The Warp.
Chaotic energies twisted into a prismatic black, with eerie whispers and murmurs echoing constantly.
From time to time, terrifying figures flashed by.
Any lost soul within this realm would be twisted into a monster by the torment.
Yet even in this terrifying spiritual domain, there still existed beings of goodness and order, offering sanctuary to lost humans.
This being was so radiant, so divine.
"Emperor, I am Tylys, your loyal servant, yearning for your grace!"
Now, Tylys existed only as a soul essence, but her emotions and devotion were overflowing, impossible to hide.
If these reactions manifested physically, she would have been kneeling on the ground, weeping with joy.
This Custodian had finally met the Emperor, gazing upon that great, sacred sun and feeling its surging might.
If she could, she would remain here to serve Him until the end of her life.
Tylys gazed devoutly at that sun, hoping that the great being might give her a response, even just a brief glance.
Beneath her gaze, the sun finally reacted.
However, what followed left the Custodian stunned.
"Emperor… this, this is…"
Tylys gasped in shock, unsure how to respond.
In her vision—
"Ah, it's been a while since I stretched…"
That sun had somehow become anthropomorphic.
It let out a yawn, raised its chubby little hand, and scratched its head.
Then it wiggled left and right, as if stretching its body.
The scene before her was rather comical.
But Tylys tried her best to maintain a serious demeanor.
No matter how different the Emperor was from her imagination, she had to remain devout!
However, the psychic message from the being completely shattered her composure.
"Sorry, you're crying to the wrong person. I'm not the Emperor, just the Savior…"
Eden spoke, controlling the soul-form miniature sun.
Tylys was on the verge of breaking down, her voice trembling with rage and disbelief:
"Savior, you… you can't deceive me like this… this is blasphemy!"
"The great Savior never lies…"
Eden wasn't too concerned.
The misunderstanding had simply been a matter of perspective.
The real holy sun was located behind the miniature sun, and its overwhelming holy power had overshadowed the miniature sun's psychic aura, leading to the confusion.
"What are you doing…?"
Tylys suddenly tensed.
In her vision, a massive, golden, chubby paw was reaching toward her, carrying an oppressive force that made it hard to breathe.
The Primarch in the Warp was even more terrifying than in reality!
Although Tylys's soul essence was already strong enough—far surpassing an ordinary Warp entity—she was still utterly insignificant before the Primarch.
Instinctively, she tried to flee, but she had no power to resist.
She was quickly captured.
Eden, controlling the miniature sun's chubby little hand, gently pinched Tylys's soul essence, as if holding a tiny bug.
He lifted her up, spun her around, and carefully placed her before the true holy sun.
In the void—
That enormous blazing sun nearly filled Tylys's entire field of vision.
The scale between the holy sun and her was like the scale between Holy Terra and a single speck of dust on its surface.
"Emperor…!"
She was struck by an even more overwhelming wave of divine force than before.
Once again, she burst into tears, falling prostrate in devout worship.
???
The holy sun seemed to sense something, stirring as it awoke, radiating a string of confused questions.
"Uh… Emperor, sir, here's the thing…"
Eden transmitted a psychic message, explaining the events surrounding the Exterminatus order and asking whether the Emperor had personally authorized such an order.
However, as soon as the message reached its destination, the holy sun violently quaked, releasing wave after wave of psychic ripples, making the surrounding space tremble.
That was the emotion of fury.
"Looks like the Emperor wasn't aware of this. The Custodians really overstepped here… they're tarnishing the Emperor's name," Eden speculated.
He didn't believe the Emperor would pull off such a stunt.
The Emperor's fury was understandable.
Long ago, He had led the armies of humanity across the galaxy, crushing all xenos underfoot, laying the foundation for the Imperium.
Yet now, ten thousand years later, humanity had become so pitiful.
The Custodians couldn't even confront the xenos directly.
Instead, they chose to destroy their own territories in a desperate attempt to drive the aliens away.
That was infuriating.
True, the Custodians did it to protect Holy Terra and the Emperor above all else—there was nothing more important to the Imperium than those two.
But incompetence was a sin.
Moreover, their rigidity and stubbornness might lead to even greater losses.
In comparison…
Eden, the Savior, and his forces truly seemed like the beacon of humanity.
After transmitting the information, Eden didn't continue to intervene.
He left the communication between the Emperor and the Custodian.
That was their business; he wasn't suited to get involved.
He believed the Emperor would handle it appropriately.
Regardless, the Emperor had to consider his feelings.
"The burden I carry grows heavier…"
Eden sighed, realizing that, without noticing, he had become an indispensable figure within the Imperium.
Indeed, that was the case.
