Chapter 468: I Didn

But to Sol's surprise, the silent Raven Guard paid no heed to Sol's warning.

"Don't bother Saint Dora with this petty matter—just report it."

"So if the one who kills him feels pleasure, Lucius will revive?"

"Do you feel joy or excitement after killing a muddy stray dog by the roadside?"

The Raven Guard spoke slowly, his tone calm and sincere, as if stating an obvious fact.

Sol's expression stiffened for a moment, taking several seconds to grasp what the Raven Guard meant.

Sol had fought with all his strength and still could not resist; one of the Four Chosen, ranked alongside Kain and Ahriman, was, in this Raven Guard's eyes, nothing but a roadside dog.

Killing him would bring not a shred of joy, not a hint of satisfaction, to this son of Corvax.

"I thought he was a stray dog!"

"Who the hell stands in front of a large-caliber steel needle sniper rifle?!"

"Then talk to my Shadow Step about it!"

"I didn't even use much force—how did you die?"

"There was no real experience—I just pulled the trigger, and he died on his own."

The Raven Guard shrugged slightly, speaking with a hint of resignation:

"He wasn't even a worthy opponent—no noble virtue, no resilient will, cowardly and detestable."

Sol stared in disbelief. He had always sensed this Raven Guard was strong, but he never imagined such strength—so immense it made Sol feel they were not of the same species.

"Then what kind of enemy would be worthy of your attention, one who could bring you true pleasure?"

The Raven Guard fell silent for a moment, then said: "Someone I shoot in the head and still don't kill."

Sol's expression grew even stiffer as he glanced at the corpse on the ground.

Lucius had been killed by a single large-caliber steel needle to the skull; even if the needle itself couldn't kill outright, it contained powdered remains of a High Unknowable, specially processed to produce potent anti-psyker effects, effective even against Lucius, deeply tainted by Chaos.

If the High Unknowable's ashes weren't lethal, the needle also held ash from the Astronomican's burned-out flame—a form of anti-psyker weapon capable of reflecting psychic energy, burning demons or the corrupted, even causing victims to be consumed by their own overwhelming psychic power.

Beyond these anti-psyker measures, the steel needle also contained the Thirsting Water of Baal—an ancient nanoweapon that directly drained all moisture from the victim's body, even unstoppable by the most terrifying war beasts of the Tyranid swarm.

"Do people really exist who survive a direct headshot from your gun?" Sol asked with a bitter smile.

"Yes." The Raven Guard gave Sol a slight nod.

Really? Sol's curiosity flared: "Who?"

"Ferrus Manus." The Raven Guard named him.

Who?

Sol took several seconds to comprehend the meaning of the name—and the implication behind the Raven Guard's words.

Ferrus Manus survived a direct headshot? That meant this man had actually blown off Ferrus Manus's head?

"There's one more recent case," the Raven Guard said after another pause.

"Who? Not Perturabo or Mortarion?" Sol asked with a wry laugh.

"Konrad Curze," the Raven Guard shrugged. "As for Perturabo, back then we had to choose one—Ferrus Manus was easier to hit."

"Mortarion never got the chance."

"." Sol felt dizzy.

Though he still didn't understand this man's identity, Sol could guess—he must be one of the legendary figures of the Great Crusade.

"Do you know the name Taviz?" Sol hesitated before asking.

According to Lucius's account, Sol's gene-seed came from a warrior named "Sol Taviz."

Sol often felt the warrior's combat memories still dwelled within his gene-seed, guiding and shaping him into a better fighter.

Sol longed to know the truth about that warrior.

"Taviz? I wasn't close to him, but who in the Great Betrayal didn't know that name? Every warrior who fought in the Istvaan system knew him."

The Raven Guard fell silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts:

"He was a model of humility—a fine officer even during the Great Crusade. He sought no power or status, content with his station. In his heart, his true honor and pride lay in loyalty to the Emperor and his gene-father, Ferrus Manus."

Sol opened his mouth to speak, but the Raven Guard cut him off.

"Yes, he was a Son of the Emperor—Ferrus Manus's son."

"On the orbit of Istvaan III, he was the first to discover the Warmaster's treachery. He carried the news to his oath-brother, the Death Guard's Captain Galen, who brought it back to Terra."

"It was Taviz who risked his life going to the surface of Istvaan III to warn the still-loyal Sons of the Emperor, Shadow Wolves, World Eaters, and Death Guard of the Warmaster's plot."

