulgrim saw Rylano respond with a calm, almost disdainful gaze, it became enraged.
"+Hahaha—You still look down on me?!+"
Its laughter was like the screech of tearing metal, and it placed one hand on its chest in an exaggerated gesture, as if genuinely hurt.
"+Oh, Rylano, you truly surprise me! Do you still think your insignificant will and puny body can withstand me?!+"
Its voice was filled with contempt, but the anger hidden within was like a lurking venomous snake, creating an invisible pressure that gradually closed in.
"+Let me guess who gave you this arrogance? Was it the radiance of the False Emperor? Or your pitiful self-esteem?+"
At this moment, Daemon Primarch Fulgrim's words turned icy, its tone like a blade of ice, attempting to pierce Rylano's consciousness.
"Heh."
Yet, Rylano remained as disdainful as ever, completely ignoring the anger of Daemon Primarch Fulgrim before him.
Not only was he unaffected by the psychic pressure or energy, but he was also eerily calm, as if the monstrous being before him, capable of destroying the world, was nothing more than a supporting character in a farce.
At the same time, Rylano did not rush to respond. Instead, he keenly observed that the enemy's actions had caused a chain reaction—the attacks of the Sons of the Emperor, heretics, and Chaos creatures had momentarily stalled due to Fulgrim's sudden intervention.
This brief stalemate gave Rylano a flash of inspiration, and he came up with a bold "plan."
He quickly weighed the pros and cons, and in an instant, his decision was made—
Since the fallen Primarch had focused all its attention on him, he would use himself as bait to buy as much time as possible, ensuring the safe evacuation of civilians and the arrival of reinforcements.
In that brief moment, Rylano made his decision.
He did not retreat but instead stepped forward, his steady footsteps unusually clear amidst the chaos of the battlefield.
His voice was low and cold, yet laced with a soul-piercing mockery:
"Arrogance? I've never felt such an emotion."
Rylano's tone was full of disdain, his gaze fearless. "I simply find you utterly pitiful."
Fulgrim was momentarily stunned, as if unable to believe its ears, then sneered:
"+I am pitiful?!+"
However, Rylano mercilessly interrupted, continuing to strike at the "Daemon Prince's" heart with his words:
"Look at your twisted face and body... No, I should say, look at your soul, already corrupted beyond redemption."
His tone turned icy, each word like a blade piercing the shell of the "Daemon Prince's" pride.
"Do you think it's me, a true human, who is pitiful, or you, who is neither human nor ghost, reduced to nothing but ugliness and corruption? Huh? Scum?!"
???
These words were like a blazing fire, completely igniting what little patience Daemon Primarch Fulgrim had left.
Rylano said no more. At the same time, he closed his helmet and issued a calm yet resolute command over the comms:
"All Terminators, advance with me to engage the enemy! Remaining units, continue your missions, hold the defensive line, and cover the civilian evacuation! No unit is to leave their post without orders!"
As the command was given, the elite veterans clad in heavy Indomitable Terminator armor immediately responded to Rylano's call.
Their movements were synchronized, like a finely honed blade, moving as one.
Thud, thud—!
Over a dozen armored warriors stepped forward amidst the flames and smoke, their deep purple armor glinting coldly in the light of explosions. They were like a steel wall, advancing toward the center of the plaza under Rylano's leadership.
Terminator armor of various types was an extremely expensive, even "luxurious," piece of equipment for any company in the legion.
Not only was this armor costly, but it also required complex maintenance and technical support, making its distribution limited within the legions.
Take, for example, Logan Sigurd, Captain of the 14th Company of the Space Wolves and close friend of Saul Tarviz. To this day, he is still "waiting in line" for the delivery of the first batch of Ironclad Terminator armor.
This also means that the 14th Company of the Space Wolves, despite being a formidable fighting force, still does not possess a single suit of Terminator armor.
However, the 2nd Company of the human forces legion, under Saul Tarviz's command, is undoubtedly the elite of the elite, equipped with the most advanced and sophisticated gear in the entire legion.
This is not only due to the 2nd Company's importance but also because of Tarviz's exceptional strategic deployment and resource integration capabilities.
Moreover, the flagship of the 2nd Company is an Emperor-class battleship.
In the entire Imperium, whether in the main universe or others, the total number of Emperor-class battleships is extremely limited, with only about thirty currently known. Yet, the 2nd Company alone possesses one as its command flagship.
This shows just how much of the legion's resources have been allocated to the 2nd Company.
The core and most elite force of the 2nd Company, the 2nd Assault Squad, also enjoys priority access to top-tier equipment.
Currently, the 2nd Assault Squad has been equipped with sixty suits of Indomitable Terminator armor.
After being fine-tuned and modified by the Techmarines, their firepower and battlefield survivability have reached their peak.
According to the legion's plans, if not for this Chaos invasion, within two years, the entire 2nd Assault Squad would have been fully equipped with Terminator armor, becoming a true "steel tide" capable of handling the most severe and complex battlefield environments.
Moreover, by that time, the core team led by Dr. Catherine Halsey would have already overcome the "individual short-range teleportation" technology.
Thus, the 2nd Assault Squad would specialize in "raids" and "boarding actions," serving as the sharpest tip of the spear for the entire company.
