The fighting on the surface of Gloom IV did not cease even after the Steadfast Will repelled the sneak attack by the Word Bearers.
The heretics of the Dark Mechanicum still held deep within Drilling City-7, stubbornly carrying out their blasphemous rituals.
The Steel Paladins Chapter was under immense pressure and desperately needed reinforcements.
After a brief rest and assessment, Sergeant Golden made his decision.
Second Squad had to re-enter the ground battle to help the Steel Paladins break the stalemate.
However, Medic Sore's severe injuries and unconsciousness left a gap in the squad's medical support, and the ship itself, after a series of fierce battles, also needed someone to oversee and coordinate, especially with the Steel Paladins' logistics and intelligence exchange.
"Sister Luna, Brother Cliff," Sergeant Golden said, looking at the two remaining members during the pre-departure briefing, "Medic Sore's condition is unstable, and the ship also needs someone to manage things.
You two will remain behind.
Luna, you are responsible for all technical matters, maintaining communication with the Steel Paladins' Tech-Priests, and ensuring smooth intelligence flow and stable ship systems.
Cliff, you will temporarily take over some of my duties, handling daily ship affairs, defense arrangements, and coordination with the Planetary Defense Forces.
The pressure will be immense, I'm entrusting this to you."
"Understood, Sergeant," Luna nodded calmly; for her, dealing with technology was far more comfortable than dealing with people.
Cliff, with a solemn expression, replied, "I'll do my best, Sergeant."
He knew this was no easy task; managing the myriad affairs of an entire warship, especially one that had just suffered trauma and significant personnel losses, required immense patience and meticulousness.
"Dorian, Lex, Gaius," Sergeant Golden looked at the three who were about to deploy with him, "We will cooperate with our brothers from the Steel Paladins and give those Mechanical heretics a good beating!
Avenge Medic Sore!"
"For Medic Sore!" Dorian roared, pounding his chest plate.
Lex silently checked his Bolter, his eyes sharp.
Gaius took a deep breath, nodded, and slung his 'Hawkeye' sniper rifle onto his back.
Soon, the Thunderhawk Gunship carrying Sergeant Golden, Dorian, Lex, and Gaius, escorted by Steel Paladins fighters, once again plunged into Gloom IV's murky atmosphere.
The Steadfast Will seemed to quiet down considerably, but also grew busier.
Cliff was almost immediately swamped with various tasks—counting and accommodating casualties, tracking repair progress for damaged areas, requesting and allocating supplies with ground forces, arranging patrol shifts, and resolving coordination issues between departments… He spun like a top between the bridge, armory, and medical bay, overwhelmed and wishing he could be in multiple places at once.
Meanwhile, Luna Aisa was immersed in the world of technology.
She spent most of her time in the main control room or engine control room, working with the Tech-Priests sent by the Steel Paladins and the ship's existing technical team, analyzing data streams from the surface, and monitoring the status of various ship systems, especially the still-fragile Gellar Field generator.
Her efficiency, precision, and calmness quickly earned the admiration of the technical personnel.
Lina Aisa became almost Luna's shadow.
The girl seemed to have transformed all her fear and sorrow into motivation for learning; she stuck close to Luna, eagerly absorbing all sorts of technical knowledge, helping to record data, transmit information, and operate simple terminals.
She was quick-handed, clear-headed, and showed a good aptitude, especially in data processing.
Even more remarkably, having experienced life-and-death terror, her psychological resilience was more stable than many adult crew members, allowing her to maintain focus under high pressure.
Luna grew to appreciate the girl more and more.
She looked at Lina's focused profile, as if seeing her own reflection from years ago—struggling to survive in the ruins, then seizing every opportunity to learn and grow, just to live better, and… to seek revenge against the enemies who had destroyed everything.
Lina only lacked systematic training and more experience.
During a rare moment of rest, Luna looked at Lina, who was diligently cross-referencing data, and suddenly spoke, "Lina."
"Hm? Adult Aisa, is there anything you need?" Lina immediately looked up.
"Do you want to stay here forever? Stay on the Steadfast Will?" Luna asked, her tone as calm as ever, but with a hint of seriousness in her eyes.
Lina paused, then nodded vigorously, her eyes firm: "Yes! I don't want to hide anymore! I want to be useful, like you! I want… I want to avenge my mom and dad! Even if it's just a tiny bit of effort!"
Luna nodded: "You've performed very well.
As a Technical Sergeant, I have the right to recruit and train a mortal assistant to help with technical matters and data work."
She paused, watching Lina's eyes instantly light up, and continued, "I will submit an application to Sergeant Golden and the Captain to officially register you as my Technical Assistant, an auxiliary mortal personnel outside the 7th Company, 2nd Squad of the Ultramarines.
This means you will receive more systematic training and take on more responsibilities, but it also means higher risks and obligations.
Are you willing?"
"I am! I am! Adult Aisa! Thank you!" Lina was so excited she almost jumped, tears sparkling in her eyes.
This was not just a job, but recognition, a sense of belonging, and a path that would allow her to get closer to her goal of revenge.
"Just call me Luna," Luna corrected, a barely perceptible, extremely faint upward curve appearing at the corner of her mouth, "Now, go double-check the calibration data for the number three sensor array."
"Yes! Luna… Adult!" Lina ran off excitedly, full of energy.
Meanwhile, in the medical bay, after several days of unconsciousness and emergency treatment, Medic Sore finally slowly opened his eyes.
He saw the familiar pale ceiling of the medical pod and the faint smell of disinfectant in the air.
He felt a dull, intense pain in his chest, and his body was so weak he could barely lift a finger.
Memories flooded back like a tide—the Word Bearers' sneak attack, pushing the technician away, the clash of chainswords, then the sharp pain of being impaled by a power halberd…
"He's awake!" a slightly childish but joyful voice exclaimed nearby.
Medic Sore struggled to move his eyeballs and saw Lina pressed against the observation window of the medical pod, her small face against the glass, looking at him excitedly.
Luna and the Tech-Priest in charge of his care stood beside her.
The Tech-Priest immediately stepped forward to examine him, mechanical tendrils scanning Medic Sore's body.
"Vital signs stable.
Secondary heart transplant initially successful, but functional recovery will take time.
Main heart damaged, requires long-term bed rest.
No strenuous activity of any kind for four months."
Medic Sore weakly blinked, indicating he understood.
He tried to speak, but only a hoarse gasp escaped.
Luna spoke to Medic Sore through the comms, "Rest assured and recover.
Sergeant Golden and the others are fighting on the surface, and everything is going well.
Cliff and I are in charge of the ship."
Lina also leaned into the microphone and whispered, "Adult Sore, you must get well soon… I… I'm Adult Luna's assistant now!
I'll help watch over the ship!"
Medic Sore looked at the girl's concerned and earnest little face outside the window, then at Luna's calm eyes, and a warmth and relief welled up in his heart.
He blinked again.
From that day on, Lina had one more task.
As soon as she completed the tasks Luna assigned, she would run to the medical bay whenever she had free time, talking to Medic Sore through the observation window, sometimes telling him about trivial happenings on the ship, sometimes asking him simple medical questions (she felt that as a Technical Assistant, she should know some things), and sometimes just quietly keeping him company.
