The Death Guard's primary tactic in war is persistence and entanglement. They are the kind of ruthless characters capable of spreading viruses even to the Necrons; given enough time, Grandfather Nurgle could likely develop a pathogen specifically targeted at them.
Because of this, Yuki fought with extreme caution—using psychic powers instead of ranged weapons whenever possible, and ranged weapons instead of melee.
It was common sense; there was no need to push things to such an extreme against them. Warp-born viruses were truly capable of contaminating the soul.
He watched the grotesquely misshapen Death Guard from a distance as they continued their advance. Their intestines and viscera trailed across the ground, yet they seemed exceptionally happy. A swarm of flies erupted from their abdominal cavities, a sight that left Yuki feeling nauseated.
These things were beyond disgusting. Yuki wanted to finish off these warships quickly. Under the frantic assault of the Tyranids, not many Chaos vessels had made it into realspace. He intended to push these forces back and deal with every single corrupted ship!
BOOM!
A Death Guard boarding party arrived. Yuki remained composed; as long as Mortarion himself didn't show up, there was nothing to—
"Who is Yuki?"
Looking up, he saw a massive "moth" appear before him. His wings were breathtakingly vibrant—the polar opposite of pure white. The figure held a scythe in his hand, leaving Yuki on the verge of tears.
Gods, didn't I just say it was fine as long as Mortarion didn't come? Why did he actually show up?
"Commander, it is truly an honor," Yuki said, already preparing to retreat. To face a Primarch, he would at least need to bring out a Hive Bishop.
Mortarion didn't pay much mind to Yuki's reaction. He simply stated, "Great Grandfather wishes to see you."
"Don't mess with me. I'm not willing to risk my life like that."
"Grandfather promises no harm will come to you."
"I strongly suspect Grandfather's definition of 'harm' isn't the same as mine."
Mortarion's patience was wearing thin. He raised his scythe, and just as Yuki prepared for battle, the Primarch merely used the blade to tear a rift in space. Once the deed was done, he vanished along with the Death Guard.
Yuki stood stunned. The rift remained open, and he had no idea how to close it. As he wondered what to do, a tentacle suddenly reached out.
"Uh... may I ask your name?"
"Nurgle."
The voice was thick and heavy, much like Yuki had imagined.
"So, what do you want with me?" Yuki was surprised. Nurgle's way of doing things was unique among the Four Gods; at least for now, he seemed quite amicable.
"I have come to inquire about something."
"What could be important enough for you to come personally?"
"The Great Devourer—is it, in another sense, a God of Life?"
This question left Yuki dazed. At first glance, the title "Goddess of Life" seemed completely unrelated to Yuno (the Hive Mind). But on second thought, Yuno's constant consumption made her the largest lifeform in the galaxy, seeking to integrate all life into one singular entity.
After considering this, Yuki replied, "I feel... it should have that function."
While Yuki was thinking, Nurgle quite thoughtfully produced a clean cup and poured him some tea. Yuki looked at the steaming green tea, hesitating for a moment. He held it in his hand but didn't dare drink.
"It is fine. This is a special sterile brew."
"Ah, I didn't think you'd go for that sort of thing."
"One must first learn to destroy life before one can protect it."
Yuki gave a couple of awkward laughs. This was Nurgle, after all; if he really wanted to do something to him, there was no need for such theatrics. He took a small sip; it was fragrant and fresh.
"The taste isn't bad, is it? Transmigrators all seem to like this."
Yuki nearly spat out his tea.
"You look surprised. Did you think that we, the High Chaos Gods, wouldn't know about such things? If even the Great Devourer can understand and accept it, why would we be any different?"
Thinking back, Yuno had indeed said similar things before.
"Then... are there stories of other transmigrators?"
"Very few. The average survival time for a transmigrator is three hours and twenty-two minutes—and that's including you. That is just how this world is. You are something of a miracle."
"So... are there any transmigrators who became Great Daemons?"
Nurgle was silent for a moment. Yuki thought it might be a sensitive topic, but then Nurgle said, "There were a few, but none made a name for themselves. I don't even remember their names."
"So, why did you ask me about the God of Life?"
A lush forest appeared within the rift. Beside a small stream, Yuki saw a sickly woman.
"Isha is ill. I cannot cure her."
Those few words sent a massive shock through Yuki. Isha, the Eldar Goddess of Life, was sick? And even Nurgle, the master of pestilence, couldn't cure her?
"To be precise, I could treat her, but it would damage a portion of her Warp essence."
"Could it be...?"
"I suspect that big blue bird (Tzeentch) is behind it."
"That sounds about right."
"You are the only one who can handle this. The Great Devourer's vitality and essence are enough to deal with this toxin and evolve immune genes." Nurgle didn't mince words and was quite frank. "In exchange, I can give you a vast amount of viruses. Whether you use them as weapons or for something else is up to you, but I guarantee the results will be extraordinary."
"Um... what should I do?"
Nurgle grunted and disappeared, followed by the sound of a woman's scream. He soon returned, spitting out a pointed ear.
"Eat this. It carries Isha's virus."
"Once I've cracked the virus, how do I find you?"
"Come to Barbarus. There will be extra rewards waiting for you there. Consider it a gesture of friendship."
Yuki had no reason to refuse—especially since Nurgle could pull him into his "harmonious" garden at any moment.
"Fine. I'll do my best."
"Transmigrators are often more reliable than the people here. It's just a pity they all die so young. I knew one once who lived for twenty years, only to be cut down by Mortarion in the end. A real shame."
Yuki nodded thoughtfully. It seemed that as a transmigrator, his luck was among the best.
"Then withdraw your people. I have my own matters to attend to."
"Isha's recovery depends on you."
The rift closed, and the Death Guard ships returned to the Warp. It seemed their only purpose for coming was for Nurgle to find Yuki.
Yuki felt this was indeed no small matter, and Nurgle really had no one else to turn to. Tzeentch was likely the mastermind; as for Slaanesh—Nurgle had originally snatched Isha away from her with a slap. As for Khorne? Going to him for medical treatment would be far worse than going to the Great Devourer.
By doing Grandfather a favor, there might be even better perks in the future.