Chapter 524: with translation of chapter title

False Emperor?!

「Rou～——！！」 -> "Rou~——!!" This is a sound effect? It's a name? "Rou" maybe a name? It's in quotes, likely a name or a call. It's a term "Rou". Could be a name? It's not Chinese characters; it's Latin letters. It's likely a name or a shout. Since it's not Chinese characters, we treat as is? The rule: Keep well-known cultivation/fantasy terms in English forms. This is not Chinese; it's already Latin. Should we keep as is? Probably keep as "Rou~——!!". We'll translate the quotes? We'll keep the content.

Upon hearing that the person dared to so contemptuously disrespect his father, Constantine immediately hurled the Cassius Spear at them.

Seeing their elder brother and commander take action, the six Imperial Guard brothers did not use the explosive bolt gun attached to their power spears to assist in the attack.

Clang!!

But with a fierce metallic cry.

Dong~…dong…dong…

The Cassius Spear was flung away by another strong force, falling to the ground and rolling back not far in front of Constantine.

「…」 -> ellipsis.

As Constantine reached out to summon back the weapon his father had given him, he also calmed himself, watching the person completely step out of the teleportation gate.

Behold a figure standing on the material universe, nine meters tall, clad in luxurious purple scale armor, with a dark red cape embroidered with gold thread draped behind him, his overall appearance extravagant and exaggerated.

His arms, exposed outside the armor, showed distinct lines and layers of robust muscle, and he gripped a massive war hammer in both hands.

It appeared that this figure reacted with speed and strength equal to, or even greater than, a normal Imperial Guard, swinging his war hammer to knock away the Cassius Spear.

Furthermore, his skin was pitch black all over, his facial features twisted, cheekbones protruding, and his eyes emitted a faint purple light outward.

Despite this figure's mutation, Constantine and the six Imperial Guard immediately recognized him as their primary objective for this mission—

Fire Dragon Lord Wokan.

Unfortunately, based on his appearance and demeanor, as well as his earlier blasphemous words, one can judge that this being, who should have been the kindest, most benevolent Original Body in Universe 03, has due to some factor fallen to the Chaos side.

Not only that.

Boom! Boom!

Accompanied by the distinctive sound of magnetic boots stepping on the ground, a group of Astartes, each at least as tall as any Imperial Guard present and over four meters high, wielding their respective explosive bolt guns, plasma cannons, combustion cannons, and other large-caliber weapons, filed through the teleportation gate into the material universe, entering the sight of Constantine and his companions.

Looking out, this ever-growing Astartes force, or rather legion, had also gone missing alongside Wokan two hundred years ago in the Fire Lizard Legion.

However, each Fire Lizard underwent a mutation more severe and exaggerated than its Original Body.

According to Imperial official records, the members of the Fire Lizard Legion in Universe 03 appear to be the most formidable in build and height among all the legions of Universe 3.

Now, after receiving a special blessing from some otherworldly evil god and undergoing a special experiment, each Fire Lizard has swollen.

Their bodies and skin, along with the forged steel armor that grew ivory, blades, and bone spikes, or the Terminator and Fearless Mech, are completely fused together, never to be separated.

Their paint scheme is no longer primarily green; instead, most are deep purple like their Original Bodies, while some Fire Lizards sport brass, light blue, or dark black coloration, but their overall design is similar, each one utterly corrupted.

While some Fire Lizards still retain a 'green' paint job, they are a swampy green, bloated, oozing foul-smelling liquid, and surrounded by buzzing Chaos flies.

The present Fire Lizards are truly the Chaos army forged by the otherworldly powers that have spared no effort, sacrificing countless beings from other universes.

Moreover, the evil god may have also used a kind of 'demon womb' to breed even more Chaos Astartes; at least in the eyes of Constantine and the Imperial Guard brothers, their numbers keep increasing without any sign of stopping.

However, after setting foot in the material universe, Wokan and the Fire Lizards merely formed a disordered array to stand by, presently having no intention to launch an active attack.

Constantine and his companions likewise remained silent, merely observing.

Both sides faced off.

At this moment, Wokan looked down from above, scrutinizing Constantine, who was half his height not far away, and asked, 'Are you the offspring of the False Emperor?'

His words were filled with doubt, for Wokan could not sense the gene seed within Constantine, yet Constantine gave him a strong sense of 'brotherhood'.

'Mind your words, traitor.' Constantine suppressed his anger, raised the Cassius Spear with his right hand, pointed its tip at Wokan and the Fire Lizards, and said in a low voice, 'We are the Imperial Heirs, not something your rabble can compare to.'

Please die.

