Chapter 11: Kardia: "Isha, are you asking me to cuck Nurgle?
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"More people, you say?"
Kardia was intrigued by Silas's statement; he hadn't expected Silas to have many connections. However, considering Silas had lived in a Hive World, it was likely to be expected.
He had probably met thousands of individuals during his time there.
In a Hive World, having connections is essential for survival, and Silas had clearly done well to cultivate his network.
"Yes, my lord! Of course, um... if they are still alive," Silas replied, feeling a bit embarrassed. He was making a promise to recruit more people, yet he wasn't sure if those individuals were still alive.
"Here, take a look. These are the readings of all human life wavelengths on the planet," Kardia said.
With a tap of his fingers on the dining table, Kardia summoned a hologram of the entire planet. Some areas glowed with red dots, indicating Tyranid life forms, while other areas showed green dots, signifying human life.
"The red dots represent the Tyranids, and the green dots represent human life. Right here, on this orange dot, is the location where I found you all," Kardia explained as he moved the hologram to illustrate how to differentiate each type of lifeform.
"Use this information to figure out where those people might be hiding," he instructed.
Silas was silent, not from surprise, although he was surprised, but because he was trying to remember the path they had taken after separating from the Hive World and other groups.
After a few minutes, Silas pointed to an area in the holographic image of the planet, and Kardia zoomed in on it.
As Silas had anticipated, he saw some green dots in that area, indicating that some people were still alive there. Kardia smiled upon seeing that Silas had identified people he allegedly knew, but then he turned serious.
"Now... I'll allow you to go there to recruit more people, but I will not accept anyone who has joined cults or who is a gang member."
Kardia was actually very strict about people joining him.
He didn't want gang members, nor did he want cult members joining the ranks, as that could allow the Chaos Gods to know about his deeds.
"If you find anyone you believe to be worth bringing, then bring them," Kardia stated as he took a bite of his hamburger.
Although he wasn't hungry, he enjoyed the taste of eating human food.
"I can do that, my lord!" Silas replied eagerly, sitting down again with a big smile on his face, as if he had been given an important mission.
Little did he know that he had essentially assigned himself that mission.
Kardia had initially intended to carry out the mission himself, but ultimately decided to assign it to Silas, knowing that Silas had a better understanding of the area.
After that brief conversation, Kardia stood quietly, allowing the people at the table to chat among themselves. When he finished eating his food, he simply sat there relaxed, as he drank some wine that he suddenly summoned into his hands.
While he was there, listening to the conversations around him, Kardia noticed that Silas kept looking at him.
Kardia began to feel uneasy, sensing that Silas had something important to say.
"Silas, speak your mind. You've been staring at me for quite some time as if you have something to say. I won't bite for expressing your thoughts," Kardia said, glancing at his glass of wine and observing how the liquid swirled gently within it.
Caught staring, Silas sighed and rose from his seat once again.
'Man... this guy really likes to stand up, huh?' Kardia thought, noting that Silas had already done so at least three times since the dining table conversation started.
"My lord, I would like to serve you! I want to repay you for giving my group a new life and for what you did for my wife!"
Silas exclaimed, bowing his head in a traditional Japanese style, his voice filled with determination.
"I don't understand what you mean, Silas. You are my subordinate. As your leader, it is my duty to provide you with the essentials, and I have done that."
Kardia replied, confused by Silas's intentions. Silas felt embarrassed that his point hadn't been made clear initially.
"My lord, what I mean is that I want to fight for you. I want to fight for your cause," Silas clarified, and this time Kardia grasped what he was trying to express.
"You mentioned that the road ahead will be difficult. I believe that means we will need to fight for our right to be a society that stands for what is right," Silas continued.
"You have given my wife and my people a second chance. I am someone who will repay my debt, and if that means fighting for this cause, I will do it."
"So, please… my lord! Allow me to be your sword against the forces of evil! Please, make me stronger!" Silas implored as he knelt on one knee, looking up at Kardia.
