The Warmaster cut down the last Beastman with his sword, then looked up in the direction of Lucius.
"Who do I have here? It's Lucius, the one who sells hooks for Slaanesh. You can't just stay hidden in the Eye of Terror, can you? You have to come out and disgust people!"
Lucius: "..."
What do you mean, 'sells hooks for Slaanesh'?!
I am a God Chosen of the Prince of Pleasure!
I am the most skilled swordsman in the galaxy!
I am the embodiment of the art of slaughter, the eternal nightmare of the galaxy!
How did I become someone who 'sells hooks' in the mouths of you bastards?!
Didn't the Emperor teach you not to badmouth people behind their backs?
"I hope your swordsmanship is as formidable as your venomous mouth."
Lucius's tone carried a hint of malice, his eyes fixed on the Warmaster, as he extended his long, forked serpent tongue.
"This time, you won't be as lucky as before."
"I will dismantle your self-destruct device, sever your limbs, and make you live like a maggot."
"Before, when my strength was weak, I had to use some tricks to ensure victory," the Warmaster said confidently, putting his two-handed sword back into his inventory and equipping a one-handed sword and shield.
"Now, there's no need at all. Don't worry, there's absolutely no self-destruct device this time."
"Come on, Lucius, let's settle our past grievances. This time, I will use my true strength to make you utterly despair."
"Arrogant fool, I hope you can still say such big words later." Lucius, holding a poisoned blade, entered a combat stance and approached the Warmaster.
The Warmaster, shield in one hand and sword in the other, confronted Lucius.
The two circled each other, searching for weaknesses in the opponent's defense.
In a flash of lightning, Lucius launched his attack, his longsword thrusting out instantly, moving like a phantom.
The Warmaster's combat skills, honed over this period, had long since reached their peak.
Furthermore, with the enhancements from Primaris upgrades and position fragments, his current strength, speed, and combat intuition were far beyond what they once were.
When Lucius's sword thrust came, the Warmaster swung his shield to block.
The sword and shield collided, emitting a clear, ringing sound.
The Warmaster seized the opportunity to vertically cleave with his one-handed sword, forcing Lucius to retreat.
Then, Lucius lunged forward again, his longsword chopping down with a fierce whoosh.
The Warmaster continued to block with his battle shield, then swung his one-handed sword in attack, forcing Lucius to retreat and defend.
Clang!
The two weapons collided, clanging sounds echoing, sparks flying.
Energy fields clashed, generating shockwaves.
Lucius felt a numbness in his tiger's mouth (the area between thumb and forefinger), and his brow furrowed in surprise.
How did this guy's strength increase so much?
Did the Emperor bless him?
Is there no swordsmanship spirit left?
He actually has to rely on blessings to compete in swordsmanship!!
"No wonder he wants to be the Emperor's lackey. It seems he gave him a lot of benefits."
Hearing Lucius's sarcastic remarks, the Warmaster smiled and went along with his words, "What? Did you not receive Slaanesh's blessing?"
"You're willing to sell him hooks, and he's not even willing to give you a few bones?"
Before playing Warhammer OL, the Warmaster's keyboard warrior skills were quite profound; he wasn't afraid of anyone when it came to arguing.
As soon as these words were out, Lucius was indeed provoked, his eyes wide and red, as if he wanted to devour someone.
"I didn't sell hooks."
"If you didn't sell them, why would they choose you? Tavitz is a hundred times better than you," the Warmaster added another jab.
"Don't say that name in front of me," Lucius roared, his longsword slashing continuously.
The Warmaster blocked all of it with his shield.
The clanging sounds were incessant, but he still couldn't break through his defense.
"Tavitz is handsomer than you, his swordsmanship is better than yours, he's more popular than you, and I think I remember, his rank is also higher than yours; he's even your superior."
The Warmaster spoke with increasing relish, while Lucius's face began to twist with rage.
"I told you to shut up!!"
"Haha!!" The Warmaster blocked Lucius's attack again, then swung his sword, forcing him to retreat, and then slowly said, "I won't."
"I'm going to kill you!" Lucius shouted, his offensive like a furious storm, his blade forming afterimages as he rapidly slashed.
