Warhammer: Don't Call Me the God of All Machines

Chapter 851 The Black Legion, Activated!
Although Abaddon was known as the Warmaster of Chaos, compared to the hundreds of thousands of Astartes under Horus when he was Warmaster, the number of troops he could directly mobilize was no more than 50,000.

These were the last of his resources, which he had cultivated using the genetic seeds stored in the Sons of Horus's Legion's inventory, as well as those he had obtained through a trade with Fabius Bayer, the apothecary of the Third Legion.

Of these 50,000 people, approximately 15,000 Space Marines used the Horus gene seed, while the rest were Astartes who voluntarily joined the Black Legion and were completely obedient to Abaddon's orders.

Leaving aside other aspects, Abaddon certainly possessed exceptional charisma and leadership, enabling him to reunite the Astartes who had been scattered, disoriented, and utterly lost their leader during the Great Rebellion.

The Black Legion, of course, couldn't possibly have only 50,000 men.

Abaddon also reached an agreement and cooperation with the leaders of the Chaos Astartes warbands, and could summon them and coordinate their movements when needed.

The Black Legion does not act collectively most of the time.

On the one hand, collective action inevitably means that the scope of their looting and plundering will be smaller, and on the other hand, when they gather together, conflicts are more likely to break out between the various Chaos Warbands.

After Horus was killed by the Emperor and the rebels were forced to flee into the Eye of Terror, they were no longer allies, and no one could effectively restrain them.

In the fear of resource scarcity, even former comrades-in-arms may turn against each other due to competition for resources and historical conflicts.

This is the price they inevitably have to pay after joining Chaos: the essence of Chaos is chaos, and the discipline of the Chaos Warband will only get worse and worse.

Abaddon, using methods he had previously prepared, issued a summons to the entire Chaos Warband of the Eye of Fear.

He issued a call to action in the name of the Chaos Warmaster, and most of the warbands scattered throughout the Eye of Terror responded and began to assemble on the Soul of Vengeance.

Abaddon even thoughtfully sent invitations to Angor Ty and Kahn's Chaos Legion, Fabius Bayer who replaced Vograim in control of the split Third Legion, Typhons who controlled the Fourteenth Legion, and Azak Ahriman, whose whereabouts were always mysterious and whose actions were unknown.

Although Abaddon knew the chances of them responding were slim, it would be a sure-fire way to make money if anyone did respond.

It took a full month on Terra from the issuance of the call to arms to the gathering of numerous Chaos Warbands on the Vengeful Spirit.

In a star system swallowed by the warp in the Eye of Terror, a large number of bizarre warships surrounded the massive figure of the Glory Queen-class warship. The leaders of the warbands traveled to the meeting by gunboat or by using witchcraft.

One after another, unfamiliar figures appeared on the Vengeance Soul, and guided by Abaddon's loyal subordinates, they headed towards the Warmaster's location.

These Astartes, who used to have all sorts of colors and paint schemes, were only required to paint their armor black and gold after joining the Black Legion, as a sign of their allegiance to Abaddon.

These Chaos Warbands agreed to the request, but still retained many elements of their former armor on their own armor.

For example, many Chaos Astartes have skulls, books, or ferocious beast heads carved on their shoulder armor to commemorate the lost past.

The once somewhat deserted Vengeance Soul became lively again after the arrival of many high-ranking members of the war gangs and their private guards.

Many of them were comrades-in-arms from the Great Rebellion, who followed Horus and sacrificed their lives for the great ideals of the warlord.

Now that they've gathered together again, they can't help but start exchanging pleasantries and sharing their recent gains and losses.

The War Master's summons also provided them with a rare opportunity to gather, as meeting in the Eye of Fear is no easy feat.

Of course, those leaders who had a bad relationship were also far apart and maintained a distant hostility towards each other.

However, this is a top-level meeting convened by Abaddon, and they are giving Abaddon face by temporarily suppressing their own contradictions and dissatisfaction.

Of the dozens of high-ranking officials present, only a small portion were veterans from the Horus Rebellion; the rest were newcomers who rose to prominence later.

They are equally cunning and fierce, and have developed a fighting style and cultural tradition that are completely different from those of the Legion era.

