Kill Angron, but preserve his soul?
When Bruce learned this from the Emperor, he was immediately stunned. Then he thought—
There was actually such a good deal?
As for what to do with Angron after he lost his body, wasn't that simple?
Just let his good brother, the blue fat cat, think of something. Maybe he could make a new body for him.
And so Bruce acted without hesitation. He specifically struck at the part where the Butcher's Nails were embedded, doing his utmost to ensure that Angron's head remained intact.
Because a relatively intact head still had another use for him—
Ending this war.
Angron also met the conclusion he found most satisfying in peace.
Although he was a gene-Primarch, when he sincerely sought death and had no intention of struggling, dying was not such a painful thing.
There was no healing.
No resistance.
But at the very instant he died, the Four Gods were like hounds that had smelled blood. They rushed forward, trying to tear into Angron's soul.
And at that moment, the Emperor and Magnus's crystal necklace exerted their full force.
Because the distance was close enough, and because Bruce had the specific item needed, most of Angron's soul was stored inside the soul crystal. As for Khorne, who held the home-field advantage, what he obtained was far less.
He had obtained the relatively complete Butcher's Nails, Angron's fleshly body, and a portion of his soul.
"Bruce! No!!!!"
Seeing the duck that had reached his mouth fly away just like that, Khorne panicked.
"You cannot do this! Give him to me!!!"
As the Primarch whom Khorne had set his sights on ever since descending upon Nuceria, Angron's corruption by Khorne should have been all but guaranteed.
But now, Bruce had done something beyond Khorne's expectations. This left Khorne deeply frustrated.
The combination of the Butcher's Nails and Angron was not something Khorne would call perfectly satisfying, but at least it aligned with his authority and path.
Now, Bruce's every action was smashing Khorne's rice bowl.
How could Khorne not panic?
He understood far too clearly what effect losing a Primarch's support would have on the Great Game.
And when he thought about how the other three could obtain their Daemon Primarchs while only he had none, Khorne hated it so much his teeth itched.
Gah!
This absolutely could not be allowed!
"Khorne, see you never, you bastard. Tui!"
When Bruce glimpsed Khorne about to smash his sword down at him again, he spat at him, then turned, opened the Anywhere Door, and jumped inside.
"?!"
Khorne personally watched Bruce open a door and disappear.
What was that thing now?!
After confirming it repeatedly, Khorne was finally forced to accept a fact.
Bruce had truly escaped his divine realm!
Only after that door vanished did Khorne realize that he had been played.
Bruce, and those other four competitors too—
All of them had toyed with him like a dog!
"You..."
"I will make you pay the price!!!!"
Khorne's furious roar echoed throughout the entire Warp.
...
By the time Bruce had used Angron's soul to force the World Eaters Legion into submission and accept their surrender—
After a long battle, plus projecting into a divine realm, and then invoking Angron's soul, which required him to consume both psychic power and a portion of his soul's strength, Bruce finally could no longer hold on.
Once everything had settled, he gloriously collapsed.
Though rather than saying he collapsed, it was more accurate to say he simply stopped moving while still standing.
When his squad members finally reacted and realized that something was wrong with the acting commander, they understood one thing:
Some people looked as though they were still standing.
But in reality, they had already been gone for quite some time.
"A-Acting Commander? Gah! Please, you absolutely cannot be in trouble!"
Warfarin was the first to notice just how problematic Bruce's motionless state was.
If something happened aboard the Conqueror, it would not merely involve her future life and career.
There was also a chance the World Eaters might turn hostile and kill them.
Fortunately, the World Eaters surrendered decisively, and their conduct was reasonable enough. After learning of Bruce's condition, not only did they not immediately rebel, they even properly handed over the ship's medical department for Warfarin to use.
It was also for this reason that Warfarin was able to examine Bruce's body at once.
After a series of detailed checks, she finally came to one good piece of news and one bad piece of news.
"What do you mean my recruit is unconscious, but not completely unconscious?"
Curze, drinking black tea, raised his brows in displeasure.
What kind of left-brain-right-brain infighting statement was this?
Had they spent too much time around the recruit, so now they all talked like this too?
It made him laugh in anger.
"It's just..."
Warfarin scratched her head and answered:
"It's just that his body and mind are both overdrawn. As for when he'll recover, I can't say."
Although there was a screen between them, plus a communication link established across several star regions, the pressure from a Primarch still made Warfarin feel like she could barely breathe.
So scary.
It felt like the Primarch could kill her at any time.
"There is no treatment plan?"
Curze said angrily.
Why don't you listen to the nonsense coming out of your own mouth?
You don't even know how to treat him. What use are you as a doctor?!
"For this sort of thing, I can only suggest letting the acting commander recover on his own. After all, his condition is… far too special..."
Warfarin, under enormous pressure, said:
"It's not like we can have the Librarians perform some psychic ritual on him, right? What if something filthy takes advantage of the opening and slips in?"
