Warhammer: Hail to the Void Lords!.

Chapter 1046, page 9 of 1045: "Our Honor"

"Lieutenant Commander Kretzmer, captain of the attack ship E-99."

Horatio's voice needed no amplification; his rigorously trained, powerful voice, combined with the near-perfect acoustic reverberation of the Cathedral of Enlightenment, carried clearly to every corner of the sanctuary. "Since the Second Damocles Expedition, Kretschmer has served as captain of this venerable warship, and together we have achieved numerous victories. On Minerva, he delivered a fatal blow to the fleeing enemy, for which his warship was rammed and severely damaged. And he himself sacrificed an eye for the cause of the God-Emperor."

Horatio took a heavy Eagle of Loyalty medal, made of pure gold and fine gold, from the velvet box and pinned it on the lieutenant colonel's crisp uniform.

"This medal was earned for him by annihilating the Void Enemy for the God Emperor and for shedding blood for the God Emperor. This is his fifth medal."

“Senior Technologist, Joestar.” Horatio’s gaze shifted to the gaunt, thin figure in the ranks.

Old Joe was unusually free of a cigarette; his calloused hands trembled slightly with nervousness, making him appear somewhat uneasy. When introducing him, Horatio's tone was no longer so serious, even carrying a hint of warm humor.

"Like many of you, he was just an inconspicuous old man living in a shack on the border of the Middle and Lower Nests when he enlisted. But with his skill of fixing anything, he successfully joined the Imperial Navy."

Below the stage, the pilgrims from all walks of life in the city erupted in even louder whispers. They couldn't fathom what merit or ability this seemingly ordinary, even somewhat withered and frail old man possessed to stand on the altar of this sacred temple, second only to a distinguished naval lieutenant commander, and receive the honor of a hero.

"During the operations on Minerva, he successfully assisted the Mechanic in repairing five macro cannons that had stopped due to overload amidst the chaos of war! This provided the most crucial guarantee for the continuous output of our ship! If you don't have a concrete understanding of this feat, let me put it this way: my flagship at the time, the Swift Eagle, had a total of ten macro cannons. This means that it was he and the damage control team he led that preserved our firepower on the enemy's side! He deserves this 'Overcoming All Difficulties' medal."

Next, Horatio awarded two medals to a grim-faced old warrant officer—the "Loyalty Skull" medal, representing loyalty in service, and the "Skyhawk Wound" medal, representing honorable wounds.

His face had been scorched beyond recognition by the plasma flames; his skin had solidified like melted candle wax, forming a horrifying mask. Even the most fanatical believers couldn't help but gasp and tremble uncontrollably at the sight of his mutilated face.

When little Horace in Lina's arms saw his father approach such an "ugly" person, he couldn't help but burst into tears. Lina quickly turned around, blocked the child's view with her body, and gently comforted him.

But Horatio knew that the ugly old man was the old artillery captain who had lost his son, Technical Lieutenant Vaux, who served in the same engineering department, in the battle, and who had been severely burned in the explosion that destroyed the cannon.

"We will always remember the sacrifice of your family." Horatio's voice was deep and powerful. "On behalf of the Imperial Navy's Gothic Fleet, I thank you for your service and sacrifice."

He stood with his legs together and, facing the old artillery captain who had lost both his son and his appearance, performed an extremely solemn salute, with his double-headed eagles crossed in front of his chest.

The old gunnery lieutenant raised his charred hands, missing two fingers and still trembling slightly, and with all his might returned a solemn military salute to his captain.

At that moment, Hieronymus Doroloso on the pulpit fell silent. A rare, complex and profound emotion flickered in his eyes, which always burned with fanatical fervor. He stopped shouting slogans and instead bowed his head, silently reciting a prayer for the fallen son of the old artillery captain, praying that his soul might return to the Golden Throne.

"Our Imperial Navy has never been a scattered entity; we are a tightly knit whole. It is because of these crew members, petty officers, and officers, who are as dedicated as countless closely meshed gears, that we are able to defend the Emperor's vast empire and fulfill our duties."

Horatio's voice rang out again, clear and firm, like the main cannon of a warship, striking the hearts of everyone present.

"I am not a hero. Because everyone in our group is a hero."

"We come from all walks of life in the Hive City society: nobles, Voidborn, outcasts of the lower hive, and ordinary citizens. What has united us to fight for the same goal?" "It is the faith of the God-Emperor! It is the steadfastness of duty! It is the deep love for our shared Void home! It is what binds us together! It allows us to truly 'republic' together! And to move towards a common goal!"

"This is the Imperial Navy! This is our life! We are not the 'naval lords' that many people imagine, comfortably sitting in orbit and completing tasks by pressing buttons! We bleed, we sacrifice, and we have dedicated generation after generation to this sacred cause, one after another, endlessly!"

Finally, Horatio's gaze swept across the crowd, landing precisely on the corner of the church where the director's camera was filming the Ascension ceremony—a spot specially arranged by Yin Shuyao. His eyes were sharp as an eagle's, as if they could pierce through the lens and look directly at everyone in front of the screen.

"We need every citizen of the Empire to contribute to His holy navy. No matter how small your contribution, you are saving countless Imperial worlds, piercing the probe of dawn into endless darkness, and using the Emperor's light to illuminate those Imperial worlds shrouded in darkness once more!"

Yadwiga watched the man on the stage silently. His words, like a warhammer, struck her defenses, echoing endlessly in her mind.

“He is a true fighter.” Louise’s eyes gleamed with pride and admiration as she smiled and said softly, “He is a very pure person who puts the bond between comrades above personal gain or loss, ever since military academy. It is an honor for all of us to have such a leader.”

“It is indeed a blessing to have someone like that.” Yadvig lowered his head slightly, his gaze behind his glasses complex and unfathomable, lost in deep thought and self-examination.

In the shadows of the domed arcade at the highest point of the church, Luisa-Antoine des Sai de Vigo, the commander of the Leaping Battalion responsible for guarding the area, was quietly scanning every corner below that could potentially pose a threat to the pulpit through the high-magnification scope on her sniper rifle.

Her face remained calm, without any obvious emotional change. No one knew what effect such a passionate speech had on her inner self.

She remained as meticulous as a machine, diligently fulfilling her duties.

"This is Hunter-03. No anomalies detected."

"This is Hunter-05. No anomalies detected."

Her subordinates would give a routine report every ten minutes via an encrypted communication channel.

The girl's slender fingers moved the heavy gun steadily, scanning an empty corridor on the fifth floor with the crosshairs of the scope.

Suddenly, she stopped moving.

Something seemed to have swept across the center of the crosshairs. A fleeting outline that shouldn't have been there.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She immediately swung the scope back and locked onto the previous position again.

[what is that? ]
(End of this chapter)