The Black Templars were unaware that the Daemonhunters' strongest demon hunters, the Grey Knights, had been summoned by Kenmyo Isayama. They believed Lucius was inside performing evil rituals, so under the command of Black Templars Marshal Adebelard, a crimson beam, imbued with power that devoured all, was unleashed directly from a massive orbital cannon in the orbital space of the Temple World Kerigran!
The reddish glow illuminated even the purplish-black clouds, like a divine judgment descending from the heavens.
However, just as the destructive power was about to descend upon the chaos-constructed barrier, the formidable beam disintegrated in mid-air, splitting into several smaller beams, like dancing threads, and gently, slowly, fell into it.
Kenmyo Isayama saw three gleaming, holy 'cans' standing together, each holding high their Nemesis Force Halberds, their blade tips converging and pointing towards the sky.
The trinity of halberd tips were the 'culprits' absorbing the power from the orbital cannon. The absorbed destructive energy flowed along the blades into the Grey Knights' bodies; surprisingly, apart from red lightning occasionally flashing across their skin, they showed no discomfort whatsoever.
This was the gentlest way to handle such a matter; otherwise, a single Grey Knight could, with a swing of their weapon, cleave the beam and simultaneously destroy all the warships in orbit.
There's no need to be surprised; the Empire's highest-level Psykers, Alpha-level Psykers, are merely a threshold for becoming a Grey Knight. After undergoing the Grey Knights' brutal training, their power far exceeds that of a typical Alpha-level Psyker.
Every year, the Empire pays an extremely high price to train Grey Knights, not just in money. Other legions wait for equipment, but the Grey Knights Legion waits for people.
The mortality rate of recruits from across the the Milky Way during training at the Grey Knights monastery is extremely high. The dense tombstones outside are all Alpha-level Psykers who died during training; it's normal for a century to pass without a single Grey Knight recruit.
High standards and strict requirements; only Grey Knights trained in this manner are the most terrifying demon hunters.
Afterward, one of the Grey Knights lowered his Nemesis Force Halberd, embedding it into the ground, and clenched his hand towards the sky. The barrier previously unleashed by Lucius instantly collapsed with a roar, and tiny black-purple fragments scattered across the sky.
In its place was a more formidable and solid barrier, marked with a huge I-shaped skull and a golden hammer.
The Daemonhunters - Order of the Sacred Hammer's symbol, composed of a black background and a skull, enveloped the entire Saint Sophia Cathedral, instilling awe.
This was a warning, not a reminder.
"Daemonhunters on official business, no entry."
Violators proceed at their own risk.
To keep the Grey Knights' existence unknown to the public, Grey Knights usually operate under the guise of the Daemonhunters' Order of the Sacred Hammer. Over time, the Grey Knights Chapter was simply incorporated into the Daemonhunters, but the Grey Knights' operational authority remains higher than that of an Inquisitor.
Otherwise, dealing with ordinary mortals who accidentally see Grey Knights would consume unnecessary time.
So what were the other three Grey Knights doing?
"Hey, hey, hey, are you kidding me?!"
Lucius, gritting his teeth under the enemy's immense strength and psychic amplification, was compressed into a crouched ball, unable to lift his head. The shattered power armor on his legs revealed his bloody muscles.
Only the magnificent greatsword, blessed by the Lord of Pleasure and imbued with terrifying pleasure, remained indestructible. Otherwise, the three Nemesis Force Halberds simultaneously wielded by the three Grey Knights would have long since torn his body apart.
The harsh, grating metallic friction was suffocating, and the collision between the two sparked a shower of flames.
Lucius no longer had the majestic appearance of a high-ranking Slaanesh Chaos Lord he had moments ago. Under the "righteous beatdown" of the three Grey Knights, his armor, the 'Howling Soul,' which had accompanied him for ten millennia, was tattered and resembled a beggar's rags, even showing dents from violent fist strikes.
Two of the three stimulant canisters on his back were shattered, and the rarest liquid in the the Milky Way soaked his back armor.
Lucius was being brutally battered. Even with the power supplied by thousands of trapped souls and the self-generating'Screaming Shield,' it couldn't withstand the relentless assault of three martial and psychic masters!
Hundreds of skull-like masks on the 'Howling Soul' armor opened their mouths, and dazzling light erupted from their depths, followed by an extremely compressed purple beam that shot directly towards the Grey Knights.
The number of skull-faced symbols on the 'Howling Soul' armor actually records the number of times Lucius has died. He has died thousands of times, so it's not wrong to say that 'The Undying' Lucius is the least prestigious of the Four Chosen.
But his ability is indeed a cheat.
Who wouldn't feel a flicker of joy at the honor of killing the strongest champion of a Chaos God? Only four beings in the entire universe.
