The Astartes gathered on Isstvan V included some loyalists who still believed in the Emperor.
Horus understood this.
The others understood it as well.
But now was not the time for sentimental mercy.
Since evidence confirmed that they had betrayed the Imperium, then they would be killed.
Even though most of the Word Bearers who had answered the assembly order this time had been deliberately abandoned by Lorgar, Horus did not care about such details. The urgent priority was to weaken the strength of these traitors.
Once the Isstvan plan ended, Horus would use overwhelming military superiority to purge the traitors one by one. Those who should die would die. Those who should be judged would be judged. In short, the traitors would not be allowed even the slightest chance to breathe.
"How tragic..."
Through the observation window, Bruce watched as large numbers of warships were buried in seas of fire. His heart ached.
Although he knew these were rebel warships and had to be destroyed, losing so many at once made it impossible not to feel pain.
These were all money!
Money!
This was why Chaos deserved death. If not for Chaos causing trouble, all these resources and troops could clearly have been used in the Great Crusade.
In that case, humanity's territory would expand further, and more resources could be obtained.
"To wipe out four Legions at once—this is going more smoothly than I imagined."
Curze looked at the bombardment points displayed on the star map and was very satisfied.
This was why Bruce was unquestionably the MVP. If not for him, they would now have to deal with the World Eaters Legion as well.
One had to understand that simultaneously eliminating five Legions and simultaneously eliminating four Legions were two completely different things.
Of course, strictly speaking, in this Isstvan plan, the only Legions truly being uprooted were the Emperor's Children and the Alpha Legion. The Death Guard and Word Bearers were merely incidental gains.
"Hmph! Lorgar will pay for his shameful actions!"
The moment Bruce thought that they were only one final step away from completing the rescue plan, he could not help wanting to pop the champagne.
After Isstvan ended, the next target would be Lorgar. When the time came, Bruce would personally destroy another Perfect City.
You like playing that religious nonsense so much, do you?
You human scum.
Spend the rest of your life repenting in the underground prison of the Imperial Palace on Terra.
Whether the Emperor forgives you is His business.
My job is to arrest you.
Once the beginnings of the Legion rebellion were suppressed, all that remained would be waiting for the Emperor's Webway Project to succeed. In that case, Bruce would witness Warhammer 40K reaching its most perfect ending.
Come on.
Everyone said the Warhammer 40K dungeon's difficulty was absurdly high. But looking at it now, wasn't it actually just like this?
"Why do I keep feeling like something isn't right...?"
Curze frowned and tried to peer into prophecy, but very rarely, her psychic talent did not take effect this time.
The future remained a blur, entirely unclear.
But perhaps that was a good thing.
Maybe this rotten world was about to be reset.
Sigh...
She felt a little...
Reluctant.
"What's not right?"
Bruce asked in confusion.
"The stubborn rebel fleets have already been completely destroyed by us. Those loyal to the Emperor and the Warmaster have also been brought under control. How can the people suppressed on Isstvan V possibly turn this around?"
This time, the roles of offense and defense had been reversed. Their side was carrying out the Isstvan plan with righteousness on their side, so there was no possibility of some loyalist faction suddenly changing sides.
If not for the fact that Primarchs still had some use, and that killing Primarchs was too shocking, Bruce would have told Horus to drop two Cyclonic Torpedoes onto Isstvan V long ago.
Just launch Exterminatus directly, all right?
No matter how powerful a Primarch was, they would still die.
Even an immortal like Vulkan would be no exception.
"Nothing."
Curze shook her head and said calmly:
"Perhaps it is just my imagination."
Indeed, given the current situation, it was impossible for them to lose.
Orbital bombardment alone was enough to kill all the rebels on the surface. Not to mention, their numbers were lower than expected, making them even easier to deal with.
The only thing they needed to worry about was whether someone would suddenly launch an attack. After all, after these rounds of assault, the fleet's ammunition consumption was no small matter, and the Isstvan system had no place where they could resupply.
Once the rebels were dealt with, the fleet would not have spare ammunition left for another battle.
At this moment, the speech resounding across Isstvan V continued. Horus's repeated indictment of the traitor Legions' crimes struck again and again at the morale of the rebels on the surface, even though a considerable number of them were still trapped in self-doubt.
The loyal Astartes, upon learning that their own Primarchs and Legions had betrayed the Imperium, were shocked outright. Combined with the indiscriminate orbital bombardment, many of them nearly fell into madness.
But there were also loyalists who acted upon their faith in the Emperor and the Imperium of Man. Even while being rejected by their own Legions and attacked by Warmaster Command, they still chose to turn their weapons against their former battle-brothers.
The Emperor's Children had the largest number of such loyalists.
Next came the Word Bearers.
They were furious at the fallen Primarchs. Not only had those Primarchs brought them into a desperate situation, they had also betrayed the Emperor, attempted to assassinate the Warmaster, and caused the death of Primarch Angron!
Just as the Warmaster had said, the shameful traitors had to pay the price!
"..."
Fulgrim hid inside a temporary bunker, his spirits deeply depressed.
The muffled explosions from above, the constantly collapsing tunnel, and the sounds of his guards desperately reinforcing the fortifications all made his already collapsing mentality even worse.
He did not understand why Horus had deceived him like this.
First, Horus had used flowery words to describe a magnificent new era. Then he had turned around and sold him out.
Damn it!
Horus!
Are you even human?!
