A clan chieftain in one of the Thirteen Councils.
Skavenblight is the largest city of the Skaven and the heart of their entire underground empire. The birthplace of Skaven found throughout the world.
It possesses unimaginable powerful magic, formidable fortifications, and a terrifying military force.
A terrifying city built upon endless overlapping caverns, crisscrossing twisted corridors, and founded on malice and filth. This largest and most populous Skaven city in the world has been perfectly hidden by the Grey Seers, who wield Warpstone magic. The ruined city boasts complex and complete industrial facilities.
Giant, intricately structured treadmill generators perpetually hum in the darkness.
Countless rats stand and run like humans.
Deformed and grotesque machines continuously churn out repulsive mutants.
Bloated female rats with atrophied limbs ceaselessly breed corrupt offspring.
As the capital of the Skaven, this terrifying metropolis is naturally the largest economic and commercial trade center of the underground empire, with countless clan members transporting goods and slaves here annually.
Mysterious Skaven Lords, Grey Seers, and warlords gather here, enacting chaotic and disordered political struggles day after day in the labyrinthine darkness.
Even in the streets, desperadoes, thieves, ruffians, bandits, traitors, and assassins form a lawless struggle for power.
Countless factions instigate bloody massacres over the city's wealth, political power, and riches, with no end in sight.
Every Skaven is engaged in infighting for the supreme plan of the Great Horned Rat and for personal gain. They devise various ways to hasten the coming of the end of the world.
Many forces have considered a permanent solution to the Skaven or a surprise attack on their capital.
However, they eventually gave up in frustration.
Entering Skavenblight is by no means an easy task.
Skavenblight is surrounded by the Mire of Death. Those who enter do not return alive. The putrid water and rotten mud of the swamp churn together, emitting highly toxic, foul gases and miasma in a constantly changing reaction.
The Skaven indiscriminately discharge various virulent plagues and biochemical agents into the swamp, causing the already unbearable swamp to become even more corrupted.
After a long accumulation, dense poisonous mists have even gathered above the swamp.
Not a single ray of sunlight can penetrate the clouds to reach the ground.
Large fleets of Skaven slave ships, diving Skaven, and small mobile shanties traverse the dark, narrow waterways of the swamp.
Gathering boats wander the endless swamp, searching for decaying crops and fungi.
Slaves captured from various races and low-ranking Skaven toil under the whips of Skaven overseers, forced to inhale the terrible toxic gases.
They often die a painful death within weeks. Those slaves have to endure their internal organs slowly rotting away into pus as they are corroded by the toxic gas. The closer one gets to Skavenblight deep within the swamp, the denser the toxic mist becomes.
Eventually, there is not a single glimmer of light.
Only the glow emitted by the Warpstone installations illuminates the dark city.
Endless fleets of ships slowly sail into the city's massive port under the watchful eyes of sentries. They often bring tons of grain and countless slaves.
Innumerable Skaven toil diligently in Skavenblight, contributing their blood and tears to the prosperity of this terrifying city. Their short and tragic lives are inextricably bound to the mines and factories.
Living slaves are exploited as much as possible until they die.
Deceased slaves are mixed with grain to make food for the living slaves. This city is so terrifying, bloody, and cruel.
Alien invaders who trespass here often meet with unimaginable tragedy.
Of course, this terrifying, bloody, and cruel Skaven capital will soon become a thing of the past.
A man destined to destroy Skavenblight is about to arrive.
He is the vanguard of rat slaughter, the brave rat exterminator, the bane of the Skaven, the most hated by the Thirteen Councils, the one whom the Great Horned Rat must kill—Dax.
Dax set his sights on Skavenblight and, with Valerius' permission, raised an army, planning to completely eradicate the Skaven empire.
Dax has always been dedicated to exterminating the Skaven and enjoys doing so.
Due to the lack of oil, the Imperial exploration team's technological development also experienced slight deviations.
Various Frankensteinian creations, mixing magic and industrial technology, were thus born.
For example, the hover airship Dax was on.
Its hull was crafted from wood and metal, with various magical runes etched on its surface, and a furnace installed at the stern. The furnace's power source was an energy stone extracted by the exploration team's tech-priests, following the methods of the Elves. The airship was equipped with a large number of cannons and carried over two hundred human soldiers.
Dax stood at the bow of the hover airship, boasting about his glorious past achievements to his subordinates.
"Back in the Battle of Roaring Mountain, I fought seven times in and out, hacking for three days and four nights straight, just chop, chop, chop, until the Skaven were utterly routed and fled in disarray. I chopped from one side of the battlefield to the other, and even Emperor Manfred, who hadn't died yet, told me to slow down."
Dax spoke with fervor, but the several officers beside him looked utterly lifeless.
Dax repeated this story morning, noon, and night.
If anyone asked, he would enthusiastically tell it several more times.
From Roaring Mountain all the way to the recently destroyed Skaven stronghold.
However, there were a few officers on the ship who had just been transferred to Dax's command.
