57: Since the door is locked, let's open it again.

[Pan-Pacific Empire - "wrath of leviathan" - Port Track Zone]

"Screeech—Creeeak—!!!"

The magnetic anchors of the Rhino Transport "obsidian" shot out violently, biting hard into the leviathan's track guards, which were as thick as city walls.

The vehicle's body emitted a piercing grinding sound under the immense inertia. Composite Ceramite armor and riveted steel plates crushed against each other, erupting in sparks that illuminated the dim curtain of rain like a fountain.

"Arrived at insertion point." "Everyone, prepare for boarding."

Inside the cabin, red tactical lights reflected off every Mk II helmet.

N-05 gripped the Bolter in his hands.

The air was thick with the scent of unevaporated anti-rust oil, mixed with the smell of gunpowder smoke pouring in from outside, creating a suffocating battlefield atmosphere.

He activated his foot magnetic locks.

"Click."

The soft hum of the electromagnetic coils powering up marked his first step into hell.

He stepped out of the hatch. His combat boots did not land on mud but adhered directly to the vertical, oil-stained armored outer wall of the "leviathan."

For an Astartes, gravity was no longer a constraint, but a tactical advantage to be exploited.

"Keep up. Maintain formation." C-19's voice crackled over the comms channel, as steady as a straight line.

Ten black reapers of the First Legion, like a swarm of steel spiders, ran silently across the vertical hull... [leviathan - Outside Airtight Gate C]

Two minutes later.

The First Assault Squad reached the designated entry point.

It was an Adamantium door half a meter thick; the lock indicator light flashed a red 'Access Denied' signal.

"Commander, entrance is sealed," N-05 reported.

"Breach it." The voice sounded in the channel, devoid of unnecessary chatter.

N-05 nodded.

He took a disc-shaped Portable Melta Breaching Charge from his tactical pouch and attached it to the door's hinges.

"Detonate."

Hum—Sizzle!!!

There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a shriek that sounded as if it were scorching the very air.

Blinding white light erupted instantly. The melta reaction generated temperatures exceeding five thousand degrees within microseconds.

That indestructible Adamantium door, like a bar of chocolate thrown into lava, instantly melted and collapsed, turning into a pool of glowing molten iron flowing onto the floor.

"Move in!"

C-19 was the first to charge in. He crashed directly through the cloud of uncooled molten slag, his power armor sizzling from the high temperature... [leviathan - Interior Corridor]

A wall of fire greeted them.

"Burn them alive!!"

Behind the door, a squad of Pan-Pacific flamethrower troops in asbestos fireproof suits had long been waiting in formation.

Several long dragons of fire roared forth, instantly filling the entire narrow passage.

High heat.

Oxygen deprivation.

Vision obscured by raging flames.

If this had been a Mortal army, they would have been wiped out in this moment.

But those who charged in were Astartes.

N-05 felt the temperature rise sharply.

Warning: Ambient Temperature 800 Degrees

Life Support System: Operating at Full Power

He did not stop.

Not only did he not stop, he accelerated.

Flames licked at his armor, blackening the Imperial Aquila insignia, but this could not stop the charge of a half-ton steel machine.

He burst through the curtain of fire.

Like a demon crawling out of hell, covered in lingering embers, he slammed into the flamethrower squad's ranks.

Vroom—!!!

The roar of a Chainsword served as his reply.

Slash!

N-05's Chainsword swept across.

The thick Fuel tank was sliced open instantly, and the leaking Fuel ignited.

Boom!

The flamethrower soldier turned into a massive fireball, screaming as he stumbled around blindly.

This was boarding combat.

In this narrow, claustrophobic, inescapable iron box, any long-range advantage was nullified.

"Advance! Clear Sector C!" C-19 ordered calmly.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The dull roar of Bolters echoed through the metal corridors.

The Pan-Pacific Empire crew members attempted to resist by using hatches and corners for cover.

But in a narrow, straight corridor, the Bolter was the reaper.

N-05 kicked open a deformed hatch.

Inside was the ship's auxiliary engine room.

Dozens of oil-stained engineers held wrenches, looking at him in despair.

N-05's muzzle raised an inch.

"We need technicians," C-19's voice chimed in just in time.

"This ship is Imperial property. Don't damage the parts."

N-05's finger left the trigger.

"Kneel." A cold, synthesized voice came through his external speakers.

"Clang." Wrenches dropped all over the floor.

Everyone knelt down in unison.

N-05 turned and left.

"Sector C auxiliary engine room, suppression complete."

... [leviathan - Elevator Shaft to Sector B]

The team continued to advance. But as they were about to enter Sector B—the level where the bridge was located—they encountered a real obstacle.

At the end of the passage stood four massive figures.

They were Deep Sea Guards.

The Pan-Pacific Empire's ultimate individual combat units.

They were not Mortals, but heavily bio-engineered mutants, over three meters tall, encased in deep-sea suits thicker than tank armor, wielding Rotary Cannons and Power Saws.

"Intruders... die." The lead Deep Sea Guard let out a muffled roar as the Rotary Cannon began to spin and preheat.

"Contact with heavy units," C-19's voice remained steady. "Defensive formation. Grenades ready."

Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat—!!!

A dense hail of bullets swept toward them like a metal storm. The Astartes quickly sought cover or raised captured riot shields.

Bullets struck the power armor, sending sparks flying; although they didn't penetrate, the massive kinetic energy forced the armor back continuously.

"Frontal breakthrough efficiency is too low." In the Holographic Operations Cabin, Li Cang watched this scene, his gaze turning cold.

"C-19, scan the structural blueprints."

"That ventilation duct... should lead behind them."

"Copy that." C-19 did not hesitate. He gave N-05 a hand signal.

N-05 understood immediately. He took out two Frag Grenades and pulled the pins, but he did not throw them.

He simply held the grenades in a throwing posture, counting down behind cover.

Meanwhile, C-19 and two other warriors silently pried open the nearby vent grate with their combat knives and slipped inside.

Three seconds later.

N-05 threw the grenades.

Boom! Boom!

Smoke filled the air.

The Deep Sea Guards' vision was obscured, and the cannons were forced to stop firing.

Just then.

Crack—

The ceiling vent behind the Deep Sea Guards suddenly exploded.

Three black figures dropped from above, landing exactly on their cumbersome back armor.

Vroom—!!!

Chainswords stabbed directly into the gaps between the Deep Sea Guards' helmets and torsos.

That was their only weakness.

Squelch!

Black engine oil and red blood erupted.

Those four arrogant giants, under the Astartes' tactical coordination, didn't even have time to turn around before their spines were severed and they crashed to the ground.

"Clearance complete." C-19 pulled his Chainsword from a corpse and flicked off the bits of flesh.

He looked up toward the closed bridge doors at the end of the passage.

That was the destination.

"Prepare to breach."

"Let's go meet this... Captain."