The crowd waited in the throne room of the Vengeance Soul, and they could be roughly divided into two groups.

The first group consisted of Azercarerion, warriors and colleagues who maintained close ties with Abaddon; the second group consisted of Abaddon's handpicked commanders, the most outstanding war commanders under the Warmaster.

Amidst the expectant gazes of the crowd, Azeroth's Abaddon, the second Chaos Warmaster, the renowned Great Raider, and the sole leader of the Black Legion, slowly emerged from the deepest shadows of the Throne Hall.

Abaddon was already exceptionally large, and when he stood there, he towered over any of the Chaos Lords around him.

The Terminator armor blessed by Vashtor gleamed ominously in the dim light, making him resemble a moving iron mountain.

Abaddon's iconic spiky braid swayed gently with each step, contrasting with the head of his formidable enemy pierced by an iron spear behind him.

Zhan Shuai's unfathomable eyes swept across the entire arena, like a cold razor scraping through everyone's soul.

All the whispers, hostility, and even heavy breathing in the hall vanished in an instant with that glance, leaving only the deep hum from the depths of the engine, like the heartbeat of a giant beast.

"My brothers."

Abaddon's voice wasn't loud, but it echoed like muffled thunder in the huge hall, clearly reaching the receivers in every helmet.

“You may be wondering why I am calling you here, even at the cost of disrupting your original plans and schedules, just to gather you into the spirit of vengeance.”

"Is it time to make a move on Dalavic? I can't wait to kill this Death Guardian Plague Boar Wizard!"

Abaddon's best friend and one of the original shareholders of the Black Legion, Iskandar Kayan, led the discussion.

He was a staunch supporter of Abaddon, and served as Abaddon's number one assassin to eliminate the Warmaster's opponents.

“That’s not the case.” Abaddon smiled as Kayan helped him start the conversation.

“We are gathered here not to share spoils, not to settle old scores, and certainly not to look at my old face.”

"In my opinion, Dalavik is nothing but a skeleton in a tomb. He is not worthy of my mobilization of the entire Black Legion to deal with him."

Abaddon's lips curled into a cold smile, carrying both mockery and unquestionable authority.

Everyone present felt the weight of the Warlord's words, and they completely trusted Abaddon, believing that the Black Legion indeed had the strength.

"We have gathered here because of an opportunity: an opportunity to wash away the shame of the past and to make the entire galaxy tremble once again in the name of the Black Legion!"

"If we succeed this time, or at least achieve our goal, we will have won a truly inspiring victory for the Empire!"

Abaddon's words immediately broke the silence.

They did believe Abaddon, but what Abaddon was saying now was really quite absurd.

In the Eye of Fear, apart from the Chaos Legion, the Lord of the Legions, and the few Astartes Legions with Primarchs, the Black Legion had no other opponents they could truly take seriously.

But this is only within the special environment of the Eye of Fear. If they leave here and enter the real universe, the Empire will show them what cruelty truly means.

The Empire's progress has been incredibly rapid; they have not only promoted the original casting upgrade technology, but also significantly enhanced the individual combat power of the Astartes.

In every other respect, the empire was changing at an incredible pace.

A large number of new warships and new equipment have been launched and put into service, and a new type of faster-than-light transportation called the Space Bridge is also rapidly becoming a reality.

Not to mention that bastard Guilliman, who fucking built the Wall around the Eye of Terror, practically trapping them to death in the scars of this real universe.

Abaddon's boastful words, without solid backing, would only bring him shame.

"I already have a preliminary plan."

The war commander suddenly raised his hand, and a holographic star map suddenly lit up in front of the throne, instantly focusing on the rust-red planet—Mars.

"I have received reliable intelligence that a chaotic demon, Draconion, is hidden in the solar system. He can kill a false emperor and has a natural advantage over all humans."

"Our purpose in gathering here is to break into the dragon's den of the solar system, find Draconian, and then take him away."

"If the conditions are right, we can also rely on Draconion's power to storm the Terra Palace and use this destined weapon to make the false emperor on the golden throne taste blood!"

He took a step forward, the sound of his Terminator boots striking the metal floor like war drums.

Information about Draconion was completely blank for most of the Black Legion's high command.

