"outsider, minion of The Cursed one."
Skarbrand stared intently at Zigman, his eyes burning with raging fury.
The Khorne Greater Daemon's voice, filled with boundless rage, made the entire world tremble.
Skarbrand's body was as tall as a mountain, incredibly strong.
His muscles were knotted like intertwining snakes, his skin a blood-red hue covered in sanguine patterns.
He held a flaming axe in each hand, their handles connected and bound to his arms by thick brass chains.
The blade of each axe was larger than a man, dripping with fresh blood.
Skarbrand roared, raising his battle axes with both hands.
He also unfurled the pair of massive, tattered bat wings on his back.
Their membranes were ragged and torn, allowing scorching blood to drip from wounds that would never heal.
Crimson blood rain fell from the sky, bathing his body.
Just standing there, he exuded a despair-inducing killing aura.
"Skarbrand."
Zigman gripped the longsword in his hand, staring intently at Skarbrand.
Fighting such a Khorne Greater Daemon was too difficult for him at the moment.
He saw no hope of victory.
Furthermore, Skarbrand's current position was right next to a Warp rift.
The rift allowed the Khorne Greater Daemon to continuously draw power from Immaterium, making him invincible.
"Skarbrand, did your master send you? I thought he had completely abandoned a traitor like you."
Zigman's single sentence touched Skarbrand's raw nerve: being abandoned by the Blood God was the hardest thing for Skarbrand to come to terms with.
He roared heavenward again, this time with even more intense fury, mixed with pain.
His terrifying voice ignited the hidden rage within the hearts of the fallen Chaos Cultists.
Under Skarbrand's influence, the berserkers who had been hiding in the trenches could no longer suppress their anger and their thirst for blood.
"Blood for the Blood God, skulls for the Skull Throne."
"Blood for the Blood God, skulls for the Skull Throne."
The berserkers shouted the Blood God's slogan, then leaped from the trenches and charged towards the Imperial loyalists.
"Boss succeeded, he lured the berserkers out of their shells."
White Wolf stood up, aiming his bolter and firing at the roaring enemies.
"For a moment, I couldn't tell if you were just brainless or being a troll!! How can this situation be associated with success?!"
"White Wolf's joke is really dark!!"
"Boss did attract those Khorne Cultists this time, but the problem is that Khorne Greater Daemon."
"You clearly don't understand the market. This is called 'buy one get one free,' it's popular now."
"We all went through nine years of compulsory education, why are you so outstanding?!"
"I often feel inferior because I'm not as outstanding as you scoundrels!"
"Skarbrand, even the Grey Knights would suffer heavy casualties! I guess we're all going to be chopped into eight pieces this time."
Don't Eat Beef and other Players joked while firing at the enemies.
"Fire."
Messinius shouted the order.
The Primaris Space Marines rushed out from behind cover, pouring fire on the charging enemies while advancing with the God Chosen.
Bolter rounds and melta beams rained down like a storm.
They instantly tore the charging berserkers in the front to shreds.
The berserkers ran extremely fast, and after enduring two rounds of firing,
They charged to the front of the Imperial army.
The two sides clashed in battle.
A berserker clad in twisted bone-spiked armor charged at Messinius. His armor was covered in blood, and various skulls were impaled on the bone-spike decorations behind his head.
There were commissars wearing hats, terrified civilians, and despairing soldiers.
These were all trophies he had obtained on the Fomor World.
They had massacred that world and used the heads of the dead as decorations.
The Chaos Cultist held a blood-stained chainsword in his hand.
Black chains bound the hilt to his hand to prevent it from slipping.
In his other hand, he held a bolter that clearly hadn't been maintained; its rusted barrel squirmed with fleshy growths and sprouted fangs.
Normally, such a weapon should have been scrapped long ago.
So heavily rusted, it shouldn't be able to fire bullets anymore.
But under the blessing of Immaterium, that berserker's gun defied physical laws.
Not only could it continue to fire, but the bullets it shot were also very powerful.
