This is our Warhammer journey

Chapter 193 The closest I've ever been to sleeping in the bunk above Luther.

The relationship between the Dark Angel and the Space Wolf is quite complex.

If they agree to meet, they'll immediately get ready to fight, giving the impression that they're at odds. People who don't know the inside story might think they're about to have a life-or-death battle.

To be honest, both of them are quite tactful. Apart from exchanging barbs when they meet, they usually don't do anything extreme. Behind their tense interactions, there is always some kind of tacit understanding.

The formation of this wondrous connection dates back tens of thousands of years, when the original forms of both parties still existed.

During the Battle of Duran in the 30k era, Lemanrus fought with Ryan due to ideological differences. Afterwards, the Wolf King was punched and knocked down for a long time because of the Lion King's anger.

Fortunately, the two sides eventually reached a settlement.

After that, the friendship between the Wolf King and the Lion King, which was based on martial arts, was passed down between the two legions in the form of honorary duels.

Duels are usually decided by the first blood rule; whoever inflicts the first wound on the opponent wins. Both players are champions of their respective teams, regardless of the difference in their status.

This also led to the famous scene during the Second Empire where Ryan, as the 'Legion Champion,' accepted a duel invitation from Fafner, the Wolf Lord.

Therefore, the relationship between the two legions is not as bad as people imagine.

From the perspective of the Dark Angel, this is about personal honor, and competition can also promote personal growth.

From Space Wolf's perspective, this is a ritualistic exchange, a way for brothers to communicate their feelings.

Of course, we should still strive to win, as victory is a glorious thing for both sides.

Neither Space Wolf nor Dark Angel wants to hear poems or coded messages about "someone losing to someone in a duel of honor on such and such a day" at a dinner party or secret gathering.

"So, you're asking us to use your people in a duel for honor?"

At a table set up for private conversation, Alm Iron Oath's voice was deep and rough, like the sound of wind from the depths of the Fenris frozen ground, his sharp wolf eyes fixed on the two people opposite him—

Gareth and Kai.

Gareth sat opposite Alm, his face calm, showing neither the cold aloofness typical of dark angels nor any deliberate attempt to please.

Although he didn't quite understand these differences in thinking caused by culture, and didn't care much about so-called honor, he chose to respect them because his mother had taught him to respect others during his upbringing, just as she had respected him.

Kai, on the other hand, is completely out of place with the style of the Dark Angels. He is outspoken and boastful, and the Dark Angels all think that he should be the son of an emperor.

The wolf pack, on the contrary, found this guy surprisingly to their liking. With his ability to boast without batting an eye, he would be a famous bard in Fenris.

These two were among the Dark Angels who got along best with the Space Wolves during their boarding period.

After all, most Dark Angels don't really like the Space Wolf's style.

Even though the Dark Angels had seen through the disguise of these "barbarians" through the "three barbarian jokes" spread by someone on the ship, their undisguised wildness still made them feel like they were dealing with a group of beasts in power armor.

"This is a request, and it's just one option."

Sensing the displeasure in Alm's tone, Gareth added.

Alm listened in silence, his rugged face revealing no emotion, but the sharpness in his wolf eyes softened slightly.

If the other party makes such a request in public, even if it is just a hint, he will refuse without hesitation. For the honor of Dalian, he will never tolerate any proposal that may be considered an insult.

But at this moment, they were sitting at a private table, with only him and the wolf priest present. There were no outside witnesses and no extra ears.

More importantly, the dark angel's tone and wording were impeccable. There was no arrogant condescension or aggressive pressure; instead, there was a rare kind of respect.
The war had been going too smoothly lately, with almost complete rout. There were no fierce battles, no glorious victories to be celebrated, just one victory after another without any suspense, which made the wolves feel somewhat bored.

But after each battle, the Dark Angels would hold a celebratory banquet for them, with unlimited drinks and equipment, and even allow the Iron Priests and Wolf Priests to visit and learn about each other's arsenals and surgical modification techniques.
This group of Dark Angels are genuinely here to make friends.

This put the wolf pack, who were supposed to be civilized, in an awkward position.

The Fenris people are known for their gentleness but not their strength. When provoked, they can readily resort to barbaric punches; however, when faced with genuine goodwill and requests made in a respectful manner, they seem to have encountered their nemesis, and even refusing them seems unreasonable.

hiss~
I always feel like I'm being manipulated.

Something's really wrong with this group of Dark Angels.

Alm squinted, his fingers unconsciously tracing the rim of the wine glass.

Logically speaking, Space Wolves' barbarian disguise should have been intimidating enough, but in front of these guys, they seemed to have been seen through and couldn't exert any intimidation power at all.

Gareth seemed oblivious to the subtle change in Alm's expression, and continued in that calm and sincere tone:
"As a cousin, I don't think I should interfere in your important affairs—however, we do need an opportunity to make contact with these fallen angels. From a standpoint of fact, we are enemies, and I can explain that to you."

"stop!"

Alm suddenly raised his hand, nearly knocking over the wine glass.

