Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 485 Tempering a Sharp Blade (Third Update)
Battle Commander Shi Dong stepped forward, slamming his right fist heavily against his breastplate, producing a dull metallic echo: "Yes, Your Excellency!"

His gaze swept over Sigismund and Ventannis with lightning speed: "The framework is clear, the essence is set! You two will command together. Remember, veterans are guides, pillars, not babysitters! We must not allow new recruits to become mere spectators!"
Let them learn in real combat to listen to orders, understand the battlefield, feel the pulse of coordination, and execute tactics precisely amidst chaos!

He turned to Ahriman, his tone resolute: "Curator Ahriman, your psionic early warning network is crucial to success! Ensure timely and effective support, turning psionic threats into nourishment for refinement! Absolutely no accidental interference with core objectives will be tolerated!"

Chen Xi's gaze returned to the scarlet "Broken Tooth" galaxy on the star map. A moment of silence enveloped the command room, with only the silent flow of data passing by.

He finally nodded slightly, tapped his fingertip on the star chart control panel, and produced a crisp and decisive confirmation sound.

"Target: The remnants of the Orcs in the Broken Tooth system. Core: Refining the Soul of Synergy. Operation Authorization: Commander Shi Dongzhan will have full command; Sigismund and Company Commander Ventanus will be responsible for frontline tactical implementation and coordinated training; Curator Ahriman will ensure psionic security. Ms. Hathor and I will monitor the progress." He surveyed the crowd, his gaze deep and unfathomable. "Let the flames of the Ash Knights prove in that star system that we not only possess power, but also know how to forge it into a legionary spear that tears through the darkness."

Hathor nodded slightly, his gaze then sharpening like a razor blade as he looked at the chilling, light-absorbing purplish-black vortex on the star map—planet 'Elegy' VII.

“Phase Two, ‘Elegy’ VII.” Her voice took on a cold, metallic quality, like a power sword being drawn from its sheath. “The Inquisition has determined it to be a ‘fallen world,’ confirming the existence of a warp rift anchor point or a secondary demon world projection zone.”

The group entrenched there is the Khorne Chaos warband, the 'Skullreapers'.

She looked around at the Ash Knights' high-ranking officers present: "Fifth Company and elite veterans, your 'final test' is here."

Key objectives: Maintaining coordinated communication under severe psionic interference; making rapid decisions amidst intelligence fog; combating the corrosive effects of chaos on mental and collaborative bonds; and mastering multi-service combined arms operations under extreme pressure.

The time has come to test your ability to regain Legion-level resilience and adaptability.

“That place itself is a chaotic beast!” Ventanus immediately pulled up the planetary geological scan map from “Elegy” VII, where purplish-black contaminated areas eroded the map like festering wounds.

He quickened his pace, tracing lines between contaminated and relatively clean areas: "Psionic contamination distorts the senses and tears communication chains. Secure orbital control and forward operating bases are the lifeblood of coordination! Ground operations must be fought with synthetic tactical clusters as the iron fist!"

Our core exercise is to maintain coordination within and outside the cluster, share intelligence in real time and make tactical adjustments in a chaotic quagmire, and collaboratively eliminate high-value purification nodes!
Forge the troops into a coordinated war machine, capable of operating seamlessly even amidst chaos and pollution!

Ahriman's voice grew deeper, carrying a profound gravity that seemed to know the depths of the abyss: "The level of contamination here necessitates strategic intervention from the think tank. A large-scale psionic suppression ritual must be executed before landing to create a relatively stable operational space for the troops."

The accompanying think tank will monitor the troops' mental state throughout the process, focusing on guiding them on how to maintain a coordinated will under the interference of chaotic psionic energy.

His gaze locked onto the deep red dot representing the enemy's command core: "Identifying and suppressing the enemy's Chaos Wizards or Dark Apostles is the highest priority—this is itself the core exercise in countering Chaos Disintegration tactics."

