[You stared, the white-hot melta bursts, nine concentrated lances of white-hot melta bursts, suddenly cutting into the Void Kraken's huge body. The impact was phenomenal, easily severing several of its thick, black tentacles. The air inside your helmet was warm from the exertion and the rising tension.]
[However, the colossal, silicon-based creature, lacking blood and bones, did not react with pain but with raw, brutal instinct. It once again swung its remaining terrifying tentacles, massive whips of muscle and chitin, and quickly wrapped around the Fist assault boat that had fired the most effective salvo in front of it.]
[A Fist assault boat that failed to dodge was crushed into twisted metal wreckage on the spot, the sound a horrifying, scraping screech of tearing adamantium, which registered even through your power armor's dampeners. Its engine, not yet extinguished, erupted in a strong sympathetic explosion, a bright, blinding flash in the darkness.]
[Due to the immediate and violent impact of the explosion, the Void Kraken's huge body seemed to shift slightly, its momentum momentarily disrupted, and even its forward speed was reduced a lot. It was a minuscule window, but an opening nonetheless.]
[You quickly seized the brief opportunity to attack and unhesitatingly disengaged the magnetic boots of your power armor. The sudden jolt of freedom launched you clear of the rapidly turning Fist assault boat.]
[You sped through the cold void of the universe like an indomitable death cannonball, propelled by the final burst of the assault boat's maneuvering thrusters, aiming straight for the colossal monster.]
[The juvenile Void Kraken did not seem to notice your existence, its massive focus fixed on the remaining nine vessels.]
[The wounded creature opened its bloody mouth, a black maw lined with ring-shaped giant teeth, an utterly alien sight. It let out a silent, terrifying roar, a soundless scream that you felt in the subtle vibrations through the void, threatening to shatter the assault boats.]
[You once again seized the fleeting opportunity to attack. Your visor locked onto the dark opening of the Kraken's mouth.]
[You swung your power-armor-wrapped arm vigorously, the servo-motors whining under the strain, and the two just-activated melta bombs flew from your hand in an instant, small metal objects against a monster the size of a frigate.]
[Compared to the Void Kraken, the extremely small melta bombs crossed the cold and dark cosmic void in the blink of an eye and fell directly into the opponent's bloody mouth, disappearing into the darkness.]
[A second later, a deep, silent KA-BOOM was followed by a dazzling orange-red flash of catastrophic energy, turning the inside of the creature to plasma. Nearly one-third of the juvenile Void Kraken's silicon-based body was instantly blown into countless, smoking pieces, a shower of black, metallic debris.]
[A terrifying shock wave, carrying countless corpse fragments and a large amount of cosmic dust, rushed quickly toward you, an invisible wall of force that threatened to flatten your armor.]
[You couldn't stop your body from rushing forward, straight into the debris cloud.]
[You opened your arms, your expression calm, completely resigned to impact.]
[You held the buzzing chainsaw axe tightly in your hand, ready to meet your final fate in a blaze of glory.]
[At this moment, three Fist-Class Assault Boat, their engines running at full capacity, sped quickly through the cold void and formed a tight intercept formation, blocking your path by mere meters.]
[Your power armor hit the metal shell of the lead Fist Assault Boat heavily, the sound inside your helmet a deafening, sickening metallic CRUNCH. The force sent a jolt of pain through your body, despite the armor's dampening fields.]
[Your powerful body, having undergone multiple Astartes modifications, withstood the violent shock. You slumped momentarily against the hull, the world swimming for a brief second.]
[You survived by chance, your life saved by the courageous move of the auxiliary vessels.]
[You were lucky enough to complete the great feat of a single human killing a Void Kraken, a creature that should have torn your entire force to shreds.]
[You moved your scarred power armor, every joint aching and protesting, back into the interior of a Fist Assault Boat through the newly opened hatch.]
[Your combat performance won the great respect of the mortal auxiliary soldiers present. Their eyes, wide and shining, were fixed on you.]