He almost reflexively stopped the other man from continuing, as if Gareth was about to reveal a secret that could blow up the entire Fenris.

As a wolf guard who could succeed the wolf lord at any time, Alm already knew enough secrets—

For example, the Steel Hand's "No One's Fearlessness" caused the Legion to lose an excellent wolf priest, which strained relations between the two sides to the point of near-collapse. In the end, the Space Wolf, who was in the wrong, had no choice but to swallow his pride and accept the situation, and did not continue to cause trouble.

"Let me guess."

Alm took a deep breath, stared at Gareth, his eyes saying, "Don't say anything yet."

For the safety of the young men, he felt it was better not to know too much.

After all, once you know something, you can never pretend you didn't see it.

"it is good."

Gareth uttered a short word.

Then a brief silence fell. Alm's fingers tapped lightly on the metal tabletop, producing a dull sound. The dim light of the tavern cast varying shadows on his rugged face, making him look like an ancient stone statue.

"According to my understanding."

Alm spoke slowly, his voice low and cautious.

"Your existence must not be known to the current Dark Angels, because for some reason you are enemies."

He knew that these people were most likely the old Deng from ten thousand years ago. After all, the Sons of Dorne were too lazy to even put on an act anymore, so it wasn't surprising that a group of Dark Angels suddenly appeared here.

Gareth nodded slightly: "Yes."

Alm frowned almost imperceptibly, then, not intending to delve deeper into this topic that could easily lead to warp-space disorientation, continued:

"Then, your encounters may escalate into a larger conflict, with some wanting to rely on us as a bridge to the Devotee Chapter, to cover your tracks, and to facilitate certain objectives for you?"

This seemingly rugged wolf guard had already guessed most of the situation.

"Yes."

This is Space Wolf, with a bold and unrestrained exterior but a meticulous and thoughtful heart.

The surrounding dark angels exchanged a discreet glance, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

I really underestimated them before.

that's enough.

Alm stopped tapping and stared at Gareth, his eyes sharpening.

“You should not involve other imperial powers in this conflict, nor is there any Chaos at play.”

"of course."

Gareth answered without hesitation, saying it was an internal matter for them.

No matter how opposed the knights may be, they are ultimately one. The 'betrayal' is real, and this should not be known to outsiders.

If His Highness hadn't conducted a thorough review of the Great Rebellion, addressing all the Dark Angels and proving that the Lion King and the vast majority of others hadn't betrayed the Legion, thus eliminating millennia of accumulated suspicion within the legion, this Space Wolves would likely have already been won over by touching upon secrets.

"I cannot agree to hand over Dalian's reputation to you."

Alm finally shook his head; he couldn't accept a duel of honor that required a third party to step in and fight in their place.

The noise of the tavern seemed to fade away at that moment, and the air between the three became heavy.

"but."

A meaningful smile suddenly appeared on his lips, and a few cunning wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes.

“I don’t know who’s in the fleet. All I know is that there are Space Wolves on this ship, as well as mortal warriors who have invited them to visit. The Fenris people have always only associated with upright heroes.”

A promise, yet also a warning.

"Thank you for your understanding."

Gareth smiled.

Thank you for your respect.

Alm's lips curled up slightly, revealing sharp canines. He definitely preferred the black ones to the green ones.

Because they proved through their actions that they deserved that innate pride.

This thought suddenly sparked an idea in Alm: he genuinely wanted to meet the Primarch who could bring about such a change in these Dark Angels.

In fact, through this period of contact, he had basically guessed which two legions the two mysterious Primarchs came from.

Alm raised his glass and gestured to Gareth.

"Then I wish you a successful hunt, cousin."

This group of dark angels suited their tastes perfectly; they were unaffected by chaos and acted with integrity, which was enough for them.

As for the internal conflict within the legion, Alm scoffed inwardly.

They even killed a Grand Master of the Grey Knights. There have been bloody conflicts between the major factions within the Dark Angels. So what if the Dark Angels are tearing each other apart internally?

Without chaos at play, I wouldn't care about this or that.

In a corner of the tavern, several Wolf Pack warriors were loudly singing an ancient war song, their rough voices echoing between the metal bulkheads.

Alm tilted his head back and downed the drink in one gulp, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down with each swallow.

I'll help those who look good to me.

boom!
The heavy goblet slammed onto the table, the crisp sound silencing the entire tavern. All eyes turned to the wolf cubs, and Alm laughed as he stood up, grabbing the Stormbreaker that was leaning against the table.

"Let's go and welcome our cousins."

The surrounding soldiers immediately understood and erupted in a deafening battle roar.

Some people pounded their fists on the breastplate, while others smashed bottles on the ground, and the entire tavern instantly erupted in chaos.

The wolves rose to their feet, the clanging of their power armor like the sound of war drums, and they laughed as they walked toward the shuttle door leading to the Dawn.

That's how the Wolf Pack is; these Fenris men only do what they think is right, and only fight the right battles.
-
(End of this chapter)