After temporarily repelling Guilliman and Corvus Corax's renewed assault and unleashing all his power, Fulgrim's serpentine tail suddenly snapped, and he leaped backward. He soared into the air, swung his sword, and tore open the veil of reality. A rift suddenly appeared, and from the other side flowed twisted, multicolored light, revealing an indescribably terrifying place—the Immaterium.
Without looking back, Fulgrim entered it. The rift began to close.
However, Corvus Corax did not give him the chance to escape. He transformed into a flock of ravens and, carrying Guilliman, charged into the rift.
The rift closed, and everything returned to calm.
The Ultramarines and Emperor's sons left behind stared at each other in stunned silence for several seconds.
Then—
"Kill them!!!"
No one knew who shouted first. Both sides clashed once more, determined to completely annihilate the other.
…
Inside the Warp, Fulgrim moved at astonishing speed, like a water snake. Behind him, a flock of black ravens relentlessly pursued. He did not dare stop, fearing he would be torn apart by the ravens. He wanted to flee back to a Chaos warship or a temple of excess, but Corvus Corax was right beside him.
With no other choice, he followed Lorgar's example and prepared to shift responsibility to another brother. He tore open the curtain and returned to realspace, arriving beside Magnus, who had also begun to defect.
Magnus's situation was also dire. His opponent was the Lion King of Caliban—Lion El'Jonson.
At this moment, Magnus was being suppressed. The main reason was that Lion possessed the Emperor's Shield, which could withstand psychic attacks. His sorcery vanished instantly upon use, like a drop of water falling on a red-hot iron plate—leaving no trace. None of the spells, runes, or forbidden knowledge he prided himself on could break that defensive wall.
Without his sorcery, Magnus's combat ability had drastically decreased. Although the Lion King was elderly, awakening the essence of the Warp had tripled his power compared to his youth.
As the battle intensified, Magnus sustained more and more wounds.
Seeing Magnus's disheveled state, Fulgrim did not hesitate for a second. He immediately pried open another rift and crawled inside.
Magnus paused for a few seconds before noticing the flock of ravens and Guilliman behind the other man.
"Bastard…!!!"
That beast, Fulgrim! Even if he's joined Chaos, he doesn't have to be this inhuman! Not only did he drag people in, he fled first!
Before he could finish uttering a second curse, the flock of ravens had already appeared before his eyes. The ravens materialized into Corvus Corax, whose power claws still dripped with Fulgrim's blood. Guilliman, wielding the Emperor's sword wreathed in flames, glared at Magnus with rage-filled eyes.
He would never forget the humiliation he suffered from the enemy in the Lunar War. If it hadn't been for the Nameless One, he might have truly fallen into the opponent's hands.
Seeing the two fighting, Magnus groaned inwardly. He had no chance against three opponents. He would be minced into paste in no time.
Without hesitation, Magnus immediately unleashed a group spell. It blocked the path of the three loyalist Primarchs, and he instantly activated teleportation, vanishing in a swirl of multicolored smoke.
Just as Corvus Corax was about to activate his ability to continue the pursuit, a mist suddenly appeared. The mist was thick and damp, with blurry outlines of trees and the whispers of birds and beasts audible.
Lion said to the surprised Corvus Corax and Guilliman, "Chase them!"
A path appeared from within the mist. Towering trees lined both sides, their canopies blocking the sunlight, with only a few rays of light filtering through the gaps.
Lion gradually began using his abilities, becoming adept at walking forest paths and tracking prey. Corvus Corax and Guilliman were inwardly shocked—they had never expected Lion to possess such an ability.
After entering the forest path, Guilliman began contemplating the meaning of life.
Lion can summon a mysterious forest, Corvus Corax can transform into ravens, Ferrus Manus can summon the Cursed Legion… Why? I don't have any special talents! Isn't this strange?!
Led by Lion, the three emerged from the forest and arrived at another battlefield. The battlefield was inside a massive star fortress, but it was now completely devastated. Walls were torn, floors peeled away, and most of the ceiling had collapsed, exposing the chaotic space outside.
The glow of raging flames illuminated the figures of people engaged in fierce combat all around. On the ground, the Death Guard fought the Blood Angels. High above the battlefield, two figures were locked in intense combat.
One was Mortarion—even more bloated than during the Plague Wars, his armor stretched and deformed. Every flap of his wings released a green toxic mist that rusted and corroded steel. After receiving countless plagues from Nurgle, his power had transformed into something terrifying. A single breath from him was enough to destroy a world.
The other was Sanguinius. His angelic wings were fully spread, radiating golden light that illuminated the entire battlefield. The light was warm and sacred, dispelling the toxic mist released by Mortarion and purifying any daemons that approached. He held a long spear in his hand, its tip burning with golden flames.