The Warmaster, however, stood as steady as a rock, blocking all of Lucius's attacks with his heavy shield.
"Since you don't want to hear about Tavitz, how about we talk about Shalokin? You were defeated by him, twice."
"Your swordsmanship probably wasn't even in the top tier of that era. You're only good for bullying newcomers now."
"Shut up!" Lucius was even more provoked.
How could the Emperor choose such a foul-mouthed human as a God Chosen?!
Lucius fell into a frenzy, each slash using his full strength, leaving shocking sword marks on the battle shield, the bursting sparks illuminating the dim surroundings.
The Warmaster was incredibly calm, blocking attacks while provoking with words.
When the opponent slashed down again, he decisively shifted the shield's center of gravity, causing the opponent's descending longsword to deviate, resulting in a momentary loss of body control.
Then, the Warmaster's one-handed sword in his other hand thrust out, instantly piercing through Lucius's chest, impaling one of his hearts.
Blood, emitting a strange fragrance, gushed out.
Lucius's eyes widened, staring at the sword that had pierced his chest, his face filled with disbelief.
How could this be?
How could he lose to this guy in front of him?
The first time they met, he could easily toy with the opponent!
Why, now, can the opponent not only fight him blow for blow but also gravely injure him?
Has the opponent improved so quickly??
Did he catch up to him in such a short time??
One must know, he had lived for ten thousand years!
"Kill him."
Lucius retreated, his face showing a mix of anger and embarrassment.
He ordered the Chaos Space Marines who had followed him to act and shoot down the Warmaster in front of them.
The next second, whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Consecutive whooshing sounds echoed.
Several Warp fragments, emitting an ethereal glow, cut through the air.
In just an instant, they headshotted the three Chaos Space Marines standing at the very front.
Tenjiro stepped out, holding his staff. "Still thinking of ganging up? Do you take us for dead men?"
"Skulls for the Golden Throne, blood for the God Emperor!"
A roar came from the air.
A Chaos Space Marine instinctively looked up, seeing a figure in red power armor descending from the sky, wielding a battle axe.
Looking at the rapidly spinning sawblades, the Chaos Space Marine's eyes widened.
The next second, he was brutally split in two from top to bottom.
Wrist Bro, bathed in the opponent's blood, then swung his battle axe, slaughtering the remaining Chaos Space Marines and Beastmen.
Other Players also arrived one after another, unleashing a massacre. In a short while, they completely wiped out Lucius's subordinates.
"Tsk! Tsk!"
The Warmaster looked at Lucius, who was showing a difficult expression, and mocked him.
"It seems you still have to face me alone."
"I'm going to kill you!" Lucius charged again.
The wound on his chest had now stopped bleeding and was even slowly healing.
This was the formidable nature of Chaos Space Marines, possessing both the Emperor's gene-tech and the blessings of the Chaos Gods.
Before the Primaris Space Marines appeared, they were the strongest warriors in the galaxy.
And now, the Players are the strongest warriors in the galaxy.
The Warmaster used his shield to block Lucius's frenzied assault, then repeated his trick, giving a powerful shove to make the opponent lose balance.
Lucius secretly thought, "Not good," but it was too late to retreat.
The Warmaster swung his sword, and the cold blade kissed Lucius's throat.
Following closely was a searing pain, and blood, carrying a fragrant scent, gushed from his shattered neck.
Lucius pressed his hand tightly against the wound, but the wound continued to expand under the pressure of his armored fingers, bleeding profusely.
"How could I possibly lose to you?!"
Lucius tried to speak, but his vocal cords were severed, and blood gushed from his mouth and nose, replacing his words.
But soon, a smile appeared on Lucius's twisted, ferocious face.
"You make me more and more interested. One day, I will definitely kill you."
"Your life belongs to me, and only to me."
The Warmaster showed a speechless expression.
As expected, none of those who believe in Slaanesh are normal!
Even at this point, he still wants to enforce heretical forced love!
When he had time, he would borrow the Emperor's Sword or the Spear of Dionysus to see if he could completely kill this guy.
The Warmaster wanted to see if this bastard could still smile if he couldn't revive.