At the same time, this is also a severe test of the think tank forces' own large-scale coordinated spellcasting capabilities. "Sigismund let out a deep, battle-ready hum, gripping his power gauntlets tightly, the servo joints humming slightly: "Destroying the command node of the 'Skull Reaper' is the anvil that tests the efficiency of the veterans' coordinated assault!"
I will personally lead a Terminator squad, with support from the Think Tank Brothers, to carry out a precision strike!

His eyes burned with the fire of war. "This operation focuses on training the rapid coordination, information fusion, and decisive strike of elite units and think tank support forces in a highly chaotic and counter-environmental environment! Shatter their skulls with a powerful punch! Cut off their blasphemous rituals with a chainsaw sword!"

Half a step behind Hathor, the newly appointed lieutenant, Locken, loomed like a silent shadow.

The brand-new power armor gleamed with a cold light, and the two points of light in the visor beneath the visor were like the most sophisticated sensor array, silently scanning every detail of the meeting process.

When Ventannius emphasized the difficulty of environmental coordination, Ahriman explained the fragility of spiritual bonds, and Sigismund planned the key to coordinated raids, Loken's helmet would turn at an extremely slight angle.

His silence itself is the most rigorous stress test for Hathor's decision-making system.

Hathor's gaze, like the searchlight beam of a warship's main gun, finally focused on Chen Xi: "His Excellency the Governor has provided us with crucial theater-level strategic intelligence support through the Inquisition's channels and ensured the highest priority of the logistical supply chain. This operation must succeed; failure is not an option!"

Chen Xi spoke, his voice carrying the authority and unquestionable foresight of a planetary governor: "'Project Legion Tempering' is being fully implemented, and Ms. Hathor holds supreme command throughout the entire process."

His gaze swept over each commander, pausing briefly on Loken's silent visor: "Remember, everyone, the essence of 'tempering' is to exchange necessary investment for a structural leap in overall combat power!"
Every deployment, every coordinated exercise, is to ensure that the Ash Knights possess the true legion-level strength to stand alone and turn the tide in the face of future annihilation! For the Emperor!

Chapter Leader Shi Dong slammed his right fist into his breastplate again, producing a dull, thunderous metallic clang: "For the Emperor! For the Ash Knights! All Chapter members, execute 'Project Tempering'! New blood forges the foundation of synergy! Veterans reforge their blades in the flames of evil!"

“Very good.” Hathor’s voice became the final execution order, her fingers tracing two clear assault routes on the holographic star map: “Strategic deployment confirmed: The Third and Fourth Recruit Companies, attached to the First Company’s Tactical Guidance Group and Think Tank Support Unit, will carry out the ‘Broken Tooth’ System Collaborative Tempering Mission, Operation Codename—‘Anvil’!”
The Fifth Company, the First Company's Terminator Commando Team, and the Think Tank's main task force are to carry out the "Elegy" VII planet veteran tempering mission, codenamed "The Forge"! I myself will personally go to the "Forge" war zone, accompanied by Lieutenant Loken, to be responsible for war zone coordination effectiveness assessment and information integration!

She surveyed the crowd one last time, her gaze sharp as an emperor's sword of judgment, the decisiveness emanating from the Wolf God making the air itself seem to freeze: "Execute according to the established strategic framework! Core requirement: All actions must serve the core objective of 'tempering'—forging legion-level coordinated combat capabilities!"

Maintain smooth information flow and evaluate collaborative effectiveness in real time! Let the Emperor witness how the Ash Knights rebuild the spirit of their former legion amidst the flames of war!

"For the Emperor!" The low growls of the warband's leaders coalesced into a chilling torrent, surging and churning in the command room filled with the scents of promethium, ozone, the low hum of data, and the iron will of determination.

On the star map, the scarlet and purplish-black dots of light, like two malevolent eyes, stared intently at the power that was about to undergo tempering.

The quenching process has already begun.

(End of this chapter)