By now, he controlled nearly half of the Imperium's assets—comparable to Horus in his prime—capable of shaking the entire Imperium with a single move.
If he ever decided to break away completely, the High Lords would have no choice but to beg him to stay.
Otherwise, even just taking the Mechanicus with him would leave the Imperium's already-ramshackle vehicle missing several key wheels.
The Imperium couldn't afford for the Savior to be treated too unfairly.
If he, like the traitor Primarchs of old, turned to Chaos in a fit of rage, the situation would become even worse.
It would add to the Imperium's already dire straits.
And honestly, that wasn't an impossible outcome.
For some reason, Eden found himself contemplating this possibility.
With the miniature sun's current strength, if he truly schemed to run away, even the Emperor wouldn't be able to stop him.
All he had to do was seize the right moment to flee into the domains of the Chaos Gods, or slip beyond the reach of the holy sun's power.
At that point, the Emperor couldn't do anything to him.
The dark energy within the miniature sun was more than enough to transform him into a fearsome Chaos entity on the spot.
And Eden wouldn't be defecting to Chaos alone.
His years of loyalist education, faith manipulation, and blessings had given him control over vast numbers of humans.
He could take entire planets, armies, fleets, and countless tech-priests with him into the Chaos realms.
The Chaos Gods would be throwing parties to celebrate.
If that day ever came, he'd need to carefully consider which Chaos faction to join.
First off, Tzeentch was out. The orphan-treatment policies, endless traps, and the fact that the Changer of Ways held a slight grudge against him ruled it out.
Slaanesh wasn't a great option either, requiring too much personal sacrifice and potentially forcing him into group "activities" with the Prince of Pleasure and his cronies.
The idea of such degeneracy was too much for Eden to stomach.
Nurgle seemed like the more popular choice.
Sure, the power came with an ugly appearance, but the relationships were more harmonious overall—everyone was jolly, and there was a steady supply of "delicious soup."
But even that wasn't ideal for Eden.
After all, he still had his sights on the Life Goddess Isha, trapped in Nurgle's Garden.
He'd been planning for a long time to rescue her and had made corresponding preparations.
If he defected to Nurgle, that would be awkward.
Imagine running into Isha in the Garden, sharing awkward glances…
Besides, those sneaky Nurgle daemons had sent word: Papa Nurgle was about to make a big move soon.
So, after careful analysis, Khorne seemed like the best bet—badass aesthetics, no excessive rules, just a focus on combat prowess.
His good buddy Ka'Bandha was also over there, and they could team up to build a powerful enterprise.
Old Ka'Bandha would definitely show off a bit.
Of course, Eden had other options too.
For example, he could try to become a four-god-blessed champion like Be'lakor, or emulate the Chaos Warmaster and operate independently, cooperating with the four Chaos Gods as needed.
Thinking about it, Eden had plenty of development paths ahead.
Perhaps it was better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.
He didn't have to keep slaving away for the Emperor and humanity, nor endure the arrogant bureaucrats on Holy Terra.
The foolish Imperium was holding back his progress!
As the Savior, as the mighty Devourer, he could lead his people to stand alone—deepen their ties with Chaos, and gain greater freedom and power.
At that point, no one would dare to ignore his presence.
He would sweep aside all obstacles to humanity's advancement, bringing all to heel.
Otherwise, the galaxy would burn beneath his feet!
Here's the full translation of the text you provided, done in one go:
There was also the Corpse Emperor... this being who could at any moment plunge humanity into the abyss was a threat that must never be ignored.
Eden had to find a permanent solution.
For example, some kind of artifact that could truly end the Emperor's existence once and for all...
"Once these lingering ailments are dealt with, humanity will ascend completely, enter an era of true prosperity, and I'll be free to enjoy endless life, doing whatever I please!"
Eden was brimming with excitement at the thought.
But suddenly, a shiver ran through him, and he snapped back to his senses.
"Tch... something's off. Why am I thinking about such heretical ideas? This isn't in line with my persona as the benevolent, harmonious, noble, and radiant Savior of humanity!"
As he calmed down, he noticed even more strange details.
A force of Chaos was eroding his thoughts, drawing him toward darkness.
It was the power of the Changer of Ways, and the taint of other Chaos beings, trying to influence his mind.
But without any resistance, Eden easily seized back control of his thoughts and restored the light.
He felt somewhat satisfied by this.
"Heh, so I get the Horus treatment too, huh?"
Perhaps the victory at Baal had made the Chaos Gods feel more threatened, prompting them to act.
This was, in a sense, recognition of his efforts over the years—a gold medal of honor from his enemies.
Becoming a top-priority target for corruption by the Ruinous Powers…
That's the ultimate accolade.