"I hope you can keep that thought," the Warmaster said, repeatedly striking Lucius's head with his heavy shield.
If it were an ordinary person, their head would have been shattered on the first blow.
But Lucius, despite being repeatedly struck, only suffered minor abrasions.
However, the impact and dizziness from the brute force collisions made him continuously retreat.
"Fall!" the Warmaster roared in a low voice, then used all his strength to smash the opponent's head again.
Lucius was sent flying, crashing into and breaking a thick pillar with a bang, then fell unconscious.
The Warmaster walked over and retrieved a cube darker than the cosmic void from his spatial inventory—a Dimension Cube.
This was Necrons technology.
After Trazyn submitted to Alex, this technology was promoted throughout the Empire.
A beam of light shot out from the cube, and light points danced on the fallen Lucius, finally expanding into a light screen that enveloped him.
The next second, the Dimension Cube swallowed Lucius, locking this Chaos Heretic into a stasis dimension.
"I know the Prince of Pleasure will definitely revive you, but as long as you're not dead, he can't do anything," the Warmaster said.
"Stay put in there. When I borrow the Spear of Dionysus and the Emperor's Sword, that will be the death of you, you fool."
The Warmaster put the Dimension Cube back into his inventory space.
This once arrogant Emperor's Son swordsman thus became a prisoner.
The remaining Emperor's Son warriors witnessed this scene and turned to flee.
Even Lucius, the strongest among them, had been captured by the opponent.
Fighting on would only be a death wish.
Tenjiro and the other Players didn't let them get too far before wiping them all out.
"Lucius is dealt with, so now only Fabius Bile remains. That bastard is full of tricks, so we must be extra careful."
"Capturing that guy alive would be best, after all, he can also revive through certain means."
The Warmaster somewhat wished for an Emperor's Sword or a Spear of Dionysus.
These bastards could all revive; without some killing moves, they wouldn't be afraid.
Unfortunately, such artifacts could only be forged by the Emperor.
And now, the Emperor was paralyzed on the Golden Throne!
"I need to find a way to get Yellow Old Man back to work!"
"Even if his body is paralyzed, doesn't he still have a soul?"
The Warmaster muttered to himself as he led the younger Players to continue their charge.
Beastmen created by Fabius Bile emerged from hidden corners, attacking the Players.
But how powerful were the Players who had completed their second promotion? The Beastmen were cut down like chopping melons and dicing vegetables.
"Kill! Kill! Kill! Chop! Chop! Chop!"
Wrist Bro roared, swinging his chainaxe.
The furious sawblades instantly tore open the Beastmen's flesh, ripping apart their bodies.
Crimson blood splattered, and internal organs flowed out from their broken bodies.
His counter surged wildly, each tick representing a kill.
"Skulls for the Golden Throne, blood for the God Emperor!" Wrist Bro roared after tearing apart an enemy's flesh.
His voice grew increasingly wild, echoing through the dilapidated Hive City.
At this moment, Fabius Bile stood atop a tower that had been cut in half, observing the distant battlefield.
"This is trouble!!"
"That idiot Lucius actually got captured!!"
"This time's God Chosen are much stronger than the last!"
Fabius Bile hadn't expected the God Chosen this time to be so powerful, even Lucius was no match.
"Should I retreat, or take a gamble?"
Fabius Bile's face showed hesitation.
The composition of the God Chosen was very special; if he could acquire them, he could perfect his creations.
His children would become the new masters of the galaxy, the darlings of the Chaos Gods, and perhaps one day even replace the Chaos Gods.
Fabius Bile didn't have much affection for the Chaos Gods,
but at this stage, they were the only beings who could help him.
A brief cooperation was necessary; only then could the new humans truly take control of the galaxy.
Fabius Bile paced back and forth, and finally, he decided to confront these God Chosen head-on, to see if he could capture one or two for experimentation.
...
Tenjiro turned the corner of the corridor and encountered the terrifying monsters created by Fabius Bile.
A group of beastmen, with bulky, muscular bodies and bestial features.
These fellows had sharp teeth, with crimson flesh still lodged between them, and their hands were bloody, gripping crude, rough weapons.