Clearly, they hadn't heard this story before. They were currently gathered around Dax, listening intently.
"Sir, you chopped for so long, didn't your eyes get dry?!"
Dax, who had been speaking excitedly, paused.
He looked at the questioning officer.
From Dax's astonished gaze, it was clear this was the first time anyone had asked such a tricky question.
The questioner looked at Dax, his eyes filled with a youthful innocence and ignorance. There was no malice in his gaze, just pure curiosity.
Dax saw that look and was reminded of the spring when he was fifteen. Those were his youthful days, never to return.
At just fifteen, he hadn't yet joined the army.
It wasn't until a year later that he enlisted, becoming a fresh recruit.
By the old tree and well at the village head, he had once looked at a man with the same curious eyes as this young man today, and asked him a question. That man had boasted about bedding ten women in one night.
Dax had asked the man, "Eleven people on one bed, won't the bed collapse?"
At that time, the man's eyes had also widened, and his mouth hung open. That look seemed to say, "Are you kidding me?"
Dax finally understood at this moment. That guy's feelings must have been exactly the same as his own right now.
"I'm telling you I slaughter Skaven like cutting melons and vegetables, invincible and brave."
"And you're asking me if my eyes are dry!"
Dax was about to speak, to spit out the old phlegm in his heart, when the airship's navigator shouted.
"High concentrations of warp energy detected! We might be in Skaven territory."
Hearing this, everyone who had been gathered around Dax listening to his story dispersed, jogging back to their posts. The young man who had asked the question did the same.
Seeing his lingering, reluctant expression, it was clear he really wanted an answer.
"What's the reading?" Dax straightened his clothes and walked to the navigator standing in front of the control panel. The brass instruments gleamed, their pointers swaying back and forth with changes in the environment. Thumb-thick, polished pipes connected to the instruments, presenting the detected data through precise mechanical mechanisms.
Dax glanced at the reading and promptly gave up.
He was a rough man; scholarly work wasn't for him. The technology for building airships was profoundly intricate, requiring a thorough understanding of the principles and laws of the warp and the real universe to construct a vessel capable of flight from steel pipes, bearings, bolts, pulleys, and gear chains. The furnace rumbled, vibrating like a giant steam engine. The ship's deck also trembled slightly.
If one went into the lower hold, they would see a group of engineers busily working.
A massive, egg-shaped metal construct provided power for the floating airship—that was the airship's furnace core.
Crafted by the Imperium's sages, it integrated technologies from multiple Imperial domains, leveraging the aetheric energy of the warp to allow the heavy vessel to fly.
Complex runes and pipes covered the hull, forming intricate energy circuits.
Crystals installed on pipes throughout the airship occasionally pulsed with eerie light, stimulating the rune-covered metal devices to light up or shut down. The furnace was the core of this complex system, pulsating rhythmically like a human heart.
After circulating, energy was drawn back into the furnace through conduits, and after another refinement and replenishment, the energy that stimulated those devices was transmitted out again through complex conduits.
Arcane devices covering the ship's surface also pulsed and flickered rhythmically, ensuring the vessel's stable flight.
"Over five thousand, already close to the red line," the navigator said. "If it's not the Ruined City of Skavenblight, then there might be an open-pit, high-purity warpstone mine below, definitely the largest we've ever known."
"Lookout post, can you see anything?!" Dax spoke into a brass voice tube.
"Nothing, sir. Both the upper and lower lookouts can only see an endless expanse of swamp miasma."
"These dead rats, they hide so well!" Dax cursed under his breath.
He pondered for a moment.
According to some surviving adventurer's notes and historical records, the location of Skavenblight should be in this area.
Now with warp energy readings, could there really be a mine below?
Thinking about the mine, Dax shook his head.
With the Skaven's nature, how could a warpstone mine be left unexploited right next to their home?
Dax walked to the airship's rail, leaning over with his hands on the railing, and saw the mottled mist below. The mist rolled like waves, seemingly hiding nothing.
After watching for a while, Dax turned and shouted, "All ships maintain a pyramid formation! Sound the horn and order all ships to fire at the ground! See if we can blast something out."
The pilot pushed one of the power levers, adjusting the airship's speed.
With a tremor and the roar of the furnace, the arcane devices at the bottom of the airship glowed.
Dax' ship accelerated slightly, becoming the lead ship of the fleet.
Airships adorned with numerous Imperial double-headed eagle flags also adjusted their positions, forming a pyramid battle formation as practiced.
"Fire!" Dax roared.
Like the thunderous roar of a thousand storms, all the cannons, torpedoes, and firearms on the fleet simultaneously roared.
Ammunition, smoking and ablaze, whistled into the mist.
Flashes of explosions erupted from the ground, and surging airwaves stirred the hateful poisonous mist, tearing open the miasma that had accumulated for who knew how many years. This allowed Dax and his party to see a corner of the swamp.
