Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 479 Chen Xi's Challenge (Third Update)

The champion slowly took a step back, his movement filled with indescribable shock and utter awe.

He took a deep breath, bowed deeply to Hathor, and performed the highest salute a soldier could give to his mentor: "...I am completely convinced of my defeat, Instructor Hathor! Your skill...is unfathomable."

There was no longer a trace of doubt in his voice, only utter admiration.

Hathor sheathed his sword and stood still, his movements fluid and natural.

Her amber-gold gaze swept calmly across the entire area, its weight causing every Ash Knight to involuntarily straighten their spines.

“Remember how you feel right now,” she said, her voice low but clear, carrying the authority of an instructor, yet also containing a deep understanding born from the crucible of war. “This is not to defeat you, but to help you see the true starting point.”

Her gaze swept over the faces of the new recruits, still somewhat inexperienced yet incredibly resolute, and also over the scars of honor etched on the veterans' bodies. It was as if she had pierced through time and seen herself in the past, along with the countless followers who had followed her.

"What you have shown today is the foundation, the necessary path to a higher realm." Her voice carried a profound quality honed by experience, less of a cold judgment and more of the resonance of someone who has been there. "In the face of the truly brutal crucible of the battlefield, the strength and skills you are so proud of at this moment do indeed seem weak—but this is not the end, but the beginning of the tempering!"

"Your potential, like the light of a star, has already pierced through the fog and is clearly visible!" Her tone became more resolute, and her molten gold eyes shone with expectant light. "But you still have a long way to go before you become the true 'warriors' who can tear apart powerful enemies in the darkest abyss of the galaxy and crawl out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood."

The sacred texts gave you bones and muscles, which is good; it's a solid foundation. Now—”

Her voice was like tempered steel, carrying an undeniable conviction: "You need to ignite your fighting instincts, hone your killing instincts, and forge an iron will to survive even in the most desperate situations amidst real fire and bloodshed!"

A faint but genuine smile flickered across her lips. Her gaze swept across the room once more, and her expectations became more concrete and powerful: "At least, compared to the reckless recruit I mentored years ago who challenged me for the first time without any sense of his own limitations—the resilience and potential you have shown are more worthy of our expectations."

"Continue onward, Ash Knights. Your path has only just begun, and I eagerly await the moment you truly take shape amidst the flames of war."

Chen Xi stood on the sidelines, silently watching everything unfold.

Hathor used the most direct method to imprint the gap in power levels and the essence of combat skills into the hearts of every Grey Knight.

He assessed the shortcomings revealed by the new recruits, examined the potential shown by the veterans, and at the same time, he planned in his mind the future path of tempering this force.

Just as the entire room fell silent, immersed in the lingering echoes of Hathor's words, Chen Xi suddenly moved.

He didn't walk off the field, but instead slowly stepped into the center of the training area. His movements were unhurried, but his gaze was like the core of a burning star, intensely fixed on Hathor.

“A brilliant presentation, Ms. Hathor.” Chen Xi’s voice broke the silence, carrying a strange calm yet containing an undercurrent of power. “This gap is indeed impressive. However, I’m very curious…”

He stopped a few steps away from Hathor, casually pulled a training power sword from the weapon rack beside him—the same one Hathor held—and weighed it in his hand: "...If an opponent is not a pure warrior, but relies on some... 'unorthodox' power, how long can they withstand your skills?" Hathor's amber-gold eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of understanding and barely perceptible interest flashing within them.

She didn't speak, but only slightly adjusted her posture, and that seemingly casual stance instantly transformed into an impregnable battle fortress.

The training sword in her hand pointed diagonally to the ground, waiting.

Chen Xi said no more.

He took a deep breath, and the dormant torrent of psionic energy within him suddenly surged forth!

An invisible force instantly filled his limbs and bones. Under the infusion of psionic energy, his muscle fibers exploded with a density and power far exceeding the limits of ordinary people. His skin even shimmered with a faint golden light that seemed to have a physical presence. It was the temporary enhancement of his physical body by pure psionic energy.

At the same time, his consciousness was as if it had been plunged into a turbulent river of time—psychic precognition activated!
The world before my eyes was instantly covered by countless shimmering fragments of afterimages: the possible attack trajectories of Hathor, the paths he might take to dodge or block, the ripples from the collision of energy...

Countless "futures" are frantically deduced and filtered in the superprocessor of his mind!
Moved!

With the aid of psionic energy, Chen Xi's figure transformed into a blurry golden afterimage, its speed far exceeding that of any previous Astartes!
Instead of testing the waters, he launched a fierce and direct attack!
The training sword tore through the air with a sharp bang, aiming straight for Hathor's throat!
The sheer speed and power of this strike surpasses even the strongest champion among the Ash Knights!
Hathor's eyes flashed with a sharp light! Chen Xi's explosive speed surprised even her slightly.

She didn't meet the attack head-on. Instead, she slid half a step to the side with minimal movement, and with a precise flick of her training sword, she tried to deflect Chen Xi's blade.

however--

Just as the tip of her sword was about to touch Chen Xi's sword, Chen Xi seemed to have anticipated her move!

The trajectory of his thrust took an extremely subtle deflection, seemingly impossible. With a flick of his wrist, the sword, like a venomous snake, bypassed Hathor's parry and eerily stabbed towards the gap in her ribs exposed by her movement!
This change of tactics was fast, accurate, and ruthless, and completely defied the laws of physics. It was the combat intuition that transcended common sense, given by psychic precognition!

"Huh?" A soft groan of pure surprise escaped Hathor's throat.

For the first time, genuine interest appeared in her eyes—the excitement of meeting a worthy opponent.

Her reaction was incredibly fast, as if Chen Xi's change of tactics was within the scope of her vast combat database.

She forcefully stopped her sideways slide, her waist bending backward with incredible flexibility, while her wrist holding the sword whipped back like a whip, drawing a silver arc with the training sword and striking the side of Chen Xi's sword with perfect precision!
"Clang!" A loud bang, far heavier than any before!

The two forces collided violently! Chen Xi felt an overwhelming, unmatched force coming from the hilt of his sword. Even with the enhancement of his spiritual energy, his arms instantly felt excruciating pain and numbness, and his tiger's mouth felt like it was about to split open!
The force of the impact sent him sliding backward, leaving two clear tracks on the reinforced floor as he sank deep with each step!

Hathor, on the other hand, was only slightly swayed by the reaction force!
(End of this chapter)