Anyone with even a basic grasp of Warhammer lore knows one thing.
Compared to the devastation caused by the Horus Heresy, the truly terrifying disaster was that one psychic phone call from a certain red Ogryn blowing up the Webway Project.
You could even say that the Emperor, who had long foreseen everything, never really cared who rebelled. As long as the Webway Project succeeded, he could have slapped every last troublemaking mutt back into line whenever he pleased.
Forget Horus. Even if all twenty-one of his beloved sons teamed up, they probably still would not have been enough for the Emperor to kill by himself. It might even have conveniently solved the problem of what to do with the Primarchs and the Astartes after the Great Crusade.
As a transmigrator with an omniscient perspective, Bruce knew exactly why Magnus had made that psychic call to the Emperor, and how Tzeentch had seized the chance to use it to shatter the Webway in one stroke.
The reason was Horus.
It was because Magnus had seen Horus being corrupted by the four Chaos Gods, and because Horus's soul had indeed started to darken, that Magnus had tried to warn the Emperor by phone.
The idea was not wrong. The method was not wrong. It was just one of those times when good intentions produced catastrophic results.
Bruce had thought many times about how to prevent Magnus from making that psychic call, but he had never found a chance to intervene. Marching over and arresting Magnus outright was inappropriate, and by the time Horus was being corrupted, it was already too late to stop it.
But this unexpected entry into Horus's mental world had handed Bruce a perfect opportunity.
Hey. I've got an idea. As long as Magnus never gets to see Horus being corrupted by the Chaos Gods, doesn't that solve everything?
What if the four gods just tear Horus apart on the spot? What does that have to do with me?
Wrong has its owner, debt has its debtor. At that point, we can just assemble the Avengers and beat the four ruin-peddlers to death. I, Bruce, am a good comrade trying to save the Warmaster. How was I supposed to know the kidnappers were this shameless?
"Give the Warmaster back."
Bruce strode toward the four shadows without the slightest fear.
What did it feel like to confront a fragment of the Chaos Gods' power?
Bruce admitted he was still a little nervous. Last time he had crossed Tzeentch, he had nearly gotten himself killed.
But this time was different.
I've got the Emperor's blessing, and this isn't even your home turf. What the hell am I afraid of?
More importantly, before coming closer, Bruce had specifically checked his storage pouch and found something wonderful inside—
Transformation Potion.
Psykers are weird, right? So weird that you can even bring items with you when you enter someone else's mental world.
If things really went south, Bruce was absolutely ready to chug the potion and let Goldie possess him. Worst case, they all went down fighting in Horus's soulscape. A double loss was still better than letting the other side win alone.
"Oh?"
Watching Bruce advance step by step, so confident and utterly fearless, the four gods all developed a keen interest in this human boy.
"What an ill-mannered little thing. But…" the purple shadow purred in a silken voice, "…that's fine. I like adorable little creatures like you."
"You feel fresh."
"Sorry, bro, I'm not into overly mature women. You've got a smell."
Bruce backed away from it in open disgust.
The purple shadow went completely blank.
Should… should I be angry? No, wait. Why does being rejected like this make me even more excited?
"Weak little creature! You know what awaits if you keep coming closer, don't you? Your soul, your flesh, everything you are, will be smashed to pieces!"
The red shadow unleashed an overwhelming pressure.
Bruce's steps slowed for a moment, but he kept moving.
Fear and battle-lust surged through him in turns, but in the end Bruce crushed them both beneath his absolute faith in the Emperor.
Somebody's backing me up anyway. What the hell am I scared of?
"Is that so? Then come closer and find out whose side gets torn apart."
Crackle.
The blades of the lightning claws snapped forward. Bruce settled into a fighting stance. The moment they attacked, he did not care who or what they were—he was going to punch first and ask questions never.
Sure, maybe I can't survive a single hit. But if I leave a claw mark on your face, then I win.
"Oh ho? You're approaching me? Instead of running away, you're actually coming closer?" the red shadow said in delight.
It knew full well this human was forcing himself onward.
But that was enough.
At least he dared.
"Oh, poor little thing…"
The green shadow sighed.
"Humanity's path is such a foolish one. You spend your whole lives seeking the end of all things, only to suffer endlessly through death and rebirth."
"But…"
Its tone shifted.
"I can free you from that cycle of pain, little one. Would that interest you?"
"Sorry, not interested. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Unless it's from my mom."
Bruce treated the offer of immortality with total indifference.
Come on. I'm already a transmigrator. You think I'm impressed by that?
As he spoke, he closed the final hundred meters between himself and Horus.
And from that point onward, every step felt like dragging mountains.
His strength and his mind were being consumed at a terrible rate.
The distance remaining was tiny, but his legs felt as though molten lead had been poured into them.
"Fall… fall… fall… join us…"
The blue shadow continued to whisper around Horus.
The other three shadows trembled slightly, all sensing that something was off.
