Ancient Darrell kept his crimson optical sensors fixed on Roya’s retreating figure.
Inside the Contemptor’s sarcophagus, countless calculations raced through his mind.
His deep mechanical voice echoed across a private vox channel.
“There is no other explanation, Kalcuris.” “Power beyond the limits of mortal flesh.” “The ability to create miracles at will.” “Protection that completely ignores the corruption of Chaos.” “He must be one of the Emperor’s lost sons.” “A Primarch whose existence has vanished from Imperial history.” Kalcuris tightened his grip on his force staff.
The normally composed Chief Librarian now breathed heavily like a newly initiated battle-brother.
“…A Primarch…” His voice trembled.
Behind his helmet, his face had become flushed with excitement.
“Ten thousand years…” “After this cursed Age of Darkness…” “We’ve actually found one of the Emperor’s sons…” Ancient Darrell flexed the massive fingers of his power claw.
Hydraulic pistons growled softly.
“Go.” “Return to the surface immediately.” “Use the astropathic relay.” “Notify the Adeptus Custodes…” “…or the High Lords of Terra.” Before he could finish— Blue psychic energy suddenly erupted around Kalcuris.
His force staff crackled violently.
Then— He charged directly into the battlefield like a man possessed.
“For the Emperor!” “For our Lord!” A bolt of psychic lightning thicker than a man’s torso erupted from the head of his staff.
More than a dozen Plaguebearers were instantly reduced to smoking ash.
Deliver a message?
Report to Terra?
Forget that!
To fight beside a living Primarch— That was an honor beyond the dreams of any Space Marine.
He, Kalcuris…
Would never surrender such glory to someone else.
Ancient Darrell fell silent.
He watched the blue-armored Librarian disappear into the melee.
For several long seconds— The Contemptor simply stood there.
“…” Finally, a burst of static escaped from his external vox.
“…Forget it.” “We’ll report everything after the battle.” “This opportunity…” “…comes only once.” The reactor behind his shoulders roared to life.
The colossal Contemptor charged forward once more.
Its power claw became a merciless steel grinder, tearing apart every daemon unfortunate enough to stand before it.
What followed could scarcely be called a battle.
It was slaughter.
Every Space Marine transformed through Roya’s system— Whether veteran Lamenters or newly ascended recruits— Displayed combat abilities that bordered on impossible.
Corrosive plague.
Warp-borne diseases.
Acidic bile.
Every one of Nurgle’s blessings struck their armor.
Yet before the corruption could spread— The Space Marines calmly uncorked the leather waterskins hanging from their belts.
One drink.
A flash of white light.
Every trace of corruption vanished instantly.
Even the filth staining their armor disappeared.
The terrifying plagues of Nurgle…
Had become completely useless.
Without their greatest weapon…
The bloated daemonic horde became nothing more than oversized targets.
Far away…
Deep within the Warp…
In a vast garden beyond mortal comprehension— Rotting vegetation covered endless fields.
Countless diseased trees twisted beneath a sickly sky.
At the center stood an enormous cauldron filled with plague, entrails, and pestilence.
A gigantic bloated figure slowly stirred the mixture.
Then— The stirring stopped.
Across the endless Warp…
A disturbance reached Him.
“My blessing…” “…has been cleansed?” A deep, warm voice filled with unsettling kindness echoed through the Garden.
It was Nurgle.
He watched.
Watched the warriors below casually drinking white liquid.
Watched His carefully crafted plagues disappear without even the slightest trace of psychic resistance.
Strangely…
The Chaos God did not become angry.
Instead— He chuckled.
The sound echoed joyfully throughout the Garden.
Countless Nurglings laughed together with Him.
“How interesting…” Even so— Nurgle made no attempt to interfere directly.
The Materium remained protected by laws even the Chaos Gods could not easily ignore.
Without a massive ritual or catastrophic breach between realities…
Even He could not simply reach into the material universe.
So He merely watched.
Patiently.
Curiously.
The assault continued.
