Axis stood upon the unique planet within the Webway. He had waited there for three whole days. During this time, Axis had also eaten two Tree of Might fruits, fully restoring his strength.
Sometimes you had to admit, as a Saiyan, you had to squeeze your body dry, and then squeeze it again. Because only in this way could a Saiyan burst forth with their strongest combat power.
Vegeta had once said that a Saiyan's potential was endless. There was no limit. As long as a Saiyan was willing, as long as they firmly believed, they could reach higher and newer realms.
Axis could clearly feel that after exhausting his Divine Power each time, his recovery speed increased upon restoration, and his strength improved slightly.
If he continued training this way, Axis even felt that perhaps he wouldn't need the divine fruits at all. Relying solely on the excellent Saiyan bloodline might be enough to break through his current boundaries and reach a higher level. According to Axis's estimation, it would currently take him about half a month to recover naturally after exhausting his divine power.
If he used a Tree of Might fruit, it took three days to recover after depletion. This time would gradually shorten with prolonged training. Perhaps after a dozen more times, Axis would only need a day, or just the duration of a sleep, to restore all his power without needing the Tree of Might fruits.
In a dozen years, his body would perfectly adapt to this consumption. In perhaps a few centuries, he could break through his existing realm. Axis now even desired to stop taking the Tree of Might fruits entirely and rely solely on his physical body for recovery, allowing his flesh to adapt to this restoration process just as he had when training for Super Saiyan Full Power back in the day.
Relying on external objects to become stronger might not be the true path of a Saiyan at all.
Just then, the veil of the Warp above the planet was brutally torn open. After three days, the Emperor's Living Saint finally flew to Axis's location within the Webway.
"Such efficiency," Axis muttered to himself, looking up at the sky. The power of the Dark King was not to be underestimated.
His current location was fully ten thousand light-years from Holy Terra, yet the Corpse Emperor had sent a Living Saint over in merely three days. After the Warp rift opened, there were no roars of daemons nor the rampaging of Warp storms. Only a cold, pure golden light carrying a will of absolute command shone through.
A figure bathed in golden light with huge golden wings on her back slowly descended before Axis. She wore power armor condensed from pure Warp energy. Her face was devout and determined, her eyes burning with unquestionable fanatical faith in the Emperor, a Living Saint.
It was not Celestine, whom he was familiar with, but a stranger, a Battle Sister transformed into a Living Saint after death.
In her hands, she carefully held a cylindrical container made of adamantine and engraved with countless sacred runes. Inside the container, crimson liquid rippled slightly, emitting an indescribable aura composed of psychic energy, willpower, and pure vitality.
He had sat withered upon the Golden Throne for ten millennia, but recently, Axis had repaired the trauma to his body using life energy and Divine Power.
"The holy blood of the great God-Emperor is here, Lord Axis," the Living Saint's voice was ethereal yet filled with power as she respectfully presented the container to Axis. "In accordance with the God-Emperor's divine decree, I deliver it to you. May your actions purify Chaos. Glory to the Golden Throne. The Emperor protects."
Axis took the container holding the Emperor's blood and felt the majestic power contained within. "Leave it to me. Thank you for your hard work."
The Living Saint bowed to Axis and said nothing more.
Golden light enveloped her once again, pulling her back into the Warp rift. The rift immediately closed as if it had never appeared. The Emperor's Living Saint had other missions to execute and would not have excessive interaction with Axis.
After this Living Saint departed, the holy power of the Emperor, which disguised the Dark King, descended upon the location.
Impatient, aren't you, Dark King? Axis said secretly in his heart.
Axis weighed the adamantine container in his hand, the corner of his mouth curling into a playful smile. He walked near the area where he had previously cultivated Khorne's body and selected a new empty patch of ground.
"Axis, the items you require are all assembled. Act quickly now! I can't wait to have a vessel that can move within realspace. This way, I can better protect humanity, protect the Imperium, and resist the invasions of chaotic evil," the Corpse Emperor's voice sounded in Axis's ear.
With this body, his operational space would be vast. Even if Axis discovered his true identity later, he would have countermeasures.
"No problem. Shortly, you will need to split off a portion of your soul or consciousness and enter this body. Remember, this consciousness cannot be too strong. It absolutely must not exceed the body's endurance limit," Axis nodded and said.
"I understand, Axis. Thank you for the reminder. I am ready. Once the body takes shape, I will immediately split a portion of my soul and enter it," the Corpse Emperor replied.
In truth, splitting a portion of soul and divine power to create a brand new individual was not particularly difficult for a Chaos God.