Kardia met Silas's gaze and, without needing to use his Empathy ability, sensed the sincerity of Silas's emotions.
He could tell that Silas was serious about his request.
Kardia sighed.
"Alright. I was actually going to ask for the same thing, but I didn't want to impose since you all just recently joined me. However, it seems my actions have inspired you to join this cause," Kardia said with a smile.
He clapped his hands, stood up from his seat, and walked over to where Silas was kneeling, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"You mentioned wanting to grow stronger, right? I can help you with that, but the training will be intense. Are you willing to endure it?"
Kardia inquired. He was reaffirming Silas's desire to grow stronger, but wanted to confirm his readiness for the grueling training ahead.
"Yes, my lord!" Silas exclaimed without hesitation, agreeing to undergo the harsh training to become stronger.
"Us too, my lord."
Suddenly, three other voices rang out; these were David, Clark, and Kikas, the only three friends of Silas capable of fighting in the group.
"You guys too?" Silas asked, surprised to hear his companions join in.
Silas was taken aback by his friends' enthusiasm, but later smiled, relieved that he didn't have to convince them individually to join him.
"Yes, my lord!" the three declared as they knelt on one knee before Kardia. He nodded in acknowledgment.
"Alright. We can discuss this further later. For now, eat your food, talk among yourselves, and then get some rest. Tomorrow will bring new opportunities to advance our goals. Today is a day to relax."
"After all, my Imperium will not be built in a single day; it could take a year or two to retake this entire star system, but it will take years to build something that lasts. So don't worry about trying to repay me as quickly as possible."
Kardia reaffirmed Silas and the others, and it made sense; his imperium was not going to be built in a single day, that would be impossible.
Look, it took six months to even save some people, well... it could've taken him less, but you still get the gist of it.
After that scene, Kardia sat down, and Silas and his friends also did the same thing. But after some time, Kardia excused himself, as he was going back to working on the project of the battleships.
...
"That was a good meal. I hope those guys liked it. That is REAL FOOD."
Kardia sat down in his chair, his eyes drifting back to the project he had left open in his laboratory: the design for the future spaceships of his impending imperium.
As he began to work, he suddenly heard Raphael's female voice in his head. Despite the distraction, he continued to focus on his project.
[Master, I would like you to see something.] Raphael notified Kardia, who was engrossed in his work.
That already caught Kardia's full attention, but what came next did so even more.
[Furthermore, someone desires to speak with you.] Raphael added
The last time Raphael had something to tell him, he had been left surprised for weeks.
Now, he was puzzled.
Did someone want to communicate with him? That was unfamiliar territory.
Was it the Emperor of Mankind?
He felt being watched for quite some time, but he just ignored it.
"Alright, what is it?" Kardia asked, stopping his work completely and urging Raphael to reveal what she wanted him to see.
[You need to enter the Immaterium, Master.] Raphael responded, which intrigued Kardia.
Kardia simply nodded.
He had learned how to access the Immaterium from Raphael, though he had never ventured there for a quick look, as he was always busy with other matters.
The one who is constantly protecting Kardia's soul reflection is Raphael.
Kardia sighed deeply, the sound reverberating in the silence around him. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, allowing himself to drift into a state of contemplation.
When he finally opened them, he found himself in a radically different reality—another dimension altogether.
This parallel realm was known as the "Sea of Souls," a vast expanse teeming with an unending flow of psychic energy.
It was a place where every thought, dream, and fear conceived by humanity, and indeed every sentient being throughout the galaxy, echoed and shimmered like stars in the night sky.
These thoughts coalesced into a vibrant tapestry of energy, manifesting as entities that existed within this realm, some benign and others sinister. Although the vast majority of them were sinister.
The number of lesser Gods inhabiting the Immaterium was a mystery, as was the multitude of unknown entities that roamed its vastness.
To an average person, this dimension would likely evoke sheer terror, akin to the depths of hell—yet for Kardia, even though it was his first experience in this enigmatic realm, he felt no fear at all.
Instead of dread, he was enveloped by an extraordinary sense of wonder.
