Emperor's Bane

Chapter 897 Entrustment

Chapter 897 Entrustment
"Comoros?"

"What a touching invitation."

Angron received the Spider Queen's communication while patrolling the Odashica Avenue aboard the Liberator.

Through the holographic projection between the two Primarchs, Morgan was able to get a glimpse of this famous central spine, even though he had never boarded the flagship of the World Eater Legion.

[That's right. Although we can't be sure which city or satellite town we'll ultimately fight in, we will indeed be leading an invasion of the Comoros in a broader sense: this won't be a simple mission, my brother Angron; it will be much more difficult than you imagine.]

Morgan sat on her throne, her mental state much improved compared to before. She once again combed her long silver hair neatly, her blue eyes reflecting on her silver shoulder armor. To her right was an unnamed blade that had been causing Angron to frequently lose focus.

That sword gave Angron a sense of danger.

He didn't know where Morgan got the money from, but he hoped it wouldn't be used on his own people.

“I understand that.”

As for the Spider Queen's instructions, the Primarch of the World Eater naturally wouldn't just laugh it off.

Over the years, gathering intelligence on the Eldar, primarily the Dark Eldar, has been one of the few things that has given Angron a bit of fighting spirit: both the Primarch and his World Eaters have among the best knowledge of these ancient aliens, even in the entire Imperium.

“I know how huge the Comoros is.”

Angron nodded and stopped beside a black-painted Warhound-class Titan.

“A city that can constantly expand itself is as insatiable as the Eldar themselves. Although there are no powerful figures among the Dark Eldar that deserve serious attention, their technology and resources are beyond doubt. If we want to truly conquer this city, we will probably have to mobilize the entire force of the Great Crusade once again.”

"Of course."

Finally, Anglong managed a weak smile.

"It's at the level of Ran Dan, not Ulanno."

Hehehehe...

It had been a long time since a witty remark had made Morgan so happy.

She leaned back on the throne, her light armor allowing her to cross her legs: for the thoughtful Queen of Avalon, this signified a pleasant state of mind, like a high school student who had just finished the last question on the college entrance exam.

It sounds strange, but it's true.

Despite the constant pressure from the Warp and the uncertain future that had always kept the Spider Queen in a state of mental exhaustion, especially with the approaching Day of Judgment, the Lord of Avalon, who knew far more of the truth than her brothers and offspring, once walked on the verge of his reason being completely burned away.

The real torment is not the test itself.

Instead, it was during moments of idleness that they counted down the seconds of silence before the test began.

However, when the test truly arrived, when the Emperor stood before her and told her that the plan for the final gamble had been fully launched: regardless of victory or defeat, honor or disgrace, it all depended on her performance and miracles, the Spider Queen actually felt a sense of relief.

That strange feeling of pressure disappeared.

Instead, whether you call it a sudden enlightenment or a reckless abandonment, when you're truly on the edge of intense fighting between two armies, fully immersed in the battle amidst shell craters and barbed wire, you're less inclined to ponder life's philosophies.

That's the situation for Morgan now.

She was like a soldier trapped in a brutal trench war, urged to crawl out of the trenches and advance through the cratered swamp, waiting in fear for the sound of machine gun fire or landmine explosions: step by step approaching the silent reaper.

And now?
The battle can begin.

Load your bullets, aim at the enemy, and be careful of the whistling sound of shells falling from above.

The situation is actually not that complicated.

At least for the Spider Queen, her mental state was much better when she needed to devote herself fully to a meticulous plan: this can be seen from the fact that Morgan could handle the affairs of Avalon meticulously while casually crossing dozens of star sectors to talk face to face with his two brothers.

As for Anglon, from the moment he received Morgan's invitation, he never considered whether he should lead his army to the Comoros.

There's no need to even consider that.

Angron knew very well that the reason the World Eater Legion hadn't attacked Comoros before wasn't because they didn't want to, but because they couldn't find that damned place: as long as there was even the slightest possibility of success, Kahn and his comrades would have given their all without hesitation.

Although Angron himself did not actually want to see the World Eater Legion launch such a dangerous attack in order to capture more consumables: he had accepted his fate and future a hundred years ago and had never intended to live forever.

From the very beginning, Morgan had explained to him the origin, solution, and flaws of the Butcher's Nail. Angron knew very well that he was on the countdown to his life and would die much earlier than his brothers: the Primarch of the World Eater Legion gladly accepted this fate.

He even wished to die sooner: if he wasn't afraid of being conscripted by the emperor after his death.

Therefore, Angron has no interest in extending lifespan.

