The Emperor’s Angel of Death

Despite the extremely unfavorable situation, through the efforts of the T'au fleet commander, the surviving Hero-class cruisers quickly gathered into groups of three to five. Unable to aim with their frontal gravity catapults and electromagnetic railgun turrets, they focused on using their side missile launchers and a pair of ion turrets to visually target the enemy.

However, this firepower was too weak, and the hit rate was tragically low. The Hero-class cruisers' overly conservative power design and engine systems prevented them from gaining an advantage in maneuvering against the Aeldari ships for superior firing positions. In fact, they had been trying to turn their bows towards the enemy, but the Aeldari fleet split into three parts, causing the entire T'au fleet formation to become chaotic as individual ships maneuvered left and right.

In this situation, to allow the Hero-class cruisers to hold out a little longer, the Defender-class frigates chose to push their engines to the limit and charge directly at the Aeldari ships!

"For the Greater Good! For Kais'aan!"

Each shout was followed by a completely silent channel. The Fire Caste commander of the Dael'mara Defense Fleet stood in the command center, clenching his teeth. The railing he gripped with both hands had long been twisted into a mess.

Although there were no tears on his face at this moment, his heart was bleeding. These were all comrades and subordinates who had been with him for many years, charging towards the enemy without hesitation after each cry, and then brilliant flowers would bloom in the void.

"Why! Why can't our weapons hit them!"

A desperate voice pulled him back to reality. He looked down at the command console, where a young Fire Caste, wearing a tech suit, was desperately smashing his fist on the electronic panel he once cherished.

"Calm down, my child."

The T'au fleet commander used calm words to soothe his son's despairing emotions.

"Father! I don't understand! What is going on!"

The young Fire Caste wept as he swiped at the cracked screen with his hand, pale blue tears dripping onto it.

"No parameters ever align! It's as if they are performing tens of thousands of meters of horizontal and vertical maneuvers every millisecond! This is impossible! Absolutely impossible! No starship can move in this pattern! Moreover... moreover, our fire control equipment and targeting systems haven't detected any interference! Yet we haven't hit the enemy with a single shot from beginning to end! I can accept defeat, but why must we be defeated so miserably! So pathetically! It feels like my heart is bleeding!"

"Do you know why?"

Hearing his father's voice, the newly adult boy turned his head sharply.

"Why?"

He looked down at his son's confused and tearful eyes, and answered calmly:

"Because we are too weak, too backward."

"Father, but"

"There is no other reason, only this one reason."

Saying that, he raised his head, looking through the huge observation window at a Hero-class cruiser exploding into fragments not far away.

"But that doesn't matter. Our race has never been afraid to accept failure. When our ancestors first encountered the cruel Gue'la Empire (the Imperium of Man), they experienced even more painful failures than now. The Hai'jas Sea Battle resulted in the loss of almost all military ships. In the Lezhes Sea Battle, we even lost a great Ethereal. But our race fell and rose again and again. We learned from the enemy, imitated their art of war, developed newer warships, and constantly narrowed the gap. Finally, even during the Tyranid invasion, we were able to compete with the Gue'la invasion fleet without falling behind!"

Many people, including Earth Caste technicians, turned to look at their commander and captain, inspired by his words.

"There are many races in the galaxy that are far older than us. Many of their technologies are far more advanced than ours. Their military strength may also be much stronger than ours, but the Greater Good gives us eternal and tireless motivation! If we fall behind, we will learn! We use the opponent's knowledge and lessons to enrich and arm ourselves! We can be humiliated, but we must never despair! Because our ancestors never flinched even in more desperate moments! These enemies have technologies we cannot understand, so what? They have ancient histories, so what? Even the most dazzling sunset will eventually be replaced by the rising sun! As long as we continue to imitate, research, and learn, one day, the Greater Good will take back today's shame from them!"

After saying that, he seemed to have made some kind of determination.

"We must not only delay the enemy, but also learn as much as possible about them. Transmit my order: collect all combat data and transmit it to the Lake-class vessel. At the same time, all mid-level and lower-level Earth Caste and Water Caste members will enter escape pods and launch towards the Lake-class vessel."

"Father! I won't go!"

"This is an order."

Then he softened his tone.

"The reason I am issuing this order is not because you are my son, but because you, you are hope, you are the future. Remember everything you see today, the enemy's combat methods, the enemy's command style, and the weaknesses we have exposed. Engrave them in your mind, then survive, find a way to change them, even if it's just to exert a little bit of your own strength, and then pass it on to your descendants. As long as the Greater Good and the bloodline are not cut off, one day we will catch up with even the most powerful enemy!"

For a moment, his gaze softened a little, but quickly returned to the firmness of a soldier.

"Go, while there's still time."

His child was about to say something, but the guards beside him had already picked him up and were walking him out of the bridge. The rest of the young Earth Caste and Water Caste members also packed their things and began to evacuate.

"Open the data link, keep the ship damage records being transmitted to the Lake-class vessel in a timely manner, and prepare to drop data beacons."

Then, the T'au commander issued instructions to the remaining fleet, also dividing them into three parts, which meant they lost their ability to resist as a group.

What was gained in return, was a desperate fight.

"Maximum speed, let us get as close as possible! Closer! Even closer! All ships, for Kais'aan! For the Greater Good!"

Soon, the T'au fleet, divided into three groups, charged towards the Aeldari fleet in an almost straight line and tried to shoot at them.

"Not bad, not bad, they didn't choose to huddle together like cowards and die, but chose to die like warriors!"

In the bridge of the Slayer ship, with its magnificent arches and domes full of ancient Aeldari features, Kamosi, holding a dragon halberd and wearing half-body armor and robes, showed a satisfied smile.

Then he raised the command halberd in his hand and pointed it straight ahead.

"All ships, listen to my order, unleash all firepower, give them a destructive end worthy of warriors! And tell these pathetic inferior races that the majesty of a race that has dominated the galaxy for sixty million years is not something they can offend!"

In the next moment, the Aeldari ships truly began to fire at full power, especially projecting a large number of shatter-force field missiles. This is a very unique anti-shield system missile, containing two separate detonation cores. Upon detonation, the first core absorbs all the energy within its range, or disintegrates the structure of the enemy's shield. Immediately afterwards, the second core releases a strong vibratory force field when it hits the target, shattering the target into pieces.

In an instant, the hulls of many T'au Defender frigates disintegrated, exposing the passages and cabins inside to the void. Many T'au were also swept into the cold space and turned into twisted corpses.