"That's right. This is a truly magnificent item. It is a Fruit of the Gods that I brought from another world," Axis began, his tone shifting, "In that world, only true gods were worthy of consuming it. Of course, they were beings with physical forms."
"However, the cultivation of this divine fruit is extremely demanding," he continued, "An ordinary planet can only produce an inferior version, the 'Fruit of the Tree of Might,' and only at the cost of draining countless lives. Yet even this flawed product, if fully absorbed by a mortal, can extend their life by thousands of years and grant a tremendous increase in power."
"Only a true 'World of a God' can nurture the perfect fruit. For example..." Axis trailed off, his gaze sweeping meaningfully across the hellscape of the Brass Citadel, a realm of corpse mountains, blood seas, and flowing magma. "Your domain."
Axis deliberately distinguished between the names. The fruit grown elsewhere was the Fruit of the Tree of Might, but what could be cultivated here must be called the Fruit of the Gods.
"Now that you mention it, I do recall being impressed by your special fruit," Khorne rumbled, a deep interest kindling within him. He was clearly warming to this "cooperation."
"This perfect Fruit of the Gods can only be cultivated if we join forces," Axis pressed his advantage. "It requires the 'soil' of a divine domain and nourishment from your divine power, while I will inject the energy of 'Ki' to stimulate its growth."
"Hmm..." Khorne mused, the deep thud of his massive fingers tapping against the arm of his throne echoing through the chamber. "By your logic, Nurgle's Garden is actually the most ideal place for cultivation. His domain is the very core of this world's life."
Khorne frankly admitted the environmental disadvantage of his own realm. His domain was defined by war, slaughter, blood, and rage. It had absolutely no connection to the concept of 'life'. The realm that was truly attuned to the essence of life was Nurgle's.
"Axis," Khorne's voice took on a wheedling tone. "That old fatty Nurgle and I are not mortal enemies. Why don't we go have a chat with him? We could plant this precious divine tree on his turf." Khorne calculated that the chances of success were quite high.
"And you would be willing to just hand over something this good to Nurgle? To freely benefit that disgusting, pus-ridden blob?" Axis rolled his eyes without bothering to hide his disdain. He was willing to share with Khorne because he appreciated the Blood God's pure warrior spirit; their interests aligned. But Nurgle? That slimy, green fatso who reeked of plague? He would rather have nothing to do with him.
"Actually, he's... not that bad," Khorne said, surprisingly defending his fellow god. "He loves all life in the universe. It is just that his way of expressing it... is rather unique."
Axis rolled his eyes again. The "love" of a grandfatherly figure whose bloated body constantly oozed filth was something he could do without.
"Among the four of us, Nurgle and I are the purest," Khorne declared, "The truly evil, vile, and filthy ones are that blue birdman Tzeentch and that purple pervert Slaanesh! One is obsessed with convoluted schemes and trickery, while the other is a complete masochist and hedonistic maniac!" The memory of his Greater Daemons being subverted by Tzeentch's whispers and his champions being lured away by Slaanesh still angered him, although he conceded that Slaanesh's pursuit of extreme art and sensation, to some extent, also intersected with the perfection of the art of war.
"Brother Khorne, something this important absolutely cannot be left in the hands of others," Axis stated firmly. "I do not trust Nurgle. I think your domain will do just fine!" he emphasized again.
"Are you sure?" Khorne's voice was laced with obvious doubt. His massive finger swept across the eternal vista below his throne: crimson wastelands, churning lava, mountains of skulls, and rivers of blood. It was a desolate, barren battlefield fit only for destruction.
"You are saying this godforsaken place is suitable for growing anything? Axis, do you have some misunderstanding about the 'unique characteristics' of my domain?"
"Ahem," Axis cleared his throat, "The Warp is a manifestation of the psychic realm. Your Brass Citadel is a genuine Domain of a God! With your will, you could surely… slightly alter a local environment. Create a small oasis, verdant and full of life… it shouldn't be impossible, right?" he asked tentatively.
"That is absolutely not possible," Khorne's reply was swift and final, "Nurgle's Garden is the optimal choice."
Axis's eyes darted around as a flash of inspiration struck him. Nurgle was not the only being with command over the power of life.
"What if," he began slowly, "we had the assistance of a deity who specializes in life? Could we then open up a suitable oasis for cultivation within your domain?"
Khorne's burning eye sockets lit up instantly.
He slammed his hand on the armrest. "I understand! You want me to steal the Eldar Goddess of Life, Isha, right?! The two of us together… yes, it can be done!"
Khorne began to think seriously. "My strength is foremost among the Four. While I can't kill that green fatty, holding him off is absolutely no problem. You can storm his garden directly and snatch the goddess. The plan is perfect!"