Dax smiled. Through the torn miasma, he saw the howling Skaven, roaring at the sky with hateful voices, brandishing rusty swords. The previous round of explosions had caused the gruesome deaths of many Skaven. They had indeed arrived at Skavenblight and were hovering directly above it. That layer of miasma not only blocked the sunlight from Skavenblight but also shielded the dispersed warpstone energy and weakened sound propagation. This was why Dax and his team couldn't discover Skavenblight.
It wasn't until the fleet sailed over the warpstone towers that the airship's devices detected warp energy readings, revealing the anomaly. The Skaven launched a counterattack.
Streaks of green light shot from the warpstone towers of Skavenblight, piercing the miasma and striking the energy shields of the human sky-vessels, creating a series of ripples.
Dax ordered the fleet to retaliate, bombarding the enemy with full force.
At his command, the fleet's cannons all roared.
Some soldiers also threw bombs downwards.
When those shells and bombs landed, they had the impact of a volcanic eruption, unleashing flames and debris, and erupting in earth-shattering explosions, tearing the Skaven to pieces.
Some Skaven took out bows and arrows, shooting at the sky.
However, even the most skilled Skaven archers found it difficult to hit the human sky-vessels hovering high above, let alone cause damage. The only things that could attack the human fleet were the warpstone towers built by the Skaven wizard teams led by Grey Seers, and some warp lightning cannons and warpfire throwers crafted by Skaven Warlock Engineers.
But those towers and cannons were often subjected to concentrated fire within minutes of revealing their positions.
With a series of bombardments, the towers built by Skaven sorcerers and the cannons crafted by Warlock Engineers were dismantled one after another.
Skavenblight quickly lost its ability to counterattack the human fleet.
Even if they could still counterattack, those Skaven, who were adept at preserving their strength, dared not continue.
As soon as they revealed their position, human concentrated fire would follow closely.
Skavenblight experienced its most humiliating moment in millennia.
Humans continued the bombardment, destroying all the tall buildings. The airwaves and flames generated by the explosions drove away the miasma, allowing the Skaven lair, which had been shrouded in darkness, to see the light of day again.
"Keep bombing," Dax said, hearing the wails of the Skaven on the ground and seeing their miserable, suffering appearance, which filled him with genuine pleasure.
Dealing with these damned rats always brought him much enjoyment.
However, those cunning beasts quickly found a way to deal with the bombardment: they abandoned the surface, all moving underground.
Even the warpstone buildings were quickly dismantled and moved underground, for that was their true stronghold. The cave cities built by the Skaven underground were far larger than those on the surface. Their roots were underground, not on the surface.
After turning all surface buildings into ruins and confirming there were no more Skaven on the surface, Dax ordered a landing operation.
Dax' fleet consisted of over four hundred ships, including attack airships, transport ships, multi-purpose landing craft, bombing craft, and various other flying vessels.
A total of fifteen thousand trained elite human soldiers participated in the battle, along with a considerable number of engineers and civilian workers for logistics.
His campaign against Skavenblight this time could be described as an all-out effort.
He had not only brought all the sky-vessels built in Middenheim but also all the officers and soldiers trained during this period who understood tactics and how to operate new equipment. There were also a large number of civilian workers originally used for construction. This battle was solely for the complete eradication of the Skaven.
Valerius also did not object. The nobles had collapsed; all humans would be united.
A victory against xenos would greatly enhance the Holy Emperor's influence over this world, letting them know what changes the Holy Emperor's banner would bring them.
A flat area was chosen as the landing zone. The first to be deployed were the steam-powered war robots—the Rip-claws. The Rip-claws stood five meters tall, as massive as a house, protected by thick iron armor. They were collaboratively operated by four humans in the cockpit.
Their design was humanoid, and the overall material was specially treated wood and steel. They had a built-in steam furnace for power. The water was heated not by inefficient energy sources like wood or coal, but by energy stones.
One mechanical arm of the Rip-claw was equipped with a saw-toothed rotary wheel, while the other held an automatic cannon. Two large jet pipes on its back expelled unusable steam and heat to prevent overheating.
Fisher, a former junior officer in the Middenheim city defense force, had seen his status rise steadily and was now the commander of the mechanized forces.
He and his subordinates were among the first to land.
Five Rip-claws were immediately deployed to the landing zone.
When they were still a dozen meters from the ground, the sky-vessels used ropes to lower these heavy war machines.
As they landed, the screams of the Skaven erupted, pouring out from all directions and rushing towards the five Rip-claws.
Skavenblight was the first city bestowed upon the Skaven by the Great Horned Rat, and it was the homeland of the Skaven's rise. The human invasion filled all Skaven clans with rage. Their retreat underground did not mean they would give up easily.
When the Rip-claws landed, they launched a counterattack. They wanted to let the humans know that this was territory they could not tread upon. The Skaven's counterattack had already been predicted by Dax and the other commanders. Those beasts are not a race that gives up easily.
"For the Holy Emperor of the Imperium!" Fisher shouted, "Fight for his glory!"
"For the Emperor!"
