Warhammer: Become a Saint Starting with the Banner of Souls

Chapter 21 Steel Corrodes, Stone Remains

At the same time that the Iron Warriors were thrown into chaos, on the other side of the battlefield, Jill Iron Wolf, the lord of the Space Wolves, watched all of this in disbelief.

He watched the Titans turn their cannons to bombard their own people, watched the Iron Warriors fleeing in all directions under their own firepower, and watched the black-robed figure sitting cross-legged in mid-air.

He witnessed the changes in those Titans.

"...In the name of the Father," Jill murmured.

He didn't know who that human was.

But one thing he was certain of was that at this moment, the Iron Warriors' attention was completely drawn to the out-of-control Titan and the human; their lines had completely collapsed, and their rear was wide open.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to retaliate.

"All units, halt retreat! Launch a full-scale counter-offensive! Now is the time!"

A deafening wolf howl erupted from the ranks of the space wolves.

That was the war cry unique to the sons of Fenris, desolate yet passionate.

The Space Wolves launched a full-scale counterattack.

Besieged on all sides.

Inside, the out-of-control Titan Legion was bombarding its own positions.

Externally, space wolves launched a full-scale counterattack from the front.

On the flanks, Qin Mo's forty-seven undead power armors were continuously providing firepower and engaging in close-quarters combat.

The Iron Warriors, renowned throughout the galaxy for their defense and positional warfare, experienced for the first time the taste of being crushed by the very fortifications and firepower they were most proud of.

After a brief moment of rage and confusion, the interim commander quickly regained his composure.

Clearly, staying here would mean certain death.

The Titans have betrayed us; we must retreat immediately.

"Attention all units! Tactical retreat!" the temporary commander ordered. "Abandon the position and retreat to the southeast! Rejoin the main force—"

The Iron Warriors truly live up to their reputation as a well-trained elite force.

Even in such a chaotic situation, they still managed to organize an orderly retreat in a very short time.

The rearguard provided cover fire with bomb guns and heavy weapons, while the remaining troops took turns providing cover as they retreated. This was a standard tactical retreat procedure that the Iron Warriors had practiced countless times.

Qin Mo narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched the silver-gray figures retreating in an orderly manner.

run?

He had no intention of letting them escape.

"System," Qin Mo murmured to himself.

[Yes, host.]

"How do I provoke them?"

[Analysis in progress... Analysis complete. The host only needs to do this, then this, and that's it.]

A text message popped up on the system panel.

After reading it, Qin Mo's lips slowly curved into a smile.

"So that's how it is... These Iron Warriors have this connection with the Imperial Fist? It seems the cultivators of this world, like those in the Xuanhuang Realm, value face and lineage above all else."

He channeled his divine sense, spreading his voice to every corner of the battlefield.

The sound was everywhere, impossible to block out, impossible to ignore.

"Steel decays, but stone remains."

These eight words struck like a heavy hammer, slamming into the heart of every steel warrior.

Almost simultaneously, all the retreating Iron Warriors stopped in their tracks.

The Iron Warriors are named after steel, have steel as their soul, and have steel as their faith.

To say that their steel is "rotten" is tantamount to denying everything about them.

The phrase "the stubborn rock remains" is even more malicious.

Because "Stone" is the symbol of the Imperial Fist. The Imperial Fist, the offspring of Roger Dorne, has a blood feud with the Iron Warriors that spans ten thousand years.

Perturabo, the Primarch of the Iron Warriors, lived his entire life in the shadow of Roger Dorn.

The struggle between the two has continued from the Great Crusade to the Horus Rebellion, and from the Horus Rebellion to the present day.

It can be said that the words "Imperial Fist" are the deepest scar and the greatest sore spot in the heart of every steel warrior.

Qin Mo stabbed into that old wound.

Before the Iron Warriors could recover from the first attack, Qin Mo's voice rang out again.

"The Fist of the Empire is the true master of defense."

This sentence caused the veins on the back of the temporary commander's mask to bulge.

"The fortifications they built were the most perfect. The masterpieces of the Imperial Fist are everywhere, revered by all."

More steel warriors stopped in their tracks, their fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

"And what about the Iron Warriors' position?"

Qin Mo's tone carried an undisguised hint of sarcasm.

"Compared to the Fist of the Empire, they're trash."

A retreating warrior suddenly turned around, his breathing heavy and rapid, his chainsaw humming in his hand. A comrade beside him grabbed him, but the comrade's own hand was trembling slightly.

Qin Mo's voice continued.

"The Fist of the Empire is the glorious Terran Guard. They protect the palaces of the human emperors and hold the highest honors in the galaxy. They are the pride of Dorne and the backbone of the Empire."

There was a pause.

Then--

"And the Iron Warriors are only fit to be cannon fodder on the front lines."

silence.

Dead silence.

A silence that lasted three seconds.

Then--

"Aaaaaaahh ...

A roar, almost like that of a wild beast, erupted from the throat of a steel warrior.

He broke free from his comrades' grasp, turned around, and charged madly toward Qin Mo's location.

Then the second one. The third one. The tenth one.

More and more steel warriors abandoned their retreat and turned to launch a desperate charge towards Qin Mo.

Their reason had been completely overwhelmed by anger.

Ten thousand years of humiliation, ten thousand years of jealousy, and ten thousand years of deep-seated hatred for the Fist of the Empire, all transformed into pure killing intent at this moment.

The interim commander opened his mouth, trying to stop this irrational behavior.

But in the end, he turned around and gripped the chainsaw sword tightly in his hand.

Because he also broke down.

"Kill him..." his voice was low and hoarse, "Kill that human... Pull his tongue out... I want to pull his tongue out with my own hands..."

At that very moment, on the other side of the battlefield, the Space Wolves, who were in pursuit, witnessed this scene and fell into a subtle silence.

Then--

"Pfft, hahahahaha!!" A space wolf burst into unrestrained laughter.

"Steel decays! Rock remains! Hahahaha, this human's mouth is more venomous than Fenris's blizzard!!"

More space wolves joined in the laughter.

They chased after him, laughing as they went. Although there was no personal grudge between the Space Wolves and the Steel Warriors, it was still hilarious to see these steel lumps, known for their gloomy and rigid nature for ten thousand years, collectively break down in anger over a few words from a human.

"Alright, alright, stop laughing!" Jill, though trying to suppress her laughter, managed to maintain her commander's composure.

"Chase them! While they're out of their minds, wipe them out!"

Space Wolves launched a pursuit as they charged toward Qin Mo.

Those steel warriors who had lost their minds faced an impenetrable defensive line composed of forty-seven undead power armor suits.

The three Predator-class Titans fired their volcanic cannons simultaneously.

The plasma burst cannons of four Warhound-class Titans unleashed a barrage of attacks.

A swarm of ten knight mechs charging forward.

And Qin Mo himself.