As he surveyed the swirling chaos around him, Kardia's gaze was drawn to the magnificent "Black Hole" that pulsated with surreal energy, cradled between his hands.
This was something that Raphael had designed as a means to constantly absorb the energy of the Immaterium, something that no other God in the Immaterium was able to do.
Altering his "Universal Perception," he began to examine his own projection.
This impressive figure bore no resemblance to his former self. His usual six arms had been reduced to just two; a symbolic shedding of old burdens after he had consumed the essence of the Sub-Hive Mind.
The upper arms, previously aimed at the horrific "Shadow in the Warp," were now gone, signifying that it had already been eaten.
He marveled at the change Raphael had orchestrated.
Kardia had actually seen his initial soul reflection. While he liked it, it made him too "Xeno," especially with the six arms.
So Kardia's reflection can still have "Six Arms," but Kardia chooses not to do so.
Yet, he truly admired the change Raphael had orchestrated.
It was as if she had intuitively grasped his very essence, weaving together the elements he cherished, blending them seamlessly into a projection that exuded both allure and intimidation.
Well... she can read his thoughts and know what he likes better than he does.
He couldn't help but appreciate the artistry behind it—a true masterpiece that mirrored his identity yet elevated it to something far beyond the ordinary.
The exquisite details of his appearance radiated strength and formidable presence, compelling him to embrace this newfound form with pride and determination.
"Interesting. Good job, Raphael! My reflection looks so cool!"
Kardia talked to Raphael through his mind, and thus no one in the Immaterium could hear their conversation.
[Thank you, Master. Your praise is why I work so hard,] Raphael, with a devoted and loyal voice, responded, and this left Kardia perplexed, but he later smiled.
"So... What is that you wanted to let me know about? Also, who wants to speak with me?" Kardia asked, as he didn't know why Raphael told him to come here.
[R-Right...] Raphael began.
But that start already had Kardia guessing it was not going to be good.
[It seems that the Aeldari Goddess of Life, Isha, wants to have an audience with you, Master. She is actually waiting for the confirmation.]
Kardia blinked in surprise as he heard Raphael's words; he didn't think that the Goddess of Life of the Aeldari would want to speak with him.
That was... unexpected to say the least.
"Sure, let us connect."
Although Kardia did not know what Isha, the Goddess of Life, wanted, their conversation was going to be interesting.
Kardia was also hesitant to refuse an audience with the benevolent and revered figure of the Goddess of Life, Isha.
The image of Isha, Goddess of Life of the Aeldari race, was something that many people in his previous life didn't know of.
For the same reason, Kardia was actually trying to see what the Goddess of Life looked like.
The only picture that he had of her was the memes where Isha is talking to Yvraine, and then Slaanesh comes in with a book titled "How to seduce a Primarch" or something like that.
That is the only picture that Kardia had of Isha, and that was a fan presentation of her, not even her real form.
Isha, the Goddess of Life, is a profoundly tragic character in the complex and often grim tapestry of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
As the embodiment of life and vitality for the Aeldari pantheon, she is celebrated and venerated among her people for her compassion and nurturing essence.
It is also stated that Isha is not like the Aeldari people and doesn't discriminate against other races.
This is why she sometimes would help people in the galaxy.
Isha represents not only the physical aspects of life but also the spirit and hope of Aeldari civilization.
It is suggested that in the Lore of 40k, Isha was among the first to perceive the insidious degeneration occurring within her race.
Her foresight prompted her to convey dire warnings to the King of the Gods, Asuryan.
However, the other deities, engrossed in their own machinations and embroiled in endless power struggles over the elusive essence of Faith, remained tragically oblivious to the impending catastrophe developing within the Aeldari.
Inevitably, calamity struck with the birth of Slaanesh, the Chaos God of Excess.
By the time the Aeldari gods finally recognized the seriousness of their negligence, Slaanesh had already consumed the souls of millions of Aeldari, significantly enhancing its power to rival that of the other three Chaos Gods.