Although Medic Sore couldn't speak much, he always listened patiently, occasionally responding with his eyes or subtle movements.
The girl's companionship, more or less, alleviated his frustration and helplessness from being severely wounded and bedridden.
When Cliff occasionally stole a moment from his busy schedule to visit Medic Sore and saw this scene, he would also show a tired but relieved smile.
The burden on his shoulders was truly too heavy, and seeing his teammate's stable condition and the gradual restoration of order within the ship allowed him to breathe a small sigh of relief.
The Steadfast Will, like a tenacious heart, after suffering heavy damage and internal turmoil, still diligently beat, maintaining its operations and supporting the battle on the surface.
Luna's technical support, Cliff's meticulous management, Lina's growth and assistance, and Medic Sore's slow recovery collectively formed the lifeblood of this warship during a special period.
Meanwhile, on the dim surface of Gloom IV, the fierce battle continued.
Sergeant Golden, Dorian, Lex, and Gaius, along with their brothers from the Steel Paladins, were engaged in a difficult and brutal struggle against the heretics of the Dark Mechanicum in the intricate steel labyrinth of Drilling City-7.
Inside and outside the ship, both front lines continued.
Hope and sacrifice, growth and pain, intertwined and unfolded in this cold star system.
Deep within Drilling City-7, inside a massive smelting workshop that the Dark Mechanicum had converted into a frontline weapons factory, the smoke of battle had not yet fully dispersed. Towering mechanical arms were twisted and broken, sparking with electricity, and the conveyor belts were littered with unfinished weapon parts and the remains of Heretic Astartes. The air was thick with the acrid smell of burning metal, the greasy slickness of spilled oil, and a faint, nauseating, strange odor that was a mix of ozone and decay.
Sergeant Golden stepped over the remains of a Heretic Astartes torn apart by Lex's Heavy Bolter, the muzzle of his Bolter still emitting wisps of smoke. He looked around, confirming that the threat had been neutralized. Dorian was grumbling as he pulled his Chainsword from the wreckage of a bloated, multi-legged mechanical construct, which was covered in viscous coolant and strange fragments of biological tissue. Gaius, meanwhile, was on alert from a high steel gantry, his "Hawkeye" Sniper Rifle vigilantly scanning every shadowed corner.
The five-man Steel Paladins squad, acting in conjunction with them, was inspecting the control terminal at the core of the workshop, attempting to download valuable data. Their leader, a Sergeant named Cassius (sharing the same name as the 7th Company Captain and Champion), gestured to Gorden: "Main resistance cleared, Sergeant. Data downloading, but the encryption level is high, it will take time."
"Stay alert, this place is seriously messed up," Gorden replied, his gaze sweeping over the dark maintenance tunnels at the edge of the workshop that led deeper into the facility. Jerrison's warnings about demons still lingered in his mind.
Just then, a faint, non-mechanical roar and… the sharp crack of a whip? came from deep within a secluded passage.
Everyone instantly became alert, their weapons all pointing in that direction.
"What was that sound?" Sergeant Cassius of the Steel Paladins asked with a frown.
"Doesn't sound like mechanical heretics…" Gorden tilted his head, listening intently. The sound also contained some painful wailing and… a somewhat familiar, exasperated cursing?
"Let's go check it out! Lex, Dorian, point! Gaius, high ground cover!"
The squad moved quickly and cautiously towards the source of the sound. The closer they got, the clearer the cursing became.
"…You bunch of scrap metal! Idiots with gears jammed in your brains! You can't even calibrate a broken Void Engine!?"
"Crack!" (Sound of a whip lashing)
"Ouch!"
"I'm telling you! If you don't fix this damn ship today! I'll dismantle every single one of you! And throw you down there to feed those demons! I hear they're very hungry lately!"
At the end of the passage was a cavern converted into a small, secret dock. A small smuggling or reconnaissance vessel, looking dilapidated, crudely modified multiple times, and painted with an unidentifiable insignia, was docked in the center. Beside the dock, a tall figure in Night Lords Power Armor was brandishing a barbed metal whip, acquired from who knows where, savagely lashing several Dark Mechanicum Tech-Priests and servitors, whose feet were bound and who were trembling in fear, forcing them to repair the broken ship.
It was Jerrison Fall!
He looked even more… busy and irritable than when they last met. New wounds adorned his armor, and he had acquired even more "trophies." At this moment, he was fully focused on "supervising" the ship repairs, not even noticing Gorden and the others' arrival immediately.
Dorian almost couldn't help but laugh out loud, only managing to suppress it after Gorden shot him a glare.
Gorden cleared his throat.
Jerrison spun around, his pupils instantly constricting as he saw a group of Astartes in blue and dark grey armor suddenly appear at the passage entrance. Almost instinctively, he raised the Bolter in his hand! The enslaved Tech-Priests huddled together in even greater fear.
"Relax! Jerrison!" Gorden immediately spoke up, while signaling his team to maintain restraint, "It's us."
Jerrison recognized Gorden and the others, and his tensed muscles relaxed slightly, but his gaze remained wary, especially when he saw the Steel Paladins. The impatience and irritability on his face became even more pronounced: "You again? Haunting me, aren't you! And…?" He glanced at the Steel Paladins' insignia.
"They are the Steel Paladins, our allies," Gorden introduced, then said to the somewhat tense Steel Paladins Sergeant Cassius, "Sergeant Cassius, this is… Jerrison Fall. A… 'neutral' Night Lord. He previously provided warnings about demons, and it seems they were not unfounded."
The Steel Paladins were clearly extremely shocked and hostile at the sight of a living Night Lord, but hearing Gorden's introduction and the "demon warning," they reluctantly suppressed the urge to open fire immediately, though their weapons remained pointed firmly at Jerrison.
Jerrison scoffed, threw down the whip, and clapped his hands: "Neutral? I just want to get out of this cursed place! Who's neutral with you?!" He pointed at the broken ship, "This piece of junk I managed to snatch from these oil-mongers broke before it even flew! These idiots can't even fix a simple ship."
He scanned the team behind Gorden, frowning: "Where's that garrulous Medic Sore? Haven't seen him? Kicked the bucket?" His tone sounded like a casual inquiry, but it seemed to carry a tiny hint of… concern?
"Medic Sore was severely wounded and is recuperating on the ship," Gorden said in a low voice, "Thanks to the Word Bearers."
"Word Bearers?" Jerrison raised an eyebrow, then showed a hint of disgust, "Heh… Those mad dogs smelled something and came too? It's getting livelier and livelier." He didn't seem surprised by this.
"The demons you mentioned earlier," Gorden cut to the chase, "We found some traces of them while clearing out the mechanical heretics. Where exactly are they?"
Jerrison's expression became a bit more serious. He pointed at the ground beneath his feet, then at an even darker crevice deep within the cavern, emanating a strong, ominous aura: "They're right below here. At the junction of Drilling City's deepest abandoned mine shafts and the oldest mechanical crypts. The reality there is as thin as paper, and…" He sniffed, as if he could smell something, "…the scent has been getting stronger lately. Those mechanical heretics seem to have been digging for something and accidentally released something they shouldn't have. I advise you not to provoke them; let them be, or wait for your professional 'silver cans' to deal with it."
The "silver cans" he referred to were, of course, the Grey Knights.
