The Pilgrimage Expeditionary Force faced a crisis of unprecedented scale.
In addition to the sheer might of the Thousand Sons Legion's fleet, the raw, overwhelming sorcery unleashed by Magnus the Red was driving the loyalist fleet crews to despair.
The entire void was violently distorted by the raw power of the Empyrean. Tendrils of aetheric energy, massive and terrifying, proved every bit as lethal as the claws and fangs of a primordial behemoth.
Ships were instantly torn to shreds or crushed into salvageable scrap. Even more tragic fates befell others, who were hurled directly into the raging heart of the Warp Storm. It was a one-sided slaughter.
"Concentrate your firepower! Punch a hole in the enemy flagship's shield!"
Guilliman's orders crackled across every loyalist warship, a call that momentarily stemmed the tide of mounting despair. Following his command, the fleet began focusing every available weapon on the Thousand Sons' capital ship, the Tizca's Revenge.
Magnus quickly perceived the Imperial fleet's intentions. They think Guilliman is going to focus fire and destroy my flagship? His assessment was simply that it was a fool's errand.
"Guilliman, foolish Guilliman, you are destined to be snared by the trap I've set for you."
Guilliman strove to remain calm, using his superhuman intellect to analyze the battlefield and pinpoint the weakness in the colossal warship, Tizca's Revenge.
With a concentrated volley of fire, the ship's psychic shielding was momentarily overloaded and shattered, tearing open a critical breach.
Aboard the Macragge's Honour, fifty players—the 'Saints'—waited at the ready. This group included BaldCustodian (Space Wolf Rune Priest, freshly awakened to his psychic powers and exploring the path of the runes), Pighead (Dark Angel), Jeyce ( Dark Raven Guard Techmarine), Krieg (Blood Angel), Dragneel (Salamanders), and Darren (White Scar).
They were split into five infiltration squads, each carrying a potent Cyclone torpedo warhead to be delivered deep inside the enemy vessel. To maximize their success, Guilliman granted them special dispensation to wear state-of-the-art Terminator armor equipped with personal force fields.
Terminator armor is priceless. For many smaller Chapters, only the leaders or Company Commanders are authorized to wear it. But to Guilliman, none of that mattered now. What good was equipment if the Pilgrimage Expedition failed here?
Besides, he reasoned, as long as we successfully return to Terra, we can reproduce any Terminator armor we lose.
The Tech-Magos responsible for the final preparations implanted a powerful self-destruct charge inside each suit of Terminator armor. They also equipped the Saints with temporary detonation devices linked to the Cyclone torpedo warheads.
The ship lurched violently; alarms blared, and lights sparked before dying. With a massive crash, a section of ceiling structure collapsed onto the deck. Yet, the bridge crew remained unnervingly calm, continuing their work.
As soon as the order to replace the power lines was given, Tech-priests in crimson robes, along with their servitors, swiftly moved to clear the debris and replace the damaged modules. In no time, the deck was restored to its original, pristine state.
Such composure could make a person forget that loyalist warships were exploding outside, but the undeniable truth was that the Imperium was facing a dire situation. This was not the battle they wanted.
"The enemy flagship's shield is breached!"
At the sound of the announcement, everyone froze, then looked with profound respect at the group of Saints standing on the teleportarium pad. They were about to embark on a mission with a near-zero chance of survival.
BaldCustodian felt this was his cue. With such an epic setup, if the official team uploaded the footage later, he couldn't have it looking dull!
He raised his battle-axe, his voice booming through the loudspeaker, deep and powerful.
"We are the Emperor's shining sword! We are the Imperium's iron fist! We stand united, and we never give up!"
"We gladly offer our broken bodies to restore the Emperor's light to the Milky Way! For Humanity! For the Emperor!"
After his voice faded, a moment of profound silence was followed by a synchronized roar from every loyalist on the deck:
"For Humanity! For the Emperor!"
Guilliman, watching the scene from the bridge monitor, felt immense gratitude to Daniel for having left him these powerful Saints. He looked up through the viewport at the Tizca's Revenge, his eyes burning with controlled fury.
In this universe, the Chaos Gods would not hold the upper hand forever. One day, humanity would retaliate and avenge the blood debts of the past. When that day came, the Warp would burn, and every enemy of mankind would be reduced to ashes.
Under the watchful eyes of countless Imperial loyalists, the machines on the teleportarium deck roared to life. The players were instantly transported onto the Tizca's Revenge.
The battle had begun.
The five player teams materialized in different strategic zones, including critical areas like the engine room, the bridge, and the ammunition depot.
