Emperor's Bane

Chapter 961 Pause
"That's the situation, sir."

"His Excellency Bayar has checked several times: we do indeed have one of our comrades who is missing."

"No one was found, no body was found, and no bloodstains or evidence of a fight were found at the scene."

"But there are very obvious drag marks."

"The missing combat brothers were carried away by at least six enormous creatures, and one of these suspects left behind snake-like footprints. Furthermore, they did not take away the corpses of the Dark Eldar: the same characteristics were also found at the site where the Salamander warrior disappeared."

"All the clues point to the fact that this was most likely the work of the Bloodwalkers."

"They have both the ability and the motivation."

"Moreover, many people, including Lord Bayar, witnessed a Bloodling and his servants in the battle of the Dark Eldar, but we did not find their bodies after the battle ended; the captured Xenomorphs could not provide much useful information either."

"Most of them are a group of lowly people who were simply robbed or lured here."

"As for the two captured elite soldiers, they committed suicide by poisoning themselves before we could extract more information from them. They hid the poison capsules in their teeth, which we failed to find in time."

"As per your previous instructions, we have handed over all the surviving alien prisoners to the World Eater."

They deserve it.

The Spider Queen nodded, interrupting Hector's report as he knelt before her.

At this moment, the Queen of Avalon sat on a hastily constructed throne, its main material being the magnificent spires and palaces of the Dark Eldar, which, after being dismantled, became playthings in Morgan's hands: the priceless metal statues were flattened by psychic power, and brocades haphazardly piled on top by the Comorian nobility to boast of their millennia-old history were barely worthy of the Spider Queen's temporary respite.

The Dawnbreaker's genetic mother pressed these relics, which were older than human history, under her buttocks, occasionally shifting her hips uncomfortably to move the soft material beneath her. For the Spider Queen, who was already accustomed to luxury, these makeshift and crude items were naturally unacceptable to her, and no matter how much she struggled, they still felt somewhat uncomfortable.

The cushion on her throne in Avalon was a birthday gift from her eldest daughter, which she had spent a long time sewing stitch by stitch.

In Morgan's value system, even the combined lives and souls of all the Eldar in the Comoros could not compare to the two cushions and backrests made by her daughter: it was because of their existence that the Spider Queen somewhat understood Dorn's obsession with his little blanket and the extent to which he was willing to go for it.

Of course, that wasn't Morgan's birthday, since even Morgan herself couldn't say exactly when she was born. But the Spider Queen knew exactly when she created each of the Star Maidens, especially Virgo. Morgan would never forget the day her eldest daughter was born: even if she unfortunately forgot, Perturabo would always remember the days of their close collaboration.

As is widely known, the Iron Lord, as the undisputed top genius among the Primarchs, possesses a memory far superior to that of all his Primarch brothers.

The Lord of Olympia will not forget anything.

Apart from the large camps he had dispatched.

Therefore, Virgo and her sisters have always maintained the tradition of preparing a birthday gift for their mother on their own birthday.

That cushion was one of the earliest birthday gifts, which means Morgan had been using it for many years and never thought of replacing it: over time, Morgan had developed a considerable dependence on it.

I always feel uncomfortable sitting anywhere else.

In the end, the Spider Queen's gaze drifted, intentionally or unintentionally, over Hector's broad shoulders.

But just as Morgan's pride sensed something and involuntarily straightened his chest, he glanced at the high-ranking officers and strangers surrounding him: for example, a certain nun who was still trembling. In the end, the somewhat shy Spider Queen gave up her thoughts.

She could only continue to endure her discomfort and try to distract herself by explaining the latest developments to Hector.

The World Eater Legion performed most impressively in the previous large-scale battles, but also suffered the greatest losses.

At least seven companies under Angron's command have been forced to retreat and reorganize; it is said that even Kahn was seriously wounded in the battle.

Hector's brow twitched.

The loss of seven companies had a far greater impact on him than the injury of Kahn.

"That Kahn: He can get injured too?"

