Emperor's Bane

Chapter 994 Loyalty itself is a reward
"Heh...huh..."

"By the Emperor... by the Emperor's blessing..."

When he saw the unspeakable metallic serpent, just as he had imagined, entangled with Omega, Macardo slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

His tense face relaxed, and he raised his slightly trembling hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. Only then did he realize that his back and robe were soaked with the same fear.

Those last few minutes were perhaps the most tense minutes of his long life of six thousand years.

Despite his seemingly calm and composed demeanor, as if victory was assured, his inner fear and tension were no less than Omiru's, and he had nearly screamed countless times.

Fortunately, as an immortal being who has lived for six thousand years, Macardo's expertise in this area is far greater than that of the Primarch: Omega ultimately failed to see the Marker's unease, and everything he encountered after awakening the Unspeakable proved that Macardo had indeed made the right gamble this time.

That's right.

For him, that was a gamble.

In fact, when the man in charge realized the true purpose of Omega's trip, he was so frightened that he almost collapsed to the ground.

This is not a fear of Omega, but a fear of something unspeakable.

Who knows how many hidden cards and madness that strongest enemy, which required the use of four Primarchs and their respective legions, and ultimately even the Emperor himself to subdue, might be hiding? You see, the reason that person failed was not because he was defeated, but simply because his respect for the Emperor made him unwilling to use all his power to fight against the Empire.

And now, the Emperor is gone too: if that guy really is summoned back to the world...

At least Makado has no other options.

He might be able to stand alongside Dorn, relying on a corner of Holy Terra to hold off the Warmaster's frenzied attacks.

But he lacked confidence when facing that person.

The only thing he could rely on was the unquestionable loyalty of the unspeakable one.

Even though he was completely dead, even though his soul had vanished a century ago, even though the remaining flesh and blood was more like a fossil in a museum than a legacy, Makado believed that even if it was just a remnant of his past soul, his loyalty to the Lord of Mankind would be etched into his very bones.

For him, it was a gamble.

Omega's actions were indeed brilliant. When he took the final step, even the Marksman had no way to stop him: perhaps his psychic power was stronger than the Primarch's, but if Omega wanted to leave, or take that piece of flesh with him, then even Macado would not be able to stop him.

The thought of that piece of flesh being taken out of the dark dungeon of Terra Palace made the Seal Bearer tremble.

But thanks to the Emperor, none of this will happen.

This awakened metallic serpent, at least for now, will not be a problem for the Marksman and Terra.

He will be a problem for Omega.

Moreover: if this flesh and blood can still retain its purity and loyalty to the emperor.

Then, also in the name of the Lord of Humanity: perhaps it can be stopped from further destruction.

"..."

He needs to give it a try.

Place your hopes on the loyalty of this unspeakable one: let him accept the fate ordained by the emperor.

Otherwise, the Holy Terra currently has no good way to fight against this awakened beast.

Even though he was reduced to a mutilated body, his strength was still considerable, at least enough to fight against the host.

Why do you say that?

Because Omega is proving this right now.

……

As the Master of the Palm watched from the shadows as Omega gradually became battered and bruised in its struggle against the metal serpent, he couldn't help but admit, while feeling a sense of schadenfreude, that he was also quite astonished.

It was merely a remnant of extraordinary quality, capable only of acting according to bodily instincts, yet it could still unleash a killing dance that amazed even the Master, just as the Primarch, once renowned for his precision and perfection, had never left the galaxy he had almost destroyed with his own hands.

Now, Omega is not fighting a mangled body, but a true Primarch, and his opponent is an undisputed powerhouse among Primarchs, the most outstanding being ever created in the galaxy: the physique of a Star God combined with the fighting spirit of a Gene Primarch. At least the Marker cannot think of a more perfect combination.

And if we add to that the mechanically precise ruthlessness inherited from that unspeakable being: Omega's failure was only a matter of time.

At least from Makado's perspective as an observer, that's how things actually unfolded.

The battles between Primarchs were so boring that they didn't need to be described: Omega was indeed a veteran of many battles, but his battlefields were limited to shadow warfare and backstabbing. In terms of head-on combat, his experience was even less than that of the peace-loving Morgan and Guilliman.