Pighead's squad was tasked with destroying the engine room. The moment they arrived, the enemy was upon them, and a fierce firefight erupted.
Clad in their heavy Terminator Power Armor, they rampaged through the enemy vessel like armored tanks. Along the way, mortals who had sold their souls to the Warp were instantly crushed into bloody mincemeat. The piercing screams of the dying echoed everywhere.
Even the Thousand Sons Sorcerers and their Rubric Marines were utterly powerless against the armored giants. A screeching Tzeentch Daemon was ripped apart by the roaring chainsword.
"For the Lion! You traitors!"
Pighead roared, smashing his fist into a Thousand Sons Sorcerer's head, crushing it like a grape. He then pulled the trigger on the heavy-caliber explosive gun mounted in his hand. A barrage of shells rained down, instantly obliterating two Rubric Marines.
"No wonder Abaddon always rolls in Terminator gear—this fighting power is absolutely bonkers!"
"Killing spree! We are on a killing spree!"
"Who wants some? Come on, all of you! Get a taste of fear and despair!"
The players were ecstatic as their powerful Terminator armor shrugged off enemy fire, allowing them to carve a path of slaughter toward their objective. Countless cultists, Beastmen, and minor Daemonic creatures fell before them. They traversed a bloody path strewn with bubbling gore, broken corpses, and steaming, vile pus.
As they neared the engine room, a horrifying behemoth of fused flesh and steel appeared before them. It resembled a six-piston, long-legged, armored heavy tank. Each step it took caused a brief tremor, and rusty, dented metal fragments dripped from its body alongside crude oil.
Thick smoke and steam billowed from every joint and crevice. A ceaseless roar of fury and hatred surged within its body, which was pieced together from armor plates.
Perched atop the heavy steel chassis was a blue-skinned giant piloting the vicious vehicle. The enemy was one with the heavy tank beneath it; its long, narrow, buffalo-like head sprouted a cluster of intricately curved horns that stretched out to the left and right.
The blue-skinned creature's hands had been replaced by giant, steel claws. Arcs of electricity flashed continuously between the opening and closing blades.
"Is that a Soul Grinder?" a player exclaimed.
"Look at that resentful expression. He must be a Soul Grinder who owes a huge debt and had no choice but to sell his soul to a Chaos Blacksmith," another player quipped.
Soul Grinders are the armored vanguard of the Daemon Legions. Their twisted metallic shells are protected by non-material, supernatural energy. Aside from the most powerful anti-tank weapons, nothing can effectively harm them.
The Soul Grinder's weapons are crafted by Chaos Blacksmiths and imbued with the vile magic of the Warp, capable of unleashing torrents of hellfire. In addition to these weapons, the Soul Grinder can also unleash malevolent energy that warps the very laws of physics.
The Soul Grinder was joined by a group of Rubric Marines and Thousand Sons Sorcerers who charged into the fray. A treacherous Beastman and a fearsome Daemon also howled, cutting off the players' escape.
"Looks like this is where we check out. But we're close enough to the engine room that we can detonate right here, too."
"Gentlemen, charge! For the MVP!"
Pighead shouted, and the other players roared their assent. After setting the detonation program for the warheads, they rushed the enemy and continued the fight.
Pighead leaped up and charged the Soul Grinder, his chainsword roaring as he brought it down. The rapidly spinning blade was blocked by the creature's claw, producing a sickening, metallic clang. The Soul Grinder swung its piston-driven claw, forcing Pighead to reel back, narrowly dodging the fatal blow.
Several cultists seized the opportunity to pounce. The one at the very front had his head instantly crushed by Pighead's fist. He then swung his chainsword, tearing the flesh and blood of the other cultists to shreds.
The Soul Grinder seized the moment and rushed forward, swinging its iron claw at Pighead. Its claws, incredibly sharp and imbued with the Warp's corrupting power, tore through the Terminator armor like it was paper. Crimson blood flowed out, and his internal organs spilled onto the deck.
"Cough! Cough!"
With his last ounce of willpower, Pighead plunged his chainsword into the opponent's blue flesh, carving a fatal wound.
"I might be done for, but you're coming with me, buddy," Pighead grinned weakly.
Before the creature could react, the powerful bomb embedded in the Terminator armor detonated. A blinding light devoured everything, instantly engulfing the nearby cultists and Daemons, reducing them to cinders.
The other players fought valiantly, battling relentlessly amidst the enemy tide. One by one, they fell, taking the surrounding enemies with them in their self-destruction. The Cyclone torpedo warheads also exploded horribly after the countdown ended, and the raging flames consumed everything.