But he would not oppose an attack on Comoros.

On the one hand, this will be the collective will of the legion.

On the other hand, Angron's reason for wanting to attack and even completely destroy Comoros was very simple: as a former slave gladiator, how could he possibly turn a blind eye to the largest slave city-state in the entire galaxy? If he could kill the most vicious slave owner in the galaxy by shedding blood, Angron would gladly accept this ending.

For him: This would be a good ending.

Morgan naturally understood the same principle.

This is also one of the reasons why she chose Angron and Vulcan to participate in the Battle of Comoros; there was no possibility that either of them would refuse.

As for Angron's wish, the Spider Queen can only apologize.

While the Primarch of the World Eater might very well want to die in such a brutal and just war, the Lords of Avalon cannot afford all the potential collateral damage from the death of a Primarch in the Webpaths: even if he dies far from the human Webpaths.

But what about the warp? Who can say for sure?

Even if Angron were to commit suicide, Morgan would ruthlessly drag him out of the net first.

Before Angron, the Spider Queen had already finalized the terms of a joint operation with Vulcan: As a kind-hearted person who usually didn't care much about war and glory, the Lord of Fire Dragons was unusually excited when it came to attacking Comoros.

If the Spider Queen hadn't specifically stopped him, Vulcan would have even considered dedicating the entire Salamander Legion to a special military operation against Comoros: not only to eradicate the most tyrannical and malevolent source in the entire galaxy, but also to avenge the past grievances suffered by Nocturne.

Before Vulcan landed here, Nocturne had already endured countless painful eras of population plunder by the Dark Eldar: as a son of Nocturne, Vulcan naturally bore the same humiliation, and he would do everything in his power to wash away this ancient hatred.

(Nocturne was a slave-grabbing area of the Dark Eldar long before Vulcan landed there. There were several Web tunnels leading directly to the Comoros city. On average, the inhabitants of this area were plundered by the Dark Eldar every four years: until Vulcan destroyed all the Web tunnel gates.)
"So, Vulcan will send 100,000 troops?"

Anglon obtained the exact figures from Morgan.

He originally wanted to bring more, but I dissuaded him from doing so.

The Spider Queen tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

The reason I was able to take 120,000 Dawnbreakers was because I had enough allied reinforcements, and Avalon itself possessed strong self-defense capabilities; he had neither of these, and Vulcan would have to leave at least 50,000 men behind to defend the homeland in preparation for potential chaos in the galaxy.

"I'm more curious about something else."

Anglon rubbed his rough chin.

"In what capacity are you recruiting us?"

"Has the Emperor entrusted the entire war to you, or are you only responsible for this part?"

Morgan's eyelids twitched.

This wasn't the first time she had faced this kind of problem.

Makado had asked her this many times before.

Because any curious observer would be curious about this twisted partnership between Morgan and the Emperor.

Each time the Lord of Mankind summoned his most capable ministers, he would generously grant the Lord of Avalon ample discretionary power. In extreme cases, Morgan would even be responsible for every step of the process, from formulating the entire plan to directing its implementation: from this perspective, the Emperor's trust in her was astonishing.

It's important to understand that every action Morgan takes personally can profoundly alter the fate of the galaxy.

On the other hand, whenever a problem becomes so serious that the Lord of Man needs to summon Morgan, the Emperor will naturally be present in person to ensure everything goes smoothly. As such, things become quite strange: even Angron can see the inappropriateness of this dual-kingdom model.

Just recalling his return to the empire, Angron felt there was something profound about it.

And naturally, he was also curious.

Moreover, aside from curiosity, he genuinely didn't want to fight under the command of the Lord of Humanity.

joke.

A war waged by one slave owner against another group of slave owners?

This is not liberation; it is merely a bloodbath among slave owners.

If he were to participate, how would his role differ from that of the gladiators in the blood pit?
You asked a...good question.

From Morgan's hesitation, Anglon could already guess the answer.

Strictly speaking...

The Spider Queen pondered for a moment.

He did indeed formally hand over all authority over the entire Comoros expedition to me.

But he will also be part of the war, appearing on the front lines against the Dark Eldar.

"Humph!"

Angron grunted.

"That's his style."

“He gives you absolute command authority, but he himself insists on interfering.”

"Our Lord of Mankind seems to never learn the bad thing about issuing multiple orders."

“When I give Kahn absolute command authority on the battlefield, I will not interfere with his on-the-spot command.”

[Kahn?]

Morgan keenly grasped the significance of this title.

Are you now willing to call them by their first names?

