Steff never let down her guard against Yuki, and Yuki felt exactly the same toward her.
Eleven was in the room right next to them; as long as her boss gave the order, she would use her psychic power to shred these mortal bodies into pulp.
Steff voiced her confusion. Yuki was surprised; he hadn't expected these Battle Sisters to be capable of thinking about anything other than combat while in the heat of a campaign.
He indeed hadn't sent the Battle Sisters to attack the Chaos cultists. For unknown reasons, the Warp energy across all of Planet Ende had been dampened, significantly weakening the strength of the cultists. Simultaneously, Yuki needed to purge some of his original gang members who were becoming a liability, so he sent those "expendable" men to deal with the more dangerous Slaaneshi cults.
As for the Battle Sisters, Yuki used them to crush the rival gangs that weren't part of his "cleanup" plan. By controlling more resources and more population, he could generate more biomass for the Swarm when it arrived. The organic matter from a massive number of corpses could even be used to alter the planet's ecology ahead of time, perhaps even allowing him to "hand-craft" a Tyranid vanguard force right here.
A prosperous planet teeming with organic life is the most beneficial environment for the Swarm. This is why, in the world of Warhammer, if a planet suddenly becomes thriving and experiences exceptional development, it is most likely infested with Genestealers.
"Hmm? Are you dissatisfied because the mission is too simple?"
"Listen to me, Yuki. I don't care if those I kill are Underhive dregs or damned heretics, but I absolutely will not tolerate being played for a fool." Steff stared at Yuki, her tone intense. "I came here to kill heretics. If you don't want us to kill heretics, I would rather return to the convent and recite the Litanies of Faith."
Yuki furrowed his brow. This was why he disliked Battle Sisters; these people were self-righteous fanatics who viewed the Emperor as everything. This might be a virtue for the Imperium, but for a normal person, it was a headache.
"You want to face more dangerous enemies?" Yuki pondered for a moment before conceding. "Fine. I'll give you a real fight."
Steff's dissatisfaction with Yuki also found its way onto the desk of Griffith, the Cardinal-Bishop of Planet Ende. This young candidate for the Great Arch-Bishopric felt a tinge of unease regarding his own impulsiveness. He could tell Yuki was "problematic," but he couldn't pinpoint exactly where the problem lay.
In the Imperium, suspicion is proof, and proof is a death sentence.
"Bishop Griffith, your heart rate has exceeded normal limits. Shall I fetch a Medical Sister for you?"
This speaker had once been Griffith's favorite apprentice. The boy had been gifted; if not for an accident, he would have been Griffith's successor. Sadly, that accident had claimed his life, and the only thing Griffith could do was turn him into a Servitor.
"No need. My health is fine."
Griffith needed to process a massive amount of paperwork and meet with numerous figures from various factions. The current workload was already becoming overwhelming. However, the Great Arch-Bishop's health was deteriorating by the day; once he died, the next round of competition for his seat would become even more cutthroat.
Griffith wanted to take an unconventional path—to build his power base from the Underhive, a place others had overlooked. Yuki was a crucial instrument in this plan. Since that was the case, Steff's objections were irrelevant.
"Bishop, it is time for prayer."
Griffith changed into his magnificent robes, looking entirely different from the man who had entered the Underhive years ago. The nobles of the Spire, the high-ranking officers of the Astra Militarum, and the sisters of the Battle Sister Convent—everyone was waiting for him to lead the prayer.
Griffith loved this feeling: the grand cathedral, the eternal holy lamps, and the Emperor protecting everyone on this planet. Everyone has ambition; it isn't a strange thing.
"Everyone, let us confess our sins to the God-Emperor together. Share His pain, and love Him as He loves us!"
Griffith's call echoed through the cathedral. The sacred bells tolled. In the silent and solemn atmosphere, Griffith felt an immense sense of satisfaction. If I could stand atop the highest cathedral in the sector, would the satisfaction be even greater?
Griffith smiled. He would stand there. He definitely would.
"Bishop?" A scribe nearby spoke up, interrupting Griffith's daydream.
"What is it?"
"The latest list of Battle Sister candidates requiring an exemption from the Schola Progenium graduation requirements needs your approval. It has been delayed for several days."
The Battle Sisters of the Order of the Ebon Rose usually drew their recruits from the Schola Progenium, but occasionally they would conscript special individuals. For example, on Planet Start—another world in this sector—the massive riots currently occurring had produced a large number of eligible women.
However, the most severe issue on that planet was the Genestealer infestation. It was hard to say if Planet Ende didn't share that same danger.
"I understand. Place that document on my desk, at the very top of the pile. Also, make a note for me to propose to the Planetary Governor that we request aid from a Space Marine Chapter."
Just in case. If those gangs in the Underhive failed to eliminate the threat of the Xenos and Chaos—or worse, if the crisis expanded—then it would be necessary to call upon the Emperor's Angels to intervene.
Griffith felt his decision was perfectly sound. He wanted to bring the prosperity promised by the Emperor to his subjects. To achieve that goal, he had to ascend to a high position. That was all.
Griffith looked into the distance. Through a massive gap in the structure, he could see the sky. The pale yellow sky was a sight that countless Imperial citizens would never witness in their entire lives. If Yuki does his job well, I might even let him see this beautiful sky.
...
"Come on."
Raziel and Ade hadn't spoken like this in a long time. "Just what kind of strength does that guy possess? To make even you so wary."
"That guy" needed no further explanation; they were talking about Yuki.
Raziel felt sentimental. He remembered how the two of them had started from nothing, taking twenty years to reach their current scale. Back then, Ade was a ruthless man who wouldn't blink while ripping someone's head off. But Raziel didn't have much right to judge him. Hadn't he himself once been a man who swore never to use drugs?
"The man is very strange. Though he tries his best to hide it, his combat prowess clearly exceeds the range of a normal human."
"You mean...?"
"A legendary assassin? Is it possible?"
"It's not impossible. I've heard they are willing to stay undercover for thirty years for a single target."
Raziel couldn't figure out Yuki's true background. "What if... I mean, what if he's simply a genius?"
Raziel held the drug powder near his nose, paused for a moment, but didn't inhale. He continued, "The current situation is fascinating. The Underhive, which hasn't changed for ages, is seeing new trends. If we can seize this opportunity..."
No more needed to be said. Ade understood what Raziel meant.
"It's been so many years. We can't continue to be as uninspired as we were before."
"And that crazy woman behind the mask—I suspect she's even more eager than we are in this matter."