The Chaos Lord's sickly, maniacal laughter drilled into everyone's ears through every communication channel like a maggot in the bone.
The ambush by the "Blasphemer" Warband was vicious and precise.
The sea of stars instantly transformed into a primal purgatory.
Countless Lances and shells tore through the vacuum, weaving a web of death with no blind spots between the Imperial fleet and the genesis.
The battle was a scene of total chaos.
The bridge of the glory of macragge.
There was no mortal panic on Robert Guilliman's face.
The moment the Chaos Lord's image popped up, before the first word of his profane declaration was even finished, the Imperial Regent's orders had already struck the Ultramarines fleet's command network like bolts of calm lightning.
"All units, transition to 'Resolute Bastion' defensive formation!"
"Third and Fifth Strike Squadrons, advance one hundred kilometers and construct an interception fire net!"
"The Emperor's Fist and the Dauntless, point your prows at the enemy capital ships and draw their fire!"
"All frigates, release Chaff and activate Short-range Teleport Jammer Fields!"
The orders were brief, clear, and devoid of any emotion.
The massive Imperial fleet was like a precision war machine that had been running for ten thousand years.
One second, they were in a cruising formation for lane calibration; the next, amidst the tooth-grinding roar of engines, they rapidly contracted and transformed.
Ship after ship, like the shield-bearers of an ancient legion, closed ranks tightly, protecting the flagship, the glory of macragge, at the core.
Blue Void Shields lit up one after another, merging into an impregnable energy barrier.
The Ultramarines showed the entire universe through their actions what the discipline and glory of the Empire's strongest Chapter looked like.
However, the Chaos fleet's offensive exceeded all normal bounds of madness.
They didn't care about combat losses at all.
An Insurgent-class Frigate braved the dense interceptor fire of the Imperial fleet, forced its way into effective range, unleashed all its weapons in one go, and was immediately focused down into a ball of exploding fire.
More Chaos warships poured out from the shadows of the asteroid belt like a pack of bloodthirsty sharks, charging the newly established defense line of the Ultramarines in the most savage and reckless manner.
The Imperial fleet's formation was being constantly compressed.
On the peripheral frigates, Void Shields flickered under continuous bombardment, and new wounds burst open on their hulls from time to time.
The bridge of the genesis.
Leticia calmly watched the shrinking cluster of blue dots on the tactical star map.
"Regent,"
Leticia's voice cut directly into the command channel of the glory of macragge through a newly established, absolutely encrypted private line.
Her voice was so calm it lacked even a ripple, like a piece of cold ice, instantly cooling the air on the bridge that had grown hot from combat.
"The enemy's tactics are clear."
"Using fodder to wear down your outer defenses while the main force looks for an opportunity to launch a decapitation strike against both our flagships."
Guilliman stood upon the command dais, his blue optical lenses calmly observing the tactical map.
He didn't turn around, only responding in a deep voice.
"I see it."
"What do you suggest?"
He didn't question her; there was no superfluous chatter.
On the battlefield, efficiency is life.
"Your fleet is the perfect shield."
Leticia's voice continued, each word like a precisely placed chess piece.
"But you can't win with just a shield."
"I need you to open a path for me."
Guilliman fell silent for two seconds.
Every Imperial officer on the bridge held their breath.
To have this fleet, representing the glory of the Empire, open a path for a mysterious, perhaps even heretic force?
This was an unheard-of request.
"Bearing."
Guilliman uttered a single word.
"Left flank of the enemy array, seven o'clock position, coordinate grid zero-three-four."
Leticia's voice was so fast there was no pause.
"That is the weakest node in their fire net and the designated lane for their follow-up fleet to jump in."
"My assault force will cut in from there like a scalpel, slicing open their array and paralyzing their command system."
"I need you to feint with your frontal fire toward the right flank for thirty seconds to create a fleeting window for me."
On the tactical display inside Guilliman's helmet, the area representing the coordinates Leticia mentioned was instantly highlighted.
His Primarch brain completed the entire simulation of this tactic's feasibility in less than a Planck time.
The conclusion: mad, bold, but... feasible.
It could even be called the... optimal solution for the current predicament.
Two leaders who should have been adversaries were conducting the most efficient and lethal tactical exchange across the endless fire of this chaotic battlefield.
Their thoughts reached an incredible synchronization at this moment.
Guilliman turned around abruptly.
His unquestionable voice as the Imperial Regent rang through the entire bridge like thunder.
"All fleet units!"
"Share Tactical Data Links with the genesis!"
As soon as these words were spoken, all the Ultramarine officers showed expressions of disbelief.
Share Tactical Data Links?
That meant opening up all of their fleet's real-time movements, fire configurations, and energy readings... to the other party without reservation!
In the dogmas of the Imperial Navy, this was an absolute taboo!
"Execute the order!"
Guilliman's roar cut through all hesitation.
"All units, coordinate the attack!"
"From this moment on, execute the 'Storm Hammer' tactic!"
The order was given.
The powerful discipline of the Ultramarines overrode all doubts.
Hum—
The massive Imperial fleet's formation shifted once again.
The capital ships that were originally holding the front began to turn slowly, aiming their broadside Macro-cannon batteries at the right flank of the Chaos fleet.
The next second.
Hundreds of Macro-cannons fired simultaneously!
A storm of iron howled as it tore through the vacuum, smashing heavily into the enemy's right flank like Guilliman's fist of fury!
The Chaos fleet's attention was instantly drawn by this sudden, violent assault.
An imperceptible trace of confusion appeared in their formation.
Now!
Under the cover of the Imperial fleet's feint, a white, light-like ship silhouette silently detached from the center of the battlefield.
The genesis.
With an elegant yet lethal posture that completely belied its mass, it carved a perfect arc, stabbing like an unsheathed sword directly into that fleeting defensive gap on the Chaos fleet's left flank!
Two massive powers that should have been mortal enemies.
At this moment, above this chaotic sea of stars, they formed a perfect... concerto.
The first collaboration between King and God had begun.
The moment the genesis officially launched its assault.
On the bridge of the glory of macragge, a tactical officer suddenly looked up, his voice turning sharp from extreme shock.
"Lord Regent! Tactical Data Link... connected!"
"We... we can see their troop configurations!"
Guilliman's gaze snapped to the main screen.
In a corner of the screen, an independent tactical window opened.
It was shared data from the genesis.
When they clearly saw the unit icons and names lighting up on the screen, representing friend-or-foe identification...
The entire bridge, every battle-hardened Imperial officer...
...were like mortals being choked by the throat.
They were completely, utterly speechless.
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