[They all knelt on one knee and bowed their heads to you in respect, an act of genuine awe that transcended fear.]
[You raised your hand and took off the scratched metal helmet, revealing your sharp white teeth, like a shark's, in a grim, satisfied expression.]
["To commemorate our dead comrades, we need to work even harder to complete this mission," you took a deep breath, the stale, recycled air tasting metallic, and said to everyone, your voice rough.]
[Soon after, the eight surviving Fist-Class Assault Boat forced their way into the wreckage of the fallen merchant ships, navigating the complex web of debris.]
[The surviving mortal auxiliary troops excitedly swept every deck and every corner of the merchant ship wreckage, their fear replaced by a desperate energy.]
[Finally, your careful exploration paid off greatly. You personally checked a large, temperature-sealed hold.]
[You unexpectedly found 30,000 tons of Grox meat that had not expired from the merchant ship's wreckage, a supply that would feed the entire Chapter for months, as well as a large number of canned ant cows.]
[And the lucky mortal auxiliary troops also found an ancient technological artifact safely stored in a sealed cargo box, something small but humming with arcane energy.]
[You immediately ordered the communication personnel to send an encrypted message to the fleet, the signal bouncing around the vast asteroid field.]
[In the first week, the huge hull of the "Nicor" battle barge knocked away countless meteorites, its void shields flickering brightly with the constant impacts.]
[It cleared a wide, stable channel for the subsequent large and small ships to approach.]
[More vehicles, larger transports and salvage cutters, flew towards the wreckage of the merchant ship.]
[You returned to the battle barge with the precious ancient technological artifact, secured tightly in a containment field.]
[You met Captain Bail Sharr, a lean, quiet Space Marine who was waiting for you in the transfer deck.]
[You described the important news of the food supply discovery to him in detail, and also handed over the ancient technological artifact. Bail Sharr's dark eyes betrayed a flicker of something like relief.]
[Next, you returned to your private cabin.]
[With Spong's help, his small hands surprisingly adept at the task, you took off the scarred, damaged power armor. The armor was heavily dented, one shoulder pauldron nearly torn off.]
[You slowly immersed yourself in the water tank filled with salt water, the cold, stinging liquid instantly covering your secondary organs. You adapted to the cold environment, the water soothing the microscopic damage to your muscles, and gradually entered a dormant state, a necessary recovery procedure for an Astartes.]
[One ship day later, you were fully recovered, but the power armor was not. Due to the serious structural damage to your power armor, the mortal maintenance personnel, despite their best efforts, could no longer cope with the required repairs.]
[You had to go to the middle cabin of the battle barge and hand over the power armor to the company's technical sergeant for deep-level repair.]
[Just as you were about to turn and leave the repair bay, you were stopped by Captain Bail Sharr, who had come after hearing the news of your return.]
["Padrick, come with me," the expressionless Captain Bail Sharr blinked his dark eyes, his face a mask of cold discipline, "The Chapter Master wants to see you." He waited, silently expecting immediate obedience.]
[You couldn't help but grin, revealing your shark-like white teeth, a gesture of anticipation mixed with apprehension.]
[You followed Captain Bail Sharr through the labyrinthine passage and came to the upper cabin, an area rarely accessed by most Astartes.]
[You entered an ancient hall called the 'Shark Hall'. Countless Astartes weapons and damaged pieces of power armor, relics of long-dead battle-brothers, hung on the surrounding metal walls, testament to the Chapter's long, bloody history.]
[You stepped carefully onto a thick layer of transparent glass that formed the floor.]
[You saw a dark blue sea rippling under the thick glass, contained in a massive aquarium built into the ship's hull.]
[You noticed an extremely huge shadow slowly wandering under your feet, a massive, ancient predator.]
["It is a legendary creature from ancient Terra, and the true source of our chapter's mark, the Carcharodon," Captain Bail Sharr, his voice low and devoid of emotion, stopped and stared at you with his dark eyes. "It is probably much older than the entire chapter's history." He paused to let the history sink in.]
