The blackstone is stained with sacred blood.

Roars and roars from the High Heavens echoed across the galaxy.

The waves of flesh and golden light engulfed almost everyone at this moment.

The torrent of time is fading.

The dazzling light is dissipating.

The one-armed figure is gone.

However, hope remains.

……

[Battle report.] 】

[Remnant Mortal Auxiliaries: 8,888.] 】

[Remnant Space Marines: 888.] 】

[Remnant Titans: 8 (all extinguished in the War Dog class)] 】

[Remnants: 13 (including the Resolute)]

[Mechanicus Expeditionary Force: Annihilation.] 】

[Genoplasma Status: Unknown.] 】

“… Is that all? ”

"That's all."

Looking at the brutal battle report presented on the databoard, the Lord of Humanity frowned.

Ever since that daughter returned, he had expected this moment.

Casualties are inevitable.

"And yet... Such a tragic battle situation will undoubtedly affect the course of the Great Expedition? ”

The Palm Printmaker spoke slowly.

"They have trudged out of the turbulent channel of despair... You couldn't ask for more, my old friend. Just like a fledgling that has just learned to fly, it still needs the protection of its mother before their hunting and survival begins. ”

Needless to say, Machado knew too much about the Emperor's thoughts.

In fact, the unspoken Lord of Humanity endured far more torment than the suffering of any war in the Great Expedition, and he created the twenty-one god-like heirs in his great vision, only to be forced to witness the untold suffering of his children because of the enemy called Time, who knew that they would one day die, but who could only move forward before the necessary wars and conquests were over.

"Their sacrifices and wars are of unparalleled value."

"However, the Great Expedition must be advanced."

The Emperor sighed softly, melancholy and pain replaced by fortitude on his ordinary face.

As the strongest psyker, he could clearly feel the countless souls lost by the war in that subspace, and he could also clearly sense the hysteria of his daughter as she rebelled against fate.

The Twelfth Legion has indeed won, and the ancient subspace storm within the Maelstrom has receded under the influence of this war.

Under the will of the 'Blood 13' expeditionary fleet, condensed into a sharp spear, the blood god... A drop of blood was left behind.

The Emperor heard his roar of gratifying rage, and he also felt that the chaotic stain from the High Heavens in the real universe was fading away—the suffering of the human race that spread throughout the galaxy, and the heavy burden on the shoulders of the Lord of Humanity, was finally relieved a little.

However... No matter how brilliant the results were, they still couldn't change the fact of the disastrous victory.

Today, the Twelfth Legion has suffered unprecedented losses.

The whereabouts and status of the genoplasm are unknown, and most of the logistics and supplies have been depleted in unimaginably brutal warfare.

Even in the sectors they occupied, the vast majority of the worlds had fallen into an unprecedented emptiness in a short period of time with a large number of conscriptions.

An entire generation on Nukeriyah was burned in the flames of this war.

It can be said that although their war paved the way for the conquest of the Maelstrom, the Children of the Mountains were disqualified for a short time to go on the Great Expedition.

"yes. The Great Expedition must be advanced. ”

"Then you must see this, my old friend."

As if remembering something, Macardo slowly handed the data tablet in his hand to the emperor.

The Lord of Humanity took over the datapad, and his already frowning brow became more and more tangled.

The icy High Gothic vocabulary is accompanied by beautiful imagery to describe a city that has never been perfected before, and the Wai Wai Sigil at its suffix symbolizes who its conqueror is.

One of the most conspicuous is the extremely low propulsion efficiency when intersecting with other legions.

Its name is "City of Perfection".

……

The Broken Queen of Glory was docked above Nukeria, the red sand casting a scarlet mist over its shattered blackstone ramming.

Silent.

Endless silence.

In Nukeria's capital, which was no longer rich, the Twelfth Army was silently paraded.

Thousands of mortal auxiliaries marched slowly along with a torrent of armor that was no longer grandiose, accompanied by several majestic and bruised Titans.

Only a few hundred Space Marines remained, still wearing tattered power armor, symbolizing the Sons of the Mountain's past of rebellion against fate in the Celestial Realm.

No admiration from mortals, no cheers and blessings...

There is no sight from the Lord of the Legion.

An indescribable silence pervades the parade procession.

Decades have passed silently in the real universe after the endless war that has lasted for an unknown amount of time in subspace—during which all worlds under the control of the Twelfth Legion have been nearly exhausted by its long war mobilization.

Even Salem's vast world of forging, which burns with industrial fire all day long, has come to a standstill due to a lack of raw materials.

It wasn't until the remnants of the Sons of the Mountains returned from subspace that the vast and exhausted war machine could finally rest.

Karn's indifferent gaze was fixed on the parade in front of him, and the former Legion Commander Greer was beside him.

They were the only remaining Legion leaders after the war.

[I thought I would die there. 】

Karn's voice rang out suddenly, revealing endless melancholy.

Greer glanced at the chainsaw axe that Bloodfinger was holding, it was Elaine's other chainsaw axe, Bloodchild.

When they returned, the protogenomic weapon appeared at Karn's side.

And all the children of the mountains believe that this is a token left by Elaine.

[Obviously, your mother's will is very partial to you. 】

【… I'd rather not want this kind of favoritism. 】

Karn gripped the handle of the chainsaw axe.

The one-handed axe from the genetic prototype was so large that Karn even had to hold it as a two-handed axe.

[Ever since I witnessed the twisted future of Karn the Betrayer, I have truly known the greatness of my mother... And the price of that greatness. 】

【… yes, who isn't. - I never thought that my loyalty could lead to a senseless death...]

Greer sighed.

In that instantaneous and eternal time, every son of the mountains had a vision of the future in Elaine's vast sea of heart.

