Bang.
The valve of the blackstone drop pod was kicked violently away, and the Lion and the other Primarchs stepped out from their chambers, radiating power.
They stared at the high-ranking Greater Daemons and Dark Mechanicum members on the platform, a trace of caution passing through their eyes.
"There are many heretical abominations here. I'm afraid they won't be easy to deal with..." The Lion tightened his grip on the Lion Sword and spoke to the Khan beside him.
This was the core of New Dragonwood, the region the Chaos abominations were guarding with all their strength. Even Primarchs would not find it easy to break through.
Opposite the Lion and the others, the Greater Daemons of Chaos exuded hateful empyric auras, while the relic weapons of the Dark Mechanicum Archmagi were primed and ready.
Any one of them could stir up storms across the galaxy, and each had left behind many terrifying legends.
The beings of Chaos knew that if this core region fell, the Chaos coalition would completely lose this fortress world.
Perhaps this was their final chance to resist.
As the two sides stared each other down, the atmosphere in the core region grew tense, making everyone subconsciously hold their breath.
Zzzt.
The Lion and the other Primarchs ignited the force fields of their legendary weapons. A brutal duel and slaughter was about to begin.
Yet at that moment, stirring, epic sacred music rang out, drawing everyone's attention.
Boom.
Everyone looked up and saw a dark-gold blackstone drop pod, wreathed in flame, slam violently into the ground and sink completely into it.
Smoke spread everywhere.
Then the top hatch popped open, flew high into the air, and smashed down onto the head of some unlucky Greater Daemon, making it howl in pain.
But no one paid attention to that unlucky bastard. They all looked toward the drop pod instead, because they had sensed an immensely powerful aura inside it.
That was the aura of the Savior, the Emperor of the Imperium.
At the climax of the sacred music, the Savior inside the blackstone drop pod slowly rose from underground in mighty armor, hands on his hips, striking a Superman-like pose.
He appeared before everyone.
The special effects were so holy and dazzling, and they were filled with overwhelming intimidation.
"Brother Eden's drop pod is different from ours?"
The Lion watched the flashy and shocking scene, then suddenly felt that his own entrance, kicking the hatch open and walking out, had been painfully ordinary.
It had no presence at all.
There was no helping it. Eden used dedicated facilities. The Forge Department had to highlight the Savior's heroic bearing and unique status at all times.
If the manner of that being's descent were the same as everyone else's, it would be unforgivable blasphemy.
The instant Eden appeared in this region, the surrounding Warp energy became even more active.
In such an environment, he could command more power and fully display his strength.
His mere appearance caused the Greater Daemons of Chaos and the Dark Mechanicum Archmagi to feel immense pressure.
Under that pressure, they could not help taking a step back.
"Sorry, I'm late." Eden looked at the Lion and the others, a trace of apology in his eyes.
Then he stared at those beings of Chaos, his gaze full of threat.
"Now... let's deal with these fools who still intend to resist."
"Your Excellency Savior, we have no intention of opposing you." Suddenly, the Dark Archmagos Regubor stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
This high-ranking member of the Dark Mechanicum had crimson scars on his face, caused by the radiation from hell-weapons.
He sounded as if he were lodging a complaint.
"Horus threatened us with force and compelled us to construct abominable machinery for him. To survive, we had no choice but to agree to his rude demands.
"You have rescued us from the suffering of Chaos. In the name of the Machine Goddess, I am willing to serve you."
This high-ranking tech-priest surrendered outright.
Seeing this, the other Dark Mechanicum members hurriedly began denouncing Horus's oppression as well, then swore loyalty to the Savior in the name of the Machine Goddess.
They feared that if they surrendered too late, they would invite a tragic fate.
They had personally witnessed what sort of cruel torment befell those who resisted the Savior.
Every Dark Mechanicum member in this core region surrendered, and they were willing to accept the protection of the Machine Goddess.
To them, there was nothing unacceptable about it. Surrendering to the Savior was also an indirect submission to the Lord of Hell. That meant they could obtain more resources and power in the future.
More importantly, they could survive and continue studying those wonderful mysteries.
Instead of dying for this planetary fortress.
???
The Lion stared at the scene and felt rather stunned. Just a moment ago, the beings of Chaos had looked ready to resist to the death.
The moment Brother Eden arrived, they surrendered?
Now he understood even more deeply just how much authority that brother possessed in both the galaxy and the Warp.
He could even make Chaos heretics submit without lifting a hand.
After the Dark Mechanicum surrendered, everyone's eyes turned toward the Greater Daemons of Chaos.
They had become the minority. The overall strength of the Chaos side in this region had weakened further, and they would most likely face an even more brutal suppression.
