Warhammer: Lord of the Endless Monster Horde [265]

A few minutes were enough to fully enhance the newly revived Baton. If not maxed out, it would be too weak as a Cosmic Phantom Beast—especially since Rhodes planned to fuse with it. Plus, its body would undergo Beast modification. The stronger, the better.

"Then, Master, you'd better hurry!" The Cosmic Phoenix nodded, unleashing crimson flames to delay the Tyranids.

"Warrior mortals, I grant you my power." The Cosmic Phoenix sprinkled Rebirth Flames onto the Space Marines, rapidly healing their wounds and restoring their strength.

The Phoenix's flame not only resurrected but could heal injuries; in terms of vitality, the Cosmic Phoenix was supreme.

"It seems victory is already ours. Come, Tyranid scum, witness the might of Sanguinius' sons—witness humanity's strength!" Dante roared, leading the Blood Angels and Rhodes' sons in charge.

"Warriors! The Gene-Father watches us. For Lord Rhodes!" Titus shouted, raising his power sword.

With the Phoenix's blessing, the Space Marines and Rhodes' berserk sons tore through the Tyranids.

Rhodes opened the enhancement panel and spent hundreds of thousands of coins to max out all of Baton's stats.

He kept Baton's height at around 75 meters, with a wingspan of 100 meters.

Its feathers became true wings, its claws sharper—not like human feet anymore.

Each enhancement regenerated Baton's cells, fusing further with the Phoenix's flame.

Though only minutes passed, each enhancement could extend this time. Baton even had time to let out a loud cry, weakening nearby Tyranids—many elite units simply collapsed.

The Space Marines seized the chance, howling and rushing to hack down the Tyranids.

After three rounds of flame enhancements, Baton reached its limit; its flames hit 100,000 degrees—like a blue dwarf star, turning blue-white.

Any Tyranid touched by these flames was instantly vaporized.

With Baton maxed out, Rhodes spent 2 million system coins to upgrade the enhancement system.

Now, he could evolve monsters with EX options; Red King and Gomora could also EX evolve, massively boosting their power.

Most importantly, he could now spend 1 million coins to transform a special monster into a Cosmic Phantom Beast.

Rhodes chose Baton, spending a million coins to begin the transformation.

A crimson-gold light enveloped Baton, cosmic energy pouring in.

A golden-red creature was born within Baton.

It grew to 80 meters tall, with a wingspan of 160 meters, wreathed in blue and red flames—Phoenix's Rebirth Fire and Baton's fire, now evolved into blue-white.

"Screech!"

A terrifying phoenix cry echoed—Baton was now the Cosmic Fire Phoenix.

Baton had been completely reborn, his ugly old form replaced with a body of gold, red, and blue, a beautiful tail, two massive claws, and wings spanning 180 meters—a bit smaller than the Cosmic Phoenix beside him.

On the ground remained only a 70-meter monster husk, now soulless.

Nearby Tyranids suddenly burst into blue-white flames, collapsing in agony.

As a Cosmic Fire Phoenix, Baton's cry now carried blue-white flames that burned Tyranids.

Its anti-Tyranid power was even greater—now a pure energy being, its soul level had risen.

Baton had transcended monsters, its soul now at the super-living-being level—truly reborn.

"Beautiful! What a giant phoenix!"

"There are two—a big one and a small one."

"Right—two phoenixes! With their help, we're sure to win!"

The two phoenixes circled in space, then dove into the Tyranid fleet. Blue-white and crimson flames intertwined in a storm, incinerating the swarm.

The reborn Baton held a grudge against the Tyranids.

"Alright, come with me, new kin. You'll stay in the Cosmic Phantom Beast Codex for a while; we'll teach you the basics," the Cosmic Phoenix said, very satisfied.

With the addition of another avian Phantom Beast, today was a good day.

"Thank you! Without you, I couldn't have been reborn—couldn't have escaped my monstrous shell, evolved, and gained true self-awareness," Baton said, soaring.

As a monster, it had only acted on instinct, a giant beast with little intelligence—a common problem. Most monsters had strong bodies but weak souls.

"No need for thanks—every new Phantom Beast is cause for celebration," the Cosmic Phoenix replied.

"However, I can't leave yet. I haven't completed the master's mission—the Tyranids aren't wiped out.

Space Marines, I'll keep attacking with my cry—return to your ships and resume boarding actions; our task isn't done," Baton said.

"Are you sure you're fine?" Rhodes asked via the system channel.

"Master, after rebirth, I no longer fear Tyranid's psychic attacks. Let's finish the job!" Baton replied.

"In that case, go for it!" Rhodes agreed to the request.

"Right! This war isn't over yet!

"Warriors! Return to your ships and reload the bombs—we're going to wipe out every last Tyranid, leave none alive!" Titus, Dante, Avarrich, Mephiston, and the other Blood Angel captains rallied their troops back to the ships.

Once everyone was aboard, Baton rushed the Tyranid hive ship, the Cosmic Phoenix by his side.

"I'll go with you, new kin—you're still unstable, but I can protect you from psychic attacks," the Cosmic Phoenix said.

The two giant phoenixes nodded and charged the hive ship.

The Ultra Brothers, after retrieving Baton's husk, joined the pursuit. Their light attacks were deadly against the Tyranids.

Specium Rays, Strium Rainbows, Golden Metallium, Emerium Green, and M78 Blue—all blasted from the Mecha Ultras, devastating the Tyranids.

The pursuit lasted three days, even leaving the Baal System. In deep space, Rhodes caught the last hive ship.

This Leviathan tendril invasion fleet, aside from scattered bio-ships, had all its hive ships destroyed by Rhodes.

None escaped, thanks to Pedanium ships' advanced radar and FTL speed.

As Rhodes prepared to destroy the last ship, a psychic message entered his mind.

He could accept or reject it; he chose to accept it.

The Tyranids rarely communicated—since entering the galaxy, they had only brought war and death. But in the original timeline, at the end of the Baal War, a Hive Tyrant was taken over by the Hive Mind and celebrated, allowing Dante to kill it.

Rhodes was sure this defeat had drawn the Hive Mind's attention.

["Human! I'll remember you! You won this time. But don't think this is all the hive's power—it was only a pitiful tendril of a vanguard fleet. I have invaded countless galaxies, even those greater than yours. Your galaxy will be no exception.

I promise, in a few hundred years, I'll arrive with my main fleet—then you'll know true despair. I'll savor this feast. My fleets will darken the stars. My hunger is endless. I will consume all,"] declared the Great Devourer—the Hive Mind itself.

"Great Devourer! And how much do you know of my strength? Do you think destroying some galaxies makes you arrogant? I promise, after defeating you, I won't kill you!

Have you heard of livestock? I'll raise you and your bugs as cattle in a pen. Whenever I'm bored, I'll come to harvest you. You'll be my livestock, never free," Rhodes replied.

The Great Devourer was stunned—this mortal dared threaten to farm the Tyranids as livestock!

["You think some technology, some odd tricks, will let you win? This was just a small vanguard tendril.

I've figured out your sonic attack's frequency. Next time, the hive will be immune. I promise,"] the Great Devourer said.

The hive's greatest trait was endless evolution—win once, twice, three times, but every time, the swarm returns stronger.

"Have you ever seen me use the same trick twice? Relax! When your main fleet comes, I'll gather my army and crush you," Rhodes replied.

["I still have several small fleets in the galaxy—fight them first. Each is stronger than the one you just faced. I hope you survive, human, so I can eat you myself. Struggle on!"]

With that, the Norn Queen hosting the Devourer's mind exploded.

"Great Devourer, I look forward to that day—but by then, I won't be who I am now!"