Golden drop pods screamed down through the atmosphere like meteors wrapped in holy fire, slamming into the plague-ridden, war-torn ground of Omsk Hive City.
Hatches exploded outward in clouds of dust and shockwaves. What stepped out were not ordinary soldiers, but giants in deep blue power armor, silver "U" emblems gleaming on their pauldrons.
The Ultramarines Second Company.
Silent. Efficient. Perfectly disciplined. They formed tactical squads the moment they hit the ground. The thunder of bolters immediately overwhelmed the chaos of the battlefield.
Controlled bursts tore apart rebel positions. Melta and plasma fire vaporized Nurgle's abominations and waves of shambling plague zombies.
Their arrival was like dropping an unbreakable blue wall into a churning green ocean of rot, instantly shoring up the most desperate sections of the "Purification Corridor."
User 114514 watched from cover, his pulse finally steadying. But he knew AI-controlled Space Marine reinforcements alone would not be enough to turn the tide in Omsk Hive.
He needed something more direct, more powerful. He needed to become one of these superhuman warriors himself if he was going to lead a real counterattack and take back what they had lost.
With the Astartes Support Protocol activated, a new tab appeared in his tactical interface, outlined in faint golden light: [Astartes Chapter Support]. It split into two sections: [Battlefield Support] and [Identity Purchase].
He did not hesitate. He clicked [Identity Purchase].
The moment the page opened, User 114514 held his breath. What appeared was not a single choice, but five distinct panels, each marked with a different Chapter emblem, like five weapons of different shapes but equal lethality, waiting for him to choose.
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[Blood Angels] | Price: 3000 Points
Advantages: The harder the fight, the stronger they get. Stack "Glory" in combat to temporarily boost attack power, attack speed, and health regeneration. "Black Rage" and "Red Thirst" states can trigger special attack modes or brief invulnerability.
Disadvantages (Gene-Seed Flaws):
* Black Rage: Extended or high-intensity combat can trigger hallucinations. You may temporarily lose control, attacking everything in sight, including allies, or freeze up completely.
* Red Thirst: Brutal combat can trigger extreme bloodlust. Massively increases melee damage but disables friend-or-foe recognition temporarily. You will attack the closest target regardless of allegiance, and ranged accuracy drops.
Background: Grief-stricken angels from the death world of Baal, known for their artistry in war and deep melancholy. Their Primarch's fall cursed them forever, even as it crowned them in glory.
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[Ultramarines] | Price: 3500 Points
Advantages: Highly disciplined, strong sense of duty, exceptional teamwork and tactical flexibility. No known gene-seed defects; their lineage is stable. In combat, grants minor morale and accuracy boosts to nearby allies. Masters of defensive positions and combined arms tactics.
Disadvantages: None. The Ultramarines' gene-seed is recognized across the Imperium as the most stable and pure. They are the foundation and pride of the Adeptus Astartes.
Background: Protectors of the Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar, one of the largest, most organized, and most respected Chapters in the Imperium. Primarch Roboute Guilliman is the only living Primarch and serves as Lord Regent.
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[Dark Angels] | Price: 3200 Points
Advantages: Extremely tight organization, top-tier equipment, very stable gene-seed. Access to unique "Inner Circle" mechanics. Specialists in assault operations and covert missions.
Disadvantages (Chapter Culture): The Chapter is paranoid, secretive, and strictly hierarchical. On the battlefield, if AI commanders or high-ranking NPCs suspect you are connected to certain forbidden subjects, or think your actions might expose Chapter secrets, they have the authority to handle you, meaning they will kill you or forcibly remove you from combat, even if you are an allied player.
Background: The First Legion, the most ancient and enigmatic. Infamous for their relentless hunt for traitors, especially within their own ranks, and their iron grip on their own history.
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[Imperial Fists] | Price: 3100 Points
Advantages: Unmatched defensive specialists and siege experts. Gain massive damage reduction in defensive stance; build and repair fortifications at incredible speed. Deal bonus damage to Chaos and xenos forces.
Disadvantages: Extreme devotion to sacrifice and holding the line; may enter a special state called "Dorn's Darkness" during combat.