In front of his most ruthless brother, Hydra was naturally suppressed even more miserably.

The serpentine spear that had just slaughtered countless elite Imperial Guards was mercilessly bitten, torn apart, and devoured in just a few rounds, disappearing in the blink of an eye into the flowing metal serpent. As Omega was forced to pull out his dagger, a bloody scar instantly appeared on his arm.

In less than five minutes, this was his thirty-third injury.

The Primarch's appearance at this moment was extremely miserable. The opponent he was facing was tireless, without life, without pain, and completely incommunicable. It seemed that the only thing supporting this resurrected spiritual body was the overwhelming rage he felt towards the traitor in front of him.

damn it……

As he felt the blood flowing down his forehead begin to engulf his left eye, Omega gritted his teeth and cursed inwardly.

What exactly happened to Alpharis in his hidden past?
Such a person.

Why was he personally erased by the emperor?
Even the most knowledgeable Hydra ruler couldn't understand this problem.

His opponents won't give him any time at all.

With a silent roar, the metal serpent pounced on its prey once more, tearing off chunks of bloody flesh with each strike.

It knocked Omega's helmet off, leaving it to fall into the shadows and disappear. It almost blinded Omega in one eye, had the Hydra Lord not slightly turned its head at the last moment, leaving only a scar that went straight through his entire left cheek.

He shattered the Primarch's power armor. Even the most exquisite creation of the human Empire was laughably fragile compared to the naturally formed, galactic body of the Star God. With each collision, Omega's blue serpent scales would bear a new scar or a piece of armor would fall off.

But compared to the most serious injury, all that had come before was just a drop in the ocean: a bloody hole had appeared in the right shoulder and elbow of the original body, and the white bone that had been directly pierced through could even be seen. Blood and broken nerves kept gushing out from it: this arm, which was as numb as a dead person's, was completely unusable.

Hydra had only one hand left to barely fend off its opponent's increasingly frenzied attacks.

And all of this was achieved without any intervention from Makado.

But this does not mean that the holder of the seal wants a fair fight.

He was simply looking for an opportunity, one that would allow him to make a decisive move while protecting himself.

Therefore, whenever there was a brief lull in the battle between the two Primarchs, Macardo would seize the opportunity to take a step forward, inching closer to the center of the battlefield: in order to test the metal serpent's perception and tolerance of him.

To everyone's delight, the beast that had been fighting Omega didn't pay any attention to him until the figure with the palm print had completely left the shadows.

It tacitly approved of Macado's existence.

That being the case...

"Then stay here, Omega."

Makado gripped his scepter tightly, a despairing psychic power brewing within it.

Even the Hydra Lord, who was focused on the ferocious beast before him, had to spare a moment of attention, his eyes filled with apprehension.

Even though Omega is proud of his powerful psychic abilities, he is not so arrogant as to think he can fight Macado.

After Magnus's fall from Nikaia, Macardo was undoubtedly the third most powerful psyker in the galaxy, and no one could challenge his position second only to the Emperor and Morgan.

Despite the fact that, with a spider queen gently flapping her non-existent wings, many more Primarchs have chosen to accept their psionic talents, and with their innate pride, they have easily surpassed goals that countless people could never achieve in their lifetimes, becoming top psionic powers even in the entire galaxy.

But neither of the Primarchs believed they could stand shoulder to shoulder with Macardo.

The same applies to Omega.

But when he realized how much spiritual power the wielder had poured into the scepter.

Omega knows.

If he were hit by this attack, even as a Primarch with strong vitality, even if he could not die, he would be severely injured and on the verge of death.

His life is about to end.

No... I can't be hit...

Absolutely not!

Even though his whole body was being torn apart by pain and numbness like a swarm of insects, Omega gritted his teeth and tried to dodge the palm print's fatal blow: until he caught a glimpse of that silver light in the corner of his eye, which was momentarily distracted.

The relentless Grim Reaper pounced again.

Taking advantage of the Primarch's carelessness, the ferocious beast pierced Omega's flesh like an arrow, but this time it did not leave. Instead, it greedily poured into it until the entire body of the Star God was almost fused with Omega, intertwined as if they were one, making the Hydra Lord completely unable to move.