They wore the skulls or teeth of the dead around their bodies.
"Disgusting things!"
Tenjiro didn't hesitate and immediately attacked.
Violent psychic power instantly surged forth, condensing into a Hand of the Warp.
He lifted the nearest beastmen into the air,
then, the violent psychic power surged into their bodies,
and instantly, 'Bang! Bang! Bang!' sounds continuously rang out, tearing these beastmen into fragments.
Most of the remaining beastmen showed expressions of terror.
The quickest among them let out howls and lunged forward, attempting close combat.
"They're not running, do they think I'm not good at close combat?!"
Tenjiro spun, swinging his scepter with the momentum.
With a bang,
one beastman's head was smashed to pieces.
Immediately after, his right fist slammed into the chest of another beastman, instantly breaking its sternum and shattering its heart.
Then, he rolled, and psychic shockwaves erupted from his hands again, sending all the remaining beastmen flying.
Bang! Bang! The sounds of impact were incessant.
In just a few breaths, he had defeated all these beastmen.
[Combat Duration: 4.33 seconds]
The armor's display panel automatically showed the combat evaluation result.
Threat detector activated, data flashed at the edge of his vision.
All signals showed green, and blood chemistry readings scrolled across his vision.
"Threats in range cleared," the armor's machine spirit said.
Tenjiro stepped towards a wailing beastman, using his powerful psychic abilities to search its mind and extract information.
The beastman let out a painful sound.
It felt as if something was stirring in its brain, causing immense pain.
When Tenjiro finished extracting the information, the beastman's eyes rolled back, and it stopped breathing.
Tenjiro then tossed the beastman's corpse aside and opened his communication channel.
"Brothers, I've found that old bastard Fabius Bile's location."
The Warmaster immediately responded, "Share the location. We'll go take care of that guy right away."
...
The Players acted quickly.
They fought through the outer defenses, reached the fortress where Fabius Bile was, and crushed their way inside.
At the end of the corridor,
the Players and beastmen once again engaged in fierce combat.
After a period of slaughter, the Warmaster pulled his sword from a beastman's body.
Crimson blood dripped down the tip of the sword.
Looking around, all the beastmen who had tried to block them had been slain.
The Warmaster looked at the armored door at the end of the corridor.
The autocannon on his shoulder rotated to adjust its position, aimed at the armored door, and began to charge energy.
Boom! The air rolled, and a dazzling beam of light shot from the shoulder cannon, turning the heavy armored door into dust.
This was a new technology developed by Cortana based on the original Necrons Gauss technology.
Its power was immense; one shot could turn an armored door into dust.
"Let's go."
The Warmaster led the way, stepping into the grand fortress hall.
Inside the hall, the Warmaster saw one of the universe's worst individuals for the first time—Fabius Bile.
His hair was very sparse and completely white, bald in the middle.
His ugly face was full of wrinkles, looking extremely old just by sight.
The mechanical arms implanted in his back were equipped with various surgical instruments, razor-sharp and glinting with cold light, making him look like a large spider.
"God Chosen?"
"Such a perfect design, truly worthy of my creator. Only the Emperor could achieve this; even the Chaos Gods cannot compare to him in this regard."
Fabius Bile's eyes showed excitement and greed.
Fabius Bile had learned the origin of the God Chosen from the demons' mouths.
They were beings from a higher-dimensional world, and the Emperor had created bodies for them to operate in this world.
What Fabius Bile needed was the technology to create these bodies.
With this technology, he could rectify the flaws in his children and fulfill his wish.
"Surrender, Fabius Bile, your cause is lost," the Warmaster said.
"Surrender?" Fabius Bile laughed. "Can you represent the Emperor and forgive us?"
"Why should we forgive you?" the Warmaster retorted, puzzled. "The crimes you've committed aren't enough even if you die a thousand times over."
Fabius Bile: "..."
"Since you can't forgive us, why do you demand my surrender?"
"You really don't understand human relations at all. I say a few polite words, and you take them seriously," the Warmaster said with disdain.
A hint of anger flashed across Fabius Bile's face.
This guy's words were truly unpleasant.
