After the massive brawl with the Great Unclean One, Ku'gath, the original players finally hit Level 10.
Having banked a huge stash of EXP points from so many battles, most veteran players opted to exchange their gene-seeds and promote to Astartes.
A handful of players went a different route. For instance, Fred chose brain enhancement and auxiliary cybernetic implants to become a Magos.
Rigby opted for nerve strengthening, preparing to take the Knight path, with plans to get his hands on an Emperor-class Titan to pilot later on.
It was a perfectly sound choice. Not everyone had their heart set on becoming an Astartes.
In the Warhammer 40K era, Astartes were precious commodities.
But in the 30K era, they were often just elite soldiers, used to plug holes in the line during a tough battle, and were far less valuable than Knights or Titans.
The players who promoted to Astartes were all outfitted with power armor, bolters, and chainswords custom-made by Magos Theresa.
While the performance of Theresa's power armor didn't hold a candle to the Forge World's products, it was the only mass-produced model currently available to the players.
Most players didn't have enough Contribution Points and had to take out a loan to get the new gear. As a result, the same players who had just paid off their previous strengthening loans were immediately back in the hole with a heavy new debt.
Watching this unfold, priests like Jackdo and Theresa quietly marveled at their loyalty. Taking out loans just to buy better equipment to serve the Omnissiah?
That's what loyalty looks like. It was a true case of "Ask not what the Emperor can give you, but what you can do for the Emperor."
After arming his loyal (and indebted) cattle, Daniel turned his attention to the Genestealer Cultists.
In the name of celebrating the victory, he ordered the traitor forces led by Griffin to leave their weapons and equipment in the camp and assemble empty-handed at the meeting point.
Then, he arranged for fully armed players and a platoon of absolutely loyal Imperial soldiers to lie in wait. When the signal dropped, the entire cultist force would be executed on the spot to prevent an uprising.
"Is this the Warhammer 40K version of the classic parade ground massacre?"
Rigby, as the main suppressive force, was positioned at the Stonehive City square. He and his team manned the repaired and upgraded heavy exoskeleton mecha, standing on a high vantage point.
As soon as the commander gave the order, they would mow down the weaponless traitor troops in the square.
"This game just blew my mind again," said Fulgrimnation.
Who would have thought that the art of war could be used in a video game?! The Guide must be a serious history buff who loves ancient Terran culture.
After all, most wars in the current Imperium involve little strategy, mostly just throwing bodies at the enemy until the sky cracks and the planet breaks.
"Tough break for those traitors. They never thought humans could be so ruthless," Fulgrimnation chuckled.
On the other side, Daniel wasn't idle. He took Yuji, Mordecai, and other Astartes-promoted players and headed straight for the Tyrian Hive.
To ensure the success of this mission, he asked Fax to transfer military command to him. Fax didn't bat an eye at Daniel's request and handed over military authority without hesitation.
With everything set, Daniel led his troops aboard a Valkyrie and a transport gunboat toward the target: an abandoned factory on the outskirts where the Genestealer leader and many purebloods were hiding.
"Seal off every entrance and exit. Don't let a single xenos escape," Daniel commanded.
The Imperial Guard wasted no time. They drove tanks and IFVs, set up defensive lines at every choke point, and prepared for a fight. Once the area was locked down, Daniel led the players and elite soldiers into the factory.
The abandoned factory felt like a massive tomb. The high, empty roof vanished into the darkness. Heavy industrial equipment lay abandoned, smelling of sour oil and rotten metal.
Shortly after they entered, a pack of Hybrids lurking in the shadows launched a surprise ambush. With a roar of grenades and the flash of laser fire, the Hybrids were quickly mowed down.
Daniel stepped over the carnage and spotted a three-armed Hybrid that was still breathing. He immediately used the skill Mind Touch to probe the creature's memory and thoughts.
The Hybrids were linked to a psionic network encompassing every Genestealer on the planet. The Patriarch, hiding deep inside the factory, noticed Daniel trying to enter the network and immediately launched a psychic counter-attack, intending to wipe out Daniel's consciousness.
However, the next second, every Genestealer connected to the network screamed in agonizing pain. They saw a terrifying black sun with golden edges. The chilling pressure carried an aura of total destruction, a power rivaled only by the will of the Great Devourer.
Daniel, with the upper hand in the psychic realm, locked onto the Patriarch's location in an instant. He also gleaned the position of every Genestealer hiding among the human elite, including many important bureaucrats and even the helmsmen of powerful families.