At this moment, the Emperor's power flowed endlessly into the Great Angel's body. The radiance he emitted grew brighter and brighter, like a rising sun.
Sickle and spear clashed violently again and again, each collision sending dazzling flashes of light and generating powerful shockwaves. The shockwaves swept across the battlefield, toppling surrounding buildings and tearing apart any soldiers who could not dodge in time.
Like thunder, the loud sounds of collision continued to echo.
Lorgar and Fulgrim were also here, slaughtering Sanguinius's descendants, but there was no sign of Magnus.
"I will pursue Magnus. You two go help Sanguinius."
Lion summoned the misty forest once more and hurried down the forest path. Magnus was most likely heading toward the battlefield between Perturabo and Ferrus Manus, so they needed to provide support in time.
Guilliman and Corvus Corax arrived at the battlefield at the perfect moment and confronted the two Primarchs who were slaughtering the Blood Angels.
Corvus Corax charged at Fulgrim, his powerful claws slicing through the air and aiming straight for his throat. Forced into battle, Fulgrim swung all three swords simultaneously to dodge the storm-like assault.
Guilliman swung the Emperor's sword wreathed in golden flames and charged toward Lorgar. Lorgar raised his hammer to defend, and with a loud metallic clang, a terrifying shockwave was released.
"If a piece of trash like you tries to run away without warning again, I'll hunt you down first next time."
Fulgrim looked at Lorgar and gritted his teeth.
If it weren't for this useless wretch, I wouldn't have had my arm cut off by Guilliman and be suffering this burning pain.
The burning pain from the severed arm's wound continued to torment him.
Having his shortcomings publicly exposed, Lorgar showed anger but suppressed his dissatisfaction. After all, it was he who had truly dragged Fulgrim into this.
Lorgar chose Guilliman as his opponent instead of Corvus Corax. Corvus Corax always instilled terror and a suffocating feeling in him. That fear and pressure affected his performance, lowered his concentration, and made him prone to mistakes.
Guilliman possessed the Emperor's sword, but if handled carefully, he could still manage. However, Lorgar quickly found himself at a disadvantage. Occasionally, Corvus Corax would transform into a flock of ravens, abandon Fulgrim, and attack him. The ravens' sharp beaks and claws left countless small wounds on his body. They were not fatal, but extremely troublesome. Every time he tried to focus on dealing with Guilliman, the ravens appeared. Every time he tried to retaliate, they vanished.
Fulgrim was furious. Even while fighting Corvus Corax himself, he still managed to sneak attacks on Lorgar. This was clearly blatant contempt for him—unforgivable!
Fulgrim roared and swung his three swords even faster. However, Corvus Corax completely ignored him. He continued his usual pattern of sneak attacks and harassment.
Lorgar was mentally at his limit. Already struggling against Guilliman's fierce assault, he also had to constantly watch out for Corvus Corax's sneak attacks. Ravens were everywhere, visible in every corner, making it impossible for him to concentrate. His defense crumbled, and his counterattacks gradually lost effectiveness.
Clang…
Guilliman's Emperor's sword sliced through Lorgar's spiked hammer and aimed straight for his chest. Lorgar hurriedly retreated, but Corvus Corax's ravens dove from the side, blocking his escape route. He could only watch helplessly as the sword wreathed in golden flames left a deep wound on his chest.
Indescribable pain made Lorgar scream repeatedly. However, Guilliman did not stop. He sheathed his sword and punched Lorgar in the face. The blow was powerful and heavy, filled with bottomless rage.
Lorgar's face shattered into pieces, teeth flying, blood spraying everywhere. His body was sent flying like a cannonball, slamming heavily into the ground and rolling about. He did not stop until he crashed into a broken pillar.
Fulgrim tried to rescue him, but Corvus Corax was too persistent. Every time he tried to flee, powerful claws pushed him back.
Guilliman strode toward Lorgar. He raised the Emperor's sword, preparing to execute the man who had incited the Horus Heresy.
At that exact moment, a blood-red beam suddenly appeared, accompanied by an ear-splitting roar. The massive and intimidating Angron stepped onto the battlefield, war axe raised high, letting out an ear-splitting roar. He emerged from a pillar of light and charged toward Guilliman, swinging his war axe downward.
Guilliman had no choice but to abandon Lorgar and switch to defense. Axe and sword clashed. A terrifying shockwave erupted instantly, triggering a storm. The surrounding ground was pulverized, nearby buildings were completely destroyed, and surrounding soldiers were sent flying.
Guilliman's hands were numb from the shock, and his arms ached. Angron's power was terrifying. It was pure, unadulterated force—no technique, no graceful movements, just frenzied destructive power.
Lorgar, lying on the ground, was overjoyed at the sight. Pressing his chest wound, he managed to stand up, a mad smile on his face.
