Chapter 996 - 995: Could This Be the Source of the Shadows of Order Librarians' Power

A hundred Headhunters raised their dDoombolt combi-bolters in unison, dense barrages pouring out in an overwhelming torrent.

Facing several times their firepower, the Shadows of Order wove between the furnaces.

Nine "Hunters" of Catachan descent were the first to retreat toward the steel forest in the northern part of the forge.

As the "Hunters" ran, their gazes swept rapidly across the surrounding environment, factoring everything into their minds: Collapsed buildings, toppled furnaces.

They scattered swiftly, using Catachan fangs to dig into the ground, then buried the modified bounding mines they carried into the soil.

They gently brushed rubble and dirt over the mines. Then the "Hunters" marked red and green runes on the squad's tactical channel.

Three "Provoker" captains' gazes swept over the runes rising on the tactical interface. They silently issued retreat orders on the squad channel, then voluntarily activated their "Provocation" ability.

"Alphas, you are all jumpy and hesitant."

"You are not Astartes. You have no honor. You are merely gutter rats with modified bodies, snakes and insects in the grass."

The Headhunters' eyes all blazed with furious flame. Their Doombolt combi-bolters all fired at the "Provokers."

The "Provokers" had already retreated between the furnaces ahead of time. The Headhunters pursued.

A Headhunter's boot came down on the ground and immediately sank in, dirt covering the sole.

Boom!

The bounding mine was triggered. Blasting fragments leaped up, tearing through the dark green Mark IV Maximus-pattern power armor from below.

The shockwave, carrying charred blood clots and fragments, swept outward.

Rumble!

The ruined furnace was detonated. Burning debris slapped toward the Headhunters like rain.

Bang-bang-bang!

Amid dull impacts, the neat formation was thrown into disarray.

Four "Warriors" were the first to strike, Catachan fangs spinning as they slashed into dark green armor.

The blades were coated in a highly corrosive solution of "Apothecary" made from lacerating grass, emitting piercing hisses.

A string of bubbles rose on the Mark IV power armor. Cracks appeared across the plates.

Amid the clatter of fragments hitting the ground, the blade tips pierced into the Headhunters' bodies.

The Alphas' bodies flushed gray-green. Their frames trembled as if struck by electric shocks, and they were downed.

Five "Lawyers" charged into the chaotic ranks, swinging Catachan fangs, striking directly at the enemy's gaps.

The venom soaked into the Catachan barbed poison-thorn gorse surged into their blood vessels, spreading rapidly with the bloodstream.

The Alphas' chests went numb, as if stiffened into necrotic wood.

They moved their arms slowly and clumsily like mummies.

The Shadows of Order sidestepped and evaded, easily avoiding the enemies' slow attacks.

Rune after rune disappeared from the Headhunters' tactical interfaces. The grief and fury of battle-brothers pulled them out of their surging impatience.

They halted and attacked the Shadows of Order around them.

Crossfire from one o'clock, four o'clock, ten o'clock, and twelve o'clock simultaneously shot toward a Shadow of Order standing to the right of a furnace.

The "Monster," before the diamond-tipped bolt left the barrel, stepped left while pulling the trigger.

The bedrock-pattern boltgun roared, striking the right shoulder pauldron of the Mark VI power armor at twelve o'clock.

The joint, not reinforced like the left pauldron, exploded. Fragments sprayed. The muzzle jumped.

The deflected bolt flew and struck another Shadow of Order in the right thigh.

The bolt fired at the "Monster" from ten o'clock struck the steel furnace first.

The special ammunition cut into the furnace and detonated with a thunderous blast.

The exploding fragments bounced up, coincidentally blocking the flight paths of the other two bolts.

The "Monster," following his spiritual intuition, twisted his muzzle. The bolt howled and struck the exposed right scapula.

Boom!

The Headhunter's head exploded. He crashed to the ground.

Three Headhunters abandoned the "Monster" and concentrated fire on the wounded, slow-moving Shadow of Order.

A volley struck the black armor. The special ammunition detonated with a thunderous blast.

Amid the rising flames, the Headhunters achieved their first kill of the engagement.

Twenty-five serpent-head runes vanished from "Omegon's" tactical interface in an instant, while only four red runes rose at the same time.

After identifying the battlefield situation fed back by the runes, he could not help but feel stunned.

Headhunters were the elite among infiltrators. Nearly one in every hundred infiltrators earned the honor of becoming a Headhunter.

They were equipped with Doombolt combi-bolters specially designed to kill Astartes, with the goal of eliminating enemy commanders.

Even if the ambush failed, they should hold the advantage in a frontal fight. Yet now, despite having overwhelming firepower superiority, they were being traded at a six-to-one casualty ratio.

Even if they annihilated the enemy, this could hardly be called a victory.

