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

Chapter 964 Completing Danteok
In the Cardia system, this brutal war between order and chaos has begun to stabilize again after an initial defeat.

The chaotic demon army, which had originally surged in like a scarlet tide, was halted at humanity's second line of defense.

The warp demons could even see the shape of Kadia with their naked eyes, but no matter how fiercely they fought, they could never get their hands on Kadia.

They could only watch helplessly as Kadia, like a stabilizing force, pinned down the warp storm as it continued to spread toward the great vortex at the center of the galaxy.

Birac even joined forces with Carlos, Rotigus, and Sharasi the Demon, leading the elite of the Chaos army in a desperate charge against the human defenses, but they still could not break through this damned line of defense.

The six Blackrock Fortresses, like an unchanging final high wall, float above the key nodes of the defense line.

Their ancient black stone structures resonated, emanating an anti-spiritual energy field that suppressed the warp, greatly inhibiting the activity of warp energy, making the rebirth of demons slow and difficult, and their very existence less stable.

What terrified the demons even more was the avatar of Kane, who rampaged across the battlefield.

Guided to the main battlefield by the Laughing God, the Spirit Clan War God was like a perfect and pure killing machine. Wherever it passed, it left behind only a path paved with the remains of demons and boiling seas of blood.

With each swing of Doomsday Howl, it cleared away vast swathes of Chaos units like harvesting wheat.

Whether it's a low-level vampire or a powerful bloodthirsty monster, they all appear utterly vulnerable before the wrath of the God of War himself.

Its existence not only greatly relieved the pressure on the defensive line, but also served as a flag, attracting most of the Chaos Legion's firepower and attention.

In particular, the demons of the Khorne and Slaanesh factions naturally harbor a strong hatred for the incarnation of Cairne. They yearn to reap Cairne's head for their own god, but none of them have been able to do so.

Even Sharasi the Demon, who originally planned to launch a sneak attack, was detected by Kane's avatar during the attack and was almost completely annihilated by a single sword strike. He barely escaped with his life by fighting with all his might.

The arrival of the reinforcement fleet led by Lemanrus, Vulcan, and Corax gave humanity's defenses a much-needed boost.

With three Astartes, Ryan Johnson's available forces nearly doubled, allowing him to more freely display his command skills and war tactics.

Compared to Lemanrus and Corax, the arrival of Vulcan, the orc emperor, completely changed the situation of the green-skinned orcs on the battlefield.

The surging Waaagh energy surrounding Vulcan acted like a bright lighthouse, firmly attracting and uniting the orc tribes that were originally scattered and fighting independently.

These greens, chanting battle cries of "For Emperor Vulcan! For Mao Zedong!", formed an unprecedented, disciplined green frenzy.

Organized orcs and unorganized orcs are two completely different concepts.

They charged fearlessly to the front lines, engaging the demons in the most brutal and simple way.

The greenskins' favorite adversaries are the Khorne demons, who also revere melee combat and crave to please the Blood God with the blood and skulls of their enemies.

During their battle with the green-skinned orcs, these followers of the Blood God even vaguely realized a fact they were unwilling to acknowledge:

They crave battle, mostly to vent their bloodlust and slaughterful instincts, and to please the Blood God in order to obtain more powerful blessings.

Therefore, they can slaughter enemies and their own people, as long as they fight in a way that is not ambush, and they can obtain the blessing of Khorne.

The green-skinned orcs, on the other hand, had a much simpler and purer goal: to fully enjoy the battle and experience this unparalleled waaagh! That's all.

In a sense, the green-skinned orcs are more in line with the Blood God's requirements for his followers than the Khorne demons.

It is precisely because of the existence of these green-skinned orcs that humanity has been able to escape from the most dangerous and brutal battlefields, thereby keeping its casualty rate at an acceptable level.

However, for Gao Ge and Mao Ge, who have already brought their will to reality, the enemies on this main battlefield, though numerous, ultimately lack the "hard bones" that can satisfy them.

