Warhammer: I don't want to become a stinky can!

Page 808

Neither Mrs. Psyche nor Typhon noticed this subtle change. Mrs. Psyche exclaimed...

"I'm leaving right now! I'm going to see if he has a lover or mistress here!"

"...I also want to try to persuade [Vox] again... He told me before that he was going to cross the battle zone of the Necromancers in space to find him."

That's it, great!

Chapter 821 [263] Glory and Loyalty

In reality, even with the Chaos Empire joining the battle, the situation was not favorable for humanity.

Amidst a crimson backdrop, the holographic star map on his arm armor flickered—well, he never wore a helmet.

The lower part of the Eye of Silence is occupied by the Empire, and a steady stream of logistical supplies arrives directly from the Terra and Limit Starfields to this war zone. The Empire must not lose this territory, otherwise its most secure supply line will be cut off.

Adjacent to the upper left of this star system is the Chaos Anchor Point set up by [Guilliman]. The power of the [Chaos Empire] is rapidly expanding, and churches and altars used to spread and connect warp beliefs are springing up like mushrooms after rain.

Straight through the entire Eye of Silence star system was the undead army led by the Silent King. These massive undead forces had created a barrier against psionic energy within the Eye of Silence.

Even the psionic self-destruct attack from [Guilliman] only caused the barrier to retreat slightly.

If the army of space necromancers cannot be driven out of this area, the Necropolis will continue to spread, expanding with the increasing reach of the space necromancers.

Beyond the Silent King's Severed Spirit Belt lay the forces of Hades and Fernus, separated by the Silent King, representing a portion of the human imperial army and the army of Talasiim—

Originally, this area was connected to the Empire's rear, but after the Chaos Empire seized the left part of the star field, their connection with the Empire was severed. Subsequently, during the Chaos Empire's deliberate retreat, this area was gradually occupied by the Necromancers.

Behind them, the Tyranids, who had arrived from the outer realms, were already baring their fangs at the area.

The situation is unclear and is becoming increasingly chaotic with the addition of more forces. It is destined to be a chaotic war in which there is no distinction between the two sides. Absolute strength will not be the only factor in determining the outcome, because any three forces on the field combined are enough to destroy the remaining side.

Vox's rationality was already breaking out in a cold sweat for the commander in charge of this battlefield; this was destined to be a bottomless pit, and this star field would become an absolute meat grinder for ten thousand years.

But in reality,

What business is it of his?

Vox remained silent, completely oblivious to the distant cries of the shrike Corax and the eerie laughter from Conrad. What did it have to do with him? Nothing.

Vox doesn't care about any of this, just like a true son of Khorne. He doesn't care about the intricacies between the Primarchs or the loyalty and betrayal. His soul has long been tempered in the flames of wrath for millennia, and now, Vox is finding himself again.

His goal has never changed.

[Vox] looked towards the horizon, his slightly clearer eyes meeting the crimson expanse covering the mountains and fields.

The flames of war had already scorched the horizon, turning it crimson as if blood were flowing. Countless screams and flying limbs pierced through the smoke and spilled onto the ground. The Blood Lord's warhorses charged forward, and the Blood Lord's warriors roared. The shrike soared high in the air, its wings covered with a layer of glistening, bloody scabs from the fire on the horizon.

Even space necromancers, upon receiving the blessing of Khorne, will splatter a blood-like liquid the moment they are slashed by a Khorne warrior, but all of this is nothing but self-deception, a self-indulgent frenzy in the warp.

Fight, fight! Guilliman gave his absolute order: destroy the enemy at all costs! Corax was overjoyed; Prince Khorne was finally free!

The only thing the Primarch needs to do for now is to avoid accidentally harming "Imperial allies".

But Vox will not listen to anyone, because he has come here, to the fate line where Hades still exists.

The Blood Lord's army had already charged forward, but [Vox] remained motionless. He stood like a wooden statue at the rear of the battlefield, his eyes scanning the front like a wolf gazing into the distance.

He wasn't looking at the shrike's army, but rather at the rear of the imperial army.

Vox could feel his power weakening, or perhaps he was heading towards madness, but he didn't care.

He didn't care at all whether Khorne would take back the blessing. What difference would it make if he did? What difference would it make if he didn't?

