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He could no longer let out a battle roar; all his strength was held in this last breath. As the two Slaanesh Daemonette Stewards leapt down, his vision began to darken again.
He fought almost purely on instinct, his thoughts a near impossibility due to blood loss. Fortunately, his body still remembered how to fight, and the daemon's influence would assist him.
The Daemonette Stewards' combat abilities far surpassed those of ordinary Daemons, moving faster with more precise actions, their talons elongated and deadly. Veils streamed down their faces, nearly obscuring them entirely. Ignis could not see their eyes and had to rely on passive defense to avoid being pierced by those elongated claws.
His body could endure no more punishment; life drained from him with every passing second.
The two Daemonette Stewards circled him instead of attacking immediately. Their nature was cruel—they would never kill a prey they could toy with. Now, they saw the dying The Salamander as the perfect plaything.
Not today… I will not be a toy.
But the Salamander did not intend to comply. He had to destroy this twisted mirror; no one knew what would happen if it reflected upon Cerakos or Gotthardt. Especially Cerakos—the Son of Sanguinius could be provoked into the Black Rage very easily.
He launched a futile charge, but his blood-drained body moved too slowly, sluggish as a snail in the eyes of the two Slaanesh Daemonettes. They sneered, dodged nimbly, and opened two more holes in the Salamander's armor.
The daemons licked the blood from their talon tips, savoring the victory, reveling in the torment of their prey.
Ignis collapsed to the ground, unmoving, barely breathing. Death seemed imminent.
"How boring… so quickly rendered immobile?" They approached, pressing hooves against The Salamander's helmet.
Ignis had been waiting for this moment. He struck swiftly, seizing their legs before they could react, yanking them down with brutal force.
Panting, bleeding, The Salamander appeared more terrifying than the daemons themselves. He held the two Daemonette Stewards firmly, chanting the name of The Emperor.
Golden flames erupted from his palms, a manifestation of the Emperor's destructive essence, reducing the two daemons to ash.
Another victory, a step closer to his goal. He teetered on the brink of shock, but the Emperor's psychic presence answered, sealing the wounds inflicted upon him.
He struggled to rise again, his gaze fixed on the mirror. The twisted Slaanesh creation tried to stabilize itself using its severed metallic tendrils, but without a commander, it seemed panicked.
Panicked… a daemon construct panicked?
Ignis realized then—it was alive. It was a Slaanesh Daemon as well.
The twisted mirror could not be looked at directly… yet his eyes met his own reflection within.
Suddenly, silence fell. Every sound vanished; everyone disappeared. Darkness enveloped the surroundings. The intense pain assaulted his mind, and The Salamander felt his will beginning to slip from his control.
"What are you staring at? I rarely get a chance to go on a date with you."
Jane Doe's long tail wrapped around his wrist, the Rat Thiren lady smiling playfully. She wore casual attire today; the orange-red sunlight at sunset cast a warm glow on her white dress.
"I finally finished work and invited you to dinner, and here you are, spacing out?" she said, frowning slightly, tugging on Ignis's arm with her tail. "Hurry up—I already reserved the restaurant."
Ignis looked down, wearing a similarly oversized casual outfit. He felt a little disoriented. Had he forgotten something?
It doesn't matter. A date with her, anywhere is perfect. Peaceful days are too precious.
Seeing him follow, Jane Doe released his wrist and clasped his arms with both hands, gently pressing against him.
"After dinner, I also booked a hotel." Her cheeks flushed. "We haven't had time to be close in a while."
"Alright, whatever you say." The Salamander's lips lifted unconsciously. Time with a loved one always felt this way—simple closeness, being together, was enough. More intimacy would bring even greater joy.
"Ugh, the recent case has been such a headache." She sighed, eyebrows knitting together. "How can people hoard massive amounts of toys, waiting to sell them at inflated prices? Selling for ten times the price—it's unbelievable."
Ignis recalled the news report. The victim had learned through insider information that a batch of toys had bizarre defects—so ugly that distributors wouldn't buy them. The manufacturer assumed they couldn't sell, so they dumped them cheaply. He purchased a large batch early, even renting a warehouse. When the toys hit the market, their unique ugliness made them unexpectedly popular.
Some buyers wanted large quantities but refused to pay high prices, insisting on fair value. A scuffle broke out, and the victim was injured fatally by a toy. The perpetrator fled, but the warehouse doors remained open, and someone else took the toys and sold them for a profit.
Jane Doe's task had been to track where the money went. Once she learned it had been invested in the stock market, she knew it was over.
Although the case was chaotic and the parties obscure, it was fortunate for her to have been undercover in the criminal underworld. With Public Security operations ongoing, gang activity had decreased recently.
Days where she could meet Ignis became more frequent. This criminology expert had shifted from fieldwork to clerical duties, leaving more time to be together.