If they don't even bother with you,
it just means you're not important enough yet, and you've got more work to do.
Since the Chaos Gods were so generous with their attention, he figured he ought to return the favor.
The miniature sun flared to life again, its two chubby little hands raised high—
and flipped the Chaos Gods the bird.
Then, with an exaggerated thrust of his hips, he struck a blatantly insulting pose.
He transmitted a barrage of psychic messages as well.
Roughly summarized: "F*** you all!"—but in a supercharged, 100,000-word-long version of the insult, condensed into an intense psychic blast.
In the far reaches of the Warp, several colossal shadowy figures trembled, radiating faint emotions of rage and excitement.
But they didn't linger long.
This was just a test.
In their endless lifespans, they had plenty of time and chances to corrupt this so-called Savior.
To achieve that, they would need patience—slowly eroding him, just as they had done to the Primarchs of old.
After sending his response, Eden didn't dwell on the matter.
No matter what,
he would remain in the galaxy, within the Imperium, and stay on this path without wavering.
That was the optimal trajectory for his development.
What Eden didn't know was that the Emperor had already been watching him from some point in time.
The Emperor, filled with concern, had resolved to intervene when necessary to preserve the future of humanity.
Having learned from the lessons of Horus and the other traitor Primarchs, the Emperor had become gentler, more attentive to the inner thoughts and feelings of others—
to avoid repeating the same mistakes.
The growth of the Savior's domain, his possession of resources like the Webway, the psychic network, and other incredible assets—
all of it had proven that the Imperium and humanity could not afford to lose the Savior.
He, like the Regent, was an irreplaceable figure for humanity.
One maintained the functioning of the Imperium,
the other represented the hope and future direction of humanity.
Perhaps the latter was even more important.
When the Emperor saw the Savior resisting corruption and striking back,
His heart swelled with pride.
He spoke further to the Custodian Tylys, granting her even greater power.
Then He sent an edict back to the Imperial Palace on Holy Terra.
"What are those two whispering about?"
Eden watched Tylys, who was conversing with the holy sun, and felt a twinge of curiosity.
But he refrained from eavesdropping.
After a while, the holy sun seemed to finish its exchange with the Custodian and fell back into slumber.
This wasn't surprising.
The old man loved his naps.
As long as He didn't one day slip away completely and ascend into some dark godhood, everything would be fine.
Perhaps it was time to upgrade the "super faith-powered pressure relief package" once again.
Now that the situation had been clarified,
Eden directly carried Tylys's soul essence back to the real universe.
...
Istrade, landing zone.
Not much time had passed, and the crowd was still in shock.
They had witnessed a miracle of the Emperor with their own eyes!
When the Savior unleashed his psychic powers, a blazing golden sun phantom had appeared, radiating an overwhelming holy aura.
Everyone felt the presence of the supreme being, and they offered their worship.
Their gazes toward the Savior grew even more reverent.
Without a doubt, the Primarch of Hope was the Emperor's most cherished son.
Perhaps there was no one more loyal to the Emperor than him.
As for the accusations of disloyalty the Custodians had leveled against him—
those were nothing but a joke.
Tylys slowly opened her eyes, her face still filled with fanatical devotion, tears streaming down uncontrollably.
At some point, she had already fallen to her knees before the Savior.
"Stand up,"
Eden said gently, helping the kneeling Custodian rise.
He could sense it— this Custodian had grown stronger, her power now several times what it had been, faintly radiating holy energy.
"Savior, my lord…"
Tylys's gaze was no longer filled with pride and defiance; her entire attitude had undergone a drastic change.
"Great Emperor has bestowed a new decree. The Custodians will correct their previous mistakes and will assist you in your work."
"Good. That will make the upcoming defense much easier."
Eden nodded.
This outcome had been within his expectations,
though Tylys's change in attitude did surprise him a bit.
The Custodians were a rigid, stubborn bunch, each one more obstinate than the last, and absolutely loyal to the Emperor— almost impossible to sway by anyone else.
And that was as it should be.
After all, they guarded the Emperor directly.
If they could be swayed by someone else, it would be far too easy to corrupt them from within.
Otherwise, wouldn't the Emperor be in danger, stuck on the Golden Throne?
So far, there hadn't been any known cases of Custodians turning traitor.
Meanwhile, the Imperium's history was filled with examples of betrayal—
from common citizens to high-ranking nobles, even the High Lords.
Not to mention the Space Marines,
or even the Emperor's own sons, the Primarchs.
But not the Custodians.
That level of loyalty was rare indeed.
All in all, the Custodians had their own value and reason for existing.
Without a doubt, Tylys's attitude had shifted because the Emperor had spoken to her.
Without that, Eden himself would have had no way of persuading a Custodian.