However, reality did not give them enough time.
The battle erupting in New Argo has dealt a devastating blow to this highly anticipated company.
With the frenzied invasion of Chaos creatures and the emergence of the Sons of the Emperor, who possess thousands or even tens of thousands of years of combat experience, the 2nd Company has suffered catastrophic losses.
Over seventy percent of the human forces, auxiliary troops, and other elite forces have fallen on the battlefield.
They did not live to see the future but instead used their flesh and blood to buy precious survival opportunities for the Imperium's civilians.
Such losses would be an unbearable disaster for any legion that had just been established.
Especially for the 2nd Company, what was lost was not just elite warriors and advanced equipment but also the nearly perfect operational tempo and gradual accumulation of combat power.
But...
Despite losing more than half of their strength, Tarviz and his 2nd Company remained unshaken.
Including Rylano and others, every human forces warrior understood that true glory did not come from advanced equipment or formidable combat power but from the courage and sacrifice borne of their duty to the Imperium.
On the other hand, for Daemon Primarch Fulgrim, regardless of how Rylano in the Warhammer 40k universe had acted, every word and action of the 2nd Assault Squad leader of the human forces' 2nd Company seemed to be an insult to it.
The "Daemon Prince's" face revealed unconcealed anger and loss of control. Its twisted yet elegant visage was now completely shattered by Rylano's disregard and disdain.
"+Enough!+"
Daemon Primarch Fulgrim's scream thundered like a storm. It raised one of its four arms high, and the surrounding air twisted violently. A dazzling psychic flame began to gather in its palm, as if it would consume everything before it in the next second.
"+Let me tear off your mask and see if this indifference is stupidity or despair!+"
As it spoke, a soft yet destructive pink-purple light enveloped it, making its entire "body"...
No, its entire "serpentine form" resemble a demonic statue from hell, ready to transform into a storm of destruction and engulf Rylano and the Terminators behind him.
But even in the face of such a threat, Rylano did not retreat.
He stood at the forefront of the Terminator squad and suddenly flicked his wrist, extending the power claw attached to his arm.
At the same time, a brilliant blue "lightning" field began to dance between the sharp claws of the power claw, the intense blue light reflecting off his resolute figure.
Rylano's gaze was cold as he stared at the roaring Daemon Primarch Fulgrim through his helmet display, continuing to retort:
"Come, I will show you with my actions what it truly means to be human and to have honor."
"+Human?! Honor?!+"
Daemon Primarch Fulgrim's anger seemed to reach its peak.
After all, Rylano in Warhammer 40k had once "ruthlessly trampled" on its dignity and pride. Immediately, Daemon Primarch Fulgrim unleashed the psychic energy it had been gathering toward Rylano and the Terminator squad.
Then, it brandished two curved swords and charged at Rylano and his squad.
Boom—! Crash—!!!
The world-shattering psychic impact instantly enveloped Rylano and the Terminators.
However, their energy barriers rose just in time, shielding them from the deadly attack.
But before the psychic "aura" could dissipate, Daemon Primarch Fulgrim closed the distance to Rylano and swung its swords with blinding speed, aiming to pierce, crush, and even mince Rylano into pieces.
It seemed that Fulgrim harbored an intense hatred for Rylano.
But then again, this was to be expected. In Warhammer 40k, Rylano was an "Ancient One."
During the battle on Istvaan III, Rylano had already been interred in a Dreadnought. However, he was severely injured again while fighting the traitors and watched helplessly as his loyalist brothers fell one by one.
Thus, Rylano was trapped on Istvaan III for ten thousand years, during which he continuously sent out signals, trying to lure his Primarch to him.
In the end, three fallen Thousand Sons were drawn to his signal and arrived before him.
But Rylano did not know that these Thousand Sons had already turned traitor. He taught them not to forget the honor of being Astartes and the pride of humanity.
It was at this moment that Fulgrim also "descended," mocking Rylano's insignificance and downfall.
However, Rylano detonated the virus bomb beneath him, seeking to make Fulgrim pay.
Although the Thousand Sons successfully used their psychic powers to block the explosion's impact, Fulgrim seized the opportunity to pull Rylano from his Dreadnought and attempted to corrupt him. Yet, Rylano remained steadfast, spitting out:
"I am the true Son of the Emperor! I am Rylano! To personally slay you, traitor, I have waited here for a million suns and moons!!"
Rylano's spirit seemed to infect one of the Thousand Sons, who then killed his two unsuspecting brothers, causing the psychic barrier to fail. At the same time, he unleashed all his psychic power to restrain Fulgrim.
With the successful detonation of the virus bomb, Rylano and the "redeemed" Thousand Son perished.
As for Fulgrim, it was severely injured and unable to return to the material realm for a long time.
Now—
No matter how strong or fearless the human forces' Rylano was, in a one-on-one situation, he was no match for the "Daemon Prince."
Boom—! Crash—!!!
With Daemon Primarch Fulgrim's furious strike, the central plaza erupted, debris flying and smoke billowing.
But before the shockwaves could dissipate, both the Sons of the Emperor and the human forces noticed two "giants" standing in the central plaza...
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