Datch passed through the green teleport portal and landed on the surface of the Deathwatch fortress — Pickmanburg.
This fortress was located at the northeastern edge of the Milky Way, at the end of the Exia Sector, in a place known as the Ghoul Stars.
This region was also known as the "Ghost Stars" and was one of the most desolate and eerie areas in the Milky Way.
Looking down from the void, those dying stars emitted a sickly red light, like helpless eyes blinking in the darkness.
The planets in these star systems had long since lost all life. Seas were covered in white ice shells, the land was cracked, and only jagged rocks and barren mountains remained on the surface.
Pickmanburg was located on one of the few stable routes in this barren region.
The Warp routes of the Ghoul Stars were filled with danger.
One wrong step and they might disappear forever.
Many expedition teams had attempted to enter this region in search of treasures from lost civilizations.
They met tragic ends. After venturing deep into the Ghoul Stars, they never appeared again.
From a distance, Pickmanburg was a breathtakingly magnificent armed space station.
Massive metal structures spread out into the void, like a giant made of steel stretching its body.
The main fortress was over 50 kilometers in diameter, its surface densely packed with turrets and sensor arrays.
The turrets were so large they could cover an entire frigate, their barrels gleaming with cold metallic luster under the red light of the stars.
The sensor arrays rotated continuously, scanning every corner of the surrounding space so as not to miss any anomalies.
Around the main fortress floated over a dozen smaller fortresses, connected to the main one by cable-like passages, forming a complete defense system.
Each battle fortress was equipped with weapons powerful enough to destroy a planet, their cannons pointed straight into the depths of the void, ready to unleash deadly flames at any moment.
In the void between these fortresses floated countless skull-shaped void mines.
They were densely scattered across the entire airspace, their numbers impossible to count.
Hundreds of thousands, millions, or even more — no one could count them all.
Datch appeared at the gate of Pickmanburg.
It was a massive gate hundreds of meters tall, cast entirely from refined gold, its surface engraved with complex warding runes.
On both sides of the gate stood enormous statues, each about 2 kilometers tall.
They wore heavy robes, heads slightly lowered, their terrifying skull masks partially covered by hoods, revealing only deeply sunken eye sockets and imposing cheekbones.
The statues' hands were clasped over the hilts of long swords and battle axes.
The weapons were equally exaggerated — the sword was hundreds of meters long, and the axe blade was as wide as a square.
The two statues stood there silently, looking down upon everyone who entered the fortress.
Datch's appearance immediately put the Deathwatch warriors in hooded robes on guard.
They primarily wore power armor that was black with silver accents, engraved with the Deathwatch emblem — a silver skull inverted on a black X-shaped background.
Their bolt pistols were all aimed at Datch.
If Datch hadn't had the double-headed eagle emblem on his body, they would have opened fire immediately.
Datch looked at them and took out his Inquisitorial seal.
"I am an Inquisitor of the Nameless."
"We are on a special mission. Clear the way immediately."
The guards looked at each other. One of them stepped forward to examine the seal.
Once it was confirmed to be genuine, someone opened a communication device and reported to their superior.
Shortly after, two figures emerged from the fortress, both with serious expressions.
Leading the way was Donatus, the Lord of Pickmanburg.
He carried a precisely designed helmet in both arms, revealing a weather-beaten face.
A deep scar running diagonally from the corner of his left eye to his jaw made his face look particularly ferocious.
Five hundred years ago, he had been ordered to come here to defend this place, and he had never left since.
Donatus had experienced countless battles and was extremely skilled at dealing with xenos, with countless achievements to his name.
Although traces of time were etched on his resolute face, his eyes had not lost their eagle-like sharpness.
Following behind him was the xenos Inquisitor, Halken.
Halken wore power armor typical of an Inquisitor and had a lean but sharp-featured face.
He had only recently arrived at Pickmanburg, his main purpose being to investigate the smuggling of illegal immigrants along the border.
Recently, some of the evil entities spawned by the Ghoul Stars had been flowing into the Imperium, causing several serious incidents.
The courts in each district took this very seriously and were trying to uncover and sever the entire smuggling route.
The Inquisitor's gaze turned to Datch, curiosity in his eyes.
"Are you the legendary Nameless One?"
Donatus looked Datch up and down and asked.
Pickmanburg had received some messages from various star systems, including news that Saint Jil had returned and that the Nameless One was active everywhere, helping humanity fight against Chaos.
Those messages portrayed the Nameless One as a mythical hero who had accomplished all sorts of unbelievable and awe-inspiring feats.
However, Donatus had lived too long and had seen many so-called "heroes."
In legends, they were depicted as omnipotent beings, but in reality, they often disappointed people.
He remained skeptical of these reports.
After sizing up the two NPCs in front of him, Datch summoned his giant rooster, preparing to go inside to check some information.
The Nameless One's action surprised everyone present for a moment, but they quickly understood what was happening.
They all raised their weapons and blocked his path.
"Halt! Entry is prohibited."
One of the guards shouted sternly.
"I just need to check some information," Datch could only try to communicate patiently with the NPCs in front of him.
"Nameless One, please stop."
