"Ta-da! Reflection Cloak!"
A blood-red cloak flashed across the dark starry sky, and the scorching flames shot out by the C'tan were lightly bounced away.
A blue, round figure stepped out from a pinkish-red wooden door, entering the vast expanse of stars.
The scorching light released from the Burning One C'tan illuminated his figure.
It was a round figure with a large, plump head, a red nose, long whiskers, a bell around his neck, and a pocket on his belly, resembling both a tanuki and an earless cat.
This figure wore no protective equipment, suspended in the starry sky, seemingly unaffected by the harsh external environment.
Coupled with his unique appearance, from a distance, this figure gave Dante the illusion that he did not belong to this world.
"He finally came…" Mephiston, who was watching this scene from afar, said dryly.
His voice was deep and cold, as if recalling the terrifying sights he had witnessed in the Warp.
Inside the ship's cabin, the refugees reacted differently.
There was bewilderment, terror, and also joy and piety.
Under the preaching of the Dying-worshippers, many Ashfordians were more or less familiar with the name "Doraemon."
That small portion of believers who had already converted to the Dying-worshippers knelt piously on the ground, softly praising Doraemon, who stood amidst the stars.
Even among the refugees who had not previously believed, many could not help but begin to pray.
Only Reyna's expression couldn't help but twitch slightly.
She gazed at the blue figure outside the porthole, muttering under her breath with a rather exasperated tone: "Alexander…"
The Burning One C'tan Shard seemed to instinctively sense danger. He let out a roar, and the surrounding space began to tremble, with endless flames surging forth from it.
Anrakyr felt the fluctuations in the will of the Burning One C'tan Shard. He roared, plunging his war scythe deeper into the Hypercube Maze, using his complex and powerful will to resist the Burning One's will, temporarily trapping it within the Hypercube Maze.
The Burning One roared and shook his body, trying to break free from the Hypercube Maze…
A silvery blade cut through the flames, and pure white wings with a hint of blue spread open in the starry sky.
A mask, crafted like pure gold and carved with the holy face of Sanguinius, shimmered under the light of the flames.
"Sanguileno?!" Dante murmured softly. Standing beside the blue figure was none other than the legendary warrior Sanguileno, who only appeared when the Chapter was in its gravest danger.
However, the refugees in the cabin knew little about Sanguileno.
When they saw the golden Sanguinius mask and the pure white wings, they immediately believed it was Sanguinius manifesting in the starry sky.
Countless residents wept, their eyes filled with emotion and piety, kneeling and praying towards the radiant figure.
At the same time, they also prayed to the figure of Doraemon, believing that anyone who could be alongside Sanguinius could not possibly be a heretical faith.
That blue figure must also be supremely sacred.
The Battle Sisters, however, knew a little more.
"Living Saint?" High Sister Magda murmured to herself, looking at the legendary figure of Sanguileno.
She had only heard of Sanguileno's name before, but now seeing him with her own eyes, she felt that his existence was similar to Saint Celestine, both mysterious beings who could be called Living Saints.
It was just that this Sanguileno seemed to be a Living Saint exclusive to the Blood Angels.
And what about the blue figure standing beside him?
Was he also a Living Saint? Or some other kind of being?
High Sister Magda was unsure for a moment…
Sanguileno rushed out from that pinkish-red wooden door, his blade cutting through the raging flames.
He vibrated his wings, and in the blink of an eye, he was before the C'tan Shard.
The roaring C'tan Shard was trying to break free from the Hypercube Maze's restraints.
Beside the Hypercube Maze, Anrakyr, who was struggling with the C'tan Shard's will, looked not only at Sanguileno.
The golden mask on his face, Anrakyr had seen on Dante's face and in the Silent King's hand before…
"A demon of the Empyrean?" Anrakyr said softly.
Anrakyr seemed able to discern the Warp nature of the being before him.
Sanguileno remained silent, ignoring him, and instead raised the silver blade in his hand, stabbing it heavily into the C'tan Shard.
A pure white light, tinged with a hint of blue, burst forth from his blade. The power from the Warp collided heavily with the C'tan Shard.
In an instant, the air was filled with the collision of scorching firelight and blue-white pure light, and the C'tan Shard's body was subtly pushed back into the Hypercube Maze.
The blue figure seemed unaffected by external matters, nimbly passing through the raging flames.
These flames were all from the power of the C'tan Shard, flames that had once been powerful enough to burn through the Webway gates, the Burning One's fire that transcended physical laws and consumed all things as fuel.
