Warhammer 40k: Melee Warriors

Imran stepped off the heavy transport plane, still dressed like a hermit, except for an iron halo produced by the state religion behind his head. This was not just a simple religious ornament; it contained a powerful reactive and refraction field, allowing Saint Imran to cope with the air of Iron Star, which was hot enough to burn his lungs, without wearing a mask, and also allowing him to ignore long-range sneak attacks from assassins.

Opposite him and the battle nun, Komi had already set up a venue to welcome him. 150 redemption-type combat suits drawn from the Exterminator reserve team and the knight mechs controlled by Mawen and Feiling were lined up in formation, looking menacing.

Beside these combat suits stood orc soldiers fully prepared for battle. The Mald loyalist regiment was positioned behind them to prevent Imaran from suddenly opening fire and wiping out these soldiers.

The closer Imaran got, the more he sensed the elite nature of the mixed force of combat suits and orcs. He might be a commander with little talent, but he was certainly a brave warrior, and he could tell their strength from the way they moved.

If a fight breaks out... can these fighting nuns win?

Imran turned her eyes to the elder sister, who gently shook her head, indicating that she was not confident of victory.

“If they summon those so-called messengers of the Savior, I may not be able to protect you from leaving safely.” The elder sister’s reply made Imran’s already unpleasant expression worse. He pursed his lips tightly and saw Komi standing in front of the troops.

Like him, Komi was not wearing a mask, but rather a magnificent and imposing merchant's coat, with some kind of device protecting his fragile lungs.

Komi had a faint smile on his face, as if he had already won the next round of conversation.

That damned bastard... a heretic who twists the voice and divine image of the Emperor!

Imran cursed inwardly as he stood 50 meters in front of Komi, questioning him in his booming voice, honed from years of preaching and prayer, why he was sheltering a group of traitors.

"Traitor? What traitor?" Koken blinked, looking innocent and confused.

"The Mard Loyal Servant Regiment." Imaran practically spat out the full number through gritted teeth.

“Oh, you mean them?” Komi’s smile widened. “I’ve investigated the Mard’s loyal servants’ matter thoroughly. They are not only not traitors, but also great heroes. They bravely and decisively killed the corrupt core, preventing his filthy hands from breaking down this line of defense.”

Imran squinted, wanting to scrape away every inch of Komi's flesh with his gaze, then transform his remains into a mech servant for eternal atonement. "You mean... the Purity Examiners are traitors?"

“I didn’t say that.” Komi carefully chose his words. He didn’t want to give Imran face, but he also didn’t want to provoke the battle nuns beside him too much. “The bishop you appointed has long been morally corrupt, and the battle nuns and ascetics with him have just been deceived.”

"Lies!" Imaran roared, pointing at Komi. "Bishop Ux was personally trained by me. He is a devout man, and his loyalty to the Emperor is beyond question! He is a ruthless man, capable of mercilessly exterminating heretics, mutants, and aliens! To say that he has become morally corrupt is the most shameful slander!"

Komi sneered, "Imaran, this is not slander. The number of soldiers of the Mard Loyal Servant Corps who died at his hands is about to exceed ten thousand, a feat that even the rebels on distant fronts have not been able to achieve! His wantonness has caused the soldiers to suffer both physically and mentally. If you want evidence, then I will show it to you!"

With a wave of his hand, Kojima's soldiers carried up the Mard Loyal Servant soldiers who were half-burnt, unable to bend their fingers, and with most of their skin gone. They had all been saved from the burning stakes and had been given a lot of medicine to keep them alive.

But frankly, their condition was worse than death. They could only be fed via intravenous nutrient solutions, and their breathing was replaced by machines. They weren't even worth transforming into machine servants. Even beast brewing couldn't fully repair them; they could only rely on Komi's own blood.

Komi will save them, but not now...

“Look at the torture they are suffering. Your bishop is enjoying the screams of soldiers as they are burned, his nose greedily inhaling the aroma of burning human flesh.”

"To eradicate depravity! This is a necessary measure!"

