Chapter 392: Big Brother, the Golden Throne; Second Brother, the Brass Throne

【Item Name: Skarbrand】

【Origin: The Warp – Brass Fortress】

【Evaluation: The foremost Greater Daemon of Khorne today once destroyed the first ring of Slaanesh's palace, slew N'gath's grand plague Leviathan, and presented Khorne with countless skulls—but ultimately rebelled against Khorne after being corrupted by Tzeentch, setting the Brass Fortress ablaze; yet he only managed to scratch Khorne's armor through a surprise attack. Enraged, Khorne shattered his will, crippled his body, and banished him.】

But in the long years that followed, Khorne never created another Greater Daemon as powerful as Skarbrand. After losing Kabanha and Angorath, Khorne attempted eighty-seven times and failed to create a satisfactory Greater Daemon—until finally forgiving Skarbrand and reshaping his body.】

【Production Time:???】

【Status: Born Rebellious】

【Value: 388, 88, 88】

【Eligible for inclusion as juvenile correctional re-education material.】

Daikokuten the Greater Daemon and Fat Tiger the Greater Daemon, like Zhou Yun's extensions, like Zhou Yun's arms.】

After consuming part of the Emperor's authority, Zhou Yun came to understand the entire process of creating Greater Daemons.】

Normally, when gods create Greater Daemons, they sever a portion of their own power, using it to envelop the tides of the Warp, drawing forth from the surging Warp the wills, desires, and concepts aligned with their domains, and giving them form—thus creating a Greater Daemon.】

Those chaotic, naturally born demons are formed when sufficiently powerful wills, desires, and concepts spontaneously attract energy from the Warp.】

Zhou Yun's method of creating Greater Daemons is fundamentally similar.】

Only he seizes or borrows power from other beings to envelop his own existence.】

Additionally, Greater Daemons, secondary deities, or fragments of Chaos Gods sealed within his fourth-dimensional pocket—if their constituent wills, desires, and concepts align with Zhou Yun's needs—are twisted into the forms he desires and enveloped within.】

For example, Daikokuten was formed by enveloping Zhou Yun's will with the powers of Slaanesh, Inader, and the Emperor; Slaanesh's concept was twisted into a flower-rope, Inader's concept into a revolver, and the Emperor's concept absorbed into his body.】

The advantage is that Zhou Yun can freely manipulate the original abilities of those materials, and the portion of Zhou Yun's own Warp essence infused into the Greater Daemon remains tightly linked to Zhou Yun himself.】

For instance, Inader can transmit his power and will through the Five Old Women's Swords.】

Zhou Yun can achieve the same through bullets forged from the Old Women's Swords.】

The portion of Zhou Yun's essence and the Emperor's fragment contained within Daikokuten can both be transmitted along the bullets.】

Through this, Zhou Yun can accomplish many things.】

The power of the Domain of Corrosive Destruction can manifest through bullets—anything pierced by them is doomed to inevitable death.】

The power of the Domain of Malicious Craftsmanship can likewise manifest—souls or demons pierced by the bullets are bound within them, becoming like demon engines.】

The power of the Domain of Greedy Dissolution can also manifest through bullets—any part pierced by them is dragged into a fourth-dimensional pocket resembling Zhou Yun's maw.】

Skarbrand was dragged into Zhou Yun's fourth-dimensional pocket in this manner, aided by the power of Greedy Dissolution—】

But in the instant Skarbrand was pierced,】

Daikokuten's glasses reflected another scene.】

He saw the Brass Domain, and Khorne seated upon the Brass Throne.】

Then Zhou Yun realized—he had aimed at Skarbrand, but Skarbrand had merely been a vessel, a manifestation, a tool of Khorne's will.】

As he had claimed from the start, his true opponent was Khorne; he had aimed at Khorne.】

The bullet's target was Khorne.】

The bullet carried the power of the Domain of Corrosive Destruction and the Emperor's power.】

And Zhou Yun faintly heard the Domain of Corrosive Destruction itself speaking.】

"It symbolizes the fated end of all things; to achieve this end, it advances mercilessly."】

The voice sounded like the Emperor's, like Inader's, like Zhou Yun's own voice, like Daikokuten's voice.】