Now that Abaddon has revealed its existence, everyone's breathing quickens and their eyes blaze with desire.

Killing the false emperor has always been their long-cherished wish, and it is also the main reason why the Black Legion is willing to unite under Abaddon's command.

Apart from Abaddon, the other Chaos Astartes, including even the Primarchs, have lost their former ambitions and are content to fade away in the Warp.

Angron was constantly engaged in bloody battles in the Bronze Arena, Forgrim was indulging in revelry in the Silver Palace, Alpharis was nowhere to be found, and Loka was doing something unknown in his own lair.

Only Abaddon held high this blood-stained banner and led the other Chaos Astartes toward their goal.

Having witnessed the power of the human empire and the tragedy of Horus's fall, there are very few people who still possess such an indomitable will.

"We are willing to follow you, General."

"Let alone the solar system, I would dare to venture into the Terra Palace."

Kayan, Fakus Kabo, Sargon Eregash, and others shouted in unison.

They didn't know what gave Abaddon his confidence, but they were willing to trust the Warmaster.

"I won't send you to your deaths with me. I've made this plan because we have powerful allies," Abaddon shouted.

"Vashtor!"

The next moment, a Dark Mechanicus priest waiting in the throne room was immediately possessed by a wisp of Vashtor's will.

The master of the furnace made his presence known, and the sound of forging in the furnace suddenly rang out, filling the air with a complex smell of molten iron and sulfur fuel.

Vashtor is a minor god of the warp, whose power far surpasses that of other warp demons, even the great demons of the four Chaos Gods.

He did not speak, but let Abaddon speak on his behalf.

This action immediately elevated Abaddon's image and status, as if he had become Vashtor's spokesperson.

"The Lord of the Furnace has paved the way for us to reach the Solar System."

"His gift will allow us to easily tear through the veil of reality, like a poisoned dagger, precisely piercing the empire's most unexpected vulnerability."

He paused for a moment, allowing the shock and fear brought by the name Vashtor to ferment among the crowd.

Abaddon then took the opportunity to describe to his men the situation of the empire, which was not the monolithic entity they had imagined.

"Mars, the Mechanicus, the other head of the Double-Headed Eagle, were true allies of the Empire during the Great Crusades, and even the Emperor could not force them to do things."

"But with the split of the Dark Mechanicus by Forging General Keiber Hal, Mars's status plummeted."

"In addition, the mortal named Roche created an advanced technological community, which further impacted the status and ecology of Mars, causing them to continue to decline."

“In this situation, there will inevitably be people who are dissatisfied, and this dissatisfaction can become our advantage.”

Everyone immediately understood Abaddon's meaning; it turned out they also had spies and informants within the Empire.

Abaddon's voice was lowered, yet it was even more dangerous, like a viper flicking its tongue.

“Senet Ezekiel, a traitor to the Cult of Mechanism, a maggot to the High Technological Community, yearns for eternal life, and we have given him a price he cannot refuse.”

"He can open a back door for us, a safe subspace passage to the Martian core, bypassing all those foolish sentinels and defense systems." A suppressed growl, laced with greed and bloodlust, suddenly echoed in the throne room.

Traitor, inside man, safe passage—these words, like the strongest liquor, stimulated the nerves of these chaotic predators.

They have never forgotten how arrogantly they stormed into the solar system, and how utterly humiliated they were, fleeing in disarray and running away in haste.

The shameful memories tormented them, making them desperately crave a chance for revenge.

Moreover, the solar system has long since recovered from the shadow of war, and countless riches and resources are right there. As long as they can seize the opportunity, they can acquire enormous wealth.

For these Chaos Lords, trapped in the Eye of Fear and lacking resources, this was an irresistible temptation.

Revenge, plunder, make the false emperor bleed!

These three thoughts had taken root in the minds of the Black Legion's high command like a plague.

Moreover, according to Abaddon, even if the other missions cannot be completed, as long as they can find and bring Draconian back, it will be a victory.

"Furthermore, don't forget that the Empire is currently at an extremely critical juncture."

"After Guilliman was driven out of Terra, the state church began to rise, and their pope made the entire High Lords Council a mess, causing widespread resentment."