Axis immediately picked up the thread. "I believe the Goddess of Life would be more than willing, given the chance to escape the Grandfather's affection. We are not imprisoning her, just asking for her help to plant a tree. A wise person adapts to the circumstances!"
Cultivating the perfect Fruit of the Gods was crucial to Axis's plans. Khorne's warning had enlightened him. In the post-Heresy Imperium of Man, competing with the Emperor for the power of faith to ascend to godhood would not only provoke the Dark King but also disrupt the delicate balance the Emperor maintained against him.
That path was closed. He had to find another way, and faith was not the only method of acquiring divine power in this universe. The shards of the Eldar War God, Khaine, were a potential avenue, and the Fruit of the Gods itself, originating from the Dragon Ball universe, could contain the purest form of divine energy. It was the key for him to become a Super Saiyan God. A two-pronged approach was optimal. After the Emperor was seated on the Golden Throne, he would focus his efforts on collecting the shards of the War God and cultivating the Fruit of the Gods.
"No problem there. I have zero interest in that life goddess. As long as she helps plant the tree, she can do whatever else she wants," Khorne decided on the spot, "It is settled then. I will hold off Nurgle, and you will grab her. Shall we depart now?" Khorne was a god of action, ready to move without delay.
"Wait," Axis quickly stopped him, "This requires careful planning. We are not the only ones interested in the Goddess of Life. There is also that purple degenerate, Slaanesh. What if it moves to intercept while you're tied up with Nurgle? I cannot win against Slaanesh!" While he did not fear a fight, if he was entangled by Slaanesh, the Goddess of Life would undoubtedly be dragged off to the Palace of Pleasure for some of the Dark Prince's depraved games.
"Hmm... that is indeed a problem," Khorne's excitement abated slightly. "Do you have a better idea?"
A sharp glint flashed in Axis's eyes. "I have a plan. I will participate in the Siege of Terra, but only to rescue the other Primarchs. I will not interfere in the final duel between the Emperor and Horus. At that time, the four of you will inevitably pour your power into Horus to face the Emperor, while also suppressing the ever-looming threat of the Dark King. At that moment, your attention will be completely fixed on the battle on Holy Terra."
A triumphant smile spread across Axis's face. "I will seize this opportunity to infiltrate Nurgle's Garden and abduct the Goddess of Life. I might even ask Cegorach, the Laughing God, for help. He would hardly stand by while we rescue one of his own Eldar goddesses, would he?"
"HAHAHAH! Excellent!" Khorne roared in praise, "This way, I can even avoid a direct confrontation with Nurgle! To be honest, that old fatty and I are on decent terms privately."
The plan was perfect. During the duel between Horus and the Emperor, all Four Gods would have to devote their full attention, leaving them no time for other matters. Slaanesh would be too busy to intercept, Nurgle would be unable to defend his home, and Khorne himself could remain detached, plausible deniability assured.
Axis could not help but roll his eyes internally upon hearing that. This is what you call being on 'decent terms'? Scheming with me to kidnap his pet goddess?
"Then it is decided," Axis finalized the plan.
"Good," Khorne agreed, then his tone shifted as a deeper curiosity shone in his burning, bloody eyes, "Actually, Axis, I am far more interested in the divine hierarchy of that other world you mentioned. Could you tell me more about it?"
The topic between the two newly minted allies shifted to a grander, cosmic scale.
"Of course," Axis agreed readily, "That, too, is a multiverse. Its supreme ruler is called the Omni-King, a being who possesses the ultimate power to easily erase an entire universe. I do not mean destroy it, but to completely 'delete' it from existence. Below the Omni-King, my knowledge is limited, but I know of two figures, the Grand Priest and the Dragon God, whose status is second only to him."
"Further down, you have the supreme governing structure of each subordinate universe, which is typically ruled by a triumvirate of supreme gods: an Angel, a God of Destruction, and a Supreme Kai. The Angel is responsible for training and supervising the God of Destruction but may not directly intervene in mortal affairs. The God of Destruction wields the power of destruction to maintain cosmic balance by eliminating planets.
"The Supreme Kai is responsible for the creation of planets and life. Destruction and creation complement each other. Below the Supreme Kais, there are the Grand Kais and Kais who manage the four quadrants of the galaxy. And beneath them are the native gods of each planet, as well as entities like the ruler of the Underworld who manages the dead, and the hidden evils of the Demon Realm." Axis clearly sketched out the divine structure of the Dragon Ball universe.
After listening, Khorne remained silent for a moment. He raised his massive head slightly, a hint of disdain in his posture. "If that is the case... my power should be on the same level as that Omni-King, correct?"
Axis looked at him, the corner of his mouth curling into a nakedly teasing arc as he decisively shattered the Blood God's wonderful delusion.
"You're dreaming," he said, "I think a single God of Destruction could obliterate you in an instant."
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ps?