Background: Defenders of Terra, masters of fortification. Like their Primarch Dorn, they are known for their stoicism, loyalty, and fearless sacrifice.
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[Space Wolves] | Price: 2900 Points
Advantages: Savage close-quarters specialists, experts in wilderness survival and tracking. Wolfen state significantly increases movement speed, melee damage, and resistance, with a chance to terrorize weaker enemies. Can summon unique Fenrisian wolf companions.
Disadvantages: Less disciplined than other Chapters, relying more on individual courage than tight formations. Slightly lower proficiency with ranged weapons. May struggle in tight spaces or tactics requiring precise coordination.
Background: Fierce warriors from the ice world of Fenris, famous for their bold, loyal, savage fighting style and absolute devotion to the Emperor and Primarch Russ.
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Five choices. Five completely different paths.
From the perfectly stable model Ultramarines, to the high-risk, high-reward cursed Blood Angels, to the secretive and exclusive Dark Angels, the rock-solid Imperial Fists, the wild and ferocious Space Wolves, each offered unique appeal and came with its own price.
User 114514's eyes moved rapidly between the five panels. He needed power, power that could enter the fight immediately and break this stalemate.
The Ultramarines were perfectly stable, but lacked that edge needed to break through in desperate situations. The Dark Angels carried too much risk. The Imperial Fists leaned too heavily toward defense. The Space Wolves' style did not quite fit the breakthrough tactics he needed right now.
His gaze finally settled on the [Blood Angels] panel.
Not steady or methodical, but a blade sharp enough to cut through anything, even if it shattered in the process.
"You're it."
User 114514 did not hesitate any longer. He selected the [Blood Angels] panel and spent 3000 points.
The instant the points were deducted, his vision flooded with warm, blazing crimson light. Sacred hymns and mournful whispers seemed to echo in his ears, along with distant visions of a golden angel falling from the sky.
He felt his body being pulled, reshaped, enhanced by invisible forces.
When the light faded, he was reborn at a relatively secure strategic point in Omsk Hive. He did not rise from a cold respawn monument, but stepped forward from a descent platform marked with the Blood Angels insignia, glowing faintly red.
He looked down.
He was no longer wearing Imperial Guard or Cadian Shock Trooper armor, but thick, ornate power armor painted deep crimson and gold. Mark VII plate. On his pauldron, against a blood-red background, the golden blood drop emblem gleamed.
In his hands, he no longer carried a standard meltagun, but a heavy, reliable bolter that smelled of machine oil and sacred purpose. At his waist hung a power sword, ceremonial yet deadly.
He flexed his fingers. The ceramite gauntlets opened and closed, conveying strength and responsiveness far beyond anything he had known before.
He jumped lightly. His body easily cleared several meters before landing with a heavy thud.
His senses had expanded dramatically. He could clearly hear every detail of the distant battle. He could pick out individual scents in the air. Through his helmet's visual systems, he could even detect faint energy signatures from distant enemies.
He had become a Blood Angel.
No, more than that. He felt something profound stirring in his chest.
Glory. Grief. An almost instinctive hunger for battle.
And something deeper, a tremor buried in his gene-seed, a craving for blood and destruction.
He raised his bolter. The weapon felt cold, yet seemed to pulse in rhythm with his heartbeat.
He looked ahead. Blue-armored Ultramarines were locked in fierce combat with the green tide of plague. The line was still holding, barely.
Taking a deep breath, User 114514, or rather the newly made Blood Angel, began moving forward with heavy, purposeful strides. His crimson boots rang against the rubble.
He did not charge straight to the front line. Instead, he opened communications first, sending brief identification signals and rally orders to the struggling mortal soldiers and Ultramarine AI commanders.
He needed to get used to this powerful body. He needed to understand how the Blood Angels fought. And most importantly, he needed to stay alert for the curse that could consume his mind at any moment.
But the roar of battle and the fresh, searing power burning in his chest already beat like war drums, pulling him toward that crucible of blood and glory.
The sacred blood had been ignited. The angel had come to Omsk.
What followed would be a trial by blood and fire, a dance where glory and madness were inseparable.