"It seems the Emperor has given you more. Such sharp and vicious words, the Space Marines of old couldn't speak them."
"Alright, enough with the nonsense, balding old man," the Warmaster said. "A guy like you doesn't deserve any forgiveness."
"I know you maintain multiple bodies simultaneously, so even if I kill the one in front of me, I can't completely kill you."
"So, our only purpose in coming here is to teach you a lesson, beat the shit out of you, and then beat you into your own shit."
"Then let me see if you have the ability to do so," Fabius Bile clapped his hands.
Roars echoed from all around the hall.
A group of monsters and transhuman abominations, stronger than ordinary beastmen, stepped forward.
The leading monster was half-human, half-bull, exactly like the ancient mythological Minotaur hybrid.
This monster was taller than a Primaris Space Marines, and even more burly than Old Thirteen, who was an Ogryn.
It was muscular, and its bull head seemed to grow directly from its shoulders, with no visible neck.
The Minotaur wore a set of crude heavy armor and wielded a gigantic battle-axe wider than an ordinary Astartes, its blade glinting with destructive lightning.
"Let me, Brutus, be your opponent, God Chosen."
Brutus, the Minotaur, wasted no words and charged directly at the Warmaster.
Each of his steps was incredibly heavy, making the ground tremble and groan.
"Good, come!"
The Warmaster also charged, his weapon switched to a two-handed sword.
His Hell Pioneer Power Armor also switched to strength mode.
Clang!!
Sword and axe collided, producing a terrible sound.
Neither side gave way, and they began to vie for strength.
Brutus roared continuously, but the human in front of him was incredibly tenacious.
No matter how much he increased his strength, his giant axe could not advance an inch to strike the opponent's body.
After a stalemate, a smile appeared on the Warmaster's face.
The absorbed 'Toughness' shard of authority was now at work.
Power surged endlessly from within him, seemingly inexhaustible.
Meanwhile, a hint of panic appeared on Brutus's face.
His strength was waning, and he was beginning to lose his ability to suppress the opponent.
At this moment, the Warmaster slowly pushed the opponent's battle-axe back, gaining the upper hand.
Brutus's eyes widened.
He roared in anger, but nothing changed.
The next second, he was suddenly pushed away by his opponent.
Before he could react, his opponent's two-handed sword plunged into his chest.
Brutus cried out in pain, stumbling backward.
The Warmaster seized the opportunity to swing his sword again, beheading the Minotaur.
Fabius Bile watched this scene, filled with anguish.
His creation had failed so quickly!
Inside the hall, screams continuously echoed.
The beastmen and transhuman abominations were defeated and slain by Tenjiro and the other Players.
Fabius Bile's heart sank; he knew he had lost his gamble.
"It's time to settle accounts with you."
The Warmaster looked at Fabius Bile, who stood on a high platform, activated flight mode, and landed in front of him.
After dealing with their enemies, Tenjiro and the other Players also leaped up, surrounding Fabius Bile.
"Let's get this old bastard."
Someone shouted, and the Players swarmed forward.
"Shameless!"
Fabius Bile, under siege, cried out loudly.
The Players, however, ignored him, continuing to punch and kick Fabius Bile.
Finally, they pinned him firmly to the ground.
At this moment, Old Ma and the other Players arrived.
Their combat strength was not as strong as the Emperor Niuma Battle Group's, so they could only clear out the ordinary beastmen and transhuman abominations outside.
Upon learning that Fabius Bile had been captured, they excitedly rushed over.
"So, you've finally met your match today, you little punk, daring to set a trap for me!"
Old Ma slapped the kneeling Fabius Bile's face, looking arrogant.
Fabius Bile recognized the God Chosen in front of him.
It was the one from the previous batch who had been caught in a trap set by him and Lucius.
He had been thoroughly tormented and then killed.
He hadn't expected to see him again now.
Fabius Bile couldn't help but recall what the demons had said before he left:
"The God Chosen come from a higher-dimensional universe; death is not the end for them."
It seemed the demons hadn't lied to him.
These God Chosen truly could revive continuously.
Thinking of this, Fabius Bile became even more excited.
