The Emperor muttered complaints in his heart about the Nameless One he had never even met.
That man had already kidnapped Number Sixteen, and now even Number Six had become a victim of his schemes.
Damn it, are you targeting my sons whom I've never even met?
If you have that much ability, then come out and challenge me.
Unless I let you experience the power of Terra's swords, guns, and cannons, do you really think the honorable title of Master of Mankind is something obtained through good deeds and noble actions?
Thankfully I was busy with the Great Crusade. Otherwise I would definitely have been traveling around the entire galaxy in a spaceship.
….
The meeting with Leman Russ proceeded without the complicated situations the Emperor had expected.
Leman Russ, as the King of Fenris, casually accepted his own identity.
The Emperor, who had made numerous plans and was eager to put them into action, felt as if he had punched cotton. He was so irritated he almost coughed up blood.
Leman Russ and his subordinates followed the Emperor toward the Emperor's Dream, which was parked in orbital space.
It was a massive golden warship that shone even more dazzlingly than the snow of Fenris under the sunlight.
The Emperor hosted a grand welcome banquet for Russ and the others aboard the Dream Ship.
The huge long table was piled high with delicacies from hundreds of countries around the world.
The golden pitchers contained fine wine of unknown name that released the fragrance of fruits and flowers.
Servants with the double-headed eagle emblem on their shoulders and chests moved among the guests like elegant white butterflies.
Russ and his warriors sat at the long table, eating meat and drinking wine with barbaric movements.
Their laughter was as wild and unrestrained as a Fenrisian blizzard, echoing through the banquet hall.
...
"Horus, there is something I want to give you."
This was the message the Emperor sent to Horus, signaling the beginning of a lonely end for the returned eldest son.
As he got to know him throughout this period, Horus realized that he was not a special existence.
The Emperor had already fathered twenty sons who looked exactly like him.
Horus was somewhat disappointed by this fact, but he did not think deeply about it.
His heart was filled with the deceased Nameless One. He dreamed of accomplishing something that would make that man smile with satisfaction when he returned and saw his achievements.
When the Emperor's Dream crossed the Warp and approached the Vengeful Soul, he could sense the presence of another brother.
It seemed the Emperor had found another son.
Accompanied by Horus, who was aboard the ship, the Emperor arrived at the glass-enclosed corridor surrounding the banquet hall.
Through the curved reinforced glass, the interior of the banquet hall could be clearly seen.
Russ, who had just returned, was holding a banquet with his subordinates and drinking wine.
Their clothing was primitive. Their sideburns were messy and covered in dirty fur, and their clothes were covered in armor and chainmail.
At a single glance, one could tell they were tough men — warriors born to die on the battlefield.
Horus immediately recognized him because his younger brother's physique was completely different from the other brothers.
Leman Russ sat at the head of the long table, holding a well-roasted leg of lamb in one hand and a wine glass larger than his own head in the other, toasting with his subordinates.
"Is he my brother?" Horus asked while looking at Leman Russ.
"Yes," the Emperor nodded. "Go talk to him. You might find something in common."
After finishing his speech, the Emperor left earlier than planned.
He had many tasks piled up. Leman Russ's return meant that the command of the Sixth Legion would be transferred to him, and he needed to firmly carry out that duty.
Horus entered the banquet hall and stood in front of Leman Russ.
His arrival attracted everyone's attention.
Leman Russ also stopped eating and drinking and stared at Horus with a surprised expression.
Horus looked around, then turned his gaze toward Leman Russ.
"Hey, brother. I am the Lord of the Sixteenth Legion. Welcome back."
"I am Leman, King of the Russ tribe," Leman Russ answered.
Horus glanced at the two giant wolves beside him. They were Leman Russ's pets.
They were larger than cattle and lay prone at the feet of their master. From their slightly raised heads drifted a terrifying sense of oppression.
"Are those wolves?"
"Yes," Leman Russ nodded.
"They seem to suit your temperament very well. I never imagined that among the Primarchs there would be another brother who takes the wolf as his totem."
"I didn't expect that either," Leman Russ said.
Horus walked over to the table and poured wine into a large glass.
"Brother, do you understand the meaning of this crusade?"
"Our father, the Emperor, has declared that he will conquer this galaxy," Leman Russ said.
"Do you agree with his grand ambition?" Horus asked.
"Who can object when a great empire existing among the stars dispatches an expedition for the prosperity of its own race?" Leman Russ said.
"Will you swear absolute loyalty to Father?" Horus drained the wine in his cup in one gulp and continued asking.
"No… the nameless one said we should always think independently. The words 'absolute loyalty' may not be suitable for me."
At Leman Russ's words, Horus, who had been remaining calm, showed a surprised expression. The wine glass in his hand fell to the ground and made a sound.
"Nameless one?" Horus asked in an anxious manner. "Did you see him?"
"Impossible. It must just be a coincidence. It can't be him."
Although Leman Russ was somewhat surprised by Horus's reaction, at the same time he fully understood it.
"You seem to care a great deal about the nameless ones. But that is normal. If I heard rumors of the nameless ones in another place, I would make the same expression."
