Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 683 The Lion King Returns
The sound wasn't loud, but it seemed to strike a resounding bell directly in the core of everyone's consciousness.

The absolute calm of the lake was broken, and tiny ripples spread out. The static force field that filled the cave was like ice with a stone thrown in, showing visible, wavy disturbances.

On the rock, the enormous, sleeping figure twitched its fingers very slightly.

Chen Xi staggered back a step, his face pale. The contact with the Lion King's will had almost exhausted his strength. The guide, who had remained silent all along, stepped forward at the opportune moment and gently supported him. She finally raised her hand, lifted the hood that had always covered her face, and removed her heavy robe.

What appeared before everyone was not a tall warrior, but a short, girlish figure.

She wore a set of dark green power armor that was almost identical to the one sleeping on the rock in the middle of the lake, only much smaller in scale, fitting her slender figure perfectly.

The armor was both ancient and ornate, and also bore the insignia and decorations of the Dark Angels Legion.

Her face bore a striking resemblance to the sleeping lion king, only with softer lines, a touch of childlike innocence, and an inhuman refinement, as if sculpted by the same creator but in a different form.

Her obsidian-like eyes calmly gazed at the Primarch who was awakening.

Even though they were far apart, Olegana and the others standing at the entrance could feel the awakening, scorching, and majestic will, like a rising star.

The Dark Watchers bowed in unison, their posture one of eternal respect and silence.

The armored chest began to undulate deeply and powerfully for the first time. An ancient, majestic spiritual pressure, imbued with the scent of the forest and the will of steel, spread out like a lion stretching its body, beginning to dispel the stagnant energy around it.

Then, those eyes, which had been closed for ten thousand years, slowly opened.

His emerald green eyes, like the deepest forest in Caliban, initially carried fragments of a hazy and distant dream, but quickly focused, becoming sharp as an eagle. They first landed on Chen Xi, who was standing close by, and then abruptly turned to the short girl beside him wearing the same power armor.

Like a sleeping lion awakening, the Lion King gazed at the two, emanating an aura as heavy as a physical weight.

"Who are you? Who are you? Who is calling upon the Lord of Caliban?" His voice was hoarse from millennia of slumber, yet it still contained an undeniable power.

"An era that needs your strength is calling upon you, Primarch." Chen Xi suppressed his mental exhaustion and the oppressive feeling brought by the overwhelming aura, and replied respectfully, "It is the Emperor who is calling upon his son."

The girl beside him did not speak, but simply looked back at the Lion King in silence, her similar emerald eyes filled with a complex and unfathomable light.

The Lion King's gaze lingered on the girl for a moment; her similar appearance and armor seemed to stir some deep-seated memories or feelings within him, but he did not immediately pursue the matter. He raised his head, as if he could pierce through the thick layers of rock and directly "see" the battle unfolding on the upper levels of the fortress. "So, from whom does this commotion outside come? I sense... the stench of decay, and... the stench of betrayal." He was clearly referring to the Death Guard and the fallen angels who might be involved.

“It’s the traitorous Death Guard, led by Typhons,” Chen Xi reported quickly. “They intend to use the Ancient Artifacts to carry out some unknown conspiracy. The ‘Stone’ is under heavy attack.”

The Lion King's pupils contracted sharply. The information about the Death Guard and betrayal instantly ignited his dormant fighting spirit. He immediately understood the gravity of the situation.

“Typhons…and those traitors…” The Lion King’s voice was as cold as the polar wind. He slowly rose from the rock, his towering frame almost touching the cave ceiling. A powerful fighting spirit, like an awakening volcano, began to gather around him, even dispelling some of the static field. He stepped out of his slumbering area and landed on the rock in the center of the lake, his gaze piercing as he looked at Chen Xi: “Young man, you have brought crucial information and fulfilled your duty to awaken me. Now, I need a sword.”

Chen Xi immediately understood and turned to look at Allegana. The Tech Priest didn't hesitate, stepping forward and placing the long metal box she always carried on the ground, quickly unlocking it. The lid slid open, revealing a surprisingly large power sword, almost as tall as the Lion King, lying quietly on the red velvet inside. The sword was broad, its design ancient yet deadly, with energy conduits faintly visible—it was the weapon Chen Xi had prepared for this moment, suitable for the Primarch's use.

Lion King Leon said no more. He reached out and grasped the hilt of the greatsword. The power sword seemed to come alive in his hand, its energy field instantly activated, emitting a deep and dangerous hum, with blue arcs of electricity leaping and flowing along the blade.

“Dark Watcher,” the Lion King said in a deep voice, “maintain stability here.”

The Dark Watchers bowed silently to receive their orders.

The Lion King gripped the massive power sword in one hand, casually swinging it twice, creating a whistling sound, as if getting used to this long-lost feeling. The slumbering prince had vanished completely, replaced by the warlord who had once struck fear into the hearts of aliens and traitors across the galaxy—the Primarch of the First Legion, Leon Eljonsson.

“Young man, keep your men close.” The Lion King’s voice carried an unquestionable tone of command. “It’s time for these scum who have tarnished Caliban’s memory to remember what the ‘Wrath of the First Legion’ truly means.”

He strode forward, stepping along the psionic path on the water's surface, towards the shore. With each step, the fighting spirit and spiritual pressure emanating from his body intensified.

Chen Xi and his squad immediately followed. The Deathwatch members, including Tytus, burned with the fire of battle in their eyes. Allegana quickly calculated the optimal route. The girl in the miniature power armor also silently followed beside Chen Xi, her steps firm.

As they emerged from the cave and re-entered the passages of the "Stone" fortress, Lion King Leon became a moving beacon of war. Wherever he passed, the Dark Angel warriors, who were engaged in fierce combat, were first astonished, then erupted in unbelievable ecstasy and shouts.

"The Lion King! The Lion King has returned!"

"For the Lion King! For Caliban!"

The Primarch's return was like a powerful stimulant injected into the weary defenders. Morale instantly soared to its peak.

Leon didn't linger; like a green storm, he charged straight into the fiercest part of the battle. With a swing of his power sword, a devastating arc of energy flashed, instantly cleaving several Death Guards in two, along with their foul-smelling armor, into fragments amidst the exploding pus.

He raised his power sword, his voice booming across the battlefield through the power armor's loudspeakers, clearly etching the command and conviction into the consciousness of every loyal follower:

"Dark Angel! I, Leon Aljonsen, have returned!"

"Follow me and drive out this rotten filth!"

"For the Emperor! For Caliban!"

The tide of war is about to be reversed by the awakening of the lion.

(End of this chapter)