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

Chapter 937 The Covenant of the Four Gods
The Eye of Fear, which had been shrinking under the pressure of the enhanced reality rules, was now, propelled by the warp storm, like a raging beast, unleashing its pent-up fury toward the real universe.

Countless warp demons that had fled into the depths of the Eye of Terror, whether they wanted to or not, were now being pushed back by the raging ethereal currents.

Even those demonic planets, void continents, and bizarre nebulae that had already sunk into the depths of the Eye of Terror were propelled forward and rolled by the immense power of this subspace storm.

Like a cataclysmic tsunami, they tore the planet, which had just been purified by the rules of the real universe, into pieces. Then, those broken remnants, under the influence of the rules of the subspace, recombined to form countless indescribable, mad mountain ranges.

The rules within the Eye of Fear's range are incredibly chaotic; even the notoriously chaotic subspace is no match for this special area stuck in the cracks.

The boundary between reality and illusion has become blurred once again. The power of the subspace and the power of the rules of the real universe are tearing at each other, trying to gnaw a piece of flesh from each other.

Even humans far away in Holy Terra could see that in the northwest corner of the galaxy, the previously obscure and indistinct eerie rift suddenly erupted like a supernova, radiating dazzling chaotic light.

Guilliman, who was staying in Terra with his clone to handle Imperial affairs, became extremely serious.

His Tribunal and Assassin's Court are continuously presenting detailed information about the Eye of Fear to his desk.

Guilliman had been incredibly optimistic about the progress of Roche and the Emperor's plans, but this sudden bad news shattered his confidence.

Intelligence indicates that after the Eye of Fear shrank by nearly half, it began to expand explosively again, wiping out half of humanity's efforts in a very short time.

Due to the changes in the Eye of Fear, the number of illegal psionicists has begun to surge across the millions of human worlds in the entire empire.

Humans who might never have awakened their psychic powers in their lifetime began to transform into walking psychic bombs under the influence of the rising etheric storm, causing countless horrific incidents.

Despite his shock, Guilliman didn't panic.

His extraordinary multi-threaded rational thinking enables him to make the best choice based on existing conditions in the most ruthless way, and this is not disturbed by his emotions.

He understood that regardless of the situation on the other side of the Eye of Fear, he had to control the situation and stabilize the operation of the entire empire.

"Order: Holy Blood Angel, White Scar, Ultra Warrior, Midnight Lord, dispatch half of your mobile forces to the Eye of Fear for support and stand by."

"Order: The five main fleets of the Imperial Navy shall advance toward the Eye of Fear and be ready for war at any time."

"Order: The human worlds in the Hazy Starfield, Pacific Starfield, and Solar Starfield that are close to the Eye of Fear shall enter a state of war mobilization and all civilian production shall be suspended."

"From this moment forward, Holy Terra is under a state of high alert."

A series of orders were passed from Guilliman's pen to the High Lords Council, which, having already been reformed into specific implementing agencies, meticulously detailed and carried out the Imperial Regent's orders.

Before the reform of the imperial political system, it would have taken months just to get the High Lords Council to recognize the reality, have the High Lords discuss the matter, reach a consensus, and make adjustments.

But now, the Empire's administrative efficiency has even climbed to an unbelievable level after the war mobilization order was issued.

The entire human empire, like a war machine starting at full speed, unleashed a heart-pounding organizational power.

Guilliman had to make sure that whatever the situation with the Eye of Fear was, he was prepared for the worst, even if it turned out to be a false alarm.

For humanity, saturation mobilization is the only answer, and any adverse possibilities should be completely eliminated.

Meanwhile, Loshi and other high-ranking humans on Cardia felt firsthand just how fierce the warp's counterattack truly was.

As the core of the Eye of Suppression, Loxi felt a vast and boundless chaotic power crashing down on his domain of rules like a heavy hammer.

The laws governing the real universe were already weak, and under the erosion of the more powerful forces of the subspace, they immediately began to crumble and retreat.