In a desperate attempt to reclaim what was lost, the Aeldari gods united in a futile struggle against Slaanesh.
Their collective strength, however, proved insufficient; they fell one by one, devoured by the very entity that had been born by the problem they had long ignored, leading to their annihilation and the disintegration of the Aeldari race and Empire.
Despite embodying life, Isha found herself ensnared in the horrific grasp of Slaanesh, subjected to torment and degradation that seemed endless.
However, amid her suffering, she was fortuitously rescued by Nurgle, the Chaos God of Decay and Disease, who harbored a twisted infatuation for her.
Though Nurgle's perverse affection offered Isha relief from Slaanesh's eternal torment, it merely exchanged one devil for another.
In his grotesque sense of compassion, Nurgle sought to care for Isha in his own macabre way, like providing her with some of his diseased soup.
...
Raphael, who received the order to connect Kadia with Isha, quickly did so.
[Understood, Master.] Raphael responded; she was also curious about what the Goddess of Life wanted with her Master.
As mentioned, Kardia found himself enveloped in a brilliant, all-consuming white light that transformed his surroundings into an ethereal dimension where the color white reigned supreme.
"Thank goodness! You actually responded! I have been trying to contact you for at least three months," a voice called out, breaking the stillness of the white space.
Kardia's heart raced at the sound.
It was a rich, mature, and sensual voice infused with an intriguing innocence that captivated his attention.
He turned around slowly, and his breath caught in his throat as he beheld the breathtaking figure before him.
Standing there was the Goddess of Life, Isha—a vision of beauty that seemed sculpted by the hands of a divine artist.
Her flawless features radiated a grace that was both striking and serene.
Long, flowing hair cascaded down her shoulders, shimmering like spun gold in the brilliant light, while her emerald green eyes sparkled with an intensity that reflected the very essence of life itself—full of depth and emotion.
Her figure was nothing short of mesmerizing; she possessed curves that inspired adoration and reverence from all who laid eyes upon her.
Her breasts were perfectly shaped, neither too big nor too small. Her curves created a plump yet fit aesthetic, with the harmony of her form being unparalleled and captivating to both men and women alike.
This was the real deal.
True beauty.
Isha didn't resemble the Aeldari he was familiar with; instead, she looked more like the elves from fantasy tales.
But what struck Kardia most deeply were the emotions that danced behind her eyes.
Though she exuded an air of wisdom that suggested vast knowledge and understanding, there was an undeniable innocence woven into her demeanor.
It was a perfect blend of maturity and naivety, as if she had walked the path of existence long enough to grasp the complexities of life yet still retained a childlike wonder about the universe's mysteries.
That innocence, so palpable and tender, added a layer of intrigue to her already enchanting presence, making her as approachable as she was awe-inspiring.
Kardia managed to regain his composure and looked at the Goddess, who looked like a small child who finally gotten what she wanted after months of hard work.
"You must be the Goddess of Life, Isha, right?" Kardia asked, his tone serious yet gentle. He sensed that Isha was not a bad person.
From a single glance, Kardia could tell that Isha, the Goddess of Life, was the only genuinely good person in this galaxy.
The Imperium is hostile. The Aeldari are treacherous. The Tyranids are exceptionally dangerous. And the Necrons? Well, they exist on an entirely different level of malevolence.
When Kardia spoke, Isha seemed to get a bit nervous, and she even flinched, as if she was about to get hit.
When Isha saw that Kardia was not going to hit her, she sighed in relief. Kardia, who watched this, was confused.
"You are friendly... thank goodness."
Isha spoke like a woman who had endured too many traumas, and she was cautious of everything around her.
For countless years, Isha had tried to reach out to other entities in the Warp for help, but because Nurgle was the one protecting her, few dared to interfere with him.
But why didn't she beg the Emperor of Mankind for assistance?
She tried, and it did not go well, to say the least.
Isha had barely begun to speak when she received a brutal psychic blow that sent her consciousness reeling.
