If Tzeentch isn't stirring up trouble, can you even still call it Tzeentch?
All the while Bruce was being courted one after another by the three Chaos Gods, he had been waiting for an opening. He wanted to see what Tzeentch was planning.
And yet the result was that it just floated there, doing absolutely nothing, mechanically repeating the corruption process like a broken record.
Which made it…
deeply suspicious.
The moment Nurgle took the initiative and drove the other gods away, Bruce knew Tzeentch was about to pull something vicious. Ideally, he even wanted to watch the two of them tear each other apart.
Everyone knew Nurgle and Tzeentch had never gotten along. One embodied eternity, the other change. They were natural opposites. Of course they were never going to be friends.
"WTF?!"
The instant Bruce saw a blue-haired, not-particularly-bright-looking beautiful girl appear, he froze on the spot.
Tzeentch really was Tzeentch.
It had actually anticipated his anticipation.
He had known it would show up to cause trouble. What he had not expected was that it would appear looking like this.
And not just any look—
it was Aqua.
This… this was really okay?
Such an utterly unimaginable transformation.
Tzeentch, you absolute monster.
"No!"
The green mist that had been struck by the ray let out a scream of agony.
At once, the putrid kingdom spread throughout the soul-world began to recede. In its place came lush green trees and grass, while the stinking swamp transformed into clear streams.
Wrapped in that light, Bruce instantly felt refreshed. Even the crushing pressure weighing on him vanished without a trace.
He even had the sudden urge to lie down on the spot, smell the flowers, and take a nap.
Aqua's purification power…?
What the hell?
So it's not just a skin swap? It comes with the abilities too?
For a moment Bruce truly had no idea what to make of this, especially when he saw Tzeentch holding the "hairdryer" and wearing an expression so stupidly smug it was physically painful to look at.
Why is even the "small-time villain getting cocky" face so perfectly reproduced?
"Hahahahaha! Caught you at last, idiot, idiot, idiot!"
Tzeentch loudly mocked Nurgle.
At the same time, it accelerated the purification of the filth. Aqua would have preferred to use chaotic fire, but if it could use purification to disgust Nurgle instead, that was perfectly acceptable too.
Its own enjoyment was secondary. Making its enemy miserable was what mattered most.
"You miserable Tzeentch!"
Nurgle's voice shifted from deep and heavy into something soft and girlish, like the chirping of a tiny bird.
Bruce's face twitched again.
That… that voice sounded familiar.
Way too familiar.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA—!"
Tzeentch kept laughing triumphantly, completely oblivious to the fact that Bruce had already begun assembling his bolter.
Yeah. That annoying laugh really was—
it was exactly the same one he had heard during Warp travel.
Bruce finally understood why it had sounded so ridiculously stupid.
Of course. It was Aqua's trademark laugh.
Now it all made sense.
Bang.
"Die, you damned Chaos filth! In the Emperor's name!"
Bruce squeezed the trigger and didn't let go, unloading a storm of bolt shells into Tzeentch's back.
"Wah?!"
Tzeentch was so startled by the incoming fire that it nearly lost its shape on the spot.
But whether it was because Bruce's aim was awful or because Tzeentch's transformation made its outline too irregular, over a dozen shells somehow missed cleanly.
"You little brat… I was kind enough to save you, and this is how you repay me?"
Tzeentch gnashed its teeth in protest.
Damn it, I didn't even hold it against you for turning me into this. And now you hate me for it?
Are you even human?
"I'll let my bolter answer that one, you damned Chaos thing!"
Bruce mercilessly kept firing.
This time Tzeentch was ready. The bolt shells transformed into little red flowers halfway through the air, then into bubbles just before reaching it.
"A little banquet trick. Charming, isn't it, young man?"
Tzeentch puffed out its chest proudly.
But the praise or applause it had been expecting never came.
Instead, Bruce's eyes widened in fury and his lightning claws came slashing down from above.
"Wah! Are you really that determined to kill me?!"
Tzeentch hurriedly leapt back and blasted Bruce away with a jet of water.
Bruce hit the ground hard, then quickly rolled and got back up.
"Listen, boy from another world. I really don't want to be your enemy."
Tzeentch tried again, apparently sincere for once.
"What I want is change, and amusement. And very clearly, you've brought me far too many surprises. Killing you would run against my principles."
"So you're begging for mercy?"
Bruce's first reaction to a beautiful girl showing goodwill was not to soften at all.
It was: I need to kill this thing.
Who knew whether it would stab him in the back the moment he let his guard down? Bruce had long ago heard a universal truth: the prettier the woman, the better she lies.
And with Aqua's face, Tzeentch absolutely qualified.
Even if she didn't look very smart, pretty was still pretty.
"Don't put it so harshly. A performance earns tips, doesn't it? You gave me such an entertaining show, so sparing your life is only a fitting reward."
As it spoke, Tzeentch lifted the Evolution-Devolution Ray Gun.
"I really do adore this thing."
Bruce's mouth twitched.
So you stole my stuff, and now you're telling me how much you like it?
I knew it. Ever since the last time I got dragged into a mindscape, I'd been wondering where my emergency gear had gone. So you really did steal it, Tzeentch. Sticky little hands.
