Yuki and Yuno had entered Hades Hive, the place where Commissar Yarrick would eventually forge his legend. At this moment, there was virtually no one else like them who had crossed nearly half the planet to reach this sanctuary.
Along the way, every human settlement they passed had been annihilated. Even the bunker where the soldier lived—the one Yuki had taken a slight interest in for recognizing him and Yuno as a couple—had fallen shortly after their departure.
Under Yarrick's leadership, Hades Hive had begun frantic combat preparations. The Armageddon Steel Legion, local militias, and even Underhive gang members stood united, ready to defend their home.
Though Yuki and Yuno were newcomers, the Astra Militarum officers overseeing the armory issued them rifles anyway. These weapons were arguably worse than the scrap-heaps cobbled together by Orks, but for ordinary citizens, they were the final means of resistance.
The factories were running at full capacity. For the first time, the workers offered no complaints about their grueling hours. Few idlers could be found on the streets. Yuki and Yuno left the residential and industrial sectors, heading toward the front lines to join a militia self-defense group.
"Do we really have to crouch here?"
The water in the trenches was a mixture of war machine coolant and watery dust from volcanic eruptions.
"It's a rare chance to experience the War for Armageddon firsthand," Yuki said, feeling it was a bargain. He looked around, pointing at the armored units of the Steel Legion in the distance. "Look, I bet Yarrick will be coming to inspect the troops sooner or later."
As he spoke, a wave of thunderous cheers erupted.
"Commissar Yarrick!"
He had actually arrived just in time. Yuki saw a spirited old man in a standard Commissar's uniform approaching. He had not yet lost his arm or his eye; the Orks had not yet besieged Hades Hive. The real story had not yet begun.
"Look! It's the real Yarrick!"
Yuno watched her lover acting like a child, able only to manage a helpless smile. "Alright, alright. Yarrick is here."
Yarrick had no idea he had a "super-fan" in the crowd. He inspected the troops. In reality, there were very few regular soldiers left; the pathetic number of armored units before him was all that remained of the local Steel Legion. In this defense, the true mainstay would be these poorly equipped, untrained militias—a literal motley crew.
"What is the status?"
"The Titan Legion is locked in a bitter struggle with the Greenskins. We've lost contact with the other Hives. Currently, the only confirmed surviving location is the Port World."
"In my opinion, the fighting in the other Hives must be ongoing, perhaps even favoring us," Yarrick mused. "If they had fallen, the Orks would already be at our gates."
Yarrick had memorized the distribution of every Hive city on Armageddon. Before being demoted by the incompetent Planetary Governor, he had also tracked the current Ork movements. Relying on his years of understanding the Greenskins, he could roughly grasp the state of the war across the entire planet.
"Step up the training. The time they are buying for us is precious. As long as we can hold them, Imperial reinforcements will arrive."
After issuing this order, Yarrick turned to the militia. These people would give their blood and lives to defend their homes; they deserved a salute.
Among the gaunt figures, Yarrick noticed two individuals who looked different. They showed no fear or unease; instead, there was a hint of excitement. He walked over and asked, "Are you not afraid?"
"Since you are here, it means humanity will inevitably triumph over the Orks," Yuki replied.
Yarrick was momentarily speechless. He could feel that the man before him was being sincere.
"It is good to think that way, but the cunning of the Greenskin xenos is beyond imagination. You must never let your guard down. I hope you all stay alive—alive to kill more xenos!"
"For the Emperor!" "For Armageddon!"
Amidst the cheers, Yarrick asked, "What is your name?"
"Yuki, sir."
"I hope to see you again after the war ends."
"That is a certainty."
Yarrick departed. Yuno shook her head. "Are you satisfied now?"
Yuki gave a cheeky grin. "Now, it's time to go see the other protagonist."
...
Princeps Mannheim's left hand had been wounded by shrapnel. "Flyboyz" in ramshackle "Deffkoptas" had dropped countless bombs on the Titan's cockpit before finally breaching it. He could see the sunlight through the gap in the hull.
Countless Greenskins surged forward like a tide, wave after wave. He could confidently say he had eliminated at least a million Orks, but at least three million more had arrived to replace them. There was no end to it.
Only five Titans remained in the Legion, though the Orks had suffered even greater losses to bring them down. Mannheim himself had destroyed several Ork walkers nearly as large as a Titan.
"The Omnissiah truly protects us; our ammunition ran out long ago."
"Then how did you fire that last missile?"
"The Emperor's blessing, I suppose."
The God-Machine continued forward. Every movement inflicted massive casualties on the Orks. The Titan Legion had successfully stalled the entire Greenskin front—a truly magnificent feat.
"If you just gave me two more Legions—even just one—we could push the Greenskins back!" Mannheim roared. The damage taken by the Titan was synchronized to his own body; he could feel the God-Machine's rage and indignation, mirroring his own.
"For the Emperor, everyone. We have done everything we ought to do."
Two more Titans fell. The Skitarii protectors suffered devastating losses. Mannheim looked at his colleagues. "It has been an honor to serve with you. We have lit the torch and set the example. The Emperor will be proud of us."
Massive Ork walkers approached. The gunner left her station, drew her pistol, and began firing through the breach at the enemy aircraft outside.
"Stop with the useless gestures. We all know what must be done. Do it quickly."
"Old friend, I leave it to you."
A massive explosion signaled the end of the Titan Legion's mission to intercept the Orks. They had completed their task brilliantly at the cost of their lives, buying vast amounts of time for the rear. The Orks had paid a heavy price, and the speed of the Green Tide slowed. This would be the beginning of the turnaround... right?
But without the protection of the Titan Legion, how could those Hive cities survive under the surging onslaught of the Orks?