The Emperor is intolerant of Xenos; he considers Humanity the sole rightful master of the galaxy and believes that all other species must be purged.
So for the Emperor, when she saw Isha trying to contact him, he simply responded with what he knew best, violence.
Fortunately, she kept this a secret.
If Nurgle had discovered her attempt, he wouldn't have harmed her. Still, he would certainly have confronted the Emperor of Mankind for hitting her.
While Isha wanted to escape Nurgle's grasp, she understood that if Nurgle were weakened, Slaanesh could easily come after her, and that was something she desperately wanted to avoid.
"You sound as if I were going to hit you." Kardia chuckled at Isha's mannerisms, but he understood where she came from.
It was obvious that while she wanted to speak with him, she was also very cautious of him.
"W-well... I didn't know if you were actually going to hit me. I-I had to be prepared." Isha stuttered at first, but when she saw that Kardia was actually very charismatic, she relaxed a bit.
"You said that you had been trying to contact me for three months?" Kardia asked, intrigued as to why the Goddess of Life was reaching out to him.
"Y-yeah, that's right! You're really difficult to contact. It's easier to get a hold of the Emperor of Mankind than you," Isha joked.
Despite her lighthearted tone, there was an unmistakable hint of fear in her voice when she mentioned the Emperor.
She even flinched, as if painful memories were surfacing.
"I was busy in the Materium. I didn't have time to check the Immaterium. I only looked in when some entities started acting funny," Kardia said, blending a bit of a lie with the truth.
Kardia had indeed been occupied for several months, currently trying to finish a project. However, the situation intrigued him enough that he decided to take a moment to explore it.
"I-I understand."
Isha genuinely grasped that not everyone had the free time she did, as she was cared for like a princess by Nurgle, who managed every aspect of her life.
It was a confined existence, but still preferable to her previous imprisonment by Slaanesh.
"You didn't just come to see me for small talk, did you? You want me to help you escape Nurgle's grip?"
Kardia decided to cut the conversation short, not out of irritation at Isha's presence—he actually enjoyed being around her—but because he recognized that Isha likely had a limited window of time as well.
After all, Nurgle himself was the one who provided for her and sought her favor. Nurgle would definitely go to where he keeps Isha and take a good look at her from time to time.
Kardia wasn't looking to start a conflict with Nurgle just yet; he needed more power before attempting such a bold move, such as cucking Nurgle.
He didn't want to end up like those NTR characters, especially in those NTR Gacha Reaction videos, where the MC getting NTR'd fights back and actually defeats the NTR guy.
In this context, Kardia was the NTR guy, and Nurgle was the one getting NTR'd.
Kardia also didn't understand why those NTR Gacha Reaction videos always involved the Webtoon of Lookism.
Wait...?
Why was he thinking about that now?
Isha, noticing Kardia's abrupt shift in focus, nodded softly, her eyes brimming with hope.
"Yes. If you ever have the chance in the future, please save me. I can't endure being like this any longer."
"I don't have anything to offer you, but if it means giving myself to you, I will do it," Isha confessed, pouring out her emotions—the frustration and fear of being trapped with Nurgle for eternity.
Isha lowered her head, trying not make Kardia look at her tears.
"Sure... why not?" Kardia responded without hesitation.
That quick response even surprised Kardia himself.
Isha, on the verge of tears as she expressed her deepest feelings, paused and looked up, shocked by Kardia's words.
Though she had come to seek Kardia's help, she had expected him to react like everyone else, hesitant to engage with any of the Four Chaos Gods.
Yet, Kardia simply said, "Sure."
He agreed to her request for help.
After six long months, after the first time she saw those rays of hope, Isha could see a glimmer of hope radiating from Kardia's presence once again.
"Truly...?" Isha asked, still struggling to comprehend why Kardia would agree to such an impossible request.
After all, rescuing her would mean fighting against Nurgle, one of the Four Chaos Gods of the Immaterium.
"Nurgle? Give some time, and even the Four Chaos Gods aren't going to be anything to me."
Although Kardia was bluffing right now, but his statement wasn't without truth.