With Angron here, defeating Guilliman will be easy, right?
He picked up the fallen hammer and charged at Guilliman. Guilliman was forced into a difficult battle, and the tide of the battle turned.
Guilliman had thought the match at his university would be the one decided the fastest. However, to everyone's surprise, the first victor was decided by Sanguinius and Mortarion.
Mortarion's power was terrifying. A single breath from him could destroy a world. However, Sanguinius's combat ability should not be underestimated. As the battle progressed, the Emperor's power flowed endlessly into his body, and he radiated light like the sun.
"Saint Sanguinius, our father cannot help you," Mortarion mocked while swinging his massive scythe. "He is nothing more than a malignant tumor rooted in reality and the supreme heavens."
Sanguinius remained silent, simply absorbing the Emperor's power and preparing for the final strike. After clashing again, he seized the opportunity, deflected his opponent's scythe, and thrust his spear into Mortarion's body, piercing him instantly. Flames burned along the spear embedded in Mortarion's body, incinerating rotting flesh, blood, and writhing maggots.
Mortarion let out a pain-filled roar mixed with hatred, rage, and disbelief. Seeing Mortarion screaming, Sanguinius grinned.
"Useless trash. Let Typhus, the true Chapter Master of the Death Guard, fight me."
Mortarion's face instantly twisted. These words enraged him more than the wound on his chest. However, he did not utter a single word of retort. He had been gravely wounded in the previous attack and could no longer fight.
Mortarion swung his hand, releasing a thick green toxic mist that covered the sky and blocked Sanguinius's vision. Then he cut open the curtain with the scythe in his hand and staggered inside.
After clearing the toxic mist, Sanguinius did not pursue. He looked down at the ground battlefield. Guilliman was surrounded by Angron and Lorgar and in grave danger.
Sanguinius did not hesitate. He folded his wings and dove. His target was Angron.
Angron sensed the danger and roared toward the sky. He abandoned Guilliman, raised his war axe, flapped his wings, and charged at Sanguinius.
The two figures met in the air. Spear and war axe clashed, releasing dazzling light. Shockwaves blew everything away and completely destroyed the surrounding ruins. Sanguinius flapped his wings, radiating dazzling light from his entire body. Angron's roar shook the heavens, and crimson mist filled the air. They fought from the sky to the ground, and from the ground to the ruins. Wherever they went, everything turned to dust.
In the end, Sanguinius emerged victorious. His spear pierced Angron's eye socket and emerged from the back of his head, banishing him into the Warp.
Fulgrim and Lorgar felt their chests tighten at the sight. Angron had been defeated, and Mortarion had fled. Now only the two of them remained to face Guilliman, Corvus Corax, and Sanguinius.
How could they win? Without hesitation, they immediately summoned daemons to cover their retreat and fled.
…
Meanwhile, on another battlefield, Perturabo and Magnus were forced to retreat upon receiving the news. After all, the two of them could not possibly face five loyalist Primarchs. As they retreated, the Chaos offensive lost momentum. The Imperium did not pursue them, but they themselves had suffered considerable losses and needed time to regroup.
A temporary balance was maintained between the two sides as they faced off in the Vigilant Star System.
…
Datch's side on Cthonia
A mission notification arrived.
[Mission Complete. Congratulations on preventing the Vigilant Star from falling into Chaos's hands.]
[Quest Rewards: 1,800 EXP, 1,800 Points, +500 Reputation, TARDIS Phone Box ×1]
Datch paused for a moment, then happily opened his game inventory. With a thought, an old-fashioned blue British-style phone box suddenly appeared. Stepping inside revealed a vast space filled with various futuristic devices.
Modeled after the time machine from the Doctor Who IP—a TARDIS-style phone box. They could freely travel through timelines, going to any point and changing any historical event. This allowed him to freely move through different timelines and do whatever he wanted.
Datch was dying to try it out. He set a deadline and prepared to return to the Vigilant Planet to check the situation.
He pressed the start button. Space warped. Bright electrical arcs erupted from the TARDIS's surface, crackling and illuminating everything around. The electrical arcs distorted space, tore through time, and opened a passage in the air. On the other side of the passage stretched flowing, fantastical colors, dotted with countless fragments of scenes from various eras.
At that exact moment—
"Lord Nameless One!"
Horus entered the hall where Datch was and saw the TARDIS phone box slowly disappearing at that very moment. His intuition told him that the Nameless One was inside and that the other person was about to leave this world using that mysterious relic.
"Lord Nameless One, don't go!"
Horus shouted in terror and charged toward the phone box. They had only just gotten Cthonia's reconstruction on track—why was the Nameless One leaving already?
Lord Nameless One, how are we supposed to live without you?!
…
…
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