Surface of Bergenheim Prime.
Szczesny entered the Land Raider via the forward assault ramp. Clad in his custom-fitted armor, he sat in the commander's station without feeling cramped.
"Please undergo gene-code verification."
Szczesny removed his gauntlet and pressed his hand to the touch panel. Spikes immediately pierced his palm.
For security purposes, all controls on a Land Raider require gene-code verification to prevent unauthorized use by the enemy.
"Verification successful. Welcome, Storm Lord."
Szczesny gazed at the hololithic tactical display before him while simultaneously connecting the external cable from the central auspex to the implant port in his spine.
The instant he established connection with the tank, tactical data from the triple-redundant analysis engine team flooded into his mind.
The Ninth Chapter had already gained the upper hand in twenty-seven of the forty-one operational zones where they were engaged. Another twelve zones were at a stalemate, with only two zones at a disadvantage.
He asked the Techmarine beside him, "Has the identification result been confirmed?"
"Storm Lord, I have double-checked. It is in Operational Zone C-14."
The Techmarine's servo-arm clutched a mass of worms, still writhing actively.
The "Archaeologist" channeled psychic energy into the runes surrounding him with both hands. The worms grew more active.
"But this item is still in the experimental stage."
"This mass of worms was obtained by Keon, Captain of the 5th Company, Fourth Chapter, at Campinas. It came from the Slaught corpse Lord Perturabo awarded him."
"The Forge Lord and Lady Marlena worked together to create this item, hoping to utilize the mysterious connection between Slaught to detect Slaught lurking in the shadows."
Szczesny stared at the disgusting mass of worms and issued an order.
"The area is too broad. Pinpoint the exact distance to the target."
The "Archaeologist" channeled more psychic energy into the runes. Hundreds of worms writhed rapidly, only gradually calming down after several minutes.
"My Lord, approximately fifteen to twenty-four kilometers. The exact distance cannot be confirmed."
Szczesny, seeing only constantly writhing worms, had no idea how the Techmarine had arrived at that figure. He glanced again at the tactical data.
Zone C-14 was precisely one of the two zones where the Ninth Chapter was at a disadvantage. He pondered for a few seconds, then adjusted the local communication array channel connected to his spine.
"Jorginho. The Techmarines have detected possible Slaught activity. I must go to confirm."
"You will be in temporary command. Dispatch your elite to support Zone D-3."
"As you command, my Lord," Jorginho said before signing off, adding to his friend, "But don't leave me in charge too long. I just got dizzy from flying."
Szczesny laughed heartily. "It won't be long."
After ending the communication, he marked the direction of the suspected Slaught and ordered the advance.
Promethium burned fiercely in the Mars-pattern adaptive thermic combustion reaction engines of the eleven Land Raiders of the Honor Guard.
Of the twenty track links on the Firestorm-pattern Land Raiders, the first eleven represented the Legion, engraved with the Legion's symbol of wings, spines, and an abstract crown.
The following nine represented the Chapter, engraved with the Chapter's blue wave emblem.
Szczesny reviewed the brief for Operational Zone C-14 and activated the tactical display.
Towering, tree-like Osseivoress. Dense beams lanced towards the Firestorm-pattern Land Raiders.
The first wave of blinding beams struck the front glacis plates.
Tactical data from the auspex showed the titanium and plasteel composite in the reinforced critical areas was penetrated, but not the master-crafted thermoplastic fiber mesh.
Cerabvoress and Osseivoress, as the two major Rangdan races, were the two main enemies faced by Shadows of Order. Every part of the Legion conducted research on the enemy.
The Ninth Chapter based its research on its own advantage in armored assault.
The Chapter's domain, the Firestorm world, with its large-scale forge facilities, gave them production capacity rivaling many Forge Worlds.
Relying on this industrial capacity, the Ninth Chapter rapidly equipped Land Raiders. Only the Third and Eleventh Chapters were faster.
In response to the Osseivoress' thermal ray attacks, the Land Raiders' thermoplastic fiber mesh was further reinforced to absorb and dissipate high-energy laser weapons.
Located within the first of two layers of ceramite, it could withstand extreme temperatures and melta weapons.
Szczesny reviewed all tactical reports and confirmed the modifications were successful. On average, a Land Raider could withstand three hits before being destroyed by a Osseivores.
Critical areas like the assault ramp, front glacis, and hatches could withstand five hits.
The Fourth Company's Firestorm-pattern Land Raiders, after releasing smoke, fully utilized their mobility advantage.
Combined with the targating defensive upgrades, only five Land Raiders had been destroyed so far.
'The Fourth Company's biggest problem is insufficient firepower. They can't breach a Osseivores's energy shield quickly enough.'
'There are four ways to destroy an energy shield: overwhelming force like a gene-son's, overloading with energy weapons, concentrated fire from tripod walkers or massed armored vehicles, and…'
'Ferocious firepower!'
Having reached this conclusion, Szczesny ordered the Techmarine to edit the tactical display.
The Techmarine, knowing his Lord's needs, quickly edited footage of Land Raiders being destroyed by beams and Shadows of Order being vaporized.
He sent the footage to the Honor Guard members. Szczesny immediately opened the comm channel.
"Folk of Rage, the moment to test yourselves has arrived."
"Our target is a Rangdan Osseivores!"
"Now, put on your 'War Masks'!"
The hundred "Folk of Rage" viewed the edited footage. Fury burned within them.
Hearts pumped powerfully. Blood circulated faster. Adrenaline surged...
Unlike the boiling power within their bodies, their minds, wearing their "War Masks," were unusually calm.
The machine-spirits of the Firestorm-pattern Land Raiders, sensing the drivers' fury, roared angrily.
Eleven Firestorm-pattern Land Raiders, like black lightning, flashed across the pitted ground, dust trailing dozens of meters behind.
"Fury Mask!"
The Folk of Rage, using fury as a hand, put on their "Fury Masks."
Entering the state of fury, power a thousand times greater than a combat stimulant injection made them gasp involuntarily.
"Unleash your fury!"
At Szczesny's command, the lascannons of the Firestorm-pattern Land Raiders thundered in unison.
The enraged machine-spirits unleashed a series of dense beams at the Osseivores.
The Osseivores was stunned to see the newly arrived black armored vehicles instantly unleash a hundred times the firepower of over two hundred of the same tanks.
The moment the assault ramps lowered, the Folk of Rage dismounts shot out like lightning.
They simultaneously raised their Etacarn plasma guns. The Forge World Firestorm capacity met the equipment needs of the Folk of Rage.
Countless blazing beams converged in the air, forming an artificial sun.
The sun engulfed the Osseivores.
Its energy shield shattered.
"Blow its head off!"
The "Fury Mask" kept the Folk of Rage exceptionally calm. They flawlessly executed Szczesny's order.
An orb of light engulfed the Osseivores's head. Amidst a rumbling tremor, the Folk of Rage released their fury.
They felt their psychic energy leap and calmly inspected their Etacarn plasma guns.
Even the Etacarn, based on Squat technology far more stable than Imperial plasma guns, had its barrels overheat from the Folk of Rage's rapid firing.
Szczesny smiled with satisfaction. Fury is power.
The "Fury Mask" harnesses it. It is the power source of the Folk of Rage, the key for the "Folk of Rage" to master the power bestowed by the Black Emperor.
The Honor Guard marched in uniform pace, reboarding the Firestorm-pattern Land Raiders.
After assembling the Fourth Company, Szczesny advanced in the direction indicated by the mass of worms.
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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