Warhammer: Black Emperor

Chapter 399 "The Appraiser"

At the center of the Milky Way, in the Skot Galaxy, the Forge.

The 12th month of 850.

After much effort, the Forge Master enabled the Legion's technical sergeants to master the method of manufacturing the prototype armor designed by Primarch Vokhan in the 10th Sun Moon, and then focused more on identifying unknown items.

Rosicky Cech arrived at the first storage deck, which was about one-thirtieth empty, the result of his previous free time.

The "appraiser" stepped toward a large bluestone slab placed against the wall. The slab was one of the largest items on the entire deck.

However, it occupies one of the smallest areas of space, and it was placed upright against the wall, leaning against the hard fortress wall.

The space dwarves seemed unconcerned about whether it would collapse and shatter due to the ship's tremors, though the Forge was a behemoth among their massive and heavy warships, it was not impossible.

Rosicky knew the reason; his god, his genetic father, had told him that the space dwarves' philosophy of survival was pragmatism.

He scanned the stone slab, which depicted a bizarre creature with bat wings larger than its body, its ears sticking out prominently.

The image depicted on the stone slab is of some kind of creature.
This bluestone slab is clearly just graffiti from some civilization according to the standards of the space dwarves, and is not valued by them.

Rosicky stared at the stone slab, thinking to himself.

[If it's not some kind of fantastical creature, then it's a real creature.]

Alien, an alien never before discovered.
Rosicky noticed that in the lower right corner of the bluestone slab, there were also hieroglyphs that he did not recognize, resembling graphic symbols.

The appraiser stroked the stone slab, his eyes flashing with golden light. His spiritual energy was rapidly depleting, while the hieroglyphs gradually became comprehensible.

Lady Hera is a terrifying evil goddess who first enslaves every race she encounters, slowly reaping every life.

Rosicky lifted his hand off the stone slab and stared at the bat-like alien.

[Heraf? He seems to be a powerful, real-world alien, but I've never heard of him.]
As Rosicky pondered, the robotic arm on his back pulled a data panel from his powered armor. He quickly recorded the information and wrote down the destination assignment:
[Think Tank Pavilion]

The "appraiser" took a short rest and searched the deck with his eyes.

His gaze fell on a rod-shaped object that matched Astartes' height. Compared to the bluestone slab, the space dwarves had given it a relatively large space, and it lay flat on the weapon rack.

The "appraiser" stepped forward and picked up the stick-shaped object.

His eyes lit up with golden light again. The "appraiser" didn't need divination or prophecy; an image flashed through his mind.

Rosicky held the stick-shaped object in one hand, his fingers rapidly tapping on dozens of runes at one end.

The first thing he struck was the rune in his hand, face up, about two hand lengths from the end.

The second strike is a rune that rotates clockwise, about a hand's length from the end.

……

Rosicky moved up and down, striking different sides of the stick in his hand as if striking randomly.

After striking fourteen runes in succession, the long staff in his hand lit up with a dazzling blue light.

At the same time, a spearhead suddenly thrust out from the other end, crackling with electricity.

Rosicky struck fourteen different runes on it again, and with a snap, the charging field disappeared, and the spear tip retracted.

The robotic arm extended downwards in front of him, and his hand quickly entered information onto it.

[Power Spear: Originating from an unknown alien race, its size is suitable for use by Legion warriors.]

Activate Runes: ...

Turn off runes: ...

Rosicky marked the power spear with runes to facilitate subsequent testing by the technical sergeants who took over.

[Assignment destination: Armory.] As he entered the information, he felt a slight dissolving sensation within his body.

[I'm just one step away from fully mastering the power of an "appraiser," and today I should be able to become a true "appraiser."]
As Rosicky pondered this, he put the weapon back on the weapon rack.

The space dwarfs should have recognized it as a weapon, hence the larger space it occupied.

They may not have found a way to open it, or they may have, but it's not suitable for use as a weapon, so they left it here.
As Rosicky pondered, he walked toward the central area, where a pure white stone was placed within a static force field.

Compared to its size, it occupies countless times more space and is stored in a static force field, so it is clearly not an ordinary object.

After the mechanical arm behind Rosicky, modified with a alloy, released the static force field, it grabbed the stone.

The appraiser's left hand hovered above the stone, radiating spiritual energy.

His golden eyes flickered, and at the same time he felt as if stars were shattering within his body.

[I've become a true "appraiser".]
Rosicky put the white stone back in its original position, activated the static force field, and quickly input information into the data panel.

[A certain type of energy stone that can be used as a driving energy source.]

……

Assignment destination: Second casting deck.

After using his spiritual sense to examine more than a dozen items, the "appraiser" went to the bottom floor to meet the Black Emperor.

“My lord, I have found a picture on the bluestone slab and a race called the Heraf.”

"Does this race actually exist?"

Ninglu nodded and said, "Lady Hera does exist; they are a race even more ancient than the Eldar."

"Their mind control abilities far surpass those of the Osiris mind-controlling species."

"Lady Hera can exist in both the subspace and the real world at the same time. As long as she can find an initial host, a single individual can enslave an entire planet."

When Rosicky heard that Lady Hera truly existed, and that her history was even older than that of the Eldar, he was slightly startled.

"In addition to using her mental abilities to remotely manipulate, enslave, and exploit other races, Lady Hera is also extremely powerful in individual combat."

“Even ordinary Hera women possess individual combat strength exceeding that of ordinary Astartes, comparable to the Imperial Guard.”

"The best among them are called the Primordial Ones, who can rival the Primordial Gene."

In Nimrod's memory, Lady Hera would fight against Angron and Saint Geres in turn.

[If it weren't for the Original Ones' attempt to enslave Ryan Eljonsson across countless light-years, and the Lion King's exceptional talent in this regard, Lady Hera would have continued to pose a threat to the Empire.]

Ryan traced the trail back to Lady Hera's lair, and he led his men, using numerous forbidden weapons, to eliminate this enormous threat.

To eliminate this enormous threat, Leon even forwent the Battle of Ulano, forgoing the opportunity to fight alongside Old Man Huang, which directly resulted in him missing out on the position of war commander.
"Lady Hera is so powerful!" Rosicky exclaimed in amazement.

Ninglu nodded slightly, guessing that Lady Hera was likely an ingredient for the potion.

[Hmm, perhaps I should head to the Ghoul Cluster and get my hands on Lady Hera.]
While Ning Lu was pondering, he observed Rosicky's aura.

He saw that Rosicky's aura was dark yellow, completely integrated.

"You have already mastered the power I bestowed upon you?"

Rosicky answered affirmatively, "Yes, my lord."

Ninglu took out a data crystal from his armor and said, "My latest find here is the standard construction template for the Space Particle Excavator. Take a look at it first, and I will summon you later to grant you new power."

(End of this chapter)