The Tyranid shuttle glided like a silent predator through the shattered skies of Armageddon. The land below had turned into a seething furnace, though the fires were now rapidly dimming.
Yuki looked down at the battlefield through the organic observation port, his black eyes reflecting the final madness and collapse of the Orks. The Greenskins were still howling and fighting, but their formations were utterly broken.
The assault squads of the Blood Angels moved like red scythes, cutting paths of blood through the green tide. Precise bombardments from Thunderhawk gunships reduced Ork gathering points to cinders, while lance strikes from orbit completely vaporized massive Ork war machines along with everything surrounding them.
"Look at these Greenskins. I have to say..." Yuki's voice carried a hint of undisguised contempt. "They possess such vigorous vitality and a lust for war, yet they only know how to consume themselves in endless infighting and shouting, wasting their strength in a meaningless 'WAAAGH!'. Their evolution is filled with... randomness. It lacks guidance. It's noisy."
Yuno stood quietly beside him, the radiance of psychic energy rippling slightly around her. "I told you, they are nothing more than defective products—the result of degraded Krork genes. Though it's only a possibility, I've always felt it's the most likely case."
Her gaze shifted to the edge of the battlefield, where there seemed to be unusual movement. An abnormally powerful WAAAGH! energy was gathering, even interfering with psychic detection beyond the atmosphere.
At that moment, the tactical situation shifted abruptly.
BOOM!!!
A duller, more destructive roar than a standard explosion erupted from the ground. A heap of fortress ruins made of Ork scrap suddenly burst apart, and a figure so massive it took one's breath away stood up.
It was an Ork Boss, but its size far exceeded its kin, being even larger than a Dreadnought. Its muscles were knotted and bulging, covered in crude armor pieced together from scrap iron, starcannon fragments, and even Tyranid bio-shells. Twisted bone spurs and buzzing circular saws extended from its joints. Its eyes burned with an ominous red light, and the WAAAGH! field permeating its body was so strong that the air hummed and distorted around it.
Yuno expressed some surprise. "I remember these guys. They were fighting us quite intensely. They've actually grown this big?"
"And they've even added a crude imitation of our traits."
"For the Emperor! For Sanguinius!" A squad of Blood Angels fearlessly met the beast. Bolt rounds slammed into the Ork Boss's armor like rain, but they left only shallow white marks or were deflected by the warped WAAAGH! field.
The Ork Boss let out an ear-splitting roar, a sound that mixed Greenskin savagery with a certain Tyranid screech. It lunged forward with startling speed, its Tyranid-modified giant claw sweeping across. A Blood Angel tried to parry with his power sword, but he was swatted away instantly, sword and all. His power armor buckled in mid-air before he slammed into distant rocks, falling silent.
Another warrior stabbed at its flank with a chainsword from the side. The chain-blade whirled frantically but only left sparks and shallow grooves on the composite armor. The Ork Boss's other hand, wearing a massive power claw, grabbed the Space Marine. Its fingers closed, and the power armor let out an agonizing metallic screech before shattering, blood spurting from the gaps.
It was like a tiger among sheep; every swipe and every stomp brought destruction. The heroic combat skills and superior weaponry of the Blood Angels seemed powerless before this monster that fused Greenskin brute force with Tyranid adaptability. Bolters were ineffective, and melee combat was crushed by absolute strength. In an instant, two more Angels fell beneath its feet, their red armor shattered.
The scales of victory seemed to be tipping toward this terrifying Ork.
Yuno had the shuttle slow down. This battle was the most interesting part of the zone. This Ork had piqued her interest slightly.
However, Yuki's attention was elsewhere. Different roars echoed from the sky.
Several golden figures, like sunlight tearing through dark clouds, dived down at incredible speeds. They were more powerful than ordinary Blood Angels, their armor more ancient and ornate, equipped with massive jump packs and pairs of wings.
It was the Sanguinary Guard! Dante's personal honor guard!
Leading them was the Chapter Master of the Blood Angels himself—Dante. His ancient armor still shimmered in the dim light of Armageddon, and the longsword and bolt pistol in his hands radiated a cold light. His weathered face was hidden behind a mask, leaving only his eyes burning with a resolve and fury that spanned a millennium.
The Sanguinary Guard struck like golden lightning, landing precisely around the Ork Boss and surrounding it instantly. Without hesitation, they launched their attack. Power swords carved lethal arcs of light, and boltguns poured fury into the gaps of the armor.
The Ork Boss retaliated with fury, its Tyranid claw sweeping toward Dante. Dante evaded the strike with an elegant backward step, while his "Perdition Pistol" fired in succession, three melta-blasts accurately hitting the Ork Boss's face. The Ork Boss was forced to turn its head as the explosions battered its helmet, making it stagger.
"By the Blood!" Dante's voice emerged through the mask, sonorous and filled with authority.
The warriors of the Sanguinary Guard attacked different parts of the Ork Boss with exquisite coordination and lethal efficiency, distracting it. Meanwhile, Dante faced its most powerful front. Utilizing the mobility provided by his jump pack, he wove through the Ork Boss's violent attacks, searching for a lethal opening.
Though the Ork Boss was powerful, its brute force began to look clumsy before the synchronized siege of the Sanguinary Guard and a thousand-year-old god of war like Dante.
Finally, Dante caught a flaw. In the moment the Ork Boss briefly lost its balance due to an attack from a Sanguinary Guard warrior, Dante activated his jump pack and leapt high. His blade, carrying the full weight and power of the Chapter Master, plunged straight down like a falling star!
Pshhh!
The sacred blade pierced precisely through the crudely stitched chest plate of the Ork Boss, sinking deep into its heart. The Ork Boss let out a world-shaking roar of pain mixed with disbelief, its massive frame trembling violently.
Dante landed steadily and withdrew his sword, bringing out a spray of scalding, oddly-colored blood. The Ork Boss swayed, the red light in its eyes fading, until it finally crashed to the ground like a collapsing mountain, kicking up clouds of dust.
The Orks collapsed entirely, scattering in all directions.
"Quite a spectacular fight."
"I take it you don't want to leave again?" Yuki looked at Yuno; he could feel the same pursuit in her eyes.
"It's rare to see Dante. If you don't meet him now, in a few decades, he'll be in a duel with the Swarmlord you control."
A rare hint of agitation appeared in Yuno's voice. "Fine. I want to meet Dante too. The fleet can leave slowly; we'll catch up later."