Chapter 94: Throwing a First Captain

Saisake took a running start, leaped high into the air, and brought his chainsword down in an arc, cleaving into the Ogryn's massive head.

As the Astartes' body descended, the rotating blade split the Ogryn in two.

The spraying blood mixed with viscera caused Saisake's eyes to bloodshot; after landing, he immediately gripped the chainsword with both hands and charged toward the Ogryns like a whirlwind.

As if it were a source of infection, with the First Captain as the center, the order maintained by the surrounding Astartes instantly collapsed; they let out roars and charged at the enemy like beasts.

Astartes and Ogryns were intermingled, and the Ogryns' clubs slammed against the power armor.

An Astartes in the center of the battlefield was attacked by three Ogryns from his front and sides.

The Ogryns' immense strength turned the wooden clubs embedded with crude steel nails into lethal weapons, and the Ceramite Armor was dented by the continuous attacks.

The Astartes, having lost his reason, did not dodge; he swung his chainsword, instinctively hacking at the Ogryn in front of him.

He hacked one down, and immediately another charged down from above.

In an instant, he fell into a pool of blood; the death of their battle-brother further stimulated the bloodlust of the First Company warriors, and they became mired in pure hand-to-hand combat with the Ogryns.

In the chaos, only Lieutenant Dixon struggled to maintain the order of his squad.

Ninglu shook his head slightly; the First Company did indeed have a transformation, but it was not enough.

They had been recruited since they were children, and during the transformation process, they were cultivated as killing machines.

After stepping onto the battlefield, their senses amplified their desire to kill, and Huang Laohan and He Guangtou treated them as slaughter knives; the bloodthirsty desire had already been deeply planted in their bodies and minds.

Combat of this intensity had spiraled out of control, and it was foreseeable that such situations would occur frequently.

Based on the situation where the First Company had a transformation but fell short of expectations, the Primarch fine-tuned the plan.

【Arranging for Howard and the others to enter each company according to the plan would be best if it could transform the Terra-born like Saisake; after all, they were all excellent warriors.

If the transformation of the Terra-born succeeded, then Howard and the others could be promoted later to command other companies.

If it failed, Howard and the others possessed additional extraordinary abilities and his support, so they would naturally be able to gradually increase their influence and replace them.】

Ninglu anticipated that the cruel Terra-born warriors cultivated according to Huang Laohan's philosophy would have a high casualty rate if they continued this style of combat; he would not need to employ any means for them to meet a glorious sacrifice in battle.

His gaze turned cold; if the Terra-born were truly stubborn in the end and did not meet a glorious sacrifice, he would emulate Guilliman's method of forming the 22nd Regiment and pull them together.

After the Old Thirteenth reunited with the Legion, he immediately discovered the significant cultural differences between the Terra-born and the Legion members from the Ultramar Sector.

So he formed the 22nd Chapter, specifically responsible for executing Exterminatus, with personnel primarily consisting of Terra-born warriors; this Chapter later became the "Nemesis" Chapter.

The 22nd Chapter even had two complete Destroyer Squads, whom the Old Thirteenth considered a necessary evil and would dispatch at critical moments.

The Primarch's thoughts flashed by rapidly, and after finally making the decision regarding the First Company, he suddenly opened his mouth and let out a "roar," which was mixed with anger and disappointment.

The Ogryns were all stunned for a moment, and the Astartes' brains also went blank for an instant.

Ninglu was as swift as lightning, appearing behind Saisake in an instant.

The Primarch reached out and grabbed the Astartes by the back of his neck, just as an Astartes would pick up a mortal, and threw him forward.

The extraordinary throw made the "Briber's" first time throwing a Space Marine as proficient as if he had practiced it hundreds or thousands of times, and Saisake flew out spinning.

Before the Ogryns could react, the rotating black "windmill" had already swept over, smashing five of them down head-on.

With momentum undiminished, Saisake spun and was thrown upward, and it was not until he had smashed down dozens of Ogryns that he lost his inertia and slammed heavily onto the ground.

Ninglu stomped his right foot heavily on the mountain and shouted, his voice infused with psychic power.

"Control your bloodlust, you are the Order Shadow!"

The Gene-Father's majestic voice, mixed with a shockwave that struck directly at the soul, was like ice water poured over them in summer, startling the First Company warriors out of their madness.