Sergeant Cassius of the Steel Paladins' face grew even more solemn upon hearing this. He immediately reported the situation to Chapter Command via his communicator, requesting instructions and potentially special support.
Soon, orders came back. The Steel Paladins' high command took the report of demon appearances very seriously, and a specialized team led by a Librarian was on its way. But before that, Sergeant Cassius' squad was ordered to proceed immediately with the Ultramarines Second Squad to the location Jerrison indicated for preliminary reconnaissance and containment, to prevent the demons from spreading or the Dark Mechanicum from exploiting them, but to avoid direct confrontation with powerful demons and await support.
"Looks like we have work to do," Gorden sighed, looking at Jerrison, "Lead the way, Jerrison. Or at least, tell us the exact location."
Jerrison immediately jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on: "Lead the way? Are you kidding?! I'm not going to that cursed place! My ship will be repaired soon! Once it's fixed, I'm leaving immediately! You can go wherever you want, just don't drag me into it!"
He roared at the Tech-Priests: "Hurry up and fix it! If you stall any longer, I'll really feed you to the demons!"
Then he turned to Gorden, his tone softening slightly but still maintaining distance: "For… uh… you not shooting me on sight. Go down that crevice, turn left at the third large abandoned pump station, and you'll see a blasted opening. Inside is… the 'nest' you're looking for. The one with the strongest smell. Have fun, and try not to die in there, otherwise Medic Sore will just nag again."
Having said that, he ignored Gorden and the others, fully concentrating on "supervising" the ship repairs, as if he just wanted to distance himself from all of this as quickly as possible.
Gorden watched Jerrison's retreating back, knowing he wouldn't get any more help from him. He nodded to the Steel Paladins Sergeant: "Objective clear. Let's go."
Second Squad and the Steel Paladins squad merged, forming an reinforced reconnaissance team, and cautiously advanced towards the ominous crevice Jerrison had pointed to.
Jerrison watched them disappear into the darkness and muttered under his breath: "A bunch of suicidal maniacs…" Then, he kicked a nearby Tech-Priest, "What are you looking at?! Fix it! I don't want to stay in this cursed place for another second!"
"Damn it! Why is it smoking again!?"
He just wanted to fix his ship and continue his lonely and dangerous nomadic life, far away from these Imperial and Chaos messes. Though, the threads of fate always seemed difficult to completely sever.
Following Jerrison's directions, and the increasingly strong, cloyingly sweet scent of decay in the air, Gorden led the mixed squad—Ultramarines Second Squad and a five-man Steel Paladins team—deeper into the darkest areas beneath Drilling City-7. This place had long exceeded the scope of a normal mine, resembling more a forgotten, bizarre labyrinth of ancient mechanical catacombs and geological fissures.
The passage walls were no longer rough rock layers but had transformed into rusted metal pipes, abandoned giant gear assemblies, and ancient mechanical wreckage that had long ceased to function but still emitted faint energy fluctuations. The cloying, sweet scent, like overripe fruit mixed with rotten honey, grew stronger, almost nauseating, interspersed with a sharp, chemical odor like spoiled perfume, irritating everyone's olfactory nerves.
"Stay alert, this smell isn't right," Gorden warned in a low voice through the squad channel. Everyone had their protective filters on, but they seemed to have limited effect.
Lex's Heavy Bolter vigilantly scanned every possible corner ahead. Dorian gripped his Chainsword, looking somewhat agitated; this eerie atmosphere made him very uncomfortable. Gaius, like a ghost, moved silently along the pipes and beams overhead, his "Hawkeye" sniper scope constantly scanning the shadows below and in the distance. The Steel Paladins maintained a tight formation, their grey armor almost blending into the environment in the dim light.
Soon, they discovered the first body.
It was a Tech-Priest of the Dark Mechanicum, slumped before a control console. His body showed no obvious physical damage, but his expression was extremely bizarre—eyes wide open, pupils dilated to their limit, a huge, rigid smile of extreme ecstasy stretched across his lips, as if he had experienced indescribable bliss in the instant before death. His skin was an unnatural pink, almost transparent.
"By the Emperor… what kind of death is this?" a Steel Paladins member couldn't help but whisper, a hint of revulsion and horror in his voice.
The deeper they went, the more such bodies they found. They lay dead in various poses, some embracing each other, some curled into balls, but without exception, their faces bore that frozen, chilling expression of ecstasy, as if they had felt supreme joy in the moment of embracing death. There were no signs of fierce combat, only a strange, celebratory atmosphere of death.
"Is it some kind of neurotoxin? Or a psychic attack?" Steel Paladins Sergeant Cassius asked gravely, his hand gripping his weapon tightly.
"Doesn't seem like it…" Gorden examined a body. "No signs of poisoning, no obvious psychic residue… more like… their souls were directly siphoned away, or… they were forcibly infused with extreme 'pleasure' by something until they collapsed."
This conclusion sent shivers down everyone's spines. This method of killing invisibly, even making the victims "willingly" accept death, was more bizarre and terrifying than facing the rage of Khorne or the decay of Nurgle.
"It's Slaanesh," Gaius' cold voice came from above, reaching everyone's ears through the channel. "The Lord of Change. Only Its Daemons revel in this… 'art.'"
Slaanesh! The name made everyone's hearts sink. This Chaos God, dedicated to the pursuit of extreme sensory stimulation and decadent pleasure, had Daemons that were often more cunning, more insidious, and adept at manipulating the minds of their prey.
The squad advanced even more cautiously. Finally, they reached the "blown-open hole" Jerrison had described. It was a massive breach in a metal wall, as if torn open from the inside by some force, behind which lay an even vaster space filled with an eerie pinkish-purple glow. The cloying, decaying scent and the sharp perfume smell reached their peak here, almost forming a tangible mist, from which faint, alluring yet distorted music and whispering murmurs could be vaguely heard.
"Hive entrance…" Gorden took a deep breath. "Prepare to breach! Lex, suppressive fire! Dorian, vanguard with me! Gaius, secure the absolute high ground, provide long-range support and warning! Brothers of the Steel Paladins, flank and watch our rear!"
Orders were swiftly given. Lex's Heavy Bolter aimed at the interior of the breach. Dorian and Gorden, one on each side, prepared to charge. Gaius, like a nimble cat, rapidly climbed upwards, searching for a sniper's nest that overlooked the entire cavern. He quickly found a large, broken cooling pipe remnant, an excellent position.
Just as Gaius had set up "Hawkeye" and was about to provide sight for his teammates below, his superhuman senses caught an extremely subtle, slick sound, different from the background noise, coming from the shadows behind and to his side!
His reaction was lightning-fast, instantly swinging his rifle around! In his scope, several bizarre figures were silently rushing towards his position at astonishing speed along the shadows!
These were several humanoid creatures with smooth, snake-like lower bodies, moving rapidly by slithering with their tails! Their upper bodies were alluring female forms, with skin displaying various tempting shades of pink, purple, or pearlescent hues, their faces beautiful to an almost unreal degree, but their eyes were filled with greed, hunger, and pure malice! They held slender yet sharp blades or barbed whips in their hands!
Daemons of Slaanesh! Daemonettes! And their target was him, on the high ground!
"Engaging rear! High-speed targets!" Gaius immediately issued a warning, simultaneously pulling the trigger without hesitation!