Yet, the blue figure bathed in it, without being scorched in the slightest.
Anrakyr was dumbfounded, his data personality in his metallic body rarely feeling so bewildered.
Especially with the Necrons' research into time, he could vaguely discern something about the blue figure.
On the blue figure, several complex timelines were intertwined, as if multiple figures were intertwined.
Whether in the past or the future, this blue figure had definitely undertaken more than one journey through time, leaving significant traces on him.
Anrakyr recalled the scene he had witnessed in the Genestealer stronghold in the Bottom Nest.
The time-traveler figure who destroyed the Genestealer biomass pool.
"It's you?" Anrakyr seemed to understand. The time-traveler figure he had seen there was this very being.
The blue figure glanced at Anrakyr, then, as if ignoring him, walked towards the C'tan Shard, which was constrained by the Hypercube Maze.
The Burning One C'tan Shard roared, waving his arms, sending balls of burning flames towards the blue figure.
The blue figure gently shook the red cloak in his hand, and the flames were easily deflected.
At the same time, the red cloak also dispersed into points of light.
However, the blue figure had already reached the Burning One C'tan Shard.
"You only need to attack Him, to make Him unable to resist the Hypercube Maze's restraints!"
Anrakyr shouted loudly:
"He is a fragment of a C'tan, almost impossible to kill; He can only be restrained and imprisoned."
"Right now, only my Hypercube Maze can achieve this."
Anrakyr believed this was the only way, and he also felt that Sanguileno and this blue figure would certainly cooperate with him.
However.
"There's no need for that." The blue figure chuckled softly and extended his round hand towards the Hypercube Maze.
The Burning One unleashed scorching flames at the blue figure. Sanguileno's figure flashed, almost instantly teleporting in front of the blue figure.
The speed was so fast that even Anrakyr's eyes, cast from living metal, couldn't clearly see it.
Sanguileno vibrated his white-and-blue wings, shielding the blue figure from the flames released by the Burning One C'tan Shard.
Without Sanguileno's restraint, Anrakyr immediately noticed that the C'tan Shard's resistance became more intense.
He felt as if his data personality was also beginning to burn, and flames had already wrapped around the war scythe in his hand.
"Damn it!!!"
Anrakyr cursed in exasperation:
"Without me, without the Hypercube Maze, how will you deal with the C'tan Shard?"
Hearing this, the plump blue figure merely smiled gently, suddenly tugging at the Hypercube Maze and stuffing it into the pocket on his belly…
The Hypercube Maze, made of living metal and restraining the Burning One C'tan Shard, seemed to turn into liquid, flowing with the C'tan Shard into Alexander's four-dimensional pocket.
[Item Name: Hypercube Maze]
[Origin: Pyras Tomb World]
[Description: A simple application of dimensional technology, a maze-cage created by folding dimensions. It is maintained by drawing energy from the C'tan Shard itself; the stronger the trapped C'tan Shard, the stronger the restraint created. Suitable for children's maze entertainment.]
[Production Time: Approximately 65 million years ago]
[Condition: 90% new.]
[Value: 1,300,000]
[Item Name: Burner C'tan Shard]
[Origin: K'tann Galaxy]
[Description: A fragment of a purely physical cosmic deity, one of the first lives to be born at the dawn of the universe, composed of the pure energy that formed the fundamental constants of the cosmos. It enjoys consuming stellar energy and souls. This shard belongs to the Burning One, who once opened the Webway gates for the Necrons and scorched the glory of the Old Ones. However, this shard is merely a remnant of its past power, with its will and personality shattered beyond recognition. It has minor research value, is hot and pungent in taste, and has effects such as dispelling dampness, strengthening the spleen, regulating qi, and resolving phlegm, suitable for people with weak spleen and stomach or heavy dampness.]
[Production Time: Approximately 65 million years ago]
[Condition: With Hypercube Maze outer packaging.]
[Value: 1,500,000,000]
Alexander did not hesitate, choosing to sell it.
The C'tan Shard, burning with raging flames, vanished into the four-dimensional pocket in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace.
A huge sum of over a billion also flowed into Alexander's account.
Alexander let out a gentle breath, immediately feeling refreshed and comfortable all over.
With this, he had enough money to exchange for the item that could potentially revive Sanguinius.
Anrakyr, beside him, widened his glowing mechanical eyes. A clear expression of bewilderment appeared on his face, made of living metal, as if he had suffered a great shock.
He was staring intently at Alexander's four-dimensional pocket, his expression as if asking: Where is my C'tan Shard? Where is my big C'tan Shard?
