The blood-red warning box, like the opening eye of a demon, emitted an ominous glow in the slightly dim light of the strategic bridge.
The two words 'Desperate Situation,' as if carrying the chill from the deepest depths of the Subspace, caused the surrounding air to instantly freeze.
For the first time, an expression of immense gravity appeared on Valeria's face, which always maintained absolute calmness.
Her gray eyes stared fixedly at the warning line, as if trying to see through it.
Standing to the side, Fogremia also imperceptibly furrowed her perfect brows.
A cold, sharp light flashed in her deep purple eyes.
'Lord of Change'...
For any being who understands the essence of Chaos, this name signifies endless schemes and unpredictable madness.
His personal intervention is fundamentally different in terms of danger level from any enemy faced before.
The Bloodthirsty Fiend is merely a mad dog of Khorne, while Chaos God Tzeentch is the supreme deity who toys with fate itself.
The bridge fell into a brief, suffocating silence.
Just then.
A chuckle filled with wild Battle Intent broke the frozen atmosphere.
'Desperate Situation?'
Angronia grinned, revealing a smile full of wildness and excitement.
In her amber pupils, the Battle Intent that had just calmed down instantly flared up even more intensely, as if fuel had been poured onto it.
'I like this word.'
She stuck out her tongue and licked her dry lips, as if she could already smell the sweet scent of blood and fire mixed on the battlefield.
'This means there will be... a battle worthy of me.'
Her words, like a branding iron thrown into an icy lake, instantly dispersed the heavy chill, making the air scorching hot again.
However, a hint of lingering worry remained on Sanguinia's face.
She walked to Leticia's side, her huge, snow-white wings folding in slightly, unconsciously, as if seeking some kind of shelter.
'Sister...'
Her sky-blue eyes reflected the blood-red warning, filled with compassion and unease.
'The personal intervention of the 'Lord of Change'... this is different from any enemy we have faced before.'
'He is the concept itself, the embodiment of lies and schemes. In His domain, everything we see could be a trap, and everything we believe could be a lie.'
'Do we... really have a chance of winning?'
This was not cowardice.
It was the most clear-headed recognition and awe of a Primarch who once stood at the pinnacle of the galaxy towards an opponent of the same, or even higher, dimension.
This was a most realistic interrogation of the team's strength.
Everyone's eyes subconsciously focused on the black figure sitting in the captain's seat.
Leticia did not speak.
She just slowly raised her hand.
Her fair, slender hand, as if sculpted by the gods themselves, gently and elegantly brushed across the warning window flashing with blood-red light.
There were no earth-shattering energy fluctuations, nor any flashy special effects.
The moment her fingertips touched the screen, the unsettling blood-red warning box representing the 'Desperate Situation,' like a phantom illuminated by sunlight, silently turned into billions of tiny golden light spots and slowly dissipated into the air.
After doing all this, Leticia spoke calmly.
Her voice was as calm as ever, yet carried a power capable of calming even the stars.
'Winning odds have never been a question we consider.'
She slowly stood up, her gaze sweeping over every Sister beside her.
Sweeping over the fire of war in Angronia's eyes, the pride in Fogremia's eyes, and the worry in Sanguinia's eyes.
'I only know one thing.'
'There, a family member who is about to be driven mad by their own ideals, abandoned by the entire universe, and about to fall into endless darkness, is waiting for us.'
'That is enough.'
A simple sentence.
Yet it struck heavily on the heart of every Sister like the most sacred oath.
Yes.
That is enough.
The reason they gathered here was never for any so-called 'winning odds.'
But for protection.
To pull those lonely souls who should not have fallen, one by one, from the quagmire called 'Fate,' and bring them back to this warm home where they can lean on each other.
'I agree.'
Fogremia clutched her chest and performed an impeccable knightly salute to Leticia.
All the gravity had faded from her perfect face, leaving only a defense of beauty and absolute self-confidence.
'No matter how perfect the scheme, in the face of your supreme, absolute beauty and power, Sister, it will eventually be like an ice sculpture exposed to the scorching sun, fragile and shattering on its own.'
Angronia even directly hoisted that huge chainaxe onto her shoulder, emitting a dull metallic clanging sound.
'I can't wait to split that scum who likes to play with schemes, along with His labyrinth, in half!'
Sanguinia looked at the eyes of her Sisters, which had become firm again, and looked at Leticia's calm and majestic back.
The last trace of worry in her heart also completely dissipated.
She slowly unfurled her huge wings, and in her sky-blue eyes, the light called 'Hope' reignited.
Yes.
As long as Sister is here.
As long as everyone is together.
There is no such thing as a 'Desperate Situation.'
The will of the Sisters, under Leticia's unshakeable determination, once again coalesced into an indestructible whole.
Leticia nodded with satisfaction.
She turned around and faced the huge main screen, her voice becoming cold and decisive.
'System.'
'Activate historical slice — [Burning of Prospero].'
Following her command, the lights on the entire strategic bridge slowly dimmed.
Only on the main screen did a red planet, burning with flames of sorrow, begin to emerge.
'Descent node...'
Leticia's gaze, as if piercing through ten thousand years of time, fell precisely on the peak, the core, and the most irreversible moment of that tragedy.
'The Space Wolves fleet is conducting orbital bombardment, the moment... just before Magnus, at the top of the pyramid, is about to receive Chaos God Tzeentch's 'blessing'.'
She chose the most dangerous, and also the most critical moment.
Because she knew that a hand extended to someone when they are alone is the most powerful.
'Understood.'
'Beginning space-time jump.'
Hum — —!
A pure white light, indescribable in words, instantly enveloped the entire genesis ship.
There was no violent shaking, nor any ear-piercing roar.
When the light dissipated, the scene outside the window had changed from the deep universe into a burning hell.
A beautiful planet, like a work of art, was beneath their feet, being torn apart and burned inch by inch by ruthless artillery fire.
Those crystal spires that once symbolized wisdom and civilization were collapsing in the flames, wailing like broken ivory.
The atmosphere was filled with ruthless orbital bombardment beams and the ashes of countless scrolls, carrying ten thousand years of knowledge, burning and drifting down like butterflies.
Just at the moment of arrival.
A wail that resounded through the sky, filled with endless regret, pain, and unwillingness, like a tangible sound wave, pierced through the ship's armor and slammed into the depths of everyone's souls!
That sound originated from the planet's landmark.
The top of a magnificent golden pyramid that still stood stubbornly in the midst of the raging war.
Their rescue target was right there.
Experiencing the darkest moment of his life.
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