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

Page 529

“Here comes my father.”

Jeff the Steadfast Dog said that at the same time, he secretly instructed Group Seven in a private channel to move a chair the size of a Primarch—without being discovered by others.

They also notified the cafeteria to serve tea and snacks.

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Amid cheers and applause, a huge, but furtive figure crept in silently.

Hades was confident in his stealth skills. He crouched down and sneaked in from behind the crowd while everyone's attention was focused on the dueling cage.

On the stage is Booz, who is beating up Black. It's clear that both duelists are very engrossed in the fight and don't notice Hades.

Hades stared at the stage. Booz was practically showing off his skills, his scythe swinging wildly like a blooming flower, while Black was clearly just barely holding on, clinging to life on the stage.

Hades sighed inwardly. He knew Blake was stubborn, but at this moment, persuading Blake to give up would only damage a warrior's pride.

Let him fight to the very end.

Hades sighed,

At the same time, Hades was quite pleased with the relaxed atmosphere. He looked at every familiar and new face, and these young men were quite enthusiastic about watching people fight.

This didn't stop them from eating, commenting, and watching the fight all at the same time.

The Duel Cage is an important part of the culture within the Dark Child.

Hades took note of this, and his sons were all warlike, but at the same time knew how to enjoy life.

Hmm, this kid is like him!

Hades reached for the largest table, which was filled with Macurac-style pastries: puff pastry, nut biscuits, butter cookies... It was clear that the Underworld's dining hall was also very good.

Hades thought for a moment, then took off his metal mask.

The scene flashed before his eyes: the fragments of the deceiver, bound by darkness, shrieked.

[You will never be able to eat in peace again!!!]

Hades blinked, removed his mask with one hand, and picked up a shortbread pie with the other. After confirming that the dessert in his hand wasn't from a screaming psychic, Hades opened his mouth...

"Hades?!"

Someone in the audience spotted Hades sneaking in and let out a shriek.

At this moment, Hades squatted beside the table, holding the cream pie in mid-air with a rather awkward expression.

At the same moment, on stage, as Boots caught Black distracted, the scythe in his wrist reversed and struck Black squarely on the forehead—Black fell to the ground, unable to get up again.

"Old foxes are spicier, kid." Buz kicked Blake. "Apothecary!"

Then, Booz turned to look at Hades and gave a magnificent and solemn bow.

"Please call me 2B, my father."

Hades stood up, determined to defend his last shred of dignity. He put down the dessert in his hand. "...You were just dueling for this title?"

"Yes."

"Booz Bella said without changing his expression."

"And Booz Bella won."

"...Okay, 2B."

Hades said slowly, "Are you still fighting? I think I just missed a great moment?"

He didn't want to miss this opportunity to blend in with the Underworld Children, eating while watching the fight on the stage. It seemed like a perfect chance to mingle with them.

Hades was heartbroken by the soft, crumbly feel of the cream pie between his fingers.

Before Hades had finished speaking, the children of the underworld erupted in excitement.

Yay! That's it!

Chapter 595 Let's go to Makula!

"Are there private rooms available?"

Hades said with interest, and Buz, who was leading him, smiled as they walked through the holographic camouflage barrier.

Behind the multiple barriers lies a space that is noticeably more ornately decorated. Crimson swan-velvet sofas are placed on either side, with one of the original-sized sofas clearly having been temporarily placed there. A strange painting hangs in the gap between the two sofas, emitting a soft, dim light.

On the coffee table in front of the sofa, there are desserts and wine glasses.

Hades sat down and poked the Death Guard doll on the Primarch's sofa—it was one he had brought with him.

Buz sat down as well, and smiled.

“The Underworld Prince is not as stubborn as the Death Guard. We are the ones who negotiate many collaborations. The Planetary Governor, the Forging General, the Royal Guard... We can't take them to a simple place to talk. The atmosphere within the Underworld Prince is similar to that of the Death Guard, which makes them uneasy.”

Hades glanced at the black stone equipment surrounding the small house, and he was certain that an anti-subspace force field existed here.

"Reasonable spending is always better than wasting resources and suffering hardship."

Hades said, "Shall I further enhance the anti-spiritual energy of this space?"

"please."

Buz said that Hades' eyes lit up when he saw Buz.

"I have not yet seen your underworld."

Hades unleashed his dark domain, which now allowed for openings; the dark domain enveloped this space.

"...2B, hold out your hand."

Booz reached out his hand with some skepticism, and Hades enveloped it in the diluted black aura.

"How about it?"

Seeing that Buz's expression had worsened, Hades withdrew his Dark Domain.

Buz shook his head with a complicated expression, then nodded.

“It’s pretty much what Senior Karas said,” Buz said, emphasizing each word, “exhaustion, weakness, and… a strong urge to vomit.”

Hades smiled.

“The low concentration is like this,” he said, glancing at the coffee table where the nut cookies looked good. Hades picked one up and popped it into his mouth.

"Medium concentration results in unconscious fainting, while high concentration results in the soul being devoured—but physical bodily functions will be maintained for a short period of time, eventually leading to complete death over time."