The presence of Kane's avatar is sufficient to handle high-level battles here.

After a brief exchange, the two orc deities turned their gaze to the source of the churning Eye of Terror.

The powerful pressure emanating from there, belonging to the four Chaos Gods, was what truly ignited their fighting spirit.

"These little shrimps aren't enough for us waaagh!" Brother Gao grinned, brandishing a giant machete that appeared out of thin air.

"Go over there! Let's play with those big guys!" Mao Ge shouted in agreement, his eyes gleaming with a cunning and belligerent light.

Without any further words, the two enormous green figures immediately left the battlefield and crashed into the core area of ​​the Eye of Fear.

They were going to help the human god-emperor who was fighting the four gods single-handedly deep in the warp, to alleviate the pressure on Kadia from the root.

With the pressure on the front lines greatly reduced, the Imperial Commander-in-Chief, Ryan Johnson, was able to act more freely.

He, along with Primarchs such as Dorne and Perturabo, commanded the massive Imperial fleet in successive counterattacks, supported by battle planets and the Eldar Blackrock Fortress.

Macro cannons and light spears tore through demon ships, and spatial weapons easily sliced ​​through enemies in their path. The Astartes, the Iron Legion, and their Eldar allies worked together to push the front line back step by step.

The entire Cadia defensive line, like a lion recovering from severe injuries, began to show its sharp fangs and claws.

The clarion call for the counterattack has been sounded.

Just as the battle was developing in a favorable direction, in a natural galaxy five light-years away from the Cardia galaxy, the long-sealed gate to the Netway slowly opened, gleaming brightly.

The first thing to leap into reality was a dark red energy body blazing with intense flames—the very fragment of the Burner that had guided the course.

Like a signal, it followed three enormous world engines, so massive they brought thought to a standstill, slowly detaching from the expansive network gate.

The world engine of the Nihirak dynasty is about to arrive on the battlefield.

Around the World Engine, a fleet of space necromancers swarmed out like bees.

Various graveyard ships, Heavenly Punishment-class cruisers, Elegy-class raiders... they maintained an absolutely precise defensive formation, their eerie green tail flames drawing cold trajectories in the void.

After the entire Necromancer fleet in space broke away from the network, all members activated their inertia-free engines to get through the final stretch of distance.

This suddenly appearing, massive force instantly attracted the attention of all factions on the battlefield.

In the command center of the battle planet, Ryan Johnson stared at the energy level assessment report of the World Engine transmitted back by the reconnaissance array.

"The World Engines of the Necromancer...three of them?!"

"Are they reinforcements, or enemies trying to take advantage of the chaos?"

Ryan never let his guard down against the Necromancers of the cosmos. The power wielded by this ancient race was far too great, and he had to remain vigilant forever.

Suspicion is an instinct of the Caliban; they will devise countless countermeasures, even against their allies, to ensure that humanity always has a trump card in hand.

“Send them a security identification warning and do not allow them to set foot on the Kadia battlefield until their specific circumstances are confirmed.”

“I need clear assurances from Tarasin before I can deploy this force on the battlefield.”

Just as Ryan Johnson was nervously probing the intentions of the space undead fleet, on the surface of Cardia, Loshi, who was sitting on his throne and fully guiding the power of the Void Dragon to amplify the rules of the real universe, suddenly opened his eyes.

An uncontrollable smile of ecstasy spread across his face; Tarachin had not disappointed him after all.

"They're here...they're finally here! Tarasin, the Burner Shards, and so many Star God Shards!"

Rose muttered to herself, her excitement evident.

"With these fragments of the Star Gods, the stability of the reality structure will increase by several orders of magnitude, enough to completely push the power of the warp back into the Eye of Terror. Then we can begin to heal this wound in the real universe!"

Without hesitation, he immediately devoted a portion of his mind and strength to it.