Right now, Fulgrim was hated from both sides.
Aside from the sons who still trusted him, most of the Emperor's Children had already left the encampment. They had chosen to direct their loyalty and blades toward the traitors of the other Legions.
These Emperor's Children would seek an answer in their own way.
Had the Warmaster deceived everyone?
Or was Fulgrim the true traitor?
"Father..."
"The Eleventh Company has also left us."
"Mm. I know."
Fulgrim nodded and said nothing more.
At this point, he had also realized it.
No matter whether Horus's methods were honorable or not, the fact that he was a traitor was already set in stone.
If not for his sons still being willing to believe in him, even more would probably have left. Perhaps he himself would have been captured and made to await judgment from the Warmaster and the Emperor.
By now, Isstvan V had descended into complete chaos. The rebels not only had to evade bombardment and construct shelters, but also had to spare effort to fight the loyalists who were bent on revenge.
Even worse, because there was no unified command, despite the rebels' considerable numbers, they were completely unable to form a single force.
Their numbers rapidly dwindled. Their strongholds disappeared one after another. Under continuous bombardment, the entire planet began to show signs of crystallization.
This despair lasted for half a month.
When the hundreds of thousands of rebels had been encircled and reduced to fewer than twenty thousand, Warmaster Command, which had thoroughly blockaded Isstvan V, finally began the next stage of the plan.
Capture the traitor Primarchs.
And at this stage, they needed to make use of ground forces.
Compared to the isolated and demoralized rebels, the allied soldiers dispatched by Warmaster Command had soaring morale. Each of them wished they could personally kill these damned traitors.
This even included many members of Legions judged as traitorous. After receiving the Warmaster's pardon, they intended to atone through death and prove through action that they themselves were not the ones at fault.
The ones who had committed wrong were those bastards.
Some time after the bombardment ended—
The battle alarm sounded.
The Emperor's Children underground realized that what came next would be the battle that decided life and death. But regardless of the truth, they chose to fight beside Primarch Fulgrim until the final moment.
Fulgrim, who had long been in a state of "lost soul," immediately snapped awake when he heard the familiar communication channel request.
Because it was Manus who had contacted him.
I knew it!
My good brother Manus still has not abandoned me!
"Fulgrim, I have locked onto your position."
Manus spoke in an extremely disappointed and furious voice.
"Brother, you..."
"No need to say more. I already know your ambition. Soon, I will personally judge you!"
"No! Manus! You have to believe me! This is all Horus framing me!"
Fulgrim tried to explain.
Compared to being played like a clown by Horus, Manus's distrust stabbed into his chest like a sharp blade. It left Fulgrim both powerless and in agony.
"Words are meaningless. Come out and die. Of course..."
Manus fell silent for a moment, then could not help saying:
"If you surrender now, there is still time. There is still room to make amends."
As long as...
As long as they could find a way to take that xenos artifact away from Fulgrim and destroy it completely, everything still had a chance.
Just as that Astartes called Bruce had said, the true culprit behind everything was that sword.
Destroy it, then beg Father to save Fulgrim, and there would still be room to salvage matters.
"Why do even you refuse to trust me?!"
Fulgrim let out a crazed roar.
His psychological defenses had completely collapsed, and he did not realize that a sinister force had already occupied his heart. The daemon that had been whispering all along had completed its takeover.
"Daemon, get out of my brother's body!"
Ferrus said angrily.
Now he was certain.
The reason his good brother was acting wrong had to be because something filthy was inside him!
Beep.
The communication suddenly ended.
Ferrus, whose call had been cut off, clenched his fists and issued a unified command to his sons.
"Everyone! Land on Isstvan V!"
"We must make the shameful traitors pay!"
If you truly betrayed Father, then I will end you with my own hands.
But if your mind has been occupied by a daemon, then I will save you!
While the Iron Hands began deploying troops to the surface like madmen, the Night Lords and World Eaters began similar operations. They, too, brought their Primarchs into battle.
Aside from them, the Salamanders and Raven Guard also provided rotating support, while the Sons of Horus continued maintaining orbital control.
Next, they would deliver the harshest and most precise strike against the traitors, utterly crushing the enemy's conspiracy.
Join here to read ahead.
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 180)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl 285
"Is this chat group even serious?" 150
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (This matter is completely finished.)
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 255
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 210
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 305
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer (This matter is completely finished.)
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 130
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 155
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 120
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 155
My Harem Is Indescribable 105
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 110
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 110
Still playing traditional Honk 96
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 95
What Should I Do After Switchi 51
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 80
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 105
Checking In in Demon Slayer 95
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 105
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 95
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 80
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel (This matter is completely finished.)
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 95
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 90
Why did they assign me to Uma 80
MYGO Beauties 75
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 80
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 100
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 120
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 65
The Uma Musume Who Became 70
I'm Definitely Not the King of 105
After Maxing Out Every Class 110
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 95
I, the Elden Sword Saint 60
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 60
No One Knows Pokémon Better 60
I, Sakazuki, Won't Go Down Tha 69
From Trilobites to Titans 57
Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 75
DanMachi: My Party Members Are 86
An Anime Heroine Darkened 60
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Links 70
Honkai: The Fire Devil 70
Honkai Transformation Cards Volume2/30
Age of Heroes, I'm Just a Back 60
Uma Musume Has No Weird Fan Le 74
At age 8, she co-starred with 42
Honkai: Schicksal Media 30
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