"After all, the power he wields is so powerful that now all the people of Fenris regard him as the Almighty Father, King of the Gods, and Creator of All Things."
The moment he heard Leman Russ's explanation, Horus's breathing became somewhat faster.
Based on this explanation, the Nameless One the other party mentioned should be the person I know.
Why leave Cthonia and go to Fenris?
Don't you want to see me anymore?
Have I become unimportant to you?
Horus felt a sense of loss. He realized that in the hearts of the nameless ones, there were many other existences besides himself.
"Can you tell me his story?"
"Whose?" Leman Russ asked.
"The nameless one. I have also seen him. He helped me and Cthonia, reconstructed the entire planet, and guided Cthonia onto the path of civilization," Horus said. "Then he disappeared without a trace. I have been searching for him ever since, but there has been no contact at all."
"He truly appeared and left like the wind, unbound by worldly restraints." Leman Russ spoke of the two outsiders who had come to Fenris and challenged him.
Learning that there was another person besides the nameless one, Horus felt jealousy for the first time in his life.
If you want to be with someone, why can't it be me?
When he learned that the Nameless One had only helped the King of Fenris create a floating mountain, he felt somewhat relieved.
That Nameless One cared more about him than about the King of Fenris.
The two Primarchs immediately began an active conversation, starting from the topic of the nameless ones and building a more intimate relationship.
When the Emperor finished his work and returned to the banquet hall,
Horus and Leman Russ were sitting next to each other, clinking glasses while talking happily, their laughter echoing through the banquet hall.
They looked more like close friends who had grown up together than brothers who had just met.
The Emperor was happy at first, but when he heard their conversation, he suddenly became displeased.
Because their conversation was only about the nameless ones.
How excellent and capable is the other party, and what should I do to meet the other party's expectations?
Damn it, I am your father and your creator!
What you should do is not meet the expectations of a nameless person who was not involved in your creation, but meet my expectations.
Nameless, nameless, every day is the same nameless days. I'm shivering from the cold.
The Emperor held back from being at a loss for words, took a deep breath, and walked toward Horus and Leman Russ.
I am the ruler of the Imperium of Man, the savior of human interstellar civilization. The savior, that is, the creator of the Primarchs, is an existence hostile to the gods.
But now, he is being plotted against by a certain scoundrel who is secretly trying to seize his original body.
From today onward, I intend to work hard to regain my sons' trust and make them completely forget about that detestable Nameless One.
...
The TARDIS phone box passed through the time tunnel. The yellow warning light flashed in the endless flow of time.
When it approached the destination, a portal of light suddenly appeared inside the time tunnel.
When the TARDIS phone box passed through the portal of light, it shook violently and then regained silence, arriving at Datch's destination — Barbarus.
Barbarus is a gas-filled planet orbiting near a dim yellow sun. Its atmosphere is filled with terrifying toxic gas, so the nights on the planet are long and gloomy, and the days are very short.
Humans can only survive in valleys and plains where the fog is thin.
This planet is ruled by a cruel alien race distorted by the power of the gods, and humanity has become their slaves.
Their current timing is extremely important. It is the critical turning point in the story where Mortarion escapes from his adoptive father's fortress and descends the mountain in search of humans.
Datch planned to use this opportunity to drastically modify Mortarion and shape him according to his own will.
When the phone box door opened, an invisible barrier blocked the swirling yellow-green toxic fog.
Datch and Ferrus stepped one after another into the toxic fog.
They were all wearing power armor. The moment they stepped into the toxic fog, a series of data appeared in the helmet's field of vision.
Atmospheric composition analysis and toxin concentration detection.
A series of red warning signs announced the terror of the toxic fog.
Without protective measures, ordinary humans would die within a few seconds from the toxic fog.
When Datch and Ferrus looked around, they saw the outlines of numerous magnificent buildings appearing and disappearing in the fog.
Clearly, they were inside the ruins of an ancient city.
These desolate ruins told that the human civilization of Barbarus had once been extremely powerful and prosperous.
Due to the Iron Man rebellion and the arrival of the Eternal Night, the human civilization of Barbarus had been destroyed.
During this period, whether because of war or the evil whims of the gods is uncertain, but the entire planet had been covered in deadly toxic fog.
Datch took out a Monster Ball and summoned Pugh and Orange.
They possessed their own purification auras. The moment they appeared, they automatically purified the surrounding pollutants and cleaned the air and water.
Pugh perched on Datch's shoulder as usual. That had become his favorite place.
It had once made the masked dancer extremely jealous. Whenever Orange was not around, she always kicked Pugh around like a ball.
She possessed both style and technique, yet she had been overshadowed by a chubby child.
Truly unbearable.
Relying on the minimap, Datch and his companions crossed the desolate city and headed toward the nearest human settlement.
That settlement was located on the outskirts of the city ruins, in a low-lying valley. It was a village that survived on barren land by cultivating crops that could withstand toxic gas.
The arrival of Datch and his group shocked the villagers.
The lowlands were places where humans could survive, but traces of toxic gas remained.
However, when Datch and the others arrived, the toxic gas was completely purified, and they were able to breathe fresh air like never before.
