Chapter 341 — Chosen Targets
Titus and the others had already integrated with the 11th Company.
With Gaius engaged elsewhere, command had fallen to Titus and Metaurus.
There was no time to wait.
The battle was spreading across the defensive lines.
Titus stood behind a shattered section of trench wall, bolt pistol in hand as he watched the battlefield.
The 11th Company had gathered around him.
"How is the eastern line?" Titus asked.
An Ultramarine approached.
"Still holding, Lieutenant. The PDF have stabilized, but the World Eaters are regrouping."
"Casualties?"
"Moderate. Two squads are below strength."
Titus looked toward the eastern line.
"Pull them back and reinforce the center."
The Marine nodded.
"Understood."
Metaurus arrived from the right flank.
"The enemy has noticed we're coordinating the defense."
Titus glanced at him.
"Good."
Metaurus looked toward the battlefield.
"They'll concentrate on us."
"They already are."
Titus pointed toward the left flank.
"Push forward before they can reorganize."
The order passed through the 11th Company.
The Ultramarines advanced.
Bolters opened fire as they moved through the ruins.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Bloodletters were torn apart beneath concentrated fire.
A group of World Eaters emerged through the smoke.
Their leader watched the advancing Space Marines.
"Ultramarines."
He studied their formation.
"They've stopped retreating."
A warrior beside him tightened his grip on his chainaxe.
"Then we make them retreat."
The leader pointed toward the center.
"Those two."
His gaze settled on Titus and Metaurus.
"Lieutenants."
Another World Eater looked toward them.
"Guilliman's dogs."
The leader raised his chainaxe.
"Break the line around them."
The World Eaters charged.
The moment they entered the fighting, restraint began to disappear.
The Butcher's Nails screamed inside their skulls.
"FOR KHORNE!"
The two forces collided.
CLANG!
A chainaxe slammed into a storm shield.
The Bladeguard Veteran held his ground.
The World Eater struck again.
The shield caught the blow.
The Bladeguard twisted his wrist and brought his power sword around.
SHNK!
The energized blade cut through the traitor's torso.
The World Eater collapsed.
Another rushed forward.
The second Bladeguard stepped into his path.
Their weapons collided.
CLANG!
"Die, corpse!"
The Bladeguard knocked the chainaxe aside.
"You first."
His power sword cut through the World Eater's armor.
Metaurus fired his plasma pistol into another charging traitor.
THOOM!
Plasma struck his chest.
He disappeared beneath the blast.
Another World Eater came through the smoke.
Metaurus raised his power axe.
The chainaxe came down.
Metaurus caught it against the haft.
The World Eater pushed against him.
"You're strong."
Metaurus shoved the weapon aside.
"So are you."
The World Eater laughed.
Then the Nails surged through his mind.
"BUT NOT STRONG ENOUGH!"
Metaurus brought his axe around.
CRACK!
The energized blade struck the traitor's armor and dropped him.
Titus fired into another World Eater before he could reach the line.
BOOM!
The warrior's helmet exploded.
Titus turned.
"Third squad, close the gap."
A Space Marine answered immediately.
"Already moving."
The formation shifted.
Behind them, the PDF advanced with the Ultramarines.
A PDF soldier approached at a run.
"Lieutenant!"
Titus turned.
"That breach is opening again!"
He looked toward the damaged defensive line.
Several Bloodletters were already climbing through the ruins.
"How many?"
"Too many to count!"
Titus pointed toward the approaching Ultramarines.
"Then don't count them."
He raised his bolt pistol.
"Hold the position."
The PDF soldier nodded.
"Yes, sir."
"11th Company, advance."
The Ultramarines moved with the PDF.
Lasguns opened fire.
Heavy weapons joined them.
Bolters thundered through the smoke.
The daemons kept coming.
One Bloodletter vaulted over the barricade.
A PDF soldier raised his bayonet.
The daemon swung.
A power sword intercepted the blow.
CLANG!
One of the Bladeguard Veterans stepped between them.
The Bloodletter snarled.
The Veteran drove his sword through its chest.
The daemon dissolved.
The PDF soldier stared at the Space Marine.
The Bladeguard looked toward the battlefield.
"Keep firing."
The soldier nodded.