The enemy's mask had shattered in the battle, as had the breathing grille beneath it.
Through the damaged parts, Messinius saw the enemy's fierce appearance. His heart was perfectly calm.
The face beneath his helmet seemed forged from steel, showing no change in expression from beginning to end.
After his Primaris upgrade, Messinius gained a more focused mind, swifter speed, and greater strength.
The enemy's movements were broken down into slow motion in his perfect mind. He scrutinized every move the enemy made, searching for weaknesses and formulating corresponding counter-plans in his mind.
"Blood for the Blood God, skulls—"
The berserker raised his chainsword high and brought it down towards Messinius's head.
Messinius shifted slightly to the side. The roaring blade fell past him with a minuscule deviation.
The berserker's face showed a myriad of emotions: regret, pity, anger.
Then, he revealed a craving,
Wanting to try again.
After all, it was just a hair's breadth away.
If only he could be a little faster, he would surely be able to tear through the flesh of this Emperor's servant before him.
Unfortunately, this berserker did not get a second chance.
Messinius activated his power fist, and a ghostly blue light erupted, intertwining.
He swung it fiercely, his massive fist striking the enemy's chest. The violent force instantly destroyed the opponent's armor and flesh and bone,
Leaving a smoking hole where the organs once were.
Crimson blood splattered out, finally landing on his white armor.
The berserker ultimately failed to finish his slogan before collapsing with a crash.
"For the Emperor." Messinius shouted, then stepped over the traitor and continued to advance.
The other warriors of the White Scars Chapter did the same.
Relying on their enhanced bodies and new weapons,
They were overwhelmingly slaughtering the Chaos Space Marines,
Using powerful firepower to destroy enemy bunkers and gun emplacements, dismantling the enemy's defensive lines.
Initially, their advance was very fast.
Screaming rockets and small missiles, along with other heavy firepower, easily destroyed the corrupted ceramite and the buildings squirming with flesh.
Continuous explosions tore the Cultists and Dark Mechanicum members to pieces.
But this advantage did not last long.
As more and more enemies entered the battlefield, their speed gradually slowed down.
On the other side,
As the asteroid's Warp field was destroyed,
Asagaai's fleet could directly attack the asteroid's surface and the main body of the Hellship.
But the Daemons also gained the right to operate on the asteroid.
They swooped down from the sky, rushing towards Messinius and other Imperial heroes, attempting to overwhelm them with sheer numbers. "One Skarbrand isn't enough, these lesser Daemons also want to join the fray. If that's the case, then fight."
White Wolf dropped his bolter, switched to a chain battle-axe, and cleaved the pouncing Daemon in two.
"Big brother, at a time like this, stop joking around and quickly form up."
"Protect Zigman. No matter what, even if we can't defeat Skarbrand, we must at least hold him back."
Despite the bickering and chaos, the Players were quite serious when it came to business.
They quickly gathered, forming battle formations as taught by the Sisters of Silence and Grey Knights, allowing their Null Field to overlap and achieve maximum suppression.
Feeling this powerful Null Field, the surging daemons screamed and fled, or bypassed them, while those unlucky ones who charged too fast and couldn't stop were ground into black smoke by the Null Field, dying amidst their screams.
Inquisitor Rostov and the others endured the discomfort, staying close to White Wolf and the other God Chosen.
This was a smart move; the battlefield was too chaotic for anyone to specifically spare effort to look after the Inquisitor's safety.
"There's absolutely no way out!"
Kilke's face showed despair.
Being too close to the Soulless caused her immense suffering, but not far away were distorted and numerous daemons.
Once she left the Soulless's protection, she would instantly be torn to shreds by those Warp monsters.
"We're definitely doomed. Look at that big guy over there, who among us can beat him?"
Kilke trembled as she pointed towards the Khorne Greater Daemon in the distance.
Any race that understood the Warp knew of Skarbrand.
This guy had destroyed countless races, turning innumerable prosperous worlds into scorched earth.
In the myths of many races, Skarbrand was the embodiment of war, destruction, and death.