Donatus stepped forward and blocked Datch's path.
"My lord, Nameless One, although you hold a noble status, the watchtower hides important secrets. It is not a place anyone can enter freely."
In the eyes of the Deathwatch warriors of Pickmanburg, the Nameless One was at best comparable to a revered living saint.
However, even a living saint could not freely explore the many secrets hidden inside the watchtower.
The Deathwatch's primary mission was combat against xenos.
Sometimes, in order to repel Xenos, they had to resort to methods that were not necessarily honorable.
If those methods were made public, they would undoubtedly cause a huge uproar.
Datch looked at them, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes.
He just wanted to check the habitat of that giant beast and capture it as a pet.
These NPCs kept blocking his path and trying to stop him. It was really irritating.
Datch took out his hypnotic panpipe, intending to put them to sleep.
That way, he could do whatever he wanted.
Suddenly, an ear-splitting roar echoed from deep within the fortress.
The explosion caused the entire fortress to shake.
From somewhere in the fortress, terrifying flames erupted, releasing intense heat and brightness.
It instantly illuminated the entire void, creating a shockwave visible to the naked eye.
At the same time, a sharp and urgent alarm sounded.
Through the communication line, an anxious voice could be heard.
"Alert, alert! A riot has broken out in the research area."
"It's a Chaos Daemon. The mutated Chaos Daemon has gone out of control."
"It has released all the imprisoned Chaos Daemons."
"The anti-psychic facilities have been destroyed. Requesting reinforcements. Requesting reinforcements."
"..."
Donatus frowned, his expression grim. "Damn it, that mutated Chaos Daemon deliberately let itself be captured."
The mutated Chaos had been captured several months ago and was being held in the deepest part of the research area, surrounded by anti-psychic facilities.
Those facilities were powerful enough to suppress the abilities of any psyker, rendering them unable to resist.
However, for some reason, those containment facilities had suddenly stopped functioning.
Currently, most of the Deathwatch warriors stationed at Pickmanburg had been dispatched on missions.
In recent years, xenos activity had become increasingly frequent, forcing them to deploy large numbers of personnel to suppress it.
The fortress was currently under-defended.
Clearly, the other party had deliberately chosen this time to cause trouble.
Both Donatus and Halken recognized the problem. The severity of the situation was obvious — someone inside the fortress was supporting those xenos.
"Stay here for now. Once the crisis is resolved, we can discuss your situation."
Donatus wanted to resolve the fortress's problems first before discussing the Inquisitor.
Datch quietly put away his hypnotic panpipe and took out the Infinity Gauntlet, choosing to use the power of the Space Stone.
It created a massive rift that split the void in two.
On the other side of the portal was the Throne Room of the Terra Palace.
Golden light burst forth from the portal — light emanating from the Emperor seated on the Golden Throne.
This sight surprised Donatus and his companions, who had been preparing to depart.
The next moment, golden figures emerged from the portal.
Leading the group was Trajan, the Captain-General of the Custodian Guard.
The Imperial Custodians silently formed ranks, gripping their heavy halberds tightly, standing with cold, determined eyes.
They needed no commands or instructions. Standing there, they were like an insurmountable golden wall.
Donatus was stunned, eyes wide and mouth agape.
Are these the Emperor's personal guard — the Custodian Guard?
Inquisitor Halken stood frozen in place, his mind completely blank.
The other Deathwatch warriors were also clearly shocked.
The Nameless One had actually summoned the Imperial Custodians to Pickmanburg.
It was said that they lived in the palace and did not participate in any external wars, focusing solely on protecting the Emperor's safety.
Trajan emerged from the portal, looked around, and turned his gaze to Datch, the corners of his lips twitching slightly.
Ever since the Nameless One had gained the ability to open spatial channels, they had been dragged out of the palace to fight more times than in the past ten thousand years.
The Imperial Custodians were gradually becoming the Nameless One's private army.
Trajan really wanted to speak, but Datch pointed toward the research area and didn't give him the chance.
"Xenos have escaped from the prison. Help me suppress them."
Trajan sighed and resigned himself to remaining a taciturn and diligent person.
The golden figures surged toward the research area like a tide, moving at astonishing speed, advancing dozens of meters with each step.
Their movements were perfectly synchronized, like precisely operating machines.
Halberds and longswords activated, enveloped in dazzling electric arcs, ready to cut down enemies at any moment.
Inside the research area of the fortress, chaos and slaughter were spreading.
The released Chaos Daemons rampaged, massacring the servitors and servants who had been used as research materials.
These xenos, unlike humans, had long limbs and ugly faces, their bodies slender as if stretched. The Imperium classified them as a xenos species of the Crystal Humanoid race.
The Chaos Daemons possessed their own civilization and lived in fortresses made of glowing crystals.
Based on observation, this xenos species was not merely a real-space creature but a hybrid of reality and the Warp.
They were proficient in the Warp, capable of physically entering the Warp and avoiding harm from Warp inhabitants.
At this very moment, they were using psychic energy to cause chaos everywhere.
The walls of the laboratory were shattered to pieces, precious xenos relics were smashed, and experimental equipment was overturned.