"You created corruption in order to eradicate it!"

"Those who cannot even persevere in the interrogation of purity, their weakness is the beginning of their downfall!"

"And what if they survive the interrogation? If they don't, you'll say they're weak-willed, that they'll betray you even if they don't now. If they do survive the interrogation, you'll definitely say their depraved thoughts are too stubborn, and they need to be dealt with severely. It's time to put an end to this indiscriminate interrogation and torture. Life is the Savior's currency, but you're wasting it, even handing it over to the enemy!"

"That's sophistry! How can you know how terrible corruption is! If I had been even a little slower in dealing with it, their depraved thoughts would have spread throughout the entire city, the entire planet!"

Imran's voice was deep and resonant, clearly indicating his desire to engage Komi in a major debate on how to deal with corruption. But Komi knew this was a question without a definitive answer, and neither Imran's nor his own statements could be considered entirely wrong.

Sometimes the winds of corruption are truly terrifying, silent yet irresistible. Some people unknowingly corrupt their souls, only to find themselves surrounded by hell when they realize it. To ensure that 100 million people can live better lives, the most ruthless and decisive methods should be used to eliminate 10 million, 20 million, or even the same number of potential corrupt individuals.

"Kill a thousand innocent people but let one guilty person go free" is never a derogatory phrase in the eyes of the censors of the human empire.

But the corrupting influence spread gradually. Many people did not become devout believers in the worship of the dark gods overnight. They were confused by the whispers in their ears, struggled with their conscience and the long process of being seduced, and finally, under the cruel arrangement of fate, they headed towards the most desperate end. Then, with nowhere else to go, they chose to step into the dark path.

What if this person's soul is steadfast and unyielding, and they refuse to bow to the dark gods even under internal torment and external pursuit? That depends on the gods' mood. If they are bored and see that you refuse to submit, they will give up the idea of ​​toying with you and directly pour a large amount of chaotic energy into you, overflowing like a cream puff, making it impossible for you not to be corrupted.

Chapter 532: The Third Choice

If the gods are too busy to look after you individually, your defiance will delay your fate of corruption, and you will become an exile due to the empire's intolerance.

Some Space Marine chapters are like this; they suffered injustice and refused to bow to the gods, eventually becoming exiled chapters traveling through the void.

Distinguishing the causes and processes of corruption was clearly not a concern for the human empire. After all, their understanding of the warp was limited, and they couldn't, like the ancients, objectively understand the inner struggles of the corrupted through books, nor did they understand that the gods preferred to toy with the soul rather than forcefully fill it with knowledge. Furthermore, their efficiency was low; by the time they had thoroughly examined the matter, the entire world would have already perished.

Komi's willingness to support the Mard Loyal Servant Group is not out of pity for them, but because he sees a new possibility in them.

Human faith can only have two directions.

Either an emperor or a dark god.

There is never a third option.

Now Komi sees a third option in the Mard's loyal servants... that is, the savior, that is, himself.

Upon receiving the news that day, he immediately flew over by fighter jet. By then, the soldiers of the Mard Loyal Servant Regiment had been taken into custody by the Second Asian Infantry Regiment and were awaiting his instructions.

Komi walked past them, examining each of their bodies and smelling the scent of their souls.

In his experience, the Mard Loyal Servant Regiment was already showing signs of depravity. Their uniforms were filthy, and the mud from the trenches grew on their bodies like moss. Many soldiers had pus-filled boils and strange horns on their skin, and a stench clung to their souls. Even through their masks, Koken could see the despair and fear for the future on the faces of these soldiers.

Colonel Gerald said that Saint Otto was merciful and would surely give them a chance to atone for their sins, but could he really give them one? After all, they had killed the bishop of the state church, as well as the Emperor's daughters, the Battle Sisters!

At that time, Komi called Colonel Gerald aside and asked him to explain the cause and effect clearly, without missing a single detail.

Colonel Gerald recounted everything, even mentioning that he heard some murmurs before he killed the bishop.