She smiled, but Anglon lacked confidence in the face of that simple smile.

"I feel this way when I'm alone."

"Don't say anything when the time comes."

I'm not Conrad.

The Spider Queen licked her teeth.

After thinking for a while, she decided to try to save face for the emperor who was willing to trust her.

Putting everything else aside, just the fact that the Emperor was truly willing to fully accept her advice and select the legions to participate in the Battle of Comoros according to her wishes extended Morgan's respect for her beloved genetic father until their next meeting.

[But don't worry: the Emperor has other reasons for participating in this war.]

He...won't interfere too much.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Angron nodded.

"That's Comoros after all, far more powerful than these adversaries in the real universe."

"Having an emperor overseeing things can only be a good thing."

"I just wanted to remind you of something."

Even through the distant holographic projection, Angron's gaze made Morgan instinctively serious.

“Listen, Morgan.”

"Don't take the so-called absolute command authority that the emperor gave you too seriously."

"Putting everything else aside: even if he gave the order, I don't believe you can command the Imperial Guards."

【I see.】

Morgan nodded.

That's why I need your help.

At least in Comoros, I can command your and Vulcan's legions, right?

"Has Vulcan assured you?"

He almost gave me the entire inventory of the Salamander Legion's equipment.

"Humph."

Anglo smiled, and his gaze softened slightly when he mentioned Vulcan.

“That’s the kind of person Vulcan is.”

"He's so kind."

"So good that it shouldn't have been born in this galaxy at all."

What is difficult for outsiders to notice is that since the Emperor granted fiefdoms to his sons on Ulanor, each Primarch has actually had relatively fixed neighbors, and in the following fifty years, they inevitably have closer contact: whether it is for the better or for the worse depends entirely on luck and character.

So while tensions were rising between Johnson and Horus, and between Mortarion and Corax, Angron got along well with his neighbors.

Kolax in the west, Vulcan in the north, and Guilliman in the east: what an enviable combination.

Over a period of fifty years or more, Angron negotiated civilian cooperation with Guilliman, formed an alliance with Corax to wage war against the powerful slave-owning world, and by the time he first met Vulcan in private, the two Primarchs had already forged a strong friendship.

Vulcan saw in Anglon a genuine kindness toward the weak and the enslaved.

Angron received a warm, yet not insulting, pity from Vulcan.

This is also why the World Eater Legion dares to send most of its forces to the Comoros: apart from a few areas in the universe where aliens are present and require attention, most of the borders under the World Eater Legion's rule do not require the stationing of legions and fleets, and even border conflicts can be resolved through peaceful negotiations. "As for my legion."

Angron waved his hand casually.

"If you want command, then take it."

"Kahn and the others wouldn't mind if the Lord of Avalon, whom they respect, were to command them."

That would be best.

Morgan nodded.

[Also, I hope you are prepared.]

"What preparation?"

[Some spiritual implications: You are highly likely to fight alongside the Silent Sisters.]

"I see."

Angron immediately understood.

The Silent Sisters, all untouchable: Their unique constitution makes normal, soulful humans feel extremely uncomfortable in their presence.

"I will make the arrangements."

The Primarch paused for a moment, then thought of another question.

"Then, should I mobilize the fleet?"

【fleet?】

"Yes."

The Primarch tapped the big guy next to him.

"Comoro, the boundless city: are we really going to march there on foot?"

Unfortunately, it seems that this is indeed the case.

Morgan turned to the side on the throne and looked with some emotion at the mountain-like figure next to Angron.

As mentioned before: Odashica is the most famous of the many avenues that make up the central spine of the Conqueror, and its fame even surpasses that of the Liberator, spreading to Avalon.

As part of the Queen of Glory, the Odashica Avenue carries one of the most lethal forces on the Liberator. Beneath its deep blue vaulted ceiling lies a width wide enough for Titan legions to walk side by side, designed this way because it truly is a major base for the Titan legions.

Indeed: the magnificent Queen of Glory is large enough to accommodate a magnificent Titan army.

The structural science of empires is truly amazing.

The infamous Aldax Titan Legion, also known as the Brave Legion, consists of Angron's most trusted Ash Wolves. What makes them unique is that they almost exclusively use scout-type Titans such as Warhounds, lacking main force Titans like Marauders or Warlords.

Why is this legion so unique? The reasons have long been lost to history, and many theories exist.

Some say it's because this legion was born in the early days of the Empire's Great Crusade, when the Emperor himself ordered the rapid formation of more Titan Legions to cope with the escalating intensity of the war, forcing them to go to the battlefield with insufficient equipment.

