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Without giving any time to react, eight specially crafted bolt rounds, carrying immense kinetic energy, whistled from the distance, aiming straight for Tosak Rome's face.
Clang, clang, clang.
Amidst several sharp, tooth-aching sounds of metal colliding, the bolt rounds were all swallowed without exception by a hard barrier crackling with blue lightning. Suspended in mid-air, the terrifying kinetic energy of the bullets caused cracks to appear on the surrounding ground. Even so, they were stopped about four meters from the target, unable to advance a step further.
Boom!
In the next second, the internal design of these projectiles triggered a secondary explosion. Raging orange flames engulfed the barrier, and the shockwave sent surrounding gravel and dust flying.
As the smoke cleared, it revealed Kenmei Isayama, unharmed within the blue psychic barrier, and Tosak Rome, who had fallen to his knees and lost consciousness due to the interruption of the soul-searching spell.
Kenmei released his hand from the top of Tosak Rome's head, and the unconscious former Inquisitor collapsed to the ground. Of course, Kenmei didn't forget to cast a psychic shield over the guy. It was obvious that the target of these bastards who had suddenly appeared was Tosak Rome.
Kenmei turned his head to look at the uninvited guests and spoke in an icy tone:
"Since when did you Battle Sisters have the guts to interfere in the internal affairs of our Inquisition?"
Don't think just because these women changed into unmarked, unknown Power Armor that Kenmei wouldn't recognize them.
Because Macarnos Elfman had spent a long time with Elena, he was extremely familiar with the aura of the Battle Sisters, known as the "Daughters of the Emperor."
You couldn't find a crazier bunch of women in the entire galaxy. So the moment they appeared, Kenmei sensed it immediately—that was the smell of Battle Sisters.
The Ordo Hereticus held authority over the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas. But now, these "dogs" kept by the Ordo Hereticus dared to bare their fangs at their master? They must be tired of living.
Opposite him seemed to be a complete Battle Sister squad. There were four people on the field, which meant there was one more hiding in the dark, right?
Battle Sister squads were modeled after Space Marine squads—a five-person strike team capable of efficiently executing decapitation strikes, assaults, and intelligence gathering missions.
"Lord Inquisitor, we have no intention of being your enemy."
The leader of the Battle Sisters signaled the sister beside her to lower her weapon and spoke methodically.
"That man by your hand used extremely filthy means to defile and murder High Sister Kenas Olga Karamaz of our Order of Our Martyred Lady."
"Therefore, the upper echelons of the Ecclesiarchy secretly dispatched our Order of the Sacred Rose squad to execute this villain."
Especially in that last sentence, Kenmei could hear a hint of warning in the tone of the Battle Sister, whose eyes were wrapped tightly in bandages.
"We were also in the Adeli Hive World at the time. Your act of burning down the entire bottom layer of the Hive World showed quite the resolve."
Such a large-scale massacre would indeed have some impact on an Inquisitor, making it easy for peers to target them and find leverage.
But trying to use this to blackmail Kenmei? It only made him find it laughable.
"What's so funny?"
"I'm laughing at your stupidity."
The Battle Sister squad leader wanted to say something more, but the next action taken by this stranger of an Inquisitor left her instantly stunned.
Have you ever seen someone speaking nicely one second, only to pull a gun the next?
If Kenmei knew her thoughts, he'd say she was just ignorant.
He had seen someone say to another, "Long time no see. I remember you, Himuro," and in the next second, stab them several times in the heart, followed by, "Deep breaths. Feeling dizzy is normal."
That was true terror.
Kenmei's draw, aim, and fire sequence was compressed into less than 0.5 seconds, executed in one fluid motion, so fast it was impossible to react.
It wasn't until two loud booms—far louder than the special bolters used by their Order—rang out in the open field that she realized the Inquisitor in front of her had actually fired.
The Battle Sister squad leader jerked her head to look to the side. The Battle Sisters next to her did the same. They looked at each other; no wounds appeared on any of them.
Then the result was obvious. It was the last person, preparing to provide fire support from a distance. They spoke into their vox-casters:
"Lacey? Lacey!"
But there was no answer. The vox-channel was dead silent.
"Stop calling. She's probably cold by now."
Kenmei was very confident in this body's marksmanship; he could use a large-caliber hand cannon like a sniper rifle.
He had merely caught a glimpse of a reflection accidentally flashing 800 meters away in his peripheral vision. Without hesitation, he raised his bolt pistol and fired rapid, precise shots.
It was exactly as Kenmei judged. And because it was a sneak attack, the opponent had no time to dodge.
The distant scene caused by those two near-instant shots was truly gruesome.
A headless corpse, missing two-thirds of its upper body, lay in a pool of blood, wearing the same style of Power Armor as the Battle Sisters in front of Kenmei.
Crimson splatter covered the ground, mostly sprayed backward. The first bullet was a headshot, blowing the skull cap clean off. The second hit the upper body, blasting it into a bloody mess too horrible to look at. The bullets that penetrated the body left two fist-sized craters in the ground.
"I kill even Battle Sisters."
"Open fire!"
The Battle Sister squad leader was the first to raise her gun and fire at Kenmei. The other three did the same, opening fire on the Inquisitor in front of them.
"Now do you know that trying to pressure me with 'indiscriminate massacres' and leaking it to the Inquisition... do you think I'd care?"
Kenmei ignored the enraged women strafing him with bolters. Instead, he slowly took a magazine from his pocket to reload. The shots just now were the last rounds in his previous magazine.
So, Kenmei had emptied his magazine on a Battle Sister. He shook his head.
Having that kind of thought... truly fallen.
Clang, clang, clang.
The tongues of fire from the guns were ceaseless. Red-hot shell casings clattered to the ground.
By now, at least a hundred rounds were densely arranged in front of Kenmei, but the psychic barrier remained as steady as Mount Tai, not budging an inch.
"Sigh. From the moment you opened fire on me, you were beyond redemption."
Kenmei had intended to label them heretics before disposing of them, but then he realized he didn't need to.
He took the chainsword from his back and scratched his head in distress.
"The stench of Slaanesh on you is too strong. Can you tone it down a bit?"