Warhammer 40: Doom

Chapter 53 Ancient Orcs
"Psionic fluctuations detected! All units, take note!" Harlan reacted and shouted urgently into the communication channel, warning the Night Guardians that an unexpected situation had occurred on the battlefield.

The champion swordsman reacted extremely quickly; the readings from the external temperature sensor on his power armor showed that the air temperature was dropping rapidly.

As the sun rises over the battlefield, plasma slurries and high-energy beams occasionally streak across the surface. The sudden drop in temperature is particularly noticeable, foreshadowing the appearance of supernatural phenomena.

Psychic energy. The power of psychic energy is ever-changing, yet its patterns are traceable.

The use of psionic energy creates a low-temperature phenomenon within its effective range, causing water molecules in the air to freeze and resulting in a rapid localized cooling phenomenon.

At this moment, beneath Doom and Harlan's feet, orc blood crystals formed crimson ice, rapidly freezing, foreshadowing an impending psionic strike.

Night Guard responds faster.

Faced with an unknown psionic attack, they activated their power armor's power supply system and maximized the power of their personal force field shields to prepare for the impending psionic shock.

The electric current passes through the Nuer crystal, stimulating the crystal structure to project a dimensional field that expands outward, forming a dimensional protective force field that envelops the armor.

The uses of Nuer crystal are wide-ranging, and its specific origin remains a mystery; it could not possibly be naturally occurring.

The Night Watchers and the ancient ancestors only developed and utilized it, never truly understanding its structure and secrets.

Coincidentally, the defensive force field constructed from multiple crystals forms an egg-shaped shield that envelops the entire body, effectively defending against psionic energy.

Within seconds, the Night Guardians prepared to respond, even beginning to shrink their formation in preparation for the sudden change in the battlefield.

Doom shielded Harlan behind him, his fingers flashing in a coded signal to his guards to leave immediately.

His superhuman vision allowed him to see in the distance, five kilometers away, on a small hill, a hunched figure dressed in a hemp robe chanting incessantly, his wide sleeves waving to draw mysterious psionic characters.

The psionic script, like sprites, shimmered with tiny points of light and danced gracefully in the void, seemingly a beautiful sight, but in reality, it was brewing immense power.

The point where that force landed was undoubtedly where he was.

Doom told Harlan to leave immediately, as that psychic power was something he couldn't possibly withstand.

His face was ashen; Doom disliked the current situation very much.

As a warlord and commander of the Night Guard, Doom dislikes unexpected situations.

There should be clues to follow in the battlefield situation, so that everything can be prevented and controlled.

An unexpected event from outside the battlefield—that was a real accident, completely beyond our control.

It's like two people are locked in a fierce battle when a third party suddenly joins in.

Doom was used to having everything under control, avoiding any accidents, and preventing his carefully selected Night Watchers from dying unexpectedly.

Lowering his stance, Doom prepared to receive the psionic attack. He was fully capable of dodging the attack and even quickly advancing to counter the mysterious man after dodging.

But in reality, Doom couldn't do that. The mysterious man's chanting was ancient and mysterious, and the temperature dropped rapidly, demonstrating the power of the psionic attack.

If he dodges, the psionic attack will shift its target, and the Night Guardian won't be able to dodge on the battlefield.

"They're absolutely madmen from the City of Truth; only they would use psionic energy so recklessly!"

Harlan grumbled and cursed, but his body obeyed perfectly, quickly leaving the center of the psionic impact without the slightest hesitation.

He knew very well that if Doom couldn't withstand the psionic attacks, there was no point in him staying.

Keeping them at a distance, allowing capable individuals to unleash their full potential without restraint, is undoubtedly the optimal solution.

Like him, the Night Guardians each performed their duties, doing what they were supposed to do, and completed their tasks in an orderly manner on the battlefield.

They were more concerned with the present than with Doom.

The orc boy's wielding of broadswords and axes, and the bullets fired from various primitive firearms, were more threatening than a psionic shock.

If the war lord cannot withstand the attack and dies on the spot, the Night Guard will summarize the experience, investigate the matter thoroughly, and then avenge him.

Professional soldiers bound by the laws of war, the Night Guards are machines of violence; they are war machines composed of cold souls, efficient and deadly.

They would not grieve or be angry over the deaths of their comrades, but would suppress all emotions with cold rationality and focus on winning the battle.

These are the Night Guardians! Nur's most powerful soldiers.

A streak of light ripped across the sky as the high-speed projectile rubbed against the air, leaving a trail of azure blue that shimmered with blue lightning.

The lurking ghost strikes, its electromagnetic sniper rifle firing high-speed projectiles.

Physical weapons are very precious in Nur. Apart from crystal, all minerals are extremely rare in Nur.

Bullets embedded with "virus capsules" are extremely valuable, and Nur can no longer manufacture them; they are only used against extremely high-value targets.

Clearly, the spectator responsible for sniping from the shadows believed that a master of psychic powers fit the definition of a "high-value target."

Hypersonic projectiles, with their powerful kinetic energy, can penetrate armor. Upon impact, the toxic sac inside the bullet bursts, and the virus enters the body the instant it comes into contact with the target, causing death.

