Inside the Hive City, on Old Tower Street.
War raged, and smoke billowed everywhere.
Burke piloted a sentinel walker, moving quickly through the messy tunnels and ruins.
Inside the cockpit, his expression was serious, and his eyes rapidly scanned the surroundings.
Every soldier of the Armageddon Steel Legion received extensive training on armored vehicles; whether it was armored coordinated warfare or driving techniques, they were already proficient.
As an infantryman, Burke hadn't been able to pilot a Sentinel armor before simply because of insufficient resources, but now, he finally had the clearance to pilot a Sentinel.
Operating the Auspex skillfully, Burke simultaneously reported via the communicator: "No organized resistance detected so far. The enemy appears to be consolidating forces. Please remain vigilant."
"Received, understood."
A low voice came through the Vox Caster.
And right there in the ruins, an Ork Sniper had set up his big shoota, placing the crosshairs on Burke.
After aiming, it violently pulled the trigger.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang!!
Intense gunfire rang out continuously. The bullets spat out by the modified weapon rained down like a torrential storm, instantly engulfing the entire sentinel walker.
Unlike Imperium of Man snipers who pursue precision and one-shot kills, Ork Snipers often prefer to modify their firearms to be bigger and fiercer, seeking terrifying firepower, aiming to directly engulf the target in a massive barrage and reduce it to shredded meat.
However, all the bullets automatically bounced off after hitting the area around the sentinel walker.
What appeared in the Orks' eyes was layer upon layer of constantly flashing Deflector Shields.
Since receiving the resources provided by Adam, Yarrick had distributed these Rare Talismans to every Astra Militarum reconnaissance unit.
Naturally, Burke, like the other Astra Militarum soldiers, unceremoniously hung all the rose rosaries he received onto his sentinel walker.
—If other Imperial Departments saw this sight, they would probably let out a sharp, piercing shriek.
This was pure waste!
The Ork Sniper's firepower didn't last long and soon fell silent.
The sentinel walker tilted slightly. Through the observation window, Burke saw the Astartes Brother standing silently beside him, the bolter in his hand still emitting wisps of smoke.
The admiration in his heart was inexpressible.
Ever since the Steel Legion began its rapid advance, these Astartes quickly joined the ranks, fighting alongside the Astra Militarum and conducting reconnaissance together.
They sometimes used the Armored Sentinel as cover, and sometimes, with astonishing shooting precision, they cleared all obstacles ahead together.
"Reconnaissance Sentinel Seventh Squad member reporting! Coordinates: XXX, XXX. Suspected discovery of Ork concealed blocking position and bunker. Requesting fire support!"
Burke took a few steps forward, noticed some clues, and reported them immediately in the Communication Channel.
Not long after, screams piercing the sky came from above.
Immediately, Siege Shells from the stormsword and Earthquake Shells from the Hellhammer roared in from the rear, landing precisely on the target area.
Amidst the furious roar, like countless heavy hammers falling from the sky, all the soil and metal defenses within the strike zone were crushed into dust.
And those Blood Axe Clan Orks who thought they were perfectly concealed, along with their Fortifications, were completely pulverized and mixed together by this bombardment, indistinguishable from one another.
"This battle is going too smoothly."
Yarrick, currently inside the *arrogance bastion*, couldn't help but sigh after commanding another artillery salvo.
That's right, it was too smooth.
This feeling of seamlessness was something he had never experienced in his many years as a Political Commissar.
Supported by terrifying material replenishment and coordinated by a Steel Torrent with a reasonable distribution of troop types, the enemy was completely unstoppable.
In the front, the reconnaissance units composed of Armored Sentinels and Astartes Brothers acted in coordination. They were professional and seasoned, making the tank artillery fire from the rear as accurate as if it had eyes.
This kind of coordination was something Yarrick had never experienced.
"This was a common sight ten thousand years ago, during the Great Crusade."
Adam, who was also sitting aboard the *arrogance bastion*, heard this and calmly stated: "In my personal opinion, the Imperium today, relying only on lives and sacrifice to fight messy wars, devoid of tactics and operational skill, is the abnormal phenomenon."
Yarrick wisely chose not to respond to this statement, which clearly carried a dangerous signal, and instead asked, "Have you noticed anything unusual? We have already broken through a large number of positions."
"On Sibylla's side, nothing unusual has been detected."
Adam replied, clearly anticipating that Yarrick would avoid the previous topic.
He paused, then suddenly looked thoughtful, "Oh, wait... it looks like we need to pay attention. The enemy has come up with a good idea."
At this moment, at a location approximately several hundred meters away from the Armageddon Steel Legion.
"Ah ah ah ah ah ah!!"
Deafening roars rose and fell. A group of Orks screamed wildly, their spit flying everywhere with their yells.
The motorcycles beneath them were even more bizarre, all painted bright red, with crooked sheet metal welded onto the rusty frames. The exhaust pipes sputtered black smoke, and the tires spun idly, making a grating friction sound as they rolled over the ground.
Every Ork clutched a rocket hammer, the head of which was tied with sizzling Blasting Charges, looking very intimidating.
"Listen up! Those Blood Axe Orks who tried to look down on us finally admitted we're da best!"
The leading Ork Boss ripped off the tattered cloth on its chest, revealing black heavy armor. It smashed the rocket hammer in its hand hard onto the ground, sending gravel flying.
"Before, we were seen as freaks! But today! We're gonna prove we ain't weirdos! We're gonna smash these Tin Cans into scrap metal! We'll show 'em who's da Boss!"
"Did ya hear that! That noise over there is the shrimp' tanks!"
The Ork Boss pointed his thick arm into the distance, spraying spit all over the face of the Subordinate in the front row. "Those are prime targets! Smashin' just one is enough for ya to brag about when ya get back to Gork and Mork!"
"Let 'em see what we can do!"
"Charge—!"
At this command, the Speed Freaks instantly exploded into action!
"Gork and Mork be praised!"
"Smash the Metal Shells!"
"Fungus Brew! Fungus Brew!"
Amidst the deafening wave of shouts, the Blasting Charges that had been buried long ago exploded with a roar!
BOOM—!!!
That High Wall Barrier in front of them was instantly torn open, leaving a gruesome hole, with gravel and fire shooting into the sky!
The next second, hundreds of Ork Motorcycles surged out from the gap like a black tide!
The roar of the exhaust pipes intensified. The Speed Freaks yelled and hunched low, their dense wheels tearing across the scorched earth, charging madly toward the flank of the Steel Legion!