"How can you call it stealing? I borrowed it! Besides, if it lands right in front of me, then it's mine!"
"Fine. Then let's make a trade."
Bruce made his offer.
"Give Horus back to me, and the gun is yours."
By Bruce's estimate, the ray gun still had two uses left after this. As a bargaining chip, it was perfect.
Anyway, given Tzeentch's nature, Khorne and Slaanesh were probably doomed too. He might as well enjoy the chaos.
"That's not really my decision to make."
Tzeentch looked troubled.
"The corruption in Horus came primarily from Nurgle. That's why Nurgle could force the others out. This is its house."
Although all four gods had participated in the scheme, the power in the cursed blade that struck Horus had been Nurgle's above all else.
That was why it had priority.
As for why Tzeentch hadn't been expelled with the other two, that came down to the blade as well. The entire plot had been of Tzeentch's design, which gave it a sliver of authority here.
Just enough to linger.
"Nurgle…?"
Bruce suddenly realized something.
Since Nurgle had been hit by the ray, what exactly had it turned into? Or more importantly—had Tzeentch fired the evolution setting, or the devolution setting?
An immortal god should theoretically stay what it is no matter how it evolves or devolves. In theory, the beam should have done nothing.
Then why had Nurgle reacted so violently?
"Though I can't help you directly, I could still offer some strategic advice. But in exchange, I'd need—"
Before Tzeentch could finish, bright green light suddenly bloomed behind it.
A great tree sprang up in an instant, scattering motes of life-filled light through the air.
Then a swing made of two vines and a wooden plank descended, and a small silver-haired figure slowly appeared.
Her face was childlike, yet her expression held a complicated mix of anger, helplessness, and seriousness.
It was hard to believe such a rich expression could appear on the face of a child.
Bruce's jaw dropped again.
Am I actually being corrupted by Chaos right now?
To prevent things from spiraling any further, Bruce hurriedly pulled out the transformation potion and held it near his lips, ready to drain it in one gulp if necessary.
First Aqua, and now Little Nahida?
What the hell kind of Warhammer is this?
Where exactly have you thrown me?
If this hadn't been Horus's soul-world, Bruce would have honestly suspected his own mind was breaking.
This world is a mess.
"Tzeentch…"
The voice that rang out was clearly angry.
Though it sounded more like a sulky complaint than a true threat, the irritation in it was unmistakable.
The gentlest god had, this time, truly lost its temper.
And often, the quietest one was the most frightening when it finally exploded.
At this moment, that saying fit Nurgle perfectly.
"Nurgle?! Y-you came back?!"
Tzeentch instinctively straightened up and raised both hands in surrender. Realizing it might have overdone the joke this time, it immediately decided that apologizing first was the best strategy.
No matter what, apologize first. Maybe if I apologize enough, Nurgle will calm down.
I still have three more targets to shoot, after all.
"Has it occurred to you," Nurgle said pleasantly, "that I never actually left?"
Bruce and Tzeentch both stared.
What the hell is this now?
"Nurgle, you putrid thing, I know you're furious, but you can't just erase basic logic. That makes no sense."
"Tzeentch, maybe stop talking."
Nurgle smiled, but the way it smiled only made things worse.
It had tolerated defeat before.
It had tolerated setbacks.
But this time was different.
The Undying had changed.
And that was intolerable.
"Turn me back," Nurgle said, each word precise and calm. "Or I will march on your realm and make this a war to the death."
Normally Nurgle could accept anything. No matter what happened, all things eventually decayed back into eternity.
But this time it had changed.
That alone made it unbearable.
Damn Tzeentch. I knew something was wrong when it stayed quiet for so long. And the first thing it does is this.
"Well, if you put it that way…"
Tzeentch, though secretly thrilled, knew full well that an enraged Nurgle was not bluffing.
It thought for a moment.
Then it immediately pointed at Bruce.
"It's his fault."
Bruce pointed at himself in disbelief.
Me? How is this suddenly my problem too?
"The thing I used to turn you into this came from him! Debts have owners, grudges have targets. Go settle it with him!"
"That little human?"
Nurgle turned to Bruce and narrowed its eyes.
"Right then! Great, wonderful, that's settled! I'll be off! See you next time!"
The moment Nurgle's attention shifted fully to Bruce, Tzeentch opened a portal and fled so fast it practically vanished in a blur.
Bruce looked at the mess Tzeentch had left behind and briefly had the urge to storm its library and strangle it.
Everything had been going perfectly.
He had been the one setting the rhythm, guiding the pace, controlling the flow.
And then Tzeentch showed up, pulled one stupid little trick, and made the entire situation exponentially worse.
Tzeentch really was the single most revolting god in all of Warhammer.
"So," Bruce said, glaring at the little silver-haired Nurgle and uncorking the transformation potion, "shall we talk first, or skip straight to the violence?"
An immortal god, now wearing Nahida's skin. So what?
Damned Chaos filth. I'll blow us both up if I have to.
"Bruce Wayne… son of Curze…"
A voice echoed inside Bruce's mind.
"You've done very well…"
The instant he heard that voice, every trace of tension vanished.
His heart steadied. His spine straightened.
Yes.
Big E was here.
And with that, Bruce stopped being afraid altogether.
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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