Boom!!

As Constantine finished speaking his extravagant words in an extremely calm tone, he instantly lunged forward as a blur, launching an attack against Wokan, who posed the greatest threat and possessed the largest stature.

At this moment, Constantine no longer had the capacity to ponder why Wokan had fallen, or why Asasatiye could sense that beneath Sanosch's underground lay a Wokan still belonging to the Loyalist faction.

Now, the Imperial Guard commander only thinks about how to annihilate the traitor, even if it means his own death; the father who raised him to this position certainly did not intend for him to merely look good and have a reputation.

Clang!!!

The metal wail echoed once more through the underground space.

Boom!!!

A surge like a wave that distorts space, moreover swept outward with the wail.

The clash of spear and war hammer also represented the determination of the Fire Dragon Lord and the Imperial Guard commander.

Wokan was seen first gripping the hammer's handle with one hand, attempting to suppress Constantine, who wielded his spear with both hands.

Just looking at the size difference, Wokan is completely overwhelming.

After all, according to Imperial records, Wokan's height before his fall was five meters, and now, having received blessings and modifications from numerous evil gods...

？ -> just a question mark line; no translation needed? We need to output something; likely just "?"? We'll output "?".

However, the two sides unexpectedly fell into a stalemate, leaving Wokan somewhat shocked.

Given that Constantine, no matter how strong or how many surgeries he has undergone, should still be beneath his Original Body, yet now he can match Wokan in strength, which is truly astonishing.

「…」 -> ellipsis.

At the very moment Constantine launched his attack, the six Imperial Guard naturally were not idle; they immediately brandished their power spears and charged forward in silence.

The reason they did not use antimatter explosive bolts or other variants is simple: first, they feared disturbing their elder brother's duel with a fallen Original Body; second, a 'nuclear blast' might be less effective than close combat.

Know that the lightning stance crackling with black-gold light on the blades of their power spears inflicts devastating damage upon otherworldly demons and creatures.

Hiss hiss hiss!

Ri~ swoosh!

Once over a thousand Fire Lizards had gathered on this side, they immediately unleashed a volley of gunfire, pulling triggers as enchanted explosive bolts and plasma cannon teams, along with combustion beams, screamed forth, slicing through the gap between the two sides.

Nevertheless, relying solely on the energy shield generated by their exclusive armor, the six Imperial Guard fearlessly faced the concentrated fire, their speed undiminished as they broke through the front line of Fire Lizards and charged straight into the heart of the enemy ranks.

Buzz! Buzz! A fierce collision burst forth between the positions.

"Sizzle!!" The armor and body are easily torn and cut.

Unlike the standoff with the fallen OriginalBody and the Imperial Guard commander, the six Imperial Guard at the core of the enemy formation were as if in an unguarded realm; none of the surrounding fire lizards could withstand a single blow.

Although the fire lizards' ceramic‑steel armor can generate a formidable Spiritual Energy shield, it cannot resist the black‑gold lightning stance.

Whenever struck by the power halberd's slash or thrust, the Spiritual Energy shield is torn, and the ceramic‑steel armor and mutated flesh are split and bisected by the momentum.

To be honest, these fire lizards, whose height and physique are comparable to the Imperial Guard, already have strength and quality on par with the legion Astate.

This directly shows that the group of evil gods hidden in the interdimensional space have poured considerable effort to deal with the Human Empire's legion, OriginalBody, and Astate.

Only, the fire lizards' opponent is the Imperial Guard.

Whether in the Prime Universe or the Zero‑Three Universe, the gap between the Imperial Guard and Astate, exaggeratedly speaking, is like the gap between Astate and ordinary mortals.

In the Prime Universe, each Imperial Guard undergoes a custom‑fitted modification surgery, making each one a unique individual.

Flesh and blood fly everywhere.

The six Imperial Guard, in a 3‑3‑1 formation, press forward in two "△" triangular arrays, crushing and eliminating every traitor within sight; in a short time, the fire lizards are utterly helpless.

At this moment.

Because each side's subordinates erupt into full‑scale clash, the two "people" at the forefront gradually become the battlefield's core.

Both sides continue to contend.

Moreover, Kang Sitan Ting, wielding a gun in each hand, though at a disadvantage, slowly uses his Cassius Gun to pry open the Chaos Warhammer riddled with bone spikes and sigils.

??

Seeing Kang Sitan Ting about to break free, the fallen OriginalBody cannot accept it, so Wokan grasps the hammer's handle with both hands, finally regaining the upper hand in strength.

As the great hammer threatens to crush him, Kang Sitan Ting steps back to his left, slipping past the hammer's blade.

