The Emperor’s Angel of Death

Chapter 3353: The Embers of the Final Battle (Part 2)

Although the command quickly issued orders for ground forces to advance and destroy enemy turrets, attacking those well-protected turrets within the complex and narrow hive ruins was no easy task. The terrain limited the number of human troops that could be deployed, weakening the attackers' advantage.

However, their impact was already evident. To protect these automated turrets, the Necrons had to shift their firepower towards the infantry and armored units.

The Shadow Wolves, utilizing dozens of reconnaissance skulls deployed across the battlefield, pinpointed the locations of the enemy turrets and formulated a plan.

"Shadow Wolf Three, you attack enemy turrets marked as 3 and 4. After one attack, immediately move to cover behind this structure. Shadow Wolf Two, you attack turret number 1. Similarly, after one attack, relocate immediately. I will provide cover for you, and then we'll concentrate our fire on turret number 2."

The experienced squad leader planned the attack routes based on the enemy turret deployment, using the limitations of their firing arcs to evade enemy counter-fire.

"No problem?"

"No problem!"

"Alright, I'll count to ten. Shadow Wolf Three, you move out first. 10, 9, 8..."

Oliva leaned forward, awaiting the final command.

"...3, 2, 1!"

Shadow Wolf One emerged from behind cover, its Vulcan mega-bolter sweeping across the distance, stirring up a cloud of explosive smoke. Oliva then engaged his legs and began to sprint rapidly. The tremors from the god-machine disoriented many soldiers.

After sprinting for ten seconds, Oliva abruptly turned sideways, causing Shadow Wolf Three to slide dozens of meters across the ground, leaving a long trail of sparks. The engine forcibly engaged the stabilizer locks, relying on the Warhound's excellent stability to avoid toppling over—this kind of rapid sprint followed by a sudden stop was strictly prohibited because Titans' center of gravity was actually very unstable, making them very easy to fall. However, the young Warhound pilots found this cool "drifting" maneuver very enjoyable, and regarded it as a tactical move.

The next second after stabilizing its center of gravity, the giant bolter cannon and plasma blastgun unleashed a torrent of fierce firepower from the Titan's arms, striking the two distant alien turrets.

One was instantly reduced to burning wreckage, while the other was not immediately destroyed, and even began to turn around.

"Damn it!"

Oliva cursed, realizing that fire control was affected. If he evaded now, he would lose the opportunity to attack, so he chose to fire a second time.

The next second, Shadow Wolf Three's void shields flared up, emitting an ominous purple glow, a sign of impending collapse.

At this moment, Shadow Wolf Two also completed its attack. Its plasma blastgun released a blue-white energy projectile, and steam erupted from the glowing weapon. Another turret that was turning was engulfed by a lightning strike, swallowing the surrounding Necron infantry in a blinding flash.

But Oliva's situation was dire. The enemy turret was slow to target, and the bolter cannon's shots only struck the surroundings, while the void shield's overload scream grew louder and louder, warnings filling his vision.

Fortunately, the plasma blastgun's second charge was completed before the void shield collapsed.

"Alright, just this once... just this once..."

Oliva soothed the restless machine spirit, choosing to aim manually, trying to align the shaking crosshairs with the distant target that was only about the size of a fingernail—this was already the maximum distance that optical equipment could see, any closer would be blurred by interference.

"Go!"

Pressing the button, the plasma struck that small, bright spot in the distance with the force of a meteor impact.

The next second, the corner structure of the ruins where the turret was located was torn apart by the blast's reverberations, and a violent plasma cloud surged out of the darkness, engulfing the surrounding hundred meters of space, annihilating everything.

With the powerful assistance of the Phantom Legion, the Imperial counter-attack forces finally advanced to positions they had never reached before. The Necrons who had ravaged the hive city now faced an army of vengeance filled with anger and hatred. Both sides did everything they could to destroy each other, but it was clear that humanity had gained the advantage, and Menakh's forces were attempting to retreat.

New Vasburg's massive fortress was Menakh's largest temporary stronghold established on the planet, and its wormholes were sufficient to evacuate all of its forces deployed on the planet, but humanity did not intend to give them this opportunity.

Using the excavated tunnels, the Necromunda Spiders suddenly arrived near the Necron fortress, and officers wearing spider exoskeletons personally led the charge against the enemy's stronghold.

Like a tide of iron and fire, they overwhelmed the outer walls of the fortress district, overturning the Necron Warriors blocking their path and crushing the shattered Scarabs into the ground.

In response, the Necron fortress's curved array of sentry towers turned to face the Necromunda Spider legions, and energy visibly crackled around the strange Necron armaments. Beams of deep green energy shrieked, obliterating large numbers of troops from reality as if a scythe were reaping crops, and Tesla cannons spewed horrific lightning barrages, turning everything they touched into shimmering ash.

Thousands of soldiers fell at the first contact, but the tenacious soldiers of Necromunda did not hesitate, they were still charging.

Because they were not fighting alone.

In another direction, tens of thousands of troops poured out of the Arbites fortress and also reached the fortress district. Under Sablin's command, despite only having light weapons left, they still did everything they could to approach the enemy's stronghold.

At this time, most of Menakh's forces were resisting the human advance at the front lines, while its wormholes were constantly transferring troops to the ships. The garrison not only did not increase, but was decreasing instead.

Faced with this situation, the crowned general in charge decided to recall some of the troops from the front lines.

But it was too late, the enemy had already approached the fortress, gathering around the walls like ants and using melta bombs to blast out gaps.

The decision to withdraw the front-line troops had even more disastrous consequences.

Whoosh—

Amidst the ear-piercing metallic roar, a massive god-machine stepped into the ruin-strewn hive city. It was like a knight of vengeance, its banners fluttering.

It was a Warlord-class Titan, bearing the markings of the Phantom Legion, and when it stood before the massive alien fortress, it brought a message of destruction.

Seconds later, the weapons on its arms erupted, the intense light and roar shaking the entire ruin. The main spire of the fortress instantly exploded in a small sun-like flash, large chunks of the black stone surface were torn off, and a bizarre howl echoed across the battlefield, clear even amidst the roar of artillery fire.

"...The enemy is retreating."

Looking at the departing Necron fleet, Sojyan said softly, with endless fatigue and heaviness.

"Lord! There are ships asking whether to pursue?"

Sojyan shook his head.

"There's no need."

Then he lowered his head and looked at the image signal from the finally contacted ground command. In the dilapidated hive ruins, there was a large area of collapsed black stone buildings. Imperial soldiers stood on the ruins, embracing, cheering, throwing metal skulls into the sky, surrounded by massive Titans.

"At least it can be considered... a victory, right."