Chapter 39: The Anti-Warp Field, Unleashed!
Flavorus smashed the engine control room's equipment with his thunder hammer, his voice low and steady. "All squads, report status."
"Silver Claw Squad, mission accomplished. Coordinates: Bloody Worm Transport Ship, Engine Control Room Three. Ready for teleportation."
"Hook Squad, we've been ambushed by Possessed! We didn't reach the target location. Multiple casualties! Preparing to retreat, sir!"
"Iron Fist Squad, mission accomplished. We're pinned down in Engine Control Room One! Heavy casualties. Request immediate teleportation, sir! We can't hold out much longer…"
One by one, the reports flooded into Flavorus' mind.
The appearance of Possessed warriors was unexpected. But local setbacks couldn't change the fact that the enemy had failed strategically.
Nearly two-thirds of the targets had been destroyed. That was enough.
Without engine power and directional control, the transport ships couldn't escape the planet's atmosphere.
"Sting Squad, we've just taken down a Possessed. ETA to target location: three minutes. Wait… where's Qingshan?"
Gurt looked around, shouting.
"He was forced into that corridor by another Possessed," an Ultramarine pointed.
Gurt grabbed his power sword and was about to charge in when a subordinate stopped him.
Flavorus' voice came through the vox: "Gurt, you have two minutes. Destroy Engine Control Room Three!"
Gurt lowered his voice. "Sir, the White Scar took on a Possessed alone. He's missing."
There was a pause on the other end.
Flavorus spoke slowly. "Gurt, our tactical priority is speed. No unnecessary engagements."
"Understood!" Gurt replied firmly.
He took one last look down the corridor where Fu Qinghai had disappeared, then turned and led his squad toward the engine control room.
***
'Thud!' Two massive figures crashed onto the lower deck.
Dust filled the dimly lit room.
'Clang.' Fu Qinghai pushed the Possessed off him.
The Possessed lay on its back, a power sword lodged in its fanged maw.
Fu Qinghai staggered to his feet, gripping the sword's hilt. With a twist and a pull, he yanked the blade free.
'Schlick!'
The sword came out with a long, forked, purple-black tongue. Fu Qinghai took a deep breath, staring at the tongue—almost 40 centimeters long and as thick as a wrist at the base.
'Better not let any streamers see this,' he thought. With a flick of his sword, he tossed the slimy thing aside.
Fu Qinghai looked around. As his gaze swept the room, a row of lights flickered on, illuminating a narrow corridor. Fu Qinghai squinted at the corridor. The lights revealed rows of iron-barred cells.
A prison?
He gripped his sword and walked forward.
"Gurt, Gurt, this is Qingshan. Do you copy?" he said into the vox.
Static crackled in response.
No signal? What's going on?
Fu Qinghai frowned but kept walking.
***
Bloody Worm Transport Ship
Devitt calmly pulled his combat knife from the last Reincarnator's body. The man collapsed, his strange weapon clattering to the floor.
Though they didn't understand why the Chaos Space Marines had turned on them, the Reincarnators had fought back in their final moments. The floor was littered with M16s, AK-47s, and other firearms.
Devitt didn't recognize these weapons. But they had done nothing to the two Astartes in power armour.
"Put them on the altar," Devitt ordered, wiping blood from his knife.
"Yes, sir." The subordinate dragged the bodies toward the altar.
Krolfa's voice came through the vox: "Devitt, return to your position. Prepare to release it. Our counterattack begins now."
"Understood, my lord."
Krolfa watched Flavorus on the control room's monitor. The Ultramarine captain looked up at the camera.
Krolfa smirked. 'You think you've won, don't you?'
He turned to Asagiri. "Begin your performance."
Asagiri nodded, closed his eyes, and assumed a deep stance. His hands moved in intricate gestures. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, as he shouted.
"Ryōiki Tenkai!"
An invisible wave rippled out from Asagiri, bypassing walls and obstacles, spreading across the entire ship and beyond.
***
Engine Control Room Two, Bloody Worm Transport Ship
Flavorus looked out the narrow viewport at the dark sky.
'I should've brought the White Scar down with me. Maybe he wouldn't have died…' It was the only regret Flavorus felt.
"Sosalan, prepare for teleportation," he ordered.
"Acknowledged, sir," the tech-priest's mechanical voice replied.
A brilliant white light enveloped Flavorus, warp particles filling the space.
The same light appeared around every Ultramarine on the transport ships—wounded, fighting, even Fu Qinghai, whom the Sting Squad had "abandoned."
But then…
An invisible wave passed through.
The light around every Astartes flickered and died.
Flavorus' eyes widened in disbelief.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Krolfa's laughter echoed through the control room. "Well done, sorcerer!"
Asagiri smiled modestly and bowed. "Thank you, my lord. You may call me… a curse user."
Krolfa laughed again, grabbing a massive double-bladed power axe. "Whatever you call yourself, I'm going to chop off that Ultramarine captain's head and see if he can keep that arrogant look."
As he strode out, Krolfa turned back. "Maintain the spell."
"As you wish, my lord," Asagiri bowed again.
*****
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