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

Chapter 859 The Human Emperor

"The most loyal?"

"Hahahahahaha..."

Compared to the physical pain, the intense mental frustration made Abaddon suffer even more.

He is Horus's successor, the second generation of Chaos Warmaster recognized by the Chaos Gods, and a great raider who strikes fear into the hearts of mankind.

He can accept his repeated failures, as long as he preserves his strength and remains steadfast in his resolve, he can still make a comeback next time.

However, he absolutely could not accept that everything he had fought for had actually benefited the empire.

Even so, after working himself to the bone and suffering heavy casualties, he actually freed the emperor from his golden throne.

He now understood everything. If he hadn't killed the emperor, none of this would have happened, and the empire would still be trapped in a quagmire of decay, slowly rotting away with the passage of time.

Don't be fooled by Abaddon's constant use of terms like "false emperor" and "corpse king." It's just that he knows the Lord of Man is trapped and asleep on the Golden Throne, and there's nothing he can do about it.

Abaddon was once a fanatical believer in and worshipped the Emperor, and the Lord of Man's influence on Astartes was in no way inferior to that of the Primarch.

But now, watching the Emperor approach him step by step, Abaddon's heart sank into an abyss, the icy chill gnawing at his flesh and freezing everything about him.

Although he couldn't see the Emperor's face clearly, the fear that came from the very marrow of his bones was undeniable. This was definitely the supreme leader who had led humanity to conquer the entire galaxy and made humanity great again.

He has returned.

The emperor who descended from the golden throne had lost that radiant, inviolable aura.

He was slightly hunched over, and his appearance was quite ordinary, not much different from those ordinary people struggling to survive.

The emperor's exposed skin was dry and sunken, and even his cheekbones were high and protruding, making him look exceptionally thin and haggard.

As the emperor gradually descended from the golden throne, the human expressions on his face became increasingly vivid.

He seemed to be doubting, delighted, and relieved all at once.

The plan he set out a century ago has finally come to fruition at this moment.

“Nios…” Losi called out immediately.

Loxi's eyes were fixed on the approaching figure, her chest churning with a thousand waves that she could not calm down for a long time.

In his psychic perception, the Emperor was still powerful, but he had lost the profound sense of depth that he could not see the end of before.

The original emperor, though he claimed he was not a god, displayed power that was no different from that of a god.

If one could see through the emperor's myriad faces, one would discover that he is essentially a sun without emotion, infinitely cold and cruel.

Or to put it another way, the emperor's humanity was so suppressed by his immense power that it became almost impossible to observe.

But the current emperor can clearly feel human emotions, the brilliance of humanity.

Waldo searched for the Emperor's true name in countless places, and these names, after the Emperor was killed once by Drachnern, reshaped the Emperor into a human being.

The Emperor's divinity was stripped away, along with a portion of the human god's authority that had been extracted from the Black King, which was then transferred to the God Emperor.

The Emperor, or rather Neos, stopped and embraced Loxi after a long separation.

"Didn't I tell you to leave this universe and continue the torch of humanity?" Neos asked with a smile, giving Rosie a light punch in the chest.

“You know I would never just walk away; I went out to find the power to change all of this.”

Luo Xi recalled the incredibly perilous intercosmic journey and couldn't help but sigh.

“That’s true. If you just leave, you won’t be the Rosie I remember.”

"I'm so glad you're back, and that we can fight side by side again."

Now free from the burden of those divine powers, Neos looked exceptionally relaxed and at ease.

“I brought back technology related to the Web Dao,” Lothie told the Emperor, “from the Old Ones.”

“I know, I think it’s time to repair this damaged man-made network of tunnels beneath Terra.” The Emperor had also learned of this shocking news from Macado.

Once the gap in the web beneath Terra is repaired, the Golden Throne will no longer need to extract psionic energy to seal the gap.

"Father!"

Guilliman, Dorn, and even Perturabo all called out to their father in unison.

"Go see your sons first. We'll talk about the Internet later," Luo Xi said, patting the Emperor on the shoulder.

"Go and comfort them; they've suffered so much while you were away."

The Emperor nodded, then walked toward the Primarchs.

Even those with the composure of a Gene Primitive felt waves of uncontrollable ecstasy and excitement surging through their nerves, making their scalps tingle.

As the emperor's offspring, they were able to clearly perceive even the slightest changes in the emperor.

Guilliman, in particular, felt a sense of warmth when the eyes of the Macurags met those of the Emperor.

Guilliman had only ever experienced this feeling with his adoptive father, King Connor.