The other four Shredders also responded to Fisher's battle cry. They had never seen the Holy Emperor in person. They could only hear stories of the Holy Emperor from Valerius and those with mechanical prosthetics, and see his revered image through the projections they provided. The Holy Emperor was a monarch destined to rule all the heavens and the universe.
He was the savior of countless humans scattered across the myriad worlds.
All who suffered would find happiness because of His appearance.
No deceased soul would fear being seized by Chaos Gods anymore; instead, they would go to the Holy Emperor's domain and sleep peacefully there. The Skaven screamed as they swarmed forward, howling madly.
Fisher operated the Shredder to attack. The high-speed rotating saw blades easily cut through the Skaven's weapons.
Slicing their filthy bodies apart.
A rat wearing rusty armor was sliced by the Shredder's chainsaw.
Without a moment's pause, the high-speed rotating saw blade slid through its body, splitting it in two amidst the rat's painful wails.
Crimson blood gushed out, and intestines flowed with it. The scene was so bloody and brutal that one dared not look directly at it.
In just a moment, the Shredder was stained crimson with blood. The automatic cannon on the other mechanical arm was also firing.
Bang! Bang!
The gunshots were deafening. The powerful bullets had terrifying penetrating effects and would cause explosions.
Rats hit by them disintegrated like bloated bubbles. They shattered like overripe fruit.
Crimson blood mist burst forth from every dismembered corpse. The rats attacked the five Shredders in a frenzied manner.
But to no avail.
Countless rat corpses lay in pools of blood, emitting painful wails.
Even the massive Rat Ogres could not withstand the Shredders. Their bodies were easily cut open by the circular saw blades, gushing blood and dying in screams. The slaughter by the five Shredders created conditions for the landing of other troops.
Several steam tanks were also lowered by ropes. They let out roaring bellows, like awakened beasts.
Six huge iron wheels churned the ground beneath them. Tall smokestacks installed at the rear spewed out rolling steam. The front of the steam tank had a metal-clad ram.
From it extended huge, merciless iron spikes.
Like the Shredders, the steam tanks were riveted with heavy steel plates, making them difficult to damage.
Skaven warp-guns and arrows striking them only produced crackling sounds, causing no substantial damage.
Within the thick armor on both sides of the steam tanks, there were also rows of shotgun muzzles and flamethrower nozzles. The steam tanks, in cooperation with the Shredders, formed an indestructible defensive line. They fired shells as they advanced. Those iron spikes easily pierced through the rats' bodies. The spewing flames ignited the rats attempting to attack the steam tanks. Their fur sizzled in the flames, giving off a foul odor. The shotgun muzzles on both sides also sprayed out sheets of tiny pellets.
Many rats at close range were riddled with holes, and not a few had their heads blown off. The rats were blocked outside by the combined efforts of the steam tanks and Shredders. The spacecraft began to descend, releasing the soldiers they carried.
"For the Holy, Glorious, Omniscient, Omnipotent Emperor of the Imperium!"
"For the Holy, Glorious, Omniscient, Omnipotent Emperor of the Imperium!"
"For the Holy, Glorious, Omniscient, Omnipotent Emperor of the Imperium!"
Cheers rose one after another.
Human soldiers generally wore full sets of armor inscribed with special runes. These armors possessed terrifying defensive capabilities, while also being light enough not to exhaust the wearer too much. They held automatic rifles specially manufactured to adapt to this world. Thousands of humans fired automatic rifles at the rat tide.
Forming a terrifying curtain of fire, harvesting rats in swaths.
Without petroleum, the expedition team found an alternative path, establishing a different kind of industrial civilization through electricity and magic.
For this reason, the soldiers also used thermal weapons with an industrial civilization style.
As for why energy weapons did not appear, it was because industrial era weapons were sufficient for the expedition team to conquer the world.
Moreover, resources should be focused more on building outposts and finding alternatives to petroleum derivatives.
Dax also joined the battle. The frenzied rats surged out from underground like a tide, a scene that could only be described as madness. The transport ship released a batch of small attack airships. They were generally single-person operated, equipped with automatic rotary machine guns.
Utilizing their high mobility, they continuously provided fire support to the ground from the air. They used machine guns to fiercely strafe the rats on the ground, alleviating pressure on the ground forces. To be honest, this was a massacre specifically targeting the Skaven.
In just a few minutes, tens of thousands of rats were slaughtered. The casualty count continued to climb.
However, the rats showed no fear.
As one rat fell, more rats rushed forward to fill their positions.
However, their fate was merely to repeat the tragedy of their predecessors.
Dax charged into the rat tide, still wielding his two-handed power sword from before. The activated power field pulsed with dazzling electrical arcs, making it incredibly sharp, cutting through metal like mud. The unique rat stench of Skavenblight mixed with the pungent damp air; even with the helmet's filter, that nauseating smell was still discernible.
Because of this, Dax almost vomited.
After so many battles, such a strong and disgusting stench could only be produced by these damned rats. The sickly green glow of warpstone shimmered in the ruins, everything was a sickly green, creating a ghostly illusion.
Large numbers of ragged slave rats, armed with various rusty, filthy weapons, charged at Dax.