As if sensing what [Vox] was thinking, blood rushed to [Vox]'s head, and [Vox] felt himself becoming frenzied, his eyes bloodshot, and the battle cries of war and killing roared in his ears.

In a daze, he seemed to see [Motalian] again, witnessing their plot to betray [Hades] on that day. He was so angry, so unwilling, and too weak for [Vox] to do anything.

He was so angry that he almost lost all reason.

Unlike [Galo], who was willing to blindly submit to [God Emperor], he was a Barbalusian, but Barbalus was no longer his home. With the death of [Hades], the true spirit of Barbalus vanished completely with the betrayal of his dearest friend.

So he betrayed the order and came to Khorne's side alone.

He did not kneel, nor did he want to kneel.

[Vox] remained silent, only hacking and slashing at Khorne's warriors until his head was severed and until he was resurrected by Khorne once more.

He had promised Khorne that he would personally offer the heads of Mortalian, Madame Psyche, and Typhon to the Blood Lord.

The blood-red light on the horizon blurred, and [Vox] seemed to see the Mortarion covering the mountains and plains, each one so vile and depraved. The blood vessels in his brain throbbed as if they were about to explode, and the blood scythe in his hand roared for him to go and kill people, but [Vox] remained motionless, his eyes so bloodshot that they were about to burst.

He recalled Hades's final words of advice to him.

“Sometimes you’re too stubborn… Vox, I know they all say you seem unmotivated and easygoing, but I know you’re the most stubborn one. You just haven’t shown what you’re clinging to. You have to learn to let go. I’m worried that this will become your inner demon—one can’t be too obsessed, it’s easy to fall into depravity.”

"Oh, right, I also prepared a diary for you. Start writing in your diary, Vox. I believe you are definitely very good at writing diaries. Maybe your diary can become historical material—hey?! Hey! I'm not kidding. I know that although you spend your days idly, you are very clear-headed. A person who can see right from wrong will definitely write something that can become historical material."

Stubborn?

Vox stared wide-eyed at the blood-red horizon, blood spilling from his eyes and tightly pursed lips. His mind was buzzing, and he felt his muscles twitching uncontrollably. In a few more breaths, his body would likely be beyond his control.

This is the price, so terrible, so painful... but compared to those [Imperials] who will never suffer, [Vox] has already obtained what he wanted to keep.

“H…”

Vox's mouth was torn open, and he trembled all over as if he had seen an extremely terrifying being. Blood gushed out from his seven orifices. His body and soul were doing their best to stop him from doing so, but Vox knew he would succeed.

If you don't succeed, you die. Dying on this path is also a kind of ending.

“HADES.”

[Vox] said that then the huge night sky shone down—and he fell straight down.

boom!

....................................

"Hey?! Hey?! Vox?!"

"Vox?!?"

A series of rapid scratching sounds rang out on the blood helmet. [Vox] felt as if he were crawling out of some huge darkness, on the verge of death. He felt extremely weak, but he was not really dead.

This was not because he remained pure, but because that enormous being had only been in his sight for a fleeting moment.

Calling out his real name is like being drenched in highly corrosive acid rain. It is painful, but not immediately fatal. It slowly erodes you, and the corrosion never stops until you die completely.

The good news is that the Blood Lord's control was also weakened, along with his weakened soul.

With a gasp, Vox swayed as he stood up. After a brief period of blindness, he saw Mrs. Psyche and Typhon before him.

"..."

"Are you alright?! Vox! What happened?!"

[Vox] remained silent. He did not want to fight them now. In fact, without the First Rebels and their group, he would not have had the opportunity to meet Hades now.

Even on his own, he remained a slave wielding a blood-scythe under Khorne's command.

This is the path chosen by the rebels. Vox disagrees with it and is angry about it, but now he knows that this opportunity was also given to him by them, so he does not want to swing his scythe at them.

Are they right? Or is [Vox] right? Only betrayal can lead to him.

No need.

[Vox] remained silent, picked up the Blood Scythe, and limped toward the direction he had been looking before he lost consciousness. The war was over, and the cold night had covered the corpses with a thick layer of frost. The main force had disappeared without a trace.

No need, he's not heading in the same direction as the main force.