During the Great Crusades, Guilliman respected the Emperor, but rarely felt any fatherly affection from him.

Their relationship is more like that of a monarch and his subject, a commander and his general, a leader and his follower.

An emperor may present the image that the other person most wants to see, but that is ultimately not a genuine resonance from the heart.

The Emperor's gentle gaze made Guilliman no longer feel like a useful tool or a perfect weapon of war.

“Robert…”

“I know you’ve suffered, everyone knows that Makado had no choice but to leave you in Terra.”

"Don't hold a grudge against him. He was just following my orders. If you want to hate someone, then hate me instead."

The words spoken by the emperors of today are words that the emperors of the past could never have uttered.

Guilliman made great contributions to the Empire. Without his efforts to maintain the Empire after Makado's disappearance, no one knows what the Empire would have become.

“I was dissatisfied with Makado, but after I learned the truth, I no longer felt any dissatisfaction, let alone hatred,” Guilliman explained urgently.

"Everything is for the Empire, everything is for humanity."

"In short, it's wonderful to see you regain your freedom!" Guilliman exclaimed sincerely.

Even the composed and unmoved Roger Dorn quickened his pace to snatch the Emperor's tender caress.

“Father, I cannot express my feelings at this moment. Seeing you step down from the Golden Throne gives hope for the future of mankind,” Dorn said.

"We will persevere until the unpredictable future."

“Dorn, you must have witnessed a lot about the dark future of the Empire in the timeline.”

"Those are not false, but a real possibility."

The emperor looked at his most steadfast son, his eyes filled with pride. He was always so reliable, trustworthy, and someone to whom one could entrust everything.

Fortunately, our current timeline will not follow the same path as those previous timelines.

Dorne responded to the Emperor with resounding conviction:

"Yes, Father, being caught in the time turbulence is not just a crisis, but also a rare opportunity."

"I was able to transcend the current timeline, break free from the limitations of a narrow perspective, and gain a more comprehensive view of the empire's development and future."

"Through these experiences, I have come to understand one fact: humanity cannot do without you. Only if you continue to lead humanity can we escape this damned fate!"

The emperor smiled but said nothing.

He turned and looked at the newly born God Emperor, and said slowly.

“I have split off my divine side, which also means that most of my power has been allocated to the God-Emperor.”

"I am no longer the omnipotent person you all know."

“That’s not important, Father. I’m even happier to see this happen.”

Dorn clenched his fist and said, making no attempt to hide his attitude.

The Fist of the Empire has always been like this: absolutely sincere and absolutely straightforward.

"I respect you not because of your great strength, but because of your hard work for humanity and the great sacrifices you have made behind the scenes."

"Your humanity is the most important thing. Countless people will be inspired by it and fight on one after another."

"I will always follow you and do my best to fulfill your great ideal."

Beside him, Peturabo pursed his lips with extremely complicated feelings and subconsciously shrank his body even smaller.

He felt the situation was awkward; Dorn and Guilliman were able to freely seek their father's comfort before the Emperor, and they deserved to be rewarded.

And what about yourself?

Peturabo even felt like an outsider, out of place in this heartwarming scene.

He bears the label of a traitor, a label that can never be erased.

"I shouldn't have come. I should have hidden in a dark corner, just like I used to."

"They won't notice me, they won't see my existence. I've always been dispensable, and that's even more true now!"

A sense of despair and defeat crept over Peturabo, and his face turned ashen.

“Come here, my son.”

Suddenly, the emperor raised his head and shouted at Peturabo, who was hiding from him.

The Iron Lord trembled, as if locked onto by some dangerous weapon, and the pores beneath his armor began to tremble and contract.

His face was filled with disbelief, but he saw the emperor's unparalleled gaze encouraging him.

"I?"

Peturabo pointed to himself, incredulous.

"Yes, it is you, Peturabo, my son."

"Besides you, is there anyone else here named Peturabo?"

The Emperor affirmed, but Perturabo was somewhat flattered and stood there stunned until Dorn pulled him up in front of the Emperor.

“I know you’ve always resented me and thought I was unfair to you and Dorn.”

Upon hearing the Emperor's words, the Iron Lord's face immediately showed an embarrassed embarrassment and a firm denial.

No! I didn't.

The emperor ignored Perturab's fragile stubbornness and pulled the rebellious son in front of him, stroking his forehead.

“I was too busy before. I didn’t have the time or energy to deal with the psychological problems of my more than 20 sons one by one.”

Do you remember our conversation when I found you in Olympia?

