I summoned the Fourth Scourge in Warhammer

Chapter 262 The Invincible Second Company Commander is Here!

The shockwave from the nuclear explosion leveled the entire mountain where the command post was located, leaving a shockingly large crater. Thick smoke billowed from the charred soil and molten rock, and the air was filled with the acrid smell of burning and radioactive particles.

At the edge of the deep pit, a broken and twisted figure was struggling to climb upwards. It was the Licat. It was severely injured; its once-proud optical scales were completely ineffective, and its charred carapace, like paper scorched by fire, was riddled with cracks.

Its internal muscles and bones were also rendered extremely fragile by the high temperature and radiation of the nuclear explosion, causing excruciating pain with every movement. Its compound eyes were burned by the intense light, rendering it almost blind, and it could only grope its way forward using its remaining senses. If it hadn't instinctively unleashed powerful psionic energy at the moment of the nuclear explosion, forming a barrier around itself to block the most lethal impact, it would probably have been reduced to ashes long ago, leaving not even a trace.

But for it, as long as it doesn't die, these injuries will heal sooner or later. As long as it can crawl out and lick its wounds in some shadow, it can still continue to carry out the swarm's will. If it can't kill the commander, then it'll go and behead the Astartes fighting on the front lines; surely there aren't any nuclear bombs planted there?
Thinking this, it used all its strength to finally drag its broken body out of the deep pit. However, just as it climbed out of the pit and had not yet fully regained its footing, a huge boot covered in blue power armor slammed heavily onto its already fragile right limb with tremendous force! With a "crack," the sound of bones breaking was clearly audible, and Likat let out a painful and shrill roar as the broken limb twitched helplessly.

“I never imagined this would happen.” Maneus Calgar’s furious voice boomed like a thunderclap above Licatt. His face was covered in a cold rage, his eyes fixed on the struggling alien at his feet. “Victory was so close, yet you filthy aliens still managed to mount such a counterattack…”

On Calgary's right arm, the power glove gleamed with a faint blue light as he slowly raised his foot, while Licat's broken limbs hung limply.

“The string of easy victories lulled me into complacency, it lulled Thor into complacency, it lulled the First Company into complacency, it even lulled everyone into complacency,” his voice carried a hint of self-reproach, but even more so, an overwhelming hatred for the Xenomorphs. “I swear on my honor, such a mistake will never happen again…”

Licat let out a piercing shriek, as if it understood Karga's words, or perhaps it was simply driven by pain and despair. With its last ounce of strength, its mangled body sprang up, lunging at Karga like an arrow released from a bow, its remaining claws carrying the afterimage of death.

However, it was already at its last gasp. Calga didn't even blink, simply extending its massive power gauntlet and precisely catching Ricard's charging body in mid-air. Then, in Ricard's desperate struggle, Calga's arms suddenly ripped apart to the sides—"Sizzle!" A chilling tearing sound rang out, and Ricard's mangled body was ripped in two, dark green blood and shattered internal organs splattering all over the ground.

"Never again!" Calga's voice echoed like a vow across the desolate land leveled by the nuclear explosion.

Calgar stopped looking at the two halves of Ricard's remains. He knew the Xenomorph was truly dead. The Chapter Master's gaze swept over the bottomless crater of the nuclear explosion, where Thor and the First Company had once been. A heavy sorrow welled up within him, but as the Chapter Master of the Ultramarines, as the Governor of Alteramar, he could not be defeated by grief.

“The position of the First Company cannot be left vacant,” Calga ordered in a deep voice, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority. “This is wartime, especially so. Let Severus Agman, the commander of the Second Company, temporarily take over the position of commander of the First Company.”

“Yes, Commander,” an attendant replied immediately and quickly wrote it down. Although it was called a temporary appointment, everyone knew that as long as Agman didn’t do anything too outrageous during his temporary appointment, the “temporary” prefix could be removed after the war.

"As for the vacant position of Second Company Commander..." Calga pondered for a moment, and a name flashed through his mind. That young, impulsive but exceptionally talented warrior was perhaps the most suitable choice at this moment. "Let Cato Sicarius take it."

The news quickly spread throughout Plantim, causing a huge uproar within the Astartes' chapters. The Ultramarines' First Company, the chapter's elite force, led by Chief Company Commander Thor Invictus, had been completely wiped out!

This fact shocked and saddened all the Space Marines. Although the number of Astartes who had perished in the war against the Tyranids far exceeded one hundred, the annihilation of entire units and individual casualties were entirely different concepts. The Tyranids were far more cunning and dangerous than they had imagined.

As for the players, they weren't concerned with clan glory or morale, but rather with another "big deal" implied in this news:
"Breaking news! Breaking news! Sicarius has become the second company commander! The invincible second company commander is now in his complete form!"

This message spread rapidly among gamers like a virus, triggering a chain reaction:
"what?"

"What?!" "What?!"

"Am I seeing things? Sicarius has become the second company commander?"

"How did he get the position? Did Severus Agman die suddenly?"

"No, just like in the original story, the First Company was completely wiped out, and Company Commander Thor died in the line of duty. Calgar promoted Agman to temporarily take over the First Company. Then Sicarius replaced Agman and became the company commander of the Second Company."

"Uh... is this a good thing or a bad thing?" one player expressed concern.

"This is great news! After all, the invincible Second Company Commander is here. Taking down a small Tyranid is a piece of cake, isn't it? This wave is in the bag. The Tyranids are going to be wiped out by Sicarius alone!"

"Good! Long live the Second Company Commander! We're going to win!"

"Long live the Second Company Commander! Long live him!"

The Astartes at the front were still reeling from the shocking news of the First Company's annihilation; the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive. Every Space Marine felt the weight of the burden on their shoulders, and a deeper sense of vigilance towards the Tyranids. Yet, amidst this solemn atmosphere, they noticed that those who had gone to their deaths, upon hearing certain news, inexplicably began to celebrate wildly.

"What's wrong with them?" a warrior asked, looking at the players around him who were excitedly discussing something. Why were these people who were about to die suddenly cheering?

One of the Astartes, who had overheard some of the dying men's excited conversation from behind the bunker, said somewhat uncertainly, "It seems...it seems like they're celebrating Cato Sicarius becoming the second company commander?"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding Astartes all showed expressions of surprise.

"Is Sicarius so highly regarded among the dead?" an older veteran asked, frowning. Mortals have always held these Space Marines in more awe than affection; why would they be so excited about a promotion of a certain Astartes?
“I’ve heard about this before,” one of the Astartes couldn’t help but say, recalling some scattered rumors. “It’s said that the crisis on Pedytia was largely resolved thanks to a large group of Space Wolves. And these suicide bombers and those brutish heretics of the Space Wolves were just comrades-in-arms, neither particularly good nor bad; but when they encountered Sicarius, they all ran to him very enthusiastically for his autograph… It seems that Sicarius is indeed a very special guy to the suicide bombers.”

His words elicited thoughtful expressions from the other Astartes. It seemed that Cato Sicarius possessed some inexplicable influence among those facing death.

Seeing the other Astartes looking thoughtful, the one who shared the information quickly added, "I've only heard about it, so don't spread rumors."

Everyone said, "Don't worry, we definitely won't spread rumors."

(End of this chapter)