The void dragon he was riding was under immense pressure in the struggle between the warp and the real universe, and at this moment it was even briefly exhausted.

Fortunately, he was not fighting alone. The Emperor's golden radiance appeared beside him, fighting alongside him against the raging warp storm.

However, even the Emperor's power seemed insufficient in the face of this warp storm, since the Lord of Mankind had transferred most of his power to the God-Emperor.

The Emperor invoked the call of the God-Emperor, sending a distress signal to the cold sun in the warp.

However, bad news kept coming in, and the God-Emperor, located in the subspace, issued a warning—

"The four Chaos Gods have joined forces once again. They are suppressing my power and severing my connection with the real universe."

“I am trying to break through their obstacles, but this time they seem to have made up their minds to temporarily put aside their old grudges and hatred.”

The unfavorable signal from the God Emperor undoubtedly caused Loxi and the Emperor's hearts to sink to the bottom.

Having merged the collective will of humanity, the divine power of the Emperor, and the authority of the Dark Lord, the God-Emperor has indeed become one of the most influential beings in the warp.

In the God Emperor's domain, which is also the location of the human soul local area network, even if all the Chaos Gods launched an attack, the God Emperor would be able to withstand it.

However, outside the local area network, even if the God Emperor continues to be strengthened by the collective faith of humanity for another ten thousand years, it would be impossible for him to simultaneously contend with four Chaos Evil Gods.

This is an indelible, substantial power disparity.

However, the God-Emperor has not lost his role. He is simultaneously restraining four Chaos Gods in the Warp, preventing them from devoting all their power to the battlefield of the Eye of Terror.

The God-Emperor had originally planned to send the Cursed Legion and his apostle Magnus to the Eye of Terror to aid the Imperial Army, but after the Four Gods' counterattack, he decisively withdrew these forces and placed them in the divine realm of the gods.

The Cursed Legion, after numerous expansions, simultaneously set foot in the Plague Gardens, breached the Blood God's Brass Arena, invaded the Slaanesh's Sixth Ring, and burned the Crystal Labyrinth of the Shapeshifter with holy fire.

Countless demons belonging to the Four Gods were slaughtered. These demons, who had always descended into the real universe to wantonly ravage humanity, tasted the bitterness of being slaughtered in reverse.

Such horrific events have almost never occurred in the warp.

As players of the great game, the four Chaos Gods are always fighting among themselves, but their exclusive domains have never been invaded by any opponent other than themselves.

Even in the era when the Lord of All Changes forged the Staff of Destiny and expanded his power to the point where he could suppress the other three Chaos Gods, the realm of the Chaos Gods remained safe and sound.

Even so, the gods, who had already shifted their attention and energy to the Eye of Fear, did not choose to retreat and instead redeploy their main forces back to the divine realm.

They were determined to fight to the bitter end, even if their homeland was being burned and plundered.

The chaotic, undifferentiated beings of the subspace had no time to gain any advantage from this war involving so many powerful beings of chaos; they only wanted to extricate themselves from it to avoid getting burned and being killed.

The tides of the Warp Ocean are surging with unprecedented ferocity, and humanity has no other option but to fight them head-on.

If humanity fails, the united Chaos Gods will surely expand the area covered by the Eye of Terror in one fell swoop, and may even evolve it into a huge rift that stretches across the northwest of the Milky Way to the central vortex of the Milky Way, or even the southeast!

Loshi didn't even dare to imagine whether, if things really developed to that point, the human empire, divided into two parts, would erupt into a second civil war comparable to the Horus Rebellion.

Humanity cannot afford to lose; only victory can prevent its destruction.

……

In the war-torn heavens, there exists a phantom planet of unparalleled tranquility.

When the turbulent etheric currents approach this area, they fall into an eerie state of calm and tranquility, without stirring up any waves or storms.

Those warp creatures brought to this place by the ocean currents, whether they are demons that are the servants of the four Chaos Gods, or behemoths like the Void Whale that have almost no natural enemies, will all disappear without a trace, leaving no trace of their existence.