An avatar formed from the power of the Void Dragon separated from his main body and appeared directly in the void, teleporting towards the core of the Nishirak fleet.

On the bridge of the undead fleet flagship, Tarasin was enjoying the reactions from all sides to their arrival on the battlefield.

"How can we be absent from such a bustling battlefield?"

"Without our help, it will be much more difficult for Losi to close the Eye of Fear."

The Burner hovered quietly to the side, observing the active Eldar and Greenskin Orcs on the battlefield, its thoughts drifting back to that turbulent era.

So many years have passed, and some things have changed forever, but some things seem to remain unchanged.

Just then, a silver light condensed from the void, and Lothie's avatar appeared without warning in the command room of the Necromancer, standing in front of Tarasin and the Burner.

General Dai Guan looked at the human before him, and even the corner of his mouth twitched unconsciously.

Their proud defenses were utterly useless in the face of these star gods.

First, it was the fragments of the Burner, and then it was this human named Roche.

Doesn't anyone realize that their warships actually have doors?

"Tarasin, the Burner... and all my friends in Nishirak."

Lothie's avatar smiled and spoke, his gaze first falling on Tarasin, nodding, and then landing on the Burner, his eyes filled with unexpected surprise.

Loshi hadn't forgotten his promise to the Burner, but he hadn't expected the guy to actually dare to come.

Given the cunning nature of the Star God, it is highly unlikely that it would believe its own promises.

“Your choice is wise, Nyadrazasa. I know why you've come, and I will help you.”

The avatar of the Burner bowed slightly, his attitude noticeably more respectful than when facing the undead.

This is not only because the person in front of me is indeed a complete Star God, but also because he promised to help me regain my wholeness.

I believe in your promise, and I will do everything in my power to help you strengthen the cosmic rules of this chaotic spacetime.

Although you are powerful, you are only one person; you need more help.

Loshi nodded toward Nyadrazasa.

“Very well, since we share the same goal, let’s skip the formalities and probing,” Luo Xi said succinctly.

"Time is of the essence. These Star God fragments brought by Tarasin must be converted into combat power immediately. We should start with this fragment of the Burner."

He pointed to a specially constructed tomb ship in the undead fleet, which contained the smaller Burner fragment belonging to the Nihilarch dynasty.

"It should be returned to its rightful owner and merged with Niadrazasa. Only a more complete Burner can better mobilize the power of the Star God's rules to help me solidify the reality structure of this star field." "I object!"

The crowned general Claudius spoke up almost immediately, his eyes revealing a naked hostility.

"Your Excellency Rosi! That is a precious asset of the Nishirak dynasty, a collection in the French imperial treasury. How can it be given away so easily?"

Our Nihirak dynasty has come to Kadia to aid you despite the immense pressure and risks involved, and we hope that you will live up to our expectations.

Moreover, making the Burner more complete is tantamount to creating an even more terrifying enemy for all of us! Do you know that during the War of Heaven, He…

“I know His power, and I also know the deep-seated hatred between the necromancers and the star gods.”

Rose calmly interrupted him.

"But I hereby promise and impose constraints:"
"During and thereafter, as long as the Nihirak dynasty does not initiate an attack on Nyadrazasa or its related interests, the Burners shall not harm any member of the Nihirak dynasty in any way."

His gaze shifted to the Burner avatar, carrying a powerful sense of oppression.

“Nyadrazasa, do you accept my conditions? If you disobey, I will erase your consciousness.”

"You understand, I have the ability and the determination."

The flames that were the incarnation of the Burner flickered violently, revealing the turmoil within.

The threat posed by Loshi, who wielded the full power of the Void Dragon, was something he could not afford to underestimate.

It remained silent for a moment before slowly answering Rosie's question.

[...I accept, and I swear by my very nature, that under the stated conditions, I will not initiate an attack on any member of Nishirak.]

However, I still reserve the right to retaliate against any space necromancers other than Nissilach.

