Chapter 158: Chapter 158: "We Are the Same!" "If You Can Fight, Then Fight"
The airborne squad opened its hatches early, and as they reached the floating island, forty Thunder Warriors, along with the accompanying armed forces, bio-weapons, and combat mechs, immediately leaped from their respective transports.
They landed on the island using "foot first" methods and launched an overwhelming surprise attack on the mutated sorcerers, as well as the elite orcs and cultists, who hadn't yet reacted.
Bang-bang-bang!!
Ri~whoosh—!!
Though the sounds of gunfire filled the air, the charging blasts of bolt rifles and small-caliber plasma cannons drowned out all other noises, weaving together a symphony of destruction.
Not only were the ground forces engaged, but the small armed gunships providing air support also unleashed carpet-bombing strikes around the tower's outer perimeter.
The twisted sorcerers, with their slender bodies and distorted faces, became the primary targets of Atlas's assault.
Due to the chaotic psionic energy and dark magic they wielded, the sorcerers posed the greatest threat.
However, they were still carbon-based beings, and without enough time to raise their defensive barriers—
Splatter—boom!!
Against .75 and 1.0 caliber explosive bolts and various gauss and piercing rounds, they shattered to pieces, dead beyond any doubt.
Without the sorcerers' support, even the most elite orcs and cultists, no matter how many "blessings" they received, could only become sitting ducks, their numbers rapidly dwindling.
From the time the airborne squad arrived to the moment the ground forces completed their landing and assault, only about a minute had passed—and they held absolute dominance.
While Atlas's forces continued to expand their gains, the black-scaled dragon Nyrenhog had already carried Samuel Young and his sons to the top of the tower, stepping into the open palace—
the Dark Sanctuary.
"Roar!!!"
At the same time, a bright blue fiery breath enveloped Moido and the throne of the sanctuary.
Thud-thud!
Dorn and Vulcan, wearing custom-made power armor from the research division, and Samuel, regarded by all races of Terra as the Emperor, jumped down from the dragon's back and entered the Dark Sanctuary.
"Disgusting scum! Die!"
Seeing the horrific state of the human captives up close, Vulcan, uncharacteristically furious, wielded his .75 caliber bolt pistol in his left hand and a frost giant hammer in his right, charging headlong into the "human" mass of corrupted cultists.
"…"
Dorn, silent and grim, held the 1911 pistol his father had temporarily lent him and the storm greatsword Ahoy had helped him purchase. He joined his brother in a one-sided massacre.
Having already adapted to battle rhythms during the capital uprising, the two Primarchs were no strangers to combat, but the blasphemous scene before them exceeded even their imaginations.
It seemed that only by slaughtering every last one of the filth could they quell their burning rage.
Meanwhile, as Samuel calmly approached the throne, he sensed the overwhelming despair that filled the area. With a swing of his left hand, clad in the lightning claw, he unleashed a barely visible psionic shockwave, freeing the human captives from their physical and mental torment.
Whoosh—whoosh—!
Nyrenhog, having completed its transport mission and breath suppression, flapped its mighty wings and flew away, preparing to assist the Atlas ground forces on the outskirts.
The throne of the sanctuary, scorched by the dragon's flames, had melted into molten iron, causing the stone bricks and pillars around it to shatter, becoming red-hot magma.
Despite this, Moido, who had raised a psionic barrier just in time to protect his flesh, still stood in place.
Though his face was hidden by a helmet, the glowing red eyes that shone through revealed an expression of utter terror and confusion.
With a rapid and panicked tone, Moido questioned, "Who… who are you?! Wait! We are both beings from the warp! Why not cooperate and share this world called Terra? For—"
Before Moido could finish his proposal, he saw the Emperor, who had just freed the captives with his psionic powers, suddenly expand his body to nearly ten meters in height. In a blink, Samuel surged toward Moido with the speed of teleportation.
!!
Acting purely on instinct, Moido fell silent, hastily drawing the curved blade from his waist in a desperate attempt to fend off the oncoming flaming sword.
Boom—!!!
Psionic power clashed violently, erupting into an intense shockwave visible to the naked eye.
"Ah!"
"No! My lord…!"
The remaining cultists caught in the blast were immediately reduced to ash, their souls absorbed as "nourishment," becoming part of Samuel's growing psionic power.
!
Even Dorn and Vulcan, who had lost their combat targets in an instant, had to focus their efforts on resisting the shockwave, finally realizing that this was a battle beyond their ability to join or confront.
But they also knew that they were still young and far from their peak strength, so they felt no discouragement or defeat.
As for their father—
Crack—shatter—!
With a sound like glass breaking, the psionic barrier protecting Moido collapsed, leaving his body exposed to the flaming sword.
Clang—boom!
With a metallic screech, Moido's curved blade shattered in his hands.
!!!!
Seeing the sword's edge about to cleave his possessed body in two, and his soul on the verge of being consumed by the "kindred spirit" before him, Moido made a decisive choice—he prepared to banish himself back to the warp, the home he hated yet found warm.
But unfortunately for Moido, while his self-banishment plan was flawless, Samuel, whom he considered a fellow being, had anticipated this.