[You nodded, your focus still on the silent, terrifying hunter below, and followed the captain's steps again.]
[You walked through the empty, silent hall.]
[You saw the huge back of an Astartes who was much larger than an ordinary Astartes, a truly colossal figure.]
[He was clad in ancient Terminator battle plate, massive and oppressive in its weight and presence. Upon his arms hung a pair of brutal chain-claw weapons, relics of the chapter known as Hunger and Slake. Their teeth whispered of carved bone and torn flesh, their power fields flickering like predators breathing.]
[That was Tyberos the Red Wake, Master of the Carcharodons Astra, Reaver Lord of the Nicor, the silent reaper of the void.]
[You stared at his huge body, which was about three meters tall and impossibly broad, and couldn't help but take a deep breath, the air whistling slightly in your nostrils.]
["Captain," you and Captain Bail Sharr bowed slightly to Tyberos, a gesture of respect and deference.]
["Padrick, why aren't you wearing power armor?" You heard the question from the Chapter Master, a sound that grated like stone.]
[His emotionless and dead voice was like the roar of bombs, echoing in the hall and spreading into your ears, a profound, unsettling sound.]
[You subconsciously straightened your back, standing at attention.]
[You had to look up at him, tilting your head back to meet his gaze.]
[Right in front of you, Chapter Master Tyberos showed a pale gray face with exposed bones, the skin stretched tightly over his skull, and a pair of lifeless black eyes. He was a terrifying, spectral sight.]
[You subconsciously blinked your own, equally dark eyes, holding his gaze.]
[You vaguely caught a trace of deep fatigue and tiredness from his posture and expressions, a weariness that went bone-deep.]
["Report to the Chapter Master, the power armor is seriously damaged and is still under repair," you took a deep breath and said carefully, your voice clear and respectful.]
["Bail Sharr, go find him a suitable Terminator," Tyberos commanded, his eyes not leaving you. "Padrick, your contribution to the Chapter is worthy of those precious relics." His dead voice, without any recognizable emotion, sounded again.]
[This time, you seemed to sense the fleeting relief and joy in his words, a slight pause in his speech that spoke of a Chapter desperate for heroes.]
["Now, you are the captain of the reconnaissance team, Sergeant Padrick." The expressionless Captain Bail Sharr stared at you, his voice seeming full of praise, though his face remained utterly blank.]
[However, before you could fully react to the promotion, the next order from Chapter Master Tyberos made you suppress the faint joy and refocus your mind instantly.]
[You stood there expressionlessly, slowly spreading your sturdy arms, which were covered with plastic steel interfaces, ready for the new armor.]
[A white-haired technical sergeant controlled the servo-mechanical arm on his power backpack and began to install the basic components of the power armor on you, the precise movements of the hydraulics a soft hissing sound.]
[You received a set of ancient Saturnine-pattern Terminator power armor given by the Chapter Master, a massive suit of revered armor, heavier and more complex than anything you had worn before.]
[A thick adamantium skeleton covered your body, bolting and locking into place with heavy thuds.]
[Countless electro-fiber bundles connected to your plastic steel interfaces, and the black carapace gained the authority to drive your movements through your neural commands.]
[With the continuous installation of heavier ceramite shells, countless probe sensors were gradually connected to your neural consciousness, the world in your mind becoming a web of data feeds.]
[Finally, you put on the metal helmet shaped like a wolf, but its eyepiece was carved into a shark's mouth, the black visor dropping into place with a sharp click.]
[The buzzing sound from the auto-senses slowly sounded, the helmet's internal systems initializing.]
[The motion sensor and threat detection device could also be activated at any time according to your wishes, giving you unparalleled battlefield awareness.]
[This Terminator power armor, far more powerful and complex than ordinary power armor, was enough to take your combat capability to a new level, making you feel utterly invincible.]
[The technical sergeant who finished armoring you asked if you needed your personal totem mark painted on the shoulder armor, wiping sweat from his brow.]
[This is a leisure activity the Space Sharks love to see, a small display of individuality, but engraving a badge of war merit requires the chapter's permission.]