If he could figure out how this worked, his new humans would be truly complete.
Slap!
Old Ma backhanded him, knocking out seven or eight of Fabius Bile's teeth.
"Did I tell you to laugh? Why are you laughing?"
Fabius Bile spat out the blood from his mouth, raised his head, and looked at the God Chosen in front of him.
"He's got this grudge recorded."
Slap!
Old Ma slapped him again, "Did I tell you to stop?! Keep laughing!"
Fabius Bile: "..."
Damn it! Are you just trying to humiliate me??
"How should we deal with him?" Tenjiro asked.
"I suggest tying him up and throwing him into a stasis field. Recently, Gabe shared some pretty good rope bondage films with me. I think they might come in handy," Twisted person said.
"Rope bondage films?" the Warmaster raised his voice.
Gabe and Brother Pian were known as the Twin Heroes of Slaanesh; could anything they recommend be decent?
"Killing this bastard would only make it easy for him. Follow my method; I guarantee it will make him wish he were dead."
"We'll tie this bastard up, then parade him publicly, advertising him everywhere."
...
Twisted person, through his efforts, convinced everyone.
Ultimately, Fabius Bile was tied up by him and hung on an iron frame.
The posture was extremely indecent!
The kind that would make Slaanesh widen his eyes.
Warmaster: "I can't even look!"
Tenjiro: "Heretic, Twisted person, you are a Heretic."
Zhuge: "Fabius Bile won't be able to show his face in the Eye of Terror or the Warp anymore."
...
Fabius Bile, tied up, also widened his eyes.
He would rather these guys kill him and grind him into minced meat in a meat grinder than be tied up in such a posture.
Imagine a balding old man with a receding hairline, tied in a shameful posture, imprisoned in a stasis field, and then publicly paraded.
Even if Fabius Bile lived for ten thousand years, just thinking about it made him feel faint.
Only Abaddon dancing provocatively on stage in a tiny camisole could compare.
Fabius Bile struggled desperately, trying to resist.
But the God Chosen completely controlled him; after tying him up and fixing his posture, they put him into the stasis field.
"I think we can improve it further. Let's also put Lucius in there, dressed in a sexy camisole and black stockings, holding a whip," Twisted person added excitedly.
The other Players' eyes widened as if they had seen a demon.
The Warmaster waved his hands repeatedly, "Don't even mention it. Just thinking about that scene gives me goosebumps."
"As long as those two can escape, they will definitely fight you to the death."
Meanwhile, in Slaanesh's domain within the Warp,
a certain Chaos God silently blessed Twisted person's armor.
As long as he felt pleasure while tormenting others, he would gain a buff that effectively reduced damage from ranged weapons and psychic powers.
When it came to perversion and tormenting others, Slaanesh would give Twisted person a thumbs up.
On the other side,
after Alex released the 7.0 version update,
he continued to lead his fleet to crusade against Xenos and Heretics.
Just as he had expelled Chaos Heretics from a planet, Guilliman sent a communication request.
After connecting, the two exchanged pleasantries for a while, and then Guilliman stated the purpose of this communication.
"Saint, I might have to trouble you to make a trip to Nocturne."
"Why?" Alex looked at Guilliman.
Guilliman seemed a little embarrassed, "After the Horus Heresy, when I promoted the Astartes Codex, Vulkan and Leman Russ were on the same side."
"They both did not support the splitting of Legions, and things were very unpleasant at the time."
"Later, Dorn yielded, and with my strong persuasion, Vulkan reluctantly agreed to accept it."
"During the Beast Arises, Vulkan returned to the Imperium once, but from the surviving records, I know that he was very dissatisfied with the Imperium at that time, believing it was a distortion of the Primarchs' and the Emperor's original intentions."
The more Guilliman spoke, the less confident he sounded.
Thinking about the treatment on Fenris,
Guilliman knew he certainly wouldn't receive any special treatment on Nocturne.
Vulkan's descendants had slightly better tempers than Leman Russ's descendants,
but they were stubborn!
Once they decided on something, it was absolutely impossible to change their minds.
Vulkan had never approved of the Codex reforms, and after his return, he furiously rebuked the High Lord of Terra at the time.