Bang!
The distinctive sound of "Hawkeye" rang out! The head of the leading Daemonette instantly exploded like an overripe fruit! Pinkish-purple, foul-smelling blood and brains splattered! The headless snake-like body continued for a short distance on momentum before twisting and collapsing.
Gorden and the others below also reacted instantly, Bolters and Lasguns unleashing a torrent of fire in the direction Gaius had warned! Lex's Heavy Bolter, in particular, formed a deadly barrage!
Another Daemonette let out a sharp shriek amidst the barrage, her body torn apart by countless Bolter rounds, riddled with holes, ultimately dissolving into a pool of boiling, foul energy that dissipated into the air.
However, the last Daemonette, the fastest and most cunning one, incredibly, used the moment her companions were attacked to flash past most of the fire with impossible flexibility and speed, leaping onto Gaius' platform! Her alluring face bore a seductive smile, and her eyes swirled with disorienting light.
Gaius reacted incredibly fast, instantly dropping his rifle and drawing the Bolter Pistol from his hip, aiming it at her! But just as he pulled the trigger, the Daemonette did not attack. Instead, she violently whipped her head, emitting an intensely concentrated, indescribably strange fragrance from her hair and the gaps in her scales!
The scent instantly flooded Gaius' nasal passages, penetrating his protective filter, acting directly on his brain! It wasn't like a toxin; instead, it brought an extreme, intoxicating sense of comfort and pleasure! Gaius' movements faltered, his trigger finger slightly loosened, and his eyes showed a momentary daze. Even his powerful willpower wavered for an instant in the face of this direct attack on his senses and soul.
In his hazy vision, the grotesque and alluring Daemon's form before him seemed to change. Her twisted snake-like body blurred, and her beautiful yet inhuman face seemed to soften, transforming into the image of a breathtakingly beautiful human woman he had never seen, yet felt incredibly familiar with and longed for. She wore a sorrowful yet deeply seductive smile, slowly, gracefully extending her hand towards him, as if to take his hand and lead him away from all pain and battle, to a realm of eternal pleasure and bliss…
"Come… lay down your burdens… embrace true… happiness…" a magnetic and seductive voice echoed directly in his mind, soothing all his anxieties and fears.
Gaius' hand, his right hand gripping the Bolter Pistol, involuntarily trembled slightly, seemingly wanting to rise and reach out to that illusory, tempting hand…
"Gaius! Wake up!" Gorden's anxious roar and the sound of Bolter fire came from below! They tried to distract the Daemonette, but were hesitant, afraid of accidentally hitting Gaius.
Just as Gaius' fingertips were about to touch that illusory temptation, the long-dormant, cold sensation in his left arm, like a stream of ice, suddenly pierced his senses! The dormant nanite swarm seemed to produce an extremely faint, yet incredibly cold, repulsive reaction to this strong psychic/sensory interference from outside!
This trace of coldness, like cold water splashed in winter, instantly jolted Gaius awake from that deadly illusion of pleasure!
He no longer saw a beautiful woman, but the Slaanesh Daemonette, close at hand, her eyes gleaming with triumph and hunger, her claws about to touch the gaps in his armor!
"Get out!" Gaius let out a roar mixed with lingering fear and anger, his Bolter Pistol snapping up!
But the Daemonette was faster! Her claws had already touched his neck guard, and the slender rapier in her other hand stabbed like a viper towards the gap in his eye lens!
Just at this critical moment—
Bang!
An extremely precise sniper shot rang out from below! Was it Cliff? No, Cliff was on the ship! It was the sniper from the Steel Paladins squad!
A Bolter round precisely struck the Daemonette's sword-wielding wrist, shattering it! The Daemonette let out a painful, furious shriek!
Gaius seized this precious instant, pressing his Bolter Pistol almost point-blank against the Daemonette's chest, pulling the trigger repeatedly!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bolter rounds exploded within the Daemonette's body, spraying pinkish-purple blood and chaotic energy! The grotesque body twisted and convulsed violently, finally, with a shriek filled with unwillingness, transforming into a swirling cloud of foul smoke that rapidly dissipated, leaving only a nauseatingly sweet aftertaste.
Gaius gasped for breath, taking a step back, leaning against the cold metal wall, his heart pounding. His forehead was covered in cold sweat. That moment of daze and temptation had been terrifyingly real; the promise of extreme pleasure had almost breached his psychological defenses. That sudden cold sensation in his left arm… was it a coincidence?
"Gaius! Report status!" Gorden's anxious voice came over the channel.
"…I'm fine… target clear." Gaius took a deep breath, trying to calm his turbulent mind, picked up "Hawkeye" again, his voice regaining its composure, but only he knew how perilous that moment had been.
The battle below was also drawing to a close.
The remaining few Daemonettes, having lost their advantage of surprise, were quickly eliminated by the enraged Dorian and the precise Steel Paladins.
Gorden looked at Gaius above, relieved, but his expression remained grim.
The appearance of Slaanesh Daemons meant that the situation here was even more complex and dangerous than anticipated.
These Daemons, skilled in manipulating minds and senses, were far more difficult to deal with than the mad Khorne Daemons or the stubborn Nurgle Daemons.
"Establish a defensive line!"
"Block this entrance!"
"Wait for the Librarian's support!"
Gorden gave the order decisively.
Facing potentially stronger Slaanesh Daemons, rushing in recklessly would be suicidal.
The squad quickly constructed makeshift fortifications at the broken entrance.
Gaius remained at the vantage point, vigilantly monitoring the space that emitted an eerie pinkish-purple glow and echoed with seductive whispers.
The ripples in his heart caused by Slaanesh's whispers and the momentary strangeness in his left arm, however, lingered.
The shadow of pleasure had already descended, and its temptation was far more insidious than direct violence.
The mixed squad vigilantly watched the abyss that emitted an ominous pinkish-purple glow and echoed with distorted music.
The cloyingly sweet scent of corruption in the air grew stronger, as if countless unseen lips were breathing alluring corruption into their ears.
Gaius maintained absolute focus at his high-ground sniper position, trying to banish the terrifying moment from his mind, but the subtle ripples left by Slaanesh's whispers and the momentary cold, strange sensation in his left arm still lingered in the depths of his consciousness.
Just as this suffocating wait continued, a powerful and pure psychic wave, like a lighthouse, pierced through the foul atmosphere of the underground space.
Reinforcements had finally arrived—the Steel Paladins' Librarian had personally led an elite Terminator squad to the scene.
The Librarian, clad in heavy Terminator armor and wielding a force weapon glowing with blue psychic energy, greatly stabilized morale with his arrival.
"What is the situation?"
The Librarian's voice was steady and powerful, like a bedrock.
Gorden quickly reported the discovery of Slaanesh Daemons and the initial skirmish.
The Librarian's expression was grave; he closed his eyes and sensed for a moment, then opened them, his gaze as sharp as a blade: "The Chaos energy in the depths is extremely dense, and a powerful entity is brewing, or... waiting.
"We must proceed immediately and stop it before it fully manifests or completes some ritual!
"All personnel, guard your minds and be constantly vigilant against psychic temptation and sensory deception!"
With the addition of the Librarian and the powerful firepower of the Terminator squad, the team's strength greatly increased.