"You monster, how dare you show off your parlor tricks in front of me? Take this, Thunder Bagua!"
BaldCustodian held a blood-dripping battle-axe in one hand and unleashed a torrent of violent lightning with the other. As a Rune Priest of the Space Wolves, his psychic abilities were formidable. Though not as powerful as some, he was still one of the top players.
A violent bolt of lightning swept across, instantly turning enemies into charred, scattered remnants. Meanwhile, the nearby players systematically dispatched the remaining foes.
When the battle ended, the platform was littered with severed limbs. Standing before them was a magnificent steel blast door.
"The throne room where Magnus is waiting is just ahead," BaldCustodian stated calmly. The players beside him were covered in wounds.
The torpedo, its timer set, was hidden in a concealed corner and was counting down. The helmet's built-in HUD showed that several other player squads had been eliminated. The torpedoes they carried had detonated one after another, inflicting massive damage on the warship and rendering it combat ineffective.
BaldCustodian addressed his squad: "Alright, brothers, this is our first crack at a super-boss fight! Keep your spirits up! We don't expect to take down the big, evil Magnus. We just need to figure out his attack patterns and mechanics for our future battles against this Daemonic Primarch."
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"Let's kill Magnus, that red-skinned, one-eyed Ogryn Magnus!"
"For victory! For glory!"
The players shouted in unison.
The heavy steel gate hissed and opened.
The players filed in, their faces beaming with a mix of anticipation and excitement. The room was empty save for a few Thousand Sons Sorcerers and a massive, red giant with long hair and a runic staff in his hand.
They heard the players enter and turned around.
Magnus' face was contorted with pure, incandescent rage. He thought this victory was a sure thing, and he was about to have his fun with that dim-witted Guilliman. Instead, his own flagship had been boarded by these utterly unpredictable individuals who possessed no foresight or Thread of Fate.
This was an insult—an unspeakable disgrace.
BaldCustodian pointed his battle-axe at the towering Magnus, his voice cold and menacing.
"You wanna fight me, One-Eyed Ogryn?"
The few Sorcerers standing nearby gasped in astonishment. Good heavens, is this one of Khorne's champions? What kind of extraordinary madness allows him to challenge a demigod?!
Magnus' gaze was icy, and an indescribable fury burned in his chest.
BaldCustodian launched his charge, and the other players followed suit. Suddenly, Magnus unleashed a burst of violent arcane light, instantly knocking them to the ground.
BaldCustodian, dizzy and disoriented from the fall, was yanked back toward Magnus by an unseen force before he could recover. He was lifted up, then slammed hard across the armored knee.
The sickening sound of a spine breaking echoed in the empty throne room.
"You've gotta be shitting me!!"
This was the only coherent thought in BaldCustodian's mind. His back was broken; he couldn't get up.
"You will suffer pain and torment for the rest of eternity," Magnus said, staring intently at the Rune Priest lying on the floor.
As the other players rushed forward, Magnus unleashed a torrent of Warpfire, engulfing them all and turning them to ashes. Even the impact of the players' self-destruct mechanism was completely annihilated by his power. In this universe, only a Primarch could defeat a Primarch.
"Magnus, you're just a one-eyed Ogryn," BaldCustodian managed to gasp. "No, you're worse off than an Ogryn."
Magnus raised his staff, and the sharp end plunged into the BaldCustodian's abdomen, piercing through his body.
The BaldCustodian coughed up blood but managed to raise his middle finger.
"That the best you got, psycho?"
"Why rush? I have plenty of time to torment you," Magnus sneered.
"Not necessarily," BaldCustodian laughed, spitting blood.
Then, a terrible explosion was heard. The pre-set Cyclone torpedo warheads detonated, and a surging shockwave and flames rushed into the throne room.
"No!" Magnus' expression snapped from rage to shock.
Because these people had no Thread of Fate, Magnus could not predict what they had done. Even if the enemy had pre-planted a bomb, he couldn't detect it using his precognitive abilities.
Magnus quickly erected a powerful psychic shield to block the devastating shockwave and flames. Taking advantage of the enemy's distraction, the BaldCustodian decisively triggered the built-in self-destruct charge.
In an instant, a terrifying explosion consumed everything.
Once the chaos settled, the bodies of BaldCustodian and his men were reduced to ash, leaving only scorched Terminator fragments. Magnus attempted to capture the BaldCustodian's soul, but to no avail.
"The Imperium has launched a counterattack," a nearby servant announced.
Magnus looked out of the shattered throne room where Guilliman's flagship, the Macragge's Honour, was wreaking havoc. With its overwhelming firepower, it was slaughtering the warships of the Thousand Sons Legion. One by one, enemy vessels turned into blinding fireworks in the void.
