So sacrifice really could solve the Thousand Sons' flesh-change problem? And keep their father from being executed because of it?
Then if the benefits had been made clear… what about the price?
With that thought, Ahriman pressed the Warp Sage for confirmation again and again. In the end, he learned that as long as he was willing to sacrifice himself—and at most a few more people besides—the flesh-change could be cured.
The moment he heard that, he impatiently demanded to know what kind of spell could possibly be so miraculous.
Even if I do not use it now, I can still learn it first.
It might be useful one day.
That can only be a good thing.
But eager as Ahriman was, he still raised two crucial questions to the Warp Sage.
"Why are you helping me?" Ahriman asked curiously. "What do you gain from this?"
Did truly selfless saints who helped others for nothing actually exist? Something about this felt off.
"Because I am kind, child. And because, once I help someone, I always see it through. That is my creed, and my principle as a proper adventurer."
"I will do everything within my power to aid every seeker of knowledge who needs help. Though you and I have only met once, child, I saw in you a character as precious as gold."
"Your father, Magnus, refused to sacrifice himself for the Legion. But you are willing. That is deeply moving."
Father? He refused to sacrifice himself?!
Those words struck Ahriman like a blow.
Father… you were afraid to die?
"Sage, will this spell truly work?" Ahriman asked, his voice tight.
His mood was as wretched as Prospero itself. He had no time to worry about anything else now. Save the Legion first. Confront his father later. The world would soon know exactly why Ahriman had chosen to offer up his life.
"Of course it will. This is the culmination of my life's research."
"If my death can buy the Legion a future, then…" Ahriman drew in a breath. "I am willing."
"Excellent. Child, your character has passed the test. And as a reward, I shall grant you an additional gift."
As the Sage spoke, its form began to dissolve from Ahriman's sight. The blue tint overlaying everything cracked apart. At the same time, an enormous flood of knowledge and memory poured into his mind.
First came the spell the Sage had described. Ahriman analyzed it, grasped it—and without hesitation named it the Rubric.
Then came a series of horrifying prophetic visions.
A future where the flesh-change was never stopped…
First, the entire Thousand Sons Legion would be erased because of it. The Fifteenth Legion would vanish from human history, swept into the trash heap of time.
And after that, Ahriman saw something even worse.
The primarch he revered had been broken apart. Prospero had been dragged into a hellish Warp realm overrun by daemons. The surviving Thousand Sons suffered endlessly under the flesh-change, unable to live and unable to die.
The sheer heartbreak of that future only hardened Ahriman's resolve.
He had to save them all.
Even if the price was sacrifice.
As the final vision faded, Ahriman saw the Thousand Sons transformed into a silver-clad psychic order so glorious that even the Emperor took pride in them.
At that moment, the part of him willing to die for the sake of others ignited completely.
A voice hammered against the last of his reason.
Even if it is for humanity. For the Imperium. For the Legion. For the Emperor. For Prospero. And for Ohrmuzd… then sacrifice yourself.
"I understand…" Ahriman closed his eyes, old memories flashing one after another through his mind.
Then he returned from that soul-projection state.
The three factions of Thousand Sons who had been arguing all turned to stare at him.
"Brothers! I have found a way to save the Legion—and our battle-brothers!"
"What way?!"
None of them knew what Ahriman had just experienced. They were baffled.
If you had a solution, why did you not say so sooner?
"The solution is…"
Unlike Magnus, who had chosen secrecy after his own bargain and guarded it in silence, Ahriman told them everything. His meeting with the Warp Sage. The offer. The method for curing the flesh-change. Every cause and consequence, all laid bare.
The Thousand Sons listened.
At first, they fell into uneasy silence. Then came doubt.
But in the end, more than half of them felt that it was worth trying—even if the "Sage" in Ahriman's story clearly seemed wrong somehow.
What truly convinced them, however, was Ahriman's final sentence.
"If this is a chance, then we should seize it. Could our deaths really make things any worse than they already are?"
Yes.
If their deaths could save the Legion and their father, then that sacrifice would have meaning.
And if it failed? They were going to die anyway—either because of the attack on the Warmaster, or because of the flesh-change.
If so, why not gamble?
If they won, everything would change.
If they lost, they died.
No difference.
"Then let us try!"
"Let us try!"
"I support you, Lord Ahriman!"
"If sacrifice can save everyone, then I am willing!"
"So am I!"
Once the first voice answered him, the rest followed quickly.
Before long, the ninety-nine routed survivors had regained their resolve.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Ahriman declared. "Begin the rite!"
He raised his voice.
"For the Crimson King! For the Thousand Sons! We will end the flesh-change!"
As if injected with fresh fire, the Thousand Sons leapt into action.
Following the materials Ahriman had received on the Rubric, they began altering the ritual formation on a grand scale. Even those with weaker psychic talent prepared themselves to serve as little more than living batteries.
Time passed quickly.
Though they were walking toward death, none of them seemed afraid.
On the contrary, they grew more and more exhilarated.
This was a spell no one in history had ever cast—not even their father, not even the Emperor.
If they succeeded, both would surely see them as a source of pride.
Just as warriors longed to cross blades with the strong, the Thousand Sons yearned to study and unleash a spell no one had ever used before.
That was the ultimate triumph of the scholar.
To solve a problem no one else could solve.