His two-handed power sword danced and spun, and any enemy attempting to approach him was cut down with a single strike.
Before long, he was surrounded by rat corpses.
Many rats were cut in half by his sword, scattered on the ground.
Dismembered limbs, heads, and intestines were everywhere.
A massive rat warlord fixed its gaze on Dax.
Its size far exceeded that of other rats, as huge and strong as a grizzly bear in a dense forest.
Its terrifying muscles were like mooring ropes for ships, incredibly thick.
It was covered in heavy, rusted steel armor.
When it moved, the ground would tremble.
It looked capable of effortlessly smashing through a stone wall. Their tails whipped back and forth like whips, making whooshing sounds through the air.
It held a massive bludgeon, studded with numerous long metal spikes, glowing with an eerie green light.
It was clearly smeared with plague poison or something similar.
Even a small scratch would be instantly fatal. The tattered banner tied to its massive body was adorned with heads. The rat warlord's red eyes were filled with pure malice, and foul saliva dripped from its mouth.
It charged at Dax, its bludgeon exploding in the air. The deafening sound made one's eardrums ache slightly.
Dax bent down, crouching low, and the bludgeon, whistling with an ear-splitting whoosh, swept over his head.
Had he been a few seconds slower, he would have been sent flying.
Imperial armor possessed unimaginable defensive capabilities.
But Dax was still flesh and blood, not an immortal god. The rat warlord would hit him like a baseball, which would result in broken bones or a shattered skull. The nauseating smell, a mixture of animal feces, putrid sewage, and rotting corpses, emanated from the rat warlord and flooded Dax's nostrils.
Making his stomach churn. This was the most disgusting part of fighting rats.
Dax dodged to the side, managing to get behind the opponent.
When the opponent turned around,
He lunged forward with a sudden thrust, and the longsword plunged into the opponent's lower abdomen as if into cheese. That was a vital spot.
If a species has gender divisions, that is a very important place.
Rats possessed astonishing reproductive capabilities, which meant they would seek out female rats for 'communication' at any time.
For this reason, they also had a developed reproductive system.
Anger and fear flickered in the rat warlord's eyes; it opened its mouth, revealing its disgusting, sharp teeth, and let out a deafening roar.
It raised its massive bludgeon, intending to smash this human who had taken its virility.
But Dax cut off its leg with one swing of his sword, causing it to lose balance and fall.
Amidst the rat warlord's painful screams, Dax stepped forward and struck its forehead with his sword, splitting open its tough skull and declaring its death. The monster's eyes gradually dimmed and unfocused, and it died instantly.
Dax showed a slight smile, raising his blood-soaked longsword, "For the Holy, Glorious, Omniscient, Omnipotent Emperor of the Imperium, slaughter these sewer rats!"
The hovering transport ships continued to unload their passengers.
Fully armed soldiers formed small battle formations, steadily advancing. These soldiers were trained in the manner of the Imperial Astra Militarum, equipped with full protective armor, automatic rifles and bayonets, and daggers for close combat. The automatic rifles had a much longer range than Imperial firearms and Skaven warp-guns. They used magazines, unlike the Skaven warp-guns which required reloading after each shot.
Gunshots echoed incessantly, and rats were constantly struck down by bullets.
Rats surging forward like a tide left behind swaths of corpses.
But they remained incredibly frenzied, attempting to shorten the distance between themselves and the human soldiers through massive sacrifices.
However, as they drew close enough, the heavy machine guns and mortars positioned at the soldiers' high ground roared to life.
Heavy machine guns had a firing rate of up to 300 rounds per second.
High-velocity bullets instantly tore through the rats' bodies.
Mortars, meanwhile, targeted and bombarded the concentrated groups of rats. The shells that landed instantly blew up piles of rats. The piled-up rat corpses met the same fate.
Leaving the charging rats without cover, they were once again massacred by the human soldiers. They suffered heavy casualties repeatedly but could not advance an inch. The warlords commanding the rat offensive also found such losses unbearable.
A strange horn sounded.
Realizing they could not resist the human landing, the Skaven had no choice but to retreat. The surviving rats retreated underground.
With no rat interference, the hovercraft unloaded thousands of humans. The soldiers were uniformly clad in full armor.
Scholars and workers responsible for building defenses wore protective suits with respirators to avoid being incapacitated by the rat plague gas.
Capturing Skavenblight was not an easy task.
Crushing the surface defenses was only the beginning. The rats had a much larger presence underground than on the surface.
Completely destroying the underground portion was the most crucial part.
Someone once suggested using earth-shattering bombs to trigger collapses and bury the rat empire.
After several attempts, Dax gave up. The Skaven cities were too deeply rooted.
Even the ground-shaking bombs could only destroy a part, unable to reach the deepest core. To completely eliminate the Skaven, they would have to truly fight their way into their nests.
After consolidating the defenses of the landing zone, Dax planned an underground assault. This time, there was no help from Imperial Primaris Marines, only 15,000 soldiers conscripted locally.