"Can you still hear those sounds now?" Komi asked Colonel Gerald seriously, his hand on the hilt of his sword. This made Colonel Gerald realize that his next answer would determine his fate.

Colonel Gerald did not lie and answered honestly, "After I prayed to the Savior, I never heard the murmuring again."

From that moment on, Komi vowed to protect the Mard Loyal Servants under Imaran's command, and he would never waver even if it meant breaking ties with him!

The Mard's faithful will be the beginning of expanding the faith. Those who are loyal to the Emperor but are driven to the brink of betrayal for various reasons can choose to convert to the Savior to protect their souls and offer their faith to strengthen themselves.

The debate between Imran and Komi continued. Whenever Imran cited a case where the entire planet was plunged into disaster due to a delayed trial, Komi would always cite more cases where loyalists were unjustly killed due to unreasonable trials to refute him.

With the help of numerous Warhammer books, Imaran quickly ran out of words. His face was flushed red, and he wished he could rush over and strangle Komi.

Realizing the time was right, Komi decided to deliver the final blow to Imran, leaving him speechless and undermining his sacred status.

Komi raised his head and said loudly, "Imaran, you always accuse me of being a hypocrite and distorting the Savior's will. Now I will compete with you to see who is more favored by the Savior."

“It’s the Emperor…” Imaran corrected, “How do you intend to compare? To offer him the blood of heretics?”

“No, no, no…” Komi shook his finger. “Flame is the beginning of human civilization, and also the great power given to us by the Savior to purify everything. No filth can remain intact in the flames. Imaran, I want to compete with you in the ability to purify yourself with fire, and see whose faith can withstand the scorching heat! Just like what Saints Ticot and Floros did 670 years ago to resolve their differences in interpreting the Holy Word!”

Imran agreed to Komi's proposal without hesitation. He felt a surge of excitement; for this fanatical religious man, being able to emulate the saints of the past in resolving religious disputes was like a divine reward. "Very well! Let the flames bestowed upon humanity by the Emperor decide who better represents his will! The beneficiary will proclaim the Emperor's will, while the forsaken will be reduced to ashes in the fire! When shall we do it?"

"Right now, and I demand that the elder sister beside you carry it out with her flamethrower! I believe the Savior's daughter would never show favoritism or make things difficult for me because of our relationship."

The elder sister looked at Imran for his permission, and Imran nodded to reassure her. He told the elder sister, "Faith is my shield. Fire cannot harm me; it only makes me purer."

Soon, Komi and Imran were sitting naked on the ground, and everyone around them was witnessing this sacred moment.

The battle nuns prayed for Imran, hoping that he was the one who carried out the Emperor's will, and that the mercy shown to demi-humans and sinners was a misunderstanding of the Emperor's revelation by Saint Otto.

The soldiers loyal to Komi and the Mard loyalist group prayed for Komi, believing that the merciful savior would give sinners a chance to atone with their lives, rather than being shamefully deprived of the dignity of dying in battle.

"Time will tell who is right." As the elder sister adjusted the flamethrower, Imran said coldly to Komi, which reminded Komi of the inquisitor who had screened demons for him in the pure white hall.

Similar words gave Koji a different feeling. At first, he just wanted to live a life under the Emperor in order to die a good death, which is why he was so angry about the Inquisitor's betrayal. Now, he just wanted to get more benefits from the Human Empire that the Emperor could not get. Faced with Imaran's sarcasm, he couldn't even muster the mood to sarcastically respond.

As the elder sister pulled the trigger, a burst of flames erupted, landing on Imran first at his request.

The intense flames, which could melt armor over time, should have reduced Imaran to ashes. However, at that moment, something miraculous happened. Imaran, who was not wearing the Iron Aura, simply closed his eyes and began to repeatedly praise the Emperor's name and chant his holy words. His extremely firm and fanatical faith actually transformed into a shield that protected his body, just as he had said, preventing the flames from harming him in the slightest.

Wow! This guy's got some skills... Is the Emperor really going all out?