If he truly locked in, Kardia could've become a being that was equal to the Chaos Gods in power.
But because Kardia wasn't actually trying to grow stronger, as he was interested in other things in the meantime, Raphael tried to keep the growth a bit paced.
Isha, who heard Kardia's words, did not know how to respond.
Should she be happy that Kardia can affirm so casually that he can grow as strong as the Chaos Gods? Or should she take Kardia's words as a bluff?
But after thinking about it, it made sense.
Kardia seemed to be the only God in the entire Immaterium that was able to devour the energy of the Immaterium to grow stronger and not be affected by its multiple essences.
It made her think of the C'tan.
An Immaterium version of the C'tan.
But what Isha didn't know was that Kardia was having an entirely different dialogue inside his head.
"Is ShE cRaZy? Is she asking me to NTR Nurgle? What kind fucked up timeline is this?"
Kardia couldn't actually fathom what the hell Isha was requesting of him, but in the end, he agreed to do it.
Somehow, he did.
Here we go... getting in trouble already.
"W-what is your name?" Isha asked, intrigued about Kardia's name. After all, she didn't know the name of the God in front of her.
Kardia came back to his senses when he heard Isha's words.
"Oh... That is rude of me. Let me introduce myself properly." Kardia smiled and later gave a small bow to Isha.
"My name is Kardia. Delighted to meet you, Goddess of Life, Isha."
Kardia gave a small bow like a true gentleman as he introduced himself to the Goddess in front of me.
Isha was delighted that Kardia was so respectful, smiled, and blushed.
She blushed because she never seen another God being so respectful to her before.
"Wh-what does your name mean?" Isha asked, actually curious about what Kardia's name could mean.
Kardia looked at her in surprise.
This goddess was actually trying to ask what his name meant? Was she crazy?
Isha, who thought that Kardia didn't understand her words, quickly gave an example.
"As you know, my name is Isha. But my name has multiple meanings, such as "Protector," "Alive," and "Living." Those words represent my name, which fits with my title as the Goddess of Life."
Isha said, but Kardia was quiet.
Kardia didn't know if this goddess was so naive that she just gave away the meaning behind her name to him, or that she trusted him enough to do something like that.
"My name means... "Heart." Kardia sighed as he also revealed the meaning behind his name.
Although this was the meaning behind the name Kardia in the ancient Greek language, and it was not his actual meaning as a God in the Warhammer 40k universe, it still meant that Kardia was actually showing some type of trust and respect to Isha.
After all, when you know the meaning and true name of a person, you have certain control over that person.
Isha, mesmerized by the meaning of Kardia's name, or more like the meaning that she believed that Kardia's name had, walked slowly towards Kardia.
And as she got closer, Isha placed her hand where she could tell Kardia's heart was supposed to be, as if trying to touch Kardia's real heart.
"A-a "Heart" of Hope... huh?"
(SHE SAID THE THING!)
Although this was meant to be a talk of minds, both of them had manifested in this connection realm in their true forms.
This is why Isha was able to "touch" Kardia in this white realm.
Kardia saw how Isha touched the area of his heart, but he didn't say anything, as he didn't feel malice coming from her.
As Isha prepared to speak again, she suddenly froze. Kardia noticed her stillness as well.
"Oh no, he's coming! I need to close the connection," Isha said in a panic, realizing Nurgle was approaching her location.
Despite her fear, she didn't want to leave. Although their interaction had been brief, Isha had enjoyed talking to Kardia.
Kardia also recognized that Isha was about to sever the connection and noticed her reluctance.
He sighed in exasperation.
Maybe he shouldn't do this, especially around this time, but hey! Sometimes you need to make decisions on the spot.
He had a way to save her—a simple solution. But it was up to her, and truly up to him, too.
However, seeing Isha's growing panic at the thought of Nurgle discovering her secret conversation with Kardia, he let out another sigh.
"Hey! Listen to me."
As Isha was already so close to him, Kardia gently grabbed Isha by the chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. He needed her to focus on him, even if just for a moment.