Derived from the desperate future described in the cursed knowledge, the endless illusions that the young genetic protogens fall into.

This pain has been there since the beginning, at the end of the fate of every son of the mountains.

"Mother is no longer with us. 】

[Only time can give the answer.] 】

Karn's gaze pierced through the parade to the ruined Glory Queen's battleship in space.

The glittering hull of the former ship was covered with scars, just like the military parade in front of them, which was no longer glorious.

Yes, the former glory of the Children of the Mountains is gone, not just all the lives lost in that cruel war...

And their Legion Leader, the Mother of Genes, also disappeared into the light that consumed everything.

The crumbling fleet of the Twelfth Legion has returned to the physical universe at some point.

It wasn't until everyone's consciousness returned that they realized that the war had been won.

The good news is that the Glorious Queen-class battleship Gritty Resolve, which represents the flagship of the 12th Legion, has returned to reality, and most of her hull is still intact except for the Blackstone ramming.

The bad news is that Elaine, the genetic protogen who represents the soul of the Twelfth Legion, has been missing, although the vast majority of Astartes believe that she is only temporarily missing, and the Legion's psychic empathy has not been severed... But this is still not optimistic.

Most of its resources have been depleted in this brutal war, and while the maelstrom's subspace storm has subsided, the Twelfth Legion has no troops at its disposal.

Now the children of the mountains have almost lost the strength to enter the stars.

Even with the biological and medical technology left behind by Elaine, facing a world that has been almost crushed by the war to the point of almost no generation, the replenishment of Astarte and auxiliary forces is still not optimistic.

They can only lick their wounds in silence and gather strength in their anger.

Until the Lord of the Red Sand returns.

……

Pain.

Elaine hadn't felt this way in a long time.

Already in Nucheria's conquests, few warriors could withstand the Iron Riders of the Winter Maiden, and no enemy was vulnerable to the might of the Genetic Primitives.

Even in the Great Expedition back to the stars, her battle is still invincible, and no small alien or profane presence can stop her.

Until she confronts another genetic protogen, the demon proto-Angelon from a distant time and space, and eight crazy bloodthirsty terrorists.

In that frantic and hysterical fight, she suffered numerous fatal injuries.

But that wasn't enough to make her feel pain.

Until he turned his will into a sharp blade and literally rushed towards the figure on the throne of skulls.

The dormant consciousness was reunited by the intense pain.

Elaine reluctantly opened her eyes, her pale golden eyes filled with confusion.

Strange sights come into view: sumptuous marble, endless crowds, towering churches.

“… Where am I? ”

Struggling to get to her feet, Elaine was a little confused.

Everything in front of her had nothing to do with the brass fortresses of terror and the bloody battlefields.

Only the empty right arm still came from a faint sharp pain, reminding herself that her war with the abuse was not over yet.

As 'Resolute Determination' slammed into the Fortress of Sadism at full speed, Elaine was determined to die, turning her will and resistance into a sharp blade, piercing through all the doomed tragic fate.

But... When I opened my eyes from the darkness again, it was not the celebration of the reunion of the heirs, nor the terrible whispers of the evil gods.

Everything now is extremely confusing to Elaine.

She dragged her tired figure out of the dark alleys and into the streets filled with priests and nuns.

It's a perfect city for a Catholic.

Every church in the city is singing hymns, as if the whole city is chanting the hymns of the gods.

Under the warm sunlight, the heavy armor covered with blood stains and scars reflected the scarlet luster, instantly attracting the attention and exclamation of the crowd.

"Oh my God... That's an angel..."

"But angels never have women..."

"But the majestic form and the sacred armor... And the incomparably holy blood, she must have experienced an unimaginable holy war. ”

"No—she's taller than an angel, and her presence must be holy..."

"Praise the God Emperor!"

"Praise the God Emperor!"

After whispering in whispers, the crowd began to salute and pray to Elaine at the exclamation of a fanatical believer, and the appearance of the giant seemed to be some rare miracle.

Elaine looked at the crowd around her with some blankness.

In her field of vision, there are sincere eyes from believers and flames of faith.

She understood the High Gothic vocabulary, but the overly religious atmosphere puzzled her.

Is it true that you have returned to the real universe...?

Elaine's careful mind quickly searched for the answer, the peace and tranquility of this world were extremely inconsistent with the war between the stars, and besides, for this religious atmosphere of déjà vu with Nukeria, it seemed that the world conquered by the Seventeenth Legion in the entire empire matched it...

Suddenly, a contrived voice brought her consciousness back, and an inexplicable disgust and hatred came to her mind at this moment.

"Oh... Oh my God, how holy, how great..."

"A genetic prototype has actually descended on the City of Perfection, hehehe..."

"He said, 'If the gods come to him, then prostrate and worship.'"

As the flow of people was dispersed by the high-pitched voice that pretended to be sacred, an Astarte chanted the Word and appeared in Elaine's vision.

The dark gray MK2 Power Armor covered in divine spells symbolizes his identity, which is characteristic of the Seventeenth Legion-Whisperers.

The bald head and the funny and cunning face covered in incantations outline a hint of insidiousness.

"It seems that the language of the distant Crimson Shadow is right, and we have received the blessing of the Blood Throne..."

"The Mother of Genes from the Twelfth Legion, the Holy Maiden from the Snow Peak, the Mother of the Most Gentle Legion among the Great Primordials..."

"Your Highness Angelon Elaine, welcome to the City of Perfection."

Elaine frowned.

She slowly clenched her fists, and the power fist slowly activated under the terrified gazes of the believers around her, and the disintegrating stance shone under her cold face.

The disgust and hatred that had just surfaced inexplicably in his heart came to an answer at this moment.

She knew the identity of the Bearer in front of her.

Lead Pastor – Erebus.

……

……