Dax didn't have much of an opinion on this.
Soldiers conscripted from the local population had to prove their worth to the Imperium.
If they wielded the advanced weapons provided by the Imperium but couldn't even clear out enemies like the Skaven, then why would the Imperium expend so much effort training and cultivating such an army?
Fisher's steam-powered mechanical units were tasked with remaining on guard.
Steam machines were generally large, and entering narrow underground spaces made them vulnerable to concentrated enemy fire, leading to their destruction.
Keeping them on the surface to clear out any Skaven that dared to show their heads and ensuring logistical support would better leverage the importance of the mechanical units.
Annihilating the Ruin of the Skaven was not something that could be accomplished in a day or two.
Dax estimated it would take at least a month to completely wipe out the Skaven.
By then, Skaven from all directions would likely respond to the orders of the Council of Thirteen and rush to defend the Ruin. This battle would not end so easily.
Dax selected a group of elites to serve as the vanguard with him. These elites were all chosen from the meticulously trained private guards of the nobility.
Every one of them was a full-time soldier, trained from a young age on how to kill enemies. They were the nobility's reliance.
After Aldorf fell, many nobles were captured. These soldiers were also taken in by the exploration team and retrained.
"For the Holy Light, for the God Emperor of the Imperium, we must kill every single Skaven," Dax declared. "Do not fear, and do not flinch. When you have fulfilled your mission, your souls will be taken by the Holy Emperor and rest in His heavenly kingdom."
After delivering a customary inspiring speech to the soldiers, Dax ordered the assault. The assault team brought high-intensity lighting equipment. These devices could illuminate the tunnels as bright as day, and the strong light would also irritate the eyes of Skaven hiding in the darkness, making them unable to open them.
Relying on advanced firearms and Dax's berserk slaughter, the vanguard quickly shattered the Skaven's surface defenses and entered the intricate network of underground tunnels. Twisting loops and intersecting tunnels echoed with the screams of Skaven and the sounds of firearms and commands.
Other units were responsible for maintaining the areas captured by the assault team, ensuring logistical supplies. The tunnels branched out in all directions.
Dax had no intention of capturing every single tunnel.
Doing so would require more manpower than they had.
He only seized the main thoroughfares and established defenses at every node of these main roads, ensuring logistical supplies. The vanguard, meanwhile, was responsible for fighting their way directly into the heart of the Skaven city. Their goal was to destroy the Temple of the Great Horned Rat and the Council of Thirteen.
Both of these were crucial for the unity of the Skaven.
Destroying them would severely cripple Skaven morale, turning them into easy prey. The fighting in the underground tunnels was even more intense. The Skaven used every means to defend their capital. The Council of Thirteen also clearly understood that they had to hold the Ruin of the Skaven; this was the main base for all the major clans.
Once captured by humans, it would undoubtedly inflict an unimaginable morale blow to the Skaven. The members of the Council of Thirteen also acted like madmen, continuously issuing orders, demanding that each clan dispatch elites and bring forth their treasured weapons.
Even some unfinished weapons were brought out from the workshops.
Both sides engaged in unimaginably brutal slaughter. The promoted Udy also participated in this battle.
He led his squad patrolling back and forth in the damp tunnels, ensuring the smooth flow of logistical routes.
Fierce battles were commonplace, and communication soldiers could be seen constantly running back and forth, requesting reinforcements for subsequent units.
Bright lights illuminated the dark tunnels.
Skaven with glowing red or green eyes surged forward like a tide. The deployed heavy machine guns roared continuously, forming a network of fire that tore the Skaven apart.
After a battle, a battlefield was often left littered with dismembered limbs. The barrels of the machine guns also deformed due to overheating from continuous high-intensity firing.
Gun barrels needed to be replaced periodically.
Of course, attacking the Skaven underground city was not without cost.
Skaven sorcerers who wielded special witchcraft often caused casualties within the squads. There were also Skaven assassins who would hide among the corpses of their kind, waiting for humans to pass by before suddenly rushing out and plunging their plague-tainted warpstone blades into the soldiers' bodies. Their weapons were incredibly venomous, capable of taking a soldier's life within seconds. They had to be extremely careful not to be ambushed by those despicable Skaven. The sheer number of Skaven was one of their greatest advantages.
And their warpstone magic and engineering constructs were another.
Dax, leading his veteran elites, pierced through the Skaven defenses like a spear.
Other units provided cover for them, assisting in defending the intricate tunnel network and protecting their logistics from being cut off by the Skaven. The narrow tunnels could not accommodate large armies, so they had to be divided into small squads, seizing important nodes and slaughtering the Skaven.
Dax's squad charged the fastest.
After another brutal slaughter, the Skaven abandoned a vast number of corpses and fled into the intricate tunnels. They had expected the enemy to abandon some territory out of fear, but as Dax and his men rounded a tunnel bend, they saw a group of Skaven armed with warpstone guns setting up defenses at a node.
A warpstone tower, glowing with a sickly green light, pulsed with heart-stopping bolts of lightning.
