Humans instinctively warm up to fluffy creatures.
After Kairos dismissed his daemons and changed his appearance,
The ragged, frightened slaves unexpectedly stopped being afraid.
Timidly, they clustered around Datch, hoping this powerful Angel of the Emperor would lead them out of this hell.
For the sake of more points and experience, Datch rounded up every slave he saw along the way.
Thus, with a sulky-looking Tzeentch Lord of Change and a gaggle of trembling slaves, Datch traversed the maze-like corridors of the fortress,
And successfully rendezvoused with Guilliman and the main boarding force in a spacious hub hall.
The Primarch had just led his force to drive out the entrenched Red Corsairs and daemon creatures.
The golden fire on the Emperor's Sword had yet to go out, and the air reeked of ozone, blood, and scorched metal.
Guilliman's gaze swept over Datch, then at the fluffy Kairos and the thin, fearful slaves.
Even with all his composure, the Primarch found it hard to keep a straight face.
This Nameless One—call him good, and he acts unpredictably, consorting ambiguously with daemons.
Call him ill, and he always brings hope in the darkest moments, even saving the lowliest victims along the way.
Greyfax, Celestine, and others all seemed to want to speak, but held their tongues.
The Nameless had received the Emperor's blessing—meaning his actions were Emperor-approved, and they had no right to object.
Cypher and Shadowseer Harlequin had expected the Primarch and Imperial heroes to attack the mysterious Nameless.
After all, consorting with daemons is a capital crime in the Imperium.
Yet, surprisingly, no one rebuked the Nameless for overstepping.
Guilliman even stepped forward to commend Datch.
"Nameless warrior, you have done well. The Pilgrims are landing, and soon we shall set out for Terra once more—"
BOOM!
The Primarch's praise was cut short by an earth-shaking explosion.
Across the hall,
A heavy, rune-engraved blasphemous armored gate exploded inward as if struck by a battering ram.
A pure, savage battle cry full of endless wrath followed.
The slaves, who had glimpsed hope, trembled in terror, their faces twisted in fear.
The warriors all tensed, ready to fight.
From the smoke and dust, a massive, terrifying figure strode in, shaking the ground.
Clad in brass and black iron armor, wielding two giant axes burning with unending hate,
Horns atop its head seemed to pierce the high ceiling.
Each step melted the floor beneath, leaving smoking footprints.
Most striking were the huge, shattered wings behind it, now just bare white bones, wrapped tightly in barbed iron chains.
"A poor wretch banished by Khorne," Datch immediately recognized the newcomer.
It was Skarbrand—the Daemon Prince once seduced by Tzeentch, who ambushed Khorne, and was finally banished.
Those chained, broken wings and broken horns were unmistakable.
This guy was practically a fan favorite—lots of genderbent doujinshi even depict him.
The cute little wife seduced by a blue-haired neighbor, backstabbing her husband, who then savagely beats her and throws her out.
The poor little wife tries everything just to win her husband's forgiveness and be taken back.
Datch honestly couldn't understand the shippers' brains.
How could they turn Skarbrand and the Blood God's feud into a romance drama?
All he could do was silently give them a thumbs up and say, "Impressive."
Skarbrand's burning eyes locked on Guilliman, who held the Emperor's Sword.
More than any other Bloodthirster, Skarbrand longed for the Primarch's head.
Only by offering a Primarch's skull to the Blood God could he hope for forgiveness and return to the Brass Citadel.
"Blood for the Blood God, skulls for the Skull Throne!"
Skarbrand's roar thundered through the hall.
Next, a chorus of howls erupted.
Khorne daemons and red-eyed berserkers surged in from the shattered gate like a flood, howling as they crashed into the waiting Imperial lines.
"Open fire!"
"For the Emperor!"
Under the influence of the Khorne daemon, the Imperials fought with unusual fury and recklessness, charging headlong to meet the foe.
Even Primarch Guilliman felt a surge of uncontrollable rage.
He swung the Emperor's Sword and plunged into the fray, slaying a Khorne daemon on the spot—its burning corpse turning to drifting ashes.
Skarbrand roared, axes swinging, and charged the Primarch.
The Emperor's Sword and the battle-axe clashed, unleashing a thunderous boom.
Skarbrand's other axe chopped down, but Guilliman dodged by a hair's breadth.
Then the Primarch rammed his pauldron into Skarbrand's gut, knocking him off balance, and landed a punch with the Hand of Dominion squarely on the daemon's face.
A punch strong enough to pierce a main battle tank's armor—yet only forced the Bloodthirster back a few steps.
Skarbrand roared again, lunging at the Primarch, hell-forged axes moving with impossible speed and lethality for their size.
Guilliman used all his skill just to barely dodge the attacks.
"Go, Kairos!" Datch's eyes lit up as he watched the battle.
This ugly-yet-cute Bloodthirster was so strong—
If he could catch it as a Servant, wouldn't that be…?
Kairos, however, was full of dread. A daemon's life was still a life!
With the Primarch and Bloodthirster fighting so fiercely, joining in would just get him beaten up.
Still, reluctantly, Kairos followed orders and joined the fight against Skarbrand.
Datch switched to his pumpkin power armor, grabbed his Ruyi Jingu Bang, and joined in too.
Skarbrand had once been Khorne's greatest general and the mightiest Bloodthirster.
But, in the end, two fists can't beat four hands.
The Lord of Change Kairos used sorcery to disrupt Skarbrand's movements and vision,
Datch, with infinite respawns, exchanged death for injury,
And with Guilliman wielding the Emperor's Sword.
Though powerful, Skarbrand's defeat was inevitable.
His brass armor shattered, burning blood splattering,
His roars now mixed with frustration and ever-growing fury under the onslaught.
"Quick, knock him to his knees! I want him as my Servant!" Datch shouted excitedly.
If he could catch Skarbrand in his Master Ball, he'd really show off to Khorne!
Hehe, Khorne, did you know—
Right before your precious general was caught, he was still calling your name, hoping you'd show up for him.
From now on, he can't serve you anymore. He'll have to call me master, full of humiliation and unwillingness!
….
Read advanced chapters at patreon.com/AbsoluteCode