The Greater Daemons were all dumbfounded. They had not even begun the defense yet, and half their side had already surrendered.
And the ones who surrendered were all Dark Mechanicum priests who controlled the defensive arrays in this region. How were they supposed to fight now?
At that moment, the Chaos side fell silent. The Greater Daemons felt tremendous pressure.
They realized that it was no longer possible to withstand the Savior's offensive. Even escaping had become difficult.
Moreover, the Dark Emperor Horus was still far away outside New Dragonwood and had no way to reinforce them.
The Savior's gaze filled the Greater Daemons with even greater fear. They did not even dare meet that being's eyes.
Suddenly, there was a boom in the outer perimeter, and a dark red mushroom cloud rose into the air. The screams of Chaos beings could faintly be heard.
It was a bombardment from hell-weapons.
The Greater Daemons shuddered. Their eyes filled with fear, and they completely lost the courage to resist.
"I... I was oppressed by Horus too!" One of the Greater Daemons dropped his weapon with a clang and stammered.
This being of Chaos had chosen to surrender to the Savior. His excuse was stiff and ridiculous.
Yet Eden accepted his explanation, as if he truly sympathized.
"Ah, you haven't had it easy either. From now on, you no longer have to suffer under the oppression of Horus and the Chaos Gods. I will avenge you."
All he needed was for the other party to surrender. The reason did not matter.
After all, if a fierce battle erupted in this core region, it would cause too much destruction and make it harder for Eden to control New Dragonwood.
If certain important Chaos facilities were damaged, he would have to spend far too much time repairing them, and it would be his own resources being consumed.
If possible, he wanted to take over this core region intact.
"Savior, we were oppressed too. We are willing to submit to the Lord of Hell..." Seeing this, the Greater Daemons of Chaos also abandoned resistance one after another and defected to that god of destruction and fear.
This was their only way to survive.
Even beings of Chaos feared the destruction of their souls and the complete loss of their ability to resurrect.
Seeing this, Eden lightly raised his hand and signaled for the Imperial armed forces to lower their weapons, lest another fight break out.
He stepped toward the Greater Daemons of Chaos and arrived before the one leading them. His height of just over three meters was still somewhat shorter than the daemon's five-meter body.
However, that Greater Daemon seemed terrified of angering the Savior. It bent slightly and lowered its head.
It lowered its daemonic body beneath the Savior's height to avoid offending that being.
Everyone knew how savage the Savior, the Devourer of Daemons, could be. If he displeased that being, he might truly fall here.
"We're all on the same side. No need to be so nervous." Seeing the other party's reaction, Eden nodded in satisfaction and patted the Greater Daemon on the shoulder.
He could feel the daemon's body tremble involuntarily when he patted it.
That was the importance of establishing authority, especially toward Warp lifeforms governed by belief and perception.
When they believed you were stronger than they were, you could suppress them, and suppress them without reservation.
As the situation eased, the orbital satellite weapons above low orbit slowly vanished into the dark clouds and shifted toward other regions.
This was one of the reasons the Dark Mechanicum feared the Savior and surrendered so quickly. With so many Hell missiles aimed directly at their faces, who would not be afraid?
Even Greater Daemons of Chaos would shiver at the sight of skyborne satellites loaded with dense arrays of hell-weapons.
Their empyric power could not compare to that of the Dark Emperor or the fallen Primarchs. They could not withstand such large-scale bombardment from hell-weapons.
Fortunately, the Savior had pardoned them, sparing them from that terrifying fate.
"Ah, these guys even have to thank me." Eden sensed the emotions of the Chaos heretics and Greater Daemons, and could not help feeling a little moved.
That was the inevitable result. Compared with other Chaos rulers, Eden, the Savior, counted as kind.
If it had been the Chaos Gods or Horus, these fellows most likely would have received no pardon at all and would simply have been slaughtered with cruelty.
Welcomed by the Dark Archmagi and Greater Daemons of Chaos, Eden strode toward the Chaos temple that had originally belonged to Horus.
He looked as if he had returned to his own territory, without the slightest discomfort.
"That's it?"
The Lion watched the Savior mingling peacefully with the beings of Chaos and felt somewhat dazed.
He knew that the other party had mastered Warp power like the Emperor, their father, but this was far too exaggerated.
The First Primarch, the Lion, did not even know why he had hurriedly landed in this region.
To watch Brother Eden display his divine might and subdue the Chaos heretic abominations?
In truth, even Eden had not expected himself to break down the resistance of the Chaos defenders so quickly.
All he could say was that the Lord of Hell's development speed and influence in the Warp had exceeded expectations.
The Khan patted the Lion on the shoulder without saying anything, then lifted his leg and followed the Savior.