Loshi nodded in satisfaction. He was disappointed with the Silent King's cooperative attitude. Now his ally was the Nihilak dynasty, not the entire Necromancers of the cosmos.

He looked at Claudius again.

“Look, General Dai Guan, the risk you mentioned has disappeared.”

"In exchange for a powerful and controllable Star God ally, using a Burner fragment that requires resources to guard, Nishrak is not at a loss."

"If you choose to accept this, then from now on, you and the Burners will be even."

Tarasin let out a low laugh at the opportune moment and patted Claudius's stiff metal shoulder.

"Relax. Since Roche has made a guarantee, we should trust our partner's integrity and commitment."

It's just a fragment of the Burner; our treasure trove contains many more. From now on, we no longer need to worry about the Burner returning to burn our homes and wealth to ashes.

Taraxin also tried his best to persuade General Dai Guan by appealing to his emotions and reasoning with him.

"As for the hatred between the Burners and the other Necromancer dynasties, it has little to do with us. On behalf of Nishirak, I agree to this arrangement."

General Dai Guan wanted to say something more, but looking at Tarasin's unquestionable attitude and Loshi's calm yet powerful gaze, he could only swallow all his opposition and frustration, leaving only a sigh.

He now deeply regrets not refusing the French king's order; if he had known the situation would turn out this way, he would never have come with Tarachin.

He expressed his opposition countless times along the way, but not a single one of them was listened to.

“As you wish… Tarachin Overlord.” He practically spat out the words through clenched teeth.

“Then, next.” Losi’s actions were astonishingly efficient; his gaze immediately locked onto another containment ship.

“I also sensed fragments of the ruler Zahurash, which should belong to the only person in this place who can control them—Dantiok.”

He gave Tarasin and Claudius no time to react or bargain, and explained directly.

"Dantiok has proven that he can coexist with the power of the Overlord Star God and maintain his own will. By fusing more fragments, he will become even more powerful and play an irreplaceable role in strengthening the rules of reality."

At this moment, Taracin acted like an incredibly generous "spendthrift," ignoring Claudius's fiery glare and directly issuing orders to his tomb engineers.

"Do as Lord Loshi says, transfer the Overlord Fragment to the designated coordinates, and remove the constraints of the Hypercube Maze."

With each command issued, precious fragments of the Star God, accumulated over countless years by the Nishirak Dynasty, were easily sent away.

Claudius felt his logic matrix twitching; each transfer of a fragment felt like cutting into his flesh.

He could only keep repeating to himself, "This is the Emperor's order... This is for the greater good..." in order to barely keep his logic from crashing due to excessive heartache.

At the same time, Lothie summoned Danteok.

Danteok, who was leading the Nirvana Steel Legion in a bloody battle against the Chaos Demon Army on the front lines, did not hesitate for a moment after hearing Rosie's voice in his mind, and immediately handed over command to Iron Adam.

He himself broke away from the battle and immediately used the power of the Star God to speed towards the coordinates indicated by Loxi.

He didn't know what Rose wanted to see him for, but he obeyed Rose unconditionally, a testament to the absolute trust they had built over a long period of time.

Relying on the dimensional space of the Overlord, Danteok easily surpassed the speed of light and arrived at Rosie's location in the shortest amount of time.

As Danteok's figure, stained with the blood of a warp demon, slowly descended onto the deck of the undead flagship, everyone's gaze turned to him.

They all already knew that this human veteran, who had the appearance of a Space Marine, had long since transformed into the essence of a ruler.

Barabbas Danteok was the first being in this universe to replace the will of the Star God fragment with the will of a human.

Ignoring the curious and scrutinizing gazes of the Burners and the Necromancers, Danteok walked straight up to Roshi like a steel sculpture.

"Lord Loshi, Danteok awaits your command," the war blacksmith said sparingly.

Lothie gazed at the former war blacksmith. Although he had now become the commander of an entire legion of Nirvana Steel, Danteok still maintained his humility and caution, which Lothie admired most.

