Warhammer: Black Emperor

Chapter 879 Corax Breaks Ties with Horus
The bridge lighting of the flagship of the "Raven Guardian", the Glory Queen-class battleship Empress Shadow, was always at half brightness.

Kovacs Corax prefers this shadowy state.

His coal-black hair flowed naturally, and light shone into his dark, irisless eyes.

"Kanelus, do you think the situation has reached a point of no return?"

After a few seconds of thought, the consul said, “Father, I regret to inform you, but I believe this is the case.”

Kaneus glanced at Balsa Kuturi, the think tank director, and said, “Irogbunan questions every single one of my orders. He thinks I am carrying out your plan to cleanse the Terrans.”

“I can’t even mobilize them directly now; they have to ask Kirin before deciding whether to carry it out.”

“Keeling is more like a consul than I am.”

Corax's snow-white skin grew even paler.

"You mean, exile them?"

Balsa's dark eyes grew even dimmer. He knew that the governor's words had already decided the orders for most of the Terran legions, including Nerat.

The father of genetics, like his command philosophy, relied on complete trust in his commanders.

This is determined by the situation of the Salvation Uprising. During a global uprising, no one, including the Primarch, can be present on every battlefield; one must trust the appointed commander.

The father of genes would have absolutely trusted Carneius's judgment if he had entrusted the Terran offspring to him.

[This is for the best. Nerath, like Alkahas, has left and can now serve our Lord wholeheartedly.]
While Balsa was pondering, Corax had already made his decision.

"Let it be decided then. Order them to assemble and form an expeditionary fleet."

His gaze swept across the western part of the galaxy where Horus was on his expedition and the southern part of the galaxy where the Legion was located.

"Expedition direction: Northeastern region of the Milky Way."

"And save the cruel and heartless among the Starborn."

Korax looked at the think tank director, “Rorschach, Sukunu, and other Terrans who have integrated into the Legion continue to perform their duties, but the think tanks should keep an eye on them.”

Alastor Rorschach, the company commander of the 89th Company, was the first person to complete the Triple Shadow Path he conceived, and he was especially skilled in the stealth aspect of it, second only to himself in the Legion.

Although Sukunu was not as militarily capable as Rorschach, he truly understood his own ideals and was a potential candidate for consul.

"Yes, sir." Balsa bowed and accepted the order.

Corax's dark eyes flashed with a sharp light. "Prepare Darkwing."

"I'm going to see the War Commander."

The Darkwing Stormhawk only shut down its quantum domain repulsion device when it approached the Vengeance Soul at a distance of 20,000 kilometers, thus exposing itself to the detection range of the Observer Matrix.

After Corax stepped off the deck, he saw Ezekiel Abaddon and Gastalin Terminator standing ready.

Abaddon, with his tall, spiky braid, asked warily.

"Lord Corax, your sudden visit..."

“Abaddon, you are not qualified to question me,” Corax interrupted him coldly.

"Or is it that the War General is no longer Horus, but you?"

Abaddon's face was grim as he stared intently at Corax.

Corax, who was usually dissatisfied but still restrained, was surprisingly cold and ruthless today.

"Come with me, the War General is waiting for you."

Corax followed behind Abaddon, walking calmly beside them and examining their Ironclad Terminator armor.

Horus has always been a supporter of the Terminator Armor, and his legions, along with the "Iron Warriors" and the "Shadow of Order," are the three legions that equip the most Ironclad armor.

Corax noted that intelligence indicated that while the number of Ironclad units in the "Shadow of Order" was slowly increasing across the three legions, the proportion had begun to decline.

The number of Saturn-type and Hades-type Terminator prototypes is rapidly increasing, while the Iron Cavalry-type is only being deployed on a large scale in the 11th Chapter of the "Shadow of Order," with each company having several Terminator squads.

[I am restricted by Horus, and the Terminator and Mark IV I receive are limited, so I have to find my own way.]