"I have a way to save you."
Surprised by Kardia's sudden action, Isha felt her cheeks flush. She was bewildered but intrigued when she heard he had a plan.
Yeah... she locked in.
"R-really…?" she asked, her eyes locked onto Kardia's red-golden ones. Kardia nodded slowly, adopting a serious expression.
"Give me your hand."
As he spoke, he released her chin and took her hand instead. Isha, still panicking but wanting to believe Kardia's words, allowed him to grasp her hand.
Kardia quickly drew a symbol on his palm, but it faded away almost immediately, as if trying to hide.
"Here. This is a rune," Kardia explained, meeting Isha's beautiful green eyes.
"When we get out of this Connection Realm, I will return to the Immaterium and make some noise. Since I am being observed by nearly all factions now, whatever I do will undoubtedly attract a lot of attention."
"When literally everyone is focused on me, in secret, I will activate this rune," Kardia said, ensuring that Isha was absorbing every word.
"This rune is a teleportation rune. It is linked to a time-space ability I possess, which creates no spatial or temporal disruptions. This means that not even Nurgle himself would be able to trace where you went."
"This rune will teleport you into my personal dimension. No one will know you're there, and they can't trace this back to me because everyone will believe I was occupied with something else."
"Nurgle might suspect it was me, but he can't prove anything. And when he can't prove anything, I'm sure he will blame Tzeentch for it."
Kardia explained his plan, and despite the gravity of the situation, he couldn't quite believe he was about to take such a reckless action.
But the plan was actually well planned out.
After all, nobody would actually know it was him, as they think that Kardia simply wanted to make his power known to the Immaterium.
"This is the only way I can save you. However, it's up to you to accept these conditions."
With that, Kardia let go of Isha's hand, leaving her surprised.
She had never encountered such a thing before.
As she considered Kardia's plan, she realized the chances of it succeeding were extremely high. In fact, she believed it might be her only opportunity to escape.
Tears welled in Isha's eyes as she looked at Kardia's red-golden eyes, filled with gratitude—more than gratitude.
"T-Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!" Isha exclaimed, her excitement overflowing.
For the second time in more than ten thousand years, Isha felt a flicker of hope to free herself from her endless torment.
"I will trust you! I believe this plan can work very well!"
Isha dared not consider that the plan might fail; the thought alone could jinx her only chance to escape from Nurgle's grasp.
"I have to go... he is near," Isha said as she felt that Nurgle was getting closer to where her real form was placed.
"Thank you, my 'Heart' of Hope," Isha said, her voice trembling with emotion.
As those words left her lips, her figure vanished from the white room where they had been.
Kardia was left stunned, alone, contemplating Isha's final words.
"What the hell....? Did I just rizz up a Goddess...?"
"That was easier than my last girlfriend..."
"No.. what the hell am I thinking?"
Kardia was stunned, but he later shook his head; that was not what was happening.
It seems that his hormones are still out of control.
Getting out of the Connection Realm that Raphael had created for him and Isha to talk, Kardia saw the ever-red and purple Immaterium.
After a few seconds, Kardia spoke to Raphael.
"Raphael, why didn't you tell me that Isha has been trying to contact me for three months?"
Kardia asked. He was not mad; in fact, he was curious about why Raphael didn't tell him this sooner.
Raphael, who also watched the entire conversation go down, felt a bit embarrassed.
[Y-you were busy...?]
Kardia sighed as he heard Raphael's response. But he didn't dwell on that right now.
"Also, what did you want to show me?"
Kardia had been contemplating this question, uncertain as to why Raphael felt the need to reveal something to him.
[Master, look to your right.]
As he turned to his right, Kardia blinked in surprise. He saw a relatively small ship—small in comparison to his own imposing reflection, making it seem diminutive.
"Is that what I think it is?" Kardia asked, his eyes locked on the vessel.
[That's correct, Master. That is a ship from the Golden Age of Humanity.]
