Chapter 31: Slaying the Hive Tyrant and Destroying the Hive Mothership Tentacle

After a barrage of bombardment, the swarm of Tyranids near the hive tendril had been largely cleared. The ground was littered with the carcasses of the swarm.

Rhode let out a cold snort and ordered the King Joe robots to circle the hive tendril, forming a square formation. They fired continuously at the area below, creating a vacuum zone.

"Everyone, get ready. The operation begins. I will teleport you down. The King Joes will provide air support by bombarding the swarm from above. Remember! Our objective is to quickly plant the melta bombs. Once planted, teleport back to the King Joes immediately, then detonate them and move to the next target area. Do not get bogged down in a prolonged fight."

"Rest assured, Lord Rhode, we know how to fight this war. All the Space Marines will coordinate with your actions," the Polar Space Marine captain said, nodding to Rhode. The Canoness beside him also nodded.

"Alright then, let’s move!" With that, Rhode activated the teleportation bracelets on his wrists. After a flash of light, all of Rhode’s Space Marines and Battle Sisters appeared at the base of the hive ship's tendril.

Rhode wore his carapace armor, a Pedanium pistol in one hand and a chainsword in the other. The others drew their newly issued rifles, scanning their surroundings with vigilance. The scene was somewhat awkward, as no insects could break through; the suppressing fire from the separated King Joe robots prevented any of the hive troops from advancing.

The fierce battle the Battle Sisters and Space Marines had anticipated did not materialize. Any stray insects that managed to charge in were quickly eliminated by the Pedanium rifles.

"What are you standing around for? Execute the mission! Space Marines, use your jump packs to ascend and plant the melta bombs on the hive tendrils. Battle Sisters, maintain a defensive formation and eliminate any insect that tries to break through," Rhode commanded immediately. Having assumed the identity of a Primarch, he naturally had the authority to command these human forces.

Upon hearing his orders, the Space Marine captain led his battle brothers without hesitation, activating their jump packs to leap onto the Tyranid hive tendrils and plant the thermal explosives.

"Brothers, move quickly! Set the melta bombs!"

"Sisters! Defensive formation! Maintain tight fire coverage. Do not allow a single insect to disturb the Astartes' work!" The Canoness fired her Pedanium rifle relentlessly into the swarms outside. The power of this weapon far exceeded her expectations; with a standard bolter, it would normally take several shots to kill even a low-level Tyranid creature. But the rays fired by the Pedanium rifle killed ordinary insects in a single shot, and even some Tyranid Warriors were felled by them.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The thirty-plus Battle Sisters formed a dense wall of fire. Rhode’s own rifle was also wreaking havoc, targeting the hive’s high-value units. A Hive Tyrant, standing about six meters tall, attempted to charge in to stop them. Shielded by several Tyrant Guards, it finally broke through the heavy fire and rushed toward Rhode, its massive pincers wide open.

Rhode snorted, activated his chainsword—which let out a high-pitched whine—and launched himself ten meters into the air. Raising the chainsword high, he descended with unstoppable force, cleaving the Tyrant’s head. The impact forced the Hive Tyrant to its knees. Simultaneously, he emptied his Pedanium pistol into the creature's brain, turning its head into a pulp.

Boom! Whir!

Rhode’s chainsword roared as it sliced through the Hive Tyrant's skull. Moments later, he decapitated the creature. Although the beast had already been killed by the Pedanium rifle, Rhode cut off the head for the sake of the spectacle. The massive, headless corpse swayed twice before crashing to the ground. Seeing Rhode’s awe-inspiring display, the sisters raised their weapons and cheered loudly.

"Ah! Ah! For the God-Emperor!"

The Space Marines above had finished planting the bombs and descended to Rhode’s side. Once he confirmed everyone was present, Rhode clasped his hands together, activated the bracelets, and in another flash of light, the team returned to the chest compartment of the King Joe.

Back on board, Rhode immediately ordered the King Joes to ascend to an altitude of a thousand meters before triggering the detonation.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A violent burst of fire and explosions ripped the hive tendrils from the ground. Rhode then controlled the King Joes to unleash a barrage of Pedanium rays, snapping the aerial segments of the tendrils in two. To sever these tendrils, one must either use brute force, like Red King, or destroy the base and the upper sections simultaneously. If only the base were destroyed, the hive fleet would simply supply nutrients to regrow the connection to the earth.

"We did it! We did it!" some of the Battle Sisters cheered, waving their weapons in excitement.

"Yes, we did, and with zero casualties," Rhode said with a faint smile. He had worried himself sick during this battle, terrified that one of these "little ones" might be killed. He had been babysitting them the entire time.

"Lord Rhode, none of my sisters were injured. This new weapon is simply magnificent," the Canoness said, stroking her rifle. It was so effective that she wondered if the Primarch would let her keep it after the war.

"That’s good! Let’s go! We need to head to the next hive tendril. We must finish the remaining ones within the hour, or they will reconnect," Rhode stated.

By destroying this cluster and slaughtering the insects below, Rhode earned another 5,000 system coins. He had to admit, the firepower of the King Joe's Pedanium rays was truly potent and highly efficient at culling insects—much better than Red King, who only knew how to fight in melee. (Red King: "You forget your old friends once you find new ones!")