Peturabo immediately, as if by instinct, uttered the words the Emperor had once told him.

“I remember, I will always remember: you told me that we would fight for an extremely long and difficult ideal for the rest of our lives, and that we would not be able to get love and understanding from others.”

Peturabo's eyes were shining.

"Yes, you promised me that no matter what the future holds, you will always be as strong and indestructible as steel."

The emperor sighed.

"This also has to do with me. I really believe that a piece of steel can remain tough without maintenance."

“I put too much pressure on you and gave you too little encouragement. I also bear responsibility for your going astray.”

"If I had given you more care and attention, perhaps you wouldn't have made that mistake."

Peturabo, a man who prided himself on being made of steel, wept like a mortal child at the Emperor's gentle whispers.

He never imagined that he would one day hear understanding and self-reproach from the emperor.

At this moment, Peturabo would be willing to die.

Of the three Primarchs present, one was absolutely loyal and obedient to the Emperor, one had respect for the Emperor but also a sense of distance, and one had even betrayed the Emperor in the past.

But at this moment, faced with the reshaped human emperor, they had no power to resist and had already completely succumbed.

The situation in the throne room was somewhat paradoxical.

The emperor, who stepped down from the golden throne, reconciled with his three sons, and their relationship even began to warm up.

Meanwhile, Abaddon and a portion of the Black Legion huddled together in a corner. Compared to the harmonious atmosphere on the Emperor's side, the Warmaster looked utterly dejected and listless.

Abaddon was like a stray dog ​​with its spine broken; the Draknien in his hand constantly emitted a terrifying aura, urging its master to act.

This demonic sword, born from the first murder in human history, actually killed an emperor.

Even though the Emperor has now been resurrected using the true names collected by Waldo, this fact cannot be erased. Its power is constantly surging, drawing strength from the conceptual event of the Emperor's death.

Draknien roared, determined to continue his mission—to kill all humans, destroy the human empire, and exterminate the human race.

However, it is no longer a free entity, but Abaddon's cursed sword, Draknien.

Only the user can wield its power, but this also means that even Draknien himself cannot control it.

Draknien became extremely powerful, far surpassing his former self during the Web Wars.

But as it grew stronger, it lost its freedom, and Abaddon was unable to unleash its full potential.

This is the paradoxical trap set by the Emperor against this nemesis of humanity.

That's why Abaddon is extremely important; he absolutely cannot die, and Draconian cannot be allowed to get out of control.

"Do you think the Emperor was originally a clingy person, but he absorbed too much divine power and faith, turning into the original awkward, socially awkward person who was unwilling to express himself?"

"I think the current emperor is quite good. If he had this kind of verbal skill during the Great Expedition era, even Angron wouldn't have disobeyed him."

Lothie was amazed to see how the Emperor could so easily win over the Primarchs with just a few words, and felt as if she were seeing this man in a completely new light.

He's not just bad at speaking, he's clearly very good at it!
"I don't know." Makado wiped the fine beads of sweat from his forehead; presiding over this ceremony was extremely taxing for him.

"Perhaps you are right. When I first met the Emperor, he was just as warm and considerate to me, to Olpeson, to Erda, and to the other companions."

"He is a leader with immense personal charisma, and all of us are willing to follow him unconditionally to fulfill his ideals and cause."

"But later on, as the emperor shouldered more and more responsibilities, he became more and more like a god."

"He changed, and many of his companions left him."

Makado laughed, feeling that all the hardship and toil had been worthwhile.

They achieved their goal.

The Emperor successfully escaped the Black King's deadly crisis. As long as the Emperor-God-Black King trinity remains in existence, the Emperor will no longer need to worry about becoming the primordial destroyer who will destroy humanity and drag all mankind into the abyss of death.

He will not sit on the throne of "erosion and destruction," will not embark on the path to godhood, and will not become the god he despises most.

On the golden throne, a dazzling golden pillar of light, symbolizing the divine emperor, was continuously expanding.

Billions of mortals from across the galaxy generate countless forces of faith every moment.

Whether it's the whispered prayer of a mortal believer, the heroic battle of an astral warrior fighting in the name of the God-Emperor, or Astartes returning to the Golden Throne after his death in battle, all these will bring new power to the God-Emperor.

These powers were originally all borne by the emperor, which made his humanity increasingly vulnerable.

"The God-Emperor will become a true god of humanity, protecting all humankind and responding to their calls."

“This is something I cannot do, because I need to maintain my humanity, while the God-Emperor does not.”

The emperor murmured.