"The living saint Euphrates Kilo, who has fled, has now raised a rebel army called the Alliance of Light, and is about to have a final battle with the Cult of Terra."

"The vast majority of the Empire's attention, including that of the Astartes Legions, has been drawn to this human civil war, which undoubtedly gives us an opportunity!"

Abaddon described a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Black Legion.

The human empire has just ended a war of aggression and is now facing a civil war of faith. They also have a high-ranking mole who can act as an inside agent.

Such an opportunity, once missed, will never come again, leaving them only with endless regret.

As Abaddon's men, these Space Marines, though diverse in personality, shared one thing in common:
When it's time to go all in, they'll never be stingy; the crazy blood of gamblers flows in their veins.

"The unfinished work of Horus will be completed by us. We will not cower in fear as losers, but will conquer Terra as conquerors!"

“Our inside agents within the Cult of Mechanics will ensure the passage remains open, and the forces of Vashtor will cover our infiltration. We don’t need to confront the Imperial’s steel torrent head-on.”

"We only need to infiltrate like ghosts, seize our targets like assassins, and then, before the Empire's reinforcements can react, vanish without a trace with the spoils of victory."

Abaddon's gaze, like a tangible flame, swept across the face of every warband leader—whether a veteran of the former Son of Horus or a rising star.

"Bring your sharpest claws and teeth, follow me, and witness my coming!"

A deafening roar, a cacophony of blasphemous shouts and the clash of weapons, instantly engulfed the throne room.

The Black Legion, this destructive machine, began to operate frantically under Abaddon's call to action, preparing for a surprise attack on the solar system.

……

"The message has been sent out. Will Abaddon take the bait?"

"A leopard can't change its spots, and you can always trust Abaddon in that regard."

The merchant fleet that Roxi and his party were traveling on also traversed a long distance and returned to the solar system.

Although the Empire is overshadowed by the civil war between the Light Alliance and the Cult of Terra, the Solar System, as the core and most important region of the entire Empire, can never be cut off from the outside world.

The solar system is like a resource-devouring behemoth, constantly consuming countless massive amounts of resources every day. This necessitates the presence of traveling merchants and wanderers from all star regions of the galaxy to meet its demands.

As the largest star system, the Limitless Star System also has the most traveling merchants and wanderers visiting Terra.

Even though they were traveling merchants from Macurag, they were able to enter the interior of the solar system smoothly after passing a security check.

"Hey bro, didn't you think that ship we just saw was a bit weird?"

"strangeness?"

At the edge of the solar system checkpoint, a squad of Imperial Fist Astartes is returning from the inspected merchant ship.

"Our inspection was in full compliance with procedures, and those warships had undergone numerous procedures, including anti-subspace contamination and anti-green spore testing."

Another Imperial Fist member was immediately puzzled. Tens of thousands of merchant ships like these enter the solar system every day, and sometimes their entry is delayed.

"I don't mean there's anything wrong with the ship, but it gives me a strange feeling."

With doubts in his heart, the Imperial Fist carefully crafted his words, describing the strange feeling in his heart.

"When I first boarded that ship, I felt a strange sense of closeness, as if there was someone I respected very much nearby."

"My intuition saved me countless times; without it, I might not have survived that war of betrayal."

The veteran shook his head, puzzled.

“How about we search again and see if we can find any clues?” the recruit said. He was a member of the Imperial Fist newly recruited and trained after the Great Rebellion, and his seniority and experience were far inferior to those of the veterans.

"Forget it, if we can't find it the first time, the result will be the same no matter how many times we check."

"And just as I was about to check again, a warning came to my mind: don't meddle in other people's business."

"Is that so?" the new recruit exclaimed in surprise.

"Maybe our Primarch has quietly returned to Terra, and he's warning you not to interfere with his operations?" the recruit joked.

“Brother Alexei, I expect you to show the most basic respect when you talk about Primarchs.”

"Although you have never met the Primarch in person, we are all sons of Dorne."

Upon hearing the name of the Primarch, the veteran immediately straightened his face, his eyes behind his goggles sharp as a knife.

"Our father of genes has been missing for a century, and Lord Sigismund has even split a Black Temple from the Legion to search for Lord Dorne's whereabouts."

