Gehenna Hive. Devil's Rock.
The final battle between the alliance of the Blood Angels and the Szarekhan Dynasty against the Tyranid Hive Fleet was underway. The battle proceeded unexpectedly smoothly; although the Tyranid offensive was ferocious, Szarekh utilized several advanced technologies. The Sanguinary Guard entered the fray, with Dante leading the charge personally to slay the enemy.
Relying solely on the strength of this remnant fleet, the Tyranids could only gain a numerical advantage. To truly defeat these two combined forces was nothing more than a delusion. A few hours later, the majority of the Tyranids were wiped out. The final mop-up operation was deemed safe enough to be left to the Mortal Auxiliaries.
The full strength of the Blood Angels' Third Company assembled, supported by tanks and Dreadnoughts. They were now preparing to face another dangerous enemy: Szarekh, the Silent King.
"Mephiston, can you counter their temporal technology?"
"Stopping time is not a monopoly held by technology, Chapter Master. I will create the optimal combat environment for you."
Dante stared at the immortal mechanical constructs in the distance. The eerie green light in their eyes never flickered out. Above them, Szarekh's warships and the Blood Angels' navy were locked in a tense standoff.
"Mephiston, what do you think the probability is that we avoid a fight?"
"Forty percent. Both sides have suffered significant losses in the previous battle. Wiping them out now would be difficult, and it is essentially impossible for them to eliminate us." Mephiston continued his assessment, "The best-case scenario is that Szarekh recognizes this fact and stops lingering here."
"That would indeed be for the best—"
"Peering into the future with pathetic Warp techniques, I see." A mechanical voice suddenly rang out. Before they knew it, Orikan the Diviner had appeared before Dante and Mephiston. Before they could even strike a defensive posture, Orikan retreated several hundred meters, maintaining a distance where the Blood Angels believed they could react in time to an attack.
"Using such wretched psychic arts is beneath our technology. However, the fact that you attempted to use such parlor tricks to peer into the heart of the Silent King is an affront I cannot ignore—" Orikan raised a hand, and a ripple appeared in space.
But before the ripple could manifest any peculiar effect, the voice of the Silent King echoed through the area.
"Desist, Orikan of the Court. Our Great Master has magnanimously forgiven the offense of these pathetic mortals. His mercy allows Him to understand the anxiety of these weak insects; therefore, the transgressions they commit out of fear are forgivable."
Orikan lowered his hand, and teleportation light enveloped the warriors of the Szarekhan Legion in the distance.
"The Great Silent King, representing the Triarch, grants you a path to live. Now, live on with gratitude toward the Silent King in your hearts."
Mephiston sent a psychic query to Dante: "They are posturing. Should we strike?"
"The thought of betraying those who just fought by our side is repelling, even if they are enemies."
As the Silent King's legions began to vanish, the Blood Angels also prepared to withdraw.
"Heehee, found you."
The smile on Yuki's face was becoming impossible to suppress. Through the shared battle between the Blood Angels and Szarekh, he had successfully pinpointed Szarekh's location. He hadn't brought his Song of Oblivion; that warship was likely being used to suppress other non-compliant dynasties. Since the number of legions he brought this time was small, it was the perfect opportunity for revenge.
"Heehee, Szarekh, I still remember everything that happened back then."
The Aether Fleet sprang into action. The massive fleet emerged from the shadows, rapidly surrounding planet Gehenna. Shadows enveloped the entire world as hundreds of Hive ships bore down on the Necron vessels staying in orbit.
Yuki decided to meet the Silent King in person, leaving the enemies on the ground to Yuno and War.
"You're really going to see the Silent King yourself? I don't particularly like that guy, but honestly, he does have some skill. You, on the other hand—"
Yuki was quite confident. "It's fine. I'm not going there just to defeat him; I want to reclaim my pride. After what he did to me last time, I have to humiliate him properly this time!"
Yuno ran a hand through her hair. Since they were within the range of the Hive Mind, she could pull him back at any moment. If he wanted to go taunt the guy, she'd let him. Yuno had her own people to deal with.
"Dante, I want to see if you can truly escape this time."
Yuki boarded a bio-ship and soon spotted dozens of crescent-shaped Necron warships in the distance. If an Imperial warship was a giant space cathedral, then a Necron warship was a massive space tomb. Behind the crescent-shaped main hull was a pyramid-shaped primary structure. In terms of scale, they were still magnificent.
After several rounds of exchanges, the Necron ship-mounted death rays annihilated several bio-ships, while the acid spray cannons of the Hive Titans corroded through several living metal vessels. Yuki had anticipated this; Necron ships were superior in quality to Tyranid organisms. That was why he had brought a vast number of ships—he could afford the exchange.
But the warships were a minor matter; the priority was finding Szarekh.
BOOM!
"Cough, cough."
Yuki stood up from a heap of living metal debris. He hated this method of boarding—being launched directly by a cannon felt a bit too crude. It was only thanks to his high bodily durability that he survived; other Tyranid organisms couldn't possibly board this way.
"Organism... eliminate—"
Yuki casually dismantled the awakening Necron warriors. These ordinary units couldn't inflict much damage on him. Except...
Yuki looked toward the Triarch Praetorians who had arrived. Dozens of them, wielding void blades, particle casters, and Rods of Covenant, rushed toward him. Seeing these units, Yuki knew he was in the right place.
"Gentlemen, could you tell me where Szarekh, the Silent King, is? I'd like to have a word with him."
Yuki was quite polite. These Triarch Praetorians had been nobles during the Necrontyr era; a better attitude might save him some trouble.
"Fulfill the Triarch Protocols! Guard the Silent King!"
"Honestly, don't you find it funny? If you were here to help the Silent King handle business, that would make sense. But saying you're here to 'protect' the Silent King is a bit strange." Yuki, worried they wouldn't understand, kindly provided an example. "It's like asking a common Necron warrior to protect you—don't you think that's absurd?"
The Triarch Praetorians looked at each other and simultaneously reached a conclusion: This guy is a lunatic.
Seeing that they were unlikely to reveal the Silent King's location, Yuki tightened his grip on his weapon.
"Then let's test the mettle of the Triarch Praetorians."