The reason this planet exhibits such eerie silence is because its core is home to an ultimate being powerful enough to make the entire subspace tremble.

The essential incarnations of the four Chaos Gods descended and gathered here.

Like a devastating typhoon, the eye of the storm is often a deathly calm. This is the core of the chaotic storm, the source of all chaos and madness, which presents a suffocating absolute order.

Tzeentch's avatar is like a constantly flowing, self-consuming, and reborn mist.

Countless points of light, shimmering with cold rationality and mad wisdom, flicker in the mist, sometimes coalescing into a giant eye that peers into all things, sometimes scattering into runes containing infinite mysteries; any attempt to define their form is futile.

The incarnation of Slaanesh presents a breathtaking perfection and eeriness that transcends gender and species.

His beauty could outshine the stars and ignite the most sacred souls with the fires of depravity; His very existence is the embodiment of desire.

Nurgle transformed into a massive, bloated, living mountain that constantly dripped pus.

Countless swarms of plague flies surged from and were inhaled from His body as if breathing; He breathed heavily, emitting a sweet and deadly stench.

The giant form of Khorne, the incarnation of Khorne, was covered in thick brass armor, still tightly gripping the huge "Destruction" black sword in his hand, exuding a terrifying killing intent.

However, Khorne's murderous intent did not entirely stem from His power. The Blood God looked at Nurgle, who was standing close by, with utter disgust. The intense stench emanating from the Father was like the most powerful biological weapon, making Him want to get away from this place.

These four beings, who have fought against each other for countless epochs and regard each other as eternal enemies, are now forced to gather on this planet due to a common threat.

This unnamed planet is the subspace coordinate connected to Moro in the real universe.

Many years ago, the immortal who called himself "The Emperor" stepped into the High Heavens from here and made that famous deal with them: he took away the knowledge of the Primarchs and twenty warp entities, and would return an average number of Primarchs to the gods in the future.

"Xin Liezhi!"

Khorne's voice, like the combined roar of a thousand wars, broke the silence first. His blood-red gaze, like a tangible blade, pierced Tzeentch's ever-changing mist.

“In the real universe, those human ants are stitching together the bridgehead for us to set foot in the real universe. And what exactly do you want to do by bringing us here? If it’s to make us guess what you want to do, I don’t mind killing you right now.”

From within the mist of Tzeentch came an echo that sounded like the simultaneous low laughter of countless languages.

“My dear brother, your impulsiveness is as short-sighted as ever.”

It is precisely the dramatic changes in the real universe that have forced us to temporarily set aside the enjoyment of our grand game and engage in this face-to-face exchange.

"Exchange?" Slaanesh murmured, twirling a strand of hair formed from pure desire with a flawless finger.

“Xin Liezhi, we know each other too well. Your so-called communication often means that someone will be unlucky and pushed out to bear the biggest losses.”

"Look at us! Nurgle's gardens have been burned to the ground by the flames of the Cursed, even His beloved Elsa has become a human's spoils of war, and His Plague Heart has been taken and turned into part of the Web Tunneling Machine."

"As for me, the Dark Eldar I originally raised in the net-path city of Comoros were also slaughtered by humans. This forced me to change my original sustainable plan of draining the pond to catch all the fish, and I could only eat all those sweet Ida in one go."

"Now I no longer have an inexhaustible supply of Dark Eldar to enjoy, and that's all your fault."

"As for Khorne, He suffered his first defeat in his previous battle with the Cursed. No matter how you explain it, defeat is defeat, isn't it?"

"Only you, the great master of all changes, have had your power not weakened but strengthened amidst the immense changes brought about by humanity!"

“I can even sense that even Khorne might not be able to overpower you in terms of pure strength right now, can’t I?”

The Prince of Pleasure's words were like venomous snakes spitting poison, subtly pushing Tzeentch to the opposite side of all evil gods.

