Chapter 35

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Lin En

Lena

Carnifex!

Heavy assault units within the Tyranid Ground Forces, pure killing machines!

Their appearance immediately changed the battlefield situation.

Ordinary bolt shells and energy beams striking their heavy carapaces could only leave shallow scorch marks or dents, unable to inflict substantive damage.

They advanced toward the Sons of Medusa battle line with heavy, stable steps.

As their scythes swung, they effortlessly cut friendly Tyranid units blocking the way in two, merely to clear a Road.

"Focus fire! Target, heavy units!" Cassius's cold voice rang out over the Communication Channel.

Instantly, over seventy percent of firepower turned toward the two Carnifexes!

Bolt shells poured down like rain, Heat Melt Rays attempted to burn through carapaces, rockets exploded beside them, promethium clung to carapaces and burned.

But the effect was limited.

The Carnifex carapaces were too thick, and composed of multiple layers of Chitinous Armor stacked together.

Outer layer Damage was quickly replaced by inner layers; their speed only slowed slightly, and they continued advancing with Ice Cold Determination.

Cassius knew the conventional firepower they carried would struggle to effectively resolve beasts of this class in a short time.

Delaying would only see them worn to death by the endless Bug Race swarm.

"Iron Knight Squad, with me! Tie them down!

Other units, maintain suppressive fire, clear the Miscellaneous Soldiers!"

He swiftly made a decisive call.

"Understood, Sergeant!" The other two Iron Knight Terminators responded in deep voices.

「Purge the weak! （Purification of the weak! ）」

Cassius shouted the Sons of Medusa battle cry, his voice echoing across the bloody Battlefield through the Amplifier.

He charged out of the battle line first, his heavy Iron Knight Armor driven by its power system to burst forth with astonishing Acceleration.

Like a Steel chariot, he bowled aside Tyranids along the way, lunging straight at the Carnifex with the slightly larger build and darker carapace Colour!

The other two Iron Knight Terminators charged the other one.

Cassius's chosen opponent was the currently most dangerous target in this Nest.

Facing the charging Iron Can, the Carnifex let out a threatening Roar.

Its massive scythe swept horizontally with a tearing-air Shrill Cry!

Cassius did not block head-on.

The Iron Knight Terminator modified by Sage Sailes possessed speed unattainable by ordinary Terminator Armor.

He fiercely sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the scythe's edge.

Simultaneously, borrowing the charge momentum, the Thunder Hammer in his hand slammed heavily into the Carnifex's relatively fragile knee Joint side!

"Thud!!"

A dull, massive boom! Carapace dented, Cracks spread!

The Carnifex's massive Green Skin Body also staggered.

But its counterattack followed instantly! The Chitinous Carapace on its back suddenly flipped open, revealing dense holes underneath!

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"

Dozens of venom-tipped Bone Spurs sprayed out like a shotgun blast! Coverage range extremely wide!

Cassius's Pupils contracted; the Storm Shield instantly moved before him, while his Power Armor jumped with full force toward the Side Rear!

Most Bone Spurs were deflected or blocked by the Storm Shield, but several still grazed his Shoulder Armor and Calf, leaving deep gouges on the Ceramic Steel.

Toxins attempted to penetrate, but were temporarily held off by the Power Armor's Purification system.

Before he could steady himself, the Carnifex's thick tail, like a siege hammer, swept in from another direction with inconceivable speed and angle!

This time, Cassius had no room to dodge!

"Boom!"

The tail struck the Storm Shield solidly, an unimaginable giant force transmitted!

Even with Terminator Armor support and the dual buffering of the protective shield and Iron Halo Force Field.

Cassius still felt his arms shake violently, as if his bones would crack!

The Storm Shield's energy reading instantly dropped into the danger zone, emitting a piercing alarm!

His whole body was knocked sliding backward by this Terrifying Blow; Iron Boots plowed two deep furrows in the Fungal Carpet!

The Carnifex clearly intended to give him no Breathing room; its massive Green Skin Body pounced with Agility unbefitting its size.

Two scythes raised high, aimed at the not-yet-fully-steadied Cassius, Vertical Slash descending.

Cassius had no alternative but to raise the Storm Shield and endure.

The Carnifex's Terrifying bulk and giant strength nearly crushed Cassius in an instant.

Bone Scythes carrying a Decomposition Force Field, under the Carnifex's continuously increasing pressure, gradually pierced through the Storm Shield.

Almost touching Cassius's Helmet.

Just at this critical moment.

「Omnissiah Guide Us! Steel Charge! （Omnissiah guide us! Steel charge! ）」

Three Preacher Vanguards, at some unknown time, broke through the firepower net and launched a charge from the side rear with reckless abandon!

One of the Preacher Vanguards, just as he was about to make contact with the Executioner, was struck by that giant tail.

He became a pile of scrap steel mixed with indistinct flesh and blood.

But he bought an opportunity for the other two Vanguards.

They raised their Taser Forks with all their might, stabbing toward the gaps in the Executioner's rear carapace!

"Zzzt!" High-voltage electric arcs leaped!

The Executioner's body stiffened fiercely, the descending scythe showing an extremely brief hesitation!

"Sergeant! Take care!"

A cold mechanical voice emanated from their vox-emitters, calm as if stating a predetermined fact.

The next second, the Specialized Thermite Bombs they carried, designed specifically to target chitinous armor, were simultaneously detonated!

"Boom!!!"

Blinding white light instantly devoured half of the Executioner's body!

Unimaginable high temperatures vaporized the thick chitinous carapace, tough muscles, and hard bones all together!

The explosion's shockwave, carrying metal jets and biological fragments, spread outward in all directions!

Cassius only had time to brace the Storm Shield tightly before him, curling his body.

"Thud!!!"

He was sent flying again by the rampaging shockwave, crashing heavily into an Iron Wall.

Emitting a dull, heavy boom.

Power Armor systems blared alarms wildly, but he had no leisure to attend to them.

The white light dissipated.

That powerful Executioner, its upper body almost completely gone.

Only the charred lower half and two broken legs remained standing on their own, then crashed to the ground with a boom.

And at its original position, there was only a molten, charred pit mixed with metal and biomass, and scattered, still-burning mechanical wreckage.

Those two Preacher Vanguards had already vanished completely.

"Soldiers!"

Cassius's voice rang out over the communication channel, rarely carrying a trace of irrepressible anger.

"Who allowed you to leave the line! Who gave the self-destruct command?!"

He had clearly ordered strictly before the charge that, aside from the three Iron Cavalry, no one was to leave the temporarily constructed trenches and cover!

This kind of suicidal attack did not conform to tactical logic or the operational plan he had formulated!

The communication channel fell into a stretch of silence.

The remaining Inquisition Army soldiers continued firing mechanically, clearing the still-mad and vast Insect Tide.

No one answered his questioning.

Before these Inquisition Army soldiers came, Sage Sailes had given them only one command.

"Protect Kashius Elatuo at all costs!"