Several Deathwatch warriors lay on the ground as corpses, their deaths tragic.
The mutated Chaos Daemon leading the group floated in the air with both arms spread wide.
Terrifying psychic energy swirled around him, making the air heavy and suffocating.
Mad light shone in his eyes.
Freedom — he wanted freedom and to save his people from this abominable hell.
Just then, the Custodians charged in.
Trajan led the way, swinging his long-handled axe wrapped in destructive electric arcs.
The axe moved at a speed invisible to the naked eye, drawing golden arcs through the void.
The Chaos Daemon's body was sliced cleanly in two before it could even scream.
Translucent blood sprayed out and evaporated into an eerie mist in the air.
Even more Imperial Custodians rushed in.
Swinging halberds and firing boltguns with thunderous roars, the Chaos Daemons fell before them one after another as if they were made of paper.
The Deathwatch warriors watched in stunned silence.
The combat power of the Imperial Custodians was truly astonishing. Dealing with troublesome Chaos Daemons was as easy as cutting vegetables.
The battle ended in an instant. Everyone except the leader of the Chaos Daemons was annihilated.
Their corpses were scattered across the ground, translucent blood flowing like rivers, glowing eerily under the laboratory lights.
The leading Chaos Daemon floated in the air, watching the scene with eyes full of anger and hatred.
It opened its mouth and let out an ear-splitting scream.
The scream ignored the laws of physics and resonated directly in everyone's consciousness, causing them all to clutch their heads in pain.
Then, the Chaos Daemon raised its hand and tore open a rift in space.
Eerie purple light flowed along the edges of the rift, with bottomless darkness at its center.
It was an entrance to the Warp — the boundary between reality and madness.
It dove in, and the rift instantly closed.
Donatus stared at the disappearing rift with furious eyes and rushed in.
"That cunning beast escaped again."
Seeing this, Datch chose to use the power of the Time Stone and Space Stone in the Infinity Gauntlet.
He forcibly pulled the mutated Chaos Daemon that had escaped into the Warp back by force.
Before Trajan could react, he swung his axe and severed both of Trajan's legs, subduing him.
The mutated Chaos Daemon couldn't understand how it had already entered the Warp, letting out a scream of pain.
How had it been pulled back to this hell the very next moment?
What… what the hell was going on?
Unfortunately, no one answered its question.
The next moment, the other party placed it under control, reinstalled the psychic suppression device, and imprisoned it.
Donatus and the other Deathwatch warriors and Inquisitors were also clearly shocked.
Is this allowed?
They had forcibly abducted people directly from the Warp!
Such an ability was unprecedented! Could this man be a god in human form?
Datch ignored the NPCs' gazes, put away the Infinity Gauntlet, and jumped down from the giant rooster's back.
He looked around at the damaged equipment and wounded personnel, then took out the golden hammer from his game inventory.
Clang… Clang… Clang…
As the knocking sounds rang out, the damaged and scorched equipment he stepped on returned to its original state.
Damaged experimental tables were restored, lights on destroyed control panels lit up again, and severed pipes automatically reconnected.
After repairing the equipment, Datch approached the wounded personnel.
A Deathwatch warrior lay on the ground. There was a large crack in his breastplate, from which blood was spurting. His face was as pale as paper, and his breathing was weak, almost inaudible.
Datch crouched down and lightly tapped his chest with the golden hammer.
Clang...
Golden light enveloped his entire body.
The horrific wound healed at a visibly rapid speed as the torn flesh regenerated.
Broken bones reconnected, and lost blood was replenished.
A few seconds later, the Deathwatch warrior opened his eyes, his face filled with shock, unable to believe it was real.
Clang… Clang… Clang…
Datch swung the golden hammer, tapping the dying and disabled multiple times, restoring them to health.
Donatus stared blankly around him, his mind completely blank.
Summoning the Imperial Custodians, forcibly capturing xenos from the Warp, and repairing injuries and equipment — just who was this Nameless One?
Some regarded Datch as an incarnation of the Emperor and prostrated themselves on the ground, loudly chanting various blessings and prayers.
Datch put away the golden hammer and glanced at the excited NPCs but showed no particular reaction.
After reopening the passage and allowing the Custodian Guard to return to Terra, he turned and headed deeper into the fortress.
The guards instinctively tried to stop him, but as soon as they reached out, they silently withdrew their hands.
The Nameless One's previous actions had made him appear like a walking Emperor in the eyes of those around him.
After all, besides the Emperor, who else could arbitrarily command the Imperial Custodians, ignore the Warp, and forcibly… arrest them.
Obstructing the Nameless One was obstructing the Emperor — that was heresy.
Without obstruction, Datch entered the deepest part of the fortress and headed toward the archive room at the very back.
It was a massive circular hall, with countless data terminals densely lined along all four walls.
Each terminal was connected to the Deathwatch database, which stored an enormous amount of xenos information.
Datch walked to the main control panel and began having the machine spirit execute queries.
Void Beasts, Ghoul swarms: coordinates, habits, activity range.
If he could find even a single clue, he could use the means at his disposal to deal with it.