[You thought about it, remembering your time in the simulation, and decided to let him paint a wolf head.]
[The technical sergeant looked at you, puzzled. He was familiar with the Chapter's icons: the shark, the waves, and the occasional kraken.]
[He asked you what a "wolf" was and whether it was some kind of ancient animal totem, his tone slightly confused.]
[You couldn't help but take off the metal helmet, revealing your shark-like grin, and described the wolf's appearance to him with a helpless expression, realizing the cultural gap.]
[Soon after, you walked out of the middle cabin expressionlessly, a twisted, somewhat monstrous looking dog painted on one shoulder armor of your massive Terminator suit, a poor artistic interpretation of a wolf.]
[You decided to change the totem after a while. It would be better to change it to the Void Kraken next time, the creature you had just personally slain.]
[That way, the white-haired technical sergeant would have a basic visual concept for the Chapter's newest hero.]
[You returned to the lower cabin, your heavy, deliberate footsteps ringing through the corridors.]
[You explained Spong's new task of guarding the private cabin and also arranged his meals, ensuring his continued well-being.]
[The Chapter Fleet, having received a large amount of food supplies, could be a little extravagant, not to mention it was your personal food quota being used, a reward for your actions.]
[You entered the training ground and met your reconnaissance team for the first time, a small squad of battle-hardened veterans.]
[They were basically taciturn Astartes, quiet and reserved, as was the Carcharodons' way.]
[Only a few who were familiar with you from before came forward to communicate, congratulating you on obtaining the Terminator power armor with low nods.]
[You didn't mind the lack of exuberance at all; you preferred silence and efficiency.]
[You sorted out your thoughts and announced Chapter Master Tyberos's order to everyone.]
[You would follow Captain Bail Sharr of the Third Company.]
[You would head to the Atargatis system in the Ghoul Star Region to conduct a blood tax transaction with the Ashen Claws Warband, a renegade group.]
[Since Chapter Master Tyberos would personally supervise the gray tax transaction with those stingy "mechanical guys," the person traveling with you, the diplomatic representative, was replaced by Librarian Te Kahurangi, a powerful psyker.]
[In the second week, the Tyrant-class cruiser "White Maw" rushed out of the chaotic and treacherous warp. The Geller field surrounding the ship slowly returned to calm with a high-pitched whine.]
[Obviously, the foolish efforts of those ubiquitous warp demons to break through the Gellar field had failed again, the barrier holding fast.]
[You entered the Atargatis system.]
[This was a complex area full of asteroid fragments and a large number of meteorites, a natural graveyard of ships, very suitable for interstellar pirates and renegade warbands to hide their tracks and recuperate.]
[You received an order from Captain Bail Sharr through the communication device in your helmet.]
[You notified the members of the reconnaissance team to prepare for landing, the heavy Terminator armor rumbling softly as you moved.]
[You led the team members to meet up with Captain Bail Sharr at the departure bay.]
[You met Librarian Te Kahurangi for the first time, a tall Astartes with ancient robes and a glowing psychic hood.]
[You, driving the massive Terminator power armor, performed the war group's etiquette for him, a quick, respectful salute.]
[You unexpectedly saw a faint smile on his pale and old face, a rare sight that almost made you stop. It was a fleeting, genuine emotion.]
[This was an emotion that many Space Sharks never expressed, and it was deeply unsettling coming from a high-ranking officer.]
[You boarded a Thunderhawk transport, the heavy ramp thudding shut behind you, and flew to Atargatis Prime, the desolate planet where the Ashen Claws were stationed.]
[You heard Captain Bail Sharr's reminder over the vox. His voice was flat, but the meaning was clear.]
[The Astartes of the Ashen Claws were not easy to get along with. They had long lost their loyalty and now fought only for themselves, making them dangerous and unpredictable.]
[You grinned, revealing sharp teeth like a shark, a silent acknowledgment of the danger.]
[You lowered your head to examine your bolter and chainsaw axe, ensuring they were ready for instant use.]