"Right!"
Further down the line, the World Eaters were regrouping.
Their leader watched the advancing Ultramarines.
The PDF were following behind them.
The formation was holding.
"They've found their rhythm."
A World Eater beside him raised his chainaxe.
"Then break it."
The leader pointed toward the center.
"Encircle the lieutenants."
Several warriors moved.
"Kill the Space Marines around them first."
Another World Eater laughed.
"Leave the lieutenants."
The leader glanced at him.
"Why?"
His grin widened.
"I want them to know who's killing them."
The leader gave a low laugh.
"Then reach them."
The Nails screamed louder.
The warriors charged.
"FOR KHORNE!"
Titus saw them coming.
"Brace!"
The 11th Company formed a line.
Bolters fired.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Several World Eaters fell.
The rest crashed into the Ultramarines.
Chainaxes struck power armor.
Power swords answered.
Titus stepped into the fighting.
A World Eater swung at him.
Titus blocked with his chainsword.
CLANG!
The traitor snarled.
"Ultramarine!"
Titus shoved the axe aside.
"Yes."
His chainsword tore into the World Eater's torso.
The traitor fell.
Another attacked from the side.
Titus turned and fired his bolt pistol into his chest.
BOOM!
Metaurus fought nearby.
His power axe cleaved through another World Eater.
The Bladeguard Veterans fought beside him, shields catching blows while their power swords struck between attacks.
The fighting spread across the entire line.
"Right flank!"
An Ultramarine shouted.
"They're pushing through!"
Metaurus looked toward the breach.
"How bad?"
"Four squads of them!"
Metaurus pointed toward two squads.
"Take the breach."
The Marines moved immediately.
"Sir!"
Titus looked toward the left.
A group of PDF soldiers were being overrun.
He pointed.
"Get those men back."
An Ultramarine nodded.
"With pleasure."
He led his squad into the fighting.
Titus turned back toward the main assault.
The World Eaters were still coming.
The longer they fought, the more violently the Nails drove them forward.
One World Eater hacked down a PDF soldier.
Another tore into an Ultramarine's shoulder plate.
A third screamed as he charged.
"MORE!"
Titus watched them.
"They're getting worse."
Metaurus stepped beside him.
"Their Nails."
Titus nodded.
"If we let them regroup, they'll hit the PDF again."
He looked toward the defensive line behind them.
"And if they break through, they'll reach the rear positions."
Metaurus raised his axe.
"Then we keep them moving."
Titus tightened his grip on his chainsword.
"Until there's nothing left to regroup."
Metaurus nodded.
"Agreed."
The 11th Company pushed forward.
The World Eaters met them.
Neither side gave ground.
Then something massive landed in the distance.
BOOM!
The ground shook.
Titus looked up.
A Bloodthirster stood several hundred meters away.
Its gaze was fixed on the crater where Gaius stood.
Metaurus looked toward it.
"The others are still watching."
Titus glanced across the battlefield.
Three Bloodthirsters remained in the distance.
They had not entered the fighting.
They were watching Gaius.
Now one had moved.
Titus tightened his grip on his chainsword.
"Gaius still has their attention."
Metaurus watched the Bloodthirster.
"How long before they join the battle?"
Titus looked toward the fighting.
"Long enough."
A World Eater emerged from the smoke.
His red plate was drenched in blood.
His chainaxe roared as he approached.
His gaze settled on Titus.
Then Metaurus.
"Ultramarine lieutenants."
The contempt in his voice was unmistakable.
"Guilliman's dogs."
Metaurus raised his power axe.
The World Eater laughed.
"Come, then."
He charged.
Metaurus met him head-on.
CLANG!
Their weapons collided.
The World Eater drove forward with brutal strength.
"Die, dog!"
Metaurus twisted his axe and knocked the chainaxe aside.
"You first."
The World Eater swung again.
Metaurus parried.
Their weapons crashed together a second time.
Behind them, Titus continued directing the 11th Company.
"Third squad, reinforce the left!"
The Ultramarines moved immediately.
The World Eater heard the order and glanced toward Titus.
"Still giving orders?"
He laughed.
"Good."
His chainaxe came around again.
"I'll silence both of you."
The three Bloodthirsters began moving.