"What are you looking at me for?!"
Alexander noticed Anrakyr's gaze and quickly used his round hand to cover his four-dimensional pocket:
"I picked all this up!"
"What are you looking at me for?!"
"I picked all of this up!"
Anrakyr stared blankly at the blue figure, who was covering his pocket and speaking such nonsense with a look of righteousness.
How could there be such a shameless person in this world?
"I don't know who you are, but you young races cannot control the C'tan Shards!"
Anrakyr shouted urgently, pointing his war scythe at Alexander.
He loathed young races who stole precious Necron property. Those naive, foolish youngsters always plundered the Necrons' tombs, and Anrakyr was only willing to respond with war.
Although he didn't know how this unknown entity had managed to trap the C'tan Shards in that pocket,
Anrakyr would not allow Necron property to flow out!
Alexander sized up the Necron Overlord.
Anrakyr the Traveller, one of the most famous Necron Overlords.
Although he wasn't as good as the C'tan Shards, if he were stuffed into the four-dimensional pocket… Alexander's eyes brightened slightly, and his gaze towards Anrakyr became a little more eager.
I see you're still quite charming.
Sanguileno silently vibrated his wings, circling around Alexander.
Anrakyr noticed the somewhat alarming look in Alexander's eyes.
His metallic body trembled slightly, because Alexander's eyes were filled with hunger and greed.
It was the kind of look a more advanced Tyranid would give a human; one glance was enough to tell he was starving.
But even the Tyranid space pests wouldn't give a Necron's metallic body such a look.
No normal life form would show such an expression!
Anrakyr glanced at Sanguileno, who was circling around Alexander, then at his own broken metallic arm.
Finally, his gaze fell upon Alexander's greedy eyes.
This situation seemed somewhat unfavorable for him.
And there were also a large number of human fleets nearby, who might well be allied with him.
"Brother, let me pick some up too!" Alexander grinned and extended his round hand towards Anrakyr the Traveller.
Anrakyr shivered, hastily raising his war scythe to cut through the air.
However, Sanguileno arrived even faster; his silver longsword instantly deflected Anrakyr's glowing green war scythe.
Anrakyr retreated into deep space almost without hesitation, turning his back.
Streaks of glowing green lines, like circuit boards, appeared behind him.
These lines intersected and converged, crackling and popping, forming an extra-dimensional portal.
"You wait, young race, I will return one day to reclaim the Necron's property!"
Anrakyr uttered a threat, then hastily plunged into the portal and disappeared.
"..Is it that serious? I was just trying to scare you." Alexander reached out and scratched his round head.
He was just casually trying it out, not seriously thinking about capturing Anrakyr and selling him.
After all, among the Necron Overlords, Anrakyr was a decent sort, one of the few Necrons who could communicate normally and didn't have any bad habits of petty theft.
Alexander vaguely sensed a hint of disdainful gaze.
He glanced at Sanguileno, who was floating in mid-air.
"Are you some kind of wild Greater Daemon?" Alexander blinked and asked.
He was curious about this being, who seemed to be a Living Saint of the Blood Angels.
He and Sanguinius at the corner of his eye were not the same person, yet they had intricate connections.
Sanguileno merely trembled his wings gently, flying to Alexander's side. He spoke in a low voice, almost imperceptibly, to Alexander:
"Within the Scarlet Scar, the Blood God's gaze is omnipresent."
"What a pervert." Alexander's mouth twitched slightly, and he couldn't help but exclaim.
The Scarlet Scar sector contained approximately a thousand planets. The stars in this sector emitted a toxic scarlet radiation.
The Netherworld Star System and the Baal Star System were both within this sector. It was said to be the scar left by Khorne the Blood God's slashes in the material universe.
Sanguileno responded to Alexander only with silence.
Meanwhile, the figure in the white light at the corner of Alexander's eye had become somewhat thin and invisible. Alexander could only vaguely hear his voice, but not clearly.
It seemed he was temporarily unable to let his power pass through the barrier between the Warp and the material universe.
Alexander watched as Sanguileno nodded slightly to him, then vibrated his wings and flew towards the Blood Angels fleet not far away.
He also turned his head to look at the Avenging Blade, the flagship of the Blood Angels, standing silently in the void. Alexander could vaguely feel gazes from that flagship.
That might be the gaze of Commander Dante, Chapter Master of the Blood Angels, or it might be from Chief Librarian Mephiston.
Regardless of who it was, Alexander was not yet at a point where he could converse with them face-to-face.