"..."
Curze thought about it, then felt Warfarin was not entirely wrong.
"If it's only soul damage, I can think of a way."
Magnus, her face full of fatigue, spoke at this moment.
Ever since she had escaped using that life-saving teleportation magic last time, Magnus's mental state had never truly improved. Every day, she looked lazy and listless.
But there was nothing she could do about that.
The battle with Lorgar, and the magical power she had released to escape Tzeentch's pursuit, had directly drained all her magic dry. Right now, it was still on cooldown.
Moreover, after this incident, even Magnus, arrogant as she was, had realized something.
What she had traded away last time might not have been merely her eye.
It was very likely that part of her soul had been included as well.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible for Tzeentch to hard-control her with only one eye.
She had to find a way to counteract it...
"Forget it. You haven't even recovered yourself, and you still want to manage the recruit?"
Curze glanced sideways at Magnus, his tone full of disdain.
If not for the effectiveness of the teleportation magic, and if Bruce had not provided a corresponding backup plan, Magnus would have had to take the blame for everything this time.
If Magnus had failed to escape, then the Imperium of Man would truly have suffered a catastrophic loss in this battle.
Not only would they have lost one gene-Primarch, they would also have lost Magnus, whom they had finally managed to preserve.
If that was not a disastrous loss, what was?
"Um... Father..."
Warfarin scratched her head and asked curiously:
"The matter of the acting commander killing a Primarch… is there really no problem?"
"Good question."
"For me, there is definitely no problem."
Curze nodded and answered.
"Uh... what if the Emperor holds him accountable... what should we do?"
"That is something Horus and I will handle. Your first priority right now is to find a way to wake the recruit up. Understand?"
Curze indicated that they did not need to pay too much attention to such a minor matter.
It was only the sacrifice of a Primarch who was going to die anyway.
Besides, Bruce had reasonable justification throughout the entire process. How could the Emperor possibly hold him accountable?
And on top of that, he had already managed to kill a Primarch.
Who in the entire Imperium would dare have an opinion?
The strong enjoyed privilege.
Understand?
In the Imperium of Man, the reason the Primarchs could make their word law was not merely because they were the Emperor's sons. It was also because they were powerful enough.
And now that Bruce had reached Primarch-level combat strength, it was only natural that he could also enjoy such privileges.
"How about... we simply remove the acting commander's gene-seed first as a backup plan?"
Warfarin proposed excitedly.
"Do you want to die?"
Curze asked with a smile.
"I'm sorry..."
Warfarin immediately admitted defeat.
Why was this fellow always coming up with this sort of nonsense?
Sigh.
Only their recruit could spoil someone like her.
Back then, painting her arm red and exiling her, instead of directly following procedure and executing her after trial, was actually a little regrettable.
"Right. What about Angron?"
Curze withdrew his smile and asked again.
"Lord Angron... well, uh..."
Warfarin looked left and right, then shook her head.
"Report! I really don't know how Lord Angron was summoned."
"Hm? What do you want with me?"
A displeased voice suddenly sounded from behind Warfarin.
"Wah! A ghost!!!!"
Warfarin turned her head and saw a phantom-like shadow standing behind her, instantly jumping in fright.
"So you really are here. Good. Let's talk. Do you have time?"
Curze looked at Angron's soul and nodded in satisfaction.
"Fine."
Angron nodded and agreed.
If it had been before, he would definitely have refused without even thinking. After all, socializing and using his brain would upset the Butcher's Nails, which would then make his head hurt.
But now?
Now, completely light and unburdened, he no longer cared.
Although in his soul state, there was always the risk that he might disappear at any moment, Angron was very satisfied with his current condition.
Very free.
Very relaxed.
Very beautiful.
Author's Notes:
I woke up, and the sky had collapsed, but luckily I still made it...
Thank you to the big boss [From Kingdom to Crown] for the silver treasure chest. I've been so busy these past few days that I haven't even had time to check the backend. I'm sorry, QAQ.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 165)
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TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter220)
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I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (This matter is completely finished.)
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Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
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Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 185
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 248
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 230
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 125
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 145
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 115
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 110
My Harem Is Indescribable 100
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 105
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 67
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
Still playing traditional Honk 80
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 85
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 78
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 80
Checking In in Demon Slayer 85
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 100
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 85
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 80
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 90
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 75
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 85
Why did they assign me to Uma 75
MYGO Beauties 70
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 75
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 80
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 100
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 60
The Uma Musume Who Became 60
I'm Definitely Not the King of 80
After Maxing Out Every Class 80
Naruto: I'm Konoha's Local Men 44
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 57
I, the Elden Sword Saint 50
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 43
No One Knows Pokémon Better 50
I, Sakazuki, Won't Go Down Tha 45
From Trilobites to Titans 45
Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 55
DanMachi: My Party Members Are 60
An Anime Heroine Darkened 55
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