“Just a…
nobody loyal to the Emperor and human civilization.” Karen shrugged, his tone devoid of much emotion.
To be honest, Karen didn’t have much of a favorable impression of that old yellow-skinned man sitting on the Golden Toilet, let alone any kind of die-hard loyalty.
Helping the Emperor and helping Horus was purely for two reasons: one was to complete the system’s tasks, and the other was his own personal vision.
Who wouldn’t want to witness or personally create a miracle in this god-awful Warhammer universe?
After all, men always love those grand heroes and blood-pumping miracles.
As for human civilization, Karen was one hundred percent on the side of iron-blooded humanity.
After all, he was human himself and had always been proud of his racial identity.
Not getting the answer he wanted, Kulen’s brow furrowed into a knot.
The veteran turned his head and stared fixedly at that massive bald head…
that is, Horus.
“And what about you, Horus Lupercal?” he questioned in a deep voice, his muscles still tense.
“Are you still loyal to your creator, our Emperor of Mankind?
Or have you lost your mind and are about to start another damn rebellion!” “I am his first-found son, I am his favored general and beloved son.” Horus’s tone was as calm as stagnant water, yet it held an irrepressible sense of exhaustion and sorrow.
“I, Lupercal, will remain loyal to the Emperor of Mankind until the day I die.” There was no impassioned speech, nor was there any sign of exasperation after being questioned to his face by a warrior.
The Wolf Shepherd God was filled with guilt.
After being wounded by the blade of his nemesis, the four bastards of the Warp deceived him, twisted his perception, and finally manipulated him into doing those terrible things that had forever nailed his reputation to the Empire’s pillar of shame.
This colossal scapegoat’s burden was something he had to wash away with his own hands.
Seeing the atmosphere grow heavy, Karen asked in return, “And what about you, Knight of the Dark Angels Legion, Kulen?
Are you still loyal to the Emperor and your genetic father?” “Of course!” Kulen involuntarily raised his voice, glaring fiercely at Karen.
“It was so in the past, and it is so now!
I will absolutely not abandon my loyalty to them just because I bear the title of Fallen Angel and am hunted by the descendants of my legion!” Looking at the veteran gritting his teeth and standing his ground to the end, Karen silently rolled his eyes in his heart.
Look at this damn tsundere; he truly inherited the bloodline of Lion King.
And no sooner had he finished complaining in his heart than it was quickly validated.
Kulen drew his dagger again and pointed it at Horus.
“Before I believe your words, I need to…
test myself against the Lord of the Shadow Moon Pale Wolf!
I shall fight on behalf of my legion’s champion!” Horus and Karen subconsciously glanced at each other.
Hiss, he really is Lion’s brat.
Horus couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“No problem.” He even cooperatively took a sparring stance.
“Perhaps your swordsmanship has already reached the threshold of your legion’s Corswain; his swordsmanship impressed me deeply.” “When my brother wakes up, you will be fully qualified to be in his personal bodyguard.” “At that time, you can stand tall and tell him: I challenged Lupercal to a duel in your name.” Watching Horus casually painting such grand visions, Karen leaned in and lowered his voice.
“My Wolf God, aren’t you just purely teasing a child?” “Half and half, my friend.” Horus turned his head and responded in a low voice.
“I accepted his challenge because he needs to prove his loyalty.
He draws his blade not to defeat me.” “He does it to seek closure for these ten thousand years of exile, for the brothers and kin who died in the rebellion, and for his own stubborn loyalty.” “Of course, what I said just now was also to give him a way out and build some rapport.” After speaking, Horus raised an eyebrow at Karen, turned around, and casually pulled a rusted piece of rebar from the ruins, weighing it in his hand to use as a dueling longsword.
However, Karen didn’t quite believe Horus’s explanation just now.
In his view, it wasn’t entirely based on proving loyalty.
He remembered in the book ‘sons of the forest’, when Lion King woke up and met his Fallen Angel progeny, a swordsmanship duel had taken place.
Words can deceive, but the combat instincts of a Primarch cannot.
Furthermore, as knights, the Dark Angels often preferred to communicate with swords; in a duel, they could learn much about an opponent through their swordsmanship.
He wondered what kind of expression Lion King would have when he woke up and saw his little kitten taking the initiative to solo the Wolf Shepherd God.
Good luck, buddy.
“I hope he doesn’t get beaten black and blue.” Karen prayed silently for the Fallen Angel Kulen.
Clearing a space, the two took their stances.
Kulen drew his Power Sword—a Power Sword whose disruption field had long since been damaged and dissipated.
He struck first!
The veteran’s sword was startlingly fast, his transitions between one-handed and two-handed grips as smooth as flowing water.
Every movement carried lethal intent, and his offensive was like a violent storm, leaving no room to breathe.
Relying solely on muscle instinct, Horus took half a step back and swung the rebar upward in a sudden block!
“Bang!” The collision of scrap metal erupted in a deafening thud, kicking up dust from the floor.
With this level of swordsmanship, even in the Luna Wolves Legion during the Great Crusade, few could guarantee a win.
Unless Abaddon himself stepped into the octagon.
Horus gave a very high appraisal in his heart, then praised loudly: “Excellent swordsmanship!” Before his voice faded, the Wolf Shepherd God tried to sidestep and circle behind.
But Kulen’s footwork was extremely tricky, firmly maintaining his position.
His offensive did not diminish; instead, it grew even more fierce.
Seeing the tip of the blade about to graze Horus’s chest!
The Primarch simply raised his hand and gave a light tap.
It seemed effortless, yet it directly knocked Kulen’s lethal strike off course.
Immediately after, Horus switched from defense to offense.
Kulen instinctively wanted to change his move to a counter-thrust, but he forced himself to stop mid-motion.
This unnatural pause instantly shattered his defensive center of gravity.
How could the battle-hardened Wolf Shepherd God miss such a golden opportunity?
Horus flicked his wrist, the rebar letting out a piercing whistle.
He first feinted toward Kulen’s face, forcing him to raise his arm in a block, then rotated his forearm into a high-pressure horizontal slash!
If this strike had connected, the Power Armor on Kulen’s right arm, along with the bone, would have been instantly crushed to splinters!
But a microsecond before contact, The Wolf Shepherd God forcibly checked his strength.
“Clang.” The massive recoil still numbed Kulen’s hand, and the Power Sword slipped from his grip, clattering onto the metal floor.
The duel was over.
Because at this moment, that rusted piece of rebar was held steadily against the weakest gap between Kulen’s helmet and breastplate.
If Horus had wished, Kulen’s end would have been a cold piece of steel through the heart.
“Why didn’t you strike!?” Kulen panted heavily, his voice laced with indignation.
“I cannot.” Horus’s tone was gentle as he casually withdrew the rebar and tossed it aside like trash.
“Because I will never slaughter any knight who is truly loyal to the Emperor and to my brother, Lion King.”