Beneath the dazzling golden pillar of light, the weakened black pillar of light continued to churn, seemingly unwilling to give up.

But each time the black light surged, the God-Emperor above would unleash the power of pure faith to quell the Black King's counterattack.

This comprehensive suppression made it even more hopeless for the Black King, who was not yet fully awake, to awaken.

Outside the throne room, inside the state church palace fortress, where war was raging.

Pope Elfreda suddenly froze, staring blankly toward the throne room.

In her world, the roar of the Titan's main cannon disappeared, as did the battle cries of the fanatical followers of the state religion who shouted for the God Emperor.

She felt her connection with the Black King suddenly become extremely weak, as if it would be completely severed at any moment.

The Black King, who had been incredibly active, seemed to have crashed while fighting against something, and could no longer respond to his followers.

This situation made the Black King's followers feel a strong sense of foreboding and filled them with boundless fear.

"impossible!"

"This is absolutely impossible!"

"My Lord, my Lord cannot fail!"

The Pope took a few steps back and finally slumped onto his throne.

She suddenly smiled bitterly, realizing what had happened.

"So you had foreseen all of this all along, and secretly planned everything behind the scenes."

"The hope of our lord's complete awakening has been dashed, and the Emperor has ultimately triumphed."

"This shouldn't be happening, it shouldn't be like this..."

"Why, why!"

Elfreda sensed the movement coming from the Golden Throne; that sacred, sublime, and inviolable great will had been born.

That was the God-Emperor, the true God-Emperor, not a false being who was called the God-Emperor but was actually the King of Darkness.

"Your Majesty, are you really willing to give up all of this? You have handed over your divine power to the God Emperor, and you can no longer ascend the throne of the Chaos Eight-Pointed Star and become an eternal and immortal being."

"Are humans really that important to you, even more important than anything else?"

No one could answer Elfreda, for she had sent everyone out to resist the Light Alliance, which was breaching the state church's defenses.

However, all of this was merely a delaying tactic. The Mechanicus' Titans were destroying everything in their path, and if it weren't for the fear of accidentally damaging the Royal Palace, they could have progressed even faster.

What's the point of stalling for time now?

"Omega, you're too late! You've ruined everything!"

"You piece of trash, you idiot, you loser!"

Elfreda growled desperately, like a lioness who had lost her cubs.

The Pope rose from her throne, silently approached the blazing sacred fire, closed her eyes, and plunged into the flames.

Alfreda's entire life began to unfold before her eyes.

Her early life was extraordinary; relying on her devout faith in the Emperor, she became the planet's religious leader, leading mortals against the Chaos rebels.

But compared to the second half of her life, all of this was incredibly ordinary.

Elfreda will never forget that day when she heard the call of the "God-Emperor" and became his apostle without hesitation, devoting herself to his revival.

Even after learning that the true nature of the God-Emperor was the Dark Lord, Elfreda never regretted her decision. Even at the very end, she firmly believed that the true path to transcendence was for humanity to merge with the Dark Lord.

Humanity can only overcome chaos and escape endless suffering and a hopeless future by relying on the Lord of Darkness.

Regardless of her motives, she genuinely wanted humanity to become a better place.

The flames scorched her aged body, twisting and deforming her magnificent robes, which turned black and melted, eventually becoming flames themselves.

Meanwhile, the Black King, who was entangled with the God Emperor, also sensed Elfreda's death.

Her soul returned to the Black King's embrace, and at that very moment—

Inside the throne room, the light released by the Divine Emperor pulsated violently, and deep within its core, a trace of pure darkness, like a stubborn stain, struggled to spread within the pure divine radiance.

That was the last remaining will of the Black King after it was stripped away, the unwilling mark of a chaotic god, which was using the flood of faith drawn by the God Emperor to launch its final counterattack!

Near Abaddon and the remnants of his Black Legion, who were surrounded like trapped beasts by the Imperial Fist, the Silent Sisters, and the elite Imperial Guard, the space around them distorted violently.

It wasn't the violent tearing of a subspace rift, but rather precise spatial ripples, like waves on water.

At the center of the ripples, two distinctly different yet equally dangerous legions suddenly appeared.

Even the Emperor looked at these visitors from the subspace who had appeared in the throne room with a hint of surprise.

This was not part of his plan, so only the Black King has the ability to open a subspace portal within the throne room.

Is this a last-ditch effort? A desperate last stand?

No matter what tricks the Black King had up his sleeve, it was all too late.

The complete trinity system has been formed, the Black King's fate has been sealed, and the dust has settled.

