The situation was far from ideal; in fact, it was bordering on catastrophic.
Yuki didn't even need to go looking for them—the Chaos fleet had already closed in on Hylia. He had preemptively ordered the Tyranid bio-ships to conceal themselves, doubting they could withstand a simultaneous assault from both sides. This decision proved to be profoundly correct. For now, the Imperial Navy and the forces of Chaos were re-engaging in a fierce exchange of fire, each side intent on wresting control of the planet from the other.
This provided Yuki with an opening.
He boarded a bio-interceptor specifically evolved for stealth, incorporating the chameleonic traits of a Lictor into its own fuselage. This allowed him to approach his high-value target—the Chaos flagship—at high velocity without being detected. He observed the Chaos fleet formation; they were remarkably orderly, showing few signs of the typical warp-mutated decay, save for the temporary Chaos icons crudely grafted onto their prows.
Yuki slipped through the picket line of the escort ships. So far, so good; he remained undetected.
The warship he was approaching likely housed several companies of Astartes. Upon learning of the Iron Warriors' involvement, Yuki's primary concern had been their numbers. Among the Traitor Legions, the Iron Warriors were one of the few that had largely maintained their original legion-scale organization. Even a single Grand Company would be enough to undo all his progress.
And if Perturabo himself were to appear, things would truly be terminal. A Daemon Primarch could slaughter an entire fleet single-handedly; in that event, his only option would be to flee with Yuno.
With a heart full of trepidation, he drew closer to the flagship. This bio-craft had sacrificed nearly all offensive capabilities to maximize its stealth profile. If a Primarch were piloting it, it might have achieved wonders, but currently, it held Yuki's newly grown third body—stronger than an Astartes, yet weaker than a Custodian.
"Let's see who's commanding this host."
Yuki neared the command bridge. He didn't recognize the commander; Chaos Space Marines, particularly those of Chaos Undivided, were often difficult to distinguish. However, this was at least not an Iron Warrior, nor did he see any sign of Perturabo. The leading Astartes was of immense stature, his body heavily augmented with cybernetics reminiscent of the Adeptus Mechanicus, giving him an appearance similar to Ghazghkull Thraka.
That look... could it be Huron Blackheart?
...
Huron, former Chapter Master of the Astral Claws. The history between him and the Imperium was a tangled web of right and wrong, but following those events, the Astral Claws were branded traitors. This sparked the Badab War, drawing in a vast number of Chapters. After the destruction of the Badab system, Huron and his fleet retreated into the Maelstrom. Now, blessed by the Dark Gods, he had returned to realspace to reclaim all that he believed was rightfully his.
Huron gazed down at the planet Hylia. "Does anyone have a lead? Why was there such a massive electromagnetic surge?"
"Perhaps... there is some undiscovered artifact on this world, Lord?"
"This is merely an agri-world, is it not? None of our intelligence mentioned anything regarding artifacts."
"That is true, but the planet has also lost all contact with the outside world for unknown reasons."
Huron pondered the situation. He couldn't think of a reason why a planet would be cut off so thoroughly. Was it the Warp? He hadn't caused it. Was it the Iron Warriors? That made little sense. It certainly wasn't the work of the Night Lords. However, there was another possibility: the Imperium had employed some extreme countermeasure.
"In the end, it is but a tedious interlude. We shall swiftly annihilate the False Emperor's fleet and move on to our next objective."
As Huron made his decree, a muffled thud echoed from the ceiling of the bridge. Before anyone could react, the hull was punched through, and a man slammed heavily onto the deck. The Chaos Space Marines present raised their bolters, but they found themselves unable to pull the triggers; the man in the strange mask had locked them in place with psychic force.
Among those present, only Huron remained free to move, though he made no sudden gesture.
"Interesting. Who are you?"
"I am a man of Hylia."
"And your purpose?"
"We are weary of the Imperium's rule and wish to dedicate ourselves to a truly Great Cause."
Huron's tone remained level. "Where does your power come from? Is it a gift from the Warp?"
"You could interpret it that way. I hope you can aid the people of Hylia by driving off the Imperial Navy. Afterward, I will offer the entire planet and its resources to you."
"Why should I trust you?"
Yuki smiled and produced a skull. "Do you recognize this?"
Huron's expression finally shifted. He stared at the skull, which radiated a palpable aura of malevolence. The overwhelming hunger for blood and skulls emanating from the object clearly identified its patron.
"You have received His blessing? Though He is not known for his fondness for psykers."
Yuki offered a thin smile, weaving another lie with practiced ease. "All power is meant to be utilized."
Huron let out a booming laugh. "Boy, I intended to kill you, but since you've presented a token of Khorne, I'll believe you this once. However, I must warn you: you had better be telling the truth. If you lie using the name of the Blood God, you had best pray you fall into my hands rather than His."
Huron gripped his power claw. Hylia was destined to be his regardless. Why not turn his sights on those pathetic Imperial ships first?
Yuki smiled, surprised at how smoothly it had gone.
"When I have wiped them out, if Hylia offers even a shred of resistance, I will destroy you and your people together."
"You have no cause for concern."
Yuki didn't waste another word. He leaped back through the hole he had created and vanished into the void.
Huron watched him leave and barked an order: "You, take a squad and see if you can track him. Also, tell the Second Fleet to hold back from the initial engagement. We must be wary of an ambush."
The Red Corsairs began to mobilize. Ship after ship ignited their engines, glowing with a deep, baleful red light as they moved toward the battle.
Floating in the cold vacuum of space, Yuki watched the Chaos fleet recede. That's more like it. He channeled his psychic energy and returned to his stealth craft.
Next, while these two factions were tearing each other apart, he would finish devouring the remaining strongholds on the surface and wait to reap the spoils. As for lying in Khorne's name?
Heh. If that guy has a problem, let him come find me.
With that thought, Yuki's third body sped away into the darkness of the universe.