The nearest stepped forward.
The ground cracked beneath its hooves.
Its massive wings spread behind it, casting a shadow across the ruined battlefield.
Another Bloodthirster moved from the opposite side.
Then the third.
They spread across the battlefield, creating distance between themselves before advancing on their chosen targets.
Tony looked between them.
"So much for keeping things simple."
Diana kept her sword raised.
"They've decided."
Gaius watched the three daemons approach.
"They were always going to."
The first Bloodthirster raised its weapon.
A massive axe rested against its shoulder.
The second carried a sword large enough to cleave through a tank.
The third held a pair of enormous blades.
Tony's armor shifted into combat configuration.
"Three."
Diana looked at Gaius.
"Do you want us to take one?"
Gaius studied the battlefield.
The three Bloodthirsters were not charging blindly.
They were spreading apart.
One moved toward Gaius.
Another angled toward Diana.
The third began circling toward Tony.
"They have chosen their targets."
Tony looked at the daemon coming toward him.
"That's rude."
Diana gave him a brief look.
"You're the one they noticed first."
"Pretty sure the giant golden man had something to do with that."
Gaius ignored them.
His gaze moved beyond the Bloodthirsters.
World Eaters were still fighting the 11th Company.
The Ultramarines had established a defensive line.
The PDF were advancing behind them.
Neither side had stopped.
Titus was directing the center.
Metaurus was holding the right.
The two Bladeguard Veterans were cutting through the World Eaters wherever the line began to buckle.
Gaius watched for a moment.
Then he looked back toward the daemons.
"They are containing us."
Tony's helmet turned slightly.
"So they can keep everyone else fighting."
"Yes."
Diana understood immediately.
"They don't want us reaching the rest of the battlefield."
Gaius raised one of his power fists.
"Then we move through them."
The Bloodthirster in front of Gaius roared.
The sound rolled across the battlefield.
Several PDF soldiers looked up.
Even the World Eaters nearest the fighting glanced toward the sound.
Then the daemon charged.
Tony raised his hands.
Diana lowered her stance.
Gaius stepped forward.
"Go."
They separated.
Tony launched upward.
Diana sprinted forward.
Gaius charged straight at the Bloodthirster.
The daemon swung its enormous axe.
Gaius raised his power fist.
BOOM!
The collision sent a shockwave across the battlefield.
Tony was already above the fighting.
The Bloodthirster chasing him leapt into the air.
Tony twisted sideways.
The daemon's sword swept beneath him.
Tony fired both repulsors.
THOOM!
The blasts struck the daemon's chest.
It barely moved.
Tony stared.
"Okay."
The Bloodthirster spread its wings.
Tony accelerated backward.
"That didn't work."
Below, Diana met her opponent.
The Bloodthirster's sword crashed toward her.
She raised her own.
CLANG!
The impact drove her backward across the dirt.
Diana dug her boots into the ground.
Lightning crawled across her blade.
The Bloodthirster pushed harder.
Diana pushed back.
"You are strong."
The daemon snarled.
"You are small."
Diana's eyes narrowed.
"That hasn't stopped me before."
Lightning exploded from her sword.
The Bloodthirster was thrown backward.
Diana immediately charged.
Above them, Tony's fight was already escalating.
The Bloodthirster came at him again.
Far above the battlefield, several unseen figures watched through the live broadcast.
Mindy leaned forward.
"It seems Tony's the one who started the broadcast."
Saeko nodded.
"I think so. They probably didn't have time to explain things to Gaius or ask him to start a broadcast. Tony just did it himself so everyone could see what was happening."
Naruto watched the screen with his arms crossed.
"Looks serious."
Tanya's eyes remained fixed on the battlefield.
"Three of those daemons."
She watched as the enormous creatures moved across the battlefield.
"They're all huge."
Mindy nodded.
(ps.Earlier chapters referred to the local defenders of Varrak Prime as Guardsmen. I've updated them to PDF (Planetary Defence Force) because they are the planet's own military forces rather than soldiers of the Imperial Guard/Astra Militarum.
The change is purely for lore accuracy. These troops are still the same defenders fighting alongside the Ultramarines; only the designation has been corrected to better reflect their role within the Imperium.)
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