[It appears that after countless hours of absorbing psychic energy from the Immaterium through the Black Hole that I created, certain objects also drifted toward this direction.]
[This ship is one of those objects that has come in this direction.]
After hearing those words, Kardia felt a sense of surprise, though it was somewhat expected.
The black hole that Raphael had created was the result of her ability, "Perfect Data Conversion."
This sub-skill allowed Raphael to convert the physical properties of the material world into the immaterium, leading to the creation of the first "immaterium" black hole.
This black hole shares the same characteristics as a traditional black hole, meaning it would begin to 'suck' in anything nearby, and at times, it could attract other objects as well.
And that is what, in the end, happened.
"Oh my god!" Kardia exclaimed internally.
"Since when did I become this fortunate?" Kardia asked himself.
[Since you unlocked the requirements for the Ultimate Skill "True Hero, Lord of Heroes," and the Ultimate Skill "Fortuna Invicta, Lord of Luck."]
Kardia: "...."
Kardia remained silent, surprised to have received an answer when he hadn't even sought one.
But he couldn't believe it—he had a spaceship from the Golden Age of Humanity!
Though Kardia wasn't entirely sure why this excited him so much, he felt confident that he could build something vastly superior to it.
There we go... gaining an ego.
With this ship, Kardia believes he can draw inspiration to complete his project.
Without doing much, Kardia simply summoned "Azathoth" through his hand and saved the battleship within "Imaginary Space."
At least Isha, when she enters his "Imaginary Space," will have the ability to play with something.
Talking about Isha.
Kardia sighed to himself.
"Do I really have to do this?" Kardia wondered.
He was starting to doubt his life choices, but there was nothing he could do about it now.
[You promised her to save her, Master. So, in a way, you do have to keep your promise.]
[A hero never breaks their promises.] Raphael replied, and it only made things worse because she was right.
She was always right.
"Well, if things go wrong, I still have Ea to save me."
Kardia tried to console himself; after all, he was about to cuck a Chaos God in secret.
While the original plan was to make some noise, Kardia most probably thought that Nurgle was going to blame him right away.
And if Nurgle came to him, the only way for Kardia to save himself is to summon Ea, the Sword of Rupture, from his "Gate of Babylon."
Kardia sighed.
"Raphael, what is the current situation here in the Immaterium? Or more like, what is our current situation in the Immaterium?"
Kardia asked a question that had been bothering him for quite some time; after all, he didn't know much about what was happening in the Immaterium.
Raphael, who was asked the question, quickly came to respond to the question of her Master.
[The Chaos Gods are occupying their usual realm. The Emperor of Mankind still resides above the Astronomican. Yet, the slightest move that we make is monitored by literally all factions.]
[It also appears that some lesser gods are unhappy with our rapid growth in power—especially a Demigod named Vashtorr.]
[Other minor entities that aren't allied with the Chaos factions, such as large mindless beings, occasionally test us. But as soon as they get too close, they retreat in fear. Nevertheless, this doesn't stop them from trying to test us.]
Kardia absorbed every word Rafael spoke, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and contemplation.
From what he gathered, the entities within the Immaterium are VERY aware of his identity.
However, because they barely recognize his potential as a threat, they continuously attempt to test him in order to assess his power level.
They are trying to determine if they can gain an advantage over him. To make him submit to them, and that was going to be impossible.
"Umm... it seems we need to instill a bit of fear in them," Kardia stated, his voice calm yet edged with determination.
"Vashtorr seems like a great way of making some noise. And he actually owns an Ætheric Dominion as well. Maybe I can take it away from him. That can be useful."
Kardia thought, and the more he thought about it, the more it made sense.
"Yeah... it is decided."
"I will take on Vashtorr. Let his jealousy of me be his demise."
Kardia thought as he looked towards a certain direction
....
Vashtorr, who was working on something, out of nowhere felt a chill run down his spine. Ironically enough, it is hot in his personal workshop, where he keeps his furnace to forge souls.
Vashtorr: "The fuck? Did I piss someone off...?"
....
End of chapter 11.