"Wake up, my love. I am the Great Devourer."
When Yuki woke up, the collapsed cathedral, the burning buildings, and the corpses strewn across the ground had all vanished. He found himself lying within a nest composed of black and deep-green chitinous matter. Yuno sat on the ground, gazing at him with eyes full of affection.
"I'm not..."
"You did indeed die, but I brought you back. Raising the dead isn't such a difficult task."
Yuki felt a strange transformation within his body. Suddenly, he realized that his communication with Yuno was not occurring through physical vocal organs. A peculiar psychic bond had formed between them.
"The part of you that was human has been incinerated. Now, you are the most unique existence within the Tyranid race besides myself—the second member since my birth to possess complete autonomy and independent intelligence. Should I congratulate you?"
Yuki looked at Yuno, taking a long time to process what she had just said. He scrutinized his body over and over, feeling the incredible changes that had taken place. Finally, he spoke only one word:
"Wow."
"That's the only word you have to say?"
"No, I mean... this is unbelievable."
Yuki struggled to grasp the magnitude of the change. He explored this brand-new sensation, experiencing feelings he had never known before.
"You absorbed a significant amount of organic matter. The body I crafted for you can be strengthened by your own will; perhaps it could eventually be enhanced to a level not inferior to a Primarch."
"A Primarch?" Yuki looked at his form in utter shock.
"That is the benefit of your human body being destroyed." It was somewhat ironic. Yuki controlled his fingertips, causing them to sharpen; he could undergo even greater transformations, though there was no need for it now.
"So... am I a Tyranid now?"
"Yes. And your soul has partially merged with mine. As long as I live, you shall not die. The only issue is that you cannot 'respawn' remotely for now." Yuno propped her cheek up with her hand. "If you die, you'll have to wait for the Swarm to recover you. Once you officially return to the Hive Fleet, we can grant you a transmission system like a Lictor's."
"So, what now?"
"We have taken a vital step on the path toward eternity." Yuno spread her wings like a little demon, enveloping Yuki and giving him a quiet kiss. "In twenty years, my fleet will arrive. If you can paralyze this planet's defenses and achieve results that satisfy me by then, I will gift you a Hive Fleet of your own. How does that sound? You can even customize them."
He fell into thought for a while. Eventually, he came to terms with it. As a Tyranid enthusiast, nothing could excite him more than this. He was no longer human, and no one would believe he still was. He was bound to Yuno, until death did they part.
"Ha, that sounds pretty good."
"What do you plan to do next?"
Yuki looked at Yuno, hesitating to speak. This piqued Yuno's curiosity. She leaned in with a mischievous grin. "What will you do? Seek revenge against the Imperium of Man?"
"Rather than hate, I think it's more appropriate to find some time to love you."
Yuki kissed Yuno. The Great Devourer, manifested in this world with this physical form, blushed. Her cheeks turned burning hot, and she struggled back a few meters.
"Oh dear... why do you seem so much more proactive after dying a second time?" She looked at Yuki , finding the frantic beating of her simulated heart to be a fascinating novelty.
"Stop with the nonsense for a moment. What's the situation outside?"
"The surviving humans fled, though there aren't many. The place you stayed is completely ruined. If you want to infiltrate this planet's society, it's best to head to the Mid-Spire or Upper Hive. The Underhive is already in such chaos that it needs no further interference."
"Actually, let's change planets. I really don't want to stay on this one anymore."
"As you wish."
...
Survived?
Hopper could hardly believe she had survived such a cataclysm. An Astra Militarum squad that had risked their lives to save her verified her identity; she passed the tests, confirmed to be loyal. She didn't know if Yuki had survived; her memory ended at the moment that monster flung her away.
God-Emperor above, was this a trial He set for me? If this was the necessary path to the Golden Throne, she would walk it with piety and gratitude until her mission was complete and her life ended.
"The Emperor protects. Please shelter the souls of us poor wretches."
The person who had come to visit Hopper waited until her prayer was finished before revealing her presence. It was a Sister of Battle.
"Sister Hopper, survivor of Tex Cathedral. Your deeds are known to us—the last follower of Saint Tex left in this universe. It is my honor to invite you to join us; join the Order of the Dying Rose, under the Order of the Bloody Rose."
Hopper looked at her severed leg, feeling uneasy.
"Have no fear. You will be fitted with a suitable prosthesis. After years of combat, Battle Sisters with prosthetic limbs are not uncommon."
...
The starport leading to Planet Ende.
This was the place where countless Mid-Hivers changed their fate. With just one ticket—exchanged for nearly thirty years or even generations of labor—one could find greater opportunities. Ende and Start were like a pair of sisters with vastly different destinies; the fates of countless people turned here, either toward destruction or glory.
Port servitors hauled the luggage of noble guests onto the ship. The short-range passenger vessels that did not require Warp travel were more luxurious than imagined, especially for those with first-class tickets.
A man in a white suit held the hand of a gorgeously dressed young girl, elegantly moving through the crowd. Not far away, newly selected candidates for the Sisters of Battle were checking their luggage. They were specially chosen, bypassing the Schola Progenium phase to begin their training and combat directly as Novitiates. This was a hallmark of the Order of the Dying Rose; they were keen on tempering their fresh blood through battle.
Hopper did her best not to be shocked by the sights along the way. Life in the Upper Hive was very much like the heaven she had dreamed of—no corpses on the roadside, no starving people. It was beautiful, entirely different from the Underhive she came from.
She noticed the gorgeously dressed girl—perhaps a noble; there were many such people on the planet. Yet, for some reason, the beautiful girl gave her an incredibly terrifying sensation.
And at the very bottom of the passenger ship, in the cargo area, a family had managed to sneak in through connections. They were just one of many attempting to stow away.
The only difference was that their child's skin had a faint purple hue.