Chapter 677: Reinforcements Arrive
The data stream abruptly ceased.
Ryo slowly opened his eyes, his fingertips unconsciously tapping once against the console.
The main body's decision-making remained as decisive as ever, its resource allocation surgically precise.
Two Imperial Knights and twelve heavily armed, recently augmented Astartes—this force was more than enough to unleash a hurricane across the surface of Pandora.
He did not immediately broadcast the news of the Predator mothership's arrival. Panic was an inefficient, uncontrollable emotion. He needed the RDA to act as a frontline distraction, and he needed the hunters lurking in the deep jungle to take the initiative, thereby exposing their operational patterns and weaknesses.
He left the laboratory and found Maine, who was inspecting the Iron Guard mechs.
"Maine, disseminate the order. In twelve hours, we will be receiving 'guests'." Ryo's tone was calm, but Maine could hear the weight behind it.
Maine set down his tools. "Reinforcements?"
"Correct," Ryo nodded. "A significant deployment, including heavy armor. We need to clear out Valley 3 to the southeast to serve as a landing zone and enhance the concealment measures in that sector."
Maine did not ask for specifics. He simply nodded with steady composure. "Understood. I will handle it immediately."
He knew that if Ryo was treating the matter with such gravity, this was not merely a standard support detachment.
Ryo looked out the window at Pandora's magnificent, perilous night sky.
The Predators' Vengeance Hunt had begun, and his reinforcements were on the way.
This undercurrent swirling around Pandora was about to erupt into a raging torrent with the injection of these new forces.
The Arrival
Twelve hours passed in a blur of tense preparation.
Valley 3, situated southeast of the Trailblazer, had been cleared. Maine's squad, alongside a detail of servitors, had established rudimentary guidance beacons and deployed camo-netting.
Ryo and Maine waited on-site personally.
The air in the valley suddenly grew heavy. The space emitted a low, tearing hum, as if the fabric of reality itself were being ripped apart.
A pinpoint of eerie blue light materialized out of thin air, rapidly expanding to form a stable, swirling energy vortex exceeding thirty meters in diameter.
The massive spatial displacement caused the gravel on the ground to vibrate subtly.
The first to step out of the vortex was Margaret Nearl, piloting her Lancer-pattern Cerastus Knight.
The nearly twelve-meter-tall steel titan bathed in the eerie blue light. Its slender, aggressive lines, the faintly glowing ion shield generators on its shoulders, and the shock lance held horizontally in its grip all radiated a heart-stopping majesty.
Immediately following was Maria Nearl's Castigator-pattern Cerastus Knight. It stepped through the portal, its heavy bolt cannon and tempest warblade boldly declaring its role as heavy fire support.
The two Knight suits stood in the valley like guardian deities stepping out of myth. Their colossal bulk and murderous aura instantly altered the atmosphere of the surrounding environment.
Trailing closely behind them were four Armiger-class mechs and a retinue of core Sacristan maintenance thralls.
The hatches of the Knights opened, and Margaret and Maria descended the boarding ramps.
They had already changed into relatively lightweight combat suits, yet they maintained the upright, proud posture unique to Knights.
"Magos," Margaret offered a Mechanicus-style salute to Ryo. Her voice, transmitted through her helmet speakers, was steady and powerful. "The Knights of House Nearl, reporting as ordered."
"Thank you for your timely reinforcement, Lady Margaret, Lady Maria," Ryo nodded in response. "Maine will provide you with a brief tactical SITREP."
At that moment, the energy vortex rippled once more.
This time, twelve burly, heavily armed Adeptus Astartes stepped through.
The power armor they wore was a dark, muted grey-blue, visibly distinct from standard Imperial Mark-series armor. The lines were more streamlined, the joint protection more flexible, and the overall aesthetic exuded the precision and brute force characteristic of newly forged technology.
At the vanguard of the squad were three light-armor reconnaissance specialists:
One possessed a backpack integrating a complex multi-sensor array and long-range communication antennas (Comms Specialist).
Another's backpack was equipped with high-precision scanners and environmental analysis probes (Recon Specialist).
The third's backpack pulsed with faint interference waves, clearly housing an electronic warfare module (EW Specialist).
Following them were four versatile tactical specialists:
One wielded a standard bolter, a bolt pistol holstered at his waist, and a power gladius sheathed on his thigh.
One held a boarding shield in one hand and a compact bolt carbine in the other.
The third gripped a heavy bolter with both hands, presenting devastating firepower.
The fourth was balanced, equipped with a bolter and a power weapon.
Then came three towering heavy assault specialists.
Their power armor had been augmented with external exoskeletons, making them even more massive. Their left shoulders were linked to heavy boarding shields via mechanical servo-arms. Their right shoulders mounted either micro-missile pods (two of them) or a short-barreled plasma blaster (one). Gripping long-handled power halberds or greatswords, they exuded the oppressive weight of an iron fortress just standing there.
Bringing up the rear were two specialized units:
A Techmarine, his power armor's left arm integrating various tools, his right arm replaced by a versatile servo-arm, carrying a repair kit and spare parts on his back.
An Apothecary, wearing specialized power armor marked with a red cross, carrying a massive medical kit and standard-issue Apothecary tools.
The squad was silent and highly efficient. The moment they stepped out, they automatically deployed into a perimeter defense formation, moving with flawless synchronization that displayed an exceptionally high level of training.
The Techmarine taking point stepped forward and offered the sign of the Aquila to Ryo: "Reporting, sir. Astartes Tactical Squad 'Greyblade,' all twelve personnel present and awaiting orders!"
His voice, processed through his helmet's vocoder, was deep and brimming with power.
Ryo could sense the surging vitality within them and the terrifying strength locked within their augmented bodies.
These twelve were the first successful fruits of the Gene-Seed Optimization Project. Their arrival undeniably provided a massive boost to his tactical flexibility.
Finally, the elegant silhouette of Elandir stepped gracefully from the dissipating portal like a phantom.
Still wearing her lightweight wraithbone armor, her gaze swept over the assembled Knights and Astartes, a thoughtful expression touching her face.
"It appears your emphasis on this 'hunt' far exceeds my previous estimations, Magos Ryo," Elandir's telepathic voice resonated directly in Ryo's mind.
For an Eldar, distinguishing between Ryo's avatar and his main body was not difficult. She would not fail to recognize that the Astartes standing before her was Ryo himself.
"It is better to be prepared, Lady Elandir," Ryo replied telepathically. "Welcome to Pandora."
The Techmarine signaled two tactical Astartes to carry a sealed metal crate over to Ryo.
"Sir, this is the equipment the Magos Prime ordered us to deliver to you—the Augmented Exoskeleton System."
Ryo (the second avatar) opened the crate. Inside rested a complex exoskeleton frame gleaming with a dull metallic luster, woven with intricate energy circuitry. Its design clearly incorporated elements of Tartaros-pattern Terminator armor, looking incredibly durable and lethal.
He merely glanced at it before closing the crate.
"Keep it secured for now," he told the Techmarine. "I do not require it yet."
Maintaining his current cover identity would make operations more convenient in certain situations.
The arrival of the reinforcements had completely changed the hand Ryo (the second avatar) held.
Two Imperial Knights, twelve Astartes equipped with newly patterned power armor, Maine's squad, the two Iron Guards, and Elandir. This force was more than sufficient to unleash a hurricane across the surface of Pandora.
Now, all they had to do was wait for the Predators—or any other foolish enemy—to walk right into it.