Lucian recalled the scattered lore he had gleaned from fan videos. "So, the Emperor is still out crusading, Horus is still reliable, and the Heresy hasn't even cast a shadow yet... I have 30 years to develop!"
Thirty years!
In the Warhammer universe, where time is measured in millennia, thirty years was as fleeting as a deep breath.
But for Lucian—who had a System, players, and the ability to snowball his power—thirty years of growth was more than enough to elevate his strength to a formidable level!
By the time that tumultuous civil war erupted, perhaps he could even sneakily grab a slice of the pie.
"System, confirm the startup plan," Lucian commanded. "Target: Aurelian IV."
"First batch player count: 5,000."
"Design their avatars to match the local aesthetic. Don't make them too outrageous—at the very least, they need to look human."
[Command confirmed. Establishing stable warp-to-realspace corridor...]
[Corridor established. Coordinates locked: Aurelian IV, Northern Hemisphere, northern wilderness region surrounding the city of Aru.]
[Generating player consciousness reception anchors... Utilizing local biological template: Standard Human (Mildly gene-enhanced variant).]
[Additional base enhancements applied: Bone density +15%, Muscle efficiency +20%, Trauma recovery rate +30%. Camouflage protocol applied: Implanted false memories (Local drifter/adventurer identity cognition).]
[Anchors generated. Initiating recruitment signal transmission to the lower-dimensional universe...]
[Signal transmitted. Estimated response and link time for the first batch of players: 1 to 3 standard days.]
Feeling the energy being drained from him, Lucian felt a mix of anxiety and excitement.
He was anxious because if this System turned out to be fake, he was currently swan-diving into a pit Tzeentch had spent years digging.
He was excited because if the System was real... then as a newborn Chaos God, he might actually carve out a completely bizarre and unique path in this universe that usually chewed people up and spat out their bones.
"Alright, now it's time to name my game."
Lucian pondered. "It needs to be cool, it needs to be catchy, and it absolutely cannot be too straightforward about its true nature..."
He thought for a few seconds.
Then, he cracked a wicked, highly Tzeentchian smile.
Looking at the System interface, the data of the flowing energy sketched out complex spectral graphs in his mind.
Memories of the videos he had watched and the forum posts he had read before his transmigration suddenly surfaced.
He remembered those casual Warhammer fans joking online:
"I don't really understand the 40k lore, but I wish you all the best when you transmigrate into the Warhammer universe!"
"Everyone claims they're loyal, but nobody actually wants to go."
At the time, he thought they were just jokes.
Now... well, they were right.
But since he had already crossed over, and even become a Chaos God, Lucian felt it was his duty to provide a little "modest assistance" to his fellow fans who would follow him.
"Otherwise, what if they really don't come?"
First of all, the name absolutely could not contain words like "Warhammer," "Chaos God," "Emperor," or "Chaos."
"It needs a little camouflage."
What he needed was a name that sounded completely harmless.
A name that would lower the players' guards, get them to log in happily, and then...
"...Then they'll work for me, generate emotional energy for me, and still think this game is an absolute blast."
Lucian let out a low chuckle that rippled through the Warp.
Fortunately, his sinister laugh was instantly absorbed and converted by the System, leaving no trace. Otherwise, Tzeentch himself might have descended to see who was stealing his act.
Browsing through the naming suggestion module provided by the System, a spark of inspiration hit him.
"In those videos, mechas, the sea of stars, and deep-space exploration are always top-tier genres."
Lucian reminisced. "Men are boys until the day they die. Who doesn't want to pilot a giant mech and charge across the stars?"
Sure, in this universe, a "mech" might be called an Imperial Knight or a Titan. "Interstellar travel" might involve Warp storms and daemonic whispers. And "deep-space exploration" had a high probability of running into Greenskins, Tyranids, or Necrons...
But that didn't matter.
He just needed to package it right.
"System, set the game title to..."
Lucian weighed his words, his energy body shimmering with the eerie light of a successful scheme.
"Epoch 40k: Mecha."
"As for the subtitle..."
He thought for a moment. "Make it: The Sea of Stars, Yours to Explore."
[Title recorded.]
[Epoch 40k: Mecha: The Sea of Stars, Yours to Explore.]
"Not enough."
Lucian shook his head, sending ripples through his energy. "We still need an opening cinematic."
"Make it flashy, make it hype, make it look like a next-generation sci-fi mecha game."
Manipulating the System's functions, he began constructing a completely fictional backstory for the game:
In the distant future, human civilization has spread across the galaxy.
Humanity pilots giant combat machines known as Mechas to explore the frontier, establish colonies, and fight against unknown cosmic threats.
Players will take on the role of Mecha Pilots, starting from scratch to build their bases, recruit companions, and explore the vast sea of stars...
"Yes, write exactly that."
Lucian was highly satisfied. As for what those "unknown cosmic threats" actually were... the players would fill in the blanks themselves.
They'll probably think it's alien bugs or rogue AIs. Either way, they won't be expecting Nurglings, Horrors of Tzeentch, or Ork Boyz.
He specifically instructed the System: "Do not include any Aquilas, High Gothic text, eight-pointed Chaos stars, or any other iconic symbols in the cinematic."
"The mecha designs should have a sleek, cool sci-fi aesthetic. No Gothic architecture, skulls, or religious motifs. The environments should be bright, clean, and highly technological. Don't make it look like the sewers of a Hive City."
[Commands confirmed. Generating opening cinematic...]
Lucian watched the visuals the System constructed:
Against the backdrop of a vast starry ocean, a sleek, streamlined starship glided slowly past the camera. The hull was adorned with elegant geometric patterns, entirely devoid of Imperial eagles.
The camera zoomed in, entering the ship's hangar.
Rows of distinctively designed mechs stood in perfect formation. Some were slender and agile, looking like high-speed reconnaissance models; others were heavily armored and equipped with exaggerated weapon systems; still others had engineering arms extending from their backs, clearly meant for industrial use.
Then came a rapid montage: Mechs sprinting across an ice field, battling unidentified creatures in a desert, performing maintenance on an orbital space station, establishing outposts on uncharted planets...
The background music was a soaring orchestral piece mixed with electronic synths, brimming with a sense of hope and exploration.
A steady, powerful male voiceover declared: "Humanity's march forward has never ceased."
"Now, it is your turn, Pilot."
"Your mecha awaits. The sea of stars is calling."
The final freeze-frame: A mech painted in red and white stood atop a mountain peak, a rising sun behind it. The mech raised its arm, pointing toward the boundless starry sky.
The image faded out, replaced by the game logo: Epoch 40k: Mecha.
"Perfect."
Lucian marveled at his creation. "If I put this cinematic out there, who would ever suspect this is a Warhammer game? This is clearly just a standard, high-quality sci-fi mecha masterpiece!"
He could already imagine the players' reactions:
"Holy crap, the quality of this CG!"
"Mechas! They've got mechas!"
"Finally, a game that isn't just xianxia or fantasy!"
"The sea of stars! A man's ultimate romance!"
Then they would excitedly create their characters, log into the game, start exploring...
...And realize that the NPCs in this "sci-fi game" kept muttering about the Emperor's protection. That there were Tech-Priests in red robes on the streets repairing equipment. That the sky was occasionally split by colossal warships with massive ramming prows. And that the alien monsters in the wilderness looked an awful lot like Ork Boyz...
"Hurry up and get here."
Lucian stared at the countdown timer. "I'm seriously starving..."
--
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