Perhaps only someone as strong as steel, both inside and out, could become the first miracle to harness the fragments of a star god with human will.

“Dantiok, the Nihilak dynasty brought with it other fragments from the schism of the ruler Zahurash,” Loshi said.

"You should now know the function of the Star God Fragments. Once you fuse them, you will become more complete and closer to a perfect 'god'."

"However, fusing more fragments will place a heavier burden on your will. You may lose your current special stable state, or even have your body taken over by Zahurash."

Lothie told Danteok the significance of the operation and the potential costs without reservation, not wanting Danteok to make a hasty choice based on his unconditional trust in him.

Although he also fused with and mastered the essence of the Star God, and even the complete essence of the Void Dragon, there was a huge gap between him and Danteok in terms of power and soul strength.

The only thing Danteok could rely on was his unwavering will, both inside and out.

However, the war blacksmith knelt on one knee, his gaze beneath his helmet unwavering, showing no sign of wavering or hesitation.

"For the Emperor, for humanity, and to end this galactic catastrophe, I am willing to pay any price!"

“I believe I can continue to suppress Zahurash’s consciousness. It was defeated by me before, and it will be defeated by me again now.”

"I have never valued my own life, whether in the past or now. I could die for the five hundred worlds on Sosa, and I can die for the survival of Kadia now, Lord Loshi."

Danteok seemed to have opened up, revealing his true feelings to Rosie.

“I have no regrets. I can see the Empire rise again from the ashes of rebellion, I can see that bastard Peturabo repent and reform, and I can see the reborn Steel, reorganized from the Iron Warriors, flourishing…”

"I remember seeing a famous quote from ancient Terra in the Great Library of Macuragh—"

Danteok's eyes seemed to be shining, radiating a pure, human brilliance.

"A person's life should be lived in such a way that when he looks back on his past, he will not regret wasting his years, nor be ashamed of having accomplished nothing."

“Very good, very good.” Loshi nodded. This was Danteok, the true steel forged from the scrap steel of the Iron Warriors.

"Now, let's begin fusing the Overlord fragments."

Soon, the container carrying the fragments of the Overlord was transported to a vast void near the flagship, and the constraints of the Hypercube Labyrinth were completely lifted with Tarasin's authorization.

Almost at the same instant the constraints disappeared, the fragments of the Overlord, of varying sizes and shimmering with an unstable, eerie blue light, within the maze seemed to sense the call of their shared origin and suddenly erupted with astonishing energy fluctuations.

"Om-"

Without the slightest hesitation, these fragments of the ruler, carrying the lightning of the star god, charged toward Danteok, who stood silently in the void, with a ferocious and almost self-destructive momentum.

"Hold fast to your will, Danteok! Remember, you are the ruler of the Overlords!" Lothie's voice boomed like a bell, resounding deep within Danteok's soul.

The next moment, the raging Star God energy completely engulfed Danteok.

Countless ancient and chaotic fragments of memory flooded into his mind like a burst dam.

Those were the vast memories that the ruler Zahurash had accumulated throughout his long life. Although most of them were just trivial moments, they were still an infinite amount of information compared to the minuscule human beings.

Each fragment of the Star God possesses a part of the original consciousness, and similarly, they also have a primal instinct to seize control.

The Zahurash consciousness contained within these fragments has already sensed that the massive fragment that issued the summons actually harbors a tiny will that is not a star god.

"You despicable thief! Give me back my body!"

Zahurash's remaining consciousness roared, and his violent will surged towards Danteok without restraint.

However, Danteok was completely unmoved by this. Compared to when he was an old and frail Astartes fighting against the high and mighty ruler of the Star Gods on Sosa, the situation now was a million times better.

For Danteok, it was as easy as conquering a few stripped-down versions of the most difficult levels.

With just a little time and patience, he can replicate his initial success.

(End of this chapter)