NCCnovel Chapter 394 Joint Operations?
Chapter 394 Joint Operations?
**Necromancer's Court - Void Battlefield**
The King of Silence stood on the throne at the heart of the World Engine, his metallic fingertips lightly tapping the armrests crafted from fragments of the Star God. A holographic star map unfolded before him, each flash of green light representing a precisely calculated massacre.
“Probability of a joint attack by humanity and chaos: 0.000047%,” his mechanical vocal cords emitted a cold, synthesized voice, “but it still falls within the coverage of contingency plan number 9,442,817.”
The living metal on the surface of the World Engine suddenly cracked open, revealing tens of thousands of **Phase Annihilation Cannons**. These ultimate weapons, which were supposed to activate in thirty seconds, were now fully charged.
In the burning near-Earth orbit of Terra, Black Legion raiders and Ultramarines strike cruisers sailed side-by-side in a rare display of aggression. Khorne's Blood Engines, spewing crimson trails, were actually holding off swarms of undead nanites for Imperial warships; Tzeentch's psionic shields warped reality, teleporting the Mechanicus Titan Legion into the heart of the undead fleet.
"Remember, humans," Abaddon abruptly cut into the Imperial channel, "after we kill the Metal Skulls, we'll fight to the death!"
Guilliman's response was a precise plasma salvo that tore through the Necromancer's defenses for the Chaos Fleet: "Ready to play."
Russell's golden psionic energy formed a shield, cleaving a path through the torrential rain of necromantic fire. Vulcan's Eternal Flame burned living metal on the left flank, while Ryan's Imperial Shield deflected phase beams on the right. The three, like a burning sword, plunged straight into the core of the World Engine.
"Twelve o'clock!" Ryan suddenly roared, "Abaddon's boarding pass!"
The Chaos Warmaster's landing pod crashed into the Necropolis deck like a meteorite, and the warriors blessed by the four gods and the knights of the Black Templar launched their charges simultaneously—this was the first time since the Horus Rebellion that humans and Chaos had set foot on the same battlefield together.
"Golden Flash!" Abaddon's Dracani sword cleaved through a necromancer lord. "Let's see who can cut off the Silent King's head first!"
Russell did not answer, and the Godslayer Axe shattered the last phase barrier. Before them, the true form of the Silent King finally appeared—not a metal skeleton, but a humanoid being composed of **liquid celestial matter**, wielding a scepter wrapped in ancient runes.
With a light tap of his scepter, the King of Silence caused the entire battlefield to fall into an eerie stillness.
Vulcan's flames froze in mid-air, Ryan's blade was only three centimeters from its target but couldn't advance an inch, and Abaddon's roar was frozen in sonic form. Only Russell's Godslayer Axe continued to move slowly—the ancient runes on the axe blade resonated with the scepter, barely resisting the stagnation of time.
“A miscalculation,” the King of Silence’s voice held a hint of emotion for the first time, “You are not only the key… but also the lock.”
Russell's muscles ripped open, blood crystallizing into golden droplets as time seemed to stand still, but his axe continued its advance: "The Emperor... greets you!"
The moment the axe blade collided with the scepter, the frozen time shattered!
Vulcan's flames suddenly surged, transforming into a fire dragon that coiled around the Silent King's left arm; Ryan's shield reflected the Emperor's phantom, suppressing the power of the scepter; Abaddon's demonic sword pierced the Necromancer's back, and the power of the four gods reacted violently with the matter of the stars.
"Now!" the three Primarchs roared in unison.
As Russell's god-slaying axe fell, the runes on the blade peeled away layer by layer, revealing its true form—**a section of an ancient saint's finger bone that had been sealed away**.
Cracks appeared in the core of the Silent King. He looked down at the axe blade on his chest and emitted an electronic voice that sounded like a sigh: "So you too... are just prisoners..."
The world engine began to collapse, and all the undead fleets suddenly stopped attacking, standing frozen in the void as if their power had been cut off.
Abaddon abruptly drew his cursed sword and retreated, the Chaos Fleet beginning a mass warp. Before disappearing, he gave Russell one last glance: "Tell Guilliman, next time we meet—"
“There won’t be a next time.” Russell plunged the God-Slaying Axe into the ground, and the ancient saint’s finger bone turned to dust and dissipated. “This galaxy… cannot accommodate a second Horus.”