They gripped their weapons tightly, realizing that they had once again disobeyed the Primarch's orders.

In the moment they were stunned, the Ogryns recovered from their dizziness.

Just then, the Primarch's Honor Guard launched their attack.

Unlike others influenced by the "Luna Wolves," which used Reaver Squads as their main force, the Seventh Company still relied primarily on traditional Astartes combat methods.

Warriors with seven bright red arrows painted on their right shoulder pads strode to the very front of the battle line, adopting the standard Astartes-style side-stance waist-firing.

The helmet and bolter sights were integrated, allowing them to use precise firepower to complete accurate shots against the Ogryns charging with their mouths wide open.

In the eyes of those who inherited the Gene-Father's keen senses, the movements of the big brutes charging at them were so slow, just like images playing in a tactical analysis room.

The pouring ammunition drowned out the roars, and the front row of Ogryns instantly collapsed.

When the Order Shadows of the Seventh Company finished their standard thirty-round magazines, members of the Fourth Company darted out from between them.

After they fired a volley with their Bolter Pistols, they activated their roaring Chainswords and launched a cross-attack.

Though fewer in number, they cut and dispersed the unorganized Ogryns, the Order Shadows working in pairs.

One warrior would attract the Ogryn's attention, while the other would cut in and strike while the club was being swung.

The warriors of the First Company watched the other two companies and immediately noticed their differences.

Efficient, precise, striking at weaknesses!

They began to understand the meaning of what the Gene-Father had said.

In order to gain the Primarch's favor, the First Company warriors began to clumsily imitate the Fourth Company's attack style; they began to seek coordination.

Ninglu nodded with satisfaction; he also noticed that the silver-haired Arsena had begun to act as well.

He raised the Crystal Staff carved with runes and aimed it at the Ogryns.

A telekinetic shockwave swept over a dozen Ogryns, and the clubs in their hands were thrown into the air.

The Ogryns were confused and stared blankly up at the clubs in the air.

The silver-haired psyker grabbed hard and then yanked downward.

The clubs smashed precisely onto each Ogryn's head, knocking them unconscious.

【Arsena Dunn and Malena Skala are both suitable candidates for non-Astartes attendants.】

While lost in thought, Ninglu cast his gaze toward Saisake, who was climbing up from the ground.

His black Ceramite Armor had dents all over it, and it was mixed with blood, chunks of flesh, and mud, making him look somewhat disheveled.

The First Captain had snapped out of his rage the moment he was grabbed by the back of the neck by the Gene-Father, and as he was thrown into the air, his thoughts were flying.

Scenes ignored during his rage flashed rapidly through his mind; he knew he had lost control and fallen into madness again.

He did not feel there was anything wrong with this; this was the purpose for which the Emperor created them, for they were weapons of war.

When he met Ninglu's gaze, Saisake's body stiffened for a second; he read a warning, disappointment, and a faint glimmer of expectation in the Primarch's eyes.

【I have disappointed the Gene-Father.】

The First Captain felt panic and helplessness; he had never experienced such emotions since he completed his ascension in the gene-laboratories on the Moon.

Panicked, he solved the problem in the way he was best at—slaughter.

Saisake turned abruptly, leaving the Primarch's gaze behind him, and swung his Chainsword to slaughter the Ogryns.

【It is all the fault of you stupid abhumans!】

The First Captain vented his anger on the "culprits" who had caused everything, using vicious slashes to sever their legs and saw off their arms.

His black armor was soaked in blood, but this time he did not lose control again; he could feel that pair of eyes behind him, fixed upon him.

Saisake, like a child who did not want to disappoint his father, tried his best to avoid causing the same result.

Just then, a giant, a head taller than the other Ogryns, wearing armor that shimmered with black light and holding a pitch-black, gleaming club, charged straight at the First Captain.

Saisake's eyes lit up; he could sense that this giant was much stronger than the other Ogryns and possessed equipment that could be considered luxurious by barbarian standards.

Finally having found an opponent he could fight to cast aside his troubles, the First Captain charged forward in excitement.

At the same moment, Ninglu also noticed the well-equipped Ogryn.

【Very special; perhaps useful intelligence can be obtained from him.】

He extended his consciousness toward the Ogryn.

(End of chapter)