[As time passed, the Thunderhawk transport landed on the Prime, the planet with a desolate surface and a muddy yellow sky. The dust kicked up by the landing gear was thick and smelled of sulfur.]
[You led the reconnaissance team, jumping out of the cabin first, your heavy armor thudding onto the unstable ground.]
[The bolters in your palms were ready to go, the magazines seated with a satisfying click, and the chainsaw axes could be activated at any time, a deep, mechanical growl waiting to be unleashed.]
[Your motion sensors and auto-senses captured an Astartes wearing black and red rebel power armor and thirty mortal warriors approaching the transport.]
[You noticed that those mortal warriors wore simple fur clothing, but they held genuine Locke-pattern bolters in their hands, weaponry usually reserved for Astartes, a clear sign of their renegade status and power.]
[You immediately raised your hand, signaling everyone to be alert and hold position.]
[You stepped forward, your Terminator armor creating a heavy sound with every step, and began the first negotiation with the other party.]
[He called himself Sykes, a non-commissioned officer of the Ashen Claws' first company, who had come to welcome the Carcharodons Chapter. He was respectful, but his eyes were calculating.]
[You turned around and reported the situation to Captain Bail Sharr and Librarian Te Kahurangi.]
[Led by Sykes, you and your group went to the Ashen Claws' headquarters, a massive, fortified structure known as the Lost Eagle's Nest.]
[Along the way, you kept your guard up and tightened your grip on your bolter, your sensors registering every shadow and movement.]
[You entered a rocky mountain, the tunnels carved violently out of the stone.]
[You passed through a foundry with roaring, deafening machines and a food storage room that smelled of crude, preserved meat.]
[You also saw some rare scenes, things that the Carcharodons would never tolerate.]
[For example, some mortal warriors who were on an equal footing with the Astartes, eating meals together at the same tables.]
[You even saw an Astartes being intimate with a mortal woman, a truly shocking disregard for discipline and the sacred purity of the Astartes.]
[Soon after, after riding several gravity elevators and passing through many complex, winding underground passages, you finally arrived at the door of a banquet hall. A chapter emblem and a black crow, the symbols of the Ashen Claws, were carved on it.]
["Captain Bail Sharr from the Carcharodon Chapter, please stop for a moment. You can lead a few people in, but the others need to stay outside," Sykes said respectfully to Captain Bail Sharr, the demand a clear security precaution.]
[Captain Bail Sharr, expressionless, looked at the Librarian for confirmation.]
[The Librarian led his apprentice away, finding a suitable spot to wait.]
[Captain Bail Sharr stared at you with his dark eyes, a silent order passing between you.]
[You immediately understood and followed behind him, ready to provide close protection.]
["Stay alert," all the Space Sharks heard Captain Bail Sharr's low voice inside their helmets, the warning soft but heavy with intent.]
[You expressionlessly clenched the grenade launcher integrated into your bolter in your palm, ready to fire explosive rounds at a moment's notice.]
[You and Captain Bail Sharr entered the banquet hall, which was burning with blazing, hot flames from large industrial braziers, making the air thick and warm.]
[A few dozen meters away, a tall figure wearing old power armor was waiting for your arrival, radiating a heavy, hostile presence.]
[That was the commander of the renegade warband Ashen Claws, Nehat Nev.]
["You Space Sharks actually have the nerve to come to me to do business," Nehat's voice was a low snarl, thick with resentment. "The cunning Tyberos stole my Astrix Talons! How are you going to pay this debt!"]
[The commander of the Ashen Claws, who had long black hair and pale skin, stared at you expressionlessly and asked bluntly, skipping all preamble or courtesy.]
[And you heard the other party's hoarse voice, full of simmering anger and betrayal.]
[One of your hands dropped the grenade launcher, letting the weight of the weapon fall slightly, and the other hand slowly placed on the axe handle, a subtle but clear preparation for combat.]
[With such a strong, aggressive opening, you were afraid that this blood tax transaction would be difficult to proceed without violence.]