[Vox] remained silent, simply walking, while the nimble Snake Lady kept darting in front of him and waving, while Typhons struggled to keep up behind him, muttering words of advice.

"—Vox?! Listen to me! Okay—look at this!"

Seeing that Vox was ignoring them no matter what they said, Mrs. Psyche took a deep breath and suddenly produced a photograph in her hand. She stepped back and unfolded the photograph so that Vox could see what it was.

Show her properly?! This is Hades in his youth, for crying out loud!

As expected, Vox, who was marching like an iron ox, suddenly stopped. He stood still and carefully examined the photograph.

Hades… he had almost forgotten what he looked like. Hades in such good health? That’s good.

very nice.

so good.

He hoped to meet him in person, just to see him.

[Vox] started walking again, leaving Mrs. Psyche behind. Seeing that even the photograph couldn't stop this idiot, Mrs. Psyche broke down and began to curse loudly.

Vox remained mostly silent, with nothing to say, and the curse from the Underworld still burned on his tongue. He arrived at the area he had chosen, where the corpses of the Imperial army lay scattered about.

Vox knelt down and began digging through the corpses. He easily tossed aside the lighter mortal corpses and moved the heavier Space Marine corpses aside. Finally, he dug up the bottommost corpse—a Midnight Lord's accompanying technical sergeant.

Right here…

[Vox] muttered to himself as he bent down and pulled the half-dead body up. Finally, among the various wrenches and machetes at the technical sergeant's waist, he found it.

A small, dark mass, distorting and radiating darkness like a mosaic.

[Vox] endured the discomfort, took off his gloves, and touched the entity with his hand. The flesh hissed and corroded, but was immediately covered by newly grown flesh.

Based on the feel... these are... three canine heads?

[Vox] wasn't quite sure; the dark domain greatly interfered with his perception.

Vox frowned, thinking that Mrs. Psyche was still cursing far behind him, while Typhons was comforting her. Vox grabbed the three-headed dog and pressed it against his muzzle.

Then--

"Glory and loyalty belong to Hades."

boom!

[Vox] fell straight down again.

"what!!!!!"

Mrs. Psyche's screams nearly ripped the sky; they couldn't understand why Vox, who was perfectly fine, had suddenly collapsed again!

..............................

Vox woke up again.

Judging from his physical sensations, his unconsciousness lasted much shorter than before. [Vox] felt his soul screaming and repelling the corruption from the Dark Domain. It seemed that the same level of Dark Domain erosion would cause the soul to develop a certain degree of resistance.

But its effect is minimal.

enough.

Vox opened his eyes and felt himself lying on his back on the ground, his face stinging. Typhon's tears were dripping onto his face, one after another.

“Vox,”

Tuffons said with such sorrow and deep emotion,

"Let go of yourself, let go of the past... We only did the best we could, we just wanted the world he described to appear..."

Vox stared intently at Typhons, his eyes unblinking. In the distance, Madame Psyche lay unconscious on the ground, seemingly Slaanesh's favorite had immediately followed Vox's example.

“You are dead, Karas, Herrera, you are utterly dead.”

"Vox" said slowly and deliberately, his mouth full of blood.

“I am also dead, but the only difference between me and you is that I did not sell my entire soul; the obsession that belongs solely to Vox is still alive.”

Typhons had tears in his eyes; he looked so sad. Would the former "Karas" ever be like this?

[Vox] thought, no, perhaps [Karas] felt the same sorrow in his heart, but that bastard would never shed a tear. The [Karas] he knew would never cry, even when facing [Hades'] corpse in front of everyone, [Karas] would coldly not shed a tear, he would only curse everything with the most vicious and filthy words in the world.

But [Karas] has been permanently changed, and [Karas] may have realized this, which makes his tears even more painful and agonizing.

Is this change? Growth? Betrayal? Or loss?

[Vox] doesn't know, nor does he think about, this question.

no point.

He forced himself to stand up again, hung the shimmering, dark entity around his neck, and then tucked it into his breastplate.

“You’re going to your death… You won’t die in his dark domain, Vox, you’ll only die in the realm of the space necromancers.”

"My goals are different from yours."

"Vox" said softly.

“I just want to die, Typhons. As long as my soul is not used by Chaos, I will gladly die.”