After Nareth obtained the Sothmes Sigil, his consciousness withdrew from Hathor Maat's mind.
He recalled the entire process of Magnus tracing the Sothmes Sigil, the images flashing through his mind.
The "Baron of Corruption" drew the Sword of Vaul. Spirituality covered the blade as he used "Concept Swap."
'The Sword of Vaul is a sword. A physical blade is a blade. Therefore, the Sword of Vaul is also a physical blade.'
The Sword of Vaul tapped. The shimmering energy field seemed not to exist as the blade swiftly glided.
The convoluted pattern Nareth traced psychically started slowly but gradually accelerated.
The Sothmes Sigil rapidly took form.
Hathor stared in astonishment as Nareth completed the tracing of the Sothmes Sigil in an instant. Apart from the different materials, the sigil was practically identical to the one drawn by his gene-father.
His thoughts froze. After a moment of stunned silence, he recalled his own struggle with the Sothmes Sigil, which he couldn't complete. Yet, his Lord had mastered it in a flash.
Hathor exclaimed in surprise: "My Lord, I feel my connection to the Warp forcibly severed. The Sothmes Sigil you traced isn't just in form; it possesses the same effect as the one Father draws."
"In the future, you might also master this sigil, or one with similar effects."
Nareth swung the Sword of Vaul, dispelling the barrier created by the Sothmes Sigil.
Although the Sothmes Sigil had powerful shielding effects, being based on psychic power, it wasn't as good as creating a sigil based on spirituality.
Once Hathor mastered such a sigil, it could also block the Tutelary that might follow him in the future from eavesdropping during remote communication.
The Sothmes Sigil had the same effect, but Hathor couldn't wield psychic power to complete it.
"Thank you, my Lord," Hathor said, continuing his report.
"Using the power you bestowed upon me, I observed Father's behavior. I suspect he might choose between me and Ahzek Ahriman to serve as Chief Librarian."
"My series of performances, including contributing the clone-woven technology and the rune this time, have earned me this opportunity."
Nareth nodded slightly, thinking to himself.
'If events proceed unchanged, the Thousand Sons will join the Iron Warriors to travel to Morningstar, rescuing the local humans trapped by magnetic field anomalies.'
'Perhaps that will be Magnus's test.'
"Strive for it wholeheartedly."
"If needed, I will provide you support."
"Father is very interested in the other runes matching that one. He sent me here hoping to obtain them from you." Hathor candidly stated Magnus's request, leaving the decision to his Lord.
"I will give you several runes to take back to Magnus." Having obtained the more valuable Sothmes Sigil from Magnus, Nareth didn't mind investing a bit more.
If it helped Hathor become Chief Librarian, greater returns could be gained.
The "Baron of Corruption" observed Hathor's unified aura. He asked:
"You have mastered the power I bestowed upon you?"
"My Lord, I believe so. I had the same feeling as last time." Hathor replied.
"Give me the data slate. Wait outside." Nareth took the slate and proceeded to the Kingdom of Disorder.
He ordered the Jokaero to prepare the potion for the Visionary Pathway Sequence 7 "Psychiatrist" using Golden Eyed Fruit.
While the Jokaero worked swiftly, Nareth rapidly input five runes into the slate. Along with the previous rune, they all belonged to part of the same psychic matrix.
Among the Warp circuits COG drones, these six runes were sometimes directly connected, sometimes dispersed.
Combined, they could gather Warp energy within a certain surrounding radius, achieving roughly one-fifth of the original matrix's effect.
Nareth obtained the "Psychiatrist" potion and returned to the real space.
Moments later, Hathor was promoted to "Psychiatrist." After reining in the power, he took the data slate to review the runes within.
"My Lord, I will certainly make good use of the power and runic mysteries you have bestowed to win the position of Chief Librarian."
Hathor then departed with the data slate. He wouldn't immediately return to the Thousand Sons flagship.
He wanted his father to know he had exerted tremendous effort to obtain these runes.
This was both to avoid his father asking him to attempt to obtain more runes and to highlight the value of his effort.
Nareth, holding the newly acquired STC data for the Sagitaur Multi-role Infantry Vehicle obtained through Votann, entered the elevator.
Two minutes later, Nareth entered the Primary Forge Deck.
He looked around. Dozens of decks had been merged, the total area at least half again larger than the Dreadnought Deck.
Twelve control consoles were distributed across the Primary Forge Deck, operating the surrounding machinery.
Dense cables spread like spiderwebs, connecting the machines together.
Nareth's gaze was then drawn to the area marked with the Gothic numeral VIII.
He saw Marlena Skara standing in the experimental zone, clad in armor of a forest green hue.
Compared to other armors, Marlena's suit had numerous densely packed apertures on the arms, sides, and legs.
Within these apertures, green filled the spaces, vines, algae, fungi, spores densely packed.
Clearly, this was an armor suit designed to complement the abilities of a Mother Pathway beyonder.
Malevolus and Rosicky stood before a control console, monitoring sensor data fed back onto the visual screen before them and surrounding image screens.
Nareth walked over. He saw Rosicky lean close to the microphone and speak.
"Forty-ninth experiment. Begin recording."
Marlena's tea-brown pupils shimmered with light. She raised an arm, pressing a red gemstone on the waist of her green armor.
The red gemstone flashed. The armor glowed. Warp circuits activated. Vast power surged.
Nareth keenly sensed the immense power gathering within the palm-thick glass enclosure.
Marlena's body was lifted by the surging power.
Her eyes shone like stars, arcs of electricity coiling like snakes around her.
Marlena pushed both hands forward. In the area covered by her left hand, the writhing Catachan Viper clusters on the ground rapidly swelled.
With a BANG, the flesh of hundreds of venomous snakes exploded, splattering.
A spear of lightning coalesced in Marlena's fair right hand. Psychic lightning crackled, striking directly at a decommissioned tank.
Dazzling arcs danced across the tank. With another BANG, it became a pile of metallic wreckage.
After destroying all experimental targets before her, Marlena turned, clasping her hands together. Immense power concentrated between them.
Marlena's figure blurred. Her hands pushed heavily against a crystal sphere glowing with white light.
Rosicky watched the rapidly climbing readings, fingers flying over the visual screen, recording data.
Nareth stepped onto the control platform and asked:
"How is the progress?"
.....
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