"My cousin, Taviz, tore open a crack in the Warmaster's conspiracy."

"He led the loyal warriors who held back the Warmaster's advance."

"He made the traitors suffer terribly—a lesson they would never forget."

For the first time, the Raven Guard spoke so much to Sol:

"Being born into a traitor legion was not his fault—precisely because of that, his loyalty was all the more precious."

"The title 'Son of the Emperor' once carried honor. Many traitors have stolen and defiled it—they don't deserve it. Nor does Ferrus Manus."

"But Taviz deserves it. He is the true Son of the Emperor."

The Raven Guard placed his hand on Sol's shoulder and gave it a heavy clap:

"I hope you are the same."

With that, the warrior vanished into the shadows, leaving Sol bewildered.

Sword clashed against chainsaw, the tremor echoing through the chamber.

In the arena, Sol and Kain exchanged blows relentlessly.

The pressure Kain exerted on Sol was far less than Lucius's.

This was not because Kain was weaker than Lucius.

It was because Sol and Kain were engaged in a First Blood duel—ending only when the first drop of blood was drawn.

Kain was ill-suited for such combat; he had to hold back, lest his axe cleave not just blood, but Sol's head clean off.

Sol's sword was deflected; Kain's axe drove straight for Sol's neck—then halted at the last instant.

"You're distracted, Sol."

"Lucius may have been a dog, but his swordplay was decent. Losing to him isn't shameful."

Kain withdrew his axe and stepped back to a corner of the arena.

"You can even be proud—you've fought Lucius. That proves you're at least a first-rate company commander."

"Like Captain Titus?" Sol asked with a light laugh.

"There's still a long way to go. He's a Space Marine, and a Second Company Captain."

"Do you know Ioniid Hill? He was the first Second Company Captain of the Ultramarines—he turned the punishment red helm into a symbol of honor."

Kain spoke as he continued sparring with Sol.

"." Sol fell silent for a moment, then asked: "Do you know Taviz?"

"What? The Sons of the Emperor finally want to learn their legion's history?" Kain said with a mocking tone.

". am a son of Rogal Dorn!" Sol hesitated a heartbeat, then declared firmly.

"Hah. That's the only thing that sounds right," Kain laughed. "I fought alongside Taviz."

Sol's expression brightened, eager to hear of Kain's battles beside Taviz.

But Kain immediately doused his hopes: "Not side by side. I mean on Istvaan III."

"He was loyal, betrayed. I am the traitor, the betrayer."

"He crushed us badly. It was a bitter lesson."

"Taviz, Raelano, Erlen, Kouraga, Lokan, Togaton, Galen, and even Earwind Cruz—they all made us pay dearly on Istvaan III. I nearly died there."

"Nearly killed by a loyal warrior?" Sol asked.

"No, by a Land Raider Predator—once belonging to the Sons of Horus, fitted with a sharp bulldozer blade, moving at full speed. Barely missed turning me into paste."

"But look—though it was once Horus's tank, didn't it still serve the Emperor, nearly killing a future Chosen of Khorne?"

Kain's twisted humor left Sol speechless—even Seth and Titus, watching from afar, couldn't help shaking their heads.

"Boy, I'm telling you this: without those warriors—without Taviz the Son of the Emperor and Galen the Death Guard—the Great Betrayal might have won."

"We'd have seized the initiative, launched countless ambushes like the Battle of Causus, Istvaan V, and the Burning of Prospero—most legions lack the Ultramarines' resilience."

"We might have marched unimpeded to Terra and stormed the Imperial Palace."

"I have faint memories—I forget when, but Angron once told me: 'It wasn't they who betrayed us—it was we who betrayed them.'"

"Lucius and his kind defile the honor of the Sons of the Emperor. Taviz defended it. He is the true Son of the Emperor."

Kain plucked a single drop of blood from Sol's cheek, ending the duel:

"Do you want to be a true Son of the Emperor—or a false son of Dorn?"

Sol fell silent, placed his hand on his breastplate, then—

"I will not use the title 'Son of the Emperor,'" Sol said.

Kain raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Until I personally cleanse the shame Lucius and his kind have brought to the legion."

"The Sons of the Emperor shall be reborn in the blood of traitors, like a phoenix."

Unbeknownst to Sol, as he spoke those words, in a nearby room, Zhou Yun—attending a routine small meeting—heard them through his extraordinary hearing.

A faint, almost imperceptible smile crossed the Lord of the Ultramarines' lips.

(End of Chapter)