The consciousness of the demon Fulgrim gradually returned, its mind filled with hazy illusions and intense shocks.
It struggled to open its "eyes," attempting to focus its gaze and tear through the chaotic fog enveloping its mind.
As its vision gradually cleared, it finally saw its surroundings—a space engulfed in scorching magma and flames.
The air around was so searingly hot that it could instantly disintegrate any living body. The scent of burning filled every inch of the space, and the ground beneath its feet trembled slightly.
The red and orange glow of the flames intertwined into a dazzling yet cruel spectacle. The churning magma resembled a restless fire dragon, ready to devour all living beings at any moment.
However, the focus of all this was not on the scenery but on the figure standing before it.
The demon Fulgrim squinted slightly, trying to clearly identify the presence before it.
The figure was tall and imposing, standing at least 5.7 meters or even taller, exuding an overwhelming aura that seemed to possess the power to look down upon everything.
The figure was clad in a black robe adorned with intricate golden patterns. The golden lines formed sacred runes, symbolizing an inviolable majesty.
"..."
As the demon Fulgrim focused its gaze, its heart suddenly trembled, and a mix of fear and confusion surged in its eyes.
The face before it was one it had never seen before, yet it felt eerily familiar. The deep, authoritative eyes of the figure subtly revealed a silent compassion and insight.
The feeling was reminiscent of its "father" from ten thousand years ago, the one who had once guided it onto the right path.
But it finally realized that the figure standing before it was actually the father from Fulgrim's memories—the human Emperor of the main universe, Samuel Young!
??!!
The demon Fulgrim's mind began to churn violently. The scene before it plunged it into unprecedented confusion and fear.
It tried to quickly rise, wanting to break free from all of this.
But when the demon Fulgrim instinctively raised its hand, it suddenly noticed something unusual.
Its hands were no longer the grotesque four-armed form, and its lower body no longer had the repulsive serpentine tail.
Moreover, its entire being was no longer in the massive demonic form but had instead returned to an intact "human" body. It even wore a purple robe, resembling the once-celebrated and praised "demigod."
This...
This left the demon Fulgrim utterly bewildered.
It had once been a dominant force in the chaotic abyss, having experienced countless acts of slaughter, corruption, self-mutilation, and desecration.
Yet now, the familiar yet unfamiliar purple robe seemed to carry an air of sanctity and authority, while its restored "human" form felt like a forcibly stripped sense of belonging, leaving it disoriented.
The loss of its connection and perception of chaos caused the demon Fulgrim's heart to tremble once more.
It wanted to avoid this reality, but the fear and confusion deep within forced it to confront everything.
Thus, it could only stand there in a daze, unable to comprehend or explain, as none of this aligned with its understanding of chaos and corruption.
Samuel Young gazed at the demon Fulgrim before him.
Although he believed that he and the Emperor of Mankind from Warhammer 40k were not the same person, merely sharing some "connection," the sight of Fulgrim now evoked a profound sense of paternal responsibility within him.
Witnessing the fall and corruption of this "son," Samuel felt not anger or disgust but a mix of sorrow and forgiveness.
In fact, after his biological son Fulgrim used the flaming blade he had forged to slay the demon Fulgrim, Slaanesh had attempted to preserve the "essence" of the demon Fulgrim, leading to a fierce "confrontation" with Samuel.
Slaanesh was unwilling to let the tool it had crafted be so easily destroyed and slain.
But Samuel, with the aid of the Golden Throne, unleashed his psychic power to its limits and ventured into the warp.
As Samuel had anticipated, Slaanesh did not engage him in a true battle.
Slaanesh's fear prevented it from going all out, and it chose to preserve itself instead.
In the end, after a difficult "friendly negotiation" (which was actually filled with threats, mutual probing, and the potential for mutual destruction), Samuel successfully wrested Fulgrim's "essence" from the depths of chaos.
At that moment, Samuel knew that this was not just a successful "soul" retrieval but also the first time he had engaged in a relatively "direct" confrontation with the forces of chaos.
