The Emperor’s Angel of Death

Although many people disagreed with that crazy plan, the Red Scorpions Chapter Master insisted on executing it. After preparations were complete, the Loyalist strike fleet jumped into realspace in the Badab System, plunging directly towards Badab VI from a high, perpendicular position relative to the system's plane. This fleet consisted of no fewer than 6 Space Marine Battle Barges and 9 Strike Cruisers, along with 6 Imperial Navy warships, a large Mechanicus Explorator vessel, and 84 other smaller ships. Leading the vanguard was the 'King of Raptors,' dragging a burning fragment of a star torn from the Grief Starfall (though I don't really understand it).

By the time Badab's war machine finally reacted and prepared to intercept, they were unable to prevent what was about to happen. The clumsy and enormous 'King of Raptors' pushed its main engines to maximum output, quickly reaching extreme speed. It struggled against the inertia of the stellar fragment, finally managing to hurl it away, whereupon the infernal fire hurtled straight towards the Sigma Node. The Loyalist fleet, meanwhile, deployed into a spearhead attack formation at a safe distance behind.

Unable to escape the path of the stellar fragment, all defensive weapons within firing range on the defense lines opened fire. However, blinded by the glare of the terrifying nova rushing towards the node, the 'Iron Ring's' weapons were unable to even target effectively. The terrifying energy then washed over the void shields, disabling the node without directly destroying it. Landing craft, following closely behind the fragment, brought the Angels of Death to the key control centers of the Iron Ring, and Badab VI fell.

Now, Helbrecht had captured it with only six capital ships, demonstrating how much the Iron Ring had declined. But from another perspective, even the remnants of the Iron Ring possessed formidable power.

Reaching out, he took the data-slate from his aide and scanned the data with a scrutinizing gaze.

Casualties were light, indicating that few enemies remained to defend. The current tally of enemies killed, counting only Chaos Space Marines, was only six or seven hundred. It seemed that such a crucial node had such a sparse garrison, with weak armaments and firepower. Moreover, post-battle inspections revealed that most armories were either empty or contained very little stock.

Either the commander was a negligent fool, or the enemy had deliberately abandoned the place.

Clearly, that traitor named Honsou belonged to the latter category.

Therefore, Helbrecht felt no joy in breaking Badab VI.

Suddenly, Helbrecht felt something brush against his mind, like invisible claws gently scratching at a veil. At the same time, all communication devices emitted a brief burst of static.

"Report immediately. What's happening?"

Soon, he received a message from the navigators. Just moments ago, an unknown warp power had erupted from afar, its impact so great that it caused some weaker navigators and astropath apprentices to faint, while the stronger ones saw hellish visions of daemons rampant in the surge.

Helbrecht immediately ordered the fleet to investigate.

Several hours later, the reconnaissance fleet sent a message, reporting astonishing news.

The secondary target planet, Secundus, had been captured by warp power and transformed into a daemon world!

Helbrecht immediately convened an emergency meeting of all Chapter Commanders.

Soon, Malakim, Rhyddarth, Costas (Chapter Master of the Star Phantoms) and others arrived on the Obsidian Throne, but Second Battle Group Commander Samuel was nowhere to be seen. Costas merely explained that the Ravenwing Grand Master had other important matters to attend to, and no one else asked further questions.

Helbrecht had dealt with the Dark Angels and their Successor Chapters, knowing they were always pursuing something. However, Sigismund, the first High Marshal of the Black Templars, had issued a gag order, forbidding the Black Templars from questioning or investigating the Dark Angels' affairs, and this order had continued to this day, so he said nothing.

"This is the situation captured by the reconnaissance fleet."

In the dimly lit conference room, Helbrecht activated a projector, and a colored image appeared.

It was a pict-capture aimed at the void, showing many asteroids, each with runes and markings carved into its rocky surface.

Within the asteroid belt, there was also a crystal cloud suspended in the void, like hundreds of millions of shattered mirrors, the crystal fragments reflecting insane colors and bizarre scenes. Enclosed by the crystal cloud and asteroid belt was a blood-red planet. As everyone stared at the planet, a huge, bloodshot eye opened on its surface, like a tick buried in the planetary surface, its size astonishing.

As the first eye opened, more eyes opened in succession on the asteroid fragments, as if staring at everyone through the lens.

Then the lens began to shake, as if the ship was venturing further. The crystal fragments came closer, and twisted demonic faces could be seen blooming within the crystals, like ghosts from a nightmare flickering on the silver surfaces, hungrily staring at the lens and the souls contained within.

Then, bright metal rings and rows of giant cannons came into view. They saw the massive weapons, mounted on slowly rotating steel rings, each a system-level defense weapon, but parts of the metal structure, including the giant ancient gun arrays, had been twisted by daemons.

Seeing the weapons begin to adjust, the lens immediately began to retreat, and Helbrecht turned off the projector.

"Those ten minutes of footage cost us a frigate and all its crew. It was hard-earned."

As the lights illuminated the entire conference room, Malakim frowned slightly and said:

"Secundus wasn't like this before, was it? I don't remember it having an asteroid belt protecting it."

"It certainly wasn't like this before we arrived."

Recalling the scene just now, Rhyddarth said with disgust:

"Witchcraft. The heretics used witchcraft to turn this world into a daemon planet. We should execute an Exterminatus."

"That might not be easy. Secundus' defense systems are still active. A long-range Exterminatus would be intercepted, not to mention the interference from daemons. It's difficult for ships to even approach the planet now."

"Should we just ignore it for now?"

Costas tentatively offered his suggestion.

"The warp influence isn't too great at the moment, and daemons can't traverse the void over long distances. We can deal with it after we've dealt with Badab Prime."

"That's probably not realistic. Secundus' weapon arrays include some of the old Iron Ring's system-level defense weapons, and their coverage extends to half the system. Badab Prime is entirely within its range."

"Is that so? Then—"

"Let's put that aside for now and talk about this."

Helbrecht tapped his finger lightly, and a clear line of data immediately appeared on the table's display.