Even the dumbest person would realize what this damned beast is trying to do.

He was trapped in place, while Makado's psionic catastrophe was already poised to erupt.

The usually calm and collected old man's face was now contorted with rage, like a demon. He clenched his teeth, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth: this was a strike he had delivered with all his might.

will die!

If you get hit, you'll definitely die!
Omega's eyes widened, and he let out a survivor's instinctive gasp, but he was completely unable to escape from this most dangerous situation: no matter how hard he tried, he could not immediately break free from the metal serpent that was also strangling him, and the Primarch's psionic energy made every cell of the Primarch scream.

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!

Think of a way! We need to think of a way right away!

Omega had no time to consider why the situation had suddenly changed from smooth sailing a few minutes ago to a life-or-death crisis. His remaining rationality was being constantly whipped, and he desperately wanted to come up with a way to survive.

no no……

There's no way...

Damn it, why didn't he anticipate something so simple?

A loyalist... fucking...

Just as the Lord of Nine Heads was experiencing his first despair, a familiar yet unfamiliar voice quietly rose from the depths of his mind.

That was the master of the crystal labyrinth.

The Great Transformer.

A guy who, just minutes earlier, when Omega needed help the most, had rejected him with a firm, even mocking, attitude.

A guy who encouraged him to come here, but then abandoned him at the most crucial moment.

And now, it has returned leisurely.

It was as if, due to poor communication in the warp, it had just received the Primarch's distress call from a few minutes earlier.

Now, this major upstart no longer even bothered to hide the mockery in his voice: a brand new contract was casually placed in front of Hydra.

The reward was the most prominent word, written at the very top in characters that the original could definitely see.

Let him live.

Escape this dead end.

As for the cost...

The dense, ant-like script seemed to stretch all the way from the sacred Terra to Avalon.

"..." The Primarch gritted his teeth.

He has no choice.

The metallic serpent's blade was slowly piercing his heart and throat from the inside, and as the wielder finished whispering the last symbol, the spiritual energy depletion that was enough to completely annihilate his body roared and rushed towards him at an astonishing speed. His vision was almost swallowed up by the blinding white light.

"accept……"

Omega has no time to catch its breath.

He whispered, cursed, and promised.

In the end, he simply disregarded everything and roared hysterically in the loudest voice.

"I accept...I accept! I accept!"

His response was laughter from the deepest part of the subspace.

And the torrent of spiritual energy from the one who held the seal devoured everything in sight.

……

Did you hit it?

No...it seems like there isn't...but it also seems like there isn't?
Macado's attack was a desperate act.

He used almost all of his power; and what little remained was only for his own protection, thus erecting a psionic barrier in front of him.

Even so, when this torrent, powerful enough to destroy a Primarch, roared, the entire Black Prison and even the entire Terran Palace trembled: everything around it, starting with this dark room, was naturally destroyed, and at least a third of the Black Prison area was affected or even destroyed.

Countless monsters caught in the crossfire turned to ashes amidst their unwilling roars. Those that were strong enough, lucky enough, or far enough away took the opportunity to escape and, taking advantage of the Imperial Guard's manpower shortage, wantonly created destruction.

But their freedom was limited to the small area of ​​the palace's black dungeon: because right outside the door was Rogdoryn, who had already received Makado's request and was leading thousands of Imperial Fist elites in a state of high alert.

As for the one who held the seal, he was almost knocked unconscious by his own full-force attack: although the psionic barrier successfully protected his life, his aged body was still sent flying dozens of meters across the floor, crashing heavily to the ground. He struggled to his feet, as if every bone in his body was about to be shattered.

But when he regained consciousness, he had no time to pay attention to his own condition and rushed to the spot where Omega had been standing.

Is this traitor dead?
And that piece of flesh... is he dead too?

Or did they run away?
The one who held the seal was filled with these confusions.

What awaited him was a scene of carnage.

Omega's body was blasted into pieces, with chunks of flesh, internal organs, blood, and even bones pulverized in the blast scattered everywhere, all proving that Macado's attack had indeed hit its target.

But the person in charge of the seal was not happy.