Slaanesh, or rather all the Chaos Gods except for the unpredictable Khorne, feared complete annihilation, unable to enjoy eternal pleasures like "players."
Although Samuel knew that his current strength was far from sufficient to challenge the entire warp, he still decided to take the risk.
If Fulgrim's (Warhammer 40k Fulgrim) essence could enhance his and his sons' overall strength, providing more leverage against the Chaos Gods, then it was all worth it.
When his consciousness finally left the warp and returned to the meditation chamber of the main universe with Fulgrim's "essence," a clear image emerged in his mind—
It was the shadow of the demon Fulgrim looming over New Argos, corresponding to the scene he had foreseen months ago.
Afterward.
Samuel had once considered directly absorbing Fulgrim's "essence," integrating it into his own psychic power to strengthen himself, or even using Fulgrim's chaotic essence as a new energy source.
Alternatively, he had thought of "transferring" it to his biological son Fulgrim, making it a part of him and helping him become stronger overall.
However, these thoughts were suppressed deep within Samuel's heart.
In the end, Samuel made a cautious and more strategically significant decision.
He did not rush to absorb or transfer Fulgrim's "essence." Instead, he chose to take this power to a special realm—the hell he had plundered through the unified war of the "13" universe (Trench Crusade).
Before heading to hell, or rather before the demon Fulgrim clashed with Fulgrim, Samuel had ordered Alpharius and Omegon to dispatch elite members of the Alpha Legion to infiltrate the warp.
The core mission of these elite Alpha Legionnaires was to find opportunities to venture into the Warhammer 40k universe, laying the groundwork for future strategic deployments, all while avoiding exposure.
The main universe empire had already formed the rudiments of a powerful force, and this power was not limited to the main universe itself. This had long made the Chaos Gods of the warp hostile to the rise of the main universe empire.
To hinder the empire's progress, they had employed various means, attempting to dismantle the ruling system led by Samuel and supported by the primarchs, even hoping to incite internal turmoil.
However, the true "foundation" of the empire lay in Samuel's treatment of all humanity, which far exceeded expectations and continuously moved toward true "common prosperity."
The main universe empire, inheriting the management style of Atlas, was not merely a cold machine built on blood and iron but a vast system supported by ideals and beliefs.
For Samuel, the pursuit of money and power was no longer the goal. What truly drove him was the desire to make human society more prosperous, powerful, and happy.
After a long time, he no longer sought fleeting glory or pleasure but was willing to lead humanity toward true light.
If any of his sons, or any outstanding individual, could take his place and lead the empire to new heights, Samuel would gladly hand over power, allowing them to fully realize their ideals.
This way, he would have enough time to relax, take vacations, or travel to different universes with his sons.
Unfortunately, if Samuel truly "stepped back," the complex relationships among the primarchs could easily plunge the empire into civil war, potentially leading to an unprecedented human conflict.
Thus, he had no choice but to maintain his position, keeping a firm grip on the empire and withstanding pressures from both within and without.
Next was the concept of "common prosperity."
Through the precise calculations of intelligent and less intelligent AIs, combined with data provided by various departments, an astonishing fact emerged: the average annual income of residents in the main universe empire had reached 143,600 cR (credits/1 cR ≈ 35-40 RMB), far surpassing any historical period.
When extending this data to the entire empire, spanning multiple universes, the average annual income of residents remained at 96,500 cR.
Most importantly, the empire's residents never felt confused or lost due to life's pressures.
No matter which universe they were in, almost everyone could find their place. Stable jobs and a comprehensive social security system provided a solid foundation for every imperial citizen.
All of this was thanks to the empire's policy of expansion.
With cross-universe expansion, resources and wealth poured in, ensuring that no area faced scarcity.
Abundant minerals, energy sources, advanced technology, and a continuous stream of civilization's achievements provided the empire with a strong economic foundation.
At the same time, the empire's governance structure became more rigorous. Regulatory departments and intelligent AIs were loyal only to Samuel, acting without bias and strictly enforcing moral and legal standards.