Hades said that he and the Prince of the Underworld needed to work things out. For Hades, the Prince of the Underworld was almost the army that would stand firmly under his command after he awoke.

...Of course, Hades knew that the Underworld Children were also wary of him—he also needed them to remind him that something was wrong, rather than happily waaagh with him!

Booz raised his glass, and Hades knew he understood.

"My father, would you like a drink?"

"This is a brewing recipe taught to the chapter by the Death Guard, said Booz. It is said to be a replica of the Pale Lord's poisoned wine made by Karas Typhon, but with much less toxicity," Booz said.

Hades picked up his glass, looking troubled.

When did Mortarion's brew become a way to entertain guests? Do these Space Marines really love drinking this stuff?

Hades used to hold his nose and drink this liquor; in his memory, only Mortarian could "appreciate" the strange stuff he brewed.

"...You like this?"

“Generally speaking,” Booz said smoothly, “actually, it’s annoying—but without this specialty, how would the guests realize they’re in the Death Guard’s Hades’ Sons?

Hades' smile twitched.

“Cough cough,” he said, “Back then, this wine was made because there was nothing on Barbarus. That guy Mortarian just had some wild ideas and searched for a bunch of inedible things on Barbarus and put them together to make wine.”

"As for why we don't use edible grains to brew wine, it's because we can't waste food."

Hades said with deep emotion, taking a sip as he spoke. The familiar taste and the indescribable, soul-stirring sensation were palpable. This formula must have been improved countless times—to the point that mortals could barely drink it without becoming dizzy.

Hades picked up a piece of chestnut cake, deciding to suppress the indescribable taste in his mouth.

“I strongly advised him back then not to waste food,” Hades said with a complicated expression, while Buz in front of him wore a mysterious look.

"The Death Guard veterans told us that this is the Pale Lord's reward for meritorious service, a symbol of resilience and sharing joys and sorrows."

“That happened later. I suspect his taste buds have mutated,” Hades took another sip, feeling the torment Mortarian had inflicted on his tongue ten thousand years later. “Initially, he simply wanted something to drink. You know, in Barbaros back then, this kind of thing…”

Hades shook the glass; there were no suspicious beetle fragments or spider legs in it. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Very precious."

Booz downed his drink in one gulp, sat on the red velvet sofa, and tentatively asked,

"It seems we've misused the Lord of Death's wine?"

Hades sighed.

"You can drink the wine recipe he gave you however you like. It's amazing that this awful-tasting stuff hasn't gone extinct even after 10,000 years... You guys deserve credit for that too."

"Many things did not disappear even after ten thousand years."

As if making a point, Buz refilled his glass, and an unpleasant odor wafted out.

"At least I still have to work—do Death Guard, Faos, and Hades communicate with each other?"

Hades suddenly asked, turning his head to glance at the Duel Cage where the duel was taking place.

“Most of it is interconnected,” Buz said, “but I think Os doesn’t have a very clear understanding of the current state of the Empire.”

Hades watched a beautiful over-the-shoulder throw, and while watching, he picked up a piece of cream pie with relish.

"...It's clear that Kirkland mostly talked to me about technology and the forging world. He was very restrained when he spoke about the current state of the Empire."

"I thought he would be a fanatic who would take credit for everything you do."

Buzz joked that he had also taken a few pieces of pastry.

"He always acts like a war maniac in front of me."

Hades paused for a moment.

“After all, he has lived for ten thousand years,” he said, “and now… he is less Kirkland and more a fusion of Kirkland’s main personality and the Phaeus Nirvana system.”

Hades muttered to himself,

"I don't even know if the Kirkland I knew back then is alive or dead."

But Hades seemed relieved in an instant.

"As long as he's happy."

Kirkland certainly seemed happy and fulfilled, more purposeful than most of the people Hades had ever met.

“He’s absolutely thrilled,” Boots said quietly. “To be remembered by Hades for eternity—you have absolutely no need to worry about that.”

"..."

Hades thought that what Buz said made sense, but the reward was that he was remembered by Hades, which Hades found very strange.

Is this what it feels like to be an idol?

Hades suddenly remembered Neos from back then... He understood Neos's mindset back then, which was why he had always wanted to avoid Luo Jia.

But Hades is not an emperor; he will face it bravely!

Facing—hundreds of millions of believers!

Hades silently covered his face in his heart.

He might understand why Mortarian dressed so casually... perhaps it was because he was slovenly.

Hades sighed again; the desserts in front of him no longer looked appetizing.

"Let's skip over Sage Kirkland's personal issues for now..."

Hades said, “How much does the Empire know now? How did you know I was here—did you receive a message from Celestial Lion Barry and Imperial citizen Tees?”

"Don't worry, Mingzi has already made arrangements for Tian Shi and Tiss."

"We've kept the information very tightly under wraps. Apart from the Death Guard, no other faction in the Empire knows the current situation," Buzz continued.

"As for how we found you—Lord Mortalian sensed you and then notified the Death Guard, and Senior Karas then outsourced it to us."

Buz spread his hands, looking rather helpless.