Nurgle let out a sigh that was like bubbles rising from a swamp, filled with deep sorrow and a hint of resentment.

“My children perished in agony, and the golden flames destroyed everything.”

"I will always remember this blood feud, and I will make those cursed pay the price in blood!"

"I want his children to wither away too!"

Khorne's rage was completely ignited by Slaanesh's words.

"Among all your brothers and sisters, you always remain behind the scenes, quietly manipulating the situation and using others to seize the benefits brought about by change!"

"Your Crystal Labyrinth may also have been invaded by the Cursed Legion, but who knows if this is just another part of your scheme?"

Perhaps you've already reached a new agreement with that damned, cold sun? Are you planning to betray us again?

Faced with the overwhelming doubts and hostility of his three siblings, Tzeentch's mystery churned violently, with countless threads of fate flickering within, breaking and reforming.

"Foolish! Short-sighted!"

The voice of the Lord of Change took on an unusual sharpness.

"In the real universe, the human who merged with the Star God is attempting to permanently repair the Eye of Fear!"

"If they succeed, we will lose access to this universe, lose the Warhammer universe as a rich hunting ground, and may even shake our throne in the warp!"

"I enjoy plotting and scheming, but that doesn't mean I'd still act recklessly in a situation like this!"

Hearing Tzeentch's confident assurance, the other three Chaos Gods also fell silent for a moment, pondering its truthfulness and reliability.

Logically speaking, if Tzeentch dares to tamper with His grand plan again, He will pay an unbearable price.

But who can guarantee that? Who can believe Tzeentch's promise?
In this incredibly oppressive silence, the mist surrounding Tzeentch slowly contracted, becoming even more concentrated.

The countless flickering lights focused on the other three evil gods, carrying an unprecedented, almost candid meaning.

"You and I both know that we are driving this eternal great game not just to satisfy our desires for killing, pleasure, decay, or scheming."

"That's too superficial. We devour souls and spread chaos not just to kill time for the boredom of eternal life."

Using the mist surrounding him, Tzeentch began to create a seemingly realistic projection.

That was the entire process of a real universe from its birth to its glory, and then to its complete engulfment and annihilation by the warp.

As the last star extinguished and the last cries of life dissipated, an indescribable ultimate power, which embodied all life, all emotions, and all concepts in the entire universe, flowed like rivers into the sea, merging into the ocean of the warp and also flowing towards the gods who sat atop the throne of chaos.

"Completely destroying a real universe means that we can extract the sum of all consciousness and energy that has existed in that universe since its birth!"

Tzeentch's voice carried an almost greedy fervor, which was extremely rare.

"That is an unimaginable nourishment, an irresistible temptation even for those of us who occupy the throne of the Chaos Eight-Pointed Star."

The Warhammer universe, this hunting ground we've cultivated for countless years, contains a soul and historical depth far surpassing that of ordinary universes! By consuming it, each of us will gain unprecedented power!

"In order to obtain this reward, I can temporarily suppress my true nature and put aside all my calculations and schemes."

"After all, do you really think I'm so obsessed with scheming and intrigue? Is this 'my' thought, or the thought of the throne beneath me?"

Tzeentch's tone grew increasingly somber, and even the other three evil gods sensed that this brother seemed to be quite different.

“I don’t know if you’ve thought about this, but I certainly have. Even if we are as powerful as we are, sitting on the throne of chaos, are we really completely free?”
The throne grants us power and defines our form of existence, but isn't it also a form of constraint?

Tzeentch's mist fluctuated violently, as if resisting some invisible pressure originating from within itself.

"We drive the great game, make countless decisions, and in a way, aren't those the thrones need us to do?"

We always consider ourselves chess players, manipulating the pieces at our disposal, but perhaps we are merely powerful pieces on a grander, more ancient chessboard.

"Insanity!"

Khorne's roar rang out again, but this time, in addition to anger, it was mixed with a hint of unease at having a taboo touched and a vague resonance.

