Zeke saw that in the next few seconds, the Lictor would exploit the gap created by the falling anvil to leap out of the hole, return to the tunnel, and then vanish into the shadows.
"Then I'll give you a hand."
Zeke aimed at a point about three meters above the Lictor, directly on its projected escape route.
The Holy Arrow left the string, a streak of white light piercing the dim air of the tunnel.
I cannot fall into that sea of lava. This was the only thought in the Lictor's mind.
It tensed every muscle in its body, its claws embedding into the rock layer as it sprang upwards.
It did it. It leaped out of the hole. It was about to return to the tunnel. It was about to—
A white arrow cut it off halfway, striking it squarely in the chest.
The Lictor's body paused in mid-air. That's it?
In its senses, the damage from this arrow was abnormally low. It wasn't even as powerful as the bolters used by mortal soldiers; it felt like something had merely tickled its carapace.
Zeke watched the health value pop up over the Lictor's head: -15.
What the hell? The corner of Zeke's mouth twitched.
A Power V enchanted bow with normal arrows dealt about this much damage, but this was a [Holy Arrow] crafted with a feather of Sanguinius!
Does such scratch damage justify your expensive crafting cost?
Zeke had already started cursing internally. He gripped the Manyullyn Chainsword in his hand, preparing to resort to melee measures.
But plans couldn't keep up with changes.
Accompanied by the high-pitched, swelling notes of a pipe organ, a pillar of holy light erupted from the small point where the Lictor had been hit.
The pillar of light descended like a blooming lily, engulfing the Lictor entirely.
Zeke smelled the stench of bug meat being instantly scorched. The Holy Light's strike range was massive; several nearby Genestealers were also caught in the blast.
The Genestealers, with their 40 HP, didn't even have a chance to struggle. The moment they touched the pillar of light, they turned into experience points.
And that Elite Lictor with 150 HP saw its health bar instantly evaporate by one-third.
The arrow itself dealt 15 damage, followed by a wide-range Holy Light strike at the point of impact. Zeke estimated the light dealt about 50 damage.
Adding it up to 65 points—this damage barely justified the cost.
The Holy Light completely cut off the Lictor's hope of escape. Its scorched body was too weak to cling to the wall.
The Lictor fell helplessly from mid-air, tumbling toward the lava lake once more.
Sss-ha (I haven't lost yet!)
The Lictor let out a scream, adjusting its posture in the air to dive headfirst toward the lava.
Through evolutionary iterations, its chitinous shell long ago possessed extreme resistance to high and low temperatures.
As long as it could withstand the initial heat, it could even swim through the magma and escape this place.
Didn't expect that, did you? This is my escape route, human!
The Lictor fell into the lava and attempted to swim, but it had underestimated the power of the magma.
Lava in the Minecraft world had high damage, a fast tick rate, and its viscosity greatly hindered the movement of objects within it.
Watching the Lictor's health bar drop continuously, Zeke automatically mentally played the classic "Oof, oof, oof" damage sound effect.
The Lictor's body was melting. Once its health hit rock bottom, it turned into white smoke.
Zeke glanced at the minimap to ensure all the bugs in this tunnel had been destroyed.
He walked along the tunnel the Lictor had dug.
This was a passage the Blood Angels used to transport fuel. It had collapsed long ago, and it was by exploiting this weakness that the Lictor had managed to tunnel its way here.
Otherwise, through solid ground, even if the Lictor had 100 claws, it couldn't have dug through.
Zeke pulled up a blueprint and completely sealed the tunnel with Obsidian. He was going the extra mile to see the job through.
Having dealt with the little bug that wanted to play tunnel warfare, Zeke returned to the Arx Angelicum the way he came.
–
Unlike when he left, the city had become incredibly busy. Countless solemn-faced Blood Angels were moving about and communicating.
Sicarius found Zeke.
"The Tyranids have launched an all-out assault." Sicarius didn't mince words.
Zeke looked at the minimap. The red dots were gathering with clear purpose.
"The Blood Angels discovered the swarm's movement a few days ago, but we didn't expect them to be this fast. Dante speculates that everything was planned and prepared. The digging bug you mentioned was here to destroy the Void Shield. Once the Void Shield was destroyed, the swarm would launch a general attack. These bugs are much more cunning than we imagined."
"Luckily, their plan to destroy the Void Shield was foiled by you, Zeke," Sicarius said. "This will save the defensive line."
Wartime broadcasts echoed through the Arx Angelicum. The Ultramarines mobilized by Sicarius also joined the defensive battle.
Zeke looked out from a blocky window. The Tyranids outside the Angel's Fortress had abandoned all caution and begun their charge.
The Tyranids were this anxious because they could no longer afford to wait.
To take the Arx Angelicum, the Tyranids had already expended a massive amount of troops and biomass.
In the past, if faced with a situation where biomass expenditure exceeded intake, the Tyranids would even consider retreating.
But beneath the Arx Angelicum lay something they desired incredibly. They couldn't wait any longer, so they sent the Lictor to find a way to sneak attack.
Even though the Lictor was dead, the die was cast; they had to strike.
The lowest-level Hormagaunts and Termagants charged first. They stepped into the Thirst Water and were reduced to white bones.
Following them, the second wave continued the charge without fear, one after another.
The white bones gradually piled up. The Tyranid vanguard used their corpses to forge a path—a bridge of bone that could cross the Thirst Water.
Countless Tyranids climbed over the bridge and surged forward, the ground vibrating under the tramp of countless limbs.
In front of them was the second line of defense of the Arx Angelicum: the Void Shield.
Behind the Void Shield were the countless grave faces of the Blood Angels.
"Sons of Baal, advance!" Dante shouted, leading the charge.
"For Sanguinius! For a beautiful death!" the Blood Angels answered, running through the fortress's Blood Gate together.
For the first time in twelve centuries, Dante let his control slip, allowing his full rage to push his humanity aside.
His most terrible fear was released, and the release was euphoric.
Before, Dante was always afraid that falling into the Red Thirst would make him incurable. But Zeke had brought the cure.
There was no need for reservations anymore. The Blood Angels rushed into the swarm that carpeted the ground.
Blades collided, blood and light interwove. It was never still, never wavering, though his many wounds left him in pain.
Both sides entangled and fought with the attitude that only one would survive.
The swarm was too vast. Even with wide-range Holy Light strikes, it was just a drop in the ocean and couldn't cause significant danger to the hive fleet as a whole.
To repel the swarm, they had to execute a decapitation strike and find the leader.
Zeke picked up his Spyglass and began searching through the swarm.
--
Goal = 1400 (Not Complete)
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