It was similar to how they created their own Greater Daemons. The power he currently possessed was not much inferior to the four Chaos Gods. If not for certain scruples, he could create his own golden daemons, or rather more pure dark daemons, within the Warp at any time.
Anyway, the split soul would be minute and could be recovered at any time. He would split off a suitable avatar based on the limits of the created body.
"Alright then, I'm beginning."
Axis took out a seed from his dimensional space. This seed was slightly different from the first-generation Saibaman seed used by Khorne previously.
Its color was lighter, and it was better suited for planting in the Warhammer universe, but relatively, its initial strength and plasticity ceiling were inferior to the first generation, and it could not use Ki.
Axis dug a pit ten meters deep in the ground and buried the seed in the soil mixed with life energ.
He then took out a larger crystal flask containing extremely high-concentration juice squeezed from second-generation Tree of Might fruits and unhesitatingly poured a large amount of the juice down. This fruit juice provided a massive amount of nutrients.
He then carefully dripped the Emperor's blood onto the seed. The crimson blood seeped rapidly into the seed like a living thing. The seed instantly emitted a faint golden glow. The patterns on its surface seemed to come alive, beginning to resonate with the genetic map and psychic imprint within the blood.
Let me see what interesting creation will be born from the Dark King's will, added to my Ki, plus old man Emperor's blood, combined with the Saibaman's characteristics.
Axis took a deep breath. His own immense Divine Ki surged out like a golden ocean, injecting into the land where the seed was buried.
The ground began to shake violently, far more intensely than during Khorne's previous time. A brilliant golden light mixed with Axis's divine golden light shot into the sky, briefly dispelling the hazy halo unique to the Webway world.
The Corpse Emperor watched all this with excitement. He could feel the seed buried in the life soil growing vigorously. Furthermore, the blood belonging to the flesh body he was creating was replicating and reprogramming genes for something.
A huge cocoon made of pure energy formed on the surface. Golden runes of the Emperor's holy blood and golden patterns of Axis's divine power flowed across the cocoon walls, colliding, fusing, and reorganizing fiercely. Axis continued to output Divine Ki while guiding the energy of the Tree of Might juice, precisely regulating the incubation process.
He could clearly feel the lifeform rapidly taking shape inside the cocoon! Its core will carried the Dark King's characteristic coldness, calculation, and desire to control everything, but outside this will, a "shell" composed of Axis's Divine Ki and Tree of Might energy was forming.
This "shell" was closely linked to the seed's underlying directives.
Yet simultaneously, golden psychic power belonging to the Emperor was also being nurtured. This body itself possessed very high psychic talent.
Time passed bit by bit.
The light of the energy cocoon gradually grew inward and finally stabilized, forming a golden giant egg about five meters tall. A Saibaman created using the Emperor's blood possessed natural aptitude even greater than a Primarch!
"Now is the time, Emperor. Hurry and split a portion of your soul into this husk! It has successfully finished gestating," Axis immediately reminded the Corpse Emperor.
If he was any later, the seed would birth its own soul and become a brand new lifeform. It might have become something similar to a Primarch, perhaps even stronger physically.
The Dark King's consciousness impatiently split off a portion of soul fragments and then controlled these fragments, carefully entering the giant cocoon below. To avoid arousing Axis's suspicion, he did not use any power of the Dark King this time, using pure golden holy power to wrap the soul fragment instead.
The incarnation created this time would be extremely perfect. Even just a sliver of soul fragment split by the Dark King reached the level of an ordinary Warp lesser god in power.
An imperceptible smile appeared on the corner of Axis's mouth. He increased the output of Ki, injecting his Divine Ki into the seed and continuously catalyzing it.
Crack!
A crisp shattering sound rang out. A crack appeared on the surface of the giant egg, and rich golden light spilled out from within. Immediately after, the crack expanded.
An arm covered in dark golden vambraces, strong and powerful, with golden energy flashing at the joints, reached out and violently tore open the eggshell.
A figure stood up from the broken shell. He was close to five meters tall, with a well-proportioned physique full of power and perfect proportions like a sculpture.
His skin had a faint, almost metallic bronze texture. He was covered in dark golden armor patterns similar to Custodes power armor but fitting closer to the body with a more biological feel. Faint flows of golden energy circulated in the gaps of the armor.
This set of power armor was not forged but formed by the Emperor's Divine Power, the power of the Warp, completely defying logic.
Warp energy could perfectly manifest armor that was not inferior to Custodes power armor.
His face was resolute and chiseled. His eyes were sharp as eagles, and deep within his pupils burned cold golden flames bearing the Emperor's unique majesty and sanctity.
His appearance was almost identical to Axis's father-in-law, Neoth. But looking closely, a trace of undetectable dark power seemed hidden deep within that soul.