The Father had granted him the Primarch's blood. He had to complete the mission.

"Omegon" aimed at the Shadows of Order "Librarian" and roared, pulling the trigger repeatedly.

Two fire serpents leaped up around the Shadows of Order "Librarian," coiling around the black-armored warrior, building a ring of blazing flame shield.

The special ammunition, capable of penetrating Mark II Crusade-pattern power armor head-on, slammed into the flame shield.

Bang, bang, bang!

Blazes of flame burst up. The "Pyromaniac" returned fire with the bedrock-pattern boltgun in his left hand while his right palm clutched empty air, repeatedly compressing flame.

Fireball after fireball was compressed by psychic power, forced together, merging into a massive fireball.

Thirty-two seconds later, his right arm trembled. The blazing flame nearly broke free of the restraint the "Pyromaniac" had constructed with psychic power.

The "Pyromaniac" raised his hand abruptly. The massive crimson fireball howled out and slammed into the ornate armor.

Boom-boom-boom!

"Omegon" was blasted backward again and again. His skin was scorched burning hot.

'Father entrusted Diamat's battle to me. I will not fail.'

The unabsorbed blood of Alpharius blazed. "Omegon's" two hearts pounded.

"Omegon's" body went ice-cold. He raised his Doombolt combi-bolter coldly, firing at speeds far exceeding an Astartes.

Boom!

A full load of bolts flew from the muzzle almost simultaneously, converging into a serpent's head with a mouth full of venomous fangs.

The serpent crashed through the wall of flame, carving trails through the burning streams, and struck the black-armored warrior.

Bang!

"Omegon" glanced at the powerful opponent, then charged at the Shadows of Order.

The Doombolt combi-bolter roared, sweeping out a string of lethal ammunition, taking the life of an Shadow of Order.

Boom-boom-boom!

A sea of fire surged skyward. The earth shook violently.

"Omegon" halted. He silently glanced at the tactical interface.

Fifty-eight Headhunters dead, yet only nine kills achieved.

Counting the powerful pyrokinesis discipline Librarian, exactly ten.

"Omegon" gazed at the blazing flames that showed no sign of extinguishing and could not help but frown deeply.

After a moment's thought, he decided to go around the obstacle.

A minute later, "Omegon" returned with his team after an unsuccessful search.

He could not help but look toward the powerful Librarian's body, and then saw a Shadow of Order pick up a crimson-red object from the corpse.

"Attack!" The Headhunters raised their Doombolt combi-bolters in unison, firing a volley at the Shadow of Order.

The overwhelming firepower devoured the Shadow of Order.

Bang!

The crimson heart rolled onto the ground, slowly expanding and contracting.

"Omegon" strode to the two corpses and carefully picked up the crimson heart.

He gazed at the nearly invisible flames spurting from the small holes in the heart, slowly rotating it, examining it closely.

"Omegon" walked to the Librarian's corpse and bent down to examine it.

'His fatal wound was the explosion of his head and neck. The chest ruptured from the inside out, as if the heart had burrowed out.'

"Omegon" rose and glanced again at the Shadow of Order corpse on the ground.

'He risked danger to return and retrieve this heart. Could it have something special about it?'

"Omegon's" pupils constricted violently. A bolt of lightning seemed to streak through his mind.

'Could this be the source of the Shadows of Order Librarians' power?'

'Could it be that their many powerful Librarians exist because Nareth has mastered some secret?'

'Strengthening the heart organ to grant the Shadows of Order power?'

"Omegon's" heart pounded. He felt he had made a major discovery.

He immediately walked to the Shadow of Order corpse, drew a combat knife from his waist, and sliced open the chest.

"Omegon" gazed at the normal heart and frowned deeply.

'Could I have guessed wrong?'

"Omegon" rotated the constantly expanding and contracting heart. 'Take it back first. Gukur and the Apothecaries will surely find the secret within.'

After "Omegon" led his team away, the "Provoker" captain walked over.

He gazed at the ruptured Lieutenant's corpse and the chest-slashed Court Knight's corpse, a blaze of fire exploding in his eyes.

The "Provoker" silently crouched and picked up the deep crimson jelly-like object that had just burrowed out of the corpse's abdomen.

He silently placed the crystallization of power granted by the Father into a crystal box and carved a psychic wall with a pair of black-gold daggers to seal it.

"I have reported to Lord Thibaut. He is on his way."

"Before he arrives, we must hold them back. The sacred relic must never fall into the hands of the blasphemous Alpha."

Another "Hunter" brought the Alpha armor plate to the Catachan wolf's mouth.

The Catachan wolf extended its tongue, repeatedly sweeping over the flesh and blood.

Then it opened its massive bloody maw and swallowed the flesh and blood in one bite.

It took the armor in its mouth and moved forward.

....

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