Barely fifteen minutes later— Roya’s iron sword cleaved through the final resisting Plaguebearer.
The daemon burst into white particles and disappeared forever from the battlefield.
Silence returned.
Deep inside the sewage treatment complex— A massive Warp Rift floated silently above the ground.
Five or six meters long…
Its edges shimmered with sickly purple-green light.
Through the opening came endless daemonic howls.
“My lord.” Phoros approached while stepping over piles of corrupted corpses.
“This is the source of the invasion.” He turned toward Kalcuris.
“Librarian.” “Prepare the sealing ritual.” “We’ll collapse the Warp breach.” Kalcuris immediately raised his force staff.
Psychic energy gathered rapidly.
“Wait.” Roya casually raised one hand.
Everyone froze.
He calmly walked toward the Warp Rift.
Stopping only a few steps away.
Then— He reached into his inventory.
A perfectly square block of cobblestone appeared in his hands.
He weighed it thoughtfully.
“It would be a waste to destroy it.” “I might find another use for it later.” Everyone watched in complete confusion.
Then— Roya casually placed the cobblestone directly against the base of the Warp Rift.
The block floated into position.
Ignoring gravity.
Ignoring spatial distortion.
Ignoring the Warp itself.
Then he placed another.
And another.
And another.
Within moments— A perfectly flat cobblestone wall completely covered the breach.
On the opposite side— Several daemons reaching toward reality slammed face-first into solid stone.
Thunk!
Their claws scraped frantically across the cobblestone.
Shrill screeches echoed through the tunnel.
Yet…
Not even a scratch appeared.
The Warp Rift…
Had effectively been blocked…
By ordinary cobblestone.
Kalcuris slowly lowered his force staff.
The psychic energy gathering around it flickered awkwardly before fading away.
Phoros stared blankly.
“My lord…” “…that’s it?” Roya dusted off his hands.
“What more is needed?” He turned away casually.
Then— Something caught his attention.
Several faint gray item drops floated upward from the places where the Plaguebearers had died.
They flew directly into his body.
Roya immediately opened his inventory.
Inside rested several swirling piles of gray ash.
Faintly visible within each was a distorted screaming face.
[Item Name: Daemonic Remains] Description: A newly discovered crafting material.
Can be used as an advanced enchanting ingredient.
Weapons enchanted with this material gain the Daemonslayer enchantment, allowing them to permanently destroy the true essence of Warp entities.
Roya’s eyes widened slightly.
It could…
Delete daemons completely?
That was effectively an existence-erasing attack.
Normally…
Daemons slain within realspace simply returned to the Warp.
After gathering sufficient power…
They would eventually manifest again.
But according to the system…
Weapons enchanted with this material would destroy their very essence.
No resurrection.
No return.
True death.
Roya immediately looked toward everyone nearby.
“Spread out.” “Search every corpse.” “Collect every pile of Daemonic Remains left behind.” He picked up one handful of gray ash.
Phoros instinctively took a step back.
“My lord…” “Those are…
daemon ashes?” Roya nodded.
Holding the strange material calmly in his palm, he spoke in an even voice.
“Once weapons are enchanted with this…” “Any daemon killed by them…” “…dies permanently.” “They will never return to the Warp.” Silence.
The entire sewage processing district seemed to stop breathing.
Phoros stood frozen.
Every Space Marine stared at Roya.
Completely…
Destroy daemons?
Ancient Darrell slowly turned toward Kalcuris.
The two exchanged a silent glance.
Neither of them spoke.
Neither needed to.
Ordinary bread that accelerated gene-seed implantation…
Ordinary milk that erased Nurgle’s corruption…
Now…
The ability to forge weapons capable of permanently annihilating daemons.
There was no longer any room for doubt within their hearts.
Whether history acknowledged Him or not— Whether He Himself remembered or not— Lord Roya had to be one of the Emperor’s lost Primarchs.
Only a son of the Master of Mankind could possess power that so completely transcended the laws of the universe.