His appearance signified that the world was heading towards its end.
"No matter what, we have to try."
"Giving up now guarantees failure; persisting offers a hope of success."
Inquisitor Rostov suppressed his fear and calmly analyzed the current situation, searching for a breakthrough.
To still be able to think under the oppressive aura of Skarbrand already demonstrated the Inquisitor's extraordinary courage and strong will.
"We must destroy the Blackstone Device and restore everything to normal."
"Advance towards the Dark Temple. As long as we destroy the Blackstone Device, we still have hope."
Inquisitor Rostov looked at the distant shrine.
Currently, only by destroying the Blackstone Device and weakening Skarbrand could they have a chance to win.
Inquisitor Rostov communicated with White Wolf, asking him to assign a few Soulless to him.
Subsequently, he contacted Messinius, instructing them to attack the Dark Temple and destroy the Blackstone Device at all costs.
"Go," Inquisitor Rostov said to his followers.
"Our only way out is to destroy that temple."
Thus, Zigman, White Wolf, and other God Chosen were responsible for holding back the Khorne Greater Daemon to buy time.
The others advanced towards the Dark Temple to destroy the Blackstone Device.
Zigman had completed his second awakening; although he hadn't undergone Primaris enhancement, under the Emperor's blessing, his strength, speed, and explosive power were no less than that of a Primaris Space Marine.
Skarbrand launched an attack, intending to claim the head of this outsider in the name of the Blood God.
Only then could he wash away the humiliation the outsider had brought upon the Blood God.
When Skarbrand charged Zigman, he could feel the Blood God watching the battle.
Seated high on the Brass Throne, he had not cast his gaze upon the pitiful Skarbrand since the day of betrayal.
No matter how many lives he slaughtered or what pleasing acts he performed, the Blood God had ignored him, as if he had completely forgotten him.
But today, his gaze was cast once more, filling Skarbrand's heart with joy.
Whether he could regain the Blood God's favor depended on this moment.
Zigman had won eight duels.
If he were a normal person, he would have long received blessings and been specifically noted by Khorne.
If he could complete the Crimson Trial, he might even have a chance to ascend to Daemon Prince or Daemon Primarch.
Unfortunately, Khorne's blessings were all blocked by the Emperor, and Zigman kept humiliating him. How could Khorne tolerate such a thing?!
Now, the Blood God only wanted to see Skarbrand chop off that outsider's head.
Clang!
Zigman used the sword in his hand to block Skarbrand's attack.
The terrifying force transmitted by the axe blade made Zigman feel as if he had been struck by a Gloriana-class battleship traveling at light speed.
The immense recoil sent him flying like a cannonball, crashing into a profane mechanical high tower pulsating with electrical arcs.
"Such terrifying power," Zigman struggled to get up.
The Null Field suppressed Skarbrand's Warp energy, but the Daemon could easily crush him with sheer physical strength alone.
Boom! Boom!
Heavy footsteps resounded, making the earth tremble.
Skarbrand strode forward, rushing towards Zigman's position, his battle-axe raised high.
Upon reaching him, he swung it down fiercely.
The battle-axe struck with immense power, intending to cleave this outsider to pieces.
Zigman no longer chose to block directly, but instead used his power armor's thrusters for an emergency maneuver, dodging the blow.
The heavy battle-axe struck the ground, instantly tearing it open, and scarlet blood gushed forth from the fissure.
Zigman used the thrusters on his back to fly up. After circling to Skarbrand's flank, he suddenly increased his flight speed, intending to launch an attack from the side.
But Skarbrand's reaction speed was also very fast.
As Zigman's sword pierced the Greater Daemon's body, the Daemon's battle-axe followed closely, cutting his body in half at the waist.
Just like that, crimson blood gushed out, eerily vibrant.
Thud! Thud!
Zigman's two halves fell to the ground with a dull thud.
The battle armor's emergency life support activated, spraying medical mist to stop the bleeding and delay his death.
Skarbrand also let out a painful roar as the Null Sword pierced his body.