Don't find it strange.

The Primarch's tone carried a hint of admiration.

As you know, we are short-staffed.

[Moreover, the timing of the Dark Eldar's counterattack was indeed very precise: in short, when the Comorians counterattacked the fortress guarded by Karn, the World Eaters simply did not have enough troops to guard all the passages. So Karn sent his warriors to other lines of defense, while he himself was stationed alone in the most crucial location.]

That was the only way to attack, and it was so narrow that only one person could pass at a time: except for the hall where Kahn was stationed.

[Angron's most valued son held out there until the end of the battle.]

[No one knows what happened in between. The Dark Eldar's Mandela destroyed the teleportation array, preventing reinforcements from arriving in time. And after I finally cleared out the last remaining Comoros army that dared to invade, when the World Eaters' reinforcements arrived, they discovered Karn.]

He was still alive, covered in blood.

He stood atop a small hill formed from the corpses of at least a thousand Dark Eldar; there was no living creature around.

They also found the wreckage of at least one hundred elite warriors and three aircraft at the scene; but Kahn couldn't explain how he did it.

He had forgotten how he shot down those Eldar aircraft: but everyone on board was indeed killed.

"One thousand people..."

Not only Hector, but the Dawnbreaker high command surrounding the Primarch were also whispering among themselves. Although everyone present was a seasoned veteran, few of them dared to guarantee that they could achieve Kahn's feat: it would be more difficult than they imagined.

However, if they have the dual watchful eyes of the Emperor and the Primarch, and if fate happens to be on their side, then these elite Dawnbreakers could certainly attempt the same level of difficulty.

But as I said before: they simply cannot guarantee it.

Conversely, only warriors as powerful as these Dawnbreaker veterans can truly grasp the sheer scale of Kahn's achievements.

"He did it all by himself?"

Ultimately, it was Hector who raised the question.

This is the most worrying thing.

At this point, the Lord of Avalon narrowed his eyes.

A sense of vigilance emanated from her, which was difficult for the Dawnbreakers around her to discern: it was as if some formidable enemy had already arrived at a very close distance.

According to the first wave of Devourer reinforcements, when they arrived at Kahn's side...

Something is very wrong with him.

It wasn't exhaustion, nor was it a serious injury.

On the contrary, even after a blood-soaked battle that left him nearly shattered in armor and covered in hundreds of wounds, Kahn's physical and mental state was exceptionally good, even abnormally so: despite his severe injuries, his physical abilities were better than when he was healthy.

The battle didn't burden him at all; on the contrary, he seemed to grow stronger with each fight.

But what's truly terrifying is the spirit.

When they found him, Kahn was in an unimaginable state of frenzy. He nearly killed his fellow fighters, mistaking them for enemies, and had almost no recollection of the battle. Instead, he was fascinated by the blood and corpses around him. But most importantly, this usually restrained and focused elite, despite knowing the urgency of the situation, demanded reinforcements to continue the pursuit of the Dark Eldar.

His attitude was extremely resolute, even fanatical.

When the World Eaters who arrived to help told him that the Emperor had ordered them to hold their ground, Kahn, unusually, flew into a rage, berating everyone as cowards unwilling to fight, and even shouting for bloodshed. The World Eaters present managed to restrain him, but they discovered that Kahn was far stronger than they had imagined; he single-handedly broke free from the restraints of over a hundred people, nearly causing a bloodbath.

Just when the situation was almost out of control, Angron arrived after hearing about the situation on Kahn's side.

[My brother dismissed everyone, leaving only himself and Kahn. The World Eaters waited in the distance for a full twenty minutes. Just as they were about to lose patience and charge in again, Angron emerged with Kahn, now back to normal. The World Eater's company commander had returned to normal.]

He apologized to everyone.

But Angron still forced him to rest in the rear for a sufficient amount of time: and absolutely forbade him from participating in combat.

"..."

"So, this is why Lord Anglon sent Kahn to you so he could calm down?"