Komi was also surprised to see Imran's appearance. There are not many people who can influence reality with their faith. It seems that the story of Imran stopping the rebellion with a single speech was not an exaggeration. He really has such ability.

However, there was nothing to be afraid of. Koji could see that Imaran was only barely managing to keep himself from the flames. In the few seconds he chanted, he was sweating profusely and his brows were furrowed with difficulty. He couldn't hold on for long.

“Saint Otto, it’s your turn,” the elder sister reminded him, then poured the flames onto Komi.

Is faith my shield?

No... I have no faith...

All that accompanies me are a vast sea of ​​souls.

Koken's eyes sharpened, then he put his hands together on his hips and mentally shouted.

Come forth, Armor of Markarth!

The next moment, the soul enveloped him, transforming into armor that completely covered Komi's body, keeping the flames outside.

At this moment, you might ask, if Komi didn't kill anyone, how could he collect souls to forge armor? Well, then we have to look further back. Just half an hour before Imaran arrived here, the rebels opposite the Mard Loyal Servant's position were wiped out by Komi's army. Even the Chaos Egg that was summoned in an emergency was turned into mud after Komi slashed it with five strokes.

The soul of the current Markarth Armor was plundered from those rebels.

Chapter 533: I...I was wrong?

The manifestation of souls possessing the body is even more awe-inspiring than Imaran's invulnerability to fire. To outsiders, this is proof that Komi is protected by the souls of those who died in battle. Roughly speaking, their idea is not wrong, but whether these souls are protecting him voluntarily is worth asking.

A soldier clutched his small statue of the emperor tightly, shouting excitedly, "A saint! This is the true saint! The living are willing to give their lives for him, and the souls of the dead will protect him from harm. I knew that Otto was the saint who correctly interpreted the Savior's true meaning! Imaran misunderstood the Savior's meaning; he is the real heretic."

The shout swept through the crowd like a storm, even shaking the hearts of the battle nuns who had followed Imran. They could face the deep darkness without fear, but they could not calmly face such a sacred site.

The elder sister swallowed hard. Her gaze toward Imran still held respect, but it was no longer as pure as it used to be.

Imaran kept his eyes closed. He heard the gasps of surprise around him, which aroused his intense curiosity. He wanted to see what Komi was up to.

It would have been better if he hadn't opened his eyes. But as soon as he did, the sight of Komi's soul haunting him filled Imalan's heart with a cloud of doubt. Like the soldiers who were unaware of the truth, he regarded the soul entwined around Komi as a divine miracle sent down by the Emperor.

The Lord of Mankind is great and immortal. He holds the souls of all the loyal and brave. When he chooses his representative on earth, all the souls that will return to the throne will become the representative's support and stand guard by his side.

This theory was very popular in the state religion, and Imran thought of it almost instantly.

Could it be... that I was really wrong?

Imran blinked in disbelief. His fanaticism and piety were consuming his heart. When he believed he was right, he could disregard the deaths of thousands. When he lost his former steadfastness and began to doubt himself, everything he had done in the past became evidence that he was unworthy of the position of saint.

I...I made a mistake...I made a huge mistake!

Imaran closed his eyes in agony. As his body trembled, the shield of faith shattered, and flames swept over him, instantly engulfing him.

"saint!"

The elder sister gasped, realizing that Imaran had been defeated and that turning to ashes in the flames was a good outcome.

But not now!

The elder sister cried out anxiously in her heart, "Saint Imam has countless followers. If he dies here so suddenly, who will lead those followers?"

Is it Saint Otto? In the current situation, he is qualified to lead the Holy War Army of Imaran. In peacetime, the Sisters would certainly not intervene, but this is a crucial moment in the attack on Ironstar. The massive Holy War Army has occupied almost 45% of Ironstar's land, and several secondary nests are teetering on the brink of collapse under the Holy War Army's siege. This is something that the Savior's Army, with its fastest attack speed and smaller number of troops, could not achieve.

The sudden loss of a leader will cause violent turmoil in the Holy War Army. Even if the transfer of power is successfully completed, the situation on Iron Star will take a more complicated turn.