He had long since grown used to that brother's unexpected way of fighting. The other party offered a lot, and his operations were very flashy.
"I wonder when I will be like Father."
Young Angron looked at the Savior's back with great admiration. In his heart, he felt that this was how a true man should be.
That adoptive father of his had suppressed all the heretical abominations and made them kneel and beg for mercy through momentum alone.
Perhaps only an existence like him, one who could conquer both the galaxy and the Warp, was a true powerhouse.
The Lion also followed.
The beings of Chaos standing on either side of the steps, heads bowed to welcome them, always made him feel something strange.
Chaos abominations had once been so arrogant and tyrannical. Now they bowed their heads and submitted, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.
But he had to admit, this feeling was excellent. Perhaps it was even more satisfying than simply destroying them.
The Lion swept his gaze over the beings of Chaos, then also strode toward the Chaos temple.
Now, under the Savior's influence, they had a higher tolerance for the abominations of Chaos.
They were also willing to accept the Savior's philosophy.
Warp power was a tool. When necessary, it could be used in moderation to fight for humanity.
After all, the Emperor's failed experience had already proven that refusing to use the power of the Warp would put humanity at a disadvantage when facing the Warp.
Humanity had to understand the Warp more deeply and make use of it.
If one day humanity understood the Warp more deeply than the Chaos Gods did, perhaps it could completely erase or defeat Them.
...
Inside the Chaos temple.
Several streams of empyric power twisted around one another, leaving the ancient and vast hall in a distorted state.
It was so evil.
The moment Eden stepped inside, he immediately felt malicious gazes from the Warp.
Those were the stares of the Chaos Gods.
But he felt no discomfort at all. Instead, he remained perfectly composed.
"This place isn't bad at all."
As one of the deities of the Warp, Eden had long since grown used to such an environment, and even more used to the resentment of the Chaos Gods.
In any case, this was the galaxy. They could not jump out and hit him.
He could operate in both the galaxy and the Warp at the same time. Compared to the Chaos Gods, he held an even greater advantage. Even the Emperor Himself could not match that.
Eden raised his head and looked over.
At a glance, he saw the Chaos throne above the steps. It was the throne of the Dark Emperor Horus.
The next instant, Eden's figure appeared before the throne, and he sat down on it as if the seat had belonged to him all along.
He adjusted himself into a comfortable position and began releasing Diablo's authority to influence this region.
As that power was unleashed, the Chaos throne ignited with dark red flame, which then spread to more and more areas.
The authority of Diablo, Lord of Hell, drove out the remnants of the Chaos Gods' empyric power and transformed this Chaos temple.
The forbidden runes changed into new forms. The images of the Gods in the reliefs were erased and reshaped into epics about the Lord of Hell.
During this campaign, Eden had taken advantage of the chaos and ruthlessly stripped a wave of authority from the Chaos Gods.
The authority of the Hope Sun evolved even further. Its power and status became more solid, and it grew stronger.
He no longer had to act as he had before, only daring to use the power of his dark-side authority in secret for fear of being discovered.
Now, no one could oppose him. Not even the Emperor Himself or the Chaos Gods could oppose or threaten him anymore.
"So this is what it feels like to possess power. To fully control my own fate..."
Eden lowered his head and looked at his Primarch brothers and the Greater Daemons beneath the throne. An indescribable sense of exhilaration rose within him.
He suddenly realized that, without noticing it, he had already grasped supreme authority and power. He no longer needed to live in constant fear.
Eden slowly raised his head and saw, within the void, the Hope Sun that represented authority, as well as the dark red phantom of the Lord of Hell.
In the galaxy, he was the Emperor of the Imperium. In the Warp, he was the Lord of Hell. In both realms, he held supreme authority.
Especially when those beings of Chaos submitted, raised their hands, and crawled while shouting his name.
In a daze, he heard a little victory tune. He even had the urge to pull out a handkerchief and gently wipe the phantom that represented supreme authority.
Of course, he was not yet the most powerful existence in the galaxy and the Warp. But he already had the qualifications to participate in the Great Game and pursue that position, and he was a very strong contender.
Rumble.
Eden's authority spread beyond the great hall, reshaping the terrain of many regions. The ground bulged upward, forming dark red volcanoes that belched sulfurous smoke.
Through this core node, he completely drove out the empyric influence of Horus and the Chaos Gods, further securing control over New Dragonwood.
At the same time, the Machine Goddess's giant engines were also placed in the corresponding regions and began taking over all the Dark Mechanicum facilities.
That meant Eden had completely seized control of this planetary Chaos fortress world.
He had gotten a precious asset from Chaos for free.
However, before Eden's excitement could calm, he received an unexpected piece of news.
(End of Chapter)
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