"Mini Sun!"
Raum pulled the cord of the small cannon, and an orange-yellow fireball, about the size of a human palm, shot out, heading straight for Angron's face.
Few ranged weapons could pierce a daemon Primarch's skin and truly harm him.
But a Mini Sun is still a sun; a star is undoubtedly capable of penetrating a Primarch's body.
This is because stars themselves possess a considerable presence in the Warp, and even entering the Warp near a star is extremely dangerous.
Angron evidently noticed this, but he was fearless, because the Mini Sun's speed was simply too slow, so slow that Angron didn't even care.
But just then, Khârn drew a cane from his waist and thrust it into the ground.
Instantly, gravity shifted sharply, and everything seemed to tilt towards Khârn's direction. Angron, standing on the ground, stumbled and uncontrollably fell towards Khârn, towards the Mini Sun.
[Item Name: Tilting Cane]
[Origin: 22nd Century Earth — Future Department Store]
[Production Date: 231.M3]
[Function: After inserting this cane into the ground, one can freely change the direction of gravity, causing the horizontal axis to tilt.]
This item directly transformed the originally flat sandy ground into a slope tilting towards Khârn. The inversion of gravity and the horizontal axis caught Angron off guard.
But a Primarch's reaction speed was not something such a small trick could subdue. Almost at the last moment, the Primarch, with movements that were almost astonishing, easily flipped over the Mini Sun, and, utilizing the gravity adjusted by Khârn, he almost instantly appeared before Khârn.
But then, something that bewildered Angron suddenly happened: Khârn, who had been standing in front of him, suddenly vanished, like an illusion, an afterimage.
All that remained was a somewhat strange-looking flower, swaying and emitting a few faint wisps of fragrance.
This fragrance seemed irresistible, directly flooding into Angron's mind.
In an instant, Angron's mind went blank. He completely forgot about both the Mini Sun and Khârn. For a moment, he even forgot his anger.
Who was he?
Where was he?
What was he doing?
[Item Name: Oblivion Grass]
[Origin: 22nd Century Earth — Future Department Store]
[Production Date: 231.M3]
[Function: Shaped like a somewhat strange flower, anyone who smells its fragrance will forget current events for a period of time, only remembering them later.]
Khârn's figure suddenly appeared from behind Angron and the Mini Sun, wearing a tanuki-like eye mask and with a tanuki tail attached to his back.
[Item Name: tanuki suit]
[Origin: 22nd Century Earth — Future Department Store]
[Production Date: 281.M3]
[Function: A tanuki tail and tanuki glasses. After wearing both items, the user can emit brainwaves to influence them to create various illusions according to the user's thoughts.]
Khârn used this item to weave an illusion, deceiving Angron and getting behind him.
He didn't hesitate, swiftly using the tanuki suit to weave an illusion, hiding the orange-yellow Mini Sun, and then once again used the Tilting Cane to reverse gravity, attempting to pull Angron, who had lost his memory of the Mini Sun, back.
This combo was designed by the Emperor and Saint Doraemon.
Khârn could only describe it as utterly treacherous and insidious. He even worried if this met the Blood God's requirements for this battle.
After all, the Blood God desired a bloody battle, full of courage and bloodshed. He wanted to see rivers of blood, and the agreement he made with Alexander was for a fair battle, allowing only Khârn and Angron to use their own strength.
But then, Alexander's words from before the battle suddenly echoed in Khârn's mind:
"People have to rely on themselves."
"But my items are part of my strength. Why can't my lending you items also be part of your strength?"
"Even though I gave you the items, aren't you still the one using them?"
"Is there any difference between this and the Four Gods bestowing blessings upon their followers? Blessings are one's own strength, so why wouldn't items be?"
That's right, the items were Doraemon's blessings. Haven't Chaos always regarded blessings as part of their own strength?
People really do have to rely on themselves!!!
Secret Items! Give me strength!!!
In an instant, Khârn adjusted the Tilting Cane to its maximum setting, while simultaneously using the tanuki suit with all his might to weave illusions and deceive Angron.