Despite seeing the blood everywhere, he knew at a glance that if a Primarch had died, the bloodshed would not be nearly enough.

These only prove that Omega did indeed suffer a fatal blow under his attack.

But he did not die.

He escaped at the last minute.

Although... the cost was enormous.

Marcado quietly picked up an arm: this wasn't the only thing Omega had abandoned.

The one who held the seal was well aware of his own power: although Omega had managed to escape, he had indeed been attacked by Macado before he fled, and his arm and half of his body had been reduced to ashes before he could escape.

In other words, even if he were alive, he would be no different from being dead now.

He lost a hand, half of his torso, and at least half of his physical organs. This doesn't even include the fact that the Marker's psionic offensive would further weaken his already crippled soul: Macado even found skin fragments belonging to his nose and lips on the ground.

Well, at least half of his face was blown off.

Another one-eyed dragon is going to be among the Primarchs.

It's a pity I didn't see the legs. Otherwise, he seriously doubted whether a Primarch who was literally half blown away could still survive.
Omega's injuries were more serious than he had imagined.

This level of injury is beyond the range of treatments available in the real universe.

If Omega has no other choice, given the extent of his physical injuries and the curse that Macardo's psychic powers left in his soul, he won't live much longer.

One year, three years: at most five years.

He will die from extreme pain and exhaustion.

Even the Primarch can die.

The one who held the seal nodded, summarizing his killings.

But there was still a lingering regret. Although Omega didn't have many years left to live, who could know how much harm this traitor, who was forced to lean even more toward the warp, would cause in his remaining years?
No... now is not the time to think about that.

An even more deadly danger lies behind him.

The one who held the seal took a deep breath.

He could feel the unspeakable remains reassembling behind him as he bent down to pick up the arm that belonged to Omega.

It was almost unharmed: even though she had just taken a full-force blow from Macado, just like Omega.

The emperor is above... that's a bit too exaggerated.

Makado tried his best to stop himself from trembling.

Rest assured, at least this metal serpent has proven that it still retains some loyalty to the human ruler.

In that case...

Macado slowly turned around.

He looked at it: at the snake coiled in mid-air, which was also looking at him.

It was sizing up the person who had the seal.

The Primarch's remaining instincts allowed him to recognize Macado's identity, but this could not guarantee the safety of the Handprinter.

He must provide assurances.

"You know me, right?"

The one who held the seal stretched out his aged hand: and the gold flowing in his veins.

“I am his servant: I serve him.”

"..."

The metal silently watched him.

After a while, maybe a few seconds, maybe a few minutes, the dangerous attention finally shifted.

The person holding the seal dared not wipe the sweat from his face.

"You're still loyal to him, aren't you?"

he asked next.

Although all I received was silence, that silence carried a strange hint of certainty.

Then, Maka sighed heavily.

"Then you should know."

"He is now facing betrayal."

"What is happening before you is the emperor's traitor, who desires to destroy his property: who desires to harm him."

"..."

The metal remained silent.

The silence was the same, but this silence was so oppressive that it almost suffocated Macardo.

He almost remembered that person.

But he continued to weave his own... lies.

Therefore, he needs your strength.

"!"

The metal began to move.

He hasn't forgiven you yet.

"But now, he needs you to kill."

The one who held the seal pointed to the opened door.

Even in the deepest part of the dark prison, one could hear the wild roars of the monsters that had been released.

"Those things can't go to the surface."

"He needs you to kill them, to kill all the prisoners who dare to break free from their bonds."

"They are all enemies of the emperor."

"No pity needed, no forgiveness required."

"And after the killing, he wants you back."

"You need to wait here, keep waiting."

“When he comes here one day, he will long for your loyalty to serve him again.”

"And as a reward."

"He will allow you to continue to serve him."

Even if it's not the way the world approves.

"..."

The metal remained silent.

Just as Macado felt his sweat about to drip down his chin, something moved before his eyes.

The metal snake flew silently and swiftly out of the open door.

A few breaths later, screams, killings, and the smell of blood wafted through the cold air to the weary nose of the one who had been holding the seal.

The killing will continue for a long time.

Until the emperor's will is carried out.

"..."

Macardo sighed in the darkness, and said nothing more.

(End of this chapter)