Some say that they lost all Titan STC templates except for the Warhound class after a fierce war with the Alien Empire.

Few people know the truth: the first two reasons are actually true, but not the whole story.

In reality, the main reason why the Aldax Titan Legion ended up in such a predicament was themselves: the Ember Wolves committed too many unnecessary killings during the Great Crusade, and the amount of blame they received was almost comparable to that of the Space Wolves at the very beginning of the Crusade.

After a senseless massacre of the inhabitants of several hive cities in yet another battle, the Aldax Titan Legion was stripped of their world, and Mars refused to provide them with the missing Titan templates: this is what makes this Titan Legion so unique.

Fortunately, they were assigned to Angron's fleet in the ensuing battles. Fighting alongside this silent, wild legion, the captains of the Ember Wolves absorbed the World Eater's unique concept of honor, while Angron's own composure and nobility pulled them back from the brink of indiscriminate killing.

In him, they saw a bloody glory that could be achieved even without indiscriminately killing innocent people.

Now, this legion is loyal only to Angron himself, and no one else: not even the Emperor.

Although the honors they gained in the later stages of the Great Crusade were enough to offset their past crimes and even allow them to regain the world, the captains arrogantly refused. They began to regard the Odashica Avenue of the Liberator as their new home, and the power of up to ninety Warhound-class Titans was enough for them to stand firm on any battlefield, no longer needing any more power.

That's certainly true, at least for now.

In Morgan's view, however, it wasn't enough.

Because there is too much. Yet there is also too little.

While I do indeed long to witness the might of the valiant legions on those fragmented lands of the Comoros, our method of reaching the Comoros is rather unique. Large-scale units like warships or Titans aren't necessarily better brought in larger numbers, my brother. This is why I don't recommend you recruit mortal auxiliary troops.

We need both a sufficient number of troops and a sufficiently small number of troops.

[Enough to win a war.]

[So few that we could take them all away.]

"Um……"

The Primarch nodded.

"Now I believe that the Emperor has indeed handed over all command to you."

【why? 】

"If he were in command, he wouldn't consider who might fall behind during the retreat."

【…】

That makes perfect sense, and Morgan couldn't refute it.

In short, that's the situation.

The Spider Queen coughed.

I will send you the assembly point and time in our next communication; after all, it will take me some time to organize Avalon.

"I see."

Angron nodded, though he looked visibly distracted.

【What's wrong? 】

"Although I really don't want to ask."

The Primarch looked toward Morgan's hand.

"What's the deal with that sword?"

【You mean Nemesis Blade?】

"Nemesis Blade? What an ominous name."

Angron frowned.

"To be honest, it gives me a dangerous feeling."

[Coincidentally, Vulcan said the same thing.]

Morgan smiled.

He was even more excited than you: he said he absolutely had to examine the sword himself if he had the chance.

In his own words, he felt a real, palpable aura of death emanating from this sword.

"IM about the same."

Angron's expression was serious, not like he was lying.

"I don't know how you got it."

“But stay away from your sword, Morgan: I can’t think of anything more dangerous.”

【…】

The Spider Queen was silent for a moment, then smiled.

"I understand, I'll be careful."

"..."

Angron stared silently at his sisters.

Until the moment the holographic projection was turned off, the Primarch of the World Eater did not reveal his true thoughts.

------

That's the sentence he was most afraid to hear.

But at the same time, he sensed Morgan's deep-seated confidence, his genuine confidence.

Or perhaps she simply doesn't care?
Anglong couldn't understand it.

Moreover, he knew he couldn't think too much.

……

That's it.

That's Morgan.

She'll definitely find a way.

After all, at least in Anglon's eyes, Morgan was the best of them all.

He believes that many people will agree with him.

------

"Company Commander."

After standing there in contemplation for a moment, Angron turned to look at the darkness behind him, and the Primarch's hoarse voice carried far through the empty corridor.

His response was a series of heavy footsteps that appeared rapidly yet moved steadily forward.

In the blink of an eye, Kahn stood before the Primarch.

"grown ups?"

"Pass on my orders."

Angron stared straight at the Titan before him, leaving only a broad silhouette in front of Karn.

"Summon all company commanders and corps commanders."

"Unless there is a special mission, I require them to get to the conference room on the Liberator as quickly as possible."

"I will personally issue a military order: it will be extremely important."

"Understood, I'll inform you right away."

Kahn did not ask any further questions.

But just as he was about to leave, the Primarch, who had fallen silent, suddenly called out to him again.

"Company Commander."