Angron felt Khârn's aura and the pull of gravity. He let out a deafening roar, suddenly turned around, and was about to pounce on Khârn, crashing into the Mini Sun.
+No+
A voice filled with killing intent, anger, and the scent of blood rang in Angron's ear.
It was the Blood God's voice.
A god's voice is, of course, also a blessing. At least, that's what the Blood God thought.
The Blood God's awakening instantly cleared Angron's mind, which had been emptied by the Oblivion Grass. Anger once again filled the already limited space within it, and it also made Angron's Primarch instincts detect a certain danger existing between him and Khârn.
Khârn noticed Angron's wary expression, and he immediately felt a chill down his spine.
Not because Angron had detected the Mini Sun's presence, but because this moment was entirely within the Emperor's and Alexander's expectations.
They had even given Khârn a way to deal with it.
But this method...
Khârn considered himself a morally corrupt villain, one who deserved to die hundreds of times over.
But upon hearing this method, Khârn only felt a cold sweat, finally understanding what true depravity meant.
The moral bottom lines of the two Lords of Mankind had practically shattered the lower limits of the entire galaxy.
Vicious.
Khârn could only think of this word.
But Khârn took a deep breath. He knew there was no other way; it had to be done.
Angron would soon react, and Khârn didn't have much time.
Following the bit of knowledge the Emperor had instilled in his mind, Khârn continuously wove that figure from his mind, reflecting that soul onto reality.
It was an elder from Nuceria.
It was a deceased spirit who had long passed away.
It was a Primarch's foster father.
His death was the beginning of a Primarch's collapse.
Under the effect of the tanuki suit, the gladiator's figure slowly appeared at the location of the Mini Sun, completely obscuring the Mini Sun's presence.
The old gladiator slowly raised his head, looking at Angron with a surprised gaze.
This perfectly matched the actions he should make, because the Emperor is the aggregate of all humanity. This illusion was the Emperor reflecting the old gladiator's soul into Khârn's mind, then delimited by the tanuki suit.
The old gladiator's own soul had actually agreed to this cruel plan.
"Angron, my child."
Oenomaus' voice rang out from the illusion:
"How much torment have you endured from the slave masters?"
"Just how much torture did your slave masters put you through?"
The old gladiator, the illusion woven by Khârn, spoke in a sorrowful voice.
His gaze, as he looked at Angron's twisted body, was like a father looking at his child, ravaged beyond recognition by addiction.
He was Oenomaus, Angron's adoptive father and an old gladiator from Nuceria.
He and Angron had fought and defeated many enemies together. When the slave masters forced them to duel each other, both Angron and Oenomaus refused.
As a result, the slave masters inflicted cruel punishment: they implanted the Butcher's Nails into Angron's head. In the extreme rage and pain brought by the brutal surgery, Angron accidentally killed Oenomaus.
This event marked the beginning of Angron's rebellion, and also the start of his fall and madness.
Using the soul reflection provided by the Emperor and the tanuki suit provided by Alexander, Khârn recreated Oenomaus' image as an illusion before Angron's eyes.
This was Alexander's idea.
Upon hearing this idea, Sanguinius' expression faltered slightly, and Guilliman couldn't help but shake his head repeatedly. Only the Emperor thought it was indeed a good idea.
Some might accuse Alexander of having no moral bottom line, finding this act of exploiting familial affection too malicious, no different from reanimating an enemy's loved ones with Edo Tensei and stuffing explosive tags into the reanimated bodies. They might call it inherently evil.
But Alexander would ask:
Didn't Angron want to see Oenomaus again?
Didn't he want to see the father he accidentally killed again?
Alexander clearly fulfilled Angron's desire, allowing him to see his adoptive father.
So, Alexander felt he was practically doing charity; Angron should be thanking him.
Alas, in this dark and profound 40th Millennium of mankind, true kindness is always misunderstood.
Alexander couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Angron's reaction was even greater than Khârn had expected.
