"For the Emperor!!"
Kahn roared, his war-fueled bloodlust igniting the battlefield. Wielding a jagged chain axe, he charged straight into the swarm of Devouring Beasts on the world of Ling Cage.
Each swing of his weapon tore through flesh and bone. The decomposing tech embedded in his axe shredded the beasts' bodies into mangled chunks, dismembering them like a meat grinder set loose.
Dozens of the creatures lunged at him.
Kahn tossed aside his axe. He didn't need it anymore.
He used his fists.
Grabbing heads, cracking skulls, punching through thick hides-Kahn became a living engine of carnage. In under a minute, dozens of beasts lay crushed, broken, and motionless beneath his feet.
The remaining beasts hesitated. They realized this bunny-eared brute was a monster beyond them. Quietly, they circled around to attack the Stromstroopers from the rear.
But waiting for them...
Ten Iron Warriors.
Giants in Mk II Power Armor, each wielding a Tigris-pattern Bolter and a jump shield, stood shoulder to shoulder in perfect formation.
They stepped forward with thunderous, ironclad resolve.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bolters mounted on their shields opened fire. Each round exploded on impact, tearing through the devouring beasts with surgical brutality. As the Iron Warriors advanced in an unyielding line, the monsters were gunned down without mercy.
Only then, after witnessing the combined might of the Stromstroopers and Iron Warriors, did the remaining beasts flee like a receding tide, realizing the terror of the towering warriors before them.
"Establish a temporary base here. Deploy heavy firepower across the perimeter," John commanded with authority, and the soldiers swiftly obeyed.
Moments later, a shuttle carrying Kenthelion descended toward the now-secured site.
Behind him, 10,000 Stromstroopers from the second wave began landing on the surface, each soldier moving with purpose, ready to continue the mission.
It had been two days since Kenthelion landed on this planet, and they still didn't know the current timeline. If it was early in the plot, that would be ideal. But if they were years too late-or even too early-he might be forced to destroy the planet.
The reason Kenthelion hadn't immediately ordered his forces to annihilate the star was because he wanted to recruit the Lighthouse. However, if the Lighthouse refused his goodwill, then he had no choice but to send Kahn to "play" with them until they surrendered.
Yes... this is for the sake of the Lighthouse.
Definitely not for Ran Bing, Jing Nan, Erica, Fan Di, Penny, Jessica, or Bai Yuekui...
That's what Kenthelion told himself.
"Emperor."
A man wearing the uniform of the Imperium Caelestis stepped forward.
"Colonel. Have you found anything?"
"Yes, Emperor. Our scouts have detected a human convoy approximately thirty kilometers away."
"Maintain surveillance. Do not engage or expose yourselves."
"Understood."
Meanwhile, a few kilometers away, several Ratlings lay prone with their sniper rifles aimed at the convoy in the distance.
"Boss, are we going to engage?"
"Hold position. That's the Colonel's order."
"But I can hear them. These people are stupid... We're so close, and they have no idea we're here."
----
Jeff, the hunter, called out to Captain Mark over the radio.
"Team Two has arrived at the entrance of Area B. Damn it, Captain Mark-this weather is awful."
I saw a human soldier fiddling with his earphone as he contacted Mark, cursing the weather with a grim expression.
Within the wreckage of the R-49 spacecraft, a dozen hunters-soldiers in form-moved carefully across the earth, weapons ready in their hands.
Everyone instinctively swallowed hard when their eyes landed on the disturbing sight ahead-chunks of flesh scattered across the dense, cold ground.
As a beam of light pierced through the darkness, Mark switched on his flashlight, sweeping the beam over the hunters ahead. The rest followed, turning on the lights attached to their weapons.
Then-an explosion.
A young boy carrying heavy equipment accidentally slammed his supply box into the side of the wall.
"Protect the supplies! Any damage will be deducted from your contribution points," barked a hunter who seemed to be a captain.
Then, in a quieter voice: "Don't go too far by reminding them that civilians are human too."
After a while, the team reached a narrow alley.
Among them, Scavenger 4068, tasked with carrying supplies, had just laid eyes on an old gold wristwatch from a bygone era. He decided to take it for himself, not knowing that this small action would bring severe consequences to the team trailing behind.
"4079, don't say a word. I'll be right back," 4068 said, sneaking away from the team and diving into a pile of flesh in search of the gleaming watch.
"4277 really loves vintage gadgets like this," 4068 muttered to 4079 beside him, as he used his knife to pry the gold watch out from the flesh.
..... ....