When Dax and his men appeared, the armed Skaven immediately opened fire and threw plague-gas bombs.
Amidst the thunderous explosions, the plague gas spread unchecked.
Warpstone bullets flew through the air, leaving behind eerie green trails, sparkling in the night.
"Blast those rats," Dax ordered his team. Two soldiers carrying rocket launchers executed the order without hesitation. They rose from cover, quickly aimed, and pulled the trigger. Two rockets, trailing brilliant exhaust plumes, whistled forward. The huge explosions shook the tunnel. The warpstone tower was blown to smithereens, and the Skaven were thrown back, hitting the walls like rag dolls.
"Kill!" Dax roared, charging forward, swinging his greatsword. The terrified Skaven scattered, but Dax and his men pursued them, striking them down and killing them one by one.
"For the Holy Light, for the God Emperor of the Imperium!" Dax roared as he stepped over the corpses of the Skaven. The other soldiers responded with the same shouts. They repeatedly broke through the defenses constructed by the Skaven. They fought their way deep underground, entering solid rock strata.
Along the way, shattered Skaven corpses were everywhere. They reached a vast underground space. There stood an exquisite and magnificent temple.
Countless massive Skaven stood before the temple, arrayed for battle, awaiting the human invaders. There were Skaven archers, Rat Ogres, massive Skaven Warlords, Skaven Sorcerers and Priests wielding green staves.
In the front were Skaven holding gigantic shields, behind them were firearm units with warpstone rattling guns, warpstone firearms, and warpstone flamethrowers.
Further back, one could see numerous warpstone towers emitting green light, Ratling guns (similar to Gatling guns) deployed on the battlefield, and massive Doomwheels and Warp Lightning Cannons. The messy and filthy Skaven presented a stark contrast to the exquisite and clean temple.
Clearly, that temple was dedicated to the Skaven's worshipped deity, the Great Horned Rat.
When Dax and his men appeared, all the Skaven let out howls, and all their firearms opened fire simultaneously. The tunnel was disfigured by the dense explosions and gunfire.
If this area hadn't already been entirely stone, it would have collapsed in this explosion.
After the firearm units forced the humans back, Skaven assassins wielding warpstone daggers swarmed into the tunnel, intending to kill these invaders who dared to enter their home.
Unfortunately, before Dax and his men's weapons, the Skaven assassins were mown down in rows. They should not have been used on the front lines.
Sneak attacks and assassinations were their specialized fields. The problem was that the humans were too close to the Great Horned Rat's main temple. The members of the Council of Thirteen no longer cared about such details.
Even if it meant sacrificing Skaven lives, they had to force those damned humans back.
Dax faced the surging tide of Skaven without fear.
His two-handed sword slaughtered the Skaven like cutting through melons and vegetables. The other team members fired at the Skaven, relying on him for cover.
Initially, they were at a disadvantage. The number of Skaven was simply too overwhelming.
However, as time passed, other squads also arrived, launching attacks from different directions. This forced the Skaven defending the temple to disperse their forces.
It significantly reduced the pressure on Dax and his men, allowing them to launch a counter-charge.
With the bombardment of various grenades and rocket launchers, the Skaven's defense line, built with various warpstone constructs, was shattered.
After the brutal slaughter, the battlefield in front of the temple was littered with corpses and burning wreckage.
Countless Skaven had died, and there were also a few human corpses among them.
Crimson blood almost stained the walls of the Great Horned Rat's temple red. The temple's main gate was blown to pieces. The Skaven priests inside were all slaughtered.
When the humans broke in, they were attempting to summon the Great Horned Rat.
A colossal statue of the Great Horned Rat stood in the center of the temple. The Great Horned Rat had several massive ram horns on its head, and its rat-like skull and face were covered in armor. One hand held a scepter, the other a dagger.
Its standing legs first bent backward, then curved forward to form an arc. To Dax, such a sculpture held no sanctity, only horror and distortion.
If he had to describe it, it was: Your god, my daemon. The screams of the Skaven priests echoed through the temple.
Blood stained the temple of the Great Horned Rat, even splashing onto the statue of the Great Horned Rat.
After killing the last Skaven priest, Dax walked to the statue of the Great Horned Rat.
Just as he was about to swing his sword to destroy it, a voice filled with rage echoed in his mind.
It sounded like thousands of evil spirits speaking in unison, filled with endless malice.
His muscles tensed, and he slightly hunched over, ready for battle.
Having been in the Misty World for so long,
Dax knew those chaotic creatures inside and out.
He had a certain understanding of them.
He knew how terrifying those guys truly were. Their very concept of existence could contaminate the minds and souls of mortals. The barrier between reality and illusion in this world had been broken. The aetheric power of the Warp permeated this world. The arrival of chaotic creatures was not a difficult matter.
Could it be that the other party was really going to descend?!
Dax silently retreated two steps.
He gripped his power sword tightly.
He cautiously surveyed his surroundings.
If the Great Horned Rat were to arrive in person, Dax would undoubtedly turn and flee without a second thought.