By all rights, you should be the most excited one here. You're the one who's supposed to delight most in a soul this interesting. Why are you acting like this?
"Oh? I remember now."
The purple shadow let out an amused laugh.
"This was the adorable little thing who made a fool of our Tzeentch, wasn't it? Quite an entertaining story, wouldn't you agree?"
"Hahahaha! The Lord of Change actually got outplayed by a human and screamed like that. How humiliating."
"Oh, oh, I remember too! It would've been even better if this brat had buried an axe in Tzeentch while making it scream."
"Little one, I'm becoming more and more interested in you. Would you care to join my family? I would cherish you very, very well."
For a moment, Horus's soulscape rang with delighted laughter. The gods mocked the blue shadow while also trying to lure Bruce to their side.
After all, he had proven his value. He had proven that he was special. He deserved a reward.
Bruce dropped to one knee.
The pressure had finally become too much.
"Stop struggling, little one. Right now, all you need is the tiniest bit of help."
The purple shadow drifted close and stroked his cheek with a hand made of perfume.
"Come. Become my favored child. You will gain supreme delight, and you will be able to keep moving."
Bruce closed his eyes and silently repeated, For the Emperor.
"Hahahaha! Those little tricks are useless against a true warrior!"
The red shadow also came close, extending a hand as if it were a genial older brother offering to help Bruce up.
"I acknowledge your courage. I will grant you strength, if only you will bring me blood and slaughter!"
"You will be tempered. You will grow stronger and stronger until all men tremble before you!"
Shnk.
Bruce's lightning claw cut upward through the red shadow. Then, trembling, he forced himself back to his feet and continued toward Horus.
"Horus Lupercal! Hold on! Resist these foul things and their temptations!"
"They can't do anything to you!"
After two Chaos Gods had personally tried to tempt him, Bruce finally understood something clearly.
Inside Horus's soulscape, they could do very little.
So long as he endured, and Horus endured, then the gods were the real clowns here.
If they had truly been able to seize control of either Bruce or Horus, would they still be standing around talking? The four ruin-peddlers had never been creatures of reason.
"Hahahahahaha—!"
The green shadow suddenly burst into hearty laughter.
Then foul green mist began spreading everywhere, rapidly swallowing the whole soulscape. The other three mists shuddered violently, as if they were on the verge of being forced out.
"My apologies, dear colleagues, but before our grand game begins…"
"I think I'd like a proper conversation with this little one first."
"Think of it as a small reward for myself. We've already wasted far too much time on this primarch."
"Nurgle! You can't do that!" shrieked the purple mist, sounding like a toy had just been snatched away. "That's not fair!"
"A despicable trick. Still…" the red mist withdrew calmly, "…I trust this little warrior will split you open with his claws."
"Fine! Then this is my stage now."
With the other two voices withdrawing, the green mist unleashed its power.
In an instant, the once-pitch-black world sprouted rotting trees and swamp-like pools of pus. Endless flies and maggots swarmed toward Bruce.
Bruce remained utterly calm in the face of the filth-pit blooming around him.
He was already so overwhelmed by the stench that his head was starting to spin, but he knew perfectly well this was all just illusion.
He might as well pretend he was looking at a members-only restaurant again.
Did you really think so little of me? I'm the kind of man who once ate spaghetti while watching wooden-horse porn.
"You're calm to a disturbing degree. In fact… you're laughing at me?"
The green mist demanded in confusion.
"Why? Before you stands a god! A being that can grant you eternal life!"
Bruce's reaction left it utterly baffled. Normally, when a living being beheld such a wondrous garden, it would show some kind of response.
Either it would understand that life's true meaning was eternal continuation, or it would be overwhelmed and fall into confusion.
But Bruce was calm to an absurd degree.
It gave Nurgle no opening at all. No way to invade his mind. No way to lure him in.
He was like a foul-smelling rock. Even tossed into a cesspit, he remained a rock.
"Hahahahaha!"
Bruce suddenly threw back his head and laughed.
The green mist was dumbfounded.
What was wrong with this child? Had he gone mad?
"You seem to have forgotten there's still one person left who hasn't been cleared out," Bruce kindly reminded it.
One person left…
What?!
No. Bad.
Just as realization struck, the blue mist at the rear was already condensing into a… human form?
Bruce and the green mist both froze.
What the hell was this now?
"Nurgle! Die!"
As the figure finished taking shape, a beam of light shot toward the green mist in a form Bruce knew all too well.
From the color of it, it was obvious exactly who had just shown up.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 115)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter116)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter82)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter144)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 118
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 111
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 80
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 112
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 95
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 89
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 53
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 61
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 65
Uma Musume: From Beginner 61
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 37
Uma Musume: I Want All 35
I Can Copy Unique Skills 36
A Guide to Aid in the Underwor 26
Summoning an Evil God, but the 27
Supernatural Multiverse 27
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