After a brief adjustment, the combined squad set off again, resolutely stepping into the eerie pinkish-purple glow.
The scene inside the lair was bizarre and beyond ordinary imagination.
The passage walls were no longer cold metal but covered with a soft, warm, even slightly pulsating organic membrane, on which constantly shifting, alluring yet blasphemous patterns appeared.
Occasionally, puddles of viscous liquid with the aroma of fine wine would appear on the ground.
Eerie music, as if directly stirring the deepest desires of the soul, came from an unknown source, sometimes near, sometimes far.
They encountered several waves of Slaanesh Daemon attacks, mainly Daemonettes and some more deformed Noise Marine variants that seemed to fuse instruments with living beings.
The battles were exceptionally fierce; these Daemons were incredibly fast, and their attacks were devious and malicious.
Even more terrifying was that their attacks were often accompanied by mental corruption and sensory shock.
The Steel Paladins' Librarian became the mainstay; his psychic shield effectively blocked most mental attacks, and his psychic blasts inflicted considerable damage on the Daemons.
However, Gorden and Sergeant Cassius both vaguely felt that while these attacks were fierce, they seemed to lack a decisive killing intent... more like a... delay and enticement?
As if the Daemons were intentionally herding them in a specific direction.
"They're trying to lure us deeper!"
Gaius' warning came from above; he had observed the Daemons' attack patterns.
"I know!"
Gorden responded, his voice heavy, "But we must go!
"We cannot let that 'big one' complete its plan!"
Even knowing it might be a trap, they had to step into it—this was the duty of an Astartes.
They broke through layers of obstacles and finally reached the deepest part of the lair.
This was a colossal underground cavern, beyond imagination, as if all the subterranean voids of Gloom IV converged here.
In the center of the cavern, there was a massive stage constructed from pale bones, twisted metal, and shimmering crystals.
On the stage, a figure stood with its back to them.
It was an extremely tall, humanoid creature, its form so perfect it was almost eerie.
It had long limbs and fluid musculature, and its skin was like polished mother-of-pearl, emitting a soft glow.
Curved, elegant goat Gaiuss grew from its head, and a slender tail with a venomous barb at the tip swayed gently behind it.
Simply by standing there, it exuded an intoxicating, irresistible charm and terrifying presence.
A Greater Daemon of Slaanesh!
And certainly no ordinary Greater Daemon; the energy fluctuations it emitted made the Librarian's face turn incredibly grim.
However, what sank the squad members' hearts even further was the sight of dozens of Space Marines, clad in purple and gold power armor, adorned with extreme luxury and even ostentation, surrounding the stage and lurking in the shadows throughout the cavern!
Their armor was covered in blasphemous symbols and sensually provocative carvings, and many of their bodies had undergone horrific mutations—some had arms transformed into sonic cannons, some had extra mouths on their faces chanting blasphemous hymns, and others had limbs twisted into the forms of musical instruments!
Their eyes were filled with fervent desire for pleasure and an extreme pursuit of pain.
Emperor's Children! The traitors of the Third Legion! Fabius Bile's "masterpieces" and the darlings of Slaanesh!
"Ah... new listeners have finally arrived..." A languid, magnetic voice, as if caressing the soul directly, rang out.
The Greater Daemon of Slaanesh on the stage slowly turned around.
Its face was breathtakingly beautiful, yet mixed with an inhuman cruelty and hunger.
Its eyes were like swirling pink vortices, easily capable of drawing away the sanity of any who gazed into them.
"Welcome... to my... little symphony performance..." The Greater Daemon smiled, extending a long finger with sharp nails, gently tracing the air as if conducting an invisible concert, "Especially... you..."
Its gaze, bypassing the battle-ready Astartes, precisely locked onto Gaius in the crowd!
A thick glimmer of interest, like that of discovering a new toy, flashed in its pink, vortex-like eyes.
"Lord of Change, that old stick-in-the-mud... always likes to tinker with his boring schemes and knowledge..." The Greater Daemon of Slaanesh's voice carried a hint of mockery, "But he occasionally... does find some... truly interesting 'rough gems'..."
"Such tenacious will... such a contradictory soul... yet wrapped in such a... 'plain' shell..." It licked its lips, as if savoring something delicious, "What a waste... Let me reveal to you... the true pinnacle of sensation... let you experience... pleasure and pain... beyond imagination..."
Its words were like magic, drilling directly into everyone's minds, especially Gaius.
He felt the cloyingly sweet scent intensify again, and the deadness in his left arm seemed to start to warm slightly.
An inexplicable irritation and... a faint longing began to grow uncontrollably.
"Silence! Foul Daemon!"
The Steel Paladins' Librarian let out a thunderous roar, and powerful psychic energy slammed into the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh like a shockwave, attempting to disrupt its enchantment!
The Greater Daemon chuckled, and with a mere flick of its hand, pink psychic light shimmered, easily neutralizing the Librarian's psychic blast.
"Such impatient listeners... the movement has only just begun..."
It elegantly waved a hand: "My children... go... 'entertain' our guests well... let them... become part of this grand performance!"
Instantly, the Emperor's Children traitors, who could no longer contain themselves, let out excited howls and distorted music, charging towards the combined squad like a tide!
At the same time, more Daemonettes and other Slaanesh Daemons swarmed out from the surrounding shadows!
Battle erupted instantly! And it immediately escalated into a fierce struggle!
The Emperor's Children traitors were mad and deadly; they were not only well-equipped and skilled in combat, but even more terrifying was that their attacks were accompanied by sonic blasts, psychic screams, and various unpredictable mutated abilities!
Lasers and Bolter rounds flew, chainswords and power swords clashed!
Lex's heavy Bolter roared furiously, Dorian charged into the enemy ranks like an enraged lion, Gorden and Sergeant Cassius desperately commanded, and the Steel Paladins Terminators formed a solid mobile fortress!
The Librarian, meanwhile, engaged in a dangerous psychic confrontation with the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh, blue psychic energy and pink evil light clashing violently in the air, erupting in deafening silent roars!
Gaius continuously sniped from above; every gunshot inevitably brought down a traitor or a Daemon, but he also became the target of many, with Emperor's Children Noise Marines constantly attempting to bombard his position with sonic cannons, or Daemonettes trying to approach him again.
The battlefield was utterly chaotic!
The Astartes not only had to contend with frantic physical attacks but also constantly resist the pervasive mental corruption and sensory temptations!
The sweet scent, the distorted music, the Greater Daemon's whispers, and even the groans of pain from wounded enemies all became weapons to attack the mind!
And most unsettling was that the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh, after the initial exchange, retreated to the center of the stage, watching the bloody slaughter before him as if enjoying a performance, a pleased smile on its face, seemingly in no hurry to engage personally.
It was waiting, or perhaps brewing something...
Its gaze frequently, subtly, swept in Gaius' direction.
The pressure was immense!
Although the combined squad was elite, facing a numerically superior siege by the Emperor's Children traitors and Slaanesh Daemons, whose methods were bizarre and vicious, coupled with omnipresent psychic attacks, they instantly fell into a bitter struggle, every step forward costing a huge price! The situation was extremely critical!
The deepest cavern of the daemon nest had become a bloody, insane inferno.