He flapped his tattered wings, flying into the air, forcibly pulling out the sword. Immediately after, he charged towards Inquisitor Rostov and the others' position. He needed more slaughter and souls to fill the wound caused by the Soulless and alleviate the pain, so he no longer bothered with the defeated Zigman.
"Cough! Cough!"
Zigman, with only half his body remaining, coughed up blood continuously.
He reached for his bolter, then leaned against a corpse, preparing to continue the fight.
If he chose to die now and then resurrected, this battle would already be over.
Therefore, continuing to fight with his crippled body was the choice that maximized his gains.
Daemons swarmed, pouncing on Zigman.
They all wanted to claim the head of this outsider to please the Blood God.
"Get to the boss's side," White Wolf shouted, urging the nearby Soulless Players to gather at Zigman's position.
Meanwhile, Players like Don't Eat Beef on the other side were in a dire situation.
They had originally intended to assist Inquisitor Rostov in destroying the Dark Temple to weaken Skarbrand.
Just as they reached the temple gates, Skarbrand descended from the sky, blocking their path.
With a swing of his battle-axe, he easily cleaved the Players at the forefront.
Immediately after, he set his sights on the White Scars Chapter warriors.
Even with Primaris upgrades, those Astartes were no match for Skarbrand.
This was because, here, Skarbrand could continuously draw energy from the Warp, unlike when he was summoned to Reality and suppressed by the laws of the universe.
On this asteroid, Skarbrand was barely suppressed.
With a single move, he killed the Primaris Space Marines who rushed at him, tearing their bodies apart and bathing in their blood.
Countless daemons also surged forth with the arrival of the Khorne Greater Daemon, completely overwhelming Inquisitor Rostov and his party.
"Damn it!"
Don't Eat Beef activated his thrusters and charged towards Skarbrand, wanting to stop him.
But he only heard a sharp whooshing sound, and a huge crimson axe blade appeared before him.
Before Don't Eat Beef could react, his vision went dark, and he was immediately disconnected.
In the eyes of others, Don't Eat Beef charged at Skarbrand and was chopped to pieces in less than a single round.
"It's over."
Kilke looked at the surging daemons, despairing.
Even though the Dark Temple and the Blackstone Device were not far away, they no longer had a chance.
The daemons would tear them apart before they could rush into the shrine.
Reality, Imperial Palace.
Alex, who had finished his inspection of the space city, returned to his office to continue handling government affairs.
He wanted to work diligently to ensure the Human Empire returned to normalcy as soon as possible.
After resolving several controversial issues from the Ministry of Internal Affairs,
A submission from the Imperial Bank appeared before Alex: "Proposal on Initiating Loose Monetary Policy."
He briefly scanned it and saw that the proposal was 160,000 words long.
Even worse, it contained a large amount of data models.
"This Regent is so tough that even a dog wouldn't want to be it. Anyone with a bit of ambition would be exhausted to death."
Alex finally understood why the High Lord generally didn't live long.
The main reason was that there was too much to do.
Alex grumbled a few times and was about to check the details of the application when Cortana appeared.
"Master, your Players have been wiped out."
A projection appeared before Alex, showing the scene from the Hunter Demon Battle Group.
"Skarbrand??" Alex was a little surprised to see the enemy of Zigman and the other Players.
Skarbrand was once Khorne's chief, with astonishing combat power.
If the Hunter Demon Battle Group encountered him, it would be a miracle if they came out unscathed.
"Why did Skarbrand appear there?" Alex was a little confused. "Perhaps to prevent the Human Empire's resurgence. Your recent actions have been increasing,"
"and your influence on the Human Empire is growing. I imagine the Chaos Gods have already begun to pay close attention to humanity."
During this period, Alex vigorously pursued anti-corruption, technological advancement, improving people's livelihoods, and military development,
allowing the slowly dying Human Empire to burst forth with vitality.
And the new technologies he and the Players had tinkered with greatly reduced humanity's reliance on the Warp.
