"Ghazghkull is a brother you can truly count on."
It was another day of heavy drinking. Yuki hadn't felt "drunk" in a very long time; in fact, for someone like him, the sensation of intoxication had almost entirely vanished.
"To be honest, we've spent too much time here." Yuki looked at his own fleet and then at the Ork fleet. By now, Ghazghkull's army had recovered significantly in scale, and the Hive Fleet had doubled in size.
"It's about time."
Yuki went to bid farewell to Ghazghkull. After days of frenzied combat against various Tyranid organisms, Ghazghkull's body had grown another size larger.
"Hahahaha! Yuki-humie, you ought to become an Ork!"
"Stop joking, brother. I'm a Tyranid; that's a fact that can't be changed. Anyway, go do whatever it is you need to do next."
"Fight me one more time."
Yuki smiled. "Fine."
The duel between Yuki and Ghazghkull lasted approximately thirteen days. Each day, their struggle devastated a significant portion of the land. By the time their battle concluded, one of Ghazghkull's "junk cities" had been leveled to the ground.
Finally, when Ghazghkull was swatted away by Yuki, he let out a thunderous laugh.
"Yuki-humie! See ya later!"
He boarded a scrap-fighter and didn't linger on the surface. The Orks, rowdy and clamorous as ever, rushed onto warships cobbled together from space-debris and took to the stars in a remarkably short time.
Yuki shook his head. The Tyranids were also ready. It was time to head toward the Five Hundred Worlds. He turned around as Yuno approached. He smiled, taking her hand and wiping the dust from her face with his thumb.
"You've gotten dirty. Be more careful next time."
"You sure are fussy."
"It's because I care about you."
"I know. I can feel it." Yuno looked at the man before her, both seeing their respective intentions reflected in each other's eyes.
"You seem to have a soft spot for Ghazghkull too."
"That's just how mutual attraction between males works."
"One day, I'll eat him."
"Save a portion for me when that happens."
Yuno lightly poked Yuki's abdomen and licked her lips. "Deal."
The Aether Fleet set sail once more. The war on Armageddon had finally come to a temporary close. However, Dante's heart remained filled with confusion.
"Fleet Astraeus. A bizarre Hive Fleet that appeared in the Imperium decades ago." Dante repeated the information he had gathered. He spoke with deep respect to the giant standing before him. "The battles between the Ultramarines and these monsters have been sung for a century. You were a hero against the Tyranids back then, Chapter Master Calgar. Do you believe this is a sign of Tyranid evolution?"
Marneus Calgar, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines, sat opposite Dante. He hadn't come specifically for this, but while passing through, he heard news of a new Hive Fleet and, out of vigilance regarding the Tyranid wars, had come to inquire.
"Chapter Master Dante, you are the true legend; I am merely the guardian of the Five Hundred Worlds. The movements of this Hive Fleet are extremely erratic. They devoured the Ender system and then vanished, unlike previous Hive Fleets that continued to expand outward. Furthermore, it's impossible to discern what their ultimate goal is."
"Perhaps they were limited by their scale and left after gathering enough biomass through guerrilla tactics?"
"It's possible, but such behavior hasn't been observed before—at least there are no clear records in the Imperium," Calgar judged. "Tyranids with such unpredictable movements pose an even greater threat. We must alert every Imperial sector about this fleet."
Dante felt this was almost a platitude. "Lord Calgar, should we dispatch a specialized force to hunt them down?"
"Do we have any way to track their future trajectory?"
"This..." Dante lacked extensive experience in fighting Tyranids. In this regard, Calgar, who had led the Ultramarines and the Five Hundred Worlds to victory in the First Tyrannic War, was far more seasoned.
"We should certainly treat this as a top priority, but the Imperium's resources are limited. We cannot commit too much to chasing an enemy without a trail. The Deathwatch can keep an eye out, but a dedicated pursuit would be inefficient."
Dante expressed his agreement with Calgar's assessment.
"Dante, you should also begin reinforcing the defenses of your homeworld. I have a premonition that the Tyranids will become our primary enemy in the future. Baal's location is critical; there may be a bitter struggle ahead."
Dante nodded. "I will remember that."
"Time is short. I must leave as well. There are remnants of the Ork invasion that need to be hunted down."
Dante watched Calgar depart, his heart filled with respect for this Chapter Master who was as legendary as himself. He had once visited Macragge and personally looked upon the face of the Primarch. Even though it wasn't his own Primarch, Dante still felt an unprecedented sense of hope and strength. He wished to visit Terra to gaze upon the Emperor personally, but there simply wasn't enough time. Whenever he felt a hint of weariness, he would think of the Emperor on the Golden Throne, enduring agony for all mankind. This sense of guilt and admiration would sustain him to keep moving forward.
"The God-Emperor protects."
The newly promoted Chief Librarian, Mephiston, walked in. Since conquering his Black Rage and gaining psychic power in a moment of desperation, he had become silent and terrifying. Dante had heard rumors about him; after multiple tests by the Chaplains and the Chapter, it was confirmed he wasn't corrupted by Chaos. If anything, his will and loyalty had become even firmer. Dante had accepted him with great tolerance.
"Chapter Master, that woman... she is no ordinary Tyranid creature." Mephiston's voice was calm and chilling. "I saw infinite swarms, an endless shadow capable of drowning the entire galaxy, capable of consuming everything. Behind that woman, I caught a brief glimpse. I saw it—the feeling was like staring into the abyss. Compared to that, the Black Rage is a curse most easily accepted."
"What are you saying?"
"There was nothing behind the man. In a way, he is even more terrifying. But I do not understand... having power only makes me feel my own impotence."
Dante struggled to comprehend Mephiston's words. He vaguely sensed that the two individuals he had fought were by no means ordinary. But what were they? Could Tyranids mimic humans? If so, the difficulty of preventing their infiltration would skyrocket.
Dante was filled with worry. The future of humanity was shrouded in mist.