The whistling of Bolters, the roaring of chainswords, the clash of psychic powers, and the twisted, alluring, yet deadly shrieks of Slaanesh daemons intertwined, playing a blasphemous symphony.
The fanatical assault of the Emperor's Children traitors was like an unending tide, constantly battering the joint squad's crumbling defenses.
The Steel Paladins' Terminators formed the most solid anchor points, but their heavy armor was also covered in dents and scorch marks from energy weapons.
Lex's Heavy Bolter barrel was glowing red hot, each shot feeling like an extension of his will.
Dorian was covered in the foul blood of traitors and daemons, each swing of his power fist carrying the fury of vengeance for Thor, but his movements were also beginning to show fatigue.
Gaius precisely eliminated the most dangerous targets from his elevated position, but he had to dedicate half of his mind to resisting the pervasive Slaanesh whispers that sought to stir his deepest desires and fears.
Sergeant Golden, while firing his Bolter pistol at a charging Noise Marine, anxiously observed the battle.
The Librarian was engaged in a perilous psychic duel with the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh; blue psychic lightning and pink arcane energy clashed repeatedly, with the Librarian clearly at a disadvantage, his body trembling slightly with each exchange.
And the Greater Daemon still stood poised in the center of the stage, a joyful yet cruel smile on its face, as if watching a magnificent play.
This couldn't go on!
Gorden realized that if they continued to wear themselves down, they would eventually be overwhelmed by this horde of mad traitors and daemons!
"Cliff! Luna! Do you hear me?!" Gorden slammed his comm-unit, almost shouting as he contacted the ship.
"Received, Sergeant! Go ahead!" Cliff's voice came through immediately, with the background noise of various alarms and reports from the bridge, indicating he was also constantly monitoring the situation below.
"Situation critical! We've encountered a large number of Emperor's Children traitors and a powerful Greater Daemon of Slaanesh! The Librarian is tied up, and we can't break through! We need emergency support! Immediately! Contact the Grey Knights now! Tell them this place needs purification! Repeat, we need Grey Knights support immediately!"
"Understood! I'll try to contact them right away!" Cliff's voice was filled with tension.
The very next second after the communication cut out, the atmosphere on the battlefield suddenly changed.
The Greater Daemon of Slaanesh on the stage seemed to sense something, or perhaps it felt that the "foreplay" was sufficient, and it was time for a more spectacular "movement."
It let out a series of bell-like, yet bloodcurdling, laughs, and elegantly raised its hand.
With its movement, the twisted music within the cavern suddenly intensified, becoming sharper, more piercing, as if it could tear the soul apart!
Pink-purple mist surged violently, and from within it, several new figures slowly emerged.
These figures were slender and graceful, seemingly formed from flowing shadows and pearly pale skin.
They floated in mid-air, without feet, their lower bodies ethereal smoke.
Their faces were indistinct, yet they exuded an extreme, heartbreaking sorrow and temptation.
In their hands, they clutched translucent longswords forged from pain and ecstasy.
Slaaneshi Daemonettes! Higher-ranking entities among Slaanesh daemons, far more terrifying than common Daemons of Slaanesh, skilled at manipulating time and perception, especially... amplifying a prey's fear.
One of the Daemonettes slowly drifted towards a Steel Paladins Terminator who was desperately fending off two Emperor's Children.
The Paladin had just smashed a traitor's head with his power fist and was about to turn to face another.
The Daemonette did not attack directly; she simply stopped in front of him, her sorrowful and hollow eyes fixated on him.
In that instant, time for that Steel Paladins felt as if it had been infinitely stretched and frozen!
In his perception, the deafening battlefield noise vanished, the figures of his comrades blurred, leaving only the sorrowful Daemonette before him, and his deepest, most primal fear infinitely magnified and materialized within his heart!
He saw... his homeworld, which he had sworn to protect, engulfed by an endless tide of Chaos, his family and friends screaming and twisting in flames, while he was bound by an invisible force, forced to watch, powerless!
He felt his faith collapsing, his vows to the Emperor turning pale and weak, an absolute, all-consuming sense of despair clutching his throat and heart!
"No... Emperor... no..." He screamed silently in his mind, his body beneath the power armor trembling violently, cold sweat instantly soaking his undersuit.
In reality, his movements completely ceased, his eyes unfocused, filled with extreme terror.
Others in the vicinity only saw the powerful Terminator suddenly freeze in place, as if petrified.
The Emperor's Children traitor fighting him, though also slightly affected by the Daemonette's power and momentarily slowed, quickly reacted, grinning as he plunged his power sword into the neck joint of the Terminator's armor!
Thwack!
Blood spurted!
The Steel Paladins Terminator didn't even let out a cry, falling heavily to his death with the frozen, utterly terrified expression on his face!
His mind had been completely shattered by his fear, magnified ten thousandfold, causing him to lose all capacity for resistance!
"Brother Orvilles!" Another nearby Steel Paladins roared in grief and fury!
But the same tragedy was still unfolding!
Another Daemonette drifted towards a Steel Paladins support trooper operating a heavy weapon.
That warrior, seeing the horrific fate of his comrade, already had the seed of fear planted in his heart.
The Daemonette's gaze descended!
In his perception, the heavy weapon in his hands suddenly transformed into a twisted, writhing living thing, turning to devour his arm!
His power armor, which he relied on and which protected him, became an iron coffin, trapping him and constantly contracting and crushing him!
He felt suffocated, felt the boundless terror of being betrayed and consumed by the equipment he trusted most!
"Ah—!" He let out a bloodcurdling scream in reality, frantically trying to break free from non-existent bonds, completely exposing himself to enemy fire.
Instantly, five or six laser blasts and Bolter rounds struck him simultaneously, tearing him to shreds!
Yet another Daemonette approached a Steel Paladins psyker who was casting psychic powers to assist with defense.
The psyker attempted to block with a psychic shield, but the Daemonette's power directly pierced through the psychic defense, acting upon the depths of his soul.
He saw... his own psychic powers raging out of control, consuming his comrades around him!
He became the monster he most detested, bringing destruction!
He felt the psychic energy burning within him, yet he couldn't control it, only able to watch helplessly as he destroyed everything!
This fear of his own power and the guilt of causing disaster instantly broke him!
He clutched his head, weeping, his psychic energy instantly dissipating, and was then torn to shreds by the swarming Daemons of Slaanesh!
In just a few short seconds, several elite Steel Paladins warriors fell in this bizarre and terrifying manner!
The appearance of the Slaaneshi Daemonettes instantly shifted the balance of the situation, delivering a devastating psychological blow and causing casualties!
Gorden watched, his eyes splitting with rage, yet he was powerless!
This insidious method of directly attacking the mind was simply not something conventional tactics could counter!
Just then, a Slaaneshi Daemonette, seemingly guided by the Greater Daemon, slowly, with a cat-and-mouse playfulness, drifted towards Gaius at the elevated sniper position!
Gaius saw the horrific fate of his comrades below, and alarm bells rang in his mind!
He tried to move, tried to shoot, but the Daemonette's speed, though seemingly slow, seemed to twist space, instantly closing the distance!
Her sorrowful, hollow eyes locked firmly onto Gaius!
Time... seemed to become viscous, slow at this moment... and finally... stopped!
For Gaius, all external sounds, light, shadows, and movements vanished.
