They had already obtained the special materials the Imperium needed for its newly developed Space Marines.
There was no need to continue the fighting. In fact, once they killed that Custodian, they could have withdrawn.
It was just that Khârn wanted to play a little longer, so they let the Chaos horde run wild on Macragge.
But now that Rhodes and that golden giant had arrived, it was time to end the battle.
"Understood. I'll recall Khârn. But, Vashtorr, you'll keep forging more of those giantified super-warriors for me," Khorne said.
They had killed that giantified super-beast warrior thanks to the ultra-gigantification tech provided by Vashtorr.
"No problem. I never hoard technology. I'm not like some who hide their treasures. I like sharing.
"Send me your underlings and I'll modify them immediately—like I did with Abaddon. And this is an upgraded version," said Vashtorr.
When the Warmaster Abaddon had worked with him, he'd procured some bodily material from Slaanesh's so-called god-child.
In secret, Vashtorr had also acquired samples from the Emperor's giantified Custodians and from that so-called Avatar of the Emperor.
Combined with his own Soul Forges, he succeeded in developing a gigantification power—able to gigantify any Chaos Champion, Chaos Chosen, or Daemon Prince.
"Ah, I won't be shy then. I'll send all my Daemon Princes, Greater Daemons, and Chaos Champions and Chosen to you," Khorne said.
He couldn't afford to fall behind Nurgle. That oaf had reportedly used the power of a kaiju to develop gigantification too, and was equipping his Greater Daemons and Daemon Princes with it.
Khorne was good at war, not research—so he would outsource. This Vashtorr fellow seemed quite capable. Khorne was satisfied. Tzeentch smiled without comment; he had already arranged cooperation with Vashtorr and would send his Greater Daemons, Daemon Princes, and Champions for upgrades as well.
"Slow down. This isn't done overnight. I can only upgrade a few per year. Sending them all at once won't help," Vashtorr said.
What did they think—gigantification mods grew on trees?
"We have all the time we need."
"In the Warp, time is meaningless. If you wish, we can permanently alter the time flow in your domain," said Tzeentch.
In any case, they wanted the upgrades done as quickly as possible. Whatever the Imperium had, Chaos couldn't lack.
"I understand," Vashtorr nodded.
Of course, his help had a price—clearly written in the terms. He was an honest, trustworthy businessman.
"What about that golden monster? We thought it was the Emperor who helped Slaanesh, but now it seems that golden thing did it," Khorne asked.
When they had besieged Slaanesh, they were stopped by that golden barrier—unable to enter the Palace of Pleasure. Slaanesh had since gone quiet.
They'd assumed Slaanesh had made some pact with the Emperor, because Slaanesh's so-called god-child was of the same kind as the Emperor's Avatar. But now, it seemed the matter had changed.
"Isn't it obvious? Think carefully—when did the Emperor begin to change? When did he recover somewhat upon the Golden Throne?
"It all started after that Rhodes appeared. Slaanesh's disappearance is indeed related to the Emperor, but the key is that one named Rhodes," Tzeentch said, as if seeing the board clearly.
All the coincidences aligned; after analyzing the intel, he'd reached the best answer.
Interesting—hiding right under his beak for so long.
"Should we tell that idiot Nurgle?" Khorne asked.
"No, no. Why tell that filthy simpleton? Let him clash with the Emperor. He'll target Rhodes anyway. If we tell him the truth, he'll focus everything on Rhodes and won't go all out against the Emperor and the Imperium. That's not good for us—we need him to be the vanguard," said Tzeentch.
Khorne and Slaanesh despised each other; he, likewise, despised Nurgle. If he could trip up that green fat oaf, all the better.
Recently, he'd noticed the Aeldari goddess of life getting along very closely with Rhodes…
When the time came, that green lout's face would be priceless. Tzeentch couldn't wait to savor it.
"Hahaha! Then we won't tell him," Khorne said.
"One more thing—the Aeldari God of Death has emerged. Legend says he'll kill Slaanesh—but Slaanesh is currently sealed.
"Also, your favorite Aeldari war god has been reborn, though in a peculiar way," Tzeentch said to Khorne with a wicked smile.
It was known that Khorne was desperate to possess the Aeldari war god and the human Primarch Sanguinius.
"What! Where is he now? Where is the Aeldari war god?" Khorne demanded.
"He's no longer an Aeldari war god—he's going to become a human war god. No—he's going to become a human Primarch," Tzeentch said.
The War God Khaine, stripped of all memory, was a marvel—abandoning his own people to turn to humanity and the Emperor, even willingly becoming a Primarch.
A thorough idiot.
"He chose the Emperor? Why not me? I could give him the greatest power. I am the one he should serve," Khorne growled.
"You'll get your chance. The Plague War will soon erupt. Nurgle will slug it out with the Emperor.
"Send your upgraded Daemon Princes, Greater Daemons, and Chaos Champions and Chosen to assault Holy Terra. Seize the Aeldari war god if you can.
"As far as I know, he's currently a baby—he chose to be reborn as an infant within the Imperium, to grow into a Primarch," Tzeentch shared all his intel.
"You'd goad the two of us into war with the Emperor—so you can reap the rewards?" Khorne asked.
The Emperor was no pushover. They had worked so hard to pin that bastard to the Golden Throne—unable to descend or ascend, stuck in that humiliating state.
If they pushed him too far, who knew what horrors he might unleash?
So the best option was to keep him on the Throne forever—maintain the status quo, to everyone's advantage.
"Relax—the Emperor won't rise. As long as we aren't bent on exterminating humanity—so long as we don't push him to the limit—he won't get up. And this time, it'll be the Primarchs who fight Nurgle.
"Several Primarchs have returned to the Imperium. They'll clash with Nurgle's hosts. Both sides will bleed.
"We want to weaken the Emperor—but keep him in a steady state," Tzeentch said.
"Hahaha! No wonder you're the smartest among us."
The two Chaos Gods and a near-ascended Chaos God cackled madly. Khârn, on the verge of re-forming, was recalled by Khorne.
On Macragge, the moment Rhodes and Tartarus arrived, the tide turned. With overwhelming power, Rhodes rampaged across the world.
Ordinary Chaos Space Marines and Daemons weren't even a match for a single exchange. Inspired by a Primarch's presence, the Ultramarines counterattacked. The Chaos assault was finally quelled.
Though the losses were heavy, the Imperium had won again.
"Lord Rhodes! Thank you for coming to our aid. Had you not arrived in time, Macragge would have fallen," Chief Librarian Tigurius of the Ultramarines stood before Rhodes.
"Think nothing of it. How bad are your losses?" Rhodes asked the Chief Librarian.
"Over a thousand Ultramarines have fallen, and several hundred of your sons—and that Custodian. They've all returned to the Golden Throne," Tigurius said.
The war had lasted less than a day, yet the devastation exceeded previous Chaos incursions. Gigantified combat power was overwhelming—crushing to mortals.
Numbers couldn't bridge the gap.
"Mm. Where's Calgar?" Rhodes asked.
"Chapter Master Calgar—well, the Legion's vice commander—was gravely wounded. He's in intensive care. I estimate he'll be laid up for a few days," said Tigurius.
Thanks to medicae pods; otherwise, with his injuries, he'd be bedbound for months.
Rhodes's mouth twitched. As expected—the legendary ICU War God lived up to his name.