This is the bonus chapter for reaching 1000 Powerstones.
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City of the Holy Anthem Upper Hive, Seventh Arterial Route Defensive Line, Second Company Temporary Defense Point.
Tobias Fane had just cleaved through the head of a third blue heretic with his chainsword.
Blue-purple brains splattered onto the pauldron of his master-crafted Mark IV power armor.
"Captain! Emergency transmission from the Red Tear!"
The comms officer's voice rang out in the channel, set against a backdrop of continuous bolter fire.
Tobias took two steps back, dodging an attack from a Corrupted, and blasted its head off with a backhanded shot. "Patch it through."
Azkaellon's voice sounded in his ear. "Tobias. Reinforcements departed from the Aru Industrial Zone an hour and a half ago. They are expected to arrive in the City of the Holy Anthem within fifteen minutes."
Tobias froze.
The Aru Industrial Zone? Wasn't Seranaphy holding that sector?
"Commander, the reinforcements are—"
"Clear a landing zone no less than five hundred meters in diameter," Azkaellon interrupted, continuing. "I've sent you the coordinates. It's the ruined plaza eight hundred meters behind your defensive line, the one we bombarded earlier. Within fifteen minutes, I want to see that area completely devoid of any living Corrupted, with all ground obstacles cleared, suitable for the safe landing and takeoff of Thunderhawk gunships and transports. Is that clear?"
Tobias glanced at the coordinates.
That plaza was originally the trade distribution center of the upper hive. Two days ago, it had been plowed over by the fleet's macrocannons. Now, all that remained were charred concrete ruins and twisted metal skeletal frames.
Clearing it wouldn't be difficult, the question was...
"The scale of the reinforcements?"
"Massive." Azkaellon paused. "Tobias, prepare yourself mentally. These reinforcements... are somewhat special."
The comms cut off.
Tobias stood in place, his brow furrowing beneath his helmet.
Special?
A reinforcement force that a battle-hardened Sanguinary Guard Commander like Azkaellon would call 'special'...
He didn't dare think too deeply about it.
"Entire Company!" Tobias's voice rang out immediately. "Tactical objective updated! First, Third, and Fifth Tactical Squads, advance with me to the coordinates! Second and Fourth Squads, hold the defensive line and suppress the Corrupted tide! Seventh Heavy Support Squad, all heavy bolters and missile launchers, provide covering fire over the three-hundred-meter area in front of the coordinates! I want to see a clean landing zone in ten minutes!"
The orders rapidly disseminated.
The one thousand nine hundred-odd Blood Angels still capable of fighting immediately executed the command.
Three Tactical Squads, totaling three hundred warriors, thrust into the swarm of Corrupted like a sharp knife under Tobias's personal leadership.
Muzzle flashes from bolters linked together into a solid sheet of fire, and the roars of chainswords rose and fell in succession.
Simultaneously, the twelve heavy bolters and six missile launchers of the Seventh Heavy Support Squad began to thunder.
Shells rained down on the designated area, blasting the Corrupted still squirming and attempting to regroup in the ruins to pieces. Concrete remnants were blasted into the air by shockwaves, and twisted metal frames melted into molten iron in the explosions.
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City of the Holy Anthem Mid-Hive, Fifth Company Defensive Line.
Nassir Amit had just smashed a Pink Horror's head in with the pommel of his power sword.
Blue-purple pus-blood sprayed all over him, but he paid it no mind.
This future first Chapter Master of the Flesh Tearers was currently bathed in blood, his master-crafted power armor covered in claw marks and corrosion scarring.
"Captain! Orders from the Red Tear!" his adjutant's voice came through.
Amit flicked the rotting flesh off his blade and connected the comms.
Azkaellon's voice rang out, the orders almost identical to the ones given to Tobias: Clear a landing zone, reinforcements are arriving imminently, prepare yourself mentally.
"Prepare myself mentally?" Amit grinned, baring bloodstained teeth. "Commander, the only mental preparation I have right now is that when the reinforcements get here, I'm going to take a good, long nap. Haven't closed my eyes in four days."
Azkaellon didn't laugh. "Execute the order, Amit. The reinforcements will split into two forces: one to reinforce the upper hive, the other to reinforce you in the mid-hive. Your job is to clear a path for them."
The comms cut off again.
Amit wiped the smile off his face, turning to look at the eight hundred-odd warriors of the Fifth Company behind him who were still able to stand.
"Brothers!" He raised his power sword high. "The Red Tear says reinforcements are on the way! Before we slaughter all these bastards—" He pointed the tip of his sword at the designated area in front of their defensive line. "—clear that patch of ground out for me first! For the Emperor!!"
Over eight hundred warriors roared in unison, lunging at the Corrupted tide like tigers.
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The Skies of the City of the Holy Anthem, Thunderhawk Gunship Formation.
Paul stood before the observation viewport of the flagship Thunderhawk.
The eyes beneath his golden faceplate gazed down at the hive shrouded in blue-purple pollution.
From a high-altitude vantage point, the City of the Holy Anthem looked like a festering tumor.
In the upper hive sector, pale golden psychic light violently clashed against blue-purple energy. That was Sanguinius engaged in a bitter struggle with the two Tzeentch Greater Daemons.
The mid and lower hives were swarming with dense tides of Corrupted, illuminated by the muzzle flashes from the defensive lines established by the Blood Angels and the Solar Auxilia.
"Regional channel," Paul opened communications. "Split into two forces according to the previous plan. Force One, led by Tax Bro."
His gaze swept across the tactical holomap.
"Two thousand Astartes, two hundred Brothers of Silence, one hundred Grey Knights, sixty Dreadnoughts, and the entire Assassin team. Landing Coordinates: Mid-Hive Solar Auxilia drop zone. Mission: Advance from the mid-hive down to the lower hive, purge all Corrupted and Tzeentch daemons, and link up with the Blood Angels Fifth Company.
"Force Two, I will lead personally."
Paul paused.
"All remaining combat assets, land in the area cleared by Tobias in the upper hive. Mission: Reinforce Sanguinius, slay those two Tzeentch Greater Daemons. Understood?"
A chorus of acknowledgments rang out in the regional channel.
Tax Bro's voice was laced with excitement, "Don't worry, Paul, the mid-hive is mine! Two thousand Space Marines plus a hundred Grey Knights and two hundred Brothers of Silence, along with sixty Dreadnoughts and the Assassin team... I guarantee we'll plow through the mid-hive in three hours! Don't forget we also have the Solar Auxilia; they might have taken heavy losses, but they can still provide decent support."
Paul nodded, "Mind your tactical coordination. The anti-psychic fields of the Brothers of Silence are the core, Grey Knights handle purification, Astartes clear the trash mobs, and Dreadnoughts deal with the big guys. Assassin team, you're cleared to freely hunt high-value targets."
"Understood!"
"Then..." Paul looked out the observation viewport as the Thunderhawk gunship began its descent. "Move out."
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Finally we went from Rank 15 to 14.
Around 100 more powerstones to reach Top 10