Ignis felt the small, square box in his pocket. Honestly, he still didn't know her real name, but he could no longer suppress the desire to marry her.
Her work was now safe, making it the perfect opportunity. Once she agreed, he could inform Zhu Yuan and others, and Jane Doe could be reassigned from the front lines.
The path with a loved one was always short. As Ignis rehearsed when to pull out the ring, they had already arrived at the restaurant Jane Doe reserved.
It was a high-end Western restaurant. Entering, Ignis felt a bit of pressure, but the servers' professionalism and warm smiles on his wolf-like face dissipated his tension.
The maid providing service seemed distracted, flicking her shark tail impatiently. After taking the order, she said nothing and walked away. These servers are… unusual, Ignis thought.
"Their chef is excellent. The dishes are quite distinctive," Jane Doe said, staring at him. "Are you hiding something from me? You seem distracted."
She squinted her eyes, a mischievous curve at her lips: "Are you seeing another woman? Be honest!"
Knowing it was a joke, The Salamander waved his hands frantically. "Absolutely not. Don't listen to rumors."
"Really?" Jane Doe tilted her head. "I heard you were close to a girl named Iori."
Iori?
"She's just a neighbor girl. Once some street thugs harassed her on the way home, I helped get them off her back."
Is that so…
"Oh? Playing hero again?" Jane Doe's gaze hardened. "Being admired feels great, doesn't it, my hero?"
"Don't be suspicious. Nothing happened. I just happened to cross paths with her after studio work; her parents wanted me to help. You know how it is—pretty girls attract attention."
"Pretty girls," the Rat Thiren lady muttered, lips twitching.
"Nothing happened," he insisted, flustered and red-faced.
"Alright, alright. I believe you." She laughed slyly, tail brushing his knee under the table.
"You seemed distracted today; I just wanted to tease you. Don't be mad."
Ignis exhaled. Since they started dating, he had been led by her hand entirely. He could never resist. He stroked the velvet box in his pocket and took a deep breath.
"What's this sudden life-or-death pose?"
He closed his eyes, pulled out the delicate box, and opened it for Jane Doe.
"Jane Doe!" His voice thundered. "Will you marry me?"
"Marry?" The Thiren lady was unprepared, face flushed.
"But you don't even know my real name…"
Her rare blush deepened. Though she often teased this giant, the proposal had left her flustered.
"It's okay. You can tell me now." His expression was earnest.
"I…" Jane Doe faltered, having faced vicious criminals and guns to her head without hesitation, yet now she froze.
The ring left her entire body stiff. She had thought of this day, but truly facing it left her unprepared.
She reached out with both hands, holding Ignis's, searching for words.
"I will marry you. My real name is…"
Ignis waited for the answer, a promise of the future. Only to be interrupted by a scream.
"What is that thing?"
The Salamander looked where Jane Doe pointed. Outside, a writhing, tentacled mass dropped from above. Curious bystanders approached, and suddenly it split open, strange creatures crawling out.
They attacked immediately, screams echoing through the streets.
Ignis recognized them—Terran Xenos airdrop pods, releasing blade and warrior bugs. How did these bastards find this place?
He tried to pull Jane Doe to safety, but behind her, a portal shimmered open. A burning greatsword pierced her body, and a squad of Khorne Bloodletting fiends emerged.
The streets descended into chaos. Slaanesh Daemonettes rampaged, Nurgle Plaguebearers formed a stinking wall, and Tzeentchian pink aberrants hurled fireballs, igniting fires.
An invasion? Or a full-scale nightmare of destruction?
He heard roars. A Khorne Greater Daemon clashed with a Terran Dreadnought, tearing through a building. Their weapons—demonic axes and bio-psychic blades—collided violently.
New Eridu instantly became a battlefield of carnage. Four Chaos Gods and the Great Devourer's legions fought over the land, humans became fodder.
How did this happen? I was just proposing to her… Jane Doe's body had burned to ashes.
"Do you want to end this?" A voice whispered in his mind.
I can grant you ultimate power, to clear these invaders.
Yes! He hesitated not for a fraction.
"Good, mortal. I will give you my power—the supreme power, to control all things. Now, recite the prayer."
Wait… something's wrong…
Ignis sensed it, though he could not say what exactly.
Hatred is a double-edged sword—don't let the blade wound yourself.
A golden man appeared in his mind.
Not this! Believe in me! Speak my name! I will grant you eternal love and delight!
Get lost, filthy wretch! He belongs to me! Burning hatred, consuming rage—your people failed! He is mine!
You cursed cancer, butt stuck to a brass toilet, goblin-headed fool! He is mine! He even proposed in that illusion!
Proposing to you… dare you show him your true form in that illusion?
So noisy… who's fighting inside my head…
Everyone leave! He belongs to no one!
The golden man approached, radiating infinite authority.
"Child of another world, you must have your own choice."
"Yellow-skinned one, you finally arrived!"
What did you just call me?
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