Boom!!!

As the warhammer slams the ground fiercely, he also twists his waist and turns, wielding the Cassius Gun like an "iron rod" and swings it toward Wokan's right flank.

???

The speed of this strike is extreme, leaving Wokan unable to react, followed by a muffled "Bang!!!".

Having once received his father's Spiritual Energy Blessing, the Cassius Gun, ignoring all Spiritual Energy shields, makes direct "intimate contact" with the purple scale armor and hurls Wokan dozens of meters away.

Boom~…Boom! Boom!

Wokan's massive body, while falling, makes the entire underground space tremble.

"Hum, a ragtag is still a ragtag." After delivering a swing, Kang Sitan Ting lifts his helmet, looking disdainfully at the rising Wokan.

Yes, according to the power ranking, he is indeed below the OriginalBody.

Facing any OriginalBody ends in total defeat; at most the difference is a few seconds versus dozens of seconds against different OriginalBodies.

After all, the combat power among OriginalBodies varies.

But this kind of ranking does not apply to OriginalBodies outside the Prime Universe.

In a single clash, Kang Sitan Ting feels that the fallen, chaotic side Wokan still falls short in overall strength compared to OriginalBodies like Rus and Shengjilesi.

Otherwise he wouldn't have been flung by a single gun swing.

At this moment, a few short‑sighted fire lizards try to ambush, but they fail to even track the trajectory of Kang Sitan Ting's long spear and are killed on the spot.

Immediately after.

Kang Sitan Ting, while dispatching the intervening fire lizards, strides forward, ready to press the advantage and slay the fallen OriginalBody in one blow to break the current stalemate.

Roar!!!

However, after the flung Wokan lets out a thunderous roar, he rolls up, picks up the fallen great hammer, and hurls it at Kang Sitan Ting again.

Moreover, this time Wokan's speed, reaction, and strength have all markedly increased, and he shouts with an echoing timbre:

"Ragtag? Do you even have the right to call an OriginalBody ragtag?!!"

The dozens‑meter gap vanishes in an instant.

Kang Sitan Ting offers no reply, choosing to silently raise his gun in response.

Bang!

Boom!

Both sides' afterimages intersect.

It seems undecided, but Kang Sitan Ting notices that each time Wokan is attacked, his power grows a notch, until he can no longer harm Wokan at all.

After only a few seconds, the great hammer, enveloped by a violet light, shatters the energy shield of the exclusive armor; although it fails to break the pure Spiritual Energy barrier, it still hurls Kang Sitan Ting away.

Finally, Wokan at last avenges the earlier "single swing" grievance.

At the same time.

The six Imperial Guard, with steel‑reinforced bones and near‑infinite stamina, begin to tire against the fire lizards' reckless wave‑tide tactics.

No matter how unmatched, the fire lizards are equivalent to legion‑level Astate, and with home‑field advantage, the scales tip completely toward them.

At this point, the six Imperial Guard cut through the enemy ranks, quickly forming a circle around the fallen commander.

Without his brothers' assistance, Kang Sitan Ting has regained his balance, stands up, and turns his gaze toward the portal entrance they arrived through.

Sure enough.

Under the influence of chaotic Spiritual Energy in the interdimensional space, that entrance has vanished, indicating that the evil gods, no matter what, intend to trap them here.

It may be for the upcoming arrangement, or to obtain their bodies for extremely profane research or modification.

Seeing Wokan and the fire lizards close in again, Kang Sitan Ting and the six Imperial Guard brothers, to prevent the chaotic side's scheme from succeeding, are forced to abandon their so‑called dignity and ready the teleportation device to leave.

However, Kang Sitan Ting cannot determine whether activating the teleportation device will hit the evil gods' wishes.

In the midst of indecision…

Rumble…

The underground space unexpectedly experiences a faint tremor.

「Boom!! 」

Then came an even more violent explosion.

?

Looking toward the source of the explosion, Constantine and the six imperial guards discovered that the netherworld passage entrance, which had previously disappeared, had reappeared.

「Die, heretic! 」

「Traitor! Traitor! 」

At the same time, dozens of Grey Knights roared as they charged out of the netherworld passage, providing strong support for Constantine and the others.

Not only that.

They also saw a 'person' wearing a custom-made power armor styled after ancient Greece, with flowing long hair, among the support squad.

More importantly, this 'person' could also release a Spiritual Energy spell that emitted an emerald-green light, directly turning an attacked fire lizard into a skeleton.

And this 'person's identity was precisely that of a specially 'hired' consultant by the Grey Knights—

Underworld King Hades

(End of chapter)