In Terra's orbit, the surviving Imperial fleet erupted in thunderous cheers. But deep within the wreckage of the World Engine, a metal plate bearing the mark of a celestial being quietly activated, sending encrypted signals toward the edge of the galaxy—
**"Protocol No. 001: Awaken all tomb worlds and initiate the 'Great Reboot' procedure."**
…………
**Terra Palace - Post-War Council**
The smoke of battle had not yet cleared, and the burning wreckage of the orbits could still be seen from the palace dome. Guilliman stood in the center of the strategy hall, the holographic star map marking the territories the Empire had just reclaimed, but even more so, the worlds still threatened by chaos, aliens, and the undead.
“The Necromancers have retreated, but their threat is far from over,” Guilliman’s voice was deep and firm. “Chaos may have temporarily retreated, but Abaddon will not give up.”
He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over everyone present—Russell's golden psionic energy was no longer as intense as before, but the will in his eyes was even deeper; Ryan Eljonsson stood silently to the side, the cracks on the Emperor's Shield still unrepaired; Vulcan's lava bloodline was still burning, but there was a hint of weariness between his brows.
“We need more brothers,” Guilliman finally said. “The Empire cannot be sustained by just a few of us.”
Russell nodded slightly: "I will continue searching for the next Primarch—**Lehman Ruth, the Wolf King**."
The atmosphere in the room seemed to freeze for a moment.
Ryan's lips twitched almost imperceptibly, but he didn't speak. Vulcan glanced at him, then slowly said, "Ruth... is a powerful warrior."
Guilliman nodded, seemingly oblivious to Ryan's odd behavior: "We need his power, especially now."
After the meeting, Ryan stood alone on the palace's observatory, gazing at the distant stars. His thoughts drifted back ten thousand years, to the time when he and the Wolf King were locked in a fierce struggle—**the conflict between wolves and lions in the forests of Caliban**.
"Are you still dwelling on the past?" Russell's voice came from behind.
Ryan didn't turn around, but simply said, "Ruth and I... have different ideologies."
“Now is not the time for infighting.” Russell walked to his side. “The Empire needs every Primarch, regardless of their past.”
Ryan was silent for a moment, then finally whispered, "I know."
Deep within the Eye of Fear, the Black Legion's fleet is regrouping. Abaddon stands on the bridge of the "Soul of Vengeance," the crimson visors reflecting the chaotic situation on the holographic star map.
“The Necromancers have retreated, but they will surely return,” Abaddon’s voice was icy. “And the Empire… they have already begun searching for more Primarchs.”
The adjutant whispered, "Commander, our strength is insufficient to fight both the Empire and the Undead simultaneously."
Abaddon's lips curled into a cold smile: "Then let the Empire and the Undead fight to the death first."
He turned and walked to the communications station, activating an encrypted channel: "Contact **Mortalian**, **Forgrim**... and **Peturabo**."
The adjutant looked up in shock: "You want to... unite with other rogue Primarchs?"
Abaddon's gaze was profound: "My father once allied with nine Primarchs to launch a rebellion, and now... I need their strength too."
He looked towards Terra on the star map and whispered, "This time, I won't fail again."
Under the night sky of Terra, Russell stood before the hatch of the Dawn Recaller, his golden pupils reflecting the starlight. Valerian walked to his side and asked in a low voice:
"Commander, can we really find the Wolf King? It's said he's long since vanished into the depths of the Eye of Fear..."
Russell did not answer immediately, but instead took out an ancient rune from his pocket—one he had found in the wreckage of the World Engine, with Fenris' wolf-shaped mark engraved on it.
“Lehman Ruth is still alive.” He gripped the rune tightly. “And this time, I won’t go looking for him alone.”
Vulcan emerged from the shadows, his lava-like eyes gleaming with unwavering determination: "I'll go with you."
Ryan's voice came from behind: "...I'm going too."
Russell raised an eyebrow slightly: "I thought you and the Wolf King were at odds?"
Ryan scoffed, "That's precisely why I want to see him return with my own eyes."
Guilliman stood on a distant platform, watching them board the ship. A long-lost smile appeared on his lips—perhaps, the hope of the Empire truly lay in these former brothers.