This incident completely changed the villagers' view of Datch. They now looked at him with eyes of awe and expectation.
The village chief, who was in the prime of his life, wore rusted iron armor and walked toward this strange group amid the expectant gazes of the villagers.
"Who are you?"
"We are outsiders who have come from afar." Datch removed his helmet and revealed his human face. The villagers were extremely curious about where they had come from.
"We came here by chance and would like to stay for a while."
"This distance? What kind of place is it exactly?" The village chief examined the power armor the two men were wearing. It was finely made and heavy. Even those evil aliens would not be able to harm them.
From these things, he understood that the team before him definitely had a powerful background.
The village chief hesitated, unsure whether he should keep the other person.
After all, this world was ruled by alien warlords, so there was a possibility that they had angered those aliens.
If he carelessly accepted them, it could bring enormous damage to the village.
But at that time, the village chief remembered the strange man with a gloomy face who had come a little earlier wearing a long black robe.
Although the other side had not shown hostility toward them, the presence of the stranger had made the villagers extremely uneasy.
Perhaps they could use these well-equipped outsiders to drive away that suspicious man.
"It's difficult to explain in just a few words." Datch's voice interrupted the village chief's thoughts, and he said patiently, "Don't worry. We won't cause any problems."
"You may stay here as long as you like," the village chief nodded and agreed to Datch and Ferrus's request.
"The village is occasionally attacked, so I would be grateful if you two could help."
"Of course." Datch nodded and agreed to the village chief's request.
Having received the promise, the village chief showed an expression of relief and guided Datch and the others into the village.
While walking, Datch looked around the simple village.
The houses were low buildings made of rubble and clay, characterized by ash-brown thatched roofs.
All the children in the village were stick-thin, with their ribs clearly visible under their skin.
The women were severely emaciated, clearly due to long-term damage from toxic gas and malnutrition.
The village chief gave Datch and his group the best house.
However, the living environment in the village was limited. Even the most splendid house was built with earthen walls and a thatched roof.
The oil lamp in the village chief's hand illuminated the furniture inside the house.
A low table, several stones used as cushions, a pile of hay in the corner, and a blanket whose original color could no longer be distinguished — clearly a bed.
The air was a mixture of moldy odor, the smell of hay, and an indescribable sour smell like old sweat.
Before long, the villagers carried over a large wooden bucket.
The wooden barrel was made by binding rough wooden boards with many iron hoops. The hoops were rusted.
Inside the wooden bucket was a paste-like ash-white food, faintly steaming.
It was a porridge made from the powder of ash-green crops, with a viscosity somewhere between soup and paste. Occasionally, several withered blackish vegetable leaves could be seen mixed in.
This was the best meal they could offer. A porridge made from refined flour, accompanied by a little dried meat of an unknown animal.
Seeing all of this, Datch praised the humans of Barbarus.
They were truly hard to kill. They had survived even after all that.
Just as Datch was about to refuse the villagers' food, successive screams filled with terror came from outside.
"He's here again! That strange man is here again!"
Instantly, various sounds echoed throughout the village.
Men's shouts, women's screams, children's cries, and dogs' barking mixed together, creating a very noisy scene.
"We have two guests." The village chief looked at Datch and Ferrus with a troubled expression.
They had gotten involved in trouble even before checking in.
He was worried that the two would simply leave. If that happened, there would be no one left who could deal with that terrifying monster.
"Let's take a look." Datch guided Ferrus to the entrance of the village.
Seeing them appear, the villagers who had fallen into panic felt as if they had found someone they could rely on.
They immediately fell silent, picked up improvised weapons, and followed behind Datch and the others.
Upon reaching the entrance of the village, Datch saw the strange man the villagers had been talking about.
The other person was tall but thin and bony.
He wore a dirty black robe that reached his ankles and had the hood pulled down deeply, so most of his face was hidden.
A golden exclamation mark was displayed above the other party's head, clearly indicating that he was the target of their mission on the planet Barbarus.
Mortarion was the Primarch of the Fourteenth Legion, the commander of the Death Guard, and later known as the Gas Tanker.
Mortarion looked surprised when he saw Datch and Ferrus appear.
His gaze was fixed on Ferrus. The moment he saw the other party's face, he felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if they were long-lost brothers.
But that was impossible, his adoptive father had told him many times.
His parents had died in war long ago. His adoptive father had found him on the battlefield. He was alone and had no brothers.
"Mortarion, my brother. It is an honor to meet you." Ferrus stared at Mortarion and spoke in a complex tone.
In the future, Mortarion would become a complete traitor.
He would ruin everything, become a subordinate of the Chaos Gods, and commit countless terrible crimes.
But for now, the other party was just a teenage boy who had only just escaped from an adoptive father of a different race.
According to historians, although Mortarion had an adoptive father, he lived a very difficult life.
They were given all kinds of rotten toxic food and thrown into various harsh environments every day for survival training.
Without his original body, he would have died tens of thousands of times.
"Do you know me?" Mortarion asked with an expression mixed with curiosity and surprise.
Unexpectedly, the giant before his eyes was actually related to him by blood.