Chapter 303 264: Boarding Time, the Glory of an Imperial Soldier

The courier froze on the spot when he heard the terrible news: not only did they have no support, but they were all going to die here.

Georg raised his right hand and clapped the shoulder of the courier, who was no older than twenty. He then drew the sword at his waist and turned to face the demons surging toward them like a tide. His expression was iron-willed and grim as he delivered the final part of the order.

"For the Emperor."

On the courier's young, inexperienced face, the fear of death warred with the will to live. His gaze went past Georg, landing on the Imperial Knights fighting a bloody battle in the distance.

"But, Sir..."

Georg knew what the new recruit was thinking and immediately barked, "Do not question the courage and loyalty of the Imperial Knights! Soldier!"

"Their mission is to enter the Void Storm and take the fight to those damned demons in their own lair."

"And our job is to buy them time right here, even if it's only for one minute!"

It wasn't just the courier; the entire Auxiliary Army at the Orbital Port had believed the Vengeful Angels and the Ash Guard were their reinforcements, sent to help them hold the defensive lines until the main Legion could take over the sector's defense.

Upon suddenly hearing this news from his commander, the courier's expression became incredibly complex. He was furious that the Military Affairs Department had treated their lives like a joke and told such a monstrous lie.

He was shocked that it wasn't enough for these powerful Imperial Knights to be fighting and dying here; they were actually preparing to enter the Void Storm itself!

In that brief instant, his mind raced. But in the end, he took a deep breath, steeled his resolve, and suppressed his fear of death. 'I'm going to die either way,' he thought. 'Better to die fighting under the Divine Emperor's radiance than to have my soul become food for demons after charging headfirst into a Void Storm!'

He gave Georg a slight nod. "I will relay your orders as given, Sir. For the Emperor."

After giving the last military order of his life, Georg stood amidst a field of corpses. The orange-red glow from the ship's artillery fire illuminated his resolute face, caked with blood and soot.

He turned his head to look at Raphael in the distance.

A solemn voice rang in his ears.

'In the name of the Vengeful Angels, I offer my highest respects to you and all the soldiers who have made sacrifices in this war, Colonel Georg.'

'May your souls return to the radiance of the Divine Emperor.'

Raphael's voice faded.

Then another voice, old and pained, echoed in his ears.

'In the name of the Ash Guard and the Grand Governor, I... have witnessed the courage and fearlessness you and your soldiers have shown in this battle.'

'Colonel, for our victory.'

'For... the Emperor.'

Senior Think Tank Albert's face was a twisted grimace. The direct confrontation with the ship's artillery fire had nearly drained his already meager Spiritual Power, and he was struggling just to hold on.

As a four-hundred-year-old veteran, he had seen too much death and witnessed countless courageous and fearless sacrifices.

Even so, the courage and wisdom this Auxiliary Army colonel displayed in the face of death still moved him.

Or perhaps, it was the only thing they could do for these Mortal Soldiers who were heroically resisting and making this difficult sacrifice for the victory of the Empire and the glory of the Death Battle Group.

The highest honor a Mortal Soldier could receive on the battlefield was acknowledgment from one of the Emperor's Angels.

But Georg's heart was calm. Facing in the direction of Raphael, the only Combat Priest present, he stood tall and proud. He balled his right hand into a fist and slammed it against his chest in a heavy Imperial salute.

He then turned and picked up the tattered banner of the Death Battle Group's Third Infantry Legion, Assault Brigade, from where it had fallen. Though the shattered skull emblem on it was soaked in filthy gore, it still stood tall in his hands.

Georg took a deep breath, raised the banner high, and began a final charge toward the defensive line.

"For the glory of the Death Battle Group! For the Emperor! The Assault Brigade will never retreat—!"

To die on the battlefield is the destiny of an Imperial soldier.

It is also their moment of glory.

Though they were the Auxiliary Army of the Death Battle Group, the same Battle Group spirit flowed in their veins as it did in the Death Battle Team Knights: for victory, faithful unto death.

「Meanwhile.」

After receiving word from Raphael to prepare for boarding in three minutes, Iron Crown Florian immediately began arranging for their three Technician Soldiers to ready the ships for entering the Net Path.

Dragging his heavily wounded body, Florian's every breath was exceptionally ragged. Although he had received basic medical treatment, it had only stopped the bleeding and closed his wounds.

Wielding his Knight's Broadsword with heavy, powerful swings, he fought at the forefront of the defensive line alongside the last two thousand men of the Mortal Auxiliary Army, cleaving a Slaughter Demon in two that was pinning a Mortal Soldier.

At the same time, he issued orders over the Ash Guard's encrypted Spiritual Energy channel.

'Albert, you're in charge of the Ash Guard's orderly withdrawal from the front. Kurt's mobile tactical squad and I will cover the rear! Contact the Vengeful Angels' Think Tank and coordinate with them.'

'My lord, are Second Company Commander Stearns and the other Death Knights boarding with us?'

'If there isn't enough room, have the Vengeful Angels make some. Tell Stearns to take a few of his men onto their ship.'

Unlike an advanced Super Ancient Era vessel like the Punisher, the Ash Guard's ships were different. Not only was the personnel capacity of their three heavy ships fixed, but the Imperial Knights aboard also had to be firmly secured within their bays to traverse the Net Path.

Otherwise, they risked sudden and violent death.

Compared to the Ash Guard, when the Vengeful Angels traveled aboard the Punisher, it was as casual as being on holiday.

Furthermore, Florian made this arrangement because the battle at Verne Third Orbital Port, which had lasted nearly three hours, had cost him a full thirteen Battle Brothers.

Now the ships had spare capacity, and since they were embarking on an expedition into the Void Storm, any extra combat power was a good thing.

Imperial Knights were, after all, Transcendents who wielded Mighty Power. Unlike Mortals, they wouldn't become a complete burden after entering the Void Storm.

Albert replied, 'I'll arrange it at once.'

「At the same moment.」

No longer able to stand, Matthias's vision went black, and he collapsed at the feet of Manon, who had been fighting beside him.

Seventy-Six, who was already prepared to carry him to the ship, blink-warped in front of Matthias. After executing a Slaughter Demon, they grabbed the completely unconscious Matthias and sprinted toward the Punisher Ship.

At the same time, his cold voice rang out over the shared telepathic link.

'I should have knocked this stubborn fool unconscious earlier.'

'Agate, aren't you preparing the prototype technology for the Artificial Angels project? For the Emperor's sake, forget about what is and isn't damned heresy.'

'Think of something.'

'I have no desire to take a corpse on a field trip into demon territory.'

Three minutes. In peacetime, it was barely enough time for a cup of tea, but at the Orbital Port, every second felt like a year.

As the Ash Guard's defensive line gradually pulled back toward the ships, the Mortal Soldiers around Reinhardt died grisly deaths one after another under the Slaughter Knives of the Slaughter Demons.

Until.

The roar of the ships' engines suddenly erupted behind him.