The Blood God always watched the Scarlet Scar; both Sanguinius and Sanguinius had warned him.
And upon the Blood Angels, surely more eyes were cast. Moreover, according to Alexander's knowledge, a Khorne Greater daemon always paid attention to the sons of Sanguinius.
And if the Blood God knew Alexander's purpose, then absolutely more than one Greater daemon would attempt to invade the material universe, possibly even leading to the arrival of Sanguinius' brother, whom the Blood God had elevated to daemonhood.
He shook his head slightly, glancing at Ashford beneath his feet. This planet had become a charred shadow in the shockwave.
Alexander watched the planet for a while, then pulled out an anywhere door from his four-dimensional pocket.
The map he had once obtained from General Drost roughly recorded the location information of planets near the Netherworld Star System.
The red-and-pink anywhere door stood in the void. Alexander placed his hand on the anywhere door and whispered, "Baal."
The anywhere door opened, scarlet sunlight shone, and a hot, bloody wave struck Alexander's face as he stepped through.
Commander Dante stood on the bridge, bewildered by everything that had just happened.
But he had to remain steadfast, guiding the Blood Angels behind him who still trusted their Chapter Master.
Of the Astartes who had accompanied Dante to the Netherworld Star System, including warriors from the Blood Angels and the Flesh Tearers, approximately half had died in this star system.
Even more of the mortal defenders in this star system had perished.
Dante felt pain for these deaths, though he had no doubt that if he ordered his warriors to return to battle, they would do so without hesitation.
Yet, Dante's own heart was filled with hesitation and doubt.
Have our sacrifices been enough? Have we inflicted enough damage on the Tyranid? What exactly is that strange blue figure?
Can Baal survive the war? Can the Blood Angels survive? Will the Chapters that have separated for many years answer the call?
Have I failed the blood of Sanguinius?
Dante felt weary and pained.
Suddenly, a cold wind swept across the deck of the Avenging Blade.
A white light with a hint of blue flickered in the void, drifting lightly through the bridge of the Avenging Blade.
For a moment, Dante almost thought the hive mind or that strange blue figure had launched an attack.
His hand instinctively fell to the pistol at his waist.
Then, the white-and-blue light gradually thinned, revealing the winged figure and golden mask within.
The white wings, with a touch of strange blue, gently spread open.
Dante watched the figure before him in astonishment.
Sanguileno. This was the first time Sanguileno had not departed after a battle.
Even Dante had almost never faced this legendary warrior in such a way.
All activity on the deck ceased; even the proudest Blood Angels knelt on one knee, showing reverence to this legendary warrior.
Only Dante remained standing, looking at Sanguinius with almost pain and sorrow.
Why had this ancient warrior come?
To condemn his failure? To accuse him of leading the Blood Angels into a quagmire? Or to say that he had indeed failed the blood of Sanguileno?
Or perhaps, the Primarch would show him the way?
Dante could almost smell the faint scent of incense on Sanguinius.
Sanguinius' wings, tinged with a bit of blue, gently spread, sweeping low over the bowed heads of every Blood Angel.
He walked calmly and slowly to Dante's front.
Both Dante and he wore golden masks carved with the face of Sanguinius.
They stood face to face, and silence permeated the air.
Dante gently reached out and removed his mask, revealing the weary face beneath.
This face belonged to Louis Dante of Baal II, a warrior who had served for a millennium, a weary Chapter Master, the child of Aereas the salt harvester.
Dante almost never removed his mask; he did not wish his pain and weariness to be exposed to the Blood Angels.
Dante also hated the weariness and pain he showed; deep down, he knew he was tired of his long life.
But he knew his duty still existed. He had to face this legendary warrior with his true face and ask that question.
Dante looked at Sanguileno's golden mask, at the face of the Archangel.
"Is this enough?"
Dante asked, his voice almost a hoarse whisper, so low it was barely audible:
"Is this enough to save Baal?"
Silence. Sanguileno met Dante with only a long silence.
This almost made Dante feel that the question would have no answer.
Then, for the first time in the Chapter's history, in ten millennia,
The Blood Angels heard Sanguileno's voice for the first time.
Dante almost held his breath, listening to the words of this sacred being before him.
"Hope remains." Sanguileno said softly.
A flicker of light ignited in Dante's eyes.
Hope. As long as there was still hope, it would be fine.
Sanguileno turned his head to look into the endless deep space behind him.
He spoke in a voice so low Dante could barely hear it:
"He will bring us hope, Doraemon. Please help us."