"Just as the bullet is fated to strike its target."】

Daikokuten slightly pushed up his glasses, which reflected the bullet's target.】

Then, in midair, the bullet forged from the Old Women's Swords, carrying the power of the Domain of Corrosive Destruction, pierced the veil between reality and the Warp in an instant.】

Khorne marveled.】

Indeed, end and death are the fated ends of all life—whether mortal or demon god, all shall one day meet such an end.】

Cowards wait in fear for that fate; the strong challenge it.】

If end is fated, then let my axe bring it.】

If death is fated, then let me die beneath the axe of a strong one.】

Killing—only killing answers that fated end, answers the void that all shall become dust.】

In the face of Corrosive Destruction's birth, Tzeentch sought escape through change; Slaanesh idled in pleasure; N'gath sought to rot without dying.】

But Khorne's only response was: Come, kill. Whether He kills or is killed, Khorne gladly rejoices.】

Khorne roared in battle, Khorne came to fight, Khorne slammed the Brass Throne hard.】

Instantly, countless brass weapons rose from Khorne's domain, attempting to block the bullet.】

But upon the Golden Throne, as power had been partially granted to Zhou Yun, the Emperor's condition improved slightly.】

Daikokuten was primarily shaped from the portion of the Emperor's power granted to Zhou Yun; the Old Women's Swords themselves were born to transmit Inader's power of Corrosive Destruction.】

The bullet could not only transmit the portion of Corrosive Destruction's power that Zhou Yun controlled, but the Emperor could also lend his own portion through the bullet fired by Daikokuten.】

And this, the Emperor—or indeed most humans—did not oppose.】

The hatred for the Four Gods burned so fiercely, the desire to destroy the Chaos Gods ran so strong, that the Emperor could transmit the vast majority of his power into Khorne's domain.】

Khorne infused his will into Skarbrand's power, making himself a target—and exposed a flaw.】

After all, such an opportunity is rare.】

Humans longed to avenge Khorne.】

Thus the bullet pierced through the entire Brass Fortress; the weapons rising from the red sand earth could not stop it.】

Khorne laughed—joyful and furious.】

He drew from beside the Brass Throne a longsword dripping with blood.】

Towering into the clouds, clad in grotesque, monstrous armor, Khorne rose from the Brass Throne, gripping the sword with both hands, and charged toward the bullet brimming with most of the Corrosive Destruction's power.】

Killing and battle are the crimson joy before life's final end.】

Mortals and gods, fear not death, fear not end, fear not destruction.】

So long as blood flows, rejoice—for all else is unimportant.】

The Domains of Corrosive Destruction and Unthinking Killing collided—the entire Warp trembled.】

Most of the bullet's power was dissipated in the collision.】

"But the bullet is fated to strike its target."】

The bullet grazed Khorne's sword; the smell of gunpowder carried the taste of death.】

But Khorne was unafraid—for the bullet's power had been greatly weakened, incapable of piercing his armor or harming his essence.】

Yet the bullet's trajectory struck Khorne's thigh.】

Upon Khorne's thigh, atop armor forged from endless slaughter across eons, there was a tiny fissure.】

It came from Skarbrand's betrayal—the former foremost Greater Daemon of Khorne had once ambushed Khorne.】

It failed to wound Khorne's body, but succeeded in leaving a crack upon his armor.】

Even in the Warp, where time has no meaning, this was the only time.】

The bullet tore open along that ancient fissure.】

The Emperor transmitted the power of Corrosive Destruction, and Zhou Yun seized the moment to transmit the power of Greedy Dissolution, using his fourth-dimensional pocket to devour a fragment of Khorne's essence.】

A cry of agony echoed through the Brass Domain; Khorne's body collapsed heavily back onto the Brass Throne.】

All demons and cultists who worshipped Khorne suddenly felt a piercing pain in their thighs.】

As if part of their flesh had been devoured, as if part of their thighs had been utterly killed.】

As if—Khorne himself had become lame.】

The demons of Khorne turned in shock to gaze at the towering Brass Throne.】

They watched Khorne, writhing in agony upon the Brass Throne, struggling to rise but unable to.】

In that moment, the demons of Khorne simultaneously remembered the human Emperor—the man seated upon the Golden Throne, forever unable to stand.】

(End of Chapter)