Meanwhile, above the planet Zul'kar…
Matt Horner commanded the Hyperion fleet in a brutal space battle against the Orc star armada.
From within the Battlecruiser, the heavy sound of energy charging filled the air—Yamato Cannon, the legendary weapon with devastating firepower, prepared to unleash a blazing plasma shot. In an instant, it fired, blasting through Orc warships with a force that turned them into scrap floating in the void.
"WAAAAAGH!!!"
Tens of thousands of ramshackle Orc ships dove wildly toward the human formation led by Matt Horner. Macro cannons and light spears were locked onto targets. The Orcs charged like mad beasts—many of their so-called "warships" barely qualified as such, more like flying junkyards cobbled together with desperation and rage.
Matt raised an eyebrow. "How the hell are those things even flying?" he muttered, then pushed the thought aside. There was no time to wonder—only to fight.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions rocked the void. Orc vessels were torn apart under a coordinated barrage of macro cannon fire, Yamato blasts, and the relentless assault of accompanying warships. Some Orc ships spiraled out of control, crashing into their allies in chaotic fireballs.
"WAAAAAGH!!!"
But defeat didn't mean retreat for the Orcs—if anything, it fueled them. More and more of their warships poured in from hyperspace, as if they were infinite.
"Ignore the humans above! Reclaim the planet first!"
roared Grumak, an Orc war commander leading the charge himself. Their objective was no longer to destroy human fleets—they wanted to retake Zul'kar, the sacred birthplace of their kind.
Countless Orc ships began descending from orbit, slamming into Zul'kar's surface like meteors.
And as both sides clashed violently—
A thunderous explosion lit up the battlefield.
"WAAAAAGH!!!"
Unnumbered Orcs crawled from the wreckage, grabbing weapons and charging toward the Aeterna 5th "Flame of Freedom" Regiment, ready for ground war.
______
For the Emperor!
The soldiers of the Aeterna 5th "Flame of Freedom" Regiment quickly took their positions inside the bunkers and aimed their weapons at the charging Orcs.
Artillery units positioned behind began bombarding the endless sea of Orcs advancing ahead. Siege Tanks shifted into siege mode, joining the artillery barrage with precise, heavy fire.
At the front lines, Chris Redfield, Carlos Oliveira, and Mark coordinated the Terran Marines standing firm in the middle, flanked by the Marauder units of the Astra Militarum behind them. Firebats were stationed atop cliffs, Reapers held strategic positions, and Ghost operatives moved stealthily in key locations.
Widow Mines had been planted upfront, ready to detonate when the Orcs came close.
Thor units were deployed alongside Zaku II mechs, adding devastating firepower to the defense.
Hellions, Hellbats, and Cyclones stood by, waiting for the order to unleash havoc on any Orc forces that broke through the defensive lines.
Medtech teams readied themselves to tend to any wounded comrades.
"WAAARGH!!!"
Even such deadly firepower was barely enough against the mysterious and seemingly indestructible Orc units. Hundreds of millions of Orcs and Gruts surged forward, charging toward the planet's sole stronghold — the Aeterna 5th "Flame of Freedom" Regiment.
"Soldiers! Don't panic! The Emperor is with you! If you fall in battle, we will meet again in the Hall of Valor!"
Orc warships continued to fall from the sky. The full firepower of the fleet was unleashed. Carrier-based aircraft took off one by one. Mobile suits Zaku II and GM soared into the air, forming a dense barrage to intercept the falling Orc forces.
Jim Raynor began deploying his troops to strategic points where the Orcs had already landed. Tychus Findlay was visibly excited, watching the fierce battle unfold. The scene on Zul'kar resembled a Zerg swarm invasion or the apocalypse-like assault on planet Char, with countless warship wrecks falling everywhere.
The countless Orcs attacked like an overwhelming swarm of Zerg flooding the battlefield.
"Focus all ship cannons on enemy vessels! Maximize firepower! Reduce pressure on ground troops!" Raynor commanded firmly.
On the ground, Jim Raynor took position with a heavy sniper, accompanied by Space Marines. He began firing at the approaching Orc warships.
"Commander Horner! Our carrier-based aircraft are almost out of ammo! The Orc forces are overwhelming!"
"Order them back to the hangar for resupply! All marines hold your positions! Don't let the enemy breach our lines!" Horner responded swiftly.
Several Stalwart frigates launched nuclear missiles, engulfing the endless sea of Orcs in fire. Yet, for this massive Orc race, the losses were still minimal.
"Commander Horner! General Raynor! His Majesty the Emperor reports that reinforcements are en route!" came a report from one of the lead ships over the comms.
"Hold the line! That's an order from Raynor!"