"Gotcha."
Daniel aimed his bolter at the worthless Hybrid. With a loud bang, the enemy's head was smashed to pieces.
Daniel pulled out a data pad, marked the factory's main passages and enemy positions, and assigned tasks to the players. "Leave no witnesses. Move out!"
As soon as Daniel finished speaking, the players eagerly rushed off to carry out the mission.
"Fighting xenos gets my blood pumping!"
"Mine too. I've imagined this scene a million times watching Iron vs. Alien."
"Take a picture for me later. I'll see if the Group Owner can post it."
"Heh, you little aliens, here comes Iron Man Schwarzenegger."
"..."
Daniel shook his head, ignoring the players' zany chatter, and headed deeper into the factory.
As Daniel walked into a shadowy corridor, a strange roar echoed, and several purebloods leaped out of the darkness. Purebloods had razor-sharp limbs and a tough biological carapace. In large numbers, they could pose a threat even to fully armed Astartes.
But in front of Daniel, they were as easy to shred as paper. His chainsword tore them to ribbons.
After his promotion, the original two-handed Blade of the Holy Judgment became a one-handed sword. To make up for the lack of close-combat oomph, Daniel had asked Magos Theresa to build him a heavy, two-handed chainsword—specifically designed for dealing with large and grouped targets.
Now, it was paying dividends. The chainsword's teeth spun wildly, and blood and gore sprayed like a rainstorm.
Daniel occasionally used his psychic energy to release ether fragments, causing all the Genestealers' heads to explode, or unleashing a psychic fire blast to turn enemies to dust. In no time at all, the attacking purebloods were nothing more than shredded meat on the ground.
Daniel and his escort continued their descent. Enemies kept attacking, and battle after battle left a trail of corpses. Daniel even encountered the Genestealer Magus. She was a stunningly beautiful woman with surging, potent psychic power.
She looked indistinguishable from a normal human and could easily blend into any crowd. She tried to stop Daniel, but ended up getting her chest pierced and shredded by the chainsword.
Another massive Genestealer aberration fell beneath Daniel's chainsword.
Then, the ground began to tremble heavily.
A colossal beast, easily six meters tall, lumbered out of the darkness and appeared before Daniel. It was the core of the Genestealer Cult, the Genestealer Patriarch.
It sported a diamond-hard shell and four giant claws capable of tearing apart vehicles. The Patriarch stared at Daniel, its eyes burning with pure hatred. It lunged, its sharp claws gouging deep trails into the steel wall.
Daniel met the attack, chainsword in hand. He was no longer the rookie of the past, but a Living Saint with immense combat and psychic power.
After a fierce, brutal fight, the Patriarch managed to slice Daniel's chest open. But Daniel successfully decapitated the monster. With corrosive blood gushing out, the six-meter body crashed to the floor.
Without the Patriarch's psychic control, the surviving Genestealers were shaking in their boots. Instinctively terrified of death, they turned tail and ran.
"Hunt them all down. Don't let a single one escape," Daniel commanded Yuji and the other players.
Meanwhile, back in the Stonehive, Colonel Griffin and his men were being slaughtered.
Upon receiving the order, Rigby, the other players, and the Imperial soldiers opened fire immediately. Many traitors were gunned down before they could even figure out what hit them.
"Why?" Griffin, his body shattered by a bullet, lay in a pool of blood, desperately asking Faraday. "Why are you doing this to us?"
"Go to hell for your answer, you ugly thing," Faraday snarled, pulling the trigger of his laser pistol and finishing the traitor off.
The Patriarch was dead, and the cultists who had infiltrated the Imperial Army were massacred. The few remaining stragglers hid deep in the sewers but still couldn't dodge their fate.
At the same time, Daniel brought Fax, Hydrak, and other senior officials to purge the corrupt powerful families. After a bloody, swift operation, the Genestealer menace in the Tyrian Hive was completely eliminated.
After settling the cult business, Daniel took Warmaster, Magos Theresa, and others to the family tomb of the Valancius family. Fax, who knew what was coming, didn't bat an eye. He even volunteered to lead the way.
Having witnessed Daniel's swift and brutal efficiency in cleaning house, Fax knew he had no choice but to cast his lot with Daniel completely.
The tomb was heavily defended to protect the C'tan fragments, but with the family heir Fax and the Magos Theresa accompanying them, most of the defenses were useless. Daniel successfully entered the mausoleum where the Valancius ancestors were buried.
Finally, he saw the C'tan fragments he had been seeking.