The nuclear blast wave leveled the entire mountain where the command post was located, leaving behind a shocking, colossal crater. Scorched earth and melted rock emitted billowing smoke, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of burning and radioactive particles.
On the rim of the deep crater, a broken and twisted figure struggled to clamber out. It was the Lictor. It was grievously wounded; its proud optical scales were completely useless, and its charred carapace was covered in cracks, like paper scorched by fire.
Its internal muscle tissue and skeleton had been rendered fragile by the nuclear blast's extreme heat and radiation, causing excruciating pain with every movement. Its compound eyes were scorched by the blinding light, leaving it almost unable to see, forcing it to grope forward using its remaining senses.
Had it not instinctively unleashed a powerful psychic barrier at the moment of the detonation, deflecting the most lethal shockwave, it would have long ago been obliterated, leaving not even ash behind.
But for the Lictor, as long as it lived, these wounds would eventually heal. If it could just crawl out and lick its wounds in some dark corner, it could still execute the Hive Mind's will. If it couldn't assassinate the commanders, it would go for the Astartes fighting on the front lines—surely there wouldn't be a nuclear bomb buried there?
With that thought, it used every ounce of its strength to drag its broken body out of the crater.
However, just as it crested the edge and before it could fully stabilize, a massive boot, clad in blue power armor, descended with crushing force onto its already fragile right limb!
With a loud "crunch," the sound of bone snapping was clearly audible. The Lictor let out a painful, sharp shriek, and its severed limb twitched helplessly.
"I never thought such a thing could happen." Marneus Calgar's voice, full of fury, thundered over the Lictor's head like a massive bell. His face was etched with cold anger, his eyes fixed on the struggling xenos beneath his boot.
"Victory was so close, yet still, you filthy aliens could launch a counter-attack of this magnitude…"
Calgar's right arm, encased in a Power Fist, glowed with a faint blue light. He slowly lifted his foot, and the Lictor's broken limb flopped limply.
"The continuous, easy victories numbed me, numbed Sol, numbed the First Company, and numbed everyone," his voice held a trace of self-reproach, but more overwhelming was the profound hatred for the xenos. "I swear upon my honor that this mistake will never be repeated…"
The Lictor shrieked, seemingly understanding Calgar's words, or perhaps driven only by pain and despair. It used its last reserves of strength, and its broken body shot up like an arrow, lunging at Calgar, its only remaining claw leaving a deadly blur.
However, it was spent. Calgar didn't even blink. He simply extended his immense Power Fist and accurately caught the Lictor's pouncing body in mid-air. Then, amid the Lictor's desperate struggles, Calgar's arms violently ripped it apart—with a horrifying, sickening tear, the Lictor's shattered body was forcibly torn in two, scattering dark green blood and ruptured internal organs across the ground.
"Never again!" Calgar's voice, like an oath, echoed across the nuclear-blasted wasteland.
Calgar did not spare another glance for the two halves of the Lictor's carcass. He knew this xenos was utterly dead.
The Chapter Master's gaze swept over the bottomless nuclear crater, the resting place of Sol and the First Company. A heavy sorrow swelled in his heart, but as the Ultramarines Chapter Master and the Regent of Ultramar, he could not be overcome by grief.
"The First Company position cannot remain vacant," Calgar ordered solemnly, his voice imbued with unquestionable authority. "Especially so during wartime. Have Severus Agemman, the Second Company Captain, temporarily assume the position of First Company Captain."
"Yes, Chapter Master," a subordinate immediately responded and swiftly recorded the order. Although labeled "temporary," everyone knew that as long as Agemman didn't cause any monumental blunders during his tenure, the "temporary" prefix would naturally be removed after the war.
"As for the vacant position of Second Company Captain…" Calgar pondered for a moment, and a name flashed through his mind. That young, impulsive, but incredibly talented warrior was perhaps the most suitable choice right now. "Let Cato Sicarius take it."
This news quickly spread across Plantidium, causing a sensation within the Astartes battle-brothers. The Ultramarines First Company, the Chapter's elite, the Terminator squad under the command of Chief Captain Sol Invictus, had been completely annihilated!
This fact shocked and saddened every Space Marine. Although the number of Astartes sacrificed in the war against the Tyranids was already well over a hundred, the annihilation of an established unit and individual casualties were completely different concepts. The Tyranids were far more cunning and dangerous than they had imagined.
As for the players, they were not concerned with Chapter glory or morale, but with another "big event" contained within the news:
"Breaking news! Breaking news! Sicarius is the Second Company Captain! The Invincible Second Captain is now leading!"
This message spread through the player community like a virus, causing a chain reaction:
"What?"
"WHAT!"
"WHAT?!"
"Did I read that right? Sicarius is the Second Captain?"
"How did he get it? Did Severus Agemman suddenly die?"
"No, the First Company was wiped out, just like in the original story; Captain Sol was martyred. Calgar promoted Agemman to temporarily take the First Company position. Then Sicarius replaced Agemman and became the Second Company Captain."
"Uh… is this a good thing or a bad thing?" some players expressed concern.
"This is a good thing! The Invincible Second Captain is here; won't defeating a small Tyranid swarm be easy? We're stable now, the Tyranids are about to be defeated by Sicarius alone!"
"Yes! Long live the Second Captain! We're going to win!"
"Long live the Second Captain! Huzzah!"
The Astartes on the front lines were still immersed in the shocking news of the First Company's annihilation, and the atmosphere was heavy and solemn.
Every Space Marine felt the weight on their shoulders and a deeper caution towards the Tyranids. However, amidst this somber mood, they noticed that the Helldivers, upon hearing certain news, inexplicably erupted in celebration.
"What's wrong with them?" an Ultramarine looked at the excited players nearby and asked, confused. Why were these Helldivers suddenly cheering?
One Astartes, who had overheard some of the excited chatter from the Helldivers behind cover, said uncertainly, "It sounds like… they're celebrating Cato Sicarius becoming the Second Company Captain?"
At these words, the surrounding Astartes showed astonished expressions.
"Sicarius is that highly regarded among the Helldivers?" an older veteran frowned, asking. Mortals usually held reverence rather than closeness towards them, the Space Marines; why would they be so excited about the promotion of one specific Astartes?
"I'd heard whispers of this before," one Astartes couldn't help but interject, recalling some scattered rumors. "It is said that during the crisis on Perditia, the problem's resolution heavily relied on a Great Company of the Space Wolves.
The Helldivers, with those Space Wolves, were merely allies—not particularly close nor hostile. But whenever they encountered Sicarius, they all enthusiastically rushed to ask him for autographs… It seems Sicarius is indeed a very special figure to the Helldivers."
His words caused the other Astartes to look thoughtful. It seemed Cato Sicarius held some indescribable influence among the Helldivers.
Seeing the thoughtful expressions of the other Astartes, the one who shared the information quickly added, "I only heard rumors, so don't spread this around."
Everyone replied in unison: "Don't worry, we absolutely won't spread it."