But once joy or pleasure is felt, it's over. Lucius uses it as nourishment to forcibly resurrect in the body of the strong individual who killed him, erasing their original will, inheriting their memories, and devouring their original body, all of which makes him stronger. This is the origin of Lucius's epithet, 'The Undying.'
Therefore, no one is more suitable to be Lucius's executioner than the Grey Knights. Their iron will absolutely will not waver; killing Lucius is no different from killing an ordinary Chaos Space Marine.
Lucius imprisoned the souls of these powerful individuals on his armor for his own use. Even mechanical life forms like the Necrons couldn't escape the influence of Lucius's curse! The noise generated by those tortured souls over ten millennia, when released as a single destructive sonic attack, could easily destroy a giant mountain, let alone the combined power of hundreds of them. Even the Grey Knights would have to temporarily retreat.
This bought Lucius a moment to catch his breath, but he hadn't yet had a chance to relax.
Suddenly, Lucius's immediate vicinity was filled with several intensely burning, incandescent golden fireballs, indistinguishable from small stars, arranged in a triangular formation, completely encircling him.
The scorching flames illuminated Lucius's scarred face, and his eyes were bloodshot.
"Damn you!"
These were the 'Annihilation' spells cast by the other three Grey Knights, stepping in to maintain pressure on the 'Flawless Blade' while the others temporarily dodged the attack.
In Kenmyo Isayama's terms, it was a super-tier opening move.
Lucius really wanted to curse!
"Damn it, six against one!"
Lucius wished he had three heads and six arms; two hands were simply not enough, and he also had to simultaneously defend against the terrifying psychic spell assaults from the others. He was truly overwhelmed.
Actually, it wasn't just Lucius who felt numb; Kenmyo Isayama did too. He huddled in a corner, trembling, clutching a small, unconscious nun.
Despite the barrier set up by one of the Grey Knights, Kenmyo Isayama felt no sense of safety watching this battle. Only when his full psychic shield was deployed to its maximum extent within this area could his mind find a sliver of solace and a moment to breathe.
If he had a blanket, 'Manly Man' Kenmyo Isayama would have long since curled his remaining foot into it.
Strong!
Why could they be so powerful!
In Kenmyo Isayama's memory, the Grey Knights' power was only legendary. These 'demigods' were specialized in fighting Chaos Daemons; it was said that a Grey Knight squad leader could, in a one-on-one fight to the death, take down a Greater Daemon.
The Grey Knights' performance in front of Kenmyo Isayama was like seeing a Superman among Space Marines, incredibly cool.
Leaving aside their terrifying, god-like psychic abilities, even their most basic combat techniques far surpassed the most elite veterans of the Black Templars' Sword Brethren.
Lucius was utterly helpless before the three Grey Knights. If not for his superb swordsmanship, he might have been killed in the first round.
This Company Captain of the Thirteenth Company of the Emperor's Children Chapter possessed unparalleled swordsmanship at the time, having served as a swordsman-guard for a period in the squad of Kenmyo Isayama's Mentor, Ahriman (during the period of searching for Magnus's fragments).
Kenmyo Isayama estimated the biggest reason the six Grey Knights hadn't taken down Lucius yet was him. With him present, the Grey Knights couldn't fully unleash many of their violent methods.
It must have been the considerable influence of Kenmyo Isayama's superior, Inquisitor Lord Horst-Eisenholm. He likely spoke to a Grey Knight Grand Master, hoping that the Grey Knights on the mission would give young Kenmyo Isayama some special consideration.
As for the rules, they were understood. Kenmyo Isayama's memories of the Grey Knights would be purged by dedicated Inquisition personnel. The foot Kenmyo Isayama actively severed was treated by the Grey Knight serving as an Apothecary in this specially assembled Grey Knight squad. Frey was also thrown to Kenmyo Isayama by that Apothecary Grey Knight and was not executed.
"You are truly fortunate."
Kenmyo Isayama stroked the head of the unconscious small nun. He estimated that they were the only two living people left in the Saint Sophia Cathedral.
The collateral damage from the Grey Knights' and Lucius's battle was more than ordinary mortals could withstand; they did not have the privilege of enjoying the isolation barrier set up by an Alpha-level Psyker.
The cathedral had not been torn down because the Grey Knights had reinforced the surrounding barrier with psychic spells.
Kenmyo Isayama couldn't see outside now because the vast space of the'Sanctuary of Saints' was completely filled with raging flames, similar to a solar flare eruption on a star. The high-temperature particle streams obscured Kenmyo Isayama's vision.
It was obvious that the outside was already a death zone of at least several thousand degrees Celsius.
Kenmyo Isayama couldn't stand up either. The vine that Lucius had wrapped around Kenmyo Isayama's foot earlier was an item called the 'Whip of Torment,' which housed a terrifying daemon.