【Yes. 】

The Spider Queen looked towards a spot behind her.

But what I really want to say is: you all heard what I just described about Kahn's condition, didn't you?

The Dawnbreakers around him nodded.

【Very good.】 The Primarch slightly raised his chin.

Remember my description.

After you return to your company, describe the events I just described to your subordinates.

【Then……】

The Primarch's voice deepened.

Those who know her know that this is a clear indication that Morgan's attitude is becoming serious.

[If any of you encounter the same situation as Kahn during the battle.]

Don't rush forward.

[Keep him trapped in place.]

Then contact me immediately.

Remember, this is a warning: absolutely do not do anything extra on your own: this is not your task.

Do you understand?

"clear."

The Dawnbreakers present responded in unison.

But ultimately, some people's curiosity is stronger.

But...is there any deeper meaning to this, sir?

[Or to put it another way: What can we do to avoid ending up like Kahn?]

Morgan paused for a moment.

She knew that if she didn't say anything, the Dawnbreakers wouldn't pry, but...

This involves more complex issues.

After a moment's thought, the Spider Queen cautiously spoke.

In short, the enemy we face in the Battle of Comoros is not just the Dark Eldar: the Emperor fears there is an even more powerful enemy, completely unknown to you at present, who will intervene in this war. Their favorite method of attack is to silently transform you into beasts during battle, letting the desire for blood and destruction consume your souls.

This enemy is invisible, at least in the short term. While they are not our primary adversary at this stage, they could very well seize the opportunity to intervene when we are engaged in a full-scale war with the Dark Eldar. I'm just giving you a heads-up; if we were to actually go to war with them, I will explain everything about this new enemy to you then.

"Is the other party some kind of psionic race?"

That's all I can say for now.

Morgan ended the conversation.

[Keep the communicator I'm giving you safe. Contact me immediately if anything unexpected happens.]

Don't worry about the trouble.

More than the trouble, I'm worried about you all.

Don't think that just because one soldier has an accident, it's not worth my personal intervention: if we don't stop it at its source, the plague could very well spread rapidly again. Therefore, I care about the condition of every soldier, and I hope you will do the same.

Morgan's children reassured their mother once again.

As time went by, everyone dispersed, except for Hector, whom the Spider Queen had specifically called out, who remained in the same spot.

The ruler of Avalon, known for his protectiveness of his own, would certainly not forget his missing son.

[You mean: the murderer is the Bloodthirsty Man?]

"It's almost certain, sir."

Hector nodded firmly: he trusted Lord Bayar's judgment.

That's going to be interesting...

The Primarch stroked his chin.

If they are Bloodlust people, then we can take this opportunity to launch a grand plan.

"A big plan?"

"Well, I didn't plan to start so soon."

However, since they dared to kidnap my son, the original plan is no longer important.

Let them bleed, the sooner the better.

The Spider Queen stood up.

The only problem is that I'm not ultimately in charge of this big project.

Therefore, I need to ask for permission first.

Hector blinked.

Those who need to consult the original body...

"Could it be?"

【Yes. 】

Morgan nodded.

Come with me.

I will take you to see the Emperor.

Let's discuss how to open up a second front in the stagnant waters of the Comoros.

Hector nodded and followed in silence.

But before he had gone far, the company commander of the 11th Company discovered that his curiosity was more persistent than he had imagined.

"grown ups."

【What's wrong? 】

"I...I was just a little curious."

Hector took a deep breath.

"Your descriptions of those unknown enemies are somewhat..."

What are some of them?

"They are somewhat like the monsters from the warp that we encountered when we were fighting that nameless man."

"Is it...them?"

【…】

[You'll find out soon enough, Hector: if the Emperor allows you to retain the rest of your memories.]

------

I'm not feeling well today, so I'll stop here for now.

This chapter serves as a transition. After tomorrow's update, the Comoros storyline will be temporarily paused, and the focus will shift to Johnson and the Terra War.

Do you want to see Johnson first, or Terra?

(End of this chapter)