Chapter 87: The Contest Between Saisake and Abaddon

Through the life signs scanned by the Auger Matrix, they locked onto an Ogryn camp with a similar life-sign signature.

Both First Captains were full of confidence in themselves; to ensure a fair competition, Saisake asked Abaddon about the number of troops in his company before sending his Lieutenant to lead the others in attacking another Ogryn settlement.

Stepping off the landing craft, Saisake assembled his squad; he had selected only Reavers equipped with Bolter Pistols and Chainswords.

He gave a pre-battle speech on the squad channel to the Warriors clad in Mark II Crusade power armor.

The first generation of power armor accompanied the Astartes as they unified the entire Solar System, continued to be used in subsequent expeditions, and gradually withdrew from the battlefield as it sustained damage.

Before the "Unification War" ended, the Emperor had already begun designing the next generation of power armor.

A more powerful and complex combat armor was successfully developed before the various Legions marched out of the Solar System, its protective capabilities surpassing the first generation in every aspect.

"Brothers, the Gene-Father did not choose us to accompany him on his first campaign; this is the shame of the First Company."

"We must declare with the blood and Death of our enemies in this conquest that the First Company is worthy of this honor."

"That way, when the next campaign comes, he will choose us."

Standing side-by-side at the front right of the formation was the Order Shadow; his right shoulder guard was not painted with the red sickle, but only the red falcon signifying the rank of Lieutenant was painted on his left shoulder guard.

He frowned deeply and said to Saisake.

"Captain, I think the Father's words were telling us to remain rational, not to indulge in slaughter."

A flash of anger crossed Saisake's eyes, and he shouted in a voice that was nearly a roar.

"Dixon, what are we?"

"We are the Emperor's angels of Death, the scarlet butcher's blade; slaughter is our duty."

He paused, suppressing his rage, and without accusing Ninglu, he said stubbornly.

"I will prove myself in my own way."

Saisake raised his Chainsword high and asked the Warriors before him.

"And you?"

Except for Dixon and the two squads of Order Shadow behind him, the other First Company Warriors raised their weapons high and shouted loudly.

"Prove ourselves in our own way."

Saisake's black eyes stared fixedly at Dixon and several other Astartes.

"And you?"

Dixon felt as if he were being stared at by a wild beast, but he did not yield.

"I will participate in the battle."

"In my own way."

Saisake curled his lip and said disdainfully.

"Open your eyes wide and watch how we win back glory for the First Company."

"Move out!"

Saisake locked his helmet; when he enjoyed the slaughter, the scanner integrated into his visor would identify the enemies he killed for him and update his counter.

This duel was both a team competition and a personal one.

Saisake took the lead and charged toward the Ogryn camp.

The Ogryns, who herded zebra-like creatures, were in the middle of selecting today's food.

Just then, Saisake charged into the tribe; he did not command his men.

His command creed was to lead by example, killing the most enemies in every battle, and he managed to do so every time.

In his eyes, any fallen battle-brother was an unqualified Reaper.

Saisake crashed directly into the herd like a high-speed tank, smashing the green-striped zebras one by one.

Blood stained his black armor, and the First Captain felt a familiar sense of satisfaction.

Facing the Ogryns charging with clubs, he swung his roaring Chainsword directly to attack.

Saisake's movements were swifter and more violent than the Ogryns'; the Chainsword hacked into an Ogryn's chest, spinning and churning.

Bathed in blood and gore, the First Captain felt increasingly delighted.

【We are the Emperor's angels of Death, the butcher's blade!

Governance is a matter for Malcador and the others; slaughter is our duty. The Gene-Father will understand; I will make him see.】

Saisake pulled back his Chainsword, knocked over the Ogryn's corpse, and charged toward the next.

He let his instinct for slaughter run wild; he relied on instinct, not reason, to capture the enemies' weaknesses.

Saisake was like the Grim Reaper of Old Night legends, swinging his butcher's blade, mercilessly slaughtering every Ogryn he encountered.

His violent slaughter stimulated his honor guard and infected even more Warriors.

At the very start of the battle, the First Company was like a wild horse off its tether, letting its instinct for slaughter run wild.

Dixon led two squads away from the main force; the other squad he had been leading had already lost control, as they did not agree with the Lieutenant's cowardly words.

"Calm down!"

"Come back!"

"Maintain combat formation!"

Dixon kept shouting, calling out to his men as the Order Shadow broke away from the formation.

He was even thankful that he had lost control of the other squad.

Thinking of this, Dixon subconsciously looked toward the other squad.

Immediately, he saw a Warrior covered in blood charging frantically into the group of Ogryns.

Dozens of Ogryns surrounded him; the Astartes swung his Chainsword, hacking the enemy to death with a vicious cross-slash.

At the same time, a dozen large clubs smashed toward him.

The Space Marine did not dodge; he charged in front of another Ogryn and swung his Chainsword.

He enjoyed the ear-piercing roar, and as blood-stained chunks of flesh flew into his face, two great clubs slammed heavily into his body.

The Astartes was sent staggering by the blow, and at that moment, the great clubs that had just collided while being swung were swung again, slamming into his body once more.

The Space Marine fell into a pool of blood.

Before Dixon could even grieve for the Death of his battle-brother, four Warriors from each of the two squads let out a roar simultaneously.

The Death of their battle-brother overwhelmed their final shred of reason, and they roared as they charged toward that group of Ogryns.

At the same moment, the clearing operation led by Abaddon and the Luna Wolves had entered its final stage.

The First Captain, while hacking down Ogryns with the Power Sword in his hand, did not neglect his command duties.

"Katulan, two o'clock."

The Katulan Reaver Squad, they were the assault unit of the First Company of the Luna Wolves, the first wave of the vanguard offensive, and also the final line of defense.

Their Jump Packs spewed blue flames, and accompanied by a hissing sound, the ten-man Astartes squad landed behind the Ogryns.

They raised their left arms in unison, tore open a gap with a volley of fire, and then charged inside.

They swung their Chainswords to hack and slash; they were not as recklessly brave as their competitors.

They covered one another, and they fully utilized the mobility advantage of the Reavers in confined spaces.

The Katulan Reaver Squad was like performing matadors; they evaded the Ogryns' charges in perfect unison, either firing bolter rounds or swinging their swords to hack and slash.

Abaddon watched with satisfaction as his elites tore through the enemy's defenses from the rear.

He focused on the slaughter until there was no one left in front of him.

The First Captain opened his comms and sent a message to Saisake.

"I have finished the battle," Abaddon glanced at the numbers on his eyepiece, "eighty-six."

Just as he had expected, he received no reply; his company had already won the victory.

Abaddon scanned his men and spoke into the comms again.

"My company, not a single Death."

The time on his eyepiece ticked past two minutes and sixteen seconds before he received Saisake's reply.

"I lost, eighty-four."

Abaddon's topknot stood even straighter; he had won the victory once again.

As always, as in the future.

At the same moment, Ninglu led the Fourth Company to the rendezvous point.

There is a lot to do this week, for instance, taking my mother to see a movie for the Lantern Festival, so there will be two updates from Monday to Friday.

I will resume three updates on Saturday.





(End of chapter)