It was only because of the special circumstances at the time that Vulkan chose not to disband the High Lord of Terra.
Otherwise, those High Lord, who were good at infighting and soft-kneed, would have long gone home to plant sweet potatoes.
Vulkan's descendants probably didn't have much affection for Guilliman either.
Given that Guilliman was a Primarch and the Regent of the Imperium, his orders would certainly be obeyed,
but earning their loyalty might not be so simple.
If the other party was unwilling to accept Primaris Space Marines and unwilling to change traditions, Guilliman couldn't say anything, unless he used his power to force them.
In that case, it would only deepen the conflict between the two sides, and if something happened in the future, it might just repeat the Horus Heresy.
After much thought, Guilliman decided to send the Saint.
Alex frowned, lost in thought.
Nocturne was located in the Imperium Sanctus and was connected to the Webway, so a trip there wouldn't be a huge waste of time.
The Salamanders were also one of the original founding Chapters; as long as they agreed, other successor Battle Groups wouldn't be able to object.
"Alright, I'll go myself." Alex agreed to Guilliman's request.
"I knew the Saint was the best." Guilliman smiled, "With you here, the revival of humanity is inevitable. With you, humanity is truly fortunate."
"Our Regent is truly omnipotent. Not only are his administrative and military abilities strong, but he even flatters so well," Alex teased.
"I speak from the heart," Guilliman declared solemnly.
Alex frowned, a little surprised,
"Have you been in contact with Yvraine recently?"
Guilliman looked confused, "Saint, why do you ask?"
"Nothing, let's talk about the recent military operations…" Alex changed the subject.
He hadn't been in a relationship with Yvraine,
so where did he learn all these sweet words??
Guilliman was once rated as one of the Primarchs least liked by his brothers,
but if Guilliman during the Great Crusade was as eloquent and good at flattery as he is now, how could he not have been liked by his other brothers!!
...
After a while of conversation, the two ended their communication.
After Alex dealt with the many issues of the liberated planet, he set sail for Vulkan's homeworld—Nocturne.
Midway, the fleet received a distress signal and chose to exit the Warp to rescue the planet.
Just as they entered Reality and before they could even open fire, Cortana appeared beside Alex.
"Master, multiple Warp signatures detected. Other fleets are entering Reality."
"Enemies?" Alex had Cortana open the holographic interface.
"No." Cortana shook her head, "Preliminary assessment indicates Imperial fleets. Now displaying images for you, Master."
Several seemingly ancient light cruisers gathered around a capital ship.
Alex frowned.
He recognized these warships; each model was old, with at least two thousand years of service.
"Have you inquired about their identity?"
"Inquiry has been initiated."
"How did they respond?"
"They claim to be the Carcharodons."
This name made Alex pause for a moment.
Isn't that the poor Battle Group that likes to keep sharks on their warships?
Shouldn't they be on the Imperium Nihilus side?
How could they appear on the Imperium Sanctus side!!
The Carcharodons were formerly Terran veterans exiled by the Raven Lord, and their first Chapter Master was Arkahad Fal.
Due to the Chaos Heretics, the two sides did not communicate much, but after a simple report, they began to work together to annihilate the Chaos Heretics.
Because he had split up all his available fleet power to put out fires,
at this moment, Alex only had a small fleet consisting of one battleship and a few cruisers.
The Carcharodons Battle Group's fleet had no battleships, but they had more ships than Alex.
The two sides united, and soon, relying on overwhelming firepower, they routed the Chaos fleet, turning them into burning debris in the void.
"Master, the Carcharodons Battle Group has sent us another message," Cortana said to Alex.
"What did they say?"
"They hope to obtain half of the spoils of this battle, as well as the right to dispose of that Imperial planet."
Alex slapped his forehead; he could tell what the Carcharodons were planning with his toes.
Because they were a fleet-based Battle Group and had been roaming the Imperium's frontiers for years, they lacked stable material support.
Every time they returned to Imperial territory, it was like bandits entering a village, finding a planet and collecting blood tithes and ash tithes.
Clearly, they were there to collect taxes; fighting the Chaos Heretics was just a side task.