He plunged into an absolute, suffocating silence and darkness.
Only the increasingly close Daemonette, exuding sorrow and temptation, remained before him.
He could feel a cold and powerful force frantically digging into his mind, attempting to find his deepest fears and magnify them infinitely, just as it had done to the Steel Paladins.
However...
One second passed... two seconds passed...
On the Daemonette's originally sorrowful and composed face, for the first time, a hint of... confusion appeared?
Even... a trace of unbelievable... astonishment?
She frantically dug into the depths of Gaius' mind, but it was as if she had crashed into a boundless, chaotic, surging... sea of mist!
There were no clear, specific images of fear, no materialized fears of losing loved ones, failing missions, or his own death...
Instead, there was a deeper, more primal, more despairing fear—
It was the fear of his own destiny being controlled by an unseen colossal hand!
It was the fear of the unknown and destruction contained within that silent left arm!
It was the fear of the Lord of Change's declaration of him as a "Chosen Son"!
It was the ultimate fear of whether he would eventually lose himself, whether he would succumb, whether he would become the very existence he most detested!
This fear was not a concrete image, but a pervasive, all-consuming terror about "existence" itself!
The Slaaneshi Daemonette's power churned frantically in this chaotic sea of fear, yet it could not coalesce it into a materialized scene to break Gaius!
Instead, it seemed to have disturbed an even more terrifying entity deep within this ocean of fear!
Just then—
In the depths of Gaius' consciousness, forcefully pulled into it by the Daemonette's power, amidst the endless darkness and mist, a pair of gigantic, cold blue flame-burning eyes, like rotating gears, suddenly opened!
Immediately following, a colossal, elegant, yet exuding endless cunning and absolute power, figure slowly emerged from the mist!
It was a daemon! An incredibly powerful, Tzeentchian Chosen!
But its form... subtly bore Gaius' outline!
It was clad in blue and gold armor composed of constantly shifting runes and knowledge, a silent left arm, formed of pure Warp energy, emanated a heart-pounding fluctuation, and its eyes were filled with cold wisdom and endless ambition that saw and controlled everything!
This was precisely the projection of the most powerful and most feared form Gaius could become after surrendering to the Lord of Change, deep within his heart!
It was the embodiment of his ultimate fear!
This "Daemon Gaius" projection seemed to be enraged by the Slaaneshi Daemonette's prying and stirring!
Its cold blue gaze instantly locked onto the tiny Slaaneshi Daemonette within the consciousness space, which was attempting to amplify fear!
The Daemonette let out a truly, utterly terrified shriek!
She wanted to flee, wanted to escape Gaius' consciousness space!
But "Daemon Gaius" simply slowly raised that energy-formed left arm.
The incredibly powerful blue psychic energy, belonging to the Lord of Change, instantly imprisoned the Daemonette!
She was as if caught by an invisible giant hand, unable to move!
Then, "Daemon Gaius'" fingers slowly curled.
Crack!
Cracks instantly spread across the Daemonette's pearly body!
She let out a silent wail!
"Daemon Gaius" seemed to think this wasn't enough; it waved its other hand in the void, and the Daemonette's arms and legs were violently snapped backward by an invisible force, at grotesque angles!
Finally, "Daemon Gaius" made a grasping gesture, then sharply pulled!
The Daemonette's head, along with part of her spine, was ripped clean from her body!
In the moment before her complete annihilation, her hollow eyes held only the purest, most primal fear of that blue daemon!
The clash within the consciousness space lasted only an instant in the real world.
To outsiders, the Slaaneshi Daemonette floating towards Gaius had barely approached him when her body suddenly stiffened, then, without warning, as if crushed by an invisible force, her body instantly became covered in cracks, her limbs twisted unnaturally, and finally, her head flew off into the air as her entire body exploded like shattered porcelain into countless fragments, transforming into a chaotic pinkish-purple energy that shrieked and dissipated into nothingness!
Gaius, meanwhile, simply stood in place, pale-faced and slightly panting, his eyes filled with shock and lingering fear, as if he had just endured a fierce battle invisible to others.
The entire process was incredibly fast! So much so that no one else had time to react to what had happened! They only felt as if time had momentarily paused, and then the terrifying Slaaneshi Daemonette had inexplicably collapsed and been destroyed on her own?!
Even the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh on the stage, for the first time, had its joyful smile freeze, replaced by a look of surprise and uncertainty. It had clearly sensed the powerful and pure evil energy of its old rival, Tzeentch, that had instantly erupted and then vanished!
"What… just happened?" Dorian asked, bewildered, as he punched away an Emperor's Children rushing towards him.
No one could answer him.
However, the threat of the Slaaneshi Daemonettes was not completely removed; other Slaaneshi Daemonettes were still slaughtering the Steel Paladins!
Just at this critical moment—
The rock layer at the top of the cavern suddenly collapsed without warning!
It wasn't a physical explosion, but rather it was directly decomposed and vaporized by a pure, silver light filled with order and purifying power!
Three dazzling silver beams of light, like spears of judgment sent down by the Emperor, suddenly descended from the sky! They crashed heavily into the center of the battlefield!
As the light receded, three giants, clad in silver-grey Terminator armor and wielding psychic weapons that glowed with terrifying psychic energy, stood majestically!
The Grey Knights! They had finally arrived!
The Grey Knight Captain, who led them, his gaze beneath his faceplate coldly swept across the entire scene, instantly locking onto the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh on the stage and the rampaging Slaaneshi Daemonettes. His emotionless voice, like a winter's chill, swept through the entire cavern:
"In the name of the Emperor and the Holy Conclave, this place shall be purified!"
The arrival of the Grey Knights was like three silver comets crashing into a boiling cauldron of flesh, instantly changing the entire tone of the battlefield. The pure, terrifying psychic pressure directed at Chaos swept through the entire cavern like a tangible tsunami, even temporarily suppressing Slaanesh's pervasive sensory pollution and whispers!
The pinkish-purple mist violently churned and dissipated like ice and snow encountering the scorching sun! The traitorous Emperor's Children and Slaanesh daemons, who had been attacking frantically, all froze in their movements, letting out painful and disgusted roars, as if the silver light itself was searing their souls!
"What… is that?" a Steel Paladin muttered in shock, looking at the three silver giants emanating suffocating pressure. He had never seen Astartes dressed and empowered in such a way.
"Grey Knights…" Sergeant Golden gasped, his voice filled with immense relief and a hint of complexity, "The Emperor's most secret daemon hunters… They're here; this place is theirs now!"
Without any need for communication, the surviving members of the joint squad immediately understood the current situation. Their mission had changed—from a desperate offensive to retreating with as many of their fallen comrades' remains as possible, leaving the battlefield entirely to these professional purifiers.
"Retreat! Bring the bodies of our fallen brothers! Quick!" Gorden and Sergeant Cassius of the Steel Paladins roared hoarsely almost simultaneously.
Lex and Dorian immediately ceased their attacks and rushed towards the fallen Steel Paladins Terminators. Even in death, these loyal warriors' armor and gene-seeds had to be recovered. Gaius also quickly slid down from his sniper position to assist with the retrieval. The entire process was difficult and swift; they had to contend with lingering sporadic attacks and their own residual fear.