"Damn it!" Magnus roared, attempting to stop Guilliman.
However, his flagship, Tizca's Revenge, had suffered catastrophic internal damage. The player-detonated Cyclone torpedoes had destroyed numerous vital areas and caused the deaths of countless crew and servants. Psychic energy surged as the warship began to repair its wounds autonomously. But all of this takes time, and Magnus could not act until the repairs were complete.
The loyalist Imperial fleet was granted a crucial reprieve. After severely crippling the Thousand Sons' forces, Guilliman gave the order to retreat. Once the enemy recovered, they would be in dire straits again and had to leave immediately.
"Guilliman!" Magnus roared in fury as he watched the Imperial fleet vanish through a churning Warp Rift.
His plan, which should have been flawless, had been utterly spoiled, with more loyalist fleets surviving than anticipated.
"You can't escape, Guilliman, you can't escape!"
Magnus roared repeatedly, his sanity teetering on the brink.
Near the Earth orbit in the world of Hive City, Sintila.
The Imperial Glory was docked in an empty berth. Work ships and supply vessels glided past the spire of the superstructure, like worker bees feeding and caring for a bloated queen bee.
Inside the Lighthouse Control Room of the Imperial Strategy Center, Daniel contacted MidnightLord, who was currently lurking in the Rath Forging World, at the pre-arranged time and using the designated method.
The Quantum Engine roared, and the position formed by emotional synesthesia reflected the figure of MidnightLord. The image was crystal clear, as if the two were communicating face-to-face.
Their infiltration team had a very clear mission assignment. One player went to communicate with the loyalists in the Rath Forging World, informing them that reinforcements were about to arrive and that they should not make any unnecessary sacrifices. The other players scattered to gather intelligence and prepare for sabotage.
"You're saying the rebels are researching something called the Paradox Engine, intending to use it to achieve evolution and ascension?" Daniel asked, looking at the projection of MidnightLord.
"Yes, Guide. Legend has it that this thing is an ancient artifact unearthed by humans during the Dark Age of Technology, and it possesses incredible power."
"It can not only guide ships to navigate the Warp but also allow people to absorb and control the energy of the Warp and achieve a form of sublimation."
MidnightLord relayed everything he had gathered. The most crucial intelligence concerned the Paradox Engine that the rebels were researching. The rebels believed they could secure victory if they could successfully develop this technology.
"I understand. You did a great job," Daniel praised. "Continue to infiltrate their ranks and find a way to get inside."
"Besides inciting rebellion, these rebels are also in league with the Xenos. We need more detailed intelligence before we can take targeted action."
"Understood, Guide. I will definitely complete your mission," MidnightLord assured him confidently.
"Good. If you successfully obtain all the intelligence on the rebels and confirm their collusion with those Xenos, I will personally welcome you back."
Daniel's words made MidnightLord swell with pride and his heart leap with excitement.
He'll personally welcome me and give me a warm reception.
Did this mean that as long as he successfully gathered all the enemy's intelligence, he would have a chance to receive the "Sky Eagle Medal"?
"I am willing to go through fire and water for you, Guide, and I would not hesitate to die for you."
After the MidnightLord in the projection swore his oath again, communication was shut down. The position closed, and the surrounding area was plunged into darkness.
Daniel had just gotten up and was about to leave when a golden light curtain materialized out of thin air, presenting him with a new task.
[Task: Obtain the Paradox Engine]
This is a warp engine created by a mad scientist using ancient alien technology. Once activated, it grants incredible power, allowing for the sublimation of flesh and soul. Using it to improve Beacon Technology is a good choice.
Rewards: A large amount of EXP Points, Lighthouse 2.0 (Players can remove negative status effects and gradually restore health by approaching the Lighthouse) (Negative status effects can be removed by ordinary people approaching the Lighthouse)
"Good heavens, are they trying to use the Lighthouse as a fountain of youth?!"
Upon seeing the introduction to Lighthouse 2.0, Daniel scoffed inwardly.
Despite his complaints, he remained highly motivated. With a 'spring,' fighting will be so much more fun! If you can't win, teleport back to town, heal up, and then go out again. It's a bit like the sneaky tactics of a Space Necromancer. If it is destroyed, it will be immediately teleported back to be rebuilt.
After obtaining detailed intelligence from MidnightLord and confirming that the player had made contact with the local loyalists, Daniel issued the final war order.
"Let the blood of the enemy flow into the void. In the name of the Emperor, Rath Forging World shall be returned to the hands of the Imperium!"