The opponent stood there, naturally emanating a powerful sense of oppression, a mixture of the Emperor's psychic pressure and powerful fluctuations of Divine Power. The newborn life lowered his head to look at his brand new hands. He clenched his fists, feeling the unprecedented power flowing through his body.
This body perfectly simulated and carried the soul fragment he had separated. The psychic power it contained appeared even more condensed and explosive due to the nourishment of the Tree of Might juice and Axis's Divine Power.
The potential of this body was not much less than the Emperor's own body. Moreover, as time passed, this body possessed better growth potential. To some extent, this body suited him even better than the Emperor's.
Furthermore, this body itself had no self-awareness, unlike the Emperor, who had spent a long time resisting, betraying him, the creator, betraying him, the original self.
"This is truly a perfect husk..." The Corpse Emperor's voice was incredibly deep. He raised his head and cast his gaze toward Axis, carrying scrutiny and a trace of hidden satisfaction.
This body was perfect, almost too perfect. But now was not the time to fall out. Next, he still had to obtain more things and more benefits from Axis.
"Axis, your skill is truly astounding. This body... far exceeds my expectations. It can perfectly carry my will and unleash considerable power in realspace. I must thank you, Axis," the Corpse Emperor said.
"You're welcome. Only by becoming stronger can you better protect humanity and the Imperium, and complete the transaction between us," Axis said with a faint smile.
He could feel the other party attempting to fully control the body, and indeed succeeding. Although the basic quality of this body was inferior to the daemon body created from the first-generation Saibaman for Khorne, it reached a delicate balance point in energy conduction efficiency, adaptability to the Emperor's psychic power, and most importantly, the latent connection with the creator, Axis.
The Dark King thought he controlled everything, but Axis knew that the "shell" composed of his Ki and the Saibaman seed's underlying directives had silently integrated into every cell of this body.
He was the true controller of this body. Although it contained the Emperor's soul, the Emperor's soul was more like an outsider. Axis even had a feeling that perhaps when he became strong enough, he could project his soul out, drive away the original soul in this body, and occupy it.
At that time, the expression on the Dark King's, or rather the Corpse Emperor's, face would certainly be very entertaining.
"I said I would give you a surprise," Axis approached and patted the shoulder of the second-generation Emperor incarnation.
I just don't know if you'll be able to handle the blow when this surprise arrives.
"How does it feel? How much power can you exert? Is there anything uncomfortable?"
This flesh body was a perfect undercover agent! Axis couldn't let the other party detect anything.
The Corpse Emperor's incarnation moved his neck, making a slight clicking sound. "Although far inferior to the power of the main body in the Warp, in realspace, it is enough to rival or even kill a complete C'tan.
"More importantly, it frees me from the shackles of the Golden Throne allowing free movement! Now, it is time to fulfill our plan. Khorne, whom you brought from the other world, should have already begun creating chaos.
"I will proceed to the designated location to stall Tzeentch's gaze for you. Remember your promise, Axis. Bring that Goddess of Life out and weaken Nurgle."
"Don't worry. I'm very familiar with Nurgle's Garden," Axis nodded confidently.
"We will split up. Remember, if the situation goes wrong, prioritize protecting yourself. Our cooperation has only just begun." The Corpse Emperor incarnation looked deeply at Axis, seeming to want to see something in his face, but Axis's expression was impeccable. Finally, the incarnation nodded, and powerful golden flame began to gather around his body.
"For the future of humanity," the incarnation said in a low voice. \
His figure turned into a golden streamer tearing through space, instantly rushing out of the Webway world and disappearing into the turbulence of the Warp. His target pointed straight to Tzeentch's domain, the Crystal Labyrinth.
Watching the direction the incarnation disappeared, the smile on Axis's face became very playful.
"Yes, for the 'future'..." Axis whispered, a golden light flashing in his eyes. "But whose future it is remains uncertain. Now, it's time to pick up Isha and bring her home."
Axis hesitated no longer. Powerful Divine Ki wrapped around his entire body. Space rippled before him like water.
Target, Nurgle's Plague Garden!
Instant Transmission activated, and Axis's figure also disappeared from the Webway world.
The Webway world returned to silence once more, with only two huge hatching pits remaining on the ground, and the air still holding the not-yet-fully dissipated mixture of Chaos and divinity!
At the same time, all four Chaos Gods in the Warp felt very unwell.
Slaanesh was provoked by the Aeldari God of Death.
Khorne discovered another version of himself, one from another world. Tzeentch was sought out by the Corpse Emperor's incarnation.
And within Nurgle's Garden…