"If there's any news, he'll definitely let us know immediately. Besides, if Lord Dorn really has returned, why would he be hiding from us?"

"If Lord Dorne were to return, his presence would be like thunder shaking the stars; how could he possibly conceal his whereabouts?"

“He will always be a Terran Guard, the high wall of the Empire’s heart, and we will always be his followers. He has no reason to hide his identity.”

The Imperial Fist recruit immediately fell silent, staring blankly as the merchant ship, shimmering with plasma light, receded into the distance, lost in thought.

“I have a feeling that the kid has sensed your presence, Dorn.”

Inside the merchant ship's cabin, Lothie also removed his psionic barrier, and he said to Dorn with a hint of surprise.

"That little guy has good psionic talent. With proper training, he will become an outstanding psionic think tank."

"I have no idea what the Imperial Fist has become over the years."

"Now everything must give way to the Emperor's plan. Once we complete the plan, I will reunite with them."

Dorne remained as steady as a rock, showing no intention of causing any trouble.

"Now that we've spread the news about Draconian, it's time to cover up this false information."

"Where do you plan to hide Draconian? Mars?"

Loshi looked at Makado, while the one who held the seal remained calm and composed.

"Of course it's Mars. If it were hidden in Terra, I'm afraid Abaddon wouldn't dare to come and get it."

"As the great sage of the Mechanicus, Ezekiel was fully capable of creating a warp portal on Mars. With the help of Vashtor, that troublemaker, they could open a passage directly to Mars through the Eye of Fear."

"If Draconion were placed under the crust of Mars, I don't believe he could restrain his greedy desires."

Macado grinned slyly, like a fox that had stolen a hen.

“Then I will inform Rand and Caul to temporarily relax their vigilance on Mars, but at the same time maintain a state of internal tension while external relaxation,” Losi said.

“Draconion can be taken away by Abaddon, after all, Abaddon was the jailer we chose to guard Draconion.”

"But those traitors who followed Abaddon, now that they've come to the solar system, they shouldn't leave. The best ending is for them to stay forever on this land they've harmed and eternally repent for their sins."

“In that case, I’ll head back to Terra first,” said Marshal Waldo of the Imperial Guard.

"It is clear that the Dark Lord has deceived the Imperial Guard, who are loyal to the Emperor, through the State Religion."

“I am disappointed by their poor performance in this civil war of faith. Perhaps I should replace Diocletian with a more capable tribune.”

Waldo already knew about the Imperial Guard's inaction, but he had been too busy searching for the Emperor's true name to take the time to correct them.

But now that he has returned, he naturally wants the Imperial Guards to know the terrible mistake they have made.

“Then we’ll split into two groups: Waldo, Dorne, and Peturabo will go to Terra.”

"Dorn can secretly contact the Imperial Fist to regain control of the Seventh Legion. After all, the civil war of the State Church is bound to break out soon, and Qile's Light Alliance is about to arrive in Terra. The Imperial Fist will be an important force of influence."

"Secondly, the Imperial Fist should also tighten its defenses and leave enough openings so that Abaddon can find Draconian and then deal a heavy blow to that damned Black Legion."

Dorn nodded, without much enthusiasm.

But everyone, including Peturabo, knew very well that Dorne's promises were always absolutely valid.

Even if the sky falls, Dorn will still hold it up for you, and there will absolutely be no problems.

"Me, Makado, Guilliman, Danteok, and Tarasin are going to Mars to prepare for the placement of Draconion."

"Is there something about Mars that attracts you?" Guilliman clicked his tongue. "You seem quite interested in it."

"Placing Draconion isn't that complicated; Macado can easily handle it all by himself."

Tarasin then spoke up:

“Loshi went there for the Void Dragon Magladros, who was imprisoned on Mars by your Emperor and hidden in a place called the Labyrinth of Eternal Night.”

“In that case, I’ll go with you,” Guilliman said immediately after understanding the situation.

Everyone immediately followed the instructions and began to act separately.

Against the backdrop of a civil war within the state religion, various factions began to act for their own purposes.

The waters of the solar system have long since become incredibly murky, and until the final moment arrives, no one knows how many ferocious predators are lurking in the muddy waters.

(End of this chapter)