In the distant past, these special bullets were used for hunting, specifically to kill certain large wild animals and to preserve their intact pelts.

A perfectly timed sniper shot. To dodge the bullets, one had to abandon psionic magic; abandoning it meant all previous efforts were wasted, while not abandoning it meant enduring the bullets head-on. The ultra-high-speed bullet arrived in the blink of an eye, and through the ghostly scope, it struck the target squarely.

The mysterious figure remained motionless, yet the space around him rippled and twisted, as if he had fallen into water, creating ripples.

The supersonic bullet stopped abruptly as it passed through the ripples, hovering in the center, posing no further threat.

"Sniping failed. The target possesses a personal shield, preliminarily identified as a powerful 'psychic shield'," Ghost reported from the shadows, his voice suppressed.

Doom didn't care about the result.

Even the Ghost, who was in charge of sniping, was not surprised and showed no regret or discouragement.

A master who skillfully uses psychic powers, unafraid of the Night Guardians' reputation, dares to stand there openly and launch an attack; he must have made ample preparations.

Ghost's reason for firing was simple: even if there's no guarantee of success, it's worth a shot. What if the other side is a fool?

That's how it is on the battlefield; both sides pay a price and constantly seek out each other's weaknesses.

The temperature was still dropping, and the muddy ground in the center of the battlefield, soaked by blood, was covered with frost within seconds. The temperature continued to drop, indicating that the intensity of the psionic attack was extremely high.

Doom focused his mind and tensed his muscles. He was certain he could withstand the psionic shock; this instinctive judgment had never been wrong.

"Boom!!!"

The psionic attack was completed, and the mysterious figure waved his long sleeves, accompanied by a deafening thunderclap, as a bolt of azure psionic lightning fell from the sky.

Doom looked up sharply, reacting with lightning speed that he pinpointed the source of the lightning before even hearing the thunder.

That bolt of azure lightning, carrying a violent force, struck down from the sky like a silver snake spitting its tongue, a thunderbolt from a clear sky.

"Oh no!" Doom thought to himself, realizing he had made a mistake.

His body's instincts didn't lie; his body could indeed withstand the lightning strike without any fear of injury.

However, his prediction was wrong. The mysteriously summoned lightning never targeted him, but rather the ancient tusk that was hanging high above and unable to fight.

Lightning struck the ground, sending up arcs that danced wildly, crackling as they pierced the air.

Doom could clearly sense that the blue lightning contained not destructive power, but a vitality similar to spring thunder, capable of awakening the power of the earth.

The mysterious man's goal was clear: he intended to save Guya and restore the orc leader to his position so that he could fight against him.

What was his purpose in doing this? Did he simply want to see a gladiatorial contest?
Doom turned back, full of doubt. The mysterious man completed the spell, waved to him, and then disappeared like a wisp of smoke.

A blue lightning bolt struck, and with the intense flash, the drastic temperature change instantly melted the ice crystals and frost, stirring up thick, blood-red steam.

From within, a series of eerie sounds could be heard.

Doom listened intently, and he heard the cracking of dislocated joints, the tearing of muscles, and the surging of bursting blood vessels amidst the blood mist. There was also the remodeling of bones, the stitching of muscles, and the even more powerful surge of blood!

"Heh! Heh! Heh!" A cruel laugh echoed amidst the lightning and thunder. Gu Ya's familiar, rough voice rang out again, but it was different from before:

"Doom, you would never guess that there is an ancient elder on this planet!"

A shadowy figure slowly rose from the mist, and the ancient tusk stood up again, its outline even larger, possessing a power that instilled fear and awe in mortals.

"Now I have been reborn. The blessing of the ancient elders has freed me from my shackles. The ancient orcs will rise in the galaxy."

The thunder subsided, the steam and dust it had stirred up were dispersed by the wind, and Gu Ya's figure reappeared before everyone.

At this moment, the orc leader, who had returned from the brink of death, had been reborn and undergone an extraordinary transformation.

Its crimson eyes were fixed on Doom: "Doom, my old friend, your life will witness the beginning, the beginning of the galaxy's trembling for the orcs!"

"Command transfer. Harlan will take over command from me." Doom did not answer, but raised his hand to open the communication channel and announced the transfer of command to the Night Watchers.

Faced with an unprecedented danger, Doom chose the most prudent approach. He could not afford to be distracted in the battle, and handing over command was a wise move.

Harlan possesses outstanding individual abilities and exceptional swordsmanship. However, few people know that he is also a very capable commander.

Doom discovered by chance that Harlan was very perceptive about changes in the battlefield situation, but he himself did not like to express his opinions on the war.

"Handover confirmed!"

Faced with the sudden change in the situation, Harlan had no time to think and took on the heavy responsibility.

The moment Guya stood up, the orcish horde seemed to undergo some unknown change along with him.

Their attacks became more ferocious, and they gradually showed a will to unite, forming gangs to launch an effective counterattack against the Night Guardians.

Harlan realized the gravity of the situation and issued orders over the communications channel: "Heavy firepower attack the orcish stronghold, wraiths snipe key targets!"

(3K)

(End of this chapter)