At best, he could have destroyed them physically.
Yep, getting the "parent" involved really worked wonders.
It settled the issue instantly.
It was safe to assume that, after this incident, the Custodians' overall attitude toward him would shift as well.
Although they wouldn't fully obey his commands, his words would carry much more weight—perhaps even more than the Regent's.
He might even gain limited authority to reasonably mobilize Custodians for assistance.
Of course, what counted as "reasonable" depended largely on interpretation.
If there were any rebellious elements within Holy Terra,
wouldn't the Custodians need to be dispatched to arrest and interrogate them thoroughly?
This was an enormous gain.
The Custodians were, after all, the most powerful force in the Imperium—virtually unmatched.
And they were stationed right there on Holy Terra.
Plus, Eden wouldn't even have to pay for their upkeep—it was all covered by the Imperium's budget.
A total win!
Once news of this spread, certain factions on Holy Terra would probably lose sleep over it.
Eden strode toward the White Sanctum warriors,
since he had promised to protect this planet, there were matters to discuss.
Tylys obediently followed behind him.
Everyone who saw this scene knew exactly what it meant:
The Savior had won over the Custodians.
His power was now unstoppable.
Suddenly, a figure cautiously approached Eden—
it was the Silent Sister.
Her eyes were filled with longing.
After a brief hesitation, she summoned her courage and quickly signed a flurry of hand signals.
Her hands moved so fast they left afterimages.
"Tch… is she weaving hand seals or something?"
Eden paused, watching the Silent Sister, who seemed quite agitated.
He couldn't understand her hand signs and felt a bit puzzled.
Seeing the Savior's confusion, Tylys stepped up as an impromptu translator:
"Savior, my lord, the Silent Sister humbly begs your mercy— she hopes you can grant her the chance to meet the great Emperor.
For this, she is willing to offer everything."
It wasn't just the Silent Sister.
Everyone present stared at the Savior with hopeful eyes.
Their loyalty to the Emperor was beyond question.
To meet the great Emperor was their lifelong wish— the greatest longing of every devout follower.
Eden gazed at the Silent Sister, then gently shook his head and cruelly refused her request.
"Sorry, I can't do that."
Afterward, he stepped past the weeping Silent Sister, who was consumed by deep disappointment, convinced she wasn't loyal enough.
He paid her no further attention.
The Emperor was asleep again— even if they saw Him, they wouldn't get a response.
And besides, the holy sun wasn't some tourist attraction.
Constantly bringing people over for sightseeing was, frankly, rather presumptuous.
But after a few steps, Eden paused again.
The Silent Sister's request had sparked an idea.
"Tch… actually, maybe… it's not impossible?"
After all, just bringing people over to take a distant look at the holy sun wouldn't cause the Emperor any harm.
He wouldn't even notice or be disturbed.
The holy sun was just sitting there most of the time, not doing much anyway—
why not make some reasonable use of the resource?
Whichever way you looked at it, this would boost Imperial morale, strengthen unity, and increase faith in the Emperor.
It would also enhance Eden's influence, earn him greater loyalty, and give him a firmer grip on humanity.
There was no downside.
Of course, not just anyone would qualify for this blessing.
Eden turned back and gave the Silent Sister a gentle look.
"Follow me. Your devotion has moved me..."
Once the Custodians arrived on this planet, they'd probably have to "meet the parent" too, so he'd just take the Silent Sister along for the group tour.
The Silent Sister understood the Savior's meaning.
"Praise the Savior! Praise the great Emperor!"
She knelt reverently and signed even faster, overwhelmed by gratitude, fervor, and reverence.
Afterward, she followed behind the Savior respectfully.
"Savior, my lord!"
When Eden approached, Marachai tried hard to force a loyal smile onto his usually serious, restrained face.
The big man did his best to express something:
"Lord, we of the White Sanctum..."
"Alright, you're in too!"
Eden waved his hand grandly, adding another devout member to the Warp Holy Sun Sightseeing Group.
Since they were here already,
one more wouldn't hurt.
Besides, the loyalty and honor of the White Sanctum warriors deserved recognition.
Eden had a fondness for those who stayed true to their oaths, willing to sacrifice everything to protect humanity.
As for the rest—
they weren't worthy.
Having received the Savior's promise,
Marachai's lingering grief completely vanished, replaced by sheer joy.
The arrival of this being brought hope and joy to a planet teetering on the edge of despair and darkness.
Eden looked down at the White Sanctum captain.
Next came the discussion about planetary defense.
He casually summoned a holographic file and showed it to him:
"Sorry, I came in a bit of a rush this time, so I didn't bring much equipment.
Here's all the support I can offer you…"
(End of Chapter)
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