Once safe, he would then call Valerius to slay the god.
Dax had full confidence in Valerius.
After all, that guy had fought his way through an inter-universal journey with a war scythe.
A mere Great Horned Rat should not be a problem.
Dax was highly tense, looking around cautiously. There was no strange radiance, nor was there an overwhelming aetheric surge strong enough to support the descent of a chaotic being.
He waited for a moment, but there was no further movement.
It seemed the other party had not descended.
"You will pay the price."
The voice echoing in Dax's mind was filled with resentment, as if thousands of different wills were shouting simultaneously.
Chaotic and disorderly, like a group of frenzied rats screaming.
Chaos gods were always like this.
Overly greedy, immersed in their own desires.
Devouring countless souls.
Possessing terrifying power, capable of twisting the real universe.
But they were not pure, chaotic and disorderly, even their minds were fragmented. This was why they were called chaotic beings.
Sweeping his gaze around the temple, Dax finally focused on the strange sculpture of the Great Horned Rat.
Relying on the keen intuition he had developed from years of struggle in the Misty World,
He could feel a strange aura within the sculpture.
"Make me pay the price? You're not worthy. Do you know who I'm with?!"
Once Dax realized that the voice couldn't harm him, he completely relaxed, his words tinged with mockery. The voice was enraged.
A terrifying will that should not exist swore an oath to Dax.
"Mortal, no matter whose protection you have, you will pay the price. Your soul will be bound in the abyss, suffering all hardships."
Dax raised his sword.
"I'm afraid you can't do it, false god. By the will of the Holy Light, the God Emperor of the Imperium, I declare your destruction, you chaotic creature of the Warp, begone."
The power sword cut a streak of light through the air.
It easily severed the leg of the Great Horned Rat sculpture, causing it to lose balance and fall. The sculpture hit the ground with a dull thud, shattering into countless pieces. The voice howled, sharp and piercing.
Clearly, Dax's act of destroying the statue had completely enraged the other party.
A terrifying will stirred up huge waves in the Empyrean.
It wanted to crush Dax's soul. To drag Dax's soul from his body, to toy with his soul, and make it suffer endless torment.
However, that will was blocked by an invisible force.
Like a strong wind being blocked by transparent glass. The wind howled, but it couldn't harm its intended target.
It could see Dax, but it couldn't touch him.
Dax could feel the terror of that will.
He also knew very well that the other party couldn't harm him.
His soul was protected by the Holy Emperor.
Even if the two were in different universes, unimaginably far apart,
As long as he fought for the Holy Emperor and advanced the great cause of the Imperium,
His soul would be protected. The enemy couldn't harm him, only rage impotently.
Unless the other party possessed overwhelming power, capable of easily crushing the Imperium of Man behind him.
"You can't descend, you fool. I will kill every Skaven. Destroy every one of your temples, and in the end, no one will remember you. You will lose faith, and over time, no one will utter your name. At that time, you will be like a dilapidated temple, unmaintained, collapsing in a storm, completely abandoned."
Dax no longer had any reservations.
He knew the other party could hear him. There was only an invisible veil between the two. The Great Horned Rat's gaze was fixed on him, wishing him dead.
But it couldn't do it. This was the limitation of gods. They needed avatars. The sculpture fell, and an aura of resentment permeated the entire temple.
"Sir, all nearby Skaven have been cleared out," a soldier ran in to report to Dax.
Dax nodded.
"Install explosives here and blow up this temple. Then have logistics transport a sculpture of the Holy Emperor and place it here."
Dax said, "We need to tell both the living and the dead that in this world, there is only one true god: the Holy Emperor.
No matter what race's god it is, they must all be overthrown. Then, on the ruins of those destroyed temples, we will build new shrines belonging to the Holy Emperor."
Placing a sculpture of the Holy Emperor here was not, in Dax's opinion, a disrespectful act. This world was the first world where the expeditionary force was stationed.
When they eventually ventured into space, this world would surely develop.
At that time, the cities would certainly extend underground. This depth was nothing.
Dax entrusted this matter to the logistics team.
Now that the Great Horned Rat's temple had been destroyed, the Council of Thirteen hadn't been found yet.
He still had to keep killing.
Until those rats were all killed or fled to other places.
After clearing out the nobles and taking control of the entire population,
The construction speed of Middenheim visibly accelerated. The abundance of manpower and resources allowed the Mechanicus to smoothly carry out their research work on this world.
It was estimated that in a few more years, a base linked to Terra would be established.
In addition to these, the expeditionary force did many other things.
An envoy delegation went to persuade the dwarves living in seclusion in the mountains to join the Imperium of Man. To participate in the construction of the base. They were excellent craftsmen, with a unique understanding of smelting and metal.
With their help, the base construction would be much faster.
Valerius, on the other hand, began planning to travel to the East.
It was rumored that there was another large human kingdom there.
And the Emperor's fragment also guided him to that place; if all went well, he would recover the fragment of the Emperor's soul.
Once the fragments were collected, the resurrection process could begin.