The crimson behemoth froze almost instantly upon seeing Oenomaus.
When Oenomaus' voice reached Angron's ears, Khârn even saw that same sorrow from ten thousand years ago in those eyes, which had become bloodshot and hollow.
Suddenly, Khârn realized that Angron's soul, the original Angron, had always been deep within this crimson body, tormented by rage and pain.
This body, this life, was itself the shackles imprisoning Angron.
The long torment of fate had made Angron unable to see any hope of successful rebellion. He had completely given up, retreated behind his cage and shackles, immersed in dark rage, unwilling to think or understand this world.
Oenomaus' appearance briefly awakened a part of Angron, allowing a tiny bit of emotion other than rage to emerge.
He looked at Oenomaus with a bewildered gaze. He was confused as to why he couldn't feel anger towards this frail mortal, why his arm couldn't lift, couldn't swing his axe at him.
Many fragmented memories flashed before his eyes, seemingly roaring, pleading, hoping Angron wouldn't repeat the mistakes of the past.
Oenomaus slowly raised his hands, extending them towards Angron, and said in his voice, deep and resonant like the packed sand of an arena:
"Come, my child, let me see you."
"How many years has it been since we last met? Ten thousand years?"
"You have truly suffered too, too much."
"If I could have always fought by your side, perhaps things would indeed have been different."
Angron instinctively took a step towards Oenomaus.
NO!
The Blood God's roar echoed in Angron's ears, screaming to warn Angron that there was a trap.
But Angron seemed not to hear the Blood God's roar, taking another sudden step forward, his massive body slowly approaching Oenomaus.
NO!
NO!
NO!
The Blood God's voice continuously echoed in Angron's ears, but Angron seemed to ignore it.
The Blood God could, of course, choose to directly intervene and control Angron with his own power.
But in the Blood God's view, that would be too much of a rule-breaker, violating the agreement he had made with Alexander.
After all, a warning was at most a blessing, but direct intervention would be pure unsportsmanlike conduct.
Angron, driven by instinct, walked to Oenomaus' side.
Oenomaus' muscles appeared fragile and weak in Angron's eyes, his stature minuscule compared to Angron's, and as for strength, he was no match for Angron in the slightest.
But for some reason, Angron felt that the hands reaching out to him possessed an irresistible power.
Oenomaus' soul, reflected through this illusion into reality, gently reached out and cupped Angron's heavy face.
Tears welled in the old gladiator's eyes as he tried to find traces of Angron's former face with his fingers.
Oenomaus was not forced to execute this plan.
Although Khârn considered this plan extremely unethical, Oenomaus chose to accept it himself, because—
"My child, my gladiator, my comrade-in-arms."
Oenomaus said softly:
"I still remember what you told me when we were trapped in the cage."
"You said that if one day you betrayed your brothers and sisters and became a slave master's dog, you would rather I cut off your head."
"I'm here, child. I'm here to keep the promise."
Angron's brain, almost completely destroyed by the Butcher's Nails, didn't understand what Oenomaus was saying.
He just instinctively reached out, wanting to embrace this tiny mortal, to embrace this gladiator's body.
Oenomaus did not resist, letting Angron draw him into his embrace.
First, warmth, a warmth that reminded Angron of the sun-warmed sand in the arena.
Then, heat, a heat that reminded Angron of Nuceria's scorching sun.
He suddenly caught a fragment of memory:
It was a strong old gladiator and a powerful youth, standing in the arena's sand, looking at the sun in the sky.
"My child, freedom is a priceless, heaven-sent treasure; all the riches buried beneath the earth, the sea, and among the stars cannot compare."
"Freedom, like honor, is worth fighting for with one's life. Servitude without freedom is the bitterest thing."
"But even bitterer than that is to lose the will to seek freedom."
Angron let out a wail and a roar. The old gladiator in his embrace slowly dissipated, leaving only a miniature sun, hidden within his body, burning with scorching heat, lashing Angron's crimson flesh.