"Tell them that the Imperium has reformed and does not allow private taxation. As compensation, we will give them a portion of supplies," Alex said.
Cortana nodded and went to reply.
Soon after, she received their response.
"They wish to meet us."
"Let them come over, and also send the supplies to the hangar deck. They can take them back then."
Alex pondered for a moment and decided to meet this Battle Group, encouraging them to continue fighting for the Emperor.
The application of dimensional space technology greatly expanded the storage space within the ship.
A single warship could hold several times its own volume in supplies.
These supplies were quickly brought out and piled up in the hangar.
...
On the Battle Barge Nicor,
Chapter Master Tyberos of the Carcharodons Battle Group, along with several Captains, Librarians, and Chaplains, gathered around a large holographic sand table.
"They have agreed to our request for a meeting."
Librarian Te Kahurangi reported to Tyberos.
"Saint?"
Tyberos chewed on the information received during the recent communication.
The Imperial fleet they encountered claimed to be commanded by a Saint and demanded that they not tax the planet.
As compensation, the other party would provide a portion of supplies.
"Could it be a trap?" questioned Arido, the Captain of the Third Company.
"Probably not." The Chief Librarian shook his head, "I didn't sense any hostility on their ship; instead, there was a sacred and pure power."
"The enemy is exceptionally cunning; it might be a disguise," Arido said. "Better to be careful."
"Prepare the shuttle. I and the First Company will go; the others will remain on standby," Tyberos decided. "If they are enemies, then we will purge them in the Emperor's name. If they are loyal, then we will discuss the matter of blood tithes."
"We need enough supplies to cope with the upcoming crisis."
The Carcharodons Battle Group was originally fighting those terrifying Xenos on the frontiers of the Imperium,
but during a Warp journey, they were swept up by a storm and lost their way.
When they re-entered Reality, they found that the entire galaxy had changed.
A dramatic rift tore through the galaxy, countless worlds were seeking aid, and the desperate cries of humanity echoed continuously in the Warp.
They responded to the nearest distress signal and arrived in this star system.
They prepared to rescue the locals and collect some taxes along the way.
Tyberos ordered his subordinates to prepare for battle,
At the same time, he also tidied his appearance, making himself look unapproachable.
No matter what, he had to secure the greatest benefits in the upcoming negotiations to ensure the Battle Group's sustainable development.
Even if it meant bearing a bad reputation, he would not hesitate.
Tyberos stepped out of the shuttle, just about to give the other party a show of force,
intending to order his subordinates to draw their weapons to prove he was not to be trifled with,
when he saw the mountain of supplies piled up on the hangar deck.
All sorts of never-before-seen new equipment and weapons were just laid out on the open ground,
making this Chapter Master practically drool.
Rich guy!!
A super rich guy!!
Must fleece him hard.
When Alex emerged surrounded by his retinue, Tyberos and the other Carcharodon warriors widened their eyes.
"S-Sanguinius?"
"No, I am not Sanguinius, but the Saint," Alex tactfully corrected the other party, then pointed to the mountain of supplies,
"These are your supplies. The Imperium has enacted new laws, prohibiting Battle Groups from levying private taxes."
Looking at the mountain of supplies, Tyberos instinctively swallowed.
"Are all these for us?"
"Otherwise?" Alex looked at Tyberos, "Are we so bored that we would move our stored supplies out, show them off in front of you, and then move them back?"
"How about, you assign us some missions!! With so much stuff, I feel a bit uneasy taking it."
Tyberos quickly scanned a few items and estimated.
These supplies in front of him were enough to fully equip the entire Carcharodons Battle Group.
Tyberos, who had just been planning how to threaten, how to assert dominance, and how to negotiate for benefits,
now only wanted to hug the leg of the person in front of him,
shouting, 'Rich guy, please enslave this little shark to your heart's content.'
Hearing Tyberos's words, Alex smiled.
"These supplies are what every Battle Group deserves. In addition, there's Primaris technology; I will dispatch a team from the Adeptus Mechanicus to your fleet to assist you with Primaris enhancement."
"And what you need to do is stop collecting blood tithes and ash tithes."