The Chaos Gods consequently felt intense unease. If Alex, this outsider, were allowed to continue developing,
he would certainly become a greater threat than The Cursed one.
Therefore, the Gods began to target the Human Empire with a plan.
"You're right. The Chaos Gods are not wooden figures after all; they won't sit idly by while we reform and grow stronger without doing anything."
Alex nodded, agreeing with Cortana's statement.
"So what should we do now?" Cortana asked. "Should we send Players from other Warbands to support them?"
"I'll go myself and test out the skills I've recently acquired."
Alex stood up, intending to go in person.
He had been stuck on Reality dealing with government affairs and pushing reforms for too long, feeling stifled.
It was time to find some fights to relieve his fatigue.
The invincible skills he had recently acquired should also be put to use.
Void, asteroid surface battlefield.
"My Emperor, please protect your devout followers."
Inquisitor Rostov looked at the Khorne Greater Daemon walking towards him,
praying to the Emperor while continuously pulling the trigger of his laser pistol.
Crimson beams continuously shot from the muzzle, cutting through the air.
The pulse beams, capable of easily penetrating steel, left only insignificant scorch marks on Skarbrand's body.
In less than a breath, the scorch marks disappeared, effectively causing no damage.
"May your will be with me."
Inquisitor Rostov clutched the Emperor's sculpture. As the Khorne Greater Daemon approached, blood tears streamed from his eyes.
An indescribable rage grew within the Inquisitor, impacting his last shred of rationality.
The Blood God's roar continuously echoed in his ears,
intending to drag this loyal servant of the Emperor into an endless abyss of rage, to become a slave to anger and blood.
In the distance, the warriors of the White Scars Chapter and the God Chosen were surrounded by an endless horde of daemons and Cultists, engaged in a bitter struggle.
They wanted to rescue the Inquisitor but couldn't shake off the daemons' entanglement.
And Inquisitor Rostov's retinue was either dead or wounded.
Only he stood alone, facing the approaching Khorne Greater Daemon.
"Where are you? Help me, and help them too," Inquisitor Rostov prayed.
"The Emperor is dead. He cannot save you. Embrace the Blood God," Skarbrand whispered, reaching out to grab the Inquisitor.
Then, a light appeared, and a resonant holy hymn suddenly rang out, overpowering the Blood God's roar.
A figure clad in golden armor, holding a longsword and a spear, slowly emerged from the light.
The intense light instantly illuminated the vast and boundless void. Countless daemons shrieked and fled, like shadows retreating before light.
"What's happening with Inquisitor Rostov?"
Asagaai, as the Astartes commander, also saw the light from the asteroid, her face filled with shock.
"The sun, the sun has appeared!" The chief of the augury department stammered, shouting.
The Bridge crew, led by Asagaai, all widened their eyes upon hearing this reply.
And on the asteroid, Skarbrand also let out a deafening roar at Alex, who had appeared in the light.
"Foreign Evil God."
Regarding Alex's identity, the many daemons of the Warp had already thoroughly investigated.
This guy was not from this universe at all but an outsider.
Hearing Skarbrand's words, a trace of speechlessness appeared in Alex's heart.
"Big brother, you are the recognized Evil God, aren't you?"
"Could it be that in the mouths of Warp creatures, I too have become an unspeakable Evil God?!"
"So I wake up in a cold sweat from a dream, and the Evil God is actually me??"
"I am not a God." Alex looked calmly at Skarbrand. "Just an ordinary person who has received the Emperor's blessing and the people's recognition."
"Gods are just the foolish perception of you low-level Warp creatures. There are no Gods in this universe."
"Everyone can rely on their own efforts to receive blessings and become a Saint."
"What kind of Ultraman speech is this!!" Even though he was critically injured and constantly coughing blood, Zigman didn't stop complaining.
"Ultraman acts like an old scoundrel, deceiving light, and the Guide acts like an old scoundrel, deceiving faith. They are simply birds of a feather."
Bai Lang walked to Zigman's side and picked up his half-body.