It's time to research our own powered armor.
While Kiava's production capacity is not as advanced as that of mature foundries like Lucius, it possesses many unique technologies from the "Dark Ages" that were not shared with Mars.

While Corax was pondering, he followed Abaddon to the reception room.

The door slid open, and his gaze swept across Horus on both sides.

Saint Gilles and Loka Aurelien.

Horus strode to the door and greeted Corax with a smile.

"Corax, my brother, welcome."

“We quelled the rebellion in the Akum-Sothos Cluster within five months, and you and your legion played a crucial role.”

Kolac's last shred of respect for Horus vanished. "Are you pleased with such a swift victory?" Horus frowned, suppressing his anger, and spoke in a calm tone.

"Don't we deserve to celebrate that we've put a hundred worlds back in operation to support the Great Expedition?"

Corax shook his head. "Your achievements are built upon the blood of the Raven Guards who should not have been sacrificed."

"I have come here today to announce my decision."

"The 19th Army Corps will be separated from the direct command of the War Marshal and will no longer fight alongside the 16th Army Corps."

"'Ravenguard' will decide its own future actions."

drop by drop...

The hanging clock ticked away, and an eerie silence fell over the surroundings.

Corax's declaration resonated like a thunderclap in everyone's hearts, shattering the false harmony among the Primarchs.

Abaddon and Primarch's servant Marrogst were taken aback, then their eyes filled with rage.

The Twisted One, Marrogst, approached Corax. "The Emperor has granted the Warmaster the authority to command all legions..."

Corax raised his claws. "Stay away from me."

"If Father has any complaints, let him come and tell me himself."

Saint Gilles quietly appeared before the claws. "If it's because of Gate 42, I think there's some misunderstanding."

“Misunderstanding?” Corax said sarcastically.

“There’s no misunderstanding.” He turned and left.

Horus raised his hand to stop Abaddon and Marrogst from saying anything more.

He stared at Corax's departing figure with a gloomy expression.

Loka gazed at Corax's retreating figure, then glanced at Horus.

Horus's approach was too brutal, further exacerbating the conflict between him and Corax.

Although he is a war commander, he also has many opponents, and I cannot place all my hopes on him alone.

Both Nimrod and Magnus possess powerful supernatural abilities; he has keen senses, and perhaps he also knows the primordial truth...
At the same moment that Logar made up his mind and summoned Nimrod, Corax returned to the Emperor's Shadow.

After giving the order, he returned to his cabin alone and sat in the shadows.

Time ticked by, and suddenly, he heard familiar footsteps.

He knew who it was; there was only one person who would come looking for him now.

Ever since she rescued him from the ice, they had been each other's only support.

No one knows her better than she does.

The hatch slid open, and Everenia appeared in the doorway.

"My lord, you should talk to me before you make a decision."

"You have too many things to deal with."

Evelynia gazed into Corax's eyes. "Nothing is more important than the decision you just made."

“Which one do you think I did wrong?” Corax asked.

“Both are right. It was wise to make tough decisions before the legion splits, even if it means we become the smallest legion.” Evelynia acknowledged his decision.

“That’s right, we don’t need people who can’t live up to our principles,” Corax said.

"Without a war commander sending us to our deaths, our tactics wouldn't require so many people."

“That’s right.” Everenia nodded.

"But we can do it in a better way."

"You shouldn't barge into his flagship and challenge his authority directly."

Only then did Corax understand Everenia's worries, and memories suddenly surfaced in his mind;
Evelynia carefully picked up her shivering self with her frail body, and the warmth of her sisterly embrace dispelled the chill.

He said with a smile, "No matter what disagreements we have, he won't lay a hand on me. He's not like Ruth or Angron, who only know how to solve problems with violence."

"Besides, you know, I'm used to sneaking into the enemy's highest command post alone..."

He stopped immediately when he saw the deep worry in Evelynia's eyes.

“Everenia, I promise you, I will never do it again.”

(End of this chapter)