The Greater Daemon of Slaanesh on the stage, upon seeing the appearance of the Grey Knights, finally had its cruelly joyful smile completely vanish, replaced by extreme rage and… a subtly imperceptible hint of apprehension. It let out a piercing shriek, attempting to command its legion to stop the retreat, but it was already too late.
The Grey Knight Captain didn't even glance at Gorden and the others who were retreating; his entire attention was locked onto the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh. Facing such a prominent Greater Daemon, any restraint would be suicidal.
"Power unleashed!" the Captain's cold voice rang out like a judgment bell!
In an instant, the vast, ocean-like psychic energy that had been strictly contained within the three Grey Knights erupted like a bursting dam!
Buzz—!!!
The terrifying psychic pressure instantly increased by several orders of magnitude! Visible silver psychic ripples violently spread out from them! Weaker Slaaneshi Daemonettes and Noise Marine variants closer to them, without even a chance to scream, instantly vaporized and dissipated under this pure purifying psychic shock, like dewdrops in the sun!
The stronger Emperor's Children traitors, though barely withstanding the initial impact, were also struck as if by an invisible heavy hammer, their movements distorted, clutching their heads in pain. Their Chaos blessings became a source of torment in the face of this absolutely counteracting power!
However, this was only the beginning!
The Grey Knight wielding the Daemonhammer let out a low battle cry, and the massive warhammer erupted with a brilliant silver glow, like a miniature sun! He took a mighty step forward, and the warhammer, with the momentum to shatter stars, slammed heavily into the ground!
Rumble—!!!
It wasn't a direct impact on a physical object, but rather the terrifying purifying psychic energy contained within the warhammer erupted through the ground! A massive, silver psychic shockwave surged forward in a fan shape! Wherever it passed, be it rock, metal, or Chaos daemons, all were annihilated and purified!
Seven or eight Emperor's Children traitors attempting to intercept the retreating squad bore the brunt of the attack! Their Chaos-enhanced armor was like paper in the face of this absolutely counteracting power! Their bodies twisted and disintegrated in the silver glow, their very Chaos essence utterly annihilated, leaving not even a speck of dust!
The power of a single strike was terrifying!
Dorian, who was retreating, glanced back at this scene and gasped, all previous thoughts of "sparring" with the Grey Knights completely vanishing, replaced only by deep reverence. This was simply a different level of power!
At the same time, the Grey Knight wielding the psychic sword transformed into a silver lightning bolt! His speed surpassed the limits of visual perception; only a silver flash was seen weaving and flickering among the remaining daemons and traitors! With every flash, an enemy was precisely decapitated or impaled through their core! His swordsmanship had transcended mere technique, embodying a profound understanding of the nature of Chaos and an absolute will to destroy!
And the Grey Knight Captain, leading them, held aloft his Nemesis Daemon Halberd. The halberd's tip gathered unsettling energy, forming a massive, swirling silver psychic vortex! He did not directly attack the lesser foes, but instead firmly locked his target on the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh, his powerful psychic pressure acting as an invisible tether, restricting the Greater Daemon's movements and providing support for his teammates.
In a mere dozen seconds, with the exception of the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh, all daemons and remaining Emperor's Children traitors in the entire cavern were utterly swept away by the three fully unleashed Grey Knights in an overwhelming display of power!
This was the true strength of the Grey Knights! The Emperor's ultimate bastion, existing solely to combat the highest threats of the Warp!
"Insignificant mortal constructs! You have angered me!" the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh let out a deafening roar, its voice no longer filled with allure, but with pure fury and malevolence! It knew that facing the fully unleashed Grey Knights, it could no longer hold anything back!
A pinkish-purple evil light suddenly erupted from its body, and its form began to rapidly swell and distort in defiance of physical laws! Its previously humanoid shape quickly vanished, replaced by an enormous, terrifying creature that combined hideousness with a twisted, eerie beauty!
It grew to be five or six stories tall, its long, slender limbs covered in smooth, pearlescent carapace extended like a spider's, yet with a distorted elegance. Its head became even more elongated, massive, curved goat horns crackling with arcs of electricity, its face still retaining that handsome yet inhuman visage, but its mouth could split open to its ears, revealing countless needle-sharp teeth. A long, barbed tail lashed through the air, creating sonic booms. All around it swirled a dizzying pinkish-purple psychic aura and an invisible sensory storm!
This was the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh—the Keeper of Secrets—in its full form! The Chaos pressure it exuded even made Gorden and the others, who were retreating, feel difficulty breathing and a stinging sensation at a soul level!
"Ugly fiend, accept the Emperor's purification!" the Grey Knight Captain said, utterly fearless, his voice still cold as iron.
The battle erupted instantly!
The Keeper of Secrets let out a soul-rending shriek, its massive claw, imbued with space-tearing power, swiped at the Grey Knight Captain! At the same time, its long tail lashed out like a venomous whip at the Grey Knight wielding the psychic sword, the poisonous barb at its tip glowing with a deadly pink light!
The Grey Knight Captain parried with his psychic halberd, which erupted with a brilliant silver glow, squarely blocking the massive claw! A terrifying collision of power unleashed deafening roars and psychic sparks, and the rock beneath the Captain's feet instantly cracked and sank!
Meanwhile, the Grey Knight wielding the psychic sword, with incredible agility, narrowly dodged the venomous tail's strike, and in a swift counterattack, left a deep, silver-flame-burning wound on the Keeper of Secrets' tail! The Keeper of Secrets let out a roar mixed with pain and fury!
The Grey Knight wielding the Daemonhammer charged in from the side, his massive warhammer, carrying immense force, slammed violently into the Keeper of Secrets' knee joint!
The Keeper of Secrets abruptly raised its other claw to swat at the Daemonhammer! Another terrifying collision! The silver psychic energy of the Daemonhammer fiercely clashed with the Keeper of Secrets' Chaos energy, erupting in blinding light!
The three Grey Knights coordinated flawlessly; their attacks were not mere physical impacts, but each clash was accompanied by powerful psychic confrontations and the analysis and destruction of the very essence of Chaos! Silver psychic lightning and pinkish-purple evil light furiously collided in the cavern, the entire space violently shaking, and massive rocks constantly falling from the ceiling!
The Keeper of Secrets' power was incredibly terrifying; each of its attacks contained the force to destroy a tank and the hypnotic allure to pacify a mind. But the Grey Knights' wills were like adamantium tempered a thousand times over, completely immune to its mental corruption, and their silver armor and psychic weapons held absolute dominance over Chaos!
The battle entered a fierce, white-hot stalemate! Every collision shook the very foundations of the earth!
Gorden and the others, who had already retreated to the passage entrance, could even feel violent tremors underfoot, and the pure yet terrifying psychic eruptions, though muffled by thick rock, were still faintly perceptible! The sensation was not evil, but a cold, absolute, destructive, and orderly pure energy, as if capable of purifying all defilement in the world!
"Go! Quickly!" Gorden urged, knowing that a battle of this magnitude was beyond their ability to witness, and even its aftershocks could be fatal.
They carried the bodies of their comrades, retreating along the path they came from with the utmost speed, leaving the world-shaking daemon-hunting battle entirely to the three silver giants.
Within the cavern, the purification continued. The clash of silver and evil light grew ever more intense, signaling that the moment of judgment was fast approaching.