At that time, if Kenmyo Isayama hadn't decisively cut off his entire left lower leg, he would not only have fallen into Slaanesh's realm but also had his mind corrupted by the daemon's power.
After a long while, this rampant, violent power finally subsided, and it was due to the Grey Knights actively intervening.
One of the Grey Knights gathered all the terrifyingly high-temperature flames in the area into a highly concentrated small ball in his palm, then crushed it.
After the flames subsided, the surroundings, illuminated by the sky, had been burned into iridescent glass-like crystals. All the exquisite architectural remnants were unrecognizable, melted into a magma-like form, and high-temperature gases rose. In the scorched, ravaged world, Kenmyo Isayama saw six gleaming, holy 'cans,' completely unharmed.
And Lucius still stood. The Slaanesh Chosen Champion's chest was almost blown through by the Grey Knights' psychic spell, and his left arm was gone. Through the gaping, charred hole in his chest, one could clearly see the scene behind him, with flickering firelight in the blackness of the edges.
"He's not dead yet?"
But Kenmyo Isayama noticed that even after suffering such severe injuries, the guy was not completely dead.
"Before our purifying fire, daemons and corrupted minions have only one path: death."
The leading Grey Knight's voice was very deep as he spoke to Lucius.
"The time has come for reckoning, traitor of the Empire, Lucius."
"No one can escape the Empire's judgment."
During the Horus Heresy, Lucius's methods for purging loyalist Space Marines were exceptionally cruel, using virus bombs. This was the beginning of his long, wicked life.
"Don't bluster in front of me, Lord Lucius!"
In response, Lucius's lips curled into a sneer.
"You Corpse Emperor's dogs."
This was met by two Grey Knights raising their Nemesis Force Halberds, one from the left and one from the right, appearing to be in a pincer movement to sever Lucius's neck.
But just as Kenmyo Isayama thought it was a done deal, a crisp crack echoed in the air, like the sound of a blade shattering and armor being pierced.
"Splat!"
Kenmyo Isayama's hair immediately stood on end, and he felt a chill down his spine. He instinctively ducked his head, simultaneously pushing the small nun's head down as well.
As soon as Kenmyo Isayama lowered his head, the shield created by the Grey Knight, a barrier that even thousands of degrees of heat couldn't ripple, was shattered by a single blow. A sharp blade then embedded itself precisely where Kenmyo Isayama's head had just been.
".."
When he looked up and saw the blade deeply embedded in the wall less than fifty centimeters from him, the chill in Kenmyo Isayama's heart did not subside but intensified.
It was the blade of a Nemesis Force Halberd.
Just now, he had been less than 0.4 seconds from death.
The blade, originally held by a Grey Knight and prepared to execute Lucius, had been shattered and flew directly towards Kenmyo Isayama.
"What happened?!"
But when Kenmyo Isayama's gaze shifted to the center of the arena, his eyes widened instantly.
Between the two Grey Knights and Lucius, an additional person had appeared at some unknown point.
No, it was difficult to call it a "person."
A long snake-like tail was connected to a broad body, a monster with a serpentine lower half and a human upper half.
His body and face were elongated, but his handsome features had become exceedingly sinister, and he had spiral-shaped horns on his head. His chest had mutated to accommodate an extra pair of arms. Despite the body being so grotesque, the overall physique was surprisingly perfect. The chest muscles of this suddenly appearing monster were clearly defined, and his skin presented a gradient of light purple, incredibly vibrant.
This terrifying entity's serpentine skin on its lower half shimmered with the brilliance of gems, and its movements possessed a terrifying charm that would make even the Aeldari feel self-conscious.
Most terrifyingly, this monster had pierced through the Grey Knight's "Aegis-pattern" Terminator power armor.
After this terrifying entity withdrew its hand, it was covered in blood.
"I've always wanted to taste it."
Although his voice was filled with a sense of corruption, his nobility was undeniable.
The white-haired handsome man, half-human, half-snake, with golden vertical pupils, opened his mouth, revealed a slender tongue, and licked the blood on his hand before showing a look of disgust.
"How much of our brothers' blood is mixed in here to make it taste so complex."
"Your taste is as bad as ever, old man."
"Why is he here?"
Kenmyo Isayama witnessed this scene.
If he wasn't mistaken, the individual before him was the one Slaanesh had initially promised to be Kenmyo Isayama's swordsmanship Mentor.
The Emperor's third son, the fallen Primarch, the 'Perfect Phoenix' Fulgrim of the Emperor's Children Chapter.
The fallen Phoenix Lord suddenly turned his gaze towards Kenmyo Isayama and smiled.
"Hello there, my dear apprentice."