"The sea of ​​subspace connects to the infinite universe, and there exists an enemy that even we must face squarely!"
You dare to challenge the throne when you haven't even crushed the ants on Terra?

The great game never ends, and war will continue forever—that is the only truth!

"Constant dripping wears away a stone, my dear brother, this principle applies to everyone in the world," Jianqi said quietly.

"As long as we continue to devour the real universe, strengthen ourselves, and accumulate enough power, perhaps one day we will be able to reach that critical point... break free from the shackles of the throne and gain true freedom."

“We want this great game that repeats itself eternally to be played out according to our true will, and even…we will decide its end.”

Tzeentch's explanation plunged the other three evil gods into deeper silence and contemplation.

What Tzeentch felt, they had also felt and thought about, but not as deeply as the other.

That's why they felt even more strongly that Tzeentch was "serious" this time. He might really be telling the truth, but because of his many misdeeds, no one was willing to believe his truth anymore.

“True freedom…the ability to create infinite possibilities and ultimate experiences according to one’s own will…oh, that is more alluring than any sensual pleasure,” Slaanesh murmured, seemingly acknowledging Tzeentch’s view.

Nurgle bowed his head, and the decaying things at his feet seemed to grow even more vigorously because of his awakening of thought.

"Beyond the cycle of decay and death, I imprisoned Elsa for so long not only because I was genuinely afraid of her being hurt, but also because I wanted to fill the void in my understanding of the true meaning of life through her."

Khorne remained silent for a moment, unusually refraining from becoming agitated or angry.

"So, Tzeentch, tell me your plan. How do you intend to crush those humans, continue to expand the Eye of Terror, and thus devour this universe?"
If you continue with those useless tricks, I swear on my blood and skull, your crystal labyrinth will suffer destruction ten thousand times worse than it has now!

Despite his continued rage, the Blood God was clearly swayed by the possibility of "beyond the throne."

“The plan is simple, but it requires unprecedented sincerity from us.” Tzeentch’s tone became excited. “We need to temporarily put aside all the scheming and betrayal between us and truly concentrate our strength on one point.”

"This means we need a covenant, an oath in the name of our very foundation—the Chaos Octagon—and the throne we occupy."

“I, Tzeentch, the master of all changes, hereby swear in the name of the throne of chaos and the eight-pointed star that bear me.”

His voice was solemn and cold, each syllable seemingly branded into the very foundation of the subspace.

"Before achieving my goal of utterly destroying the human empire, expanding the Eye of Terror, and devouring this universe, I will forge an unbreakable alliance with my brothers and sisters—Khorne, Nurgle, and Slaanesh."

"I will share my knowledge and strategies, I will utilize all my resources, and I promise that in the process, I will never, for any reason, betray or scheme against my allies. This oath is testified to by the very nature of chaos!"

An invisible beam of light, imbued with some kind of mysterious binding force, shot out from Tzeentch's mist and merged into the subspace.

For Tzeentch, who reveres absolute change and deception, making such an oath is the greatest sincerity He can offer.

Khorne stared intently at the radiance of the oath, feeling the binding force it contained.

A moment later, He let out a deep, low roar, like a war drum.

"I, Khorne, Lord of Skulls and God of Blood, hereby swear that I accept the invitation of the covenant to utterly crush the skulls and blood of mankind!"

A surge of blood-red, violent energy flowed into the eight-pointed star.

With a playful yet earnest smile, Slaanesh lazily raised his hand: "Oh, for that ultimate freedom and experience... I, Slaanesh, will also join this interesting covenant."

A beautiful yet dangerous light merged into the eight-pointed star.

Gasping for breath, Nurgle finally nodded, making the same choice.

This planet, located deep in subspace, burst forth with unprecedented light, where four distinct forces intertwined and entangled, yet strangely achieved a terrifying balance.

Thus, a destructive pact against the human empire was born, forged by four Chaos Gods in the name of their own thrones.

(End of this chapter)