To prove that you were better.
"Are you ready, my brothers?" Ahriman asked.
The formation was complete. Every man stood in precisely the right position. And, most importantly, the eight brothers nearest the center had fully lowered their defenses.
"We are ready! For the Thousand Sons!"
"Good. Then all that remains is to wait."
Inwardly, Ahriman counted the approach of the sacred moment—nine hours, nine minutes.
Only nine minutes remained.
Nine minutes that would normally have passed in an instant now felt impossibly long.
With every minute, fragments of his life replayed inside his head like a report of everything he had been:
his first brush with psychic power,his explorations of the Warp,his brother's death,his vow to end the flesh-change…
It was all so close.
And yet…
Why did he feel so uneasy?
"The answer is simple, child. Because your ritual is still missing the most important component."
The Warp Sage's voice rose again from the depths of his mind.
"Hm?!"
The other Thousand Sons heard it too.
At the exact center of the formation, an eye materialized out of nowhere—its iris shining like amber.
At once, they recognized it.
Their father's eye.
"Now it has returned to its rightful place. Your father once traded it to me in exchange for a way to slow the mutation."
"He will surely be proud of you."
The Thousand Sons were stunned.
And, at the same time, deeply moved.
For father's sake… we will gladly die.
"Of course, by violating the bargain, I too shall perish. But that is of no consequence…"
The Sage's voice grew faint.
"I simply love humanity's willingness to sacrifice itself. I love that quality in you all so very much…"
Then the voice vanished completely.
The Thousand Sons, hearts full, offered the highest respect they could to the Sage.
Was it not making a sacrifice as well? Was that not even nobler than what they themselves were doing?
After all, sacrificing oneself for others…
That was something none of them could truly claim.
"Begin the rite!" Ahriman shouted, tears in his eyes.
The ritual commenced.
The Thousand Sons focused with all their strength and started their work.
And watching the entire thing unfold, Tzeentch was overjoyed.
No. Hold it in. Not yet.
But… I am already rolling my eyes from trying not to laugh.
Nine seconds more, and all of you will be mine.
Magnus, you fool. You agreed to the first deal, and thought you could refuse the second? It was never going to be that easy.
Soon, half your soul—and the fate of all your sons—will belong to me.
I, the Great Goddess, have calculated everything perfectly.
And as for that Bruce fellow… did you think saving Horus changed anything? That body was only ever a vessel.
And Magnus… he will become my Daemon Prince.
A one-of-a-kind masterpiece.
My edge in the Great Game to come.
You worked so hard, and in the end changed nothing?
Exactly.
That is what I wanted.
The more disgusted you look, the happier I am.
"No… no!"
And then, at the very moment the rite was about to succeed, something went wrong.
One of the Thousand Sons let out a scream—and crumbled into sand. His power armor collapsed around the pile with a clatter.
Then it happened to another.
And another.
At the heart of the formation, Ahriman and the others stared in horror as more and more of their brothers turned into dust.
What happened?!
The Sage said this would stop the flesh-change!
Why are my brothers turning into sand?!
The more despair and pain Ahriman felt, the more delighted Tzeentch became. At last, she prepared to step in personally, to deal the final blow and harvest their souls herself.
Yes.
Yes!
This is exactly what I wanted to see!
How delightful! How wonderful! How entertaining!
And yet—
Just as she moved to finish it, an anomaly appeared.
After more than two-thirds of the Thousand Sons had turned to sand, the ones with stronger psychic talent reached the point where the rite should have claimed them as well.
But what Tzeentch had expected—simple, joyful soul-harvesting—did not happen.
Something strange interfered.
What did it mean that the spell could suddenly no longer identify its target?
What?
Tzeentch froze in disbelief as the remaining Thousand Sons abruptly transformed—not into dust, but into one soft, delicate girl after another.
She clutched her head and let out a shriek of pure incomprehension.
"You all… what happened?" Ahriman, too, was left staring at his transformed brothers in even greater misery than before.
"I don't know! I don't know either!"
"It's so strange… this body feels so weak, but somehow my perception of psychic power is sharper!"
"Why did I become like this? I cannot accept this!"
"Mutation! This is absolutely mutation!"
"If the Emperor sees what we have become, he will have every one of us executed!"
"Lord Ahriman! Did your Rubric say anything about this happening?!"
"Ah… I'm so tired… let me lie down for a bit…"
While the Thousand Sons descended into total chaos, Tzeentch completely lost it.
She started smashing her forehead against her magic mirror, over and over.
What is this supposed to be?!
How did this turn out nothing like I planned?!
This can fail too?!
But then, after a moment, Tzeentch calmed down.
Because on second thought…
This was still funny.
Fine.
This is part of the plan too.
Unexpected developments are fun.
In short—
I still win.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 150)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter190)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter105)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter225)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 195
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 170
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/5
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 225
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 210
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/30
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 115
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 130
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 105
I Can Copy Unique Skills 100
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 90
My Harem Is Indescribable 85
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 90
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 100
Still playing traditional Honk 69
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 75
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 60
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 71
Checking In in Demon Slayer 75
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 80
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 66
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 58
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 65
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 63
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 59
Why did they assign me to Uma 55
MYGO Beauties 56
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 45
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 49
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 36
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 35
The Uma Musume Who Became 15
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