So, the moment Moido's barrier and blade were shattered, Samuel thrust his left hand forward with blinding speed, claws extended.
Slash—!
The golden, lightning-charged claws effortlessly tore through Moido's corrupted armor and flesh, binding his soul tightly within their grasp.
"Ah! No! Please, no! I beg you, let me live! I can sign a pact! I'll tell you my true name and serve you as your most faithful servant!!"
Dangling in mid-air by Samuel's left hand, Moido pleaded, his echoing cries reverberating through the Dark Sanctuary, making him seem more like a pitiful clown than the self-proclaimed god he was.
But Samuel, devoid of any mercy for demons, immediately clenched his claws.
Squelch—!
The corrupted body was crushed with raw power, spraying foul-smelling blood in every direction.
Sizzle—sizzle!
The golden light radiating from Samuel instantly evaporated all the blood, preventing any further contamination of the surroundings.
Then, the two halves of Moido's body, now unable to speak, were torn to shreds in the blink of an eye. His remains were absorbed by Samuel's Plunder ability, becoming yet another boost to his psionic power.
Within mere seconds, everything returned to silence.
Now, only the father and his two sons remained in the Dark Sanctuary.
Samuel, having returned to his normal size, finally responded to Moido, whose soul he had just devoured:
"Kindred spirits? Hmph, what difference does that make."
Finished speaking, Samuel turned to Dorn and Vulcan, who had approached him, and imparted some important advice:
"Children, remember this: when facing an enemy of equal strength, there's no need for verbal exchanges. Strike first and seize the advantage—that should always be your priority. Understood?"
"Understood," Vulcan nodded sincerely.
"Yes, Father," Dorn also nodded, but quickly added his own thoughts, asking, "But if I'm already in close combat with an equally matched opponent, is it okay to respond verbally?"
"Of course."
Hearing the question and knowing his son's temperament, Samuel saw no reason to deny the request.
Dorn's words had, at times, even stirred emotions in Samuel, his own father, let alone what they might do to an enemy filled with hatred.
So allowing Dorn to speak freely during battle might have some surprising effects.
"Alright, it's time to wrap this up."
Samuel walked to the center of the sanctuary, looked up slightly, and gazed at the starry sky, now clear and brilliant after the nuclear and plasma bombardments.
Then, a surge of golden light, powerful enough to purge all traces of chaotic psionic energy, erupted from Samuel, spreading outward from him.
Meanwhile, above the abyss;
"Squad 2, be alert to the three o'clock direction. Watch for any remaining enemies."
"Squads 1 and 3, follow me into the stone forest and begin clearing it out!"
The voice of the platoon leader came over the communication channel.
From an aerial view, a battle platoon of the Emergency Containment Response (AECS) was gathering around the outskirts of a forest made of stone trees.
With the orders given, Squad 2 quickly spread out to cover their comrades' retreat.
Meanwhile, Squads 1 and 3 tightened their formation and advanced into the forest to begin eliminating the cultists and orcs hiding inside.
One of the riflemen had the name "Maggie Shaw" engraved on the left chest of her armor.
In reality, this AECS platoon consisted of recruits from Universe 05 (World War Z), as well as reserve officers who had just graduated from Atlas Military Academy.
As for the cultists and orcs, terrified by the strategic bombardment, they were incapable of organizing any meaningful resistance.
Even the orcs, who still believed the Lord of Darkness would lead them to ultimate victory, attempted ambushes relying on their superior physical strength. However, they couldn't escape the dynamic detection systems of the AECS soldiers' gear, and they were quickly taken down by 6.2mm armor-piercing rounds, gauss spikes, and plasma discharges.
Moreover, Maggie Shaw—formerly Queen Maeve—kicked aside a struggling orc with ease, its last breath crushed under her enhanced strength.
In terms of physical prowess, Maggie Shaw, having survived the augmentation of Compound V, far surpassed any of the filthy creatures hiding within the stone forest.
Boom—!
At that moment, a psionic shockwave swept out from the Antarctic Abyss, radiating across the entire region in the blink of an eye.
Without Moido's interference and support, the chaotic swamps were instantly purified, and the twisted, mutated swamp creatures were incinerated on the spot, leaving no trace of their existence.
As for the tortured humans who had been transformed into egg-like beings, they too found release, finally able to close their eyes in peaceful rest as they felt the warmth and comfort of the golden light wash over them.
"Attention, all units. This is Colonel Jack Krauser."
Maggie Shaw and her bewildered comrades listened as the voice of the AECS commander came over their communication links:
"Now that the golden light has appeared, it means the boss has completed the primary objective of this operation and cleared the way for us."
"So, continue as you were, but pick up the pace. We need to eliminate all remaining enemies within three hours, or it'll affect our year-end performance evaluation within the company, and that's not something I'm willing to accept."
"You all heard the colonel! Move it! Pick up the pace!!" The platoon leader's shout followed immediately after Krauser's.
"Hoorah!!"
Maggie and her comrades shouted in response. Already high in morale, they grew even more exhilarated.
Perhaps influenced by the local people, the idea of their boss being the Emperor had slowly but surely imprinted itself in their minds.
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