This monitoring mechanism and efficient administrative system made corruption almost a thing of the past, unable to survive within the empire's social structure.
The wealth and rights of the people were greatly protected, and everyone moved forward under the same blueprint, building a harmonious, just, and prosperous society.
To put it simply, imagine having a job with a post-tax monthly salary of over 50,000 RMB, with 50% of your food, transportation, and rent expenses reimbursed by the company.
Your work involves tasks you excel at and are most familiar with, with working hours from 9 AM to 6 PM, a two-hour lunch break, weekends off, and holidays without adjustments.
The annual bonus ranges from 70,000 to 130,000 RMB, among other benefits. Most importantly, your superiors would not harass, exploit, or misuse their positions to harm your interests.
If you encountered any injustice, you could directly report it to the regulatory department, which would promptly address and respond to the issue without delay or superficiality.
But suddenly, a suspicious individual approached you, asking you to steal critical company documents, incite employee dissatisfaction, or even help bring down the company.
In return, they promised you a better position and a hefty bonus, but they hadn't even paid a deposit.
At this point, how could you possibly believe their words?
You, more than the boss, wouldn't want the company to collapse. Yet this suspicious individual wanted you to turn against the company??
Currently, the residents of the main universe empire live fulfilling and prosperous lives. How could they easily heed or believe the temptations of chaos?
This is why the Chaos Gods and demons find it difficult to cause trouble within the empire's territory.
The large-scale Chaos invasion in New Argos was likely the result of meticulous planning and long-term scheming.
As for sending elite members of the Alpha Legion deep into the warp to attempt to reach the Warhammer 40k universe, it was equally risky.
But Samuel had to take the initiative.
Although the foundation of the main universe empire was as solid as a rock, it could not withstand repeated Chaos invasions and harassment.
According to preliminary statistics from Apu and Melissa, the Chaos invasion in New Argos caused at least 6 trillion cR in losses.
If we include the reconstruction of infrastructure, the restoration of social order and daily life, compensation for personnel and soldiers, and subsequent human and material investments, the empire's economic losses could reach 15 to 20 trillion cR.
While the economic losses were within acceptable limits, the most devastating loss was that of the empire's residents.
At the moment of the New Argos residents' deaths, Samuel, with the aid of the Golden Throne, temporarily "dragged" their souls into heaven.
Conservative estimates suggest that the Chaos invasion caused at least 9 million casualties, possibly more.
Especially the 2nd Company of the Sons of Humanity, which was solely responsible for the New Argos region, bore the brunt of the Emperor's Children's assault, resulting in the near annihilation of the entire company.
Fewer than 200 Astartes survived, and the numbers of auxiliary forces, Hell Jumpers, and veteran elves were even fewer, totaling less than 30,000.
This also made Samuel feel anger when facing Fulgrim.
After all, the human losses were severe, including over a thousand "grandchildren" of the Sons of Humanity.
But in the end, Samuel did not let his emotions dictate his actions. Moreover, in a sense, the Fulgrim before him was also his "descendant."
At this moment.
After a brief silence, Samuel sighed lightly and spoke in a calm yet commanding tone:
"You've gone too far, Fulgrim. You were lost in power, glory, vanity, and pleasure, gradually forgetting your original self, the ideals you once fought for as a human. How many humans have died because of you? Trillions? Or even more?"
As Samuel's words grew more impassioned, his body began to change within this burning hell.
His height increased, and his body and power became immensely vast in an instant, as if every step he took could shake the void of hell.
This forced Fulgrim to look up at him, feeling the overwhelming pressure and a deep-seated fear rising from within.
------------------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get early access to chapters by joining my Patre@n!
Find me at: patre@n*com/Mutter
You can read each novel for $5 or get them all for just $15.
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256) — $5
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336) — $5
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542) — $5
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924) — $5
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284) — $5
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289) — $5
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316) — $5
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402) — $5
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570) — $5
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660) — $5
Get access to all of them for just $15 on Patre@n!
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]