He will forever remain stuck in the gap between awakening and slumber, unable to bring about the final end and death.

The first to appear were Astartes clad in gray-blue power armor, moving swiftly and with an eerie sense of coordination.

They were utterly silent, uttering no distinctive battle cry, and their power armor bore no markings that could identify them.

Following them, another group of Astartes, dressed in scarlet mixed with black and gold paint, were highly recognizable.

The Space Marines' armor was covered in blasphemous inscriptions, and they were surrounded by nauseating warp whispers and strange incense. The books and blazing sun adorning their shoulder armor spoke volumes about their identity.

The Legion of Word Bearers.

"I always said a leopard can't change its spots. No matter when or where, Luo Jia always wants to get involved."

Guilliman muttered helplessly, his attention focused on the legion whose insignia had been erased.

Instinctively, he seemed to recognize the origins of these Astartes.

"How did the remnants of the Alpha Legion get involved with the Word Bearers Legion?"

"There is only one possibility: Omega is mixed up among these Astartes."

Guilliman's gaze swept over the group of Space Marines who had suddenly appeared, trying to spot Omega.

"We are the apostles of the Lord of Darkness, we have come to awaken the god of humanity..."

The Great Speaker proudly stepped out of the warp ripples, about to say something to set the mood for his arrival.

But when he calmed down and began to look around, Luo Jia was as if struck by lightning, and his mind went blank.

He saw Guilliman, whom he hated most, and he also saw Rogdorn and Perturabo standing side by side.

Loxi, who had ruined his plans, was now looking at him with malice, along with the long-lost Marksman, Makado.

Most importantly, his father, the Emperor, the ruler of mankind, was also watching him, which immediately made Luo Jia feel a chill run down his spine.

What the hell is going on?!
Omega, you fucking get out here!
Since Omega visited Luojia and told the Great Whisperer about the Dark Lord, Luojia has been shaken, both unexpectedly and understandably.

His heart, which worshipped the strongest, began to stir once more.

He told himself that the Dark Lord was also a great being in the Chaos faction, and that as an apostle of the primordial truth, he had a responsibility to awaken the Dark Lord and bring him into this great game.

On the other hand, the thought of being able to annoy the Emperor and disgust Guilliman gave Luo Jia a reason to play along that he couldn't refuse.

But fate had clearly played a trick on them. By the time they rushed here from the warp, the ceremony was over and the Emperor had been freed from the Golden Throne.

Luo Jia stood frozen in place, unsure whether to move forward or backward, while Chaos Space Marines continued to arrive from behind.

Guilliman and Dorn were about to rush forward and knock Luo Jia, the traitor of the empire, to the ground.

The emperor raised a hand to stop them.

His gaze was deep, passing over the battle formation of those who cherished words, and landing on Luo Jia.

The gaze no longer held the pure rage for the traitor, but instead carried a heavy weight that was almost pity.

The Great Man felt that the emperor was looking at him as if he were looking at a stubborn, arrogant, and self-important child.

"Luojia..." The Emperor's voice was not loud, but it clearly pierced through the noise of the battlefield and echoed directly in the mind of the Primarch of the Word Bearer.

"You've come here in search of the Dark Lord?"

"Don't you understand that the 'true god' you seek is nothing more than a phantom projected into the warp by the darkness that yearns for an end, and the scriptures you worship are nothing more than a cage He has woven for you?"

"I once thought that the perfect city would bring you to your senses, but you only sank deeper and deeper into it."

The voice was like a scorching hot iron, burning Luo Jia's heart and causing a barely perceptible tremor to appear within him.

But he immediately masked that wavering with an even more fanatical roar: "Lies! False Emperor! You have stolen the power of the Dark Lord and torn apart His glory!"

"Because of your selfishness toward humanity, the fifth god has been delayed in being born, and humanity will forever be trapped in pain and darkness."

Taking advantage of the standoff between the Emperor and Luo Jia, Abaddon and the others immediately sprang into action.

"Warrior, let's go!" the Chaos Lords of the Black Legion roared, surrounding Abaddon as they charged toward the Word Bearers and the Alpha Legion.

Omega's figure was like a ghost, perfectly concealed among the other Alpha warriors.

His gaze seemed to have met the emperor's for a fleeting moment, his eyes filled with cold calculation and an indescribable complexity.

"I transferred most of my power to the God Emperor."

"But that doesn't mean you can... keep messing around!"

The emperor sighed, then conjured a giant psionic palm, which slammed Luo Jia to the ground.

(End of this chapter)